the great controversy-第148节

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before　the　Flood；　men　of　lofty　stature　and　giant　intellect；　who；　yielding　to
the　control　of　fallen　angels；　devoted　all　their　skill　and　knowledge　to　the
exaltation　of　themselves；　men　whose　wonderful　works　of　art　led　the　world　to
idolize　their　genius；　but　whose　cruelty　and　evil　inventions；　defiling　the
earth　and　defacing　the　image　of　God；　caused　Him　to　blot　them　from　the　face
of　His　creation。　There　are　kings　and　generals　who　conquered　nations；　valiant
men　who　never　lost　a　battle；　proud；　ambitious　warriors　whose　approach　made
kingdoms　tremble。　In　death　these　experienced　no　change。　As　they　come　up　from
the　grave；　they　resume　the　current　of　their　thoughts　just　where　it　ceased。
They　are　actuated　by　the　same　desire　to　conquer　that　ruled　them　when　they
fell。

Satan　consults　with　his　angels；　and　then　with　these　kings　and　conquerors　and
mighty　men。　They　look　upon　the　strength　and　numbers　on　their　side；　and
declare　that　the　army　within　the　city　is　small　in　comparison　with　theirs；
and　that　it　can　be　overcome。　They　lay　their　plans　to　take　possession　of　the
riches　and　glory　of　the　New　Jerusalem。　All　immediately　begin　to　prepare　for
battle。　Skillful　artisans　construct　implements　of　war。　Military　leaders；
famed　for　their　success；　marshal　the　throngs　of　warlike　men　into　companies
and　divisions。

At　last　the　order　to　advance　is　given；　and　the　countless　host　moves　onan
army　such　as　was　never　summoned　by　earthly　conquerors；　such　as　the　combined
forces　of　all　ages　since　war　began　on　earth　could　never　equal。　Satan；　the
mightiest　of　warriors；　leads　the　van；　and　his　angels　unite　their　forces　for
this　final　struggle。　Kings　and　warriors　are　in　his　train；　and　the　multitudes
follow　in　vast　companies；　each　under　its　appointed　leader。　With　military
precision　the　serried　ranks　advance　over　the　earth's　broken　and　uneven
surface　to　the　City　of　God。　By　command　of　Jesus；　the　gates　of　the　New
Jerusalem　are　closed；　and　the　armies　of　Satan　surround　the　city　and　make
ready　for　the　onset。

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Now　Christ　again　appears　to　the　view　of　His　enemies。　Far　above　the　city；
upon　a　foundation　of　burnished　gold；　is　a　throne；　high　and　lifted　up。　Upon
this　throne　sits　the　Son　of　God；　and　around　Him　are　the　subjects　of　His
kingdom。　The　power　and　majesty　of　Christ　no　language　can　describe；　no　pen
portray。　The　glory　of　the　Eternal　Father　is　enshrouding　His　Son。　The
brightness　of　His　presence　fills　the　City　of　God；　and　flows　out　beyond　the
gates；　flooding　the　whole　earth　with　its　radiance。

Nearest　the　throne　are　those　who　were　once　zealous　in　the　cause　of　Satan；
but　who；　plucked　as　brands　from　the　burning；　have　followed　their　Saviour
with　deep；　intense　devotion。　Next　are　those　who　perfected　Christian
characters　in　the　midst　of　falsehood　and　infidelity；　those　who　honored　the
law　of　God　when　the　Christian　world　declared　it　void；　and　the　millions；　of
all　ages；　who　were　martyred　for　their　faith。　And　beyond　is　the　〃great
multitude；　which　no　man　could　number；　of　all　nations；　and　kindreds；　and
people；　and　tongues；　。　。　。　before　the　throne；　and　before　the　Lamb；　clothed
with　white　robes；　and　palms　in　their　hands。〃　Revelation　7：9。　Their　warfare
is　ended；　their　victory　won。　They　have　run　the　race　and　reached　the　prize。
The　palm　branch　in　their　hands　is　a　symbol　of　their　triumph；　the　white　robe
an　emblem　of　the　spotless　righteousness　of　Christ　which　now　is　theirs。

The　redeemed　raise　a　song　of　praise　that　echoes　and　re…echoes　through　the
vaults　of　heaven：　〃Salvation　to　our　God　which　sitteth　upon　the　throne；　and
unto　the　Lamb。〃　Verse
10。　And　angel　and　seraph　unite　their　voices　in　adoration。　As
the　redeemed　have　beheld　the　power　and　malignity　of　Satan；　they　have　seen；
as　never　before；　that　no　power　but　that　of　Christ　could　have　made　them
conquerors。　In　all　that　shining　throng　there　are　none　to　ascribe　salvation
to　themselves；　as　if　they　had　prevailed　by　their　own　power　and　goodness。
Nothing　is　said　of　what　they　have　done　or　suffered；　but　the　burden　of　every
song；　the　keynote　of　every　anthem；　is：　Salvation　to　our　God　and　unto　the
Lamb。

666


In　the　presence　of　the　assembled　inhabitants　of　earth　and　heaven　the　final
coronation　of　the　Son　of　God　takes　place。　And　now；　invested　with　supreme
majesty　and　power；　the　King　of　kings　pronounces　sentence　upon　the　rebels
against　His　government　and　executes　justice　upon　those　who　have　transgressed
His　law　and　oppressed　His　people。　Says　the　prophet　of　God：　〃I　saw　a　great
white　throne；　and　Him　that　sat　on　it；　from　whose　face　the　earth　and　the
heaven　fled　away；　and　there　was　found　no　place　for　them。　And　I　saw　the　dead；
small　and　great；　stand　before　God；　and　the　books　were　opened：　and　another
book　was　opened；　which　is　the　book　of　life：　and　the　dead　were　judged　out　of
those　things　which　were　written　in　the　books；　according　to　their　works。〃
Revelation　20：11；　12。

