Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1912 — THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES

PREACHING THE KINGDOM. Matthew ix, 35 to x, 15—Sept. 8. “Be that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth He receiveth Him that tent Me."—Matthew x, (o. '7TFIT E HAVE MORE about the f ■ ■ Kingdom in today's study. Jesus sent forth His twelve Apostles two and two saying. “Ab you go. preach. The Kingdom of Heaven Is at hand.” As the Savior cast out devils and healed the sick to allow the people to hear the Message and to Illustrate the restoring work which His Kingdom will do, He gave the same power to His Apostles He told them that the Harvest was plenteous and the laborers few, and intimated that it was their privilege to be all the more energetic: but in the meantime to “pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more laborers.’* So the Master would have us feel a deep Interest in the Harvest work now In progress. In the end of this Age. These messengers were not to go to the Gentiles, but to "the lost sheep of the House of Israel." Why? God’s Covenant promised the Messlahship to Abraham’s Seed. Jesus was the Seed of Abraham, but

God had another feature in mind in connection with that Messiahship. namely, that He would have associated with Messiah in the Kingdom others who would share His glory, honor and immortality. This blessed privilege, which Abraham could not have

fully understood. God nevertheless fulfilled to Abraham’s children, as fully as though He had particularly stipulated It in the promise. No favor could go to others until after natural Israel had received the opportunity. Harvesting Thon and Now. Another reason why the blessing should not have been given to the Gentiles was that it was to be a harvesting work, and not plowing, harrowing, nor sowing. It was appropriate, therefore, that the Harvest, which belonged to' the Jews, should be confined to them. What was done for the Gentiles was the seed-sowing, as represented in the parable of the Wheat and Tares. In the Harvest of the Gospel Age the reaping Is to be done amongst those who have received the seed-sowing. This is an Intimation to us that the Lord would now have the harvesting done chiefly amongst those who profess to be His people. t Jesus specially instructed the reapers of that Harvest that they should goforth trusting to Divine providence. They were not commissioned to beg nor to take np collections. They assumed therefore that they were merely to accept what might be voluntarily tendered. If they were not hospitably received they were to consider it the Lord’s will that they go elsewhere. They were sent to search out the worthy ones: they should keep this in mind.

“More Tolerable For Sodom." Jesus declared that in the Day of Judgment it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for the city refusing to receive His representatives. This Implies that the treatment will be tolerable: but why more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah and others in the Day of Judgment? It was Jesus’ declaration that, aside from a saintly few who received His Message gladly, the remainder were more blameworthy in God’s sight than were the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The sins of Sodom were certainty grievous in the sight of God, but the sin of carelessness In respect to the glorious Message of the Kingdom is in God’s

sight an indication of a still meaner condition of heart —one for whom there is less hope of an eventual salvation. The Sodomites mentioned by Jesus were not so illuminated as those living in His day. yet He declares. “Fire rained down from heaven and destroyed them

all.” (Luke xvli. 29.) He declares that their judgment is still future; and, “In the Day of Judgment, It will be more tolerable" for them than for the people of Betbsaida and Chorazin The Day of Judgment! But why should the Sodomites have a Day of Judgment? Were they not judged, condemned and destroyed? Yes; but Adam and all of his race were judged and condemned. The only thing that came upon the Sodomites, in addition to what comes upon all mankind, was that they died violent deaths. The Apostle tells us they were made an example of all who reject God’s grace and die the Second Death. (II Peter, ii, 6.) However, all of Adam's posterity are included in the Redemption work of Jesus. Hence they are merely sleeping with their fathers, awaiting the glorious morning, when the Redeemer of Adam and his race shall take to Himself His great power, and begin His work of blessing.

Jesus sends forth the twelve.

"More tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment."