the great controversy-第57章

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The　condition　of　the　church　at　this　time　is　pointed　out　in　the　Saviour's
words　in　the　Revelation：　〃Thou　hast　a　name

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that　thou　livest；　and　art　dead。〃　And　to　those　who　refuse　to　arouse　from
their　careless　security；　the　solemn　warning　is　addressed：　〃If　therefore　thou
shalt　not　watch；　I　will　come　on　thee　as　a　thief；　and　thou　shalt　not　know
what　hour　I　will　come　upon　thee。〃　Revelation　3：1；　3。

It　was　needful　that　men　should　be　awakened　to　their　danger；　that　they　should
be　roused　to　prepare　for　the　solemn　events　connected　with　the　close　of
probation。　The　prophet　of　God　declares：　〃The　day　of　the　Lord　is　great　and
very　terrible；　and　who　can　abide　it？〃　Who　shall　stand　when　He　appeareth　who
is　〃of　purer　eyes　than　to　behold　evil；〃　and　cannot　〃look　on　iniquity〃？　Joel
2：11；　Habakkuk　1：13。　To　them　that　cry；　〃My　God；　we　know　Thee；〃　yet　have
transgressed　His　covenant；　and　hastened　after　another　god；　hiding　iniquity
in　their　hearts；　and　loving　the　paths　of　unrighteousness　to　these　the　day
of　the　Lord　is　〃darkness；　and　not　light；　even　very　dark；　and　no　brightness
in　it。〃　Hosea　8：2；　1；　Psalm　16；4；　Amos　5：20。　〃It　shall　come　to　pass　at　that
time；〃　saith　the　Lord；　〃that　I　will　search　Jerusalem　with　candles；　and
punish　the　men　that　are　settled　on　their　lees：　that　say　in　their　heart；　The
Lord　will　not　do　good；　neither　will　He　do　evil。〃　Zephaniah　1：12。　〃I　will
punish　the　world　for　their　evil；　and　the　wicked　for　their　iniquity；　and　I
will　cause　the　arrogancy　of　the　proud　to　cease；　and　will　lay　low　the
haughtiness　of　the　terrible。〃　Isaiah　13：11。　〃Neither　their　silver　nor　their
gold　shall　be　able　to　deliver　them；〃　〃their　goods　shall　become　a　booty；　and
their　houses　a　desolation。〃　Zephaniah　1：18；　13。

The　prophet　Jeremiah；　looking　forward　to　this　fearful　time；　exclaimed：　〃I　am
pained　at　my　very　heart。　。　。　。　I　cannot　hold　my　peace；　because　thou　hast
heard；　O　my　soul；　the　sound　of　the　trumpet；　the　alarm　of　war。　Destruction
upon　destruction　is　cried。〃　Jeremiah　4：19；　20。

〃That　day　is　a　day　of　wrath；　a　day　of　trouble　and　distress；　a　day　of
wasteness　and　desolation；　a　day　of　darkness　and　gloominess；　a　day　of　clouds
and　thick　darkness；　a　day　of　the　trumpet　and　alarm。〃　Zephaniah　1：15；　16。
〃Behold；　the　day

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of　the　Lord　cometh；　。　。　。　to　lay　the　land　desolate：　and　He　shall　destroy　the
sinners　thereof　out　of　it。〃　Isaiah　13：9。

In　view　of　that　great　day　the　word　of　God；　in　the　most　solemn　and　impressive
language；　calls　upon　His　people　to　arouse　from　their　spiritual　lethargy　and
to　seek　His　face　with　repentance　and　humiliation：　〃Blow　ye　the　trumpet　in
Zion；　and　sound　an　alarm　in　My　holy　mountain：　let　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
land　tremble：　for　the　day　of　the　Lord　cometh；　for　it　is　nigh　at　hand。〃
〃Sanctify　a　fast；　call　a　solemn　assembly：　gather　the　people；　sanctify　the
congregation；　assemble　the　elders；　gather　the　children：　。　。　。　let　the
bridegroom　go　forth　of　his　chamber；　and　the　bride　out　of　her　closet。　Let　the
priests；　the　ministers　of　the　Lord；　weep　between　the　porch　and　the　altar。〃
〃Turn　ye　even　to　Me　with　all　your　heart；　and　with　fasting；　and　with　weeping；
and　with　mourning：　and　rend　your　heart；　and　not　your　garments；　and　turn　unto
the　Lord　your　God：　for　He　is　gracious　and　merciful；　slow　to　anger；　and　of
great　kindness。〃　Joel　2：1；
15…17；　12；　13。

