Bible

That Which was Lost is Found

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“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

Luke 15:1, 2

After the Pharisees and scribes had murmured against Christ and the work He was doing, He, knowing their hearts, told a series of parables that are recorded in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. Each one of these parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—conveys the same principle and was told in the presence of the Pharisees and scribes who were so actively impugning Christ’s work.

In Testimonies, vol. 3, 99–104, there is a presentation of these three parables which clearly indicates that the object of each one was to open the eyes of Christ’s listeners to the fact that when a sinner, represented by the found sheep and coin and the returning son, turns from his sinful ways and returns to Christ, there is to be rejoicing, not condemnation.

Another possible explanation for these parables is that the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son could be understood to represent this world. According to the Spirit of Prophecy, of all the created worlds, this is the only one that has eaten of the forbidden fruit and been lost (see Christ’s Object Lessons, 190, 191). As we return our allegiance heavenward, what if the angels treated us just as the son that remained at home treated the prodigal? Surely Christ will say to them, “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” Luke 15.32.

While both of these interpretations are applicable, there is perhaps a third interpretation for the parable of the lost coin. We read Christ’s words, “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:8–10.

In the parable, it was a woman who lost one of ten coins. In Scripture, a woman is used to represent the church. Thus the first point for us to note is that the church has lost one of ten pieces of silver—interestingly, the same number of coins as the number of commandments.

Does the word of God provide a hidden treasure in this parable?

“Those who desire to find the treasures of truth must dig for them as the miner digs for the treasure hidden in the earth. No halfhearted, indifferent work will avail. It is essential for old and young, not only to read God’s word, but to study it with wholehearted earnestness, praying and searching for truth as for hidden treasure. Those who do this will be rewarded, for Christ will quicken the understanding.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 111.

In Psalm 12:6, we read, “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”

In Proverbs 2:1–5, the Bible records the enlightening words of Solomon: “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

In these texts, the Hebrew word translated as words can also be translated as commandments. When we compare scripture with scripture, an interesting interpretation of this parable begins to unfold. Is it possible that the lost coin also represents a lost commandment as well as a lost sinner and a lost world?

How did the woman find the lost coin? She lit a candle to shed light on her search. In Psalm 119:105, we read, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Therefore a suggestion for an alternative interpretation to this parable might be that the church lost one of the ten commandments and by searching for it in God’s word, they found it.

In 1885, Ellen White preached a sermon in Grimsby, England, in which she spoke of how Sabbath reform in the early Seventh-day Adventist Church came about as a result of the proclamation of the third angel’s message:

“The open door in heaven reveals the temple of God, in the most holy place of which is the ark, and in this ark is the law of ten commandments written with the finger of God on tables of stone. The light that shines forth from the open door attracts the attention of the people of God, and they begin to see what that ark contains—the law of ten commandments. They are seeking for light, and as they trace down that law, precept by precept, they find right in the bosom of the decalogue the fourth commandment as it was instituted in Eden and proclaimed in awful grandeur from Sinai’s mount, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it’ [Exodus 20:8–11]. They then see that instead of observing the seventh day, the day that God sanctified and commanded to be observed as the Sabbath, they are keeping the first day of the week as the Sabbath. But they honestly desire to do God’s will, and they begin to search the Scriptures to find the reason for the change. Failing to find this, the question arises, Shall we accept a truth that has become unpopular, and obey the commandments of God? or, shall we continue with the world, and obey the commandments of men? With open Bibles they weep, and pray, and compare scripture with scripture, until they are convinced of the truth, and conscientiously take their stand as commandment-keepers.” The Present Truth, November 3, 1885.

Can we not conclude, then, that the parable of the lost coin was in one sense a prophecy about finding, through searching the word of God, the lost commandment that clearly shows the seventh day as the true Sabbath?

In searching God’s word, comparing scripture with scripture, we find a surprising number of references from Christ Himself regarding the commandments as a whole and the implications of keeping them.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15.

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21.

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” John 15:10.

“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. … Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Mark 7:7–9.

From these texts as well as from many others, it is clear that Christ kept His Father’s commandments and exhorted His followers to do the same. Let us look at one example in God’s word of Sabbath-keeping that should confirm to anyone who doubts the importance of finding the lost piece of silver, the lost commandment.

In Luke 23:50–56, there is a clear indication of faithful—and maybe even surprising—obedience to a commandment that many today seem to have lost. “And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”

Doesn’t this story make it clear that if we want to serve our Lord, we must do so according to His commandments? May the world soon realize that there is indeed a lost coin, a lost piece of silver, a lost commandment that must be found and returned to its rightful place in our lives if we truly love the Lord.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” I John 5:3.

John Pearson is part of the Steps to Life team. He can be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

Devil’s Deceptions

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What should be the final authority for your belief and practice? Many different answers have been proposed for this question. To some it is the opinions of learned men; to others it is the conclusions of science, or the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils; to yet others it is simply the voice of the majority. But there is a more satisfactory answer than any of these.

The prophecies in Revelation 13 and 14 are very clear that in the very last days of this earth’s history there is going to be worldwide religious legislation. In Revelation 13:15–17 we read the following: “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” [Emphasis supplied.]

In the previous verses it is predicted that the earth will be deceived by this power and that it will pass legislation regulating how worship is to be conducted, and all who refuse to worship according to these laws will be prohibited to buy or sell. Eventually, a death decree will be added to this law.

While studying the Bible we find over and over again that God never forces the will or the conscience. Notice what the Lord says to the inhabitants of this world in the very last chapter of the Bible: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17.

Salvation is offered in the Bible as a free gift, but it is only to those who want it, to those who are willing to comply with the conditions. The conditions are mentioned right in this very same chapter. In Revelation 22:14, 15 it says, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral [those who break the seventh commandment], and murderers [those who break the sixth commandment], and idolaters [those who break the second commandment], and whoever loves and practices a lie [those who break the ninth commandment].”

At the end, it will be the commandment keepers on the inside of the Holy City, and those who break the commandments will be on the outside. It has been recorded very simply, very plainly and very clearly in the book of Revelation, so even a child can understand. God never forces a man’s will or his conscience. He gives an invitation to all to be subjects of His government and to be loyal to the government of heaven.

Satan, on the other hand, constantly resorts to deception. He is called, all through the Bible, the deceiver. He deceived our first parents and is repeatedly called a deceiver and a liar. Jesus called him the father of lies! If Satan fails in his attempt to deceive or seduce, his next step is to compel by cruelty. And that is exactly what we read in Revelation 13:15–17. Eventually, laws will be made to put to death any who refuse to worship in accordance with the laws.

At first, those who are faithful to God will not be able to buy or sell. How will these people feed their families? How will they have clothes, food, shelter, transportation, or anything else if they are unable to buy or sell? If that law fails to make them worship the beast, eventually the death decree will be established, as it says in verse 15. Through fear or force, Satan endeavors to rule a person’s conscience and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this he has studied the past and he has worked over and over again through both religious and secular authorities. We believe, from reading Revelation 13, that he will do exactly the same in the future as he has done in the past and will move upon religious and secular authorities to make and enforce human laws that are in defiance of the law of God.

We know that this religious legislation in Revelation 13 is in defiance of the law of God because it enforces the mark of the beast, the worship of the image of the beast. In Revelation 14:9–11 we read, “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.’ ”

Liberty of conscience has been bought at a high cost, a sacrifice that you and I cannot comprehend. The people of the United States of America have liberty of conscience as a result of people who fled from persecution in Europe and other places and said, “We are going to have a government where people have civil and religious liberty.” But, we have political corruption in our world today, even in our own country. This political corruption is destroying the love of justice and the regard for truth so that people are to the place where they want security more than they want freedom.

We are going to see the prophet’s words exemplified in the soon coming conflict that is predicted in Revelation 13 and 14. “The dragon [the devil] was enraged with the woman [a symbol of the church in Bible prophecy], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Then I stood on the sand of the sea.” Revelation 12:17; 13:1. In other words, he had almost all of the world’s population on his side.

What are you going to do in such a time as that? Are you going to be deceived along with the majority, or are you going to read the word of God and say, “I am going to be obedient to the law of God, and I am going to live in harmony with that law”? Do you remember what Jesus said to the devil? He said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4.

After Jesus had fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and was literally starving to death, He held to the position that He would not go contrary to the word of God, not even to provide food for Himself, one of the most basic necessities of life.

How is it with you? What is your position on the word of God and the law of God? Are you loyal to the commandments of God and to the government of God? Or will you be deceived by the miracles worked through people receiving manifestations of spirits—spiritualism? There is only one class of people who will stand and not be deceived by the final deceptions that will take the world captive, and they are pointed out in the book of Isaiah. “To the law and to the testimony [the testimony of the prophets]: If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.

This is the final authority and test to know whom to believe and what to practice to be on God’s side of the great controversy. It is not whether you go along with miracles or religious legislation or anything like that. The question and/or test that will provide security in the final conflict between truth and error is the word of God—the law of God. Test the spirits to see if they are in harmony with God’s law. That is the question Isaiah asks. Is it in harmony with God’s law and is it in harmony with the Bible, the testimony of God’s prophets? If it is not in harmony with God’s law as found in Exodus 20:3–17, then there is no light in it and it is not on God’s side.

God’s word is a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). If there is no light, then the spirit is an evil one, a fallen spirit, one of the devil’s angels. Any miracle done or command made not according to the Word cannot be trusted, because the devil is a liar and a deceiver. His policy has been deception from the first and will continue to be to the last. The only protection and safeguard against the influence of false teachers or the delusive power of spirits of darkness, according to Isaiah 8:20, are the Scriptures. Only an intelligent knowledge of the word of God, the Scriptures, will provide a safeguard against deception and enable you to evaluate the miracles, the teachings, and recognize the devices the devil uses to deceive the world.

The devil knows very well that the Bible shows him for who he is. For this reason he has devised many distractions to keep God’s people from gaining a knowledge from God’s word. Every possible device has been invented to keep men and women occupied, entranced and busy, so they do not obtain that crucial knowledge. The devil knows that the plain utterances of the Bible reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work, the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity, and right now he is putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and His followers, because he knows his time is about to run out.

“The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures.” Darkness Before Dawn, 36.

It is only through the Holy Scriptures that a person will be able to tell the difference between what is true and what is false. The counterfeit will appear so much like the true that most of the people in this world will think they are experiencing the most wonderful revival and reformation that has ever been, but they will be deceived.

Those who endeavor to keep all the commandments of God will be opposed and derided. Every testimony, every miracle needs to be tested by the testimony of the Scriptures. It will only be possible to stand in a time like this if you are standing in the power of God. In order to endure this deceptive trial that is fast approaching, an understanding of the will of God as revealed in His word is needed. To honor God is to understand what the Bible says about His character, His government, His purposes, and then choose to act in accordance with that government, with that character, with those purposes.

Only those who have filled their minds with Bible truth will be able to stand firm through that great deceptive time. I challenge you to study your Bible and Spirit of Prophecy today. Find out what the Bible says. “Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble.” II Peter 1:10.

To every soul, to every person there is going to be asked a close, searching, test question. The test question is simply, “Am I going to obey the laws of God as revealed in His word, or am I going to obey the laws of men when they contradict the law of God?”

The decisive hour is near. Are your feet planted on the unchangeable word of God? Are you prepared to stand in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus? The third angel’s message closes telling of the people who go through this time of test and trial and come out victorious. It says, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

John the Revelator has pointed out a time of worldwide lawlessness for which God will judge the world and send the sinners to destruction. The Bible is very clear in both the Old and New Testaments that this world is going to be destroyed at the coming of Christ. The mass of world population will be caught in deliberate violation and disobedience to the law of God just as it was before the flood. The people who do not receive the mark of the beast and do not worship his image are described as people who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12). Are you going to be in that number?

Several times in the gospels it is recorded that Jesus told His disciples what would happen to Him when He went to Jerusalem. He said, “We are going to Jerusalem, and I am going to be betrayed by the chief priests and scribes. They are going to give Me to the Gentiles—to the Roman government, to mock and scourge, and I am going to be crucified, and then on the third day, I am going to rise again” (Matthew 16:21; 20:19).

The Bible says that when He told the disciples this, they were exceedingly sorry (Matthew 17:23). In fact, they were so sorry about it that they could not accept it. They just could not believe it. Many people today believe that the whole world is going to be converted, but this is not taught in the Bible. In fact, it says just the opposite.

The world is going to be converted to worship antichrist. They will believe that they are worshiping Christ, but it is not the real One. The disciples were deluded by the teachings of popular theology in their time. They thought Jesus was going to give temporal dominion to the children of Israel and give victory over the Roman government. They could not tolerate the thought that He was going to die an ignominious death, but when the time came, exactly what Jesus predicted happened. The words that they needed to remember were somehow banished from their minds, and when the time of trial came, it found them unprepared. The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if He had not forewarned them of what was going to happen. In the same way, in the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation, the future of our world and what is going to happen just before the end of the world is opened up to us just as plainly as what Jesus told His disciples was going to happen to Him.

But, these events connected with the close of probation and the important truths concerning the time of trouble that is coming upon this world, even though they are clearly presented in the Bible, are misunderstood. There are multitudes of people in the world today that have no more understanding of these things than if they were not even recorded in Bible prophecy. And Satan is watching to catch away the truth, to catch away every impression that would make you wise unto salvation so that the time of trouble will find you unready.

Have you ever thought about the fact that when God sends to men warnings that are so important that they are represented in symbolic form as being presented by angels flying in the midst of heaven, as you see in Revelation 14:6–12, that God requires every person who has reason, to pay attention to what He is trying to warn us about? The fearful judgments that are pronounced in the Three Angels’ Messages against the worship of the beast and his image, against Babylon, should lead every Christian to a diligent study of the Scriptures of the prophecy, to learn what this mark is, what this image is, and how to avoid receiving it.

