the great controversy-第156章

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The　young　would　not　be　seduced　into　sin　if　they　would　refuse　to　enter　any
path　save　that　upon　which　they　could　ask　God's　blessing。　If　the　messengers
who　bear　the　last　solemn　warning　to　the　world　would　pray　for　the　blessing　of
God；　not　in　a　cold；　listless；　lazy　manner；　but　fervently　and　in　faith；　as
did　Jacob；　they　would　find　many　places　where　they　could　say：　〃I　have　seen
God　face　to　face；　and　my　life　is　preserved。〃　Genesis　32：30。　They　would　be
accounted　of　heaven　as　princes；　having　power　to　prevail　with　God　and　with
men。

The　〃time　of　trouble；　such　as　never　was；〃　is　soon　to　open　upon　us；　and　we
shall　need　an　experience　which　we　do　not　now　possess　and　which　many　are　too
indolent　to　obtain。　It　is　often　the　case　that　trouble　is　greater　in
anticipation　than　in　reality；　but　this　is　not　true　of　the　crisis　before　us。
The　most　vivid　presentation　cannot　reach　the　magnitude　of　the　ordeal。　In
that　time　of　trial；　every　soul　must　stand　for　himself　before　God。　〃Though
Noah；　Daniel；　and　Job〃　were　in　the　land；　〃as　I　live；　saith　the　Lord　God；
they　shall　deliver　neither　son

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nor　daughter；　they　shall　but　deliver　their　own　souls　by　their
righteousness。〃　Ezekiel　14：20。

Now；　while　our　great　High　Priest　is　making　the　atonement　for　us；　we　should
seek　to　become　perfect　in　Christ。　Not　even　by　a　thought　could　our　Saviour　be
brought　to　yield　to　the　power　of　temptation。　Satan　finds　in　human　hearts
some　point　where　he　can　gain　a　foothold；　some　sinful　desire　is　cherished；　by
means　of　which　his　temptations　assert　their　power。　But　Christ　declared　of
Himself：　〃The　prince　of　this　world　cometh；　and　hath　nothing　in　Me。〃　John
14：30。　Satan　could　find　nothing　in　the　Son　of　God　that　would　enable　him　to
gain　the　victory。　He　had　kept　His　Father's　commandments；　and　there　was　no
sin　in　Him　that　Satan　could　use　to　his　advantage。　This　is　the　condition　in
which　those　must　be　found　who　shall　stand　in　the　time　of　trouble。

It　is　in　this　life　that　we　are　to　separate　sin　from　us；　through　faith　in　the
atoning　blood　of　Christ。　Our　precious　Saviour　invites　us　to　join　ourselves
to　Him；　to　unite　our　weakness　to　His　strength；　our　ignorance　to　His　wisdom；
our　unworthiness　to　His　merits。　God's　providence　is　the　school　in　which　we
are　to　learn　the　meekness　and　lowliness　of　Jesus。　The　Lord　is　ever　setting
before　us；　not　the　way　we　would　choose；　which　seems　easier　and　pleasanter　to
us；　but　the　true　aims　of　life。　It　rests　with　us　to　co…operate　with　the
agencies　which　Heaven　employs　in　the　work　of　conforming　our　characters　to
the　divine　model。　None　can　neglect　or　defer　this　work　but　at　the　most
fearful　peril　to　their　souls。

The　apostle　John　in　vision　heard　a　loud　voice　in　heaven　exclaiming：　〃Woe　to
the　inhabiters　of　the　earth　and　of　the　sea！　for　the　devil　is　come　down　unto
you；　having　great　wrath；　because　he　knoweth　that　he　hath　but　a　short　time。〃
Revelation　12：12。　Fearful　are　the　scenes　which　call　forth　this　exclamation
from　the　heavenly　voice。　The　wrath　of　Satan　increases　as　his　time　grows
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　cas