the desire of ages-第138章

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f　godliness；　but　they　had　not　professed　to　serve　God。　They　made　no　boastful　pretensions　to　goodness。　They　were　blind　to　the　works　and　ways　of　God。　With　them　the　time　of　figs　was　not　yet。　They　were　still　waiting　for　a　day　which　would　bring　them　light　and　hope。　The　Jews；　who　had　received　greater　blessings　from　God；　were　held　accountable　for　their　abuse　of　these　gifts。　The　privileges　of　which　they　boasted　only　increased　their　guilt。

Jesus　had　come　to　the　fig　tree　hungry；　to　find　food。　So　He　had　come　to　Israel；　hungering　to　find　in　them　the　fruits　of　righteousness。　He　had　lavished　on　them　His　gifts；　that　they　might　bear　fruit　for　the　blessing　of　the　world。　Every　opportunity　and　privilege　had　been　granted　them；　and　in　return　He　sought　their　sympathy　and　co…operation　in　His　work　of　grace。　He　longed　to　see　in　them　self…sacrifice　and　compassion；　zeal　for　God；　and　a　deep　yearning　of　soul　for　the　salvation　of　their　fellow　men。　Had　they　kept　the　law　of　God；　they　would　have　done　the　same　unselfish　work　that　Christ　did。　But　love　to　God　and　man　was　eclipsed　by　pride　and　self…sufficiency。　They　brought　ruin　upon　themselves　by　refusing　to　minister　to　others。　The　treasures　of　truth　which　God　had　committed　to　them；　they　did　not　give　to　the　world。　In　the　barren　tree　they　might　read　both　their　sin　and　its　punishment。　Withered　beneath　the　Saviour's　curse；　standing　forth　sere　and　blasted；　dried　up　by　the　roots；　the　fig　tree　showed　what　the　Jewish　people　would　be　when　the　grace　of　God　was　removed　from　them。　Refusing　to　impart　blessing；　they　would　no　longer　receive　it。　〃O　Israel；〃　the　Lord　says；　〃thou　hast　destroyed　thyself。〃　Hosea　13：9。

584


The　warning　is　for　all　time。　Christ's　act　in　cursing　the　tree　which　His　own　power　had　created　stands　as　a　warning　to　all　churches　and　to　all　Christians。　No　one　can　live　the　law　of　God　without　ministering　to　others。　But　there　are　many　who　do　not　live　out　Christ's　merciful；　unselfish　life。　Some　who　think　themselves　excellent　Christians　do　not　understand　what　constitutes　service　for　God。　They　plan　and　study　to　please　themselves。　They　act　only　in　reference　to　self。　Time　is　of　value　to　them　only　as　they　can　gather　for　themselves。　In　all　the　affairs　of　life　this　is　their　object。　Not　for　others　but　for　themselves　do　they　minister。　God　created　them　to　live　in　a　world　where　unselfish　service　must　be　performed。　He　designed　them　to　help　their　fellow　men　in　every　possible　way。　But　self　is　so　large　that　they　cannot　see　anything　else。　They　are　not　in　touch　with　humanity。　Those　who　thus　live　for　self　are　like　the　fig　tree；　which　made　every　pretension　but　was　fruitless。　They　observe　the　forms　of　worship；　but　without　repentance　or　faith。　In　profession　they　honor　the　law　of　God；　but　obedience　is　lacking。　They　say；　but　do　not。　In　the　sentence　pronounced　on　the　fig　tree　Christ　demonstrates　how　hateful　in　His　eyes　is　this　vain　pretense。　He　declares　that　the　open　sinner　is　less　guilty　than　is　he　who　professes　to　serve　God；　but　who　bears　no　fruit　to　His　glory。

The　parable　of　the　fig　tree；　spoken　before　Christ's　visit　to　Jerusalem；　had　a　direct　connection　with　the　lesson　He　taught　in　cursing　the　fruitless　tree。　For　the　barren　tree　of　the　parable　the　gardener　pleaded；　Let　it　alone　this　year；　until　I　shall　dig　about　it　and　dress　it；　and　if　it　bear　fruit；　well；　but　if　not；　then　after　that　thou　shalt　cut　it　down。　Increased　care　was　to　be　given　the　unfruitful　tree。　It　was　to　have　every　advantage。　But　if　it　remained　fruitless；　nothing　could　save　it　from　destruction。　In　the　parable　the　result　of　the　gardener's　work　was　not　foretold。　It　depended　upon　that　people　to　whom　Christ's　words　were　spoken。　They　were　represented　by　the　fruitless　tree；　and　it　rested　with　them　to　decide　their　own　destiny。　Every　advantage　that　Heaven　could　bestow　was　given　them；　but　they　did　not　profit　by　their　increased　blessings。　By　Christ's　act　in　cursing　the　barren　fig　tree；　the　result　was　shown。　They　had　determined　their　own　destruction。

For　more　than　a　thousand　years　the　Jewish　nation　had　abused　God's　mercy　and　invited　His　judgments。　They　had　rejected　His　warnings　and　slain　His　prophets。　For　these　sins　the　people　of　Christ's　day　made　themselves　responsible　by　following　the　same　course。　In　the　rejection

