patriarchs and prophets-第40章
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the ministration of judgment begins。
The Redeemer of the world declares that there are greater sins than that for
which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed。 Those who hear the gospel
invitation calling sinners to repentance； and heed it not； are more guilty
before God than were the dwellers in the vale of Siddim。 And still greater
sin is theirs who profess to know God and to keep His commandments； yet who
deny Christ in their character and their daily life。 In the light of the
Saviour's warning； the fate of Sodom is a solemn admonition； not merely to
those who are guilty of outbreaking sin； but to all who are trifling with
Heaven…sent light and privileges。
Said the True Witness to the church at Ephesus： 〃I have somewhat against
thee； because thou hast left thy first love。 Remember therefore from whence
thou art fallen； and repent； and do the first works； or else I will come
unto thee quickly； and will remove thy candlestick out of his place； except
thou repent。〃 Revelation 2：4；5。 The Saviour watches for a response to His
offers of love and forgiveness； with a more tender compassion than that
which moves the heart of an earthly parent to forgive a wayward； suffering
son。 He cries after the wanderer； 〃Return unto Me； and I will return unto
you。〃 Malachi 3：7。 But if the erring one persistently refuses to heed the
voice that calls him with pitying； tender love； he will at last be left in
darkness。 The heart that has long slighted God's mercy； becomes hardened in
sin； and is no longer susceptible to the influence of the grace of God。
Fearful will be the doom of that soul of whom the pleading Saviour shall
finally declare； he 〃is joined to idols： let him alone。〃 Hosea 4：17。 It will
be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the cities of the plain than
for those who have known the love of Christ； and yet have turned away to
choose the pleasures of a world of sin。
You who are slighting the offers of mercy； think of the long array of
figures accumulating against you in the books of heaven； for there is a
record kept of the impieties of nations； of families； of individuals。 God
may bear long while the account goes on； and calls to repentance and offers
of pardon may be given； yet a time will come when the account will be full；
when the soul's decision has been made； when by his own choice man's destiny
has been fixed。 Then the signal will be given for judgment to be executed。
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There is cause for alarm in the condition of the religious world today。
God's mercy has been trifled with。 The multitudes make void the law of
Jehovah； 〃teaching for doctrines the commandments of men。〃 Matthew 15：9。
Infidelity prevails in many of the churches in our land； not infidelity in
its broadest sensean open denial of the Biblebut an infidelity that is
robed in the garb of Christianity； while it is undermining faith in the
Bible as a revelation from God。 Fervent devotion and vital piety have given
place to hollow formalism。 As the result； apostasy and sensualism prevail。
Christ declared； 〃As it was in the days of Lot； 。 。 。 even thus shall it be
in the day when the Son of man is revealed。〃 Luke 17：28；30。 The daily record
of passing events testifies to the fulfillment of His words。 The world is
fast becoming ripe for destruction。 Soon the judgments of God are to be
poured out； and sin and sinners are to be consumed。
Said our Saviour： 〃Take heed to yourselves； lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting； and drunkenness； and cares of this life； and so
that day come upon you unawares。 For as a snare shall it come on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth〃upon all whose interests are
centered in this world。 〃Watch ye therefore； and pray always； that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass； and to
stand before the Son of man。〃 Luke 21：34…36。
Before the destruction of Sodom； God sent a message to Lot； 〃Escape for thy
life； look not behind thee； neither stay thou in all the plain； escape to
the mountain； lest thou be consumed。〃 The same voice of warning was heard by
the disciples of Christ before the destruction of Jerusalem： 〃When ye shall
see Jerusalem compassed with armies； then know that the desolation thereof
is nigh。 Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains。〃 Luke
21：20；21。 They must not tarry to secure anything from their possessions； but
must make the most of the opportunity to escape。
There was a coming out； a decided separation from the wicked； an escape for
life。 So it was in the days of Noah； so with Lot； so with the disciples
prior to the destruction of Jerusalem； and so it will be in the last days。
Again the voice of God is heard in a message of warning； bidding His people
separate themselves from the prevailing iniquity。
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The state of corruption and apostasy that in the last days would exist in
the religious world； was presented to the prophet John in the vision of
Babylon； 〃that great city； which reigneth over the kings of the earth。〃
Revelation 17：18。 Before its destruction the call is to be given from
heaven； 〃Come out of her； My people； that ye be not partakers of her sins；
and that ye receive not of her plagues。〃 Revelation 18：4。 As in the days of
Noah and Lot； there must be a marked separation from sin and sinners。 There
can be no compromise between God and the world； no turning back to secure
earthly treasures。 〃Ye cannot serve God and mammon。〃 Matthew 6：24。
Like the dwellers in the vale of Siddim； the people are dreaming of
prosperity and peace。 〃Escape for thy life；〃 is the warning from the angels
of God； but other voices are heard saying； 〃Be not excited； there is no
cause for alarm。〃 The multitudes cry； 〃Peace and safety；〃 while Heaven
declares that swift destruction is about to come upon the transgressor。 On
the night prior to their destruction； the cities of the plain rioted in
pleasure and derided the fears and warnings of the messenger of God； but
those scoffers perished in the flames； that very night the door of mercy was
forever closed to the wicked； careless inhabitants of Sodom。 God will not
always be mocked； He will not long be trifled with。 〃Behold； the day of the
Lord cometh； cruel both with wrath and fierce anger； to lay the land
desolate： and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it。〃 Isaiah 13：9。
The great mass of the world will reject God's mercy； and will be overwhelmed
in swift and irretrievable ruin。 But those who heed the warning shall dwell
〃in the secret place of the Most High；〃 and 〃abide under the shadow of the
Almighty。〃 His truth shall be their shield and buckler。 For them is the
promise； 〃With long life will I satisfy him； and show him My salvation。〃
Psalm 91：1； 4；16。
Lot dwelt but a short time in Zoar。 Iniquity prevailed there as in Sodom；
and he feared to remain； lest the city should be destroyed。 Not long after；
Zoar was consumed； as God had purposed。 Lot made his way to the mountains；
and abode in a cave； stripped of all for which he had dared to subject his
family to the influences of a wicked city。 But the curse of Sodom followed
him even here。 The sinful conduct of his daughters was the result of the
evil associations of that vile place。 Its moral corruption had
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become so interwoven with their character that they could not distinguish
between good and evil。 Lot's only posterity； the Moabites and Ammonites；
were vile； idolatrous tribes； rebels against God and bitter enemies of His
people。
In how wide contrast to the life of Abraham was that of Lot！ Once they had
been companions； worshiping at one altar； dwelling side by side in their
pilgrim tents； but how widely separated now！ Lot had chosen Sodom for its
pleasure and profit。 Leaving Abraham's altar and its daily sacrifice to the
living God； he had permitted his children to mingle with a corrupt and
idolatrous people； yet he had retained in his heart the fear of God； for he
is declared in the Scriptures to have been a 〃just〃 man； his righteous soul
was vexed with the vile conversation that greeted his ears daily and the
violence and crime he was powerle
