patriarchs and prophets-第20节

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occurrence；　but　in　vain。　It　was　a　mystery　which　they　could　not　fathom。　But
men　had　become　so　hardened　by　their　persistent　rejection　of　light　that　even
this　scene　produced　but　a　momentary　impression。　As　the　doomed　race　beheld
the　sun　shining　in　its　glory；　and　the　earth　clad　in　almost　Eden　beauty；　they
banished　their　rising　fears　by　boisterous　merriment；　and　by　their　deeds　of
violence　they　seemed　to　invite　upon　themselves　the　visitation　of　the　already
awakened　wrath　of　God。

God　commanded　Noah；　〃Come　thou　and　all　thy　house　into　the　ark；　for　thee　have
I　seen　righteous　before　Me　in　this　generation。〃　Noah's　warnings　had　been
rejected　by　the　world；　but　his　influence　and　example　resulted　in　blessings
to　his　family。　As　a　reward　for　his　faithfulness　and　integrity；　God　saved　all
the　members　of　his　family　with　him。　What　encouragement　to　parental　fidelity！

Mercy　had　ceased　its　pleadings　for　the　guilty　race。　The　beasts　of　the　field
and　the　birds　of　the　air　had　entered　the　place　of　refuge。　Noah　and　his
household　were　within　the　ark；　〃and　the　Lord　shut　him　in。〃　A　flash　of
dazzling　light　was　seen；　and　a　cloud　of　glory　more　vivid　than　the　lightning
descended　from　heaven　and　hovered　before　the　entrance　of　the　ark。　The
massive　door；　which　it　was　impossible　for　those　within　to　close；　was　slowly
swung　to　its　place　by　unseen　hands。　Noah　was　shut　in；　and　the　rejecters　of
God's　mercy　were　shut　out。　The　seal　of　Heaven　was　on　that　door；　God　had　shut
it；　and　God　alone　could　open　it。　So　when　Christ　shall　cease　His　intercession
for　guilty　men；　before　His　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven；　the　door　of　mercy
will　be　shut。　Then　divine　grace　will　no　longer　restrain　the　wicked；　and
Satan　will　have　full　control　of　those　who　have　rejected　mercy。　They　will
endeavor　to　destroy　God's　people；　but　as　Noah　was　shut　into　the　ark；　so　the
righteous　will　be　shielded　by　divine　power。

For　seven　days　after　Noah　and　his　family　entered　the　ark；　there　appeared　no
sign　of　the　coming　storm。　During　this　period　their　faith　was　tested。　It　was
a　time　of　triumph　to　the　world　without。　The　apparent　delay　confirmed　them　in
the　belief　that　Noah's

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message　was　a　delusion；　and　that　the　Flood　would　never　come。　Notwithstanding
the　solemn　scenes　which　they　had　witnessedthe　beasts　and　birds　entering
the　ark；　and　the　angel　of　God　closing　the　doorthey　still　continued　their
sport　and　revelry；　even　making　a　jest　of　these　signal　manifestations　of
God's　power。　They　gathered　in　crowds　about　the　ark；　deriding　its　inmates
with　a　daring　violence　which　they　had　never　ventured　upon　before。

But　upon　the　eighth　day　dark　clouds　overspread　the　heavens。　There　followed
the　muttering　of　thunder　and　the　flash　of　lightning。　Soon　large　drops　of
rain　began　to　fall。　The　world　had　never　witnessed　anything　like　this；　and
the　hearts　of　men　were　struck　with　fear。　All　were　secretly　inquiring；　〃Can
it　be　that　Noah　was　in　the　right；　and　that　the　world　is　doomed　to
destruction？〃　Darker　and　darker　grew　the　heavens；　and　faster　came　the
falling　rain。　The　beasts　were　roaming　about　in　the　wildest　terror；　and　their
discordant　cries　seemed　to　moan　out　their　own　destiny　and　the　fate　of　man。
Then　〃the　fountains　of　the　great　deep〃　were　〃broken　up；　and　the　windows　of
heaven　were　opened。〃　Water　appeared　to　come　from　the　clouds　in　mighty
cataracts。　Rivers　broke　away　from　their　boundaries；　and　overflowed　the
valleys。　Jets　of　water　burst　from　the　earth　with　indescribable　force；
throwing　massive　rocks　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　air；　and　these；　in　falling；
buried　themselves　deep　in　the　ground。

The　people　first　beheld　the　destruction　of　the　works　of　their　own　hands。
Their　splendid　buildings；　and　the　beautiful　gardens　and　groves　where　they
had　placed　their　idols；　were　destroyed　by　lightning　from　heaven；　and　the
ruins　were　scattered　far　and　wide。　The　altars　on　which　human　sacrifices　had
been　offered　were　torn　down；　and　the　worshipers　were　made　to　tremble　at　the
power　of　the　living　God；　and　to　know　that　it　was　their　corruption　and
idolatry　which　had　called　down　their　destruction。

As　the　violence　of　the　storm　increased；　trees；　buildings；　rocks；　and　earth
were　hurled　in　every　direction。　The　terror　of　man　and　beast　was　beyond
description。　Above　the　roar　of　the　tempest　was　heard　the　wailing　of　a　people
that　had　despised　the　authority　of　God。　Satan　himself；　who　was　compelled　to
remain　in　the　midst　of　the　warring　elements；　feared　for　his　own　existence。
He　had　delighted　to　control　so　powerful　a　race；　and　desired　them　to　live　to
practice　their　abominations　and　continue　their　rebellion　against　the　Ruler
of　heaven。　He　now　uttered　imprecations　against　God；

