patriarchs and prophets-第15节

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not　have　given　His　Son；　innocent　and　holy；　to　suffer　the　penalty　which　they
had　incurred。　All　this　caused　Cain's　anger　to　burn　the　hotter。　Reason　and
conscience　told　him　that　Abel　was　in　the　right；　but　he　was　enraged　that　one
who　had　been　wont　to　heed　his　counsel　should　now　presume　to　disagree　with
him；　and　that　he　could　gain　no　sympathy　in　his　rebellion。　In　the　fury　of　his
passion　he　slew　his　brother。

Cain　hated　and　killed　his　brother；　not　for　any　wrong　that　Abel　had　done；　but
〃because　his　own　works　were　evil；　and　his　brother's　righteous。〃　1　John　3：12。
So　in　all　ages　the　wicked　have　hated　those　who　were　better　than　themselves。
Abel's　life　of　obedience　and　unswerving　faith　was　to　Cain　a　perpetual
reproof。　〃Everyone　that　doeth　evil　hateth　the　light；　neither　cometh　to　the
light；　lest　his　deeds　should　be　reproved。〃　John　3：20。　The　brighter　the
heavenly　light　that　is　reflected　from　the　character　of　God's　faithful
servants；　the　more　clearly　the　sins　of　the　ungodly　are　revealed；　and　the
more　determined　will　be　their　efforts　to　destroy　those　who　disturb　their
peace。

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The　murder　of　Abel　was　the　first　example　of　the　enmity　that　God　had　declared
would　exist　between　the　serpent　and　the　seed　of　the　womanbetween　Satan　and
his　subjects　and　Christ　and　His　followers。　Through　man's　sin；　Satan　had
gained　control　of　the　human　race；　but　Christ　would　enable　them　to　cast　off
his　yoke。　Whenever；　through　faith　in　the　Lamb　of　God；　a　soul　renounces　the
service　of　sin；　Satan's　wrath　is　kindled。　The　holy　life　of　Abel　testified
against　Satan's　claim　that　it　is　impossible　for　man　to　keep　God's　law。　When
Cain；　moved　by　the　spirit　of　the　wicked　one；　saw　that　he　could　not　control
Abel；　he　was　so　enraged　that　he　destroyed　his　life。　And　wherever　there　are
any　who　will　stand　in　vindication　of　the　righteousness　of　the　law　of　God；
the　same　spirit　will　be　manifested　against　them。　It　is　the　spirit　that
through　all　the　ages　has　set　up　the　stake　and　kindled　the　burning　pile　for
the　disciples　of　Christ。　But　the　cruelties　heaped　upon　the　follower　of　Jesus
are　instigated　by　Satan　and　his　hosts　because　they　cannot　force　him　to
submit　to　their　control。　It　is　the　rage　of　a　vanquished　foe。　Every　martyr　of
Jesus　has　died　a　conqueror。　Says　the　prophet；　〃They　overcame　him　＇〃that　old
serpent；　called　the　devil；　and　Satan〃＇　by　the　blood　of　the　Lamb；　and　by　the
word　of　their　testimony；　and　they　loved　not　their　lives　unto　the　death。〃
Revelation　12：11；　9。

Cain　the　murderer　was　soon　called　to　answer　for　his　crime。　〃The　Lord　said
unto　Cain；　Where　is　Abel　thy　brother？　And　he　said；　I　know　not：　Am　I　my
brother's　keeper？〃　Cain　had　gone　so　far　in　sin　that　he　had　lost　a　sense　of
the　continual　presence　of　God　and　of　His　greatness　and　omniscience。　So　he
resorted　to　falsehood　to　conceal　his　guilt。

Again　the　Lord　said　to　Cain；　〃What　hast　thou　done？　The　voice　of　thy
brother's　blood　crieth　unto　Me　from　the　ground。〃　God　had　given　Cain　an
opportunity　to　confess　his　sin。　He　had　had　time　to　reflect。　He　knew　the
enormity　of　the　deed　he　had　done；　and　of　the　falsehood　he　had　uttered　to
conceal　it；　but　he　was　rebellious　still；　and　sentence　was　no　longer
deferred。　The　divine　voice　that　had　been　heard　in　entreaty　and　admonition
pronounced　the　terrible　words：　〃And　now　art　thou　cursed　from　the　earth；
which　hath　opened　her　mouth　to　receive　thy　brother's　blood　from　thy　hand。
When　thou　tillest　the　ground；　it　shall　not　henceforth　yield　unto　thee　her
strength；　a　fugitive　and　a　vagabond　shalt　thou　be　in　the　earth。〃

78


Notwithstanding　that　Cain　had　by　his　crimes　merited　the　sentence　of　death；　a
merciful　Creator　still　spared　his　life；　and　granted　him　opportunity　for
repentance。　But　Cain　lived　only　to　harden　his　heart；　to　encourage　rebellion
against　the　divine　authority；　and　to　become　the　head　of　a　line　of　bold；
abandoned　sinners。　This　one　apostate；　led　on　by　Satan；　became　a　tempter　to
others；　and　his　example　and　influence　exerted　their　demoralizing　power；
until　the　earth　became　so　corrupt　and　filled　with　violence　as　to　call　for
its　destruction。

