Gods Sabbath

AF INAL O PPORTUNITY

503

decided that they could defer God’s work while they attended to their own. They put their plans in the place of God’s. The great Architect was set aside and His work ground to a halt. For a time all seemed to go well, but it was only the lull before the storm, during which the enemy took full advantage of the chance to re group and rearm. The Israelites were then driven from their fine homes and productive farms by the surrounding heathen, to be come miserable and hungry cave-dwellers and fugitives. God’s work was retarded by centuries, and the patient, heavenly Archi tect had to reconstruct another day of opportunity. It was during David’s illustrious reign that Israel was re stored to a position where she was poised to accomplish her God given responsibilities. Once more in David’s time, He appointed another day during which He pleaded with the people not to harden their hearts in unbelief as their forefathers had done. The Lord placed them on the cross-roads of travel in order to reach the people from all corners of the world with the gospel message. But this golden opportunity they misused for making money in order to enrich themselves. Absorbed in selfish pur suits they spoiled the plan of the heavenly plan-maker until they found themselves in Babylonian captivity as a consequence of their departure from the righteous way. In the days of Ezra and Nehemiah God provided another op portunity for his people. That it was indeed the third day of op portunity is proved by the message Gabriel conveyed to Daniel the prophet. Speaking of the future of the Jewish people, the an gel said: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24. The Jewish nation were appointed four hundred and ninety years of probationary time in which to accomplish the purpose for which they had been called. God brought the remnant of the Jews back to their own land and provided them with the oppor tunity to have this mighty work done in and through them. But, like their forefathers, after making an excellent beginning they came desperately short of entering into God’s rest. Discarding God as their Architect, they turned to their own devising. Once