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Bible Study – Two Apartments of the Sanctuary

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The Plan of Redemption & The Sanctuary Service

May 26 – June 1, 2024

Key Text

“The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the most holy.” Exodus 26:33, last part

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 343–349

Introduction

“The building [the tabernacle] was divided into two apartments by a rich and beautiful curtain, or veil, suspended from gold-plated pillars.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 347

Sunday

1 THE HOLY AND THE MOST HOLY

1.a. Describe the first apartment or holy place of the sanctuary. Hebrews 9:2

Note: “In the holy place was the candlestick, on the south, with its seven lamps giving light to the sanctuary both by day and by night; on the north stood the table of shewbread; and before the veil separating the holy from the most holy was the golden altar of incense, from which the cloud of fragrance, with the prayers of Israel, was daily ascending before God.” The Great Controversy, 412

1.b. Describe the second apartment or most holy place of the sanctuary. Hebrews 9:3–5

Note: “In the most holy place stood the ark, a chest of precious wood overlaid with gold, the depository of the two tables of stone upon which God had inscribed the law of ten commandments.

Above the ark, and forming the cover to the sacred chest, was the mercy seat, a magnificent piece of workmanship, surmounted by two cherubim, one at each end, and all wrought of solid gold. In this apartment, the divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between the cherubim.” The Great Controversy, 412

Monday

2 THE CANDLESTICK AND THE SHOWBREAD

2.a. Whom did the candlestick represent? John 8:12; Revelation 1:12–20

Note: “No candlestick, no church, shines of itself. From Christ emanates all its light. The church in heaven today is only the complement of the church on earth; but it is higher, grander—perfect. The same divine illumination is to continue through eternal ages. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the light thereof. No church can have light if it fails to diffuse the glory it receives from the throne of God.” God’s Amazing Grace, 95

2.b. Why is it that many prefer to close their eyes to the true Light and walk in their own sparks? Isaiah 50:11; John 3:19–21

Note: “Bible truth, the religion of Christ, struggles against a strong current of moral impurity. Prejudice is even stronger in the hearts of men now than in Christ’s day. Christ did not fulfill men’s expectations; His life was a rebuke to their sins, and they rejected Him. So now the truth of God’s word does not harmonize with men’s practices and their natural inclination, and thousands reject its light.” The Desire of Ages, 587

2.c. To whom did the showbread point? Exodus 25:30; John 6:48–51

Note: “Both the manna and the showbread pointed to Christ, the living Bread, who is ever in the presence of God for us.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 354

2.d. In what sense do all popular churches (represented by seven women) prefer to “eat [their] own bread”? Isaiah 4:1. What is the only thing they want to accept from Christ?

Note: “It is absence of religion that makes the path of so many professors of religion shadowy. There are those who may pass for Christians but who are unworthy the name. They have not Christian characters. When their Christianity is put to the test, its falsity is too evident. True religion is seen in the daily deportment. The life of the Christian is characterized by earnest, unselfish working to do others good and to glorify God.” Testimonies, Vol. 3, 377

Tuesday

3 THE ALTAR OF INCENSE AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

3.a. What was before the veil of the most holy place? Exodus 30:1, 7, 8; 40:5; Revelation 8:3, 4

Note: “All who come to Christ today are to remember that His merit is the incense that mingles with the prayers of those who repent of their sins and receive pardon and mercy and grace.… The humble heart needs to offer up prayers to which will be returned answers of grace and peace and joy.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1078

3.b. What spiritual attitude is not a sweet smell but rather a noisome smoke to the Lord? Isaiah 65:5; Luke 18:9–11

3.c. Name the most important object in the holy of holies. Exodus 31:18; 40:20

Note: “In this apartment [holy of holies], was the ark, a chest of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold, and having a crown of gold about the top. It was made as a depository for the tables of stone, upon which God Himself had inscribed the ten commandments. Hence it was called the ark of God’s testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the ten commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 348

3.d. Where do all true worshipers carry the law of God? Jeremiah 31:33

3.e. What else did the ark of the covenant contain besides the law of God (the Testimony)? Numbers 17:10; Exodus 16:33–35; Hebrews 9:4

Note: “The manna, falling from heaven for the sustenance of Israel, was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 297

“ ‘The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded.’… This miracle effectually settled the question of the priesthood. “It was … fully established that Moses and Aaron had spoken by divine authority.” Ibid., 403

Wednesday

4 THE MERCY SEAT WITH THE CHERUBIM

4.a. Give a description of the mercy seat. Exodus 25:17–21

Note: “The cover of the sacred chest [of the ark of the covenant] was called the mercy seat. This was wrought of one solid piece of gold, and was surmounted by golden cherubim, one standing on each end. One wing of each angel was stretched forth on high, while the other was folded over the body (see Ezekiel 1:11) in token of reverence and humility.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 348

4.b. What was represented by the two cherubim looking reverently toward the law of God? Psalm 103:20; Hebrews 1:14

Note: “The position of the cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other, and looking reverently downward toward the ark, represented the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their interest in the plan of redemption.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 349

“One wing of each angel was stretched forth on high, while the other wing of each angel covered his form. The ark of the earthly sanctuary was the pattern of the true ark in heaven. There, beside the heavenly ark, stand living angels, at either end of the ark, each with one wing overshadowing the mercy seat.” The Story of Redemption, 153, 154

4.c. How was God’s character revealed in the ark? Psalms 89:14, 15; 119:172; Deuteronomy 32:4

Note: “The law of God, enshrined within the ark, was the great rule of righteousness and judgment. That law pronounced death upon the transgressor; but above the law was the mercy seat, upon which the presence of God was revealed, and from which, by virtue of the atonement, pardon was granted to the repentant sinner.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 349

Thursday

5 GOD’S PRESENCE MANIFESTED

5.a. What was the Shekinah? Exodus 25:22. How can we describe the entire sanctuary scene?

Note: “Above the ark [in the holiest of the Holy City], where the angels stood, was an exceeding bright glory.” Early Writings, 32

“The Shekinah [was] the manifestation of the divine Presence; and from between the cherubim, God made known His will. Divine messages were sometimes communicated to the high priest by a voice from the cloud. Sometimes a light fell upon the angel at the right, to signify approval or acceptance, or a shadow or cloud rested upon the one at the left to reveal disapproval or rejection. …

“No language can describe the glory of the scene presented within the sanctuary—the gold-plated walls reflecting the light from the golden candlestick, the brilliant hues of the richly embroidered curtains with their shining angels, the table, and the altar of incense, glittering with gold; beyond the second veil the sacred ark, with its mystic cherubim, and above it the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of Jehovah’s presence; all but a dim reflection of the glories of the temple of God in heaven, the great center of the work for man’s redemption.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 349

“The glory often so filled both apartments that the priest was unable to officiate and was obliged to stand at the door of the tabernacle.

