Text: Rev. 11:1: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.”
These are words which a mighty angel from the court of Heaven was commissioned to utter. They are, therefore, of no ordinary importance; and it becomes those to whom they are addressed to seek with reverent heart to comprehend their meaning.
That portion of the text to which we call especial attention, is the solemn injunction, “Rise, and measure the temple of God, . . . and them that worship therein.”
There are many important scriptures the meaning of which it would be difficult to ascertain without the aid of the context. The text we have quoted is a passage of this nature. Although the translators have made it the beginning of an independent chapter, it is a continuation of information and instruction which the angel was imparting to John, the commencement of which is found in the preceding chapter. The last verse of the foregoing chapter introduces a direct address from the angel to John, in these words: “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Then placing in his hands a reed like unto a rod, the angel continued, “Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them which worship therein.” Right in the midst, therefore, of this direct address of the angel, the translators have unfortunately thrown in the division of a chapter. But the two verses are one connected testimony, and belong together.
From the fact that the angel says, “Thou must prophesy again,” we infer that some previous prophesying had taken place. We therefore go back still further in chapter 10, to ascertain what it was, and when it took place. That chapter opens with the announcement that John saw a mighty angel come down from Heaven. The rolling clouds constituted his royal apparel. The rainbow gleamed like a diadem, upon his brow. The glory of his countenance shone forth from his cloudy pavilion like the noonday sun; and his feet glowed like pillars of fire. And he set one fiery foot upon the restless sea, and the other upon the solid earth; and when he spoke, it was as when a lion roareth in his strength.
Arrayed in his transcendent majesty, the angel then lifted up his hand to heaven and uttered the most solemn oath to which the earth had ever listened. He sware by Him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and earth and the sea, and all the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer.
Time, as connected with the experience of the human race, may be spoken of in three grand divisions: 1. Literal time, as measured by days, weeks, months, and years. 2. Probationary time, or the period during which we have the privilege of making our calling and election sure; and 3. Prophetic time, comprising the different prophetic periods which are set down in the volume of inspiration as marking important eras in our world’s history.
To which of these three kinds did the angel refer in his solemn oath? Not to literal time; for he immediately speaks of “the days of the voice of the seventh angel,” which were to succeed the fulfillment of his oath. Not to probationary time; for the “mystery of God,” which is the work of the gospel, the proclamation, and the provision of salvation among the Gentiles, Eph. 3:3; Gal. 1:11, 12; Eph. 1:9, 10, &c., is not finished till in the early years of the sounding of the same seventh angel, the days of whose sounding were to follow the fulfillment of the oath of this mighty angel. Prophetic time alone is then left us as the object of the angel’s words. His message was an announcement that time of that nature should be no longer.
We have no knowledge of prophetic time save what we learn from the book of prophecy. As soon as our attention is called to this subject, we are obliged to have recourse at once to the prophetic records. And it is a significant fact that the angel, when he makes this announcement touching prophetic time, does it upon the authority of a book which he holds in his hand. Verse 2 reads: “And he had in his hand a little book open; and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.”
Every Bible student is aware that the books which contain almost the sum total of the prophetic periods which are revealed to us, are this book of Revelation, which was not written when John had this vision, and the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. Hence we are shut up to the book of Daniel for those prophetic periods to which the angel referred.
Turning back to the book of Daniel, which contains five of the seven principal prophetic periods mentioned in prophecy, and among them, the 2300 days, the longest period anywhere given, we read this remarkable instruction to Daniel concerning them: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4. Daniel sought for the meaning of what had been shown him, but understood not; and the angel said to him again, verse 9: “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”
Here is a prophecy, the great repository of the prophetic periods, closed up and sealed till the time of the end; at which time it follows that the words would be unsealed, the book opened, the prophetic declarations be understood, and, as the angel declared, many run to and fro, and knowledge be increased. In the scene introduced in Rev. 10, we have an angel having in his hand a book which is open, and declaring respecting these very prophetic periods which were closed up and sealed, to a certain point, that the time had come for them to expire. The necessary conclusion from all this, equal in this case to a demonstration, is that the book which the angel has in his hand is the book of Daniel’s prophecy, and that when he gives his message, the time has come for Daniel’s prophetic book to be unsealed and opened, and the world is passing through the solemn period of its history, denominated “the time of the end.”