In　sparing　the　life　of　the　first　murderer；　God　presented　before　the　whole
universe　a　lesson　bearing　upon　the　great　controversy。　The　dark　history　of
Cain　and　his　descendants　was　an　illustration　of　what　would　have　been　the
result　of　permitting　the　sinner　to　live　on　forever；　to　carry　out　his
rebellion　against　God。　The　forbearance　of　God　only　rendered　the　wicked　more
bold　and　defiant　in　their　iniquity。　Fifteen　centuries　after　the　sentence
pronounced　upon　Cain；　the　universe　witnessed　the　fruition　of　his　influence
and　example；　in　the　crime　and　pollution　that　flooded　the　earth。　It　was　made
manifest　that　the　sentence　of　death　pronounced　upon　the　fallen　race　for　the
transgression　of　God's　law　was　both　just　and　merciful。　The　longer　men　lived
in　sin；　the　more　abandoned　they　became。　The　divine　sentence　cutting　short　a
career　of　unbridled　iniquity；　and　freeing　the　world　from　the　influence　of
those　who　had　become　hardened　in　rebellion；　was　a　blessing　rather　than　a
curse。

Satan　is　constantly　at　work；　with　intense　energy　and　under　a　thousand
disguises；　to　misrepresent　the　character　and　government　of　God。　With
extensive；　well…organized　plans　and　marvelous　power；　he　is　working　to　hold
the　inhabitants　of　the　world　under　his　deceptions。　God；　the　One　infinite　and
all…wise；　sees　the　end　from　the　beginning；　and　in　dealing　with　evil　His
plans　were　far…reaching　and　comprehensive。　It　was　His　purpose；　not　merely　to
put　down　the　rebellion；　but　to　demonstrate　to　all　the　universe　the　nature　of
the　rebellion。　God's　plan　was　unfolding；　showing　both　His　justice　and　His
mercy；　and　fully　vindicating　His　wisdom　and　righteousness　in　His　dealings
with　evil。

The　holy　inhabitants　of　other　worlds　were　watching　with　the　deepest　interest
the　events　taking　place　on　the　earth。　In　the　condition　of　the　world　that
existed　before　the　Flood　they　saw　illustrated　the　results　of　the
administration　which　Lucifer　had

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　79

endeavored　to　establish　in　heaven；　in　rejecting　the　authority　of　Christ　and
casting　aside　the　law　of　God。　In　those　high…handed　sinners　of　the
antediluvian　world　they　saw　the　subjects　over　whom　Satan　held　sway。　The
thoughts　of　men's　hearts　were　only　evil　continually。　Genesis　6：5。　Every
emotion；　every　impulse　and　imagination；　was　at　war　with　the　divine
principles　of　purity　and　peace　and　love。　It　was　an　example　of　the　awful
depravity　resulting　from　Satan's　policy　to　remove　from　God's　creatures　the
restraint　of　His　holy　law。

By　the　facts　unfolded　in　the　progress　of　the　great　controversy；　God　will
demonstrate　the　principles　of　His　rules　of　government；　which　have　been
falsified　by　Satan　and　by　all　whom　he　has　deceived。　His　justice　will　finally
be　acknowledged　by　the　whole　world；　though　the　acknowledgment　will　be　made
too　late　to　save　the　rebellious。　God　carries　with　Him　the　sympathy　and
approval　of　the　whole　universe　as　step　by　step　His　great　plan　advances　to
its　complete　fulfillment。　He　will　carry　it　with　Him　in　the　final　eradication
of　rebellion。　It　will　be　seen　that　all　who　have　forsaken　the　divine　precepts
have　placed　themselves　on　the　side　of　Satan；　in　warfare　against　Christ。　When
the　prince　of　this　world　shall　be　judged；　and　all　who　have　united　with　him
shall　share　his　fate；　the　whole　universe　as　witnesses　to　the　sentence　will
declare；　〃Just　and　true　are　Thy　ways；　Thou　King　of　saints。〃　Revelation　15：3。





（80）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　6

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Seth　and　Enoch


To　Adam　was　given　another　son；　to　be　the　inheritor　of　the　divine　promise；
the　heir　of　the　spiritual　birthright。　The　name　Seth；　given　to　this　son；
signified　〃appointed；〃　or　〃compensation；〃　〃for；〃　said　the　mother；　〃God　hath
appointed　me　another　seed　instead　of　Abel；　whom　Cain　slew。〃　Seth　was　of　more
noble　stature　than　Cain　or　Abel；　and　resembled　Adam　more　closely　than　did
his　other　sons。　He　was　a　worthy　character；　following　in　the　steps　of　Abel。
Yet　he　inherited　no　more　natural　goodness　than　did　Cain。　Concerning　the
creation　of　Adam　it　is　said；　〃In　the　likeness　of　God　made　He　him；〃　but　man；
after　the　Fall；　〃begat　a　son　in　his　own　likeness；　after　his　image。〃　While
Adam　was　created　sinless；　in　the　likeness　of　God；　Seth；　like　Cain；　inherited
the　fallen　nature　of　his　parents。　But　he　received　also　the　knowledge　of　the
Redeemer　and　instruction　in　righteousness。　By　divine　grace　he　served　and
honored　God；　and　he　labored；　as　Abel　would　have　done；　had　he　lived；　to　turn
the　minds　of　sinful　men　to　revere　and　obey　their　Creator。

〃To　Seth；　to　him　also　there　was　born　a　son；　and　he　called　his　name　Enos：
then　began　men　to　call　upon　the　name　of　Jehovah。〃　The　faithful　had　worshiped
God　before；　but　as　men　increased；　the　distinction　between　the　two　classes
became　more　marked。　There　was　an　open　profession　of　loyalty　to　God　on　the
part　of　one；　as　there　was　of　contempt　and　disobedience　on　the　part　of　the
other。

Before　the　Fall　our　first　parents　had　kept　the　Sabbath；　which　was　instituted
in　Eden；　and　after　their　expulsion　from　Paradise　they　contin