The Home Missionary, vol. 5
September 1893
“‘In the Time of Trouble’” The Home Missionary Extra 9, pp. 166-174.
To be read in the Churches, Sabbath, Sept. 23
Sermon by Elder A. T. Jones, preached in the Tabernacle, Sabbath, July 22, 1893
WE want to continue to-day the lesson that we had last Sabbath; because there is still more of it than we have yet found. And that we may learn as fully as possible the lesson that is in it for to-day, we will sketch, just at the beginning, what once was, and what now is; and in sketching what once was, there is no difficulty in seeing not only what now is, but the meaning of it. HOMI September 1893, page 166.1
I will not take time to turn to the different passages of Scripture, because all know all the points that I shall mention. You all know that the Pharisees and the priests and the scribes, in the days of the Saviour, rejected him because he did not keep the Sabbath to suit them. That was the chief objection; that was the one point upon which they first counseled together, and as sects too, to put him to death. They said, “This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day.” He told them he was Lord of the Sabbath, himself. If they had been willing to understand, they might have learned by that, that as he was Lord of the Sabbath, it was impossible for him not to keep it; for whatever he did would, in the nature of things, be Sabbath-keeping. The Sabbath, meaning in itself, what he is to mankind, and conveying to mankind when they hallow it, what Christ is to man,—it was impossible for him to do anything on the Sabbath day that was not Sabbath-keeping, which was not really an expression of the meaning of the Sabbath to man. HOMI September 1893, page 166.2
But they wanted their own ideas of the Sabbath instead of his; and to maintain their own ideas of the Sabbath against his they had to put him out of the world. And they laid aside their sectarian differences also, and had a grand union of denominations, or “denominational unity,” rather, as it would be expressed nowadays. They united upon that one thing, of maintaining their ideas of the Sabbath against the Lord’s. And as denominations, as sects, they took counsel together how they might put him to death. And he went on doing the same things, keeping the Sabbath in the same way, working miracles on the Sabbath day more and more, and doing things that did not please them; and then at last they reached that place where, you know, they said, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” And if all men should believe on him, and keep the Sabbath as he was teaching it, there would be nobody left to maintain their ideas of the Sabbath; and they supposed, of course, the salvation of the world hung on their idea of what the Sabbath is, against the Lord’s; and consequently if all men should believe on him, they would be breaking the Sabbath, as they had accused him. Then the Romans would come and destroy both their name and their nation. So in order to save themselves, and the nation especially, they had to kill the Saviour. HOMI September 1893, page 167.1
But you know they could not do that themselves; the Roman power stood between them and their power to put anybody to death. Consequently they had to secure the control of the Roman power, in order to carry out their wishes of putting the Saviour to death, and in order to sustain their ideas of what the Sabbath is. But the Roman governor, Pilate, when they had taken the Lord to him, and had accused him, said to them, “Take him and judge him according to your law: I find no fault in him.” But they said, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die.” John 18:31; 19:6, 7. That was simply saying that they could not judge him as they decided he deserved according to their law, because they could not put him to death. Well, then Pilate “was determined to let him go” (Acts 3:13) anyway, and sought how he might release him. They, seeing that Pilate was determined to release him if possible, threatened him then with political ruin if he did not yield to their wishes and execute their will. They said, “If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend; whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cesar.” John 19:12. Well, then when they threatened Pilate with political ruin, and perhaps natural ruin, too, for he knew it might be the death of him if they should carry out their threat, and report him to the Roman power,—he then took judgment in the case, and sat in judgment, and gave them permission to crucify the Lord. John 19:13, 15. HOMI September 1893, page 167.2
But they did it, as they said, to keep the Romans from coming and taking away their place and nation. They did it to save the nation. But you all know, and everybody who has read the Scriptures knows, that what they did was the very thing that brought the Romans, and caused them to take away their place and nation; for when they had rejected the Lord so openly as that, there was nothing left for them but destruction, and the Roman power destroyed them. HOMI September 1893, page 167.3
