16
The Great Controversy
Although Israel had “mocked the messengers of God, and despised
His words, and misused His prophets” (
2 Chronicles 36:16
), He had
still manifested Himself to them, as “the Lord God, merciful and
gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (
Exodus
34:6
); notwithstanding repeated rejections, His mercy had continued
its pleadings. With more than a father’s pitying love for the son of
his care, God had “sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes,
and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His
dwelling place.”
2 Chronicles 36:15
. When remonstrance, entreaty,
and rebuke had failed, He sent to them the best gift of heaven; nay, He
poured out all heaven in that one Gift.
The Son of God Himself was sent to plead with the impenitent city.
It was Christ that had brought Israel as a goodly vine out of Egypt.
Psalm 80:8
. His own hand had cast out the heathen before it. He
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had planted it “in a very fruitful hill.” His guardian care had hedged
it about. His servants had been sent to nurture it. “What could have
been done more to My vineyard,” He exclaims, “that I have not done
in it?”
Isaiah 5:1-4
. Though when He looked that it should bring forth
grapes, it brought forth wild grapes, yet with a still yearning hope of
fruitfulness He came in person to His vineyard, if haply it might be
saved from destruction. He digged about His vine; He pruned and
cherished it. He was unwearied in His efforts to save this vine of His
own planting.
For three years the Lord of light and glory had gone in and out
among His people. He “went about doing good, and healing all that
were oppressed of the devil,” binding up the brokenhearted, setting
at liberty them that were bound, restoring sight to the blind, causing
the lame to walk and the deaf to hear, cleansing the lepers, raising the
dead, and preaching the gospel to the poor.
Acts 10:38
;
Luke 4:18
;
Matthew 11:5
. To all classes alike was addressed the gracious call:
“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
.
Though rewarded with evil for good, and hatred for His love (
Psalm
109:5
), He had steadfastly pursued His mission of mercy. Never were
those repelled that sought His grace. A homeless wanderer, reproach
and penury His daily lot, He lived to minister to the needs and lighten
the woes of men, to plead with them to accept the gift of life. The
waves of mercy, beaten back by those stubborn hearts, returned in a