Bible

Psalm 22 and the Crimson Worm

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I Am a Worm

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?

Why are You so far from helping Me,

And from the words of My groaning?

O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;

And in the night season, and am not silent.

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in You;

They trusted, and You delivered them.

They cried to You, and were delivered;

They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

But I am a worm, and no man;

A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

All those who see Me ridicule Me;

They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’ ”

Psalm 22:1–8

The nature article in the July issue of LandMarks was a brief view of the life of the crimson worm and its spiritual symbolism. What follows expounds upon the incredible life and death of this remarkable worm and the spiritual symbolism attached to it.

It is traditionally held that Psalm 22 is a song that represents the thoughts of Jesus as He hung on the cross. Indeed, He quoted the opening line of the psalm as He paid the ultimate price for the sins of mankind—your sins and my sins.

In verse six, there is a word that bears a closer examination. It is the Hebrew word tôlā’ * [to-law] that occurs 43 times in the Old Testament. Thirty-four times it is translated as red or crimson and eight times as worm or worms.

Verse six is one of the eight places it is translated as worm. If you looked up this word in a Hebrew dictionary, you would find that it refers to a particular kind of worm—a crimson worm.

The common Hebrew word for worm is rimmah*. That is the word used in Exodus 16, where God instructed the wandering children of Israel about gathering manna. He told them to gather what they needed for the day and no more. If anyone gathered more than they needed for that day, what happened?

“And Moses said, ‘Let no one leave any of it till morning.’ Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank.” Exodus 16:19, 20

To me, and probably to most folks, the thought of any food infested with worms is not a pleasant thought. Worms, as we just read, grew in the manna that the people tried to save. Also, in describing the consequences of disobedience, God warned the children of Israel after they had settled in Canaan that if they disobeyed, worms would eat their produce:

“You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.” Deuteronomy 28:39

This is also the worm which was appointed by God to attack Jonah’s shade plant which then withered:

“And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So, Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.” Jonah 4:6, 7

One of Job’s counselors, Bildad, challenged Job’s righteousness, equating this worm [rimmah] to a maggot:

“How then can man be righteous before God?

Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?

If even the moon does not shine,

And the stars are not pure in His sight,

How much less man, who is a maggot,

And a son of man, who is a worm?” Job 25:4–6

 

Isaiah makes a similar comparison:

 

“Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

And the sound of your stringed instruments;

The maggot is spread under you,

And worms cover you.” Isaiah 14:11

 

Later in the book of Isaiah, he notes that this [rimmah] worm is the worm that eats the dead bodies of those who rebel against the Lord.

 

“And they shall go forth and look

Upon the corpses of the men

Who have transgressed against Me.

For their worm does not die,

And their fire is not quenched.

They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Isaiah 66:24

Rimmah, however, is not the word used for ‘worm’ in Psalm 22:6; instead it is tôlā’, referring to a different kind of worm—not the maggot that infests rotting food or decaying flesh, but a crimson worm, a red worm, a worm the color of blood.

This tôlā’ worm in Hebrew and crimson worm in English, is a red worm found primarily in the Middle East, which produces a brilliant red dye. This is the brilliant red color used in the yarn that the curtains of the tabernacle were woven from and that was used in the ephod of the high priest.

Because this brilliant red is derived from this worm is why tôlā’ is most often translated as “scarlet” in the Bible instead of “worm.” When God says “Use scarlet yarn,” He is not merely saying “Use worm yarn,” or “Use red yarn.” He’s saying to use tôlā’ yarn; use the yarn died with the crimson red you get from the tôlā’ worm.

What is so significant about this crimson worm and the color derived from it? Why is the specific crimson designated in the construction of the trappings of the tabernacle and the garment of the high priest? An examination of the life cycle of the crimson worm provides an answer.

When the time comes for the female tôlā’, crimson worm, to bear her young, she goes through a remarkable process to give birth, protect her young, and sustain them. Here’s how the process develops:

The female worm attaches herself to a tree so securely that she is physically unable to detach herself. While doing so, she makes a hard shell to protect the eggs that she is going to lay under her body. When the larvae hatch, they live protected under the mother’s body that is fastened so inextricably to the tree. As they develop and grow, they feed themselves on her body. After several days, of course, the mother dies. A scarlet liquid then leaks out of the protective shell the mother has made, runs down the tree, and stains the baby larvae a bright crimson, the color of blood. This color is permanent and the larvae remain that way for the rest of their lives, hence the name “scarlet worm.”

Once the mother is dead, her body begins to decay and over the course of three days, the scarlet red liquid that has leaked out of the protective shell turns into a white waxy substance.

Understanding this process helps us to understand why Psalm 22 uses the word tôlā’ rather than the more common word rimmah. It is hard not to see the symbolism here as we think about the sacrifice Jesus made to assure the possibility of our salvation.

Jesus, like the worm, was “attached” to a tree in order to die there for the sake of His offspring. This tree was the place where redemption would be purchased and where Jesus would become the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.

Peter, in his first epistle, understood this symbolism:

Jesus “… bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

Jesus’ heart-felt desire is to protect His offspring. Like the worm, Jesus creates a sort of spiritual “shell” of protection around those “born again” newborns and children who are His, and who are helpless without the protective covering that He, by faith, provides. Jesus is so constrained by His love for us, His offspring, that He hung on the tree for the sake of our salvation. This protection cost Him, in His humanity, everything. Like the mother crimson worm, He died so that His offspring might live.

The mother worm not only provides covering and protection from the assaults of the world, but she also provides sustenance through herself, as her offspring feed off of her very body. As she gives up her life, she becomes the source of life for her offspring. So, it is with Jesus. He stated, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51

A Sealed Covenant

A covenant is sealed with blood, blood being the sign of a confirmed covenant. Thus, to be stained with blood is to be sealed by covenant.

The covenant of salvation was sealed with blood by the first animal sacrifice when God made coverings of animal skin for Adam and Eve.

God sealed His covenant with Abram with blood in Genesis 15, His promise was to make of him a great nation, though at the time he was childless.

God confirmed this covenant with Moses:

“Then he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, ‘All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.’ And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’ ” Exodus 24:7, 8

The last supper was a symbol of the sealing of the New Covenant between God and His people—symbolically in the wine, and then fully completed by the blood of the cross. Those who enter into the covenant agreement and surrender to the will of Christ receive the purifying and sanctifying work of His blood, and are thus “stained” by it for the rest of their lives, just like the worm’s offspring.

It takes three days for the crimson remnant of the worm’s lifecycle to turn snowy white. Jesus spent three days in the tomb, and it is His crimson blood that washes away our sin and secures eternal redemption, making His people pure, sinless, and clothed in garments of white light. Isaiah writes, “ ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ ” The Hebrew word that is translated “crimson” in this text is the same Hebrew word that is translated “worm” in Psalm 22:6.

David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used the word tôlā’ for worm in Psalm 22, rather than the common Hebrew word rimmah for a reason, and that reason explains the very basis of our salvation.

It is only when our sins are washed away by the crimson blood of Christ that we can stand before our Maker clothed in the spotless, snow-white robe of Christ’s righteousness.

How awesome, indeed, is our God! Not only has He devised a plan for the redemption of our fallen race, He has symbolized that process in nature.

Who knows now what other wonders creation groans to reveal to us. Only eternity will tell.

* The Hebrew words תּולע (tôlâ‘) and רמּה (rimmâh) are written phonetically for ease of reading.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and a Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

The Pearl of Great Price

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“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he hath found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Truth is represented as a pearl of great price. It is to be enthroned in the heart; for it alone can convince of, and reclaim from sin. By comparing the kingdom of heaven to a pearl, Christ desired to lead every soul to appreciate that pearl, above all else. The possession of the pearl, which means the possession of a personal Saviour, is the symbol of true riches. It is a treasure above every earthly treasure.

Christ is ready to receive all who come to Him in sincerity. He is our only hope, our Alpha and Omega. He is our sun and shield, our wisdom, our sanctification, our righteousness. Only by His power can our hearts be kept in the love of God. He longs to give us His peace and rest. But He will not tolerate one particle of pretense or hypocrisy. There are those who say and do not, who profess to know the truth, but whose lives are a denial of it. The Lord knows these.

On one occasion Christ warned His disciples to beware how they cast their pearls before those who had no discernment to appreciate their value. They were to be careful how they applied their time and taxed their strength. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,” He said, “neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

There are those who will be rescued from the very depths of pollution. Isaiah speaks of this class: “Wash you, make you clean,” he says; “put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

The evils are to be cut away from the life. Sins are to be repented of. Though they are as scarlet, they may be made as white as snow. Just as great a transformation as possible is to take place in the character. But if, after test and trial, after being brought into connection with those who work faithfully in their behalf, men and women do not give evidence that they have been purified from wrong habits and practices, they show that they do not appreciate the pearl of great price. If they are dishonest in any transaction, temporal or spiritual, if they are not straightforward, they show that they regard the rich mercies of God as a common thing. They cannot see the value of the pearl of great price. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land,” God declares; “but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” …

Those represented in these words have mingled the sacred with the common. They profess to believe the truth, but they cannot carry dishonest practices in the narrow road and through the strait gate. By their actions they show that they have chosen the road in which the world travels. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.”

We shall meet those who have so perverted the conscience that they are unable to discern the precious truth of God’s word. Then let all be careful with whom they connect. When men show themselves unimpressionable, unable to appreciate the pearl of great price; when they deal dishonestly with God and with their fellow men; when they show that the fruit they bear is the fruit of the forbidden tree, beware lest, by connecting with them, you lose your connection with God. They give evidence that God is not working with them, and the knowledge gained by a connection with them is misleading. You cannot be a savor of life unto them; for they will not appreciate the word of God. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.”

