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Inspiration – A Friend to the Friendless

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“You who are tempted and tried and discouraged, look up. A divine Hand is reached toward you. The hand of the Infinite is stretched over the battlements of heaven to grasp your hand in its embrace. The mighty Helper is nigh to help the most erring, the most sinful and despairing. His great heart of love is yearning with deep and tender compassion over those who are careless and neglectful of their eternal interests.

Individual Care, Love, and Sympathy

“Let us remember that Jesus knows us individually, and He cares for each one as though there were not another soul on the face of the earth. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows the wants of each of his creatures, and reads the hidden, unspoken grief of every heart. If one of the little ones for whom He died is injured, He sees it; for He is acquainted with all that is misunderstood and misrepresented by man.

“Christ has weighed every human affliction, every human sorrow. He bears the weight of the yoke for every soul that yokes up with Him. He knows the sorrows which we feel to the depth of our being, and which we can not express. If no human heart is aroused in sympathy for us, we need not feel that we are without sympathy. Christ knows; and He says, ‘Look unto me and live.’ [See Isaiah 45:22.]

“All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but a tiny rill to the boundless ocean, when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue can not utter it; pen can not portray it. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving his Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it.

Fellowship in Suffering

“Christ is affected as His weakest follower is affected. The sympathy of Christ is such that He can not be an indifferent spectator of His children’s sufferings. Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.

“As a faithful Physician, the world’s Redeemer has His finger upon the pulse of the soul. He marks every beat; He takes note of every throb. Not an emotion thrills it, not a sorrow shades it; not a sin stains it, not a thought or purpose passes through it, with which He is not acquainted. Christ feels the woes of every sufferer. When evil spirits rend a human frame, Christ feels the curse. When fever is burning up the life current, He feels the agony.

Talking with God

“God is bending from His throne to hear the cry of the oppressed. To every sincere prayer He answers, ‘Here am I.’ The prayer that ascends from a broken and contrite heart is never disregarded; it is as sweet music in the ears of our heavenly Father: for He waits to bestow upon us the fulness of His blessing.

“The prayer of the sincere heart offered in faith will be heard in heaven. It may not be grammatical; but if the heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary where Jesus ministers, and He will present it to the Father without one awkward, stammering word, graceful and perfect through His merit; for His righteousness refines and ennobles it, and makes it acceptable before the Father.

Our Best Motives and Efforts

“When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man’s best service and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit; for He is the source of every right impulse.

“Through the merits of the Redeemer, the Father looks upon us with tender compassion, and speaks to us hopefully the language of forgiveness and love, for Christ was treated as we deserve that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness in which we had no share.

Our Best Interests in View

“God does not require us to give up any thing that it is for our best interest to retain. In all that He does, He has the well being of His children in view. Would that all who have not chosen Christ might realize that He has something vastly better to offer them than they are seeking for themselves! For the more we know God, the more intense will be our happiness, and the lips that are willing to speak, though unclean, will be touched with the living coals and purified. They will be enabled to speak words that will burn their way to the soul.”

The Oriental Watchman, December 1, 1901.

“I appeal to all our brethren and sisters to bear in mind the words of Christ, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ [Matthew 25:40.] Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, gave His precious life to save fallen man; every son and daughter of Adam is His purchased possession. He paid the infinite price, the ransom money in His own precious life, to redeem man; therefore He identifies His interest with suffering humanity. He requires every man to be interested for his fellow-man, making the word of God his standard of duty. With meekness and lowliness of heart we are to show reverence and love to Him who hath bought us, giving His own life, that ‘whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’ [John 3:16.] Then let love and tender regard toward our fellow-men be ever revealed, not merely in words, but in deeds.

“The children of the heavenly King, should represent the character of the Ruler of the heavenly kingdom. They should cultivate unity and love for one another, each member of the royal family loyally representing the principles of the government of God. Jesus Christ was sent of God; in His character and life He represented every principle of the law of God. What are the two great principles of that law?—Love to God and love to our neighbor. We are to cherish a warm, deep, abiding interest in one another, an unfeigned respect for our brethren and sisters. We are none of us to set ourselves up as critics, to discern defects in those with whom we associate, and then engage in a work of cannibalism, tearing to pieces the reputation of those who may be more precious in the sight of God than we are. Evil-thinking and evil-speaking are a great offense in the sight of God, and those who do these things are not born of the Spirit, but of the flesh.

“The sad thing in our churches to-day, is that Jesus is misrepresented in the character of those who profess to be His followers. Many claim to believe in and love Jesus, while they do neither. They advocate the law of God, but are transgressors of its precepts. The first four commandments require supreme love to God. Parents, children, wife, husband, houses, lands, or any other earthly treasure, whether of friends or property, are not to be loved selfishly, and thus become an idol to divert the mind, the time, the service, from God. He that loves and serves mammon, cannot love and serve God supremely. When friends and relations are loved with inordinate affection, they are taking the place in the heart where God should be. ‘Ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.’ ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.’ ‘Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ [II Peter 3:17; I John 2:15; James 4:4.] Here idolatry is plainly revealed, as existing in those who claim to worship God. The pure, refined, ennobling love is buried up by the love of carnal things. This the True Witness represents as a fearful loss in experience and character-building—the loss of the first love. ‘Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.’ [Revelation 2:5.] The True Witness sends forth this warning. Mercy and the love of God are the attributes of His throne. While claiming to be the subjects of the kingdom of God, and yet refusing to be converted from their selfish love, their stern, iron will, their own perverse ways, many are constantly bearing a false testimony of Jesus Christ. . . .

“Let the people of God have root in themselves because they are planted in Jesus Christ. There must be no strife for supremacy. Let every one seek God for himself, and know for himself that the truth of God is the sanctifier of soul, life, and character. Let all feel that it is their duty and privilege to speak those things in the church which will edify. No one should try to sermonize, but with hearts filled with the love of God, let each one have something to say that will not savor in the least of self-exaltation, of questions that will cause dissension; but let each one present lessons from the life of Christ, and represent none of self, but all of Jesus.

“To every man is given his work. One man cannot do the work for which another man has been trained and educated. But the work of every man must begin at the heart, in the character, by surrendering the soul to God, and by co-operating with divine agencies. The root must be holy, or there will be no holy fruit. All are to be workers together with God, and self must not appear. The Lord has entrusted talent and capabilities to every individual, and those who are most highly favored with opportunities and privileges, are under the heaviest obligations to God. Those who are represented as having but one talent have their work to do. By diligent trading, not with pounds, but with pence, they are diligently to employ their ability, determined not to fail nor be discouraged. Those who faithfully trade upon their one talent will hear the gracious commendation given them with as full heartiness as those who have been gifted with many talents, and who wisely improve them, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.’ He who had but one talent, had an influence to exert, and his work was needed. In perfecting his own character, he was exerting an influence that helped to perfect the character of those who had larger responsibilities, who were in danger of building themselves up, and of neglecting some important little things, which that faithful man with his one talent was regarding with diligent care. By his diligence and unwearied, faithful efforts, he gave lessons worthy of imitation to those who, from outward appearance, seemed to be greatly his superiors. Our various trusts are proportioned to our various abilities. –

“Christ can give His peace to those only who surrender their will and their way to his method and plans. Restless cravings and heart-burnings bring no joy, no happiness, but only sadness and misery to the soul. He who cherishes them, views all things in a distorted light, and thinks that others who do not view matters as he does, do not appreciate his individual importance and worth. We may be complete in Jesus Christ only as we are emptied of self. When our life is hid with Christ in God, self is lost, submerged in the breadth, length, depth, and height of infinite love. Let the burden of every soul be to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.”

The Home Missionary, December 1, 1894.

The Two Covenants

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There is much confusion today over what the covenants are. Especially is the New Covenant and its application to the Christian misunderstood. We will first take a close look at what a covenant is and then consider the difference between the old and the new.

Webster’s Dictionary defines covenant this way: “An agreement between persons or groups of persons; especially, a formal agreement solemnly promising mutual help or common effort; contract. In theology—the promises of God to man, usually carrying with them conditions to be fulfilled by man, as recorded in the Bible.”

Consulting an encyclopedia concerning covenants and contracts, we find there are several parts that are essential.

  1. It must be written.
  2. It will contain promises.
  3. It will contain terms or conditions.
  4. There must be mutual agreement signified by the signatures.
  5. And finally it must have a seal placed upon it.

Here is an example of a typical covenant or contract in our society. When someone is selling their house, the seller says, “Give me $120,000, and I will give you my house.” The buyer agrees. The contract is signed and then sealed by a notary public. When the buyer gives the specified amount to the seller, the seller then gives the buyer his house. However, if the buyer does not come through with the money within the time given, he does not get the house. He has broken the contract, making it void.

God’s Covenant

Now let us look at the covenant God made with Israel in the wilderness as recorded in Exodus 19:5–8: “Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”

The Covenant is Conditional

You see, there is an “If–Then” in the covenant, a promise upon condition—if you obey Me, then you will be My people. The people gave their promise to fulfill the conditions, thereby signing the contract.

Now, what exactly was the covenant? “And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.” Deuteronomy 4:13. It is very clear. The Ten Commandments are God’s covenant, written by His finger. (Also see Exodus 31:18 and 34:28.)

Leviticus 26 very plainly spells out all the conditions and promises of the covenant God made with Israel. Notice the “If–Thens.” The promises were all conditional upon the actions of the people. “If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” (Verses 3, 4.)

“But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but that ye break My covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.” (Verses 14–16.)

But what is the sad record of Israel’s compliance with the conditions of the covenant? “They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law.” Psalm 78:10.

