With God at Dawn: August—I Acknowledged ... Thou Forgavest: Confess One to Another, August 1

Confession

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.

If you have given offense to your friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God, because the brother whom you wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and Redeemer. The case is not brought before the priest at all, but before the only true mediator, our great High Priest, who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,” and who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” and is able to cleanse from every stain of iniquity....

True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as only to be brought before God; they may be wrongs that should be confessed before individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a general kind that should be made known in the congregation of the people. But all confession should be definite, and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty....

Confession will not be acceptable to God without sincere repentance and reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything offensive to God must be put away. This will be the result of genuine sorrow for sin.—Testimonies for the Church 5:639, 640.

Beginning of the End: The Time for Freedom Comes!

 “In the process of time ... the king of Egypt died. Then the children  of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God. ... And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” The time for deliverance had come.

God would accomplish His plan in a way to pour contempt on human pride. The deliverer was to go forward as a humble shepherd, with only a rod in his hand, but God would make that rod the symbol of His power.

Leading his flocks one day near Horeb, “the mountain of God,” Moses saw a bush in flames, but not burning up. When he came closer, a voice from out of the flame called him by name. With trembling lips he answered, “‘Here I am.’” He was warned not to approach irreverently: “‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ... I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.”

As Moses waited in awe before God, the words continued: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey. ... Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Amazed and terrified, Moses stepped back, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Moses thought of the blindness, ignorance, and unbelief of his people. Many knew almost nothing about God. “Indeed,” he said, when I ... say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” The answer was, “I AM WHO I AM. ... ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

God commanded Moses to first assemble the elders of Israel, who had been mourning for a long time because of their slavery, and to declare to them a message from Him. Then he was to go before the king and say, “The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.”

Moses was warned ahead of time that Pharaoh would resist the appeal, yet the courage of God’s servant must not fail. The Lord would show His power. “I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.”

The Lord declared, “It shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.” The Egyptians had become rich by the labor unfairly required from the Israelites, and it was right for the Israelites to claim the  reward of their years of work. God would help them as they approached the Egyptians for payment, and the requests of the slaves would be granted.

What proof could Moses give his people that God had indeed sent him? “But suppose,” he said, “they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” He was told to throw his rod on the ground, and as he did so, “it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.” He was commanded to grab it, and in his hand it became a rod. He was told to put his hand onto his chest. He obeyed, and “when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow.” Being told to put it again onto his chest, he found when he pulled it out that it had become like the other. By these signs his own people, as well as Pharaoh, would be convinced that One mightier than the king of Egypt was certainly among them.

With God at Dawn: Give Thanks in Prayer and Melody, July 31

The Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2.

It was in hours of solitary prayer that Jesus in His earth-life received wisdom and power. Let the youth follow His example in finding at dawn and twilight a quiet season for communion with their Father in heaven. And throughout the day let them lift up their hearts to God. At every step of our way He says, “I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand; ... fear not; I will help thee.”

Could our children learn these lessons in the morning of their years, what freshness and power, what joy and sweetness, would be brought into their lives!—Education, 259.

As the children of Israel, journeying through the wilderness, cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids His children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means more effective for fixing His words in the memory than repeating them in song. And such song has wonderful power. It has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures; power to quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy courage and weaken effort....

Let there be singing in the home, of songs that are sweet and pure, and there will be fewer words of censure, and more of cheerfulness and hope and joy. Let there be singing in the school, and the pupils will be drawn closer to God, to their teachers, and to one another.

As a part of religious service, singing is as much an act of worship as is prayer. Indeed, many a song is prayer.—Education, 167, 168.

Beginning of the End: Doing God’s Work the Wrong Way

 In Egypt Moses had learned much that he must unlearn. The influences that had surrounded him had left deep impressions on his developing mind and to some extent had molded his habits and character. Time could remove these impressions. It would require a life-and-death kind of struggle for Moses to renounce error and accept truth, but God would be his helper when the conflict would be too severe for human strength.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). But God will not give people divine light while they are content to remain in darkness. In order to receive God’s help, they must realize their weakness and need, they must apply their own minds to the great change God wants to work in them, and they must be moved to earnest, steady prayer and effort.

Shut in by the high mountain walls, Moses was alone with God. In the solemn grandeur of the everlasting hills he saw the majesty of the Most High, and in contrast he realized how powerless the gods of Egypt were. Here his pride and self-sufficiency were swept away. The results of Egypt’s luxury disappeared. Moses became patient, reverent, and “very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3), yet strong in faith.

As the years rolled on, he prayed for Israel during the day and night. Here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the book of Genesis. The long years spent in the desert solitude have richly blessed the world in all ages.

With God at Dawn: Praise the Lord, July 30

The Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1.

Shall all our devotional exercises consist in asking and receiving? Shall we be always thinking of our wants, and never of the benefits we receive? Shall we be recipients of His mercies, and never express our gratitude to God, never praise Him for what He has done for us? We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the lovingkindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God, and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change the present order, and mingle praise with your petitions. When you consider His goodness and mercies, you will find that He will consider your wants.

Pray, pray earnestly and without ceasing, but do not forget to praise. It becomes every child of God to vindicate His character. You can magnify the Lord; you can show the power of sustaining grace. There are multitudes who do not appreciate the great love of God nor the divine compassion of Jesus. Thousands even regard with disdain the matchless grace shown in the plan of redemption. All who are partakers of this great salvation are not clear in this matter. They do not cultivate grateful hearts.

But the theme of redemption is one that the angels desire to look into; it will be the science and the song of the ransomed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Is it not worthy of careful thought and study now? Should we not praise God with heart and soul and voice for His “wonderful works to the children of men”?—Testimonies for the Church 5:317.

Beginning of the End: How Young Moses Was Tested

 By the laws of Egypt, all who occupied the throne of the Pharaohs must become members of the priestly caste. Moses, as the heir apparent, was to be inducted into the mysteries of the national religion. But he could  not be persuaded to participate in the worship of the gods. He was threatened with the loss of the crown and warned that he would be disowned by the princess if he persisted in the Hebrew faith. But he was unshaken in his determination to worship none but the one God, the Maker of heaven and earth. He reasoned with priests and worshipers, showing the foolishness of their superstitious reverence for senseless objects. For a while his firmness was tolerated because of his high position and the favor with which both the king and the people regarded him.

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26). Moses was prepared to take first place among the great people of the earth, to shine in the courts of its most glorious kingdom, and to wield its scepter of power. As historian, poet, philosopher, general of armies, and legislator, he stands without an equal. Yet with the world before him, he had the moral strength to refuse wealth, greatness, and fame, “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.”

The magnificent palace of Pharaoh and the throne were held out as an enticement to Moses; but he knew that in its lordly courts were the sinful pleasures that make people forget God. He looked beyond the palace, beyond a monarch’s crown, to the high honors that the saints of the Most High will receive in a kingdom untainted by sin. By faith he saw an everlasting crown that the King of heaven would place on the head of the overcomer. This faith led him to join the humble, poor, despised nation that had chosen to obey God rather than to serve sin.

Moses remained at the royal court until he was forty years old. He visited his fellow Israelites in their slavery and encouraged them with the assurance that God would work for their deliverance. One day, seeing an Egyptian beating an Israelite, he sprang forward and killed the Egyptian. Other than the Israelite, no one had witnessed the deed, and Moses immediately buried the body in the sand. He had now shown himself ready to take up the cause of his people, and he hoped to see them rise to recover their liberty. “He supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand” (Acts 7:25). They were not yet prepared for freedom.

The next day Moses saw two Hebrews fighting together, one of them evidently at fault. Moses reproved the offender, who at once retaliated on him, saying that he had no right to interfere, and rudely accusing him of a crime: “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” he said. “Do you intend to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?”

The whole matter soon reached the ears of Pharaoh. The king was told that this act was full of meaning, and that  Moses planned to lead his people against the Egyptians, to overthrow the government, and to seat himself on the throne. The monarch at once determined that he should die, but Moses became aware of his danger and fled toward Arabia.

The Lord directed his journey, and he found a home with Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian, who was a worshiper of God. After a time Moses married one of Jethro’s daughters, and he remained there for forty years as keeper of Jethro’s flocks.

It was not God’s will to deliver His people by warfare, as Moses thought, but by His own mighty power, so that the glory might be given to Him alone. Moses was not prepared for his great work. He still had to learn the same lesson of faith that Abraham and Jacob had been taught—not to rely on human strength or wisdom but on the power of God to fulfill His promises. In the school of self-denial and hardship he was to learn patience, to control his passions. His own heart must be fully in harmony with God before he could teach the knowledge of His will to Israel and exercise a fatherly care over all who needed his help.

With God at Dawn: As for Me, I Will Call upon God, July 29

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Psalm 55:16, 17.

As we make Christ our daily companion, we shall feel that the powers of an unseen world are all around us; and by looking unto Jesus we shall become assimilated to His image. By beholding we become changed. The character is softened, refined, and ennobled for the heavenly kingdom. The sure result of our intercourse and fellowship with our Lord will be to increase piety, purity, and fervor. There will be a growing intelligence in prayer. We are receiving a divine education, and this is illustrated in a life of diligence and zeal.

