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The Desire of Ages
Christ’s coming is to make men fear the Lord, and fear His judgments
upon transgression. It is to awaken them to the great sin of rejecting
His offers of mercy. Those who are watching for the Lord are purify-
ing their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they
combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the
door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences
in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise
servants who give to the Lord’s household “their portion of meat in
due season.”
Luke 12:42
. They are declaring the truth that is now
specially applicable. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each
declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the
special warning for their generation.
But Christ brings to view another class: “If that evil servant shall
say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite
his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of
that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him.”
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The evil servant says in his heart, “My lord delayeth his coming.”
He does not say that Christ will not come. He does not scoff at the
idea of His second coming. But in his heart and by his actions and
words he declares that the Lord’s coming is delayed. He banishes from
the minds of others the conviction that the Lord is coming quickly.
His influence leads men to presumptuous, careless delay. They are
confirmed in their worldliness and stupor. Earthly passions, corrupt
thoughts, take possession of the mind. The evil servant eats and drinks
with the drunken, unites with the world in pleasure seeking. He smites
his fellow servants, accusing and condemning those who are faithful
to their Master. He mingles with the world. Like grows with like in
transgression. It is a fearful assimilation. With the world he is taken in
the snare. “The lord of that servant shall come ... in an hour that he is
not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion
with the hypocrites.”
“If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
Revelation
3:3
. The advent of Christ will surprise the false teachers. They are
saying, “Peace and safety.” Like the priests and teachers before the
fall of Jerusalem, they look for the church to enjoy earthly prosperity
and glory. The signs of the times they interpret as foreshadowing this.
But what saith the word of Inspiration? “Sudden destruction cometh