Reformation Herald Publishing

Bible Study Guides – King Asa

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September 6, 2015 – September 12, 2015

Key Text

“Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” II Chronicles 14:2.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 109–113.

Introduction

“Although his [Asa’s] forces were fewer in number than the enemy, his faith in the One Whom he had made his trust did not weaken.” Conflict and Courage, 203.

1 ASA’S FAITH TESTED

  • What does the Bible say about Asa, the grandson of Solomon? II Chronicles 14:2–5.
  • How did Asa reveal his faith during the test when the Ethiopians invaded Judah? II Chronicles 14:9–11. How was his faith rewarded? II Chronicles 14:12.

Note: “[II Chronicles 14:9 quoted.] In this crisis Asa did not put his trust in the ‘fenced cities in Judah’ that he had built, with ‘walls, and towers, gates, and bars,’ nor in the ‘mighty men of valor’ in his carefully trained army (II Chronicles 14:6–8.) The king’s trust was in Jehovah of hosts, in whose name marvelous deliverances had been wrought in behalf of Israel of old. …

“The prayer of Asa is one that every Christian believer may fittingly offer. We fight in a warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. (See Ephesians 6:12.) In life’s conflict we must meet evil agencies that have arrayed themselves against the right. Our hope is not in man, but in the living God. With full assurance of faith we may expect that He will unite His omnipotence with the efforts of human instrumentalities, for the glory of His name. Clad with the armor of His righteousness, we may gain the victory over every foe.” Prophets and Kings, 110, 111.

2 THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCESS

  • How did Azariah the prophet remind Asa of the source of his victory? II Chronicles 15:1, 2, 7.
  • What did Asa do to meet the needs that were necessary to further the reformation already in progress? II Chronicles 15:8.

Note: “[II Chronicles 15:1, 2, 7 quoted.] Greatly encouraged by these words, Asa soon led out in a second reformation in Judah.” Ibid., 112.

  • Comparing the days of Asa with our days, of what need should we be aware, and what should we heartily support? Isaiah 48:16–18.

Note: “In this age of the world, when Satan is seeking, through manifold agencies, to blind the eyes of men and women to the binding claims of the law of God, there is need of men who can cause many to ‘tremble at the commandment of our God’ (Ezra 10:3). There is need of true reformers, who will point transgressors to the great Lawgiver and teach them that ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul’ (Psalm 19:7). There is need of men mighty in the Scriptures, men whose every word and act exalts the statutes of Jehovah, men who seek to strengthen faith. Teachers are needed, oh, so much, who will inspire hearts with reverence and love for the Scriptures.

“The widespread iniquity prevalent today may in a great degree be attributed to a failure to study and obey the Scriptures, for when the word of God is set aside, its power to restrain the evil passions of the natural heart is rejected. Men sow to the flesh and of the flesh reap corruption.

“With the setting aside of the Bible has come a turning away from God’s law. The doctrine that men are released from obedience to the divine precepts has weakened the force of moral obligation and opened the floodgates of iniquity upon the world. Lawlessness, dissipation, and corruption are sweeping in like an overwhelming flood.” Prophets and Kings, 623, 624.

3 “THEY ENTERED INTO A COVENANT”

  • What did the people promise, in light of their previous experiences in apostasy, by a solemn oath made at a special gathering? II Chronicles 15:12–15.
  • In our efforts to win souls to Christ, how may the example which Asa set on this occasion be an encouragement to us today? II Chronicles 15:9.

Note: “Follow on to know the Lord. If you will do this, you will win souls to Christ. Not only will your own soul be saved; the power that converts your soul will enable you to set an example that will win others to Christ.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 9, 1914.

  • How will honest outsiders be convinced of the saving power of the truth—by listening to us or by watching us? Matthew 5:16; I Timothy 4:12, 16.

Note: “He who deservedly bears the name of Christian, which signifies Christlike, will be filled with piety and purity, with love and reverence for God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent; and his spirit, his words, his actions, will all bear the impress of Heaven. Others will see that he has been with Jesus and learned of Him, His prayers will be simple and fervent, and will ascend to God on the wings of faith. Learning in the school of Christ, he will have a humble opinion of himself; and though he may be poor in this world’s goods, he may be rich in the graces of God’s Spirit, and may bless and enrich others by his spirit and influence, because Christ is in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. He will shed about him an atmosphere of hope and courage and strength, and will put to shame those who are worldly, selfish, formal professors, who have a name to live and are dead.” Sons and Daughters of God, 85.

“The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy principles.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 980.

4 ASA’S MISTAKES

  • After having entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord, how was Asa’s faith tested, and how did he fail? II Chronicles 16:7–9.

Note: “Asa’s long record of faithful service was marred by some mistakes, made at times when he failed to put his trust fully in God. When, on one occasion, the king of Israel entered the kingdom of Judah and seized Ramah, a fortified city only five miles from Jerusalem, Asa sought deliverance by forming an alliance with Benhadad, king of Syria.” Prophets and Kings, 113.

  • When Asa’s failure to trust God in the time of need was rebuked by God’s prophet, how did he commit a second mistake? II Chronicles 16:10.
  • Why does the Bible narrate both the victories and the failures, the positive and negative traits of the character of the men and women that have been connected with the work of God? Proverbs 15:13.