“We shall see in the future, as we have seen in the past, all kinds of characters develop. We shall witness the apostasy of men in whom we have had confidence, in whom we trusted, who we supposed were as true as steel to principle. Something comes to test them, and they are overthrown. If such men fall, some say, Whom can we trust? This is a temptation Satan brings to destroy the faith of those who are striving to walk in the narrow road. Those who fall have evidently corrupted their way before the Lord. They are beacons of warning, teaching those who profess to believe the truth that the word of God alone can reclaim men from guilt, and keep them steadfast in the way of holiness.

The word of God is the pearl of great price. It is unchangeable, eternal. Truth as it is in Jesus sets men right, and keeps them so. The truth is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. But the truth is no truth to him who does not obey it. When men drift away from the principles of truth, they always betray sacred trust. Let every soul, whatever may be his sphere of action, make sure that the truth is implanted in the heart by the power of the Spirit of God. Unless this is made certain, those who preach the word will betray holy trusts. Physicians will make shipwreck of the faith. Lawyers, judges, senators, will become corrupted, and yielding to bribery, will allow themselves to be bought and sold. Those who do not walk in the light as Christ is in the light, are blind leaders of the blind. “Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.”

While God warns us to beware how we waste truths of the highest value upon those who do not appreciate them, He also presents to us such cases as that of Cornelius and the centurion, “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” An angel came to this man, saying, “Cornelius.” When he saw the angel, “he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”

There are many today who are in the same position as Cornelius. They are living up to the light they have received, and God speaks to them, as He spoke to Cornelius, and brings them by His appointed agencies to the place where they will receive the truth into good and honest hearts. God reveals Himself to those who are striving to form characters that He can approve. The prayers of those who fear Him, who recognize their obligations to Him, are heard and answered. The Lord takes special notice of those who walk in the light that He has given them, who testify by their deeds that they are trying to honor God. Through a Peter He will present the pearl of great price, and through a Cornelius and his family many souls will be brought to the light.

God declares, “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy.” “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” In every place, God has His witnesses, who testify to the power of His rich grace. In all their ways they acknowledge God, and He directs their path. They testify to the transforming power of the grace of God; for they stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel.

God desires us to realize the value He sets on His believing people. “They that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Christ has revealed the value of His word. He declares that we must eat and drink His flesh and blood, if we would be partakers of the divine nature. “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. … This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. … Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so, he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. … It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

No work of man can improve the great and precious truths of God’s word. They are not a mixture of truth and error. They are without a flaw.

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The righteousness of Christ, as a pure white pearl, has no defect, no stain, no guilt. This righteousness may be ours. Salvation, with its blood-bought, inestimable treasures, is the pearl of great price. It may be searched for and found. But all who really find it will sell all they have to buy it. They give evidence that they are one with Christ, as He is one with the Father. In the parable, the merchant man is represented as selling all that he had to gain possession of one pearl of great price. This is a beautiful representation of those who appreciate the truth so highly that they give up all they have to come into possession of it. They lay hold by faith of the salvation provided for them at the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God.

There are some who are seeking, always seeking, for the goodly pearl. But they do not make an entire surrender of their wrong habits. They do not die to self that Christ may live in them. Therefore, they do not find the precious pearl. They have not overcome unholy ambition and their love for worldly attractions. They do not lift the cross, and follow Christ in the path of self-denial and self-sacrifice. They never know what it is to have peace and harmony in the soul; for without entire surrender there is no rest, no joy. Almost Christians, yet not fully Christians, they seem near the kingdom of heaven, but they do not enter therein. Almost but not wholly saved means to be not almost but wholly lost.

A daily consecration to God brings peace and rest. The merchant sold all that he had to possess the pearl. When those who are seeking for salvation refuse to fail or be discouraged, they will find peace and rest in the Lord. Christ will clothe them with His righteousness. He will provide them with a clean heart and a renewed mind. These blessings cost the life of the Son of God, and are freely offered to those for whom the sacrifice was made. But how do many treat the proffered gift?—They turn away, choosing rather the pleasures of this life. Christ says of them, “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.”

Sinners are under a fearful deception. They despise and reject the Saviour. They do not realize the value of the pearl offered to them, and cast it away, rendering to their Redeemer only insult and mockery. Many a woman decks herself with rings and bracelets, thinking to gain admiration, but she refuses to accept the pearl of great price, which would secure for her sanctification, honor, and eternal riches. What an infatuation is upon the minds of many! They are more charmed with earthly baubles, which glitter and shine, than with the crown of immortal life, God’s reward for loyalty. “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.”

The Review and Herald, August 1 and 8, 1899

Don’t Be Afraid

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Children are great teachers, and we can learn many things from them. In this context, let’s look at the mother of a little four-year-old daughter, both of whom were afraid of the dark.

One night when the light was put out, the little girl caught a glimpse of the moon and asked, “Is the moon God’s light?”

“Yes, dear, it’s God’s light.”

The next question was, “Will God blow out His light and go to bed?”

The mother said, “No, little one, God never blows out His light. He never goes to bed. He never goes to sleep. His light is always shining.”

After a pause, the child said out of simplicity of her faith, “Well, as long as God is awake, I’m not afraid.” And this was reassuring to the mother, too.

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” Matthew 18:2, 3

Fear—of darkness, of failure, of sickness, of pain, of people, of death—robs us of sleep, of joy, and sometimes, finally, of life itself. We need to be childlike in our simple faith. We need to remember that God’s light never goes out. He never goes to sleep.

“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:2–4

Fear is just the opposite of faith. To be full of fear is to have no faith, and that’s the final condition of all the lost. When faith has forever departed and the Holy Spirit no longer dwells with them and in them, there is left nothing but a certain fearful expectation of judgment (Hebrews 10:27). Some may be surprised to know that God classes the fearful with the unbelieving.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

The fearfulness mentioned here is that which comes to the lost. They have no faith and are absolutely full of fear. This is God’s picture of the end of the road.

Jesus said some very interesting and important things about fear. The only fear that Jesus recommends is the fear of God. But that’s an entirely different thing. Notice the words of the Saviour, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

These are clear words. Do not fear man. The worst thing he can do is kill you, but he cannot destroy you. But fear God because he is able to make the destruction complete. The word fear is directed toward both man and God. It is sinful to fear man, yet we are commanded to fear God. Why? Fearing man simply means to be afraid or alarmed. Fearing God means to have reverence for and to be in awe of.

One of the most fearless men who ever lived was the prophet Daniel, yet he feared God. Threatened with death in a den of hungry lions, he continued his custom of religious worship. He was undaunted. As someone beautifully said, “He feared men the less, because he feared God the more.” It is clear from the writings of both the Old and New Testaments, especially the words of Jesus, that the real answer to the fear gripping millions of hearts today, is faith. Faith is what we need.

Speaking to His disciples one day, the Saviour described the persecution and opposition they would face because of their faithfulness to Him. Then He spread out before them His most well-known illustration.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.” Verses 29–31

You see, God knows everything. He sees in the dark, as well as in the light. He knows our problems. He knows what happens to the sparrows and to the smallest components of nature. God understands the intricate mechanism of the atom, of the electrons, protons, neutrons and their ceaseless vibrations. Yes, He knows and understands them all. But more intimately, He knows the number of hairs on each head. … an amazing thought since the number of your hairs changes every day. He knows all about us, and His watchful care is always over us.

In India, a Christian minister was teaching one of his hearers the Lord’s Prayer. When he got to the end of the first clause, “Our Father in heaven,” she said, “Stop, that’s enough. That’s all I need to know. If God is our Father, everything is all right. There’s nothing now to fear.”

Never once did Jesus say that He, Himself, was afraid. He always told His followers not to be afraid. We see Him there on the Sea of Galilee. Peter, James, and John, partners in the fishing business, were astonished at His wonderful miracle when the fishes came up in the net and the net was so full it broke.

“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ ” Luke 5:8

In that moment, Jesus realized Peter’s spiritual need and His first words to him were “Fear not.” Verse 10. Then He called Peter to be an apostle, a fisher of men. No one can really work for God until he conquers fear. “No fear” was the very first lesson Jesus taught His disciples as He prepared them for their work.

Remember the terrible storm as the disciples were crossing the sea. Millions of tons of water crashed all about them in the boat; the wind blew so fiercely they thought the boat might capsize. They were so afraid that they cried out to Jesus to save them. Then as Jesus approached the boat, walking on water, He calmly said these words that could be heard above the tumult of the storm, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27

Peter stepped out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus, but the storm still blew and rather than focusing on Jesus, he allowed himself to be fearful, and immediately he began to sink into the sea. In great fear, he put out his hand and shouted, “Lord save me!”

Jesus saved Peter. And He will save you and me if we have faith in Him.

A vicar of the church of England once startled his congregation by announcing the subject of his sermon in just two words: “Don’t squint.” His text was the one we have just quoted: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:31. He told how Peter stepped out of the boat, walked on the sea toward his Lord, and then began to sink. He described the disciple’s appeal to Christ: “Lord save me,” and how the Lord saved him and brought him back into the boat, asking “Why did you doubt?” This word doubt has a Greek root meaning “looking two ways at once, or squinting.” Why did Peter sink? Because he had one eye upon Christ and the other upon the billows around him.

