the great controversy-第119章

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thanksgiving；　and　honor；　and　power；　and　might；　be　unto　our　God　for　ever　and
ever。〃　Revelation　7：10；　12。

In　this　life　we　can　only　begin　to　understand　the　wonderful　theme　of
redemption。　With　our　finite　comprehension　we　may　consider　most　earnestly　the
shame　and　the　glory；　the　life　and　the　death；　the　justice　and　the　mercy；　that
meet　in　the　cross；　yet　with　the　utmost　stretch　of　our　mental　powers　we　fail
to　grasp　its　full　significance。　The　length　and　the　breadth；　the　depth　and
the　height；　of　redeeming　love　are　but　dimly　comprehended。　The　plan　of
redemption　will　not　be　fully　understood；　even　when　the　ransomed　see　as　they
are　seen　and　know　as　they　are　known；　but　through　the　eternal　ages　new　truth
will　continually　unfold　to　the　wondering　and　delighted　mind。　Though　the
griefs　and　pains　and　temptations　of　earth　are　ended　and　the　cause　removed；
the　people　of　God　will　ever　have　a　distinct；　intelligent　knowledge　of　what
their　salvation　has　cost。

The　cross　of　Christ　will　be　the　science　and　the　song　of　the　redeemed　through
all　eternity。　In　Christ　glorified　they　will　behold　Christ　crucified。　Never
will　it　be　forgotten　that　He　whose　power　created　and　upheld　the　unnumbered
worlds　through　the　vast　realms　of　space；　the　Beloved　of　God；　the　Majesty　of
heaven；　He　whom　cherub　and　shining　seraph　delighted　to　adorehumbled
Himself　to　uplift　fallen　man；　that　He　bore　the　guilt　and　shame　of　sin；　and
the　hiding　of　His　Father's　face；　till　the　woes　of　a　lost　world　broke　His
heart　and　crushed　out　His　life　on　Calvary's　cross。　That　the　Maker　of　all
worlds；　the　Arbiter　of　all　destinies；　should　lay　aside　His　glory　and
humiliate　Himself　from　love　to　man　will　ever　excite　the　wonder　and　adoration
of　the　universe。　As　the　nations　of　the　saved　look　upon　their　Redeemer　and
behold　the　eternal　glory　of　the　Father　shining　in　His　countenance；　as　they
behold　His　throne；　which　is　from　everlasting　to　everlasting；　and　know　that
His　kingdom　is　to　have　no　end；　they　break　forth　in　rapturous　song：　〃Worthy；
worthy　is　the　Lamb

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that　was　slain；　and　hath　redeemed　us　to　God　by　His　own　most　precious　blood！〃

The　mystery　of　the　cross　explains　all　other　mysteries。　In　the　light　that
streams　from　Calvary　the　attributes　of　God　which　had　filled　us　with　fear　and
awe　appear　beautiful　and　attractive。　Mercy；　tenderness；　and　parental　love
are　seen　to　blend　with　holiness；　justice；　and　power。　While　we　behold　the
majesty　of　His　throne；　high　and　lifted　up；　we　see　His　character　in　its
gracious　manifestations；　and　comprehend；　as　never　before；　the　significance
of　that　endearing　title；　〃Our　Father。〃

It　will　be　seen　that　He　who　is　infinite　in　wisdom　could　devise　no　plan　for
our　salvation　except　the　sacrifice　of　His　Son。　The　compensation　for　this
sacrifice　is　the　joy　of　peopling　the　earth　with　ransomed　beings；　holy；
happy；　and　immortal。　The　result　of　the　Saviour's　conflict　with　the　powers　of
darkness　is　joy　to　the　redeemed；　redounding　to　the　glory　of　God　throughout
eternity。　And　such　is　the　value　of　the　soul　that　the　Father　is　satisfied
with　the　price　paid；　and　Christ　Himself；　beholding　the　fruits　of　His　great
sacrifice；　is　satisfied。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　41

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Desolation　of　the　Earth


〃Her　sins　have　reached　unto　heaven；　and　God　hath　remembered　her　iniquities。
。　。　。　In　the　cup　which　she　hath　filled　fill　to　her　double。　How　much　she　hath
glorified　herself；　and　lived　deliciously；　so　much　torment　and　sorrow　give
her：　for　she　saith　in　her　heart；　I　sit　a　queen；　and　am　no　widow；　and　shall
see　no　sorrow。　Therefore　shall　her　plagues　come　in　one　day；　death；　and
mourning；　and　famine；　and　she　shall　be　utterly　burned　with　fire：　for　strong
is　the　Lord　God　who　judgeth　her。　And　the　kings　of　the　earth；　who　have
committed　fornication　and　lived　deliciously　with　her；　shall　bewail　her；　and
lament　for　her；　。　。　。　saying；　Alas；　alas　that　great　city　Babylon；　that
mighty　city！　for　in　one　hour　is　thy　judgment　come。〃　Revelation　18：5…10。

