Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-12

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preceding His crucitizion as He taught
daily in the temple and went at night
to the Mount of Olives He spake many
things in His farewell messages to
this unbelieving nation. Most of them
are recorded by Matthew, Mark and
Luke, but some by Matthew only. This
lesson, concerning the vineyard and the
wicked husbandmen. is recorded in
each of the first three gospels. 1t is
the old story OF the love of God and
the base and sinful ingratitude of man.
. He loves the whole world. and who
soever'' means any one anywhere in
the wide world John iii. 49,. He chose
Israel to be a peculiar treasure unto
Him above all people. He separated
them from all people to be His inner
itance, He brought them unto Himself
that they might be a people near to
Him, and He never dealt so with any
other nation. He did this for them
that through them other nations might
learn to know Him for their good
Ex. xix, 4. 5; II Sam. vii. 22-24;
Kings viii. IS; Ps. cxlvii. 20; c1lvin. IA;
lisa. xiii, 11-14) Israel being set aside
for an age He is gathering from all
the nations the willing whosoeyers to
be peculiar people unto Himself that
through them the world may believe
and know Him Git. Ii, IA; John xvii.
81, 23). The church, these called out
ones, is failing as Israel failed, but He
shall not faS or be discouraged, and in
His time and In His way there shall
be seen on earth the consummation of
His eternal purpose in kingdom Of
righteousness and peace which shall
never end.
His dealings with Israel and their
treatment Of Him were written for our
benefit that We might avoid their fail
ures and bear better fruit than they
did q Cor. x. 6-12; Rom. XIV, A.. We
have seen recently that Israel was
compared to vine and also to a fig
tree and an olive tree, but the one
thing always desired was fruit. Com
pare Eek. XIV and John XIV. The most
full account of Israel as a vineyard is
found in lisa. ". II, where His care
of it is described somewhat as In our
lesson, and He asks. What could have
been done more to my vineyard that
have not done in it?" Compare Ps.
Xxx. s. 8; Jer. Ii. 81: Hos. X. l.
e The householder's going to a far
country for long time verse SO: Luke
Xxx, 81 reminds us Of the story of the
pounds and talents. but there is evil
IDENTIFY a backward look here to the
days of the prophets. as in Matt. xiii,
3439. as well as to this present age.
A summary OF their treatment OF the
Lord and His messengers Is found in
II Chron. xxxvi. 16 They Knocked the
messengers Of God and despised His
words and misused His prophets until
the wrath Of the Lord arose against
His people, till there was no remedy
He was only seeking that which was
His own, fruit from His own vineyard
for which He had done all that He
could. some gratitude for all His love
to them. Surely reasonable expecta-
ton on His part. but this cruel treat
ment Of His servants and thus Of Him
self was their reply to all that He had
done for them.
Having sent servant after servant.
only to receive the same Ill treatment
last of all He sent unto them His son.
saying, They will reverence Ny Son"
verse 30. The record In Mark Xii. 6,
is Having yet therefore one Son, His
well beloved. He sent Him also last
unto them" But they said when they
saw Him. This is the heir; come, let
US kill Him and let US seize on His IN
heritance." This they did. and our
Lord asks what shall be done unto
such husbandmen. Their reply Is In
verse Al. So He condemns them ont
of their own mouth. Then He show
ed them from their own Scriptures
that all their evil conduct had been
foreseen by the God who 30 loved
them. But it was as plainly foretold
that the rejected one would yet be the
honored one. He called their attention
to Ps. cxviii. %, no doubt having In
mind also Gen. xix. "a. for there is no
more wonderful type of Christ in the
whole Bible than Joseph in his suffer
ings and his glory. his cruel treatment
and virtual death at their hands. their
rejection of him and his dreams and
their literal fulfilling OF the same in
bowling down to him for their lives aft
err so many years. Our Lord had prob
ably in mind also lisa. xviii. 16; Dan.
ii. "a. IS. As. See the references of
Peter and Paul to the same great
truths concerning Christ as the stone
rejected. but yet to be honored facts
iv. II. II; Pet. ii, 6-S; Eph. ii. 90.
When men grow angry In their rebel
lion against God and nations rage and
kings and rulers take counsel against
Him He can laugh at their impotence
and say in quietness, Yet have set
my King upon my holy hill Of Zion"
(Ps ii. 1-6. The believer may well
rejoice that the counsel Of the Lord
standeth forever. the thoughts Of His
heart to all generations" that every
purpose of the Lord shall be perform