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Bible Study Guides – God’s Guidance and Care

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May 1, 2004 – May 7, 2004

Memory Verse

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8.

Suggested Reading: Early Writings, 39, 40; Steps to Christ, 115–126.

Introduction

“While you do your best, weary not your body and mind with the cares of this life. Do not spoil your religious experience by worry, but trust the Lord to work for you and to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. . . .

“There is much needless worrying, much trouble of mind, over things that cannot be helped. The Lord would have His children put their trust fully in Him. Our Lord is a just and righteous God; His children should acknowledge His goodness and His justice in the large and small things of life. Those who cherish the spirit of worry and complaint are refusing to recognize His guiding hand.

“Needless anxiety is a foolish thing, and it hinders us from standing in a true position before God. When the Holy Spirit comes into the soul, there will be no desire to complain and murmur because we do not have everything we want. Rather, we will thank God from a full heart for the blessings that we have. . . .” In Heavenly Places, 113.

1 What prayer is appropriate for all Christians? Psalm 31:1–3.

note: “If we take Christ for our guide, He will lead us safely. The veriest sinner need not miss his way. Not one trembling seeker need fail of walking in pure and holy light. Though the path is so narrow, so holy that sin cannot be tolerated therein, yet access has been secured for all, and not one doubting, trembling soul need say, ‘God cares nought for me.’ ” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 140.

2 Whom has the Lord promised to guide into judgment? Psalm 25:9.

note: “The meek are guided by the Lord, because they are teachable, willing to be instructed. They have a sincere desire to know and to do the will of God. The Saviour’s promise is, ‘If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.’ John 7:17. And He declares by the apostle James, ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’ James 1:5. But His promise is only to those who are willing to follow the Lord wholly. God does not force the will of any; hence He cannot lead those who are too proud to be taught, who are bent upon having their own way. Of the double-minded man—he who seeks to follow his own will, while professing to do the will of God—it is written, ‘Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.’ James 1:7.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 384.

3 What are some of the ways by which the Lord guides His people? Psalm 32:8; 73:24.

note: “There is no help for man, woman, or child, who will not hear and obey the voice of duty; for the voice of duty is the voice of God. The eyes, the ears, and the heart, will become unimpressible if men and women refuse to give heed to the divine counsel, and choose the way that is best pleasing to themselves. . . .

“Our heavenly Father is our Ruler, and we must submit to His discipline. We are members of His family. He has a right to our service. . . . We must not study to have our own way, but God’s way and God’s will. . . . Human beings suffer much because they step out of the path that God has chosen for them to follow. They walk in the sparks of the fire they themselves have kindled, and the sure result is affliction, unrest, and sorrow, which they might have avoided if they had submitted their will to God. . . . Whatever path God chooses for us, whatever way He ordains for our feet, that is the only path of safety. . . . With the eye of faith, with childlike submission as obedient children, we must look to God, to follow His guidance, and difficulties will clear away. The promise is, ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee.’ Psalm 32:8.” Sons and Daughters of God, 175.

4 What is necessary on our part that the Lord may direct us? Proverbs 3:6.

note: “In all our ways we should acknowledge God, and He will direct our paths. We should consult His Word with humble hearts, ask His counsel, and give up our will to His. We can do nothing without God.” Maranatha, 239.

“God can make humble men mighty in His service. Those who obediently respond to the call of duty, improving their abilities to the very utmost, may be sure of receiving divine assistance. Angels will come as messengers of light to the help of those who will do all that they can on their part, and then trust in God to co-operate with their efforts.” Gospel Workers, 79.

5 What will the Holy Spirit do? John 16:13. Compare Isaiah 30:21.

note: “God does not ask us to do in our own strength the work before us. He has provided divine assistance for all the emergencies to which our human resources are unequal. He gives the Holy Spirit to help in every strait, to strengthen our hope and assurance, to illuminate our minds and purify our hearts.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 19.

6 What gracious invitation does the Lord extend to those bearing burdens? Psalm 55:22; Matthew 11:28–30.

note: “No class is free from the temptation to worldly care. To the poor, toil and deprivation and the fear of want bring perplexities and burdens. To the rich come fear of loss and a multitude of anxious cares. Many of Christ’s followers forget the lesson He has bidden us learn from the flowers of the field. They do not trust to His constant care. Christ cannot carry their burden, because they do not cast it upon Him. Therefore the cares of life, which should drive them to the Saviour for help and comfort, separate them from Him.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 51.

7 What admonition has been given us concerning the things of this life? Matthew 6:25.

note: “The time and energies of a large class are almost entirely absorbed in eating and dressing. The great question with them is, ‘What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?’ They forget that Jesus said: ‘Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?’ And ‘why take ye thought for raiment?’ [Matthew 6:26, 28.] Why devote so much time to the apparel, and so little to the healthful conditions of the body it is to clothe? ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you;’ for ‘your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ [Matthew 6:33, 32.]” Review and Herald, February 24, 1885.

8 To what extent is the Lord’s care exercised over the creatures He has made? Matthew 6:26; 10:29–31. Compare Luke 12:6, 7.

note: “From the stars that in their trackless courses through space follow from age to age their appointed path, down to the minutest atom, the things of nature obey the Creator’s will. And God cares for everything and sustains everything that He has created. He who upholds the unnumbered worlds throughout immensity, at the same time cares for the wants of the little brown sparrow that sings its humble song without fear. When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morning; when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does not mark.

“If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be dismissed. Our lives would not be so filled with disappointment as now; for everything, whether great or small, would be left in the hands of God, who is not perplexed by the multiplicity of cares, or overwhelmed by their weight.” Steps to Christ, 86.

9 What guiding care did the Lord have for ancient Israel in their journeying? Psalm 77:20; Deuteronomy 1:30, 31, 33.

note: “Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep.

“Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, ‘Follow Me,’ and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.’ [John 10:27.] He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth.” The Desire of Ages, 479, 480.

10 When the Hebrew worthies were cast into the fiery furnace, how did the Lord care for them? Daniel 3:26, 27. When Daniel was cast into the lions’ den, what care did the Lord have over him? Daniel 6:19–23.

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 heart and life 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 and intellectual culture, and they occupied a high position of honor; but all these advantages did not lead them to forget God. All their powers were yielded to the sanctifying influence of divine grace. By their godly example, 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 was displayed, before that vast assembly, the power and majesty of God. . . . 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 exalt their own glory and trample under foot the God of Heaven.” Review and Herald, February 1, 1881.

11 When Peter was in prison, what deliverance came as a token of the Lord’s care? Acts 12:6–10. Who stood by the apostle Paul on the stormy sea and spoke words of cheer? Acts 27:21–25.

note: “These examples of human steadfastness bear witness to the faithfulness of God’s promises—of His abiding presence and sustaining grace. They testify to the power of faith to withstand the powers of the world. It is the work of faith to rest in God in the darkest hour, to feel, however sorely tried and tempest-tossed, that our Father is at the helm. The eye of faith alone can look beyond the things of time to estimate aright the worth of the eternal riches.” The Acts of the Apostles, 575, 576.

12 In the time of trouble, where may the confiding children of the Lord find refuge? Psalm 91:1–10.

note: “The people of God will not be free from suffering [during the time of trouble]; but while persecuted and distressed, while they endure privation and suffer for want of food they will not be left to perish. That God who cared for Elijah will not pass by one of His self-sacrificing children. He who numbers the hairs of their head will care for them, and in time of famine they shall be satisfied. While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous and supply their wants. To him that ‘walketh righteously’ is the promise: ‘Bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.’ ‘When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.’ Isaiah 33:15, 16; 41:17.” The Great Controversy, 629.

Food for Life – Jim’s Patties

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The regenerated man has a vital union with Christ. As the branch derives its sustenance from the parent stock, and because of this bears much fruit, so the true believer is united with Christ, and reveals in his life the fruits of the Spirit. The branch becomes one with the vine. Storm cannot carry it away. Frosts cannot destroy its vital properties. Nothing is able to separate it from the vine. It is a living branch, and it bears the fruit of the vine. So with the believer. By good words and good actions, he reveals the character of Christ. As the branch derives its nourishment from the vine, so all who are truly converted draw spiritual vitality from Christ. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you,’ He declared, ‘Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him’ (John 6:53, 56).” The Upward Look, 182.

