CHAPTER 17 (The Great Controversy)
The Great Apostasy
I was carried forward to the time when the
heathen idolators cruelly persecuted the Christians, and killed them. Blood flowed in torrents. The noble, the learned, and the common
people, were alike slain without mercy.
Wealthy families were reduced to poverty because they would not yield
their religion. Notwithstanding the
persecution and sufferings those Christians endured, they would not lower the
standard. They kept their religion
pure. I
saw that Satan exulted and triumphed over the sufferings of God's people. But God looked with great approbation upon
his faithful martyrs, and the Christians who lived in that fearful time were
greatly beloved of him; for they were willing to suffer for his sake. Every suffering endured by them increased
their reward in heaven. But although
Satan rejoiced because the saints suffered, yet he was not satisfied. He wanted control of the mind as well as the
body. The
sufferings those Christians endured drove them closer to the Lord, and led them
to love one another, and caused them to fear more than ever to offend him. Satan wished to lead them to displease God;
then they would lose their strength, fortitude and firmness. Although thousands were slain, yet others
were springing up to supply their place.
Satan saw that he was losing his subjects, and although they suffered
persecution and death, yet they were secured to Jesus Christ, to be the
subjects of his kingdom, and he laid his plans to more successfully fight
against the government of God, and overthrow the church. He led on those heathen idolators to embrace
part of the Christian faith. They
professed to believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, without a
change of heart, and proposed to unite with the followers of Jesus. O the fearful danger of the church! It was a time of mental anguish. Some thought that if they should come down
and unite with those idolators who had embraced a portion of the Christian
faith, it would be the means of their conversion. Satan
was seeking to corrupt the doctrines of the Bible. At
last I saw the standard lowered, and those heathen were uniting with
Christians. They had been worshipers of
idols, and although they professed to be Christians, they brought along with
them their idolatry. They changed the
objects only of their worship, to images of saints, and even the image of
Christ, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
Christians gradually united with them, and the Christian religion was
corrupted, and the church lost its purity and power. Some refused to unite with them and they
preserved their purity, and worshiped God alone. They would not bow down to any image of
anything in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath.
Satan exulted over the fall of so many; and then
he stirred up the fallen church to force those who would preserve the purity of
their religion, to either yield to their ceremonies and image worship, or to
put them to death. The fires of
persecution were again kindled against the true church of Jesus Christ, and
millions were slain without mercy.
It was presented before me in the following
manner: A large company of heathen idolators bore a black banner upon which
were figures of the sun, moon and stars.
The company seemed to be very fierce and angry. I was then shown another
company bearing a pure white banner, and upon it was written Purity, and
Holiness unto the Lord. Their
countenances were marked with firmness and heavenly resignation. I saw the heathen idolators approach them,
and there was a great slaughter. The
Christians melted away before them; and yet the Christian company pressed the
more closely together, and held the banner more firmly. As many fell, others rallied around the
banner and filled their places.
I saw the company of idolators consulting
together. They failed to make the
Christians yield, and they agreed to another plan. I saw them lower their banner, and they
approached that firm Christian company, and made propositions to them. At first their propositions were utterly
refused. Then I saw the Christian
company consulting together. Some said
that they would lower the banner, accept the propositions, and save their
lives, and at last they could gain strength to raise their banner among those
heathen idolators. But some would not
yield to this plan, but firmly chose to die holding their banner, rather than
lower it. Then I saw many of that
Christian company lower the banner, and unite with the heathen; while the firm
and steadfast seized the banner, and bore it high again. I saw individuals
continually leaving the company of those bearing the pure banner, and joining
the idolators, and they united together under the black banner, to persecute
those bearing the white banner, and many were slain; yet the white banner was
held high, and individuals were raised up to rally around it.
The Jews who first started the rage of the
heathen against Jesus, were not to escape.
In the judgment hall the infuriated Jews cried, as Pilate hesitated to
condemn Jesus, His blood be on us and on our children. The race of the Jews experienced the
fulfillment of this terrible curse which they called down upon their own
heads. Heathen and those called
Christians were alike their foes. Those
professed Christians, in their zeal for the cross of Christ, because the Jews
had crucified Jesus, thought that the more suffering they could bring upon
them, the better could they please God; and many of those unbelieving Jews were
killed, while others were driven from place to place, and were punished in
almost every manner.
The blood of Christ, and of the disciples, whom
they had put to death, was upon them, and in terrible judgments were they
visited. The curse of God followed them,
and they were a by-word and a derision to the heathen and to Christians. They were shunned, degraded and detested, as
though the brand of Cain was upon them.
Yet I saw that God marvelously preserved this people, and had scattered
them over the world, that they might be looked upon as especially visited by a
curse from God. I saw that God had
forsaken the Jews as a nation; yet there was a portion of them who would be
enabled to tear away the veil from their hearts. Some will yet see that prophecy has been
fulfilled concerning them, and they will receive Jesus as the Saviour of the
world, and see the great sin of their nation in rejecting Jesus, and crucifying
him. Individuals among the Jews will be
converted; but as a nation they are forever forsaken of God.
See Genesis 4:8-15; Psalms 60:4; 2Corinthians
6:14-17
Gen 4:8 And
Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the
field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Gen 4:9 And
the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am
I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And
he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me
from the ground.
Gen 4:11 And
now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy
brother's blood from thy hand;
Gen 4:12 When
thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength;
a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Gen 4:13 And
Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Gen 4:14
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from
thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth;
and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Gen 4:15 And
the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be
taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him
should kill him.
Psa 60:4 Thou
hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of
the truth. Selah.
2Co 6:14 Be ye
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness?
2Co 6:15 And
what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel?
2Co 6:16 And
what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the
living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I
will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty.
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