Issue: 1997 June

John Knox the Reformer

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Many, many years ago, about the year 1505, a man was born in Scotland in whose hands rested the continuation and success of the Reformation. His name was John Knox. The parents of Knox were well off financially enough to give him a liberal education.

He first entered grammar school in Hadington where he learned the principles of the Latin language. From there his father, in 1524, sent him to St. Andrews to the University of Glasgow, the most celebrated seminary in Scotland. The curriculum in this institution of learning consisted of the philosophy of Aristotle, scholastic theology, along with canon and civil law, and the study of Latin.

The studies in scholastic philosophy were not satisfying, so he turned to the study of Divine truth and the labor of the ministry. At the end of his studies he received the Master of Arts degree. He then taught philosophy for a time, and his abilities excelled those of his master in the dialectic art. In 1530, at the age of 25, he was ordained a priest before he had reached the age required by the canons of the church.

Not satisfied with the things he was reading from the excerpts of the ancient authors, he decided he would go to the authors themselves. Jerome and Augustine appealed to him. Jerome led him to read the Scriptures in their original language. In the works of Augustine he discovered sentiments quite opposite to the Papal church. “Augustine and Jerome led Knox to the feet of a Greater. The future Reformer now opens the Sacred Oracles, and he who had once wandered in the dry and thirsty wilderness of scholasticism finds himself at the fountain and well-head of Divine knowledge.” J. A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism, 483. As a result of this study, Knox in 1535, turned from scholastic theology to evangelical religion. He renounced the Roman Catholic church and commenced his career as a Reformer.

The corruptions within the Roman church reached greater heights in Scotland than any where else within the western church. “Superstition and religious imposture, in their grossest forms, gained an easy admission among a rude and ignorant people. By means of these, the clergy attained to an exorbitant degree of opulence and power; which were accompanied, as they always have been, with corruption of their order, and of the whole system of religion.” Thomas M’Crie, The Life of John Knox, 20.

Half of the wealth of Scotland belonged to the clergy, although most of it was in the hands of a few who had control of the larger body, because they had taken advantage of the ignorance and superstition of the masses. “The ignorance of the clergy respecting religion was as gross as the dissoluteness of their morals. Even bishops were not ashamed to confess that they were unacquainted with the canon of their faith, and had never read any part of the sacred Scriptures, except what they met with in their missals.” Ibid., 21.

 

Reforms Begin

 

A light was beginning to shine in Scotland, and, before Knox had embraced the Reform doctrine, a young man by the name of Patrick Hamilton was moved by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Reformed doctrine. He went to Germany and spoke with Martin Luther, then went to the Protestant university in Marburg to study the Scriptures.

After completing his studies, Hamilton had an irresistible desire to return to Scotland where he exposed the corruption of the popish clergy. Because of this work he soon came to the attention of the Roman Catholic authorities. He was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake in 1528.

Knox began his career as an educator at the seminary of St. Andrews in 1547, which lasted only a short time. A call came to him from the Protestant ministers of Scotland to join them as a public speaker. He at first declined, saying that he had not been called to that employment, but shortly accepted. His preaching was so successful that many at St. Andrews, and in the towns surrounding the university, were won to the Protestant cause.

In June of that year, a French fleet appeared and captured the Castle of St. Andrews, and Knox was taken prisoner and confined to the galleys for the next two years. The Reformation in Scotland seemed to came to a standstill with Knox out of the country.

He was released in 1549, and he repaired to England where he preached for a time in Berwick. It was here he met and married Marjory Bowes who bore him three children before her death. From Berwick, Knox went to London and busied himself with preaching against the corruption within the church as well as nurturing the followers of the reform.

Because of the anger he aroused in the leadership of the Roman church, Knox left England in 1554, and sailed to Dieppe in France. He remained there for a time before going to Geneva, Switzerland, meditating, preaching, studying and writing letters of encouragement to those reformers remaining in Scotland.

In 1555, Knox returned to Scotland for a brief visit, but it was long enough to consolidate and advance the Reformation in that land. He left Scotland in 1556 because he felt his continued presence would draw strong persecution upon this young community of believers. He went to Geneva once more to pastor an English church.

In April of 1557, two men from Edinburgh arrived with a letter of invitation to return to Scotland and continue the work of reform. They told him that the followers of the reform doctrine remained steadfast, and their adversaries were rapidly losing credibility among the Scottish people. He accordingly secured a replacement for himself in the church, set his affairs in order, and returned to Dieppe, in preparation for sailing to Scotland.

