A Young Man Finds Treasure in a Clay JarBible World
2:4Proverbs 2:4
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Seeking wisdom means pursuing it earnestly and persistently as a miner digs deep for silver and hidden treasure, valuing it above all earthly gain and refusing casual or half-hearted effort. The treasure to be sought is the knowledge of God and understanding of righteousness found in His Word and in Christ, with inexhaustible depths of meaning still to be discovered beneath the surface. Searching rightly means studying closely with prayerful humility, comparing Scripture with Scripture and depending on the Holy Spirit to open the understanding, while bringing its directions into daily life and obedience. Such seeking is promised understanding of the fear of the Lord and every good path, with growing light, enlarged mental powers, and safeguard against error and deception. It calls every person to dig for self rather than depend on others, including ministers, teachers, farmers, and parents, and to share the light found with others.
Words and Imagery
Wisdom must be sought earnestly, diligently, persistently and wholeheartedly, as silver and as hidden treasure, inclining the ear to wisdom and applying the heart to understanding, valuing it above gold and silver, giving all to obtain it, hungering for it, and exercising faith and a will to do. Such seeking is learned in the school of Christ, weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith instead of standing in a negative waiting position, learning morning by morning to speak a word in season to the weary. It puts truth to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories, and it expresses a real, felt need for the blessings sought in prayer. So pursued, it leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God, whose wisdom, knowledge and understanding guide toward upright character, good judgment, righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping. It gives an enduring experience that does not wash out in summer heat but stands the test of trial, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures. Wisdom so held is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her.
The image is of a miner digging in the earth for treasure hidden beneath the surface, searching for veins of gold and silver and precious ore, because glorious treasure does not lie on the surface. Old and young are not merely to read but to study with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation and prayer, with thoughtful investigation and earnest, taxing effort instead of skimming over the surface, requiring learners to explain clearly every passage they read. Some portions are too plain to be misunderstood, but the meaning of many does not lie upon the surface and cannot be seen at a glance, so it requires comparing Scripture with Scripture, letting one passage explain another, with careful research and prayerful reflection, for the evidence of truth is in the Word itself where Scripture unlocks Scripture. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth will never reward indolence and no half-hearted, indifferent work will avail, yet those who search in this way will be richly rewarded because Christ will quicken the understanding and the deep meaning will be unfolded to the mind by His Spirit. Knowledge of God so found is inexhaustible and from the infinite mind; human intellect can be measured and human books can be mastered, but infinity lies beyond all comprehension and only glimmerings of divine glory and of infinite knowledge and wisdom have been seen, as if working only on the surface of the mine while rich golden ore lies beneath to reward the one who digs. The shaft must be sunk deeper and yet deeper, and the result will be glorious treasure, for through a correct faith divine knowledge becomes human knowledge. God designed the Bible to be a lesson-book for childhood, youth and manhood through all time and gave His Word as a revelation of Himself, so every new truth discerned is a fresh disclosure of the character of its Author, bringing closer connection with the Creator, clearer knowledge of His will, and serving as the medium of communication between God and man. Diligent study stores the mind with most valuable knowledge, strengthens and expands the mental powers, gives a true estimate of eternal things, and its divine precepts are to be brought into daily life with the life fashioned after God's great standard of righteousness, so the whole character is strengthened and ennobled.
Such seeking forbids superficial, casual, hasty or half-hearted reading, indolence, contentment with supposition about truth, taking the sayings of others for truth, and substituting human inventions and traditions for personal search. Merely reading is not enough; the mind must work with diligent mental effort to discover God's thought in the Word, examining every point, relying on the Holy Spirit to open the understanding, with earnest prayer for wisdom from heaven and doing all the Word implies. It means refusing surface work and educating children in truths found in Scripture, for man's inventions cannot take the place of personal search because they are unreliable and dangerous, placing man where God should be and placing the sayings of men where a Thus saith the Lord should be. Careful investigation of every point, comparing Scripture with Scripture, can uncover errors and precious truths, and Christ opens the treasures of the Old Testament and separates truth from superstition, error and human invention, separating the pure grain of truth from the chaff of error. Much of that treasure has long lain buried beneath rubbish of error, human tradition, the opinions of men, and divine commands misrepresented by men and Satan, who have mixed error with truth and long sought to hide the treasure from man, and it must be dug out as a miner explores the earth for veins of silver and gold. Those who thirst for knowledge need not go to the polluted fountains of exalted world educators whose superstition, specious reasoning and error mingled with portions of true philosophy make a potion poisonous to the soul and destructive of faith in God, but are invited to come to the fountain of life and drink freely.
This search requires exerting to the utmost all the powers God has given, with much prayer and the most vigorous exercise of the mind and the severest mental and moral discipline, refusing to rest satisfied with little knowledge already gained. It means searching continually as for hidden treasure, letting no moment go unimproved while digging for the precious gems of truth, growing acquainted with the reasons of faith in order to give light to others, and praying for wisdom to present the truth in a clear, connected manner. Light from heaven comes to those who feel their need of it, for God does not do for a person what He has given that person power to do, so no one must wait passively to be prepared or sink into inactivity willing to be controlled by Satan's power. Moses proves this, for he did not bring the work down to his deficiency but in the fear of God accepted the trust to deliver Israel and in the strength of God put forth the most earnest efforts to elevate and sanctify himself for his sacred mission; then God assists by combining divine power with human effort, while without such exertion people ever remain weak and inefficient and never attain the position they might occupy. Truth must be sought with eager, whole-hearted effort, putting all powers to the best account so the mind is illuminated with heaven's light and fitted for immortality and the heavenly inheritance, with a heart hungry for spiritual food and with faith that God exists and rewards those who diligently seek Him. Those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice for heaven do not esteem that inheritance and are self-deceived, with perplexed and troubled minds, choked by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things so the Word becomes unfruitful in them, and they are without excuse, with light waning away until they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure. Such digging must never cease until relation to God and His will are learned, for salvation depends on knowing God's will as contained in His Word, knowing duty and what must be done to be saved. Teachers of the truth must ever dig and never cease to be students in this digging, for stopping leaves the mind at a common, low standard, while continual digging develops the intellect to become persons of influence not for selfish ambition but for Christ's sake, to reveal the power of the truth upon the intellect, with appreciation of literary talent only when it is not idolized and without striving for vainglory to exalt self.
Treasure to Be Sought
The treasure to be sought is wisdom, understanding, and the knowledge of God, to be desired as silver and searched for as hidden treasure with earnest, persistent effort that expresses a real felt need. It is to be prized above gold and silver, followed after in the school of Christ by weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith rather than standing in a negative waiting position, learning morning by morning to speak a word in season to the weary. Such seeking inclines the ear to wisdom and applies the heart to understanding, and it puts what is found to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories. So pursued, it leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God, with His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding guiding toward upright character and good judgment, toward righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping, while obedience is the seeker's safety. Wisdom thus gained is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her, giving an experience that does not wash out in trial but stands the test, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures.
The treasure is truth in God's Word and in Christ, to be obtained by searching the Word as for silver and hidden treasure, found by every soul who will give all to obtain it through earnest, wholehearted, persevering attention. It includes His life, sayings, parables, promises, law, grace, and righteousness, with careful research and prayerful reflection uncovering truths of great value that the careless seeker does not see, and with pondering those truths in the heart bringing life. The Gospel of John holds jewels of truth worth more than land, gold, or silver. Fixing the eyes upon Christ and studying His life as given in His Word with the effort used to find buried wealth gives boldness to approach the throne of grace and changes the beholder, morally assimilating him to One perfect in character through receiving His imputed righteousness by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that the image of Christ is cherished and captivates the whole being, while such searching also quickens understanding to recognize the value of that grace and righteousness.
