Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – The Foundation of our Faith

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May 30, 2010 – June 5, 2010

Key Text

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21.

Study Help: Christ’s Object Lessons, 66–69.

Introduction

“The Lord Jesus is our strength and happiness, the great storehouse from which, on every occasion, men may draw strength. As we study Him, talk of Him, become more and more able to behold Him—as we avail ourselves of His grace and receive the blessings He proffers us, we have something with which to help others. Filled with gratitude, we communicate to others the blessings that have been freely given us. Thus receiving and imparting, we grow in grace; and a rich current of praise and gratitude constantly flows from our lips; the sweet spirit of Jesus kindles thanksgiving in our hearts, and our souls are uplifted with a sense of security. The unfailing, inexhaustible righteousness of Christ becomes our righteousness by faith.” My Life Today, 171.

1 Who has righteousness? II Peter 1:1; Matthew 19:17.

Note: “The Lord desires us to appreciate the great plan of redemption, to realize our high privilege as the children of God, and to walk before Him in obedience, with grateful thanksgiving. He desires us to serve Him in newness of life, with gladness every day. He longs to see gratitude welling up in our hearts because our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, because we may cast all our care upon Him who cares for us. He bids us rejoice because we are the heritage of the Lord, because the righteousness of Christ is the white robe of His saints, because we have the blessed hope of the soon coming of our Saviour.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 299.

2 How enduring is righteousness? Psalm 119:142; Isaiah 40:8; I Peter 4:11; 5:4, 10, 11.

Note: “Truths, precious, vital truths, are bound up with man’s eternal well-being both in this life and in the eternity which is opening before us. ‘Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth’ [John 17:17]. The word of God is to be practiced. The word of God liveth and endureth forever. While worldly ambition and worldly projects and the greatest plans and purposes of men shall fade like the grass, ‘they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever’ [Daniel 12:3].” Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 9 (1897), 66.

3 What is the difference between righteousness and sin? I John 3:4, 7; Ezekiel 3:18, 21; Proverbs 12:3, 5; 11:8.

Note: “Having brought conviction of sin, and presented before the mind the standard of righteousness, the Holy Spirit withdraws the affections from the things of this earth and fills the soul with a desire for holiness. ‘He will guide you into all truth’ (John 16:13), the Saviour declared. If men are willing to be molded, there will be brought about a sanctification of the whole being. The Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. By His power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err therein.” The Acts of the Apostles, 52, 53.

4 Do any of us have righteousness? Isaiah 64:6.

Note: “This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. ‘All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.’ Isaiah 64:6. Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the Son of God ‘was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.’ Sin is defined to be ‘the transgression of the law.’ I John 3:5, 4. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. He said of Himself, ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.’ Psalm 40:8. When on earth, He said to His disciples, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments.’ John 15:10. By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 311, 312.

5 If all our righteousness is as filthy rags, how are we going to meet Jesus without spot or wrinkle or any such thing? Ephesians 5:25; Psalms 24:5, 6; 71:2, 3; Isaiah 61:10, 11; Philippians 2:12, 13.

Note: “We cannot provide a robe of righteousness for ourselves, for the prophet says, ‘All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6). There is nothing in us from which we can clothe the soul so that its nakedness shall not appear. We are to receive the robe of righteousness woven in the loom of heaven, even the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness.” God’s Amazing Grace, 24.

“The Lord Jesus Christ has infinite tenderness for those whom he has purchased at the cost of his own sufferings in the flesh, that they should not perish with the devil and his angels, but that he may claim them as his chosen ones. They are the claim of his love, of his own property; and he looks upon them with unutterable affection, and the fragrance of his own righteousness he gives to his loved ones who believe in him. It requires tact and wisdom and human love, and sanctified affection for the precious lambs of the flock, to lead them to see and appreciate their privilege in yielding themselves up to the tender guidance of the faithful shepherds. The children of God will exercise the gentleness of Jesus Christ.” Christian Education, 146.

6 What do we have to do to obtain righteousness? Philippians 3:13–16; Luke 13:24.

Note: “We are to strive to enter in at the strait gate. But this gate does not swing loosely on its hinges. It will not admit doubtful characters. We must now strive for eternal life with an intensity that is proportionate to the value of the prize before us. It is not money or lands or position, but the possession of a Christlike character, that will open to us the gates of Paradise. It is not dignity, it is not intellectual attainments, that will win for us the crown of immortality. Only the meek and lowly ones, who have made God their efficiency, will receive this gift.” Christian Service, 247.

“We can never be saved in indolence and inactivity. There is no such thing as a truly converted person living a helpless, useless life. It is not possible for us to drift into heaven. No sluggard can enter there. If we do not strive to gain an entrance into the kingdom, if we do not seek earnestly to learn what constitutes its laws, we are not fitted for a part in it. Those who refuse to co-operate with God on earth would not co-operate with Him in heaven. It would not be safe to take them to heaven.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 280.

7 On what is the throne of God established? Psalms 97:1, 2; Hebrews 1:8.

Note: “In the name of Christ I would address his professed followers: Abide in the faith which you have received from the beginning. ‘Shun profane and vain babblings’ [II Timothy 2:16]. Instead of putting your trust in witchcraft, have faith in the living God. Cursed is the path that leads to Endor or to Ekron. The feet will stumble and fall that venture upon this forbidden ground. There is a God in Israel, with whom is deliverance for all who are oppressed. Righteousness is the foundation of his throne.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 115.

8 What will the people be wearing when they stand before the throne of God? Revelation 7:9, 10.

Note: “By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will possess. To the church it is given ‘that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,’ ‘not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Revelation 19:8; Ephesians 5:27. The fine linen, says the Scripture, ‘is the righteousness of saints.’ Revelation 19:8. It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour. … This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310, 311.

9 Where did these white robed people come from? Revelation 7:14.

Note: “A precious, affectionate John was an exile on the lonely Isle of Patmos, but here Jesus met with him and revealed to him events … stretching over the ages to the coming of Christ, and making known the counsel of the Lord for future ages. … He was permitted to look upon the throne of God and to behold the white-robed redeemed ones who had come out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

“If you are called to go through the fiery furnace for His sake, Jesus will be by your side even as He was with the faithful three in Babylon. Those who love their Redeemer will rejoice at every opportunity of sharing with Him humiliation and reproach. The love they bear their Lord makes suffering for His sake sweet.” In Heavenly Places, 271.

Additional Reading

“All who are partakers of the wedding feast, the gospel feast, by this act say that they have accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. They wear His distinguishing dress. They have accepted the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Only those do honor to Christ who accept the invitation, ‘Come, for all things are now ready; come to the marriage supper of the Lamb’ [Luke 14:17]. These put on the white linen, the clean, pure character, showing that they no longer live their old citizen life that they lived in their ignorance. Their speech is changed. Their conversation is in altogether another line.” Upward Look, 304.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

 

Bible Study Guides – The Jewish Church in Christ’s day; a return to captivity

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July 25, 2010 – July 31, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

As a result of renewed apostasy, what did the professed church in Christ’s day look like? How was the situation of the church in Christ’s day comparable to the church during the time of the Babylonian captivity? What were the contrasts?

Here the story gets even more complicated. The Jewish leaders in Christ’s time seemed to understand, at least by way of terminology, that the purpose of God’s church was to bear children—and that’s exactly what they claimed to be, the children of the true church. This is what they claimed when they said, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone.” It may seem simple in hindsight to see that they missed the most obvious spiritual applications of the seed bearing church, but it was missed nonetheless. In reality, and contrary to the claims of its leaders, the professed church of the Jewish nation in Christ’s day had actually returned to a Babylonian type captivity—a captivity that contrasted physically and paralleled spiritually the ancient Babylonian captivity.

The Jewish church had become spiritually bankrupt—in aggregate an old wine bottle such as Jesus referred to in Luke 5:37–39. A new church arose alongside the decaying edifice of the Jewish church before anyone, either founders of the new or guardians of the old, fully understood what was happening! Let’s proceed to highlight a few of these details.

“The Pharisees opposed the teachings of Jesus with all their force, and Jesus turned from the recognized religious leaders to find in others new bottles for the new wine. In the untutored fisherman, in the publican at the market-place, in the woman of Samaria, in the common people who heard him gladly, he found his new bottles for the new wine. …

“God’s people must go on from light to a greater light, or they will become, as did the Pharisees, unwilling to receive additional light. They will find themselves in the condition represented by withered, dried-up bottles. In their religious faith they will be unmovable, inflexible, like the withered fig tree dried up by the roots. …

“The lessons which Jesus taught in the parables should be carefully studied; they contain instruction for his people in these last days … Christ, the consolation of Israel, had come unto his own, but his own received him not. He must find new bottles to contain his new wine.” The Signs of the Times, September 19, 1892.

1 What did the Jewish church look like in the time of Christ? How did the experience of the Jewish church in Christ’s day parallel the experience of the Babylonian captivity? In what ways was the experience in contrast to the Babylonian captivity?

Review and Discuss:

The captor nation now in question was Rome. (It is interesting to note in this context that Peter later was to refer to the capital, Rome, as “Babylon.” I Peter 5:13.)

The nation/church of Israel was in near complete captivity to Rome—its civil and spiritual leaders, vassals to Rome, as Zedechiah and his immediate predecessors had been to Nebuchadnezzar. Yet instead of reducing the church to rubble, the captors had helped to beautify and embellish the temple. (Despite outward beautification, the church, as in the time of Jeremiah, was desolate—destitute of the Spirit of Christ. Matthew 23:38.) The temple church had become a “den of thieves.”

Once again, God’s people were in complete denial about the fact that they were in bondage! Note the claim made by one faction of the leaders of the professed church to Christ: “They [the Pharisees] answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” John 8:33.

There now seemed to be many pastors (priests), but yet there were no shepherds! “… Jesus … was moved with compassion for them [multitudes], because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.” Mark 6:34.

Unlike the previous Babylonian captivity, there were now schools for religious instruction associated with the churches—yet not in any of them was there found a place fit for proper instruction! “In the days of Christ the town or city that did not provide for the religious instruction of the young was regarded as under the curse of God. Yet … tradition had in a great degree supplanted the Scriptures. … The principles of the law were obscured.” The Desire of Ages, 69.