But the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth. They are turned to fables. The apostle Paul predicted that this would happen. Looking down to the last days, he wrote, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” II Timothy 4:3, 4. Paul predicted that would happen in the future. That has happened. The multitudes today do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of their sinful, world-loving hearts. Satan provides them the deceptions that they love, so they can have an easy religion, and they can go to heaven sitting down, as it is said.

Would you like to be one of God’s people, one of His children in these last days? God is looking for a people on the earth who will maintain the Bible and the Bible only as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men are not good enough, because they are still men. The deductions of science are not good enough. The deductions of science have been proved false over and over again in the past. Much of what we believe, much of our deductions, much of our conclusions will be proved false in the future. That is not good enough for a final authority, especially on religious things.

What about the creeds and the decisions of ecclesiastical councils? These are numerous and discordant as are the churches that they represent. How about the voice of the majority? A study of religious history reveals what it was like in the days of Jesus. The majority has been wrong over and over again; in fact, almost every time, because the devil is a deceiver and he deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

What should be the final authority as evidence for or against any point of religious faith?

Before accepting any doctrine or teaching, the question you need to ask is: “Is there a plain ‘Thus says the Lord,’ in support of this doctrine or teaching?” That is not too hard of a question to require. Paul was teaching the truth to people who did not know a lot about it and commended them, saying, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11. The apostle Paul preached the gospel to people, and they decided to check him out.

They did not just accept it because Paul said it, because Paul was a human being. These people in Berea said, “We are going to find out if what the apostle Paul is teaching is really true. We are going to check the Bible.” So they started searching the Scriptures every day to find out if what the apostle Paul taught about the Messiah was really true. For doing that, the apostle Paul commended them. God is going to have a people in the last days who maintain the Bible and the Bible only as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms.

Before accepting any doctrine, precept, or teaching, we should demand a plain “Thus says the Lord” in its support. If the Lord does not say so, what confidence can you have? Even the apostle Paul commended the people who checked him out to see, “Is this really what the word of God says?” Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31, 32. In other words, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, then, that is what proves you are My disciples, and the result will be that you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”

What side of the great controversy are you going to be on as we approach the end of the world?

(Bible verses are from the New King James Version.)

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

Nicodemus

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There is not a lot said about Nicodemus in the Bible, but there are many lessons and illustrations applicable from the little that is mentioned. In fact, there is a whole chapter devoted to Nicodemus in The Desire of Ages. Ellen White makes this statement: “In the interview with Nicodemus, Jesus unfolded the plan of salvation, and His mission to the world. In none of His subsequent discourses did He explain so fully, step by step, the work necessary to be done in the hearts of all who would inherit the kingdom of heaven.” Ibid., 176. This is quite a statement, if you stop to think about it. “In none of His subsequent discourses did He explain so fully ….” It seems to me that since inheriting the kingdom of heaven is our goal it would be important to study this interview carefully to see what is the necessary work. So, we will focus on one small portion of the interview as an illustration of what is necessary for the first step of salvation. It is a step often missing from the lives of professed Christians, yet it is the very first requirement for salvation. Without this step, there are no others.

Nicodemus was what, in our society today, would be called one of the “rich and famous.” He held a high position in the Jewish society. He was highly educated. He possessed unique talents “of no ordinary character.” (See Conflict and Courage, 291.) He was an honored member of the national council. He was a strict Pharisee filled with good works. He was widely esteemed for benevolence; in other words, he cared for the poor and destitute, and for his liberality in sustaining the temple service, he gave liberally to the Lord. What more could he do or be? It seems he had all the bases covered. Nicodemus himself was secure in his salvation. And if we are honest at looking at his life today, we would have to admit that from an outward point of view, he had it all together. Yet it is clear from the interview he had with Jesus that he was lacking something.

Do you want to be in the position where you feel secure of salvation but don’t have it? Jesus explained that situation in Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” What a fatal, crushing realization, and when it is too late! How can we avoid being in that position?

Let’s continue on with our story of Nicodemus. Let’s join him as he seeks Jesus on that night; that night when a rich, satisfied, successful ruler of the Jews initiated an interview with the meek, humble, poor teacher from Nazareth; that night which was to be the turning point for Nicodemus’ entire life.

Jesus has retired to the Mount of Olives. It is late. The night is peaceful and quiet. Silently, clothed in the darkness so as to conceal his destination, Nicodemus makes his way to Jesus’ retreat. He does not want to be seen; he reasons that he would not want to set this example for the common people.

Under the light of the stars and the moon, speaking with the One who created these things, Nicodemus begins with an air of composure and dignity. “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.” John 3:2, AKJV.

Picture it. Nicodemus is in control; rather he perceives that he is in control. In fact, he probably has the whole conversation planned out in his head. You know what that is like. You have something to say; you know how you will say it, and you know exactly how someone will react to what you have to say. That is Nicodemus’ situation. Well, this is where the story gets interesting. Nicodemus has begun, but his well laid plans don’t work out. Jesus completely ignores Nicodemus’ statement. Immediately, Jesus takes control of the conversation, going directly to the heart of the issue of conversion. He says, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Verse 5.

Nicodemus is startled. Where did that come from? He had said nothing of conversion. He didn’t need conversion; he was already saved! This is not where his well planned conversation was to go. He loses all sense of his self-possession. He is no longer aware of his surroundings, or his own preconceived conversational ideas. Rather he is focused intently on One who reads his heart like an open book.

Nicodemus had, of course, heard the preaching of John the Baptist. He was aware of the message John had preached concerning repentance and baptism. But never had he related the need for repentance and baptism to himself. He was startled, surprised and self rose up in irritation. What? He, a strict Pharisee not good enough? He, benevolent and liberal yet not good enough? He, highly educated and intelligent but not good enough?

We need to stop right here and reflect a moment. What just happened? Truth was brought home to a heart. And what happened when truth hit home? What happened when Nicodemus was confronted with truth? Is it not the same with many as with Nicodemus? Nicodemus didn’t like the close application of truth to himself. “The pride of the Pharisee was struggling against the honest desire of the seeker after truth.” The Desire of Ages, 171. Let’s think about this for a moment. This is the crux of where so many people lose their way. There are many, many examples of this very thing. In fact, this same situation happened with Lucifer in heaven. Sadly, Lucifer chose to retain his pride, and consequently, he lost all heaven.

Here is where a basic requirement must take place in the heart to begin the process of regeneration and conversion. It is at this point that something must happen in order to gain salvation.

This first basic requirement is succinctly described at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3, 5, 6, where it says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit … Blessed are the meek … Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.”

These same basic attitudes and attributes are beautifully portrayed in David’s prayer in Psalm 51:10, 11. He says, “Create in me a pure heart, O, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.”

What common attributes do you see woven between these two texts, Matthew 5 and Psalm 51? It is humility of heart, an admission of need, a desire for righteousness. Without these, we cannot take the first step towards regeneration and redemption.

Were these attitudes valued and exhibited by the Pharisees? (Remember, Nicodemus was a leading Pharisee.) Not if I read my Bible correctly. In fact, a Pharisee’s thoughts went more like this: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.” Luke 18:11. No wonder the statement Jesus made hit Nicodemus with such force.

Now let’s turn the conversation to our day, to the last church that will exist before Jesus’ coming. As you read the following text, see if there is any correlation or parallel with the statement regarding the Pharisee we just read in Luke 18.

Revelation 3:17, 18 says, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ ” Does that sound familiar? Doesn’t that sound something like what the Pharisee said? Next it says, “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” Do you think this is saying the same thing that Jesus said to Nicodemus on that night when He said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”? John 3:5.

This is a serious subject, a crucial subject for those interested in gaining eternal life. And it cuts right to the heart of our salvation. Even more, it is a requirement for anyone wanting a relationship with the meek, humble, lowly Jesus. Do you want an intimate relationship with Jesus? Do you want to be like Him?

“We may have flattered ourselves, as did Nicodemus, that our life has been upright, that our moral character is correct, and think that we need not humble the heart before God, like the common sinner: but when the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life. Then we shall know that our own righteousness is indeed as filthy rags, and that the blood of Christ alone can cleanse us from the defilement of sin, and renew our hearts in His own likeness.” Conflict and Courage, 292.

Do you and I today have the humility and meekness, the hunger and thirst for righteousness necessary for salvation, or are we like the Pharisee or the Laodicean? Let us pray earnestly for the Spirit of Christ, as it is the only way unto salvation.

(Bible texts quoted are New International Version unless otherwise noted.)

Brenda Douay is a staff member of Steps to Life. She can be contacted by email at: brendadouay@stepstolife.org or by phone at: 316-788-5559.

Hearers of the Gospel

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The gospel message of Jesus Christ is so simple a child is able to understand it. Yet, at the same time it is deep enough to keep the most diligent student enthralled and challenged. In the Bible are written many things that can be missed by a mere superficial reading. Careful, prayerful study, having an open mind, meditating on each verse, comparing Scripture with Scripture, will reveal many gems and blessings that would be missed if the Holy Spirit has not given understanding.

The attitude in which the Bible is studied affects the character and behavior of the one who reads it and develops an ear for the gospel. In Mark 14:27, it says, “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.”

Sheep need a shepherd, and when left alone without one to guide, protect and give assistance, they become afraid and run away. When Jesus said that the disciples would be offended and frightened that night, Peter replied, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.” Verses 29–31.

Here Jesus was prophesying to Peter, telling him that he did not have a heart for the gospel but just an ear. He told him that his mind was not right for the gospel. Peter had not surrendered all to Jesus at that point in time. He was still full of himself. Jesus told him that before the cock would crow that very night—not the next day, or the next week, or the next month—but that very night Peter would deny his Lord.

To do what is necessary in the name of the Lord requires a humble heart. The Lord is not looking for proud people; the world is full of them. He is looking for people who are willing to get their hands and their shoes dirty for the Lord. Like Peter, many of us want to have a position with the Lord but still retain those character defects and habits that He rebukes. Many of us still want to have the elevated positions above our brothers and sisters. What if I have been in the church for 25 years; does that give me the right to say, “Who do you think you are?” “I am the pastor, you are the deacon; you should listen to me.” “Do you know who I am; do you know to whom you are talking?”

This terrible prideful behavior influences others to respond in the same way, just as it influenced the other disciples. Peter’s arrogance in claiming his allegiance to Jesus under all circumstances that night infected the other disciples. It is recorded, “Likewise also said they all.” Verse 31. Before we are able to influence others to become like Jesus we must first be like Him. Peter was unaware of the weakness of his own heart, and because of this, he was able to make the boastful claim that, if needed, he was ready to die for Jesus, but we know what really happened. Peter denied Jesus three times. How many Christians today make similar boasts? “If the Lord would come today, I am ready for Him.” But are we really ready for Him today? Many exhibit the same boastful spirit as did Peter, but when something happens that is painful or a little bit uncomfortable and their comfort zone has been invaded, they begin to complain. Because of selfishness and unkindness, many defend their territory just like the animals do, marking their territory and attacking whatever comes too close. This type of person is a hearer of the gospel and not a doer.

In love for mankind, Jesus left the comforts of the kingdom of heaven, where He was adored by the heavenly host, for us. He asked the Father to allow Him to die in our stead. Only somebody of high position, equal with God, could take the place of sinful man in order to pay the penalty for sin.

In Matthew 16:13–16 it says, “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Did Peter really know that He was the Son of God? Though Peter confessed with his mouth that He was the Son of God, his whole heart had not yet connected with the gospel.

Matthew 17:24–27 says, “And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”

Peter, instead of first enquiring of Jesus, spoke in His behalf, saying that Jesus would pay the tribute. Before presuming or engaging in any situation, we also should ask for wisdom. This lack of wisdom is often the reason for so many differences in today’s church. Decisions are often made without first consulting the Lord.

In the most critical moment of His life and in His weakened condition, Jesus determined to do only the will of His father. “And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Mark 14:33–36.

How many are truly prepared and willing to do this? The halfhearted ones will be as the disciples, with the mind willing, but the flesh weak. “And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping.” Verse 37. Some people literally sleep in church. They are so busy all week with the cares of this world that, while sitting quietly in church, they just fall asleep, missing the worship that brings the spiritual strength necessary to resist the attacks of the enemy.

The end of the world is coming, and every opportunity should be taken to expand the mind with Bible truths. Now is not the time to be sleeping; it is time to get ready. The prophecies warn that it is time to get ready!

Mark 14:37, 38 says, “And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

It is important that the mind is kept clear by healthful practices and control of the body is kept so that the senses are in subjection to the will of the Holy Spirit.

“And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy), neither wist they what to answer him.” Verses 39, 40.

The Christian who is prepared to die to self will not remain in his comfort zone and simply listen to the gospel, but he will put into practice the valuable lessons learned and share them with others. It takes serious discipline to get up and work for Jesus.

“And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” Verse 41.

It is easy to become complacent. While living in California (United States), we, like many others, developed immunity to the shaking caused by minor earthquakes. Several times my wife and I were awakened because of severe shaking. There was lots of noise and the dogs barked. When you are awakened like that, you are in shock and start running. Sometimes you don’t even know where you are going. That is the way it is with the crisis that is coming. There are many sleeping now who are not getting prepared, and they will not know how to respond.

In Mark 14:50 we read how the disciples responded in their crisis: “And they all forsook Him, and fled.” Just a short time before this they had all said they would be willing to die for Him and now they all fled. We can say that we love God today and thank Him for the sacrifice He made on the cross for us, but what about tomorrow? Those who only develop an ear for the Lord will respond in the same manner, as did the disciples—they will run. They will not be able to stand and take their position with God—they will compromise.

Life brings with it many challenges. Resisting that which is bad and making right choices builds the character and increases faith for meeting bigger temptations. It is during this probationary time that the character can be disciplined and made ready to meet the pending crisis before Jesus returns. Those who do not diligently resist the devil now will turn away in the last days and even become collaborators with the persecutors of God’s people.

Mark 14:54 says, “And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.” Peter did not want to be recognized as one of Jesus’ followers. He was scared and did not want anything to do with the Messiah, his Teacher, Master and Instructor, and he did not want to be identified with Him. The disciples had witnessed His miracles; they had seen the sick healed and even the dead resurrected. Peter had even admitted that Jesus was the Son of the living God, but it proved to be only giving lip service. If Peter really believed that Jesus was the Son of God, he would have stood right with Him. His expectations were not being met; he had not put his all on the altar, and he found that his lips were fooling him.