As　soon　as　the　books　of　record　are　opened；　and　the　eye　of　Jesus　looks　upon
the　wicked；　they　are　conscious　of　every　sin　which　they　have　ever　committed。
They　see　just　where　their　feet　diverged　from　the　path　of　purity　and
holiness；　just　how　far　pride　and　rebellion　have　carried　them　in　the
violation　of　the　law　of　God。　The　seductive　temptations　which　they　encouraged
by　indulgence　in　sin；　the　blessings　perverted；　the　messengers　of　God
despised；　the　warnings　rejected；　the　waves　of　mercy　beaten　back　by　the
stubborn；　unrepentant　heartall　appear　as　if　written　in　letters　of　fire。

Above　the　throne　is　revealed　the　cross；　and　like　a　panoramic　view　appear　the
scenes　of　Adam's　temptation　and　fall；　and　the　successive　steps　in　the　great
plan　of　redemption。　The　Saviour's　lowly　birth；　His　early　life　of　simplicity
and　obedience；　His　baptism　in　Jordan；　the　fast　and　temptation　in　the
wilderness；　His　public　ministry；　unfolding　to　men　heaven's　most　precious
blessings；　the　days　crowded　with　deeds　of　love　and　mercy；　the　nights　of
prayer　and　watching　in　the　solitude　of　the　mountains；　the　plottings　of　envy；
hate；　and　malice　which　repaid　His　benefits；　the　awful；　mysterious　agony　in
Gethsemane　beneath　the　crushing　weight　of　the　sins　of　the　whole　world；　His
betrayal　into　the　hands　of　the　murderous

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mob；　the　fearful　events　of　that　night　of　horrorthe　unresisting　prisoner；
forsaken　by　His　best…loved　disciples；　rudely　hurried　through　the　streets　of
Jerusalem；　the　Son　of　God　exultingly　displayed　before　Annas；　arraigned　in
the　high　priest's　palace；　in　the　judgment　hall　of　Pilate；　before　the
cowardly　and　cruel　Herod；　mocked；　insulted；　tortured；　and　condemned　to
dieall　are　vividly　portrayed。

And　now　before　the　swaying　multitude　are　revealed　the　final　scenesthe
patient　Sufferer　treading　the　path　to　Calvary；　the　Prince　of　heaven　hanging
upon　the　cross；　the　haughty　priests　and　the　jeering　rabble　deriding　His
expiring　agony；　the　supernatural　darkness；　the　heaving　earth；　the　rent
rocks；　the　open　graves；　marking　the　moment　when　the　world's　Redeemer　yielded
up　His　life。

The　awful　spectacle　appears　just　as　it　was。　Satan；　his　angels；　and　his
subjects　have　no　power　to　turn　from　the　picture　of　their　own　work。　Each
actor　recalls　the　part　which　he　performed。　Herod；　who　slew　the　innocent
children　of　Bethlehem　that　he　might　destroy　the　King　of　Israel；　the　base
Herodias；　upon　whose　guilty　soul　rests　the　blood　of　John　the　Baptist；　the
weak；　timeserving　Pilate；　the　mocking　soldiers；　the　priests　and　rulers　and
the　maddened　throng　who　cried；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our
children！〃all　behold　the　enormity　of　their　guilt。　They　vainly　seek　to　hide
from　the　divine　majesty　of　His　countenance；　outshining　the　glory　of　the　sun；
while　the　redeemed　cast　their　crowns　at　the　Saviour's　feet；　exclaiming：　〃He
died　for　me！〃

Amid　the　ransomed　throng　are　the　apostles　of　Christ；　the　heroic　Paul；　the
ardent　Peter；　the　loved　and　loving　John；　and　their　truehearted　brethren；　and
with　them　the　vast　host　of　martyrs；　while　outside　the　walls；　with　every　vile
and　abominable　thing；　are　those　by　whom　they　were　persecuted；　imprisoned；
and　slain。　There　is　Nero；　that　monster　of　cruelty　and　vice；　beholding　the
joy　and　exaltation　of　those　whom　he　once　tortured；　and　in　whose　extremest
anguish　he　found　satanic　delight。　His　mother　is　there　to　witness　the　result
of

668

her　own　work；　to　see　how　the　evil　stamp　of　character　transmitted　to　her　son；
the　passions　encouraged　and　developed　by　her　influence　and　example；　have
borne　fruit　in　crimes　that　caused　the　world　to　shudder。

There　are　papist　priests　and　prelates；　who　claimed　to　be　Christ's
ambassadors；　yet　employed　the　rack；　the　dungeon；　and　the　stake　to　control
the　consciences　of　His　people。　There　are　the　proud　pontiffs　who　exalted
themselves　above　God　and　presumed　to　change　the　law　of　the　Most　High。　Those
pretended　fathers　of　the　church　have　an　account　to　render　to　God　from　which
they　would　fain　be　excused。　Too　late　they　are　made　to　see　that　the
Omniscient　One　is　jealous　of　His　law　and　that　He　will　in　no　wise　clear　the
guilty。　They　learn　now　that　Christ　identifies　His　interest　with　that　of　His
suffering　people；　and　they　feel　the　force　of　His　own　words：　〃Inasmuch　a