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Story – The Best Fun

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Now, boys, I’ll tell you how we can have some fun,” said Fred Blake to his companions, who had assembled on a beautiful, moonlight evening for sliding, snowballing, and fun generally.

“How?” “Where?” “What is it?” asked several eager voices together.

“I heard Widow More tell a man a little while ago,” replied Fred, “that she would go to sit up with a sick child tonight. She said she would be there about eight o’clock. Now, as soon as she is gone, let’s make a big snowman on her doorstep so that when she comes home, she cannot get in without first knocking him down.”

“Capital!” shouted several of the boys.

“See here,” said Charlie Neal, “I’ll tell you the best fun.”

“What is it?” again inquired several at once.

“Wait awhile,” said Charlie. “Who has a wood saw?”

“I have,” “So have I,” answered three of the boys. “But what in the world do you want a wood saw for?”

“You shall see,” replied Charlie. “It’s almost eight o’clock now, so go and get your saws. You three each get an axe, and I will get a shovel. Let us all be back here in fifteen minutes, and then I’ll show you the fun.”

The boys separated to go on their several errands, each wondering what the fun could be, and what possible use could be made of wood saws and axes, in their play. But Charlie was not only a great favorite with them all, but also an acknowledged leader, and they fully believed in him and his promise.

Anxious to know what the “fun” was which Charlie had for them, they made haste, and were soon on hand, with their saws, axes, and shovels.

“Now,” said Charlie, “Mrs. More is gone, for I met her when I was coming back; so, let’s be off at once.”

“But what are you going to do?” inquired several impatient members of the party.

“You shall see directly,” replied the leader, as they approached the humble home of Mrs. More.

“Now, boys,” said Charlie, “you see that pile of wood; a man hauled it here this afternoon, and I heard Mrs. More tell him that unless she got someone to saw it tonight, she would have nothing to make a fire with in the morning. Now, we can saw and split that pile of wood just about as easily as we could build a great snowman, and when Mrs. More comes home from her watching, she will be fully as much surprised to find her wood sawed, as she would to find a snowman at her doorstep, and a great deal more pleasantly, too. What say you—will you do it?”

One or two of the boys demurred at first, but the majority were in favor of Charlie’s project; so all finally joined in, and went to work with a will.

“I’ll go round to the back of the shed,” said Charlie, “and crawl through the window and unfasten the door. Then we’ll take turns in sawing, splitting, and carrying in the wood; and I want to pile it up nicely, and to shovel all the snow away from the door; and make a good wide path, too, from the door to the street: What fun it will be when she comes home and sees it!”

The boys began to appreciate the fun, for they felt that they were doing a good deed, and experienced the satisfaction which always results from well-doing.

It was not a long, wearisome job, for seven robust and healthy boys to saw, split, and pile up the poor widow’s half-cord of wood, and to shovel a good path.

When it was done, so great was their pleasure, that one of the boys, who objected to the work at first, proposed that they should go to a neighboring carpenter’s shop, where plenty of shavings could be had for the carrying away, and each bring an armful of kindling wood. This they did, and afterward hurried home, all of them more than satisfied with the “fun” of the winter evening.

The next morning, when Mrs. More came home, weary from watching by the sick bed, and saw what was done, she was very much surprised. When she was told who had done it, by a neighbor, who had witnessed the kindly deed, her fervent prayer, “God bless the boys!” was, of itself, an abundant reward for their labors.

Boys and girls, the best fun is always found in doing something that is kind and useful. If you doubt it in the least, just try it for yourselves, and you will be convinced.

“What is desired in a man [youth] is kindness.” Proverbs 19:22

Hope for You, January 2025, 24, 25

The Crimson Worm

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The crimson worm is specifically adapted to living in the Middle East, particularly in Israel. Scientifically, the crimson worm is an insect rather than a worm. It has a hard shell with six legs, is roughly the size of the eraser on the head of a pencil (0.3 inches), and looks like a grub worm. But the most unusual thing about the crimson worm is its unique life cycle. Keep reading and you will understand why.

In ancient times, the dried bodies of the crimson worm were ground up and used to make scarlet dye. The dye was used to color clothing, particularly the robes of the high priest and the coverings of the tabernacle. The dye was vivid and permanent, making it highly valuable in Biblical times.

The female reproduces only once. When she is ready to lay her eggs, she climbs a tree, usually an oak, and permanently attaches herself to it. Her body then forms a hard, crimson shell that will protect her eggs. Once the larvae hatch inside this protective shell, they feed on their mother’s body for three days. During these three days, the mother secretes a crimson fluid that covers her body and the eggs, leaving a permanent stain on the tree. On the fourth day, the remainder of the mother’s body transforms into a white, heart-shaped wax, which then flakes off.

The red fluid produced by the worm and the transformation of the mother’s body to white wax are often linked to the Bible imagery of our scarlet sins made white as snow, emphasizing purification and redemption. The Hebrew word tola’ath used in the Scriptures, specifically refers to the crimson worm.

Often cited as a symbol of sacrifice, it was accepted as a foreshadow of Christ’s death on the cross. As the mother worm gives up her life to protect and nourish her babies, so Jesus offered Himself on the cross to protect and preserve mankind.

“ ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ ” Isaiah 1:18

Sources: christianityhouse.com/2024/07/07/the-crimson-worm-psalm-22; nazarenesoftheworld.infor/crimson-scarlet-worm; reasonsforhopejesus.com/psalm-22-crimson-scarlet-worm

The Word Made Flesh

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The union of the divine with the human nature is one of the most precious and most mysterious truths of the plan of redemption. It is this of which Paul speaks when he says: “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.”

This truth has been to many a cause of doubt and unbelief. When Christ came into the world—the Son of God and the Son of man—He was not understood by the people of His time. Christ stooped to take upon Himself human nature, that He might reach the fallen race and lift them up. But the minds of men had become darkened by sin, their faculties were benumbed and their perceptions dulled, so that they could not discern His divine character beneath the garb of humanity. This lack of appreciation on their part was an obstacle to the work which He desired to accomplish for them; and in order to give force to His teaching He was often under the necessity of defining and defending His position. By referring to His mysterious and divine character, He sought to lead their minds into a train of thought which would be favorable to the transforming power of truth.

