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Behold the Bridegroom Cometh

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Behold, the bridegroom cometh.” Matthew 25:6. Christ, with his disciples, is seated upon the Mount of Olives. The sun has set behind the mountains, and the heavens are curtained with the shades of evening. In full view is a dwelling house lighted up brilliantly as if for some festive occasion. An expectant company mill about, indicating that a marriage procession is soon to appear.

In many parts of the East, wedding festivities are held in the evening. The bridegroom goes forth to meet his bride and bring her to his home. By torchlight the bridal party proceeds from the house of the bride’s father to the bridegroom’s house where a feast is provided for the invited guests. In the scene upon which Christ looks, a company is awaiting the parents of the bridal party, intending to join the procession. Lingering near the bride’s house are ten young women robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon for oil. All are anxiously waiting for the appearance of the bridegroom, but there is a delay. Hour after hour passes; the watchers become weary, and they fall asleep. At midnight the cry is heard, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”

The sleepers suddenly awake and spring to their feet. They see the procession moving on, bright with torches and glad music. They hear the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim them in haste to go forth, but five have neglected to fill their flasks with oil. They did not anticipate so long a delay, and they have not prepared for the emergency. In distress, they appeal to their wiser companions, saying, “Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” Matthew 25:8. But the waiting five with their freshly trimmed lamps have emptied their flagons. They have no oil to spare, and they answered, “[Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” Verse 9. While they went to buy, the procession moved on and left them behind. The five with lighted lamps joined the throng and entered the house with the bridal party, and the door was shut. When the foolish virgins reached the banqueting hall, they received an unexpected denial. The master of the feast declared, “I know you not.” They were left standing in the empty street in the blackness of the night.

Christ’s Coming

As Christ sat looking upon the party that waited for the bridegroom, He told His disciples the story of the ten virgins, by their experience illustrating the experience of the church that shall live just before His Second Coming. The disciple Matthew is the only one of the four gospel writers to record the account of the parable of the ten virgins. Having been a Jew who was converted to Christianity, perhaps his focus was now centered on his fellow countrymen, many of whom had embraced the Christian religion.

The parable of the ten virgins is focusing on the coming of the Son of man. The common motif that runs through this parable is readiness for His coming. The parable brings to full view the visible church. It is clear that all who attend church are termed Christians. All who went out to meet the bridegroom were virgins. They all had lamps. They all looked alike. The difference in their character was proved by the results. The folly of the foolish virgins is seen in the fact that at the time of action they were unable to do the work assigned to them.

The story is told of a watchman who was employed at a railway crossing to wave the lantern during the night when the train was coming so the oncoming vehicles could stop. However, one night, unfortunately, the watchman fell asleep. While asleep he heard the train coming. Awaking, he grabbed his lantern and rushed out into the street to wave it before the oncoming vehicles. But the vehicles did not stop. He had to jump out of the roadway, and the vehicles and the train collided.

The watchman was accused of negligence and taken to court. When the judge asked him, “Did you hear the train coming?” He replied, “Yes.” Then the judge asked him, “Did you wave the lantern?” The watchman again said, “Yes,” then continued, “but because I was sleeping while the train was coming, I had no time to light it.” That is why there was a crash.

Jesus spoke this parable of the ten virgins just after concluding the signs that would signal His glorious return. In Matthew 24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the signs of His coming and of the end of the world, Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent—namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, the great tribulation of the church on the pagan and papal execution, the darkening of the sun, and the falling of the stars. After this, He spoke of His coming and His kingdom, and related the parable described in the two classes of servants who looked for His appearing.

The Shut Door

Chapter 25 of the Book of Matthew opens with, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins.” Here is brought to view the church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter 24. There is a striking parallelism that exists between the early Adventist expectancy imbedded in the Millerite movement and the end time church, and as it relates to the parable of the ten virgins. What do I mean by that? There were the signs, the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, the midnight cry, the tarrying, the expectancy, the delay, the apostasy. There was also the shut door and the open door experience.

We are told that in 1844 Christ had shut the door of the holy place at the end of His ministration in that apartment, also signifying that some human beings’ probation had been closed as a consequence of their rejection of the present truth then proclaimed. The open door in 1844 by Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, was the opening of the door of the most holy place. Based upon the early Adventist belief, they thought that in 1844 the door of mercy was forever shut. That is how the theory about the shut door was developed, but clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary question. While it was true that the door of hope and mercy by which men had found access to God was closed, another door was opened, and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of Christ in the most holy place.

One part of His ministration had closed only to give place to another. There was still an open door to the heavenly sanctuary where Christ was ministering in the sinner’s behalf. The parable of the ten virgins is specifically applicable to God’s professed people living on the earth just before the return of Jesus. So what we need to understand is that the ten virgins’ parable is specifically referring to Seventh-day Adventists. It is our parable. It is our message. It is our warning.

Read again Matthew 25:1–13. Note verse 13, which says: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

The Procession

If I were to ask you which group of followers or which group of virgins you would like to be among—the wise or the foolish—I suspect most people, if not all, would say the wise. That is a very noble response. No one wants to be numbered with the foolish virgins.

However, there is another group associated with the bridegroom that many people have overlooked. I would prefer to be a part of it, and that group is the procession. According to Matthew, the five wise virgins joined the procession at midnight. The procession, however, came at the eleventh hour, while the five wise virgins along with the five foolish virgins were sleeping. At midnight a cry was made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Who made that cry? It was not the five wise virgins, nor was it the five foolish virgins. I would submit to you that it was the procession that made the cry, the cry that awoke the virgins.

So, the question is, Who is the procession? To answer this question, let us address briefly the time of the latter rain and the loud cry.

The Latter Rain

Concerning the time of trouble and the latter rain, Ellen White stated: “I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints.

“I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.” Early Writings, 33.

“This view was given in 1847 when there were but very few of the Advent brethren observing the Sabbath, and of these but few supposed that its observance was of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and unbelievers. Now the fulfilment of that view is beginning to be seen. ‘The commencement of that time of trouble,’ here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” Ibid., 85, 86.

Now, that is the time of the latter rain. Let us connect a few passages with that to give an answer to the question and to show what is the result of the latter rain.

Result of Latter Rain

“I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.’ ” Ibid., 271.

“But I speak not my own words when I say that God’s Spirit will pass by those who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit. Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth.

“ ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed’ (Amos 9:13).

“These conversions to truth will be made with a rapidity that will surprise the church, and God’s name alone will be glorified.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 16.

“The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience.” The Great Controversy (1888), 612.

Eleventh Hour Workers

Sometimes we give our loved ones or our friends literature to read, but their friends, pastors, or family members discourage them from reading it and may, consequently, prevent them from accepting the truth. We become troubled, but we do not need to become troubled, because the Holy Spirit is doing His work.

“Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.” Ibid. This is referring to the period of the latter rain.

Who comprised the procession? “There are diligent students of the word of prophecy in all parts of the world, who are obtaining light and still greater light from searching the Scriptures. This is true of all nations, of all tribes, and of all peoples. These will come from the grossest error, and will take the place of those who have had opportunities and privileges and have not prized them. These have worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling, lest they should become deficient in doing the ways and will of God, while those who have had great light, through the perversity of their own natural heart, turned away from Christ because they were displeased with his requirements. But God will not be left without witnesses. The one-hour laborers will be brought in at the eleventh hour, and will consecrate their ability and all their entrusted means to advance the work. These will receive the reward for their faithfulness, because they are true to principle, and shun not their duty to declare the whole counsel of God. When those who have had abundance of light throw off the restraint which the word of God imposes, and make void his law, others will come in to fill their places and take their crown.” Review and Herald, June 15, 1897.

It is good to have been in the church a long time, but the question is, Has the truth been in you a long time? What have you done with the truth?

“There will be those who will come in at the eleventh hour, and they will receive an equal reward with those who have long known the truth.” Ibid., July 2, 1889.

Why is this? It is because they will use all their talents to the utmost of their abilities, and bring all their powers to bear on the work of advancing the light of the truth. They come in one hour before the work is over and, realizing the time is short, they put everything into the work. When the truth is brought to their attention, they accept it with joy. They are part of the procession!

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

The Door Will Close

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Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them [were] wise, and five were foolish. Those who [were] foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was [heard]: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us [some] of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘[No], lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ” Matthew 25:1–12.

They were all Seventh-day Adventists waiting for the coming of the Lord. They had all been friends, working together to tell people that Jesus is coming soon and that they need to be ready. They had all let their lights shine brightly, but somehow the Lord did not come as soon as they had expected. As time went on, they became involved with good things, such as various church activities, raising a family, and planning for retirement. They had not expected quite so long a delay; and with the passage of time, they began to lose some of their energy and enthusiasm. They were all still faithful Seventh-day Adventists; they were just more relaxed, going to church, doing the things they should; until all of a sudden, things began to happen that caused them to realize that they had better get ready for Jesus to come because He was coming now.

Famine in the Land

As they aroused and went forth to proclaim Jesus’ soon return, some of their lights shone brightly, and they proclaimed with power that Jesus is coming again. Others, however, could not quite seem to get the message all together. They decided that they had better go to some meetings, get involved in some Bible studies, and do some praying and get that power again. But the Bible says that the day will come when there will be a famine in the land. “ ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.’ ” Amos 8:11.

I have recently come to the startling realization that this text applies in a special way to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a text for the Laodiceans. It does not say that they are not going to hear some words, but somehow they are not going to be the Lord’s words.

