the desire of ages-第66节

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To　all　who　believe　on　Him　He　is　still　a　living　Saviour。

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Jesus　changed　the　mother's　grief　to　joy　when　He　gave　back　her　son；　yet　the　youth　was　but　called　forth　to　this　earthly　life；　to　endure　its　sorrows；　its　toils；　and　its　perils；　and　to　pass　again　under　the　power　of　death。　But　Jesus　comforts　our　sorrow　for　the　dead　with　a　message　of　infinite　hope：　〃I　am　He　that　liveth；　and　was　dead；　and；　behold；　I　am　alive　forevermore；　。　。　。　and　have　the　keys　of　hell　and　of　death。〃　〃Forasmuch　then　as　the　children　are　partakers　of　flesh　and　blood；　He　also　Himself　likewise　took　part　of　the　same；　that　through　death　He　might　destroy　him　that　had　the　power　of　death；　that　is；　the　devil；　and　deliver　them　who　through　fear　of　death　were　all　their　lifetime　subject　to　bondage。〃　Rev。　1：18；　Heb。　2：14；　15。

Satan　cannot　hold　the　dead　in　his　grasp　when　the　Son　of　God　bids　them　live。　He　cannot　hold　in　spiritual　death　one　soul　who　in　faith　receives　Christ's　word　of　power。　God　is　saying　to　all　who　are　dead　in　sin；　〃Awake　thou　that　sleepest；　and　arise　from　the　dead。〃　Eph。　5：14。　That　word　is　eternal　life。　As　the　word　of　God　which　bade　the　first　man　live；　still　gives　us　life；　as　Christ's　word；　〃Young　man；　I　say　unto　thee；　Arise；〃　gave　life　to　the　youth　of　Nain；　so　that　word；　〃Arise　from　the　dead；〃　is　life　to　the　soul　that　receives　it。　God　〃hath　delivered　us　from　the　power　of　darkness；　and　hath　translated　us　into　the　kingdom　of　His　dear　Son。〃　Col。　1：13。　It　is　all　offered　us　in　His　word。　If　we　receive　the　word；　we　have　the　deliverance。

And　〃if　the　Spirit　of　Him　that　raised　up　Jesus　from　the　dead　dwell　in　you；　He　that　raised　up　Christ　from　the　dead　shall　also　quicken　your　mortal　bodies　by　His　Spirit　that　dwelleth　in　you。〃　〃For　the　Lord　Himself　shall　descend　from　heaven　with　a　shout；　with　the　voice　of　the　Archangel；　and　with　the　trump　of　God：　and　the　dead　in　Christ　shall　rise　first：　then　we　which　are　alive　and　remain　shall　be　caught　up　together　with　them　in　the　clouds；　to　meet　the　Lord　in　the　air：　and　so　shall　we　ever　be　with　the　Lord。〃　Rom。　8：11；　1　Thess。　4：16；　17。　This　is　the　word　of　comfort　wherewith　He　bids　us　comfort　one　another。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　33

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Who　Are　My　Brethren？


The　sons　of　Joseph　were　far　from　being　in　sympathy　with　Jesus　in　His　work。　The　reports　that　reached　them　in　regard　to　His　life　and　labors　filled　them　with　astonishment　and　dismay。　They　heard　that　He　devoted　entire　nights　to　prayer；　that　through　the　day　He　was　thronged　by　great　companies　of　people；　and　did　not　give　Himself　time　so　much　as　to　eat。　His　friends　felt　that　He　was　wearing　Himself　out　by　His　incessant　labor；　they　were　unable　to　account　for　His　attitude　toward　the　Pharisees；　and　there　were　some　who　feared　that　His　reason　was　becoming　unsettled。

His　brothers　heard　of　this；　and　also　of　the　charge　brought　by　the　Pharisees　that　He　cast　out　devils　through　the　power　of　Satan。　They　felt　keenly　the　reproach　that　came　upon　them　through　their　relation　to　Jesus。　They　knew　what　a　tumult　His　words　and　works　created；　and　were　not　only　alarmed　at　His　bold　statements；　but　indignant　at　His　denunciation　of　the　scribes　and　Pharisees。　They　decided　that　He　must　be　persuaded　or　constrained　to　cease　this　manner　of　labor；　and　they　induced　Mary　to　unite　with　them；　thinking　that　through　His　love　for　her　they　might　prevail　upon　Him　to　be　more　prudent。

It　was　just　before　this　that　Jesus　had　a　second　time　performed　the　miracle　of　healing　a　man　possessed；　blind　and　dumb；　and　the　Pharisees　had　reiterated　the　charge；　〃He　casteth　out　devils　through　the　prince　of　the　devils。〃　Matt。　9：34。　Christ　told　them　plainly　that　in　attributing　the

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work　of　the　Holy　Spirit　to　Satan；　they　were　cutting　themselves　off　from　the　fountain　of　blessing。　Those　who　had　spoken　against　Jesus　Himself；　not　discerning　His　divine　character；　might　receive　forgiveness；　for　through　the　Holy　Spirit　they　might　be　brought　to　see　their　error　and　repent。　Whatever　the　sin；　if　the　soul　repents　and　believes；　the　guilt　is　washed　away　in　the　blood　of　Christ；　but　he　who　rejects　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　placing　himself　where　repentance　and　faith　cannot　come　to　him。　It　is　by　the　Spirit　that　God　works　upon　the　heart；　when　men　willfully　reject　the　Spirit；　and　declare　It　to　be　from　Satan；　they　cut　off　the　channel　by　which　God　can　communicate　with　them。　When　the　Spirit　is　finally　rejected；　there　is　no　more　that　God　can　do　for　the　soul。