Again, He used the things of nature with which they were familiar, to illustrate divine truth. The soil of the heart was thus prepared to receive the good seed. He made His hearers feel that His interests were identified with theirs, that His heart beat in sympathy with them in their joys and griefs. At the same time they saw in Him the manifestation of power and excellence far above that possessed by their most-honored rabbis. The teachings of Christ were marked with a simplicity, dignity, and power heretofore unknown to them, and their involuntary exclamation was: “Never man spake like this Man.” The people listened to Him gladly; but the priests and rulers—themselves false to their trust as guardians of the truth—hated Christ for the very grace revealed, which had drawn the multitudes away from them to follow the Light of life. Through their influence the Jewish nation, failing to discern His divine character, rejected the Redeemer.

Union of the Divine and the Human

The union of the divine and the human, manifest in Christ, exists also in the Bible. The truths revealed are all “given by inspiration of God;” yet they are expressed in the words of men and are adapted to human needs. Thus, it may be said of the Book of God, as it was of Christ, that “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1:14 And this fact, so far from being an argument against the Bible, should strengthen faith in it as the word of God. Those who pronounce upon the inspiration of the Scriptures, accepting some portions as divine while they reject other parts as human, overlook the fact that Christ, the divine, partook of our human nature, that He might reach humanity. In the work of God for man’s redemption, divinity and humanity are combined.

There are many passages of Scripture which skeptical critics have declared to be uninspired, but which, in their tender adaptation to the needs of men, are God’s own messages of comfort to His trusting children. A beautiful illustration of this occurs in the history of the apostle Peter. Peter was in prison, expecting to be brought forth next day to death; he was sleeping at night “between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” Acts 12:6, 7. Peter, suddenly awaking, was amazed at the brightness that flooded his dungeon, and the celestial beauty of the heavenly messenger. He understood not the scene, but he knew that he was free, and in his bewilderment and joy he would have gone forth from the prison unprotected from the cold night air. The angel of God, noting all the circumstances, said, with tender care for the apostle’s need: “Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.” Verse 8. Peter mechanically obeyed; but so entranced was he with the revelation of the glory of heaven that he did not think to take his cloak. Then the angel bade him: “Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.” Verses 8–10. The apostle found himself in the streets of Jerusalem alone. “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety,”—it was not a dream or a vision, but an actual occurrence—“that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” Verse 11

Skeptics may sneer at the thought that a glorious angel from heaven should give attention to a matter so commonplace as caring for these simple human needs, and may question the inspiration of the narrative. But in the wisdom of God these things are recorded in sacred history for the benefit, not of angels, but of men, that as they should be brought into trying positions they might find comfort in the thought that heaven knows it all.

Jesus declared to His disciples that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the notice of the heavenly Father, and that if God can keep in mind the wants of all the little birds of the air, He will much more care for those who may become the subjects of His kingdom and through faith in Him may be the heirs of immortality. Oh, if the human mind were only to comprehend—in such measure as the plan of redemption can be comprehended by finite minds—the work of Jesus in taking upon Himself human nature, and what is to be accomplished for us by this marvelous condescension, the hearts of men would be melted with gratitude for God’s great love, and in humility they would adore the divine wisdom that devised the mystery of grace! Testimony Treasures, Vol. 2, 344–347

Eradication of Liberty

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Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side.” The Great Controversy, 565, 566

Rome has a great history behind her—1,500 years of exercising supremacy and control over the nations of the world. At this moment, she is moving in Eastern Europe, in Russia, and in Mexico. She is moving in the United States. In one month, our President goes to meet with the pope at the Vatican. This President* is Jesuit-trained; and from all indications, he is forming his policy, at home and abroad, in accordance with the general features of liberal Jesuitism that have developed since Vatican II. Rome is moving very swiftly. Through His inspired word, Christ enables us to cut through the propaganda of the media of our day to get to the bottom of what is happening.

A Roman Catholic conservative author has written that the United States Civil War was a religious war. In her astounding book, The Star-Spangled Heresy, Americanism, 110, Solange Hertz writes, “One aspect of the Civil War which has been studiously ignored by establishment historians is its character as a war of religion. Protestants found themselves pitted against Catholics and Anglo-Catholics in a death struggle over two incompatible ways of life.” There is no getting around the fact that the only foreign power to recognize the Confederacy and receive its envoys was the Vatican from whose vantage point in the already-threatened papal states the issues could be distinguished with excessive clarity. According to an official report, when the U.S. authorities remonstrated with the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Antonelli for providing asylum to Confederates, the Cardinal replied that he intended to take such rebels under his special protection. Mary Surratt’s son, John, who was sought for complicity in Lincoln’s assassination, was even admitted into the papal states.

A physician friend recently sent me an article entitled The Vatican and Russia, by Deacon Herman Ivanov Treenadzaty, of the St. Nicholas Parish in Lyon, France. It is a most significant document that opens to us a view of Rome’s activity with reference to Russia for hundreds of years. You see, ever since the split with Eastern Orthodoxy in AD 1054, Rome has been the implacable enemy of Greek and Russian Orthodoxy. This man, obviously a Russian Orthodox cleric living in Lyon, France, delivered the lecture in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, at the 24th Russian Youth Congress in the Jubilee Year of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus’. He states, “It appears to us that Roman Catholicism is a great danger, threatening both present and future Russia; more dangerous than communism which is already on the decline.” And I would submit that it would not be so much on the decline as might be thought. It is assuming a new form because Rome has, in its encyclical, indicated that she is not in favor of the Stalinistic type of communistic or the laissez faire capitalism, but wants a middle path between the two. Quoting the Russian writer Dostoyevesky, “Roman Catholicism is more dangerous than atheism since it presents to us a profane and desecrated Christ, usurping the earthly throne. The pope took the sword and added lies, intrigue, deception, fanaticism and villainy.” Ivanov then comments that Catholicism is dangerous precisely because it offers a counterfeit Christ.