This latter group represents the five foolish virgins who will be seeking after oil. They are not sitting down doing nothing; they are going from sea to sea, from north to south, attending meetings, listening to preachers, reading books that are published by the only people they know who claim to teach the truth, and whom they have been taught to trust; but there is a famine and they will not find it. You see, these young maidens went to the preachers in whom they had trusted, but their preaching somehow had no power to change their lives, and they did not know where to go; they did not know to whom to go. We have been told that the time is coming when the church will have no more “faithful, firm, and true” preachers. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 77.)

“Who knows whether God will not give you up to the deceptions you love? Who knows but that the preachers who are faithful, firm, and true may be the last who shall offer the gospel of peace to our unthankful churches? It may be that the destroyers are already training under the hand of Satan and only wait the departure of a few more standard-bearers to take their places, and with the voice of the false prophet cry, ‘Peace, peace,’ when the Lord hath not spoken peace.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 77.

Ministers Taught by Satan

If this statement said that the church would come to the place where it just could not afford any more pastors, or even that there were no more pastors to pastor the churches any longer, that would be bad; but that is not nearly as bad as having pastors who are trained by Satan himself. I will take no pastor any day rather than a pastor that has been trained by Satan.

Sister White goes on to say that it is not even a question of if  it could be, but that it will happen. “When God shall work His strange work on the earth, when holy hands bear the ark no longer, woe will be upon the people.” Ibid. This is looking forward to that time when men and women see the signs of God’s coming. Things are happening in the world and they have awakened, but they have no oil in their lamps. They will search from north to south, from east to west. They will read things from the publishing houses that they have trusted. They will go to the churches that they have trusted, and listen to the preachers whom they have trusted; but there is a famine in the land.

Little Company

A little later in Testimonies, vol. 5, Ellen White tells us some most startling things. Let me share some with you.

“The leaven of godliness has not entirely lost its power. At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world.

“The earnest prayers of this faithful few will not be in vain. When the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity and kept themselves unspotted from the world. It is at this time that God has promised to avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them.” Testimonies, vol 5, 209.

It is the little company of those sighing and crying ones because of the abominations that were done in the church. These are the only ones, it says, who will be sealed. The great majority are becoming more and more like the world. We may be surprised at how small that group will be.

Tip of the Iceberg

Speaking of this small group, she says, “They had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel.” Ibid. The glory of the Lord departed from Israel once before, but she says that a time is again coming when the glory of the Lord will have departed from Israel. She does not stop there, but continues, “Although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking.” Ibid. Sabbath after Sabbath church is going on, with the forms of religion; all the functions of the church are being carried out, Ingathering is continuing, church schools and hospitals are continuing to be operated, but the glory of the Lord has departed from Israel and somehow they do not realize it. They are going on with their religion without the glory of the Lord.

“While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any.” Ibid. I do not believe that you should focus on problems, but many want to ignore that the problems even exist. They say things like, “We make some mistakes, but let us not get critical.” It is interesting how everyone is concerned about people being critical when we are dealing with certain things; but, dear friend, there is a place for genuine concern. There is a place for speaking out.

“They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm. They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan triumph. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect.” Ibid., 210, 211. It seems that over the last few years it is just like a dam has broken open and we are experiencing a flood of evil. Ellen White continues, “The abominations for which the faithful ones were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed.” Ibid., 211. Whatever we see, according to inspiration, it is but the tip of the iceberg.

Now, dear friend, this is shocking to me because somehow in my schematics of the end day, I have always held a picture of the church growing and ruling with apostasy; but there comes a shaking and all of the evil is shaken out. Then we have a pure church and the members go out and give a loud cry. Others come in to take the place of those who have been shaken out, then probation closes, and we go through—a happy, glorious church like at Pentecost. I have been reading things lately, however, that do not seem to fit into that nice, little picture that I have had in my head. Who did we just read about who are going to triumph in the church? It is the servants of Satan, while God is dishonored and the truth made of none effect.

Power, But Not From God

Well, there is a famine in the land, and so these foolish virgins went out to find oil. They once had it, but they were careless. They went to find oil again, and they went to the preachers whom they had trusted. They went to the church that they had grown up in, the church that they knew was the remnant church of Bible prophecy. They read the books from the authors with whom they were acquainted. And, dear friend, as they went out to find oil for their lamps to get their light shining again, by and by they accomplished their purpose, and their lamps were lit again. From somewhere, they found the power for which they were looking. Now that is all in the prophecy.

We are told that when Jesus went into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, that some Adventists, by faith, went in with Him, meaning that they entered by faith into a most holy place experience. While Jesus is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, they are cleansing their hearts of sin. (See Early Writings, 55.) But some Adventists stayed in the holy place. Now, of course, this refers to First-day Adventists in Ellen White’s day, but it also refers to any Adventist who does not go into the most holy place. “I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, ‘Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace.” Early Writings, 56. Notice that it is not a little, but much power.

Have you ever heard of people who have had a Laodicean experience but now they have found new power in their life—like they have never experienced before? Religion has taken on a new meaning, but when you investigate, you find that it is like the experience of Eve when she ate the forbidden fruit. All of a sudden she felt like she had entered a higher plane. She had a testimony that she could go and tell Adam. “Listen, this fruit is not dangerous. I have entered into a higher realm of experience. My Christian experience has grown. I feel more like God than I ever have before.” And he ate, too.

The Virgins Represent Adventists

We need to remember that the virgins were all Adventists, were they not? They were all waiting for the coming of the Lord. They all had lamps and they all, at one time, had their lamps burning. Let us continue: “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:10–13.

Granted, they got the wrong oil and the wrong fire, but they apparently did not know that. They got some oil, they had some fire in their lamps, and they were out witnessing again with light and power. But while they were getting the oil, the door had closed and they did not know it!

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah [were], so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.” Matthew 24:36–38.

Now, I want you to notice that it says that they did not know it until the flood came. I want you to notice that this is not talking about the fact that the flood came; everyone knew when the flood came. They did not know when probation had closed. Noah had entered in, the door had closed, probation closed, but they did not know it. No one knew that probation had closed. They went on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the flood came seven days after probation closed. And so, Jesus said, “Also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:39.

The door is going to close while people are not just eating and drinking, but while they are attending church on the Sabbath, while they are paying their tithes and offerings, and while they are going on with all the activities of the church. The door is going to close, and they will not know it. Thus it was with the Jewish nation. While they were doing all these things, the Master came, humbled and disguised; and they did not know it. The door closed, and they went right on with their church business as though nothing had ever taken place. “Many are grieving away the Holy Spirit for the last time, even now, and they know it not….

“Pride of heart prevented His hearers from humbling themselves before God and confessing their sins and resisting His Holy Spirit and reluctantly It left them.” Review and Herald Extra, December 23, 1890.

She goes on to say, “The words spoken by Christ of Jerusalem are, ‘Behold your house is left unto you desolate.’… The Lord forbid that this scene should now be repeated in the experience of God’s professed people! ‘My Spirit,’ He says, ‘shall not always strive with man. The time will come when it must be said of the impenitent, ‘Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone.’

“Will the church see from where she has fallen?” Ibid.

Our Danger—Greater than Israel’s

Now, dear friend, we are told that our danger is even greater than that of ancient Israel. “I was pointed back to ancient Israel. But two of the adults of the vast army that left Egypt entered the land of Canaan. Their dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness because of their transgressions. Modern Israel are in greater danger of forgetting God and being led into idolatry than were His ancient people.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 609.

I was quite startled by something that I read. I thought that everyone was shaken out of the church before the close of probation, but we are told that, “Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father.” Early Writings, 71.

There is a pure and holy church that is going to go through; but, dear friend, the outward, legal, obvious church is not going to be purified any time this side of the close of probation. I am afraid that there was never a more fearful delusion than the idea that being part of the church is an assurance of salvation. That is what the Jewish people thought back in Jesus’ day, and when the church crucified Jesus, they went right along with it because they stayed with the church.

Oh, dear friend, may the Lord grant that when the door secretly closes, just as imperceptibly and secretly as the door closed upon the Jewish nation, we will all be on the inside.

Today, God is weighing the church in the balances; He knows their works. He is walking up and down the aisle of every conference office; and, the Bible says that every tree which does not bear good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire. We may fool men. We may even fool ourselves. But, God reads the thoughts and intents of the heart, and someday soon, while life is going on without any great catastrophe taking place, the door will close. Only those people who fully reflect God’s character will have entered in. When the rest of the people will wake up, it will be too late.

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

Vitamin F

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Vitamin F cannot be purchased from a grocery store. You cannot even get it from a health food store. It is not folic acid; it is not even an essential fatty acid, but it is important for our well-being.

What is a vitamin? Vitamins are powerful chemical substances (keep that word in mind), essential, or necessary, in small amounts, to our nutrition. The purpose of vitamins is to regulate specific functions that promote growth, reproduction, or the maintenance of health and life.

People are excited about taking vitamin supplements, but if vitamin supplements are taken without minerals, an imbalance in the body will be created, because the body does not operate just on vitamins. The body also needs minerals, so if you are going to take iron, you need to take vitamin C; if you are going to take B vitamins, you need to also take calcium. Vitamins initiate the body processes, and without them, you cannot utilize the other nutrients.

Substance

From the Bible, we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

What word do you see in this passage of Scripture that is also used in defining vitamin? Substance! That word, substance, as used in the definition of vitamins, refers to something tangible, something upon which you can put your hand. Is faith something upon which you can put your hand? Sure, you can experience faith. God has given every person a measure of faith—substance. So this vitamin F is nothing more than healing faith—not just physical healing but the totality healing of man.

