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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
than the stings of his own guilty conscience, which give him no rest
night nor day.
The prophet John was the connecting link between the two dispen-
sations. He was the lesser light which was to be followed by a greater.
He was to shake the confidence of the people in their traditions, call
their sins to their remembrance, and lead them to repentance; that they
might be prepared to appreciate the work of Christ. God communi-
cated to John by inspiration, illuminating the understanding of the
prophet, that he might remove the superstition and darkness from the
minds of the honest Jews, which had, through false teachings, been
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gathering upon them for generations.
But the least disciple who followed Christ, witnessing his miracles,
and receiving his divine lessons of instruction and the comforting
words that fell from his lips, was more privileged than John the Baptist.
No light had ever shone or ever will shine so clearly upon the mind of
fallen man, as that which emanated from the teachings and example
of Jesus. Christ and his mission had been but dimly understood and
typified in the shadowy sacrifice. Even John was for a time deceived,
and thought he would become a temporal ruler over subjects who were
just and holy, not then fully comprehending the future immortal life
through the Saviour. “The light shone in the darkness, and the darkness
comprehended it not.”
Although not one of the prophets had a higher mission or greater
work to perform than had John, yet he was not to see even the result
of his own labors. He was not privileged to be with Christ and witness
the divine power attending the greater light. It was not for him to
see the blind restored to sight, the sick healed, and the dead raised to
life. He did not behold the light which shone through every word of
Christ, reflecting glory upon the promises in prophecy. The world was
illuminated with the brightness of the Father’s glory in the person of
his Son; but the solitary prophet was denied the privilege of seeing
and understanding the wisdom and mercy of God through a personal
knowledge of the ministry of Christ.
In this sense, many who were favored by the teachings of Christ
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and saw his miracles, were greater than John.
Those who were with Christ when he walked a man among men,
and listened to his divine teachings under a variety of circumstances—
while preaching in the temple walking in the streets, teaching the