Untitled article by Eld. R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 27, 1867

FAITH IN PROPHECY.

By Eld. R. F. Cottrell

BY ELD. R. F. COTTRELL.

TEXT. “O thoughtless men, and backward to believe things which have been all predicted by the prophets.” Luke xxiv, 25.—Campbell.

The importance of faith in the word of God will not be disputed by any who admit the truth of the Bible. Belief of the gospel is made a condition of salvation; and those who do not believe are to be condemned. We are also taught, by an apostle, that without faith it is impossible to please God. If faith is pleasing, unbelief must be displeasing to God.

Men have never been too forward, but always too backward, to believe. As it was anciently, so it is now—mankind are “slow to believe.” We, who live in the very dregs of time, at a period concerning which unbelief and iniquity are especially predicted, are no more ready to believe the testimony of God, than those whom the Lord Jesus so often reproved for their want of faith. “O ye of little faith,” he would say, “where is your faith;” “O fools, and slow of heart to believe.”

Those who will read carefully the eleventh and twelfth chapters of Hebrews, will see that the men of the greatest faith are most approved of God, and that unbelief is the sin that so easily besets us. Unbelief is the fruitful source of sin; and it besets every one of our fallen race. Hence we are especially warned of its sad effects.

The Israelites in the desert are set before us as an example of the dreadful consequences of unbelief, and we are warned most solemnly not to follow their pernicious example. Unbelief was the cause of all their sins and of the dreadful consequences. Says the apostle, “But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” And again, “Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Heb. iii, iv.

But the subject of our text is especially that of faith in prophecy. Not the faith that merely admits that the prophecies are true; but the faith that believes the fulfillment of them which we personally witness. Some will admit that every word of the prophecies of the Bible is true; but they do not profess to understand them. Consequently they derive no more benefit from those predictions which are being fulfilled before their eyes, than though these prophecies did not exist. Thus ignoring the prophecies, they are not benefited in the least by them. They lightly esteem the word of God, and slight the efforts of his Holy Spirit to enlighten them. They say the prophecies are dark, and thus contradict the testimony of an apostle, and disregard his exhortation, which is as follows: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.” 2 Pet. i, 19. To say that we cannot understand the prophecies that relate to our own times, and cannot know when they are fulfilled, or whether they are fulfilled or not, is simply expressing our unbelief in the word and providence of God.

The reproof contained in our text was given by our Saviour to two of his disciples, as they were on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, on the same day in which he had risen from the dead. As they in sadness were talking over their late experience and great disappointment, when he on whom they had believed as the promised Saviour, had been seized by wicked hands and slain, “Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things?

And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even as the women had said; but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

The argument of Jesus in this conversation is, that, had they heeded the prophecies and believed them, they need not have been thrown into doubt and perplexity at what had happened. That all these things had been foretold of him, and that instead of causing them to doubt that Jesus was the Christ, their faith should be confirmed by them. If Christ had not suffered these things, the scriptures which predicted them would have failed of fulfillment. Therefore he expounded to them those scriptures which so clearly foretold these things. The bloody offerings of the law of Moses typified Christ and prefigured his death. The prophets also had foretold it. See Ps. xxii, 1, 7, 8, 16, 18; Isa. liii, 7–9; Dan. ix, 26. His resurrection had also been predicted. See Ps. xvi, 9–11.

Had the disciples been heeding these prophecies and observing their fulfillment, they would not have been thrown into doubt and consternation, as they evidently were, by the crucifixion of Christ; nor would they have been “astonished” at the report of his resurrection. And when the Lord Jesus called their attention to these things, it is no wonder that their hearts, before bowed in sadness, burned within them; so that they could afterward say, “Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Verse 32.

A few days before the crucifixion, they were triumphantly shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, in fulfillment of Zech. ix, 9; now their hope had been crushed, so that they mournfully said, “We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.” Poor souls! they did not understand that it was by his death that he was to redeem them. But they soon found that they were not utterly cast down. The work of their redemption was moving onward. Christ had died for their sins, and was risen again to plead before the throne for their justification. And they were not sorry that they shouted Hosanna, as the “King of Israel” rode into Jerusalem; for in that they had fulfilled a notable prophecy. Said the prophet, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zech. ix, 9.

The prophecy required Jerusalem to rejoice greatly; they, though unconscious of it, had aided in its fulfillment. It required the daughter of Zion to shout; they had done so. “These things understood not his disciples at the first; but when Jesus was glorified [at the right hand of God, and had sent the promised Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which was to bring all things to their remembrance,] then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.” John xii, 16.

