The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 77
February 13, 1900
“The Meaning of the Missionary Reading Circle” 1 Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 7, pp. 99, 100.
A. T. JONES
THIS being the fourth Sabbath of the month, the missionary Sabbath, I am to speak on the subject of missionary work. There can be no stronger incentive, no more earnest persuasion, to missionary work than simply to look at what is before us, and study the meaning of it; and all that I shall do, or attempt to do, in this missionary talk will be to call your attention to what is before us, as it is before the eyes of all the people, that of which you yourselves are a part, in which, indeed, you are engaged at present, and call your attention to the meaning of these things. And if that will not persuade you to missionary work, then, even if an angel from heaven should come, he could not do it. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.1
Last fall there was organized and begun the work of the Missionary Reading Circle. It was organized in order that all persons who profess to know the Third Angel’s Message may have a part in it, may enter into that work of missionary reading so as to know what is now to be done. I think that, generally speaking, all who profess to believe the Third Angel’s Message are engaged in that reading of the Missionary Circle. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.2
Surely there can be no doubt in the mind of any one who is observing, or who will think, that the organization of that Missionary Reading Circle and work is of God; that the Lord led out the ones who have the charge of it, to speak of it, to call together those who could engage in the organizing of it, in the setting of the machinery to work, and in the laying out of the plan of work. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.3
And since the Lord has so manifestly started this; since it is for all the people; and the object of it is to have all the people engage in missionary work, there can be no doubt whatever that this Reading Circle enterprise itself is a call of God to all this people to engage in missionary work as they have never done before. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.4
The object of the organizing of that Reading Circle, the plan of the readings, all in connection with it, was solely to get people to engage in missionary work. The only sure way to get the people to engage in missionary work intelligently is to have them read the things that they are to use in their missionary work, so far as circulating literature is concerned, so that they may get a fresh and intelligent and up-to-date knowledge of the literature, in order that they may intelligently bring it before all people to whom they may go. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.5
The books of Daniel and Revelation contain the special, systematized present truth for the world at this time. “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation” is the only book, outside of the Bible, that gives a comprehensive, simple, plain, and clear view of the whole field of the truth covered by the Third Angel’s Message and comprehended in it. Therefore “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation” was chosen as the beginning book of study, in order that all the people might have a renewed view of the great prophetic field. With the reading of the books, there was also planned the Reading Circle lessons, bringing in that which is occurring to-day in fulfillment of what is spoken in the books of Daniel and Revelation, and which was outline long ago in “Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.6
This being brought before the people, it was supposed—and the supposition is correct, whether the fact proves it or not—that this would be the best opening, the surest means, of getting the people intelligently informed upon the issues of the day with regard to the literature that must be put into the hands of the people, that they may know what is going on to-day, that they may know the truth, that they may understand it, and that they may be won to the Lord and to the ways of righteousness, and so escape the evil that is fast coming upon the earth. All that was planned, and contemplated in the plan, in arranging the Missionary Reading Circle. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.7
Therefore any one who studies these lessons in the Missionary Reading Circle studies, or thinks of the lessons, or reads the book, simply to be HIMSELF informed, that HE shall know more than he did before, and pride himself upon knowing more than other persons, and confine this to himself,—that person is missing all that was intended in the organizing of that work. He will miss all that is intended by the Lord in calling the people unto that work. And he will not only miss all that, but will miss all the rest that there is, whether in the Bible or out; because God never gave to anybody, and he never will give to anybody, anything to be held fast to himself. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.8
