patriarchs and prophets-第21部分

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Most　High；　thy　habitation；　there　shall　no　evil　befall　thee。〃　Psalm　91：9；　10。
〃In　the　time　of　trouble　He　shall　hide　me　in　His　pavilion：　in　the　secret　of
His　tabernacle　shall　He　hide　me。〃　Psalm　27：5。　God's　promise　is；　〃Because　he
hath　set　his　love　upon　Me；　therefore　will　I　deliver　him：　I　will　set　him　on
high；　because　he　hath　known　My　name。〃　Psalm　91：14。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　9

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Literal　Week


Like　the　Sabbath；　the　week　originated　at　creation；　and　it　has　been　preserved
and　brought　down　to　us　through　Bible　history。　God　Himself　measured　off　the
first　week　as　a　sample　for　successive　weeks　to　the　close　of　time。　Like　every
other；　it　consisted　of　seven　literal　days。　Six　days　were　employed　in　the
work　of　creation；　upon　the　seventh；　God　rested；　and　He　then　blessed　this　day
and　set　it　apart　as　a　day　of　rest　for　man。

In　the　law　given　from　Sinai；　God　recognized　the　week；　and　the　facts　upon
which　it　is　based。　After　giving　the　command；　〃Remember　the　Sabbath　day；　to
keep　it　holy；〃　and　specifying　what　shall　be　done　on　the　six　days；　and　what
shall　not　be　done　on　the　seventh；　He　states　the　reason　for　thus　observing
the　week；　by　pointing　back　to　His　own　example：　〃For　in　six　days　the　Lord
made　heaven　and　earth；　the　sea；　and　all　that　in　them　is；　and　rested　the
seventh　day：　wherefore　the　Lord　blessed　the　Sabbath　day；　and　hallowed　it。〃
Exodus　20：8…11。　This　reason　appears　beautiful　and　forcible　when　we
understand　the　days　of　creation　to　be　literal。　The　first　six　days　of　each
week　are　given　to　man　for　labor；　because　God　employed　the　same　period　of　the
first　week　in　the　work　of　creation。　On　the　seventh　day　man　is　to　refrain
from　labor；　in　commemoration　of　the　Creator's　rest。

But　the　assumption　that　the　events　of　the　first　week　required　thousands　upon
thousands　of　years；　strikes　directly　at　the　foundation　of　the　fourth
commandment。　It　represents　the　Creator　as　commanding　men　to　observe　the　week
of　literal　days　in　commemoration　of　vast；　indefinite　periods。　This　is　unlike
His　method　of　dealing　with　His　creatures。　It　makes　indefinite　and　obscure
that　which　He　has　made　very　plain。　It　is　infidelity　in　its　most　insidious
and　hence　most　dangerous　form；　its　real　character　is　so　disguised　that　it　is
held　and　taught　by　many　who　profess　to　believe　the　Bible。

112


〃By　the　word　of　the　Lord　were　the　heavens　made；　and　all　the　host　of　them　by
the　breath　of　His　mouth。〃　〃For　He　spake；　and　it　was　done；　He　commanded；　and
it　stood　fast。〃　Psalm　33：6；　9。　The　Bible　recognizes　no　long　ages　in　which
the　earth　was　slowly　evolved　from　chaos。　Of　each　successive　day　of　creation；
the　sacred　record　declares　that　it　consisted　of　the　evening　and　the　morning；
like　all　other　days　that　have　followed。　At　the　close　of　each　day　is　given
the　result　of　the　Creator's　work。　The　statement　is　made　at　the　close　of　the
first　week's　record；　〃These　are　the　generations　of　the　heavens　and　of　the
earth　when　they　were　created。〃　Genesis　2：4。　But　this　does　not　convey　the
idea　that　the　days　of　creation　were　other　than　literal　days。　Each　day　was
called　a　generation；　because　that　in　it　God　generated；　or　produced；　some　new
portion　of　His　work。

