patriarchs and prophets-第19节

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Amid　the　prevailing　corruption；　Methuselah；　Noah；　and　many　others　labored　to
keep　alive　the　knowledge　of　the　true　God　and　to　stay　the　tide　of　moral　evil。
A　hundred　and　twenty　years　before　the　Flood；　the　Lord　by　a　holy　angel
declared　to　Noah　His　purpose；　and　directed　him　to　build　an　ark。　While
building　the　ark　he　was　to　preach　that　God　would　bring　a　flood　of　water　upon
the　earth　to　destroy　the　wicked。　Those　who　would　believe　the　message；　and
would　prepare　for　that　event　by　repentance　and　reformation；　should　find
pardon　and　be　saved。　Enoch　had　repeated　to　his　children　what　God　had　shown
him　in　regard　to　the　Flood；　and　Methuselah　and　his　sons；　who　lived　to　hear
the　preaching　of　Noah；　assisted　in　building　the　ark。

God　gave　Noah　the　exact　dimensions　of　the　ark　and　explicit　directions　in
regard　to　its　construction　in　every　particular。　Human　wisdom　could　not　have
devised　a　structure　of　so　great　strength　and　durability。　God　was　the
designer；　and　Noah　the　master　builder。　It　was　constructed　like　the　hull　of　a
ship；　that　it　might　float　upon　the　water；　but　in　some　respects　it　more
nearly　resembled　a　house。　It　was　three　stories　high；　with　but

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one　door；　which　was　in　the　side。　The　light　was　admitted　at　the　top；　and　the
different　apartments　were　so　arranged　that　all　were　lighted。　The　material
employed　in　the　construction　of　the　ark　was　the　cypress；　or　gopher　wood；
which　would　be　untouched　by　decay　for　hundreds　of　years。　The　building　of
this　immense　structure　was　a　slow　and　laborious　process。　On　account　of　the
great　size　of　the　trees　and　the　nature　of　the　wood；　much　more　labor　was
required　then　than　now　to　prepare　timber；　even　with　the　greater　strength
which　men　then　possessed。　All　that　man　could　do　was　done　to　render　the　work
perfect；　yet　the　ark　could　not　of　itself　have　withstood　the　storm　which　was
to　come　upon　the　earth。　God　alone　could　preserve　His　servants　upon　the
tempestuous　waters。

〃By　faith　Noah；　being　warned　of　God　of　things　not　seen　as　yet；　moved　with
fear；　prepared　an　ark　to　the　saving　of　his　house；　by　the　which　he　condemned
the　world；　and　became　heir　of　the　righteousness　which　is　by　faith。〃　Hebrews
11：7。　While　Noah　was　giving　his　warning　message　to　the　world；　his　works
testified　of　his　sincerity。　It　was　thus　that　his　faith　was　perfected　and
made　evident。　He　gave　the　world　an　example　of　believing　just　what　God　says。
All　that　he　possessed；　he　invested　in　the　ark。　As　he　began　to　construct　that
immense　boat　on　dry　ground；　multitudes　came　from　every　direction　to　see　the
strange　sight　and　to　hear　the　earnest；　fervent　words　of　the　singular
preacher。　Every　blow　struck　upon　the　ark　was　a　witness　to　the　people。

Many　at　first　appeared　to　receive　the　warning；　yet　they　did　not　turn　to　God
with　true　repentance。　They　were　unwilling　to　renounce　their　sins。　During　the
time　that　elapsed　before　the　coming　of　the　Flood；　their　faith　was　tested；
and　they　failed　to　endure　the　trial。　Overcome　by　the　prevailing　unbelief；
they　finally　joined　their　former　associates　in　rejecting　the　solemn　message。
Some　were　deeply　convicted；　and　would　have　heeded　the　words　of　warning；　but
there　were　so　many　to　jest　and　ridicule；　that　they　partook　of　the　same
spirit；　resisted　the　invitations　of　mercy；　and　were　soon　among　the　boldest
and　most　defiant　scoffers；　for　none　are　so　reckless　and　go　to　such　lengths
in　sin　as　do　those　who　have　once　had　light；　but　have　resisted　the　convicting
Spirit　of　God。

The　men　of　that　generation　were　not　all；　in　the　fullest　acceptation　of　the
term；　idolaters。　Many　professed　to　be　worshipers　of

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God。　They　claimed　that　their　idols　were　representations　of　the　Deity；　and
that　through　them　the　people　could　obtain　a　clearer　conception　of　the　divine
Being。　This　class　were　foremost　in　rejecting　the　preaching　of　Noah。　As　they
endeavored　to　represent　God　by　material　objects；　their　minds　were　blinded　to
His　majesty　and　power；　they　ceased　to　realize　the　holiness　of　His　character；
or　the　sacred；　unchanging　nature　of　His　requirements。　As　sin　became　general；
it　appeared　less　and　less　sinful；　and　they　finally　declared　that　the　divine
law　was　no　longer　in　force；　that　it　was　contrary　to　the　character　of　God　to
punish　transgression；　and　they　denied　that　His　judgments　were　to　be　visited
upon　the　earth。　Had　the　men　of　that　generation　obeyed　the　divine　law；　they
would　have　recognized　the　voice　of　God　in　the　warning　of　His　servant；　but
their　minds　had　become　so　blinded　by　rejection　of　light　that　they　really
believed　Noah's　message　to　be　a　delusion。

