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Chapter 32—The Scriptures a Safeguard
“To the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according
to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” [
Isaiah 8:20
.]
The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard
against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of
spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent
men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances
reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work, the prince
of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth
his utmost efforts for a final, despairing struggle against Christ and
his followers. The last great delusion is soon to open before us.
Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely
will the counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to
distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their
testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested.
Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God will
be opposed and derided; their way will be made very hard. They
can stand only in God. In order to endure the trial before them,
they must understand the will of God as revealed in his word; they
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can honor him only as they have a right conception of his character,
government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them. None
but those who have trained the intellect to grasp the truths of the
Bible will stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will
come the searching test, Shall I obey God rather than men? The
decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock
of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense
of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?
Before his crucifixion the Saviour explained to his disciples that
he was to be put to death, and to rise again from the tomb; and
angels were present to impress his words on minds and hearts. But
the disciples were looking for temporal deliverance from the Roman
yoke, and they could not tolerate the thought that He in whom all
their hopes centered should suffer an ignominious death. The words
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