patriarchs and prophets-第15章

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were　able；　by　the　grace　of　God；　to　resist　temptation；　and　become　pure　and
holy。　They　saw　in　his　example　the　blessedness　of　such　a　life；　and　his
translation　was　an　evidence　of　the　truth　of　his　prophecy　concerning　the
hereafter；　with　its　award　of　joy　and　glory　and　immortal　life　to　the
obedient；　and　of　condemnation；　woe；　and　death　to　the　transgressor。

By　faith　Enoch　〃was　translated　that　he　should　not　see　death；　。　。　。　for
before　his　translation　he　had　this　testimony；　that　he　pleased　God。〃　Hebrews
11：15。　In　the　midst　of　a　world　by　its　iniquity　doomed　to　destruction；　Enoch
lived　a　life　of　such　close　communion　with　God　that　he　was　not　permitted　to
fall　under　the　power　of　death。　The　godly　character　of　this　prophet
represents　the　state　of　holiness　which　must　be　attained　by　those　who　shall
be

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〃redeemed　from　the　earth〃　（Revelation　14：3）　at　the　time　of　Christ's　second
advent。　Then；　as　in　the　world　before　the　Flood；　iniquity　will　prevail。
Following　the　promptings　of　their　corrupt　hearts　and　the　teachings　of　a
deceptive　philosophy；　men　will　rebel　against　the　authority　of　Heaven。　But
like　Enoch；　God's　people　will　seek　for　purity　of　heart　and　conformity　to　His
will；　until　they　shall　reflect　the　likeness　of　Christ。　Like　Enoch；　they　will
warn　the　world　of　the　Lord's　second　coming　and　of　the　judgments　to　be
visited　upon　transgression；　and　by　their　holy　conversation　and　example　they
will　condemn　the　sins　of　the　ungodly。　As　Enoch　was　translated　to　heaven
before　the　destruction　of　the　world　by　water；　so　the　living　righteous　will
be　translated　from　the　earth　before　its　destruction　by　fire。　Says　the
apostle：　〃We　shall　not　all　sleep；　but　we　shall　all　be　changed；　in　a　moment；
in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　at　the　last　trump。〃　〃For　the　Lord　Himself　shall
descend　from　heaven　with　a　shout；　with　the　voice　of　the　Archangel；　and　with
the　trump　of　God；〃　〃the　trumpet　shall　sound；　and　the　dead　shall　be　raised
incorruptible；　and　we　shall　be　changed。〃　〃The　dead　in　Christ　shall　rise
first：　then　we　which　are　alive　and　remain　shall　be　caught　up　together　with
them　in　the　clouds；　to　meet　the　Lord　in　the　air：　and　so　shall　we　ever　be
with　the　Lord。　Wherefore　comfort　one　another　with　these　words。〃　1
Corinthians　15：51；　52；
1　Thessalonians　4：16…18。





（90）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　7

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Flood


In　the　days　of　Noah　a　double　curse　was　resting　upon　the　earth　in　consequence
of　Adam's　transgression　and　of　the　murder　committed　by　Cain。　Yet　this　had
not　greatly　changed　the　face　of　nature。　There　were　evident　tokens　of　decay；
but　the　earth　was　still　rich　and　beautiful　in　the　gifts　of　God's　providence。
The　hills　were　crowned　with　majestic　trees　supporting　the　fruit…laden
branches　of　the　vine。　The　vast；　gardenlike　plains　were　clothed　with　verdure；
and　sweet　with　the　fragrance　of　a　thousand　flowers。　The　fruits　of　the　earth
were　in　great　variety；　and　almost　without　limit。　The　trees　far　surpassed　in
size；　beauty；　and　perfect　proportion　any　now　to　be　found；　their　wood　was　of
fine　grain　and　hard　substance；　closely　resembling　stone；　and　hardly　less
enduring。　Gold；　silver；　and　precious　stones　existed　in　abundance。

The　human　race　yet　retained　much　of　its　early　vigor。　But　a　few　generations
had　passed　since　Adam　had　access　to　the　tree　which　was　to　prolong　life；　and
man's　existence　was　still　measured　by　centuries。　Had　that　long…lived　people；
with　their　rare　powers　to　plan　and　execute；　devoted　themselves　to　the
service　of　God；　they　would　have　made　their　Creator's　name　a　praise　in　the
earth；　and　would　have　answered　the　purpose　for　which　He　gave　them　life。　But
they　failed　to　do　this。　There　were　many　giants；　men　of　great　stature　and
strength；　renowned　for　wisdom；　skillful　in　devising　the　most　cunning　and
wonderful　works；　but　their　guilt　in　giving　loose　rein　to　iniquity　was　in
proportion　to　their　skill　and　mental　ability。