However, before he sailed, further news arrived of a different nature from the first intelligence he had received, telling him the Roman church had gained new power in Scotland and things were not as good as first related to him. Therefore, Knox spent some time traveling in France and preaching.

In December, he returned to Geneva. During the following year he was engaged, along with several other men, in translating the Bible into English. Their Bible became known as the Geneva Bible.

In January of 1559, Knox left Geneva for the last time. “The nation had now found what it needed, a man able to lead it in the great war in which it was entering.” J. A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism, 490.

 

Battles and Victories

 

Mary, the Queen regent, was a strong supporter of the Roman Catholic church and did all she could to stop the Reformation in Scotland. She used everything within her power to gain her ends, not excluding deceit, flattery, and force. She would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. Knox met with her on several occasions to answer the charges laid against him, but he felt no fear because he knew that he stood on the banner of truth.

On one occasion the queen arrived before the city of Perth with an army of 8000 men, but the reformers were so well prepared that she readily saw that any attempt to take the city was useless. She offered to make a peace settlement with them which they accepted, and the queen entered Perth without any resistance.

Knox preached a sermon describing the corruptions which had been introduced into the church by the papacy, using the story of Christ cleansing the temple. “When he had ended, and sat down, it may be said that Scotland was Reformed.” Ibid., 493.

Following this famous sermon, Knox spent the next year in incessant labor. He spent the days in preaching and the nights in writing. By this means he aroused and kept the country awake. “His voice like a great trumpet rang through the land, firing the lukewarm into zeal, and inspiring the timid into courage.” Ibid., 494.

On August 24, 1560, Parliament abolished the Pope’s jurisdiction, abolished the mass, and rescinded the laws in favor of the Romish church.

“Knox’s idea of the church was, in brief, a divinely originated, a divinely enfranchised, and a divinely governed society. Its members were all those who made profession of the Gospel; its law was the Bible, and its king was Christ.” Ibid., 496.

August of 1561, Mary Stuart, queen of Scotland, arrived and took the reins of government in her hands. She proceeded to consolidate her power and establish the Roman Catholic religion as supreme in the land. In December of 1563, Knox was put on trial, before the council and queen Mary, for treason. He was acquitted by a unanimous vote.

By the year 1567, a new monarch, the infant James, came to the throne of Scotland with the Earl of Murray, a close friend of Knox, as regent. The parliament ratified all the acts that had been passed in 1560, accepting the Protestant faith as the religion of the country, and abolishing the Papal jurisdiction. “From this point Knox could look back over the battles he had waged, and the toils he had borne, and contemplate with thankfulness their issue in the overthrow of the Papal tyranny, and the establishment of a Scriptural faith in Scotland.” Ibid., 511.

The years 1568 and 1569, were the happiest years in the life of the reformer and the most prosperous for his beloved country in that century. All was going well for the church, and she was enlarging her borders. His last years were spent in opposing the introduction into the Presbyterian church of the Tulchan bishops, which were unique to Scotland.

He objected to the institution of this new order of ecclesiastics into the church because he believed it to be a robbery of the patrimony of the church, and because it was an invasion of the Presbyterian equality which had been settled in the Scottish Kirk. His opposition delayed the introduction of this arrangement until the year of his death.

In 1570, Knox, never enjoying a strong constitution, became very feeble. A stroke of apoplexy affected his speech and necessitated his removal to St. Andrews where he had to be lifted up into the pulpit to preach. He continued preaching until he could no longer do so due to weakness. On the 24th of November, 1572, John Knox breathed his last and was laid to rest.

“From the time that he embraced the Reformed doctrines, the desire of propagating them, and of delivering his countrymen from the delusions and corruptions of popery, became his ruling passion, to which he was always ready to sacrifice his ease, his interest, his reputation and his life. An ardent attachment to civil liberty held the next place in his breast, to love of the reformed religion. ” Thomas M’crie, The Life of John Knox, 207.

“His ministerial functions were discharged with the greatest assiduity, fidelity, and fervour. No avocation or infirmity prevented him from appearing in the pulpit. Preaching was an employment in which he delighted, and for which he was qualified by an extensive acquaintance with the Scriptures, and the happy art of applying them, in the most striking manner, to the existing circumstances of the Church, and of his hearers.” Ibid., 208.

