the great controversy-第114章

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short；　and　his　work　of　deceit　and　destruction　will　reach　its　culmination　in
the　time　of　trouble。

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Fearful　sights　of　a　supernatural　character　will　soon　be　revealed　in　the
heavens；　in　token　of　the　power　of　miracle…working　demons。　The　spirits　of
devils　will　go　forth　to　the　kings　of　the　earth　and　to　the　whole　world；　to
fasten　them　in　deception；　and　urge　them　on　to　unite　with　Satan　in　his　last
struggle　against　the　government　of　heaven。　By　these　agencies；　rulers　and
subjects　will　be　alike　deceived。　Persons　will　arise　pretending　to　be　Christ
Himself；　and　claiming　the　title　and　worship　which　belong　to　the　world's
Redeemer。　They　will　perform　wonderful　miracles　of　healing　and　will　profess
to　have　revelations　from　heaven　contradicting　the　testimony　of　the
Scriptures。

As　the　crowning　act　in　the　great　drama　of　deception；　Satan　himself　will
personate　Christ。　The　church　has　long　professed　to　look　to　the　Saviour's
advent　as　the　consummation　of　her　hopes。　Now　the　great　deceiver　will　make　it
appear　that　Christ　has　come。　In　different　parts　of　the　earth；　Satan　will
manifest　himself　among　men　as　a　majestic　being　of　dazzling　brightness；
resembling　the　description　of　the　Son　of　God　given　by　John　in　the
Revelation。　Revelation　1：13…15。　The　glory　that　surrounds　him　is　unsurpassed
by　anything　that　mortal　eyes　have　yet　beheld。　The　shout　of　triumph　rings　out
upon　the　air：　〃Christ　has　come！　Christ　has　come！〃　The　people　prostrate
themselves　in　adoration　before　him；　while　he　lifts　up　his　hands　and
pronounces　a　blessing　upon　them；　as　Christ　blessed　His　disciples　when　He　was
upon　the　earth。　His　voice　is　soft　and　subdued；　yet　full　of　melody。　In
gentle；　compassionate　tones　he　presents　some　of　the　same　gracious；　heavenly
truths　which　the　Saviour　uttered；　he　heals　the　diseases　of　the　people；　and
then；　in　his　assumed　character　of　Christ；　he　claims　to　have　changed　the
Sabbath　to　Sunday；　and　commands　all　to　hallow　the　day　which　he　has　blessed。
He　declares　that　those　who　persist　in　keeping　holy　the　seventh　day　are
blaspheming　his　name　by　refusing　to　listen　to　his　angels　sent　to　them　with
light　and　truth。　This　is　the　strong；　almost　overmastering　delusion。　Like　the
Samaritans　who

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were　deceived　by　Simon　Magus；　the　multitudes；　from　the　least　to　the
greatest；　give　heed　to　these　sorceries；　saying：　This　is　〃the　great　power　of
God。〃　Acts　8：10。

But　the　people　of　God　will　not　be　misled。　The　teachings　of　this　false　christ
are　not　in　accordance　with　the　Scriptures。　His　blessing　is　pronounced　upon
the　worshipers　of　the　beast　and　his　image；　the　very　class　upon　whom　the
Bible　declares　that　God's　unmingled　wrath　shall　be　poured　out。

And；　furthermore；　Satan　is　not　permitted　to　counterfeit　the　manner　of
Christ's　advent。　The　Saviour　has　warned　His　people　against　deception　upon
this　point；　and　has　clearly　foretold　the　manner　of　His　second　coming。　〃There
shall　arise　false　christs；　and　false　prophets；　and　shall　show　great　signs
and　wonders；　insomuch　that；　if　it　were　possible；　they　shall　deceive　the　very
elect。　。　。　。　Wherefore　if　they　shall　say　unto　you；　Behold；　He　is　in　the
desert；　go　not　forth；　behold；　He　is　in　the　secret　chambers；　believe　it　not。
For　as　the　lightning　cometh　out　of　the　east；　and　shineth　even　unto　the　west；
so　shall　also　the　coming　of　the　Son　of　man　be。〃　Matthew　24：24…27；　31；　25：31；
Revelation　1：7；　1　Thessalonians　4：16；　17。　This　coming　there　is　no
possibility　of　counterfeiting。　It　will　be　universally　knownwitnessed　by
the　whole　world。

