the great controversy-第134部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


subjects　have　no　power　to　turn　from　the　picture　of　their　own　work。　Each
actor　recalls　the　part　which　he　performed。　Herod；　who　slew　the　innocent
children　of　Bethlehem　that　he　might　destroy　the　King　of　Israel；　the　base
Herodias；　upon　whose　guilty　soul　rests　the　blood　of　John　the　Baptist；　the
weak；　timeserving　Pilate；　the　mocking　soldiers；　the　priests　and　rulers　and
the　maddened　throng　who　cried；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our
children！〃all　behold　the　enormity　of　their　guilt。　They　vainly　seek　to　hide
from　the　divine　majesty　of　His　countenance；　outshining　the　glory　of　the　sun；
while　the　redeemed　cast　their　crowns　at　the　Saviour's　feet；　exclaiming：　〃He
died　for　me！〃

Amid　the　ransomed　throng　are　the　apostles　of　Christ；　the　heroic　Paul；　the
ardent　Peter；　the　loved　and　loving　John；　and　their　truehearted　brethren；　and
with　them　the　vast　host　of　martyrs；　while　outside　the　walls；　with　every　vile
and　abominable　thing；　are　those　by　whom　they　were　persecuted；　imprisoned；
and　slain。　There　is　Nero；　that　monster　of　cruelty　and　vice；　beholding　the
joy　and　exaltation　of　those　whom　he　once　tortured；　and　in　whose　extremest
anguish　he　found　satanic　delight。　His　mother　is　there　to　witness　the　result
of

668

her　own　work；　to　see　how　the　evil　stamp　of　character　transmitted　to　her　son；
the　passions　encouraged　and　developed　by　her　influence　and　example；　have
borne　fruit　in　crimes　that　caused　the　world　to　shudder。

There　are　papist　priests　and　prelates；　who　claimed　to　be　Christ's
ambassadors；　yet　employed　the　rack；　the　dungeon；　and　the　stake　to　control
the　consciences　of　His　people。　There　are　the　proud　pontiffs　who　exalted
themselves　above　God　and　presumed　to　change　the　law　of　the　Most　High。　Those
pretended　fathers　of　the　church　have　an　account　to　render　to　God　from　which
they　would　fain　be　excused。　Too　late　they　are　made　to　see　that　the
Omniscient　One　is　jealous　of　His　law　and　that　He　will　in　no　wise　clear　the
guilty。　They　learn　now　that　Christ　identifies　His　interest　with　that　of　His
suffering　people；　and　they　feel　the　force　of　His　own　words：　〃Inasmuch　as　ye
have　done　it　unto　one　of　the　least　of　these　My　brethren；　ye　have　done　it
unto　Me。〃　Matthew　25：40。

The　whole　wicked　world　stand　arraigned　at　the　bar　of　God　on　the　charge　of
high　treason　against　the　government　of　heaven。　They　have　none　to　plead　their
cause；　they　are　without　excuse；　and　the　sentence　of　eternal　death　is
pronounced　against　them。

It　is　now　evident　to　all　that　the　wages　of　sin　is　not　noble　independence　and
eternal　life；　but　slavery；　ruin；　and　death。　The　wicked　see　what　they　have
forfeited　by　their　life　of　rebellion。　The　far　more　exceeding　and　eternal
weight　of　glory　was　despised　when　offered　them；　but　how　desirable　it　now
appears。　〃All　this；〃　cries　the　lost　soul；　〃I　might　have　had；　but　I　chose　to
put　these　things　far　from　me。　Oh；　strange　infatuation！　I　have　exchanged
peace；　happiness；　and　honor　for　wretchedness；　infamy；　and　despair。〃　All　see
that　their　exclusion　from　heaven　is　just。　By　their　lives　they　have　declared：
〃We　will　not　have　this　Man　＇Jesus＇　to　reign　over　us。〃

As　if　entranced；　the　wicked　have　looked　upon　the　coronation　of　the　Son　of
God。　They　see　in　His　hands　the　tables　of　the　divine　law；　the　statutes　which
they　have　despised　and

