patriarchs and prophets-第23部分

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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　base；
therefore　men　were　stationed　at　different　points；　each　to　receive　and　report
to　the　one　next　below　him　the　orders　for　needed　material　or　other　directions
concerning　the　work。　As　messages　were　thus　passing　from　one　to　another　the
language　was　confounded；　so　that　material　was　called　for　which

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was　not　needed；　and　the　directions　delivered　were　often　the　reverse　of　those
that　had　been　given。　Confusion　and　dismay　followed。　All　work　came　to　a
standstill。　There　could　be　no　further　harmony　or　co…operation。　The　builders
were　wholly　unable　to　account　for　the　strange　misunderstandings　among　them；
and　in　their　rage　and　disappointment　they　reproached　one　another。　Their
confederacy　ended　in　strife　and　bloodshed。　Lightnings　from　heaven；　as　an
evidence　of　God's　displeasure；　broke　off　the　upper　portion　of　the　tower　and
cast　it　to　the　ground。　Men　were　made　to　feel　that　there　is　a　God　who　ruleth
in　the　heavens。

Up　to　this　time　all　men　had　spoken　the　same　language；　now　those　that　could
understand　one　another's　speech　united　in　companies；　some　went　one　way；　and
some　another。　〃The　Lord　scattered　them　abroad　from　thence　upon　the　face　of
all　the　earth。〃　This　dispersion　was　the　means　of　peopling　the　earth；　and
thus　the　Lord's　purpose　was　accomplished　through　the　very　means　that　men　had
employed　to　prevent　its　fulfillment。

But　at　what　a　loss　to　those　who　had　set　themselves　against　God！　It　was　His
purpose　that　as　men　should　go　forth　to　found　nations　in　different　parts　of
the　earth　they　should　carry　with　them　a　knowledge　of　His　will；　that　the
light　of　truth　might　shine　undimmed　to　succeeding　generations。　Noah；　the
faithful　preacher　of　righteousness；　lived　for　three　hundred　and　fifty　years
after　the　Flood；　Shem　for　five　hundred　years；　and　thus　their　descendants　had
an　opportunity　to　become　acquainted　with　the　requirements　of　God　and　the
history　of　His　dealings　with　their　fathers。　But　they　were　unwilling　to
listen　to　these　unpalatable　truths；　they　had　no　desire　to　retain　God　in
their　knowledge；　and　by　the　confusion　of　tongues　they　were；　in　a　great
measure；　shut　out　from　intercourse　with　those　who　might　have　given　them
light。

The　Babel　builders　had　indulged　the　spirit　of　murmuring　against　God。　Instead
of　gratefully　remembering　His　mercy　to　Adam　and　His　gracious　covenant　with
Noah；　they　had　complained　of　His　severity　in　expelling　the　first　pair　from
Eden　and　destroying　the　world　by　a　flood。　But　while　they　murmured　against
God　as　arbitrary　and　severe；　they　were　accepting　the　rule　of　the　cruelest　of
tyrants。　Satan　was　seeking　to　bring　contempt　upon　the　sacrificial　offerings
that　prefigured　the　death　of　Christ；　and　as　the　minds　of　the　people　were
darkened　by　idolatry；　he　led　them　to　counterfeit　these　offerings　and
sacrifice　their　own　children

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upon　the　altars　of　their　gods。　As　men　turned　away　from　God；　the　divine
attributesjustice；　purity；　and　lovewere　supplanted　by　oppression；
violence；　and　brutality。

