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

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  Unto you. A savior, the King of Glory stooped low to take humanity.
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  Rude and forbidding were his earthly surroundings. His glory was veiled that the
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  majesty of his outward form might not become an object of attraction. He shunned
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  all outward display riches. Worldly honor and human greatness can never save a soul
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  from death. Jesus purpose that no attraction of an earthly nature should call men
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  to his side. Only the beauty of heavenly truth must draw those who would
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  follow him. The character of the Messiah had long been foretold in prophecy,
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  and he desired men to accept him. Upon the testimony of the Word of
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  God. The angels had wondered at the glorious plan of redemption. They watched
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  to see how the people of God would receive his son. Clothed in the
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  garb of humanity. Angels came to the land of the Chosen People. Other
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  nations were dealing in fables and worshiping false gods. To the land where the
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  glory of God had been revealed and the light of prophecy had shown, the
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  angels came. They came unseen to Jerusalem to the appointed expositors of the sacred
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  oracles, and to the ministers of God's House. Already, to Zacharias the
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  priest, as he ministered before the altar, the nearness of Christ's coming had
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  been announced. Already the Forerunner was born, his mission attested by miracle and
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  prophecy. The tidings of his birth and the wonderful significance of his mission had
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  been spread abroad. Yet Jerusalem was not preparing to welcome her redeemer. With
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  amazement, the heavenly messengers beheld the indifference of that people whom God had called
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  to communicate to the world the light of sacred truth. The Jewish nation had
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  been preserved as a witness that Christ was to be born of the seed of
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  Abraham and David's line, Yet they knew not that his coming was now at
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  hand. In the Temple, the morning and evening sacrifice daily pointed to the
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  lamb of God. Yet even here was no preparation to receive him. The
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  priest and teachers of the nation knew not that this greatest event of the ages
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  was about to take They rehearsed their meaningless prayers and beformed the rites of worship
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  to be seen by men, but in their strife for riches and worldly honor,
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  they were not prepared for the revelation of the Messiah. The same indifference
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  pervaded the land of Israel. Hearts selfish and world engrossed were untouched by the
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  joy that thrilled all heaven. Only a few were longing to behold the unseen.
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  To these, Heaven's embassy was sent angels attend Joseph and Mary as a
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  journey from their home in Nazareth to the city of David. The decree of
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  Imperial Rome for the enrollment of the peoples of her vast dominion has extended to
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  the dwellers among the hills of Galilee. As in old time, Cyrus was
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  called to the throne of the world's empire, that he might set free the
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  captives of the Lord. So Caesar Augustus has made the agent for the fulfillment
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  of God's purpose in bringing the Mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. She is of
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  the lineage of David, and the son of David must be born in David
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  City, out of Bethlehem, said the prophet, shall he come forth,
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  that is to be ruler in Israel, whose going force have been from of
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  old, from the days of eternity Mica five two margin. But in the
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  city of their royal line, Joseph and Mary are unrecognized and unhonored. Weary
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  and homeless, they traverse the entire length of the narrow street from the gate
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  of the city to the eastern extremity of the town, vainly seeking a resting
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  place for the night. There is no room for them at the crowded inn.
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  In a rude building, where the beast are sheltered, they at last
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  find refuge. And here the redeemer of the world is born. Men know
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  it not, but the tidings fill heaven with rejoicing. With a deeper and
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  more tender interest, the holy beings from the world of light are drawn to
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  the earth. The whole world is brighter for his presence. Above the hills
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  of Bethlehem are gathered an innumerable throng of angels. They wait the signal to
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  declare the glad news to the world. Had the leaders in Israel been true
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  to their trust, they might have shared the joy of heralding the birth of
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  Jesus. But now they are passed by God declares, I will pour water
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  upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. Unto the upright,
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  there ariseth light in the darkness Isaiah forty four, three Psalms one twelve
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  four. To those who are seeking for light, and who accept it with
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  gladness, the bright rays from the Throne of God will shine. In the
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  fields where the boy David had led his flock, shepherds were still keeping watch
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  by night. Through the silent hours, they talked together of the promised Savior
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  and prayed for the coming of the King to David's throne. And lo,
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  the Angel the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone
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  round about them, and they were sore frayed. And the Angel said,
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  unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of
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  great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born
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  this day in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the
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  Lord. At these words, visions of glory fill the minds of the listening
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  shepherds. The deliverers come to Israel power, exaltation, triumph for associated with
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  his coming. But the Angel must prepare them to recognize their savior, and
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  poverty and humiliation. This shall be a sign unto you. He says,
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  ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
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  The heavenly Messenger had quieted their fears. He had told them how to find
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  Jesus with tender regard for their human weakness. He had given them time to
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  become accustomed to the divine radiance. Then the joy and glory could no longer
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  be hidden. The whole plain was lighted up with the bright shining of the
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  host of God. Earth was hushed, and heaven stooped to listen to the
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  song. Glory to God in the highest and on Earth, peace, good
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  will toward men. Oh, that to day the human family could recognize that
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  song. The declaration then made the note then struck will swell to the close
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  of time and resound to the ends of the earth. When the Sun of
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  Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings, that song will be re echoed
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  by the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters,
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  saying Adelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Revelation nineteen six. As the angels
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  disappeared, the light faded away, and the shadows of night once more fell
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  on the hills of Bethlehem. But the brightest picture ever beheld by human eyes
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  remained in the memory of the shepherds, and it came to pass as the
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  angels were gone away from them into heaven. The shepherd said one to another,
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  let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come
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  to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came
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  with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger,
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  departing with great joy they may known the things that they had seen and heard.
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  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them
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  by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her
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  heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. Heaven and Earth are
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  no wider apart to day than when shepherds listen to the angels song. Humanity
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  is still as much the object of Heaven's solicitude as when common men of common
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  occupations met angels at noonday and talked with the heavenly messengers in the vineyards and
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  the fields. To us in the common walks of life. Heaven may be
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  very near. Angels from the courts above will attend the steps of those who
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  come and go at God's command. The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme.
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  In it is hidden the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
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  knowledge of God Romans eleven thirty three. We marvel at the Savior's sacrifice in
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  exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels
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  for the beast of the stall. Human pride and self sufficiency stand rebuked in
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  his presence. Yet this was but the beginning of his wonderful condescension. It
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  would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's
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  nature, even when man stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted
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  humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like
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  every child of Adam, he accepted the results of the working of the great
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  law of heredity. What these results were, as shown in the history of
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  his earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and
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  temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life. Satan in
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  heaven had hated Christ for his position in the courts of God. He hated
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  him the more when he himself was dethroned. He hated him who pledged himself
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  to redeem a race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion,
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  God permitted his son to come, a helpless babe subject to the weakness
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  of humanity. He permitted him to meet life's peril in common with every human
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  soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it at
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  the risk of failure and eternal loss. The heart of the human father yearns
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  over his son. He looks into the face of his little child and trembles
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  at the thought of life's peril. He longs to shield his dear one from
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  Satan's power, to hold him back from temptation and conflict. To meet a
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  bitterer conflict and a more fearful risk. God gave his only begotten son that
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  the path of life might be made sure for our little ones. Here in
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  his love, wonder, oh Heavens, and be astonished o Earth. End
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  of Chapter four