patriarchs and prophets-第75部分

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come　every　ray　of　heaven's　brightness　that　has　fallen　upon　the　inhabitants
of　the　earth。　In　the　plan　of　redemption　Christ　is　the　Alpha　and　the
Omegathe　First　and　the　Last。

Since　the　Saviour　shed　His　blood　for　the　remission　of　sins；　and　ascended　to
heaven　〃to　appear　in　the　presence　of　God　for

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us〃　（Hebrews　9：24）；　light　has　been　streaming　from　the　cross　of　Calvary　and
from　the　holy　places　of　the　sanctuary　above。　But　the　clearer　light　granted
us　should　not　cause　us　to　despise　that　which　in　earlier　times　was　received
through　the　types　pointing　to　the　coming　Saviour。　The　gospel　of　Christ　sheds
light　upon　the　Jewish　economy　and　gives　significance　to　the　ceremonial　law。
As　new　truths　are　revealed；　and　that　which　has　been　known　from　the　beginning
is　brought　into　clearer　light；　the　character　and　purposes　of　God　are　made
manifest　in　His　dealings　with　His　chosen　people。　Every　additional　ray　of
light　that　we　receive　gives　us　a　clearer　understanding　of　the　plan　of
redemption；　which　is　the　working　out　of　the　divine　will　in　the　salvation　of
man。　We　see　new　beauty　and　force　in　the　inspired　word；　and　we　study　its
pages　with　a　deeper　and　more　absorbing　interest。

The　opinion　is　held　by　many　that　God　placed　a　separating　wall　between　the
Hebrews　and　the　outside　world；　that　His　care　and　love；　withdrawn　to　a　great
extent　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　were　centered　upon　Israel。　But　God　did　not
design　that　His　people　should　build　up　a　wall　of　partition　between
themselves　and　their　fellow　men。　The　heart　of　Infinite　Love　was　reaching　out
toward　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth。　Though　they　had　rejected　Him；　He
was　constantly　seeking　to　reveal　Himself　to　them　and　make　them　partakers　of
His　love　and　grace。　His　blessing　was　granted　to　the　chosen　people；　that　they
might　bless　others。

God　called　Abraham；　and　prospered　and　honored　him；　and　the　patriarch's
fidelity　was　a　light　to　the　people　in　all　the　countries　of　his　sojourn。
Abraham　did　not　shut　himself　away　from　the　people　around　him。　He　maintained
friendly　relations　with　the　kings　of　the　surrounding　nations；　by　some　of
whom　he　was　treated　with　great　respect；　and　his　integrity　and　unselfishness；
his　valor　and　benevolence；　were　representing　the　character　of　God。　In
Mesopotamia；　in　Canaan；　in　Egypt；　and　even　to　the　inhabitants　of　Sodom；　the
God　of　heaven　was　revealed　through　His　representative。

So　to　the　people　of　Egypt　and　of　all　the　nations　connected　with　that
powerful　kingdom；　God　manifested　Himself　through　Joseph。　Why　did　the　Lord
choose　to　exalt　Joseph　so　highly　among　the　Egyptians？　He　might　have　provided
some　other　way　for　the　accomplishment　of　His　purposes　toward　the　children　of
Jacob；　but　He　desired　to　make　Joseph　a　light；　and　He　placed　him　in　the

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palace　of　the　king；　that　the　heavenly　illumination　might　extend　far　and
near。　By　his　wisdom　and　justice；　by　the　purity　and　benevolence　of　his　daily
life；　by　his　devotion　to　the　interests　of　the　peopleand　that　people　a
nation　of　idolatersJoseph　was　a　representative　of　Christ。　In　their
benefactor；　to　whom　all　Egypt　turned　with　gratitude　and　praise；　that　heathen
people　were　to　behold　the　love　of　their　Creator　and　Redeemer。　So　in　Moses
also　God　placed　a　light　beside　the　throne　of　the　earth's　greatest　kingdom；
that　all　who　would；　might　learn　of　the　true　and　living　God。　And　all　this
light　was　given　to　the　Egyptians　before　the　hand　of　God　was　stretched　out
over　them　in　judgments。