For peace of mind, we need to trust in Jesus

Jarius was a prominent man in the religious affairs of those days, a ruler of the synagogue, and he belonged to a class of men who had opposed Jesus. But his 12-year-old daughter and, his only child, was deathly sick. How he loved her! He went and found the Saviour, “Come Jesus, come and heal her,” was the father’s plea. But on His way, the throngs pressed upon Him in the narrow streets of the city. Multitudes came for healing and it seemed that the Master would not arrive in time.

While Jesus was speaking to one of those who sought His healing touch, a messenger drew near, pushing through the crowd to bring the devastating news to Jarius that his daughter was dead; there was no need to trouble Jesus anymore. But when Jesus heard it, He answered saying, “Fear not: believe only and she shall be made whole.” Luke 8:50. What blessed words those were to the father’s heart. “There is no need to fear, everything will be all right.” Jesus went into the room where the little girl slept in death and said, “Little girl, get up,” and immediately she was restored to life. Jesus, ever thoughtful and kind, said, “Give her something to eat.” His message to the troubled father was, “Fear not.” And that’s His message today to every father and mother who trusts in Him.

Back to the Sea of Galilee

Jesus loved the Sea of Galilee. His boyhood was spent not far from its shore. He knew it when it reflected the moonlight on a still night. He knew it in the morning when it flashed back the sun. He knew it in storm and calm.

One night, He and the disciples were caught in a sudden tempest. Apparently, their little boat was about to sink. The Scripture uses the graphic words in Matthew 8:23–27, “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So, the men marveled, saying ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’ ”

So many of us today live in constant storm. It’s because we have so little faith.

Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, all these things are coming in the last days. But we are not to fear; we are to have faith. But how can we learn to trust in times of trouble? What is the Christian’s secret of a happy life? Here’s a text we should never forget, for it tells us how to do just what Jesus did.

“Faith cometh by hearing …” Romans 10:17. Hearing what? “… hearing by the word of God.” If we listen to God’s word: This is what Jesus did and if we read the word of God, if we feed upon it, that is, eat it spiritually, meditate upon it, think about it, receive it into our hearts; then the word of God actually becomes faith in our, driving away all fear. That’s the secret of trust in trouble, of faith in this world we are living in. Where there is faith, there can be no fear—no fear of others, no fear of ourselves, no fear of failure, no fear of suffering, pain, sickness, or even death. For our hands are in the hands of God. He tells us that He will look after us, care for us. All the hundreds of promises in God’s word are ours when we believe them. This is the secret of a happy life today—a life of faith. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4. And that’s the victory that Jesus had. He used the word of God in His conflict with Satan. His whole life was full of the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament which He learned as a child. He, who Himself was the living Word, appealed to the written word in His ministry here on earth.

And so, friends, in our daily lives right where we live, meeting our many problems, we, too, may apply the same word of God. We may hear it, believe it, take it to ourselves as applying to us personally. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith generated by the word of God in our hearts is the answer to fear. Let us believe our beliefs that are founded on the word of God, and doubt our doubts that come from disease, despair, disappointment or disobedience. So, friend, never put a question mark where God has put a period. As someone has put it, “Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, receives the impossible.” When his only son was killed in World War I, Sir Harry Lauder said to a friend, “When a man comes to a thing like this, there are just three ways out of it: there’s drink, there’s despair, and there is God. By His grace, the last way, is for me.” May that faith in God, be ours also as long as we live.

H.M.S. Richards was the founder of the Voice of Prophecy radio ministry which began broadcasting in 1929 and continues broadcasting still today, in 36 languages on more than 1,100 stations. He was also a Seventh-day Adventist evangelist. He passed away on April 24, 1985, at the age of 90.

Contradiction of Sinners

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“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Hebrews 12:1–3 (KJV)

It seems a common occurrence that, every once in a while, diligent Bible students will find themselves taking a second look at a familiar text and suddenly realizing that, although they have heard and read it many times, they are not exactly sure what it really means.

Such was the case with me when I took a hard look at Hebrews 12:3. “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

You can probably guess the phrase in that text that gave me second thoughts: “contradiction of sinners … .”

Although I had never sought a scholarly definition of contradiction, I had gained a general understanding from hearing it used occasionally in conversations and from encountering it while reading. I decided that it refers to an idea or situation opposed to another. With that level of understanding, you can see why I was a bit puzzled by the use of that word in Hebrews 12:3.

In the King James Version (KJV), the word is translated as “contradiction,” but in the New King James Version (NKJV) it is translated as “hostility.” So, in the NKJV, the text reads, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

This reading provides more understanding of the text.

My Research

After comparing different Bible translations, my first reaction is to turn to Strong’s Concordance when confronted with a puzzling word in Scripture. Here we find that the Greek word in question is antilogia. According to Strong’s, it means “dispute or disobedience.”

Now we have a little more understanding.

Next, I turn to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, and find the following definitions for contradiction:

  1. An assertion of the contrary to what has been said or affirmed; denial; contrary declaration.
  2. Opposition, whether by words, reproaches, or attempts to defeat.

Interestingly, the usage example provided for that second definition is the text in question:

“Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.” Hebrews 12:3

After looking at these resources, I turn to the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK), which provides cross-references to Scriptures that express the same or similar thoughts. In this text, there are over 30 cross-references, just from the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John alone. And when you look those texts up in the TSK, it provides additional cross-references.

Let’s look at a couple of these cross-references found in the TSK for Hebrews 12:3.

“Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” Matthew 15:1, 2

Here is a textbook example of “opposition by words and reproaches… .” Webster’s definition of contradiction, and an example that greatly clarifies the issue Paul described in Hebrews 12:1–3.

Mark 7:1–4 provides the following description of the same incident as a cross-reference to Matthew 15:1, 2.

“Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now, when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received to hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.”

Then, to gain a fuller understanding, I perform a word search in the Spirit of Prophecy to see how Mrs. White has used the word, thereby gaining a broader understanding of its context. Let’s look first at a passage from The Acts of the Apostles, 467.

“He whose heart is fixed to serve God will find opportunity to witness for Him. Difficulties will be powerless to hinder him who is determined to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In the strength gained by prayer and a study of the word, he will seek virtue and forsake vice. Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith, who endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself, the believer will willingly brave contempt and derision.”

Here we see the parallel between what Christ experienced and what the traveler on the narrow way can expect. We also gain a bit broader understanding of what “contradiction of sinners” can include. Although the “contradiction” that the Christian can expect to experience is stressed in this passage, there is hope, as the passage continues.

“And help and grace sufficient for every circumstance are promised by Him whose word is truth. His everlasting arms encircle the soul that turns to Him for aid. In His care, we may rest safely, saying, ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.’ Psalm 56:3. To all who put their trust in Him, God will fulfill His promise.

“By His own example, the Saviour has shown that His followers can be in the world and yet not of the world. He came not to partake of its delusive pleasures, to be swayed by its customs, and to follow its practices, but to do His Father’s will, to seek and save the lost. With this object before him, the Christian may stand uncontaminated in any surroundings. Whatever his station or circumstances, exalted or humble, he will manifest the power of true religion in the faithful performance of duty.

“Not in freedom from trial, but in the midst of it, is Christian character developed. Exposure to rebuffs and opposition [in other words, the contradiction of sinners] leads the follower of Christ to greater watchfulness and more earnest prayer to the mighty Helper. Severe trial endured by the grace of God develops patience, vigilance, fortitude, and a deep and abiding trust in God. It is the triumph of the Christian faith that it enables its followers to suffer and be strong; to submit, and thus to conquer; to be killed all the day long, and yet to live; to bear the cross, and thus to win the crown of glory.” Ibid., 467, 468

“When the Saviour finally appeared ‘in the likeness of men’ (Philippians 2:7), and began His ministry of grace, Satan could but bruise the heel, while by every act of humiliation or suffering Christ was bruising the head of His adversary. The anguish that sin has brought was poured into the bosom of the Sinless; yet while Christ endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself, He was paying the debt for sinful man and breaking the bondage in which humanity had been held. Every pang of anguish, every insult, was working out the deliverance of the race.” Prophets and Kings, 701

In this passage, we are given further insight into what was involved in Christ’s enduring the contradiction of sinners against Himself. I would suggest that just as Christ, while enduring every act of humiliation and suffering, was bruising the head of Satan, we have that same privilege as we bravely and nobly endure and deflect Satan’s fiery darts. To understand that we are bruising Satan’s head as we faithfully maintain and uphold the character of Christ despite his efforts to dissuade us from the path of truth and righteousness is actually quite uplifting and an encouraging faith-building experience.

“Heaven’s path is too narrow for rank and riches to ride in state, too narrow for the play of ambition, too steep and rugged for carriages of ease to climb. Toil, patience, self-sacrifice, reproach, poverty, hard work, enduring the contradiction of sinners against Himself, was the portion of Christ, and it must be the portion of man if he ever enters the Paradise of God.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 166

May the Lord bless and protect us as we humbly bear the contradiction of sinners against us.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Parallels

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During a recent prayer meeting, a member of our church spoke of having shared the different periods of present truth with someone. That brought to mind the parallels between the three periods of present truth and the three angels’ messages.

We all know the first angel’s message, which warns that judgment has begun.

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come … .” Revelation 14:7

Let’s compare the first stage of present truth—Noah’s message of the destruction of the Earth by the Flood—with the first angel’s message. God had judged the state of mankind and found it wicked, evil, and worthy of destruction.

Noah’s Message of Destruction and the First Angel’s Message

“Then the Lord saw [discerned or perceived] that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ ” Genesis 6:5–7

Noah’s message to the world, the present truth for his day, was “If you truly fear God and worship Him as the Creator, you will get on this ark.”

