Chapter 4—The Message of the First Advent
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 1:14, 15
.
As Jesus traveled through Galilee, teaching and healing, multitudes
flocked to Him from the cities and villages. Many came even from Judea
and the adjoining provinces. Often He was obliged to hide Himself from the
people. The enthusiasm ran so high that it was necessary to take precautions
lest the Roman authorities should be aroused to fear an insurrection. Never
before had there been such a period as this for the world. Heaven was brought
down to men. Hungering and thirsting souls that had waited long for the
redemption of Israel now feasted upon the grace of a merciful Saviour....
The gospel message, as given by the Saviour Himself, was based on
the prophecies. The “time” which He declared to be fulfilled was the
period made known by the angel Gabriel to Daniel.... “Know therefore
and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and
threescore and two weeks” (
Daniel 9:25
), sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred
and eighty-three years. The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem,
as completed by the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus (see
Ezra 6:14
;
7:1,
9
, margin), went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. From this time four
hundred and eighty-three years extend to the autumn of A.D. 27. According
to the prophecy, this period was to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One.
In A.D. 27, Jesus at His baptism received the anointing of the Holy Spirit,
and soon afterward began His ministry. Then the message was proclaimed,
“The time is fulfilled”....
The time of Christ’s coming, His anointing by the Holy Spirit, His death,
and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles, were definitely pointed out....
“The Spirit of Christ which was in them” “testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (
1 Peter 1:11
).... As the message
of Christ’s first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message
of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory.
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