GOD IN ADVANCE by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Apr 3, 1900

GOD IN ADVANCE.

By Uriah Smith

In the long controversy between good and evil, truth and error, light and darkness, dangers and deliverances, who has always led the way? who has occupied the advanced position? upon which side has been the balance of power?—It has been on the Lord’s side; his provisions have been more abundant and more powerful than all the weapons formed against him and his work. And, as it has been, so it is and will be. Christ forestalls the attempts of the adversary, and makes provision in behalf of his people, against all the efforts that will be made against them, and all the dangers that may be accumulated by malignant spirits around their pathway.

Is the church to pass through a time of special darkness? he causes special light to shine upon them, so that the darkness has no power to obscure their vision. Are they coming into a time of unprecedented dangers? then he provides special help for them. Is it a time of peculiar temptation? then he exposes those temptations, and makes a way of escape from every one of them. So, all the way along, the Lord parallels the work of the enemy, and makes provision for his people, ready at hand, more abundant and powerful than all that they have to meet in every emergency. So each one may adopt the language of the hymn,— “Whate’er events betide, Thy will they all perform; Safe in thy breast my head I hide, Nor fear the coming storm.”

There are prophecies concerning the perils of the last days; and while there are special perils to be met in these days, there are also special promises which God has given for his people for the same time; and while some promises are particularly applicable to this time, all the promises that have ever cheered, and comforted, and strengthened the church, in her long pilgrimage, may be appropriated especially by the remnant, as they enter the closing conflicts of their long and weary journey to the heavenly Canaan.

The last generation, subject though they are to particular trials, are more favored in some respects than any other. There is an accumulation upon their pathway of more light and truth than any other generation has ever had. All the fulfillments of prophecy, which revolving ages have so sharply developed; all the confirmations of God’s word in the past, which effectually close the lips of skeptics; all the interpositions of God in behalf of his people, against which no gainsayer can move his tongue, are so many fresh elements of strength and support for the church in the last days, to which former generations could only gradually appeal, as they came to pass. And so all the promises that the servants of the Lord have had in their past history, are all for us still, so that we may well heed the injunction of Christ, “Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

And the apostle Paul, speaking to the Thessalonians concerning the last days, says, of those who are willing to walk in the light: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” And among further cheering words, he adds: “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thess. 5: 4, 9–11.

And the “salvation” appointed for us is that of which Peter speaks, when he says: “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1: 5.

In Ps. 32: 8 the Lord says: “I will guide thee with mine eye.” This scripture not only contains a promise for us, but enjoins upon us a duty; for our eyes must be upon the Lord, that we may catch his look, and be in sympathy with him, that we may understand what he would teach us thereby. “As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, . . . so our eyes” must be upon him. And then he guides us, not with a blow, but with a look of love, which at once reveals to us our duty, and inspires us with strength to perform it.

Again: the Lord says to his people, in Isa. 45: 2, “I will go before thee.” And the result of this is to make clear and straight the “crooked places,” or those that may seem to us to be peculiarly difficult and dangerous. He does not go behind, and drive us into the perils that lie in the way, but he goes before us. He himself first meets and overcomes all the difficulties, and clears the pathway, so that our progress will be both safe and speedy, if we follow closely in his steps. We shall thus abide “under the shadow of his wing.”

Still further, in Isa. 42: 16, he says: “And I will bring the blind by a way they know not; I will lead them in paths they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Here, again, the Lord goes before his people; for he “leads” them. We are simply to follow his leading. The paths may be such as we have not known, but they are not such as he has not known; and while the way may have for us some unexpected blessings, there may be also some unexpected difficulties and trials. And hence Peter (1 Peter 4: 12) throws out this caution, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.” We are to see the Lord before us, and know that he is leading; and then, as it was with the disciples, when Jesus came unto them in the midst of the overwhelming tempest, so it will be with us, as expressed in the narrative, “Immediately the ship was at the land;” or as the hymn words it,— “And when they beheld thy form, Safe they glided through the storm.”

The “refreshing” (Acts 3: 19), which makes more clear even the light of prophecy (2 Peter 1: 19); the “morning star,” which is the Lord himself (Rev. 2: 28; 22: 16); the entrance into our hearts of him who has promised to come in and sup with us (Rev. 3: 20), will put us into such communion with Christ that we shall seem to be in his very presence, as was Stephen (Acts 7: 56); and this will enable us to pass safely through the last dire perils that close up human history.

This glance at some of the promises suggests how we may fortify ourselves in reference to expected trials. If we are inclined to look into the future with any misgivings, the apostle gives us this comforting assurance: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor. 10: 13. One may sometimes fix his mind on some trial, which he may possibly be called to meet, and think that he would never be able to stand such a test; and hence that under certain temptations he would not be able to stand the assault. If one may be allowed to compare the strength that one possesses at any given time with the supposed trial that he expects, these fears may perhaps be well grounded. But have we any right to make such comparisons? What is the promise that comes in to lift up a standard against this assault?—Here it is: “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deut. 33: 25. Also, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Cor. 12: 9. So the fear is altogether unjust, so far as it commits itself to the possibility of God’s exposing his people to some test or trial for which he has not provided them sufficient strength by which they can successfully meet it.

One may perhaps feel that he could never lay down his life for Christ. Well, are you now required to lay down your life, literally, for Christ? Very well, then, is not grace for present need all that is required? But if you should be called upon to do the other thing, would not God then provide sufficient firmness and strength for the trial?—Assuredly he would; and then could you not meet the crisis with calmness and assurance?—Surely so.

So one may think of some object of affection,—home or dear friends,—and think that he could never give them up, and be separated from them; but till the time comes to give them up, there is no necessity to borrow a great load of trouble incident to such a contingency, and fall prostrate, in heavy anxiety, beneath it. But if the necessity ever comes to sever the cords of affection, and resign these things, whatever they may be, those who sincerely acknowledge God in all their ways, will find themselves enabled to resign them cheerfully, in sweet submission to his will, exclaiming, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

As already said, the Lord goes in advance of his people. Before any of the disciples had been required to die for Christ, he had died for them. Trials are not accidents, viewed from the standpoint of divine providence. They may be unexpected by us; but they do not take God unawares, nor come before he has made provision for us with reference to them. It is a comforting thought that God holds the scales in his own hands. In one scale he puts the trial, in the other he places the strength. But the trial can never come upon us with such a weight as to crush us, till it outweighs the strength provided to withstand it. And how can this be, so long as God keeps his engagement, that as our day our strength shall be? So we may be sure that we shall never find ourselves in circumstances disproportionated to our strength, inasmuch as God would never suffer the accomplishment of his purposes concerning us to hinge on such conditions. And this thought, while it should give us encouragement, should not lead us to presumption. We are not to feel so sure of never being overcome as to rush needlessly and rashly into danger; but we may comfort ourselves with the thought that we shall never find ourselves involved in such circumstances that we can not avoid being overcome. God respects the free will with which he has endowed us. He will not invade the freedom of that sacred precinct, nor suffer any other power to do so. U. S.