Israel had signed the contract. They had promised, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” But they were doomed to fail. They broke the contract. You remember at the close of Joshua’s life he exhorted the people to “fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.” Joshua 24:14. And all the people answered, “God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;…therefore will we also serve the Lord; for He is our God.” (Verses16, 18.) But what was Joshua’s startling reply? “Ye cannot serve the Lord!” (Verse 19.) Why would Joshua say such a thing? I believe he was trying to get them to realize how incapable they were in their own strength to carry out their promise. But the people disagreed with Joshua. “Nay; but we will serve the Lord…The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey.” (Verses 21, 24.)

Theirs was the “Promise of the Penniless Prospective Buyer.” The penniless prospective buyer does not have a penny, but he wants that house. He signs the contract, somehow possessing wild optimism that he can come up with the money. But, alas, he fails to come through with his end of the bargain. He breaks the contract. The contract is no longer valid, not because the seller did not make his promise good, but because the buyer’s promise was faulty. If the prospective buyer ever should be able to come up with the money, he would have to enter into a new contract with the seller, because the old contract is broken and can no longer be used.

God is so gracious with His people. Though we have failed, He is yet willing to enter into a new covenant with us. Jeremiah prophesied of this new covenant: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:31–33.

In writing to his Jewish brethren, Paul reminds them of this promise and points to Jesus as the mediator of this new covenant. “But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” Hebrews 8:6. Why is this a better covenant? Because it is based on better promises. “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.” (Verse 7.) So there was a fault in the first covenant! What was the fault? “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:” (Verse 8.) The fault was with the people’s promise. They did not come through on their word.

“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” (Verse 9.) They did not comply with the conditions as they had promised they would. But God has a solution for their faulty promises—His powerful promise to change their heart, so they can comply with the conditions.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people.” (Verse10.) Once God’s law is internalized, becoming a part of our character, then we obey from the heart instead of chafing under external rules.

So it is like this: God says, “If you keep My commandments, I will give you eternal life.”

Man says, “God, there is no way I can keep Your Law. I am a sinner by nature.”

God says, “I will enable you to keep My law if you will surrender your will and cooperate with Me. I will give you a new nature. I will write My Law in your heart.”

Now these are the better promises. God’s promises are better than man’s, so we accept God’s promise by faith, thus signing the contract.

Did you know everyone saved in the Old Testament was saved under the New Covenant? Hebrews 11 says all these obeyed by faith. The Old Covenant cannot save anyone. It is not a saving covenant, because no one is capable of keeping the Law in his own strength. The promise, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do” is a faulty promise. We can only be saved by accepting the terms of the New Covenant, by accepting the offer of God’s power to change our hearts and give us the power to obey.

The Seal

There is one aspect of a contract or covenant that we have not yet discussed. That is the seal. Does God’s covenant have a seal? Yes, it does. Right in the heart of the Law of God He has placed His seal, in the fourth commandment, Exodus 20:8–11. “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.” (Verse 11.)

A seal always contains three things:

  1. The ruler’s name—LORD
  2. His title—Creator (“made heaven and earth. . .”)
  3. Area of jurisdiction—“heaven, earth, the sea, and all that in them is.”

So we see all the elements of a seal in the fourth commandment.

Exodus 31:12, 13 speaks of the Sabbath as a sign of the perpetual covenant. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” And in verses16 and 17 it says, “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.”

What is a Sign?

Webster’s Dictionary defines sign, “in theology, that which being external, represents or signifies something internal or spiritual; as, an outward and visible sign.”

Observing the Sabbath is the sign that you understand that you cannot of yourself fulfill the Law, that you rest in the power that God gives you to obey.

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it… For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:… There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Hebrews 4:1–11.

No Faith

So the gospel was preached to ancient Israel, but it did not do them any good because they did not exercise faith in it. God gave them His Sabbath to be a sign that He would give them the power to obey His law, but they did not enter into that rest because of their lack of faith in His power. They felt they were to obey by their own works. So instead of grasping the true significance of the Sabbath, they strictly observed it to earn their salvation. The true Sabbath rest is still offered to the people of God. How do we enter into it? By ceasing from our own works and taking hold of God’s power by faith. This is what true Sabbath–keeping represents. Keeping the Sabbath is not a work, it is a rest!

Let us review now the elements of a covenant and analyze the New Covenant.

  1. It must be written. —The New Covenant is written out for us in the Bible.
  2. It will contain promises. —God promises to write the Law in our hearts.
  3. It will contain terms or conditions. —–Obedience through God’s power.
  4. There must be mutual agreement signified by the signatures. —Our faith.
  5. And finally it must have a seal placed upon it. —The Sabbath.

Revelation 14:12 gives promise of a people who will live by the New Covenant. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

[All emphasis supplied.]

Stay on the Ship

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“Shortly before I sent out the testimonies regarding the efforts of the enemy [error] to undermine the foundation of our faith [truth] through the dissemination of seductive theories, I had read an incident about a ship in a fog meeting an iceberg. For several nights I slept but little. . . . One night a scene was clearly presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg just ahead!’ There, towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg [error]. An authoritative voice cried out, ‘Meet it!’ There was not a moment’s hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship [old landmarks] straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder to the deck. The passengers [church] were violently shaken by the force of the collisions, but no lives were lost. The vessel [old landmarks] was injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern, like a living creature. Then she moved forward on her way. Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. . . ‘Meet it!’ Selected Messages, Book 1, 205, 206. “In the visions of the night I saw a large ship far out at sea. Suddenly the man on the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg ahead!’ Without hesitation the command rang out, ‘Meet it.’. . . After seeing this representation, I knew what work I must do. I knew that I must meet the errors that were coming in among us.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 344.

Meet it—with the Old Landmarks

“We cannot afford to be deceived. We must point our people to the old landmarks. We are to obtain strength and courage from on high, that we may obey the command given me, ‘Meet it’” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 384.

“The best way to deal with error is to present truth.” The Desire of Ages, 498.

Old Landmarks Established by God

“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder {Hiram} Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the Word.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 206.

Visions Established our Fundamental Truths

“When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me. . . Ibid. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 53.

Holy Spirit Taught us What is Truth

“When the power of God testifies as to what is truth, that truth is to stand forever as the truth.. . . The truth for this time, God has given us as a foundation for our faith. He Himself has taught us what is truth. ” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 31. “The Holy Spirit, we know, was teaching and guiding us. . . . Very well do we know how every point of truth was established, and the seal set upon it by the Holy Spirit of God. ” Selected Messages, Book 2, 103.

Foundational Truths – SDA’s First 50 Years

“Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” Review and Herald, May 25, 1905. “The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 53. “. . .the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years. Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it!’ Selected Messages, Book 1, 207.

The Ship-of-Truth will go Through The Structure of Truth— SDA Waymarks

“The truths that have been substantiated by the manifest working of God are to stand fast. Let no one presume to move a pin or a foundation stone from the structure.” Manuscript Release, vol. 1, 55. “The truth is the same as it ever has been, and not a pin or a pillar can be moved from the structure of truth. That which was sought for out of the Word in 1844, 1845, and 1846 remains the truth in every particular.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 52. “Some of those who are newly come to the faith. . . reject the great waymarks which God Himself has established. Since their new light leads them to tear down the structure which the Lord has built up, we may know that He is not guiding them. The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 804.

Do Not Leave the Ship-of-Truth

“I know from the light that God has given me that there should be a revival of the messages that have been given in the past, . . . We must not move from the platform of truth on which we have been established.” The Upward Look, 199. “The Lord has declared that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work . . . . We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. . . . There is need now to rehearse the experience of the men who acted a part in the establishment of our work at the beginning. Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 54. “Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established . . . Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” The Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.

Denying the Old Landmarks

“In a vision of the night. . . I was shown a platform, braced by solid timbers—-the truths of the Word of God. Some one high in responsibility . . . was directing this man and that man to loosen the timbers supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying, ‘Where are the watchmen that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are they asleep? This foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand storm and tempest. Will they permit this man to present doctrines that deny the past experience of the people of God?’. . . The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. . . . The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure. Who has authority to begin such a movement? . . . I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met [iceberg]. Selected Messages, Book 1, 204, 205.

Ship of Error—Set Adrift

“Those who seek to remove the old landmarks . . . set the people of God adrift without an anchor. ” Ye Shall Receive Power, 235.

“At that time [1844] . . . The men whom God raised up were diligent searchers of the Scriptures. And those who today claim to have light, and who contradict the teaching of God’s ordained messengers, who were working under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, those who get up new theories, which remove the pillars of our faith, are not doing the will of God, but are bringing in fallacies of their own invention, which, if received, will cut the church away from the anchorage of truth, and set them drifting, drifting, to where they will receive any sophistries that may arise. ” Manuscript Releases, vol.4, 247.

“When once these deluded souls had departed from the old landmarks of faith, they had let go their anchor, and were tossed about like the waves of the sea..” Signs of the Times, March 27, 1884.

Shipwreck—Letting Go of the Old Landmarks

“I lately read of a noble ship that was plowing its way across the sea, when at midnight, with a terrific crash, it struck upon a rock; the passengers were awakened only to see with horror their hopeless condition, and with the ship they sank to rise no more. The man at the helm had mistaken the beacon light, and hundreds of souls were at a moment’s warning launched into eternity.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 128.

“You are in danger of failing to hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints, of making shipwreck of your faith.” Counsels on Health, 519.

“We have wandered away from the old landmarks. Let us return. If the Lord be God, serve Him;
if Baal, serve him. Which side will you be on?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 137.

Beware of Ungodly Men

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The epistle of Jude was written to “them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ and [to them that are] called.” Jude 1. For what main purpose was this epistle written? To ” . . . exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Verse 3.

With what are we to contend? Well, Jude said, there are ungodly men who creep in unawares, “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Verse 4.

Jude continues in verses 11 and 12: “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core [Korah].” (Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against the authority of Moses and caused rebellion in the Israelite camp. See SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 707.)

Jude describes ungodly men further in verse 12 as, “spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” James talks about them as people who are unstable, double-minded. (See James 1:8.)

Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 talk about such ungodly men: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 21:2 states, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” And in Proverbs 30:12 it describes not merely a person or an individual who thinks this way, but it even talks about a generation: “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” We are part of the final generation for whom the warning in I Corinthians 10:12 was given: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Let us consider the examples given in Jude 11 of ungodly men.

Who was Cain? What was the way of Cain? He was one who acknowledged no need of God’s mercy. Do we need God’s mercy today, friends? Oh, we do!

God’s Two Hands

Somebody once said that God has two hands, a long hand of mercy and a short hand of justice. Cain was one who acknowledged no need of God’s mercy. He thought he did not need, nor did he ask for, forgiveness. He was unthankful, and he was not penitent. With his sacrificial offering he expressed no faith in Christ. (See The Desire of Ages, 165.) Unlike his brother, Abel, whose gift was the very choicest that he could bring from the flock as God had directed, Cain brought only of the fruit of the ground. His offering was not accepted by the Lord. He brought a bloodless sacrifice to secure the divine favor. It did not express faith in God. “In every offering to God we are to acknowledge the one great Gift; that alone can make our service acceptable. . . . All our offerings must be sprinkled with the blood of the atonement. As the purchased possession of the Son of God, we are to give the Lord our own individual lives.” Review and Herald, November 24, 1896.

Cain was a man who expressed no penitence for sin. “Cain came before God with murmuring and infidelity in his heart in regard to the promised sacrifice and the necessity of the sacrificial offerings. His gift expressed no penitence for sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 72. When we give our offerings, should they be accompanied with penitence?

“He felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would come in his own merits. He would not bring the lamb, and mingle its blood with his offering, but would present his fruits, the products of his labor. He presented his offering as a favor done to God, through which he expected to secure the divine approval.” Ibid.

Partial Obedience

Cain offered partial obedience. He obeyed in building the altar. He obeyed in bringing in a sacrifice. “But he rendered only a partial obedience. The essential part, the recognition of the need of a Redeemer, was left out.” Ibid.

Cain thought himself righteous. Now, let us be honest, has there been any time in our walk with Christ that we did not entertain thoughts of being righteous? Did we? There is a great danger that those thoughts can creep into our midst, into our hearts, into our homes.

If we ever want to get to heaven, we cannot be like Cain. That is what the message in the book of Jude is all about. Cain thought himself righteous, and he came to God with a thank offering of fruit only. He would not mingle it with the blood that pointed to the Lamb of God.

Attempting the Impossible

The sense of need, the recognition of our poverty and sin, is the very first condition of coming to God. Cain is like men who make their own efforts to try to save themselves. “He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. Man cannot be saved without obedience, but his works should not be of himself; Christ should work in him to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13). If a man could save himself by his own works, he might have something in himself in which to rejoice. The effort that man makes in his own strength to obtain salvation, is represented by the offering of Cain. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin; but that which is wrought through faith is acceptable to God. When we seek to gain heaven with the merits of Christ, the soul makes progress.” Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

The ungodly race of Cain had no respect for God or for His commandments. Cain’s descendants chose their own time for work or for rest. (See Spiritual Gifts, Book 1, 60.) “Before the Fall our first parents had kept the Sabbath, which was instituted in Eden; and after their expulsion from Paradise they continued its observance. They had tasted the bitter fruits of disobedience, and had learned what every one that tramples upon God’s commandments [both natural and moral] will sooner or later learn—that the divine precepts are sacred and immutable, and that the penalty of transgression will surely be inflicted. The Sabbath was honored by all the children of Adam that remained loyal to God. But Cain and his descendents did not respect the day upon which God had rested.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 80, 81.

The Mark of Cain

What is the mark of Cain? Did you ever think about that? “God has given to every man his work; and if any one turns from the work that God has given him, to do the work of Satan, to defile his own body or lead another into sin, that man’s work is cursed, and the brand of Cain is placed upon him.” Review and Herald, March 6, 1894. “Satan is the parent of unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion. He filled Cain with doubt and with madness against his innocent brother and against God, because his sacrifice was refused and Abel’s accepted. And he slew his brother in insane madness.” Review and Herald, March 3, 1874.

“Any man, be he minister or layman, who seeks to compel or control the reason of any other man, becomes an agent to Satan, to do his work, and in the sight of the heavenly universe, he bears the mark of Cain.” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1087. So there is more to the book of Jude than we thought! Let us summarize the characteristics of Cain which may be found in ungodly men today.

They acknowledge no need of God’s mercy.

They do not express any faith in Christ but depend on their own works.

They present their own fruits, their own works.

They render partial obedience.

They bring a bloodless sacrifice; they do not believe in the blood of atonement or in the work of Christ as their High Priest.

They have no respect for God’s commandments.

They are self-righteous.

They choose their own Sabbath.

Submitting to God

What is the safeguard against Cain worship and against receiving the mark or the brand of Cain? “Had man co-operated with God, there would have been no Cain worshipers. Abel’s example of obedience would have been followed. Man might have worked out the will of God. They might have obeyed His law, and in obedience they would have found salvation. God and the heavenly universe would have helped them to retain the divine likeness. Longevity would have had been preserved; and God would have delighted in the work of His hands.” Review and Herald, December 27, 1898.

So what is the secret, dear friends, of the safeguard against Cain worship? Co-operation with God. The word co-operation comprehends complete submission to the will of God.

Another characteristic of Cain is envy. One of the prominent sins of Cain was that he was envious of his brother. We should remember that, “God dispenses His gifts as it pleases Him. He bestows one gift upon one, and another gift upon another, but all for the good of the whole body. It is in God’s order that some shall be of service in one line of work, and others in other lines—all working under the selfsame Spirit. The recognition of this plan will be a safeguard against emulation, pride, envy, or contempt of one another. It will strengthen unity and mutual love.” Counsels to Teachers, 314, 315.

We should recognize the gifts. God gives them severally as He desires, for He knows what to do with us. It has been said that envy is but the smoke of low estate ascending still against the fortunate. What frenzy dictates, jealousy believes. Now it is important that we go through trials, because we learn little from success but much from failure.

The Balaam Mentality

Now let us consider “the error of Balaam.” Who was Balaam? He was a false prophet, but he was not always a false prophet. Let us identify traits of ungodly men with a Balaam mentality.

  1. They dally with temptation. “Balaam was once a good man and a prophet of God; but he had apostatized, and had given himself up to covetousness; yet he still professed to be a servant of the Most High. He was not ignorant of God’s work in behalf of Israel; and when the messengers announced their errand, he well knew that it was his duty to refuse the rewards of Balak and to dismiss the ambassadors. But he ventured to dally with temptation, and urged the messengers to tarry with him that night.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 439.

Sometimes we tempt Satan to tempt us. We go to places where we should not go. Here is a story that helps to illustrate this. Once upon a time the driver for a very rich man died. The rich man did not trust the interviewing or the selecting of a new driver to anyone but himself, so he put an ad in the newspaper that read, “The sky is the limit but only the qualified need apply.” Many drivers applied. After screening the applicants, there were, finally, only three individuals left from which to choose. The employer decided to ask each finalist one last question: “How fast could you drive me from point A to point B? Now point A to point B takes me on a very narrow road across the mountains.”

When asked this question, the first applicant said, “Well, first, you should see my record, Sir. I can take you safely across the mountain on that narrow road three inches away from the edge, and you will not have anything to worry about.” The man said, “That is impressive.”

The next interviewee comes in, and he is asked the same question. The second man replied, “You should see my record, Sir. I can take you from point A to point B as fast as you think you can go, only two inches away from the edge.”

Then he called in the third applicant, and he asked him the same question. In a small voice the third applicant said, “You know, Sir, I believe I can take you safely across that dangerous mountain road by driving you as slowly as possible and as far away from the edge as I can possibly get.” The millionaire exclaimed, “You are hired today!”

  1. They hope to make God’s service a steppingstone to riches. They mingle the sacred with the profane or with the ordinary. “The fate of Balaam was similar to that of Judas, and their characters bear a marked resemblance to each other. Both these men tried to unite the service of God and mammon, and met with signal failure. Balaam acknowledged the true God, and professed to serve Him; Judas believed in Jesus as the Messiah, and united with His followers. But Balaam hoped to make the service of Jehovah the steppingstone to the acquirement of riches and worldly honor; and failing in this he stumbled and fell and was broken.” Ibid., 452.

It is so dangerous to use the church, even a home church, as a steppingstone for some personal agenda.

  1. They presume upon God’s mercy. “If Balaam had had a disposition to accept the light that God had given, he would now have made true his words; he would at once have severed all connection with Moab. He would no longer have presumed upon the mercy of God.” Ibid., 448.
  2. They confuse confession of sin and true repentance from sin. “There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense.” Steps to Christ, 23.

They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Balaam, terrified by the angel standing in his path with a drawn sword, acknowledged his guilt lest he lose his life. That is all he was concerned about. He was not repentant of his sin. He was afraid to lose his life. You can repent for the wrong reason, friends.

  1. They are double-minded. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8. “At the time Balak sent his messengers for him [Balaam], he was double-minded, pursuing a course to gain and retain the favor and honor of the enemies of the Lord.” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1116. Some people are doing this today. They are trying to gain favor and honor at the hands of the enemies of the Lord for the sake of rewards that they have received from them.
  2. They are covetous and time-servers. “Here is a solemn warning for the people of God today, to allow no unchristian trait to live in their hearts. A sin which is fostered becomes habitual; and strengthened by repetition, it soon exerts a controlling influence, bringing into subjection all the nobler powers [of the mind]. Balaam loved the reward of unrighteousness. The sin of covetousness, which God ranks with idolatry, he did not resist and overcome. Satan obtained entire control of him through this one fault, which deteriorated his character, and made him a time-server. He called God his Master; but he did not serve Him; he did not work the works of God.” Ibid.

