p. 108 | Have You Faith? by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 5, 1865

Have You Faith?

By R. F. Cottrell

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me." Jno. v, 46.

This is the language of Jesus to the Jews of his time. Those who did not believe him, did not believe Moses. Had this argument been used by a mere man uninspired, its validity might be questioned; but no Christian will undertake to convict our Saviour of bad logic. The principle, then, is established, by the highest authority, that those who do not believe the fulfillment, when the prophecy is fulfilled, do not believe the prophecy. Moses wrote of Christ in the following places: Gen. iii, 15; xii, 3; xviii, 18; xxii, 18; xlix, 10; Deut. xviii, 15, 18. The Jews professed to believe all that Moses and all that the prophets had written, and yet refused to believe in Him of whom they wrote, when he came in fulfillment of these prophecies, which were so many promises which the Lord had bound himself to fulfill. They could say, "We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." Jno. ix, 29.

Now when the Lord's promises mature, he fulfills them—when his obligations become due, he discharges them; and what he asks of us is, that we give him credit for what he has done—that when he redeems his promises, we acknowledge the receipt. If we do not do this, we displease him, because we do not believe his word. Thus those who rejected Christ, rejected also Moses and those that had written of him. This is the Saviour's logic, and I accept it as good. The principle will apply in all parallel cases.

Daniel prophesied of four great earthly kingdoms to be succeeded by the everlasting kingdom of God under the whole heavens. The four kingdoms have successively appeared, and all that was written of them has been accomplished, except the final act, which is their destruction. Those who do not believe this, do not believe Daniel, for he wrote of it.

In connection with these four kingdoms, the prophet particularly described the Roman popedom—its unlikeness to other earthly governments, its blasphemy against God, its persecution of the saints, the long period of its reign, the taking away of its dominion and the consumption of its power to the end. All this has occurred, except the "end." Those who do not believe it, do not believe the prophet, for he wrote of it.

In 2 Thess. ii, Paul speaks of this same usurper, describing it in a manner exactly similar, and plainly declares the coming of the Lord at the time of his destruction. "Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming." All that Paul says of the papacy has been done, except its destruction by the glory of the second advent of Christ. Those who do not believe this, do not believe Paul, for he wrote of it.

The Lord Jesus himself, when asked what should be the sign of his coming and of the end of the world, foretold the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, as signs that his coming was near. These miracles of power have appeared. Those who do not believe this, do not believe the words of our Saviour, for he said it and caused it to be written. Moreover he said, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Those who choose to know nothing about the period of his advent, neither believe nor obey his word.

Several definite periods of time are given in prophecy. Those who do not care to understand them disregard and disbelieve the prophecies containing them. The Author of prophecy deemed it best to give them for our profit. Such reject the proffered benefit.

For the completion of prophetic time, the apostle John prophesied of a time-message to be proclaimed to the inhabitants of earth, declaring the hour of judgment come. This proclamation has been made, and it was not "done in a corner." Those who do not believe this proclamation do not believe the prophecy of Revelation; for John wrote of it there, and his words have been verified—it has been done.

Following the judgment-hour message, the prophecy predicts the announcement of the fall of Babylon. This announcement was made in 1844. Those who do not believe this announcement, do not believe the prophecy, for it is there written.

After the first and second, the third and final warning was predicted in the prophecy. This is now being given, the work, in every particular, corresponding with the prophecy. Those who do not believe this message, do not believe the apostle, for he wrote of it.

Thus I have briefly applied the principle laid down by our Saviour, to a few points of prophecy. All can see that if the reasoning is true in one case, it is in another; and to dispute it is to dispute our Lord Jesus Christ. This reasoning is founded upon the fact, that the prophecies are infallible—that they point out persons, things and events, so accurately that there is no need of mistaking their fulfillment.

No one but Jesus ever filled the description given of the Christ in Moses and the prophets. He filled every description exactly; therefore had the Jews believed Moses, they would have believed Jesus. The same remark is true of the other points of prophecy I have noticed. If what I have claimed as fulfillments, are not the fulfillments, it can be shown that they are not. Otherwise, God has interpreted his own word by the fulfillments, as I have claimed, and there is no avoiding these conclusions, but by refuting the reasoning of the Son of God.

The word of prophecy promises certain events to transpire. In process of time they transpire. We believe them—our faith accredits their fulfillment—or we stand convicted of infidelity—we do not believe the prophets. Have you faith? R. F. COTTRELL