patriarchs and prophets-第76节

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with　benefits；　and　ever　afterward　held　in　high　esteem；　and　however
aggravated　his　crimes；　he　was　never　punished。　But　should　one　be　burned　in
passing　through　the　fire；　his　fate　was　sealed；　it　was　believed　that　the
anger　of　the　gods　could　be　appeased　only　by　taking　the　life　of　the　victim；
and　he　was　accordingly　offered　as　a　sacrifice。　In　times　of　great　apostasy
these　abominations　prevailed；　to　some　extent；　among　the　Israelites。

The　violation　of　the　seventh　commandment　also　was　early　practiced　in　the
name　of　religion。　The　most　licentious　and　abominable　rites　were　made　a　part
of　the　heathen　worship。　The　gods

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themselves　were　represented　as　impure；　and　their　worshipers　gave　the　rein　to
the　baser　passions。　Unnatural　vices　prevailed　and　the　religious　festivals
were　characterized　by　universal　and　open　impurity。

Polygamy　was　practiced　at　an　early　date。　It　was　one　of　the　sins　that　brought
the　wrath　of　God　upon　the　antediluvian　world。　Yet　after　the　Flood　it　again
became　widespread。　It　was　Satan's　studied　effort　to　pervert　the　marriage
institution；　to　weaken　its　obligations　and　lessen　its　sacredness；　for　in　no
surer　way　could　he　deface　the　image　of　God　in　man　and　open　the　door　to
misery　and　vice。

From　the　opening　of　the　great　controversy　it　has　been　Satan's　purpose　to
misrepresent　God's　character　and　to　excite　rebellion　against　His　law；　and
this　work　appears　to　be　crowned　with　success。　The　multitudes　give　ear　to
Satan's　deceptions　and　set　themselves　against　God。　But　amid　the　working　of
evil；　God's　purposes　move　steadily　forward　to　their　accomplishment；　to　all
created　intelligences　He　is　making　manifest　His　justice　and　benevolence。
Through　Satan's　temptations　the　whole　human　race　have　become　transgressors
of　God's　law；　but　by　the　sacrifice　of　His　Son　a　way　is　opened　whereby　they
may　return　to　God。　Through　the　grace　of　Christ　they　may　be　enabled　to　render
obedience　to　the　Father's　law。　Thus　in　every　age；　from　the　midst　of　apostasy
and　rebellion；　God　gathers　out　a　people　that　are　true　to　Hima　people　〃in
whose　heart　is　His　law。〃　Isaiah　51：7。

It　was　by　deception　that　Satan　seduced　angels；　thus　he　has　in　all　ages
carried　forward　his　work　among　men；　and　he　will　continue　this　policy　to　the
last。　Should　he　openly　profess　to　be　warring　against　God　and　His　law；　men
would　beware；　but　he　disguises　himself；　and　mixes　truth　with　error。　The　most
dangerous　falsehoods　are　those　that　are　mingled　with　truth。　It　is　thus　that
errors　are　received　that　captivate　and　ruin　the　soul。　By　this　means　Satan
carries　the　world　with　him。　But　a　day　is　coming　when　his　triumph　will　be
forever　ended。

God's　dealings　with　rebellion　will　result　in　fully　unmasking　the　work　that
has　so　long　been　carried　on　under　cover。　The　results　of　Satan's　rule；　the
fruits　of　setting　aside　the　divine　statutes；　will　be　laid　open　to　the　view
of　all　created　intelligences。　The　law　of　God　will　stand　fully　vindicated。　It
will　be　seen　that　all

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the　dealings　of　God　have　been　conducted　with　reference　to　the　eternal　good
of　His　people；　and　the　good　of　all　the　worlds　that　He　has　created。　Satan
himself；　in　the　presence　of　the　witnessing　universe；　will　confess　the
justice　of　God's　government　and　the　righteousness　of　His　law。

The　time　is　not　far　distant　when　God　will　arise　to　vindicate　His　insulted
authority。　〃The　Lord　cometh　out　of　His　place　to　punish　the　inhabitants　of
the　earth　for　their　iniquity。〃　Isaiah　26：21。　〃But　who　may　abide　the　day　of
His　coming？　and　who　shall　stand　when　He　appeareth？〃　Malachi　3：2。　The　people
of　Israel；　because　of　their　sinfulness；　were　forbidden　to　approach　the　mount
when　God　was　about　to　descend　upon　it　to　proclaim　His　law；　lest　they　should
be　consumed　by　the　burning　glory　of　His　presence。　If　such　manifestations　of
His　power　marked　the　place　chosen　for　the　proclamation　of　God's　law；　how
terrible　must　be　His　tribunal　when　He　comes　for　the　execution　of　these
sacred　statutes。　How　will　those　who　have　trampled　upon　His　authority　endure
His　glory　in　the　great　day　of　final　retribution？　The　terrors　of　Sinai　were
to　represent　to　the　people　the　scenes　of　the　judgment。　The　sound　of　a
trumpet　summoned　Israel　to　meet　with　God。　The　voice　of　the　Archangel　and　the
trump　of　God　shall　summon；　from　the　whole　earth；　both　the　living　and　the
dead　to　the　presence　of　their　Judge。　The　Father　and　the　Son；　attended　by　a
multitude　of　angels；　were　present　upon　the　mount。　At　the　great　judgment　day
Christ　will　come　〃in　the　glory　of　His　Father　with　His　angels。〃　Matthew
16：27。　He　shall　then　sit　upon　the　throne　of　His　glory；　and　before　Him　shall
be　gathered　all　nations。