The treasure is hidden, inexhaustible, and from the infinite mind rather than the finite mind, with rich depths of meaning beneath the surface that reward diligent digging as in a mine. Human intellect can be measured and human books mastered, but infinity lies beyond all comprehension and cannot be found out by the highest, deepest, broadest flight of imagination, so that only the glimmering of divine glory and of infinite knowledge and wisdom has been seen, as if working only on the surface while rich golden ore lies beneath. The shaft must be sunk deeper and yet deeper, and the result will be glorious treasure, for through a correct faith divine knowledge becomes human knowledge. No one should think there is no more knowledge to gain or hinder others who are seeking and finding more, but seekers must go forward, for humble, prayerful study for wisdom and understanding keeps bringing new discoveries, deeper interest, fresh light, and growing appreciation, with Scripture pondered as streams from the fountain of life containing the words of eternal life, always more to gain. Those who minister and do not apply themselves to such study but stay content with superficial knowledge lack essential qualities of mind and character and lose much in every way.
Much of the treasure lies buried under the rubbish of human wisdom, tradition, superstition, error, human invention, and opinions of men, including truth buried beneath customs and traditions, and it must be dug out and separated as pure grain and wheat of truth and divine commands from the chaff of error and misrepresentation long mixed in and hidden from man. A surface search, reliance on others' sayings, crude ideas, supposition, indolence, and taking for granted that all essential truth is already possessed are not enough; sharp, clear conceptions of truth are never the reward of indolence. The search means exploring as a miner explores the earth for veins of silver and gold, investigating every point received as truth even when thought established beyond controversy, closely examining every jot and tittle for flaw in interpretation, comparing Scripture with Scripture so one passage explains another, uncovering errors and precious truths, with Christ opening the treasures of the Old Testament and separating truth from superstition, error, and human invention. Those who thirst for knowledge need not go to polluted fountains where superstition, specious reasoning, and error mingled with portions of true philosophy make a potion poisonous to the soul and destructive of faith, but are invited to come to the fountain of life and drink freely, searching with diligent mental effort, earnest prayer for wisdom from heaven, the aid of the Holy Spirit, and doing all the Word implies in willingness to do God's will in order to know the teaching.
Searching the Scriptures
Searching means studying, not merely reading, with close attention, thoughtful investigation, and earnest, taxing effort of mind to discover God's thought. It requires going below the surface with vigorous and persistent searching, examining every point and every jot and tittle, even studying one passage until its significance is clear and its relation to the plan of salvation is evident, keeping it in memory and meditating on it. Truth in many portions does not lie upon the surface and cannot be seen at a glance, but lies like veins of precious ore hidden beneath the surface, so meaning must be traced out by comparing Scripture with Scripture and spiritual things with spiritual, letting one passage explain another, with Scripture unlocking Scripture and the evidence of truth found in the Word itself. Every claim must be tested by the law and the testimony, with learners required to explain clearly every passage read, refusing superficial skimming, hasty reading, reliance on the sayings of others, assumption, and contentment with supposition. Such searching rewards the seeker at every turn, each discovery opening richer fields for investigation, while negligent contentment with superficial understanding forfeits blessing and contracts the mental powers until they lose ability to grasp deep meanings.
Searching must be prayerful, humble, contrite, and earnest, with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation, a will to do, and faith to look for results, at times with fasting and tears. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth will never reward indolence, and no half-hearted, indifferent work will avail, for unaided human reason and intellect alone cannot find the treasure. Dependence rests on the Holy Spirit and the divine Teacher to open the understanding, enlarge the mind, bring all things to remembrance, explain mysteries, unfold deep meaning, and shine the light of heaven upon the seeker, advancing from light to clearer light. Revelation is not creating or inventing something new but manifesting what was unknown, and the great and eternal truths of the gospel are thus made known, so that truths once seeming uninteresting become clear, hidden truths reward faith, the eyes behold the genuine treasure, the mind lays hold upon the glories of a better world, and the soul longs after the excellence of Christ. Christ quickens the understanding of those who search in this way, and pondering the truths found brings life.
Searching means doing all the Word implies, bringing its directions and counsels into daily life and practice, walking and working in accordance with the light already given. The life is to be fashioned after God's standard rather than merely hearing theories, and Christ's spirit is to be brought into dealings with others. Those who claim to follow Christ need not more light but increased genuine faith cooperating with God, and when the receiver thus walks, the light becomes life and power to him, his heart is filled with joy, and his example reflects light to others in good works instead of leaving imperfect witness. This obedient seeking separates the pure grain and wheat of truth from the chaff of error, human inventions, and misrepresented divine commands.
Each person must search for self with heart and mind fully engaged, digging daily for light as for hidden treasure instead of being content with a cheap level. No one is to depend on any person to be brains for them, to search the Scriptures for them, or to manufacture their thought, but is to ask God for help, entrust the mind to the Lord, and open the heart to the Holy Spirit rather than relying on personal cleverness or inventions. Passages are not to be selected to support personal opinions or to suit opinions, but the Scriptures are to be received as God's Word for themselves. The truths found by that personal searching give strength to stand in the day of God, improve and strengthen the mind according to the food given it, increase ability and spiritual comprehension, make fullest use of God-given time and opportunities, and enable bearing testimony in whatever employment is engaged, so that words, deportment, temper, and character express the daily work of character building in following on to know the Lord.
Searching requires meekness and humility, with a softened and subdued heart enlightened by the Spirit, and truth taught as it is in Jesus then has far greater power to convert hearts. The pursuit must preserve harmony and cooperation without compromising any principle of truth, in perfect adherence to the Word in unity rather than selfish superiority. The Bible student is not to devote time to rebellion, evil speaking, and false representations, nor to introduce or promote new, conflicting opinions in ways that foster strife, undermine harmony, and distract from practical godliness.
Promises to Seekers
Earnest seeking as for silver and hidden treasure, inclining the ear to wisdom and applying the heart to understanding, leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God. It brings understanding of righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping the seeker. Wisdom so gained is to be put to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories, is valued above gold and silver, and is learned morning by morning in the school of Christ by following on to know the Lord, weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith instead of standing in a negative waiting position to speak a word in season to the weary. Such seeking expresses a real felt need for the blessings sought in prayer, gives an experience that does not wash out in summer heat but stands the test of trial, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her.
Those who search in this way with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation, prayer, a will to do, and faith to look for results will be rewarded because Christ quickens the understanding. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth never reward indolence and no half-hearted, indifferent work avails, for the treasures of truth are found only by earnest, patient, persevering toil like a miner digging for treasure hidden in the earth, requiring not merely reading but study. Careful investigation of every point, comparing Scripture with Scripture, uncovers errors and precious truths, for Christ opens the treasures of the Old Testament and separates truth from superstition, error, and human invention. Revelation is not creating or inventing something new but manifesting what was unknown, and the great and eternal truths contained in the gospel are made known to the humble searcher led by a divine Teacher through diligent searching and humbling of self before God. By the guidance and impartation of the Holy Spirit into all truth the Word is understood with most certain and efficient knowledge, the Lord opens the understanding of the true seeker, the Holy Spirit enables the mind to grasp the facts of revelation and brings all things to remembrance, divine light communicates with the soul and the light of heaven shines upon those who ask God for help and advance from light to clearer light.
