p. 11 | Review and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 47. (11/22/1906)

Earlier text: Readings for the Week of Prayer

Children's Exercise

Our Love to God

MEMORY VERSE: Matt. 22:37.

1. Connect this topic with Lesson I.

2. How do we feel when we know some one loves us and does much for us? 1 John 4:19.

3. If we really love God, how will we show it? John 14:15, 23. (Illustrate by our desire to please earthly friends.)

4. What commandments especially relate to our love to God? Ex. 20:3-11. (Refer to law chart and give a short explanation of each of the first four commandments.)

5. How can we love God as we ought and keep his commandments? Eze. 36:26-28.

God’s Mystery to Be Quickly Finished

By Ludwig Richard Conradi

L. R. CONRADI

(Reading for Tuesday, December 18)

The epistle to the Ephesians is wholly dedicated to one purpose: it presents to the brethren dwelling at Ephesus, and, indeed, to the entire church of Christ throughout the succeeding generations, the real intent of God’s will, which, hidden for ages, was manifest in the days of the apostles, and will be completely carried out in the fulness of time.

From Eph. 1:9, 10, we learn that the mystery of his will is that in the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. The original word for “gather together in one,” might be rendered, “recapitulate, or again put under one head.” And this very thought—that all things should be summed up under one head in Christ—is the mystery of God’s purpose. From the fourth verse of the chapter we find that even before the foundation of the world was laid, the Lord had purposed that in Christ there should be this holy and blameless family.

What the Lord purposed in the beginning, he also set forth in creation, as we see from Col. 1:16-18, by creating all things—the angels in heaven, and man upon the earth—through the one Christ. Just as the Sabbath is the memorial of finished creation, so it is also the sign that at that time there existed such a union between God and the heavenly hosts that there was one family in heaven and earth.

Satan, by introducing sin into the universe, not only caused disunion among the angels of glory, but he succeeded in bringing about such variance among the members of the first family that one arose and slew the other.

As time passed, there arose other kinds of bitter feelings among the sons of Adam—racial feelings, national feelings, social feelings, religious feelings, and personal feelings—until the whole world became a Babylon, filled with confusion and division, every man’s hand against that of his brother. Indeed, God’s chosen people were unable to present a united front for any considerable length of time anciently, but were soon divided into the kingdoms of Israel and of Judah. Often one kingdom was against the other, and frequently one tribe was the enemy of the other. Finally, such was the enmity between Judah and the mixed people who inhabited Samaria, that the Jew would not even drink from a cup that had been used by a Samaritan. The Galilean Jew was not so highly esteemed as the Judean, and the Gentile was an unclean dog. If we go still further, we see that there existed the greatest animosity between Pharisee and Sadducee, and that there was a false, impassable barrier of professionalism established by the priests against the common people. And thus, for thousands of years Satan had succeeded in blinding the minds of the children of men concerning the mystery of God.

Yea, further: when the Saviour chose the twelve disciples, there was contention among them. But to them, as well as to us, he gave the new commandment, “Love one another;” for “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. And the chief burden of Jesus’ last prayer to the Father was: “That they all may be one; . . . that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:20, 21. Now the mystery is being revealed. The great sign of discipleship in Christ is that we love one another. The fact that Christ, by his Spirit, has come into the world, is to be demonstrated by the unity manifested among his children, in harmony with the eternal purpose of God.

This was the great lesson the apostles had to learn. The day of Pentecost did not come until they were all of one accord. As soon as a number of God’s people had fully opened their hearts to his Spirit, and unitedly sought him for the fulness of his blessing, the outpouring of the Spirit was granted them. Many people were in Jerusalem at this time, and each one heard in his own tongue. Jews and proselytes from every nation under heaven were converted. It was not long before the glad tidings came that Samaria had received the word, and that they, too, were filled with the Spirit, and had joined themselves to the true Israel of God. Acts 8:14-17. Somewhat later, to the astonishment of the circumcised Jews, the Spirit was poured out on the uncircumcised Gentiles, also. Acts 10:44, 45.

But even in those days an extra council had to be summoned, and considerable had to be done, before all could see this mystery of God, which united Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised, man and woman, as one in Christ, with equal rights in the one great common family. Paul had to write a special epistle to a church composed almost entirely of Gentiles, that their eyes might be opened fully to see the great mystery of God, and to really feel their union with all the people of God on earth and the angels in heaven.

