the desire of ages-第132章

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me　unto　God　by　Him。

I　say　unto　thee　today；　Thou　shalt　be　with　Me　in　Paradise。　Christ　did　not　promise　that　the　thief　should　be　with　Him　in　Paradise　that　day。　He　Himself　did　not　go　that　day　to　Paradise。　He　slept　in　the　tomb；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　resurrection　He　said；　〃I　am　not　yet　ascended　to　My　Father。〃　John　20：17。　But　on　the　day　of　the　crucifixion；　the　day　of　apparent　defeat　and　darkness；　the　promise　was　given。　〃Today〃　while　dying　upon　the　cross　as　a　malefactor；　Christ　assures　the　poor　sinner；　Thou　shalt　be　with　Me　in　Paradise。

The　thieves　crucified　with　Jesus　were　placed　〃on　either　side　one；　and　Jesus　in　the　midst。〃　This　was　done　by　the　direction　of　the　priests　and　rulers。　Christ's　position　between　the　thieves　was　to　indicate　that　He　was　the　greatest　criminal　of　the　three。　Thus　was　fulfilled　the　scripture；　〃He　was　numbered　with　the　transgressors。〃　Isa。　53：12。　But　the　full　meaning　of　their　act　the　priests　did　not　see。　As　Jesus；　crucified　with　the　thieves；　was　placed　〃in　the　midst；〃　so　His　cross　was　placed　in　the　midst　of　a　world　lying　in　sin。　And　the　words　of　pardon　spoken　to　the　penitent　thief　kindled　a　light　that　will　shine　to　the　earth's　remotest　bounds。

752


With　amazement　the　angels　beheld　the　infinite　love　of　Jesus；　who；　suffering　the　most　intense　agony　of　mind　and　body；　thought　only　of　others；　and　encouraged　the　penitent　soul　to　believe。　In　His　humiliation　He　as　a　prophet　had　addressed　the　daughters　of　Jerusalem；　as　priest　and　advocate　He　had　pleaded　with　the　Father　to　forgive　His　murderers；　as　a　loving　Saviour　He　had　forgiven　the　sins　of　the　penitent　thief。

As　the　eyes　of　Jesus　wandered　over　the　multitude　about　Him；　one　figure　arrested　His　attention。　At　the　foot　of　the　cross　stood　His　mother；　supported　by　the　disciple　John。　She　could　not　endure　to　remain　away　from　her　Son；　and　John；　knowing　that　the　end　was　near；　had　brought　her　again　to　the　cross。　In　His　dying　hour；　Christ　remembered　His　mother。　Looking　into　her　grief…stricken　face　and　then　upon　John；　He　said　to　her；　〃Woman；　behold　thy　son！〃　then　to　John；　〃Behold　thy　mother！〃　John　understood　Christ's　words；　and　accepted　the　trust。　He　at　once　took　Mary　to　his　home；　and　from　that　hour　cared　for　her　tenderly。　O　pitiful；　loving　Saviour；　amid　all　His　physical　pain　and　mental　anguish；　He　had　a　thoughtful　care　for　His　mother！　He　had　no　money　with　which　to　provide　for　her　comfort；　but　He　was　enshrined　in　the　heart　of　John；　and　He　gave　His　mother　to　him　as　a　precious　legacy。　Thus　He　provided　for　her　that　which　she　most　needed；the　tender　sympathy　of　one　who　loved　her　because　she　loved　Jesus。　And　in　receiving　her　as　a　sacred　trust；　John　was　receiving　a　great　blessing。　She　was　a　constant　reminder　of　his　beloved　Master。

The　perfect　example　of　Christ's　filial　love　shines　forth　with　undimmed　luster　from　the　mist　of　ages。　For　nearly　thirty　years　Jesus　by　His　daily　toil　had　helped　bear　the　burdens　of　the　home。　And　now；　even　in　His　last　agony；　He　remembers　to　provide　for　His　sorrowing；　widowed　mother。　The　same　spirit　will　be　seen　in　every　disciple　of　our　Lord。　Those　who　follow　Christ　will　feel　that　it　is　a　part　of　their　religion　to　respect　and　provide　for　their　parents。　From　the　heart　where　His　love　is　cherished；　father　and　mother　will　never　fail　of　receiving　thoughtful　care　and　tender　sympathy。

And　now　the　Lord　of　glory　was　dying；　a　ransom　for　the　race。　In　yielding　up　His　precious　life；　Christ　was　not　upheld　by　triumphant　joy。　All　was　oppressive　gloom。　It　was　not　the　dread　of　death　that　weighed　upon　Him。　It　was　not　the　pain　and　ignominy　of　the　cross　that　caused　His　inexpressible　agony。　Christ　was　the　prince　of　sufferers；　but　His　suffering　was　from　a　sense　of　the　malignity　of　sin；　a　knowledge　that

