patriarchs and prophets-第105节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　judgments　visited　upon　Israel　for　their　sin　at　Shittim；　destroyed　the
survivors　of　that　vast　company；　who；　nearly　forty　years　before；　had　incurred
the　sentence；　〃They　shall　surely　die　in　the　wilderness。〃　The　numbering　of
the　people　by　divine　direction；　during　their　encampment　on　the　plains　of
Jordan；　showed　that　〃of　them　whom　Moses　and　Aaron　the　priest　numbered；　when
they　numbered　the　children　of　Israel　in　the　wilderness　of　Sinai；　。　。　。　there
was　not　left　a　man　of　them；　save　Caleb　the　son　of　Jephunneh；　and　Joshua　the
son　of　Nun。〃　Numbers　26：64；65。

God　had　sent　judgments　upon　Israel　for　yielding　to　the　enticements　of　the
Midianites；　but　the　tempters　were　not　to　escape　the　wrath　of　divine　justice。
The　Amalekites；　who　had　attacked　Israel　at　Rephidim；　falling　upon　those　who
were　faint　and　weary　behind　the　host；　were　not　punished　till　long　after；　but
the　Midianites　who　seduced　them　into　sin　were　speedily　made　to　feel　God's
judgments；　as　being　the　more　dangerous　enemies。　〃Avenge　the　children　of
Israel　of　the　Midianites〃　（Numbers　31：2）；　was　the　command　of　God　to　Moses；
〃afterward　shalt　thou　be　gathered　unto　thy　people。〃　This　mandate　was
immediately　obeyed。　One　thousand　men　were　chosen　from　each　of　the　tribes　and
sent　out　under　the　leadership　of　Phinehas。　〃And　they　warred　against　the
Midianites；　as　the　Lord　commanded　Moses。　。　。　。　And　they　slew　the　kings　of
Midian；　beside　the　rest　of　them　that　were　slain；　。　。　。　five　kings　of　Midian：
Balaam　also　the　son　of　Beor　they　slew　with　the　sword。〃　Verses　7；　8。　The
women　also；　who　had　been　made　captives　by　the　attacking　army；　were　put　to
death　at　the　command　of　Moses；　as　the　most　guilty　and　most　dangerous　of　the
foes　of　Israel。

Such　was　the　end　of　them　that　devised　mischief　against　God's　people。　Says
the　psalmist：　〃The　heathen　are　sunk　down　in　the　pit　that　they　made：　in　the
net　which　they　hid　is　their　own　foot　taken。〃　Psalm　9：15。　〃For　the　Lord　will
not　cast　off　His　people；　neither　will　He　forsake　His　inheritance。　But
judgment　shall　return　unto　righteousness。〃　When　men　〃gather　themselves
together　against　the　soul　of　the　righteous；〃　the　Lord　〃　shall　bring　upon
them　their　own　iniquity；　and　shall　cut　them　off　in　their　own　wickedness。〃
Psalm　94：14；　15；　21；　23。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　457


When　Balaam　was　called　to　curse　the　Hebrews　he　could　not；　by　all　his
enchantments；　bring　evil　upon　them；　for　the　Lord　had　not　〃beheld　iniquity　in
Jacob；〃　neither　had　He　〃seen　perverseness　in　Israel。〃　Numbers　23：21；　23。　But
when　through　yielding　to　temptation　they　transgressed　God's　law；　their
defense　departed　from　them。　When　the　people　of　God　are　faithful　to　His
commandments；　〃there　is　no　enchantment　against　Jacob；　neither　is　there　any
divination　against　Israel。〃　Hence　all　the　power　and　wily　arts　of　Satan　are
exerted　to　seduce　them　into　sin。　If　those　who　profess　to　be　the　depositaries
of　God's　law　become　transgressors　of　its　precepts；　they　separate　themselves
from　God；　and　they　will　be　unable　to　stand　before　their　enemies。

The　Israelites；　who　could　not　be　overcome　by　the　arms　or　by　the　enchantments
of　Midian；　fell　a　prey　to　her　harlots。　Such　is　the　power　that　woman；
enlisted　in　the　service　of　Satan；　has　exerted　to　entrap　and　destroy　souls。
〃She　hath　cast　down　many　wounded：　yea；　many　strong　men　have　been　slain　by
her。〃　Proverbs　7：26。　It　was　thus　that　the　children　of　Seth　were　seduced　from
their　integrity；　and　the　holy　seed　became　corrupt。　It　was　thus　that　Joseph
was　tempted。　Thus　Samson　betrayed　his　strength；　the　defense　of　Israel；　into
the　hands　of　the　Philistines。　Here　David　stumbled。　And　Solomon；　the　wisest
of　kings；　who　had　thrice　been　called　the　beloved　of　his　God；　became　a　slave
of　passion；　and　sacrificed　his　integrity　to　the　same　bewitching　power。

〃Now　all　these　things　happened　unto　them　for　ensamples：　and　they　are　written
for　our　admonition；　upon　whom　the　ends　of　the　world　are　come。　Wherefore　let
him　that　thinketh　he　standeth　take　heed　lest　he　fall。〃　1　Corinthians　10：11；
12。　Satan　well　knows　the　material　with　which　he　has　to　deal　in　the　human
heart。　He　knowsfor　he　has　studied　with　fiendish　intensity　for　thousands　of
yearsthe　points　most　easily　assailed　in　every　character；　and　through
successive　generations　he　has　wrought　to　overthrow　the　strongest　men；
princes　in　Israel；　by　the　same　temptations　that　were　so　successful　at
Baalpeor。　All　along　through　the　ages　there　are　strewn　wrecks　of　character
that　have　been　stranded　upon　the　rocks　of　sensual　indulgence。　As　we　approach
the　close　of　time；　as　the　people　of　God　stand　upon　the　borders　of　the
heavenly　Canaan；　Satan　will；　as　of　old；　redouble　his　efforts　to　prevent　them
from　entering　the　goodly　land。　He　lays　his　snares　for　every　soul。　It　is　not
the　ignorant　and　uncultured

