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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
to thy peace. The retribution of the sinner will be proportionate to the
light which he has received.
The most responsible period for the Jews was when Jesus was
in their midst. And yet even the disciples appreciated but lightly
the presence of God’s Son until it was removed from them, when
Christ ascended to Heaven. The Redeemer was unwilling to sever his
connection with the Jewish nation. He had borne with its impenitence
and abuse for years. He regarded them with the same unselfish devotion
which a mother feels toward the child of her care. For centuries he
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had stayed the bolts of God’s wrath from falling on Jerusalem. But
now she had filled up the cup of her iniquity by persecution of the Son
of God, and divine vengeance was to fall upon her. Jesus gazed with
inexpressible anguish upon the city and the temple he had loved. “O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not!”
If the Jewish people would have thrown off their bigotry and blind
unbelief long enough to have looked into the depths of the loving,
compassionate heart of Jesus, they could never have crucified the Lord
of glory. But they were perverse and self-righteous; and when the
priests and rulers heard the prophetic voice of the past sounded in
trumpet tones by the multitude, in answer to the question, “Who is
this?” they did not accept it as the voice of inspiration. The long list of
ancient authorities pointing forward to Jesus as the Messiah, and which
were quoted by the disciples, brought no proof to their hearts. But
they were too much amazed and angered to express their indignation
in words. Just as they were secretly and artfully laying their plans to
Jesus to death, behold! the humble Galilean is suddenly invested with
honor that he had never before claimed, and receives homage which
he had hitherto refused.
The dignitaries of the temple are dumb with astonishment. Where
now is the boasted power of priests and rulers over the people! The
authorities had announced that whoever should acknowledge Jesus
to be the Christ was to be out of the synagogue and deprived of its
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sacred privileges. Yet here are the enthusiastic multitude shouting
loud hosannas to the Son of David, and recounting the titles given
him by the prophets. As well might the priests and rulers attempt to