登陆注册
37903700000257

第257章 Chapter 1(1)

The Destruction of Jerusalem "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." Luke 19:42-44.

From the crest of Olivet, Jesus looked upon Jerusalem. Fair and peaceful was the scene spread out before Him. It was the season of the Passover, and from all lands the children of Jacob had gathered there to celebrate the great national festival. In the midst of gardens and vineyards, and green slopes studded with pilgrims' tents, rose the terraced hills, the stately palaces, and massive bulwarks of Israel's capital. The daughter of Zion seemed in her pride to say, I sit a queen and shall see no sorrow; as lovely then, and deeming herself as secure in Heaven's favor, as when, ages before, the royal minstrel sang: "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, . . . the city of the great King." Psalm 48:2. In full view were the magnificent buildings of the temple. The rays of the setting sun lighted up the snowy whiteness of its marble walls and gleamed from golden gate and tower and pinnacle. "The perfection of beauty" it stood, the pride of the Jewish nation. What child of Israel could gaze upon the scene without a thrill of joy and admiration! But far other thoughts occupied the mind of Jesus. "When He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it." Luke 19:41. Amid the universal rejoicing of the triumphal entry, while palm branches waved, while glad hosannas awoke the echoes of the hills, and thousands of voices declared Him king, the world's Redeemer was overwhelmed with a sudden and mysterious sorrow. He, the Son of God, the Promised One of Israel, whose power had conquered death and called its captives from the grave, was in tears, not of ordinary grief, but of intense, irrepressible agony.

His tears were not for Himself, though He well knew whither His feet were tending. Before Him lay Gethsemane, the scene of His approaching agony. The sheepgate also was in sight, through which for centuries the victims for sacrifice had been led, and which was to open for Him when He should be "brought as a lamb to the slaughter." Isaiah 53:7. Not far distant was Calvary, the place of crucifixion. Upon the path which Christ was soon to tread must fall the horror of great darkness as He should make His soul an offering for sin. Yet it was not the contemplation of these scenes that cast the shadow upon Him in this hour of gladness. No foreboding of His own superhuman anguish clouded that unselfish spirit. He wept for the doomed thousands of Jerusalem--because of the blindness and impenitence of those whom He came to bless and to save.

The history of more than a thousand years of God's special favor and guardian care, manifested to the chosen people, was open to the eye of Jesus. There was Mount Moriah, where the son of promise, an unresisting victim, had been bound to the altar--emblem of the offering of the Son of God. There the covenant of blessing, the glorious Messianic promise, had been confirmed to the father of the faithful. Genesis 22:9, 16-18. There the flames of the sacrifice ascending to heaven from the threshing floor of Ornan had turned aside the sword of the destroying angel (1 Chronicles 21)-- fitting symbol of the Saviour's sacrifice and mediation for guilty men. Jerusalem had been honored of God above all the earth. The Lord had "chosen Zion," He had "desired it for His habitation." Psalm 132:13. There, for ages, holy prophets had uttered their messages of warning. There priests had waved their censers, and the cloud of incense, with the prayers of the worshipers, had ascended before God. There daily the blood of slain lambs had been offered, pointing forward to the Lamb of God. There Jehovah had revealed His presence in the cloud of glory above the mercy seat. There rested the base of that mystic ladder connecting earth with heaven (Genesis 28:12; John 1:51)--that ladder upon which angels of God descended and ascended, and which opened to the world the way into the holiest of all. Had Israel as a nation preserved her allegiance to Heaven, Jerusalem would have stood forever, the elect of God. Jeremiah 17:21-25. But the history of that favored people was a record of backsliding and rebellion. They had resisted Heaven's grace, abused their privileges, and slighted their opportunities.

Although Israel had "mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets" (2 Chronicles 36:16), He had still manifested Himself to them, as "the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34:6); notwithstanding repeated rejections, His mercy had continued its pleadings. With more than a father's pitying love for the son of his care, God had "sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling place." 2 Chronicles 36:15. When remonstrance, entreaty, and rebuke had failed, He sent to them the best gift of heaven;nay, He poured out all heaven in that one Gift.

