the great controversy-第166章

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the　name　of　the　Lord！〃　It　is　not　love　to　Jesus　that　inspires　this　utterance。
The　force　of　truth　urges　the　words　from　unwilling　lips。　As　the　wicked　went
into　their　graves；　so　they　come　forth　with　the　same　enmity　to　Christ　and　the
same　spirit　of　rebellion。　They　are　to　have　no　new　probation　in　which　to
remedy　the　defects　of　their　past　lives。　Nothing　would　be　gained　by　this。　A
lifetime　of　transgression　has　not　softened　their　hearts。　A　second　probation；
were　it　given　them；　would　be　occupied　as　was　the　first　in　evading　the
requirements　of　God　and　exciting　rebellion　against　Him。

Christ　descends　upon　the　Mount　of　Olives；　whence；　after　His　resurrection；　He
ascended；　and　where　angels　repeated　the　promise　of　His　return。　Says　the
prophet：　〃The　Lord　my　God

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shall　come；　and　all　the　saints　with　Thee。〃　〃And　His　feet　shall　stand　in　that
day　upon　the　Mount　of　Olives；　which　is　before　Jerusalem　on　the　east；　and　the
Mount　of　Olives　shall　cleave　in　the　midst　thereof；　。　。　。　and　there　shall　be
a　very　great　valley。〃　〃And　the　Lord　shall　be　king　over　all　the　earth：　in
that　day　shall　there　be　one　Lord；　and　His　name　one。〃　Zechariah　14：5；　4；　9。
As　the　New　Jerusalem；　in　its　dazzling　splendor；　comes　down　out　of　heaven；　it
rests　upon　the　place　purified　and　made　ready　to　receive　it；　and　Christ；　with
His　people　and　the　angels；　enters　the　Holy　City。

Now　Satan　prepares　for　a　last　mighty　struggle　for　the　supremacy。　While
deprived　of　his　power　and　cut　off　from　his　work　of　deception；　the　prince　of
evil　was　miserable　and　dejected；　but　as　the　wicked　dead　are　raised　and　he
sees　the　vast　multitudes　upon　his　side；　his　hopes　revive；　and　he　determines
not　to　yield　the　great　controversy。　He　will　marshal　all　the　armies　of　the
lost　under　his　banner　and　through　them　endeavor　to　execute　his　plans。　The
wicked　are　Satan's　captives。　In　rejecting　Christ　they　have　accepted　the　rule
of　the　rebel　leader。　They　are　ready　to　receive　his　suggestions　and　to　do　his
bidding。　Yet；　true　to　his　early　cunning；　he　does　not　acknowledge　himself　to
be　Satan。　He　claims　to　be　the　prince　who　is　the　rightful　owner　of　the　world
and　whose　inheritance　has　been　unlawfully　wrested　from　him。　He　represents
himself　to　his　deluded　subjects　as　a　redeemer；　assuring　them　that　his　power
has　brought　them　forth　from　their　graves　and　that　he　is　about　to　rescue　them
from　the　most　cruel　tyranny。　The　presence　of　Christ　having　been　removed；
Satan　works　wonders　to　support　his　claims。　He　makes　the　weak　strong　and
inspires　all　with　his　own　spirit　and　energy。　He　proposes　to　lead　them
against　the　camp　of　the　saints　and　to　take　possession　of　the　City　of　God。
With　fiendish　exultation　he　points　to　the　unnumbered　millions　who　have　been
raised　from　the　dead　and　declares　that　as　their　leader　he　is　well　able　to
overthrow　the　city　and　regain　his　throne　and　his　kingdom。

664


In　that　vast　throng　are　multitudes　of　the　long…lived　race　that　existed
before　the　Flood；　men　of　lofty　stature　and　giant　intellect；　who；　yielding　to
the　control　of　fallen　angels；　devoted　all　their　skill　and　knowledge　to　the
exaltation　of　themselves；　men　whose　wonderful　works　of　art　led　the　world　to
idolize　their　genius；　but　whose　cruelty　and　evil　inventions；　defiling　the
earth　and　defacing　the　image　of　God；　caused　Him　to　blot　them　from　the　face
of　His　creation。　There　are　kings　and　generals　who　conquered　nations；　valiant
men　who　never　lost　a　battle；　proud；　ambitious　warriors　whose　approach　made
kingdoms　tremble。　In　death　these　experienced　no　change。　As　they　come　up　from
the　grave；　they　resume　the　current　of　their　thoughts　just　where　it　ceased。
They　are　actuated　by　the　same　desire　to　conquer　that　ruled　them　when　they
fell。

Satan　consults　with　his　angels；　and　then　with　these　kings　and　conquerors　and
mighty　men。　They　look　upon　the　strength　and　numbers　on　their　side；　and
declare　that　the　army　within　the　city　is　small　in　comparison　with　theirs；
and　that　it　can　be　overcome。　They　lay　their　plans　to　take　possession　of　the
riches　and　glory　of　the　New　Jerusalem。　All　immediately　begin　to　prepare　for
battle。　Skillful　artisans　construct　implements　of　war。　Military　leaders；
famed　for　their　success；　marshal　the　throngs　of　warlike　men　into　companies
and　divisions。