Now in our day there are two ideas of the Sabbath abroad; one is the Lord’s and the other is somebody’s else. The Lord’s idea of the Sabbath, he has described in his own word. He has said what the Sabbath is and what it means; that it is the seventh day, and that it means the presence of Jesus Christ, the presence of God, with me, in blessing, refreshing; his creative power and his presence to make men holy and to sanctify them. But one class rejected God’s idea of the Sabbath and set up man’s idea. And they did not have sufficient power of themselves to make their rejection successful, because the word of God and his message is going to the world, and growing more and more in power as it goes, spreading abroad the real ideas of God with respect to the Sabbath, as to what it is, and what it means to man. HOMI September 1893, page 167.4
But those who would maintain the other idea of the Sabbath, do not want the Lord’s idea of the Sabbath to prevail; and so they have argued, just as the Pharisees and priests did before, that if we let this thing go on, all men will believe that, and nobody will keep Sunday at all; and if all thus break the Sabbath—Sunday—that will ruin this whole nation; the judgments of God will destroy the land. But there was no remedy any more than just simply argument, and such arguments as that would not stand against the direct word of the Lord, that that is what men ought to do; and therefore they, like the Pharisees of old time and the chief priests and the scribes, sought to the civil power. The civil power first denied their wishes, and said they would not have anything to do with it; then they brought to bear threats of political ruin upon them if they did not. And they succeeded that way in getting the government of the United States, to take their side of this question and to give earthly power—governmental power—into their hands, to blot out God’s idea of the Sabbath from man. And they did it also “to save the nation.” They said so; those who did it said that was what it was for, just as those back yonder who did that, said that was what it was for. HOMI September 1893, page 167.5
And although Pilate took notice of them back there and gave them the power and the authority to put Him to death, yet you all remember that he purposed to relieve himself of all responsibility in the matter, and he publicly washed his hands of the whole thing. And those who did this down here in this day did the same thing, only not as openly, not as really as Pilate washed his hands; but the chief one, the one in Congress who took the chief part in advocating this thing and in carrying it on and fixing it in the law, at the very moment when he was doing more at that thing than anybody else in the world, just like Pilate of old, set about to relieve himself of all responsibility. He said, “Not for the wealth of ten Expositions would I have on my shoulders the responsibility of deciding this great question in the wrong way.” And at that moment he was doing more than any other man on the earth in deciding that question the wrong way. HOMI September 1893, page 167.6
Well, you all know that the outcome of that before, was the ruin of that nation. What will be the outcome of this? What was that record of that course of things back there written for? Let us look at that a moment. Were all the things written that were said and done in the life of Jesus while he was upon the earth? No, not by a long way; because, there stands the record, “These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name;” but there are many other things that were done and said by Jesus which are not written in this book, and which if they were written, “I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” John 20:30, 31; 21:25. HOMI September 1893, page 168.1
Well, then as the world itself would hardly contain the number of books that would be composed if all had been written that Jesus said and did, and yet we have such a very small portion of what he said and did, why was that little part written? Isn’t it plain that out of the world-full of what is not written, and out of the world-full of what might have been written—isn’t it plain that there was selected by the Spirit of God that which the people of this world needed more than all the rest? That being so, then of all that is written of Him, why was this part that we have noticed this morning—why was that part put in? We know that part which we have sketched just now is entirely like what has been done before our eyes within the last two years. Was not that written, then, for us? Did not the Lord select out of the great world-mass of matter that he might have written, that which was just exactly like what has come to pass before us, that we might know the outcome of this, by knowing what was the outcome of that? That certainly is plain enough. HOMI September 1893, page 168.2
Well, so much for that side of the question. Now there is another side that we have been reviewing in the last Sabbath or two, and that is that on the side that we have just now noticed, the priests, Pharisees and the scribes, and the politicians did not know what they were doing. The record says so. “Through ignorance” they did it. If they had known it, they would not have “crucified the Lord of glory.” But although they did not know what they were doing, they did it. And they could not have done it any more certainly if they had known what they were doing. HOMI September 1893, page 168.3
And now, just as certainly, these in this day do not know what they have done; and they do not know what they are doing still. Back there, if they had known, they would not have done it. But that does not alter the fact that they did it. Nor does the fact that these do not know what they are doing, alter the fact that they have done it. HOMI September 1893, page 168.4
