Issue: 2020 December

Bible Study Guides – Departing from Sinai

by

January 24 – 30, 2021

Key text

“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 374–386.

Introduction

“The repeated murmurings of the Israelites, and the visitations of God’s wrath because of their transgressions, are recorded in sacred history for the benefit of God’s people who should afterward live upon the earth, but more especially to prove a warning to those who should live near the close of time.” The Story of Redemption, 152.

Sunday

1 TRAVELING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS

1.a. Why did Moses invite Hobab to accompany the people of Israel? Did he accept the invitation? Numbers 10:29–31; Judges 1:16; 4:11.

Note: “Of this tribe [the Kenites] was the brother-in-law of Moses, Hobab, who had accompanied the Israelites in their travels through the wilderness, and by his knowledge of the country had rendered them valuable assistance.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 628.

1.b.      What prayers did Moses offer when the cloud lifted and the ark [of the covenant] set forward and when it rested again? Numbers 10:35, 36.

Note: “God Himself directed the Israelites in all their travels. The place of their encampment was indicated by the descent of the pillar of cloud; and so long as they were to remain in camp, the cloud rested over the tabernacle. When they were to continue their journey it was lifted high above the sacred tent. A solemn invocation marked both the halt and the departure.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 376.

Monday

2 COMPLAINING AGAIN 

2.a. Through what sort of land did the people of Israel travel after they left Sinai? Why? Deuteronomy 8:15, 16; Jeremiah 2:6.

Note: “As they advanced, the way became more difficult. Their route lay through stony ravine and barren waste. All around them was the great wilderness—‘a land of deserts and of pits,’ ‘a land of drought, and of the shadow of death,’ ‘a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt’ (Jeremiah 2:6). The rocky gorges, far and near, were thronged with men, women, and children, with beasts and wagons, and long lines of flocks and herds. Their progress was necessarily slow and toilsome; and the multitudes, after their long encampment, were not prepared to endure the perils and discomforts of the way.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 377.

2.b.      When the people began complaining about the discomforts along the way, what happened? Numbers 11:1–3.

Note: “After three days’ journey open complaints were heard. These originated with the mixed multitude, many of whom were not fully united with Israel, and were continually watching for some cause of censure. The complainers were not pleased with the direction of the march, and they were continually finding fault with the way in which Moses was leading them, though they well knew that he, as well as they, was following the guiding cloud. Dissatisfaction is contagious, and it soon spread in the encampment.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 377.

“They [the people of Israel] had received great light, as they had been witnesses to the majesty, the power, and the mercy of God; and their unbelief and discontent incurred the greater guilt. Furthermore, they had covenanted to accept Jehovah as their king and to obey His authority. Their murmuring was now rebellion, and as such it must receive prompt and signal punishment, if Israel was to be preserved from anarchy and ruin. ‘The fire of Jehovah burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp’ (Numbers 11:1). The most guilty of the complainers were slain by lightning from the cloud.” Ibid., 379.

Tuesday

3 LUSTING FOR FLESH

3.a. What did the Israelites complain about next, and with whom did the murmuring begin? Numbers 11:4–6; Psalm 78:18–20.

Note: “The Israelites, during their bondage in Egypt, had been compelled to subsist on the plainest and simplest food; but the keen appetite induced by privation and hard labor had made it palatable. Many of the Egyptians, however, who were now among them, had been accustomed to a luxurious diet; and these were the first to complain. At the giving of the manna, just before Israel reached Sinai, the Lord had granted them flesh in answer to their clamors; but it was furnished them for only one day.

“God might as easily have provided them with flesh as with manna, but a restriction was placed upon them for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their wants than the feverish diet to which many had become accustomed in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be brought into a more healthy state, that they might enjoy the food originally provided for man—the fruits of the earth, which God gave to Adam and Eve in Eden. It was for this reason that the Israelites had been deprived, in a great measure, of animal food.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 377, 378.

“The state of the mind has largely to do with the health of the body, and especially with the health of the digestive organs. As a general thing, the Lord did not provide His people with flesh meat in the desert, because He knew that the use of this diet would create disease and insubordination. In order to modify the disposition, and bring the higher powers of the mind into active exercise, He removed from them the flesh of dead animals. He gave them angels’ food, manna from heaven.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1112, 1113.

3.b.      How was their demand for flesh food granted, and what were the results? Numbers 11:31–34; Psalm 78:26–32.

Note: “God gave the people that which was not for their highest good, because they persisted in desiring it; they would not be satisfied with those things that would prove a benefit to them. Their rebellious desires were gratified, but they were left to suffer the result. They feasted without restraint, and their excesses were speedily punished.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 382.

Wednesday

4 A LESSON FOR US 

4.a. As the Israelites were already used to plain, simple food, what prior warning did they ignore? Exodus 23:2, first part. When tempted to murmur and complain about God’s ways, what should we do? Psalm 107:21, 22; Philippians 4:6, 7.

4.b.      What other lesson should we learn from the rebellious behavior of Israel in the wilderness? 1 Corinthians 10:5, 6.

Note “God brought the Israelites from Egypt, that He might establish them in the land of Canaan, a pure, holy, and happy people. In the accomplishment of this object He subjected them to a course of discipline, both for their own good and for the good of their posterity. Had they been willing to deny appetite, in obedience to His wise restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed both physical and mental strength. They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But their unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard which He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings which He was ready to bestow upon them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 378.

4.c. What do we need to do first to ensure that we do not lust after evil things? Romans 13:14.

Note: “We must fight against the sins that war against the soul. You cannot in your own strength do this work, but come to Jesus in faith. He will help you and strengthen you to put away evil tendencies, and will array you in the true beauty of His character. We are exhorted to put on the Lord Jesus. Simple faith and obedience go hand in hand. Your faith without obedience to God’s holy law is of no value, but obedience to God and faith in the Great Sacrifice offered—that His blood was shed for you, and you will accept the righteousness of Christ—will make you an overcomer. Put your trust in Jesus Christ, and He will bring you off more than conqueror.” The Youth’s Instructor, August 18, 1886.

Thursday

5 THE POISON OF ENVY

5.a. What happened at Hazeroth, which revealed the characters of Aaron and Miriam in contrast to that of Moses? Numbers 12:1–9.

Note: “God had chosen Moses, and had put His Spirit upon him; and Miriam and Aaron, by their murmurings, were guilty of disloyalty, not only to their appointed leader, but to God Himself. The seditious whisperers were summoned to the tabernacle, and brought face to face with Moses. … Their claim to the prophetic gift was not denied; God might have spoken to them in visions and dreams. But to Moses, whom the Lord Himself declared ‘faithful in all Mine house’ (Numbers 12:7), a nearer communion had been granted. With him God spake mouth to mouth.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 384, 385. [Emphasis author’s.]

