John Nelson Darby in English Literature

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Taken from "Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes" by Robert Louis Stevenson.
(Highlights in bold are mine)

A step or two farther I was overtaken by an old man in a brown nightcap, clear-eyed, weather-beaten, with a faint excited smile. A little girl followed him, driving two sheep and a goat; but she kept in our wake, while the old man walked beside me and talked about the morning and the valley. It was not much past six; and for healthy people who have slept enough, that is an hour of expansion and of open and trustful talk.

‘Connaissez-vous le Seigneur?’ he said at length.

I asked him what Seigneur he meant; but he only repeated the question with more emphasis and a look in his eyes denoting hope and interest.

‘Ah,’ said I, pointing upwards, ‘I understand you now. Yes, I know Him; He is the best of acquaintances.’

The old man said he was delighted. ‘Hold,’ he added, striking his bosom; ‘it makes me happy here.’ There were a few who knew the Lord in these valleys, he went on to tell me; not many, but a few. ‘Many are called,’ he quoted, ‘and few chosen.’

‘My father,’ said I, ‘it is not easy to say who know the Lord; and it is none of our business. Protestants and Catholics, and even those who worship stones, may know Him and be known by Him; for He has made all.’

I did not know I was so good a preacher.

The old man assured me he thought as I did, and repeated his expressions of pleasure at meeting me. ‘We are so few,’ he said. ‘They call us Moravians here; but down in the Department of Gard, where there are also a good number, they are called Derbists, after an English pastor.’

I began to understand that I was figuring, in questionable taste, as a member of some sect to me unknown; but I was more pleased with the pleasure of my companion than embarrassed by my own equivocal position. Indeed, I can see no dishonesty in not avowing a difference; and especially in these high matters, where we have all a sufficient assurance that, whoever may be in the wrong, we ourselves are not completely in the right. The truth is much talked about; but this old man in a brown nightcap showed himself so simple, sweet, and friendly, that I am not unwilling to profess myself his convert. He was, as a matter of fact, a Plymouth Brother. Of what that involves in the way of doctrine I have no idea nor the time to inform myself; but I know right well that we are all embarked upon a troublesome world, the children of one Father, striving in many essential points to do and to become the same. And although it was somewhat in a mistake that he shook hands with me so often and showed himself so ready to receive my words, that was a mistake of the truth-finding sort. For charity begins blindfold; and only through a series of similar misapprehensions rises at length into a settled principle of love and patience, and a firm belief in all our fellow-men. If I deceived this good old man, in the like manner I would willingly go on to deceive others. And if ever at length, out of our separate and sad ways, we should all come together into one common house, I have a hope, to which I cling dearly, that my mountain Plymouth Brother will hasten to shake hands with me again.

Thus, talking like Christian and Faithful by the way, he and I came down upon a hamlet by the Tarn. It was but a humble place, called La Vernède, with less than a dozen houses, and a Protestant chapel on a knoll. Here he dwelt; and here, at the inn, I ordered my breakfast. The inn was kept by an agreeable young man, a stone-breaker on the road, and his sister, a pretty and engaging girl. The village schoolmaster dropped in to speak with the stranger. And these were all Protestants—a fact which pleased me more than I should have expected; and, what pleased me still more, they seemed all upright and simple people. The Plymouth Brother hung round me with a sort of yearning interest, and returned at least thrice to make sure I was enjoying my meal. His behaviour touched me deeply at the time, and even now moves me in recollection. He feared to intrude, but he would not willingly forego one moment of my society; and he seemed never weary of shaking me by the hand.
......
There was something in this landscape, smiling although wild, that explained to me the spirit of the Southern Covenanters. Those who took to the hills for conscience’ sake in Scotland had all gloomy and bedevilled thoughts; for once that they received God’s comfort they would be twice engaged with Satan; but the Camisards had only bright and supporting visions. They dealt much more in blood, both given and taken; yet I find no obsession of the Evil One in their records. With a light conscience, they pursued their life in these rough times and circumstances. The soul of Séguier, let us not forget, was like a garden. They knew they were on God’s side, with a knowledge that has no parallel among the Scots; for the Scots, although they might be certain of the cause, could never rest confident of the person.

‘We flew,’ says one old Camisard, ‘when we heard the sound of psalm-singing, we flew as if with wings. We felt within us an animating ardour, a transporting desire. The feeling cannot be expressed in words. It is a thing that must have been experienced to be understood. However weary we might be, we thought no more of our weariness, and grew light so soon as the psalms fell upon our ears.

