Question No. 30:— In view of the greatness of the work and the shortness of the time, why is the sealing message not making better headway? — {2ANS 53.1}
Answer:
Had there not come out of Egypt in Moses’ time a mixed multitude, the Exodus Movement could have gone into the promised land in a few weeks But because in the trial of that Movement followed many who were possessed of a spirit different from that of Caleb’s and Joshua’s the Movement fell forty years behind schedule in entering the promised land! — {2ANS 53.2}
And though Jesus’ work at His first advent was not so extensive as our work now, yet it was of even greater importance and of shorter duration than ours. Seemingly, however, it made no progress whatsoever when we consider that all forsook Him at His trial, and that Peter, the most zealous of the apostles even cursed and swore that he was not Christ’s disciple. But, contrary to all appearances of seeming defeat, Jesus declared while hanging on the cross, that His work was finished. — {2ANS 53.3}
Then, too, after His resurrection, He took His journey upward, leaving but a few half-converted followers to carry on the work. Such were the results of John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ untiring efforts. Hence, out of the multitudes that were baptized by John and Jesus, there were, on the day of Pentecost, but a hundred and twenty disciples of one accord to receive the outpouring of God’s Spirit. — {2ANS 54.1}
Indeed, not only small and insignificant did the work then appear to be, but also impossible to carry forward. Nevertheless, as the doubting ones among the multitude saw an excuse in the seemingly utter defeat in Jesus’ crucifixion, they separated themselves from among the faithful. And as the remaining ones of His followers lost confidence in themselves, renounced self, and sought the Lord earnestly at a time when there was not in themselves even the least hope of continuing the work, they gave the Lord an opportunity to manifest His great power and to advance His cause with such rapidity that with one sermon there were converted three thousand souls in one day. Then daily after that were added only “such as should be saved”–such as were thoroughly converted. Thus, did the work of the gospel begin to grow rapidly, once the Lord got a group of people that He could trust and use. — {2ANS 54.2}
Likewise, the Advent Movement, right after the Minneapolis Conference in 1888, would have begun the work of the Loud Cry angel, but as a result of the unbelief of many in the Testimonies of the Spirit of God, the “cry” was silenced for forty years, while the Movement retreated “toward Egypt.”–Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217. — {2ANS 55.1}
