Pagină:Tree-of-hope-1934.djvu/12

60 I could make myself perfect and live.’? The operation of the law covenant is absolute proof that the theory of evolution is from the Devil, and that those who advocate it are the instruments of the evil one, wheth- er they know it or not. The so-called ‘‘conscientious’’ preachers will never be permitted to hide behind a conscience which has been trained contrary to God’s Word of truth. Paul declares that the law foreshadowed good things to come. (Heb. 10:1) While the law covenant was made primarily because of the transgression, God employed it also to make shadows or pictures of his purpose for the reconciliation of man to himself. The apostle further states: ‘‘Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances [ceremonies] of divine service, and a worldly {orderly arranged] sanctuary.’’ (Ifeb. 9:1) What were these ceremonies and orderly ar- rangements of divine service? At the time of making the covenant in Egypt a lamb without blemish, a male of the flock, was slain and its blood sprinkled upon the doorposts, which served as a means of sal- vation to the Jews on the passover night. That lamb was eaten, together with unleavened bread. (Ex. 12: 8) That eeremony must be repeated or performed once each year thereafter on the fourteenth day of Nisan. The lamb represented the sacrifice of Jesus, the beloved Son of God, who would redeem all mankind from sin. Ife was ‘‘the Lamb slain from the founda- tion of the world’’, (Rev. 18: 8) ‘‘As of a lamb with- out blemish and without spot.’’ (1 Pet. 1:19) By this ceremony the ransom sacrifice was foreshadowed. God made promise that he would ransom man from death and the grave. (Ifos. 18:14) This ceremony would teach the Jews and others thereafter that the Lamb of God would take away the sin of the world, and it was so announced by John at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus—John 1: 29. After the confirmation of the covenant at Sinai, Moses, under God’s instruction, erected the tabernaele. In the holy place thereof Gud showed his presence by the cloud and the livht. (Iix. 40:34) Onee each year there was a special divine service in connection with the tabernacle. On a day certain a bull and guat were slain and the blood thereof carricd by a priest into the Most Holy and sprinkled upon the merey seat to make atonement. (Lev. 16; Heb. 9: 6-8) That tabernacle service foreshadowed something better to eome and showed that the sacrifice of the reality would make atonement for the sin of man and make it pos- sible for man to be reconciled to God as he had prom- ised. The sacrifice of these animals was done by a priest, for which the law made provision. These cere- monies were to teach lessons to the Jews and others thereafter. The sacrifice of the paschal lamb referred to the saerifice of Jesus Christ, and pictured the Transom; and the sacrifice of bulls and goats and the sprinkling of the blood in the Most Holy represented the offering of the blood of Christ Jesus in heaven She WATCHTOWER. Brooxiyn, N.Y. itself as a sin-offering for man. Furthermore, they taught that Christ, as the great High Priest appointed by Jehovah, would offer the sacrifice and make atone- ment for sin——Heb, 9: 10-14, 24. The law covenant therefore shows absolutely the necessity for the great ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and for a sin-offering to be made by him first in be- half of the members of the ‘‘seed’’ and then in behalf of mankind in-general. Also, that covenant fore- shadowed a new and better covenant thereafter to be made; and the ceremonies in connection therewith bore testimony to the fact that there would be a long period of time elapsing between the making of that new covenant and the time of its confirmation or inauguration, Suppose the Jews had put forth their best efforts to keep the law covenant, would any special benefit have resnited to them? Yes. They would have shown their faith and confidence in God and in his promises, and their allegiance to him rather than to the Devil. The Jewish elergy who were Jeaders of Israel did not try to keep the spirit of the law covenant. They kept it in form, with their mouths, and outward show, while their hearts were far removed from Jehovah. (Isa. 29: 13) They were frauds and hypoerites, mak- ing an outward show for a selfish reason. (Matt. 23: 13-35) They claimed to be children of Abraham, but Jesus told them plainly they were liars and children of the Devil because they would do Satan’s will and not the will of God. (John 8: 39-44) The fact that they were sons of the Devil shows that they had no faith in the Jaw covenant and were not trying to keep it. Their exact counterpart is found today in the so-called ‘Christian elergy’’ who ‘having a form of godliness, deny the power thereof’; and from such the people are warned to “‘turn away’’.—~2 Tim. 3: 5, But some of the Jews did try to keep the law cove- nant. They had faith in God, and they did their’ best to obey him. When Jesus eame he found some of these who were looking for the eoming of the Messiah, and they aecepted him. The leaders, looking to the letter of the law, expected the coming of the Messiah; but they were “looking for hin entirely from a_ selfish motive. They practiced fraad and deceit. When ‘‘Je- sus saw Nathanacl coming to him, [Jesus] saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”’ (John 1:47) Nathanael then and there aceepted him as the Son of God and the King of Israel. ‘‘Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the Ning of Isracl.’’ (John 1: 49) He had no deceit or subterfuge about him, such as did the Pharisees. Nathanael and other honest Jews kept the spirit of the law because of their faith in God and in the promised ‘‘seed’’. They were pleasing to God and accepted by him, not because of the law which they attempted to keep perfectly, but by reason of faith in Christ. Upon this point Paul says: ‘‘ Know- ing that a man is not justified by the works of the