Sermon/Thoughts on Revelation 7
Los Angeles, California
August 12, 1905
Previously unpublished.
Scripture reading: Revelation 7.
This chapter contains a message that is to be given to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people upon the earth. In view of the scenes here brought to view, we know that it will not profit us to bury up out talents in worldly business or in commercialism. It will not profit us to become so engrossed in the things of this world that we have neither time not thought for the work of preparing for Christ’s coming, that we may be among the number who will be sealed. The important work for us at this time is to make sure that our robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 1
Do you ask how this may be done? John tells us in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” [John 1:1-4.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 2
That is what we are trying to tell you. Our singers sing of it. Our preachers preach it. Christ is our life, and He desires to give to each one of us a life that will measure with the life of God. Do you not desire to understand the science of eternal life? 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 3
“The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” [Verse 5.] The passion for money-getting dulls the comprehension of eternal truth. Farms, real estate, bank stock, and money investments absorb the time and attention of men; and if death comes to them suddenly, they are unprepared. In their anxiety to obtain temporal advantages, they have lost life, eternal life. Such will not be among the number whom Christ will lead by the living waters, to open before them the eternal weight of glory which is theirs. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 4
This company of the redeemed are they who have heeded the words of Christ: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth not rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Matthew 6:19-21.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 5
We see the conditions existing in our world today. Robbery, bloodshed, and every kind of crime abound. The prophet says of this time, “The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” [Daniel 12:10.] Many do not wish their minds disturbed with the truth that all things are soon to come to an end. They turn away from those who seek to enlighten them. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn from this world. The wickedness of the wicked is increasing. Men are determined to have their own way. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 6
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” In the same way there are men sent from God today to bear a message. “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” [John 1:6, 7.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 7
God’s messengers desire to see you believe. All heaven desires you to believe. Christ gave His life that you should believe in that Light. He says, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” [John 8:12.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 8
John continues, “He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” [John 1:8.] Those who are to bear witness of the Light must have the light in them. No one can bear witness to the Light, unless that light is shining into the chambers of the mind and into the soul temple. There must be an abiding witness, that they may proclaim it with all the confidence and all the assurance possible. They will speak the truth, but it is not their words that will impress hearts. It is the power that is back of their words, it is the presence of Christ, the Light, that makes the impression upon the human mind. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 9
“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.” [Verses 9, 10.] In their greed for money and worldly gain, the world failed to recognize the Son of the living God, who came to live among men. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” [Verse 11.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 10
Israel had been chosen of the Lord as His peculiar people. Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Christ led them forth from their Egyptian bondage. By mighty miracles He prepared the way before them. He communicated the light to Moses at every step. But when He came to His own chosen people, they knew Him not. They refused to acknowledge Him. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 11
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” [Verses 12-14.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 12
He guided them through the wilderness. Moses was their visible leader, and he made one mistake. He complained. O, it means something for a child of God to complain. We have a Saviour, why should we complain? If we have a Saviour, why should we not trust in Him? The children of Israel provoked Moses to anger with their complaints and their unbelief. He had been commanded to speak to the rock. He was not told to strike the rock, but he did strike it three times, and turned in anger to the people that they should take such a course of rebellion and charge all their disappointments upon the one who was leading them under the supervision of God. Moses was in a responsible position before God as a teacher and an example to the people. Because of this one mistake, God told him he had forfeited his right to enter into the land of Canaan. He pleaded with God to rescind His judgment, but the Lord could not do it. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 13
Think of the experience of Moses when you do wrong, when you turn out of the way, when you dishonor your God. Think of how you give occasion to the world to reproach the Lord God of heaven. You cannot afford it. The cause of God cannot afford it. The church of God cannot afford it. You who claim to be following the Light of the world must walk worthily and circumspectly. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 14