Note: “The pen of inspiration, true to its task, tells us of the sins that overcame Noah, Lot, Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon, and that even Elijah’s strong spirit sank under temptation during his fearful trial. Jonah’s disobedience and Israel’s idolatry are faithfully recorded. Peter’s denial of Christ, the sharp contention of Paul and Barnabas, the failings and infirmities of the prophets and apostles, are all laid bare by the Holy Ghost, who lifts the veil from the human heart. There before us lie the lives of the believers, with all their faults and follies, which are intended as a lesson to all the generations following them. If they had been without foible they would have been more than human, and our sinful natures would despair of ever reaching such a point of excellence. But seeing where they struggled and fell, where they took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged, and led to press over the obstacles that degenerate nature places in our way.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 12.

5 THE DANGER OF DESPISING REPROOF

  • What lesson can we learn from Asa’s second mistake? Proverbs 10:17; 15:10.

Note: “Instead of humbling himself before God because of his mistake, ‘Asa was wroth with the seer’ (II Chronicles 16:10, first part).” Prophets and Kings, 113.

“There will be men and women who despise reproof and whose feelings will ever rise up against it. It is not pleasant to be told of our wrongs. In almost every case where reproof is necessary, there will be some who entirely overlook the fact that the Spirit of the Lord has been grieved and His cause reproached. These will pity those who deserved reproof, because personal feelings have been hurt. All this unsanctified sympathy places the sympathizers where they are sharers in the guilt of the one reproved.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 359.

“Our Creator and our Commander, infinite in power, terrible in judgment, seeks by every means to bring men to see and repent of their sins. By the mouth of His servants He predicts the dangers of disobedience; He sounds the note of warning and faithfully reproves sin. His people are kept in prosperity only by His mercy, through the vigilant watchcare of chosen instrumentalities. He cannot uphold and guard a people who reject His counsel and despise His reproofs.” Prophets and Kings, 426.

“Let us thank the Lord for the warnings He has given to save us from our perverse ways.” Sons and Daughters of God, 260.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How did Asa reveal his faith in the Lord when the Ethiopian army attacked Judah?

2 After Asa had heard the message of the Lord, what further steps in the work of reform did he take?

3 Comparing the days of Asa with our days, of what need should we be aware, and what should we heartily support?

4 What is one thing that will convince honest souls of the saving power of the truth?

5 What lesson can we learn from Asa’s mistakes when his faith was again tested later?

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

Bible Study Guides – Lessons from a Grievous Mistake

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August 30, 2015 – September 5, 2015

Key Text

“Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.” II Chronicles 10:19.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 87–98.

Introduction

“The pen of inspiration has traced the sad record of Solomon’s successor as one who failed to exert a strong influence for loyalty to Jehovah.” Conflict and Courage, 201.

1 REHOBOAM

  • What did the people demand from Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he became king, and what did he say to them? II Chronicles 10:3–5.
  • How did the advice of Rehoboam’s associates differ from the counsel of those with more experience? Which advice did he follow? II Chronicles 10:6–14.

Note: “Flattered by the prospect of exercising supreme authority, Rehoboam determined to disregard the counsel of the older men of his realm, and to make the younger men his advisers.” Prophets and Kings, 89, 90.

“At the meeting in Shechem, at the very beginning of his reign, Rehoboam might have taken a course that would have inspired confidence in his ability to stand at the head of the nation. If he had shown a willingness to keep ever before him the welfare of his subjects, the people would have accepted him as a wise ruler. But in this hour of opportunity, failing to reason from cause to effect, he forever weakened his influence over a large portion of the people.” The Review and Herald, July 3, 1913.

2 AN UNWISE DECISION

  • Based on his decision, how would you describe the character of Rehoboam?

Note: “Although Solomon had longed to prepare the mind of Rehoboam, his chosen successor, to meet with wisdom the crisis foretold by the prophet of God, he had never been able to exert a strong molding influence for good over the mind of his son, whose early training had been so grossly neglected. … At times he endeavored to serve God and was granted a measure of prosperity; but he was not steadfast, and at last he yielded to the influences for evil that had surrounded him from infancy.” Prophets and Kings, 88.

  • How did the people react against the adamant attitude of the foolish king? II Chronicles 10:16.

Note: “Had Rehoboam and his inexperienced counselors understood the divine will concerning Israel, they would have listened to the request of the people for decided reforms in the administration of the government. But in the hour of opportunity that came to them during the meeting in Shechem, they failed to reason from cause to effect, and thus forever weakened their influence over a large number of the people. Their expressed determination to perpetuate and add to the oppression introduced during Solomon’s reign was in direct conflict with God’s plan for Israel, and gave the people ample occasion to doubt the sincerity of their motives. In this unwise and unfeeling attempt to exercise power, the king and his chosen counselors revealed the pride of position and authority. …

“Among the tribes were many thousands who had become thoroughly aroused over the oppressive measures of Solomon’s reign, and these now felt that they could not do otherwise than rebel against the house of David.” Prophets and Kings, 90.

  • When Rehoboam saw his mistake, how did he try to remedy the situation? What was the response of the people? I Kings 12:18.

3 A DIVISION TAKES PLACE

  • When Rehoboam saw that only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to him, and that the other ten tribes rebelled, how was he prepared to act? II Chronicles 11:1.
  • How did the Lord speak through a prophet to Rehoboam in order to save him from making another mistake, worse than the first? II Chronicles 11:2–4.

