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The Final Letter

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Have you ever received a letter from someone that you knew would be their last? It may be that they were dying and had something important to say while they still could write.

Back in the days of the Civil War, among my wife’s relatives, was a man in the Union Army who was captured by the Confederate forces. In retaliation for the Union’s having killed one of their prominent soldiers, he was told that he would be executed. The date was set and the night before he was to be executed he was allowed to write one last letter to his family.

There are several letters in the Bible that were the last testament of the writers. The apostle John, while a prisoner, banished to the Island of Patmos, wrote the book of Revelation. He was totally separated, living with criminals and did not expect to ever be reunited with his family or his church again. While in his lonely state, the Lord gave him visions and dreams which he recorded as his last will and testament to be sent to the church he loved. Although it cannot be absolutely proven, it appears that John’s work was really the last book of the Bible that was written. It has been placed at the very end of the Bible and concludes the inspired record that God gave to man.

The Greek word for revelation is apocalypse, meaning something that is revealed. The Roman Catholic Bible as well as some other Bibles call the book The Apocalypse.

It has been said that the book of Revelation puts the finishing touches on a perfect book that reveals to man the eternal purpose of the Most High. It is the capstone of divine revelation and inspiration. Almost everything that you read in the Apocalypse can be traced to some other part of the Bible. The book of Revelation is a special book for people who are living in the last days and because we are living in that time period it is a book that requires us to give it special attention. The Lord is in the process of opening up to us more truth from this book than we have ever understood before, but new truth cannot be understood unless first there is an understanding of the old truth.

More than two-thirds of all the verses in the book of Revelation are either a paraphrase or direct quotation from the Old Testament. In fact, in the first five chapters of the book, the Old Testament is referred to or quoted 85 times. It is not only a conclusion, but it is a summary of what the Lord has already told us in both the Old and New Testaments.

Every subject from the word of God has a seed that can be found in the book of Genesis. Martin Luther made a special study of Genesis and preached on the book every day for a whole year. Genesis is like a prologue to the whole Bible. In the first two chapters there is a description of paradise and the third chapter describes how it was lost because of sin.

The book of Revelation is like an epilogue or conclusion to the whole Bible. The last two chapters reveal a picture of paradise restored. It would be well to read them often. Revelation 20 makes it clear that not everyone from this world will be in the paradise restored. Revelation chapters 21 and 22 describe a place where there is no sin and no sinners.

In The Acts of the Apostles, 585, it says, “In the Revelation, all the books of the Bible meet and end.” Throughout the book of Revelation we find all of the different symbols, types, shadows, figures, and fundamental principles of the Bible recapitulated. It embodies in itself, in a short space, the entire volume of the Scriptures. Revelation is a book that is written specifically for the last generation to prepare them for the second coming of Christ. If you are not ready for that event, you need to begin an intense study of the book, which is not only a revelation but words of prophecy. (See Revelation 1:3.) Revelation 22:18 and 19 also talk about “the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Prophecy is history that is written in advance. The book of Revelation has several singularities. It is the only book in the Bible that begins with a blessing to anyone who will read it. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it.” Incidentally, as well as the blessing at the beginning of the book, there is a benediction at the end. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Revelation 22:21.

Though it is true that Revelation is the only book with a blessing at the beginning and benediction at the end, it is very unfortunate that few know anything about.

We are living in the last days, and this book was especially written for today. Yet it is little understood. In fact, many Christians don’t understand anything at all about it. Many people believe it to be a sealed book and not able to be understood. For that reason they do not even read it. But how much has the church lost because of neglecting its study? In addition to a blessing that’s pronounced on those who read and keep what is written there, the most severe threatenings in all the Bible are also pronounced, of which we must be aware.

It is not the purpose of God to scare, curse, or hurt anyone, but the book of Revelation makes it very clear that we live in a moral universe and there are consequences for doing what is wrong. The book ends with a threat to anyone who tampers with its message. “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18, 19. The original text reads that God would take away from him his part from the tree of life. Notice that we are warned not to add anything to this book.

There have indeed been attempts to add to the books of the Bible. For instance, the history of Susanna, the song of the three holy children and the story of Bel and the dragon were all added to the book of Daniel. Scholars said they were not actually written by Daniel and were apocryphal, false books.

At one time, it was proposed to include in the New Testament a letter called the Epistle of Barnabas. Barnabas was an associate with the apostle Paul. There were some early church leaders that believed that the Epistle of Barnabas was a canonical book. But when studied very carefully it was found to be written by an unknown fictitious author and not the associate of the apostle Paul. This caused a huge problem for the church.

There were some letters that surfaced in New Testament times that afterward claimed to be written by the apostle Peter, but a careful study of those letters revealed that they were not written by him at all. All theologians, both Catholic and Protestant, agree that the apostle Peter wrote the books of first and second Peter that are recorded in the Bible and that the other letters claiming Peter’s authorship are called pseudepigrapha, which means false writings that claim to be from the apostles.

The early church had a problem with some who claimed to be apostles who wrote something and put an apostle’s name on it. Every letter the apostle Paul wrote was signed a certain way so that the people would know if it was from him. God knew that it would be imperative for future generations to know the doctrines. Therefore, right at the end of the Holy Scriptures is the admonition that if anyone adds or subtracts from the Word, He would deal with them in the most severe way. A curse would be added and blessing would be subtracted. This is not to be taken lightly.

The book of Revelation is one that should be looked at with reverence and awe. It does not need to have anything added to it; it does not need to have anything subtracted from it. A problem mankind has had down through the ages is wanting to add to what God has said, which is fanaticism, or wanting to subtract from what God has said, which is apostasy.

In Revelation 1:1 we are told where this book came from: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him.” God the Father is the source of this information. Because of sin the people of this world cannot communicate directly with God the Father. Jesus said in John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus Christ is the spokes-person between God the Father and this world. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He (Jesus Christ) sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” This is not just any angel. If you study the book of Daniel you know that in heaven there are millions and millions of angels around the throne of God. Daniel said in chapter seven there were ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, which would be one hundred million plus many other millions. Of all the millions of angels, there is a certain angel that is the angel of Jesus Christ. It is this angel that He sends to His servants the prophets. And we know this angel’s name, because this very same angel was sent to the prophet Daniel.

Daniel 9:21 says, “Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.” The angel is Gabriel. His name means the mighty one of God. Gabriel spoke to Daniel again in Daniel 10. And notice what he says to him in Daniel 10:21: “But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. No one upholds me (stands with me) against these except Michael your prince.” Michael means the One who is like God. It is another name for Jesus Christ. Gabriel said the only other person that is with me in this affair is Jesus Christ. This one, Gabriel, is His angel. His name is also mentioned in the New Testament. In Luke 1:19 it says, “And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.’ ”

If you are saved, the time is coming soon when you will get to meet Gabriel, the mighty one of God. This is the angel that descended from heaven early Sunday morning on the day of the resurrection and said, “Son of God, Your Father calls You.” And when he said that, Jesus arose.

Gabriel was the one sent from heaven to give to the disciple John these visions and revelations that he wrote down in this book. At least four times the writer simply designates himself as John. In Revelation 1:9 he says, “I, John… .” He refers to himself that way also in the end of the book in Revelation 22:8 “I, John … .” John did not need to make any other reference, as the people knew who he was. There was no other John who was that well known. Similarly, the apostle Paul just needed to say, “I’m Paul,” and the people knew who he was. The early church did not question who was the author of this book. They agreed that it was John the apostle.