Whoever takes what God gives, and shuts it unto himself, and himself in with it, will lose that and all else; even as Jesus said: “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he thinketh that he hath.” That was spoken to those to whom God had given talents. He gave them these talents to be used. And the one who received the talents, and did not use them, is the one who did not have them when the end came. The one that received them and used them is the one who in the end had them; and he also got what the other one had and did not use. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.9
So whatever is given in the Missionary Reading Circle work, whatever comes to any of this people in the book that has been put at so low a price that anybody can buy it, not only for himself, but can afford to give it away,—this that has thus been brought to all people, was brought to the people only in order that they might pass it on to those who have it not. And if it should be that those to whom this work has come should study this for their own sakes, and then shut it in to themselves, and themselves in with it, then there could be no surer token that that people have forfeited all the light and the truth that God ever gave, or ever can give, to that people; and the kingdom of God will be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. This is some of the meaning that lies in the organizing of the Missionary Reading Circle. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.10
Now in a study of the meaning of the Missionary Read Circle work, I do not know of anything that could emphasize that meaning as I have outlined it to you just now, any more than would a glance at the lessons that have so far been studies in the book of Daniel in the Reading Circle lessons. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.11
This thought that we have just noticed—that God gives nothing to anybody to be shut in to himself, but only that it shall be passed on to other persons—is emphasized in these studies. I do not say that it has been brought out and made a lesson in the studies; but that it is made plain in the situation from which the things came that have been studies. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.12
Why was it that Daniel or any others of Israel were in Babylon?—It was because they had confined to themselves the things that God had given them for all the nations. Everything that God gave to Israel when they came out of Egypt, or at any other time, was that they might pass it on to all the nations who did not know God. But they made the mistake of thinking, and acting thoroughly upon the thought, that God gave these things to them because they were much better than all the other people in the world. And since he gave these things to them because they were much better than everybody else, the other nations could not have any of these things unless they became as good “as we are.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.13
And since, in that conception, Israel separated herself from all the people of the nations, and despised them, all the nations, being so much like Israel, simply said, All right; you can separate yourselves from us if you wish to; you can despise us if you wish to; what do we care? And the result was that all the nations despised Israel. And that will always be so. Just as certainly as you are like me, and I despise you, you will despise me. Just as certainly as you are like me, and I separate myself from you, you will say, All right; go it, I don’t care. And you will separate yourself from me. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.14
That was Israel and the nations. But where was the separation? By whom was it made?—Not by the nations, but BY ISRAEL; not by the heathen, but BY THOSE WHO KNEW GOD. And by that they lost all the knowledge of God, to such an extent that when he came into the world, and presented himself to them in all his fullness, they did not know him, and crucified him out of the world. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.15
That is why Israel was in Babylon. It was because they would not pass on to the nations, in the light of God, to the glory of God, that which God had given to them in light and glory. They had shut themselves away from the nations, and by that means had become worse than all the nations. Yet they had the truth: God had given it to them. Even though they had shut it away from the nations, and had abused it, and had trampled it underfoot, yet they had the light, and by them it must be given to the nations. And as they would not give if freely as God gave it to them to give, as they separated themselves from the nations, and thus hindered all the nations from having it, God scattered them among all the nations, in captivity, in distress, in bondage, in slavery; and thus he caused them to give to the nations that which he had given to them to give to the nations. But how infinitely better it would have been for Israel and all the world if Israel had given to the nations the truth, in the light, the blessing, the joy, and the peace in which God gave it to her. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.16
And when those people found themselves scattered among the nations, they were actually surprised to find there were persons among the nations, even kings, kings of the mightiest empires of the world, who were hungering and longing for the truth, and were ready gladly to receive it as soon as it came to their attention. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.17
