To prepare people for eternal life.
IssueM Articles
2 1/2 cups celery, chopped
3 medium onions, chopped
3 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons water
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup pecan or sunflower meal
3 cups dried bread cubes
3 cups soy milk or whizzed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon sage
Sauté together the first four ingredients. Combine well all ingredients and place in oiled loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cover loaf while baking except for the last 20 minutes. Serve with gravy.
Some Americans are obsessed with protein. Vegans—individuals who refrain from eating all animal products—are bombarded with questions about where they get their protein. Athletes used to eat thick steaks before competition because they thought it would improve their performance. Protein supplements are sold at health food stores. This concern about protein is misplaced. Although protein is certainly an essential nutrient which plays many key roles in the way our bodies function, we do not need huge quantities of it. In reality, we need small amounts of protein. The protein recommendation for vegans amounts to close to 10 percent of calories coming from protein. This contrasts with the protein intake of non-vegetarians, which is close to 14–18 percent of calories.
Being vegetarian does not mean your diet will be lacking in protein. Most plant foods contain protein, and in fact, it would be very difficult to design a vegetarian diet that is short on protein. In the United States, it appears that vegan diets are commonly lower in protein than standard American diets. Remember, though, with protein, more is not necessarily better. There do not appear to be health advantages to consuming a high protein diet. Diets that are high in protein may even increase the risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease. It is now thought that one of the benefits of a vegetarian diet is that it contains adequate but not excessive protein.
Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. There are about 20 different amino acids, 8 of which must be present in the diet. These are the essential amino acids. Unlike animal proteins, plant proteins may not contain all the essential amino acids in the necessary proportions. However, a varied vegetarian diet means a mixture of proteins are consumed, the amino acids in one protein compensating for the deficiencies of another.
It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein. Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain some, and often much, protein. Fruits, sugars, and fats do not provide much protein, so a diet based only on these foods would have a good chance of being too low in protein. Vegans eating varied diets containing vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds rarely have any difficulty getting enough protein as long as their diet contains enough energy (calories) to maintain weight.
Eating a variety of unrefined grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and vegetables throughout the day, so that if one food is low in a particular essential amino acid another food will make up this deficit, is strongly recommended.
Are pictures or photographs the same as graven images?
Pictures may surely become idols. However, just because some people may overdo on picture taking does not make it all a sin. Pictures are often an asset to the work of God. They can also be a great influence for evil. Therefore, let us see what inspiration has to say about pictures and also about idols.
Ellen White wrote: “It is a difficult matter for men and women to draw the line in the matter of picture-making. Some have made a raid against pictures, daguerreo-types [an early photograph produced on a silver or a silver-covered copper plate], and pictures of every kind. Everything must be burned up, they say, urging that the making of all pictures is prohibited by the second commandment; that they are an idol.
“An idol is anything that human beings love and trust in instead of loving and trusting in the Lord their Maker. Whatever earthly thing men desire and trust in as having power to help them and do them good, leads them away from God, and is to them an idol. Whatever divides the affections, or takes away from the soul the supreme love of God, or interposes to prevent unlimited confidence and entire trust in God, assumes the character and takes the form of an idol in the soul temple.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 330.
“A few condemned pictures, urging that they are prohibited by the second commandment, and that everything of this kind should be destroyed.
“These one-idea men can see nothing except to press the one thing that presents itself to their minds. Years ago we had to meet this same spirit and work. Men arose claiming to have been sent with a message condemning pictures, and urging that every likeness of anything should be destroyed. They went to such lengths as even to condemn clocks which had figures, or ‘pictures,’ upon them. …
“A few in _____ had gone so far as to burn all the pictures in their possession, destroying even the likenesses of their friends. While we had no sympathy with these fanatical movements, we advised that those who had burned their pictures should not incur the expense of replacing them. If they had acted conscientiously, they should be satisfied to let the matter rest where it was. But they ought not to require others to do as they had done. They should not endeavor to be conscience for their brethren and sisters.” Evangelism, 216.
Positive counsel is also given regarding the use of object lessons, blackboards, maps, and pictures to aid in explaining lessons to students. (Education, 186.) And warning is given to parents to guard their children against “the lovesick pen pictures presented in newspapers.” (The Adventist Home, 415, 416.)
We are told that we should have no other gods before the God of heaven, so we must put God first and last in everything we do or see. We must be sure that our photos are not a source of pride or have caused a great expenditure of funds that could have been used in furthering God’s work. “Those who claim to believe in Christ need to realize that they are to reflect His image. It is His likeness that is to be kept before the mind.” Messages to Young People, 316, 317.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29.
World-renowned figures as diverse as philosophers Plato and Nietzsche, political leaders Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, and pop icons Paul McCartney and Bob Marley have all advocated a vegetarian diet. Science is also on the side of vegetarianism. Multitudes of studies have demonstrated the remarkable health benefits of a vegetarian diet.
Vegetarian is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who abstain from all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, so vegan diets are the healthiest overall.
Vegetarian diets—naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and replete with cancer-protective phytochemicals—help to prevent cancer. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters.1-3 In the United States, studies of Seventh-day Adventists have shown significant reductions in cancer risk among those who avoided meat.4, 5 Sim-
ilarly, breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in nations, such as China, that follow plant-based diets.6 Interestingly, Japanese women who follow Western-style, meat-based diets are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who follow a more traditional plant-based diet.7 Meat and dairy products contribute to many forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, ovaries, and prostate.