As in Jeremiah’s time, a false trust was placed in the professed church—in the ordinances and buildings that had been dedicated by and to God. The forms of religion continued despite the deep divisions of a conservative and liberal class.

The forms of this church carried on, largely uninterrupted clear past the zenith of the early Christian church. The Jewish temple-church soldiered on after the gospel had gone to every person in the world (Colossians 1:23)! It continued on after the key leaders of the early Christian church; Stephen, James, Peter and Paul all had been martyred for their faith.

2 Did Christ also profess to be the head of the church? Was it the same church described above? See Matthew 16:18; John 10:1–9, 11, 16; Matthew 23:32–39; John 15:1, 5, 7, 8; John 8: 34–36.

Note:

Christ also professed to be the leader of the true church. It consisted largely of outcasts, but anyone and all were invited to join: foreigner or Pharisee; fisherman or lawyer; man, woman, or child. Here are some of the claims of Christ regarding this: “on this rock [Christ] I will build my church” and “I am the door. … I am the Good Shepherd … other sheep I have … there will be one flock and one Shepherd … my sheep hear my voice.” Christ explained captivity and the church’s purpose of bearing fruit and bearing children in terms like these:

“I am the true vine … you are the branches … if you abide in Me, and my Words abide in you … you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples” and “you must be born again” and “whoever commits sin is a slave … a slave does not abide in the house forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

3 What did the prospects for this new church look like in Christ’s day? What was their experience?

Review and Discuss:

Christ’s own people reject Him (Luke 4:16–30).

The glory Christ brought to the temple was unrecognized.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while, I will once more shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. … ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.’ ” Haggai 2:6, 7, 9.

An apparent early victory by the Sea of Galilee is followed by a massive shaking among Christ’s followers! Nearly all forsake Him (John 6:60–68).

“Christ sifted His followers again and again, until at one time there remained only eleven and a few faithful women to lay the foundation of the Christian church. There are those who will stand back when burdens are to be borne; but when the church is all aglow, they catch the enthusiasm, sing and shout, and become rapturous; but watch them. When the fervor is gone, only a few faithful Calebs will come to the front and display unwavering principle. These are salt that retains the savor. It is when the work moves hard that the churches develop the true helpers. These will not be talking of self, vindicating self, but will lose their identity in Jesus Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 130.

Christ’s disciples are nearly completely confused about which church they belong to (Matthew 17:24–27; Matthew 16:6–12).

Christ, at the last left by all, treads the winepress of God’s wrath—alone (Isaiah 59:14–17)!

Peter, a key disciple, publically disavows connection with Christ and His church.

On the cross, seemingly a failed traitor of the church, Jesus cries out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46.

With unspeakable sorrow and bitterness, Christ’s disciples see an end to all they understood to be of Christ’s church (Luke 24:21).

4 Do the above descriptions of the Jewish church and Christ’s church complete the story?

Christ predicted the above situation, and the reversals that came, and so had the prophets before Him. Notice here again how Jesus is consistent with the Old Testament imagery of the purpose of God’s church when He tells His disciples, “A woman when she is in labor has sorrow, because her hour has come: but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy. … Therefore you now have sorrow: but … your heart will rejoice.” John 16:21, 22.

5 Although unrecognized by nearly all, what was the true situation of the Jewish church?

Review and Discuss:

Unrecognized, Christ comes a last time, seeking fruit from Israel (Mark 11:11–22).

Unrecognized, probation closes on the Jewish nation-church (Matthew 23:32–39).

Unrecognized, spiritual bondage is at last followed by physical bondage and destruction.

Unrecognized, a new church of spiritual Jews was born to replace the old.

6 And what was the position of the Church that Christ was raising?

Review and Discuss:

Christ declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). The work of Christ prior to and on the cross of Calvary had indeed prepared the new church for victory in the midst of defeat! At the very close of Christ’s agony, Ellen White writes:

“Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour’s cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, ‘It is finished’ [John 19:30].” The Desire of Ages, 764.

With Christ’s victory in Gethsemane, at trial, and on Calvary, the church was prepared to fulfill the purposes for which she was ordained:

Bearing the fruit of Spiritual rebirth, at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Bearing the fruit of offspring (converts) on the day of Pentecost.

Representing the name of God to the world (Christian).

The promised triumphs of the church by Old Testament prophets were indeed fulfilled. But no one, not even the disciples, recognized the omens of coming victory. In parallel, the promised decimation of the church by Old Testament prophets was also fulfilled, first spiritually and then physically. Very few of God’s originally called and professed people had any part of the triumph, while most experienced the fulfillment of prophecies of destruction! God’s new Christian church had triumphed, had been born, unrecognized as such by the Jewish nation, from a gathering of all nations. (Note: Even this triumph, though, could have been more complete, had Jewish nationalism among the disciples been seen for what it was earlier, and completely put away (Galatians 4:19–31; Ephesians 2:10–22; Acts 9, 10; Romans 9, 10, 11). Christ looked forward to this birth of a new church when:

In these strangers (the Greeks who came to the temple) He (Christ) saw the pledge of a great harvest, when the partition wall between Jew and Gentile should be broken down, and all nations, tongues, and peoples should hear the message of salvation. The anticipation of this, the consummation of His hopes, is expressed in the words, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” John 12:23. The gathering in of the Gentiles was to follow His approaching death.

The new church was indeed formed by a combination of Jew and Gentile. Praise the Lord for the power of the gospel to make the true Christian church from: Jew (Paul) and Gentile (the Ethiopian eunuch); former Pharisees (Simon): former harlots (Mary), Roman centurions (Cornelius), and former zealots (Simon).

Reader, an understanding of what is really happening in the above parallel mingling of triumph-tragedy for the professed Jewish church and tragedy-triumph of the Christian church is critical to an understanding of Old Testament prophecy. The Old Testament prophecies themselves are, on a large scale, a grand-parallel mingling of stunning triumph in the face of disaster and monumental defeat in the face of misplaced confidence. This history of the church in Christ’s time gives us the tools to understand how these seemingly contradictory prophecies can be fulfilled simultaneously.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – After the Captivity, A Church and a Wall to Rebuild

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July 18, 2010 – July 24, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

It might seem odd to introduce any Sabbath school lesson by asking what a monetary system, a hydro-electric dam, a jet engine, or fiber-optic network have in common. But they do in fact each carry a feature that is illustrative of a key requirement in God’s last day church. They are products of collective intelligence.

There are millions of very talented, intelligent and industrious people in our world, but no single person knows in full how to design and manage a major infrastructure project, build a jet plane or computer, or manage a monetary system. Nor can one person simply assign a specified amount of physical and mental energy to be expended by a group of people working separately and accomplish any of these projects. All of these projects require collective intelligence. It is collective intelligence and action of human agents that produces the large scale progress in the secular world.

But what of God’s church? If the world we live in were managed the same way that our gospel work has been, we would all be tool-poor, barterers, and hunter-gatherers the world over! The children of darkness are indeed wiser in their generation than the children of light on this point (Luke 16:8, 9). Are there functions that God has assigned to His church that require collective action? Are you taking collective action?

Our lesson today is about the rebuilding of the temple church and the city walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. We will see that collective action was one of the important requirements to the completion of these projects. This lesson covers the events covered by Prophets and Kings, chapters 45–58.

1 Once Babylon had fallen, and it was time to leave, who opened the way for the rebuilding? Isaiah 45:1–4; Daniel 10:13, 20, 21.

Note:

After a mighty spiritual struggle (recorded in Daniel 10), the civil government opened the way for the captive Jewish church to return to Jerusalem and rebuild. See Prophets and Kings, 572.

2 Was the call out successful, in terms of numbers? Ezra 2:64; 8:15.

Note:

“The king and his princes had done more than their part in opening the way for the return. They had provided abundant means, but where were the men? The sons of Levi failed at a time when the influence of a decision to accompany their brethren would have led others to follow their example. Their strange indifference is a sad revelation of the attitude of the Israelites in Babylon toward God’s purpose for His people.” Prophets and Kings, 614.

Apply It:

For the majority of Jews who, having integrated themselves so completely in Babylonian society, decided to remain; was the Babylonian captivity over after 70 years? While choosing to remain fully integrated with Babylonian (and then Persian) society, were they in a position to recognize their state?

3 What key decisions characterized successful rebuilding of the church?

Review and Discuss:

God’s people refuse union with foreigners (God’s enemies) in the building (Ezra 4:2, 3).

Working together “as one man”—working with collective intelligence (Ezra 3:1–8).

Listening to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1, 2).

Fasting, prayer, and spiritual preparation (Ezra 7, 8).

4 Several years later, what key decisions characterized successful rebuilding of Jerusalem’s city wall?

Review and Discuss:

Working together “as one man”—working with collective intelligence (Nehemiah 3; 8:1).

Fasting, prayer, and spiritual preparation (Nehemiah 1:4).

God’s people refuse to again be deterred by foreigners (God’s enemies) in the building (Nehemiah 2:20; chapter 4; chapter 7).

5 What are characteristic features of collective intelligence and action?

Apply It:

More than one person is necessary, but not sufficient.

More than one group of people is necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable and strong people are necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable, strong people working on the same project are necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable, strong groups of people working together; and under the Divine leadership and human leadership is necessary, and with the Holy Spirit, is sufficient.

Note that we cannot work collectively on building God’s church, while we work exclusively from the waste places of the earth. We cannot effectively work together while all of us move to the mountainous regions. In Nehemiah’s time, ALL parts of the wall needed workers. God needs people today working together on different parts of the wall and from many places. God needs families, not satisfied simply to realize the dangers of raising a family in the city, but to devise plans for reaching other families in the cities. God needs builders on the wall to work in cities, in towns, and in the remote areas. He needs workers in the mountains, in the plains, and the coastal areas. See Testimonies, vol. 8, 119; vol. 7, 34–36; Evangelism, 384–428.

6 What decisions characterized near failure during rebuilding of the church?

Review and Discuss:

A failure to act quickly! See Prophets and Kings, 572.

Union with foreigners in marriage (Ezra 9; 10).

Complacency, personal property before God’s church (Haggai 1).

Failures of priests (pastors) (Ezra 3:12).

7 What decisions characterized near failure during, and after, rebuilding of the wall?

Review and Discuss:

Taking financial advantage of the poor (Nehemiah 5).

Union with foreigners in marriage (Nehemiah 13).

