The rocks were rent. For three hours the earth was shrouded in impenetrable darkness; nature with her dark robes hid the sufferings of the Son of God....

 

God designed that the Prince of sufferers in humanity should be judge of the whole world. He who came from the heavenly courts to save humanity from eternal death; He who men and women despised, rejected, and upon whom they heaped all the contempt of which human beings, inspired by Satan, are capable; He who submitted to be arraigned before an earthly tribunal, and who suffered the ignominious death of the cross—He alone is to pronounce the sentence of reward or of punishment. He who submitted to the suffering and humiliation of the cross here, in the counsel of God is to have the fullest compensation, and ascend the throne acknowledged by all the heavenly universe as the King of saints. He has undertaken the work of salvation, and shown before unfallen worlds and the heavenly family that the work He has begun He is able to complete. It is Christ who gives human beings the grace of repentance; His merits are accepted by the Father in behalf of every soul that will help to compose the family of God.

In that day of final punishment and reward, both saints and sinners will recognize in Him who was crucified the Judge of all living. Every crown that is given to the saints of the Most High will be bestowed by the hands of Christ—those hands that cruel priests and rulers condemned to be nailed to the cross. He alone can give to men and women the consolation of eternal life.

A sign in the heavens was given to the wise men of the East who were searching for Christ. To shepherds who were keeping their flocks on the hills of Bethlehem, the angel host appeared. All heaven recognized the advent of Christ. Unseen angels were present in the judgment-hall. When Christ was scourged with the cruel thongs, they could scarcely endure the sight. Angels of heaven were present at His death. The darkness that covered the earth at His crucifixion concealed the company of heaven’s powerful agencies; but the earth quaked beneath the tread of the heavenly throng. The rocks were rent. For three hours the earth was shrouded in impenetrable darkness; nature with her dark robes hid the sufferings of the Son of God.—The Review and Herald, November 22, 1898. 

Further Reflection: What will I say to Jesus when He gives me my crown? JNN 351

 

The woman who entreated the judge for justice had lost her husband by death. Poor and friendless, she had no means of retrieving her ruined fortunes. So by sin, man lost his connection with God. Of himself he has no means of salvation. But in Christ we are brought nigh unto the Father. The elect of God are dear to His heart. They are those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, to show forth His praise, to shine as lights amid the darkness of the world. The unjust judge had no special interest in the widow who importuned him for deliverance; yet in order to rid himself of her pitiful appeals, he heard her plea, and delivered her from her adversary. But God loves His children with infinite love. To Him the dearest object on earth is His church. COL 165

 

 

“Great and marvelous are Your works,Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways,O King of the saints!” —Revelation 15:3. NKJV

But not to the Jewish nation alone was the light given. As the sunbeams penetrate to the remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon every soul....

 

In the manifestation of God to His people, light had ever been a symbol of His presence. At the creative word in the beginning, light had shone out of darkness. Light had been enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, leading the vast armies of Israel. Light blazed with awful grandeur about the Lord on Mount Sinai. Light rested over the mercy seat in the tabernacle. Light filled the temple of Solomon at its dedication. Light shone on the hills of Bethlehem when the angels brought the message of redemption to the watching shepherds.

God is light; in the words, “I am the light of the world,” Christ declared His oneness with God, and His relation to the whole human family. It was He who at the beginning had caused “the light to shine out of darkness” (2 Corinthians 4:6). He is the Light of sun and moon and star. He was the spiritual light that in symbol and type and prophecy had shone upon Israel. But not to the Jewish nation alone was the light given. As the sunbeams penetrate to the remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon every soul.

“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The world has had its great teachers, men and women of giant intellect and wonderful research, persons whose utterances have stimulated thought, and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these persons have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race. But there is One who stands higher than they. 

“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:12, 18). We can trace the line of the world’s great teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of the solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gem of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world.—The Desire of Ages, 464, 465.

Further Reflection: How has the Holy Spirit helped me in areas of personal weakness? JNN 350

 

“And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.” Christ here draws a sharp contrast between the unjust judge and God. The judge yielded to the widow’s request merely through selfishness, that he might be relieved of her importunity. He felt for her no pity or compassion; her misery was nothing to him. How different is the attitude of God toward those who seek Him. The appeals of the needy and distressed are considered by Him with infinite compassion. COL 165

 

 

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.—1 John 1:5. NKJV

The cedar is repeatedly employed as an emblem of royalty, and its use in Scripture to represent the righteous shows how heaven regards those who do the will of God....

 

The prosperity of God’s people is here represented by some of the most beautiful figures to be found in nature. The prophet likens Israel to fertile valleys covered with abundant harvests; to flourishing gardens watered by never-failing springs; to the fragrant sandal tree and the stately cedar. The figure last mentioned is one of the most strikingly beautiful and appropriate to be found in the inspired word.