Harvard studies that included tens of thousands of women and men have shown that regular meat consumption increases colon cancer risk by roughly 300 percent.8, 9 High-fat diets also encourage the body’s production of estrogens, in particular, estradiol. Increased levels of this sex hormone have been linked to breast cancer. A recent report noted that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was one-third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.10 A separate study from Cambridge University also linked diets high in saturated fat to breast cancer.11 One study linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The process of breaking down the lactose (milk sugar) into galactose evidently damages the ovaries.12 Daily meat consumption triples the risk of prostate enlargement. Regular milk consumption doubles the risk and failure to consume vegetables regularly nearly quadruples the risk.13
Vegetarians avoid the animal fat linked to cancer and get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of “natural killer cells,” specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.14
Vegetarian diets also help prevent heart disease. Animal products are the main source of saturated fat and the only source of cholesterol in the diet. Vegetarians avoid these risky products. Additionally, fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels15 and animal products contain no fiber. When individuals switch to a high-fiber, low-fat diet their serum cholesterol levels often drop dramatically.16, 17 Studies have demonstrated that a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet combined with stress reduction techniques, smoking cessation, and exercise, or combined with prudent drug intervention, could actually reverse atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries.18, 19 Heart diets that include lean meat, dairy products, and chicken are much less effective, usually only slowing the process of atherosclerosis.
©2007 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; all rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
To be continued …
Moth
s are well known for their abilities to blend into their environment by using camouflage to match tree bark, dead leaves, and lichens. Some even have odd structures on their bodies or distort the shape of their bodies to mimic spines, twigs, and broken stubs on branches. Besides being masters of camouflage, moths use other strategies to keep from falling prey to predators.
Metalmark moths have wing markings that resemble the markings on jumping spiders which prey on them. The moths further the resemblance by behaving like the jumping spiders. They adopt a particular posture with their hind wings fanned out and brought forward, positioned perpendicular to the forewings. Since jumping spiders are very territorial, they back off from the threatening appearing moth. This converse situation, in which the prey mimics its predator, is very rare. Some moths in the tropics have spider designs on their wings to frighten away predators. One species of moth has thick hairy legs and body, and rests with all its legs pointing forward, making it look like the front end of a tarantula. Another moth has the design of a fly on each forewing to divert the pecks of birds away from its body. There are moths that mimic wasps, and some that mimic bird droppings. Many moths have large eyespots on their hind wings which are hidden while resting but when disturbed are flashed into view to startle a would-be predator like a bird into thinking it has disturbed an owl or other dangerous creature.
Even the caterpillars of the moths use deception to survive. Many use camouflage and some mimic bird droppings and twigs. Others mimic predators. Hag moth caterpillars look like hairy spiders complete with false legs. The lobster moth caterpillar mimics an ant and even squirts formic acid from a special gland like an ant. Several moth caterpillars in the tropics mimic snakes by inflating the front end of their bodies into a snake-like head, complete with large imitation snake-like eyes.
Like the moths, Satan is a master of deception. Not only has he deceived billions of people in the past, but his greatest deception is yet to come. “As the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ draws near, satanic agencies are moved from beneath. Satan will not only appear as a human being, but he will personate Jesus Christ; and the world who has rejected the truth will receive him as the Lord of lords and King of kings. …
“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13–15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. … This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. …
“But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this false christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures.” Maranatha, 276.
David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.
We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, “Hi!” He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man wearing baggy pants, and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty; his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard, and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. “Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,” the man said to Erik.
My husband and I exchanged looks, “What do we do?”
Erik continued to laugh and answer, “Hi.”
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man, who was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came, and the man began shouting from across the room, “Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo.”
Nobody thought the old man was cute. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid row bum, who reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal.
My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between the door and me. “Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,” I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby’s pick-me-up position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man’s.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man’s ragged shoulder. The man’s eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby’s bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms, then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm, commanding voice, “You take care of this baby.”
Somehow I managed, “I will,” from a throat that contained a stone.
He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly. As I received my baby, the man said, “God bless you, ma’am. You’ve given me my Christmas gift.”
With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, “My God, my God, forgive me.”
I had just witnessed Christ’s love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, “Are you willing to share your son for a moment?” when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged, old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, “To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.” (Matthew 18:3.)
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last.” [Matthew 20:1–16.]
The laborers for the Master were his official servants, upon whom he laid the weightiest responsibilities to do his work. And he agreed to give them their wages. From time to time he added others to the laborers, saying, “Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.” Some were found waiting for work at the eleventh hour, only one hour before the close of the working-day. When the reckoning-time between the master and workers came, the last hired were the first paid. When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more than those who had worked for so short a period; but they received every man a penny. Yet those who received all that had been promised them were displeased.
This parable was forever to quench the eager, grasping, mercenary spirit which is so offensive to God. Those who possessed this spirit were revealing their own unworthiness of having their wages increased, or to have the highest place. The complaint was: “These last have wrought but one hour; and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.” The answer came: “Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? . . . Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
The spirit with which each one labors is what determines his usefulness and faithfulness in the work. In all who indulge the spirit of criticizing and murmuring, these attributes are confirmed, and thus the root of dissension and bitterness grows up imperceptibly. When circumstances occur that demand the most attentive, whole-souled interest, to do the right kind of work, to co-operate with God, such are found on the wrong side. Satan’s temptations find a place in their mind and heart; and they work to counteract, rather than to co-operate with, God.
The Lord understands all the defects in human character. He desires to save man. It was for this purpose that he came to this world. In him all sufficiency dwells. In him dwells all “the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” [Colossians 2:9.] The defective characters that remain thus, when One is among them who came to our world for the express purpose of taking away the sin of the world, make manifest that they do not appreciate the attributes of Christ sufficiently to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and they will not be exalted as worthy. “Blessed are the meek,” were the words that fell from his divine lips; “for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” [Matthew 5:5–9.]