Studious searching reveals increasingly bright and precious truths, opening the eyes to behold the genuine treasure, causing the mind to lay hold upon the glories of a better world and the soul to long after the excellence of Christ Jesus, while without advancing in this search people may perceive only shadows or a few sparks of the light. Diligent digging develops the mind in proportion to the labor and fills it as a treasure-house of knowledge, sharpening and polishing ministers so they can explain the Scriptures acceptably before educated people instead of revealing mental deficiency. Earnest thought and diligent study of the Bible stores the mind with most valuable knowledge, strengthening and expanding the mental powers and giving a true estimate of eternal things, with the divine precepts so found to be brought into daily life and the life fashioned after God's great standard of righteousness so the whole character is strengthened and ennobled. This search rewards the seeker at every turn, with each discovery opening richer fields for investigation and bringing the rich blessings God desires to bestow, with the richest treasures of thought waiting for the skillful and diligent student.
What a person contemplates changes him, for by a law of the mind it narrows or expands to the dimensions of the things with which it becomes familiar, so attention to commonplace thoughts and affairs makes a person commonplace, and negligent contentment with superficial understanding forfeits blessing and surely contracts the mental powers until they lose ability to grasp deep meanings, while diligent searching enlarges the mind and preserves its power to grasp deep meanings. Truth is like precious metal concealed in hills and mountains, whose gems must be searched out as diligently as perishing gold is sought for celestial gold by thought and prayerful research rather than skimming the surface, then stored in the mind for future use, with earnest desire to learn bringing God breathing His Spirit into the heart and impressing the mind with the light of His word. The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another, and comparing scriptures on the same subjects reveals beauty and harmony never before seen. Such study strengthens and enlarges, elevates and ennobles the mind, imparts new vigor, and expands its power through contact with deep subjects and prayer for understanding, while dealing only with commonplace subjects and light reading narrows the mind, fills it with rubbish, makes God's word uninteresting, and leaves one unwise in the Scriptures and not thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The wisdom in God's word is unquestionable and inexhaustible because it comes from the infinite mind, not the finite mind, yet much of what God has revealed stays dark because the jewels of truth lie buried under the rubbish of human wisdom and tradition and to many stay hidden because they are not searched for with earnest perseverance until the golden precepts are understood. The word must be searched in this way in order to purify those who receive it and to prepare them to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. The great truths for the present time, found through that search, anchor God's people amid the dangers of the last days and give strength to stand in the day of God. Searching for truth as for hidden treasure enriches the mind with the highest of all knowledge, and when teachers and students cherish the right spirit they have special grace from God, enough for each and enough continually, and the Bible becomes the lesson-book God designed it to be, giving clear conceptions to those who strive to grasp its grand and glorious truths. Such searching sheds a flood of light on the problem of human life and shows how men and women can be sanctified through belief of the truth as it is in Jesus, for sanctification does not close the avenues of the soul to knowledge but expands the mind and inspires it to search for truth as for hidden treasure.
Vigorous day-by-day and hour-by-hour self-denial and inner sanctification causes outward works to testify that Jesus abides in the heart by faith, and growing knowledge of God's will advances sanctification as believers earnestly strive to reach heaven. Careful research and prayerful reflection uncover truths of great value that a careless seeker does not see, and pondering those truths in the heart brings life. Beholding Christ as personal Saviour in diligent search by studying Christ's life as given in His Word with the earnest effort used to find buried wealth, fixing the eyes upon Christ, gives boldness to approach the throne of grace and changes the beholder, morally assimilating him to One perfect in character through receiving His imputed righteousness by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that the image of Christ is cherished and captivates the whole being. The knowledge of God is a precious treasure, the pearl of great price, which is wisdom, sanctification, and eternal life, and those who seek it with the diligence used to search for silver or hidden treasure will not be disappointed. Truth is to be sought as hidden treasure by eating and drinking the Word of God, and the Word is spirit and life that brings comfort and encouragement to every soul who seeks in this way. Those who seek truth in Scripture with earnest and persistent diligence as for silver and hidden treasure are less likely to be prejudiced against its teaching.
History and Prophecy
After the passing of the time in 1844, keen, noble, true believers lived out the command to seek as for silver and hidden treasure by meeting together to study the Word and pray earnestly for light, feeling their need to know God's truth. They often remained together until late at night and sometimes through the entire night, with fasting and prayer until power came upon them, studying point by point until the leading points of faith were firmly established and clearly defined. Clear explanation of the passages studied was then given with instruction on the position to take regarding truth and duty, so that all came into harmony and unity, united in the truth and unafraid to meet strange doctrines. The pioneers labored step by step in this way to lay the foundation of the work, seeking to understand the meaning of Scripture and the truths about Christ, His mission and His priesthood. The golden treasures of the Word found by such searching were the old landmarks, searched out and then proclaimed to the world under demonstration of the Holy Spirit, with many wonderful miracles worked in the searching and the treasures substantiated by remarkable demonstration that opened the Bible to understanding.
That search uncovered most precious and essential truth for this time to be presented and preserved, which those who have had an experience in this work deny only at peril of sin against the Holy Ghost. It was a straight chain of Bible truth of heavenly origin, clear and connected, extending in a line to entrance into the city of God. It comprised Christ, His mission and priesthood, the commandments of God and the faith and testimony of Jesus, the first, second and third angels' messages, the old landmarks, the Sabbath question, that man is not immortal and the nature of man, and the testimony of Jesus. Such truth disciplines and fits up God's people and establishes them together out from the world upon one exalted platform of faith unto unity of faith. Understood truth proves as an anchor to hold God's people in these perilous times while the mass of mankind despise God's Word and prefer fables, and earnest searching for it is the only safety now against Satan's control and deception.
The same seeking is shown in Daniel, who though aged, with life spent amid the fascinations of a heathen court and mind burdened with affairs of a great empire, turned aside from all to afflict his soul before God and seek knowledge of the purposes of the Most High, in answer to which light from the heavenly courts was given for those who should live in the latter days. It is shown in the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily, diligently like miners seeking precious metal and buried wealth in the mines of truth, testing every claim to faith, holiness and perfection by the law and the testimony and rejecting all teaching that does not speak according to that word because there is no light in it, thereby exposing false prophets and self-made, self-righteous standards that tear down the true standard of righteousness. It is shown in Luther, who came into possession of the truth that waked up the Reformation by searching the word of truth as for hidden treasures as a man of humility and prayer, becoming mighty in the Scriptures and a living channel of light and truth as he read and prayed and prayed and read. That lesson is of vital importance to those called to present solemn truths for this time, because these truths will stir the enmity of Satan and of men who love his fables, and conflict with the powers of hell requires something more than intellect and human wisdom. It is also shown in unlearned disciples who astonished rabbis, in the Waldenses refusing Rome's faith, in hungering souls outside the church, in women whose hearts are softened by the Spirit, in temperance workers whose experience and education prepare them to receive truth, and in the first class of hearers at meetings who search with earnest persistent effort.