The cedar of Lebanon was honored by all the people of the East. The class of trees to which it belongs is found wherever human beings have gone throughout the earth. From the arctic regions to the tropic zone they flourish, rejoicing in the heat, yet braving the cold; springing in rich luxuriance by the riverside, yet towering aloft upon the parched and thirsty waste. They plant their roots deep among the rocks of the mountains and boldly stand in defiance of the tempest. Their leaves are fresh and green when all else has perished at the breath of winter. Above all other trees the cedar of Lebanon is distinguished for its strength, its firmness, its undecaying vigor; and this is used as a symbol of those whose life is “hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Says the Scripture, “The righteous ... shall grow like a cedar” (Psalm 92:12). The divine hand has exalted the cedar as king over the forest. “The fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches” (Ezekiel 31:8); nor any tree in the garden of God. The cedar is repeatedly employed as an emblem of royalty, and its use in Scripture to represent the righteous shows how heaven regards those who do the will of God.

Balaam prophesied that Israel’s King would be greater and more powerful than Agag. This was the name given to the kings of the Amalekites, who were at this time a very powerful nation; but Israel, if true to God, would subdue all her enemies. The King of Israel was the Son of God; and His throne was one day to be established in the earth, and His power to be exalted above all earthly kingdoms.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 450.

Further Reflection: Have you ever thought of how sin prevented Jesus from establishing His throne as earth’s rightful ruler? When will Christ’s rulership be reestablished? JNN 349

 

The judge who is here pictured had no regard for right, nor pity for suffering. The widow who pressed her case before him was persistently repulsed. Again and again she came to him, only to be treated with contempt, and to be driven from the judgment seat. The judge knew that her cause was righteous, and he could have relieved her at once, but he would not. He wanted to show his arbitrary power, and it gratified him to let her ask and plead and entreat in vain. But she would not fail nor become discouraged. Notwithstanding his indifference and hardheartedness, she pressed her petition until the judge consented to attend to her case. “Though I fear not God, nor regard man,” he said, “yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.” To save his reputation, to avoid giving publicity to his partial, one-sided judgment, he avenged the persevering woman. COL 164

 

 

“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!Your dwellings, O Israel!Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters.” —Numbers 24:5, 6. NKJV

True Christianity appears so pure and lovely that external decorations only hide its true worth....

 

Many suppose that the Catholic religion is unattractive, and that its worship is a dull, stupid round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism is based upon deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture. The religious service of the Romish Church is a most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people, and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. The eye is charmed. Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars, jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. There is nothing to excel the music. The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and reverence.

This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of inward corruption. The religion of Christ needs not such attractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross, true Christianity appears so pure and lovely that external decorations only hide its true worth. It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God. 

Brilliancy of style is not an index of pure, elevated thought. The highest conceptions of art, the most delicate refinement of taste, often spring from minds wholly earthly and sensual. They are often employed by Satan to lead people to forget the necessities of the soul, to lose sight of the future, immortal life, to turn away from their infinite Helper, and to live for this world alone.

A religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed heart. The pomp and ceremony of the Catholic worship have a seductive, bewitching power by which many are deceived; and they come to look upon the Roman Church as the very gate of heaven. None are proof against her influence but those who have planted their feet firmly upon the foundation of truth, and whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit of God.—The Signs of the Times, June 30, 1898.

Further Reflection: Do the beautiful things in life obscure or illumine my view of God? JNN 348

 

“There was in a city,” He said, “a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man; and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.” COL 164 

 

 

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.—Psalm 147:5. NKJV

The entire system of Judaism was a compacted prophecy of the gospel....

 

Bidding His hearers marvel not, Christ opened before them, in still wider view, the mystery of the future. “The hour cometh,” He said, “in which all that are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28, 29, R. V.). 

This assurance of the future life was that for which Israel had so long waited, and which they had hoped to receive at the Messiah’s advent. The only light that can lighten the gloom of the grave was shining upon them. But self-will is blind. Jesus had violated the traditions of the rabbis, and disregarded their authority, and they would not believe.

The time, the place, the occasion, the intensity of feeling that pervaded the assembly, all combined to make the words of Jesus before the Sanhedrin the more impressive. The highest religious authorities of the nation were seeking the life of Him who declared Himself the restorer of Israel. The Lord of the Sabbath was arraigned before an earthly tribunal to answer the charge of breaking the Sabbath law. When He so fearlessly declared His mission, His judges looked upon Him with astonishment and rage; but His words were unanswerable. They could not condemn Him. He denied the right of the priests and rabbis to question Him, or to interfere with His work. They were invested with no such authority. Their claims were based upon their own pride and arrogance. He refused to plead guilty of their charges, or to be catechized by them.

Instead of apologizing for the act of which they complained, or explaining His purpose in doing it, Jesus turned upon the rulers, and the accused became the accuser. He rebuked them for the hardness of their hearts, and their ignorance of the Scriptures. He declared that they had rejected the word of God, inasmuch as they had rejected Him whom God had sent. “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me” (John 5:39, R. V.).

In every page, whether history, or precept, or prophecy, the Old Testament Scriptures are irradiated with the glory of the Son of God. So far as it was of divine institution, the entire system of Judaism was a compacted prophecy of the gospel.—The Desire of Ages, 211. 