Though there may have been a difference between the words of Noah’s message and the first angel’s message, the concept is the same. Judgment had been made and God will cleanse the Earth of sin.

“… ‘take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.’ Our danger is presented before us by Christ Himself.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, 309. Christ’s words should sink into the hearts of all who believe present truth.

The judgment of the world in Noah’s day was announced by Noah under the divine direction of Christ. Present truth—the judgment of the world today—was announced by John the Revelator, also under the divine direction of Christ.

“So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’ ” Genesis 6:12, 13

“ ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’ ” Revelation 14:7

“He [Christ] knew the perils we should meet in these last days, and would have us prepare for them. ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.’ They were eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the Flood came and swept them all away. The day of God will find men absorbed in like manner in the business and pleasures of the world, in feasting and gluttony, and in indulging perverted appetite in the defiling use of liquor and the narcotic tobacco. This is already the condition of our world, and these indulgences are found even among God’s professed people, some of whom are following the customs and partaking of the sins of the world. Lawyers, mechanics, farmers, traders, and even ministers from the pulpit are crying, ‘Peace and safety,’ when destruction is fast coming upon them.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, 309

Did destruction come fast upon the antediluvians? Noah preached for 120 years, but when the execution of judgment came, it came swiftly. The first angel’s message has gone forth since 1843, well over 120 years. God in His mercy has extended man’s probation, but He won’t wait forever. It is indeed time to “fear God and give glory to Him.”

Present Truth in Christ’s Day

As Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, she “said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’ ” John 4:25, 26

“The Messiah has come, and I am He.” Was He accepted by the church of His day? No, in fact, if you believed in Him, you were forced to leave the church if you were brave enough to publicly admit it.

John 9 tells the story of the man born blind. On the Sabbath day, Jesus restored restored this man’s sight. When he returned to the synagogue, he was questioned by the church authorities. “How were your eyes opened?” Verse 10

The man answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” Verse 11

The Pharisees concluded that because Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He was a sinner and could not be from God, and therefore, could not be the Messiah.

The formerly blind man said, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know, but I do know that I was blind and now I see.” Verse 25

When questioned a second time about how his vision was restored, the man answered, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” Verse 27

You can imagine how that was received by the jealous and self-righteous Pharisees. Even though it might have been involuntary, the result was that the man was disfellowshiped, and he came out of Babylon.

Babylon and the Second Angel’s Message

This story reveals clearly that, during Jesus’ day, if you believed Him to be the Messiah, you had to leave the church. Whether you left voluntarily or were involuntarily expelled by church authority, you came out of Babylon. The mainstream church, which at one time stood for the truth, had fallen by forcing its members to drink of the wine of her error and disbelief.

And thus, we see a parallel to the second angel’s message: “… ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ ” Revelation 14:8

Present Truth Today and the Third Angel’s Message

Present truth warns us against accepting the mark of the beast by worshiping the beast and its image. The image is the false sacredness of Sunday. When the law of the land requires the observance of Sunday as the only legal day of worship, those who concur, whether they agree by consent or by action, will have accepted the mark. Here we see the exact and unquestioned alignment between present truth for today and the message itself.

“Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that ‘all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond’ (Revelation 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God enjoining the Creator’s rest day demands obedience and threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts.” The Great Controversy, 604

“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9–11

Soul-Saving Message

Notice that there is a two-stage execution of the judgment. First, they will receive the wrath of God—the seven last plagues. Then they are tormented with fire and brimstone. These are totally and completely avoidable, simply by loving and willing obedience to the law of God.

There is no question that the present truth message was the soul-saving message for its time.

The eight who got on the ark were saved.

Eleven men and a few women in Jesus’ day believed that He was the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah and were saved.

In both cases, the number who believed as a percentage of the total world population was insignificant. Will it be the same during this period of present truth?

There is an aspect of this last soul-saving message of present truth that does not get the emphasis that it should. It is addressed in this passage.

“The soul-saving message, the third angel’s message, is the message to be given to the world. [It is present truth for our day.] The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are both important, immensely important, and must be given with equal force and power. The first part of the message has been dwelt upon mostly, the last part casually. The faith of Jesus is not comprehended. We must talk it, we must live it, we must pray it, and educate the people to bring this part of the message into their home life.”  Reflecting Christ, 82

Keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is the ark of safety for our day, but the ticket for boarding that ark is the righteousness of Christ. And the only way to obtain that righteousness is by exercising the same faith that Christ manifested; the faith that led Him to the cross.

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12

“We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a fable to us; it is a reality. We have no doubt, neither have we had a doubt for years, that the doctrines we hold today are present truth, and that we are nearing the judgment. We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our character, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy, will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects, and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us. …

“We are now in God’s workshop. Many of us are rough stones from the quarry. But as we lay hold upon the truth of God, its influence affects us. It elevates us and removes from us every imperfection and sin, of whatever nature. Thus, we are prepared to see the King in His beauty and finally to unite with the pure and heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. It is here that this work is to be accomplished for us, here that our bodies and spirits are to be fitted for immortality.” Counsels on Health, 43, 44

That can only be achieved by accepting the third angel’s message and acting accordingly. May it be so with all of us!

“Let nothing lessen the force of the truth for this time. The present truth is to be our burden. The third angel’s message must do its work of separating from the churches a people who will take their stand on the platform of eternal truth.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 61

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Look and Live

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I have worn glasses since I was 11 years old. A few years ago, my eye doctor told me I was developing cataracts. He said we would keep an eye on them and remove them when they were bad enough. I didn’t know what bad enough meant. All I knew was it had become very difficult for me to drive at night. The headlights of the cars coming at me were just huge starbursts of light. My depth perception was off, so it seemed to me that they were in my lane, and this caused me to hug the curb. I also fell a few times, mainly because I didn’t see the last step.

Then in December 2025, I went for my annual eye appointment only to find that my regular eye doctor had retired and the eye group assigned me to a new doctor. The day I went in, he did what eye doctors do and told me again that I had cataracts that could be removed in a year or two. The same thing I’d been told every year for a long time. But then he said, “However, if you would like to have them removed now, I would be glad to recommend you to one of our eye surgeons.” No one had ever given me that option before; I had always been told to wait. So, I had the cataracts removed, first one eye and then the other, and new clear lenses inserted in their place.

Since I was far-sighted, I chose the standard lenses—artificial, intraocular lenses. The procedure, phacoemulsification, took about 15 minutes to perform. The surgeon made two tiny incisions in my eye and blasted the cataract with an ultrasonic probe. This allowed him to gently break up and remove the cloudy lenses (the cataracts) and insert the clear lenses. The lenses were positioned so that I would see 20/20 in the area of my eye (my middle vision) that I use most for working on the computer and playing the piano, although I would still have to wear glasses to see clearly near and far away.

Having pristine 20/20 vision made me think about how Jesus changes us and makes us all new. The Bible tells us to look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:2, first part

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if the eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” Matthew 6:22, 23

“Keep the conscience tender, that you may hear the faintest whisper of the voice that spoke as never man spoke. Let all who would wear the yoke of Christ show an inflexible purpose to do right because it is right. Keep the eye fixed on Jesus, inquiring at every step, Is this the way of the Lord? …

“Do not imitate men. Study your Bibles, and imitate Christ.” Our High Calling, 341

“We will move steadfastly on, looking to Jesus, learning of Jesus, obtaining the love of Jesus, our hearts melted in tenderness toward each other.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 285

“But looking to Jesus you will find encouragement. May you have the blessing of the Lord every day. My dear sister, may the Lord bless and sustain you.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 265

“Our only safety is in continually looking to Jesus. By living faith, we must appropriate the precious promises; for every promise and command, necessary for our salvation, must become a part of us, that we may become one with Christ.” The Review and Herald, September 3, 1889

“There will be no taste for trifling conversation in those who are looking to Jesus for strength, depending upon His righteousness for salvation. By faith they accept Jesus as their personal Saviour, and become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Medical Ministry, 145

“Let us study the life and death of Christ. Let us do all in our power to work out the plan of God. What tongue can tell, what pen unfold the mighty results of looking to Jesus and living His life?” The Upward Look, 200

“Trust in God. Be careful not to give the enemy any advantage by your unguarded words. Keep looking to Jesus. He is your strength.” That I May Know Him, 185

“The greatness, the breadth, of the plan of salvation invests it with incomparable grandeur, but it can only be spiritually discerned, and it increases in greatness as we contemplate it. Looking to Jesus dying upon the cross, and knowing that it was our sin that placed the innocent Sufferer there, we are bowed down before Him in wonder and love.

“All who come to Christ for a clearer knowledge of the truth will receive it. He will unfold to them the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and these mysteries will be understood by the heart that longs to know the truth. A heavenly light will shine into the soul temple and will be revealed to others as the bright shining of a lamp on a dark path.” Ibid., 205

“Keep looking to Jesus. He is your strength. By steadfastly beholding him, you will be changed into the same likeness.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 12, 1901

“No one need despond who commits his soul to Jesus. We have an all-powerful Saviour. Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, you can say, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’ ” The Upward Look, 321

“The knowledge of Christ reveals the depths of sin and its offensive character, while by faith we see the cleansing stream, the blood of Christ which washes away every spot, every stain of sin. This salvation is not half appreciated. Salvation brought to us through the blood of Jesus is not estimated of priceless value. By faith this gift must be fully accepted as the great gift of God through Jesus Christ. The burden of our sins and of our sorrows was laid upon One who is merciful to pardon, mighty to save.

“Why cannot we trust that love which has been expressed to us in such infinite sacrifice that we might live?