“The priest in the holy place, directing his prayer by faith to the mercy seat, which he could not see, represents the people of God directing their prayers to Christ before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary. They cannot behold their Mediator with the natural eye, but with the eye of faith they see Christ before the mercy seat and direct their prayers to Him, and with assurance claim the benefits of His mediation.” The Story of Redemption, 155

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Describe the two apartments of the sanctuary.

2 Explain the significance of the candlestick and the showbread.

3 What was the spiritual meaning of the golden altar of incense?

4 How does the true Christian’s heart reflect the ark of the covenant?

5 How did God sometimes manifest His divine will in the most holy place?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Vegan Rice Pudding

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Cardamom

Cardamom is a member of the ginger family, and is the third most expensive spice in the world after saffron and vanilla. Commonly used in Indian cuisine, it has earned the nickname “The Queen of Spices.” Because of its complex flavor profile, it is used in both sweet and savory dishes. There are two types of cardamom—green and black.

Green cardamom has a warm, herbal, citrusy—with a touch of spiciness, and a hint of mint—flavor. Bleach green cardamom and you have white cardamom, which is a favorite in the Scandinavian countries and much of northern Europe.

Black cardamom has a smokier flavor, and is used more often in savory dishes, such as soup.

Cardamom also has a number of health benefits. It contains high levels of antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure. Cardamom powder increases the activity of certain enzymes that help fight cancer and enhances the ability of natural killer cells to attack tumors.

It is often used as a breath freshener, and has been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that disrupt the bacteria in the mouth that cause gum disease and other periodontal infections, and it can help relieve digestive problems, including ulcers.

Compounds in cardamom may help to increase airflow to the lungs, improving breathing by relaxing the airways. This is particularly helpful for treating asthma. Cardamom can decrease elevated liver enzymes, reduce anxiety, and is generally safe for most people.

Sources: allrecipes.com/article/what-is-cardamom; healthline.com/nutrition/cardamom-benefits; sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1075996419301490

Recipe – Vegan Rice Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup arborio rice

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

3 1/2 cups almond milk

2 Tbs. maple syrup

4 Tbs. jam of choice

Process

  1. In medium saucepan stir together the rice, nutmeg, and cardamom. (This will stop the spices from clumping). Add the almond milk and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.
  2. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice, stirring often for 20-25 minutes, or until soft and pleasantly chewy. (Add splashes more almond milk as needed during cooking, if consistency is getting too thick for your liking). Once cooked, drizzle in the maple syrup to sweeten and stir to combine.
  3. Divide into 4 bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of jam. Drizzle with more maple syrup to sweeten to taste.

Rice pudding will keep in fridge for up to 5 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Source: twospoons.ca/the-creamiest-vegan-rice-pudding

The Glory of God Manifested in Man

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“The body is a most important medium through which the mind and the soul are developed for the upbuilding of character.”

Prophets and Kings, 488

Hebrews 10:5 tells us that Christ came in a human body, “A body You have prepared for Me.” He came in this way to show that He has the power to unite humanity and divinity in those who are willing to be sanctified.

Christ not only had a real physical body like man, but He also had a real human mind, the mental nature of man that was united with the mind of God. Did Jesus Christ also have a human spiritual nature? To answer this question, we need to look at five items.

  1. What is the grace of God?
  2. What is the spiritual nature?
  3. What is spiritual life?
  4. What is the glory?
  5. What do the crown and the throne represent?

What is the grace of God?

The grace of God is linked to the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine similitude.” The Desire of Ages, 391

“Cherish the grace of the Holy Spirit, else you will stand as hindrances in the way of the work of God. Make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.” Evangelism, 404

“Christ in the fullness of His grace is there [in the communion service, the foot washing service] to change the current of the thoughts that have been running in selfish channels. The Holy Spirit quickens the sensibilities of those who follow the example of their Lord.” The Desire of Ages, 650. So, the grace of God is the transforming agency, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to recreate in the heart of man the love of God so that the divine similitude, the image of God, will be manifested in the human character.

What is the spiritual nature?

“ ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.’ Every moment of our probationary time is precious; for it is our time for character-building. We should give most diligent heed to the culture of our spiritual nature.” The Review and Herald, February 24, 1891. “The spirit, the character you have manifested has not been at all after the Pattern I have given you in My life and character, when I was upon the earth.” Ibid., October 16, 1894. “Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection, though not the same particles of matter or material substance as went into the grave. The wondrous works of God are a mystery to man. The spirit, the character of man, is returned to God, there to be preserved. In the resurrection, every man will have his own character.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1093. Spiritual nature is related to character.

What is spiritual life?

“Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His own blood. He longs with inexpressible desire that they should come to Him and have life. As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul.” The Desire of Ages, 191

However, we find in the parable of the rich man recorded in Luke 12:16–21, there are those who have never had this experience. “In living for self, he has rejected that divine love which would have flowed out in mercy to his fellow men. Thus he has rejected life. For God is love, and love is life. This man has chosen the earthly rather than the spiritual, and with the earthly he must pass away.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 258

“Aside from Christ man cannot in spirit and in truth keep one of the commandments of God, but in Christ Jesus the claims of the law are met, because He transforms the nature of man by His grace, creates in the heart a new spiritual life, implants a holy nature, and men become Christlike in character.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 14, 86. It is impossible for us to keep the law because, “The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Romans 7:14. “To be carnally minded is death.” Romans 8:6. “By nature man has no love for God.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

Spiritual life is divine love, and when the divine love of God has come into and fills the heart, selfishness is eradicated. It is the grace of God that creates in the heart this spiritual life.

What is the significance of the word heart?

“God has bought us, and He claims a throne in each heart.” Special Testimonies to Ministers and Workers, Series A, 39

“God is the owner of the body.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 14, 1893

Does God own your body? He’s bought your body and your soul and your life at a price. “… and when the body, purchased at infinite cost, is made to serve the customs and practices of this world, by following the fashions of this degenerate age, the testimony is borne to the world that pride and sin reign in the heart, that Christ does not abide in the soul temple. The Lord Jesus will not be made to serve with your sins. He claims the undivided throne of the heart, and would banish from the life every worldly, unsanctified action, whose influence would tell against the fact that you are His sons and daughters.” Ibid.

The heart is the throne in the temple of man where his spiritual life is created.

