the desire of ages-第53章

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se　who　have　had　great　light；　and　profess　to　serve　God；　but　who　disregard　the　light；　and　by　their　daily　life　contradict　their　profession。

The　words　of　Jesus　to　His　hearers　in　the　synagogue　struck　at　the　root　of　their　self…righteousness；　pressing　home　upon　them　the　bitter　truth　that　they　had　departed　from　God　and　forfeited　their　claim　to　be　His　people。　Every　word　cut　like　a　knife　as　their　real　condition　was　set　before　them。　They　now　scorned　the　faith　with　which　Jesus　had　at　first　inspired　them。　They　would　not　admit　that　He　who　had　sprung　from　poverty　and　lowliness　was　other　than　a　common　man。

Their　unbelief　bred　malice。　Satan　controlled　them；　and　in　wrath　they　cried　out　against　the　Saviour。　They　had　turned　from　Him　whose　mission

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it　was　to　heal　and　restore；　now　they　manifested　the　attributes　of　the　destroyer。

When　Jesus　referred　to　the　blessings　given　to　the　Gentiles；　the　fierce　national　pride　of　His　hearers　was　aroused；　and　His　words　were　drowned　in　a　tumult　of　voices。　These　people　had　prided　themselves　on　keeping　the　law；　but　now　that　their　prejudices　were　offended；　they　were　ready　to　commit　murder。　The　assembly　broke　up；　and　laying　hands　upon　Jesus；　they　thrust　Him　from　the　synagogue；　and　out　of　the　city。　All　seemed　eager　for　His　destruction。　They　hurried　Him　to　the　brow　of　a　precipice；　intending　to　cast　Him　down　headlong。　Shouts　and　maledictions　filled　the　air。　Some　were　casting　stones　at　Him；　when　suddenly　He　disappeared　from　among　them。　The　heavenly　messengers　who　had　been　by　His　side　in　the　synagogue　were　with　Him　in　the　midst　of　that　maddened　throng。　They　shut　Him　in　from　His　enemies；　and　conducted　Him　to　a　place　of　safety。

So　angels　protected　Lot；　and　led　him　out　safely　from　the　midst　of　Sodom。　So　they　protected　Elisha　in　the　little　mountain　city。　When　the　encircling　hills　were　filled　with　the　horses　and　chariots　of　the　king　of　Syria；　and　the　great　host　of　his　armed　men；　Elisha　beheld　the　nearer　hill　slopes　covered　with　the　armies　of　God；horses　and　chariots　of　fire　round　about　the　servant　of　the　Lord。

So；　in　all　ages；　angels　have　been　near　to　Christ's　faithful　followers。　The　vast　confederacy　of　evil　is　arrayed　against　all　who　would　overcome；　but　Christ　would　have　us　look　to　the　things　which　are　not　seen；　to　the　armies　of　heaven　encamped　about　all　who　love　God；　to　deliver　them。　From　what　dangers；　seen　and　unseen；　we　have　been　preserved　through　the　interposition　of　the　angels；　we　shall　never　know；　until　in　the　light　of　eternity　we　see　the　providences　of　God。　Then　we　shall　know　that　the　whole　family　of　heaven　was　interested　in　the　family　here　below；　and　that　messengers　from　the　throne　of　God　attended　our　steps　from　day　to　day。

When　Jesus　in　the　synagogue　read　from　the　prophecy；　He　stopped　short　of　the　final　specification　concerning　the　Messiah's　work。　Having　read　the　words；　〃To　proclaim　the　acceptable　year　of　the　Lord；〃　He　omitted　the　phrase；　〃and　the　day　of　vengeance　of　our　God。〃　Isa。　61：2。　This　was　just　as　much　truth　as　was　the　first　of　the　prophecy；　and　by　His　silence　Jesus　did　not　deny　the　truth。　But　this　last　expression　was　that　upon　which　His　hearers　delighted　to　dwell；　and　which　they　were　desirous　of　fulfilling。　They　denounced　judgments　against　the　heathen；　not　discerning

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that　their　own　guilt　was　even　greater　than　that　of　others。　They　themselves　were　in　deepest　need　of　the　mercy　they　were　so　ready　to　deny　to　the　heathen。　That　day　in　the　synagogue；　when　Jesus　stood　among　them；　was　their　opportunity　to　accept　the　call　of　Heaven。　He　who　〃delighteth　in　mercy〃　（Micah　7：18）　would　fain　have　saved　them　from　the　ruin　which　their　sins　were　inviting。

Not　without　one　more　call　to　repentance　could　He　give　them　up。　Toward　the　close　of　His　ministry　in　Galilee；　He　again　visited　the　home　of　His　childhood。　Since　His　rejection　there；　the　fame　of　His　preaching　and　His　miracles　had　filled　the　land。　None　now　could　deny　that　He　possessed　more　than　human　power。　The　people　of　Nazareth　knew　that　He　went　about　doing　good；　and　healing　all　that　were　oppressed　by　Satan。　About　them　were　whole　villages　where　there　was　not　a　moan　of　sickness　in　any　house；　for　He　had　passed　through　them；　and　healed　all　their　sick。　The　mercy　revealed　in　every　act　of　His　life　testified　to　His　divine　anointing。

