Psalm 119:105 Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Praise the Lord for the Word of God and SOP
Those who are engaged in proclaiming the third angel's message are searching the Scriptures upon the same plan that Father Miller adopted. In the little book entitled "Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology," Father Miller gives the following simple but intelligent and important rules for Bible study and interpretation:-- {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 23}
"1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible; 2. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study; 3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering; 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error; 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 24}
The above is a portion of these rules; and in our study of the Bible we shall all do well to heed the principles set forth. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 25}
Genuine faith is founded on the Scriptures; but Satan uses so many devices to wrest the Scriptures and bring in error, that great care is needed if one would know what they really do teach. It is one of the great delusions of this time to dwell much upon feeling, and to claim honesty while ignoring the plain utterances of the word of God because that word does not coincide with feeling. Many have no foundation for their faith but emotion. Their religion consists in excitement; when that ceases, their faith is gone. Feeling may be chaff, but the word of God is the wheat. And "what," says the prophet, "is the chaff to the wheat?" {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 26}
None will be condemned for not heeding light and knowledge that they never had, and they could not obtain. But many refuse to obey the truth that is presented to them by Christ's ambassadors, because they wish to conform to the world's standard; and the truth that has reached their understanding, the light that has shone in the soul, will condemn them in the Judgment. In these last days we have the accumulated light that has been shining through all the ages, and we shall be held correspondingly responsible. The path of holiness is not on a level with the world; it is a way cast up. If we walk in this way, if we run in the way of the Lord's commandments, we shall find that the "path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 27}
RULES OF INTERPRETATION
I. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible. Proof, Matt.5:18. {1853 SB, MWM 70.2}
II. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by a diligent application and study. Proof, 2Tim.3:15-17. {1853 SB, MWM 70.3}
III. Nothing revealed in Scriptures can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering. Proof, Deut.29:29. Matt.10:26,27. 1Cor.2:10. Phil.3:15; Isa.45:11. Matt.21:22. John 14:13,14; 15:7; James 1:5,6. 1John 5:13-15. {1853 SB, MWM 70.4}
IV. To understand doctrine, bring all the Scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error. Proof, Isa.28:7-29; 35:8. Prov.19:27. Luke 24:27,44,45. Rom.16:26. James 5:19. 2Pet.1:19,20. {1853 SB, MWM 70.5}
V. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed or wisdom, is my rule, and not the Bible. Proof, Ps.19:7-11; 119:97-105. Mat.23:8-10. 1Cor.2:12-16. Ezk.34:18,19. Luke 11:52. Matt.2:7,8. {1853 SB, MWM 70.6}
VI. God has revealed things to come, by visions, in figures and parables; and in this way the same things are oftentime revealed again and again, by different visions, or in different figures and parables. If you wish to understand them, you must combine them all in one. Proof, Ps.89:19. Hos.12:10. Hab.2:2. Acts 2:17. 1Cor.10:6. Heb.9:9,24. Ps.78:2. Matt.13:13,34. Gen.41:1-32. Dan.2nd,7th & 8th. Acts 10:9-16. {1853 SB, MWM 70.7}
VII. Visions are always mentioned as such. 2Cor.12:1. {1853 SB, MWM 71.1}
VIII. Figures always have a figurative meaning, and are used much in prophecy to represent future things, times and events, - such as mountains, meaning governments, Dan.2:35,44; beasts, meaning kingdoms, Dan.7:8,17; waters, meaning people, Rev.17:1,15; day, meaning year, etc. Ezk.4:6. {1853 SB, MWM 71.2}
IX. Parables are used as comparisons to illustrate subjects, and must be explained in the same way as figures, by the subject and Bible. Mark 4:13. {1853 SB, MWM 71.3}
X. Figures sometimes have two or more different significations, as day is used in a figurative sense to represent three different periods of time, namely, first, indefinite, Eccles.7:14; second, definite, a day for a year, Ezk.4:6; and third, a day for a thousand years, 2Pet.3:8. {1853 SB, MWM 71.4}
The right construction will harmonize with the Bible, and make good sense; other constructions will not. {1853 SB, MWM 71.5}
XI. If a word makes good sense as it stands, and does no violence to the simple laws of nature, it is to be understood literally; if not, figuratively. Rev.12:1,2; 17:3-7. {1853 SB, MWM 71.6}
XII. To learn the meaning of a figure, trace the word through your Bible, and when you find it explained, substitute the explanation for the word used; and, if it make good sense, you need not look further; if not, look again. {1853 SB, MWM 71.7}
XIII. To know whether we have the true historical event for the fulfilment of a prophecy: If you find every word of the prophecy (after the figures are understood) is literally fulfilled, then you may know that your history is the true event; but if one word lacks a fulfilment, then you must look for another event, or wait its future development; for God takes care that history and prophecy shall agree, so that the true believing children of God may never be ashamed. Ps.22:5. Isa.45:17-19. 1Pet.2:6. Rev.17:17. Acts 3:18. {1853 SB, MWM 71.8}
XIV. The most important rule of all is, that you must have faith. It must be a faith that requires a sacrifice, and, if tried, would give up the dearest object on earth, the world and all its desires, - character, living, occupation, friends, home, comforts and worldly honors. If any of these should hinder our believing any part of God's word, it would show our faith to be vain. Nor can we ever believe so long as one of these motives lies lurking in our hearts. We must believe that God will never forfeit his word; and we can have confidence that He who takes notice of the sparrow's fall, and numbers the hairs of our head, will guard the translation of his own word, and throw a barrier around it, and prevent those who sincerely trust in God, and put implicit confidence in his word, from erring far from the truth." {1853 SB, MWM 71.9}