Vitamin F Defined

Inspiration gives definitions of this important vitamin, such as: “Faith is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best what is for our good.” Education, 253.

How do we develop this faith? God wants us to be obedient, but obedience will not come without trust and faith. He allows us to experience trials to strengthen our trust and faith: “Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership and accepts its blessing. Truth, uprightness, purity, have been pointed out as secrets of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these principles.” Ibid.

Biblical Example

The story is given in the Bible of a woman with an issue of blood for twelve years. “A certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” Mark 5:25, 26. The significance of her medical problem is addressed in Leviticus 15:25–30.

In Scripture, the word woman symbolizes a church. This woman of Mark 5 may represent the church, while at the same time this woman could represent us personally. We might not have an issue of blood, but we have an issue of a heart problem, an emotional problem. It could be caused by anything that we face; any challenge that impedes our experience with God can be an issue.

This woman had exhausted her resources in an attempt to be healed. She had nothing left. However, God’s plan is accessible to everybody. You might not have the resources, but you will not be turned down by God’s medical plan.

The Bible says, in Mark, that this woman grew worse because there was no doctor that could heal her. The physician disciple, Dr. Luke, recorded: “A woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any.” Luke 8:43. Even Dr. Luke came to the conclusion that nobody in Palestine could heal this woman.

Just Touch the Hem

It could be said that this woman was in desperate need. She was not only physiologically and emotionally affected, but she was socially affected. Her only hope was to be healed by Jesus. Her one desire was to touch the hem of Christ’s garment.

“ ‘If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.’ Matthew 9:21. It was a poor woman who spoke these words—a woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians and remedies.” The Ministry of Healing, 59. There is not one plant, not one herb that can heal people of disease. They only support the body. God said, in Genesis 15:26, “I [am] the Lord that healeth thee.”

Yet, she was “pronounced incurable.” How many of us have been struggling with sins in our lives, and we finally come to the time when we do not think we are ever going to overcome these issues? We think we are incurable. If that is where we are, then we are in the position of that woman. We need to touch His garment.

Ellen White continues, “But as she heard of the Great Healer, her hopes revived. She thought, ‘If only I could get near enough to speak to Him, I might be healed.’ ” Ibid.

Come Boldly

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. What does the word boldly mean? It means with confidence, with assurance that Christ is a rewarder of those who come to Him by faith. We can come boldly to Christ, knowing He will forgive, heal, and cleanse. We can come with the confidence that Jesus will give us power. We can come with confidence that He will not cast us aside. Men might reject us, but God has proven time after time that He can be trusted.

We must come boldly. This means that we must be resolved. The reason our faith is not strong enough is because when we go through trials, we are not in a frame of mind of being resolute. Yet God gives us trials and tests and shows us His mighty works that we can come to trust Him.

Priest’s Robes

Christ is the High Priest, the type of a priest that served in the tabernacle on earth. (See Hebrews 9:11.) In Exodus 28:33, 34, the hem of the earthly priest’s garment is described: “And [beneath] upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” Notice, it says, “a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate.”

What is the significance of the bell and the purpose of the pomegranate? The Bible tells us that we must bring forth fruit. (John 15:16.) The bell represents profession. The bell makes noise; it professes, and it sounds. So, with our profession, we must bring forth fruit. We can talk; we can ring the bell of truth, but we must also bring forth fruit. We cannot have a life of profession without bringing forth fruit. If we are true Christians and we are clinging to the garment of Jesus Christ, we will not only have a profession, but we will bring forth fruit.

Why did God direct Moses to use pomegranates on the hem of the priest’s garment? Why not use mangoes? Well, pomegranates have a lot of seeds. My wife tried to count the number of seeds in a pomegranate. She cut one of the fruits into quarters and counted the seeds in one of the quarters. She counted over 50 seeds in that one quarter! In my travels, I have been to many countries and experienced their fruits. I have not found any fruit with more seeds than the pomegranate. It is a virtual seed basket.

Promises of God

What do seeds represent? The Bible says, “The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11.

What does this have to do with the woman with the issue of blood? Well, you see, the seeds represent the promises of God’s Word. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 11 Peter 1:4.

Claim Promises

She touched the hem of His garment, in faith reaching out and claiming the precious promises of the Word of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word, the embodiment of every promise. We read: “The Word was with God, and the Word was God”; “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1:1, 14. When Jesus walked on this earth, the Word was in the flesh. If the woman wished to be healed, it made sense for her to come into contact with the Word.

“For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:22. What is health to all flesh? It is the Word of God.

Ellen White wrote: “The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.

“The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. ‘By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4) shall man live.” Education, 126.

Who Touched Me?

The woman joined a crowd thronging Jesus. Writing about this event, Mrs. White penned: “To the curious crowd pressing about Jesus there was imparted no vital power.” The Ministry of Healing, 62. Notice, people were touching Him, pressing against Him, but there was no vital power.

“In making His way through the multitude, the Saviour came near to where the afflicted woman was standing.

“Christ knew every thought of her mind, and He was making His way to where she stood. He realized her great need, and He was helping her to exercise faith.” Ibid., 59, 60.

Even though many followers surrounded Him, Jesus recognized the woman’s need and faith, and He was moving in her direction. Even though in the crowd of more than six billion people on the planet earth, be assured that Jesus is always moving to that one soul who is crying out. He knows every need, every thought.

As Christ passed the woman, “She reached forward and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. That moment she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness disappeared. Instantly she felt the thrill as of an electric current passing through every fiber of her being. There came over her a sensation of perfect health….

“ ‘Somebody hath touched Me,’ Jesus said; ‘for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me.’ Luke 8:46. He could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual touch of the careless throng. Someone had touched Him with a deep purpose and had received answer.” Ibid., 60.

“So in spiritual things does the casual contact differ from the touch of faith. To believe in Christ merely as the Saviour of the world can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere assent to the truth of the gospel. True faith is that which receives Christ as a personal Saviour. God gave His only-begotten Son, that I, by believing in Him, ‘should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16. When I come to Christ, according to His word, I am to believe that I receive His saving grace. The life that I now live, I am to ‘live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ Galatians 2:20.

“Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction, by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which, through the grace of Christ, the soul becomes a conquering power.” Ibid., 62. [Author’s emphasis.]

“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:34.

Measure of Faith

We have all received a measure of faith, and it must be cultivated. God helps us to cultivate it by permitting trials to come our way. He is continually measuring us, because without faith we cannot please Him. “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

We should thank God for the trials. We should thank God for the issues in our lives. We should thank God for the disappointments. We should thank God that He does not waste His time on useless material. When we are going through trials, we should each exclaim, “God sees something of infinite value in me!”

Thomas Jackson is a Health Evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at: godsplan@meetministry.org or by telephone at: 731-986-3518.

Aim and Ambition

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There is a purpose to which God has called each one of us, and if we do not learn to fight against the contrary winds, to overcome the difficulties, whatever they might be in our lives, we are on a course to make shipwreck of our lives. One way the devil tries to get us to make shipwreck is given in Acts 27:5–7: “And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Aim Ambition Myra, [a city] of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone.”These passages may just look like a story, but there are lessons for us in this story—and in each passage and each verse of the Bible. Paul was continuing on his journey to Rome, his journey to stand before Caesar.As he continued, we are told in verse 7 that the ship sailed slowly for many days. On this journey, an alternate course had been taken because the winds were contrary. When an alternate course is taken, it can possibly get you behind schedule. Sometimes you may take a “shortcut” that you think is going to be faster, but it ends up taking twice as long. That was the situation in which Paul found himself. Verse 9 continues the saga: “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished [them].” It was not time to be sailing slowly, because the Day of Atonement was past, and the ancients regarded this as a dangerous time to navigate the Mediterranean. It would have been the time of the autumnal equinox, when severe storms usually occurred. But even though the ship on which Paul was traveling was late, even though it was dangerous to set sail, they were sailing slowly along.

Application to Our Lives

How do we equate this to our lives? If you are in a boat and you are just slowly moving along with the current of the water, what does that usually indicate? Generally you are relaxed, just sitting there enjoying the time. You are going along with the flow. It is possible to just go along with the flow, to just sail slowly for many days. The world thinks that youth is a time to sail slowly for many days. The highest ambition for many young people is to just have fun, but is that what God has called us to do? There is nothing necessarily wrong with having fun, but that is not to be our sole purpose or our aim in life. If it is, we are headed toward shipwreck. A number of youth are like butterflies, flitting from one pretty flower to another; they are going from one thing to another, one pretty thing to another, one fun thing to another, without purpose or aim.

Prodigal Son

Jesus told a parable about this. In Luke 15:12, 13, we read: “And the younger of them said to [his] father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to [me].’ So he divided to them [his] livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” This is the parable of the prodigal son. He wanted to spend his money, to be reckless and have fun. He wanted to enjoy life, to enjoy his youth. So, to enjoy his life and his youth, he went to a far country with no definite aim or purpose; he was just having fun. He ended up feeding pigs. Not only did he feed pigs, but he ate the pigs’ food! What was the cause of this? He did not have an aim and a purpose in his life. He did not have a plan. He just wanted to have fun. He was just going along with the flow, floating along and taking life as it comes. Going along, taking life as it comes does not always end up in the most enviable situations. The prodigal son wasted everything he had. In order to escape shipwreck, we are to have ambition, and we need to have plans and goals. Without those, especially for our life work and frequently for eternity, we will end up being shipwrecked.