Note: “For three years Rehoboam tried to profit by his sad experience at the beginning of his reign; and in this effort he was prospered. He ‘built cities for defense in Judah,’ and ‘fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.’ He was careful to make these fortified cities ‘exceeding strong’ (II Chronicles 11:6, 11, 12) But the secret of Judah’s prosperity during the first years of Rehoboam’s reign lay not in these measures. It was their recognition of God as the Supreme Ruler that placed the tribes of Judah and Benjamin on vantage ground.” Prophets and Kings, 92, 93.

  • What did Rehoboam eventually do that resulted in the failure of Israel to be a light to the world? II Chronicles 12:1.

Note: “Naturally headstrong, confident, self-willed, and inclined to idolatry, nevertheless, had he placed his trust wholly in God, he would have developed strength of character, steadfast faith, and submission to the divine requirements. But as time passed, the king put his trust in the power of position and in the strongholds he had fortified. Little by little he gave way to inherited weaknesses, until he threw his influence wholly on the side of idolatry. ‘It came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him’ (II Chronicles 12:1).

“How sad, how filled with significance, the words, ‘And all Israel with him’! The people whom God had chosen to stand as a light to the surrounding nations were turning from their Source of strength and seeking to become like the nations about them.” Prophets and Kings, 93, 94.

4 JEROBOAM

  • After Jeroboam, the rival king, had been placed on the throne by the ten rebellious tribes, of what was he greatly afraid and what did he do? I Kings 12:26–29.

Note: “Jeroboam’s greatest fear was that at some future time the hearts of his subjects might be won over by the ruler occupying the throne of David. He reasoned that if the ten tribes should be permitted to visit often the ancient seat of the Jewish monarchy, where the services of the temple were still conducted as in the years of Solomon’s reign, many might feel inclined to renew their allegiance to the government centering at Jerusalem. Taking counsel with his advisers, Jeroboam determined by one bold stroke to lessen, so far as possible, the probability of a revolt from his rule. He would bring this about by creating within the borders of his newly formed kingdom two centers of worship, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. In these places the ten tribes should be invited to assemble, instead of at Jerusalem, to worship God.” Prophets and Kings, 99, 100.

  • What did Jeroboam do besides setting up two idolatrous places of worship? I Kings 12:31, 32.
  • How did God arrest and punish the defiant attitude of Jeroboam? I Kings 13:1–6.

Note: “The Lord seeks to save, not to destroy. He delights in the rescue of sinners. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked’ (Ezekiel 33:11). By warnings and entreaties He calls the wayward to cease from their evil-doing and to turn to Him and live. He gives His chosen messengers a holy boldness, that those who hear may fear and be brought to repentance. How firmly the man of God rebuked the king! And this firmness was essential; in no other way could the existing evils have been rebuked. The Lord gave His servant boldness, that an abiding impression might be made on those who heard.” Prophets and Kings, 105.

5 THE DANGER OF A WRONG INFLUENCE

  • Recognizing we are called to be the light of the world, how careful should we be to never accept or exert a wrong influence? Hebrews 12:13; II Corinthians 2:15, 16.

Note: “As with Solomon, so with Rehoboam—the influence of wrong example led many astray. And as with them, so to a greater or less degree is it today with everyone who gives himself up to work evil—the influence of wrongdoing is not confined to the doer. No man liveth unto himself. None perish alone in their iniquity. Every life is a light that brightens and cheers the pathway of others, or a dark and desolating influence that tends toward despair and ruin.” Prophets and Kings, 94.

  • How did the Lord assure Israel that He still loved them and was willing to forgive them? Isaiah 1:18–20; Jeremiah 3:11–13, 22.

Note: “Notwithstanding the perversity of those who leaned toward idolatrous practices, God in mercy would do everything in His power to save the divided kingdom from utter ruin. And as the years rolled on and His purpose concerning Israel seemed to be utterly thwarted by the devices of men inspired by satanic agencies, He still manifested His beneficent designs through the captivity and restoration of the chosen nation.” Prophets and Kings, 96, 97.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Before the coronation of Rehoboam, what did the representatives of the tribes want to know from the new king?

2 Contrast the advice Rehoboam got from the experienced men who had been his father’s advisors with that of the young, inexperienced men.

3 How did the people react against the answer of the king, and why?

4 What did Rehoboam do when he saw that he was in a helpless condition?

5 What lesson should we learn from Rehoboam’s mistake?

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

Recipe – Watercress Soup

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Watercress Soup
3 Tbsp. olive oil 4 cups water
2 cups chopped onion 3–4 cups fresh watercress, chopped with stems
1 cup chicken flavored broth 1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 lb. potatoes, cut into chunks
In soup pot, heat oil and sauté onions over medium heat until soft—about 5 minutes. Add the broth, salt, potatoes and water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; add watercress to pot and stir. Let sit for about 2 minutes to soften. Use an immersion blender or pour into blender and puree the soup. It will be creamy and delicious!

 

Food – Watercress – The Poor Man’s Bread

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Watercress has quite an amazing history.

“At London’s Covent Garden watercress would be sold by street vendors who often were children. The bunches of watercress were said to have been formed into posies and eaten like that for breakfast straight away or if you were lucky to be able to afford a loaf, between two slices of bread. In Victorian Britain it was called ‘the poor man’s bread’; it provided the working class with a good portion of nutrition for the day and became one of the first foods for on-the-go.” www.missfoodwise.com/2013/06/british-watercress-and-poor-mans-bread.html

“It was also during Victorian times that children used to take watercress sandwiches to school in place of meat; cheap and cheerful they may have been, but those humble sandwiches would be packed with vitamins and minerals, and therefore they made an ideal children’s packed lunch.” www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/04/poor-mans-bread-victorian-watercress-tea-sandwiches-for-high-tea-childrens-school-lunchbox-and-picnics.html

Some benefits of watercress include the following:

1 Being an antioxidant rich, low-calorific and low-fat vegetable, it is often recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

2 According to the study published in the journal of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers at William Paterson University in New Jersey claim watercress is labeled as the most nutrient dense food, and for the same reason, it tops the list of “powerhouse fruits and vegetables.”