God　bestowed　upon　these　antediluvians　many　and　rich　gifts；　but　they　used　His
bounties　to　glorify　themselves；　and　turned　them　into　a　curse　by　fixing　their
affections　upon　the　gifts　instead　of　the　Giver。　They　employed　the　gold　and
silver；　the　precious　stones　and　the　choice　wood；　in　the　construction　of
habitations　for　themselves；　and　endeavored　to　excel　one　another　in
beautifying　their　dwellings　with　the　most　skillful　workmanship。　They

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sought　only　to　gratify　the　desires　of　their　own　proud　hearts；　and　reveled　in
scenes　of　pleasure　and　wickedness。　Not　desiring　to　retain　God　in　their
knowledge；　they　soon　came　to　deny　His　existence。　They　adored　nature　in　place
of　the　God　of　nature。　They　glorified　human　genius；　worshiped　the　works　of
their　own　hands；　and　taught　their　children　to　bow　down　to　graven　images。

In　the　green　fields　and　under　the　shadow　of　the　goodly　trees　they　set　up　the
altars　of　their　idols。　Extensive　groves；　that　retained　their　foliage
throughout　the　year；　were　dedicated　to　the　worship　of　false　gods。　With　these
groves　were　connected　beautiful　gardens；　their　long；　winding　avenues
overhung　with　fruit…bearing　trees　of　all　descriptions；　adorned　with
statuary；　and　furnished　with　all　that　could　delight　the　senses　or　minister
to　the　voluptuous　desires　of　the　people；　and　thus　allure　them　to　participate
in　the　idolatrous　worship。

Men　put　God　out　of　their　knowledge　and　worshiped　the　creatures　of　their　own
imagination；　and　as　the　result；　they　became　more　and　more　debased。　The
psalmist　describes　the　effect　produced　upon　the　worshiper　by　the　adoration
of　idols。　He　says；　〃They　that　make　them　are　like　unto　them；　so　is　every　one
that　trusteth　in　them。〃　Psalm　115：8。　It　is　a　law　of　the　human　mind　that　by
beholding　we　become　changed。　Man　will　rise　no　higher　than　his　conceptions　of
truth；　purity；　and　holiness。　If　the　mind　is　never　exalted　above　the　level　of
humanity；　if　it　is　not　uplifted　by　faith　to　contemplate　infinite　wisdom　and
love；　the　man　will　be　constantly　sinking　lower　and　lower。　The　worshipers　of
false　gods　clothed　their　deities　with　human　attributes　and　passions；　and
thus　their　standard　of　character　was　degraded　to　the　likeness　of　sinful
humanity。　They　were　defiled　in　consequence。　〃God　saw　that　the　wickedness　of
man　was　great　in　the　earth；　and　that　every　imagination　of　the　thoughts　of
his　heart　was　only　evil　continually。　。　。　。　The　earth　also　was　corrupt　before
God；　and　the　earth　was　filled　with　violence。〃　God　had　given　men　His
commandments　as　a　rule　of　life；　but　His　law　was　transgressed；　and　every
conceivable　sin　was　the　result。　The　wickedness　of　men　was　open　and　daring；
justice　was　trampled　in　the　dust；　and　the　cries　of　the　oppressed　reached
unto　heaven。

Polygamy　had　been　early　introduced；　contrary　to　the　divine　arrangement　at
the　beginning。　The　Lord　gave　to　Adam　one　wife；

92

showing　His　order　in　that　respect。　But　after　the　Fall；　men　chose　to　follow
their　own　sinful　desires；　and　as　the　result；　crime　and　wretchedness　rapidly
increased。　Neither　the　marriage　relation　nor　the　rights　of　property　were
respected。　Whoever　coveted　the　wives　or　the　possessions　of　his　neighbor；
took　them　by　force；　and　men　exulted　in　their　deeds　of　violence。　They
delighted　in　destroying　the　life　of　animals；　and　the　use　of　flesh　for　food
rendered　them　still　more　cruel　and　bloodthirsty；　until　they　came　to　regard
human　life　with　astonishing　indifference。