Ivanov reviewed hundreds of years of Russian history—political, psychological, and diplomatic efforts that the Vatican has made to try to overthrow Orthodoxy in Russia. He found that the Vatican has tried to rewrite the history of the introduction of Christianity to Russia. He reveals how propaganda was introduced through the media in Russia to try to destabilize the situation and pave the way for the Vatican to increase its power there. And he points out that even the pope, today, is part of this picture. Soon after the overthrow of Czar Nicholas II in 1917, the Fatima visions which have indicated that if certain conditions were fulfilled, Russia would be converted to the papacy. It is now believed that those conditions have been met and that Perestroika is the conversion of Russia to the papacy.

All this sheds light on the gigantic struggle between Orthodoxy and the papacy. It reveals that though historians believed that the Crimean War was largely a human, political, and inter-governmental war, the archbishop of Paris, at the start of the Crimean War, declared that “it is a sacred deed, a God-pleasing deed, to ward off the Orthodox heresy, subjugate, and destroy it with a new crusade. This is the clear goal of today’s crusade. Such was the goal of all the crusades, even if all their participants were not fully aware of it. The war which France is now preparing to wage against Russia is not a political war, but a holy war. It is not a war between two governments or between two peoples, but it is precisely a religious war and other reasons presented are only pretext.” And then he comments that the case could not be more clearly stated.

He pointed out that the Vatican found the destruction of the czar, who had been the protector of Orthodoxy, and the Bolshevik Revolution a great opportunity to gain control in Russia and how disappointed they were when things did not work out the way that they had expected. And yet, they felt that somehow communism could alter the whole picture in Russia so that ultimately the Vatican could move in and take advantage of the devastation wrought by communism.

Why is this so significant? By the early 1980s, more than half of the Orthodox priests in Eastern Europe were prepared to accept the primacy of the pope; and Rome realized that the time had come to strike. Using the Solidarity Labor Union, which had been largely developed and fostered by the papacy, she began a chain of evolution in Eastern Europe that toppled one government after another with breath-taking speed.

Rome wants to radicalize nations, driving them into left wing and right wing, and then, out of the insecurity that develops because of the contending factions, she feels that she can take advantage of the situation to impose a new order. This is exactly what took place in pre-war Germany. The communists were fighting the Free Corps which ultimately became the Nazi Wehrmacht. Both national socialism in Germany and international socialism in Russia had the same common basis. Friederick A. Hayek, an Austrian-born author who was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1974, wrote several volumes exposing how the very principles that led to Nazism’s triumph in Germany and Stalinist communism’s triumph in Germany and Russia are at work in the Western countries through socialism. We are now, in our nation, taking an enormous plunge into socialism based upon the thinking that has been developed in the Institute of Policy Studies. The social security card which was to be kept inviolately secret when it was introduced, never to be known publicly, has now essentially become our national ID card. Now, when through a healthcare program you have to fill out forms in order to get any medical assistance, delineating every aspect of your life, and the government can begin to control people from birth to death, all your privacy is gone.

Under the USSR, the Russian constitution made provision for religious liberty; but it also stated that if the security of the state was at risk, then those liberties could be suspended in the name of protecting the state. The very same thing happened in America during World War II when tens of thousands of Japanese were interned under the Preamble of the Constitution that it was for the common good. Socialism has, at its basis, the basic Jesuit principle that the end justifies the means.

The European Community is headed by Jacques Delors* who is a devout Roman Catholic. When he took control about ten or eleven years ago, he took the European Community from a state of shambles and made it into a very dynamic force. Now we have the North American Free Trade Agreement* which is similar in nature.

For decades, we have had the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. This organization now exerts enormous influence in America. In his book, Secret, F. Stephen Powell documents how the Institute, started by a communist, founded hundreds of front organizations that influence American policy. It revealed that some of the top advisors to Bill and Hillary Clinton were some of the chief figures in this organization which worked closely with the KGB for years.

Speaking of the treaty-making power of the United States, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I say the same as to the opinions of those who consider the grant of the treaty-making power as boundless. If it is, then we have no Constitution.” On April 11, 1952, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles said, “Treaties make international law and also they make domestic law. Under our Constitution, treaties become the supreme law of the land. Treaty law can override the Constitution. Treaties, for example can cut across the rights given the people by their constitutional Bill of Rights.” What better way to repudiate the Constitution than to bring in a whole new framework of law. How acquainted are you with the North American Free Trade Agreement? It was written in such ambiguous language that there is a ninety-man commission that will be required to interpret it.

Do you remember what happened to the Bohemians? When Rome wanted to subjugate Bohemia, she brought against them the greatest forces in Europe. She marshaled virtually all of the nations of Europe against little Bohemia. She gave the promises of paradise to thieves and murderers and brigands if they would only join and fight against Bohemia and subjugate it for the papacy. But as long as the Bohemians were faithful to the Lord, they could not be overcome, even by the most mighty armies. However, the day came when Bohemia decided to enter into a treaty with Rome. Rome granted all kinds of liberties, but they reserved the right to interpret this treaty. Bohemia was thrown into civil war, and it was a great catastrophe.

Now think of a ninety-man commission, with thirty from Mexico, thirty from Canada, and thirty from the United States. What is the religion of Mexico? There is a large portion of Canada which is French Canadian, which is what religion? Much of the rest of Canada is Anglican which is a step-sister; in fact, Solange Hertz calls them Anglo-Catholics. And then there is the United States. What is the premier school that produces foreign service personnel, the experts on international law? Georgetown University, the premier Jesuit university from which Bill Clinton graduated. The administration at the time chose to keep secret the names of the people on the commission from the United States. They were going to release them, but then they decided to keep them secret.

Meanwhile, the April 17, 1994 Washington Post stated, “Clinton Policy Allows Public Housing To Be Searched Without a Warrant.” As you know, this has become a growing issue. “The Clinton administration yesterday introduced a new policy to permit police without warrants to raid and search apartments in gang-ridden public housing, but said the plan will not violate the constitutional rights of tenants.”*

Harry Martin, the editor of the Napa Sentinel and involved in at least six different defense intelligence magazines, released the contents of a secret memo from the White House regarding the plans of the Administration* to completely exterminate private weapons ownership and even camouflage clothing, anything that would enable the citizenry to resist a tyrannical government. This is the very reason, according to our founding fathers, why the Second Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights.

John F. Kennedy conceived of the plan for all of the armies of the world’s nations to be downscaled gradually, while an international force, such as the UN, would be continually building up and increasing in power. Now, as our nation’s military is scaled back, there are reports of foreign vehicles, foreign military aircraft, and other troops pouring in.