Can we ascertain when the time of the end commenced, so that we may know when the startling message of this mighty angel is due? Verses 31–35 of Dan. 11, place the commencement of the time of the end at the close of the supremacy of “the abomination that maketh desolate,” or the papal power, as manifested in its work of persecution. Papal dominion ended at the end of the 1260 years in 1798. Again, in verse 40, the time of the end is set down to commence in that year when the king of the south, Egypt, and the king of the north, Turkey, should both declare war against the atheistical king of France, which again, as the American Encyclopedia informs us, was in 1798. The time of the end, then, commenced in 1798, and we are to look for the fulfillment of the oath of the angel of Rev. 10, at some point this side of that time.
Evidence corroborative of this position is found in Rev. 14. In verse 6, the first of a series of three angels is introduced, having the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation under heaven, calling upon all people to fear God, for the hour of his Judgment is come, and to worship him who made heaven and earth and the sea, and the fountain of waters. Two other messages follow in immediate connection with this, and then appears one like the Son of man on a white cloud, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle, coming to reap the harvest of the earth, which can symbolize nothing else but the second advent of Christ in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
This message is therefore a proclamation and a warning respecting the second advent of Christ. At what age of the world can it properly be given? Paul, in 2 Thess. 2:1–4, warns the Thessalonians not to expect the coming of Christ till the great apostasy should take place in the Christian church, and the man of sin, the son of perdition, should be revealed, and claim to sit as God in the temple of the church. This is that papal power which Daniel and John both predicted would rule for 1260 years after its establishment. Paul’s caution, therefore, covers the whole period of papal supremacy, and ends only when that supremacy ends in 1798. No proclamation of the second advent could scripturally go forth before that time; for Paul’s caution was against it; but since that time, Paul’s injunction does not apply, and such a proclamation is in order.
The first message of Rev. 14 could not, then, have been given prior to 1798, but may be looked for since. But the same thing is seen to be true of the proclamation of the angel of Rev. 10. And now if we compare these two together we shall find points of similarity, sufficient to prove identity. 1. They both have a special message. 2. These messages are both due at the same time. 3. They are based in each case on prophetic time. 4. Their messages are world wide, one going to every nation under heaven, the other proclaiming his message all over the land, where one foot rested, and to all countries to which the white-winged ships could go over the mighty waters, upon which the other foot was placed. 5. They both appeal in the utterance of their message to the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
These facts prove that the first angel of Rev. 14, and the angel of chap. 10 are the same; for when two messages are due at the same time, are of the same nature, and are based upon the same evidence, they denote identically the same work; and in the message of Rev. 14, we have additional proof that we are to look for this work this side of 1798.
Now we come to a fact which would impress all minds with solemnity if they would but believe and realize it. These messages have been fulfilled in the present generation. The opening of the great advent movement of the past 30 years, meets the specifications in every particular. That movement was based on new light on the prophetic periods, and its great burden was that those periods were about to expire. And in this it announced a great truth. For we have conclusive arguments which it is not necessary here to present, to show that the longest prophetic period, and the one which reaches to the latest point in human history, did terminate in 1844. There the oath of the angel was fulfilled; and time (prophetic) was no longer.
Here we find a sure starting point from which to prosecute further inquiries. What more do we learn from the prophecy, and what has been the experience of the church since that memorable year, 1844? The angel told John, who here properly stands as a representative of the church, to take the little book from his hand and eat it up, Rev. 10:9, and he informed him that it would be in his mouth sweet as honey, but in his stomach, bitter. To eat a book, is a Scripture expression for receiving joyfully into the heart the truths which the book sets forth. Eze. 3:1–3; Jer. 15:16. This transaction sets forth the eager reception by the church of the great prophetic truths contained in the little book. And the experience of the church was such as is here indicated. The great truths pertaining to the second coming of Christ, which suddenly blazed forth from the word of God, were received by thousands upon thousands with unfeigned delight. How their souls feasted upon the newly-risen truth. With what tireless energy, and at what sacrifice, they spread it abroad over sea and land. It was in their mouth as sweet as honey.
But in their interpretation of the prophecy they had mistaken the event to transpire at the end of the prophetic periods, supposing the Lord would then come; whereas the prophecy said only that then should the sanctuary be cleansed. Dan. 8:14. And when the point in the year 1844, at which it had been shown that the 2300 days would end, passed, and the Lord did not appear, a disappointment dropped like a pall of night upon the believing church, more bitter than the people of God had ever experienced save when He who was expected then to restore the kingdom of Israel, was laid away a lifeless form in Joseph’s new sepulcher. After the book was eaten, it became in their stomach as bitter as gall.
