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Who Will be Ready for Jesus’ Return?

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The night Jesus was betrayed He disclosed to His disciples that the time had come for Him to leave. At this they became very troubled and depressed, as Jesus had become the best friend they had in this world and they could not stand the idea of being separated from Him and wanted to be with Him.

They were with Him as He opened the eyes of the blind, healed those with leprosy, gave people who were speech impaired the ability to speak, and those who were deaf, the ability to hear. They were with Him and witnessed as He raised the dead and understood that He was the Messiah.

It was their delight to be with Him and they looked forward to Him setting up a kingdom in Jerusalem. However, they did not realize that in less than 24 hours from that time, their Master would be dead on the cross and their hopes would vanish.

But now they were troubled because He told them that He was leaving. It was at this time, when they were so distressed and depressed and troubled, that Jesus gave to them one of the most wonderful promises in the Bible. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1–3.

It is and always has been the Christian’s hope that Jesus is coming again. The apostle Paul called it the blessed hope. When Jesus comes again for His children, there will not be any more pain, sickness or death and there will be no more separation or loneliness.

Jesus made this promise to His disciples at the communion supper before his betrayal.

Six weeks later was Pentecost, which was the beginning of the apostolic Christian church. At that time when Peter preached, there were 3,000 converted in one day and Christ’s promise to return was made to His disciples and all of His followers since that time. However, this event does not provide any hope for the rest of the world. We who believe look forward to being reunited with our loved ones who have died in Christ. It is the most exciting hope that we have—the blessed hope.

But for some, this will not be a wonderful event, and they are going to be very upset and distressed at Jesus’ return.

Jesus said the last days are going to be like it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24). We know that only eight people out of all those living at that time actually accepted the invitation, entered the ark and were saved. Mathematicians have estimated that the world could have had a population of easily over one billion people at the time of the flood.

In those days people lived several hundred years. It is recorded that Adam lived 930 years so he and Eve would have had many children in their lifetime. From all of those people only eight got on the ark.

Jesus said it is going to be like that again. Paul said, “It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you [the church]; And to give you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” II Thessalonians 1:6–9.

What is going to happen to those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel? They are going to be punished with everlasting destruction. When Jesus returns it will be the most exciting time for the saints, but for some it will be punishment with everlasting destruction.

A most important question to ask is, Will He acknowledge me as being part of His people, part of His church and one of His disciples?

It is not enough to simply make a profession and call yourself a Christian. How can you be sure that you are part of His remnant people in these last days? I want to know for sure that when Jesus comes, He will recognize me as being part of His people, part of His believers and part of His church.

Does God have a last day people in the earth today and if so, are they described in Bible prophecy?

Jesus said, “And I also say to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades [that is the gates of the grave] shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18.

He said that the gates of Hades will not prevail against His church—so it must still be in existence today.

Notice what happened on the day of Pentecost: “Them that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls. … And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:41, 47.

God knows the intent of each heart. No one can fool God. He looked at each heart and He saw those who were responding to the gospel and added them to the church.

Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:18, 19.

One might wonder where is God’s true church today with over 300 different denominations in North America. However, the Bible has a very clear answer to that question because it was revealed to the prophets and the apostles, and we find it written down very clearly in the book of Revelation.

In Bible prophecy, a woman represents a church, and in Revelation 17 the counterfeit church and false system of worship is described as a great prostitute woman, called Babylon. This woman is not a pure woman. She is the great prostitute who is going to get worldwide influence. In fact, it says that everybody in the world is going to worship this woman except those who are saved. In Revelation 12 there is described an enormous struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil.

Satan’s object of attack is God’s church which is described in Revelation 12 as a pure woman—a woman standing on the moon, with a crown, and twelve stars on her head.

“A great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars: Then being with child she cried out in labour, and in pain to give birth.” Revelation 12:1, 2.

This is not actually a woman in the flesh—this is a sign, or a wonder in heaven. She is clothed with the sun, that is, with light. On her head is a garland of twelve stars and she is described as getting ready to bring forth a son. This woman represents God’s church. It is a pure woman, not a prostitute woman like the woman in Revelation 17 who gains control over most of the world in the last days.

In Revelation 12 verses 7–9, is described a gigantic war between Christ and His angels and Satan and his angels. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent.” In Hebrew the word Michael means one who is like God.

When Lucifer fell from heaven he became Satan and is referred to as the dragon. It was the dragon speaking through a serpent that deceived Eve and ever since that time he has been referred to as that ancient serpent. He was not created as a serpent. He was created as a leading angel in heaven. He was called in Ezekiel “the cherub that covers.” Ezekiel 28:14. His place was right next to the throne of God, but he rebelled. Then he persuaded a third of the angels to rebel with him and war broke out in heaven between Michael, that is, Christ and His angels, and the dragon, Satan and his angels. And it says, “The dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth [how much of the world?] the whole world.”

This dragon, the devil, was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him.

He was cast out of heaven physically before the world was created, but he was not completely cast out from the hearts of the angels. Remember, the dragon, the devil, Lucifer and his angels had been friends and companions with the angels of God in heaven for we know not how long, but it could have been many, many millions of years.

Though he was cast out of heaven at God’s command the results of his rebellion had not been realized and the angels still had some sympathy for him.

God saw that if the universe was ever going to be safe, this sympathy the angels of heaven had for Lucifer had to be cast out, or heaven would never be safe.

The plan of salvation was put into operation. Angels of God watched with wonder the controversy between Christ and Satan during Jesus’ earthly life. They saw the devil following Him with every kind of temptation, trying to make His way as hard as possible. They witnessed him stir up the people against Jesus, causing the Jews to finally reject Him, which caused Him to be scourged and flogged. Angels wept as people spat in His face and then nailed their Commander to the cross, lifting it up and jamming it into the ground, causing the most excruciating suffering to the Majesty of heaven who was innocent of any crime.

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross did not only benefit the people of this world. When the angels of heaven and the unfallen universe saw what the devil did to Jesus Christ, it totally uprooted any residual sympathy they had for their former friend.

Revelation 12:13 says, “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child.”

Jesus was a descendent of Eve, a child of the church, born of the virgin, Mary. Satan knew that the “seed of the woman” would eventually “bruise his head” (Genesis 3:15). In an attempt to stop that prophecy from taking place he stirred up Herod, who sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the male babies two years old and under in an attempt to also destroy the promised seed, Jesus. God sent an angel to Joseph with the warning to flee down to Egypt right away, thus saving the life of Jesus. It is unknown how many babies were taken from their mother’s arms and put to death, causing great mourning in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16, 19–21).

The prophecy says that this child that was to rule all nations with a rod of iron was caught up unto God and to His throne (Revelation 12:5). That is exactly what happened. After his death He was resurrected and Jesus ascended to heaven. Angels came to comfort the disciples and told them that, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, is going to come back in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11.

At the cross, the dragon saw that he had been cast down—cast out of the affections and sympathy of all the unfallen universe, which stirred in him more anger. He then turned his attack on the woman—the church.

Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

We will never know until the Day of Judgment, how many millions of Christians died violently at the hands of the pagan Roman government around the latter part of the 1st century. When the pagan persecution stopped, the Christian persecution began. The medieval church enlisted the power of the State to enforce its decrees and persecution started all over again. Christians were forced to make a decision. If they could not violate their conscience they were captured, taken in the dead of night from their hiding places to dungeons and prisons where many of them were cruelly martyred.

The Bible predicted this event in Revelation 12:14: “The woman fled into the desert, to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.”

