all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous
cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In
accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in
fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones,
tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms,
Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and
famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and
thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more
and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and
beast. “The earth mourneth and fadeth away,” “the haughty people ... do
languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the
everlasting covenant.”(1025)
And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are
causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of
Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God’s
commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared
that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday-sabbath; that
this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday
observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the
claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday,
are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor
and temporal prosperity. Thus the accusation urged of old against the
servant of God will be repeated, and upon grounds equally well
established: “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said
unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not
troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have
forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed
Baalim.”(1026) As the wrath of the people shall be excited by false
charges, they will pursue a course toward God’s ambassadors very similar
to that which apostate Israel pursued toward Elijah.
The miracle-working power manifested through Spiritualism will exert its
influence against those who choose to obey God rather than men.
Communications from the spirits will declare that God has sent them to
convince the rejecters of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws
of the land should be obeyed as the law of God. They will lament the great
wickedness in the world, and second the testimony of religious teachers,
that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday.
Great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept
their testimony.
Satan’s policy in this final conflict with God’s people is the same that
he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven. He
professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government,
while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow. And the very
work which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish, he charged upon the
loyal angels. The same policy of deception has marked the history of the
Roman Church. It has professed to act as the vicegerent of Heaven, while
seeking to exalt itself above God, and to change His law. Under the rule
of Rome, those who suffered death for their fidelity to the gospel were
denounced as evil-doers; they were declared to be in league with Satan;
and every possible means was employed to cover them with reproach, to
cause them to appear, in the eyes of the people, and even to themselves,
as the vilest of criminals. So it will be now. While Satan seeks to
destroy those who honor God’s law, he will cause them to be accused as
lawbreakers, as men who are dishonoring God, and bringing judgments upon
the world.
God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan’s constant
resort—to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce—is
compulsion by cruelty. Through fear or force he endeavors to rule the
conscience, and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works
through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the
enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God.
Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and
order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy
and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth.
Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness,
and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the
government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will
present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil
authorities as ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of
justice, commandment-keepers will be misrepresented and condemned. A false
coloring will be given to their words; the worst construction will be put
upon their motives.
As the Protestant churches reject the clear, scriptural arguments in
defense of God’s law, they will long to silence those whose faith they
cannot overthrow by the Bible. Though they blind their own eyes to the
fact, they are now adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of
those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the Christian
world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath.
The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or
compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will
be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying
love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and
legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular
demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which
has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the
soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words, “The
dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of
her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ.”(1027)
37. THE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD.
[Illustration: Chapter header.]
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this
word, it is because there is no light in them.”(1028) The people of God
are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of
false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan
employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of
the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every
revival of God’s work, the prince of evil is aroused to more intense
activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle
against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion is soon to open
before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So
closely will the counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible
to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their
testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested.
Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God will be opposed and
derided. They can stand only in God. In order to endure the trial before
them, they must understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they
can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character,
government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them. None but those
who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand
through the last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching
test, Shall I obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is even now at
hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable word? Are we
prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith
of Jesus?
Before His crucifixion, the Saviour explained to His disciples that He was
to be put to death, and to rise again from the tomb; and angels were
present to impress His words on minds and hearts. But the disciples were
looking for temporal deliverance from the Roman yoke, and they could not
tolerate the thought that He in whom all their hopes centered should
suffer an ignominious death. The words which they needed to remember were
banished from their minds; and when the time of trial came, it found them
unprepared. The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if He had
not forewarned them. So in the prophecies the future is opened before us
as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The
events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation
for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no
more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been
revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make
them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.
When God sends to men warnings so important that they are represented as
proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every
person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful
judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image,(1029)
should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the
mark of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it. But the
masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth, and are
turned unto fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last
days, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”(1030)
That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because
it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and
Satan supplies the deceptions which they love.
But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the
Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines, and the basis of all
reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the
creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant
as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority,—not
one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any
point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we
should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support.
Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place
of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors
of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn
their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these
leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will.
