Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 23. (6/13/1878)

Signs of the Times

Jun 13, 1878

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 13, 1878

IN THE JUDGMENT HALL.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

The look of Christ conveyed volumes to the repentant Peter. He read in that glance sorrow, love and pardon. A tide of memories rushed over him. He remembered the Saviour's tender mercy, his kindness and long-suffering, the patience with which he dealt with his followers. He remembered the caution of Jesus to him: "Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." He reflected with horror upon his base ingratitude, his falsehood and perjury. He looked once more at his Master, and saw a sacrilegious hand raised to smite him in the face. Unable to longer endure the scene, he rushed, heart broken from the hall.

He pressed on in solitude and darkness, he knew and cared not whither. At last he found himself in the garden of Gethsemane, where a short time before he had slept while the Saviour wrestled with the powers of darkness. The suffering face of his Lord, stained with bloody sweat and convulsed with anguish, rose before him. He remembered with bitter remorse that Jesus had wept and agonized in prayer alone, while those who should have sustained him in that trying hour were sleeping. He remembered his solemn charge: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." The scene of a few short hours before came vividly to his mind. He witnessed again the tears and groans of Jesus. It was torture to his bleeding heart to know that he had added the heaviest burden to the Saviour's humiliation and grief. He fell prostrate upon the very spot where his Lord had sunk beneath his inexpressible weight of woe.

Peter's first mistake was in sleeping when Christ had bidden him to watch and pray. At the most critical moment, when the Son of God was in need of his sympathy and heartfelt prayers, he was incapable of giving them to him. The disciples lost much by sleeping; Jesus designed to fortify them for the severe test of faith to which they were to be subjected. If they had spent that mournful period in the garden in watching with the dear Saviour, and in prayer to God, Peter would not have been left to depend upon his own feeble strength; he would not have denied his Lord.

This important night-watch should have been spent by his disciples in noble mental struggles and prayers, which would have brought them strength to witness the terrible agony of the Son of God. It would have prepared them, as they should behold his sufferings upon the cross, to understand in some degree the nature of the overpowering anguish which he endured. They would then have been better able to recall the words he had spoken to them in reference to his sufferings, death, and resurrection; and amid the gloom of that trying hour some rays of hope would have lighted up the darkness, and sustained their faith. Christ had told them before that these things would take place. He knew the power which the prince of darkness would use to paralyze the senses of his disciples when they should be watching and praying.

The disciple John, upon entering the judgment hall, did not try to conceal the fact that he was one of the followers of Jesus. He did not mingle with the rough company that were insulting and mocking his Master. He was not questioned for he did not assume a false character and thus lay himself liable to suspicion. He sought a retired corner secure from observation of the mob, but as near Jesus as it was possible for him to be. In this place he could hear and see all that transpired at the trial of his Lord.

If Peter had been called to fight for his Master, he would have proved a bold and courageous soldier; but he became a coward when the finger of scorn was pointed at him. Many who do not hesitate to engage in active warfare for the Lord, are driven to deny their faith through the ridicule of their enemies. They place themselves in the way of temptation by associating with those whom they should avoid. They thus invite the enemy to tempt them, and are led to do and say that which they would never have been guilty of under other circumstances. The disciple of Christ, who, in our day, disguises his faith through dread of suffering or reproach, denies his Lord as virtually as did Peter in the judgment hall. There are always those who boast of their freedom of thought and action, and laugh at the scruples of the conscientious who fear to do wrong. Yet if those righteous persons are persuaded to yield their faith, they are despised by the very ones who were Satan's agents to tempt them to their ruin.

Peter, however, as well as John, witnessed much of the mock trial of Jesus. It was necessary that there should be a pretense of legal trial; but great secrecy was maintained lest the people should obtain information of what was being done, and come forward with their testimony in vindication of Jesus, bringing to light the mighty works which he had done. This would bring the indignation of the people upon the Sanhedrim; their acts would be condemned and brought to naught; and Jesus would be liberated and receive new honor at the hands of the people.