“The two master-qualities of Knox were faith and courage. The fundamental quality was his faith; courage was the noble fruit that sprang from it.” The History of Protestantism, 514.

 

The Three Shakings

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Have you ever been in an earthquake? Earthquakes have been important signs of the end. It was an earthquake, in Lisbon, Portugal, that started the signs of the time of the end. Growing up on the Mississippi, I heard about the greatest earthquake which happened there in about 1800. It was so strong, that the Mississippi River flowed backwards for five or ten minutes. We have the record of a steamboat captain who went backwards while the bluffs were crashing into the water. They estimate that it measured eight on the Richter scale. In 1906, there was a big earthquake in San Francisco, which Ellen White saw in vision two days before it happened. Then there was the earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska. More recently there was the earthquake in San Francisco when the Bay Bridge collapsed. Each of us is going to go through a shaking. In fact, I hope that each of you will go through three shakings. First the church shakes. Second, the nations shake. And third, the earth shakes. The shakings become successively better and better for the saints, and worse and worse for those who disregard God’s law.

 

The Shaking in the Church

 

The underlying issue of the shaking of the church is, “Where is your trust?” Is it in man? Or God? Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Thus saith the Lord. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” But cursed be the man who makes flesh his arm.

We can make flesh our arm in a number of ways. We can make an organization an arm of flesh by saying, “This organization or this church will not be shaken out. We will trust in this.” But we cannot put our trust in an organization or man, because all who have their trust in the arm of flesh, will be shaken out. All who are not firmly rooted and grounded to the Rock, Christ Jesus, will be shaken out.

We cannot trust in our own arm. We are doing this when we say, “I can do this by myself.” That is what Peter did. Jesus said, “Peter, before the cock crows, you are going to deny Me three times.” And Peter said, “You have to be mistaken. I would never deny You, Lord. Though all these deny You, I will not.”

Peter trusted in himself and because he trusted in himself, he was shaken. We have to put our trust in the Lord and in God’s Word. If our trust is not here, like Peter, we will deny our Lord.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is.” Jeremiah 17:7. We are blessed if we put our trust in the Lord in order to stand. Cain trusted in his own arm when he brought his very best, but not what God required. He said, “I will trust in my arm. I do not want to go to Abel and ask for a lamb to have a blood sacrifice to point forward to the Messiah.” But Abel, said, “I will bring the best of my flock. I will do what the Lord has said. I will trust, that if I obey, He will deliver me.”

Where is our trust? Is it in our own arm, our parent’s arm, our friend’s arm, our pastor’s arm, or an organization? If we trust in the arm of flesh, we are virtually denying God’s power.

Isaiah commanded, “Cease ye from man.” Isaiah 2:22. The whole issue of the shaking is, “Are we leaning on the arm of flesh or on the Omnipotent arm of God?” If we will obey explicitly like Abel, and trust in God, we will also be accepted.

We can always trust God. When we come to a dark place in our lives, we can trust that He will see us through. Would it be trust if we could see through the darkness to the other side? No, but God has given us evidences to strengthen our faith. Just consider all the stories in the Bible when God sustained His people. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and as long as we do not turn from Him, He will hold us fast.

The shaking is painful, but is it necessary? Why is it necessary? At the bottom of a box of apples there is one rotten one. If left the apples around it will spoil and become rotten. That is the work of the shaking, testing and sifting out of the good from the rotten.

During this shaking, the world exults. They say, “Your numbers are getting smaller. Many people are leaving you.” This is the most difficult shaking for God’s church.

There was a parallel of today’s shaking in Jesus’ time. It lasted throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. We read in John 6 that many of His disciples walked no more with Him because He said, “I am not here for temporal gains, I am here to free you from your sins.”

The company that followed Jesus became smaller until eventually, on the cross, there were only eleven men and a few women remaining. To see how essential this shaking was, consider Judas. The disciples trusted in Judas because he seemed to be eloquent, intelligent, and have more ability than other disciples, but inside he was rotten.

 

The Nations Shake

 

The second shaking shakes the nations of this earth. This shaking is much more exciting, and much better for God’s people. It was necessary that the first shaking, the shaking of the church, take place before the shaking of the nations. If we do not make it through the first shaking, we will not be a part of this shaking when the church shakes the nation.

