The LORD shut up His people.

The LORD will vindicate His people.

As this structure has been set out in detail in The Berean Expositor, Vol. 24, pp. 83 and 84, we give here but the

barest outline before passing on to other aspects of the principle employed here.

Upon the completion of the Song, Moses is told to ascend Mount Nebo, for there he was to die. But before his

final departure he pronounces a prophetic blessing upon the people (Deut. 33:1-29), and afterwards dies according to

the word of the Lord. He is succeeded by Joshua.

What Moses was instructed to do before his death, David, Peter, Paul and the Saviour Himself have done. Psalm

72 appears to be David's `last word'. It ends with the words, `The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended'. The

Psalm is `For Solomon', and was written after Solomon's second investiture (1 Chron. 29:22,23), the year before

David's death (see note in The Companion Bible).

So also the Saviour gives His last words in John 17, and there, like Moses and David, speaks of `The name'

(John 17:6,11,12,26), and stresses `The Words' and `The Word' (John 17:8,14).

In view of his approaching death Peter, in his second epistle, wrote:

`Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and

be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by

putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus

Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things

always in remembrance' (2 Pet. 1:12-15).

Again, Paul's second epistle to Timothy is written in view of his imminent death, and contains exhortations,

warnings and encouragement, which include the words which constitute the title of this book:

`Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus'

(2 Tim. 1:13).

Briefly, the analysis of 2 Timothy 1:8-18 which contains this exhortation is as follows:

8-12. a

TIMOTHY.- Not ashamed of testimony of prisoner.

SUBJECT.- The Gospel.

TIME PERIOD.- Before age times.

12-14. a

PAUL.- Not ashamed of suffering as prisoner.

SUBJECT.- The good deposit.

TIME PERIOD.- That day.

15-18. a

ONESIPHORUS.- Not ashamed of chain of prisoner.

SUBJECT.- Service.

TIME PERIOD.- That day.

We observe that this exhortation to hold fast the form of sound words is preceded and followed by references to

something `committed'. The word thus translated is paratheke, and can be rendered by the word `deposit'. The

section 12-14 therefore can be set out as follows:

A 12.

He is able to guard.

B 12.

The deposit.

C 13.

The form of sound words.

Do thou guard.

The good deposit.

Some explanation is due to the reader of departures in one or two places from the translation of the A.V.