These are the characters that are fitting for heaven. Christ is every possible strength to all who will appropriate his words by faith. He is indeed the Bread of life. No man, woman, youth, or child can say, I have cravings that he can not satisfy. All cravings that he does not fill are supplied with a superior sufficiency, which is for the perfection of Christian character.
We all need to understand that the craving for supremacy is placing men where they will never gain the supremacy in the future life, even if they gain it in this. The ordinance of feet-washing was a revealer of character, and always will be. The Holy Spirit is present on such occasions to convict of sin, and the heart is touched and made contrite. The penitential confession clears the moral atmosphere of the soul, and awakens holy principles. The subduing grace of Christ comes into the heart, and the love of Christ draws hearts together in a blessed unity. Sins are seen in the light in which God views them. They are confessed; they are forgiven.
The administration of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is for the purpose of making a forcible illustration of the infinite sacrifice made for a sinful world, and for us individually, as a part of that great whole of fallen humanity, before whose eyes Christ has evidently been set forth crucified among them.
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 11:23–27.]
This is a special service; and in its observance there is to be a peaceful, grateful heart. Inasmuch as this service, in the bread and wine, represents the body the Lord gave for the sin of the world, the ministration of the sacrament is commemorative of Christ’s humiliation, betrayal, and sufferings, as an offered sacrifice. In symbol, Christ is set forth crucified among us. The representative of Christ is present. No one can partake of the emblems of the Lord’s sacrifice in behalf of the world, with his spiritual sensibilities in full and free exercise, without recalling the whole painful history connected with the scene of Christ’s communion with his disciples. Before the mind passes the whole scene of his great agony in the garden of Gethsemane. All the abuse and suffering that man could heap upon his fellow man were endured by our Lord and Master.
The Lord Jesus is present on every occasion. He reads every purpose of the heart, and his righteous principles are vindicated in the heart-searching, the heart-humbling, the penitence; and the atonement itself provided by Infinite Love is acceptable to God, and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the sinner. The humiliating ordinance is made an occasion of appeal to the spiritual imagination, and there is a vital connection with Jesus Christ. If a man is to be convinced, the truth as it is in Jesus must be presented to his mind, and must appeal to his heart. Christ refuses every other method,—everything like compulsion, or restriction, or force. His only weapons are truth and love. “I, if I be lifted up from the earth,” he says, “will draw all men unto me.” [John 12:32.] Fallen humanity is drawn, not forced, into any position.
To all who receive Him, Christ is an inexhaustible treasure-house of supply for all spiritual necessities. Then let us take in all the blessedness of the provision made, that when we shall engage in the ordinance of feet-washing, we may take in all its significance. The Holy Watcher is present from heaven to make this season one of soul-searching, one of conviction of sin, and of the blessed assurance of sins forgiven. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” They have the blessed assurance, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Romans 5:1, 2; Matthew 28:20.]
And now, with humble, subdued, and grateful hearts, they come to the sacramental service. We need to have an understanding that we are living under the dispensation of the Spirit. Our senses must be cultivated through the improvement of our God-given opportunities to lay hold, with intellect and soul, upon the mystery of godliness by obtaining a more thorough knowledge of the work of redemption. This is not to be merely the work that ministers must do. Every soul who names the name of Christ must participate in it. The members of the church who listen to the word that is preached among them are to put to a practical use that word as a God-sent message to them individually. They are to comprehend, which it is the privilege of all to do, far more intelligently and deeply than they have done, the expiatory sufferings of Christ.
Christ was performing an act of service for his disciples. He took a towel, and girded himself. He had many things to say to them, but how would they bear it? He saw that commotions of a forbidding order were taking hold upon them. Contention had come in among them. For one of their number to wash the feet of the rest was, they thought, an act to be looked down upon,—an act that servants were supposed to do always,—and there was no one that made a move, yet, the while, all were trying to appear unconscious. O, how wretchedly miserable they felt! They seemed to think only of themselves. What terrible selfishness, and choosing to have their own way!
The Saviour let the matter linger a little while, to see if their hearts would change. And then he, the one they loved, rose, and laid aside his garments, and, taking a towel, girded himself, pouring water into the basin. It was then that the disciples were astonished and ashamed. Christ could not have put upon them a greater rebuke. In his heart he pitied his disciples. He knew that after his death, all this scene would scourge them, and be sufficient punishment. His soul was already pressed under a severe load, that none of them could enter into. But his love did not change at all. He knew that the hour was just before him when he should depart out of this world, and go unto the Father; yet, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. His love was enduring; it was divine. Their childish jealousies and passions were hurting their own souls.
Christ gave no word of rebuke to Judas,—the poor, sinful man who had allowed himself to become the channel of darkness. O that he would be ashamed, convicted, and be willing to cast out Satan! But Judas turned the wrong way. The greater the goodness, the humility, and the love of Christ expressed toward him, the more powerful were the enemy’s presentations that this was not the Son of God, but a pretender. Judas knew better; but he braced his soul against light. He had given up all hope of temporal preferment, and now sought to obliterate from his mind everything that he had heard. He had often been deeply impressed under the Holy Spirit’s working; but he fought away from Jesus, and became a traitor, a betrayer.