Israel had thought all the time that those people were so bad, so hard hearted, and so much in the dark, that they did not care for the truth. But the Lord had given them, all the way along, lessons that that view was not correct. He called Jonah, and had him go that long, long journey to Nineveh,—that great city, so wicked that it was about to perish,—to tell its inhabitants of their danger. And even Jonah, the prophet of the Lord, raised objection; and when he had really gone there and preached, and the Ninevites had repented, he thought strange that the Lord should forgive such persons as they. But the Lord taught Jonah the truth that he cared for other people as well as for Israel. And then that whole experience was written out, and was put into the literature of Israel as a living lesson that God cared for the other nations just as he did for Israel; and that Israel was in the world to take to the nations round, dark as they were, heathen as they were, that which God had given to her. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 99.18
Yet, for all this, Israel would not learn that lesson. And the Lord had to pick them up bodily, and fling them out as seed in the wind, to fall where they might among the nations. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.1
Then, in their distress, in their loneliness, with no temple of worship, no sacrifices, no offerings,—with all these taken away, they sought God without them, and found him, as they ought to have sought him with them, and found him. And when they sought him without them, and found him and his blessing, then they became a blessing to all those where they were scattered. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.2
Now that is the philosophy of Israel’s being in Babylon. And the book of Daniel is a last-day book, you know. It says so over and over. Then the book of Daniel is written to teach the people in the last days—the people of God, to whom God has given his truth—that unless they pass this truth on to all the nations, in peace, in quietness, in light and blessing, they will do it in distress, in poverty, in the confusion and contention of the nations as the curse falls upon the earth and spreads over it everywhere. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.3
And all this teaches to the people of God in the last days that there are persons in the world, in the darkness of heathenism, everywhere outside of the circle of the people of God, who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness; who long for the knowledge of God; who have hearts just as honest as any saint’s heart,—only they have not the knowledge. They have not yet received the light. But they long for it, they wait for it. And if it shall not be given to them by the people who now have it, and who are dwelling in undisturbed peace, prosperity, and happiness, under their own vine and fig tree, then these honest souls among the nations will get the light and truth by means of these people who have it being scattered to the ends of the earth, and doing in poverty and distress what they would not do in peace and quietness. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.4
And when that time comes, there will be found again among kings, the greatest of earth’s kingdoms, of mighty world empires, those who long for the truth, and who will welcome it when it comes. This, in order that all the peoples and languages may know the truth: even as it was before. For what was done with the truth when Nebuchadnezzar received it? Why was it given to him?—First, of course, it was given to him because he longed for it, because he desired to know what was the way of light and truth in the world. But when he had received it, immediately it was spread to all the nations. It was given to him to be spread to all the nations. And the last thing in Nebuchadnezzar’s experience—you know, you have had it in your lesson—was that experience recorded in the fourth chapter of Daniel, in which King Nebuchadnezzar confessed his pride and his foolishness, and what came of it in judgment to him, and also what came out of it in blessing and glory to him, from God. And that experience was published to every nation and language and people in all the world as it then was, of which Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.5
Thus, these people outside of Israel, when they received the truth of God, did with it exactly what Israel ought to have done with it when she received it; and which if she had done with it, Israel would not have gone into captivity to the nations,—would have been blessed instead of being cursed. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.6
Nebuchadnezzar is only one. Darius was another; Cyrus was another. These mighty rulers, all heathen to begin with, were all the servants of God to end with; and all this, through the instrumentality of the people of God who were scattered in the kingdoms which these men ruled. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.7
And all this is one of the things that illustrate the deep meaning of the Missionary Reading Circle. This is one of the mighty thoughts that God is giving to us now, and to the carrying out of which he is calling his people, in the Missionary Reading Circle studies. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 100.8
(To be continued.)
“The Third Angel’s Message. What Is It as to Babylon the Mother?” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 7, pp. 104, 105.