Further Reflection: What can I learn from the way in which Jesus handled the Sanhedrin? JNN 347

 

Christ had been speaking of the period just before His second coming, and of the perils through which His followers must pass. With special reference to that time He related the parable “to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” COL 164

 

 

“For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”—Matthew 12:8 JNN 347. NKJV

In no less marked a manner than He wrought then will He work now wherever there are hearts of faith to be channels of His power....

 

Only the sense of God’s presence can banish the fear that, for the timid child, would make life a burden. Let him fix in his memory the promise, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them” (Psalm 34:7). Let him read that wonderful story of Elisha in the mountain city, and, between him and the hosts of armed foemen, a mighty encircling band of heavenly angels. Let him read how to Peter, in prison and condemned to death, God’s angel appeared; how, past the armed guards, the massive doors and great iron gateway with their bolts and bars, the angel led God’s servant forth in safety. Let him read of that scene on the sea, when the tempest-tossed soldiers and seamen, worn with labor and watching and long fasting, Paul the prisoner, on his way to trial and execution, spoke those grand words of courage and hope: “Be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you.... For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.” ...

These things were not written merely that we might read and wonder, but that the same faith which wrought in God’s servants of old might work in us. In no less marked a manner than He wrought then will He work now wherever there are hearts of faith to be channels of His power.

Let the self-distrustful, whose lack of self-reliance leads them to shrink from care and responsibility, be taught reliance upon God. Thus many a one who otherwise would be but a cipher in the world, perhaps only a helpless burden, will be able to say with the apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

For the child also who is quick to resent injuries, faith has precious lessons. The disposition to resist evil or to avenge wrong is often prompted by a keen sense of justice and an active, energetic spirit. Let such a child be taught that God is the eternal guardian of right. He has a tender care for the beings whom He has so loved as to give His dearest Beloved to save. He will deal with every wrongdoer.—Education, 255-257. 

Further Reflection: In a world where justice often seems elusive, how can I help those who are wronged find hope in the Dearest Beloved of heaven? JNN 346

 

“Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, ... Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose thee.” Isaiah 49:7. “For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” COL 163

 

 

“He who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”—Zechariah 2:8. NKJV

Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among human beings is the same mighty Redeemer today....

 

How many a sin-burdened soul has echoed that prayer. And to all, the pitying Saviour’s answer is, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among human beings is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” You can never perish while you do this—never.

In a brief space of time the favored disciples have beheld the extreme of glory and of humiliation. They have seen humanity as transfigured into the image of God, and as debased into the likeness of Satan. From the mountain where He has talked with the heavenly messengers, and has been proclaimed the Son of God by the voice from the radiant glory, they have seen Jesus descend to meet that most distressing and revolting spectacle, the maniac boy, with distorted countenance, gnashing his teeth in spasms of agony that no human power could relieve. And this mighty Redeemer, who but a few hours before stood glorified before His wondering disciples, stoops to lift the victim of Satan from the earth where he is wallowing, and in health of mind and body restores him to his father and his home.

It was an object lesson of redemption—the Divine One from the Father’s glory stooping to save the lost. It represented also the disciples’ mission. Not alone upon the mountaintop with Jesus, in hours of spiritual illumination, is the life of Christ’s servants to be spent. There is work for them down in the plain. Souls whom Satan has enslaved are waiting for the word of faith and prayer to set them free.—The Desire of Ages, 429.

Further Reflection: How “low” am I willing to go to save the lost people around me? JNN 345

 

The work of redemption involves consequences of which it is difficult for man to have any conception. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require. God Himself is “the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:26. And “whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:30. Great as is the shame and degradation through sin, even greater will be the honor and exaltation through redeeming love. To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen. COL 162

 

 

“And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”—Mark 9:22. NKJV

O, how much Christ had already suffered as the Son of man, in order to redeem and save men and women!...

 

As one surprised, Christ addressed them, saying, “What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” They roused themselves, and looked sorrowfully at their Lord. “Watch and pray,” He said, “that ye enter not into temptation.” Then the divine Sufferer excused the disciples, saying, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Christ went away the second time, and prayed earnestly, “O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.” Again darkness pressed upon His soul with almost unbearable agony, and again He felt a longing for companionship, for some words which would bring relief, and break the spell of darkness that well-nigh overpowered Him. “And He came and found them asleep again; for their eyes were heavy;” “neither wist they what to answer him.” They saw His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony, and they were filled with sorrow; for “His visage was so marred, more than any man.”

Again Christ went away, and prayed that if it were possible this cup might pass from Him. His soul was filled with an overpowering fear of separation from God in consequence of sin. Satan told Him that if He became the substitute and surety for a sinful world, He would nevermore be one with God, but would be under his control.

Three times the prayer ascended to God, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me,” always followed by the words, “Not My will, but Thine, be done.” Shall the cup pass from the Suffering One? Shall the sacrifice of Christ, ordained before the foundation of the world, and symbolized in every sacrifice offered since Adam’s transgression, be given up? ... Shall that which angels eagerly desired to look into and understand, that which had been the burden of prophecy, that which lay at the foundation of types and shadows, fail after all, leaving Satan and his apostate forces and confederacy of evil to come off triumphant?