The disciples knew nothing of the purposes of Judas. Jesus alone could read his secret. Yet the Master did not expose him. When Jesus’ precious hands were bathing those soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel, the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with an impulse there and then to confess. He was the first one whose feet were washed. The way Christ treated his disciples, and especially poor, deluded Judas, was a sample of his treatment of them all through his association with them. Judas was not, in appearance or deportment, the low, villainous man that might be supposed. He was considered by his associate disciples to be a man of great capabilities. He had considerable breadth of knowledge, and his qualifications would have been valuable if they had been sanctified to the service of God. But while the disciples were ashamed, mortified, and conscience-stricken, their hearts subdued and broken, they felt their hearts go out to Jesus with that deep, earnest faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Judas was rejecting Jesus.
When Peter’s turn came, he utterly refused to allow Christ to touch his feet. He would gladly have taken the place of the Master, and become even a slave for his sake. He exclaimed, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” [John 13:8.] But Christ told him, as he had told John when he refused to baptize Jesus, “Suffer it to be so now.” [Matthew 3:15.] That which he did not understand then, he would better comprehend at another time. He assured Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” [John 13:8.] Except in the case of one, this washing signified the cleansing from sin. He said, “Ye are clean, but not all.” [John 13:10.] Judas would not be cleansed by repentance, remorse, and confession. His last chance was being offered him. In his heart, Jesus felt the keenness of hunger for that soul. His soul had a burden similar to that he bore when he wept over the doomed city on the crest of Olivet. In his agony of tears his heart said, “How shall I give thee up?” “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” [Hosea 11:8; Luke 19:42.] Judas’ last chance was gone.
When Christ told Peter that unless he submitted to this service, he could have no part with him, Peter surrendered his pride and self-will. This can never, never be. He was all broken up at the thought, and exclaimed, “Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” [John 13:9.] Jesus had a lesson, deep, full, and significant: “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” [John 13:10.] The true version reads, “He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet.” That lesson comprehended more than bodily cleansing. The feet of Judas were washed, but his heart was defiled with sin. In the very act of girding himself with a towel to wash the feet of his disciples, Jesus would subdue and cleanse them from their alienation, and dissension, and jealousy, and pride. Not one of them was in an acceptable state before God, with such a spirit of unhappy dissension. The renewed heart, cleansed from every defilement, was of far more consequence than the outward application of water to their dusty feet. Jesus could not give them the lessons he so much desired to impart unless they would come into a proper state of humility and affection. Dissension always creates hatred, but Christ washed it away in the act of washing his disciples’ feet. A change of feeling did come; the union of heart and love for one another did exist. They became meek, teachable, and loving, and would have conceded to any one the highest place. They were prepared to partake of the last supper with fragrant feelings of love, deep and full, for their Master and for one another.
Shall we learn the lesson of the marvelous wisdom and love of God? Shall we, at the ordinance of feet-washing, be softened and subdued, as were the first disciples? Peter shrank from bringing his soiled feet in touch with the hands of his Lord and Master; yet how often we bring our sinful, polluted souls in contact with the heart of Christ, who hates nothing but sin. O, how we grieve the pure, holy Spirit of Christ with our defiling sins! We are not prepared for the appreciation of the holy communion with Christ and with one another unless we are cleansed by his efficacy.
We need closely to investigate our life and character, and have true contrition of soul, having fellowship with Christ and fellowship with our brethren. Then we shall show that we can appreciate the work of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts. The barriers of pride, of self-sufficiency, are first to be broken down; then the love of Jesus will abound in our hearts. Then we can partake of the communion with a consciousness of sins forgiven; for whosoever sits down at the communion service should sit down humble and clean in heart, and purified from all defilement. Then the sunshine of Christ’s righteousness will fill the chambers of our minds and the soul temple. We shall “behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” [John 1:29.]
This humble service is to recover man from the difficulties of sin. We are to bear in mind that in washing one another’s feet, we are in Christ’s place. And while we do this service, Christ is our witness; angels are watching, and the atmosphere of heaven is surrounding us. When we do just what Christ has charged us to do, we are bringing ourselves in close relation to our Lord, who is present on that occasion. There is One in our midst who has said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:20.] He is present to impress hearts. The life of him who is the Light from above and the Way below, will guide into all truth every soul who will come to him. His whole life was an unfolding of his love,—a revelation of the character of God. His Father is our Father.
We can better take part in this instituted ordinance when we call to mind his words: “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” [John 13:12–20.]
Review and Herald, June 28, 1898; July 5, 1898.
A statement written by Ellen White and published in the March 9, 1905, Review and Herald defines the attitude we should have right now: “Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.” It will take all the power that God has given us! It is important to remember that apart from the power He will supply, He will make up for our deficiencies, but we must strive; we have to put forth that effort.
Revelation 7:1–4 clearly identifies the period of time in which we are living: “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
The winds of strife indeed are being held, being held until God’s people have received His seal. As we see all the problems in the world right now, does it not cause us to wonder what is going to happen once the four winds are let loose? Mrs. White stated: “Every city is to be turned upside down every way. There will be confusion in every city. Everything that can be shaken is to be shaken.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 248. That is almost unfathomable to us—thinking of every city being “turned upside down in every way.”
The city of Seattle, Washington, seemed to be turned upside down when it received six inches of snow—an unusual amount of snow for that area. The worst thing was that it came at 4:00 p.m., right at the beginning of rush hour when everyone was trying to get home from work. On the freeways, if there is just one accident it backs up traffic for miles, and when there are so many accidents you cannot even number them, that is a huge problem. Many people were still trying to get home from work the next morning, because of all the backed up traffic.