At　last　the　order　to　advance　is　given；　and　the　countless　host　moves　onan
army　such　as　was　never　summoned　by　earthly　conquerors；　such　as　the　combined
forces　of　all　ages　since　war　began　on　earth　could　never　equal。　Satan；　the
mightiest　of　warriors；　leads　the　van；　and　his　angels　unite　their　forces　for
this　final　struggle。　Kings　and　warriors　are　in　his　train；　and　the　multitudes
follow　in　vast　companies；　each　under　its　appointed　leader。　With　military
precision　the　serried　ranks　advance　over　the　earth's　broken　and　uneven
surface　to　the　City　of　God。　By　command　of　Jesus；　the　gates　of　the　New
Jerusalem　are　closed；　and　the　armies　of　Satan　surround　the　city　and　make
ready　for　the　onset。

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Now　Christ　again　appears　to　the　view　of　His　enemies。　Far　above　the　city；
upon　a　foundation　of　burnished　gold；　is　a　throne；　high　and　lifted　up。　Upon
this　throne　sits　the　Son　of　God；　and　around　Him　are　the　subjects　of　His
kingdom。　The　power　and　majesty　of　Christ　no　language　can　describe；　no　pen
portray。　The　glory　of　the　Eternal　Father　is　enshrouding　His　Son。　The
brightness　of　His　presence　fills　the　City　of　God；　and　flows　out　beyond　the
gates；　flooding　the　whole　earth　with　its　radiance。

Nearest　the　throne　are　those　who　were　once　zealous　in　the　cause　of　Satan；
but　who；　plucked　as　brands　from　the　burning；　have　followed　their　Saviour
with　deep；　intense　devotion。　Next　are　those　who　perfected　Christian
characters　in　the　midst　of　falsehood　and　infidelity；　those　who　honored　the
law　of　God　when　the　Christian　world　declared　it　void；　and　the　millions；　of
all　ages；　who　were　martyred　for　their　faith。　And　beyond　is　the　〃great
multitude；　which　no　man　could　number；　of　all　nations；　and　kindreds；　and
people；　and　tongues；　。　。　。　before　the　throne；　and　before　the　Lamb；　clothed
with　white　robes；　and　palms　in　their　hands。〃　Revelation　7：9。　Their　warfare
is　ended；　their　victory　won。　They　have　run　the　race　and　reached　the　prize。
The　palm　branch　in　their　hands　is　a　symbol　of　their　triumph；　the　white　robe
an　emblem　of　the　spotless　righteousness　of　Christ　which　now　is　theirs。

The　redeemed　raise　a　song　of　praise　that　echoes　and　re…echoes　through　the
vaults　of　heaven：　〃Salvation　to　our　God　which　sitteth　upon　the　throne；　and
unto　the　Lamb。〃　Verse
10。　And　angel　and　seraph　unite　their　voices　in　adoration。　As
the　redeemed　have　beheld　the　power　and　malignity　of　Satan；　they　have　seen；
as　never　before；　that　no　power　but　that　of　Christ　could　have　made　them
conquerors。　In　all　that　shining　throng　there　are　none　to　ascribe　salvation
to　themselves；　as　if　they　had　prevailed　by　their　own　power　and　goodness。
Nothing　is　said　of　what　they　have　done　or　suffered；　but　the　burden　of　every
song；　the　keynote　of　every　anthem；　is：　Salvation　to　our　God　and　unto　the
Lamb。

666


In　the　presence　of　the　assembled　inhabitants　of　earth　and　heaven　the　final
coronation　of　the　Son　of　God　takes　place。　And　now；　invested　with　supreme
majesty　and　power；　the　King　of　kings　pronounces　sentence　upon　the　rebels
against　His　government　and　executes　justice　upon　those　who　have　transgressed
His　law　and　oppressed　His　people。　Says　the　prophet　of　God：　〃I　saw　a　great
white　throne；　and　Him　that　sat　on　it；　from　whose　face　the　earth　and　the
heaven　fled　away；　and　there　was　found　no　place　for　them。　And　I　saw　the　dead；
small　and　great；　stand　before　God；　and　the　books　were　opened：　and　another
book　was　opened；　which　is　the　book　of　life：　and　the　dead　were　judged　out　of
those　things　which　were　written　in　the　books；　according　to　their　works。〃
Revelation　20：11；　12。

As　soon　as　the　books　of　record　are　opened；　and　the　eye　of　Jesus　looks　upon
the　wicked；　they　are　conscious　of　every　sin　which　they　have　ever　committed。
They　see　just　where　their　feet　diverged　from　the　path　of　purity　and
holiness；　just　how　far　pride　and　rebellion　have　carried　them　in　the
violation　of　the