at all ends of the earth
should see the salvation of God had been predicted. On the record of
inspiration, too, had appeared the promise, "I the Lord have called thee
in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give
thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." That in
Christ both were fulfilled, was attested by Simeon, to whom it was
revealed by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had
seen the Lord's Christ. He took up the child Jesus in his arms, "and
blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."[731]
Moreover, in prophecy was delivered the message, "The Lord himself shall
give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel." In Jesus, the promised son was
recognised. When the birth of his forerunner John suggested that He
should soon appear, an honoured believer "was filled with the Holy
Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he
hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of
salvation for us, in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the
mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that
we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate
us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his
holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham." And when
he was prosecuting his ministry, then had been fulfilled the promise,
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me: and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even
the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall
come, saith the Lord of hosts."

Of the existence of the Everlasting Covenant, Jesus was a token. The Old
Testament economy, and that of the New, were dispensations of the
Covenant of Redemption. Under the former, Christ and his work were
typified and predicted. Under the latter, these are commemorated. Under
both, these were to be preached. Christ, appearing as the substance of
the truth announced under both, was given a sign of that everlasting
Covenant whence they took their origin. Had that covenant been but in
theory, Christ had not appeared. Hi