the desire of ages-第34章

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sing　the　temple　from　the　world's　buyers　and　sellers；　Jesus　announced　His　mission　to　cleanse　the　heart　from　the　defilement　of　sin；from　the　earthly　desires；　the　selfish　lusts；　the　evil　habits；　that　corrupt　the　soul。　〃The　Lord；　whom　ye　seek；　shall　suddenly　come　to　His　temple；　even　the　Messenger　of　the　covenant；　whom　ye　delight　in：　behold；　He　shall　come；　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts。　But　who　may　abide　the　day　of　His　coming？　and　who　shall　stand　when　He　appeareth？　for　He　is　like　a　refiner's　fire；　and　like　fullers'　soap：　and　He　shall　sit　as　a　refiner　and　purifier　of　silver：　and　He　shall　purify　the　sons　of　Levi；　and　purge　them　as　gold　and　silver。〃　Mal。　3：1…3。

〃Know　ye　not　that　ye　are　the　temple　of　God；　and　that　the　Spirit　of　God　dwelleth　in　you？　If　any　man　defile　the　temple　of　God；　him　shall　God　destroy；　for　the　temple　of　God　is　holy；　which　temple　ye　are。〃　1　Cor。　3：16；　17。　No　man　can　of　himself　cast　out　the　evil　throng　that　have　taken　possession　of　the　heart。　Only　Christ　can　cleanse　the　soul　temple。　But　He　will　not　force　an　entrance。　He　comes　not　into　the　heart　as　to　the　temple　of　old；　but　He　says；　〃Behold；　I　stand　at　the　door；　and　knock：　if　any　man　hear　My　voice；　and　open　the　door；　I　will　come　in　to　him。〃　Rev。　3：20。　He　will　come；　not　for　one　day　merely；　for　He　says；　〃I　will　dwell　in　them；　and　walk　in　them；　。　。　。　and　they　shall

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be　My　people。〃　〃He　will　subdue　our　iniquities；　and　Thou　wilt　cast　all　their　sins　into　the　depths　of　the　sea。〃　2　Cor。　6：16；　Micah　7：19。　His　presence　will　cleanse　and　sanctify　the　soul；　so　that　it　may　be　a　holy　temple　unto　the　Lord；　and　〃an　habitation　of　God　through　the　Spirit。〃　Eph。　2：21；　22。

Overpowered　with　terror；　the　priests　and　rulers　had　fled　from　the　temple　court；　and　from　the　searching　glance　that　read　their　hearts。　In　their　flight　they　met　others　on　their　way　to　the　temple；　and　bade　them　turn　back；　telling　them　what　they　had　seen　and　heard。　Christ　looked　upon　the　fleeing　men　with　yearning　pity　for　their　fear；　and　their　ignorance　of　what　constituted　true　worship。　In　this　scene　He　saw　symbolized　the　dispersion　of　the　whole　Jewish　nation　for　their　wickedness　and　impenitence。

And　why　did　the　priests　flee　from　the　temple？　Why　did　they　not　stand　their　ground？　He　who　commanded　them　to　go　was　a　carpenter's　son；　a　poor　Galilean；　without　earthly　rank　or　power。　Why　did　they　not　resist　Him？　Why　did　they　leave　the　gain　so　ill　acquired；　and　flee　at　the　command　of　One　whose　outward　appearance　was　so　humble？

Christ　spoke　with　the　authority　of　a　king；　and　in　His　appearance；　and　in　the　tones　of　His　voice；　there　was　that　which　they　had　no　power　to　resist。　At　the　word　of　command　they　realized；　as　they　had　never　realized　before；　their　true　position　as　hypocrites　and　robbers。　When　divinity　flashed　through　humanity；　not　only　did　they　see　indignation　on　Christ's　countenance；　they　realized　the　import　of　His　words。　They　felt　as　if　before　the　throne　of　the　eternal　Judge；　with　their　sentence　passed　on　them　for　time　and　for　eternity。　For　a　time　they　were　convinced　that　Christ　was　a　prophet；　and　many　believed　Him　to　be　the　Messiah。　The　Holy　Spirit　flashed　into　their　minds　the　utterances　of　the　prophets　concerning　Christ。　Would　they　yield　to　this　conviction？

Repent　they　would　not。　They　knew　that　Christ's　sympathy　for　the　poor　had　been　aroused。　They　knew　that　they　had　been　guilty　of　extortion　in　their　dealings　with　the　people。　Because　Christ　discerned　their　thoughts　they　hated　Him。　His　public　rebuke　was　humiliating　to　their　pride；　and　they　were　jealous　of　His　growing　influence　with　the　people。　They　determined　to　challenge　Him　as　to　the　power　by　which　He　had　driven　them　forth；　and　who　gave　Him　this　power。

Slowly　and　thoughtfully；　but　with　hate　in　their　hearts；　they　returned　to　the　temple。　But　what　a　change　had　taken　place　during　their　absence！

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When　they　fled；　the　poor　remained　behind；　and　these　were　now　looking　to　Jesus；　whose　countenance　expressed　His　love　and　sympathy。　With　tears　in　His　eyes；　He　said　to　the　trembling　ones　around　Him：　Fear　not；　I　will　deliver　thee；　and　thou　shalt　glorify　Me。　For　this　cause　came　I　into　the　world。

