Is Not This a Brand Plucked Out of the Fire?

«And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.»

Joshua represents those who are seeking God and keeping his commandments. Ever since the fall, Satan has sought to bring a reproach upon God’s cause. The word of God declares that he is an accuser of the brethren. As the end is brought near, he will work with more determination to bring God’s people under condemnation. Satan is represented as presenting the mistakes and errors that he has caused the people of God to commit, urging this as a reason why the Lord should not bless and guard them. He claims that it is his right to do with them as he pleases. It is impossible for us to understand his plans unless we have the Spirit of God abiding in our hearts. It is the care of the heavenly angels that keeps us from being destroyed by Satan’s cruel power; for those who seek God and are preparing for the coming of Christ, are the objects of his enmity. He constantly seeks to bring them into reproach before God. He is represented as resisting the work of Jesus in behalf of his people. Joshua stands before the angel of the Lord, and Satan stands at his right hand to resist him. But «the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?»

Jesus speaks of his people as a brand plucked out of the fire, and Satan understands what this means. The infinite sufferings of the Son of God in Gethsemane and on Calvary were endured that he might rescue his people from the power of the evil one. The work of Jesus for the salvation of perishing souls is as if he thrust his hand into the fire to save them. Joshua, who represents God’s people, is clothed in filthy garments, and stands before the angel; but as the people repent before God for the transgression of his law, and reach up by the hand of faith to lay hold on the righteousness of Christ, Jesus says, «Take away the filthy garments from them, and clothe them with change of raiment» It is through Christ’s righteousness alone that we are enabled to keep the law. Those who worship God in sincerity and truth, and afflict their souls before him as in the great day of atonement, will wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. Satan seeks to bind about the human mind with deception, so that men will not repent and believe, that they may have their filthy garments removed. Why will you cling to your miserable defects of character, and by so doing bar the way, that Jesus may not work in your behalf?

During the time of trouble, the position of God’s people will be similar to the position of Joshua. They will not be ignorant of the work going on in heaven in their behalf. They will realize that sin is recorded against their names, but they will also know that the sins of all who repent and lay hold of the merits of Christ will be canceled. Jesus says: «He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.» The judgment of the dead has been going on, and soon the judgment will begin upon the living, and every case will be decided. It will be known whose names are retained upon the book of life, and whose are blotted out. Every day the angels of God keep a record of the transactions of men, and these records stand open to the eyes of angels, and Christ, and God. Those who have manifested true repentance for sin, and by living faith in Christ are obedient to God’s commandments, will have their names retained in the book of life, and they will be confessed before the Father and before the holy angels. Jesus will say, «They are mine; I have purchased them with my own blood.»

The time of trouble is soon to break upon us, and the decree will go forth that everyone who will not keep the first day of the week shall be put to death. Those who have not regarded the Sabbath as they should, who have exalted their business above God’s commandment, will trample upon the Sabbath and keep the first day of the week, because they have consulted their own convenience before the honor of God. They did not learn to bring themselves into harmony with the Sabbath, but sought to bring the Sabbath to meet their own convenience. With the preparation they have made, they are no more fitted to stand in the day of judgment than the greatest sinner. Their ideas are confused; they have tried to serve God and mammon; they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Those who love God with all the heart, and their neighbor as themselves, will be the only ones who will stand the test of the decree. When Satan brings his power to bear upon half-hearted professors, he will sweep them over to his side, he will claim his right to do with them as he pleases. But of those who honor God, the Lord says, «They shall be mine, . . . in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.»

Those who are in the favor of God will not be deceived. Many now pass as Sabbath-keepers who, when the test comes upon the question, will no longer have a place among those who observe God’s commandments. The prophet says, «Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.» Those who are determined to have their own way, who measure themselves by their own standard, will have their time of trouble. The prophet declares: «For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.»

