650
Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
Satan worked upon their minds to lead them to reject the Saviour.
Rather than yield their pride of opinion, they closed their eyes to
all the evidences of His Messiahship, and they not only rejected the
message of salvation themselves, but they steeled the hearts of the
people against Jesus. Their history should be a solemn warning to
us. We need never expect that when the Lord has light for His people,
Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from
receiving it. He will work upon minds to excite distrust and jealousy
and unbelief. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends,
because it does not come in a way to please us. Let not God’s blessing
be turned away from us because we know not the time of our visitation.
If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let
them not stand in the way of others. Let it not be said of this highly
favored people, as of the Jews when the good news of the kingdom
was preached to them: “Ye entered not in yourselves, and them that
were entering in ye hindered.”
We are taught in God’s word that this is the time, above all others,
when we may look for light from heaven. It is now that we are to
expect a refreshing from the presence of the Lord. We should watch
for the movings of God’s providence as the army of Israel watched for
“the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees”—the appointed
signal that heaven would work for them.
[729]
God cannot glorify His name through His people while they are
leaning upon man and making flesh their arm. Their present state of
weakness will continue until Christ alone shall be exalted; until, with
John the Baptist, they shall say from a humble and reverent heart: “He
must increase, but I must decrease.” Words have been given me to
speak to the people of God: “Lift Him up, the Man of Calvary. Let
humanity stand back, that all may behold Him in whom their hopes
of eternal life are centered. Says the prophet Isaiah: ‘Unto us a Child
is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon
His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Let
the church and the world look upon their Redeemer. Let every voice
proclaim with John: ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world.’”
It is to the thirsting soul that the fountain of living waters is open.
God declares: “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods