THE PROMISE by H. S. Gurney

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1856

THE PROMISE.

By H. S. Gurney

BRO. SMITH:—I greatly fear I shall come short of that rest so dearly purchased and prepared for the faithful: an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled and unfading, prepared in heaven. Jesus said to his disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you." Again in his revelation he says, "Behold I make all things new. He that overcometh shall inherit all things." But the way is "narrow that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it." I am content when I can feel an assurance that I am with the "little flock" in truth. My heart rejoices while I review the precious truths of God’s word relative to our position in the third angel’s message.

O the darkness of many who profess faith in the speedy coming of the Lord! A mere nominal faith can never profit; we must have the life and power of Christ in the heart. God must be supreme in the affections; and without this principle all profession of divine truth is a nominal thing and will leave us powerless in the end. How precious to contemplate a harmonious chain of divine truth.

I am interested in a gospel plan that is revealed to save and to restore all things. The system commenced its revelation as early as Adam, and through the different dispensations has interested all the prophets since the world began. Rom. xvi, 25, 26. It was embraced in the promised seed as a free gift—unconditional; hence any system of works for justification must be an added system for a limited purpose; and while we see a purpose clearly revealed we can show the distinction required, and follow the promise in a clear light on a strait line. With Abraham commenced the promise in a systematical form. New Testament writers call him "Father." He was father of the Jewish nation, father of the faithful, father of God’s covenant people. With Abraham commenced a system of training which resulted in raising up a strong nation with whom God would manifest himself in a peculiar sense. Abraham held to a form of worship, and even before the flood a form was manifest. Abraham offered sacrifice; he met a priest of the most high God while returning from the slaughter. But the form did not take a regular system until the natural seed had become a nation after a severe training in Egypt. When I commenced writing I only intended to write a short, friendly letter; but my mind has rested upon the promise.

Immediately after man transgressed and fell, the plan of redemption began to be revealed through the promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. Gen. iii, 15.

During the age before the flood nothing more definite was revealed, except the fact of sacrifices; and the meaning of names. Abel offered the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering. Gen. iv, 3, 4. I think it is evident that these offerings were designed

to shadow forth the one offering, the Son of God, for redemption from the consequences of sin.

It has been remarked that God has been preaching righteousness from the very beginning; and has been writing his gospel in the very names of Noah and his progenitors, even from the creation of man upon the earth. Thus, the name of Adam means red earth or image and made of earth; man was formed after the image of God. Seth, the Son of Adam, hath his name meaning placed; man made of earth in the image of God was placed in Eden by his Maker; but by his sin has placed himself in a wilderness of thorns and briars. Enos means mortal; referring to the deathful state into which man was precipitated by transgression. Cainan means miserable; the character of that state of spiritual death into which man is now found. But Mahalaleel brings to view the Lord the Saviour; this name meaning the blessed God, or God who is worthy of all praise. Our Saviour's humiliation is in the next name expressed, Jared, meaning he shall descend.

Enoch means teacher; this name seems to point to the Saviour's ministry; he was a teacher sent from God; he taught his disciples concerning his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. And this seems to be the object pointed at by the next name, Methuselah, meaning, he who died shall send; he sent his apostles to teach, and after he ascended, he sent the Comforter, the spirit of truth. Lamech, means to be afflicted; this seems to point out the persecutions and trials of the church. The name Noah means REST or consolation; his taking refuge in the ark seems to shadow forth the REST which remains to the people of God.

Thus in the first names of mankind, the ten between Adam to Noah, we have most distinctly written, the great purpose of Jehovah in regard to mankind generally. The names together, as given in 1 Chron. i, 1-4, without the assistance of any interposing word, read, "Man—placed—mortal—miserable—the blessed God—shall descend—teaching—having died—he shall send—to the afflicted—rest, or consolation."

Soon after the flood the promise, embracing the gospel, was renewed to Abraham and enlarged upon. That this may be clearly seen we will take the apostle Paul's explanation. "The scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Gal. iii, 8. That this blessing was to come through Christ, see verses 14, 16, 28, 29. The promise renewed with Abram regards territory. Gen. xiii, 14-16. It was made before circumcision, therefore unconditional; it centers in Christ and through him alone can be enjoyed, making it sure to all the seed. The promise finally takes the form of a covenant with conditions specified. Gen. xxvi, 3-5. The seed of Abraham means one. This is plainly declared in Gal. iii, 16. He saith not to seeds, as of many, but as of one. And to thy seed, which is Christ. It was Christ, then, to whom the land was promised. He is the head, and none can come into the possession, except as being viewed in him. He does not retain the possession to himself alone, the sole inhabitant of the land; no, although it is to one that the land is given, yet many come into the enjoyment of it through that one.

Let us take another view of the promise. The seed promised respected a double seed; the One, Christ, to whom the land was absolutely promised; and the multitudinous seed, to be blessed in him and made a blessing to all the earth.

The name Abraham means, a father of many nations, or a multitude of nations. Gen. xvii, 5. In him and his seed were all nations to be blessed. Acts iii, 25; Gal. iii, 8. Paul in his epistle to the Romans, referring to the promise, is showing that God is a God of the Gentile as well as the Jew, and the only justification for either is through faith, in showing that the promise has but one condition, and in every respect is the same towards the Gentile as to the Jew; hence the faith embracing the promise could not make void the law. Rom. iii, 29-31.

I have thus penned a few broken ideas. I hope above all we shall never lose sight of present truth; it is our life to have a saving knowledge of that truth which reveals a coming Saviour.

The Lord is coming. We have not followed cunningly devised fables. The sure word of prophecy has been our light. We do well still to take heed to the sure word, and we shall not walk in darkness. Although some things may be hard to be understood, as said Peter concerning some of Paul's writings; yet we should never complain of the means which God may employ to correct and instruct us. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

In conclusion I wish to add one testimony. God is the source of true wisdom, and the light of the church. He has ever chosen lowly means to instruct and lead his people. The Jews understood not the time and nature of their visitation; they looked for exaltation; but God had purposed to employ lowly testimony. Thus their hearts were revealed and they were left in their own self-righteousness to fall under the predicted judgments of God.

And now a solemn crisis is impending. God is condescending to employ various means in order to prepare a people to stand before the Son of man. While the question, "Who shall be able to stand," is being agitated, some are taking one position and some another, seemingly forgetting that God has marked the way by a regular order of angelic messages. This being so, those who deviate from that order incur God's displeasure, enter degrees of darkness, and show a want of humiliation. What will be the end of these things? Where are the watchmen? How few are giving the warning of coming evil! Alas! the mass are asleep as to present duty. Some hear a warning as it were in the distance, and are crying peace! peace!! and lo, evil begins to come already. On whom shall we lean? In whom shall we trust? Is it safe to rest on a mortal arm while the watchmen sleep? No. Says Jesus, "What I say unto you, I say unto ALL, WATCH."

Yours looking for the blessed hope. H. S. GURNEY. North Fairhaven, Mass., Feb. 17th, 1856.