Early Rising

• Christ set an example:
  Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
  Luke 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
  John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
   
• REQUISITE FOR
  • Devotion.
    Psalms 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
    Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
    Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
    Psalms 88:13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
    Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
  • Executing God’s commands.
    Genesis 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
  • Discharge of daily duties.
    Proverbs 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
     
• Neglect of it  leads to poverty.
  Proverbs 6:9-11 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
   
• Also practised by the wicked for:
  • Deceit.
    Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
  • Executing plans of evil.
    Micah 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
     
• Illustrates spiritual diligence.
  Romans 13:11-12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
   
• Exemplified by.
  Abraham,
  Genesis 19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

  Isaac, &c.

  Genesis 26:31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

  Jacob,

  Genesis 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

  Joshua, &c.

  Joshua 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

  Gideon,

  Judges 6:38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

  Samuel,

  1 Samuel 15:12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

  David,

  1 Samuel 17:20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

  Mary, &c.

  Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

  Apostles,

  Acts 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

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