When　the　divine　Presence　was　manifested　upon　Sinai；　the　glory　of　the　Lord
was　like　devouring　fire　in　the　sight　of　all　Israel。　But　when　Christ　shall
come　in　glory　with　His　holy　angels　the　whole　earth　shall　be　ablaze　with　the
terrible　light　of　His　presence。　〃Our　God　shall　come；　and　shall　not　keep
silence：　a　fire　shall　devour　before　Him；　and　it　shall　be　very　tempestuous
round　about　Him。　He　shall　call　to　the　heavens　from　above；　and　to　the　earth；
that　He　may　judge　His　people。〃　Psalm　50：3；　4。　A　fiery　stream　shall　issue　and
come　forth　from　before　Him；　which　shall　cause　the　elements　to　melt　with
fervent　heat；　the　earth　also；　and　the　works　that　are　therein　shall　be　burned
up。　〃The　Lord　Jesus　shall　be　revealed　from　heaven　with　His　mighty　angels；　in

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flaming　fire　taking　vengeance　on　them　that　know　not　God；　and　that　obey　not
the　gospel。〃　2　Thessalonians　1：7；　8。

Never　since　man　was　created　had　there　been　witnessed　such　a　manifestation　of
divine　power　as　when　the　law　was　proclaimed　from　Sinai。　〃The　earth　shook；
the　heavens　also　dropped　at　the　presence　of　God：　even　Sinai　itself　was　moved
at　the　presence　of　God；　the　God　of　Israel。〃　Psalm　68：8。　Amid　the　most
terrific　convulsions　of　nature　the　voice　of　God；　like　a　trumpet；　was　heard
from　the　cloud。　The　mountain　was　shaken　from　base　to　summit；　and　the　hosts
of　Israel；　pale　and　trembling　with　terror；　lay　upon　their　faces　upon　the
earth。　He　whose　voice　then　shook　the　earth　has　declared；　〃Yet　once　more　I
shake　not　the　earth　only；　but　also　heaven。〃　Hebrews　12：26。　Says　the
Scripture；　〃The　Lord　shall　roar　from　on　high；　and　utter　His　voice　from　His
holy　habitation；〃　〃and　the　heavens　and　the　earth　shall　shake。〃　Jeremiah
25：30；　Joel　3：16。　In　that　great　coming　day；　the　heaven　itself　shall　depart
〃as　a　scroll　when　it　is　rolled　together。〃　Revelation　6：14。　And　every
mountain　and　island　shall　be　moved　out　of　its　place。　〃The　earth　shall　reel
to　and　fro　like　a　drunkard；　and　shall　be　removed　like　a　cottage；　and　the
transgression　thereof　shall　be　heavy　upon　it；　and　it　shall　fall；　and　not
rise　again。〃　Isaiah　24：20。

〃Therefore　shall　all　hands　be　faint；〃　all　faces　shall　be　〃turned　into
paleness；〃　〃and　every　man's　heart　shall　melt。　And　they　shall　be　afraid：
pangs　and　sorrows　shall　take　hold　of　them。〃　〃And　I　will　punish　the　world　for
their　evil；〃　saith　the　Lord；　〃and　I　will　cause　the　arrogancy　of　the　proud　to
cease；　and　will　lay　low　the　haughtiness　of　the　terrible。〃　Isaiah　13：7；　8；
11；　Jeremiah　30：6。

When　Moses　came　from　the　divine　Presence　in　the　mount；　where　he　had　received
the　tables　of　the　testimony；　guilty　Israel　could　not　endure　the　light　that
glorified　his　countenance。　How　much　less　can　transgressors　look　upon　the　Son
of　God　when　He　shall　appear　in　the　glory　of　His　Father；　surrounded　by　all
the　heavenly　host；　to　execute　judgment　upon　the　transgressors　of　His　law　and
the　rejecters　of　His　atonement。　Those　who　have　disregarded　the　law　of　God
and　trodden　under　foot　the　blood　of　Christ；　〃the　kings　of　the　earth；　and　the
great　men；　and　the　rich　men；　and　the　chief　captains；　and　the　mighty　men；〃
shall　hide　themselves　〃in　the　dens　and　in　the　rocks　of　the　mountains；〃　and

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they　shall　say　to　the　mountains　and　rocks；　〃Fall　on　us；　and　hide　us　from　the
face　of　Him　that　sitteth　on　the　throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb：　for
the　great　day　of　His　wrath　is　come；　and　who　shall　be　able　to　stand？〃
Revelation　6：15…17。　〃In　that　day　a　man　shall　cast　his　idols　of　silver；　and
his　idols　of　gold；　。　。　。　to　the　moles　and　to　the　bats；　to　go　into　the　clefts
of　the　rocks；　and　into　the　tops　of　the　ragged　rocks；　for　fear　of　the　Lord；
and　for　the　glory　of　His　majesty；　when　He　ariseth　to　shake　terribly　the
earth。〃　Isaiah　2：20；　21。

Then　it　will　be　seen　that　Satan's　rebellion　against　God　has　resulted　in　ruin
to　himself　and　to　all　that　chose　to　become　his　subjects。　He　has　represented
that　great　good　would　result　from　transgression；　but　it　will　be　seen　that
〃the　wages　of　sin　is　death。〃　〃For；　behold；　the　day　cometh；　that　shall　burn
as　an　oven；　and　all　the　proud；　yea；　and　all　that　do　wickedly；　shall　be
stubble：　and　the　day　that　cometh　shall　burn　them　up；　saith　the　Lord　of
hosts；　that　it　shall　leave　them　neither　root　nor　branch。〃　Malachi　4：1。
Satan；　the　root　of　every　sin；　and　all　evil　workers；　who　are　his　branches；
shall　be　utterly　cut　off。　An　end　will　be　made　of　sin；　with　all　the　woe　and
ruin　that　have　resulted　from　it。　Says　the　psalmist；　〃Thou　hast　destroyed　the
wicke