the desire of ages-第34章

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tion。　As　soon　as　there　was　sin；　there　was　a　Saviour。　He　has　given　light　and　life　to　all；　and　according　to　the　measure　of　light　given；　each　is　to　be　judged。　And　He　who　has　given　the　light；　He　who　has　followed　the　soul　with　tenderest　entreaty；　seeking　to　win　it　from　sin　to　holiness；　is　in　one　its　advocate　and　judge。　From　the　opening　of　the　great　controversy　in　heaven；　Satan　has　maintained　his　cause　through　deception；　and　Christ　has　been　working　to　unveil　his　schemes　and　to　break　his　power。　It　is　He　who　has　encountered　the　deceiver；　and　who　through　all　the　ages　has　been　seeking　to　wrest　the　captives　from　his　grasp；　who　will　pass　judgment　upon　every　soul。

And　God　〃hath　given　Him　authority　to　execute　judgment　also；　because　He　is　the　Son　of　man。〃　Because　He　has　tasted　the　very　dregs　of　human　affliction　and　temptation；　and　understands　the　frailties　and　sins　of　men；　because　in　our　behalf　He　has　victoriously　withstood　the　temptations　of　Satan；　and　will　deal　justly　and　tenderly　with　the　souls　that　His　own　blood　has　been　poured　out　to　save；because　of　this；　the　Son　of　man　is　appointed　to　execute　the　judgment。

But　Christ's　mission　was　not　for　judgment；　but　for　salvation。　〃God　sent　not　His　Son　into　the　world　to　condemn　the　world；　but　that　the

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world　through　Him　might　be　saved。〃　John　3：17。　And　before　the　Sanhedrin　Jesus　declared；　〃He　that　heareth　My　word；　and　believeth　Him　that　sent　Me；　hath　eternal　life；　and　cometh　not　into　judgment；　but　hath　passed　out　of　death　into　life。〃　John　5：24；　R。　V。

Bidding　His　hearers　marvel　not；　Christ　opened　before　them；　in　still　wider　view；　the　mystery　of　the　future。　〃The　hour　cometh；〃　He　said；　〃in　which　all　that　are　in　the　tombs　shall　hear　His　voice；　and　shall　come　forth；　they　that　have　done　good；　unto　the　resurrection　of　life；　and　they　that　have　done　ill；　unto　the　resurrection　of　judgment。〃　John　5：28；　29；　R。　V。

This　assurance　of　the　future　life　was　that　for　which　Israel　had　so　long　waited；　and　which　they　had　hoped　to　receive　at　the　Messiah's　advent。　The　only　light　that　can　lighten　the　gloom　of　the　grave　was　shining　upon　them。　But　self…will　is　blind。　Jesus　had　violated　the　traditions　of　the　rabbis；　and　disregarded　their　authority；　and　they　would　not　believe。

The　time；　the　place；　the　occasion；　the　intensity　of　feeling　that　pervaded　the　assembly；　all　combined　to　make　the　words　of　Jesus　before　the　Sanhedrin　the　more　impressive。　The　highest　religious　authorities　of　the　nation　were　seeking　the　life　of　Him　who　declared　Himself　the　restorer　of　Israel。　The　Lord　of　the　Sabbath　was　arraigned　before　an　earthly　tribunal　to　answer　the　charge　of　breaking　the　Sabbath　law。　When　He　so　fearlessly　declared　His　mission；　His　judges　looked　upon　Him　with　astonishment　and　rage；　but　His　words　were　unanswerable。　They　could　not　condemn　Him。　He　denied　the　right　of　the　priests　and　rabbis　to　question　Him；　or　to　interfere　with　His　work。　They　were　invested　with　no　such　authority。　Their　claims　were　based　upon　their　own　pride　and　arrogance。　He　refused　to　plead　guilty　of　their　charges；　or　to　be　catechized　by　them。

Instead　of　apologizing　for　the　act　of　which　they　complained；　or　explaining　His　purpose　in　doing　it；　Jesus　turned　upon　the　rulers；　and　the　accused　became　the　accuser。　He　rebuked　them　for　the　hardness　of　their　hearts；　and　their　ignorance　of　the　Scriptures。　He　declared　that　they　had　rejected　the　word　of　God；　inasmuch　as　they　had　rejected　Him　whom　God　had　sent。　〃Ye　search　the　Scriptures；　because　ye　think　that　in　them　ye　have　eternal　life；　and　these　are　they　which　bear　witness　of　Me。〃　John　5：39；　R。　V。