That one Body on the cross, who died for all, is an everlasting testimony that, whether Jew or Gentile, whether the people of olden times or the generation living to-day, we are all one body in Christ, and that we all have access by one Spirit unto one Father, and that we are one household; and that the church is but one temple, built upon one cornerstone, Christ Jesus, and the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

It was Paul’s endeavor to make all men see what is the fellowship of this wonderful mystery, that even the principalities and powers in heavenly places might recognize in the unity of God’s church the manifold wisdom of God. Angels who witnessed the division and havoc wrought by the rebellion of their leader in heaven, and who saw how Satan from the very beginning had succeeded

in dividing the human family, now behold how the Lord is uniting, by his Spirit and through his gospel, one great family, chosen from among all these separate nationalities, tongues, and peoples. More than this: by being made ministering spirits to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, the angels have become personally interested in our individual welfare. Their sympathies have become most closely interwoven with ours, for they encamp round about us by day and by night; and they will be the first ones to meet us when the Saviour appears in the clouds of heaven. Thus is formed a bond of union between the great family in heaven and on earth that will grow throughout eternity. Eph. 3:15.

In view of these things, the apostle admonishes the church to keep the “unity of the Spirit,” because there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. For the revelation of this oneness, the various gifts have been established in the church. Eph. 4:11-13.

We are ever to remember that in order to bring about this unity, Christ has given himself for his church, to sanctify and cleanse it, that he might present it a glorious church, not having spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, and that we are to-day members of his body, and of his flesh, and of his bone. This is, indeed, a great mystery. We are not only to see Christ in ourselves, but we are to see him in every brother, and in every sister, of whatever race, nationality, or tongue; we are to recognize his body in his living church, and to maintain its unity as the great central feature of Christ’s presence among men and in his church.

What the Lord began of old, he will finish in our day. The work of the gospel will be finished under the seventh angel. To-day we see race contending with race; we see nation pitted against nation, until the whole world is a great military camp; we see tongue arrayed against tongue; we see religion striving against religion; we see the rich seeking to oppress the poor, and the poor striving to wrest from the rich their legally and illegally acquired riches; we see division between the high and the low, the educated and the common classes. But there is also a glorious message sounding throughout the world, and its influence is gradually leavening the ranks of society. It is selecting a people from among all classes, and uniting them into one common brotherhood in Christ Jesus, under the guidance of the Spirit of Christ, in spite of all hindrances and ofttimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The process is going on in all parts of the world. We see evidences of it among the five hundred millions of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, where there are to-day no less than forty different nationalities and tongues uniting closer and closer upon the platform of God’s mighty truth for this time, realizing, also, that they belong to a family composed not alone of their own kith and kin, but that their neighbor, their brother, their sister may be found in all lands under the heaven, wherever there is any one in need of the gospel for this time. Although the hydra of revolution is spreading throughout Russia and other nations, and creeds and classes are pitted against one another, on the other hand we see hundreds, yea, thousands, from among these very peoples uniting under the guidance of the Spirit of God, bent on accomplishing the one great purpose of advancing the cause of truth into the very heart of Asia, to Manchuria. While in the Levant we see the Greek slaughtering the Bulgarian, the Rumanian banishing the Greek, and the Hungarian fighting the Austrian, yet wherever the genuine gospel of peace takes hold of these men, we find that it unifies their various interests. They can come up together and joyfully unite in our great annual-camp-meetings, where as many as one thousand people are assembled, representing more than twenty-five of these nationalities, made one in heart and purpose by that one Spirit.

OUR FIRST MEETING-HOUSE IN ICELAND, AT REYKJAVIK

We may see the Irish against the English, we may see the Scotch and the Welsh pursuing their own interests, but when this blessed gospel takes hold of them, lo, in a day they are one.

Not only are various nationalities thus welded into one; the rich and the poor come together, and become one in their work and in their purpose, the wealthy giving of their abundance, and the poor according to their ability, to push on the triumphs of the cross in their home land, and in the lands that still belong to the “regions beyond.” To-day not only are those who belong to what the world calls the humbler ranks of society accepting the message, but we see persons of the nobility, and men of influence and learning, forsaking their worldly positions to become identified with God’s people, realizing that in taking this step they are uniting themselves to the true nobility, and becoming partakers of the wisdom which can not in the least be compared to the wisdom of this world, and heirs to the riches above, riches so great that even the wealthiest of this world never dreamed of them.

Indeed, we see God’s word being fulfilled even further. Malachi said that the message in the last days would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. I will relate just one incident to illustrate this. Some five years ago I visited a place in Asia Minor, and a number of young people gave their hearts to the Lord. However, a good brother of some standing in the church there rather objected to the baptism of these young converts (some of them were fifteen or sixteen years old), because he thought them too young. Now, when I returned to Asia Minor last spring, this same man came to my meetings; but the elder of the church told me the sad story of the brother’s having gradually lost his first love, and finally so far back-slidden from God that he had opened a store on the Sabbath, and the church had had to disfellowship him.

