Southern Union Worker

1913

October 16, 1913

Lessons from the Past

EGW

As Noah's descendants increased in number, apostasies soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator, and to cast off the restraint of his law, decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the River Euphrates. Here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower reaching unto heaven,—so high that no flood could rise to the top, so massive that nothing could sweep it away. Thus they hoped to make themselves independent of God. RP October 16, 1913, par. 1

But among the men of Babel there were living some God-fearing men who had been deceived by the pretensions of the ungodly, and drawn into their wicked schemes. These men would not join this confederacy to thwart the purposes of God. They refused to be deceived by the wonderful representations and the grand outlook. For the sake of these faithful ones the Lord delayed his judgments, and gave the people time to reveal their true character. They heeded not the counsel of the Lord, but carried out their own purposes. The great majority were fully united in their heaven-daring undertaking. Had they been permitted to go on unchecked, they would have demoralized the world by their wonderful plans. RP October 16, 1913, par. 2

This confederacy was born of rebellion against God. The dwellers on the plain of Shinar established their kingdom for self exaltation, and not for the glory of God. Had they succeeded, a mighty power would have borne sway, banishing righteousness and inaugurating a new religion. The mixture of certain religious ideas with a mass of erroneous theories would have resulted in closing the door to peace, happiness, and security. These suppositions—erroneous theories—carried out and perfected, would have banished a knowledge of the law of Jehovah from the minds of men, who would not think it necessary to obey the divine statutes. These statutes, which are holy, just, and good, would have been ignored. Determined men, inspired by the first great rebel, would have been urged on by him, and would have permitted nothing to have interfered with their plans, or to stop them in their evil course. In the place of the divine percepts they would have substituted laws, framed in accordance with their selfish hearts, in order that they might carry out their purposes. RP October 16, 1913, par. 3

But God never leaves the world without witnesses for him. Those who loved and feared him at the time of the first great apostasy after the flood, humbled themselves, and cried unto him. “O God,” they pleaded, “interpose thyself between thy cause and the plans and methods of men.” “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower [the great idol building] which the children of men builded.” He defeated the purpose of the tower builders, and overthrew the memorial of their rebellion. God bears long with the perversity of men, giving them ample opportunity for repentance; but he marks all their devices to resist the authority of his just and holy law. As an evidence of his displeasure over the building of this tower, he confounded the language of the builders, so that none could understand the words of his fellow builder. RP October 16, 1913, par. 4

Principles have been perverted. Men have been departing from right principles, for the promulgation of which these institutions were established. They have failed of doing the very work God ordained should be done to prepare a people to “build the old waste places,” and to stand in the breach, as is represented in the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. RP October 16, 1913, par. 5

In this scripture the work we are to do is clearly defined as being medical missionary work. This work is to be done in all places. God has a vineyard; and he desires that this vineyard shall be worked unselfishly. No parts are to be neglected. The most neglected portion needs the most wide-awake missionaries to do the work portrayed in the fifty-seventh chapter of Isaiah: RP October 16, 1913, par. 6

“Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee. RP October 16, 1913, par. 7

“When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; and shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it can not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” RP October 16, 1913, par. 8

“For their spirit should fail before me, saith the Lord, if I were to deal with my people in accordance with their perversity. They could not endure my displeasure and my wrath. I have seen the perverse ways of every sinner. He who repents and does the works of righteousness, I will convert and heal, and restore unto him my favor.” RP October 16, 1913, par. 9

I am instructed to say that in his judgments the Lord will remember mercy. For his own name's sake he will not permit the froward and independent to carry out their unsanctified plans. He will visit them for their perversity of action. “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” RP October 16, 1913, par. 10

Concerning those who have been deceived and led astray by unconsecrated men, the Lord says: “Their course of action has not been in accordance with my will: yet for the righteousness of my own cause, for the truth's sake, for the sake of those who have preserved their fear and love of God, I, who create the fruit of the lips, will put my message in the lips of those who will not be perverted. Although some may be deceived and blinded in their ideas of men and the purposes of men, I will heal every one who honors my name. All penitent Israel shall see my salvation. I, the Lord, do rule, and I will fill with praise and thanksgiving the hearts of all who are high and afar off, even all the penitent of Israel who have kept my way.” RP October 16, 1913, par. 11

When iniquity abounds among the nations; when multitudes are honored by great festivities; when all are interested in making everything possible of men, and are seeking their own pleasure—and we see all these things taking place now—then we may know that the condition of things is similar to the condition that existed in the days of Noah, when the Lord called the inhabitants of the earth to drink the waters of the flood. RP October 16, 1913, par. 12

Lot's Experience

The state of the world now is similar to that which existed in the days of Lot, when Sodom's corruption called for the angel's visit to that wicked city, to see whether the cries coming up before heaven were of such a character that the inhabitants of beautiful Sodom—a city that had been so highly favored of God—had so corrupted their ways before the Lord that there was no hope of their redemption. God's wrath was revealed so signally because the corruption of the Sodomites was so deep. The heavenly visitants could see for themselves that the Sodomites had passed the limits of divine forbearance. RP October 16, 1913, par. 13

The angels took Lot and his wife and daughters by the hand, to hasten their flight from the city, lest the storm of divine judgment should break upon the place they hesitated so much to leave. They were solemnly commanded to hasten, for the fiery storm would be delayed but a little longer. But one of the fugitives presumptuously ventured to cast a regretful look backward to the doomed city, and she became a monument of God's judgment,—showing how he regards unbelief and presumptuous rebellion. RP October 16, 1913, par. 14

This visitation of God's wrath upon Lot's wife hurried the remaining three on their way from the city. But Lot, not desiring to flee to the mountains, had pleaded with the Lord to spare a smaller city a few miles from Sodom to which he could flee. What unbelief he manifested! His faith was very weak. But God in his mercy spared Zoar, in answer to Lot's petitions. RP October 16, 1913, par. 15

The result of their going to Zoar is plainly recorded in the Scriptures. All the cities surrounding Sodom were corrupted with the sins of the Sodomites. RP October 16, 1913, par. 16

When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice was heard in Sodom. Yet Lot could have preserved his family from many evils had he not made his home in that wicked, polluted city. All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance from the city. Enoch walked with God, and yet he did not live in the midst of any city, polluted with every kind of violence and wickedness, as did Lot in Sodom. RP October 16, 1913, par. 17

I have not time now to present all that I hope the Lord will strengthen me to present to his people in regard to this matter. RP October 16, 1913, par. 18

Mrs. E. G. White