5.b.      How did the Lord show His displeasure, and how was Miriam’s punishment mitigated when Moses pleaded for her? Numbers 12:10–16.

Note: “Envy is one of the most satanic traits that can exist in the human heart, and it is one of the most baleful in its effects. Says the wise man, ‘Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy’ (Proverbs 27:4)? …

“It should not be regarded as a light thing to speak evil of others or to make ourselves judges of their motives or actions. …

“We are to honor those whom God has honored. The judgment visited upon Miriam should be a rebuke to all who yield to jealousy, and murmur against those upon whom God lays the burden of His work.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 385, 386.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1    How did God lead His people in their travels? How does He lead us today?

2    Why was it so sinful for the Israelites to complain about how Moses was leading them?

3    Why does God want us to follow a simple, vegetarian diet today?

4    What blessings come from self-denial in appetite?

5    How are we sometimes envious in a similar way to Miriam?

Copyright 2019, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – Unfaithful Priests

by

January 17 – 23, 2021

Key Text

“And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ezekiel 44:23).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 359–362.

Introduction

“We must abstain from any practice which will blunt the conscience or encourage temptation. We must open no door that will give Satan access to the mind of one human being formed in the image of God.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 360.

Sunday

1 THE CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS

1.a. Describe briefly the ceremony of consecration of Aaron and his sons for the service of the sanctuary. Leviticus 8:1–9, 12, 13, 24, 30, 33.

Note: “All had been done as God commanded, and He accepted the sacrifice, and revealed His glory in a remarkable manner; fire came from the Lord and consumed the offering upon the altar. The people looked upon this wonderful manifestation of divine power with awe and intense interest. They saw in it a token of God’s glory and favor, and they raised a universal shout of praise and adoration and fell on their faces as if in the immediate presence of Jehovah.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 359.

1.b.      What was required of those who were called to service in the presence of the Lord? Exodus 19:22. What disqualifies men for sacred responsibilities?

Note: “If one has not a vital connection with God, his own spirit and sentiments will prevail. These may be well represented as strange fire offered in the place of the sacred.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 371.

Monday

2 NADAB AND ABIHU ARE SLAIN

2.a. What action on the part of Nadab and Abihu showed that they were not qualified for the sacred office that was given them? Leviticus 10:1. How do professed Christians use “strange fire” in our days?

Note: “The converting power of God must come upon men who handle sacred things, yet who are unable, through some cause best known to God, to distinguish between the sacred fire of God’s own kindling and the strange fire which they offer. That strange fire is as dishonoring to God as was that presented by Nadab and Abihu. The sacred fire of God’s love would make men tender and kind and sympathetic toward those in peril. Those who indulge in sharp, overbearing words, are really saying: I am holier than thou. Do you not see my exalted position?” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 356.

“Converted men are needed—men who will love and honor God, fearing to move in their own wisdom, and realizing that their efforts can prove successful only as recognized by Him without whose blessing there is no prosperity. Every moment divine power must be combined with human effort, else strange fire will be offered instead of the sacred. …

“To handle sacred things as we would common matters is an offense to God; for that which God has set apart to do His service in giving light to this world is holy. Those who have any connection with the work of God are not to walk in the vanity of their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of God, or they will be in danger of placing sacred and common things on the same level, and thus separate themselves from God.” The Review and Herald, September 8, 1896.

2.b.      How was their profane behavior punished? Leviticus 10:2.

Note: “At the hour of worship, as the prayers and praise of the people were ascending to God, two of the sons of Aaron took each his censer and burned fragrant incense thereon, to rise as a sweet odor before the Lord. But they transgressed His command by the use of ‘strange fire.’ For burning the incense they took common instead of the sacred fire which God Himself had kindled, and which He had commanded to be used for this purpose. For this sin a fire went out from the Lord and devoured them in the sight of the people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 359.

Tuesday

3  THE RESULTS OF FAULTY TRAINING

3.a. As Moses immediately saw the cause of the trouble, what did he say to Aaron? Leviticus 10:3. What made the sin of Nadab and Abihu all the more grievous in the eyes of God?

Note: “Next to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu had stood highest in Israel. They had been especially honored by the Lord, having been permitted with the seventy elders to behold His glory in the mount. But their transgression was not therefore to be excused or lightly regarded. All this rendered their sin more grievous.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 359.

3.b.      What principles should Aaron have known in the training of his sons? Proverbs 22:6; 29:21. In what area did he fail?

Note: “Nadab and Abihu had not in their youth been trained to habits of self-control. The father’s yielding disposition, his lack of firmness for right, had led him to neglect the discipline of his children. His sons had been permitted to follow inclination. Habits of self-indulgence, long cherished, obtained a hold upon them which even the responsibility of the most sacred office had not power to break. They had not been taught to respect the authority of their father, and they did not realize the necessity of exact obedience to the requirements of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 360.

“Too much importance cannot be placed upon the early training of children. The lessons learned, the habits formed, during the years of infancy and childhood, have more to do with the formation of the character and the direction of the life than have all the instruction and training of after years.” The Ministry of Healing, 380.

3.c. What instruction and warning did Moses give to Aaron and his surviving sons? Why? Leviticus 10:6, 7.

Note: “By no manifestation of grief must he [Aaron] seem to sympathize with sin. The congregation must not be led to murmur against God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 361.

Wednesday

4 A WARNING TO US TODAY 

4.a. What warning did the Lord give against the use of alcoholic beverages? Leviticus 10:8–11. Does this warning extend to us today? Exodus 19:5, 6.

Note: “The use of spirituous liquors has the effect to weaken the body, confuse the mind, and debase the morals. It prevents men from realizing the sacredness of holy things or the binding force of God’s requirements. All who occupied positions of sacred responsibility were to be men of strict temperance, that their minds might be clear to discriminate between right and wrong, that they might possess firmness of principle, and wisdom to administer justice and to show mercy.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 362.

4.b.      What biblical principles show us that the wine provided by Jesus at the marriage feast was unfermented grape juice? Proverbs 20:1; 23:32.

Note: “It has been declared by some that Christ favored the moderate use of fermented wine, in witness whereof they refer to His miracle of changing water into wine. But we protest that Christ never made intoxicating wine; such an act would have been contrary to all the teachings and example of His life.” The Health Reformer, July 1, 1878.

4.c. What will those do who are striving for the mastery in the Christian life? 1 Corinthians 9:25.

