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BY
EDUARDO LAINEZ—writing
from Hunduras
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the book of Isaiah, chapters 51 and 52, the Lord presents a beautiful
prophecy of hope and comfort for His beloved and afflicted people
who were to pass through a long, exhausting period of anguish under
captivity by their enemies. They are called to behold and consider
their heritage through their forefather Abraham, the friend of God—a
man of a deep faith of which he was not ashamed. Abraham trusted in
God's promise to bless him in multiplying his seed to become a great
nation through the power of the Almighty, revealed to a world unacquainted
with Him and His true character of goodness and love.
The Lord
invites us to behold and consider the great privilege offered in the
following words: "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness,
ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and
to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your
father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and
blessed him, and increased him" (Isaiah 51:1, 2). The expression "I
called him alone" reveals that Abraham could offer to God no objection
or excuse when the call came to come out from his homeland and from
every familiar sight to follow the steps where divine Providence would
lead into unknown territories. He was to undertake an evangelistic
mission in behalf of an ignorant and idolatrous people, revealing
the justice, mercy, and truth of the God of heaven. "By faith Abraham,
when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went" (Hebrews 11:8).
To impress
His people with a sense of privilege and responsibility, the Lord
bids us "look unto the rock whence ye are hewn." In other words, we
must never forget that we are called to accomplish a mission similar
to that of our father Abraham. To be the children of Abraham is not
merely to make boastful claims of this calling. Rather it involves
a valiant, sacred commitment to be self-denying evangelists as Abraham
was.
It was
God's purpose that through their captivity, His beloved people would
learn important lessons which would help them seek Him with all their
heart and be more keen to achieve God's main purpose in making of
them a great nation. In the prophecy we are considering, the Lord
promises to free His people and restore them to a position whereby
they could exert a saving influence both to the surrounding nations
and the whole world. The prophecy says: "For the Lord shall comfort
Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness
like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness
shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isaiah
51:3). It is the Lord's desire that His people rejoice with gratitude
for His bountiful redemption in delivering them from their enemies,
for restoring them to be a free nation where they could enjoy peace
and tranquility without the least fear of being forcefully separated
from their dear ones, that they might worship their God in freedom.
For these blessings they were to be eager to proclaim the great things
that God had wrought in their behalf.
"A
light of the people"
In continuation
the Lord says, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, "Hearken unto
me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall
proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of
the people" (Isaiah 51:4). Clearly God is appealing to Israel to fulfill
with fidelity their role as His designated missionaries—and not
only to them anciently, but to us today as well. He is directing us
to take heed to this high calling as spiritual Israel who trust in
the present truth and His salvation in these last days, revealing
the light of truth that is to enlighten every soul on the face of
the earth.
When we
understand the grace of our Father and our Redeemer Jesus Christ,
we who believe in and accept the plan of redemption have a deep appreciation
for our deliverance from the cruel slavery of sin. We cannot refrain
from expressing in words and actions our great joy and gratitude to
our wonderful heavenly Father for providing this blessed salvation.
As we are imbued with the glorious thought of it, we go everywhere
possible to share the blessed experience we have found in knowing
our loving Shepherd.
In Isaiah
60:1–3, the Lord bids us: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness
shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord
shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And
the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness
of thy rising."
We are
living in the time of fulfillment of this prophecy; the world is enveloped
in spiritual darkness, crime and disregard of others' rights are the
order of the day. There is no civil security and people know not what
terrible thing could occur at any moment since the majority do not
fear God; they are held captive in the clutches of Satan and are impulsively
actuated by his spirit, triggering pain and heartbreak in the entire
human family.
The Spirit
of Prophecy tells us: "This is a time of spiritual darkness in the
churches of the world. Ignorance of divine things has hidden God and
the truth from view. The forces of evil are gathering in strength.
Satan flatters his coworkers that he will do a work that will captivate
the world. While partial inactivity has come upon the church, Satan
and his hosts are intensely active. The professed Christian churches
are not converting the world; for they are themselves corrupted with
selfishness and pride, and need to feel the converting power of God
in their midst before they can lead others to a purer or higher standard."1
Now more
than ever the call of God to arise and shine with the light of the
knowledge of God is of great importance, for many souls are longing
for a better way than they have known before. It is our duty to help
them by directing their feet in the pathway of truth. The most effective
way to do this is by shining as an example of loyal fidelity to the
principles of the word of God, explicitly obeying His commandments
through faith in Jesus.
In Matthew
5:16, the Lord expressed this grand truth when He said, "Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven."