When the nations shake, it is going to be more powerful than anything yet seen. “After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 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 18:1–4.

Before Christ’s second coming the earth will be lightened with His glory. This will shake the nations. The glory of God will go all the way around the earth. It will be a world wide message.

The day of Pentecost was a foretaste of what it will be like when the earth is lightened with His glory. When that other angel comes down, it will be much more powerful than the day of Pentecost. “Be glad then, ye children of Zion. Rejoice in the Lord your God for He hath given you the former rain moderately and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.” Joel 2:23,24.

I want to be part of that experience. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were added to the church. The gospel went to all the then known world in just a matter of years. But that will be small in comparison to when the nations shake. We are very privileged to be living in this period of earth’s history, and have the opportunity to be part of that work.

Ellen White tells us that the loud cry will be ten times greater than the midnight cry of the 1840s. (See Spaulding Magan, 4.) Just think about that. During the midnight cry, the first angel’s message went to every tribe, kindred, tongue, and nation. Joseph Wolf , missionary to the world, preached the soon coming of Jesus to Jews, Hindus, Turks, and even in Congress, warning them that the hour of His judgment had come. La Cunza, a Jesuit priest in South America, preached the same first angel’s message. In Scandinavia, children between six and eight years of age preached because the ministers were silenced by the church, saying Jesus is soon to come.

William Miller in America, preached the first angel’s message to thousands, and hundreds of thousands who flocked to hear him. But the latter rain, the “other angel” who is going to lighten the earth with his glory, will be ten times more powerful than that. Do you want to be a part of giving that message? God is waiting on us.

How can we be a part of this? First we must pray for it. In every assembly we need to pray for this, because God loves to hear and answer our prayers. It is like a child asking his father for something good. The father wants to give it to the child. So our Heavenly Father wants to give us the latter rain. He wants to fit us so we can be a part of this “other angel.” But He cannot while we are not ready.

“When the Third Angel’s Message shall go forth with a loud voice, the whole earth shall be lightened with His glory, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon His people. The revenue of glory has been accumulating for this closing work of the Third Angel’s Message. The prayers that have been ascending for the fulfillment of the promise, the descent of the Holy Spirit, not one has been lost. Each prayer has been accumulating, ready to overflow and pour forth a healing flood of heavenly influence and accumulated light all over the world.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 180, 181.

The prayers have been accumulating, none has been lost. That should urge us to pray more. The more we pray for it, the more quickly it will come and the more powerful it will be. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. We need to pray for it as we have never prayed before.

That is not all that we need to be a part of the first shaking. We need to become a part of fulfilling God’s promise in Isaiah 13:12, 13: “I will make a man more precious than fine gold. Even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore, I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.”

Jesus by His death upon the cross of Calvary has made provision so that we can be made more precious than the golden wedge of Ophir. To make use of the provision we must give up our sin.

If we have not given up our sins, if we have not laid all on the altar, we are not ready for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Why could God entrust the Holy Spirit without measure to Jesus? Because, He had no sin, and that is the only way He can entrust us with the Holy Spirit without measure.

“Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17. We need liberty from sin in order for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us fully. We cannot just believe it, we have to experience it. God says, “Taste and see.” (Psalms 34:8). We have to know for ourselves that He is good and we have to give up all sin for Him.

God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, after they experienced the cross. They saw the deep spiritual significance of it. They spent ten days in the upper room, praying, searching their hearts and making things right. That experience enabled them to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will be enabled, in the same way, to partake of the latter rain, to be a part of the church that shakes the nations.

Are we spending time at the cross daily? When we look at the cross, we see how horrible sin is, and how much we need to have it taken our of our hearts. We must ask ourselves, is there anything that is separating me from God? Am I clinging to any sin, so that God cannot use me for the fulfillment of His great work? We must humble ourselves before the Lord, and He will show us what we must do.

The third thing we must do in order to receive the latter rain, is to be working earnestly for others. In order for the other angel to unite with the third angel, we must be proclaiming the third angel’s message. “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4–7. (All emphasis supplied).

After the nations are shaken, then Jesus can come. Everyone will have made his decision. In Noah’s day everyone heard that a flood was coming. And every person on the globe had a chance to make his decision to heed Noah and go into the ark or not. So it is today. Jesus will not come the second time until everyone has had a chance to make a decision. That is the work that we have to do. We have a part to play in shaking the nations and hastening Jesus’ soon coming.