Putting personal property before God’s church (Nehemiah 13:4–9).

Failures of priests (pastors) (Nehemiah 13).

Failure to collect tithes and offerings for the ministers (Nehemiah 13).

Relaxing Sabbath standards (Nehemiah 13).

8 Was the spiritual construction of God’s temple and the city wall, the purpose of His church, ever completed by the Jewish nation?

NO—The nation did not give birth to the character of Christ, or to the offspring of converts! Christ Himself became the ultimate fulfillment of Birth to the church—He was literally given to them—and to us! (Revelation 12:5.)

9 What applications to church and wall rebuilding do we have today? Has the work of rebuilding the church been completed? Has the church completed rebuilding the wall?

Review and Discuss:

Church: Ephesians 2:19–22

Wall: Isaiah 58:12, 13

Apply It:

Review Haggai, chapter 1.

“The expression, ‘This people say,’ is significant. … Pleas for delay are a dishonor to God. … in a communication through his prophet, he [the Lord] referred to them not as ‘my people,’ but as ‘this people.’ ” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1907. Ellen White says that, “This history will be repeated.” [Emphasis supplied.]

How, in practice, might this same experience be repeated?

This is the message of the prophet Haggai: God’s people could have no success while the church was not complete, and they were not trying to do anything about it! God said that because of their slackness, they would continue to fail to receive rain and fail to produce fruit.

In Haggai’s time, God’s people had been called to return to re-build the temple. It was also their privilege to build their own homes, and cultivate their fields. But they had made their personal building and planting a greater priority than building the temple, and were severely rebuked for this. Their crops were cursed. We even find that God temporarily disowned them for this neglect. Today, I fear that many have placed the importance of preparing their property and gardens for the time of trouble ahead of plans to finish building the temple. This is not to say that this preparation is unimportant, but simply to say that we must understand the relative importance of these activities.

10 Is there a need for collective intelligence in God’s church today?

Apply It:

God has appointed both individual and collective will to humans, and both are important. As a starting point, you may compare and contrast collective and individual will to action within Joshua 24:15. You may see examples of the importance of individual action in Daniel 6; I Kings 22:9–14, and Isaiah 40:3. You may see examples of the importance of collective action in John 20:23; Acts 6:1–7, and I Corinthians 12:9–18. As Historic SDAs, we have long exercised our muscle of individual will and action, while our muscle of collective will, intelligence, and action has nigh atrophied. In Heaven, the collective will to action is critical to success in the Great Controversy! What about our collective action?

God, in His infinite wisdom, has given to His church collective tasks in evangelism and education that simply cannot be met exclusively by exercising our talents individually! There are parts of our individual characters that simply cannot be properly developed unless we are at least attempting to work collectively. Unfortunately, many of us have been assuming otherwise.

Let’s be straightforward: the need for true gospel workers, health workers and teachers is not being adequately supplied by any portion of the corporate entity of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. But among historic SDAs, the situation of supplying trained workers is even worse, and no one among us is in a position to exercise collective action with the General Conference, which has shown an eagerness to attempt to control through the court system.

However large this problem may seem, we must at minimum not ignore it, or pretend that because it takes the action of many, we are in no position to make an attempt to rectify it. You can see this is about much more than pooling our money. You will find out, as you continue in this lesson series, that God will use the heathen to fill this vacuum if nothing else is done.

Could it be time to consider more than theoretical future solutions; could it be time to consider pragmatic ones? This author believes that it is past time to ask some very difficult questions; questions such as: If someone felt called to the gospel ministry (the gospel ministry as laid out in Testimonies to Ministers, for example), what real employment options do they have? Would you want to be in their shoes? Are you in their shoes? (Remember, God will call 11th hour workers from secular employment to gospel employment.) What would it take to train and hire workers? Would the Historic SDA church nearest me need to be better organized? Could I help? Would it take more than one local church to get the job done? Would I be prepared to recognize and act collectively with 11th hour workers from other churches? Would it take things like an identity, plans, goals, boards, and bank accounts? Am I an amicable enough person so that others could get along with me well enough to prosecute a plan of action?

I know the preceding paragraph may read like heresy to some. But we’re halfway there, and that halfway position will not long be stable. There exist Historic SDA churches. There are groups of Historic SDA churches working together in various places in the world. There are Historic SDA teachers, and medical professionals. And all of these exist because people believe that the gospel message drives and defines the identity of the remnant, and not the other way around (Revelation 14:12)! Today we are either half wrong, and need to close shop on these activities, or we’re half right, and need to “Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees.” Isaiah 35:3.

You may be tempted to say that the thought of working on a large scale is preposterous given our current situation and the shortness of time. You may ask, “Should we really expect to launch some large, potentially bureaucratic edifice for training and employing workers when God has said that He will complete His work through surprisingly simple means?” These are fair questions. Consider these questions: 1st, Are the dangers of bureaucracy paramount when there exists no organization? 2nd, Even though God has said He will finish His work in simple ways that will astound us, do you think that He will sanction our part in that work if we simply excuse ourselves from attempting to act collectively, because it’s messy, hard to do, and takes time?

11 Is there risk when you choose to engage in collective action?

Apply It:

The good news for us is that Christ has already guaranteed the outcome of the war; there is zero risk that He will lose the great controversy. But there is very real risk in each battle of the great controversy, risk that souls will be lost. When you undertake a project by yourself, you are individually to a large degree in control of the risk of failure. When you engage in collective intelligence and action, you as an individual are in a much smaller way in control of the risk of failure.

Collective action requires the individuals to give of themselves at the risk of each other’s good will. There is no way to make money through investment, without putting money at risk of loss—at least temporary loss. And when we invest our talents for Christ, we may indeed realize temporary loss and may not in this life realize the gain of our investment. But our risk in these endeavors pales to the very real risk that God made to save you and me, the risk of the loss of His own Son!

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – The Babylonian Captivity: An Outline of the Scope and Characteristics

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July 11, 2010 – July 17, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

At first consideration many Bible students of experience may well imagine a lesson on what constituted the Babylonian captivity to be a fairly straightforward exercise. But instead it turns out to be a rather complicated story involving a wide variety of differing experiences and perceptions. This lesson provides an outline summary of this involved story.

1 How does the Bible summarize the variety and the scope of the captivity? Jeremiah 15:1–10.

Apply It:

God, through the prophet Jeremiah, here reiterates the reasons for the captivity, and reveals the vast extent and sorrow of the captivity in all its forms. Everyone in God’s professed church was to experience the impact of the decimating Babylonian captivity in some way! Death, sword, starvation, and captivity!

2 Were God’s people warned of the coming captivity? II Chronicles 36:14–21.

3 What events constituted the Babylonian captivity for church members, prophets and pastors?

Review and Discuss:

100% of God’s people were directly affected (II Chronicles 36:17; II Kings 25:11).

God’s professed people were scattered (Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1, 2).

The shepherds (priests) were lost (Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1, 2; Lamentations 2:10).

The most sacred symbol, the Ark of the Testament, was removed (II Chronicles 36:18).

Many of God’s professed people put to the test in Babylon (II Chronicles 36:20).

The faithful persecuted by the state, united with and goaded by false religion (Daniel 3).

Various combinations of physical and spiritual bondage in different locales.

The Word of God (prophets) again became rare (Lamentations 2:20).

4 What events constituted the Babylonian captivity for the church infrastructure: schools, church, and church headquarters?

Review and Discuss:

The capital city of the church (Jerusalem) was destroyed (II Chronicles 36:19).

The schools that provided religious education were destroyed.

The real property of the church (temple) was destroyed (II Chronicles 36:19).

5 What was the scope of the Babylonian captivity experience for those taken to Babylon?

Review and Discuss:

A staged captivity; Babylon made three trips to Jerusalem.

Captives physically in Babylon, but spiritually free (examples: Ezekiel and Daniel).

Captives physically and spiritually in Babylon (example: Zedekiah; see II Kings 24:17–25:10).

A generation born in captivity becomes so integrated with Babylon that they do not recognize God’s plan in the repeated calls to leave Babylon and rebuild God’s church (examples: Mordecai’s ancestors and many of the priests; see Esther and Ezra 8:15).

A few born in captivity see God’s plan in the call to return (example: Zerubbabel; see Ezra 2:2).

6 What was the scope of the Babylonian captivity experience for the remnant who remained in Judea?

Review and Discuss:

A remnant in Judea, under the yoke of Babylon physically and spiritually (example: Ishmael; see Jeremiah 41:1–10).

A remnant in Judea, under Babylon physically only (example: the prophet Jeremiah; see Jeremiah 39:11, 12).

A remnant, unwilling to admit the yoke, trusting in temple and false messages (Jeremiah 42).

A remnant, unwilling to admit the yoke, seeking freedom in Egypt (Jeremiah 43, 44).

7 When did the Babylonian captivity start?

Apply It:

Note that the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem was not a single point in time. It came in stages over several years. So when did it start? Did God’s professed people recognize the doom of captivity when it commenced? Here’s an outline of the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem:

1st—605 B.C., King Jehoiakim (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah taken prisoners).

2nd—597 B.C., King Jehoichin (the temple looted; Ezekiel taken prisoner).

3rd—586 B.C., King Zedekiah (city destroyed).

The captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, greatest of the neo-Babylonian kings, came in three stages over a 19-year period. The 70-year captivity started in 605 B.C. God never intended the captivity to be as severe as it became! Even though the captivity itself could not at this time be averted (it had been assured since the reigns of Hezekiah and Manasseh), Kings Jehoichin and Zedekiah had opportunity to avert the destruction of the temple and the city by obedience to the word of God through Jeremiah. But Zedechiah’s fear of the leadership in God’s professed church prompted his continued rebellion (see for example, Jeremiah 38:14–26).

8 Did Israel understand and acknowledge the state of their captivity?

This is an astounding question to consider! Why would it not be obvious? Who has ever been subject to captivity, not recognized it—and even argued with those who declared it to be so?

But amazingly the answer is an emphatic NO!

There was a very large argument (even extending internationally) about whether or not Judah (and the surrounding nations) were even in the captivity pronounced by Jeremiah! Imagine, being in captivity or on the cusp of it, and denying it! You may read this extended story in Jeremiah 24–29. There was a near complete denial and rebellion by God’s people against the facts, nature, and extent of the captivity. Due to this, it became much more extreme in nature than it need have been.

