Evening Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

ISAIAH-ALERT. CDR ISAIAH WILL BE CONDUCTING F-18, AERIAL, COMBAT OPERATIONS ON JUDAH AND ISRAEL.

LECTIONS. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch: Joshua. Matthew Henry: Isaiah. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown: Gospels. Matthew Henry: Revelation. Dr. Robert Reymond: Systematic Theology. Prof. Berkhof, Systematic Theology: Soteriology. Dr. Philip Schaff, Apostolic Christianity, Medieval Christianity and Swiss Reformation. Dr. Philip Schaff: Creeds. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 91-100.

For Psalm 9, Prof. Calvin revisits the immoveability and the assured judicial rulings of the Just Judge in his court room. This will annoy Mr. Bishop N.T. Wright of Durham with his half-God in terms of attributes who driveled on about the “cold justice of God” as a man unalert to God’s character. The better instructor, Prof. Calvin, reminds the disconsolate and troubled, that delayed justice is not justice denied. We would add that the martyrs await their day, Rev.6.9-11: “⁹ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹ And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Cold justice, Mr. Bishop Tom Wright.

For Joshua 8, Prof. Keil discusses the ambuscade of Joshua’s troops in preps to take down Ai.

For Isaiah 1, Prof. Henry unleashes Isaiah, if we may. This is an F-18 run on Jerusalem. No words are minced in 1.2-9. Imagine Isaiah standing in Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey or the National Cathedral? Or, on a TV interview with some lugnut-uneducated journalist, asking about churches in the US? Get a helmet and flak-jacket.

For the Introduction to the Gospels, Prof. Jamiesson continues his emphasis on the genuineness of the Four Gospels.

For Revelation 3, Prof. Henry finishes with the Sovereign Redeemer’s solid notes on the Philadelphians, promising them the “name of God” on their souls and that they are pillars of the Church. The Philadelphians are role models of faithful service in the Church Militant.

For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond continues his discussion on the NT canon.

For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof rightly rings the tocsin for God’s sovereign and gracious beauty in the redemptive operations. Then, he chases down the Celtic monk, Pelagius, now fully ensconced in the TEC’s catechism with ne’er a protest from any collars.

For Apostolic Christianity, Mr. Schaff leads us to the Second Coming and apostolic Christianity leading to that.

For Medieval Christianity, Mr. Schaff begins his tour of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon religion.

For the Swiss Reformation, Mr. Schaff shifts from Zwingli as an individual to the advance of the Reformation in curing the nation of its corruptions—several as indicated in our studies on the high and late Middle Ages.

For the Creeds, Mr. Schaff comments on the various clauses of the Apostles’ Creed.

For the WCF, the sacraments are discussed.