Momentous Questions
Dear Fellow Workers:
Again I ask you personally, Do you understand that the return of Christ according to His promise is being delayed, that His purpose for the finishing of His work is being hindered? If this be true, what is the cause? What can be done to remove the hindrance? These are truly momentous questions. They should raise awakening and alarming thoughts in the mind of every minister who has accepted the solemn responsibility of warning the world regarding the coming of the Lord in "this generation." Matt. 24:34. They should lead to a sincere review of the message we preach, the profession we make, the kind of service we are rendering, and the lives we are living. We should diligently seek to discover the truth regarding the situation we are facing. As we are told by the Spirit of prophecy, "we must look our work fairly in the face." —"Testimonies," Vol. VI, p. 22.
This admonition was given thirty years ago. Thirty years covers a little more than one third of the entire history of our movement. Surely it is time to awake to serious thought in regard to our situation as the eighty-fifth year of "this generation" draws to its close.
In last month's study of this question it was shown that man may, to a limited extent, frustrate the purposes and plans of God. The history of Israel in the great exodus movement was cited in proof of this, as found in Deuteronomy 1:1-35. Concerning the experiences recorded in this chapter the following statement is made by the Spirit of prophecy:
"It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty years in the wilderness; He desired to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there, a holy, happy people. But 'they could not enter in because of unbelief.' Because of their backsliding and apostasy, they perished in the desert, and others were raised up to enter the Promised Land." —"The Great Controversy," p. 458.
Just how Israel prevented the Lord from carrying out His purpose for them and so fulfilling His promises to lead them, should be clearly understood:
"I was pointed back to ancient Israel. They had great light and exalted privileges; yet they did not live up to the light, nor appreciate their advantages, and their light became darkness. They walked in the light of their own eyes, instead of following the leadings of God."—"Testimonies," Vol. IV, p. 43.
Again:
"The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the expressed will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts."—Id., Vol. V, p. 94.
Now we know that the experiences of Israel in the exodus movement are set forth in both the Scriptures and the Testimonies as a warning to the remnant church. The course Israel pursued at Kadesh-barnea in defeating the purpose of God to lead them immediately into the Promised Land, is used repeatedly by the Spirit of prophecy to warn us against taking a course that will delay the coming of the Lord, and thus keep us wandering in this world of sin, sorrow, and death longer than the Lord planned that we should be here.
After reviewing Israel's course in preventing the Lord from carrying out His promise and plan to lead them directly into the land of Canaan, the Spirit of prophecy states, as previously quoted:
"In like manner, it was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be so long delayed, and His people should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow. But unbelief separated them from God. As they refused to do the work which He had appointed them, others were raised up to proclaim the message. In mercy to the world, Jesus delays His coming, that sinners may have an opportunity to hear the warning, and find in Him a shelter before the wrath of God shall be poured out Great Controversy," p. 458.
There is no uncertainty regarding the meaning of this statement. Because of the unbelief and failure of the church the Lord in mercy and compassion for lost men and women is delaying His coming.
"Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to the world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of God." —"Testimonies," Vol. VI, p. 450.
Behind this regrettable failure of the church is the wicked purpose and plotting of our great enemy: "Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people."—id., Vol. V, p. 160.
Again:
"I have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did ancient Israel. There is the same falling away from your holy calling as God's peculiar people."—Id., pp. 75, 76.
With these statements we may with profit read the following:
"The Lord in compassion is seeking to enlighten the understanding of those who are now groping in the darkness of error. He is delaying His judgments upon an impenitent world, in order that His light bearers may seek and save that which is lost. He is now calling upon His church on the earth to awake from the lethargy that Satan has sought to bring upon them, and fulfill their Heaven-appointed work of enlightening the world."—"Testimoales to Ministers," p. 458.
This counsel is very clear, and it is fundamental in this study. God is seeking to enlighten those who are groping in darkness. He is now calling upon His church to awake from the lethargy Satan has sought to bring upon them. He calls to His people to arise and quickly fulfill their Heaven-appointed work of enlightening the world.
This is an urgent call to the greatest, most consecrated, Spirit-filled evangelistic endeavor we have ever put forth. It is within the bounds of possibility if we shall undertake it in the Lord's ordained way. And it must be done, for we are told:
"The Lord God of heaven will not send upon the world His judgments for disobedience and transgression, until He has sent His watchmen to give the warning. He will not close up the period of probation until the message shall be more distinctly proclaimed, . . . that the people may be brought to decide for or against the truth."—"Testimonies," Vol. VI, p. 19.
As this article has reached the limits of its space it must close with the following very encouraging word:
"It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain."—/d., Vol. VIII, pp. 22, 23.
All that is involved in entering into this wonderful experience is made very clear, and will be presented in the next study.
