Episode Transcript
Hello, I'm Doctor Kylie Fisher. Welcome to Heavenly Harmonies. Revelation, chapter eleven and verse 19 says, the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.
On October 22, 1844, the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary was opened, and Jesus entered that apartment. In that apartment was found and seen the ark of his testament. What is the significance of this great event for us living on earth so close to the second coming of Christ? Our song for today tells us that this event calls us onto higher ground.
Stay with me to discover how the song I'm pressing on the upward way can keep you near to the heart of Goddesse. I'm pressing on the upward way new heights I'm gaining every day still praying as I onward bound Lord, plant my feet on higher ground Lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven's tableland a higher plain than I have found Lord, lead me on to higher ground my heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay though some may dwell where these abound by prayer my aim is higher ground lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven's tableland a higher plane than I have found Lord, lead me on to higher ground I want to live above the world though Satan's darts at me are hurled for faith has caught the joyful sound the song of saints on higher ground Lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven's tableland a higher plane than I have found Lord, lead me on to higher ground I want to scale the utmost height and catch a gleam of glory bright but still I'll pray till heaven I found Lord, lead me on to higher ground Lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven's tableland a higher plane than I have found Lord, lead me on to higher ground such an inspirational hymn. I love to sing this hymn, you know, when I'm feeling down, when I'm struggling with doubts and temptations.
It's such an encouraging and energetic hymn, and so we'll listen to it a bit later, sung by fountainview. But let's see what this song has to say to us about our theme that we're tracing through in this season, the great controversy. Let's have a look.
And so let's have a look, first of all, at the key focal text on which this song is based. So Philippians, chapter three and verse 14. Philippians, chapter three and verse 14.
This is really the key focal text on which this song is based. But I will start by reading from verse 13 probably make more sense if I do that. So this is the apostle Paul, of course, speaking.
And, well, actually, maybe we'll start at verse twelve. And so Paul is speaking about his desire for a deeper experience with Christ. You can read that in the beginning of the chapter.
He says, actually, I wasn't planning to read on all these verses. You can tell. But let's read this, because it really does actually pick up the essence of this song.
So I think there's few verses that we could read that would fit with this song better than this. So let's begin with verse eight, Philippians three. Eight.
Paul says, here I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Verse twelve says, not as though I had already attained either, were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Verse 13.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Here we are, verse 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And so that's what our song says, you know, the whole song is about pressing on the upward way, wanting to reach new heights in our christian experience. And so this is something that each one of us is privileged to be able to experience in our own personal lives.
And we can see that this was the experience of the apostle Paul. And he says that he does not consider himself to have already apprehended or attained this goal to which he is reaching to be like Christ. And so, incredible statement for Paul.
I mean, as he said, he suffered the loss of all things for Christ. You know, he'd given up everything. He was, you know, went on weary travels to, you know, he and Barnabas were the first missionaries of the early christian church who left their homes, left their families, and they went out, you know, searching for the lost, seeking and searching for the lost.
And at this time in his life, Paul was actually in prison for his faith in Christ. And yet he says that he has not yet reached his goal, but he is still wanting to draw closer and closer to Christ. He's still wanting to have a deeper and a richer christian experience.
And so this really describes, you know, ought to describe the experience of every true Christian. And, you know, God is just constantly calling us to higher, to be higher, to be more like Christ. He says, be holy, holier still.
He's constantly calling us on to new heights. So, yeah, just hope and pray that you're experiencing this in your life. And, you know, if you feel like you're going through a time of intense battle, that does not necessarily mean that, you know, Christ has forsaken you.
Think of people in the Bible. Think of job, the time in his life when he was most of attacked by God and couldn't even really understand all of the things that were happening to him. And when all of his children had been killed by a whirlwind and all of his wealth had been destroyed, just everything seemed to be against him.
And even his friends offered him no hope. Yet, you know, why did this happen to job? Was it because of his sins? No, it was because of his righteousness, and Satan was attacking him. So you might feel like that, you know, you're pressing through, as the second verse of that song said.
You might feel like you're pressing through doubts and discouragements, and, you know, Satan will try to throw these things all around you, but, you know, be of good cheer. Jesus said, I have overcome the world, and so through the strength of Christ, you can conquer. Like I said, this is a song that I love to think about, and I love to sing, you know, in the kitchen and whatever things I'm doing, even if you can't sing real well, you can think of the words and, you know, sing them to yourself, whatever you're doing.
And it's such a great song to, you know, encourage our hearts when we're feeling discouraged. So that's the message of this song for us personally, but we want to trace through what does this song have to say to us about the great controversy, and particularly at the time that we have been talking about, starting from the year 1844, sort of the next couple of years, were, after that time were a time of great perplexity, a time of great confusion, a time of great disappointment, at a time even of actually great embarrassment for God's people because they had been, they had actually experienced God's spirit as never before. Their lives had been so much transformed by the Holy Spirit.
