The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-01-02

ise II Peter /. TO- ILL., Finally Ca
nam, the land of promise. was reach
ed. but the progress OF Israel toward
world domination and blessing was
slow. One after another Of their enc
mics brought them under tribute.
Then came their prosperity for time
under King David. who set up the
throne of the kingdom of the Lord. and
then under King Solomon. the glories
of whose kingdom typitied that Of the
coming Messiah. Of which they knew
nothing. Then came further failures,
Babyionian captivihes-all wasting dis
couragements.
Meantime the discouraged Israeiites
found that they themselves were not
receiving the blessing that they had
hoped for under the Law Covenant
everlasting life. The Law had said
that whoever would act In harmony
with Its commands would have life:
but they were all dying. The lesson
| to them was their own weakness, their
inability to keep the Law-the glorious
Law of God, which is the measure Of
| perfect mans ability-'"Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart.
mind. soul and strength. and thy neigh
| Dor as myself" AS ST.. Paul declares.
they could keep this Law only with
their minds-they could ,oIl to keep 1t,
but to perform all their good will in
this respect was impossible. because Of
the weakness Of their flesh The more
noble and loyal Of them. realizing their
own weakness. cr1eo out 20 sO0 Ava
help; while others. Phartsaically, boast
ed Of their holiness.
A Savior--a Great One.
In the meantime. through the PrUph-
cts, God informed Israel that He fore
knew their inability to comply with the
terms of their Law Covenant: but that
He would send them another Mediator.
greater than Moses, who would inau-
| gurate for them a still better Covenant,
| under which their sins and iniQnittes
| and weaknesses would be taken away,
and their stoniness Of heart would
gradually give place again to tender
ness-to hearts Of flesh. Jeremiah
XXI, 81, The Mediator. Messenger or
Servant of that New Covenant which
will be the temporary requirement. for
Israel and for the world. Il referred to
as 1.-The Messenger Of the Covenant
whom re delight in" (Malachi III. H.
| They called Him Messiah and kept
waiting for Him to appear IN glory
and in power. to assume the reins OF
government over their nation-to uplift
them to power and influence and make
them His messengers and servants In
conveying His laws and regulations to
| all the families Of the earth. for the up
lifting and blessing Of all.
A Savior. Christ the Lsrd.
The angels who announced the birth
| of Jesus well knew His rank and re-
| lationship to the Father: that He had
left the glory Of Els heavenly station
to become through His mother mem
Der Of Adams race, and that he was.
therefore. a suitable one to be the Re-
deemer or Ransomer Of the race. The
angels realized that In this Savior lay
| all the hope Of Abraham and bis seed
| and of all the families Of the earth.
II they had waited long and had been
often disappointed they realised that
at last they were in the midst OF WON
derful events. Unto us q child IL
born, unto US Son is given. and the
government shall be upon his shout
ders." No wonder they sang, "Giory
to God In the highestp' To them our
Saviors birth must have meant, Nov
Gods glorious character, In which we
have always had faith, Is about to be
indicated; and this great event, the
birth OF Jesus, marks the beginning Of
the fulAlment of Gods gracious prom
Use which He bound with His oath.
and which all along, therefore, we
knew could not fail nor be set aside"
But they sang more-''Peace on earth,
good will toward men" They perceiv-
ed that sin, rebellion and the Divine
sentence-the curse Of death-were to
be removed in a legal. judicial man
ner, and that for this purpose the Lc0os
had humbled Himself to human ma
ture.
Their eyes Of faith looked down into
the future, and though not understand
ing how It would be accomplished, they
had unwavering confidence In God that
eventually the serpent" Of sin would
be crushed and Adam and his race re-
leased from the bondage Of sin and
death: and they perceived that some
how all this was associated with the
birth Of the Babe OF Bethlehem. We
can imagine with what interest they
told the good tidings Of great joy for
all people" and sang "Glory to God"
"God Moves In . Mysterious Way"
1t must have been cause OF still
further bewilderment to the angels
when they perceived that Israel reject
ed Jesus and ultimately crucified Him.
Then came His resurrection on the
third day; and they beheld Him a
Spirit Being Of the highest order-G-
vine nature. What could 1t mean?
They must still wait and watch. listen
and note the gradual unfolding Of the
| Divine Program. After encouraging
and instructing His disciples the LOOos
assembled up on high and appeared In
the presence of God There He was
proclaimed Lord of All'' and given a
position Of dignity next to the Father
at the right hand Of the Majesty ON
high. Gradually the angels came to
understand that the Divine Law,
which had sentenced man to death.
was immutable; and that 1t was there
fore necessary that Jesus should be-
come flesh. not to aid the Jewish ma
ton and become an earthly king, but
to redeem Israel and all Of Adams
race. and. ascending up on high. thus
to be qualified as the great antitypical
Priest to make reconciliation for In
iquity-"yea. for the rebellious also
ops. xviii. 49,.
Next 1t was manifest that although
Israel did not receive the blessing
sought for. yet the elect. the sanity
few who were ready received 1t and.
by the begetting Of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost and after. became sons OF
God and joint-heirs with Messiah as
members of the spiritual Seed. But
there were not enough Of these Israel
ties indeed" to make up the predestin.
ed number. and hence. IN harmony
/ with prophecies not previously noted,
a drawing and calling work proceed
| ed amongst the Gentiles to gather
| from them a sufficient number to COM
| plete the Divine foreordination. as the
Bride class--M essiah's joint heirs. For
more than eighteen centuries this
| work of sseIecfinga has nrOceedefl, and