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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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union <strong>of</strong> Grod i^ ^ with Israel.' Hence, though it<br />

may in part have been national pride, which<br />

considered <strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> every Israelite as almost<br />

outweighing <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, it scarcely<br />

wholly accounts for <strong>the</strong> ardent insist-ance on<br />

marriage, from <strong>the</strong> first prayer at <strong>the</strong> circumcision<br />

<strong>of</strong> a child, onwards through <strong>the</strong> many <strong>and</strong> varied<br />

admonitions to <strong>the</strong> same effect. Similarly, it may<br />

have been <strong>the</strong> deep feeling <strong>of</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>rhood in<br />

Israel, leading to sympathy with all that most<br />

touched <strong>the</strong> heart, which invested with such<br />

sacredness participation in <strong>the</strong> gladness <strong>of</strong><br />

marriage,' or <strong>the</strong> sadness <strong>of</strong> burial. To use <strong>the</strong> bold<br />

allegory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> times, God Himself had spoken <strong>the</strong><br />

words <strong>of</strong> blessing over <strong>the</strong> cup at <strong>the</strong> union <strong>of</strong> our<br />

first parents, when Michael <strong>and</strong> Gabriel acted as<br />

groomsmen,^ <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Angelic choir sang <strong>the</strong><br />

wedding hymn.* So also »Ber. ib( lie had shown<br />

<strong>the</strong> oxainplo <strong>of</strong> visiting <strong>the</strong> sick (in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong><br />

Jj^^^j®^ Abraham), comforting <strong>the</strong> mourners (in<br />

that <strong>of</strong> Isaac), <strong>and</strong> burying <strong>the</strong> dead (in that <strong>of</strong><br />

Moses)/ Every man who met it, was bound to<br />

«sot.u« rise <strong>and</strong> join <strong>the</strong> marriage-procession, or

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