the desire of ages-第98章

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　her　character。　The　plan　of　redemption　has　invested　humanity　with　great　possibilities；　and　in　Mary　these　possibilities　were　to　be　realized。　Through　His　grace　she　became　a　partaker　of　the　divine　nature。　The　one　who　had　fallen；　and　whose　mind　had　been　a　habitation　of　demons；　was　brought　very　near　to　the　Saviour　in　fellowship　and　ministry。　It　was　Mary　who　sat　at　His　feet　and　learned　of　Him。　It　was　Mary　who　poured　upon　His　head　the　precious　anointing　oil；　and　bathed　His　feet　with　her　tears。　Mary　stood　beside　the　cross；　and　followed　Him　to　the　sepulcher。　Mary　was　first　at　the　tomb　after　His　resurrection。　It　was　Mary　who　first　proclaimed　a　risen　Saviour。

Jesus　knows　the　circumstances　of　every　soul。　You　may　say；　I　am　sinful；　very　sinful。　You　may　be；　but　the　worse　you　are；　the　more　you　need　Jesus。　He　turns　no　weeping；　contrite　one　away。　He　does　not　tell　to　any　all　that　He　might　reveal；　but　He　bids　every　trembling　soul　take　courage。　Freely　will　He　pardon　all　who　come　to　Him　for　forgiveness　and　restoration。

Christ　might　commission　the　angels　of　heaven　to　pour　out　the　vials　of　His　wrath　on　our　world；　to　destroy　those　who　are　filled　with　hatred　of　God。　He　might　wipe　this　dark　spot　from　His　universe。　But　He　does　not　do　this。　He　is　today　standing　at　the　altar　of　incense；　presenting　before　God　the　prayers　of　those　who　desire　His　help。

The　souls　that　turn　to　Him　for　refuge；　Jesus　lifts　above　the　accusing　and　the　strife　of　tongues。　No　man　or　evil　angel　can　impeach　these　souls。　Christ　unites　them　to　His　own　divine…human　nature。　They　stand　beside　the　great　Sin　Bearer；　in　the　light　proceeding　from　the　throne　of　God。　〃Who　shall　lay　anything　to　the　charge　of　God's　elect？　It　is　God　that　justifieth。　Who　is　he　that　condemneth？　It　is　Christ　that　died；　yea　rather；　that　is　risen　again；　who　is　even　at　the　right　hand　of　God；　who　also　maketh　intercession　for　us。〃　Rom。　8：33；　34。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　63

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Thy　King　Cometh〃


〃Rejoice　greatly；　O　daughter　of　Zion；　shout；　O　daughter　of　Jerusalem：　behold；　thy　King　cometh　unto　thee：　He　is　just；　and　having　salvation；　lowly；　and　riding　upon　an　ass；　and　upon　a　colt　the　foal　of　an　ass。〃　Zech。　9：9。

Five　hundred　years　before　the　birth　of　Christ；　the　prophet　Zechariah　thus　foretold　the　coming　of　the　King　to　Israel。　This　prophecy　is　now　to　be　fulfilled。　He　who　has　so　long　refused　royal　honors　now　comes　to　Jerusalem　as　the　promised　heir　to　David's　throne。

It　was　on　the　first　day　of　the　week　that　Christ　made　His　triumphal　entry　into　Jerusalem。　Multitudes　who　had　flocked　to　see　Him　at　Bethany　now　accompanied　Him；　eager　to　witness　His　reception。　Many　people　were　on　their　way　to　the　city　to　keep　the　Passover；　and　these　joined　the　multitude　attending　Jesus。　All　nature　seemed　to　rejoice。　The　trees　were　clothed　with　verdure；　and　their　blossoms　shed　a　delicate　fragrance　on　the　air。　A　new　life　and　joy　animated　the　people。　The　hope　of　the　new　kingdom　was　again　springing　up。

Purposing　to　ride　into　Jerusalem；　Jesus　had　sent　two　of　His　disciples　to　bring　to　Him　an　ass　and　its　colt。　At　His　birth　the　Saviour　was　dependent　upon　the　hospitality　of　strangers。　The　manger　in　which　He　lay　was　a　borrowed　resting　place。　Now；　although　the　cattle　on　a　thousand　hills　are　His；　He　is　dependent　on　a　stranger's　kindness　for　an　animal　on

