Issue: 2007 August

Bible Study Guides – The Millennium, Continued

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September 23, 2007 – September 29, 2007

Key Text

“The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.” Psalm 37:29.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 662-678.

Introduction

“At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death.” Maranatha, 336.

1 During the thousand years following Christ’s Second Coming, where will the saints be? What will they be doing? Revelation 20:4, 6; John 14:1-3.

note: “Long have we waited for our Saviour’s return. But nonetheless sure is the promise. Soon we shall be in our promised home. There Jesus will lead us beside the living stream flowing from the throne of God and will explain to us the dark providences through which on this earth He brought us in order to perfect our characters. There we shall behold with undimmed vision the beauties of Eden restored. Casting at the feet of the Redeemer the crowns that He has placed on our heads, and touching our golden harps, we shall fill all heaven with praise to Him that sitteth on the throne.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 254.

2 What important task will the saints perform during this time? 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Psalm 149:5-9.

note: “After the saints are changed to immortality and caught up together with Jesus, after they receive their harps, their robes, and their crowns, and enter the city, Jesus and the saints sit in judgment. The books are opened the book of life and the book of death. The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are judged. The saints, in unison with Jesus, pass their judgment upon the wicked dead.” Early Writings, 52.

3 What marks the end of the thousand years? Revelation 20:5-7.

note: “The new heavens, and the new earth, (Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 65:17; 11 Peter 3:13) will not appear, till after the wicked dead are raised, and destroyed, at the end of the 1000 years. I [Ellen White] saw that Satan was ‘loosed out of his prison,’ at the end of the 1000 years, just at the time the wicked dead were raised.” A Word to the Little Flock, 11.

4 As soon as Satan is loosed, to whom does he go? Revelation 20:8.

note: “Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy. While deprived of his power and cut off from his work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. The wicked are Satan’s captives. In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. . . . Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.” The Great Controversy, 663.

5 What is said of the character of Gog and Magog? Ezekiel 38:2; 39:1. When are they to come forth? Ezekiel 38:8; Revelation 20:8.

note: “And I [Ellen White] saw, that as Christ is the vine, and his children the branches: so Satan is the ‘root,’ and his children are the ‘branches’; and at the final destruction of ‘Gog and Magog,’ the whole wicked host will be burnt up, ‘root and branch,’ and cease to exist. Then will appear the new heaven and the new earth. Then will the saints ‘build houses,’ and ‘plant vineyards.’ I saw, that all the righteous dead were raised by the voice of the Son of God, at the first resurrection; and all that were raised at the second resurrection, were burnt up, and ceased to exist.” A Word to the Little Flock, 12.

6 Who will appear at that time? What comes to earth with Jesus and the saints? To what place do they come? Zechariah 14:4, 5; Revelation 21:2.

note: “At the end of one thousand years, Jesus, the king of glory, descends from the holy city, clothed with brightness like the lightning, upon the mount of olives the same mount from whence he ascended after his resurrection. As his feet touch the mountain, it parts asunder, and becomes a very great plain, and is prepared for the reception of the holy city in which is the paradise of God, the garden of Eden, which was taken up after man’s transgression. Now it descends with the city, more beautiful, and gloriously adorned than when removed from the earth. The city of God comes down and settles upon the mighty plain prepared for it.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 83, 84.

7 When Satan sees them, what does he do? Revelation 20:9; Ezekiel 38:10-12.

note: “Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.

“In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell.

“Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. . . .

“At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God.” The Great Controversy, 663, 664.

8 Why does God permit the wicked to come against His people? Ezekiel 38:16.

note: “The crowns of the saints were of the most pure gold, decked with stars. Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express image of Jesus; and as they arose and moved all together to the top of the city, I [Ellen White] was enraptured with the sight.

“Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the execution of the judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years.” Early Writings, 54. [Author’s emphasis.]

“The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them.

“It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death. The wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of rebellion. The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory was despised when offered them; but how desirable it now appears. ‘All this,’ cries the lost soul, ‘I might have had; but I chose to put these things far from me. Oh, strange infatuation! I have exchanged peace, happiness, and honor for wretchedness, infamy, and despair.’ All see that their exclusion from heaven is just. By their lives they have declared: ‘We will not have this Man [Jesus] to reign over us.’ ” The Great Controversy, 668.

9 What will the Lord do to the wicked? Ezekiel 39:4-6; Revelation 20:9.

note: “The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. . . . Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1142.

10 What effect will this fire have on the earth? 11 Peter 3:10. What shall come forth from this ruin? Verse 13.

note: “The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin.” The Great Controversy, 674.

“Said the angel, ‘Satan is the root, his children are the branches. They are now consumed root and branch. They have died an everlasting death. They are never to have a resurrection, and God will have a clean universe.’ I [Ellen White] then looked and saw the fire which had consumed the wicked, burning up the rubbish and purifying the earth. Again I looked and saw the earth purified. There was not a single sign of the curse. The broken, uneven surface of the earth now looked like a level, extensive plain. God’s entire universe was clean, and the great controversy was forever ended. Wherever we looked, everything upon which the eye rested was beautiful and holy. And all the redeemed host, old and young, great and small, cast their glittering crowns at the feet of their Redeemer, and prostrated themselves in adoration before Him, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever. The beautiful new earth, with all its glory, was the eternal inheritance of the saints. The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was then given to the saints of the Most High, who were to possess it forever, even forever and ever.” Early Writings, 295.

11 Who shall dwell on the new earth? Matthew 5:5; Isaiah 35:4-10.

note: “In the final restitution, when there shall be ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ [Revelation 21:1] it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.

“Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s creation, untouched by the curse of sin a sample of what the whole earth would have become had man but fulfilled the Creator’s glorious plan.” The Adventist Home, 539.

12 What prophecy will then be fulfilled? Micah 4:8.

note: “The time has come to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from Eden, the time for ‘the redemption of the purchased possession.’ Ephesians 1:14. The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. ‘Thus saith the Lord . . . that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.’ Isaiah 45:18. God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.’ Psalm 37:29.” The Great Controversy, 674.

Bible Study Guides – The Millennium

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September 16, 2007 – September 22, 2007

Key Text

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:1, 2.

Study Help: The Story of Redemption, 415, 416; The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 470-475.

