BIBLE OBJECT LESSONS by G. W. Reaser

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 17, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 11.

BIBLE OBJECT LESSONS.

By G. W. Reaser

(Concluded.)

The Deluge an Object Lesson.

WHEN, as the result of utter disregard for God’s law, the world became filled with crime and wickedness, the Lord purposed to destroy man from off the face of the earth; true to His nature, God sent Noah, a “preacher of righteousness,” to warn the world of its impending doom. Noah “prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” He gave to the world an example of believing just what God says. It was not their multitudes or majorities that were on the side of right any more than it is now. The world was arrayed against God’s justice and His law. The people, then as now, declared that if there were any truth to what Noah said, the men of renown, the wise men, the prudent men, the great men, would understand these matters. But the days of their probation were closing.

We may realize somewhat of how the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people, and again they rejected his words. They jested, and scoffed at his words. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description “were seen coming from mountain and forest, and quietly making their way toward the ark. A noise of a rushing wind was heard, and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, . . . and in perfect order they passed into the ark. Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient.” The storm burst upon a mocking and disobedient world in all of its fury. Above the roar of the tempest was heard the wailing of a people that had despised the authority of God. In that terrible hour they saw that their transgressions of God’s law had caused their ruin. So when God’s judgments shall fall upon the earth before its deluge by fire, the impenitent will know just where and what their sin is, —the despising of His law. The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian world, exist to-day. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. Multitudes are living in transgression of God’s law, and now God in mercy calls them to obey His commandments.

Many of the children of men think that they can glide along easily and still get into the soon-coming kingdom; but listen to the words of our Saviour: “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.” And the will of God is declared, in the following inspired words, to be His law. Hear Christ say through the Psalmist, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart.” Ps. 40:8. Now the one who does the will of God, obeys all of the precepts of His law; and it is necessary to live in disobedience to but one of the commands of that law, to become a law breaker. James 2:10, 11. May all those who profess to be followers of Christ, but are ignoring the binding claims of the fourth commandment, and trampling underfoot God’s holy Sabbath day, realize that God meant exactly what He said when He set apart the definite seventh day of the week, from creation, as holy time, and make the necessary distinction between the sacred and the common, that they may be among those of whom it is said, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Another flood is coming, not a deluge of water, but of fire; “for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, determined upon the whole earth.” “Now therefore, be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong.” At that time, the shutting of the ark will have its parallel: the door of mercy will be closed, and that closing will be final.

The Destruction of Sodom.

“There came two angels to Sodom at even” (Gen. 19:1), and Lot, the one righteous man in all the city, urged them to accept his hospitality, and thereby “entertained angels unawares.” The people of the place were living in open violation of the law of God, and the luxurious metropolis of the fertile plain was steeped in crime. They had the example of the destruction of the world by the flood, but, urged on by Satan, they heeded it not. The angels said to Lot, “We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord.” Gen. 19:13. They appealed to Lot to call his family out of the wicked city, so that they be not consumed in the general destruction that was so soon to make Sodom a scene of utter desolation; but when Lot, through the mercy of God, conveyed to them the warning, he seemed to them “as one that mocked.” Nevertheless, the last night of Sodom was at hand. Already the clouds of vengeance cast their shadows over the doomed city; but men perceived it not. They “were dreaming of prosperity and pleasure. The last day was like every other that had come and gone. Evening fell upon a scene of loveliness and security.” “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” “The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.” “And Abraham got up early in the morning; . . . and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, . . . and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” Thus the Lord turned these once populous and luxuriant cities “into ashes, . . . making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.” 2 Peter 2:6.

But Lot’s wife, disregarding the words of the angel, “Look not behind thee, . . . looked back, . . . and she became a pillar of salt.” When the Lord through the angel pronounced destruction upon these cities for their great wickedness, did He mean what He said? Likewise, when the instruction was given, “Look not behind thee,” were the words meaningless? Lest we fall into the same delusion that cost Lot’s wife her life, the Saviour warns us, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32. Will we heed the warning? Will we, as individuals, take the Lord at His word, and believe that when He speaks, He means what He says? Happy that person “whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing.”

G. W. REASER.