the desire of ages-第40节

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But　the　plans　which　these　rabbis　were　working　so　zealously　to　fulfill　originated　in　another　council　than　that　of　the　Sanhedrin。　After　Satan　had　failed　to　overcome　Christ　in　the　wilderness；　he　combined　his　forces　to　oppose　Him　in　His　ministry；　and　if　possible　to　thwart　His　work。　What　he　could　not　accomplish　by　direct；　personal　effort；　he　determined　to　effect　by　strategy。　No　sooner　had　he　withdrawn　from　the　conflict　in　the　wilderness　than　in　council　with　his　confederate　angels　he　matured　his　plans　for　still　further　blinding　the　minds　of　the　Jewish　people；　that

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they　might　not　recognize　their　Redeemer。　He　planned　to　work　through　his　human　agencies　in　the　religious　world；　by　imbuing　them　with　his　own　enmity　against　the　champion　of　truth。　He　would　lead　them　to　reject　Christ　and　to　make　His　life　as　bitter　as　possible；　hoping　to　discourage　Him　in　His　mission。　And　the　leaders　in　Israel　became　instruments　of　Satan　in　warring　against　the　Saviour。

Jesus　had　come　to　〃magnify　the　law；　and　make　it　honorable。〃　He　was　not　to　lessen　its　dignity；　but　to　exalt　it。　The　scripture　says；　〃He　shall　not　fail　nor　be　discouraged；　till　He　have　set　judgment　in　the　earth。〃　Isa。　42：21；　4。　He　had　come　to　free　the　Sabbath　from　those　burdensome　requirements　that　had　made　it　a　curse　instead　of　a　blessing。

For　this　reason　He　had　chosen　the　Sabbath　upon　which　to　perform　the　act　of　healing　at　Bethesda。　He　could　have　healed　the　sick　man　as　well　on　any　other　day　of　the　week；　or　He　might　simply　have　cured　him；　without　bidding　him　bear　away　his　bed。　But　this　would　not　have　given　Him　the　opportunity　He　desired。　A　wise　purpose　underlay　every　act　of　Christ's　life　on　earth。　Everything　He　did　was　important　in　itself　and　in　its　teaching。　Among　the　afflicted　ones　at　the　pool　He　selected　the　worst　case　upon　whom　to　exercise　His　healing　power；　and　bade　the　man　carry　his　bed　through　the　city　in　order　to　publish　the　great　work　that　had　been　wrought　upon　him。　This　would　raise　the　question　of　what　it　was　lawful　to　do　on　the　Sabbath；　and　would　open　the　way　for　Him　to　denounce　the　restrictions　of　the　Jews　in　regard　to　the　Lord's　day；　and　to　declare　their　traditions　void。

Jesus　stated　to　them　that　the　work　of　relieving　the　afflicted　was　in　harmony　with　the　Sabbath　law。　It　was　in　harmony　with　the　work　of　God's　angels；　who　are　ever　descending　and　ascending　between　heaven　and　earth　to　minister　to　suffering　humanity。　Jesus　declared；　〃My　Father　worketh　hitherto；　and　I　work。〃　All　days　are　God's；　in　which　to　carry　out　His　plans　for　the　human　race。　If　the　Jews'　interpretation　of　the　law　was　correct；　then　Jehovah　was　at　fault；　whose　work　has　quickened　and　upheld　every　living　thing　since　first　He　laid　the　foundations　of　the　earth；　then　He　who　pronounced　His　work　good；　and　instituted　the　Sabbath　to　commemorate　its　completion；　must　put　a　period　to　His　labor；　and　stop　the　never…ending　routine　of　the　universe。

Should　God　forbid　the　sun　to　perform　its　office　upon　the　Sabbath；　cut　off　its　genial　rays　from　warming　the　earth　and　nourishing　vegetation？　Must　the　system　of　worlds　stand　still　through　that　holy　day？　Should　He

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command　the　brooks　to　stay　from　watering　the　fields　and　forests；　and　bid　the　waves　of　the　sea　still　their　ceaseless　ebbing　and　flowing？　Must　the　wheat　and　corn　stop　growing；　and　the　ripening　cluster　defer　its　purple　bloom？　Must　the　trees　and　flowers　put　forth　no　bud　nor　blossom　on　the　Sabbath？

In　such　a　case；　men　would　miss　the　fruits　of　the　earth；　and　the　blessings　that　make　life　desirable。　Nature　must　continue　her　unvarying　course。　God　could　not　for　a　moment　stay　His　hand；　or　man　would　faint　and　die。　And　man　also　has　a　work　to　perform　on　this　day。　The　necessities　of　life　must　be　attended　to；　the　sick　must　be　cared　for；　the　wants　of　the　needy　must　be　supplied。　He　will　not　be　held　guiltless　who　neglects　to　relieve　suffering　on　the　Sabbath。　God's　holy　rest　day　was　made　for　man；　and　acts　of　mercy　are　in　perfect　harmony　with　its　intent。　God　does　not　desire　His　creatures　to　suffer　an　hour's　pain　that　may　be　relieved　upon　the　Sabbath　or　any　other　day。

