488
The Desire of Ages
out His plan, He would have given a voice to the inanimate stones, and
they would have hailed His Son with acclamations of praise. As the
silenced Pharisees drew back, the words of Zechariah were taken up
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by hundreds of voices: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O
daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just,
and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt
the foal of an ass.”
When the procession reached the brow of the hill, and was about
to descend into the city, Jesus halted, and all the multitude with Him.
Before them lay Jerusalem in its glory, now bathed in the light of the
declining sun. The temple attracted all eyes. In stately grandeur it
towered above all else, seeming to point toward heaven as if directing
the people to the only true and living God. The temple had long been
the pride and glory of the Jewish nation. The Romans also prided
themselves in its magnificence. A king appointed by the Romans
had united with the Jews to rebuild and embellish it, and the emperor
of Rome had enriched it with his gifts. Its strength, richness, and
magnificence had made it one of the wonders of the world.
While the westering sun was tinting and gilding the heavens, its
resplendent glory lighted up the pure white marble of the temple
walls, and sparkled on its gold-capped pillars. From the crest of the
hill where Jesus and His followers stood, it had the appearance of a
massive structure of snow, set with golden pinnacles. At the entrance
to the temple was a vine of gold and silver, with green leaves and
massive clusters of grapes executed by the most skillful artists. This
design represented Israel as a prosperous vine. The gold, silver, and
living green were combined with rare taste and exquisite workmanship;
as it twined gracefully about the white and glistening pillars, clinging
with shining tendrils to their golden ornaments, it caught the splendor
of the setting sun, shining as if with a glory borrowed from heaven.
Jesus gazes upon the scene, and the vast multitude hush their
shouts, spellbound by the sudden vision of beauty. All eyes turn upon
the Saviour, expecting to see in His countenance the admiration they
themselves feel. But instead of this they behold a cloud of sorrow.
They are surprised and disappointed to see His eyes fill with tears, and
His body rock to and fro like a tree before the tempest, while a wail
of anguish bursts from His quivering lips, as if from the depths of a
broken heart. What a sight was this for angels to behold! their loved