Subsequent to the latter stages of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judah, the remnant left in Judea sought freedom from Babylon by fleeing back to Egypt. But Egypt, along with the other surrounding nations, had also—by God’s direction—been placed under the yoke of Babylon. It is as if one prisoner were to seek a break-out to freedom by entering another’s prison cell! The rebellion against, and denial of the captivity was indeed widespread—even to the point of kidnapping Jeremiah. In this we see that all of God’s professed people were partakers of the effects of captivity. See Jeremiah 40–44.

Apply It:

If modern Israel were to ignore prophecy and history; if they continued with the same sins by which ancient Israel secured their own destruction, would it be possible for them to pass as unrecognized the omens and commencement of their captivity?

9 How did Jeremiah summarize the dreadful situation of God’s professed people at this time? Lamentations, chapters 1 and 2.

“How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! … Her children have gone into captivity … [Zion] has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you commanded not to enter … the Lord … has abandoned His sanctuary … the Law is no more … Your prophets have seen for you false … visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captives … Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.” See Lamentations 1. [Emphasis supplied.]

Apply It:

Note the loss of the church’s purpose of marriage and child rearing as revealed in these words of Jeremiah.

10 By way of comparison, note that in prophetic reference, Babylon itself, which claims to be married to Christ, will experience widowhood and the loss of children in one day! Isaiah 47:5–9; Revelation 18:7, 8.

11 Was there anyone to recognize the sorrow and join with Jeremiah in weeping? What will God’s true people be doing when they recognize a disastrous crisis is upon them? Lamentations 1:12; 2:11, 18, 19; Ezekiel 9:4–10.

Apply It:

If God’s modern day people were to fall into a state of disgrace, because of their sins, what should be the responsibility of those seeking to remain faithful? In the Ezekiel reference, what is the outcome for those who are not distraught over the rebellion among God’s professed people?

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

 

Bible Study Guides – Why Did the Babylonian Captivity Happen to God’s Professed People?

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July 4, 2010 – July 10, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

“… because of their failure to fulfill his purpose, he permitted them to be humbled by an idolatrous nation.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 14, 1903.

In general it may be said that the Babylonian captivity of Judah came about because they did not as a nation-church fulfill the purposes of God as outlined in the first lesson. That means that they did not fulfill God’s purpose for them by bearing the fruit of transformed characters and becoming a refuge for converts. The short quote above illustrates this fact. With this one short phrase, the whole of the title question to this lesson may be answered—from start to finish! But the extensive history of the causes and nature of the captivity in both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy invite any serious student to a much more thorough examination.

Rather than simply leave us a general summary, God outlines in history very specific reasons why the captivity happened. He tells us in detail why God’s ancient church was not able to fulfill His purpose of fruit bearing. Several key specific reasons are outlined in the questions below. As we study these, we should keep this question at the forefront of our minds: If this history were to be repeated by God’s professed people today, would the results of captivity again be realized also?

Note:

The focus of this study is largely devoted to the reasons for the captivity of Judah. The near parallel reasons for the captivity and destruction of the northern tribes of Israel are starkly summarized in II Kings 17:13–23.

1 What were the foundational actions that led to the captivity? Ezra 9:14; Judges 2:2, 3.

Review and Discuss:

“In his study of the causes that led to the Babylonish captivity, Ezra had learned that the terrible apostasy of Israel was largely traceable to their mingling with the surrounding nations. Had they obeyed God’s command to keep separate from the heathen, they would have been spared many sad and humiliating experiences.” The Review and Herald, February 20, 1908. [Emphasis supplied.]

“Should we … join … with the people of these abominations? Would you not be angry until … there was no remnant or escaping?”

“And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land … their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

Apply It:

Ezra sought through prayer and study to understand the reason why God’s work on earth had been so humbled through captivity and desolation. Should not modern Israel, if faced with humiliating circumstances, seek to understand the cause? As a counterpoint, note the striking words of Isaiah 22:9–14! Do you have something to be concerned about in God’s cause today?

2 What Lack was a precursor to captivity? Isaiah 5:13; Jeremiah 8:7; Hosea 4:6.

Review and Discuss:

“… my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.”

“My people know not the judgment of the Lord.”

“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”

3 This vacuum of knowledge was the result of what actions that further sealed the certainty of the captivity? II Chronicles 13:15, 16; Jeremiah 26:5, 6; Zechariah 7:12–14; Jeremiah 7:12–14; II Kings 17:13.

Review and Discuss:

“… the Lord … sent warnings to them by His messengers … because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers … despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.”

“… refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord … sent through the former prophets … great wrath came … I scattered them … among all nations.”

“… heed … the prophets … (but you have not) … then I will make this house … a curse.”

Apply It:

The actions of God’s professed people in rejecting the true prophets were both active and passive in nature. But the results of each on the nation were the same. It is easy to see the active rejection in words like scoffed and mocked—and in the stories of the persecutions of Jeremiah, Micaiah, and others. But there is a clear emphasis in these verses on the passive rejection of the prophets. God’s professed people despised His words through refusing to hear the law and the words.

It is very important to understand this in application; to understand what the rejection of these prophets means, and what it does not mean. Note that it does NOT mean that God’s professed people physically destroyed the words of the prophets (although at times they tried). It does NOT mean that they ceased completely to publish the words of these prophets, or were (at least in the long-run) careless to retain the accuracy of the words of the prophets. Indeed, the Dead Sea scrolls are a strong testimony to the fact that there were, centuries later, Jews who were still very rigorous to preserve the text of the prophets with rigorous accuracy. The words of the prophets were passively rejected when they were ignored!

Have God’s professed people ignored and acted counter to any express commands given by God through a prophet? If so, state at least one explicit example.

4 What role did the leadership in the Jewish church play in the captivity? Jeremiah 23:1; 6:13–15; 8:8–11; Isaiah 56:9–12; Ezekiel 34:8; Jeremiah 10:21; 50:6.

Review and Discuss:

“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!”

“… the pen of the scribes is vain. The wise men are ashamed … they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? … For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”

“… beasts of the field, come to devour. … His watchmen are blind … they are shepherds who cannot understand: they all look to their own way. … They get drunk.”

“My people have been lost. … Their shepherds have led them astray.”

“… My flock became prey … because … shepherds … did not feed my flock.”

“The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the Lord; so … all their flock is scattered.”

Apply It:

Note the repetition in the references from Jeremiah chapter 6 and Jeremiah chapter 8! When the prophet repeats himself, we should be doubly assured of the importance and accuracy of the information (for example, Genesis 41:32). Can you identify modern shepherds who lead their flocks astray? Can you identify any modern scribes who pen messages of peace, while God’s professed remnant church dives more deeply into apostasy? By what standards do you make these judgments?

5 Generally, what actions by the nation as a whole led to the captivity? Lamentations 1:5.

Review and Discuss:

“… the Lord has afflicted her [Zion] because of the multitude of her transgressions: her children have gone into captivity.” Lamentations 1:5.

“If you do not obey the voice of the Lord … the Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.” Deuteronomy 28:15, 25.

6 Were there specific sins that God identified as resulting in captivity and destruction for His professed people? Jeremiah 11:10–17; II Kings 22:17.

Review and Discuss:

“… they have gone after other gods … therefore … I will surely bring calamity. … For the Lord … has pronounced doom against you, for the evil … in offering incense to Baal.”

“Because they have … provoked me to anger by all the idols … my anger will burn against this place.”

7 Are there any other specific sins which resulted in the captivity of God’s people? Ezekiel 22:8–15; Jeremiah 17:27.

Review and Discuss:

“You have … profaned my Sabbaths. … I will scatter you among the nations.”

“If you will not … hallow the Sabbath. … fire … shall devour … Jerusalem.”

8 If today there existed anywhere in the world a church, any church—formally organized or not—who professed to be a part of God’s church and yet largely:

Mingled with the world

Were deficient in the knowledge of God’s Word

Ignored the gift of prophecy

Were guilty of idolatry

Lightly regarded the Sabbath

Had pastors, leaders, and authors leading as blind guides

Would it be reasonable to expect that this church today, in spite of this well-known past history, would escape the experience of captivity? Or would the captivity experience be even more certain because of this history?

Apply It:

“That which made them [the Israelites] denominational, was the observance of God’s commandments.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 39.

“Should we again break thy commandments, and join … with the people of these abominations? Would you not be angry until … there was no remnant or escaping?” Ezra 9:14.

“But let God’s people remember that only as they believe and work out the principles of the gospel can He make them [fulfill His purpose]. … If those who profess to believe in Christ as their Saviour reach only the low standard of worldly measurement, the church fails to bear the rich harvest that God expects. ‘Found wanting’ [Daniel 5:27] is written upon her record.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 14.

This last question is not fully answered with this lesson. The conclusions should be more fully developed in the proceeding lessons.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – God’s Purpose for His Church

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June 27, 2010 – July 3, 2010

Babylonian Captivity, Escape and Rebuilding God’s Church

A Study for Modern Israel

Ancient Israel’s Capture and Release—A Rebuilding and a Church

God’s Purpose for His Church

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

In an attempt to arrest our attention to the critical purpose of His church, God, through inspiration, uses many kinds of descriptive language, illustrations, and symbols to capture the subject. Scriptures are replete with language that should continually inspire us to search for a deeper understanding of the subject.

Because of this profuse variety of description, there is no one single proper way to illustrate the church’s mission. Yet, there are common themes of illustration that are carried from prophet to prophet. This lesson encapsulates one important set of related themes by which the mission of God’s church may be summarized—and explored in rich veins of study.

Whether or not you, the student, are already familiar with the purpose of God’s church, this study is pivotal to the whole series, because the terminology used will be employed by the Bible writers to subsequently explain an outline of church history—stretching to the present and near future situation of God’s people. As we study, we will see that the tapestry woven by the prophets combines the experiences of both God’s professed and true followers.

Let’s begin our study of the purposes of God’s church through the descriptions of name, refuge, fruit, and children:

1 What purpose of God’s church is outlined in the following verses? Deuteronomy 28:10; 1 Kings 9:3; II Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 14:9; 15:16.

Review and Discuss:

“… all peoples … shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord.”

“I have heard the prayer … consecrated this temple … putting my name there forever.”

“My people who are called by my name.”