For many years there has been a disagreement as to when the book was written. Some have believed that it was written during the terrible time of the persecution of the Christians by Nero. However, that is not the opinion of the majority. There is the testimony of several early Christian church fathers who testify that the book was written during the 14th year of Domitian. Domitian was a Roman Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire from A.D. 81 to A.D. 96. The study of these Roman Emperors is a great help in understanding some of the things we find in the New Testament, which includes the book of Revelation.

Before Domitian, there was a Roman Emperor in the late 30’s, early 40’s called Claudius. Before that time, the people believed that the Roman Emperor was a representative of God and when he died, he became divine. But Claudius asserted that no one needed to wait till he was dead to think that he was divine. He claimed to be divine while still living. And he therefore commanded the people to worship him.

At that time before A.D. 40, this command did not cause a lot of trouble for the Christians because the Christian church was still small. But Domitian, the second Roman Emperor who openly proclaimed to be divine, commanded the people to worship him, creating a big problem for the Christians who refused. They could give respect and honor to the Roman Emperor, but never kneel down and worship him as a god. Christians have one God. Paul says we have “One God and Father of all.” Ephesians 4:6. We have one Lord, Jesus Christ.

As a young man I heard a preacher speak about some things in the Roman Empire. He mentioned that many American cities are patterned after Roman cities. In the middle of the county seat there is a courthouse and a square around the courthouse. In the middle of these Roman cities an altar would be erected, a fire would be lit in it, and then everybody in town would be commanded to get in line and pass by the altar. All that was required as they passed the fire was to take a little pinch of incense and throw it on the fire and say, “Kaiser es Kuriors” which is Greek for “Caesar is lord.” In this way they were able to spot the Christians so that they could be killed. A Christian would say, “Christos es Kuriors” which means, Christ is Lord. They would then be shuffled off to one side and taken to be cast to the lions, have their head chopped off, be crucified, stretched on the rack, be burned or whatever the rulers decided to do to them at that time.

When John refused to worship the emperor it was decided to kill him. He was cast into a big caldron of boiling oil. His life should have ended quickly but, miraculously, he did not die. Finally, just as it was in Nebuchadnezzar’s time when he threw the three worthies into the fiery furnace, when John was pulled out of the oil pot there was no evidence of burning. Realizing that they could not kill this man of God, it was decided to banish him. It was very common among the Romans to banish their worst criminals to desolate islands where it was impossible for them to escape. Though the Romans thought to banish him, God had another purpose. Revelation 1:9 says he was “… on the island that was called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The Isle of Patmos is in the Aegean Sea and is approximately 50 miles south-west of Ephesus, which is on the southwestern tip of what we call today Turkey. Even today the island is absolutely desolate. They say there are no trees on this island and it is like being in a desert. There is a cave or grotto at a high part on one side of the island and according to long-standing tradition it was in that cave where John had his visions and wrote the book of Revelation. A few thousand people still live on the island, mostly fishermen and miners. It is believed that John was banished to work in the marble mines on the island.

Speaking to the Jewish leaders just a few days before His crucifixion, Jesus predicted that His followers would be persecuted. He said, “Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” Matthew 23:34, 35.

This prediction was literally fulfilled. For example, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus Christ Himself was scourged and crucified. But that was just the beginning. During the first century, prominent leaders in the Christian church were aggressively persecuted. Steven was stoned. James was beheaded. Philip was scourged, imprisoned and crucified. Matthew was killed with a halberd. James the less was stoned and his brains were dashed out with a fuller’s club. Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded. Andrew was crucified at Odessa. Mark was dragged to pieces by an infuriated mob on the streets of Alexandria. Peter was crucified head downward at his own request. Paul was beheaded. Jude, the brother of James, and who was also called Thaddeus, was crucified. Bartholomew was beaten and crucified. Thomas was thrust through with a spear. Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece. Simon Zelotes was crucified in Britain. They tried to kill John the beloved by casting him into a caldron of boiling oil, but he didn’t die. So they banished him on an island. He was the only one that died a natural death. However, remember that persecution for Christ’s sake has always been a blessing in disguise.

Some people today are very troubled by this historical account. Some people say that if God is all powerful, and if He really loves us, why does He allow us to go through such terrible suffering? Some people have lost their faith in the Christian religion because of the suffering, not wanting a religion that involves suffering. Wanting a religion that is a little easier, they search and find that there are plenty of options available.

The book Foxes Book of Martyrs records the ten major pagan Roman Empire persecutions against the Christians. In spite of the fact that the Romans, as early as Nero, tried to destroy the Christians, it was during that period of time of terrible persecutions that the Christian church made its greatest growth. By the end of the first century it is estimated that there were at least 6 million Christians in the Roman Empire. That might become a little bit more meaningful if you remember that in the whole Roman Empire at that time there were only about 120 million people. Roughly 1 out of 20 people in the whole Roman Empire at that time were Christians.

When Christians were banished, they shared the lot of common prisoners. John says that he was their companion in tribulation. He had no hope of ever seeing his family, his church family, or his loved ones again. He was an elderly man by then and thought he would die on the island, never expecting that he would be given an opportunity to return home and that the book he wrote would be his last will and testament.

Suddenly, on September 18, A.D. 96, Domitian, the emperor who claimed that he was God, was assassinated. As soon as the new emperor, Nerva, came to power, he set all the prisoners who had refused to worship the emperor free. John was also set free. At a time when you think that everything is lost and your life is so dark and awful, when you commit your way to God, He can turn everything around, and sometimes it can happen quite suddenly.

The book of Revelation, written by God’s faithful servant while a prisoner on the lonely island, comes to us from heaven. It comes with a blessing on anybody who will read it and keep what it says. Much of the most wonderful literature and music written was during very trying times. The Bible has many examples of this.

While he was in exile, Jacob, in his extremity, finally found God. In fact, he was so transformed by the experience he had during that 20 year period that the Lord changed his name. He said, You will no longer be called Jacob. You are going to be called a prince of God.

Then there was Joseph, exiled from his family to be a slave, never to see his family again, he thought. During that time of exile, God so transformed his character that he became a saviour of his nation and of the whole world at that time. Ellen White says that Joseph is a type of Christ.

Moses was a fugitive after killing a man. After 40 years enduring poverty in a strange land, God used him to deliver his people from the mighty nation of Egypt and write the books of Genesis and Job.

David was a fugitive fleeing from cave to cave to escape the wrath of Saul. It was during the time that he was on the run and scared for his life that he produced some of his best and most spiritual psalms.

It was while he was fleeing from the wrath of Jezebel, in a mountain cave, that Elijah heard the still small voice of God giving him directions to finish his ministry on earth. Today he is alive in heaven.

Ezekiel and Daniel both wrote from their captivity. Daniel had been separated from his family as a young man and was never allowed to return.

It has happened that way since Bible times, too. The most popular Bible versions during the Protestant Reformation were the English translation by Tyndale and the German translation by Martin Luther. These men produced their translations while fugitives, fleeing from the wrath and power of the papal Roman Empire. Approximately ninety percent of the King James Version is directly from Tyndale’s translation.

