We are living in a machine age. All about us, on every hand, man power is being reinforced by machine power—machines that are efficient, dependable, and automatic. They are capable of doing many times the amount of work that man can do, in much less time. Efficiency, speed, and endurance are all in favor of the machine. And yet we find that the machine is helpless without the skill of man. Men produce the machines, set them in motion, and repair them when they are out of order. The machine is dependent upon man for its successful operation.
Man, in turn, is dependent upon his Maker for his success in life. How often one fails to realize the fact that man is of little worth without the aid of his Maker !
Men are in demand—they are needed everywhere. Today they are needed in the Army, Navy, and Air Corps. They are needed for national defense at home and abroad. The right kind of men are at a premium. "The greatest want of the world is the want of men,—men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest."
Our nation is calling for men, and the call is being answered by millions of patriotic citizens. They are coming from every walk of life to join forces for the defense of their country. These men will receive a training in the various branches of the service to which they are called. They will be given every available opportunity to succeed in their particular field.
Our country is out to win in this gigantic struggle for democracy. Everything that will be necessary to success will be made available. Men, machines, money, and all that money can buy, will be forthcoming. But win we must!
That is the attitude of the American people. There is another conflict raging in this world, in which we as Seventh-day Adventists are vitally concerned. And that conflict is between the forces of Satan and the church of Christ. Recruits are needed in the army of the Lord. Men of great physical, moral, and spiritual stamina are needed to reinforce this army—men who are willing to sacrifice, spend, and be spent for the cause that is certain to succeed. There will be no draftees in this army—they are all volunteers.
The enemy forces are combining and consolidating for the final conflict. The results of this struggle are of far greater consequence than are those of the present world struggle. The battle is on. The enemy forces headed by Satan are using all manner of deception and sabotage. We as loyal Seventh-day Adventists need not be surprised or taken unaware by his delusions if we are diligent students of the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy writings. I quote from "The Great Controversy":
"As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation.
"The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, 'Christ has come! Christ has come!' The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.
'He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is 'the great power of God.'
"But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this false Christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures. His blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and his image, the very class upon whom the Bible declares that God's unmingled wrath shall be poured out."—Pages 624, 625.
Here is a point well worth our remembering:
"Satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of Christ's advent. The Saviour has warned His people against deception upon this point, and has clearly foretold the manner of His second coming. . . . Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive."—Id., p. 625.
Shall we not study to show ourselves approved, workmen that need not to be ashamed?
