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The Great Controversy 1888
professed people of God were blinded to the Saviour’s instructions
concerning the signs of his appearing. The doctrine of the second ad-
vent had been neglected; the scriptures relating to it were obscured by
misinterpretation, until it was, to a great extent, ignored and forgotten.
Especially was this the case in the churches of America. The freedom
and comfort enjoyed by all classes of society, the ambitious desire for
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wealth and luxury, begetting an absorbing devotion to money-making,
the eager rush for popularity and power, which seemed to be within the
reach of all, led men to center their interests and hopes on the things of
this life, and to put far in the future that solemn day when the present
order of things should pass away.
When the Saviour pointed out to his followers the signs of his
return, he foretold the state of backsliding that would exist just prior
to his second advent. There would be, as in the days of Noah, the
activity and stir of worldly business and pleasure-seeking—buying,
selling, planting, building, marrying, and giving in marriage—with
forgetfulness of God and the future life. For those living at this time,
Christ’s admonition is: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares
of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” “Watch ye
therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man.” [
Luke 21:34, 36
.]
The condition of the church at this time is pointed out in the
Saviour’s words in the Revelation: “Thou hast a name that thou livest,
and art dead.” [
Revelation 3:1, 3
.] And to those who refuse to arouse
from their careless security, the solemn warning is addressed: “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 3:1, 3
.]
It was needful that men should be awakened to their danger; that
they should be roused to prepare for the solemn events connected with
the close of probation. The prophet of God declares: “The day of the
Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” [
Joel 2:11
.]
Who shall stand when He appeareth who is “of purer eyes than to
behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity?” [
Habakkuk 1:13
.] To them
that cry, “My God, we know thee,” yet have transgressed his covenant,
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and hastened after another god, [
Hosea 8:2, 1
;
Psalm 16:4
.] hiding
iniquity in their hearts, and loving the paths of unrighteousness, to