Mother and fathers, in their family, must give the influence to that family that they are under the control of a personage who left the royal courts of heaven, who laid off His royal crown, who laid aside His royal robe and stepped down from His high command over the angels. For our sakes He left His riches and became poor—born of poor parentage. He might have come and convinced the world if He had only come and taken a multitude of angels with Him, He might have convinced them that He was the Son of God. But no, no. He would stand with His divinity clothed with humanity, that His humanity might encircle all the temptations that should come upon humanity, and much stronger as Jesus Christ was the strength and the power of His people to overcome through Christ. Christ stood in His perfection—not a blot nor a stain upon His character. What? did He bear all this for you and me? He did. Why? That your humanity might have the overcoming power to resist and overcome the darkness in the world through the power of Jesus Christ, divinity united with humanity, that every soul that lives might lay hold of that divinity and overcome every temptation that should come to them. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 15
When we think of the sacrifice of Christ in our behalf, how shall we regard His work? In every part of the world God is working to bring them in, every tongue and from every nation. We have established the work in all these countries, and the workers are there diligently at work. What are you doing with the goods that you claim as yours, which are only loaned you in trust to invest right here in this world in teaching and watching the course of humanity and bearing a testimony to them, just as I am bearing a testimony, and just as you have heard the ministers bear their testimony? There is testimony to be borne which He has told in Matthew. He has given the directions. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 16
I will read a verse or two in Matthew to let you see what He says. He told the disciples, after He had risen from the dead and proclaimed over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” [John 11:25.] That means I live for you. It is life for every one of us that will believe in Jesus Christ as our risen Saviour, and we are to take hold of it. He told them that He would go into a mountain that was appointed them. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 17
“And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him: but some doubted.” [Matthew 28:17.] Some are doubting always. Some are criticizing always. Some are finding fault always. But let us stop it. It does not do any good. What will we do? We will just take the words of Christ, and we will educate ourselves in faith to be His little children—educate ourselves to speak the words of Christ. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 18
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.” [Verses 18-20.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 19
Have you been baptized in these names? These three highest powers in heaven are pledged to you if you have died unto sin, been buried with Christ in baptism, and rise, to live just the same life you did before? No,—in newness of life. These powers are pledged and they will never fail one of you. You can just as surely and utterly rely upon these powers when you are downcast. And when you are oppressed, you may remember that pledge—the three highest powers of heaven—that you need not obey the world; you need not follow their fashions; you need not be corrupted with their society. Come right out from the world. “Be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty.” [2 Corinthians 6:17, 18.] Are you not glad of that? Have we not reason to rejoice? We certainly have. [Matthew 28] Verse 20. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 20
Now that you have been baptized, you are to go and teach all nations. Many are begging and entreating and pleading, Send us messengers, send us men. Where are they? Are there any consecrated, devoted men right here in Los Angeles? Are there those that will educate and train themselves, that they will be fitted for the work of God to proclaim His Word to those that are in darkness? I have been trying for years to do that work. I have given the royalty upon my books. I have taken nothing from Europe, but thousands and thousands of dollars have I given, that they should educate, that they should translate into all languages; and they are trying to do it. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 21
We have men who have the spirit of the truth upon them, who when they first went to Russia were thrust into prison and did not know when they would come out. But God in mercy opened the prison doors and set them free, and they are at work now in all parts of the foreign countries to establish the truth. But what they want is workers. And they want means to sustain the workers in these fields. And we want those who want to make some sacrifice for Christ. We want them to help in every way possible, that we may even sound the truth in the field here of Southern California, and in the Southern field, and as we go to Washington, into the different cities. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 22
They must hear the truth, and they are unworked. We want that you shall be united with us in doing the very work that God wants done, that you may have the reward of Christ. Now He says, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations ....” [Verse 19.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 23
There you see you have just to perform this work. You must be on a high level. You must stand on a high platform of eternal truth. You are to be an example so that you may teach others. You cannot afford in your dealing to try to get the best of the bargain. It will not pay. If you want the crown of life, you must imitate and practice the self-denial and self-sacrifice of our dear Redeemer. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 24
I have felt all my life that I could not do too much. God has helped me, till now, in my 78th year, I came here from St. Helena to speak to you here. I have felt all the way, although the burden of writing was upon me so strong that for two nights I was up nearly every hour of the night tracing with my pen the instruction that was needed. I had no chance to rest, and when I was on the cars, I felt just as I have felt many and many a time, all rested. I thought I would catch a nap in the morning, but I could not get the time. I have felt the power of God resting upon me, and I felt that the canopy of peace was encircling me round about as I was there in the boat and in the cars. I felt so peaceful and was so glad. I never had a pleasanter journey in my life. I praise God! I glorify His name! He has done this for me, and He is willing to do just the same for every one of us. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 25
