the desire of ages-第4节

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niverse。　Through　eternal　ages　all　are　secure　from　apostasy。　By　love's　self…sacrifice；　the　inhabitants　of　earth　and　heaven　are　bound　to　their　Creator　in　bonds　of　indissoluble　union。

The　work　of　redemption　will　be　complete。　In　the　place　where　sin　abounded；　God's　grace　much　more　abounds。　The　earth　itself；　the　very　field　that　Satan　claims　as　his；　is　to　be　not　only　ransomed　but　exalted。　Our　little　world；　under　the　curse　of　sin　the　one　dark　blot　in　His　glorious　creation；　will　be　honored　above　all　other　worlds　in　the　universe　of　God。　Here；　where　the　Son　of　God　tabernacled　in　humanity；　where　the　King　of　glory　lived　and　suffered　and　died；here；　when　He　shall　make　all　things　new；　the　tabernacle　of　God　shall　be　with　men；　〃and　He　will　dwell　with　them；　and　they　shall　be　His　people；　and　God　Himself　shall　be　with　them；　and　be　their　God。〃　And　through　endless　ages　as　the　redeemed　walk　in　the　light　of　the　Lord；　they　will　praise　Him　for　His　unspeakable　Gift；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Immanuel；　〃God　with　us。〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　2

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Chosen　People


For　more　than　a　thousand　years　the　Jewish　people　had　awaited　the　Saviour's　coming。　Upon　this　event　they　had　rested　their　brightest　hopes。　In　song　and　prophecy；　in　temple　rite　and　household　prayer；　they　had　enshrined　His　name。　And　yet　at　His　coming　they　knew　Him　not。　The　Beloved　of　heaven　was　to　them　〃as　a　root　out　of　a　dry　ground；〃　He　had　〃no　form　nor　comeliness；〃　and　they　saw　in　Him　no　beauty　that　they　should　desire　Him。　〃He　came　unto　His　own；　and　His　own　received　Him　not。〃　Isa。　53：2；　John　1：11。

Yet　God　had　chosen　Israel。　He　had　called　them　to　preserve　among　men　the　knowledge　of　His　law；　and　of　the　symbols　and　prophecies　that　pointed　to　the　Saviour。　He　desired　them　to　be　as　wells　of　salvation　to　the　world。　What　Abraham　was　in　the　land　of　his　sojourn；　what　Joseph　was　in　Egypt；　and　Daniel　in　the　courts　of　Babylon；　the　Hebrew　people　were　to　be　among　the　nations。　They　were　to　reveal　God　to　men。

In　the　call　of　Abraham　the　Lord　had　said；　〃I　will　bless　thee；　。　。　。　and　thou　shalt　be　a　blessing：　。　。　。　and　in　thee　shall　all　families　of　the　earth　be　blessed。〃　Gen。　12：2；　3。　The　same　teaching　was　repeated　through　the　prophets。　Even　after　Israel　had　been　wasted　by　war　and　captivity；　the　promise　was　theirs；　〃The　remnant　of　Jacob　shall　be　in　the　midst　of　many　people　as　a　dew　from　the　Lord；　as　the　showers　upon　the　grass；　that　tarrieth　not　for　man；　nor　waiteth　for　the　sons　of　men。〃　Micah　5：7。　Concerning　the　temple　at　Jerusalem；　the　Lord　declared　through　Isaiah；　〃Mine　house　shall　be　called　an　house　of　prayer　for　all　peoples。〃　Isa。　56：7；　R。　V。

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But　the　Israelites　fixed　their　hopes　upon　worldly　greatness。　From　the　time　of　their　entrance　to　the　land　of　Canaan；　they　departed　from　the　commandments　of　God；　and　followed　the　ways　of　the　heathen。　It　was　in　vain　that　God　sent　them　warning　by　His　prophets。　In　vain　they　suffered　the　chastisement　of　heathen　oppression。　Every　reformation　was　followed　by　deeper　apostasy。

Had　Israel　been　true　to　God；　He　could　have　accomplished　His　purpose　through　their　honor　and　exaltation。　If　they　had　walked　in　the　ways　of　obedience；　He　would　have　made　them　〃high　above　all　nations　which　He　hath　made；　in　praise；　and　in　name；　and　in　honor。〃　〃All　people　of　the　earth；〃　said　Moses；　〃shall　see　that　thou　art　called　by　the　name　of　the　Lord；　and　they　shall　be　afraid　of　thee。〃　〃The　nations　which　shall　hear　all　these　statutes〃　shall　say；　〃Surely　this　great　nation　is　a　wise　and　understanding　people。〃　Deut。　26：19；　28：10；　4：6。　But　because　of　their　unfaithfulness；　God's　purpose　could　be　wrought　out　only　through　continued　adversity　and　humiliation。

They　were　brought　into　subjection　to　Babylon；　and　scattered　through　the　lands　of　the　heathen。　In　affliction　many　renewed　their　faithfulness　to　His　covenant。　While　they　hung　their　harps　upon　the　willows；　and　mourned　for　the　holy　temple　that　was　laid　waste；　the　light　of　truth　shone　out　through　them；　and　a　knowledge　of　God　was　spread　among　the　nations。　The　heathen　systems　of　sacrifice　were　a　perversion　of　the　system　that　God　had　appointed；　and　many　a　sincere　observer　of　heathen　rites　learned　from　the　Hebrews　the　meaning　of　the　service　divinely　ordained；　and　in　faith　grasped　the　promise　of　a　Redeemer。