Let’s Review

  • The spiritual nature relates to the character.
  • The character consists of the thoughts and feelings.
  • Spiritual life is the divine love of God implanted in the heart by grace through the power of the Holy Spirit which is necessary if I’m to be like Christ.

What is the glory?

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same.” Hebrews 2:14, first part. Paul is writing here about Christ. Jesus possessed a real, literal human nature that possessed more glory than Moses. The glory of God is His character. “Our lives may seem a tangle; but as we commit ourselves to the wise Master Worker, He will bring out the pattern of life and character that will be to His own glory. And that character which expresses the glory—character—of Christ will be received into the paradise of God. A renovated race shall walk with Him in white, for they are worthy.” The Desire of Ages, 331

“Before men and angels Satan has been revealed as man’s enemy and destroyer; Christ, as man’s friend and deliverer. His Spirit will develop in man all that will ennoble the character and dignify the nature. It will build man up for the glory of God in body and soul and spirit. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ 2 Timothy 1:7. He has called us ‘to the obtaining of the glory’—character—‘of our Lord Jesus Christ;’ has called us to be ‘conformed to the image of His Son.’ ” Ibid., 341

Jesus was crowned with the brightness of His Father’s glory—His Father’s character: “… being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” Hebrews 1:3

What then is our conclusion? The glory and the character conformed to the character of Christ, depending on the context, are synonymous terms.

What do the crown and the throne represent?

“In the kingdom of God, position is not gained through favoritism. It is not earned, nor is it received through an arbitrary bestowal. It is the result of character. The crown and the throne are the tokens of a condition attained—tokens of self-conquest through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Acts of the Apostles, 543

The crown and the throne are symbols of self-conquest.

When was Jesus crowned with glory? “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’ Then said Mary to the angel, ‘How shall this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Ghost will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One [Thing, KJV] who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’ ” Luke 1:30–35 KJV

“She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and to His throne.” Revelation 12:5. The word of God states that He was called that Holy Thing or Holy One at conception. In Him was life; not the kind of life that you and I have, but a life that has no beginning or end. “In Him was life, and His life was the light of men.” John 1:4. This life is the divine love of God that was in Christ the man from the moment of conception.

“The human nature of Christ was like unto ours. And suffering was really more keenly felt by Him, for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. The aversion to suffering was in proportion to its severity. His desire for the removal of suffering was just as strong as human beings experience.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 11, 345

Jesus’ human nature was not only physical and mental, but also spiritual. However, the question that brings division among Adventists today is whether Jesus took the nature of Adam before his fall or after it.

Before the Fall or After

There is no division regarding the fact that Jesus took the deteriorated condition of man’s physical nature after the Fall. Steps to Life Ministry has received mail from all over the country since we began publishing this Mystery of Godliness series, and I have yet to find anyone who contradicts that. Remember, Hebrews 2 says that Jesus took part of the same flesh and blood as the children. So, the question we must address is Was His human mental or spiritual nature any different from any other man who has been born into this world?

Now when you ask that question among Adventists, some will say Yes, it was, and others will say No, it was not. So, we must be very careful that we search and study the Scriptures and Inspiration to find the truth about Jesus’ spiritual nature.

“Men estimate character by that which they themselves are capable of appreciating. The narrow and worldly-minded judged of Christ by His humble birth, His lowly garb, and daily toil. They could not appreciate the purity of that spirit upon which was no stain of sin.” The Desire of Ages, 196

Those who do not appreciate the purity of His spirit use the following texts as absolute proof that there was no difference between the human nature of Christ and the human nature of Adam and his posterity after the Fall. In every way, Christ’s physical, mental, and spiritual natures were the same as ours.

“…God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:3

“For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.” Hebrews 2:14

However, in our previous studies of this subject, we found that Romans 8:3 clearly stated that when God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, Jesus took the fallen or ruined physical nature of man which is the result of sin.

Likeness, as found in Romans 8, means “in the form of.” So, Jesus took the physically deteriorated body of man which made it possible for Him to die. But it was also seen in Romans 8 that the term sinful flesh is referring to the carnal mind, the lower, corrupt mental nature of man. “So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Verse 8

The person who has the carnal mind, who is in the flesh, cannot please God. However, we find that the Bible records two occasions where God the Father testified out loud—verbally and publicly—that He was well pleased with Jesus. Both occasions occurred while Jesus was living in this world as a man.

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ ” Matthew 3:16, 17

“And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. … While he [Peter] was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’ ” Matthew 17:2, 3, 5

Are Matthew and Paul contradicting each other? Paul has written that it is impossible for those who live in the flesh to please God. Yet Matthew writes that Jesus, who came to this world in the flesh, by God’s own words, pleased Him. That which seems to be a contradiction is made plain when the word flesh is appropriately defined according to the context in which it is used.

Let’s look at the context of the expression flesh and blood in Hebrews 2:14. Is it the same sinful flesh that we inherit from Adam? Was the human nature that Jesus took identical to ours?

“Christ’s perfect humanity is the same that man may have through connection with Christ. As God, Christ could not be tempted anymore than He was not tempted from His allegiance in heaven. But as Christ humbled Himself to the nature of man, He could be tempted. He had not taken on Him even the nature of the angels, but humanity, perfectly identical with our own nature, except without the taint of sin.” Manuscript Releases, Vol, 16, 181, 182

Ellen White talks about this repeatedly. She says that Jesus’ nature was identical to ours, then adds a qualifier so you don’t get mixed up. She says His nature was identical with ours except without the taint of sin. The humanity that Jesus took was perfectly identical to our own except for that one thing. And it was this difference, the fact that His humanity was not tainted with sin that made His suffering greater than any man will ever have to experience.

Jesus became a man so that He could suffer being tempted. Do you understand what this meant for Jesus?

“Human nature was to Him a robe of suffering; and when the crisis came, when He yielded Himself a victim to Satan’s rage, when He hung agonizing upon the cross, dying the cruelest, most ignominious of deaths, the hosts of evil exulted, but man was saved.” The Signs of the Times, August 17, 1891

“Would that we could comprehend the significance of the words, ‘Christ suffered, being tempted.’ While He was free from the taint of sin, the refined sensibilities of His holy nature rendered contact with evil unspeakably painful to Him. Yet with human nature upon Him, He met the arch apostate face to face, and single-handed withstood the foe of His throne. Not even by a thought could Christ be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself, ‘The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.’ The storms of temptation burst upon Him, but they could not cause Him to swerve from His allegiance to God.” The Review and Herald, November 8, 1887

What is the power of temptation?

