TEXT FOR PRAYER

We shall read from Christs Object Lessons beginning on page 43, the last paragraph: -2TG9 2.1

That with which the parable of the sower chiefly deals is the effect produced on the growth of the seed by the soil into which it is cast. By this parable Christ was virtually saying to His hearers It is not safe for you to stand as critics of My work or to indulge disappointment because it does not meet your ideas. The question of greatest importance to you is How do you treat My message? Upon your reception or rejection of it your eternal destiny depends… -2TG9 2.2

The seed sown by the wayside represents the word of God as it falls upon the heart of an inattentive hearer…. Absorbed in selfish aims and sinful indulgences the soul is hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. The spiritual faculties are paralyzed. Men hear the word but understand it not. They do not discern that it applies to themselves. They do not realize their need or their danger. They do not perceive the love of Christ and they pass by the message of His grace as something that does not concern them. -2TG9 2.3

We should pray that we not fall after the manner of those who are always ready to find fault and to criticize but that we give undivided attention laying aside all prejudice and preconceived ideas be they private or Denominational that we open our hearts to truth not because it is popular but because the Bible teaches it realizing that anything short of this is sure to lead us where it led the ancient Jews. -2TG9 2.4

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Our subject this afternoon is found in Isaiah chapters 40 and 41. We shall begin with the first verse of the fortieth chapter: -2TG9 3.1

Isa. 40:1, 2 — Comfort ye comfort ye My people saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins. -2TG9 3.2

Inspiration we see is here urging someone to comfort Gods people. They are to be told not that their warfare will be accomplished but that their warfare is accomplished that their iniquity is pardoned that Jerusalem the Church has already received double for all her sins. -2TG9 3.3

This warfare of course could not have been accomplished in Isaiahs time nor in John the Baptists time — no not even in the Middle Ages. These comforting tidings can be said to the Church only after she has been delivered from the yoke of the Gentiles during which time the people have paid double for their sins before and after the dispersion. This chapter therefore as a whole applies to the time of the end to our time. -2TG9 3.4

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Isa. 40:3 — The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God. -2TG9 4.1

This is the verse in which John the Baptist found his text as the messenger to prepare the way for Christs first advent. But since we have already seen that the chapter begins with a message for the people of God who live in the time of the end the time they have paid for all their sins and since the time of their redemption has at last arrived obviously the chapter has a primary as well as final application: It applies both to Christs first and to His second advent. The last of these is figurative — a voice crying in the wilderness not in the vineyard not in the land of Judah (Isa. 5:7) but in the desert in the lands of the Gentiles. -2TG9 4.2

Isa. 40:4 — Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain. -2TG9 4.3

The burden of the message to be proclaimed is to prepare the people to meet the Lord: to level the high places to raise the low to remove all the impediments so that the highway of the Lord the way for His coming be cleared. These terms of course figuratively say: The exalted ones are to be humbled the humbled ones and those who have been cast out are to be exalted wrongs are to be made right for in Gods domain equality and justice must prevail. -2TG9 4.4

When the Spirit of God with its marvelous awakening power touches the soul it abases human pride. Worldly pleasure and position and power are seen to be worthless. Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God are cast down every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Then humility and self-sacrificing love so little valued among men are exalted as alone of worth. This is the work of the gospel of which Johns message was a part. — The Desire of Ages pg. 135. -2TG9 4.5

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Isa. 40:5 — And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. -2TG9 5.1

Here we are told that when this revival and reformation takes place the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. Let us therefore realize that if we do these things we all would be the forerunners of these glorious promises and the servants of God for this time. -2TG9 5.2

Isa. 40:6-8 — The voice said Cry. And he said What shall I cry? All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth the flower fadeth: because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever. -2TG9 5.3

The message of the hour is to point out that all men are mortal no more enduring than the grass that even their virtues are no more lasting than the flowers of the field but that the Word of God is everlasting that those who desire to obtain eternal life to become as eternal as the Word Itself should not put confidence in any man but in the Word of God only: that they should inquire for themselves Is it Truth? and not From whom does it come? -2TG9 5.4

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Isa. 40:9 — O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings lift up thy voice with strength lift it up be not afraid say unto the cities of Judah behold your God -2TG9 6.1

Those who shall finally stand on Mount Sion and who are now preparing the way of the Lord by bringing these good tidings are all counselled to get on a high mountain as it were and to lift up their voices together without any fear whatever to proclaim to the cities of Judah (to the churches everywhere) to prepare the way of the Lord and to say Behold your God. -2TG9 6.2