When I learned of this, I longed to see the backslider return. We had special meetings for the youth, and a number gave their hearts to God. As I spoke to them Friday night, I found that one of the new converts was the son of this brother. Early Sabbath morning we were to go up the mountainside, until we came to a place where there was sufficient water for baptism. Now, in examining those who presented themselves for admission into

the church, I asked this boy whether he had spoken to his parents, especially to his father, about the step he intended to take. (From what his father had said five years before, I rather feared he would object to the baptism of his son.) As he had not yet asked his father’s permission, I told him he should go home, and speak to him about it.

Next morning the father came to me. He said he had had a terrible night. When the son had asked permission to be baptized, he had felt like objecting. But as the boy directed his mind to God, and they had sought God together, the father’s heart of stone had been broken, and he became conscious of his own spiritual condition, and of the wrongs he had done to the elder of the church, and to the church itself. He had come, he said, to ask forgiveness of the elder of the church, for the way he had felt toward him. When we reached the place of baptism, the brother then desired to make a statement to the members of the church, and he told them how he had wandered from the truth, but how his

own child, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, had turned his heart toward God, and now he had no greater desire than to be united with the church by entering the water with his son, and being rebaptized.

It was a happy scene as child and father were baptized together. That was a joyful day to the mother, who had still clung to the truth; and it was a happy day to the church, as one of their former number had again returned; and there was rejoicing in heaven, among the angels of God, over the one sinner that had repented.

There have now been about thirteen thousand gathered out from among the various nationalities and languages and tongues and people of the European field, and it is the united purpose of this little band to share in carrying the gospel to every part of Europe, and Africa, and Asia, as well as to the Americas and the islands of the sea.

O may this week of prayer be the means of uniting God’s people as they have never been united before! May we see evidences of the manifestation of the Spirit, and may we put aside every obstacle, be it in the family, or in the church, or in the conference. We are now scattered pretty well into all parts of the world, by thousands and by tens of thousands. If we unitedly, inspired by the greatness of the work before us, seek God for the fulness of his Spirit, that we may go forth into effective service, and complete his work, and complete it quickly, we may rest assured that the great work of gathering out a people from all the nations will be finished. And we shall also soon behold that glad day when men transformed by the same Spirit into the glorious image of God, shall ascend with the angels to meet their Lord in the air, and enter the city of the great King, there to behold the glory of our Father. Thus will the purpose of God, planned from the very beginning of creation, be triumphantly fulfilled.

Children’s Exercise

Our Love for One Another

MEMORY VERSE: 1 John 4:21.

1. If we love God, how will we regard those about us? Memory verse.

2. Can a person love God and not love his brother? 1 John 4:20. Who is meant by “brother”?

3. How much should we love others? Matt. 22:39; John 15:12, 13.

4. Which of the commandments show how we should treat one another? Ex. 20:12–17.

5. To whom is the first of these addressed? Verse 12. (Question so as to develop a few practical thoughts on each of the last six commandments.)

6. How is true love made known? 1 John 3:18.

Read in concert: “If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth.” 1 Cor. 13:3–8.

(As an introduction to the next lesson, ask the children to bring in a text containing the word “faith.”)

The Former and the Latter Rain

By W. W. Prescott

W. W. PRESCOTT

(Reading for Wednesday, December 19)

Of special and present interest to the people of God at this time are the following promises, spoken through the prophet Joel: “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I have sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else; and my people shall never be put to shame. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.”

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the former rain and the latter rain, and the results of these gracious visitations from the presence of the Lord, are foretold in this remarkable prophecy. The promise to make up for the previous losses caused by destructive insects, and the abundant harvest described, are the concrete forms in which the assurance is given that every opposing influence will be held in check, and that rich spiritual harvests will be reaped as the result of the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This prophecy, so far as it relates to the former rain, was fulfilled in the experience of Pentecost and the work of the apostles. This history is worthy of being studied again. Concerning Pentecost we read: “And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. . . . And they [those “from every nation under heaven”] were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this? But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel.”

