登陆注册
5448100000213

第213章 Chapter 64(1)

A Doomed People

The triumphal ride of Christ into Jerusalem was the dim foreshadowing of His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory, amid the triumph of angels and the rejoicing of the saints. Then will be fulfilled the words of Christ to the priests and Pharisees: "Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." Matt.

23:39. In prophetic vision Zechariah was shown that day of final triumph;and he beheld also the doom of those who at the first advent had rejected Christ: "They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." Zech. 12:10. This scene Christ foresaw when He beheld the city and wept over it. In the temporal ruin of Jerusalem He saw the final destruction of that people who were guilty of the blood of the Son of God.

The disciples saw the hatred of the Jews to Christ, but they did not yet see to what it would lead. They did not yet understand the true condition of Israel, nor comprehend the retribution that was to fall upon Jerusalem. This Christ opened to them by a significant object lesson.

The last appeal to Jerusalem had been in vain. The priests and rulers had heard the prophetic voice of the past echoed by the multitude, in answer to the question, "Who is this?" but they did not accept it as 581the voice of Inspiration. In anger and amazement they tried to silence the people. There were Roman officers in the throng, and to them His enemies denounced Jesus as the leader of a rebellion. They represented that He was about to take possession of the temple, and reign as king in Jerusalem.

But the calm voice of Jesus hushed for a moment the clamorous throng as He again declared that He had not come to establish a temporal rule; He should soon ascend to His Father, and His accusers would see Him no more until He should come again in glory. Then, too late for their salvation, they would acknowledge Him. These words Jesus spoke with sadness and with singular power. The Roman officers were silenced and subdued. Their hearts, though strangers to divine influence, were moved as they had never been moved before. In the calm, solemn face of Jesus they read love, benevolence, and quiet dignity. They were stirred by a sympathy they could not understand.

Instead of arresting Jesus, they were more inclined to pay Him homage.

Turning upon the priests and rulers, they charged them with creating the disturbance. These leaders, chagrined and defeated, turned to the people with their complaints, and disputed angrily among themselves.

Meanwhile Jesus passed unnoticed to the temple. All was quiet there, for the scene upon Olivet had called away the people. For a short time Jesus remained at the temple, looking upon it with sorrowful eyes. Then He withdrew with His disciples, and returned to Bethany. When the people sought for Him to place Him on the throne, He was not to be found.

The entire night Jesus spent in prayer, and in the morning He came again to the temple. On the way He passed a fig orchard. He was hungry, "and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find anything thereon: and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet."It was not the season for ripe figs, except in certain localities; and on the highlands about Jerusalem it might truly be said, "The time of figs was not yet." But in the orchard to which Jesus came, one tree appeared to be in advance of all the others. It was already covered with leaves. It is the nature of the fig tree that before the leaves open, the growing fruit appears. Therefore this tree in full leaf gave promise of well-developed fruit. But its appearance was deceptive. Upon searching its branches, from the lowest bough to the topmost twig, Jesus found "nothing but leaves." It was a mass of pretentious foliage, nothing more.

Christ uttered against it a withering curse. "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever," He said. The next morning, as the Saviour and His disciples were again on their way to the city, the blasted branches and drooping leaves attracted their attention. "Master," said Peter, "behold, the fig tree which Thou cursedst is withered away."Christ's act in cursing the fig tree had astonished the disciples. It seemed to them unlike His ways and works. Often they had heard Him declare that He came not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. They remembered His words, "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:56. His wonderful works had been done to restore, never to destroy. The disciples had known Him only as the Restorer, the Healer. This act stood alone. What was its purpose? they questioned.

God "delighteth in mercy." "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." Micah 7:18; Ezek. 33:11. To Him the work of destruction and the denunciation of judgment is a "strange work."Isa. 28:21. But it is in mercy and love that He lifts the veil from the future, and reveals to men the results of a course of sin.

