Light for a World in Darkness, December 3

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:2, 3.

Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people, and how ardently we should desire the presence of the divine Instructor to lead us in the way of truth and righteousness. God has already spoken to man at sundry times and in divers places and in various ways, yet the world's ignorance is increasing. We must speak with more pronounced utterances concerning the truth, that we may bring to man a knowledge of God. The distinction between Christians and worldlings must be more marked. The Bible must become a book of more prominence among us, and the attentive, diligent searcher by painstaking effort must search for the hidden treasure. The maxims of men, the dogmas of error, though advanced by those who profess to be interpreters of the Word of God, must be discarded, for they are calculated to cover up the truth….

The Jews turned from the Lord Jesus, whom the prophets foretold as the coming Messiah, and they have not been able to see to the end of that which was abolished. In making void the law of God, in turning from the truth with aversion, the Christian world have turned from Christ, and have made manifest the fact that they were not accustomed to looking upon truth of heavenly origin. The darkness has become like a funeral pall, and it covers the whole earth. This is not the time to become weak and sickly in faith. This is no time to permit the world to convert the church of God. Let those who have light now arise and shine….

Those who are waiting for the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ cannot mingle with those who are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, who are seeking amusement in games and pleasure parties. As faithful watchmen they must proclaim the warning, “The morning cometh, and also the night” (Isaiah 21:12).^{3Letter 84, 1895.}

Now Is the Time to Shine, December 2

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1.

We need now to arise and shine, for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. We have no time to talk of self, no time to become like the sensitive plant, that cannot be touched without shrinking. In Jesus Christ is our sufficiency. Will we talk faith? Will we talk of the glorious hope, of the full and abundant righteousness of Jesus Christ, provided for every soul? …

The whole heavenly universe is interested, and the love of God is exercised in behalf of His faithful, commandment-keeping people. It is God in whom we must trust…. God has the world in His hand. We have God on our side. All heaven is waiting and longing for our cooperation. The Lord is supreme. Why then should we fear? The Lord is almighty; why should we tremble? In the past God has delivered His people, and He will be our helper if we will arise in His strength and go forward.

The Bible and the Bible only is to be our refuge. God is in His Word. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” That is enough for us. “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). If the great and loving heart of God is satisfied with the result of His mission in the souls saved, let us rejoice. Let us work as we have never done before. Let us put self aside and lay hold of Jesus Christ by faith. Let us reveal Him to the world as the One altogether lovely and the chiefest among ten thousand.

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9, 10).^{2Letter 138, 1897.}

December

Exalting the Man of Calvary, December 1

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14, 15.

I point you to the cross of Calvary. I ask you to consider the infinite sacrifice made in your behalf that through faith in Jesus Christ you may not perish but have everlasting life…. I point you to Jesus. You are safe in committing to Him the innermost working of your mind. The Lord Jesus hath purchased you with an infinite price. You may commit the keeping of your soul to Jesus. You may trust Him as your Counselor…. Constantly draw nigh unto God. He will help you.

O be sure you receive your illumination from the Source of all light. He is the great central Light of the universe of heaven and the great Light of the world. He will enlighten every man that cometh into the world. Reach no cheap, low standard. Cultivate the gentleness of Christ. Secure the highest attainments, and draw your inspiration from Jesus Christ. He is your Friend. You may always depend upon Him and find Him faithful and true. When you need His sympathy in your greatest perplexity, wounded and bruised, He will not pass you by on the other side. To Him you may come in the simplicity of children. To Him you may come with joy and rejoicing. With everything that is flattering to your hopes, every success which attends your labors in the Lord, look up to Jesus and lay every honor at His feet. Everything depends upon your walking in all humility of mind. Write the name of Christ upon your banner and never dishonor your colors.

All heaven was given to us in Christ Jesus…. O honor Jesus by giving to Him the heart's best and holiest services! He has given His life for you. Who is He that hath done this? The only begotten Son of God, He that was One with the Father before the world was.

Lift up your banner, lift it up higher. Never, never let it trail in the dust of the earth. Exalt Jesus. Lift Him up, the Man of Calvary, higher and still higher.^{1Letter 147, 1896.}

Fullness of the Godhead, November 30

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Revelation 5:13.

On the isle of Patmos John saw the things which God desired him to give to the people. Here is a theme worthy of our contemplation. Here are large and comprehensive lessons, which all the angelic hosts are now seeking to communicate. Infinite wisdom, infinite love, infinite justice, infinite mercy—depths, heights, lengths, breadths! Numberless pens have been employed to represent the life and character and mediatorial work of Christ, and yet to every mind through whom the Holy Spirit works these themes are presented fresh and new, just in accordance with the mind and spirit of the human agent. The Lord Jesus promised that the Spirit He would send would recall His words to the minds of those prepared to receive them. After His resurrection He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Up to that time the disciples had not comprehended them, for the rubbish of rabbinical lore had hidden the truth from their view.

The truth, if received, is capable of constant expansion and new developments. It will increase in brightness as we behold it, and grow in height and depth as we aspire to grasp it. Thus it will elevate us to the standard of perfection, and give us faith and trust in God as our strength for the work before us. We need the truth as it is in Jesus…. As His representatives and witnesses we need to come to a full understanding of the saving truth which we must know by an experimental knowledge.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). This is the great practical truth which must be stamped upon the soul. It is of the greatest importance that all should comprehend the greatness and power of the truth to those who receive it. “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).^{38Manuscript 153, 1898.}

Christ Is Our Message! November 29

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2.

The burden of our message should be the mission and life of Jesus Christ. Let there be a dwelling upon the humiliation, self-denial, meekness, and lowliness of Christ, that proud and selfish hearts may see the difference between themselves and the Pattern, and may be humbled….

Describe, if human language can, the humiliation of the Son of God, and think not that you have reached the climax when you see Him exchanging the throne of light and glory which He had with the Father for humanity. He came forth from heaven to earth, and while on earth, He bore the curse of God as surety for the fallen race. He was not obliged to do this. He chose to bear the wrath of God, which man had incurred…. He chose to endure the cruel mockings, the deridings, the scourging, and the crucifixion…. “He … became obedient unto death,” but the manner of His death was an astonishment to the universe, for it was even the death of the cross.

Christ was not insensible to ignominy and disgrace. He felt it all most bitterly. He felt it as much more deeply and acutely than we can feel suffering, as His nature was more exalted and pure and holy than that of the sinful race for whom He suffered. He was the Majesty of heaven, He was equal with the Father, He was the Commander of the hosts of angels, yet He died for man the death that was, above all others, clothed with ignominy and reproach. O that the haughty hearts of men might realize this! O that they might enter into the meaning of redemption and seek to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus! …

The gifts of Him who has all power in heaven and in earth are in store for the children of God. Gifts so precious that they come to us through the costly sacrifice of the Redeemer's blood, gifts that will satisfy the deepest craving of the heart, gifts lasting as eternity, will be received and enjoyed by all who will come to God as little children.^{37The Review and Herald, September 11, 1888.}