Jim’s Patties

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup choko,* cooked and mashed

1 onion, grated

Mix all ingredients together. May add a little tomato puree if additional moisture is needed. Drop by spoonfuls into a hot, prepared skillet and brown on both sides until crisp. May bake at 350 degrees on a Pam-sprayed or lightly-oiled cookie sheet until browned, turning once.

*A member of the gourd family, choko is actually native to Central America, Mexico and the West Indies. The Aztecs called it chayote and Francisco Hernandez, an early Spanish historian who lived in Mexico during the mid-sixteenth century, recorded that the natives commonly included it in their diet. After the Spanish conquest, the choko was taken to all tropical areas of the world. Early white settlers introduced choko to Australia. The choko vine is a prolific producer; its fruit is also known as “vegetable pears” or even “mango squash” because of its shape. It is a good source of Vitamin C. Zucchini squash could be substituted for choko in this recipe.

Jim and Florrie Webb both enjoy making up their own vegan recipes. Jim made up the featured patty recipe one day while Florrie was shopping in their hometown of Narangba, Queensland, Australia.

Do you have a favorite vegan recipe you are willing to share with LandMarks’ readers? Send it to us with a photo of you, if available, and a two or three line bio. We will consider all submissions. Send to the address below or by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

LandMarks Recipes
Steps to Life Ministry
P.O. Box 782828
Wichita, KS 67278

Ask the Pastor – Power on Her Head

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Question:

In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 11:10 says, “For this cause ought the woman to have power on [her] head because of the angels.” What is this text talking about?

Answer:

First of all, remember that no text is to be looked at without its context. This guideline especially applies with this text. Every chapter of 1 Corinthians is dealing with problems with which the church at Corinth was involved. The apostle Paul is here trying to straighten out factions and difficulties into which this church had fallen.

Many people see the New Testament as a whole new set of teachings, but this is not so. The writers of the New Testament dealt with problems from the benefit of correction given in Old Testament Scripture. We must also take into consideration that customs and traditions of society were reflected in these issues. The Old Testament established the chain of command between a man and a woman right from the Garden of Eden. Paul was facing all these things at the time he gave the direction that he did in this passage.

This chapter begins with Paul stating the fact that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man. (Verse 3.) This is what is called the chain of command in the Bible. Because the definition is given immediately in this passage, many people get clear off the track if they do not follow the definition of head. There also is a play on words concerning the word head.

It was a custom for the Jewish worshipper, while praying, to always cover his head with his tallith. The Jews, as some cultures generally do, uncovered their feet in the place of worship because they were standing on holy ground; but they covered their heads by way of humility, even as the angels veil their faces with their wings when in the presence of God. On the other hand, the Greek custom was to pray with the head uncovered. In dealing with this problem, Paul decided in favor of the Greek custom, on the basis that Christ, by His incarnation, became man, and therefore the Christian, who is “in Christ,” may stand with unveiled head in the presence of His Father.

For a woman to do this in a public assembly, however, was, at that time, against the national custom of all communities and could lead to serious misconceptions. As a rule, modest women covered their heads with the peplum or with a veil when they worshipped or were in public. Christian women at Corinth should not have acted with such boldness as to adopt a custom identified with the character of immodest women.

The woman was to be in subjection to the man as the man was in subjection to Christ. This was the reverent and the modest position for the women to take. Submissiveness always needs to be the attitude on the part of worshippers of God.

We also know that there is order in heaven among the heavenly angels. They are in submission the same as the man and the woman are in submission. Angels are always present when we worship. Even though we do not worship angels, we need to understand that they have a part to play in our salvation. (See Hebrews 1:13, 14.)

Out of respect and reverence for the holy angels, who are always invisibly present in the Christian assemblies, we need to conduct ourselves in such a way that heaven and earth are in submissive harmony with the will of God and no offense is offered on any front. We need to always have modesty of dress. That does not necessarily require that women wear a head covering when in public or in a place of worship, but the outward demeanor and dress should be indicative of that inward humility which angels know to be most pleasing to the Lord.

Pastor Mike Baugher is Associate Speaker for Steps to Life Ministry. If you have a question you would like Pastor Mike to answer, e-mail it to: landmarks@stepstolife.org, or mail it to: LandMarks, P. O. Box 782828, Wichita, KS 67278.

The Pen of Inspiration – The Miracle at the Temple Gate

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Before leaving his disciples, Christ told them that they were to be the executors of the will in which he bequeathed to the world the treasures of eternal life. To them he said: You have been witnesses of my life of self-sacrifice in behalf of the world. You have seen my labors for Israel. And although my people would not come unto me, that they might have life, although priests and rulers have done unto me as they listed, although they have rejected me, they are to have still another opportunity of receiving me as their Saviour. You have seen that all who came unto me confessing their sins, I have freely forgiven. To you, my disciples, I commit this message of mercy. It is to be given to all nations, tongues, and peoples. . . .

The disciples were to carry their work forward in Christ’s name. Their faith was to center in him as their source of power. In his name they were to present their petitions to the Father, and they would receive answer. Christ’s name was to be their watchword, their badge of office, their bond of union, the authority for their actions, and the source of their success.

The men to whom this trust had been committed realized the greatness of their work. They knew that they held in their hands the bread of life for a famishing world. The love of Christ constrained them, and they could not forbear breaking the bread of life to all who were in need. The commission given them was constantly sounding in their ears.

A short time after the descent of the Holy Spirit, and immediately after a season of earnest prayer, Peter and John, going up to the temple to worship, saw at the gate of the temple a cripple, forty years of age, whose life, from his birth, had been one of pain and infirmity. This unfortunate man had long desired to see Jesus, that he might be healed; but he was almost helpless, and was far removed from the scene of the Great Physician’s labors. His earnest pleadings at last induced some friends to bear him to the gate of the temple; but upon arriving there, he found that the One upon whom his hopes were centered had been put to a cruel death.

His disappointment excited the pity of those who knew how long he had eagerly hoped to be healed by Jesus, and they daily brought him to the temple, that the passers-by might be moved to give him a trifle to relieve his wants. As Peter and John passed, he asked an alms from them. The disciples looked on him compassionately, and Peter said: “Look on us. Silver and gold have I none.” The countenance of the cripple fell as Peter thus declared his own poverty, but it grew bright with hope and faith as the apostle continued, “But such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” [Acts 3:6.]

“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle-bones received strength. And he, leaping up, stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened.” They were astonished to think that the disciples could perform miracles similar to those performed by Jesus. Yet here was this man, for forty years a helpless cripple, now rejoicing in the full use of his limbs, free from pain, and happy in believing in Jesus.

The apostles saw the amazement of the people, and asked why they should be astonished at the miracle, or why they should regard them with awe, as if they had performed this miracle in their own power. Peter assured them that the cure had been wrought in the name and through the merits of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had rejected and crucified, but whom God had raised from the dead. “His name through faith in his name,” the apostle declared, “hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” [Acts 3:16.]

Having spoken plainly of the great sin of the Jews in rejecting and putting to death the Prince of Life, the apostles were careful not to drive their hearers to despair. “And now, brethren,” Peter said, “I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” [Verse 17.] He declared that the Holy Spirit was calling upon them to repent and be converted, assuring them that there was no hope of salvation except through the mercy of the One whom they had crucified. Only through faith in him could their sins be forgiven.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted,” he cried, “that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” [Verse 19.]

These words should come to us today with impelling force. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!” [11 Corinthians 7:10, 11.] This is genuine repentance. It will lead to a transformation in the life. It is the absence of this true sorrow for sin that makes many conversions superficial. Reformations are not made in the life. But when sin is viewed in the light of the Law of God, and its true character is realized, it will be put away from the heart and life.

True sorrow for sin brings the penitent soul near to the side of Jesus. There he may effectually plead for pardon, and obtain grace to conquer. There his darkened understanding may be enlightened, and the stony heart transformed into a heart of flesh. There the rebellious sinner is subdued, and his will is brought into conformity to the will of God.