While the members of the Sanhedrim council were being called together, Annas and Caiaphas the priest questioned Jesus, with the purpose of provoking him to make some statement which they could use to his disadvantage. They brought two charges against him, by one or both of which they meant to effect his condemnation. One was that he was a disturber of the peace, the leader of a rebellion. If this charge could be verified he would be condemned by the Roman authorities. The other charge was that he was a blasphemer. This, if proved true, would secure his condemnation among the Jews.

The high priest questioned Jesus concerning his doctrine, and the disciples who believed in him. Jesus answered briefly: "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in the secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them; behold, they know what I said."

Jesus was well aware that his questioner designed to draw some statement from him which should awaken the joys of the Roman authorities that he was seeking to establish a secret society with the purpose of finally setting up a new kingdom. He therefore plainly stated to Annas that he had no secrets in regard to his purpose or doctrines. Turning upon his interrogator he said with startling emphasis, "Why askest, thou me?" Had not the priests and rulers set spies to watch his movements and report his every word? Had they not been present at every gathering of the people, and carried information of all his sayings and doings on these occasions to the priests? "Ask them that heard me, what I have said," replied Jesus; and his words were a rebuke to Annas, who had hunted him for months, striving to entrap him, and to bring him before a secret tribunal, in which the people could have no voice, that he might obtain by perjury what it was impossible to gain by fair means.

The words of Jesus were so close and pointed that the high priest felt that his very soul was being read by his prisoner. Though Annas was filled with hatred against Jesus at these words, he disguised it until a more fitting opportunity presented itself of giving vent to his malice and jealousy. But one of the servants of the high priest, assuming that his master was not treated with due respect, struck Jesus in the face, saying, "Answerest thou the high priest so?" To this insulting question and blow, Jesus mildly returned, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?"

The Majesty of heaven might have summoned to his aid legions of loyal angels to protect him against the malignity of his enemies; but it was his mission, in the character of humanity, meekly to endure taunts and stripes, leaving an example of patient forbearance to the children of men. Those into whose power Jesus had fallen had no respect for this sublime forbearance. The fact that he was a passive captive in their hands was the signal for them to wreak upon him the basest insults which their corrupt hearts could invent.

When the council was fully assembled in the judgment hall, Caiaphas took his position as presiding officer. This man had ever regarded Jesus as his rival. The combined simplicity and eloquence of the Saviour had attracted large crowds to listen to his teachings, which contained wisdom such as they had never heard from the lips of priests or scribes. The anxiety of the people to hear Jesus, and their readiness to accept his doctrines, had roused the bitter jealousy of the high priest.

Jesus stood calm and serene before the high priest, while the eyes of the multitude were upon him, and the wildest excitement prevailed around. For a moment Caiaphas looked upon the captive, struck with a sudden admiration for his dignified bearing. A conviction came over him that this man was akin to God. The next instant he banished the thought, scorning the suggestions of his own mind. Immediately, his voice was heard in sneering, haughty tones, requesting Jesus to work before him one of those mighty miracles which had given him such fame among the people; but his words fell upon the ears of the Saviour as though he heard them not.

The people involuntarily compared the excited and malignant deportment of Annas and Caiaphas with the calm, majestic bearing of Jesus. A holy influence seemed to emanate from the Saviour and pervade the atmosphere surrounding him. The question arose even in the minds of the hardened multitude present, Is this man of Godlike presence to be sentenced as a common criminal? Caiaphas, perceiving the influence that was obtaining, hastened the trial. He took his position on the throne of judgment, while Jesus stood at its foot. On either side were the judges and those specially interested in the trial. The Roman soldiers were ranged on the platform, below the throne.

The high priest arose in his gorgeous robe, with glittering tiara and costly breastplate, upon which, in former days, the light of God's glory had often flashed. In strong contrast with this display were the coarse habiliments of Jesus. And yet he who was clad in homely garb had reigned in the courts of heaven, crowned, and with garments of brightness, attended by holy angels. Yet there he stood at the foot of an earthly throne to be tried for his life.