Truth in God's Word found by such diligence is great present truth that anchors God's people amid the dangers of the last days and gives strength to stand in the day of God. Those moved by the Spirit of God to seek truth are providentially guided to the Holy Scriptures, study the sacred pages with intense interest, are willing to accept light at any cost, perceive many long-buried truths even without seeing all things clearly, and go forth as Heaven-sent messengers to break chains of error and superstition and call the long enslaved to arise and assert liberty, proving God had not suffered His Word to be wholly destroyed and its truths were not to be forever hidden. Every new link in the chain of truth so gained through earnest prayer for light and knowledge, with prayers and tears, through trial and opposition, is as precious as tried gold, dug out of the rubbish of superstition and error, valued for what it cost to obtain and given to others as precious pearls of priceless value. The Word is plain to all who study with a prayerful heart, and every truly honest soul so seeking will come to the light of truth, and no church can advance in holiness unless its members so seek. Those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice do not so esteem the heavenly inheritance to be gained by eager whole-hearted effort putting all powers to best account; they are self-deceived with perplexed troubled minds, choked by cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things so the word becomes unfruitful, without excuse, with light waning until they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure, while the mind of the diligent seeker is illuminated with heaven's light and fitted for immortality.
Living the Search
Ministers and mission workers are to dig personally for truth as for buried treasure, praying, believing and pleading with God for constant enlightenment rather than depending on any person to search for them, to be brains for them, or to manufacture their discourses. Searching with earnest, zealous effort like a miner after golden treasure, with prayer and tears through trial and opposition, they are to use time and ability to gain a store of knowledge from the sacred Word, opening the heart to the impressions of the Holy Spirit while searching, praying and thinking, so that preaching has freshness of thought with sweet spirit and power instead of dry, oft-repeated matter. That diligent searching develops the mind in proportion to the labor expended and fills it as a treasure-house of knowledge, sharpening and polishing workers so they can weigh arguments, explain the Scriptures acceptably even before educated people instead of revealing mental deficiency, and reach people in both common and higher classes. Those about to enter mission fields must feel as apprentices learning the trade, making Bible study of primary importance, chaining the mind to the point and tasking it to the utmost to comprehend truth in all its bearings, with systematic training of mind and manners to approach people with tact and courtesy and with the Spirit of Christ, never ceasing to be learners in order to become first-class workers who continually dig for truth and for the best ways of laboring for conversion of souls like buried gold. Every new link in the chain of truth thus dug out of the rubbish of superstition and error, counted at what it cost to obtain, is as precious as tried gold, and the links united make a perfect, clear, harmonious whole to be presented as precious pearls of priceless value with a real sense of the words uttered and appreciation of their value, carrying the living energy of experimental godliness to awaken those lying deep in sin and error and to warn the world of its coming doom, which those who merely speak theory fluently without such search do not possess.
Teachers, students and schools are to make God's Word the first and main study, ever digging as for hidden treasure and never ceasing to be students lest the mind settle at a common, low standard. When teachers and students cherish the right spirit they receive special grace from God, enough for each and enough continually, and the Bible becomes the lesson-book designed to give clear conceptions to those striving to grasp its grand and glorious truths, enriching the mind with the highest of all knowledge, shedding a flood of light on the problem of human life and showing how men and women can be sanctified through belief of the truth as it is in Jesus. Sabbath-school teachers must hunger and thirst for divine truth themselves in order to impart that spirit and lead pupils to seek in the same way, searching to know doctrine in order to do the will, putting all entrusted ability to the task with diligent prayer and fervent, simple, whole-hearted service, giving more attention to seeking God for the Spirit to soften and mould hearts of teachers and pupils than to mechanical arrangements, high pretensions and outward forms that make hypocrites and cannot advance true religion. Continual digging develops the intellect to reach higher and still higher attainments by daily use of the living machinery of the mind, constantly gathering knowledge with increased power to glorify God and fitness to do great and good works and to guide others to salvation, making men of influence not for selfish ambition but for Christ's sake to reveal the power of truth upon the intellect, with literary talent appreciated only when not idolized and without striving for vainglory to exalt self. Schools are to be planned to qualify every scholar to become acquainted with truth by seeking the Lord with all the heart as for hidden treasure, and every worker must so seek in order to perfect Christian character.
Even the one who holds the plow and drives oxen, who plants and sows, can gain wisdom by diligently seeking and searching for it as for silver and hidden treasure. God Himself instructs such a worker to discretion and teaches him, and this coming from the Lord of hosts is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working and in wisdom. As He taught Adam and Eve in Eden how to tend the garden, He still desires to instruct men today who hold the plow and plant and sow, and the earth has concealed treasures for them to find. Farmers need far more intelligence and must constantly learn with intelligence how to secure a variety and varied treasures from the earth and depend as far as possible on what the soil yields, and in every phase of that labor the mind is educated to work for the saving of souls for whom Christ died, with reasoning powers given to be used in physical work and with stronger minds and purer hearts to interpret eternal mysteries for the earnest seeker. Before those who trust and obey Him, God will open ways of advance and supply needs according to the riches of His goodness as they move forward courageously.
Parents carry responsibility to seek light and truth to educate and train children to be true and faithful to God, educating them in truths found in Scripture rather than resting in surface work, contentment with supposition, indolence, or taking the sayings of others for truth. Man's inventions cannot take the place of this personal search because they are unreliable and dangerous, placing man where God should be and placing sayings of men where a Thus saith the Lord should be, so the Word is to be studied with diligent, earnest labor like digging until truth is within personal possession as an inexhaustible treasure. Young people taught to seek truth earnestly with persistence and care as for hidden treasure, while loving God supremely and neighbors as themselves, will go out to work earnestly for Christ. Digging together for gems of truth as for hidden treasures, with Bible truth sought and stored in the mind as of highest value for spiritual development, done together by husband, wife and daughter, blesses each and does a practical and thorough work for them, with Christ as the great fountainhead from whom all wisdom flows. God's people are to dig deeply into the Word to uncover precious truths that have remained hidden and bring them to others as spiritual food, clinging to the Word and joining study with prayer and watchfulness so that perception is clear and sanctified to discern claims considered in council meetings.
All seekers are to search the Scriptures continually as for hidden treasure, refusing to rest satisfied with little knowledge already gained, letting no moment go unimproved while digging for precious gems, growing acquainted with the reasons of faith in order to give light to others and praying for wisdom to present truth to others in a clear, connected manner. They are to gather up the divine rays of light left by patriarchs, prophets and apostles as hereditary trusts and continue to seek further, pressing closer to the light and upward, with reasoning faculties and capacity increasing as God-given talents are improved, letting light gained shine forth in clear and steady rays to make Christ known and to warn souls lest they make shipwreck of faith. Truth so valued and obtained at cost through earnest prayer for light and knowledge with prayers and tears through trial and opposition yields every new link as precious as tried gold dug out of rubbish of superstition and error to be given to others as precious pearls of priceless value. Seeking with eager, whole-hearted effort and putting all powers to the best account illuminates the mind with heaven's light and fits for immortality and the heavenly inheritance esteemed enough to sacrifice earthly possessions for it, while those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice do not so esteem it but are self-deceived like the young man who would keep the commandments yet lacked one thing and loved possessions more, with perplexed and troubled minds choked by cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things so the word becomes unfruitful, without excuse, with light waning until it goes out and they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure.