同类推荐
  • 鹤山禅师执帚集

    鹤山禅师执帚集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说明度五十校计经

    佛说明度五十校计经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 宣公

    宣公

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 落花

    落花

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北齐书

    北齐书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 酒仙

    酒仙

    酒鬼和醉鬼差不多,形象都是讨厌的。我是一个血气方刚的小伙子,文化程度不低,也长得人模人样的,还有谋生的一技之长,被人扣上这么一顶帽子,似乎成了人间的怪物,想要抓个对象,姑娘躲得远远的。好容易抓着一个,人家还在拖着看着考验着。今年二十八岁了,仍是一个邋遢的单身汉。没有老婆管着的单身汉,生活无规律,吃饭穷对付。今天下班以后,路过食品街,在小食摊儿上填饱肚子,才懒散散地回到家里。黄昏的斗室,溽热未消,本来就闷得难受,邻居又吵起架来,实在烦人!板夹泥的墙壁,从来不隔音。
  • 人性的“新大陆”

    人性的“新大陆”

    人性问题在中国的战国时期,就有很多先哲展开争论。在西方,公元前三百多年,古希腊哲学家波,柏拉图和亚里士多德,就论述过有关人性问题。
  • 我不为臣

    我不为臣

    天冷心寒,天燥身热,大好时光,何不称心如意,秋高气爽,何不吃蟹纳凉。弃。
  • 独家记忆

    独家记忆

    世界上最美好的事情莫过于,我喜欢你的同时,刚好你也喜欢我。超人气作家木浮生五年畅销口碑代表作。初见时,她是考生,他是巡考员,因一场乌龙的作弊案,她被他抓了个正着;再见时,她是课代表,他是代课教师,因一个发不出的弹音,她被他留下单独辅导。从此,“慕承和”三个字,成为她平淡无奇生活的转折点。原以为他是她的意外惊喜,殊不知她才是他灰暗生活里的一抹亮色。“你知道我为什么叫你Роза?”“玫瑰?”
  • 古董

    古董

    那天下午,大嫂从老家打来电话,气急败坏愣头就跟我一句:“兄弟,我问你,你跟你大哥是不是爸妈亲生的?”大嫂在电话中很激动,一激动,说话就颠三倒四,事情的来龙去脉都没说清楚,就只顾自己在那里婆婆妈妈的一阵抱怨,发牢骚,一副痛心疾首的样子。我说:“大嫂,你慢点说,究竟是啥情况?”“啥子情况,你还不晓得?”听大嫂那语气,就是说我居然对如此天大的事情一无所知,好像我反应迟钝的样子。事实确实如此,我根本就没有听出究竟是个什么事情,到目前为止,我听到的都是大嫂的满腹牢骚,根本就没跟我讲究竟是啥情况。
  • 百家姓(国学启蒙书系列)

    百家姓(国学启蒙书系列)

    中华民族文化博大精深,源远流长,是历代仁人志士的智慧源泉和精神支柱,同时也是人类历史上璀璨的瑰宝。可以说,传统文化是一个民族的标志和灵魂。国学门类繁多,内容丰富,思想深刻,体现了中华民族特有的气度和精神。通过阅读国学,能使孩子从中汲取思想的力量,对孩子语言能力的开发和良好品质的形成都具有重要意义。
  • 归途

    归途

    《归途》是许地山的一部散文集,收录了许地山创作的散文共计15篇。
  • 销售三绝:找对人 说对话 做对事

    销售三绝:找对人 说对话 做对事

    本书立足销售工作中客户难找、与客户沟通困难、销售人员付出十足努力却收效甚微这一现状,以“找对人”、“说对话”、“做对事”为内容,多层次多角度地揭示销售工作中的三大利器,给销售人员指出了一条正确的道路,让销售人员做正确的事,再正确地做事。同时提供了许多销售建议、实用技巧、方法和策略。让销售人员清醒地避开弯路、找到方向、找到智慧,在销售这条神秘而充满诱惑的大道上顺利打造自己的美好“钱”途。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 失之我幸得你我命

    失之我幸得你我命

    江城只手遮天的江家,失去继承资格和心爱的女人最不得宠的纨绔放肆少爷,撞上心脏病发男友出轨走投无路等死的娇弱穷学生。两个支离破碎的人,一场租婚……嘘~其实是场骗局爷爷:“我不同意你娶她”“她,我认定了,没必要和任何人商量,而且,证都领了”……林羽:“江扬,你是江洋大盗的江扬吗?”江扬眉眼温柔:“怎么?偷了你的心?”林羽摇头“没有”江扬点头:“那我继续努力”林羽:“……”某天“哥,你能不能管管你媳妇了”江扬撩起眼皮:“老婆,他敢告状,帮你打他好不好?”林羽贼贼一笑:“好”“爸,爷爷,救命啊”那边的两个男人没一个理他谁不知她是他放在心尖尖的女人,关于她的事,谁说都没用