p. 3 | As the Days of Noah by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 1, 1902

As the Days of Noah

By Editor

Editorial

As the Days of Noah

As one means of determining when his coming is near, Jesus said, “As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” A marked characteristic of the days of Noah was that “the earth was filled with violence.” In making known to Noah the destruction of the world by the flood the Lord said to him, “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Violence is manifested lawlessness. When men are a law unto themselves, and seek to enforce their own laws, then the usual forms of government are set aside, and might takes the place of right. Thus it was in the days of Noah. “The wickedness of men was open and daring, justice was trampled in the dust, and the cries of the oppressed reached unto heaven.”

In the Days of Lot

The Saviour has also declared that the days of Lot were similar to the time just before his second coming. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” Wholly absorbed in the affairs of this world, which may be legitimate enough when only a legitimate portion of time and strength is devoted to them, they disregarded the principles of the heavenly kingdom, and became the slaves of their own passions. They gave themselves over to fornication, and went after strange flesh. The message of the angels to Lot was, “We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.” And when Lot warned his sons-in-law, saying, “Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city,” his words sounded like the words of an alarmist, and “he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law.” A lawless mob raged in the streets of Sodom on that last night before its destruction, regardless of the rights of persons and property. Thus it was in the days of Lot.

In Our Days

History is repeating itself. The same picture is again presented to our view. Disregard of the divine law is bearing its natural fruit in the disregard of human law. Riotous mobs in the large cities seek to enforce the demands of labor upon capital, and in the country they take summary vengeance upon the criminal. Think of the record of the past few weeks. What a list of lynchings and attempted lynchings! How fiercely the fires of human passion have burned! Men have been tortured and burned to death by their fellow beings! The daily record of the recent strikes in Chicago was the description of a series of street riots, in which the officers of the law were helpless. The mobs were not suppressed, and the rioting ceased only when the cause of the rioting was removed. Similar scenes were enacted in New York City when the Jewish dealers in meat attempted to sell their stock contrary to the wishes of the people. Here is a heading from a recent issue of a metropolitan daily paper: “Mad Mob Riots in Paterson, N. J. Blood Is Spilled and Property Wrecked by Passion-Crazed Men.” Leaving out the local reference, how appropriate this heading would have been for a report of the attack on Lot’s house in the Sodom Daily News, if newspapers had been printed in those days. And those who call attention to these outbreaks and their meaning are called alarmists. They seem to many as those that mock. But what must we do? In these days of violence we must preach the gospel of peace. The power of divine grace must be revealed as the only salvation from the power of human passion. The coming of the Prince of peace must be proclaimed as the only hope of a world filled with violence. The days of Noah and the days of Lot are upon us. “So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”

Go Forward

Christian experience is a battle and a march. Every battle should result in victory, and every march should be an advance. Our Leader never sounds a retreat. When the difficulties seem to be the greatest, then his command is, Go forward. There is much territory yet to be entered, and the time is short. This message is for the world. Let every one obey the instruction of the great Commander, Go forward.

A Short Work

Those things which seem impossible to man are easily accomplished by the Lord. It is faith in God’s power by which we are fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to perform. There is a great work to be done, and looking at it from the human standpoint, we might decide that it is impossible to complete it in this generation, but our confidence is in the Lord’s promises and in his power to fulfill them. “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” It only needs the willing instruments through whom the Lord can reveal his mighty power in fulfilling his promise. “And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?”

Joy in Giving

Jesus gave himself for us. He did this willingly. He “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” This was the joy of seeing souls rescued as the result of his giving himself for them. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” The joy of the harvest may be anticipated even during a tearful seed-sowing; for the promise is, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” The one who gives freely in seedtime is preparing for joy in harvest time. “He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” But the joy cannot be experienced when the giving is in any sense under compulsion. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,

so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” A cheerful giver is beloved of God and man. He is a partaker of the divine nature; for God gives, and gives gladly. It is not the simple fact that he gives, but that he is a cheerful giver, which shows that heavenly principles rule in his heart. He who does not really enjoy giving for the advancement of God’s kingdom in the earth and the benefit of humanity has not learned from his Master the fundamental lesson of the gospel. “The law of self-sacrifice is the law of self-preservation.”

If more than the amount needed for Christiania, $30,000, should be received in the collection next Sabbath, July 5, the surplus will be devoted to the needy fields. Do not be afraid to give liberally.