In Jesus’ sermon on the mount He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3. It is not about being arrogant and self-assured but being completely dependent on Jesus, not trusting self at all. This is the condition of all who will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

“And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.” Mark 14:55. Interestingly, there was none found who were willing to stand up, but there were many conflicting accusations.

“False witnesses had been bribed to accuse Jesus of inciting rebellion and seeking to establish a separate government. But their testimony proved to be vague and contradictory. Under examination they falsified their own statements.” The Desire of Ages, 705.

“And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” Mark 14:66–70.

Peter was identified as a Galilaean by his speech. Christians also should be identified by their speech. The study of the word of God sanctifies the heart, and the speech becomes pure and honest. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45.

“But he [Peter] began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.” Mark 14:71. He responded by swearing and cursing, so he would not look like one of Jesus’ followers.

“Peter had not designed that his real character should be known. In assuming an air of indifference he had placed himself on the enemy’s ground, and he became an easy prey to temptation. If he had been called to fight for his Master, he would have been a courageous soldier; but when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he proved himself a coward. Many who do not shrink from active warfare for their Lord are driven by ridicule to deny their faith.” The Desire of Ages, 712.

Be sure that under severe and stressful circumstances the feelings of the heart will manifest themselves in the words spoken. How true is the need for a new heart? We should pray, as did David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. Only with God’s Spirit is it possible to stand firm during trials.

Either the Spirit of God or the spirit of Satan controls the mind, which in turn controls the words and actions. Peter was offended when Jesus warned him about his denial, his heart being too full of pride. Humans have a tendency to be fooled and to think all is well. Without God we have the tendency to be rude and unkind, selfish. The Spirit of God subdues the selfish, prideful spirit that is within us, giving us a heart of compassion and love for others. Paul describes this: “That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24.

“And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.” Mark 14:72. “While the degrading oaths were fresh upon Peter’s lips, and the shrill crowing of the cock was still ringing in his ears, the Saviour turned from the frowning judges, and looked full upon His poor disciple. At the same time Peter’s eyes were drawn to his Master. In that gentle countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but there was no anger there.

“The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips, that look of compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like an arrow. Conscience was aroused. Memory was active. Peter called to mind his promise of a few short hours before that he would go with his Lord to prison and death. …

“Once more he looked at his Master, and saw a sacrilegious hand raised to smite Him in the face. Unable longer to endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall.” The Desire of Ages, 712, 713.

When you fall in love with God, you will take your position with the Lord. Jesus said, “Father, Thy will be done and not mine” (Matthew 26:42). Jesus was there suffering because of His loyalty to His Father. At that point, there was no loyalty or obedience in Peter, because he was still able to swear and curse and to act cowardly. While self reigned there was no room for Divine power. But when Peter looked at Jesus and had eye-to-eye contact with Him, his heart was broken, and he was finally converted. The look on Jesus’ face said, “Peter, I love you.” Peter wept. Each of us needs to look into the face of our Saviour and truly surrender self and weep and be converted.

The gospel tells us to, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19, 20.

Jesus is coming! Prophecies declare it, and the signs of His appearing are being fulfilled right before our eyes. Now is the time to get ready, not to sleep. Now is the time for discipline, willingly searching the Scriptures. The devil wants us to sleep; he doesn’t care if we are just a hearer of the Word as long as we are not a doer of the Word. Jesus is calling us to come out of the world and to be separate with Him. He has promised that He will be with us unto the end.

First, surrender to God—come to Him; it is too late in earth’s history to be lukewarm. The time is coming when persecution will begin and the decree will go forth to worship the beast and his image. Unless your heart has been renewed by God’s Spirit, you will respond just as Peter did and deny your Lord. You will say, “Leave me alone; I do not know what you are talking about.”

It is not enough to attend church and pay tithe. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Luke 18:11, 12. It is not enough to do all the right things and then compare yourself with others, point out all the things wrong in the church and criticize other brethren for what they eat, what they wear, or what they do. There is no time to hit people over the head with the gospel, but to lead them to Jesus who stands at the door patiently and knocks (Revelation 3:20), offering an invitation to those who overcome as He did to sit with Him on His throne with His Father.

It is time now to, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” II Corinthians 13:5. If we are honest with ourselves, we will see that we can relate with Peter before his true conversion, but we need not stay in that condition. Today, the Saviour is waiting to open the door. Why don’t you let Him come in?

Without Christ, we are nothing!

Pastor Domingo Nuñez is Director of Outreach Ministry for Steps to Life. He is involved in the coordination of world mission projects and he travels extensively, encouraging the many home churches supported by Steps to Life. He can be contacted at: 316-788-5559 or by email at: domingonunez@stepstolife.org.

The Widow and the Unjust Judge

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In the last verse of the Gospel of John, it says that in addition to what is written, there are many other things that Jesus did. In fact, he said that if they were all written down, the world itself could not contain the books that could be written.

There were many incidents in the life of Jesus that are recorded, but of the stories that He told and the miracles that He worked, there are seventy-five recorded. In Matthew 9 you can read how He went through all the cities and villages healing people. Ellen White says in the book The Desire of Ages that there were whole villages where you could go without finding one sick person, because Jesus had passed through town and healed every sick person in that town. (See The Desire of Ages, 241.)

I doubt that there is a single village or town of any size in the United States today where there is not a single sick person. The few miracles that are recorded were the ones that the Holy Spirit inspired to write down because of special significance.

In Luke 17, starting at verse 21, Jesus related to His disciples not only the truth about His second coming, but also conditions in the world in the last day just before He would return.

Note that when the Bible was written, there were no chapter and verse divisions, so this account continues into the eighteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Jesus said that in the last days it would be like it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot and gives a number of counsels. Luke 17:33 says, “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

Luke 18:2–5 tells the story about a lady whose husband had died, leaving her in debt. Her adversaries had come and taken everything she had, and she was in a position where she did not know how she was going to get it back. It says, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while.” Verses 2–4. The judge persistently repulsed the woman. Again and again she was treated with contempt, and he continually said “No.”

Jesus described the judge as being unrighteous and unjust. The woman was in trouble and needed help, but he refused to help her. In this parable Jesus describes the situation that His children will go through in the last days. The woman did not give up; she persistently kept going back to the judge. Ellen White wrote, “It was Christ who gave the pleading widow courage and determination before the judge.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 175.

Many people at times have been short-circuited by the legal system. This was the widow’s experience. She kept going to the only place that she could go in this world to get help, and though she was continually refused and could not get the help she needed, she just kept asking. Finally, something happened. Luke 18:4 and 5 continue, “Afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” This judge was selfish, but to save his own reputation he gave in to her demand. He was afraid that if she came too many times, eventually there might be some publicity about this, and his partial one-sided judgment might become open to the public. To save his reputation, though he had no pity or compassion, he decided to avenge her to get rid of her.

This story is not only to demonstrate the kind of legal system that His children will have to deal with, especially in the last days, but also to draw a contrast between this earthly judge and the Judge that we have in heaven. Notice what Jesus said in verses 6–8:

“Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ ”

This is one of the most striking stories in the Bible about the conditions in the world in the last days just before Jesus comes. Notice how it ends in the last part of verse 8: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” What is the implication of that statement? Jesus said in Luke 17 that it would be like the days of Noah, and it would be like the days of Lot, and now He says when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Does this text sound like all the world is going to be converted before the Lord comes? No, it sounds like just the opposite. It sounds just like in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot.

Jesus describes our heavenly Father in exactly the opposite way as the unjust judge. The unjust judge would not do anything to help, but verses 7 and 8 of Luke 18 say, “Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him … I tell you that He will avenge them.” How? “Speedily.”

The widow, having lost her husband, was alone in the world with no one to help her. In the same way, because of the sin of our first parents, all on this planet have lost their connection with God, and we have no means to save our self except through Jesus Christ. Because of the infinite price that has been paid on the cross of Calvary, the elect of God are dear to His heart, and when we are in trouble and make an appeal to God, that appeal will be heard. And it will be answered.

It may not be answered in just the way that we think or expect. There are some experiences where it seems as if our prayers are not being heard or are not being answered, but it is for us to believe by faith. David also went through some similar trying experiences in his life. While being chased and hunted like a wild beast, he came to a point that he was perplexed as to what to do. Whom could he trust? Would somebody else betray him? He had lost confidence in everybody.

“He saw in every man a spy and a betrayer. In a great emergency David had looked up to God with a steady eye of faith, and had vanquished the Philistine giant. He believed in God, he went in His name. But as he had been hunted and persecuted, perplexity and distress had nearly hidden his heavenly Father from his sight.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 657. In this condition, David made some very serious mistakes. But, “Oh, what a God is ours, who deals gently with the erring and manifests His patience and tenderness in adversity, and when we are overwhelmed with some great sorrow!

“Every failure on the part of the children of God is due to their lack of faith. When shadows encompass the soul, when we want light and guidance, we must look up; there is light beyond the darkness.” Ibid.

“God works out His plans, though to human eyes they are veiled in mystery. Men cannot understand the ways of God; and, looking at appearances, they interpret the trials and tests and provings that God permits to come upon them as things that are against them, and that will only work their ruin.” Ibid., 672.

There are many people today who continually have this kind of perplexity. “David looked on appearances, and not at the promises of God. He doubted that he would ever come to the throne. Long trials had wearied his faith and exhausted his patience.” Ibid. David had suffered through long trials, being hunted like a wild beast by the king of Israel for approximately ten years. This, no doubt, felt as if it was going to last forever.

When I first started working at Steps to Life, my family was living in north Texas about 380 miles from the ministry. Because of the long commute, I went home one to three times a month. I remember, after I had done that for over three years, that in my mind I would ask, “Well, Lord, how long am I going to keep doing this?” Now it didn’t happen forever. No trial that you have in this world is going to be forever, though at times it seems that way while you are going through it and you don’t know how you are ever going to get out of the situation. That is also the way it seemed to David, and that is the way it looked to this poor widow. Concerning David, “Long trials had wearied his faith and exhausted his patience.” Ibid.

Remember, this is a story that applies to God’s people in the last days. The widow said to the unjust judge, “Avenge me of my adversary.” Who was her adversary? The word Satan comes from the Hebrew word, saw-tawn. It is an exact transliteration of the Hebrew word that is a name for the devil, which means, your adversary.

As the woman pleaded, God’s children plead and say, “Lord, avenge me of my adversary. I need help and I can’t help myself; I cannot get out of the situation that I am in, and I don’t know how long it is going to go on. Lord, please deliver me from this.”

The Bible says that God will avenge His own elect speedily.

In Zechariah 3, there is a story recorded where Satan stands up to oppose God’s children. He is their adversary and wants to destroy them. Satan does not simply work alone, but he has many agents. When God’s children pray, “Avenge me of my adversary,” their adversary is the devil and his agents. Those agents are the majority of human beings in this world, and they are working out some social conditions that will exist in the last days. James describes this, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded.” James 5:1–3. This could be translated rusted or cankered. In other words, it is not pure anymore; it has become destroyed.

It “will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” Verses 3, 4. Sabaoth is a Hebrew word that means hosts, the Lord of hosts, or the Lord of armies. “You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just [the righteous person]; he does not resist you.” Verses 5, 6.

The situation described here did not exist in the world in 1750. It started in the United States of America with the slave trade. Abraham Lincoln had some interesting things to say about it. He saw the inequity in the workplace and queried if it was right for one man to work for 70 cents a day and for another man in the same company to be making 70 dollars a day.

This is the kind of world that we live in today, full of oppression and extortion so there are some classes in the world that are starving. I have met people in Africa with children, men who have told me that they cannot afford to eat more than one meal a day. In Isaiah 59:14 it says, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” What do you do when, because of the legal system and because of the social system, some become wealthy and others cannot survive? Maybe you are on the short end of the stick and you are in a situation where you do not know how you are going to survive. What will you do?

In Psalm 50:15 it says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble.” If you and I are going to survive until the end of the world, we are going to have to learn how to pray. When we get into difficulty and there is no way out, we are going to have to learn how to call upon the Lord and to depend upon Him to solve our problem, rather than depending on human beings. The temptation is always to depend on human beings to solve our problem. When we are in difficulty, we think that we need a physician. Physicians, lawyers, or even insurance agents certainly have their place, but the kinds of troubles that God’s people are going to have to deal with in the very last days are not going to be solved by physicians or lawyers or insurance agents.

Those who endure to the end will live by faith. In Hebrews 11:33, 34 it says, “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

Ellen White comments on this text in Christ’s Object Lessons, 172. She says,

“The children of God are not left alone and defenseless. Prayer moves the arm of Omnipotence. Prayer has ‘subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire’—we shall know what it means when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died for their faith—‘turneth to flight the armies of the aliens’ (Hebrews 11:33, 34).”

Remember, when you pray you have an audience in the chamber of the One who is the most high God, who has absolute authority and power over the whole universe. Ellen White said, “We shall know what it means.” In other words, we do not know now; we do not know what it means, but we will know what it means when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died for their faith. There are some texts in the Bible we do not now understand. “By faith they quenched the violence of fire”? We do not know what it means, but she says, we will know what it means when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died for their faith.

In Christ’s Object Lessons, 173, it says, “If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision.” Have you surrendered your life to the Lord?

I do not know what situation you are experiencing. I meet a lot of people who describe to me situations that I can scarcely comprehend even after they describe them to me. I do not know what kind of trouble you are facing, but it is impossible that you could be in a situation where God has not made provision to help you.

As long as we are in this world, we are going to have problems on the outside. Jesus wants to come back and take His children out of the world to where there will not be any more trouble. We want to be delivered from the devil’s power. The widow said, “Avenge me of my adversary.” We want to be delivered from the devil’s power that is all around us and is causing so much trouble. But here is the problem. In Christ’s Object Lessons, 174, 175, it says,

“Christ desires nothing so much as to redeem His heritage from the dominion of Satan. But before we are delivered from Satan’s power without, we must be delivered from his power within.”