Now on the other side: There were the disciples in that day, as we have found, who did not know either what these folks were doing; they did not know what was going on. They saw what these others were doing who did not know what they were doing; but when they saw it, they themselves did not know what it meant; they did not know what the others were doing. And for all that the Lord had told them three times at least, and had noticed it even the fourth time,—had thus told them over and over plainly what was going to come, what was going to happen, yet his disciples, those who were his own, to whom he would show his will and make known to them all that was going to come,—they themselves, although they were told over and over, did not know anything about it. And as we have noticed, he not only told them over and over, did not know anything about it. And as we have noticed, he not only told them over and over what was going to come, but he invited them, and asked them personally to go with him through that part that concerned him, that they might have an experience by which they could meet that which they did not know was going to come, but which he knew was going to come. HOMI September 1893, page 168.5
And we found in that also, there was a parallel for us to-day. That was written for our sakes just as well as the rest; because we are those to whom, to-day, he would tell all that is going to come and all that is going to happen, that we may be prepared to escape it all and to tell others, that they may escape it. He has a people to-day whom he has called out from all other people just as certainly as he did the disciples, that day, whom he had called out from all other people; and to these people to-day he would make known his will in all these things, just as certainly as he made known his will to the disciples in all those things. And to-day he would have his disciples awake, and not sleep now, as he would have had them awake and not asleep then, in order that we may have the needed experience, to carry us through when the time of trial comes, that we may not fail as the disciples did then. HOMI September 1893, page 168.6
We will not dwell any longer upon that. This is merely referred to and sketched thus, that we may have a clear connection with what is to follow. HOMI September 1893, page 168.7
There is another piece of experience right on from where we stopped last Sabbath, through which the disciples were to pass, and through which we are to pass. There are no two ways about this. Nobody can ever deny that that ruined the nation. Now then, as certain as that is written for our learning and for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, so certainly that was written to show to us that the ruin of this nation will as certainly come out of this evil course of things that has been set on foot here by the priests, the Pharisees, and the politicians, in committing the government of the United States to the support of a religious organization and religious institution, and settling religious controversies, taking it upon itself to interpret the Scriptures,—assumption of infallibility at once,—leading us directly back to the Church of Rome as our fathers said it would; for they said it was impossible for the civil magistrate to decide the questions of preference between different sects professing the Christian faith, without erecting a claim to infallibility that would lead us back to the Church of Rome. HOMI September 1893, page 168.8
Now the Congress of the United States under the dictate of the churches, and under the threat of the churches, have taken up the fourth commandment, and they have interpreted that to mean the first day of the week, for fear somebody else would take it as it says, and would do on that day, “the last day of the week,” what they have demanded should be done on “the first day of the week.” These are the words of those who interpreted it. HOMI September 1893, page 169.1
Well, as Congress has taken it upon itself to interpret the word of God for the people of the United States, it has assumed the prerogative of infallibility, because whoever pretends to interpret the Scriptures is, in the nature of things, and must be, infallible. As Congress has assumed infallibility, there will be a controversy with the papacy as to which is the rightful infallible authority; and so the Congress of the United States will have such a controversy with the papacy as will overwhelm it, and bring it in subjection to the papacy. And that, itself, is ruin. As the pope has proclaimed, “What the Church has done in time past for other nations, that she will do now for the United States.” Of course we can tell what she is going to do for the United States. What was it she did for the nations in the past?—She proved a curse to them until she ruined them. That is what she will do for this one; she will prove a curse to it from this day forward until it is a ruined government. HOMI September 1893, page 169.2
So far as learning the lesson of the fact is concerned, we do not need the Scripture to show that the ruin of this nation is the only outcome of this line of things that has been set on foot; but the Scripture has been put there; it has been recorded, that we know for a certainty from the word of God that that is the outcome. HOMI September 1893, page 169.3
