The Signs of the Times
September 5, 1906
Our Great Treasure-House
Hidden Treasure—Part 14
Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” In ancient times it was customary for men to hide their treasures in the earth. Thefts and robberies were frequent. And whenever there was a change in the ruling power, those who had large possessions were liable to be put under heavy tribute. Moreover, the country was in constant danger of invasion by marauding armies. As a consequence, the rich endeavored to preserve their wealth by concealing it, and the earth was looked upon as a safe hiding place. But often the place of concealment was forgotten; death might claim the owner, imprisonment or exile might separate him from his treasure, and the wealth that he had taken such pains to preserve was left for the fortunate finder. In Christ's day it was not uncommon to discover in neglected land old coins and ornaments of gold and silver. ST September 5, 1906, par. 1
A man hires land to cultivate, and as the oxen plow the soil, buried treasure is unearthed. As the man discovers this treasure, he sees that a fortune is within his reach. Restoring the gold to its hiding place, he returns to his home, and sells all that he has in order to purchase the field containing the treasure. His family and the neighbors think that he is acting like a madman. Looking on the field, they see no value in the neglected soil. But the man knows what he is doing, and when he has a title to the field, he searches every part of it to find the treasure that he has secured. ST September 5, 1906, par. 2
Efforts in Searching
This parable illustrates the value of the heavenly treasure, and the effort that should be made to secure it. The finder of the treasure in the field was ready to part with all that he had, ready to put forth untiring effort, in order to secure the hidden riches. So the finder of heavenly treasure will count no labor too great and no sacrifice too dear in order to gain the treasures of truth. ST September 5, 1906, par. 3
In the parable, the field containing the treasure represents the Holy Scriptures. And the Gospel is the treasure. The man who bought the field searched every part of it to find the treasure he had secured. So we are to take the Word of God and search its pages, that we may find the treasures of truth. It is the Holy Spirit's office to direct and reward this labor. The searcher finds lodes of precious ore, and he sinks the shaft still deeper for still more valuable treasure. The gold fields of earth are not more closely interlaced with veins of precious ore than are the fields of revelation with veins of truth that bring to view the unsearchable riches of God. ST September 5, 1906, par. 4
Many are too well satisfied with the surface truths of revelation. Precious gems are passed by because their value is not seen. Let the Bible student put his mind to the tax as he studies God's Word; for the meaning often lies hidden beneath the surface. The knowledge thus gained will be like heavenly seed planted by the divine Sower. ST September 5, 1906, par. 5
Faithfulness Rewarded
The mine of truth is never exhausted. The more you search the Scriptures with humble hearts, the greater will be your knowledge, and the more you will feel like exclaiming with Paul, “O, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” Every day you should learn something new from the Scriptures. Search them as for hid treasure, for they contain the words of eternal life. Pray for wisdom to comprehend these holy writings. If you would do this, you would find new glories in the Word of God; you would feel that you had received new and precious light on subjects connected with truth, and the Scriptures would gain constantly a new value in your estimation. ST September 5, 1906, par. 6
Knowledge of His Will All-Important
Salvation depends upon our knowledge of God's will as contained in His Word. Never cease asking and searching for truth. It is God's will that you shall know what He has said to you. But you must exercise faith. As you search the Scriptures, you must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ST September 5, 1906, par. 7
Search, O search the Bible with a heart hungry for spiritual food. Dig into the Word as the miner digs into the earth to find the veins of gold. Do not give up your search till you have ascertained your relation to God and His will concerning you. ST September 5, 1906, par. 8
“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life.” To search means to look diligently for something. Search for the hidden treasures in God's Word. You can not afford to be without them. Study the difficult passages, comparing verse with verse, and you will find that scripture is the key which unlocks scripture. Those who prayerfully study the Bible go from each search wiser than they were before. ST September 5, 1906, par. 9
That which is worth having is not obtained without earnest, persevering effort. In business life, those only who are willing to put forth determined effort see successful results. Without earnest toil we can not expect to obtain a knowledge of spiritual things. Those who find the jewels of truth must dig for them as the miner digs for the precious ore hidden in the earth. ST September 5, 1906, par. 10