Introduction

“All will be tested and tried according to the light they have had. Those who turn from the truth to fables can look for no second probation. There will be no temporal millennium. If, after the Holy Spirit has brought conviction to their hearts, they resist the truth and use their influence to block the way so that others will not receive it, they will never be convinced. They did not seek for transformation of character in the probation given them, and Christ will not give them opportunity to pass over the ground again. The decision is a final one.” Last Day Events, 237. [Emphasis added.]

“Taking the manner in which the prophecies had been fulfilled in the past as a criterion by which to judge of the fulfillment of those which were still future, he [William Miller] became satisfied that the popular view of the spiritual reign of Christ a temporal millennium before the end of the world was not sustained by the word of God. This doctrine, pointing to a thousand years of righteousness and peace before the personal coming of the Lord, put far off the terrors of the day of God. But, pleasing though it may be, it is contrary to the teachings of Christ and His apostles, who declared that the wheat and the tares are to grow together until the harvest, the end of the world; that ‘evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse’; that ‘in the last days perilous times shall come’; and that the kingdom of darkness shall continue until the advent of the Lord and shall be consumed with the spirit of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming. Matthew 13:30, 38-41; 11 Timothy 3:13, 1; 11 Thessalonians 2:8.

“The doctrine of the world’s conversion and the spiritual reign of Christ was not held by the apostolic church. It was not generally accepted by Christians until about the beginning of the eighteenth century. Like every other error, its results were evil. It taught men to look far in the future for the coming of the Lord and prevented them from giving heed to the signs heralding His approach. It induced a feeling of confidence and security that was not well founded and led many to neglect the preparation necessary in order to meet their Lord.” The Great Controversy, 321.

1 What events are connected with the millennium? What marks the beginning of that period? Revelation 20:1, 2, 4, 5.

note: “The life-giver will call up His purchased possession in the first resurrection, and until that triumphant hour, when the last trump shall sound and the vast army shall come forth to eternal victory, every sleeping saint will be kept in safety and will be guarded as a precious jewel, who is known to God by name. By the power of the Saviour that dwelt in them while living and because they were partakers of the divine nature, they are brought forth from the dead.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 271.

“The revelator foretells the banishment of Satan and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced, and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years.” The Great Controversy, 658.

2 What causes the dead to be raised? John 5:28, 29. When will the Lord’s voice be heard? 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

note: “ ‘The hour is coming,’ Christ said, ‘in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.’ [John 5:28, 29.] That voice is to resound through all the habitations of the dead; and every saint who sleeps in Jesus will awake and leave his prison-house.” Review and Herald, September 20, 1898.

“The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came forth clothed with glorious immortality, crying, ‘Victory, victory, over death and the grave! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ [1 Corinthians 15:55.]” Early Writings, 287.

3 What is said of the dead who rise at the first resurrection? 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:6.

note: “Oh, what a scene will we then see some coming forth to life eternal at the first resurrection! Upon them the second death shall have no power. . . . I dwell with pleasure upon the resurrection of the just, who shall come forth from all parts of the earth, from rocky caverns, from dungeons, from caves of the earth, from the waters of the deep not one is overlooked. Every one shall hear His voice. They will come forth with triumph and victory.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 342.

“At the first resurrection all came forth in immortal bloom.” Early Writings, 292.

“During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. . . . At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God.” The Great Controversy, 660, 661.

4 Just before the Lord appears, what decree goes forth? Revelation 22:11, 12. Then can there be any conversions during the thousand years?

note: “[Revelation 22:11, 12 quoted.] When this fiat goes forth, every case will have been decided.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 418.

“The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. . . . Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” The Great Controversy, 491.

5 What change will be wrought in the righteous who are living at that time? 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. What will they do when they meet the resurrected ones? 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

note: “When mortal shall have put on immortality, the ransomed ones are like Jesus, for they see Him as He is. They stand before the throne, signifying that they are accepted. All their sins are blotted out, all their transgressions borne away. Now they can look upon the undimmed glory from the throne of God. They have been partakers with Christ of His sufferings, they have been workers together with Him in the plan of redemption, and they are partakers with Him in the joy of beholding souls saved through their instrumentality to praise God through all eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 467.

6 To what place has Jesus promised to take the saints? John 14:1-3.

note: “Those who have loved Him [Christ] and waited for Him, He will crown with glory and honor and immortality. The righteous dead will come forth from their graves, and those who are alive will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. They will hear the voice of Jesus, sweeter than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, saying to them, Your warfare is accomplished. ‘Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Matthew 25:34.” The Acts of the Apostles, 34.

7 What will the living wicked do when they see Jesus in the clouds? Revelation 6:15-17. Why should they cry for the mountains to fall on them? 11 Thessalonians 1:7, 8.

note: “Riches, power, genius, eloquence, pride, perverted reason, and passion are enlisted as Satan’s agents in doing his work in making the broad road attractive, strewing it with tempting flowers. But every word they have spoken against the world’s Redeemer will be reflected back upon them, and will one day burn into their guilty souls like molten lead. They will be overwhelmed with terror and shame as they behold the exalted One coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then shall the bold defier, who lifted himself up against the Son of God, see himself in the true blackness of his character. The sight of the inexpressible glory of the Son of God will be intensely painful to those whose characters are stained with sin. The pure light and glory emanating from Christ will awaken remorse, shame, and terror. They will send forth wails of anguish to the rocks and mountains, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?’ [Revelation 6:16, 17.]” Confrontation, 87.

8 What does the Lord do with the wicked ones? Jeremiah 25:30-33. When will they live again? Revelation 20:5, first part; Isaiah 24:22.

note: “In consequence of Adam’s sin, death passed upon the whole human race. All alike go down into the grave. And through the provisions of the plan of salvation, all are to be brought forth from their graves. ‘There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust’; ‘for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:22. But a distinction is made between the two classes that are brought forth. ‘All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.’ John 5:28, 29. They who have been ‘accounted worthy’ of the resurrection of life are ‘blessed and holy.’ ‘On such the second death hath no power.’ Revelation 20:6. But those who have not, through repentance and faith, secured pardon, must receive the penalty of transgression ‘the wages of sin.’ [Romans 6:23.]” The Great Controversy, 544.

“At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead, and appear before God. . . . Thus the revelator, after describing the resurrection of the righteous, says, ‘The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.’ Revelation 20:5.” The Faith I Live By, 184.