We have to be working earnestly for the salvation of our neighbors, our friends, and all we come in contact with. We are to pray, “Lord, what more can I do to be a part of the proclamation of the third angel’s message. I want to be a part of that other angel who lightens the earth with his glory and shakes all nations.”

The gospel has to go to all the world before the end can come. Paul said the gospel was “preached to every creature.” Colossians 1:23. And it must be again. They said about Paul, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” Acts 17:6. We need to be one of those today who turns the world upside down.

How badly do we want Jesus to come? Can other people tell by how we live that we want Him to come? The power that lightens the earth with his glory is never going to come upon someone who is not working earnestly for the salvation of souls now.

To be living during the time when the earth is lightened with his glory, to be living during the time when the Holy Spirit is poured out, and not to know that it is going on would be dreadful. That will be our experience if we are not praying for it, nor removing sin from our lives and if we are not earnestly working for others.

We have seen, that during the first shaking, the church shakes. The second shaking, the nations shake. The third, and best shaking is when the heavens and the earth shake. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Matthew 24:29.

This occurs at the voice of God, just a few days before Jesus comes. This shaking will be wonderful for God’s people, for they know they will soon be delivered. It is the worst shaking for those wicked, because they realize that they are lost.

Immediately after this “shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.” Matthew 24:30. After this shaking, Jesus is will come. Is this not what we are longing for? When Jesus comes, He is will take away all sickness and sorrow and we will live in a perfect world. We have a part to do in bringing this about. We must experience the Latter Rain, when the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure. Then we will be able to give the loud cry. The work will be finished and we can go home where Jesus is.

 

Food for Life — Summer is Here, Spring is Past !

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June is here! “Spring has gone, and summer opens before us. The fragrant blossoms, beautifying the boughs of the apple, peach, and cherry, no longer delight the eye, and their sweet fragrance is not borne to us on the breeze. These useful trees, although they now make no display, are not resting from their labor. They are preparing to adorn their branches with a rich harvest of fruit by and by, to reward our care and patience.

“Our flower gardens are now repaying us for the attention and labor we have bestowed upon them. The flowering shrubs that live through winter, are many of them pleasing the eye by putting out their buds and blossoms. The seeds we have carefully put into the earth are making their appearance, while others are thirsting for the gentle showers to awaken them to life. All the beautiful in nature seems to be upon a strife to see which can vie with the other in contributing to our pleasure and happiness, by their buds and blossoms of every hue.

“The merry birds are doing their part to cheer us with their varied voices. Many of these happy songsters are busy with domestic matters, yet have not become unhappy and gloomy while engaged in bearing their burdens of life, fulfilling the mission God has given them. We are often charmed with the free music from these merry songsters, which does not fail to awaken joy and gladness in our hearts, and instinctively carry our minds up to God with grateful thanks for his beautiful gifts.” The Health Reformer, June 1, 1871.

“The power of the will is not valued as it should be. Let the will be kept awake and rightly directed, and it will impart energy to the whole being and will be a wonderful aid in the maintenance of health. It is a power also in dealing with disease. Exercised in the right direction, it would control the imagination and be a potent means of resisting and overcoming disease of both mind and body. By the exercise of the will power in placing themselves in right relation to life, patients can do much to co-operate with the physician’s efforts for their recovery. There are thousands who can recover health if they will. The Lord does not want them to be sick. He desires them to be well and happy, and they should make up their minds to be well. Often invalids can resist disease simply by refusing to yield to ailments and settle down in a state of inactivity. Rising above their aches and pains, let them engage in useful employment suited to their strength. By such employment and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength.

“For those who would regain or preserve health there is a lesson in the words of Scripture, “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18. Not through the excitement or oblivion produced by unnatural or unhealthful stimulants; not through indulgence of the lower appetites or passions, is to be found true healing or refreshment for the body or the soul. Among the sick are many who are without God and without hope. They suffer from ungratified desires, disordered passions, and the condemnation of their own consciences; they are losing their hold upon this life, and they have no prospect for the life to come . . . Abiding peace, true rest of spirit, has but one Source . . . It is in Christ, and we can receive it only by receiving Him . . . Christ is the wellspring of life.” Ministry of Healing, 246, 247.