Only　those　who　have　been　diligent　students　of　the　Scriptures　and　who　have
received　the　love　of　the　truth　will　be　shielded　from　the　powerful　delusion
that　takes　the　world　captive。　By　the　Bible　testimony　these　will　detect　the
deceiver　in　his　disguise。　To　all　the　testing　time　will　come。　By　the　sifting
of　temptation　the　genuine　Christian　will　be　revealed。　Are　the　people　of　God
now　so　firmly　established　upon　His　word　that　they　would　not　yield　to　the
evidence　of　their　senses？　Would　they；　in　such　a　crisis；　cling　to　the　Bible
and　the　Bible　only？　Satan　will；　if　possible；　prevent　them　from　obtaining　a
preparation　to　stand　in　that　day。　He　will　so　arrange　affairs　as　to　hedge　up
their　way；　entangle　them　with　earthly　treasures；　cause　them　to　carry　a
heavy；　wearisome　burden；　that

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their　hearts　may　be　overcharged　with　the　cares　of　this　life　and　the　day　of
trial　may　come　upon　them　as　a　thief。

As　the　decree　issued　by　the　various　rulers　of　Christendom　against
commandment　keepers　shall　withdraw　the　protection　of　government　and　abandon
them　to　those　who　desire　their　destruction；　the　people　of　God　will　flee　from
the　cities　and　villages　and　associate　together　in　companies；　dwelling　in　the
most　desolate　and　solitary　places。　Many　will　find　refuge　in　the　strongholds
of　the　mountains。　Like　the　Christians　of　the　Piedmont　valleys；　they　will
make　the　high　places　of　the　earth　their　sanctuaries　and　will　thank　God　for
〃the　munitions　of　rocks。〃　Isaiah　33：16。　But　many　of　all　nations　and　of　all
classes；　high　and　low；　rich　and　poor；　black　and　white；　will　be　cast　into　the
most　unjust　and　cruel　bondage。　The　beloved　of　God　pass　weary　days；　bound　in
chains；　shut　in　by　prison　bars；　sentenced　to　be　slain；　some　apparently　left
to　die　of　starvation　in　dark　and　loathsome　dungeons。　No　human　ear　is　open　to
hear　their　moans；　no　human　hand　is　ready　to　lend　them　help。

Will　the　Lord　forget　His　people　in　this　trying　hour？　Did　He　forget　faithful
Noah　when　judgments　were　visited　upon　the　antediluvian　world？　Did　He　forget
Lot　when　the　fire　came　down　from　heaven　to　consume　the　cities　of　the　plain？
Did　He　forget　Joseph　surrounded　by　idolaters　in　Egypt？　Did　He　forget　Elijah
when　the　oath　of　Jezebel　threatened　him　with　the　fate　of　the　prophets　of
Baal？　Did　He　forget　Jeremiah　in　the　dark　and　dismal　pit　of　his　prison　house？
Did　He　forget　the　three　worthies　in　the　fiery　furnace？　or　Daniel　in　the　den
of　lions？

〃Zion　said；　The　Lord　hath　forsaken　me；　and　my　Lord　hath　forgotten　me。　Can　a
woman　forget　her　sucking　child；　that　she　should　not　have　compassion　on　the
son　of　her　womb？　yea；　they　may　forget；　yet　will　I　not　forget　thee。　Behold；　I
have　graven　thee　upon　the　palms　of　My　hands。〃　Isaiah　49：14…16。　The　Lord
hosts　has　said：　〃He　that　toucheth　you　toucheth　the　apple　of　His　eye。〃
Zechariah　2：8。

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Though　enemies　may　thrust　them　into　prison；　yet　dungeon　walls　cannot　cut　off
the　communication　between　their　souls　and　Christ。　One　who　sees　their　every
weakness；　who　is　acquainted　with　every　trial；　is　above　all　earthly　powers；
and　angels　will　come　to　them　in　lonely　cells；　bringing　light　and　peace　from
heaven。　The　prison　will　be　as　a　palace；　for　the　rich　in　faith　dwell　there；
and　the　gloomy　walls　will　be　lighted　up　with　heavenly　light　as　when　Paul　and
Silas　prayed　and　sang　praises　at　midnight　in　the　Philippian　dungeon。

