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24 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould · Philosophy and Faith

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Is not this the Carpenter's son? Across the bright days of Christ's ministry in
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Galilee, one shadow lay The people of Nazareth rejected him. Is not this
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the carpenter's son? They said. During his childhood and youth, Jesus had
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worshiped among his brethren in the synagogue at Nazareth. Since the opening of his
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ministry, he had been absent from them, but they had not been ignorant
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of what had befallen him. As he again appeared among them, their interests
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and expectation were excited to the highest pitch. Here were the familiar forms and
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faces of those whom he had known from infancy. Here were his mother,
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his brothers, and sisters, And all eyes were turned upon him. As
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he entered the synagogue upon the Sabbath day and took his place among the worshippers
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in the regular service for the day, the elder read from the prophets and
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exhorted the people still to hope for the coming one who would bring in a
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glorious reign and banish all oppression. He sought to encourage his hearers by rehearsing
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the evidence of the Messiah coming was near. He described the glory of his
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advent, keeping prominent the thought that he would appear at the head of armies
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to deliver Israel. When a rabbi was present at the synagogue, he was
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expected to deliver the sermon, and any Israelite might give the reading from the
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prophets. Upon this Sabbath, Jesus was requested to take part in the service.
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He stood up to read, and there was delivered unto him a roll
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of the prophet Isaiah looked four sixteen seventeen r V margin. The scripture which
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he read was one that was understood as referring to the Messiah. The spirit
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of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
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Gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted,
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to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
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to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of
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the Lord. And he closed the roll and gave it back to the intendant,
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And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him, and
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all bear him witness and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of
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his mouth looked forth twenty to twenty two r v. Margin. Jesus stood
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before the people as a living expositor of the prophecies concerning himself, explaining the
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words he had read. He spoke of the Messiah as a reliever of the
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oppressed, a liberator of captives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring sight
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to the blind, and revealing to the world the light of truth. His
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impressive manner and the wonderful import of his words thrilled the hearers with the power
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they had never felt before. The tide. Divine influence broke every barrier down.
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Like Moses, they beheld the invisible as their hearts were moved upon by
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the Holy Spirit. They responded with fervent amens and praises to the Lord.
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But when Jesus announced this day, is this scripture fulfilled in your ears?
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They were suddenly recalled to think of themselves and of the claims of him who
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had been addressing them. They israel, Lights children of Abraham, had been
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represented as in bondage. They had been addressed as prisoners to be delivered from
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the power of evil, as in darkness, and needing the light of truth.
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Their pride was offended, and their fears were roused. The words of
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Jesus indicated that his work for them was to be altogether different from what they
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desired. Their deeds might be investigated too closely. Notwithstanding their exactness and outward
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ceremonies, they shrank from inspection by those clear, searching eyes. Who is
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this Jesus, they questioned, He who had claimed for himself the glory of
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the Messiah, was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at his
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trade with his father, Joseph. They had seen him toiling up and down
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the hills. They were acquainted with his brothers and sisters, and knew his
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life and labors. They had seen him develop from childhood to youth, and
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from youth to manhood. Although his life had been spotless, they would not
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believe that he was the promised One. What a contrast between his tes teaching
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in regard to the new kingdom and that which they had heard from their elder.
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Jesus had said nothing of delivering them from the Romans. They had heard
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of his miracles and had hoped that his power would be exercised for their advantage,
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But they had seen no indication of such purpose as they opened the door
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to doubt, their hearts became so much the harder, for having been momentarily
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softened. Satan was determined that blind eyes should not that day be opened,
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nor souls bound in slavery. Beset at liberty. With intense energy, he
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worked to fasten them in unbelief. They made no account of the sign already
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given when they had been stirred by the conviction, that it was their redeemer
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who addressed them. But Jesus now gave them an evidence of his divinity by
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revealing their secret thoughts. He said, unto them, doubtless, ye will
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say unto me, this parable physician, heal thyself. Whatsoever we have heard
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done at Capernaum, do also hear in thine own country? And he said,
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said, fairly, I say unto you. No prophet is acceptable in
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his own country. But of a truth, I say unto you. There
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were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was
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shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over
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all the land, And unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only
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to Zeraphath in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
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And there were many lepers and Israel in the time of Elisha the Prophet,
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and none of them was cleansed, but only Namon the Syrian Luke four
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twenty three to twenty seven r V. By this relation of events in the
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lives of the prophets, Jesus met the questionings of his hearers. The servants,
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whom God had chosen for a special work were not allowed to labor for
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a hard hearted and unbelieving people, but those who had hearts to feel and
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faith to believe were especially favored with evidences of His power through the prophets.
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In the days of Elijah, Israel had departed from God. They clung to
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their sins and rejected the warnings of the Spirit through the Lord's messengers. Thus
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they cut themselves off from the channel by which God's blessing could come to them.
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The Lord passed by the homes of Israel and found a refuge for his
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servant in a heathen land with a woman who did not belong to the chosen
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people. But this woman was favored because she had followed the light she had
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received, and her heart was open to the greater light that God sent her
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through his prophet. It was for the same reason that in alcious time the
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lepers of Israel were passed by but Namon, a heathen nobleman had been faithful
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to his convictions of right, and had felt his great need of help.
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He was in a condition to receive the gifts of God's grace. He was
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not only cleansed from his leprosy, but blessed with the knowledge of the True
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God. Our standing before God depends not upon the amount of light we have
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received, but upon the use we make of what we have. Thus,
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even the heathen who choose right, as far as they can distinguish it,
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are in a more favorable condition than are those who have had great light and
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profess to serve God, but who disregard the light, and by their daily
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life, contradict their profession. The words of Jesus to his hearers in the
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synagogue struck at the root of their self righteousness, pressing home upon them the
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bitter truth that they had departed from God and forfeited their claim to be His
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people. Every word cut like a knife, as their real condition was set
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before them. They now scorned the faith with which Jesus had at first inspired
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them. They would not admit that he who had sprung from poverty and lowliness
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was other than a common man. Their unbelief bred malice. Satan controlled them,
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and in wrath they cried out against the Savior. They had turned from
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him whose mission it was to heal and restore. Now they manifested the attributes
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of the destroyer. When Jesus referred to the blessings given to the gentiles,
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the fierce national pride of his hearers was aroused, and his words were drowned
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in a tumult of voices. These people had prided themselves on keeping the law,
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but now that their prejudices were offended, they were ready to commit murder.
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The assembly broke up, and, laying hands upon Jesus, they thrust
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him from the synagogue and out of the city. All seemed eager for his
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destruction. They hurried him to the brow of Precipice, intending to cast him
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down headlong. Shouts and maledictions filled the air. Some were casting stones at
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him, when suddenly he disappeared from among them. The heavenly messengers who had
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been by his side in the synagogue were with him. In the midst of
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that maddened throng. They shut him in from his enemies and conducted him to
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a place of safety. So angels protected Lot and led him out safely from
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the midst of Sodom. So they protected Elisha in the little mountain city.
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When the encircling hills were filled with the horses and chariots of the King of
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Syria and the great hosts of his armed men, Elisha beheld the near hill
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slopes covered with the armies of God, horses and chariots of fire round about
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the servant of the Lord. So in all ages angels have been near to
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Christ's faithful followers. The vast confederacy of evil is arrayed against all who would
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overcome. But Christ would have us look to the things which are not seen,
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to the armies of Heaven encamped about all who love God, to deliver
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them from what dangers seen and unseen. We have been preserved through the interposition
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of the angels. We shall never know until in the light of eternity we
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see the providences of God. Then we shall know that the whole family of
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Heaven was interested in the family here below, and that messengers from the Throne
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of God attended our steps from day to day, when Jesus in the synagogue
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read from the prophecy, he stopped short of the final specification concerning the Messiah's
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work. Having read these words to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
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he omitted the phrase and the day of vengeance of our God Isaiah sixty one
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two. This was just as much truth as was the first of the prophecy,
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and by his silence Jesus did not deny the truth. But this last
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expression was that upon which his hearers delighted to dwell, and which they were
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desirous of fulfilling. They denounced judgments against the heathen, not discerning that their
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own guilt was even greater than that of others. They themselves were in deepest
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need of the mercy they were so ready to deny to the heathen. That
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day in the synagogue, when Jesus stood among them was their opportunity to accept
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the call of heaven. He who delighteth in mercy Micas seven eighteen, would
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fain have saved them from the ruin which their sins were inviting. Not without
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one more call to repentance could he give them up. Towards the close of
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his ministry in Galilee, he again visited the home of his childhood. Since
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his rejection there, the fame of his preaching and his miracles had filled the
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land. None now could deny that he possessed more than human power. The
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people of Nazareth knew that he went about doing good and healing all that were
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oppressed by Satan. About them were whole villages where there was not a moan
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of sickness in any house, for he had passed through them and healed all
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their sick The mercy revealed in every act of his life testified to his divine
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anointing. Again, as they listened to his words, the Nazarenes were moved
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by the divine spirit. But even now they would not admit that this man
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who had been brought up among them was other or greater than themselves. Still
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there rankled the bitter memory that while he had claimed for himself to be the
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Promised One, he had really denied them a place with Israel, for he
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had shown them to be less worthy of God's favor than a heathen man and
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woman. Hence, though they questioned, whence hath this man this wisdom and
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these mighty works, they would not receive him as the Christ of God.