Be a Blessing

The highest goal of which we should never lose sight is to get to heaven. Another ambition we are to have, Ellen White tells us, is to be a blessing. She does not say our ambition is to try to enjoy life as much as we can, but to be a blessing as much as we can. The world has it backwards. “Are you sowing to your flesh? Are you thinking only of your pleasure, your convenience? Sowing to pride and vanity and ambition? ‘Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ [Galatians 6:7.] If you are sowing faith, rendering obedience to Christ, you will reap faith and power for future obedience. If you are seeking to be a blessing to others, God will bless you. We should bring all the good possible into our lives, that we may glorify God, and be a blessing to humanity.” Review and Herald, May 5, 1891.

The entire world is focused in pleasure-seeking today, from the youth all the way up to the elderly. But that does not give true happiness; that is not true joy. When the pleasures are over, the things in the world that you think are going to be fun, that you think are going to bring you joy, leave you feeling empty. Heaven’s plan is that when you seek to be a blessing to others it increases the happiness you experience.

Reputation

In Ecclesiastes 9:10, Solomon said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with your might; for [there is] no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Solomon means everything we do. We are to do the best we can at whatever we try to do. The Amish people in the United States are traced back to the Reformation. Generally, they are of German or higher European descent. There are different sects and factions, but the strict adherents avoid the modern conveniences of the 21st century. They do everything the way it was basically done 200 years ago. They wear very plain clothes and drive horse-drawn buggies. Although they have their unique ideas about not using modern technology, they have a reputation. I once talked with an Amish man who told me that if I wanted someone to build a good house, to call on the Amish. They themselves do not own modern tools, but they have a reputation for whatever they do. They do it really good. They also specialize in moving houses. They will lift up an entire house and move it without the modern conveniences available; at times, I am told, without cracking one wall. God wants you to have a reputation that whatever you do, you do it with all your might. Regardless what type of work you may do, people should be able to say, “He (or she) is a Seventh-day Adventist. They will do a good job.” Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

Aim High

Mrs. White wrote: “Dear youth, what is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness; that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils, and help to enact laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 82.

She is here asking the questions: What is your aim in life? What do you want to do? Most importantly, though, what is God calling you to do? Do you want to ascend to a height of intellectual greatness? Do you want to sit in legislative bodies? Then she says, “There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.” You are to aim high. God wants to use you, but He does not want you to do a mediocre job. He does not want you to do just a decent job. He wants you to aim high, to have ambitions, plans, and goals. You might not make them all, but if you aim high, you are going to hit a higher mark than if you aim low! Aim high! Be content with no average attainment. God wants each of you to do the best that you can. Do not compare yourself with others. Others might aim higher than you do. There is nothing wrong with all the different vocations in life, but you need to aim high and to look and to set high goals. But too often it is easier to sail along slowly many days, to just go along with the flow and take what comes, have fun, and enjoy your youth, whatever it might be. One time in Africa, fellow workers and I were holding a training school for some of the local believers and hosting an evangelistic series in the evening. There were people that needed to be visited, flyers to distribute, and homework that we were giving to the participants. But I would walk out of the room and would see a number of people just sitting,—not a book in their hands, not talking, just sitting and looking—looking into nowhere. Now I do not want to be derogatory towards them; there are all sorts of things in the culture that needs to be overcome, but there was no ambition. There were no goals, no plans, and they were content after they had eaten to just sit. In contrast, a national hero in the Philippines by the name of José Rosales, was executed at a fairly young age. But during his short life he wrote books that had been instrumental in starting the independence campaign in the Philippines. He studied and became proficient in many different languages. He became a doctor and then an engineer. After that, he became an ophthalmologist. He kept progressing. He was a poet. He was a statesman. Why? Because he aimed high, because he had ambition, and because he had goals.

Use Your Talents

Matthew 25:24, 25 reads, “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, [there] you have [what is] yours.’ ” In the parable of the talents, why was the unfaithful steward condemned? Was it because of something that he did, or was it because of something that he did not do? It was because of something that he did not do. It was not because of anything that he did. The master did not come back and say, “You did this wrong and this wrong.” The master came back and said, “I am not condemning you; you are judged unworthy because of what you did not do, because you did not make use of what I gave to you.” Read the chapter in Christ’s Object Lessons (325–365) on talents. It is a very thought-provoking chapter. Ellen White says that the strictest account is going to be asked concerning the talent of time. No one has 30 hours in a day or 22 hours. We might not have the same amount of physical strength or mental vigor. Our minds might not all work in the same direction. All of that is fine, but every single one of us has the same amount of time. Yet many say, “Oh, I just do not have the time.” What does that really mean? It really means that individual did not prioritize his or her time to do the task. We all have the same amount of time; the important thing is the use we make of that time. We can sail along slowly many days; we can just go with the flow. We can just go from one thing to another having fun, or we can have ambition, goals, and plans, and work with all of our might to accomplish them. The devil wants to get us shipwrecked. He blows contrary winds at us, but he does more than that. He tries to get us to just go along with the flow, just to go along with what is easy, what is convenient and not make ambitions plans for our lives—with God’s leading of course. God wants us to become intellectual giants. You can become an intellectual giant by using the talents God gives you. It does not have to be in the academic line. But we are told not to be dwarfs, but to become intellectual giants. The only way that we can become intellectual giants, the only way we can be the best in whatever God calls us to do is by continually trying to improve, not being content with where we are.

Be a Daniel

There was a young man who was taken away from home, taken away from everything that made life familiar. He was given a full scholarship to the most prestigious university of that day in the courts of Babylon. As Daniel was there—a young man away from home, away from his parents, away from those that believed like he did to a great extent—he said, “Well, I am here. I will just put forth a little bit of effort and not worry about it too much.” Daniel excelled above his fellows ten times. Do you think Daniel became ten times better in all areas by putting forth just a little bit of effort? Do you think he became ten times better by just having fun, going from one pretty flower to another? No, he had ambition, plans, and goals, and he did all with all of his might. God is calling us to be Daniels today, and he is calling us to rise to that height. He is calling us to aim high and to spare no efforts to achieve that goal. Do you want to do it? Do you want to become a Daniel or a Danielle? That is what God is calling us to be. We might not be in a heathen court; we might not even be ten times better. But He wants us to have goals, plans, and ambition and to put forth the effort to do the best we can at whatever we do. Pray that the Lord will help us to be like Daniel was in Babylon—not just to go along with the flow, not just to follow wherever the breeze takes us, but to have a plan and to put forth every effort of getting there.

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.

From Alienation to Reconciliation

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Ellen White tells us that we are going to spend all eternity studying the meaning of the cross; it is the focal point of everything else. (Review and Herald, June 3, 1890.) My freshman composition teacher used to say that when you are writing a paper, you need to limit your subject so that you can cover it adequately; but the cross is a subject that we can never fully cover. We still need, however, to understand all that our minds can grasp.

Fear of the Romans

There was a theory going around in the days of Jesus that the soul, or the spirit, hovered over the dead body for three days after death. Jesus, however, waited and did not arrive at Lazarus’ home until he had been dead four days. Thus, even according to the false theories of the Jews, he was really dead. Because Lazarus was raised in the presence of a large group of people, there was no way to deny what had taken place. Some of those present related to the Pharisees what had taken place. A meeting of the Pharisees and chief priests was quickly called. The record of that meeting begins in John 11:45 and continues to the end of the chapter.

“If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” John 11:48. They were afraid of the Romans. Are people afraid of the Romans today? Yes, they are. God’s true church is afraid of the Roman power today just as the people in Jesus’ day were afraid of the Romans. Interestingly, the very thing that they believed would bring the Roman power to destroy them was the thing that would have delivered them from its power. It is an amazing thing.

On this occasion, the church leaders decided they were going to have to kill Jesus to prevent the Romans from destroying them. Ironically, by that very act, they brought destruction on themselves by the Romans. As we continue our study, keep in mind that something similar could happen again.

“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish.’ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” John 11:49–52. What is the reason that the apostle John gives for the cross? The children of God were scattered all over the world, but John said that Jesus was going to die so that all of the people of God who were scattered abroad could be brought together into one. What a wonderful thought.

Gathered Together

God’s people are still scattered all over the world; and they are going to continue to be so for a little while. But when Jesus comes again, they are going to be gathered together into one church. I love to think about it.

Have you noticed that people sometimes do not like it at one church, so they go to another one? It is not usually because they did not like the building but because they did not get along with some of the people. Have you ever seen that happen? I have never seen anybody decide to go to another church because something was wrong with themselves; but I have seen a lot of people want to go to another church because they said that something was wrong with someone else. Well, now, here is my question: What if this were to take place in heaven? This has to do, friends, with the meaning of the cross. You see, as a result of sin, people are alienated from one another. According to the apostle John, God’s children will be gathered into one.

The Bible is a spiritual book, and when it says that God’s children will be gathered into one, it is not speaking of them being gathered into one building. “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17. “For He Himself is our peace, Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” Ephesians 2:14.

Alienation

I have always had a fascination to understand the American Civil War. It was the most disastrous war the United States has ever fought. As I was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the whole matter became crystal clear in my mind. At the time of the war, our whole country was separated into two armed camps that were totally alienated from one another. All wars are the result of alienation. By the way, there is a great deal of alienation in the world today. There is even alienation among the professed people of God.

Is the cross just a story, or are we experiencing its spiritual meaning? Let me tell you something—this is something very serious—if there is one other person in this world from whom you are alienated, at least one of you is not going to heaven unless that problem is solved. It is just that simple. Now, it could be both of you, but it might only be one. You might have somebody who is alienated from you, and you might not be at fault at all; but if there are two people who are alienated, there is something wrong with at least one of them, and they cannot go to heaven unless that situation is taken care of. The purpose of the cross is to destroy this alienation and bring reconciliation.