At the same time, we see the UN decide to invade Somalia without being asked to come, setting a precedent for UN intervention. We see environmental laws blanketing the globe and a call for an environmental police force to internationally enforce them.

We know that ultimately there will be a grand unity of the nations. “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:12–14

Commenting on this passage, the Spirit of Prophecy tells us, that, “ ‘These have one mind.’ There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of Satan’s forces. ‘And shall give their power and strength unto the beast.’ Thus, is manifested the same arbitrary, oppressive power against religious liberty—freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience—as was manifested by the papacy, when in the past it persecuted those who dared to refuse to conform with the religious rites and ceremonies of Romanism.

“In the warfare to be waged in the last days, there will be united, in opposition to God’s people, all the corrupt powers that have apostatized from allegiance to the law of Jehovah.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 983

The law of Jehovah is the foundational question. The law of God is the expression of His character. It is the foundation of His government, and rebellion against His law is rebellion against God. “In this warfare the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will be the great point at issue; for in the Sabbath commandment the great Lawgiver identifies Himself as the Creator of the heavens and the earth.” Ibid.

So, we have been warned that there is going to be a grand confederacy at the end of time. There will be a grand union, a grand harmony of all of the forces opposed to God’s law; and it will ultimately come down to the testing of spiritual loyalty to God and to His law or else unity with these forces that have confederated themselves against the government of God.

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah.” Psalm 47:1–4. He is awesome in His power, glory, and majesty. He will arise one day and vindicate the honor of His law which has been violated by puny man. These little specks of dust down here think to enter into rebellion against the great King of the universe.

God calls upon us to have spiritual loyalty in these last days, to know our King, and to act upon His principles. For the gospel of Jesus Christ provides a solution for every human contingency that we may be called upon to face in these last days so that we may emerge as overcomers—more than overcomers—triumphant in Christ.

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*  For context, this article is reprinted from the June, 1994 LandMarks. It is interesting to note, however, that, other than the specific individuals referenced, not much has changed in the last 30+ years.

“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in ancient times before us.” Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10

“And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes.” The Great Controversy, 581

Human Reason

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“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”
Proverbs 14:12

The use of human reason has been a problem since man was first created and given free will.

It was human reason that led Eve to take the first bite of forbidden fruit and Adam to choose to eat it; reasoning that maybe the serpent was telling the truth.

It was human reason that led Moses to kill the Egyptian, Saul to consult the witch of Endor, and Solomon to erect idolatrous shrines.

It was human reason that caused Judas to betray Jesus hoping He would defend Himself and establish a physical kingdom on earth, and Pilate to deliver Him up to be crucified by yielding to the demands of the mob, rather than risk losing his position.

You can imagine that Inspiration has much to say about the folly of using human reason that contradicts the specific commandments of our Creator, sometimes when commenting on the decisions I just referred to and sometimes in counsel to specific individuals in her day.

Regarding the first recorded exercise of human reason, Inspiration says the following:

“Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall. In the judgment, men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning what is truth. Notwithstanding the sophistry of Satan to the contrary, it is always disastrous to disobey God. We must set our hearts to know what is truth. All the lessons which God has caused to be placed on record in His word are for our warning and instruction. They are given to save us from deception. Their neglect will result in ruin to ourselves. Whatever contradicts God’s word, we may be sure proceeds from Satan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 55

“Having herself transgressed, she [Eve] became the agent of Satan working the ruin of her husband. In a state of strange, unnatural excitement, with her hands filled with the forbidden fruit, she sought his presence, and related all that had occurred.

“An expression of sadness came over the face of Adam. He appeared astonished and alarmed. To the words of Eve he replied that this must be the foe against whom they had been warned; and by the divine sentence she must die. In answer she urged him to eat, repeating the words of the serpent, that they should not surely die. She reasoned that this must be true, for she felt no evidence of God’s displeasure, but on the contrary realized a delicious, exhilarating influence, thrilling every faculty with new life, such, she imagined, as inspired the heavenly messengers.

“Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her whose society had been his joy. … He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise serpent be true?” Conflict and Courage, 16

Although Moses reasoned that he was doing what was best to free his people from Egyptian bondage when he killed the Egyptian, it took 40 years of tending sheep for him to learn to ignore human reason and rely solely on divine counsel.

“It was implicit faith in God that made Moses what he was. According to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did. All the learning of the wise men could not make Moses a channel through which the Lord could work, until he lost his self-confidence, realized his own helplessness, and put his trust in God; until he was willing to obey God’s commands, whether they seemed to his human reason to be right or not … .” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 408

Are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to obey God’s commands and the inspired counsel He has so lovingly provided us, whether they seem to our human reason to be right or not?

We’re familiar with the roller coaster obedience of Solomon. His apostasy is recorded this way:

“On the southern eminence of the Mount of Olives, opposite Mount Moriah, where stood the beautiful temple of Jehovah, Solomon erected an imposing pile of buildings to be used as idolatrous shrines. To please his wives, he placed huge idols, unshapely images of wood and stone, amidst the groves of myrtle and olive. There, before the altars of heathen deities, ‘Chemosh, the abomination of Moab,’ and ‘Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon,’ were practiced the most degrading rites of heathenism. 1 Kings 11:7

“Solomon’s course brought its sure penalty. His separation from God through communication with idolaters was his ruin. As he cast off his allegiance to God, he lost the mastery of himself. His moral efficiency was gone. His fine sensibilities became blunted, his conscience seared. He who in his early reign had displayed so much wisdom and sympathy in restoring a helpless babe to its unfortunate mother (see 1 Kings 3:16–28) fell so low as to consent to the erection of an idol to whom living children were offered as sacrifices. He who in his youth was endowed with discretion and understanding, and who in his strong manhood had been inspired to write, ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’ (Proverbs 14:12), in later years departed so far from purity as to countenance licentious, revolting rites connected with the worship of Chemosh and Ashtoreth. He who at the dedication of the temple had said to his people, ‘Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God’ (1 Kings 8:61), became himself an offender, in heart and life denying his own words. He mistook license for liberty. He tried—but at what cost—to unite light with darkness, good with evil, purity with impurity, Christ with Belial.” Prophets and Kings, 57, 58

Yet another failure of human reason is recorded in the downfall of Saul. It was human reason that led him to consult the witch of Endor. After he had acted contrary to the instruction of Samuel, God stopped giving him instruction in his efforts to overcome the enemies of God’s people. Saul reasoned that since God no longer gave him guidance, he would seek out another source of help, even though it was expressly forbidden by God. As a consequence, Saul was rejected as the leader of God’s people.