Seeking wisdom means pursuing it earnestly and persistently as a miner digs deep for silver and hidden treasure, valuing it above all earthly gain and refusing casual or half-hearted effort. The treasure to be sought is the knowledge of God and understanding of righteousness found in His Word and in Christ, with inexhaustible depths of meaning still to be discovered beneath the surface. Searching rightly means studying closely with prayerful humility, comparing Scripture with Scripture and depending on the Holy Spirit to open the understanding, while bringing its directions into daily life and obedience. Such seeking is promised understanding of the fear of the Lord and every good path, with growing light, enlarged mental powers, and safeguard against error and deception. It calls every person to dig for self rather than depend on others, including ministers, teachers, farmers, and parents, and to share the light found with others.
Words and Imagery
Wisdom must be sought earnestly, diligently, persistently and wholeheartedly, as silver and as hidden treasure, inclining the ear to wisdom and applying the heart to understanding, valuing it above gold and silver, giving all to obtain it, hungering for it, and exercising faith and a will to do. Such seeking is learned in the school of Christ, weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith instead of standing in a negative waiting position, learning morning by morning to speak a word in season to the weary. It puts truth to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories, and it expresses a real, felt need for the blessings sought in prayer. So pursued, it leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God, whose wisdom, knowledge and understanding guide toward upright character, good judgment, righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping. It gives an enduring experience that does not wash out in summer heat but stands the test of trial, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures. Wisdom so held is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her.
The image is of a miner digging in the earth for treasure hidden beneath the surface, searching for veins of gold and silver and precious ore, because glorious treasure does not lie on the surface. Old and young are not merely to read but to study with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation and prayer, with thoughtful investigation and earnest, taxing effort instead of skimming over the surface, requiring learners to explain clearly every passage they read. Some portions are too plain to be misunderstood, but the meaning of many does not lie upon the surface and cannot be seen at a glance, so it requires comparing Scripture with Scripture, letting one passage explain another, with careful research and prayerful reflection, for the evidence of truth is in the Word itself where Scripture unlocks Scripture. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth will never reward indolence and no half-hearted, indifferent work will avail, yet those who search in this way will be richly rewarded because Christ will quicken the understanding and the deep meaning will be unfolded to the mind by His Spirit. Knowledge of God so found is inexhaustible and from the infinite mind; human intellect can be measured and human books can be mastered, but infinity lies beyond all comprehension and only glimmerings of divine glory and of infinite knowledge and wisdom have been seen, as if working only on the surface of the mine while rich golden ore lies beneath to reward the one who digs. The shaft must be sunk deeper and yet deeper, and the result will be glorious treasure, for through a correct faith divine knowledge becomes human knowledge. God designed the Bible to be a lesson-book for childhood, youth and manhood through all time and gave His Word as a revelation of Himself, so every new truth discerned is a fresh disclosure of the character of its Author, bringing closer connection with the Creator, clearer knowledge of His will, and serving as the medium of communication between God and man. Diligent study stores the mind with most valuable knowledge, strengthens and expands the mental powers, gives a true estimate of eternal things, and its divine precepts are to be brought into daily life with the life fashioned after God's great standard of righteousness, so the whole character is strengthened and ennobled.
Such seeking forbids superficial, casual, hasty or half-hearted reading, indolence, contentment with supposition about truth, taking the sayings of others for truth, and substituting human inventions and traditions for personal search. Merely reading is not enough; the mind must work with diligent mental effort to discover God's thought in the Word, examining every point, relying on the Holy Spirit to open the understanding, with earnest prayer for wisdom from heaven and doing all the Word implies. It means refusing surface work and educating children in truths found in Scripture, for man's inventions cannot take the place of personal search because they are unreliable and dangerous, placing man where God should be and placing the sayings of men where a Thus saith the Lord should be. Careful investigation of every point, comparing Scripture with Scripture, can uncover errors and precious truths, and Christ opens the treasures of the Old Testament and separates truth from superstition, error and human invention, separating the pure grain of truth from the chaff of error. Much of that treasure has long lain buried beneath rubbish of error, human tradition, the opinions of men, and divine commands misrepresented by men and Satan, who have mixed error with truth and long sought to hide the treasure from man, and it must be dug out as a miner explores the earth for veins of silver and gold. Those who thirst for knowledge need not go to the polluted fountains of exalted world educators whose superstition, specious reasoning and error mingled with portions of true philosophy make a potion poisonous to the soul and destructive of faith in God, but are invited to come to the fountain of life and drink freely.
This search requires exerting to the utmost all the powers God has given, with much prayer and the most vigorous exercise of the mind and the severest mental and moral discipline, refusing to rest satisfied with little knowledge already gained. It means searching continually as for hidden treasure, letting no moment go unimproved while digging for the precious gems of truth, growing acquainted with the reasons of faith in order to give light to others, and praying for wisdom to present the truth in a clear, connected manner. Light from heaven comes to those who feel their need of it, for God does not do for a person what He has given that person power to do, so no one must wait passively to be prepared or sink into inactivity willing to be controlled by Satan's power. Moses proves this, for he did not bring the work down to his deficiency but in the fear of God accepted the trust to deliver Israel and in the strength of God put forth the most earnest efforts to elevate and sanctify himself for his sacred mission; then God assists by combining divine power with human effort, while without such exertion people ever remain weak and inefficient and never attain the position they might occupy. Truth must be sought with eager, whole-hearted effort, putting all powers to the best account so the mind is illuminated with heaven's light and fitted for immortality and the heavenly inheritance, with a heart hungry for spiritual food and with faith that God exists and rewards those who diligently seek Him. Those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice for heaven do not esteem that inheritance and are self-deceived, with perplexed and troubled minds, choked by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things so the Word becomes unfruitful in them, and they are without excuse, with light waning away until they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure. Such digging must never cease until relation to God and His will are learned, for salvation depends on knowing God's will as contained in His Word, knowing duty and what must be done to be saved. Teachers of the truth must ever dig and never cease to be students in this digging, for stopping leaves the mind at a common, low standard, while continual digging develops the intellect to become persons of influence not for selfish ambition but for Christ's sake, to reveal the power of the truth upon the intellect, with appreciation of literary talent only when it is not idolized and without striving for vainglory to exalt self.
Treasure to Be Sought
The treasure to be sought is wisdom, understanding, and the knowledge of God, to be desired as silver and searched for as hidden treasure with earnest, persistent effort that expresses a real felt need. It is to be prized above gold and silver, followed after in the school of Christ by weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith rather than standing in a negative waiting position, learning morning by morning to speak a word in season to the weary. Such seeking inclines the ear to wisdom and applies the heart to understanding, and it puts what is found to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories. So pursued, it leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God, with His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding guiding toward upright character and good judgment, toward righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping, while obedience is the seeker's safety. Wisdom thus gained is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her, giving an experience that does not wash out in trial but stands the test, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures.
The treasure is truth in God's Word and in Christ, to be obtained by searching the Word as for silver and hidden treasure, found by every soul who will give all to obtain it through earnest, wholehearted, persevering attention. It includes His life, sayings, parables, promises, law, grace, and righteousness, with careful research and prayerful reflection uncovering truths of great value that the careless seeker does not see, and with pondering those truths in the heart bringing life. The Gospel of John holds jewels of truth worth more than land, gold, or silver. Fixing the eyes upon Christ and studying His life as given in His Word with the effort used to find buried wealth gives boldness to approach the throne of grace and changes the beholder, morally assimilating him to One perfect in character through receiving His imputed righteousness by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that the image of Christ is cherished and captivates the whole being, while such searching also quickens understanding to recognize the value of that grace and righteousness.
