Page 13 - Our God of Love, Mercy, and Justice

purpose, and directed him to build an ark. While building the ark he was to preach
that God would bring a flood of water upon the earth to destroy the wicked. Those
who would believe the message, and would prepare for that event by repentance and
reformation, should find pardon and be saved. PP 92.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,

prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7.
The men of that generation were not all, in the fullest acceptation of the term,
idolaters. Many professed to be worshipers of God. They claimed that their idols
were representations of the Deity, and that through them the people could obtain a
clearer conception of the divine Being. This class were foremost in rejecting the

preaching of Noah. As they endeavored to represent God by material objects, their
minds were blinded to His majesty and power; they ceased to realize the holiness of
His character, or the sacred, unchanging nature of His requirements. As sin became
general, it appeared less and less sinful, and they finally declared that the divine
law was no longer in force; that it was contrary to the character of God to punish
transgression; and they denied that His judgments were to be visited upon the
earth. . . .

As time passed on, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at
times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They reasoned, as many reason
now, that nature is above the God of nature, and that her laws are so firmly
established that God Himself could not change them. Reasoning that if the
message of Noah were correct, nature would be turned out of her course, they made
that message, in the minds of the world, a delusion--a grand deception.

Had the antediluvians believed the warning, and repented of their evil deeds, the
Lord would have turned aside His wrath, . . . But by their obstinate resistance to the
reproofs of conscience and the warnings of God's prophet, that generation filled up
the measure of their iniquity, and became ripe for destruction. PP 96, 97.
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all
flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in
the earth shall die. Genesis 6:17.

For seven days after Noah and his family entered the ark, there appeared no sign of
the coming storm. During this period their faith was tested. It was a time of triumph to
the world without. The apparent delay confirmed them in the belief that Noah's
message was a delusion, and that the Flood would never come. Notwithstanding the
solemn scenes which they had witnessed--the beasts and birds entering the ark, and

the angel of God closing the door--they still continued their sport and revelry, even
making a jest of these signal manifestations of God's power. They gathered in crowds
about the ark, deriding its inmates with a daring violence which they had never
ventured upon before.

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