〃The　merchants　of　the　earth；〃　that　have　〃waxed　rich　through　the　abundance　of
her　delicacies；〃　〃shall　stand　afar　off　for　the　fear　of　her　torment；　weeping
and　wailing；　and　saying；　Alas；　alas　that　great　city；　that　was　clothed　in
fine　linen；　and　purple；　and　scarlet；　and　decked　with　gold；　and　precious
stones；　and　pearls！　For　in　one　hour　so　great　riches　is　come　to　nought。〃
Revelation　18：11；　3；　15…17。

Such　are　the　judgments　that　fall　upon　Babylon　in　the　day　of　the　visitation
of　God's　wrath。　She　has　filled　up　the　measure　of　her　iniquity；　her　time　has
come；　she　is　ripe　for　destruction。

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When　the　voice　of　God　turns　the　captivity　of　His　people；　there　is　a　terrible
awakening　of　those　who　have　lost　all　in　the　great　conflict　of　life。　While
probation　continued　they　were　blinded　by　Satan's　deceptions；　and　they
justified　their　course　of　sin。　The　rich　prided　themselves　upon　their
superiority　to　those　who　were　less　favored；　but　they　had　obtained　their
riches　by　violation　of　the　law　of　God。　They　had　neglected　to　feed　the
hungry；　to　clothe　the　naked；　to　deal　justly；　and　to　love　mercy。　They　had
sought　to　exalt　themselves　and　to　obtain　the　homage　of　their　fellow
creatures。　Now　they　are　stripped　of　all　that　made　them　great　and　are　left
destitute　and　defenseless。　They　look　with　terror　upon　the　destruction　of　the
idols　which　they　preferred　before　their　Maker。　They　have　sold　their　souls
for　earthly　riches　and　enjoyments；　and　have　not　sought　to　become　rich　toward
God。　The　result　is；　their　lives　are　a　failure；　their　pleasures　are　now
turned　to　gall；　their　treasures　to　corruption。　The　gain　of　a　lifetime　is
swept　away　in　a　moment。　The　rich　bemoan　the　destruction　of　their　grand
houses；　the　scattering　of　their　gold　and　silver。　But　their　lamentations　are
silenced　by　the　fear　that　they　themselves　are　to　perish　with　their　idols。

The　wicked　are　filled　with　regret；　not　because　of　their　sinful　neglect　of
God　and　their　fellow　men；　but　because　God　has　conquered。　They　lament　that
the　result　is　what　it　is；　but　they　do　not　repent　of　their　wickedness。　They
would　leave　no　means　untried　to　conquer　if　they　could。

The　world　see　the　very　class　whom　they　have　mocked　and　derided；　and　desired
to　exterminate；　pass　unharmed　through　pestilence；　tempest；　and　earthquake。
He　who　is　to　the　transgressors　of　His　law　a　devouring　fire；　is　to　His　people
a　safe　pavilion。

The　minister　who　has　sacrificed　truth　to　gain　the　favor　of　men　now　discerns
the　character　and　influence　of　his　teachings。　It　is　apparent　that　the
omniscient　eye　was　following　him　as　he　stood　in　the　desk；　as　he　walked　the
streets；　as　he　mingled　with　men　in　the　various　scenes　of　life。　Every

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emotion　of　the　soul；　every　line　written；　every　word　uttered；　every　act　that
led　men　to　rest　in　a　refuge　of　falsehood；　has　been　scattering　seed；　and　now；
in　the　wretched；　lost　souls　around　him；　he　beholds　the　harvest。

Saith　the　Lord：　〃They　have　healed　the　hurt　of　the　daughter　of　My　people
slightly；　saying；　Peace；　peace；　when　there　is　no　peace。〃　〃With　lies　ye　have
made　the　heart　of　the　righteous　sad；　whom　I　have　not　made　sad；　and
strengthened　the　hands　of　the　wicked；　that　he　should　not　return　from　his
wicked　way；　by　promising　him　life。〃　Jeremiah　8：11；　Ezekiel　13：22。

