patriarchs and prophets-第129节

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Friend；　to　follow　the　path　of　convenience　and　worldly　pleasure。　They
intended　at　some　time　to　return　to　God；　but　the　world　with　its　follies　and
deceptions　absorbed　the　attention。　Frivolous　amusements；　pride　of　dress；
indulgence　of　appetite；　hardened　the　heart　and　benumbed　the　conscience；　so
that　the　voice　of　truth　was　not　heard。　Duty　was　despised。　Things　of　infinite
value　were　lightly　esteemed；　until　the　heart　lost　all　desire　to　sacrifice
for　Him　who　has　given　so　much　for　man。　But　in　the　reaping　time　they　will
gather　that　which　they　have　sown。

Saith　the　Lord：　〃I　have　called；　and　ye　refused；　I　have　stretched　out　My
hand；　and　no　man　regarded；　but　ye　have　set　at　nought　all　My　counsel；　and
would　none　of　My　reproof：　。　。　。　when　your　fear　cometh　as　desolation；　and
your　destruction　cometh　as　a　whirlwind；　when　distress　and　anguish　cometh
upon　you。　Then　shall　they　call　upon　Me；　but　I　will　not　answer；　they　shall
seek　Me　early；　but　they　shall　not　find　Me：　for　that　they　hated　knowledge；
and　did　not　choose　the　fear　of　the　Lord：　they　would　none　of　My　counsel：　they
despised　all　My　reproof。　Therefore　shall　they　eat　of　the　fruit　of　their　own
way；　and　be　filled　with　their　own　devices。〃　〃But　whoso　hearkeneth　unto　Me
shall　dwell　safely；　and　shall　be　quiet　from　fear　of　evil。〃　Proverbs　1：24…31；
33。

The　Israelites　now　humbled　themselves　before　the　Lord。　〃And　they　put　away
the　strange　gods　from　among　them；　and　served　Jehovah。〃　And　the　Lord's　heart
of　love　was　grieved　〃was　grieved　for　the　misery　of　Israel。〃　Oh；　the
long…suffering　mercy　of　our　God！　When　His　people　put　away　the　sins　that　had
shut　out　His　presence；　He　heard　their　prayers　and　at　once　began　to　work　for
them。

A　deliverer　was　raised　up　in　the　person　of　Jephthah；　a　Gileadite；　who　made
war　upon　the　Ammonites　and　effectually　destroyed　their　power。　For　eighteen
years　at　this　time　Israel　had　suffered　under　the　oppression　of　her　foes；　yet
again　the　lesson　taught　by　suffering　was　forgotten。

As　His　people　returned　to　their　evil　ways；　the　Lord　permitted　them　to　be
still　oppressed　by　their　powerful　enemies；　the　Philistines。

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For　many　years　they　were　constantly　harassed；　and　at　times　completely
subjugated；　by　this　cruel　and　warlike　nation。　They　had　mingled　with　these
idolaters；　uniting　with　them　in　pleasure　and　in　worship；　until　they　seemed
to　be　one　with　them　in　spirit　and　interest。　Then　these　professed　friends　of
Israel　became　their　bitterest　enemies　and　sought　by　every　means　to
accomplish　their　destruction。

Like　Israel；　Christians　too　often　yield　to　the　influence　of　the　world　and
conform　to　its　principles　and　customs；　in　order　to　secure　the　friendship　of
the　ungodly；　but　in　the　end　it　will　be　found　that　these　professed　friends
are　the　most　dangerous　of　foes。　The　Bible　plainly　teaches　that　there　can　be
no　harmony　between　the　people　of　God　and　the　world。　〃Marvel　not；　my
brethren；　if　the　world　hate　you。〃　1　John　3：13。　Our　Saviour　says；　〃Ye　know
that　it　hated　Me　before　it　hated　you。〃　John　15：18。　Satan　works　through　the
ungodly；　under　cover　of　a　pretended　friendship；　to　allure　God's　people　into
sin；　that　he　may　separate　them　from　Him；　and　when　their　defense　is　removed；
then　he　will　lead　his　agents　to　turn　against　them　and　seek　to　accomplish
their　destruction。





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　54

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Samson


Amid　the　widespread　apostasy　the　faithful　worshipers　of　God　continued　to
plead　with　Him　for　the　deliverance　of　Israel。　Though　there　was　apparently　no
response；　though　year　after　year　the　power　of　the　oppressor　continued　to
rest　more　heavily　upon　the　land；　God's　providence　was　preparing　help　for
them。　Even　in　the　early　years　of　the　Philistine　oppression　a　child　was　born
through　whom　God　designed　to　humble　the　power　of　these　mighty　foes。

On　the　border　of　the　hill　country　overlooking　the　Philistine　plain　was　the
little　town　of　Zorah。　Here　dwelt　the　family　of　Manoah；　of　the　tribe　of　Dan；
one　of　the　few　households　that　amid　the　general　defection　had　remained　true
to　Jehovah。　To　the　childless　wife　of　Manoah　〃the　Angel　of　Jehovah〃　appeared
with　the　message　that　she　should　have　a　son；　through　whom　God　would　begin　to
deliver　Israel。　In　view　of　this　the　Angel　gave　her　instruction　concerning
her　own　habits；　and　also　for　the　treatment　of　her　child：　〃Now　therefore
beware；　I　pray　thee；　and　drink　not　wine　nor　strong　drink；　and　eat　not　any
unclean　thing。〃　And　the　same　prohibition　was　to　be　imposed；　from　the　first；
upon　the　child；　with　the　addition　that　his　hair　should　not　be　cut；　for　he
was　to　be　consecrated　to　God　as　a　Nazarite　from　his　birth。

