Editorial

Editor’s Letter – The Passover

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The Passover, the most significant feast of all, a national festival the Jews kept for 1500 years “was to pass away forever.” The Desire of Ages, 652. In its place Christ instituted the communion service which is a memorial of His great sacrifice on Calvary and will be observed by the followers of Jesus “through all ages.” Ibid. The communion service is a sacred ceremony, a symbol of the sacrifice on Calvary referred to by Paul, as “Christ our Passover sacrificed for us” (I Corinthians 5:7). The sacrifice on the cross at Calvary is the real Passover which we commemorate every time we participate in the communion service and this is not commemorated just once a year. We do this often (I Corinthians 11:26), though Calvary will never be repeated.

The feast of unleavened bread represented the result of the Passover—the life of the believer will be lived without the leaven of wickedness and will be lived in harmony with the truth (the law). This began to be fulfilled on the exact dates of the feast of unleavened bread for the disciples of Christ in A.D. 31 (John 20:22). Unfortunately, one disciple did not begin to have this experience until the end of that period (John 20:27). The first fruits in the antitype are Christ and those raised with him on the 16th day of the first month A.D. 31. As Christ was raised on the day of offering the first fruits, so every baptized Christian is to rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Baptism is a memorial of the antitype of the offering of the first fruits which occurred on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread. The Christian living in sin is giving the lie to his profession and is violating the sacred antitype or reality of the experience of the feast of unleavened bread. This feast was observed once a year, but in the New Covenant it occurred only once for all time—on the 16th day of the first month in A.D. 31 when Christ was raised from the dead. This experience will never be repeated.

The feast of weeks or Pentecost occurred once for all time on the very day of that feast in A.D. 31 when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples and the harvesting of the world began. This feast represented the gift of the Holy Spirit which was to be with the true church from that time forever. Only those Christians who have received the Holy Spirit are experiencing the reality of the feast of weeks in the antitype and this experience is to be constant, not just once a year.

Editor’s Letter – Fall Feasts

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In previous issues we have covered all of the spring feasts in the New Covenant and now we will look at the fall feasts. The first one was the feast of trumpets. Trumpets were used in the Old Covenant to announce and summon people to important events. It was most important that the trumpet not give an uncertain sound (I Corinthians 14:8). The trumpet in prophecy has special reference to events in the last days (e.g., Joel 2) and the messages of the book of Revelation are given as with a trumpet (Revelation 1:10; 4:1). The feasts of the spring prefigured events associated with the first advent of Christ, but the feasts of the fall prefigured events associated with the second advent of Christ. This feast of trumpets was announced ten days before the coming Day of Atonement, the most solemn day of all the year in the Old Covenant. During the ten years preceding 1844, the announcement that the Day of Judgment was at hand was sent with trumpet tones throughout the world, reaching every civilized nation and mission station worldwide. Just as with the spring feasts, this feast in the New Covenant could only occur once for all time. Today we are not announcing anymore that the Day of Judgment is at hand—we have to say that it has been in progress for over 160 years; and no longer are we preaching just the first angel’s message which was the original message of the Second Advent Movement, but rather the third angel’s message—the last message of mercy that God has sent for a dying world. (The third angel’s message includes the first and the second.) The feast of trumpets summoned the people of God to appear before the Lord. Nobody will experience the feast of the trumpets in the New Covenant who is not actively working to spread the Three Angels’ Messages to the world.

The fifth feast of the year was the feast of the Day of Atonement. This was the typical Day of Judgment. In the Old Covenant, this occurred every year because the blood of bulls and goats could not really take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). But in the New Covenant it occurs just once in the end of the ages (Hebrews 9:25, 26) and is the Day of Atonement, or cleansing of the sanctuary, or time of investigative judgment. This is called the investigative judgment because all court trials even in this world have three phases: an investigative phase in which, if you are acquitted, the judgment then is over for you; a sentencing phase; and an executive phase, which is the execution of the sentence. God’s judgment also has three phases. To see the sentencing phase in Scripture, look at Revelation 20:4. To see the executive phase, see Revelation 20:11–15. The investigative phase occurs while the gospel is still being preached in the last days. See Revelation 14:6, 7.

This service or feast in the New Covenant results in the complete removal of sin from all of God’s people so that they are just the same as if they had never sinned!