“Look in faith to the cross. Look and live. This will be our study and song throughout eternity.” This Day With God, 176

“If you are conscious of your sins, do not devote all your powers to mourning over them, but look and live. Jesus is our only Saviour; and although millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we must not be discouraged; we must rely upon a crucified and risen Saviour. Poor, sin-sick, discouraged soul, look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him.” Counsels for the Church, 48

“Man is poisoned by sin; but a remedy has been provided for the fallen race in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Every hope that we have of salvation out of Christ is a vain hope. We cannot dishonor our Saviour more than by doubting that He will save us. Whatever may have been our life of transgression, however deep may be the stain of our sin, there is One who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. Jesus is the remedy for sin. We may have intellect, but human intelligence can devise no way of salvation; we may have earthly possessions, but that will not provide a ransom for the sin of our soul. Salvation is the gift of God through Christ, and the promise is, ‘Whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.’

“It is not enough to have a nominal faith. We must have faith that will appropriate the life-giving power to our souls. We suffer great loss because we do not exercise simple, living faith in Christ. We should be able to say, ‘He is my Saviour; He died for me; I look to Him as my complete Saviour and live.’ We are to look to Christ day by day. We are to regard Him as our example in all things. This is faith. The true believer in Christ is represented by a branch connected with a living vine. The sap and nourishment of the vine extends through every vein and fiber of the branch, and thus the branch becomes knit with the life of the vine, and bears precious fruit. Every soul that abides in Christ will do the works of Christ. Those who love God will keep His commandments; for Christ has said, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments.’ Jesus made an infinite sacrifice in leaving His majesty, to come to a fallen world, that He might lift up sinful man; and everyone that is connected with Christ, as the branch is united with the vine, will manifest the spirit of his Redeemer.

“We honor our Lord and Master when we place implicit confidence in Him. If we distrust the message that He has sent us, we shall be in a position similar to that of the Israelites who were bitten by the fiery serpents, but who would not look and live. If we accept the message of love that has come to us in invitations, exhortation, and reproof, it will prove life and healing to our souls.

“We should not be satisfied with anything less than a close connection with Christ. Freedom and salvation are offered to us, and we should grasp the precious promises of God by living faith.” The Signs of the Times, March 10, 1890

“Look to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22

“You cannot make yourself any better; Jesus can do all this. When the Israelites were bitten by the fiery poisonous serpents whose sting was certain death, the brazen serpent was lifted up on a pole, and Jesus, enshrouded in the cloudy pillar, bade Moses tell them, ‘Look and live.’ The same Jesus has bidden me tell you, Look and live. Do not climb the pole, but only look. I present Christ to you. Look and live. There is hope, comfort, and peace for you. There is even joy in the Holy Ghost for you. Now I bid you in the name of Jesus, Look and live. …

“Satan would have your soul; shall he have it? Say, No, never; it is Christ’s property. Satan says, ‘Curse God and die.’ Will you do it? He curses God for you, that you may repeat his wicked blasphemy. Will you do it? No, for Jesus has died; He has purchased your life. Your soul is His property, and He will take you by the hand; He will draw you away from perdition; He will make you, as John, His beloved disciple, to win the crown of eternal life. He bids you, through me, His humble servant, ‘Look and live.’ ” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, 150, 151

“Let the eye be fixed on the Son of Righteousness. … see His tenderness, His pity, His large, broad love, and His great compassion.” Daughters of God, 147

“Our only hope is to look and live.” The Review and Herald, February 26, 1889

Hard Sayings

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“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.’ The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.’

“These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore, many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ ” John 6:51–60

This exchange between Jesus and His disciples was the catalyst that caused many, even most, of Jesus’ disciples to abandon Him. John wrote, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more,” (verse 66); despite Christ’s explanation found in verse 63 that His words were the flesh and blood that His disciples were to feed on.

Even today, when confronted with the qualifications to be met in conservative Adventism for walking the narrow way, many professed disciples of Christ likewise go back to the broad road and walk with Him no more. Sadly, many are probably unaware that they have made such a choice—equally unlikely to be aware of or concerned about the consequences of their choice.

There is an interesting two-part article in The Review and Herald, April 12 and 19, 1870, in which Mrs. White addresses the reaction of many when confronted by hard sayings.

“Some professed followers of Christ may be inclined to say, as did the disciples at a certain time as they listened to the earnest truths which fell from the lips of the divine Teacher, ‘This is an hard saying, who can hear it?’ Many may think that the way is made too straight; when we talk of self-denial and sacrifice for Christ’s sake, they think we dwell too much on these points.”

It seems that most professed followers of Christ prefer to hear of the Christian’s reward and the glories of heaven, and not of the narrow road they must walk to reach those glories. We know that those who are faithful will inherit all things, but the great question with us should be, “Who may abide the day of His coming; and who shall stand when He appears?” Who shall be counted worthy to receive the exceeding great and precious reward that shall be given to all who overcome?

The answer to who will inherit all things is both simple, and a hard saying. We are told that if we would be sharers in the glory of Christ, we would first be partakers of His sufferings. Paul alluded to this in his second letter to Timothy, when he wrote, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

Paul also tells us that without holiness, no man can see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Without purity of life, achieved through the trials and sufferings of meeting life’s daily challenges, it is impossible for us to be polished into living stones and prepared to dwell with the saints and the holy, sinless angels in a pure and holy heaven.

John tells us that we must be pure, just as Jesus is pure (1 John 3:2, 3). We know from the counsel that has been so lovingly provided in the Spirit of Prophecy, no sin, no impurity of any kind can pass through the pearly gates of the golden city of God. So, the question for us to settle is, Will we turn from all sin and comply with the conditions God has given us so that we may become His sons and daughters? To become members of the royal family, He requires us to completely separate from the world. This is demonstrated in this hard saying: “Come out from among them and be separate.” 2 Corinthians 6:17. The context makes it clear that as believers we are to separate from unbelievers, even if that includes some degree of separation from our own family members.

If you are the only Adventist in your family, there is a similar hard saying, recorded in Matthew 10.

“ ‘Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,” and “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.’ ” Verses 34–37

Both Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy make it clear that God must be first in the priorities of our lives.

“… [P]erhaps while one member of the family gives his heart to God, others do not. They are still under the control of the Saviour’s worst enemy, and they feel annoyed and angry that division has come into the household. He who has accepted Christ is no less dutiful than before; on the contrary, he is more kind, more faithful, more affectionate, because his nature is being purified, sanctified, and ennobled by the truth. But the Master of the Christian and the master of the unbeliever are in deadly conflict; and so, the contest goes on in many homes. While the Christians are pleading earnestly with God that their relatives and friends may be drawn to Christ, while their hearts are breaking with longing that their loved ones may share His joy and peace, the hearts of the unbelieving are bound as with fetters to Satan’s car, and they are asking, as did Pharaoh, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?’ ” The Bible Echo, March 19, 1894

Without a doubt, faithful Seventh-day Adventists believe that Christ is coming soon, and believing this, we feel compelled to plead with family and friends to prepare for the coming of the Son of Man. We do not want any—especially our own family members—to be among those who will call for rocks and mountains to fall on them. Instead, along with us, we want them to be among those who will enter in through the gates into the city, arrayed with palm leaves of victory and crowned with starry crowns. We are compelled to plead with them to abandon their unchristlike character traits and habits and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. It is perfection that is required, and nothing short of perfection will enable anyone to see the King and enjoy the glories of eternity.

Once we have overcome our sins and put away all traces of lawlessness, we are then, and only then, in the condition needed to receive the finishing touch of immortality. Many are waiting and expecting that a more favorable opportunity than the present will come when we can put away sin more easily than now, when it will not require such great humility and sacrifice, and we will not have to make the effort required to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Can it be that while we are waiting for a better, more convenient time, our probation may close and we be found dead in trespasses and sin?

Our grasp, our view, should be fastened upon the eternal. We must realize that we have available to us the strength that is mighty to cling to, which will be to us a stronghold and fortress in the day of trouble, affliction, and peril. But will that better time and that more favorable opportunity ever come to those who would say to the Spirit of God, as did Felix, Go Thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will call for Thee? Is the opportunity ever to come when we can leave sin any more easily than at the present moment? Is the time coming when we can take hold of the truth any more easily than now? Satan has come down with great power and is working with great activity to weave his net around unguarded souls and thereby take them captive in his snares to prevent them from being partakers of the glories that are to be revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Are we willing that Satan should carry out his purposes? Many have yielded themselves willingly to his influence, and by their course of action tempt the devil to tempt them. It is for us to make every effort to turn from iniquity to the living God through the exercise of the free will bestowed upon us by a loving God.

As Christ continued this remarkable sermon, He clarified a bit later exactly where the emphasis must be placed in achieving the perfection that overcoming demands. “Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. Perfection in our position is what the Son of God requires. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25

The life Jesus speaks of here is that life which measures with the life of God, the life that is to be eternal, a life forevermore in the kingdom of glory, without sorrow, without pain, without sickness, without distress, and without death.

As Christ thus presents the possibility of eternal life to His followers, is it not of more consequence than the life of this world? Our attention should not be turned in the direction of anxiety or fear, or in dread of obeying hard sayings.

This perfection that Christ called for in the Sermon on the Mount must be reached, in spite of the hard sayings that lie between here and the achievement of that perfection.

We must pray always. There is no resting spot here; there is no period when we can relax our efforts, no period when we can safely cease striving, agonizing, to enter in at the strait gate.