“… we are called by your name.”

Apply It:

The above verses are illustrations of God’s purpose to give identity to the church. Whose name was to be associated with the church?

2 What purpose of God’s church is outlined in the following verses? Isaiah 56:3–8; II Chronicles 6:32, 33; Isaiah 4:6; Esther 8:17; Ruth 1:16.

Review and Discuss:

“Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from His people.’ … to them I will give within My temple … a name better than sons … an everlasting name. … And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord. … I will bring to My holy mountain. … My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Lord who gathers the outcasts of Israel declares, I will gather still others to them.” Isaiah 56:3–8.

“… the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel … when he comes and prays toward this temple; then hear from heaven … so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name … and may know that this house I have built bears Your Name.” II Chronicles 6:32, 33.

“And there will be a tabernacle … for a place of refuge.” Isaiah 4:6.

“… many of the people of the land [Persians] became Jews.” Esther 8:17.

“… your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16.

Apply It:

These verses are illustrations of God’s purpose to hold His church as a place for refuge for all who, in the midst of a revolted world, might seek asylum in God’s kingdom. Notice also that God’s Name is interwoven with the church’s mission as a refuge!

3 The 3rd related purpose for God’s church is both broad and deep. In describing it, Bible writers frequently resort to two sets of metaphors. The language of the metaphors should be examined very closely, because the Bible develops much information from them. The purpose of God’s church, stated without metaphor is:

To glorify God by producing spiritual returns on God’s investment.

This investment return relationship is described most prominently by two metaphorical descriptions. Identify them in the verses below:

a) Metaphor #1: Trees (or vines) 4 Psalm 1:1–3; Isaiah 5:1–7; Isaiah 27:6; 61:3; Jeremiah 17:7, 8; Mark 11:12–14; Romans 11:16–18.

God invests in _____ (or _____) expecting a yield of _____________

b) Metaphor #2: Marriage Isaiah 54:5, 6; Isaiah 66:7, 8; Jeremiah 3:14; Ezekiel 16:7–14.

God invests in _______expecting a yield of ________

Apply It:

(1) This last metaphor was made most striking by God’s direction to the prophet Hosea to actually live out the metaphor of God’s investment in marriage to the church by his (Hosea’s) marriage to Gomer. See Hosea, chapters 1:2, 3 and 3:1–5.

(2) Compare the living parable recorded there with what was written a few years later in Jeremiah 3:1–4, 7, 8, 14, and 20. Ellen White declares that Jeremiah 3 has a special application for those who claim to be modern Israel:

“Please read the third chapter [of Jeremiah]. This chapter is a lesson for modern Israel.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1154. [Emphasis supplied.]

(3) As an aid to further study and cross-referencing, note that children are also more generally referred to as descendants, fruit, or seed in other portions of Scriptures. See for example: Genesis 3:15; 17:7, 8; Romans 1:3; Hebrews 11:11; Revelation 12:17.

4 What do the trees or woman in the marriage relationship represent in these parallel metaphors?

a) Trees: Isaiah 61:3; Psalm 1:1–3; Jeremiah 17:7, 8.

Apply It:

(1) To see specific examples of trees as a representation of the nation-church in Christ’s day, study Matthew 3:10 and Mark 11:12–14—and associated Spirit of Prophecy comments in The Fruitless Fig Tree (Sermons and Talks, vol. 2, chapter 45).

(2) By viewing in detail the nature of the illustration of vines (or trees) in the Bible, we can also see that the proper relationship of the branches in the orchard or vineyard to the stock is also used to represent the relationship of Christ to the individual disciple. See John 15:1–5 and Romans 11:16–18 as prime examples. These lessons focus rather on the macroscopic biblical description of the collection of fruit bearing branches, the trees and vineyard, as God’s people—His church.

  1. b) Woman: Ezekiel 16:3, 8; Jeremiah 6:2; Ephesians 5:25–32; Ezekiel 23:1–4.

5 What do the fruit or children represent in these parallel metaphors?

There is more to this question than may immediately come to mind. One might say, for example, that fruit is clearly a representation of character, referring to Paul’s fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, 23; and this would be correct. Another might say that the term children clearly represents converts to the faith, referencing for example the apostle John’s endearing address, “my little Children” (1 John 2:1); and this would also be correct.

But the symbols of bearing fruit and children (or giving birth) are even more interesting in that each of these symbols, considered alone, are the weaving together of these two products. The spiritual returns that the prophets illustrate as fruit or children can best be defined to be the intertwining products of character and converts.

Review and Discuss:

Fruit as Character: “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” Isaiah 3:10. See also Matthew 7:20 and 12:33.

Fruit as Converts: “I will make you … fruitful … make nations of you … I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants.” Genesis 17:6, 7. (Note who Abraham’s descendants are: John 8:39; Galatians 3:7.)

Rebirth as Character: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will … cause you to walk in My statutes.” Ezekiel 36:26, 27. See also related Ellen G. White comments on this verse; The Desire of Ages, 174.

“… unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

Children and Seed as Converts: “… when he [Jacob] sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name … and fear the God of Israel. These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And … will learn doctrine.” Isaiah 29:22–24.

“The Gentiles shall come. … They gather together. … Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters are carried on the arm.” Isaiah 60:3, 4.

“… in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 4:15.

“Converts from heathenism to the faith of Israel were often compared to children just born.” The Desire of Ages, 171.

Apply It:

What other Bible examples can you find that describe children and fruit as character and/or converts?

6 In describing the purpose of the church, how does the apostle Paul succinctly cross-link these images of invested marriage and returned fruit bearing, character and converts, together in the following illustrations:

“… you [woman] … be married to [Jesus] … that we should bear fruit to God.” Romans 7:4. [Emphasis supplied.]

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:19. [Emphasis supplied.]

Apply It:

Also notice the Spirit of Prophecy describe the intertwining nature of fruit bearing as character and converts:

“… [Christ’s] great purpose” is “growth and fruit bearing … conforming His servants … to the image of Christ … to cause them to bear fruit abundantly … to become true … missionaries.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 186.

7 Can the purpose of Jesus to form His character in His people and to have them bring converts to His kingdom effectively be separated? Luke 8:38–40. Compare Luke 22:32 and Acts 4:20.

Apply It:

The counterexample is also interesting to note. In a general sense, it may be said that an absence of Christ-likeness bankrupts the ability of the church to win converts. The Bible student will find that the church’s growth in character (or lack thereof) is directly correlated with the growth in true converts. See Acts 2–13 for an example of growth in character and converts, and The Great Controversy, chapter 3, as an example of a decline in both.

8 Today, what does the overall health of God’s orchard (or marriage) look like to you? How is this personal to you? How do you view your spiritual health, as a tree in God’s church? Are you bearing fruit through both character and witness? Are you married to Christ? Colossians 1:27–29.

Read the first chapter in The Act of the Apostles, or the introduction to Prophets and Kings: The Vineyard of the Lord, and note how the subject of the purpose for God’s church is addressed. Below are ellipsed quotes from the reading in The Acts of the Apostles, 9-15, highlighting the terminology we have just studied:

Apply It:

“The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. … ‘Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.’ Isaiah 56:7. ‘And I will raise up for them a plant of renown. … Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are My people. …’ Ezekiel 34:26, 29–31. … The church is God’s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. … From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth. … From age to age, through successive generations, the pure doctrines of heaven have been unfolding within its borders. … It is the theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to transform hearts. … Wonderful is the work which the Lord designs to accomplish through His church, that His name may be glorified. A picture of this work is given in Ezekiel’s vision of the river of healing: ‘These waters issue out … and by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose … it shall bring forth new fruit.’ Ezekiel 47:8–12. … From the beginning God has wrought through His people to bring blessing to the world. … God chose Israel to reveal His character to men. … Of Israel God declared: ‘I had planted thee a noble vine.’ Jeremiah 2:21.” [Emphasis supplied.]

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – The Extent and Implications of a Modern Captivity

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August 22, 2010 – August 28, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours. … their prophesying is in force for us. … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

In our last lesson we viewed a prophetic landscape of potential devastation for modern Israel. In this lesson we continue to examine in more detail whether or not these prophecies fit modern Israel, how they fit, and the extent to which they fit.

1 If this has really been happening in the Seventh-day Adventist church; if the same sins that led to earlier captivities have been practiced with persistence, should we expect a different result? Should we expect that the SDA organization is about to be cleaned up, or expect to find it in a captivity that leads to its destruction?

Recall that in Christ’s day, the church could not be refurbished! The true Gospel, like new wine, had to be put into new wine bottles; the true gospel in new believers—a new church.

Apply It:

“Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ … For if you thoroughly amend your ways … then I will cause you to dwell in this place … you trust in lying words … Will you … walk after other gods … and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? … But go now to … Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people.” Jeremiah 7:4, 5, 7––10, 12.

“O town full of commotion … All your leaders have fled together; They have been captured. … Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling … City of David had many breaches in its defenses; … You counted the buildings in Jerusalem And tore down houses To strengthen the wall. … But you did not look to the One who made it, … The Lord, the Lord Almighty, Called you on that day to weep and to wail, To tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry. … The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,’ says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 22:2—-–4, 9–12, 14. [Emphasis supplied.]

“… a sword is sharpened … polished … to make a dreadful slaughter. … Should we then make mirth?” Ezekiel 21:9, 10.

“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities.” The Upward Look, 131.

“Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant ‘All is well’ … But who prepare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths: Therefore you shall have night without vision. … The sun shall go down on prophetic revelation … Now hear this, You rulers of the house of Israel [whose work is driven by money]. … They lean on the Lord, and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.’ Therefore Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins.” Micah 3:5, 6, 9, 11, 12.

Note:

Contemplate the duplicate warning found in Jeremiah 6:13–15 and 8:10–13.

“… prophets and priests alike, All practice deceit. They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace!’ they say. When there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No! They have no shame at all; They do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; They will be brought down when they are punished, says the Lord. ‘I will take away their harvest,’ declares the Lord. ‘There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, And their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them.’ ”

2 If God’s people are in what seems like a captivity, has it been acknowledged, recognized, prayed about, and acted on?

3 If the Seventh-day Adventist church continued to follow the history of ancient Israel, what might be the next sign of their demise?