Then said the angel, “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues.” The work of the church was not yet done. Another proclamation was to go forth to the people. And when this new commission was given to John, as indicating the nature of the work, a reed is put into his hand and he is told, in the language of the text, to rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and them that worship therein.
A re-examination of the prophetic periods, after the great disappointment, confirmed the application previously made, and the time of their termination, but discovered the misapprehension of the event to which they brought us. “Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” said the prophecy. The sanctuary was seen to be, not the earth, but, for the former dispensation, the tabernacle built by Moses, and afterward embodied in the temple of Solomon, and for this dispensation, the true tabernacle and temple of God in Heaven, to which the old typical tabernacle gave place when this dispensation was introduced. Heb. 8:1, 2, &c. And the cleansing of the sanctuary178was seen to be, not the burning of the earth, when the Lord is revealed in flaming fire, but the closing service of the sanctuary work, as so clearly set forth in the types, and in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, wherein he in the plainest manner shows the transfer from the type to the antitype, from the earthly priesthood to the ministry of our Lord in Heaven.
The discovery of this great truth at once solved all the mystery of our position. It brought light out of darkness, and order out of confusion. Four harmonious pillars of truth were at once revealed, upon which to rest the superstructure of our reviving faith.
1. The angel proclaimed the end of prophetic time. Turning back to where prophetic time is revealed, the close of the longest period brings us to the cleansing of the sanctuary, a work of brief but indefinite duration, to finish up Christ’s priesthood in behalf of our race.
2. The angel announced further, that following the end of prophetic time, in the first days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God should be finished. The mystery of God is shown in texts already alluded to, Eph. 3:3–6; Gal. 1:12; Eph. 1:9, 10, to be the gospel of salvation to the Gentiles. The finishing of this is the close of the work of salvation, a special work, occupying some days (years) in its accomplishment. But here again we are brought to the sanctuary; for this is also the close of the sanctuary work.
3. The first angel of Rev. 14 announces that his message brings us to the hour of God’s Judgment, a Judgment work that precedes, and is wrought in reference to, the coming of Christ. Such a Judgment, an investigative Judgment to determine character, must precede the advent; for the Lord comes not to determine who are worthy of eternal life, but to bestow instantaneously that boon upon those who by some means have previously been decided to be thus worthy. And here again we are brought to the sanctuary; for the finishing of its service is a work of this very nature. The cleansing of the sanctuary is the removing therefrom of the sins of the people. This involves the examination of every case. It is, so to speak, the closing up of accounts with the race. And this examination must be made from those books in which is inscribed by angel hands, an unerring record of all our deeds. And decisions rendered according to those records, constitute a work of Judgment, according to Rev. 20:12. Here is the Judgment work of the first message of Rev. 14. Here is the cleansing of the sanctuary to which the close of the prophetic periods brought us. Here is the finishing of the mystery of God, which the angel of Rev. 10 announced to follow his message. A three-fold harmony that is not easily shaken.
4. The commencement of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which was the opening of the second apartment where the ark of God was, and the entrance of the High Priest to perform his last act of ministry before that ark, is spoken of in the Revelation as the opening of the temple of God in Heaven. And when this is done, the ark is seen, and the attention of the people is called to the law which that ark contains. The angel of chapter 10 announced that in the opening years of the sounding of the seventh angel the mystery of God should be finished. The seventh angel is the seventh of the seven trumpets introduced in Rev. 8:6; and under his sounding of course all earthly scenes come to an end. He commences to sound near the close of probation. But Rev. 11:19, speaking of the events to take place under his sounding, says, “And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Here again we are brought to the sanctuary, and in connection therewith our attention is called to the ark contained therein. This ark was called the ark of the testimony or testament, because it contained the two tables of testimony, or ten commandments, as inscribed on the tables of stone. Had it not contained these, it could not have been called by that name. Hence the fact that the ark, as seen in Heaven down here under the sounding of the seventh angel, is still called the ark of the testament, is proof positive that it now contains the tables of the divine law; that here is the great original of the commandments, of which the people of God had, for a time, in the earthly sanctuary, a transcript or duplicate. This opening of the temple and all the work connected therewith, follows the oath of the angel of chapter 10, whose work covers the time of the first two messages of Rev. 14.
