Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1947-06-27
ny HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST, d. d.
OF The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago

"A T THE end Of the road the He
- brew nation may have-yes,
should have-stopped to look back
and see what II had accomplished.
Israel was now in exile. to return
only In part. and with greatly limit
Cd greatness and glory.
What Was Gods purpose for
1B1ael? II WAS threefold:
a. To be . repository for his
truth In the earth.
% To be . channel for the COM
ing Il the personal Redeemer to
the earth.
~ To be . national witness 10
the one true God 10 the other ma
items Of the earth.
The first two they fulfilled. They
kept for US the Word Of God as re.
vealed In the Old Testament, and
from their nation came most of the
men through whom the Holy Spirit
wrote the New Testament. 1t was
through their nation that the Son
OF God came as Jesus Of Nazareth.
our Saviour and Lord
But they failed to be the witness
that God had meant them to be-
and for this they came under his
judgment.
We're they then complete fail
ure? Certainly not-our lesson
makes that clear in three ways
Teachers will find the scriptures not
too well selected, but they do serve
as a background for these thoughts.
The nation Israel showed US:
I. The Enlightening Word Of God
Cps. 1891
7 EFT US never forget that the pre-
IL cious Word Of God. which is
our light on the way through this
dark world. came to us through
Jewish hands.
The Old Testament, which we
come to appreciate more and more
as We grow In grace and knowl'
edge Of the Lord. was committed to
Israel by inspiration Of the Holy
Spirit. and preserved by the jew
ish nation even at the cost of their
own lives. Nothing was more pre-
cious to them than the sacred Scrip
ture. We owe them a great debt of
gratitude. and ought to honor them
for their service to God and man.
We may say then that the Bible.
unsurpassed In all the world Of
literature, and beyond COMPARE
son as the guiding light for mans
heart and life, was given 10 us
through Israel. We could well say
. hearty Thank you" for that
right now II we have never done
n before!
! n. The Exalted Worship Of God
Osa. 2;2-D.
THE prophet looks into the future
= to that glorious and blessed day
when the nations shall have learned
10 live In peace and righteousness.
when war shall be no more. and
he worship Of God shall be the de.
sire and the Joy Of men.
When will that day come? Will II
be brought in by the efforts Of the
church, or by conferences Of nation.
a leaders, Not for a moment would
we minimize the value Of every true
effort to spread peace and righteous.
ness through the earth. We honor
those who faithfully try TO bring con.
sord y The affairs Of men.
0T III psa5 asaafTi,s'iair "a. -saa"e~,
But the clear teaching Of Scrip
tire, which has been so abun-
dantly proved by experience, Is
hat We can expect the delightful
condition Of which isaiah Speaks
e1ly when the Prince Of Peace
himself has returned 10 reign,
namely, our Lord and Saviour and
esming King, Jesus Christ. We
lssk for that day!
10 that blessed time Israel shall
worship the Lord in the beauty Of
holiness, even as their history under
he hand Of God In days past was
one Of true worship Of the Lord.
Here again they made an endur.
ing contribution to the life Of the
world Then note their witness to
m. The Effective Work Of God
mic. GID.
WE HAVE here words Of anoth-
~ er Hebrew prophet. He SPEAKS
Of Gods plain dealings with his peo-
pie, his judgment upon their sin.
and the need OF a careful and
worthy walk before him.
Back Of all the admonition and
appeal Is the remembrance Of how
God had worked on behalf Of Israel,
delivering them from bondage, Civ.
ing them effective leaders, going be
lore them In battle, In fact, prov.
ing his goodness and love by his
mighty works.
Israel's service for God and
man Ia an example Of what God
can and will do for those who
epey him and walk with him. II
y equally true that they thus re
veal the Inevitable Judgment
which comes upon sinful and
eisobedicnt nation. Let us not miss
wat lessen, for we need II today.
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