Many　of　the　exiles　suffered　persecution。　Not　a　few　lost　their　lives　because　of　their　refusal　to　disregard　the　Sabbath　and　to　observe　the　heathen　festivals。　As　idolaters　were　roused　to　crush　out　the　truth；　the　Lord　brought　His　servants　face　to　face　with　kings　and　rulers；　that　they　and　their　people　might　receive　the　light。　Time　after　time　the　greatest　monarchs　were　led　to　proclaim　the　supremacy　of　the　God　whom　their　Hebrew　captives　worshiped。

By　the　Babylonish　captivity　the　Israelites　were　effectually　cured　of　the　worship　of　graven　images。　During　the　centuries　that　followed；　they　suffered　from　the　oppression　of　heathen　foes；　until　the　conviction　became　fixed　that　their　prosperity　depended　upon　their　obedience　to　the　law　of　God。　But　with　too　many　of　the　people　obedience　was　not　prompted　by　love。　The　motive　was　selfish。　They　rendered　outward　service　to　God

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as　the　means　of　attaining　to　national　greatness。　They　did　not　become　the　light　of　the　world；　but　shut　themselves　away　from　the　world　in　order　to　escape　temptation　to　idolatry。　In　the　instruction　given　through　Moses；　God　had　placed　restrictions　upon　their　association　with　idolaters；　but　this　teaching　had　been　misinterpreted。　It　was　intended　to　prevent　them　from　conforming　to　the　practices　of　the　heathen。　But　it　was　used　to　build　up　a　wall　of　separation　between　Israel　and　all　other　nations。　The　Jews　looked　upon　Jerusalem　as　their　heaven；　and　they　were　actually　jealous　lest　the　Lord　should　show　mercy　to　the　Gentiles。

After　the　return　from　Babylon；　much　attention　was　given　to　religious　instruction。　All　over　the　country；　synagogues　were　erected；　where　the　law　was　expounded　by　the　priests　and　scribes。　And　schools　were　established；　which；　together　with　the　arts　and　sciences；　professed　to　teach　the　principles　of　righteousness。　But　these　agencies　became　corrupted。　During　the　captivity；　many　of　the　people　had　received　heathen　ideas　and　customs；　and　these　were　brought　into　their　religious　service。　In　many　things　they　conformed　to　the　practices　of　idolaters。

As　they　departed　from　God；　the　Jews　in　a　great　degree　lost　sight　of　the　teaching　of　the　ritual　service。　That　service　had　been　instituted　by　Christ　Himself。　In　every　part　it　was　a　symbol　of　Him；　and　it　had　been　full　of　vitality　and　spiritual　beauty。　But　the　Jews　lost　the　spiritual　life　from　their　ceremonies；　and　clung　to　the　dead　forms。　They　trusted　to　the　sacrifices　and　ordinances　themselves；　instead　of　resting　upon　Him　to　whom　they　pointed。　In　order　to　supply　the　place　of　that　which　they　had　lost；　the　priests　and　rabbis　multiplied　requirements　of　their　own；　and　the　more　rigid　they　grew；　the　less　of　the　love　of　God　was　manifested。　They　measured　their　holiness　by　the　multitude　of　their　ceremonies；　while　their　hearts　were　filled　with　pride　and　hypocrisy。

With　all　their　minute　and　burdensome　injunctions；　it　was　an　impossibility　to　keep　the　law。　Those　who　desired　to　serve　God；　and　who　tried　to　observe　the　rabbinical　precepts；　toiled　under　a　heavy　burden。　They　could　find　no　rest　from　the　accusings　of　a　troubled　conscience。　Thus　Satan　worked　to　discourage　the　people；　to　lower　their　conception　of　the　character　of　God；　and　to　bring　the　faith　of　Israel　into　contempt。　He　hoped　to　establish　the　claim　put　forth　when　he　rebelled　in　heaven；that　the　requirements　of　God　were　unjust；　and　could　not　be　obeyed。　Even　Israel；　he　declared；　did　not　keep　the　law。

While　the　Jews　desired　the　advent　of　the　Messiah；　they　had　no　true

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conception　of　His　mission。　They　did　not　seek　redemption　from　sin；　but　deliverance　from　the　Romans。　They　looked　for　the　Messiah　to　come　as　a　conqueror；　to　break　the　oppressor's　power；　and　exalt　Israel　to　universal　dominion。　Thus　the　way　was　prepared　for　them　to　reject　the　Saviour。

At　the　time　of　the　birth　of　Christ　the　nation　was　chafing　under　the　rule　of　her　foreign　masters；　and　racked　with　internal　strife。　The　Jews　had　been　permitted　to　maintain　the　form　of　a　separate　government；　but　nothing　could　disguise　the　fact　that　they　were　under　the　Roman　yoke；　or　reconcile　them　to　the　restriction　of　their　power。　The　Romans　claimed　the　right　of　appointing　and　removing　the　high　priest；　and　the　office　was　often　secured　by　fraud；　bribery；　and　even　murder。　Thus　the　priesthood　became　more　and　more　corrupt。　Yet　the　priests　still　possessed　great　power；　and　they　employed　it　for　selfish　and　mercenary　ends。　The　people　were　subjected　to　their　merciless　demands；　and　were　also　heavily　taxed　by　the　Romans。　This　state　of　affairs　caused　widespread　discontent。　Popular　outbreaks　were　frequent。　Greed　and　violence；　distrust　and　spiritual　apathy；　were　eating　out　the　very　heart　of　the　nation。

Hatred　of　the　Romans；　and　national　and　spiritual　pride；　led　the　Jews　still　to　adhere　rigorously　to　their　forms　of　worship。　The　priests　tried　to　maintain　a　reputa