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise upon those who have kept the commandments of God. Those who think that they can set their will against God’s will are in the greatest danger. Those who wish to be covered in the day of God’s anger, must be true to God now. Now is the time to show our fidelity to God, and our faith in Christ. The sins that have been committed against God will be blotted out if they are repented of. Christ said: «Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts: If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.» Who are these that stand by?—The angels of God. They will be as a wall of fire round about the people of God, and the hosts of evil will not be able to pass their ranks. The angels of Satan are working with the children of disobedience to inspire them with madness against those who are loyal to the law of God. Although the people of God are despised by the world, and «it doth not yet appear what we shall be,» yet the wicked will one day see God’s people glorified; they will see the promise fulfilled, «Them that honor me, I will honor.»

While we are in the world, we should be the light of the world; for God has a work for each one to do. Only a few will choose to obey the truth, and we should seek for the grace of God that we may represent his service aright. There is a spirit in the church which greatly misrepresents the exalted character of the truth. In place of having your attention turned toward Jesus, in place of studying his life and character that you may copy the divine pattern, you have measured yourselves among yourselves, and in this way the truth of God has been greatly dishonored. Envy, jealousy, criticism of others, love of supremacy, have all flourished among the professed people of God. Some have claimed that special messages have been given them of God, and their attention has been turned away from the preparation of heart necessary to meet Christ in peace. Satan will invent everything possible to lead men away from the real work. If the members of the church are not subject one to another, if they go here and there with a message God has not given them, the church will become demoralized, and fanaticism of the worst order will come in. There are conscientious souls who will accept anything that calls for sacrifice. Christ has said, «I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.» God sends his messenger, and if the people will receive the message, they will not be led into error.

The Lord wants you to consult together. If, in years past, there had been more consultation concerning the work in Norway, it would have been far in advance of what it is to-day. Personal effort, personal opinion, personal plans, have placed upon the work a mould that does not elevate and ennoble the people of God. The enemy is trying to make of none effect the word of God. Those in the church who ought to set an example to the flock, have had such a lax hold of God that they have not been able to influence the people.

You are to be obedient to all the requirements of God. When you bring your own work into God’s time, when you violate the Sabbath, your moral sense becomes clouded, and you cannot discern that your course is an offense to God. If your eyes could be opened, you would see the Saviour by your side with blood-stained hands. He was wounded for your transgressions; will you refuse to accept the great sacrifice that was made in your behalf? For your sake, Christ became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich in heavenly riches. Today we present the cross of Calvary. It speaks in plain language to every soul that is not deluded by the temptation of Satan in consequence of disobedience to God’s law. Christ came to our world and died a shameful death because the precepts of the law could not be changed. He endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He suffered all this for the joy that was set before him,—the joy of bringing many sons and daughters to God. He died to bring us into harmony with the law of Heaven. He has said: «Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.»

Many are in peril to-day; their eyes have been blinded; and as Christ said to Nicodemus, I say to them, «Ye must be born again.» I expect to meet my words in the last great day. When I look at the people here who are trying to serve God, I would try to fulfill the words of the prophet, and comfort the people of God. Your Saviour is a living Saviour, who is pleading with the Father in your behalf. Everyone who will keep the word of his patience will be saved from the temptation that will come upon all the world. The smallest acts are written in the book of God, but God says that he will not despise a humble and a contrite heart. If you had all the wealth of the world, it would not provide a ransom for your soul, or elevate you in the favor of Heaven. Will you be a child of God? Will you walk in humility before him? Your talents, your ability, your means, belong to God. Give all to him; for he has purchased all with an infinite price.

We exhort you to come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Shut out everything that will separate you from God; put away sin from among you. The people of the world many seem to pass on without perplexity, and to be more favored than the righteous. David says: «Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. . . . When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.» There are many who are in the same condition of mind to-day as was David; but if they would go into the sanctuary, and understand the latter end of the wicked, they would be no more envious of them.

«Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for everyone that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and everyone that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name; and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.»

The angel is represented as flying through the midst of heaven with a roll in his hand, on which are written the deeds of our daily life. God bears long with the children of men, but there is a time coming when he will cease to bear with them. God wants them to get under the cover of his wings. Jesus is pleading his blood in our behalf, but Satan is standing at his right hand, resisting every effort in our behalf. May God help us to humble our hearts, before it shall be forever too late to make wrongs right.

