If by S. N. HASKELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 17, 1916

“If”

By S. N. HASKELL

S. N. HASKELL

“If” has lost many a battle. Often the use of this word reveals a heart of unbelief, and leads a man to lay the blame on some one else, and reason that if others had done differently, then he would not have made the mistake he did.

Yes, had it not been for the devil, we should not have been tempted; and had we never been tempted, we should not have been proved; and had we never been proved, we should never have found out the evil in our own hearts and our need of a Saviour.

Once in time of war the famine was so severe in Israel that a woman killed her own son and ate him. 2 Kings 6:24-29. When the king heard of it, he was greatly distressed. He at once laid all the blame upon the prophet of the Lord, and determined to kill him, not realizing that it was the sins of Israel that had brought the famine.

He at once sent a messenger to slay the prophet, but when the messenger came to the prophet the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Elisha, and he delivered a message of good, which would have filled the city of Samaria with rejoicing if they had believed the word of the Lord. Elisha’s words sounded out clearly in the ears of his would-be murderers, “Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria;” but there was no response of faith in the hearts of his hearers. A lord upon whose hand the king leaned, replied, unto “If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?” Then, as at the present day, the doubting heart

He did not receive the blessing. Elisha answered the man, saying, “Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.” 2 Kings 7:1-20.

Whether Elisha knew that God had already made provision for plenty of food to supply the city or not, we cannot say. Samaria was besieged by the Syrian host, and, from a human standpoint, there was no chance of receiving food. The remainder of that day passed as other days had passed; but when twilight came, four lepers that were starving outside the gate of Samaria said, “Let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.” So in the twilight they went to the uttermost part of the camp of the Syrians, and “there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host,” and they had all fled in great fear, leaving their provisions behind them.

Immediately the king was notified, and in the night a committee was sent to investigate, and they found an abundance of provisions in the camp of the Syrians, so that the prophecy of Elisha was fulfilled. “And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died,” as the man of God had said. He beheld the fulfilment of the prophet’s words, but never had the pleasure of partaking of any of the food.

There are many today in both high and low positions who lose much by doubting the instruction given by the prophet of the Lord. When they read that now is the time to carry forward a certain work, they say, “We have neither money nor means to accomplish it; if God would pour out money from the windows of heaven, this thing might be.” They delay to do the work. The time is near when the work will go with power, just as God has said. The terrible “if” which has so often hindered the work will give place to “can,” and all will be accomplished which God has spoken. Books, papers, and tracts, radiant with the message, will be scattered like the leaves of autumn.

“Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven.” When God says, “Go forward,” those who cling to the habit of saying, “It can be done if we have everything at hand with which to do it,” will fall out by the way, and, like the nobleman of Samaria, will fail to share in the good things in store for God’s people, although with their eyes they may see the fulfilment of the prophecy. God never commanded his people to go forward without having in reserve ways and means to accomplish the work. Imagine Moses saying, “Lord, if you open the sea first, then I will speak unto the children of Israel to go forward.”

Faith has only one line of reasoning; and that is to prove that what God has said can be accomplished, because God has spoken the words. Faith has lost none of its power; it is as mighty today as when in the past it “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.”

Satan’s stronghold has always been to persuade men to doubt the plain word of God. When God says, “Go forward,” Satan says, “It is impossible; if we had more facilities we could accomplish the work. Wait until a more opportune time.”

Ofttimes the apparent feebleness of

those attempting to carry out the commands of God are used in his providence as a means of accomplishing the work. If Goliath had been met by a man of equal strength, he would not in anger have thrown up his helmet and exposed his brow to the stone. Under the hand of God, David’s apparent weakness gave him the victory.

The children of Israel dwelt many years in Palestine without capturing Mount Moriah and Mount Zion, the strongholds of the Jebusites, but the time came for the last strongholds within their borders to be captured. There were many difficulties in the way, “nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion.”

For more than half a century Seventh-day Adventists have dwelt in this land; God has greatly prospered them, but the great strongholds of the country—the cities—have not been taken. The following quotations show that for many years God has been directing his people to “go forward” and take these strongholds; but that terrible “if” has held the work back. Unbelief has said, “If we had sufficient money, we might enter the cities. If we had more talented men,” etc., and the work has been hindered.

“Behold the cities, and their need of the gospel! The need of earnest laborers among the multitudes of the cities has been kept before me for more than twenty years. Who are carrying a burden for the large cities? A few have felt the burden, but in comparison with the great need and the many opportunities but little attention has been given to this work. Instruction has been given me that the message should go again with power in the cities in the Eastern States.”

“O that we might see the needs of these cities as God sees them! At such a time as this every hand is to be employed. The Lord is coming; the end is near, yea, it hasteth greatly! In a little while we shall be unable to work with the freedom that we now enjoy. Terrible scenes are before us, and what we do we must do quickly.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, pp. 97, 98, 101.