9 If the righteous are taken to heaven, and the wicked are slain at the beginning of the thousand years, who will be left on this earth? Revelation 20:2.

note: “The earth looked like a desolate wilderness. Cities and villages, shaken down by the earthquake, lay in heaps. Mountains had been moved out of their places, leaving large caverns. Ragged rocks, thrown out by the sea, or torn out of the earth itself, were scattered all over its surface. Large trees had been uprooted and were strewn over the land. Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the earth and see the effects of his rebellion against God’s law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen.” Early Writings, 290.

10 In what condition did the prophet see the earth at this time? Jeremiah 4:23-26.

note: “The wicked had been destroyed, and their dead bodies were lying upon its surface. The wrath of God in the seven last plagues had been visited upon the inhabitants of the earth, causing them to gnaw their tongues from pain and to curse God. The false shepherds had been the signal objects of Jehovah’s wrath. Their eyes had consumed away in their holes, and their tongues in their mouths, while they stood upon their feet. After the saints had been delivered by the voice of God, the wicked multitude turned their rage upon one another. The earth seemed to be deluged with blood, and dead bodies were from one end of it to the other.” Early Writings, 289, 290.

11 What will be the condition of the earth during the thousand years? Jeremiah 4:27.

note: “For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since his fall his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but he is now deprived of his power and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.” The Great Controversy, 660.

Bible Study Guides – Apostasy

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September 9, 2007 – September 15, 2007

Key Text

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 2, 381-383.

Introduction

“As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt, that they might keep His Sabbath, so He calls His people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast or his image. The man of sin, who thought to change times and laws, has exalted himself above God, by presenting a spurious sabbath to the world; the Christian world has accepted the child of the papacy, and cradled and nourished it, thus defying God by removing His memorial, and setting up a rival sabbath.

“After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying, ‘Lo, here is Christ; lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, He has sent me with great light.’ Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 984, 985.

1 What does Paul say must take place before the coming of the Lord can be expected? 11 Thessalonians 2:3.

note: “It has been the continual endeavor of the enemy to introduce into the church persons who assent to much that is truth, but who are not converted. Professed Christians who are false to their trust are channels through whom Satan works. He can use unconverted church members to advance his own ideas and retard the work of God. Their influence is always on the side of wrong. They place criticism and doubt as stumbling blocks in the way of reform. They introduce unbelief because they have closed their eyes to the righteousness of Christ and have not the glory of the Lord as their rearward.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 159.

2 What message goes to the world before the Saviour appears? Revelation 14:8. What is the meaning of the word Babylon?

note: “Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome’s example of iniquitous connection with ‘the kings of the earth’ the state churches, by their relation to secular governments; and other denominations, by seeking the favor of the world. And the term ‘Babylon’ confusion may be appropriately applied to these bodies, all professing to derive their doctrines from the Bible, yet divided into almost innumerable sects, with widely conflicting creeds and theories.” The Great Controversy, 383.

“The whole chapter [Revelation 18] shows that Babylon that has fallen is the churches who will not receive the messages of warning the Lord has given in the first, second, and third angels’ messages. They refused the truth and accepted a lie. They refused the messages of truth.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 68.

3 Who are in Babylon? Revelation 18:4. How did God’s people come to be a part of a fallen company?

note: “Satan and his angels are wide-awake and intensely active, working with energy and perseverance through human instrumentalities to bring about his purpose of obliterating from the minds of men the knowledge of God. But while Satan works with his lying wonders, the time will be fulfilled foretold in the Revelation, and the mighty angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory, will proclaim the fall of Babylon, and call upon God’s people to forsake her.” Review and Herald, December 13, 1892.

“The state of corruption and apostasy that in the last days would exist in the religious world, was presented to the prophet John in the vision of Babylon. . . . As in the days of Noah and Lot, there must be a marked separation from sin and sinners. There can be no compromise between God and the world, no turning back to secure earthly treasures.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 167.

4 What class of professors does Paul say will come up in the last days? 11 Timothy 3:5. What sins are found among them? Verses 1-4. Of what are they said to be lovers? Verse 4.

note: “I [Ellen White] was shown the churches in different states that profess to be keeping the commandments of God and looking for the second coming of Christ. There is an alarming amount of indifference, pride, love of the world, and cold formality existing among them. And these are the people who are fast coming to resemble ancient Israel, so far as the want of piety is concerned. Many make high claims to godliness and yet are destitute of self-control. Appetite and passion bear sway; self is made prominent. Many are arbitrary, dictatorial, overbearing, boastful, proud, and unconsecrated. . . . The Saviour’s curse pronounced upon the fruitless fig tree is a sermon to all formalists and boasting hypocrites who stand forth to the world in pretentious leaves, but are devoid of fruit. What a rebuke to those who have a form of godliness, while in their unchristian lives they deny the power thereof!” Testimonies, vol. 4, 403, 404.

5 What is the extent of the sins of Babylon? Revelation 18:5.

note: “Appetite and passion are overcoming thousands of Christ’s professed followers. Through familiarity with sin, their senses become so blunted that evil seems attractive to them, rather than abhorrent. The end of all things is at hand. God will not much longer bear with the crimes and debasing iniquity of the children of men. Their sins have reached unto heaven, and will soon be answered by the fearful plagues of God upon the earth. They will drink the cup of his wrath, unmixed with mercy.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 155.

“I [Ellen White] saw that since Jesus left the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary and entered within the second veil, the churches have been filling up with every unclean and hateful bird. I saw great iniquity and vileness in the churches; yet their members profess to be Christians. Their profession, their prayers, and their exhortations are an abomination in the sight of God. Said the angel, ‘God will not smell in their assemblies. Selfishness, fraud, and deceit are practiced by them without the reprovings of conscience. And over all these evil traits they throw the cloak of religion.’ I was shown the pride of the nominal churches. God is not in their thoughts; their carnal minds dwell upon themselves; they decorate their poor mortal bodies, and then look upon themselves with satisfaction and pleasure. Jesus and the angels look upon them in anger. Said the angel, ‘Their sins and pride have reached unto heaven. Their portion is prepared. Justice and judgment have slumbered long, but will soon awake. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.’ The fearful threatenings of the third angel are to be realized, and all the wicked are to drink of the wrath of God. An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches. These agents of Satan look upon the religious bodies with exultation, for the cloak of religion covers the greatest crime and iniquity.” Early Writings, 274, 275.