Isa. 40:10 — Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand and His arm shall rule for Him: behold His reward is with Him and His work before Him. -2TG9 6.3

The arm of the Lord that rules for Him must be figurative of those through whom He works (Isa. 51:9) of those who are to stand with Him on Mt. Sion (Rev. 14:1) — the Church spotless and without guile. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king and without a prince and without a sacrifice and without an image and without an ephod and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their king and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days. Hos. 3:4, 5. -2TG9 6.4

The messengers of the hour are to declare too that the Lords reward (life forevermore) is with Him but that His work is still before Him yet to be finished. -2TG9 6.5

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Isa. 40:11 — He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry them in His bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young. -2TG9 7.1

This care over His people is to be felt when His arm rules for Him. He shall then take charge of His work and of His people as a shepherd takes charge of a flock. He shall exercise personal care over all old and young alike. -2TG9 7.2

Isa. 40:12 — Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and meted out heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? -2TG9 7.3

Since there is none other than God Himself who can do all these things and since He Himself is to take charge of His Own flock we know that His care over them will be matchless. And why should we not hasten that time? -2TG9 7.4

Isa. 40:13, 14 — Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being His counsellor hath taught Him? With whom took He counsel and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of judgment and taught Him knowledge and shewed to Him the way of understanding? -2TG9 7.5

We know that the Spirit Who leads into all Truth and all knowledge is not Himself led or taught by any man. Hence why should we depend on any man that is divested of Inspiration to pass judgment on inspired Truth? The Word points out that not men only but even the nations are as nothing: -2TG9 7.6

Isa. 40:15-17 — Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold He taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing and they are counted to Him less than nothing and vanity. -2TG9 7.7

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When we realize that the nations on earth in comparison with Gods power are as nothing that neither the timber nor the beasts of Lebanon are sufficient for even burnt offering just that soon we will see all men including ourselves as insignificant and as worthless as the dust. Then we shall see our dependence upon Him as important and as complete as is the dependence of an infant upon its parents. -2TG9 8.1

Isa. 40:18 — To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him? -2TG9 8.2

This is now a question for each one to answer in his own mind. -2TG9 8.3

Isa. 40:19, 20 — The workman melteth a graven image and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved. -2TG9 8.4

In these verses is shown how foolish men are: They do not stop to consider that though a piece of wood may be good for fuel yet when man tries to make of it a likeness of God it is but foolishness and that to bow down to it is degrading and blasphemous. -2TG9 8.5

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Isa. 40:21-26 — Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea they shall not be planted yea they shall not be sown: yea their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them and they shall wither and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken Me or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and behold Who hath created these things that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might for that He is strong in power not one faileth. -2TG9 9.1

Since God is greater than human imagination can fathom why do men depend so little upon Him — and so much upon their own words? True we may not actually bow down to an image but we may do other things that are equally idolatrous. Indeed if such were not the case these exhortations would not have come to us through this timely-revealed prophecy. -2TG9 9.2

Isa. 40:27-31 — Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel My way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint. -2TG9 9.3

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Is it not surprising that the Church having come down through the ages this far must now be taught the very first fundamentals of her faith? -2TG9 10.1

Isa. 41:1, 2 — Keep silence before Me O islands and let the people renew their strength: let them come near then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment Who raised up the righteous man from the east called him to his foot gave the nations before him and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow. -2TG9 10.2

To renew their strength is to put away sin and to come near to God is to learn of Him. Having done this they are then to invite others to come to judgment. The nations will keep silence until that time and then will they say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2. -2TG9 10.3

Our work is therefore to prepare the way of the Lord for the gathering of the people. -2TG9 10.4

Isa. 41:3-5 — He pursued them and passed safely even by the way that He had not gone with His feet. Who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord the first and with the last I am He. The isles saw it and feared the ends of the earth were afraid drew near and came. -2TG9 10.5

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These verses plainly show that the manifestation of Gods power is to be felt everywhere. -2TG9 11.1

Isa. 41:6 — They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his brother Be of good courage. -2TG9 11.2

Gods people are indeed to help their neighbor. The foolish nevertheless shall do foolishly and shall continue in their idolatry. -2TG9 11.3

Isa. 41:7-10 — So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil saying It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails that it should not be moved. But thou Israel art My servant Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham My friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee from the chief men thereof and said unto thee Thou art My servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away. Fear thou not for I am with thee: be not dismayed for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. -2TG9 11.4

Gods promises to His servants are sure. Let us take hold of them now. We shall never find an opportunity as good as we have today. Tomorrow will be too late we had better respond while God is pleading. -2TG9 11.5

