Chap. 365---What Eternity Holds for the Redeemed

"With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalm 91:16.
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed.
Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar—worlds
that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of
gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children
of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings.
They share
the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in
contemplation of God’s handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the
glory of creation—suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling
the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator’s
name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.
And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious
revelations of God and of Christ.
As knowledge is progressive, so will love,
reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will
be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of
redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the
hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous
joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands
of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.
“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.
The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe
is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From
Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of
illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate
and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love."

Chap. 366---Kingdom of Holy Love

"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of
his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15.
The government of the kingdom of Christ is like no earthly government. It is
a representation of the characters of those who compose the kingdom.... His court
is one where holy love presides and whose offices and appointments are graced by
the exercise of charity. He charges His servants to bring pity and loving-kindness,
His own attributes, into all their office work....
The power of Christ alone can work the transformation in heart and mind that
all must experience who would partake with Him of the new life in the kingdom of
God.... In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will
purify the heart and renew the mind and give us a new capacity for knowing and
loving God. It will give us willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true
worship."
“Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be
taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any
of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place
of broad rivers and streams.... For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our King; he will save us.... And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick:
the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity” (Isaiah 33:20-24).
“Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create,” the Lord exhorts; “for,
behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard
in her, nor the voice of crying.... And they shall build houses, and inhabit them;
and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and
another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are
the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands....
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord” (Isaiah
65:18-25).

Chap. 364---Breathing the Atmosphere of Heaven

"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14.
John, while in vision, saw a company clothed in white robes.... They were seen
in the temple of God. This will be the result for all who will lay hold of the merits
of Christ and wash their robes in His blood. Every provision has been made so that
we can sit with Christ upon His throne, but the condition is that we be in harmony
with the law of God....
We cannot afford to lose heaven.
We ought to have our conversation on
heavenly things. There there is no death nor pain. Why are we so reluctant to talk
of these things? Why do we dwell upon earthly things? The apostle exhorts us to
have our conversation in heaven. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence
also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).... Christ
will soon return to gather those who are prepared, and take them to this glorious
place. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that
look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews
9:28).
Do we love to think of this event or do we want to put it off? ... The more we
talk of Jesus, the more we shall reflect His divine image. By beholding we become
transformed. We need to bring Christ into our religious experience. When you
assemble together, let the conversation be on Christ and His salvation.... The more
we talk of Jesus the more of His matchless charms we shall behold.
Those who take no pleasure in thinking and talking of God in this life, will
not enjoy the life that is to come, where God is ever present, dwelling among His
people. But those who love to think of God will be in their element, breathing in
the atmosphere of heaven. Those who on earth love the thought of heaven will
be happy in its holy associations and pleasures".... “And there shall be no more
curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall
serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads”
(Revelation 22:3, 4).

Chap. 361---Speculations Concerning the New Earth

"When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Mark 12:25.
There are men today who express their belief that there will be marriages and
births in the new earth, but those who believe the Scriptures cannot accept such
doctrines. The doctrine that children will be born in the new earth is not a part of
the “sure word of prophecy.” The words of Christ are too plain to be misunderstood.
They should forever settle the question of marriages and births in the new earth.
Neither those who shall be raised from the dead, nor those who shall be translated
without seeing death, will marry or be given in marriage. They will be as the angels
of God, members of the royal family.
I would say to those who hold views contrary to this plain declaration of Christ:
Upon such matters silence is eloquence. It is presumption to indulge in suppositions
and theories regarding matters that God has not made known to us in His word. We
need not enter into speculation regarding our future state....
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.” Do not bring to the
foundation wood, and hay, and stubble—your own surmisings and speculations,
which can benefit no one.
Christ withheld no truths essential to our salvation.
Those things that are
revealed are for us and our children, but we are not to allow our imagination to
frame doctrines concerning things not revealed.
It is presented to me that spiritual fables are taking many captive.... To all who
are indulging these unholy fancies I would say, Stop; for Christ’s sake, stop right
where you are. You are on forbidden ground.
The Lord has made every provision for our happiness in the future life. But
He has made no revelations regarding these plans, and we are not to speculate
concerning them. Neither are we to measure the conditions of the future life by
the conditions of this life."

