The Danger of Rejecting Light
(underlining added)
DA.489.001
In sending out the seventy, Jesus bade them, as He had bidden the
twelve, not to urge their presence where they were unwelcome. "Into
whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not," He
said, "go your ways out into the streets of the same,
and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us,
we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this,
that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." They
were not to do this from motives of resentment or through wounded
dignity, but to show how grievous a thing it is to refuse the
Lord's message or His messengers. To reject the Lord's servants
is to reject Christ Himself.
DA.489.002
"I say unto you," Jesus added, "that
it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that
city." Then His mind reverted to the Galilean towns
where so much of His ministry had been spent. In deeply sorrowful
accents He exclaimed, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto
thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre
and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while
ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust
down to hell."
DA.489.003
To those busy towns about the Sea of Galilee, heaven's richest
blessings had been freely offered. Day after day the Prince of
life had gone in and out among them. The glory of God, which
prophets and kings had longed to see, had shone upon the
multitudes that thronged the Saviour's steps. Yet they had
refused the heavenly Gift.
DA.489.004
With a great show of prudence the rabbis had warned the people
against receiving the new doctrines taught by this new teacher;
for His theories and practices were contrary to the teachings of
the fathers. The people gave credence to what the priests and
Pharisees taught, in place of seeking to understand the word
of God for themselves. They honored the priests and rulers
instead of honoring God, and rejected the truth that they might
keep their own traditions. Many had been impressed and almost
persuaded; but they did not act upon their convictions, and were
not reckoned on the side of Christ. Satan presented his
temptations, until the light appeared as darkness. Thus many
rejected the truth that would have proved the saving of the soul.
DA.489.005
The True Witness says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock." Rev. 3:20. Every warning, reproof, and entreaty
in the word of God or through His messengers is a knock at the
door of the heart. It is the voice of Jesus asking for entrance.
With every knock unheeded, the disposition to open becomes
weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if disregarded today,
will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less
impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the
shortness of life, and of the great eternity beyond. Our
condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that
we have been in error, but from the fact that we have neglected
heaven-sent opportunities for learning what is truth.