the great controversy-第78节

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348

Christ。　Even　after　entering　upon　His　earthly　mission；　the　Saviour；　wearied
with　the　stubbornness　and　ingratitude　of　men；　might　have　drawn　back　from　the
sacrifice　of　Calvary。　In　Gethsemane　the　cup　of　woe　trembled　in　His　hand。　He
might　even　then　have　wiped　the　blood…sweat　from　His　brow　and　have　left　the
guilty　race　to　perish　in　their　iniquity。　Had　He　done　this；　there　could　have
been　no　redemption　for　fallen　men。　But　when　the　Saviour　yielded　up　His　life；
and　with　His　expiring　breath　cried　out；　〃It　is　finished；〃　then　the
fulfillment　of　the　plan　of　redemption　was　assured。　The　promise　of　salvation
made　to　the　sinful　pair　in　Eden　was　ratified。　The　kingdom　of　grace；　which
had　before　existed　by　the　promise　of　God；　was　then　established。

Thus　the　death　of　Christthe　very　event　which　the　disciples　had　looked　upon
as　the　final　destruction　of　their　hope　was　that　which　made　it　forever
sure。　While　it　had　brought　them　a　cruel　disappointment；　it　was　the　climax　of
proof　that　their　belief　had　been　correct。　The　event　that　had　filled　them
with　mourning　and　despair　was　that　which　opened　the　door　of　hope　to　every
child　of　Adam；　and　in　which　centered　the　future　life　and　eternal　happiness
of　all　God's　faithful　ones　in　all　the　ages。

Purposes　of　infinite　mercy　were　reaching　their　fulfillment；　even　though　the
disappointment　of　the　disciples。　While　their　hearts　had　been　won　by　the
divine　grace　and　power　of　His　teaching；　who　〃spake　as　never　man　spake；〃　yet
intermingled　with　the　pure　gold　of　their　love　for　Jesus；　was　the　base　alloy
of　worldly　pride　and　selfish　ambitions。　Even　in　the　Passover　chamber；　at
that　solemn　hour　when　their　Master　was　already　entering　the　shadow　of
Gethsemane；　there　was　〃a　strife　among　them；　which　of　them　should　be
accounted　the　greatest。〃　Luke　22：24。　Their　vision　was　filled　with　the
throne；　the　crown；　and　the　glory；　while　just　before　them　lay　the　shame　and
agony　of　the　garden；　the　judgment　hall；　the　cross　of　Calvary。　It　was　their
pride　of　heart；　their　thirst　for　worldly

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glory；　that　had　led　them　to　cling　so　tenaciously　to　the　false　teaching　of
their　time；　and　to　pass　unheeded　the　Saviour's　words　showing　the　true　nature
of　His　kingdom；　and　pointing　forward　to　His　agony　and　death。　And　these　error
resulted　in　the　trialsharp　but　needfulwhich　was　permitted　for　their
correction。　Though　the　disciples　had　mistaken　the　meaning　of　their　message；
and　had　failed　to　realize　their　expectations；　yet　they　had　preached　the
warning　given　them　of　God；　and　the　Lord　would　reward　their　faith　and　honor
their　obedience。　To　them　was　to　be　entrusted　the　work　of　heralding　to　all
nations　the　glorious　gospel　of　their　risen　Lord。　It　was　to　prepare　them　for
this　work　that　the　experience　which　seemed　to　them　so　bitter　had　been
permitted。

After　His　resurrection　Jesus　appeared　to　His　disciples　on　the　way　to　Emmaus；
and；　〃beginning　at　Moses　and　all　the　prophets；　He　expounded　unto　them　in　all
the　Scriptures　the　things　concerning　Himself。〃　Luke　24：27。　The　hearts　of　the
disciples　were　stirred。　Faith　was　kindled。　They　were　〃begotten　again　into　a
lively　hope〃　even　before　Jesus　revealed　Himself　to　them。　It　was　His　purpose
to　enlighten　their　understanding　and　to　fasten　their　faith　upon　the　〃sure
word　of　prophecy。〃　He　wished　the　truth　to　take　firm　root　in　their　minds；　not
merely　because　it　was　supported　by　His　personal　testimony；　but　because　of
the　unquestionable　evidence　presented　by　the　symbols　and　shadows　of　the
typical　law；　and　by　the　prophecies　of　the　Old　Testament。　It　was　needful　for
the　followers　of　Christ　to　have　an　intelligent　faith；　not　only　in　their　own
behalf；　but　that　they　might　carry　the　knowledge　of　Christ　to　the　world。　And
as　the　very　first　step　in　imparting　this　knowledge；　Jesus　directed　the
disciples　to　〃Moses　and　all　the　prophets。〃　Such　was　the　testimony　given　by
the　risen　Saviour　to　the　value　and　importance　of　the　Old　Testament
Scriptures。

What　a　change　was　wrought　in　the　hearts　of　the　disciples　as　they　looked　once
more　on　the　loved　countenance　of　their