A few paragraphs from a letter written in reference to the revival in Portland under Father Miller's labors will give a good idea of the character of his work. At the time, he was "lecturing to crowded congregations in the Casco-street church on his favorite theme, the end of the world and the literal reign of Christ for one thousand years." Eld. L. D. Fleming wrote of these meetings:-- {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 12}
"Things here are moving powerfully. Last evening about two hundred requested prayers, and the interest seems constantly increasing. The whole city seems agitated. Bro. Miller's lectures have not the least effect to frighten people; they are far from it. The great alarm is among those who do not come near them. Many who stay away and oppose, seem excited, and perhaps alarmed; but those who candidly hear are far from excitement or alarm. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 13}
"The interest awakened by his lectures is of the most deliberate and dispassionate kind; though this is the greatest revival I ever saw, yet there is the least passionate excitement about it. It seems to take a deep hold on the main part of the community. What produces the effect is this: Bro. Miller simply takes the sword of the Spirit, unsheathed, and lays its sharp edge on the naked heart, and it cuts; that is all. Before the edge of this mighty weapon, infidelity falls and Universalism withers; false foundations vanish, and Babel's merchants wonder. It seems to me that this must be a little the nearest to apostolic revivals of anything that modern times have witnessed." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 14}
A little later he wrote:-- {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 15}
"There has probably never been so much religious interest among the inhabitants of this place, generally, as at present; and Mr. Miller must be regarded, directly, or indirectly, as the instrument, although many, no doubt, will deny it, as some are very unwilling to admit that a good work of God can follow his labors; and yet we have the most indubitable evidence that this is the work of the Lord. It is worthy of note that in the present instance there has been, comparatively, nothing like mechanical effort. There has been nothing like passionate excitement. If there has been excitement, it has been out of doors, among such as did not attend Bro. Miller's lectures. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 16}
"At some of our meetings since Bro. Miller left, as many as two hundred and fifty, it has been estimated, have expressed a desire for religion by coming forward for prayers; and probably between one and two hundred have professed conversion at our meetings; and now the fire is being kindled through this whole city and all the adjacent country. A number of rumsellers have turned their shops into meeting-rooms, and these places that were once devoted to intemperance and revelry are now devoted to prayer and praise. Others have abandoned the traffic entirely, and are converted to God. One or two gambling establishments, I am informed, are entirely broken up. Infidels, deists, and Universalists have been converted. Prayer-meetings have been established in every part of the city by the different denominations or by individuals, and at almost every hour. Being down in the business part of our city on the 4th inst., I was conducted into a room over one of the banks, where I found about thirty or forty men, of different denominations, engaged in prayer, with one accord, at about eleven o'clock in the daytime. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 17}
"In short, it would be almost impossible to give an adequate idea of the interest now felt in the city. There is nothing like extravagant excitement, but an almost universal solemnity on the minds of all the people. One of the principal booksellers informed me that he had sold more Bibles in one month since Mr. Miller came here than in any four months previous. A member of an orthodox church informed me that if Mr. Miller would now return, he would probably be admitted into any orthodox house of worship, and he expressed a strong desire for his return to our city." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 18}
These statements I know to be true. And as under the first and second angel's messages the truth was proclaimed without excitement or extravagance, so the work goes forward under the message of the third angel. The discourses on the Portland camp-ground were not of an emotional character, but appealed to the intellect; and many listened with deep interest to the evidences of our faith. Some, like the noble Bereans, began to search the Scriptures prayerfully to see if these things are so. Others were unmoved; they were content with their position and doctrines, and did not wish to make any change. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 19}
Some passed our tent talking of the meetings. All expressed a favorable opinion, and acknowledged that a great deal of good instruction was given, which, if heeded, would prove a lasting benefit. One inquired, with considerable earnestness, "Well, what do you think of the Sabbath question, and the statement that the first-day Sabbath is a papal institution?" The answer came, "As for the Sabbath, I pay no attention to that. I just let the arguments go into one ear and out of the other. Why, the whole world keeps Sunday." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 20}
Here is a message from God presenting Bible evidence that they are keeping holy a common working day; that they are reverencing an institution of the papacy instead of the one established by Jehovah; and they care not whether it is genuine or spurious as long as the world accepts it. If Jesus were on earth, he could say of them, as he did of the Pharisees of old, "In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Well did the prophet say, "This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 21}
Said Christ, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Again he said, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness." The light of truth is going forth like a burning lamp, and those who love the light will not walk in darkness. They will study the Scriptures, that they may know of a surety that they are listening to the voice of the true Shepherd, and not that of a stranger. {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 22}