6 What did Jesus say to His disciples about self? Luke 9:23. What is said of covetousness? Colossians 3:5. What of pride? Proverbs 6:16, 17.

note: “If we are indeed to overcome as Christ overcame, that we may mingle with the blood-washed, glorified company before the throne of God, it is of the highest importance that we become acquainted with the life of our Redeemer and deny self as did Christ. We must meet temptations and overcome obstacles, and through toil and suffering, in the name of Jesus, overcome as He overcame.

“The great trial of Christ in the wilderness on the point of appetite was to leave man an example of self-denial. This long fast was to convict men of the sinfulness of the things in which professed Christians indulge. The victory which Christ gained in the wilderness was to show man the sinfulness of the very things in which he takes such pleasure.” Confrontation, 66.

7 What are the duties of children to parents? Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1; Proverbs 23:22; Colossians 3:20.

note: “Many of the young have chosen to be their own counselor and guide, and have taken their cases in their own hands. Such need to study more closely the teachings of the Bible. In its pages they will find revealed their duty to their parents and to their brethren in the faith. The fifth commandment reads, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ Again we read, ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right.’ [Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1.]

“One of the signs that we are living in the last days is that children are disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. The word of God abounds in precepts and counsels enjoining respect for parents.” Messages to Young People, 444.

8 What position should God’s people sustain to holiness? Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14.

note: “Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Nothing but holiness will prepare you for heaven. It is sincere, experimental piety alone that can give you a pure, elevated character and enable you to enter into the presence of God, who dwelleth in light unapproachable. The heavenly character must be acquired on earth, or it can never be acquired at all. Then begin at once. Flatter not yourself that a time will come when you can make an earnest effort easier than now. Every day increases your distance from God. Prepare for eternity with such zeal as you have not yet manifested. Educate your mind to love the Bible, to love the prayer meeting, to love the hour of meditation, and, above all, the hour when the soul communes with God. Become heavenly-minded if you would unite with the heavenly choir in the mansions above.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 267, 268.

9 What is said of thankfulness? Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:15.

note: “Is it not our duty to show the world that we appreciate the love of Christ? As we produce the fruit of thanksgiving, we bear living evidence that by connection with Christ we are placed on vantage ground. God is the fountain of life and power. He can make the wilderness a fruitful field for those who keep his commandments; for it is for the glory of his name to do this. Thus he witnesses to Christianity. He has done for his chosen people that which should inspire every heart with praise and thanksgiving; and it grieves him that so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression of praise from his people, showing that they know they have reason for manifesting joy and gladness.” Review and Herald, November 20, 1900.

10 What interest will the class mentioned in 11 Timothy 3:1-5 have in hearing the word of God? 11 Timothy 4:3, 4. What will those who are called out be doing? Verse 2.

note: “The masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables. . . . The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love.” The Great Controversy, 594, 595.

“God’s workmen should not neglect any opportunity to help others in every possible way. If they seek God unselfishly for counsel, His word, which bringeth salvation, will lead them. They will engage in labor on the right hand and on the left, doing their best to remove from the minds of others every doubt and every difficulty in understanding the truth. The Spirit of God will make their labors effectual.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 497.

11 What should be the message for our time? Revelation 18:4.

note: “No longer have the hosts of evil power to keep the church captive; for [Revelation 14:8; 18:4 quoted]. As the captive exiles heeded the message, ‘Flee out of the midst of Babylon’ (Jeremiah 51:6), and were restored to the Land of Promise, so those who fear God today are heeding the message to withdraw from spiritual Babylon, and soon they are to stand as trophies of divine grace in the earth made new, the heavenly Canaan.” Prophets and Kings, 715.

12 What should be the character of those who give the message? Revelation 14:12; 11 Peter 3:14.

note: “What are you doing, brethren, in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth—these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 216.

Bible Study Guides – Evangelization of the World

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September 2, 2007 – September 8, 2007

Key Text

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 818-828.

Introduction

“Christ said to his disciples, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ [Mark 16:15, 16.]

“The field is the world, and we know what this saying comprehends better than did the apostles who received from the lips of Christ the commission to preach the gospel to all the world. The whole world is a vast missionary field, and yet we who have long been established in the truth, should be encouraged with the thought that fields which were once difficult of access, are now easily entered. Every church in our land should seek for the revival of the missionary spirit. They should seek for steady growth in zeal and activity. All should pray that the indifference which has caused both men and means to be withheld from the work, may be banished, and that Christ may abide in the soul. For our sake he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” The Home Missionary, April 1, 1895.

1 What did Jesus say must go to the world before the end of time? Matthew 24:14. For what purpose is the gospel proclaimed to the world?

note: “A revival in Bible study is needed throughout the world. Attention is to be called, not to the assertions of men, but to the Word of God. As this is done, a mighty work will be wrought. When God declared that His Word should not return unto Him void, He meant all that He said. The gospel is to be preached to all nations. The Bible is to be opened to the people. A knowledge of God is the highest education, and it will cover the earth with its wonderful truth as the waters cover the sea.” Evangelism, 456.

2 What did Jesus say of the condition of the world in the last days that will show that it will be impossible for it to be converted? Luke 17:26-30.

note: “We have the history of the antediluvians, and of the cities of the plain, whose course of conduct degenerated from lightness and frivolity to debasing sins that called down the wrath of God in a most dreadful destruction, in order to rid the earth of the curse of their contaminating influence. Inclination and passion bore sway over reason. Self was their god, and the knowledge of the Most High was nearly obliterated through the selfish indulgence of corrupt passions. . . .

“They [the inhabitants of the Noachian world] worshipped selfish indulgence, eating, drinking, merry-making, and resorted to acts of violence and crime if their desires and passions were interfered with.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1090.

3 When the Lord comes, what two classes will He find in the earth? Isaiah 25:9; Revelation 6:15, 16. Could this be so if all the world were converted before He comes? Could they be converted before He comes? Revelation 22:11, 12.

note: “When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. Christ in the Revelation, looking forward to that time, declares: ‘He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.’ Revelation 22:11, 12.” The Great Controversy, 490, 491.

“The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. . . . Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” Ibid., 491.