Note: “True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything hurtful, and to use judiciously that which is healthful.” Temperance, 138.

“The only safe course is to touch not, taste not, handle not, tea, coffee, wines, tobacco, opium, and alcoholic drinks. …

“Let us never partake of a glass of alcoholic liquor. Let us never touch it.” Ibid., 163.

“The youth and children should understand the effect of alcohol, tobacco, and other like poisons in breaking down the body, beclouding the mind, and sensualizing the soul. It should be made plain that no one who uses these things can long possess the full strength of his physical, mental, or moral faculties.” Education, 202.

Thursday

5 “HOLY AND REVEREND IS HIS NAME”

5.a. Why was the sin of Nadab and Abihu recorded? Romans 15:4. What can we learn from this incident?

Note: “God designed to teach the people that they must approach Him with reverence and awe, and in His own appointed manner. He cannot accept partial obedience. It was not enough that in this solemn season of worship nearly everything was done as He had directed. God has pronounced a curse upon those who depart from His commandments, and put no difference between common and holy things.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 360.

5.b.      What kinds of men does the Lord call to occupy positions of sacred responsibility? Titus 1:5–9.

Note: “A minister of Christ should be pure in conversation and in actions. He should ever bear in mind that he is handling words of inspiration, words of a holy God. He must also bear in mind that the flock is entrusted to his care, and that he is to bear their cases to Jesus, and plead for them as Jesus pleads for us with the Father. I was pointed back to the children of Israel anciently and saw how pure and holy the ministers of the sanctuary had to be, because they were brought by their work into a close connection with God. They that minister must be holy, pure, and without blemish, or God will destroy them. God has not changed.” Early Writings, 103.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1    Why is it that we sometimes bring our own opinions and selfish ideas into the work of God?

2    What is necessary in order to avoid placing sacred and common things on the same level?

3    When is self-control to be learned? Why?

4    Why does God want me to be strictly temperate today?

5    Why is reverence so important? Where does this begin? How?

Copyright 2019, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – The Covenant Restored

by

January 10 – 16, 2021

Key Text

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 319–330.

Introduction

“At God’s command he [Moses] had prepared two tables of stone, and had taken them with him to the summit; and again the Lord ‘wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments’ (Exodus 34:28).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 329.

Sunday

1 MOSES BREAKS THE TABLES OF STONE

1.a. What did Moses bring with him when he came down from the mount, and how did Joshua and Moses each interpret the noise that they heard in the camp? Exodus 32:15, 17, 18.

1.b.      Describe the reaction of Moses to the idolatry in the camp and Aaron’s vain attempt at self-justification. Exodus 32:19–24.

Note: “When Moses, on returning to the camp, confronted the rebels, his severe rebukes and the indignation he displayed in breaking the sacred tables of the law were contrasted by the people with his brother’s pleasant speech and dignified demeanor, and their sympathies were with Aaron. To justify himself, Aaron endeavored to make the people responsible for his weakness in yielding to their demand; but notwithstanding this, they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God seeth not as man sees. Aaron’s yielding spirit and his desire to please had blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning. His course in giving his influence to sin in Israel cost the life of thousands.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 323.

Monday

2 JUDGMENT AGAINST THE OFFENDERS

2.a. How offensive was the attitude of Aaron in the eyes of God? Deuteronomy 9:20.

Note: “If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 323.

2.b.      What appeal did Moses make after he had rebuked his brother, and what was the result? Exodus 32:26–29.

Note: “It was necessary that this sin should be punished, as a testimony to surrounding nations of God’s displeasure against idolatry. By executing justice upon the guilty, Moses, as God’s instrument, must leave on record a solemn and public protest against their crime. As the Israelites should hereafter condemn the idolatry of the neighboring tribes, their enemies would throw back upon them the charge that the people who claimed Jehovah as their God had made a calf and worshiped it in Horeb. Then though compelled to acknowledge the disgraceful truth, Israel could point to the terrible fate of the transgressors, as evidence that their sin had not been sanctioned or excused.

“Love no less than justice demanded that for this sin judgment should be inflicted. God is the guardian as well as the sovereign of His people. He cuts off those who are determined upon rebellion, that they may not lead others to ruin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 325.

2.c. What did Moses communicate to those who were sorry for their sin, and how did he later communicate with God in their behalf? Exodus 32:30–35.

Note: “Moses realized how dreadful would be the fate of the sinner; yet if the people of Israel were to be rejected by the Lord, he desired his name to be blotted out with theirs; he could not endure to see the judgments of God fall upon those who had been so graciously delivered. The intercession of Moses in behalf of Israel illustrates the mediation of Christ for sinful men. But the Lord did not permit Moses to bear, as did Christ, the guilt of the transgressor. ‘Whosoever hath sinned against Me,’ He said, ‘him will I blot out of My book’ (Exodus 32:33).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 326, 327.

Tuesday

3 GOD ACCEPTS THE PENITENT

3.a. How did the people react when they heard that the Lord would not lead them to Canaan because of their sin? Exodus 33:1–6.

3.b.      Where did Moses pitch the tabernacle after this dreadful experience? What token revealed hope for those who sought the Lord? Exodus 33:7–10.

Note: “The tent was pitched without the encampment, but Moses called it ‘the tabernacle of the congregation’ (Exodus 33:7). All who were truly penitent, and desired to return to the Lord, were directed to repair thither to confess their sins and seek His mercy. When they returned to their tents Moses entered the tabernacle. With agonizing interest the people watched for some token that his intercessions in their behalf were accepted. If God should condescend to meet with him, they might hope that they were not to be utterly consumed. When the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, the people wept for joy, and they ‘rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door’ (verse 10).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 327.

3.c. What assurance did Moses obtain from the Lord? Exodus 33:11–17. How can we obtain the same assurance?

Note: “This experience—above all else the promise that the divine Presence would attend him—was to Moses an assurance of success in the work before him; and he counted it of infinitely greater worth than all the learning of Egypt or all his attainments as a statesman or a military leader. No earthly power or skill or learning can supply the place of God’s abiding presence.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 328.

“Go to God and tell Him as did Moses, ‘I cannot lead this people unless Thy presence shall go with me.’ And then ask still more; pray with Moses, ‘Show me Thy glory.’ What is this glory?—the character of God. That is what He proclaimed to Moses. Let the soul, in living faith, fasten upon God. Let the tongue speak His praise. When you associate together, let the mind be reverently turned to the contemplation of eternal realities. Thus you will be helping one another to be spiritually minded. When your will is in harmony with the divine will, you will be in harmony with one another; you will have Christ by your side as a counselor.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 499.