Geologists　claim　to　find　evidence　from　the　earth　itself　that　it　is　very　much
older　than　the　Mosaic　record　teaches。　Bones　of　men　and　animals；　as　well　as
instruments　of　warfare；　petrified　trees；　etcetera；　much　larger　than　any　that
now　exist；　or　that　have　existed　for　thousands　of　years；　have　been
discovered；　and　from　this　it　is　inferred　that　the　earth　was　populated　long
before　the　time　brought　to　view　in　the　record　of　creation；　and　by　a　race　of
beings　vastly　superior　in　size　to　any　men　now　living。　Such　reasoning　has　led
many　professed　Bible　believers　to　adopt　the　position　that　the　days　of
creation　were　vast；　indefinite　periods。

But　apart　from　Bible　history；　geology　can　prove　nothing。　Those　who　reason　so
confidently　upon　its　discoveries　have　no　adequate　conception　of　the　size　of
men；　animals；　and　trees　before　the　Flood；　or　of　the　great　changes　which　then
took　place。　Relics　found　in　the　earth　do　give　evidence　of　conditions
differing　in　many　respects　from　the　present；　but　the　time　when　these
conditions　existed　can　be　learned　only　from　the　Inspired　Record。　In　the
history　of　the　Flood；　inspiration　has　explained　that　which　geology　alone
could　never　fathom。　In　the　days　of　Noah；　men；　animals；　and　trees；　many　times
larger　than　now　exist；　were　buried；　and　thus　preserved　as　an　evidence　to
later　generations　that　the　antediluvians　perished　by　a　flood。　God　designed
that　the　discovery　of　these　things　should　establish　faith　in　inspired
history；　but　men；　with　their　vain　reasoning；　fall　into　the　same　error　as　did
the　people　before　the　Floodthe　things　which　God　gave　them　as　a　benefit；
they　turn　into　a　curse　by　making　a　wrong　use　of　them。

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It　is　one　of　Satan's　devices　to　lead　the　people　to　accept　the　fables　of
infidelity；　for　he　can　thus　obscure　the　law　of　God；　in　itself　very　plain；
and　embolden　men　to　rebel　against　the　divine　government。　His　efforts　are
especially　directed　against　the　fourth　commandment；　because　it　so　clearly
points　to　the　living　God；　the　Maker　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth。

There　is　a　constant　effort　made　to　explain　the　work　of　creation　as　the
result　of　natural　causes；　and　human　reasoning　is　accepted　even　by　professed
Christians；　in　opposition　to　plain　Scripture　facts。　There　are　many　who
oppose　the　investigation　of　the　prophecies；　especially　those　of　Daniel　and
the　Revelation；　declaring　them　to　be　so　obscure　that　we　cannot　understand
them；　yet　these　very　persons　eagerly　receive　the　suppositions　of　geologists；
in　contradiction　of　the　Mosaic　record。　But　if　that　which　God　has　revealed　is
so　difficult　to　understand；　how　inconsistent　it　is　to　accept　mere
suppositions　in　regard　to　that　which　He　has　not　revealed！

〃The　secret　things　belong　unto　the　Lord　our　God：　but　those　things　which　are
revealed　belong　unto　us　and　to　our　children　forever。〃　Deuteronomy　29：29。
Just　how　God　accomplished　the　work　of　creation　He　has　never　revealed　to　men；
human　science　cannot　search　out　the　secrets　of　the　Most　High。　His　creative
power　is　as　incomprehensible　as　His　existence。