For ancient Israel, their last warnings came from Jesus (Matthew 23), the Apostles (Acts 2) and Stephen (Acts 7). Their final demise was not apparent to many Jews until years later when it actually happened; when the Roman armies destroyed their city and church.

In the meantime and without any comprehension by ancient Israel, God’s true church, His new Israel had already carried the gospel to “every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). Since the destruction of Jerusalem is a picture in miniature of the destruction of the world—does it not seem plausible that the Three Angels’ Messages could be completed while many Seventh-day Adventists are oblivious to the happening?

4 What about the promises of the glory and redemption of Israel?

The prophetic warnings of complete destruction for God’s professed people are stark, and have been presented in the straightforward bleakness that Scripture presents them. The reader may ask, What of the promised glory of Israel; aren’t these texts to be balanced with promises of restoration? What about those promises of restoration that are hiding in some of the ellipses above?

Note:

The prophet Jeremiah phrased this same question:

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.” Jeremiah 4:10.

There are indeed precious promises of restoration for Israel. But; question: how does one balance a prophetic warning of utter destruction if certain conditions are met with anything? We will continue to examine this paradox as we move through this study on captivity. For now, the student is left with this reminder from our study on the captivity of Israel in Christ’s time:

An understanding of the parallel mingling of triumph/tragedy for the professed Jewish church and tragedy/triumph of the Christian church is critical to an understanding of Old Testament prophecy. The Old Testament prophecies themselves are, on a large scale, a grand parallel mingling of stunning triumph in the face of disaster and monumental defeat in the face of misplaced confidence. This history of the church in Christ’s time gives us the tools to understand how these seemingly contradictory prophecies can be fulfilled simultaneously. [Emphasis supplied.]

5 What about historic Seventh-day Adventists?

Well, what about them? Who are they exactly? Perhaps these have skillfully evaded the effects of captivity. Let’s review our position as historic Seventh-day Adventists:

Review and Discuss:

  • There is almost no collective intelligence and action (in Ezra’s day, they rose up as “one man” to build).
  • There are almost no shepherds (where are the Pastors?)
  • Could the flocks be any more scattered?
  • There are multiple winds of doctrine, with no unified defense.
  • They possess multiple, disputed names.
  • There is no temple (no organized church and few buildings).
  • Despite many SDA schools, there are essentially none for God’s true remnant.
  • The captivity-like dilemma has not been recognized for what it is.
  • As in Jeremiah’s day, false prophesies abound.
  • We do not see “eye-to-eye” (see Isaiah 52:8).
  • As in Haggai’s time, we have left off building, turning our attention primarily to our country homes and gardens.

Apply It:

Let’s examine a few of these points:

Collective Intelligence:

God has appointed both individual and collective will to humans, and both are important. As historic Seventh-day Adventists, we have long exercised our muscle of individual will and action, while our muscle of collective will, intelligence, and action has nigh atrophied. In Heaven, the collective will to action is critical to success in the Great Controversy! What about our collective action? If we are to build, as God would have us build, we must have collective action and collective intelligence.

Let’s illustrate the importance of collective intelligence and action for God’s remnant by comparing our needs to evangelize and educate (rebuild the temple and the wall) with large scale projects in the secular world. There are millions of very talented, intelligent and industrious people in our world, but not a single one of them knows in full how to create and manage a major infrastructure project, build a jet plane or computer, or manage a monetary system. Nor can one person simply assign a specified amount of physical and mental energy to be expended by a group of people working separately and accomplish any of these projects. All of these projects require collective intelligence and action. If the secular world we live in was managed like our gospel work has been, we would all be hungry, tool-poor barterers the world over! The children of darkness are indeed wiser in their generation than the children of light on this point (Luke 16:8, 9).

God, in His infinite wisdom, has given to His church collective tasks in evangelism and education that simply cannot be met exclusively by exercising our talents individually! There are parts of our individual characters that simply cannot be properly developed unless we are at least attempting to work collectively. Unfortunately, many of us have been assuming otherwise. It is a key responsibility of each person in the church with secular employment to be a part of the collective intelligence and will to action that is needed so that gospel workers can be trained and hired!

Winds of Doctrine:

Let’s just focus on one area where the winds of false doctrine have been blowing: false prophesies; which are often coupled with nearly unbridled accusations against our governments.

Conservative Adventism, in general, is indeed ripe with prophesying today. Some truly have rushed in, where angels fear to tread. For example, we’ve been subjected to prophesying of dates for financial collapse, new money, martial law, and terrorism. Many within Adventism have thrown around specific prophetic predictions tied to years (and sometimes to specific dates) such as: 1979, 1981, 1987, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2009. At times we name drop worldly leaders to bolster the accuracy of our claims.

But when these prophecies are left unfulfilled—when Atlanta still stands, where is the repentance, the humility, and the apologies! As each predicted event passes its time unfulfilled, new predictions take their place! The writings of the prophets do indeed tell us with certainty that disaster, of unimaginable proportion, looms. And we have already begun to see the omens of the complete fulfillment of this. But where are the dates? Ellen White tells us that after 1844 we have “no more message based on time.” When will we believe and act on what is said? (Note, for example, that Ellen White foresaw both the great San Francisco earthquake and the destruction of very tall buildings in New York City—but did not tie dates to either event!)

But even worse yet is the fact that some have even dared to tie together the most solemn, life and death issues of the Three Angels’ Messages with these predictions! How can we possibly convince the world of the unerring nature of God’s law, when we publish it side-by-side with political gossip, especially when these conjectures are subsequently found to be in error! And how can we hope to educate political leaders about the great controversy when our time is consumed in criticizing all that is done or attempted by them? We do not have capital to both endlessly criticize and educate; we will often have to choose! Please see Testimonies, vol. 6, 394–397 on this point.

This lesson series is not devoted to studying winds of false doctrine. Had it been, the above example could have been followed by an examination of false doctrines that challenge the divinity of Jesus, the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit and a host of others.

Identity:

Historic Seventh-day Adventists today have no unified identity.

Seeing Eye to Eye:

Note that Isaiah prophesied in chapter 52 that God’s people would see eye to eye when they were free from their captivity! Has that happened? Would this fact, alone, not indicate that we are in captivity?

Country Homes Come Before Church Building:

In Haggai’s time, God’s people had been called to return to re-build the temple. It was also their privilege to build their own homes, and cultivate their fields. But they had made their personal building and planting a greater priority than building the temple, and were severely rebuked for this. Their crops were cursed. We even find that God temporarily disowned them for this neglect. Today, I fear that many have placed the importance of preparing their property and gardens for the time of trouble ahead of plans to finish building the temple. This is not to say that this preparation is unimportant, but simply to say that we must understand the relative importance of these activities.

This is the message of the prophet Haggai: God’s people could have no success while the church was not complete, and they were not trying to do anything about it! God said that because of their slackness, they would continue to fail to receive rain and fail to produce fruit.

Summary:

While we certainly hope that it is accurate to state that, in general, historic Seventh-day Adventists have not been party to the basest sins, the fact remains that the effects of a seeming captivity are felt far and wide. All of God’s people seem to be profoundly affected. And if it is not a captivity that we are experiencing, it certainly carries many of the same features.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll, PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at: grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – A Modern Captivity

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August 15, 2010 – August 21, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours. … their prophesying is in force for us. … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

In our last lesson, we saw clearly that the failure of ancient Israel to promptly see the temple through to completion, would be repeated by Modern Israel. In this lesson we investigate the implications should this situation be protracted. We conclude by drawing from the history of the church in Christ’s day to see where our current situation could lead.

1 Could God’s professed people return to captivity, as happened with the Jewish church in Christ’s time? How could it end?

Apply It:

The Scriptures that could be brought to bear on such large questions are indeed extensive. Below are Scripture excerpts, largely from Isaiah and Jeremiah, which provide a sampling of potential answers to these questions.

“… O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err … The Lord will enter into judgment With the elders of His people. … ‘For you have eaten up the vineyard’ … and she [Zion] being desolate shall sit on the ground.” Isaiah 3:12, 14, 26.

“What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then … Did it bring forth wild grapes? I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall … I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned … I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. …Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge … Therefore as … the flame consumes the chaff, So … their blossom will ascend like dust.” Isaiah 5:4-–-7, 13, 24.

“… you have polluted the land With your harlotries … Therefore … there has been no latter rain. … Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 3:2, 3, 20.

“ ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours. Declare this in the house of Jacob … among My people are found wicked men; As a cage is full of birds … Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord. ‘ Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’ … The prophets prophesy falsely … And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 5:19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 31.

“My people do not know the judgment of the Lord … For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How we are plundered!’ “Jeremiah 8:17; 9:19.

“I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies. … Many pastors have destroyed My vineyard … They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. … No flesh shall have peace … be ashamed of your harvest.” Jeremiah 12:7, 10, 12, 13.

“Give glory to the Lord … Before He causes darkness. … If you will not hear it, My soul will weep … Because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.” Jeremiah 13:16, 17.

“I will bereave them [this people] of children; I will destroy My people, Since they do not return from their ways. … And the remnant of them I will deliver to the sword.” Jeremiah 15:7, 9.

“Woe to you who are at ease in Zion … who put far off the day of doom … the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. … Israel shall surely be led away captive. … The end has come upon My people. … They shall wander … seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it.” Amos 6:1, 3; 7:9, 11; 8:2, 12.

“And many among them [both houses of Israel] shall … be snared and captured. … They will be driven into darkness.” Isaiah 8:15, 22.

“O daughter of Zion … you will go to Babylon.” Micah 4:10.

“In all the vineyards there shall be wailing … I do not savor your sacred assemblies … Take away from Me the noise of your songs … therefore I will send you into captivity.” Amos 5.

2 Based on history, what could the start of captivity look like? Should we expect the captivity to be widely recognized?

3 Has a return to captivity already commenced? How would you determine whether or not God’s professed people are in captivity?

4 Has the Seventh-day Adventist church participated in the sins that called for the ancient captivity of God’s people? Should SDAs expect to repeat these sins with different, more positive results?

Apply It:

  • It is united with the world formally and informally.
  • Its people are without knowledge because …
  • The prophets have been despised.
  • It is led by false shepherds, crying peace and safety while the judgment closes.
  • They have united with the state to persecute other Christians through courts of law.
  • Sins such as idolatry and Sabbath breaking are common, and unrebuked.

