The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-11-28

9 Fgz3EAA%WW M. -.
our profession, Christ Jesus" The
supreme mission of the Holy Spirit is
to testify of Christ and make Hin
known, and here He summons US to
behold Him in His priestly office, be-
cause for US" He is thereon our be-
half-representing US in all the ac-
ceptableness of His Person before
God. All, He cannot forget those for
whom He died and whom His grace
has made His own forever. The love
that led Him to the cross for us is a
love that cannot change and it will
never abandon those upon whom 1t
has once been bestowed. but will bear
them increasingly in the presence Of
God and thus maintain. in all its in
tegrity, the relationship in which By
death and resurrection He has estab-
lished them.
His presence there within the veil
is the believers security, and upon il
the Spirit of God bases our "strong
consolation" saying in chapter CHS:
"That We might have a strong conso-
lation, who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us:
which hope we have as an anchor of
the soul, both sure and steadfast. and
which entereth into that within the
veil whittier the forerunner is for us
entered, eve Jesus, made an High
Priest forever"
FILED for refuge" The phrase IS a
plain allusion TO the m%anslayer in
Israel. for whom the six cities of rel
uge were appointed, scattered at in
tervals throughout the land. When
unwittingly, without lying in wait
one might kill a fellowman. he was
TO flee to the nearest of these cities
of refuge and remain there. entirely
safe from the ayenger of blood, during
"the life of the high priest that should
be in those days" When the high
priest died, and another succeeded to
the priesthood, the manslayer returned
to his home unmolested.
How these cities of refuge preached
to Israel! How prophetic still of a
coming day when that nation, guilty
of a great fratricide, shall nee from
the avenger and find refuge. "Unwit-
tingly" they did it, as the object of
their wrath, in a prayer that must
avail, declared: Father. forgive them
for they know not what they do"
But see, o believer in Jesus, The
Spirit of God is likening thee TO the
manslayer, not in his mansiaughter.
but in his security. You are shut up
In the city of refuge and your safety
there depends upon the High Priest
of our profession, who said: Because
I live, We shall live Also and of whom
1t is written in Romans $40: For II.
when we were enemies. we were rec
onciled to God by the death of His
Son, much more, being reconciled, we
shall be saved by His life"
But those priests of Aaron's line
died. When will our High Priest die?
Once in death for sin, lie is out Of il
forever! KNOWING that Christ being
raised from the dead dieth no more
death hath no more dominion over
Him" Rom. 6:9). And we turn
again to our epistle Of the sanctuary
and read: "And they truly were many
priests. because they were not SUI
fered to continue by reason of death
"a long, long line because death took
them one by one away-'but this
man," the text continues. because he
c%ontinueth ever hath al Interchangeable
priesthood. Wherefore he is able also
10 save them TO the uttermost that
come INTO God by him. seeing He
ever liveth to make i~ntereession for
them"
.Strong consolation" indeed Based
upon no merit of ours or attachments
but upon the attachments and merit
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But stronger still is the consolation.
for of this hope which we have laid
hold upon, It is added: I'VE have as
an anchor of the soul, both sure aud
steadfast." The figure recalls the old
en-time seamanship, when the ships
anchor was carried up on the beach
and left there. He who has gone into
heaven for US has anchored our souls
there wilma the veil.
And now, to make our consolation
complete and 10 free US from all mis-
giving as to our being in heaven at
last. one word is added whittier the
%forerunner is for US entered" If any
complain of this mixing of metaphors,
let him remember that ii is the Spirit
Of God who employs them. Surely He
knows how to use them 10 set the
Savior forth. "Now to appear in the
presence Of God for us AS our fore
runner He has gone into heaven. there
to make public proclamation Of our
coming, p%ronouneing the name of
every forgiven sinner and thus herald
Ing his arrival into the place which
He has gone to prepare.