prophets and kings-第2部分

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　12）；　men　were　endeavoring　to　substitute　laws　in　harmony　with　the　purposes　of　their　own　cruel；　selfish　hearts。　Yet　God　in　His　mercy　did　not　blot　them　out　of　existence。　He　purposed　to　give　them　opportunity　for　becoming　acquainted　with　Him

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through　His　church。　He　designed　that　the　principles　revealed　through　His　people　should　be　the　means　of　restoring　the　moral　image　of　God　in　man。

God's　law　must　be　exalted；　His　authority　maintained；　and　to　the　house　of　Israel　was　given　this　great　and　noble　work。　God　separated　them　from　the　world；　that　He　might　commit　to　them　a　sacred　trust。　He　made　them　the　depositaries　of　His　law；　and　He　purposed　through　them　to　preserve　among　men　the　knowledge　of　Himself。　Thus　the　light　of　heaven　was　to　shine　out　to　a　world　enshrouded　in　darkness；　and　a　voice　was　to　be　heard　appealing　to　all　peoples　to　turn　from　idolatry　to　serve　the　living　God。

〃With　great　power；　and　with　a　mighty　hand；〃　God　brought　His　chosen　people　out　of　the　land　of　Egypt。　Exodus　32：11。　〃He　sent　Moses　His　servant；　and　Aaron　whom　He　had　chosen。　They　showed　His　signs　among　them；　and　wonders　in　the　land　of　Ham。〃　〃He　rebuked　the　Red　Sea　also；　and　it　was　dried　up：　so　He　led　them　through　the　depths。〃　Psalms　105：26；27；106：9。　He　rescued　them　from　their　servile　state；　that　He　might　bring　them　to　a　good　land；　a　land　which　in　His　providence　He　had　prepared　for　them　as　a　refuge　from　their　enemies。　He　would　bring　them　to　Himself　and　encircle　them　in　His　everlasting　arms；　and　in　return　for　His　goodness　and　mercy　they　were　to　exalt　His　name　and　make　it　glorious　in　the　earth。

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〃The　Lord's　portion　is　His　people；　Jacob　is　the　lot　of　His　inheritance。　He　found　him　in　a　desert　land；　and　in　the　waste　howling　wilderness；　He　led　him　about；　He　instructed　him；　He　kept　him　as　the　apple　of　His　eye。　As　an　eagle　stirreth　up　her　nest；　fluttereth　over　her　young；　spreadeth　abroad　her　wings；　taketh　them；　beareth　them　on　her　wings：　so　the　Lord　alone　did　lead　him；　and　there　was　no　strange　god　with　him。〃　Deuteronomy　32：9…12。　Thus　He　brought　the　Israelites　unto　Himself；　that　they　might　dwell　as　under　the　shadow　of　the　Most　High。　Miraculously　preserved　from　the　perils　of　the　wilderness　wandering；　they　were　finally　established　in　the　Land　of　Promise　as　a　favored　nation。

By　means　of　a　parable；　Isaiah　has　told　with　touching　pathos　the　story　of　Israel's　call　and　training　to　stand　in　the　world　as　Jehovah's　representatives；　fruitful　in　every　good　work：

〃Now　will　I　sing　to　my　well…beloved　a　song　of　my　beloved　touching　His　vineyard。　My　well…beloved　hath　a　vineyard　in　a　very　fruitful　hill：　and　He　fenced　it；　and　gathered　out　the　stones　thereof；　and　planted　it　with　the　choicest　vine；　and　built　a　tower　in　the　midst　of　it；　and　also　made　a　wine　press　therein：　and　He　looked　that　it　should　bring　forth　grapes。〃　Isaiah　5：1；2。

Through　the　chosen　nation；　God　had　purposed　to　bring　blessing　to　all　mankind。　〃The　vineyard　of　the　Lord　of　hosts；〃

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the　prophet　declared；　〃is　the　house　of　Israel；　and　the　men　of　Judah　His　pleasant　plant。〃　Isaiah　5：7。

To　this　people　were　committed　the　oracles　of　God。　They　were　hedged　about　by　the　precepts　of　His　law；　the　everlasting　principles　of　truth；　justice；　and　purity。　Obedience　to　these　principles　was　to　be　their　protection；　for　it　would　save　them　from　destroying　themselves　by　sinful　practices。　And　as　the　tower　in　the　vineyard；　God　placed　in　the　midst　of　the　land　His　holy　temple。