4 What is the gospel commission? Mark 16:15. For what does God hold His servants responsible?

note: “We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and to inspire hope in the hopeless.

“The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart that hardens under reproof will melt under the love of Christ.

“The missionary can not only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin. Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, and those possessed of evil spirits shall hear His voice. Through His human agencies He desires to be a comforter such as the world knows not.” The Ministry of Healing, 106.

5 Who only will be saved? Mark 16:16.

note: “Those who are one with Christ will love souls for whom he died. Jesus has identified his interest with that of suffering humanity, and he has made manifest at what value he estimates the soul, in that he left the honor and glory of heaven, and for our sake became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich. He clothed his divinity with humanity, and came to the sin-cursed world to endure insult, reproach, mockery, rejection, and crucifixion, in order to bring to lost humanity the gift of salvation. The rich, the poor, the high, the low, were all included in the ample provision made on Calvary; for he died that all who believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In his last instruction to his disciples, he opened to his followers the part they should act in bringing to men the glad tidings of his infinite love. He said, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ [Mark 16:15, 16.] Then what are we, who have been most highly favored of heaven, doing to accomplish the work that has been given into our hands? What are we doing to bring to others the light, that they also may have life eternal? What are we doing to save our fellow-men?” The Medical Missionary, August 1, 1892.

6 Does God compel everyone who hears to believe? Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17; Matthew 22:14.

note: “Christ sharply reproved the men of His time because they had not learned from nature the spiritual lessons which they might have learned. All things, animate and inanimate, express to man the knowledge of God. The same divine mind that is working upon the things of nature is speaking to the minds and hearts of men, and creating an inexpressible craving for something they have not. The things of the world cannot satisfy their longing. To all these thirsting souls the divine message is addressed: [Revelation 22:17 quoted].

“The Spirit of God is continually impressing the minds of men to seek for those things which alone will give peace and rest the higher, holier joys of heaven. Christ, the Lord of life and glory, gave His life to redeem man from Satan’s power. Our Saviour is constantly at work, through influences seen and unseen, to attract the minds of men from the unsatisfying pleasures of this life to the priceless treasure which may be theirs in the immortal future.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 580.

7 Will the majority of the world believe on Christ? Matthew 7:13, 14.

note: “There is only one path that leads from darkness upward to the light until it touches the throne of God, the path of faith. This path is not dark and uncertain; it is not the way of finite minds, not a path made by human hands, in which toll is exacted from every traveler. Entrance to it cannot be gained by works of penance.

“The way that God has provided is so complete, so perfect, that man cannot, by any works that he can do, add to its perfection. It is broad enough to receive the most hardened sinner, if he truly repents, and yet so narrow that in it sin can find no place. This is the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in.” Gospel Workers, 160.

8 From whence will the redeemed of the Lord come? Revelation 7:9.

note: “All classes, all nations and kindreds and people and tongues will stand before the throne of God and the Lamb with their spotless robes and jeweled crowns. Said the angel, These are they that have come up through great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white, while the lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, the self-indulgent and disobedient, have lost both worlds. They have neither the things of this life nor the immortal life.

“That triumphant throng, with songs of victory and with crowns and harps, have trodden in the fiery furnace of earthly affliction when it was heated and intensely hot. From destitution, from hunger and torture, they come, from deep self-denial and bitter disappointments. Look upon them now as conquerors, no longer poor, no longer in sorrow, in affliction and hatred of all men for Christ’s sake. Behold their heavenly garments, white and shining, richer than any kingly robe. Look by faith upon their jeweled crowns; never did such a diadem deck the brow of any earthly monarch.” In Heavenly Places, 371.

9 What is the gospel of the kingdom? With what must it be connected? 11 Timothy 4:1, 2. See also Matthew 24:14; Mark 1:15.

note: “Summoning Timothy before the bar of God, Paul bids him preach the word, not the sayings and customs of men; to be ready to witness for God whenever opportunity should present itself, before large congregations and private circles, by the way and at the fireside, to friends and to enemies, whether in safety or exposed to hardship and peril, reproach and loss.

“Fearing that Timothy’s mild, yielding disposition might lead him to shun an essential part of his work, Paul exhorted him to be faithful in reproving sin, and even to rebuke with sharpness those who were guilty of gross evils. . . .

“To hate and reprove sin, and at the same time to show pity and tenderness for the sinner, is a difficult achievement. The more earnest our own efforts to attain to holiness of heart and life, the more acute will be our perception of sin, and the more decided our disapproval of it. We must guard against undue severity toward the wrong-doer; but we must also be careful not to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. There is need of showing Christlike patience and love for the erring one, but there is also danger of showing so great toleration for his error that he will look upon himself as undeserving of reproof, and will reject it as uncalled for and unjust.” Gospel Workers, 30, 31.

10 What are the people of God admonished to do when they see the signs that indicate the coming of the Lord near? 11 Peter 3:11, 12.

note: “Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ are becoming conformed to this world and seek more earnestly the applause of those around them than the approbation of God. They are cold and formal, like the nominal churches from which they but a short time since separated. The words addressed to the Laodicean church describe their present condition perfectly. (See Revelation 3:14-20.) . . .

“The time has come when a large portion of those who once rejoiced and shouted aloud for joy in view of the immediate coming of the Lord, are on the ground of the churches and the world who once derided them for believing that Jesus was coming, and circulated all manner of falsehoods to raise prejudice against them and destroy their influence. Now, if any one longs after the living God, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and God gives him to feel His power, and satisfies his longing soul by shedding abroad His love in his heart, and if he glorifies God by praising Him, he is, by these professed believers in the soon coming of the Lord, often considered deluded, and charged with being mesmerized or having some wicked spirit.

“Many of these professed Christians dress, talk, and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known is their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things. [11 Peter 3:11, 12; 1 John 3:3 quoted.] But it is evident that many who bear the name of Adventist study more to decorate their bodies and to appear well in the eyes of the world than they do to learn from the Word of God how they may be approved of Him.” Early Writings, 107, 108.

Bible Study Guides – The Past and The Present

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August 26, 2007 – September 1, 2007

Key Text

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

Study Help: Conflict and Courage, 41; Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 74-76.