The priests and rulers had decided in counsel together that Jesus must be condemned, whether or not they could furnish evidence of his guilt. It was necessary to bring charges against him which would be regarded as criminal by the Roman power or they could legally effect nothing against him. His accusers could find plenty who would testify that he had denounced the priests and scribes; that he had called them hypocrites and murderers; but this would weigh nothing with the Romans, who were themselves disgusted with the pretension of the Pharisees. Such testimony would also weigh nothing with the Sadducees; for in their sharp contentions with the Pharisees, they had used to them language of the same import. His accusers were anxious to avoid raising the opposition of the Sadducees against the Pharisees; for if the two parties fell to contending among themselves, Jesus would be likely to escape from their hands.

They could secure abundant evidence that Jesus had disregarded their traditions, and spoken irreverently of many of their ordinances; but such evidence was of no value, as it would have no weight with either the Romans or Sadducees. They dared not accuse him of Sabbath-breaking for fear an examination would reveal what had been the character of his work upon that day. In that event his miracles wrought to heal the afflicted would be brought to light, and defeat the very object they wished to gain.

What Shall I Do To Be Saved?

By Cuyler

"MEN and brethren, what shall we do?" This was the eager question of a large company of people at Jerusalem who were "pricked to the heart." Their consciences were aroused under plain preaching to them as sinners who had "crucified and slain" the Messiah. They felt keenly. But the apostle Peter did not stop to commend them for feeling so tenderly, or to exhort them to deepen their emotions. He endeavored to lift the whole matter of their salvation out of the vapory region of emotion, and to base it on the solid ground of principle.

It is a sad mischief to thousands in our congregations that they feel so much and do so little. They melt under eloquent preaching, perhaps shed tears. (So they do over a pathetic novel.) Their consciences are touched. They make good resolutions, and then go home, and straitway forget what manner of persons they have been. This is a most dangerous and damaging process. My friend, do n't you know that to weep over sin, and then not to quit the sin—to have a good feeling, and not to carry it out into practice—does you a most serious harm? It is a wrong upon the Holy Spirit, and a most terrible wrong to yourself. It hardens your heart most fearfully. The most difficult persons in our congregations to deal with are those emotional people who have wept and resolved a hundred times, and yet have never lifted a finger to obey Christ. I am afraid that their tears in this world are but a prelude to bitterer tears in perdition. Hell is full of weepers. Even Satan himself may be wrung with intense and inconceivable anguish. It is well to feel. But it is not enough to feel. An ounce of faith is worth a ton of feeling.

But what answer does Peter make to his awakened and anxious auditors? Does he tell them that they have no natural ability to do their duty? Does he address them as "poor sinners," more to be pitied than to be blamed. Does he offer to pray for them, and thus lead them to cling to him, instead of clinging to the Saviour? Does he urge them to take to good reading, or even to come often and hear him preach the gospel? No, indeed! All such inventions and devices he leaves to modern pretenders and false guides in divinity. His auditors demanded to know what they should do; and he gives them at once a piece of work—of thorough work for the heart and the daily life. He knows that sinners must "work out their own salvation," even while God was "working in them to will, and to do of his good pleasure."

Peter's answer to their question begins with one short word, that flashes like a saber, and cuts like a saber too: "Repent!" "Oh! but," they might say, "we are penitent; we feel sorely; we are pierced to the heart." Very true. But feeling keenly is not always repentance. For, if so, then every inebriate would be repentant; no man suffers keener self-loathing and misery than does a drunkard while he is sober. Repentance is an infinitely deeper thing than sorrow, or suffering, or dread of a wrath to come. It is the taking a right view of sin as sinful, and then quitting it. I look at a glass of exhilarating drink which I hold in my hand, and say to myself: "That is a poison. It has an adder in it; it is death!" and then I drop it in a moment. That is a genuine repentance of the sin of tippling; and it is the only kind of repentance that can save an inebriate. God's grace may be operating upon the inebriate; but still he must renounce the fatal cup of his own accord and for himself. The fact that God's Spirit awakens repentance and promotes repentance in a sinner's heart does not alter one whit that other fact that repentance must be your own act. You must forsake your sins voluntarily. There is no merit in a Tweed's giving up the practice of plundering when he has no longer the power to plunder. If you only give up wrong-doing reluctantly, and then hanker after your sinful practices again, that is not repentance. Evangelical repentance implies change of mind, change of purpose, change of conduct. We repeat once more that it is a taking of a right view of all sin as utterly wicked, and then quitting it. My friend, have you done this? Then you have put your foot on the first round of the ladder that leads upward and Heavenward.

