Today, many who call themselves Adventist Christians are in spiritual trouble. Many are floundering in the winds of doctrine that blow with the currents of popular theories. It is astounding to see who becomes entangled in the web of the heresies and strategies of the enemy. The shaking time is upon us. Now is the time to press together in truth, but we must know what the truth is, or we will press together with the wrong people!
An important part of the truth for these last days is the knowledge of how the battle is fought; the principles of the warfare. Many do not think this is important! But when you know how the enemy thinks, you have an advantage that can be achieved no other way. Some people think this knowledge is sinful, and that is exactly what the enemy would like. He wants to be cloaked in obscurity until it is too late for his victims to escape.
In this shaking time, Satan’s mightiest efforts are put forth to hide himself and to lull “Christians” into his brand of eternal security. He understands from prophecy that we are in the last days. He has put together an agenda and formed a strategy to carry it out. His greatest fear is that we will learn how he operates and call upon God for our defense in the final struggle for supremacy. It cannot be overemphasized that now we must know who we serve and who we are fighting. It is now that we must choose to be either soldiers of the cross or slaves of the enemy. We have no other choice. To refuse to take part in the battle, to refuse to fortify the mind with truth (which includes knowing how the enemy operates), is to defect to the enemy’s side.
As the battle rages more furiously, we must know what God would have us to do. When war comes to our shores we would be traitors to be indifferent, much less openly use our influence for the enemy. So, in the “great controversy” will we deceive others into believing that God wants us to remain complacent? But this is happening and it is disturbing to see who is involved in this work of deception. The vital lesson each individual must learn is to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus; to lean on Him—not the arm of flesh; to study diligently and then decide to serve the Lord or the enemy.
Deliverance
Through the workings of providence, Abraham’s descendants found themselves in a land of strangers. There they became slaves to a cruel tyrant and for several centuries were forced to serve the enemies of God. But God did not forget His chosen people. He watched what was happening. When the prophetic time was fulfilled, God delivered His people and set them free.
Moses was chosen of the Lord before he uttered his first word. As God made provision for Israel’s deliverance, He has made provision for each one of us if we will cooperate with His plan. God, who can see the end from the beginning, knows what is best for us.
After Moses had been trained by the Lord, God prepared a way of escape for Israel and brought them into the wilderness on the way to the promised land. From this wilderness experience we can learn many lessons that will be valuable to us in our own last day struggles.
As we witness God’s tenderness with His ancient people, how He miraculously saved them from their enemies, our faith grows stronger knowing that He plans to repeat these actions. He has proven that He is willing and well able to accomplish what He sets out to do. The parting and closing up again of the Red Sea, to save His helpless children, tells of the great love of our Heavenly Father.
The lessons regarding the Sanctuary, of how it was built with volunteered generosity and for what purpose, holds lessons that are essential for us. This is not “extra curricular” work for God’s students, but a major portion of required academics. A knowledge of our sanctuary message is extremely important, and without it we are not Seventh-day Adventists.
The Mixed Multitude
Today, attacks of many kinds are being leveled against the fundamental principles of our faith. We are in the wilderness and we are not alone! We have a company of the “mixed multitude” with us.
God’s people, under the oppression of slavery, had forgotten His law. In the wilderness God gave the Ten Commandment Law to His freed children and renewed the old covenant with them. He would be their God and they would be His people as long as they obeyed Him. God said, This is righteousness and this is evil. And they answered, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Exodus 19:8. Their welfare was in direct relationship to their loyalty to that agreement.
Alas, while Moses was still in the mount, the faith of God’s children grew dim. As a result of weak spiritual leadership in the camp, the mixed multitude, including the “professed” children of God, led the children of Israel into idolatry. This is happening before our very eyes today.
You and I will be deceived if we are only children of God by profession. We will think we are all right when we are all wrong. We will think ourselves wise when we will be at the height of spiritual foolishness. Those who play the game of popularity are in the greatest danger! They cannot be trusted. We should have compassion for these people. We should continue to work under God’s guidance to alert them to their danger. But as a practical matter we must not allow them to have any degree of influence over us.
The Golden Calf
In the incident of the golden calf we see lessons for us today. God chose Aaron to be a leader among His children. He told Moses at the burning bush that Aaron would help him lead His people out of bondage and into the Promised Land. Aaron was second in command under Moses. The people looked to Aaron for spiritual guidance. He was in charge during Moses’ absence.
