The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-04-13
TIE REJECTED SON.
LESSON II, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, APRIL II.
Text of the Lessen. Eiark xii. 1-i2-Conl-
nit yerses G-3-Coie.en Text. John /,


rlia.
l. And lie began to speak unto them by
parallels" This is one of maay parallels and
discourses which be spoke IN the temple and
on the Mount of Olives on Wednesday, the
fourth day in Passion week. It win greatly
help lis il 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 tho church or called out
company from Jews and Gentlcs, that
through them lie may il due time bring
blessing to the whole earth. Tie greater part
Of the Old Testament and the Gospels i'll the
New Testament tell Us Of GCd and His deal
ings with Israel through priests, Kings and
prophets, and finally through His Son; the
calling out Of the church and her present ro-
lation 10 tie world is told il the Acts of the
apostles and in tho Epistles while the Reve-
lation of Jesus Christ gathers together and
shews tho contamination Of the history of
Israel and the church resulting in blessing to
the whole earth.
"A certain man planted a vineyard" so
say Mark and Luke, while Matthew calls Linn
"a certain householder" (.latt XII, 49,
From Ps. TX Xxx, SO; isa. V, Ii wo, learn that
"tae vineyard of the Lord of Hosts : the
house Of Israel, and the men Of Judah Ills
plant"
2 He sent servant that lie might re-
ceive the fruit Surely this was reasonable
after He hid bestowed such loving care upon
them. The servants were tho prophets, as it
is written, q seat unto you all ray servants
the prophets" der xiv, a; and the iruit lie
expected was righteousness and obedience and
some gratitude for mercies bestowed.
3. They caught and beat hiia and sent
him away empty" Micaiah was s,n:tten
imprisoned, and fed on bread and water III
Chron. xviii, -, %; jeremiah was snlitten
and put in the stocks Der. xx, ., and was
told that he spoke falsely and that God had
not sent him tier. xiii, y.
4. Again lie sent unto them another SER
want" We would think that the i'll treat
meat OF one servant would lead the owner of
the vineyard to punish the Eusb2ndmen and
remove them from the care of the vineyard
but tho name Of the owner is tho Lord, the
Lord God, n1occiful and gracious, long suf-
fering, and abundant in goodness and truth
5. Yet another lie sends in His love and
long suffering, only to be treated worse than
the former cncs; they were stoned, they
were sawn asunder, were tempted, were
slain with the sword; they wandered about in
skeepsl.ins and goats1ins; being destitute, af-
fictcd, tormeEtcd of whom the world was
not worthy; they wandered il deserts, and in
mountains, aud in dGns and caves of the
earth" GIeb zi, 81, 3S)
g. Having yet, therefore, enc son, His
well beloved, lie sent Him also last unto
them, saying they VIII reverence my SON"
Nov lie speaks Of Himself as the only hegot-
ten Of the Father, the prophet like unto
Moses the antityp3 Of all priests and proph-
cts, the true servant of jehovah lsa xiii, II.
z, s This is the heir, come let us kill
him" Instead of reverence and respect for
the only son Of their gracious and loving
Lord, this is their language.
9. He viii come and destroy the husband
men, and viii give the vineyard uato othersn
This Is their answer to His question, What
shall therefore The lord OF the vineyard doln
Matt. xxi, ~ Jesus also adds. Therefore
say unto you, tho Kingdom Of God shall be
taken from you, and given to q nation bring
ing forth the fruits thereof Ciatt. xxi, 43)
Ia order to understand this we must distin-
Guish between the covenant with Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, which stin holds rood and
shall be fulfilled to Israel notwithstanding
their disobcdieace ME vii, -; Jer xxi, 81
81, and the special covenant with Israel at
Horeb, to make them a kingdom of priests
en- holy nation, q peculiar treasure, il they
would only be obadient and keep Gods cove
naat tI1x. xix, 5, G.. This last covenant was
not made with their fathers, but with them
es a nation al Horeb (Deut V, ., 3, end it is
this which By the rejection of their
messiah is now lost 10 them and
given to the called cut ones from
Jews and Geutiles, the church, which Peter
calls "a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
peculiar or purchased people"
10. Lave ye not read this ScripturoT No
doubt they had read it, but they had not OBJ
served it, they had not received it, they had
read it blindly, just as we 50 often read the
Scriptures, from sense CT duty, without
stopping to tiiaik what they mean or 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 the New Testament bcttcrn
The stono which the builders rejected is
become tho head Of the corncr.n This is
found in Ps. czviii, %, the Same one from
which He quoted in our l2st weeks lesson
when He said, 'Ye shall not see rae hence
forth till yo shall say, Blessed is Ho t4at
comcth il the name CT tie Lord Ciatt xiii
50; Ps czvil, 2G} It points us forward to
tho Gay Of tho Lcrd whca lie shall return as
both foundation and top stone Of lis temple
the church, bringing Lis completed body
with Him; when He shall return with all His
saints for vengeance upon his enemies and
redemption for Israel Elsa. xzxiv, 6; xiii
A. Then shall Israel see tkatthe 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: 10 this is
our God; We have waited for Him and He
viii save Us; this is the Lord, we have waited
for Him, We viii be glad and rejoice il Ills
salvation" Then viii lie swallow UP Geath
II victory, wipe away tears FROM Off ell fGcGS
and take avcy the rebule Of His people from
off all the earth. lisa XIV, s, %
II. This wGs tho Lords doInrs, and it is
marvellous III our eyes" God is quietly but
surely working out Ills eternal purpose which
he pyrpCsci il Christ Jesus (Eph i, GIL; Ill
~, ard when it is ell complete we shall say
concerning it al, This is the Lords doing;;''
and not only STALL it DO wonderful in tie eyes
Of the church and il the eyes Of Israel, but
aiso in the eyes of TIE whole world His
name is " onderiul, and il wo would but let
the government of ourselves and all cur
affairs be Upon lis shoulders day by day, we
would have constant occasion to say, This Is
the Lords doings, is it not rlGT'yelous?' Tho
forgiveness Of oar sins, the being saved from
besetting sin, the rest and peace instead Of
fret and worry, tao qGictncsS and confidence
ere I'll Lis doing from beginning to end cur
part Is 70 yield fully to linn and just be viii
ing and c5ediCnt
II. THEY soughtto lay hold on Him. but
feared the people" His hour had not quito
i1l!y come TO give Himself up to them, and
therefore they could not touch him. no one
can touch Il child CT Cod or harm q haiIfof
their head without lis permission: and If we
are found in the way Of duty we need fear no
evil, for we shall surely stay in this mortal
body TIL our work is done, then glorious rest
with Christ il Paradise, and 1T the resurrec-
ton of the just body Just Like Jc5us' body
and glory indascribable.
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