In　the　deliverance　of　Israel　from　Egypt　a　knowledge　of　the　power　of　God
spread　far　and　wide。　The　warlike　people　of　the　stronghold　of　Jericho
trembled。　〃As　soon　as　we　had　heard　these　things；〃　said　Rahab；　〃our　hearts
did　melt；　neither　did　there　remain　any　more　courage　in　any　man；　because　of
you：　for　Jehovah　your　God；　He　is　God　in　heaven　above；　and　in　earth　beneath。〃
Joshua　2：11。　Centuries　after　the　exodus　the　priests　of　the　Philistines
reminded　their　people　of　the　plagues　of　Egypt；　and　warned　them　against
resisting　the　God　of　Israel。

God　called　Israel；　and　blessed　and　exalted　them；　not　that　by　obedience　to
His　law　they　alone　might　receive　His　favor　and　become　the　exclusive
recipients　of　His　blessings；　but　in　order　to　reveal　Himself　through　them　to
all　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth。　It　was　for　the　accomplishment　of　this　very
purpose　that　He　commanded　them　to　keep　themselves　distinct　from　the
idolatrous　nations　around　them。

Idolatry　and　all　the　sins　that　followed　in　its　train　were　abhorrent　to　God；
and　He　commanded　His　people　not　to　mingle　with　other　nations；　to　〃do　after
their　works；〃　and　forget　God。　He　forbade　their　marriage　with　idolaters；　lest
their　hearts　should　be　led　away　from　Him。　It　was　just　as　necessary　then　as
it　is　now　that　God's　people　should　be　pure；　〃unspotted　from　the　world。〃　They
must　keep　themselves　free　from　its　spirit；　because　it　is　opposed　to　truth
and　righteousness。　But　God　did　not　intend　that　His　people；　in　self…righteous
exclusiveness；　should　shut　themselves　away　from　the　world；　so　that　they
could　have　no　influence　upon　it。

Like　their　Master；　the　followers　of　Christ　in　every　age　were　to　be　the　light
of　the　world。　The　Saviour　said；　〃A　city　that　is　set　on

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an　hill　cannot　be　hid。　Neither　do　men　light　a　candle；　and　put　it　under　a
bushel；　but　on　a　candlestick；　and　it　giveth　light　unto　all　that　are　in　the
house〃that　is；　in　the　world。　And　He　adds；　〃Let　your　light　so　shine　before
men；　that　they　may　see　your　good　works；　and　glorify　your　Father　which　is　in
heaven。〃　Matthew　5：14…16。　This　is　just　what　Enoch；　and　Noah；　Abraham；
Joseph；　and　Moses　did。　It　is　just　what　God　designed　that　His　people　Israel
should　do。

It　was　their　own　evil　heart　of　unbelief；　controlled　by　Satan；　that　led　them
to　hide　their　light；　instead　of　shedding　it　upon　surrounding　peoples；　it　was
that　same　bigoted　spirit　that　caused　them　either　to　follow　the　iniquitous
practices　of　the　heathen　or　to　shut　themselves　away　in　proud　exclusiveness；
as　if　God's　love　and　care　were　over　them　alone。

As　the　Bible　presents　two　laws；　one　changeless　and　eternal；　the　other
provisional　and　temporary；　so　there　are　two　covenants。　The　covenant　of　grace
was　first　made　with　man　in　Eden；　when　after　the　Fall　there　was　given　a
divine　promise　that　the　seed　of　the　woman　should　bruise　the　serpent's　head。
To　all　men　this　covenant　offered　pardon　and　the　assisting　grace　of　God　for
future　obedience　through　faith　in　Christ。　It　also　promised　them　eternal　life
on　condition　of　fidelity　to　God's　law。　Thus　the　patriarchs　received　the　hope
of　salvation。