O, how much Christ had already suffered as the Son of man, in order to redeem and save men and women!—The Signs of the Times, June 3, 1897.

Further Reflection: In every consequential moment when humanity’s fate hung in the balance, Jesus made the right decision. How can I remain faithful in my hour of trial? JNN 344

 

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15. It was when Moses was hidden in the cleft of the rock that he beheld the glory of God. It is when we hide in the riven Rock that Christ will cover us with His own pierced hand, and we shall hear what the Lord saith unto His servants. To us as to Moses, God will reveal Himself as “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Exodus 34:6, 7. COL 162

 

 

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”—Matthew 26:39. NKJV

Then I call upon you, my brethren, to practice working in the lines that Christ worked....

 

Shall any man or woman be indifferent to the very souls for whom Christ is pleading in the courts of heaven? Shall you in your course of action, imitate the Pharisees, who would be merciless, and Satan, who will accuse and destroy? O will you individually humble your own souls before God, and [let] that stern nerve and iron will be subdued and broken?

Step away from the sound of Satan’s voice and acting his will, and stand by the side of Jesus, possessing His attributes, the possessor of keen and tender sensibilities, who can make the cause of the afflicted, suffering ones His own. The person who has had much forgiven will love much. Jesus is a compassionate Intercessor, a merciful and faithful high priest. He, the Majesty of heaven—the King of glory—can look upon finite men and women, subject to the temptations of Satan, knowing [that] He has felt the power of Satan’s Wiles. “Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, (clothing His divinity with humanity) that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17, 18).

Then I call upon you, my brethren, to practice working in the lines that Christ worked. You must never put on the cloak of severity and condemn and denounce and drive away from the fold poor, tempted mortals; but as laborers together with God, heal the spiritually diseased. This you will do if you have the mind of Christ. Hebrews 4:15. Also Isaiah 40:28. He “fainteth not neither is weary.”—Manuscript 34, 1893.

Further Reflection: If there is a spirit of condemnation in me, how can I overcome it? If there is a tendency in my church to denounce those who err, what can I do to change it? JNN 343

 

The life in which the fear of the Lord is cherished will not be a life of sadness and gloom. It is the absence of Christ that makes the countenance sad, and the life a pilgrimage of sighs. Those who are filled with self-esteem and self-love do not feel the need of a living, personal union with Christ. The heart that has not fallen on the Rock is proud of its wholeness. Men want a dignified religion. They desire to walk in a path wide enough to take in their own attributes. Their self-love, their love of popularity and love of praise, exclude the Saviour from their hearts, and without Him there is gloom and sadness. But Christ dwelling in the soul is a wellspring of joy. For all who receive Him, the very keynote of the word of God is rejoicing. COL 162

 

 

As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.—Psalm 103:13. NKJV

There is a great work to be done in bringing human minds out of darkness into the marvelous light of God....

 

There is positive peril in advising students to pursue one line of education after another, and to leave them to think that by so doing they will attain perfection. The education that will be obtained will only be deficient in every way. The Lord says: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” This is God’s devised plan; and through successive generations, through centuries of heathenism, this plan has been carried forward, not as an experiment, but as an approved way for the spreading of the gospel. Through this method from the beginning, conviction came upon humanity, and the world was enlightened concerning the gospel of God. The highest grade of schooling that any human being can attain to is the schooling given by the Divine Teacher. This is the knowledge that in a special sense we shall greatly need as we draw near the close of this world’s history, and everyone will do well to obtain this kind of education. The Lord requires that men and women shall be under His training. There is a great work to be done in bringing human minds out of darkness into the marvelous light of God. As His human instrumentalities, we are by living faith to carry out His plans. Are we in a condition in which our faith will not work to the glory of God, or are we vessels meet for the Master’s use, prepared for every good work?

Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He received an education in the providence of God; but a large part of that education had to be unlearned, and accounted as foolishness.... 

The experiment of the world’s wisdom had been fully tested at the advent of Christ, and the boasted human wisdom had proved wanting. Men and women knew not the true wisdom that comes from the Source of all good. The world’s wisdom was weighed in the balances, and found wanting.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 359-361.

Further Reflection: What will I learn from heaven’s Divine Teacher today? JNN 342

 

We need to shun everything that would encourage pride and self-sufficiency; therefore we should beware of giving or receiving flattery or praise. It is Satan’s work to flatter. He deals in flattery as well as in accusing and condemnation. Thus he seeks to work the ruin of the soul. Those who give praise to men are used by Satan as his agents. Let the workers for Christ direct every word of praise away from themselves. Let self be put out of sight. Christ alone is to be exalted. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,” let every eye be directed, and praise from every heart ascend. (Revelation 1:5.) COL 161

 

 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent”—1 Corinthians 1:19. NKJV

And those who would partake of His divine attributes, and share with Him the joy of seeing souls redeemed, must follow His example of unselfish ministry....

 

“For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:15-17).