You know that the ruin came upon the Jewish nation, which was determined that night when they rejected Christ, and by threats required Pilate to execute their will upon him. And you further know that the message of the gospel, after that, went to that whole nation, and gathered out from that nation all who would love the Lord and receive his salvation, and thus escape the ruin that was sure to come. You know that many were gathered out of that nation; and you know that the Lord gave them a sign by which they should know when the ruin was at hand and when to flee that they might escape it. You know that the Saviour said to them:— HOMI September 1893, page 169.4
“When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is night.” “Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.” HOMI September 1893, page 169.5
What was that written for? He told it to them that they might watch for that sign, and be so thoroughly prepared that when they saw the sign, they could go on the instant; because they were to go on the instant. If a man was out in the field, and it was a warm day—because they were to pray that their flight should not be in the winter—working without his coat, and he saw the Roman army compassing Jerusalem, what was he to do just then? Couldn’t he go back and pack up his valise, and start off at his own leisure?—No, sir. Jesus had said, Let him which is in the field not turn back to take his clothes. He was to go that quick. Well, suppose he was up on the housetop. Couldn’t he come down from the house and pick up something as he went on his way? That is not what the Saviour said; he said, “Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house.” He was to go over the tops of the houses and escape that way. HOMI September 1893, page 169.6
And “let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Now you can see by that, that as he gave that sign, they were to watch for it, and pray in view of it. And they were to have themselves so thoroughly answering their own prayers, that they would be so thoroughly ready and fitted that when that sign appeared, they could go just exactly as He said; they could do just as he said, without violating his word at all, thus risking their salvation, and being involved in the ruin. HOMI September 1893, page 169.7
Well, I ask again, what was the written for? Now, mark, as I said a while ago, that was spoken to them for their salvation, for their sign, as a guide to them; but what was it written for? What was it written for? Are not the people of this day to flee into the mountains before this thing is done with? Are not Christ’s disciples of to-day to be driven out? Are they not to flee to the mountains, and make the munitions of rocks their refuge, before this thing is over with that is now started? Isn’t there a sign that God has given us, for which we are to look, in view of which we are to pray, in view of which we are to live, so that when that sign appears, we shall go just as the disciples did before? What say you? Did you ever hear of anything of this king? (Congregation: “Yes.”) HOMI September 1893, page 169.8
This is from “Early Writings,” “In the Time of Trouble,” and that you know we are just in the beginning of now—the little period before probation does close. The last days of the Saviour on earth for us, correspond to his last days in heaven for us. HOMI September 1893, page 169.9
“I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put them to death.” HOMI September 1893, page 169.10
Then there is a writing, copies of which are to be circulated through the land for that purpose. Let us see what that means. HOMI September 1893, page 170.1
I read from Vol. IV, of The Great Controversy, 625; this is the time of trouble too:— HOMI September 1893, page 170.2
“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages, and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains.” HOMI September 1893, page 170.3
Then it is plain that the disciples of this our day, before the course of things is over into which we are now entered, are to “flee to the mountains,” just as certainly as the disciples in that day did. And just as certainly as Christ gave to them a sign how they should know when to flee, so certainly he has given us a sign; and as certainly as he would have them pray that their flight should not be in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day, so certainly he would have us pray the same thing. It means that to us. HOMI September 1893, page 170.4
The Sabbath day is the controversy to-day, just as it was that day; and the rejection of the Lord, and the acceptance of a murderer is just as much a thing of to-day as it was that day. HOMI September 1893, page 170.5
I read this amply to bring that truth before us, that you might see that through all that history of the last days of the Saviour, and the last days of Jerusalem upon earth, that you may see that it was written for our understanding. Please study specially the last days of the Saviour upon earth, and what there is in it, and what it means, for it is full of meaning for you and me. For his last days for us on earth, correspond precisely to his last days for us I heaven; and the things that are there spoken as a guide to those disciples, mean that just the same course of things is now being pursued, and these things are written to be the guide to us, his disciples to-day. HOMI September 1893, page 170.6
