“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”  1 Corinthians 10:6, 11

Brothers and sisters, have you ever asked yourself why we are still in this world of sin and sorrow? Is this a better place for us to live so that we can be careless—not being mindful of the time we are living in? Why has Jesus not returned for such a long time and yet we do not inquire as to the reason? Are we satisfied with this world? Why have generations come and gone and Christ has still not returned?

“In this fearful time, just before Christ is to come the second time, God’s faithful preachers will have to bear a still more pointed testimony than was borne by John the Baptist. A responsible, important work is before them; and those who speak smooth things, God will not acknowledge as His shepherds. A fearful woe is upon them.”  –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 321

LOOKING BACK TO THE WILDERNESS

The Lord designed that His people, the Israelites, were to travel for forty days and then enter the Promised Land, but they did not arrive at the appointed time. Because of unbelief many perished in the wilderness. Today, God’s people are still wandering because of the unbelief of many.

“Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” 1 Corinthians 10:9–10

“The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God’s dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 293

The wilderness wandering was not only ordained as a judgment upon the rebels and murmurers, but it was to serve as discipline for the new generation arising as preparatory to their entrance into the Promised Land.

“For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.” –Evangelism, p. 696

“Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways:  Unto whom I sware in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.” Psalm 95:10–11

“It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty years in the wilderness; He desired to lead them directly to the land of Canaan and establish them there, a holy, happy people. But ‘they could not enter in because of unbelief.’ Hebrews 3:19. Because of their backsliding and apostasy they perished in the desert, and others were raised up to enter the Promised Land.” –The Great Controversy, p. 458

God altered His plan. He promised to lead them directly into Canaan, but because of their unbelief and rebellion only two of the original adults who left Egypt reached the earthly Canaan. The promise was fulfilled in their children. What do we learn from this? Are we repeating the same course of action as did Ancient Israel?

“I saw that many who profess to believe the truth for these last days think it strange that the children of Israel murmured as they journeyed; that after the wonderful dealings of God with them, they should be so ungrateful as to forget what He had done for them. Said the angel: ‘Ye have done worse than they.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 129

“After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise.” Numbers 14:34

A LESSON FROM THE CHURCH’S EXPERIENCE IN 1888

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20

In 1888 Christ gave a message to His church. This message is called the Loud Cry of the Third Angel. It was Christ our righteousness in its fullness. If the message of 1888 had been received in its full measure the church would have been in heaven by now, but because of its rejection we are still wandering on this earth today.

“Our Redeemer sends His messengers to bear a testimony to His people. He says: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20. But many refuse to receive Him. The Holy Spirit waits to soften and subdue hearts; but they are not willing to open the door and let the Saviour in, for fear that He will require something of them. And so Jesus of Nazareth passes by. He longs to bestow on them the rich blessings of His grace, but they refuse to accept them. What a terrible thing it is to exclude Christ from His own temple! What a loss to the church!” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 262

“The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. . . . This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.” –Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91–92

Two classes are found in third angel’s message—those who serve God and those who serve Him not.
Two groups are in the world. To which group do you belong? In 1888 God gave the message of Christ Our Righteousness to His church. This was to be followed by the outpouring of the Latter Rain to cause God’s people to mature in preparation for the final events of this world’s history. The message, however, was rejected by the majority. While some were neutral, only a small minority accepted the message.

In the journey of the children of Israel, at the borders of the Promised Land, twelve spies were sent to go and survey the land. When they returned, the spies were divided into two. Ten murmured at the difficulties they would face in entering the land and two talked about the goodness of the land.

In 1888 God sent His witnesses to bear a message to His people, but the majority rejected the testimony of the two men. Thus, God altered His plan due to the unbelief of His people. Are we not worse today than was Ancient Israel? They took forty years, but the Lord’s coming has been delayed by much more than that today.

“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30

The Lord sent a warning by saying, “Satan’s snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people. Lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity are increasing among us. There is need now of men who are firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God; men who will not sleep as do others, but watch and be sober.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 160

John the Revelator writes, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:7

What is the mystery of God? “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Colossians 1:27

GOD’S PROMISES ARE CONDITIONAL

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”  Romans 13:11–12

God spoke through Jeremiah saying, “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” Jeremiah 18:7–10

The Israelites were unable to reach the Promised Land because of their unbelief. We are in danger today of having unbelief in God’s word as did as Israelites.

“Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory.

“It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.

“We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action.” –Maranatha, p. 19

The apostle Paul wrote, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”  Ephesians 5:16

By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord’s return. We are not only to look for, but to hasten, the coming of the day of God.

Finally brethren, Peter exhorted us, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19

May God grant us grace and strength to give the last warning to the world.

Grace be to you all. Amen.

Jenifer Akello, Uganda