The soul that turns to God for its help, its support, its power, by daily, earnest prayer, will have noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty, lofty purposes of action, and a continual hungering and thirsting after righteousness. By maintaining a connection with God, we shall be enabled to diffuse to others through our association with them, the light, the peace, the serenity that rule in our hearts. The strength acquired in prayer to God, united with persevering effort in training the mind in thoughtfulness and care-taking, prepares one for daily duties, and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances.—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 85.

We are living in a most solemn, important time of this earth’s history. We are amid the perils of the last days. Important and fearful events are before us.... We should flee to the Word of God and to prayer, individually seeking the Lord earnestly, that we may find Him. We should make this our first business.—Testimonies for the Church 3:53.

Beginning of the End: Twelve Short Years

 God had heard the mother’s prayer. With deep gratitude she took up her now safe and happy task of educating her child for God. She knew that she must soon give him up to his royal “mother,” to be surrounded with influences that would tend to lead him away from God. She worked to instill in his mind the fear of God  and the love of truth and justice. She showed him the foolishness and sin of idolatry and taught him from his early childhood to bow down and pray to the living God, who alone could hear him and help him in every emergency.

She kept the boy as long as she could but had to give him up when he was about twelve years old. From his humble cabin home he was taken to the royal palace, to the daughter of Pharaoh, “and he became her son.” Yet even here he could not forget the lessons learned at his mother’s side. They kept him from the pride, the unbelief, and the vice that flourished in the splendor of the court.

The whole future life of Moses, the great mission that he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of a mother’s work. No other work can equal this. The mother is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not just for time but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or for evil. Her work is not to paint a figure of beauty on canvas or to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the divine. The impressions made on developing minds will remain all through life. Children are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings and queens to God, to reign through unending ages.

In the judgment day it will be found that many crimes have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide children in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness owe their success to a praying mother.

At the court of Pharaoh, Moses received the highest civil and military training. The monarch determined to make his adopted grandson his successor on the throne, and young Moses was educated for this high position. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22). His ability as a military leader made him a favorite with the armies of Egypt, and he was generally thought of as an outstanding person. Satan’s purpose had been defeated. The very decree condemning the Hebrew children to death had been overruled by God for the training of His people’s future leader.

Angels taught the elders of Israel that the time for them to be set free was near and that Moses was the man God would use. Angels also told Moses that Jehovah had chosen him to break the bondage of His people. Moses thought that they were to obtain their freedom in battle, and he expected to lead the Hebrews against the armies of Egypt.

With God at Dawn: Holy and Reverend Is His Name, July 28

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. Psalm 111:9.

Both in public and in private worship, it is our privilege to bow on our knees before the Lord when we offer our petitions to Him. Jesus, our example, “kneeled down, and prayed.” Of His disciples it is recorded that they, too, “kneeled down, and prayed.” Paul declared, “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In confessing before God the sins of Israel, Ezra knelt. Daniel “kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God.”

True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed. The hour and place of prayer are sacred, because God is there; and as reverence is manifested in attitude and demeanor, the feeling that inspires it will be deepened. “Holy and reverend is His name,” the psalmist declares. Angels, when they speak that name, veil their faces. With what reverence, then should we, who are fallen and sinful, take it upon our lips!

Well would it be for old and young to ponder those words of Scripture that show how the place marked by God’s special presence should be regarded.—Gospel Workers, 178.

High-flown language is inappropriate in prayer, whether the petition be offered in the pulpit, in the family circle, or in secret. Especially should the one offering public prayer use simple language, that others may understand what is said and unite with the petition.—Gospel Workers, 177.

Beginning of the End: Moses Born in the Worst of Times

 While this command was in full force, a baby boy was born to Amram and Jochebed, Israelites of the tribe of Levi. The parents, believing that the time for Israel to be set free was drawing near and that God would raise up a deliverer for His people, determined that their little one should not be sacrificed. Faith in God strengthened their hearts, “and they were not afraid of the king’s command” (Hebrews 11:23).

The mother hid the child for three months, then finding that she could no longer keep him safely, she prepared a little boat of rushes, making it watertight by using asphalt and pitch. Laying her baby in the little boat, she placed it among the reeds at the river’s edge. His sister Miriam lingered near, anxiously watching to see what would become of her little brother.

And there were other watchers. The mother had committed her child to the care of God, and unseen angels hovered above his humble resting place. Angels directed Pharaoh’s daughter to that spot. The little basket aroused her curiosity, and as she looked at the beautiful child within, his tears awakened her compassion; her sympathies went out to the unknown mother who had tried to preserve her precious little one in this way. She determined that he would be saved—she would adopt him as her own.

