patriarchs and prophets-第68部分

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Abraham；　that　seed　of　promise　that　was　to　preserve　the　knowledge　of　the
living　God；　and　through　whom　He　was　to　comethe　true　Seed；　that　was　to
conquer　Satan。　The　great　rebel　had　planned　to　destroy　Israel；　and　thus
thwart　the　purposes　of　God。　But　again　he　was　defeated。　Sinful　as　they　were；
the　people　of　Israel　were　not　destroyed。　While　those　who　stubbornly　ranged
themselves　on　the　side　of　Satan　were　cut　off；　the　people；　humbled　and
repentant；　were　mercifully　pardoned。　The　history　of　this　sin　was　to　stand　as
a　perpetual　testimony　to　the　guilt　and　punishment　of　idolatry；　and　the
justice　and　long…suffering　mercy　of　God。

The　whole　universe　had　been　witness　to　the　scenes　at　Sinai。　In　the　working
out　of　the　two　administrations　was　seen　the

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contrast　between　the　government　of　God　and　that　of　Satan。　Again　the　sinless
inhabitants　of　other　worlds　beheld　the　results　of　Satan's　apostasy；　and　the
kind　of　government　he　would　have　established　in　heaven　had　he　been　permitted
to　bear　sway。

By　causing　men　to　violate　the　second　commandment；　Satan　aimed　to　degrade
their　conceptions　of　the　Divine　Being。　By　setting　aside　the　fourth；　he　would
cause　them　to　forget　God　altogether。　God's　claim　to　reverence　and　worship；
above　the　gods　of　the　heathen；　is　based　upon　the　fact　that　He　is　the
Creator；　and　that　to　Him　all　other　beings　owe　their　existence。　Thus　it　is
presented　in　the　Bible。　Says　the　prophet　Jeremiah：　〃The　Lord　is　the　true
God；　He　is　the　living　God；　and　an　everlasting　King。　。　。　。　The　gods　that　have
not　made　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　even　they　shall　perish　from　the　earth；
and　from　under　these　heavens。　He　hath　made　the　earth　by　His　power；　He　hath
established　the　world　by　His　wisdom；　and　hath　stretched　out　the　heavens　by
His　discretion。〃　〃Every　man　is　brutish　in　his　knowledge：　every　founder　is
confounded　by　the　graven　image：　for　his　molten　image　is　falsehood；　and　there
is　no　breath　in　them。　They　are　vanity；　and　the　work　of　errors：　in　the　time
of　their　visitation　they　shall　perish。　The　portion　of　Jacob　is　not　like
them：　for　He　is　the　former　of　all　things。〃　Jeremiah　10：10…12；　14…16。　The
Sabbath；　as　a　memorial　of　God's　creative　power；　points　to　Him　as　the　maker
of　the　heavens　and　the　earth。　Hence　it　is　a　constant　witness　to　His
existence　and　a　reminder　of　His　greatness；　His　wisdom；　and　His　love。　Had　the
Sabbath　always　been　sacredly　observed；　there　could　never　have　been　an
atheist　or　an　idolater。

The　Sabbath　institution；　which　originated　in　Eden；　is　as　old　as　the　world
itself。　It　was　observed　by　all　the　patriarchs；　from　creation　down。　During
the　bondage　in　Egypt；　the　Israelites　were　forced　by　their　taskmasters　to
violate　the　Sabbath；　and　to　a　great　extent　they　lost　the　knowledge　of　its
sacredness。　When　the　law　was　proclaimed　at　Sinai　the　very　first　words　of　the
fourth　commandment　were；　〃Remember　the　Sabbath　day；　to　keep　it　holy〃
showing　that　the　Sabbath　was　not　then　instituted；　we　are　pointed　back　for
its　origin　to　creation。　In　order　to　obliterate　God　from　the　minds　of　men；
Satan　aimed　to　tear　down　this　great　memorial。　If　men　could　be　led　to　forget
their　Creator；　they　would　make　no　effort　to　resist　the　power　of　evil；　and
Satan　would　be　sure　of　his　prey。

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Satan's　enmity　against　God's　law　had　impelled　him　to　war　against　every
precept　of　the　Decalogue。　To　the　great　principle　of　love　and　loyalty　to　God；
the　Father　of　all；　the　principle　of　filial　love　and　obedience　is　closely
related。　Contempt　for　parental　authority　will　soon　lead　to　contempt　for　the
authority　of　God。　Hence　Satan's　efforts　to　lessen　the　obligation　of　the
fifth　commandment。　Among　heathen　peoples　the　principle　enjoined　in　this
precept　was　little　heeded。　In　many　nations　parents　were　abandoned　or　put　to
death　as　soon　as　age　had　rendered　them　incapable　of　providing　for
themselves。　In　the　family　the　mother　was　treated　with　little　respect；　and
upon　the　death　of　her　husband　she　was　required　to　submit　to　the　authority　of
her　eldest　son。　Filial　obedience　was　enjoined　by　Moses；　but　as　the
Israelites　departed　from　the　Lord；　the　fifth　commandment；　with　others；　came
to　be　disregarded。

Satan　was　〃a　murderer　from　the　beginning〃　（John　8：44）；　and　as　soon　as　he　had
obtained　power　over　the　human　race；　he　not　only　prompted　them　to　hate　and
slay　one　another；　but；　the　more　boldly　to　defy　the　authority　of　God；　he　made
the　violation　of　the　sixth　commandment　a　part　of　their　religion。

By　perverted　conceptions　of　divine　attributes；　heathen　nations　were　led　to
believe　human　sacrifices　necessary　to　secure　the　favor　of　their　deities；　and
the　most　horrible　cruelties　have　been　perpetrated　under　the　various　forms　of
idolatry。　Among　these　was　the　practice　of　causing　their　children　to　pass
through　the　fire　before　their　idols。　When　one　of　them　came　through　this
ordeal　unharmed；　the　people　believed　that　their　offerings　were　accepted；　the
one　thus　delivered　was　regarded　as　specially　favored　by　the　gods；　was　loaded
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