This Is My Beloved Son

compiled from the writings of Ellen G. White by Frank Klin

At the first advent of Christ, darkness, covered the earth, and gross darkness the people. Light
and truth seemed to have departed from among men, and Satan appeared to reign in undisputed
power. Rival sects existed, and among those who professed to be the servants of God were
displayed love of preeminence and strife for power and position. Souls who were desirous of light
were filled with perplexity and sorrow. Many were sighing, "What is truth?" Ignorance prevailed,
but many were looking for something better, looking for light that would illuminate the moral
darkness of the world. They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God, for some assurance
of a life beyond the tomb. There were men not of the Jewish nation who prophesied that an
inspired instructor would come to teach them of the truth. There were among the Jews men who
had not polluted their integrity, who read with eager anticipation the sure word of prophecy that
pointed to the advent of the Redeemer. They rejoiced in the promise that God had made to His
servant Moses: "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will
put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My
name, I will require it of him." [1]

Christ came just as prophecy had foretold. He was the "Way, the Truth, and the Life," and the
beams of the Sun of Righteousness dispelled the moral darkness so that the honest in heart
might see the truth. The absence of outward display and worldly grandeur, called forth comments
of disapprobation from the people. Doubt and criticism met Him on every side. Christ Himself had
chosen the human conditions of His life. He had selected the lowliest place in society. He was the
Majesty of Heaven, and He knew that the world would bear sway by magnificence, carrying
everything before its display and grandeur; but Jesus honored those whom the world looked upon
with contempt. Christ's birthplace was devoid of conveniences, not to speak of riches and luxury.
And His entire life in this world was in keeping with the humble home of His early experience. [2]

Christ came to save fallen man, and Satan with fiercest wrath met him on the field of conflict;
for the enemy knew that when divine strength was added to human weakness, man was armed
with power and intelligence, and could break away from the captivity in which he had bound him.
Satan sought to intercept every ray of light from the throne of God. He sought to cast his shadow
across the earth, that men might lose the true views of God's character, and that the knowledge
of God might become extinct in the earth. He had caused truth of vital importance to be so
mingled with error that it had lost its significance. The law of Jehovah was burdened with
needless exactions and traditions, and God was represented as severe, exacting, revengeful, and
arbitrary. He was pictured as one who could take pleasure in the sufferings of His creatures. The
very attributes that belonged to the character of Satan, the evil one represented as belonging to
the character of God. Jesus came to teach men of the Father, to correctly represent Him before
the fallen children of earth. Angels could not fully portray the character of God, but Christ, who
was a living impersonation of God, could not fail to accomplish the work. The only way in which
He could set and keep men right was to make Himself visible and familiar to their eyes. That men
might have salvation He came directly to man, and became a partaker of His nature. [3]

The Father was revealed in Christ as altogether a different being from that which Satan had
represented Him to be. Said Christ, "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he
to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." The love of Jesus, expressed for the fallen race in His
life of self-denial and sufferings, is the manifestation of the Father's love for a sinful, fallen world.
Christ endured shame and grief and death for those who despised His love and trampled upon
His mercy. He paid the debt of man's transgression upon the cross of Calvary with His own
precious blood. The men of His own nation, the leaders of the people, were so ensnared by the
deceptions of Satan that the plan of redemption for a fallen race seemed to their minds indistinct
and unexplainable. [4]

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 Man was God's workmanship, made after His image, endowed with talents, and fitted for a
high destiny. But Satan has worked to obliterate the divine image, and to impress his own image
instead of the image of God in man's nature. Jesus condescended to humble Himself, to take
human nature, and by uniting divinity with humanity, He proposed to elevate man in the scale of
moral value. All heaven was poured out in the gift of God's dear Son. Through faith in Him the
sinner could be justified, and God could yet be just in justifying the sinner; for Christ had become
a propitiation for the sins of the repentant soul. The only plan that could be devised to save the
human race was that which called for the incarnation, humiliation, and crucifixion of the Son of
God, the Majesty of heaven. After the plan of salvation was devised, Satan could have no ground
upon which to found his suggestion that God, because so great, could care nothing for so
insignificant a creature as man. The redemption of man is a wonderful theme, and the love
manifested to the fallen race through the plan of salvation, can be estimated only by the cross of
Calvary. The depth of this love even angels cannot sound. That God could consent to become
flesh, and dwell among fallen beings, to lift them up from their helplessness and despair, is an
unfathomed mystery. [5]

