the great controversy-第7部分

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falling　timbers。　The　echoes　of　the　mountains　replied　or　brought　back　the
shrieks　of　the　people　on　the　heights；　all　along　the　walls　resounded　screams
and　wailings；　men　who　were　expiring　with　famine　rallied　their　remaining
strength　to　utter　a　cry　of　anguish　and　desolation。

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〃The　slaughter　within　was　even　more　dreadful　than　the　spectacle　from
without。　Men　and　women；　old　and　young；　insurgents　and　priests；　those　who
fought　and　those　who　entreated　mercy；　were　hewn　down　in　indiscriminate
carnage。　The　number　of　the　slain　exceeded　that　of　the　slayers。　The
legionaries　had　to　clamber　over　heaps　of　dead　to　carry　on　the　work　of
extermination。〃Milman；　The　History　of　the　Jews；　book　16。

After　the　destruction　of　the　temple；　the　whole　city　soon　fell　into　the　hands
of　the　Romans。　The　leaders　of　the　Jews　forsook　their　impregnable　towers；　and
Titus　found　them　solitary。　He　gazed　upon　them　with　amazement；　and　declared
that　God　had　given　them　into　his　hands；　for　no　engines；　however　powerful；
could　have　prevailed　against　those　stupendous　battlements。　Both　the　city　and
the　temple　were　razed　to　their　foundations；　and　the　ground　upon　which　the
holy　house　had　stood　was　〃plowed　like　a　field。〃　Jeremiah　26：18。　In　the　siege
and　the　slaughter　that　followed；　more　than　a　million　of　the　people　perished；
the　survivors　were　carried　away　as　captives；　sold　as　slaves；　dragged　to　Rome
to　grace　the　conqueror's　triumph；　thrown　to　wild　beasts　in　the
amphitheaters；　or　scattered　as　homeless　wanderers　throughout　the　earth。

The　Jews　had　forged　their　own　fetters；　they　had　filled　for　themselves　the
cup　of　vengeance。　In　the　utter　destruction　that　befell　them　as　a　nation；　and
in　all　the　woes　that　followed　them　in　their　dispersion；　they　were　but
reaping　the　harvest　which　their　own　hands　had　sown。　Says　the　prophet：　〃O
Israel；　thou　hast　destroyed　thyself；〃　〃for　thou　hast　fallen　by　thine
iniquity。〃　Hosea　13：9；　14：1。　Their　sufferings　are　often　represented　as　a
punishment　visited　upon　them　by　the　direct　decree　of　God。　It　is　thus　that
the　great　deceiver　seeks　to　conceal　his　own　work。　By　stubborn　rejection　of
divine　love　and　mercy；　the　Jews　had　caused　the　protection　of　God　to　be
withdrawn　from　them；　and　Satan　was　permitted　to　rule　them　according　to　his
will。　The　horrible　cruelties　enacted　in　the

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destruction　of　Jerusalem　are　a　demonstration　of　Satan's　vindictive　power
over　those　who　yield　to　his　control。

We　cannot　know　how　much　we　owe　to　Christ　for　the　peace　and　protection　which
we　enjoy。　It　is　the　restraining　power　of　God　that　prevents　mankind　from
passing　fully　under　the　control　of　Satan。　The　disobedient　and　unthankful
have　great　reason　for　gratitude　for　God's　mercy　and　long…suffering　in
holding　in　check　the　cruel；　malignant　power　of　the　evil　one。　But　when　men
pass　the　limits　of　divine　forbearance；　that　restraint　is　removed。　God　does
not　stand　toward　the　sinner　as　an　executioner　of　the　sentence　against
transgression；　but　He　leaves　the　rejectors　of　His　mercy　to　themselves；　to
reap　that　which　they　have　sown。　Every　ray　of　light　rejected；　every　warning
despised　or　unheeded；　every　passion　indulged；　every　transgression　of　the　law
of　God；　is　a　seed　sown　which　yields　its　unfailing　harvest。　The　Spirit　of
God；　persistently　resisted；　is　at　last　withdrawn　from　the　sinner；　and　then
there　is　left　no　power　to　control　the　evil　passions　of　the　soul；　and　no
protection　from　the　malice　and　enmity　of　Satan。　The　destruction　of　Jerusalem
is　a　fearful　and　solemn　warning　to　all　who　are　trifling　with　the　offers　of
divine　grace　and　resisting　the　pleadings　of　divine　mercy。　Never　was　there
given　a　more　decisive　testimony　to　God's　hatred　of　sin　and　to　the　certain
punishment　that　will　fall　upon　the　guilty。

