patriarchs and prophets-第36节

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Christ　declared；　〃As　it　was　in　the　days　of　Lot；　。　。　。　even　thus　shall　it　be
in　the　day　when　the　Son　of　man　is　revealed。〃　Luke　17：28；30。　The　daily　record
of　passing　events　testifies　to　the　fulfillment　of　His　words。　The　world　is
fast　becoming　ripe　for　destruction。　Soon　the　judgments　of　God　are　to　be
poured　out；　and　sin　and　sinners　are　to　be　consumed。

Said　our　Saviour：　〃Take　heed　to　yourselves；　lest　at　any　time　your　hearts　be
overcharged　with　surfeiting；　and　drunkenness；　and　cares　of　this　life；　and　so
that　day　come　upon　you　unawares。　For　as　a　snare　shall　it　come　on　all　them
that　dwell　on　the　face　of　the　whole　earth〃upon　all　whose　interests　are
centered　in　this　world。　〃Watch　ye　therefore；　and　pray　always；　that　ye　may　be
accounted　worthy　to　escape　all　these　things　that　shall　come　to　pass；　and　to
stand　before　the　Son　of　man。〃　Luke　21：34…36。

Before　the　destruction　of　Sodom；　God　sent　a　message　to　Lot；　〃Escape　for　thy
life；　look　not　behind　thee；　neither　stay　thou　in　all　the　plain；　escape　to
the　mountain；　lest　thou　be　consumed。〃　The　same　voice　of　warning　was　heard　by
the　disciples　of　Christ　before　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem：　〃When　ye　shall
see　Jerusalem　compassed　with　armies；　then　know　that　the　desolation　thereof
is　nigh。　Then　let　them　which　are　in　Judea　flee　to　the　mountains。〃　Luke
21：20；21。　They　must　not　tarry　to　secure　anything　from　their　possessions；　but
must　make　the　most　of　the　opportunity　to　escape。

There　was　a　coming　out；　a　decided　separation　from　the　wicked；　an　escape　for
life。　So　it　was　in　the　days　of　Noah；　so　with　Lot；　so　with　the　disciples
prior　to　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem；　and　so　it　will　be　in　the　last　days。
Again　the　voice　of　God　is　heard　in　a　message　of　warning；　bidding　His　people
separate　themselves　from　the　prevailing　iniquity。

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The　state　of　corruption　and　apostasy　that　in　the　last　days　would　exist　in
the　religious　world；　was　presented　to　the　prophet　John　in　the　vision　of
Babylon；　〃that　great　city；　which　reigneth　over　the　kings　of　the　earth。〃
Revelation　17：18。　Before　its　destruction　the　call　is　to　be　given　from
heaven；　〃Come　out　of　her；　My　people；　that　ye　be　not　partakers　of　her　sins；
and　that　ye　receive　not　of　her　plagues。〃　Revelation　18：4。　As　in　the　days　of
Noah　and　Lot；　there　must　be　a　marked　separation　from　sin　and　sinners。　There
can　be　no　compromise　between　God　and　the　world；　no　turning　back　to　secure
earthly　treasures。　〃Ye　cannot　serve　God　and　mammon。〃　Matthew　6：24。

Like　the　dwellers　in　the　vale　of　Siddim；　the　people　are　dreaming　of
prosperity　and　peace。　〃Escape　for　thy　life；〃　is　the　warning　from　the　angels
of　God；　but　other　voices　are　heard　saying；　〃Be　not　excited；　there　is　no
cause　for　alarm。〃　The　multitudes　cry；　〃Peace　and　safety；〃　while　Heaven
declares　that　swift　destruction　is　about　to　come　upon　the　transgressor。　On
the　night　prior　to　their　destruction；　the　cities　of　the　plain　rioted　in
pleasure　and　derided　the　fears　and　warnings　of　the　messenger　of　God；　but
those　scoffers　perished　in　the　flames；　that　very　night　the　door　of　mercy　was
forever　closed　to　the　wicked；　careless　inhabitants　of　Sodom。　God　will　not
always　be　mocked；　He　will　not　long　be　trifled　with。　〃Behold；　the　day　of　the
Lord　cometh；　cruel　both　with　wrath　and　fierce　anger；　to　lay　the　land
desolate：　and　He　shall　destroy　the　sinners　thereof　out　of　it。〃　Isaiah　13：9。
The　great　mass　of　the　world　will　reject　God's　mercy；　and　will　be　overwhelmed
in　swift　and　irretrievable　ruin。　But　those　who　heed　the　warning　shall　dwell
〃in　the　secret　place　of　the　Most　High；〃　and　〃abide　under　the　shadow　of　the
Almighty。〃　His　truth　shall　be　their　shield　and　buckler。　For　them　is　the
promise；　〃With　long　life　will　I　satisfy　him；　and　show　him　My　salvation。〃
Psalm　91：1；　4；16。

Lot　dwelt　but　a　short　time　in　Zoar。　Iniquity　prevailed　there　as　in　Sodom；
and　he　feared　to　remain；　lest　the　city　should　be　destroyed。　Not　long　after；
Zoar　was　consumed；　as　God　had　purposed。　Lot　made　his　way　to　the　mountains；
and　abode　in　a　cave；　stripped　of　all　for　which　he　had　dared　to　subject　his
family　to　the　influences　of　a　wicked　city。　But　the　curse　of　Sodom　followed
him　even　here。　The　sinful　conduct　of　his　daughters　was　the　result　of　the
evil　associations　of　that　vile　place。　Its　moral　corruption　had

168

become　so　interwoven　with　their　character　that　they　could　not　distinguish
between　good　and　evil。　Lot's　only　posterity；　the　Moabites　and　Ammonites；
were　vile；　idolatrous　tribes；　rebels　against　God　and　bitter　enemies　of　His
people。

