p. 180 | A BLINDED JUDGMENT

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 28, 1859

A BLINDED JUDGMENT.

THERE are probably no believers of the Bible who do not, as they look back to the age of Noah pronounce him the wisest and most consistent man of his generation. The word of the Lord had gone forth for the destruction of the world. Noah gave heed to the warning and prepared for the emergency. The wicked rejected, despised and mocked at it, and passed on in their folly. All will pronounce Noah wise in the course he took, and the wicked foolish for their stubbornness and rebellion. They will tell us that Noah’s salvation was but a just reward for his obedience, and that when the flood came and swept over the earth like a besom of destruction, the wicked nations were swallowed up as a just desert for their blindness and disobedience.

Pass on to the days of Lot, and they pronounce the same judgment in his case. They call him wise in heeding the word of the Lord, and regard it as but just and right that the wicked should perish in their iniquity.

Come down still further to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the reason of mankind renders the same verdict. Those humble followers of the Saviour who gave heed to the counsel of their Master as they saw Jerusalem compassed with armies, and fled from the doomed city, acted wisely, as all agree, in so doing.

But come down to our own days and bring the case home to ourselves, and the judgment of mankind seems to be strangely reversed. In all former time it has been wise and prudent to render prompt obedience to the word of the Lord; but now innumerable objections spring up like magic before them. The word of warning and denunciation does not have its application now, or it does not mean what it says, or we cannot know anything about it. Nevertheless the word of the Lord has gone forth; the hand-writing of Omnipotence is seen in the daily-transpiring events of earth; and a few, the humble few, foolish in the eyes of the worldly wise, but aspiring after that wisdom that cometh from above, are preparing and will prepare for the things coming.

To place this case on a footing with those first mentioned, let us take our stand-point, for instance, a thousand years in the future, and look back upon this time, the closing up of this dispensation, as far in the past. The record would run something on this wise: God in the fulfillment of his purpose, the restitution of all things, had promised to send his Son, arrayed in all his glory, to gather out of his kingdom all those who did offend or work iniquity. That the world might know the time of its visitation, he told them of certain events which would serve as indications of the approaching day. He told them that the sun should be darkened, the moon refuse to give her light, the stars fall from heaven, and other wonders be manifest in heaven and earth; he condescended moreover to mark the time when these things should begin to take place; namely, after a certain tribulation upon his people. The tribulation came and ceased, and then the sun was darkened, the moon also; and the stars fell from heaven, and other sights appeared to startle the world from its security and repose. A few regarded them, as God had declared them to be, precursors of the coming Judgment; but Philosophy busied herself in explaining them away, and quieting the apprehensions of men.

God had, besides, warned the world through his servants the prophets, that as the day of vengeance drew near, distress of nations with perplexity, wars and rumors of wars would proclaim its approach. They came as had been foretold. The world looked for long years upon nations in angry and hostile attitude; they confessed themselves overwhelmed with trouble; they speculated long upon the chances of war, and confessed that the future lay hidden by heavy folds of obscurity which they could not lift. But they neglected to seek light from the lamp from heaven; and the signification which God had attached to these things they entirely forgot or overlooked. With a few it was not so. Those who were looking for the consolation of Israel, and striving to walk humbly with their God, and watching for any indications of the approach of Him whom their souls loved, read and understood, and strove to prepare.

They were told, moreover, that as the end drew near, there would be great destitution in the moral world, lack of faith and love, men wanting in all natural and lovely graces, waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Thus it was. Men professing godliness became lovers of their own selves, proud, boasters, blasphemers, &c., scoffers grew and multiplied, Infidelity and spirits of devils monopolized the world; a few understood and appreciated the import of these things. And after all these things they were told that the Lord should descend in flaming fire. The time drew near, and the world, unless they had persistently shut their ears, and closed their eyes, and stiffened their necks, and steeled their hearts, might have heard and seen and known their position and their doom. But they would not. As God had promised, the Son of man at length appeared in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. The wicked were consumed with the spirit of his mouth and destroyed by the brightness of his coming. The righteous few who had covenanted with him by sacrifice were caught up to meet the Lord, so forever to be with him.

Reader, taking your stand a thousand years in the future, and looking back upon this scene, what would be your verdict? It would be the same as it now is in reference to Noah or Lot or the christians of Jerusalem as you look back upon them. You would say that those were most wise and prudent and judicious who gave heed to the word of warning, made ready for the great issue, and so were saved. You would say that the wicked richly deserved their fate, on account of their blindness and obstinate unbelief.

People, however, do not now seem to judge thus. Now, while we are in the very midst of the scenes themselves, they seem to look upon them very differently. Those who are striving to take the position in this age, that Noah and Lot did in theirs, are looked upon as anything but wise and sensible men; and to pretend to know the word of the Lord touching these times—much more to heed it—is regarded as fanaticism and folly. Why is all this? It can only be because the active scenes of earth blind men to the declarations of holy writ which concern themselves. Important and solemn truth, calling for decisive action, for sacrifice and self-denial, they are very willing to consider as applying in the past, or they are very willing to bequeath to future generations; but to take it themselves they cannot bear. Anywhere, they seem to say, but here! To anybody except to us! Thus they did no doubt in the days of Noah and of Lot; and as it was then, says the prophecy, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man. Thus the very course of our enemies but tends to build up the faith they so cordially hate. They themselves are instruments in the prophetic chain to furnish proof of that very position which they so vehemently declare cannot be true.

But says one, you assume that all these things are going immediately to take place, and on that assumption have drawn your picture. We answer, it is no assumption of ours: God’s word has declared what shall come to pass. Some of the signs of the approaching day have already been fulfilled, and others are fulfilling before our eyes. There will be no failure. God’s word knows no such term. It will surely come. Let us be wise to-day. Give us not those who wish to give all prophecy to everybody but themselves, choosing rather to consider their own age a blank, and themselves ciphers in the prophetic outline, than to give up their worldliness, vanity and lusts. But give us those who will walk boldly up, and say, Let me know God’s truth whatever it may be! If it concerns me and my generation, I’ll heed it and faithfully act upon it.

So we say to you, dear reader, Only look upon these things now, and only act upon them, as you will look, and as you will wish you had acted, but a little more than a thousand years hence.