the desire of ages-第123节

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　plan　and　study　to　please　themselves。　They　act　only　in　reference　to　self。　Time　is　of　value　to　them　only　as　they　can　gather　for　themselves。　In　all　the　affairs　of　life　this　is　their　object。　Not　for　others　but　for　themselves　do　they　minister。　God　created　them　to　live　in　a　world　where　unselfish　service　must　be　performed。　He　designed　them　to　help　their　fellow　men　in　every　possible　way。　But　self　is　so　large　that　they　cannot　see　anything　else。　They　are　not　in　touch　with　humanity。　Those　who　thus　live　for　self　are　like　the　fig　tree；　which　made　every　pretension　but　was　fruitless。　They　observe　the　forms　of　worship；　but　without　repentance　or　faith。　In　profession　they　honor　the　law　of　God；　but　obedience　is　lacking。　They　say；　but　do　not。　In　the　sentence　pronounced　on　the　fig　tree　Christ　demonstrates　how　hateful　in　His　eyes　is　this　vain　pretense。　He　declares　that　the　open　sinner　is　less　guilty　than　is　he　who　professes　to　serve　God；　but　who　bears　no　fruit　to　His　glory。

The　parable　of　the　fig　tree；　spoken　before　Christ's　visit　to　Jerusalem；　had　a　direct　connection　with　the　lesson　He　taught　in　cursing　the　fruitless　tree。　For　the　barren　tree　of　the　parable　the　gardener　pleaded；　Let　it　alone　this　year；　until　I　shall　dig　about　it　and　dress　it；　and　if　it　bear　fruit；　well；　but　if　not；　then　after　that　thou　shalt　cut　it　down。　Increased　care　was　to　be　given　the　unfruitful　tree。　It　was　to　have　every　advantage。　But　if　it　remained　fruitless；　nothing　could　save　it　from　destruction。　In　the　parable　the　result　of　the　gardener's　work　was　not　foretold。　It　depended　upon　that　people　to　whom　Christ's　words　were　spoken。　They　were　represented　by　the　fruitless　tree；　and　it　rested　with　them　to　decide　their　own　destiny。　Every　advantage　that　Heaven　could　bestow　was　given　them；　but　they　did　not　profit　by　their　increased　blessings。　By　Christ's　act　in　cursing　the　barren　fig　tree；　the　result　was　shown。　They　had　determined　their　own　destruction。

For　more　than　a　thousand　years　the　Jewish　nation　had　abused　God's　mercy　and　invited　His　judgments。　They　had　rejected　His　warnings　and　slain　His　prophets。　For　these　sins　the　people　of　Christ's　day　made　themselves　responsible　by　following　the　same　course。　In　the　rejection

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　587

of　their　present　mercies　and　warnings　lay　the　guilt　of　that　generation。　The　fetters　which　the　nation　had　for　centuries　been　forging；　the　people　of　Christ's　day　were　fastening　upon　themselves。

In　every　age　there　is　given　to　men　their　day　of　light　and　privilege；　a　probationary　time　in　which　they　may　become　reconciled　to　God。　But　there　is　a　limit　to　this　grace。　Mercy　may　plead　for　years　and　be　slighted　and　rejected；　but　there　comes　a　time　when　mercy　makes　her　last　plea。　The　heart　becomes　so　hardened　that　it　ceases　to　respond　to　the　Spirit　of　God。　Then　the　sweet；　winning　voice　entreats　the　sinner　no　longer；　and　reproofs　and　warnings　cease。

That　day　had　come　to　Jerusalem。　Jesus　wept　in　anguish　over　the　doomed　city；　but　He　could　not　deliver　her。　He　had　exhausted　every　resource。　In　rejecting　the　warnings　of　God's　Spirit；　Israel　had　rejected　the　only　means　of　help。　There　was　no　other　power　by　which　they　could　be　delivered。

The　Jewish　nation　was　a　symbol　of　the　people　of　all　ages　who　scorn　the　pleadings　of　Infinite　Love。　The　tears　of　Christ　when　He　wept　over　Jerusalem　were　for　the　sins　of　all　time。　In　the　judgments　pronounced　upon　Israel；　those　who　reject　the　reproofs　and　warnings　of　God's　Holy　Spirit；　may　read　their　own　condemnation。

In　this　generation　there　are　many　who　are　treading　on　the　same　ground　as　were　the　unbelieving　Jews。　They　have　witnessed　the　manifestation　of　the　power　of　God；　the　Holy　Spirit　has　spoken　to　their　hearts；　but　they　cling　to　their　unbelief　and　resistance。　God　sends　them　warnings　and　reproof；　but　they　are　not　willing　to　confess　their　errors；　and　they　reject　His　message　and　His　messenger。　The　very　means　He　uses　for　their　recovery　becomes　to　them　a　stone　of　stumbling。

The　prophets　of　God　were　hated　by　apostate　Israel　because　through　them　their　hidden　sins　were　brought　to　light。　Ahab　regarded　Elijah　as　his　enemy　because　the　prophet　was　faithful　to　rebuke　the　king's　secret　iniquities。　So　today　the　servant　of　Christ；the　reprover　of　sin；　meets　with　scorn　and　rebuffs。　Bible　truth；　the　religion　of　Christ；　struggles　against　a　strong　current　of　moral　impurity。　Prejudice　is　even　stronger　in　the　hearts　of　men　now　than　in　Christ's　day。　Christ　did　not　fulfill　men's　expectations；　His　life　was　a　rebuke　to　their　sins；　and　they　rejected　Him。　So　now　the　truth　of　God's　word　does　not　harmonize　with　men's　practices　and　their　natural　inclination；　and　thousands　reject　its　light。　Men　prompted　by　Satan　cast　doubt　upon　God's　word；　and　choose　to　exercise

