Daily Topic for August 02, 2008
In yesterday’s reading we saw the significance of Melchizedek as the priest of God Most High. Today we read about Jesus Christ, our high priest, who has come “in the order of Melchizedek,” yet “not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life” (v. 16 Here is a priest who is “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (v. 26 And He forever lives to intercede for all who will approach the Father through faith in the merit of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Lord Jesus, how glad we are that You “save completely.” Draw men and women from all nations to Yourself so that they, too, may know You as high priest.
Prince Victor of Schonburg, a wealthy man, offered to give the Basel Mission a large sum of money if they would send three men to establish a school in India. Samuel Hebich, chosen as one of the three, was ordained in March, 1834, and in July sailed for India. By 1836, the first school was begun in Mangalore with four pupils. Mr. Hebich went from house to house, begging parents to send their children to the school. But rumor spread that the missionaries would force the children to eat meat and convert to Christianity. So the schoolhouse was used as a church until some of the parents became Christians, and eventually they won the confidence of the people.
In everything, Mr. Hebich became a leader. He organized the feeding and clothing of the poor, and provided for the lepers. He also felt called to reach the Englishmen in the military stations who were becoming demoralized in India. He was fearless in his witness, especially to the officers of the regiment. He would often “crash” their parties, kneel to pray, then rise to witness. At another time he determined to visit and preach in every street and bazaar in the town of Cannanore. Starting early in the morning, he spent a half hour in each place. He would pray, sing, and tell the gospel story, then move on. By this method, every inhabitant of that city eventually heard the gospel, and many were saved.-AL
Learn more at joshuaproject.netPray for God to give boldness and tact to today’s missionaries.