Lord’s Vineyard
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If they would keep His commandments, God promised to give
them the finest of the wheat, and bring them honey out of the rock.
With long life would He satisfy them, and show them His salvation.
Through disobedience to God, Adam and Eve had lost Eden, and
because of sin the whole earth was cursed. But if God’s people fol-
lowed His instruction, their land would be restored to fertility and
beauty. God Himself gave them directions in regard to the culture of
the soil, and they were to co-operate with Him in its restoration. Thus
the whole land, under God’s control, would become an object lesson
of spiritual truth. As in obedience to His natural laws the earth should
produce its treasures, so in obedience to His moral law the hearts of the
people were to reflect the attributes of His character. Even the heathen
would recognize the superiority of those who served and worshiped
the living God.
“Behold,” said Moses, “I have taught you statutes and judgments,
even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the
land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this
is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations,
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which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is
a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great,
who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things
that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath
statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before
you this day?”
Deuteronomy 4:5-8
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The children of Israel were to occupy all the territory which God
appointed them. Those nations that rejected the worship and service
of the true God were to be dispossessed. But it was God’s purpose
that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be
drawn unto Him. To all the world the gospel invitation was to be given.
Through the teaching of the sacrificial service Christ was to be uplifted
before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live. All
who, like Rahab the Canaanite, and Ruth the Moabitess, turned from
idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with
His chosen people. As the numbers of Israel increased they were to
enlarge their borders, until their kingdom should embrace the world.
God desired to bring all peoples under His merciful rule. He
desired that the earth should be filled with joy and peace. He created
man for happiness, and He longs to fill human hearts with the peace