In　how　wide　contrast　to　the　life　of　Abraham　was　that　of　Lot！　Once　they　had
been　companions；　worshiping　at　one　altar；　dwelling　side　by　side　in　their
pilgrim　tents；　but　how　widely　separated　now！　Lot　had　chosen　Sodom　for　its
pleasure　and　profit。　Leaving　Abraham's　altar　and　its　daily　sacrifice　to　the
living　God；　he　had　permitted　his　children　to　mingle　with　a　corrupt　and
idolatrous　people；　yet　he　had　retained　in　his　heart　the　fear　of　God；　for　he
is　declared　in　the　Scriptures　to　have　been　a　〃just〃　man；　his　righteous　soul
was　vexed　with　the　vile　conversation　that　greeted　his　ears　daily　and　the
violence　and　crime　he　was　powerless　to　prevent。　He　was　saved　at　last　as　〃a
brand　plucked　out　of　the　fire〃　（Zechariah　3：2）；　yet　stripped　of　his
possessions；　bereaved　of　his　wife　and　children；　dwelling　in　caves；　like　the
wild　beasts；　covered　with　infamy　in　his　old　age；　and　he　gave　to　the　world；
not　a　race　of　righteous　men；　but　two　idolatrous　nations；　at　enmity　with　God
and　warring　upon　His　people；　until；　their　cup　of　iniquity　being　full；　they
were　appointed　to　destruction。　How　terrible　were　the　results　that　followed
one　unwise　step！

Says　the　wise　man；　〃Labor　not　to　be　rich：　cease　from　thine　own　wisdom。〃　〃He
that　is　greedy　of　gain　troubleth　his　own　house；　but　he　that　hateth　gifts
shall　live。〃　Proverbs　23：4；　15：27。　And　the　apostle　Paul　declares；　〃They　that
will　be　rich　fall　into　temptation　and　a　snare；　and　into　many　foolish　and
hurtful　lusts；　which　drown　men　in　destruction　and　perdition。〃　1　Timothy　6：9。

When　Lot　entered　Sodom　he　fully　intended　to　keep　himself　free　from　iniquity
and　to　command　his　household　after　him。　But　he　signally　failed。　The
corrupting　influences　about　him　had　an　effect　upon　his　own　faith；　and　his
children's　connection　with　the　inhabitants　of　Sodom　bound　up　his　interest　in
a　measure　with　theirs。　The　result　is　before　us。

Many　are　still　making　a　similar　mistake。　In　selecting　a　home　they　look　more
to　the　temporal　advantages　they　may　gain　than　to　the　moral　and　social
influences　that　will　surround　themselves　and　their　families。　They　choose　a
beautiful　and　fertile　country；　or　remove　to　some　flourishing　city；　in　the
hope　of　securing　greater

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prosperity；　but　their　children　are　surrounded　by　temptation；　and　too　often
they　form　associations　that　are　unfavorable　to　the　development　of　piety　and
the　formation　of　a　right　character。　The　atmosphere　of　lax　morality；　of
unbelief；　of　indifference　to　religious　things；　has　a　tendency　to　counteract
the　influence　of　the　parents。　Examples　of　rebellion　against　parental　and
divine　authority　are　ever　before　the　youth；　many　form　attachments　for
infidels　and　unbelievers；　and　cast　in　their　lot　with　the　enemies　of　God。

In　choosing　a　home；　God　would　have　us　consider；　first　of　all；　the　moral　and
religious　influences　that　will　surround　us　and　our　families。　We　may　be
placed　in　trying　positions；　for　many　cannot　have　their　surroundings　what
they　would；　and　whenever　duty　calls　us；　God　will　enable　us　to　stand
uncorrupted；　if　we　watch　and　pray；　trusting　in　the　grace　of　Christ。　But　we
should　not　needlessly　expose　ourselves　to　influences　that　are　unfavorable　to
the　formation　of　Christian　character。　When　we　voluntarily　place　ourselves　in
an　atmosphere　of　worldliness　and　unbelief；　we　displease　God　and　drive　holy
angels　from　our　homes。

Those　who　secure　for　their　children　worldly　wealth　and　honor　at　the　expense
of　their　eternal　interests；　will　find　in　the　end　that　these　advantages　are　a
terrible　loss。　Like　Lot；　many　see　their　children　ruined；　and　barely　save
their　own　souls。　Their　lifework　is　lost；　their　life　is　a　sad　failure。　Had
they　exercised　true　wisdom；　their　children　might　have　had　less　of　worldly
prosperity；　but　they　would　have　made　sure　of　a　title　to　the　immortal
inheritance。

The　heritage　that　God　has　promised　to　His　people　is　not　in　this　world。
Abraham　had　no　possession　in　the　earth；　〃no；　not　so　much　as　to　set　his　foot
on。〃　Acts　7：5。　He　possessed　great　substance；　and　he　used　it　to　the　glory　of
God　and　the　good　of　his　fellow　men；　but　he　did　not　look　upon　this　world　as
his　home。　The　Lord　had　called　him　to　leave　his　idolatrous　countrymen；　with
the　promise　of　the　land　of　Canaan　as　an　everlasting　possession；　yet　neither
he　nor　his　son　nor　his　son's　son　received　it。　When　Abraham　desired　a　burial
place　for　his　dead；　he　had　to　buy　it　of　the　Canaanites。　His　sole　possession
in　the　Land　of　Promise　was　that　rock…hewn　tomb　in　the　cave　of　Machpelah。

But　the　word　of　God　had　not　failed；　neither　did　it　meet　its　final
accomplishment　in　the　occupation　of　Canaan　by　the　Jewish　peop