The　men　of　Babel　had　determined　to　establish　a　government　that　should　be
independent　of　God。　There　were　some　among　them；　however；　who　feared　the
Lord；　but　who　had　been　deceived　by　the　pretensions　of　the　ungodly　and　drawn
into　their　schemes。　For　the　sake　of　these　faithful　ones　the　Lord　delayed　His
judgments　and　gave　the　people　time　to　reveal　their　true　character。　As　this
was　developed；　the　sons　of　God　labored　to　turn　them　from　their　purpose；　but
the　people　were　fully　united　in　their　Heaven…daring　undertaking。　Had　they
gone　on　unchecked；　they　would　have　demoralized　the　world　in　its　infancy。
Their　confederacy　was　founded　in　rebellion；　a　kingdom　established　for
self…exaltation；　but　in　which　God　was　to　have　no　rule　or　honor。　Had　this
confederacy　been　permitted；　a　mighty　power　would　have　borne　sway　to　banish
righteousnessand　with　it　peace；　happiness；　and　security　from　the　earth。
For　the　divine　statutes；　which　are　〃holy　and　just　and　good〃　（Romans　7：12）；
men　were　endeavoring　to　substitute　laws　to　suit　the　purpose　of　their　own
selfish　and　cruel　hearts。

Those　that　feared　the　Lord　cried　unto　Him　to　interpose。　〃And　the　Lord　came
down　to　see　the　city　and　the　tower；　which　the　children　of　men　builded。〃　In
mercy　to　the　world　He　defeated　the　purpose　of　the　tower　builders　and
overthrew　the　memorial　of　their　daring。　In　mercy　He　confounded　their　speech；
thus　putting　a　check　on　their　purposes　of　rebellion。　God　bears　long　with　the
perversity　of　men；　giving　them　ample　opportunity　for　repentance；　but　He
marks　all　their　devices　to　resist　the　authority　of　His　just　and　holy　law。
From　time　to　time　the　unseen　hand　that　holds　the　scepter　of　government　is
stretched　out　to　restrain　iniquity。　Unmistakable　evidence　is　given　that　the
Creator　of　the　universe；　the　One　infinite　in　wisdom　and　love　and　truth；　is
the　Supreme　Ruler　of　heaven　and　earth；　and　that　none　can　with　impunity　defy
His　power。

The　schemes　of　the　Babel　builders　ended　in　shame　and　defeat。　The　monument　to
their　pride　became　the　memorial　of　their　folly。　Yet　men　are　continually
pursuing　the　same　coursedepending　upon　self；　and　rejecting　God's　law。　It
is　the　principle　that　Satan　tried　to　carry　out　in　heaven；　the　same　that
governed　Cain　in　presenting　his　offering。

There　are　tower　builders　in　our　time。　Infidels　construct　their

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theories　from　the　supposed　deductions　of　sciences；　and　reject　the　revealed
word　of　God。　They　presume　to　pass　sentence　upon　God's　moral　government；　they
despise　His　law　and　boast　of　the　sufficiency　of　human　reason。　They；　〃because
sentence　against　an　evil　work　is　not　executed　speedily；　therefore　the　heart
of　the　sons　of　men　is　fully　set　in　them　to　do　evil。〃　Ecclesiastes　8：11。

In　the　professedly　Christian　world　many　turn　away　from　the　plain　teachings
of　the　Bible　and　build　up　a　creed　from　human　speculations　and　pleasing
fables；　and　they　point　to　their　tower　as　a　way　to　climb　up　to　heaven。　Men
hang　with　admiration　upon　the　lips　of　eloquence　while　it　teaches　that　the
transgressor　shall　not　die；　that　salvation　may　be　secured　without　obedience
to　the　law　of　God。　If　the　professed　followers　of　Christ　would　accept　God's
standard；　it　would　bring　them　into　unity；　but　so　long　as　human　wisdom　is
exalted　above　His　Holy　Word；　there　will　be　divisions　and　dissension。　The
existing　confusion　of　conflicting　creeds　and　sects　is　fitly　represented　by
the　term　〃Babylon；〃　which　prophecy　（Revelation　14：8；　18：2）　applies　to　the
world…loving　churches　of　the　last　days。

Many　seek　to　make　a　heaven　for　themselves　by　obtaining　riches　and　power。
They　〃speak　wickedly　concerning　oppression：　they　speak　loftily〃　（Psalm
73：8）；　trampling　upon　human　rights　and　disregarding　divine　authority。　The
proud　may　be　for　a　time　in　great　power；　and　may　see　success　in　all　that　they
undertake；　but　in　the　end　they　will　find　only　disappointment　and
wretchedness。

