The Patriarchs, Kings and Prophets of Israel: Expository Notes

By George Campbell Morgan

Norman L. Harrell wants to share the rich insights of Morgan, as seen in this book, which has not been in print for over a century. Morgans expository notes are an excellent resource for preachers, teachers, and all others who want to deepen their knowledge of the patriarchs, kings, and prophets of Israel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490841953

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Copyright © 2014 Norman L. Harrell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-4194-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4195-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014911294

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/26/2014

CONTENTS

Biographical Note

Explanatory Note

Preface

1. ABRAHAM’S MIGRATION TO CANAAN

2. SBRAHAM’S NOBILITY OF CHARACTER

3. ABRAHAM’S LOYALTY TO GOD

4. JACOB’S FLIGHT TO HARAN

5. JACOB’S RETURN TO CANAAN

6. JOSEPH THE FAVORITE SON

7. JOSEPH THE INTERPRETER OF DREAMS

8. JOSEPH THE PRIME MINISTER

9. JOSEPH’S NOBLE SPIRIT SHOWN

10. THE LAST DAYS OF JOSEPH

11. MOSES’ TRAINING FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

12. MOSES BEFORE PHARAOH

13. MEVIEW OF LESSONS 1-12

14. MOSES THE LIBERATOR

15. MOSES THE LEADER

16. MOSES THE LAWGIVER

17. MOSES THE MEDIATOR

18. MOSES AT KADESH-BARNEA

19. MOSES AND THE MARCH TO CANAAN

20. JOSHUA THE COURAGEOUS LEADER

21. JOSHUA IN CANAAN

22. GIDEON THE HEROIC JUDGE

23. SAMUEL’S FIRST MESSAGE FROM GOD

24. SAMUEL THE JUDGE AND SEER

25. SAUL THE FIRST KING

26. REVIEW OF LESSONS 14-25

27. DAVID’S EARLY LIFE

28. DAVID’S FLIGHT FROM SAUL

29. DAVID THE OUTLAW

30. DAVID THE KING

31. DAVID’S OLD AGE

32. SOLOMON MADE KING

33. SOLOMON’S GREATEST WORK

34. SOLOMON’S MAGNIFICENCE AND FOLLY

35. ELIJAH THE PROPHET OF FIRE

36. ELIJAH THE MAN OF GOD

37. ELISHA THE PEOPLE’S FRIEND

38. ELISHA THE PUBLIC BENEFACTOR

39. REVIEW OF LESSONS 27-38

40. ASA AND THE FIRST REFORMATION IN JUDAH

41. JOASH AND THE SECOND REFORMATION IN JUDAH

42. ISAIAH THE STATESMAN-PROPHET

43. HEZEKIAH AND THE THIRD REFORMATION IN JUDAH

44. HEZEKIAH IN TROUBLE

45. JOSIAH AND THE LAST REFORMATION IN JUDAH

46.J EREMIAH THE PROPHET

47. JEREMIAH THE PATRIOT

48. DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS

49. ZERUBBABEL AND THE RETURN

50. NEHEMIAH THE BUILDER OF THE WALL

51. EZRA AND NEHEMIAH ESTABLISHING THE LAW

52. REVIEW OF LESSONS 40-51

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Morgan (1863-1945) was well known in his time as an excellent preacher, teacher, evangelist and author. Born in Tetbury, England on 9 December 1863 to godly parents, Morgan was influenced by his father who was a Baptist and later a Plymouth Brethren preacher. Morgan felt called to be a Methodist minister. However, in a trial sermon before his Methodist peers in 1888, he was rejected as a candidate for the ministry.

The English Congregational Church was more accepting and Morgan was ordained in 1890 when he became the pastor of their church of Stone in Staffordshire. He was pastor of three other churches in England before coming to America in 1901 to be the director of the Northfield Bible Conference for Will Moody, the son of Dwight. L. Moody.

Because of his excellent, well-prepared Bible studies and preaching, Morgan’s reputation spread. The Chicago Theological Seminary gave him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1902. In 1904, the Westminster Chapel of London called Morgan to be their pastor and save the church from dwindling away. At the time only about 200 were attending worship in the Chapel’s auditorium that seats over 2,500. Until Morgan’s departure in 1917, the church building was filled most every Sunday, morning and evening.

In 1919 Morgan returned to America where he became pastor of two churches, in Cincinnati and later in Philadelphia. Morgan had an itinerant ministry throughout the States. He also taught a year at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and later at the Gordon College of Theology and Mission in Boston.

In 1932, at age 69, he accepted a second call of Westminster Chapel. From 1938 on, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was his associate and became senior pastor upon Morgan’s retirement in 1943. Morgan died 16 May 1945. He wrote over a hundred books, pamphlets, etc.

Several well-known preachers have been called the Prince of Expositors: Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Alexander Maclaren and John Broadus. However, the term is applied more often to George Campbell Morgan. His secret of a successful ministry was his dedication to studying the Bible and his powerful voice which was pleasing to the ears and easily heard.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

George Campbell Morgan, along with co-author Frank Knight Sanders, originally wrote a book entitled, Historical and Expository Notes on The Patriarchs, Kings and Prophets of Israel. The book was published in 1904 and 1907 by the Bible Study Publishing Company, Boston. This book contains only the Expository Notes of Dr. Morgan. A biographical note on Morgan as well as an explanatory note has been added by Norman L. Harrell. Morgan quotes the King James Version of the Bible. Below is a part of the original Preface.

