528
The Desire of Ages
in the guilt of those who rejected the Saviour. But when obedience
to God requires self-denial and humiliation, these very persons stifle
their convictions, and refuse obedience. Thus they manifest the same
spirit as did the Pharisees whom Christ condemned.
Little did the Jews realize the terrible responsibility involved in
rejecting Christ. From the time when the first innocent blood was
shed, when righteous Abel fell by the hand of Cain, the same history
had been repeated, with increasing guilt. In every age prophets had
lifted up their voices against the sins of kings, rulers, and people,
speaking the words which God gave them, and obeying His will at
the peril of their lives. From generation to generation there had been
heaping up a terrible punishment for the rejecters of light and truth.
This the enemies of Christ were now drawing down upon their own
heads. The sin of the priests and rulers was greater than that of any
preceding generation. By their rejection of the Saviour, they were
making themselves responsible for the blood of all the righteous men
[619]
slain from Abel to Christ. They were about to fill to overflowing their
cup of iniquity. And soon it was to be poured upon their heads in
retributive justice. Of this, Jesus warned them:
“That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the
earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son
of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I
say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.”
The scribes and Pharisees who listened to Jesus knew that His
words were true. They knew how the prophet Zacharias had been slain.
While the words of warning from God were upon his lips, a satanic
fury seized the apostate king, and at his command the prophet was put
to death. His blood had imprinted itself upon the very stones of the
temple court, and could not be erased; it remained to bear testimony
against apostate Israel. As long as the temple should stand, there would
be the stain of that righteous blood, crying to God to be avenged. As
Jesus referred to these fearful sins, a thrill of horror ran through the
multitude.
Looking forward, Jesus declared that the impenitence of the Jews
and their intolerance of God’s servants would be the same in the future
as it had been in the past:
“Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men,
and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some