3 Fresh cress has a higher concentration of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) than some of the fruits and vegetables. … Lab studies suggest that regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C help maintain normal connective tissue, prevent iron deficiency, and also help the human body develop resistance against infectious agents by boosting immunity.

4 It is one of the excellent vegetable sources for vitamin K; 100 grams provides over 200% of the daily recommended intake. Vitamin K has a potential role in bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation and strengthening) activity. Adequate vitamin K levels in the diet help limit neuronal damage in the brain; and thus, it has an established role in the treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

5 Cress is also an excellent source of vitamin A, flavonoids, and anti-oxidants like ß carotene, lutein and zea-xanthin.

6 It is also rich in the B-complex group of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid that are essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions.

7 Further, it is also a rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. …

www.nutrition-and-you.com/watercress.html

Some serving tips include green salads, sandwiches, vegetable drinks or simply steam and eat.

Children’s Story – Who Made the Bad Bugs?

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There’s something making me itch,” Betty Lou complained as she came in from play one afternoon.

“Where is the itch?” Mother asked.

“Right here, back of my ear.”

Mother looked back of the girl’s ear and found a tick. “It’s a tick,” Mother exclaimed. “Don’t touch it. I’ll get it out right away.” She found a piece of cotton, dipped it in kerosene and sopped the itchy place several times until she was sure the tick was dead. Then she pulled it out carefully and threw it into the fire.

“You see,” explained Mother, “the tick burrows its head under the skin so it can get some of the blood from your body. I told you not to touch it because if you try to pull a tick off while it is alive it will only cling the tighter; and while you are pulling, it may leave some of its poison in your body. Although they are only tiny creatures, ticks are dangerous, for they sometimes carry disease germs that make people very sick.”

“He’s a bad bug, isn’t he, Mother? Why did God make bad bugs?” asked Betty Lou.

It was a question that gave the family plenty to talk about that evening. Linda, thought she answered the question by saying, “God made everything, didn’t He? So He must have made good bugs and bad bugs.”

“I don’t see how that can be,” Harold objected. “Didn’t God say that everything He made was good?”

“That’s right, Harold. God never made anything bad,” said Mother. “He never made an ugly or useless thing. Even the serpent was beautiful before it told the lies that Satan put into its mouth. After man sinned, some of the animals became wild and ferocious; and, not satisfied with the grass and other plants God had given them for food, they began to eat one another. Some of the birds, too, began to fight and destroy one another, instead of living on the fruits and nuts and grains. Satan has tried to spoil everything that God has made, because he hates God and because he hates us.”

Daddy went into the library and brought out a big book he had been reading. It told about huge animals and reptiles that lived before the Flood. Their bones have been found in the earth, where they were buried when the mountains were thrown up by the raging wind and water.

“What animals!” Linda exclaimed. “Are there any such animals living anywhere on the earth now?”

“No,” Daddy answered, “not one of them is left. God must have allowed these huge animals to die in order to protect man from harm that they might do him. Undoubtedly they were wonderful creatures when God made them, but sin changed them into beasts that brought terror to man.”

“Betty, there will be no bad bugs in heaven to carry poison and disease, as ticks and mosquitoes so often do now.”

Daddy read the wonderful description of the new earth from the Bible. Harold asked, “Will there be lions in the new earth? In one chapter it says that there will be no lions there, and in the other chapter it says that the lion and the lamb will lie down together.”

“It’s this way, son,” came Daddy’s answer; “there’ll be no wild, ravenous lions as we know them now; but there will be friendly, harmless lions, the kind God made in the beginning.”

Happy Home Stories, by Ella M. Robinson, Teach Services, Inc., pages 49–51.

Lord’s Prayer Series – The Lord’s Provision

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Lust as body function suffers without adequate food, water, and rest, when the spiritual needs are not satisfied the spiritual condition also suffers and becomes weak.

God desires that His children will trust in Him as children trust in their earthly parents to supply all of their needs. After recognizing God as our creator, honoring His name in every activity of life, and requesting that His will be done in our lives, then, as citizens of His kingdom we have a perfect right and every confidence to begin that series of petitions which involves our needs. Our first requirement is for our daily bread, not what we need for next week or next month, or even for tomorrow, but that we will have what we need for today to sustain our physical and spiritual lives.

The Bible gives a very powerful illustration of God’s attempting to teach His people to simply trust Him to provide for their needs when the children of Israel went through the desert on their journey to the Promised Land. The Bible says there were 600,000 men besides women and children (Numbers 26:51). Thus there is no doubt that it was a very large company of possibly several million who passed through the barren and desolate wasteland where there was no vegetation or source of water. It would be natural to be concerned about how the food and water were to be provided.

God had a plan and rained down manna from heaven daily, but the Israelites complained about it. The Lord told Moses that He had heard the complaints and they would have more to eat than they knew what to do with. The next day, the Bible says, “So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: “Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.” ’ And the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. And Moses said, ‘Let no one leave any of it till morning.’ Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.” Exodus 16:13–21.