Today, with many Christians, the cross is just like the law was for the Jewish nation. The Jewish nation taught the law, talked the law, and yet Jesus said to them, “Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?” John 7:19. Today, wherever I travel, I see crosses on churches; I see crosses around people’s necks; but people fail to understand what it means. If the cross has not destroyed the enmity in your heart, it has not done the work in your heart that must be done if you are to be saved.

Reconciliation

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.” Colossians 1:19–21.

Why did Jesus have to go to the cross? “Christ died for our sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. Now, when I understand that, if I choose to sin, what have I chosen to do? I have chosen to do the very thing that sent Jesus to the cross. By wicked works I am alienated, expressing hatred for the Son of God. You cannot love sin and love Jesus. “You who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Colossians 1:21, 22. When we come to the cross and we see the spiritual meaning of it, the sin that we used to love we learn to hate. Everyone who has that experience, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is going to be reconciled into one.

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry [or service] of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 11 Corinthians 5:18–21.

Oh, friend, is the story of the cross just a story to you, or have you had this experience? Have you been reconciled to God so that you are no longer at enmity with Him, so that you can be taken to heaven and will feel perfectly at home there because you are in harmony with the whole system? We are living in a time when we need to get down on our knees and say, “Lord, I am choosing to surrender, to submit to the cross of Jesus Christ.”

When you are no longer alienated from God, you are in a position to be reconciled, not only to God, but to your fellow man. You will no longer live for self but for Him who died for you.

Too Many Chiefs

“Satan is the originator of sin. In heaven he resolved to live to himself. He resolved to be leader. He determined to make himself a center of influence. . . . Head he would be, to control, not to be controlled.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1901. It is this character trait, or desire, in people that splits up churches. When I was a young man, they used to have a popular song in which the words went something like this: There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians around this place. This is the root cause of all manner of troubles.

It is said that Julius Caesar was once walking along a mountain road when, in the distance, he saw a small village. He is said to have remarked, “I would rather be number one in that village than to be number two in Rome.” This is why Julius Caesar was willing to kill millions of people—he wanted to be number one.

If space permitted, we could go through the gospels and see that this was the same problem that the disciples had. They never got over it until Jesus was crucified. After that, you never again find them contending as to who would be the greatest. Though they had been alienated, they were reconciled by the blood of His cross.

If you have a desire in your heart to control other people, you have the same problem. It is possible for you to be the most respected person in town and still have this problem. If you have this desire to control other people, you have not yet been reconciled. The person who lives for himself is not a Christian because he has never experienced the cross.

“No one can live for himself and at the same time be united with Christ. Conformity to the world, attachment to the world, manifests a decided denial of Christ.” The Signs of the Times, June 13, 1892.

Lowest Servant

When His disciples were struggling and quarreling over who would be next to Him in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus said: “The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.” Matthew 20:25, 26.

In the English-speaking countries, we are not used to having servants, so we have only one or two words to express the concept. We talk about servants and slaves and that is about all; but in the Roman Empire, they had many servants of various categories and used a number of different words to denote a servant. There were some servants who were what we would call managers. It was one of these, by the way, who struck Jesus when He was being tried before Caiaphas. This was a high-class servant, someone who had some authority. There was, however, a lower level of servant. The Greek word for these servants is deakenos. This is where we get the word deacon. Jesus said, “He that will be great among you, let him be a deakenos.”

In the Roman Empire, there was one category that was the lowest of all servants. They would be what we would call slaves. In the old King James Version, this word is usually translated servant, and in modern translations, it is translated as bond servant or slave. It is the lowest category of servanthood. The Greek word is doulos. Jesus said, “He that will be great among you, let him be a deakenos [that is a middle level of servant], but the one that will be first among you, let him be a doulos [that is the lowest level of servant], even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26–28.

Philippians tells us how Jesus followed this principle. He started out as the highest, “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7, 8. I say this reverently, friend; He went lower for you and for me than we will ever be able to go for Him. You will never be able to go as low for Jesus as He has already gone for you. And I want to tell you, once the Holy Spirit drives that thought home into our consciousness, we will never be the same again. We cannot go on in this alienated form of life, fighting and bickering, with all that is going on among professed Christians today. We cannot do it!

The apostles did not all think the same on every matter after the cross. The cross did not take away their ability to think, but they were no longer alienated from one another.

Perfectly United

Friends, there is going to be a people when Jesus comes who are no longer alienated. They are no longer going to be fighting. The 144,000 will be perfectly unified, in harmony. It is going to happen, all right. The question is, Who is going to experience the experience of the cross so that they can be part of it?

He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and rose again. Oh, friend, is this your experience? The cross must be an experience, no longer just a story. It must change the inner wellspring of the life so that we no longer live for ourselves. This is such a big problem in human nature that our daily prayer to God needs to be that He will divest us of selfishness. (See Our High Calling, 242.)

The servant of the Lord would not tell us to pray that every day if we did not need to do so. We are talking about a big problem. This is why we need to go to the cross over and over and over again, until the message soaks in. I want to invite you, just now, to kneel down and pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, this will be your experience.

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

Editorial – Heretics in Heaven; Orthodox in Hell

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The word heretic comes from a Greek word that means, “a person who is factious or causing divisions or dissension, and holding to a certain dogma or teaching that has these characteristics.” (See Titus 3:10.) Orthodox is a composite Greek word referring to those who believe or teach straight or right doctrines or teachings.

It is paradoxical that millions of people who have been considered heretics will be in heaven, while other millions who were considered orthodox will be in hell after the end of the millennium. During the Dark Ages, millions of people were murdered (martyred) by the orthodox for heresy.

Today, people in Protestant churches consider themselves to be orthodox. Seventh-day Adventists consider themselves to be orthodox. The various groups that have developed out of Adventism consider themselves to be the ones holding to correct teachings. This includes not only those who call themselves historic Adventists, but those who have rejected Ellen White as a prophet, and who have subsequently rejected the biblical doctrines that Adventists teach about the sanctuary. Many of these individuals now keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. As our Sunday-keeping friends do, they relegate the Sabbath to the Old Covenant that has been abolished, not distinguishing between the temporary ritual law and the moral law of ten commandments. Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees considered themselves to be orthodox and engaged in bitter debates trying to prove the other party wrong, just as we see within Adventism today.

The character you develop in this life, not the doctrines you believe to be most accurate and true, will determine your destiny in the judgment. This is the big point that many orthodox fail to see, and that the professed people in Jesus’ day seemed to overlook too. This is the bottom line reason that millions of heretics will be in heaven and countless millions of the orthodox will not.

God’s messenger, Ellen G. White, wrote: “Profession is as nothing in the scale. It is character that decides destiny.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 74. “The harvest of life is character, and it is this that determines destiny, both for this life and for the life to come.” Education, 108. “We are daily determining our destiny in the future life by the character we develop in this.” Review and Herald, January 11, 1898. “Character cannot be changed when Christ comes, nor just as a man is about to die. Character building must be done in this life.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 430.

Are you praying to God daily, pleading for a pure, holy, righteous character?

Bible Study Guides – The Sabbath in the New Testament

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June 22, 2008 – June 28, 2008

Key Text

“The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” Mark 2:27, 28.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 281–289.

Introduction

“Jesus had come to ‘magnify the law, and make it honorable.’ [Isaiah 42:21.] He was not to lessen its dignity, but to exalt it. … He had come to free the Sabbath from those burdensome requirements that had made it a curse instead of a blessing.” The Desire of Ages, 206.

1 How did Christ define His mission regarding God’s law? Matthew 5:17–20.

Note: “It is the Creator of men, the Giver of the law, who declares that it is not His purpose to set aside its precepts. Everything in nature, from the mote in the sunbeam to the worlds on high, is under law. And upon obedience to these laws the order and harmony of the natural world depend. So there are great principles of righteousness to control the life of all intelligent beings, and upon conformity to these principles the well-being of the universe depends. Before this earth was called into being, God’s law existed. Angels are governed by its principles, and in order for earth to be in harmony with heaven, man also must obey the divine statutes. To man in Eden Christ made known the precepts of the law. … The mission of Christ on earth was not to destroy the law, but by His grace to bring man back to obedience to its precepts.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 48.

2 How did John, the beloved disciple, define sin? I John 3:4.

Note: “The beloved disciple, who listened to the words of Jesus on the mount, writing long afterward under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speaks of the law as of perpetual obligation. … He makes it plain that the law to which he refers is ‘an old commandment which ye had from the beginning.’ I John 2:7. He is speaking of the law that existed at the creation and was reiterated upon Mount Sinai.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 48.

3 How did Christ identify Himself regarding the origin of the Sabbath? Luke 6:1–5.

Note: “Upon one Sabbath day, as the Saviour and His disciples returned from the place of worship, they passed through a field of ripening grain. Jesus had continued His work to a late hour, and while passing through the fields, the disciples began to gather the heads of grain, and to eat the kernels after rubbing them in their hands. On any other day this act would have excited no comment, for one passing through a field of grain, an orchard, or a vineyard, was at liberty to gather what he desired to eat. See Deuteronomy 23:24, 25. But to do this on the Sabbath was held to be an act of desecration. Not only was the gathering of the grain a kind of reaping, but the rubbing of it in the hands was a kind of threshing. Thus, in the opinion of the rabbis, there was a double offense. …

“The Jewish teachers prided themselves on their knowledge of the Scriptures, and in the Saviour’s answer there was an implied rebuke for their ignorance of the Sacred Writings. ‘Have ye not read so much as this,’ He said, ‘what David did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him; how he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, … which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?’ ‘And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.’ ‘Have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.’ ‘The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.’ Luke 6:3, 4; Mark 2:27, 28; Matthew 12:5, 6.” The Desire of Ages, 284, 285.

