Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-15
Golden Text: "This is My beloved
BON, IN whom l am well pleased."-

Uoiaen Text: This is My beloved
pom, IN whom L am well pleased
lark I'LL.
Ihere was an air of expectancy
the land. For years the people
Israel had been under the Roman
Zoke, and 1T was calling to them.
hlrty Years before this there had
Reen report circulated that the
klnS of the Jews was born; but
Herod, the incumbent-but really a
roman vassal-had investigated it
nd mad silenced it by the murder
all the children in Bethlehem un-
er two years of age-less than fifty
ALL SO far as the public was
concerned, there had been nothing
low for thirty years. And yet as
ope springs eternal in the human
Yeast, there was vague facing as
nough something was about to hap
sn-at least the hope that some
ping would happen to free them
rom the bondage of the yoke of
kome.
imagine the stir, therefore, that
FaS created when the report came
hat a prophet like Elijah of old had
appeared just as suddenly as Elijah
SAiN was NJ GclClIlIlS III TIE VIII
erness of Judea saying, Repent
pr the kingdom of heaven is at
and" And the curiosity of the
oWd was not a whit less when it
Eas told them that this prophet was
Fothed with a rough cloak held to-
ether with a leathern girdle, and
nat his food was locusts and wild
oney. All Judea went out to see
i'm and to hear him; yes, even the
Ugh dignitaries of Jerusalem.
Not only did great crowds go out
hear him, but they needed his
Usage. He preached the baptism
repentance for the remission of
ms, and they repented and were
hptized, cpnfessing their sins. Per-
Pps we can appreciate the import
this better if we remember that
PIN was an Old Testament prophet
"a prophet of the law. Moses be-
Pre- his death had spoken to the
People along this line-if you are
lie to God and obey His law which
have given you, He will fulfill all
Rese promises to you, giving you
pls land and making it blessing
you; but if you disobey Him and
3 not keep this law. He will al
w you to be trodden under foot, a
Rtlon to Cypress you as swift as an
fgle, whose tongue thou shalt not
nderstand, a nation of fierce coun-
nance which shall not regard the
erson of the old, nor show favor
the young. Read Deut. %, es-
hcially VS.. 47-52, So, 81. This was
st what had happened to them
bw.
But Moses had also said (read
cut. 3013) that when this hap
Fned If they would repent and re-
IN to Him, He would turn their
ptivity. They were constantly
oking for the establishment. of the
ngdom-the coming of the king
aerefore, when John, prophet Of
e law, came preaching, Repent,
r the kingdom Of heaven is at
Rnd," we can appreciate why such
impression was created and why
ey, should have repented in such
rye numbers, confessing their sins
their question, "What must we
2" John replied, touching the very
ots of their unrighteousness, stop
thortation, be content, etc.
So great was the impression that
had made that the Jews from
erusalem sent certain priests and
evites to ask him, Who art thou?
hey thought that he must be the
essiah long expected and desired
ut he denied that. They suggest
that he might be Elijah then
hom Malachi had prophesied
lould come; but he denied that also
hen they asked if he was J"that
fophet"-the prophet like Noses
bat Moses had said that God would
md. And John denied that. Then
no are you? they asked To which
bhn replied in great humility
n just a voice crying in the will
erness, Prepare We the way Of the
ord, as Isaiah said. I indeed bap-
ze with water. but there cometh
fter me one for whom I am not
orthy to perform the most mental
ervice even; He shall baptize with
be Holy Ghost and with fire.
He Comes
One day when John was baptising
Bethabara near the fords of the
brdan, there came from Galilee out
an obscurity of 80 years, which
I'D been broken only once, and
lat is years before, a Carpenter
pen His occupation during these
EARS of silence. But He was far
ore than just a carpenter: He was
be Son of God! He was the word
be very expression of God. He was
the beginning with God, and He
as God. He was the Creator Of
he universe. And now, for the
ery definite purpose, He had laid
side all the prerogatives which He
tight have had on account of His
duality with God and emptied Him.
f, taking upon Him the form If a
rvant and been made in the like
IS Of man. And being found in
shiGn as 81 man. He was humbling
Self. Johns humility was great
mem he answered the priests and
evites from Jerusalem. but it was
nothing as compared to this of
esus. The Goldman presents Him.
flf to be baptized by John! Pre-
fnts Himself to receive the rite of
bptism with those who were re-
Diving it, repenting and confessipg
heir sins,
Now John and Jesus had been