Heavenly Visions

THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY IN THE ADVENT MOVEMENT-NO. 1

By W. A. Spicer

(Two morning studies given August 19, 20, 1937, at the World Educational Convention, Blue Ridge, North Carolina) HEVI 82.1

THIS convention represents the educational movement of Seventh-day Adventists. I am glad that I am a Seventh-day Adventist, that I belong to this church. It is more than the word “church” usually suggests; it is a church on the march. It is a movement-the “advent movement,” we call it. It is a church that is going somewhere, a church that has a definite aim. HEVI 82.2

Some years ago, in Germany, a gentleman stood on the edge of the big tent and watched the Sabbath morning service, a rather stirring service. He came to me in the aftermeeting. He was a stranger, a patient in our sanitarium. He said, “I am a Catholic, and I must not say much, but I see that your church is different. You have an aim, an objective.” Ah, he had caught the thought! We do have an aim. We have an objective. We are in a movement that is going somewhere. HEVI 82.3

Just as truly as the Lord led that ancient movement from the land of Egypt to Canaan, so the same living God is leading the advent movement from the days of 1844 to the heavenly Canaan. It is a movement led by the living God. And the Lord Himself compares these two movements, that ancient one and this modern one. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands.” Jeremiah 16:14, 15. HEVI 82.4

This prophecy compares the gathering of ancient Israel out of Egypt with the gathering, not of Israel after the flesh, but of the true Israel out of all the lands in the last days. In the nineteenth verse we find that when that prophecy is fulfilled, the Gentiles shall come “from the ends of the earth.” They are coming today, by many thousands every year. And the living God is leading His people in this advent movement as verily as He led ancient Israel in the exodus movement. HEVI 82.5

That ancient people saw wonderful things. And this modern Israel, this advent people, has seen wonderful things. The hand of Providence has been revealed; we have seen the tokens of a living God doing things. HEVI 82.6

It is no ordinary movement, no common work, in which we are engaged. When we step into this advent movement, we are in the presence of the living God who is doing things with us, for us, and for people of all nations. The thought of that should bring soberness and carefulness into our lives and should awaken us to wholehearted devotion. In the ancient time the Lord desired that His people should never forget the providences that attended their way. He cried out through Moses, just before they were to enter the land of Promise. “Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee.” Deuteronomy 8:2. HEVI 82.7

Again, centuries later, He cried out for them to remember what the Lord had done in leading them to Canaan. “I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O My people, remember.” Micah 6:4, 5. They were never to forget it. HEVI 82.8

Just so with us, dear friends. We have a history of divine leadership behind us, we who are approaching this heavenly Canaan. We are not to forget God’s leadership of this movement from its origin until this day. I read in “Life Sketches:” “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history,” -Page 196. HEVI 82.9

I shall not say a new thing this morning, I suppose. But I want to call our attention to things we must all remember, for they will give us guidance and direction in the further journey,-things that we are well acquainted with in the past experience of the advent people. The Lord planned for this movement from ancient times. HEVI 82.10