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riests　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

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conception　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。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　3

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　Fullness　of　the　Time〃


〃When　the　fullness　of　the　time　was　come；　God　sent　forth　His　Son；　。　。　。　to　redeem　them　that　were　under　the　law；　that　we　might　receive　the　adoption　of　sons。〃　Gal。　4：4；　5。

The　Saviour's　coming　was　foretold　in　Eden。　When　Adam　and　Eve　first　heard　the　promise；　they　looked　for　its　speedy　fulfillment。　They　joyfully　welcomed　their　first…born　son；　hoping　that　he　might　be　the　Deliverer。　But　the　fulfillment　of　the　promise　tarried。　Those　who　first　received　it　died　without　the　sight。　From　the　days　of　Enoch　the　promise　was　repeated　through　patriarchs　and　prophets；　keeping　alive　the　hope　of　His　appearing；　and　yet　He　came　not。　The　prophecy　of　Daniel　revealed　the　time　of　His　advent；　but　not　all　rightly　interpreted　the　message。　Century　after　century　passed　away；　the　voices　of　the　prophets　ceased。　The　hand　of　the　oppressor　was　heavy　upon　Israel；　and　many　were　ready　to　exclaim；　〃The　days　are　prolonged；　and　every　vision　faileth。〃　Ezek。　12：22。

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But　like　the　stars　in　the　vast　circuit　of　their　appointed　path；　God's　purposes　know　no　haste　and　no　delay。　Through　the　symbols　of　the　great　darkness　and　the　smoking　furnace；　God　had　revealed　to　Abraham　the　bondage　of　Israel　in　Egypt；　and　had　declared　that　the　time　of　their　sojourning　should　be　four　hundred　years。　〃Afterward；〃　He　said；　〃shall　they　come　out　with　great　substance。〃　Gen。　15：14。　Against　that　word；　all　the　power　of　Pharaoh's　proud　empire　battled　in　vain。　On　〃the　self…same　day〃　appointed　in　the　divine　promise；　〃it　came　to　pass；　that　all　the　hosts　of　the　Lord　went　out　from　the　land　of　Egypt。〃　Ex。　12：41。　So　in　heaven's　council　the　hour　for　the　coming　of　Christ　had　been　determined。　When　the　great　clock　of　time　pointed　to　that　hour；　Jesus　was　born　in　Bethlehem。

〃When　the　fullness　of　the　time　was　come；　God　sent　forth　His　Son。〃　Providence　had　directed　the　movements　of　nations；　and　the　tide　of　human　impulse　and　influence；　until　the　world　was　ripe　for　the　coming　of　the　Deliverer。　The　nations　were　united　under　one　government。　One　language　was　widely　spoken；　and　was　everywhere　recognized　as　the　language　of　literature。　From　all　lands　the　Jews　of　the　dispersion　gathered　to　Jerusalem　to　the　annual　feasts。　As　these　returned　to　the　places　of　their　sojourn；　they　could　spread　throughout　the　world　the　tidings　of　the　Messiah's　coming。

At　this　time　the　systems　of　heathenism　were　losing　their　hold　upon　the　people。　Men　were　weary　of　pageant　and　fable。　They　longed　for　a　religion　that　could　satisfy　the　heart。　While　the　light　of　truth　seemed　to　have　departed　from　among　men；　there　were　souls　who　were　looking　for　light；　and　who　were　filled　with　perplexity　and　sorrow。　They　were　thirsting　for　a　knowledge　of　the　living　God；　for　some　assurance　of　a　life　beyond　the　grave。

As　the　Jews　had　departed　from　God；　faith　had　grown　dim；　and　hope　had　well…nigh　ceased　to　illuminate　the　future。　The　words　of　the　prophets　were　uncomprehended。　To　the　masses　of　the　people；　death　was　a　dread　mystery；　beyond　was　uncertainty　and　gloom。　It　was　not　alone　the　wailing　of　the　mothers　of　Bethlehem；　but　the　cry　from　the　great　heart　of　humanity；　that　was　borne　to　the　prophet　across　the　centuries；the　voice　heard　in　Ramah；　〃lamentation；　and　weeping；　and　great　mourning；　Rachel　weeping　for　her　children；　and　would　not　be　comforted；　because　they　are　not。〃　Matt。　2：18。　In　〃the　region　and　shadow　of　death；〃　men　sat　unsolaced。　With　longing　eyes　they　looked　for　the

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coming　of　the　Deliverer；　when　the　darkness　should　be　dispelled；　and　the　mystery　of　the　future　should　be　made　plain。

