Basic HTML Version
308
Royalty and Ruin
The one “week”—seven years—ended in a.d. 34. By the stoning
of Stephen the Jews sealed their rejection of the gospel. The disciples
“went everywhere preaching the word” (
Acts 8:4
), and shortly after,
Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles.
The prophecies concerning the Savior led the Hebrews to live in
a state of constant expectancy. Many believed and “confessed that
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Hebrews 11:13
. The
promises repeated through patriarchs and prophets had kept alive
the hope of His appearing.
God had not at first revealed the exact time of the first advent; and
even when the prophecy of Daniel made this known, not everyone
interpreted the message correctly.
Century after century passed. Finally there were no more
prophets. As the Jews departed from God, hope almost ceased
to brighten the future. Those whose faith should have continued
strong were ready to exclaim, “The days are prolonged, and every
vision fails.”
Ezekiel 12:22
. But heaven’s council had determined
the hour for the coming of Christ. “When the fullness of the time
had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman.”
Galatians 4:4,
5
.
God must give lessons to humanity in the language of humanity.
People must hear the Messenger of the covenant in His own temple.
The author of truth must separate truth from the chaff of human
opinion. God must clearly define the plan of redemption.
When the Savior finally appeared “in the likeness of men”
(
Philippians 2:7
), Satan could only bruise His heel, while by every
act of suffering Christ was bruising the head of His adversary. The
anguish that sin has brought was poured into the heart of the Sinless
One. Yet Christ was breaking the slavery that had held humanity.
Every pang of anguish, every insult, was working out the deliverance
of the race.
If Satan could have gotten Christ to stain His perfect purity by
one act or even one thought, the prince of darkness would have
triumphed and gained the whole human family. But while Satan
could distress, he could not contaminate. He could cause agony, but
not defilement. He made the life of Christ one long scene of conflict
and trial, yet with every attack he was losing his hold on humanity.