Following these two messages, we have a third, which necessarily synchronizes with the cleansing of the sanctuary, the finishing of the mystery of God, the Judgment introduced by the first message, and the opening of the temple with its accompanying investigation of the law. And this message denounces the wrath of God against the worship of the beast and his image, and declares in reference to those who heed its warnings, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Thus a little company is presented before us, who, as the result of this message, are brought to take such a position on the law of God, that they are distinguished from all Christendom around them, as those who keep the commandments of God. Thus again our minds are led directly to the law of God, the ark and the sanctuary, as in the other synchronous lines of prophecy already noticed.
Let all these points of harmony be particularly borne in mind. We have found all these centering at the same point of time, and denoting the same or correlative works; namely, the cleansing of the sanctuary at the close of the prophetic periods, the finishing of the mystery of God in the days when the seventh angel begins to sound, the opening of the temple of God, and the investigation of the law under his sounding, the prophesying again of Rev. 10:11, and the third message of chapter 14, bringing out a company who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
And this brings us to the position which the people of God occupy at this very hour. The church in obedience to the new commission is prophesying again; the third angel’s message is going forth.
As proof of this, we put in as evidence, first, all the prophecies, and signs of the times which show that the second coming of Christ is now at the door; for the third message is the last true religious movement to take place before the coming of Christ, and is to reach to that event. Secondly, The first and second messages have already been fulfilled as leading proclamations. The second coming of Christ is just before us. We are right between these two events; and here the third message is due. If, now, it is not going forth, the providence of God has failed to bring about events in accordance with his prophecies; which we can never believe. Thirdly, A people have appeared in the religious world right at this time who claim to be giving this message, and who are distinguished from almost all other religionists by observing the fourth commandment as it reads in the law rather than as interpreted by the great apostasy of the third to the fifth centuries. And any movement which exactly fulfils a prophecy at the very time when the fulfilment of that prophecy is due, must be a true, as it cannot be a counterfeit, work.
And here we stand, the last work of the true church committed to our hands, and the nature of that work indicated in the solemn injunction, “RISE AND MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THEM THAT WORSHIP THEREIN.” A work of no small degree of solemnity is here brought to view. What is the object of measuring? Why does the carpenter, the machinist, or the artificer of any kind, measure the different articles of his work? To see if they will fit the places for which they are designed. And all that are right, according to the rule of measurement, or can be made so, are preserved, while those that cannot be made to fit the measure, are cast away as worthless.
The measuring brought to view in the text, being applied to individuals, is not, of course, a literal measurement to ascertain their height, circumference, or proportion; but it is applied to them as worshipers: “Rise, measure the temple, and them that worship therein.” That which is brought to the test is character. And it is measured for what? For the same purpose that anything is measured, to determine its fitness for the place designed. Candidates for immortality must have their characters brought to the unerring rule, to correspond to the perfect Pattern, before they can be admitted into the kingdom of Heaven. Our text, therefore, brings to view nothing less than the last testing work to be brought to bear upon the church, to determine their fitness to be translated to Heaven, their preparation for the issues of eternity.
Let us now inquire by what means this measuring or testing work is accomplished. The lines of argument, and the nature of our experience, which have brought us to our present position, have called our attention as already noticed to the temple of God in Heaven and to the law of God, the ten commandments. By this law, which Solomon declares to be the whole duty of man, we can measure character; but by this alone we cannot measure the temple. We measure the temple by that work which directs our attention to the temple which is set forth in chapter 10, as “prophesying again,” and in chapter 14, as the third angel’s message. We measure the temple by first accepting the truth of its existence above, studying into the purpose for which it exists, connecting therewith the work of Christ as our great High Priest, examining into the nature and duration of that work, and the present stage of its progress. All this the church has been doing in obedience to the divine commission, ever since this message commenced.