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Because of their unbelief, the Savior could not work many miracles. Among them,
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only a few hearts were opened to his blessings, and reluctantly he departed,
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never to return. Unbelief, having once been cherished, continued to control
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the men of Nazareth, so it controlled the Sanhedrin and the nations with priests
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and people. The first rejection of the demonstration of the Holy Spirit's power was
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the beginning of the end. In order to prove that their first resistance was
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right, they continued ever after to cavail at the words of Christ. Their
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rejection of the Spirit culminated in the cross of cavalry, in the destruction of
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their city, in the scattering of the nation to the winds of heaven.
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Oh, how Christ longed to open to Israel the precious treasures of the truth.
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But such was their spiritual blindness that it was impossible to reveal to them
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the truths relating to His kingdom. They clung to their creed and their useless
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ceremonies. When the truth of Heaven awaited their acceptance, they spent their money
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for schaff and husk, when the bread of life was within their reach.
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Why did they not go to the word of God and searched diligently to know
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whether they were in error. The Old Testament scripture stated plainly every detail of
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Christ's ministry, and again and again he quoted from the prophets and declared,
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this day, is this scripture fulfilled in your ears? If they had honestly
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searched the scriptures, bringing their theories to the test of God's word, Jesus
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need not have wept over their impenitence. He need not have declared, behold,
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your house is left unto you, desolate Luke thirteen thirty five. They
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might have been acquainted with the evidence of his messiahship and the calamity that laid
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their proud city, and ruins might have been averted, But the minds of
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the Jews had become narrowed by their unreasoning bigotry. The lessons of Christ revealed
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their deficience of character and demanded repentance. If they accepted his teachings, their
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practices must be changed and their cherished hopes relinquished. In order to be honored
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by Heaven, they must sacrifice the honor of men. If they obeyed the
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words of this new Rabbi, they must go contrary to the opinions of the
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great thinkers and teachers of the time. Truth was unpopular in Christ's day.
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It is unpopular in our day. It has been unpopular ever since Satan first
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gave man a disrelish for it by presenting fables that lead to self exaltation.
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Do we not today meet theories and doctrines that have no foundation in the Word
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of God. Men cling as tenaciously to them as did the Jews to their
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traditions. The Jewish leaders were filled with spiritual pride. Their desire for the
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glorification of self manifested itself even in the service of the sanctuary. They loved
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the highest seats in the synagogue, They loved greetings in the market places,
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and were gratified with the sound of their titles on the lips of men.
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As real piety declined, they became more jealous for their traditions and ceremonies because
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their understanding was darkened by self prejudice. They could not harmonize the power of
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Christ's convicting words with the humility of his life. They did not appreciate the
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fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show. This man's poverty seemed wholly
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inconsistent with his claim to be the Messiah. They questioned, if he was
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what he claimed to be, why was he so unpretending? If he was
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satisfied to be without the force of arms, what would become of their nation?
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How could the power and glory so long anticipated bring the nations as subjects
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to the city of the Jews? Had not the priest taught that Israel was
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to bear rule over all the earth? And could it be possible that the
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great religious teachers were in error? But it was not simply the absence of
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outward glory in his life life that led the Jews to reject Jesus. He
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was the embodiment of purity, and they were impure. He dwelt among men
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an example of spotless integrity. His blameless life flashed light upon their hearts.
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His sincerity revealed their insincerity. It made manifest the hollowness of their pretentious piety,
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and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character. Such a light was
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unwelcome. If Christ had called attention to the Pharisees and had extolled their learning
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and piety, they would have hailed him with joy. But when he spoke
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of the Kingdom of Heaven as a dispensation of mercy for all mankind. He
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was presenting a phase of religion they would not tolerate. Their own example and
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teaching had never been such as to make the service of God seem desirable.
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When they saw Jesus giving attention to the very ones they hated and repulsed,
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it stirred up the worst passions of their proud hearts. Notwithstanding their boasts that
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under the lion of the tribe of Judah Revelation five five, Israel should be
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exalted to pre eminence over all nations, they could have borne the disappointments of
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their ambitious hopes better than they could bear Christ's reproof of their sins and the
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reproach they felt even from the presence of His purity. End of Chapter twenty four