Verse 20. Do you believe that? I believe it. If I did not, I would not be here. I dread to ride on the cars now. There are so may accidents. I would rather remain at home, but then I think if God wants me, I can go and He will protect me, and if I die, I can sleep in the Lord, and say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.” And I want you to be in just the same position. I want you to be where you have a living trust in a living Saviour. I want you to feel that you have the three great powers of heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to take supervision of you, and that He will have a care for you unto the end of time. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 26
Now, what are they to teach? Whatsoever I have commanded you. I want to dwell a moment on that. I want to tell you that every conceivable thing is coming in that the devil can bring in. All his science in the name of science, and hypnotism, and various things. He will make people sick, and then he will bring them out of the sickness, and they will say, This miracle is worked by the power of God. Now, it is the power of the devil that will work mightily. It is stated that he would bring down fire from heaven in the sight of men. If it is possible he would deceive the very elect. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 27
But you must stand as the elect, that you cannot be decided? Why? Because you have listened to the Word of God, and you know it is true, and you stand not by the representations of anybody that is around you, but you are clinging to the mighty One. You have hold of the mighty One, and He will keep you, that you will have such faith in Him that you will keep your soul, in what way? By believing in Him and doing the very works that He does, and you will be counted among those who are washed and made white in the blood, the provision that was made to cleanse you from all sin and unrighteousness. I believe in Him. I trust in Him. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 28
We do not want to do as they do with their bank stock, to try to get everything that they can just to themselves. No, we want you to have it, and we are willing even to hire money, that we can produce and build sanitariums. I am in debt today because I have done it. It does not worry me a bit. I pay them every time that it comes around, the interest for the money. Not one fails, and I want to say to you that I want every one of you to have a living connection with Jesus Christ, the Prince of life. I want you to be clothed with His salvation, I want you to be of that number that we have been reading about here in Revelation. We read of the company again. Revelation 14:1-5. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 29
Fathers and mothers, be careful that no guile is found in your mouth in your family. Be careful that you educate your children for the future, immortal life. It means something for you to have the care of children. Fit them up to be children of God. They are His little ones, He has purchased them with His blood, and you are to seek to prepare them for the courts above. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 30
That is what we are trying to do with all the powers of our being. We are trying to establish sanitariums, that we may teach the people how to live healthfully. We are trying to teach them that their morality, their piety, the very health of the blood flowing through their veins, is at their command if they will follow the light that has been given them to take charge of the brain and bone and muscle that God has given. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 31
You should be very careful what you put into your stomach. You can make yourself and your children all cross-grained by keeping this stomach all the time at work and wearied out and quarrelling with so many mixtures that you put in your stomach. If only you would simply eat the food that would sustain life, and not crowd it. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 32
You hear again and again—I have read it—of men, great men, intelligent men, learned men, who went to a feast and they feasted, and as they were just about to get in the cars they dropped dead. What was the matter? O, heart failure. It was will-failure. It was a failure to preserve themselves in the very best condition of life. The father and the mother may educate their children that they do not live to eat, but eat to live, and therefore the precious mind which God had given us must be kept clear from all the stimulus of tobacco, and from all the rum and everything of the kind. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 33
Isn’t it a marvel to you when they have the courts of justice, and the senators and the judges and the witnesses, and you have it through the papers; and then they have to spend time and money to try them, all must be tried, and take their time. O, if that time could be spent in sweeping away every saloon that there is in our land, they could put a stop to it right away. But the senators love the rum. The lawyers love the rum. The people love the rum and the tobacco and all these things. Therefore you cannot make it go. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 34
Satan is taking possession of the human family, and very soon in heaven it will be said, “It is done. He that is holy let him be holy still, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still.” [See Revelation 16:17; 22:11.] That is just the testimony that will be borne. And we want that every soul should be in a position that they shall be where there is no guile found in their mouth. They will not lie to get the advantage of their neighbor, to get their property to undermine them. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 35
We ask you, Will you be laborers together—it does not say alone—together with God? Will you do the work of God’s appointment? He wants you to be the light of the world. He says, “Ye are the light of the world.” And then He says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:14, 16.] Here is the honor and glory of God that you are to maintain. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 36