No Solution for Genuine Rebellion

That is who Balaam was. That describes traits of ungodly men today. God’s servant says she doubts if there is any solution for genuine rebellion. (See Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 21.) And we need to understand, friends, that rebellion is an open sin against God. That is what happened to the angels. That is what happened to Israel. That is what happened to the Jews, and it could happen to anyone today.

Even though our own feelings, ideas and plans may appear good to us, having the best of intentions does not necessarily guarantee that we are in harmony with God’s expressed will. Mrs. White said, “Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving the message of mercy to the world, Christ would have come to the earth, and the saints would ere this have received their welcome into the city of God.” Australasian Union Conference Record, October 15, 1898.

Oftentimes, because we do not know the true condition of our own hearts, we may actually be doing things that are displeasing to God. That is why “It is written” was Christ’s never–failing weapon. “Our only safety is in following the example of Christ.” Review and Herald, October 9, 1894. A clear “thus saith the Lord” and “unto the law and the testimony” should form the foundation of all our decisions. If you follow this counsel, dear friend, you will be safe from the ungodly men who bear the characteristics of Cain or the traits of Balaam.

The Editing of the Testimonies

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Were the Testimonies Altered Without the Knowledge of Ellen White?

Accusations are made by some in Adventism that, in the process of editing and republishing the early editions of the Testimonies of Ellen G. White, undue liberties were taken and alterations made without the knowledge of the author. Many of these accusations are attributed solely to Uriah Smith. The accusations appear to focus on the year 1884 when a committee of five at the Review offices in Battle Creek were preparing the first four Testimonies for republication.

Because of illness as a child, Ellen White had obtained only a third grade education, and as a result ”Ellen G. White Desired Language Correctly Used,” so states a sub-title about the editing of the Testimonies. (Selected Messages, Book. 3, 97.) This appropriate subtitle was inserted by the compilers preceding the following statement:

Make It Correct

“Where the language used is not the best, I want it made correct and grammatical,” Ellen White commented, “as I believe it should be in every case where it can be without destroying the sense.” Ibid.

As a result, Ellen White often sought professional assistance in editing. In 1884 she submitted some of her Testimonies to Battle Creek, the center of the publishing work, and to the Review offices, for editing in grammar and construction before republication.

Ellen White wrote: “Dear Brother Smith: I have today mailed you a letter, but information has been received from Battle Creek that the work upon Testimonies is not accepted.” Ibid., 96.

It was not the editing committee or Ellen White who did not accept the work upon the Testimonies. As we shall see, it was the brethren in the church at Battle Creek who did not accept the editing work! Immediately following the first sentence in her letter to Uriah Smith, as recorded in Selected Messages, Book 3, 96, is a Compiler’s Note which states:

  • Reference is to the work being done in response to the General Conference Session action of November 16, which reads: 32. Whereas, some of the bound volumes of the Testimonies to the Church, are out of print, so that full sets cannot be obtained at the office; and, Whereas, there is a constant and urgent call for the reprinting of these volumes; therefore, Resolved, that we recommend their republication in such a form as to make four volumes of seven or eight hundred pages each.
  • Whereas, Many of these testimonies were written under the most unfavorable circumstances, the writer being too heavily pressed with anxiety and labor to devote critical thought to the grammatical perfection of the writings, and they were printed in such haste as to allow these imperfections to pass uncorrected; and, Whereas, We believe the light given by God to His servants is by the enlightenment of the mind, thus imparting the thoughts, and not (except in rare cases) the very words in which the ideas should be expressed; Therefore, Resolved, that in the republication of these volumes, such verbal changes be made as to remove the above-named imperfections as far as possible, without in any measure changing the thought; and further,
  • Resolved, that this body appoint a committee of five to take charge of the republication of these volumes according to the above preambles and resolutions.’ —Review and Herald, Nov. 27, 1883.

‘The committee of five to take charge of the republication of the Testimonies provided for in the thirty-fourth resolution was announced as follows, the Chair having been empowered to select four persons besides himself for this purpose: W. C. White, Uriah Smith, J. H. Waggoner, S. N. Haskell, George I. Butler.’ Ibid. The work was submitted to Ellen White and was approved by her. The letter to Elder Smith intimates that she was more ready to accept the improvements than some in Battle Creek. The product was our present Testimonies, vols. 1–4, [published in 1885.—Compilers.] Selected Messages, Book 3, 96. [Emphasis supplied.]

Cognizance must here be taken that there were five members of the revision and editing committee. Uriah Smith cannot be singled out as the only one responsible for any changes that were made in the Testimonies revision in 1884.

The next page of Selected Messages, vol. 3 records how Ellen White addressed the objection of the brethren at Battle Creek. She stated that, although the brethren at Battle Creek did not accept the revisions, she did accept the changes herself after “more critically” examining the edited Testimonies.

“My mind has been exercised upon the question of the Testimonies that have been revised. We have looked them over more critically. I cannot see the matter as my brethren see it. I think the changes will improve the book. If our enemies handle it, let them do so. . . .” [Emphasis supplied.]

What did she mean by that statement, “If our enemies handle it, let them do so. . . “? The answer to this question was published in the Review and Herald that very year, as follows:

“The adversary of souls is constantly seeking to divert our minds by bringing in side-issues. Let us not be deceived. Let enemies handle your name and mine as they please. Let them distort, misrepresent our words and deeds. Let them fabricate falsehoods as best pleases them. We cannot afford to allow our minds to be diverted from Jesus and the preparation of soul which we must have in order to meet him in peace.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1883. [Emphasis supplied.]

Those who question the editing of Ellen White’s Testimonies are being diverted from their calling and mission by becoming involved in side-issues.

The Editing of Earlier Testimonies

“Soon after the republication in 1882 of the three earliest E. G. White books, A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White, A Supplement to Experience and Views, and Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, all three of which today comprise Early Writings, certain questions were raised concerning the completeness of some of the articles and the significance of certain statements appearing here or in still earlier published articles. Mrs. White answered these questions in 1883 in the following statement. Reference is made to the teachings on the shut door, [See The Great Controversy, pages 429-432.—Compilers.]” Selected Messages, Book1, 59. [Emphasis supplied.]

“Some of these sheets may still be in existence, and may be brought forward as coming from me, but I am not responsible for them. The articles given in Early Writings did pass under my eye; and as the edition of Experience and Views published in 1851 was the earliest which we possessed, and as we had no knowledge of anything additional in papers or pamphlets of earlier date, I am not responsible for the omissions which are said to exist.” Ibid. [Emphasis supplied.]

For further study, see “An Explanation of Early Statements,” Selected Messages, Book. 1, 59–76.

The Question of Editing the Writings of a Living Messenger

Suppose some had edited the writings of the apostle Paul while he was alive. “Preposterous! Inconceivable! Impossible” you reply. Would he not have examined the edited copy? Ellen White was alive and well at the time of editing these Testimonies. Are we saying that she would not have examined the edited copy? No, indeed! Always remember, dear reader, angels of the Lord often appeared to guide and counsel Ellen White in her work. We are not alone at this critical time in history! The Scriptures state that “There are invisible agencies observing every word and deed of human beings.” Christ’s Object Lessons. 176.

If we believe that there are heavenly watchers and that the Lord does indeed know all, then would He not send an angel to Ellen White to point out to her that editors were perverting the sacred Testimonies He had given her for His people? In this letter to Uriah Smith and the revising committee, Ellen White herself stated, “Where the language used is not the best, I want it made correct and grammatical, as I believe it should be in every case where it can be without destroying the sense.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 97.

Delaying the Work

“Now, Brother Smith, I have been making a careful, critical examination of the work that has been done on the Testimonies, and I see a few things that I think should be corrected in the matter brought before you and others at the General Conference [November, 1883],” Ellen White wrote. “But as I examine the matter more carefully I see less and less that is objectionable.” Ibid. {Emphasis supplied.]

If it was not the editing of the text of the manuscripts, what was it that was upsetting Ellen White about the editing and publishing of the manuscripts?

“This work is delayed, which does not please me. . . .” Ibid.

Ah! There is our answer. “This work is delayed, which does not please me.” Ellen White was concerned about the length of time it was taking to get the project finished, and the time it was taking to get the Testimonies before the people. She then encouraged the editing committee to go forward with the work, counseling that: AI think that anything that shall go forth will be criticized, twisted, turned, and boggled, but we are to go forward with a clear conscience, doing what we can and leaving the result with God. We must not be long in delaying the work.” Ibid.

Do Something Now!

So you see, dear reader, that Ellen White’s greatest concern was with the delay in publishing. She trusted the committee in their editing, to a certain point and examined “critically and carefully” the edited manuscripts. She approved of the changes and urged them onward with the republication of these Testimonies.

“Now, my brethren, what do you propose to do?” Ellen White urged. AI do not want this work dragging along any longer. I want something done, and done now.” Ibid., 98.

She could not relay her feelings on the matter any stronger! Ellen White had already examined the edited manuscripts. Did she approve of the editing that had been done by the five– man committee? “We have looked them over more critically,” Ellen White replies. “I think the changes will improve the book.” Ibid. 97. [Emphasis supplied].

This time Ellen White states that they had examined the manuscripts Amore” critically. And what was her opinion of the editing? “I think the changes will improve the book.”

Oh dear reader, why make mountains out of mole-hills at this critical hour? By pursuing the premise that Ellen White’s writings were tampered with by certain devious Adventists 100 years ago, without her permission, is to bring reproach, not only upon Ellen White, but also upon faithful pioneer Adventists. But even more devastating is to bring doubt as to the integrity and accuracy of the Testimonies of Jesus.

Two Conditions You Must Meet to be Saved, Part II

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At the end of Part One of this article, we were looking at what our responsibility becomes when we have our names on the membership of a particular organization, and that organization does something that is wrong. Are we responsible? Are we involved with the wrongdoing?