“Ye are the children of the prophets,” Peter continued, “and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” [Acts 3:25, 26.]

Thus the disciples preached the resurrection of Christ. Many among those who listened were waiting for this testimony, and when they heard it, they believed. It brought to their minds the words that Christ had spoken, and they took their stand in the ranks of those who believed the gospel. The seed that the Saviour had sown sprang up and bore fruit.

“And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” [Acts 4:1, 2.]

After Christ rose from the dead, the priests spread far and near the lying report that his body had been stolen by the disciples while the Roman guard slept. We can not be surprised that they were grieved when they heard Peter and John preaching the resurrection of the One they had murdered, and when they saw that converts to the new faith were multiplying rapidly. The captain of the temple and some of the other officials were Sadducees. These were greatly roused by the preaching of the disciples. They felt that their favorite doctrine was in danger, and their reputation was at stake. The captain, with the help of a number of Sadducees, arrested Peter and John, and put them in prison, as it was too late that day for them to be examined.

The opponents of the disciples could not but believe that Christ had risen from the dead. The evidence was too convincing to be doubted. Nevertheless, many hardened their hearts, refusing to repent of the horrible deed they had committed in putting Jesus to death. When power from heaven came upon the apostles in so remarkable a manner, fear kept the Jewish leaders from violence, but their bitterness and malice were unchanged.

Five thousand individuals had already accepted the truth proclaimed by the disciples, and both Pharisees and Sadducees agreed that if these teachers were suffered to go unchecked, their own influence would be in greater danger than when Jesus was upon the earth.

The Holy Spirit is often rejected because it comes in unexpected ways. Abundant evidence that the apostles were speaking and acting under divine inspiration had been given to the Jewish rulers, but they firmly resisted the message of truth. Christ had not come in the way they expected, and though at times they were convinced that he was the Son of God, yet they stifled conviction, and crucified him. In mercy God gave them still further evidence, and another opportunity to turn to him. He sent the disciples to tell them what they had done, and in the terrible charge that they had killed the Prince of Life, he gave them another call to repentance. But feeling secure in their own righteousness, the Jewish teachers were not prepared to admit that the men charging them with crucifying Christ were speaking by the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Having committed themselves to a course of opposition to Christ, every act of resistance became to the priests an additional incentive to pursue the same course. Irrespective of the fear or favor of men, the apostles proclaimed the truths which had been committed to them. But though the Jews could not fail to see their guilt in refusing the evidence sent by God, they would not cease their wicked strife. Their obstinacy became more and more determined. It was not that they could not yield; they could, but would not. It was not alone because they were guilty and deserving of death, not alone because they had put to death the Son of God, that they were cut off from salvation; it was because they armed themselves with the attributes of Satan, and determined to be opposed to God. They persistently rejected light, and stifled the convictions of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that works in the children of disobedience worked in them, leading them to abuse the men through whom God was working. The malignity of their rebellion was intensified by each successive act of resistance against God, and against the message he had given his servants to declare. Every day, in their refusal to repent, the Jewish leaders took up their rebellion afresh, preparing to reap that which they had sown.

The wrath of God is declared against unrepentant sinners not merely because of the sins they have committed, but because they choose to continue in resistance, repeating the sins of the past in defiance of the light given them. If the Jewish leaders had submitted to Christ, they would have been pardoned, but they were determined not to yield. In the same way, the sinner, by continued resistance, places himself where he knows nothing but resistance.

Review and Herald, June 8, 1911.

Ellen G. White (1827–1915) wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books during her lifetime. Today, in-cluding compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. She is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Mrs. White was appointed by God as a special messenger to draw the world’s attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for Christ’s second advent.

Nature Nugget – Champion Trees

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Western North America is home to the tallest, largest, and oldest documented trees known to still be living. The Coastal Redwoods of California’s northern coast are the tallest living things in the world. Starting from seeds the size of tomato seeds, they can grow over 300 feet in only a couple hundred years. The tallest Coastal Redwood is 367 feet tall, with a width at its base of 22 feet. Due to the high tannin content of the wood, they are highly disease and insect resistant. Coastal Redwoods are also resistant to fire. Having no taproot, their roots only reach 10 to 13 feet deep and spread outward 60 to 80 feet. Because of this, the most frequent cause of death among them, aside from logging, is toppling. Coastal Redwoods commonly live more than 2,000 years, and a few are over 4,000 years old.

Another type of redwood, the Giant Sequoia, does not get quite as tall as the Coastal Redwoods but tends to be more massive. Giant Sequoias are the largest living things on earth. Trunk diameters of up to 30 feet are not uncommon, and their branches can be 50 feet long. Their bark can be 4 feet thick! The largest Giant Sequoia is known as the “General Sherman,” with a volume of over 55,000 cubic feet. It is only 274.9 feet tall, but it has a diameter at its base of 36.5 feet and a crown spread of 106.5 feet. Giant Sequoias grow at elevations of 4,900–8,200 feet on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Central California. They commonly reach an age of 2,000–3,000 years.

The oldest documented living things on earth are the Bristlecone Pines of the Great Basin areas of the Western United States. Earth’s oldest known living inhabitant, a Bristlecone Pine known as “Methuselah,” is 4,767 years old and is found in the White Mountains of California. In 1964, a Bristlecone Pine was cut down that was determined to be 4,862 years old. The age of a tree is determined by taking core samples and counting the growth rings. For each year of life, a new growth ring is produced. Bristlecone Pines are usually less than 60 feet tall. They are native to dry, windswept mountaintops above 10,000 feet.

The ages of some of the trees mentioned above would place them on the earth before the flood, which is not a problem if you consider this Spirit of Prophecy quote: “God by his miraculous power preserved a few of the different kinds of trees and shrubs alive for future generations.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 77.

There is a champion tree in Heaven whose glory surpasses that of all other trees. “The fruit of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden possessed supernatural virtue. To eat of it was to live forever. Its fruit was the antidote of death. Its leaves were for the sustaining of life and immortality.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 288. Man lost the right to eat of this tree when sin entered the world. The tree was removed from the earth before the flood and now resides in Heaven. (See “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 989; Patriarchs and Prophets, 62.) Access to the tree of life will soon be restored to man through Christ. (See Early Writings, 126.) “If you are true and humble and faithful in this life, you will be given an abundant entrance. Then the tree of life will be yours, for you will be a victor over sin; the city whose builder and maker is God will be your city.” Ibid., 125.

David Arbour writes from his home in DeQueen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Restoring the Temple – Cholesterol

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Cholesterol can be a confusing subject. You have probably heard that there is both good and bad cholesterol, but what does that mean?

First, let us address what cholesterol is and what its role is in the body. Cholesterol is a steroid that becomes part of the membranes, or outer coverings, of cells. Cholesterol has an essential function in our bodies, because it is an important component in the construction of certain hormones and bile salts. Cholesterol also serves as a waterproofing substance on the skin and is a precursor of Vitamin D3.

Its Source

From where does cholesterol come? Dietary cholesterol comes from animal products—both meats and dairy sources. This is because every animal cell contains cholesterol. Cholesterol is not found in plant foods.

You may ask, if I am a vegan (someone who does not eat any meat or dairy products), how do I get cholesterol in my body? Our bodies manufacture cholesterol from fats that we ingest. In fact, only about 20 percent of the cholesterol in the blood circulation of people who eat animal products comes from dietary sources. It is no problem for vegans to manufacture all the cholesterol they need for survival and health, as long as they include plant fats in their diets. Only a small to moderate amount of those fats is necessary for cholesterol production.

LDL and HDL

Next, let us consider the different types of cholesterol and what they mean to us. You may have heard of lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are a combination of lipids (fats) and protein that also contain cholesterol. Lipoproteins are generally classified according to size and the proportion of lipids that they contain. The most commonly known types are low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).

LDLs are made up mostly of cholesterol. LDLs deliver cholesterol to the peripheral tissues of the body, such as the arms and legs. Because the cholesterol in the LDL package sometimes sticks in the arteries, LDL cholesterol is called the bad cholesterol.