The full investigation and explanation of the above claims is left to the student. But as a guide to some of these claims, here are some facts that may be investigated.

  • 1 At least one of the official outreach entities of the SDA church is united legally in business under the auspices of a Roman Catholic institution.
  • 2 As with other corrupt religious institutions, the SDA organization has for years used legal and/or physical force in many parts of the world to further its plans.
  • 3 The SDA church has, in various places and at various times, formally and informally united with and supported a cacophony of religious organizations.
  • 4 In practice, the Elijah prophet (Ellen G. White) has been rejected, and the resulting ignorance has seen confusion enter on every biblical point, from the Creation story to the Mark of the Beast.
  • 5 In general, many churches have for years left unchecked open sins within their borders.
  • 6 In general, a message of peace and safety has been preached to heal slightly the wounded consciences of God’s professed people.

5 Does the Seventh-day Adventist church bear the hallmark characteristics of the captivity of the Jewish church in Christ’s day?

  • Does the SDA church, as the Jewish church in Christ’s day, continue to function, maintain real property, pursue converts, and maintain a system of education—despite the deep divisions of a conservative and liberal class?
  • Are there many pastors, and yet—are the sheep as without a shepherd?
  • Are there many schools, and yet—are there none where the child Jesus could attend?
  • As in Christ’s day, is the work of those outside the official recognition of the organization automatically viewed with suspicion, or even opposed?
  • As in Christ’s day, are people taught to place their trust in the temple (church organization) and that to be put out of the synagogue (disfellowshipped from a church body under the auspices of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) is to be put out of the saving fold of Christ?

6 How does Ellen White compare the condition and outcome of modern Israel, Seventh-day Adventists, with ancient Israel, and the Jews in Christ’s time?

Apply It:

“In His word the Lord declared what He would do for Israel if they would obey His voice. But the leaders of the people yielded to the temptations of Satan, and God could not give them the blessings He designed them to have, because they did not obey His voice but listened to the voice and policy of Lucifer. This experience will be repeated in the last years of the history of the people of God, who have been established by His grace and power. Men whom He has greatly honored will in the closing scenes of this earth’s history pattern after ancient Israel.” Manuscript Releases, 13, 379. [Emphasis supplied.]

“Modern Israel are in greater danger of forgetting God and being led into idolatry than were His ancient people. Many idols are worshiped, even by professed Sabbathkeepers. … A blessing or a curse is now before the people of God. … The sins and iniquities of rebellious Israel are recorded and the picture presented before us as a warning that if we imitate their example of transgression and depart from God we shall fall as surely as did they.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 609. [Emphasis supplied.]

“The alliances made by the Israelites with their heathen neighbors resulted in the loss of their identity as God’s peculiar people. … No semblance of nearness to God, no assertion of connection with Him, will be accepted from those who persist in dishonoring Him by leaning upon the arm of worldly power.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1155, 1156. [Emphasis supplied.]

“My heart aches day after day and night after night for our churches. Many are progressing, but in the back track … They must face square about. I know what I say. Unless they shall become Christians indeed, they will go from weakness to weakness, divisions will increase, and many souls will be led to perdition … The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the expressed will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts. Modern Israel are fast following in their footsteps, and the displeasure of the Lord is as surely resting upon them.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 93, 94. [Emphasis supplied.]

“The same danger [reference to Jeremiah’s time] exists today among that people who profess to be the repository of God’s law. … They refuse to be reproved of evil, and blame God’s servants with being too zealous in putting sin out of the camp. A sin-hating God calls upon those who profess to keep his law to depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent and obey his word will bring as serious consequences upon God’s people today, as did the same sin upon ancient Israel. There is a limit beyond which he will no longer delay his judgments. The correction of God through his chosen instruments cannot be disregarded with impunity. The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.” The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880. [Emphasis supplied.]

“The Lord sorely chastised his people Israel, revealing their hypocrisy and rebuking their presumption, and thus left upon the pages of history the testimony for all future ages, that the iniquities of his professed people will not go unpunished. The greater the knowledge of God’s will, the greater the sin of those who disregard it. God is not dependent upon men to cause his name to be feared and honored in the earth. He accepts the labors of those who walk in faithfulness and humility before him, but he will reject all who profess to serve him, and yet follow in the course of the unrighteous. God can carry forward his work in the earth without the co-operation of those who would pervert or disgrace it.” Ibid., December 22, 1881. [Emphasis supplied.]

“There is a deplorable lack of spirituality among our people. … I have seen that self-glorification was becoming common among Seventh-day Adventists and that unless the pride of man should be abased and Christ exalted we should, as a people, be in no better condition to receive Christ at His second advent than were the Jewish people to receive Him at His first advent. … Their history should be a solemn warning to us.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 727, 728. [Emphasis supplied.]

“I have been shown that unbelief in the testimonies of warning, encouragement, and reproof is shutting away the light from God’s people. Unbelief is closing their eyes so that they are ignorant of their true condition.

“I saw that the reason why visions had not been more frequent of late is, they have not been appreciated by the church. The church have nearly lost their spirituality and faith, and the reproofs and warnings have had but little effect upon them. Many of those who have professed faith in them have not heeded them.” Ibid., 674.

“Please read the third chapter [of Jeremiah]. This chapter is a lesson for modern Israel. Let all who claim to be children of God understand that He will not serve with their sins any more than He would with the sins of ancient Israel.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1154. [Emphasis supplied.]

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll, PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at: grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – Seventh-day Adventists and the Work of Rebuilding the Church and the Wall

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August 8, 2010 – August 14, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours. … their prophesying is in force for us. … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

Let’s summarize what we have seen thus far in our study of the history of the captivity of God’s people.

In last month’s lessons we have seen:

1 The purpose of God’s church on earth to bear His identity, be a refuge, and gain coverts.

2 The purpose of God’s church as described by trees and vines that bear fruit, and a married woman who bears children.

3 That this fruit of the tree and of the womb are symbols of purified character and converts intertwined.

4 That failure in God’s church is described by barren trees, vineyards, wombs and failed marriage.

5 The reasons for the original Babylonian captivity: union with foreigners, rejection of prophets and the requisite ignorance that follows, Sabbath breaking and the leadership of unfaithful pastors.

6 That Israel refused to acknowledge their captivity (Jeremiah 26–28, 42)!

7 Because of this rebellion, this physical captivity became much more extensive and severe than God intended, and led to the complete physical destruction of the church, wall, and city.

8 That the secular government opened the way for the church to be rebuilt after 70 years of captivity, but that few of God’s professed people heeded the call to return and rebuild.

9 That the first priority of Israel was to rebuild the church, and then the wall, and that God’s people were disowned when they did not make church restoration the first priority.

10 Specific reasons these tasks were successful (such as collective action), and reasons that they clearly were not (such as marriage with foreigners).

11 That in the time of Christ, God’s people were in captivity again. We focused on the spiritual nature of the captivity of the Jewish church, but saw that this captivity was both physical and spiritual in nature (John 18:31; 8:34–44).

12 That even though churches, schools and pastors were many in Christ’s day—that it was as though they had been destroyed. They effectively didn’t exist (Mark 6:34; John 9:34–39).

13 That once again, Israel refused to acknowledge this captivity (John 8:33).

14 That once again, because of this refusal to acknowledge their captivity, God’s professed people were led to the complete physical destruction of church, wall, and city.

15 The blossoming of a new and pure church along-side, but separate from the legacy church in rebellion (Luke 5:37–39).

16 That both of these churches, new and old, claimed the name of Israel.

17 That parallel promises of glory and destruction were fulfilled together to two different groups bearing the name Israel (Romans 9:6–8; 24–33).

18 That the final destruction of Jerusalem, the old church of Israel, happened after the gospel had already been taken to the entire world by the new Israel in the 1st century!

In the previous lesson, we have seen:

1 That the largest part of the Christian church, in name, returned to a Babylonian captivity during the Dark Ages.

2 That this captivity had broad physical and spiritual effects.

3 That once again, the church did not in general recognize the broad extent of the captivity.

4 That the rebuilding of God’s decimated church began in earnest with the Protestant reformation.

5 That the rebuilding work was halted (Revelation 3:1–6).

6 That through the religious liberty proffered by the civil government of the United States of America, the way was paved for church rebuilding to continue.

7 That the Protestants ultimately rejected their assignment to rebuild God’s church (Revelation 14:8).

8 That Seventh-day Adventists received the assignment to finish rebuilding the church and restore the wall, a symbol of God’s Law (Isaiah 58:12–14).

From here we pick up the story:

Notes:

From this point forward, the student should lean heavily on three groups of themes that have been explored extensively in the previous lessons:

  1. The terminology for the purposes of God’s church examined so closely in lesson one and referenced above (trees, vines, fruit, marriage, children, and offspring).
  2. The identifying characteristics of captivity, and the task of God’s people to rebuild His church following its destruction; as we studied in lessons 3, 4, and 5.
  3. The extension of the application of intertwining parallel prophecies of triumph and disaster that applied to two groups of people identified as Israel at the same time. This was the focus of our study in lesson five.

The author has made generous use of ellipses in these lessons. These perform two functions: they draw related thoughts together, and conserve time and space. The author believes that appropriate use of ellipses have been made, even at times over large spans of text, but invites the reader to examine the appropriateness of the editing for himself.

1 Has the Seventh-day Adventist denomination completed the rebuilding of God’s church?

In order to start to answer this question, we would have to have some sort of understanding of what the rebuilt church should look like, else how could we recognize its completion? There are many Scriptures to which we could refer. Here is a small sampling of verses to guide your thoughts and discussion:

John 17:19–23; Ephesians 2:18–22; Isaiah 52:8; Ephesians 5:25–27; John 13:35; 1 Timothy 3:15.

2 Has the Seventh-day Adventist denomination completed the rebuilding of the wall (repairing the breach made in God’s law)?

The reader is asked to consider this question in the context of the rest of the lesson.

3 Has there been a work stoppage?

Let’s now start to take an extensive look at what the prophets have to say about our situation, starting with Haggai’s time, chapter 1, verse 2. This chapter deals with the work stoppage on the temple. Of it, Ellen White says:

“The expression, ‘This people say,’ is significant. … Prompt obedience is expected of those whom the Lord chooses and leads. Pleas for delay are a dishonor to God. … Thus the Israelites declared that they … were broken off in their work because of the hindrances. … This is why, in a communication through his prophet, he referred to them not as ‘my people,’ but as ‘this people.’

