The Reason for the Delay
Deferred in Mercy—The long night of gloom is trying, but the
morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come,
so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have His
people perish, has been the reason of so long delay.—
Testimonies For
The Church 2:194
(1868).
The Work Might Have Been Done—Had the purpose of God
been carried out by His people in giving to the world the message of
mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the earth, and the saints
would have received their welcome into the city of God.—
Testimonies
For The Church 6:450
(1900).
I know that if the people of God had preserved a living connection
with Him, if they had obeyed His Word, they would today be in the
heavenly Canaan.—
The General Conference Bulletin, March 30, 1903
.
Satan Has Stolen a March on Us—If every watchman on the
walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might
ere this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years
behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us.—
Testimonies For The Church 9:29
(1909).
[695]
No Failure of God’s Promises—The angels of God in their mes-
sages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been
presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we
expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear
as soon as we hoped. But has the Word of the Lord failed? Never! It
should be remembered that the promises and the threatenings of God
are alike conditional.
God had committed to His people a work to be accomplished
on earth. The third angel’s message was to be given, the minds of
believers were to be directed to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ
had entered to make atonement for His people. The Sabbath reform
was to be carried forward. The breach in the law of God must be made
up. The message must be proclaimed with a loud voice, that all the
inhabitants of earth might receive the warning. The people of God
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