But, alas! how suddenly were their expectations disappointed, and their hearts rent with anguish and grief, as they saw Him in whom their hopes were centered expiring in agony upon the shameful cross! As the blessed Saviour had before assured them, the world rejoiced, while they wept and lamented. Yes, they were sorrowful, but their sorrow was as suddenly turned into joy. See John xvi, 20, 21. When they found that Jesus was risen from the dead—that the “man child” was “born from the dead,” they remembered no more their anguish for joy. They could then say, in the language of Peter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us AGAIN unto a LIVELY HOPE by the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST from the dead.”

The lesson we wish to learn is, how to believe prophecy. How shall we know when prophecy is fulfilled? The first Christians believed a prophecy was fulfilled when the thing predicted was done. And they did not find themselves deceived. Can we do better than they by doubting, when we witness an event that has been predicted in prophecy? They were not too credulous, but too “slow to believe.” Is it wisdom in us to be slower? Will that which was foolish or inconsiderate in them, prove our greatest wisdom? Some pride themselves upon their wisdom in doubting. The first disciples were more ready to believe than we, and their backwardness to believe was their foolishness.

We should remember that God is the author of prophecy; and his veracity is pledged for its fulfillment. He is pledged not only to fulfill the prophecies, but to guard them against a false fulfillment; otherwise those who wish to please him by their faith might be deceived a hundred times. We come to this conclusion: It is safe to believe that a prophecy is fulfilled when the thing predicted is done. The prophecies are infallible; they are the word of God. There is no power in the universe, but the power of God, that is able to fulfill the least of the prophecies. Hence, when a thing predicted is done, we may know without a doubt that God has caused or permitted it to be done. It will take place in a way that the unbelieving world will think it happens by chance; but an unseen hand, an unerring Providence, is guiding and controlling events to the fulfillment of God’s word; or, in other words, infinite prescience has foreseen just what would take place. When the time comes for its fulfillment, should other instrumentalities fail, the very stones would cry out before the prophecy should fail of its accomplishment; but this never happens to be necessary. The chosen instrumentalities always fulfill the part assigned them. We must examine the prophecy very carefully in every particular, and when an event comes in exact harmony with the description given, it is the event intended—it is the fulfillment.

Those who have studied Daniel’s prophecies of the four great kingdoms, and have compared them with the history of the eastern world since they were given, can see how exactly the word of God has been fulfilled. The second, the third, and the fourth kingdoms arose as predicted, and each fulfilled exactly the specifications given concerning it. The fourth was divided into ten parts or kingdoms, as predicted, and then a singular power arose, “diverse from the others,” and three of the ten were removed to give it place, and this last power has done all that was predicted of it—has spoken words of blasphemy against God, has persecuted his saints, has attempted to change his times and laws, has reigned through the distinctly marked period of twelve hundred and sixty years, and now is in the consuming state predicted as it draws near to, and awaits, its end.

Now, all we have to do in regard to these prophecies, is to believe them—to believe that the events that have transpired in harmony with them are their fulfillment, and to believe that as all things have taken place as predicted, except the last, the destruction of the wicked powers of earth and the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of God, so this also will assuredly follow.

Our Saviour predicted another class of signs to precede his coming in his kingdom. The sun and moon were to be darkened, and the stars were to fall as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when shaken of a mighty wind; and when these things are fulfilled, he requires us to know that his coming is near, even at the doors.

These signs have all taken place in the time and order predicted. Immediately after the days of the tribulation of the elect—the affliction of the church under the most cruel and long-continued persecution that ever was or ever will be—in A. D. 1780 the sun and moon were darkened without an eclipse, so that, in the language of an eye-witness, “it was midnight darkness at noon-day;” and the night following was as uncommonly dark though it was at full moon; and in 1833, the stars fell exactly in the manner described in the prophecy. What we have to do is, not to explain these things on some supposed natural principles, and try to convince ourselves that the prophecy has not been fulfilled, but to believe it. The prediction has certainly had its fulfillment; the things foretold have been done; the word of God has been verified. To believe is safe; to disbelieve is unsafe. Belief tends to salvation, unbelief to condemnation. We shall not be duped and our faith cheated, if, when prophecy is thus plainly and literally fulfilled, we believe it. The things predicted have been done. If we believe it and act accordingly, we have no further responsibility in the matter. The responsibility, then, rests with Him who gave the word. I am not afraid to trust him. Are you, my friends?

(Concluded next week.)