the great controversy-第129部分

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the　mountains　and　rocks；　Fall　on　us；　and　hide　us　from　the　face　of　Him　that
sitteth　on　the　throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb：　for　the　great　day　of
His　wrath　is　come；　and　who　shall　be　able　to　stand？〃　Revelation　6：15…17。

The　derisive　jests　have　ceased。　Lying　lips　are　hushed　into　silence。　The
clash　of　arms；　the　tumult　of　battle；　〃with　confused　noise；　and　garments
rolled　in　blood〃　（Isaiah　9：5）；　is　stilled。　Nought　now　is　heard　but　the　voice
of　prayer　and　the　sound　of　weeping　and　lamentation。　The　cry　bursts　forth
from　lips　so　lately　scoffing：　〃The　great　day　of　His　wrath　is　come；　and　who
shall　be　able　to　stand？〃　The　wicked　pray　to　be　buried　beneath　the　rocks　of
the　mountains　rather　than　meet　the　face　of　Him　whom　they　have　despised　and
rejected。

That　voice　which　penetrates　the　ear　of　the　dead；　they　know。　How　often　have
its　plaintive；　tender　tones　called　them　to　repentance。　How　often　has　it　been
heard　in　the　touching　entreaties　of　a　friend；　a　brother；　a　Redeemer。　To　the
rejecters　of　His　grace　no　other　could　be　so　full　of　condemnation；　so
burdened　with　denunciation；　as　that　voice　which　has　so　long　pleaded：　〃Turn
ye；　turn　ye　from　your　evil　ways；　for　why　will　ye　die？〃　Ezekiel　33：11。　Oh；
that　it　were　to　them　the　voice　of　a　stranger！　Says　Jesus：　〃I　have　called；
and　ye　refused；　I　have　stretched　out　My　hand；　and　no　man　regarded；　but　ye
have　set　at　nought　all　My　counsel；　and　would　none　of　My　reproof。〃　Proverbs
1：24；　25。　That　voice　awakens　memories　which　they　would　fain　blot
outwarnings　despised；　invitations　refused；　privileges　slighted。

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There　are　those　who　mocked　Christ　in　His　humiliation。　With　thrilling　power
come　to　their　minds　the　Sufferer's　words；　when；　adjured　by　the　high　priest；
He　solemnly　declared：　〃Hereafter　shall　ye　see　the　Son　of　man　sitting　on　the
right　hand　of　power；　and　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven。〃　Matthew　26：64。　Now
they　behold　Him　in　His　glory；　and　they　are　yet　to　see　Him　sitting　on　the
right　hand　of　power。

Those　who　derided　His　claim　to　be　the　Son　of　God　are　speechless　now。　There
is　the　haughty　Herod　who　jeered　at　His　royal　title　and　bade　the　mocking
soldiers　crown　Him　king。　There　are　the　very　men　who　with　impious　hands
placed　upon　His　form　the　purple　robe；　upon　His　sacred　brow　the　thorny　crown；
and　in　His　unresisting　hand　the　mimic　scepter；　and　bowed　before　Him　in
blasphemous　mockery。　The　men　who　smote　and　spit　upon　the　Prince　of　life　now
turn　from　His　piercing　gaze　and　seek　to　flee　from　the　overpowering　glory　of
His　presence。　Those　who　drove　the　nails　through　His　hands　and　feet；　the
soldier　who　pierced　His　side；　behold　these　marks　with　terror　and　remorse。

With　awful　distinctness　do　priests　and　rulers　recall　the　events　of　Calvary。
With　shuddering　horror　they　remember　how；　wagging　their　heads　in　satanic
exultation；　they　exclaimed：　〃He　saved　others；　Himself　He　cannot　save。　If　He
be　the　King　of　Israel；　let　Him　now　come　down　from　the　cross；　and　we　will
believe　Him。　He　trusted　in　God；　let　Him　deliver　Him　now；　if　He　will　have
Him。〃　Matthew　27：42；　43。

