the great controversy-第63章

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instruction；　given　of　God　to　men；　concerning　events　to　take　place　at　the
close　of　this　world's　history。

To　John　were　opened　scenes　of　deep　and　thrilling　interest　in　the　experience
of　the　church。　He　saw　the　position；　dangers；　conflicts；　and　final
deliverance　of　the　people　of　God。　He

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records　the　closing　messages　which　are　to　ripen　the　harvest　of　the　earth；
either　as　sheaves　for　the　heavenly　garner　or　as　fagots　for　the　fires　of
destruction。　Subjects　of　vast　importance　were　revealed　to　him；　especially
for　the　last　church；　that　those　who　should　turn　from　error　to　truth　might　be
instructed　concerning　the　perils　and　conflicts　before　them。　None　need　be　in
darkness　in　regard　to　what　is　coming　upon　the　earth。

Why；　then；　this　widespread　ignorance　concerning　an　important　part　of　Holy
Writ？　Why　this　general　reluctance　to　investigate　its　teachings？　It　is　the
result　of　a　studied　effort　of　the　prince　of　darkness　to　conceal　from　men
that　which　reveals　his　deceptions。　For　this　reason；　Christ　the　Revelator；
foreseeing　the　warfare　that　would　be　waged　against　the　study　of　the
Revelation；　pronounced　a　blessing　upon　all　who　should　read；　hear；　and
observe　the　words　of　the　prophecy。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　19

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Light　Through　Darkness


The　work　of　God　in　the　earth　presents；　from　age　to　age；　a　striking
similarity　in　every　great　reformation　or　religious　movement。　The　principles
of　God's　dealing　with　men　are　ever　the　same。　The　important　movements　of　the
present　have　their　parallel　in　those　of　the　past；　and　the　experience　of　the
church　in　former　ages　has　lessons　of　great　value　for　our　own　time。

No　truth　is　more　clearly　taught　in　the　Bible　than　that　God　by　His　Holy
Spirit　especially　directs　His　servants　on　earth　in　the　great　movements　for
the　carrying　forward　of　the　work　of　salvation。　Men　are　instruments　in　the
hand　of　God；　employed　by　Him　to　accomplish　His　purposes　of　grace　and　mercy。
Each　has　his　part　to　act；　to　each　is　granted　a　measure　of　light；　adapted　to
the　necessities　of　his　time；　and　sufficient　to　enable　him　to　perform　the
work　which　God　has　given　him　to　do。　But　no　man；　however　honored　of　Heaven；
has　ever　attained　to　a　full　understanding　of　the　great　plan　of　redemption；
or　even　to　a　perfect　appreciation　of　the　divine　purpose　in　the　work　for　his
own　time。　Men　do　not　fully　understand　what　God　would　accomplish　by　the　work
which　He　gives　them　to　do；　they　do　not　comprehend；　in　all　its　bearings；　the
message　which　they　utter　in　His　name。

〃Canst　thou　by　searching　find　out　God？　canst　thou　find　out　the　Almighty　unto
perfection？〃　〃My　thoughts　are　not　your　thoughts；　neither　are　your　ways　My
ways；　saith　the

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Lord。　For　as　the　heavens　are　higher　than　the　earth；　so　are　My　ways　higher
than　your　ways；　and　My　thoughts　than　your　thoughts。〃　〃I　am　God；　and　there　is
none　like　Me；　declaring　the　end　from　the　beginning；　and　from　ancient　times
the　things　that　are　not　yet　done。〃　Job　11：7；　Isaiah　55：8；　9；　46：9；　10。

Even　the　prophets　who　were　favored　with　the　special　illumination　of　the
Spirit　did　not　fully　comprehend　the　import　of　the　revelations　committed　to
them。　The　meaning　was　to　be　unfolded　from　age　to　age；　as　the　people　of　God
should　need　the　instruction　therein　contained。

Peter；　writing　of　the　salvation　brought　to　light　through　the　gospel；　says：
Of　this　salvation　〃the　prophets　have　inquired　and　searched　diligently；　who
prophesied　of　the　grace　that　should　come　unto　you：　searching　what；　or　what
manner　of　time　the　Spirit　of　Christ　which　was　in　them　did　signify；　when　it
testified　beforehand　the　sufferings　of　Christ；　and　the　glory　that　should
follow。　Unto　whom　it　was　revealed；　that　not　unto　themselves；　but　unto　us
they　did　minister。〃　1　Peter　1：10…12。

Yet　while　it　was　not　given　to　the　prophets　to　understand　fully　the　things
revealed　to　them；　they　earnestly　sought　to　obtain　all　the　light　which　God
had　been　pleased　to　make　manifest。　They　〃inquired　and　searched　diligently；〃
〃searching　what；　or　what　manner　of　time　the　Spirit　of　Christ　which　was　in
them　did　signify。〃　What　a　lesson　to　the　people　of　God　in　the　Christian　age；
for　whose　benefit　these　prophecies　were　given　to　His　servants！　〃Unto　whom　it
was　revealed；　that　not　unto　themselves；　but　unto　us　they　did　minister。〃
Witness　those　holy　men　of　God　as　they　〃inquired　and　searched　diligently〃
concerning　revelations　given　them　for　generations　that　were　yet　unborn。
Contrast　their　holy　zeal　with　the　listless　unconcern　with　which　the　favored
ones　of　later　ages　treat　this　gift　of　Heaven。　What　a　rebuke　to　the
ease…loving；　world…loving　indifference　which　is　content　to　declare　that　the
prophecies　cannot　be　understood！

Though　the　finite　minds　of　men　are　inadequate　to　enter

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into　the　counsels　of　the　Infinite　One；　or　to　understand　fully　the　working
out　of　His　purposes；　yet　often　it　is　because　of　some　error　or　neglect　on
their　own　part　that　they　so　dimly　comprehend　the　messages　of　Heaven。　Not
infrequently　the　minds　of　the　people；　and　even　of　God's　servants；　are　so
blinded　by　human　opinions；　the　traditions　and　false　teaching　of　men；　that
they　are　able　only　partially　to　grasp　the　great　things　which　He　has　revealed
in　His　word。　Thus　it　was　with　the　disciples　of　Christ；　even　when　the　Saviour
was　with　them　in　person。　Their　minds　had　become　imbued　with　the　popular
conception　of　the　Messiah　as　a　temporal　prince；　who　was　to　exalt　Israel　to
the　throne　of　the　universal　empire；　and　they　could　not　understand　the
meaning　of　His　words　foretelling　His　sufferings　and　death。

Christ　Himself　had　sent　them　forth　with　the　message：　〃The　time　is　fulfilled；
and　the　kingdom　of　God　is　at　hand：　repent　ye；　and　believe　the　gospel。〃　Mark
1：15。　That　message　was　based　on　the　prophecy　of　Daniel　9。　The　sixty…nine
weeks　were　declared　by　the　angel　to　extend　to　〃the　Messiah　the　Prince；〃　and
with　high　hopes　and　joyful　anticipations　the　disciples　looked　forward　to　the
establishment　of　Messiah's　kingdom　at　Jerusalem　to　rule　over　the　whole
earth。

They　preached　the　message　which　Christ　had　committed　to　them；　though　they
themselves　misapprehended　its　meaning。　While　their　announcement　was　founded
on　Daniel　9：25；　they　did　not　see；　in　the　next　verse　of　the　same　chapter；
that　Messiah　was　to　be　cut　off。　From　their　very　birth　their　hearts　had　been
set　upon　the　anticipated　glory　of　an　earthly　empire；　and　this　blinded　their
understanding　alike　to　the　specifications　of　the　prophecy　and　to　the　words
of　Christ。

They　performed　their　duty　in　presenting　to　the　Jewish　nation　the　invitation
of　mercy；　and　then；　at　the　very　time　when　they　expected　to　see　their　Lord
ascend　the　throne　of　David；　they　beheld　Him　seized　as　a　malefactor；
scourged；　derided；　and　condemned；　and　lifted　up　on　the　cross　of

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Calvary。　What　despair　and　anguish　wrung　the　hearts　of　those　disciples　during
the　days　while　their　Lord　was　sleeping　in　the　tomb！

Christ　had　come　at　the　exact　time　and　in　the　manner　foretold　by　prophecy。
The　testimony　of　Scripture　had　been　fulfilled　in　every　detail　of　His
ministry。　He　had　preached　the　message　of　salvation；　and　〃His　word　was　with
power。〃　The　hearts　of　His　hearers　had　witnessed　that　it　was　of　Heaven。　The
word　and　the　Spirit　of　God　attested　the　divine　commission　of　His　Son。