To　prepare　a　people　to　stand　in　the　day　of　God；　a　great　work　of　reform　was
to　be　accomplished。　God　saw　that　many　of　His　professed　people　were　not
building　for　eternity；　and　in　His　mercy　He　was　about　to　send　a　message　of
warning　to　arouse　them　from　their　stupor　and　lead　them　to　make　ready　for　the
coming　of　the　Lord。

This　warning　is　brought　to　view　in　Revelation　14。　Here　is　a　threefold
message　represented　as　proclaimed　by　heavenly　beings　and　immediately
followed　by　the　coming　of　the　Son　of　man　to　reap　〃the　harvest　of　the　earth。〃
The　first　of　these　warnings　announces　the　approaching　judgment。　The　prophet
beheld　an　angel　flying　〃in　the　midst　of　heaven；　having　the　everlasting
gospel　to　preach　unto　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth；　and　to　every　nation；　and
kindred；　and　tongue；　and　people；　saying　with　a　loud　voice；　Fear　God；　and
give　glory　to　Him；　for　the　hour　of　His　judgment　is　come：　and　worship　Him
that　made　heaven；　and　earth；　and　the　sea；　and　the　fountains　of　waters。〃
Revelation　14：6；　7。

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This　message　is　declared　to　be　a　part　of　〃the　everlasting　gospel。〃　The　work
of　preaching　the　gospel　has　not　been　committed　to　angels；　but　has　been
entrusted　to　men。　Holy　angels　have　been　employed　in　directing　this　work；
they　have　in　charge　the　great　movements　for　the　salvation　of　men；　but　the
actual　proclamation　of　the　gospel　is　performed　by　the　servants　of　Christ
upon　the　earth。

Faithful　men；　who　were　obedient　to　the　promptings　of　God's　Spirit　and　the
teachings　of　His　word；　were　to　proclaim　this　warning　to　the　world。　They　were
those　who　had　taken　heed　to　the　〃sure　word　of　prophecy；〃　the　〃light　that
shineth　in　a　dark　place；　until　the　day　dawn；　and　the　daystar　arise。〃
2　Peter　1：19。　They　had　been　seeking　the　knowledge　of　God
more　than　all　hid　treasures；　counting　it　〃better　than　the　merchandise　of
silver；　and　the　gain　thereof　than　fine　gold。〃　Proverbs　3：14。　And　the　Lord
revealed　to　them　the　great　things　of　the　kingdom。　〃The　secret　of　the　Lord　is
with　them　that　fear　Him；　and　He　will　show　them　His　covenant。〃　Psalm　25：14。

It　was　not　the　scholarly　theologians　who　had　an　understanding　of　this　truth；
and　engaged　in　its　proclamation。　Had　these　been　faithful　watchmen；
diligently　and　prayerfully　searching　the　Scriptures；　they　would　have　known
the　time　of　night；　the　prophecies　would　have　opened　to　them　the　events　about
to　take　place。　But　they　did　not　occupy　this　position；　and　the　message　was
given　by　humbler　men。　Said　Jesus：　〃Walk　while　ye　have　the　light；　lest
darkness　come　upon　you。〃　John　12：35。　Those　who　turn　away　from　the　light
which　God　has　given；　or　who　neglect　to　seek　it　when　it　is　within　their
reach；　are　left　in　darkness。　But　the　Saviour　declares：　〃He　that　followeth　Me
shall　not　walk　in　darkness；　but　shall　have　the　light　of　life。〃　John　8：12。
Whoever　is　with　singleness　of　purpose　seeking　to　do　God's　will；　earnestly
heeding　the　light　already　given；　will　receive　greater　light；　to　that　soul
some　star　of　heavenly　radiance　will　be　sent　to　guide　him　into　all　truth。

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At　the　time　of　Christ's　first　advent　the　priests　and　scribes　of　the　Holy
City；　to　whom　were　entrusted　the　oracles　of　God；　might　have　discerned　the
signs　of　the　times　and　proclaimed　the　coming　of　the　Promised　One。　The
prophecy　of　Micah　designated　His　birthplace；　Daniel　specified　the　time　of
His　advent。　Micah　5：2；　Daniel　9：25。　God　committed　these　prophecies　to　the
Jewish　leaders；　they　were　without　excuse　if　they　did　not　know　and　declare　to
the　people　that　the　Messiah's　coming　was　at　hand。　Their　ignorance　was　the
result　of　sinful　neglect。　The　Jews　were　building　monuments　for　the　slain
prophets　of　God；　while　by　their　deference　to　the　great　men　of　earth　they
were　paying　homage　to　the　servants　of　Satan。　Absorbed　in　their　ambitious
strife　for　place　and　power　among　men；　they　lost　sight　of　the　divine　honors
proffered　them　by　the　King　of　heaven。