The　Saviour's　prophecy　concerning　the　visitation　of　judgments　upon　Jerusalem
is　to　have　another　fulfillment；　of　which　that　terrible　desolation　was　but　a
faint　shadow。　In　the　fate　of　the　chosen　city　we　may　behold　the　doom　of　a
world　that　has　rejected　God's　mercy　and　trampled　upon　His　law。　Dark　are　the
records　of　human　misery　that　earth　has　witnessed　during　its　long　centuries
of　crime。　The　heart　sickens；　and　the　mind　grows　faint　in　contemplation。
Terrible　have　been　the　results　of　rejecting　the　authority　of　Heaven。　But　a
scene　yet　darker　is　presented　in　the　revelations　of　the　future。　The　records
of　the　past；the　long　procession　of　tumults；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　37

conflicts；　and　revolutions；　the　〃battle　of　the　warrior　。　。　。　with　confused
noise；　and　garments　rolled　in　blood〃　（Isaiah　9：5）；　what　are　these；　in
contrast　with　the　terrors　of　that　day　when　the　restraining　Spirit　of　God
shall　be　wholly　withdrawn　from　the　wicked；　no　longer　to　hold　in　check　the
outburst　of　human　passion　and　satanic　wrath！　The　world　will　then　behold；　as
never　before；　the　results　of　Satan's　rule。

But　in　that　day；　as　in　the　time　of　Jerusalem's　destruction；　God's　people
will　be　delivered；　everyone　that　shall　be　found　written　among　the　living。
Isaiah　4：3。　Christ　has　declared　that　He　will　come　the　second　time　to　gather
His　faithful　ones　to　Himself：　〃Then　shall　all　the　tribes　of　the　earth　mourn；
and　they　shall　see　the　Son　of　man　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven　with　power
and　great　glory。　And　He　shall　send　His　angels　with　a　great　sound　of　a
trumpet；　and　they　shall　gather　together　His　elect　from　the　four　winds；　from
one　end　of　heaven　to　the　other。〃　Matthew　24：30；　31。　Then　shall　they　that
obey　not　the　gospel　be　consumed　with　the　spirit　of　His　mouth　and　be
destroyed　with　the　brightness　of　His　coming。　2　Thessalonians　2：8。　Like
Israel　of　old　the　wicked　destroy　themselves；　they　fall　by　their　iniquity。　By
a　life　of　sin；　they　have　placed　themselves　so　out　of　harmony　with　God；　their
natures　have　become　so　debased　with　evil；　that　the　manifestation　of　His
glory　is　to　them　a　consuming　fire。

Let　men　beware　lest　they　neglect　the　lesson　conveyed　to　them　in　the　words　of
Christ。　As　He　warned　His　disciples　of　Jerusalem's　destruction；　giving　them　a
sign　of　the　approaching　ruin；　that　they　might　make　their　escape；　so　He　has
warned　the　world　of　the　day　of　final　destruction　and　has　given　them　tokens
of　its　approach；　that　all　who　will　may　flee　from　the　wrath　to　come。　Jesus
declares：　〃There　shall　be　signs　in　the　sun；　and　in　the　moon；　and　in　the
stars；　and　upon　the　earth　distress　of　nations。〃　Luke　21：25；　Matthew　24：29；
Mark　13：24…26；　Revelation　6：12…17。　Those　who　behold　these　harbingers　of　His
coming　are　to　〃know　that　it　is　near；　even

