Our reading this afternoon is found on pages 192 and 193 of The Mount of Blessing — -1TG35 18.1

On the assurance of the love of God toward us Jesus enjoins love to one another in one comprehensive principle covering all the relations of human fellowship. -1TG35 18.2

The Jews had been concerned about what they should receive the burden of their anxiety was to secure what they thought their due of power and respect and service. But Christ teaches that our anxiety should not be How much are we to receive? but How much can we give? The standard of our obligation to others is found in what we ourselves would regard as their obligation to us. -1TG35 18.3

Every one who has been made a steward of the manifold grace of God is called upon to impart to souls in ignorance and darkness even as were he in their place he would desire them to impart to him…. -1TG35 18.4

So also with the gifts and blessings of this life: whatever you may possess above your fellows places you in debt to that degree to all who are less favored. -1TG35 18.5

What shall we pray for this afternoon? — That we may imbibe the great principle of the Golden Rule and realize that our concern should not be as to how much we are to receive but as to how much we can give. Let us pray for understanding that the standard of our obligation to others is found in what we personally would regard as their obligation to us and also that whatever we possess above our fellowmen places us to that degree in debt to those less favored. -1TG35 18.6

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Nations See Edom Perish, Desert Blossom, and a Highway to Zion

TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T HOUTEF,
MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS
SABBATH, APRIL 5, 1947
WACO, TEXAS

Our subject for this afternoon is found in Isaiah 34 and 35. Last week you recall we studied the thirty-third chapter the Lords burden concerning the church as she approaches the time of harvest — the time the wheat is put into the barn and the tares burned (Matt. 13:30) the time the good fish are put into vessels and the bad fish cast out (Matt. 13:47-49) as are those who have not the wedding garment on (Matt. 22:1-13). Continuing now into the thirty-fourth chapter we there see that God invites the nations of the world to draw near and to hear His mighty work of refining: -1TG35 19.1

Isa 34:1-3 — Come near ye nations to hear and hearken ye people: let the earth hear and all that is therein the world and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them He hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out and their stink shall come up out of their carcases and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. -1TG35 19.2

Why does God invite the nations of all the earth to draw near and to hear? — That they might consider His indignation against the wicked in His church and know what to expect when His Judgment spreads out among all nations that they might know what to expect when His refining work begins among them that they might therefore beforehand count the cost. His judgment He declares is already pronounced upon the armies of the world — For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? –1 Pet. 4:17. -1TG35 19.3

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Isa 34:4 — And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig tree. -1TG35 20.1

While verse 3 points out that the solemn events of this chapter take place in a day of gigantic world-wide armament program verse 4, being parallel with Revelation 6:14, it reveals that they take place in the period of the sixth seal in the days of the sealing of the 144,000 and the gathering of the innumerable multitude out of all nations the seal that we are now living in. The sixth seal may overlap the seventh. -1TG35 20.2

Isa 34:5-11 — For My sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of My curse to judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness and with the blood of lambs and goats with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. And the unicorns shall come down with them and the bullocks with the bulls and their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste none shall pass through it for ever and ever. But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness. -1TG35 20.3

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The immediate curse we see rests upon Idumea. Antitypically speaking it is the land of the antitypical Esauites — those who by rights should have kept the office which the antitypical Jacobites take away from them. They so underestimate its value that they like Esau of old sell their rights for a dish of red pottage as it were. (For further study on the subject see The Shepherds Rod Vol. 1, pp. 52-111.) -1TG35 21.1

Isa 34:12 — They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom but none shall be there and all her princes shall be nothing. -1TG35 21.2

Evidently after the destruction falls upon Idumea none of her so-called nobles shall be found there to participate in the exodus (Isa. 11:11) to the antitypical Kingdom (the church purified) and her princes shall be as nothing. Then it must be that those who escape and enter into the Kingdom are mostly from among the common people those from the streets and the lanes (Luke 14:16-21). …In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self- sufficient independent of God and he cannot use them. — Testimonies for the Church Vol. 5, pg. 80. …Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it [the Third Angels Message] when it shall have swelled into the Loud Cry. — Review and Herald Nov. 18, 1908. -1TG35 21.3

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Isa 34:13-15 — And thorns shall come up in her palaces nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons and a court for owls. The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island and the satyr shall cry to his fellow the screech owl also shall rest there and find for herself a place of rest. There shall the great owl make her nest and lay and hatch and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered every one with her mate. -1TG35 22.1

God does not forsake the earth. He does not forgo His power nor His interest in Truth and righteousness. He does not let the world go into oblivion. What He does do though is make examples of some in order to save many others for when the judgments of God are upon the earth the inhabitants will learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9.) -1TG35 22.2