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through　familiarity　with　evil；　man　had　become　blinded　to　its　enormity。　Christ　saw　how　deep　is　the　hold　of　sin　upon　the　human　heart；　how　few　would　be　willing　to　break　from　its　power。　He　knew　that　without　help　from　God；　humanity　must　perish；　and　He　saw　multitudes　perishing　within　reach　of　abundant　help。

Upon　Christ　as　our　substitute　and　surety　was　laid　the　iniquity　of　us　all。　He　was　counted　a　transgressor；　that　He　might　redeem　us　from　the　condemnation　of　the　law。　The　guilt　of　every　descendant　of　Adam　was　pressing　upon　His　heart。　The　wrath　of　God　against　sin；　the　terrible　manifestation　of　His　displeasure　because　of　iniquity；　filled　the　soul　of　His　Son　with　consternation。　All　His　life　Christ　had　been　publishing　to　a　fallen　world　the　good　news　of　the　Father's　mercy　and　pardoning　love。　Salvation　for　the　chief　of　sinners　was　His　theme。　But　now　with　the　terrible　weight　of　guilt　He　bears；　He　cannot　see　the　Father's　reconciling　face。　The　withdrawal　of　the　divine　countenance　from　the　Saviour　in　this　hour　of　supreme　anguish　pierced　His　heart　with　a　sorrow　that　can　never　be　fully　understood　by　man。　So　great　was　this　agony　that　His　physical　pain　was　hardly　felt。

Satan　with　his　fierce　temptations　wrung　the　heart　of　Jesus。　The　Saviour　could　not　see　through　the　portals　of　the　tomb。　Hope　did　not　present　to　Him　His　coming　forth　from　the　grave　a　conqueror；　or　tell　Him　of　the　Father's　acceptance　of　the　sacrifice。　He　feared　that　sin　was　so　offensive　to　God　that　Their　separation　was　to　be　eternal。　Christ　felt　the　anguish　which　the　sinner　will　feel　when　mercy　shall　no　longer　plead　for　the　guilty　race。　It　was　the　sense　of　sin；　bringing　the　Father's　wrath　upon　Him　as　man's　substitute；　that　made　the　cup　He　drank　so　bitter；　and　broke　the　heart　of　the　Son　of　God。

With　amazement　angels　witnessed　the　Saviour's　despairing　agony。　The　hosts　of　heaven　veiled　their　faces　from　the　fearful　sight。　Inanimate　nature　expressed　sympathy　with　its　insulted　and　dying　Author。　The　sun　refused　to　look　upon　the　awful　scene。　Its　full；　bright　rays　were　illuminating　the　earth　at　midday；　when　suddenly　it　seemed　to　be　blotted　out。　Complete　darkness；　like　a　funeral　pall；　enveloped　the　cross。　〃There　was　darkness　over　all　the　land　unto　the　ninth　hour。〃　There　was　no　eclipse　or　other　natural　cause　for　this　darkness；　which　was　as　deep　as　midnight　without　moon　or　stars。　It　was　a　miraculous　testimony　given　by　God　that　the　faith　of　after　generations　might　be　confirmed。

In　that　thick　darkness　God's　presence　was　hidden。　He　makes　darkness　His　pavilion；　and　conceals　His　glory　from　human　eyes。　God　and

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His　holy　angels　were　beside　the　cross。　The　Father　was　with　His　Son。　Yet　His　presence　was　not　revealed。　Had　His　glory　flashed　forth　from　the　cloud；　every　human　beholder　would　have　been　destroyed。　And　in　that　dreadful　hour　Christ　was　not　to　be　comforted　with　the　Father's　presence。　He　trod　the　wine　press　alone；　and　of　the　people　there　was　none　with　Him。

In　the　thick　darkness；　God　veiled　the　last　human　agony　of　His　Son。　All　who　had　seen　Christ　in　His　suffering　had　been　convicted　of　His　divinity。　That　face；　once　beheld　by　humanity；　was　never　forgotten。　As　the　face　of　Cain　expressed　his　guilt　as　a　murderer；　so　the　face　of　Christ　revealed　innocence；　serenity；　benevolence；the　image　of　God。　But　His　accusers　would　not　give　heed　to　the　signet　of　heaven。　Through　long　hours　of　agony　Christ　had　been　gazed　upon　by　the　jeering　multitude。　Now　He　was　mercifully　hidden　by　the　mantle　of　God。

The　silence　of　the　grave　seemed　to　have　fallen　upon　Calvary。　A　nameless　terror　held　the　throng　that　was　gathered　about　the　cross。　The　cursing　and　reviling　ceased　in　the　midst　of　half…uttered　sentences。　Men；　women；　and　children　fell　prostrate　upon　the　earth。　Vivid　lightnings　occasionally　flashed　forth　from　the　cloud；　and　revealed　the　cross　and　the　crucified　Redeemer。　Priests；　rulers；　scribes；　executioners；　and　the　mob；　all　thought　that　their　time　of　retribution　had　come。　After　a　while　some　whispered　that　Jesus　would　now　come　down　from　the　cross。　Some　attempted　to　grope　their　way　back　to　the　city；　beating　their　breasts　and　wailing　in　fear。