The truths found in God’s word must be brought to bear upon us, and we must lay hold of them. If we do this, they will have a sanctifying influence upon our lives; they will polish us as living stones for the kingdom of glory, so that when our probation closes, we will see the King in His beauty and dwell in His presence forevermore.

The question now is, Are we willing to make the sacrifice? Are we willing to eat of the bread of life? Are we willing to “Come out from among them, and be … separate?”

Obeying the truth requires us to stand alone in our position to serve God, even when others around us are not willing to yield to the claims that Christ has upon them, even if they are our closest friends and dearest relatives.

We must have our mind’s eye fixed upon eternal realities, the immortal inheritance. It should be our purpose in life to honor and glorify upon the earth Him who died that we might receive the immortal inheritance and enjoy the realities of eternity.

We can only do so when we comply with the hard sayings that He, in His love for us, has given us. Then our reward is assured.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

The Man Who Would Not Give Up, Part 2

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When the time came for Jacob to return to the land of his father, he approached the country of his birth with trepidation, anticipating the welcome he would receive from his twin brother, Esau, who was on his way to meet Jacob with 400 armed men. To help soften his brother’s heart, Jacob sent him expensive gifts. He did everything he could, but he knew that it was not enough.

Jacob had learned something, friend, that you and I need to learn. He was shrewd and knew how to make business deals, but he was in a situation now where those skills were useless. There was no business deal that he could make that would get him out of this. He knew that unless the Lord intervened, it would be all over.

Plea for Help

So, Jacob went to the Lord in prayer: “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, Jehovah. You said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your kindred, and I will deal well with you: I am not worthy for any of your mercies which you have done with your servant.’ ” Genesis 32:9, 10

Jacob had divided his family into two camps, thinking that if the people in one camp were killed, those in the other camp would be able to flee from danger. Then he had crossed over the Jordan.

His plea to God continues: “Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; because I am terrified lest he should come and strike me and the mother with the children. And now, You said, ‘Indeed, I will deal well with you, and I will make your descendants, your seed, as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ” Verses 11, 12

Only these few verses of Scripture are recorded, so we do not know the entire contents of his prayer. He was, no doubt, praying there for hours, pleading with the Lord. From these verses, you can understand the gist of his prayer. “Lord, You promised. You are the One who told me to come back here, and You said that You would deal well with me. You said that my descendants would be like the sand of the sea, which could not be numbered for multitude. Now we are all about to get killed.”

“He arose in that night and took his two wives, his two concubines, and his eleven sons and passed over the Brook Jabbok.” Verse 22

Jacob continued to pray into the night hours. He was alone, totally unprotected, having sent his family and everything that made life dear to him a distance away. In describing the region where he was praying, Ellen White wrote: “It was in a lonely, mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts and the lurking place of robbers and murderers. Solitary and unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 196

Midnight came, and his mind was still filled with doubts and questionings: “Maybe the Lord cannot fulfill His promises to me, because I am such a bad sinner. I am a crook and a liar. Maybe, even though He promised this to me, it will not happen, because I am so sinful, and now all my children, my wives, and everything will be killed, because of what I have done.”

If you are a father, you can understand Jacob’s anguish. For most fathers, it would be easier to die themselves than to watch their children be killed. This is why, during the Dark Ages, to torture the Waldenses, the agents of Rome would kill their sons before them, cut off their heads, and tie them to the necks of their fathers, then march the fathers to their own deaths.

Bless Me

Suddenly, as Jacob was praying, “There wrestled with him a man until the breaking of day. And He saw that He did not prevail against him, and He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh went out of joint as He was wrestling with him. And He said, ‘Send Me away, because the dawn is coming.’ And he [Jacob] said, ‘I cannot send You away unless You bless me!’ ” Verses 24–26

You see, when his thigh was touched, Jacob realized instantly that he was dealing with a supernatural being, with Someone from heaven. He was not dealing with another man; an average man would not be able to touch your hip and throw it out of joint. Yes, Jacob knew who he was struggling with.

“So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’

“And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’

“Then Jacob asked, saying, ‘Tell me Your name, I pray.’ And He said, ‘Why is it that you ask about My name?’ And He blessed him there.” Verses 27–29

The Meaning

What is the meaning of this story? During this night, Jacob struggled with the Lord Jesus. Jacob called the name of this place Peniel, which means “The Face of God,” because he said, “I have seen God face to face, and I am still alive.” Verse 30

What lesson can we learn from this? Have you ever met someone who has wrestled hard to overcome sin in his or her life, and he or she says, “I can never do it; I guess I will just have to be lost”? Jacob wrestled as hard as he could to overcome. At first, he thought he was fighting Esau, one of Esau’s men, or a robber or a murderer who was going to kill him. He was determined to overcome, but he found that he could not. If you have a besetting sin in your life, you cannot overcome it any more than Jacob could overcome, unless you are blessed.

Confess and Forsake

Over and over again that night, it came to Jacob’s mind that he had stolen from his brother, and he had lied to and deceived his father. He recognized that he was going through all of this because of his sins. But in the midst of it all, even though he thought he would be killed, he continued to fight.

While those sins kept coming to his mind, he also thought to himself, “But I have repented. I have told the Lord over and over again for 20 years that I am sorry, and I want to be forgiven. I am not that man anymore. The Lord has promised me.”

The promise is very clear in the Bible. “He who hides his rebellions, his transgressions, will not prosper. But the one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. Jacob’s transgressions were rebellions. They were deliberate transgressions against the Law of God; they were not sins of ignorance.

Although the book of Proverbs had not yet been written in Jacob’s time, he knew the principle. He knew that if a person confessed and repented of his sins, God had promised mercy. And he kept saying, as he was fighting, “Lord, I have repented. I have confessed. I have tried to do everything I know to make it right. I am not living like that anymore.”

This experience was also recorded by Hosea: “He wept and pleaded.” Hosea 12:4. For what was he pleading? He wanted the assurance that his sins were pardoned and that they would not be held against his account. He continued to weep and plead until, it says, “He had power over the Angel and prevailed.”

This is quite a statement, that a human being would have power over an angel! This was the Angel of the covenant. Jacob was fighting with Jesus Christ Himself!

No Excuse for Sin

This is the story of a sinful human being who, in humility, self-surrender, and repentance, prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He did not use either divine promises or the character defects of his brother to excuse his own sin. Remember this. A confession is not an excuse; there is no excuse for sin.

“Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God.” The Desire of Ages, 311

There is no excuse for sin and Jacob did not make excuses for his sin. He did not say, “Lord, I sinned because so and so did this wrong.” Many believe this constitutes a confession, but it is an excuse and unacceptable to God. Jacob came to the knowing he needed to be cleansed.

Time to Come

This story about Jacob and the Angel—called “Jacob’s Time of Trouble”—when a helpless, unworthy person claimed God’s promise of mercy to repentant sinners, is used in the Bible as a symbol of future events.

“Because thus Jehovah said, ‘A voice of trembling we have heard of dread, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, if a male bears a child. Wherefore do I see every male with his hands upon his loins as a woman giving birth to a child, and they have turned all faces into paleness? Alas! Because that day is great, so there is none like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.’ ” Jeremiah 30:5–7

If you look at the whole context of this prophecy, you will understand that this is a prophecy about the end of time. We are approaching the time when the plan of salvation is going to be completed.

Hebrews teaches that Christ is our High Priest. He is an all-powerful mediator. Even if you are the worst and weakest of sinners, you have an all-powerful Mediator who, if you call upon Him, can help you. He specializes in helping people who are considered helpless, and this is what the strongest of Christians have to learn, too. This is what Jacob had to learn.

Time of Jacob’s Trouble

Christ’s work as mediator in man’s behalf is almost done. Jesus will soon stand and say, “He who is unjust, shall be unjust still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and the righteous one, let him do righteousness still; and the holy one, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every one according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:11, 12

Soon after this pronouncement is made, the time of Jacob’s trouble will begin, because the plan of salvation will be over. It is the end of probation. Soon after this pronouncement is made, if you are still hanging onto some sin, filthy and unjust, you will stay that way forever. If you are righteous and holy, you are going to stay righteous and holy forever.

Bible prophecy tells us, in Revelation 13:15, that a time is coming when all those living on the earth will have to choose either the mark of the beast or the seal of God. Those who choose to worship and obey God will find that a death decree has been enacted against them. Just like Jacob, in danger of losing his life and the lives of his family at the hands of Esau, those who love God must rely on Him to save their lives. Was Jacob in danger of losing his life? Yes, he was. Every member of his family was in danger of losing his or her life.

Jacob knew that if the Lord had not worked a miracle on Esau’s heart, he and his family would have lost their lives. He knew that the only way he would be saved was by the mercy of God; and this is the only way you and I will also be saved.

Repent and Confess

Almost driven to despair, Jacob began to plead for deliverance. Imagine having to wrestle with someone from midnight until almost dawn! But Jacob did not give up. God’s people will face this same experience during the last days in their final struggle with the powers of evil (Jeremiah 30:5–7). It will seem to each person that his or her case is hopeless. God’s people will have a deep sense of their shortcomings. This is the feeling the devil tries to impress upon people until they are tempted to lose all hope. The devil wants us to believe that our hold on God is broken. But God’s people will, like Jacob, hold fast to the hand of God, pleading His promised mercy, confessing and repenting from their sins.

My dear friend, right now is the time when we must remove sin from our records. With all our heart, filled with humility, we must see the Lord and tell Him that we want to be through with sin. Repentance means that a person is sorry for his or her sins—sorry enough to stop repeating them. Confess the sin. If it is a private sin, confess it to the Lord. If you have injured someone, go to him or her and make it right. Jacob had to make things right with Esau.

