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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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women, <strong>and</strong> musicians, in preparation for <strong>the</strong><br />

fiineral. <strong>The</strong> intentional delay <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong> when<br />

summoned to Lazarus • loads us to ask, whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />

similar purpose may not have influenced His<br />

conduct in <strong>the</strong> present instance. But even were it<br />

o<strong>the</strong>rwise, no outcome <strong>of</strong> God's Providence is <strong>of</strong><br />

chance, but each is designed. <strong>The</strong> circumstances,<br />

which in <strong>the</strong>ir concurrence make up an event, may<br />

all be <strong>of</strong> natural occurrence, but <strong>the</strong>ir conjunction<br />

is <strong>of</strong> Divine ordering <strong>and</strong> to a higher purpose, <strong>and</strong><br />

this constitutes Divine Providence. It was in <strong>the</strong><br />

interval <strong>of</strong> this delay that <strong>the</strong> messengers came,<br />

who informed Jairus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> actual death <strong>of</strong> his<br />

child. <strong>Jesus</strong> overheard * it, as <strong>the</strong>y whispered to<br />

<strong>the</strong> Ruler not to trouble <strong>the</strong> Rabbi any fur<strong>the</strong>r,' but<br />

He heeded it not, save so far as it affected <strong>the</strong><br />

fa<strong>the</strong>r. <strong>The</strong> emphatic -admonition, not to fear, only<br />

to believe, gives us an Insight into <strong>the</strong> threatening<br />

failure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ruler's faith; perhaps, also, into <strong>the</strong><br />

motive which prompted <strong>the</strong> delay <strong>of</strong> Christ. <strong>The</strong><br />

utmost need, which would henceforth require <strong>the</strong><br />

utmost faith on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> Jairus, had now come.<br />

But into that, which was to pass within <strong>the</strong> house,

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