Evening journal., 1915-12-24
GODS MERCY TO ISRAEL
AND TO OTHERS.

GODS MERCY TO ISRAEL
AND TO OTHERS.
Quarterly Review.
Israel a Favored Nstion--God's Mercy
in the Law Covenant-Spiritual Is
rael a New Nation-The Royal
Priesthood-Other Nations Unrec-
ognized by cod-4ow Divine Mercy
Will Eventually Reach all people.
"Jehovah is merciful and gracious.
slow to anger and abundant in loving
kindness. ."-Psalm 103:3.
One difficulty with us as Bible stu
dents has been that in the past we
took too narrow a view of the Divine
character and of the Bible. For more
than twelve centuries the Bible was
not studied. Instead, certain bishops,
thinking themselves to be Apostles Of
equal authority with the twelve whom
Jesus appointed (St. Paul taking the
place Of Judas), thought that they had
rftSll right, as Apostles. to make up
substitute for the Bible These sub
stitutes were styled creeds-Confes-
siOns of Faith. These were studied,
and the Bible was neglected.
Under these circumstances. IL is not
surprising that Gods people got far
away from the true teachings of His
Word. Even when the Bible began
to come back to the people in Refor-
nation times, their poor heads were
so badly confused with the false doc
trines of twelve centuries of human
theorizing that they we're not prepared
to see the Bible i'm its own light, but
rather i'm the light of those creeds. Be
SIDES, they had long been taught that
t. doubt the creeds would constitute
them heretics. and that the punish
ment for heresy is eternal torment
Hence the endeavor to keep in line
with the creeds in all subsequent Bible
study.
New Bible students see that this
was all a mistake-that the Bible
should have been studied-in its own
light. They see that the creeds are
full OF errors, which really make the
Word of God OF no effect. Now our
Bible studies are different, because of
our clearer knowledge Of these mat
ters. as well as because we are living
in the dawning Of the new age-at the
time when God promised that his peo.
pie should understand His Word
Daniel 1910.
Gods Dealings With Israel.
Our Golden Text was addressed, pri
marily to the nation of Israel. On ac
count of disobedience. God cut of
Father Adam, Mother Eve and all their
children from special fellowship with
Him. sentencing them to death. Gene
sis 2:17.) But even this sentence God
did not hasten. The sinners might
live as long as they could.
Gods Mercy was manifested toward
Abraham's posterity-lsaac, Jacob ant
all of Jacobs children. God made
the twelve tribes into one nation. ce
menting them together by His prom
ises to them in connection with th'
Law Covenant instituted by Moses a
Mount Sinai. If they would keep God'
Law they would live forever-woulG
not die at all. Moreover. they woul'
be blessed in all their affairs-thei
health, their flocks, their herds, etc.
But they could not keep this Law
Covenant. recause of having been borl
= in sin like the remainder of the race
S Nevertheless. God purposed tha
Y through endeavoring to keep the Law
Z they should be greatly blessed. Ant
s il was so. True. He chastened then
= for their shortcomings, but Away
7 with loving interest. never who'll,
, casting them off. Their national dis
tresses and captivities we're with
\ view to teaching them necessary les
n sons.
Thus Gods favor continued will
that one nation. and with no other ma
ton. from the death of Jacob dow
to the death of Jesus, period of 1884
. wears. Even then. in casting of tn
+ nation when they rejected and cruci
2 fed Jesus. Jehovah made provision 70
Q all Jews who were spiritually incline
l that they might come down into still
greater favor at Pentecost and onward
/ being there begotten of the Holy Spil
Z il. Even when rejecting the natioI
God clearly intimated that the tim
would come when His favor would r.
turn to that nation, after the estal
\ lishment of Messiah's Kingdom
q Amos 9:11, 12; Acts 15:13-17.