I was going to a Bible study when it started to snow. Having grown up in Iowa, I am familiar with snow, and it does not scare me a whole lot. The road was kind of slick, but I just kept driving—and noticing the cars going this way and that way and every which way along the road. Then I reached the major road where all the traffic was, and I thought, I am not getting on that road! I tried to find a different route, but that did not work any better. Finally, I realized that I was not going to make it to the Bible study because of all the jammed up traffic. By that time, the roads back to my home were closed. Fortunately, I was able to get home before morning, but all of this inconvenience for hundreds of people was caused from just a little snowstorm. What is it going to be like when everything is turned upside down in every way?
Mrs. White also warned, “Whole cities and villages will be blotted out.” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 13, 16. We must be clinging to the Lord during this time.
As the passage in Revelation says, those four winds are being held until the “servants of our God” are sealed in their foreheads. Who are the “servants of our God”? From where do they come, and of what are they comprised? They are all the tribes of Israel. Our friends in the evangelical circle take this to mean literal descendants of Abraham, particularly the literal geographic nation of Israel. However, we understand, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, that it is the spiritual descendants of Israel.
As a side note, consider this: Who was Israel originally? It was Jacob. When did Jacob become Israel? When he struggled with the angel. What does the name Jacob mean? Supplanter, deceiver. Although Jacob was a supplanter or deceiver, he overcame. He struggled; he saw God face to face; he overcame; and his name was changed to Israel. Israel means, “a prince of God.” So Israel was a man who was a deceiver but struggled with God and overcame.
Who were the twelve tribes of Israel? They were the sons of Jacob. So, as we look at the sons of Israel, remember that Jacob was a man who had been a deceiver, but through his struggle he overcame and became Israel, the prince of God. The sons of Jacob, now known as the sons or tribes of Israel, are the children of the one who struggled and overcame.
Jesus struggled with the devil and overcame him. Jesus had twelve apostles, the spiritual descendants of the One who had struggled and overcame.
So, the sons of Israel were the descendants of the one who had been a deceiver but overcame. The twelve apostles were the spiritual descendants of the One who had struggled with the enemy, defeated him, and overcame. The twelve gates of the New Jerusalem have “names written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” The twelve foundations of the Holy City have “in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:12, 14. Twelve tribes, twelve apostles—both the descendants of ones who had struggled and overcame.
So, the children of Israel spiritually are those who are the descendants of the overcomers—the ones who have the experience that Israel had; who had been guilty, had guile in their mouths, but who struggled and strived with God, overcame, and became royalty with God.
Everyone who enters the New Jerusalem is going to be a descendant of the one who has overcome. They are not the literal twelve tribes, but those with the characteristics of descendants of Israel, those who have struggled and have overcome.
What were the lives of the sons of Israel like before their conversions? The very fact that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are on the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem indicates they will be saved. But before their conversions, did they have difficulties in getting along together? Obviously! The most well-known story, of course, is when the brothers sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery. No doubt there were other things as well. They were apparently of very different dispositions and experiences. (See Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 32.)
In spite of their differences, God brought them together into one family that they might learn to get along together as one. Do you ever notice how the Lord does this today too? The Lord brings those who have different dispositions, different ways of doing things, together in one family that our characters might be refined, and we might learn to get along.
Have you ever wondered how so many different people end up in the same family? Ellen White wrote:
“Marked diversities of disposition and character frequently exist in the same family, for it is in the order of God that persons of varied temperament should associate together. When this is the case, each member of the household should sacredly regard the feelings and respect the right of the others. By this means mutual consideration and forbearance will be cultivated, prejudices will be softened, and rough points of character smoothed. Harmony may be secured, and the blending of the varied temperaments may be a benefit to each.” The Signs of the Times, September 9, 1886.
What better way is there to prepare us for heaven? We need to be thankful for this.
So it was in Israel’s family—totally different dispositions, different ideas. There were those such as Simeon and Levi who had quick tempers, and there were those who were slower. All types of different character traits were exhibited in Israel’s family.
In the disciples, as well, the various dispositions may be seen. Included in Jesus’ inner circle of disciples were tax collectors and zealots. The zealots carried about daggers hidden in their clothes, ready at any moment for an insurrection to overthrow the Romans, especially the tax collectors. Can you imagine the discussions that might have occurred between the zealot and the tax collector? Then there was Peter, who always had something to say, and John, who was much quieter and possessed totally different mannerisms. Of course, Thomas was dubbed “Doubting Thomas,” although he overcame that characteristic. Jesus brought them together, because He knew that His work needed every different manner of working and every different perspective. Certainly there were those whom Peter could reach, but Thomas could not, and vice versa. Thomas could sympathize with those who were struggling with doubt, and although Peter probably could not sympathize with that, he could sympathize with those who were always sticking their foot in their mouths! Do you think this might have a parallel for us today—totally different dispositions, different ideas, different ways of working?
God brought them together. He used them as a harmonious whole. So it is that the 144,000 are not only going to be a victorious, guileless company, but they will be a united company as well. The 144,000 will be as different as were Joseph and Simeon and all the other sons of Israel, but through the power of God, they are going to be overcomers. They are going to come into unity.
Speaking of what she was shown in vision, Ellen White wrote: “We heard the voice of God like many waters, [Ezekiel 43:2; Joel 3:16; Revelation 16:17] which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. [Ezekiel 12:25; Mark 13:32.] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. [John 12:29.] When God spake the time, he poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai. [Isaiah 10:27.]
“By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united.” A Word to the Little Flock, 14. [Emphasis added.]
This is the time when the voice of God will deliver the everlasting covenant. It occurs between the sixth and seventh plagues. We do not know how long it will take for the 144,000 to come into perfect unity, but she tells us that it is done by this time.