Editor’s Letter – The Investigative Judgment

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Israelites, throughout the year, brought their sin offerings to the sanctuary, confessing, repenting and forsaking their sins and they were forgiven (Leviticus 4 and 5). However, if they did not participate in the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:29, 30), they were still cut off from Israel. In the same way, even though a Christian has repented and confessed his sins and chosen to follow Jesus all the way in a life of obedience, he cannot be saved unless the Lord takes his sins away from him, or as some Scriptures say, unless his sins are blotted out.

This occurs during the end period of earth’s history in one day (Zechariah 3:9) and was symbolized by the service of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:30). Paul clearly says that this event occurs in the end of the ages (Hebrews 9:25, 26). Daniel speaks of it as beginning shortly after 1798 (see Daniel 7) and specifies exactly when this work would begin in Daniel 8:14—1844.

This work of cleansing the sanctuary or Investigative Judgment involves a judgment in favor of God’s holy people and a negative judgment of the continuance in rebellion, often translated the daily (Daniel 8:12) and a negative judgment likewise upon the desolating rebellion (Daniel 8:13). The continual rebellion was a constant worldwide rebellion involving every nation in the world for 4,500 years and the desolating rebellion which succeeded it is the apostasy of the latter times which has been getting worse now for over 1,500 years. So, in summary, the cleansing of the sanctuary involves a judgment involving every nation under heaven for the past 6,000 years.

In this judgment every person who has ever lived will find his destiny. If a person continues to live in sin and never overcomes it (study Revelation 21:5–7), his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life (see Exodus 32:33). But if a person overcomes his sins (the world, the flesh and the devil—James 4; Romans 6; I John 5), then his name will be retained in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5) and he will be acquitted in the judgment and receive an everlasting reward when Jesus returns. The people who are keeping the real or antitypical Day of Atonement are those who are humbling themselves before God and pleading for the Holy Spirit in their lives that they may be overcomers through the merits of Jesus and thereby be ready to meet Jesus when He comes to receive a church (Ephesians 5:27).

Editorial – Feast of Tabernacles

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We come now to the last feast of the year, the feast of tabernacles. This feast could not occur until the Day of Atonement was over. The anti-typical Day of Atonement, the cleansing of the sanctuary, is not over until the end of probation which occurs just before the Second Coming of Christ. This feast was a great time of celebration or rejoicing. We hope soon to participate in this feast. We cannot celebrate this feast yet because we are in the great Day of Atonement. Now is the time we are to humble ourselves before God and seek to receive the Holy Spirit and to be found without spot and blameless at His appearing as a result of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives (see for example, Romans 8; Hebrews 10; Revelation 19).

The Day of Atonement occurs once for all time from 1844 until the close of probation. Soon after the close of probation Jesus will return in the clouds of heaven and take His children with Him. The feast of tabernacles is symbolic of that great festal time of rejoicing. The great jubilee will occur when God’s people are redeemed and the broken family chain extending all the way back to Adam and Eve is put back together again. It will be a festal gathering, a time of rejoicing such as no person today can begin to imagine.

Paul looked forward to it. He said, “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the festal gathering [or assembly] and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22–24.

To be in that festal assembly you must be clothed in the wedding garment (Matthew 22:11–14; Revelation 19:7, 8). Your sins must be blotted out during the Day of Atonement (Acts 3:19–21; Hebrews 10:14–18). In summary, you must have been born again of the Holy Spirit and be complete in Christ (Ephesians 4:11–15; Colossians 2:7–10).

Every true Christian is looking forward to and longing for the anti-typical, or real feast of tabernacles, in the New Covenant. When we have Christian gatherings, we enjoy the fellowship and association of brothers and sisters in Christ just as the children of Israel did in the Old Covenant, but all of that fellowship is not worthy to be compared with what we are going to experience in the future if we are present at the real or anti-typical feast of the tabernacles.

Editorial – Separation And Loyalty

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God’s work cannot be amalgamated with people or organizations who do not obey the law of God.