In symbolic time prophecy, a day equals a year. “I have appointed you each day for a year.” Ezekiel 4:6.

During that prophetic time, faithful men and women of God kept the lamp of truth burning, but at the peril of their lives. They were constantly afraid, always aware of the danger each time they opened the Sacred Writings that they could be caught and punished with even death.

The freedom we enjoy today in the United States has been bought with much blood of the past.

In The History of the Popes, vol. 2, 334, it states: “Great numbers were driven from their habitations with their wives and children, stripped and naked, many of them inhumanly massacred.”

The Bible predicted that, “The serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Revelation 12:15, 16.

The water represents peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15).

There were isolated and desolate places in the earth where people fled to escape the persecution to places like the Piedmont valleys in the Alps, which was the home of the Waldenses for many years. Instead of just fleeing into the Alps, or into southeastern France, eventually some people seeking to flee from the persecution fled all the way across the ocean to America. These Christians became known as pilgrims.

God’s faithful found refuge in a land that was to become the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

At the end of the 1,260 years was predicted the rise of God’s last day movement and last day events. “And the dragon was wroth [angry] with the woman [the church], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17.

Notice it is the same woman. It is the remnant of her seed. The word remnant means that which remains and is like the original.

The book of Revelation reveals the characteristics of this remnant. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Here we see that the remnant—God’s last people in the earth—keep the commandments of God. This means they would be Sabbath keepers because the Sabbath is the longest commandment in the whole law. They could not be idolaters because the second commandment is the second longest commandment in the whole law, condemning the practice of using idols or images in worship.

In the final angel’s message to the world, John describes God’s last people. “Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

God’s people are described as keeping God’s commandments and having the same religion or the same faith that Jesus had. These two distinguishing characteristics of God’s remnant or last day people are:

Keeping all ten of the commandments of God. “If you keep the whole law and you offend in one, you are a lawbreaker; you are not a commandment keeper.” James 2:10.

Have the testimony of Jesus. “And I fell at his feet to worship him and he said to me, See that you do not do that, I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10.

The testimony of Jesus is to be confirmed in those who are waiting for Jesus’ coming. Paul said, “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:6, 7.

When Jesus left this world and ascended to heaven He gave to His church some spiritual gifts. It says, “And he gave some to be apostles; some prophets; some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11. These spiritual gifts were given for the perfecting of the saints, or, in other words, until the church would be perfect in Christ.

God’s last day people will be keeping His commandments and they will have the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy, according to Revelation 12:17.

Toward the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, there was a great religious and spiritual awakening all over the world. Bible scholars at that time discovered that after the 1,260 years of hiding from persecution, the church was to appear again after 1798. It was discovered that this earth had reached the period in history that the Bible called the last days, or the time of the end.

For the first time in history God began to move upon His servants all over the world, in many different churches, to proclaim the news that the second coming of Christ was approaching. What was the result of this?

At first many people were very excited about the preaching of Jesus’ soon return. There was an awakening in all the different churches, the Roman Catholic as well as all the different Protestant churches. People started studying their Bibles and said, “We believe from Bible prophecy that Jesus is coming soon.”

As time went on, the people of the 1830s–1840s had the same problem that many Christians have today. They actually loved this world more than they loved Jesus and His soon return.

The Bible talks about this. The Ephesus church was rebuked by Jesus. “You have lost your first love; you have fallen.” See Revelation 2:4, 5. The people in the Christian churches loved the world, especially in the United States because this country was starting to become prosperous. They loved the world more than they wanted Jesus to come so there was opposition to the teaching that the Day of Judgment was approaching and that Jesus was coming soon. Those who persisted to advocate were actually disfellowshipped from the mainline churches in America and also other countries just because of their belief that Jesus was coming soon and that the whole world needed to hear the message. They were forced out. Where did they go?

From the prophecy in Daniel 8:14 Jesus was expected to return to this world in 1843 and then in 1844. The misunderstanding of the work of Jesus, the High Priest (Hebrews 8 and 9) and the meaning of the sanctuary caused a great disappointment when Jesus did not come as the prophecy predicted. Diligently, the faithful ones studied the Bible prophecy to find their error. “And he said to me, for 2,300 days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14.

A prophetic day is a literal year. The prophecy predicted exactly when the Messiah would come. He came at the very time specified in Daniel 9:24–26. This prophecy predicted the exact time when Jesus would be crucified and also the exact time when the judgment would begin in the sanctuary in heaven.

In 1844 this group who believed the second advent of Christ was to occur that year were deeply disappointed when He didn’t return. Faithful to His word, God raised up the gift of prophecy to guide His disappointed people and lead them into a worldwide movement to proclaim the gospel. Now there are thousands of people teaching this all over the world because Jesus is coming soon and the world has to be warned.

Revelation predicted that God’s remnant, or last day people, would appear after the woman (the church) came out of the wilderness where she (the church) was in seclusion for 1,260 years. In other words, God’s last day people would be seen some time after 1798. As mentioned before, these last day people, or remnant, are described as having two prominent characteristics:

They would keep the commandments of God in a time of lawlessness. Jesus predicted in Matthew 24:12 that the last days would be a time of great lawlessness. That is exactly what we see. Paul also said the same thing in II Timothy 3.

These people would have the testimony of Jesus—the gift of prophecy.

“And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people.” Revelation 14:6.

Notice that this message is going to go to the whole world, just like it did in Noah’s day. God is not going to destroy people in this world until they have had a chance to escape the destruction that is coming. The people who choose not to accept the gospel are going to be destroyed. Those who do not accept the mercy, so freely offered, will receive the just reward of their deeds (II Thessalonians 1:6–10).

God’s remnant people would not only keep God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy, but they would take the gospel to all the world (Revelation 14:6–12).

Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness for all nations; and then shall the end come.”

Jesus did not say that the whole world would be converted but only a very small percentage. The book of Revelation makes it very clear, exceedingly clear, that in the last days almost the whole world will reject the gospel and be destroyed. Everyone will have a chance to accept it, just like the people in Noah’s day who all had an opportunity to get on the ark and be saved from the flood. There are far more converts to the gospel in countries that are deprived than in the countries where there is much wealth. Remember Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24.

The gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come.

There is a better world coming—a world with no death, no war, no sickness, and no pain. “And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and there shall be no more pain; for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.

Heaven is a good place. The time is coming when every single person in this world is going to want to be in that place. But now is the time to make that decision. If you want to be in heaven you need to make a decision today to follow Christ and be loyal to the government of God by keeping His commandments and receiving the Holy Spirit so that your heart can be transformed and changed. God cannot pollute heaven with taking those whose hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth.

Jesus is not coming back to this world to get church buildings or organizations. He is coming for His people, those who love Him and keep His commandments, who delight to do His will and live by the Spirit of Prophecy. These are those who make up His church on this earth.

Accept God’s invitation today and be part of His remnant church. He is coming soon. Be ready!

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 – Feast Keeping in the New Covenant, Part 1

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In the Old Covenant there were six yearly feasts and these six feasts had seven holy convocations. If you counted the Passover as a holy convocation, you would have eight. The first of these was the Passover feast on the 14th day of the first month which is very close to the time that Easter is celebrated today. Second was the feast of unleavened bread which was a seven-day feast and had a holy convocation on the first day of the feast (the day after the Passover) and on the last day of the feast. (The second day of the feast of unleavened bread or the 16th day of the first month was when the firstfruits or wave sheaf was offered.) The third feast of the year, and the last of the spring feasts, occurred 50 days after the last day of the feast of unleavened bread and was called the feast of weeks, or later, Pentecost.

