patriarchs and prophets-第22节

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sacrifice；　thus　manifesting　his　gratitude　to　God　for　deliverance　and　his
faith　in　Christ；　the　great　sacrifice。　This　offering　was　pleasing　to　the
Lord；　and　a　blessing　resulted；　not　only　to　the　patriarch　and　his　family；　but
to　all　who　should　live　upon　the　earth。　〃The　Lord　smelled　a　sweet　savor；　and
the　Lord　said　in　His　heart；　I　will　not　again　curse　the　ground　any　more　for
man's　sake。　。　。　。　While　the　earth　remaineth；　seedtime　and　harvest；　and　cold
and　heat；　and　summer　and　winter；　and　day　and　night　shall　not　cease。〃　Here
was　a　lesson　for　all　succeeding　generations。　Noah　had　come　forth　upon　a
desolate　earth；　but　before　preparing　a　house　for　himself　he　built　an　altar
to　God。　His　stock　of　cattle　was　small；　and　had　been　preserved　at　great
expense；　yet　he　cheerfully　gave　a　part　to　the　Lord　as　an　acknowledgment　that
all　was　His。　In　like　manner　it　should　be　our　first　care　to　render　our
freewill　offerings　to　God。　Every　manifestation　of　His　mercy　and　love　toward
us　should　be　gratefully　acknowledged；　both　by　acts　of　devotion　and　by　gifts
to　His　cause。

Lest　the　gathering　clouds　and　falling　rain　should　fill　men　with　constant
terror；　from　fear　of　another　flood；　the　Lord　encouraged　the　family　of　Noah
by　a　promise：　〃I　will　establish　My　covenant　with　you；　。　。　。　neither　shall
there　any　more　be　a　flood　to　destroy　the　earth。　。　。　。　I　do　set　My　bow　in　the
cloud；　and　it　shall　be　for　a　token　of　a　covenant　between　Me　and　the　earth。
And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　when　I　bring　a　cloud　over　the　earth；　that　the　bow
shall　be　seen　in　the　cloud。　。　。　。　And　I　will　look　upon　it；　that　I　may
remember　the　everlasting　covenant　between　God　and　every　living　creature。〃

How　great　the　condescension　of　God　and　His　compassion　for　His　erring
creatures　in　thus　placing　the　beautiful　rainbow　in　the　clouds　as　a　token　of
His　covenant　with　men！　The　Lord　declares　that　when　He　looks　upon　the　bow；　He
will　remember　His　covenant。　This　does　not　imply　that　He　would　ever　forget；
but　He　speaks　to　us　in　our　own　language；　that　we　may　better　understand　Him。
It　was　God's　purpose　that　as　the　children　of　after　generations　should　ask
the　meaning　of　the　glorious　arch　which　spans　the　heavens；　their　parents
should　repeat　the　story　of　the　Flood；　and　tell　them　that　the　Most　High　had
bended　the　bow　and　placed　it　in　the　clouds　as　an　assurance　that　the　waters
should　never　again　overflow　the　earth。　Thus　from　generation　to　generation

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it　would　testify　of　divine　love　to　man　and　would　strengthen　his　confidence
in　God。

In　heaven　the　semblance　of　a　rainbow　encircles　the　throne　and　overarches　the
head　of　Christ。　The　prophet　says；　〃As　the　appearance　of　the　bow　that　is　in
the　cloud　in　the　day　of　rain；　so　was　the　appearance　of　the　brightness　round
about　＇the　throne＇。　This　was　the　appearance　of　the　likeness　of　the　glory　of
Jehovah。〃　Ezekiel　1：28。　The　revelator　declares；　〃Behold；　a　throne　was　set　in
heaven；　and　one　sat　on　the　throne。　。　。　。　There　was　a　rainbow　round　about　the
throne；　in　sight　like　unto　an　emerald。〃　Revelation　4：2；　3。　When　man　by　his
great　wickedness　invites　the　divine　judgments；　the　Saviour；　interceding　with
the　Father　in　his　behalf；　points　to　the　bow　in　the　clouds；　to　the　rainbow
around　the　throne　and　above　His　own　head；　as　a　token　of　the　mercy　of　God
toward　the　repentant　sinner。

With　the　assurance　given　to　Noah　concerning　the　Flood；　God　Himself　has
linked　one　of　the　most　precious　promises　of　His　grace：　〃As　I　have　sworn　that
the　waters　of　Noah　should　no　more　go　over　the　earth；　so　have　I　sworn　that　I
would　not　be　wroth　with　thee；　nor　rebuke　thee。　For　the　mountains　shall
depart；　and　the　hills　be　removed；　but　My　kindness　shall　not　depart　from
thee；　neither　shall　the　covenant　of　My　peace　be　removed；　saith　Jehovah　that
hath　mercy　on　thee。〃　Isaiah　54：9；　10。

As　Noah　looked　upon　the　powerful　beasts　of　prey　that　came　forth　with　him
from　the　ark；　he　feared　that　his　family；　numbering　only　eight　persons；　would
be　destroyed　by　them。　But　the　Lord　sent　an　angel　to　His　servant　with　the
assuring　message：　〃The　fear　of　you　and　the　dread　of　you　shall　be　upon　every
beast　of　the　earth；　and　upon　every　fowl　of　the　air；　upon　all　that　moveth
upon　the　earth；　and　upon　all　the　fishes　of　the　sea；　into　your　hand　are　they
delivered。　Every　moving　thing　that　liveth　shall　be　meat　for　you；　even　as　the
green　herb　have　I　given　you　all　things。〃　Before　this　time　God　had　given　man
no　permission　to　eat　animal　food；　He　intended　that　the　race　should　subsist
wholly　upon　the　productions　of　the　earth；　but　now　that　every　green　thing　had
been　destroyed。　He　allowed　them　to　eat　the　flesh　of　the　clean　beasts　that
had　been　preserved　in　the　ark。