Wednesday

4 A GLIMPSE OF GOD’S CHARACTER 

4.a. What further request did Moses make, and what was the Lord’s answer? Exodus 33:18, 19. How did the Lord proclaim His name to Moses? Exodus 34:5–7.

Note: “It is our privilege to reach higher and still higher for clearer revealings of the character of God. When Moses prayed, ‘I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory,’ the Lord did not rebuke him, but He granted his prayer. God declared to His servant, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee’ (Exodus 33:18, 19).

“It is sin that darkens our minds and dims our perceptions. As sin is purged from our hearts, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, illuminating His word and reflected from the face of nature, more and more fully will declare Him ‘merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth’ (Exodus 34:6).” The Ministry of Healing, 464, 465.

4.b.      After God revealed His glory to Moses, what did Moses pray for, and how did God answer? Exodus 34:8–17, 27.

Note: “Moses was full of confidence in God because he had appropriating faith. He needed help, and he prayed for it, grasped it by faith, and wove into his experience the belief that God cared for him. He believed that God ruled his life in particular. He saw and acknowledged God in every detail of his life and felt that he was under the eye of the All-seeing One, who weighs motives, who tries the heart. He looked to God and trusted in Him for strength to carry him uncorrupted through every form of temptation. … The presence of God was sufficient to carry him through the most trying situations in which a man could be placed.

“Moses did not merely think of God; he saw Him. God was the constant vision before him; he never lost sight of His face. He saw Jesus as his Saviour, and he believed that the Saviour’s merits would be imputed to him. This faith was to Moses no guesswork; it was a reality. This is the kind of faith we need, faith that will endure the test.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 651, 652.

Thursday

5 ENTERING THE COVENANT OF GRACE

5.a. What were the children of Israel now able to appreciate about the blessings offered under the Abrahamic covenant in contrast to their first covenant with God? Psalm 103:8; Hebrews 7:19; Jeremiah 31:33, 34.

Note: “They [the children of Israel] had witnessed the proclamation of the law in awful majesty, and had trembled with terror before the mount; and yet only a few weeks passed before they broke their covenant with God, and bowed down to worship a graven image. They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now by faith and love they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bondage of sin. Now they were prepared to appreciate the blessings of the new covenant.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 372.

5.b.      What did Moses bring down from the mount after forty days, and how did the people feel when they saw him? Exodus 34:28–30, 33.

Note: “The glory reflected in the countenance of Moses illustrates the blessings to be received by God’s commandment-keeping people through the mediation of Christ. It testifies that the closer our communion with God, and the clearer our knowledge of His requirements, the more fully shall we be conformed to the divine image, and the more readily do we become partakers of the divine nature.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 330.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1    Why do we often despise the one who rebukes sin and admire the gentle, yielding ones?

2    Why was the sin of worshiping the golden calf so great?

3    What was of more value to Moses than his skill as a statesman or a military leader? Why?

4    As Jesus cleanses the heart from sin, what will we see shining from His word and reflected in nature?

5    What two things will lead me to become more fully conformed to God’s image? How?

Copyright 2019, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – The Covenant Broken

by

January 3 – 9, 2021

Key Text

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves” (Exodus 32:7).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 315–319.

Introduction

“Feeling their helplessness in the absence of their leader, they returned to their old superstitions. The ‘mixed multitude’ had been the first to indulge murmuring and impatience, and they were the leaders in the apostasy that followed.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 315, 316.

Sunday

1 THE PEOPLE PROMISE OBEDIENCE

1.a. After the proclamation of the law, who were called up into the mountain, and who only was told to come near to the Lord? Exodus 24:1, 2.

1.b.      As the people heard all the words of the Lord as related by Moses, what did they answer with one voice? What did Moses then do? Exodus 24:3, 4.

Note: “The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God’s ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 310.

“[Exodus 24:3 quoted.] This pledge, together with the words of the Lord which it bound them to obey, was written by Moses in a book.” Ibid., 312.

Monday

2 ISRAEL ENTERS INTO A COVENANT WITH GOD

2.a. When Moses took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people, what did they again promise? Exodus 24:7.

Note: “If the Israelites had obeyed God’s requirements, they would have been practical Christians. They would have been happy; for they would have been keeping God’s ways, and not following the inclinations of their own natural hearts. Moses did not leave them to misconstrue the words of the Lord or to misapply His requirements. He wrote all the words of the Lord in a book, that they might be referred to afterward. In the mount he had written them as Christ Himself dictated them.

“Bravely did the Israelites speak the words promising obedience to the Lord, after hearing His covenant read in the audience of the people. They said, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.’ Then the people were set apart and sealed to God. A sacrifice was offered to the Lord. A portion of the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the altar. This signified that the people had consecrated themselves—body, mind, and soul—to God. A portion was sprinkled upon the people. This signified that through the sprinkled blood of Christ, God graciously accepted them as His special treasure. Thus the Israelites entered into a solemn covenant with God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1107.

2.b.      What did the Israelites fail to realize in their decision to enter into a covenant with God? Romans 7:18; John 15:5.

Note: “God … gave them [Israel] His law, with the promise of great blessings on condition of obedience: ‘If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then … ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation’ (Exodus 19:5, 6). The people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts, and that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God’s law; and they readily entered into covenant with God. Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient’ (Exodus 24:7).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371, 372.

2.c. What was used by Moses to ratify the covenant made at Sinai? Exodus 24:8.

Tuesday

3 MOSES IN THE MOUNT 

3.a. For what purpose was Moses again called into the mount? Exodus 24:12; 25:8, 9, 40.

Note: “During his stay in the mount, Moses received directions for the building of a sanctuary in which the divine presence would be specially manifested. ‘Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8), was the command of God. …

“Henceforth the people were to be honored with the abiding presence of their King. ‘I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God,’ ‘and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory’ (Exodus 29:45, 43), was the assurance given to Moses. As the symbol of God’s authority and the embodiment of His will, there was delivered to Moses a copy of the Decalogue engraved by the finger of God Himself upon two tables of stone (Deuteronomy 9:10; Exodus 32:15, 16), to be sacredly enshrined in the sanctuary, which, when made, was to be the visible center of the nation’s worship.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 313, 314.

3.b.      What was seen on Mount Sinai? Exodus 24:15–17.

3.c. How long was Moses upon the mount with God? Exodus 24:18. How did the Lord want to enlighten the world through Israel? How does this apply to us today?