“AND I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:6-8. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.1
In this quotation from the Scripture there is expressed a great principle concerning Babylon in all its phases in the Christian age. The principle is that wherever the everlasting gospel is disregarded, or its advancing light is not followed, even by those who believe it, there is a moral fall and confusion as the sure result. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.2
As we have before shown, the ancient meaning of “Babel,” from which comes “Babylon,” was “Gate of God;” and because of the pride and exaltation of those who were of this “Babel,” confusion overtook them; and that which originally meant “Gate of God,” thenceforth meant only “confusion.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.3
Now the church is “the body of Christ” in this world; and he says: “I am the way,” “I am the door.” The church of Christ is the Lord’s appointed agency through which he would call men unto himself, that they may find in him deliverance from this present evil world. The church is therefore indeed and in truth the “Gate of God” to mankind; and the faith of Jesus is that which gives access through this gate, to all the fullness of God. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.4
If, then, the church, or any part of it, should become proud and self-exalted, and thus there come a confusion of principles and relationships, it would follow that that which at first was “Gate of God” would become confusion. What, then, says the Scripture?—It tells that there would come “a falling away” from the truth of the gospel; that there would come a self-exaltation in the church, through men arising, from the very midst of her trusted ones, who would speak “perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4; Acts 20:28, 30. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.5
Now the church in Rome was, in the beginning, pre-eminently a church of Christ. So entirely was this so that she was an example to the whole world; for Inspiration has declared, with thanksgiving, of her faith, that it was “spoken of throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.6
By this great and exemplary faith that church was clothed with the beautiful garments of salvation and the robe of the Lord’s righteousness; she was endued with the power of God and of godliness, before the eyes of all the nations. The beauty of the Lord God was upon her, and she prospered, and her renown went forth to all the world for her beauty, for its was perfect, through his comeliness, which he had put upon her. But not satisfied with the exaltation that the Lord gave, which could remain only through her own humility and purity of faith, the church grew haughty, and exalted herself. Not content with the beauty of the Lord, which he had put upon her, she prided herself upon her own beauty. Instead of trusting in him for her beauty, she trusted in herself. Not content that God alone should be glorified in her, she “glorified herself, and lived deliciously.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.7
Trusting in herself, priding herself upon her own beauty, magnifying her own merit, and satisfied with her own sufficiency,—this was in itself to put herself in the place of God. Then it was natural enough that she should seek to draw disciples to herself, rather than to the Lord. And having so exalted herself, it was impossible for her to draw disciples to anybody but herself. Thus came the apostasy. And thus, instead of remaining the church of Christ in truth, manifesting to the world the mystery of God and of godliness, she became, though still professedly the church of Christ, only the manifestation to the world of the mystery of self and of selfishness, which is the very mystery of iniquity. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.8
Thus, pre-eminent in both phases of this career was the church at Rome. She was pre-eminent in faith, insomuch that her faith was “spoken of throughout the whole world.” She was also preminent in apostasy, insomuch that this likewise has been spoken of throughout the whole world, and for nearly eighteen hundred years. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.9
There is another thought in the Scriptures, which illustrates this apostasy: In the fifth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle speaks “concerning Christ and the church,” under the figure of the marriage relation, with Christ in the place of the husband, and the church in the place of the wife. And the Word says, “The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.... This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Verses 23-32. The relationship of the church to Christ is thus plainly shown to be the same as that of the wife to her own husband. As the husband himself, and not another man, is “the head of the wife;” so Christ himself, and not another, is “the head of the church.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.10
Now suppose another man should propose to put himself in between a husband and his wife, to speak to her the sentiments of her husband in faith and morals, what would the loyal wife do?—Everybody knows that she would resent such an intrusion, and would promptly repudiate all such proffers. But suppose another man should not only propose to put himself in the place of the husband to the wife, but that the wife should agree to the proposal, and actually accept this other man in the place of her husband, to speak to her the sentiments of her husband in faith and morals, then what would that be but treason to her own husband, apostasy from her marriage vows, and adultery with this other man? And what kind of faith and morals have you in that case?—Everybody knows that that would be nothing but unfaithfulness and immorality. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.11
Now the Bishop of Rome claims to be, and the Church of Rome claims that he is, the head of that church. From Cardinal Gibbons we quote:— ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.12
Says the Council of Florence (1439), at which also were present the bishop of the Greek and Latin Church, “We define that the Roman pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, and the true vicar of Christ, the head of the whole church, the father and doctor of all Christians; and we declare that to him, in the person of blessed Peter, was given, by Jesus Christ our Saviour, full power to feed, rule, and govern the universal church.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.13
