patriarchs and prophets-第25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！


of　favor。　It　did　not　fix　the　character　and　destiny　of　his　sons。　But　it
showed　what　would　be　the　result　of　the　course　of　life　they　had　severally
chosen　and　the　character　they　had　developed。　It　was　an　expression　of　God's
purpose　toward　them　and　their　posterity　in　view　of　their　own　character　and
conduct。　As　a　rule；　children　inherit　the　dispositions　and　tendencies　of
their　parents；　and　imitate　their　example；　so　that　the　sins　of　the　parents
are　practiced　by　the　children　from　generation　to　generation。　Thus　the
vileness　and　irreverence　of　Ham　were　reproduced　in　his　posterity；　bringing　a
curse　upon　them　for　many　generations。　〃One　sinner　destroyeth　much　good。〃
Ecclesiastes　9：18。

On　the　other　hand；　how　richly　rewarded　was　Shem's　respect　for　his　father；
and　what　an　illustrious　line　of　holy　men　appears　in　his　posterity！　〃The　Lord
knoweth　the　days　of　the　upright；〃　〃and　his　seed　is　blessed。〃　Psalm　37：18；
26。　〃Know　therefore　that　the　Lord　thy　God　He　is　God；　the　faithful　God；　which
keepeth　covenant　and　mercy　with　them　that　love　Him　and　keep　His　commandments
to　a　thousand　generations。〃　Deuteronomy　7：9。

For　a　time　the　descendants　of　Noah　continued　to　dwell　among　the　mountains
where　the　ark　had　rested。　As　their　numbers　increased；　apostasy　soon　led　to
division。　Those　who　desired　to　forget　their　Creator　and　to　cast　off　the
restraint　of　His　law　felt　a　constant　annoyance　from　the　teaching　and　example
of　their　God…fearing　associates；　and　after　a　time　they　decided　to　separate
from　the　worshipers　of　God。　Accordingly　they　journeyed　to　the　plain　of
Shinar；　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Euphrates。　They　were　attracted　by　the
beauty　of　the　situation　and　the　fertility　of　the　soil；　and　upon　this　plain
they　determined　to　make　their　home。

Here　they　decided　to　build　a　city；　and　in　it　a　tower　of　such　stupendous
height　as　should　render　it　the　wonder　of　the　world。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　119

These　enterprises　were　designed　to　prevent　the　people　from　scattering　abroad
in　colonies。　God　had　directed　men　to　disperse　throughout　the　earth；　to
replenish　and　subdue　it；　but　these　Babel　builders　determined　to　keep　their
community　united　in　one　body；　and　to　found　a　monarchy　that　should　eventually
embrace　the　whole　earth。　Thus　their　city　would　become　the　metropolis　of　a
universal　empire；　its　glory　would　command　the　admiration　and　homage　of　the
world　and　render　the　founders　illustrious。　The　magnificent　tower；　reaching
to　the　heavens；　was　intended　to　stand　as　a　monument　of　the　power　and　wisdom
of　its　builders；　perpetuating　their　fame　to　the　latest　generations。

The　dwellers　on　the　plain　of　Shinar　disbelieved　God's　covenant　that　He　would
not　again　bring　a　flood　upon　the　earth。　Many　of　them　denied　the　existence　of
God　and　attributed　the　Flood　to　the　operation　of　natural　causes。　Others
believed　in　a　Supreme　Being；　and　that　it　was　He　who　had　destroyed　the
antediluvian　world；　and　their　hearts；　like　that　of　Cain；　rose　up　in
rebellion　against　Him。　One　object　before　them　in　the　erection　of　the　tower
was　to　secure　their　own　safety　in　case　of　another　deluge。　By　carrying　the
structure　to　a　much　greater　height　than　was　reached　by　the　waters　of　the
Flood；　they　thought　to　place　themselves　beyond　all　possibility　of　danger。
And　as　they　would　be　able　to　ascend　to　the　region　of　the　clouds；　they　hoped
to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the　Flood。　The　whole　undertaking　was　designed　to
exalt　still　further　the　pride　of　its　projectors　and　to　turn　the　minds　of
future　generations　away　from　God　and　lead　them　into　idolatry。

When　the　tower　had　been　partially　completed；　a　portion　of　it　was　occupied　as
a　dwelling　place　for　the　builders；　other　apartments；　splendidly　furnished
and　adorned；　were　devoted　to　their　idols。　The　people　rejoiced　in　their
success；　and　praised　the　gods　of　silver　and　gold；　and　set　themselves　against
the　Ruler　of　heaven　and　earth。　Suddenly　the　work　that　had　been　advancing　so
prosperously　was　checked。　Angels　were　sent　to　bring　to　naught　the　purpose　of
the　builders。　The　tower　had　reached　a　lofty　height；　and　it　was　impossible
for　the　workmen　at　the　top　to　communicate　directly　with　those　at　the　base；
therefore　men　were　stationed　at　different　points；　each　to　receive　and　report
to　the　one　next　below　him　the　orders　for　needed　material　or　other　directions
concerning　the　work。　As　messages　were　thus　passing　from　one　to　another　the
language　was　confounded；　so　that　material　was　called　for　which