At　the　ninth　hour　the　darkness　lifted　from　the　people；　but　still　enveloped　the　Saviour。　It　was　a　symbol　of　the　agony　and　horror　that　weighed　upon　His　heart。　No　eye　could　pierce　the　gloom　that　surrounded　the　cross；　and　none　could　penetrate　the　deeper　gloom　that　enshrouded　the　suffering　soul　of　Christ。　The　angry　lightnings　seemed　to　be　hurled　at　Him　as　He　hung　upon　the　cross。　Then　〃Jesus　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　saying；　Eloi；　Eloi；　lama　sabachthani？〃　〃My　God；　My　God；　why　hast　Thou　forsaken　Me？〃　As　the　outer　gloom　settled　about　the　Saviour；　many　voices　exclaimed：　The　vengeance　of　heaven　is　upon　Him。　The　bolts　of　God's　wrath　are　hurled　at　Him；　because　He　claimed　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　Many　who　believed　on　Him　heard　His　despairing　cry。　Hope　left　them。　If　God　had　forsaken　Jesus；　in　what　could　His　followers　trust？

When　the　darkness　lifted　from　the　oppressed　spirit　of　Christ；　He　revived　to　a　sense　of　physical　suffering；　and　said；　〃I　thirst。〃　One　of　the

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Roman　soldiers；　touched　with　pity　as　he　looked　at　the　parched　lips；　took　a　sponge　on　a　stalk　of　hyssop；　and　dipping　it　in　a　vessel　of　vinegar；　offered　it　to　Jesus。　But　the　priests　mocked　at　His　agony。　When　darkness　covered　the　earth；　they　had　been　filled　with　fear；　as　their　terror　abated；　the　dread　returned　that　Jesus　would　yet　escape　them。　His　words；　〃Eloi；　Eloi；　lama　sabachthani？〃　they　had　misinterpreted。　With　bitter　contempt　and　scorn　they　said；　〃This　man　calleth　for　Elias。〃　The　last　opportunity　to　relieve　His　sufferings　they　refused。　〃Let　be；〃　they　said；　〃let　us　see　whether　Elias　will　come　to　save　Him。〃

The　spotless　Son　of　God　hung　upon　the　cross；　His　flesh　lacerated　with　stripes；　those　hands　so　often　reached　out　in　blessing；　nailed　to　the　wooden　bars；　those　feet　so　tireless　on　ministries　of　love；　spiked　to　the　tree；　that　royal　head　pierced　by　the　crown　of　thorns；　those　quivering　lips　shaped　to　the　cry　of　woe。　And　all　that　He　enduredthe　blood　drops　that　flowed　from　His　head；　His　hands；　His　feet；　the　agony　that　racked　His　frame；　and　the　unutterable　anguish　that　filled　His　soul　at　the　hiding　of　His　Father's　facespeaks　to　each　child　of　humanity；　declaring；　It　is　for　thee　that　the　Son　of　God　consents　to　bear　this　burden　of　guilt；　for　thee　He　spoils　the　domain　of　death；　and　opens　the　gates　of　Paradise。　He　who　stilled　the　angry　waves　and　walked　the　foam…capped　billows；　who　made　devils　tremble　and　disease　flee；　who　opened　blind　eyes　and　called　forth　the　dead　to　life；offers　Himself　upon　the　cross　as　a　sacrifice；　and　this　from　love　to　thee。

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He；　the　Sin　Bearer；　endures　the　wrath　of　divine　justice；　and　for　thy　sake　becomes　sin　itself。

In　silence　the　beholders　watched　for　the　end　of　the　fearful　scene。　The　sun　shone　forth；　but　the　cross　was　still　enveloped　in　darkness。　Priests　and　rulers　looked　toward　Jerusalem；　and　lo；　the　dense　cloud　had　settled　over　the　city　and　the　plains　of　Judea。　The　Sun　of　Righteousness；　the　Light　of　the　world；　was　withdrawing　His　beams　from　the　once　favored　city　of　Jerusalem。　The　fierce　lightnings　of　God's　wrath　were　directed　against　the　fated　city。

Suddenly　the　gloom　lifted　from　the　cross；　and　in　clear；　trumpetlike　tones；　that　seemed　to　resound　throughout　creation；　Jesus　cried；　〃It　is　finished。〃　〃Father；　into　Thy　hands　I　commend　My　spirit。〃　A　light　encircled　the　cross；　and　the　face　of　the　S