patriarchs and prophets-第26章
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Most High； thy habitation； there shall no evil befall thee。〃 Psalm 91：9； 10。
〃In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion： in the secret of
His tabernacle shall He hide me。〃 Psalm 27：5。 God's promise is； 〃Because he
hath set his love upon Me； therefore will I deliver him： I will set him on
high； because he hath known My name。〃 Psalm 91：14。
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Chapter 9
The Literal Week
Like the Sabbath； the week originated at creation； and it has been preserved
and brought down to us through Bible history。 God Himself measured off the
first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time。 Like every
other； it consisted of seven literal days。 Six days were employed in the
work of creation； upon the seventh； God rested； and He then blessed this day
and set it apart as a day of rest for man。
In the law given from Sinai； God recognized the week； and the facts upon
which it is based。 After giving the command； 〃Remember the Sabbath day； to
keep it holy；〃 and specifying what shall be done on the six days； and what
shall not be done on the seventh； He states the reason for thus observing
the week； by pointing back to His own example： 〃For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth； the sea； and all that in them is； and rested the
seventh day： wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day； and hallowed it。〃
Exodus 20：8…11。 This reason appears beautiful and forcible when we
understand the days of creation to be literal。 The first six days of each
week are given to man for labor； because God employed the same period of the
first week in the work of creation。 On the seventh day man is to refrain
from labor； in commemoration of the Creator's rest。
But the assumption that the events of the first week required thousands upon
thousands of years； strikes directly at the foundation of the fourth
commandment。 It represents the Creator as commanding men to observe the week
of literal days in commemoration of vast； indefinite periods。 This is unlike
His method of dealing with His creatures。 It makes indefinite and obscure
that which He has made very plain。 It is infidelity in its most insidious
and hence most dangerous form； its real character is so disguised that it is
held and taught by many who profess to believe the Bible。
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〃By the word of the Lord were the heavens made； and all the host of them by
the breath of His mouth。〃 〃For He spake； and it was done； He commanded； and
it stood fast。〃 Psalm 33：6； 9。 The Bible recognizes no long ages in which
the earth was slowly evolved from chaos。 Of each successive day of creation；
the sacred record declares that it consisted of the evening and the morning；
like all other days that have followed。 At the close of each day is given
the result of the Creator's work。 The statement is made at the close of the
first week's record； 〃These are the generations of the heavens and of the
earth when they were created。〃 Genesis 2：4。 But this does not convey the
idea that the days of creation were other than literal days。 Each day was
called a generation； because that in it God generated； or produced； some new
portion of His work。
Geologists claim to find evidence from the earth itself that it is very much
older than the Mosaic record teaches。 Bones of men and animals； as well as
instruments of warfare； petrified trees； etcetera； much larger than any that
now exist； or that have existed for thousands of years； have been
discovered； and from this it is inferred that the earth was populated long
before the time brought to view in the record of creation； and by a race of
beings vastly superior in size to any men now living。 Such reasoning has led
many professed Bible believers to adopt the position that the days of
creation were vast； indefinite periods。
But apart from Bible history； geology can prove nothing。 Those who reason so
confidently upon its discoveries have no adequate conception of the size of
men； animals； and trees before the Flood； or of the great changes which then
took place。 Relics found in the earth do give evidence of conditions
differing in many respects from the present； but the time when these
conditions existed can be learned only from the Inspired Record。 In the
history of the Flood； inspiration has explained that which geology alone
could never fathom。 In the days of Noah； men； animals； and trees； many times
larger than now exist； were buried； and thus preserved as an evidence to
later generations that the antediluvians perished by a flood。 God designed
that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired
history； but men； with their vain reasoning； fall into the same error as did
the people before the Floodthe things which God gave them as a benefit；
they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them。
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It is one of Satan's devices to lead the people to accept the fables of
infidelity； for he can thus obscure the law of God； in itself very plain；
and embolden men to rebel against the divine government。 His efforts are
especially directed against the fourth commandment； because it so clearly
points to the living God； the Maker of the heavens and the earth。
There is a constant effort made to explain the work of creation as the
result of natural causes； and human reasoning is accepted even by professed
Christians； in opposition to plain Scripture facts。 There are many who
oppose the investigation of the prophecies； especially those of Daniel and
the Revelation； declaring them to be so obscure that we cannot understand
them； yet these very persons eagerly receive the suppositions of geologists；
in contradiction of the Mosaic record。 But if that which God has revealed is
so difficult to understand； how inconsistent it is to accept mere
suppositions in regard to that which He has not revealed！
〃The secret things belong unto the Lord our God： but those things which are
revealed belong unto us and to our children forever。〃 Deuteronomy 29：29。
Just how God accomplished the work of creation He has never revealed to men；
human science cannot search out the secrets of the Most High。 His creative
power is as incomprehensible as His existence。
God has permitted a flood of light to be poured upon the world in both
science and art； but when professedly scientific men treat upon these
subjects from a merely human point of view； they will assuredly come to
wrong conclusions。 It may be innocent to speculate beyond what God's word
has revealed； if our theories do not contradict facts found in the
Scriptures； but those who leave the word of God； and seek to account for His
created works upon scientific principles； are drifting without chart or
compass upon an unknown ocean。 The greatest minds； if not guided by the word
of God in their research； become bewildered in their attempts to trace the
relations of science and revelation。 Because the Creator and His works are
so far beyond their comprehension that they are unable to explain them by
natural laws； they regard Bible history as unreliable。 Those who doubt the
reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments； will be led to go
a step further； and doubt the existence of God； and then； having lost their
anchor； they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity。
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These persons have lost the simplicity of faith。 There should be a settled
belief in the divine authority of God's Holy Word。 The Bible is not to be
tested by men's ideas of science。 Human knowledge is an unreliable guide。
Skeptics who read the Bible for the sake of caviling； may； through an
imperfect comprehension of either science or revelation； claim to find
contradictions between them； but rightly understood； they are in perfect
harmony。 Moses wrote under the guidance of the Spirit of God； and a correct
theory of geology will never claim discoveries that cannot be reconciled
with his statements。 All truth； whether in nature or in revelation； is
consistent with itself in all its manifestations。
In the word o
