FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
November 25
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 54)
The Dying Lamb of God Weeps for the Daughters of Jerusalem
“Not a few women are in the crowd that followed the Uncondemned to His cruel death. Their attention is fixed upon Jesus. Some of them had seen Him before. Some have carried to Him their sick and suffering ones. Some themselves have been healed.
The story of the scenes that had taken place is related. They WONDER at the hatred of the CROWD toward Him for whom their own hearts are melting and ready to break. [This what ‘crowd mentality’ and ‘mob rule’ does with erstwhile rational people].
“And notwithstanding the action of the maddened throng, and the angry words of the PRIESTS and RULERS, these women GIVE EXPRESSIONS TO THEIR SYMPATHY. As Jesus falls fainting beneath the cross, they break forth in MOURNFUL WAILING.
“This was the ONLY THING that attracted the Savior’s attention. Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was NOT INDIFFERENT to the expressions of grief. He looked upon THESE WOMEN with tender compassion. They were NOT BELIEVERS in Him; He knew that they were NOT LAMENTING HIM as One sent from God, but were MOVED by feelings of HUMAN sympathy.
He did NOT DESPISE their human sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a DEEPER sympathy for them. ‘Daughters of Jerusalem,’ He said, ‘Weep not for Me, but weep FOR YOURSELVES, and for YOUR CHILDREN.’ [Luke 23:38]. [Why?].
From that scene before Him Christ looked FORWARD TO THE TIME OF JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION [in A.D. 70 by the Roman army led by Titus, forty years after Christ’s prophecy]. In that terrible scene, MANY of those [women] who were now weeping for Him [at Calvary] were to PERISH WITH THEIR CHIlLDREN.
“From the FALL OF JERUSALEM the thoughts of Jesus passed to a WIDER JUDGMENT. In the destruction of the impenitent city [‘Jerusalem is fallen, is fallen’] He saw a SYMBOL of the FINAL DESTRUCTION TO COME UPON THE WORLD. He said, ‘Then shall they shall begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us! For if they do these things to a GREEN TREE, what shall be done to the DRY [tree]? [Luke 23: 28-31].
“By the green tree Jesus represented HIMSELF, the Innocent Redeemer. God suffered His wrath against transgression [sin, the breaking of His law] to fall on His beloved Son. Jesus was to be crucified for the sins of men. WHAT SUFFERINGS then shall the sinner [the dry tree] who CONTINUED IN SIN?
All the impenitent and unbelieving would KNOW A SORROW AND MISERY THAT LANGUAGE WOULD FAIL TO EXPRESS!”- E.G. White, Desire of Ages, pp. 742, 743.
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.