Introduction

“These words of Christ should sink into the hearts of all who believe present truth: ‘And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.’ [Luke 21:34.] Our danger is presented before us by Christ Himself. He knew the perils we should meet in these last days, and would have us prepare for them. ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.’ [Luke 17:26.] They were eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the Flood came and swept them all away. The day of God will find men absorbed in like manner in the business and pleasures of the world, in feasting and gluttony, and in indulging perverted appetite in the defiling use of liquor and the narcotic tobacco. This is already the condition of our world, and these indulgences are found even among God’s professed people, some of whom are following the customs and partaking of the sins of the world.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 309.

1 To what time of the past are the days immediately preceding the Second Coming of the Lord compared? Luke 17:26, 28.

note: “The inhabitants of the Noachian world were destroyed because they were corrupted through the indulgence of perverted appetite. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed through the gratification of unnatural appetite, which so benumbed the intellect that they could not discern the difference between the sacred claims of God and the clamor of appetite. The latter enslaved them, and they became so ferocious and bold in their detestable abominations that God would not tolerate them upon the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 162.

2 What is said of the time of Noah? Luke 17:27.

note: “To the long-lived, antediluvian race, only a step from paradise, God gave rich gifts, and they possessed a strength of body and mind of which men now have but a faint idea; but they used His bounties, and the strength and skill He gave them, for selfish purposes, to minister to unlawful appetites, and to gratify pride. They expelled God from their thoughts; they despised His law; trampled His standard of character in the dust. They reveled in sinful pleasure, corrupting their ways before God, and corrupting one another. Violence and crime filled the earth. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected; and the cries of the oppressed entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. By beholding evil, men became changed into its image, until God could bear with their wickedness no longer, and they were swept away by the flood.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 421, 422.

3 What instruction is given in regard to eating and drinking? 1 Corinthians 10:31. What is the real danger in the last days in regard to eating and drinking? Luke 21:34.

note: “Intemperance of any kind is the worst sort of selfishness. Those who truly fear God and keep His commandments look upon these things in the light of reason and religion. How can any man or woman keep the law of God, which requires man to love his neighbor as himself, and indulge intemperate appetite, which benumbs the brain, weakens the intellect, and fills the body with disease? Intemperance inflames the passions and gives loose rein to lust. And reason and conscience are blinded by the lower passions.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 31.

4 To what time did the antediluvians keep up this excessive debauchery? Luke 17:27.

note: “The indulgence of perverted appetite inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to widespread corruption. Violence and sin reached to heaven. This moral pollution was finally swept from the earth by means of the Flood.” Counsels on Health, 23.

5 What warning was being given at the time of Noah? 1 Peter 3:18-20; 11 Peter 2:5. How long was the warning given? Genesis 6:3. What effect did the message have on the great mass of the world? Hebrews 11:7.

note: “Remember how soon after the transgression of Adam the apostasy of his posterity became so marked that God repented that He had made man. They followed the imaginations of their evil hearts, and the strivings of the Spirit were not heeded. They refused to be admonished. They had an abundance of blessings for their own enjoyment, and they soon forgot that they had forfeited immortality.

“God granted them one hundred and twenty years of probation, and during that time preached to them through Methuselah, Noah, and many others of His servants. Had they listened to the testimony of these faithful witnesses, had they repented and returned to their loyalty, God would not have destroyed them.” Review and Herald, April 23, 1901.

“Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah’s day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood.” The Great Controversy, 431.

6 What is said of the condition of the world at that time? Genesis 6:5,6. What brought them to this low state? Do we see any of these excesses at the present time?

note: “God bestowed upon these antediluvians many and rich gifts; but they used His bounties to glorify themselves, and turned them into a curse by fixing their affections upon the gifts instead of the Giver. They employed the gold and silver, the precious stones and the choice wood, in the construction of habitations for themselves, and endeavored to excel one another in beautifying their dwellings with the most skillful workmanship. They sought only to gratify the desires of their own proud hearts, and reveled in scenes of pleasure and wickedness. Not desiring to retain God in their knowledge, they soon came to deny His existence. They adored nature in place of the God of nature. They glorified human genius, worshiped the works of their own hands, and taught their children to bow down to graven images.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 90, 91.

“God has given us laws whereby to live, but now, as in the Noachic age, the imagination of men’s hearts is evil and only evil continually; men walk after the desire and devices of their own hearts, and so accomplish their own ruin. God would have men stand in their God-given manhood, free from the slavery of appetite.” Temperance, 281.

“Our large cities are fast reaching the condition represented by the condition of the world before the flood, when [Genesis 6:5 quoted] God-dishonoring sins are practiced by people living in lordly homes . . . .” Evangelism, 567.

7 What did the Saviour say in regard to the days of Lot? Luke 17:28.

note: “The same sins of gluttony and drunkenness [that brought the wrath of God upon the world in the days of Noah] benumbed the moral sensibilities of the inhabitants of Sodom, so that crimes seemed to be the delight of the men and women of that wicked city.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 60, 61.

8 What were the sins of Sodom? Ezekiel 16:49, 50. How did the people of this wicked city employ their time?

note: “In Sodom there was mirth and revelry, feasting and drunkenness. The vilest and most brutal passions were unrestrained. The people openly defied God and His law and delighted in deeds of violence. Though they had before them the example of the antediluvian world, and knew how the wrath of God had been manifested in their destruction, yet they followed the same course of wickedness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 157.

“Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom, set in a plain which was ‘as the garden of the Lord’ [Genesis 13:10] in its fertility and beauty. Here the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics flourished. Here was the home of the palm tree, the olive, and the vine; and flowers shed their fragrance throughout the year. Rich harvests clothed the fields, and flocks and herds covered the encircling hills. Art and commerce contributed to enrich the proud city of the plain. The treasures of the East adorned her palaces, and the caravans of the desert brought their stores of precious things to supply her marts of trade. With little thought or labor, every want of life could be supplied, and the whole year seemed one round of festivity.

“The profusion reigning everywhere gave birth to luxury and pride. Idleness and riches make the heart hard that has never been oppressed by want or burdened by sorrow. The love of pleasure was fostered by wealth and leisure, and the people gave themselves up to sensual indulgence.” Ibid., 156.

9 What righteous man was living in this city? Genesis 13:12, 13; 19:1. Had the Sodomites been informed in regard to the true faith?

note: “When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice of Lot was heard in Sodom. Yet Lot could have preserved his family from many evils had he not made his home in this wicked, polluted city. All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance away from the city.” Evangelism, 78.

