The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-10-15

der every assistance he was capable Of
to that nation; but alas, himself n
fallen man imperfect he was unable
TO lift Isra i out OF sin aud degrade.
tion--unable to bring them to that
state OF human perfection which would
enable them to keep that Law Cove
nant and inherit It's blessings! As God
foreknew. they failed to keep their
part OF the Covenant. by deeds Of
Law shall no flesh be justified" 4
number OF discouraged Israelites con-
tinued to hope for blessing through the
Abrahamic Covenant and, later on. the
Lord revealed to them that In due
time he would make a New Law
Covenant with them and that Messiah
would he its Mediator Jeremiah XXI,
81.
The promise OF New Covenant I'm
piled, as st. Paul points out, that God
knew that the Law Covenant would
not bring to Israel the hoped.for bless
ings. Thenceforth their hopes CEN
tered IN the New Covenant, under
which the Lord promised that he would
away their stony heart and give them
heart OF flesh and that they should
be his people. Confirmatory to this
thought was the message sent to them
through Malachi the prophet, assuring
them that the messenger Of the Cove
nant tthe servant of the Covenant. the
Mediator of the Covenant, whom they
delighted In. the one they were hoping
for, would ere long, come to his pco-
pie. But the prophet intimated that
few OF them would be ready to receive
him. He said. "Who shall stand when
he appeareth?"
The Lord Crucified.
Expecting Messiah to appear In a
very different way Israel was unpre-
pared for the man OF sorrow and ac-
qualntcd with grief" 1.-The Lamb Of
God which taketh away the sin OF the
world" They expected great gen
eral, a mighty leader, who would APP
peal 10 the learned. the wealthy, the
noble. But our Lord appealed only
to those, who were pure In heart, lis.
raelites indeed" Such alone had the
necessary faith to recognize him and
receive him. The others cruciied him,
| but did 1t ignOrantly. st. Peter de-
| clares, IL wot that through ignorance
We did 1t, as did also your rulers. Ye
killed the Prince OF life" (Acts Ill,
| 1910. And St Paul says, Had they
known it, they would not have cruel
fled the Lord Of glory Il Corinthians
| II, 3.
| However our Lords crucifixion was
merely fulfillment Of another feature
Of the Divine Plan to make the bless
ing of all mankind the deeper and
broader.
BY virtue Of keeping the Law, Jesus
would have had the right to earthly
| perfection for himself. eternal life and
happiness. He also would have been
heir Of all the things that Adam pos.
sessed and lost. He might. therefore
have established an earthly empire
and, by wise laws and regulations, he
might have done much for human up
lift-the very thing which people today
are wanting to bring about. But his
subjects would still have been under
the Divine Condemnation Of death. He
would merely have been the ruler, in
strucror. Of fallen. dying men. Gods
promise Of blessing meant more thar
this. And in harmony with it our LORD
Jesus did not keep his earthly rights
but surrendered them, sacrificed them
laid them down on our behalf. The
laying down Of these earthly rights
was finished at Calvary. Since this
sacrificing was done in harmony will
the Divine purpose the Heavenly Fa
Their rewarded the sacrificer with new
life on higher plane. far above an
gels and princlpalities and powers
Thus when Jesus was raised from
the dead on the third day he was n'
longer man, but spirit being, a par
taker Of the Divine nature, far above
angels. More than this, he had his
earthly rights which he had sacrificed
and these now constituted an asset oil
thing of value which he possessed ant
which he might bestow upon others
He laid down his earthly rights thai
he might receive life again on higf
plane and have right to give the sac
rifced earthly perfection, hOnOrs ano
privileges to others. 1t was in, thi:
manner that the Lord provided for thu
blessing Of the world-"the blessing O.
the Lord that maketh rich and t.
which he addeth no sorrow" Though
the blessings have not yet come to TIT
world, as we have seen, the founda
ton has already been laid In the re
demptive work accomplished at Cal
vary.
We cannot In this discourse trace thu
blessing to its conclusion. But know
ing that our discourses weekly reacl
about seven million readers we shal
, hope to address the majority Of you
through the public prints weel
, hence. We hope then to show how
the Lord has promised that his bless
ing under the Abrahamic Covenan
! and through the nation of Israel ant
, through the media tOrial work Of Chris
Is yet to bring blessings to every mem
Der OF Adams race-an opportunity 70
, obtaining life eternal. Meantime lie
MS all assure our hearts Of the truth
l.,l.. Al ~