The　demands　upon　God　are　even　greater　upon　the　Sabbath　than　upon　other　days。　His　people　then　leave　their　usual　employment；　and　spend　the　time　in　meditation　and　worship。　They　ask　more　favors　of　Him　on　the　Sabbath　than　upon　other　days。　They　demand　His　special　attention。　They　crave　His　choicest　blessings。　God　does　not　wait　for　the　Sabbath　to　pass　before　He　grants　these　requests。　Heaven's　work　never　ceases；　and　men　should　never　rest　from　doing　good。　The　Sabbath　is　not　intended　to　be　a　period　of　useless　inactivity。　The　law　forbids　secular　labor　on　the　rest　day　of　the　Lord；　the　toil　that　gains　a　livelihood　must　cease；　no　labor　for　worldly　pleasure　or　profit　is　lawful　upon　that　day；　but　as　God　ceased　His　labor　of　creating；　and　rested　upon　the　Sabbath　and　blessed　it；　so　man　is　to　leave　the　occupations　of　his　daily　life；　and　devote　those　sacred　hours　to　healthful　rest；　to　worship；　and　to　holy　deeds。　The　work　of　Christ　in　healing　the　sick　was　in　perfect　accord　with　the　law。　It　honored　the　Sabbath。

Jesus　claimed　equal　rights　with　God　in　doing　a　work　equally　sacred；　and　of　the　same　character　with　that　which　engaged　the　Father　in　heaven。　But　the　Pharisees　were　still　more　incensed。　He　had　not　only　broken　the　law；　according　to　their　understanding；　but　in　calling　God　〃His　own　Father〃　had　declared　Himself　equal　with　God。　John　5：18；　R。　V。

The　whole　nation　of　the　Jews　called　God　their　Father；　therefore　they　would　not　have　been　so　enraged　if　Christ　had　represented　Himself　as　standing　in　the　same　relation　to　God。　But　they　accused　Him　of

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blasphemy；　showing　that　they　understood　Him　as　making　this　claim　in　the　highest　sense。

These　adversaries　of　Christ　had　no　arguments　with　which　to　meet　the　truths　He　brought　home　to　their　consciences。　They　could　only　cite　their　customs　and　traditions；　and　these　seemed　weak　and　vapid　when　compared　with　the　arguments　Jesus　had　drawn　from　the　word　of　God　and　the　unceasing　round　of　nature。　Had　the　rabbis　felt　any　desire　to　receive　light；　they　would　have　been　convinced　that　Jesus　spoke　the　truth。　But　they　evaded　the　points　He　made　concerning　the　Sabbath；　and　sought　to　stir　up　anger　against　Him　because　He　claimed　to　be　equal　with　God。　The　fury　of　the　rulers　knew　no　bounds。　Had　they　not　feared　the　people；　the　priests　and　rabbis　would　have　slain　Jesus　on　the　spot。　But　the　popular　sentiment　in　His　favor　was　strong。　Many　recognized　in　Jesus　the　friend　who　had　healed　their　diseases　and　comforted　their　sorrows；　and　they　justified　His　healing　of　the　sufferer　at　Bethesda。　So　for　the　time　the　leaders　were　obliged　to　restrain　their　hatred。

Jesus　repelled　the　charge　of　blasphemy。　My　authority；　He　said；　for　doing　the　work　of　which　you　accuse　Me；　is　that　I　am　the　Son　of　God；　one　with　Him　in　nature；　in　will；　and　in　purpose。　In　all　His　works　of　creation　and　providence；　I　co…operate　with　God。　〃The　Son　can　do　nothing　of　Himself；　but　what　He　seeth　the　Father　do。〃　The　priests　and　rabbis　were　taking　the　Son　of　God　to　task　for　the　very　work　He　had　been　sent　into　the　world　to　do。　By　their　sins　they　had　separated　themselves　from　God；　and　in　their　pride　were　moving　independently　of　Him。　They　felt　sufficient　in　themselves　for　all　things；　and　realized　no　need　of　a　higher　wisdom　to　direct　their　acts。　But　the　Son　of　God　was　surrendered　to　the　Father's　will；　and　dependent　upon　His　power。　So　utterly　was　Christ　emptied　of　self　that　He　made　no　plans　for　Himself。　He　accepted　God's　plans　for　Him；　and　day　by　day　the　Father　unfolded　His　plans。　So　should　we　depend　upon　God；　that　our　lives　may　be　the　simple　outworking　of　His　will。

When　Moses　was　about　to　build　the　sanctuary　as　a　dwelling　place　for　God；　he　was　directed　to　make　all　things　according　to　the　pattern　shown　him　in　the　mount。　Moses　was　full　of　zeal　to　do　God's　work；　the　most　talented；　skillful　men　were　at　hand　to　carry　out　his　suggestions。　Yet　he　was　not　to　make　a　bell；　a　pomegranate；　a　tassel；　a　fringe；　a　curtain；　or　any　vessel　of　the　sanctuary；　except　according　to　the　pattern　shown　him。　God　called　him　into　the　mount；　and　revealed　to　him　the　heavenly　things。　The　Lord　covered　him　with　His　own　glory；　that　he　might　see

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the　pattern；　and　according　to　it　all　things　were　made。　So　to　Israel；　whom　He　desired　to　make　His　dwelling　place；　He　had　revealed　His　glorious　ideal　of　character。　The　pattern　was　shown　them　in　the　mount　when　the　law　was　given　from　Sinai；　and　when　the　Lord　passed　by　before　Moses　and　proclaimed；　〃The　Lord；　The　Lord　God；　merciful　and　gracious；　long…suffering；　and　abundant　in　goodness　and　truth；　keeping　mercy　for　thousands；　forgiving　iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin。〃　Ex。　34：6；　7。

Israel　had　chosen　their　own　ways。　They　had　not　builded　according　to　the　pattern；　but　Christ；　the　true　temple　for　God's　indwelling；　molded　every　detail　of　His　earthly　life　in　harmony　with　God's　ideal。　He　said；　〃I　delight　to　do　Thy　will；　O　My　God：　yea；　Thy　law　is　within　My　heart。〃　Ps。　40：8。　So　our　characters　are　to　be　builded　〃for　an　habitation　of　God　through　the　Spirit。〃　Eph。　2：22。　And　we　are　to　〃make　all　things　according　to　the