4 What was Jesus’ custom on the Sabbath? Luke 4:16.

Note: “During His childhood and youth, Jesus had worshiped among His brethren in the synagogue at Nazareth. Since the opening of His ministry He had been absent from them, but they had not been ignorant of what had befallen Him. As He again appeared among them, their interest and expectation were excited to the highest pitch. Here were the familiar forms and faces of those whom He had known from infancy. Here were His mother, His brothers and sisters, and all eyes were turned upon Him as He entered the synagogue upon the Sabbath day, and took His place among the worshipers.” The Desire of Ages, 236.

5 Besides worshiping on the Sabbath, what else did Christ do on that day? Luke 6:6–10.

Note: “Upon another Sabbath, as Jesus entered a synagogue, He saw there a man who had a withered hand. The Pharisees watched Him, eager to see what He would do. The Saviour well knew that in healing on the Sabbath He would be regarded as a transgressor, but He did not hesitate to break down the wall of traditional requirements that barricaded the Sabbath. Jesus bade the afflicted man stand forth, and then asked, ‘Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?’ It was a maxim among the Jews that a failure to do good, when one had opportunity, was to do evil; to neglect to save life was to kill. Thus Jesus met the rabbis on their own ground. ‘But they held their peace. And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.’ Mark 3:4, 5.” The Desire of Ages, 286.

6 What purpose did Christ have in mind by healing on the Sabbath? Luke 14:1–5.

Note: “As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them. Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ. The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God’s rest day with burdensome requirements. In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father. The rabbis virtually represented God as giving laws which it was impossible for men to obey. They led the people to look upon God as a tyrant, and to think that the observance of the Sabbath, as He required it, made men hard-hearted and cruel. It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions. Although the rabbis followed Him with merciless hostility, He did not even appear to conform to their requirements, but went straight forward, keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God.” The Desire of Ages, 283, 284.

7 How did Christ spend the Sabbath after the crucifixion? Luke 23:44–47. What did the disciples do on that Sabbath? Luke 23:53–56.

Note: “At last Jesus was at rest. The long day of shame and torture was ended. As the last rays of the setting sun ushered in the Sabbath, the Son of God lay in quietude in Joseph’s tomb. His work completed, His hands folded in peace, He rested through the sacred hours of the Sabbath day.

“In the beginning the Father and the Son had rested upon the Sabbath after Their work of creation. When ‘the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them’ (Genesis 2:1), the Creator and all heavenly beings rejoiced in contemplation of the glorious scene. ‘The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ Job 38:7. Now Jesus rested from the work of redemption; and though there was grief among those who loved Him on earth, yet there was joy in heaven. Glorious to the eyes of heavenly beings was the promise of the future. A restored creation, a redeemed race, that having conquered sin could never fall,—this, the result to flow from Christ’s completed work, God and angels saw. With this scene the day upon which Jesus rested is forever linked. For ‘His work is perfect;’ and ‘whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.’ Deuteronomy 32:4; Ecclesiastes 3:14. 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.

8 What is the meaning of the Sabbath for God’s people? Matthew 11:28–30; Hebrews 4:1–4, 9–11.

Note: “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.” The Desire of Ages, 289.

9 How can we receive the promised rest? John 16:13; Hebrews 3:7, 8; Isaiah 48:18; Jeremiah 6:16.

Note: “[Hebrews 4:9, 11 quoted.] 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.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 928.

10 How will the redeemed spend the Sabbath on the earth made new? Isaiah 66:23.

Note: “The Sabbath was not for Israel merely, but for the world. It had been made known to man in Eden, and, like the other precepts of the Decalogue, it is of imperishable obligation. Of that law of which the fourth commandment forms a part, Christ declares, ‘Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law.’ So long as the heavens and the earth endure, the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator’s power. And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God’s holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. ‘From one Sabbath to another’ the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up ‘to worship before Me, saith the Lord.’ Matthew 5:18; Isaiah 66:23.” The Desire of Ages, 283.

Additional Reading

“The New Testament has not changed the law of God. The sacredness of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is as firmly established as the throne of Jehovah. John writes: ‘Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the law] hath not seen him, neither known him’ (I John 3: 4-6). We are authorized to hold in the same estimation as did the beloved disciple those who claim to abide in Christ, to be sanctified, while living in transgression of God’s law. He met with just such a class as we have to meet. He said, ‘Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning’ (verses 7, 8). Here the apostle speaks in plain terms, as he deemed the subject demanded.” The Sanctified Life, 68.

“Many endeavor to evade the claims of the fourth commandment by urging that the law of God was given to the Jews exclusively; that the seventh day of the week is the Jewish, while the first day is the Christian Sabbath. This distinction is not recognized in the Scriptures. There is no such contrast as is often claimed to exist between the Old and the New Testament, the law of God and the gospel of Christ, the requirements of the Jewish and those of the Christian dispensation. Every soul saved in the former dispensation was saved by Christ as verily as we are saved by him today. Patriarchs and prophets were Christians. The gospel promise was given to the first pair in Eden, when they had by transgression separated themselves from God. The gospel was preached to Abraham. The Hebrews all drank of that spiritual Rock, which was Christ. It was by Christ that the worlds were made. By Christ the law was proclaimed from Sinai. Hence, Christ is, in the fullest sense, as he declares himself to be, ‘Lord of the Sabbath.’ He made the day sacred to himself, on which to receive the worship of angels and of men.

“How dare any, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, trample upon its requirements?” The Signs of the Times, September 14, 1882.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The Sabbath

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June 15, 2008 – June 21, 2008

Key Text

“Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the Lord that sanctify them. . . . And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20:12, 20.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 201–213.

Introduction

“Like the Sabbath, the week originated at creation, and it has been preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. God Himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and he then blessed this day, and set it apart as a day of rest for man.” Christian Education, 190.

1 What did the Creator do on the seventh day? Genesis 2:2.

Note: “The weekly cycle of seven literal days, six for labor, and the seventh for rest, which has been preserved and brought down through Bible history, originated in the great facts of the first seven days.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 90.

“He [God] rested, not as one weary, but as well pleased with the fruits of His wisdom and goodness and the manifestations of His glory.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 47.

2 Besides resting on the seventh day, what else did the Lord do? Genesis 2:3.

Note: “After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon God’s great work of creation.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 47.

3 Before giving the Ten Commandments at Sinai, what specific instructions did the Lord give to His people? Exodus 16:22–30.

Note: “God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick and suffering be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy, and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Many carelessly put off till the beginning of the Sabbath little things that might have been done on the day of preparation. This should not be. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them careful to do their own work on the six working days.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 296.

4 What miracles did the Lord perform in connection with Sabbath observance? Exodus 16:16–27.

Note: “Every week during their long sojourn in the wilderness the Israelites witnessed a threefold miracle, designed to impress their minds with the sacredness of the Sabbath: a double quantity of manna fell on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and the portion needed for the Sabbath was preserved sweet and pure, when if any were kept over at any other time it became unfit for use.

“In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, when none would fall, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, ‘How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?’ ” Patriarchs and Prophets, 296, 297.

5 In reference to God’s example at the end of creation, what does He require of His people? Exodus 20:8–11.

Note: “God saw that a Sabbath was essential for man, even in Paradise. He needed to lay aside his own interests and pursuits for one day of the seven, that he might more fully contemplate the works of God and meditate upon His power and goodness. He needed a Sabbath to remind him more vividly of God and to awaken gratitude because all that he enjoyed and possessed came from the beneficent hand of the Creator.

“God designs that the Sabbath shall direct the minds of men to the contemplation of His created works. Nature speaks to their senses, declaring that there is a living God, the Creator, the Supreme Ruler of all. … The beauty that clothes the earth is a token of God’s love. We may behold it in the everlasting hills, in the lofty trees, in the opening buds and the delicate flowers. All speak to us of God. The Sabbath, ever pointing to Him who made them all, bids men open the great book of nature and trace therein the wisdom, the power, and the love of the Creator.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 48.

6 What is included in the fourth commandment? Isaiah 58:13, 14.

Note: “All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are worshipers of Jehovah. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of man’s allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve Him. The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.

“God has given men six days wherein to labor, and He requires that their own work be done in the six working days. Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided. … Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 307.

7 What is the relation between creation and the Sabbath? Exodus 31:13–17.

Note: “God’s memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath, the sign of His work in creating the world, has been displaced by the man of sin. God’s people have a special work to do in repairing the breach that has been made in His law; and the nearer we approach the end, the more urgent this work becomes. All who love God will show that they bear His sign by keeping His commandments. They are the restorers of paths to dwell in. … Genuine medical missionary work is bound up inseparably with the keeping of God’s commandments, of which the Sabbath is especially mentioned, since it is the great memorial of God’s creative work. Its observance is bound up with the work of restoring the moral image of God in man. This is the ministry which God’s people are to carry forward at this time. This ministry, rightly performed, will bring rich blessings to the church.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 265, 266.

8 How does sanctification relate to the Sabbath? Ezekiel 20:12, 20.

Note: “The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that re-creates the soul in His own likeness. To those who keep holy the Sabbath day it is the sign of sanctification. True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through obedience to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through obedience.