There is in human beings a disposition to esteem themselves more highly than others, to work for self, to seek the highest place; and often this results in evil surmisings and bitterness of spirit. The ordinance preceding the Lord’s Supper is to clear away these misunderstandings, to bring men and women out of their selfishness, down from their stilts of self-exaltation, to the humility of heart that will lead them to serve each other.

The holy Watcher from heaven is present at this season to make it one of soul searching, of conviction of sin, and of the blessed assurance of sins forgiven. Christ in the fullness of His grace is there to change the current of the thoughts that have been running in selfish channels. The Holy Spirit quickens the sensibilities of those who follow the example of their Lord. As the Saviour’s humiliation for us is remembered, thought links with thought; a chain of memories is called up, memories of God’s great goodness and of the favor and tenderness of earthly friends....

Whenever this ordinance is rightly celebrated, the children of God are brought into a holy relationship, to help and bless each other. They covenant that the life shall be given to unselfish ministry. And this, not only for one another. Their field of labor is as wide as their Master’s was. The world is full of those who need our ministry. The poor, the helpless, the ignorant, are on every hand. Those who have communed with Christ in the upper chamber will go forth to minister as He did.

Jesus, the served of all, came to be the servant of all. And because He ministered to all, He will again be served and honored by all. And those who would partake of His divine attributes, and share with Him the joy of seeing souls redeemed, must follow His example of unselfish ministry.—The Desire of Ages, 650, 651.

Further Reflection: Jesus who came to save fallen humanity often served the lost, expecting nothing in return. Do I practice this spirit of service when I minister to those in need? JNN 341

 

In harmony with this experience is the command, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12, 13. God does not bid you fear that He will fail to fulfill His promises, that His patience will weary, or His compassion be found wanting. Fear lest your will shall not be held in subjection to Christ’s will, lest your hereditary and cultivated traits of character shall control your life. “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Fear lest self shall interpose between your soul and the great Master Worker. Fear lest self-will shall mar the high purpose that through you God desires to accomplish. Fear to trust to your own strength, fear to withdraw your hand from the hand of Christ and attempt to walk life’s pathway without His abiding presence. COL 161

 

 

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”—John 13:14. NKJV

They saw Him encircled with the glory of heaven, with infinite treasures in His hands to bestow upon all who would turn from their rebellion....

 

Christ, the heavenly merchantman seeking goodly pearls, saw in lost humanity the pearl of price. In humanity, defiled and ruined by sin, He saw the possibilities of redemption. Hearts that have been the battleground of the conflict with Satan, and that have been rescued by the power of love, are more precious to the Redeemer than are those who have never fallen. God looked upon humanity, not as vile and worthless; He looked upon it in Christ, saw it as it might become through redeeming love. He collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to buy the pearl. And Jesus, having found it, resets it in His own diadem.... “They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels” (Malachi 3:17).

But Christ as the precious pearl, and our privilege of possessing this heavenly treasure, is the theme on which we most need to dwell. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals to humanity the preciousness of the goodly pearl. The time of the Holy Spirit’s power is the time when in a special sense the heavenly gift is sought and found. In Christ’s day many heard the gospel, but their minds were darkened by false teaching, and they did not recognize in the humble Teacher of Galilee the Sent of God. But after Christ’s ascension His enthronement in His mediatorial kingdom was signalized by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was given. Christ’s witnesses proclaimed the power of the risen Saviour. The light of heaven penetrated the darkened minds of those who had been deceived by the enemies of Christ. They now saw Him exalted to be “a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). They saw Him encircled with the glory of heaven, with infinite treasures in His hands to bestow upon all who would turn from their rebellion. As the apostles set forth the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, three thousand souls were convicted. They were made to see themselves as they were, sinful and polluted, and Christ as their friend and Redeemer. Christ was lifted up, Christ was glorified, through the power of the Holy Spirit resting upon men and women.—Christ’s Object Lessons, 118-120.

Further Reflection: Has the Holy Spirit brought to my view just how precious Jesus is? What in my spiritual life demonstrates that Jesus is precious to me? JNN 340

 

At every advance step in Christian experience our repentance will deepen. It is to those whom the Lord has forgiven, to those whom He acknowledges as His people, that He says, “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight.” Ezekiel 36:31. Again He says, “I will establish My covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:62, 63. Then our lips will not be opened in self-glorification. We shall know that our sufficiency is in Christ alone. We shall make the apostle’s confession our own. “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.” Romans 7:18. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14. COL 160

 

 

“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I make them My jewels.”—Malachi 3:17. NKJV

And what is the work that we are to undertake here just previous to receiving immortality? It is to preserve our bodies holy, our spirits pure, that we may stand forth unstained amid the corruptions teeming around us in these last days....

 

We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a fable to us; it is a reality.... When He comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time.

When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us....

We are in a world that is opposed to righteousness and purity of character, and to a growth in grace. Wherever we look we see corruption and defilement, deformity and sin. And what is the work that we are to undertake here just previous to receiving immortality? It is to preserve our bodies holy, our spirits pure, that we may stand forth unstained amid the corruptions teeming around us in these last days.—Testimonies for the Church 2:355, 356.

“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).

