The Test for This Generation by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 12, 1912

The Test for This Generation

By C. M. S.

We are now entering upon the time of this world’s greatest test. When Satan appeared to Christ in the wilderness, he reserved his greatest temptation for his last temptation. Having failed in his first two, surely he will succeed in the third. This is the supreme effort.

Christ had come into the world to redeem it from the usurper, Satan. He had come prepared to lay down his life for that purpose. Now comes the tempter,—the very one out of whose hands Christ was to win this world and such of its inhabitants as were willing to become subjects of the heavenly kingdom. The tempter presents a scheme by which Christ could gain “all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,” without the necessity of his cruel death upon the cross. “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me,” said the fallen cherub. Christ could have yielded, received what Satan promised, and then perished with

Satan and his world. But Satan’s scheme failed; the redemption price was paid; and the earth and its inhabitants are redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Many will not avail themselves of their purchased rights, and so will be lost; but, nevertheless, the work has been done, and the world and the race have been redeemed.

As that temptation in the matter of worship was Satan’s supreme test for Christ, we may expect to see a similar test brought upon the people of the last generation of this world. Christ, in his answer to Satan, has given this generation the proper ground upon which to stand: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” This declaration of our Saviour in the time of his great temptation, is, to our generation, a warning which can not be too greatly emphasized.

We know this by the fact that God’s last great message to this world—to the people of this last generation—is based upon that very matter, the matter of worship. Hear him: “Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:7. Had we only this, we should be without excuse for yielding to the last powerful deception of the enemy; but the Lord does not leave it there. The warning continues (verses 9 and 10): “If any man worshipeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger.”

This is a solemn warning, and it is not given without cause. God foreknew that the most subtle deceptions the people of this world have ever experienced would be practised upon the world in the last days. He foreknew also that that deception would come over the question of worship. So he not only tells the world who should be worshiped, but who must not be worshiped, and declares the penalty that will be visited upon those who will not heed. In that last punishment there is no mixture of mercy; for all that mercy could do, it will have done, and those upon whom that punishment is inflicted are those who will go down into eternal death.

God designates that power which will be demanding the people’s worship as “the beast.” Here, then, are two great powers whose principles are utterly at variance the one to the other, and both powers have to do with the worship of the people. God calls upon the people to worship him only, and declares that the penalty for doing otherwise is death. The adversary calls upon all the people to worship “the beast and his image,” and he declares his penalty for doing otherwise, and that penalty also is death.

Beyond question, that “beast” power is the Papacy. An image to it is now in the process of making, and the process is well along toward completion; and the time is not distant when these will work as one, demanding the religious homage, the worship, of all the people, under the penalty which has been named. Plans are rapidly being consummated at the present moment which will result in that full union of church and state that will complete the specifications of “the image.” With that accomplished, the road is easy and the distance short to the accomplishment of all that the prophet predicts in this matter. The menacing voice of the “beast” is soon to be heard, and quickly will follow the sifting of the wheat from the chaff, the one for God’s garner, the other for the fire that will purify the earth. In the time of Christ’s greatest physical weakness came that great test, the greatest of Satan’s temptations. Just so in the time of this world’s greatest weakness and most unpreparedness comes this crowning temptation of the adversary. With “all deceiveableness of unrighteousness” we may expect to see that deception worked out and that demand insisted upon; but God has faithfully warned the world; and, when the great test comes, and the demand is made by that heaven-defying power for the worship of men, “see thou do it not;” for the most priceless interests of the soul are at stake.

C. M. S.