“…Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
– Mark 1:2-3
The prophecy that John’s mission fulfilled outlines our work: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” [Mark 1, Verse 3]. As John prepared the way for the first, so we are to prepare the way for the second advent of the Saviour. Our publishing institutions are to exalt the claims of God’s downtrodden law. Standing before the world as reformers, they are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform. In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all His commandments. Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the old waste places, raising up the foundations of many generations. They are to stand as repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in. Through their testimony the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to stand as a witness, a constant reminder of God, to attract notice and arouse investigation that shall direct the minds of men to their Creator.
Let it never be forgotten that these institutions are to co-operate with the ministry of the delegates of heaven. They are among the agencies represented by the angel flying “in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Revelation 14:6, 7.
…We are called upon to arouse the people to prepare for the great issues before them. We must give warning to those who are standing on the very brink of ruin. God’s people are to put forth every power in combating Satan’s falsehoods and pulling down his strongholds. To every human being in the wide world who will give heed, we are to make plain the principles at stake in the great controversy—principles upon which hangs the eternal destiny of the soul. To the people far and near we are to bring home the question: “Are you following the great apostate in disobedience to God’s law, or are you following the Son of God, who declared, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments’?” This is the work before us; for this our publishing institutions were established; it is this work that God expects at their hands. (1)
Charge for the Day: How can you use publications available to you to arouse the people in your sphere of influence to “prepare for the great issues before them?”
1. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, pp. 139-142