Christ　was　their　instructor。　As　He　had　been　with　them　in　the　wilderness；　so　He　was　still　to　be　their　teacher　and　guide。　In　the　tabernacle　and　the　temple　His　glory　dwelt　in　the　holy　Shekinah　above　the　mercy　seat。　In　their　behalf　He　constantly　manifested　the　riches　of　His　love　and　patience。

Through　Moses　the　purpose　of　God　was　set　before　them　and　the　terms　of　their　prosperity　made　plain。　〃Thou　art　an　holy　people　unto　the　Lord　thy　God；〃　he　said；　〃the　Lord　thy　God　hath　chosen　thee　to　be　a　special　people　unto　Himself；　above　all　people　that　are　upon　the　face　of　the　earth。〃

〃Thou　hast　avouched　the　Lord　this　day　to　be　thy　God；　and　to　walk　in　His　ways；　and　to　keep　His　statutes；　and　His　commandments；　and　His　judgments；　and　to　hearken　unto　His　voice：　and　the　Lord　hath　avouched　thee　this　day　to　be　His　peculiar　people；　as　He　hath　promised　thee；　and　that　thou　shouldest　keep　all　His　commandments；　and　to　make　thee

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high　above　all　nations　which　He　hath　made；　in　praise；　and　in　name；　and　in　honor；　and　that　thou　mayest　be　an　holy　people　unto　the　Lord　thy　God；　as　He　hath　spoken。〃　Deuteronomy　7：6；　26：17…19。

The　children　of　Israel　were　to　occupy　all　the　territory　which　God　appointed　them。　Those　nations　that　rejected　the　worship　and　service　of　the　true　God　were　to　be　dispossessed。　But　it　was　God's　purpose　that　by　the　revelation　of　His　character　through　Israel　men　should　be　drawn　unto　Him。　To　all　the　world　the　gospel　invitation　was　to　be　given。　Through　the　teaching　of　the　sacrificial　service；　Christ　was　to　be　uplifted　before　the　nations；　and　all　who　would　look　unto　Him　should　live。　All　who；　like　Rahab　the　Canaanite　and　Ruth　the　Moabitess；　turned　from　idolatry　to　the　worship　of　the　true　God　were　to　unite　themselves　with　His　chosen　people。　As　the　numbers　of　Israel　increased；　they　were　to　enlarge　their　borders　until　their　kingdom　should　embrace　the　world。

But　ancient　Israel　did　not　fulfill　God's　purpose。　The　Lord　declared；　〃I　had　planted　thee　a　noble　vine；　wholly　a　right　seed：　how　then　art　thou　turned　into　the　degenerate　plant　of　a　strange　vine　unto　Me？〃　〃Israel　is　an　empty　vine；　he　bringeth　forth　fruit　unto　himself。〃　〃And　now；　O　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem；　and　men　of　Judah；　judge；　I　pray　you；　betwixt　Me　and　My　vineyard。　What　could　have　been　done　more　to　My　vineyard；　that　I　have　not　done　in　it？　Wherefore；　when　I

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looked　that　it　should　bring　forth　grapes；　brought　it　forth　wild　grapes？　And　now　go　to；　I　will　tell　you　what　I　will　do　to　My　vineyard：　I　will　take　away　the　hedge　thereof；　and　it　shall　be　eaten　up；　and　break　down　the　wall　thereof；　and　it　shall　be　trodden　down：　and　I　will　lay　it　waste：　it　shall　not　be　pruned；　nor　digged；　but　there　shall　come　up　briers　and　thorns：　I　will　also　command　the　clouds　that　they　rain　no　rain　upon　it。　For　。　。　。　He　looked　for　judgment；　but　behold　oppression；　for　righteousness；　but　behold　a　cry。〃　Jeremiah　2：21；　Hosea　10：1；　Isaiah　5：3…7。