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Master！　Luke　24：32。　In　a　more　complete　and　perfect　sense　than　ever　before
they　had　〃found　Him；　of　whom　Moses　in　the　law；　and　the　prophets；　did　write。〃
The　uncertainty；　the　anguish；　the　despair；　gave　place　to　perfect　assurance；
to　unclouded　faith。　What　marvel　that　after　His　ascension　they　〃were
continually　in　the　temple；　praising　and　blessing　God。〃　The　people；　knowing
only　of　the　Saviour's　ignominious　death；　looked　to　see　in　their　faces　the
expression　of　sorrow；　confusion；　and　defeat；　but　they　saw　there　gladness　and
triumph。　What　a　preparation　these　disciples　had　received　for　the　work　before
them！　They　had　passed　through　the　deepest　trial　which　it　was　possible　for
them　to　experience；　and　had　seen　how；　when　to　human　vision　all　was　lost；　the
word　of　God　had　been　triumphantly　accomplished。　Henceforward　what　could
daunt　their　faith　or　chill　the　ardor　of　their　love？　In　the　keenest　sorrow
they　had　〃strong　consolation；〃　a　hope　which　was　as　〃an　anchor　of　the　soul；
both　sure　and　steadfast。〃　Hebrews　6：18；　19。　They　had　been　witness　to　the
wisdom　and　power　of　God；　and　they　were　〃persuaded；　that　neither　death；　nor
life；　nor　angels；　nor　principalities；　nor　powers；　nor　things　present；　nor
things　to　come；　nor　height；　nor　depth；　nor　any　other　creature；〃　would　be
able　to　separate　them　from　〃the　love　of　God；　which　is　in　Christ　Jesus　our
Lord。〃　〃In　all　these　things；〃　they　said；　〃we　are　more　than　conquerors
through　Him　that　loved　us。〃　Romans　8：38；　39；　37。　〃The　word　of　the　Lord
endureth　forever。〃　1　Peter　1：25。　And　〃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。〃　Romans　8：34。

Saith　the　Lord：　〃My　people　shall　never　be　ashamed。〃　Joel　2：26。　〃Weeping　may
endure　for　a　night；　but　joy　cometh　in　the　morning。〃　Psalm　30：5。　When　on　His
resurrection　day　these　disciples　met　the　Saviour；　and　their　hearts　burned
within　them　as　they　listened　to　His　words；　when　they　looked　upon　the　head
and　hands　and　feet　that　had　been　bruised　for　them；　when；　before　His
ascension；　Jesus　led　them　out　as

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far　as　Bethany；　and　lifting　up　His　hands　in　blessing；　bade　them；　〃Go　ye　into
all　the　world；　and　preach　the　gospel；〃　adding；　〃Lo；　I　am　with　you　alway〃
（Mark　16：15；　Matthew　28：20）；　when　on　the　Day　of　Pentecost　the　promised
Comforter　descended　and　the　power　from　on　high　was　given　and　the　souls　of
the　believers　thrilled　with　the　conscious　presence　of　their　ascended
Lordthen；　even　though；　like　His；　their　pathway　led　through　sacrifice　and
martyrdom；　would　they　have　exchanged　the　ministry　of　the　gospel　of　His
grace；　with　the　〃crown　of　righteousness〃　to　be　received　at　His　coming；　for
the　glory　of　an　earthly　throne；　which　had　been　the　hope　of　their　earlier
discipleship？　He　who　is　〃able　to　do　exceeding　abundantly　above　all　that　we
ask　or　think；〃　had　granted　them；　with　the　fellowship　of　His　sufferings；　the
communion　of　His　joythe　joy　of　〃bringing　many　sons　unto　glory；〃　joy
unspeakable；　an　〃eternal　weight　of　glory；〃　to　which；　says　Paul；　〃our　light
affliction；　which　is　but　for　a　moment；〃　is　〃not　worthy　to　be　compared。〃

The　experience　of　the　disciples　who　preached　the　〃gospel　of　the　kingdom〃　at
the　first　advent　of　Christ；　had　its　counterpart　in　the　experience　of　those
who　proclaimed　the　message　of　His　second　advent。　As　the　disciples　went　out
preaching；　〃The　time　is　fulfilled；　the　kingdom　of　God　is　at　hand；〃　so　Miller
and　his　associates　proclaimed　that　the　longest　and　last　prophetic　period
brought　to　view　in　the　Bible　was　about　to　expire；　that　the　judgment　was　at
hand；　and　the　everlasting　kingdom　was　to　be　ushered　in。　The　preaching　of　the
disciples　in　regard　to　time　was　based　on　the　seventy　weeks　of　Daniel　9。　The
message　given　by　Miller　and　his　associates　announced　the　termination　of　the
2300　days　of　Daniel　8：14；　of　which　the　seventy　weeks　form　a　part。　The
preaching　of　each　was　based　upon　the　fulfillment　of　a　different　portion　of
the　same　great　prophetic　period。

Like　the　first　disciples；　William　Miller　and　his　associates　did　not；
themselves；　fully　comprehend　the　import　of　the　message　which　they　bore。
Errors　that　had　been　long　established

352

in　the　church　prevented　them　from　arriving　at　a　correct　interpretation　of　an
important　point　in　the　prophecy。　Therefore；　though　they　proclaimed　the
message　which　God　had　committed　to　them　to　be　given　to　the　world；　yet
through　a　misapprehension　of　its　meaning　they　suffered　disappointment。

In　explaining　Daniel　8：14；　〃Unto　two　thousand　and　three　hundred　days；　then
shall　the　sanctuary　be　cleansed；〃　Miller；　as　has　been　stated；　adopted　the
generally　received　view　that　the　earth　is　the　sanctuary；　and　he　believed
that　the　cleansing　of　the　sanctuary　represented　the　purification　of　the
earth　by　fire　at　the　coming　of　the　Lord。　When；　therefore；　he　found　that　the
close　of　the　2300　days　was　definitely　foretold；　he　concluded　that　this
revealed　the　time　of　the　second　advent。　His　error　resulted　from　accepting
the　popular　view　as　to　what　constitute