“But while Moses was thus receiving instruction from God, the people were corrupting themselves at the foot of the mount. The mixed multitude that came from Egypt with the Israelites were the principal movers in this dreadful departure from God. They were called a mixed multitude, because the Hebrews had intermarried with the Egyptians.” The Signs of the Times, May 13, 1880.
“In this multitude were not only those who were actuated by faith in the God of Israel, but also a far greater number who desired only to escape from the plagues, or who followed in the wake of the moving multitudes, merely from excitement and curiosity. This class were ever a hindrance and a snare to Israel.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 281.
“During the period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them. They had none too much time for this work; and had they been thus seeking a clearer understanding of God’s requirements, and humbling their hearts before Him, they would have been shielded from temptation. But they did not do this, and they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless. Especially was this the case with the mixed multitude. They were impatient to be on their way to the Land of Promise—the land flowing with milk and honey. It was only on condition of obedience that the goodly land was promised them, but they had lost sight of this . . . The ‘mixed multitude’ had been the first to indulge murmuring and impatience, and they were the leaders in the apostasy that followed.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 315.
In the above three statements are a multitude of spiritual treasures for those seeking them. Are “Adventist” people intermarrying with the “Egyptians” today? If their offspring in the ancient days were part of the mixed multitude that “were ever a hindrance and a snare to Israel,” what should this piece of history teach us? How about those “who desired only to escape from the plagues, or who followed in the wake of the moving multitudes merely from excitement [sensationalism] and curiosity”? What does it mean that this class was “ever a hindrance and snare to Israel”?
Scripture tells us, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11. The Lord will teach us many things if we are humble students. We need to learn lessons from sacred history and apply them to our present time.
“In the absence of Moses, the judicial authority had been delegated to Aaron, and a vast crowd gathered about his tent, with the demand, ‘Make us gods, which shall go before us . . . Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. But the present leader of Israel was not of this character. Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment only rendered them the more determined. The tumult increased. A blind, unreasoning frenzy seemed to take possession of the multitude. There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.
“Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 316–317.
The good news for us today is that we do not have to depend on a human leader for our salvation. In fact just the opposite is true. Throughout history the Lord has chosen men to lead and this last vestige of time is no different. But we are not to give them priority above God. Our service is to be God first and man second. There are no exceptions to this rule. Any leader who demands loyalty to him is a false leader. A true leader will lead others to Jesus and away from himself.
It matters not if it is a Conference President, a General Conference President or an Independent Leader; to follow man in place of God and give him prominence above God is spiritual death. Let us not rationalize into self-deception on this issue. We are witnesses to those around us as to what we really believe. We need to follow the admonition to the Laodiceans: “Anoint thine eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:1, 8. We must make our calling sure in Jesus Christ. God will not accept or save us if we worship any man. The first commandment is: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3. We must ever remember that the yardstick of the true and faithful is the lovely Jesus Christ and not man. With singleness of purpose and God’s help we must determine to give our best and foremost to Jesus. Then our generous support may be given to those whom God has raised up who continually prove their calling by God’s methods.
We just do not have any time left to play games with these vital truths. We must realize that many, as did ancient Israel, will fall at the hands of the mixed multitude, within the Adventist movement. In view of this sobering fact we should be strongly motivated to use the short probationary time we have left to do our part in God’s army. If we truly wish eternal life, joy, and peace, for ourselves and others, we will cease to seek popularity and political correctness among men. We will seek to be in harmony with Jesus Christ the Founder and Finisher of our faith.
“How often, in our own day, is the love of pleasure disguised by a ‘form of godliness’! A religion that permits men, while observing the rites of worship, to devote themselves to selfish or sensual gratification, is as pleasing to the multitudes now as in the days of Israel. And there are still pliant Aarons, who, while holding positions of authority in the church, will yield to the desires of the unconsecrated, and thus encourage them in sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 317.
We appeal to leaders and laity alike to seek that greater treasure which has its origin not in this world but in the one to come. Let us press together in the strength and truth of our gracious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Onward and upward!! Higher ever higher.
“If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had unswervingly maintained his own allegiance to God, if he had cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and had reminded them of their solemn covenant with God to obey His law, the evil would have been checked. But his compliance with the desires of the people, and the calm assurance with which he proceeded to carry out their plans, emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds . . . Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in His sight than those that encourage others to do evil. God would have His servants prove their loyalty by rebuking transgression, however painful the act may be. Those who are honored with a divine commission are not to be weak, pliant time-servers. They are not to aim at self-exaltation, or to shun disagreeable duties, but to perform God’s work with unswerving fidelity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 323–324.