God provided manna for them every day. They gathered only what they needed for that day and any excess would spoil. Their needs were supplied. “And so it was, on the sixth day (Friday), that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains to be kept until morning.” ’ So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, ‘Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.’ Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:22–30.

Notice that this incident was before the giving of the Ten Commandments. There are some people who, because of lack of careful study, do not seem to understand that when the Ten Commandments were given on Sinai, it was not the first time that the law was given. On Sinai it was simply a review of the principles of God’s law that were ever in existence. You can find all the principles of the Ten Commandments in the book of Genesis. While in slavery, the children of Israel had forgotten much of what their fathers had instructed them. So on the mount the Lord reviewed with them all the principles of His law.

The Ten Commandments existed before they were given on Mount Sinai. In fact, the Sabbath existed at the foundation of the world. You can read about the institution of the Sabbath in Genesis 2:1–3. Some of the Israelites did not have enough faith in God’s provision for them and went out to gather it on the Sabbath. To their surprise they found none. Every week they gathered the manna. Every day, five days of the week they gathered enough for that day. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much to provide for the Sabbath. The portion held over did not spoil. Every week the cycle began again. How long did that go on? “And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. … And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.” Verses 31, 35.

Each day for forty years God provided bread for them to teach them just to simply depend on Him and trust in Him. Hundreds of years later, Jesus spoke about how God provided for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. They do not worry about where they are going to get food to eat. Thus man should not worry either.

Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:25–34.

Jesus does not want us to spend our lives in anxiety and worry over temporal things but to trust in God to provide for what we need. Those who are not His children and do not have faith in God and His word are dependent on themselves or maybe their parents, or the government, or somebody else. But if you are God’s child, your dependence is on Him to provide the things that you need.

Although my parents called themselves New Testament Christians, my father often said that they worked eight days a week. What that means is that they worked morning, noon, and night, never having time to stop. But after they became new covenant Christians, they only worked six days because they knew God has promised that He would provide for them. However, when God makes that promise, He does not mean that you have nothing to do, but you do not need to spend your life worrying and fretting about how you are going to make ends meet.

The Lord provides for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field but He does not put the food in their mouths. Their part is to go and gather it. In the same way, when we pray for our daily bread, we must understand that we have a role to play in obtaining it.

After man sinned, God told Adam how he would have to work to get his bread. He said, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. … In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” Genesis 3:17­, 19.

Even though we have to work for the bread that we receive, there are some people who do not want to. The Bible has a lot to say about this attitude. In fact, the Bible has many counsels and cautions and actually curses against those who are sluggards, or lazy, or do not work. The Bible teaches that every person should be a worker. Notice what the wise man said in Proverbs 6:6–11: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—so shall your poverty come on you like a robber [prowler], and your need like an armed man.”

God expects for us to have at least as much wisdom as the creatures that set aside stores during the summer and during the time of harvest for the winter months.

How does God provide for our daily bread? Well, He provides more than enough in the harvest season so that those who gather the food will have food for a time when no food will grow. This is a principle that is taught throughout the Bible. In the very first book of the Bible, you can read the story of a very famous man who was called Joseph. Concerning him, the Bible says that he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream to mean that there were going to be seven years of plenty and after that there would be seven years of famine.

“Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the field which surrounded them. Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was without number. … Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.’ The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.” Genesis 41:49, 53–57.

Notice the principle that was taught in this story. When God provides abundance, you store up for the winter months or for the time when there will not be any. Praying for our daily bread is not inconsistent with storing up food in the time of harvest for a time of scarcity. When we pray that we might be given our daily bread, we are not just asking that we might be given physical bread. When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness to turn stones into bread, “He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” ’ ” Matthew 4:4. God supplies all of our needs from His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

Our heavenly Father is immensely rich and abundantly able to care for all of His children. The message of the Bible is to trust in the Lord and do good and you will dwell in the land, and be fed (Psalm 37:3). To the person who walks in the ways of righteousness, the Lord says that “His bread shall be given to him and his water shall be sure.” Isaiah 33:16.

Not only that, but God has assured His people that they will not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they will be satisfied (Psalm 37:19). David, talking about this very same subject, makes the statement: “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:25.

In this petition, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), we ask the Lord to give us that which we sometimes think we can get on our own, but the fact of the matter is that we would not be able to get it if the Lord did not first provide it. In Psalm 145:15, 16, it says, “The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” After the worldwide flood of Noah’s time, God promised that, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22.

Although there are over seven billion people in the world today, God is able to feed all. If all were following in the ways of the Lord, all would be fed and we would not see people starving to death, as we see in the world today. We cannot make food because food must be given life before it can impart life to the one eating it. Since God is the Life-giver, the only Source of life, food is a gift from God. When we ask for our daily bread we are not asking for something that belongs to somebody else but for our portion of that which has been abundantly supplied for every living creature.

We ask for food that will impart, not drunkenness, but strength, as noted in Ecclesiastes 10:17. One of the problems we have in our modern world is that there are people spending their money for that which is really not good for them. The Bible addresses this very problem in Isaiah 55:1, 2. “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good. And let your soul delight itself in abundance.”

The Bible says, “Eat what is good.” When we ask for our daily bread, we’re not asking that we might have something that will injure ourselves. We are not asking for food that will be injurious to our bodies, but we ask for that which will produce health and strength that we may do God’s service. Many Bible students, in studying the Lord’s Prayer, have concluded that the main subject of this petition, “Give us today our daily bread …” is a petition for both physical food and spiritual food. Actually, spiritual food is even more important than the physical food.