Note: “From a race of slaves the Israelites had been exalted above all peoples to be the peculiar treasure of the King of kings. God had separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He had made them the depositaries of His law, and He purposed, through them, to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of heaven was to shine out to a world enshrouded in darkness, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from their idolatry to serve the living God. If the Israelites would be true to their trust, they would become a power in the world. God would be their defense, and He would exalt them above all other nations. His light and truth would be revealed through them, and they would stand forth under His wise and holy rule as an example of the superiority of His worship over every form of idolatry.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 314.

Wednesday

4 THE GOLDEN CALF

4.a. When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, what did they say as they gathered around Aaron? Exodus 32:1.

Note: “During this period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them. They had none too much time for this work; and had they been thus seeking a clearer understanding of God’s requirements, and humbling their hearts before Him, they would have been shielded from temptation. But they did not do this, and they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless. Especially was this the case with the mixed multitude. … There were some who suggested a return to Egypt, but whether forward to Canaan or backward to Egypt, the masses of the people were determined to wait no longer for Moses.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 315.

4.b.      How did Aaron reveal his weakness? What did the people do? Exodus 32:2–6; Psalm 106:19, 20.

Note: “A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.

“Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 316, 317.

4.c. What warning does this experience contain for us? 1 Corinthians 10:7.

Note: “We repeat the sin of Aaron, pacifying, when the eyesight should be clear to discern evil and state it plainly, even if it places us in an unpleasant position, because our motives may be misapprehended. We must not suffer wrong upon a brother or any soul with whom we are connected. This neglect to stand up firmly for truth was the sin of Aaron. Had he spoken the truth plainly, that golden calf would never have been made.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1109.

Thursday

5 MOSES PLEADS FOR THE PEOPLE

5.a. Relate the discussion between the Lord and Moses regarding the apostasy in the camp. Exodus 32:7–14. 

Note: “As Moses interceded for Israel, his timidity was lost in his deep interest and love for those for whom he had, in the hands of God, been the means of doing so much. The Lord listened to his pleadings, and granted his unselfish prayer. God had proved His servant; He had tested his faithfulness and his love for that erring, ungrateful people, and nobly had Moses endured the trial. His interest in Israel sprang from no selfish motive. The prosperity of God’s chosen people was dearer to him than personal honor.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 319.

5.b.      What does God want us to do when we meet apostasy today? 2 Timothy 4:2, 3.

Note “Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in His sight than those that encourage others to do evil. God would have His servants prove their loyalty by faithfully rebuking transgression, however painful the act may be. Those who are honored with a divine commission are not to be weak, pliant time-servers. They are not to aim at self-exaltation, or to shun disagreeable duties, but to perform God’s work with unswerving fidelity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 323, 324.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How did the additional precepts given to the Israelites relate to the Ten Commandments?

2    How can I be a “practical Christian”? Will this make me unhappy?

3    How can I help to preserve a knowledge of God in this world?

4    Why do we sometimes fail to stand up for what is right? What repercussions can this have?

5    What can I learn from Moses’ attitude toward those who were outright disobedient and others who were inconsistent in their faith?

Copyright 2019, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – A Covenant of Grace

by

Wilderness Wanderings

December 27 – January 2, 2021

Key Text

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people” (Hebrews 8:10).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 363–373.

Introduction

“The ‘new covenant’ was established upon ‘better promises’—the promise of forgiveness of sins and of the grace of God to renew the heart and bring it into harmony with the principles of God’s law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 372.

Sunday

1 AN ETERNAL MYSTERY 

1.a. For how long has God’s covenant of grace existed? Romans 16:25.

Note: “The covenant of grace is not a new truth, for it existed in the mind of God from all eternity. This is why it is called the everlasting covenant.” The Faith I Live By, 77.

1.b.      When was the covenant of grace confirmed to humanity by promise? Genesis 3:15. When was it fully established? John 19:30; Romans 3:25.

Note: “The kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after the fall of man, when a plan was devised for the redemption of the guilty race. It then existed in the purpose and by the promise of God; and through faith, men could become its subjects. Yet it was not actually established until the death of Christ. … When the Saviour yielded up His life, and with His expiring breath cried out, ‘It is finished,’ then the fulfillment of the plan of redemption was assured. The promise of salvation made to the sinful pair in Eden was ratified. The kingdom of grace, which had before existed by the promise of God, was then established.” The Great Controversy, 347, 348.

Monday

2 THE COVENANT BLESSING FOR ALL NATIONS 

2.a. What blessing did God promise to Abraham under the covenant of grace? Genesis 12:1–3. Who is the promised “Seed”? Galatians 3:16.

Note: “Christ was not alone in making His great sacrifice. It was the fulfillment of the covenant made between Him and His Father before the foundation of the world was laid. With clasped hands They had entered into the solemn pledge that Christ would become the surety for the human race if they were overcome by Satan’s sophistry.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 14, 1900.

2.b.      What does God do under this covenant for all who believe in Christ alone for salvation? Galatians 3:8; Romans 5:1.

Note: “The covenant made with Abraham four hundred and thirty years before the law was spoken on Sinai was a covenant confirmed by God in Christ, the very same gospel which is preached to us.” The Signs of the Times, August 24, 1891.

2.c. What promise did God’s covenant with Abraham also include, and what will receiving it do for the believer in Christ? Galatians 3:14; Ezekiel 36:26, 27.

Note: “The same law that was engraved upon the tables of stone is written by the Holy Spirit upon the tables of the heart. Instead of going about to establish our own righteousness we accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will bring forth ‘the fruits of the Spirit.’ Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts. Having the Spirit of Christ, we shall walk even as He walked. Through the prophet He declared of Himself, ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart’ (Psalm 40:8). And when among men He said, ‘The Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him’ (John 8:29).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 372.

Tuesday

3 GRACE FOR OBEDIENCE

3.a. Why did God confirm His everlasting covenant to Abraham by an oath? Genesis 22:16–18; Hebrews 6:13–18.

Note: “This promise [Genesis 22:18] pointed to Christ. So Abraham understood it (see Galatians 3:8, 16), and he trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370.

“On Mount Moriah, God again renewed His covenant, confirming with a solemn oath the blessing to Abraham and to his seed through all coming generations. …

“Abraham was human; his passions and attachments were like ours; but he did not stop to question how the promise could be fulfilled if Isaac should be slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart. He knew that God is just and righteous in all His requirements, and he obeyed the command to the very letter.” Ibid., 153.

3.b.      What shows that obedience to God’s law will always be seen in the life of those under the covenant of grace? Genesis 26:5.

Note: “The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God’s law. The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said, ‘I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect’ (Genesis 17:1). The testimony of God concerning His faithful servant was, ‘Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws’ (Genesis 26:5). And the Lord declared to him, ‘I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee’ (Genesis 17:7).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370. [Emphasis author’s.]