HDLs are made up of a fairly equal balance of lipids (largely cholesterol) and protein. The main purpose of an HDL molecule is to transport excess cholesterol back from the peripheral tissues to the liver, where it is stored, or to the bile, where it is excreted from the body. Because of this function, HDLs are generally labeled as good cholesterol.

You can remember which type is “good” or “bad” by thinking that low-density things float—fat also floats—and we do not want it sticking to our arteries. Therefore, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are the “bad” kind.

Currently, doctors consider persons with a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or above to be at risk for heart and artery disease. LDLs are optimal at less than 100 mg/dL. HDLs are the opposite, with higher levels considered better than lower levels. HDLs should be at 60 mg/dL or more for optimal heart health. Another form of lipids, triglycerides, should be below 150 mg/dL. In the United States, 105 million people have total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher.

Associated Disease

One type of disease associated with cholesterol is atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Almost every adult living in the developed nations has atherosclerosis to some degree. Even American children have been found to have early stages of this disease. Atherosclerosis occurs when LDLs dump their load of cholesterol on the walls of arteries. Eventually this build-up, or plaque, grows larger and larger, narrowing the artery and obstructing the flow of blood. If an artery to the heart is blocked, a heart attack can occur. If an artery to the brain is blocked, a stroke may occur.

What You Can Do

Cholesterol levels can be maintained at a healthy level through a healthy diet and lifestyle. Since cholesterol is found only in animal products, consume a plant-based diet to lower your risk of developing high cholesterol. Some people who eat meat purposely choose chicken over beef, but chicken actually contains just as much cholesterol as beef. Since there is no good cholesterol found in foods, it is wise to avoid the foods that contain it.

People who are not overweight, who exercise, and who do not smoke tend to have higher levels of HDLs (the “good” cholesterol). Saturated fats raise cholesterol and are found in animal products and a few plant sources such as coconut, palm, and hydrogenated oils and chocolate. One study has shown that people who adopted a vegetarian diet automatically reduced their saturated fat intake by 26 percent and had a significant drop in their cholesterol levels. A moderate- to low-fat diet is healthier. There also are oils that are healthier than others. Olive oil, for instance, can be beneficial in moderate amounts. Ellen White states that olive oil, “as eaten in the olive, is far preferable to animal oil or fat.” The Ministry of Healing, 298.

Some people have a hereditary predisposition toward developing heart disease and atherosclerosis. As a result, some of them can be vegetarians or even vegans and still have to keep a close eye on their cholesterol levels, because they tend to produce too much of it.

Eating a diet high in fiber will help. Fiber not only reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed when eaten (again, not a problem with vegans), but also reduces the amount of cholesterol that the body manufactures. A plant-based diet can easily be high in fiber, but there is no fiber in animal products.

Other things you can do to help lower cholesterol levels are increase exercise, achieve and maintain your ideal weight, do not skip meals, and reduce your stress levels. Yet again, God’s laws of health help protect us from illness and disease. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6.

Sheryle Beaudry, a certified teletriage nurse, writes from Estacada, Oregon where she lives with her husband and twin daughters. She may be contacted by e-mail at: sbeaudryrn@hotmail.com. If there is a health-related question you would like answered in LandMarks, please e-mail your question to: landmarks@stepstolife.org, or mail it to: LandMarks, Steps to Life, P. O. Box 782828, Wichita, KS 67278.

Children’s Story – Too Many Feathers

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There was once a man who had come to realize he had done some really wrong things—he had told lies about people. He had exaggerated stories about individuals. The stories had started out as true, but he had twisted the truth. He now felt sorry and wanted to have his sins forgiven, but he did not know the real way to have his sins forgiven. All he knew was to go to his priest for forgiveness. He did not realize that only God can forgive sins. (Mark 2:7.) If we are truly sorry, God will forgive us, but we must put things right as far as we are able to do so.

Well, the man went to his priest to ask what he should do. It was in the afternoon when he visited the priest, and the priest listened to his sorry tale and was silent for a moment. Then the priest told him what he should do. He should get a large bag of feathers (duck and chicken feathers would be fine). He was told to then take this bag with him late in the evening as he walked through town, and scatter handfuls of feathers along the streets, in the alleyways, and everywhere, until all the feathers were gone.

The man did just that, and he had a fine time! He really enjoyed scattering the feathers. Some of the feathers were carried by the wind up and over the rooftops. Some of the feathers went under cars parked in the street, and when the cars were driven away, the feathers went a long way with the cars before finally dropping to the ground. A few of the feathers were collected by children the next day and taken with them in their pockets, forgotten about until a long time later. Feathers went far and wide—carried by the wind, by little children, by vehicles . . . they just went everywhere.

The man had really enjoyed himself and eagerly went back to the priest to learn what he had to do next, for the priest had told him he had to do two things. He had done the first thing when he scattered the feathers. What would be the next thing for him to do?

Upon seeing him, the priest inquired, “How did the scattering of the feathers go?” He was pleased to know that the man had no more feathers left. “The next thing,” the priest told the man, “is to take the empty bag and this evening collect all the feathers.” Every feather had to be collected!

The man was aghast! He could not collect all the feathers. They had gone everywhere. It would be years before he could ever collect them all!

The priest looked at the dismayed man and said, “Just as your feathers have gone everywhere and cannot be collected up, so have your words gone everywhere with this and that person, and they cannot be reversed—they cannot be taken back.” The man went away sorrowful—to remember feathers every time he spoke.

“By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:37. “Let your words be life-giving, pointing those around you to the Saviour. Let them bring sunshine instead of gloom, harmony instead of animosity. Say nothing that you would not be willing to say in the presence of Jesus and the angels. Utter no word that will stir up strife in another heart. However provoked you may feel, restrain the hasty word.” Our High Calling, 291.

The Power of Speech, Part IV

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[Editor’s Note: This article continues a compilation of counsel given to strengthen and encourage anyone who is struggling through a crisis caused by the “Power of Speech.”]

1 What should we do if someone has wronged us?

“Let us take the words of Christ. If the man has done you an injury, go to him, and between you and him alone seek to set the matter right. Do not go to any one but himself. If he refuses to hear you, then take two or three others, and go to him again; but do not publish it in the church or out of the church. When you have done your duty, if he still refuses to hear you, then let the church take it up; but let them deal gently with the erring. Do not even listen to the gossiping tongue. If one comes to you with an evil report, ask him if he has been to the offending brother, as the Bible directs. If he has not, refuse even to hear him. Nine-tenths of the church trials might be avoided, if all would, in the spirit of kindness and love, pursue the course marked out by Inspiration. This can only be done by breaking down everything like a spirit of self-righteousness.” The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1887.

2 Whose name are we pledged to protect?

“Only that which is pure and lovely and of good report is it safe for us to follow. Human beings are under the most sacred obligations to God to be holy and uncorrupted; for they have been bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son of God. By their baptismal vows they are solemnly pledged to do nothing which will bring an evil report upon the Christian name. Before the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the professing Christian pledges himself to discourage pride, covetousness, unbelief. And as the true Christian seeks to fulfill this pledge, he grows in self-distrust. Constantly he places more dependence upon God. His reverence and love for the Saviour continually increase, and he is a living witness for his Master. He realizes what it means to be a child of God. He has a realizing sense that the cleansing blood of Christ secures for him pardon and elevation of character. In spirituality he grows like the lofty cedar. Daily he holds communion with God, and he has a treasure-house of knowledge from which to draw. He is mighty in the knowledge of the Scriptures. His fellowship is with the Father and the Son, and he knows more and still more of the divine will. He is filled with a constantly increasing love for God and for his fellowmen.” Medical Ministry, 127, 128.

3 What created the frenzy that resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus?

“I [Ellen White] had been, during the forty-five years of experience, shown the lives, the character and history of the patriarchs, and prophets, who had come to the people with messages from God, and Satan would start some evil report, or get up some difference of opinion or turn the interest in some other channel, that the people should be deprived of the good the Lord had to bestow upon them. . . . I could but have a vivid picture in my mind from day to day of the way reformers were treated, how slight difference of opinion seemed to create a frenzy of feeling. Thus it was in the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. All this had passed before me point by point.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 121.

