Page:Hope-of-a-tree-1934.djvu/12

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44 the WATCHTOWER. have everlasting life.’’ (John 3:16) The irresistible conclusion, therefore, is that the covenant by sacrifice was made on earth, and not in heaven, and that it was made at the Jordan when Jesus consecrated and was baptized. It hardly seems reasonable that Jesus un- derstood prior thereto that he was to be sacrificed. Immediately following his consecration at the Jordan he went into the wilderness to study the divine pur- pose. There Jesus undoubtedly learned the full mean- ing and importance of his covenant with his Father. It was in the wilderness that Satan placed before him the great temptations in an effort to induce Jesus to abandon his covenant. At that test Jesus declared in substance that eternal life depends upon full obe- dicnce unto God and the faithful performanee of his covenant with God. (Matt. 4:4,10) Without doubt the perfect man Jesus continued to study his Father’s purpose and to fully appreciate that his covenant re- quired his death. He said that he came to give his life for men. (Matt. 20:28) Again, he said: ‘I am that bread of life. I am the living bread which eame down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I wil! give for the life of the world. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his Brooxiyry, N. ¥. life for the sheep. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I Jay down my life, that I might take it again.’’— John 6: 48,51; 10:11, 15,17. That Jesus was taking this course of action in keep- ing with the terms of his covenant with his Father is proved by his words: ‘‘No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18) When Peter recognized Jesus as the anointed One of God and so stated to him Jesus re- plied: ‘‘The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and seribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.’’ (Luke 9:22) Thus he showed that he understood his covenant was that he should be slain and that he should be raised from the dead. Undoubtedly Jesus understood that his baptism in the waters of the Jordan symbolically represented his death and that his real baptism meant his sacrificial death. ‘‘I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I strait- ened till it be accomplished !’’—Luke 12: 50. JOB’S EXPERIENCES PROPHETIC 11 sufferings of Job, painful beyond almost any comparison, had a most unusual beginning. Highly interesting is the account of these suf- ferings which, as the Scriptures show, are deeply signifieant to the perplexed and weary peoples who live in this day of uncertainty and distress that afflicts the world. The Scriptural proof is positive that God used the people of Israel to make pictures of the outworking of his purpose of salvation. The law which God gave to the Israclites foreshadowed better things to come to humanity. What came to pass with the Jews was recorded for examples or ensamples for the benefit of those who will learn of the outworking of God’s purpose. Although Job was not a Jew, that would in no wise mean that God did not use him as an ex- ample or picture. Job being the greatest man of the east, and seeing that many creatures of heaven and earth were involved, even the great Creator himself, we are warranted in the conelusion that the picture of Job must have even a greater scope than the one in which Israel was involved. If so, then the picture would have to do with all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles. It is deemed advantageous to the student in the examination of the book of Job to state here in general terms what are some of the pictures that plainly appear, and then to show from the Seriptural proof the correctness of that conclusion. Job in the day of his prosperity pictured Adam, the perfeet and prosperous prince in Eden. Job in his adversity pictured the entire human race suffering loss, sickness and death by reason of sin, which sin the enemy Satan put in operation through Adam. Job suffering the loss of all his children pictures Adam losing all his offspring by reason of sin which was put in operation by Satan the enemy through Adam’s wrongful act. Job maintaining his integrity under test pictures a class of men who under test do prove their fidelity and devotion to God. Job as the servant of God maintaining his fidelity pietured all the servants of God who through adver- sity steadfastly and immovably hold their faith in God. The three men, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, who posed as friends of Job, were in fact not his friends. They can better be classed as three frauds. They, therefore, picture the Devil’s agencies, or his organi- zation, attempting to direct man as to what is the course for him to take. Ehhu, the young man, well pictures or represents God’s anointed messengers who magnify the name of Jchovah and, as God's messengers, speak his message of truth to those who will hear. The wife of Job also pictures an instrument that