We are not our own. We have been purchased with a dear price, even the sufferings and death of the Son of God. If we could understand this, and fully realize it, we would feel a great responsibility resting upon us to keep ourselves in the very best condition of health, that we might render to God perfect service. But when we take any course which expends our vitality, decreases our strength, or beclouds the intellect we sin against God.—Testimonies for the Church 2:354.

Further Reflection: How does the purity of my life affect the power of my witness? JNN 339

 

None of the apostles or prophets ever claimed to be without sin. Men who have lived nearest to God, men who would sacrifice life itself rather than knowingly commit a wrong act, men whom God had honored with divine light and power, have confessed the sinfulness of their own nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ. So will it be with all who behold Christ. COL 160 

 

 

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.—Proverbs 17:3. NKJV

It is impossible for humans to be tempted above what they are able to bear while relying upon Jesus, the infinite Conqueror....

 

It was incomprehensible to the selfish soul of Satan that there could exist benevolence and love for the deceived race so great as to induce the Prince of Heaven to leave His home and come to a world marred with sin and seared with the curse. He had knowledge of the inestimable value of eternal riches that humans had not. He had experienced the pure contentment, the peace, exalted holiness, and unalloyed joys of the heavenly abode. He had realized, before his rebellion, the satisfaction of the full approval of God. He ... knew that there was no limit to His power.

Satan knew what he had lost. He now feared that his empire over the world was to be contested, his right disputed, and his power broken. He knew, through prophecy, that a Saviour was predicted and that His kingdom would not be established in earthly triumph and with worldly honor and display. He knew that ancient prophecies foretold a kingdom to be established by the Prince of Heaven upon the earth, which he claimed as his dominion. This kingdom would embrace all the kingdoms of the world, and then his power and his glory would cease and he would receive his retribution for the sins he had introduced into the world, and for the misery he had brought upon man. He knew that everything which concerned his prosperity was pending upon his success or failure in overcoming Christ with his temptations in the wilderness. He brought to bear upon Christ every artifice and force of his powerful temptations to allure Him from His allegiance.

It is impossible for human beings to know the strength of Satan’s temptations to the Son of God. Every temptation that seems so afflicting to man in his daily life, so difficult to resist and overcome, was brought to bear upon the Son of God in as much greater degree as His excellence of character was superior to that of fallen man.

Christ was tempted in all points.... As man’s representative He stood the closest test and proving of God. He met the strongest force of Satan. His most wily temptations Christ has tested and conquered in behalf of humanity. It is impossible for humans to be tempted above what they are able to bear while relying upon Jesus, the infinite Conqueror.—Confrontation, 30, 31.

Further Reflection: What cherished sin makes me most vulnerable temptation? JNN 338

 

The nearer we come to Jesus and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly we shall discern the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the less we shall feel like exalting ourselves. Those whom heaven recognizes as holy ones are the last to parade their own goodness. The apostle Peter became a faithful minister of Christ, and he was greatly honored with divine light and power; he had an active part in the upbuilding of Christ’s church; but Peter never forgot the fearful experience of his humiliation; his sin was forgiven; yet well he knew that for the weakness of character which had caused his fall only the grace of Christ could avail. He found in himself nothing in which to glory. COL 160

 

 

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.—Hebrews 4:15. NKJV

That which He requires of us is simply to exercise faith in His word that He will remove all our difficulties and perplexities and make all that is complex clear, and all that is dark light....

 

Let us believe the Lord will hear our united petitions. With Him nothing is impossible. The words spoken by Moses, the Mighty Counselor speaks to us, “And the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto Me, and I will hear it” (Deuteronomy 1:17). What a cheering, hopeful message is this. Shall not we comply with this gracious invitation? One greater than Moses speaks these words, and it comes down along the line of ages to the Israel of God in these days. The case that is baffling to human wisdom, too difficult for the acutest skill of human beings, take it then to Jesus, and He who has spoken so encouragingly “bring it unto Me” will not disappoint our expectations.

That which He requires of us is simply to exercise faith in His word that He will remove all our difficulties and perplexities and make all that is complex clear, and all that is dark light. With Him nothing is impossible. One thing I know, we must rest upon the promise of God without one doubt. Look and live. “Looking unto Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Here, as on a stable foundation, we rest. Faith can there act its way—often sunless and starless, while everything in appearance is an intricate wilderness. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith can travel through trials, endure temptations, bear and live under disappointments. Bear up under apparent forbidding providences, saying, “Thou art my refuge, in Thee I trust implicitly believing His word because the eye of faith sees in Jesus the substitute and surety for humanity, and Jesus is the ever-living witness that God is true.” The promise is then to us, yea and amen in Christ Jesus.

The waves of trial and temptation may be rolling at our feet, and to all appearances we are sinking beneath the white-capped billows that seem to be talking with death, and our souls exclaim in anguish. Will He be favorable no more? Will the Lord cease to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Look up upon the face of His anointed. Behold the glory of God’s verity and His truth and loving kindness and tender compassion beaming in the face of Jesus Christ, and doubt no more.—Letter 80, 1893.