This work also brings to view that by which the worshipers at the temple are to be tested. This is summarily contained in the ten commandments. But the heart is deceitful above all things, and the commandments are exceedingly broad. Hence we need divine aid in order to meet their wide extended requirements. And this help is provided. Two great instrumentalities for the perfection of character are mentioned in this work: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” In Rev. 12:17, the same company are spoken of as the remnant (last generation) of the woman’s seed (children of the church). “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” What is this “testimony of Jesus Christ,” which this remnant have? An inspired definition is given in Rev. 19:10: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The spirit of prophecy is one of those special gifts which were expressly placed in the church to edify the body of Christ and perfect the saints. If ever the church might need the benefit of such a gift, it would be amid the distractions, dangers and perils of the last days. If ever it was necessary in the history of the church, it is necessary now. Could our eyes be opened to behold the work of the enemy as it is in these days, to see the perils on this hand and that, the snares and pitfalls that beset our feet at every step, while Satan works with wrath his few remaining hours, our hearts would be appalled at the situation, and any proffered help would be hailed with gratitude of heart. This gracious gift comes to our rescue, to enlighten, instruct, point out the dangers of the way, and save us from the deceptive influence of the enemy.
From the commencement of this work this gift has accompanied it. Interwoven with all its history it cannot be separated from it. This gift, with whatever instructions have been communicated through it, has thus become an inseparable part of the message. And what has been its uniform influence, and the tendency of its teaching? It has corrected errors, exposed wrong, held up the right. It has ever pointed forward and led to a higher standard. From purity of heart it has extended to purity of life; and from the proper furnishing and adornment of the holy temple of the mind, to the right cultivation and use of the sacred functions of the body.
The propriety of our giving some attention to bodily conditions will be apparent on a moment’s reflection. For what purpose are our powers of body and mind given us? God has bestowed upon us existence, and endowed us with various capabilities and faculties. What for? That with all these we may glorify him. The Scripture rule is that we should glorify God with our bodies and our spirits which are his. How can we glorify God with our body unless all its members are in a healthy state, and all its powers in a condition for perfect play? Obligation, therefore, of a very imperative nature, rests upon us, to keep these physical frames in the best possible condition of health and strength. A benumbed and stupefied brain, and a corrupt and crippled body, can render but a poor service to its Maker.
Health of body depends essentially upon two things: the manner in which we live; as touching particularly food, drink, air and exercise; and the manner in which we dress, as it affects the circulation of the blood and the free motion of all the limbs. Hence comes in the Health Reform, which embraces the dress reform, covering these very points, so opportunely brought to our attention in these days, by the gift which is among us.179
But, says one, that seems to be descending to pretty small matters—what we shall eat and drink, and how we shall dress. Small? Is anything small that God notices? Or rather, does not anything, even though it may of itself be considered a small matter, if God takes notice of it, or directs concerning it, thereby become of almost infinite importance? And how has God dealt with these things? Look at the early Scripture records? Almost the first instruction God found it necessary to give to the human race in the person of its common father, Adam, was concerning what they should eat. Look at his directions to ancient Israel, whose experience Paul says was recorded for our instruction. What minute directions God gave them in relation to their food. How carefully he instructed them in regard to their dress, even giving them a badge to distinguish them from the nations around them. And were these small matters for the Israelites? Sometimes they seemed to think them so, and presumed to depart from the directions of the Lord; but his speedy judgments soon left their carcasses in the wilderness or brought them back to the path of obedience. And these things are written for our learning. Could God act thus then in regard to these things, and can he not as properly notice them now?
Again, is anything a small matter in which the glory of God is involved? And do you ask what this can have to do with eating and drinking? Hear Paul: “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” What? Eat and drink to the glory of God? Yes; for so Paul says, and that, too, right in connection with the history of Israel’s experience to which we have referred. If we can eat to his glory, we can also eat not to his glory. How is this? As we are to glorify God in our bodies, and this requires the very best physical condition, whenever we eat food of such a quality, or in such quantity, or at such times, as to burden and impair, rather than to nourish and to build up the system, we are plainly doing that which is not to God’s glory. And to eat to his glory is just as plainly to eat in that way which will conduce to the best physical condition of these bodies. The glory of God, then, is involved in our eating and drinking, and it becomes a matter which has no small claims upon our attention.
Again, is anything a small matter which is essential to perfection? A person once called upon an artist who was finishing up a nice statue, which, to his eye, seemed already done, and well done. The artist was looking it over, putting on his finishing touches here and there. Several weeks afterward the same person called upon the artist again, and found him still engaged in this manner upon his statue. Why, said he to the artist, do you spend so much time upon trifles? The artist replied, These things which you call trifles go to make up perfection, and perfection is no trifle!
So, emphatically, with Christian character. Whatever is essential to its perfection cannot be disregarded and yet that perfect character, which the Christian must develop, be attained. And enough has been said to show that the manner in which we live and dress, as it affects our physical condition, has an important bearing upon this question.
