God's Long-Suffering

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 14, 1873

God's Long-Suffering.

Peter's language works upon my mind. 2 Pet. 3:9, 15. God's long-suffering. He has revealed himself to us as holy, and averse to sin; as benevolent, and as such averse to suffering and evil. He sees sin and suffering so vastly on the increase, why is it that he does not put an end to it? The only answer is found in the text. His long-suffering is salvation. There are more to be saved. As we look at prophecy, it appears to us it is almost history. Why not finish up the work quickly? Why send his angels to hold the angry nations from doing their last work? All seem ready to finish it up. Why not? The long-suffering of God is salvation, not willing that any should perish. Verse 9.

The signs are nearly all in the past. The saints are crying, Come, Lord Jesus. The earth is groaning for deliverance, and infidels are defying the Almighty. In all these things we see the patience and long-suffering of God, and the patience of the saints. Then, dear brethren, if the reason why the end does not come is that more may be saved, let us be patient, for the day of the Lord will come. Verse 10. There will be a great rush suddenly. All seems to be ready for the outset, like a thief in the night. The Lord will come. If to save some, the end is delayed, let us labor with all our might to help on the work of saving men.—Sel.