The　Pharisees　to　whom　Jesus　spoke　this　warning　did　not　themselves　believe　the　charge　they　brought　against　Him。　There　was　not　one　of　those　dignitaries　but　had　felt　drawn　toward　the　Saviour。　They　had　heard　the　Spirit's　voice　in　their　own　hearts　declaring　Him　to　be　the　Anointed　of　Israel；　and　urging　them　to　confess　themselves　His　disciples。　In　the　light　of　His　presence　they　had　realized　their　unholiness；　and　had　longed　for　a　righteousness　which　they　could　not　create。　But　after　their　rejection　of　Him　it　would　be　too　humiliating　to　receive　Him　as　the　Messiah。　Having　set　their　feet　in　the　path　of　unbelief；　they　were　too　proud　to　confess　their　error。　And　in　order　to　avoid　acknowledging　the　truth；　they　tried　with　desperate　violence　to　dispute　the　Saviour's　teaching。　The　evidence　of　His　power　and　mercy　exasperated　them。　They　could　not　prevent　the　Saviour　from　working　miracles；　they　could　not　silence　His　teaching；　but　they　did　everything　in　their　power　to　misrepresent　Him　and　to　falsify　His　words。　Still　the　convicting　Spirit　of　God　followed　them；　and　they　had　to　build　up　many　barriers　in　order　to　withstand　its　power。　The　mightiest　agency　that　can　be　brought　to　bear　upon　the　human　heart　was　striving　with　them；　but　they　would　not　yield。

It　is　not　God　that　blinds　the　eyes　of　men　or　hardens　their　hearts。　He　sends　them　light　to　correct　their　errors；　and　to　lead　them　in　safe　paths；　it　is　by　the　rejection　of　this　light　that　the　eyes　are　blinded　and　the　heart　hardened。　Often　the　process　is　gradual；　and　almost　imperceptible。　Light　comes　to　the　soul　through　God's　word；　through　His　servants；　or　by　the　direct　agency　of　His　Spirit；　but　when　one　ray　of　light　is　disregarded；　there　is　a　partial　benumbing　of　the　spiritual　perceptions；　and　the　second　revealing　of　light　is　less　clearly　discerned。　So　the　darkness　increases；　until　it　is　night　in　the　soul。　Thus　it　had　been　with

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these　Jewish　leaders。　They　were　convinced　that　a　divine　power　attended　Christ；　but　in　order　to　resist　the　truth；　they　attributed　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit　to　Satan。　In　doing　this　they　deliberately　chose　deception；　they　yielded　themselves　to　Satan；　and　henceforth　they　were　controlled　by　his　power。

Closely　connected　with　Christ's　warning　in　regard　to　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Spirit　is　a　warning　against　idle　and　evil　words。　The　words　are　an　indication　of　that　which　is　in　the　heart。　〃Out　of　the　abundance　of　the　heart　the　mouth　speaketh。〃　But　the　words　are　more　than　an　indication　of　character；　they　have　power　to　react　on　the　character。　Men　are　influenced　by　their　own　words。　Often　under　a　momentary　impulse；　prompted　by　Satan；　they　give　utterance　to　jealousy　or　evil　surmising；　expressing　that　which　they　do　not　really　believe；　but　the　expression　reacts　on　the　thoughts。　They　are　deceived　by　their　words；　and　come　to　believe　that　true　which　was　spoken　at　Satan's　instigation。　Having　once　expressed　an　opinion　or　decision；　they　are　often　too　proud　to　retract　it；　and　try　to　prove　themselves　in　the　right；　until　they　come　to　believe　that　they　are。　It　is　dangerous　to　utter　a　word　of　doubt；　dangerous　to　question　and　criticize　divine　light。　The　habit　of　careless　and　irreverent　criticism　reacts　upon　the　character；　in　fostering　irreverence　and　unbelief。　Many　a　man　indulging　this　habit　has　gone　on　unconscious　of　danger；　until　he　was　ready　to　criticize　and　reject　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　Jesus　said；　〃Every　idle　word　that　men　shall　speak；　they　shall　give　account　thereof　in　the　day　of　judgment。　For　by　thy　words　thou　shalt　be　justified；　and　by　thy　words　thou　shalt　be　condemned。〃

Then　He　added　a　warning　to　those　who　had　been　impressed　by　His　words；　who　had　heard　Him　gladly；　but　who　had　not　surrendered　themselves　for　the　indwelling　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　It　is　not　only　by　resistance　but　by　neglect　that　the　soul　is　destroyed。　〃When　the　unclean　spirit　is　gone　out　of　a　man；〃　said　Jesus；　〃he　walketh　through　dry　places；　seeking　rest；　and　findeth　none。　Then　he　saith；　I　will　return　into　my　house　from　whence　I　came　out；　and　when　he　is　come；　he　findeth　it　empty；　swept；　and　garnished。　Then　goeth　he；　and　taketh　with　himself　seven　other　spirits　more　wicked　than　himself；　and　they　enter　in　and　dwell　there。〃

There　were　many　in　Christ's　day；　as　there　are　today；　over　whom　the　control　of　Satan　for　the　time　seemed　broken；　through　the　grace　of　God　they　were　set　free　from　the　evil　spirits　that　had　held　dominion　over

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the　soul。　They　rejoiced　in　the　love　of　God；　but；　like　the　stony…ground　hearers　of　the　parable；　they　did　not　abide　in　His　love。　They　did　not　surrender　themselves　to　God　daily；　that　Christ　might　dwell　in　the　heart；　and　when　the　evil　spirit　returned；　with　〃seven