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05 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould · Sacred Texts Archive

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The dedication. About forty days after the birth of Christ, Joseph and Mary
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took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice.
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This was according to the Jewish law, and as man substitute, Christ must
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conform to the law in every particular. He had already been subjected to the
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right of circumcision as a pledge of his obedience to the law. As an
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offering for the mother, the law required a lamb of the first year for
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a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or turtle dove for a sin offering.
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But the law provided that if the parents were too poor to bring a
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lamb, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons, one for a
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burnt offering, the other for a sin offering, might be accepted. The
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offerings presented to the Lord were to be without blemish. These offerings represented Christ,
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and from this it is evident that Jesus himself was free from physical deformity.
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He was the lamb without blemish and without spot first Peter one, nineteen.
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His physical structure was not marred by any defect. His body was strong
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and healthy, and throughout his lifetime he lived in conformity to Nature's laws physically
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as well as spiritually. He was an example of what God designed all humanity
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to be through obedience to his laws. The dedication of the first born had
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its origin in the earliest times. God had promised to give the first born
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to heaven to save the sinner. The gift was to be acknowledged in every
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household by the consecration of the first born son. He was to be devoted
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to the priesthood as a representative of Christ among men. In the deliverance of
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Israel from Egypt, the dedication of the first born was again commanded. While
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the children of Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians, the Lord directed Moses
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to go to Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and say, thus, saith
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the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn. And I say,
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unto thee let my son go, that he may serve me. And
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if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son,
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even thy first born. Exodus twenty two and twenty three. Moses delivered
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his message, but the proud King's answer was who is the Lord that I
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should obey his voice? To let Israel go? I know not the Lord,
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neither will I let Israel go. Exodus five two. The Lord worked
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for his people by signs and wonders, sending terrible judgments upon Pharaoh. At
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length, the destroying Angel was bidden to slay the first born of man and
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beast among the Egyptians. That the Israelites might be spared. They were directed
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to place upon their doorposts the blood of a slain lamb. Every house was
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to be marked, that when the Angel came on his mission of death,
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he might pass over the homes of the Israelites. After sending this judgment upon
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Egypt, the Lord said to Moses, sanctify unto me all the first born,
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both of man and of beast. It is mine. For on the
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day that I smote all the first born in the land of Egypt, I
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hallowed unto me all the first born in Israel, both man and beast,
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mine shall they be. I am the Lord. Exodus thirteen two numbers three
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thirteen. After the Tabernacle service was established, the Lord chose the tribe of
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Levi in the place of the firstborn of all Israel, to minister in the
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sanctuary. But the first born were still to be regarded as the Lord's and
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were bought back by a ransom. Thus the law for the presentation of the
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firstborn was made particularly significant. While it was a memorial of the Lord's wonderful
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deliverance of the children of visual, it prefigured a greater deliverance to be wrought
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out by the only begotten Son of God. As the blood sprinkled on the
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doorposts had saved the first born of Israel, so the blood of Christ has
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power to save the world. What meaning then was attached to Christ's presentation?
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But the priest did not see through the veil. He did not read the
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mystery beyond. The presentation of infants was a common scene day after day.
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The priest received the redemption money as the babes were presented to the Lord.
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Day after day, he went through the routine of his work, giving little
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heed to the parents or children unless he saw some indication of the wealth or
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high rank of the parents. Joseph and Mary were poor, and when they
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came with their child, the priest saw only a man and a woman dressed
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as Galileans and in their humblest garments. There was nothing in their appearance to
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attract attention, and they presented only the offering made by the poor classes.
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The priest went through the ceremony of his official work. He took the child
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in his arms, and he held it up before the altar. After handing
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it back to its mother, he inscribed the name Jesus on the roll of
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the first born. Little did he think, as the babe lay in his
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arms, that it was the Majesty of Heaven, the king of Glory.