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　669

transgressed。　They　witness　the　outburst　of　wonder；　rapture；　and　adoration
from　the　saved；　and　as　the　wave　of　melody　sweeps　over　the　multitudes　without
the　city；　all　with　one　voice　exclaim；　〃Great　and　marvelous　are　Thy　works；
Lord　God　Almighty；　just　and　true　are　Thy　ways；　Thou　King　of　saints〃
（Revelation　15：3）；　and；　falling　prostrate；　they　worship　the　Prince　of　life。

Satan　seems　paralyzed　as　he　beholds　the　glory　and　majesty　of　Christ。　He　who
was　once　a　covering　cherub　remembers　whence　he　has　fallen。　A　shining　seraph；
〃son　of　the　morning；〃　how　changed；　how　degraded！　From　the　council　where　once
he　was　honored；　he　is　forever　excluded。　He　sees　another　now　standing　near　to
the　Father；　veiling　His　glory。　He　has　seen　the　crown　placed　upon　the　head　of
Christ　by　an　angel　of　lofty　stature　and　majestic　presence；　and　he　knows　that
the　exalted　position　of　this　angel　might　have　been　his。

Memory　recalls　the　home　of　his　innocence　and　purity；　the　peace　and　content
that　were　his　until　he　indulged　in　murmuring　against　God；　and　envy　of
Christ。　His　accusations；　his　rebellion；　his　deceptions　to　gain　the　sympathy
and　support　of　the　angels；　his　stubborn　persistence　in　making　no　effort　for
self…recovery　when　God　would　have　granted　him　forgiveness　all　come　vividly
before　him。　He　reviews　his　work　among　men　and　its　resultsthe　enmity　of　man
toward　his　fellow　man；　the　terrible　destruction　of　life；　the　rise　and　fall
of　kingdoms；　the　overturning　of　thrones；　the　long　succession　of　tumults；
conflicts；　and　revolutions。　He　recalls　his　constant　efforts　to　oppose　the
work　of　Christ　and　to　sink　man　lower　and　lower。　He　sees　that　his　hellish
plots　have　been　powerless　to　destroy　those　who　have　put　their　trust　in
Jesus。　As　Satan　looks　upon　his　kingdom；　the　fruit　of　his　toil；　he　sees　only
failure　and　ruin。　He　has　led　the　multitudes　to　believe　that　the　City　of　God
would　be　an　easy　prey；　but　he　knows　that　this　is　false。　Again　and　again；　in
the　progress　of　the　great　controversy；　he　has　been　defeated　and　compelled　to
yield。　He　knows　too　well　the　power　and　majesty　of　the　Eternal。

670


The　aim　of　the　great　rebel　has　ever　been　to　justify　himself　and　to　prove　the
divine　government　responsible　for　the　rebellion。　To　this　end　he　has　bent　all
the　power　of　his　giant　intellect。　He　has　worked　deliberately　and
systematically；　and　with　marvelous　success；　leading　vast　multitudes　to
accept　his　version　of　the　great　controversy　which　has　been　so　long　in
progress。　For　thousands　of　years　this　chief　of　conspiracy　has　palmed　off
falsehood　for　truth。　But　the　time　has　now　come　when　the　rebellion　is　to　be
finally　defeated　and　the　history　and　character　of　Satan　disclosed。　In　his
last　great　effort　to　dethrone　Christ；　destroy　His　people；　and　take
possession　of　the　City　of　God；　the　archdeceiver　has　been　fully　unmasked。
Those　who　have　united　with　him　see　the　total　failure　of　his　cause。　Christ's
followers　and　the　loyal　angels　behold　the　full　extent　of　his　machinations
against　the　government　of　God。　He　is　the　object　of　universal　abhorrence。

Satan　sees　that　his　voluntary　rebellion　has　unfitted　him　for　heaven。　He　has
trained　his　powers　to　war　against　God；　the　purity；　peace；　and　harmony　of
heaven　would　be　to　him　supreme　torture。　His　accusations　against　the　mercy
and　justice　of　God　are　now　silenced。　The　reproach　which　he　has　endeavored　to
cast　upon　Jehovah　rests　wholly　upon　himself。　And　now　Satan　bows　down　and
confesses　the　justice　of　his　sentence。