“To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given ‘for a perpetual covenant.’ [Exodus 31:16.] To those who reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes them as His chosen people. It is a pledge that He will fulfill to them His covenant. Every soul who accepts the sign of God’s government places himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He fastens himself to the golden chain of obedience, every link of which is a promise.

“The fourth commandment alone of all the ten contains the seal of the great Lawgiver, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Those who obey this commandment take upon themselves His name, and all the blessings it involves are theirs. ” Testimonies, vol. 6, 350.

9 What reforms were needed before and after the captivity of Israel and Judah? Jeremiah 17:19–27; Nehemiah 13:15–22.

10 What reformation is needed today? Isaiah 56:1–8.

Note: “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.

“At the very beginning of the fourth commandment the Lord said: ‘Remember.’ He knew that amid the multitude of cares and perplexities man would be tempted to excuse himself from meeting the full requirement of the law, or would forget its sacred importance. Therefore He said: ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.’ Exodus 20:8.

“All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment. We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life. All who regard the Sabbath as a sign between them and God, showing that He is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the principles of His government. They will bring into daily practice the laws of His kingdom. Daily it will be their prayer that the sanctification of the Sabbath may rest upon them. Every day they will have the companionship of Christ and will exemplify the perfection of His character. Every day their light will shine forth to others in good works.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 353, 354.

Additional Reading

“Not all our people are as particular as they should be in regard to Sabbath observance. May God help them to reform. It becomes the head of every family to plant his feet firmly on the platform of obedience.” Counsels on Health, 491.

“Everything that can possibly be done on the six days which God has given to you, should be done. You should not rob God of one hour of holy time. Great blessings are promised to those who place a high estimate upon the Sabbath and realize the obligations resting upon them in regard to its observance.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 702.

“Parents should have a thorough understanding with their family that the sacred hours of the Sabbath are to be spent to God’s glory. They should be up with the sun, and have plenty of time to prepare for Sabbath school without getting into a rush, and perhaps losing self-control. If the proper preparations have been made the previous day, there will be abundance of time to review the lesson studied during the week; and both parents and children can go to the school with the assurance that they have the lessons well learned.” Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 54.

“Those who, from whatever cause, are obliged to work on the Sabbath, are always in peril; they feel the loss, and from doing works of necessity, they fall into the habit of doing things on the Sabbath that are not necessary. The sense of its sacredness is lost, and the holy commandment is of no effect. A special effort should be made to bring about a reform in regard to Sabbath observance.” Medical Ministry, 215.

“The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a part. Men have honored Satan’s principles above the principles that rule in the heavens. They have accepted the spurious sabbath, which Satan has exalted as the sign of his authority. But God has set His seal upon His royal requirement. Each sabbath institution bears the name of its author, an ineffaceable mark that shows the authority of each. It is our work to lead the people to understand this. We are to show them that it is of vital consequence whether they bear the mark of God’s kingdom or the mark of the kingdom of rebellion, for they acknowledge themselves subjects of the kingdom whose mark they bear. God has called us to uplift the standard of His downtrodden Sabbath. How important, then, that our example in Sabbathkeeping should be right.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 352, 353.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Divine Power in Creation Pt.2

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June 8, 2008 – June 14, 2008

Key Text

“Know ye that the Lord he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 111–116.

Introduction

“In God’s word alone we find an authentic account of creation. Here we behold the power that laid the foundation of the earth, and that stretched out the heavens. Here, only, can we find a history of our race, unsullied by human prejudice or human pride.” Christian Education, 38.

1 What was God’s work on the fourth day? Genesis 1:14–19.

Note: “The sun and the moon were made by Him [Christ]. There is not a star which beautifies the heavens that He did not make.” The Ministry of Healing, 424.

2 What should the sun bring to our mind? Psalm 84:11; Malachi 4:2, first part.

Note: “The Sun of Righteousness did not burst upon the world in splendor, to dazzle the senses with His glory. It is written of Christ, ‘His going forth is prepared as the morning.’ Hosea 6:3. Quietly and gently the daylight breaks upon the earth, dispelling the shadow of darkness, and waking the world to life. So did the Sun of Righteousness arise, ‘with healing in His wings.’ Malachi 4:2.” The Desire of Ages, 261.

“After association with the Son of God, the humble follower of Christ is found to be a person of sound principle, clear perception, and reliable judgment. He has a connection with God, the Source of light and understanding. He who longed to be of service to the cause of Christ, has been so quickened by the life-giving rays of the Sun of Righteousness, that he has been enabled to bear much fruit to the glory of God.” Christian Education, 199.

3 Describe the creative work on the fifth day. Genesis 1:20–22. What declaration is made about each day thus far? Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23.

Note: “Geology has been thought to contradict the literal interpretation of the Mosaic record of the creation. Millions of years, it is claimed, were required for the evolution of the earth from chaos; and in order to accommodate the Bible to this supposed revelation of science, the days of creation are assumed to have been vast, indefinite periods, covering thousands or even millions of years.

“Such a conclusion is wholly uncalled for. The Bible record is in harmony with itself and with the teaching of nature. Of the first day employed in the work of creation is given the record, ‘The evening and the morning were the first day.’ Genesis 1:5. And the same in substance is said of each of the first six days of creation week. Each of these periods Inspiration declares to have been a day consisting of evening and morning, like every other day since that time. In regard to the work of creation itself the divine testimony is, ‘He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.’ Psalm 33:9. With Him who could thus call into existence unnumbered worlds, how long a time would be required for the evolution of the earth from chaos? In order to account for His works, must we do violence to His word?” Education, 128, 129.

4 Why is it so difficult for scientists to accept God’s word? Romans 1:18–21.

Note: “A terrible picture of the condition of the world has been presented before me. Immorality abounds everywhere. Licentiousness is the special sin of this age. Never did vice lift its deformed head with such boldness as now. The people seem to be benumbed, and the lovers of virtue and true goodness are nearly discouraged by its boldness, strength, and prevalence.

“I [Ellen G. White] was referred to Romans 1:18–32, as a true description of the world previous to the second appearing of Christ.

“It is sin, not trial and suffering, which separates God from His people and renders the soul incapable of enjoying and glorifying Him. It is sin that is destroying souls. Sin and vice exist in Sabbathkeeping families.” Child Guidance, 440.

5 What was created during the first part of the sixth day? Genesis 1:24, 25. How does God regard all these creatures? Matthew 6:26; 10:29.

Note: “Harsh treatment, even to the brutes, is offensive to God. Those who profess to love God do not always consider that abuse to animals, or suffering brought upon them by neglect, is a sin. The fruits of divine grace will be as truly revealed in men by the manner in which they treat their beasts, as by their service in the house of God. Those who allow themselves to become impatient or enraged with their animals are not Christians. …

“God, who created man, made the animals, also. They were to minister to man’s comfort and happiness, to serve him, and to be controlled by him.” The Signs of the Times, November 25, 1880.

6 What was the crowning work of the Creator? Genesis 1:26–28.

Note: “After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life had been called into existence, man, the crowning work of the Creator, and the one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up, was brought upon the stage of action. … ‘So God created man in His own image; … male and female created He them.’ [Genesis 1:27.] Here is clearly set forth the origin of the human race; and the divine record is so plainly stated that there is no occasion for erroneous conclusions. God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man’s narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was ‘the son of God.’ ” Patriarchs and Prophets, 44, 45.

7 What institution did the Creator establish in the sixth day? Genesis 1:27, 28.

Note: “Jesus pointed His hearers back to the marriage institution as ordained at creation. ‘Because of the hardness of your hearts,’ He said, Moses ‘suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.’ Matthew 19:8. He referred them to the blessed days of Eden, when God pronounced all things ‘very good.’ … Then, as the Creator joined the hands of the holy pair in wedlock, saying, A man shall ‘leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one’ (Genesis 2:24), He enunciated the law of marriage for all the children of Adam to the close of time. That which the Eternal Father Himself had pronounced good was the law of highest blessing and development for man.

“Like every other one of God’s good gifts entrusted to the keeping of humanity, marriage has been perverted by sin; but it is the purpose of the gospel to restore its purity and beauty. In both the Old and the New Testament the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people, the redeemed ones whom He has purchased at the cost of Calvary.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 63, 64.

8 What diet was provided for man at creation? Genesis 1:29.

Note: “In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God’s original plan for man’s diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. ‘Behold,’ He said, ‘I have given you every herb yielding seed, … and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.’ [Genesis 1:29.] Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling the earth under the curse of sin, man received permission to eat also ‘the herb of the field.’ [Genesis 2:5.]

“Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect, that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 81.

9 What did Malachi prophesy concerning these last days? Malachi 4:5, 6.

Note: “Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 62.

10 What did the apostle Peter say, prophetically, about this work? Acts 3:19–21.

Note: “The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are ‘the times of refreshing’ to which the apostle Peter looked forward …” Acts 3:19. The Great Controversy, 611, 612.

“In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored. 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. In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all the precepts of the Decalogue. Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the waste places. They are to be repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in. [Isaiah 58:12.]” Prophets and Kings, 678.

Additional Reading

“The most difficult and humiliating lesson that man has to learn is his own inefficiency in depending upon human wisdom, and the sure failure of his own efforts to read nature correctly. Sin has obscured his vision, and of himself he cannot interpret nature without placing it above God. He cannot discern in it God, or Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. He is in the same position as were the Athenians, who erected their altars for the worship of nature. Standing in the midst of Mars’ Hill, Paul presented before the people of Athens the majesty of the living God in contrast with their idolatrous worship. [Acts 17:22–29 quoted.]