Just think of coming to the end of the world and realizing the devil can point at you and say, “This sin you have concealed; you have never repented of it; you have never confessed it!” If this is true, what will happen? You will lose salvation. Now is the time to make sure there is nothing on your record for which you have not repented and confessed.

Remember, the other person’s sin does not excuse your sin. You can never say to the Lord, “I sinned because he sinned.” He does not accept this, or any, excuse. No matter what another person may do, you are not responsible for it, but you are responsible for what you say and do.

Assurance of Salvation

Are you going to be as persevering in your Christian walk as Jacob was in his struggle with Jesus? If you are willing to continue the fight, then you are absolutely guaranteed that you will be saved, just like Jacob.

Mrs. White penned a very encouraging statement about Jacob’s experience. “Jacob’s history is an assurance that God will not cast off those who have been betrayed into sin, but who have returned unto Him with true repentance. It was by self-surrender and confiding faith that Jacob gained what he had failed to gain by conflict in his own strength. God thus taught His servant that divine power and grace alone could give him the blessing he craved.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 202, 203. Jacob learned that he could not do it on his own and we must learn this, too.

“Thus it will be with those who live in the last days. As dangers surround them, and despair seizes upon the soul, they must depend solely [only] upon the merits of the atonement. We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour.” Ibid., 203. Acknowledging that we are unworthy, we place our trust in His merits. If we do this, we are given the promise: “None will ever perish while they do this.” Ibid.

What good news! If you realize that you are helpless and you put your complete trust and confidence in Him, you cannot perish, because you serve an all-powerful Mediator.

“The long, black catalogue of our delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete; none of our offenses are forgotten. But He who listened to the cries of His servants of old, will hear the prayer of faith and pardon our transgressions. He has promised, and He will fulfill His word.” Ibid.

Greatest Need

Many people believe that we need more talent, education, money, or manpower to finish God’s work and have the victory over evil. But these things are not the instruments by which the great controversy will be won.

“The greatest victories to the church of Christ or to the individual Christian are not those that are gained by talent or education, by wealth or the favor of men. They are those victories that are gained in the audience chamber with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power.” Ibid.

Do not say, “We need more money; we need more education; we need more talent; we need more manpower.” It would be nice to have all of those things, but what we need more than anything else is to go to the audience chamber and pray, “Lord, I am not going to quit asking until a change happens in my life.”

When God sees that you are serious, a change will happen in your life. If we lay hold of His promises, He will say to us, “I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19, 20. Claim this promise and say, “Lord, I must have a change in my heart or I am lost, and I am not going to give up. I am going to keep asking. I am going to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and I am going to plead with you for this until I have it.”

John Knox went to the Lord and prayed, “Lord, if You don’t give me Scotland, I am just going to die.” He kept praying, and Scotland became a Protestant country as the result of one man’s prayers. Just think what could happen if people went to the Lord and said, “Lord, I am like Jacob. I am helpless. I am vile, and I am wretched. I know I must have a change in my heart or I will be lost, so I am not going to quit asking. I am coming to You, because I have a great need. I want to be ready for heaven, and I want You to change my heart and my life.” God would gladly hear and answer such a prayer! He heard Jacob’s cry for help, and He is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34).

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John J. Grosboll is the Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be reached by email at historic@stepstolife.org or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

The Man Who Would Not Give Up

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Several examples are given in the Bible of men and women who would not give up. One outstanding example of this is found in the Old Testament, and because this man would not give up, you will meet him in heaven someday, if you are saved. The Holy Spirit is working on your heart, but you have to make the decision to never give up. There have been (and still are) people who have found themselves in a situation where they could be saved, but they gave up, and they lost out. There are several such examples in the Bible, but here, we want to learn about the person who would not give up, and who was saved as a result.

This Bible story is about one of the most well-known men in the entire Bible, and you have probably read the story of his life in the book of Genesis. This man was a miracle child. His father’s wife had been unable to have children. After 20 years, his father prayed, “Lord, you promised that we would have children, and through us all the world would be blessed. My wife cannot conceive. What am I going to do?” The Lord answered his prayer (Genesis 25:21), and his wife became pregnant with twins.

But these two babies were rambunctious, fighting inside her womb. She went to the Lord concerned, and He told her that two nations, two peoples struggled within her body, and that one would be stronger than the other when they became men (Verses 22, 23).

When these twin sons were born, the coloring of the first was red, so in Hebrew, they named him Edom or red. In English, he is called Esau (Verse 25). When the younger was born, the Bible says that he grabbed hold of his brother’s heel. In Hebrew, he was named Yàaqob or heel grabber. In English, he is called Jacob. The name heel grabber implied a person of cunning, someone to be wary of because he will take advantage of you. That is exactly the kind of person Jacob became.

Firstborn Responsibilities

Until modern times, it has been the custom—not just with the children of Isaac and Abraham, but throughout the Middle East—that the firstborn had certain responsibilities which the other children did not have. For example, the firstborn was to be responsible for the welfare of their parents and to support them in their old age. When the firstborn became an adult, he or she was expected to resolve their siblings’ problems. Because the firstborn child had these extra responsibilities, it was an ancient custom that, when the father’s inheritance was divided among his children, the firstborn was to receive a double portion.

Isaac had only two children, so it is easy to calculate. If the firstborn received a double portion, it would mean that the firstborn would receive two-thirds of the family estate and the other child would be given one-third.

Theft and Deceit

Jacob was just a few minutes younger, but he was the heel grabber, a smart businessman, one who knew how to take advantage of circumstances. He knew when the opportunity was ripe.

One day, Jacob while caring for the flocks and herds, he made a lentil stew. Esau, who had been hunting, returned ravenously hungry and, smelling the savory dish Jacob had prepared, said, “Please give me something to eat. I am so hungry; I am about to die.”

Jacob recognized a golden opportunity, and he responded: “I will give you a bowl of stew, if you will sell me your birthright.” Talk about a deal! Isaac was a very wealthy man. One-third of his estate would be worth several hundred thousand dollars in today’s money. How would you like to double your net worth for a bowl of lentils? That was one expensive meal. A slave to his appetite, Esau agreed. “I will do it.” He said. It was a foolish thing for Esau to do, but it was a sharp thing for Jacob, although a very wicked thing.

Are you aware of the meaning of the eighth commandment? If I sell you something for much more than it is worth, because you are ignorant and do not know any better, I have stolen from you. And if I buy something from you for much less than it is worth, because you do not know its worth, I have stolen from you. Jacob stole from his brother. He was a thief in the worst sense, because he stole from his own family. But it got worse. He eventually deceived his own father.

Jacob stole from his brother and deceived his own father. It is terrible to steal from your own brother, and it is just as bad or worse to lie and deceive your own father. God did not keep Jacob from having to bear some very terrible consequences for those two sins all the rest of his life.

When reading the Bible, people could say, “These are the chief characters of the Bible, and look at all of the awful things they did.” But what they do not see is that the chief characters of the Bible paid a terrible price for the horrible sins they committed. The Bible teaches that sin always has consequences.

Esau became very angry with Jacob, and it is not difficult to understand why. How would you feel if you had just lost several hundred thousand dollars to your brother—cheated out of it because you were nearly out of your mind with hunger? Would you become angry? I have seen people become angry for a lot less than that!

Esau said, “I am going to do away with him. Instead of getting one-third of the inheritance, as I am now supposed to receive, I will get the whole thing.” And Jacob had to flee from home, never to see his parents again.

The Whole Inheritance

In 1955, the very first airliner with a bomb on board crashed. At that time, it was not mandatory for air travelers to go through security before boarding an airplane. A passenger bought his or her ticket, deposited their baggage, walked through a door, and got on the plane. I have done that, and I have seen my father do it many times. The world then was not as wicked as it is today.

This airplane came down in a field near Longmont, Colorado, within ten miles of where my family lived. A bomb in the baggage compartment had exploded, killing everyone on board. An investigation revealed that a man, whose mother was traveling on this plane, had hidden a bomb in her luggage. He had a time clock on the bomb, timed to explode over the Rocky Mountains. He planned that the plane would go down in the Rocky Mountains, and it would be considered just an accident. Everything would be completely destroyed; no one would know what had actually happened. But the plane departed late. Consequently, the timer went off, the bomb exploded, and the plane crashed in a field 15-20 miles east of the Rocky Mountains.

Why had this man performed such a deadly act? He did not want to wait for his mother to die a natural death; he wanted to receive his mother’s life insurance—his inheritance—right then.

That was Esau’s problem. He wanted his inheritance, and he thought, “Jacob stole my inheritance from me. I will not only get back a double portion; I will get the whole thing.” So, Jacob had to flee for his life. He went to his mother’s brother, Laban, and served him for 20 years (Genesis 28–30).

20 Years of Guilt

Picking up the story in Genesis 31, we find that Jacob, now a fugitive, had been serving Laban for 20 years. He had come to Laban with nothing, but the Lord had blessed him, and he had become a very wealthy man. Laban’s sons were jealous of all the wealth that Jacob had acquired. They said, “He has taken all of our father’s wealth.”

Laban had deceived Jacob, so instead of having one wife, he had two, and Jacob’s entire life was troubled. Laban’s deception and the trouble that resulted from having two wives were a consequence of his sin and he knew it. The sin that he had committed against his brother and father bothered his conscience all those 20 years. That entire time he thought, “I would not be in this situation if I had not deceived my father and robbed my brother.”

Return to Your People

Then the Lord gave Jacob instruction to return to his people: “Jehovah spoke to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.’ ” (Verse 3). Jacob was anxious about returning home. Esau lived back home.