After quoting the prophecy to which he referred, the apostle Peter then showed from the Scriptures, in a simple and straightforward manner, that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth was in direct fulfilment of the prophetic word. “The arguments of the apostles alone, although clear and convincing, would not have removed the prejudice of the Jews which had withstood so much evidence. But the Holy Ghost sent those arguments home with divine power to their hearts. They were as sharp arrows of the Almighty, convicting them of their terrible guilt in rejecting and crucifying the Lord of glory.” “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. . . . They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.” Thus under the plentiful shower of the divine Spirit did the seed take root, and spring up speedily.

The multiplication of witnesses under the ministry of the apostles who were filled with the Holy Spirit continued after Pentecost. After the healing of the lame man, “whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful,” Peter again preached to the people, and as the result of his testimony concerning Jesus, “many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” The number of converts to the faith was soon described as “the multitude of them that believed,” and the record states that “with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” A little later we learn that “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Thus the work continued until after the martyrdom of Stephen and the conversion of Saul. The disciples, according to the promise of Jesus in foretelling the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them, became witnesses to the truth not only in Jerusalem, but

‘in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’”

Such were the glorious results which attended the giving of the former rain. Simple arguments in the mouths of “unlettered men, and obscure,” carried conviction to the hearts of those who had been filled with prejudice. Without the facilities of modern times, a few men, taken mostly from the common people, but filled with the Holy Spirit, carried the message of the risen Saviour to all the world in one generation, so that the apostle Paul could write to the Colossians concerning “the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven.” In its influence upon the growth of the kingdom of God in the earth it was doubtless the most remarkable period from Adam to Christ. Those days were the days of heaven upon earth, days of power and light and blessing for the church.

Nearly nineteen hundred years have passed since the giving of the former rain, introduced by the experience on the day of Pentecost. The great apostasy, the Dark Ages, and the Reformation of the sixteenth century have filled the pages of history. The great second advent movement, as foreshadowed in prophecy, has attracted the attention of the world in this last generation. In the finishing of this work the three angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation are joined by “another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority.” “The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message, as it swells to a loud cry.” At this time the latter rain will be given.

‘The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The advent movement of 1840-44 was a glorious manifestation of the power of God; the first angel’s message was carried to every missionary station in the world, and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be far exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel.

‘The work will be similar to that of the day of Pentecost. As the ‘former rain’ was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the precious seed; so the ‘latter rain’ will be given at its close, for the ripening of the harvest. ‘Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.’ . . . The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel, are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are ‘the times of refreshing’ to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said, ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [in the investigative judgment], when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus.’

‘Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand.

WORKERS AT THE NIMES (FRANCE) CAMP-MEETING

‘The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.’—‘Great Controversy,’ pages 610-612.

For years we have been in the time of the loud cry of this message. This means that for years we have been in the time of the latter rain. We ought, therefore, to call to mind this word of the Lord: ‘Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, even of Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.’ Already there are indications of the fulfilment of this promise, and a work of preparation has been done which will open the way for its complete fulfilment. With repentance and humble confession let each one seek the Lord while he may be found, that the latter rain may be poured out, and the great work cut short in righteousness.

Children's Exercise

Faith

MEMORY VERSE: Gal. 3:26.

1. Call for verses containing the word “faith.”

2. Illustrate how faith makes things real. Heb. 11:1.

3. We can not please God without it. Heb. 11:6. Why?

4. Relate a story from life illustrating real faith.

5. Bible incidents of faith. Joshua 6:1-20. (Refer to events in the life of Daniel, the crossing of the Red Sea, etc.)

6. What was it that gave the victory in each case?

7. What two promises especially should we remember and believe each day? 1 John 1:9; 1 Cor. 10:13.

8. What is it that will give us the victory over every temptation? 1 John 5:4.

9. In whom does Jesus want us to have faith? Mark 11:22.

Children's Exercise

Obedience

MEMORY VERSE: 1 Sam. 15:22.

1. Yesterday we talked about believing God; to-day we shall study how we may know that we believe him.

2. What was the result of one act of disobedience? Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-6, 17, 18, 23, 24.

3. How does the Lord regard obedience to him? Memory verse.

4. Find another word for “obey” in Rev. 22:14.

5. Do we need to obey any one but God? Eph. 6:1.

6. We call it minding, but God calls it by different names. Can you find here, other words besides “do” and “obey”? Ex. 20:12; Prov. 23:22.

7. How is obedience a test of love? John 14:15, 21, 23, 24.

8. What experience of Jesus enables him to help us to obey? Heb. 5:8, 9.

9. What shows whose servants we are? Rom. 6:16.

10. What promise is made to those who obey? Isa. 1:19.

11. Whom is it the Christian’s duty always to obey? Acts 5:29.

(Ask the children to bring texts for the next lesson that speak of Jesus’ coming.)

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