patriarchs and prophets-第74部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rite　of　circumcision；　which　was　a　sign　that　those　who　received　it　were
devoted　to　the　service　of　Goda　pledge　that　they　would　remain　separate　from
idolatry；　and　would　obey　the　law　of　God。　The　failure　of　Abraham's
descendants　to　keep　this　pledge；　as　shown　in　their　disposition　to　form
alliances　with　the　heathen　and　adopt　their　practices；　was　the　cause　of　their
sojourn　and　bondage　in　Egypt。　But　in　their　intercourse　with　idolaters；　and
their　forced　submission　to　the　Egyptians；　the　divine　precepts　became　still
further　corrupted　with　the　vile　and　cruel　teachings　of　heathenism。　Therefore

364

when　the　Lord　brought　them　forth　from　Egypt；　He　came　down　upon　Sinai；
enshrouded　in　glory　and　surrounded　by　His　angels；　and　in　awful　majesty　spoke
His　law　in　the　hearing　of　all　the　people。

He　did　not　even　then　trust　His　precepts　to　the　memory　of　a　people　who　were
prone　to　forget　His　requirements；　but　wrote　them　upon　tables　of　stone。　He
would　remove　from　Israel　all　possibility　of　mingling　heathen　traditions　with
His　holy　precepts；　or　of　confounding　His　requirements　with　human　ordinances
or　customs。　But　He　did　not　stop　with　giving　them　the　precepts　of　the
Decalogue。　The　people　had　shown　themselves　so　easily　led　astray　that　He
would　leave　no　door　of　temptation　unguarded。　Moses　was　commanded　to　write；
as　God　should　bid　him；　judgments　and　laws　giving　minute　instruction　as　to
what　was　required。　These　directions　relating　to　the　duty　of　the　people　to
God；　to　one　another；　and　to　the　stranger　were　only　the　principles　of　the　Ten
Commandments　amplified　and　given　in　a　specific　manner；　that　none　need　err。
They　were　designed　to　guard　the　sacredness　of　the　ten　precepts　engraved　on
the　tables　of　stone。

If　man　had　kept　the　law　of　God；　as　given　to　Adam　after　his　fall；　preserved
by　Noah；　and　observed　by　Abraham；　there　would　have　been　no　necessity　for　the
ordinance　of　circumcision。　And　if　the　descendants　of　Abraham　had　kept　the
covenant；　of　which　circumcision　was　a　sign；　they　would　never　have　been
seduced　into　idolatry；　nor　would　it　have　been　necessary　for　them　to　suffer　a
life　of　bondage　in　Egypt；　they　would　have　kept　God's　law　in　mind；　and　there
would　have　been　no　necessity　for　it　to　be　proclaimed　from　Sinai　or　engraved
upon　the　tables　of　stone。　And　had　the　people　practiced　the　principles　of　the
Ten　Commandments；　there　would　have　been　no　need　of　the　additional　directions
given　to　Moses。

The　sacrificial　system；　committed　to　Adam；　was　also　perverted　by　his
descendants。　Superstition；　idolatry；　cruelty；　and　licentiousness　corrupted
the　simple　and　significant　service　that　God　had　appointed。　Through　long
intercourse　with　idolaters　the　people　of　Israel　had　mingled　many　heathen
customs　with　their　worship；　therefore　the　Lord　gave　them　at　Sinai　definite
instruction　concerning　the　sacrificial　service。　After　the　completion　of　the
tabernacle　He　communicated　with　Moses　from　the　cloud　of　glory　above　the
mercy　seat；　and　gave　him　full　directions　concerning　the　system　of　offerings
and　the　forms　of　worship　to　be

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　365

maintained　in　the　sanctuary。　The　ceremonial　law　was　thus　given　to　Moses；　and
by　him　written　in　a　book。　But　the　law　of　Ten　Commandments　spoken　from　Sinai
had　been　written　by　God　Himself　on　the　tables　of　stone；　and　was　sacredly
preserved　in　the　ark。

There　are　many　who　try　to　blend　these　two　systems；　using　the　texts　that
speak　of　the　ceremonial　law　to　prove　that　the　moral　law　has　been　abolished；
but　this　is　a　perversion　of　the　Scriptures。　The　distinction　between　the　two
systems　is　broad　and　clear。　The　ceremonial　system　was　made　up　of　symbols
pointing　to　Christ；　to　His　sacrifice　and　His　priesthood。　This　ritual　law；
with　its　sacrifices　and　ordinances；　was　to　be　performed　by　the　Hebrews　until
type　met　antitype　in　the　death　of　Christ；　the　Lamb　of　God　that　taketh　away
the　sin　of　the　world。　Then　all　the　sacrificial　offerings　were　to　cease。　It
is　this　law　that　Christ　〃took　。　。　。　out　of　the　way；　nailing　it　to　His
cross。〃　Colossians　2：14。　But　concerning　the　law　of　Ten　Commandments　the
psalmist　declares；　〃Forever；　O　Lord；　Thy　word　is　settled　in　heaven。〃　Psalm
119：89。　And　Christ　Himself　says；　〃Think　not　that　I　am　come　to　destroy　the
law。　。　。　。　Verily　I　say　unto　you〃making　the　assertion　as　emphatic　as
possible〃Till　heaven　and　earth　pass；　one　jot　or　one　tittle　shall　in　no
wise　pass　from　the　law；　till　all　be　fulfilled。〃　Matthew　5：17；　18。　Here　He
teaches；　not　merely　what　the　claims　of　God's　law　had　been；　and　were　then；
but　that　these　claims　should　hold　as　long　as　the　heavens　and　the　earth
remain。　The　law　of　God　is　as　immutable　as　His　throne。　It　will　maintain　its
claims　upon　mankind　in　all　ages。

Concerning　the　law　proclaimed　from　Sinai；　Nehemiah　says；　〃Thou　camest　down
also　upon　Mount　Sinai；　and　spakest　with　them　from　heaven；　and　gavest　them
right　judgments；　and　true　laws；　good　statutes　and　commandments。〃　Nehemiah
9：13。　And　Paul；　〃the　apostle　to　the　Gentiles；〃　declares；　〃The　law　is　holy；
and　the　commandment　holy；　and　just；　and　good。〃　Romans　7：12。　This　can　be　no
other　than　the　Decalogue；　for　it　is　the　law　that　says；　〃Thou　shalt　not
covet。〃　Verse　7。

While　the　Saviour's　death　brought　to　an　end　the　law　of　types　and　shadows；　it
did　not　in　the　least　detract　from　the　obligation　of　the　moral　law。　On　the
contrary；　the　very　fact　that　it　was　necessary　for　Christ　to　die　in　order　to
atone　for　the　transgression　of　that　law；　proves　it　to　be　immutable。

Those　who　claim　that　Christ　came　to　abrogate　the　law　of　God

366

and　to　do　away　with　the　Old　Testament；　speak　of　the　Jewish　age　as　one　of
darkness；　and　represent　the　religion　of　the　Hebrews　as　consisting　of　mere
forms　and　ceremonies。　But　this　is　an　error。　All　through　the　pages　of　scared
history；　where　the　dealings　of　God　with　His　chosen　people　are　recorded；
there　are　burning　traces　of　the　great　I　Am。　Never　has　He　given　to　the　sons
of　men　more　open　manifestations　of　His　power　and　glory　than　when　He　alone
was　acknowledged　as　Israel's　ruler；　and　gave　the　law　to　His　people。　Here　was
a　scepter　swayed　by　no　human　hand；　and　the　stately　goings　forth　of　Israel's
invisible　King　were　unspeakably　grand　and　awful。

In　all　these　revelations　of　the　divine　presence　the　glory　of　God　was
manifested　through　Christ。　Not　alone　at　the　Saviour's　advent；　but　through
all　the　ages　after　the　Fall　and　the　promise　of　redemption；　〃God　was　in
Christ；　reconciling　the　world　unto　Himself。〃　2　Corinthians　5：19。　Christ　was
the　foundation　and　center　of　the　sacrificial　system　in　both　the　patriarchal
and　the　Jewish　age。　Since　the　sin　of　our　first　parents　there　has　been　no
direct　communication　between　God　and　man。　The　Father　has　given　the　world
into　the　hands　of　Christ；　that　through　His　mediatorial　work　He　may　redeem
man　and　vindicate　the　authority　and　holiness　of　the　law　of　God。　All　the
communion　between　heaven　and　the　fallen　race　has　been　through　Christ。　It　was
the　Son　of　God　that　gave　to　our　first　parents　the　promise　of　redemption。　It
was　He　who　revealed　Himself　to　the　patriarchs。　Adam；　Noah；　Abraham；　Isaac；
Jacob；　and　Moses　understood　the　gospel。　They　looked　for　salvation　through
man's　Substitute　and　Surety。　These　holy　men　of　old　held　communion　with　the
Saviour　who　was　to　come　to　our　world　in　human　flesh；　and　some　of　them　talked
with　Christ　and　heavenly　angels　face　to　face。