“Feeling the terrible power of temptation, the drawing of desire that leads to indulgence, many a man cries in despair, ‘I cannot resist evil.’ ” Counsels on Health, 439. Desire is the terrible power of temptation.

“It was a continual pain to Christ to be brought into contact with enmity, depravity, and impurity; but never did He utter one expression to show that His sensibilities were shocked or His refined tastes offended. Whatever the evil habits, the strong prejudices, or the overbearing passions of human beings, He met them all with pitying tenderness.” The Ministry of Healing, 165. This is about as close to an incomprehensible statement as you could read.

“Prophecy had declared that the ‘Mighty One,’ the holy One from Mount Paran, was to tread the winepress alone; ‘of the people there was none’ with Him. His own arm brought salvation; He was ready for the sacrifice. The fearful crisis was past. That agony which none but God could endure, Christ had borne.

“The human nature of Christ was like unto ours, and suffering was more keenly felt by Him; for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. Therefore His desire for the removal of suffering was stronger than human beings can experience. How intense was the desire of the humanity of Christ to escape the displeasure of an offended God, how His soul longed for relief, is revealed in the words, ‘O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.’ ” The Signs of the Times, December 9, 1897

Jesus’ desire for the removal of suffering was stronger than anything we will experience, therefore, His temptations were greater than we will ever experience. He could have, at any time, chosen to exercise His divine power and be free from all His pain. But had He done that, the entire human race would have been lost. He suffered being tempted to save us.

“The divine nature combined with the human, made Him capable of yielding to Satan’s temptations. Here the test to Christ was far greater than that of Adam and Eve, for Christ took our nature, fallen but not corrupted, and would not be corrupted unless He received the words of Satan in the place of the words of God.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 182, 183. Jesus took our ruined physical nature so that He could die.

“He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like passions. As the sinless One, His nature recoiled from evil.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 202. Not all passions are evil. But the passions referred to in that statement are evil because Christ did not possess evil passions.

The humanity of Christ was identical to ours except that it was untainted with the natural sin of selfishness. His faculties, the powers of His mind, were not perverted because Satan could not touch His mind unless He yielded to Satan rather than following the will of God. This is why Jesus could say, “The prince of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.”

What do we conclude when we read these things? “That He might accomplish His purpose of love for the fallen race, He became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. ‘As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.’ …

“Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, a new principle of mental and spiritual power was to be brought to man, who, through association with divinity, was to become one with God.” The Signs of the Times, September 24, 1902. Jesus became one flesh with us so that we might become one spirit with Him.

“Christ, the Redeemer and Restorer, was to sanctify and purify man’s mind, making it a power that would draw other minds to Himself.” Ibid. When Christ has sanctified and purified our minds, then our mind will be used by Him to draw other minds to Himself. “Jesus Christ is our example in all things. He began life, passed through its experiences, and ended its record, with a sanctified human will. He was tempted in all points like as we are, and yet because he kept His will surrendered and sanctified, He never bent in the slightest degree toward the doing of evil, or toward manifesting rebellion against God.” Ibid., October 29, 1894

One of the most powerful texts explaining the true nature of Christ as a man is found in James 1:13. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” So, if someone says that Christ was tempted with evil, then they deny Jesus’ divinity.

Jesus brought His divinity into humanity giving us an example of what God meant when He said, “ ‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed.’ ” Genesis 3:15

When Jesus prayed for those whom He sanctifies, those whom He is not ashamed to call His brethren, He explains the purpose of sanctification. “That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” John 17:21, 22. The glory, the character that the Father gave to Jesus, is the glory that Jesus wants to give to you and me.

“To human eyes Christ was only a man, yet He was a perfect man. In His humanity, He was the impersonation of the divine character. God embodied His own attributes in His Son—His power, His wisdom, His goodness, His purity, His truthfulness, His spirituality, and His benevolence. In Him, though human, all perfection of character, all divine excellence, dwelt.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 16, 1897

Though Jesus took upon Himself the form of sinful man, clothing His divinity with humanity, He was holy even as God is holy. If He had not been—having no stain of sin—He could not have been the Saviour of mankind. He was the sin bearer needing no atonement. One with God in purity and holiness of character, He could make propitiation for the sins of the whole world.

“In Christ dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This is why, although He was tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world, from His first entrance into it, untainted by corruption, though surrounded by it. Are we not also to become partakers of that fullness, and is it not thus, and thus only, that we can overcome as He overcame?” Our High Calling, 364

“Christ came to this earth, taking humanity and standing as man’s representative, to show in the controversy with Satan that he was a liar, and that man, as God created him, connected with the Father and the Son, could obey every requirement of God.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 115

God wants to put the principles of His own character in your mind, to make you a new creature. This is why Jesus came. Will you let Him?

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

All We Can Be – A story of two cats

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We have six cats, all rescues from the hard times of living on the streets. Animals have many things to teach us. With each rescue I have ever been surprised by how love can take over in what appears at first to be an indifferent cat. Here are two of their stories.

Tank lived next door to us. One day freezing rain was falling and I saw him high up on the windowsill of his house, trying to get someone’s attention inside to let him in. He was a very young cat, and I went out and got him and took him to his owner. I found out that they left him outside most of the time, even in severe winter weather. I would see him going back and forth in our back yard, but he would never come to me. During the time before winter of that year, I did not see him as much, but finally spotted him one day in the cold winter weather and snow outside of our window eating the corn and deer meal.

I know a cat will not eat this kind of food unless they are starving. He had been left outside to fend for himself, and I found that he had been coming and going back and forth under the abandoned house next door to us. He must have suffered terribly that long winter outside, but I knew I could not get him to come to me to rescue him.

As winter finally faded into early spring, he was still coming and going underneath the abandoned house. I began to give him food in the morning and evening, and eventually, he would sit on my lap under a blanket for a short time in the morning sunlight. Little by little I would call him when I brought him food and he would come. His owners knew he was living under the abandoned house, but they would not take him home. He needed to be neutered, but they would not do it. I asked them if I could have him neutered and the owner said I could.

I took him to the vet and then kept him on our front porch for many days after, secluded from our other cats. I invited his owner to come over to see him and when she did, she said I could keep him. Shortly after his operation he had a urinary blockage and had to be in the hospital for over a week to clear it up. When he was able to come home, and after he felt better, I introduced him to our other cats. He did not have an aggressive nature and got along well with all but Harry, another male cat, who was a bully. Tank and Jasper became playmates and best friends. Tank is now a happy kitty with no more food or shelter worries. He became a happy indoor cat and does not long to go outside again. He was so grateful to have a home.

