\('11', 1-5.-The ho"°"'" of Ismel, These ve!'lles open up to ue tho grent problem discussed in the three following chapters, "the rejection of the elect people" (Goo.et). God had chosen his people; he now repudiates them. And ns the apostle in t-he prenous chapter has been transported into an ecstasy of exultation in contem- plating t.he final victory of God's true people, he is now broup;ht be.ck to sorrow e.nd pain of heart by a thought of the contrasted lot of Israel. " Who shall separate us from the lo~ of Christ?" he had asked. Dut they he.ve not known this love I He could well-nigh wish himself deprived of these high blessings the.t his people miaht posse..'!!! them. For they are bis beloved brethren, and the new spiritual endowme~ts on bis part do but intensify the claims of natural affinity, But in themselves, who are they, this people? In vers. 4 and 5 he sets forth their lofty claims; e.nd we he.ve in this shining cst.a.logue-their ancestry ; their dignities ; and their boon to the world. l THEm ANCE.5TBY. "Whose are the fathers;" "Who are Israelites." Nations pride themselves most on the heroes of their history, and they delight to trace their descent from men of renown. How is it with this nation? They are sprung from the ]:Btriarchs, of more than heroic fame. Abraham, God's friend, the man of whom in his communings with God amidst the corruptions of the world it might be said, " His soul was like a star, and dwelt apart;" Isaac, the quiet, meditative man, whose deeds made no blaze of excitement among men, but with whom was " the secret of the Lord; " a:id Jacob, whose day rose so murky and dark, but whose sunset was of the most gloriou.q-so mean, yet afterwards so strong; a supplanter and deceiver among men, who yet became a prince of God, one around whom the heavens opened, and whom God touched :-these were the fathers of the race! They, then, themselves were Israelites, princely ones with God. Il TBEIB DIG?>-n"IES. L The atloption. According to God's message to Pharaoh (Exod. iv. 22), "Israel is my son, even my firstbom." God is dealing with nationali- ties as with individual men, and in calling the nations to himself he summons Israel as the fi.rstfruits from among the peoples. 2. The glory. To Jacob in his dream the glory of the opened heavens had appeared ; the Israelites in their journeyings were led by a cloud that from its dark depths shot radiance; the same glory, as of God, shone in the Shecbinah of the holiest place. Theirs was this symbol of an ever-present Deity. 3. The covenants. How many times bad God said to the patriarchs, "Surely blessing I will bless thee"! And these covenants were perpetuated in the abiding covenant with the chosen people. 4. The giving of the Law. Having adopted them as his first- bom son, and shown them bis glory, and made with them a covenant, be bad trained them, in fatherly wisdom, by the Law, which was designed to be their schoolmaster in all high and holy things. 5. The service. And trained in righteousness, they were trained likewise in godliness-priests of the most high God. 6. The promises, They were emphatica.lJy a people of hope; their whole history pointed towards better things to come. ill Tm:m BOOl!l' TO THE WORLD. "Of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who i.B over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." "The patriarchs, from whom the people IIJJTllng, are as it were its root; the Messiah, who sprang from the people, is e.s it were its :flower" (Godet). Bnt let us notice two antitheses. 1. "Of whom is Ohrist." ThiJ; people was called and trained that it might give birth, humanly, to the world's Deliverer. A high calling I But though from them, he is not to be their exclusive possession: " Over aU.'' From them springs the world's Christ. Oh that they had known their high destiny I why it was that they were a nation of priests I 2. " As cuncerning the fie,h.'' Humanly his origin was from them. Not a Jew, but a true, perfect Man, fashioned from Jewish human nature. All tender human sympathies of soul as well as faculties of human body, were his to link him to his brethren among meU: But in him, the Man, was an inhabitation, an incarnation of the Divine: " God bl,eswl, for ever." Oh, wondroua truth I Here was the truest Shechinah, tabernacling in the world and for the world I the" Word made flesh "I Here the truest fulfilment of L;rael's dream-the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on man. Such the world's heritage: God is ours I But this inheritance the ancient Israelites have given to the world, May he not well grieve that they have despiaed their own boon? J.nd may he not well set him- on. IX, 1-aa.J TllE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 2i!)
self to gro.pple with the problem-How can euch an elect people be rejected of God? -T.F.L.