The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-06-01

Lauke 1853, 2, n, rs; Galatians 4:4, S.
GOLDEN TEXT am the way. the truth.
and the life.--John 14:6.
Four hundred silent years-such is
the period between the Old and the
New Testaments. There was no
voice from God during those years,
and spiritual darkness prevailed
largely in the land. But there were
those who kept their lamp of faith
in God brightly shining even in the
darkness.
The political history of Israel dur
ing this time is partially known
from secular sources. Palestine was
successfully under the rule of the
Gentle powers until at the time of
Jesus birth they were under Roman
domination.
Spiritually that age may well be
described by the words used in II
Timothy 35, Having the form of
goodness but denying the power
thereof" referring to the last days.
There is much here that fits our
days decadent churchliness.
I. Looking for the Lord (Mal. 3:
1-3).
Although they had reached the
state of spiritual pride and self-suf-
ficiency where they talked back to
God (see the "whereins'' of lie, z;
2:14, II, etc. Israel still talked
about looking for the Lord to come.
They knew from their prophets
that He would one day come to judge
their enemies, and they longed for
that day; but they failed to see that
it would be day of judgment for
them (vv. 2, 81.
How much like those of our day
who like to talk about the love of
God, His mercy and His long-suf-
fering, but who minimize or forget
that He hates sin and demands holt
ness of life from His people.
The forerunner of Christ, John the
Baptist, is in mind in verse /, but
the messenger of the covenant is
doubtless the "angel of Jehovah"
one of the Old Testament names
for our Lord Jesus (see John 1867.
Christ is coming! Such is the
message to Israel, and He will come
as refiner's fire. Christ has come!
That is our message to men now,
and He has come as a divider of
men, a cleanser and refner of
hearts, that we, too, may be ready
for that day of judgment which is
to come when He appears again in
all His glory.
ii. Living for the Lord (Mal. 3:16,
~.
When others forgot or misrepre-
sented the Lord, when they were
content with formal worship with
out the power of godly living, there
were a faithful group who "spake
one to another" about the Lord.
How exceedingly precious!
Notice that the Lord "hearkened
and heard" He knows when His
people 10 much as talk to one an
other about Him, and He notes it in
His book of remembrance. When
men are forgetting Him, He is
remembering those who are true to
Him. They are His precious jewels!
How vitality important Christian
fellowship is in a dark and troubled
day. DO not miss the joy and
strength which will come into your
life as you join others in Gods house
to speak of Him and to think ION
His Name" He may be all we have
(that was true in Israeli, but He is
always and eternally enough.
iii. Light from the Lord duke
1:68, 70, n, 78).
The silence of the 400 years was
broken, and the spiritual darkness
which beclouded the land was
pushed back. God, who had in the
past spoken through the prophets,
now spoke through the coming of
His Son (Heb. 1:1-3). Being the
Light of the world John 8:12; 9:5,
He shone forth with the brightness
of His glory"
Little wonder that cody Zachari-
as, the father of the forerunner
John, sings, blessed be the Lord
God of Israel, for he hath visited
and redeemed his people" ". 68).
He of whom all the prophets give
witness, to whom every one of the
sacrifices pointed forward, the
Saviour and Redeemer, has come to
show forth Gods mercy and to
give, not only to Israel, but to all
men, ''the knowledge of salvation
and the remission of their sins.
The "dayspring" is at hand;
Light has shined forth into the
darkness of mems hearts. Jesus the
Christ, the Saviour, has come!
Nv. Liberty in the Lord (Gal. 4:
4, 81.
Men who had been servants under
the law became sons of God in Jesus
Christ. Redemption sets a person
free from the bondage of the law
and brings him into the family of
God as His child (Rom. 8:14-17).
How does one become a child of
God? BY accepting Gods only way
of cleansing from sin (Heb. 9:11-
IA, 22)--the shed blood of Christ.
Believing in Him and making con-
fession of Him before the world
(Rom. 1879, 10), we are saved and