"Awake,
put on thy strength"
The messages
contained in the book of Isaiah for ancient Israel resound with even
greater significance in our day: "Awake, awake; put on thy strength,
O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city:
for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised
and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down,
O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter
of Zion" (Isaiah 52:1, 2). Here we are presented with a repetition
of the call to awake from spiritual slumber that the enemy of souls
has cast upon God's people in these last days—His people who
are dwelling on the very borders of the eternal world with such a
brief time before seeing our Redeemer face to face. "And that, knowing
the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now
is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11). If
the church would not sleep, if Christ's disciples would watch and
pray, they would have the light to comprehend and discern the movements
of the enemy.
"The end
is near! God calls upon the church to set in order the things that
remain. Workers together with God, you are empowered by the Lord to
take others with you into the kingdom. You are to be God's living
agents, channels of light to the world, and round about you are angels
of heaven with their commission from Christ to sustain, strengthen,
and uphold you in working for the salvation of souls. . . .
"In view
of what might be done if the church would meet its Godgiven responsibilities,
will its members sleep on, or will they arouse to a sense of the honor
conferred upon them through the merciful providence of God? Will they
gather up their hereditary trusts, avail themselves of the present
light, and feel the necessity of rising to meet the urgent emergency
that now presents itself? Oh, that all may arouse and manifest to
the world that theirs is a living faith, that a vital issue is before
the world, that Jesus will soon come. Let men see that we believe
that we are on the borders of the eternal world."2
Another
expression which the Lord uses in these verses is: "Shake thyself
from the dust; . . . loose thyself from the bands of thy neck." To
shake oneself from the dust signifies entering into intense activity;
we can compare this perfectly to metal tools which are used to perform
various tasks. As long as the tools are being used, they stay clean
and sharp, but once they are left idle, dust covers them and they
become rusty and soon are useless for the purpose for which they were
made.
"Loose
thyself from the bands of thy neck." What are the bands that are preventing
us from doing God's work with fervor? For some it may be the cares
and temporal things of this life. Jesus bids us, "Take heed to yourselves,
lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares" (Luke
21:34). These things absorb our time. Soon days, months, and years
will pass and we have not done the work in behalf of souls within
our reach. All ends up only in good intentions, as the hope of starting
to work is left for tomorrow. And there may never be a "tomorrow."
All of a sudden the persons whom we were thinking to talk to may be
beyond our reach. Some circumstances can change their work or residence
or they can even die unexpectedly. The same could happen to us. Despite
our best intentions, through some circumstance we may never return
to see these souls, and can only lament over what we could have done
but never did.
For others,
the attraction of the world occupies the mind, and does not allow
them to have a clear discernment or comprehension of the value of
their own souls, the souls of their brethren, or of any human being
made in the image of God.
All this
hinders us from having a complete consecration to God. We are also
prevented from having a patient and persevering faith to work for
the salvation of those for whom Christ has given His life. We need
the Holy Spirit of God to move upon the depth of our heart that we
may see by faith our loving Redeemer Jesus Christ hanging on the rugged
cross in painful agony, paying the price for our guilt. Then His love
will subdue our life and it will be impossible to remain passive,
indifferent and stingy to share the gift of salvation with others
for whom Christ died.
The servant
of the Lord bids the churches in every conference to "stand out separate
and distinct from the world—in the world, but not of it, reflecting
the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, being pure, holy, and
undefiled, and in faith carrying light into all the highways and byways
of the earth.
"Let the
churches awake before it is everlastingly too late. Let every member
take up his individual work and vindicate the name of the Lord by
which he is called. Let sound faith and earnest piety take the place
of slothfulness and unbelief. When faith lays hold upon Christ, the
truth will bring delight to the soul, and the services of religion
will not be dull and uninteresting."3
The
church, a practical school
The main
purpose in the organization of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ
was to provide a means for the gospel to be carried to every corner
of the earth. With this aim, the twelve were chosen from among His
disciples, men of various characters and cultures; some of them seeming
to have but little promise or intellectual endowments. But Jesus saw
in them sincerity of heart and under His instruction they became capable
men that could be entrusted with the great work of evangelism, carrying
forth the work begun during the brief period of His ministry. In Mark
3:13, 14 we read that Christ went "up into a mountain, and calleth
unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve,
that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to
preach."
When the
word of God says "that they should be with him," it does not signify
that they were in a state of inactivity, for if they were not with
Him in constant activity, they would not have been able to learn from
their Master the most effective methods, which they should put into
practice after Christ's ascension. After instructing them, Christ
sent them to preach the gospel first to their brethren, the "lost
sheep of the house of Israel." Only then were they to go out to work
among other nations, until the gospel would be given to all the world.
In this same way the church needs to instruct its members so that
each one may occupy a place in the Lord's vineyard—each one must
be active in his or her sphere of particular missionary duty.
"Many
would be willing to work if they were taught how to begin. They need
to be instructed and encouraged.