As the days and weeks went by, Tank really began to change. He was so loving, and now, no longer afraid of me, he comes up on the bed at night while I am sleeping and lays his head on my shoulder with one paw on my face and goes to sleep. I remember the morning I first woke up and saw him peacefully sleeping beside me, amazed at what love could do and how it had changed him.

Jasper was found going back and forth from the abandoned house to get food, chasing all the other cats away. I had to take him in to stop this. He was not wild and let me pick him up. One November day, I realized I hadn’t seen him for a few days and prayed that he would come back before winter so I could rescue him. God answered and he has been part of the family ever since. He was people-friendly, and while we didn’t know his story, we concluded that he had gotten lost, because he appeared to have been on his own for a long time. He was raggedy with gray around his face and the vet thought that he was about five years old. Apparently not so. As soon as he got good food and care, the gray on his face all went away and he was playing like a kitten. He is the sweetest cat ever and so happy to be in his forever home.

Through Tank’s and Jasper’s reaction to kindness I have been reminded of the changes that can take place in us through the love of Christ. We can be wholly made new through His love, mercy and intervention in our lives. Through the love and care of Christ we can get through the trials of this world, and at last be forever home.

Dem Bones

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When a baby is born, it has 270 bones, but most of these bones are cartilage. As the child grows, a number of these bones fuse together until over time, the number of bones decreases to 206, making up its adult skeleton. The human skeleton is divided into two types of bone: the axial and the appendicular.

The axial skeleton is composed of the 80 bones of the spine, chest, and head.

The spine, or vertebral column, include seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae, and the sacrum, which is composed of five bones at birth, but later fuses into one.

There is one bone in the sternum and 24 ribs (in 12 pairs).

The head contains 29 bones. The skull has 23: eight cranial and 15 facial, and six bones found in the middle ear (three on each side).

The appendicular skeleton is composed of the 126 bones of the arms and legs, including the shoulder and pelvic girdles.

Each arm has a total of 32 bones, this includes the 28 bones that make up the phalanges (fingers) of the hand.

The pelvis includes the pelvic girdle, the sacrum, and the coccyx (often referred to as the tail bone).

Each leg has a total of 8 bones, each foot has 26 bones, and 14 bones make up the phalanges (toes) of each foot.

The skeleton performs six major functions—support, movement, protection, production of blood cells, storage of minerals, and endocrine regulation.

The most common issue with bone is low bone density, leading to osteopenia which makes the bones brittle or osteoporosis which thins and weakens the bones, resulting in sudden factures. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that can affect breathing and movement, and causes pain that worsens with age. Osteoarthritis can affect the bones, and in severe cases can result in bone-on-bone contact between the joints. Cancer can also be found in the bones. The most common are the following:

Osteosarcoma—most commonly in the leg or arm bones in both children and young adults, Chondrosarcoma—most commonly in the pelvis, legs or arms of middle-aged and older adults, and Ewing sarcoma—most commonly in the pelvis, legs, or arms of children and young adults.

So how can we protect our bones so that they will function at top efficiency in the way God intended?

  • A calcium-rich diet (1,000-1,200 milligrams daily), that also includes magnesium, zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Eat lots of vegetables. They are one of the best sources for vitamin C, which stimulates the production of bone-forming cells.
  • Vitamin D (400-1,000 IU daily) helps the body absorb calcium into the bones, and vitamin K2 helps prevent the loss of calcium from the bones.
  • Strength training and weight-bearing exercise like walking.
  • Consume an adequate amount of protein.
  • Maintain a stable, healthy weight.
  • Follow God’s Eight Laws of Health.

Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bones_of_the_human_skeleton; healthline.com/build-healthy-bones; medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bone-one-bone-arthritis; medlineplus.gov/bonediseases.html

Where is God?

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Year            Disaster                                              Region                   Casualties

1346-1353  Black plague pandemic                         Europe                      75,000,000-200,000,000

1900             Galveston hurricane                              United States           8,000+

1906             San Francisco earthquake and fire      United States           3,000+

1908             Messina earthquake                             Italy                           123,000

1911             Heat wave                                              France                       41,000

1912             Titanic sinking                                       Atlantic Ocean        1,700

1918-1920  Spanish flu                                             Global                       50,000,000-100,000,000

1922             Shantou typhoon                                   China                        50,000-100,000

1931             Flooding (July-November)                   China                        432,000-4,000,000

1941-1945  The Holocaust                                        Europe                      6,000,000+

1959-1961  Famine                                                    China                        11,000,000-40,000,000

1991             Hurricane                                               Bangladesh              139,000

2001             September 11 terrorist attack               United States           3,000+

2004             Earthquake and tsunami                      Indonesia                 228,000

2010             Earthquake                                            Haiti                          100, 000-316,000

2019-2023            Covid-19 pandemic                             Global                    29,000,000

Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_by_death_toll; wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake; Britannica.com/event/Galveston-hurricane-of-1900; history.com/21st-century/9-11-attacks#how-many-people-died-in-the-9-11-attacks; worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/starvation-deaths-by-country

Where is the God who calmed the sea and stopped the storm? Where is the God who healed the sick and raised the dead? Where is the God who fed 5,000 and more with five loaves of bread and two fishes? Where is the God who opened the Red Sea, providing safe passage for His people, yet utter destruction of the Egyptian army? Where is the God who caused water to flow from a rock in the middle of the desert?

The world asks these questions and many more. How could a God of love and mercy allow such horrible, unspeakable things to happen?

“It is sin that darkens our minds and dims our perceptions.” Sons and Daughters of God, 339

“It is sin in some form that brings variance and disunion.” The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White, 146

“It is sin that brings ruin.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1767

“It is sin that is destroying souls.” Child Guidance, 441

“It is sin that alienates from God.” The Review and Herald, September 27, 1906

“It was sin that crucified the Redeemer of the world.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 157

It is sin that causes death (Romans 6:23).

God allows trial and hardship to perfect character, but He also provides every means to accomplish it. And even if we fall, He is always right there beside us to lift us up, carry us if need be, and to encourage us. God does not abandon those He loves. It is the sinfulness of our nature and the sins we particularly cherish that keep us from Him.

But we can know for certain that there is nothing that God hates more than sin, and nothing He loves more than us. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3

Sanctifying Power

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“Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.”
John 17:17

The truth which we profess will be of no avail to us unless we are sanctified through it. … While error is prevailing to such an extent in our land, we want to know what is truth, because we cannot be sanctified by error. The better we understand the truth as it is in God’s word, the better we shall know how to sanctify our lives through God’s word.

