Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/416

 Redeemer, the  only  hope  of  fallen  man. They prayed  that  the clouds might  rain  down  the  Just  One,  and  that  the  earth  might bud forth  the  Saviour.

All was  in  readiness  for  the  coming  of  our  Lord,  which  event, according to  signs  and  prophecies,  must  be  near  at  hand. Four hundred years  before  the  Birth  of  Christ,  Malachias,  the  last  of the  prophets,  could  not  restrain  his  joy  at  the  near  approach  of the  Messias. He told  the  Jewish  priests  that  the  Temple  should soon be  closed  for  ever,  and  the  fires  on  their  altars  extinguished, for that  their  offerings  had  ceased  to  be  pleasing  to  the  Lord  of Hosts. He said:  “I  have  no  pleasure  in  you,  saith  the  Lord  of Hosts,  and  I will  not  receive  a gift  at  your  hand. For from  the rising of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down,  My  name  is  great among the  Gentiles,  and  in  every  place  there  is  sacrifice,  and  there is offered  to  My  name  a clean oblation. For My  name  is  great among the  Gentiles,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.”

Nothing remained  to  be  accomplished,  save  the  prophecy  of Jacob to  his  son  Juda. This last  sign  was  not  delayed. The Jewish people,  tom  and  weakened  by  continual  dissensions  among themselves, called  in  the  Romans  to  decide  their  quarrels,  and the Romans,  a great  and  powerful  nation,  settled  the  dispute  by taking  possession  of  all  Judaea,  and  placing  on  its  throne  Herod, a stranger, a satellite  of  the  Roman  emperor. Thus was  the sceptre departed  from  Juda,  and  that  event  ushered  in  the Redeemer of  the  world,  the  desired  Desired. The prophet  Isaias  thus  expressed  the  longing  of  Israel  for  the Redeemer:  “Drop  down  dew,  ye  heavens,  from  above,  and  let  the  clouds  rain  the Just; let  the  earth  be  opened,  and  bud  forth  a Saviour”,  i.  e.  “as  the  dew  falls from heaven,  so  may  the  Most  Just  (the  Redeemer)  descend  from  heaven;  and  as the  earth  brings  forth  plants,  so  in  like  manner  may  the  Saviour  be  brought  forth.” The hope  and  longing  for  the  Redeemer  was  expressed  by  the  Jews  in  the  daily prayers recited  in  the  synagogues,  in  which  was  found  the  following  petition: “Build up  Jerusalem  for  ever,  and  raise  up  David’s  throne  in  the  midst. Let' the seed of  David,  Thy  servant,  bud  forth  speedily,  for  we  hope  continuously  for  Thy redemption.” We  can  see  in  the  case  of  Simeon,  Anna,  and  those  like  them (New Test.  VII),  how  very  keen  had  become  the  expectation  of  the  Messias  in the  fulness  of  time. The conjecture  of  the  Jews  that  John  the  Baptist  might  be the  Messias  (New  Test  XI)  points  in  the  same  direction,  as  also  do  the  words  of the  woman  of  Samaria  at  Jacob’s  well  (New  Test.  XVI). We know,  therefore, that the  longing  for  the  Redeemer  was  very  general  by  the  time  that  He  came. However, only  very  few  of  the  Jews  thought  of  the  Messias  as  being  a Redeemer from sin,  and  a bringer  of  grace  and  truth; they  expected,  rather,  that  He  would come to  deliver  them  from  the  dominion  of  Rome  and  the  tyranny  of  Herod,  to set  up  the  earthly  throne  of  David,  enlarge  the  borders  of  Judaea,  and  subject  all nations  to  her  rule. Even the  influential  Pharisees  regarded  a more  complete revelation of  God  as  impossible. That the  Messias  should  be  a Saviour  of  all men, Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  was  an  idea  quite  inconceivable  to  their  narrowminded selfishness. of the  nations. Herod reigned