GOD'S MEASURING ROD by Francis Gould

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1877

GOD'S MEASURING ROD.

By Francis Gould

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.” Rev. 11:1.

This scripture no doubt refers to what is taking place under the sounding of the third angel's message, and stands in close connection with the closing portion of chapter 10, from which it ought not to have been separated. Chapter 10 closes with the proclamation, “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” The opening of chapter 11 gives something of a description and the nature of the work accomplished under that proclamation. It is connected with the temple of God in Heaven, and is designed to fit up a class of people as worshipers therein.

These worshipers, of course, are not to be measured in the sense of ascertaining the height and circumference of each one in feet and inches; they are to be measured as worshipers; and character can be measured only by some standard of right, some law, or rule, of action. We are therefore brought to the conclusion that the ten commandments, the standard which God has given by which to measure “the whole duty of man,” are embraced in the measuring rod. This is the standard by which the worshipers of God are now to be tested. We have additional testimony from Scripture by which we learn that in the closing work of the great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, the temple of God is opened in Heaven, and in it is seen the ark of his testament. Rev. 11:19. This commenced at the end of the 2300 days.

Who was it that saw the ark of his testament? The true church. They were those who did not reject the light they had received before the passing of the time, but were watching and waiting for more light, and to see the salvation of God; and when Christ entered the most holy place, by an eye of faith the waiting people of God saw the ark, which contained the ten commandments, the moral law of God. Since then they have been endeavoring to keep every precept of the holy law written upon the tables therein deposited. They have received the reed, and are measuring the temple, the altar, and them that worship therein. They are uttering their last prophecy before nations, peoples, and tongues.

We think the prophet Ezekiel refers to this rod in connection with the third angel's message. “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.” Eze. 20:37. It appears evident that this refers to the work in the new covenant sanctuary. Again, please see Jer. 31:33. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” During the 1260 years of papal supremacy, the law of God was trampled under foot, and the truth in a measure was lost sight of; but under the last message of mercy to man, in the closing work of our great High Priest, he will cause his people to pass under the rod; that is, they will come under the moral law of God, and render cheerful obedience to it. They will be connected, controlled, and measured thereby.

It is surprising to see with what tenacity some who profess to take the Bible for their rule of duty cling to the idea that the moral law of God has been changed, or abolished, and has been superseded by the gospel, thus denying some of its most important truths. These two important principles go hand in hand, and are intimately connected with the great plan of human redemption. The law points out the defects in our character; the gospel removes those defects. Their offices may be illustrated as follows:—

A man wishes to erect a building. In order to obtain the sills and other large timbers, he goes into the forest, and cuts down the trees. They being in their natural state are rough and crooked. They must be straightened and squared before they will be fit for the building. He stretches his measuring line the whole length of the stick, and makes a mark. This mark shows the crookedness of the stick, its unevenness, and all its defects. He now takes his broad-ax, and hews to the line, thus removing all the rough places, and making the timber straight. It is now ready for a place in the building. The line is the law; the ax is the gospel; and they have wrought side by side ever since the fall of man.

Paul says, “Sin is the transgression of the law,” and “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” After our sins are pointed out, then comes the remedy. Says the prophet, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.” Isa. 40:3, 4.

FRANCIS GOULD.