Your ShelfYour Projects

Untitled article

6%

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 9, 1865

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 25, No. 23.

Read the full edition

Wisdom. No. 2.

By J. Clarke

By wisdom the prophets warned the people of their sins, and of their captivity in Babylon.
It was through wisdom, that Mordecai overcame Haman, and Esther saved a nation from cold-blooded massacre.
Wisdom also taught Daniel how to save the wise men of Babylon from the tyrannical decree of Nebuchadnezzar, and it was the friendship of wisdom which qualified him to stand in the presence of kings, pre-eminent in statesmanship.
Wisdom gave to Daniel a desire to know of future events; and then she fed the flame, and satisfied his holy desire. She gave him a heart to weep for the desolation of Zion, and then she made known to him the time of her restoration.
Wisdom did more than this. She told him of the end of time, and set up waymarks for inquirers.
Wisdom caused Ezra's heart to glow with love for Zion, and made him a beloved prophet, and ready scribe of the law, and gave him the honor of first leading out in the return from Babylon. Wisdom filled the heart of Nehemiah with courage and devotion, and sustained him in completing the work Ezra begun.
Wisdom taught the prophets to speak of a comingMessiah; and the wise men listened to the voice of wisdom in noticing the Star in the East, and in coming to the child of Bethlehem, and in neglecting the crafty directions of Herod.
Simeon and Anna discerned the Messiah in the humble babe, and praised God; for heavenly wisdom so instructed them.
By wisdom it was, the apostles obeyed the command of Jesus, and left their avocations to follow one who was despised and rejected of the only visible church of the day.
By wisdom Paul became obedient to the heavenly vision, and suddenly left off persecuting the church, and became its firm and powerful friend and advocate.
By wisdom John wrote the Apocalypse, and by wisdom it is now being made clear, and plain to be understood.
God has given wisdom to his servants, and the vision is now explained to the satisfaction of candid minds.
Why should he not do this? If he gave to the prophets wisdom to prophesy of future events, why should he not give wisdom to understand these events and the prophecies which described them?
Could any one suppose he would omit to finish such a work?
Would God cause his prophets to foretell events, and then allow these prophecies to expire in forgetfulness and neglect?
No; and truly is that prophecy being fulfilled, “The wise shall understand.” Dan. xii, 10.
J. CLARKE.