15 – The Bible and the French Revolution

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Chapter Study Questions

1. What is the significance of the following expressions, found in the prophecy of Rev. ll:2-11: “the holy city”; “forty and two months” 266:2, 3 [304:3, 4] “the two witnesses” 267:1 [305:2] “prophesy . . . clothed in sackcloth” 267:2; 269:1 [307:1; 307:2] “the beast from the bottomless pit” 268:3 [306:3] “the great city” 269:2 [307:2] “dead bodies . . . three days and a half”? 273:2-274:2; 287:1 [312:3-313:2; 328:1]

2. What warning is given against twisting the plain meaning of the Scriptures? 268:1, 2 [306:1, 2]

3. For what special sins do “Egypt” and “Sodom” stand typically? 269:2, 3 [307:2, 3]

4. What two classes of Christians bore witness for Christ, and how did they suffer for their faith? 271:2; 273:1 [309:2-312:1]

5. In the “war against God” in France, what steps were taken against public worship? the Bible? the Sabbath? The sacraments of baptism, communion and marriage? The recognition of God? What was substituted to be worshiped, and how was it personified? 273:3-276:3 [312:3-316:3]

6. How is the church shown to have been responsible not only for the decline of religious liberty, but also for the part of the State in curtailing civil liberty? 276:4-277:2 [316:4-317:2]

7. How had the persecution of the Huguenots contributed to the poverty and wretchedness of the country? 278:1-279:2 [318:1- 319:1]

8. What contrasts are drawn between the privileged classes and the poor peasants, and what were the causes for this condition? How did the result prove to be the opposite of what was expected? 279:4-281:3 [319:3-321:3]

9. When the common populace had obtained the upper hand in the government, how did they abuse their power? 282:1-284:1 [322:1-324:2]

10. What fatal error was then, and is still, responsible for the cruelty, degradation and misery in this world? 285:2-286:1 [326:2- 327:1]

11. What two great movements were started by God at this time, to thwart the plans of Satan that seemed to have succeeded, and to reveal to the world His own principles of love and of liberty? 287:2-288:3 [328:1-329:4]

12. In this chapter we have a demonstration of the fact that Satan’s malignant power is restrained by the Spirit of God, and it is only as men deliberately choose to follow the evil one, that this protection is withdrawn from them. This truth is being still more clearly demonstrated today. See 265:1; 274:2; 282:2; 285:4-286:1 [303:1; 313:2; 322:2; 326:4-327:1]