The　entire　surface　of　the　earth　was　changed　at　the　Flood。　A　third　dreadful
curse　rested　upon　it　in　consequence　of　sin。　As　the　water　began　to　subside；
the　hills　and　mountains　were　surrounded

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by　a　vast；　turbid　sea；　Everywhere　were　strewn　the　dead　bodies　of　men　and
beasts。　The　Lord　would　not　permit　these　to　remain　to　decompose　and　pollute
the　air；　therefore　He　made　of　the　earth　a　vast　burial　ground。　A　violent　wind
which　was　caused　to　blow　for　the　purpose　of　drying　up　the　waters；　moved　them
with　great　force；　in　some　instances　even　carrying　away　the　tops　of　the
mountains　and　heaping　up　trees；　rocks；　and　earth　above　the　bodies　of　the
dead。　By　the　same　means　the　silver　and　gold；　the　choice　wood　and　precious
stones；　which　had　enriched　and　adorned　the　world　before　the　Flood；　and　which
the　inhabitants　had　idolized；　were　concealed　from　the　sight　and　search　of
men；　the　violent　action　of　the　waters　piling　earth　and　rocks　upon　these
treasures；　and　in　some　cases　even　forming　mountains　above　them。　God　saw　that
the　more　He　enriched　and　prospered　sinful　men；　the　more　they　would　corrupt
their　ways　before　Him。　The　treasures　that　should　have　led　them　to　glorify
the　bountiful　Giver　had　been　worshiped；　while　God　had　been　dishonored　and
despised。

The　earth　presented　an　appearance　of　confusion　and　desolation　impossible　to
describe。　The　mountains；　once　so　beautiful　in　their　perfect　symmetry；　had
become　broken　and　irregular。　Stones；　ledges；　and　ragged　rocks　were　now
scattered　upon　the　surface　of　the　earth。　In　many　places　hills　and　mountains
had　disappeared；　leaving　no　trace　where　they　once　stood；　and　plains　had
given　place　to　mountain　ranges。　These　changes　were　more　marked　in　some
places　than　in　others。　Where　once　had　been　earth's　richest　treasures　of
gold；　silver；　and　precious　stones；　were　seen　the　heaviest　marks　of　the
curse。　And　upon　countries　that　were　not　inhabited；　and　those　where　there　had
been　the　least　crime；　the　curse　rested　more　lightly。

At　this　time　immense　forests　were　buried。　These　have　since　been　changed　to
coal；　forming　the　extensive　coal　beds　that　now　exist；　and　also　yielding
large　quantities　of　oil。　The　coal　and　oil　frequently　ignite　and　burn　beneath
the　surface　of　the　earth。　Thus　rocks　are　heated；　limestone　is　burned；　and
iron　ore　melted。　The　action　of　the　water　upon　the　lime　adds　fury　to　the
intense　heat；　and　causes　earthquakes；　volcanoes；　and　fiery　issues。　As　the
fire　and　water　come　in　contact　with　ledges　of　rock　and　ore；　there　are　heavy
explosions　underground；　which　sound　like　muffled　thunder。　The　air　is　hot　and
suffocating。　Volcanic　eruptions　follow；　and　these　often　failing　to　give
sufficient　vent　to

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the　heated　elements；　the　earth　itself　is　convulsed；　the　ground　heaves　and
swells　like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　great　fissures　appear；　and　sometimes
cities；　villages；　and　burning　mountains　are　swallowed　up。　These　wonderful
manifestations　will　be　more　and　more　frequent　and　terrible　just　before　the
second　coming　of　Christ　and　the　end　of　the　world；　as　signs　of　its　speedy
destruction。

The　depths　of　the　earth　are　the　Lord's　arsenal；　whence　were　drawn　weapons　to
be　employed　in　the　destruction　of　the　old　world。　Waters　gushing　from　the
earth　united　with　the　waters　from　heaven　to　accomplish　the　work　of
desolation。　Since　the　Flood；　fire　as　well　as　water　has　been　God's　agent　to
destroy　very　wicked　cities。　These　judgments　are　sent　that　those　who　lightly
regard　God's　law　and　trample　upon　His　authority　may　be　led　to　tremble　before
His　power　and　to　confess　His　just　sovereignty。　As　men　have　beheld　burning
mountains　pouring　forth　fire　and　flames　and　torrents　of　melted　ore；　drying
up　rivers；　overwhelming　populous　cities；　and　everywhere　spreading　ruin　and
desolation；　the　stoutest　heart　has　been　filled　with　terror　and　infidels　and
blasphemers　have　been　constrained　to　acknowledge　the　infinite　power　of　God。

Said　the　prophets　of　old；　referring　to　scenes　like　these：　〃Oh　that　Thou
wouldest　rend　the　heavens；　that　Thou　wouldest　come　down；　that　the　mountains
might　flow　down　at　Thy　presence；　as　when　the　melting　fire　burneth；　the　fire
causeth　the　waters　to　boil；　to　make　Thy　name　known　to　Thine　adversaries；
that　the　nations　may　tremble　at　Thy　presence！　When　Thou　didst　terrible
things　which　we　looked　not　for；　Thou　camest　down；　the　mountains　flowed　down
at　Thy　presence。〃　Isaiah　64：1…3。　〃The　Lord　hath　His　way　in　the　whirlwind　and
in　the　storm；　and　the　clouds　are　the