You Are Part of It

Why is it wrong for a Seventh-day Adventist to belong to a labor union? Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever tried to think that through in your mind? Have you read what Ellen White says about labor unions? She says that you cannot belong to a labor union without disregarding every commandment in the Decalogue: “While they belong to these unions, they cannot possibly keep the commandments of God; for to belong to these unions means to disregard the entire Decalogue.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 143.

Now why is it impossible for a Seventh-day Adventist to belong to a labor union without disregarding every commandment in the Decalogue? I have been around a number of Adventists who have belonged to labor unions, and they did not kill anybody. The labor union did not force them to lie or to commit adultery. Why then did Ellen White say that you cannot belong to a labor union without disregarding every commandment in the Decalogue? Because, when you become a member of that organization, you are part of that for which the organization stands.

When you are part of an organization that officially, through its highest elected officers, goes to court and sues God’s people and you do not protest it, do you still bear responsibility? We are all going to the Day of Judgment. Do you think about the Day of Judgment often? I do. I want to tell you, friends, I pray about this. I do not know if it is because I preach too straight or not, but I have enemies in this world, and they tell me, in effect, that I am going to hell.

So I kneel down and pray, and I say, “Lord, I really do not want to go to hell. I want to know You; I want to obey You; I want to do whatever You say. Show me what I am doing or saying that is wrong so it can be corrected, so I can be ready for the Day of Judgment. I want to know You, and I want You to know me. I do not want to have a pretend religion. I am not concerned about what so-and-so says or thinks, but I am very concerned about what You think.”

Is Persecution Ever Right?

Well, John 16:3 and 4 are verses that Seventh-day Adventists need to think through, if we are involved in persecuting our brother in Christ just because they are fanatics or heretics, or whatever they are. The Bible says if we do that we do not know either the Father or the Son. We are not candidates for eternal life at all but are still in the bonds of unrighteousness.

You see, there is no text in the Bible that says you can persecute people if they are heretics or fanatics. There is no statement in inspired writings that condones persecution. Even in the Old Covenant, when punishment for sin was meted out, no one was punished except those who had broken the Law of God. When you study church history you find that all of the people who have been persecuted have been called heretics, schismatics and fanatics. That is what they have always been called. And, by the way, have you ever stopped to think that there probably were some people burned at the stake who, if you knew what they believed, you would say were either heretics or fanatics? You would probably say that about some of those people, yourself. But that does not mean it is right to burn them.

II Corinthians 5:15, 16 says, “And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh [That is, if they knew Christ when He was here on earth.], yet now we know Him thus no longer.”

We Need a Deeper Experience in Jesus

Notice there is a deeper experience than knowing Jesus according to the flesh. From now on we regard no one according to the flesh, for now we know Him thus no longer. Verse 17 continues, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Oh, friend, do you know Him? Not according to the flesh, but do you know Him? Does He know you? “If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” I Corinthians 8:2, 3.

If you know God, you will love Him, and you will be known by Him.

How do you know whether you love God or not? Let us allow Scripture to answer this question.

In Philippians 3:10, this is Paul’s great desire. In fact, he says in verse 7, I have lost everything, and it is just rubbish compared with this. This is all I want, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” This verse, by the way, reveals why there are so many Christians who do not know God, because there are some parts of religion of which they do not want to be a part.

Are You Part of His Suffering?

They do not want to be part of the suffering, that is the cross. Did you know that the cross is not really popular today like most people think it is? That is a good passage of Scripture to study. That was Paul’s great desire, and because that was his great desire, that desire was fulfilled. He said it was fulfilled.

Read what he said in II Timothy 1:12: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day.”

Frightened Seventh-day Adventists

Many Adventists today are frightened, because they see that we are facing the greatest crisis of the ages—and we are.

All preachers have a responsibility. They have a responsibility, not only to the lost world, but they also have a responsibility to God’s people to help them to be ready for the coming crisis. We are going to meet it whether we are ready or not, but it is better if we are ready. Would you not agree? And I want to tell you, friend, a large part of being ready is knowing Him.

Our Divine Lord is equal to any emergency, and you have to know that. You have to know Him. If you know Him, you will be all right. You may be in a dungeon somewhere one of these days; they may tell you that they are going to kill you; they may tell you they are going to torture you to death; they may tell you any number of things that they are going to do to you, but if you know Him, you need not fear. Then to you is the assurance “Every child of God that is brought into difficulty and trial because of His faithfulness to Jesus, may claim the promise, and will receive sufficient grace for every emergency.” Review and Herald, April 15, 1890.

Power to Endure

In An Adventist Apocalypse, Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit will help God’s people to endure whatever may happen. An Adventist Apocalypse is a compliation from the files of the letters and manuscripts written by Ellen G. White. Published by Biblical Studies Institute, Hermosa, S.D., 1992.) You see, nothing can happen that Jesus is not equal to, and that is what we have to know. We have to know Him.

Ellen White, writing concerning the power of Christ, said that by a touch or a word or a look He could banish all manner of disease. (See Counsels on Health, 457.) Is that not wonderful? After reading that I said, “Lord, it is all right with me, whether it is a touch, a word, or a look does not matter, I just want to be healed of all diseases, all spiritual disease.” You have to be healed of your spiritual disease before you can be given a new body.

Of all the Bible writers, the apostle John writes most about knowing God. He makes it simple. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” I John 2:3–5.

The Great Tragedy of the Christian World

Oh, the great tragedy of the Christian world today, is that people think that they know God while they are disobeying Him. John says that the person who says I know God, but is not keeping His commandments, is a liar!

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” I John 3:4–7.

John says he does not sin. That means that he does not sin—not just at a certain point, but he does not sin continuously! As I was thinking about that, I thought, he is not stating it in the weakest possible way; he is stating it in the strongest possible way. If you know Jesus, He knows you, and He will give you the power to live a new kind of life. If there is not deliverance from sin through Christ, then you can have no confidence in Scripture, and if you cannot have confidence in Scripture, what confidence do you have at all about the future?

Are You Having Personal Victory?

If you are discouraged by what I say, remember that I did not make this up. It came out of God’s Book, and God cannot lie. If you have some besetting sin in your life that you have tried a thousand times to overcome and you cannot do it, go to the Lord and say, “Lord, I am making a complete commitment with You. You have promised that You are going to give me victory. This is what you have promised, and I pray that you will fulfill Your Word in my life. I am going to try.” You will find out that God will work miracles in your life.

You do have to put the fork down and shove yourself away from the table. God will not make you quit eating. But, if you make a full commitment and say, “Lord, whatever is keeping me from having victory in my life, show me what it is, and I will listen, I will put forth my best effort to obey you;” you will have victory.

There are some people who are asking for victory in their lives, but then they negate their own prayers. Let me illustrate that simply so you can understand. You do not ask God to help you overcome smoking and then go to the store and buy cigarettes. Do you? Will God answer your prayer if you are doing that? No, He will not! God never takes away your power of choice. But if you choose to put your will on the side of God’s will and ask Him to fulfill His Word, and if you will cooperate, He will do it. His throne is staked on the fact that He will do it.

Have you ever thought about what would happen if one person could come to God at the Day of Judgment and say, “Lord, I surrendered my life totally to You. I made the commitment. I did everything I could to follow what was in Your Book, and I could not do it. I did not have enough strength; there was not enough power provided.”

If one person could do that, it would destroy the government of God, because God has promised that He will do it for everyone. He is no respecter of persons. Now, by the way, be careful, do not make up your own human test and expect God to fulfill that. I am not talking about what we decide we are going to do or not do; I am talking about what God’s Book says.

The Command Contains the Promise

There are things in His Book that we are told to do and not to do, and anything in His Book that it says to do or not to do, God will give you the power and the grace to obey. But do not make up your own human test and then expect that God will fulfill that. He might or He might not.

Whoever sins, has neither seen Him nor known Him, because when you get to know Him, you are going to quit sinning. “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding (that is a sound mind), that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (See John 5:18–20.)

Do You Know Him?

That is why Jesus came, so we could know Him. He wanted to have an experience, a relationship with us and make it possible for us to know Him, to have a close, intimate, spiritual relationship with Him. Is this happening in your life? It has to happen, friends, if you are going to get through the coming crisis.

The apostle Paul says that this experience of knowing the love of Christ is beyond knowledge. It is the condition that you must be in if you are going to get through the crisis and be ready for Jesus to come. It is time to go to the Lord in prayer and say, “Lord, I want to know You, and I want to know you better than I know you now.”

Do you think that any of us know the Lord as well as we could, or as well as we will in the future if we are saved? Do you think so? Well, should we not be learning day by day to know Him better?

Are you going to the Lord and saying, “Lord, I want to know you more. I want to get closer. I lack some information; I want to know You as a personal God, and I want to be touched, but a word or a look is all right.”

Obedience is Not Optional

Friends, one touch, one look, one word from the God that we serve can cure us of every physical and spiritual need instantly. He wants to come into your life, but He cannot do it if you are disobeying instructions.

Editorial – Living By Every Word, Part I

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According to Matthew 4:4, when Jesus was tempted by the devil, He quoted from Deuteronomy saying, “‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”  This clear statement makes it evident that every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God is important and should be the standard by which we live.   The problem is, how can you live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God if you do not know what words proceeded from the mouth of God?

This was the situation in the Dark Ages.   There was an attempt to keep people in the dark, even after the printing press was invented.  If you are saved in the kingdom of heaven, you will meet printers (men and women) who were burned at the stake,  because they printed the Bible for people to read.  Eventually, however, it became impossible for either kings or priests to stop the printing press.   Bibles began to be printed in ever larger quantities.