Chap. 363 - By the Tree of Life

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and
to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by
thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Revelation
5:9.
Do we expect to get to heaven at last and join the heavenly choir? Just as we go
into the grave we will come up, as far as the character is concerned.... Now is the
time for washing and ironing....
John saw the throne of God and around that throne a company, and he inquired,
Who are these? The answer came, “These are they which ... have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). Christ
leads them to the fountains of living waters, and there is the tree of life and there
is the precious Saviour. Here is presented to us a life that measures with the life of
God. There is no pain, sorrow, sickness, or death there. All is peace and harmony
and love....
Now is the time to receive grace and strength and power to combine with our
human efforts that we can form characters for everlasting life. When we do this
we will find that the angels of God will minister unto us, and we shall be heirs of
God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. And when the last trump shall sound, and
the dead shall be called from their prison house and changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, the crowns of immortal glory shall be placed upon the heads
of the overcomers. The pearly gates will swing back for the nations that have kept
the truth and they will enter in. The conflict is ended.
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Do we want this benediction? I do,
and I believe you do. May God help you that you may fight the battles of this life
and gain a victory day by day and at last be among the number that shall cast their
crowns at Jesus’ feet and touch the golden harps and fill all heaven with sweetest
music. I want you to love my Jesus.... Do not reject my Saviour, for He has paid an
infinite price for you. I see in Jesus matchless charms, and I want you to see these
charms."

Chap. 360---Worlds Upon Worlds to be Visited

"Thus saith the Lord.... I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all
their host have I commanded. Isaiah 45:11, 12.
Many seem to have the idea that this world and the heavenly mansions constitute
the universe of God. Not so.
God has worlds upon worlds that are obedient to His law. These worlds are
conducted with reference to the glory of the Creator. As the inhabitants of these
worlds see the great price that has been paid to ransom man, they are filled with
amazement.
The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me, and an
angel attended me from the city to a place that was bright and glorious. The grass of
the place was living green, and the birds there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants
of the place were of all sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely. They bore the
express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of
the freedom and happiness of the place.
I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth.
The reply was, “We have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God,
and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth.” Then I saw two trees,
one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful,
but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to
eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, “None in this place have tasted of
the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall.”
Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old
Enoch, who had been translated.... I asked him if this was the place he was taken to
from the earth. He said, “It is not; the city is my home, and I have come to visit this
place.” He moved about the place as if perfectly at home.
I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that place. I could not bear
the thought of coming back to this dark world again. Then the angel said, “You must
go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege of
visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God.”

Chap. 362 - Longing for Heaven

"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart
and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Psalm 84:2.
When God’s people take their eyes off the things of this world and place them
on heaven and heavenly things they will be a peculiar people, because they will
see the mercy and goodness and compassion that God has shown to the children
of men. His love will call forth a response from them, and their lives will show to
those around them that the Spirit of God is controlling them, that they are setting
their affections on things above, not on the things of the earth.
In thinking of heaven, we may put our imagination to the utmost stretch and
think the loftiest thoughts that we are capable of thinking, and ours mind will grow
weary in the effort to comprehend the breadth and depth and height of the subject.
It is impossible for our minds to take in the great themes of eternity. It is impossible
for us even to make an effort to understand these things without the effort affecting
our whole character for good and having an uplifting influence on our minds. As
we think of how Christ came to our world to die for fallen man, we understand
something of the price that was paid for our redemption, and we realize that there
is no true goodness or greatness apart from God.
Only by the light shining from the cross of Calvary can we know to what depths
of sin and degradation the human race has fallen through sin. Only by the length
of the chain let down from heaven to draw us up can we know the depths to which
we had sunk. And it is only by keeping the unseen realities in view that we can
understand anything of the wonderful theme of redemption.
We are almost home; we shall soon hear the voice of the Saviour richer than
any music, saying, Your warfare is accomplished. Enter into the joy of thy Lord.
Blessed, blessed benediction; I want to hear it from His immortal lips. I want to
praise Him; I want to honor Him that sitteth on the throne. I want my voice to echo
and re-echo through the courts of heaven. Will you be there? ... God help us, and
fill us with all fullness and power, and then we can taste of the joys of the world to
come."

