CUT SHORT IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
By Elder G. T. Wilson
“ESAIAS also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved; for He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” Rom. 9:27, 28. “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” “That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Rom. 9:6, 8. We can plainly see from what the Lord here says that it is not the literal children of Abraham who are to be saved eternally, but those who become children of God by faith in Christ. It is the “remnant,” and they will belong to that class who “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” We read in Rev. 12:17: “The dragon was wroth with the woman [which here symbolizes the true church of God], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Notice, it is the “remnant” of the woman’s seed which keep the commands of Jehovah, and it is for this reason that Satan stirs up the wicked of earth against them. Then it will be the very last of the children of God on the earth who will be thus persecuted for obeying their Maker. At the time when this persecution is going forth against the people of God, and the people of earth are forming religious confederacies, then the Lord will arise to vindicate his own majesty and truth, and to gather his people, who are being ill treated by these false religionists. In Micah 4:6–8 we are told what the Lord will do for his people: “In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; and I will make her that halteth a remnant, and her that was cast off a strong nation; and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even forever.” When earthly powers are combining to preserve their governments by enforcing religion on the people, God’s people will stand on his word, and in Christ will they trust. The people of God have in the past trusted in the nations of this world to help them when they were persecuted for their faith, but it will not be so with the “remnant;” they stay on God. Just as soon as men lose faith in God, and cease to trust in his power to give them victory from trials and persecution, they will accept of a form of religion, which will satisfy the carnal heart, because it does not require self-denial, nor change of heart. Such forms of religion have been forced upon men in the past, and are being forced on them to-day. Such a “confederacy” for earthly profit, with which the Lord has nothing to do, is brought to view in Isa. 8:9–13. The Lord there instructs his people what they should do, and this is when his people are looking for his coming. Verses 17, 18. “Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” In that day the saints will no longer put their trust in men, but in the living God. This is evident from the language of Isa. 10:20–23: “The remnant of Israel . . . shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.” Yes, they shall trust in God for righteousness and strength, and not in the law, or in themselves. Christ is to them righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, and redemption,—all in all. They love the law of Jehovah, because it reveals to them their defects and shows them their need of a Saviour who can save from sin and its effects too. By the faith of Jesus they are able to “keep the commandments of God,” for Christ died for our sins, “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom. 8:4. The Father’s law is a transcript of his character, and so it is holy, just, and good; and when the Spirit of God dwells in his children, they will perform holy actions, and so keep the law. This does not give the Christian any confidence in the flesh, for he well knows “in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing;” and, having no power in the flesh to do the thing we know is good, we who have trusted in Christ look to him for righteousness and strength every day. “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Phil. 3:3, 9. Those who have no confidence in the flesh do have confidence in One who can help in every time of need, and their language is, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil. 4:13. Such are ready to exclaim, with the Psalmist, “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Ps. 35:28. Bless the Lord for the subject of righteousness by faith in Christ, and let us thank him that he will finish the work of the Third Angel’s Message, and cut it short in righteousness, when the earth has been enlightened with its glory; and that will soon be done, “because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” Light must flow out from those whose theme is the righteousness of Christ, and in whose lives it appears as a living reality. Of those who thus live it can truly be said, “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass.” Micah 5:7. The world will not esteem them, for the Lord declares, “I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.” But the God of heaven esteems them, for he says, “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Zeph. 3:12, 13. “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:7, 8. Of such a people the Lord says: “The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” Isa. 60:19–21. “This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 54:17. May the Lord hasten the day when his work shall be cut short in its righteousness, and his saints gathered home to the inheritance he has in store for them.