The pope is here called the true vicar, or representative, of Christ in this lower kingdom of the church militant; that is, the pope is the organ of our Saviour, and speaks his sentiments in faith and morals.—“The Faith of Our Fathers,” pages 154, 155. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.14
It was the Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., that first addressed the Bishop of Rome as “the head, of whom we are the members.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.15
Thus the Church of Rome claims to be “the bride of Christ.” She claims that she is “the spouse of Christ.” And yet she has accepted another man as the “representative” of her husband, as the “substitute”—vicar—for her husband, to occupy the place of her husband in his absence, to occupy the place of her husband in his absence, to speak to her “his sentiments in faith and morals.” She not only has accepted another in the place of her husband, but she openly boasts of it, and actually proclaims it as the chiefest evidence of her faithfulness, her morality, and her purity. How could the unfaithfulness, the apostasy, the immorality, and the impurity of a church be more plainly shown than in this which is her boast? ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.16
How could the complete abandon, the essential wantonness, the utter confusion of moral principles, of a wife, be more clearly demonstrated than in citing the confirmed fact of another man’s occupying the place of her husband to her, as evidence of her faithfulness and purity? Would not such a boast, and for such a purpose, be the strongest possible evidence that that woman’s native modesty and moral sense had become utterly confused? Yet by her own words this is precisely the case of the Church of Rome. She has accepted another to occupy the place of her husband to her. She constantly boasts before the world that this fact is evidence of her faithfulness, her morality, and her purity; and she insists that all the world shall fall in with her in this course, in order that they may all be faithful and moral and pure! How could she more clearly demonstrate that all true sense of faithfulness, of morality, and of purity has become completely confused in her consciousness? That a confirmed adulteress and harlot should boast of her iniquity as being the only way to righteousness, is certainly nothing else than the very mystery of iniquity itself. And such, even according to her own showing, is the Church of Rome. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.17
Yet she did not stop even there: she went on and took to herself yet other men: she committed fornication with the kings of the earth. Having lost the heavenly power, she now sought for earthly power. Having forsaken the arm of the Lord, she sought the arm of man. Having disconnected herself from the kingdom of heaven, she would now connect herself with the kingdoms of earth. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.18
Still trusting in her own beauty, and her own bedecking of herself with silk and gold and precious stones and pearls, and holding in her hand the proffer of rich gifts to any lover that would receive her immodest advances and form an alliance with her, she finally succeeded, through Constantine, in gaining imperial favor an earthly lord. The now unholy church formed an unholy connection with the unholy state. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.19
Thus did she who had been espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ; she who had been joined in the bonds of pure and holy marriage to him who is perfect in power, in love, and purity; she who had known the blissful delights of his love,—thus did she violate her virgin vows, break her marriage ties, and become a bold and vicious harlot, and the very symbol of confusion. Accordingly the next view that is given of her is this: “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” Revelation 17:3-6. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.20
And that all may have the best authority, outside of the Bible, that this Babylon does refer to Rome, we set down here the statements of two standard works of the Church of Rome. One of these is by Cardinal Gibbons, and says:— ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.21
“Babylon,” from which Peter addressed his first epistle, is understood by learned annotators, Protestant and Catholic, to refer to Rome.—“The Faith of Our Fathers,” page 131. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.22
The other is by the Very Rev. Joseph Faà di Bruno, D.D., Rector-General of the Pious Society of Missions, and says:— ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.23
No one mistook what St. John in the Apocalypse designated under the figure of Babylon. In the end of the first general epistle of St. Peter we have these words: “The church that is in Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you: and so doth my son Mark;” in which passage the word “Babylon” must be taken to mean Rome; in fact, it is not recorded either in Holy Scripture or elsewhere that St. Peter or St. Mark had ever been to ancient Babylon in Asia; and no ancient writer has ever said that this letter was dated really from ancient Babylon, or that it was so understood by any one; on the contrary, it is recorded positively in the history of Eusebius (book 2, chapter 15) as having been stated by Papias, the disciple of St. John the evangelist and friend of St. Polycarp, that St. Peter, in his first epistle, which he wrote from Rome, called Rome figuratively Babylon. The same thing is asserted by St. Jerome in his book of “Illustrious Men,” when he speaks of St. Mark.—“Catholic Belief,” pages 323, 324. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 104.24
Now since this Babylon signifies Rome, and since it is a church—a woman—that is thus called Babylon, it follows with absolute certainty that it is the Church of Rome that is this “Babylon the mother.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.1
“After the Millennium” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 7, p. 105.