It was human reason that led Pilate to consent to Jesus’ crucifixion by yielding to the enraged mob, rather than face the possibility of demotion.

“Pilate yielded to the demands of the mob. Rather than risk losing his position, he delivered Jesus up to be crucified. But in spite of his precautions, the very thing he dreaded afterward came upon him. His honors were stripped from him, he was cast down from his high office, and, stung by remorse and wounded pride, not long after the crucifixion he ended his own life. So, all who compromise with sin will gain only sorrow and ruin. ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.’ ” The Desire of Ages, 738

The fifth chapter of Isaiah gives us a record of the results of following human reason that is contrary to the word of God. Inspiration comments on a portion of that chapter.

“God has pronounced a curse upon those who depart from His commandments, and put no difference between common and holy things. He declares by the prophet: ‘Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness! … Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! … which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! … They have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.’ Isaiah 5:20–24. Let no one deceive himself with the belief that a part of God’s commandments are nonessential, or that He will accept a substitute for that which He has required. Said the prophet Jeremiah, ‘Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?’ Lamentations 3:37. God has placed in His word no command which men may obey or disobey at will and not suffer the consequences. If [through the use of human reason] men choose any other path than that of strict obedience, they will find that ‘the end thereof are the ways of death.’ Proverbs 14:12.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 360, 361

In deciding upon any course of action, we are not to reason whether or not harm will result from it, but whether it is in keeping with the will of God.

In a letter written to a young man who was acting contrary to the word of God, Mrs. White gave him this advice, “Your will and your way seem right to you. But unless you see the defects in your character and wash your robe and make it white in the blood of the Lamb, you will surely fail of everlasting life.” Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 2, 381

That same counsel is still valid. Although we can reason that our actions are right, unless we weigh those actions against the word of God to determine their compliance with it, we are in danger of acting contrary to God’s will.

One of the most common errors in the use of human reason lies in surrendering reason which should be guided by God’s word to those we may deem worthy of consideration.

“Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s word that they are light bearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world [or to put it another way, to leave the broad road and walk the narrow way] leads many to follow in the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view in the Bible; and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit attending its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.” The Great Controversy, 596, 597

In discussing the apostasy of the followers of Nimrod and their experience in attempting to build the famed Tower of Babel, Inspiration states the following:

“The schemes of the Babel builders ended in shame and defeat. The monument to their pride became the memorial of their folly. Yet men are continually pursuing the same course—depending upon self, and rejecting God’s law. It is the principle that Satan tried to carry out in heaven; the same that governed Cain in presenting his offering.

“There are tower builders in our time. Infidels construct their theories from the supposed deductions of sciences, and reject the revealed word of God. They presume to pass sentence upon God’s moral government; they despise His law and boast of the sufficiency of human reason.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 123

Inspiration provides another word of caution against using human reason unguided by the word of God.

“The apostasy prevailing today is similar to that which in the prophet’s day overspread Israel. In the exaltation of the human above the divine, in the praise of popular leaders, in the worship of mammon, and in the placing of the teachings of science above the truths of revelation, multitudes today are following after Baal. Doubt and unbelief are exercising their baleful influence over mind and heart, and many are substituting for the oracles of God the theories of men. It is publicly taught that we have reached a time when human reason should be exalted above the teachings of the word.” Prophets and Kings, 170

Although the use of human reason does not always lead to failure, when we surrender our reason to the majesty of divine revelation, we can be assured that our actions will meet with divine approval.

“The Bible unfolds truth with a simplicity and a perfect adaptation to the needs and longings of the human heart that has astonished and charmed the most highly cultivated minds, while it enables the humblest and uncultured to discern the way of salvation. And yet these simply stated truths lay hold upon subjects so elevated, so far-reaching, so infinitely beyond the power of human comprehension, that we can accept them only because God has declared them. Thus, the plan of redemption is laid open to us, so that every soul may see the steps he is to take in repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, in order to be saved in God’s appointed way; yet beneath these truths, so easily understood, lie mysteries that are the hiding of His glory—mysteries that overpower the mind in its research, yet inspire the sincere seeker for truth with reverence and faith. The more he searches the Bible, the deeper is his conviction that it is the Word of the living God, and human reason bows before the majesty of divine revelation.” Steps to Christ, 107, 108

May such be the case with each of us.

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

The Pearl of Great Price

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Review and Herald, August 1 and 8, 1899

The Power that Is Promised to Us

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“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.’ John 14:30.

“We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ.

“He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like passions. As the sinless One, His nature recoiled from evil. He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity and privilege.

“He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity.

“In taking upon Himself man’s nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin. He was subject to the infirmities and weaknesses by which man is encompassed. … He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all points tempted like as we are. And yet He ‘knew no sin.’ He was the lamb ‘without blemish and without spot.’ Could Satan in the least particular have tempted Christ to sin, he would have bruised the Saviour’s head. As it was, he could only touch His heel. Had the head of Christ been touched, the hope of the human race would have perished. Divine wrath would have come upon Christ as it came upon Adam. Christ and the church would have been without hope.

“Not even by a thought could Christ be brought to yield to the power of temptation. … Christ declared of Himself, ‘The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.’