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at　the　doors。〃　Matthew　24：33。　〃Watch　ye　therefore；〃　are　His　words　of
admonition。　Mark　13：35。　They　that　heed　the　warning　shall　not　be　left　in
darkness；　that　that　day　should　overtake　them　unawares。　But　to　them　that　will
not　watch；　〃the　day　of　the　Lord　so　cometh　as　a　thief　in　the　night。〃
1　Thessalonians　5：2…5。

The　world　is　no　more　ready　to　credit　the　message　for　this　time　than　were　the
Jews　to　receive　the　Saviour's　warning　concerning　Jerusalem。　Come　when　it
may；　the　day　of　God　will　come　unawares　to　the　ungodly。　When　life　is　going　on
in　its　unvarying　round；　when　men　are　absorbed　in　pleasure；　in　business；　in
traffic；　in　money…making；　when　religious　leaders　are　magnifying　the　world's
progress　and　enlightenment；　and　the　people　are　lulled　in　a　false
securitythen；　as　the　midnight　thief　steals　within　the　unguarded　dwelling；
so　shall　sudden　destruction　come　upon　the　careless　and　ungodly；　〃and　they
shall　not　escape。〃　Verse　3。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（39）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　2

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Persecution　in　the　First　Centuries


When　Jesus　revealed　to　His　disciples　the　fate　of　Jerusalem　and　the　scenes　of
the　second　advent；　He　foretold　also　the　experience　of　His　people　from　the
time　when　He　should　be　taken　from　them；　to　His　return　in　power　and　glory　for
their　deliverance。　From　Olivet　the　Saviour　beheld　the　storms　about　to　fall
upon　the　apostolic　church；　and　penetrating　deeper　into　the　future；　His　eye
discerned　the　fierce；　wasting　tempests　that　were　to　beat　upon　His　followers
in　the　coming　ages　of　darkness　and　persecution。　In　a　few　brief　utterances　of
awful　significance　He　foretold　the　portion　which　the　rulers　of　this　world
would　mete　out　to　the　church　of　God。　Matthew　24：9；　21；　22。　The　followers　of
Christ　must　tread　the　same　path　of　humiliation；　reproach；　and　suffering
which　their　Master　trod。　The　enmity　that　burst　forth　against　the　world's
Redeemer　would　be　manifested　against　all　who　should　believe　on　His　name。

The　history　of　the　early　church　testified　to　the　fulfillment　of　the
Saviour's　words。　The　powers　of　earth　and　hell　arrayed　themselves　against
Christ　in　the　person　of　His　followers。　Paganism　foresaw　that　should　the
gospel　triumph；　her　temples　and　altars　would　be　swept　away；　therefore　she
summoned　her　forces　to　destroy　Christianity。　The　fires　of　persecution　were
kindled。　Christians　were　stripped　of　their　possessions　and　driven　from　their
homes。　They　〃endured　a　great　fight　of　afflictions。〃　Hebrews　10：32。　They　〃had
trial　of　cruel

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mockings　and　scourgings；　yea；　moreover　of　bonds　and　imprisonment。〃　Hebrews
11：36。　Great　numbers　sealed　their　testimony　with　their　blood。　Noble　and
slave；　rich　and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；　were　alike　slain　without　mercy。

These　persecutions；　beginning　under　Nero　about　the　time　of　the　martyrdom　of
Paul；　continued　with　greater　or　less　fury　for　centuries。　Christians　were
falsely　accused　of　the　most　dreadful　crimes　and　declared　to　be　the　cause　of
great　calamitiesfamine；　pestilence；　and　earthquake。　As　they　became　the
objects　of　popular　hatred　and　suspicion；　informers　stood　ready；　for　the　sake
of　gain；　to　betray　the　innocent。　They　were　condemned　as　rebels　against　the
empire；　as　foes　of　religion；　and　pests　to　society。　Great　numbers　were　thrown
to　wild　beasts　or　burned　alive　in　the　amphitheaters。　Some　were　crucified；
others　were　covered　with　the　skins　of　wild　animals　and　thrust　into　the　arena
to　be　torn　by　dogs。　Their　punishment　was　often　made　the　chief　entertainment
at　public　fetes。　Vast　multitudes　assembled　to　enjoy　the　sight　and　greeted
their　dying　agonies