p. 3 | Feeding on the Word by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 9, 1903

Feeding on the Word

By Editor

Editorial

Feeding on the Word

THERE is only one way of sustaining life, and that is by eating. No talk about food, however interesting it may be, will take the place of the actual taking of food. And the one provision which has been made for sustaining both the physical and the spiritual nature is the Word of God. This will be clear from a brief study of the question. It is plain that the original diet of man, as described in Gen. 1:29, was seeds and fruits. But these are simply the word of God in material forms, adapted to the physical system and its power of appropriation. “The seed is the word of God.” He who eats the original diet eats the word of God. The physical system is able to appropriate the word in this form, and by it to be built up and strengthened. In the same way the mind is able to appropriate the word in its immaterial form, and by it to be built up and strengthened. It was therefore no mere figure of speech which the prophet Jeremiah used when he said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart.” In the light of these principles, the teaching of Christ, who was himself the Word of God, becomes simple and clear: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. . . . As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.” “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.” Christ the Word is our life. Of him we must partake. “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” We must take time to eat the good food which the Lord has provided for both the physical and the spiritual nature.

Hands Toward Heaven

WHEN Israel fought against Amalek, “it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.” In order to make victory sure, “Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side,” and Amalek and his people were discomfited. There is a gospel lesson in this experience. The hands uplifted to heaven were an expression of dependence upon the God of heaven for the help needed in the battle. The advantage which the enemy gained when Moses was no longer able to keep his hand uplifted to heaven emphasized the weakness of the flesh unless energized by divine power. The final discomfiture of Amalek when the hands of Moses were continually extended toward heaven, set forth the certainty of victory for those who depend upon divine power. These things were written for our learning. We are wholly dependent upon the power of God in the conflict with evil. “Without me ye can do nothing.” But when we avail ourselves of the abundant power offered through the gift of Jesus, there is the certainty of victory. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” In these closing days of the great controversy we need the fullness of power in the daily experience. We must keep our hands extended toward heaven.

The Hour of Trial

JUST before the coming of Christ there is to be “the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” This is the final test of the church. The result of this trial determines the destiny of those who pass through it. Only the fullness of the grace of Christ will be sufficient for this experience. Only a faith which appropriates the complete provision of the gospel will meet the demand of this time. But just this fullness which is needed is provided in the threefold message which is sent to the church in this generation. The final message prepares the church for the final experience. In this last generation the direct issue is concerning the commandments of God. The question to be settled is whether we will receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast, whether we will observe the true Sabbath of the Lord or the spurious sabbath of the papacy. Here is where the whole controversy will center in this closing generation, and the threefold message is to make this clear to the world, and also to reveal the all-sufficient grace for successfully meeting this test. Only those in whose hearts the law of God is written, through the ministry of our High Priest in their behalf, will be able to reveal that law in their characters during the hour of trial. “Because thou didst keep the word of my steadfastness, I also will keep thee.” “I will put my laws on their heart, and upon their mind also will I write them.” “So shall I observe thy law continually forever and ever.”