Loud was the burst of joyous1 music from citherns, harps2, and cymbals--Mount Zion rang with songs of gladness--when in the early morning the worshippers of the Lord of Hosts appeared in His Temple, to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving! The front of the building was decked with crowns of gold, and with shields; and, in the forcible language of the ancient historian, "thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away."
Then--emblem of thanksgivings from thousands of hearts--rose clouds of delicious fragrance3 from the altar of incense4. Judas Maccabeus stood beside it--more pale and pensive5, perhaps, than seemed to suit the occasion--watching the light curling smoke as it ascended6 and lost itself in the perfumed air. Presently the prince took something from his arm, and cast it into the flame. The movement was so quiet that it was noticed but by few by-standers; and none knew what that was which blazed brightly for a moment, and then left not even visible ashes behind. It was but a few threads of flax, which had bound up flowers long since withered7; it seemed a worthless sacrifice indeed; but when, a few years later, Judas Maccabeus poured out his life's-blood on the fatal field of Eleasa, the steel which pierced his brave heart inflicted8 not on him so keen a pang9.
And here will I close my story, leaving the hero of Judah a victor over his enemies, and a victor over himself. Let the picture left on the reader's mind be that of Jerusalem in the hour of her triumph and rejoicing--when the Lord had turned again the captivity10 of Zion, and her exulting11 citizens were like unto them that dream!
But, ere I lay down my pen, let me crave12 leave for a few moments to address my readers, both Christian13 and Hebrew. And to the first I would say: Think not of the record of the lives of Judah's heroes, and the deaths of her martyrs14, as something in which we have no personal interest--merely to be admired, like the courage of the Greeks at Thermopylae, or the devotion of Regulus at Rome. Rather let us honour the children of Abraham who fought or died for the Covenant15 as our brethren in faith, heirs of all the promises on which we rest our hopes, as well as of some others peculiarly their own. Their Scriptures16 are our Scriptures--they guarded them at hazard of their lives; their Messiah is our Messiah, though He visited earth too late for them--as too early for us--to behold17 Him. Christianity rests on such Judaism as was held by Hebrew saints and martyrs; Christianity is in regard to the ancient religion as the capital to the column, the full-blown flower to the bud, as the cloud floating high above the sea is to the waters from which it drew its existence. Laws and rites18 which passed away when types had been accomplished19 and prophecies fulfilled, are as the salts which are necessary component20 parts of the sea but not of the cloud; when it rose on high it left them behind.
It is an interesting subject for thought to inquire whether, if Daniel's weeks had run out in the times of the Maccabees, and the Messenger of the Covenant had then come suddenly into His Temple, Christ would not have found adoring worshippers instead of fierce persecutors--a throne instead of a cross? Would He not then have been welcomed by the heroes of Emmaus and Bethsura, instead of being despised and rejected of men? Would he not, humanly speaking, have escaped the scourge21, the nails, and the spear? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled (Matt. xxvl. 54) that Christ should suffer these things? (Luke xxiv. 36). The Sacrifice must be slain22, that the sinner may be pardoned and live.
And if--as I would fain hope--some Hebrews peruse23 these pages, how earnestly would I desire power to speak to their hearts! Countrymen and countrywomen of Maccabeus, ye whose fathers fought side by side with the Asmonean brothers, does the history of their deeds rouse none of their spirit of patriotism24 in your breasts? Can ye, amidst the cares and toils25 of this working-day world, be indifferent to the state of your own land, your own city--yours by divine right--yours by a deed of gift signed and sealed by God Himself! Is it no grief to you that the mosque26 stands on the site of your holy Temple; that--under a corrupt27 form of so-called Christianity--idolatry is practised at this day in the city of David? Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth! (Isa. lxii. 7, 8.)
If Gentile Christians28 are longing29 and praying for that time, shall not Hebrews long, pray, and strive to hasten its coming? Shall they not search their hearts and ask, "Wherefore is it so long delayed? Wherefore are the heathen still suffered to prevail; the followers30 of the false prophet to hold the holy city in subjection? For what transgression31 doth the Lord God of Israel still hide His face from His people; what hath brought upon them a judgment32 enduring so much longer than Egyptian bondage33, or Babylonish captivity, or the tyranny of an Antiochus Epiphanes?" Seek for the answer to this momentous34 question in your own Scriptures; read them in the light thrown by your own history;--that history will in the future flash into greater brilliancy than even in the days of the Hebrew heroes; we Christians are assured of this, because we, like yourselves, believe those Scriptures, and know that God's Word is pledged for your restoration, and that the Word of the Lord endureth for ever!
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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harps
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| abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 ) | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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exulting
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| vi. 欢欣鼓舞，狂喜 | |
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crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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component
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| n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的 | |
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scourge
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| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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peruse
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| v.细读，精读 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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transgression
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| n.违背；犯规；罪过 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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