“The Israelites had no real excuse for leaving their work on the temple. The time when the most serious objections were raised, was the time for them to persevere in building. But they were actuated by a selfish dislike to encounter danger by arousing the opposition of their enemies. … They hesitated to move forward by faith in the opening providences of God, because they could not see the end from the beginning. When difficulties arose, they were easily turned from the work.

“This history will be repeated. There will be religious failures because men do not have faith. When they look at the things that are seen, impossibilities appear; but God can lead them step by step in the course he desires them to take. His work will advance only as his servants move forward by faith.” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1907. [Emphasis supplied.]

Apply It:

Ellen White, writing in 1907, said that the history of work stoppage on the rebuilding church would yet be repeated. What exactly would a work stoppage on the temple look like? How would we know? What sign should we wait for to indicate a cessation of work has commenced? Does that mean that the Seventh-day Adventist church would run out of money to complete construction projects? Does it mean that Maranatha volunteers would cease volunteering? Or that evangelism projects would cease? Does it mean that fire or financial collapse would cripple institutions? Does it mean that individual work would completely stop, or collective work, or both? Does it mean that the organization of divisions, unions, and conferences would fall apart?

Or would the situation be more likely to appear as it did in Christ’s day? An organized church of Israel functions, despite deep divisions of conservatives and liberals. An imposing edifice (temple) on the outside, decaying on the inside (Matthew 23:27). While a motley group of disciples, at first unable to grasp the full significance of the church that Christ had founded and was raising up, and unable at times to collectively realize the full potential of unified action, forms the genesis of a modern Israel that took the gospel to the world—while the forms of the ancient church of Israel carried on.

“O Israel … You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 13:4, 5.

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30. [Emphasis supplied.]

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll, PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at: grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – A Study for Modern Israel

by

August 1, 2010 – August 7, 2010

Babylonian Captivity, Escape and Rebuilding God’s Church

A Study for Modern Israel

Part Two:

The Second Babylonian Captivity, A Call Out, A Wall to Rebuild, the Church Reestablished

The Christian Church Returns to a Babylonian Captivity

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours. … their prophesying is in force for us. … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

 

 

Introduction

The triumphs of the early church were soon followed by a return to a union with the world, idolatry, and Sabbath breaking by a majority of the Christian church. Recall that these same choices were those that led the ancient church into captivity; and they had a similar result for the early Christian church after the first centuries A.D. The precursors of the ancient Babylonian captivity of God’s professed people were once again present as the church again fell as captive prey into the hands of a modern Babylon.

As with the ancient captivity, we will see that this captivity involved all who professed Christ. For the faithful, the period of the Dark Ages was certainly a physical captivity in the most extreme sense of the word. But through the grinding control of the Papacy, the captivity included not only physical captivity for the faithful, but a period of general gross spiritual darkness; a spiritual captivity. The spiritual captivity was experienced in various ways and degrees, but as with ancient Israel, no one escaped the effects.

God had a purpose (the extent of which is beyond our ability to explain) to demonstrate His character through the suffering He allowed to come upon His true church—those who kept the faith once delivered to the saints. But, in opposition to God’s church, Satan also had opportunity to demonstrate the plan for his own church in the rise of the little horn power. The actions of both churches were to be demonstrated before the universe of created intelligences.

Note: This overview omits, with purpose, the important scenes of Pagan persecution of the Christian church, to focus on the later persecution by the corrupt church that followed a gradual union with Paganism.

1 With the union of church and world (paganism) in the early centuries, what were some of the key attributes of Babylonian captivity that followed? How were these attributes comparable to the captivity of God’s professed people in Zedekiah’s time?

Review and Discuss:

  • Physical captivity (persecution) by the Roman church ensued
  • Spiritual captivity (darkness), perpetrated by the Roman church, ensued
  • God’s people were scattered
  • Pastors and schools were largely destroyed
  • The Word of God became rare
  • This led many professed followers of Christ to be destroyed by a lack of knowledge
  • As in ancient Babylon, the Church unites with the state to persecute the faithful

Thus various combinations of physical and spiritual captivity once again occurred among God’s professed people of Christendom.

2 What factors helped constitute the spiritual captivity of the church in the wilderness? How did the spiritual captivity of the Dark Ages differ from the physical captivity of God’s people during this time? I Samuel 3:1; Proverbs 29:18; Revelation 11:3.

The physical captivity of God’s faithful people (persecution) had an effect that, among other things, tended to the purification of the church: Daniel 11:33–35.

The spiritual captivity of God’s professed people had a much more disastrous effect; tending to the spiritual destruction of the professed church. I Samuel 3:1; II Thessalonians 2:9–12.

Note: As with the ancient Babylonian captivity, and the captivity in the time of Christ we see that the term captivity may refer to combinations of both physical and spiritual captivity, and that no part of Christ’s professed church remained unaffected. Even God’s true church in the wilderness captivity of the Dark Ages was affected by the spiritual captivity (darkness) of the church—the scarceness of the Word of God and of the prophetic gift! See Revelation 11:3; Proverbs 29:18.

Yet, in a broad sense, the captivity had the ultimate effect of purifying the church by separating the true followers of Christ from those who professed Him in name only.

Note: The language used to describe the captivity of the professed church of the Dark Ages again brings to mind Old Testament imagery. Notice the terms violated marriage and children in the message to Thyatira, Revelation 2:20–23.

3 The ancient church did not recognize the commencement of their physical captivity to Babylon. Neither did the Jewish church in Christ’s time recognize their state of captivity. Was the church in the Dark Ages delayed in recognizing its own captivity?

Review and Discuss:

Yes, in general, the church in the Dark Ages was slow to recognize the extent of their captivity. The Protestant Reformation evinced the beginnings of the church’s awakening to its true condition. Martin Luther was a key leader in the work that represented a call to rebuild the true temple (true church). Protestants began to leave captivity and to call people from Babylon.

“I now know of a certainty that the papacy is the kingdom of Babylon and the power of Nimrod the mighty hunter.” Martin Luther, writing in his treatise titled, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.

4 Once the church of the Dark Ages started to recognize their captivity in a fuller sense, what responsibility presented itself to the true church? How did the true church respond? Haggai 1:2, 3; Revelation 3:1–5.

Note: With the rise of the Protestant Reformation commenced a rise of nascent political and social freedoms. See for example Martin Luther’s treatise, “Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation.” But with these advances came the first in priority responsibility of God’s people to rebuild a broken down church! Refer to Haggai 1:2, 3.

What followed instead among the nations of Western Europe that accepted (at least in part) the Protestant Reformation was a focus on economic prosperity, a failure to push unitedly against the opposition of the counter-reformation, a refusal of the Protestants to keep pace with the light and resulting divisions among them. Refer to Revelation 3:1–5.

5 As there was anciently, was there a delay in the rebuilding of the Christian church during the Protestant Reformation?

Review and Discuss:

Yes. As in the time of Zerubbabel and Haggai, there was a delay to return from captivity and thus there was a work stoppage on the rebuilding of the temple (rebuilding of God’s church). See Haggai, chapter 1.

One hundred years after Martin Luther’s challenge at Wittenberg was issued, Pilgrim Pastor John Robinson reminds his hearers that, “I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who … will go at present no farther than the instruments of their reformation. … It is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once.” The Great Controversy, 292.

As in Zerubbabel’s day, God’s people did not fully recognize their need to escape from captivity and rebuild the church (reference Haggai, chapter 1 story). Thus commenced a delay in the rebuilding of God’s church.

6 Though church building was delayed, how did God help clear obstacles for the church building to continue?

Review and Discuss:

Once again, as in the days of Zerubbabel, God moved upon the Civil Government to clear the way for His people to come out of Babylon and prepare for the Judgment and His coming! The proclamation by Cyrus, opening the way for the Jews to return home found its parallel in the birth of religious liberty in America.

The church building continued during the Great Awakening and then the Loud Cry through the work of Baptists, Methodists, Jews, Catholics and others. Leaders like John Wesley and George Whitefield helped to reawaken the church; then later, William Miller and Joseph Wolf led out in the preaching of the first angel’s message.

7 Did the Protestants finish building God’s church?

Review and Discuss:

No. The advice of Revelation 3:1–5 went unheeded by most. The judgment hour message was ultimately rejected by most. As in the ancient Babylonian captivity, most remained in and became one with—assimilated to—Babylon. The Protestants had refused to leave Babylon, and thus could not finish rebuilding the church. See Revelation 14:8.

8 Let us review what has happened to the church since its early victories after Pentecost:

Review and Discuss:

  • The church is encroached by worldliness, idolatry, and a false Sabbath
  • Another Babylonian Captivity ensues, with the hallmarks of historical captivities, spiritual and physical
  • Escape and Church rebuilding begins at the start of the Protestant Reformation
  • Another delay takes place
  • Civil freedom again granted—church building continues, first angel’s message preached
  • First angel’s message rejected, work is halted, the second angel’s message becomes prescient
  • A small remnant of foreigners from many churches is called out and unites to commence work on the church and wall—God’s law proclaimed.

9 Whom did God raise up to finish rebuilding the church? Revelation 12:17.

A small remnant of foreigners, those evicted by the recently reformed churches came out, and stood on a platform of truth—God’s Law. These foreigners became God’s true church. They became a refuge, obtained a name and converts, and started rebuilding. This group, led by people like Rachel Oaks, Frederick Wheeler, Joseph Bates, and James and Ellen White, not only continued to rebuild God’s church, but raised the call to rebuild the wall. This rebuilding of the wall is represented by the up-building of God’s Law, especially the Sabbath. See Isaiah 58:12–14, Nehemiah 13:19 and Ellen G. White’s comments on Isaiah 5:5 in The Desire of Ages, 596.

10 What other structure remained for God’s people to rebuild? Isaiah 58:12–14.

The church needed to be rebuilt on the foundation of Jesus Christ, instead of the false foundation of tradition and popes. But the law, represented by the wall, remained to be repaired! To the Seventh-day Adventist church was given the responsibility of completing the rebuilding of the temple (church) and repairing the breach made in the wall (God’s law).

Note: See The Great Controversy, 452–454.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll, PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at: grosbolls@yahoo.com.