The book Pilgrims Progress was written by John Bunyan while he was incarcerated in an English jail because of his professed Christianity. That book has led multitudes of young people to Jesus Christ and the Christian religion. Then there was a woman by the name of Ellen White, who just before the turn of the 20th century, while in Australia, suffered terribly for months, day and night, because of rheumatoid arthritis. By then she was already a widow and in her pain and suffering she produced one of the greatest masterpieces that has ever been written on the life of Jesus Christ, The Desire of Ages.

Don’t give up and lose your faith because of the suffering you are going through. Commit your life to God. Say, “Lord, what do you want me to learn from this? What do you want me to do as a result of this experience that would be a blessing to my fellow men?” The Lord wants to deliver you. The book of Revelation makes it very clear that the pain and suffering that we’re going through in this world is all temporary. For the Christian, there is coming a time when there will be no more pain. Soon the things that cause us grief will end and a wonderful new future will be opened up to those who are faithful.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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

Editorial – The Church Triumphant

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Every true believer is a part of the body of Christ. “The gracious promises are given to His church, and if you have taken the steps requisite in conversion, if you have made open confession of Christ, you are a part of the body of Christ, a part of His great whole.” The Upward Look, 312.

We are told: “Watch ye therefore: … lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” Mark 13:35, 36.

“Judgment must begin at the house of God.” I Peter 4:17.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” Acts 3:19, 20.

“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance.” The Great Controversy, 483.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5.

“In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found.” Jeremiah 50:20.

“… that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:27. [ The church triumphant ]

“Watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” Mark 13:33. “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 3:3.

Bible Study Guides – Moses

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April 19, 2015 – April 25, 2015

Key Text

“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Hebrews 11:24–26.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 241–256.

Introduction

“He [Moses] looked beyond the gorgeous palace, beyond a monarch’s crown, to the high honors that will be bestowed on the saints of the Most High in a kingdom untainted by sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 246.

1 HOME—THE FIRST EVANGELISTIC FIELD

  • What responsibility did Jochebed feel regarding the education of her son? Exodus 2:7–9; Acts 7:20, 21.

Note: “God had heard the mother’s prayers; her faith had been rewarded. … She faithfully improved her opportunity to educate her child for God. She felt confident that he had been preserved for some great work, … to be surrounded with influences that would tend to lead him away from God. … She endeavored to imbue his mind with the fear of God and the love of truth and justice, and earnestly prayed that he might be preserved from every corrupting influence.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 243, 244.

  • How should parents educate their children? Proverbs 22:6.

Note: “The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 244.

2 MOSES’ SECOND SCHOOL: THE KING’S COURT

  • What education did Moses receive at the court of the king of Egypt? Acts 7:22.

Note: “At the court of Pharaoh, Moses received the highest civil and military training. The monarch had determined to make his adopted grandson his successor on the throne, and the youth was educated for his high station. ‘And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds’ (Acts 7:22). His ability as a military leader made him a favorite with the armies of Egypt, and he was generally regarded as a remarkable character.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 245.

  • Discuss the impact of the education that Moses had received in his Hebrew home.

Note: “By the laws of Egypt all who occupied the throne of the Pharaohs must become members of the priestly caste; and Moses, as the heir apparent, was to be initiated into the mysteries of the national religion. This duty was committed to the priests. But while he was an ardent and untiring student, he could not be induced to participate in the worship of the gods. … He was unshaken in his determination to render homage to none save the one God, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 245.

  • When Moses was threatened with the loss of the crown, what choice did he make? Why? Hebrews 11:24–26.

Note: “Moses was fitted to take pre-eminence among the great of the earth, to shine in the courts of its most glorious kingdom, and to sway the scepter of its power. His intellectual greatness distinguishes him above the great men of all ages. As historian, poet, philosopher, general of armies, and legislator, he stands without a peer.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 246.

3 MOSES’ THIRD SCHOOL: TENDING SHEEP

  • Why was this third school of tending sheep essential for a man whom God wanted to prepare for the great work that was before him? Exodus 2:15, 16, 21; 3:1; Hebrews 11:27.

Note: “In the school of self-denial and hardship he [Moses] was to learn patience, to temper his passions. Before he could govern wisely, he must be trained to obey. His own heart must be fully in harmony with God before he could teach the knowledge of His will to Israel. By his own experience he must be prepared to exercise a fatherly care over all who needed his help.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 247.

  • What was the result in Moses’ character at the end of forty years of schooling in the wilderness? Numbers 12:3.
  • Before anyone can do an acceptable work for God where he or she is required to deal with people, what must he or she learn? Romans 12:18.

Note: “In all who have been chosen to accomplish a work for God the human element is seen. Yet they have not been men of stereotyped habits and character, who were satisfied to remain in that condition. They earnestly desired to obtain wisdom from God and to learn to work for Him. Says the apostle, ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him’ (James 1:5). But God will not impart to men divine light while they are content to remain in darkness. In order to receive God’s help, man must realize his weakness and deficiency; he must apply his own mind to the great change to be wrought in himself; he must be aroused to earnest and persevering prayer and effort. Wrong habits and customs must be shaken off; and it is only by determined endeavor to correct these errors and to conform to right principles that the victory can be gained. Many never attain to the position that they might occupy, because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them power to do for themselves.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 248.

4 NO EXCUSE FOR HUMAN WEAKNESS

  • How did God remove Moses’ timid and self-distrustful excuse of a “slow tongue”? Exodus 4:10–12.

Note: “A man will gain power and efficiency as he accepts the responsibilities that God places upon him, and with his whole soul seeks to qualify himself to bear them aright. However humble his position or limited his ability, that man will attain true greatness who, trusting to divine strength, seeks to perform his work with fidelity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 255.

  • What weakness of Moses angered God? How did his tendency to yield to his wife result in disobedience to God? Exodus 4:24, 25.

Note: “On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord’s displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threatening manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God’s requirements; yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. … Such a neglect on the part of their chosen leader could not but lessen the force of the divine precepts upon the people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 255, 256.

  • When people have been called to do a work for the Lord, what shows that they must be careful to know and to do their duty? I Samuel 15:22; James 4:17.

Note: “While they [many people] refuse to believe and obey some requirement of the Lord, they persevere in offering up to God their formal services of religion. There is no response of the Spirit of God to such service. No matter how zealous men may be in their observance of religious ceremonies, the Lord cannot accept them if they persist in willful violation of one of His commands.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 634.

5 ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE

  • What is the first and most important quality that every soul winner must have? John 21:15–17.

Note: “The question that Christ had put to Peter was significant. He mentioned only one condition of discipleship and service. ‘Lovest thou Me’ (John 21:16)? He said. This is the essential qualification. Though Peter might possess every other, yet without the love of Christ he could not be a faithful shepherd over the Lord’s flock. Knowledge, benevolence, eloquence, gratitude, and zeal are all aids in the good work; but without the love of Jesus in the heart, the work of the Christian minister is a failure.” The Desire of Ages, 815.

  • What is the evidence that Moses had obtained this essential qualification? Exodus 32:9–12, 32, 33. Did God actually want to destroy Israel, or did He want to test Moses?

Note: “If God had purposed to destroy Israel, who could plead for them? …

“As Moses interceded for Israel, his timidity was lost in his deep interest and love for those for whom he had, in the hands of God, been the means of doing so much. The Lord listened to his pleadings, and granted his unselfish prayer. God had proved His servant; He had tested his faithfulness and his love for that erring, ungrateful people, and nobly had Moses endured the trial.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 318, 319.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What was the first school Moses attended?

