the desire of ages-第17节

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shall　drink　neither　wine　nor　strong　drink；　and　he　shall　be　filled　with　the　Holy　Ghost。〃　God　had　called　the　son　of　Zacharias　to　a　great　work；　the　greatest　ever　committed　to　men。　In　order　to　accomplish　this　work；　he　must　have　the　Lord　to　work　with　him。　And　the　Spirit　of　God　would　be　with　him　if　he　heeded　the　instruction　of　the　angel。

John　was　to　go　forth　as　Jehovah's　messenger；　to　bring　to　men　the　light　of　God。　He　must　give　a　new　direction　to　their　thoughts。　He　must　impress　them　with　the　holiness　of　God's　requirements；　and　their　need　of　His　perfect　righteousness。　Such　a　messenger　must　be　holy。　He　must　be　a　temple　for　the　indwelling　Spirit　of　God。　In　order　to　fulfill　his　mission；　he　must　have　a　sound　physical　constitution；　and　mental　and　spiritual　strength。　Therefore　it　would　be　necessary　for　him　to　control　the　appetites　and　passions。　He　must　be　able　so　to　control　all　his　powers　that　he　could　stand　among　men　as　unmoved　by　surrounding　circumstances　as　the　rocks　and　mountains　of　the　wilderness。

In　the　time　of　John　the　Baptist；　greed　for　riches；　and　the　love　of　luxury　and　display　had　become　widespread。　Sensuous　pleasures；　feasting　and　drinking；　were　causing　physical　disease　and　degeneracy；　benumbing　the　spiritual　perceptions；　and　lessening　the　sensibility　to　sin。　John　was　to　stand　as　a　reformer。　By　his　abstemious　life　and　plain　dress　he　was　to

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rebuke　the　excesses　of　his　time。　Hence　the　directions　given　to　the　parents　of　John；a　lesson　of　temperance　by　an　angel　from　the　throne　of　heaven。

In　childhood　and　youth　the　character　is　most　impressible。　The　power　of　self…control　should　then　be　acquired。　By　the　fireside　and　at　the　family　board　influences　are　exerted　whose　results　are　as　enduring　as　eternity。　More　than　any　natural　endowment；　the　habits　established　in　early　years　decide　whether　a　man　will　be　victorious　or　vanquished　in　the　battle　of　life。　Youth　is　the　sowing　time。　It　determines　the　character　of　the　harvest；　for　this　life　and　for　the　life　to　come。

As　a　prophet；　John　was　〃to　turn　the　hearts　of　the　fathers　to　the　children；　and　the　disobedient　to　the　wisdom　of　the　just；　to　make　ready　a　people　prepared　for　the　Lord。〃　In　preparing　the　way　for　Christ's　first　advent；　he　was　a　representative　of　those　who　are　to　prepare　a　people　for　our　Lord's　second　coming。　The　world　is　given　to　self…indulgence。　Errors　and　fables　abound。　Satan's　snares　for　destroying　souls　are　multiplied。　All　who　would　perfect　holiness　in　the　fear　of　God　must　learn　the　lessons　of　temperance　and　self…control。　The　appetites　and　passions　must　be　held　in　subjection　to　the　higher　powers　of　the　mind。　This　self…discipline　is　essential　to　that　mental　strength　and　spiritual　insight　which　will　enable　us　to　understand　and　to　practice　the　sacred　truths　of　God's　word。　For　this　reason　temperance　finds　its　place　in　the　work　of　preparation　for　Christ's　second　coming。

In　the　natural　order　of　things；　the　son　of　Zacharias　would　have　been　educated　for　the　priesthood。　But　the　training　of　the　rabbinical　schools　would　have　unfitted　him　for　his　work。　God　did　not　send　him　to　the　teachers　of　theology　to　learn　how　to　interpret　the　Scriptures。　He　called　him　to　the　desert；　that　he　might　learn　of　nature　and　nature's　God。

It　was　a　lonely　region　where　he　found　his　home；　in　the　midst　of　barren　hills；　wild　ravines；　and　rocky　caves。　But　it　was　his　choice　to　forgo　the　enjoyments　and　luxuries　of　life　for　the　stern　discipline　of　the　wilderness。　Here　his　surroundings　were　favorable　to　habits　of　simplicity　and　self…denial。　Uninterrupted　by　the　clamor　of　the　world；　he　could　here　study　the　lessons　of　nature；　of　revelation；　and　of　Providence。　The　words　of　the　angel　to　Zacharias　had　been　often　repeated　to　John　by　his　God…fearing　parents。　From　childhood　his　mission　had　been　kept　before　him；　and　he　had　accepted　the　holy　trust。　To　him　the　solitude　of　the　desert　was　a　welcome　escape　from　society　in　which　suspicion；　unbelief；　and　impurity　had　become　well…nigh　all…pervading。　He　distrusted　his　own

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power　to　withstand　temptation；　and　shrank　from　constant　contact　with　sin；　lest　he　should　lose　the　sense　of　its　exceeding　sinfulness。

Dedicated　to　God　as　a　Nazarite　from　his　birth；　he　made　the　vow　his　own　in　a　life…long　consecration。　His　dress　was　that　of　the　ancient　prophets；　a　garment　of　camel's　hair；　confined　by　a　leather　girdle。　He　ate　the　〃locusts　and　wild　honey〃　found　in　the　wilderness；　and　drank　the　pure　water　from　the　hills。