It　was　not　multitudes　or　majorities　that　were　on　the　side　of　right。　The
world　was　arrayed　against　God's　justice　and　His　laws；　and　Noah　was　regarded
as　a　fanatic。　Satan；　when　tempting　Eve　to　disobey　God；　said　to　her；　〃Ye
shall　not　surely　die。〃　Genesis　3：4。　Great　men；　worldly；　honored；　and　wise
men；　repeated　the　same。　〃The　threatenings　of　God；〃　they　said；　〃are　for　the
purpose　of　intimidating；　and　will　never　be　verified。　You　need　not　be
alarmed。　Such　an　event　as　the　destruction　of　the　world　by　the　God　who　made
it；　and　the　punishment　of　the　beings　He　has　created；　will　never　take　place。
Be　at　peace；　fear　not。　Noah　is　a　wild　fanatic。〃　The　world　made　merry　at　the
folly　of　the　deluded　old　man。　Instead　of　humbling　the　heart　before　God；　they
continued　their　disobedience　and　wickedness；　the　same　as　though　God　had　not
spoken　to　them　through　His　servant。

But　Noah　stood　like　a　rock　amid　the　tempest。　Surrounded　by　popular　contempt
and　ridicule；　he　distinguished　himself　by　his　holy　integrity　and　unwavering
faithfulness。　A　power　attended　his　words；　for　it　was　the　voice　of　God　to　man
through　His　servant。　Connection　with　God　made　him　strong　in　the　strength　of
infinite　power；　while　for　one　hundred　and　twenty　years　his　solemn　voice　fell
upon　the　ears　of　that　generation　in　regard　to　events；　which；　so　far　as　human
wisdom　could　judge；　were　impossible。

The　world　before　the　Flood　reasoned　that　for　centuries　the　laws　of　nature
had　been　fixed。　The　recurring　seasons　had　come　in　their　order。　Heretofore
rain　had　never　fallen；　the　earth　had　been

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watered　by　a　mist　or　dew。　The　rivers　had　never　yet　passed　their　boundaries；
but　had　borne　their　waters　safely　to　the　sea。　Fixed　decrees　had　kept　the
waters　from　overflowing　their　banks。　But　these　reasoners　did　not　recognize
the　hand　of　Him　who　had　stayed　the　waters；　saying；　〃Hitherto　shalt　thou
come；　but　no　further。〃　Job　38：11。

As　time　passed　on；　with　no　apparent　change　in　nature；　men　whose　hearts　had
at　times　trembled　with　fear；　began　to　be　reassured。　They　reasoned；　as　many
reason　now；　that　nature　is　above　the　God　of　nature；　and　that　her　laws　are　so
firmly　established　that　God　Himself　could　not　change　them。　Reasoning　that　if
the　message　of　Noah　were　correct；　nature　would　be　turned　out　of　her　course；
they　made　that　message；　in　the　minds　of　the　world；　a　delusiona　grand
deception。　They　manifested　their　contempt　for　the　warning　of　God　by　doing
just　as　they　had　done　before　the　warning　was　given。　They　continued　their
festivities　and　their　gluttonous　feasts；　they　ate　and　drank；　planted　and
builded；　laying　their　plans　in　reference　to　advantages　they　hoped　to　gain　in
the　future；　and　they　went　to　greater　lengths　in　wickedness；　and　in　defiant
disregard　of　God's　requirements；　to　testify　that　they　had　no　fear　of　the
Infinite　One。　They　asserted　that　if　there　were　any　truth　in　what　Noah　had
said；　the　men　of　renownthe　wise；　the　prudent；　the　great　menwould
understand　the　matter。

Had　the　antediluvians　believed　the　warning；　and　repented　of　their　evil
deeds；　the　Lord　would　have　turned　aside　His　wrath；　as　He　afterward　did　from
Nineveh。　But　by　their　obstinate　resistance　to　the　reproofs　of　conscience　and
the　warnings　of　God's　prophet；　that　generation　filled　up　the　measure　of
their　iniquity；　and　became　ripe　for　destruction。

The　period　of　their　probation　was　about　to　expire。　Noah　had　faithfully
followed　the　instructions　which　he　had　received　from　God。　The　ark　was
finished　in　every　part　as　the　Lord　had　directed；　and　was　stored　with　food
for　man　and　beast。　And　now　the　servant　of　God　made　his　last　solemn　appeal　to
the　people。　With　an　agony　of　desire　that　words　cannot　express；　he　entreated
them　to　seek　a　refuge　while　it　might　be　found。　Again　they　rejected　his
words；　and　raised　their　voices　in　jest　and　scoffing。　Suddenly　a　silence　fell
upon　the　mocking　throng。　Beasts　of　every　description；　the　fiercest　as　well
as　the　most　gentle；　were　seen　coming　from　mountain　and　forest　and　quietly
making　their　way　toward　the　ark。　A　noise　as　of　a　rushing　wind　was　heard；　and
lo；　birds　were　flocking　from　all

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directions；　their　numbers　darkening　the　heavens；　and　in　perfect　order　they
passed　to　the　ark。　Animals　obeyed　the　command　of　God；　while　men　were
disobedient。　Guided　by　holy　angels；　they　〃went　in　two　and　two　unto　Noah　into
the　ark；〃　and　the　clean　beasts　by　sevens。　The　world　looked　on　in　wonder；
some　in　fear。　Philosophers　were　called　upon　to　account　for　the　singular
occurrence；　but　in　vain。　It　was　a　mystery　which　they　could　not　fathom。　But
men　had　become　so