4 What feelings are we not to allow to arise?

“Our ministering brethren are too often imposed upon by the relation of trials in the church, and they too frequently refer to them in their discourses. They should not encourage the members of the church to complain of one another, but should set them as spies upon their own actions. None should allow their feelings of prejudice and resentment to be aroused by the relation of the wrongs of others; all should wait patiently until they hear both sides of the question, and then believe only what stern facts compel them to believe. At all times the safe course is not to listen to an evil report until the Bible rule has been strictly carried out. This will apply to some who have worked artfully to draw out from the unsuspecting, matters which they had no business with and which would do them no good to know.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 96, 97.

5 What is our moral obligation in regard to our countenance?

“While we are exhorted not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, these assemblies are not to be merely for our own refreshing. We are to be inspired with greater zeal to impart the consolation we have received. It is our duty to be very jealous for the glory of God and to bring no evil report, even by the sadness of the countenance or by ill-advised words, as if the requirements of God were a restriction upon our liberty. Even in this world of sorrow, disappointment, and sin the Lord desires us to be cheerful, and strong in His strength. The whole person is privileged to bear a decided testimony in every line. In features, in temper, in words, in character, we are to witness that the service of God is good. Thus we proclaim that ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’ Psalm 19:7.” Ibid., vol. 6, 365.

6 What are we to do with any evil report that we hear?

“When Jesus was on earth, and saw a scene of contention and strife, He would raise His voice in the notes of a melodious song, praising God. The presence of God would be felt; the hearts of those who had been contending would respond to the influences of the Spirit; and they would unite in the song. When some one comes to you with an evil report of some one else, do not take up the reproach and talk it over, either in the family or in the church. Do not add your complaints to those of others.” The General Conference Bulletin, April 6, 1903.

7 What other words and actions are a breaking of God’s Law?

“Every unkind criticism of others, every word of self-esteem, is ‘the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.’ [Isaiah 58:9.] The lifting up of self in pride, as if you were faultless, the magnifying of the faults of others, is an offense to God. It is breaking the law which says, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ [Matthew 19:19.] The injunction is given, ‘Be kindly affectioned one to another.’ [Romans 12:10.] We have no right to withdraw our confidence from a brother because some evil report comes to our ears, some accusation is made or supposition is suggested that he has done wrong. Frequently the evil report that is brought to us is made by those who are at enmity with God, those who are joining the enemy in his work of accusing the brethren. Those who are unmindful of the Saviour’s words, ‘Take heed therefore how ye hear’ [Luke 8:18], allow their unsanctified ears to hear wrong, their perverted senses to imagine wrong, and their evil tongues to report wrong.” Review and Herald, May 7, 1895.

8 What underhanded method will Satan use to destroy God’s people?

“Satan well knows that all his strength, together with that of his angels and evil men, is but weakness when opposed to the faithful, united servants of the Great King, even though they may be few. In order to overcome the people of God, Satan will work upon elements in the character which have not been transformed by the grace of Christ; he will make these the controlling power of the life. Unless these persons are converted, their own souls will be lost, and others who regarded them as men led of God, will be destroyed with them, because they become guilty with them. Satan endeavors to create suspicion, envy, and jealousy, leading men to question those things that it would be to their soul’s interest to believe. The suspicious ones will misconstrue everything. They will call an atom a world, and a world an atom. If this spirit is allowed to prevail, it will demoralize our churches and institutions.” The Home Missionary, January 1, 1892.

To be continued . . .

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

What If . . . Almost

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An American poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, once wrote, “Of all the words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’ ” If that is true, then one of the most tragic words in human language must be the word almost.

What if and almost speak of aborted opportunities and missed chances. Have you ever played the What if and Almost games in your life?

What if I had accepted that job across the considered how Almost impacts our spiritual lives, and how our lives would be affected if Jesus had played the game of What if?

Our Worth

What if Jesus would have said, “Never mind, those people are not worth My life”?

Paul wrote, “both Jews and Gentiles . . . are all under sin.” And he continued: “There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:9–18.

These verses describe not only the people of Paul’s time but each one of us—without the loving mercy of Jesus Christ and His atoning blood.

When these words were penned, God, looking over all the people, could not find a single one who feared Him or sought after Him. The people had either abandoned or corrupted their worship of Him. They not only had turned their backs on God but they had turned against their brethren, thus showing the evil propensity of human nature in general.

What if God was to search our souls today? Could He find a single one with the “fear of God before their eyes”?

Through our actions, words, and music we have corrupted our worship to Him. Ignoring the counsel we have been given, we do not, in our churches, approach His throne with respect or reverence. “The angels veil their faces in His presence. The cherubim and the bright and holy seraphim approach His throne with solemn reverence. How much more should we finite, sinful beings, come in a reverent manner before the Lord, our Maker!” The Faith I Live By, 41.

As Paul described, by our malicious and wicked words we bury, as it were, the reputations of all men. We practice the habits of lying, defamation, and slandering, thus wounding, blasting, and poisoning the reputations of others. Destruction is our work, and misery to us and to the objects of our malice is the consequence of our murderous conduct. We have no peace in ourselves, and we certainly do not allow others to live in quiet.

With very little variation, these are the evils in which the vast mass of mankind delight and live. Without Christ’s death on the cross, we could hope for nothing more.

What We Deserve

What if Jesus had said, “Forget it! You all get what you deserve forever—death”?

“For the wages of sin [is] death.” Romans 6:23. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. Whatever sin may promise of pleasure or advantage, the end to which it necessarily leads is the destruction of body and soul.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

“From the opening of the great controversy it has been Satan’s purpose to misrepresent God’s character and to excite rebellion against His law, and this work appears to be crowned with success. The multitudes give ear to Satan’s deceptions and set themselves against God. . . . Through Satan’s temptations the whole human race have become transgressors of God’s law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 338.

Even if it is just one little, darling sin that is cherished, the Scripture is clear. What we deserve is death. What we have the opportunity to receive, as a result of Christ’s mercy and atoning blood, is eternal life. “By the sacrifice of His Son a way is opened whereby they [sinners] may return to God. Through the grace of Christ they may be enabled to render obedience to the Father’s law.” Ibid.

With the redeeming grace of the crucified Jesus, this what if has a very different ending.

“The Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.” Isaiah 26:21. “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?” Malachi 3:2. “Jesus, our Redeemer, . . . suffered more than we can be called upon to suffer. He bore our infirmities and was in all points tempted as we are. He did not suffer thus on His own account, but because of our sins; and now, relying on the merits of our Overcomer, we may become victors in His name.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 86.

Because Jesus did not play the What if game, we may have eternal life, as a result of His sufferings, death, and resurrection.

Almost Released

What if Pilate had released Jesus? He almost did. Upon examining Jesus, Pilate found no basis for the charges against Him. Neither did Herod. Pilate did not see that Jesus had done anything to deserve death, so he told the gathering that he would release Him. But the chief priests, the rulers, and the people—with one voice—cried out their desire to have Barabbas (imprisoned for an insurrection in the city and for murder) released instead. (See Luke 23:13–24.)

Pilate may be the most infamous almoster in history, because he almost released Jesus. He almost lowered the gavel and said, “Not guilty.” He almost dismissed the charges against this innocent Man, but then he conceded to the demands of the people.

What a difference it would have made in our perception of Pilate if he had stood firm to principle and released Jesus. He almost did it, but he did not. He had the authority to do it. All he had to do was speak the word decisively, and Jesus would have been set free. He did it, almost.

“If at the first Pilate had stood firm, refusing to condemn a man whom he found guiltless, he would have broken the fatal chain that was to bind him in remorse and guilt as long as he lived. Had he carried out his convictions of right, the Jews would not have presumed to dictate to him. Christ would have been put to death, but the guilt would not have rested upon Pilate.” The Desire of Ages, 732.

Father, Forgive Them

So Jesus was released to His death. Soldiers went about their tasks. They were used to crucifying people. They had done it many times before. First, they laid the cross upon the ground, then they placed Jesus upon it, driving sharp spikes through His hands and feet. Then they hoisted the rough wooden cross into the air and dropped it into the hole that had held crosses before. Perhaps they even drove stakes into the ground around the cross to steady it. And then they were done. Jesus was crucified.

