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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
longer regard them as constituting the church of Christ, “the pillar
and ground of the truth;” and as the message, “Babylon is fallen,”
began to be proclaimed, they felt themselves justified in separating
from their former connection.
Since the rejection of the first message, a sad change has taken
place in the churches. As truth is spurned, error is received and
cherished. Love for God, and faith in his word, have grown cold.
The churches have grieved the Spirit of the Lord, and it has been
in a great measure withdrawn. The words of the prophet Ezekiel
are fearfully applicable: “Son of man, these men have set up their
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idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity
before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?” “I the
Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his
idols.” [
Ezekiel 14:3, 4
.] Men may not bow down to idols of wood
and stone, but all who love the things of the world and take pleasure
in unrighteousness have set up idols in their hearts. The majority of
professed Christians are serving other gods besides the Lord. Pride
and luxury are cherished, idols are set up in the sanctuary, and her
holy places are polluted.
Anciently the Lord declared to his servants concerning Israel:
“The leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are
led of them are destroyed.” [
Isaiah 9:16
.] “The prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love
to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?” [
Jeremiah
5:31
.] “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them,
every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto
the priest, every one dealeth falsely.” [
Jeremiah 6:13
.] The Jewish
church, once so highly favored of the Lord, became an astonishment
and a reproach through neglect to improve the blessings granted
them. Pride and unbelief led to their ruin. But these scriptures do
not apply to ancient Israel only. The character and condition of
many nominally Christian churches are here portrayed. Though in
possession of far greater blessings than were granted to the Jews,
they are following in the steps of that people; and the greater the
light and privileges bestowed, the greater the guilt of those who
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permit them to pass unimproved.
The picture which the apostle Paul has drawn of the professed
people of God in the last days is a sad but faithful delineation of