THE FIRST ADVENT

The Pharisees supposed the kingdom of Israel would then be established with outward show. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for behold the kingdom of God is within you,” Luke 17:20, 21. But was the kingdom within the unbelieving Pharisees? The marginal reading - “among you” - helps the case. What was then among them? Christ had just cleansed ten lepers who showed themselves to the priests, and one of them returned to give glory to God. In their midst were the wonderful manifestations of divine power and grace in the miracles of Christ; hence, he said to the Pharisees, “The kingdom of God is among you.” The work of divine grace was manifested among them.TTKGG 23.3

Deception has been the work of Satan ever since he so successfully deceived Eve. He led the Jews to expect in the Messiah a ruling monarch, instead of a meek and lowly teacher, and finally the sacrifice for sinners.TTKGG 24.1