2. Another vital point is unconditional submission to God. When a certain commander of a conquered fort inquired of his conqueror on what terms the fortress should be given up, the memorable reply was: "Unconditional surrender." If you are a sinner, then your heart is a rebel fortress. It must be yielded to the Lord; yielded entirely and yielded without any conditions on your side. Do not stop to bargain with God. Put in no selfish demands. Saul of Tarsus yielded up every point when he cried out from the ground: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" An intelligent woman, who had been in deep distress for many weeks, finally said: "Peace with God I know nothing about; but I have done quarreling with him. I am justly condemned. I have resolved to submit to God, and serve him, and do all the good I can as long as I live; and then go to hell as I deserve." Her pastor quietly replied: "You will find it hard work to get to hell in that way." He said no more. The frank, honest-hearted woman soon found that her calm, willing submission to God—her willingness that God should reign while she patiently did her duty—was bringing her abiding peace and strength. She became a strong, consistent Christian. Her will yielded to God's will. To know the will of the Lord Jesus, and to do it in his strength, is the very core of true religion.

Especially I entreat you not to demand of God the ready pay of "comfort" and "joy." Don't stop to think about happiness. A wounded soldier must not expect any comfort until the bullet has been extracted. When the festering rifle-ball is out, he will feel better and get well. So, when the festering sin comes out of your heart, and all the wicked enmity to God, you will find true comfort; but not before. Do not be selfishly greedy of enjoyment. Paul was perfectly content to suffer hunger, and weariness, imprisonment and death, for Jesus' sake. He was not everlastingly begging to be "happy, happy, happy," like certain watery professors now-a-days. To do Christ's will and to save souls was his joy and crown.

3. Peter did not stop with preaching repentance of sin. He pointed to Christ, and enjoined immediate confession of the Lord Jesus. To quit sin and to follow the divine Saviour, was the sum and substance of the duty which Peter laid upon those anxious inquirers. This, too, is your duty. Begin at once to do the first thing which Christ bids you. At whatever point Christ is pressing you, yield! Obey! When you yield even one single point to please Christ the change is begun. When you yield one point from principle, you will be ready to yield all. To be willing to trust in Christ and to go with Christ is to be a converted man or woman. When you consent to obey Christ, and to do this at all hazards, and cost what it will, you are a Christian. As to raptures and ecstasies, it will be time enough to look for them when you get into heaven.

In these plain, practical counsels I have said nothing about prayer. For, if you are trying to do what the word of God and the Holy Spirit commands you, it must inevitably lead you to pray fervently. And, unless you actually do what the Lord requires of you, all the prayer in the universe cannot save your soul.—Cuyler.

My Saviour.

My Saviour! what a theme for mortal tongue! For never yet hath burning spirit flung O'er thrilling chord his rapture-waking hands, To theme so great, 'mid Heaven's seraphic bands. Through the long silence of eternal night, Thou wast, enthroned in uncreated light; Thyself a universe—thyself thine all! And when, of thy mere goodness, thou didst call Angelic worlds around thee, sweetly rolled Their strains o'er harps of pure ethereal gold. They sung thee, God—Creation's fount and end, Their Sovereign, Benefactor, Lord, and Friend. Their Holy, holy, holy, pealed around, Deep echoing through immensity's profound; Yet none among their shining hosts of light, E'er hailed thee Saviour! that supreme delight Reserved for guilty man—for guilty me— To sing through time and through eternity. —Sel.

WHY NOT FOUND OUT BEFORE.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

WHEN we have clearly shown by the plainest teachings of the Bible that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and should be kept, Sunday-keepers say, "If this is so why was it not found out before?" And because many pious and learned men have lived and died without seeing or keeping it, therefore they argue that it cannot be right. The answer to this is short and easy: First, such reasoning judges the Bible by the opinions and actions of poor fallible men. Instead of reading the Bible, to learn what men ought to do, they go to what men have done, to learn what the Bible ought to mean. Secondly, this objection has always been made against every reformation in religion. The Pharisees urged it against Christ. Matt. 15:1-9; the Jews against the apostles. Acts 6:14; the Catholics against Luther; and the priests against Wesley. On this principle, we must never learn anything our Fathers did not know.