God's　judgments　will　be　visited　upon　those　who　are　seeking　to　oppress　and
destroy　His　people。　His　long　forbearance　with　the　wicked　emboldens　men　in
transgression；　but　their　punishment　is　nonetheless　certain　and　terrible
because　it　is　long　delayed。　〃The　Lord　shall　rise　up　as　in　Mount　Perazim；　He
shall　be　wroth　as　in　the　valley　of　Gibeon；　that　He　may　do　His　work；　His
strange　work；　and　bring　to　pass　His　act；　His　strange　act。〃　Isaiah　28：21。　To
our　merciful　God　the　act　of　punishment　is　a　strange　act。　〃As　I　live；　saith
the　Lord　God；　I　have　no　pleasure　in　the　death　of　the　wicked。〃　Ezekiel　33：11。
The　Lord　is　〃merciful　and　gracious；　long…suffering；　and　abundant　in　goodness
and　truth；　。　。　。　forgiving　iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin。〃　Yet　He　will
〃by　no　means　clear　the　guilty。〃　The　Lord　is　slow　to　anger；　and　great　in
power；　and　will　not　at　all　acquit　the　wicked。〃　Exodus　34：6；　7；　Nahum　1：3。　By
terrible　things　in　righteousness　He　will　vindicate　the　authority　of　His
downtrodden　law。　The　severity　of　the　retribution　awaiting　the　transgressor
may　be　judged　by　the　Lord's　reluctance　to　execute　justice。　The　nation　with
which　He　bears　long；　and　which　He　will　not　smite　until　it　has　filled　up　the
measure　of　its　iniquity　in　God's　account；　will　finally　drink　the　cup　of
wrath　unmixed　with　mercy。

When　Christ　ceases　His　intercession　in　the　sanctuary；　the　unmingled　wrath
threatened　against　those　who　worship　the　beast　and　his　image　and　receive　his
mark　（Revelation　14：9；　10）；　will　be　poured　out。　The　plagues　upon　Egypt　when
God　was　about　to　deliver　Israel　were　similar　in　character　to　those

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more　terrible　and　extensive　judgments　which　are　to　fall　upon　the　world　just
before　the　final　deliverance　of　God's　people。　Says　the　revelator；　in
describing　those　terrific　scourges：　〃There　fell　a　noisome　and　grievous　sore
upon　the　men　which　had　the　mark　of　the　beast；　and　upon　them　which　worshiped
his　image。〃　The　sea　〃became　as　the　blood　of　a　dead　man：　and　every　living
soul　died　in　the　sea。〃　And　〃the　rivers　and　fountains　of　waters　。　。　。　became
blood。〃　Terrible　as　these　inflictions　are；　God's　justice　stands　fully
vindicated。　The　angel　of　God　declares：　〃Thou　art　righteous；　O　Lord；　。　。　。
because　Thou　hast　judged　thus。　For　they　have　shed　the　blood　of　saints　and
prophets；　and　Thou　hast　given　them　blood　to　drink；　for　they　are　worthy。〃
Revelation　16：2…6。　By　condemning　the　people　of　God　to　death；　they　have　as
truly　incurred　the　guilt　of　their　blood　as　if　it　had　been　shed　by　their
hands。　In　like　manner　Christ　declared　the　Jews　of　His　time　guilty　of　all　the
blood　of　holy　men　which　had　been　shed　since　the　days　of　Abel；　for　they
possessed　the　same　spirit　and　were　seeking　to　do　the　same　work　with　these
murderers　of　the　prophets。

In　the　plague　that　follows；　power　is　given　to　the　sun　〃to　scorch　men　with
fire。　And　men　were　scorched　with　great　heat。〃　Verses　8；　9。　The　prophets　thus
describe　the　condition　of　the　earth　at　this　fearful　time：　〃The　land
mourneth；　。　。　。　because　the　harvest　of　the　field　is　perished。　。　。　。　All　the
trees　of　the　field　are　withered：　because　joy　is　withered　away　from　the　sons
of　men。〃　〃The　seed　is　rotten　under　their　clods；　the　garners　are　laid
desolate。　。　。　。　How　do　the　beasts　groan！　the　herds　of　cattle　are　perplexed；
because　they　have　no　pasture。　。　。　。　The　rivers　of　water　are　dried　up；　and
the　fire　hath　devoured　the　pastures　of　the　wilderness。〃　〃The　songs　of　the
temple　shall　be　howlings　in　that　day；　saith　the　Lord　God：　there　shall　be
many　dead　bodies　in　every　place；　they　shall　cast　them　forth　with　silence。〃
Joel　1：10…12；　17…20；　Amos　8：3。

These　plagues　are　not　universal；　or　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　would　be
wholly　cut　off。　Yet　they　will　be　the　most

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awful　scourges　that　have　ever　been　known　to　mortals。　All　the　judgments　upon
men；　prior　to　the　close　of　probation；　have　been　mingled　with　mercy。　The
pleading　blood　of　Christ　has　shielded　the　sinner　from　receiving　the　full
measure　of　his　guilt；　but　in　the　final　judgment；　wrath　is　poured　out　unmixed
with　mercy。

In　that　day；　multitudes　will　desire　the　shelter　of　God's　mercy　which　they
have　so　long　despised。　〃Behold；　the　days　come；　saith　the　Lord　God；　that　I
will　send　a　famine　in　the　lan