The treasure is hidden, inexhaustible, and from the infinite mind rather than the finite mind, with rich depths of meaning beneath the surface that reward diligent digging as in a mine. Human intellect can be measured and human books mastered, but infinity lies beyond all comprehension and cannot be found out by the highest, deepest, broadest flight of imagination, so that only the glimmering of divine glory and of infinite knowledge and wisdom has been seen, as if working only on the surface while rich golden ore lies beneath. The shaft must be sunk deeper and yet deeper, and the result will be glorious treasure, for through a correct faith divine knowledge becomes human knowledge. No one should think there is no more knowledge to gain or hinder others who are seeking and finding more, but seekers must go forward, for humble, prayerful study for wisdom and understanding keeps bringing new discoveries, deeper interest, fresh light, and growing appreciation, with Scripture pondered as streams from the fountain of life containing the words of eternal life, always more to gain. Those who minister and do not apply themselves to such study but stay content with superficial knowledge lack essential qualities of mind and character and lose much in every way.
Much of the treasure lies buried under the rubbish of human wisdom, tradition, superstition, error, human invention, and opinions of men, including truth buried beneath customs and traditions, and it must be dug out and separated as pure grain and wheat of truth and divine commands from the chaff of error and misrepresentation long mixed in and hidden from man. A surface search, reliance on others' sayings, crude ideas, supposition, indolence, and taking for granted that all essential truth is already possessed are not enough; sharp, clear conceptions of truth are never the reward of indolence. The search means exploring as a miner explores the earth for veins of silver and gold, investigating every point received as truth even when thought established beyond controversy, closely examining every jot and tittle for flaw in interpretation, comparing Scripture with Scripture so one passage explains another, uncovering errors and precious truths, with Christ opening the treasures of the Old Testament and separating truth from superstition, error, and human invention. Those who thirst for knowledge need not go to polluted fountains where superstition, specious reasoning, and error mingled with portions of true philosophy make a potion poisonous to the soul and destructive of faith, but are invited to come to the fountain of life and drink freely, searching with diligent mental effort, earnest prayer for wisdom from heaven, the aid of the Holy Spirit, and doing all the Word implies in willingness to do God's will in order to know the teaching.
Searching the Scriptures
Searching means studying, not merely reading, with close attention, thoughtful investigation, and earnest, taxing effort of mind to discover God's thought. It requires going below the surface with vigorous and persistent searching, examining every point and every jot and tittle, even studying one passage until its significance is clear and its relation to the plan of salvation is evident, keeping it in memory and meditating on it. Truth in many portions does not lie upon the surface and cannot be seen at a glance, but lies like veins of precious ore hidden beneath the surface, so meaning must be traced out by comparing Scripture with Scripture and spiritual things with spiritual, letting one passage explain another, with Scripture unlocking Scripture and the evidence of truth found in the Word itself. Every claim must be tested by the law and the testimony, with learners required to explain clearly every passage read, refusing superficial skimming, hasty reading, reliance on the sayings of others, assumption, and contentment with supposition. Such searching rewards the seeker at every turn, each discovery opening richer fields for investigation, while negligent contentment with superficial understanding forfeits blessing and contracts the mental powers until they lose ability to grasp deep meanings.
Searching must be prayerful, humble, contrite, and earnest, with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation, a will to do, and faith to look for results, at times with fasting and tears. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth will never reward indolence, and no half-hearted, indifferent work will avail, for unaided human reason and intellect alone cannot find the treasure. Dependence rests on the Holy Spirit and the divine Teacher to open the understanding, enlarge the mind, bring all things to remembrance, explain mysteries, unfold deep meaning, and shine the light of heaven upon the seeker, advancing from light to clearer light. Revelation is not creating or inventing something new but manifesting what was unknown, and the great and eternal truths of the gospel are thus made known, so that truths once seeming uninteresting become clear, hidden truths reward faith, the eyes behold the genuine treasure, the mind lays hold upon the glories of a better world, and the soul longs after the excellence of Christ. Christ quickens the understanding of those who search in this way, and pondering the truths found brings life.
Searching means doing all the Word implies, bringing its directions and counsels into daily life and practice, walking and working in accordance with the light already given. The life is to be fashioned after God's standard rather than merely hearing theories, and Christ's spirit is to be brought into dealings with others. Those who claim to follow Christ need not more light but increased genuine faith cooperating with God, and when the receiver thus walks, the light becomes life and power to him, his heart is filled with joy, and his example reflects light to others in good works instead of leaving imperfect witness. This obedient seeking separates the pure grain and wheat of truth from the chaff of error, human inventions, and misrepresented divine commands.
Each person must search for self with heart and mind fully engaged, digging daily for light as for hidden treasure instead of being content with a cheap level. No one is to depend on any person to be brains for them, to search the Scriptures for them, or to manufacture their thought, but is to ask God for help, entrust the mind to the Lord, and open the heart to the Holy Spirit rather than relying on personal cleverness or inventions. Passages are not to be selected to support personal opinions or to suit opinions, but the Scriptures are to be received as God's Word for themselves. The truths found by that personal searching give strength to stand in the day of God, improve and strengthen the mind according to the food given it, increase ability and spiritual comprehension, make fullest use of God-given time and opportunities, and enable bearing testimony in whatever employment is engaged, so that words, deportment, temper, and character express the daily work of character building in following on to know the Lord.
Searching requires meekness and humility, with a softened and subdued heart enlightened by the Spirit, and truth taught as it is in Jesus then has far greater power to convert hearts. The pursuit must preserve harmony and cooperation without compromising any principle of truth, in perfect adherence to the Word in unity rather than selfish superiority. The Bible student is not to devote time to rebellion, evil speaking, and false representations, nor to introduce or promote new, conflicting opinions in ways that foster strife, undermine harmony, and distract from practical godliness.
Promises to Seekers
Earnest seeking as for silver and hidden treasure, inclining the ear to wisdom and applying the heart to understanding, leads to understanding reverence for the Lord and finding the knowledge of God. It brings understanding of righteousness and justice and equity and every good path, with wisdom entering the heart, knowledge becoming pleasant to the soul, and discretion and understanding watching over and keeping the seeker. Wisdom so gained is to be put to practical use as food that nourishes and stimulates spiritual life rather than mere acquaintance with facts and theories, is valued above gold and silver, and is learned morning by morning in the school of Christ by following on to know the Lord, weighing carefully all sides of a question and stepping firmly by faith instead of standing in a negative waiting position to speak a word in season to the weary. Such seeking expresses a real felt need for the blessings sought in prayer, gives an experience that does not wash out in summer heat but stands the test of trial, gives standing place through constant perseverance in the right direction, brings success and victory in cooperation with Christ, and keeps from following impulsive conjectures. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy is everyone who retains her.
Those who search in this way with whole-hearted earnestness, close investigation, prayer, a will to do, and faith to look for results will be rewarded because Christ quickens the understanding. Sharp, clear perceptions of truth never reward indolence and no half-hearted, indifferent work avails, for the treasures of truth are found only by earnest, patient, persevering toil like a miner digging for treasure hidden in the earth, requiring not merely reading but study. Careful investigation of every point, comparing Scripture with Scripture, uncovers errors and precious truths, for Christ opens the treasures of the Old Testament and separates truth from superstition, error, and human invention. Revelation is not creating or inventing something new but manifesting what was unknown, and the great and eternal truths contained in the gospel are made known to the humble searcher led by a divine Teacher through diligent searching and humbling of self before God. By the guidance and impartation of the Holy Spirit into all truth the Word is understood with most certain and efficient knowledge, the Lord opens the understanding of the true seeker, the Holy Spirit enables the mind to grasp the facts of revelation and brings all things to remembrance, divine light communicates with the soul and the light of heaven shines upon those who ask God for help and advance from light to clearer light.
