The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-01-15
Sermon BY
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor BROOKLYN
tabernacle.

the above text, as follows:-
The word "iCiHked' In our text 4
used In a ~igurative sense t. signify
that God took no notice Of, paid u,
attention to, that long period Of tim,
from the food to the First Advent O
our Redeemer. During those twenty
five hundred years the world of man
kind lay in ignorance and weakness,
and vice, but. as our text declares
God took no notice Of II as a whole
He gave his attention entirely to the
little nation Of Israel, the desceLdants
Of Abraham, with whom be made a
special Law Covenant. Israel entered
upon a great schooling period; first
In Il condition Of peOnage in Egypt.
and later, under the command OF
Noses. passing from Egypt to Canaan.
with u wandering Of forty years IN
the wilderness; still later under judges,
and then under kings, etc. God did
not wink at sin amongst the Israelites,
whom be adopted as his peculiar peo-
pie under the Law Covenant mediat-
ed by Moses. We read that every dis
obedience received a lust recompense
of reward" Hebrews Ii, q. Stripes.
puniShments, captivities. under Divine
supervision aud predicted through the
prophets, was the portion of the cho-
sen people of the Lord. Obedience on
their part brought blessing and dis
obedience and idolatry brought chas
ttsements-God winked AT nothing as
respects his chosen people.
At first glance this is perplexing.
Not understanding the Divine Plan we
would be inclined to expect that the
favored nation would be excused more
than others-that it would be the pep
pie whose imperfections would be
winked at. But not so: Israel was
chosen for a purpose. And In order to
prepare them for their mission and to
fit them to fill 1t, the Lord chastened
and Scourged them for their sins. and
thus educated and assisted them more
than others out Of degradation. AS a
result, when our Lord came into the
world to be mans Redeemer. Israel.
under the chastislng, scourging, in
structing experiences Of many centu-
ries, was by far the most advanced
nation in the world along religious
lines.
Thus 1t was that when the Redeem
er presented himself, some, "a rem
nant," were "Israelites indeed" and
ready to receive him-fve hundred
during his earthly ministry and sew
eral thousand more at the following
Pentecostal season. 1t Is but reason
able to suppose that no other nation in
the world would have furnished any
such numbers ready Of heart for Mes
slab. and consecrated fully to him.
Note, for instance, that st. Paul's
preaching to the Athenlans on Mars
Hill apparently touched not a single
heart nor head.
The Justice Of the Wink.
The Almighty informs us that Jus
tice is the very foundation Of all Of his
dealings. He cannot be less than Just.
although through Christ he has pro
vided TO be more than just-that is.
loving and merclful. There must have
been a justice In this winking men
TONED by the Apostle. What was it,
The Apostle explains that owing to
a death sentence that was upon the
world In general, and no provision hav-
Ing yet been made for a redemption
from that death penalty and a resur-
rection deliverance, 1t would have been
illogical for God to give laws to the
world Of mankind commanding repent
ance, etc. Why? Because they were
already condemned to death. the ex-
IRENE penalty Of the Divine Law. No
more could be done to them than de-
stroy them. however badly they lived.
And nothing that they could do would
make them deserving Of eternal life.
So long as that death sentence rested
upon them and no prospect was Of
fered even of release from It. God let
them alone, and justly enough wink
ed st their imperfection and did not
lay It specially to their charge.
With the Jew it was different. God
Instructed that nation through the
Law and the prophets and the chasten-
lngs for their wrong doings, and thus
prepared in them a little flock" Of
"~Israelites indeed" ready for spiritual
things. Additionally he wished to use
them and their experiences as types
or lessons for Spiritual Israel yet fu-
ture, These types, under the guidance
Of the holy Spirit through the New
Testament. have constituted very help
full lessons to the Church Of this Cos
pei Age-Spiritual Israel-"For the
Law Covenant was a shadow Of good
things coming after It."
But before having this dealing with
Israel. God made a Covenant with
them, promising them life-eternal II
they would obey. They gladly ac-
eepted the proposition and strove to
live righteously. strove to keep the
Law. They did not gain eternal life
under the Law, because they could
not keep Il; not that the Law was de-
f~ective. but that they, like all other
members Of Adams fallen race. were
imperfect. God knew Of their weak