Chap. 360---Glories of the Future World

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by
the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared
for him that waiteth for him. Isaiah 64:4.
Many have longed to penetrate into the glories of the future world and to have
the secrets of eternal mysteries disclosed to them, but they knock in vain. That
which is revealed is for us and for our children.... The Great Revealer hath opened
to our intelligence many things that are essential in order that we may understand
the heavenly attractions and have respect to the recompense of the reward....
The unfoldings of Jesus in reference to heavenly things are of a character that
only the spiritual mind can appreciate. The imagination may summon its utmost
powers in order to picture the glories of heaven, but “eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The heavenly intelligences
are all around us.... Angels of light create a heavenly atmosphere about the soul,
lifting us toward the unseen and eternal. We cannot behold their forms with our
natural sight; only by the spiritual vision can we discern heavenly things. Our
human powers would be extinguished by the inexpressible glory of the angels of
light. The spiritual ear alone can distinguish the harmony of heavenly voices. It
is not Christ’s plan to excite the emotions by brilliant descriptions.... He has with
sufficient distinctness presented Himself, the way, the truth, and the life, as the only
means whereby salvation is to be obtained. No more than this is really required.
He might bring the human soul to the threshold of heaven, and through the
open door show us its inner glory flooding the heavenly sanctuary and shining out
through its portals; but we must behold it by faith, not with the natural eyes. He
does not forget that we are His human agents, to work the works of God in a world
all seared and marred with the curse. It is in this world, that is clothed with moral
darkness like the pall of death, where darkness covers the earth and gross darkness
the people, that we are to walk in the light of heaven."

Chap. 358---Inexhaustible Themes

"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who
prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what
manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified
before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.... Which things
the angels desire to look into. 1 Peter 1:10-12.
In this life we can only begin to understand the wonderful theme of redemption.
With our finite comprehension we may consider most earnestly the shame and the
glory, the life and the death, the justice and the mercy, that meet in the cross; yet
with the utmost stretch of our mental powers we fail to grasp its full significance.
The length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of redeeming love are but
dimly comprehended. The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even
when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through
the eternal ages new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted
mind. Though the griefs and pains and temptations of earth are ended and the cause
removed, the people of God will ever have a distinct, intelligent knowledge of what
their salvation has cost....
The mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries. In the light that streams
from Calvary the attributes of God which had filled us with fear and awe appear
beautiful and attractive. Mercy, tenderness, and parental love are seen to blend with
holiness, justice, and power. While we behold the majesty of His throne, high and
lifted up, we see His character in its gracious manifestations, and comprehend, as
never before, the significance of that endearing title, “Our Father.”
It will be seen that He who is infinite in wisdom could devise no plan for our
salvation except the sacrifice of His son. The compensation for this sacrifice is the
joy of peopling the earth with ransomed beings, holy, happy, and immortal. The
result of the Saviour’s conflict with the powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed,
redounding to the glory of God throughout eternity. And such is the value of the
soul that the Father is satisfied with the price paid; and Christ Himself, beholding
the fruits of His great sacrifice, is satisfied.
Through all eternity the ransomed host will be His chief glory."

Chap. 357---Our Study in Ages to Come

"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7.
The science of redemption is the science of all sciences; the science that is the
study of the angels, and of all the intelligences of the unfallen worlds; the science
that engages the attention of our Lord and Saviour; the science that enters into the
purpose brooded in the mind of the Infinite—“kept in silence through times eternal”;
the science that will be the study of God’s redeemed throughout the endless ages.
This is the highest study in which it is possible for man to engage. As no other study
can, it will quicken the mind, and uplift the soul....
The theme of redemption is one that angels desire to look into; it will be the
science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Is it
now worthy of careful thought and study now?...
The study of the incarnation of Christ, His atoning sacrifice and mediatorial
work, will employ the mind of the diligent student as long as time shall last; and,
looking to heaven with its unnumbered years, he will exclaim, “Great is the mystery
of godliness.”
In eternity we shall learn that which, had we received the enlightenment that it
was possible to obtain here, would have opened our understanding. The themes of
redemption will employ the hearts and minds and tongues of the redeemed through
the everlasting ages. They will understand the truths which Christ longed to open to
His disciples, but which they did not have faith to grasp. Forever and forever new
views of the perfection and glory of Christ will appear. Through endless ages the
faithful Householder will bring forth from His treasures things new and old.
If it were possible for us to attain to a full understanding of God and His truth,
there would be for us no further discovery of truth, no greater knowledge, no further
development.... Thank God, it is not so. Since God is infinite, and in Him are all
the treasures of wisdom, we may to all eternity be ever searching, ever learning, yet
never exhaust the riches of His wisdom, His goodness, or His power."