The sealing takes place before the close of probation. By this time some effort and a process is going to be involved. In Israel’s family, there had been effort and a process. When Joseph brought all the brothers together, he seated them by birth order, and when he set the food before them, giving Benjamin five times the amount that he gave the others, he was watching to see if they were going to be bitter, if they were going to start finding fault or start fighting among themselves. Those were the dispositions in his brothers with which he was familiar; that is what they had done when he lived with them—that is why they sold him into captivity, because they had been fighting and bickering. Joseph wanted to see if there had been a change since they had sold him years before. When he saw that a change had taken place in them, he then revealed himself to them. It took a process, and for God’s people it is also going to take a process, but they will be a united company.
Some very interesting information is given about this in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 11:11, a description is given of the Lord setting His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people. This is the second gathering or recovering of the Jews at that day. Then, in verse 13, it says, spiritually speaking, “The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.” The tribes of Ephraim and Judah were both strong. The last of Israel’s history after Solomon, with Solomon’s son, was a divided kingdom. In this passage of Isaiah this was the condition; it was a divided kingdom, and Isaiah was looking prophetically into the future. Isaiah saw a time when there would be a united company.
Referring to this, Ellen White counsels: “O that all might repent and do their first works. When the churches do this, they will love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not vex Ephraim. Divisions will then be healed, the harsh sounds of strife will no more be heard in the borders of Israel.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 385.
Soon the time is coming when the divisions will be healed and “the harsh sounds of strife will no more be heard in the borders of Israel.” Oh, how we need that time! That is one of our greatest needs today, because the 144,000 are going to be a united, not a scattered or divided, company.
“Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” Isaiah 52:8. The watchmen will see eye to eye! There is going to be agreement; there is going to be unity. If we see eye to eye, we are seeing the same way, are we not?
To be continued ….
Cody Francis is currently engaged in public evangelism for Mission Projects International. He also pastors the Remnant Church of Seventh-day Adventist Believers in Renton, Washington. He may be contacted by e-mail at: cody@missionspro.org.
We believe the Testimonies present no truth which may not be found in the word of God, in principle, if not in detail. The Bible contains the whole duty of man. It is our rule of faith and practice. We are told in the word that God has set the gifts of His Spirit in the church.
“He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11–13.
The acceptance of the word therefore involves the acceptance of the gifts of the Spirit. This was forcibly expressed by Elder James White, the great apostle of this movement, in the Review of October 3, 1854:
“The gifts of the Spirit should all have their proper places. The Bible is an everlasting rock. It is our rule of faith and practice. In it the man of God is ‘thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ . . . Every Christian is therefore in duty bound to take the Bible as a perfect rule of faith and duty. He should pray fervently to be aided by the Holy Spirit in searching the Scriptures for the whole truth, and for his whole duty. . . . The position that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the rule of faith and duty, does not shut out the gifts which God set in the church. To reject them is shutting out that part of the Bible which presents them. We say, Let us have a whole Bible, and let that, and that alone, be our rule of faith and duty. Place the gifts where they belong, and all is harmony.”
But while the writings of the messenger do not constitute an addition to the Scriptures of Truth, they are nevertheless the messages of God to the remnant church, and should be received as such, the same as were the messages of the prophets of old. Some are inclined to minimize their importance, and by specious reasoning and hypercritical distinctions, to confuse minds as to their character and value. To those who would do this, the messenger of the Lord appeals:
“And now, brethren, I entreat you not to interpose between me and the people, and turn away the light which God would have come to them. Do not by your criticisms take out all the force, all the point and power, from the Testimonies. Do not feel that you can dissect them to suit your own ideas, claiming that God has given you the ability to discern what is light from heaven, and what is the expression of mere human wisdom. If the Testimonies speak not according to the word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be united. For Christ’s sake, do not confuse the minds of the people with human sophistry and skepticism, and make of none effect the work that the Lord would do. Do not, by your lack of spiritual discernment, make of this agency of God a rock of offense whereby many shall be caused to stumble and fall, ‘and be snared, and be taken.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 5, 691.
It requires no marked mental acumen to criticize a great movement or great leaders in that movement. Thomas Paine and Robert G. Ingersoll could discourse eloquently on the mistakes of Moses—and he, even though a Heaven-appointed leader, made mistakes because he was human and not divine; but they utterly
failed to appreciate the great principles for which he stood, and the movement which he led. They found an abundance of pegs upon which to hang their doubts. They judged great causes by trifling details. They saw only the human element in God’s work, and failed to recognize God working through the human. Occasion for doubt may be found in every work where the human element exists, if the seeker hunts for the occasion. The Bible teaches that the remnant church will meet great opposition because of adherence to the commandments of God and the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 12:17. We should be careful to see that we do not share in any measure the spirit of this opposition.
We may see in relation to the work of Sister White things which we do not understand. Ancient Israel saw things which they could not understand in the work of the prophets of olden days. We must be careful that in our human reasoning we do not permit details and technicalities to confuse our minds, and thus obscure the messages which the Lord has been pleased to send us.
One who has had a living experience in connection with the work of the spirit of prophecy in this church finds no occasion to doubt its divine origin. The history of this movement reveals many instances where the Lord has used this gift for the preservation of His work. Many times in great crises God has sent through His servant a message which saved this church from disruption and from grave errors.
We cannot see how one can prayerfully read the messages which have come through the years, and doubt their genuineness. They speak to one’s heart. They carry with them the proof of their own inspiration.