Outside　of　the　Jewish　nation　there　were　men　who　foretold　the　appearance　of　a　divine　instructor。　These　men　were　seeking　for　truth；　and　to　them　the　Spirit　of　Inspiration　was　imparted。　One　after　another；　like　stars　in　the　darkened　heavens；　such　teachers　had　arisen。　Their　words　of　prophecy　had　kindled　hope　in　the　hearts　of　thousands　of　the　Gentile　world。

For　hundreds　of　years　the　Scriptures　had　been　translated　into　the　Greek　language；　then　widely　spoken　throughout　the　Roman　Empire。　The　Jews　were　scattered　everywhere；　and　their　expectation　of　the　Messiah's　coming　was　to　some　extent　shared　by　the　Gentiles。　Among　those　whom　the　Jews　styled　heathen　were　men　who　had　a　better　understanding　of　the　Scripture　prophecies　concerning　the　Messiah　than　had　the　teachers　in　Israel。　There　were　some　who　hoped　for　His　coming　as　a　deliverer　from　sin。　Philosophers　endeavored　to　study　into　the　mystery　of　the　Hebrew　economy。　But　the　bigotry　of　the　Jews　hindered　the　spread　of　the　light。　Intent　on　maintaining　the　separation　between　themselves　and　other　nations；　they　were　unwilling　to　impart　the　knowledge　they　still　possessed　concerning　the　symbolic　service。　The　true

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Interpreter　must　come。　The　One　whom　all　these　types　prefigured　must　explain　their　significance。

Through　nature；　through　types　and　symbols；　through　patriarchs　and　prophets；　God　had　spoken　to　the　world。　Lessons　must　be　given　to　humanity　in　the　language　of　humanity。　The　Messenger　of　the　covenant　must　speak。　His　voice　must　be　heard　in　His　own　temple。　Christ　must　come　to　utter　words　which　should　be　clearly　and　definitely　understood。　He；　the　author　of　truth；　must　separate　truth　from　the　chaff　of　man's　utterance；　which　had　made　it　of　no　effect。　The　principles　of　God's　government　and　the　plan　of　redemption　must　be　clearly　defined。　The　lessons　of　the　Old　Testament　must　be　fully　set　before　men。

Among　the　Jews　there　were　yet　steadfast　souls；　descendants　of　that　holy　line　through　whom　a　knowledge　of　God　had　been　preserved。　These　still　looked　for　the　hope　of　the　promise　made　unto　the　fathers。　They　strengthened　their　faith　by　dwelling　upon　the　assurance　given　through　Moses；　〃A　Prophet　shall　the　Lord　your　God　raise　up　unto　you　of　your　brethren；　like　unto　me；　Him　shall　ye　hear　in　all　things　whatsoever　He　shall　say　unto　you。〃　Acts　3：22。　Again；　they　read　how　the　Lord　would　anoint　One　〃to　preach　good　tidings　unto　the　meek；〃　〃to　bind　up　the　brokenhearted；　to　proclaim　liberty　to　the　captives；〃　and　to　declare　the　〃acceptable　year　of　the　Lord。〃　Isa。　61：1；　2。　They　read　how　He　would　〃set　judgment　in　the　earth；〃　how　the　isles　should　〃wait　for　His　law；〃　how　the　Gentiles　should　come　to　His　light；　and　kings　to　the　brightness　of　His　rising。　Isa。　42：4；　60：3。

The　dying　words　of　Jacob　filled　them　with　hope：　〃The　scepter　shall　not　depart　from　Judah；　nor　a　lawgiver　from　between　his　feet；　until　Shiloh　come。〃　Gen。　49：10。　The　waning　power　of　Israel　testified　that　the　Messiah's　coming　was　at　hand。　The　prophecy　of　Daniel　pictured　the　glory　of　His　reign　over　an　empire　which　should　succeed　all　earthly　kingdoms；　and；　said　the　prophet；　〃It　shall　stand　forever。〃　Dan。　2：44。　While　few　understood　the　nature　of　Christ's　mission；　there　was　a　widespread　expectation　of　a　mighty　prince　who　should　establish　his　kingdom　in　Israel；　and　who　should　come　as　a　deliverer　to　the　nations。

The　fullness　of　the　time　had　come。　Humanity；　becoming　more　degraded　through　ages　of　transgression；　called　for　the　coming　of　the　Redeemer。　Satan　had　been　working　to　make　the　gulf　deep　and　impassable　between　earth　and　heaven。　By　his　falsehoods　he　had　emboldened

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men　in　sin。　It　was　his　purpose　to　wear　out　the　forbearance　of　God；　and　to　extinguish　His　love　for　man；　so　that　He　would　abandon　the　world