God's truth is always progressive—new truths being brought out and old truths revived in different ages as the circumstances may require. From Adam to the apostles it was continually an apostasy and then a reformation, an apostasy and then a reformation. To each generation God gave some additional light and truth which he had not given before. In many cases the people were brought back to doctrines and truths which had been lost sight of for generations; so of the Sabbath. In the providence of God, the time has now come when light is being given, and a reformation is being wrought upon this subject.

It was foretold in prophecy that the man of sin, the Papacy, would change God's Sabbath and enforce that change for 1260 years. This is the reason it was not found out before. It could not be till those days were fulfilled. (In this brief article only the shortest quotations can be given, and the briefest explanations made. We ask the reader to open the Bible and read the passages cited.) In Dan. 7 we have the prophecy of the four kingdoms. It is universally agreed that the last of these represents Rome; and the blasphemous horn, the papacy, or Catholic power. Verse 25 says, "And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." How exactly the popes have fulfilled all this! They have spoken against God by claiming the titles and attributes of God; as, "the holy father," "Lord God the pope," etc. They claim to be infallible. They have worn out God's saints by persecuting and slaying 75,000,000 of them. But he was also to "think to change times and laws." Whose laws and times? Those of the Most High; for it is against God that the beast makes war. Then all human laws are constantly changing anyway, so it would be nothing remarkable that these should be changed. But that a man should think to change the law and the times of God would be remarkable. Beyond doubt, then it refers to God's law and God's holy time.

Looking into the Bible, we find that God gave his holy law, the ten commandments, from Sinai with his own voice, and engraved it on stone with his own finger. Ex. 19 and 20. This he declared to be his law. Ex. 24:12. What part of this law was the pope to think to change? That relating to time. Is there any precept in that law relating to time? Just one, and only one—the Sabbath. The other commandments say nothing about time, while this relates to nothing else. "Six days shalt thou labor . . . but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord." Time is the very soul and heart of this commandment. Time is inseparably connected with it, so that to change the commandment would be to change the time. Neither could you change the time without changing the law. The prophecy said the pope should think to change God's laws and times. But God's law relates to no time but the weekly Sabbath. Hence we have here the most explicit prediction that the papacy was to change the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Seldom is any prophecy so plain as this.

Now we ask, Has the pope changed the Sabbath? Yes, emphatically; and the proof is abundant. 1. The law plainly says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath." Ex. 20:8-11. 2. The New Testament is entirely silent about any change of the Sabbath by Christ or the apostles. Indeed, it shows that they did not change it. 3. But coming down this side of the Papacy, we find that some one has changed the Sabbath, for the Catholics and most Protestants now keep the first day, and not the seventh as the law requires. 4. History shows that the popes did make this change of the Sabbath. See History of the Sabbath, by Andrews. 5. The Catholics confess that they did it. Listen to the following from the two popish catechisms:—

"QUES. Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals or precepts?

"ANS. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her, she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."—Doctrinal Catechism, p. 101.

"QUES. How prove you that the church hath power to institute feasts and holy days? "ANS. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of."—Abridgement of Christian Doctrine.

How could such evidence be clearer? The popes, then, did change the Sabbath according to the prophecy.

Now the prophecies just as clearly predict that this breach in the law of God will be repaired and the Sabbath restored in the last days. Thus in Dan. 7:25 above quoted, after stating that the Papacy would persecute the saints, and change times and laws, it says, "And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." That is just 1260 years. See any Commentary. They shall be given into his hand until this specified time. This is equivalent to saying that they will be taken out of his hand when that time has expired, which is near the judgment, verse 26. So even here the restoration of the Sabbath at the end of the 1260 years is strongly implied.