“Jesus did not allow the enemy to pull Him into the mire of unbelief, or crowd Him into the mire of despondency and despair.” The Faith I Live By, 49

“Christ’s humanity was united with divinity, and in this strength He would bear all the temptations that Satan could bring against Him, and yet keep His soul untainted by sin. And this power to overcome He would give to every son and daughter of Adam who would accept by faith the righteous attributes of His character.” Medical Missionary, 48  [Emphasis supplied]

The Sealing Work

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July 19 – 25, 2026

Key Text

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples.” Isaiah 8:16

Study Help: Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 978–982; Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 207–216

Introduction

“Those who belong to the Lord’s kingdom must work earnestly for the saving of souls. They must do their part to bind up the law and seal it among the disciples.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 332

Sunday

1 THE SEAL OF GOD IS RECOVERED

1.a. What is the seal of God and where is it found? Exodus 20:8–11. Among whom is the seal of God to be restored and how? Isaiah 8:16

 

Note: “The seal of God’s law is found in the fourth commandment. This only, of all the ten, brings to view both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It declares Him to be the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence and worship above all others. Aside from this precept, there is nothing in the Decalogue to show by whose authority the law is given. When the Sabbath was changed by the papal power, the seal was taken from the law. The disciples of Jesus are called upon to restore it by exalting the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to its rightful position as the Creator’s memorial and the sign of His authority.” The Great Controversy, 452

1.b. How can we be sure that this restoration is to be carried on in the Christian Era? (Compare Isaiah 8:16, 14 with 1 Peter 2:7–9.)

Monday

2 A VISIBLE SIGN OF DISTINCTION

2.a. How were the Israelites distinguished from the idolaters after their deliverance from Egypt? Exodus 31:13–17

 

Note: “When the Lord delivered His people Israel from Egypt and committed to them His law, He taught them that by the observance of the Sabbath they were to be distinguished from idolaters. It was this that made the distinction between those who acknowledge the sovereignty of God and those who refuse to accept Him as their Creator and King.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 349

2.b. How are God’s people to be distinguished from the world today? Ezekiel 20:20

 

Note: “As the Sabbath was the sign that distinguished Israel when they came out of Egypt to enter the earthly Canaan, so it is the sign that now distinguishes God’s people as they come out from the world to enter the heavenly rest. The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship existing between God and His people, a sign that they honor His law. It distinguishes between His loyal subjects and transgressors.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 349, 350

Tuesday

3 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

3.a. What invisible power must be working in our life so that we may receive the seal of God? Ephesians 4:30. However, what fruits must be visible? Galatians 5:22, 23

 

Note: “What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption. The intelligent mind has seen the sign of the cross of Calvary in the Lord’s adopted sons and daughters. The sin of the transgression of the law of God is taken away. They have on the wedding garment, and are obedient and faithful to all God’s commands.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 968

 3.b. How does the Holy Spirit seal a person? John 16:13. And what is the truth? John 17:17; Psalm 119:142

 

Note: “The work of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy principles, showing in a high, elevated sense, the line of demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God and those who trample them under their feet. The sanctification of the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal of God and those who keep a spurious rest day.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 980

“Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already.” Ibid., Vol. 4, 1161

Wednesday

4 A SPECIAL CLASS

4.a What are the characteristics of the 144,000 sealed saints? Revelation 14:1–5, 12; Psalm 15

 

Note: “ ‘And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.’ Revelation 14:1–4. This scripture represents the character of the people of God for these last days.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 977, 978

“The mighty power of the Holy Spirit works an entire transformation in the character of the human agent, making him a new creature in Christ Jesus. When a man is filled with the Spirit, the more severely he is tested and tried, the more clearly he proves that he is a representative of Christ. The peace that dwells in the soul is seen on the countenance. The words and actions express the love of the Saviour. There is no striving for the highest place. Self is renounced. The name of Jesus is written on all that is said and done.

“We may talk of the blessings of the Holy Spirit, but unless we prepare ourselves for its reception, of what avail are our works? Are we striving with all our power to attain to the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for His fullness, ever pressing toward the mark set before us—the perfection of His character? When the Lord’s people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads.” The Review and Herald, June 10, 1902

 4.b.  How many conquerors will there be under the threefold message? Revelation 7:4. Why so few? Luke 13:23–25

 

Note: “The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice [of God], while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.” Early Writings, 15

“Only those who receive the seal of the living God will have the passport through the gates of the Holy City. But there are many who take upon themselves responsibilities in connection with the work of God who are not wholehearted believers, and while they remain thus cannot receive the seal of the living God.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 970

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.” The Review and Herald, March 9, 1905

Thursday

5 A CLEAR DISTINCTION

5.a. Why will many believers in the third angel’s message be left without the seal of God? Ezekiel 9:2–8; 33:31

 

Note: “Those that overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, will be the favored ones who shall receive the seal of the living God. Those whose hands are not clean, whose hearts are not pure, will not have the seal of the living God. Those who are planning sin and acting it will be passed by. Only those who, in their attitude before God, are filling the position of those who are repenting and confessing their sins in the great antitypical day of atonement, will be recognized and marked as worthy of God’s protection. The names of those who are steadfastly looking and waiting and watching for the appearing of their Saviour—more earnestly and wishfully than they who wait for the morning—will be numbered with those who are sealed. Those who, while having all the light of truth flashing upon their souls, should have works corresponding to their avowed faith, but are allured by sin, setting up idols in their hearts, corrupting their souls before God, and polluting those who unite with them in sin, will have their names blotted out of the book of life, and be left in midnight darkness, having no oil in their vessels with their lamps. ‘Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings.’ Malachi 4:2

“This sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown to Ezekiel in vision. John also had been a witness of this most startling revelation.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 445

5.b. What is the great burden of those who will be sealed? Ezekiel 9:4. What separation must be completed before they can receive the seal of God’s approval and protection?

 

Note: “Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those ‘that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done’ in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 267

“The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.” Ibid., Vol. 5, 505

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. Why is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment so significant?
  2. What does the Sabbath reveal about those who seek to keep it holy?
  3. How does the seal of God involve more than just the seventh day?
  4. Why will many professing Sabbath keepers be sadly disappointed at the judgment bar of God?
  5. In view of this solemn message, what is our responsibility?

