He Will Keep That Promise
By W. A. S.
THE Lord Jesus made a special promise to the early advent believers which must cheer their hearts and ours. Through all the long ages, patriarchs, and prophets, and servants of God have fallen asleep in “the hope of the promise” made unto the fathers, and the very throne of the Eternal is pledged to its fulfilment. When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, he gave them the promise, “I will come again,” and it was written for the encouragement of all who should afterward believe on him and learn to love his appearing through their testimony. His word can not fail. And when the time came in the early advent movement that Jesus passed into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to enter upon its cleansing, he left a promise to those who by faith entered in with him in 1844. The scene is pictured in “Early Writings.” The Father had risen from his throne and entered the holy of holies within the veil. Then Jesus rose from the throne to follow into the inner apartment, to take up the final work. The believers are represented as by faith attending Jesus toward the most holy. Those who arose when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on him as he left the throne and led them out a little way. Then he raised his right arm, and we heard his lovely voice saying, “Wait here; I am going to my Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding, and receive you to myself.” Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot, and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat. Some of the early pioneers to whom this promise was made are still waiting among us. Others wait while resting in the tomb. But the promise is sure, and in “a little while” the waiting ones will witness the return. If it were but the word of a noble man, it would be sacred. Many will remember the story of the British statesman, who, while riding in the country, found a forlorn little girl weeping bitterly over the loss of a sixpence, sure of a beating from her mother. He had no money with him, but promised to meet the little girl again next day at the same hour and place, bringing to her a sixpence. Next day he found important matters of state awaiting him, and colleagues depending upon his presence to take up interests of national and international importance at the very hour of his appointment with the little one. His word had been given, and at the thought of the trusting heart that had been comforted in its grief by confidence in his promise, he postponed the council of state, and kept his word. The occasion itself was trivial, but it meant everything to him that he should not disappoint that waiting little one who had trusted implicitly in his promise. Never can the Lord Jesus fail to keep his promise with those waiting ones who watched him go into the heavenly sanctuary, who all these years have been waiting for the time when he shall come out again and take them to be with himself. His strong right arm still waves the signal message of light and glory to the waiting ones. In our short, swift lives, the time of waiting seems long, and yet it has been but “a little while.” Still, ere the last pioneers pass away, to whom this promise was made, the Lord Jesus will keep that appointment. A mother may even forget her child, but he, our Saviour, can never forget the promise that he made to the little advent band as he passed into the presence of God, there to make intercession for us. In the hope of this promise, now quickly to be fulfilled, we may press on in the work with glowing hearts and abounding courage. It is a new time in our work. Soon we shall see the events long talked about fulfilled. With all who have fallen asleep in the message, we shall see that cloudy chariot roll in sight.