Vividly　they　recall　the　Saviour's　parable　of　the　husbandmen　who　refused　to
render　to　their　lord　the　fruit　of　the　vineyard；　who　abused　his　servants　and
slew　his　son。　They　remember；　too；　the　sentence　which　they　themselves
pronounced：　The　lord　of　the　vineyard　〃will　miserably　destroy　those　wicked
men。〃　In　the　sin　and　punishment　of　those　unfaithful　men　the　priests　and
elders　see　their　own　course　and　their　own　just　doom。　And　now　there　rises　a
cry　of　mortal　agony。　Louder　than　the　shout；　〃Crucify　Him；　crucify　Him；〃
which　rang　through　the　streets　of　Jerusalem；　swells　the　awful；

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despairing　wail；　〃He　is　the　Son　of　God！　He　is　the　true　Messiah！〃　They　seek
to　flee　from　the　presence　of　the　King　of　kings。　In　the　deep　caverns　of　the
earth；　rent　asunder　by　the　warring　of　the　elements；　they　vainly　attempt　to
hide。

In　the　lives　of　all　who　reject　truth　there　are　moments　when　conscience
awakens；　when　memory　presents　the　torturing　recollection　of　a　life　of
hypocrisy　and　the　soul　is　harassed　with　vain　regrets。　But　what　are　these
compared　with　the　remorse　of　that　day　when　〃fear　cometh　as　desolation；〃　when
〃destruction　cometh　as　a　whirlwind〃！　Proverbs　1：27。　Those　who　would　have
destroyed　Christ　and　His　faithful　people　now　witness　the　glory　which　rests
upon　them。　In　the　midst　of　their　terror　they　hear　the　voices　of　the　saints
in　joyful　strains　exclaiming：　〃Lo；　this　is　our　God；　we　have　waited　for　Him；
and　He　will　save　us。〃　Isaiah　25：9。

Amid　the　reeling　of　the　earth；　the　flash　of　lightning；　and　the　roar　of
thunder；　the　voice　of　the　Son　of　God　calls　forth　the　sleeping　saints。　He
looks　upon　the　graves　of　the　righteous；　then；　raising　His　hands　to　heaven；
He　cries：　〃Awake；　awake；　awake；　ye　that　sleep　in　the　dust；　and　arise！〃
Throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　earth　the　dead　shall　hear　that
voice；　and　they　that　hear　shall　live。　And　the　whole　earth　shall　ring　with
the　tread　of　the　exceeding　great　army　of　every　nation；　kindred；　tongue；　and
people。　From　the　prison　house　of　death　they　come；　clothed　with　immortal
glory；　crying：　〃O　death；　where　is　thy　sting？　O　grave；　where　is　thy　victory？〃
1　Corinthians　15：55。　And　the　living　righteous　and　the　risen　saints　unite
their　voices　in　a　long；　glad　shout　of　victory。

All　come　forth　from　their　graves　the　same　in　stature　as　when　they　entered
the　tomb。　Adam；　who　stands　among　the　risen　throng；　is　of　lofty　height　and
majestic　form；　in　stature　but　little　below　the　Son　of　God。　He　presents　a
marked　contrast　to　the　people　of　later　generations；　in　this　one　respect　is
shown　the　great　degeneracy　of　the　race。　But　all　arise　with　the　freshness　and
vigor　of　eternal　youth。　In　the　beginning；　man

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was　created　in　the　likeness　of　God；　not　only　in　character；　but　in　form　and
feature。　Sin　defaced　and　almost　obliterated　the　divine　image；　but　Christ
came　to　restore　that　which　had　been　lost。　He　will　change　our　vile　bodies　and
fashion　them　like　unto　His　glorious　body。　The　mortal；　corruptible　form；
devoid　of　comeliness；　once　polluted　with　sin；　becomes　perfect；　beautiful；
and　immortal。　All　blemishes　and　deformities　are　left　in　the　grave。　Restored
to　the　tree　of　life　in　the　long…lost　Eden；　the　redeemed　will　〃grow　up〃
（Malachi　4：2）　to　the　full　stature　of　the　race　in　its　primeval　glory。　The
last　lingering　traces　of　the　curse　of　sin　will　be　removed；　and　Christ's
faithful　ones　will　appear　in　〃the　beauty　of　the　Lord　our　God；〃　in　mind　and
soul　and　body　reflecting　the　perfect　image　of　their　Lord。　Oh；　wonderful
redemption！　long　talked　of；　long　hoped　for；　contemplated　with　eager
anticipation；　but　never　fully　understood。