“The apostle Paul clearly presents the relation between faith and the law under the new covenant. He says: ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.’ ‘For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh’—it could not justify man, because in his sinful nature he could not keep the law—‘God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’ (Romans 5:1; 3:31; 8:3, 4).” Ibid., 373. [Emphasis author’s.]

Wednesday

4 THE COVENANT AT SINAI 

4.a. Why was another covenant formed at Sinai and what was its purpose? Deuteronomy 4:35–37.

Note: “In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. In delivering them from Egypt, God sought to reveal to them His power and His mercy, that they might be led to love and trust Him. He brought them down to the Red Sea—where, pursued by the Egyptians, escape seemed impossible—that they might realize their utter helplessness, their need of divine aid; and then He wrought deliverance for them. Thus they were filled with love and gratitude to God and with confidence in His power to help them. He had bound them to Himself as their deliverer from temporal bondage.

“But there was a still greater truth to be impressed upon their minds. Living in the midst of idolatry and corruption, they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour. All this they must be taught.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371.

4.b.      Why is the covenant made with Abraham called a “new” covenant even though it was made before the one at Sinai? Hebrews 9:16–20.

Note: “Though this covenant was made with Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could not be ratified until the death of Christ. It had existed by the promise of God since the first intimation of redemption had been given; it had been accepted by faith; yet when ratified by Christ, it is called a new covenant. The law of God was the basis of this covenant, which was simply an arrangement for bringing men again into harmony with the divine will, placing them where they could obey God’s law.

“Another compact—called in Scripture the ‘old’ covenant—was formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and was then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the ‘second,’ or ‘new,’ covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370, 371.

Thursday

5 DELIVERANCE FROM THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE 

5.a. What did the Israelites fail to understand when they entered into the covenant at Sinai? Exodus 24:7; Romans 10:2, 3; John 15:5.

Note: “The people did not realize … that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God’s law; and they readily entered into covenant with God. Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient’ (Exodus 24:7).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371, 372.

5.b.      How can we be in danger today of making the same mistake the children of Israel made at Sinai? Romans 8:15.

Note: “The spirit of bondage is engendered by seeking to live in accordance with legal religion, through striving to fulfill the claims of the law in our own strength. There is hope for us only as we come under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in Christ Jesus.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 22, 1892.

“All religious service, however attractive and costly, that endeavors to merit the favor of God, all mortification of the flesh, all penance and laborious work to procure the forgiveness of sin and the divine favor—whatever prevents us from making Christ our entire dependence, is abomination in the sight of God. There is no hope for man but to cease his rebellion, his resistance of God’s will, and own himself a sinner ready to perish, and cast himself upon the mercy of God. We can be saved only through Christ.” The Signs of the Times, August 24, 1891.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1    Why is the covenant of grace called an everlasting covenant?

2    How am I blessed today by the covenant made with Abraham?

3    What does God promise to do for me under the covenant of grace?

4    Why is the covenant of grace called a “new” covenant?

5    How can I ensure today that I am under the covenant of grace?

Copyright 2019, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Zucchini Fritters

by

Zucchini

If left to its own accord, the average zucchini would grow as big as a baseball bat. The biggest one recorded was 7 feet 10 inches long!

The zucchini or ayokonetl originated in the Americas, specifically Mesoamerica. Three centuries later, it was in Italy that the modern-day zucchini finally came to be, where it was dubbed zucchino (little squash). The French call it courgette, a name that has been adopted by the English. Britain and Ireland refer to a variety that is slightly larger and plumper as marrow. The colonists of New England adopted the name squash, a word derived from several Native American words which meant “something eaten raw.”

Mexico’s zucchini origins were an integral part of the ancient diet of maize, beans, and squashes. That pre-Columbian food trio is still the mainstay of Mexican cuisine and is known today as the “three sisters.” In Mexico, the zucchini flowers are often preferred over the fruit and are frequently cooked in soups or used for quesadillas.

While pumpkins and winter squash have been popular in the United States since the time of the Pilgrims, the most common squash grown today has only been popular in the US for the last 50 years. It is now grown by more gardeners than any other squash.

Zucchini squash is the favored jewel of all the summer squashes. Its flavor is light and sweet with flesh as delicate as a flower and texture that melts in the mouth. Zucchini’s many varieties offer countless opportunities in preparing a varied menu of colorful summer and fall dishes.

Recipe – Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients

3 cups unpeeled zucchini, yellow or green, grated (use large holes of food grater)

¾ cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. tahini

¼ cup green onions (include green portion), sliced

½ tsp. Himalayan salt

½ tsp. dill seed (not weed)

Process

Whisk together lemon juice and tahini. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients including lemon juice/tahini combination. Allow mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon mixture into skillet, using a spatula to flatten into a fritter shape. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Flip with a spatula, and cook another 2-4 minutes. If fritters are getting too brown, reduce heat to allow centers to cook more fully. Once golden brown and set, remove and serve immediately. Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream. Delish!

Life Sketches – The True Gospel

by

So many people seem to be satisfied with what this world has to offer until something catastrophic happens to them or their loved ones. They cannot endure to know the truth about the controversy between good and evil that is raging behind the scenes, so they usually turn away with disdain and often anger from anyone who dares to speak about it. There has never been a time in history when the situation was different.

From the judgment hall of the Roman Caesar, Paul was returned again to the Mamertine Prison, knowing that he had gained for himself only a brief respite. He knew that his enemies would not rest until they had secured his death, but he knew also that the truth had triumphed for the time. He was content in the very fact that he had proclaimed a crucified and risen Saviour before that vast throng who had listened to his words. That, in itself, was a victory for the gospel.

A work had begun that day which would increase and prosper and which the emperor of Rome, with all of his pomp and power, would seek in vain to destroy or hinder. The apostle’s speech had gained for him many friends and he was visited by some persons of rank. There were some people who accepted the gospel that day as a result of his speech. But there was one friend that the apostle Paul wanted to see more than anybody else during these final days of his life, and that friend was Timothy. To Timothy had been committed the care of the church at Ephesus, and because of this he had not been with Paul when Paul had made his final voyage to Rome.

There was great affection between this youthful laborer and the apostle Paul. Timothy’s conversion had occurred earlier through the labors of the apostle Paul, and the apostle decided that he was going to write a letter to Timothy and ask him to come as soon as possible to Rome.

Paul said to be diligent in coming quickly and not delay. However, in case Timothy did not arrive in time, the apostle decided that he must not delay writing his dying testimony which is recorded in 2 Timothy 4:6–8.