Let the Spirit of God fashion our character and our work. We are responsible for the manner in which the truth is presented. We should seek to impress unbelievers with its exalted character. Christ is soon coming, and those who have not kept the Sabbath sacredly should reform. God will frown upon those who disregard his commandments, and he cannot bless the church that retains Sabbath-breakers in its fellowship.

Oh, that Christ might walk among you, that he might say, «Take away the filthy garment, and clothe them with change of raiment.» We want to know that we are on the Lord’s side. We want to dwell with him through all eternity. Those who sit with Christ on his throne must be partakers with him of his sufferings. They must drink of the cup that he drank of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was baptized with. —

«He that Hath Seen Me Hath Seen the Father»

Through Jesus, the Son of God, the Father is more fully revealed to the world. Jesus said to his disciples: «If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.» The souls of thousands are crying out to-day, «Show us the Father, and we will be satisfied. We cannot claim God as our Father until we see him.» Jesus says to every such soul, as he said to Philip: «‘Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me?’ Have you seen my works, have you listened to my teachings, have you witnessed the miracles that I have wrought in my Father’s name, and yet have you not understood the nature of God? I have prayed with you and for you, and yet can you not comprehend that I am the way, the truth, and the life, and that in my life I have unfolded to you the character of my Father? I am the brightness of my Father’s glory, I am the express image of his person. ‘Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.'»

The time had come for Jesus to stand in contradiction to the work of Satan, to rebuke and oppose his power. At the beginning of his ministry, John was baptizing in the Jordan, and Christ came to him to receive the baptismal rite. As man’s example he took the step in conversion requisite for the repenting, believing sinner; and the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him, and lo, a voice from heaven saying, «This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.» He was consecrated to his office by God himself. He was anointed by the Spirit, invested with the authority, and endowed with the attributes, of God; and his mission was to reveal the Father to the world.

As Christ was to reveal the Father, so those who believe in Jesus are to reveal Christ to the world in spirit and character; they are to be good, and to do good. Wherever Jesus went, he taught his disciples concerning the kingdom of God; he turned every event into an occasion of usefulness, and his followers are to do the same.

After the ascension of Christ, his disciples were left to carry forward the work which he had been doing. They were to be the instruments through which the Lord should speak, and many were to believe on their word, and engage in the work that Jesus had done when he was upon earth. God’s appointed agents are to study carefully the lessons which Christ taught his disciples. They are to contemplate his precious instruction, and to imitate the holy characteristics of his teachings; if they fail to do this, they fail to represent Christ as he represented the Father. There is need of fervent and frequent prayer that we may understand the import of his instruction, and carry forward the work he has given us to do. We are to bear in mind that it is only a small proportion of what Jesus taught and did that has been recorded.

That the disciples of Christ might be prepared for the great work which they were to do, Jesus had instructed them to tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endowed with power from on high. On the day of Pentecost, as they were assembled together, and with one accord were seeking for the fulfillment of his promise, the Spirit of God descended, and the hearts of those who believed were filled with the Holy Ghost. The most signal evidence of the power of God was manifested, and thousands were converted in a day. Our Saviour has provided that those who go forth to fulfill his commission of preaching the gospel to the world, shall not go without the divine unction. He has said, «But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.» If men would come to God and make an entire surrender to him in full assurance of faith, they would have grace to do the great work committed to them.

When Moses was called out to lead the children of Israel, he prayed earnestly to the Lord, and said: «See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight; and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.»

The Lord did not rebuke Moses as presumptuous because he asked greater and greater favors at his hand. Every laborer in the cause of God should have firm, earnest faith and determined purpose, that he may know that he has the favor and presence of God with him. Co-workers with God may obtain all that they ask for if they will but seek the Lord with faith. In the time of Christ, many of his disciples remained ignorant of the very thing that it was their privilege to know. Jesus sought to teach them of spiritual things. He reproached his disciples because of their dullness of comprehension. If it had been impossible for them to comprehend the things he uttered, he would not thus have reproved them. They might have exerted their mental powers to a greater extent, and stimulated their souls, by prayer and faith, and so have been enabled to understand the mysteries of godliness. Jesus saw that they did not lay hold of the real meaning of the great truths that he presented, and he compassionately promised that the Holy Spirit should recall these savings to their minds, and revive in their remembrance many of the truths which they had lost. He tried to impress upon them the fact that he had opened before them great truths, the value of which they had failed to comprehend. After his resurrection, when he opened to them the scriptures concerning himself, he said unto them, «These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you. . . . Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.» Although Christ had been with them, and they had heard his exposition of the prophecies, they had failed to comprehend the great plan of the atonement, and they needed the power of the Spirit of God to make plain to their minds its deep significance.