Before this time, the common people only had access to those portions of the Bible that were read in church.   In many churches a portion of the Bible was read every week from a lectionary.   This has been a custom from ancient times and seems to go all the way back to the Jewish church before the time of Christ.  (See, for example, Luke 4:14-20.)  We still use lectionaries.   In the back of the hymnal, published by the Review and Herald in 1985, there is a rather informal lectionary containing over 200 scripture readings which can be read in church.  (Some lectionaries contain a year of readings, which are read in sequence through the year.)

When the common people gained access to the Bible, as a result of the invention of printing, they found some very interesting things.   One of the most interesting things they found was that the sacred book contained no instruction or teaching about the worship of saints, or Mary the mother of Jesus, or prayers for the dead, or indulgences, or Peter and his successors being the head of the church, or many other things that were part of their worship.  This resulted in the development of Protestantism.  One of the primary foundation points on which Protestantism was built, was the idea that “the precepts of Scripture, conveyed through the understanding, are to rule the conscience; in other words, that God speaking in the Bible, and not the church speaking through the priesthood, is the one Infallible Guide.’—Wylie, b. 3, ch.  2.”   The Great Controversy, 102.

“As Protestants, the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the foundation of our faith; but by many ‘the Fathers’ are quoted as authority.  They do not come as humble learners in the school of Christ, saying, ‘Lord, what I know not, teach me.   “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”’”  Signs of the Times, August 5, 1886.

From this extremely brief, historical review, it is possible to draw  broad, but accurate, conclusions.   First of all, since “the Bible and the Bible alone is the foundation of our faith” as Protestants, any device, philosophy, or teaching that will weaken a person’s faith in the Bible will have the effect to eventually destroy Protestantism.   Many devices and philosophies and teachings have been introduced to the world in the last 400 years, which have had this result.  Examples would include the theory of evolution, the theories of higher criticism, the theories of atheistic socialism (related of course to the theory of evolution), the various skeptical theories about the existence of God, the teachings of the spirit world, and the errors of popular theology which contradict the Bible.  “There is nothing that he [the devil] desires more than to destroy confidence in God and in His Word.” The Great Controversy, 526.

It is not our purpose here to present the evidences for the divine character of the Word of God.   There is sufficient internal evidence for this within the Bible itself, even if you had no access to a history book; but, “While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief.  All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon, will find them.  And those who refuse to accept and obey God’s Word until every objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light.”  Ibid., 527.

A second conclusion is that destruction of faith in the Bible not only will not destroy Catholicism but can actually foster its growth and success, since Catholicism is not built on the foundation of the Bible alone.

Bible Study Guides – “Our God Whom We Serve Is Able To Deliver”

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July 21, 2001 – July 27, 2001

MEMORY VERSE “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:2.

STUDY HELP: Prophets and Kings, 503–513.

Introduction

“Important are the lessons to be learned from the experience of the Hebrew youth on the plain of Dura. In this our day, many of God’s servants, though innocent of wrongdoing, will be given over to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan, are filled with envy and religious bigotry. Especially will the wrath of man be aroused against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and at last a universal decree will denounce these as deserving of death. The season of distress before God’s people will call for a faith that will not falter. His children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration, not even that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to false worship.” Prophets and Kings, 512.

“In the Plain of Dura”

1 What gesture of pride did Nebuchadnezzar make? Daniel 3:1.

NOTE: “Light direct from Heaven had been permitted to shine upon King Nebuchadnezzar, and for a little time he was influenced by the fear of God. But a few years of prosperity filled his heart with pride, and he forgot his acknowledgment of the living God. He resumed his idol worship with increased zeal and bigotry. From the treasures obtained in war he made a golden image to represent the one that he had seen in his dream, setting it up in the plain of Dura, and commanding all the rulers and the people to worship it, on pain of death. This statue was about ninety feet in height and nine in breadth, and in the eyes of that idolatrous people it presented a most imposing and majestic appearance.” The Sanctified Life, 36, 37.

“Thus the grand lesson given by God to the heathen, and to all people, was misconstrued and misplaced. That which was designed by God to teach lessons of truth, and to give the world clear, distinct rays of light, Nebuchadnezzar turned from its purpose, making it minister to his pride and vanity. The prophetic illustration was made to serve for the glorification of humanity. The symbol designed to unfold important events was turned into a symbol which would hinder the spread of that knowledge which God designed the kingdoms of the earth should receive. By the height and beauty of his image, by the material of which it was formed, the king sought to make error and false doctrine magnificent and attractive, more powerful, seemingly, than anything God had given.” Signs of the Times, April 29, 1897.

2 What command did Nebuchadnezzar make regarding the image? Daniel 3:2–7.

NOTE: “This scheme, devised in the counsel of Satan, was made in order to compel the three Hebrew children to obey human laws in direct opposition to the laws of Jehovah. The most learned of the nation, men who were noted for their aptness and educational advantages, thus worked to form a confederacy that would exalt the king of Babylon and excite enmity against the Hebrew captives. They prevailed upon the king to enact certain laws which these youth could not consent to respect. The worship of the image which the king had set up, was made the established religion of the country.” Signs of the Times, September 2, 1897.

“There are Certain Jews”

3 What accusation was made by certain Chaldeans? Daniel 3:8–12.

NOTE: “These men who thus accused the Hebrews had been saved from death by Daniel’s appeal to the king in their behalf, but they were envious of the three Hebrews, and were desirous of hurting their influence; they therefore carried the complaint to the king that these men had dared to disobey his commands.” Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897.

4 What was the king’s immediate reaction to the news of the three young men’s disobedience? Daniel 3:13.

NOTE: “The thought that his slightest wish should not be respected at the dedication of the image, filled the king with rage, and he commanded that the men be brought before him. ‘Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ’ How short-lived is the exaltation bestowed by men! How little dependence can be placed in them! These three men, once honored, and entrusted with great responsibilities, are now the objects of the wrath of a king whose will is law. Truly we can not trust in princes.” Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897.

5 What was the king’s considered response? Daniel 3:14, 15.

NOTE: “As the three Hebrews stood before the king, he was convinced that they possessed something the other wise men of his kingdom did not have. They had been faithful in the performance of every duty. He would give them another trial. If only they would signify their willingness to unite with the multitude in worshiping the image, all would be well with them; ‘but if ye worship not,’ he added, ‘ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.’ Then with his hand stretched upward in defiance, he demanded, ‘Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? ’” Prophets and Kings, 507.

“Our God is Able to Deliver”

6 What response did the three give the king? Daniel 3:16–18.

NOTE: “They had learned from the history of their fathers that disobedience to God is dishonor, disaster, and ruin; that the fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom but the foundation of all true prosperity. They look with calmness upon the fiery furnace and the idolatrous throng. They have trusted in God, and He will not fail them now. Their answer is respectful, but decided: ‘Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up’ (Daniel 3:18).” The Sanctified Life, 37.

“Thus these youth, imbued with the Holy Spirit, declared to the whole nation their faith, that He whom they worshiped was the only true and living God. This demonstration of their own faith was the most eloquent presentation of their principles. In order to impress idolaters with the power and greatness of the living God, His servants must reveal their own reverence for God. They must make it manifest that He is the only object of their honor and worship, and that no consideration, not even the preservation of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to idolatry. These lessons have a direct and vital bearing upon our experience in these last days.” In Heavenly Places, 149.

7 What punishment immediately followed the young men’s reply? Daniel 3:19–21.

NOTE: “When the king saw that his will was not received as the will of God, he was ‘full of fury,’ and the form of his visage was changed against these men. Satanic attributes made his countenance appear as the countenance of a demon; and with all the force he could command, he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than its wont, and commanded the most mighty men to bind the youth, and cast them into the furnace. He felt that it required more than ordinary power to deal with these noble men. His mind was strongly impressed that something unusual would interpose in their behalf, and his strongest men were ordered to deal with them. The king’s command was urgent. He was anxious to punish the men who had dared to exercise their will in opposition to his will; and without delay, with all their clothing upon them, they were cast into the fire.” Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897.

“Four Men Loose Walking In the Midst of the Fire”

8 What was the effect of the furnace on the executioners of the three young men? Daniel 3:22.

NOTE: “The king’s wrath knew no limits. In the very height of his power and glory, to be thus defied by the representatives of a despised and captive race was an insult which his proud spirit could not endure. The fiery furnace had been heated seven times more than it was wont, and into it were cast the Hebrew exiles. So furious were the flames, that the men who cast them in were burned to death.” The Sanctified Life, 38.

9 What astonishing sight met Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes? Daniel 3:24, 25.

NOTE: “How did that heathen king know what the Son of God was like? The Hebrew captives filling positions of trust in Babylon had in life and character represented before him the truth. When asked for a reason of their faith, they had given it without hesitation. Plainly and simply they had presented the principles of righteousness, thus teaching those around them of the God whom they worshiped. They had told of Christ, the Redeemer to come; and in the form of the fourth in the midst of the fire the king recognized the Son of God. . . .” Conflict and Courage, 252.

10 What wonderful Bible promise was thus fulfilled? Isaiah 43:2.

NOTE: “He who walked with the Hebrew worthies in the fiery furnace will be with His followers wherever they are. His abiding presence will comfort and sustain. In the midst of the time of trouble—trouble such as has not been since there was a nation—His chosen ones will stand unmoved. Satan with all the hosts of evil cannot destroy the weakest of God’s saints. Angels that excel in strength will protect them, and in their behalf Jehovah will reveal Himself as a ‘God of gods,’ able to save to the uttermost those who have put their trust in Him.” Conflict and Courage, 252.

“Nor Was an Hair of Their Head Singed”

11 What words did the king address to the three young men? Daniel 3:26.

NOTE: “And now, his own greatness and dignity forgotten, Nebuchadnezzar descended from his throne and, going to the mouth of the furnace, cried out, ‘Ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.’ Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth before the vast multitude, showing themselves unhurt. The presence of their Saviour had guarded them from harm, and only their fetters had been burned. ‘And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.’” Prophets and Kings, 509.