Chap. 359---To See the King

"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that
is very far off. Isaiah 33:17.
If we desire to see the King in His beauty we must here behave worthily. We
must outgrow our childishness. When provocation comes let us be silent. There are
times when silence is eloquence. We are to reveal the patience and kindness and
forbearance that will make us worthy of being called sons and daughters of God.
We are to trust Him, and believe on Him, and rely upon Him. We are to follow in
Christ’s steps. “If any man will come after me,” He says, “let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).... It may be a heavy cross
to keep silent when you ought to. It may be a painful discipline, but let me assure
you that silence does much more to overcome evil than a storm of angry words.
Here in this world we are to learn what we must be in order to have a place in
the heavenly courts. We are to learn the lessons that Christ desires to teach us, that
we may be prepared to be taken to the higher school in the courts above, where the
Saviour will lead us beside the river of life, explaining to us many things that here
we could not comprehend.... There we shall see the glory of God as we have never
seen it here. We get but a glimpse of the glory now, because we do not follow on to
know the Lord.
Every right principle, every truth learned in an earthly school, will advance
us just that much in the heavenly school. As Christ walked and talked with His
disciples during His ministry on this earth, so will He teach us in the school above,
leading us beside the river of living waters, and revealing to us truths that in this
life must remain hidden mysteries because of the limitations of the human mind, so
marred by sin. In the heavenly school we shall have opportunity to attain, step by
step, to the greatest heights of learning. There, as children of the heavenly King,
we shall ever dwell with the members of the royal family; there we shall see the
King in His beauty, and behold His matchless charms.
Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim. If we can but see the
King in His beauty we shall be forever blessed."

Chap. 355---Life or Death?

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.
“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But
Christ gave His life to save the sinner from the death sentence. He died that we
might live.... By His death He brought salvation within the reach of all....
The abundant evidence given by God that He desires the salvation of all, will be
the condemnation of those who refuse the gift of heaven. At the last great day, when
all will be rewarded or punished according to their obedience or disobedience, the
cross of Calvary will appear plainly before those standing before the Judge of all
the earth to receive sentence for eternity. They are made capable of comprehending
something of the love that God has expressed for fallen human beings. They see
how greatly He has been dishonored by those who have continued in transgression,
choosing sides with Satan and showing contempt for the law of Jehovah....
Today angels are sent to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, to
help them to escape from the thralldom of Satan’s power.... Each human being is
given the freedom of choice. It is his to decide whether he will stand under the
black banner of rebellion or under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel.
With deep solicitude Heaven watches the conflict between good and evil. None
but the obedient can enter the gates of the city of God. Upon those who choose to
continue in transgression the death sentence must at last be pronounced. The earth
will be purified from their misdoings, their defiance of God....
God’s law is the transcript of His character, and those only who obey this law
will be accepted by Him. Every departure from obedience to the law of God is
rebellion. It is for the highest interest of man to obey the law of God, for conformity
to the principles of this law is essential to the formation of a righteous character.
The rules of life that the Lord has given will make men pure and happy and holy.
Those only who obey these rules can hear from the lips of Christ the words," “Come
up higher.”

Chap. 353 - Judge of the Whole World

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with
him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be
gathered all nations. Matthew 25:31, 32.
In His teachings Christ sought to impress men with the certainty of the coming
judgment and with its publicity. This is not the judgment of a few individuals,
or even of a nation, but of a whole world of human intelligences, of accountable
beings. It is to be held in the presence of other worlds, that the love, the integrity,
the service, of man for God, may be honored to the highest degree. There will be no
lack of glory and honor.... The law of God will be revealed in its majesty; and those
who have stood in defiant rebellion against its holy precepts will understand that
the law that they have discarded and despised ... is God’s standard of character....
In this speck of a world the heavenly universe will manifest the greatest interest,
for Jesus paid an infinite price for the souls of its inhabitants....
God designed that the Prince of sufferers in humanity should be judge of the
whole world. He who came from the heavenly courts to save man from eternal
death; ... He who submitted to be arraigned before an earthly tribunal, and who
suffered the ignominious death of the cross—He alone is to pronounce the sentence
of reward or of punishment. He who submitted to the suffering and humiliation
of the cross here, in the counsel of God is to have the fullest compensation, and
ascend the throne acknowledged by all the heavenly universe as the King of saints.
He has undertaken the work of salvation, and shown before unfallen worlds and the
heavenly family that the work He has begun He is able to complete.... In that day
of final punishment and reward both saints and sinners will recognize in Him who
was crucified the Judge of all living....
Probationary time is granted us, opportunities and privileges are given us, to
make our calling and election sure.
How we should prize this precious time
and improve every talent God has given, that we may be faithful stewards over
ourselves!
Solemn will be the day of final decision"!