Five Grain Crackers

 

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Cup Millet Flour

1 Cup Brown Rice Flour

1 Cup Corn Flour

1 Cup Oat Flour

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 Tbs. Coriander Powder

1/2 Cup Fruit Source Granules

1 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Mix well and add just enough Soy or Cashew milk to make a proper dough consistency. Roll thin between sheets of plastic and cut out with 2” round cookie cutter. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 dozen crackers.

 

The Significance of 666

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The number of the beast power in Revelation 13:1–10 is 666, and it is also the number of a man. (Revelation 13:18.) As explained in the Catholic Bible in the note under Revelation 13:18: “The numeral letters of his name shall make up this number.”

  1. The beast power was to be a superpower over all the nations and tribes and languages of the earth. (Revelation 13:7.)
  2. It was to receive its seat of government or throne from the dragon power, (Revelation 13:2) which represented in its celestial sense the devil, (Revelation 12:9) but in its human or terrestrial form the pagan Roman Empire. (Revelation 12:4.)
  3. It was to be a religious power because all would worship it. (Revelation 13:8.)
  4. It was to persecute God’s saints (Revelation 13:7) and to overcome them.
  5. It was to make great claims against the God of heaven (Revelation 13:5) that is blasphemy. Blasphemy in the Bible was understood to refer to a man claiming to be God (John 10:33) and a man claiming the authority to forgive sins. (Matthew 9:2,3.)
  6. It was to have persecuting power, or authority, to continue for forty-two months or 1260 days or 1260 literal years. In the Douay Bible Father Reaves says: “The prophet’s weeks are, by all interpreters of the Holy Scriptures, understood to include years for days.” Bible History, 345.
  7. This power was to have a number. His number is 666. (Revelation 13:18.)

Is there a power whose official title has a numerical value equal to 666, and who also fulfills all the identifying marks of the beast described in Revelation 13:1–10?

In an early collection of canon law first published in 1148 (the “Decretum of Gratian” we read (latin) “Beatus Petrus in terris Vicarius Filii Dei videtur esse constitutus.” Translated into English this is, “Blessed Peter is seen to have been constituted vicar of the Son of God on the earth.” Gratian is considered the founder of the science of canon law.

In the Corpus of Canon revised and published by order of Gregor XIII it was stated by Pope Gregory XIII to be corrected by “the plenitude of apostolic power,” so that it is “entirely freed from faults,” we find the same statement: “Beatus Petrus in terris vicarius Filii Dei esse videtur constitutus.”

  1. Lucii Ferraris, another Catholic writer states, “Ut secut Beatus Petrus in terris vicarius Filii Dei fuit constituts, ita et Pontifices eius successores in terris principatus potestatem amplius, quam terrenoe imperialis nostroe serenitatis mansuetudo habere videtur.” Translated: “As the blessed Peter was constituted Vicar of the Son of God on earth, so it is seen that the Pontiffs, his successors, hold from us and our empire the power of a supremacy on the earth greater than the clemency of our earthly imperial serenity.”

Philippe Labbe, a Jesuit writer, in his historical work Sacrosancta Concilia and Regiam Editionem Exacta, vol. 1, 1534 (Paris 1671), used “Vicarius Filii Dei” as the official title of the pope.

“What are the letters supposed to be in the Pope’s crown, and what do they signify, if anything?

“The letters inscribed in the Pope’s miter are these: Vicarius Filii Dei, which is the Latin for Vicar of the Son of God. Catholics hold that the Church which is a visible society must have a visible head. Christ, before His ascension into heaven, appointed St. Peter to act as His representative. Upon the death of Peter the man who succeeded to the office of Peter as Bishop of Rome, was recognized as the head of the Church. Hence to the Bishop of Rome, as head of the Church, was given the title of ‘Vicar of Christ.’

“Enemies of the Papacy denounce this title as a malicious assumption. But the Bible informs us that Christ did not only give His Church authority to teach, but also to rule. Laying claim to the authority to rule in Christ’s spiritual kingdom, in Christ’s stead, is not a whit more malicious than laying claim to the authority to teach in Christ’s name. And this every Christian minister does.” Our Sunday Visitor, April 18, 1915, thirteenth question under “Bureau of Information,” on page 3.

In addition to these Catholic sources there are a number of Protestant eye-witnesses to this official title being inscribed on tiaras (crowns) which were worn by the Pope.