There He hangs between heaven and earth. Looking through tears and blood, He could see the faces of the people who had gathered around Him. Perhaps he was looking for familiar faces, but He did not see Peter or James or Andrew or Bartholomew. The soldiers gather underneath the cross and begin throwing dice, gambling for His robe.

Do we see a little bit of ourselves in the soldiers at the foot of the cross? Sometimes we are so close to the cross and yet so far away. Almost we decide to look upon the Saviour and accept His love and grace, but then we become distracted. They were right there, right next to the blood that was dropping to the ground. They could hear the cries of pain. They could look up at any time and see Jesus, but their minds were on other things—on the material things of life.

Jesus began to pray. “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Father, forgive the soldier who drove the nails into my hands. Father, forgive Pilate who found me innocent but sentenced me to die anyway. Forgive Annas and Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin and all the rest. And Father, forgive the Christians who will meet in [your church] in [your town] in 2004, because their sins nailed Me here, too. Yes, Father, forgive them all.”

What if you and I prayed that kind of prayer? Would it bring us to our knees before our Saviour? Would it make a difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us? “We are not forgiven because we forgive, but as we forgive. The ground of all forgiveness is found in the unmerited love of God, but by our attitude toward others we show whether we have made that love our own. Wherefore Christ says, ‘With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.’ Matthew 7:2.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 251.

What if He had Escaped?

Scientists tell us that self-preservation is a very basic instinct. Whenever we encounter danger, we automatically seek to protect ourselves. If we stumble, we put our hands out to break the expected fall. If we are riding in an automobile and suddenly it appears that we are going to crash, we automatically brace ourselves—even though experts say that is not the wisest thing to do. We automatically do it, because self-preservation is a basic instinct in man.

So the enemies of Jesus gathered beneath His cross. They reasoned that Jesus would want to save Himself. They thought that if He really was the Son of God then He had the power to come down from the cross. That would be the natural thing to do. But when Jesus did not save His own life, they assumed He did not have the power and therefore was not the Son of God. “He saved others; himself he cannot save,” they mocked among themselves. (See Mark 15:29–32.) That was their conclusion—a logical conclusion but a false conclusion.

You see, Jesus could have saved Himself. He could have saved Himself by not going to Jerusalem. He could have stayed in Galilee. He could have saved Himself by escaping from the Garden of Gethsemane. He could have saved Himself when He was in Pilate’s judgment hall. He chose not to escape.

What if Jesus had escaped and saved Himself? Well, Jesus could not have saved Himself and us, too. There is no greater love than “that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

What if we try to save ourselves? “You cannot save yourself from the tempter’s power, but he trembles and flees when the merits of that [Jesus’] precious blood are urged.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 317. “You want your own way, and do not rend your heart before God, and with brokenness and contrition cast yourself all broken, sinful, and polluted, upon His mercy. Your efforts to save yourself, if persisted in, will result in your certain ruin.” Ibid., vol. 2, 89. “You cannot save yourself by any good work that you may do. The Lord Jesus has not made you a sin-bearer.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 325.

“The cross of Christ is our only hope. It reveals to us the greatness of our Father’s love and the fact that the Majesty of heaven submitted to insult, mockery, humiliation, and suffering for the joy of seeing perishing souls saved in His kingdom. . . . Save yourself and your household, for the salvation of the soul is precious.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 502, 503.

What if we are almost persuaded to accept Jesus, His sufferings, His death on the cross, and His resurrection? “To be almost persuaded, means to put aside the proffered mercy, to be convinced of the right way, but to refuse to accept the cross of a crucified Redeemer.” Sketches From the Life of Paul, 260. [Emphasis supplied.]

Oh, friend, that is a game you do not want to lose. Do not decide to wait for a more favorable opportunity; it may never come. That is a what if you want joyously to testify that you did. That is an almost you want to report as fully accepted.

“It is perilous to the soul to hesitate, question, and criticize divine light. Satan will present his temptations until the light will appear as darkness, and many will reject the very truth that would have proved the saving of their souls. Those who walk in its rays will find it growing brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.” Review and Herald, September 3, 1889.

A LandMarks staff member, Anna Schultz writes from her home near Sedalia, Colorado. She may be contacted by e-mail at: jschu67410@aol.com.

Lessons From the Book of Amos, Part V

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Perhaps you have never before studied the Book of Amos. I have chosen the Book of Amos in developing a series of articles to give us an understanding of the New Testament. You may wonder how Amos of the Old Testament is going to help us with the New Testament. You cannot understand the New Testament unless you understand the Old Testament.

In 1 Corinthians 10:11, we are told that the things that happened in the Old Testament were written for our admonition, for our instruction, and for examples to us upon whom the ends of the world are come. I find that statement very interesting, because it refers to Old Testament instances and says that those things are going to pertain to us for last day event understanding. I understand that to mean that those things found in the Old Testament, as far as principles are concerned, are last day concepts. History has an uncanny way of repeating itself.

As we read the Old Testament, we learn how God dealt with His people—how He tried to woo them, how He tried to lead them, and how He tried to help them. We learn what their reactions were to the way God was relating to them. It is all there. We also find that there were many times that God had to deal with distasteful situations and conditions. Many times God would extend His mercy and His love, only to meet with a stiff-necked people. They yearned after their own way, and they would have nothing whatsoever to do with God. That is basically the setting of the Book of Amos.

What was God going to do? There comes a time of finality when no remedy of any kind will rectify a problem. That is what Amos was called to reveal to God’s people. God said, “I have tried this, and I have tried that, and it did not work. So now I am going to call My prophet. He is going to be My spokesman. He is going to be My mouthpiece. I am going to send him with a message, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

Woe Unto You

As we come to Amos 6, we find what is going to take place. ”Woe to them [that are] at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, [which are] named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!” Verse 1.

This chapter starts out pronouncing a woe. When you are reading Scripture, and you come to the word woe, you want to pay special attention, because God is using this word to draw attention to what is going to follow. The meaning of the word woe has not changed over the years. We still use it today. When we talk about a bad situation, we may refer to it as a woe. It still carries with it the connotation of doom and disfavor, of calamity and misfortune. The prophet Amos is here attempting to let Israel know just where they stood in relation to their favor with God. To hear a woe coming from one of God’s prophets is no light matter. It needs to be taken to heart.

The Bible says, ”Believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 11 Chronicles 20:20. When God speaks, He means exactly what He says. This principle is taught in the Old Testament. This is certainly the case here with the Northern kingdom of Israel and with Judah as well.

At Ease in Zion

“Woe to them [that are] at ease in Zion.” The word ease depicts a very meaningful picture of what was taking place. God had to pronounce a woe, because they were at ease in Zion. The Hebrew word sha’anan used here for ease means to be tranquil—but in a bad sense—that is, to be settled back when everything around you is wrong. When things were in a life-threatening condition, there was a settling back, with an attitude of, Why should I care? It is not affecting me. Things are going great, as far as life is concerned. I am quite secure from any danger.

That was the attitude of the people when Amos came on the scene, and he said, ”Woe to you that are at ease in Zion.” This was a direct statement to those who were at ease in Zion. It was one thing for the world to kick back and to take it easy, believing that there was no accounting for their indifference or ease. But for those who were in Zion—those who knew the Scriptures and God’s requirements—to kick back, it was altogether a different matter.

Parallel to Laodicea

There is a parallel here to the church of Laodicea, and this is why I believe that Old Testament prophetic utterances have last day applications. What is the message to the church of Laodicea? It is, “Woe unto you. You think that you are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, but I am here to tell you a different story. You need to look at where you are, because in actuality, you are poor, wretched, blind, miserable and naked.” (See Revelation 3:17.)

I do not know of any one of us who would like to hear those words spoken to us, do you? There is a sense of stiffening up, when we hear words like that. We think that certainly they cannot apply to us—we are not miserable; we are happy most of the time! Wretched? No, no, Lord, you have it all wrong. Poor and blind and naked—what do you mean? We are rich and increased with goods, and we have need of nothing. This is specifically what God was speaking to His people in the days of Amos. ”Woe unto you who are taking your ease.”

