4
1.
The particular bearing of the word `eternal'.
At the present time this nation continues in a state of war. We
recognize, of course, that both `war' and `peace', while the
world rejects the Son of God, can be but relative terms. There
was much real enmity during the days of so-called `peace', and,
conversely, there may be enjoyed, in the midst of conditions of
war, a peace which the world can neither give nor take away. It
has never been our policy to `meddle' with the affairs of nations
(Deut. 2:5), or the consciences of our readers, but rather to
pursue a ministry which belongs to a sphere entirely removed
from the things of earth, leaving its readers with the Word as the
sole arbiter for all their actions. Nevertheless it is obviously true
that we may learn from the things around us, and there are still
occasions when the rebuke may be merited that the children of
this generation are wiser than the children of light. Foreseeing
the possibilities of conflict, the Government provided, among
other things, refuges for the protection of the people, and it is
this fact that provides the theme of our present meditations. God
also has foreseen and provided a refuge, and He Himself is set
forth in the Word in this capacity. At other times, we should
have felt called upon to spare no pains in acquainting the reader
with structural analysis and other exegetical features, but as this
booklet is intended to minister to the `present necessity', we
shall in this case approach our subject more directly. The refuge