p. 138 | Untitled article by E. G. Rust

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 13, 1867

THE MIXED MULTITUDE

By E. G. Rust

Were the direct cause of God's so often visiting the curse upon his people Israel. Many thousands fell out by the wayside on account of the influence which the mixed multitude held over them. They were allied with the world on the one hand, and God's people on the other, thus uniting God's peculiar people with the world. This was one of Satan's artful devices. It was in a back-slidden state that he thus led them to intermarry and unite with the world.

I imagine that there were many faithful men of God among them then, who had observed and deplored this forgetfulness of duty on Israel's part. Perhaps the elders then, as now, had raised a warning cry against such a course, and it had been passed by almost unheeded. If so, they, at least, were clear in the matter.

I think there must have been three different classes at that time:

1. Those faithful men of God, who always stood in his counsel and in the forefront of the battle; they were always in attendance upon his worship; they were lovers of God more than lovers of pleasure; they reproved, rebuked and exhorted with all long-suffering and patience.

2. The second class, quite numerous, were those who had a form of godliness but knew little of the power thereof, and

3. Those who were almost destitute of the Spirit of the Lord, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, who joined heart and hand with the world in its pleasures, thus making God's people to gradually decline from a state of favor and acceptance with God to a condition which must bring his curse and wrath upon them.

This may be better illustrated by taking a view upon the battle-field in our late war. Here comes a vast army marching into action, and as the head of the column passes, you will observe that every man stands shoulder to shoulder there; firmness and determination are expressed upon every countenance. The very appearance of the first two or three divisions carries an air of victory with it, but as the latter part of the column approaches, they begin to lag behind, and finally the rear brings up with stragglers, sutlers, money-changers, and an incongruous mass of hangers-on to the army. And I think this very aptly represents the condition of the army of the Lord anciently.

These things may be typical of the condition and dangers of the remnant people of God, who are journeying toward the heavenly Canaan. It becomes us, in view of the perils which surround us, to faithfully compare their history with present facts, and avoid, as far as possible, being found among the mixed multitude; in this way we may escape the just wrath of an indignant God.

Oh! that God may not only have a care for us, but that we may have a care for ourselves in these perilous times; that we may cherish a spirit of watchfulness and prayerfulness, and get on the whole armor of God. And especially, in this time of such great peril to the youth, do they need to pay heed to the faithful counsel and exhortations of the more aged and experienced.

E. G. RUST.

Battle Creek, Mich.