Further Reflection: What case is too hard for me to bear today? Why do I not bring it to Jesus? JNN 337

 

It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward it is to be renewed. All our good works are dependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely. COL 159

 

 

“The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.”—Deuteronomy 1:17. NKJV

No human language can portray the scenes of the second coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven....

 

Between the first and the second advent of Christ a wonderful contrast will be seen. No human language can portray the scenes of the second coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven. He is to come with His own glory, and with the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. He will come clad in the robe of light, which He has worn from the days of eternity. Angels will accompany Him. Ten thousand times ten thousand will escort Him on His way.... The voice of Christ will penetrate the tomb, and pierce the ears of the dead, “and all that are in the graves ... shall come forth.”

“And before Him shall be gathered all nations.” The very One who died for humanity is to judge them in the last day; for the Father “hath committed all judgment unto the Son: ... and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.” What a day that will be, when those who rejected Christ will look upon Him whom their sins have pierced. They will then know that He proffered them all heaven if they would but stand by His side as obedient children; that He paid an infinite price for their redemption; but that they would not accept freedom from the galling slavery of sin....

As they gaze upon His glory, there flashes before their minds the memory of the Son of Man clad in the garb of humanity. They remember how they treated Him, how they refused Him, and pressed close to the side of the great apostate. The scenes of Christ’s life appear before them in all their clearness. All He did, all He said, the humiliation to which He descended to save them from the taint of sin, rises before them in condemnation....

Again they hear the voice of Pilate, saying, “I find in Him no fault at all.” They see the shameful scene in the judgment-hall, when Barabbas stood by the side of Christ, and they had the privilege of choosing the Guiltless One. They hear again the words of Pilate, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called Christ?” They hear the response, “Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas.” To the question of Pilate, “What shall I do then with Jesus?” the answer comes, “Let Him be crucified.”—The Review and Herald, September 5, 1899.

Further Reflection: What strikes me most about this judgment scene? JNN 336

 

No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul. COL 159

 

 

“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”—John 5:22. NKJV

I warn you, brethren and sisters, not to build up a wall of partition between different nationalities. On the contrary, seek to break it down wherever it exists....

 

The Jewish temple was built of hewn stones quarried out of the mountains; and every stone was fitted for its place in the temple, hewed, polished, and tested before it was brought to Jerusalem. And when all were brought to the ground, the building went together without the sound of ax or hammer. This building represents God’s spiritual temple, which is composed of material gathered out of every nation, and tongue, and people, of all grades, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned. These are not dead substances to be fitted by hammer and chisel. They are living stones, quarried out from the world by the truth; and the great Master Builder, the Lord of the temple, is now hewing and polishing them, and fitting them for their respective places in the spiritual temple. When completed, this temple will be perfect in all its parts, the admiration of angels and of human beings; for its Builder and Maker is God....

There is no person, no nation, that is perfect in every habit and thought. One must learn of another. Therefore God wants the different nationalities to mingle together, to be one in judgment, one in purpose. Then the union that there is in Christ will be exemplified.

I was almost afraid to come to this country because I heard so many say that the different nationalities of Europe were peculiar and had to be reached in a certain way. But the wisdom of God is promised to those who feel their need and who ask for it. God can bring the people where they will receive the truth. Let the Lord take possession of the mind and mold it as the clay is molded in the hands of the potter, and these differences will not exist. Look to Jesus, brethren; copy His manners and spirit, and you will have no trouble in reaching these different classes.

We have not six patterns to follow ... only one, and that is Christ Jesus. If the Italian brethren, the French brethren, and the German brethren try to be like Him, they will plant their feet upon the same foundation of truth; the same spirit that dwells in one will dwell in the other—Christ in them, the hope of glory. I warn you, brethren and sisters, not to build up a wall of partition between different nationalities. On the contrary, seek to break it down wherever it exists. We should endeavor to bring all into the harmony that there is in Jesus, laboring for the one object, the salvation of our fellow human beings.—Testimonies for the Church 9:180, 181.

Further Reflection: What ethnic or cultural differences continue to separate the church? JNN 335

 

The prayer of the publican was heard because it showed dependence reaching forth to lay hold upon Omnipotence. Self to the publican appeared nothing but shame. Thus it must be seen by all who seek God. By faith—faith that renounces all self-trust—the needy suppliant is to lay hold upon infinite power. COL 159 

 

 

For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.—Hebrews 3:4. NKJV

Those who seem to be weak God will use if they are humble....

 

We must pray more, and walk more humbly and more by faith. Christ was perfect in His humanity, and the more faith we have in Him as our sufficiency, the more humbly we walk with God, and the more entire our consecration, the less intrusion of self will there be between God and humanity. The grace of Christ must be an abiding presence in the soul day by day. Only thus can we endure the seeing of Him who is invisible.

Christ came to our world to manifest God to men and women, to lead them to God. “I am the light of the world,” He declared (John 8:12). What was it that consecrated Him the Light of the world? It was this. He came down from heaven. He is the true Teacher sent from God. He was the One chosen to reveal God’s character to the world. He is the bright and morning Star. He is the Sun of Righteousness, a Light to Lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel. John declared of Him, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9).

