Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/85

 The Hidden Mystery. j$

be selected from among them would lead to victory and to the fulfilment of the promise. Then Joshua, whose name signifies deliverer, or savior, became their leader, and under him they won great victories, and a&ually entered the land promised in the covenant. Surely then it seemed that the true leader had come, and that the promise was about to have complete fulfilment.

But Joshua died, and they made no headway as a nation until David, and then Solomon, were given them as kings. There they reached the very zenith of their glory; but soon, instead of seeing the promise accomplished, they were shorn of their power, and became tributary to other nations. Some held fast the promise of God, however, and still looked for the great deliverer of whom Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon were only types.

About the time when Jesus was born, all men were in expe&ation of the Messiah, the coming king of Israel and, through Israel, of the world. But Israel's hope of the glory and honor of their coming king, inspired as it was by the types and prophecies of his greatness and power, caused them to' overlook another set of types and prophecies, which pointed to a work of suffering and death, as a ran- som for sinners, necessary before the blessing could come. This was prefigured in the Passover before they were deliv- ered from Egypt, in the slaying of the animals at the giving of the law covenant (Heb. 9 : 11-20; xo : 8-18), and in the Atonement sacrifices performed year by year continually by the priesthood. They overlooked, too, the statement of the prophets, "who testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that $hould follow" (i Peter i : n.) Hence, when Jesus came as a sacrifice, they did not recog- nise him : they knew not the time of their visitation. (Luke x 9 : 44.) Even his immediate followers were sorely perplexed when Jesus died; and sadly they said, "We trusted it had

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