patriarchs and prophets-第94章

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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

370

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

372

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。　Feeling　that　they　were　able　to　establish　their　own
righteousness；　they　declared；　〃All　that　the　Lord　hath　said　will　we　do；　and
be　obedient。〃　Exodus　24：7。　They　had　witnessed　the　proclamation　of　the　law　in
awful　majesty；　and　had　trembled　with　terror　before　the　mount；　and　yet　only　a
few　weeks　passed　before　they　broke　their　covenant　with　God；　and　bowed　down
to　worship　a　graven　image。　They　could　not　hope　for　the　favor　of　God　through
a　covenant　which　they　had　broken；　and　now；　seeing　their　sinfulness　and　their
need　of　pardon；　they　were　brought　to　feel　their　need　of　the　Saviour　revealed
in　the　Abrahamic　covenant　and　shadowed　forth　in　the　sacrificial　offerings。
Now　by　faith　and　love　they　were　bound　to　God　as　their　deliverer　from　the
bondage　of　sin。　Now　they　were　prepared　to　appreciate　the　blessings　of　the
new　covenant。

The　terms　of　the　〃old　covenant〃　were；　Obey　and　live：　〃If　a　man　do；　he　shall
even　live　in　them〃　（Ezekiel　20：11；　Leviticus　18：5）；　but　〃cursed　be　he　that
confirmeth　not　all　the　words　of　this　law　to　do　them。〃　Deuteronomy　27：26。　The
〃new　covenant〃　was　established　upon　〃better　promises〃the　promise　of
forgiveness　of　sins　and　of　the　grace　of　God　to　renew　the　heart　and　bring　it
into　harmony　with　the　principles　of　God's　law。　〃This　shall　be　the　covenant
that　I　will　make　with　the　house　of　Israel；　After　those　days；　saith　the　Lord；
I　will　put　my　law　in　their　inward　parts；　and　write　it　in　their　hearts。　。　。　。
I　will　forgive　their　iniquity；　and　will　remember　their　sin　no　more。〃
Jeremiah　31：33；　34。

The　same　law　that　was　engraved　upon　the　tables　of　stone　is　written　by　the
Holy　Spirit　upon　the　tables　of　the　heart。　Instead　of　going　about　to
establish　our　own　righteousness　we　accept　the　righteousness　of　Christ。　His
blood　atones　for　our　sins。　His　obedience　is　accepted　for　us。　Then　the　heart
renewed　by　the　Holy　Spirit　will　bring　forth　〃the　fruits　of　the　Spirit。〃
Through　the　grace　of　Christ　we　shall　live　in　obedience　to　the　law　of　God
written　upon　our　hearts。　Having　the　Spirit　of　Christ；　we　shall　walk