2 What was the second school he attended?

3 What was the third school he attended?

4 How was each of these schools necessary for educating Moses for his life work?

5 What is the first question that comes to every prospective soul winner?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Joseph in Egypt

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April 12, 2015 – April 18, 2015

Key Text

“God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” Genesis 45:7.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 213–223.

Introduction

“Many are … tested … . They do not hear the voice of God speaking directly from the heavens, but He calls them by the teachings of His word and the events of His providence.” Christian Service, 181.

1 THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

  • How did Joseph express his belief that he was taken to Egypt in God’s providence? What purpose did he see God fulfilling in him? Genesis 45:5, 7; 50:20.

Note: “Through Joseph the attention of the king and great men of Egypt was directed to the true God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 222.

  • Since the descendants of Abraham were called to become the “light of the world,” and thus be a blessing “to all nations,” where would they have the best opportunity to become a numerous people in a short time? Psalm 105:17, 23, 24.

Note: “Egypt, however, offered the conditions necessary to the fulfillment of the divine purpose. A section of country well-watered and fertile was open to them there, affording every advantage for their speedy increase. And the antipathy they must encounter in Egypt on account of their occupation—for every shepherd was ‘an abomination unto the Egyptians’ (Genesis 46:34)—would enable them to remain a distinct and separate people and would thus serve to shut them out from participation in the idolatry of Egypt.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 232.

2 JOSEPH’S SUCCESSFUL SERVICE

  • What did Joseph reveal while serving as a slave in the house of Potiphar? Genesis 39:1, 2.

Note: “Arriving in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of the king’s guard, in whose service he remained for ten years. He was here exposed to temptations of no ordinary character. He was in the midst of idolatry. The worship of false gods was surrounded by all the pomp of royalty, supported by the wealth and culture of the most highly civilized nation then in existence. … he was not ashamed of the religion of his fathers, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was a worshiper of Jehovah.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 214.

  • What was Potiphar led to realize concerning the source of Joseph’s prosperous administration of Potiphar’s household? Genesis 39:3. Consequently, what did Potiphar do? Verses 4, 5.

Note: “The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph’s care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God, and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 214–217.

  • What promises belong to every faithful and diligent person? Psalms 1:1–3; 128:1, 2; Proverbs 12:24; 22:29.

Note: “Let no one trifle with his responsibilities. If you are not trading upon dollars, but only upon cents, remember that the blessing of God rests upon unwearied diligence. He does not despise the day of small things. A wise use of the littles will bring a wonderful increase. One talent wisely used will bring two to God.” Counsels on Stewardship, 48.

3 JOSEPH’S INTEGRITY

  • How was Joseph’s faith and integrity tested while in the house of Potiphar, and what was Joseph’s response when tested? Genesis 39:7–9.

Note: “Joseph’s answer reveals the power of religious principle. He would not betray the confidence of his master on earth, and, whatever the consequences, he would be true to his Master in heaven. Under the inspecting eye of God and holy angels many take liberties of which they would not be guilty in the presence of their fellow men, but Joseph’s first thought was of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 217.

  • Despite Joseph standing faithful to his master, how did Potiphar act to give the impression that he believed the false charges his immoral wife brought against Joseph? Genesis 39:20; Psalm 105:17, 18.

Note: “Joseph suffered for his integrity, for his tempter revenged herself by accusing him of a foul crime, and causing him to be thrust into prison. Had Potiphar believed his wife’s charge against Joseph, the young Hebrew would have lost his life; but the modesty and uprightness that had uniformly characterized his conduct were proof of his innocence; and yet, to save the reputation of his master’s house, he was abandoned to disgrace and bondage.” Partriarchs and Prophets, 218.

  • Where was the prison? Compare Genesis 39:1 and 41:9, 10. How did God and Potiphar use Joseph while he was in prison? Genesis 40:1, 2, 5, 8, 12–19, 23.

Note: “The king’s cupbearer had professed the deepest gratitude to Joseph, both for the cheering interpretation of his dream and for many acts of kind attention; and in return the latter, referring in a most touching manner to his own unjust captivity, entreated that his case be brought before the king. … but when restored to royal favor, he [the cupbearer] thought no more of his benefactor.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 219.

4 JOSEPH BEFORE PHARAOH

  • How did God work, providentially, to bring Joseph out of prison? Genesis 41:1–7. How did the true God reveal Himself to Pharaoh? Genesis 41:9, 12, 14–16.
  • How did Joseph call the attention of Pharaoh to the true God at the beginning of the interpretation of the king’s dream? Genesis 41:25. Summarize the interpretation of the dream. Genesis 41:26–31.
  • What advice did Joseph give to Pharaoh? Genesis 41:33–36.

Note: “The interpretation was so reasonable and consistent, and the policy which it recommended was so sound and shrewd, that its correctness could not be doubted.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 221.

  • What evidence do we have that Pharaoh started to believe in the true God? Genesis 41:38–41.

Note: “The cupbearer, now filled with self-reproach, endeavored to atone for his former ingratitude, by the warmest praise of his benefactor; and further inquiry by the king proved the correctness of his report. In all the realm Joseph was the only man gifted with wisdom to point out the danger that threatened the kingdom and the preparation necessary to meet it; and the king was convinced that he was the one best qualified to execute the plans which he had proposed. It was evident that a divine power was with him, and that there were none among the king’s officers of state so well qualified to conduct the affairs of the nation at this crisis. The fact that he was a Hebrew and a slave was of little moment when weighed against his evident wisdom and sound judgment. ‘Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?’ (Genesis 41:38) said the king to his counselors.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 221.

5 JOSEPH, A WORTHY EXAMPLE

  • What is one of the first lessons that prospective soul winners should learn from the experience of Joseph? Luke 16:10.

Note: “Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He who lives in accordance with the Creator’s will is securing to himself the truest and noblest development of character. ‘The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding’ (Job 28:28).

“There are few who realize the influence of the little things of life upon the development of character. Nothing with which we have to do is really small. The varied circumstances that we meet day by day are designed to test our faithfulness and to qualify us for greater trusts. By adherence to principle in the transactions of ordinary life, the mind becomes accustomed to hold the claims of duty above those of pleasure and inclination. Minds thus disciplined are not wavering between right and wrong, like the reed trembling in the wind; they are loyal to duty because they have trained themselves to habits of fidelity and truth. By faithfulness in that which is least they acquire strength to be faithful in greater matters.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 222, 223.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 When did Joseph realize that his relocation to Egypt was divinely planned?

2 What blessings can a Christian employee bring to a company through his or her faithful work?

3 By divine providence, how did Joseph call the attention of Pharoah to the true God?

4 What suggests that Pharoah started to believe in God?

5 What is one of the first lessons for soul winners to learn from the example of Joseph?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Early Messengers of God

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April 5, 2015 – April 11, 2015

Key Text

“Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” Genesis 18:23.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 139, 140, 158–165.

Introduction

“While Abraham had a true sense of humility that every child of God should possess, yet he had an intense interest in the souls of sinners. …

“Abraham’s interest and anxiety for Sodom is a lesson to us that we should have an intense interest for those around us.” Christ Triumphant, 75.

1 THE CALL OF ABRAHAM

  • After Shem, whom did God call as His special messenger, and how did he respond? Genesis 12:1–4; Hebrews 11:8, 9.