100

charging　Him　with　injustice　and　cruelty。　Many　of　the　people；　like　Satan；
blasphemed　God；　and　had　they　been　able；　they　would　have　torn　Him　from　the
throne　of　power。　Others　were　frantic　with　fear；　stretching　their　hands
toward　the　ark　and　pleading　for　admittance。　But　their　entreaties　were　in
vain。　Conscience　was　at　last　aroused　to　know　that　there　is　a　God　who　ruleth
in　the　heavens。　They　called　upon　Him　earnestly；　but　His　ear　was　not　open　to
their　cry。　In　that　terrible　hour　they　saw　that　the　transgression　of　God's
law　had　caused　their　ruin。　Yet　while；　through　fear　of　punishment；　they
acknowledged　their　sin；　they　felt　no　true　contrition；　no　abhorrence　of　evil。
They　would　have　returned　to　their　defiance　of　Heaven；　had　the　judgment　been
removed。　So　when　God's　judgments　shall　fall　upon　the　earth　before　its　deluge
by　fire；　the　impenitent　will　know　just　where　and　what　their　sin　isthe
despising　of　His　holy　law。　Yet　they　will　have　no　more　true　repentance　than
did　the　old…world　sinners。

Some　in　their　desperation　endeavored　to　break　into　the　ark；　but　the
firm…made　structure　withstood　their　efforts。　Some　clung　to　the　ark　until
they　were　borne　away　by　the　surging　waters；　or　their　hold　was　broken　by
collision　with　rocks　and　trees。　The　massive　ark　trembled　in　every　fiber　as
it　was　beaten　by　the　merciless　winds　and　flung　from　billow　to　billow。　The
cries　of　the　beasts　within　expressed　their　fear　and　pain。　But　amid　the
warring　elements　it　continued　to　ride　safely。　Angels　that　excel　in　strength
were　commissioned　to　preserve　it。

The　beasts；　exposed　to　the　tempest；　rushed　toward　man；　as　though　expecting
help　from　him。　Some　of　the　people　bound　their　children　and　themselves　upon
powerful　animals；　knowing　that　these　were　tenacious　of　life；　and　would　climb
to　the　highest　points　to　escape　the　rising　waters。　Some　fastened　themselves
to　lofty　trees　on　the　summit　of　hills　or　mountains；　but　the　trees　were
uprooted；　and　with　their　burden　of　living　beings　were　hurled　into　the
seething　billows。　One　spot　after　another　that　promised　safety　was　abandoned。
As　the　waters　rose　higher　and　higher；　the　people　fled　for　refuge　to　the
loftiest　mountains。　Often　man　and　beast　would　struggle　together　for　a
foothold；　until　both　were　swept　away。

From　the　highest　peaks　men　looked　abroad　upon　a　shoreless　ocean。　The　solemn
warnings　of　God's　servant　no　longer　seemed　a　subject　for　ridicule　and
scorning。　How　those　doomed　sinners　longed　for　the　opportunities　which　they
had　slighted！　How　they

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pleaded　for　one　hour's　probation；　one　more　privilege　of　mercy；　one　call　from
the　lips　of　Noah！　But　the　sweet　voice　of　mercy　was　no　more　to　be　heard　by
them。　Love；　no　less　than　justice；　demanded　that　God's　judgments　should　put　a
check　on　sin。　The　avenging　waters　swept　over　the　last　retreat；　and　the
despisers　of　God　perished　in　the　black　depths。

〃By　the　word　of　God　。　。　。　the　world　that　then　was；　being　overflowed　with
water；　perished：　but　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　which　are　now；　by　the　same
word　are　kept　in　store；　reserved　unto　fire　against　the　day　of　judgment　and
perdition　of　ungodly　men。〃
2　Peter　3：5…7。　Another　storm　is　coming。　The　earth　will　again　be
swept　by　the　desolating　wrath　of　God；　and　sin　and　sinners　will　be　destroyed。

The　sins　that　called　for　vengeance　upon　the　antediluvian　world　exist　today。
The　fear　of　God　is　banished　from　the　hearts　of　men；　and　His　law　is　treated
with　indifference　and　contempt。　The　intense　worldliness　of　that　generation
is　equaled　by　that　of　the　generation　now　living。　Said　Christ；　〃As　in　the
days　that　were　before　the　Flood　they　were　eating　and　drinking；　marrying　and
giving　in　marriage；　until　the　day　that　Noah　entered　into　the　ark；　and　knew
not　until　the　Flood　came；　and　took　them　all　away；　so　shall　also　the　coming
of　the　Son　of　man　be。〃　Matthew　24：38；　39。　God　did　not　condemn　the
antediluvians　for　eating　and　drinking；　He　had　given　them　the　fruits　of　the
earth　in　great　abundance　to　supply　their　physical　wants。　Their　sin　consisted
in　taking　these　gifts　without　gratitude　to　the　Giver；　and　debasing
themselves　by　indulging　appetite　without　restraint。　It　was　lawful　for　them
to　marry。　Marriage　was　in　God's　order；　it　was　one　of　the　first　institutions
which　He　established。　He　gave　special　directions　concerning　this　ordinance；
clothing　it　with　sanctity　and　beauty；　but　these　directions　were　forgotten；
and　marriage　was　perverted　and　made　to　minister　to　passion。

A　sim