patriarchs and prophets-第22部分

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Lord　alone；　Thou　hast　made　heaven；　the　heaven　of　heavens；　with　all　their
host；　the　earth；　and　all　things　therein；　。　。　。　and　Thou　preservest　them
all。〃　Nehemiah　9：6。　As　regards　this　world；　God's　work　of　creation　is
completed。　For　〃the　works　were　finished　from　the　foundation　of　the　world。〃
Hebrews　4：3。　But　His　energy　is　still　exerted　in　upholding　the　objects　of　His
creation。　It　is　not　because　the　mechanism　that　has　once　been　set　in　motion
continues　to　act　by　its　own　inherent　energy　that　the　pulse　beats　and　breath
follows　breath；　but　every　breath；　every　pulsation　of　the　heart；　is　an
evidence　of　the　all…pervading　care　of　Him　in　whom　〃we　live；　and　move；　and
have　our　being。〃　Acts　17：28。　It　is　not　because　of　inherent　power　that　year
by　year　the　earth　produces　her　bounties　and　continues　her　motion　around　the
sun。　The　hand　of　God　guides　the　planets　and　keeps　them　in　position　in　their
orderly　march　through　the　heavens。　He　〃bringeth　out　their　host　by　number：　He
calleth　them　all　by　names　by　the　greatness　of　His　might；　for　that　He　is
strong　in　power；　not　one　faileth。〃　Isaiah　40：26。　It　is　through　His　power
that　vegetation　flourishes；　that　the　leaves　appear　and　the　flowers　bloom。　He
〃maketh　grass　to　grow　upon　the　mountains〃　（Psalm　147：8）；　and　by　Him　the
valleys　are　made　fruitful。　〃All　the　beasts　of　the　forest　。　。　。　seek　their
meat　from　God；〃　and　every　living　creature；　from　the　smallest　insect　up　to
man；　is　daily　dependent　upon　His　providential　care。　In　the　beautiful　words
of　the　psalmist；　〃These　wait　all　upon　Thee。　。　。　。　That　Thou　givest　them　they
gather：　Thou　openest　Thine　hand；　they　are　filled　with　good。〃　Psalm　104：20；
21；　27；　28。　His　word　controls　the　elements；　He　covers　the　heavens　with
clouds　and　prepares　rain　for　the　earth。　〃He　giveth　snow　like　wool：　He
scattereth　the　hoarfrost　like　ashes。〃　Psalm　147：16。　〃When　He　uttereth　His
voice；　there　is　a　multitude　of　waters　in　the　heavens；　and　He　causeth　the
vapors　to　ascend　from　the　ends　of　the　earth；　He　maketh　lightnings　with　rain；
and　bringeth　forth　the　wind　out　of　His　treasuries。〃　Jeremiah　10：13。

God　is　the　foundation　of　everything。　All　true　science　is　in　harmony　with　His
works；　all　true　education　leads　to　obedience　to　His　government。　Science
opens　new　wonders　to　our　view；　she　soars　high；　and　explores　new　depths；　but
she　brings　nothing　from　her　research　that　conflicts　with　divine　revelation。
Ignorance　may　seek　to　support　false　views　of　God　by　appeals　to　science；　but
the　book　of　nature　and　the　written　word　shed　light　upon　each　other。

116

We　are　thus　led　to　adore　the　Creator　and　to　have　an　intelligent　trust　in　His
word。

No　finite　mind　can　fully　comprehend　the　existence；　the　power；　the　wisdom；　or
the　works　of　the　Infinite　One。　Says　the　sacred　writer：　〃Canst　thou　by
searching　find　out　God？　canst　thou　find　out　the　Almighty　unto　perfection？　It
is　as　high　as　heaven；　what　canst　thou　do？　deeper　than　hell；　what　canst　thou
know？　The　measure　thereof　is　longer　than　the　earth；　and　broader　than　the
sea。〃　Job　11：7…9。　The　mightiest　intellects　of　earth　cannot　comprehend　God。
Men　may　be　ever　searching；　ever　learning；　and　still　there　is　an　infinity
beyond。