“Those who have a true knowledge of God will not become so infatuated with the laws of matter or the operations of nature as to overlook, or refuse to acknowledge, the continual working of God in nature. Nature is not God, nor was it ever God. The voice of nature testifies of God, but nature is not God. As His created work, it simply bears a testimony to God’s power. Deity is the author of nature. The natural world has, in itself, no power but that which God supplies. …

“In its human wisdom the world cannot know God. Its wise men gather an imperfect knowledge of God from His created works, and then in their foolishness they exalt nature and the laws of nature above nature’s God. Those who have not a knowledge of God through an acceptance of the revelation He has made of Himself in Christ, will obtain only an imperfect knowledge of Him in nature; and this knowledge, so far from bringing the whole being into conformity to His will, will make men idolaters. Professing themselves to be wise, they will become fools.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1068.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Divine Power in Creation

by

June 1, 2008 – June 7, 2008

Key Text

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1, 2.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 44–51.

Introduction

“Divine wisdom, infinite grace, were made plain by the things of God’s creation. Through nature and the experiences of life, men were taught of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 22.

1 Who took an active part in the creation of the universe? Genesis 1:1, 2, 26; John 1:1–3.

  • God, the Father — Hebrews 11:3
  • Jesus Christ — Colossians 1:16, 17
  • The Holy Spirit — Psalm 104:30

Note: “If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity. God over all, blessed forevermore.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1126.

2 As we contemplate creation, what do we realize? Psalm 19:1–6.

Note: “God encourages us to contemplate His works in the natural world. He desires that we shall turn our mind from the study of the artificial to the natural. We shall understand this better as we lift up our eyes to the hills of God, and contemplate the works which His own hands have created. They are God’s work. His hand has molded the mountains and balances them in their position, that they shall not be moved except at His command. The wind, the sun, the rain, the snow, and the ice, are all His ministers to do His will.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1144, 1145.

3 How did the universe come into existence? Psalm 33:6–9.

Note: “God spoke, and His words created His works in the natural world. God’s creation is but a reservoir of means made ready for Him to employ instantly to do His pleasure.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1081.

4 What should cause us to truly marvel at God’s creation? Hebrews 11:3.

Note: “In the creation of the earth, God was not indebted to preexisting matter. ‘He spake, and it was; … He commanded, and it stood fast.’ Psalm 33:9. All things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, came into existence by the breath of His mouth.” The Ministry of Healing, 414, 415.

“Nature in her work testifies of the intelligent presence and active agency of a being who moves in all His works according to His will. It is not by an original power inherent in nature that year by year the earth yields its bounties and continues its march around the sun. The hand of infinite power is perpetually at work guiding this planet. It is God’s power momentarily exercised that keeps it in position in its rotation.

“The God of heaven is constantly at work. It is by His power that vegetation is caused to flourish, that every leaf appears and every flower blooms. Every drop of rain or flake of snow, every spire of grass, every leaf and flower and shrub, testifies of God. These little things so common around us teach the lesson that nothing is beneath the notice of the infinite God, nothing is too small for His attention.

“The mechanism of the human body cannot be fully understood; it presents mysteries that baffle the most intelligent. It is not as the result of a mechanism, which, once set in motion, continues its work, that the pulse beats and breath follows breath. In God we live and move and have our being. Every breath, every throb of the heart, is a continual evidence of the power of an ever-present God.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 260.

5 What is revealed by God’s creation? Romans 1:20.

6 What was created on the first day of creation? Genesis 1:3–5.

Note: “He [God] causes ‘the light to shine out of darkness.’ II Corinthians 4:6. When ‘the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep,’ ‘the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.’ Genesis 1:2, 3.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 415.

7 What other light also comes from the same source? John 1:6–10; 8:12; 9:5.

Note: “God is light; and in the words, ‘I am the light of the world’ [John 8:12], Christ declared His oneness with God, and His relation to the whole human family. It was He who at the beginning had caused ‘the light to shine out of darkness.’ II Corinthians 4:6. He is the light of sun and moon and star. He was the spiritual light that in symbol and type and prophecy had shone upon Israel. But not to the Jewish nation alone was the light given. As the sunbeams penetrate to the remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon every soul.” The Desire of Ages, 464.

8 How does this light affect all who accept it? Isaiah 60:1, 2.

Note: “In the night of spiritual darkness, God’s word goes forth, ‘Let there be light.’ To His people He says, ‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’ Isaiah 60:1. …

“It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 415.

“It is the highest duty of every Christian to let the light God has given shine forth in steady rays.” Review and Herald, December 12, 1893.

9 What did God create on the second day? Genesis 1:6–8. What do we learn from God’s work in the firmament? Psalm 19:1–3.

Note: “Shall we not commit to memory the lessons nature teaches? Shall we not open the eyes of our senses; and take in the beautiful things of God? We would do well to read often the nineteenth psalm that we may understand how the Lord binds up His law with His created works. …

“We are to contemplate the wonderful works of God, and repeat the lessons learned from them to our children, that we may lead them to see His skill, His power, His grandeur in His created works.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1143.

10 What was God’s main purpose in creating the world? Isaiah 45:18.

Note: “In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space. … And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the message of the Father’s love.” The Desire of Ages, 20.

11 Explain why the sky can be especially inspiring to the Christian. Job 37:14–18.

Note: “Several years ago, while journeying from Christiania, Norway, to Goteborg, Sweden, I [Ellen G. White] was favored with the sight of the most glorious sunset it was ever my privilege to behold. Language is inadequate to picture its beauty. The last beams of the setting sun, silver and gold, purple, amber, and crimson, shed their glories athwart the sky, growing brighter and brighter, rising higher and higher in the heavens, until it seemed that the gates of the city of God had been left ajar, and gleams of the inner glory were flashing through. For two hours the wondrous splendor continued to light up the cold northern sky—a picture painted by the great Master Artist upon the shifting canvas of the heavens. Like the smile of God it seemed, above all earthly homes, above the rock-bound plains, the rugged mountains, the lonely forests, through which our journey lay.” The Faith I Live By, 248.

12 What was brought forth in the third day? Genesis 1:9–13.

Note: “When God formed the earth, there were mountains, hills, and plains, and interspersed among them were rivers and bodies of water. The earth was not one extensive plain, but the monotony of the scenery was broken by hills and mountains, not high and ragged as they now are, but regular and beautiful in shape. The bare, high rocks were never seen upon them, but lay beneath the surface, answering as bones to the earth. The waters were regularly dispersed. The hills, mountains, and very beautiful plains, were adorned with plants and flowers, and tall, majestic trees of every description, which were many times larger, and much more beautiful, than trees now are. The air was pure and healthful, and the earth seemed like a noble palace. Angels beheld and rejoiced at the wonderful and beautiful works of God.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 33.

“It is through the gift of Christ that we receive every blessing. Through that gift there comes to us day by day the unfailing flow of Jehovah’s goodness. Every flower, with its delicate tints and its fragrance, is given for our enjoyment through that one Gift.” The Ministry of Healing, 424.

13 What relationship exists between creation and the first angel’s message? Revelation 14:6, 7.

Note: “In the first angel’s message men are called upon to worship God, our Creator, who made the world and all things that are therein.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 106.

Additional Reading

“While the Bible should hold the first place in the education of children and youth, the book of nature is next in importance. God’s created works testify to His love and power. He has called the world into being, with all that it contains. God is a lover of the beautiful; and in the world which He has fitted up for us He has not only given us everything necessary for our comfort, but He has filled the heavens and the earth with beauty. We see His love and care in the rich fields of autumn, and His smile in the glad sunshine. His hand has made the castle-like rocks and the towering mountains. The lofty trees grow at His command; He has spread earth’s green velvet carpet and dotted it with shrubs and flowers.

“Why has He clothed the earth and trees with living green, instead of with dark, somber brown? Is it not that they may be more pleasing to the eye? And shall not our hearts be filled with gratitude as we read the evidences of His wisdom and love in the wonders of His creation?

“The same creative energy that brought the world into existence is still exerted in upholding the universe and continuing the operations of nature. The hand of God guides the planets in their orderly march through the heavens. It is not because of inherent power that year by year the earth continues her motion round the sun and produces her bounties. The word of God controls the elements. He covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth. He makes the valleys fruitful and ‘grass to grow upon the mountains.’ Psalm 147:8. It is through His power that vegetation flourishes, that the leaves appear and the flowers bloom.

“The whole natural world is designed to be an interpreter of the things of God. To Adam and Eve in their Eden home, nature was full of the knowledge of God, teeming with divine instruction. To their attentive ears it was vocal with the voice of wisdom. Wisdom spoke to the eye and was received into the heart, for they communed with God in His created works. As soon as the holy pair transgressed the law of the Most High, the brightness from the face of God departed from the face of nature. Nature is now marred and defiled by sin. But God’s object lessons are not obliterated; even now, rightly studied and interpreted, she speaks of her Creator. …

“In the natural world, God has placed in the hands of the children of men the key to unlock the treasure house of His word. The unseen is illustrated by the seen; divine wisdom, eternal truth, infinite grace, are understood by the things that God has made. Then let the children and youth become acquainted with nature and nature’s laws. Let the mind be developed to its utmost capacity and the physical powers trained for the practical duties of life. But teach them also that God has made this world fair because He delights in our happiness; and that a more beautiful home is preparing for us in that world where there will be no more sin. The word of God declares: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ I Corinthians 2:9.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 185–188.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.