Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/30



For the sake of showing that the preaching of repentance is still the distinguishing mark of God's true messengers, let us note how this old cry is carried over, also, into the pages of New Testament history. After Malachi a pause of four long centuries intervened, during which there was no voice nor vision nor answer of God; but when the long silence was broken, the first words that fell on Israel's ear from the mouth of the Baptist were, " Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" \ and when at last the Greatest and last of the prophets, who was Himself to inaugurate " the kingdom of heaven " on earth, stood in their midst, His first public utterance, too, was the same old familiar cry, " Repent! " (Matt. iv. 1 7). Oh, that Israel had known the day of his visitation, and hearkened at last to this gracious invitation at least when uttered by the lips of the Son of God Himself! But they knew not, nor did they understand. The proud Pharisees and scribes, like so many of their fathers before, did not think they needed to repent. Did they not cry, " We are the Temple of the Lord "? Were there not the many voices of the false prophets who cried, " Peace, peace "? " Have we not Abraham to our father? " " We are God's favoured nation; no evil will befall us." And so again they showed themselves the successors of those who killed the prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto them and cried as they did of all the prophets before Him " Away with this disturber of our peace, He is no friend of our nation; it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."

Christ died and rose again, according to the Scriptures; but before His ascension He entrusted His disciples with a message for the world, and in that last commission (Luke xxiv. 4649) " repentance " still finds a prominent place. And the keynote in the Apostolic preaching whether in Jerusalem or in Athens, whether to Jew or to Greek was, " God commandeth all men everywhere to repent." " Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing