A Work Worthy of God by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 24, 1910

A Work Worthy of God

By C. M. S.

From Adam’s time till time shall end, God’s work in the earth is that of gathering a people out from among the contaminating environments of sin to stand loyal to the government and person of the Creator throughout eternity. It has been a work worthy the hand of the Almighty.

But when that work is complete, when the inhabitants of this world have made their final decision for or against God, and the loyal ones have had the seal of God placed upon them, then begins that other work — that sad work — of cleansing the future home of the redeemed, removing sin and all who have identified themselves with it. This is the work to which the prophet Isaiah refers in the following scripture:—

“Jehovah will rise up as in Mount Perazim, he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for a decree of destruction have I heard from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, upon the whole earth.” Isa. 28:21, 22.

The prophet speaks of it as the Lord’s strange work and his strange act because the executing of judgment is not a work of pleasure to him who created man. It is a “strange work” in another sense. Never before has God brought judgment unmingled with mercy. All the punishments heretofore brought upon mankind have been brought for the purpose of making rebellious men sense their condition, thus opening the door for their return to the Father. When everything has been done that divine love can do, those who are still unyielding, still rebellious, still refusing to give up their sin, will be punished with everlasting destruction. This punishment is not meted out as a lesson to future generations; for there will be no future generations. It is not meted out to bring sinners to Christ; for all will have decided before the execution of that judgment whether they will be the Lord’s, or whether they will not. The purpose in it will be the eradication of sin from the entire universe of God. It will accomplish that purpose; for every root and seed of sin will be burned out in the searching and sin-consuming fires of that day. Both the root and the branches of sin will be consumed in that fire. See Mal. 4:1.

The complete finishing of that work is brought to view in the following words of the Saviour: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” When all that causes offense, and all who practise iniquity, have been gathered out of this earth and consumed, the work will have been done for all eternity. It will never need to be repeated. Angels and men will have seen the consequences of Satan’s work in the long, sad history of this earth under his usurpation. The terrible tragedy which has left its cruel marks in the hands and side and feet of the Son of God will never need to be re-enacted for the warning of any of God’s creatures.

With the universe freed from sin and every possibility of its repetition, Christ will establish his throne on the scene of his humiliation and victory. “There shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him.” Rev. 22:3. Where the seed of sin has been industriously sown for six thousand years, the blessed tree of life shall bloom again. Where hate has bedewed the world with tears and blood, love will then strew it with fadeless flowers and fill it with everlasting peace.

C. M. S.