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which　to　enter　Jerusalem　as　its　King。　But　again　His　divinity　is　revealed；　even　in　the　minute　directions　given　His　disciples　for　this　errand。　As　He　foretold；　the　plea；　〃The　Lord　hath　need　of　them；〃　was　readily　granted。　Jesus　chose　for　His　use　the　colt　on　which　never　man　had　sat。　The　disciples；　with　glad　enthusiasm；　spread　their　garments　on　the　beast；　and　seated　their　Master　upon　it。　Heretofore　Jesus　had　always　traveled　on　foot；　and　the　disciples　had　at　first　wondered　that　He　should　now　choose　to　ride。　But　hope　brightened　in　their　hearts　with　the　joyous　thought　that　He　was　about　to　enter　the　capital；　proclaim　Himself　King；　and　assert　His　royal　power。　While　on　their　errand　they　communicated　their　glowing　expectations　to　the　friends　of　Jesus；　and　the　excitement　spread　far　and　near；　raising　the　expectations　of　the　people　to　the　highest　pitch。

Christ　was　following　the　Jewish　custom　for　a　royal　entry。　The　animal　on　which　He　rode　was　that　ridden　by　the　kings　of　Israel；　and　prophecy　had　foretold　that　thus　the　Messiah　should　come　to　His　kingdom。　No　sooner　was　He　seated　upon　the　colt　than　a　loud　shout　of　triumph　rent　the　air。　The　multitude　hailed　Him　as　Messiah；　their　King。　Jesus　now　accepted　the　homage　which　He　had　never　before　permitted；　and　the　disciples　received　this　as　proof　that　their　glad　hopes　were　to　be　realized　by　seeing　Him　established　on　the　throne。　The　multitude　were　convinced　that　the　hour　of　their　emancipation　was　at　hand。　In　imagination　they　saw　the　Roman　armies　driven　from　Jerusalem；　and　Israel　once　more　an　independent　nation。　All　were　happy　and　excited；　the　people　vied　with　one　another　in　paying　Him　homage。　They　could　not　display　outward　pomp　and　splendor；　but　they　gave　Him　the　worship　of　happy　hearts。　They　were　unable　to　present　Him　with　costly　gifts；　but　they　spread　their　outer　garments　as　a　carpet　in　His　path；　and　they　also　strewed　the　leafy　branches　of　the　olive　and　the　palm　in　the　way。　They　could　lead　the　triumphal　procession　with　no　royal　standards；　but　they　cut　down　the　spreading　palm　boughs；　Nature's　emblem　of　victory；　and　waved　them　aloft　with　loud　acclamations　and　hosannas。

As　they　proceeded；　the　multitude　was　continually　increased　by　those　who　had　heard　of　the　coming　of　Jesus　and　hastened　to　join　the　procession。　Spectators　were　constantly　mingling　with　the　throng；　and　asking；　Who　is　this？　What　does　all　this　commotion　signify？　They　had　all　heard　of　Jesus；　and　expected　Him　to　go　to　Jerusalem；　but　they　knew　that　He　had　heretofore　discouraged　all　effort　to　place　Him　on　the　throne；　and　they　were　greatly　astonished　to　learn　that　this　was　He。　They　wondered　what　could　have　wrought　this　change　in　Him　who　had　declared　that　His　kingdom　was　not　of　this　world。

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Their　questionings　are　silenced　by　a　shout　of　triumph。　Again　and　again　it　is　repeated　by　the　eager　throng；　it　is　taken　up　by　the　people　afar　off；　and　echoed　from　the　surrounding　hills　and　valleys。　And　now　the　procession　is　joined　by　crowds　from　Jerusalem。　From　the　multitudes　gathered　to　attend　the　Passover；　thousands　go　forth　to　welcome　Jesus。　They　greet　Him　with　the　waving　of　palm　branches　and　a　burst　of　sacred　song。　The　priests　at　the　temple　sound　the　trumpet　for　evening　service；　but　there　are　few　to　respond；　and　the　rulers　say　to　one　another　in　alarm。　〃The　world　is　gone　after　Him。〃

Never　before　in　His　earthly　life　had　Jesus　permitted　such　a　demonstration。　He　clearly　foresaw　the　result。　It　would　bring　Him　to　the　cross。　But　it　was　His　purpose　thus　publicly　to　present　Himself　as　the　Redeemer。　He　desired　to　call　attention　to　the　sacrifice　that　was　to　crown　His　mission　to　a　fallen　world。　While　the　people　were　assembling　at　Jerusalem　to　celebrate　the　Passover；　He；　the　antitypical　Lamb；　by　a　voluntary　act　set　Himself　apart　as　an　oblation。　It　would　be　needful　for　His　church　in　all　succeeding　ages　to　make　His　death　for　the　sins　of　the　world　a　subject　of　deep　thought　and　study。　Every　fact　connected　with　it　should　be　verified　beyond　a　doubt。　It　was　necessary；　then；　that　the　eyes　of　all　people　should　now　be　directed　to　Him；　the　events　which　preceded　His　great　sacrifice　must　be　such　as　to　call　attention　to　the　sacrifice　itself。　After　such　a　demonstration　as　that　attending　His　entry　into　Jerusalem；　all　eyes　would　follow　His　rapid　progress　to　the　final　scene。