 

The results of disregarding inspired counsel on this point is plainly prophesied: “I raise my voice of warning against the mingling in our institutions, of the worldly element with those who believe…If in our institutions persons are placed in positions of trust, they are educators. Others are taught to look to these persons for instruction, and in this is a snare to the unwary; their ideas become confused in regard to righteousness and truth. They hear those persons who have no respect for the truth, sneer and speak disparagingly of the truth, which should be held firmly and sacredly as truth. When the day’s work on Friday should be planned with reference to the Sabbath of the Lord, there is Satan working with those children of disobedience to prolong the service into the sacred hours, and give their orders that those under their direction shall do work on the Sabbath, and then they exult and Satan triumphs. And when men in the highest responsible positions make no difference between those who serve God and those who serve him not, they evidence that their eyes are not single to the glory of God; therefore their whole body is full of darkness. When these men in authority have so mingled with the spirit of worldlings that the words of complaint from the lips of these unbelievers are gathered as verity and truth, they know not what spirit they are of. When they encourage this spirit, and complaints against the people of God, they evidence that they are working on the enemy’s side, to belittle and humiliate those whom the Lord loves, and that they strengthen the hands of the wicked, who are doing evil work. When they feel free to suffer the accusers of God’s children to plan for them against his chosen ones, they do not have Christ to plan with them.

 

“…If any workers in our institutions for health are murmured against…Go to those supposed to be in error, talk with them, not working with duplicity and hypocrisy, meeting them day by day with apparent friendship, and at the same time plotting against them in perfect unity with the satanic agencies at work to uproot, to tear down, to remove from the institution the ones the unbelieving element wants removed, while not a word is spoken with the brethren or sisters in the faith to redeem them, to heal them, if they are in error; and if they are not in the wrong, to vindicate the right, and put the rebuke where it belongs,—upon the plotters of an evil work, because Satan is behind the scene…The Lord hates all deception, secrecy, and guile. This Satan’s work; the work of God is open and frank…may the Lord bless his people with spiritual eyesight, to see that the children of God and the world can never be in copartnership…While every individual should work with Christ to transform the children of darkness, by showing them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, they cannot have overflowing sympathy with worldlings in such a degree that they lend them their influence to carry out their suggestions to weaken and do injustice to God’s chosen ones. God does not work in this way. In perfect and complete unity there is strength. Not in numbers, but in the perfect trust and unity with Christ, one can chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. Let us not form unholy bonds of union, with the friends of the world; for God has pronounced his curse upon all such unions…Already we see the terrible consequences of uniting believers with unbelievers. The result is, the unbelievers are given the confidence that belongs to those only who love and revere God.

 

“Already has the power of darkness placed its mold and superscription upon the work that should stand forth, untainted, unpolluted, from Satan’s cunning devices. We lift our voice of warning upon the social attractions by worldly bids and worldly baits. Keep clear, Touch not the unclean thing. Let not the world’s direction and propositions be given to God’s people to control them. Woe be unto him whose wisdom is not from above but from beneath! Men of superficial piety, by their desire to receive patronage, to obtain fame, betray the most sacred interests into the hands of unbelievers. Let not money be obtained by touching or sanctioning any unclean practices. Let the grace of Christ be brought into the heart, and if the workers be few, and God can work with them in our institutions, they will prevail. There must be no deceiving power at work, for it is an unclean thing.” Special Testimonies Series A, 11-16.

Editor’s Letter – Actions and Meanings

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Sometimes God speaks to us in words as when He spoke the Ten Commandments on Sinai. But very often God speaks to us by His actions, and we need to become intelligent in understanding their meaning. For example, after God had spoken the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel and “no more” (Deuteronomy 5:22), He wrote these Ten Commandments with His own finger in tables of stone. Should we not learn something significant from that act?

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, God did several significant things which we should study and understand. While in His suffering before Jesus died, God miraculously blotted out the light of the sun for three hours (Matthew 27:45). But when Jesus actually died on the cross, (1) there was a great earthquake so that rocks were split and (2) tombs were opened and (3) the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

Have you tried to understand the significance of the veil of the temple being torn in two from the top to the bottom? This veil was a thick tapestry resembling what we would call a rug or carpet. It was not a piece of cloth that even a strong man could tear in two. In addition to this, the curtain was torn in two, not from the bottom to the top, but from the top to the bottom.

Jesus was crucified at the Passover season. In the Old Covenant nobody was allowed to look into or go into the Most Holy Place except on the Day of Atonement. But now, it was possible to see directly into the Most Holy Place when it was not on the Day of Atonement. What should we conclude from this fact? First of all, that it was possible to go into the Most Holy Place when it was not the Day of Atonement anymore. Secondly, we could conclude that there was no sanctity anymore to the earthly Most Holy Place since God had torn the veil. But a more significant conclusion for the spiritually mature person would be that God had opened a “new and living way … through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Because of this new and living way, the Old Covenant had become “obsolete” and “becoming old and is ready to disappear” (Hebrews 8:13). The Old Covenant that had become obsolete included the earthly sanctuary system with its “food and drink and various washings, and regulations imposed on the flesh until a time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:10). It also included those regulations which were not a part of the explanation of the Ten Commandments but were given as a type, or example, of truths later to be revealed in the gospel dispensation. An example of this would be the cities of refuge.