In Rev. 12:14 we have a prediction of the same time, times, and a half time, during which the dragon, the Roman power, persecutes the woman, the church, the same as in Daniel. When this time is up, we find a remnant people keeping all the commandments of God. Thus: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Verse 17. This is after the close of the 1200 years, the period after which the law and Sabbath were to be taken out of the pope's hand according to Dan. 7:25. What do we find here? 1. A persecuted people. 2. The remnant of the church. A remnant is the last end of anything. Hence the remnant church will be the last state of the church, or those living at the second advent. This, then, brings us to the last days. 3. But the special peculiarity of this people is that they keep the commandments of God. This certainly indicates that before that time all these commandments had not been kept, but that here a people will be raised up, who will keep them. Notice that their observance of the commandments brings upon them hatred and persecution. This plainly shows that they are keeping some one of those commandments, which is not generally kept, for people are not persecuted for doing what everybody else is doing.

Now look at the law of God. Excepting the Sabbath commandment, everybody is agreed in keeping all of the ten commandments. But let a man step out to keep the Sabbath commandment just as it reads, "the seventh day is the Sabbath," and he immediately becomes odd from everybody, and brings upon himself hatred and persecution, as we see wherever the Sabbath is agitated. This is just what the prophecy foretold. It is this day fulfilled before our eyes, in the Sabbath reform.

Another striking prediction of this reformation concerning the law of God is found in Rev. 14:9-12.

It is here stated that just preceding the second advent of Christ, to reap the harvest of the earth, verses 14-16, there will be a message given, to bring out a people for that event. Of those thus brought out it says, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12. "Here are they." Where? Just before Christ is seen coming in the clouds. Verse 14. The time, then is the same as that of the remnant in Rev. 12:17 above examined. What is the peculiarity of this people? They keep the commandments of God. This, again, is just what was said of the remnant in Chap. 12:17. In the mind of God this must be an important fact to repeat it twice in so close connection. "Here are they that keep the commandments of God" is equivalent to saying that for a long time previous, no such people had been found that it was a new return to the truth, a revival of it. "Here are they," under the last message, just before the second advent, just preceding the end, "that keep the commandments of God."

Then in the last days there will be a reformation in some way touching the commandments. It must be upon the Sabbath, for all are agreed about the balance. The other nine have been kept by God's people for ages. But through the influence of popery the Sabbath commandment has been ignorantly broken till of late. But now, just at the time mentioned in the third angel's message, Rev. 14:9-12, hundreds and thousands are turning to keep the Sabbath. The movement is wide spread and rapidly increasing. It embraces many countries and tongues. The prophecy has become fact. Take heed how you reject it.

Here again we have the reason why it was not found out before, it was reserved for the last testing message to the world.

In Ezekiel is another prophecy of the restoration of the Sabbath in the last days. First, it speaks of false teachers as neglecting to do God's work due at that time. Chap. 13:4-11. It says that a certain "gap" was to be built up, verse 5, but they refused to build it. This gap was to be made up, that the people of God might "stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Verse 5. All the scriptures locate "the day of the Lord" at the second advent. See 2 Pet. 3:10. Is there to be a battle then? Yes, and it is called "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16:14. At that time the wrath of God will be poured out in the seven last plagues, Rev. 16, the last of which will be great hailstones from heaven, verse 21. God's saints need a special preparation to stand then. Ezekiel refers to this and to the great hailstones which will fall, and says that this "gap" must be made up, that the people of God may stand at that time, but that these false teachers will not do it. They see "vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith; and the Lord hath not sent them." Verse 6. Also they cried "Peace, and there was no peace." Verse 10. In 1 Thess. 5:1-4, Paul locates this peace-and-safety cry at the second advent.

All these points show the time of which Ezekiel speaks. He says, "One built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar," verse 10. Turning now to Eze. 22, where the same subject is up again, we find that it is the violation of the Sabbath, which is referred to, and the gap is the breach made in the law of God by breaking down the Sabbath commandment. Read verses 25 to 30, and you will see that the same teachers are referred to, the "daubing with untempered mortar," the "seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken." He sought for a man to make up the hedge and "stand in the gap," and found none.

In verse 26 he throws off the figure, and plainly says it is the law of God, the Sabbath bath which they are violating. "Her priests have violated my law." Yes, even the priests are breaking the law of God. Which precept? Listen. "And have profaned mine holy things [his holy Sabbath] they have put no difference between the holy and profane, [between the Sabbath day and the secular, working days]; neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths." This is the trouble. They are violating God's law by hiding their eyes from the Sabbath, and refusing to prepare a people for the day of the Lord by building up that gap.

