December 19, 1900

Words of Warning

EGW

The Law of God in Force

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”ST December 19, 1900, par. 1

This was the most solemn denunciation that had ever been uttered against Jerusalem. After denouncing the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders, who worshiped the temple, but were working with Satanic hatred to destroy the One who made the temple in any way sacred, Christ bade adieu to the hallowed courts. He quitted the temple forever, declaring, “Your house is left unto you desolate.”ST December 19, 1900, par. 2

From henceforth Christ saw a cloud blacker than sackcloth hanging over the once favored nation. Looking into the future, He saw the gates of Jerusalem burst open by the assaults of the Roman legions. He saw the walls, white like walls of snow, broken, and the beautiful stones, which had been laid with artistic skill, torn down, so that not one was left standing. The arm strong to save had become strong to smite.ST December 19, 1900, par. 3

The disciples were unable to comprehend Christ's words in reference to the temple. They called His attention to its massive walls, saying, “Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” The stones of the temple were of purest marble, of perfect whiteness, and the pillars supporting the porches were of massive dimensions. They could not understand Christ's words dooming to destruction these mighty walls, a portion of which had withstood the devastation of armies.ST December 19, 1900, par. 4

As His attention was called to the magnificence of the temple, what must have been the unuttered thoughts of that rejected One! The view before Him was indeed beautiful; but He said with sadness: I see it all. The buildings are wonderful. You point to them as apparently indestructible; but listen to My words. I tell you solemnly the day will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.ST December 19, 1900, par. 5

Solemn judgments had been predicted against Jerusalem by the prophets. Its iniquity and crime had once caused it to be destroyed, and its people carried captive to Babylon. In their humiliation, many sought the Lord with repentance and compassion; and when they returned from captivity, there seemed for a time to be a reformation. “I will not contend forever,” God declared, “neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him.... I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him.”ST December 19, 1900, par. 6

But the leaders of the people did not remain converted. They did not “keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” The word of the Lord through His prophets was refused. Then God sent His Son with a message of mercy, calling on them to repent; but they refused to receive Him, and said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” Thus Christ “came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”ST December 19, 1900, par. 7

The time of greatest responsibility for the Jewish nation was when Jesus was among them. This was the time, too, of their greatest privilege and blessing. And by rejecting the Son of God, and refusing every overture of mercy, they made themselves guilty of the greatest of all sins.ST December 19, 1900, par. 8

“Ye shall not see Me henceforth,” Christ said, “till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” You have refused to see in Me a merciful Saviour, offering you redemption. When God's heavy judgments fall upon you, you will still refuse to see in Me a sin-pardoning Saviour. But you will one day long for a Deliverer who was once among you, but whom you would not receive. Then you will be ready to bless Him whom once you cursed, but it will be too late. Thus with power and authority our Lord reproved the Jewish people.ST December 19, 1900, par. 9

Jerusalem was lost because of its obstinate refusal to acknowledge the truth. This is the condition of the world today. Men refuse to see the truth so plainly given in the Word of God. “Thus saith the Lord,” is counted of little value, while the words of men are given great authority.ST December 19, 1900, par. 10

Christ did not abolish God's holy law. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets,” He said; “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” As the head of the human family, He lived every precept, every jot, and every tittle of the law. He lived in humanity the life that He required His followers to live. He emphasized His words: “Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” His death on the cross, instead of making void the law, is an unanswerable argument in favor of the changeless character of every precept.ST December 19, 1900, par. 11

The Sabbath commandment is a part of this unchangeable law. The Sabbath was given to the world as the memorial of creation. It begins with the “remember.” “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work.” Then the reason is given: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” The explanation is full, so that none need be left in darkness unless they choose darkness, just as the Jews did in regard to the message Christ came to bring to the world.ST December 19, 1900, par. 12

The professed people of God may ignore the Sabbath; but they can not make it less binding upon them. No one has any excuse for accepting a Sabbath by him whom God's Word designates as “the man of sin,” who shall “think to change times and laws.” He thinks thus to show his supremacy above God; but he does not do it. He can not change God's law; the law-making power is God's prerogative only. God is over all kings and rulers on the face of the earth. He is God, and beside Him there is none else.ST December 19, 1900, par. 13

The Sabbath, sanctified and blessed by God, was designed as His great memorial of creation. It is ever to stand unmoved, a rock of offense, as Christ was to the Jewish nation. The Sabbath is the test today, as Christ was a test to the Jews.ST December 19, 1900, par. 14

Forty years after Christ uttered His prediction respecting Jerusalem and the temple, His words were fulfilled to the letter. Jerusalem was destroyed, and in the siege it is stated that more than a million people perished. The rejection of the Son of God decided the destiny of that nation. Let Christians take heed, lest by rejecting God's holy memorial their fate also be decided.ST December 19, 1900, par. 15

Mrs. E. G. White