Studious searching reveals increasingly bright and precious truths, opening the eyes to behold the genuine treasure, causing the mind to lay hold upon the glories of a better world and the soul to long after the excellence of Christ Jesus, while without advancing in this search people may perceive only shadows or a few sparks of the light. Diligent digging develops the mind in proportion to the labor and fills it as a treasure-house of knowledge, sharpening and polishing ministers so they can explain the Scriptures acceptably before educated people instead of revealing mental deficiency. Earnest thought and diligent study of the Bible stores the mind with most valuable knowledge, strengthening and expanding the mental powers and giving a true estimate of eternal things, with the divine precepts so found to be brought into daily life and the life fashioned after God's great standard of righteousness so the whole character is strengthened and ennobled. This search rewards the seeker at every turn, with each discovery opening richer fields for investigation and bringing the rich blessings God desires to bestow, with the richest treasures of thought waiting for the skillful and diligent student.
What a person contemplates changes him, for by a law of the mind it narrows or expands to the dimensions of the things with which it becomes familiar, so attention to commonplace thoughts and affairs makes a person commonplace, and negligent contentment with superficial understanding forfeits blessing and surely contracts the mental powers until they lose ability to grasp deep meanings, while diligent searching enlarges the mind and preserves its power to grasp deep meanings. Truth is like precious metal concealed in hills and mountains, whose gems must be searched out as diligently as perishing gold is sought for celestial gold by thought and prayerful research rather than skimming the surface, then stored in the mind for future use, with earnest desire to learn bringing God breathing His Spirit into the heart and impressing the mind with the light of His word. The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another, and comparing scriptures on the same subjects reveals beauty and harmony never before seen. Such study strengthens and enlarges, elevates and ennobles the mind, imparts new vigor, and expands its power through contact with deep subjects and prayer for understanding, while dealing only with commonplace subjects and light reading narrows the mind, fills it with rubbish, makes God's word uninteresting, and leaves one unwise in the Scriptures and not thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The wisdom in God's word is unquestionable and inexhaustible because it comes from the infinite mind, not the finite mind, yet much of what God has revealed stays dark because the jewels of truth lie buried under the rubbish of human wisdom and tradition and to many stay hidden because they are not searched for with earnest perseverance until the golden precepts are understood. The word must be searched in this way in order to purify those who receive it and to prepare them to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. The great truths for the present time, found through that search, anchor God's people amid the dangers of the last days and give strength to stand in the day of God. Searching for truth as for hidden treasure enriches the mind with the highest of all knowledge, and when teachers and students cherish the right spirit they have special grace from God, enough for each and enough continually, and the Bible becomes the lesson-book God designed it to be, giving clear conceptions to those who strive to grasp its grand and glorious truths. Such searching sheds a flood of light on the problem of human life and shows how men and women can be sanctified through belief of the truth as it is in Jesus, for sanctification does not close the avenues of the soul to knowledge but expands the mind and inspires it to search for truth as for hidden treasure.
Vigorous day-by-day and hour-by-hour self-denial and inner sanctification causes outward works to testify that Jesus abides in the heart by faith, and growing knowledge of God's will advances sanctification as believers earnestly strive to reach heaven. Careful research and prayerful reflection uncover truths of great value that a careless seeker does not see, and pondering those truths in the heart brings life. Beholding Christ as personal Saviour in diligent search by studying Christ's life as given in His Word with the earnest effort used to find buried wealth, fixing the eyes upon Christ, gives boldness to approach the throne of grace and changes the beholder, morally assimilating him to One perfect in character through receiving His imputed righteousness by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that the image of Christ is cherished and captivates the whole being. The knowledge of God is a precious treasure, the pearl of great price, which is wisdom, sanctification, and eternal life, and those who seek it with the diligence used to search for silver or hidden treasure will not be disappointed. Truth is to be sought as hidden treasure by eating and drinking the Word of God, and the Word is spirit and life that brings comfort and encouragement to every soul who seeks in this way. Those who seek truth in Scripture with earnest and persistent diligence as for silver and hidden treasure are less likely to be prejudiced against its teaching.
History and Prophecy
After the passing of the time in 1844, keen, noble, true believers lived out the command to seek as for silver and hidden treasure by meeting together to study the Word and pray earnestly for light, feeling their need to know God's truth. They often remained together until late at night and sometimes through the entire night, with fasting and prayer until power came upon them, studying point by point until the leading points of faith were firmly established and clearly defined. Clear explanation of the passages studied was then given with instruction on the position to take regarding truth and duty, so that all came into harmony and unity, united in the truth and unafraid to meet strange doctrines. The pioneers labored step by step in this way to lay the foundation of the work, seeking to understand the meaning of Scripture and the truths about Christ, His mission and His priesthood. The golden treasures of the Word found by such searching were the old landmarks, searched out and then proclaimed to the world under demonstration of the Holy Spirit, with many wonderful miracles worked in the searching and the treasures substantiated by remarkable demonstration that opened the Bible to understanding.
That search uncovered most precious and essential truth for this time to be presented and preserved, which those who have had an experience in this work deny only at peril of sin against the Holy Ghost. It was a straight chain of Bible truth of heavenly origin, clear and connected, extending in a line to entrance into the city of God. It comprised Christ, His mission and priesthood, the commandments of God and the faith and testimony of Jesus, the first, second and third angels' messages, the old landmarks, the Sabbath question, that man is not immortal and the nature of man, and the testimony of Jesus. Such truth disciplines and fits up God's people and establishes them together out from the world upon one exalted platform of faith unto unity of faith. Understood truth proves as an anchor to hold God's people in these perilous times while the mass of mankind despise God's Word and prefer fables, and earnest searching for it is the only safety now against Satan's control and deception.
The same seeking is shown in Daniel, who though aged, with life spent amid the fascinations of a heathen court and mind burdened with affairs of a great empire, turned aside from all to afflict his soul before God and seek knowledge of the purposes of the Most High, in answer to which light from the heavenly courts was given for those who should live in the latter days. It is shown in the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily, diligently like miners seeking precious metal and buried wealth in the mines of truth, testing every claim to faith, holiness and perfection by the law and the testimony and rejecting all teaching that does not speak according to that word because there is no light in it, thereby exposing false prophets and self-made, self-righteous standards that tear down the true standard of righteousness. It is shown in Luther, who came into possession of the truth that waked up the Reformation by searching the word of truth as for hidden treasures as a man of humility and prayer, becoming mighty in the Scriptures and a living channel of light and truth as he read and prayed and prayed and read. That lesson is of vital importance to those called to present solemn truths for this time, because these truths will stir the enmity of Satan and of men who love his fables, and conflict with the powers of hell requires something more than intellect and human wisdom. It is also shown in unlearned disciples who astonished rabbis, in the Waldenses refusing Rome's faith, in hungering souls outside the church, in women whose hearts are softened by the Spirit, in temperance workers whose experience and education prepare them to receive truth, and in the first class of hearers at meetings who search with earnest persistent effort.
