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New Light in the New World
193
Skeptics and Unbelievers
Christ declared that as the people of Noah’s day “knew not until
the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming
of the Son of man be.”
Matthew 24:39
. When the professed people
of God are uniting with the world, when the luxury of the world
becomes the luxury of the church, when all look forward to many
years of worldly prosperity—then, suddenly as the lightning flashes,
will come the end of their delusive hopes. As God sent His servant to
warn the world of the coming Flood, so He sent chosen messengers
to make known the nearness of the final judgment. And as Noah’s
contemporaries laughed to scorn the predictions of the preacher of
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righteousness, so in Miller’s day many of the professed people of
God scoffed at the words of warning.
There can be no more conclusive evidence that the churches have
departed from God than the animosity excited by this Heaven-sent
message.
Those who accepted the advent doctrine felt that it was time to
take a stand. “The things of eternity assumed to them ... reality.
Heaven was brought near, and they felt themselves guilty before
God.
Christians were made to feel that time was short, that what
they had to do for their fellow men must be done quickly. Eternity
seemed to open before them. The Spirit of God gave power to their
appeals to prepare for the day of God. Their daily life was a rebuke to
unconsecrated church members. These did not wish to be disturbed
in their pleasure, money-making, and ambition for worldly honor.
Hence the opposition against the advent faith.
Opposers endeavored to discourage investigation by teaching
that the prophecies were sealed. Thus Protestants followed the steps
of Romanists. Protestant churches claimed that an important part
of the Word, that part specially applicable to our time, could not be
understood. Ministers declared that Daniel and the Revelation were
incomprehensible mysteries.
But Christ directed His disciples to the words of the prophet
Daniel, “Whoso readeth, let him understand.”
Matthew 24:15
. And
the Revelation is to be understood. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which
11
Ibid., p. 146.