12 What effect had the fire had upon them? Daniel 3:27.

NOTE: “And they obeyed, showing themselves unhurt before that vast multitude, not even the smell of fire being upon their garments. This miracle produced a striking change in the minds of the people. The great golden image, set up with such display, was forgotten. The king published a decree that any one speaking against the God of these men should be put to death; ‘because there is no other god that can deliver after this sort.’” Review and Herald, February 1, 1881.

13 What was the king’s reaction to the courage and faith of the three young men? Daniel 3:28–30.

NOTE: “These three Hebrews possessed genuine sanctification. True Christian principle will not stop to weigh consequences. It does not ask, What will people think of me if I do this? or, How will it affect my worldly prospects if I do that? With the most intense longing the children of God desire to know what He would have them do, that their works may glorify Him. The Lord has made ample provision that the hearts and lives of all His followers may be controlled by divine grace, that they may be as burning and shining lights in the world. These faithful Hebrews possessed great natural ability, they had enjoyed the highest intellectual culture, and now occupied a position of honor; but all this did not lead them to forget God. Their powers were yielded to the sanctifying influence of divine grace. By their steadfast integrity they showed forth the praises of Him who had called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. In their wonderful deliverance were displayed, before that vast assembly, the power and majesty of God. Jesus placed Himself by their side in the fiery furnace, and by the glory of His presence convinced the proud king of Babylon that it could be no other than the Son of God. The light of Heaven had been shining forth from Daniel and his companions, until all their associates understood the faith which ennobled their lives and beautified their characters. By the deliverance of His faithful servants, the Lord declares that He will take His stand with the oppressed and overthrow all earthly powers that would trample upon the authority of the God of heaven.” The Sanctified Life, 39, 40.

Bible Study Guides – “What Shall Be In the Latter Days”

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July 14, 2001 – July 20, 2001

MEMORY VERSE “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Daniel 2:44.

STUDY HELP: Prophets and Kings, 491–502.

Introduction

“The Lord was working in the Babylonian kingdom, communicating light to the four Hebrew captives, that He might represent His work before the people. He would reveal that He had power over the kingdoms of the world, to set up kings and to throw down kings. The King over all kings was communicating great truth to the king of Babylon, awakening in his mind a sense of his responsibility to God. He saw the contrast between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the most learned men in his kingdom.” Special Testimonies on Education, 10.

“Nebuchadnezzar Dreamed Dreams”

1 What was the effect of his dreams on the king’s state of mind? Daniel 2:1.

NOTE: “Soon after Daniel and his companions entered the service of the king of Babylon, events occurred that revealed to an idolatrous nation the power and faithfulness of the God of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar had a remarkable dream, by which ‘his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.’ But although the king’s mind was deeply impressed, he found it impossible, when he awoke, to recall the particulars.” Prophets and Kings, 491.

2 What command did the king make of his astrologers and wise men and how did they respond? Daniel 2:2–9.

NOTE: “Dissatisfied with their evasive answer, and suspicious because, despite their pretentious claims to reveal the secrets of men, they nevertheless seemed unwilling to grant him help, the king commanded his wise men, with promises of wealth and honor on the one hand, and threats of death on the other, to tell him not only the interpretation of the dream, but the dream itself. . . . Still the wise men returned the answer, ‘Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.’” Prophets and Kings, 492.

“There is Not a Man That Can Show the King’s Matter”

3 When the wise men failed to satisfy the king, what was his reaction? Daniel 2:10–13.

NOTE: “The inability of the wise men to tell the dream, is a representation of the wise men of the present day, who have not discernment and learning and knowledge from the Most High, and therefore are unable to understand the prophecies. The most learned in the world’s lore, who are not watching to hear what God says in His word, and opening their hearts to receive that word and give it to others, are not representatives of His. It is not the great and learned men of the earth, kings and nobles, who will receive the truth unto eternal life, though it will be brought to them.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 412.

4 What was Daniel’s suggestion when he heard of this matter? Daniel 2:14–18.

NOTE: “Upon hearing this, Daniel, taking his life in his hands, ventured into the king’s presence and begged that time be granted, that he might petition his God to reveal to him the dream and its interpretation. To this request the monarch acceded. ‘Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions.’ Together they sought for wisdom from the Source of light and knowledge. Their faith was strong in the consciousness that God had placed them where they were, that they were doing His work and meeting the demands of duty. In times of perplexity and danger they had always turned to Him for guidance and protection, and He had proved an ever-present help. Now with contrition of heart they submitted themselves anew to the Judge of the earth, pleading that He would grant them deliverance in this their time of special need.” Prophets and Kings, 493, 494.

“He Revealeth the Deep and Secret Things”

5 How did Daniel learn the king’s dream and its interpretation and what was his response? Daniel 2:19–23.

NOTE: “And they did not plead in vain. The God whom they had honored, now honored them. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, and to Daniel, ‘in a night vision,’ was revealed the king’s dream and its meaning. Daniel’s first act was to thank God for the revelation given him.” Prophets and Kings, 494.

6 How did Daniel reply to the king’s question? Daniel 2:26–28.

NOTE: “Behold the Jewish captive, calm and self-possessed, in the presence of the monarch of the world’s most powerful empire. In his first words he disclaimed honor for himself and exalted God as the source of all wisdom. To the anxious inquiry of the king, ‘Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? ’ he replied: ‘The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.’” Prophets and Kings, 494, 497.

“The Form Thereof Was Terrible”

7 How did Daniel describe the details of the king’s dream? Daniel 2:31–35.

NOTE: “The image shown to Nebuchadnezzar in the visions of the night represents the kingdoms of the world. The metals in the image, symbolizing the different kingdoms, became less and less pure and valuable, from the head down. The head of the image was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the sides of brass, and the feet and toes iron mingled with clay. So the kingdoms represented by them deteriorated in value.” Review and Herald, February 6, 1900.

8 What did the golden head of the image represent? Daniel 2:36–38.

NOTE: “The vision of the great image, in which Babylon was represented as the head of gold, was given Nebuchadnezzar in order that he might have a clear understanding in regard to the end of all things earthly, and also in regard to the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom. Although in the interpretation he was declared to be ‘a king of kings,’ this was because ‘the God of heaven’ had given him ‘a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.’ His kingdom was universal, extending ‘wheresoever the children of men dwell,’ yet it was to be followed by three other universal kingdoms, after which ‘the God of heaven’ would ‘set up a kingdom,’ which should ‘never be destroyed.’” Youth’s Instructor, October 11, 1904.

“After Thee . . .”

9 What did the silver breast and arms symbolize? What was the kingdom that superseded Babylon? Daniel 2:39, first part. Compare Daniel 5:28, 30, 31.

NOTE: “The image revealed to Nebuchadnezzar, while representing the deterioration of the kingdoms of the earth in power and glory, also fitly represents the deterioration of religion and morality among the people of these kingdoms. As nations forget God, in like proportion they become weak morally. Babylon passed away because in her prosperity she forgot God, and ascribed the glory of her prosperity to human achievement. The Medo-Persian kingdom was visited by the wrath of heaven because in this kingdom God’s law was trampled under foot. The fear of the Lord found no place in the hearts of the people. The prevailing influences in Medo-Persia were wickedness, blasphemy, and corruption.” Youth’s Instructor, September 22, 1903.

10 How was the third kingdom symbolized? What was the name of this kingdom? Daniel 2:39, last part. Compare Daniel 7:3–7, 20, 21.

NOTE: “Every nation that has come upon the stage of action has been permitted to occupy its place on the earth, that the fact might be determined whether it would fulfill the purposes of the Watcher and the Holy One. Prophecy has traced the rise and progress of the world’s great empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. With each of these, as with the nations of less power, history has repeated itself. Each has had its period of test; each has failed, its glory faded, its power departed.” Prophets and Kings, 535.

“The Fourth Kingdom”

11 How is the fourth kingdom described? Daniel 2:40.

NOTE: “What kingdom succeeded Greece in the empire of the world, for the legs of iron denote the fourth kingdom in the series? The testimony of history is full and explicit on this point. One kingdom did this, and one only, and that was Rome.” Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, 54.

“When the empire of Babylon was so strong and its influence so far-reaching that seemingly the most powerful foe could not take its sceptre, Daniel, a man inspired by God, prophesied that it would pass away, notwithstanding its apparent magnificence, and that a second would succeed it. He prophesied also that the second empire would be succeeded by the third, and that a fourth empire should arise, more fierce, more determined, and more powerful than any kingdom that had preceded it. As strong as iron, this kingdom would subdue and break in pieces all the nations of the world.” Review and Herald, February 6, 1900.

12 How is the later stage of Rome described? Daniel 2:41–43.

NOTE: “We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. . . . The mingling of church craft and state craft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 51.

“The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt. They deteriorated because they cast off their allegiance to God. As they forgot Him, they sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral value. The vast empire of Rome crumbled to pieces, and from its ruins rose that mighty power, the Roman Catholic Church. This church boasts of her infallibility and her hereditary religion. But this religion is a horror to all who are acquainted with the secrets of the mystery of iniquity. The priests of this church maintain their ascendancy by keeping the people in ignorance of God’s will, as revealed in the Scriptures.” Youth’s Instructor, September 22, 1903.

“A Kingdom Which Shall Never Be Destroyed”

13 What was the outcome of the history revealed in the king’s dream? Daniel 2:44, 45. Compare Luke 20:17, 18.

NOTE: “Read the book of Daniel. Call up, point by point, the history of the kingdoms there represented. Behold statesmen, councils, powerful armies, and see how God wrought to abase the pride of men, and lay human glory in the dust. God alone is represented as great. In the vision of the prophet He is seen casting down one mighty ruler, and setting up another. He is revealed as the monarch of the universe, about to set up His everlasting kingdom—the Ancient of days, the living God, the Source of all wisdom, the Ruler of the present, the Revealer of the future. Read, and understand how poor, how frail, how short-lived, how erring, how guilty is man in lifting up his soul unto vanity. . . .” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1166.

