IT is evident that God has different truths by which to test the world at different periods. All truths are not eternal; that is, while it is true in every age that there is a God, it is not always true that there is a flood coming to destroy the world. Thus it was true in the days of Noah that a flood was coming, and an unwavering belief of that truth (such as would have moved them to obedience), would have saved those who were destroyed by the flood. But the mass rejected the truth concerning the flood, hence did not build arks, and therefore were not prepared for salvation from the deluge.
The antediluvians perhaps thought they were very good servants of God—and so perhaps did Noah; but "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen. vi, 5. And he at once applied a test to them which drew such a marked distinction between the righteous and the wicked, that it was easy to discern between him that served God, and him that served him not.
"Make thee an ark," was the commandment by which God determined to test the world. As soon as the commandment was applied to them, all could see by their rejection of it, that they were not servants of God, no matter what their profession might have been.
This is not the test now. It is not a truth now, that there is a flood of water coming upon the earth to destroy it. But the "hail storm" of God's wrath is just before us, and "hasteth greatly" [Isa. xxviii, 17; Rev. xiv, 10; xv, 1; xvi, 21]; and it is equally necessary for us to prepare for the coming storm, as for Noah to prepare to outride the waves of the flood.
But while building an ark would have prepared them for what was before them, we may build a hundred arks, and not be prepared to stand before the Son of man. The important inquiry which at this time should arise in every breast is, What will prepare us to "escape all these things, and to stand before the Son of man?"
I answer: God has three messages with which to prepare his people to escape the seven last plagues, and reign with the Lamb on mount Zion. Prior to the giving of the messages it would have been impossible to discern between him that served God, and him that would not serve him. They both had been baptized; they both surrounded the same communion table, both sat under the same ministry, sang together, prayed together, made the same pretensions, and gave the same evidence of having "passed from death unto life." But when the messages were presented, while one received them with joy, and began to get ready for translation, the other began to "make light, and went his way" to his farm, his merchandise, &c. &c. He could then join the drunken in beating and smiting his fellow servants, and saying, "My Lord delayeth his coming." Then, and not till then, could we tell what manner of person he was.
I am led to compare the three messages to three sieves through which God's people are or, were, compelled to pass. When the churches were sifted, many of their members were found too large to even pass through the first sieve (first message); and many that passed through the first could not pass the second. While a great many who found no trouble in passing through the two first, can never get through the third.
But as the first and second messages are past, and the third is present truth, we inquire, Where are the people upon whom the third angel's message is at work? Here is the place where we must look for such a people. But in what class of people are they found?
There are three distinguishing things brought to view in the third angel's message, viz., 1. The worship of the beast, and the reception of the mark of his name. 2. The unmixed wine of the wrath of God, or seven last plagues, as a consequence of worshiping the beast and receiving his mark; and, 3. An opposite party keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
What we want now is to find that class of people who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus; for the expression, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus," implies that up to that point of time a class of people had not been found who were so doing.
Let us try the different denominations by the commandments of God and faith of Jesus, and see which one of them it is of whom it can be said, "Here are they," &c.
It cannot be an organization which existed prior to A. D. 1843; because the first angel did not sound until then; and it is not until his message had gone forth that the seventh trumpet sounds, and the mystery of God is finished [see Rev. x, 1-7]; and it is not until the seventh trumpet sounds that the temple of God is opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant of ten commandments is seen [Rev. xi. 19; 1 Kings viii, 9]; hence it is not until then that this people are developed.
But waiving the above testimony, we inquire, Are the Jews the people? No; for while they keep the commandments of God, they reject the faith of Jesus. Then are Gentiles the ones referred to in this message? No; for while they keep the faith of Jesus, they reject the commandments of God.
Again, of which sect can it be said, to the exclusion of all others, "Here are they that keep the commandments53of God and the faith of Jesus?" Are any of the sects keeping more commandments than they were A. D. 1844? No. Is any one of them keeping more commandments than others are keeping? No; but they all with one consent reject one of the commandments of God. And it cannot be said of those who break even one of God's commandments, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God," any more than it can be said of a band of thieves, Here are they that keep the laws of the State in which they live.
It is only necessary to break one of the commandments to be a commandment-breaker; while we must keep all of them to be a commandment-keeper.
Let me have a humble place among the commandment-keepers.