Editor’s Letter – John Chrysostom

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John Chrysostom is looked upon today as one of the fathers of the Christian church. However, when he was alive, he was expelled from his bishopric in Constantinople, suffered much misery and ignominy and died in banishment in A.D. 408. Why was he so unpopular during his lifetime?

Following are a few things that John Chrysostom taught:

1 He said that it was improper for Christians to wage war because Christ compels not, drives not away, oppresses not but gives to each His free will saying, “If any man will.”

2 From Matthew 13, he taught that the tares (heretics) are not to be rooted out and no violence is to be employed in heavenly things. He said that wicked teachings of heretics must be reprehended and anathematized, but the men we must spare.

3 He taught that we are not to confess our sins to anyone except to God alone.

4 From Matthew 23, he taught that with human doctrines we serve God in vain, and that there is no other testimony of the truth and no other certain test of heresy, than the Holy Scriptures, and no other way by which we may know which is the Christian church.

5 He taught that when the Roman Empire shall be put down, then shall antichrist come. The abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 was understood by him to refer to antichrist. He said that the antichrist would occupy the holy place of the church under the name of Christ. From II Thessalonians 2 he taught that when the Empire would be made waste and vacant, then antichrist shall occupy it, and endeavor to draw to him the kingdom of God and men.

6 Also from Matthew 24, he said that when antichrist does the works of Christ and, in the sight of Christians, performs all the offices of Christ, we should not be moved because Satan can transform himself into an angel of light. What wonder then, that his servants assume the garb of servants of righteousness, and a semblance of Christianity.

7 He said further concerning Matthew 24, that the Jewish abomination is to be understood as having reference not only to the Jewish war, but in a spiritual sense, also to antichrist, who, in the last time, shall sit in the holy place. Since the Lord knew what great destruction would come in the last days, He commanded that the Christians who are in Christendom, if they would always continue in the true faith, should resort only to the Holy Scriptures; for, if they would look to other things, they would be offended and corrupted, and not understand what the true church is, and in that way fall into this horrible abomination, which sits in the holy place of the church.

See Martyr’s Mirror, 166, 167.

Editorial – The Testing Time

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In the letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul said that Jesus was going to purify to Himself a church that would be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but rather would be holy and without blemish or defect. We are in the period of time when this process is in its final development. Instead of quibbling about things like the church militant versus the church triumphant as has been the habit of so many, we should be earnestly asking ourselves the question, “Am I ready for Jesus to come or not?” We are in the testing time right now: “Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

“Solemn are the scenes connected with the closing work of the atonement. Momentous are the interests involved therein. The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above.” The Great Controversy, 490.

The following quotations explain the issues at stake in this testing process and what we must do if we are to pass the test.

“What is it to be a light to the world? It is to recognize Christ as our example. It is to show Christian politeness, never to scold and fret, but to be in a condition where we can constantly carry the minds of others upward. This is the work of everyone who names the name of Christ. It is to depart from the works of iniquity; it is to wash our garments in the blood of the Lamb. We are in the washing and ironing time. Now we are to have every sin and iniquity taken from us, and the white linen put upon us, the wedding garment.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 2, 52, 53.

“Many now pass as Sabbath-keepers who, when the test comes upon the question, will no longer have a place among those who observe God’s commandments.” The Signs of the Times, June 2, 1890.

“The worshipers are to pass under the measuring line of God. Who will bear the test? Christ says, ‘I know thy works.’ Nothing is hid from him of whom John says, ‘His head and his hair were white like wool, white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire.’ How many are purifying their souls by obeying the truth? How many are now in this time wholly on the Lord’s side? How many are seeking to be a blessing to those around them? Many need help, kind words, thoughtful attentions; and if you pray with such, you may be a blessing to them.” The Youth’s Instructor, August 25, 1886.

“All earthly honors are soon to pass away. It is moral worth that will endure, and will stand the test of trial.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 191.

 

Editorial – Are You Ready?