Well, a little further. There was a sign given, for which they were to look, and they saw the sign. Jerusalem was compassed with armies. And then those who were in Judea were to do just as he said, and flee into the mountains, and they were to go so suddenly that they could not wait to take anything with them; if they were on the housetop, they were not to come down to take anything out of the house. Then if they had laid up anything for such a time as that, if they had money laid up, it would not do them any good; they could not take it along. The only way they could take anything, was to have it with them, and in those days they did not have pockets; so they did not have much opportunity to fill their pockets. HOMI September 1893, page 170.7
Well, Jerusalem was compassed with armies. The outer wall was taken; the second wall was taken; and the third wall, the final one, was undermined to such an extent that it could have been taken in two or three hours at the most. And at the moment one party inside of the city was doing its utmost to get at the gates and open them that the Romans might enter, another party was putting forth all its efforts to keep them from opening the gates. Then just at that moment, where if he had stayed a little longer, the city would have been taken, the Roman commander called away his troops, and left, and he who was there says that it was “without any reason in the world.” Of course neither the general, nor any worldly-minded person could see the reason. But there were persons there who saw a reason for it. There may have been some disciples in the city yet who had not fled, who had not been able to escape, because of the army surrounding the city. And when the Roman army left, these could see reasons for it. But those who did it, and those who were not the Lord’s disciples, could not see any reason in it. And that simply brings before us again the importance in our day, of considering this thing, and becoming so acquainted with the Lord that we can see divine reasons in things that others cannot see any reason in at all. Do you see that? HOMI September 1893, page 170.8
And unless you and I are so connected with the Lord, and so enlightened by his Spirit, our eyes so anointed with the heavenly eye-salve, that we can see divine reasons in events and things where other people cannot see any reason at all, we are not in the place where God wants us to be, and we are not in the place where it is safe to be. But that shows that it is possible, not only possible, but it is the thing for Christ’s disciples to do to-day, to be in a position where they can see divine reasons in events where other people can see no reason at all. HOMI September 1893, page 170.9
Very good. The Roman troops were withdrawn; and then, even though there might have been some in Jerusalem that had no opportunity before to flee, now they had. And Josephus says of these, “Many of the most pious left the city as from a sinking ship.” But be that as it may, there was the sign. The sign which Christ had given them, had come. The whole nation had had the warning; and if any one was caught in the ruin that was swiftly to follow, it was their own fault. Because when the Roman troops went away, the news of the defeat was reported in Rome, and then new legions were sent out, with new commanders, Vespasian and Titus, and instead of going to Jerusalem the first thing, they went about city by city, and besieged those and destroyed them; and when any should escape from one city, they would flee to another, and the Roman army would come on and take that city; and at last they came to Jerusalem, and then all that had escaped out of the other cities were shut up in Jerusalem; and so the whole nation was rooted up and put out of the world. As a nation it was ruined absolutely. HOMI September 1893, page 170.10
Now further, in regard to their preparing to go when that sign was given. There were people there who had houses and lands, all such things as that, like other people. But here is the record, Acts 4:34. While that gospel was being preached that was gathering out from this people such as would be saved, and such as would escape the ruin that was certain to come, and which they were praying that they might escape, while they were watching for this sign that should be given, what did they do? “Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” HOMI September 1893, page 170.11
They sold their houses and their lands, and made use of the proceeds in the cause of God, so that when they did have to go on the instant, they did not leave anything behind. HOMI September 1893, page 171.1
Now then suppose a person back there, professed to be a disciple of Christ, and had houses, lands, fine house, or a good deal of land, as the case might be. The Lord told him that ruin was certainly going to come upon that whole nation, it would be destroyed, Jerusalem would be rooted up, the land left desolate, and the people would all be carried away. Now, he is a professed disciple of the Lord, and the Lord gave him a sign that he might know when the destruction would begin, and told him to watch for that sign, and to be ready to go when he should see that sign. If he was in the field, to go right away; if he was on the housetop, not to come down; if in Judea, to flee into the mountains. Now suppose he even kept up praying all the time that his flight should not be in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day; and yet held onto his houses and lands, and all such things; was he ready to go when he should see the sign? Was he?—No, no. Of course not. HOMI September 1893, page 171.2