The　woman　sought　her　husband；　and；　after　describing　the　Angel；　she　repeated
His　message。　Then；　fearful　that　they　should　make　some　mistake　in　the
important　work　committed　to　them；　the　husband　prayed；　〃Let　the　Man　of　God
which　Thou　didst　send　come　again　unto　us；　and　teach　us　what　we　shall　do　unto
the　child　that　shall　be　born。〃

When　the　Angel　again　appeared；　Manoah's　anxious　inquiry　was；　〃How　shall　we
order　the　child；　and　how　shall　we　do　unto　him？〃　The　previous　instruction　was
repeated〃Of　all　that　I

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said　unto　the　woman　let　her　beware。　She　may　not　eat　of　anything　that　cometh
of　the　vine；　neither　let　her　drink　wine　or　strong　drink；　nor　eat　any　unclean
thing：　all　that　I　commanded　her　let　her　observe。〃

God　had　an　important　work　for　the　promised　child　of　Manoah　to　do；　and　it　was
to　secure　for　him　the　qualifications　necessary　for　this　work　that　the　habits
of　both　the　mother　and　the　child　were　to　be　carefully　regulated。　〃Neither
let　her　drink　wine　or　strong　drink；〃　was　the　Angel's　instruction　for　the
wife　of　Manoah；　〃nor　eat　any　unclean　thing。　All　that　I　commanded　her　let　her
observe。〃　The　child　will　be　affected　for　good　or　for　evil　by　the　habits　of
the　mother。　She　must　herself　be　controlled　by　principle　and　must　practice
temperance　and　self…denial；　if　she　would　seek　the　welfare　of　her　child。
Unwise　advisers　will　urge　upon　the　mother　the　necessity　of　gratifying　every
wish　and　impulse；　but　such　teaching　is　false　and　mischievous。　The　mother　is
by　the　command　of　God　Himself　placed　under　the　most　solemn　obligation　to
exercise　self…control。

And　fathers　as　well　as　mothers　are　involved　in　this　responsibility。　Both
parents　transmit　their　own　characteristics；　mental　and　physical；　their
dispositions　and　appetites；　to　their　children。　As　the　result　of　parental
intemperance　children　often　lack　physical　strength　and　mental　and　moral
power。　Liquor　drinkers　and　tobacco　users　may；　and　do；　transmit　their
insatiable　craving；　their　inflamed　blood　and　irritable　nerves；　to　their
children。　The　licentious　often　bequeath　their　unholy　desires；　and　even
loathsome　diseases；　as　a　legacy　to　their　offspring。　And　as　the　children　have
less　power　to　resist　temptation　than　had　the　parents；　the　tendency　is　for
each　generation　to　fall　lower　and　lower。　To　a　great　degree　parents　are
responsible　not　only　for　the　violent　passions　and　perverted　appetites　of
their　children　but　for　the　infirmities　of　the　thousands　born　deaf；　blind；
diseased；　or　idiotic。

The　inquiry　of　every　father　and　mother　should　be；　〃What　shall　we　do　unto　the
child　that　shall　be　born　unto　us？〃　The　effect　of　prenatal　influences　has
been　by　many　lightly　regarded；　but　the　instruction　sent　from　heaven　to　those
Hebrew　parents；　and　twice　repeated　in　the　most　explicit　and　solemn　manner；
shows　how　this　matter　is　looked　upon　by　our　Creator。

And　it　was　not　enough　that　the　promised　child　should　receive　a　good　legacy
from　the　parents。　This　must　be　followed　by　careful

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training　and　the　formation　of　right　habits。　God　directed　that　the　future
judge　and　deliverer　of　Israel　should　be　trained　to　strict　temperance　from
infancy。　He　was　to　be　a　Nazarite　from　his　birth；　thus　being　placed　under　a
perpetual　prohibition　against　the　use　of　wine　or　strong　drink。　The　lessons
of　temperance；　self…denial；　and　self…control　are　to　be　taught　to　children
even　from　babyhood。

The　angel's　prohibition　included　〃every　unclean　thing。〃　The　distinction
between　articles　of　food　as　clean　and　unclean　was　not　a　merely　ceremonial
and　arbitrary　regulation；　but　was　based　upon　sanitary　principles。　To　the
observance　of　this　distinction　may　be　traced；　in　a　great　degree；　the
marvelous　vitality　which　for　thousands　of　years　has　distinguished　the　Jewish
people。　The　principles　of　temperance　must　be　carried　further　than　the　mere
use　of　spirituous　liquors。　The　use　of　stimulating　and　indigestible　food　is
often　equally　injurious　to　health；　and　in　many　cases　sows　the　seeds　of
drunkenness。　True　temperance　teaches　us　to　dispense　entirely　with　everything
hurtful　and　to　use　judiciously　that　which　is　healthful。　There　are　few　who
realize　as　they　should　how　much　their　habits　of　diet　have　to　do　with　their
health；　their　character；　their　usefulness　in　this　world；　and　their　eternal
destiny。　The　appetite　should　ever　be　in　subjection　to　the　moral　and
intellectual　powers。　The　body　should　be　servant　to　the　mind；　and　not　the
mind　to　the　body。

The　divine　promise　to　Manoah　was　in　du