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The members of the church will individually be tested and proved. They will be placed in circumstances where they will be forced to bear witness for the truth. Many will be called to speak before councils and in courts of justice, perhaps separately and alone.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 463.

Seventh-day Adventists will need to be able to explain the following beliefs:

  • God’s special warning messages, found in Revelation 14:6–12, to prepare mankind for what is coming:

The world is now in the time of judgment which began in 1844, according to Daniel 8 and 9.

Because of this all men everywhere are to fear God, which means to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13).

Because of this all men everywhere are to glorify God in their body and in their spirit.

Because of this all men everywhere are to worship God as the Creator by acknowledging the day He has set aside as a memorial of His creation (Exodus 20:8–11).

Flee out of Babylon, that is, out of false religious systems which teach people to break the law of God (Revelation 18:1–4; 14:8).

Do not to worship the papacy, which is the beast power described in Revelation 13:1–10.

Do not worship the image of the papacy, which is a union of church and state in the United States for the purpose of eliminating freedom of the conscience, as was done in the Dark Ages (Revelation 13:11–17).

Avoid the mark of the papacy, which is the substitution of Sunday worship for worship according to the law of God (Exodus 20:8–11).

God’s children in the very last days will be a people who keep God’s commandments and who have the same kind of faith Jesus had, which was a faith that resulted in obedience to every Word that proceeded from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4; Revelation 14:12).

  • When a person dies, he goes into an unconscious state and knows nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6). Therefore, those spirits masquerading as spirits of the dead are actually the spirits of demons impersonating the dead and should be shunned. A person should order his life according to the word of God and not according to the miracles worked by spirits (Revelation 16:13, 14).
  • The plan of salvation is going to come to an end. When Jesus comes the second time, there will be no more atonement for sin, there will be no further chance for salvation. Anybody who is saved must be saved before the close of probation, which occurs a short time before Jesus returns again (Revelation 22:11, 12). If we ignore the opportunity to be saved now, there will be no future time after the close of probation or after we die when we can be saved (Luke 16:19–31; 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2).

Editorial – The Rock

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“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice. … Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you. … Their rock is not like our Rock.” Deuteronomy 32:4, 18, 31.

Jesus is called the chief cornerstone of the church and the foundation of which nobody can lay another (Ephesians 2:19–22; I Corinthians 3:11). But, because of the confusion that has been in existence for over a thousand years on this point, we will allow the Anabaptists from the 16th century explain Matthew 16:18:

“They misinterpret the word petra, as though thereby was meant the apostle Peter; but this is a great and palpable error. For the Lord there plainly distinguishes between the name Petros (Peter) and the word petra (rock); saying immediately before, ‘Thou art Peter’ [Petros], but afterwards, ‘and upon this rock [petra]; … I will build my church;’ so that the Lord does not promise there, to build His church upon Peter [Petros], but upon the rock [petra]; which he plainly mentions.” Martyrs Mirror, 47. The word petros is a masculine word whereas the word petra is a feminine word—they are completely different words with different meanings.

There is also confusion over the word Cephas in John 1:42 which some say signifies a foundation stone. This word is a derivative of the Hebrew word Keph but the Hebrew words for foundation stone are Sela or Zur (see Deuteronomy 32:13). “Thus Peter is indeed called a stone in holy Scripture, yet not a foundation stone, but only such a one as is generally built upon a foundation. Christ is properly the foundation stone, as Peter Himself declares, when he calls Christ the living stone (I Peter 2:4); … whereupon he adduces the words of the prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him (that is build upon him through faith) shall not be confounded.” ’ I Peter 2:6 from Isaiah 28:16. Therefore he admonishes the believers to build themselves, as living stones, to a spiritual house, upon the foundation which is laid—Christ.” Ibid.

“Christ is referred to as the cornerstone upon which the apostles and prophets are built (Ephesians 2:19–22). It is not inconsistent with this, that the twelve apostles, of whom Peter was one, are called twelve foundation stones in Revelation 21:14. For, even if it were admitted that by the words, city of God in this place there is to be understood the church of God here on earth, this would only prove that Peter, as well as the other apostles, was one of the twelve foundation stones of the church of Christ; which by no means confirms the proposed objection, that Peter alone is the foundation stone, or foundation, of the church.”

“Thus Christ is the ground, bottom, or foundation of His church; the apostles, through their doctrine, are the foundation stones; and the church is the building erected upon these foundation stones and the foundation.” Ibid.