When the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples of Christ, they saw their Saviour in a light in which they had never seen him before. Gladness and peace came to their souls. Jesus had told them what would be the result of the operation of the Holy Spirit. He had said. «He shall glorify me.» Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the soul is sanctified by obedience to the truth, and Jesus says, «I am the way, the truth, and the life.» He unfolded to man the important lesson that the sum of all science is to be found in the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. This knowledge can be incorporated into everyone’s experience. The Scriptures declare, «This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.»

The knowledge of God and Christ lies at the foundation of all knowledge. Through the study of the Bible, moral power is developed; and while the mind is put to the task of comprehending its truths, the intellect expands; as the image of Christ, the Author of all truth, brightens to the vision, the understanding becomes enlarged to comprehend more fully the elevated character of the standard of perfection. Those who study the Bible in the right manner, drink from a fountain which is inexhaustible. The teaching of Christ is simple, and yet the greatest and best disciplined minds are charmed with his profound and comprehensive utterances. In all his lessons, Jesus presented to men the worthlessness of ceremonial obedience. He sought to impress men with the spirituality of the law, unveiling its vital principles, and making plain its eternal obligations. The righteousness of the law was presented to the world in the character of Christ, and the holy, benevolent, and paternal attributes of God were revealed in his dealings with mankind. He explained the solemn relation which existed between man and God, between man and his fellow-man. He taught the necessity of prayer, repentance, faith, virtue, and perfection of character.

Through Christ, moral power is brought to man that will change the entire affections, and enable man to work with a will for the cause of God. Where all the power of mind and body was before concentrated to work the works of evil, by the Spirit of God a revolution is brought about. The Holy Spirit enlightens, renews, and sanctifies the soul. Angels behold with inexpressible rapture the results of the working of the Holy Spirit in man. By the revelation of the attractive loveliness of Christ, by the knowledge of his love expressed to us while we were yet sinners, the stubborn heart is melted and subdued, and the sinner is transformed and becomes a child of God. Love is the agency which God uses to expel sin from the human soul. By it he changes pride into humility, enmity and unbelief into love and faith. He does not employ compulsory measures; Jesus is revealed to the soul, and if man will look in faith to the Lamb of God, he will live.

Jesus has given this invitation, «Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.» In coming to Jesus, we reveal our faith. The law condemns the sinner, and by this condemnation he is led to see the necessity of a Saviour. He seeks refuge in Jesus, and the Son is glorified and exalted as the Redeemer of the world; he is the sinner’s substitute and surety.

No man can keep the law of God apart from Christ, and God will not accept his unaided efforts. The nature of man is in opposition to the divine will, depraved, deformed, and wholly unlike the character of God expressed in his law. Man is accepted through the righteousness of Christ, through obedience to God’s law. God imputes beauty, excellence, and perfection to man through the merits of his Son, and thus places the highest honor upon Christ by making him the pattern by which he works to fashion the character of all believers. Christ is presented to men that they may catch his temper, his perfection; and as the model is complete and perfect in every part, so, as man is conformed to the image of Christ, he is made complete in him; for aside from Christ there never can be righteousness in the human heart.

When the Spirit was poured out from on high, the church was flooded with light, but Christ was that light; the church was filled with joy, but Christ was the subject of that joy. When the Spirit is poured upon his people in this day, Christ’s name will be upon every tongue, his love will fill every soul; and when the heart embraces Jesus, it will embrace God; for all the fullness of God dwells in Christ. When the beams of Christ’s righteousness shine upon the soul, joy, adoration, and glory will be woven with the experience. —