FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE ANTITYPICAL ELIJAH & JOHN THE BAPTIST MESSAGE & WORK
Key Verse: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming and the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4: 5, 6, KJV.
“The closing words of Malachi are a prophecy the WORK that should be done PREPARATORY to the FIRST and SECOND advent of Christ.”
“Those who are to ‘prepare the way’ for the SECOND advent of Christ, are REPRESENTED by faithful ELIJAH, as JOHN THE BAPTIST came ‘in the spirit of Elijah [‘Elias’ in the NT Greek] to prepare for Christ’s FIRST advent.” (NOTE: Study the characters, lives, works, and times of these two prophet-reformers of their generations].”
‘OUR message [today] must be AS DIRECT as was that of John the Baptist. He REBUKED kings for their iniquity [called sin by its right name clearly, without any ‘sugar-coating’ or deceptive/defensive euphemisms]. Notwithstanding the PERIL his life was in, he never allowed truth to LANGUISH on his lips…..”
“In THIS TIME of well-nigh UNIVERSAL APOSTASY, [the English Dictionary says ‘Catholic’ means ‘universal’] God calls upon HIS MESSENGERS [any who are truly called, fully convicted, are humble and willing to be ‘taught of God,’ regardless of education, age, or position in life], TO PROCLAIM HIS LAW [and all that it embodies and comprehends in the great controversy and the plan of redemption].IN THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH.
“As John the Baptist, in PREPARING A PEOPLE [not the whole ‘chosen people’ Jewish nation exclusively] for Christ’s first advent, CALLED THEIR ATTENTION to the Ten Commandments, so WE ARE to give the message, NOT UNCERTAIN SOUND, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME’ [Rev. 14: 6, 7].
With the EARNESTNESS that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, WE ARE TO STRIVE TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR CHRIST’S SECOND ADVENT.”
“The hour of God’s judgment has come, and UPON THE MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH ON EARTH rests the solemn responsibility of giving WARNING to those who are standing as it were on the very brink of eternal ruin.
“ALL can do SOMETHING in the work. None will be pronounced GUILTLESS before God UNLESS they have worked earnestly and unselfishly for the salvation of souls.
“YOUR DUTY CANNOT BE SHIFTED TO ANOTHER. No one but yourself can do your work. If you WITHHOLD your light, SOMEONE WILL BE LEFT IN DARKNESS THROUGH YOUR NEGLECT. The Lord has a place for everyone in His great plan.” [Know what yours is, and get to work immediately. Time is running out].” – E.G.White, FILB 290.
Don’t shirk or neglect your duty to God. Some soul may be lost: it could be ours, too, for God’s mercy and judgment are fair, equal, and “righteousness altogether.” Bless all, NMF