Daniel B. Villoso, President, North Philippine Union Mission

"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isa. 51:1-3).

In these verses we learn what characterizes the people of promise, where they came from, and where they're going. God speaks in this prophetic good news for literal and spiritual Israel, and His words are loaded with truths and glorious promises.

Israel has been in exile for 70 years. Jerusalem and the Jewish homeland lies in waste. Deliverance and homecoming seem remote, many have grown tired of waiting, and some have given up. How similar is this situation with spiritual Israel today. As a people of promise, the Advent believers have waited 2,000 years since Jesus promised, "I will come again." Many are tired of waiting; others have abandoned the blessed hope. At no time is the admonition of the Lord's messenger needed as much as now. Ellen White wrote, "At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason."¹

Friends, God is true to His promise. The tarrying time is almost ended. As God talked to His covenant people in the past, He comes to us saying, "Hearken to Me."

Consider the two attributes that identify God's people. 1. They are followers of righteousness-they did not invent their beliefs; neither have they relied on traditions or the teachings of man. They believe the revealed will of God and lovingly and willingly follow Him. 2. They seek the Lord and Him alone-they don't chase after other gods, but serve the one true God. They desire to be justified and sanctified by the grace of God. Although born in sinful flesh, they have experienced spiritual rebirth. Subjected to the control of the Holy Spirit, they are willing to be made willing to do things for God's pleasure. Although in the world, their lives become less and less worldly, and more and more heavenly.

To this people the Bible promises, "They shall dwell on high: their place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: their bread shall be given unto them; their water shall be sure. Their eyes shall see the king in His beauty, and they shall behold the land that is very far off" (see Isa. 33:16, 17).

The level of Christian maturity may not be the same among God's people-but we walk the same path; we seek the same Lord. Seeking the Lord should be intense and intentional. When you get up in the morning, don't run at once to your car or hurry to your daily work. Intentionally stop and wait on the Lord. He wants to fellowship with you. "Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work."²

The people of promise have a consuming desire to attain righteousness by the grace of God. "God requires at this time just what He required of the holy pair in Eden, perfect obedience to His requirements. . . . It is not the work of the gospel to weaken the claims of God's holy law, but to bring men up where they can keep its precepts."³

Look to the Past
"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged" (Isa. 51:1). God asked His discouraged people to look to the past, to their humble beginnings. There is something good in remembering the past, even the painful past. James Conant, former president of Harvard, said that "good teaching always begins with history." If we want to understand and appreciate who we are today, we need to know who we were yesterday. God offers comfort to His people rooted in history. He likens their origin to a lifeless rock, dug from a pit, incapable of receiving impressions.

Satan wants to make us comfortable with our successes-degrees earned, positions held, riches accumulated, and projects accomplished. We may perceive ourselves from a position of strength, viewing our successes as the result of our efforts, of good things as the fruitage of our goodness. But God would have us acknowledge that we are not in ourselves deserving. Nothing that we do can gain God's approval or earn merit.

All of us, like Abraham, started with a stony heart. But God's grace has power even over the hardest stone. He willed to make us willing to have our hearts made soft, like the heart of Jesus. Thus to us is fulfilled Jesus' words, "For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (Matt. 3:9).

Of Abraham, God said, "For I called him." The condition of the sinful human race prompted God to make a life-giving call. The process of salvation was effected at the moment Adam and Eve sinned. God called them back to Him. He offered to restore them to fellowship on the basis of His unconditional love. The same invitation is given to all to be part of the people of promise. God has committed to us the task of calling others to His salvation. That's the reason we exist as a church. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14).

Because God is true to His promises, Abraham was richly blessed. Blessed with protection, obedience, wisdom, and a genuine faith in God. So when he was called to go to a strange country, he obeyed. Blessed of faith, he sojourned in the Land of Promise: "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10).

And he also increased. "Blessed of faith, Sarah, who used to be barren . . . was delivered of a child when she was past age, because he judged him faithful who had promised that the seeds of Abraham would be as many as the stars of the sky" (see verses 11, 12).

And did you know that this is a promise to you and me? I firmly believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is most blessed. A leader in ministries, custodian of truth, bearer of the mark of the true church, and soon to reflect the patience of the saints, the righteousness of Christ, and the faith of Jesus. We have increased tremendously from a small beginning to a world family of God.

Conversion stories
Basilio and Jocelyn Dangiwan were members of the New People's Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist movement. The NPA is a political threat to the Philippine government; a radical element in society; and hard to deal with. Many times this group tortures and kills people.

Unknown to the evangelistic team assigned to conduct a crusade in Apatan, Kalinga, a group of NPAs, including Basilio and Jocelyn, listened attentively. When the call came for decisions, however, no one decided to be baptized, and the team thought it was a failure! But the group continued their visitation and Bible study. Finally four people decided to be baptized, and among them were Basilio and Jocelyn, the NPA couple.