When John prepared the way for the Messiah, his voice was lifted up in the wilderness. Why
did he not go to men in the cities where they were?--For the very reason that it was next to
impossible to arrest the attention of people who were all absorbed in the delusive enchantments
of this world. He calls them away from the feverish excitement of the world, and brings them into
the wilderness, where they can behold God in nature. There the God of nature imbued John with
His Holy Spirit to give them the warning that was to prepare the way for the Messiah, to bear the
message of mercy to our world, "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [6]

When Jesus came to be baptized, John recognized in Him a purity of character that he had
never before perceived in any man. The very atmosphere of His presence was holy and awe-
inspiring. Among the multitudes that had gathered about him at the Jordan, John had heard dark
tales of crime, and had met souls bowed down with the burden of myriad sins; but never had he
come in contact with a human being from whom there breathed an influence so divine. All this
was in harmony with what had been revealed to John regarding the Messiah. Yet he shrank from
granting the request of Jesus. How could he, a sinner, baptize the Sinless One? And why should
He who needed no repentance submit to a rite that was a confession of guilt to be washed away?
[7]

As Jesus asked for baptism, John drew back, exclaiming, "I have need to be baptized of Thee,
and comest Thou to me?" With firm yet gentle authority, Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now:
for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." And John, yielding, led the Saviour down into
the Jordan, and buried Him beneath the water. "And straightway coming up out of the water,"
Jesus "saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him." [8]

Jesus did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His own account. He identified
Himself with sinners, taking the steps that we are to take, and doing the work that we must do.
His life of suffering and patient endurance after His baptism was also an example to us. [9]

After Jesus had been baptized of John in Jordan, He went straightway up out of the water to
the bank of the river, and bowed in the attitude of prayer. A new and important era was opening
before Him, and He felt the solemnity and responsibilities of the new duties He was to perform,
and heavier burdens which He was henceforth to bear. His baptism was the first act of His public
ministry; and He here identifies Himself with sinners as their representative, in taking upon Him
their sins, and numbering Himself with transgressors. In His prayer, Christ, with His human arm,
encircles fallen humanity, while with His divine arm He is reaching for the throne of the Infinite.
[10]

His hands were raised upward, and His eyes were fixed as if penetrating Heaven; and He
poured out His soul in supplication to His Father for strength to meet the unbelief and sinfulness

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of men, to break the power of Satan over man, and to be able to overcome Satan in behalf of
man. He presented humanity before His Father, asking that He would grant to fallen man the light
and strength and power from His own throne to successfully overcome the prince of the power of
darkness. [11]

The soul of Christ was burdened with the sense of the sinfulness of men, and the hardness of
their hearts, that kept them in unbelief and darkness, so but few would discern His glorious
mission and accept the salvation He came from Heaven to bring them. Christ was about to enter
upon a scene of fearful trial and temptation, which was to open His life of conflict and suffering.
He was to perform new and arduous duties, and bear heavy burdens, such as had never fallen to
the lot of men. His sinless humanity supplicates support and strength from his Father as He was
about to commence His labors. He asks for the witness that God accepts fallen man, in His Son.
He reaches for the throne of God to hang man upon His Father's mercy. [12]

And in answer to that prayer, the light and glory of God flashed forth from His throne and
descended as a dove and rested upon Him. Immediately from the Infinite One came a voice,
saying: "This is My beloved Son." Here, Heaven was opened to man; earth was connected with
Heaven through our representative, and finite man with the Infinite God. Heaven was opened to
you, . . and you need not to feel that the heavens above you are brass. God testified to His Son in
His own voice that He accepted Him; and in accepting the representative of the race He signifies
to man that He will accept him through His Son if we comply with the conditions laid down in His
word. The steps requisite in conversion are repentance, faith and baptism. And then after these
steps are taken, the life of prayer is essential to maintain the Christian life, and to seek those
things which are above where Christ sitteth, you cannot stop at baptism and feel that you have
graduated. Your Christian life is only entered upon, the formation of Christian character is yet
before you, you have just entered the school of Christ, and need to continue to learn of Him. [13]