Note: “God has ever preserved a remnant to serve Him. Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, in unbroken line, had preserved from age to age the precious revealings of His will. … He [the Lord] communicated His will to Abraham, and gave him a distinct knowledge of the requirements of His law and of the salvation that would be accomplished through Christ.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 125.

  • Why did Abraham have to leave his relatives and friends? Matthew 10:37, 38; Acts 7:2–4; Amos 3:3.

Note: “Abraham must be separated from the associations of his early life. The influence of kindred and friends would interfere with the training which the Lord purposed to give His servant. …

“Many are still tested as was Abraham.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 126.

2 ABRAHAM, A FRIEND OF GOD

  • What worthy example did Abraham leave for us? Genesis 12:7, 8; 13:4, 18.

Note: “Wherever he [Abraham] pitched his tent, close beside it was set up his altar, calling all within his encampment to the morning and evening sacrifice. When his tent was removed, the altar remained. In following years, there were those among the roving Canaanites who received instruction from Abraham; and whenever one of these came to that altar, he knew who had been there before him; and when he had pitched his tent, he repaired the altar, and there worshiped the living God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 128.

  • What does God desire His people to be? Matthew 5:14–16. Give examples of Abraham’s life as an effective Christian witness. Genesis 14:21–24; 18:19.

Note: “While Christ is dwelling in the heart it is impossible to conceal the light of His presence, or for that light to grow dim. On the contrary, it will grow brighter and brighter as day by day the mists of selfishness and sin that envelop the soul are dispelled by the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

“The people of God are His representatives upon the earth, and He intends that they shall be lights in the moral darkness of this world.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 134.

  • Why was Abraham called the friend of God? James 2:21–23; Genesis 26:5. How may we be regarded as friends of Christ? John 15:14; Philippians 2:15.

Note: “The character and course of the Christian is in marked contrast to that of worldlings. The Christian cannot find pleasure in the amusements and in the varied scenes of gaiety of the world. Higher and holier attractions engage the affections. Christians will show that they are the friends of God by their obedience.” Our High Calling, 149.

3 A HOSPITABLE HOUSEHOLD

  • What practice was an essential trait of Abraham’s character? Genesis 18:1–8.

Note: “In the hot summer noontide the patriarch was sitting in his tent door, looking out over the quiet landscape, when he saw in the distance three travelers approaching. Before reaching his tent, the strangers halted, as if consulting as to their course. Without waiting for them to solicit favors, Abraham rose quickly, and as they were apparently turning in another direction, he hastened after them, and with the utmost courtesy urged them to honor him by tarrying for refreshment. With his own hands he brought water that they might wash the dust of travel from their feet. He himself selected their food, and while they were at rest under the cooling shade, an entertainment was made ready, and he stood respectfully beside them while they partook of his hospitality.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 138.

  • What lesson did the apostle Paul draw from Abraham’s experience? Hebrews 13:2.
  • In what ways can we follow Abraham’s example today? Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 25:35; Luke 14:12–14.

Note: “Our social entertainments should not be governed by the dictates of worldly custom, but by the Spirit of Christ and the teaching of His word. The Israelites, in all their festivities, included the poor, the stranger, and the Levite, who was both the assistant of the priest in the sanctuary, and a religious teacher and missionary. These were regarded as the guests of the people, to share their hospitality on all occasions of social and religious rejoicing, and to be tenderly cared for in sickness or in need. It is such as these whom we should make welcome to our homes. How much such a welcome might do to cheer and encourage the missionary nurse or the teacher, the care-burdened, hard-working mother, or the feeble and aged, so often without a home, and struggling with poverty and many discouragements.” The Ministry of Healing, 352, 353.

4 ABRAHAM, A DETERMINED INTERCESSOR

  • Who revealed personally to Abraham the wickedness of Sodom and its planned destruction? Genesis 18:16, 17, 20–22.

Note: “Two of the heavenly messengers departed, leaving Abraham alone with Him whom he now knew to be the Son of God. And the man of faith pleaded for the inhabitants of Sodom. Once he had saved them by his sword, now he endeavored to save them by prayer.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 139.

  • How did Abraham plead for God’s mercy? Genesis 18:23–33. What spirit inspired his prayer? John 15:12, 13, 17.

Note: “With deep reverence and humility he urged his plea: ‘I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes’ (Genesis 18:27). There was no self-confidence, no boasting of his own righteousness. He did not claim favor on the ground of his obedience, or of the sacrifices he had made in doing God’s will. Himself a sinner, he pleaded in the sinner’s behalf. Such a spirit all who approach God should possess.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 139.

“Love for perishing souls inspired Abraham’s prayer. While he loathed the sins of that corrupt city, he desired that the sinners might be saved. His deep interest for Sodom shows the anxiety that we should feel for the impenitent. We should cherish hatred of sin, but pity and love for the sinner.” Ibid., 140.

  • What aim should be paramount in the life of every Christian today as we seek to reach out to the world around us? I Corinthians 9:19–23; II Corinthians 5:14, 15.

Note: “We need far less controversy, and far more presentation of Christ. Our Redeemer is the center of all our faith and hope. Those who can present His matchless love, and inspire hearts to give Him their best and holiest affections, are doing work that is great and holy.” Colporteur Ministry, 42.

5 LOT, A MISSIONARY AT THE GATE OF SODOM

  • Through what practice did Lot seek to fulfill his missionary responsibilities? Genesis 19:1–3.

Note: “Seeing the abuse to which strangers were exposed in Sodom, Lot made it one of his duties to guard them at their entrance, by offering them entertainment at his own house. He was sitting at the gate as the travelers approached, and upon observing them, he rose from his place to meet them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 158.

  • What condition robbed Lot of his peace of mind while he was living in Sodom? II Peter 2:7, 8. How did the people of Sodom treat the religion of Abraham and Lot? Luke 17:28–30; Jude 17, 18.

Note: “Abraham was not a stranger to the people of Sodom, and his worship of the unseen God had been a matter of ridicule among them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 157.

  • Despite Lot’s best intentions to be a faithful missionary in Sodom, what stands as an example of the dangers of city living for Christians today? Genesis 19:14–17, 26.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How was Abraham able to preach the gospel to his contemporaries even in his absence?

2 How do we know that Abraham was a determined intercessor?

3 How important was hospitality in Abraham’s life?

4 What should be our first aim as Christians?

5 How could Lot’s witness have been more effective as a missionary to the inhabitants of Sodom?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The Earliest Evangelists

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March 29, 2015 – April 4, 2015

Key Text

“As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:19.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 63–70.

Introduction

“As soon as there was sin, there was a Saviour. Christ knew that He would have to suffer, yet He became man’s substitute. As soon as Adam sinned, the Son of God presented Himself as a surety for the human race.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1084.

1 ADAM, THE FIRST EVANGELIST

  • How was the message of the eternal gospel first preached to Adam and Eve? Genesis 3:15; (compare Galatians 3:16).

Note: “Although gloom and darkness hung, like the pall of death, over the future, yet in the promise of the Redeemer, the Star of hope lighted up the dark future. …

“What love! What amazing condescension! The King of glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen humanity! He would place His feet in Adam’s steps. He would take man’s fallen nature, and engage to cope with the strong foe who triumphed over Adam. He would overcome Satan, and in thus doing He would open the way for the redemption from the disgrace of Adam’s failure and fall, of all those who would believe on Him.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1084, 1085.

  • As the first bearer of the gospel message, how would Adam have shared this message with his children? Deuteronomy 6:6, 7.