458

merely　that　need　to　be　guarded；　he　will　prepare　his　temptations　for　those　in
the　highest　positions；　in　the　most　holy　office；　if　he　can　lead　them　to
pollute　their　souls；　he　can　through　them　destroy　many。　And　he　employs　the
same　agents　now　as　he　employed　three　thousand　years　ago。　By　worldly
friendships；　by　the　charms　of　beauty；　by　pleasure　seeking；　mirth；　feasting；
or　the　wine　cup；　he　tempts　to　the　violation　of　the　seventh　commandment。

Satan　seduced　Israel　into　licentiousness　before　leading　them　to　idolatry。
Those　who　will　dishonor　God's　image　and　defile　His　temple　in　their　own
persons　will　not　scruple　at　any　dishonor　to　God　that　will　gratify　the　desire
of　their　depraved　hearts。　Sensual　indulgence　weakens　the　mind　and　debases
the　soul。　The　moral　and　intellectual　powers　are　benumbed　and　paralyzed　by
the　gratification　of　the　animal　propensities；　and　it　is　impossible　for　the
slave　of　passion　to　realize　the　sacred　obligation　of　the　law　of　God；　to
appreciate　the　atonement；　or　to　place　a　right　value　upon　the　soul。　Goodness；
purity；　and　truth；　reverence　for　God；　and　love　for　sacred　thingsall　those
holy　affections　and　noble　desires　that　link　men　with　the　heavenly　worldare
consumed　in　the　fires　of　lust。　The　soul　becomes　a　blackened　and　desolate
waste；　the　habitation　of　the　evil　spirits；　and　the　〃cage　of　every　unclean
and　hateful　bird。〃　Beings　formed　in　the　image　of　God　are　dragged　down　to　a
level　with　the　brutes。

It　was　by　associating　with　idolaters　and　joining　in　their　festivities　that
the　Hebrews　were　led　to　transgress　God's　law　and　bring　His　judgments　upon
the　nation。　So　now　it　is　by　leading　the　followers　of　Christ　to　associate
with　the　ungodly　and　unite　in　their　amusements　that　Satan　is　most　successful
in　alluring　them　into　sin。　〃Come　out　from　among　them；　and　be　ye　separate；
saith　the　Lord；　and　touch　not　the　unclean。〃　2　Corinthians　6：17。　God　requires
of　His　people　now　as　great　a　distinction　from　the　world；　in　customs；　habits；
and　principles；　as　He　required　of　Israel　anciently。　If　they　faithfully
follow　the　teachings　of　His　word；　this　distinction　will　exist；　it　cannot　be
otherwise。　The　warnings　given　to　the　Hebrews　against　assimilating　with　the
heathen　were　not　more　direct　or　explicit　than　are　those　forbidding
Christians　to　conform　to　the　spirit　and　customs　of　the　ungodly。　Christ
speaks　to　us；　〃Love　not　the　world；　neither　the　things　that　are　in　the　world。
If　any　man　love　the　world；　the　love　of　the　Father　is　not　in　him。〃　1　John
2：15。　〃The　friendship　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　459

world　is　enmity　with　God；　whosoever　therefore　will　be　a　friend　of　the　world
is　the　enemy　of　God。〃　James　4：4。　The　followers　of　Christ　are　to　separate
themselves　from　sinners；　choosing　their　society　only　when　there　is
opportunity　to　do　them　good。　We　cannot　be　too　decided　in　shunning　the
company　of　those　who　exert　an　influence　to　draw　us　away　from　God。　While　we
pray；　〃Lead　us　not　into　temptation；〃　we　are　to　shun　temptation；　so　far　as
possible。

It　was　when　the　Israelites　were　in　a　condition　of　outward　ease　and　security
that　they　were　led　into　sin。　They　failed　to　keep　God　ever　before　them；　they
neglected　prayer　and　cherished　a　spirit　of　self…confidence。　Ease　and
self…indulgence　left　the　citadel　of　the　soul　unguarded；　and　debasing
thoughts　found　entrance。　It　was　the　traitors　within　the　walls　that　overthrew
the　strongholds　of　principle　and　betrayed　Israel　into　the　power　of　Satan。　It
is　thus　that　Satan　still　seeks　to　compass　the　ruin　of　the　soul。　A　long
preparatory　process；　unknown　to　the　world；　goes　on　in　the　heart　before　the
Christian　commits　open　sin。　The　mind　does　not　come　down　at　once　from　purity
and　holiness　to　depravity；　corruption；　and　crime。　It　takes　time　to　degrade
those　formed　in　the　image　of　God　to　the　brutal　or　the　satanic。　By　beholding
we　become　changed。　By　the　indulgence　of　impure　thoughts　man　can　so　educate
his　mind　that　sin　which　he　once　loathed　will　become　pleasant　to　him。

Satan　is　using　every　means　to　make　crime　and　debasing　vice　popular。　We
cannot　walk　the　streets　of　our　cities　without　encountering　flaring　notices
of　crime　presented　in　some　novel；　or　to　be　acted　at　some　theater。　The　mind
is　educated　to　familiarity　with　sin。　The　course　pursued　by　the　base　and　vile
is　kept　before　the　people　in　the　periodicals　of　the　day；　and　everything　that
can　excite　passion　is　brought　before