Never before had angels listened to such a prayer as Christ offered at His baptism, and they
were solicitous to be the bearers of the message from the Father to His Son. But, no! direct from
the Father issues the light of His glory. The heavens were opened, and beams of glory rested
upon the Son of God and assumed the form of a dove, in appearance like burnished gold. The
dove-like form was emblematical of the meekness and gentleness of Christ. While the people
stood spell-bound with amazement, their eyes fastened upon Christ, from the opening heavens
came these words: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The words of
confirmation that Christ is the Son of God were given to inspire faith in those who witnessed the
scene, and to sustain the Son of God in His arduous work. Notwithstanding the Son of God was
clothed with humanity, yet Jehovah, with His own voice, assures Him of His Sonship with the
Eternal. In this manifestation to His Son, God accepts humanity as exalted through the excellence
of His beloved Son. [14]

The people stood spell-bound with fear and amazement. Their eyes were fastened upon
Christ, whose bowed form was bathed in the beautiful light and glory that ever surround the
throne of God. His upturned face was glorified as they had never before seen the face of man.
The thunders rolled and the lightnings flashed from the opening heavens, and a voice came
therefrom in terrible majesty . . . The words of confirmation were given for the benefit of the
witnesses at His baptism, and to assure God's dear Son that His Father accepted humanity
through Him, their substitute and surety, and that God would connect man to Himself, and open
Heaven to the prayers of men through the intercession of His Son. [15]

As John witnessed the Saviour of the world bowed in the deepest humiliation, and pleading
fervently with tears for the approval of His Father, He was deeply moved. As the light and glory
from Heaven enshrouded the Saviour, and a voice was heard claiming Jesus as the Son of the
Infinite, John saw the token God had promised him, and knew for a certainly that the world's
Redeemer had received baptism at his hands. With transport of joy and tearful emotion he
stretched forth his hand, and pointed to Jesus, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh

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away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred
before me; for He was before me." "And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining
on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." And I saw the Spirit descending
upon Him like a dove and overshadowing Him; and I heard the voice of God bear record that this
is the Son of God. [16]

Satan was among the witnesses of that event. He saw the lightnings flash from the cloudless
heavens. He heard the majestic voice of Jehovah that resounded through Heaven, and echoed
through the earth like peals of thunder . . . He saw the brightness of the Father's glory
overshadowing the form of Jesus, thus pointing out with unmistakable assurance the One in that
crowd whom He acknowledged as His Son. The circumstances connected with this baptismal
scene were of the greatest interest to Satan. He knew then for a certainty that unless he could
overcome Christ, from thenceforth there would be a limit to his power. He understood that this
communication from the throne of God signified that Heaven was now more directly accessible to
man than it had been, and the most intense hatred was aroused in his breast. [17]

Christ came to represent the Father. We behold in Him the image of the invisible God. He
clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to the world that the erroneous ideas Satan had
been the means of creating in the minds of men, in regard to the character of God, might be
removed. We could not behold the glory of God unveiled in Christ and live; but as He came in the
garb of humanity, we may draw nigh to our Redeemer. We are called upon to behold the Lord our
Father in the person of His Son. Christ came in the robe of the flesh, with His glory subdued in
humanity, that lost man might communicate with Him and live. Through Christ we may
comprehend something of Him who is glorious in holiness. . . By faith we behold Christ standing
between humanity and divinity, connecting God and man, and earth and heaven. [18]

In our behalf the Saviour laid hold of the power of Omnipotence, and as we pray to God, we
may know that Christ's prayer has ascended before, and that God has heard and answered it.
With all our sins and weaknesses we are not cast aside as worthless. "He hath made us
accepted in the beloved." The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us.
It tells of the power of prayer,--how the human voice may reach the ear of God, and our petitions
find acceptance in the courts of heaven. The light that fell from the open portals upon the head of
our Saviour, will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist temptation. The voice that spoke to
Jesus says to every believing soul, "This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased" [19]

1. Signs of the Times, January 20, 1890, par. 1

2. Ibid, par. 3
3. Ibid, par. 6
4. Ibid, par. 7
5. Ibid, par. 8
6. Bible Echo, November 12, 1894 par. 6
7. Desire of Ages, 1898 page 110 par.1
8. Ibid, page 111 par. 1
9. Ibid, page 111 par. 2
10. Youth Instructor, March 1, 1874 par. 1
11. Ibid, par. 2
12. Ibid, par. 3
13. Signs of the Times, February 14, 1878 par. 5
14. Review and Herald, January 21, 1873, par. 5
15. Youth Instructor, March 1, 1874 par. 5
16. Ibid, par. 7
17. Signs of the Times, August 4, 1887 par. 6
18. Signs of the Times, January 20, 1890, par. 5
19. Written in 1902. SDA Bible Commentary Vol. 5 page 1079 par.2