AFTER the wicked are destroyed, as shown in Revelation 20, and in the previous study on this subject, “he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.... It is done.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.1
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea;” and the new Jerusalem, the holy city, having already come down from God out of heaven, and being thus upon the earth, it is written: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:3, 4. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.2
And thus is fulfilled the promise made of old: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” Isaiah 65:17-19. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.3
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Revelation 21:3-5. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.4
And there the wilderness shall be “like Eden,” and the desert as “the garden of the Lord.” “Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Isaiah 51:3. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.5
There “the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.” And even “then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Isaiah 30:26; 24:23. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.6
There “the inhabitants shall not say, I am sick;” for “the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” Isaiah 33:24. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.7
There the people “shall be all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21), and “the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.” Isaiah 35:1, 2. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.8
There the eyes of the blind shall have been opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. There the lame man shall “leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.” “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with sons and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35:5, 6, 10. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.9
There all shall be so quiet and so secure that the people can dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And the people, and the very places round about, shall be a blessing; yea, “there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:25, 26. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.10
There the very land itself shall rejoice even with joy and singing; and there, for very joy, “the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.11
There “we shall ever feel the freshness of the morning, and shall ever be far fro its close.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.12
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are I the sea, and all that are in them,” are heard “saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.13
“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 22:3-5. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.14
“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.... The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.15
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” “And let all the people say, Amen” and Amen. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 105.16
“Studies in Galatians. Galatians 3:19” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 7, p. 89.
“WHEREFORE then the law?” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.1
This inquiry of “the Pharisees which believed” was not limited to the law of God, although that, being the chief of all laws, was of course the principal thought in the inquiry. But from the beginning of this study of the book of Galatians we have found that there was involved not only the moral law, but also the ceremonial law—indeed all that God had given. And this, because all the service of the Pharisees was a service merely of law; since their only idea of justification was justification altogether by law, and their only idea of salvation altogether by works. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.2
Therefore with “the Pharisees which believed” this inquiry extended also to, Wherefore the Levitical law? Wherefore the sacrificial system? Wherefore circumcision? What was the use of all these, if salvation were not attained by any of them? Such was the only use they had ever made of any of these things: indeed, this was the only conception that they had of them. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.3
They expected perfection by the Levitical priesthood; the same by circumcision; and the same by all that was given by the Lord. Their only idea of their use was that justification, salvation, came to them in the doing of these things. BY THE DOING of them. But this was all error, and was a perversion of the true intent of all that God gave. Justification was not by any of these, nor by all of them together, any more than it was by the law of God. Justification was always by faith; and the sacrificial system, and all the services and ceremonies of the Levitical law, were only means which God gave, by which faith was expressed: the sacrifices were means of expressing faith that they already had in the great Sacrifice that God had made. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.4
And this same query, and for the same reason, is raised to-day by thousands of “Pharisees which believe,” in their enmity against the truth of the gospel. For this reason alone, “Wherefore then the law?” is a live question to-day, and always will be a live question wherever the truth of the gospel—righteousness by faith—is preached. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.5
But there is a greater reason, than that, as to “Wherefore then the law?” being a live question to-day and always. It is a true and proper question always, in the inquiry after the truth as it is in Jesus. For in the whole divine economy of the times of Israel, there is precious truth, rich instruction, and glorious light, for all who would be taught of God. This was all there for the people of Israel of old; but through carnal-mindedness and its self-justification, they missed it. And because Israel did thus miss it, thousands of professed believers to-day, stumbling over Israel’s failures, neglect and even reject all the great riches which Israel missed, but which were then and are now for all people. For to the people of the very last days it is written: “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.” Malachi 4:4. And “the Christian who accepts the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, will look at Bible history in its true bearing. The history of the Jewish economy from beginning to end, though spoken of contemptuously, and sneered at as ‘the dark ages,’ will reveal light, and still more light, as it is studied.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.6