The　events　connected　with　this　triumphal　ride　would　be　the　talk　of　every　tongue；　and　would　bring　Jesus　before　every　mind。　After　His　crucifixion；　many　would　recall　these　events　in　their　connection　with　His　trial　and　death。　They　would　be　led　to　search　the　prophecies；　and　would　be　convinced　that　Jesus　was　the　Messiah；　and　in　all　lands　converts　to　the　faith　would　be　multiplied。

In　this　one　triumphant　scene　of　His　earthly　life；　the　Saviour　might　have　appeared　escorted　by　heavenly　angels；　and　heralded　by　the　trump　of　God；　but　such　a　demonstration　would　have　been　contrary　to　the　purpose　of　His　mission；　contrary　to　the　law　which　had　governed　His　life。　He　remained　true　to　the　humble　lot　He　had　accepted。　The　burden　of　humanity　He　must　bear　until　His　life　was　given　for　the　life　of　the　world。

This　day；　which　seemed　to　the　disciples　the　crowning　day　of　their　lives；　would　have　been　shadowed　with　gloomy　clouds　had　they　known　that　this　scene　of　rejoicing　was　but　a　prelude　to　the　suffering　and　death　of　their　Master。　Although　He　had　repeatedly　told　them　of　His　certain

572

sacrifice；　yet　in　the　glad　triumph　of　the　present　they　forgot　His　sorrowful　words；　and　looked　forward　to　His　prosperous　reign　on　David's　throne。

New　accessions　were　made　continually　to　the　procession；　and；　with　few　exceptions；　all　who　joined　it　caught　the　inspiration　of　the　hour；　and　helped　to　swell　the　hosannas　that　echoed　and　re…echoed　from　hill　to　hill　and　from　valley　to　valley。　The　shouts　went　up　continually；　〃Hosanna　to　the　Son　of　David：　Blessed　is　He　that　cometh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！　Hosanna　in　the　highest。〃

Never　before　had　the　world　seen　such　a　triumphal　procession。　It　was　not　like　that　of　the　earth's　famous　conquerors。　No　train　of　mourning　captives；　as　trophies　of　kingly　valor；　made　a　feature　of　that　scene。　But　about　the　Saviour　were　the　glorious　trophies　of　His　labors　of　love　for　sinful　man。　There　were　the　captives　whom　He　had　rescued　from　Satan's　power；　praising　God　for　their　deliverance。　The　blind　whom　He　had　restored　to　sight　were　leading　the　way。　The　dumb　whose　tongues　He　had　loosed　shouted　the　loudest　hosannas。　The　cripples　whom　He　had　healed　bounded　with　joy；　and　were　the　most　active　in　breaking　the　palm　branches　and　waving　them　before　the　Saviour。　Widows　and　orphans　were　exalting　the　name　of　Jesus　for　His　works　of　mercy　to　them。　The　lepers　whom　He　had　cleansed　spread　their　untainted　garments　in　His　path；　and　hailed　Him　as　the　King　of　glory。　Those　whom　His　voice　had　awakened　from　the　sleep　of　death　were　in　that　throng。　Lazarus；　whose　body　had　seen　corruption　in　the　grave；　but　who　now　rejoiced　in　the　strength　of　glorious　manhood；　led　the　beast　on　which　the　Saviour　rode。

Many　Pharisees　witnessed　the　scene；　and；　burning　with　envy　and　malice；　sought　to　turn　the　current　of　popular　feeling。　With　all　their　authority　they　tried　to　silence　the　people；　but　their　appeals　and　threats　only　increased　the　enthusiasm。　They　feared　that　this　multitude；　in　the　strength　of　their　numbers；　would　make　Jesus　king。　As　a　last　resort　they　pressed　through　the　crowd　to　where　the　Saviour　was；　and　accosted　Him　with　reproving　and　threatening　words：　〃Master；　rebuke　Thy　disciples。〃　They　declared　that　such　noisy　demonstrations　were　unlawful；　and　would　not　be　permitted　by　the　authorities。　But　they　were　silenced　by　the　reply　of　Jesus；　〃I　tell　you　that；　if　these　should　hold　their　peace；　the　stones　would　immediately　cry　out。〃　That　scene　of　triumph　was　of　God's　own　appointing。　It　had　been　foretold　by　the　prophet；　and　man　was　powe