When Christ came to speak the words of life, the common people heard Him
gladly; and many, even of the priests and rulers, believed on Him. But the
chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined
to condemn and repudiate His teachings. Though they were baffled in all
their efforts to find accusations against Him, though they could not but
feel the influence of the divine power and wisdom attending His words, yet
they encased themselves in prejudice; they rejected the clearest evidence
of His Messiahship, lest they should be forced to become His disciples.
These opponents of Jesus were men whom the people had been taught from
infancy to reverence, to whose authority they had been accustomed
implicitly to bow. “How is it,” they asked, “that our rulers and learned
scribes do not believe on Jesus? Would not these pious men receive Him if
He were the Christ?” It was the influence of such teachers that led the
Jewish nation to reject their Redeemer.
The spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still manifested by
many who make a high profession of piety. They refuse to examine the
testimony of the Scriptures concerning the special truths for this time.
They point to their own numbers, wealth, and popularity, and look with
contempt upon the advocates of truth as few, poor, and unpopular, having a
faith that separates them from the world.
Christ foresaw that the undue assumption of authority indulged by the
scribes and Pharisees would not cease with the dispersion of the Jews. He
had a prophetic view of the work of exalting human authority to rule the
conscience, which has been so terrible a curse to the church in all ages.
And His fearful denunciations of the scribes and Pharisees, and His
warnings to the people not to follow these blind leaders, were placed on
record as an admonition to future generations.
The Roman Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the
Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to
explain God’s word, it is withheld from the common people. Though the
Reformation gave the Scriptures to all, yet the selfsame principle which
was maintained by Rome prevents multitudes in Protestant churches from
searching the Bible for themselves. They are taught to accept its
teachings _as interpreted by the church_; and there are thousands who dare
receive nothing, however plainly revealed in Scripture, that is contrary
to their creed, or the established teaching of their church.
Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many
are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There
are to-day thousands of professors of religion who can give no other
reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so
instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s
teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of
the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to
their guidance unless we know from God’s word that they are light-bearers?
A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world,
leads many to follow in the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance
to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in
the chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly
brought to view in the Bible, and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit
attending its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to
turn them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced,
these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and
their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the
unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.
Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his
captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken
cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ.
Whatever this attachment may be, parental, filial, conjugal, or social,
the effect is the same; the opposers of truth exert their power to control
the conscience, and the souls held under their sway have not sufficient
courage or independence to obey their own convictions of duty.
The truth and the glory of God are inseparable; it is impossible for us,
with the Bible within our reach, to honor God by erroneous opinions. Many
claim that it matters not what one believes, if his life is only right.
But the life is moulded by the faith. If light and truth is within our
reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing it,
we virtually reject it; we are choosing darkness rather than light.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the
ways of death.”(1031) Ignorance is no excuse for error or sin, when there
is every opportunity to know the will of God. A man is traveling, and
comes to a place where there are several roads, and a guide-board
indicating where each one leads. If he disregards the guide-board, and
takes whichever road seems to him to be right, he may be ever so sincere,
but will in all probability find himself on the wrong road.
God has given us His word that we may become acquainted with its
teachings, and know for ourselves what He requires of us. When the lawyer
came to Jesus with the inquiry, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
the Saviour referred him to the Scriptures, saying, “What is written in
the law? how readest thou?” Ignorance will not excuse young or old, nor
release them from the punishment due for the transgression of God’s law;
because there is in their hands a faithful presentation of that law and of
its principles and its claims. It is not enough to have good intentions;
it is not enough to do what a man thinks is right, or what the minister
tells him is right. His soul’s salvation is at stake, and he should search
the Scriptures for himself. However strong may be his convictions, however
confident he may be that the minister knows what is truth, this is not his
foundation. He has a chart pointing out every way mark on the heavenward
journey, and he ought not to guess at anything.
It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the
Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light, and encourage
others to follow his example. We should day by day study the Bible
diligently, weighing every thought, and comparing scripture with
scripture. With divine help, we are to form our opinions for ourselves, as
we are to answer for ourselves before God.
The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt
and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach
that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not
apparent in the language employed. These men are false teachers. It was to
such a class that Jesus declared, “Ye know not the Scriptures, neither the
power of God.”(1032) The language of the Bible should be explained
according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed.