The Son of God Himself was sent to plead with the impenitent city. It was Christ that had brought Israel as a goodly vine out of Egypt. Psalm 80:8.

His own hand had cast out the heathen before it. He had planted it "in a very fruitful hill." His guardian care had hedged it about. His servants had been sent to nurture it.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 梦里阑珊1995

    梦里阑珊1995

    讲述的是漫画家孟里在28岁事业有成的年纪痛失相伴多年的未婚妻然珊。在一次机缘下,遇见时光老头,思想穿越回到了平时时空还是14岁初中生的小孟里身上。没想到,14岁的孟里还是个发育未完全的又黑又胖的小胖子。在那场旧时光爱情里,情敌木风长着一张初恋男孩的模样,又高又帅,与然珊情投意合。孟里守护着然珊长大的同时忍受着她和其他男生谈情说爱。漫漫追妻之路,碰撞出许多令人啼笑皆非和怅然若失的故事。这是一场关于旧时光和你的爱情。
  • 四象邪修

    四象邪修

    四种灵根,得一可平天下!少年凌靖,独占四灵根,却因无法施展,惨遭灭族!他身坠深渊,却被高人所救,还将四灵根尽数激活!从此他杀敌雪耻,驱龙逐凤,独霸三界众生!顺我者昌逆我亡,灭神屠魔我为王!
  • 宝藏女孩是隐藏大佬

    宝藏女孩是隐藏大佬

    简布蔚是谁!?!“宝藏女儿布丁不畏啊,是大流量网红up主”听说布丁女孩会塞车是真的嘛!?“那是当然布丁不畏可是——国际纳斯特车赛的No.1”张影帝据传闻说,网红up主简布蔚小姐和如今身为影帝的您是情侣关系是真的吗?!“不是情侣关系”说完之后,张橙墨影帝挺住脚步,回头开口又对着人群里的记者,粉丝,明星,说到“她是我老婆,所以是夫妻关系”从此节操是路人,一言不合就公开秀恩爱,登顶热搜No,1。粉丝,路人永远都说“橙布两人恩爱撒狗粮,我好撑。”但是谁都不知道俩人其实也是可以穿越的异能者。
  • 请别偷走我的心

    请别偷走我的心

    他因为一段情变的冷漠,高傲、她经过漫长的等待终于等来的他的告白,幸福总是来的快去的也快,琉璃梦的破碎,她发现这只是幻觉梦一场,原来她一直只是一个替身……
  • 深渊刺客

    深渊刺客

    他曾是《神之领域》的世界第一刺客,却因为一场比赛沦为网吧网管。一次机缘巧合,给了他在游戏中重生的机会。纵使前路崎岖,即便诸多坎坷,他仍将燃烧信念一往无前。为了了结过去,为了追寻未来。“这一次,我全都要!”
  • 重生之悍妻

    重生之悍妻

    从末世而来的兵团教官玉小小,穿成嫡长公主的第一天,就把自己嫁给了蒙冤入狱,身受酷刑,处于人生最低谷的少年将军顾星朗。从此以后,一个只会吃饭睡觉打丧尸的末世彪悍女,一个忠君爱国,冷峻寡言的骁勇将军,宿命一般的走到了一起。国家弱小,强敌在侧,朝堂之上有昏君奸妃佞臣,朝堂之下民不聊生,面对如此境地,顾将军希望有朝一日自己能重振朝纲,让这个天下国泰民安,可他的公主妻却说,你这个愿意太宏伟,不可能完成,我们去一统天下好了!顾将军只能……如何成为一个名垂青史的好公主,玉小小坚定的认为,能宠爱自己驸马的公主,就是好公主!
  • 创世七战

    创世七战

    神秘的圣域与天之交界,传说中的圣城与天界!一个平凡和神秘的少年,如何夺天!掀开属于他的血与情,战与歌!生命就像遇见与轮回!请看《最沧》作品
  • 少女烦心记

    少女烦心记

    少女只是这个时代最美好的牺牲品罢了,而我只是这个时代的其中一个,本书很杂,但是你若有心却应该能喜欢上它.
  • 都市星人生

    都市星人生

    不写简介了,只想写一部完结的作品。简介字数不够?没事,标点来凑。。。。。。