From Splendor to Shadow

Israel Rejects Her Messiah

The people of Israel were separated so far from God that they could have no true conception of the character or mission of the promised Redeemer. Instead of desiring redemption from sin, their hearts were fixed on restoration to worldly power. They looked for Messiah to exalt Israel to dominion over all nations. Thus Satan had prepared the people to reject the Saviour when He should appear. Their pride and false conceptions would prevent them from honestly weighing the evidences of His Messiahship. SS 366.2

For more than a thousand years the Jewish people had awaited the coming of the promised Saviour. In song and prophecy, in temple rite and household prayer, His name had been enshrined. Yet when He came they did not recognize Him. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” John 1:11. They discerned in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. See Isaiah 53:2. SS 366.3

The life of Jesus among the Jewish people was a reproof to their selfishness. They hated His example of truthfulness, and when the test came they rejected the Holy One of Israel and became responsible for His crucifixion. SS 366.4

In the parable of the vineyard, Christ called the attention of the Jewish teachers to the blessings bestowed on Israel and showed God's claim to their obedience. Withdrawing the veil from the future, He showed how the whole nation was bringing ruin on itself: SS 366.5

“There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.” SS 367.1

“When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.” SS 367.2

Christ now put to them the question, “When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” The priests joined with the people in answering, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” SS 367.3