10 What effect did the lives of this people have on Lot? 11 Peter 2:7, 8.

note: “Lot chose Sodom for his home because he saw that there were advantages to be gained there from a worldly point of view. But after he had established himself, and grown rich in earthly treasure, he was convinced that he had made a mistake in not taking into consideration the moral standing of the community in which he was to make his home.

“The dwellers in Sodom were corrupt; vile conversation greeted his ears daily, and his righteous soul was vexed by the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. His children were becoming like these wicked people, for association with them had perverted their morals. Taking all these things into consideration, the worldly riches he had gained seemed small and not worth the price he had paid for them.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 110.

11 Did God find faith on the earth in those days? Hebrews 11:7; 11 Peter 2:8.

note: “More than one hundred years before the Flood the Lord sent an angel to faithful Noah to make known to him that He would no longer have mercy upon the corrupt race. But He would not have them ignorant of His design. He would instruct Noah and make him a faithful preacher to warn the world of its coming destruction, that the inhabitants of the earth might be left without excuse. . . .

“Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out His will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom.” The Story of Redemption, 62, 63.

“Lot, not desiring to flee to the mountains, had pleaded with the Lord to spare a smaller city a few miles from Sodom to which he could flee. What unbelief he manifested! His faith was very weak. But God in his mercy spared Zoar, in answer to Lot’s petitions.” Southern Union Worker, October 16, 1913.

12 Will the Lord find faith when He comes the second time? Luke 18:8.

note: “We must cherish a living, active faith. The permanence of our faith is the condition of our union.

“A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness–sin in all its forms–must be overcome if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is that they try to attach themselves to Christ without first detaching themselves from these cherished idols.

“After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. Through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, we may gain the victory.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 231.

Recipe – Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

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From the kitchen of Teresa Grosboll

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon fructose

1 cup quick oats

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons trans-fat free margarine

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 slightly rounded Tablespoon active dry yeast

1−2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed

1/3 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons gluten flour

1/4 cup fructose and 1 Tablespoon molasses

Unbleached flour to knead

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add oatmeal and margarine; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; cool to lukewarm. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 Tablespoon fructose. Add the oat mixture, sugars, salt, flax meal, gluten flour, whole wheat flour, and enough unbleached flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Shape into 18 balls. Place into greased 9-inch round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire racks.

Food for Life – Importance of Quality Bread

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“It is a sacred duty for those who cook to learn how to prepare healthful food. Many souls are lost as the result of poor cookery. It takes thought and care to make good bread; but there is more religion in a loaf of good bread than many think.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 257.

“It is a religious duty for every Christian girl and woman to learn at once to make good, sweet, light bread from unbolted wheat flour. Mothers should take their daughters into the kitchen with them when very young, and teach them the art of cooking.” Ibid., 316.

“Bread is the real staff of life, and therefore every cook should excel in making it.” Ibid., 315.

“Zwieback, or twice-baked bread, is one of the most easily digested and most palatable of foods.” Ibid., 317.

“The loaves should be small, and so thoroughly baked that, as far as possible, the yeast germs shall be destroyed. When hot, or new, raised bread of any kind is difficult of digestion. It should never appear on the table.” Ibid., 316.

“Bread which is two or three days old is more healthful than new bread. Bread dried in the oven is one of the most wholesome articles of diet.” Ibid., 317.

“For use in breadmaking, the superfine white flour is not the best. Its use is neither healthful nor economical. Fine-flour bread is lacking in nutritive elements to be found in bread made from the whole wheat. It is a frequent cause of constipation and other unhealthful conditions.” Ibid., 320.

“All wheat flour is not best for a continuous diet. A mixture of wheat, oatmeal, and rye would be more nutritious than the wheat with the nutrifying properties separated from it.” Ibid., 321.

Question – What does it mean to “Work Out Your Own Salvation”

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Question:

What does it mean to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”?

Answer:

Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” And Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.

To give us the gift of salvation, Jesus suffered every terrible experience that could come to mankind. We can scarcely imagine the depth of the suffering that He went through to gain for us eternal life. We may read about it and think about it, but we cannot understand the depth of His grief. It is more than we can realize that the sins of the world were laid upon Him, and He felt the extreme horror of being separated from the Father by the terribleness of sin. He then experienced the heartache of knowing that many of those He came to save would be lost. He actually died of a broken heart; it was broken for you and for me. We cannot estimate the cost of salvation.

The gift of salvation is so wonderful that we have little idea of what it really is worth. “All heaven is looking upon you with deep interest. One soul for whom Christ has died is worth more than the whole world.” Our High Calling, 98.

The gift of our salvation came at great cost to heaven, and especially to God the Father. God gave His Son to the human family, and He will belong to the human family forever. It was the greatest gift ever given; it wrung the heart of God Himself.

After you get some idea of what salvation cost God and all heaven, does it occur to you that it might cost you something? From the inspired writings, we read: “ ‘Wherefore, my beloved,’ he [Paul] continued, ‘as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, buperfect, t now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.’ [Philippians 2:12-16.]

“These words were recorded for the help of every striving soul. Paul holds up the standard of perfection and shows how it may be reached. ‘Work out your own salvation,’ he says, ‘for it is God which worketh in you.’

“The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness.” The Acts of the Apostles, 481, 482

Nature Nugget – Eclipses

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The Moon has no light of its own, but reflects light from the Sun. Eclipses occur when the Moon moves into a position of direct alignment with the Sun and Earth. There are two basic types of eclipses: lunar and solar. A lunar eclipse can only occur when the Moon is full and the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth. The Moon passing through some portion of the Earth’s shadow causes the eclipse. The Earth’s shadow is composed of two cone-shaped components, one inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. The inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. There are two main types of lunar eclipses. Partial lunar eclipses occur when a portion of the Moon passes through Earth’s umbral shadow. Total lunar eclipses occur when the entire moon passes through Earth’s umbral shadow. Both these types of lunar eclipses are easily seen with the naked eye.

Solar eclipses occur when the New Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun causing a shadow to fall on the Earth. Like the Earth’s shadow during a lunar eclipse, the Moon’s shadow during a solar eclipse also has umbral and penumbral zones. And like the lunar eclipses, there are partial and total solar eclipses, depending on what part of the Moon’s shadow a particular part of the Earth passes through. During a solar eclipse, the Moon’s umbra shadow on the Earth creates a “path of totality” up to 200 miles wide that traces across the surface of the Earth. Within this zone daytime turns into an eerie darkness. Outside this zone, in the Moon’s penumbral shadow, some portion of the Sun’s bright disk remains visible. Solar eclipses are rare and are usually a once-in-a-lifetime event.

As the Moon reflects the Sun’s light to the Earth which is covered in darkness, so we as Christians are to reflect light from the Son of God to this dark, sinful world. We are not to let Satan get in the way and eclipse the light we receive and reflect from the Son to the world. “Satan’s work is to lead men to ignore God, to so engross and absorb the mind that God will not be in their thoughts. The education they have received has been of a character to confuse the mind and eclipse the true light. Satan does not wish the people to have a knowledge of God; and if he can set in operation games and theatrical performances that will so confuse the senses of the young that human beings will perish in darkness while light shines all about them, he is well pleased.” The Adventist Home, 401. “Satan is ever on the alert to deceive and mislead. He is using every enchantment to allure men into the broad road of disobedience. He is working to confuse the senses with erroneous sentiments, and remove the landmarks by placing his false inscription on the signposts which God has established to point the right way. It is because these evil agencies are striving to eclipse every ray of light from the soul that heavenly beings are appointed to do their work of ministry, to guide, guard, and control those who shall be heirs of salvation. None need despair because of the inherited tendencies to evil, but when the Spirit of God convicts of sin, the wrongdoer must repent and confess and forsake the evil. Faithful sentinels are on guard to direct souls in right paths.” Our High Calling, 92.

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

Restoring the Temple – What is a Good Diet

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Choosing a good diet can be very confusing. Much too often we encounter this person promoting one type of diet, another person another diet, this magazine heralding this weight loss diet plan, that researcher proclaiming his diet is the best, one diet plan calling for only protein and fat, another telling you to only drink shakes. So what should we really eat? With so many contradictions, what is really the best diet? That is exactly what we are going to consider.

There are four basic guidelines or principles of a good, healthy diet. These guidelines outline a nutritious maintenance diet which will promote health for the rest of our lives, as well as form the basis of a therapeutic diet for those who are battling with health problems. These are the guidelines for a good diet:

  1. a diet high in complex carbohydrates,
  2. a diet high in fiber,
  3. a diet low in protein, and
  4. a diet low in fat.

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are very long chains of various sugar molecules. This should not be confused with the sugar used in candies, cakes, pies, cookies, and virtually all other sweet, dessert-type foods. Those sugar molecules are very short and affect the body very differently than the long sugar molecules found in complex carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates are very important for the body because they are used as fuel for the muscles and the brain. If the body does not have sufficient fuel (glucose) from complex carbohydrates, it has to try and get fuel elsewhere, which is not nearly as efficient as getting fuel from where it is supposed to get it—complex carbohydrates.

Thus, we need an abundance of complex carbohydrates to fuel our various daily mental and physical activities. Athletes and other people who are very active need a predominance of complex carbohydrates for fuel for their muscles.

Complex carbohydrates should make up approximately 70 percent of our caloric intake. Complex carbohydrates are found in whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, and in all plant foods in varying amounts. So the next time you feel tired and hungry, look for complex carbohydrates in natural plant foods (not a candy bar, a steak, or coffee) to refuel your body’s energy.

Fiber

Fiber is simply indigestible or partially indigestible plant parts. Thus, the only place you will find fiber is in food from plants. Fiber is very important for optimum health because it sweeps the colon clean. Just as in our homes, if we do not clean them often, we find a lot of dust and dirt and grime in them. If we do not eat sufficient fiber, our colons will become clogged with waste, and worse yet the waste will be absorbed into the body and open the door for various major health problems. Fiber is also very helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Fiber is especially found in unrefined plant foods such as whole grains, legumes (beans), and various vegetables and fruits. Refined plant foods have much of the fiber taken out, as well as many of the vitamins and minerals that are so essential for optimum health, and then you do not get the full benefit of the plant food. Examples of refined foods are white bread, white rice, and many prepackaged food items. When a person is on an unrefined plant diet, he or she will usually get sufficient fiber.

Protein

Protein provides the building blocks for body structure (muscles and tissues) and many body processes (hormones and enzymes). But protein is not a good source of fuel (energy) for the body. Actually, most people eat twice as much protein as they should, and it usually comes in such form as bacon, eggs, cheese, chicken, pork, fish, and milk. The problem is that protein from these sources generally alters the blood chemistry and causes calcium to be leached from the bones and promotes its excretion through the kidneys. This produces a prime environment for osteoporosis and other health problems.

We do not need a whole lot of protein because the body recycles much of what it already has. As cells get old and die, they are broken down, and many of the components are reused, including the protein. All we need is approximately 10 percent of our calories as protein. If you follow the first two basic guidelines and you eat a good variety of foods with sufficient caloric intake, you do not need to worry about getting sufficient protein.

Plant foods are wonderful sources of protein without the problems mentioned above. Plant foods especially high in protein include tofu, soybeans, spinach, beans, lentils, and broccoli.

Fat

Most people already know that too much fat contributes to or causes many health complications. These problems include heart attacks, strokes, deposits in the arteries, obesity, diabetes, and many other health issues. Therefore it is ideal if fat consumption constitutes only about 20 percent of our caloric intake. The easiest way¾and virtually the only way¾to do this is to concentrate on unrefined plant foods.

The best kind of fat is mono-unsaturated fat, which comes primarily from vegetable sources. Olive oil and canola oil are especially high in mono-unsaturated fat. While it is important to have some fat in the diet, fat is not a good primary source of energy. Excess fat hinders proper blood circulation, thus depriving the tissues of needed oxygen and nutrients.

All long-lived, virtually disease-free societies follow the above four principles of a good diet, along with the other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. Let us learn a lesson from them and use more unrefined plant foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts (including legumes).

Diane Herbert is a naturopath and lifestyle consultant. She received training from the NAD Lifestyle Consultant program, Thomas Edison State College, Clayton College of Natural Healing, and Bastyr University. Diane teaches health classes at the Gilead Institute located in Norcross, Georgia, gives health presentations, and contributes to the Institute’s literature and health flyer series. She may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.