“Wherefore then the law” of Levitical priesthood, sacrifice, offering, burnt offering, and offering for sin, the sanctuary and its ministry?—It was all only the divinely appointed means of expressing the faith that they already had, and that had already brought to them the righteousness of God without any deeds of any law ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.7
The Levitical priesthood was the means of expressing faith in that greater priesthood—the priesthood of the Son of God—announced in the words: “The Lord said unto my Lord....Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” Psalm 110:1-4. The sanctuary and the services of this priesthood were but means of expressing faith in the sanctuary and the services of the priesthood that is in heaven. For, of all that system, “this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Hebrews 8:1, 2. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.8
And this whole story, as here outlined, is shown in the instruction given to the people, in the book of Leviticus. In Leviticus 4:13-20 it is said that when the people had sinned through ignorance, and the thing was hid from their eyes in having “done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; when the sin, which they have sinned against it—against the law of God—was known, then the congregation should “offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.” And the elders of the congregation were to lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord, thus confessing the sin of the congregation, and laying it upon the bullock. Then the bullock must be “killed before the Lord.” And the priest that was anointed brought “of the bullock’s blood to the tabernacle of the congregation; and dipped his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkled it seven times before the Lord, even before the vail.” And he “put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar,” which was before the Lord, in the tabernacle of the congregation; and poured out “all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering,” which was “at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Thus the priest made “atonement for them,” and the sin was “forgiven them.” ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.9
There was the law of God, and by it the knowledge of sin, showing them guilty. Then there was the sacrifice, and the laying of the sin, in confession, upon the sacrifice as a substitute. Then there was the slaying of the sacrifice and the offering of its blood in their behalf, and by it atonement made and the forgiveness of sin to them. There was by the law the knowledge of sin, and by the gospel of sacrifice the forgiveness of sin and atonement with God. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.10
But “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Hebrews 10:4. Wherefore then all this law, sanctuary, service, and ceremony? Ah! it was “a figure for the time then present” “until the time of reformation.” But “Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:9-19. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.11
And with Christ and in Christ we have this day, A.D. 1900, the substance of which all that was the shadow. In the heavenly temple there is the ark of his testament, in which is the testament—his law. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” And by the Gospel of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his priestly service, and the offering of his blood in the heavenly sanctuary, there is forgiveness of sin “to every one that believeth,” and righteousness in his being made at one with God, in Jesus Christ, who is the atonement. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 89.12
And the only difference between the times before Christ and these times after Christ, is that then, because Jesus had not yet come and offered himself, but was to come, faith in his coming and offering himself could be expressed only in this way; whereas, now that he has come and has offered himself a sacrifice, and has entered upon his priesthood and “ever liveth to make intercession for” us, faith is now expressed in the bread and wine—the body and blood—representing that which has actually been offered. To offer a sacriftce now, and to have a priesthood and a priestly ministry on earth, would be to deny that Christ, the true Sacrifice, has yet been offered. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 106.1
Thus, there was clear use, and intelligent use, for all the laws, both moral and ceremonial, which were given to Israel. And this without any purpose or thought of any justification coming by any of them, or all of them together; but that justification comes always and ONLY by faith. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 106.2
And this is “Wherefore the law?” as to the ceremonial law. And from the considerable and careful study of the subject, we are thoroughly convinced that in the book of Galatians, the book of Romans and the book of Hebrews MEET. The letter to the Galatians was written before either the letter to the Romans or that to the Hebrews. In the controversy raised by the Pharisees which believed,” which had confused the Galatian Christians, both the moral and the ceremonial law were involved; and so both are involved in the letter to the Galatians, and the whole ground is briefly covered. Then afterward the book of Romans was written, enlarging, and dwelling wholly, upon that phase of Galatians which involves the moral law, and justification by faith; and the book of Hebrews was written, enlarging, and dwelling wholly, upon that phase of Galatians which involves the ceremonial law, and justification by faith. And we believe that as the whole subject is more, and more carefully, studied, the more it will be seen that in Galatians both Romans and Hebrews are comprehended. ARSH February 13, 1900, page 106.3