The　world　was　in　its　infancy；　yet　iniquity　had　become　so　deep　and　widespread
that　God　could　no　longer　bear　with　it；　and　He　said；　〃I　will　destroy　man　whom
I　have　created　from　the　face　of　the　earth。〃　He　declared　that　His　Spirit
should　not　always　strive　with　the　guilty　race。　If　they　did　not　cease　to
pollute　with　their　sins　the　world　and　its　rich　treasures；　He　would　blot　them
from　His　creation；　and　would　destroy　the　things　with　which　He　had　delighted
to　bless　them；　He　would　sweep　away　the　beasts　of　the　field；　and　the
vegetation　which　furnished　such　an　abundant　supply　of　food；　and　would
transform　the　fair　earth　into　one　vast　scene　of　desolation　and　ruin。

Amid　the　prevailing　corruption；　Methuselah；　Noah；　and　many　others　labored　to
keep　alive　the　knowledge　of　the　true　God　and　to　stay　the　tide　of　moral　evil。
A　hundred　and　twenty　years　before　the　Flood；　the　Lord　by　a　holy　angel
declared　to　Noah　His　purpose；　and　directed　him　to　build　an　ark。　While
building　the　ark　he　was　to　preach　that　God　would　bring　a　flood　of　water　upon
the　earth　to　destroy　the　wicked。　Those　who　would　believe　the　message；　and
would　prepare　for　that　event　by　repentance　and　reformation；　should　find
pardon　and　be　saved。　Enoch　had　repeated　to　his　children　what　God　had　shown
him　in　regard　to　the　Flood；　and　Methuselah　and　his　sons；　who　lived　to　hear
the　preaching　of　Noah；　assisted　in　building　the　ark。

God　gave　Noah　the　exact　dimensions　of　the　ark　and　explicit　directions　in
regard　to　its　construction　in　every　particular。　Human　wisdom　could　not　have
devised　a　structure　of　so　great　strength　and　durability。　God　was　the
designer；　and　Noah　the　master　builder。　It　was　constructed　like　the　hull　of　a
ship；　that　it　might　float　upon　the　water；　but　in　some　respects　it　more
nearly　resembled　a　house。　It　was　three　stories　high；　with　but

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one　door；　which　was　in　the　side。　The　light　was　admitted　at　the　top；　and　the
different　apartments　were　so　arranged　that　all　were　lighted。　The　material
employed　in　the　construction　of　the　ark　was　the　cypress；　or　gopher　wood；
which　would　be　untouched　by　decay　for　hundreds　of　years。　The　building　of
this　immense　structure　was　a　slow　and　laborious　process。　On　account　of　the
great　size　of　the　trees　and　the　nature　of　the　wood；　much　more　labor　was
required　then　than　now　to　prepare　timber；　even　with　the　greater　strength
which　men　then　possessed。　All　that　man　could　do　was　done　to　render　the　work
perfect；　yet　the　ark　could　not　of　itself　have　withstood　the　storm　which　was
to　come　upon　the　earth。　God　alone　could　preserve　His　servants　upon　the
tempestuous　waters。

〃By　faith　Noah；　being　warned　of　God　of　things　not　seen　as　yet；　moved　with
fear；　prepared　an　ark　to　the　saving　of　his　house；　by　the　which　he　condemned
the　world；　and　became　heir　of　the　righteousness　which　is　by　faith。〃　Hebrews
11：7。　While　Noah　was　giving　his　warning　message　to　the　world；　his　works
testified　of　his　sincerity。　It　was　thus　that　his　faith　was　perfected　and
made　evident。　He　gave　the　world　an　example　of　believing　just　what　God　says。
All　that　he　possessed；　he　invested　in　the　ark。　As　he　began　to　construct　that
immense　boat　on　dry　ground；　multitudes　came　from　every　direction　to　see　the
strange　sight　and　to　hear　the　earnest；　fervent　words　of　the　singular
preacher。　Every　blow　struck　upon　the　ark　was　a　witness　to　the　people。

Many　at　first　appeared　to　receive　the　warning；　yet　they　did　not　turn　to　God
with　true　repentance。　They　were　unwilling　to　renounce　their　sins。　During　the
time　that　elapsed　before　the　coming　of　the　Flood；　their　faith　was　tested；
and　they　failed　to　endure　the　trial。　Overcome　by　the　prevailing　unbelief；
they　finally　joined　their　former　associates　in　rejecting　the　solemn　message。
Some　were