Note: “He [Adam] had been commanded to instruct his posterity in the way of the Lord; and he carefully treasured what God had revealed to him, and repeated it to succeeding generations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 82.

2 ABEL AND SETH

  • What kind of men did God have among Adam’s descendants?

Note: “Notwithstanding the prevailing iniquity, there was a line of holy men who, elevated and ennobled by communion with God, lived as in the companionship of heaven. They were men of massive intellect, of wonderful attainments. They had a great and holy mission—to develop a character of righteousness, to teach a lesson of godliness, not only to the men of their time, but for future generations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 84.

  • In what way was Abel a faithful witness of the gospel message? Genesis 4:4, 10; I John 3:12; Hebrews 11:4.

Note: “Abel grasped the great principles of redemption. He saw himself a sinner, and he saw sin and its penalty, death, standing between his soul and communion with God. He brought the slain victim, the sacrificed life, thus acknowledging the claims of the law that had been transgressed. Through the shed blood he looked to the future sacrifice, Christ dying on the cross of Calvary; and trusting in the atonement that was there to be made, he had the witness that he was righteous, and his offering accepted.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 72.

  • What encouragement can we gain from the life of Seth? Genesis 4:25.

Note: “Seth was of more noble stature than Cain or Abel, and resembled Adam more closely than did his other sons. He was a worthy character, following in the steps of Abel. Yet he inherited no more natural goodness than did Cain. Concerning the creation of Adam it is said, ‘In the likeness of God made He him’ (Genesis 5:1); but man, after the Fall, ‘begat a son in his own likeness, after his image’ (verse 3). While Adam was created sinless, in the likeness of God, Seth, like Cain, inherited the fallen nature of his parents. But he received also the knowledge of the Redeemer and instruction in righteousness. By divine grace he served and honored God; and he labored, as Abel would have done, had he lived, to turn the minds of sinful men to revere and obey their Creator.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 80.

3 ENOCH

  • What prophetic truths were preached by Enoch? Jude 14, 15.

Note: “Enoch became a preacher of righteousness, making known to the people what God had revealed to him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 86.

  • What was the foundation of Enoch’s faithfulness as an evangelist? Genesis 5:22. How do you understand the statement “Enoch walked with God”?

Note: “Enoch’s walk with God was not in a trance or vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. He did not become a hermit, shutting himself entirely from the world; for he had a work to do for God in the world. In the family and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father, a friend, a citizen, he was the steadfast, unwavering servant of the Lord.

“His heart was in harmony with God’s will; for ‘can two walk together, except they be agreed’ (Amos 3:3)? …

“Distressed by the increasing wickedness of the ungodly, and fearing that their infidelity might lessen his reverence for God, Enoch avoided constant association with them, and spent much time in solitude, giving himself to meditation and prayer. Thus he waited before the Lord, seeking a clearer knowledge of His will, that he might perform it.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 85.

  • What parallel can be drawn between Enoch and the living righteous at the coming of Christ? Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5; I Thessalonians 4:17.

Note: “The godly character of this prophet [Enoch] represents the state of holiness which must be attained by those who shall be ‘redeemed from the earth’ (Revelation 14:3) at the time of Christ’s second advent. Then, as in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. … But like Enoch, God’s people will seek for purity of heart and conformity to His will, until they shall reflect the likeness of Christ. Like Enoch, they will warn the world of the Lord’s second coming and of the judgments to be visited upon transgression, and by their holy conversation and example they will condemn the sins of the ungodly. As Enoch was translated to heaven before the destruction of the world by water, so the living righteous will be translated from the earth before its destruction by fire.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 88, 89.

4 NOAH, A TEACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

  • Who does the Bible refer to as the “sons of God,” and what should be their attitude? Romans 8:14; I John 3:1; II Corinthians 6:14, 17, 18.
  • After the death of Adam, what error of the “sons of God” shows that the distinction between the servants of the Lord and the servants of Satan was rapidly disappearing? Genesis 6:1, 2.

Note: “The children of Seth, attracted by the beauty of the daughters of Cain’s descendants, displeased the Lord by intermarrying with them. Many of the worshipers of God were beguiled into sin by the allurements that were now constantly before them, and they lost their peculiar, holy character. Mingling with the depraved, they became like them in spirit and in deeds; the restrictions of the seventh commandment were disregarded, ‘and they took them wives of all which they chose’ (Genesis 6:2). The children of Seth went ‘in the way of Cain’ (Jude 11); they fixed their minds upon worldly prosperity and enjoyment and neglected the commandments of the Lord.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 81, 82.

  • Due to the prevailing wickedness of humanity, whom did God call to preach a message of warning? Genesis 6:5–8; II Peter 2:5. How does this parallel with our days? Matthew 24:37–39; II Peter 3:3–6.

Note: “Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction. …

“For a hundred and twenty years the preacher of righteousness warned the world of the coming destruction, but his message was rejected and despised.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102.

“The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian world exist today. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. The intense worldliness of that generation is equaled by that of the generation now living.” Ibid., 101.

5 NOAH, A SPOKESMAN FOR CHRIST

  • Who was speaking through Noah, and how? Hebrews 1:1; II Peter 1:21.

Note: “[I John 3:8 quoted.] Christ was engaged in this warfare in Noah’s day. It was His voice that spoke to the inhabitants of the old world in messages of warning, reproof, and invitation. He gave the people a probation of one hundred and twenty years, in which they might have repented. But they chose the deceptions of Satan, and perished in the waters of the Flood.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1089.

  • As Noah was moved by the Spirit to preach, how does the Bible describe his hearers? I Peter 3:18–20; 4:6; Isaiah 42:7.
  • What would the gospel message have done for Noah’s hearers, and what will it do for us if we accept it? Isaiah 61:1; Ephesians 2:1–5.

Note: “As God raised Christ from the dead, that He might bring life and immortality to light through the gospel, and thus save His people from their sins, so Christ has raised fallen human beings to spiritual life, quickening them with His life, filling their hearts with hope and joy.” The Review and Herald, March 31, 1904.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How did Adam’s descendants keep alive the story of creation and the fall of Adam and Eve?

2 How can we use Adam’s method of evangelism in our lives today?

3 What was Enoch’s message to his generation?

4 How did Christ, through Noah, warn the people who were chained in sin?

5 For how long did the Holy Spirit strive in Noah’s day with those who were “dead in trespasses and sins”?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Recipe – Broccoli Salad

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Chop 2 cups broccoli florets and put into bowl.

Blend and pour over broccoli and stir:

½ to ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. cumin

¼ tsp cayenne

2 cloves garlic, minced

 Chop remaining ingredients:

5-6 green onions, sliced

½ cup fresh cilantro, minced fine

1-2 cucumbers, chopped fine

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

½ cup fresh parsley, minced

2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
Combine all and enjoy!

Food – The Broccoli Benefit

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Broccoli, meaning “cabbage sprout” in Italian, has been growing wild in the Mediterranean regions for hundreds of years. It was first commercially grown in the United States in the 1920s and has been gaining respect ever since as one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Do you know why broccoli is so good for you? The answer lies in its vibrant green color.

That color comes from potentially cancer-fighting phytochemicals called glucosinolates, sulphorophane, tannins, terpenes, and folic acid. Although many factors affect the development of cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure, eating a diet low in fat and sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, may reduce the risk of these diseases. Plus, it tastes good! Fresh, crisp broccoli adds a dash of flavor to many dishes and salads—and is even great eaten on its own as a snack.

