patriarchs and prophets-第21节

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clothing　it　with　sanctity　and　beauty；　but　these　directions　were　forgotten；
and　marriage　was　perverted　and　made　to　minister　to　passion。

A　similar　condition　of　things　exists　now。　That　which　is　lawful　in　itself　is
carried　to　excess。　Appetite　is　indulged　without　restraint。　Professed
followers　of　Christ　are　today　eating　and　drinking　with　the　drunken；　while
their　names　stand　in　honored　church　records。　Intemperance　benumbs　the　moral
and　spiritual　powers　and　prepares　the　way　for　indulgence　of　the　lower
passions。　Multitudes　feel　under　no　moral　obligation　to　curb　their　sensual
desires；　and　they　become　the　slaves　of　lust。　Men　are　living　for　the
pleasures

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of　sense；　for　this　world　and　this　life　alone。　Extravagance　pervades　all
circles　of　society。　Integrity　is　sacrificed　for　luxury　and　display。　They
that　make　haste　to　be　rich　pervert　justice　and　oppress　the　poor；　and　〃slaves
and　souls　of　men〃　are　still　bought　and　sold。　Fraud　and　bribery　and　theft
stalk　unrebuked　in　high　places　and　in　low。　The　issues　of　the　press　teem　with
records　of　murdercrimes　so　cold…blooded　and　causeless　that　it　seems　as
though　every　instinct　of　humanity　were　blotted　out。　And　these　atrocities
have　become　of　so　common　occurrence　that　they　hardly　elicit　a　comment　or
awaken　surprise。　The　spirit　of　anarchy　is　permeating　all　nations；　and　the
outbreaks　that　from　time　to　time　excite　the　horror　of　the　world　are　but
indications　of　the　pent…up　fires　of　passion　and　lawlessness　that；　having
once　escaped　control；　will　fill　the　earth　with　woe　and　desolation。　The
picture　which　Inspiration　has　given　of　the　antediluvian　world　represents　too
truly　the　condition　to　which　modern　society　is　fast　hastening。　Even　now；　in
the　present　century；　and　in　professedly　Christian　lands；　there　are　crimes
daily　perpetrated　as　black　and　terrible　as　those　for　which　the　old…world
sinners　were　destroyed。

Before　the　Flood　God　sent　Noah　to　warn　the　world；　that　the　people　might　be
led　to　repentance；　and　thus　escape　the　threatened　destruction。　As　the　time
of　Christ's　second　appearing　draws　near；　the　Lord　sends　His　servants　with　a
warning　to　the　world　to　prepare　for　that　great　event。　Multitudes　have　been
living　in　transgression　of　God's　law；　and　now　He　in　mercy　calls　them　to　obey
its　sacred　precepts。　All　who　will　put　away　their　sins　by　repentance　toward
God　and　faith　in　Christ　are　offered　pardon。　But　many　feel　that　it　requires
too　great　a　sacrifice　to　put　away　sin。　Because　their　life　does　not　harmonize
with　the　pure　principles　of　God's　moral　government；　they　reject　His　warnings
and　deny　the　authority　of　His　law。

Of　the　vast　population　of　the　earth　before　the　Flood；　only　eight　souls
believed　and　obeyed　God's　word　through　Noah。　For　a　hundred　and　twenty　years
the　preacher　of　righteousness　warned　the　world　of　the　coming　destruction；
but　his　message　was　rejected　and　despised。　So　it　will　be　now。　Before　the
Lawgiver　shall　come　to　punish　the　disobedient；　transgressors　are　warned　to
repent；　and　return　to　their　allegiance；　but　with　the　majority　these　warnings
will　be　in　vain。　Says　the　apostle　Peter；　〃There　shall　come　in　the　last　days
scoffers；　walking　after　their　own　lusts；　and

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saying；　Where　is　the　promise　of　His　coming？　for　since　the　fathers　fell
asleep；　all　things　continue　as　they　were　from　the　beginning。〃
2　Peter　3：3；　4。　Do　we　not　hear　these　very　words　repeated；　not
merely　by　the　openly　ungodly；　but　by　many　who　occupy　the　pulpits　of　our
land？　〃There　is　no　cause　for　alarm；〃　they　cry。　〃Before　Christ　shall　come；
all　the　world　is　to　be　converted；　and　righteousness　is　to　reign　for　a
thousand　years。　Peace；　peace！　all　things　continue　as　they　were　from　the
beginning。　Let　none　be　disturbed　by　the　exciting　message　of　these
alarmists。〃　But　this　doctrine　of　the　millennium　does　not　harmonize　with　the
teachings　of　Christ　and　His　apostles。　Jesus　asked　the　significant　question；
〃When　the　Son　of　man　cometh；　shall　He　find　faith　on　the　earth？〃　Luke　18：8。
And；　as　we　have　seen；　He　declares　that　the　state　of　the　world　will　be　as　in
the　days　of　Noah。　Paul　warns　us　that　we　may　look　for　wickedness　to　increase
as　the　end　draws　near：　〃The　Spirit　speaketh　expressly；　that　in　the　latter
times　some　shall　depart　from　the　faith；　giving　heed　to　seducing　spirits；　and
doctrines　of　devils。〃　1　Timothy　4：1。　The　apostle　says　that　〃in　the　last　days
perilous　times　shall　come。〃　2　Timothy　3：1。　And　he　gives　a　startling　list　of
sins　that　will　be　found　among　those　who　have　a　form　of　godliness。

