The Review and Herald

1454/1903

October 11, 1906

Universal Guilt During the Time of the End

EGW

There is coming, rapidly and surely, an almost universal guilt upon the inhabitants of the great cities because of the steady increase of determined wickedness. God has given life to man, in order that through a knowledge of the Word and by practising its principles, the human agent may become one with God, obedient to the divine will. But Satan has been working constantly by many devisings to bring man into disfavor with God. RH October 11, 1906, par. 1

In the antediluvian world, human agencies brought in all manner of devisings and ingenious practises to make of no effect the law of Jehovah. They cast aside his authority, because it interfered with their schemes. As in the days before the flood, so now the time is right upon us when the Lord God must reveal his omnipotent power. Even many of those who claim to believe the truth do not practise the truth. They have the Word, but they do not live in accordance with its precepts. Their business affairs are not conducted in harmony with its teachings. In the plans devised by men who desire to execute their own purposes, is revealed the masterly hand of the enemy. Satan is not asleep; he is wide awake, to make of no effect the sure word of prophecy. With skill and deceptive power he is working to counterwork the expressed will of God, made plain in his Word. For years Satan has been gaining control of human minds, through subtle sophistries that he has devised to take the place of the truth. In this time of peril, right-doers, in the fear of God, will glorify his name by repeating the words of David, “It is time for thee, O Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law.” RH October 11, 1906, par. 2

Through his prophet Zephaniah the Lord specifies the judgments that he will bring upon evil-doers: RH October 11, 1906, par. 3

“I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, ... and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. RH October 11, 1906, par. 4

“And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their master's houses with violence and deceit. RH October 11, 1906, par. 5

“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. RH October 11, 1906, par. 6

“The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. RH October 11, 1906, par. 7

“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. RH October 11, 1906, par. 8

“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.... Woe unto the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” RH October 11, 1906, par. 9

In many places there exist conditions that make these words of warning applicable in this our day. Should not the terrible earthquake that has caused almost complete destruction of San Francisco, one of the largest cities of America, awaken a most earnest interest to seek the Lord while he may be found? Let not our ministers, in their discourses, dwell upon commonplace matters. Now is a time when there should be a humbling of the heart before God. Let us seek him while he is to be found on the pardoning side, and not on the judgment side. Wake up, my brethren and sisters. You have no time to lose. Call upon the Lord while he may be found. RH October 11, 1906, par. 10

“Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.... RH October 11, 1906, par. 11

“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” RH October 11, 1906, par. 12

In this our day, some whose tongues are deceitful have been presenting as truth many things that they themselves have originated,—as if the law of truth were in their heart and coming from their lips. But the Lord will surely punish every deceitful, lying tongue that has caused his people to err and to turn from the righteousness of Christ. RH October 11, 1906, par. 13

“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. RH October 11, 1906, par. 14

“At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.” RH October 11, 1906, par. 15