God　has　permitted　a　flood　of　light　to　be　poured　upon　the　world　in　both
science　and　art；　but　when　professedly　scientific　men　treat　upon　these
subjects　from　a　merely　human　point　of　view；　they　will　assuredly　come　to
wrong　conclusions。　It　may　be　innocent　to　speculate　beyond　what　God's　word
has　revealed；　if　our　theories　do　not　contradict　facts　found　in　the
Scriptures；　but　those　who　leave　the　word　of　God；　and　seek　to　account　for　His
created　works　upon　scientific　principles；　are　drifting　without　chart　or
compass　upon　an　unknown　ocean。　The　greatest　minds；　if　not　guided　by　the　word
of　God　in　their　research；　become　bewildered　in　their　attempts　to　trace　the
relations　of　science　and　revelation。　Because　the　Creator　and　His　works　are
so　far　beyond　their　comprehension　that　they　are　unable　to　explain　them　by
natural　laws；　they　regard　Bible　history　as　unreliable。　Those　who　doubt　the
reliability　of　the　records　of　the　Old　and　New　Testaments；　will　be　led　to　go
a　step　further；　and　doubt　the　existence　of　God；　and　then；　having　lost　their
anchor；　they　are　left　to　beat　about　upon　the　rocks　of　infidelity。

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These　persons　have　lost　the　simplicity　of　faith。　There　should　be　a　settled
belief　in　the　divine　authority　of　God's　Holy　Word。　The　Bible　is　not　to　be
tested　by　men's　ideas　of　science。　Human　knowledge　is　an　unreliable　guide。
Skeptics　who　read　the　Bible　for　the　sake　of　caviling；　may；　through　an
imperfect　comprehension　of　either　science　or　revelation；　claim　to　find
contradictions　between　them；　but　rightly　understood；　they　are　in　perfect
harmony。　Moses　wrote　under　the　guidance　of　the　Spirit　of　God；　and　a　correct
theory　of　geology　will　never　claim　discoveries　that　cannot　be　reconciled
with　his　statements。　All　truth；　whether　in　nature　or　in　revelation；　is
consistent　with　itself　in　all　its　manifestations。

In　the　word　of　God　many　queries　are　raised　that　the　most　profound　scholars
can　never　answer。　Attention　is　called　to　these　subjects　to　show　us　how　much
there　is；　even　among　the　common　things　of　everyday　life；　that　finite　minds；
with　all　their　boasted　wisdom；　can　never　fully　understand。

Yet　men　of　science　think　that　they　can　comprehend　the　wisdom　of　God；　that
which　He　has　done　or　can　do。　The　idea　largely　prevails　that　He　is　restricted
by　His　own　laws。　Men　either　deny　or　ignore　His　existence；　or　think　to
explain　everything；　even　the　operation　of　His　Spirit　upon　the　human　heart；
and　they　no　longer　reverence　His　name　or　fear　His　power。　They　do　not　believe
in　the　supernatural；　not　understanding　God's　laws　or　His　infinite　power　to
work　His　will　through　them。　As　commonly　used；　the　term　〃laws　of　nature〃
comprises　what　men　have　been　able　to　discover　with　regard　to　the　laws　that
govern　the　physical　world；　but　how　limited　is　their　knowledge；　and　how　vast
the　field　in　which　the　Creator　can　work　in　harmony　with　His　own　laws　and　yet
wholly　beyond　the　comprehension　of　finite　beings！

Many　teach　that　matter　possesses　vital　powerthat　certain　properties　are
imparted　to　matter；　and　it　is　then　left　to　act　through　its　own　inherent
energy；　and　that　the　operations　of　nature　are　conducted　in　harmony　with
fixed　laws；　with　which　God　Himself　cannot　interfere。　This　is　false　science；
and　is　not　sustained　by　the　word　of　God。　Nature　is　the　servant　of　her
Creator。　God　does　not　annul　His　laws　or　work　contrary　to　them；　but　He　is
continually　using　them　as　His　instruments。　Nature　testifies　of　an
intelligence；　a　presence；　an　active　energy；　that　works　in　and　through　her
laws。　There　is　in　nature　the　continual　working　of　the　Father　and　the　Son。
Christ　says；　〃My　Father　worketh　hitherto；　and　I　work。〃　John　5：17。

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The　Levites；　in　their　hymn　recorded　by　Nehemiah；　sang；　〃Thou；　even　Thou；　art
Lord　alone；　Thou　hast　made　heaven；　the　heaven　of　heavens；　with　all　their