Before His ascension, Jesus spoke very interesting and important words to His disciples. We read in Matthew 28:18: “...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
The work Jesus accomplished on earth also had tremendous significance for Heaven. In the light of Calvary, the true love of God was revealed to the entire universe. Before Christ’s sacrifice, some heavenly beings may have had questions and doubts concerning God’s character, the methods of His government, and Satan’s claims regarding God’s supreme authority. But after the death of Jesus, the correct answer to every question was found, and all doubts and misunderstandings were dispelled.
Calvary showed the entire visible and invisible world very clearly that God is love. At the cross, God’s absolute mercy toward sinful and fallen humanity and His absolute justice toward lawlessness were revealed. The Great Sacrifice was offered, confirming the significance of all the symbolic sacrifices offered in faith before Calvary and revealing the way of salvation to everyone who would receive Christ after Calvary. A new door of salvation was opened for all humanity—a door named Jesus Christ. A death sentence was pronounced upon sin and its associates.
But in God’s providence, humanity was given more time so that everyone who desired might have an opportunity to hear the message of salvation, the message of a better life and of God’s loving character. Not all the prophecies pointing to the struggle of the last days and the time when the judgment would begin had yet been fulfilled. The enemy of humanity received special power to destroy and deceive all who dwell upon the earth, though he did not receive complete authority over God’s children.
God foretold every period in the development of Christianity, gave special revelations through the apostle John, and established the times and seasons in His own authority.
And now, in our time, all the appointed periods have been fulfilled, and every sign points to the approaching culmination of the final events of history. Something vitally important must take place upon our earth.
Jesus possesses special authority to act at this time, accomplishing something very important in our world and in our souls. Light has already been poured out in its fullness upon every inhabitant of the earth. Knowledge and discoveries in every sphere of human life have surpassed human capabilities; sin has fully revealed its repulsive essence; Satan’s deceptions have become irresistibly powerful and skillful. The whole world lieth in wickedness, and the Lord has not yet come. Jesus desires to have a special people whose lives will reveal to the world, in all its fullness, the genuine character of God and His beauty. How is this possible? The Lord has a plan.
The parable of the ten virgins tells us what will happen and how it will occur. It makes clear how important it is to prepare for the coming events. And Christ’s message to Laodicea points God’s people to what they must understand, receive, and do in these last days. This is not my plan but God’s plan, and God longs to carry it out in your life and mine.
I have the following options for putting this plan into practice:
I stop to consider, begin to study, discover the meaning of God’s symbols, and follow the instructions given to me. I begin receiving everything that God desires to give and sell to me. I stop to consider and begin studying the matter, but I allow pressing cares to absorb my attention and postpone carrying out God’s plans until an indefinite future. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that I must devote time to this matter, study it, and put it into practice in my life. For now, however, there are more important things to do. I heard, believed, and rejoiced, but did not attach special importance to this message, so I did not devote time to it. I do not intend to address it in the near future. I regard all these messages as merely one of many streams of information. They will change nothing in my life, so they are not even worth examining.
In our school of love, we have decided to follow the first path. We seek to understand what God offers us, penetrate the meaning of the symbols and prophecies, accept God’s plan, buy the true Heavenly valuables, and await the further fulfillment of God’s blessings and promises in our lives. Very little time remains. World events on every side loudly call us to understand that the end of all things is very near and that it is time to awaken.
And Jesus teaches us His love very calmly and tenderly. In this matter, He neither rushes nor delays. He is preparing a people, desiring to present them pure and blameless before the entire universe and to show the whole visible and invisible world what the authority of Love can accomplish in those who seek, find, and receive it.
God will not abolish His prophecies or change His plans in order to reach people who are not interested. But at the appointed time, everything will be fulfilled. God’s love will find trembling and seeking hearts and establish itself within them forever, forming from these people a special people for the final events.
Everything taking place in my mind now has eternal consequences for me. At this very time, each of us is choosing the path along which we will continue. God has pointed out the narrow way and has done everything on His part so that everyone may walk upon it and grow. The Lord will not change His plans, but He will seek and draw those through whom He can accomplish them. And this plan leads me to the complete acceptance of the love of the One Who is its embodiment. Every symbol and appeal points to this.
The authority of love is unlimited. It is greater, stronger, and wiser than everything else. It is accessible to all, but it is given to the chosen. It is obtained by those who seek it, understand it, and desire to possess it.
It is amazing that God’s plans are, on the one hand, so simple and accessible, yet on the other hand, filled with mysteries and depths that cannot be penetrated through superficial study.
We await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But what will He change in the indifferent heart of one who heard the appeals but did not respond to them? I think that nothing special will happen in such a soul. Once a seed has been sown, the rain merely causes it to grow and fills it with strength so that fruit may appear; it does not change the seed’s composition or nature. Of course, if I have not yet obtained good seed, I may still buy it if I know where, but there may no longer be enough time to grow it.
Love cannot be learned in a moment. It is a process with its own duration and laws. It begins in this world, and the learning will continue in Eternity, but I must enter this process now by learning the foundations and principles of God’s love. Then this gift will become mine and bear much fruit. And the early rain of the Holy Spirit will strengthen this seed, cause it to grow, and prepare it for the harvest.
God loves us. He will not leave a single seeking soul in ignorance. He gave His plan not to tease us and hide it in an inaccessible place, but to reveal it and carry it out in you and me.
Christ has sufficient authority to establish God’s will in my life and accomplish everything He has purposed. By my “yes” and my continuing desire, I allow my will and God’s will to unite in one purpose. Then God’s plan begins to be fulfilled in my life. And having begun this good work in me, God will continue it until the day of His glorious Coming.
The love of Christ will become my life, God’s character will transform my heart, and my will will rest upon God’s principles. Unity of thought and feeling with Christ will bind us together with eternal bonds of love.
Homework 71
Please read Amos 3:7; Hosea 4:6; Deuteronomy 29:29; Revelation 22:18–19; and Daniel 12:4 in the light of our lesson. What was revealed to you in this lesson? Do you desire to study God’s plan as presented in the message to Laodicea? Do you have time for classes in this school? Are you interested in studying the lessons and comparing them with your life? Is God’s plan for your future being revealed to you in this school? Do you see God’s Hand in our lessons? Do you understand exactly what kind of love will be given to you in the process of learning?