The fourth feast was the first of the fall feasts, the feast of trumpets, on the first day of the seventh month, and the fifth feast was the Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the seventh month. The last feast of the year was the feast of tabernacles, which lasted seven days and had a holy convocation on the first day, and at the end of the feast there was a holy convocation on the 8th day.

It is our earnest desire to keep all of these feasts, not in the type but in the antitype, or reality, because all of them represent profound events in the development of the New Covenant which was ratified by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. This ratification brought to an end all the types of the Old Covenant and replaced them with the exciting realities of the New Covenant. As Paul said it, “He takes away the first, that He may establish the second.” Hebrews 10:9.

As implied already it is actually impossible to keep the feasts of the Old Covenant today because to do so requires a priest who is a descendant of Aaron; and, since the priests were destroyed in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, not even an orthodox Jew can keep the feasts according to what is written. See Exodus 28:1; Nehemiah 7:64; II Chronicles 13:9, 10.

However, it is our full intent to “keep the feast” (I Corinthians 5:8) not with the old leaven, but with the new leaven—not in the Old Covenant setting but rather in the New Covenant setting, with the veil taken away (II Corinthians 3:16), as we will explain in our next editorial.

Bible Study Guides – Temptations of Christ

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April 18, 2010 – April 24, 2010

Key text:

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.

Study Helps: The Desire of Ages, 114–123.

Introduction:

“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” The Desire of Ages, 83.

1 Where did Jesus go after He was baptized? Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:11–13.

Note: “When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, He was led by the Spirit of God. He did not invite temptation. He went to the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission and work. By fasting and prayer He was to brace Himself for the bloodstained path He must travel. But Satan knew that the Saviour had gone into the wilderness, and he thought this the best time to approach Him.” Ibid., 114.

2 After Jesus had fasted for forty days what did Satan do? Luke 4:3, 4. How did Jesus answer? Matthew 4:3, 4.

Note: “When Christ bore the test of temptation upon the point of appetite He did not stand in beautiful Eden, as did Adam, with the light and love of God seen in everything His eye rested upon; but He was in a barren, desolate wilderness, surrounded with wild beasts. Everything around Him was repulsive. With these surroundings, He fasted forty days and forty nights, ‘and in those days he did eat nothing’ [Luke 4:2]. He was emaciated through long fasting and felt the keenest sense of hunger. His visage was indeed marred more than the sons of men.

“Christ thus entered upon His life of conflict to overcome the mighty foe, in bearing the very test which Adam failed to endure, that through successful conflict He might break the power of Satan and redeem the race from the disgrace of the fall.” Confrontation, 37.

3 What was Satan’s next attack? Luke 4:9–11. What was Jesus’ reply? Luke 4:12.

Note: “In Satan’s first temptation upon the point of appetite he had tried to insinuate doubts in regard to God’s love and care for Christ as His Son, by presenting His surroundings and His hunger as an evidence that He was not in favor with God. He was unsuccessful in this. He next tried to take advantage of the faith and perfect trust Christ had shown in His heavenly Father, to urge Him to presumption. ‘If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.’ [Luke 4:9-11]. Jesus promptly answered, ‘It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God’ [Matthew 4:6, 7].

“The sin of presumption lies close beside the virtue of perfect faith and confidence in God. Satan flattered himself that he could take advantage of the humanity of Christ to urge Him over the line of trust to presumption. Upon this point many souls are wrecked. Satan tried to deceive Christ through flattery. He admitted that He was right in the wilderness in His faith and confidence that God was His Father under the most trying circumstances. He then urged Christ to give him one more proof of His entire dependence upon God, one more evidence of His faith that He was the Son of God, by casting Himself from the Temple. He told Christ that if He was indeed the Son of God He had nothing to fear, for angels were at hand to uphold Him. Satan gave evidence that he understood the Scriptures by the use he made of them.” Confrontation, 48.

4 What was Satan’s third attempt? Luke 4:6, 7. What was Jesus’ reply? Luke 4:8.

Note: “Satan saw that he must either conquer or be conquered. The issues of the conflict involved too much to be entrusted to his confederate angels. He must personally conduct the warfare. All the energies of apostasy were rallied against the Son of God. Christ was made the mark of every weapon of hell.

“Many look on this conflict between Christ and Satan as having no special bearing on their own life; and for them it has little interest. But within the domain of every human heart this controversy is repeated. Never does one leave the ranks of evil for the service of God without encountering the assaults of Satan. The enticements which Christ resisted were those that we find it so difficult to withstand. They were urged upon Him in as much greater degree as His character is superior to ours. With the terrible weight of the sins of the world upon Him, Christ withstood the test upon appetite, upon the love of the world, and upon that love of display which leads to presumption. These were the temptations that overcame Adam and Eve, and that so readily overcome us.” The Desire of Ages, 116.

5 Who ministered unto Jesus after He was so severely tempted? Matthew 4:11.

Note: “After the foe had departed, Jesus fell exhausted to the earth, with the pallor of death upon His face. The angels of heaven had watched the conflict, beholding their loved Commander as He passed through inexpressible suffering to make a way of escape for us. He had endured the test, greater than we shall ever be called to endure. The angels now ministered to the Son of God as He lay like one dying. He was strengthened with food, comforted with the message of His Father’s love and the assurance that all heaven triumphed in His victory. Warming to life again, His great heart goes out in sympathy for man, and He goes forth to complete the work He has begun; to rest not until the foe is vanquished, and our fallen race redeemed.

“Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.’ Revelation 5:12.” The Desire of Ages, 131.

6 Is it as important for us to live up to health reform as it was for Jesus to refuse to turn the stones into bread? III John 2; I Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20.

Note: “As a people we have been given the work of making known the principles of health reform. There are some who think that the question of diet is not of sufficient importance to be included in their evangelistic work. But such make a great mistake. God’s word declares: ‘Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.’ 1 Corinthians 10:31. The subject of temperance, in all its bearings, has an important place in the work of salvation.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 112.

“God has shown that health reform is as closely connected with the third angel’s message as the hand is with the body. There is nowhere to be found so great a cause of physical and moral degeneracy as a neglect of this important subject. Those who indulge appetite and passion and close their eyes to the light for fear they will see sinful indulgences which they are unwilling to forsake, are guilty before God. Whoever turns from the light in one instance hardens his heart to disregard the light upon other matters. Whoever violates moral obligations in the matter of eating and dressing, prepares the way to violate the claims of God in regard to eternal interests.” Counsels on Health, 73.

7 What does the Bible say about the sin of presumption? I Corinthians 10:12; Psalm 19:13.

Note: “The sin of presumption lies close beside the virtue of perfect faith and confidence in God. Satan flattered himself that he could take advantage of the humanity of Christ to urge Him over the line of trust to presumption. Upon this point many souls are wrecked. Satan tried to deceive Christ through flattery. He admitted that He was right in the wilderness in His faith and confidence that God was His Father under the most trying circumstances. He then urged Christ to give him one more proof of His entire dependence upon God, one more evidence of His faith that He was the Son of God, by casting Himself from the Temple. He told Christ that if He was indeed the Son of God He had nothing to fear, for angels were at hand to uphold Him. Satan gave evidence that he understood the Scriptures by the use he made of them.” Confrontation, 48.

8 Whom are we to worship? Revelation 14:6, 7.

Note: “There must be no lowering of the standard as to what constitutes true education. It must be raised far above where it now stands. It is not men whom we are to exalt and worship; it is God, the only true and living God, to whom our worship and reverence are due.” Evangelism, 133.

