p. 4 | We Are Not Ignorant of His Devices by C. McReynolds

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 14, 1911

We Are Not Ignorant of His Devices

By C. McReynolds

C. MC REYNOLDS

IN the great controversy between good and evil, Satan tried to obscure the knowledge of God by endeavoring to lead the Israelites to forget God. The regard in which animals were held by the Egyptians as objects of their idolatrous worship, made it very difficult for the Israelites to carry forward the system of sacrificial offerings ordained by God as typical of the coming Messiah.

When Israel was finally brought into a state of bondage, when they were no longer held in high esteem, they were positively forbidden to sacrifice bullocks, lambs, etc., because these were worshiped as gods by the Egyptians. Thus deprived of the privilege of worship, Israel's faith was weakened, and they were led to forget the Lamb of God and the plan of salvation. In order to restore this knowledge among his people, God called them forth from Egypt, away from these blighting influences.

After Israel had heard the law proclaimed from Sinai in awful solemnity amid scenes of terrible grandeur, Satan again made a desperate effort to lead them to forget God. He caused them to erect a golden image of the god Apis—the sacred ox of Egyptian worship. Thus did they insult the God of the universe by transgressing the commandments of the sacred law they had recently pledged themselves in solemn covenant to obey.

Sun-worship had been early established as the leading idolatrous worship of the nations of the earth, and a day was set apart especially devoted to this worship. This was not the day set apart and made holy at creation. The Sabbath was designed as a reminder of the true God. Sun-worship was brought in by the arch-deceiver to lead men to forget God and his law. This he accomplished by taking from them the Sabbath. When the Lord proclaimed the law, the Sabbath commandment was so worded as to contain the name of God, and he was set forth

as the creator of the heavens and the earth. The fourth commandment is the only one that designates God as the creator.

For many years, in this present time, an effort has been made to teach antinomianism, to set aside the decalogue as having been nailed to the cross. And this attempt is made in the very face of the statement by Paul that by faith in the cross of Christ, “we establish the law.”

Since there are some who still preach obedience to the eternal law, and Satan sees this “no-law” theory failing to deceive all, he now prepares another device of deception. He is willing that men shall feign honor to the law, if only they can be led to ignore the sign of God's creative power. He now proposes, through a council of all the great religious bodies of the world, to offer a revised edition of this law to men; a “shorter form of the ten commandments.” The principal changes to be made are in the second and the fourth commandments. In this abridged form the Sabbath commandment will read simply, “Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.” Thus is taken away from the law God's title as creator, the seal of the law, and the reasons for the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. This opens the way for the law to be made the basis of authority for the observance of the false sabbath, the institution of the man of sin. Thus the apostate Protestant world will be brought into line with that power that “shall think to change the times and the law.” Rapidly the sentiment of Protestantism is changing, and it is stretching its hands across the gulf to clasp hands with Romanism. The world is ripening for destruction.

The long reign of him who is constantly devising against God, and who is leading men to forget him, will soon come to an end, and the glorious day of victory to the faithful will dawn. May we indeed not be ignorant of his devices.

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