〃Who　shall　not　fear　Thee；　O　Lord；　and　glorify　Thy　name？　for　Thou　only　art
holy：　for　all　nations　shall　come　and　worship　before　Thee；　for　Thy　judgments
are　made　manifest。〃　Verse　4。　Every　question　of　truth　and　error　in　the
long…standing　controversy　has　now　been　made　plain。　The　results　of　rebellion；
the　fruits　of　setting　aside　the　divine　statutes；　have　been　laid　open　to　the
view　of　all　created　intelligences。　The　working　out　of　Satan's　rule　in
contrast　with　the　government　of　God　has　been　presented　to　the　whole
universe。　Satan's　own　works　have　condemned　him。　God's　wisdom；　His　justice；
and　His　goodness　stand　fully　vindicated。　It　is　seen　that　all　His　dealings　in
the　great　controversy　have　been　conducted

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　671

with　respect　to　the　eternal　good　of　His　people　and　the　good　of　all　the
worlds　that　He　has　created。　〃All　Thy　works　shall　praise　Thee；　O　Lord；　and
Thy　saints　shall　bless　Thee。〃　Psalm　145：10。　The　history　of　sin　will　stand　to
all　eternity　as　a　witness　that　with　the　existence　of　God's　law　is　bound　up
the　happiness　of　all　the　beings　He　has　created。　With　all　the　facts　of　the
great　controversy　in　view；　the　whole　universe；　both　loyal　and　rebellious；
with　one　accord　declare：　〃Just　and　true　are　Thy　ways；　Thou　King　of　saints。〃

Before　the　universe　has　been　clearly　presented　the　great　sacrifice　made　by
the　Father　and　the　Son　in　man's　behalf。　The　hour　has　come　when　Christ
occupies　His　rightful　position　and　is　glorified　above　principalities　and
powers　and　every　name　that　is　named。　It　was　for　the　joy　that　was　set　before
Himthat　He　might　bring　many　sons　unto　glorythat　He　endured　the　cross　and
despised　the　shame。　And　inconceivably　great　as　was　the　sorrow　and　the　shame；
yet　greater　is　the　joy　and　the　glory。　He　looks　upon　the　redeemed；　renewed　in
His　own　image；　every　heart　bearing　the　perfect　impress　of　the　divine；　every
face　reflecting　the　likeness　of　their　King。　He　beholds　in　them　the　result　of
the　travail　of　His　soul；　and　He　is　satisfied。　Then；　in　a　voice　that　reaches
the　assembled　multitudes　of　the　righteous　and　the　wicked；　He　declares：
〃Behold　the　purchase　of　My　blood！　For　these　I　suffered；　for　these　I　died；
that　they　might　dwell　in　My　presence　throughout　eternal　ages。〃　And　the　song
of　praise　ascends　from　the　white…robed　ones　about　the　throne：　〃Worthy　is　the
Lamb　that　was　slain　to　receive　power；　and　riches；　and　wisdom；　and　strength；
and　honor；　and　glory；　and　blessing。〃　Revelation　5：12。

Notwithstanding　that　Satan　has　been　constrained　to　acknowledge　God's　justice
and　to　bow　to　the　supremacy　of　Christ；　his　character　remains　unchanged。　The
spirit　of　rebellion；　like　a　mighty　torrent；　again　bursts　forth。　Filled　with
frenzy；　he　determines　not　to　yield　the　great　controversy。　The　time　has　come
for　a　last　desperate　struggle　against　the　King

672

of　heaven。　He　rushes　into　the　midst　of　his　subjects　and　endeavors　to　inspire
them　with　his　own　fury　and　arouse　them　to　instant　battle。　But　of　all　the
countless　millions　whom　he　has　allured　into　rebellion；　there　are　none　now　to
acknowledge　his　supremacy。　His　power　is　at　an　end。　The　wicked　are　filled
with　the　same　hatred　of　God　that　inspires　Satan；　but　they　see　that　their
case　is　hopeless；　that　they　cannot　prevail　against　Jehovah。　Their　rage　is
kindled　against　Satan　and　those　who　have　been　his　agents　in　deception；　and
with　the　fury　of　demons　they　turn　upon　them。

Saith　the