“But those who fear and reverence God meet this Heaven-daring assumption as Christ met the solicitations of the wily foe: ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve’ [Luke 4:8]. God has never given a hint in his Word that he has appointed any man to be the head of the church. The doctrine of papal supremacy is directly opposed to the teachings of the Scriptures. The pope can have no power over Christ’s church except by usurpation.” The Great Controversy, 1888, 51.

9 Did the disciples accept worship of themselves by others? Acts 10:25, 26; Acts 14:12–15.

Note: “When these ministers of God ascertained the cause of this visit and its attendant excitement, they were filled with indignation and horror. They rent their clothing, and rushed in among the multitude to prevent farther proceedings. Paul, in a loud, ringing voice that rose above the noise of the multitude, demanded their attention; and, as the tumult was suddenly quelled, he inquired—‘Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness’ [Acts 14:15–17].” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 363, 364.

Additional Reading

“Mighty issues for the world were at stake in the conflict between the Prince of light and the leader of the kingdom of darkness. After tempting man to sin, Satan claimed the earth as his, and styled himself the prince of this world. Having conformed to his own nature the father and mother of our race, he thought to establish here his empire. He declared that men had chosen him as their sovereign. Through his control of men, he held dominion over the world. Christ had come to disprove Satan’s claim. As the Son of man, Christ would stand loyal to God. Thus it would be shown that Satan had not gained complete control of the human race, and that his claim to the world was false. All who desired deliverance from his power would be set free. The dominion that Adam had lost through sin would be recovered.” The Desire of Ages, 114, 115.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

Bible Study Guides – The Origin of Sin and God’s Response

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April 11, 2010 – April 17, 2010

Key Text:

“Thou wast perfect in all thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Ezekiel 14:15.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 114–123.

Introduction:

“It is impossible to explain the origin of sin so as to give a reason for its existence. Yet enough may be understood concerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin, to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all His dealings with evil. Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than that God was in no wise responsible for the entrance of sin. … Sin is an intruder, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it, is to defend it. Could excuse for it be found, or cause be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin is that given in the word of God; it is ‘the transgression of the law;’ (1 John 3:4) it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government.” That I May Know Him, 15.

1 Where did sin originate? Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:12–15.

Note: “In heaven itself this law was broken. Sin originated in self-seeking. Lucifer, the covering cherub, desired to be first in heaven. He sought to gain control of heavenly beings, to draw them away from their Creator, and to win their homage to himself. Therefore he misrepresented God, attributing to Him the desire for self-exaltation. With his own evil characteristics he sought to invest the loving Creator. Thus he deceived angels. Thus he deceived men. He led them to doubt the word of God, and to distrust His goodness. Because God is a God of justice and terrible majesty, Satan caused them to look upon Him as severe and unforgiving. Thus he drew men to join him in rebellion against God, and the night of woe settled down upon the world.” The Desire of Ages, 21, 22.

2 What happened to the sinners in heaven? Revelation 12:7–9.

Note: “Lucifer in heaven desired to be first in power and authority; he wanted to be God, to have the rulership of heaven; and to this end he won many of the angels to his side. When with his rebel host he was cast out from the courts of God, the work of rebellion and self-seeking was continued on earth. Through the temptation to self-indulgence and ambition, Satan accomplished the fall of our first parents; and from that time to the present the gratification of human ambition and the indulgence of selfish hopes and desires have proved the ruin of mankind.” Reflecting Christ, 51.

3 What was Satan’s goal when He was cast out? Isaiah 14:13, 14.

Note: “Lucifer might have remained in favor with God, beloved and honored by all the angelic host, exercising his noble powers to bless others and to glorify his Maker. But, says the prophet, ‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness’ [Ezekiel 28]. Verse 17. Little by little, Lucifer came to indulge a desire for self-exaltation. ‘Thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God.’ … ‘Thou hast said … I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation. … I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High’ [Ezekiel 28]. Verse 6; Isaiah 14:13, 14. Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of His creatures, it was Lucifer’s endeavor to win their service and homage to himself. And coveting the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power which it was the prerogative of Christ alone to wield.” The Great Controversy, 494.

4 How did Satan attempt to gain control of God’s creation? Genesis 3:1–6.

Note: “In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent—a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception. The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures on the earth. It had wings, and while flying through the air presented an appearance of dazzling brightness, having the color and brilliancy of burnished gold. Resting in the rich-laden branches of the forbidden tree and regaling itself with the delicious fruit, it was an object to arrest the attention and delight the eye of the beholder. Thus in the garden of peace lurked the destroyer, watching for his prey.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 53.

5 How did God meet the emergency of Adam and Eve’s fall? Genesis 3:15.

Note: “Christ, the Source of Our Salvation—After the fall of Adam and Eve, the race was plunged in hopeless misery, and it was then that this great plan of redemption was advanced. It was then the Son of God consented to leave His Father’s throne, lay aside His royal crown, clothe Himself with humanity, take upon Him the nature of man, and become a man among men. He became a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. Then shall we not say with John, ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God’! (I John 3:1). Many in our world seem to think that to be a Christian is to step down very low, getting upon a very low level. But this is a very mistaken idea. What is it to be a Christian? It is to be like Christ. Who is Christ? The Son of the living God. He is the One who wrought out the plan of salvation for the fallen race. Every blessing we have comes through this Source, through Jesus Christ. Anyone who would entertain the idea that it is a great sacrifice to become a Christian should remember, when seated around the family board partaking of the bounties there, that all these blessings come from Jesus Christ. It was in consequence of sin that man was shut out from the throne of God, but Christ steps in and pays the price, and through His merits man is brought back in favor with God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 230.

6 How and in what manner did the redeemer appear to mankind? Luke 2:4–7.

Note: “His birth was without worldly grandeur. He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger; yet His birth was honored far above that of any of the sons of men. Angels from heaven informed the shepherds of the advent of Jesus, and light and glory from God accompanied their testimony. The heavenly host touched their harps and glorified God. They triumphantly heralded the advent of the Son of God to a fallen world to accomplish the work of redemption, and by His death to bring peace, happiness, and everlasting life to man. God honored the advent of His Son. Angels worshiped Him.” Early Writings, 153.

7 How was the promised redeemer received? Luke 2:8–18; Matthew 2:1–13.

Note: “Jesus came as an infant of days, of poor parentage. But there were some who were willing to receive the heavenly Guest. For these the angel messengers veiled their glory, and the heavenly chorus rang over the hills of Bethlehem with hosannas to the newborn King. The humble shepherds believed Him, received Him, and worshiped Him. But the very ones who ought to have been the first to welcome Jesus did not discern Him. He was not the one their ambitious hopes desired. The false path they had entered, they continued to follow to the end. They became unteachable, self-righteous, and self-sufficient, fancying they possessed true light and that they were the only safe instructors of the people.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, 14.

8 Where did Jesus grow up? Matthew 2:21–23.

Note: “For many years the Son of God lived unhonored, and almost unknown, in the wicked and despised city of Nazareth. This humble city was proverbial because of the wickedness of the people who resided therein. It was a humiliation to be an inhabitant of so corrupt a city. Christ commenced his mission among the hardest classes.” Redemption, 52.