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of　their　present　mercies　and　warnings　lay　the　guilt　of　that　generation。　The　fetters　which　the　nation　had　for　centuries　been　forging；　the　people　of　Christ's　day　were　fastening　upon　themselves。

In　every　age　there　is　given　to　men　their　day　of　light　and　privilege；　a　probationary　time　in　which　they　may　become　reconciled　to　God。　But　there　is　a　limit　to　this　grace。　Mercy　may　plead　for　years　and　be　slighted　and　rejected；　but　there　comes　a　time　when　mercy　makes　her　last　plea。　The　heart　becomes　so　hardened　that　it　ceases　to　respond　to　the　Spirit　of　God。　Then　the　sweet；　winning　voice　entreats　the　sinner　no　longer；　and　reproofs　and　warnings　cease。

That　day　had　come　to　Jerusalem。　Jesus　wept　in　anguish　over　the　doomed　city；　but　He　could　not　deliver　her。　He　had　exhausted　every　resource。　In　rejecting　the　warnings　of　God's　Spirit；　Israel　had　rejected　the　only　means　of　help。　There　was　no　other　power　by　which　they　could　be　delivered。

The　Jewish　nation　was　a　symbol　of　the　people　of　all　ages　who　scorn　the　pleadings　of　Infinite　Love。　The　tears　of　Christ　when　He　wept　over　Jerusalem　were　for　the　sins　of　all　time。　In　the　judgments　pronounced　upon　Israel；　those　who　reject　the　reproofs　and　warnings　of　God's　Holy　Spirit；　may　read　their　own　condemnation。

In　this　generation　there　are　many　who　are　treading　on　the　same　ground　as　were　the　unbelieving　Jews。　They　have　witnessed　the　manifestation　of　the　power　of　God；　the　Holy　Spirit　has　spoken　to　their　hearts；　but　they　cling　to　their　unbelief　and　resistance。　God　sends　them　warnings　and　reproof；　but　they　are　not　willing　to　confess　their　errors；　and　they　reject　His　message　and　His　messenger。　The　very　means　He　uses　for　their　recovery　becomes　to　them　a　stone　of　stumbling。

The　prophets　of　God　were　hated　by　apostate　Israel　because　through　them　their　hidden　sins　were　brought　to　light。　Ahab　regarded　Elijah　as　his　enemy　because　the　prophet　was　faithful　to　rebuke　the　king's　secret　iniquities。　So　today　the　servant　of　Christ；the　reprover　of　sin；　meets　with　scorn　and　rebuffs。　Bible　truth；　the　religion　of　Christ；　struggles　against　a　strong　current　of　moral　impurity。　Prejudice　is　even　stronger　in　the　hearts　of　men　now　than　in　Christ's　day。　Christ　did　not　fulfill　men's　expectations；　His　life　was　a　rebuke　to　their　sins；　and　they　rejected　Him。　So　now　the　truth　of　God's　word　does　not　harmonize　with　men's　practices　and　their　natural　inclination；　and　thousands　reject　its　light。　Men　prompted　by　Satan　cast　doubt　upon　God's　word；　and　choose　to　exercise

588

their　independent　judgment。　They　choose　darkness　rather　than　light；　but　they　do　it　at　the　peril　of　their　souls。　Those　who　caviled　at　the　words　of　Christ；　found　ever…increased　cause　for　cavil；　until　they　turned　from　the　Truth　and　the　Life。　So　it　is　now。　God　does　not　propose　to　remove　every　objection　which　the　carnal　heart　may　bring　against　His　truth。　To　those　who　refuse　the　precious　rays　of　light　which　would　illuminate　the　darkness；　the　mysteries　of　God's　word　remain　such　forever。　From　them　the　truth　is　hidden。　They　walk　blindly；　and　know　not　the　ruin　before　them。

Christ　overlooked　the　world　and　all　ages　from　the　height　of　Olivet；　and　His　words　are　applicable　to　every　soul　who　slights　the　pleadings　of　divine　mercy。　Scorner　of　His　love；　He　addresses　you　today。　It　is　〃thou；　even　thou；〃　who　shouldest　know　the　things　that　belong　to　thy　peace。　Christ　is　shedding　bitter　tears　for　you；　who　have　no　tears　to　shed　for　yourself。　Already　that　fatal　hardness　of　heart　which　destroyed　the　Pharisees　is　manifest　in　you。　And　every　evidence　of　the　grace　of　God；　every　ray　of　divine　light；　is　either　melting　and　subduing　the　soul；　or　confirming　it　in　hopeless　impenitence。

Christ　foresaw　that　Jerusalem　would　remain　obdurate　and　impenitent；　yet　all　the　guilt；　all　the　consequences　of　rejected　mercy；　lay　at　her　own　door。　Thus　it　will　be　with　every　soul　who　is　following　the　same　course。　The　Lord　declares；　〃O　Israel；　thou　hast　destroyed　thyse