Again　as　they　listened　to　His　words　the　Nazarenes　were　moved　by　the　Divine　Spirit。　But　even　now　they　would　not　admit　that　this　Man；　who　had　been　brought　up　among　them；　was　other　or　greater　than　themselves。　Still　there　rankled　the　bitter　memory　that　while　He　had　claimed　for　Himself　to　be　the　Promised　One；　He　had　really　denied　them　a　place　with　Israel；　for　He　had　shown　them　to　be　less　worthy　of　God's　favor　than　a　heathen　man　and　woman。　Hence　though　they　questioned；　〃Whence　hath　this　Man　this　wisdom；　and　these　mighty　works？〃　they　would　not　receive　Him　as　the　Christ　of　God。　Because　of　their　unbelief；　the　Saviour　could　not　work　many　miracles　among　them。　Only　a　few　hearts　were　open　to　His　blessing；　and　reluctantly　He　departed；　never　to　return。

Unbelief；　having　once　been　cherished；　continued　to　control　the　men　of　Nazareth。　So　it　controlled　the　Sanhedrin　and　the　nation。　With　priests　and　people；　the　first　rejection　of　the　demonstration　of　the　Holy　Spirit's　power　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。　In　order　to　prove　that　their　first　resistance　was　right；　they　continued　ever　after　to　cavil　at　the　words　of　Christ。　Their　rejection　of　the　Spirit　culminated　in　the　cross　of　Calvary；　in　the　destruction　of　their　city；　in　the　scattering　of　the　nation　to　the　winds　of　heaven。

Oh；　how　Christ　longed　to　open　to　Israel　the　precious　treasures　of　the　truth！　But　such　was　their　spiritual　blindness　that　it　was　impossible　to

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reveal　to　them　the　truths　relating　to　His　kingdom。　They　clung　to　their　creed　and　their　useless　ceremonies　when　the　truth　of　Heaven　awaited　their　acceptance。　They　spent　their　money　for　chaff　and　husks；　when　the　bread　of　life　was　within　their　reach。　Why　did　they　not　go　to　the　word　of　God；　and　search　diligently　to　know　whether　they　were　in　error？　The　Old　Testament　Scriptures　stated　plainly　every　detail　of　Christ's　ministry；　and　again　and　again　He　quoted　from　the　prophets；　and　declared；　〃This　day　is　this　scripture　fulfilled　in　your　ears。〃　If　they　had　honestly　searched　the　Scriptures；　bringing　their　theories　to　the　test　of　God's　word；　Jesus　need　not　have　wept　over　their　impenitence。　He　need　not　have　declared；　〃Behold；　your　house　is　left　unto　you　desolate。〃　Luke　13：35。　They　might　have　been　acquainted　with　the　evidence　of　His　Messiahship；　and　the　calamity　that　laid　their　proud　city　in　ruins　might　have　been　averted。　But　the　minds　of　the　Jews　had　become　narrowed　by　their　unreasoning　bigotry。　The　lessons　of　Christ　revealed　their　deficiencies　of　character；　and　demanded　repentance。　If　they　accepted　His　teachings；　their　practices　must　be　changed；　and　their　cherished　hopes　relinquished。　In　order　to　be　honored　by　Heaven；　they　must　sacrifice　the　honor　of　men。　If　they　obeyed　the　words　of　this　new　rabbi；　they　must　go　contrary　to　the　opinions　of　the　great　thinkers　and　teachers　of　the　time。

Truth　was　unpopular　in　Christ's　day。　It　is　unpopular　in　our　day。　It　has　been　unpopular　ever　since　Satan　first　gave　man　a　disrelish　for　it　by　presenting　fables　that　lead　to　self…exaltation。　Do　we　not　today　meet　theories　and　doctrines　that　have　no　foundation　in　the　word　of　God？　Men　cling　as　tenaciously　to　them　as　did　the　Jews　to　their　traditions。

The　Jewish　leaders　were　filled　with　spiritual　pride。　Their　desire　for　the　glorification　of　self　manifested　itself　even　in　the　service　of　the　sanctuary。　They　loved　the　highest　seats　in　the　synagogue。　They　loved　greetings　in　the　market　places；　and　were　gratified　with　the　sound　of　their　titles　on　the　lips　of　men。　As　real　piety　declined；　they　became　more　jealous　for　their　traditions　and　ceremonies。

Because　their　understanding　was　darkened　by　selfish　prejudice；　they　could　not　harmonize　the　power　of　Christ's　convicting　words　with　the　humility　of　His　life。　They　did　not　appreciate　the　fact　that　real　greatness　can　dispense　with　outward　show。　This　Man's　poverty　seemed　wholly　inconsistent　with　His　claim　to　be　the　Messiah。　They　questioned；　If　He　was　what