9 Why was it necessary for Jesus to be baptized to be our complete Saviour from sin? Matthew 3:13–15.

Note: “Christ was baptized by John in Jordan, and as He came up out of the water after His baptism, the heavens were opened, and the glory of God, symbolized by a dove of burnished gold, encircled Him, and from the highest heaven were heard the words, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ [II Peter 1:17]. This was an assurance to John that Christ was the Son of God. And what do these words say to us, to every member of the human family, whatever our country or position? To every one of us they are words of hope and mercy. Through faith in the provision God has made in the behalf of man, you are accepted in the Beloved—accepted through the merits of Jesus.” The Bible Echo, November 12, 1894.

10 After His baptism by whom and how was Jesus recognized? Matthew 3:16, 17; Mark 1:11.

Note: “As Jesus prayed after his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove of burnished gold, hovered over him, and a voice was heard, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Through the gates ajar there streamed bright beams of glory from the throne of Jehovah, and this light shines even upon us. The assurance given to Christ is assurance to every repenting, believing, obedient child of God that he is accepted in the Beloved.

“We are indebted to Jesus for all the blessings we enjoy. We should be deeply grateful that we are the subjects of his intercession.” The Signs of the Times, July 31, 1884.

Additional Reading

“To many minds, the origin of sin and the reason for its existence are a source of great perplexity. They see the work of evil, with its terrible results of woe and desolation, and they question how all this can exist under the sovereignty of One who is infinite in wisdom, in power, and in love. Here is a mystery, of which they find no explanation. And in their uncertainty and doubt, they are blinded to truths plainly revealed in God’s Word, and essential to salvation. There are those who, in their inquiries concerning the existence of sin, endeavor to search into that which God has never revealed; hence they find no solution of their difficulties; and such as are actuated by a disposition to doubt and cavil, seize upon this as an excuse for rejecting the words of Holy Writ. Others, however, fail of a satisfactory understanding of the great problem of evil, from the fact that tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the Bible concerning the character of God, the nature of his government, and the principles of his dealing with sin.

“It is impossible to so explain the origin of sin as to give a reason for its existence. Yet enough may be understood concerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin, to fully make manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all his dealings with evil. Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than that God was in nowise responsible for the entrance of sin; that there was no arbitrary withdrawal of divine grace, no deficiency in the divine government, that gave occasion for the uprising of rebellion. Sin is an intruder, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it, is to defend it. Could excuse for it be found, or cause be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin is that given in the Word of God; it is ‘the transgression of the law’ [I John 3:4]; it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government.

“Before the entrance of evil, there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator’s will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial. Christ the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, and in purpose—the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. By Christ, the Father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings. ‘By him were all things created, that are in Heaven, … whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers’ [Colossians 1:16]; and to Christ, equally with the Father, all Heaven gave allegiance.” The Great Controversy (1888), 492, 493.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

Bible Study Guides – Sin—What is it?

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April 4, 2010 – April 10, 2010

Key Text:

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 22:37–39.

Study Helps: Fundamentals of Christian Education, 135–137.

Introduction:

“Our work individually is to copy the character of Christ, who gave His life to make it possible for us to do this. Shall we evidence to the world that we are children of God, bought with a price, and that we are bearing fruit in speech, in tone of voice, and in kindness of redeeming love, showing what it means to keep the commandments of God?” In Heavenly Places, 220.

1 What is sin? I John 3:4.

Note: “This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. … Sin is defined to be ‘the transgression of the law.’ I John 3:5, 4. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. … By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 311, 312.

2 What law does sin break? James 2:10–12.

Note: “In the beginning, God gave His law to mankind as a means of attaining happiness and eternal life. …

“That law of ten precepts of the greatest love that can be presented to man is the voice of God from heaven speaking to the soul in promise, ‘This do, and you will not come under the dominion and control of Satan.’ There is not a negative in that law, although it may appear thus. It is DO and Live.” God’s Amazing Grace, 134.

3 Before giving His law to the Children of Israel what were the people instructed to do? Exodus 19:10–13.

Note: “Order and cleanliness is the law of heaven; and in order to come into harmony with the divine arrangement, it is our duty to be neat and tasty.” The Adventist Home, 254.

“The Lord commanded the children of Israel to wash their clothes and put away all impurity from their encampment, lest in passing by He should see their uncleanness. God is passing by our homes today, and He looks upon the unsanitary conditions of families and the lax habits. Had we not better reform, and that without delay?” Child Guidance, 106.

4 By whom and how were the Ten Commandments given to the Children of Israel? Exodus 20:1; Deuteronomy 5:22.

Note: “The ten holy precepts spoken by Christ upon Sinai’s mount were the revelation of the character of God, and made known to the world the fact that He had jurisdiction over the whole human heritage. That law of ten precepts of the greatest love that can be presented to man is the voice of God from heaven speaking to the soul in promise. ‘This do, and you will not come under the dominion and control of Satan.’ There is not a negative in that law, although it may appear thus. It is DO, and Live. … The Lord has given His holy commandments to be a wall of protection around His created beings.” Sons and Daughters of God, 53.

5 What are the commandments that God proclaimed? Exodus 20:3–17; Deuteronomy 5:7–21.

Note: “The signs exist today which prophecy predicted would characterize the state of society just prior to the second coming of Christ. You have heard much in regard to the authority and sanctity of the law of the ten commandments. God is the author of that law, which is the foundation of his government in Heaven and on earth. All enlightened nations have based their laws upon this grand foundation of all law; yet the legislators and ministers, who are recognized as the leaders and teachers of the people, live in open violation of the principles inculcated in those holy statutes.” The Health Reformer, July 1, 1878.

6 Now let us consider the blessings of the commandments one at a time. Exodus 20:3.

Note: “In the last days of this earth’s history the voice that spoke from Sinai is still declaring, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.’ Exodus 20:3. Man has set his will against the will of God, but he cannot silence the word of command. The human mind cannot evade its obligation to a higher power. Theories and speculations may abound; men may try to set science in opposition to revelation, and thus do away with God’s law; but stronger and still stronger comes the command, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’ Matthew 4:10.” Prophets and Kings, 624, 625.

Worship One God—Exodus 20:4–6.

“Our Creator demands our supreme devotion, our first allegiance. Anything which tends to abate our love for God, or to interfere with the service due Him, becomes thereby an idol. With some their lands, their houses, their merchandise, are the idols. Business enterprises are prosecuted with zeal and energy, while the service of God is made a secondary consideration. Family worship is neglected, secret prayer forgotten. Many claim to deal justly with their fellow-men, and seem to feel that in so doing they discharge their whole duty. But it is not enough to keep the last six commandments of the Decalogue. We are to love the Lord our God with all the heart. Nothing short of obedience to every precept … can satisfy the claims of the divine law.” Sons and Daughters of God, 57.

“ ‘Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments’ [Exodus 20:6]. In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true God. And to those who are faithful in His service, mercy is promised, not merely to the third and fourth generation as is the wrath threatened against those who hate Him, but to thousands of generations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 306.

Honor God—Exodus 20:7.

“This commandment not only prohibits false oaths and common swearing, but it forbids us to use the name of God in a light or careless manner, without regard to its awful significance. By the thoughtless mention of God in common conversation, by appeals to Him in trivial matters, and by the frequent and thoughtless repetition of His name, we dishonor Him. ‘Holy and reverend is His name.’ Psalm 111:9. All should meditate upon His majesty, His purity and holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with reverence and solemnity.” Ibid., 306, 307.

The Sabbath—Exodus 20:8–11.

“The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator’s work. Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. 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.” Ibid., 307.

Honor Parents—Exodus 20:12.

“ ‘Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee’ [Exodus 20:12].

“Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God. The fifth commandment requires children not only to yield respect, submission, and obedience to their parents, but also to give them love and tenderness, to lighten their cares, to guard their reputation, and to succor and comfort them in old age. It also enjoins respect for ministers and rulers and for all others to whom God has delegated authority.” Ibid., 308.

Respect—Exodus 20:13.

“All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts toward others, or causes us even to wish them harm (for ‘whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer’) [I John 3:15]; a selfish neglect of caring for the needy or suffering; all self-indulgence or unnecessary deprivation or excessive labor that tends to injure health—all these are, to a greater or less degree, violations of the sixth commandment.” Ibid.

Morality—Exodus 20:14.

“This commandment forbids not only acts of impurity, but sensual thoughts and desires, or any practice that tends to excite them. Purity is demanded not only in the outward life but in the secret intents and emotions of the heart. Christ, who taught the far-reaching obligation of the law of God, declared the evil thought or look to be as truly sin as is the unlawful deed.” Ibid.

Honesty—Exodus 20:15.

“Both public and private sins are included in this prohibition. The eighth commandment condemns manstealing and slave dealing, and forbids wars of conquest. It condemns theft and robbery. It demands strict integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids overreaching in trade, and requires the payment of just debts or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage oneself by the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another is registered as fraud in the books of heaven.” Ibid., 309.

Truthfulness—Exodus 20:16.

“False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor’s reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.” Ibid.

Unselfishness—Exodus 20:17.

“The tenth commandment strikes at the very root of all sins, prohibiting the selfish desire, from which springs the sinful act. He who in obedience to God’s law refrains from indulging even a sinful desire for that which belongs to another will not be guilty of an act of wrong toward his fellow creatures.

“Such were the sacred precepts of the Decalogue, spoken amid thunder and flame, and with a wonderful display of the power and majesty of the great Lawgiver. God accompanied the proclamation of His law with exhibitions of His power and glory, that His people might never forget the scene, and that they might be impressed with profound veneration for the Author of the law, the Creator of heaven and earth. He would also show to all men the sacredness, the importance, and the permanence of His law.” Ibid.

Additional Reading

“In the Bible every vital principle is declared, every duty made plain, every obligation made evident. The whole duty of man is summed up by the Saviour. He says, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. … Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’ [Matthew 13:37, 39]. In the word the plan of salvation is plainly delineated. The gift of eternal life is promised on condition of saving faith in Christ. The drawing power of the Holy Spirit is pointed out as an agent in the work of man’s salvation. The rewards of the faithful, the punishment of the guilty, are all laid out in clear lines. The Bible contains the science of salvation for all those who will hear and do the words of Christ.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 187.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

Bible Study Guides – Christ our Redeemer

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March 28, 2010 – April 3, 2010

Key Text

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

Study Helps: The Desire of Ages, 68–74.

Introduction:

“The more we behold Christ, talk of His merits, and tell of His power, the more fully we shall reflect His image in our own characters and the less we shall submit our minds and affections to the paralyzing influences of the world. The more our minds dwell upon Jesus, the less they will be enveloped in the fog of doubt, and the more easily shall we lay all our trials, all our burdens, upon the Burden Bearer.” In Heavenly Places, 127.

1 Who was Christ? Romans 1:3, 4; John 3:16; Matthew 8:29.

Note: “Jesus was the Commander of heaven, one equal with God, and yet he condescended to lay aside his kingly crown, his royal robe, and clothed his divinity with humanity. The incarnation of Christ in human flesh is a mystery. He could have come to earth as one with a remarkable appearance, unlike the sons of men. His countenance could have shone with glory, and his form could have been of remarkable grace. He could have presented such an appearance as to charm the beholder; but this was not according to the plan devised in the courts of God. He was to bear the characteristics of the human family, and the Jewish race. In all respects the Son of God was to wear the same features as did other human beings. He was not to have such beauty of person as would make him singular among men. He was to manifest no wonderful charms by which to attract attention to himself. He came as a representative of the human family before heaven and earth. He was to stand as man’s substitute and surety. He was to live the life of humanity in such a way as to contradict the assertion that Satan had made that humanity was his everlasting possession, and that God himself could not take man out of his adversary’s hands.” The Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896.

2 How did the Old Testament writers prophecy His birth? Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Genesis 22:18.

Note: “Mary, the mother of Jesus, pondered the far-reaching prophecy of Simeon. As she looked upon the child in her arms, and recalled what the shepherds of Bethlehem had said, she was full of grateful joy and bright hope.

“Simeon’s words called to her mind the prophecy of Isaiah. She knew that of Jesus were spoken these wonderful words:

“ ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’

“ ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9:2, 6.” The Story of Jesus, 20.

“Plain and specific prophecies had been given regarding the appearance of the Promised One. To Adam was given an assurance of the coming of the Redeemer. The sentence pronounced on Satan, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel’ (Genesis 3:15), was to our first parents a promise of the redemption to be wrought out through Christ.

“To Abraham was given the promise that of his line the Saviour of the world should come: ‘In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ ‘He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.’ Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16.” The Acts of the Apostles, 222.

3 Did the Jewish people at the time of Christ’s birth know about the Old Testament prophecies? Matthew 2:1–8.

Note: “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.” Matthew 2:3–8.

4 Why did God send His Son to this earth? I Thessalonians 5:9, 10; II Timothy 2:10; Hebrews 9:28.

Note: “Had silver and gold been sufficient to purchase the salvation of men, how easily might it have been accomplished by Him who says, ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.’ Haggai 2:8. But only by the precious blood of the Son of God could the transgressor be redeemed. The plan of salvation was laid in sacrifice. The apostle Paul wrote, ‘Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.’ II Corinthians 8:9. Christ gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity. And as the crowning blessing of salvation, ‘the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6:23.” The Acts of the Apostles, 519.

5 What was our salvation to save us from? Matthew 1:21; Ephesians 1:7; Acts 4:12.

Note: “For every soul struggling to rise from a life of sin to a life of purity, the great element of power abides in the only ‘name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved’ [Acts 4:12]. ‘If any man thirst,’ for restful hope, for deliverance from sinful propensities, Christ says, ‘let him come unto Me, and drink’ [John 7:37]. The only remedy for vice is the grace and power of Christ.” Counsels on Health, 440.

6 How far did the Son of God go to redeem man? Philippians 2:6–8; Isaiah 53:3–5.

Note: “Point after point Paul lingered over, in order that those who should read his epistle might fully comprehend the wonderful condescension of the Saviour in their behalf. Presenting Christ as He was when equal with God and with Him receiving the homage of the angels, the apostle traced His course until He had reached the lowest depths of humiliation. Paul was convinced that if they could be brought to comprehend the amazing sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven, all selfishness would be banished from their lives. He showed how the Son of God had laid aside His glory, voluntarily subjecting Himself to the conditions of human nature, and then had humbled Himself as a servant, becoming obedient unto death, ‘even the death of the cross’ (Philippians 2:8), that He might lift fallen man from degradation to hope and joy and heaven.” The Acts of Apostles, 333.

7 What did Jesus claim to be when He was on earth? John 14:6.

Note: “There are not many ways to heaven. Each one may not choose his own way. Christ says, ‘I am the way … no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me’ [John 14:6]. Since the first gospel sermon was preached, when in Eden it was declared that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, Christ had been uplifted as the way, the truth, and the life. He was the way when Adam lived, when Abel presented to God the blood of the slain lamb, representing the blood of the Redeemer. Christ was the way by which patriarchs and prophets were saved. He is the way by which alone we can have access to God.” The Desire of Ages, 663.

