The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1889-04-12


help us in our study of the Bible if we re-
member that God is represented as dealing
chiefly with two classes Of people, the Jews or
nation of Israel, and the church or called out
company from Jews and Gentiles, that
through them he may in due time bring
blessing to the whole earth. Tho greater part
Of the Old Testament and the Gospels in the
New Testament tell us of God and His deal
tngs with Israel through priests, kings and
prophets, and finally through His Son; the
calling out Of the church and her present re-
lation to the world is told in the Acts Of the
apostles and in the Epistles; while tho Rove
lation Of Jesus Christ gathers together and
shews tho consummation Of the history of
Israel and the church resulting in blessing to
the whole earth.
"a certain man planted vineyard" so
say Mark and Luke while Matthew calls him
"a certain householder" (Iatt. xxi, SS).
From Pslxxx, $40; Isa. v, IL we, learn that
ssthe vineyard Of tho Lord of Hosts is the
house Of Israel, and the men of Judah His
plant"
2. "He sent servant that He might re-
ceive the fruit" Surely this was reasonable
after He had bestowed such loving care upon
them. The servants were tho prophets, as it
Is written, II sent unto you all my servants
the prophets" (Jer. xiv, ~; and the fruit He
expected was Righteousness and obedience and
some gratitude for mercies bestowed.
8. "They caught and beat him and sent
him away empty" Micaiah was snitten,
imprisoned, and fed on bread and water QI
Chron. xviii, %, go; Jeremiah was srnitten
and put in the stocks tJer. Xxx, q, and was
told that he spoke falsely and that God had
not sent him (Jer, xiii, q.
A II
want" We would think that tho i'll treat
the vineyard to punish tho husbandn1en and
remove them from the care of tho vineyard,
but the name Of the owner is ssthe Lord, the
Lord Gcd, merciful and gracious, long suf-
fering, and abundant in goodness and truth'
s. Yet another Flo sends in His love and
long suffering, only to be treated worse thar
the former ones; "they We're stoned they
were sawn asupder, were tempted, were
slain with the sword; they wandered about in
sheepslins and goatskins; being destitute, af-
dicted, tormented; of whom tho world was
not worthy; they wandered in deserts, and in
mountalns and in dens and caves of the
earth" Heb. xi, 81, 3s)
y. Having yet, therefore, one son, His
well beloved, He sent Him also last unto
them, saying they will reverence my son.
Now He speaks Of Himself as the only begot-
ten of tho Father, the prophet like unto
Moses, the antitype of all priests and proph-
cts, the true servant of Jehovah Qsa xiii, y.
~ "Thls is the heir, come let us kill
him." Instead of reverence and respect for
tho only son of their gracious and loving
Lord, this is their language.
9. HE will come and destroy the husband
men, and will give the vineyard unto others.n
This is their answer to His question, 'sWhat
shall therefore the lord of tho vineyard do?"
(Matt, xxi, AL Jesus also adds therefore
say unto you, the Kingdom of God shall be
taken from you, and given to nation bring
ing forth the fruits thereof" (Matt. xxi, 43.)
In order to understand this we must distin-
guish between the covenant with Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, which still holds good and
shall be fulfilled to Israel notwithstanding
their disobedience (Mic. vii, 20; Jer. xxi, 35-
80, and the special covenant with Israel at
Horeb, to make them kingdom of priests,
an holy nation, o peculiar treasure, If they
would only be ohedient and keep Gods cove
nant tEx. xix, 5, G). This last covenant was
not made with their fathers but with them
as nation at Horeb Deut. v, 2, 81, and it is
this which by the rejection of their
messiah is now lost TO them and
given to the called out ones from
jews and Gentiles the church, which Peter
calls "a royal priesthood, an holy nation, q
peculiar or purchased people,"
10. "Hayo 20 not read this Scripture2" No
doubt they had read 1T, but they had not OBJ
served it, they had not received it, they had
read it blindly, just as we so often read the
Scriptures, from sense Of duty, without
stopping to think what they mean OF what
they say to us individually. If Jesus should
ask US this question concerning very much of
the Old Testament how ashamed many would
be as they replied, "No, Lord, we never read
that; we liked tho New Testament better.n
'The stone which the builders rejected is
become tho head of tho corner" This is
found in Ps. cxviii, %, tho same one from
which He quoted in our last weeks lesson
when He said, "Ye shall not sec me hence
forth till ye shall say, Blessed is He that
cometh in the name Of the Lord" Nlatt xiii,
SO; Ps. cxviii, 2G) 1t points us forward to
tho day of tho Lord when He shall return as
both foundation and top stone Of His temple,
the church, bringing BIS completed body
with Him; when He shall return with all His
saints for vengeance upon his enemies and
redemption for Israel. (Isa. xxdv, 8; xiii,
~ Then shall Israel see that tho stone which
they as builders rejected is indeed, after all,
their own Messiah, King of Kings and Lord
of Lords; they shall mourn because of their
cruel treatment of Him, saying: "Lo, this is
our God we have waited for Him and He
will save us; this is tho Lord, we have waited
for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His
salVation." Then will He swallow up death
IN victory, wipe away tears from off all faces,
and take away tho rebuke of His people from
off all tho earth. Qsa XIV, 8, 9j
u. '"rhis was the Lords domgs and it is
marvellous in our eyes" God Is Quietly but
surely working out His eternal purpose which
he purposed in Christ Jesus Eph. i, Gil; iii,
ll), and when it Is all complete We shall saw
concerning it all, "This is the Lords doing :,
and not only shall 1t be wonderful in tho eyes
Of the church and in the eyes Of Israel, but
name ne is Wonderful, and if VIC would but let
the government of ourselves and all our
affairs be upon His shoulders day by day, we
would have constant occasion to say, "This is
the Lords doings, is it not marvelous2n The
forgiveness of our sins, the being saved from
pesettlng Sin, the rest and peace instead of
fret and worry, the quietness and confidence.
are all His doing from beginning to end: our
part is to yield fully to Him and Just be will
ing and obcdient
II. They sought to lay hold on Him, but
feared the people," His hour had not quite
fully come to give Himself up to them, and
therefore they could not touch him. No one
can touch child Of God or harm hairHof
their head without His permission; and If we
are found in the way Of duty We need fear nc
evil. for shall ci1calp cto at,