Christ has given the promise, “If any man will do His will, he shall know
of the doctrine.”(1033) If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if
there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work
would be accomplished that would make angels glad, and that would bring
into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in
error.
We should exert all the powers of the mind in the study of the Scriptures,
and should task the understanding to comprehend, as far as mortals can,
the deep things of God; yet we must not forget that the docility and
submission of a child is the true spirit of the learner. Scriptural
difficulties can never be mastered by the same methods that are employed
in grappling with philosophical problems. We should not engage in the
study of the Bible with that self-reliance with which so many enter the
domains of science, but with a prayerful dependence upon God, and a
sincere desire to learn His will. We must come with a humble and teachable
spirit to obtain knowledge from the great I AM. Otherwise, evil angels
will so blind our minds and harden our hearts that we shall not be
impressed by the truth.
Many a portion of Scripture which learned men pronounce a mystery, or pass
over as unimportant, is full of comfort and instruction to him who has
been taught in the school of Christ. One reason why many theologians have
no clearer understanding of God’s word is, they close their eyes to truths
which they do not wish to practise. An understanding of Bible truth
depends not so much on the power of intellect brought to the search as on
the singleness of purpose, the earnest longing after righteousness.
The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy Spirit alone
can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood,
or prevent us from wresting truths difficult of comprehension. It is the
office of heavenly angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend God’s word
that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or
animated and strengthened by its promises. We should make the psalmist’s
petition our own, “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of Thy law.”(1034) Temptations often appear irresistible because,
through neglect of prayer and the study of the Bible, the tempted one
cannot readily remember God’s promises and meet Satan with the Scripture
weapons. But angels are round about those who are willing to be taught in
divine things; and in the time of great necessity, they will bring to
their remembrance the very truths which are needed. Thus “when the enemy
shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a
standard against him.”(1035)
Jesus promised His disciples, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.”(1036) But the teachings of Christ must previously have been stored
in the mind, in order for the Spirit of God to bring them to our
remembrance in the time of peril. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart,”
said David, “that I might not sin against Thee.”(1037)
All who value their eternal interests should be on their guard against the
inroads of skepticism. The very pillars of truth will be assailed. It is
impossible to keep beyond the reach of the sarcasms and sophisms, the
insidious and pestilent teachings, of modern infidelity. Satan adapts his
temptations to all classes. He assails the illiterate with a jest or
sneer, while he meets the educated with scientific objections and
philosophical reasoning, alike calculated to excite distrust or contempt
of the Scriptures. Even youth of little experience presume to insinuate
doubts concerning the fundamental principles of Christianity. And this
youthful infidelity, shallow as it is, has its influence. Many are thus
led to jest at the faith of their fathers, and to do despite to the Spirit
of grace.(1038) Many a life that promised to be an honor to God and a
blessing to the world, has been blighted by the foul breath of infidelity.
All who trust to the boastful decisions of human reason, and imagine that
they can explain divine mysteries, and arrive at truth unaided by the
wisdom of God, are entangled in the snare of Satan.
We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The
destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own
future well-being, and also the salvation of other souls, depend upon the
course which we now pursue. We need to be guided by the Spirit of truth.
Every follower of Christ should earnestly inquire, “Lord, what wilt Thou
have me to do?” We need to humble ourselves before the Lord, with fasting
and prayer, and to meditate much upon His word, especially upon the scenes
of the judgment. We should now seek a deep and living experience in the
things of God. We have not a moment to lose. Events of vital importance
are taking place around us; we are on Satan’s enchanted ground. Sleep not,
sentinels of God; the foe is lurking near, ready at any moment, should you
become lax and drowsy, to spring upon you and make you his prey.
Many are deceived as to their true condition before God. They congratulate
themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not commit, and forget to
enumerate the good and noble deeds which God requires of them, but which
they have neglected to perform. It is not enough that they are trees in
the garden of God. They are to answer His expectation by bearing fruit. He
holds them accountable for their failure to accomplish all the good which
they could have done, through His grace strengthening them. In the books
of heaven they are registered as cumberers of the ground. Yet the case of
even this class is not utterly hopeless. With those who have slighted
God’s mercy and abused His grace, the heart of long-suffering Love yet
pleads. “Wherefore He saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk
circumspectly, ... redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”(1039)