Chap. 352---New Earth Activities

"They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and
eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant,
and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect
shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Isaiah 65:21, 22.
We cannot suppose that when the final triumph shall come, and we have the
mansions prepared for us, idleness will be our portion—that we shall rest in a
blissful, do-nothing state.
In the earth made new, the redeemed will engage in the occupations and
pleasures that brought happiness to Adam and Eve in the beginning. The Eden
life will be lived, the life in garden and field. “They shall build houses, and inhabit
them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build,
and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree
are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”
Isaiah 65:21, 22.
There I saw most glorious houses, that had the appearance of silver, supported
by four pillars set with pearls most glorious to behold. These were to be inhabited
by the saints. In each was a golden shelf. I saw many of the saints go into the
houses, take off their glittering crowns and lay them on the shelf, then go out into
the field by the houses to do something with the earth; not as we have to do with
the earth here; no, no. A glorious light shone all about their heads, and they were
continually shouting and offering praises to God.
Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of
knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest
enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest
ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders
to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind
and soul and body."

Chap. 351---Unexpected Recompense

"Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:8.
In this life our work for God often seems to be almost fruitless. Our efforts to
do good may be earnest and persevering, yet we may not be permitted to witness
their results. To us the effort may seem to be lost. But the Saviour assures us that
our work is noted in heaven, and that the recompense cannot fail.
The poor widow who cast her two mites into the Lord’s treasury little knew what
she was doing. Her example of self-sacrifice has acted and reacted upon thousands
of hearts in every land and in every age. It has brought to the treasury of God gifts
from the high and the low, the rich and the poor. It has helped to sustain missions,
to establish hospitals, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and preach
the gospel to the poor. Multitudes have been blessed through her unselfish deed.
And the outworking of all these lines of influence she, in the day of God, will be
permitted to see. So with Mary’s precious gift to the Saviour. How many have been
inspired to loving service by the memory of that broken alabaster box! And how
she will rejoice as she beholds all this!
“Verily I say unto you,” Christ declared, “Wheresoever this gospel shall be
preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken
of for a memorial of her.” Looking into the future, the Saviour spoke with certainty
concerning His gospel. It was to be preached throughout the world. And as far as the
gospel extended, Mary’s gift would shed its fragrance, and hearts would be blessed
through her unstudied act. Kingdoms would rise and fall; the names of monarchs
and conquerors would be forgotten; but this woman’s deed would be immortalized
upon the pages of sacred history. Until time should be no more, that broken alabaster
box would tell the story of the abundant love of God for a fallen race.
Every impulse of the Holy Spirit leading men to goodness and to God is noted
in the books of heaven, and in the day of God everyone who has given himself as
an instrument for the Holy Spirit’s working will be permitted to behold what his life
has wrought."

Chap. 350-Would You Be Ready?

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of
man cometh. Matthew 24:44.
Suppose that today Christ should appear in the clouds of heaven, who ... would
be ready to meet Him? Suppose we should be translated into the kingdom of
heaven just as we are. Would we be prepared to unite with the saints of God,
to live in harmony with the royal family, the children of the heavenly King? What
preparation have you made for the judgment? Have you made your peace with
God? ... Are you seeking to help those around you, those in your home, those
in your neighborhood, those with whom you come in contact that are not keeping
the commandments of God? ... Remember that profession is worthless without a
practice that enters into the daily life. God knows whether we are keeping His law
in truth. He knows just what we are doing, just what we are thinking and saying.
Are we getting ready to meet the King? When He comes in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory, will you be able to say, “Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for him, and he will save us” (Isaiah 25:9)? To those who can say this Christ
will say, “Come up higher. Upon this earth you have loved Me. You have loved to
do My will. You can now enter the Holy City and receive the crown of everlasting
life.”
If it were possible for us to be admitted into heaven as we are, how many of us
would be able to look upon God? How many of us have on the wedding garment?
How many of us are without spot or wrinkle or any such thing? ...
This is our washing and ironing time—the time when we are to cleanse our
robes of character in the blood of the Lamb. John says, “Behold the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).... Shall we not let our sins go?
...
I entreat you, brethren and sisters, to labor earnestly to secure the crown of
everlasting life. The reward will be worth the conflict, worth the effort.... In the
race in which we are running, everyone may receive the reward offered—a crown
of everlasting life. I want this crown; I mean by God’s help to have it. I mean to
hold fast to the truth, that I may see the King in His beauty."