The day after Jesus fed the five thousand, they were still excited about that miracle. And Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” John 6:26, 27.

The daily physical food that we need strengthens us that we may work and that we may have health day by day, but the food that we eat day by day will not provide eternal life. This is a different kind of food. To receive that food Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35. And He went on to tell them, “Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead.” Verse 49. Even though God provided the physical food day by day that they needed, they still all died. But if you eat the spiritual bread that comes down from heaven you will never die because He will raise you up at the last day.

The people had a problem understanding what Jesus meant by this saying so He explained it in John 6:63. He said, “It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

Are you eating God’s word? Are you studying His word every day? As you study this Word and receive the thoughts of God into your mind, by beholding Him you will be changed and receive His character into your mind. Jesus promised that if you do this you will receive life. His word is indeed the bread of everlasting life.

(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.

Health – Minerals our Body Needs

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The average person’s body is composed of nearly 70% water, plus compounds including vitamins, enzymes, hormones, and trace minerals, the balance of which is important to proper functioning of the body. By elements, the adult body consists of 65% oxygen, 18% carbon, 10% hydrogen, 3% nitrogen, 1.5% calcium, 1% phosphorus, and 1.5% other elements.

There are 21 essential mineral elements necessary for the human body. The ground on which we walk contains these same minerals. The difference is that in the ground they are in the inorganic form, and in our bodies they are in the organic form. Man cannot utilize the inorganic form found in the ground. When we eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, we get the organic minerals. But man cannot eat clay and live, even if it has all of the necessary minerals, because they are in the inorganic form. This also holds true for our drinking water, as it contains inorganic minerals which our bodies cannot assimilate. The best water for drinking is distilled water (rain water is also distilled water). In this article we are going to take a look at each one of these 21 organic minerals that our body needs, tell how they help our bodies, and what natural foods contain these minerals.

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in the body for building the bones and teeth. It soothes the nerves thus decreasing nervousness. Calcium contracts the heart and is needed for the contraction of all muscles. Calcium is required for the complex processes of blood coagulation. Some natural food sources high in calcium are blackstrap molasses, almonds, oranges, and most greens such as kale, turnips, collards, and similar greens.

Chlorine is a trace mineral that is needed in very small amounts. Its main function is acting as a part of the hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach for digesting proteins. It is found in kale, beets, radishes, rye flour, coconuts, tomatoes, and ripe olives.

Chromium is a trace mineral, and its main function is to aid in the synthesization of fatty acids. Those who have problems with low blood sugar or diabetes should eat lots of natural whole grains, as this trace mineral is lost in the refining processes of our food.

Cobalt is a trace mineral the body needs in very minute amounts. It is an essential element in vitamin B12. Cobalt stimulates the production of red cells. It is found in kelp and all green leafy vegetables.

Copper is a trace mineral found in all tissues of the body. An excess can be dangerous and cause insanity. Recent studies done by Dr. Oscar Roth of Yale University School of Medicine revealed serum copper is high with use of birth control pills. Copper is needed for skin and hair pigmentation, for bone formation, and in the production of red blood cells. Some foods that contain copper are wheat germ, nuts, honey, raisins, soybeans, and oats.

Fluorine is another trace element that the body needs. It exists in the body in compounds called fluorides. Its action is to strengthen the bones, and it acts strongly on the spleen, the teeth, and the enamel of the teeth. Foods containing fluorine are cabbage, cauliflower, avocados, tomatoes and watercress. Note: The sodium fluoride that is added to our water supply is not natural and not as beneficial as naturally occurring fluorine.

Iodine is a trace mineral. Iodine is the thyroid gland’s favorite nutrient and helps regulate the body’s metabolism and sodium-potassium ratio balance. Major symptoms of iodine deficiency are feeling cold, being tired, prone to gain weight, painful menstruation, and poor memory. Some food sources of iodine are kelp, sea salt, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, and cantaloupe.

Iron is a mineral that aids in the production of hemoglobin and aids the red cells in carrying oxygen to the tissues. It supplies energy and vitality, nourishes the tissues from the bloodstream, aids in resistance to disease, and in the growth of children. The highest food source of iron is blackstrap molasses (3 times higher than liver). Other sources of iron are almonds, kelp, lentils, oats, raisins, and whole wheat flour.

Manganese is a mineral needed for the glandular system, such as the pituitary gland, pancreas, liver, and kidneys. It acts upon the nervous system and aids in muscle coordination. Epilepsy, uncontrollable muscle convulsions, and their accompanying blackouts, seem in some cases to result from manganese deficiency. Food sources of manganese are buckwheat, oats, barley, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, peas, beans, almonds, and brown rice.

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals next to calcium. Magnesium helps in the metabolizing of calcium and vitamin C. It may affect nervous irritability and regulates muscle contractions. Nuts and cereal grains are especially rich in magnesium.

Molybdenum is a trace mineral that assists in the metabolizing of iron that has been stored in the liver. It also helps in converting nitrogen, left over from the digestion of protein, into uric acid. It then travels to the kidneys and is discharged through the urine. Natural food sources of molybdenum are soybeans, peas, honey, whole rye and wheat, squash, vegetables, blackstrap molasses, sea salt, and fruits.

Nickel is another trace mineral, but the role it plays in the human body is not clear. Vegetables provide the main food source for nickel.