Copyright 1998, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Sabbathkeeping, a Test of Loyalty

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July 12 – 18, 2026

Key Text

“Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” Ezekiel 20:12

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 281–289; The Great Controversy, 49–54

Introduction

“As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.” The Desire of Ages, 288

Sunday

1 LEARNING FROM CHRIST

1.a. What is the evidence that the Sabbath was not made only for the Jews? Genesis 2:1–3; Mark 2:27 How did Christ illustrate correct (or lawful) Sabbathkeeping? Matthew 12:1–13; Luke 13:10–17

 

Note: “The Jews had so perverted the law that they made it a yoke of bondage. Their meaningless requirements had become a byword among other nations. Especially was the Sabbath hedged in by all manner of senseless restrictions. It was not to them a delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable. The scribes and Pharisees had made its observance an intolerable burden. A Jew was not allowed to kindle a fire nor even to light a candle on the Sabbath. As a consequence, the people were dependent upon the Gentiles for many services which their rules forbade them to do for themselves. They did not reflect that if these acts were sinful, those who employed others to perform them were as guilty as if they had done the work themselves. They thought that salvation was restricted to the Jews, and that the condition of all others, being already hopeless, could be made no worse.” The Desire of Ages, 204

1.b. Explain why the Jews had no valid proof to accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. Luke 6:6–11; Matthew 26:59, 60; John 15:10; John 8:46

 

Note: “The Pharisees accused Christ of breaking the Sabbath because He had healed a man upon the Sabbath day; but His words made it evident that He had not violated the command of God. He declared that they were ignorant both of the Scriptures and the power of God, and reminded them that if they had known what this meaneth, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’ they would not have condemned the guiltless. He carried their minds back to the law and to the testimony, to the words which He Himself had spoken when enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, and revealed to them the principles of the law of God. He showed them that to relieve the suffering of either man or beast on the Sabbath day was in harmony with the commandment of God.” The Signs of the Times, January 16, 1896

“Neither the Saviour nor His followers broke the law of the Sabbath. Christ was a living representative of the law. No violation of its holy precepts was found in His life. Looking upon a nation of witnesses who were seeking occasion to condemn Him, He could say unchallenged, ‘Which of you convicteth Me of sin?’ John 8:46, R.V.” The Desire of Ages, 287

Monday

2 LEARNING FROM CHRIST’S DISCIPLES

2.a. What was the practice of the disciples whom Christ had instructed by precept and example? Luke 23:54–56. What did He further exhort them to do? Matthew 24:20

 

Note: “Man has no right nor power to substitute the first day for the seventh. He may pretend to do this; ‘nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure’ (2 Timothy 2:19). The customs and teachings of men will not lessen the claims of the divine law. God has sanctified the seventh day. That specified portion of time, set apart by God Himself for religious worship, continues as sacred today as when first hallowed by our Creator.” The Review and Herald, May 16, 1882

“Christ gave His disciples a sign of the ruin to come on Jerusalem, and He told them how to escape: ‘When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.’ This warning was given to be heeded forty years after, at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Christians obeyed the warning, and not a Christian perished in the fall of the city.” The Desire of Ages, 630

2.b. Quote more examples proving that the disciples continued keeping the Sabbath even after Christ’s resurrection. Acts 16:13; 17:2; 18:4, 11

 

Note: “In the first centuries, the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians. They were jealous for the honor of God, and, believing that His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts.” The Great Controversy, 52

Tuesday

3 A BREACH IN THE LAW OF GOD

3.a. During the third and fourth centuries of the Christian Era, what breach was made in the law of God? Daniel 7:25

 

Note: “In nearly every council, the Sabbath which God had instituted was pressed down a little lower, while the Sunday was correspondingly exalted. Thus, the pagan festival came finally to be honored as a divine institution, while the Bible Sabbath was pronounced a relic of Judaism.” The Great Controversy, 53

3.b. What work of repair is to be accomplished in these last days and by whom? Isaiah 58:12

 

Note: “The prophet here describes a people who, in a time of general departure from truth and righteousness, are seeking to restore the principles that are the foundation of the kingdom of God. …

“The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired. God’s remnant people, standing before the world as reformers, are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform and that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to stand as a memorial of creation, a constant reminder of the power of God.” Prophets and Kings, 677, 678

Wednesday

4 REPAIRERS OF THE BREACH

4.a. Discuss the deeper meaning of “not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words” on God’s holy day. Isaiah 58:13 (Compare Exodus 20:8–11 and 1 John 3:22.)

 

Note: “All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the Sabbath in their families and make it the most interesting day of the week. We should devote time to interesting our children.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, 584

“Far more sacredness is attached to the Sabbath than is given it by many professed Sabbathkeepers. The Lord has been greatly dishonored by those who have not kept the Sabbath according to the commandment, either in the letter or in the spirit. He calls for a reform in the observance of the Sabbath.” Ibid., Vol. 6, 353

“Every man has been placed on trial, as were Adam and Eve in Eden. As the tree of knowledge was placed in the midst of the garden of Eden, so the Sabbath command is placed in the midst of the decalogue. In regard to the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the restriction was made, ‘Ye shall not eat of it, … lest ye die’ [Genesis 3:3]. Of the Sabbath, God said, Ye shall not defile it, but keep it holy. … As the tree of knowledge was the test of Adam’s obedience, so the fourth command is the test that God has given to prove the loyalty of all His people.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1106

4.b. What promises are assured to all restorers of the breach? Isaiah 58:14

 

Note: “ ‘If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; … then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.’ Isaiah 58:13, 14. To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ’s creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption. While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Saviour. And every object in nature repeats His invitation, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you Rest.’ Matthew 11:28.” The Desire of Ages, 289

Thursday

5 ENTERING INTO SPIRITUAL REST

5.a. Sabbathkeeping is an outward sign of what rest? Ezekiel 20:12; Matthew 11:28–30; Hebrews 4:3–6, 9–11

 

Note: “ ‘There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. … Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.’ Hebrews 4:9, 11. The rest here spoken of is the rest of grace, obtained by following the prescription, Labor diligently. Those who learn of Jesus His meekness and lowliness find rest in the experience of practicing His lessons. It is not in indolence, in selfish ease and pleasure-seeking, that rest is obtained. Those who are unwilling to give the Lord faithful, earnest, loving service will not find spiritual rest in this life or in the life to come. Only from earnest labor comes peace and joy in the Holy Spirit—happiness on earth and glory hereafter.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 928

5.b. What place will the Sabbath of the Lord occupy when the work of restoration is completed? Isaiah 66:23

 

Note: “When there shall be a ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph’s tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as ‘from one Sabbath to another’ (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb.” The Desire of Ages, 769, 770

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. How did Christ exalt the seventh-day Sabbath when on earth?
  2. When confronted by those who claim that the early disciples kept Sunday, what Scriptural evidence must we present to them?
  3. How are we restoring the memorial of God’s creation today?
  4. What is God’s promise to the repairers of the breach?
  5. How can we truly appreciate the spiritual nature of the Sabbath?