We are in this world as probationers, and God is proving us by giving us an opportunity to obey His truth. It is a very solemn thing to live in this age of the world, and we should not be satisfied unless we have a living connection with the God of heaven, and we should have a sense of our accountability to Him every day of our lives. …

There are voices that we shall hear all around us to divert us away from the truth, but if we have an eye single to the glory of God and are striving to do His will, we shall hear His voice and know it is the voice of the Good Shepherd. It is very important that we understand the voice that speaks to us. …

There are temptations that will come to every one of us. We all have our different dispositions to overcome, and how are we to know that we are doing this work day by day? We must look into the mirror—God’s holy law—and there discover the defects in our characters. It is a very difficult thing for one to understand himself. We must examine closely to see if there is not something that must be laid aside, and then as we make an effort to put away self, our precious Saviour will give us the help we need that we may be overcomers. …

This world is not heaven, it is the preparation place; it is the workshop of God where we are to be hewed and chiseled and fitted up for the heavenly mansions. Then do not be satisfied with a mere sense of the truth; God calls for a reformation at every step. It is to have a fitness for the mansions that Christ has gone to fit up for us. And if we can only be of the heavenly family in the kingdom of glory then we shall have the eternal reward. May God help us to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of His testimony. In Heavenly Places, 145

Story – Sin Stinks

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Years ago, my husband and I had two dogs, Dixie and Chuck. Neither of them were purebreds and both were rescue dogs. While Dixie was the smaller dog, she was what we call the alpha dog—the boss. Together those two got into all sorts of adventures.

Both Dixie and Chuck had been trained not to chase or harm any other animal or bird in any way, and they obeyed this directive to a tee, with one exception. For a reason known only to her, Dixie loved skunks. Being the boss, Dixie led the way in their adventures and this included the occasional run-in with the skunks that lived in the pasture around our house.

We lived in the country, about a quarter of a mile north of a section of the Chikaskia River. Dixie and Chuck loved playing in the river, which was only ever about six to eight inches deep except for a handful of times in the five or six years we lived there when it flooded.

Many Sabbath afternoons, we would take the path mowed through the waist-high grasses down to the river to watch the dogs play in the water and fetch the sticks we threw for them.

One such Sabbath, we were headed back to the house when I heard my husband say quietly to me, “Run.” I wasn’t sure that I heard him, so I said, “What?” He repeated, a bit more urgently, “Run.”

I said, “Why?” He was already backing up the path away from me and pointing behind me. I turned just in time to see a skunk emerging from the grass with Dixie headed right for it. I yelled, “Dixie! No!” But Dixie wasn’t listening. She had to meet this new friend and she ran right up to the skunk as it turned around and raised its tail. I yelled for Chuck to come, and turned to run just as Dixie’s nose went right to that skunk’s tail. And with a resounding yelp, Dixie backpedaled away from that skunk very quickly.

When surprised or feeling threatened, skunks defend themselves by spraying a foul-smelling chemical that can cause irritation, temporary blindness, violent sickness, and a runny nose. It is strong enough that it can ward off bears and other potential attackers. But here’s the part about skunk spray that made it not only bad for Dixie, but for all of us. Skunk spray and smell can travel in the air as far as 3.5 miles downwind. While the wind that day wasn’t blowing hard, it was blowing straight toward us. My husband, Chuck and I ran as fast as we could to get inside the house, leaving Dixie to fend for herself.

When things had calmed down, we went out to give Dixie what had become a regular occurrence—a bath with some special, heavy-duty shampoo supplied by our vet to remove the smell.

You know, that experience, and the many others that followed for Dixie (because she never did give up her liking for skunks), is a lot like us and sin. Because of our sinful nature, we are attracted to the devil and seem to think that he is our friend, but, my sweet children, he is not. He tempts us to do wrong and when we give in, he just tempts us again and again. And the more we give in, the more sin fills our lives and covers every part of us until we are enveloped in the stink of sin.

But, there is a remedy. Just like we were able to use that special shampoo to get that horrible smell off Dixie, Jesus can cleanse us and remove the stink of sin.

David once did some very bad things, and all he could sense of himself was the stink of sin. So he prayed, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. … Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:7, 10

And Revelation 7:14 tells us that God’s people won’t be stinky with sin when He comes to take them to heaven because they will have been washed clean. “These are the ones who come out of great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

I have a great many favorite songs and one of them is titled Are You Washed in the Blood? I’m sharing the words on the right.

Remember, the devil is not your friend. But if you forget or even purposely give in to his temptations and you start to stink of sin, just go to the fountain flowing with the cleansing blood of Jesus and He will wash you, clean you right up, and make you one of His children.

The next time you smell something really bad, say to yourself, “I don’t want to smell stinky with sin, so I’m going to ask Jesus to always help me to do what is right and to remember that the devil is not my friend and that sin stinks.”

 

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 

Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;

There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,

O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Are you washed in the blood,

In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless?

Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

His Peculiar People

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“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should [show] forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

1 Peter 2:9 KJV

In Paul’s letter to Titus, he wrote the following:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own peculiar people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11–14

David wrote, “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special [peculiar] treasure.” Psalm 135:4

If you are reading closely, you will notice a theme running through these verses: God’s people are to be peculiar. In the original languages, the words translated as peculiar can also mean special or chosen. Regardless of which translation you choose, it is clear that God’s people are unique compared to the “broad-road” world.

What is it that makes God’s people peculiar?

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” Exodus 19:5

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 14:2

“Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special [peculiar] people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments.” Deuteronomy 26:18

We have a clue in this last verse as to what makes His people peculiar: they “keep all His commandments.”

The immediate thought to a Seventh-day Adventist is that keeping the fourth commandment is what makes God’s people peculiar. That is indeed true, but that is not the only act of following God’s will that makes His people peculiar.

Revelation 14:12 confirms what we have already noted: God’s peculiar people are obedient to all of His commandments.

Searching the Scriptures confirms other “peculiar” character traits.

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he stressed the importance of appropriate apparel, advising against wearing gold, pearls, or anything that would bring attention to a person’s appearance rather than to his or her character.

Another peculiar aspect to the character of God’s people is their diet. We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our diet should be pure and unpolluted—a vegan diet consisting of vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts.

Inspiration augments that counsel by advising that it is best for optimum health to eat only two meals a day so that we can retire at night with an empty stomach. We are also counseled not to snack or do anything that would activate digestive activity between meals.

In Galatians 5, Paul provides some excellent guidance on developing the peculiar character that God expects His people to possess.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19–21

Then in verse 24, Paul states that God’s peculiar people will abstain from these habits and attitudes that degrade the image of Christ in them: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” the very passions and desires that he has given in the previous verses.

