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Humble Hero
are purifying their hearts by obedience to the truth. They combine
vigilant watching with earnest working. Their zeal is stirred to
cooperate with divine intelligences in working for the salvation of
others. They are declaring the truth that has special application just
now. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth
for his time, so Christ’s servants now will give the special warning
for their generation.
But Christ mentions another group: “If that evil servant says in
his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his
fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master
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of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him.”
The evil servant does not say that Christ will not come. But 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 confirms them in their worldliness
and unconcern. Earthly passions, corrupt thoughts, take possession
of the mind. The evil servant beats his fellow servants, accusing and
condemning those who are faithful to their Master. He mingles with
the world, and with the world he is caught in the trap. “The master
of that servant will come ... at an hour that he is not aware of, and
will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.”
The coming of Christ will surprise the false teachers. The day of
God will come like a snare, like a prowling thief on all who make this
world their home. Full of rioting, full of godless pleasure, the world
is asleep in godless security. People laugh at warnings. “Tomorrow
will be as today, and much more abundant.”
Isaiah 56:12
. We will
go deeper into pleasure loving. But Christ says, “I am coming as a
thief.”
Revelation 16:15
. When the scoffer has become shameless,
when people follow the routine of money making without regard
to principle, when the student is eagerly seeking knowledge of
everything but his Bible, Christ comes as a thief.
The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events cast their
shadows ahead of time. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the
earth, and calamity follows calamity. Where is security? There is
assurance in nothing human or earthly.
There are those who are waiting, watching, and working for
our Lord’s appearing. Another class are falling into line under
the leadership of the first great apostate. The crisis is creeping