“YE ARE MY WITNESSES, . . . THAT I AM GOD”
By Ole Andres Olsen
The First Great Failure a Lesson
We often hear of failures in business, some of a most distressing nature, involving large revenues, and bringing irrecoverable ruin upon the persons directly involved. Have you ever stopped to study the first great failure in this world? If not, it may be well to do so. Where did it originate? Who made the failure? Under what conditions was it made? How much was involved? The first and greatest of all failures made by man was made by our first parents in the garden of Eden, under the most favorable conditions possible. It was a failure that involved everything, so utter and complete that it was not possible for the one involved to offer the smallest mite with which to reimburse the creditor. Not only was the possession lost, but man himself was ruined, so that he could not, by any possibility recover himself. Such was the condition in which man found himself after the fall. The situation involved more than this world; it affected the very character and throne of God. Satan had succeeded in arraigning man against his Maker. The honor and veracity of God had been assailed. Man had accepted the lie of the arch-deceiver, and had joined him in his revolt against the Most High. What is to be done? Shall man be abandoned to his folly, and left to reap to the full the shame of his disgrace? He certainly does not deserve anything else; for, contrary to the very best of counsel, he has thrust himself into this disastrous calamity. But the question arises, Will the abandoning of man to his ruin vindicate the disgraced character of God? Will it repair the breach that has been made, heal the injury and remove the scar? — No, this it could not possibly do, and yet it would satisfy justice. But there are other attributes of God besides justice which call for recognition. The divine character is outlined as follows: “And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Ex. 34: 5-7. In dealing with erring mankind, God’s character must be vindicated; His justice, but also His mercy, displayed before the universe. “That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Rom. 3: 4. Therefore the Lord says: “I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen.” And so we can pray, “Do not abhor us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory.” Jer. 14: 21. And God answers: “For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off; . . . for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” Man can not make good the failure; but God steps forward and pays the debt. He freely opens up the treasures of pity, of mercy, of forgiveness; He makes a marvelous revelation of His love, not merely in words, but in the act of giving His only begotten Son. “Herein is love, not that we loved God [Oh, no! we turned our backs upon Him, and set at naught His word], but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4: 10. Our Heavenly Father takes upon himself the whole debt, and pays the redemption price. Therefore we belong to Him. He has not only set us free, but He has taken us into the closest and most intimate relation with himself. Truly, it is a wonderful outcome of a disastrous failure! We are living in the closing moments of probationary time. The end of all things is at hand. The last warning message is soon to finish its work. But before that time a people will have been gathered out that will stand with the seal of God upon them, bearing the divine credentials, God’s holy character. The investigative judgment is now in session to determine the destiny of every human soul. Our characters are about to be weighed in the heavenly balances, and measured by the divine rule. The testing and proving is now in progress, and every act of our lives will have its influence upon the final issue. All heaven is astir, watching the process with the deepest and most intense interest. How solemn is every moment, how freighted with eternal consequences! Would that we fully realized our situation. We are standing, as it were, on the very borders of eternal redemption. Soon the fighting will all be over, and the saints will be crowned triumphant victors. They have stood the test, they have developed the heavenly character, and the seal of the living God is upon them. As individuals and as a people we are now undergoing the testing process. There is embarrassment and perplexity on every hand. Financial obligations rest heavily upon us. In view of the urgent calls for the light and truth to go to the world, we have at times undertaken more than there was money in hand to properly support. And now, just at a time when it seems to us that we are carrying every ounce of weight that it is possible for us to carry, we hear of one of our missionary institutions being so embarrassed that it must suspend payment, and that unless the necessary assistance is given, the precious cause of God must take upon itself the reproach and stigma of bankruptcy. But shall that be? Can that be? My soul answers, Never! The trial is a severe one, but it is on just such occasions as these that we have an opportunity to come forward as individuals and as a people, and make manifest the principle that actuated God in giving His only begotten Son as the redemption price of the debt that the human race had piled up in that first tremendous failure. It is a trying test; we might feel that it is unjust, and even cruel, to have this additional burden thrust upon us at a time when we are bearing all that it seems possible for us to bear up under. Yet God knows better than we what we are able to bear. It is all the same with Him, whether to save with many or with few. We must awake to the fact that the power of God is among us, and humbly submit ourselves to be used by it. Were it not for the divine help, our institutions would have failed long ago. But because God is in them, because they are merely the outward expressions of great truths committed to us, they can not fail. I can but see in this trial a most glorious opportunity for God to make manifest the mighty power of His saving grace, with the result that we shall experience, not defeat, but a glorious victory. I am greatly pleased to know that an effort is being put forth to clear all our schools from financial embarrassment. Let this good work go on till every institution connected with the Third Angel’s Message shall stand free of debt. Can such a thing be? — Yes, in the strength and power of God we are able to accomplish all this. It gave us exceeding joy to learn that our leading brethren, assembled in council, decided to pay in full the obligations of the Christiania publishing house. Many may feel that this is a terrible burden calling for tremendous effort and sacrifice. Yes, it required a tremendous sacrifice to redeem a lost world. The same spirit of sacrifice must be made manifest in us. Instead of looking at the enormity of the work and the sacrifice, let us rejoice in the fact that God has called us to be sharers with Him in this experience. We are standing on the borders of eternal deliverance, and the word of the Lord comes to us: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” May we not as one man respond, “Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” “Only rebel not ye75against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.” Has not the time come for the revelation of the power of God as never before? Then let us, one and all, arise, strip ourselves of every vestige of self, and consecrate every power of our being to the service of God. The great question before us now is not so much the payment of sundry obligations; but it is the preservation of the integrity of God’s cause, the vindication of the divine character and attributes. All this is to be done through His chosen people. Would that we fully appreciated our opportunity. The real question is, Shall we yield ourselves wholly and unreservedly to God? Shall we allow Him to use us in any way He may see fit in order to accomplish His own purpose? If we make this full and complete surrender, and permit the Lord to take the whole matter in hand, we shall very soon see the glorious deliverance so much desired. We shall be able to pay our obligations; and, more than this, money will flow into the treasury to supply every need of the rapidly advancing work. Let us stand united as one man in the union of the Father and the Son, and from one end of the line to the other, pass along the word of confidence and good courage.