The　living　righteous　are　changed　〃in　a　moment；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。〃
At　the　voice　of　God　they　were　glorified；　now　they　are　made　immortal　and　with
the　risen　saints　are　caught　up　to　meet　their　Lord　in　the　air。　Angels　〃gather
together　His　elect　from　the　four　winds；　from　one　end　of　heaven　to　the
other。〃　Little　children　are　borne　by　holy　angels　to　their　mothers'　arms。
Friends　long　separated　by　death　are　united；　nevermore　to　part；　and　with
songs　of　gladness　ascend　together　to　the　City　of　God。

On　each　side　of　the　cloudy　chariot　are　wings；　and　beneath　it　are　living
wheels；　and　as　the　chariot　rolls　upward；　the　wheels　cry；　〃Holy；〃　and　the
wings；　as　they　move；　cry；　〃Holy；〃　and　the　retinue　of　angels　cry；　〃Holy；
holy；　holy；　Lord　God　Almighty。〃　And　the　redeemed　shout；　〃Alleluia！〃　as　the
chariot　moves　onward　toward　the　New　Jerusalem。

Before　entering　the　City　of　God；　the　Saviour　bestows　upon　His　followers　the
emblems　of　victory　and　invests　them　with　the　insignia　of　their　royal　state。
The　glittering　ranks　are　drawn　up　in　the　form　of　a　hollow　square　about　their
King；　whose　form　rises　in　majesty　high　above　saint　and　angel；

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whose　countenance　beams　upon　them　full　of　benignant　love。　Throughout　the
unnumbered　host　of　the　redeemed　every　glance　is　fixed　upon　Him；　every　eye
beholds　His　glory　whose　〃visage　was　so　marred　more　than　any　man；　and　His
form　more　than　the　sons　of　men。〃　Upon　the　heads　of　the　overcomers；　Jesus
with　His　own　right　hand　places　the　crown　of　glory。　For　each　there　is　a
crown；　bearing　his　own　〃new　name〃　（Revelation　2：17）；　and　the　inscription；
〃Holiness　to　the　Lord。〃　In　every　hand　are　placed　the　victor's　palm　and　the
shining　harp。　Then；　as　the　commanding　angels　strike　the　note；　every　hand
sweeps　the　harp　strings　with　skillful　touch；　awaking　sweet　music　in　rich；
melodious　strains。　Rapture　unutterable　thrills　every　heart；　and　each　voice
is　raised　in　grateful　praise：　〃Unto　Him　that　loved　us；　and　washed　us　from
our　sins　in　His　own　blood；　and　hath　made　us　kings　and　priests　unto　God　and
His　Father；　to　Him　be　glory　and　dominion　for　ever　and　ever。〃　Revelation　1：5；
6。

Before　the　ransomed　throng　is　the　Holy　City。　Jesus　opens　wide　the　pearly
gates；　and　the　nations　that　have　kept　the　truth　enter　in。　There　they　behold
the　Paradise　of　God；　the　home　of　Adam　in　his　innocency。　Then　that　voice；
richer　than　any　music　that　ever　fell　on　mortal　ear；　is　heard；　saying：　〃Your
conflict　is　ended。〃　〃Come；　ye　blessed　of　My　Father；　inherit　the　kingdom
prepared　for　you　from　the　foundation　of　the　world。〃

Now　is　fulfilled　the　Saviour's　prayer　for　His　disciples：　〃I　will　that　they
also；　whom　Thou　hast　given　Me；　be　with　Me　where　I　am。〃　〃Faultless　before　the
presence　of　His　glory　with　exceeding　joy〃　（Jude　24）；　Christ　presents　to　the
Father　the　purchase　of　His　blood；　declaring：　〃Here　am　I；　and　the　children
whom　Thou　hast　given　Me。〃　〃Those　that　Thou　gavest　Me　I　have　kept。〃　Oh；　the
wonders　of　redeeming　love！　the　rapture　of　that　hour　when　the　infinite
Father；　looking　upon　the　ransomed；　shall　behold　His　image；　sin's　discord
banished；　its　blight　removed；　and　the　human　once　more　in　harmony　with　the
divine！

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With　unutterable　love；　Jesus　welcomes　His　faithful　ones　to　the　joy　of　their
Lord。　The　Saviour's　joy　is　in　seeing；　in　the　kingdom　of　glory；　the　souls
that　have　been　saved　by　His　agony　and　humiliation。　And　the　redeemed　will　be
sharers　in