Is it armament then that the nations of today need for peace and security? Is atomic war to be their fear? — What they need to fear is the sword of the Lord for His sword shall be bathed in heaven it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of [His] curse. They need not fear anything if they fear the Lord. Let them make Him their fear their dread and protection (Isa. 8:13). So He commands: -1TG35 22.3

Isa 34:16 — Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read: no one of these shall fail none shall want her mate: for My mouth It hath commanded and His Spirit It hath gathered them. -1TG35 22.4

God here counsels us to search the Bible and to implicitly believe that not one of Its prophecies shall fail — no not one shall fail to follow another in its turn. And why should we have this confidence? — Because God Himself has commanded and because His Spirit not the wisdom or efforts of men has gathered into a single volume the writings of the prophets of old the book of the Lord — the non-sectarian Bible as we know It today. -1TG35 22.5

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Isa 34:17 — And He hath cast the lot for them and His hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever from generation to generation shall they dwell therein. -1TG35 23.1

Regardless whether we take this verse to say that the wild beasts shall possess it forever or whether we take it to say that those who seek out of the book of the Lord shall possess it forever our greatest concern must be to personally acquaint ourselves with the Lord and His Truth if we would gain His favor and find a shelter in this time of trouble. -1TG35 23.2

Behold a King shall reign in righteousness and princes shall rule in judgment. And a Man shall be as an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Isa. 32:1, 2. -1TG35 23.3

Now we shall go on into the thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah which is but a continuation of the thirty-fourth. -1TG35 23.4

Isa 35:1 — The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. -1TG35 23.5

What a difference when God manifests His power and purifies His church Then the lands of the Gentiles (the wilderness) and the land of the heathen (the solitary place) shall both be glad to see Gods holy people. Finally as Gods Truth for this time penetrates throughout the lands where there are no Christians at all the desert places shall blossom as the rose so to speak and thus yield an abundant harvest of souls. -1TG35 23.6

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Isa 35:2-4 — It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart Be strong fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence He will come and save you. -1TG35 24.1

This great commission and opportunity to proclaim Gods soon coming vengeance are ours. We must not fail to take advantage of these privileges. With the mighty message for this time we must strengthen the weak we must make firm the knees that are giving out. Those who are unable to stand up and to hold their own must be strengthened. We must reassure the fearful that God is to come with vengeance against the unbelieving and with recompence for the faithful. -1TG35 24.2

Isa 35:5, 6 — Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams [of truth] in the desert. -1TG35 24.3

When these things take place then it will be just as natural for the blind to see the deaf to hear the lame to leap and the dumb to sing yes as natural as blossoms are followed with fruit. Gods Truth for this time is to spread everywhere and reap a great harvest of souls. -1TG35 24.4

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I saw jets of light shining from cities and villages and from the high places and the low places of the earth. Gods word was obeyed and as a result there were memorials for Him in every city and village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world. — Testimonies Vol. 9, pg. 28. If but one soul saved from every city and village there would be several times 144,000 living souls. -1TG35 25.1

Isa 35:7 — And the parched ground [the places which are now entirely devoid of Truth] shall become a pool and the thirsty land [the land that thirsts for Gods Truth] springs of water: in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes. -1TG35 25.2

There shall be fruitage you see even where the dragons lie. -1TG35 25.3

Isa 35:8 — And an highway shall be there and a way and it shall be called The way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein. -1TG35 25.4

None shall be left in the wilderness for there shall be a highway for all the followers of Gods Truth. Matters not what the faithful be illiterate or otherwise they shall not err therein. Indeed all the wheat shall be gathered and put into the barn the Kingdom. (See Tract No. 3, The Judgment and the Harvest. ) -1TG35 25.5

Isa 35:9 — No lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there. -1TG35 25.6

Once the hypocrites are taken out they shall not be allowed to return and to endanger the peace of Gods people. Only the redeemed shall walk on the Highway of Holiness. And where does the Highway lead? — The next verse gives the answer: -1TG35 25.7

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Isa 35:10 — And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. -1TG35 26.1

Yes the Highway leads to Zion. With songs and everlasting joy shall the redeemed enter therein never more to sorrow or to sigh. For He cometh to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with His Truth. Ps. 96:13. -1TG35 26.2

Brother Sister the sacrifices we may be called to make are as nothing in comparison to the privilege of heading for Zion via the Highway of Holiness. Ponder upon this then act. Let nothing deter you from complying with Gods Truth for this time — the day in which the nations see Edom perish and the desert blossom. Act now while the highway to Zion is in preparation. -1TG35 26.3

We all went under the tree and sat down to look at the glory of the place when Brethren Fitch and Stockman who had preached the gospel of the kingdom and whom God had laid in the grave to save them came up to us and asked us what we had passed through while they were sleeping. We tried to call up our greatest trials but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us that we could not speak them out and we all cried out Alleluia heaven is cheap enough and we touched our glorious harps and made heavens arches ring. — Early Writings p. 17. -1TG35 26.4

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