We may ask of our Lord, knowing that we shall receive. We need more of Christ’s humility and meekness, that we may have fervent charity among ourselves; then we may pray, then we may intercede with God. Thus we shall prove the truth of the word, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him” (Psalm 25:14). But those whom the Lord would use are in great danger of getting on human stilts. There is earnest work to be done. There is need of walking with God. Then tracts right to the point will be issued. 

Prayer and faith will do what no power upon earth can accomplish. We need not be so anxious and troubled. The human agent cannot go everywhere and do everything that needs to be done. Often imperfections manifest themselves in the work, but if we show unwavering trust in God, not depending upon the ability or talent of human beings, the truth will advance. Let us place all things in God’s hands, leaving Him to do the work in His own way according to His own will, through whomsoever He may choose. Those who seem to be weak God will use if they are humble.—Manuscript 120, 1898.

 Further Reflection: How have prayer and faith affected the way in which I witness for Christ? How have these spiritual blessings changed my walk with God? JNN 334

 

No man can of himself understand his errors. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. The lips may express a poverty of soul that the heart does not acknowledge. While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, the heart may be swelling with the conceit of its own superior humility and exalted righteousness. In one way only can a true knowledge of self be obtained. We must behold Christ. It is ignorance of Him that makes men so uplifted in their own righteousness. When we contemplate His purity and excellence, we shall see our own weakness and poverty and defects as they really are. We shall see ourselves lost and hopeless, clad in garments of self-righteousness, like every other sinner. We shall see that if we are ever saved, it will not be through our own goodness, but through God’s infinite grace. COL 159

 

 

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.”—Matthew 4:16. NKJV

The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Said the angel to John: “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”...

 

The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of Days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25. 

In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,” was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed—one class who looked with joy to the Lord’s appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the parable, when the bridegroom came, “they that were ready went in with him to the marriage.” The coming of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the marriage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Said the angel to John: “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” “He carried me away in the spirit,” says the prophet, “and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:9, 10). Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage supper (Revelation 19:9). If guests, they cannot be represented also as the bride. Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven, “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;” He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2). Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people who are to ... partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.—The Great Controversy, 426, 427.

Further Reflection: What would it be like to share a meal with Jesus alone? JNN 333

 

The Lord says, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:17, 18. The gold tried in the fire is faith that works by love. Only this can bring us into harmony with God. We may be active, we may do much work; but without love, such love as dwelt in the heart of Christ, we can never be numbered with the family of heaven. COL 158

 

 

“Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”—Matthew 25:6. NKJV

Moses was naturally of an impetuous spirit. In Egypt a successful military leader and a favorite with the king and the nation.... The divine command found him self-distrustful, slow of speech, and timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to be a mouthpiece for God....

 

The education that Moses had received in Egypt was a help to him in many respects; but the most valuable preparation for his lifework was that which he received while employed as a shepherd. Moses was naturally of an impetuous spirit. In Egypt a successful military leader and a favorite with the king and the nation, he had been accustomed to receiving praise and flattery. He had attracted the people to himself. He hoped to accomplish by his own powers the work of delivering Israel. Far different were the lessons he had to learn as God’s representative. As he led his flocks through the wilds of the mountains and into the green pastures of the valleys, he learned faith and meekness, patience, humility, and self-forgetfulness. He learned to care for the weak, to nurse the sick, to seek after the straying, to bear with the unruly, to tend the lambs, and to nurture the old and the feeble.

In this work Moses was drawn nearer to the Chief Shepherd. He became closely united to the Holy One of Israel. No longer did he plan to do a great work. He sought to do faithfully as unto God the work committed to his charge. He recognized the presence of God in his surroundings. All nature spoke to him of the Unseen One. He knew God as a personal God, and, in meditating upon His character he grasped more and more fully the sense of His presence.... 

After this experience, Moses heard the call from heaven to exchange his shepherd’s crook for the rod of authority; to leave his flock of sheep and take the leadership of Israel. The divine command found him self-distrustful, slow of speech, and timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to be a mouthpiece for God. But he accepted the work, putting his whole trust in the Lord. The greatness of his mission called into exercise the best powers of his mind. God blessed his ready obedience, and he became eloquent, hopeful, self-possessed, fitted for the greatest work ever given to human beings. Of him it is written: “There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom Jehovah knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10, A.R.V.).—The Ministry of Healing, 474, 475.

Further Reflection: What have I learned that I must unlearn in order to do greater service for God? JNN 332

 

But we must have a knowledge of ourselves, a knowledge that will result in contrition, before we can find pardon and peace. The Pharisee felt no conviction of sin. The Holy Spirit could not work with him. His soul was encased in a self-righteous armor which the arrows of God, barbed and true-aimed by angel hands, failed to penetrate. It is only he who knows himself to be a sinner that Christ can save. He came “to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Luke 4:18. But “they that are whole need not a physician.” Luke 5:31. We must know our real condition, or we shall not feel our need of Christ’s help. We must understand our danger, or we shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds, or we should not desire healing. COL 158 

 

 

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.—Hebrews 11:27. NKJV