Chap. 348---At Home in the New Jerusalem

"Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Isaiah 65:18.
There is the New Jerusalem, the metropolis of the glorified new earth, “a crown
of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” “Her
light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.”
“The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.” Saith the Lord: “I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy in my people.” ...
In the City of God “there shall be no night.” None will need or desire repose.
There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name.
We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close.
“And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light.” The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully
dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The
glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed
walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day.
“I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the
temple of it.” The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the
Father and the Son. “Now we see through a glass, darkly.” We behold the image of
God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men;
but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall
stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance.
There we shall know even as also we are known. There the loves and sympathies
that God has planted in the soul will find truest and sweetest exercise. The pure
communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels
and with the faithful ones of all ages, the sacred fellowship that binds together “the
whole family in heaven and earth”—all are among the experiences of the hereafter."

Chap. 349 - If Christ Should Come Today

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to
escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man. Luke 21:36.
Christ bids us watch, that we may be accounted worthy to escape the things that
are coming on the earth. It is of the greatest importance that we heed this warning.
The enemy of all righteousness is on our track, seeking to lead us to forget God.
We should be filled with joy at the thought of Christ’s soon appearing. To those
that love His appearing He will come without sin unto salvation. But if our minds
are filled with thoughts of earthly things, we cannot look forward with joy to His
appearing.
“If I knew that Christ were coming in a few years,” one says, “I should live
very differently.” But if we believe that He is coming at all, we should live just as
faithfully as if we knew that He would appear in a few years. We cannot see the
end from the beginning, but Christ has provided sufficient help for every day in the
year.
All we have to do with is this one day. Today we must be faithful to our trust.
Today we must love God with all the heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Today we
must resist the temptations of the enemy, and through the grace of Christ gain the
victory. Thus we shall watch and wait for Christ’s coming. Each day we should live
as if we knew that this would be our last day on this earth. If we knew that Christ
would come tomorrow, would we not crowd into today all the kind words, all the
unselfish deeds, that we could? We should be patient and gentle, and intensely in
earnest, doing all in our power to win souls to Christ....
I urge you to turn your thoughts from worldly things and center them on the
things of eternity. Christ has placed everlasting life within your reach, and He has
promised to give you help in every time of need.... We should never rest satisfied
with present attainments. If we put mind and heart into the work of reaching God’s
ideal for us, if we go to Christ, the mighty helper, for aid, He will give us the very
assistance that we need. He will bestow on us the very power that will enable us to
be victorious in the struggle against evil."

Chap. 346---Garden of Eden Restored

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst
of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7.
The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth long after man had become an
outcast from its pleasant paths. The fallen race were long permitted to gaze upon
the home of innocence, their entrance barred only by the watching angels. At the
cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the divine glory was revealed. Hither came
Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience
to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the
tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their
destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from
the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be “a new heaven and a new
earth” (Revelation 21:1), it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the
beginning.
Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor
beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds
shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s
creation, untouched by the curse of sin—a sample of what the whole earth would
have become, had man but fulfilled the Creator’s glorious plan.
Adam is reinstated in his first dominion. Transported with joy, he beholds the
trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered
in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have
trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality
of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden restored.
Restored to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will “grow up”
(Malachi 4:2) to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory. The last lingering
traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ’s faithful ones will appear in
“the beauty of the Lord our God,” in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect
image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for,
contemplated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood."