The　people　pressed　into　Christ's　presence　with　urgent；　pitiful　appeals：　Master；　bless　me。　His　ear　heard　every　cry。　With　pity　exceeding　that　of　a　tender　mother　He　bent　over　the　suffering　little　ones。　All　received　attention。　Everyone　was　healed　of　whatever　disease　he　had。　The　dumb　opened　their　lips　in　praise；　the　blind　beheld　the　face　of　their　Restorer。　The　hearts　of　the　sufferers　were　made　glad。

As　the　priests　and　temple　officials　witnessed　this　great　work；　what　a　revelation　to　them　were　the　sounds　that　fell　on　their　ears！　The　people　were　relating　the　story　of　the　pain　they　had　suffered；　of　their　disappointed　hopes；　of　painful　days　and　sleepless　nights。　When　the　last　spark　of　hope　seemed　to　be　dead；　Christ　had　healed　them。　The　burden　was　so　heavy；　one　said；　but　I　have　found　a　helper。　He　is　the　Christ　of　God；　and　I　will　devote　my　life　to　His　service。　Parents　said　to　their　children；　He　has　saved　your　life；　lift　up　your　voice　and　praise　Him。　The　voices　of　children　and　youth；　fathers　and　mothers；　friends　and　spectators；　blended　in　thanksgiving　and　praise。　Hope　and　gladness　filled　their　hearts。　Peace　came　to　their　minds。　They　were　restored　soul　and　body；　and　they　returned　home；　proclaiming　everywhere　the　matchless　love　of　Jesus。

At　the　crucifixion　of　Christ；　those　who　had　thus　been　healed　did　not　join　with　the　rabble　throng　in　crying；　〃Crucify　Him；　crucify　Him。〃　Their　sympathies　were　with　Jesus；　for　they　had　felt　His　great　sympathy　and　wonderful　power。　They　knew　Him　to　be　their　Saviour；　for　He　had　given　them　health　of　body　and　soul。　They　listened　to　the　preaching　of　the　apostles；　and　the　entrance　of　God's　word　into　their　hearts　gave　them　understanding。　They　became　agents　of　God's　mercy；　and　instruments　of　His　salvation。

The　crowd　that　had　fled　from　the　temple　court　after　a　time　slowly　drifted　back。　They　had　partially　recovered　from　the　panic　that　had　seized　them；　but　their　faces　expressed　irresolution　and　timidity。　They　looked　with　amazement　on　the　works　of　Jesus；　and　were　convicted　that　in　Him　the　prophecies　concerning　the　Messiah　were　fulfilled。　The　sin　of　the　desecration　of　the　temple　rested；　in　a　great　degree；　upon　the　priests。　It

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was　by　their　arrangement　that　the　court　had　been　turned　into　a　market　place。　The　people　were　comparatively　innocent。　They　were　impressed　by　the　divine　authority　of　Jesus；　but　with　them　the　influence　of　the　priests　and　rulers　was　paramount。　They　regarded　Christ's　mission　as　an　innovation；　and　questioned　His　right　to　interfere　with　what　was　permitted　by　the　authorities　of　the　temple。　They　were　offended　because　the　traffic　had　been　interrupted；　and　they　stifled　the　convictions　of　the　Holy　Spirit。

Above　all　others　the　priests　and　rulers　should　have　seen　in　Jesus　the　anointed　of　the　Lord；　for　in　their　hands　were　the　sacred　scrolls　that　described　His　mission；　and　they　knew　that　the　cleansing　of　the　temple　was　a　manifestation　of　more　than　human　power。　Much　as　they　hated　Jesus；　they　could　not　free　themselves　from　the　thought　that　He　might　be　a　prophet　sent　by　God　to　restore　the　sanctity　of　the　temple。　With　a　deference　born　of　this　fear；　they　went　to　Him　with　the　inquiry；　〃What　sign　showest　Thou　unto　us；　seeing　that　Thou　doest　these　things？〃

Jesus　had　shown　them　a　sign。　In　flashing　light　into　their　hearts；　and　in　doing　before　them　the　works　which　the　Messiah　was　to　do；　He　had　given　convincing　evidence　of　His　character。　Now　when　they　asked　for　a　sign；　He　answered　them　by　a　parable；　showing　that　He　read　their　malice；　and　saw　to　what　lengths　it　would　lead　them。　〃Destroy　this　temple；〃　He　said；　〃and　in　three　days　I　will　raise　it　up。〃

In　these　words　His　meaning　was　twofold。　He　referred　not　only　to　the　destruction　of　the　Jewish　temple　and　worship；　but　to　His　own　death；the　destruction　of　the　temple　of　His　body。　This　the　Jews　were　already　plotting。　As　the　priests　and　rulers　returned　to　the　temple；　they　had　proposed　to　kill　Jesus；　and　thus　rid　themselves　of　the　troubler。　Yet　when　He　set　before　them　their　purpose；　they　did　not　understand　Him。　They　took　His　words　as　applying　only　to