PREFACE

These notes were written to accompany the Bible Study Union Biographical lessons on the PATRIARCHS, KINGS AND PROPHETS of the OLD TESTAMENT. They were originally published in various weekly papers, and found so valuable as to warrant their issue in book form for permanent use. Dean Sanders aims in his part of the work to give the historical setting of each lesson.

Dr. Morgan’s aim, on the contrary, is to bring out the principal homiletic and practical teachings of the lessons. His work assumes that the student has become acquainted with the Scriptures facts through the study of the lesson itself, and proceeds to set forth the great spiritual and moral truths naturally derived from them. His acknowledged skill in this kind of exposition makes his notes especially helpful.

Teachers and pupils alike will find these notes a great aid toward the correct understanding and best use of the Scripture material.

Lesson 1. ABRAHAM’S MIGRATION TO CANAAN. The Beginning of the Hebrew People. Genesis 11:27–12:20;15:1–17:27

Abraham’s Unquestioning Obedience

Terah went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. (Gen. 11:31) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and…. went forth to go into the land of Canaan; they came. (Gen. 12:5).

In this short record of the movements of Terah and his son Abraham we recognize the Divine force which had entered into the life of the latter. He had heard the voice of Jehovah, and forsaking kindred and land had followed its counsel. Terah started with the same purpose, but failed to realize it. Abraham started for Canaan, and into the land of Canaan he came.

It is probable that this movement of Terah was one of spiritual discontent. Ur of the Chaldees was full of idols. Was the soul of this man hungering for the spiritual uplifting which it was impossible to find in his surroundings, and was it the wish to get away from the atmosphere of idolatry which led to his migration? Many a man with similar experiences has turned his back upon old associations with the hope of being better able to find the solace which seemed denied in the old environment.

Terah, however, did not go far enough. When he came to Haran he dwelt there. What led to this change of purpose, we are not told. It may be that tempted by prospects of earthly gains, the spiritual voice was silenced. The experience is not unusual. Too frequently the silver mines of Bunyan’s dream cut short the journey of many. They turn aside and are heard of no more in the quest of life. After the death of Terah the distinct call came to his son Abraham, and he obeyed, going all the way.

Abraham’s Loyalty to God

In Gen. 12:1-3 — God’s command and promise to Abraham – we have revealed God’s principle and purpose, — His selection of a man absolutely loyal to His commands, to whom the will of Jehovah would be the final test of life and character. Such is always the Divine principle of selection. The purpose of God in this choice was twofold: the creation of a nation through such a man; the blessing of all nations through such a nation. I will make of thee a great nation…. be thou a blessing:…. in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Abraham reveals the true ideal of life loyal to God. His immediate response to the call of Jehovah was indicative of the absolute submission of his will, without questioning, to the will of heaven. Not knowing whither he went, he obeyed. The symbols of his life were the tent and the altar; the first indicating his readiness to be disturbed by Divine commands, the second his perpetual loyalty to God. Many an altar on which falls no heavenly flame is a monument of disobedience, instead of being the symbol of loyalty to Him who calleth. We might, if we were quick to hear, catch the cry, This is not your resting place. The altar and the tent are the symbols of the consecrated life, waiting for the King’s command.

Abraham’s Frailties

There are evidences, however, of the frailty even of so great a man as Abraham. Take his deceit about his wife in Egypt (Gen. 12:10-20). How disappointing is the record of this man chosen of God for the blessing of all nations of the earth! The faith which triumphed in Haran and Canaan failed in Egyptian atmosphere. In the light of today Abraham’s conduct is inexcusable. God saved what Abraham in his fearfulness nearly lost. This was an occasion when for the moment, under circumstances of extreme difficulty, he trusted rather to his diplomacy, than to God. Then again, his fear lest Eliezer of Damascus should be his heir. (Gen. 15:2-3). It was a right fear in that such an event would have prevented the realization of the national idea. It was a wrong fear in that he did not wholly trust God. Again the whole story of the birth of Ishmael (Gen. 16) is a revelation of faltering faith.

Against all these let the faithfulness of God be set in contrast. He brought him out of Egypt notwithstanding his folly. He gave him a great vision to silence his fears. And finally, He miraculously provided the seed for the fulfillment of His promise. In the failures of others, faith has demonstrated in its growth through the centuries, that nothing is impossible with God.

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Lesson 2. ABRAHAM’S NOBILITY OF CHARACTER. His Kindness to Lot and Plea for Sodom. Genesis 13-14;18:1-19:29

Abraham’s Generosity to Lot

This lesson affords a great illustration of the royalty of character built upon the principle of simple faith in God. Abraham returned from Egypt very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. But more precious than these was the faith which in his testing had sprung into being. The simple record is suggestive. He went…unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning…. unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. This faith is witnessed:

1. In Abraham’s Generosity to Lot. Prosperity had increased the difficulty of providing for their flocks, and with the increase of labor came the outbreak of discomfort and strife between the herdsmen. Faith in God made it possible for Abraham to be generous. With magnificent unselfishness he urged Lot to prevent strife by separating, gave him the first choice of