登陆注册
15466200000006

第6章 Chapter 2(2)

By the Babylonish captivity the Israelites were effectually cured of the worship of graven images. During the centuries that followed, they suffered from the oppression of heathen foes, until the conviction became fixed that their prosperity depended upon their obedience to the law of God. But with too many of the people obedience was not prompted by love. The motive was selfish. They rendered outward service to God 29as the means of attaining to national greatness. They did not become the light of the world, but shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation to idolatry. In the instruction given through Moses, God had placed restrictions upon their association with idolaters; but this teaching had been misinterpreted. It was intended to prevent them from conforming to the practices of the heathen. But it was used to build up a wall of separation between Israel and all other nations. The Jews looked upon Jerusalem as their heaven, and they were actually jealous lest the Lord should show mercy to the Gentiles.

After the return from Babylon, much attention was given to religious instruction. All over the country, synagogues were erected, where the law was expounded by the priests and scribes. And schools were established, which, together with the arts and sciences, professed to teach the principles of righteousness. But these agencies became corrupted. During the captivity, many of the people had received heathen ideas and customs, and these were brought into their religious service. In many things they conformed to the practices of idolaters.

As they departed from God, the Jews in a great degree lost sight of the teaching of the ritual service. That service had been instituted by Christ Himself. In every part it was a symbol of Him; and it had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty. But the Jews lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms. They trusted to the sacrifices and ordinances themselves, instead of resting upon Him to whom they pointed. In order to supply the place of that which they had lost, the priests and rabbis multiplied requirements of their own; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love of God was manifested. They measured their holiness by the multitude of their ceremonies, while their hearts were filled with pride and hypocrisy.

With all their minute and burdensome injunctions, it was an impossibility to keep the law. Those who desired to serve God, and who tried to observe the rabbinical precepts, toiled under a heavy burden. They could find no rest from the accusings of a troubled conscience. Thus Satan worked to discourage the people, to lower their conception of the character of God, and to bring the faith of Israel into contempt. He hoped to establish the claim put forth when he rebelled in heaven,--that the requirements of God were unjust, and could not be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep the law.

While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true 30conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.

At the time of the birth of Christ the nation was chafing under the rule of her foreign masters, and racked with internal strife. The Jews had been permitted to maintain the form of a separate government; but nothing could disguise the fact that they were under the Roman yoke, or reconcile them to the restriction of their power. The Romans claimed the right of appointing and removing the high priest, and the office was often secured by fraud, bribery, and even murder. Thus the priesthood became more and more corrupt.

Yet the priests still possessed great power, and they employed it for selfish and mercenary ends. The people were subjected to their merciless demands, and were also heavily taxed by the Romans. This state of affairs caused widespread discontent. Popular outbreaks were frequent. Greed and violence, distrust and spiritual apathy, were eating out the very heart of the nation.

Hatred of the Romans, and national and spiritual pride, led the Jews still to adhere rigorously to their forms of worship. The priests tried to maintain a reputation for sanctity by scrupulous attention to the ceremonies of religion. The people, in their darkness and oppression, and the rulers, thirsting for power, longed for the coming of One who would vanquish their enemies and restore the kingdom to Israel. They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires.

(31)

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 苍莽真灵界

    苍莽真灵界

    千年灭世之战,毁天灭地,大陆生灵涂炭,绝世天才坠落无数。千年轮回,久得重生,今朝又为绝世天才。天赋之高下界无人能及,天妒人嫉,四年之前却遭人暗杀,以使根基被毁。沦为废物的四年的四年时间里,强差人意的生活,使得他渐渐的变成了一个逗逼。苦苦追寻的武道至极,难道就这样的荒废了吗?但还好再次让的他遇到了前世的师傅,不过一向正经的师傅,现在却是一丝灵魂体,一直处于沉睡状态。这本小说在简介上看起来和《斗破苍穹》有些像,但是内容不会和它一样。本书的精彩程度我会一直努力,希望能够让的它与《斗破苍穹》媲美。新书需要大家多多的支持。愿此书能为你的生活带来一丝清凉,温馨,舒适之感,化为一缕清风来到你的身边。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 六十种曲飞丸记

    六十种曲飞丸记

    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。
  • 长生歌

    长生歌

    悲催的绝世魔厨也能刺杀失败!小命玩完,她再世为人,不成想宝刀不在手,异能也飘走,连身材都要和她作对。这个丑胖子是要闹哪样?好不容易嫁个过气王爷还小命攸关……哎!所谓人在江湖飘呀,招牌往外抛啊:风家特制小笼包,挨一刀,吃一包,包你想挨第二刀!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 才子芳

    才子芳

    在网吧打游戏打的太久,结果就是猝死。当她再一次睁眼时,她的世界起了很大的变化!从麒麟国到青龙国再逃到朱雀国,从生到死,从死到生,人生的酸甜苦辣一直有你陪伴,足矣!她考科举,入朝堂,辅女皇。当她羽扇纶巾笑点兵之时,天下谁人不识真英雄!
  • 江湖进行曲

    江湖进行曲

    每个人都有一个江湖梦,就想写写一个武侠。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 洗冤集录

    洗冤集录

    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。
  • 无敌宗门

    无敌宗门

    废物少爷,常常受人欺压,一个机缘巧合,获得宗门传承。从此,走上强者之路,创建无敌宗门。
  • 第二次世界大战元帅:超级战神

    第二次世界大战元帅:超级战神

    1939年9月前,中国的抗日战争、埃塞俄比亚的抗意战争等世界反法西斯抵抗运动就拉开了序幕;1939年9月1日,德国入侵波兰,宣告世界反法西斯战争正式开始;1945年9月24日,日本向盟国投降,昭示世界反法西斯伟大战争取得全面胜利。