The valley of the Tarn and the people whom I met at La Vernède not only explain to me this passage, but the twenty years of suffering which those, who were so stiff and so bloody when once they betook themselves to war, endured with the meekness of children and the constancy of saints and peasants.
......
Like my mountain Plymouth Brother, he knows the Lord. His religion does not repose upon a choice of logic; it is the poetry of the man’s experience, the philosophy of the history of his life. God, like a great power, like a great shining sun, has appeared to this simple fellow in the course of years, and become the ground and essence of his least reflections; and you may change creeds and dogmas by authority, or proclaim a new religion with the sound of trumpets, if you will; but here is a man who has his own thoughts, and will stubbornly adhere to them in good and evil.
......
Only one, on the other hand, professed much delight in the idea; and that was my Plymouth Brother, who cried out, when I told him I sometimes preferred sleeping under the stars to a close and noisy ale-house, ‘Now I see that you know the Lord!’

From the Perspective of the Principal Offerings Part 3

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Read Part 1, Part 2.

The Principal Offerings with regard to the Lord's Supper
The Burnt Offering aspect - "My body which is given for you" Luke 22:19
The Meal Offering aspect - "in remembrance of Me" Luke 22:19, 1 Cor 11:24
The Peace Offering aspect - "the new testament in My blood which is shed for you" Luke 22:20
The Sin Offering aspect - "which is shed for many" Mark 14:24, Matt 26:28
The Trespass Offering aspect - "for the remission of sins" Matt 26:28

Afar Off

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The demoniac man (Mark 5:6)
The prodigal son (Luke 15:20)
The rich man (Luke 16:23)
The ten lepers (Luke 17:12)
The publican (Luke 18:13)
Peter (Matt 26:58, Mark 14:54, Luke 22:54)
The women (Matt 27:55, Mark 15:40, Luke 23:49)

Widows in Luke's Gospel

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Luke 2:37 - Widow who served God, compensated
Luke 4:26 - Widow who supported Elijah, catered
Luke 7:12 - Widow who sorrowed, comforted
Luke 18:3 - Widow who supplicated, contented
Luke 21:3 - Widow who surrendered all she has, commended

Who can be Against Us?

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1. God for us (Rom 8:31)
2. God with us (Matt 1:23)
3. God in us (1 John 4:16)

Be Ye Therefore

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From the Lord
- Be ye therefore perfect (Matt 5:48)
- Be ye therefore wise (Matt 10:16)
- Be ye therefore ready (Luke 12:40, Matt 24:44)
- Be ye therefore merciful (Luke 6:36)

From the Apostles
- Be ye transformed (Rom 12:2)
- Be ye steadfast, unmoveable (1 Cor 15:58)
- Be ye reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20)
- Be ye enlarged (2 Cor 6:13)
- Be ye separate (2 Cor 6:17)
- Be ye kind (Eph 4:32)
- Be ye thankful (Col 3:15)
- Be ye doers of the Word (James 1:22)
- Be ye patient (James 5:8)
- Be ye holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
- Be ye sober (1 Peter 4:7)

Scripture Enclosures

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1. Humanity in Adam (1 Cor 15:22)
2. Nationality in Isaac (Heb 11:18)
3. Carnality in the Flesh (Rom 8:8)
4. Depravity in Sin (Rom 6:1)
5. Enmity in the World (John 16:33)
6. Spirituality in the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9)
7. Christianity in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:6)
8. Divinity in God (1 Thess 1:1)

Repentance

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1. Goodness of God leads to it (Rom 2:4)
2. Authority of God commands it (Acts 17:30)
3. Compassion of God waits for it (2 Peter 3:9)
4. Grace of God grants it (Acts 11:18)
5. Love of God rejoices over it (Luke 15:7)

From the Perspective of the Principal Offerings Part 2

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Read Part 1.

The Principal Offerings in the Messianic Psalms
Psalm 40 - The Burnt Offering aspect
Psalm 16 - The Meal Offering aspect
Psalm 118 - The Peace Offering aspect
Psalm 22 - The Sin Offering aspect
Psalm 69 - The Trespass Offering aspect

Contents of the Ark

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"The ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant" Hebrews 9:4

The Way - Aaron's rod that budded (Ps 23:4)
The Truth tables of the covenant
The Life - golden pot that had manna

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" John 14:6

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

John Three Sixteen Part 4

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

For God so loved the world - the vastness of love
that He gave His only begotten Son - the virtue of light
that whosoever believeth in Him  - the validity of faith
should not perish - the vigor of  hope
but have everlasting life - the vitality of life

Hence, in this verse we not only have faith, hope and love but also light, love and life.

Christian Service

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"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

Duty - Serve as bond servants (Luke 17:10)
Dignity - Serve as ministers (John 12:26)
Devotion - Serve as sons (Hebrews 12:6-7,28)

Effective Ministry Part 2

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"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11:36

The Message of Him
The Means through Him
The Majesty to Him

Read Part 1.

Eight Visions of Zechariah Part 2

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Read Part 1.

