River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-12-22

A
" Abraham should ultimately
bless all nations has Influenced
thought the world over, but partic-
ularly amongst those nations living
contiguous to Abraham's home ard
northward and westward from there
in the directions in which the mes
sage of Divine favor has gone. At
first the Jews thought of this prom
Use as being fulfilled in them as
nation-that, without assistance
from on High, they could approve
themselves to God through obedi-
ence to the Law Covenant, and that
then, as instructors of the world,
they would teach all nations to
keep that Divine Law, and thus
bring the world to the blessed state
of perfection, Divine favor and life
everlasting This hope was crush
ed out as they found themselves I'M
able to keep the Law, going down
into death, instead of attaining to
perfection of life. Even Moses, the
special servant of God, could notr
and did not, attain the blessing of
the Law.
Then God made them the promise
of some better thing-of greater
Mediator and of more successful
Covenant through that Mediator
The Mediator of the New Covenant
(Jer. 31:31-34) was to be greater
than Moses; as he himself declared,
"A Prophet shall the Lord your
God raise up unto you from among
your brethren like unto me (but
greater) him shall ye hear in all
things whatsoever he shall speak
unto you. And it shall come to
pass that the soul that will not
obey that Prophet shall be destroy
ed from amongst the people.
(Acts 8: %, 23).
THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS"
AS surrounding nations and those
afar off heard of Israe1s hopes
that to them would come a great
Savior, Deliverer, who would bless
them and exalt them in the world
and through them bless all peoples,
the beauty of the thought took root
in every direction. Messiah was
more or less looked for under vari-
Gus names, and the Glories of his
Kingdom were pictured by heather
poets as the Golden Age.
Thus it happened that when our
Lord was born, when he was made
flesh and dwelt among US, All men
were in expectation of him mot OF
Jesus. but of the promised Messiah,
whom Jesus was. Thus it was that
wise men in the east were attracted
to see and to worship him that was
born King of the Jews Thus it was
also that during Jesus ministry GER
tain Greeks came to the disciples
saying, SirS, we would see Jesus
They had heard of him and recog-
nized that in some respects his
magic power implied relationship
with the long expected Messiah.
And so it was with the multitudes
of Palestine. They heard; they
listened. They said, Is this he?
The rulers said mo, this is not the
Messiah. Then the people asked,
When Messiah cometh can he do
greater works than this man?
Never man spake like this mani
Nevertheless, there were few
ready TO receive him, even amongst
his own-only 'Israelites indeed"
to whom, because of worthiness of
of heart, God specially revealed
his Son. This was in harmony
with the prophecy of old, THE
secret of the Lord is with them that
reverence him and he will show
them his Covenant. (Psa. 25:14).
AS again it is written, I will give
him for Covenant of the people"
| lisa. 1879. Neither Jews nor
Greeks nor Persian wise men knew
TO expect that Messiah would first
appear TO offer himself, through
obedience to the Truth, living
sacrifice for sinners. None of them
knew that long period must elapse
from the time when Messiah would
be the man of sorrows and acquaint-
ed with grief, of whom the people
would be ashamed, until he would
appear in power and great glory to
establish his Empire under the
whole heavens in fulfillment of the
prophetic picture of Daniel 2::34;;
7:13. 1927.
Few understand Gods great
secret or mystery hidden during
past ages and dispensations tCol.
1867 that, during this long period