The　time　of　God's　investigation　is　at　hand。　The　Most　High　will　come　down　to
see　that　which　the　children　of　men　have　builded。　His　sovereign　power　will　be
revealed；　the　works　of　human　pride　will　be　laid　low。　〃The　Lord　looketh　from
heaven；　He　beholdeth　all　the　sons　of　men。　From　the　place　of　His　habitation
He　looketh　upon　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth。〃　〃The　Lord　bringeth　the
counsel　of　the　heathen　to　nought：　He　maketh　the　devices　of　the　people　of
none　effect。　The　counsel　of　the　Lord　standeth　forever；　the　thoughts　of　His
heart　to　all　generations。〃　Psalm　33：13；　14；　10；　11。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　11

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Call　of　Abraham


After　the　dispersion　from　Babel　idolatry　again　became　well…nigh　universal；
and　the　Lord　finally　left　the　hardened　transgressors　to　follow　their　evil
ways；　while　He　chose　Abraham；　of　the　line　of　Shem；　and　made　him　the　keeper
of　His　law　for　future　generations。　Abraham　had　grown　up　in　the　midst　of
superstition　and　heathenism。　Even　his　father's　household；　by　whom　the
knowledge　of　God　had　been　preserved；　were　yielding　to　the　seductive
influences　surrounding　them；　and　they　〃served　other　gods〃　than　Jehovah。　But
the　true　faith　was　not　to　become　extinct。　God　has　ever　preserved　a　remnant
to　serve　Him。　Adam；　Seth；　Enoch；　Methuselah；　Noah；　Shem；　in　unbroken　line；
had　preserved　from　age　to　age　the　precious　revealings　of　His　will。　The　son
of　Terah　became　the　inheritor　of　this　holy　trust。　Idolatry　invited　him　on
every　side；　but　in　vain。　Faithful　among　the　faithless；　uncorrupted　by　the
prevailing　apostasy；　he　steadfastly　adhered　to　the　worship　of　the　one　true
God。　〃The　Lord　is　nigh　unto　all　them　that　call　upon　Him；　to　all　that　call
upon　Him　in　truth。〃　Psalm　145：18。　He　communicated　His　will　to　Abraham；　and
gave　him　a　distinct　knowledge　of　the　requirements　of　His　law　and　of　the
salvation　that　would　be　accomplished　through　Christ。

There　was　given　to　Abraham　the　promise；　especially　dear　to　the　people　of
that　age；　of　a　numerous　posterity　and　of　national　greatness：　〃I　will　make　of
thee　a　great　nation；　and　I　will　bless　thee；　and　make　thy　name　great；　and
thou　shalt　be　a　blessing。〃　And　to　this　was　added　the　assurance；　precious
above　every　other　to　the　inheritor　of　faith；　that　of　his　line　the　Redeemer
of　the　world　should　come：　〃In　thee　shall　all　families　of　the　earth　be
blessed。〃　Yet；　as　the　first　condition　of　fulfillment；　there　was　to　be　a　test
of　faith；　a　sacrifice　was　demanded。

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The　message　of　God　came　to　Abraham；　〃Get　thee　out　of　thy　country；　and　from
thy　kindred；　and　from　thy　father's　house；　unto　a　land　that　I　will　show
thee。〃　In　order　that　God　might　qualify　him　for　his　great　work　as　the　keeper
of　the　sacred　oracles；　Abraham　must　be　separated　from　the　associations　of
his　early　life。　The　influence　of　kindred　and　friends　would　interfere　with
the　training　which　the　Lord　purposed　to　give　His　servant。　Now　that　Abraham
was；　in　a　special　sense；　connected　with　heaven；　he　must　dwell　among
strangers。　His　character　must　be　peculiar；　differing　from　all　the　world。　He
could　not　even　explain　his　course　of　acti