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covenant, he hath made the first old.” Then why should it be adhered to, since, being old, it is obsolete and ready to vanish away? Look away from that which is temporary and passing, from that which is earthly to the heavenly, from a religious system to a sufficient Saviour. Let all expectation be from Him, and let all worship be centered in Him. “He ever liveth” ; He alone is able to save. Although this new covenant is made with Israel, yet the Christian believer even now may enter into the benefits and blessings it offers. The four features enumerated as belonging to the new covenant are all realized in present Christian experience, but the Christian position involves very much more than this. It is all this with a big plus. A summary of the Christian’s position and blessings will be found in Ephesians 2 :4 to 7. All of Hebrews 8 is included in this passage, but not all of this passage is included in Hebrews 8. THE GRAVE CHRIST NEVER ENTERED [Continued from page 105] manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand” (John 19:38-42). Thus it came to pass, in literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, that instead of being laid in a grave, the body of Christ was tenderly laid in a beautiful virgin tomb to await the resurrection. Another remarkable confirmation of the Scripture ap pears in this same prophecy. His grave was made with “the wicked”—the word is plural and undoubtedly refers to the two malefactors. Actually, He was in the tomb of “the rich” in His death. The word “rich” is singular, mean ing “a rich man.” Joseph was that man. 7 J nd now , what was the reason for this honorable burial, A-“- so different than what was planned by the execution ers ? “Because he had done no violence, neither was any de ceit in his mouth.” His sufferings were vicarious. When they were ended, His humiliation was forever ended. Up to this time, all manner of indignity had been heaped upon Him. No fur ther insults should now be permitted. He died in the midst of sinners. In His burial, He was separate from sinners. He was laid in a sepulchre “hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid” (Lk. 23:53). No indignities were possible upon the glorious person of the risen Saviour; and after seasons of fellowship with those who loved Him, He ascended into the heavens. Joseph of Arimathaea has not been given the credit due him. Obeying a divine leading, he cheated a grave of its intended occupant. It was not an easy thing to accomplish. It took nerve. He “went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body” (Mk. 15 :43). Matthew’s account says he “beg ged” for it. John’s account says “he besought Pilate.” It was a big thing to ask and a big thing for Pilate to grant. Why was the permission given? Why would Pilate sur render this body to Joseph? Perhaps he did not know him self why he did it-—but God had spoken! It will make us very careful of ourselves, if we consider that we are accountable, not only for the hurt we do, but for the hurt we occasion through inadvertency. —T h e G ospel M essage .
land .undoubtedly is Palestine, and the nation in view is Israel. By no fair exegesis can this be interpreted to mean the church. It forms a part of the new covenant blessing for Israel, offered to them and rejected by them at the first coming of Christ. Notwithstanding this rejection, the covenant is made sure to them by the blood that was shed on Calvary (cf. Matt. 2 6 :28). The operation of that covenant, however, is reserved until the time designated by our Lord in Mat thew 19:28 as “the regeneration,” at which time all the blessings of the new covenant will be in full force. It is one thing for covenant blessings to be offered; it is another thing for them to operate. Evidently, a new work of grace must be done for Israel (cf Ezek. 36; Matt. 19:28; Rom. 11:26, 27). Then will the blessings of the covenant be come a matter of experience. The second feature of the new covenant is a new rela tionship, revealed in the words, “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” This has been the divine intention for many centuries (cf. Ex. 6:7). This holy rela tionship was .offered and accepted at Sinai. The people ac cepted it in self-confidence and immediately broke it in sin. At a later-day, thcy-said. “Wfrhave-one father , even God.’’ w.-m merely rnliginm prrtrmo on-pinns twaddle. In attitude and action, they denied their words and cruci fied Him whom God had sent. Some day the spirit of grace and supplication will be poured out upon them; then they will enter into the blessedness of this relationship as an abiding reality. The third feature of the new covenant is a new knowl edge. “They shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” What a glo- ~rious"uruinibe aiid^rairnbSfr-tlTh; is ! God speed the day-e-f itsefttlfiffmentr How different things are now! This is the day of invitation, appeal, warning, preaching, and teaching. But this will come to an end. When, the number of the re deemed is completed and the church is gathered out, the tabernacle of David shall be rebuilt, and the people of Israel shall know their Reedemer, from the least to the greatest. The fourth feature is the new provision of mercy to ward Israel’s unrighteousness, and the forgetfulness of their iniquities. Israel at present knows nothing of “abounding grace.” There is a veil over their spiritual eyes in the reading of the. Old Testament, and that veil will not be removed until they turn to the Lord (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14-16). Very severe, yet very true, are the words of the apostle concerning Israel, as we read them in 1 Thessalonians 2:15 and. 16. “They please not God, and are contrary to all men: . . . for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermdst.” The his tory of the past nineteen centuries verifies the truth of the apostolic statement. Words can never describe the terrible sufferings of Israel. Therr-oinp arc mountain high; the towering peak was reached when they said, “His blood- be on us, and on our children.” Can God forgive and forget that? Yes, for if is written, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their iniquities will I remember no more.” This new covenant, revealed first through Jeremiah the prophet and made sure by the blood of Christ, is the un conditional covenant of God with His earthly people Israel. It rests upon His faithful promise, and in the words of Hebrews 8:6, it is a “better covenant, . . . established upon better promises.” The closing words of this eighth chapter contain both an argument and an appeal. “In that he saith, A new
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