Copyright 1998, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Third Angel and His Message

by

July 5 – 11, 2026

Key text

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

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 634–636; Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 14–22

Introduction

“Prophecy brings to view a class that, as the result of the threefold message, are keeping the commandments of God.” The Great Controversy, 437

Sunday

1 THE BEGINNING OF THE END

1.a. What messages mark the beginning of the work of restoration before the coming of Christ? Revelation 14:6–11

 

Note: “To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished. God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity, and in His mercy, He was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor and lead them to make ready for the coming of the Lord. This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14.” The Great Controversy, 311

1.b. What will be the result of the proclamation of this message? Revelation 14:12

 

Note: “Though often in the midst of reproach and persecution, a constant testimony has been borne to the perpetuity of the law of God and the sacred obligation of the creation Sabbath.

“These truths, as presented in Revelation 14 in connection with ‘the everlasting gospel,’ will distinguish the church of Christ at the time of His appearing. For as the result of the threefold message it is announced: ‘Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ And this message is the last to be given before the coming of the Lord.” The Great Controversy, 453, 454

Monday

2 A FITTING REPRESENTATION

2.a. Who are represented by the three angels? Zechariah 8:12

 

Note: “The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth’s history. No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe of heaven. Men and women, enlightened by the Spirit of God and sanctified through the truth, proclaim the three messages in their order.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 387

2.b. What does the third angel of Revelation 14 proclaim? Revelation 14:9–11

 

Note: “[One] class firmly held that the Lord had led them in their past experience; and as they waited and watched and prayed to know the will of God they saw that their great High Priest had entered upon another work of ministration, and, following Him by faith, they were led to see also the closing work of the church. They had a clearer understanding of the first and second angels’ messages, and were prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warning of the third angel of Revelation 14.” The Great Controversy, 432

Tuesday

3 THE SCOPE OF THE MESSAGE

3.a. What prophetic description fits the popular churches today? 2 Timothy 3:1–5, 7. Since the law of God has been trampled underfoot, what is the scope of the third angel’s message in the world?

 

Note: “The Lord God of heaven will not send upon the world His judgments for disobedience and transgression until He has sent His watchmen to give the warning. He will not close up the period of probation until the message shall be more distinctly proclaimed. The law of God is to be magnified; its claims must be presented in their true, sacred character, that the people may be brought to decide for or against the truth. Yet the work will be cut short in righteousness. The message of Christ’s righteousness is to sound from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the way of the Lord. This is the glory of God, which closes the work of the third angel.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 19

3.b. How will history be repeated? Acts 2:21

 

Note: “God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, ‘Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me.’ Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, ‘Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.’ Genesis 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So, Christ’s disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ’s second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.” The Desire of Ages, 634

Wednesday

4 THE LAST MESSAGE AND MESSENGERS

4.a. What is the object of the message of Revelation 14 within the church? Malachi 3:2; Revelation 3:18–20

 

Note: “Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14.” The Great Controversy, 425

4.b. What is the evidence that this message is the last warning to be given to the world before the end? Revelation 14:14, 15

 

Note: “When Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of the atonement, He committed to His servants the last message of mercy to be given to the world. Such is the warning of the third angel of Revelation 14. Immediately following its proclamation, the Son of man is seen by the prophet coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 273

“We are nearing the close of this earth’s history. We have before us a great work—the closing work of giving the last warning message to a sinful world. There are men who will be taken from the plow, from the vineyard, from various other branches of work, and sent forth by the Lord to give this message to the world.

“The world is out of joint. As we look at the picture, the outlook seems discouraging. But Christ greets with hopeful assurance the very men and women who cause us discouragement. In them He sees qualifications that will enable them to take a place in His vineyard. If they will constantly be learners, through His providence He will make them men and women fitted to do a work that is not beyond their capabilities; through the impartation of the Holy Spirit, He will give them power of utterance.” Evangelism, 48

Thursday

5 NO SECOND PROBATION

5.a. How are we deciding our own destiny as we hear the third angel’s message? Deuteronomy 30:19

 

Note: “There is no work in our world so great, so sacred, and so glorious, no work that God honors so much, as this gospel work. The message presented at this time is the last message of mercy for a fallen world. Those who have the privilege of hearing this message, and who persist in refusing to heed the warning, cast away their last hope of salvation. There will be no second probation.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 19

“There will be a sharp conflict between those who are loyal to God and those who cast scorn upon His law. Reverence for God’s law has been subverted. The religious leaders are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. As it was in the days of ancient Israel, so it is in this age of the world. But because of the prevalence of disloyalty and transgression, will those who have reverenced the law of God now cherish less respect for it? Will they unite with the powers of earth to make it void? The loyal will not be carried away by the current of evil. They will not throw contempt on that which God has set apart as holy. They will not follow Israel’s example of forgetfulness; they will call to remembrance God’s dealings with His people in all ages, and will walk in the way of His commandments.

“The test comes to everyone. There are only two sides. On which side are you?” Ibid., Vol. 8, 120

5.b. What is the loud voice of the third angel’s message? Acts 2:3, 4, 17. How can we take part in the promised blessing, and what is the next important event? Acts 3:19, 20; Hebrews 9:28

 

Note: “The Spirit which characterized that wonderful meeting on the Day of Pentecost is waiting to manifest its power upon the men who are now standing between the living and the dead as ambassadors for God. The power which stirred the people so mightily in the 1844 movement will again be revealed. The third angel’s message will go forth, not in whispered tones, but with a loud voice.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 252

“It is ‘unto them that look for Him’ that Christ is to ‘appear the second time without sin unto salvation.’ Hebrews 9:28.” The Great Controversy, 315

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. What is to distinguish Christ’s true church at His coming?
  2. Who is the third angel, and what is his message?
  3. How is Bible history soon to be repeated?
  4. What responsibilities rest upon all who hear this vital message?
  5. What should strengthen us in sharing the third angel’s message?

Copyright 1998, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.