Health Benefits

Broccoli is low in calories, high in vitamin C, and a good source of both folate and vitamin A. Broccoli also contains phytochemicals that may help protect eyesight and prevent cancer.

Fun Facts

  • The name broccoli comes from the Latin word brachium, which means branch, or arm.
  • Broccoli was first grown in the Italian province of Calabria and was given the name Calabrese.
  • Broccoli consumption has increased over 940 percent over the last 25 years!

Selection Tips

Good-quality broccoli should have fresh-looking, light-green stalks of consistent thickness. The bud clusters should be compact and dark green, and may have some purple tinge.

Storage

Store your broccoli in a plastic bag in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

www.thefresh1.com/broccoli.asp

Children’s Story – Pennies from Heaven

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In the early 1990s, soon after I came into the truth about God’s law, the Sabbath, and the eight laws of health, my wife and I were visiting our daughter in a small town in South Carolina. I had already decided to become a vegan vegetarian, and I was going to fix some Mexican food for lunch that day.

The town where my daughter lived didn’t have a grocery store with a lot of selections; so I drove over to another town seven miles east of there. Being so new in the faith, I was still a little unsure that I could trust God completely. While I was shopping for the meal I was going to fix, I thought as I looked in my shopping cart, “Everything that is in there is good for me.”

As I was checking out, the clerk observed what I was getting and asked me, “Having Mexican today?” Then as she commented about all the things I could put on the food that were contrary to my recent decision to “go vegan,” I thought to myself, “I’m not putting those things on there.”

She was cheerful and friendly, and as I looked at the digital readout of my purchase, I noticed that my change should be $10.22. Then she handed me $10.20. I remember thinking, “I wonder why she didn’t give me the other two cents?” Then I erroneously thought that maybe they don’t mess with such a small amount in South Carolina.

As I was leaving the store I was musing in my mind, “I wonder why she didn’t give me all my change?”

Just as I got out of the store, I looked down and saw a penny on the ground. I picked it up, and then noticed another penny nearby. As I picked it up, this thought came into my mind, “Jim, you can trust Me, even in the little things. Here’s your change.”

At the time this experience gave me courage, and over the years, just when I need it, I will sometimes find another two cents.

Shortly after this experience, I was walking around town to give the book, The Great Controversy, to the couples that my wife and I had played cards with in a local card club which I had decided to stop attending. As I walked about town distributing books, I ran out and returned home to get one more book, as I only had one more couple to visit.

After I picked up the book I walked out of my driveway, and there lying in the gravel at the edge of the road lay two cents.

Another time some friends were coming to town for a visit, on either Friday or Sabbath evening. I remember asking myself, “How am I going to keep the Sabbath while they are here?” I decided to go for a walk before they arrived.

As I walked past the junior high school, it was already dark, but as I went toward a street light on the other side of the parking lot, I saw two shiny objects there on the ground. I was too far away to tell what they were, but I didn’t need to, because I knew it was two cents—confirmation to me that God would guide me through my friends’ visit.

Once a brother in Christ and I had traveled to another town in northeastern Kansas to visit a family on the Sabbath to give them some encouragement. After the other brother had led out with the Sabbath message and we had eaten lunch, we all went for a walk. As we were walking I told my two cents story. Shortly after I finished the story, the man in the family found some money on the street. It wasn’t two cents, but it seemed an appropriate postscript to the story I had just told.

There have been other times when I have found just a penny. I’ll always look around for the other one. Sometimes I find it; sometimes I don’t.

Once another brother and I went out after fellowship dinner at the church to pass out some literature. I told him my two cents story. I finished just as we arrived at the parking lot across from where we intended to pass out the material. We got out of the car and went to the trunk. Just behind the car directly beneath the center of the trunk lay two cents. I get encouraged every time this happens.

Once I was back in South Carolina on the Sabbath. As I have done in the past, I find other Adventist believers in that area and arrange to meet them for fellowship. On one such occasion a brother and sister met me at a park somewhere north of the Citadel in Charleston. We had arranged to meet, have worship, then share a picnic lunch in the afternoon. I gave a short message about the truth, and as part of my presentation, I told them my two cents story. We had sat on a park bench together, and after we finished worship and had prayer we got up to walk back to where our cars were. There on the ground just by the park bench lay two cents that we had not noticed before.

There are some Bible and Spirit of Prophecy quotes that I claim quite often. “Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24. “Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

My hope is that as we go on to perfection, we can help each other along the way. Please, Lord, don’t let us die in our sins. May your page and my page in heaven be clean. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer Series – His Will on Earth

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Christians believe that someday God is going to set up a kingdom, an everlasting kingdom of righteousness in this world and that war and violence and evil of all kinds will be abolished forever. But the question is, “What would be the requirement for a person to become a citizen of such a kingdom?”

The third petition of the Lord’s Prayer is “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This is the climax of the first division of the Lord’s Prayer, that part which looks toward God and heaven and has to do with things divine. Each petition follows in its proper order. First we recognize the God of heaven as our Father. We ask then that His name, that is, His character, might be hallowed in us, which is accomplished when His kingdom is established in our hearts. That is why the next petition is, “Your kingdom come.” When His kingdom is established in our hearts and He reigns as King in our lives, then we will be doing His will. The evidence of God’s rulership over the dominion of our souls is our complete submission to His will. This petition is inseparably connected with the one that immediately precedes it. Praying for the coming of the kingdom of heaven implies a willingness to submit to the will of the King. Before we can enter the kingdom of heaven in its final and glorious phase, the principles of the kingdom must enter our hearts and have dominion over our souls.

When this desire is our experience, every provision is made for the fulfillment of the divine will. Our obedience to the will of the King, to the laws that govern His kingdom, is the evidence that you and I are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. The coming of the kingdom of grace into our hearts transfers our citizenship to the kingdom of heaven. But right now, we are still living in a revolted world where God’s will is almost universally disregarded. Earnest prayer is needed to be able to completely submit to the sovereignty of the King of heaven. Perhaps there is no petition that we need to make more often than this because we find this petition difficult to be fulfilled in our lives.

In this world we have a hard time learning the lesson of complete surrender to the will of God—a very severe discipline for many people. The purpose of the gospel is to give us victory over the spirit of rebellion that reigns in this world and governs the human race. Rebels cannot enter the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God cannot enter them. The kingdom and dominion were lost by Adam and Eve by disobedience, and only the obedient will be allowed to enter paradise restored.

When people presume upon God’s mercy while knowingly transgressing His law, they are actually trifling with their eternal destiny. It doesn’t matter what my profession of good works might be; if I am not doing the will of my Father in heaven, if I am not obedient to Him, I will have no right to be a citizen of His kingdom. Jesus made this exceedingly plain in the very same Sermon on the Mount where the Lord’s Prayer is recorded in Matthew 5. At the end of the sermon, Jesus made the following, astounding statement that many people still today have not paid attention to.

He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me at that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” Matthew 7:21–23.

In the Day of Judgment these people have an argument with the Lord. It is recorded in both the Old and New Testaments how dangerous it is to have an argument with the Lord. How can we think that we know more about anything than the Lord knows? How can we think that we know what is right and that He is wrong? How can we think that He is deceived and we know better? And yet, so often, that is the way human beings act now and will act on Judgment Day. Those referred to here are not atheists or infidels. They are not agnostics or people who do not claim to be Christians. Rather they are people who do claim to be Christians because they call Jesus Lord.