Some things which, under some circumstances are of small consequence, under other circumstances are not so. To illustrate: Take a piece of sheet iron which is besmeared with filth and heavy with rust, and it matters not much what you do to it; you cannot render its looks or its condition essentially worse. Especially the addition of another little spot would be unnoticed, and of no consequence. But now take a plate of steel, and polish it like a mirror till its burnished surface shines with perfect beauty. On this polished surface let a little filth or a spot of rust be found, and it at once becomes an unsightly blot, an ugly deformity, which it is of the utmost importance to have removed at once.
So, again, with Christian character. With those persons who make pork and tobacco their staple articles of diet, with whisky perhaps as a condiment, who eat those things which gratify a perverted taste, without regard to their hygienic qualities, whose bodies are bloated with gross living, whose minds are channels through which flows a constant stream of libidinous thoughts and sensual images, and whose hearts are troughs where lust wallows and feeds—it makes no particular difference with such persons whether they still further inflame their stomachs with pickles and pepper, or clog them with fat and butter, or indulge in the lesser stimulants of coffee and tea, or not. But with those who are trying to perfect character, to come up to the divine standard, to banish from the mind every impure thought, and from the body every hurtful article, small deviations from the right are of vital consequence. A character fitted for the heavenly courts must shine like the polished mirror. In it the great Author of all purity, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, must be able to detect no stain or scar. “Without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing,” is the divine standard.
That there would be especial need of the people of God giving attention to these things in the last days, is evident from the words of Christ in Luke 21:34: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” And this great subject of Christian temperance, expressed by Christ in general terms eighteen hundred years ago for the benefit of the little flock in the last days, is now taken up by the gift of prophecy so mercifully revived for our benefit in these times of peril, and powerfully enforced upon us as a part of the preparation we must make for the issues of the great impending day. Is not this consistent? Does it not look like the good care and providence of God in behalf of his people?
And there is no sort of use for any one to think that he can dissect this work, taking off a slice here and a portion there, according as it may differ from his views, or be contrary to the natural inclinations of his heart. If we undertake to separate from the message the gift of prophecy, which from the very beginning has been incorporated with it, we tear the work all to pieces. If we attempt to throw this away, we throw away one-half the evidence we have to show that we are the people who are fulfilling this prophecy. Then comes the inevitable conclusion that the application of the prophecy is not correct; then, that the prophecy is not now having its fulfilment or that it has failed; then, that the word of God is enigmatical or uncertain; and, finally, we land in the wretched bogs of irreligion, or infidelity, or atheism.
But if we admit the genuineness of this gift, then must we take with it all its teachings. We must acknowledge the light it has brought. There is no ground for halfway work or compromise here. If it is partly right, it is wholly so; and if it is partly wrong, it is entirely wrong. The providence of God has given us this thing as it stands as a whole, and as a whole we had better receive it, realizing, when we have evidence that the light is from the Lord, that he knows best how and where to lead, and it is best for us with cheerful submission to obey and follow. And let us not think that a small thing in reference to which the Lord speaks. If he commands us to do an act, however insignificant that act may appear in itself, it is just as imperative upon us as any other portion of his will.
We have now before us some idea of the nature of the work in which we are engaged. It is a close, testing, final work. “Rise, measure the temple of God, and them that worship therein.” This measuring, deciding work is now here. Its conclusion will find us corresponding in all particulars to the measuring line, and fit for the society of holy angels, or rejected and cast off forever. It is a work which first of all takes hold of the heart to make it pure; and it takes hold of our whole being, our eating, drinking, and dressing, and all our habits of life, that they may be according to God’s glory. It is just such a work as we should expect the last fitting-up process to be. If such a work did not somewhere have a place in the process of preparation, we might conclude that something was wrong. But here it is, and we are now concerned therein.
Those that worship in the temple are now being measured. The providence of God, which, in the fulfilment of his word, never turns the shadow backward on the dial, has brought upon us the solemn injunction, Rise to the work. And now the question which each one must meet face to face, and which each must decide for himself, is, Will we bring our hearts and bodies into subjection? Will we stand the test? Will we deny self, cast away our idols, and give the great Refiner full possession of our hearts? Shall I now, in behalf of all who hear these words, transpose the first two words of these questions, and put it, “We will.” The Lord help us thus to do, for his sake, and for our soul’s sake. Amen.