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Isa. 41:11, 12 — Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought. -2TG9 12.1

Now is our opportunity to do all we can for those who oppose us for here we are plainly told that if they continue in their hostility they shall perish. -2TG9 12.2

Isa. 41:13 — For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee Fear not I will help thee. -2TG9 12.3

If we as a people are not fearful then why all these pleadings and encouragements? Why the urgings that we cast out our fears? -2TG9 12.4

Isa. 41:14, 15 — Fear not thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel. Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as chaff. -2TG9 12.5

To thresh the mountains (kingdoms) is to take the wheat (saints) out of them. The servants of God therefore are here promised a new instrument different from any ever used before that is the gathering of the saints in the harvest time is to be accomplished in a way un-dreamed of — contrary to every human planning. This instrument will have teeth it will suddenly separate the wheat from the straw and blow out the chaff. Christ Whose fan is in His hand …will throughly purge His floor and gather His wheat into the garner but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matt. 3:12. For this cause we are called and for this great and grand work we are to prepare the way. -2TG9 12.6

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Isa. 41:16, 17 — Thou shalt fan them and the wind shall carry them away and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them. -2TG9 13.1

Yes the chaff shall be blown out and the whirlwind shall carry it away to be burned with consuming fire. But Gods people shall rejoice in the Lord and their poor will He comfort. -2TG9 13.2

Isa. 41:18 — I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. -2TG9 13.3

The latter rain we here see is to be plentiful. It will make rivers springs and pools where not expected. All this is a forecast of a great harvest even from the desert places — from the heathen lands. After this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. Rev. 7:9. -2TG9 13.4

Isa. 41:19 — I will plant in the wilderness the cedar the shittah tree and the myrtle and the oil tree I will set in the desert the fir tree and the pine and the box tree together. -2TG9 13.5

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God will beautify the lands of the Gentiles with people having Christian characters and graces as beautiful as the myrtle the oil the fir the pine and the box trees together. There is nothing in the world today to give men hope and peace of mind but these promises of God. -2TG9 14.1

Isa. 41:20-24 — That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. Produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods: yea do good or do evil that we may be dismayed and behold it together. Behold ye are of nothing and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you. -2TG9 14.2

Here is a challenge to all our adversaries. Let them tell you what shall happen hereafter if they can or let them tell the past if they will God challenges them. Thus they may now know that they are as nothing and those who choose to follow them even they shall be an abomination to Him. -2TG9 14.3

Isa. 41:25 — I have raised up one from the north and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon My name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter and as the potter treadeth clay. -2TG9 14.4

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This one that is in prophecy comes from somewhere north of the Promised Land. He calls on the Lord early — as early as the rising of the sun. He also comes upon princes as upon mortar and as the potter that treads the clay. In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom…it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. Dan. 2:44. -2TG9 15.1

Isa. 41:26 — Who hath declared from the beginning that we may know? and before time that we may say He is righteous? yea there is none that sheweth yea there is none that declareth yea there is none that heareth your words. -2TG9 15.2

Is there anyone who ever declared these things to the people? asks the Lord. Then He answers His Own question: Yea there is none that sheweth yea there is none that declareth yea there is none that heareth your words. -2TG9 15.3

Isa. 41:27, 28 — The first shall say to Zion Behold behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld and there was no man even among them and there was no counsellor that when I asked of them could answer a word. -2TG9 15.4

When God visits His people with these good tidings He finds no man among His servants to do this work and no counsellor among them to give an answer to these things We nevertheless are to do all we can to awaken them. We should exalt the Word comfort His people and prepare the way so that He can make a new threshing instrument of us. -2TG9 15.5

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Ashamed Of Jesus!

Jesus and shall it ever be
A mortal man ashamed of Thee?
Ashamed of Thee whom angels praise
Whose glories shine through endless days? -2TG9 16.1

Ashamed of Jesus sooner far
Let evening blush to own a star
He sheds the beams of light divine
O er this benighted soul of mine. -2TG9 16.2

Ashamed of Jesus just as soon
Let midnight be ashamed of noon
Twas midnight with my soul till
He Bright Morning Star bade darkness flee. -2TG9 16.3

Ashamed of Jesus
No when I blush be this my shame
That I no more revere His name. -2TG9 16.4

Ashamed of Jesus yes I may
When I’ve no guilt to wash away
No tear to wipe no good to crave
No fears to quell no soul to save. -2TG9 16.5

Till then –nor is my boasting vain —
Till then I boast a Saviour slain
And O may this my glory be
That Christ is not ashamed of me -2TG9 16.6

–Joseph Grigg

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