As　the　time　of　their　probation　was　closing；　the　antediluvians　gave
themselves　up　to　exciting　amusements　and　festivities。　Those　who　possessed
influence　and　power　were　bent　on　keeping　the　minds　of　the　people　engrossed
with　mirth　and　pleasure；　lest　any　should　be　impressed　by　the　last　solemn
warning。　Do　we　not　see　the　same　repeated　in　our　day？　While　God's　servants
are　giving　the　message　that　the　end　of　all　things　is　at　hand；　the　world　is
absorbed　in　amusements　and　pleasure　seeking。　There　is　a　constant　round　of
excitement　that　causes　indifference　to　God　and　prevents　the　people　from
being　impressed　by　the　truths　which　alone　can　save　them　from　the　coming
destruction。

In　Noah's　day　philosophers　declared　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　world　to
be　destroyed　by　water；　so　now　there　are　men　of　science　who　endeavor　to　show
that　the　world　cannot　be　destroyed　by　firethat　this　would　be　inconsistent
with　the　laws　of　nature。　But　the　God　of　nature；　the　Maker　and　Controller　of
her　laws；　can　use　the　works　of　His　hands　to　serve　His　own　purpose。

When　great　and　wise　men　had　proved　to　their　satisfaction　that　it　was
impossible　for　the　world　to　be　destroyed　by　water；　when

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the　fears　of　the　people　were　quieted；　when　all　regarded　Noah's　prophecy　as　a
delusion；　and　looked　upon　him　as　a　fanaticthen　it　was　that　God's　time　had
come。　〃The　fountains　of　the　great　deep〃　were　〃broken　up；　and　the　windows　of
heaven　were　opened；〃　and　the　scoffers　were　overwhelmed　in　the　waters　of　the
Flood。　With　all　their　boasted　philosophy；　men　found　too　late　that　their
wisdom　was　foolishness；　that　the　Lawgiver　is　greater　than　the　laws　of
nature；　and　that　Omnipotence　is　at　no　loss　for　means　to　accomplish　His
purposes。　〃As　it　was　in　the　days　of　Noah；〃　〃even　thus　shall　it　be　in　the
days　when　the　Son　of　man　is　revealed。〃　Luke　17：26；　30。　〃The　day　of　the　Lord
will　come　as　a　thief　in　the　night；　in　the　which　the　heavens　shall　pass　away
with　a　great　noise；　and　the　elements　shall　melt　with　fervent　heat；　the　earth
also　and　the　works　that　are　therein　shall　be　burned　up。〃　2　Peter　3：10。　When
the　reasoning　of　philosophy　has　banished　the　fear　of　God's　judgments；　when
religious　teachers　are　pointing　forward　to　long　ages　of　peace　and
prosperity；　and　the　world　are　absorbed　in　their　rounds　of　business　and
pleasure；　planting　and　building；　feasting　and　merrymaking；　rejecting　God's
warnings　and　mocking　His　messengersthen　it　is　that　sudden　destruction
cometh　upon　them；　and　they　shall　not　escape。　1　Thessalonians　5：3。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　8

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　After　the　Flood


The　waters　rose　fifteen　cubits　above　the　highest　mountains。　It　often　seemed
to　the　family　within　the　ark　that　they　must　perish；　as　for　five　long　months
their　boat　was　tossed　about；　apparently　at　the　mercy　of　wind　and　wave。　It
was　a　trying　ordeal；　but　Noah's　faith　did　not　waver；　for　he　had　the
assurance　that　the　divine　hand　was　upon　the　helm。

As　the　waters　began　to　subside；　the　Lord　caused　the　ark　to　drift　into　a　spot
protected　by　a　group　of　mountains　that　had　been　preserved　by　His　power。
These　mountains　were　but　a　little　distance　apart；　and　the　ark　moved　about　in
this　quiet　haven；　and　was　no　longer　driven　upon　the　boundless　ocean。　This
gave　great　relief　to　the　weary；　tempest…tossed　voyagers。

Noah　and　his　family　anxiously　waited　for　the　decrease　of　the　waters；　for
they　longed　to　go　forth　again　upon　the　earth。　Forty　days　after　the　tops　of
the　mountains　became　visible；　they　sent　out　a　raven；　a　bird　of　quick　scent；
to　discover　whether　the　earth　had　become　dry。　This　bird；　finding　nothing　but
water；　continued　to　fly　to　and　from　the　ark。　Seven　days　later　a　dove　was
sent　forth；　which；　finding　no　footing；　returned　to　the　ark。　Noah　waited
seven　days　longer；　and　again　sent　forth　the　dove。　When　she　returned　at
evening　with　an　olive　leaf　in　her　mouth；　there　was　great　rejoicing。　Later
〃Noah　removed　the　covering　of　the　ark；　and　looked；　and；　behold；　the　face　of
the　ground　was　dry。〃　Still　he　waited　patiently　within　the　ark。　As　he　had
entered　at　God's　command；　he　waited　for　special　directions　to　depart。

At　last　an　angel　descended　from　heaven；　opened　the　massive　door；　and　bade
the　patriarch　and　his　household　go　forth　upon　the　earth　and　take　with　them
every　living　thing。　In　the　joy　of　their　release　Noah　did　not　forget　Him　by
whose　gracious　care　they　had　been　preserved。　His　first　act　after　leaving　the
ark　was

106

to　build　an　altar　and　offer　from　every　kind　of　clean　beast　and　fowl　a
sacrifice；　thus　manifesting　his　gratitude　to　God　for　deliverance　and　his
faith