Miriam, seeing that the child was being received tenderly, dared to go closer, and at last said, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” Permission was given.

The sister hurried to her mother with the happy news and quickly returned with her to Pharaoh’s daughter. “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages,” said the princess.

With God at Dawn: In the Morning I Will Pray to Thee, July 27

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm 5:3.

When you rise in the morning, do you feel your helplessness, and your need of strength from God? and do you humbly, heartily make known your wants to your heavenly Father? If so, angels mark your prayers, and if these prayers have not gone forth out of feigned lips, when you are in danger of unconsciously doing wrong, and exerting an influence which will lead others to do wrong, your guardian angel will be by your side, prompting you to a better course, choosing your words for you, and influencing your actions.

If you feel in no danger, and if you offer no prayer for help and strength to resist temptations, you will be sure to go astray; your neglect of duty will be marked in the book of God in Heaven, and you will be found wanting in the trying day.—Testimonies for the Church 3:363, 364.

Morning and night obtain the victory for yourselves in your own family. Let not your daily labor keep you from this. Take time to pray, and as you pray, believe that God hears you. Have faith mixed with your prayers. You may not at all times feel the immediate answer; but then it is that faith is tried. You are proved to see whether you will trust in God, whether you have living, abiding faith.—Testimonies for the Church 1:167.

Those who thus connect themselves with God are acknowledged by Him as His sons and daughters. They are constantly reaching higher and still higher, obtaining clearer views of God and of eternity, until the Lord makes them channels of light and wisdom to the world.—Messages to Young People, 247.

Beginning of the End: Moses, the Leader of God’s People

This chapter is based on Exodus 1 to 4.

In recognition of the service that Joseph had given to the Egyptian nation, the children of Jacob were granted a part of the country as a home, were not required to pay taxes, and were generously supplied with food during the famine. The king publicly acknowledged that it was through the God of Joseph that Egypt enjoyed plenty while other nations were dying from famine. He saw, too, that Joseph’s management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and his gratitude surrounded the family of Jacob with royal favor.

But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so much passed to the grave, and “there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” Not that he was ignorant of Joseph’s services to the nation, but he did not want to recognize them. As far as possible, he wanted them to be forgotten. “And he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.’”

The Israelites already “were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.” But they had kept themselves a distinct race, having nothing in common with the Egyptians in customs or religion, and their increasing numbers now fueled the fears of the king and his people.

Many of them were able and skilled workmen, and they greatly added to the wealth of the nation. The king needed such workers in erecting his magnificent palaces and temples. So he ranked them with Egyptians who had sold themselves and their possessions to the kingdom. Soon taskmasters were set over them, and their slavery became complete. “The Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field.” “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.”

The king and his counselors had hoped to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, decrease their numbers, and crush their independent spirit. Orders were now issued to the women whose jobs gave them opportunity, to destroy the male Hebrew children at their birth. Satan knew that a deliverer was to come from among the Israelites, and by leading the king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine plan. But the women feared God and did not dare to carry out the cruel command.

The king, angry at the failure of his plot, made the orders more urgent and extensive. “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.’”

With God at Dawn: As Long as I Live I Will Call, July 26

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. Psalm 116:2.

We should have the door of the heart open continually, and our invitation going up that Jesus may come and abide as a heavenly guest in the soul.

Although there may be a tainted, corrupted atmosphere around us, we need not breathe its miasma, but may live in the pure air of heaven. We may close every door to impure imaginings and unholy thoughts by lifting the soul into the presence of God through sincere prayer. Those whose hearts are open to receive the support and blessing of God will walk in a holier atmosphere than that of earth, and will have constant communion with Heaven.

We need to have more distinct views of Jesus, and a fuller comprehension of the value of eternal realities. The beauty of holiness is to fill the hearts of God’s children; and that this may be accomplished, we should seek for divine disclosures of heavenly things.

Let the soul be drawn out and upward, that God may grant us a breath of the heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun.

Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears, before God. You can not burden Him; you can not weary Him.... Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice.—Steps to Christ, 99, 100.

Beginning of the End: Seeing Christ in Joseph

 The life of Joseph illustrates the life of Christ. It was envy that moved the brothers of Joseph to sell him as a slave; they hoped to prevent him from becoming greater than they themselves. They felt certain that they would no longer be troubled with his dreams, and that they had removed all possibility of their fulfillment. But God overruled their course to bring about the very event they intended to hinder. Similarly, the priests and elders were jealous of Christ. They put Him to death to prevent Him from becoming king,  but in doing so they brought about this very result.