Phosphorus performs more functions in the body than any other mineral. Approximately 80% is in the bones, and 20% is found in the tissues. It is closely related with calcium, and is therefore found in bones, teeth, muscle, and brain. It is needed for nerve tissue, especially the heart. Some natural food sources for phosphorus are whole grains, seeds, and nuts. Many processed foods and soft drinks contain added phosphates; these are harmful and should be avoided.

Potassium helps the body keep a proper acid-alkaline balance. It is essential for muscle contractions; therefore, it is vital for proper heart function, especially the normal heart beat. Some natural food sources are all green leafy vegetables, oranges, whole grains, nuts, and bananas.

Selenium is an anti-oxidant which helps prevent the hemoglobin in red blood cells from being damaged by oxidation. Some natural food sources are kelp, garlic, grains, and most vegetables.

Silicon is essential for building strong bones, and for the normal growth of hair, nails and teeth. It is beneficial in all healing processes, and protects the body against many diseases. Some natural food sources are fruits, particularly apples, whole grains, beets, onions, parsnips, and almonds.

Sodium has a special function in the body to prevent clotting of the blood, to stimulate the spleen, to regulate heat in body fluids, neutralize acid, and relax the heart muscle as well as other muscles in the body. Sodium as an organic mineral does not present any problem to the body if used in moderation; but sodium chloride (common table salt) the inorganic form, can cause problems such as fluid retention, kidney damage, heart problems and high blood pressure, among other things. Some natural food sources are kelp, celery, romaine lettuce, watermelon, and sea salt.

Sulphur is found in every cell of the body. The cells that contain most of the sulphur are those of the skin, hair, and joints. That is why it is sometimes called the beauty mineral. Some natural food sources are radishes, turnips, onions, celery, string beans, kale, watercress, and soybeans.

Tin is needed for the human body, but little more than this is presently known. This trace mineral is found in all vegetation growing on soil that is not depleted of tin.

Vanadium is also a trace mineral that the human body needs, but little more than this is presently known. Natural food sources are whole unrefined grains.

Zinc is needed for the brain, the retina of the eye, and the visual process, as well as for normal growth, especially of the bones. It is also needed for the development of the sex organs, and for the normal function of the prostate gland. A zinc deficiency leads to a diminished sensitivity to taste and smell. Some natural food sources are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts and green leafy vegetables.

Have you noticed how each one of these 21 minerals can be found in the natural foods God has given us to eat? I want to encourage you to get your minerals from the natural food as grown, and not in any supplemental form. Vitamin or mineral supplements are not natural. The synthetic ones are chemicals; and the ones derived from the plant itself are refined in the sense that they are separated from the rest of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that were in the plant from the beginning.

If the good Lord would have wanted us to take a calcium pill, He would have created a tree that grew calcium pills. Instead, He created the almond tree and the orange tree to grow almonds and oranges, which are high in calcium.

Natural Medicine, by Jerry Hoover, N.D., Copyright 1993, KNI Printers, Inc., Anaheim, California 92806, pages 246–251.

Question & Answer – Who else besides Judas sold the Lord?

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Balaam also sold his Lord. Both Judas and Balaam sold their souls for money even though they both claimed a relationship with their Lord. Read the following excerpts on the comparison from Patriarchs and Prophets, 451, 452:

“Balaam witnessed the success of his diabolical scheme. He saw the curse of God visited upon His people, and thousands falling under His judgments; but the divine justice that punished sin in Israel did not permit the tempters to escape. In the war of Israel against the Midianites, Balaam was slain. He had felt a presentiment that his own end was near when he exclaimed, ‘Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his’ (Numbers 23:10)! But he had not chosen to live the life of the righteous, and his destiny was fixed with the enemies of God.

“The fate of Balaam was similar to that of Judas, and their characters bear a marked resemblance to each other.

 

Both these men tried to unite the service of God and mammon, and met with signal failure.
Balaam acknowledged the true God, and professed to serve Him. Judas believed in Jesus as the Messiah, and united with His followers.
Balaam hoped to make the service of Jehovah the steppingstone to the acquirement of riches and worldly honor; and failing in this he stumbled and fell and was broken. Judas expected by his connection with Christ to secure wealth and promotion in that worldly kingdom which, as he believed, the Messiah was about to set up. The failure of his hopes drove him to apostasy and ruin.
Both Balaam and Judas had received great light and enjoyed special privileges, but a single cherished sin poisoned the entire character and caused their destruction.

“It is a perilous thing to allow an unchristian trait to live in the heart. One cherished sin will, little by little, debase the character, bringing all its nobler powers into subjection to the evil desire. The removal of one safeguard from the conscience, the indulgence of one evil habit, one neglect of the high claims of duty, breaks down the defenses of the soul and opens the way for Satan to come in and lead us astray. The only safe course is to let our prayers go forth daily from a sincere heart, as did David, ‘Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not’ (Psalm 17:5).”

Inspiration – Danger of Reading Fictitious and Infidel Books

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Every Christian, whether old or young, will be assailed by temptations; and our only safety is in carefully studying our duty, and then doing it at any cost to ourselves. Everything has been done for us to secure our salvation, and we must be not only willing but anxious to learn the will of God, and do all things to his glory. This is the Christian’s life-work. He will not try to see how far he can venture in the path of indifference and unbelief, and yet be called a child of God; but he will study to see how closely he can imitate the life and character of Christ.