With　profound　and　reverent　interest　the　elders　of　Israel　should　have　been
studying　the　place；　the　time；　the　circumstances；　of　the　greatest　event　in
the　world's　historythe　coming　of　the　Son　of　God　to　accomplish　the
redemption　of　man。　All　the　people　should　have　been　watching　and　waiting　that
they　might　be　among　the　first　to　welcome　the　world's　Redeemer。　But；　lo；　at
Bethlehem　two　weary　travelers　from　the　hills　of　Nazareth　traverse　the　whole
length　of　the　narrow　street　to　the　eastern　extremity　of　the　town；　vainly
seeking　a　place　of　rest　and　shelter　for　the　night。　No　doors　are　open　to
receive　them。　In　a　wretched　hovel　prepared　for　cattle；　they　at　last　find
refuge；　and　there　the　Saviour　of　the　world　is　born。

Heavenly　angels　had　seen　the　glory　which　the　Son　of　God　shared　with　the
Father　before　the　world　was；　and　they　had　looked　forward　with　intense
interest　to　His　appearing　on　earth　as　an　event　fraught　with　the　greatest　joy
to　all　people。　Angels　were　appointed　to　carry　the　glad　tidings　to　those　who
were　prepared　to　receive　it　and　who　would　joyfully　make　it　known　to　the
inhabitants　of　the　earth。　Christ　had　stooped　to　take　upon　Himself　man's
nature；　He　was　to　bear　an　infinite

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weight　of　woe　as　He　should　make　His　soul　an　offering　for　sin；　yet　angels
desired　that　even　in　His　humiliation　the　Son　of　the　Highest　might　appear
before　men　with　a　dignity　and　glory　befitting　His　character。　Would　the　great
men　of　earth　assemble　at　Israel's　capital　to　greet　His　coming？　Would　legions
of　angels　present　Him　to　the　expectant　company？

An　angel　visits　the　earth　to　see　who　are　prepared　to　welcome　Jesus。　But　he
can　discern　no　tokens　of　expectancy。　He　hears　no　voice　of　praise　and　triumph
that　the　period　of　Messiah's　coming　is　at　hand。　The　angel　hovers　for　a　time
over　the　chosen　city　and　the　temple　where　the　divine　presence　has　been
manifested　for　ages；　but　even　here　is　the　same　indifference。　The　priests；　in
their　pomp　and　pride；　are　offering　polluted　sacrifices　in　the　temple。　The
Pharisees　are　with　loud　voices　addressing　the　people　or　making　boastful
prayers　at　the　corners　of　the　streets。　In　the　palaces　of　kings；　in　the
assemblies　of　philosophers；　in　the　schools　of　the　rabbis；　all　are　alike
unmindful　of　the　wondrous　fact　which　has　filled　all　heaven　with　joy　and
praisethat　the　Redeemer　of　men　is　about　to　appear　upon　the　earth。

There　is　no　evidence　that　Christ　is　expected；　and　no　preparation　for　the
Prince　of　life。　In　amazement　the　celestial　messenger　is　about　to　return　to
heaven　with　the　shameful　tidings；　when　he　discovers　a　group　of　shepherds　who
are　watching　their　flocks　by　night；　and；　as　they　gaze　into　the　starry
heavens；　are　contemplating　the　prophecy　of　a　Messiah　to　come　to　earth；　and
longing　for　the　advent　of　the　world's　Redeemer。　Here　is　a　company　that　is
prepared　to　receive　the　heavenly　message。　And　suddenly　the　angel　of　the　Lord
appears；　declaring　the　good　tidings　of　great　joy。　Celestial　glory　floods　all
the　plain；　an　innumerable　company　of　angels　is　revealed；　and　as　if　the　joy
were　too　great　for　one　messenger　to　bring　from　heaven；　a　multitude　of　voices
break　forth　in　the　anthem　which　all　the　nations　of　the　saved　shall　one　day
sing：　〃Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and　on　earth　peace；　good　will　toward
men。〃　Luke　2：14。

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Oh；　what　a　lesson　is　this　wonderful　story　of　Bethlehem！　How　it　rebukes　our
unbelief；　our　pride　and　self…sufficiency。　How　it　warns　us　to　beware；　lest　by
our　criminal　indifference　we　also　fail　to　discern　the　signs　of　the　times；
and　therefore　know　not　the　day　of　our　visitation。

It　was　not　alone　upon　the　hills　of　Judea；　not　among　the　lowly　shepherds
only；　that　angels　found　the　watchers　for　Messiah's　coming。　In　the　land　of
the　heathen　also　were　those　that　looked　for　Him；　they　were　wise　men；　rich
and　noble；　the　philosophers　of　the　East。　Students　of　nature；　the　Ma