It is interesting that Paul interjects within his writing those character traits that clearly identify God’s people: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Verses 22, 23

Based on what we see in society today, anyone who consistently manifests the righteous character traits listed in verses 22 and 23 would likely be very different from the majority of the population and would therefore be viewed as peculiar, to say the least.

Another peculiar, special, or interesting thing often noticed among Adventists is a sincere desire to speak the truth at all times. How many times have you been listening to an Adventist tell a story and then stop and correct himself in mid-story concerning a statement in the story that didn’t come out right the first time? It may not even be a material or significant point in the conversation, and certainly not be an intentional misstatement, but it shows how seriously Adventists keep in mind the fact that no liar will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Given more time and thought, we could think of many other habits or character traits that God’s peculiar people manifest that make them stand apart, which is exactly what God wants in His people. After all, in 2 Corinthians 6:17, first part, we are told, “Come out from among them and be separate.”

One would think that such people would have a positive influence on their unbelieving friends and relatives. Unfortunately, sometimes there is a problem. In addressing this problem, Inspiration makes the following statement:

“There are many in the church who at heart belong to the world, but God calls upon those who claim to believe the advanced truth to rise above the present attitude of the popular churches of today. Where is the self-denial, where is the cross-bearing that Christ has said should characterize His followers? The reason we have had so little influence upon unbelieving relatives and associates is that we have manifested little decided difference in our practices from those of the world.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 289

However, there is a remedy, one that is  well-known to us.

“When Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity to Himself by a tie of love that can never be broken by any power save the choice of man himself. Satan will constantly present allurements to induce us to break this tie—to choose to separate ourselves from Christ. Here is where we need to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may entice us to choose another master; for we are always free to do this. But let us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us. Looking unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand. In constantly beholding Him, we ‘are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 3:18).” Steps to Christ, 72

In seeking to be the peculiar people that the Lord wants us to be, I’m sure that we all recognize that we have an enemy, and most of us rightly recognize that enemy as Satan. But we also have to recognize that just as God needs human agents to bring the news of salvation to the world, Satan also needs human agents to do his work. In a testimony to a church member, the pen of Inspiration wrote the following concerning Satan’s agents:

“Sister K, although possessing excellent natural qualities, is being drawn away from God by her unbelieving friends and relatives, who love not the truth and have no sympathy with the sacrifice and self-denial that must be made for the truth’s sake. Sister K has not felt the importance of separation from the world, as the command of God enjoins. The sight of her eyes and the hearing of her ears have perverted her heart.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 108

Eyes and ears—two of the avenues Satan uses to reach our souls and lead us astray!

“God has given you abilities which you can use to good account, or abuse to your own injury and to the injury of others. You have not realized the claims that God has upon you. It should be ever borne in mind that we are living in this world to form characters for the next. And all our associations with our fellow mortals should be with reference to their eternal interest and to our own; but if our interviews with them are devoted only to pleasure and to our own selfish gratification, if we are light and trifling, if we indulge in wrong acts, we are not coworkers with God, but are decidedly working against Him. The precious lives God has given us are not to be molded by unbelieving relatives in a way to please the carnal mind, but to be spent in a manner which God can approve.” Ibid., 236

In other words, do not let your unbelieving friends and relatives prevent you from becoming the peculiar person that God wants you to be.

Consider this description of a home where there is a lone Adventist, “a home where the shadows are never lifted … .” Ibid., Vol. 5, 362

“… perhaps while one member of the family gives his heart to God, others do not. They are still under the control of the Saviour’s worst enemy, and they feel annoyed and angry that division has come into their household. He who has accepted Christ is no less dutiful than before; on the contrary, he is [to be] more kind, more faithful, more affectionate, because his nature is being purified, sanctified, and ennobled by the truth.” The Bible Echo, March 19, 1894

In other words, he is striving to become one of God’s peculiar people.

May the Lord guide us daily as we seek to know and do His will in all situations and all circumstances so that we may indeed become one of His peculiar people.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org

Hypnotism

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The development of the concepts and practices related to hypnosis have been documented for thousands of years, but became particularly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. It entered the 19th century as an activity associated with quacks, only to later become an approved medical technique practiced in hospitals and other medical institutions. Source: wikipedia.org/History_of_hypnosis; historyofhypnosis.org

Hypnotism, as defined by the Standard Dictionary, is “an artificially-induced somnambulistic (trance-like) state in which the mind becomes passive, acting readily upon suggestion or direction.” Touching the same phenomenon, the Century Dictionary says: “The subject believes, and at last does all that is commanded.”

That these definitions are no more than the truth, is abundantly shown by the testimony of hypnotists themselves. One of the most prominent of these in America says:

“What is hypnotism? … What force is exerted that, after making a man sleep, rouses him to a false wakefulness in which he obeys any suggestion, loses his identity, speaks a language foreign to him, feels contradictory sensations, takes part in strange scenes, and then is suddenly aroused, to have no memory of what has happened? … It is the most wonderful thing on earth. … Hypnotism is a spell, or trance-like sleep, that one person, by certain simple methods, casts over another. …

“The mind of the subject is entirely under the control of the operator. He may be made to see and hear, to think and feel, exactly as the hypnotist wishes. … No pen could adequately describe the marvels that may be brought about by hypnotism. You must see it and learn to use it before you can fully realize how wonderful is that silent and mysterious force which enables one man to seize on its very throne the will of another, and make him conform to his slightest wish in every act and feeling.”

The divine law demands that all our powers be exercised in subjection to the will of God. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” says the Saviour; while the apostolic injunction is, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (Mark 12:30; 1 Corinthians 10:31.)

But in hypnotism we have a “silent and mysterious force,” which usurps the place of the Creator and “enables one man to seize on its very throne the will of another man and make him conform to his slightest wish in every act and feeling.” Surely no man has any right to make such a surrender of his will, to so place himself under the power and will of another; and just so surely has no man the right to usurp such power over the mind and will of another. Such power belongs alone to God, for He only can safely hold such power.

Nor is it necessary in all cases that the subject make a conscious surrender of his will to the operator. L. W. DeLaurence, professional hypnotist and magnetic healer, in his book, Hypnotism, under the heading, “People Hypnotized Against Their Will,” says: “There is a way in which a shrewd hypnotist can succeed in putting people under the influence who really do not care to be hypnotized.” He then describes his method of entrapping an unwilling victim, and concludes thus: “You can then proceed by a few well-chosen suggestions to put him dead asleep and induce somnambulism or trance in the regular way. He will ever afterwards be your subject if you understand your business in giving post-hypnotic suggestions.”