Truth in God's Word found by such diligence is great present truth that anchors God's people amid the dangers of the last days and gives strength to stand in the day of God. Those moved by the Spirit of God to seek truth are providentially guided to the Holy Scriptures, study the sacred pages with intense interest, are willing to accept light at any cost, perceive many long-buried truths even without seeing all things clearly, and go forth as Heaven-sent messengers to break chains of error and superstition and call the long enslaved to arise and assert liberty, proving God had not suffered His Word to be wholly destroyed and its truths were not to be forever hidden. Every new link in the chain of truth so gained through earnest prayer for light and knowledge, with prayers and tears, through trial and opposition, is as precious as tried gold, dug out of the rubbish of superstition and error, valued for what it cost to obtain and given to others as precious pearls of priceless value. The Word is plain to all who study with a prayerful heart, and every truly honest soul so seeking will come to the light of truth, and no church can advance in holiness unless its members so seek. Those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice do not so esteem the heavenly inheritance to be gained by eager whole-hearted effort putting all powers to best account; they are self-deceived with perplexed troubled minds, choked by cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things so the word becomes unfruitful, without excuse, with light waning until they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure, while the mind of the diligent seeker is illuminated with heaven's light and fitted for immortality.
Living the Search
Ministers and mission workers are to dig personally for truth as for buried treasure, praying, believing and pleading with God for constant enlightenment rather than depending on any person to search for them, to be brains for them, or to manufacture their discourses. Searching with earnest, zealous effort like a miner after golden treasure, with prayer and tears through trial and opposition, they are to use time and ability to gain a store of knowledge from the sacred Word, opening the heart to the impressions of the Holy Spirit while searching, praying and thinking, so that preaching has freshness of thought with sweet spirit and power instead of dry, oft-repeated matter. That diligent searching develops the mind in proportion to the labor expended and fills it as a treasure-house of knowledge, sharpening and polishing workers so they can weigh arguments, explain the Scriptures acceptably even before educated people instead of revealing mental deficiency, and reach people in both common and higher classes. Those about to enter mission fields must feel as apprentices learning the trade, making Bible study of primary importance, chaining the mind to the point and tasking it to the utmost to comprehend truth in all its bearings, with systematic training of mind and manners to approach people with tact and courtesy and with the Spirit of Christ, never ceasing to be learners in order to become first-class workers who continually dig for truth and for the best ways of laboring for conversion of souls like buried gold. Every new link in the chain of truth thus dug out of the rubbish of superstition and error, counted at what it cost to obtain, is as precious as tried gold, and the links united make a perfect, clear, harmonious whole to be presented as precious pearls of priceless value with a real sense of the words uttered and appreciation of their value, carrying the living energy of experimental godliness to awaken those lying deep in sin and error and to warn the world of its coming doom, which those who merely speak theory fluently without such search do not possess.
Teachers, students and schools are to make God's Word the first and main study, ever digging as for hidden treasure and never ceasing to be students lest the mind settle at a common, low standard. When teachers and students cherish the right spirit they receive special grace from God, enough for each and enough continually, and the Bible becomes the lesson-book designed to give clear conceptions to those striving to grasp its grand and glorious truths, enriching the mind with the highest of all knowledge, shedding a flood of light on the problem of human life and showing how men and women can be sanctified through belief of the truth as it is in Jesus. Sabbath-school teachers must hunger and thirst for divine truth themselves in order to impart that spirit and lead pupils to seek in the same way, searching to know doctrine in order to do the will, putting all entrusted ability to the task with diligent prayer and fervent, simple, whole-hearted service, giving more attention to seeking God for the Spirit to soften and mould hearts of teachers and pupils than to mechanical arrangements, high pretensions and outward forms that make hypocrites and cannot advance true religion. Continual digging develops the intellect to reach higher and still higher attainments by daily use of the living machinery of the mind, constantly gathering knowledge with increased power to glorify God and fitness to do great and good works and to guide others to salvation, making men of influence not for selfish ambition but for Christ's sake to reveal the power of truth upon the intellect, with literary talent appreciated only when not idolized and without striving for vainglory to exalt self. Schools are to be planned to qualify every scholar to become acquainted with truth by seeking the Lord with all the heart as for hidden treasure, and every worker must so seek in order to perfect Christian character.
Even the one who holds the plow and drives oxen, who plants and sows, can gain wisdom by diligently seeking and searching for it as for silver and hidden treasure. God Himself instructs such a worker to discretion and teaches him, and this coming from the Lord of hosts is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working and in wisdom. As He taught Adam and Eve in Eden how to tend the garden, He still desires to instruct men today who hold the plow and plant and sow, and the earth has concealed treasures for them to find. Farmers need far more intelligence and must constantly learn with intelligence how to secure a variety and varied treasures from the earth and depend as far as possible on what the soil yields, and in every phase of that labor the mind is educated to work for the saving of souls for whom Christ died, with reasoning powers given to be used in physical work and with stronger minds and purer hearts to interpret eternal mysteries for the earnest seeker. Before those who trust and obey Him, God will open ways of advance and supply needs according to the riches of His goodness as they move forward courageously.
Parents carry responsibility to seek light and truth to educate and train children to be true and faithful to God, educating them in truths found in Scripture rather than resting in surface work, contentment with supposition, indolence, or taking the sayings of others for truth. Man's inventions cannot take the place of this personal search because they are unreliable and dangerous, placing man where God should be and placing sayings of men where a Thus saith the Lord should be, so the Word is to be studied with diligent, earnest labor like digging until truth is within personal possession as an inexhaustible treasure. Young people taught to seek truth earnestly with persistence and care as for hidden treasure, while loving God supremely and neighbors as themselves, will go out to work earnestly for Christ. Digging together for gems of truth as for hidden treasures, with Bible truth sought and stored in the mind as of highest value for spiritual development, done together by husband, wife and daughter, blesses each and does a practical and thorough work for them, with Christ as the great fountainhead from whom all wisdom flows. God's people are to dig deeply into the Word to uncover precious truths that have remained hidden and bring them to others as spiritual food, clinging to the Word and joining study with prayer and watchfulness so that perception is clear and sanctified to discern claims considered in council meetings.
All seekers are to search the Scriptures continually as for hidden treasure, refusing to rest satisfied with little knowledge already gained, letting no moment go unimproved while digging for precious gems, growing acquainted with the reasons of faith in order to give light to others and praying for wisdom to present truth to others in a clear, connected manner. They are to gather up the divine rays of light left by patriarchs, prophets and apostles as hereditary trusts and continue to seek further, pressing closer to the light and upward, with reasoning faculties and capacity increasing as God-given talents are improved, letting light gained shine forth in clear and steady rays to make Christ known and to warn souls lest they make shipwreck of faith. Truth so valued and obtained at cost through earnest prayer for light and knowledge with prayers and tears through trial and opposition yields every new link as precious as tried gold dug out of rubbish of superstition and error to be given to others as precious pearls of priceless value. Seeking with eager, whole-hearted effort and putting all powers to the best account illuminates the mind with heaven's light and fits for immortality and the heavenly inheritance esteemed enough to sacrifice earthly possessions for it, while those who cling to earthly riches and will make no sacrifice do not so esteem it but are self-deceived like the young man who would keep the commandments yet lacked one thing and loved possessions more, with perplexed and troubled minds choked by cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things so the word becomes unfruitful, without excuse, with light waning until it goes out and they grope in darkness and lose the heavenly treasure.