You know, the movement that we've been speaking about, the worldwide movement that took place beginning about the 1830s and forties in particular, this was the start of the first angels message that we've looked at in revelation chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14, verse six and seven. As this message began to be proclaimed, God's people were proclaiming this message.
They were proclaiming this message in the very words of scripture. But like the disciples at the first advent of Christ, who were going out saying, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye and believe the gospel.
Christ's own disciples, who had been with him personally for three and a half years, they were going out and preaching this message that Christ had given them to preach. Yet they themselves failed fully to understand this message. And so God's people, as the time came for the first angel's message to be given, it was given in the very words of scripture.
God's people spoke the words of revelation, chapter 14 and verse seven. Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come. William Miller's favourite text to preach on was Daniel 814 under 2300 days.
Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. And they also presented the midnight cry, behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. And they were expecting that the coming of the bridegroom was the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven to earth.
They went out and they preached in the very words of scripture, these messages. But they themselves did not fully understand the messages that they were presenting. They were saying the words of scripture, the very words that God wanted them to say at this time.
And yet they did not fully understand the message that they were given to present, you know, but is this an unusual experience for God's people? Have God's prophets always understood the messages that he has been pleased to give them? Let's have a look at Daniel chapter twelve. Daniel chapter twelve. And, you know, with the messages of Daniel that inspired the hearts of William Miller and his co labourers in North America, where this movement, this worldwide movement found its centre.
The prophecies of Daniel, that prophecy of 2300 days, literal years. Daniel, the sanctuary be cleansed. This was the one that they found.
And this was the one they were trying to understand and notice. Daniel, chapter twelve and verse four. And this is an angel speaking to Daniel, the angel Gabriel.
He says that thou, o Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And let's look at Daniel twelve, eight and nine. Daniel chapter twelve, verses eight and nine.
And I, that is Daniel. And I heard, but I understood not. Daniel did not understand the message that he was told by God to record for us in the sacred scriptures.
Let's notice that again. And I heard, but I understood not. Then said I, o my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
So Daniel, the prophet, Daniel, the beloved of heaven, was given messages to write down, to record for God's people that he did not fully understand. And when it came time for these messages to be unsealed, God's people spoke those messages. They did not fully understand the message, but that did not show that it was not from God.
And in fact, the fact that they were presenting these messages and didn't fully understand them, like, how do you know who would have the courage to present something that they were aware that they didn't fully understand if it wasn't for God speaking through them? And so this is actually evidence that these messages that they proclaimed were of heavenly origin. I think of William Miller, you know, William Miller, as he discovered these truths, discovered the truth about the 2300 years and the date when that would end, and discover the truths about the second coming, that it was literal, that it was personal, that it was imminent, all of these things, things that the theologians of the day did not understand. And as William Miller began to discover these amazing truths, his heart burned within him, and he felt a personal conviction to share these things with other people.
But, you know, how could he do it? He was a lay preacher. He was, you know, over 40 years of age, and, you know, he felt that the leaders of the church should be the ones presenting this message. And yet sounding in his ears was this constant thought, go and make known to others the things that I have revealed to you.
And, you know, William Miller did not want to present these truths to others. But finally, you know, this conviction was so strong in his heart that he went out to a grove of trees and he prayed in that grove of trees. Dear Lord, if you want me to share this message, send someone to actually ask me to share it.
Within 1 hour, he had his invitation, and he stormed back to that grove of trees, furious with God, furious with himself that he had made that promise. You know, this was clearly the call of God. William Miller did not want to go.
He did not want to do this. And it was clearly the spirit of God that was leading him, that was leading him and calling him and opening the way for him to present these truths so that many people could experience higher ground in their christian experience. And so, yeah, that's the first verse of our song, first verse of our hymn for today I'm pressing on the upward way new heights I'm gaining every day still praying as I onward bound Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Those Christians were seeking a deeper experience with God. And, you know, but as we looked at in our programme last week, sadly, you know, through the foreknowledge of God, you know, this whole experience is actually was foreseen by God and it was not ordained by God. So important for us to understand this key difference.
It was not ordained by Goddesse. You know, God's will is for us to experience fullness of joy, but above even our present joy. God values our eternal interest.
And so God foreseeing, not foreordaining, but foreseeing, the experience of his people, actually placed in book of revelation, revelation, chapter ten, a description of what he, through his infinite foreknowledge, saw would be the experience of his people at this time. And so as his people looked forward to the second coming, it was a time of such sweet expectation to them. And that's symbolised by the prophet John, representing God's people, and says there that he was given this little book, the prophetic part of the Book of Daniel.
He was given this book by an angel to eat. And when he tasted it, his mouth was so sweet, and yet when he swallowed it and went into his stomach, it was bitter. It's God's people suffered a terrible disappointment that's brought to view, really, in the second verse of this song.