We thank and praise God for the successes that this church has had evangelizing the world. While the United Nations recognizes 230 countries, be comforted that we have established work in 205 countries. When this church was organized in 1863 the modern people of promise were only 3,000 in number. Now we number 10,492,045.

The promise that Abraham's family will become as numberless as the "sands of the sea" is not fulfilled by human devising. For God will "finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness" (Rom. 10:28) "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty" (Zech. 4:6). God works in marvelous and unconventional ways to bring people to Him and to His Sabbath truth.

In my country, God has used even the lowly carabao (water buffalo) to preach. Many years ago a farmer started keeping the Sabbath when he heard his carabao speak, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy!"

A recent story coming from the island of Negros in central Philippines tells of a layman named Rodrigo Marquez who visited the family of Rodrigo Cortejo to give Bible studies. The family showed interest, but Mr. Cortejo was very prejudiced. Each time that Marquez would visit, Cortejo would leave. However, one thing interested Cortejo. He heard that Marquez was selling his male carabao, and he wanted to buy it.

The sale was made, but on Friday afternoon the carabao was sick and could not get up. The whole of Sabbath the animal lay on its side; water and hay were placed beside it. Cortejo decided to return the animal on Sunday. But to his surprise he found the carabao up and strong on Sunday as though nothing had happened. He used it to plow and take farm products to market that week. When the next Friday afternoon came, the animal was lying on its side again. Cortejo could not use his animal that Sabbath. When Sunday came, it was up and alert. This happened on three consecutive Fridays. His daughter Rhovelyn told him about the Sabbath, which Marquez taught in the Bible studies he conducted. It dawned on Cortejo that God was telling him something. In September 1999, 19-year-old Rhovelyn was baptized, and a few weeks later Rodrigo Cortejo was baptized into God's commandment-keeping church.

The servant of the Lord gave us a scenario of the last days. "The Comforter is to reveal Himself, not in any specified, precise way that man may mark out, but in the order of God-in unexpected times and ways that will honor His own name. He will raise up from among the common people men and women to do His work, even as of old"⁴ "Thousands will be converted under their testimony."⁵

Listen to this: "Many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd."⁶ God is going to work through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is to be willing to come under His control and participate in doing the glorious things of the Lord. The best is yet to come for the people of promise. This church is increasing by 3,000 a week, but soon we will see 3,000 and more converted in a single day!

Even now we hear how God is finishing His work. Every day two Tagalog programs are aired by Adventist World Radio. Tapes from the Voice of Prophecy in Manila are sent to Guam. Listeners from Hong Kong, Taipei, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and the Republic of China write to the Voice of Prophecy Manila Bible Correspondence School. Let me share with you a story from this ministry.

Arabella (known as Bea) Azas works with the Commission on Human Rights. Her friend, Geraldine, also works with the government. Bea noticed that her friend refrained from eating her former favorite dishes of shellfish and pork and would eat only fish and vegetable dishes. When asked why, she told Bea, "It's for my health," then added, "Why don't you listen to a radio program on Saturday and Sunday evenings over DZRH? I'm sure the Voice of Prophecy programs will be enlightening to you." Thus Bea started tuning in to the broadcasts. After several months, she decided to join the people of promise. Today Bea is active in the church in Antipolo City.

The divine call is being shared in many ways. And God will cut short His work in righteousness. Ellen G. White said, "Thousands in the eleventh hour will acknowledge the truth."⁷ "God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to the apostate world the transforming power of obedience to His law."⁸

The best is yet to come! "For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isa. 51:3).

For the Lord has promised not only to empower His church for evangelism, but also to convert the "waste places." The church today has lots of waste places. We see defects in programs, strategies, methods, and in the lives of leaders and members. But be comforted by the promise "The church, enfeebled and defective, needing to be reproved, warned and counseled, is the only object upon earth upon which Christ bestows His supreme regard."⁹

Very soon we shall see the spiritual body of Christ on earth-the church-adorned as a bride and made ready to meet the Bridegroom. Now we see a church militant, but soon it will be a church triumphant, reflecting the character of Christ. Joy and gladness shall be found in their hearts; thanksgiving shall flow forth from their lips.

The best is yet to come. Don't focus on anything that will dispel trust in God's promises. Don't be discouraged by the waiting. For He who has promised is faithful! Let us not be crisis-centered, but Christ-centered, keeping faith in the covenant. Only then can we say we are a people of promise.

¹ Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 136.
²---, Steps to Christ, p. 70.
³---, in Review and Herald, Oct. 5, 1886.
⁴---, Last Day Events, p. 204.
⁵ Ibid., p. 206.
⁶ Ibid., p. 152.
⁷ Ibid., p. 212.
⁸ Ibidid., pp. 211, 212.
⁹ Ibid., p. 52.