He says, “Every dollar of gold and silver is Mine.” [See Haggai 2:8.] It is His money, and why do you hold on to it with the world perishing in their sins and in their iniquity, when there is a life for them that measures with the life of God? We want every one to see and understand the truth. How can they do it without a preacher? How can they preach except they be sent? We have the tithe that we gather in from our people. It does not go half as far as we are wanting it to. I want to know who of the congregation will be prepared to take hold of the work intelligently and do something now while you can. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 37
You have only got a few hours. The four winds are ready to blow. We can see the storms; we can see the threatenings. We can see the multitudes that go down to death. What is the matter? The Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the earth, and we want you that can to come and hear what the truth is. Hear as for your life. It is for your life. It is for the present happiness of your life, and it is for that eternal life, which measures with the life of God. We want you to hear as souls that are ready to perish. But we do not want you to perish. Now He says: [Revelation 14] Verses 6-9. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 38
Now here is another angel. Here is the patience of the saints. This is the third angel. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” [Verse 12.] Verses 13-18. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 39
Please read these things. The angel came from heaven and found John exiled there on the isle of Patmos, and told him all these things that were to transpire in the last days. He wants us to know it. He wants us to be prepared for it. He wants us to have the crown of life, that we shall not perish with the wicked. We are very anxious that you should have it. I will just read a few words in Revelation, third chapter. Verse 18. “gold.” What is it? He has promised us, “Let not your heart be troubled ....” [John 14:1.] Now that is what He is preparing for us, and we want to prepare for it. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 40
Those that enter heaven, let me tell you, will know it here on this earth, that is, they take right hold of heavenly things. They do not seek the fashions of this degenerate age. They seek the heavenly disposition, and they seek to speak in a heavenly manner. They seek to overcome, and we want every one of you to engage in the warfare. You are soldiers of Jesus Christ. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire ....” [Revelation 3:18.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 41
This is the Word of the living God. It is the spirituality that is in Jesus Christ that holds us. He came to our earth to represent perfection in humanity, and now we must manifest perfection here on this earth, in order to enter where He is in His glory. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 42
Verse 19. You that have lived a half life to Christ, He wants you now to anoint your eyes with eyesalve that you may see there is something else, that you must go deeper. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 43
Verses 20, 21. “to him that overcometh.” The battle is before us. Do not think you have overcome if anyone stirs your temper, that you will let loose a whole mouthful of bitter words. It will not answer, because your words are a talent, and your spirit is a talent. It is God’s talent, and He wants that talent in brain and bone and muscle, in speech, in voice. All these He had died to have you use to His glory, to wash you and make you white in the blood of the Lamb. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 44
Verse 21. Do you see that He had all that battle to go through, with Satan tempting Him at every step that He would commit sin, that the whole world would be lost? He preached, and then He would go out into the wilderness and pour out His heart and soul before God. He was praying for us. He has left this world, and gone to His Father, but He says, “To him that overcometh ... churches.” [Verses 21, 22.] 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 45
Now we want that everything should done by us so that the people that come out to hear, may have food to eat. Christ will be with them, that they may have a hope. You do not need to go to any neighbor and inquire, What shall I do? You have the Word, and then you may inquire, you may go right to the 31st chapter of Exodus and you will find there, from the twelfth verse to the last of the chapter, just why we are keeping the Sabbath. You will find it all stated. It is stated just as plain as ABC why we are keeping the Sabbath, and the result of keeping the Sabbath. “Ye shall know,” God says, “that I am God, that doth sanctify you.” [Verse 13.] That is why we are keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 46
There is not one single thread of sanctification placed in Sunday, only the devil makes it a power, that he should intimidate the people that they shall not keep the very day God has given them to keep. Remember, it is the 31st chapter of Exodus, from the 12th to the 18th verse. Then if you will read there, you can trace out the connections with it. It is just as plain as ABC, for He honors it as His everlasting covenant. Does that change? We do not want you to be deceived. We do not want you to come up to the judgment transgressing the law of God. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 47
We want you to know that there is a life that measures with the life of God. We want you to know that you can teach your children. God help every one of you that you may walk in His footsteps, and the money that you are wasting of God’s just to gratify pride, we ask you to put it into His treasury. The money that you are wasting on different things is God’s money. If you want that the Lord God of heaven should have His own, if you want to return to Him His own, you just help us in the missionary enterprises, which we are seeking to carry out all over our globe. I want to tell you that the success we have, in letters, in papers, and all these things telling them, is not in vain. One soul is worth more than the whole world. I want to know about this money that may be sent. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 48
I call upon you in the name of the Lord God of Israel to make a determined effort that you will come in unity with God, and be co-laborers connected with Jesus Christ to work for the salvation of your fellow men that are around you. And if you do this, the light of heaven will shine into the chambers of the mind and into the soul temple, and you will be all light in the Lord. I thank God from whom all blessings flow. 20LtMs, Ms 191, 1905, par. 49