Jacob called Rachel and Leah out into the field and talked with them. They agreed that Jacob and his household should follow God’s counsel (Verses 4, 14–16). Believing that Laban would not let him go, he left secretly while Laban was away shearing his sheep. Jacob packed up—lock, stock, and barrel—and left Uncle Laban’s land. Because of the thousands of cattle, sheep, and goats, they were unable to travel very fast, so when Laban learned they were gone, he was able to easily overtake them. God had intervened on Jacob’s behalf regarding Laban, and the two parted peaceably. The first part of God’s promise was accomplished.

Close to Home

Can you imagine the tumultuous thoughts in Jacob’s mind, as he drew close to his journey’s end? For the last 20 years, Jacob had lived in a faraway land. During that time, Esau assumed that, as a consequence of Jacob’s absence, he, Esau, would inherit everything upon Isaac’s death. But now Jacob returns. Jacob owns two-thirds of the inheritance. Esau’s net worth would drop by over 60 percent when Jacob returned home. This is also on Jacob’s mind. He knows that the reason he is in this difficult situation is because of his own sin. He knows what is going through Esau’s mind.

Interests of Brothers

Let’s look at the difference between Esau and Jacob. They both wanted the birthright. The birthright involved more than a double portion of the family’s wealth. It also involved a blessing. The one holding the birthright would become the progenitor (ancestor) of the Messiah. Esau wanted the double portion of property and worldly wealth, but Jacob wanted the blessing, to be the progenitor of the Messiah.

Jacob, actually, in spite of all his character deficiencies and faults, was a very, very remarkable person. He chose spiritual blessings over temporal blessings, a rare type of person in this world.

Jacob knew his return would excite fear in his brother’s heart and that Esau could do him great injury. He thought that Esau could decide even now to take revenge against him and kill him, taking the entire inheritance for himself.

Gifts of Appeasement

So, as Genesis 32 tells us, in an effort to appease Esau, Jacob sent very expensive gifts to him, worth many, many thousands of dollars today, including a large herd of cattle. After delivering the cattle, Jacob’s servants returned and told Jacob that Esau was on his way, with 400 men, to meet Jacob (Verses 3–6). Verse 7 tells us that Jacob was “exceedingly afraid and distressed.” In fact, the entire encampment—wives, children, and servants alike—were terrified of what Esau would do.

Jacob did everything he could. He continued to send expensive gifts to Esau. He divided his family into two camps, so that if the people of one camp were killed, the others might be able to flee. Yes, Jacob did everything he could, but he knew that it was not enough. Jacob and his family were about to meet Esau’s wrath.

Divine Help Needed

Jacob was a shrewd businessman and knew how to make deals. But those skills were useless now. There was no business deal that he could make that would get him out of this, and he knew that unless the Lord intervened on his behalf, it was going to be all over.

Jacob was standing in the realization that there was nothing he could do to save himself. This is a reality we also must learn. We cannot be good, keep God’s commandments, nor be made ready for heaven on our own. It doesn’t matter how smart and shrewd a person we are.

Just as Jacob realized he needed divine help, we must know that we cannot save ourselves by anything we do. Divine power must be operating in our lives or we are lost. The Bible is very clear about this. We may try our whole lives, but we will never be able to develop enough self-control or power; we can never make ourselves a good person.

I have been a preacher for a long time, and I learned long ago that I am a lot more afraid of the good people than of the bad people. People who think they are good do not realize that, as the Bible says, the “heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17:9. The bad people at least know they need help.

Jacob was a smart man, but the Lord allowed him to suffer the consequences of his actions, and thereby recognize that unless he had divine help, it was all over. The sooner that you and I learn that lesson, the better off we will be.

To be continued …

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John J. Grosboll is the Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be reached by email at historic@stepstolife.org or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

God’s Omnipotence

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In Daniel 4:13, Daniel tells of his experience when King Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel to explain his dream about a watcher and a holy one. In the dream, the watcher was a guest, though uninvited, at Belshazzar’s sacrilegious feast, decades later, after which his kingdom was taken from him.

The king let wine, power, and pride control him, and he took the lead in the riotous blasphemy occurring at this feast.

This same watcher who had come to Nebuchadnezzar, looked on this scene of debauchery and the desecration of the sacred temple articles during Belshazzar’s feast, and soon, the unseen and uninvited guest had seen enough and made His presence felt. At the moment when the sacrilegious revelry was at its height, a bloodless hand came forth and moved along the wall, tracing flaming characters of doom.

“ ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin’ was written in letters of fire. Only four characters were traced by that hand on the wall facing the king, but they showed that the power of God was there.”

Belshazzar had been given many opportunities to know and do God’s will. He had seen his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, banished from the society of men. He had seen the intellect in which the proud monarch gloried taken away by the One who had given it. He had seen the king driven from his kingdom and made the companion of the beasts of the field. But Belshazzar’s love of amusement and self-glorification overshadowed the lessons he should never have forgotten; and he committed sins similar to those that had brought judgments on Nebuchadnezzar. He wasted the opportunities graciously granted him, neglecting to take advantage of the opportunities within his reach to learn the truth. “What must I do to be saved?” was a question that the great but foolish king thought unworthy of consideration.

We know the rest of the story. Daniel was called in to explain to the king the meaning of the words that the hand of the Omnipotent one had burned into the wall of the banquet hall.

Could the curtain be rolled back before those who have never given their hearts to God, with others who are Christians in name but who are unrenewed in heart and unsanctified in temper, they would see that God’s eye is ever upon them. They would feel as shaken from their carnal security as was the king of Babylon. They would realize that in every place, at every hour in the day, there is a holy Watcher who balances every account, whose eye takes in the whole situation, whether that situation is one of faithfulness or one of disloyalty and deception.

This scene should remind us that we are never alone. We have a companion, whether we choose Him or not. Remember that wherever we are, whatever we are doing, God is always with us. To our every word and action, we have a witness—the holy, sin-hating God. Nothing that is said, or done, or thought, can escape His infinite eye. Our words may not be heard by human ears, but they are heard by the Ruler of the universe. He reads the inward anger of the soul when the will is crossed. He senses the offense we feel when we think we have been slighted. He hears the expression of profanity, whether vocalized or not. In the deepest darkness and solitude, He is there. No one can deceive God; none can escape from their accountability to Him.

While this fact should be a cause for alarm to the unfaithful, it is a reason for hope and encouragement for the faithful. Knowing that our God watches over us every moment of every day should be of great comfort to those who continually seek to know and do His will. David undoubtedly had this thought in mind when he wrote Psalm 139.

“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall fall on me,’ even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:1–18

Thus, David speaks of the omnipresence of God:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

Acknowledgment of this component of God’s personality, for want of a better word, leads to consideration of another aspect of God that is now manifested and will be even more magnificently revealed once time and eternity meet—His omnipotence. The combination of the two—His omnipresence and His omnipotence—speak to the incomprehensible nature of His power.

Consider these statements from the pen of Inspiration that address this all-powerful aspect of His nature.

BAPTISM

“The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, powers infinite and omniscient, receive those who truly enter into covenant relation with God. They are present at every baptism.” God’s Amazing Grace, 143

Undoubtedly, more than one baptism occurs at any given time throughout the world. Nevertheless, we are told that Jesus is one of the Holy Three who are present at every one.

Baptisms might be considered singular events. At any baptism, it is usually one person being baptized at a time. However, Inspiration speaks of events when there will be untold numbers of saints being served, apparently in incomprehensibly quick succession, if not simultaneously.

“My brethren and sisters, God is your strength, and He does not want you to go crippling along in this life. And when you enter the gate of the New Jerusalem you will read over the gate, ‘Blessed are they that do His commandments.’

“Jesus will welcome you, and with His own hand place the crown upon the brow of all those who enter there.” Sermons and Talks, Book 1, 45, 46

Just how many are there upon whose brows Jesus will place the crown of life? In Genesis 32, we find the story of Jacob’s return from serving Laban and his anticipation of meeting Esau, who he fears is intent on his destruction. In verse 12, appealing to God for protection, Jacob reminds God that He had assured him that his descendants would be as the sands of the sea.

We can speculate about how many that might be, but the Internet provides a clue. It reports that one cup of sand can contain anywhere from two million to 15 million grains of sand, depending on the size of the grains and their degree of packing density. The total number of grains of sand worldwide is a number too great for finite minds to comprehend. Nevertheless, we are assured that Jesus Himself will individually crown all of Jacob’s descendants, “which cannot be numbered for multitude.”

In Exodus 32:13, Moses is pleading with the Lord to spare the rebellious Israelites who have just made and worshiped a golden calf. He states, “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom you swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven … .’ ”

Here is another number that is too great for the finite mind to comprehend. There are an estimated 200 billion trillion stars in the observable universe, according to astronomers. That’s 200 sextillion, or a 2 followed by 23 zeroes. This number is derived by multiplying the estimated number of galaxies in the universe by the average number of stars, like those found in the Milky Way, in a galaxy.

Just how Jesus will crown that many is another fact beyond the comprehension of the finite mind.

Now consider this statement:

“… those who love and obey God will partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb in the kingdom of God, and Jesus Himself will serve them.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 63

That will be quite a feast, and the thought of being individually served by the Master Servant is quite humbling.

Clearly, the Son of God possesses attributes that we cannot comprehend from our finite, human perspective. When we read these inspired statements regarding His accomplished acts, which seem completely impossible to us, we can only exclaim in awe, “Our God is an awesome God.”

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.