If he should finally, however, at that moment see what a mistake he had made in not selling while he had the chance, and should go as fast as he could, he would have to leave everything behind, and that which God gave him that it might be used for the cause of God, would be lost to the cause of God and everybody else. He would be found an unfaithful steward, even though his own soul should possibly be saved as by fire. You can see that. Do you suppose there were such disciples as that back there? Would not it be a bad thing if there were? Wouldn’t it be too bad if there were any such disciples as that back there? If any one professed to be a disciple in such a time as that, and acted that way, would anybody in the world have any evidence that he was a disciple of the Lord?—No! HOMI September 1893, page 171.3
Now, brethren, you agreed a while ago that that part that said the nation was going to be destroyed back there that day, was written for our instruction; and you said a while ago that that sign that Jesus gave that they might know when to go, was written for our instruction, and corresponds to the instruction that we have that we may know when to go. Now will you agree that this record of their selling out everything was written for our instruction, too? Will you now?—will you? HOMI September 1893, page 171.4
Well, then if you agree that that was written for our instruction, what in the world are you going to do? Are you going to stick to your fine houses, or any houses at all?—or your lands, or your town lots, or city property?—are you? And will you hold to all these things and still profess to be a Seventh-day Adventist?—and still profess to be looking for the decree that is to go forth that you shall be put to death for keeping the Sabbath, and which is to be the sign that you are to hurry away and escape for your life and flee into the mountains? Is that the genuine Adventist life? My brethren, these things will not work together at all. HOMI September 1893, page 171.5
Where are we living, suppose you? Aren’t we living in our day in the very time that corresponds to that in their day? You read the Scripture for yourself now. Read the last days of the Saviour in the four gospels; read what is written there; read what came upon that nation; read what it told them in view of what was going to come, and you will know for yourself that this means us. I do not ask you to rest upon what I am saying about it. I am doing my best to bring before you the parallels, that you may see them. But now you read that Scripture for yourself; study that over and over for yourself, and find what it means to you, and know for yourself what you are to do. HOMI September 1893, page 171.6
Here is something else you may read right along with it, too. This is also from “Early Writings;” “Duty in View of the Time of Trouble.” Now we have read of the decree that goes forth, the signal at which the disciples are not to flee, just as they did in Judea. Now I want you to see that just as the Lord has told us of this sign that comes to us, corresponding to that sign that came to them, so he has told us to do just what the record says they did in view of that time. Do you let me forget to say again right here, that if you ant the most present of present truth, you get that little book that was written forty years ago, and read it. There is nothing fresher; there is nothing that comes in the monthly mail from Australia that is more present truth, and more freshly present truth than this right in here. It was written for such a time as this, and God wants us to use it for that purpose.” HOMI September 1893, page 171.7
“Duty in View of the Time of Trouble.” On page 47 of “Early Writings” I read:— HOMI September 1893, page 171.8
“The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble.” HOMI September 1893, page 171.9
Well, wasn’t it contrary to the instruction of the Saviour for them to make provision for their temporal wants in that time that was going to come? Why? They could not take anything with them. If you are in the field, Go; if you are on the housetop, Go; if you are in Judea, Flee. That was the word. Make no provision for their temporal wants; and that means us. HOMI September 1893, page 171.10
“I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them, or in the field, in the time of trouble, when sword, famine, and pestilence are in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands, and strangers would reap their fields.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.1
Are you preparing supplies for strangers and for those who hate the Lord? Just ask yourself, when you go home. Ask yourself whether you are preparing houses for them to live in. Ask yourself if you are preparing money for them to get hold of, and lands for them to confiscate and use. Ask yourself each day whether you are. HOMI September 1893, page 172.2
“Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.3
Let us being now. What do you say? Then will be the time to do it wholly; let us begin to practice it not. HOMI September 1893, page 172.4
“Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God, and he will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water will be sure at that time.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.5
Well, did not the Bible say this same thing long ago? And cannot we say it when the Bible says so? Do you believe the Bible? HOMI September 1893, page 172.6
“Our bread and water will be sure at that time, and we will not lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us in the wilderness. If necessary, he would send ravens to feed us as he did to feed Elijah, or rain manna from heaven, as he did for the Israelites.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.7
