God's Strong Reasons by Stephen N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Apr 5, 1906

God's Strong Reasons

By Stephen N. Haskell

S. N. HASKELL

Almost every man has some strong personality. There are reasons for this. Such a thing does not come by chance. These strong personalities fit men and women for some specific work. It may be a good work, or it may be a bad work. God takes an account of this in the judgment. He says, “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the Highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.” Ps. 87: 4-6.

The early influences of a man's life, and even those before his birth, have much to do in making these strong characteristics. All this God recognizes, and when a religious reform is to be brought about, he has even sent his angel to instruct mothers how to live and how to train their children. Judges 13; Luke 1: 11-17. Because of this no man can take glory to himself. Sometimes God has used wicked men to do a great work for him. Cyrus, the Persian king, furnishes a striking example of this. Yet Cyrus never knew the Lord. Isa. 45: 1-5.

A knowledge of these circumstances and conditions that reveals, before they are born, what these men will do is God's strong reason why men should believe in him. He challenges all false gods and unbelief of every kind upon this point. “Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.” Isa. 41: 21-26.

This knowledge of future results, from present conditions and their relation to the future, is a divine characteristic of the Creator of the heavens and the earth. None can reveal this but he who knows the past, the present, and the future. It is One who can control circumstances that shapes character, that will fit men for a certain work when they seek him. Such a Being can give warnings through his prophets. His prophets are his mouthpiece. 2 Chron. 36: 12. It is not in man of himself, but it is the gift that God has placed in his church, for the benefit of his people. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Prov. 29: 18. “If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” Num. 12: 6. God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; and because they reject knowledge, he will reject them. Hosea 4: 6. “Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chron. 20: 20.

Since the beginning of the world, when the voice of his prophets is not heard, confusion, waste, and desolation follow. Lam. 2: 9. We never would have had the book of Lamentations if the people had heeded the words of the prophets. The Bible would never have been written if there had been no prophets.

San Bernardino, Cal.