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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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<strong>the</strong> golden beams <strong>of</strong> sunrise far away over <strong>the</strong> isles<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gentiles, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n ga<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>the</strong>ir full glow<br />

over his own beloved l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> people. <strong>The</strong>re was<br />

nothing Judaic— quite <strong>the</strong> contrary : only what<br />

was <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old Testament—^in what he first said.*<br />

But his unexpected appearance, <strong>the</strong> more<br />

unexpected deed <strong>and</strong> words, <strong>and</strong> that most<br />

unexpected form in which what was said <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Infant Christ was presented to <strong>the</strong>ir minds, filled<br />

<strong>the</strong> hearts <strong>of</strong> His parents with wonderment. And it<br />

was, as if <strong>the</strong>ir silent wonderment had been an<br />

unspoken question, to which <strong>the</strong> answer now came<br />

in words <strong>of</strong> blessing from <strong>the</strong> aged watcher.<br />

Mystic <strong>the</strong>y seemed, yet prophetic. But now it was<br />

<strong>the</strong> personal, or ra<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Judaic, aspect which, in<br />

broken utterances, was set before <strong>the</strong> Virgin-<br />

Mo<strong>the</strong>r—as if <strong>the</strong> whole history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christ upon<br />

earth were passing in rapid vision before Simeon.<br />

That Infant, now again in <strong>the</strong> Virgin-Mo<strong>the</strong>r's arms<br />

: It was to be a stone <strong>of</strong> decision; a foundation <strong>and</strong><br />

comer-stone,* for fall or for uprising ; a sign<br />

spoken against; <strong>the</strong> sword <strong>of</strong> *^^^w deep personal

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