We thank God that He gave a prophet to the remnant church. … We should rejoice that the Lord has in this manner visited His people, and again and again warned them of their danger in the midst of the evils which threaten the church at the present time. These messages we believe should be faithfully followed by every believer. Next to the Bible, and in connection with it, they should be read and studied. They throw a flood of light upon the Sacred Record.
“Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 11 Chronicles 20:20.
This article was printed in the Review and Herald, March 17, 1921. At this time the writer was editor of the Review.
Sometimes when we study a topic and do what we believe to be sufficient research, we think that we have the subject matter down pat, perfectly understood. Then the Lord will tell us to get back to that subject, and He shows us other angles from which that same topic can be viewed, and we begin to realize that God’s truth is much deeper than we can ever imagine. Every aspect of truth about which we may be aware today has a much deeper depth to it than our simple minds are capable of grasping. But we do thank God for His mercy, and, in His goodness, He allows us to get glimpses of the depth of His mind by the little things He allows us to see.
1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us that certain things happen as examples: “They are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Experiences pertaining to ancient Israel, both the good and the bad, were meant to be examples for us. Lessons were wrapped up in those things from which we can learn. Many times we talk about the bad things that took place with ancient Israel and their journey to the land of Canaan, but there were good things too. There were good things as well as bad things involving the leaders. Consider the good leaders such as Joshua, Moses, and the prophets. They did some marvelous things. God used them in certain ways and made Himself manifest through them in ways we do not often stop to study. Are these examples unto us too?
For example, when Moses returned from Mount Sinai where he received the Ten Commandments, his face was lighted up! Is it possible that this is an example? Or are we just to consider the fact that when he came down to the camp the noise from the Israelites sounded to Joshua as though they were in war, but to Moses as though they were in apostasy. Is it possible that it is not just the bad that God wants us to see, but also the good?
Let us look in our Bibles at the incidence involving Moses’ face being lit up.
“And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And [till] Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel [that] which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.” Exodus 34:28–35.
The Scriptures make it quite clear; this was not just a light on Moses’ face, but Moses’ skin, the skin of his face, shined. Can you imagine that? It was as though you were looking straight at the sun when you were looking on another human being’s face, and the light was emanating from his or her skin. This meant that the glory of God, with which Moses came in contact, basically penetrated his skin, and it remained there to the extent that, the Scriptures tell us, when the children of Israel came to meet him they were afraid of him. Moses knew nothing; he had no idea why they would not approach him, until they revealed to him the problem. Then, in his compassion and meekness, he took action to cover his face, so he could communicate with them and give them the information that God so graciously had imparted for them.
What is the meaning of this for us? What I want to share with you is that, both symbolically and literally, there is a message for us today wrapped up in Moses’ example.
We often take for granted all the wonderful things the Lord has in store for us at the end time. Because we have been so exposed to the sins and folly of our age, we tend to bypass the fact that marvelous things await us in the Word of God. Ellen White put it this way: “Wonderful possibilities are open to those who lay hold of the divine assurances of God’s word. There are glorious truths to come before the people of God. Privileges and duties which they do not even suspect to be in the Bible will be laid open before them. As they follow on in the path of humble obedience, doing His will, they will know more and more of the oracles of God.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 322.
One of these wonderful possibilities is that some, if not all of us, will one day have the experience of Moses. Can you imagine that? The skin will be shining. The faces of the children will appear as bright stars to their friends. The adults may be looking like the sun or the moon to their families, friends, and even enemies. Remember what we are told in Exodus about Moses—his friends were afraid. They were pained by what they saw and could not look upon his face. It was too bright to them.
The Book of Corinthians reveals what was symbolically wrapped up in all of this: “But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?” 11 Corinthians 3:7, 8.
Before we read on, just consider for a moment. We are being told that there are two different manifestations of the glory. What Moses had portrayed was basically in connection with the glory pertaining to the Lord.
“For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Verses 9–18.
What message is the Lord trying to convey to us? That what happened in the time of Moses was basically the type or an example of what is going to happen in the New Testament era. That which took place in the Old Testament was only a measure of the manifestation of the glory of God—a measure when compared with what will happen later on, which will exceed what happened in the past. What we need to understand, with the help of the Spirit of Prophecy, is that the phenomena of Moses’ lighted face is not going to be limited to the Law of God transferring from stone to the flesh. This same law, which God made personally available to His people anciently with His personal presence, enabled this man Moses to be lit up. His own skin shone, and the Scripture is telling us that in the New Testament era something more is going to happen, because that same law is not going to be in stone but will be inside the hearts of human beings with the help of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, do you not think that it is going to make itself manifest in the features of those who have the law now placed inside?
An illustration from the past is given to us by Ellen White, which reveals that the early Adventists under the Millerite movement had their faces lit up! It is an example of what will happen in the end of time. “Those who were obedient to the message stood out free and united. A holy light shone upon them. They renounced the world, sacrificed their earthly interests, gave up their earthly treasures, and directed their anxious gaze to heaven, expecting to see their loved Deliverer. A holy light beamed upon their countenances, telling of the peace and joy which reigned within.” Early Writings, 249, 250.
Were you aware that Adventists had this experience in the early, historical days? And why did they have this experience? Inspiration tells us why; each person had made a total surrender. They were not playing church. They had an experience with God that far surpassed what we claim to have. Because God was pleased with them, He made his glory shine forth from their countenances.
They were just under the former rain, and we are preparing for something more than that, the Latter Rain. Is it possible that the glory that shall shine forth from us will exceed what the early pioneers had? Is it possible that when the enemies of God look upon His people who have made a total surrender to Him, they will be able to see such brightness as to find themselves in pain to look upon these people, because they themselves may not be willing to make a surrender? Is it possible?
