God’s Message Today

And what is God’s message for us today who still continue to “look for” (Hebrews 9:28) and to “love” (2 Timothy 4:8) His appearing?GVEGW 19.4

The dominant scene of this first vision was of a group of people traveling toward a city on “a straight and narrow path, cast high up above the world.” Instinctively one’s thoughts go to Christ’s sermon on the mount and His metaphor of a “narrow way,” little traveled, that leads to eternal life, and a “broad way,” much traveled, that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13, 14). One somehow senses, upon reflection, that these are not in reality two separate roads, but rather one road—the “road of life”—with two opposite destinations.GVEGW 19.5

The apostle Paul seems especially to have been struck by this metaphor. In at least six of his Epistles ^{11Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 7:17; Galatians 5:16, 25; Ephesians 5:2, 8; Philippians 3:16; Colossians 2:6; 4:5.} he picks up on this idea of the Christian “walk.” The Christian is not simply out walking aimlessly for the lack of something more important to do; rather he walks purposefully, toward a predetermined goal.GVEGW 19.6

(In a parallel metaphor, that of an athlete engaged in a foot race, Paul sees the Christian as “running” along an established course, with a well-defined goal at the end. But Paul supplies this twist: everyone can win this prize, not just the contestant who happens to cross the finish line first with his torch still burning!) ^{121 Corinthians 9:24-26; Galatians 2:2; 5:7; Philippians 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:7; Hebrews 12:1.}GVEGW 19.7

And the lessons for us today in all of this?GVEGW 20.1

1. We are all on the “road of life,” which has two—and only two—destinations. Actually we are born headed in the downward direction; but Christ intercepts us with the gospel and invites us to “convert” (literally, “turn around”) and instead to head uphill toward His city. Comparatively few are willing to make the transition and the transit.GVEGW 20.2

2. Ever since the three temptations of Christ in the wilderness, on appetite, pride, and surrender to “captivating scenes of this world,” Satan’s strategy for subversion of Christians continues “in every possible way ... to make the broad road attractive and the narrow road grievous, humiliating, and objectionable.” ^{13The Upward Look, 39.}GVEGW 20.3

3. Each must walk for himself; none can be carried by another.GVEGW 20.4

4. In the context of river travel, it is more difficult and arduous to row upstream than to drift downstream; we either climb up the narrow way or slide down the broad.GVEGW 20.5

5. The “road of life” has two ditches, one on either side. Both are to be avoided, whether that of ultraliberalism on the one hand, or that of archconservatism on the other. The more narrow the road, the more difficult (and more important) it is, and the more concentration is required, to stay in the middle.GVEGW 20.6

This last thought would continue to absorb the attention of the prophet, becoming a recurring theme in her writings.GVEGW 20.7