Young friends, a knowledge of the Bible will help you to resist temptation. If you have been in the habit of reading story books, will you consider whether it is right to spend your time with these books, which merely occupy your time and amuse you, but give you no mental or moral strength? If you are reading them, and find that they create a morbid craving for exciting novels, if they lead you to dislike the Bible, and cast it aside, if they involve you in darkness and backsliding from God—if this is the influence they have over you, stop right where you are. Do not pursue this course of reading until your imagination is fired, and you become unfitted for the study of the Bible, and the practical duties of real life.

Cheap works of fiction do not profit. They impart no real knowledge; they inspire no great and good purpose; they kindle in the heart no earnest desires for purity; they excite no soul hunger for righteousness. On the contrary, they take time which should be given to the practical duties of life and to the service of God—time which should be devoted to prayer, to visiting the sick, caring for the needy, and educating yourself for a useful life. When you commence reading a story book, how frequently the imagination is so excited that you are betrayed into sin. You disobey your parents, and bring confusion into the domestic circle by neglecting the simple duties developing upon you. And worse than this, prayer is forgotten, and the Bible is read with indifference or entirely neglected.

There is another class of books that you should avoid—the productions of such infidel writers as Paine and Ingersoll. These are often urged upon you with the taunt that you are a coward, and afraid to read them. Frankly tell these enemies who would tempt you—for enemies they are, however much they may profess to be your friends—that you will obey God, and take the Bible as your guide. Tell them that you are afraid to read these books; that your faith in the word of God is now altogether too weak, and you want it increased and strengthened instead of diminished; and that you do not want to come in such close contact with the father of lies.

I warn you to stand firm, and never do a wrong action rather than be called a coward. Allow no taunts, no threats, no sneering remarks, to induce you to violate your conscience in the least particular, and thus open a door whereby Satan can come in and control the mind.

Suffer not yourselves to open the lids of a book that is questionable. There is a hellish fascination in the literature of Satan. It is the powerful battery by which he tears down a simple religious faith. Never feel that you are strong enough to read infidel books; for they contain a poison like that of asps. They can do you no good, and will assuredly do you harm. In reading them, you are inhaling the miasmas of hell. They will be to your soul like a corrupt stream of water, defiling the mind, keeping it in the mazes of skepticism, and making it earthly and sensual. These books are written by men whom Satan employs as his agents; and by this means he designs to confuse the mind, withdraw the affections from God, and rob your Creator of the reverence and gratitude which His works demand.

The mind needs to be trained, and its desires controlled and brought into subjection to the will of God.

Instead of being dwarfed and deformed by feeding on the vile trash which Satan provides, it should have wholesome food, which will give strength and vigor.

Young Christian, you have everything to learn. You must be an interested student of the Bible; you must search it, comparing Scripture with Scripture. If you would do your Master good and acceptable service, you must know what He requires. His word is a sure guide; if it is carefully studied, there is no danger of falling under the power of the temptations that surround the youth, and crowd in upon them.

The Youth’s Instructor, September 10, 1884.

Keys to the Storehouse – Broken or Crushed

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Being broken sounds terrible but it would be much worse to be crushed.

“To those who believe, Christ is the sure foundation. These are they who fall upon the Rock and are broken. Submission to Christ and faith in Him are here represented. To fall upon the Rock and be broken is to give up our self-righteousness and to go to Christ with the humility of a child, repenting of our transgressions, and believing in His forgiving love. And so also it is by faith and obedience that we build on Christ as our foundation. …

“This is the only foundation upon which we may securely build. It is broad enough for all, and strong enough to sustain the weight and burden of the whole world. And by connection with Christ, the living stone, all who build upon this foundation become living stones. Many persons are by their own endeavors hewn, polished, and beautified; but they cannot become ‘living stones’ (I Peter 2:4), because they are not connected with Christ. Without this connection, no man can be saved. Without the life of Christ in us, we cannot withstand the storms of temptation. Our eternal safety depends upon our building upon the sure foundation. Multitudes are today building upon foundations that have not been tested.” The Desire of Ages, 599.

What does it mean to fall on the Rock and be broken? To fall on the Rock, as gleaned from above, is to

  • Yield submission to Christ
  • Have faith in Him
  • Give up self-righteousness
  • Go to Christ with the humility of a child
  • Repent of transgressions
  • Believe in His forgiving love
  • By faith and obedience build on Christ, “the sure foundation”
  • Become living stones

The Jews were destroyed by the Rock. Why?

“And on ‘whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder’ (Matthew 21:44). The people who rejected Christ were soon to see their city and their nation destroyed. Their glory would be broken, and scattered as the dust before the wind. And what was it that destroyed the Jews? It was the rock which, had they built upon it, would have been their security.

  • It was the goodness of God despised,
  • the righteousness spurned,
  • the mercy slighted.
  • Men set themselves in opposition to God, and all that would have been their salvation was turned to their destruction.

All that God ordained unto life they found to be unto death. In the Jews’ crucifixion of Christ was involved the destruction of Jerusalem. The blood shed upon Calvary was the weight that sank them to ruin for this world and for the world to come.” Ibid., 600.

Father: The Jews crucified Jesus, Thine only begotten Son, and were crushed. I know that by every sin, Jesus is wounded afresh and I do not want to be guilty as were the Jews. I repent of my transgressions and by faith and obedience fall upon the Rock Christ Jesus to be broken so that He can restore the pieces of my life and mold me into a living stone for His temple.