PREPARATION FOR SERVICE

L. A. HOOPES

Reading for Wednesday, December 24.

“Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” “But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 661.5

Preparation is a recognized law of heaven. No service is required of any created intelligence, either in heaven or earth, except there be a preparation correspondent to the service required, and no preparation for the service is required but what is abundantly provided for by the all-wise Creator.GCB October 1, 1902, page 661.6

Many are the examples to this effect. The tabrets and the pipes which were used in the heavenly choir were all prepared before hand. No holy angel was ever sent on a mission of any kind without first having prepared for it. The very idea of creation implies some sort of preparation for the enjoyment of God’s creatures. The kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world. The mansions for the redeemed are being prepared in our Fathers house, and the city of God, the New Jerusalem, will be prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.GCB October 1, 1902, page 661.7

Preparation is required in every phase of the plan of human redemption. For every divine service there must be a preparation. A day was set apart for preparations for the holy Sabbath. The showbread was prepared and arranged before-hand. Preparations were to be made for the Passover, and for every part of the sanctuary service. When the people were summoned to assemble at the mount to hear the words as they came from the lips of Jehovah, they were required to prepare themselves and be ready by the third day. In the building of the temple of Solomon all the material was prepared beforehand, so that at the time of the erection of the temple not a sound of the hammer was heard. The record states, “Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was perfected.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 661.8

For every important work that God has instituted in the world He has prepared individuals to do that work. When a flood of waters was to be brought upon the earth, the Lord instructed Noah to prepare an ark for the saving of his house. Abraham was prepared as a pioneer missionary to the world by first leaving his kinsmen and going to a land to be shown him by the Lord. Joseph was prepared for the responsible duty of governor of Egypt by the peculiar experience through which he passed. It was necessary for Moses to be taught of God’s dealing with his people, and to learn by his long training in the wilderness as a herder of sheep how to lead Israel like a flock. David was prepared while a shepherd boy, tending his father’s flocks and learning to trust in his God for deliverance from the bear and the lion, to go out and meet the giant of the Philistines. Many are the noteworthy examples in Scripture illustrating this point.GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.1

Thus in every age people have not only been required to be prepared to stand, but have had committed to them an important life-saving message which they could not carry without first having a preparation.GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.2

In order to teach others the truth we must know the truth. In order to lead people to the fountain of life we must drink thereat ourselves. In order to teach men the power of overcoming grace in the deliverance from every besetting sin we must experience it in our own lives. To be prepared to meet God we must be like Him; “for we shall see Him as He is.” For “as He is, so are we in this world.” “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3; 4:17. A preparation to meet God calls for greater earnestness than has been manifested on the part of the great majority of His children. [Have different ones appointed to read here, Zephaniah 2:1-3; Zephaniah 3:12, 13; Revelation 14:5; Philippians 3:9-15.]GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.3

It was such a preparation as this that Isaiah experienced at the time when he had a view of God in His holy temple. When he saw the train that filled the temple, and the seraphim that stood above him, and all that were in the house, and even the posts which cried with the one voice, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.” It was then that he exclaimed, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.4

Here was preparation for service. Here was one of God’s dear children who had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, who had been entrusted with a great responsibility of speaking to God’s people; but as he came nearer and still nearer to behold the glory of God, he saw his real and undone condition. But thanks be unto God, that as the prophet found cleansing by the touch of the live coal from off the altar, so we, who are in this condition, may find cleansing in the precious blood of Jesus. Jesus is just as precious to every one of His children to-day as He was to this tried servant of old.GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.5

In view of all this, is it not evident to every one that God would not be less particular in the preparation of heart of those who are to do the work than He has been in ancient times? Is it not also evident that in order to proclaim this work aright, even the mechanical part of it, there should be a thorough preparation so that the work may not be done in a bungling manner? God has made every provision. He has organized His great school with its various phases. These departments may be briefly expressed as the Homeschool, the Church-school, the Training-school, and the School of Experience. In all of these, God proposes to be the teacher.GCB October 1, 1902, page 662.6

In speaking to Timothy, Paul calls attention to the Word of God, which is given by inspiration of God, which “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17. There was something required ofGCB October 1, 1902, page 662.7