Yet　the　works　of　creation　testify　of　God's　power　and　greatness。　〃The　heavens
declare　the　glory　of　God；　and　the　firmament　showeth　His　handiwork。〃　Psalm
19：1。　Those　who　take　the　written　word　as　their　counselor　will　find　in
science　an　aid　to　understand　God。　〃The　invisible　things　of　Him　from　the
creation　of　the　world　are　clearly　seen；　being　understood　by　the　things　that
are　made；　even　His　eternal　power　and　Godhead。〃　Romans　1：20。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（117）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　10

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Tower　of　Babel


To　repeople　the　desolate　earth；　which　the　Flood　had　so　lately　swept　from　its
moral　corruption；　God　had　preserved　but　one　family；　the　household　of　Noah；
to　whom　He　had　declared；　〃Thee　have　I　seen　righteous　before　Me　in　this
generation。〃　Genesis　7：1。　Yet　in　the　three　sons　of　Noah　was　speedily
developed　the　same　great　distinction　seen　in　the　world　before　the　Flood。　In
Shem；　Ham；　and　Japheth；　who　were　to　be　the　founders　of　the　human　race；　was
foreshadowed　the　character　of　their　posterity。

Noah；　speaking　by　divine　inspiration；　foretold　the　history　of　the　three
great　races　to　spring　from　these　fathers　of　mankind。　Tracing　the　descendants
of　Ham；　through　the　son　rather　than　the　father；　he　declared；　〃Cursed　be
Canaan；　a　servant　of　servants　shall　he　be　unto　his　brethren。〃　The　unnatural
crime　of　Ham　declared　that　filial　reverence　had　long　before　been　cast　from
his　soul；　and　it　revealed　the　impiety　and　vileness　of　his　character。　These
evil　characteristics　were　perpetuated　in　Canaan　and　his　posterity；　whose
continued　guilt　called　upon　them　the　judgments　of　God。

On　the　other　hand；　the　reverence　manifested　by　Shem　and　Japheth　for　their
father；　and　thus　for　the　divine　statutes；　promised　a　brighter　future　for
their　descendants。　Concerning　these　sons　it　was　declared：　〃Blessed　be
Jehovah；　God　of　Shem；　and　Canaan　shall　be　his　servant。　God　shall　enlarge
Japheth；　and　he　shall　dwell　in　the　tents　of　Shem；　and　Canaan　shall　be　his
servant。〃　The　line　of　Shem　was　to　be　that　of　the　chosen　people；　of　God's
covenant；　of　the　promised　Redeemer。　Jehovah　was　the　God　of　Shem。　From　him
would　descend　Abraham；　and　the　people　of　Israel；　through　whom　Christ　was　to
come。　〃Happy　is　that　people；　whose　God　is　the　Lord。〃　Psalm　144：15。　And
Japheth　〃shall　dwell

118

in　the　tents　of　Shem。〃　In　the　blessings　of　the　gospel　the　descendants　of
Japheth　were　especially　to　share。

The　posterity　of　Canaan　descended　to　the　most　degrading　forms　of　heathenism。
Though　the　prophetic　curse　had　doomed　them　to　slavery；　the　doom　was　withheld
for　centuries。　God　bore　with　their　impiety　and　corruption　until　they　passed
the　limits　of　divine　forbearance。　Then　they　were　dispossessed；　and　became
bondmen　to　the　descendants　of　Shem　and　Japheth。

The　prophecy　of　Noah　was　no　arbitrary　denunciation　of　wrath　or　declaration
of　favor。　It　did　not　fix　the　character　and　destiny　of　his　sons。　But　it
showed　what　would　be　the　result　of　the　course　of　life　they　had　severally
chosen　and　the　character　they　had　developed。　It　was　an　expression　of　God's
purpose　toward　them　and　their　posterity　in　view　of　their　own　character　and
conduct。　As　a　rule；　children　inherit　the　dispositions　and　tendencies　of
their　parents；　and　imitate　their　example；　so　that　the　sins　of　the　parents
are　practiced　by　the　children　from　generation　to　generation。　Thus　the
vileness　and　irreverence　of　Ham　were　reproduced　in　his　posterity；　bringing　a
curse　upon　them　for　many　generations。　〃One　sinner　destroyeth　much　good。〃
Ecclesiastes　9：18。