〃Woe　be　unto　the　pastors　that　destroy　and　scatter　the　sheep　of　My　pasture！　。
。　。　Behold；　I　will　visit　upon　you　the　evil　of　your　doings。〃　〃Howl；　ye
shepherds；　and　cry；　and　wallow　yourselves　in　the　ashes；　ye　principal　of　the
flock：　for　your　days　for　slaughter　and　of　your　dispersions　are　accomplished；
。　。　。　and　the　shepherds　shall　have　no　way　to　flee；　nor　the　principal　of　the
flock　to　escape。〃　Jeremiah　23：1；
2；　25：34；　35；　margin。

Ministers　and　people　see　that　they　have　not　sustained　the　right　relation　to
God。　They　see　that　they　have　rebelled　against　the　Author　of　all　just　and
righteous　law。　The　setting　aside　of　the　divine　precepts　gave　rise　to
thousands　of　springs　of　evil；　discord；　hatred；　iniquity；　until　the　earth
became　one　vast　field　of　strife；　one　sink　of　corruption。　This　is　the　view
that　now　appears　to　those　who　rejected　truth　and　chose　to　cherish　error。　No
language　can　express　the　longing　which　the　disobedient　and　disloyal　feel　for
that　which　they　have　lost　forevereternal　life。　Men　whom　the　world　has
worshiped　for　their　talents　and　eloquence　now　see　these　things　in　their　true
light。　They　realize　what　they　have　forfeited　by　transgression；　and　they　fall
at　the　feet　of　those　whose　fidelity　they　have　despised　and　derided；　and
confess　that　God　has　loved　them。

The　people　see　that　they　have　been　deluded。　They　accuse　one　another　of
having　led　them　to　destruction；　but　all　unite　in　heaping　their　bitterest
condemnation　upon　the　ministers。　Unfaithful　pastors　have　prophesied　smooth
things；　they　have　led　their　hearers　to　make　void　the　law　of　God　and　to

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persecute　those　who　would　keep　it　holy。　Now；　in　their　despair；　these
teachers　confess　before　the　world　their　work　of　deception。　The　multitudes
are　filled　with　fury。　〃We　are　lost！〃　they　cry；　〃and　you　are　the　cause　of　our
ruin；〃　and　they　turn　upon　the　false　shepherds。　The　very　ones　that　once
admired　them　most　will　pronounce　the　most　dreadful　curses　upon　them。　The
very　hands　that　once　crowned　them　with　laurels　will　be　raised　for　their
destruction。　The　swords　which　were　to　slay　God's　people　are　now　employed　to
destroy　their　enemies。　Everywhere　there　is　strife　and　bloodshed。

〃A　noise　shall　come　even　to　the　ends　of　the　earth；　for　the　Lord　hath　a
controversy　with　the　nations；　He　will　plead　with　all　flesh；　He　will　give
them　that　are　wicked　to　the　sword。〃　Jeremiah　25：31。　For　six　thousand　years
the　great　controversy　has　been　in　progress；　the　Son　of　God　and　His　heavenly
messengers　have　been　in　conflict　with　the　power　of　the　evil　one；　to　warn；
enlighten；　and　save　the　children　of　men。　Now　all　have　made　their　decisions；
the　wicked　have　fully　united　with　Satan　in　his　warfare　against　God。　The　time
has　come　for　God　to　vindicate　the　authority　of　His　downtrodden　law。　Now　the
controversy　is　not　alone　with　Satan；　but　with　men。　〃The　Lord　hath　a
controversy　with　the　nations；〃　〃He　will　give　them　that　are　wicked　to　the
sword。〃

The　mark　of　deliverance　has　been　set　upon　those　〃that　sigh　and　that　cry　for
all　the　abominations　that　be　done。〃　Now　the　angel　of　death　goes　forth；
represented　in　Ezekiel's　vision　by　the　men　with　the　slaughtering　weapons；　to
whom　the　command　is　given：　〃Slay　utterly　old　and　young；　both　maids；　and
little　children；　and　women：　but　come　not　near　any　man　upon　whom　is　the　mark；
and　begin　at　My　sanctuary。〃　Says　the　prophet：　〃They　began　at　the　ancient　men
which　were　before　the　house。〃　Ezekiel　9：1…6。　The　work　of　destruction　begins
among　those　who　have　professed　to　be　the　spiritual　guardians　of　the　people。
The　false　watchmen　are　the　first　to　fall。　There　are　none　to　pity　or　to
spare。　Men；　women；　maidens；　and　little　children　perish　together。

〃The　Lord　cometh　out　of　His　place　to　punish　the　inhabitants

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of　the　earth　for　their　iniquity：　the　earth　also　shall　dis