Timothy, a preparation was necessary. (And Timothy here stands for all God’s servants.) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. The seventh verse reads thus, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.1

The words of the Saviour in the gospel written by John 5:39 are as follows: “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.2

In order to meet the approval of God, it is essential that we search, study, and consider the Word of God. Skill must be exercised in the division of the words of truth. We are to deal with humanity, with precious souls for whom Christ died. They are more precious than the “gold of Ophir,” and our dealing with them must be correspondent with the value that God places upon the human soul.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.3

Laboring for God is the nicest and most particular work that any one ever engaged in. It calls for a consecration such as nothing else requires. The inspired penman write, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” The readiness depends altogether on the abiding presence of God. The ability to answer every man that asketh us of our hope depends upon the presence of God in the heart. The only ability that we shall have to express this hope is ours because that Author of Hope is dwelling within. In writing to Colossians, the apostle admonishes that our “speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that [we] may know how [we] ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.4

There is a “know how” in the gospel work, and that knowledge comes through the acquirement of grace. There is a vast difference in the manner in which words are spoken. They may be savory and have the preserving quality about them. They must be like the salt that seasons our food and preserves it from decay, or, like the salt that has lost its savor, they are cast forth and are lost. How many word are spoken in a hasty and unsanctified manner, unmindful of the feelings of others, unmindful of the sympathy that human hearts are yearning for; harsh words, words not adapted to soothe the wounded spirit and troubled heart. The injunction is, “Let your speech be always with grace.” In the unexpected moment, when the one for whom you are laboring is on the point of despair,—with an irritable disposition and temper, which a passionate word would sent on fire,—it is then that the speech should be with grace, seasoned with salt.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.5

Thus far we have been studying general principles which apply to all who are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We should spend some time in considering especially the cases of a large number of young men and women who are acquainted with the truth, and who at some time in their experience have heard the call, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” “Go work to-day in my vineyard.” Many of these feel their need of a preparation before they can labor in a public capacity. Their school privileges have been very meager, and a short drill in some one of our training-schools would be of much value to them.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.6

It was for this class that our training-schools were established. Many more young people should be in training than are already in the schools. We are safe in saying that not ten per cent of those between the ages of eighteen and thirty are in school at this time. This is entirely too small a percentage. As we glance over the ministerial directory of the GENERAL CONFERENCE BULLETIN, we shall see that the large majority of the ministers are those who have had some training in some one of our schools; but it is the number too large? Do we not hear from every quarter of the great dearth of ministers and laborers? What is the cause for this?GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.7

It was when the fires of the Reformation were kindled at Wurtemburg that large numbers flocked to the university, and to use the words of another, “When the pool is divinely stirred, the porches will be crowded.” So likewise, when there is a deeper moving of the Spirit of God in the teachers and in every department, our schools will be crowded. Should we not, therefore, earnestly pray for our schools that are giving a training for the advancement of any part of the message? Pray for the managers. Pray for the instructors. Pray for the students. Pray that a holy and divine influence may be in each institution, that all connected therewith may be breathe deeply rich drafts of the heavenly atmosphere.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.8

Our schools may be well equipped with buildings, furniture, laboratories, and all things necessary for giving culture to the head and the hand, and yet, unless the vital spark which kindled in the schools of the prophets is present, they will fail of imparting the knowledge so essential in true missionary effort. “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds,” but it required a preparation and an endowment from an altogether different source before he could lead Israel. Paul was a learned rabbi, blessed with the endowment of lineage, of education and culture; with a commendable zeal, and with a perfect righteousness as far as the outward deeds of the law were concerned, yet it was necessary for him to see and to hear the One whom he had pierced before he could teach men that all these things which were gain to him he counted loss for the excellency of Christ.GCB October 1, 1902, page 663.9

Many not this present week of prayer mark a new era in the work of preparation, both in and out of school? May we not see a constant stream, a vast army, of young people, and many middle aged likewise, directed toward our schools to obtain a speedy preparation to labor in some public capacity? “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”GCB October 1, 1902, page 664.1

L. A. HOOPES.