In　every　page；　whether　history；　or　precept；　or　prophecy；　the　Old　Testament　Scriptures　are　irradiated　with　the　glory　of　the　Son　of　God。　So　far　as　it　was　of　divine　institution；　the　entire　system　of　Judaism　was　a　compacted　prophecy　of　the　gospel。　To　Christ　〃give　all　the　prophets　witness。〃　Acts　10：43。　From　the　promise　given　to　Adam；　down　through

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the　patriarchal　line　and　the　legal　economy；　heaven's　glorious　light　made　plain　the　footsteps　of　the　Redeemer。　Seers　beheld　the　Star　of　Bethlehem；　the　Shiloh　to　come；　as　future　things　swept　before　them　in　mysterious　procession。　In　every　sacrifice　Christ's　death　was　shown。　In　every　cloud　of　incense　His　righteousness　ascended。　By　every　jubilee　trumpet　His　name　was　sounded。　In　the　awful　mystery　of　the　holy　of　holies　His　glory　dwelt。

The　Jews　had　the　Scriptures　in　their　possession；　and　supposed　that　in　their　mere　outward　knowledge　of　the　word　they　had　eternal　life。　But　Jesus　said；　〃Ye　have　not　His　word　abiding　in　you。〃　Having　rejected　Christ　in　His　word；　they　rejected　Him　in　person。　〃Ye　will　not　come　to　Me；〃　He　said；　〃that　ye　might　have　life。〃

The　Jewish　leaders　had　studied　the　teachings　of　the　prophets　concerning　the　kingdom　of　the　Messiah；　but　they　had　done　this；　not　with　a　sincere　desire　to　know　the　truth；　but　with　the　purpose　of　finding　evidence　to　sustain　their　ambitious　hopes。　When　Christ　came　in　a　manner　contrary　to　their　expectations；　they　would　not　receive　Him；　and　in　order　to　justify　themselves；　they　tried　to　prove　Him　a　deceiver。　When　once　they　had　set　their　feet　in　this　path；　it　was　easy　for　Satan　to　strengthen　their　opposition　to　Christ。　The　very　words　that　should　have　been　received　as　evidence　of　His　divinity　were　interpreted　against　Him。　Thus　they　turned　the　truth　of　God　into　a　lie；　and　the　more　directly　the　Saviour　spoke　to　them　in　His　works　of　mercy；　the　more　determined　they　were　in　resisting　the　light。

Jesus　said；　〃I　receive　not　honor　from　men。〃　It　was　not　the　influence　of　the　Sanhedrin；　it　was　not　their　sanction　He　desired。　He　could　receive　no　honor　from　their　approbation。　He　was　invested　with　the　honor　and　authority　of　Heaven。　Had　He　desired　it；　angels　would　have　come　to　do　Him　homage；　the　Father　would　again　have　testified　to　His　divinity。　But　for　their　own　sake；　for　the　sake　of　the　nation　whose　leaders　they　were；　He　desired　the　Jewish　rulers　to　discern　His　character；　and　receive　the　blessings　He　came　to　bring　them。

〃I　am　come　in　My　Father's　name；　and　ye　receive　Me　not：　if　another　shall　come　in　his　own　name；　him　ye　will　receive。〃　Jesus　came　by　the　authority　of　God；　bearing　His　image；　fulfilling　His　word；　and　seeking　His　glory；　yet　He　was　not　accepted　by　the　leaders　in　Israel；　but　when　others　should　come；　assuming　the　character　of　Christ；　but　actuated　by　their　own　will　and　seeking　their　own　glory；　they　would　be　received。　And　why？　Because　he　who　is　seeking　his　own　glory　appeals　to　the　desire　for　self…exaltation　in　others。　To　such　appeals　the　Jews　could　respond。

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They　would　receive　the　false　teacher　because　he　flattered　their　pride　by　sanctioning　their　cherished　opinions　and　traditions。　But　the　teaching　of　Christ　did　not　coincide　with　their　ideas。　It　was　spiritual；　and　demanded　the　sacrifice　of　self；　therefore　they　would　not　receive　it。　They　were　not　acquainted　with　God；　and　to　them　His　voice　through　Christ　was　the　voice　of　a　stranger。

Is　not　the　same　thing　repeated　in　our　day？　Are　there　not　many；　even　religious　leaders；　who　are　hardening　their　hearts　against　the　Holy　Spirit；　making　it　impossible　for　them　to　recognize　the　voice　of　God？　Are　they　not　rejecting　the　word　of　God；　that　they　may　keep　their　own　traditions？

