Holding the Winds by R. C. Porter

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1914

Holding the Winds

By R. C. Porter

THE world has just witnessed the most marvelous transition from peace to general war in Europe that has ever been seen.

For twenty-five centuries the prophets have been declaring that the history of the world would close with the Armageddon battle, which would involve the whole world in the most awful conflict ever known. The skeptical have asked in unbelief, How can such a condition of universal war be brought about? The general conflict in Europe, precipitated with such dispatch and assuming such vast proportions, is the answer. The time for Armageddon is not yet; but when the time is reached, with the same rapidity a world-wide conflict will develop. The European situation is a clear prelude to that great catastrophe that the prophets predict will just precede the close of the history of nations and the end of the world.

These sudden and universal outbreaks show that the nations are angry, and unless restrained by divine agencies, the conflict would speedily break in Armageddon fury upon the world before it was prepared for the issue. It is now easy to see the significance of the following prophetic utterance:—

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Rev. 7: 1-3.

Unless the winds were held, the work of the reform movement which prepares the people to receive the seal of God, would be hindered. Hence the messenger from the throne of God commands the four angels standing at the four points of the compass, to hold the winds until the sealing work is finished. What intensity is now taking possession of the movements of organizations and nations! It is just such conditions that are foretold in the prophecy.

Go Out Quickly

Under these tense conditions the great world powers are restrained by the hand of Omnipotence for the definite purpose of making it possible that the message may finish its mission.

What does the Lord expect of his people under these circumstances? He says, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” This done, the Master adds, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14: 21-23.

The forces of the nations are mobilizing for war, and the winds of strife are being held by the Lord’s command until the sealing message has finished its work. Under these conditions the Lord’s urgent commission is not merely to “go out quickly,” but go to bear a message of such convincing and convicting power and urgency that the honest will be compelled to accept it speedily.

While the world is mobilizing its forces for war, he who still pleads for sinners before the mercy seat, is calling all his reserves into action for the finishing of his work before the winds are loosed.

In the “eleventh hour” call, none are to wait because “no man hath hired us.” The Master’s call is unprecedented in its urgency at this time. Hear his appeal to all who are unemployed: “Why stand ye here all the day idle? . . . Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” To remain idle in these times of stern and awful strife, while the Master holds the winds, is inexcusable. It is a plain declaration of neutrality in the world’s closing conflict. Only the laborers will be rewarded. He that is not with Christ is against him.

The Lord is calling upon his people to go speedily to the whole world with the last invitation of the gospel of the kingdom. “Special Testimonies to Ministers,” No. 2, page 13, says:—

The controversy between the two great powers of good and evil is soon to be

ended; but to the time of its close there will be continual and sharp contests. We should now purpose, as did Daniel and his fellows in Babylon, that we will be true to principle, come what may. The flaming fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than it was wont to be heated, did not cause these faithful servants of God to turn aside from allegiance to the truth. They stood firm in the time of trial, and were cast into the furnace; and they were not forgotten of God. The form of the Fourth was seen walking with them in the flames, and they came forth not having even the smell of fire upon their garments.

The den of lions did not deter Daniel from a steady adherence to duty. He did not hide his purpose nor lower his colors because death threatened him if he stood faithful to his God. Three times a day, in the face of the king’s decree, he sought his Lord in his chamber, with his window open toward Jerusalem. He was cast into the den of lions, but God delivered him.

So now while by divine command the winds will be held for a little season for the finishing of the work of the third angel’s message, every believer in the message should spring into active service, placing life, property, and all at the disposal of him who is holding the winds that the warning message may finish its work. Anything less than whole-hearted consecration and complete surrender for service now is disloyalty.

How must he who holds the winds view indifference to his call to service in this last closing hour of a lost world’s opportunity for repentance? Unless the eyes of indifferent Laodiceans are now anointed so that they may discern the meaning of these rapid and almost world-wide movements, the prelude to the soon-coming Armageddon; unless they read in the rapid movements of angry nations the signs of a soon-coming Saviour and the demand for a consecration that will insure a Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the finishing of the work, they will not share in its closing trials, its closing labors, its closing blessings, and its final triumphs.

We should now lay plans for an aggressive campaign such as has never been seen in the history of our work. As the triumphs of Israel were seen when Joshua took all the people with him and organized them from least to greatest for the finishing of the conflict, so now a mighty missionary movement embracing every believer in the message, from the oldest pioneer whose faith still burns with the holy fire of consecration, to the little children who can give out a paper or a tract, will speedily finish this work, and bring its glorious consummation.

God forbid that any should withhold his whole-hearted service in this hour of final labor and certain victory when the Lord is about to appear.

R. C. PORTER.