Luke xxiv. 44-48. "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in The Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is Written, and thus it behoved The Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. 1 Cor. xv. 13, 14, 20. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Firstfruits of them that slept. Acts ii. 24, xiii. 34. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be holden by it. And concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption [37. Heb. ix. 25-28], He said on this wise, "I will give you the sure mercies of David.” [Holy things; acts of Divine grace; loving-kindnesses; grace for grace; i. e. grace accumulated upon grace (Matt. xiii. 11, 12, xxv. 28, 29); promised to David; for grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.-Bengel.] Rev. i. 18. I am The Living One, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen! and have the keys of hades and of death. John xiv. 19. And because I live, ye shall live also. 1 Pet. i. 3, 21. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; who by him do believe in God, Who raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory. (John xvii. 24-5; Heb. v. 7.) Phil. iii. 8-10, 11-14. That I may know Him, and the power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His Sufferings, being made conformable unto His Death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of [from amongst] the dead. (Rev. xx. 4-6.) Rom. viii. 10, 11, vi. 4. If Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of sin; but the Spirit [the Spirit of Christ, Who is in believers] is life, because of righteousness. But if The Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because of [margin] His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory [of the Divine life, incorruptibility] of The Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Heb. xiii. 20, 21. Now The God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen. THE COMING OF THE LORD: FIRST IN HUMILIATION TO BEAR THE SINS OF THE MANY: THE SECOND TIME, WITHOUT A SIN-OFFERING, UNTO SALVATION. Heb. ix. 28. that walked in darkness have seen a great Light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath The Light shined. Zech. ix. 9. (Matt. xxi. 1—5—16; John xii. 12-16-19:) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold! thy King cometh unto thee: He is Just, and having Salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. and as For the yoke of his burden, the staff laidon his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, hast Thou broken, as in the day of Midian. For all the greaves of the armed warrior in the conflict, and the garment rolled in much blood; shall be for a burning, even fuel for the fire. Zech. ix. 10, 11. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee also, whose Covenant is by Blood, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. (Jer. ii. 13.) [Abruptly passing on and merging into those referring to the Second Advent; or, foretelling events which occur at both periods.] Micah v. 2. (Matt. ii. 4-6; John vii. 42.) But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah! though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity. Isa. xi. 1-3. (Rev. v. 6.) And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. And The Spirit of the Lord shall rest apon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: Isa. xl. 3-5. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of The Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God!" Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: Isa. xi. 4.—(xii.—xiv.) But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and argue with equity for the meek of the earth and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. (2 Thes. ii. 8.) Isa. xl. 1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye My people! saith your God. Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her appointed time is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of The Lord's hand double for all her sins. And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isa. lii. 13-15. Behold! My Servant (Phil. ii. 7.) shall prosper, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. (Phil. ii. 8—11.) As many were astonied at Thee; -His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men: so shall He sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at Him: Isa. lii. 9, 10. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem! for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see The Salvation of our God. (Luke ii. 25, 30.) for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Isa. lxi. 1, 2. (Luke iv. 18, 19.) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, (Lev. xxv. 9.) Isa. lxi. 2-6.-(lxii.-lxiii.) And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord: men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. (2 Chr. viii. 9.) |