That is the reason why we are still here. It is not that Jesus does not want to come back and get us out of this place, but before He can deliver us from the devil’s power on the outside, we must first be delivered from the power within. He said, “When you cleanse the cup, first cleanse the inside, then you can clean the outside.” Remember what He said in Matthew 23:28, “That’s the trouble with you Pharisees. You look good on the outside, but inside you are full of all kinds of corruption. You are full of hypocricy and lawlessness.” (Literal translation.) He said to clean up first what’s on the inside; then get the outside clean. Man’s way is always to try to make himself/herself look good on the outside. Keep up the appearance! Whole industries in the world are devoted to glossing over any imperfection in order to make us look good on the outside. But Jesus wants us to look good on the inside. Where is your heart? What is going on in your heart? Are you delivered from Satan’s power within?

Maybe you are troubled because of the power of temptations on the inside, and like David, it just seems as if your patience, your faith, has just been exhausted and there is just nothing left. Some may have prayed for so long for something that they say, “Lord, I cannot keep going.” Keep holding on; there are invisible armies of light and power who attend the meek and lowly ones who believe and claim the promises of God. These angel visitants keep a record of every detail of your life. They know every trial that you are going through.

They are also measuring your character development. Are you getting free from the power of the devil inside? A sure record is kept of any injustice or cruelty that is done whether mental, spiritual, or physical. Paul said, in his letter to the Hebrews, “A little time is going to pass for yet a very little time and then the One who shall come will come and He will not tarry.” Hebrews 10:37, literal translation. But James says, “The husbandman who waits for the precious fruit of the earth has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. You be patient and establish your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is drawing near.” James 5:7, 8, literal translation.

God is doing a mighty work in the world. He is getting people ready in the midst of all of their troubles. The Bible says that we must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). God is working out a plan in your life to prepare you for heaven. Jesus said, “He will avenge them speedily, though He bear long with them.” Luke 18:7, literal translation.

Because of God’s long forbearance, men have become bold in trampling upon His authority. And they say what the Psalmist said, “Well, does God really know? Does He know what I am doing?” But there is a line beyond which they cannot pass. This also applies to nations. The United States as a nation has gone through a number of crises in the last few years. These crises are increasing both in number and also speed. Nations, families and individuals are in trouble more today than in any time that I can remember. God has often permitted matters to reach a crisis so that His interference might be more marked. We are fast coming to a time when the defiance of God’s law is almost universal. In talking to religious people, they talk as if we have the authority to adjust it. It would be a fearful thing in the Day of Judgment to be asked why liberty was taken to adjust something in His law. That is a question that I do not ever want to be asked.

The time is coming when man will change and adjust the law of God. Ironically, the only part they want to change and adjust is the very heart of the law and the longest commandment in the law. Jesus said it would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a part of a letter to fail (Matthew 5:18). Very soon God is going to say to His children, “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:20, 21.

The Lord is coming, and when He comes the widow who could not get justice is going to be avenged of her adversary, the devil. The widow represents God’s people, His church, His flock, His fold, who in this world have been destitute, afflicted, and tormented. But the day is coming, the Bible says, when God will be Judge Himself, and when that happens, the decisions of all the unjust judges in the world, whether in the church or the state, will be reversed.

Whatever cross you have borne, whatever loss you have sustained, whatever persecution you have suffered, even if you have lost your life, Jesus is going to recompense you. In Hebrews 11, Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, because he had respect unto the recompense of the reward (verse 25, 26). What is the recompense of the reward? Jesus said, in Matthew 19:29, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”

The story of the widow and the unjust judge is a story from which, when studied, we may find great comfort. Jesus said that God is going to avenge His own elect, speedily. He is going to deliver them and give them a reward for what they have suffered in this world.

Whatever trouble or trial you may be going through right now, I encourage you to cry out to the God of heaven. Remember, prayer moves the arm of omnipotence, and your prayer will not be lost. It may not be answered immediately the way you think, but your prayer will never be lost. It will always be answered.

Commit your life to the Lord, to His service. If you do, you can never be placed in a situation in this world for which God has not made provision. If you commit yourself to Him, He is going to save you. The question is not whether God will hear your prayers. The question is, “When you are in trouble, will you keep praying?”

[Bible texts quoted are NKJV translation, unless noted otherwise.]

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

Babylonian Captivity

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In the first chapter of Daniel is described a scene of captivity. After the reign of Solomon, the kingdom was divided. The nation of Israel was made up of ten tribes, and the nation of Judah made up two tribes. Comparing the history of both nations, Israel was more rebellious and was eventually destroyed by the Assyrians. Judah was also destroyed, but before that, while under the rule of Jehoiakim, the city was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who took many captives among whom were the royal seed. It was the purpose of the king to educate these young men, the princes, and turn them into Babylonians.

Before the coming of Christ, the people of God are going to face another captivity, one of economic boycott, social restraint, and political and religious pressure that will be applied to enforce the mark of the beast.

Are you ready for captivity? Do you know what it means to be under captivity, under the control of another nation? Like it or not, many of us will face this captivity. Under his rule, the last day spiritual king of Babylon will do all in his power to try to change your body, your mind, and your soul.

The Bible says in Daniel 1:3, “And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes.” When Babylon besieged Judah, they captured the young people, but not just any young people; they were the king’s seed and their princes.

Satan’s primary attack in these last days is also against the best. Are you a child of the King of the universe? Satan wants to capture the children of God, those who are the apple of His eye. The Bible says that if it is possible, Satan will deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24). The more devotion and dedication you give to God and the more faith you put in God’s hand, the more danger you present to the devil and the greater persecution you may face. But you should have no fear, because perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Daniel 1:4 tells us what kind of children Nebuchadnezzar sought: “Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.” The blemish here mentioned is physical blemish, without even a bad odor in their mouth.

“The erect form, the firm, elastic step, the fair countenance showing that the blood was uncorrupted, the undimmed senses, the untainted breath—all were so many certificates of good habits, insignia of the nobility with which nature honors those who are obedient to her laws.” Reflecting Christ, 121. These young men were a picture of health, were physically fit, and mentally equipped. And although that text does not mention their spiritual condition, it was also in excellent condition. These young men were captured because Satan hated them because they were physically, mentally, and spiritually well-balanced and strong.

You may be physically fit, but if you are spiritually weak, Satan does not want to bother capturing you, because you are already captured. You might be mentally strong and skillful in knowledge and science, yet, if you are spiritually weak, Satan does not want to bother you because you are already weak, and he wants you to stay that way. His target is anyone of any age who is totally dedicated to God.

Notice what the king planned to do with these young people. The very first thing attempted was to teach them a new language, the Chaldean language, the Babylonian language. The Bible states in Matthew 12:34, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” That means the words that you speak express your heart or your mind, so your words are closely related to your mind.

Every language reveals the character or personality of that culture. In order to speak Chinese and communicate properly, you have to speak with a Chinese mentality. If you speak Spanish, it must be with a Spanish mentality, not with a Korean or American mentality. By teaching these young men the language of the Chaldeans, they were being educated to have a Babylonian mind, to think like a Babylonian.

Then the king provided for them food. “And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.” Daniel 1:5.

Food is to build the body, and the young captives were offered a Babylonian diet. I can imagine on that beautiful Babylonian table a big pig with an apple in its mouth surrounded by the wines of Babylon. This kind of diet was not healthy according to God’s word. Praise God for the stand of Daniel! He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. This decision was not made when he arrived in Babylon but before he got there. To stand strong as did Daniel, before going into captivity, you had better make that purpose and decision.

A study of the life of Jesus reveals that there were two places He must enter at the end of His life. Calvary is always remembered, but there was also the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane was the place of His decision. Calvary was the hill of His sacrifice and His action. One place was to make a decision; the other place was to carry out that decision. So before you go to Calvary, you had better go to Gethsemane. Daniel went to his own Gethsemane. As he crossed the desert, he prayed, “God, no matter what is going to happen to me, I am not going to defile myself before You. God help me.”

Every person must make that decision day by day, choosing to follow Jesus all the way with grace and power, because character cannot be built overnight. When captivity comes, character will be tested. Where are you standing; on the Rock or on the sand (Matthew 7:24, 26)?

The king provided mental education—Babylonian mind. The king provided physical education—Babylonian diet. “Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.” Daniel 1:6, 7.

What was the purpose of the name changes? What was wrong with Daniel and Hananiah and Mishael and Azariah? They were good names. Dan means judge. El means God. So every time Daniel is spoken, it reminds that God is judge. Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzer, meaning Bel is god. Mishael means who is like God; Meshach means who is like Venus. Hananiah means God is grace. Shadrach means command of Aku. Azariah means helped by God; Abednego means servant of Nabu.

The new Babylonian names reflect the names of Babylonian gods. A person’s name refers to character. Having a Babylonian god in the new names indicates that the Babylonian nation wanted them to have the Babylonian character and worship Babylonian gods. Changing their names was an attempt to change their spiritual condition from worshiping the true God to worshiping idols made by man’s hand.

The Babylonians tried to change three things of their captives: mental, physical and spiritual. When Satan attacks, he attacks your body, mind, and soul, which encompasses everything! That is exactly what Satan tried to do in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:4 the Bible says, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” He told Eve that even if she would commit sin, she would not die. If you cannot die, you are immortal. His claim was that even though she may sin, she would be immortal. Satan was lying to her about immortality of the soul. Today immortality of the soul is called spiritualism. Right there in the Garden of Eden Satan introduced to Eve spiritualism. But not only that—“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods.” Verse 5. Eating is related to the physical body. Eye opening experience is connected to receiving a new understanding, which deals with the mental. That word gods is related to spiritual.

Satan was telling Eve, I have something better for your body. I have something better for your mental condition. I have something better for your spiritual condition. All three things he offered to her, and she listened to the serpent.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [physical], and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise [mental], she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Verse 6. What happened to her spiritual condition? She lost it. Satan had attacked all three areas—physical, mental, and spiritual.

If Satan gets your body, he has your mind. If he has your mind, he’s got your soul, because they are all connected. Your body is the house of the mind; the mind is the house of the soul. He attacks all three. This is the very reason why Jesus came to this world, to restore man physically, mentally and spiritually—three areas—and also, socially.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom [which is mental], stature [which is physical], and in favour with God [which is spiritual] and man [which is social]” (Luke 2:52). Jesus had a perfectly balanced education—intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually.

These are the four basic needs of man. In this world, everyone has these four—physical, mental, spiritual and social—and each individual starts out with their cup empty. It is imperative to know what is needed to fill these empty spaces.

Usually the felt need is not so much spiritual, but physical and social. People usually forget about the mental and the spiritual needs even though they also are searching for something. That is why people turn to New Age, yoga or meditation and all of the strange religions that are in the world today. People know that they are missing something in their life but are often unaware of the greatest thing that they are missing—God.

One time when doing evangelistic crusade meetings, a free massage and free blood pressure check were offered to attendees. The crusade meeting leaders went to where the people were, set up the tables and chairs and put up a sign saying, “Free Massage.” In no time, that place was flocked with people. When you show concern about a person’s body, they are open to hear what you have to say about their soul. The people are open to listen to causes when they are suffering from high blood pressure. The usual causes are high fat intake, high protein, cholesterol, unclean food, no exercise, alcohol, tobacco, soda, sugar, and things like this. Their body is clogged up with junk, and when you tell them, they listen. After their blood pressure check, they receive a massage.

A massage feels good, so while the individual was feeling good, they would be given literature on health, present truth, the Sabbath, and the Three Angels’ Messages that they could take to their home, and every time they looked at it they would think of that good massage. When invited to the meeting, the people would come.

In one small town, there was a man who owned the biggest hotel. He was so impressed by the work that was being done that he asked, “Where are you having meetings every night?” When told that the meeting was in a nearby hall, he said, “That hall is not good enough for you; come to my hotel.” The hotel was right next to the park, so after completing the medical missionary work, the meeting was opened at the hotel and it was packed with people. They wanted to hear the message, the gospel. Jesus gives us a perfect example how to work for the people for their body, mind, and soul, and their social well-being.

In Matthew 9:35 the Bible says, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues [teaching is dealing with mental], and preaching the gospel of the kingdom [which is spiritual], and healing every sickness and every disease among the people [which is physical].” Jesus gave us the example of working with all three—mental, spiritual and physical. Balanced education prepares us to give a balanced ministry, which is so important, because it helps the people to really obey God’s commandments.

In Mark 12:30 the Bible says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Heart is referring to your thoughts and your feelings. The heart encompasses everything. “Love the Lord thy God … with all thy soul” is for spiritual, “and with all thy mind” is for mental, “and with all thy strength” is for physical. You are to keep God’s commandments with your body, your mind, and your soul—with everything. Satan is trying to destroy your body, destroy your mind, and destroy your soul. God is trying to restore your mind, restore your body, and restore your soul.

This is the great controversy, and as you are working for the people, all those areas must be covered. Every church should be a place of education, training, nurturing and guiding. People should be able to come to church and get healing. It should not be an unusual thing to have a clinic right next to a church.

The church should be a center of missionary effort. Church should not be a day care center for lukewarm Christians; it is not a place of babysitting sleepy church members. All church members should become living, active, moving agents of God.

To get ready for the coming of Christ, all aspects of your life have to be prepared. I understand there is no way to have a perfect body without any problems. Sometimes you may be diseased, but as far as possible you are to keep your body healthy. Some individuals may be slow in thinking, forgetful, not clear, not focused, not intelligent yet, by the grace of God, the Bible says, as you fear God, you begin to have the wisdom of God (see Psalm 111:10). So we can, by the grace of God, increase physically, mentally, and spiritually.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Here are those three things again—mind, soul and body. Why are those three things being repeated over and over again? What was previously read in Genesis about the life of Christ, and now in the writings of Paul, are those three things mentioned again and again and again. The Bible says you are to “be preserved blameless.” In other words, the condition of your body, soul, and mind should be preserved. The word preserved means keeping it in good condition until Jesus comes.