Through his bondage in Egypt, Joseph became a savior to his father’s family, yet this fact did not lessen the guilt of his brothers. So the crucifixion of Christ by His enemies made Him the Redeemer of mankind, the Savior of the fallen race, and Ruler over the whole world; but the crime of His murderers was just as dreadful as though God’s guiding hand had not controlled events.

Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison because of his faithfulness; so Christ was despised and rejected because His righteous, self-denying life was a rebuke to sin. Although He was not guilty of any wrong, Christ was condemned on the testimony of false witnesses. And Joseph’s patience under injustice, his ready forgiveness and noble graciousness toward his brothers who had shown him no kindness or sympathy, represent the Savior’s uncomplaining endurance of the hate and abuse of wicked men and His forgiveness of all who come to Him confessing their sins and seeking pardon.

Joseph lived to see the growth and prosperity of his people, and through all the years his faith in God to restore Israel to the Land of Promise was unshaken.

When he saw that his end was near, his last act was to show that his destiny was connected with Israel. His last words were, “God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” And he took a solemn oath from the children of Israel that they would carry his bones with them back to the land of Canaan. “So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

Through the following centuries of toil, that coffin testified to Israel that they were only staying in Egypt temporarily. It called them to keep their hopes fixed on the Land of Promise, for the time of deliverance would surely come.

With God at Dawn: Example of Paul, July 25

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Colossians 1:9.

The ship on which Paul and his companions were to continue their journey, was about to sail, and the brethren hastened on board. The apostle himself, however, chose to take the nearer route by land between Troas and Assos, meeting his companions at the latter city. This gave him a short season for meditation and prayer. The difficulties and dangers connected with his coming visit to Jerusalem, the attitude of the church there toward him and his work, as well as the condition of the churches and the interests of the gospel work in other fields, were subjects of earnest, anxious thought; and he took advantage of this special opportunity to seek God for strength and guidance.—The Acts of the Apostles, 391.

Pray in your closet; and as you go about your daily labor, let your heart be often uplifted to God. It was thus that Enoch walked with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense before the throne of grace. Satan can not overcome him whose heart is thus stayed upon God.

There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to God. There is nothing that can prevent us from lifting up our hearts in the spirit of earnest prayer. In the crowds of the street, in the midst of a business engagement, we may send up a petition to God, and plead for divine guidance, as did Nehemiah when he made his request before King Artaxerxes. A closet of communion may be found wherever we are.—Steps to Christ, 99.

Beginning of the End: Jacob Foretells the Future of His Sons

 The Spirit of Inspiration rested on him, and in prophetic vision the future of his descendants was unfolded before him. One after another the names of his sons were mentioned, the character of each was described, and the future history of the tribe was briefly foretold.

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength,The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.”

But Reuben’s terrible sin at Edar had made him unworthy of the birthright blessing. Jacob continued,

“Unstable as water, you shall not excel.”

The priesthood was given to Levi, the kingdom and the Messianic promise to Judah, and the double portion of the inheritance to Joseph. The tribe of Reuben never rose to any prominence in Israel; it was not as numerous as Judah, Joseph, or Dan, and was among the first to be carried into captivity.

Next were Simeon and Levi. They had been united in cruelty toward the Shechemites and had been the most guilty in the selling of Joseph.

“I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.”

Moses, in his last blessing to Israel before entering Canaan, made no reference to Simeon. In the settlement of Canaan, this tribe received only a small portion of Judah’s lot, and any families that afterward became powerful formed different colonies and settled in territory outside the borders of the Holy Land. Levi also received no inheritance except forty-eight cities. However, their faithfulness when the other tribes apostatized secured their appointment to the sacred service of the sanctuary. In this way the curse was changed into a blessing.

The crowning blessings of the birthright were transferred to Judah:

“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. ...The scepter shall not depart from Judah,Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,Until Shiloh comes;And to Him shall be the obedienceof the people.”

The lion, king of the forest, is a fitting symbol for this tribe, from which came David, and the Son of David, Shiloh (Jesus), the true “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” to whom all powers shall finally bow and all nations give honor.

For most of his children, Jacob foretold a prosperous future. At last he reached the name of Joseph, and the father’s heart overflowed as he invoked blessings upon “the head of him who was separate from his brothers:”

“Joseph is a fruitful bough,A fruitful bough by a well;His branches run over the wall.The archers have bitterly grieved him,Shot at him and hated him.But his bow remained in strength,And the arms of his hands were made strongBy the hands of the mighty God of Jacob ... .The blessings of your fatherHave excelled the blessings of my ancestors,Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.They shall be on the head of Joseph,And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.”