But　the　life　of　John　was　not　spent　in　idleness；　in　ascetic　gloom；　or　in　selfish　isolation。　From　time　to　time　he　went　forth　to　mingle　with　men；　and　he　was　ever　an　interested　observer　of　what　was　passing　in　the　world。　From　his　quiet　retreat　he　watched　the　unfolding　of　events。　With　vision　illuminated　by　the　divine　Spirit　he　studied　the　characters　of　men；　that　he　might　understand　how　to　reach　their　hearts　with　the　message　of　heaven。　The　burden　of　his　mission　was　upon　him。　In　solitude；　by　meditation　and　prayer；　he　sought　to　gird　up　his　soul　for　the　lifework　before　him。

Although　in　the　wilderness；　he　was　not　exempt　from　temptation。　So　far　as　possible；　he　closed　every　avenue　by　which　Satan　could　enter；　yet　he　was　still　assailed　by　the　tempter。　But　his　spiritual　perceptions　were　clear；　he　had　developed　strength　and　decision　of　character；　and　through　the　aid　of　the　Holy　Spirit　he　was　able　to　detect　Satan's　approaches；　and　to　resist　his　power。

John　found　in　the　wilderness　his　school　and　his　sanctuary。　Like　Moses　amid　the　mountains　of　Midian；　he　was　shut　in　by　God's　presence；　and　surrounded　by　the　evidences　of　His　power。　It　was　not　his　lot　to　dwell；　as　did　Israel's　great　leader；　amid　the　solemn　majesty　of　the　mountain　solitudes；　but　before　him　were　the　heights　of　Moab；　beyond　Jordan；　speaking　of　Him　who　had　set　fast　the　mountains；　and　girded　them　with　strength。　The　gloomy　and　terrible　aspect　of　nature　in　his　wilderness　home　vividly　pictured　the　condition　of　Israel。　The　fruitful　vineyard　of　the　Lord　had　become　a　desolate　waste。　But　above　the　desert　the　heavens　bent　bright　and　beautiful。　The　clouds　that　gathered；　dark　with　tempest；　were　arched　by　the　rainbow　of　promise。　So　above　Israel's　degradation　shone　the　promised　glory　of　the　Messiah's　reign。　The　clouds　of　wrath　were　spanned　by　the　rainbow　of　His　covenant…mercy。

Alone　in　the　silent　night　he　read　God's　promise　to　Abraham　of　a　seed　numberless　as　the　stars。　The　light　of　dawn；　gilding　the　mountains　of　Moab；　told　of　Him　who　should　be　as　〃the　light　of　the　morning；　when　the

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sun　riseth；　even　a　morning　without　clouds。〃　2　Sam。　23：4。　And　in　the　brightness　of　noontide　he　saw　the　splendor　of　His　manifestation；　when　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord　shall　be　revealed；　and　all　flesh　shall　see　it　together。〃　Isa。　40：5。

With　awed　yet　exultant　spirit　he　searched　in　the　prophetic　scrolls　the　revelations　of　the　Messiah's　coming；the　promised　seed　that　should　bruise　the　serpent's　head；　Shiloh；　〃the　peace　giver；〃　who　was　to　appear　before　a　king　should　cease　to　reign　on　David's　throne。　Now　the　time　had　come。　A　Roman　ruler　sat　in　the　palace　upon　Mount　Zion。　By　the　sure　word　of　the　Lord；　already　the　Christ　was　born。

Isaiah's　rapt　portrayals　of　the　Messiah's　glory　were　his　study　by　day　and　by　night；the　Branch　from　the　root　of　Jesse；　a　King　to　reign　in　righteousness；　judging　〃with　equity　for　the　meek　of　the　earth；〃　〃a　covert　from　the　tempest；　。　。　。　the　shadow　of　a　great　rock　in　a　weary　land；〃　Israel　no　longer　to　be　termed　〃Forsaken；〃　nor　her　land　〃Desolate；〃　but　to　be　called　of　the　Lord；　〃My　Delight；〃　and　her　land　〃Beulah。〃　Isa。　11：4；　32：2；　62：4；　margin。　The　heart　of　the　lonely　exile　was　filled　with　the　glorious　vision。

He　looked　upon　the　King　in　His　beauty；　and　self　was　forgotten。　He　beheld　the　majesty　of　holiness；　and　felt　himself　to　be　inefficient　and　unworthy。　He　was　ready　to　go　forth　as　Heaven's　messenger；　unawed　by　the　human；　because　he　had　looked　upon　the　Divine。　He　could　stand　erect　and　fearless　in　the　presence　of　earthly　monarchs；　because　he　had　bowed　low　before　the　King　of　kings。

John　did　not　fully　understand　the　nature　of　the　Messiah's　kingdom。　He　looked　for　Israel　to　be　delivered　from　her　national　foes；　but　the　coming　of　a　King　in　righteousness；　and　the　establishment　of　Israel　as　a　holy　nation；　was　the　great　object　of　his　hope。　Thus　he　believed　would　be　accomplished　the　prophecy　given　at　his　birth；

　　　　　　〃To　remember　His　holy　covenant；　。　。　。　　　　　　　That　we　being　delivered　out　of　the　hand　of　our　enemies　　　　　　　Might　serve　Him　without　fear；　　　　　　　In　holiness　and　righteousness　before　Him；　all　the　days　of　our　　　　　　　life。〃

He　saw　his　people　deceived；　self…satisfied；　and　asleep　in　their　sins。　He　longed　to　rouse　them　to　a　holier　life。　The　message　that　God　had　given　him　to　bear　was　designed　to　startle　them　from　their　lethargy；　and

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cause　them　to　tremble　because　of　their　great　wickedness。　Before　the　seed　of　the　gospel　could　find　lodgment；　the　soil　of　the　heart　must　be　broken　up。　Before　they　would　seek　healing　from　Jesus；　they　must　be　awakened　to　their　danger　from　the　wounds　of　sin。

God　does　not　send　messengers　to　flatter　the　sinner。　He　delivers　no　message　of　peace　to　lull　the　unsa