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The Great Controversy 1888
character. Would the great men of earth assemble at Israel’s capital to
greet his coming? Would legions of angels present him to the expectant
company?
An angel visits the earth to see who are prepared to welcome Jesus.
But he can discern no tokens of expectancy. He hears no voice of
praise and triumph that the period of Messiah’s coming is at hand. The
angel hovers for a time over the chosen city and the temple where the
divine presence was manifested for ages; but even here is the same
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indifference. The priests, in their pomp and pride, are offering polluted
sacrifices in the temple. The Pharisees are with loud voices addressing
the people, or making boastful prayers at the corners of the streets. In
the palaces of kings, in the assemblies of philosophers, in the schools
of the rabbis, all are alike unmindful of the wondrous fact which has
filled all Heaven with joy and praise, that the Redeemer of men is
about to appear upon the earth.
There is no evidence that Christ is expected, and no preparation
for the Prince of life. In amazement the celestial messenger is about
to return to Heaven with the shameful tidings, when he discovers a
group of shepherds who are watching their flocks by night, and, as
they gaze into the starry heavens, are contemplating the prophecy of a
Messiah to come to earth, and longing for the advent of the world’s
Redeemer. Here is a company that are prepared to receive the heavenly
message. And suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared, declaring
the good tidings of great joy. Celestial glory flooded all the plain,
an innumerable company of angels was revealed, and as if the joy
were too great for one messenger to bring from Heaven, a multitude
of voices broke forth in the anthem which all the nations of the saved
shall one day sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good-will toward men.” [
Luke 2:14
.]
Oh, what a lesson is this wonderful story of Bethlehem! How it
rebukes our unbelief, our pride, and a self-sufficiency. How it warns
us to beware, lest by our criminal indifference we also fail to discern
the signs of the times, and therefore know not the day of our visitation.
It was not alone upon the hills of Judea, not among the lowly
shepherds only, that angels found the watchers for Messiah’s coming.
In the land of the heathen also were those that looked for him; they
were wise men, rich and noble, the philosophers of the East. Students
of nature, the magi had seen God in his handiwork. From the Hebrew
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