He says, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all those who have loved His appearing.”

In addition to his dying testimony, Paul desired one last time to counsel this young minister and give him the charge that is still repeated today when ministers are ordained in Christian churches. That charge is found in 2 Timothy 4:1–5. It says, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Paul predicted that the time would come when Christians will not endure the truth, sound doctrine, and they would get for themselves teachers who would turn away their ears from the truth and be turned aside to fables. It is the duty of a Christian minister to hate and reprove sin and at the same time to manifest pity and tenderness for the sinner. That is a difficult attainment.

While we must be careful that we do not have undue severity toward a wrong doer, at the same time, we need to understand the exceeding sinfulness of sin. We need to have Christlike patience and love toward the erring, but at the same time there is danger of manifesting so great tolerance for error that eventually the person who is living in sin will consider himself undeserving of reproof and will reject it as an uncalled-for hardness.

We need to be careful that toleration of the sinner does not degenerate into toleration of sin. Godliness leads to brotherly kindness, and those who do not cherish the one will surely lack the other. If a person blunts his moral perceptions so that he becomes sinfully lenient towards those whom God condemns, the time will come when he will commit a greater sin by using severity and harshness toward those whom God commends. Paul says that the time is going to come when Christians will not endure sound doctrine. Here he is not talking about people who are atheists, or agnostics, or openly irreligious; he’s talking about professed Christians who have indulged inclination until they are enslaved by their own ungoverned passions and led away with various kinds of cravings or lusts (see 2 Timothy 3).

In His ten holy precepts, God has given a rule for man’s life, a law in which, Jesus said, not even part of a letter would be changed as long as heaven and earth should last. Jesus said in Luke 16:17, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle [a part of a letter] of the law to fail.” That law is still the Christian believer’s rule of life. That law is still, today, the sinner’s condemnation. That law is that which Isaiah says the Messiah would come to make honorable and magnify, and Jesus did magnify the law. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus showed that the law of God is based on the broad foundation of love to God and love to man. Jesus showed that obedience to the precepts of that law comprises the whole duty of man. In His own life, Jesus gave a perfect example of obedience to the law of God.

Jesus showed that the requirements of the law extend beyond outward acts. The law takes countenance of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:27–30).

God’s law involves not only the actions of the body, but also the thoughts and intents of the heart. Today, we are living in a world where the enemy of all righteousness has taken almost the entire world captive. And he has led those who call themselves Christians to make void the law of God and excuse sin. The popular belief of millions of Christians today is that because we are carnal, we can’t help but sin, so we will sin and confess, sin and confess until Jesus comes.

Paul foresaw that people would turn away from the plain, searching truths of God’s word and that they would have itching ears and heap to themselves teachers that would present to them the fables that they desire, an easier gospel. These teachers would trample under their feet the fourth commandment and end up trampling the whole moral law.

The Creator of the world is insulted by those who claim to be His children while they transgress His law and Satan laughs at the success of his plot against the human race. We are living in a time when there is a growing contempt for God’s holy law. There is an increasing distaste for religion. There is an increase of pride and love of pleasure. Children are disobedient to parents, contrary to the fifth commandment. People are self-indulgent. The thinking people who are watching what is going on in the world are alarmed, asking what can be done to arrest the evils in society.

Paul told Timothy to preach the word whether people will hear or whether they will not, because a transcript of the will of God is contained in the Bible. It reveals the only safe principles of action to reform or to save society. It is an expression of divine wisdom and opens to the reader’s understanding how to solve the great problem of life. Those who listen to it will be directed in the right way.

It is absolute madness and insanity for men to attempt to change or even question that which has come out of the mouth of God. After infinite wisdom has spoken, how could we have any doubtful questions to settle? How can we have any wavering probabilities to adjust if we’re interested in eternal life?  The only thing to do is ask, “What has God said, and how can I obey?” Obedience is the highest dictate of reason as well as of conscience. But there are millions of people today listening to other voices and willing to follow other guides whose messages have been turned unto fables, and they trust them.

Sadly, on that final day, those who have trusted in fables will meet with infinite loss. How is it with you? Is your life being organized and lived according to the word of God, or are you trusting in popular fables? We are living in a time when fatal errors like deadly poison have so tainted the morals of a large part of the human race that they have no certain hope of eternal life. Can you hear the voice of duty?

In his last letter to Timothy in Ephesus, Paul predicted what would happen in the last days of this earth’s history, the time in which we are now living. He said, “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1–5)!

Paul said there would still be religion and people would have a form of godliness, profess to be Christians and go to church in the end times. Looking at them from the outside, people of the world will believe that they are Christians, but Paul said that while they do seem to have a form of godliness, they deny its power.

What is the power of godliness? Paul explains this clearly in his letter to the Romans. He said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’ ” (Romans 1:16, 17).

If a person is living by faith after receiving the gospel, his life will change. “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3, 4). You will know if you are walking according to the flesh or according to the Spirit by the life that you are living. To walk according to the Spirit is to have your life in harmony with the law of God.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal [unconverted] mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (verses 5–7). It is impossible for the unconverted person to obey the law of God.

Never argue with somebody who says they cannot obey the law of God, for they are right. But what happens if a person is converted? Paul says, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (verses 8, 9).

Those who are converted and walk in the Spirit will have the power to obey the law of God. That’s what the new birth is all about and it can happen in your life. (See Romans 8 or Romans 6.)

Paul was concerned that there were people in his day who perverted the gospel. He wrote to the Galatians: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6, 7). And then to the Corinthian church, he wrote, “If he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it” (2 Corinthians 11:4)!

The different gospel is the gospel that allows people to live according to the flesh, and still think that they are going to be saved. He said, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness [licentiousness], idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:17–21).

Those who practice such things, Paul said, will not inherit the kingdom of God. Those who are living like that are not yet converted and have not been born again and do not display the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, but rather the fruit of the flesh.

O, friend, how is it with you? There are millions of Christians today who have a false hope of salvation. They think that they can live in sin, and as long as they just confess their sins in the moment of their death, somehow everything will turn out all right. This was not the teaching of Jesus or His apostles.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

O, friend, have you been washed? Have you been forgiven for your sins and been justified by the Lord Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit? Are you being sanctified and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life so you can be ready to meet the Lord when He comes back to this earth? Don’t accept any other gospel that teaches you that you can live in sin, and yet go to the kingdom of heaven. You must choose to renounce sin in all its forms, repent of it, confess it and forsake it if you want to be in God’s kingdom. Nothing that defiles will be inside the city (Revelation 21:27).

