October Twelfth.
JESUS' PROGRESS FROM GALILEE TO JORDAN.
"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, unto John, to be baptiaed of him."—Matt. iii. 13.
LEARN of me!" says the Saviour in one place. "Follow me!" is His language in another; and well would it be for mankind were they obedient to His divine injunctions. Not only would they be saved much misery and suffering, but they would have their eyes opened to behold many wonderful truths, and the simplest passage of Scripture would be found filled with wisdom, which those only who were instructed by the Lord, and followed Him in simple obedience, could know.
"Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan:" and what is there extraordinary in that? says the naturally-minded man. He was desirous of being baptized by John, and John was baptizing in the Jordan; therefore, if Jesus were in Galilee. He must needs leave it in order to reach Jordan. True. But let us see the different view opened up to the Christian, who humbly makes the Lord His model in all things, and believes that every incident related of Him has a spiritual application to himself.
Galilee was not, strictly speaking, connected with Israel. It is called "Galilee of the nations;" and as the nations unconnected with Israel were not in the knowledge of the true God, however much they might desire it, therefore, they of Galilee were in a Gentile state. They were in the desire for truth, and this
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