They believe they should be saved. They have prophesied in His name. They had the Holy Spirit and even cast out demons in His name. They knew they had the Holy Spirit because of the miracles and wonders they had performed. What could possibly have gone wrong?

But Jesus says, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” They are not loyal subjects of His kingdom because they do not keep the laws of His kingdom. They break the commandments; they are lawless and are practicing lawlessness. The Bible says that in the last days the idea that you can break God’s law and practice lawlessness and still be saved is going to be the great deception that will take the whole world captive. You can read that prophecy in II Thessalonians 2:1–12.

In the very heart of the prayer is the petition or request, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There is no such thing as really being a true Christian without seeking with all your heart to do the will of God. After Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 7:21–23, He followed with a story about the two builders, one who built his house upon the sand while the other built his house upon the rock (verses 24–27). He said that if a person hears these sayings of Mine and doesn’t do them, he will be like the man who built his house on the sand, and when the storm and the flood came, it was all swept away. But the one who hears these sayings of Mine and does them, he’ll be like a man who built his house on the rock and when the flood came, the wind came, and the rain came, the house did not fall because it was established on a rock.

We must consider how the house of our character is being built day by day. Is it being built in harmony with the instruction that Jesus has given in the gospels or are we building on sand? Jesus said if you hear truth and do nothing about it, your character is being built on sand and it will not stand the storm that is coming that will examine and test every man’s work to see what it is like.

What Jesus was in this rebellious world, His disciples are also to be. Jesus lived in this world for more than thirty years in human flesh, and the Bible says in Hebrews 4 that He was tempted in all points just like we are and yet was without sin. His submission to the will of His heavenly Father was so complete that His heavenly citizenship was never cancelled or even questioned or interfered with in the slightest degree. He fulfilled the divine will while He was on earth just as He had when He was in heaven before He came to earth.

The change in environment did not alter His relation to the law or the government of God. The character and the conduct of Christ while He was on earth remained unchanged during His entire earthly pilgrimage. In John 6:38 Jesus gives the reason for His coming to this earth. He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

Jesus said in John 5:30: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” In other words, the purpose of His life and what governed His every action was not to please Himself but to do the will of the Father.

He had no other reason for being in this world, and in fulfilling this purpose Jesus was preeminently successful. Notice what He says to His Father just before He was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4.

All the efforts of Satan to turn Him from His purpose had been thwarted. He finally said just before He died upon the cross, “It is finished.” He had perfectly performed the will of the Father. Every day of His life He fulfilled the will of His Father. Every day of His life and in His prayers at night, He sought and received directions for the following day.

Jesus is our example. He came to this world from heaven to show us the way from death to life, to show us the way out of darkness into light, to deliver us from the dominion of evil to the sovereignty of righteousness. And because of the completeness of the provision that He made for us, no earthly circumstance can excuse you or me from the same kind of submission to the will of our heavenly Father. For such obedience Jesus asks us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus never asks us to do something that is impossible. It might be impossible on our own, but it is never impossible with His help. All of His commands, all of His promises will be fulfilled in us if we accept them by faith and cooperate with the heavenly agencies. Complete provision has been made so that God’s will can be done on earth just as it is in heaven. In fact, the time is coming when the Lord’s Prayer is going to be answered. God’s will is to be perfectly done here on this earth.

The time is coming when there will be no more war, or violence, or evil of any kind in this world.

How can the kingdom of God be established in this world so that war could be a thing of the past? The petition is, “Your will … as it is in heaven.” How is God’s will performed in heaven? Notice what the Bible says in Psalm 103:19: “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.”

Notice that the angels, the beings in heaven, perform God’s word. They execute His will perfectly. The sovereignty of God is the sovereignty of law and order. His will is defined by His law. Actually when you think about it, the will of any king or government is made known to the citizens of that nation by the laws that have been enacted. There can be no kingdom without law.

The kingdom of grace, therefore, spoken of in the Bible, must also be ruled by His law. Some people are confused upon this point. They think that somehow grace abolishes the law or does away with the law. But the gospel does not abolish or alter any principle of the law. In fact, not in the least particular is the authority of the law broken down by the gospel. Jesus was very emphatic about this. He says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.” Matthew 5:17. Jesus knew that people would get confused by the devil’s lies that grace abolishes law. Jesus said, “Don’t even think that.” Jesus came to establish the kingdom of grace by His death on the cross of Calvary to pay the price of our sins. But He says, “I didn’t come to destroy the law or the prophets.” Notice how He talks about it in Luke 16:17: “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” A tittle is not a whole letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is just a part of a letter.

Remember Who is saying this. It is Jesus, the One Who not only created all things, as you can read in Colossians 1 verse 16, but He upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). The sun, the moon, our world, our solar system, the innumerable heavenly bodies that spin in countless cycles and circles through space are all held in place by the word of His power. This person, the One Who does that, says that it would be easier for the heaven and earth to pass away than for part of a letter of the law to fail.

The more you think about it, the more intense that statement appears to be. He says that He would destroy the universe before He would allow even a part of a letter of His law to be done away (Luke 16:17). Read it a number of times and you will begin to be awestruck by what Jesus is saying and the extreme value that He places on His law. The modern teaching that grace supplants the law and that faith is a substitute for practice is a fallacy.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. Notice, faith does not do away with the law; grace does not do away with the law; it establishes the law. This is a most emphatic denial of the idea that the exercise of faith would make void the demands and authority of God’s law. Not only that, but the apostle Paul says that through faith the law is established. In other words, it is through faith that the binding claims of the law are made certain or established. It is the purpose of the gospel to set up the kingdom of heaven in us and with it, the law of the kingdom expressing the will of the King.

The Bible defines sin as the transgression or violation of God’s law, or lawlessness (I John 3:4). The mission of the gospel is to take away sin so that we may come under grace, the unmerited favor of God. Paul drives home this question in Romans 6:1 with a very strong statement. He says, “Shall we continue in sin (continue transgressing the law) that grace might abound?”

Then he answers the question, “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” In the light of such a clear statement in Romans 6:1, 2, how can anyone say that the gift of grace takes away the necessity of the law? The very work of the kingdom of grace is to establish the law of the kingdom of heaven in our heart. In II Corinthians 3:3, the apostle Paul explains how that under the old covenant, the law was written in tables of stone, but under the new covenant, “It is written not with ink in tables of stone; it is written by the Holy Spirit in the fleshly tables of the heart.” Literal translation.

In Hebrews 8:10, quoting from the prophet Jeremiah, Paul says that “under the new covenant the law is written in our heart by the Holy Spirit.” Literal translation. Let it never be forgotten, that we cannot be saved by law without grace any more than we can be saved by grace without law.

In this petition we are asking that our obedience shall measure up to the obedience of the unfallen beings in the heavenly universe. Your will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

This prayer is not just a prayer for the future; it is a prayer to be fulfilled in your life, now, right here in this evil, sinful world that is in rebellion against the God of heaven. It is in this world, in this environment of sin and evil that we ask for God’s name to be hallowed. It is here that we ask for His kingdom to be established. And it is right here in this world that we petition in the Lord’s Prayer and ask for His will to be done.

This prayer is going to be answered. The question is, “Is it going to be answered in your life?” Will His will be done in your life, “on earth as it is in heaven”?

Bible texts are from NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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