Thus hypnotism not only accepts the sovereignty of the mind when voluntarily surrendered to it, but by force and fraud “seizes upon its very throne the will” of the unwary victim of its hellish arts. Is not such power satanic, if not in its origin, at least in its exercise?

Whether this power is satanic, that is, whether Satan or one of his angels merely works through the hypnotist or steps in to complete what he has begun, or whether “the silent and mysterious force” is simply the perversion of a God-given power, matters little. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?” Romans 6:16. If the power is satanic, that is if it is conferred upon the hypnotist by Satan, then he who yields to it directly is the servant of Satan. On the other hand, if this “silent and mysterious force” which seizes “on its very throne the will of another,” is only a perverted and misused power, originally God-given and for that reason inherent in man, then he who yields to it becomes, not indeed primarily the servant of Satan, but a servant of one who is himself Satan’s servant; and of whom it may be truly said, “A servant of servants shall he be.” Genesis 9:25, last part. But in either case, the effect can only be ruinous to the one who thus surrenders his will.

How fully the willpower may be seized upon, and with what results, may be seen by the following warning from a noted hypnotist of the better class. He says:

“The hypnotized may fall hopeless victims to the most criminal and harmful actions, not only while they sleep, but after they have been awakened. … There lies such infernal power in the hands of the hypnotizer that every one ought to be strictly forbidden to meddle with hypnotism, except those who are honorable and trustworthy. The hypnotized can by all kinds of suggestions be made not only to harm themselves, but also others, and they may even be irresistibly driven to any crime.”

The question might be asked very appropriately, Where is there a man sufficiently honorable and trustworthy to be a safe custodian of such power, who would be willing to assume the responsibility? Any man who covets such power is an unsafe and dangerous man, no matter what his profession. No man has any right to such power over any human being.

That this “silent and mysterious force” is sometimes used for the alleviation of pain and the subduing of incorrigible children, does not make it any less dangerous. For when the occasion requires it, “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers [and agencies] also be transformed as the ministers [and agencies] of righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15

Moreover, this false angel of light collects an awful and lasting toll for all the supposed or pretended benefits conferred. The willpower of the subject is forever broken, and he is ever afterwards subject to the will of the hypnotist, unless rescued and set free by divine grace.

Nor is this all; in a book giving instructions in hypnotism, the would-be operator is warned in these words: “If you become excited after having the subject under control, he may remain in that condition for hours, but in my experience there is no danger if you manage right.”

That there is not only danger of mismanagement, but that it often occurs, is shown by the facts connected with two out of a number of cases that might be cited.

In one of these cases the subject was made to believe that he was a pugilist (a fighter). The hypnotist lost control first of himself and of course of his subject, who soon cleared the house and then began the destruction of fences and other property outside, using as his weapon a heavy ornamental urn. Sixteen young men present were unable to restrain the fury of the subject, who, after thrusting aside his friends, as he might have done so many children, began tearing the clothing from his own body like the man described in Luke 8:26–29. The police patrol was called, and after a desperate struggle by five policemen, the young man was handcuffed and held down while a physician administered morphine to him by hypodermic injection; but even after arriving at the hospital he again became violent, and it was again necessary to quiet him with powerful drugs. We are told that after this experience “he was weak and nervous.” Is it any wonder?

The second sample case, illustrative of the “no danger” assurance is that of a young man, a teacher of music, who submitted himself to a professional hypnotist to be taught the “art.” Very soon dangerous symptoms began to manifest themselves, such as unnatural nervousness, great mental agitation, rapid dilation and contraction of the pupils of his eyes, etc., and in a short time he became hopelessly insane.

And let no one suppose that the hypnotist is himself safe. No man can debauch the will and mind of another without sinning against his own soul. Nor is this all; the operator may become self-hypnotized and fall into that form of hypnotic sleep technically known as the “lethargic” or “independent state.” This is a condition so closely resembling death as to deceive even experts. “There is no doubt,” says Professor DeLaurence, “that Bishop, the mind reader, was in this condition when the autopsy was performed upon his supposed dead body.” Nor is self-induced hypnotism uncommon. In the fall of 1904, the newspapers reported the case of a hypnotist in New York City who went to one of the hospitals there and begged to be taken care of, as he feared that he was about to pass involuntarily into the lethargic state, and was in terror lest he might be buried alive.

Surely such facts alone, if there were no moral principle involved, ought to deter anyone from meddling in any way with this “silent and mysterious force.”

Another statement made by hypnotists, and which is doubtless true, demands special consideration. It ought to appeal strongly to Christian minds. It is the claim that under this “silent and mysterious force” the subject “loses his identity” and “speaks a language foreign to him.”

The power thus to speak in an unknown tongue is one of the gifts of the Spirit of God; but it would be blasphemy to assert that it is the Divine Spirit that confers this power upon the hypnotized subject. Nobody claims this; indeed it is asserted that the mind and will of the subject are controlled by the mind and will of the human operator, the hypnotist. The real truth, however, is that the hypnotic gift of tongues is nothing more nor less than a satanic counterfeit of the Divine Spirit’s gift of tongues on the Day of Pentecost. In its nature and tendency, it is closely akin to the false miracles wrought by Jannes and Jambres for the purpose of discrediting the signs shown by Moses and Aaron. Now, as these magicians withstood Moses, so will there be in the last days men professing godliness who will oppose and seek to discredit truth by various counterfeits and substitutes. (See 2 Timothy 3:8.)

Hypnotism is new only in name, for it has long been practiced by heathen conjurers in India, and has been known to Western Civilization for more than a century and a half under the name of “Mesmerism;” while its principles are doubtless as old as the human race. But its modern growth and the wonderful claims made for it are nevertheless suggestive of the dawn of the time foretold by the apostle, when Satan shall work “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10

Another evidence that hypnotism is not of God is found in the fact that while this power, or at least the knowledge of how to exercise it, may be bought with money, the gift of God is beyond purchase. “Thy money perish with thee,” said Peter to Simon the sorcerer, “because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.” Acts 8:20. But hypnotism is a commodity to be bought and sold, the same as the knowledge of any other money-making art.

Hypnotism, under whatever name it may be known, is evil and only evil continually, for it violates the great principle of liberty of soul, of individual responsibility and accountability. Whosoever surrenders his will to any man, should know that once out of his own keeping, his will can be restored to him only by a miracle of divine grace, and that he is in imminent danger of being led captive by Satan at his will. Therefore “avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.”

Past, Present, and Future, James Edson White, ©1909, 337–345

[All scripture taken from the King James Bible.]