(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 in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Health – Blood Vessel Health and Cruciferous Vegetables

by

You probably still hear echoes of your mother in your head: “Eat your vegetables.” It turns out that your mom knew what she was talking about. Studies continue to prove our mothers right – vegetables offer excellent health benefits. In fact, some of the vegetables we like the least might actually be extremely beneficial in preventing blood vessel disease, lowering the risk of heart events, and boosting liver health.

One new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition discovered that eating more cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli is associated with blood vessel disease that’s less extensive in aging women. Their discovery has some serious implications for the health benefits of getting those cruciferous veggies daily, particularly since blood vessel disease results in risks for other serious health problems.

Cruciferous vegetables linked to blood vessel health and lower risk of stroke and heart attack

Blood vessel disease – a problem that affects the veins and arteries – has the potential to reduce blood flow throughout your body. This may be because of the buildup of calcium or fatty deposits on the interior walls of blood vessels, and that buildup may result in adverse heart events like stroke and heart attack.

In previous studies, researchers discovered that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was linked to a lower risk of having cardiovascular disease events like stroke and heart attack. However, they weren’t sure why. Now, this new study showing how these vegetables are linked to blood vessel health explains those earlier findings.

Researchers looked at a group of 684 older women in Western Australia. Those who consumed a minimum of 45 grams of cruciferous vegetables daily – which equals about ½ cup of raw cabbage or a ¼ cup of steamed broccoli) were 46 percent less likely to deal with extensive calcium buildup in the aorta compared to women eating few to no cruciferous vegetables.

While cruciferous vegetables were the highlight of this study, they’re not the only vegetables we should focus on. According to lead researchers, it’s essential to eat a wide variety of vegetables daily to enjoy better health.

Protect your liver health by eating the right veggies

Beyond improving blood vessel health and lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke, studies also show that eating cruciferous veggies can offer significant liver benefits. A study published in the journal Hepatology earlier this year found that indole – found in veggies like broccoli and cauliflower – may help control nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Previous research had found that eating broccoli sprouts helped improve overall liver function.

No doubt: from improving blood vessel health to lowering the risk of heart attack to offering liver benefits, cruciferous veggies will provide many health benefits. Along with broccoli, additional cruciferous vegetables you can add to your diet include cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, organic kale, and cabbage.

www.naturalhealth365.com/cruciferous-vegetables-blood-vessel-3553.html

Question – What is involved in becoming as a little child?

by

Question: What is involved in becoming as a little child?

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ”
Matthew 18:2, 3 NKJV

Answer: 

“The men who humble themselves even as a little child are the men who will be taught by God. The Lord is not dependent on any man’s talents; for He is the Source of all perfect gifts. The very humblest man, if he loves and fears God, is the possessor of heavenly gifts. The Lord can use such a man, because he does not strive to work himself according to his own standard. He works with fear and trembling lest he will spoil the pattern. His life is an expression of the life of Christ.” The Faith I Live By, 138.

“There must be a revival of the strait testimony. The path to heaven is no smoother now than in the days of our Saviour. All our sins must be put away. Every darling indulgence that hinders our religious life must be cut off. The right eye or the right hand must be sacrificed if it cause us to offend. Are we willing to renounce our own wisdom and to receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child? Are we willing to part with self-righteousness? Are we willing to give up our chosen worldly associates? Are we willing to sacrifice the approbation of men? The prize of eternal life is of infinite value. Will we put forth efforts and make sacrifices proportionate to the worth of the object to be attained?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 222.

“If you will sincerely humble your hearts before Him, empty your souls of self-esteem, and put away the natural defects of your character, and overcome your love of supremacy, and come to God as little children, He will bestow on you His Holy Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 323.

“It was not enough for the disciples of Jesus to be instructed as to the nature of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would bring them into harmony with its principles. Calling a little child to Him, Jesus set him in the midst of them; then tenderly folding the little one in His arms He said, ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ The simplicity, the self-forgetfulness, and the confiding love of a little child are the attributes that Heaven values. These are the characteristics of real greatness.” The Desire of Ages, 437.

Nature – Greyfriars Bobby

by

In 1850 a gardener called John Gray, together with his wife Jess and son John, arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland. Unable to find work as a gardener, he obtained employment in the Edinburgh Police Force as a night watchman.

To keep him company through the long winter nights John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Together John and Bobby became a familiar sight walking through the old cobbled streets of Edinburgh. Through the years, winter and summer, John and his faithful little friend were inseparable.

The years on the streets took its toll on John, and he contracted tuberculosis. Eventually he died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Scottish for churchyard. Bobby, the little pooch, as faithful as can be, followed his master to the grave site and there he remained, refusing to leave his master’s grave, even in the worst wintry conditions. He was as close as he could get, guarding his master’s grave, come rain or shine, or the cold blast of freezing winters. He could have stayed in his family home with all the comforts a loving family would provide, but he chose his best friend’s place of rest. The local residents were touched by Bobby’s devotion and would offer him food. He would follow William Dow, a local joiner and cabinet maker to the same coffee house that he had frequented with his master, where he was given a meal.

The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby from the Kirkyard. In the end he gave up and provided a shelter for Bobby by placing sacking beneath two tablestones at the side of John Gray’s grave.

Bobby’s fame spread throughout Edinburgh. It is reported that almost on a daily basis the crowds would gather at the entrance of the Kirkyard waiting for the one o’clock gun that would signal the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal.

In 1867 a new bylaw was passed that required all dogs to be licensed in the city or they would be destroyed. Sir William Chambers (the Lord Provost of Edinburgh) decided to pay Bobby’s license and presented him with a collar with a brass inscription “Greyfriars Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867 licensed.” This can be seen at the Museum of Edinburgh.

The kind folk of Edinburgh took good care of Bobby, but still he remained loyal to his master. For fourteen years, Bobby kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.

Baroness Angelia Georgina Burdett-Coutts, President of the Ladies Committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), was so deeply moved by his story that she asked the City Council for permission to erect a granite fountain with a statue of Bobby placed on top.

William Brody sculptured the statue from life, and it was unveiled without ceremony in November 1873, opposite Greyfriars Kirkyard. Scotland’s capital city will always remember its most famous and faithful dog.

Dear friends, what a beautiful story of faithfulness. The Bible says that “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). We know who that friend is: He gave up everything for us, including His life. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Are we making efforts daily to get close to Him? Do we pray, witness, study and truly live for Him?

Bobby’s headstone reads “Greyfriars Bobby – died 14th January 1872 – aged 16 years – Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all”.

Yes friends, let us be loyal and devoted to our Master, to the very end.