p. 318 | Occupy till I Come

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 19, 1883

“Occupy till I Come.”

WHEN the Adventists believed that the Lord would come in 1844, many of them, in all Christian honesty and sincerity, showed their faith by their works; they sacrificed their earthly possessions to advance the cause which was so dear to their hearts, and to warn their fellow-men of coming judgments upon the world. This was the only course, consistent with their faith, they could pursue. That they were disappointed does not argue that their course was wrong, any more than Jonah’s disappointment argues that he was wrong in preaching the destruction of Nineveh, or that the disappointment of the disciples of Jesus proves that they were wrong in heralding his entry into Jerusalem as a king, with shouts of triumph and with palm branches. They fulfilled the prophecy; but they did not anticipate their great disappointment. Had they known he was so soon to be crucified they never would have shouted in triumph as they did. Then the prophecy of Zechariah would not have been fulfilled unless indeed the stones had cried out, as Jesus said they would, for the Scriptures must be fulfilled—they cannot be broken.

It is not our purpose in this article to show—but it can be shown—that a like disappointment was contemplated in the proclamation of “the hour of his judgment is come.” Rev. 14 : 6, 7. The disciples associated his entry into Jerusalem with his coronation; the Adventists associated the hour of the judgment with his second coming. Both were right far enough to fulfill the prophecy, and thus to do the will of God. But before Christ’s coronation he must go into Jerusalem and suffer; and before his coming in glory the judgment must sit, and two other messages must be given after the judgment message. See Rev. 14 : 6-14. This message of “time” was sweet to their taste, but it was followed with disappointment—it was bitter when eaten. Rev. 10.

But some who were not Adventists, or not so consistent in their faith if they professed that faith, “willing to justify themselves,” accused the faithful ones of doing a great wrong. They should not have “sold their possessions” to advance the cause, but kept them until the Lord came, for the Saviour himself said “Occupy till I come.”

And more strange than this, we are informed that some Seventh-day Adventists now use those words of the Saviour in the same manner. They cannot help the cause of God without decreasing their possessions; and they dare not decrease their possessions because the Lord says, “Occupy till I come.”

But did the Saviour speak this of worldly goods? If not, then they only pervert his words. If he did, then we may substitute our goods for the word “talents,” and make a harmony of the Scriptures. He is the most faithful servant who makes one talent increase to ten talents. Here is a farmer; he has five hundred acres of land. By close calculation, and hard labor, and giving nothing to the cause of God, he has added farm to farm, until his five hundred acres have grown into five thousand. He has ever kept in view the text, “Occupy till I come.” And when the Saviour comes he says, “Lord, thy farm hath gained ten farms!” And the Lord answers, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” What a happy day that would be for Lux & Miller of California, who count their acres by tens of thousands. Other property would be the same. Here is a man converted who is in possession of a quantity of railroad stock. He, too, must “occupy” till the Lord comes. He is successful in “dealing.” And at the time of the advent he can say, “Lord, each share of thy stock has gained ten shares.” And the Lord appoints him to rule over ten cities! What a happy day that would be for Stanford, and Huntington, and Gould, and Vanderbilt. It is indeed true that they who possess large amounts of railroad stock rule over cities and States in this world, but it does not so well appear that it will give them a like rule in the world to come.

And our worldly professors must remember that it is not enough to “occupy” their farms, their stores, and their stocks; they must increase them. The man who received one talent and returned but one, was condemned as unfaithful. According to their version of the gospel, if the Lord gives them one farm, and they have no more than one at his return they will be condemned as wicked servants. And then, woe to “the poor of this world,” who have no farms at all!

Now in all seriousness we ask, Is it possible that any professed follower of Jesus (who had not where to lay his head) can be so blinded by “the god of this world,” as to honestly believe that that is what the Saviour means in this parable? Do they sincerely believe that Christ taught that the service of mammon is the way to exaltation in his kingdom? It is humiliating to think that they have read the Bible to so little purpose as thus to pervert the words of their Lord.

A talent which the Lord intrusts to his servants is that which may be used and increased to his glory, and to the upbuilding of his cause. To one is imparted ability to preach, another to write, another to work as a missionary, another to labor with his hands, but each and all to serve the interests of his cause. These all increase with use, and all may be made to glorify God in the work of the gospel. And this is true of all which is given us of Heaven; but all may be used to minister to our worldliness and selfishness, and then they become curses instead of blessings.

And what are the teachings of the Lord in reference to earthly possessions? He says we cannot serve God and mammon. Can our friends understand this text? He says if any man love the things of the world the love of the Father is not in him. He calls upon the rich men to weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them. He says he has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, heirs of his kingdom. And he speaks especially to those who wait for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding, saying, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the Heavens which faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12 : 29-37. And the apostle exhorts his fellow-laborer to withdraw himself from those who suppose that gain is godliness. 1 Tim. 6 : 5.

We pray that the eyes of the deceived may be opened, that they may realize what is the faith of the gospel, and “cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord.”