14 What was Nebuchadnezzar’s immediate reaction to the revelation made by Daniel and what request did Daniel make? Daniel 2:46–49.

NOTE: “The Lord was working in the Babylonian kingdom, and communicating light to the four Hebrew youth, in order that He might represent His work before the idolatrous nation. He would reveal that He had power over the kingdoms of the world,—power to enthrone and to dethrone kings. The King over all kings was communicating great truths to the Babylonian monarch, and awakening in his mind a realization of his responsibility to God. Nebuchadnezzar saw clearly the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the most learned men of his kingdom.” Youth’s Instructor, September 8, 1903.

Bible Study Guides – “Daniel Purposed In His Heart”

by

July 7, 2001 – July 13, 2001

MEMORY VERSE “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:11.

STUDY HELP: Last Day Events, 15–17.

Introduction

“Since the death of good King Josiah, those who ruled the nation had been proving untrue to their trust and had been leading many astray. Jehoahaz, deposed by the interference of the king of Egypt, had been followed by Jehoiakim, an older son of Josiah. From the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign, Jeremiah had little hope of saving his beloved land from destruction and the people from captivity. Yet he was not permitted to remain silent while utter ruin threatened the kingdom. Those who had remained loyal to God must be encouraged to persevere in rightdoing, and sinners must, if possible, be induced to turn from iniquity.” Prophets and Kings, 412.

“The Lord Gave Jehoiakim into His Hand”

1 What calamity befell Jerusalem in the reign of Jehoiakim? Daniel 1:1; II Chronicles 36:5–7.

NOTE: “‘In the fourth year of Jehoiakim,’ very soon after Daniel was taken to Babylon, Jeremiah predicted the captivity of many of the Jews, as their punishment for not heeding the word of the Lord. The Chaldeans were to be used as the instrument by which God would chastise His disobedient people. Their punishment was to be in proportion to their intelligence and to the warnings they had despised. ‘This whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment,’ the prophet declared; ‘and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.’” Review and Herald, March 14, 1907.

2 What sort of person was Jehoiakim? Jeremiah 36:1–3, 21–25.

NOTE: “Some in the experience of the past few years have virtually repeated the act of King Jehoiakim in burning the messages of the Spirit of God. But today as of old these messages of warning have been repeated. . . . The Lord has been trifled with by His people. The time that should have been devoted to repentance and reform has been spent in criticism and in following man-formed opinions and ideas. A terrible influence for evil is exerted when men turn from the right way to follow selfish devisings. Satan is playing the game of life for the souls of men, and he is gaining victory. We can learn from a study of King Jehoiakim’s example what men will do when they pass the boundary line.” The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters, 80.

3 Why was Nebuchadnezzar victorious? Daniel 1:2.

NOTE: “The prophet Nehemiah presents the evil-doings of the Jewish nation as the cause of their calamities. After recounting the Lord’s dealings with them, and their oft-repeated rebellion, he declares: ‘They were disobedient, and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their backs, and slew Thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to Thee, and they wrought great provocations. Therefore Thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies.’” Youth’s Instructor, May 14, 1903.

“Children in Whom Was No Blemish”

4 What plan did Nebuchadnezzar devise for some of his captives? Daniel 1:3, 4. Compare II Kings 20:16–18.

NOTE: “Daniel early gave promise of the remarkable ability developed in later years. He and his three companions who were selected to serve in the court of the king, were of princely birth, and are described as ‘children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them.’ Perceiving the superior talents of these youthful captives, King Nebuchadnezzar determined to prepare them to fill important positions in his kingdom. That they might be fully qualified for their life at court, according to Oriental custom, they were to be taught the language of the Chaldeans, and to be subjected for three years to a thorough course of both physical and intellectual discipline.” Youth’s Instructor, June 4, 1903.

5 What change did Nebuchadnezzar make to their names? Daniel 1:6, 7.

NOTE: The name Daniel means, “God is my Judge.” His new name meant “Keeper of Bel’s treasures.” The name Hananiah means “Jehovah has been gracious,” but his new name was “Illumined by the Sun.” Mishael, which means “He who is like God,” became “One who is like Shach.” Azariah, whose name means “He whom Jehovah helps,” became “Servant of Nego.”

“The names of Daniel and his companions were changed to names representing Chaldean deities. Great significance was attached to the names given by Hebrew parents to their children. Often these stood for traits of character that the parent desired to see developed in the child. The prince in whose charge the captive youth were placed, ‘gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.’ The king did not compel the Hebrew youth to renounce their faith in favor of idolatry, but he hoped to bring this about gradually. By giving them names significant of idolatry, by bringing them daily into close association with idolatrous customs, and under the influence of the seductive rites of heathen worship, he hoped to induce them to renounce the religion of their nation and to unite with the worship of the Babylonians.” Prophets and Kings, 480, 481.

“Daniel Purposed In His Heart”

6 What special favor did Nebuchadnezzar bestow on his captives? Daniel 1:5.

NOTE: “At the very outset of their career there came to them a decisive test of character. It was provided that they should eat of the food and drink of the wine that came from the king’s table. In this the king thought to give them an expression of his favor and of his solicitude for their welfare. But a portion having been offered to idols, the food from the king’s table was consecrated to idolatry; and one partaking of it would be regarded as offering homage to the gods of Babylon. In such homage, loyalty to Jehovah forbade Daniel and his companions to join. Even a mere pretence of eating the food or drinking the wine would be a denial of their faith. To do this would be to array themselves with heathenism and to dishonor the principles of the law of God.” Prophets and Kings, 481.

7 What resolve did Daniel make concerning this matter? Daniel 1:8.

NOTE: “Had Daniel so desired, he might have found in his surroundings a plausible excuse for departing from strictly temperate habits. He might have argued that, dependent as he was on the king’s favor and subject to his power, there was no other course for him to pursue than to eat of the king’s food and drink of his wine; for should he adhere to the divine teaching, he would offend the king and probably lose his position and his life. Should he disregard the commandment of the Lord he would retain the favor of the king and secure for himself intellectual advantages and flattering worldly prospects. But Daniel did not hesitate. The approval of God was dearer to him than the favor of the most powerful earthly potentate—dearer than life itself. He determined to stand firm in his integrity, let the result be what it might. He ‘purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.’ And in this resolve he was supported by his three companions.” Prophets and Kings, 482, 483.

“Prove Thy Servants”

8 What was the reaction when Daniel explained his unwillingness to partake of the king’s food and wine? Daniel 1:9-10.

NOTE: “To carry out his purpose not to defile himself with the king’s food, Daniel made request of the prince of the eunuchs for a simpler diet. ‘Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.’ This officer saw in Daniel good traits of character. He saw that he was striving to be kind and helpful, that his words were respectful and courteous, and his manner possessed the grace of modesty and meekness. It was the good behavior of the youth that gained for him the favor and love of the prince. But the prince of the eunuchs hesitated to grant the request of Daniel, fearing that such rigid abstinence as he proposed would cause the Hebrews to become less ruddy in health than those who ate of the king’s dainties.” Youth’s Instructor, November 12, 1907.

9 What proposal did Daniel then make? Daniel 1:11–14.

NOTE: “When they preferred their request, the Hebrew youth knew the seriousness of their position, and by earnest prayer they braced themselves for duty and for trial. Severe criticism was passed upon them by their companions; they had to meet ridicule and abuse; but sneers could not weaken their piety. With watchfulness and prayer they guarded every avenue of temptation. They had learned the principles of true service. They were captives, lonely, and in peril; but they were in possession of a treasure of priceless worth,—unbending integrity. They feared to do wrong.” Youth’s Instructor, November 12, 1907.

10 What was the outcome of the ten-day test? Daniel 1:15, 16.

NOTE: “Melzar, though fearful that by complying with this request he would incur the displeasure of the king, nevertheless consented; and Daniel knew that his case was won. At the end of the ten days’ trial the result was found to be the opposite of the prince’s fears. ‘Their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.’ In personal appearance the Hebrew youth showed a marked superiority over their companions. As a result, Daniel and his associates were permitted to continue their simple diet during their entire course of training.” Prophets and Kings, 484.

“God Gave Them Knowledge and Skill”

11 How did God honor the faithfulness of Daniel and his three friends? Daniel 1:17.

NOTE: “The Lord regarded with approval the firmness and self-denial of the Hebrew youth, and their purity of motive; and His blessing attended them. He ‘gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.’ The promise was fulfilled, ‘Them that honor Me I will honor.’ I Samuel 2:30. As Daniel clung to God with unwavering trust, the spirit of prophetic power came upon him. While receiving instruction from man in the duties of court life, he was being taught by God to read the mysteries of the future and to record for coming generations, through figures and symbols, events covering the history of this world till the close of time.” Prophets and Kings, 484, 485.

12 What was the outcome of their final examination? Daniel 1:18–20.

NOTE: “When the time came for the youth in training to be tested, the Hebrews were examined, with other candidates, for the service of the kingdom. But ‘among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.’ Their keen comprehension, their wide knowledge, their choice and exact language, testified to the unimpaired strength and vigor of their mental powers. ‘In all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm;’ ‘therefore stood they before the king.’ At the court of Babylon were gathered representatives from all lands, men of the highest talent, men the most richly endowed with natural gifts, and possessed of the broadest culture that the world could bestow; yet among them all, the Hebrew youth were without a peer. In physical strength and beauty, in mental vigor and literary attainment, they stood unrivaled. The erect form, the firm, elastic step, the fair countenance, 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.” Prophets and Kings, 485.