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A. T. ROBINSON

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 16, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 14.

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A. T. ROBINSON

By A. T. ROBINSON

The Light of the World — No. 2

A. T. ROBINSON

THE first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis bring us to the second time that Jehovah looked down from heaven to behold one lone man living in the midst of idolatry in whose life the true light of life continued to burn.
Having promised never again to destroy the earth by a flood, the Lord said to this one man, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” Gen. 12: 1, 2.
Through that nation which God promised to make of Abraham, the Lord purposed to give the light of salvation to the whole world. In order that the nation of Israel might fulfil this purpose, the Lord promised to make them, on condition of their obedience to his law, “high above all nations.” “Keep therefore and do them [the commandments]; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deut. 4: 6. “And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldst keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made.” Deut. 26: 18, 19. “And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. . . . And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God.” Deut. 28: 10-13.
Only by occupying an exalted position could Israel be a light to all other nations. The time came in the history of Israel when the people aspired to be, not above, but on a level with, the nations around them. “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations.” 1 Sam. 8: 19, 20.
In their attempt to be like the heathen nations around them, they sank to a position far below, and became the despised of all other nations, in which position it was not possible for them to shed light on the peoples around them.
In asking for a king to rule over them, the nation of Israel took the first step in their formal rejection of Jehovah as their King. “The Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” 1 Sam. 8: 7. All through the history of Israel’s rebellious career, the Lord in mercy sought to restore and to retain their loyalty as the chosen nation. “The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chron. 36: 15, 16.
The final step on the part of Israel as a nation, in their formal rejection of Jehovah as their King, was taken when Pilate asked the question, “Shall I crucify your King?” and “the chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar.” John 19: 15.
The time came when the light of life, which had been so abundantly shed upon that people, became so obscured that in the reading of the Sacred Scriptures they completely lost sight of him of whom the Scriptures testify. They so far misunderstood, misapplied, and misinterpreted the prophecies which they were reading and professing to teach, that they themselves fulfilled those very Scriptures in putting Christ to death. “They that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.” Acts 13: 27. Once again the light of life had almost gone out in the world.
Boulder, Colo.