Hiding From God

Being at ease is caused by only one thing. Those to whom Amos is speaking believe that they have been entirely successful in hiding their true condition from God. They consider themselves to be right. There is nothing wrong, as far as they are concerned. They think that God is off on a vacation somewhere and does not know what is happening. This indeed is a masterful deception that the devil will pull off in every generation.

Sacred history tells us that this is a very easy deception on God’s people. This is precisely the reason why it is so difficult for the Gospel to be accepted when it is preached. There are people who are at ease, either in the world or in Zion, who think that everything is all right when indeed everything is all wrong. Those who could benefit from the Gospel are so deceived that they think God—nor anyone else—knows their situation. It is easy to fall into such a trap, when everything around you seems to be going right.

At this particular point of time in history, Israel was at its height of prosperity. The stock market was at 12,000, and they were buying and selling and having a good time. They were kicked back, at ease. Yet, all of this was leading to a deplorable condition. They were oppressing the poor; they were grinding down everyone they could so their stock prices would stay high. They were riding high!

Temperance

As I studied about this, I mused to myself about what was really happening—what contributed to this deception, this kicking back at ease. I came across a very interesting quotation from pages 52 and 53 of the book Temperance: “The use of wine among the Israelites was one of the causes that finally resulted in their captivity.” We need to remember that the Book of Amos applies to last day conditions.

Ellen White continues, on page 53 of Temperance, to quote from Amos 6. Israel had problems with intemperance. Wine was blurring their thinking processes. We know that wine affects the mind in this manner, and I am convinced that this is one of the reasons we are in the condition that we are as a people today. “But,” someone protests, “Pastor, what are you saying? We are Seventh-day Adventists; we don’t use wine. What are you talking about?”

When I became a Seventh-day Adventist, I was taught that one of the foundational principles of Adventism was abstaining from alcoholic beverages. Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you heard a temperance crusade being promoted within the Adventist church? It used to be that temperance crusades came around as often as Ingathering. It was something that was promoted and upheld before the people. This is one of the things about preaching; we need to continually hold before the people the high ideals of God, or those principles seem to lose contact with our minds and are forgotten.

I have read how some Adventists today are now imbibing in alcoholic beverages, and they have no compunctions about doing so. If we want to be successful Seventh-day Adventist Christians, we will follow the counsels God has given for us. We will review them constantly, holding them up in our minds so we do not lose sight of what it is that God has for us. This will prepare us for the last days on this earth.

Like the World

Temperance crusades, unfortunately, have been relegated to the heap of old rubbish along with some of the other teachings that have made us distinct as a people. But God has not changed—we have changed. We, too, have been at ease in Zion for so long that we think we need to update things and do away with some of the old things we think hold us back as a people. But remember, God does not change, and neither should we.

We have the problem of doing the same things that the world does. We go to the same places that the world goes; we listen to the same music that the world listens to. So why should we not drink the same drink that the world drinks and have a “good time”? This was what was happening in the days of Amos. We need to learn the lessons that are there for us. The sad part is, in many Adventist churches, if we begin to touch on these areas of intemperance and how people ought to live, we will immediately be branded as mean-spirited, narrow-minded, bigoted, and meddlers into people’s lives.

When I was in conference work, I mentioned from the pulpit, one Sabbath during the 11 o’clock service, some of the concepts of temperance and stated that we should not imbibe certain beverages. That very week the conference president drove 175 miles to see me. After confirming things I had expressed in my sermon, he counseled, “Mike, you need to leave those things alone on Sabbath morning. Keep them for prayer meeting.” You know as well as I do what prayer meeting attendance is in comparison with the attendance at 11 o’clock on Sabbath morning!

False Security

Why not just sit back and relax? Maybe the world is not doing so badly. After all, the coming of Jesus is a long way away. These are the thoughts in many people’s minds. There is a danger in that kind of thinking; it causes us to lose the urgency of God’s message.

This is the very same kind of thinking that was in the minds of the children of Israel during the days of Amos when woe was brought upon them. “Woe to them [that are] at ease in Zion and trust in the mountain of Samaria.” Israel thought that they were going to be safe. They were perched upon a mountain where they could see the approach of any enemy. God told them that it did not make any difference where they were located. They may have believed they were safe, but they were not.

”Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: [be they] better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?” Amos 6:2.

The cities mentioned here were all very familiar to the Israelites. These cities had been overthrown and destroyed. If we were to bring this into a modern scenario and terminology, we would say, “Take a look at the Twin Towers [the former World Trade Center, New York City, New York] today. How much hope would there be for your security to look to the Twin Towers today? Thousands were killed on September 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers came down.” That was the lesson that God was trying to bring to these people’s minds: “Look at these towns out here. You think you are doing just fine. Look at them; they are destroyed. You need to learn the lessons from those things.”

They were all aware of what had happened to these communities. They had thought these cities were safe, but they had fallen into the hands of their attackers, and Amos used the destroyed ruins as an illustration of what was going to happen to them. “You are no better than they are, and you are going to be just as vulnerable as they were,” he told them.

An Evil Day

“Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near. . . .” Verse 3. One of the greatest, fatal deceptions to come upon God’s people is to believe that the day of the Second Coming of Jesus is a long way off. When you begin to believe that all is well—you have money in the bank, your health is good, you think life will go on as it has for many more years, you are at ease while others are suffering around you, you think that the day the Lord can reach you is a long way away—the devil is speaking in your ear.

All the while you put off the evil day. All the while, you think that the Second Coming of Jesus is a far way off. Believe me, people who know about the Second Coming, and who know that their lives are not right with Jesus, see His Second Coming as an evil day. They do not welcome the Second Coming, because they know that ultimately it will destroy their lives.

The children of Israel viewed it in the same way. They knew that the day of the Lord was the Day of Judgment, and they looked at it as an evil day. So the seat of violence came near, involving the oppression of the poor for their own personal gain.

It is not unusual that, when people come into a lot of money, such as winning the lottery, for example, they suddenly consider themselves to be someone of great importance. Have you ever noticed that? Many, many of the people who have become big dollar winners end up living under a bridge, because they cannot handle the prosperity that comes to them. But they had thought themselves very important!

One of the first things people do, when they come into big money, is to bedeck their mortal bodies with all kinds of junk to make them appear attractive to other people. And they buy big, big houses and big, big cars, thinking that these will impress people around them.

Picture of Luxury

“Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall.” Verses 3, 4.

What a tremendous picture is given in these verses! Prophets of old were able to put together word pictures that conveyed things you could not say by typing out a flat sentence. What a picture! While most people were out working from sunrise to sunset, these people were lounging on beds of ivory.

Ivory, even today, is a very precious commodity, but these were bedsteads that were inlaid with ivory! A very luxurious picture. Most people were lucky to have a mat to sleep on, let alone a bed—and certainly not a bed that was inlaid with ivory. They would stretch out and take their rest in luxury. This is a picture of the society today.

Perverted Appetite

And then, when they finally climbed out of their beds of luxury, they ate lambs out of the flock and calves out of the midst of the stall. It does not say that they were eating sheep and cows. It says they were eating the delicate meat of lambs and calves. They were eating lambs and calves, not sheep and cows, because one of the greatest treats for meat eaters is the tenderest cut. Nobody wants tough meat.

Have you ever heard of veal cutlets? Do you know from where veal cutlets come? Veal cutlets come from calves that have been penned up in small crates, hardly able to move. They are raised there until they are a certain age, and then they are slaughtered. Their meat is harvested at its most tender stage, so it can go upon the plates and into the palates of those who desire tender cuts of meat.

It would make you sick to see how these animals are raised and how they are treated, yet we see this very thing taking place in the days of Amos. They were crating up these little animals so they would have tender cuts of meat that only the rich could afford. If you are poor, you may be able to buy hamburger, but you certainly cannot afford veal cutlets. They are expensive. But here the people were satisfying the cravings of perverted appetites. They wanted the choice cuts; they would not settle for second best. They wanted tender meat. They wanted the lambs and the calves.

From what I have been able to determine, as I have researched this series on Amos, most Israelites—not all but most—ate meat only three or four times a year. That was the norm! The three or four times they ate meat centered around the times of their festivals. The poor ate meat even less times than that.

