Rising Up Early by D. W. C. McNett

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jul 15, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 29.

Rising Up Early.

By D. W. C. McNett

It is the privilege of the children of God to see some lovely trait of character of their heavenly Father in each act of His dealing with His created intelligences, for "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works." Ps. 145:17.

His attitude toward His fallen creatures has ever been that of loving-kindness, and tender mercy. He says, "I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness." See Jer. 9:24 and Ps. 145:9.

In His dealings with ancient Israel, we see ever manifested Jehovah's long-suffering and loving pity toward His wayward people; and, in consequence of their backslidings and their spurning away His loving-kindness, we hear Him giving expression to His wounded heart of love in strains like these: "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation." Ps. 95:10. Forty years seemed long even to the Eternal One to suffer the ingratitude of His people so dear to Him. Harken again to the pitying and pitiful lamentation in Ps. 81:13: "O that My people had harkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways!" Cold and careless one, listen to the deep yearnings of God for the impenitent in these expressions.

Another principle manifested in God's dealings with His creatures akin to that of long-suffering is that He always gave them timely warning of the results of their departure from His instruction. For "the curse causeless shall not come." Prov. 26:2. Or, if they had already started in a wrong course, He faithfully admonished them of the unwelcome harvest for their seed-sowing, "for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal. 6:7.

In 2 Chron. 36:15 Israel is reminded of this principle of God's dealings with them in these words, "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes ["early," A.R.V. or "in good season or time," "before it is late," Webster], and sending, because He had compassion on His people." Also in the book of Jeremiah seven different times at least the Lord reminds Israel of His faithfulness in this respect. Jer. 7:12, 13, 25; 11:17; 25:3, 4; 26:5; 29:19; 44:4.

Ever awake to the interests of the objects of His love and care (for "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Ps. 121:4), our compassionate God represents Himself as "rising up early" in the event and sounding the note of alarm thru His chosen messengers, upon whom He lays the burden of the message with the intensity given to Jeremiah, who was so derided and reproached for bearing such straight testimony that he decides to "not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name." Yet he says, "But His word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." Please read Jer. 20:8, 9.

The sad sequel of all this effort of love is thus recorded in 2 Chron. 36:16: "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy."

A Parallel.

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [margin, "types"] : and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11. Since those "things happened unto them for types," and "are written for our admonition," then truly "the prophets wrote less for their own time than for the ages which have followed, and for our own day."

Wonderful condescension to the last of earth's inhabitants! Away back in times past experiences took place which have stood out as beacon lights of warning to all succeeding generations, and as timely admonitions they come sounding down the line to our own time.

Now to what intent are we especially admonished in this connection? Verses 6 and 7 of the last chapter quoted tell us, "To the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them." And to what idolatrous worship will well-nigh all of the last generation be devoted? Of this also the prophetic word plainly informs us in Rev. 13:3: "And all the world wondered after the beast," "and they worshiped the beast" (verse 4); "and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life" (verse 8).

In Rev. 14:9, 10 there is foretold also a solemn admonition against the worship of this symbolic beast, given with a force and fervency represented by an angel "saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast, . . . the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Dear reader, are you aware that, in fulfilment of this prophetic warning, and as the counterpart of those warnings given to ancient Israel back there in the types, God has been raising up messengers and sending them to warn against the worship of the symbolic beast of the books of Daniel and Revelation? If not, be appraised of the fact that the conflict is on, the testing time is here, the actors in the last great scene in the drama are on the stage of action; it remains for you to decide the part you are to take. Are you ready for the issue? Get ready! Get ready!! Get ready!!!