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Advent Lessons

Lesson 12 · March 21, 1896

World-Wide Apostasy

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Review Questions.—(a) What is the beast and his image? (b) What is the mark? (c) In what two ways may it be received?

  1. 1.Until what time did God declare that a true theocracy or literal kingdom of God on the earth should be no more? .
  2. 2.Yet, as soon as the church apostatized, what false theory came in?

Notes

Ans.—"There had in fact arisen in the church . . . a false theocratical theory. . . . This theocratical theory was the prevailing one in the time of Constantine."—Torrey's Neander, History of Church and Christian Religion, vol. 2, p. 132. Augustine was the propounder of this theory. Id., p. 217.

  1. 3.What did this theory carried out put in the place of God? .
  2. 4.What is declared at the present time by a body of world-wide influence?

Notes

Ans.—"A true theocracy is yet to come, and the enthronement of Christ in law and lawmakers."—W. C. T. U. Monthly Reading for September, 1886. See note 1.

  1. 5.What does the prophet say of those who predict this good time? , especially the last verse.
  2. 6.When the political divisions of the earth decide themselves to be Christian, or that Christ reigns through them, as many have already done, whom will they put in the place of God? .
  3. 7.What will then be fulfilled? , last two clauses, and .
  4. 8.What will the great harlot, Babylon, say? .
  5. 9.How great are her vain boasts? Ans. She exalts herself to an equality with God. , R. V. Compare with .
  6. 10.In what and like whom is she deceived in all this? . Compare with , first part.
  7. 11.How many are deceived by this great apostate power? .
  8. 12.What will be the mark of power in all this?

Notes

Ans.—The worship and the mark. Verses 8, 16. The world-wide message warns against both worship and mark, and where the worship is, there will be seen the mark of the worshiper.

  1. 13.In fact, what will Sunday be thought to be by those received by Babylon? Ans. "The test of all religions" (Dr. W. W. Evarts, in Elgin Sunday Convention), "a mark of American religion to the present day" (Dr. J. G. Lorimer, in the Christian Treasury). See note 2.
  2. 14.What will they do against the people of God who oppose this false theocracy?

Notes

Ans.—They will associate and confederate together to destroy them. .

  1. 15.What will come in consequence of all this sin and transgression against God? .
  2. 16.That men may escape what they fear, what will they do? Ans. Confederate together. . See note 3.
  3. 17.How much will Babylon thus include? Ans. All the different confederacies of earth, endeavoring to open a "gate of God," but which will prove confusion—Babylon.
  4. 18.What will they thus do? Ans. Reject God's gracious message of . See also and .
  5. 19.What will be the result of this? .
  6. 20.In their deception what will they declare? , first part.
  7. 21.What will be the final result of this great wickedness? .
  8. 22.What is now our duty? ; .

Notes

1. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union says again: "The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, local, state, national, and world-wide, has one vital organic thought, one all-absorbing purpose, one undying enthusiasm, and that is, that Christ shall be this world's king—yea, verily, this world's king in its realm of cause and effect,—king of its courts, its camps, its commerce,—king of its customs and constitutions. . . . The kingdom of Christ must enter the realm of law through the gateway of politics. . . . We pray heaven to give them (the old political parties) no rest . . . until they shall swear an oath of allegiance to Christ in politics, and march in one great army up to the polls to worship God."—President's Annual Address, Nashville Convention, 1887.

Such utterances as the above, together with the National Reform Association, the "Christian Citizenship" movement, and other indications in the religious world, show that we are on the eve of a man-made theocracy as verily as was Rome in the fourth century. See "Rights of the People," pp. 228-237.

2. Says the Chicago Advance, Congregationalist, of August 2, 1894: "The sabbath [Sunday] serves the same purpose to-day as did the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. . . . That man is an anarchist at heart who deliberately flaunts at the sacredness of the sabbath [Sunday], or sneers at any other distinct revelation of the law of God."

Archbishop John Ireland, at the Centennial of Columbus, O., Sept. 10, 1888, reported in the American Catholic News of September 19, says: "It is the intemperate class that violate our Sunday laws, and the violator of a Sunday law is the worst of criminals."

These and many other utterances show that when sufficient legislation is obtained, the Sunday will be made a test of citizenship and loyalty.

3. These confederacies and organizations to meet existing and multiplying evils are constantly increasing; and it is safe to say that there are but few of any note that have not been solicited in some way to indorse Sunday laws. They are building "gates of God," which will prove gates of confusion.

Bible texts in this lesson

Ezekiel 21:25-27 · 2 Thessalonians 2:3 · 2 Thessalonians 2:4 · Isaiah 2:3-6 · Revelation 13:3 · Revelation 13:4 · Revelation 18:7 · Isaiah 47:8 · Ezekiel 46:9 · Isaiah 47:10 · Ezekiel 28:17 · Isaiah 8:9 · Isaiah 8:10 · Isaiah 24:17-21 · Isaiah 8:11 · Isaiah 8:12 · Revelation 14:9-12 · Ezekiel 22:26 · Isaiah 30:8-13 · Revelation 18:1 · Revelation 18:2 · 1 Thessalonians 5:2 · Revelation 14:9-11 · Revelation 18:8 · Isaiah 58:1 · Revelation 14:9 · Revelation 18:4

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