The Bible Echo, vol. 13
March 7, 1898
“The Church of To-day” The Bible Echo 13, 10, pp. 72, 73.
“THROUGH Jesus Christ, God has made every provision that his people may connect with divine agencies, and that these agencies may co-operate with human instrumentalities. They may reveal to a world that is dead in trespasses and sins the power and sufficient of Christ. They will present before the world another world, of higher, holier laws than worldly wisdom can invent or earth obey,—a purer happiness and joy than earth can give to its votaries, coming through a service that is independent of all human inventions. BEST March 7, 1898, page 72.1
“Christ’s church on earth is to resemble heaven,—a temple built after the pattern of things shown in the holy mount. Man must give up his ideas, his plans and devices, and let God work out his original intentions. The great Designer must not be impeded in his work by human wisdom. His work and purpose have not been understood. Through the miscalculations of man, the church to-day is so misshapen that it cannot be accepted by the great Builder. Human counsel has been so abundant that individual experience is rare. Men are placed where God should be; God’s plans are turned aside, and men’s measures brought in to fashion and mold. But the great and perfect Designer pronounces the work imperfect. The temple that he is building after the pattern of things in the heavens must have the exact proportions assigned it by the great Architect, whose pattern is without a flaw. He has brought the golden measuring rod from heaven, and every worker is employed only as he works under his superintendence and according to his plans. BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.1
“There must be no human calculations. God will have only those as workers who will be laborers together with him, who will yoke up with Christ, and learn of him his meekness and lowliness of heart. His directions are, ‘Make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.’ Then a temple of heavenly design will be presented to the world, where the divine presence is manifested, and to which is affixed God’s seal.” BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.2
In order for us to see the pattern, and to have it ever present for reference, we must be where the pattern is. But the pattern is showed only in the mount. Then it is certain that the only thing for us to do is to go up into the mount. BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.3
Is that true? Can we do that? Is there any word for it?—Read this: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain.” It says so, doesn’t it? Thank the Lord! Then let us go up to Him into the mount, and He will meet with us there; He will make all His goodness pass before us; He will put us in the cleft of the rock, and cover us with His hand—that blessed hand that was pierced for us; and He will proclaim the name of the Lord before us, revealing Himself to us. BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.4
Then knowing Him thus, the rest of the verse will be fulfilled: “O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God.” Isaiah 40:9. BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.5
And that will be the loud cry of the third angel’s message. “Arise,” “get thee up into the high mountain” where His glory is: then “shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.... The Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.” Thus “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,” “the earth shall be lightened with His glory,” “and all flesh shall see it together.” BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.6
He wants us to—we must—be in the mount, in order to see the pattern so that we may make all things according to it. He wants us also to be up in the high mountain, in order that when the voice is lifted up with strength in the loud cry, it may be heard far, far away, even to the ends of the earth, and by every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.7
Then, too, upon us, and because of His own completed work in us, there will be affixed the Lord’s own seal—“the seal of the living God.” BEST March 7, 1898, page 73.8
A. T. JONES.