588

their　independent　judgment。　They　choose　darkness　rather　than　light；　but　they　do　it　at　the　peril　of　their　souls。　Those　who　caviled　at　the　words　of　Christ；　found　ever…increased　cause　for　cavil；　until　they　turned　from　the　Truth　and　the　Life。　So　it　is　now。　God　does　not　propose　to　remove　every　objection　which　the　carnal　heart　may　bring　against　His　truth。　To　those　who　refuse　the　precious　rays　of　light　which　would　illuminate　the　darkness；　the　mysteries　of　God's　word　remain　such　forever。　From　them　the　truth　is　hidden。　They　walk　blindly；　and　know　not　the　ruin　before　them。

Christ　overlooked　the　world　and　all　ages　from　the　height　of　Olivet；　and　His　words　are　applicable　to　every　soul　who　slights　the　pleadings　of　divine　mercy。　Scorner　of　His　love；　He　addresses　you　today。　It　is　〃thou；　even　thou；〃　who　shouldest　know　the　things　that　belong　to　thy　peace。　Christ　is　shedding　bitter　tears　for　you；　who　have　no　tears　to　shed　for　yourself。　Already　that　fatal　hardness　of　heart　which　destroyed　the　Pharisees　is　manifest　in　you。　And　every　evidence　of　the　grace　of　God；　every　ray　of　divine　light；　is　either　melting　and　subduing　the　soul；　or　confirming　it　in　hopeless　impenitence。

Christ　foresaw　that　Jerusalem　would　remain　obdurate　and　impenitent；　yet　all　the　guilt；　all　the　consequences　of　rejected　mercy；　lay　at　her　own　door。　Thus　it　will　be　with　every　soul　who　is　following　the　same　course。　The　Lord　declares；　〃O　Israel；　thou　hast　destroyed　thyself。〃　〃Hear；　O　earth：　behold；　I　will　bring　evil　upon　this　people；　even　the　fruit　of　their　thoughts；　because　they　have　not　hearkened　unto　My　words；　nor　to　My　law；　but　rejected　it。〃　Hosea　13：9；　Jer。　6：19。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（589）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　65

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Temple　Cleansed　Again


At　the　beginning　of　His　ministry；　Christ　had　driven　from　the　temple　those　who　defiled　it　by　their　unholy　traffic；　and　His　stern　and　godlike　demeanor　had　struck　terror　to　the　hearts　of　the　scheming　traders。　At　the　close　of　His　mission　He　came　again　to　the　temple；　and　found　it　still　desecrated　as　before。　The　condition　of　things　was　even　worse　than　before。　The　outer　court　of　the　temple　was　like　a　vast　cattle　yard。　With　the　cries　of　the　animals　and　the　sharp　chinking　of　coin　was　mingled　the　sound　of　angry　altercation　between　traffickers；　and　among　them　were　heard　the　voices　of　men　in　sacred　office。　The　dignitaries　of　the　temple　were　themselves　engaged　in　buying　and　selling　and　the　exchange　of　money。　So　completely　were　they　controlled　by　their　greed　of　gain　that　in　the　sight　of　God　they　were　no　better　than　thieves。

Little　did　the　priests　and　rulers　realize　the　solemnity　of　the　work　which　it　was　theirs　to　perform。　At　every　Passover　and　Feast　of　Tabernacles；　thousands　of　animals　were　slain；　and　their　blood　was　caught　by　the　priests　and　poured　upon　the　altar。　The　Jews　had　become　familiar　with　the　offering　of　blood；　and　had　almost　lost　sight　of　the　fact　that　it　was　sin　which　made　necessary　all　this　shedding　of　the　blood　of　beasts。　They　did　not　discern　that　it　prefigured　the　blood　of　God's　dear　Son；

590

which　was　to　be　shed　for　the　life　of　the　world；　and　that　by　the　offering　of　sacrifices　men　were　to　be　directed　to　a　crucified　Redeemer。

Jesus　looked　upon　the　innocent　victims　of　sacrifice；　and　saw　how　the　Jews　had　made　these　great　convocations　scenes　of　bloodshed　and　cruelty。　In　place　of　humble　repentance　of　sin；　they　had　multiplied　the　sacrifice　of　beasts；　as　if　God　could　be　honored　by　a　heartless　service。　The　priests　and　rulers　had　hardened　their　hearts　through　selfishness　and　avarice。　The　very　symbols　pointing　to　the　Lamb　of　God　they　had　made　a　means　of　getting　gain。　Thus　in　the　eyes　of　the　people　the　sacredness　of　the　sacrificial　service　had　been　in　a　great　measure　destroyed。　The　indignation　of　Jesus　was　stirred；　He　knew　that　His　blood；　so　soon　to　be　shed　for　the　sins　of　the　world；　would　be　as　little　appreciated　by　the　priests　and　elders　as　was　the　blood　of　beasts　which　they　kept　incessantly　flowing。

Against　these　practices　Christ　had　spoken　through　the　prophets。　Samuel　had　said；　〃Hath　the　Lord　as　great　delight　in　burnt　offerings　and　sacrifices；　as　in　obeying　the　voice　of　the　Lord？　Behold；　to　obey　is　better　than　sacrifice；　and　to　hearken　than　the　fat　of　rams。〃　And　Isaiah；　seeing　in　prophetic　vision　the　apostasy　of　the　Jews；　addressed　them　as　rulers　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah：　〃Hear　the　word　of　the　Lord；　ye　rulers　of　Sodom；　giv