When I take a view of all that has been written and published to elucidate and set in order the clear light that now shines with such brilliancy upon "the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus," or "the law and the testimony," I feel that nothing from my feeble pen can be added to make the light more clear, or potent. There is, however, one idea connected with the present truth, which I do not recollect to have seen written or published.
The Lord hath said by Isaiah, [chap. lxii, 10,] "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones, lift up a STANDARD for the people."
From this chapter we learn that God will have a people on the earth, just before he comes with his reward, that he calls "the daughter of Zion," "The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord;" they shall also be called, "Sought out, A city not forsaken." He also says "thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." They shall also "be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." He also says of this people, "Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; . . . for the Lord delighteth in thee," and "as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." For this people, just before the Lord comes with his reward, and makes them "a crown of glory," and "a royal diadem," a standard is to be lifted up.
The definition of standard, according to Butterworth, is "a banner, flag, or colors carried in time of war, an ensign." Perhaps it may properly be said that no associated body of persons for any length of time maintain their association without a standard. The political, moral, and religious associations, all have a standard around which they rally, and for which they contend. In this chapter the KING OF KINGS commands a standard to be lifted up for a people destined to higher honors than to receive all the crowns of earthly emperors, or the diadems of imperial monarchs. Around this standard the daughter of Zion is to rally, and under this banner she is to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," "until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth." Then shall those who have fought under this standard, "no more be termed forsaken," but they shall be made "a praise in the earth."—Then the Gentiles shall see their righteousness and all kings their glory. Then they shall receive those glorious names, and titles, by which the King of Glory is pleased to designate them.
In view of the glorious results of rallying around, and contending under this standard, I am led to inquire—
I. What is this standard to be lifted up for the people?
II. Who are required to lift it up? and
III. When is this standard to be lifted up?
I. What is the standard? John while in the isle of Patmos, in holy vision, hears the proclamation of three messages to them that dwell on the earth, preparatory for, and leading to the coming of Christ on the "white cloud." This coming is the same as the one mentioned in connection with our text;— "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold his reward is with him, and his work before him." John in connection with the third and last message, before the appearance of the white cloud, brings to view two classes of persons, each with their appropriate mark, ensign, or standard.— One class pays homage to the "beast and his image," by receiving their mark, or ensign in their forehead, [public profession,] or in their hand, [some of their works,] while the other class utterly refuses to pay any adoration, reverence, or respect for the mark of the beast, and its two-horned dragon-mouthed associate, but choose rather to patiently wait the arrival of the white cloud, and its adorable guest. They take for their standard "the commandments of God," and the testimony or "faith of Jesus." See Rev. xii, 17.
Isaiah [viii, 20] holds up this standard as a true test by which to try all the children of light, and the children of darkness.— "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them." John and Isaiah were viewing each the same things. John saw the saints patiently waiting. Isaiah says of the saints, "I will wait upon the Lord, . . . and I will look for him." John views it under the third and last message, just before the reaping time. Isaiah places it after the shut door, where "the testimony" is to be bound up, and "the law" sealed "among my disciples."—[Not among the Gentile world.] This is "the seal of the living God." Rev. vii, 1—3. He also places it just before the wicked are "driven to darkness."
The law and the testimony, or the commandments of God and testimony of Jesus, is the only true standard under which the disciples, or true saints are to rally, preparatory to the battle of the great day. This is the standard to be lifted up to the people, to the daughter of Zion, while the way is prepared, the highway cast up, and the stones and stumbling blocks are cast out.
II. Who are commanded to lift up a standard? The sixth verse says, "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night; ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence." Yes, God has a few chosen and tried, whom he has called out and placed upon the battlements, as faithful sentinels, to proclaim the third angel's message, and lift up the standard, and say, "If any man worship the beast, [papal,] or his image," [protestant,] by keeping the day they have instituted for a Sabbath, and neglect to keep the "Sabbath of the Lord our God," he "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God," soon to be poured out without mixture of mercy. On the other hand blessed are those who patiently wait, and "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." They are also saying down here "to the end51of the world," to the daughter of Zion, "Behold thy salvation cometh," &c. See verse 11.
III. When is this standard to be lifted up?
To the same watchmen who are required to lift up the standard, "the Lord hath proclaimed, [where?] unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh," &c., the only appropriate time and place for the cry, just before he comes to reward each as their work shall be.—John introduces the standard under the third and last message, previous to the coming of Christ on the white cloud.
Thus we have a definite and clearly defined standard, and God has chosen watchmen and placed them on the walls, to prepare the way, and lift up and hold out the true standard to the people, and say to the daughter of Zion, Thy King cometh having salvation for all who "keep the commandments of God," and have "the faith of Jesus," and all in their place where the prophets placed them in the order of prophetic events.
O, how brilliant is the light that now illuminates the path that shines more and more even to the perfect day. O ye Laodiceans, awake! awake! and no longer be deceived by those who once were leaders to the Advent flock, but now they tread down the rich pastures, and foul the deep waters with their feet. God says, he will judge between small cattle of lambs and kids, and the great he-goats. [See margin.] What a fearful doom awaits those who have led the flock astray from the true standard. O, be entreated to no longer follow these false leaders, but rally around the true standard, now raised, which is destined to triumph over all others; the standard of King Jesus, around which all must rally if ever they are numbered with the 144,000, which are to stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb.
O, fly! fly! Tarry not in all the plain. Keep all the commands of God. Not nine only, remember there is ten of them, and a breach of one will cut you off from being numbered with those "who keep the commandments of God," and "have right to the tree of life," &c. Also get "the faith," or "testimony of Jesus," by which you may learn his true position in the heavenly Sanctuary, and confess your sins, that they may be blotted out while the day of atonement lasts; for in a few days he will put off his priestly robes, and put on "the garments of vengeance." Then all who are not found under the true standard, sealed with the law, will be ranked under the banner of the enemy, and must feel the withering blast of "the four winds" let loose, and the awful anguish of "the seven last plagues" which are to desolate the earth.
“That awful day will surely come,
The appointed hour makes haste.”