Prophecies Fulfilled
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as did Mary when, coming to the Saviour’s tomb and finding it empty,
she exclaimed with weeping: “They have taken away my Lord, and I
know not where they have laid Him.”
John 20:13
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A feeling of awe, a fear that the message might be true, had for
a time served as a restraint upon the unbelieving world. After the
passing of the time this did not at once disappear; at first they dared
not triumph over the disappointed ones; but as no tokens of God’s
wrath were seen, they recovered from their fears and resumed their
reproach and ridicule. A large class who had professed to believe in
the Lord’s soon coming, renounced their faith. Some who had been
very confident were so deeply wounded in their pride that they felt
like fleeing from the world. Like Jonah, they complained of God, and
chose death rather than life. Those who had based their faith upon the
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opinions of others, and not upon the word of God, were now as ready
again to change their views. The scoffers won the weak and cowardly
to their ranks, and all these united in declaring that there could be no
more fears or expectations now. The time had passed, the Lord had not
come, and the world might remain the same for thousands of years.
The earnest, sincere believers had given up all for Christ and had
shared His presence as never before. They had, as they believed, given
their last warning to the world; and, expecting soon to be received
into the society of their divine Master and the heavenly angels, they
had, to a great extent, withdrawn from the society of those who did
not receive the message. With intense desire they had prayed: “Come,
Lord Jesus, and come quickly.” But He had not come. And now to
take up again the heavy burden of life’s cares and perplexities, and to
endure the taunts and sneers of a scoffing world, was a terrible trial of
faith and patience.
Yet this disappointment was not so great as was that experienced
by the disciples at the time of Christ’s first advent. When Jesus rode
triumphantly into Jerusalem, His followers believed that He was about
to ascend the throne of David and deliver Israel from her oppressors.
With high hopes and joyful anticipations they vied with one another
in showing honor to their King. Many spread their outer garments
as a carpet in His path, or strewed before Him the leafy branches of
the palm. In their enthusiastic joy they united in the glad acclaim:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” When the Pharisees, disturbed and
angered by this outburst of rejoicing, wished Jesus to rebuke His