Jacob was a man of deep affection; his love for his sons was strong and tender. He had forgiven all of them, and he loved them to the last. His fatherly tenderness would have found expression only in words of encouragement and hope, but the power of God rested on him. Under the influence of Inspiration he was led to declare the truth, however painful.

Jacob’s last years brought an evening of tranquility and rest after a troubled and weary day. Dark clouds had gathered above his path, yet his sun set clear, and the radiance of heaven lighted up his parting hours. Says the Scripture, “At evening time it shall ... be light” (Zechariah 14:7). “Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace” (Psalm 37:37).

Inspiration faithfully records the faults of good people who were distinguished by the favor of God. This has given the infidel opportunities to scoff at the Bible, but it is one of the strongest evidences of the truth of Scripture that it does not gloss over the facts or suppress the sins of its chief characters. If the Bible had been written by uninspired persons, it would surely have presented its honored characters in a more flattering light.

Seeing where others struggled through discouragements like our own, where they fell when tempted as we have done and yet took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged in our quest for righteousness. Though sometimes they were beaten back, they recovered their ground and were blessed by God. So we too may be overcomers in the strength of Jesus. On the other hand, the record of their lives may serve as a warning to us. God sees sin in His most favored ones, and He deals with it in them even more strictly than in those who have less light and responsibility.

After the death and burial of Jacob, fear again filled the hearts of Joseph’s brothers. They were conscious of their guilt, and this made them distrustful and suspicious that Joseph would now inflict on them the long-deferred punishment for their crime. They dared not appear before him but sent a message, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph:“I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.”

This message touched Joseph, bringing him to tears. Encouraged by this, his brothers came and fell down before him with the words, “Behold, we are your servants.” Joseph was pained that they could think he would cherish a spirit of revenge. “Do not be afraid,” he said; “for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.”

With God at Dawn: Continuing Instant in Prayer, July 24

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:12, 13.

Perseverance in prayer has been made a condition of receiving. We must pray always, if we would grow in faith and experience. We are to be “instant in prayer,” to “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” ... Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God.

There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every opportunity to go where prayer is wont to be made. Those who are really seeking for communion with God, will be seen in the prayer meeting, faithful to do their duty, and earnest and anxious to reap all the benefits they can gain. They will improve every opportunity of placing themselves where they can receive the rays of light from heaven.

We should pray in the family circle; and above all we must not neglect secret prayer; for this is the life of the soul. It is impossible for the soul to flourish while prayer is neglected. Family or public prayer alone is not sufficient. In solitude let the soul be laid open to the inspecting eye of God. Secret prayer is to be heard only by the prayer-hearing God. No curious ear is to receive the burden of such petitions. In secret prayer the soul is free from surrounding influences, free from excitement. Calmly, yet fervently, will it reach out after God. Sweet and abiding will be the influence emanating from Him who seeth in secret, whose ear is open to hear the prayer arising from the heart.—Steps to Christ, 97, 98.

Beginning of the End: Jacob Adopts Joseph’s Sons

 Another matter demanded attention—the sons of Joseph were to be formally instated among the children of Israel. Joseph, coming for a last meeting with his father, brought Ephraim and Manasseh with him. Through their mother, these youths  were connected with the highest order of the Egyptian priesthood, and the position of their father opened to them the paths to wealth and distinction, if they chose to connect themselves with the Egyptians. It was Joseph’s desire, however, that they would unite with their own people. He showed his faith in the covenant promise, renouncing in behalf of his sons all the honors that the court of Egypt offered, for a place among the despised shepherd tribes who had been entrusted with the oracles of God.

Said Jacob, “Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.” They were to be adopted as his own and to become the heads of separate tribes.

As they came nearer, the patriarch embraced and kissed them, solemnly laying his hands on their heads in blessing. Then he prayed, “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.” There was no complaint about the evil days in the past. He no longer regarded its trials and sorrows as things against him. His memory recalled only the mercy and loving-kindness of God, who had been with Jacob throughout his pilgrimage.

All the sons of Jacob were gathered around his death bed. “And Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.’”

With God at Dawn: We Will Give Ourselves to Prayer, July 23

Dedication to a Life of Prayer

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Acts 6:4.

Pray, yes, pray as you have never prayed before, that you may not be deluded by Satan’s devices, that you may not be given up to a heedless, careless, vain spirit, and attend to religious duties to quiet your own conscience. It is inappropriate for Christians in any age of the world to be lovers of pleasure, but how much more so now when the scenes of this earth’s history are so soon to close.

Surely the foundation of your hope of everlasting life cannot be laid too sure. The welfare of your soul, and your eternal happiness depend upon whether your foundation is built upon Christ. While others are panting after earthly enjoyments, be ye panting after the unmistakable assurance of the love of God, earnestly, fervently crying, Who will show me how to make my calling and election sure?—Testimonies for the Church 2:144.

The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence? Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching, we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path. The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy-seat, that we may not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and power to resist temptation.—Steps to Christ, 94.

Beginning of the End: Jacob’s Sunset Years

 Not long after their arrival, Joseph brought his father to be presented to the king. Jacob was a stranger in royal courts, but he had been close to a mightier Monarch in the grand scenes of nature. Now, in conscious superiority, he raised his hands and blessed Pharaoh.

In his first greeting to Joseph, Jacob had spoken as if, with this joyful ending to his long anxiety and sorrow, he was ready to die. But seventeen years were still to be given to him in the peaceful retirement of Goshen. These years were in happy contrast to those that had preceded them. He saw evidence of true repentance in his sons. He saw his family surrounded by all the conditions they would need to develop into a great nation, and his faith grasped the sure promise that they would be established in Canaan in the future. He himself was surrounded with every token of love and favor that the prime minister of Egypt could bestow.

With God at Dawn: Muse on the Work of His Hands, July 22

Meditation

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. Psalm 143:5.

The mercies of God surround you every moment; and it would be profitable for you to consider how and whence your blessings come every day. Let the precious blessings of God awaken gratitude in you. You cannot number the blessings of God, the constant loving-kindness expressed to you, for they are as numerous as the refreshing drops of rain.

Clouds of mercy are hanging over you, and ready to drop upon you. If you will appreciate the valuable gift of salvation, you will be sensible of daily refreshment, of the protection and love of Jesus; you will be guided in the way of peace.

Look upon the glorious things of God in nature, and let your heart go out in gratitude to the Giver. There is in nature’s book profitable study for the mind. Be not thankless and reckless. Open the eyes of your understanding; see the beautiful harmony in the laws of God in nature, and be awed, and reverence your Creator, the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.—Messages to Young People, 409.

If the young would study the glorious works of God in nature, and His majesty and power as revealed in His Word, they would come from every such exercise with faculties quickened and elevated. A vigor would be received, having no kin to arrogance. By a contemplation of the marvels of divine power, the mind will learn that hardest but most useful of all lessons, that human wisdom, unless connected with the Infinite and sanctified by the grace of Christ, is foolishness.—Messages to Young People, 253.

If we faithfully study the book of nature, we shall find it a fruitful source for contemplating the infinite love and power of God.—Messages to Young People, 365.

Beginning of the End: Reconciliation!

 His brothers stood motionless, silent with fear and amazement. The ruler of Egypt was their brother Joseph, whom they had envied and would have murdered, and finally sold as a slave! All their bad treatment of him passed before them. They remembered how long they had hated his dreams and had worked to prevent their fulfillment. Yet they had acted their part in fulfilling these dreams. Now that they  were completely in his power, he would, no doubt, avenge the wrong that he had suffered.

Seeing their confusion, he said kindly, “Please come near to me,” and as they came near, he continued, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Feeling that they had suffered enough for their cruelty toward him, he nobly tried to banish their fears and lessen the bitterness of their self-condemnation.

“God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen ... lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’ Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.” They humbly confessed their sin and begged his forgiveness.

The news of what had taken place was quickly carried to the king. He confirmed the governor’s invitation to his family, saying, “The best of all the land of Egypt is yours.” The brothers were sent away abundantly supplied with food and everything necessary to bring all their families and servants to Egypt.

The sons of Jacob returned to their father with the joyful news. “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” At first the aged man was overwhelmed; he could not believe what he heard; but when he saw the long train of wagons and loaded animals, and when Benjamin was with him once more, he was convinced. In the fullness of his joy he exclaimed, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Another act of humiliation remained for the ten brothers. They now confessed to their father the deceit and cruelty that had embittered his life and theirs for so many years. Jacob had not suspected them of such a vile sin, but he forgave and blessed his erring children.

The father and his sons, with their families, their flocks and herds, and numerous attendants, were soon on their way to Egypt. In a vision of the night the divine word came: “Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again.”

