"We know that G.o.d spake unto Moses: _as for this fellow, we know not from whence He is_." John 9:29.
NOTE.-That was the trouble; they had no faith in anything new.
They _knew_ that G.o.d spoke by Moses: it required little faith to believe that. They felt perfectly safe in accepting him, for everything had demonstrated that he was sent of G.o.d. All could see that. But here was One whom, although He had come in fulfilment of the prophecies of Moses and the prophets as their long-looked-for Messiah, they felt there was a risk in accepting, because they did not understand the prophecies relating to Him, and time had not worked out to their satisfaction the truthfulness of His claims.
It required too much _faith_, as against their desire to walk by _sight_, to accept Christ. It also called for a change of views in some things, and a reformation in life. So they rejected Him. They believed in the flood, faith in which had saved Noah; they believed in Elijah also, and professed faith in all the prophets; but when it came to this special truth for their time, they refused to accept it. Thus it has been in all ages, and thus we may expect it to continue to be to the end.
19. How did Christ say those who rejected Him reasoned?
"Ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets." Matt.
23:29, 30.
NOTE.-While they condemned the action of their fathers in slaying the prophets whom G.o.d had sent with messages of reproof and warning applicable to those times, they soon filled up the measure of the iniquity of their fathers by putting to death the Son of G.o.d. This showed that they would have done as did their fathers had they lived in their day. Thus we see that present truths are testing truths.
20. What was the result of the Jews" not accepting Christ?
"And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but _now they are hid from thine eyes_." Luke 19:41, 42. "Behold, your house is left unto you _desolate_." Matt. 23:38.
21. Is there to be a special message for the last days?
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. _Who then is a faithful and wise servant_, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, _to give them meat in due season_?"
Matt. 24:44, 45.
NOTE.-In the last days a message will go forth which will be "meat in due season" to the people. This must be the warning concerning the Lord"s soon coming, and the preparation necessary to meet Him.
Because such a message was not always preached, is no evidence that it is not now to be proclaimed. In his farewell address to the Pilgrim Fathers on their departure from Holland for America, John Robinson said: "The Lord knoweth whether I shall ever see your faces more; but whether the Lord hath appointed that or not, I charge you before G.o.d and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If G.o.d should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as you ever were to receive any truth by my ministry; for I am very confident that the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His Holy Word. For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the Reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go no farther than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go any farther than what Luther saw; and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of G.o.d, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were burning and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of G.o.d, but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received."
22. What does Christ say of that servant who, when He comes, is found giving "meat in due season"?
"_Blessed_ is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Verse 46.
NOTES.-The coming of Christ in glory has been the hope of the faithful in all ages.
Luther declared: "I persuade myself verily, that the day of judgment will not be absent full three hundred years. G.o.d will not, cannot, suffer this wicked world much longer. The great day is drawing near in which the kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown."
Melanchthon said: "This aged world is not far from its end."
Calvin bade Christians "not to hesitate, ardently desiring the day of Christ"s coming as of all events most auspicious;" and declared that "the whole human family of the faithful will keep in view that day." "We must hunger after Christ, we must seek, contemplate," he adds, "till the dawning of that great day, when our Lord will fully manifest the glory of His kingdom."
Said Knox, the Scotch Reformer: "Has not our Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into heaven? and shall He not return? We know that He shall return, and that with expedition."
Ridley and Latimer, who laid down their lives for the truth, looked in faith for the Lord"s coming. Ridley wrote: "The world without doubt-this I do believe, and therefore I say it-draws to an end."
Said Baxter: "The thoughts of the coming of the Lord are most sweet and joyful to me. It is the work of faith and the character of His saints to love His appearing, and to look for that blessed hope."
23. What will be the burden of the closing gospel message?
"Fear G.o.d, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.... Babylon is fallen, is fallen.... If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of G.o.d." Rev.
14:7-10.
24. How are those described who accept this message?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of G.o.d, and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12.
25. How earnestly is this work to be prosecuted?
"And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, _and compel them to come in_, that my house may be filled." Luke 14:23.
NOTE.-This work is now going on. In every part of the world the sound of this closing gospel message is being heard, and the people are being urged to accept it, and to prepare for Christ"s coming and kingdom. See readings on pages 251-263.
The Obedience Of Faith
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Abraham Entering The Promised Land. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out ... obeyed." Heb. 11:8.
1. What did the Lord command Abraham to do?
"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, _Get thee out of thy country_, and from thy kindred, and from thy father"s house, _unto a land that I will show thee_." Gen. 12:1.
2. How did Abraham respond to this command?
"_So Abram departed_, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." Verse 4.
3. Of what was Abraham"s obedience the fruit?
"By _faith_ Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Heb. 11:8, R. V.
4. What command did the Lord later give to Abraham?
"And He said, _Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest_, and get thee into the land of Moriah; _and offer him therefor a burnt offering_ upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Gen. 22:2.
5. Upon what ground were the previous promises then renewed to Abraham?
"And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for _because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son_: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seash.o.r.e; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the world be blessed; _because thou hast obeyed My voice_."
Verses 16-18.
6. What enabled Abraham to endure the test?