8 What kind of a life did Jesus live while He was on earth? Acts 10:38.

Note: “The unselfish labor of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an inspiration. The members of God’s church are to be zealous of good works, separating from worldly ambition and walking in the footsteps of Him who went about doing good. With hearts filled with sympathy and compassion, they are to minister to those in need of help, bringing to sinners a knowledge of the Saviour’s love. Such work calls for laborious effort, but it brings a rich reward. Those who engage in it with sincerity of purpose will see souls won to the Saviour, for the influence that attends the practical carrying out of the divine commission is irresistible.” The Acts of the Apostles, 109, 110.

9 How did Jesus pay the price for our sins? Luke 23:33; Matthew 27:35.

Note: “Those who think of the result of hastening or hindering the gospel think of it in relation to themselves and to the world. Few think of its relation to God. Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God. Every departure from the right, every deed of cruelty, every failure of humanity to reach His ideal, brings grief to Him. When there came upon Israel the calamities that were the sure result of separation from God—subjugation by their enemies, cruelty, and death—it is said that ‘His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.’ ‘In all their affliction He was afflicted … and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.’ Judges 10:16; Isaiah 63:9.” Education, 263.

10 What caused Jesus to be put on the cross? I Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 9:28; Isaiah 53:5.

Note: “The Lord desires us to appreciate the great plan of redemption, to realize our high privilege as the children of God, and to walk before Him in obedience, with grateful thanksgiving. He desires us to serve Him in newness of life, with gladness every day. He longs to see gratitude welling up in our hearts because our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, because we may cast all our care upon Him who cares for us. He bids us rejoice because we are the heritage of the Lord, because the righteousness of Christ is the white robe of His saints, because we have the blessed hope of the soon coming of our Saviour.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 299.

“Love for lost souls brought Christ to Calvary’s cross. Love for souls will lead us to self-denial and sacrifice, for the saving of that which is lost. And as Christ’s followers give back to the Lord His own, they are accumulating treasure which will be theirs when they hear the words: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,’ ‘who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ Matthew 25:21; Hebrews 12:2. The joy of seeing souls eternally saved will be the reward of all who follow in the steps of the Redeemer.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 59.

Additional Reading

“In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. … ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …’ (Isaiah 9:6). God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the ‘Son of man’ who shares the throne of the universe. … In Christ the family of earth and the family of heaven are bound together. Christ glorified is our brother. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in the bosom of Infinite Love.” God’s Amazing Grace, 79.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

Recipe – Tofu Salad Dressing

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Tofu, medium firm (16 oz.)

¼ cup fresh tomato

1/8 cup water

¼ cup fresh red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, to taste

½ tsp. salt, to taste

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. garlic powder

Blend the ingredients, except the lemon juice, until smooth. Pour into glass jar and gently stir in lemon juice and cover.

Food – Sunlight – Blessing or Curse

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Sunlight has gotten a lot of negative press; so much so that you have to wonder, is sunlight good for you. Let us see what the Bible, the ultimate authority, has to say. “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14–19. God said that the sunlight and the moonlight were good, so let’s see if we can identify what it is about sunlight that is good.

Sunlight provides warmth for our planet and without it there would be no life. The energy from the sun supports chemical actions necessary for all life. It helps promote and regulate the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the environment and also affects the humidity and rain cycles. The sun disinfects and cleanses the environment by destroying bacteria, viruses and molds.

Allowing the sun to shine directly in and around our homes has many practical benefits. “Shade-trees and shrubbery too close and dense around a house are unhealthy; for they prevent a free circulation of air, and prevent the rays of the sun from shining through sufficiently.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 463.

Fresh air and sunlight should be allowed to bathe our homes. It will prevent dampness and decrease bacteria that can cause sickness. The same thing can be said of the inside of our homes. Fresh air and sunshine help prevent dampness and bacteria and are especially important in our sleeping rooms. “Sleeping rooms, especially, should be well ventilated, and the atmosphere made healthful by light and air. Blinds should be left open several hours each day, the curtains put aside, and the room thoroughly aired.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 57.

Sunlight is now being used in the process of water purification. Chlorination kills many water-borne diseases, but the chlorine has certain carcinogenic effects. Researchers are now looking at irradiation with ultraviolet rays. Although not 100% effective, most water can be purified if allowed direct exposure to sunlight. The World Health Organization has said that exposing water in transparent bottles could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year in developing countries. This is a nearly cost-free process that will kill illness causing microorganisms in polluted water. The water should be placed horizontally in a transparent bottle, laid on a flat surface and then exposed to direct sunlight for about five hours.

With all of these benefits of sunlight, is it any wonder that God said it was good? “Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.” Ecclesiastes 11:7.

 

Nature – The Wandering Glider

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The Wandering Glider is the world’s most widely distributed dragonfly occurring worldwide between the 40th parallels of latitude, but being most common in the tropics. They are also the world’s highest flying dragonfly having been recorded at 20,000 feet in the Himalayas. Wandering Gliders, averaging about two inches in length, are yellowish-red overall with a black stripe down the top of the abdomen. The eyes are reddish and there is a faint yellowish patch in the base of the hind wing. The hind wing of this dragonfly is extra wide, which allows for its characteristic gliding flight. Unlike most dragonflies, this species seldom lands during the day and will even fly in pouring down rain and at night during migration periods.

Like all dragonflies, Wandering Gliders are predators, feeding on smaller insects such as gnats, mosquitoes and midges. The abdomen of the adult can store large amounts of fat that is used as energy for long-distance travel. They often form large feeding swarms in areas where food is plentiful. One feeding swarm, forming a cloud covering 13 square miles, was reported. Wandering Gliders lay their eggs in small shallow pools and temporary rain puddles where they deposit 500 to 2,000 eggs per clutch. Because of the temporary nature of the pools where they lay their eggs, the larvae, called Naiads, have to develop very rapidly. On average, it takes about six weeks for them to mature from egg to adult. Like the adults, the Naiads are predators also, feeding on plankton, tadpoles and the aquatic larvae of other insects.

Wandering Gliders are most famous for their overseas migrations and wanderings, traveling hundreds and even thousands of miles over oceans to find breeding areas. One population of Wandering Gliders has the longest known migratory journey of any insect and the only one with a regular trans-oceanic crossing. This journey involves a circuitous route covering 10,000 miles and four generations of the dragonfly and follows the seasonal monsoon rains that move back and forth across the Indian Ocean between India and Africa. The dragonflies do not fly with dry winds but instinctively fly with moist winds that are converging to where the rains are. After the monsoon rains hit India, millions of recently emerged Wandering Gliders follow the winds across the ocean, at a height of around 6,500 feet, to East Africa where the monsoon rains hit next. They then lay their eggs in the temporary rain pools and in a few weeks a second generation emerges which continue following the winds which take them to southern Africa where they lay their eggs. The third generation which emerges follows the monsoon rains as it reverses direction and heads back north to East Africa again. Here they lay their eggs and in a few weeks the fourth generation emerges and follows the monsoon rains back across the ocean to India where the cycle starts all over again.

Like the Wandering Gliders, we Christians are on a journey. “We are making life’s journey amid the perils of the last days. We need to watch carefully every step, and to be sure that we are following our great Leader. Skepticism, infidelity, dissipation, and crime are on every hand. It would be an easy matter to let go the reins of self-control, and plunge over the precipice to sure destruction. …

“Infinite Love has cast up a pathway upon which the ransomed of the Lord may pass from earth to heaven. That path is the Son of God. Angel guides are sent to direct our erring feet. Heaven’s glorious ladder is let down in every man’s path, barring his way to vice and folly. He must trample upon a crucified Redeemer ere he can pass onward to a life of sin. Our heavenly Father’s voice is calling us, Come up hither.” Our High Calling, 11.