Of course he will. Doesn’t he give us his dealings with the Israelites of old, as the one grand foundation upon which to build our hope now? Doesn’t he say, “Awake, awake put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep? that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?” And then he goes on and says this very thing, that his bread shall not fail, and then he says, “I, even I am he that comforteth you. Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?” Isaiah 51:9-12. HOMI September 1893, page 172.8
“Houses and lands will be of no use to the saints in the time of trouble, for they will then have to flee before infuriated mobs, and at that time their possessions cannot be disposed of to advance the cause of present truth. I was shown that it is the will of God that the saints should cut loose from every incumbrance before the time of trouble comes, and make a covenant with God through sacrifice.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.9
“Yes,” so many are saying, “I am trying to get loose, I am doing my best to get my affairs untangled.” He says, “Cut loose,” the Lord says. You know it is easier and quicker to cut a knot than it is to untie it. If your affairs are knotted up, “cut loose.” O, says one, “I will lose a good deal that way.” Yes, and so you will leave it all tied up, and lose it all! Let us believe the Lord. Well, done, cut loose, will you? HOMI September 1893, page 172.10
“If they have their property on the altar, and earnestly inquire of God for duty, he will teach them when to dispose of those things.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.11
Who will teach them? The Lord says he will. He will teach them when to dispose of these things. Now is that what you are doing? Is yours on the altar? Are you asking him about it? Have you the whole of it there, waiting for him to signify when, and when he gives the word, it goes? Are you? And then you go, too, whenever he calls your. Are you waiting for that? Are you in that position? HOMI September 1893, page 172.12
“Then they will be free in the time of trouble, and have no clogs to weight them down.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.13
So the Lord has left us entirely without excuse in this day, as he did those in that day in Judea. He has told us the very things that he told them; that is what these things are written for; that is where we live. Brethren, what are we doing? HOMI September 1893, page 172.14
“I saw that if any held on to their property, and did not inquire their duty of the Lord, he would not make duty known, and they would be permitted to keep their property, and in the time of trouble it would come up before them like a mountain to crush them [of course it will], and they would try to dispose of it, but would not be able.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.15
Now he could not tell us plainer than he has told us what is coming, and what he wants us to do. But he told the disciples back there, over and over, too. But they knew not. They went to sleep. Shall we be asleep as they were? Shall we be dull of mind, slow of hearing, and slow of heart, like them—shall we? HOMI September 1893, page 172.16
“I heard some mourn like this: ‘The cause was languishing, God’s people were starving for the truth, and we made no effort to supply the lack; now our property is useless. O that we had let it go, and laid up treasure in Heaven.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.17
Now those voices were heard. Was yours among them? That is the question. Those voices were heard. Was your voice among them? You can tell. HOMI September 1893, page 172.18
“I saw that a sacrifice did not increase, but it decreased, and was consumed. I saw that God had not required all of his people to dispose of their property at the same time, but if they desired to be taught, he would teach them, in a time of need, when to sell and how much to sell.” HOMI September 1893, page 172.19
When to sell and how much to sell. The Lord will teach you in a time of need just that. Are you asking him to do it? Are you depending upon him to do it? Well, says one, “Does he want me to sell my home, the last thing I have?” Ask him. I don’t know anything about it. Ask him. Well, says another, “I have so many acres of land; does he want me to sell all of that at once?” Ask him and be done with it. Ask him. He can tell you. You are not to have man guide you here and there, and you to act on somebody’s else notion; that is not it. Ask him, and he will show you. HOMI September 1893, page 172.20
But see what this teaches further; it teaches that God is coming so close to his people that he will live with us and talk with us and we shall live with Him and talk with him, and know his will day by day. Is that the condition in which you are? Is he living that way with you? Are you living that way with Him? Is that so? If not, then what do these words mean to you? They mean for you to get into that condition where he does live with you, and walk with you, and talk with you and tell you what he wants you to do in this time of need, and in all the way along. That is what it means. HOMI September 1893, page 173.1