The promise of descendants as uncountable as the stars had been given to Abraham, but so far the chosen people had increased quite slowly. And the land of Canaan was in the possession of powerful heathen tribes that were not to be dispossessed until “the fourth generation.” To become a large number of people, the descendants of Israel must either drive out the inhabitants of the land or scatter themselves among them. If they mingled with the Canaanites, they would be in danger of being drawn into idolatry. Egypt, however, offered the conditions necessary to fulfill God’s plan. A section of country, well-watered and fertile, was open to them there, offering every advantage for their speedy increase. And they would remain a distinct and separate people, shut out from participating in the idolatry of Egypt.

When they reached Egypt, the company proceeded directly to the land of Goshen. Joseph came there in his chariot of state, accompanied by princely attendants. One thought alone filled his mind, one longing thrilled his heart. As he watched the travelers approaching, the love whose yearnings he had repressed for so many years would no longer be controlled. He sprang from his chariot and hurried to welcome his father. “And he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.’”

Joseph wished to save his brothers from the temptations to which they would be exposed at a heathen court, so he counseled them to frankly tell the monarch that they were shepherds. The sons of Jacob followed this counsel, being careful to also tell Pharaoh that they had come to stay in the land temporarily, not to become permanent residents. By doing this, they reserved the right to leave if they chose.

With God at Dawn: My Soul Thirsteth for God, July 21

Meditation

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1, 2.

The heart that has once tasted the love of Christ, cries out continually for a deeper draught, and as you impart, you will receive in richer and more abundant measure. Every revelation of God to the soul increases the capacity to know and to love.—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 20.

The cry of Christ to the thirsty soul is still going forth, and it appeals to us with even greater power than to those who heard it in the temple on that last day of the feast. The fountain is open for all. The weary and exhausted ones are offered the refreshing draught of eternal life.—The Desire of Ages, 454.

The greatest victories gained for the cause of God are not the result of labored argument, ample facilities, wide influence, or abundance of means; they are gained in the audience chamber with God, when with earnest, agonizing faith men lay hold upon the mighty arm of power.

True faith and true prayer—how strong they are! They are as two arms by which the human suppliant lays hold upon the power of Infinite Love. Faith is trusting in God,—believing that He loves us, and knows what is for our best good. Thus, instead of our own way, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership, and accepts its blessing. Truth, uprightness, purity, are pointed out as secrets of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these.—Gospel Workers, 259.

Beginning of the End: Judah’s Plea

 In his distress, Judah drew near the ruler. Vividly he described his father’s grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. “Now therefore,” he said, “when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”

Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true repentance. He gave orders for all but these men to withdraw. Then, weeping aloud, he said, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?”

With God at Dawn: I Have Remembered Thy Name in the Night, July 20

 Meditation

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law. Psalm 119:54, 55.

God’s messengers must tarry long with Him, if they would have success in their work. The story is told of an old Lancashire woman who was listening to the reasons that her neighbors gave for their minister’s success. They spoke of his gifts, of his style of address, of his manners. “Nay,” said the old woman, “I will tell you what it is. Your man is very thick with the Almighty.”

When men are as devoted as Elijah was and possess the faith that he had, God will reveal Himself as He did then. When men plead with the Lord as did Jacob, the results that were seen then will again be seen. Power will come from God in answer to the prayer of faith....

The Saviour loved the solitude of the mountain in which to hold commune with His Father. Through the day He labored earnestly to save men from destruction. He healed the sick, comforted the mourning, called the dead to life, and brought hope and cheer to the despairing. After His work for the day was finished, He went forth, evening after evening, away from the confusion of the city, and bowed in prayer to His Father. Frequently He continued His petitions through the entire night; but He came from these seasons of communion invigorated and refreshed, braced for duty and for trial.—Gospel Workers, 255, 256.

Feeble, sinful man has the privilege of speaking to his Maker. We may utter words that reach the throne of the Monarch of the universe. We may speak with Jesus as we walk by the way, and He says, I am at thy right hand.—Gospel Workers, 258.

Beginning of the End: Final Test of Their Repentance

 Joyfully they set out on their return. Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were well-burdened with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the dangers that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor’s steward, who inquired angrily, “Why have you repaid evil for good? Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.” This cup was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed in it. Cups of this kind were highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning.

The travelers answered the steward’s accusation, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from you lord’s house? With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

“Let it be according to your words,” said the steward; “he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.”

The search began immediately. “Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground,” and the steward examined each, beginning with Reuben’s, and taking them in order down to that of the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

The brothers tore their clothes in utter wretchedness and slowly returned to the city. By their own promise, Benjamin was doomed to slavery. They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the governor still there, fell to the ground before him.

“What deed is this you have done?” he said. “Did you not know that such a man as I can practice divination?” Joseph intended to draw from them an acknowledgment of their sin.

Judah answered, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”

“Far be it from me that I should do so,” was the reply. “The man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”