“Take These Things Hence”
51
They fixed their eyes imploringly upon the face of Christ, fearing
to see there the severity which had driven out the buyers and sellers.
But they saw in His face only love and tender pity.
Jesus kindly received the sick, and disease and suffering fled at
the touch of His hand. He tenderly gathered the children in His arms,
soothed their fretful cries, banished sickness and pain from their little
forms, and handed them back, smiling and healthy, to their mothers.
What a scene to greet the priests and rulers as they cautiously made
their way back to the temple! They heard the voices of men, women,
and children praising God.
They saw the sick healed, the blind restored to sight, the deaf
receive their hearing, and the lame leap for joy.
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The children took the lead in these rejoicings. They repeated
the hosannas of the day before, and waved palm branches before the
Saviour. The temple echoed and re-echoed with their shouts:
“Hosanna to the Son of David:
“Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!”
Matthew
21:9
.
“Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salva-
tion.”
Zechariah 9:9
.
The rulers tried to silence the shouts of the happy children, but all
were filled with joy and praise for the wonderful works of Jesus, and
they would not be silenced.
The rulers then turned to the Saviour, hoping that He would com-
mand them to cease. They said to Him:
“Hearest Thou what these say?”
Jesus replied, “Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes
and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?”
Matthew 21:16
.
The blessed privilege of heralding the birth of Christ and forward-
ing His work in the earth had been refused by the haughty rulers of
the people.
His praises must be sounded; and God chose the children to do
it. Had the voices of these rejoicing children been silenced, the very
pillars of the temple would have cried out in the Saviour’s praise.
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