Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-27

THE REVELATIONS TO THE SHEPHERD
BY BISHOP w.


TIME knowledge of God is not discovery
by human reason, but a revelation by
- the Holy Spirit GAS it is written, eye
| hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man the things
which God hath prepared for them that love
Him; but God hath revealed them unto us
/ by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God. For
what man knoweth the things of man, save
| the spirit of man which is in them? Even so
the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God" Ct Cor. II: 9-11.)
! And the revelations of God to men are not
! given. to powerful and penetrating intellects,
but to deVout and docile spirits. For thus
saith the high and holy One that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is Holy; l dwell in the
high and holy place, with him also that is of
contrite and humble spirit, to revive the
spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart
of the contrite ones" Qsaiah lvi: 49, In
agreement with this lofty teaching of "the
| evangelical prophet" Jesus said, II thank
Thee, o Father, Lord of heaven and earth
because Thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them
unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it
seemed good in Thy sight" (Matthew XII:
25-26.)
| This principle and method of the divine
revelation sets it apart from the complicated
and contradictory philosophizings Of the
| learned, and brings it within the range of
the humblest and least learned of the chill
VI SAA VI AHuSSu1 IH6 pT1Q6 OIL the intel
lectuals is prime obstacle in the way of
their coming to the knowledge of God; for
most OF them refuse to come by the only way
by which human soul can find God-the
way OF humility and docility, "The world by
WISDOM" therefore hath not known God.".
Hence "the princes of this world" knew
not the wisdom of God revealed in the in
carnate SAVIOR: For, had they known it, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory. :"
In His cradle they ignored Him and on His
nh butt
with plous minds open to the light of heaven.
He was revealed as the Savior of the world
notwithstanding His restitution at His birth
ana His humiliation at His death TO ador-
ing shepherds worshipful wise men was
Ills coming announced when Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judea in the DAYS Of
HerOd the King
The annuncation of His birth was made
flrst Of all, not to the cruel and ambitions
KIM IN the palace, nor to the pompous high
priest IN the temple, nor to the theatric
pharlsee in the synagogue, nor to the learned
SCrlDe IN the retired place of his painful
studles; but to .teachable shepherds in the
IleId' Keeping watch over their sacrificial
LOCK by night TO them was given the
charge of the tempe-flock, and their tolls in
the tultillment of this sacred vocation dailv
| 10 them the Lamb Of God which taketh away
! t tlo 9ln oI the world And, 10, the angel of
! Inc Lord came upon them, and the glory of
IH:9.) NN"Ao
| The glory of the Lord" which shone round
about them was the heavenly effulgence in
which Jehovah had been wont to reveal Him
sell 10 HIS saints and seers in former ages
ana which had come to be called the
| Shechinah.
| AS flaming sword glistening with divine
brightness, it had been placed to guard the
| way of the tree of Life Genesis iii:24. To
Abraham it appeared in a smoking furnace
whereby Gods acceptance with him was at-
| tested Genesis xv:1O. AS a lambert flame
Moses saw it in the burning bush at Horem
| EXODUS ifi:2), and again when "the Lord
| talked face to face" with him at Sinai. and
| he prayed Il beeseech Thee show me Thy
| glory" EXODUS xxxiii 1929. 1t hung as an
aWeinspiring cloud over the Mountain of the
| Law EXODUS xix: 1920. AS a Lillar of cloud
| by day and Of fire by night it guided and
guarded the hosts of Israel in the wilderness
| EXODUS Xfv:19 and xvi:10). Before "the
mercy seat, from between the Cherubim, it
shone forth exodus xxv:1-22 and Psalms
| iXxx1). 1t filled the Temple of Solomon at
its dedication with overwhelming radiance, SO
| that the priests could not enter for their
sacerdotal ministrations Il Kings viii:1011) .
| In rapturous vision it was seen by Isaiah Gin
| the year that King Uzziah died" Isaiah
| vi:1-13D
But when Jesus born it had long since
| disappeared from the sight of the chosen peo-
pie who had departed from God and from
| whom Jehovah had departed. Now it reap
Feared to lead shepherds to Him in whom
| dwell all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
| (Colossans ii:9), when "the word was made
| flesh and pitched his tent among the sons of
men. And they beheld his glory the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father" John
i ii:11-14.)
Never had it served a purpose so august