Chap. 339- "While He May Be Found"

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
Isaiah 55:6.
There is coming, rapidly and surely, an almost universal guilt upon the
inhabitants of the great cities because of the steady increase of determined
wickedness. God has given life to man, in order that through a knowledge of
the Word and by practicing its principles, the human agent may become one with
God, obedient to the divine will. But Satan has been working constantly by many
devisings to bring man into disfavor with God. In the antediluvian world, human
agencies brought in all manner of devisings and ingenious practices to make of no
effect the law of Jehovah. They cast aside His authority, because it interfered with
their schemes. As in the days before the Flood, so now the time is right upon us
when the Lord God must reveal His omnipotent power....
For years Satan has been gaining control of human minds through subtle
sophistries that he has devised to take the place of the truth. In this time of peril,
right doers, in the fear of God, will glorify His name by repeating the words of
David, “It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.”
Our God is a God of compassion. With long-suffering and tender mercy He
deals with the transgressors of His law. And yet in this our day, when men and
women have so many opportunities for becoming familiar with the divine law as
revealed in Holy Writ, the great Ruler of the universe cannot behold with any
satisfaction the wicked cities, where reign violence and crime....
The forbearance of God has been very great, so great that when we consider the
continuous insult to His holy commandments we marvel. The Omnipotent One has
been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes. But He will certainly
arise to punish the wicked, who so boldly defy the just claims of the decalogue.
Now is a time when there should be a humbling of the heart before God. Let us
seek Him while He is to be found on the pardoning side, and not on the judgment
side. Wake up, my brethren and sisters.... Call upon the Lord while He may be
found."

Chap. 338---God's Character Vindicated

"Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy
ways, thou King of saints. Revelation 15:3.
Every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy has now been
made plain. The results of rebellion, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes,
have been laid open to the view of all created intelligences. The working out of
Satan’s rule in contrast with the government of God has been presented to the whole
universe. Satan’s own works have condemned him. God’s wisdom, His justice, and
His goodness stand fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great
controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of His people and
the good of all the worlds that He has created.... The history of sin will stand to all
eternity as a witness that with the existence of God’s law is bound up the happiness
of all the beings He has created. With all the facts of the great controversy in view,
the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: “Just and
true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
Before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the
Father and the Son in man’s behalf. The hour has come when Christ occupies His
rightful position and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name
that is named. It was for the joy that was set before Him—that He might bring
many sons unto glory—that He endured the cross and despised the shame. And
inconceivably great as was the sorrow and the shame, yet greater is the joy and the
glory. He looks upon the redeemed, renewed in His own image, every heart bearing
the perfect impress of the divine, every face reflecting the likeness of their King.
He beholds in them the result of the travail of His soul, and He is satisfied. Then,
in a voice that reaches the assembled multitudes of the righteous and the wicked,
He declares: “Behold the purchase of My blood! For these I suffered, for these I
died, that they might dwell in My presence throughout eternal ages.” And the song
of praise ascends from the white-robed ones about the throne: “Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour,
and glory, and blessing.” Revelation 5:12.

Chap. 337---The Wicked Acknowledge God's Justice

"We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Romans 14:10, 11.
As if entranced, the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the Son of
God. They see in His hands the tables of the divine law, the statutes which they
have despised and transgressed. They witness the outburst of wonder, rapture, and
adoration from the saved; and as the wave of melody sweeps over the multitudes
without the city, all with one voice exclaim, “Great and marvelous are thy works,
Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints” (Revelation
15:3); and, falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of life.
Satan seems paralyzed as he beholds the glory and majesty of Christ. He who
was once a covering cherub remembers whence he has fallen. A shining seraph,
“son of the morning;” how changed, how degraded! From the council where once
he was honored, he is forever excluded. He sees another now standing near to the
Father, veiling His glory. He has seen the crown placed upon the head of Christ
by an angel of lofty stature and majestic presence, and he knows that the exalted
position of this angel might have been his.
Memory recalls the home of his innocence and purity.... As Satan looks upon
his kingdom, the fruit of his toil, he sees only failure and ruin....
The time has now come when the rebellion is to be finally defeated and the
history and character of Satan disclosed. In his last great effort to dethrone Christ,
destroy His people, and take possession of the City of God, the archdeceiver has
been fully unmasked. Those who have united with him see the total failure of his
cause.... He is the object of universal abhorrence.
Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for heaven. He has
trained his powers to war against God; the purity, peace, and harmony of heaven
would be to him supreme torture. His accusations against the mercy and justice of
God are now silenced. The reproach which he has endeavored to cast upon Jehovah
rests wholly upon himself. And now Satan bows down and confesses the justice of
his sentence."