The　disciples　still　clung　with　undying　affection　to　their　beloved　Master。
And　yet　their　minds　were　shrouded　in　uncertainty　and　doubt。　In　their　anguish
they　did　not　then　recall　the　words　of　Christ　pointing　forward　to　His
suffering　and　death。　If　Jesus　of　Nazareth　had　been　the　true　Messiah；　would
they　have　been　thus　plunged　in　grief　and　disappointment？　This　was　the
question　that　tortured　their　souls　while　the　Saviour　lay　in　His　sepulcher
during　the　hopeless　hours　of　that　Sabbath　which　intervened　between　His　death
and　His　resurrection。

Though　the　night　of　sorrow　gathered　dark　about　these　followers　of　Jesus；　yet
were　they　not　forsaken。　Saith　the　prophet：　〃When　I　sit　in　darkness；　the　Lord
shall　be　a　light　unto　me。　。　。　。　He　will　bring　me　forth　to　the　light；　and　I
shall　behold　His　righteousness。〃　〃Yea；　the　darkness　hideth　not　from　Thee；
but　the　night　shineth　as　the　day：　the　darkness　and　the　light　are　both　alike
to　Thee。〃　God　hath　spoken：　〃Unto　the　upright　there　ariseth　light　in　the
darkness。〃　〃I　will　bring　the　blind　by　a　way　that　they　knew　not；　I　will　lead
them　in　paths　that　they　have　not　known：　I　will　make　darkness　light　before
them；　and　crooked　things　straight。　These　things　will　I　do　unto　them；　and　not
forsake　them。〃　Micah　7：8；　9；　Psalms　139：12；　112：4；　Isaiah　42：16。

The　announcement　which　had　been　made　by　the　disciples　in　the　name　of　the
Lord　was　in　every　particular　correct；　and　the　events　to　which　it　pointed
were　even　then　taking　place。　〃The　time　is　fulfilled；　the　kingdom　of　God　is
at　hand；〃　had

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been　their　message。　At　the　expiration　of　〃the　time〃the　sixty…nine　weeks　of
Daniel　9；　which　were　to　extend　to　the　Messiah；　〃the　Anointed　One〃Christ
had　received　the　anointing　of　the　Spirit　after　His　baptism　by　John　in
Jordan。　And　the　〃kingdom　of　God〃　which　they　had　declared　to　be　at　hand　was
established　by　the　death　of　Christ。　This　kingdom　was　not；　as　they　had　been
taught　to　believe；　an　earthly　empire。　Nor　was　it　that　future；　immortal
kingdom　which　shall　be　set　up　when　〃the　kingdom　and　dominion；　and　the
greatness　of　the　kingdom　under　the　whole　heaven；　shall　be　given　to　the
people　of　the　saints　of　the　Most　High；〃　that　everlasting　kingdom；　in　which
〃all　dominions　shall　serve　and　obey　Him。〃　Daniel　7：27。　As　used　in　the　Bible；
the　expression　〃kingdom　of　God〃　is　employed　to　designate　both　the　kingdom　of
grace　and　the　kingdom　of　glory。　The　kingdom　of　grace　is　brought　to　view　by
Paul　in　the　Epistle　to　the　Hebrews。　After　pointing　to　Christ；　the
compassionate　intercessor　who　is　〃touched　with　the　feeling　of　our
infirmities；〃　the　apostle　says：　〃Let　us　therefore　come　boldly　unto　the
throne　of　grace；　that　we　may　obtain　mercy；　and　find　grace。〃　Hebrews　4：15；
16。　The　throne　of　grace　represents　the　kingdom　of　grace；　for　the　existence
of　a　throne　implies　the　existence　of　a　kingdom。　In　many　of　His　parables
Christ　uses　the　expression　〃the　kingdom　of　heaven〃　to　designate　the　work　of
divine　grace　upon　the　hearts　of　men。

So　the　throne　of　glory　represents　the　kingdom　of　glory；　and　this　kingdom　is
referred　to　in　the　Saviour's　words：　〃When　the　Son　of　man　shall　come　in　His
glory；　and　all　the　holy　angels　with　Him；　then　shall　He　sit　upon　the　throne
of　His　glory：　and　before　Him　shall　be　gathered　all　nations。〃　Matthew　25：31；
32。　This　kingdom　is　yet　future。　It　is　not　to　be　set　up　until　the　second
advent　of　Christ。

The　kingdom　of　grace　was　instituted　immediately　after　the　fall　of　man；　when
a　plan　was　devised　for　the　redemption　of　the　guilty　race。　It　then　existed　in
the　purpose　and　by　the　promise　of　God；　and　through　faith；　men　could　become
its　subjects。　Yet　it　was　not　actually　established　until　the　death　of

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Christ。　Even　after　entering　upon　His　earthly　mission；　the　Saviour；　wearied
with　the　st