On　the　other　hand；　how　richly　rewarded　was　Shem's　respect　for　his　father；
and　what　an　illustrious　line　of　holy　men　appears　in　his　posterity！　〃The　Lord
knoweth　the　days　of　the　upright；〃　〃and　his　seed　is　blessed。〃　Psalm　37：18；
26。　〃Know　therefore　that　the　Lord　thy　God　He　is　God；　the　faithful　God；　which
keepeth　covenant　and　mercy　with　them　that　love　Him　and　keep　His　commandments
to　a　thousand　generations。〃　Deuteronomy　7：9。

For　a　time　the　descendants　of　Noah　continued　to　dwell　among　the　mountains
where　the　ark　had　rested。　As　their　numbers　increased；　apostasy　soon　led　to
division。　Those　who　desired　to　forget　their　Creator　and　to　cast　off　the
restraint　of　His　law　felt　a　constant　annoyance　from　the　teaching　and　example
of　their　God…fearing　associates；　and　after　a　time　they　decided　to　separate
from　the　worshipers　of　God。　Accordingly　they　journeyed　to　the　plain　of
Shinar；　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Euphrates。　They　were　attracted　by　the
beauty　of　the　situation　and　the　fertility　of　the　soil；　and　upon　this　plain
they　determined　to　make　their　home。

Here　they　decided　to　build　a　city；　and　in　it　a　tower　of　such　stupendous
height　as　should　render　it　the　wonder　of　the　world。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　119

These　enterprises　were　designed　to　prevent　the　people　from　scattering　abroad
in　colonies。　God　had　directed　men　to　disperse　throughout　the　earth；　to
replenish　and　subdue　it；　but　these　Babel　builders　determined　to　keep　their
community　united　in　one　body；　and　to　found　a　monarchy　that　should　eventually
embrace　the　whole　earth。　Thus　their　city　would　become　the　metropolis　of　a
universal　empire；　its　glory　would　command　the　admiration　and　homage　of　the
world　and　render　the　founders　illustrious。　The　magnificent　tower；　reaching
to　the　heavens；　was　intended　to　stand　as　a　monument　of　the　power　and　wisdom
of　its　builders；　perpetuating　their　fame　to　the　latest　generations。

The　dwellers　on　the　plain　of　Shinar　disbelieved　God's　covenant　that　He　would
not　again　bring　a　flood　upon　the　earth。　Many　of　them　denied　the　existence　of
God　and　attributed　the　Flood　to　the　operation　of　natural　causes。　Others
believed　in　a　Supreme　Being；　and　that　it　was　He　who　had　destroyed　the
antediluvian　world；　and　their　hearts；　like　that　of　Cain；　rose　up　in
rebellion　against　Him。　One　object　before　them　in　the　erection　of　the　tower
was　to　secure　their　own　safety　in　case　of　another　deluge。　By　carrying　the
structure　to　a　much　greater　height　than　was　reached　by　the　waters　of　the
Flood；　they　thought　to　place　themselves　beyond　all　possibility　of　danger。
And　as　they　would　be　able　to　ascend　to　the　region　of　the　clouds；　they　hoped
to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the　Flood。　The　whole　undertaking　was　designed　to
exalt　still　further　the　pride　of　its　projectors　and　to　turn　the　minds　of
future　generations　away　from　God　and　lead　them　into　idolatry。

When　the　tower　had　been　partially　completed；　a　portion　of　it　was　occupied　as
a　dwelling　place　for　the　builders；　other　apartments；　splendidly　furnished
and　adorned；　were　devoted　to　their　idols。　The　people　rejoiced　in　their
success；　and　praised　the　gods　of　silver　and　gold；　and　set　themselves　against
the　Ruler　of　heaven　and　earth。　Suddenly　the　work　that　had　been　advancing　so
prosperously　was　checked。　Angels　were　sent　to　bring　to　naught　the　purpose　of
the　builders。　The　tower　had　reached　a　lofty　height；　and　it　was　impossible
for　the　workmen　at　the　top　to　communicate　directly　with　those　at　the　b