"Every
church should be a training school for Christian workers. Its members
should be taught how to give Bible readings, how to conduct and teach
Sabbath-school classes, how best to help the poor and to care for
the sick, how to work for the unconverted. There should be schools
of health, cooking schools, and classes in various lines of Christian
help work. There should not only be teaching, but actual work under
experienced instructors. Let the teachers lead the way in working
among the people, and others, uniting with them, will learn from their
example. One example is worth more than many precepts."4
Living
water springing up unto life eternal
During
His earthly ministry Christ went to Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles
(John 7:10), a feast of seven days which brought great rejoicing to
every inhabitant in Israel. This occurred at the close of the Jewish
year shortly after the Day of Atonement when God had accepted His
people in peace. It was a commemoration of God's mercy toward them
during their pilgrim journey in the desert. Among the various ceremonies
of the feast there was one which had great significance and was the
cause of great rejoicing:
"At the
first dawn of day, the priests sounded a long, shrill blast upon their
silver trumpets, and the answering trumpets, and the glad shouts of
the people from their booths, echoing over hill and valley, welcomed
the festal day. Then the priest dipped from the flowing waters of
the Kedron a flagon of water, and, lifting it on high, while the trumpets
were sounding, he ascended the broad steps of the temple, keeping
time with the music with slow and measured tread, chanting meanwhile,
'Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem' (Psalm 122:2).
"He bore
the flagon to the altar, which occupied a central position in the
court of the priests. Here were two silver basins, with a priest standing
at each one. The flagon of water was poured into one, and a flagon
of wine into the other; and the contents of both flowed into a pipe
which communicated with the Kedron, and was conducted to the Dead
Sea."5
This entire
ceremony was performed as a reminder of the fountain of fresh water
that flowed forth from the rock by the instruction of God through
Moses, and by which all the people quenched their burning thirst.
Jesus went up to this feast and began to preach publicly in the Temple,
and the confusion was great among the multitude of hearers who could
not believe that He was the promised Messiah. Though they had marveled
at His teachings, the majority had doubts as to His claim to be the
Son of God. Yet it was He who had quenched the physical thirst of
their forefathers in the desert and now He was eager to satisfy the
spiritual thirst of many worshipers on this occasion. At the close
of this great national feast, Christ did not miss the beautiful opportunity
to present Himself clearly as the only One capable of satisfying the
spiritual thirst of the soul, for He knew that even with all the dazzling
outward pomp of the feast, many hearts were still empty and dry without
knowing where to find Him.
"In the
last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth
on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water" (John 7:37, 38). None who have received Christ with
true faith in their heart will be stagnant in their experience. Everywhere
they go they will be impressed by the Holy Spirit to testify of God's
goodness, and they will feel the desire to make known to others how
they, too, can experience this in their life. Just as the natural
waters of a river run day and night, imparting life along their course,
so every true Christian is a fountain of living water springing up
unto life eternal.
The Spirit
of Prophecy comments: "Every true disciple is born into the kingdom
of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes
a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ
in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh
all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the
water of life."6
"Those
who have united with the Lord in the covenant of service are under
bonds to unite with Him in the great, grand work of soul saving."7
An
infallible promise
Christ
received from His Father authority in heaven and on earth and, based
on this authority, He commissioned His disciples to go into all the
world to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18–20). One of the main
commands was to teach the new converts to keep all things which He
had ordained and to exemplify them in their daily life as when Jesus
was with them on earth. If they would be faithful to accomplish His
work in their personal life and do missionary work in behalf of others,
He would be with them until the end of the world. This precious promise
has refreshed and encouraged all believers in Christ even in the most
solemn stages in the history of the Christian church. This same promise
is valid in our day—when we are closer than ever to the fulfilment
of our blessed hope—and we are not alone when we work for the
salvation of others even at the peril of our life. Through the Holy
Spirit, Christ has promised to be with us and in us at every moment
and in every place.
A
necessity laid upon us
Dear brethren
and sisters, youth and children, my desire in the Lord Jesus Christ
is that during the course of this week of prayer, the Holy Spirit
may enlighten our understanding and touch the most sensitive cords
of our heart. May we comprehend the shortness of time and see our
opportunity, our privilege, our responsibility, and be active and
joyful participants in the grand missionary program of God! With the
apostle Paul we can declare, "Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing
to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if
I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have
a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is
committed unto me" (1 Corinthians 9:16, 17).
May the
heavenly unction abundantly rest upon each brother and sister in the
blessed faith of Christ Jesus; may we be recognized in heaven and
on earth as those who have learned of Jesus and are a missionary people!
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1 Testimonies,
vol. 9, p. 65.
2 Ibid., vol. 6, pp. 436, 437.
3 Ibid., p. 437.
4 The Ministry of Healing, p. 149.
5 The Desire of Ages, pp. 448, 449.
6 Ibid., p. 195.
7 Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 19.
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