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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
court, and gave scope to that spirit of avarice and sharp trading which
[22]
characterized the leaders of the people, who endeavored to keep the
business in their own hands. These persons realized immense profits
by their exorbitant prices and false dealing. The indignation of Jesus
was stirred; he knew that his blood, soon to be shed for the sins of the
world, would be as little appreciated by the priests and elders as the
blood of beasts which they kept incessantly flowing.
In place of humble repentance of sin the sacrifice of beasts was
multiplied, as if God could be conciliated by such heartless service.
Samuel said: “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice.” And Isaiah, seeing through prophetic vision
the apostasy of the Jews, addressed them as rulers of Sodom and
Gomorrah: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear
unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose
is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full
of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight
not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye
come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to
tread my courts?” “Wash you, make you clean; away the evil of your
doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek
judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the
widow.”
The Saviour witnessed the fulfillment of this prophecy. Three years
before he had cleansed the temple, but all that defiled its courts at that
time existed now in a much greater degree. In fulfillment of ancient
[23]
prophecy the people had proclaimed Jesus to be the King of Israel;
he had accepted their homage and the office of king and priest. He
knew that his efforts to reform a corrupted priesthood would be in vain;
but nevertheless, his work must be done, the evidence of his divine
mission must be given to an unbelieving people.
As the piercing look of Jesus swept the desecrated court of the
temple, all eyes were instinctively turned toward him. The voices of the
people and the noise of the cattle were hushed. Priest, ruler, Pharisee
and Gentile all looked with mute astonishment and indefinable awe
upon the Son of God, who stood before them with the majesty of
Heaven’s King, divinity flashing through humanity and investing him
with a dignity and glory he had never before displayed. A strange