Now it may be that He wants you to sell the last thing you have, because he may want to use you somewhere else. He may not want you here; he may want you somewhere else in the world. You saw in the Review and Herald, that one hundred families are wanted for Australia and New Zealand, and round about there; and one hundred families are wanted in the islands of the sea. Are you telling the Lord, “Here am I, Lord?” Are you asking him whether he wants you? If not, why not? And they want more for South America, and South Africa, and all the way around; that is how the message is to go to all the nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and peoples, and then shall the end come. Are you ready to go? This means business, brethren; the liveliest kind of business. But you say, “How can I go?” That is none of your business; if he wants you to go, you can go. Find out that you are to go, before you begin to query, “How.” HOMI September 1893, page 173.2
Now I just wish,—but there is no use to wish it, because it is not that way,—what I was going to say is, I just wish that everybody in this town knew the blessing that they are missing by staying here. I only wish you knew the blessing that you would have if you would leave here. You think it is real nice to come here to the Tabernacle to meeting; but it is not nearly as nice as it would be to go somewhere else where there are only about a dozen, or fifteen, or twenty. But that is not all we are after. We are not here to go to meeting; we are here to go where God wants us, and spread his truth to the ends of the earth, if he wants us there. That is what we are here for. And I know persons already whom the Lord has called—and they had only a home, did not have farms, nor anything of that kind, only had their little home, and that was all,—who did what the Lord told them; they said, “Lord, do you want me? Am I to sell this?” And he said, “Yes;” and it went, and so did they. And I wish you could hear them tell the joy they have in the work of God, and how they would not go back to that house,—pretty enough little home as it was,—they would not go back to that house for anything. You could not get them to go back where they were before. And some have been in this place, going to meeting here in the Tabernacle, like all the rest; but they have done what the Lord told them, and have gone to work. Brethren, try it, just try it. You will find out something good. HOMI September 1893, page 173.3
Now I am not telling you when you shall sell. I am telling you what the Lord says. You are to find out for yourself from him what that means to you. It means you right now so far as this, that you are to put all upon the altar. And do not forget when you put it upon the altar, that you are not to go off idling around somewhere else, and pay no more attention to it. That is the way lots of people put things upon the altar, and they go on as they did before. In Genesis 15:9-12, 17, we have a record of what Abraham did when he put his sacrifice upon the altar. He stood by, he watched it, and when the fowls came down that would devour it, he drove them away. When you put your substance upon the altar, live the faith of Abraham, and watch it upon the altar until it is consumed by the Lord. And when the enemy would come down to devour it, drive him away; and the enemy that would come into your mind and heart, and obscure it,—drive him away. Put it upon the altar and watch it until it is consumed. That is the faith of Abraham. That is what these things are written for. When it is upon the altar, watch it upon the altar; keep it there; it is sanctified unto the Lord; let him consume it. HOMI September 1893, page 173.4
And do not forget when it is sold, that Ananias and Sapphira sold theirs, too. Do not forget that. Now we are not obliged to decide that Ananias and Sapphira deliberately and intentionally made up that scheme before they sold their property at all. It may be that they, like lots of other people in this day, said, “Now if the Lord will enable us to sell, we will give it all to the cause.” The Lord helped them to sell; and when they had got it in their hands, it looked so big, and it was all money, that they began to query whether they could really afford to give it all. HOMI September 1893, page 173.5
You know always—I suppose you know—at any rate, you have seen people, with whom it was always a good deal easier to give money tat they did not have, than that they did have. Haven’t you found, in your experience, it was easier to say you would give twenty dollars that you did not have, than it was actually to give it when it was right there in a new, crisp, twenty-dollar bill? You know how it goes. HOMI September 1893, page 173.6
Now it will go just that way again. When you put your property upon the altar and God accepts it, and it is sold, then if you do not watch yourself, and maintain your living faith in Christ, and have self dead, you will begin to argue with yourself whether you can afford to do what you said you would. You will begin to excuse yourself, and pity yourself. And you will deceive yourself as certainly as you do. No, sir; don’t do that way. Be honest—be honest! That Ananias and Sapphira part of it was written for our sakes as well as any of the rest. And Don’t you know that not more than a month ago there was a first-page article in the Review, upon Ananias and Sapphira, and warning us against their failure? HOMI September 1893, page 173.7
What do these things mean, brethren? What do they mean?—They mean that now is the time, and we are the people. What are you going to do? HOMI September 1893, page 174.1