〃Had　ye　believed　Moses；〃　said　Jesus；　〃ye　would　have　believed　Me：　for　he　wrote　of　Me。　But　if　ye　believe　not　his　writings；　how　shall　ye　believe　My　words？〃　It　was　Christ　who　had　spoken　to　Israel　through　Moses。　If　they　had　listened　to　the　divine　voice　that　spoke　through　their　great　leader；　they　would　have　recognized　it　in　the　teachings　of　Christ。　Had　they　believed　Moses；　they　would　have　believed　Him　of　whom　Moses　wrote。

Jesus　knew　that　the　priests　and　rabbis　were　determined　to　take　His　life；　yet　He　clearly　explained　to　them　His　unity　with　the　Father；　and　His　relation　to　the　world。　They　saw　that　their　opposition　to　Him　was　without　excuse；　yet　their　murderous　hatred　was　not　quenched。　Fear　seized　them　as　they　witnessed　the　convincing　power　that　attended　His　ministry；　but　they　resisted　His　appeals；　and　locked　themselves　in　darkness。

They　had　signally　failed　to　subvert　the　authority　of　Jesus　or　to　alienate　the　respect　and　attention　of　the　people；　many　of　whom　were　convicted　by　His　words。　The　rulers　themselves　had　felt　deep　condemnation　as　He　had　pressed　their　guilt　home　upon　their　consciences；　yet　this　only　made　them　the　more　bitter　against　Him。　They　were　determined　to　take　His　life。　They　sent　messengers　all　over　the　country　to　warn　the　people　against　Jesus　as　an　impostor。　Spies　were　sent　to　watch　Him；　and　report　what　He　said　and　did。　The　precious　Saviour　was　now　most　surely　standing　under　the　shadow　of　the　cross。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　22

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Imprisonment　and　Death　of　John


John　the　Baptist　had　been　first　in　heralding　Christ's　kingdom；　and　he　was　first　also　in　suffering。　From　the　free　air　of　the　wilderness　and　the　vast　throngs　that　had　hung　upon　his　words；　he　was　now　shut　in　by　the　walls　of　a　dungeon　cell。　He　had　become　a　prisoner　in　the　fortress　of　Herod　Antipas。　In　the　territory　east　of　Jordan；　which　was　under　the　dominion　of　Antipas；　much　of　John's　ministry　had　been　spent。　Herod　himself　had　listened　to　the　preaching　of　the　Baptist。　The　dissolute　king　had　trembled　under　the　call　to　repentance。　〃Herod　feared　John；　knowing　that　he　was　a　just　man　and　an　holy；　。　。　。　and　when　he　heard　him；　he　did　many　things；　and　heard　him　gladly。〃　John　dealt　with　him　faithfully；　denouncing　his　iniquitous　alliance　with　Herodias；　his　brother's　wife。　For　a　time　Herod　feebly　sought　to　break　the　chain　of　lust　that　bound　him；　but　Herodias　fastened　him　the　more　firmly　in　her　toils；　and　found　revenge　upon　the　Baptist　by　inducing　Herod　to　cast　him　into　prison。

The　life　of　John　had　been　one　of　active　labor；　and　the　gloom　and　inaction　of　his　prison　life　weighed　heavily　upon　him。　As　week　after　week　passed；　bringing　no　change；　despondency　and　doubt　crept　over　him。　His　disciples　did　not　forsake　him。　They　were　allowed　access　to　the　prison；　and　they　brought　him　tidings　of　the　works　of　Jesus；　and　told　how　the　people　were　flocking　to　Him。　But　they　questioned　why；　if　this

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new　teacher　was　the　Messiah；　He　did　nothing　to　effect　John's　release。　How　could　He　permit　His　faithful　herald　to　be　deprived　of　liberty　and　perhaps　of　life？

These　questions　were　not　without　effect。　Doubts　which　otherwise　would　never　have　arisen　were　suggested　to　John。　Satan　rejoiced　to　hear　the　words　of　these　disciples；　and　to　see　how　they　bruised　the　soul　of　the　Lord's　messenger。　Oh；　how　often　those　who　think　themselves　the　friends　of　a　good　man；　and　who　are　eager　to　show　their　fidelity　to　him；　prove　to　be　his　most　dangerous　enemies！　How　often；　instead　of　strengthening　his　faith；　their　words　depress　and　dishearten！

Like　the　Saviour's　disciples；　John　the　Baptist　did　not　understand　the　nature　of　Christ's　kingdom。　He　expected　Jesus　to　take　the　throne　of　David；　and　as　time　passed；　and　the　Saviour　made　no　claim　to　kingly　authority；　John　became　perplexed　and　troubled。　He　had　declared　to　the　people　that　in　order　for　the　way　t