There is no way you can think or believe that you can just continue in the life of corruption, in a life of iniquity until Jesus comes. The Bible says He is able to preserve you blameless until the coming of Christ. It is clear on this point. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” Verse 24. It is not you that does it. God is faithful; if He has called you to become blameless, preserved, whole, sanctified, dedicated to God and to love God with all your soul, mind, and heart, He is able to do it for you.

“The very best you can do will not merit the favor of God. It is Jesus’ worthiness that will save you, His blood that will cleanse you. But you have efforts to make. You must do what you can on your part.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 167.

“No man can of himself work out his own salvation, and God cannot do this work for him without his cooperation. But when man works earnestly, God works with him, giving him power to become a son of God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 38.

You must allow Him to do it. You must surrender your heart, your mind, your soul, and your body—everything to Him. When Jesus died, He died to purchase your body. Jesus died to purchase your mind. Jesus died to purchase your soul. He paid the price to buy every part of you.

Notice the message that needs to go out to the world in these last days, the Three Angels’ Messages. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people saying with a loud voice [this is the message that needs to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and notice the message], Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7.

Observe how verse 7 encompasses the three areas of body, mind, and soul. It is interesting to observe that the “fear God” message is connected to your mental development, because the Bible says that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). And also the “give glory to Him” message is connected to your physical health, because 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” The “worship Him that made” message certainly refers to the spiritual connection with your Creator. You can easily observe the elements of balanced education in the first angel’s message.

Notice what the mark of the beast is trying to do in the last days to God’s people in Revelation 14:9: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship …” What is that? Spiritual. In other words, in the last days people will follow the beast spiritually. And the Bible continues to say, “… worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead … .” What do you have in your forehead? Mind. People will follow the beast, not only spiritually, but they will also follow him mentally and receive the mark of the beast in their forehead or in their hand. In the Bible, hand represents physical. People will follow the beast physically.

There are two different types of education competing against each other in the last days. There is God’s balanced education: physical, mental, and spiritual. But Satan, by his education of mental, physical, and spiritual, is the worldly way of developing the body, the mind, and the soul. God is calling you to go back to the old paths, to His way, which is the good way, the narrow way, the way of salvation (Jeremiah 6:16).

When you get ready for these last day events, you must get ready physically, mentally, and spiritually. Otherwise the mark of the beast is calculated in such a way that it will get you wherever you are weak; whether you are weak spiritually, whether you are weak mentally, or whether you are weak physically, he will get you. You have to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).

Are you hearing the word of God? You must examine your life daily to see if you are developing physically or if you are damaging your body. Are you working just too hard and not getting enough rest, or are you eating or drinking something that you know is damaging your body? You need to examine, and make sure every day to seek and to develop to the glory of God.

Are there certain things in your house that are not helping you mentally? These may include a novel, some magazines, or video games. Are you holding on to certain things that are destroying your mind; certain kinds of music, certain television programs that you are watching, or allowing your imagination to grasp? Things like this are destroying your mind.

If you are serious about the Second Coming, if you are serious about the Three Angels’ Messages, if you are serious about loving God with your body, mind, and soul, consider Jesus on the cross, bleeding, as He cried out, “My child, I gave all for you; give all for Me.”

Whatever is destroying your life today, if you are truly serious about it, you must hold it up before Jesus, and say, “Jesus, help me to give this up. If it is tobacco, help me to stop, today. If it is wine, help me to stop this very day. If it is certain magazines, help me to burn them. If it is music, help me to break them and put them in the trash. If myself is an idol, if I worship myself, and I spend more money on myself, oh God, please help me to worship You. Tear away any idols from my heart, and let God’s throne sit at my heart, that I may worship and follow only Christ.”

Who knows, perhaps God is not sending people to your fellowship because you are not ready to preach the Three Angels’ Message. You are not ready physically; you are not ready mentally, and you are not ready spiritually. There are people out there waiting to come to Jesus, but God does not want to discourage those people by your poor example. They are too precious to be discouraged in these last days. If you are serious about the love of Christ, surrender all to Jesus.

As Jesus is cleansing the sanctuary in heaven, let God cleanse your heart first. Let God then cleanse your family. Let Him cleanse your church so that you are ready to cry aloud, “Fear God, give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him,” and when you make this cry, it will be powerful.

Thank God for the Bible and for Jesus Christ who is trying to restore us physically, mentally, and spiritually. Now is the time to submit all to Him.

The Creation of Man

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By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:6. All of creation was made by God. He spoke, and with authority commanded the light to shine out of darkness. He commanded the water to exist. He commanded into existence the sun, moon, and stars. Then He commanded that the trees, plants and animals come forth. All these things were commanded into existence. By speaking, He created. That is powerful and far beyond any human capability—to speak things into existence.

There is a principle that it would be wise to understand. Jesus said, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34. The words that you speak are the expression of your heart. If you want to know what is in your heart, just think of what you meditate upon and to what you say to other people, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Words express your heart. Words express your mind.

There are basically two parts of the mind, the thinking aspect and the feeling aspect. It is thoughts and feelings that make up moral character. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.) Thoughts and feelings produce actions, and when those actions are repeated, habits are formed. Habits mold character, and it is character that determines a person’s destiny. Everything begins in the mind. Basically the words you speak express your character, your thoughts and your feelings. A good character will bring forth good words and a bad character will bring forth bad words.

In the beginning, when God created this world, the universe, the galaxies, the beautiful trees, flowers, mountains, and islands, He created them by His word. God’s word reflects His character, and since God created all things by His word, all things that He created reveal His character. Praise God for flowers! When you look at flowers they cause you to think, feel at peace and enjoy their beauty, because they reflect God’s peace, His love, and His beauty—God feels good!

Looking at mountains and seeing something bigger than yourself, so majestic, so powerful and so strong makes you feel small. God is majestic, strong, and powerful! Look at the vast ocean or into the sky on a bright starry night seeing the innumerable lights in the heavens that declare the wisdom of God that is unfathomable. When you appreciate the beauty of creation, you see God’s character, because His love is written in every detail.

In the book of Genesis, it is written that on the first day God created the light. He said, “Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:3. On the second day He said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Verse 6. Boom! God spoke the word, and the water was divided.

On the third day, the grass of the field and the trees were created. Verse 11. God spoke those words, and boom! There it was, powerful! On the fourth day, He spoke into existence the sun, moon, and stars. Verse 16. On the fifth day, the oceans and rivers were filled with fish and the air was filled with birds. Verse 21. Then, on the sixth day, God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth.” Verse 24. Then God said, “Let there be man.” Verse 26. No! Have you considered that God could have said, “Let there be man, and there was a man”? Yes, He could have used that method, yet man was not created that way.

God formed man out of the dust (Genesis 2:7). If you have ever tried to form something out of dust, you would know that water would need to be added, and dust and water takes a lot of shaping and touching. Incidentally, up of 60 percent of the human body weight is composed of water! In the creation of man, God gave that extra touch. In this world, when we touch someone it usually means affection. God spoke the rest of creation into existence, but in the creation of man, He came close and touched the man, demonstrating His affection for man.

Not only was Adam shaped into God’s own image, but He breathed into his nostrils His own breath. God did not breathe life into the plants or the trees. God did not breathe into the animals’ nostrils, yet He breathed into the nostrils of Adam. To breathe into his nostrils, God had to come very close to Adam, showing extra affection. The special union between God and man was as if the crowning act of creation was sealed with a kiss. It is incredible that God created man with a kiss, but man, with a kiss, betrayed Jesus. God embraced us with His arms. The Roman soldiers embraced Jesus, to take Him away to His death at Calvary.

As this subject is studied, you will see just how much God loves you. God created all things to reflect His character, but in the creation of man, more love is seen. If you make a special pie and you want it to be sweeter, you would add extra honey. In the creation of man it is as if God poured extra honey into that creation.

God said, “Let there be light,” and He saw the light that it was good. He created the water, and said, “It was good.” He created the plants and trees and said, “It was good.” He created the sun, moon, and stars, and He said, “It was good.” He created the fish and birds, and said, “It was good.” He created animals, and said, “It was good.” But there was one time after creating almost everything that He said, “It is not good.” “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone.” Genesis 2:18.

For Adam to realize that he needed a companion, but before God gave him a helper, he was given the job of naming the animals. Adam noticed that within the animal kingdom each species was a pair. All the animals were in pairs; they all had a mate, but there was no mate comparable to himself.

Adam began to feel the need of a companion, and God knew it was time to provide him with a helper. God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and the first open chest surgery was performed. Without stitches or scars, God took a rib. How many ribs? Not two, not three, but one. God wanted Adam to have one woman, not two or three or four. And from that rib, Adam’s rib, a human rib taken from his own side, not from an animal or other beast, God created Eve. He wanted Adam to have an equal of his own kind, equally yoked together.

When Adam woke up and saw Eve, his first words must have been, “Wow! I was waiting for you.” Can you imagine if God had created Adam and Eve at the same time, forming Adam and then forming Eve, and breathed into Adam’s nostril and then breathed into Eve’s nostril and they both woke up at the same time? They might have looked at each other and said, “Who are you?”

Which would be more loving, to wake up and say, “Who are you” or wake up and say, “I was waiting for you”? Many times, young people get married, and after the wedding ceremony and the first honeymoon, they wake up in the morning, look at each other, and ask, “Who are you?” And there goes their marriage life! God did not create Eve until Adam felt the need to receive love and to give love. It would be wise that if a man did not feel the genuine need for a woman, to not get married. Otherwise, after he gets married he may think that his wife is the greatest burden in his life.

Everything about the creation of man and woman involves the ingredients of love. God created you in love. The Bible has much to say about this. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.” Psalm 8:4, 5. The Bible asks, “What is man?” Then gives the answer: he was made “a little lower than the angels.” In the beginning, God created man with beauty, glory and honor. The Bible says that He “crowned him.” A crown is put on your head. Head represents top. The creation of man is better than the creation of the flowers, and trees and the planet, even the stars. The creation of man is the best creation of God, the crowning act of His creative power.

There is one more thing to keep in mind. That is, God crowned man with glory. “Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory.” Isaiah 43:7. The Bible is clear. God created man, and crowned him with glory—for His glory.

The Bible interprets itself, so we must let the Bible explain what glory represents. Often, when we think of the word glory, we think of great light. But glory does not just mean great light. Up on the mountain, the prophet Moses made a great request to God: “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” Exodus 33:18. What a request! What would God reveal to you if you were to ask that of Him? Let’s see how God responded: “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord [My name] before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” Verse 19.

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God said, “I will show you My goodness; I will show you My name, I will show you My mercy; I will show you My grace.” Therefore, glory is equal to God’s goodness, His name, His mercy, and His grace. When you have grace, mercy, goodness, name, and put it all together, there is only one conclusion, a common denominator. All of those things represent God’s character.

The flowers and trees, reflect God’s character, but they have their limitations. Man is different. When God created man it was to exhibit more of His character and reveal God’s love more than any other part of creation. Man has the ability to reveal God’s character more and more as long as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of God by reflecting His love. Mankind has the ability to develop continually forever and ever, day by day, becoming more and more like Jesus.

Can you imagine what it would be like after 300 million years? Do you think you will be equal to God? No, never; God’s character is infinite. There is no measurable limit to the depth, height or width of His love. Praise God that you can reflect His character from glory to glory. Within man there is an empty space that needs to be filled, a throne that needs to be filled by the presence of God’s love.

Before becoming a Christian, you may have done all kinds of sinful things, thinking that doing so would make you happy. But you felt empty. You knew something was not right, that you were not what you needed to be. You may not have known about the true image and the purpose of God. If you continue doing sinful things thinking that is all there is, then what is the meaning of life? What is your purpose? The Bible makes clear the purpose of life; you will feel the most fulfilled when you allow God’s character to reflect in your life. When you have that experience with God, it is guaranteed that you will be a satisfied person.

Many people try to fill that empty space with alcohol, parties, women, men, and with all kinds of things, but they never can satisfy the emptiness of soul, which is likened to a broken cup. It can never be filled satisfactorily with anything but Jesus.

Man was created in the image of God, physically, mentally and spiritually. The first Adam was very big—about 15 feet tall. The tallest man today would be considered a very small person in comparison. Adam was strong. He was the king of the whole planet earth. Just think how fast he could run!

Can you imagine Adam’s handsome face, symmetrical and without a blemish? His brain was brilliant. For that reason, from Adam to the time of Moses, there is no record of writing. The people spoke and remembered without the need of written word.

Today, when somebody speaks, we write it down once, twice, three times and then still forget. Adam’s mind was better than any computer in the world today.

Even more superior than his other attributes was Adam’s spiritual condition, which was very simple. He was happy. He felt joy in the presence of God.

So what happened to us? Why are we so short and our faces so crooked? Why are we so uncomely? Why do we so easily get diseased and sick? Why is it that we forget things, especially those things that are right? And most importantly, why do we get so sad or angry when we have to do right? And why is it that in the presence of God we don’t feel any joy, but we feel uncomfortable? What has happened to us?

The Bible says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. As stated before, the word glory means God’s character. Because of sin, mankind comes short of God’s character. The character of God has been lost because of sin. The biggest problem in the world today is not your wife, it is not your husband, it is not your boss; it is sin.

Sin is the main problem that destroys your character and gives you the character of Satan. Your character is messed up; it is confused because you have eaten from the tree of good and evil. You see and have both good and evil qualities. In other words, you can be pleasant and loving to someone, but at the same time you are hateful to someone else. You can be patient for your own selfish gain, and you can act meekly and humbly to gain power and authority. You twist other people’s personalities and disguise your own to make yourself look better than other people.

The biggest problem in the world today is not having the character of God. What is the cause? Sin. What is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). Breaking God’s law destroys God’s character in your life. Why then the law? The Bible says, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. If the commandment is of God, it is holy, just, and good. God’s character is holy; God’s character is just; God’s character is good; and the law of God is holy, just, and good.