My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay. So, you know, after the first one disappointment, sort of earlier in the year, you know, from about 21 March 1844, because people started to wonder, where is Christ? Why hasn't he returned? And then still more, October 22, 1844, God's people thought, where is Christ? Why has he not returned? And they were just absolutely crushed. And actually, Hiram Edson, one of the people who waited for the second coming of Christ on the 22 October 1844, as the hours of that day waned away, night fell, and gradually those hours passed away until the clock told midnight.
And Hiram Edson later wrote in a diary entry, he said, speaking of that experience, our fondest hopes were blasted. Such a spirit of weeping came over us as I never before experienced. We wept and wept till the day dawn.
So deep was their love for Christ and their longing for his coming. They had given up all for him. Farmers had left their crops standing in the field.
You know, the businessmen had, you know, as much as they could. They left their businesses. They'd sold all of their possessions.
They had not made. They had not even thought, you know, will it not happen? They just. That thought had never entered their mind.
They had made absolutely no provisions beyond October 22. And another who went through that experience, Joseph Bates, he said that the next day as he went into town to buy provisions because he had no food left, he just wished that the ground would open up and swallow him, because here were all of these people who just, you know, days before these Adventists, those who were looking for the second coming of Christ had been urging, get ready. Christ is coming.
Christ will soon appear. And now they were just, you know, those who didn't care at all about Christ coming were just mocking the adventists and saying, you know, well, you know, we knew Christ wouldn't come. You know, the earth is just going back to, you know, Christ is never going to come.
How can we ever tell when he's going to come? You know, there'll be a thousand years of peace. Christ isn't coming. And so these adventists, they were just so humiliated, and they thought, you know, can God's word still be true? Can we still trust in God's word? And at this time, many, many of God's people became so discouraged that, like Elijah, they just.
They just wanted to die. They just gave up all hope and all faith in the prophecies of the Bible and in God's word. They just went back to their lives, and that was that.
So there certainly was a group, you know, who allowed these doubts to arise and these fears to dismay. Yet there were some who, as they looked back, they could see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who had listened to these teachings. And so they could not understand what had happened.
But they said, the word of God cannot fail. You know, where has our mistake been? What have we misunderstood? And so they determined to search God's word and find out the truths of God's word, and they found there the truth of the sanctuary. And that truth was calling them onto higher ground, because as we read earlier, revelation, chapter eleven, and verse 19, the temple of God was open in heaven, and they were seen there in his temple, the ark of his testament, and revealed in that ark.
If you look in the book of Exodus and other places in scripture, you will see that in that ark was found the ten commandments of God. And the people of God had not fully grasped the perpetuity of the ten commandments of God's law. And so they realised that their lives were actually nothing in harmony with these commandments, and in particular the seal of these commandments.
We don't have time to look at all the verses, but it was the 7th day, Sabbath, and so they began to reform their lives. They began to change their lives. And Christ still further changed their lives and transformed their lives.
This awakened the wrath of Satan, as it says in revelation, chapter twelve, verse 17. He hates those who have the commandments of God. And so that's what the third verse of our song says.
I want to live above the world, though Satan's darts at me are hurled. Friend, if you accept these truths about the sanctuary, the truth about 7th day Sabbath, Satan's darts will be hurled at you. But through Christ you can conquer, you can still press on to higher ground.
So let's now listen to fountain view. Singing this song, I'm pressing on the upward way. Hope and pray, this is your experience.
I'm pressing on the upward wave, new heights I'm gaining every day. Still praying as I onward bound. Lord, let my feet on higher ground.
Lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven's table, and a higher plane than I have found. Lord, light my feet on higher ground. My heart has no desire to stay, where doubts arise and fear dismay, though some may dwell where these are bound.
My prayer, my aim is higher, and I shall stand my faith on heaven's tableland, a higher flame than I have found forth. When my feet on higher ground. I want to scale the apples high and catch a gleam of glory bright.
But still I'll pray till I break down more. Lead me onto higher ground. Lord, lift me up and I shall stand by faith on heaven in the land rain that I have found work and my feet on higher ground.
Is that your prayer? Do you want to stand on higher ground? Do you want to live above the world? Even though satan's darts are hurled at you? Has faith caught the joyful sound of the song of saints on higher ground? Let's make the words of this song a prayer as we close. Dear Lord, my prayer for all those listening and for myself is lord, lift us up, that we may stand by faith on heaven's tableland, higher plane than we have found. Lord, plant our feet on higher ground.
So thank you so much for joining me today on heavenly harmonies. Remember, you can write to us at radio rabnaustralia.org dot au and look, the things that I've been talking about today, I have just raced through them.
So if you do have questions, please write into us. We would love to answer your questions. Remember, you can find past episodes on our website.
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Join me again next episode when we discuss another wonderful hymn. But until then, may you stay close to the heart of God through song.