120

was　not　needed；　and　the　directions　delivered　were　often　the　reverse　of　those
that　had　been　given。　Confusion　and　dismay　followed。　All　work　came　to　a
standstill。　There　could　be　no　further　harmony　or　co…operation。　The　builders
were　wholly　unable　to　account　for　the　strange　misunderstandings　among　them；
and　in　their　rage　and　disappointment　they　reproached　one　another。　Their
confederacy　ended　in　strife　and　bloodshed。　Lightnings　from　heaven；　as　an
evidence　of　God's　displeasure；　broke　off　the　upper　portion　of　the　tower　and
cast　it　to　the　ground。　Men　were　made　to　feel　that　there　is　a　God　who　ruleth
in　the　heavens。

Up　to　this　time　all　men　had　spoken　the　same　language；　now　those　that　could
understand　one　another's　speech　united　in　companies；　some　went　one　way；　and
some　another。　〃The　Lord　scattered　them　abroad　from　thence　upon　the　face　of
all　the　earth。〃　This　dispersion　was　the　means　of　peopling　the　earth；　and
thus　the　Lord's　purpose　was　accomplished　through　the　very　means　that　men　had
employed　to　prevent　its　fulfillment。

But　at　what　a　loss　to　those　who　had　set　themselves　against　God！　It　was　His
purpose　that　as　men　should　go　forth　to　found　nations　in　different　parts　of
the　earth　they　should　carry　with　them　a　knowledge　of　His　will；　that　the
light　of　truth　might　shine　undimmed　to　succeeding　generations。　Noah；　the
faithful　preacher　of　righteousness；　lived　for　three　hundred　and　fifty　years
after　the　Flood；　Shem　for　five　hundred　years；　and　thus　their　descendants　had
an　opportunity　to　become　acquainted　with　the　requirements　of　God　and　the
history　of　His　dealings　with　their　fathers。　But　they　were　unwilling　to
listen　to　these　unpalatable　truths；　they　had　no　desire　to　retain　God　in
their　knowledge；　and　by　the　confusion　of　tongues　they　were；　in　a　great
measure；　shut　out　from　intercourse　with　those　who　might　have　given　them
light。

The　Babel　builders　had　indulged　the　spirit　of　murmuring　against　God。　Instead
of　gratefully　remembering　His　mercy　to　Adam　and　His　gracious　covenant　with
Noah；　they　had　complained　of　His　severity　in　expelling　the　first　pair　from
Eden　and　destroying　the　world　by　a　flood。　But　while　they　murmured　against
God　as　arbitrary　and　severe；　they　were　accepting　the　rule　of　the　cruelest　of
tyrants。　Satan　was　seeking　to　bring　contempt　upon　the　sacrificial　offerings
that　prefigured　the　death　of　Christ；　and　as　the　minds　of　the　people　were
darkened　by　idolatry；　he　led　them　to　counterfeit　these　offerings　and
sacrifice　their　own　children

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　123

upon　the　altars　of　their　gods。　As　men　turned　away　from　God；　the　divine
attributesjustice；　purity；　and　lovewere　supplanted　by　oppression；
violence；　and　brutality。

The　men　of　Babel　had　determined　to　establish　a　government　that　should　be
independent　of　God。　There　were　some　among　them；　however；　who　feared　the
Lord；　but　who　had　been　deceived　by　the　pretensions　of　the　ungodly　and　drawn
into　their　schemes。　For　the　sake　of　these　faithful　ones　the　Lord　delayed　His
judgments　and　gave　the　people　time　to　reveal　their　true　character。　As　this
was　developed；　the　sons　of　God　labored　to　turn　them　from　their　purpose；　but
the　people　were　fully　united　in　their　Heaven…daring　undertaking。　Had　they
gone　on　unchecked；　they　would　have　demoralized　the　world　in　its　infancy。
Their　confederacy　was　founded　in　rebellion；　a　kingdom　established　for
self…exaltation；　but　in　which　God　was　to　have　no　rule　or　honor。　Had　this
confederacy　been　permitted；　a　mighty　power　would　have　borne　sway　to　banish
righteousnessand　with　it　peace；　happiness；　and　security　from　the　earth。
For　the　divine　statutes；　which　are　〃holy　and　just　and　good〃　（Romans　7：12）；
men　were　endeavoring　to　substitute　laws　to　suit　the　purpose　of　their　own
selfish　and　cruel　hearts。

Those　that　feared　the　Lord　cried　unto　Him　to　interpose。　〃And　the　Lord　came
down　to　see　the　city　and　the　tower；　which　the　children　of　men　builded。〃　In
mercy　to　the　world　He　defeated　the　purpose　of　the　tower　builders　and
overthrew　the　memorial　of　their　daring。　In　mercy　He　confounded　their　speech；
thus　putting　a　check　on　their　purposes　of　rebellion。　God　bears　long　with　the
perversity　of　men；　giving　them　ample　opportunity　for　repentance；　but　He
marks　all　their　devices　to　resist　the　authority　of　His　just　and　holy　law。
From　time　to　time　the　unseen　hand　that　holds　the　scepter　of　government　is
stretched　out　to　restrain　iniquity。　Unmistakable　evidence　is　given　that　the
Creator　of　the　universe；　the　One　infinite　in　wisdom　and　love　and　truth；　is
the　Supreme　Ruler　of　heaven　and　earth；　and　that　none　can　with　impunity　defy
His　power。

The　schemes　of　the　Babel　builders　ended　in　shame　and　defeat。　The　monument　to
their　pride　became　the　memorial　of　their　fo