Time to Awake by A. G. DANIELLS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jan 5, 1905

Time to Awake

By A. G. DANIELLS

“AND that, knowing ‘the time,’ that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Rom. 13:11-14.

These solemn statements are strikingly appropriate at this time, and are full of meaning to us as a people.

The night is far spent. The day is at hand. Our salvation is nearer than when we believed. Therefore it is high time to awake out of sleep, to cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the armor of light.

Spiritual sleep is a perilous state. It is paralysis of the spiritual faculties. That means deafness, and blindness, and stolid indifference to spiritual things. And that means slothfulness and sinful neglect in the Master’s service. Unless broken, it means the eternal ruin of the sleeper.

In the Laodicean message it is called lukewarmness, and it is represented as being extremely offensive to God.

And this, we are warned, is the special danger of God’s people in these perilous times. Just at the time when every faculty should be keenly alive, and when every power should be earnestly employed in the service of God, a stupefying influence will be exerted upon God’s people to paralyze their senses and rob them of their strength and activity.

O how conscious many of us are of this terrible paralysis! and how many times we have cried to God to arouse us from this deathlike stupor, and take us off the enchanted ground. Blessed be God, he is able to deliver us from the power of the enemy, and he will deliver those who choose to surrender entirely to his will.

The great controversy between Christ and Satan is near its close. We now stand face to face with the last struggles that are to take place before the Saviour comes. The third angel’s message is for this great crisis. The people whom God has raised up to proclaim that message are represented by an angel “flying through the midst of heaven” to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

Mark the features. First, it is a world-wide message. It is to be given to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Second, it is a message of power. It is to be given with a loud voice. It is that last call to the great supper that is to be given with a compelling power. Luke 14:16-23. Third, it is a swift message. The messengers are to “go out quickly.” Luke 14:21. They are to “fly” from nation to nation. Rev. 14:6.

But, like ancient Israel, we have disappointed and grieved our Lord. We have not consecrated all to the message as we should. And as a result we have delayed the work of God. The spirit of prophecy says:— “We are years behind.” “Not one-hundredth part has been done or is being done by members of the church that God requires of them.” “This is our great sin.” “Were every one of you living missionaries, the gospel would be speedily proclaimed to all countries, to all peoples, nations, and tongues.”

As we look over the wide harvest-field, we see a great work yet to be done. Comparatively few of the great mass of humanity have, as yet, even heard of the message. God says:— “Go forward.” “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left.”

We are glad that our God commands us to enlarge our borders, and we rejoice that to some extent this is being done. Just how much has been done, and what remains to be done, is a matter of great importance, and should be clearly understood by all who are connected with the message.

A. G. DANIELLS.