THAT was what a few Jewish children were mockingly called by their comrades. The father of these children was a pious Jew living in Hungary, who in his advanced age traveled to Jerusalem, the desired city of every pious Jew. Here he also died and was buried.
While living in Hungary he had read and studied much in the Old Testament, and saw by it that the Messiah had already come; and therefore he went to Jerusalem, in the hope of meeting Him there. Whether this pious Jew has been told there by believing Christians that Jesus the “Messiah” had really come, but was rejected and crucified for us, I do not know; but hope it may be so.
The children who were mockingly called the “Messiah’s children,” because of their father’s faith, bore it patiently.
Sometime after this, the mother immigrated with them, and some other Jewish families from Hungary to America.
That was God’s way for them; for here they heard about the Lord Jesus for which they had no opportunity in Hungary. When the children heard of the crucified Saviour, which the Jews rejected as their Messiah, they remembered the words of their father, who used to say,
“The Messiah must have already come, and we did not know Him, therefore the judgment of God rests upon us.”
With great attention, and inward longing the children listened to the good tidings, and turned to the Lord with all their heart. How happy they were now, and how often they spoke of the longing desire of their aged father, who was mockingly called “Messiah.” One of his children told us this incident himself.
Possibly some of our young readers, who are believers in the Lord Jesus, are being mocked by other children. Bear it patiently, for you are much better off than those who mock you; because, if they will not repent and turn to God, His judgment will surely come upon them. For you, it is an honor to suffer scorn tor Jesus’ sake, who is the Lord of heaven and earth. I trust you can say from your heart,
“We gladly suffer shame for Him, who bore our sins.”
Soon He will come again to take His own to share His eternal glory with Himself, but all who have despised His grace and salvation, must bear their own punishment for eternity.
ML 07/05/1925