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The priest did not think that this babe was the one of whom Moses had
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written a prophet, Shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
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brethren like unto me him, shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall
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say unto you Acts three twenty two. He did not think that this babe
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was he whose glory Moses had asked to see. But one greater than Moses
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lay in the priest's arm, and when he enrolled the child's name, he
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was enrolling the name of one who was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy.
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That name was to be its death warrant for the system of sacrifices and
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offerings was waxing old. The type had almost reached its antetype. The shadow
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its substance the Chicina had departed from the sanctuary, But in the Child of
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Bethlehem was veiled the glory before which angels bow. This unconscious babe was the
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promised seed to whom the first altar at the gate of Eden pointed. This
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was Shiloh, the peace Giver. It was he who declared himself to Moses
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as the I Am. It was he who, in the pillar of cloud
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and of fire, had been the guide of Israel. This was he whom
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seers had long foretold. He was the desire of all nations, the root
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and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star. The name
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of that helpless little babe inscribed on the role of Israel, declaring him our
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brother was the hope of fallen humanity, the child for whom the redemption money
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had been paid. Was he who was to pay the ransom for the sins
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of the whole world. He was the true high priest over the House of
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God, the head of an unchangeable priesthood, the intercessor at the right hand
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of the Majesty on High Hebrews ten twenty one seven twenty four one. Three
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spiritual things are spiritually discerned in the temple, the son of God was dedicated
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to the work he had come to do. The priest looked upon him as
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he would upon any other child. But though he neither saw nor felt anything
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unusual, God's act in giving his son to the world was acknowledged. This
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occasion did not pass without some recognition of Christ. There was a man in
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Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, And the same man was just and devout,
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waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him,
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and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see
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death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. As Simeon enters the temple,
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he sees a family presenting their first born son before the priest. Their appearance
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bespeaks poverty, but Simeon understands the warnings of the spirit, and he is
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deeply impressed that the infant being presented to the Lord is the consolation of Israel,
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the one he has longed to see. To the astonished priest, seeming
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appears like a man enraptured, the child has been returned to Mary, and
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he takes it in his arms and presents it to God. While a joy
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he has never before felt enters his soul. As he lifts the infant's savior
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towards heaven, he says, Lord, Now lettest thou thy servant, depart
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in peace according to thy word. From mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
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which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten
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the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. The spirit of prophecy
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was upon this man of God, and while Joseph and Mary stood by wondering
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at his words, he blessed them and said it to Mary, behold,
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this child is set for the fall and rising again of many an Israel,
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and for a sign which shall be spoken against yea a sword shall pierce through
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thine own soul, also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
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Anna, also, a prophetess, came in and confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Christ.
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As Simeon spoke, her face lighted up with the glory of God,
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and she poured out her heartfelt thanks that she had been permitted to behold Christ
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the Lord. These humble worshippers had not studied the prophecies in vain, but
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those who held positions as rulers and priests in Israel, though they too had
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before them the precious utterances of prophecy, were not walking in the way of
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the Lord, and their eyes were not opened to behold the light of life.
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So it is still events upon which the attention of all heaven is centered
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are undiscerned. Their very occurrence is unnoticed by religious leaders and worshippers in the
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House of God. Many acknowledge Christ in history, while they turn away from
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the living Christ. Christ in his word, calling to self sacrifice in the
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poor and suffering who plead for relief in the righteous cause it involves poverty and
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toil and reproach, is no more readily received to day than he was eighteen
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hundred years ago. Mary pondered the broad and far reaching prophecy of Simeon as
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she looked upon the child in her arms and recalled the words spoken by the
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shepherds of Bethlehem. She was full of grateful joy and bright hope. Simeon's
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words called to her mind the prophetic utterances of Isaiah. There shall come forth
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a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out
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of his roots, and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the
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spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit
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of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. And righteousness shall be the
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girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reigns. The people
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that walked in darkness have seen a great light. They that dwell in the
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land of the shadow of death. Upon them hath the light shined. For
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unto us a child is born, unto us, a son is given.