1. The Man among the Myrtle Trees - Divine Sympathy
2. The Four Horns and the Four Carpenters - Divine Safety
3. The Man with the Measuring Line - Divine Security
4. Joshua, Satan and Angel of the Lord - Divine Salvation & Suitability
5. The Lampstand and Two Olive Trees - Divine Sufficiency in Service
6. The Flying Roll - Divine Scrutiny
7. The Ephah - Divine Severity
8. The Four Chariots - Divine Sovereignty

J. B. Hewitt

Love and Hate

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"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

While to many of us love and hate are manifestations of the emotions, the Jewish idiom of love and hate is quite different.  In the above verses, these refer to a decision of the will.  To love is to choose or to submit to, and to hate is to reject or to refuse to submit.  This idiom is clearly illustrated in Malachi 1:2 which is quoted in the same sense in Romans 9:13.  The prophet declared God's love for Israel, but Israel responded by questioning what demonstration they had had of God's love.  The response was "I have loved Jacob; but Esau I have hated".  God's love for Jacob was demonstrated in His choice of him to be the heir to the Abrahamic promise, and God showed His hatred of Esau in setting him aside from the line of promise.  Thus loving and hating were manifestations of God's choice.  When Christ demanded that one hates those to whom he is bound by the closest of blood ties, He was not speaking in the area of emotions but in the area of will.  A disciple must make a choice and submit to the authority of Christ rather than to the authority of the family headship.

J. D. Pentecost (Edited)

From the Perspective of the Principal Offerings

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The Fourth Servant Song in Isaiah 52:13-53:12
1. The Burnt Offering aspect (Isa 52:13-15)
2. The Meal Offering aspect (Isa 53:1-3)
3. The Peace Offering aspect (Isa 53:4-6)
4. The Sin Offering aspect (Isa 53:7-9)
5. The Trespass Offering aspect (Isa 53:10-12)

Not every Bible teacher will see the same way and it certainly requires imagination.  I will be posting a series of posts using the principal offerings as a perspective to analyze portions of the Scripture. I do not necessarily endorse the outlines but I find it interestingly and imaginative.

Make Your Calling Sure

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"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" 2 Peter 1:10

Your calling is
- heavenly (Heb 3:1)
- holy (2 Tim 1:9)
- high (Phil 3:14)

Faith, Hope and Love Part 8

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.

"And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." John 1:16
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks" 1 Thess 5:16-18

The Believer's Fullness in Christ
- Joyfulness - fullness of hope
- Prayerfulness - fullness of faith
- Thankfulness - fullness of love

Eternal Life in 1 John

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1 John 1:2 - The Person of Eternal Life
1 John 2:25 - The Promise of Eternal Life
1 John 3:15 - The Preclusion of Eternal Life
1 John 5:11 - The Prerequisite of Eternal Life
1 John 5:13 - The Possession of Eternal Life
1 John 5:20 - The Perception of Eternal Life

Effective Ministry

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The following characteristics can be found in John the Baptist's ministry and serves as a pattern for our preaching.
1. Educate the mind
2. Examine the heart
3. Exercise the conscience
4. Enrich the soul
5. Empower the spirit
6. Exhort the believers
7. Exalt Christ

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Names of Satan

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"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev 12:9-10

Dragon - Beware of his cruelty
Serpent - Beware of his craftiness
Devil - Beware of his corruption
Satan - Beware of his contention
Deceiver (RV) - Beware of his cunning
Accuser - Beware of his complaint

Scenes of Stoning

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1. An Israelite (Num 15:36) - stoned because of profaning the Sabbath
2. Achan (Jos 7:25) - stoned because of  propensity (greed)
3. Adoram (1 Kgs 12:18, 2 Chr 10:18) - stoned because of politics
4. Naboth (1 Kgs 21:13) - stoned because of his vineyard possession
5. Zechariah (2 Chr 24:21) - stoned because of his prophecy
6. Lord Jesus  (John 8:59) - the Jews attempted to stone Him because His Pre-existence (Before Abraham was, I Am)
7. Lord Jesus (John 10:31) - the Jews attempted to stone Him because His Person (He claimed to be God)
8. Stephen (Acts 7:58) - stoned because their heart was pierced
9. Paul (Acts 14:19) - stoned because of the preaching of the Gospel

They spoke of stoning David but they did not do it.

Eight Visions of Zechariah

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1. The Man among the Myrtle Trees - Divine Presence
2. The Four Horns and the Four Carpenters - Divine  Power
3. The Man with the Measuring Line - Divine Protection
4. Joshua, Satan and Angel of the Lord - Divine Pardon
5. The Lampstand and Two Olive Trees - Divine Privilege
6. The Flying Roll - Divine Precepts
7. The Ephah - Divine Prophecy
8. The Four Chariots - Divine Providence

J. J. Stubbs

The Four Hallelujahs

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Rev 19:1 - Hallelujah of Redemption and Righteousness
Rev 19:3 - Hallelujah of Retribution
Rev 19:4 - Hallelujah of His Resplendence
Rev 19:6 - Hallelujah of His Reign

Read Part 1, Part 2.