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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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engroBsing to allow <strong>of</strong> much attention to an<br />

isolated report, whichi CHAP, after all, might<br />

mean Uttle, <strong>and</strong> which certainly was <strong>of</strong> tL^ long<br />

past. XXVH To keep np attention, <strong>the</strong>re must be<br />

communication; <strong>and</strong> that was ' precisely what was<br />

wanting in this instance. <strong>The</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Herod was<br />

tarnished by many suspicions <strong>and</strong> murders such as<br />

those <strong>of</strong> Bethlehem. <strong>The</strong>n intervened <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong><br />

Herod,—while <strong>the</strong> carrying <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong> into Egypt<br />

<strong>and</strong> His non-return to Bethlehem formed a<br />

complete break in <strong>the</strong> continuity <strong>of</strong> His History.<br />

Between obscure Bethlehem in <strong>the</strong> far south, <strong>and</strong><br />

obscure Nazareth in <strong>the</strong> far north, <strong>the</strong>re was no<br />

communication such as between towns in our own<br />

l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y who had sought <strong>the</strong> Child's life, as<br />

well as <strong>the</strong>y who might have worshipped Him,<br />

must have been dead. <strong>The</strong> aged parents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Baptist cannot have survived <strong>the</strong> thirty years which<br />

lay between <strong>the</strong> Birth <strong>of</strong> Christ <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

commencement <strong>of</strong> His Ministry. We have already<br />

seen reason for supposing that Joseph had died<br />

before. None, <strong>the</strong>refore, knew all except <strong>the</strong><br />

Virgin-Mo<strong>the</strong>r; <strong>and</strong> she would hide it <strong>the</strong> deeper in

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