the desire of ages-第185章

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　through　the　sacred　hours　of　the　Sabbath　day。

In　the　beginning　the　Father　and　the　Son　had　rested　upon　the　Sabbath　after　Their　work　of　creation。　When　〃the　heavens　and　the　earth　were　finished；　and　all　the　host　of　them〃　（Gen。　2：1）；　the　Creator　and　all　heavenly　beings　rejoiced　in　contemplation　of　the　glorious　scene。　〃The　morning　stars　sang　together；　and　all　the　sons　of　God　shouted　for　joy。〃　Job　38：7。　Now　Jesus　rested　from　the　work　of　redemption；　and　though　there　was　grief　among　those　who　loved　Him　on　earth；　yet　there　was　joy　in　heaven。　Glorious　to　the　eyes　of　heavenly　beings　was　the　promise　of　the　future。　A　restored　creation；　a　redeemed　race；　that　having　conquered　sin　could　never　fall；this；　the　result　to　flow　from　Christ's　completed　work；　God　and　angels　saw。　With　this　scene　the　day　upon　which　Jesus　rested　is　forever　linked。　For　〃His　work　is　perfect；〃　and　〃whatsoever　God　doeth；　it　shall　be　forever。〃　Deut。　32：4；　Eccl。　3：14。　When　there　shall　be　a　〃restitution　of　all　things；　which　God　hath　spoken　by　the　mouth　of　all　His　holy　prophets　since　the　world　began〃　（Acts　3：21）；　the　creation　Sabbath；　the

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day　on　which　Jesus　lay　at　rest　in　Joseph's　tomb；　will　still　be　a　day　of　rest　and　rejoicing。　Heaven　and　earth　will　unite　in　praise；　as　〃from　one　Sabbath　to　another〃　（Isa。　66：23）　the　nations　of　the　saved　shall　bow　in　joyful　worship　to　God　and　the　Lamb。

In　the　closing　events　of　the　crucifixion　day；　fresh　evidence　was　given　of　the　fulfillment　of　prophecy；　and　new　witness　borne　to　Christ's　divinity。　When　the　darkness　had　lifted　from　the　cross；　and　the　Saviour's　dying　cry　had　been　uttered；　immediately　another　voice　was　heard；　saying；　〃Truly　this　was　the　Son　of　God。〃　Matt。　27：54。

These　words　were　said　in　no　whispered　tones。　All　eyes　were　turned　to　see　whence　they　came。　Who　had　spoken？　It　was　the　centurion；　the　Roman　soldier。　The　divine　patience　of　the　Saviour；　and　His　sudden　death；　with　the　cry　of　victory　upon　His　lips；　had　impressed　this　heathen。　In　the　bruised；　broken　body　hanging　upon　the　cross；　the　centurion　recognized　the　form　of　the　Son　of　God。　He　could　not　refrain　from　confessing　his　faith。　Thus　again　evidence　was　given　that　our　Redeemer　was　to　see　of　the　travail　of　His　soul。　Upon　the　very　day　of　His　death；　three　men；　differing　widely　from　one　another；　had　declared　their　faith；he　who　commanded　the　Roman　guard；　he　who　bore　the　cross　of　the　Saviour；　and　he　who　died　upon　the　cross　at　His　side。

As　evening　drew　on；　an　unearthly　stillness　hung　over　Calvary。　The　crowd　dispersed；　and　many　returned　to　Jerusalem　greatly　changed　in　spirit　from　what　they　had　been　in　the　morning。　Many　had　flocked　to　the　crucifixion　from　curiosity；　and　not　from　hatred　toward　Christ。　Still　they　believed　the　accusations　of　the　priests；　and　looked　upon　Christ　as　a　malefactor。　Under　an　unnatural　excitement　they　had　united　with　the　mob　in　railing　against　Him。　But　when　the　earth　was　wrapped　in　blackness；　and　they　stood　accused　by　their　own　consciences；　they　felt　guilty　of　a　great　wrong。　No　jest　or　mocking　laughter　was　heard　in　the　midst　of　that　fearful　gloom；　and　when　it　was　lifted；　they　made　their　way　to　their　homes　in　solemn　silence。　They　were　convinced　that　the　charges　of　the　priests　were　false；　that　Jesus　was　no　pretender；　and　a　few　weeks　later；　when　Peter　preached　upon　the　day　of　Pentecost；　they　were　among　the　thousands　who　became　converts　to　Christ。

But　the　Jewish　leaders　were　unchanged　by　the　events　they　had　witnessed。　Their　hatred　of　Jesus　had　not　abated。　The　darkness　that　had　mantled　the　earth　at　the　crucifixion　was　not　more　dense　than　that　which　still　enveloped　the　minds　of　the　priests　and　rulers。　At　His　birth　the　star

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had　known　Christ；　and　had　guided　the　wise　men　to　the　manger　where　He　lay。　The　heavenly　hosts　had　known　Him；　and　had　sung　His　praise　over　the　plains　of　Bethlehem。　The　sea　had　known　His　voice；　and　had　obeyed　His　command。　Disease　and　death　had　recognized　His　authority；　and　had　yielded　to　Him　their　prey。　The　sun　had　known　Him；　and　at　the　sight　of　His　dying　anguish；　had　hidden　its　face　of　light。　The　rocks　had　known　Him；　and　had　shivered　into　fragments　at　His　cry。　Inanimate　nature　had　known　Christ；　and　had　borne　witness　to　His　divinity。　But　the　priests　and　rulers　of　Israel　knew　not　the　Son　of　God。

Yet　the　priests　and　rulers　were　not　at　rest。　They　had　carried　out　their　purpose　in　putting　Christ　to　death；　but　they　did　not　feel　the　sense　of　victory　they　had　expected。　Even　in　the　hour　of　their　apparent　triumph；　they　were　harassed　with　doubts　as　to　what　would　next　take　place。　They　had　heard　the　cry；　〃It　is　finished。〃　〃Father；　into　Thy　hands　I　commend　My　spirit。〃　John　19：30；　Luke　23：46。　They　had　seen　the　rocks　rent；　and　had　felt　the　mighty　earthquake；　and　they　were　restless　and　uneasy。

They　had　been　jealous　of　Christ's　influence　with　the　people　when　living；　they　were　jealous　of　Him　even　in　death。　They　dreaded　the　dead　Christ　more；　far　more；　than　they　had　ever　feared　the　living　Christ。　They　dreaded　to　have　the　attention　of　the　people　directed　any　further　to　the　events　attending　His　crucifixion。　They　feared　the　results　of　that　day's　work。　Not　on　any　account　would　they　have　had　His　body　remain　on　the　cross　during　the　Sabbath。　The　Sabbath　was　now　drawing　on；　and　it　would　be　a　violation　of　its　sanctity　for　the　bodies　to　hang　upon　the　cross。　So；　using　this　as　a　pretext；　the　leading　Jews　requested　Pilate　that　the　death　of　the　victims　might　be　hastened；　and　their　bodies　be　removed　before　the　setting　of　the　sun。

Pilate　was　as　unwilling　as　they　for　the　body　of　Jesus　to　remain　upon　the　cross。　His　consent　having　been　obtained；　the　legs　of　the　two　thieves　were　broken　to　hasten　their　death；　but　Jesus　was　found　to　be　already　dead。　The　rude　soldiers　had　been　softened　by　what　they　had　heard　and　seen　of　Christ；　and　they　were　restrained　from　breaking　His　limbs。　Thus　in　the　offering　of　the　Lamb　of　God　was　fulfilled　the　law　of　the　Passover；　〃They　shall　leave　none　of　it　unto　the　morning；　nor　break　any　bone　of　it：　according　to　all　the　ordinances　of　the　Passover　they　shall　keep　it。〃　Num。　9：12

The　priests　and　rulers　were　amazed　to　find　that　Christ　was　dead。　Death　by　the　cross　was　a　lingering　process；　it　was　difficult　to　determine

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when　life　had　ceased。　It　was　an　unheard…of　thing　for　one　to　die　within　six　hours　of　crucifixion。　The　priests　wished　to　make　sure　of　the　death　of　Jesus；　and　at　their　suggestion　a　soldier　thrust　a　spear　into　the　Saviour's　side。　From　the　wound　thus　made；　there　flowed　two　copious　and　distinct　streams；　one　of　blood；　the　other　of　water。　This　was　noted　by　all　the　beholders；　and　John　states　the　occurrence　very　definitely。　He　says；　〃One　of　the　soldiers　with　a　spear　pierced　His　side；　and　forthwith　came　there　out　blood　and　water。　And　he　that　saw　it　bare　record；　and　his　record　is　true：　and　he　knoweth　that　he　saith　true；　that　ye　might　believe。　For　these　things　were　done；　that　the　scripture　should　be　fulfilled；　A　bone　of　Him　shall　not　be　broken。　And　again　another　scripture　saith；　They　shall　look　on　Him　whom　they　pierced。〃　John　19：34…37。

After　the　resurrection　the　priests　and　rulers　circulated　the　report　that　Christ　did　not　die　upon　the　cross；　that　He　merely　fainted；　and　was　afterward　revived。　Another　report　affirmed　that　it　was　not　a　real　body　of　flesh　and　bone；　but　the　likeness　of　a　body；　that　was　laid　in　the　tomb。　The　action　of　the　Roman　soldiers　disproves　these　falsehoods。　They　broke　not　His　legs；　because　He　was　already　dead。　To　satisfy　the　priests；　they　pierced　His　side。　Had　not　life　been　already　extinct；　this　wound　would　have　caused　instant　death。

But　it　was　not　the　spear　thrust；　it　was　not　the　pain　of　the　cross；　that　caused　the　death　of　Jesus。　That　cry；　uttered　〃with　a　loud　voice〃　（Matt。　27：50；　Luke　23：46）；　at　the　moment　of　death；　the　stream　of　blood　and　water　that　flowed　from　His　side；　declared　that　He　died　of　a　broken　heart。　His　heart　was　broken　by　mental　anguish。　He　was　slain　by　the　sin　of　the　world。

With　the　death　of　Christ　the　hopes　of　His　disciples　perished。　They　looked　upon　His　closed　eyelids　and　drooping　head；　His　hair　matted　with　blood；　His　pierced　hands　and　feet；　and　their　anguish　was　indescribable。　Until　the　last　they　had　not　believed　tha