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

Health – Parsley

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The humble Parsley is used as a popular garnish but is usually left uneaten. This is a pity since it is probably more nourishing than the concoctions which it garnishes. Often it is the only green on the plate! Parsley is also a remarkable diuretic which, among other things, heals many complaints of the urinary system.

Dr. John Christopher, a Master Herbalist, told the story of a woman, Mrs. Hanger, who came to America from England while she was in her twenties. She was very sickly and wanted children but could not conceive so she went to the medical doctor who told her that she had an untreatable kidney infection of a very progressive type and that she had six months left to live. She came home very discouraged.

Answering a knock at the front door, there stood a man who said, “I would like to talk to you. I would like to help you if you would want me to. You are from England and have brought your herbs with you. Make a tea with a pint of boiling water and a handful of parsley each day, cover and steep it and drink it in regular doses during the day; it will heal this condition.” Dr. Christopher spoke at her funeral, not just six months after she was supposed to die, but she lived to be eighty-six years old and during her life she raised a number of wonderful children.

Dr. Christopher developed a routine to help in cases of dropsy (edema). He was especially sensitive to the horrors of this condition. Before his mother died, her condition was well advanced and her body swelled enormously. When she died, the door had to be removed from the hinges to get her body out to the ambulance which took her to the morgue. Her pain had been so severe during the final months but nothing could be done to give her relief. As a young man Dr. Christopher was praying for a way to help her and felt frustrated that the doctors could do nothing at all.

Dr. Christopher’s routine is best told in this story:

A lady came into the weekly herb lecture late, just a few minutes after they had gotten started. She asked if she could interrupt and tell something that had just happened to her. Dr. Christopher invited her to tell her story. Just after the last week’s lecture she received a call from her brother-in-law in Chicago who told her that if she wanted to see her twin sister alive she must fly back there immediately because the doctors had given her only a day or two to live. The student took a few days off work and arrived in Chicago on the following Friday. She went in to see her sister and would not have recognized her if she had not been told who she was. Her sister was so badly swollen from edema (dropsy) that she seemed to be only a bloated, unrecognizable mass of flesh. She had been under doctor’s care for several months and they had been unable to give her anything but temporary aid from the water accumulation. Now they were utterly baffled and had, at the family’s request, sent her from the hospital to die.

The sick twin was in a coma, not recognizing anyone. The herb student wept to see her favorite sister lying there so helpless. With little school children needing their mother so much, she asked the husband if he would allow her to use an herbal routine she had heard about at a recent lecture. The doctor was just waiting for the sister to die so she was given the go ahead!

The herb student found a little health food store nearby and bought some parsley root and glycerin. Herbalists now generally use vegetable glycerin which is superior but at that time only animal glycerin was available. Parsley root tea was made using one teaspoon of herb to one cup of water (or one ounce of the herb to one pint of water). Making up about one gallon of the tea, one quart was used straight to give the patient orally and three quarts of the tea was mixed with equal parts of glycerin, making a total of six quarts of the combination for fomentations.

One cup of parsley tea was administered each half hour to the patient to drink and the heated combination of glycerin and tea was used as a fomentation to the badly swollen legs, arms and abdomen. This was done by soaking white flannel cloths in the mixture and laying them over the area, not allowing them to become cold but replacing whenever the cloth cooled down. A hot water bottle over the fomentations can be used if the area to be treated is not large.

After the fomentation had been on for a short time, the corner of the cloth was lifted to see if the pores were starting to take the water from the swollen areas, and as she looked it appeared as if hundreds of little springs were coming from the body. She had never used this routine before and was walking by faith, and it was a miracle to see it working. She had to fly back to work on Monday, so she left all the instructions with her brother-in-law to continue the program that had been started.

After work Tuesday rushing home to get ready for the regular Tuesday night lecture, her phone rang. It was her brother-in-law from Chicago who said, “There is someone here who would like to talk with you.” He put his wife on the phone and she was so happy that she was crying! The swelling had gone down and she was recovering rapidly. In fact, she had been well enough to get the children’s breakfast and fix their school lunches that day. She was so grateful to be a mother again and not a dying patient. There were not many dry eyes in the lecture room when the student finished the story. This is a great remedy to remember and one should store vegetable glycerin which is freely available and parsley root or grow plenty of it so it is available for an emergency.

Uses of Parsley

This amazing common herb is also quite potent. Dr. Christopher taught that parsley works on the gall bladder, helping to remove gallstones. He claims that it is a specific for the adrenal glands, is powerfully therapeutic for the optic nerves, brain nerves, and the whole sympathetic nervous system. Parsley is a remarkable remedy for expelling watery poisons, excess mucus, flatulence, and reducing swollen and enlarged glands, etc.

Parsley has long been used as a healer for the urinary tract. Bladder infections that can make you so sick that you can barely walk are particularly troublesome because they are rarely cleared up except with the use of antibiotics. If taken with equal parts of Echinacea and marshmallow root, parsley works very well. Parsley root tea will help remove stones including gallstones and kidney stones, if they are not too large.

One doctor who made a trip to Holland was surprised to see medical doctors prescribing parsley tea for kidney stones and other kidney and related complaints, including pressure of the prostate. He returned to his practice at home and began prescribing the same remedy with the same good results. Parsley taken with boiled onions is said to be good to remove gallstones, although some writers prescribe juniper berries instead of the onions, which would also be a great specific for the urinary tract.

The parsley root is the part used to relieve painful suppressed urination and attacks of gravel. If the stones are not too large to pass, the decoction will help remove them and relieve the pain. Parsley tea was useful during the Second World War when the men in the trenches suffered kidney complications while suffering from dysentery.

The root is also important for treating diseases of the liver and gallbladder. It can be used with a small amount of licorice or marshmallow root for the treatment of jaundice, asthma, water retention, and coughs. It is said to be excellent to remove obstructions of the liver and spleen.

In Sweden the tea is drunk as a brain tonic and preventative medicine.

A hot lotion of the seeds will relieve the irritation of all kinds of insect stings. The seeds made into decoction can be cooled and steeped about seven hours and then rubbed into the hair to clear away head lice and any other such vermin. You can massage the head scalp with the lotion of seeds and leaves to stimulate the growth of hair, check baldness (as long as the hair follicles are still alive) and remove dandruff.

The juice can be applied to the skin in the summer time for use as a nontoxic insect repellent. The whole herb is effective against bad breath, and people who take garlic often, also take parsley to avoid offending.

Chinese use of the herb includes the relief of kidneys and bladder. It is said to remove irritation, congestion, inflammation or weakness of these organs.

Parsley can be used in almost any kind of food and is therefore a good herb to include in the daily diet. It is thought to be a good disease preventative. Parsley contains much calcium, potassium, iron, copper and chlorophyll. It is also a good source of vitamins A, C and E. It contains niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium and silicon.

Dried parsley can be used as freely as you would fresh minced parsley.

There are several varieties of parsley, the curly-leaved variety being generally preferred. Plain-leaved parsley winters better than the curly-leaved variety but care should be taken for it not to be mistaken for fool’s parsley which looks a lot like plain-leaved parsley but is extremely poisonous. Fool’s parsley, however, neither smells nor tastes like genuine parsley should a person dare to try it. We, here in Wichita, live in a rather severe climate, yet our parsley plants, sheltered in a moist place by the side of our house, put out new shoots during warm spells in the wintertime!