This　same　covenant　was　renewed　to　Abraham　in　the　promise；　〃In　thy　seed　shall
all　the　nations　of　the　earth　be　blessed。〃　Genesis　22：18。　This　promise
pointed　to　Christ。　So　Abraham　understood　it　（see　Galatians　3：8；　16）；　and　he
trusted　in　Christ　for　the　forgiveness　of　sins。　It　was　this　faith　that　was
accounted　unto　him　for　righteousness。　The　covenant　with　Abraham　also
maintained　the　authority　of　God's　law。　The　Lord　appeared　unto　Abraham；　and
said；　〃I　am　the　Almighty　God；　walk　before　Me；　and　be　thou　perfect。〃　Genesis
17：1。　The　testimony　of　God　concerning　His　faithful　servant　was；　〃Abraham
obeyed　My　voice；　and　kept　My　charge；　My　commandments；　My　statutes；　and　My
laws。〃　Genesis　26：5。　And　the　Lord　declared　to　him；　〃I　will　establish　My
covenant　between　Me　and　thee　and　thy　seed　after　thee　in　their　generations；
for　an　everlasting　covenant；　to　be　a　God　unto　thee　and　to　thy　seed　after
thee。〃　Genesis　17：7。

Though　this　covenant　was　made　with　Adam　and　renewed　to　Abraham；　it　could　not
be　ratified　until　the　death　of　Christ。　It

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had　existed　by　the　promise　of　God　since　the　first　intimation　of　redemption
had　been　given；　it　had　been　accepted　by　faith；　yet　when　ratified　by　Christ；
it　is　called　a　new　covenant。　The　law　of　God　was　the　basis　of　this　covenant；
which　was　simply　an　arrangement　for　bringing　men　again　into　harmony　with　the
divine　will；　placing　them　where　they　could　obey　God's　law。

Another　compactcalled　in　Scripture　the　〃old〃　covenantwas　formed　between
God　and　Israel　at　Sinai；　and　was　then　ratified　by　the　blood　of　a　sacrifice。
The　Abrahamic　covenant　was　ratified　by　the　blood　of　Christ；　and　it　is　called
the　〃second；〃　or　〃new；〃　covenant；　because　the　blood　by　which　it　was　sealed
was　shed　after　the　blood　of　the　first　covenant。　That　the　new　covenant　was
valid　in　the　days　of　Abraham　is　evident　from　the　fact　that　it　was　then
confirmed　both　by　the　promise　and　by　the　oath　of　God　the　〃two　immutable
things；　in　which　it　was　impossible　for　God　to　lie。〃　Hebrews　6：18。

But　if　the　Abrahamic　covenant　contained　the　promise　of　redemption；　why　was
another　covenant　formed　at　Sinai？　In　their　bondage　the　people　had　to　a　great
extent　lost　the　knowledge　of　God　and　of　the　principles　of　the　Abrahamic
covenant。　In　delivering　them　from　Egypt；　God　sought　to　reveal　to　them　His
power　and　His　mercy；　that　they　might　be　led　to　love　and　trust　Him。　He
brought　them　down　to　the　Red　Seawhere；　pursued　by　the　Egyptians；　escape
seemed　impossiblethat　they　might　realize　their　utter　helplessness；　their
need　of　divine　aid；　and　then　He　wrought　deliverance　for　them。　Thus　they　were
filled　with　love　and　gratitude　to　God　and　with　confidence　in　His　power　to
help　them。　He　had　bound　them　to　Himself　as　their　deliverer　from　temporal
bondage。

But　there　was　a　still　greater　truth　to　be　impressed　upon　their　minds。　Living
in　the　midst　of　idolatry　and　corruption；　they　had　no　true　conception　of　the
holiness　of　God；　of　the　exceeding　sinfulness　of　their　own　hearts；　their
utter　inability；　in　themselves；　to　render　obedience　to　God's　law；　and　their
need　of　a　Saviour。　All　this　they　must　be　taught。

God　brought　them　to　Sinai；　He　manifested　His　glory；　He　gave　them　His　law；
with　the　promise　of　great　blessings　on　condition　of　obedience：　〃If　ye　will
obey　My　voice　indeed；　and　keep　My　covenant；　then　。　。　。　ye　shall　be　unto　Me　a
kingdom　of　priests；　and　an　holy　nation。〃　Exodus　19：5；　6。　The　people　did　not
realize

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the　sinfulness　of　their　own　hearts；　and　that　without　Christ　it　was
impossible　for　them　to　keep　God's　law；　and　they　readily　entered　into
covenant　with　God。　Feeli