Christ　was　not　only　the　leader　of　the　Hebrews　in　the　wildernessthe　Angel
in　whom　was　the　name　of　Jehovah；　and　who；　veiled　in　the　cloudy　pillar；　went
before　the　hostbut　it　was　He　who　gave　the　law　to　Israel。＇SEE　APPENDIX；
NOTE　7。＇　Amid　the　awful　glory　of　Sinai；　Christ　declared　in　the　hearing　of
all　the　people　the　ten　precepts　of　His　Father's　law。　It　was　He　who　gave　to
Moses　the　law　engraved　upon　the　tables　of　stone。

It　was　Christ　that　spoke　to　His　people　through　the　prophets。　The　apostle
Peter；　writing　to　the　Christian　church；　says　that　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　367

prophets　〃prophesied　of　the　grace　that　should　come　unto　you：　searching　what；
or　what　manner　of　time　the　Spirit　of　Christ　which　was　in　them　did　signify；
when　it　testified　beforehand　the　sufferings　of　Christ　and　the　glory　that
should　follow。〃　1　Peter　1：10；　11。　It　is　the　voice　of　Christ　that　speaks　to
us　through　the　Old　Testament。　〃The　testimony　of　Jesus　is　the　spirit　of
prophecy。〃　Revelation　19：10。

In　His　teachings　while　personally　among　men　Jesus　directed　the　minds　of　the
people　to　the　Old　Testament。　He　said　to　the　Jews；　〃Ye　search　the　Scriptures；
because　ye　think　that　in　them　ye　have　eternal　life；　and　these　are　they　which
bear　witness　of　Me。〃　John　5：39；　R。V。　At　this　time　the　books　of　the　Old
Testament　were　the　only　part　of　the　Bible　in　existence。　Again　the　Son　of　God
declared；　〃They　have　Moses　and　the　prophets；　let　them　hear　them。〃　And　He
added；　〃If　they　hear　not　Moses　and　the　prophets；　neither　will　they　be
persuaded；　though　one　rose　from　the　dead。〃　Luke　16：29；　31。

The　ceremonial　law　was　given　by　Christ。　Even　after　it　was　no　longer　to　be
observed；　Paul　presented　it　before　the　Jews　in　its　true　position　and　value；
showing　its　place　in　the　plan　of　redemption　and　its　relation　to　the　work　of
Christ；　and　the　great　apostle　pronounces　this　law　glorious；　worthy　of　its
divine　Originator。　The　solemn　service　of　the　sanctuary　typified　the　grand
truths　that　were　to　be　revealed　through　successive　generations。　The　cloud　of
incense　ascending　with　the　prayers　of　Israel　represents　His　righteousness
that　alone　can　make　the　sinner's　prayer　acceptable　to　God；　the　bleeding
victim　on　the　altar　of　sacrifice　testified　of　a　Redeemer　to　come；　and　from
the　holy　of　holies　the　visible　token　of　the　divine　Presence　shone　forth。
Thus　through　age　after　age　of　darkness　and　apostasy　faith　was　kept　alive　in
the　hearts　of　men　until　the　time　came　for　the　advent　of　the　promised
Messiah。

Jesus　was　the　light　of　His　peoplethe　Light　of　the　worldbefore　He　came　to
earth　in　the　form　of　humanity。　The　first　gleam　of　light　that　pierced　the
gloom　in　which　sin　had　wrapped　the　world；　came　from　Christ。　And　from　Him　has
come　every　ray　of　heaven's　brightness　that　has　fallen　upon　the　inhabitants
of　the　earth。　In　the　plan　of　redemption　Chris