Simply said, God’s law reflects His character. When you go against His law, you go against His character. That is why, when you break God’s law, you walk away from the character of God and walk towards the character of Satan. Hate, jealousy, evil surmising, bigotry, provoking, revenge, jealousy, impatience, backbiting—all these things begin to creep into your life. But there is good news, powerful news! God can help us get out of this disastrous condition.

“Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 11 Thessalonians 2:14. You have lost your glory—your character—but the Bible says that you can obtain glory! Glory means character, the character of Jesus Christ! It is His purpose and the great plan of salvation to restore man back to the image and the character of God.

The Bible says, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27. When Christ lives in you, then you have hope to reflect His character. What a powerful message from the Word that is, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord …” II Corinthians 3:18. Again, glory, represents character. By beholding the character of God, change happens.

People today are looking for change. They are looking for a new life. People are looking for a transformation; they are looking for something different. People are looking for something that is not only to change for a short time, but permanently.

The Bible gives a very clear message that when you behold the glory of God, you become changed, from one character into another. Development is taking place again. Restoration is taking place again. New life is beginning again. When you behold Jesus, you are going to be like Him.

God does not promise that the world will be an easy place without effort. No! The Bible promises that change is possible, but at the same time, the road is narrow and strait (see Matthew 7:14). This whole world is turning toward reflecting Satan’s character and you have to swim against that current to escape.

Today, people say that it is normal to get angry; it is normal to yell and scream, because everybody is doing it. Blame is given to parents, claiming that they have passed on character defects and there is nothing that can be done about it. But the God of creation can create and re-create. In the beginning, at the creation, God touched Adam, but in the re-creation of man, Jesus dwells in the heart. It is more powerful and intimate than a mere touching; it is Christ living in you.

“I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” What is the good news that needs to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people? “Saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give glory to Him.’ ” Revelation 14:6, 7. What does that glory mean? It means reflecting His character.

Today, Christians go to church with their Bible under arm, and when they walk in the church, they put on the suit of a holy angel. They bow, they pray, they sing songs, and sometimes they even cry, because their emotions have been touched. They give money, but when they go home, they put the Bible away where it will stay for the rest of the week. Something goes wrong, and father and mother have a little fight which gets bigger and bigger. The children agitate the parents, and the parents nag at their children. Father lies and cheats a little bit to get some more money out of his business. Mother chit chats and gossips, making phone calls backbiting people, living like the devil for six days. Then they go back to church again with their Bible under arm, putting on that holy angel garment again. This is not going to work!

The power of God and the truth in His word is more powerful than living that kind of life. The problem is not to try harder or to put in more effort. The problem is that Jesus is not living in their hearts. The problem Jesus has with the Laodicean church (Revelation 3:14–22) is not a lack of knowledge; it is not because they don’t have money; they are increased with goods and they are rich, but they are poor and naked and miserable and wretched. The biggest problem with the Laodiceans, that causes them to be lukewarm, is that Jesus is standing outside, knocking. If Jesus is standing outside knocking, then Jesus is not in them. If Jesus is not in them, then there is no “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). The reason the Laodiceans are lukewarm is because Christ is not in them. They have no hope to reflect God’s character, yet they want the name of Christian while still in a lukewarm condition. Why does the Laodicean church not open the door (verse 20)? The problem is they do not want to be crucified to self.

How can you have Christ living in your heart? When you say, “I am,” how much of you are you describing? All of it! When God said to Moses, “I Am that I Am” (Exodus 3:14), it described all of Him. When Paul says, “I am …” he means all of me is “crucified with Christ.” All of me is crucified and surrendered to Christ. “Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20. So, when you say, “I am crucified with Christ,” “I” does not live, but Christ lives “in me.”

The Bible says that when Jesus Christ comes back the second time, He is coming back to get His children; those who reflect His character. Jesus is saying to you today, “My child, die with Me. Die with Me that you may live with Me.”

If you recognize that your life is empty and you have been chasing hopeless rainbows; if you have been looking for wealth that only moths and worms eat up; if you are looking for beautiful mansions while you live in a broken down hut; if you see that you are poor and naked, rededicate your life to Jesus right now. He wants you to walk with Him, not by so much trying hard once again, but by abiding in Him, allowing Him to cleanse you from all of your sins and teach you to rest in Him, leaving everything in His hands, because He is the Author and Finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

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We are living in a time when every position of truth is going to be attacked. The most dangerous are those in which people do not know they are being attacked. Attacks are made against the law of God. Some believe that the law of God, as well as the whole law of Moses, is just one law; therefore, it is necessary to keep the feast days and other ceremonial commands. Others believe also that the law of God and the law of Moses are just one law, and because Jesus fulfilled it and we are now under grace, there is no need to keep it. All that is necessary is to love God and love your neighbor. This position, spearheaded by Desmond Ford, is one taken by many former Adventists and former Adventist ministers.

This teaching, started by the denial of the investigative judgment, has caused much confusion. True Seventh-day Adventist belief is neither one of these positions. We believe that there are two laws—one which is unchangeable and eternal; the other being temporary and nailed to the cross when Jesus died. Adventism is caught in the crossfire of those who want to keep the feasts and others suggesting that Sabbath is optional—you can keep it if you want; however, many do not because it is not convenient. It is more convenient to go to church on Sunday, which is customary and common. Sadly, there are many former Adventist ministers who also hold this position.

If the Sabbath is optional and a future law is made prohibiting you from keeping it and being penalized by not being able to buy or sell, or forced into prison or even losing your life, would you keep it then? It is necessary to have Biblical evidence for why we believe what we believe, because attacks come from both sides accusing us of error. Many Protestant theologians, in discussing their reasons for Sunday keeping, have had some influence on Seventh-day Adventist ministers. Many have spent years doing research on this subject and can show lots of Bible texts and historical documents to support their position, so it is necessary to know why you believe what you believe.

In the book, Patriarchs and Prophets, 363, it says, “Adam and Eve, at their creation, had a knowledge of the law of God; they were acquainted with its claims upon them; its precepts were written upon their hearts. When man fell by transgression the law was not changed, but a remedial system was established to bring him back to obedience. The promise of a Saviour was given, and sacrificial offerings pointing forward to the death of Christ as the great sin offering were established. But had the law of God never been transgressed, there would have been no death, and no need of a Saviour; consequently there would have been no need of sacrifices.

“Adam taught his descendants the law of God, and it was handed down from father to son through successive generations. But notwithstanding the gracious provision for man’s redemption, there were few who accepted it and rendered obedience. By transgression the world became so vile that it was necessary to cleanse it by the Flood from its corruption. The law was preserved by Noah and his family, and Noah taught his descendants the Ten Commandments. As men again departed from God, the Lord chose Abraham, of whom He declared, ‘Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.’ Genesis 26:5. To him was given the rite of circumcision, which was a sign that those who received it were devoted to the service of God—a pledge that they would remain separate from idolatry, and would obey the law of God. The failure of Abraham’s descendants to keep this pledge, as shown in their disposition to form alliances with the heathen and adopt their practices, was the cause of their sojourn and bondage in Egypt.”

Notice that disobedience was the cause of the bondage in Egypt and the continual rejection of God’s law made it necessary for the written law to be given at Sinai. “But in their intercourse with idolaters, and their forced submission to the Egyptians, the divine precepts became still further corrupted with the vile and cruel teachings of heathenism. Therefore when the Lord brought them forth from Egypt, He came down upon Sinai, enshrouded in glory and surrounded by His angels, and in awful majesty spoke His law in the hearing of all the people.

“He did not even then trust His precepts to the memory of a people who were prone to forget His requirements, but wrote them upon tables of stone. He would remove from Israel all possibility of mingling heathen traditions with His holy precepts, or of confounding His requirements with human ordinances or customs. But He did not stop with giving them the precepts of the Decalogue. The people had shown themselves so easily led astray that He would leave no door of temptation unguarded. Moses was commanded to write, as God should bid him, judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what was required.” Ibid., 363, 364.

Many Adventists are not aware that most of what Moses wrote was actually the Ten Commandments spelled out in more detail. For example, Leviticus 18 is simply an amplified explanation of the seventh commandment, leaving the people with no excuse. Moses also explained all of the other commandments in detail. These writings are not ceremonial laws and are just as much a part of the moral law as that written by God Himself.

“Moses was commanded to write, as God should bid him, judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what was required. These directions relating to the duty of the people to God, to one another, and to the stranger were only the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified … .” Ibid., 364.

The Ten Commandments were amplified, explained and made simple so that everyone would understand the principles.

In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are laws in regard to clean and unclean foods—foods to eat and foods not to eat. This instruction directly relates to the sixth commandment. Killing yourself slowly by unhealthy life practices is just as much breaking that commandment as taking a gun and putting it to your head to kill yourself. If a person lit a cigarette and instantly dropped dead, nobody would smoke. But on the average, for every cigarette smoked, life is shortened between six and ten minutes. Cigarettes slowly kill! This same principle applies to all other unclean foods that are eaten and which shorten life. Disobedience is a violation of the sixth commandment.

“These directions relating to the duty of the people to God, to one another, and to the stranger were only the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified and given in a specific manner, that none need err. They were designed to guard the sacredness of the ten precepts engraved on the tables of stone.” Ibid.

Most of what Moses wrote was simply the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified, so nobody would need to make a mistake. Commandment keepers need to be in harmony with what Moses wrote explaining each of the Ten Commandments.

“If man had kept the law of God, as given to Adam after his fall, preserved by Noah, and observed by Abraham, there would have been no necessity for the ordinance of circumcision. And if the descendants of Abraham had kept the covenant, of which circumcision was a sign, they would never have been seduced into idolatry, nor would it have been necessary for them to suffer a life of bondage in Egypt; they would have kept God’s law in mind, and there would have been no necessity for it to be proclaimed from Sinai or engraved upon the tables of stone. And had the people practiced the principles of the Ten Commandments, there would have been no need of the additional directions given to Moses.” Ibid., 364.

Since the beginning of time there has been a lot of knowledge lost. The Bible talks about two laws—the moral law, which is eternal, and the ceremonial law, which was temporary. There are many Protestants who are confused on this point, believing that the law was given for the first time at Mt. Sinai, but the fact is that the law has been in existence ever since Adam and Eve were created.

Romans 4:15 says, “Because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.” Even children can understand that, but some theologians do not. Sin is simply the transgression of the law, so if there is no law there is no transgression, there is no sin.

Isaiah 43:27 says, “Your first father sinned, And your mediators have transgressed against Me.” Who was the first father? It was Adam. How could Adam have sinned if there was no law before Sinai? There had to be a law in the Garden of Eden or Adam could not have sinned. The penalty for sin is death. Here the confusion gets worse, because our Protestant friends say the law was to just love the Lord and not eat the forbidden fruit.

At one time my father was testing out the first muscle car he had ever owned, a 1956 Oldsmobile, Super 88 with a 4-barrel carburetor and a big 394 cubic inch V-8 engine. Our family was on vacation in Montana, and my father said, “This is wonderful! Montana does not have any speed limits.” Soon there was a little red light flashing behind us, and we pulled over. My father said to the officer, “I thought there was no speed limit in Montana.”

The officer replied, “Yes, there is no speed limit in Montana in the daytime. But at night time the speed limit is 55.” If it had been daytime, the officer could not stop my father, as there was no law to govern his speed, but we were traveling in the night hours, there was a law, and we had broken it.

Before the law was ever given at Mt. Sinai, there is much evidence that all ten of the commandments were in existence. Genesis 2:1-3 says, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

This passage contains a lot of information. The first point in this passage to notice is that there was no sin in the Garden of Eden at this time; Adam and Eve were innocent. Adam and Eve were not in need of a Saviour, as no transgression had yet occurred. The Sabbath was created and given to mankind as a memorial of creation; it was not added because of transgression.

We talk about the laws of types and shadows, but when we read Genesis 2, does it sound like a shadow of something that is going to come in the future? No, it is a memorial of something that has already happened, the creation of the world. There is nothing shadowy about the seventh day Sabbath. It is not a type of something but a memorial of something that has already happened.

Notice three separate qualities about the Sabbath:

  1. It specifies that on that day, God rested. God does not rest like a human being rests. The Bible says that God never slumbers or sleeps. He does not need to take physical rest.
  2. In addition to resting, God blessed that day. The Sabbath is a day that God has blessed. When you read the record in Genesis 1 and 2, you will find that the Sabbath is the only day that God blessed. He did not bless any other day. The wise man (Solomon) said, in Ecclesiastes 3:14, “I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever: Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”

There are several questions that need to be considered by those wanting to keep another day. Is there any other day besides the Sabbath in the Bible that God has blessed? If some day other than the Sabbath is kept, where does the Bible say that God removed His blessing from the Sabbath?

  1. God did not only rest on the Sabbath, He blessed it and sanctified that day. The word sanctify simply means to make something holy. Holiness is a quality of God; it is something that is God-like. The Sabbath was sanctified or made into a holy day.

Not only is the Sabbath a rest day, a blessed day, but it is a holy day, because God sanctified it. The Sabbath is a holy day. We cannot make anything holy, because we do not have any holiness of our own. The only way we can become holy, and we do have to become holy, is if God makes us holy. God says, “I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” Exodus 20:12. The Sabbath is a sign to God’s people that He will make you holy, and those He makes holy He will take to heaven.

In Genesis 4:3 is recorded the story about Cain and Abel. “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.” In the margin, the literal Hebrew text says, “At the end of the day Cain brought an offering.” Was it the end of the day, the end of the year, the end of the season, the end of the days of the month or the end of the days of the week? Many theologians believe that this was the Sabbath when Cain brought his offering. That was the end of the days of the week.

Ellen White says that Adam and Eve came to the edge of the Garden of Eden to worship every Sabbath. “The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth long after man had become an outcast from its pleasant paths. The fallen race were long permitted to gaze upon the home of innocence, their entrance barred only by the watching angels. At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the divine glory was revealed. Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 62.