In Isa. 58, the same work of building up the "gap" and repairing the breach" by restoring the Sabbath is foretold. He first commands to cry aloud and not spare to show his people their sins. Verse 1. He says they are ignorantly disobeying him, for they think they are doing his will, verse 2. Among other things he says, "And they that shall be of thee [of those who cry aloud] shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairers of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." Verse 12. Here is some important reformation spoken of. Old waste places are to be built up, the foundation of many generations are to be raised up. Something that has been neglected for ages must now be restored. Those who do this work will repair "the breach." Here is that breach again of which Ezekiel spoke, the gap in God's law made by taking out the Sabbath. Also they are to restore the old paths. Some truth, then, long neglected, will be brought to light, and obeyed. It is the Sabbath, as the very next verse in which the conditions are stated, shows: "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath." God's Sabbath is being trampled in the dust. They have their feet upon it. They have had them there for "many generations." Now if they will take them off, they will be called the repairers of the breach.

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day." Yes, they are using God's day for their own pleasure. "And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable." They must cease to speak of the Sabbath as they have done. They have called it "the old Jewish Sabbath," and thought it was dishonorable. Now they must call it holy and honorable and a delight.

This prophecy does show that after the Sabbath has been neglected and trodden under foot for many generations there will be a reformation upon that subject, and the holy Sabbath will be honored again. This is just the work which Seventh-day Adventists are now doing. Will you have a part in it?

Isa. 56 also predicts the restoration of the Sabbath in the last days. In verse 1 the Lord says, "My salvation is near to come." This is when Jesus comes, Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 1:5. It is when the watchman are prophesying peace, but when destruction is right at hand, Isa. 56:9-12. At that time "Blessed is the man . . . that layeth hold on it, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it." Verse 2.

You cannot lay hold of what you already have hold of. But here a blessing is pronounced on all who will lay hold on the Sabbath and keep it at that time.

Isa. 8 contains another reference to the work of restoring the Sabbath in the last days. It speaks of the destruction coming on the wicked, verses 9-15; of those who are waiting and looking for the Lord, verse 17; of the signs, verse 18; of Spiritualism, verse 19; and it says, "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Verse 20. This directs us to go to the law of God and test men by that. In verse 16 the Lord says, "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples." The testimony is the ten commandments. See Ex. 31:18; 32:15; 34:29. This must be bound up. But we do not bind up that which is not broken. This shows that in the last days there will be a work of binding up and restoring the law of God.

"Seal the law among my disciples." Seal and sign are synonymous terms. Rom 4:11: "He receiveth the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness," etc. Here sign and seal are applied to the same thing. The Sabbath is the sign or seal of God. "I gave them my Sabbath to be a sign between me and them." Eze. 20:12. The Sabbath, as the sign of the living God, is the seal in the law of God, which shows who is its author. In tearing down the Sabbath, the papacy has taken the seal from God's law. Now the prophet says, "Seal the law among my disciples." The seal, the Sabbath, must be restored to the law while the disciples are waiting for the Lord, verses 16-18.

So in Rev. 7:1-3, just after the signs of the second advent have been given, chap. 6:12-17, an angel is seen with the seal of God preparing a people for the day of wrath. This again is the work of restoring the Sabbath. And in Jer. 6:14-19, the same work is foretold. The prophet says they are deceiving the people with the cry of "Peace, peace," when the Lord is about to destroy the land. He sent watchmen to warn them, but they would not hearken. He appeals to them to seek "for the old paths," but they would not, "because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." Verse 19.

The prophets, then, have foretold that in the last days there will be a work of reformation concerning the law of God and his holy Sabbath. The time has come, and the work has commenced. Reader, do not reject the law of God; do not hide your eyes from his holy Sabbath. D. M. CANRIGHT.

Enough in Christ

THERE is enough in Christ for you, when you have nothing in yourself.

Continue reading: The Special Work of the Spirit Attends Every Special Work of God