Chap. 338-A Time of Trouble

"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!
for the devil is come down unto
you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Revelation 12:12.
As we approach the perils of the last days, the temptations of the enemy become
stronger and more determined. Satan has come down in great power, knowing that
his time is short; and he is working “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in
them that perish” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). The warning comes to us through God’s
Word that, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect.
Wonderful events are soon to open before the world. The end of all things is
at hand. The time of trouble is about to come upon the people of God. Then it is
that the decree will go forth forbidding those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord to
buy or sell, and threatening them with punishment, and even death, if they do not
observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath.
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for
the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be
delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1). By this
we see the importance of having our names written in the book of life. All whose
names are registered there will be delivered from Satan’s power, and Christ will
command that their filthy garments be removed, and that they be clothed with His
righteousness. “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels ...” (Malachi 3:17).
In the time of trouble Satan stirs up the wicked, and they encircle the people of
God to destroy them. But he does not know that “pardon” has been written opposite
their names in the books of heaven. He does not know that the command has been
given, “Take away the filthy garments” from them, clothe them with “change of
raiment,” and set “a fair miter” upon their heads (Zechariah 3:4, 5)....
How precious in the sight of God are His people!"

Chap. 335---The Panoramic Scene Above the Holy City

DECEMBER
"We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be
good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10.
Above the throne is revealed the cross; and like a panoramic view appear the
scenes of Adam’s temptation and fall, and the successive steps in the great plan of
redemption. The Saviour’s lowly birth; His early life of simplicity and obedience;
His baptism in Jordan; the fast and temptation in the wilderness; His public ministry,
unfolding to men heaven’s most precious blessings; the days crowded with deeds of
love and mercy, the nights of prayer and watching in the solitude of the mountains;
the plottings of envy, hate, and malice which repaid His benefits; the awful,
mysterious agony in Gethsemane beneath the crushing weight of the sins of the
whole world; His betrayal into the hands of the murderous mob; the fearful events of
that night of horror—the unresisting prisoner, forsaken by His best-loved disciples,
rudely hurried through the streets of Jerusalem; the Son of God exultingly displayed
before Annas, arraigned in the high priest’s palace, in the judgment hall of Pilate,
before the cowardly and cruel Herod, mocked, insulted, tortured, and condemned to
die—all are vividly portrayed.
And now before the swaying multitude are revealed the final scenes—the patient
Sufferer treading the path to Calvary; the Prince of heaven hanging upon the
cross; the haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding His expiring agony; the
supernatural darkness; the heaving earth, the rent rocks, the open graves, marking
the moment when the world’s Redeemer yielded up His life.
The awful spectacle appears just as it was. Satan, his angels, and his subjects
have no power to turn from the picture of their own work. Each actor recalls the
part which he performed.... All behold the enormity of their guilt. They vainly seek
to hide from the divine majesty of His countenance, outshining the glory of the sun,
while the redeemed cast their crowns at the Saviour’s feet, exclaiming: “He died for
me!”

Chap. 336---Crisis of the Ages * December *

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let
all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it
is nigh at hand. Joel 2:1.
Troublous times are right upon us. The fulfilling of the signs of the times
gives evidence that the day of the Lord is near at hand. The daily papers are full
of indications of a terrible conflict in the future. Bold robberies are of frequent
occurrence. Strikes are common. Thefts and murders are committed on every
hand. Men possessed of demons are taking the lives of men and women and little
children. All these things testify that the coming of Christ is near at hand....
In accidents and calamities by land and by sea, in great conflagrations, in fierce
tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and
earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power....
The crisis is stealing gradually upon us.
The sun shines in the heavens,
passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God.
Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving
in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling.... Pleasure lovers are still
crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails,
yet probation’s hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided.
Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agents to work, that men may
be deceived, deluded, occupied, and entranced, until the day of probation shall be
ended and the door of mercy be forever shut. The time is right upon us when there
will be sorrow that no human balm can heal. Sentinel angels are now restraining
the four winds, that they shall not blow till the servants of God are sealed in their
foreheads; but when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be a scene
of strife such as no pen can picture....
“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.... He shall call to the heavens
from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints
together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Psalm
50:3-5)."