The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 29

received the light which their parents had spurned. Through the
preaching of the apostles and their associates, God would cause light
to shine upon them; they would be permitted to see how prophecy had
been fulfilled, not only in the birth and life of Christ, but in His death
and resurrection. The children were not condemned for the sins of
the parents; but when, with a knowledge of all the light given to their
parents, the children rejected the additional light granted to themselves,
they became partakers of the parents’ sins, and filled up the measure of
their iniquity.
The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the
Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward
the disciples of Jesus they rejected the last offer of mercy. Then God
withdrew His protection from them and removed His restraining power
from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the
leader she had chosen. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ,
which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and
now these became the conquerors. Satan aroused the fiercest and most
debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond
reason—controlled by impulse and blind rage. They became satanic in
their cruelty. In the family and in the nation, among the highest and the
lowest classes alike, there was suspicion, envy, hatred, strife, rebellion,
murder. There was no safety anywhere. Friends and kindred betrayed
one another. Parents slew their children, and children their parents. The
rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves. Uncontrolled
passions made them tyrants. The Jews had accepted false testimony to
condemn the innocent Son of God. Now false accusations made their
own lives uncertain. By their actions they had long been saying: “Cause
the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Isaiah 30:11. Now their
desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan

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