38. Pious Jews Waited Day and Night—The pious Jews were looking, believing, and earnestly praying, for the coming of the Messiah. God could not manifest His glory and power to His people through a corrupt priesthood. The set time to favor His people had come. The faith of the Jews had become clouded, in consequence of their departure from God. Many of the leaders of the people brought in their own traditions, and enforced them upon the Jews, as the commandments of God. The pious Jews believed, and trusted in God that He would not leave His people in this condition, to be a reproach to the heathen. He had, in time past, raised them up a deliverer when in their distress they had called upon Him. From the predictions of the prophets, they thought the time appointed of God had arrived when Messiah would come. And when He should come, they would have a clear revelation of the divine will, and that their doctrines would be freed from the traditions and needless ceremonies which had confused their faith. The pious, aged Jews waited day and night for the coming Messiah, praying that they might see the Saviour before they died. They longed to see the cloud of ignorance and bigotry dispelled from the minds of the people (The Spirit of Prophecy 2:41, 42).{5BC 1116.6}

38. De fromme jøder ventede dag og nat. - De fromme jøder så efter, troede og bad alvorligt for Messias komme. Gud kunne vise Sin herlighed og kraft for Sit folk gennem et korrupt præsteskab. Det fastsatte tidspunkt for at favorisere Sit folk var kommet. Jødernes tro var blevet omtåget, som følge af at de havde forladt Gud. Mange af folkets ledere bragte deres egne traditioner ind, og påtvang dem jøderne, ligesom Guds bud. De fromme jøder troede, og stolede på at Gud ikke ville efterlade Sit folk i denne tilstand, som skamplet for hedningene. Han havde tidligere, oprejst dem en befrielse, da de i deres trængsler kaldte på Ham. Ud fra profeternes forudsigelse, tænkte de at Guds bestemte tid var kommet, når Messias ville komme. Og når Han skulle komme, ville de få en klar åbenbaring af den guddommelige vilje, og at deres læresætninger ville befris fra traditioner og unødige ceremonier, som havde forvirret deres tro. De fromme aldrene jøder ventede dag og nat på Messias komme, bad for at de måtte se Frelseren før de døde. De længtes efter at se uvidenhedens og blindhedens sky forsvinde fra folks sind. (2SP 41, 42).