In Exodus 5:4 it says, “And the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.“ While slaves in Egypt, the Egyptians forced the Israelites to work seven days a week. Moses told the people that the Lord was going to deliver them, but they would have to keep His law. When the Israelites began to keep the Sabbath again, Pharaoh did not like it.

Have you ever thought about the logistics of supplying water, food, restroom facilities, bathing and laundry facilities for over a million people out in the desert? The Israelites looked around and wondered how in the world they would survive in a place like that. They knew they would run out of the food they had brought with them, but they were instructed not to worry, because God was going to rain bread from heaven for them.

In this act they would understand clearly what was involved with keeping the Sabbath. In Exodus 16:4, 5 it says, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law, or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.’ ”

Every day the people gathered what they needed for that day. Jesus said in the Lord’s prayer, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). God has not promised food for the next month. Gathering food six days was to teach them to trust in the Lord. Anything kept over until the next day spoiled. On the sixth day they were to gather twice as much as they did every other day and then on the Sabbath it did not spoil. Some went out and gathered more than they needed and found that on the next day it had bred worms. Then on the sixth day (Friday), some people gathered only what they needed for that day, not making any preparation for the Sabbath. When they went out to gather on the Sabbath, there was not any.

“And Moses said, ‘Let no man leave any of it till the morning.’ Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted. And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.” ’ So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, ‘Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none.’ Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.” Verses 19–30.

The children of Israel knew about the Sabbath. This was not something new that was introduced to them at Sinai. They had just been given specific instructions about their food supply and the Sabbath. In fact, when the Ten Commandments were given, the very first word of the fourth commandment was “Remember.” You cannot remember something if you have never heard about it beforehand.

As we have just seen, there is plenty of evidence that the Sabbath existed from creation. It was kept by Adam and Eve; it was also kept by Abel, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the first part of the Bible we have also seen that all of the commandments existed before they were given on tables at Sinai.

For example, Eve was the first one to break the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). She made the serpent her god—she listened to the serpent instead of God. Adam listened to and obeyed his wife, causing him also to break this commandment.

The second commandment is a prohibition against the use of idols of any kind (Exodus 20:4). “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.’ And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.’ ” Genesis 35:1, 2. Verse 4 tells that they gave Jacob all of their foreign gods and all of their jewelry, and he buried it. Jacob knew that it was wrong to worship these idols.

The third commandment is, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). There is a lot of swearing that is reported in the book of Genesis. Genesis 25:32, 33 says: “Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him …” that day and sold his birthright, the right to become the progenitor of the Messiah. Referring to this it says, in Hebrews 12:16, 17, “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” By the way, you do not need to repent if you have not sinned. Esau sinned because he took the name of the Lord God in vain by considering his birthright something that was not worth very much.

There are several references to the fifth commandment in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 9:22–25, it says, “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.’ ”

Noah and his sons knew the principle of the fifth commandment to honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12). A curse was put on the son who did not obey this commandment.

When Cain killed his brother, the Lord called that sin (Genesis 4:7). When Levi and Simeon killed a whole city full of people, they brought the curse of their father on them (Genesis 49). Those are not the only references to the sixth commandment.

There are many references to the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14) in the book of Genesis, showing that it had validity and the people knew that it was wrong to break it. God burned Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sexual immorality (Genesis 19). The story recorded in Genesis 38 about Judah and Tamar reveals that they knew what they did was wrong and that it deserved the death penalty. In Genesis 21:12–14 Abraham understood when God told him to send Hagar away, that she did not have a right to stay there because Sarah was his wife.

Jacob knew it was wrong to steal (the eighth commandment, Exodus 20:15). When Laban came looking for the gods that Rachel had stolen, Jacob said that if anybody in his camp had stolen the idols, to let him die (Genesis 31:30–34).

When the sons of Jacob answered Hamor and his son Shechem deceitfully, Jacob pronounced a curse on Simeon and Levi for lying to those people in Genesis 34:13 and Genesis 49:5–7. Jacob understood the principle of the ninth commandment (Exodus 20:16) that it was wrong to lie.

Throughout Genesis 37 over and over is recorded a violation of the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17) referring to coveting. Jacob made a bad mistake in loving Joseph more than his other sons, and as a result, the other brothers became covetous of the love and attention that he received from their father. It says they envied him so much that they decided they would kill him.

Every one of the principles of the Ten Commandments existed during the time of Genesis, clear from creation. It was commonly known that it was wrong to break any of those principles.

When Adam and Eve were created the moral law was written in their hearts. “Though this covenant was made with Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could not be ratified until the death of Christ. It had existed by the promise of God since the first intimation of redemption had been given; it had been accepted by faith; yet when ratified by Christ, it is called a new covenant.” God’s Amazing Grace, 133.

It is the promise of the New Covenant to write the law which existed in the Garden of Eden that was written by God’s own finger on the tablets of stone, and that is the foundation of God’s government in both heaven and earth, in each heart. Then, man will be restored into harmony with his Maker.

[Bible texts quoted are NKJV translation.]

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

Avoiding Satan’s Shadow

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It must be well understood by those who have chosen to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth that they need to be sober and vigilant, because our adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (See Revelation 14:4; I Peter 5:8.) Satan spares no effort in attempting to throw his hellish shadow across the path of those hungering and thirsting for the truth.

In Satan’s efforts to destroy Jesus, he came to Him as an angel of light when He was at his weakest, after 40 days of fasting in the desert. Throughout His life, Satan had sought tirelessly to destroy the King of the universe. Since he was unsuccessful, he is now sparing no effort to destroy His loyal subjects, unrelentlessly casting his shadow across their paths on a daily basis.

Tempting us when we are the weakest is a common method of operation for the enemy of souls. It was when Moses was at his weakest—after nearly 40 years of putting up with the murmuring and complaining Israelites—that his faith failed and he succumbed to Satan’s temptation by over-reaching in fulfilling the Lord’s instructions. (See Numbers 20.)

Elijah’s faith failed when he fled from Jezebel’s threats after facing the false prophets of Baal. He, that same day, had manifested the strength of heaven when he slayed 450 prophets at the Brook Kishon, but in the moment of weakness that followed, Satan instilled in Elijah an ungodly fear of the hateful wife of the weak monarch. (See I Kings 19.)

Although it was when Christ was at His weakest after fasting 40 days that Satan came at Him in marked contrast to prior temptations, Christ was able, by relying on the word of God, to resist Satan’s efforts to destroy not only Himself but the plan of salvation as well.

In each of the synoptic gospels, two short verses introduce the beginning of the earthly chapter of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” Matthew 4:1, 2.

“And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” Mark 1:12, 13.

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” Luke 4:1, 2.

John does not mention Christ’s temptations in his gospel, but he makes an allusion to them in his first epistle. In it, he gives us a very succinct statement of the avenues Satan used to try to dissuade Christ from the path of truth, righteousness, and faithfulness.

In I John 3:8, John states, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Here we see clearly and succinctly what Christ accomplished in His earthly efforts for the salvation of mankind—the destruction of the works of Satan. Those efforts were begun immediately after His baptism when He was led—or driven, as Mark says—into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Earlier in that same epistle, John had enumerated the specific temptations Satan had hurled at Jesus. It is those same temptations that he dangles before us today, in thousands of different forms. He has studied the character of mankind for 6,000 years and has tailored his temptations to entice each one of us according to our weakest points.

John lists, in I John 2:16, the specific points on which Satan tempted Christ and the very points on which Satan tempts us, time after time: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

A careful study of Christ’s three temptations will reveal that it was these very avenues—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—that Satan used to tempt Christ when He was at His weakest.

When strength fails and the will-power is weak and faith ceases to cling to God, then those who have stood long and valiantly for the right are overcome. When they are at their weakest physically, mentally, and spiritually, Satan makes his most severe efforts to overcome them.

Humans will fall when any one of these faculties—physical, mental, or spiritual—has been stretched to the limit. Christ experienced a lessening of all three, yet He withstood all the attempts by Satan to destroy the plan of salvation.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the three temptations of Christ in hopes that we can learn from the example set before us, so that by the grace of God, we can prevail when Satan comes in like a flood to dissuade us from the path of truth and righteousness.

“With the terrible weight of the sins of the world upon Him, Christ withstood the test upon appetite [lust of the flesh], upon the love of the world [lust of the eyes], and upon that love of display [pride of life] which leads to presumption. These were the temptations that overcame Adam and Eve, and that so readily overcome us.” The Desire of Ages, 116, 117.

  1. Lust of the flesh – physical – Turn these stones into bread.

How did Satan tempt Christ through lust of the flesh? We are told clearly in Matthew 4:3: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

In the very first temptation that Satan brought before Christ, he used the exact same avenue that he had used so successfully to lead our first mother astray. There was, however, a significant difference in the circumstances of the two events: Eve was not hungry. Christ had fasted for 40 days. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” Verse 2.

“He did not realize any sense of hunger until the forty days of His fast were ended.

“The vision passed away, and then, with strong craving, Christ’s human nature called for food.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 9. He was definitely hungry!

Satan was successful not only in reaching Eve through appetite, but he also succeeded in leading Esau astray through the same avenue. Esau was willing to trade his birthright for a bowl of soup. In that moment of hunger, satisfying his appetite meant more to him than salvation. He yielded willingly to the lust of his flesh. The results of that decision stayed with him and his descendants throughout history.

I used to think that somewhere near the end of time, just before the Second Coming, Satan or one of his agents would come to me with a plate of chicken-fried steak or a quart of ice cream—after I had observed a strict vegan diet for decades—saying, “John, you’re near to death from starvation. God loves you too much to let you suffer and die. Take this. Eat it.” Consider the possibility that—some time before the Second Advent—not only will Satan seek to have the Sabbath lightly regarded, but he may also attempt to demerit the value of adhering to the tenets of health reform. “Eat anything you want to.” Could he quote a Scripture to support that assertion, just as he quoted Scripture to try to entice Christ? Indeed he could … several, in fact.

“If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.” I Corinthians 10:27.

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.” Colossians 2:16.

How would you counter such an argument with a thus saith the Lord? If you cannot do that now, it would be wise to determine how you would meet such a test before it comes to you.

Often, seemingly intelligent individuals will maintain that the “counsel” we have been given in the Spirit of Prophecy—whether it is in regard to diet, exercise, Sabbath-observance, or some other point—is “only” counsel and that we are free to take it or leave it. While that is indeed true, if for no other reason than that we have been given a free will, the word of God tells us specifically, in Proverbs 1:25: “But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.” This is not a commendation, for in verse 23, it was commanded, “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

How much more simple could the Lord have stated it? If we accept the counsel we are given and “turn” when reproved, the Lord will “pour out” His spirit upon us. Why would anyone choose to fail to act on such a promise? Claiming the promises of God without complying with the conditions for its fulfillment is presumption.

Well, as the Lord has slowly and wisely and lovingly removed the scales from my eyes, I have come to realize that the battle, specifically with appetite but, in general, with obedience, is a daily issue right here and right now. Lust of the flesh applies to appetite as well as to the lower passions of the natural heart.

Inspired writings contain some revealing statements regarding the natural heart.

“The propensities that control the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of Christ before fallen man is fitted to enter heaven and enjoy the society of the pure, holy angels.” The Acts of the Apostles, 273.

“The tendencies of the natural heart are downward.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 587.

In I Corinthians 2:14, Paul also speaks of the difficulty that the natural man has in receiving the Spirit of God. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Thayer’s Greek Definitions provides a revealing definition of natural: “the sensuous nature with its subjection to appetite and passion.”

Truly the natural heart willingly yields—and by its very nature longs to yield—to the lusts of the flesh!

  1. Lust of the eyes – mental – Satan showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.

“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8, 9.

“Placing Jesus upon a high mountain, Satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, to pass in panoramic view before Him. The sunlight lay on templed cities, marble palaces, fertile fields, and fruit-laden vineyards. The traces of evil were hidden. The eyes of Jesus, so lately greeted by gloom and desolation, now gazed upon a scene of unsurpassed loveliness and prosperity. Then the tempter’s voice was heard: ‘All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine’ [Luke 4:6, 7].” The Desire of Ages, 129.

How did Jesus refute Satan’s temptation? “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.

Let’s take a deeper look at the command, “Him only shalt thou serve.”

In I Samuel 7:3, we read, “And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

What does it mean to be delivered out of the hands of the Philistines?

There are two possible interpretations to this deliverance. Certainly at the time Samuel said it, it meant that if the children of Israel would turn from their idolatry, God would physically deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. But when we mine God’s word as searching for buried treasure, we can find a deeper meaning that is applicable to us today.

We learn in Strong’s Concordance by tracing the word Philistines down through several layers of word derivatives that it comes from a primitive root meaning to roll (in dust): – roll (wallow) in self.

When we apply that knowledge to man’s creation—“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground …” Genesis 2:7—we gain greater insight as to what it means to us to be delivered from the hand of the Philistines.

When we choose to serve God and Him only, He will deliver us from the “hand of the Philistines.” He delivers us from ourselves, freeing us from self and all the worldly entanglements that we have gotten ourselves into before we allowed God to crucify the old man and experience that new birth that we must have before we can enter the kingdom of heaven.

The story of Achan provides us with an example of lust of the eyes and its disastrous results. Achan was overcome when he spied the “goodly Babylonish garment.”

“When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them [I delighted in them; I lusted after them], and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” Joshua 7:21.

Verse 25 gives the result of Achan’s yielding to lust of the eyes. “And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.”

David is another example of someone who fell into sin because of lust of the eyes. The beginning of that story is in II Samuel 11:2–4.

“And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.”

How can one recover from a sin such as David’s? Psalm 51—one of the most uplifting of them all—reveals that to us. David’s repentance was from the depths of his heart.

“Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to thy lovingkindness:
According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions:
And my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in thy sight:
That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
And be clear when thou judgest.” (Verses 1–4.)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence;
And take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
And uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
Thou God of my salvation:
And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” (Verses 10–14.)

We have evidence from several different places in Scripture that God honored this heart-cry.

“… yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes.” I Kings 14:8.

Clearly, God kept His promise given in Psalm 103:12. He removed David’s sins “as far as the east is from the west.”

Repeatedly, after this incident, throughout the remainder of the Old Testament, God refers to David as His servant. But take note that neither Cain nor Saul nor any other unrepentant sinner ever receives a similar commendation.

Lust of the eyes nearly always turns into lust of the flesh. In fact, according to Genesis 6:1–3, that was a contributing factor in God’s determination to destroy the world by a flood.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:1–3.

Lust of the eyes led to lust of the flesh in David’s situation. It did the same in the children of Israel just before they crossed the Jordan. Read about that in Numbers 25 and in Patriarchs and Prophets, chapter 41, “Apostasy at the Jordan.” This story contains a critical warning for us today.

“We want to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. We do not half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ.” The Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

What happened to the children of ancient Israel just before they entered the promised land is given to us as a warning against one of the most successful techniques that Satan has ever used to lead man astray or that he ever will use to tempt God’s children just before the second coming of Christ.

  1. Pride of life – spiritual – Throw yourself from this pinnacle of the temple … try to kill yourself, try to take your life, thereby destroying your soul and any chance for the salvation of the human race. The angels will protect you.

“The vision passed away.” Christ was having a spiritual experience. “He [Satan] resolved to appear as one of the angels of light that had appeared to Christ in His vision.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 9.

Once again we can turn to David for an example of yielding to the pride of life.

“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” I Chronicles 21:1–3.

Joab was attempting to make David realize that he had no reason to number his troops other than because of pride—to fulfill his desire to know how powerful he was. He was tempted to rely on his own arm of flesh rather than on the divine arm of God.

David was convicted of his sin. “And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” Verse 8.

As we continue reading from verse 9, we see what happened. The next morning a message was brought to David by the prophet Gad.

“And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.” Verses 9–13.

“The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy thousand in Israel. The scourge had not yet entered the capital, when ‘David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.’ The king pleaded with God in behalf of Israel: ‘Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued’ [I Chronicles 21:16, 17].” Patriarchs and Prophets, 748.

David realized immediately the error of his ways and turned to God with confession and repentance. God mercifully forgave David and regarded him as His faithful servant. We can expect the same enduring mercy to be manifested toward us by our loving Father when we confess and repent as did David.

We have clear statements of God’s forgiveness of David in Ezekiel 34:22–24. “Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.”

This was written sometime between 595 and 573 B.C., approximately 400 years after David’s rule as king of Israel. Clearly, God had answered David’s prayer of repentance!

There is another lesson in this temptation of Christ of which we should be aware, dealing with presumption. How important is it to distinguish between faith and temptation? We are told in Inspired writings that presumption is Satan’s counterfeit of faith.

“If he [Satan] can cause us to place ourselves unnecessarily in the way of temptation, he knows that the victory is his.” The Desire of Ages, 126.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, which is why Satan endeavors so tirelessly to make us cross the line from faith into presumption.

Inspired writings give us many different examples of presumption and provide a rich source of study for those who desire to sink the shaft deeply to mine the word of God.

Let us remember that through Christ we are more than conquerors, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39.

(Emphasis supplied throughout.)

John Pearson is part of the Steps to Life team. He can be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

The Assurance of the Resurrection

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The age in which we live is one of unbelief. There is a saying that a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. There are many people who do not believe that there will ever be a resurrection; however, the Bible evidence is overwhelming.

Paul says, “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. … We are found false witnesses of God; … For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. … Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” I Corinthians 15:13–20, 23.

Paul cites evidence here that because Christ has already risen, it proves the fact that God can raise people from the dead, and there will also be a resurrection of Christ’s children when He returns.

Christ being raised from the dead is one of the most indisputable facts in history because of the many witnesses. About twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection, Paul said, “He was seen above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present [time], but some are fallen asleep [some have died].” Verse 6.

To establish what is true or false in a courtroom, witnesses are called to testify. In this instance there were over five hundred witnesses, some of whom were still alive and could verify that they had visited with Jesus after He rose.

The Scriptures record that He appeared to different individuals ten times after His resurrection.

  • He appeared first of all to Peter, that is, Cephas. I Corinthians 15:5
  • He appeared to Mary Magdalene. See Mark 16:9
  • He appeared to two disciples as they were walking to Emmaus. See Luke 24:13–15
  • He appeared to all eleven of the apostles the same day. See John 20:19; Luke 24:33–36
  • He appeared to more than five hundred at one time. 1 Corinthians 15:6
  • He appeared to James. I Corinthians 15:7
  • He appeared to the eleven apostles again, one week later. John 20:26
  • He appeared to seven of the apostles while they were fishing. John 21:1
  • His disciples saw Him ascend into heaven. Acts 1:9
  • He appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus. I Corinthians 15:8

Evidence – Neither the Jews nor the Romans could produce His body. The Jews claimed that He was never raised from the dead, but dead people don’t walk away. So what happened to the body of Jesus? Nobody could produce a body.

Evidence – At the time of His burial, the tomb was sealed by a Roman seal. Anyone who broke that Roman seal would be in defiance of the Roman government, subject to prosecution, and at the very least, put in prison. But there was no prosecution. Jesus’ disciples were accused of stealing the body, but there was never a prosecution, because the evidence would show that there was not a body to be found.

Evidence – One hundred Roman soldiers who were commissioned to guard the tomb did not all fall asleep at the same time and sleep so soundly that the disciples could come and roll the stone away and steal the body. The penalty for a soldier to sleep while on guard was death, but it is recorded that all one hundred soldiers were so sound asleep that they did not wake while the stone was being rolled away. It just defies all reason.

Evidence – Before the crucifixion, when Jesus was arrested, the disciples were all so afraid that they ran away. Were they suddenly not afraid anymore to steal His body? In Acts 5:29–32 it says, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” NKJV

The cowardice of the disciples was transformed into an unspeakable boldness. The change in the apostles is one of the strongest evidences for the resurrection. Before the resurrection, they were a group of eleven men who were scared to death and hiding out, but the power of the resurrection empowered them. When brought into courts, they boldly spoke truth, saying, “You are the ones who killed the Lord, but now He is at the right hand of the Father in heaven.”

Evidence – By A.D. 100, it is estimated that between five and ten percent of the people in the Roman Empire were Christians even though paganism attempted over and over again to destroy Christianity. This was because of the evidence of the resurrection of Christ. Because Christ had been raised, the Christians had the assurance that they also would be raised at His Second Coming if they died beforehand.

There are many Bible facts about the resurrection.

The dead will come from definite localities. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19. The people who dwell in dust are those who are in their graves. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.” John 5:28. They will come out from their graves.

But what about the people who are not buried in graves? Some people have died and have been buried in the sea. “The sea gave up the dead which were in it.” Revelation 20:13. There is not a place that will not give up the dead on that day when they are called—the old English word is quickened. That means that they will be made alive again.

The resurrection is one of the prominent doctrines in the Bible. The first two books of the Bible that were written were the book of Genesis and the book of Job. It is clear in the book of Job that the ancient followers of the true God understood the resurrection. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:25, 26. Job understood that he would see God and have a new body.

David had the same hope. He wrote, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake with Thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15.

The New Testament is full of texts about this, since Christ had already risen. “Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” II Corinthians 4:14.

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I might win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:8–11.

“But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed [paid back] at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:13, 14.

Jesus says there is an exact record being kept of your life. Those who have dedicated their lives to serving others, especially helping others who are unfortunate and in distressing circumstances, will be paid back at the resurrection of the just.

By and by, there will be a big payment for the just. This is encouraging news while living in a world where it seems there is more than enough sorrow to go around. We all do not go through the same trials, and one of the saddest things to deal with is the loss of a child. Some very dear friends of ours lost all of their five children from smoke inhalation when their house caught on fire. They believe in the resurrection and look forward to the hope they have in raising their children in a perfect environment when they get to heaven.

“Thus saith the Lord, A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” Jeremiah 31:15–17.

This event will be fulfilled when Jesus comes back. The apostles constantly wrote about the Second Coming of Christ. They knew that when Jesus returns, the dead will be raised and reunited with their loved ones.

Before the ascension, Jesus promised His disciples that, “In My Father’s house are many mansions [permanent dwellings] … I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2, 3.

In the book of Ezekiel, the resurrection is described in symbolic language. “Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it.” Ezekiel 37:11–14.

The resurrection is a wonderful subject. It thrills us to think about it and gives us hope, because we all have had friends and loved ones who have died. However, Jesus made it very clear, and we need to remember, that not everybody who is raised will be raised to eternal life.

“The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.” John 5:28. But notice what Jesus says in verse 29: “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

The Bible is very clear in both the Old and New Testaments that not everybody raised will be raised to eternal life. The Jews believed this. While on trial and speaking about the Jews, Paul said, “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” Acts 24:15.

Daniel expressed, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. Revelation 20 points out specifically that there will be two resurrections one thousand years apart and calls those who have a part in the first resurrection “blessed and holy” (verse 6).

The first resurrection is a resurrection unto eternal life, never having to suffer the second death. But “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (verse 5). At the end of the thousand years a second resurrection will take place. “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,” and there will be people “to deceive” once more (verses 7, 8). The number of these people are as the sand of the sea. “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Verses 12–15.

The most important question of all is how to have assurance of being part of the first resurrection. The person who has a part of the first resurrection is described with two words. They are blessed and they are holy (Revelation 20:6).

A powerful text on that very same subject is Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Those who are raised in the first resurrection must be holy persons.

The next question is, If I have to be holy, what does that mean? Some people say, “O, that’s what God is like.” Well, Jesus said that if you have seen Me, you have “seen the Father” (John 14:9). In Hebrews 7:26, Jesus is described as holy, so if you study the life of Jesus, you will find the meaning of holiness.

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. In the context of this text, Paul is specifically referring to the Ten Commandments. Quoting the tenth commandment, he says, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy.” This is not complicated; a holy person’s life will be in harmony with the Ten Commandments. The thoughts, feelings, words and actions of a holy person will be in harmony with the Ten Commandments, because the law is holy and an unholy person is one whose life is not in harmony with the Ten Commandments. It is so simple that a child can easily understand.

How can you have assurance that you will be in the first resurrection if you should die before Jesus comes? “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” II Peter 3:14. “Without spot” is an analogy, or a description, using the symbolism of clothing. When clothes become soiled, they are washed to remove the spots and then ironed to remove the wrinkles. So the Bible uses this analogy. Paul says, “… that He might present her [the church] to Himself a glorious church, not having spot [unstained] or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27, NKJV). The church that Christ presents to His Father is without spot or wrinkle; it has been made clean.

It is God’s purpose to remove every spot and every wrinkle so we need to pray that God will send His Holy Spirit to reveal them and give us the power to overcome. I can’t explain how this happens. All I know is that the Bible says it, and it is so.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. It is the Lord who is going to finish the work that He has started in your life.

James says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers [various] temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2–4. God will have a people who will be perfect and entire when Jesus comes. They will be holy, with no spots, no wrinkles, and no blemishes. To get to that point, there will be many various temptations to overcome, but “count it all joy.”

Time is running out, and unlike Enoch, God will not have three hundred years to accomplish His work. He has to speed up the process. A holy character is perfected through the process of trials and temptations.

If you want to be perfect, if you want to be ready for Jesus to come, the Spirit of Prophecy needs to be confirmed in your life. “As the testimony of Christ [that is the Spirit of Prophecy] was confirmed in you: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:6, 8. The people who are going to be blameless will have been confirmed in the Spirit of Prophecy.

God will have a perfect people. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:16, 17. This is the key to Protestant thinking and one of the main texts in the New Testament upon which we base our belief. It would be wise to study it carefully to get its full impact and power.

We want to be sure we acknowledge the truth gently and tactfully. It is not unkind to acknowledge the truth. For hundreds of years the Roman Catholic Church has claimed that to reach spiritual perfection, the Scriptures are not enough. They have claimed that in addition to the Scriptures, oral traditions, the sacraments of the church, and various religious exercises are needed in order to have spiritual perfection. The most famous group within the Catholic Church that has perfected spiritual exercises is the Jesuit order. They are actually called spiritual exercises, and after taking them, a person is supposed to be on a higher spiritual level than anybody else in the world.

Some of the people who have taken these spiritual exercises have committed the most violent and awful crimes of anybody who has ever lived. As Protestants, we do not believe that Catholic teaching and do not believe that a minister or a church organization or any Christian organization or group can add something to the Bible in order to become spiritually perfect.

Paul draws attention to what is inspired of God—the Scriptures. The purpose of the Scriptures is that the man of God may be perfect. That is the basis of Protestant teaching.

The Bible is like a cup that is clear full of water. It has everything necessary to arrive at spiritual perfection. If anything is added to it, it will spill over and something will be taken away from it.

You cannot add to the Bible. The wise man said, “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it.” Ecclesiastes 3:14. In other words, nothing can be added to it nor can anything be taken from it. When God has given us His book, the book is complete.

There are some people who believe that it is impossible to overcome and that you are going to go through your whole life sinning, but as long as you just confess your sins every day, you will be saved. It is true that confessed sins will be forgiven. But you cannot go through life living like the devil, just confessing your sins, and be in the first resurrection. The Bible, the New Testament, does not teach that.

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly [without being intoxicated], righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:12. This is “the grace of God that bringeth salvation” (verse 11). And the grace that brings salvation teaches us that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. To be in the first resurrection, we must live like this in the present world.

Ellen White wrote to a married man who was in real trouble in his family: “How long a time are you designing to take to prepare to be introduced into the society of heavenly angels in glory? In the state which you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done here. This earth is the fitting-up place. You have not one moment to lose. All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censuring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness. Study to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that you may lay hold on everlasting life.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 705, 706.

The resurrection is the most exciting subject in the world, if you are ready. If you want to be ready, you need to live soberly, righteously and godly now. You need to be preparing. You need to be praying. The Bible says that we need to pray for each other so we will be healed and so that we will be ready.

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