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I. THE BASIC
STATEMENT OF 1864
Disguised Infidelity
I was then carried back to the creation and was shown that the first
week, in which GOD performed the work of creation in six days and
rested on the seventh day, was just like every other week. The great GOD
in his days of creation and day of rest, measured off the first cycle as a
sample for successive weeks till the close of time. "These are the generations
of the heavens and of the earth when they were created." GOD
gives us the productions of his work at the close of each literal day. Each day
was accounted of him a generation, because every day he generated or produced
some new portion of his work. On the seventh day of the first week GOD
rested from his work, and then blessed the day of his rest, and set it apart for
the use of man. The weekly cycle of seven literal days, six for labor, and the
seventh for rest, which has been preserved and brought down through Bible
history, originated in the great facts of the first seven days.
When GOD spake his law with an audible voice from Sinai, he
introduced the Sabbath by saying, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." He
then declares definitely what shall be done on the six days, and what shall not
be done on the seventh. He then, in giving the reason for thus observing the
week, points them back to his example on the first seven days of time. "For in
six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the LORD blessed
the Sabbath day and hallowed it." This reason appears beautiful and forcible
when we understand the record of creation to mean literal days. The first six
days of each week are given to man in which to labor, because GOD
employed the same period of the first week in the work of creation. The seventh
day GOD has reserved as a day of rest, in commemoration of his
rest during the same period of time after he had performed the work of creation
in six days.
But the infidel supposition, that the events of the first week required
seven vast, indefinite periods for their accomplishment, strikes directly at the
foundation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. It makes indefinite and
obscure that which GOD has made very plain. It is the worst kind
of infidelity; for with many who profess to believe the record of creation, it
is infidelity in disguise. It charges GOD with commanding men to
observe the week of seven literal days in commemoration of seven indefinite
periods, which is unlike his dealings with mortals, and is an impeachment of his
wisdom.
Infidel geologists claim that the world is very much older than the Bible
record makes it. They reject the Bible record, because of those things which are
to them evidences from the earth itself, that the world has existed tens of
thousands of years. And many who profess to believe the Bible record are at a
loss to account for wonderful things which are found in the earth, with the view
that creation week was only seven literal days, and that the world is now only
about six thousand years old. These, to free themselves of difficulties thrown
in their way by infidel geologists, adopt the view that the six days of creation
were six vast, indefinite periods, and the day of GOD's rest was
another indefinite period; making senseless the fourth commandment of GOD's
holy law. Some eagerly receive this position, for it destroys the force of the
fourth commandments, and they feel a freedom from its claims upon them. They
have limited ideas of the size of men, animals and trees before the flood, and
of the great changes which then took place in the earth.
Bones of men and animals are found in the earth, in mountains and in
valleys, showing that much larger men and beasts once lived upon the earth. I
was shown that very large, powerful animals existed before the flood which do
not now exist. Instruments of warfare are sometimes found; also petrified wood.
Because the bones of human beings and of animals found in the earth, are much
larger than those of men and animals now living, or that have existed for many
generations past, some conclude that the world is older than we have any
scriptural record of, and was populated long before the record of creation, by a
race of beings vastly superior in size to men now upon the earth.
I have been shown that without Bible history, geology can prove nothing.
Relics found in the earth do give evidence of a state of things differing in
many respects from the present. But the time of their existence, and how long a
period these things have been in the earth, are only to be understood by Bible
history. It may be innocent to conjecture beyond Bible history, if our
suppositions do not contradict the facts found in the sacred Scriptures. But
when men leave the word of GOD in regard to the history of
creation, and seek to account for GOD's creative works upon
natural principles, they are upon a boundless ocean of uncertainty. Just how GOD
accomplished the work of creation in six literal days he has never revealed to
mortals. His creative works are just as incomprehensible as his existence.
"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and
his greatness is unsearchable."
"Which doeth great things, past finding out; yea, and wonders without
number."
"Which doeth great things, and unsearchable; marvelous things without
number."
GOD thundereth marvelously with his voice. Great things doeth
he. which we cannot comprehend."
"O, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD!
How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who hath known the mind of the LORD? or who bath been
his counselor?"
The word of GOD is given as a lamp unto our feet, and a
light unto our path. Those who cast his word behind them, and seek by their own
blind philosophy to trace out the wonderful mysteries of JEHOVAH
will stumble in darkness. A guide has been given to mortals whereby they may
trace JEHOVAH and his works as far as will be for their good.
Inspiration, in giving us the history of the flood has explained wonderful
mysteries, that geology, independent of inspiration, never could.
It has been the special work of Satan to lead fallen man to rebel against GOD's
government, and he has succeeded too well in his efforts. He has tried to
obscure the law of GOD, which in itself is very plain. He has
manifested a special hate against the fourth precept of the decalogue, because
it defines the living GOD, the MAKER of the
heavens and the earth. The plainest precepts of JEHOVAH are
turned from, to receive infidel fables.
Man will be left without excuse. GOD has given sufficient
evidence upon which to base faith if he wish to believe. In the last days the
earth will be almost destitute of true faith. Upon the merest pretense, the word
of GOD will be considered unreliable, while human reasoning will
be received, though it be in opposition to plain Scripture facts. Men will
endeavor to explain from natural causes the work of creation, which GOD
has never revealed. But human science can not search out the secrets of the GOD
of Heaven, and explain the stupendous works of creation, which were a miracle of
Almighty power, any sooner than it can show how GOD came into
existence.
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our GOD;
but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever."
Men professing to be ministers of GOD, raise their voices against
the investigation of prophecy, and tell the people that the prophecies,
especially of Daniel and John, are obscure, and that we cannot understand them.
But some of the very men who oppose the investigation of prophecy because it is
obscure, eagerly receive the suppositions of geologists, which dispute the
Mosaic record. But if GOD's revealed will is so difficult to be
understood, certainly men should not rest their faith upon mere suppositions in,
regard to that which he has not revealed. GOD's ways are not as
our ways, neither are his thoughts as our thoughts Human science can never
account for his wondrous works. GOD so ordered that men, beasts,
and trees, many times larger than those now upon the earth, and other things,
should be buried in the earth at the time of the flood, and there be preserved
to evidence to man that the inhabitants of the old world perished by a flood. GOD
designed that the discovery of these things in the earth, should establish the
faith of men in inspired history. But men, with their vain reasoning, make a
wrong use of these things which GOD designed should lead them to
exalt him. They fall into the same error as did the people before the flood —
those things which GOD gave them as a benefit, they turned into a
curse, by making a wrong use of them.
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Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts (Battle Creek, Mich.: Steam Press of the
Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, 1864), vol. 3, pp. 90-96.
Reprinted in Signs of the Times, 5:90, March 20, 1879, and in Spirit
of Prophecy (Battle Creek, Mich.: Review and Herald, 1884), vol. 4,
pp. 85-89.
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