Basic HTML Version
368
From Heaven With Love
Little did the Jews realize the terrible responsibility involved in
rejecting Christ. In every age prophets had lifted up their voices
against the sins of kings, rulers, and people, obeying God’s will at the
peril of their lives. There had been heaping up a terrible punishment
[414]
for the rejecters of light and truth. By their rejection of the Saviour,
the priests and rulers were making themselves responsible for the
blood of all the righteous slain from Abel to Christ. They were about
to fill to overflowing their cup of iniquity. And soon it was to be
poured on 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 al-
tar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this
generation.”
The scribes and Pharisees knew how the prophet Zacharias had
been slain. While words of warning from God were on his lips,
a satanic fury seized the apostate king, and at his command the
prophet was put to death. See
2 Chronicles 24:18-22
. His blood had
imprinted itself on the very stones of the temple court, and 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
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
of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them
from city to city.” With hand uplifted to heaven and a divine light
enshrouding His person, Christ spoke as a judge, in rebuke and
condemnation. The listeners shuddered. Never was the impression
made by His words and His look to be effaced.
Christ’s indignation was directed against the gross sins by which
men were destroying their own souls, deceiving the people, and dis-
[415]
honoring God. But He spoke no words of retaliation. He manifested
no irritated temper. Divine pity marked the countenance of the Son
of God as He cast one lingering look on the temple and then on His