So the picture given in Amos 6 is that the leading citizens were eating quite a bit of the choice cuts—they had the money to buy it. Their actions were causing some very baleful effects to come into the nation. History has recorded that for us, and if we fail to learn the lessons that God has for us, then we are destined to repeat the same mistakes and to face the same future that Israel faced.

Symptoms Developing

Remember the visions recorded in Ezekiel 8 and 9, where God took Ezekiel to the temple and showed him the priests there that were worshipping the sun, playing the harlot? The record shows that God took him even deeper into vision and showed him greater abominations that were taking place. We ask, how in the world could these things of old have taken place? How could they have gotten so far out of hand that those who were commissioned of God to perform a sacred service so prostituted it that it became immoral and was an abomination before God? How could they depart from God in that way?

We see a definite pattern that brought these things to pass. Is it not true that if we see symptoms developing regarding a certain situation, we know what the results are going to be? This is one of the requirements of a physician. A physician always looks for symptoms. A pastor is somewhat like a physician. He watches for spiritual symptoms, and when he sees these symptoms, it behooves him, under the direction of God, to point out the potential results, so the actions can be corrected and God’s glory can be manifested.

Ezekiel saw things that were very uncomfortable for him, and as we have been studying, in Amos, we see things coming out in the forefront that are disturbing for us. We see certain kinds of trends and symptoms developing within the body of Adventism and within the body of Christians at large. I state this from a standpoint that the majority of God’s people are in other churches. (See John 10:16; The Great Controversy, 1888, 383.)

Sound of Music

“That chant to the sound of the viol, [and] invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David.” Amos 6:5. This verse is very difficult to translate. The phrase, “chant to the sound of the viol,” is translated in other versions to read, “sing idle songs to the sound of the harp.” But even this translation does not really do justice to what is being said here. The words, “sing idle songs,” are used only once in the entirety of the Old Testament, so it is difficult to find a translation that will make sense to us. There is an Arabic equivalent, however, which has the meaning, “to talk immoderately or to babble or prattle to the sound of the harp.”

It seems that this would be the best translation to apply to the context of what was taking place in this text and to us in the times in which we live.

The same is true of the phrase, “inventing to themselves instruments of musick.” The alternate translation of this would be, “shouting, they imagine themselves to be singing.” If you watch the videotape Are You Ready for Church? you see an exact parallel of this taking place today. In reality, there is nothing new under the sun! People are shouting and prattling and talking and considering this music. I am sorry, but I still like melodious strains of music and not all the babbling and shouting that passes for music today.

But let me point out to you that this was taking place in the days of Amos, and this music was part of their downfall. It was part of what led them to do things they probably never would have done otherwise. Ellen White tells us that music was part of the problem for the children of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai when they built the golden calf and just before they crossed over into Canaan, at Kadesh-Barnea, when they began to associate with the Midianitish women. They would never have succumbed to the temptations had it not been for the music. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 319, 320, 454.)

Music pervades our entire society today. I am not bringing these things out to condemn anyone, but we need to elevate the standards once again. “If we do not receive the religion of Christ by feeding upon the word of God, we shall not be entitled to an entrance into the city of God. Having lived on earthly food, having educated our tastes to love worldly things, we would not be fitted for the heavenly courts; we could not appreciate the pure, heavenly current that circulates in heaven. The voices of the angels and the music of their harps would not satisfy us.” Review and Herald, May 4, 1897.

“That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” Amos 6:6. The “affliction of Joseph” here means that the conditions in Israel were deplorable for most of the people, because most of the people were quite average people. They were getting by, but they were not happy, and they were not growing spiritually. They were not developing a character like God intended them to do. Those who were eating and drinking and laying and stretching themselves out on couches and beds thought life would never end. They had food, wine, and perfume. For what more could they ask?

Wrath of God

Verse 7 changes gears somewhat: “Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that [is] by the sides of the house, [Is there] yet [any] with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord. For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.” Amos 6:7–11.

Those who thought they were so blessed, living in luxury and letting the world go by, were to be the first to go into captivity. Do we dare make a comparison here? In the circumstances Amos described, he was speaking specifically of the leadership of that day. He asked, “Do you want the best places at the banquets? Do you want the most acknowledgement in the Synagogues? Then you are going to be the first to go into captivity.” And the reason was that they had departed from the plan that God had for His people.

All men are created equal. There is a value of the soul, and God looks upon all people the same, but there are certain areas of responsibility to which God has called people. He has equipped them for those responsibilities, but at the same time, they will have greater accountability when they are called before God in the Day of Judgment. That is the way that God works.

As He was trying to deal with the nation of Israel, God left no doubt regarding how He felt about the Northern kingdom. They would pay the price for their attitudes and their actions. God said, “I hate everything about you, and you are not going to escape; you are going to die.”

These verses give a very realistic account of the horrors of pestilence that would come after the seize of Jerusalem took place. So complete was the destruction to be that even where a large number gathered in a house to escape these dangers, not one of them would escape. There would be no place to hide.

Those who would give the burial message of them that had died did not even want to carry the bodies out, for fear that they would be attacked or sieged upon, so they would burn the bodies. When giving the burial message, they dared not even mention the name of the Lord. Why? Because they were fearful that a greater manifestation of wrath would come upon them by even mentioning the name of God.

This is one of the things that contributed to the loss of the name Yahweh. Many people have tried to re-capture the use of that name, and they have not succeeded. If someone comes to you saying that you need to call upon the name of the Lord in a certain way, do not listen. This is one of the things that contributed to the loss of the pronunciation of the name. The children of Israel did not dare call upon the name of the Lord because they were fearful that their sins would be raw and ripe before God and His wrath would come down upon them—even in a burial message. That is how far away from God that they had gone.

For Ensamples

Again I say, “All these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11. The books of the Old Testament, dear friend, point to last day happenings.

“Shall horses run upon the rock? will [one] plow [there] with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.” Amos 6:12–14.

The general order of things at this time of judgment, this time of retribution, would be so far out of the order that it would be like horses running on rocks—something you do not do. If you have ever ridden a horse, you know you do not run a horse on rocks. People knew that back then too. And you do not take oxen and plow a rock field. God was trying to convey to them that these things were not things that would normally be done, but they would be done to deal with such a corrupt and poisonous situation.

Some things become so poisonous in God’s mind that they have to be dealt with in a very severe way—a way that normally would not be used.

Again, we have to learn the lessons of these things. God is longsuffering. God is merciful. Israel’s history was long. That is the principle that God has for us in dealing with situations. We, as human beings, do not have long periods of time to deal with situations like God does. God did not deal with individuals per se; He dealt with entire nations who had long, long lives. Sometimes He allowed them to go on for hundreds of years, and then finally, when the cup was full, God dealt with them.

Translate that down to us today and to how we are to relate to people and individuals in circumstances within the church. We do not have long periods of time, but we can apply the principles. We can extend the hand of mercy, but when a limit is reached and situations become poisonous, we have to deal with them in the same way that God dealt with them. That is the lesson we can gain from Amos 6. If we are going on the same path as the children of Israel, we will have to pay the same price. The price was a permanent one for Israel. The whole Northern kingdom was lost.

A Remnant Spared

In spite of that, God held out a light. He held out the fact that there was a remnant that would be spared, and that remnant was Judah. And even out of Judah there was another remnant that was to be saved. A smaller group even yet—a remnant of a remnant. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that the majority will leave us. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 102, 103.) We need to try to examine the reasons why the majority depart, and stay far away from the circumstances that would draw us, if we possibly can.

The children of Israel loved their wine so much that it blurred their thinking. They loved their fine cuts of meat so much that they had perverted appetites. They loved their celebration music and dance so much that it caused them to enter into temptation. They loved their money that provided for all of this, and the love of money is the root of all evil.

Friend, we dare not repeat the same history. Are we going to survive? We can survive by understanding. We can survive by drawing near to God. We can survive by not stiffening our necks against rebuke, when it comes from the Word. We can survive. It is possible. Amos 6 is a dark picture, but God has placed it there so we can survive. He has made all the provisions for us to survive, if we will just learn the lessons.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Mike Baugher is Associate Speaker for Steps to Life Ministry. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mikebaugher@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.