From Joel 2, we may begin to understand the possibility of what can really happen and what can cause it to happen: “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land [is] as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them [is] as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.” Verses 1–6.
I wondered, Why? The only time I could correlate to this situation was what happened to the children of Israel in the time of Moses. Somehow the glory of Moses caused his brethren to be very uncomfortable. I believe Joel is prophesying that when God gets His real army together, they will bring discomfort. By their appearance, by God manifesting Himself through them, the wicked will be caused discomfort.
Relating what she had been shown in vision, Ellen White penned: “When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai.” Early Writings, 15. [Emphasis added.] History will be repeated. What happened in Moses’ day, will happen again. What we saw prophesied in the Book of Corinthians happened in the time of the Millerite movement, and that prophecy will find itself repeated even in the end time. Notice, however, that only those who have made a total surrender to God will hear the voice of the Master revealing the day and hour.
“The Ten Commandments are called in the New Testament the royal law of liberty. In obeying the divine precepts, men will assimilate to the divine character; for the character of God is expressed in his holy law.” The Signs of the Times, October 17, 1895.
“The ten holy precepts spoken by Christ upon Sinai’s mount were the revelation of the character of God.” Sons and Daughters of God, 53.
The Ten Commandments reveal God’s character. If God gets a people, therefore, who have made a total surrender—they are not afraid to make the kind of changes that the rest of the world does not want to make; they are not afraid to give up the things of this world; they are not afraid to commit themselves to the requirements of God’s Law and the Testimony of Jesus—then what they have ahead of them are marvelous blessings from God, things that we cannot even imagine.
We are only skimming the surface. Yes, we know we will have power, but have we known that our faces, the skin of our faces, will shine? Yes, we know the day will come when we will be changed, and we will be like Him, but this is speaking in the context of having incorruptible bodies. We are dealing with time before that occurs, because when the voice of the Lord reveals to His people the day and the hour, that is before Jesus comes!
The world will have a perfect replica of the Master in His people before He comes. They will not only see Him in the words and works, but they will also see Him in the glory that will rest upon them, the glory of God. “When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai.”
Ellen White leaves no room to doubt that there will be a repetition of what transpired on Mount Sinai with Moses. What a privilege! I cannot imagine anyone who would not want to have a part in this experience, who would not want to know that the glory of God will rest on them on this side of the heavenly border.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1, 2. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God! Whenever we read verses such as these, we generally place the time at the Second Coming. But based upon what we have seen thus far, it is going to be made available to people even before Jesus bursts through the clouds. This glory of God will be made available to us even before Christ comes. What a privilege! What an opportunity! No wonder the devil has caused so much havoc in the Adventist world.
We just read about peace in Romans; now read Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Why is this so important to us? What did Ellen White say concerning the Millerites when the light of Christ or the glory of God rested upon them? She said that a holy light beamed upon their countenances telling of the peace and joy which reigned within.
We do not have peace unless we have Christ. Every Adventist who was involved in the Millerite movement had Christ within. It was not just by word or theory; it was an experience. The very same thing will be the case of those who will have the glory of God rest upon them in these last days. They will have the peace and the joy of the Lord in their hearts. Not only that, but the Law of God will be perfectly reflected, because they will have the character of God fully established within them. So, the glory of God will basically be a reflection of God through the presence of His Spirit within His people who have made a total surrender to Him.
Ellen White made this statement: “Happiness drawn from earthly sources is as changeable as varying circumstances can make it; but the peace of Christ is a constant and abiding peace. It does not depend upon any circumstances in life, on the amount of worldly goods or the number of earthly friends. Christ is the fountain of living water, and happiness drawn from Him can never fail.” Reflecting Christ, 263.
So, we have either a temporary happiness or a permanent happiness. We are assured of permanent happiness if we do God’s will, because Christ will come and live in us. We talk about how much we love Jesus and how we have Jesus in our hearts, but do we have peace and joy? Why is the glory of God not reflecting from us? It is because we have not made a total surrender. God has many gifts and blessings reserved just for us, if only we would totally surrender our lives to Him.
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” Matthew 17:1, 2. This very thing will be the experience of the saints. Their faces will be shining, as did Moses’. You see, Jesus had it, but Jesus’ shining face was described “as the sun.” How could it have been described any other way, when He is the source of peace, the source of joy, the source of light, the source of life? He is the fullness of the manifestation of the character of God.
“Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven.” Early Writings, 278, 279. This will be the experience of those in the last days who will be going forward to proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages. With faces lighted up, they will proclaim the Law of God. No wonder Joel said, “Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.” The people cannot deny that these are not ordinary people. They have met Somebody!
Continuing with the quote: “Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out of Sodom before her destruction.” Ibid., 279.
Can you see that this quote is referring to the Loud Cry? Note that the first part of the reference says the “servants of God,” not every member of the church. Only those who have qualified will have “their faces lighted up.” It amazes me to hear churches proclaiming that the Loud Cry is now being given. Their faces are not lighted up! Those lighted up faces in the time of the early Advent movement Ellen White said indicated that the people had experienced the peace and joy, because they had made a total surrender.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2. Does this verse not now take on a whole new meaning for us? We shall be like Him. We shall be like Him not only in character, but also in appearance. And then we will go a step further than just having our faces lit up; we shall be transformed. Oh, how much we shall be like Him!
Pastor Patrick Herbert is the senior pastor of the Tucker-Norcross Adventist Church and Director of the Gilead Institute of America, a medical missionary evangelistic training institution located in Norcross, Georgia. He holds a Doctorate in religion and speaks and writes on a wide range of religious and health topics. He may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.