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And the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called
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Wonderful counselor the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace Isaiah
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eleven, one to five, nine, two to six. Yet Mary did
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not understand Christ's mission. Simeon had prophesied of him as a light to lighten
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the gentiles, as well as a glory to Israel. Thus, the angels
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that announce the Saviour's birth as tidings of joy to all peoples. God was
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seeking to correct the narrow Jewish conception of the Messiah's work. He desired men
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to behold him not merely as the deliverer of Israel, but as the redeemer
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of the world, But many years must pass before even the Mother of Jesus
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would understand his mission. Mary looked forward to the Messiah's reign on David's throne,
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but she saw not the baptism of suffering by which it must be won.
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Through Simeon, it is revealed that the Messiah is to have no unobstructed
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passage through the world. In the words to marry, a sword shall pierce
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through thine own soul. Also, God, in his tender mercy, gives
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to the Mother of Jesus an intimation of the anguish that already for his sake
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she had begun to bear. Behold, Simeon had said, this child is
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set for the fall and rising again of many an Israel, and for a
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sign which shall be spoken against. They must fall, who would rise again?
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We must fall upon the rock and be broken before we can be uplifted
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in Christ self must be bethroned. Pride must be humbled. If we would
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know the glory of the spiritual kingdom. The Jews would not accept the honor
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that has reached to humiliation. Therefore they would not receive their redeemer. He
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was a sign that was spoken against that the thoughts of many hearts. Hearts
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may be revealed in the light of the Saviour's life. The hearts of all,
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even from the Creator to the Prince of Darkness, are revealed. Satan
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has represented God as selfish and oppressive, as claiming all and giving nothing,
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as requiring the service of his creatures for his own glory and making no sacrifice
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for their good. But the gift of Christ reveals the Father's heart. It
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testifies that the thoughts of God towards us are thoughts of peace and not of
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evil. Jeremiah twenty nine eleven. It declares that while God's hatred of sin
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is as strong as death, his love for the sinner is stronger than death.
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Having undertaken our redemption, he will spare nothing, however, dear,
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which is necessary to the completion of His work. No truth essential to our
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salvation is withheld, No miracle of mercy is neglected, no divine agency is
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left unemployed. Favor is heaped upon favor, gift upon gift. The whole
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treasury of heaven is open to those he seeks to save. Having collected the
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riches of the universe and laid open the resources of infinite power, he gives
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them all into the hands of Christ, and says, all these are for
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man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than
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mine, in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving
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me. At the cross of Cavalry, love and selfishness stood face to face.
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Here was their crowning manifestation. Christ had lived only to comfort and bless
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and in putting him to death, Satan manifested the malignity of his hatred against
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God. He made it evident that the real purpose of his rebellion was to
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dethrone God and to destroy him through whom the love of God was shown.
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By the life and death of Christ. The thoughts of men also are brought
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to view from the manger to the cross. The life of Jesus was a
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call to self surrender and to fellowship in suffering. It unveiled the purposes of
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men. Jesus came with the truth of heaven, and all who were listening
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to the voice of the Holy Spirit were drawn to him. The worshipers of
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Self belong to Satan's kingdom. In their attitude towards Christ, all would show
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on which side they stood, and thus every one passes judgment on himself.
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In the day of final judgment, every lost soul will understand the nature of
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his own rejection of truth. The Cross will be presented, and its real
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bearing will be seen by every mind that has been blinded by transgression. Before
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the vision of cavalry with its mysterious victim. Sinners will stand condemned. Every
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lying excuse will be swept away. Human apostasy will appear in its heinous character.
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Men will see what their choice has been. Every question of truth and
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error in the long standing controversy will then have been made plain. In the
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judgment of the universe, God will stand clear blame for the existence or continuation
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of evil. It will be demonstrated that the divine decrees are not necessory to
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sin. There was no defect in God's government, no cause for disaffection.
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When the thoughts of all hearts shall be revealed, both the loyal and the
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rebellious will unite in declaring, just and true are thy ways, Thou King
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of saints, who shall not fear thee O Lord, and glorify thy name,
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for thy judgments are made manifest. Revelations fifteen three four into chapter five