The　Lord　had　through　Moses　set　before　His　people　the　result　of　unfaithfulness。　By　refusing　to　keep　His　covenant；　they　would　cut　themselves　off　from　the　life　of　God；　and　His　blessing　could　not　come　upon　them。　At　times　these　warnings　were　heeded；　and　rich　blessings　were　bestowed　upon　the　Jewish　nation　and　through　them　upon　surrounding　peoples。　But　more　often　in　their　history　they　forgot　God　and　lost　sight　of　their　high　privilege　as　His　representatives。　They　robbed　Him　of　the　service　He　required　of　them；　and　they　robbed　their　fellow　men　of　religious　guidance　and　a　holy　example。　They　desired　to　appropriate　to　themselves　the　fruits　of　the　vineyard　over　which　they　had　been　made　stewards。　Their　covetousness　and　greed　caused　them　to　be　despised　even　by　the　heathen。　Thus　the　Gentile　world　was

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given　occasion　to　misinterpret　the　character　of　God　and　the　laws　of　His　kingdom。

With　a　father's　heart；　God　bore　with　His　people。　He　pleaded　with　them　by　mercies　given　and　mercies　withdrawn。　Patiently　He　set　their　sins　before　them　and　in　forbearance　waited　for　their　acknowledgment。　Prophets　and　messengers　were　sent　to　urge　His　claim　upon　the　husbandmen；　but；　instead　of　being　welcomed；　these　men　of　discernment　and　spiritual　power　were　treated　as　enemies。　The　husbandmen　persecuted　and　killed　them。　God　sent　still　other　messengers；　but　they　received　the　same　treatment　as　the　first；　only　that　the　husbandmen　showed　still　more　determined　hatred。

The　withdrawal　of　divine　favor　during　the　period　of　the　Exile　led　many　to　repentance；　yet　after　their　return　to　the　Land　of　Promise　the　Jewish　people　repeated　the　mistakes　of　former　generations　and　brought　themselves　into　political　conflict　with　surrounding　nations。　The　prophets　whom　God　sent　to　correct　the　prevailing　evils　were　received　with　the　same　suspicion　and　scorn　that　had　been　accorded　the　messengers　of　earlier　times；　and　thus；　from　century　to　century；　the　keepers　of　the　vineyard　added　to　their　guilt。

The　goodly　vine　planted　by　the　divine　Husbandman　upon　the　hills　of　Palestine　was　despised　by　the　men　of　Israel　and　was　finally　cast　over　the　vineyard　wall；　they　bruised　it　and

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trampled　it　under　their　feet　and　hoped　that　they　had　destroyed　it　forever。　The　Husbandman　removed　the　vine　and　concealed　it　from　their　sight。　Again　He　planted　it；　but　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　and　in　such　a　manner　that　the　stock　was　no　longer　visible。　The　branches　hung　over　the　wall；　and　grafts　might　be　joined　to　it；　but　the　stem　itself　was　placed　beyond　the　power　of　men　to　reach　or　harm。

Of　special　value　to　God's　church　on　earth　todaythe　keepers　of　His　vineyardare　the　messages　of　counsel　and　admonition　given　through　the　prophets　who　have　made　plain　His　eternal　purpose　in　behalf　of　mankind。　In　the　teachings　of　the　prophets；　His　love　for　the　lost　race　and　His　plan　for　their　salvation　are　clearly　revealed。　The　story　of　Israel's　call；　of　their　successes　and　failures；　of　their　restoration　to　divine　favor；　of　their　rejection　of　the　Master　of　the　vineyard；　and　of　the　carrying　out　of　the　plan　of　the　ages　by　a　goodly　remnant　to　whom　are　to　be　fulfilled　all　the　covenant　promisesthis　has　been　the　theme　of　God's　messengers　to　His　church　throughout　the　centuries　that　have　passed。　And　today　God's　message　to　His　churchto　those　who　are　occupying　His　vineyard　as　faithful　husbandmenis　none　other　than　that　spoken　through　the　prophet　of　old：


〃Sing　ye　unto　her；　A　vineyard　of　red　wine。　I　the　Lord　do　keep　it；　I　will　water　it　every　moment：　lest　any　hurt　it；　I　will　keep　it　night　and　day。〃　Isaiah　27：2；　3。


Let　Israel　hope　in　God。　The　Master　of　the　vineyard　is　even　now　gathering　from　among　men　of　all　nations　and　peoples　the　precious　fruits　for　which　He　has　long　been　waiting。　Soon　He　will