Count the number of: Vicarius Filii Dei

I=1; V or U=5; L=50; C=100; D=500

” Vicarius Filii Dei “

V=5 I=1 C=100 A=0 R=0  I=1 U=5 S=0    F=0 I=1 L=50 I=1 I=1    D=500 E=0 I=1

      5 + 1  +  100   +  0  +   0 +  1  +  5 +  0           0 + 1   +  50 + 1  + 1          500 +   0  +  1
        
             = 112                                                                   = 53                                   = 501

              112 + 53 +  501 = 666

Who is Antichrist?

 

The Bible teaches that there are many antichrists 1 John 2:18. Although there are many antichrists, the Bible speaks of “the antichrist.” 1 John 2:18. The Greek word ‘anti” is equivalent to the latin word “vicar.” It means primarily, one who stands in the place of another. The antichrist, then, is a person who stands in the place of Christ. If a person claims to be the vicar of Christ, he is claiming to be the antichrist. Since God says that He will not give His glory to another, (Isaiah 42:8) if a human being claims to stand in the place of Christ he places himself against Christ. This is the common understanding of antichrist. (See Matthew 23:8–12.)

The antichrist, in its celestial form is the devil—he is the ultimate antichrist or false Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 11:13–15) However, the antichrist has a human or terrestrial form also and is identified in several places in the scriptures. (See Daniel 7; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 13.)

The identifying marks given are:

  1. He “will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple [church] of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
  2. It is described three times in this chapter in association with breaking God’s law and teaching men to break God’s law.
  3. This power had it’s roots, or beginnings, in the time of the apostles. (2 Thessalonians 2:7.)
  4. It will continue until the second coming of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:8.)
  5. It will work miracles and deceptive wonders.
  6. It will deceive everybody in the world who did not receive the love of the truth.
  7. It ill arise among the ten nations which divided up the Western Roman Empire. (Daniel 7:8.)
  8. It will persecute the saints. (Daniel 7:25.)
  9. It will arise to political authority after 476 A.D. (Daniel 7:8, 24.)
  10. In the process of arising to power it will destroy three of the original ten nations that divided up the Roman empire.
  11. It will persecute the saints of God for 1260 prophetic days, or 1260 literal years.
  12. It will speak great words against the Most High.
  13. It will intend to changed times and laws.
  14. It will have eyes like the eyes of a man.
  15. This power does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (2 John 7; 1 John 4:1–3. Compare with Galatians 5 and Romans 8 and 1 John 2:15–17 for the technical meaning of the world “flesh” in Scripture.)
  16. Would receive a deadly wound at the end of the 1260 year period.
  17. This deadly wound would be healed
  18. It will be worshipped by all the world in the end of time except those who are saved.
  19. It would have worldwide influence and authority during the 1260 year period and again at the end of time.
  20. It would have a number, and this number would be the number of a man.

The number would be 666.

 

What is the Mark of the Beast?

 

  1. It must be something that is a characteristic of the beast power for which the identifying marks have already been listed. (One of the main identifying characteristics of the beast power or the antichrist power is its intention to change God’s law thereby setting itself up above God. (Daniel 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:4–8.)
  2. If you receive it you will receive the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:9–11.)
  3. The only people who receive the wrath of God are those who obey unrighteousness. (Romans 2:8.)
  4. All unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17.)
  5. Sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4.) Therefore the mark of the beast must involve breaking the law of God.
  6. This breaking of the law of God is deliberate—“shall think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25.
  7. It will be enforced by human law, and all who do not receive it will not be able to buy or sell. (Revelation 13:15–17.)

The Bible uses the symbol of a beast to represent a nation or a kingdom in Bible prophecy. We use this symbolism in our everyday speech. Just think of the bald eagle, the bear, the elephant and the donkey.

The only power that meets all the identifying marks found in Revelation 13:1–10, is the papacy. What part of God’s law has been deliberately changed by the papacy? And what change is spoken of as a mark of her power and authority?

Lucius Ferraris, in his Prompta Bibliotheca, an official Catholic book, declares: “The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God . . . Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff . . . are even over angels, than whom he is greater . . . The pope is as it were God on earth . . . (and) is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws.”

In the 18th General (or Ecumenical) Council of the Catholic Church, the Council of Trent, held from 1545 to 1563, the church officially stated: “It pleased the church of God, that the religious celebration of the Sabbath day should be transferred to ‘the Lord’s day’ [meaning Sunday].” Catechism of the Council of Trent, 4.

The Catholic Church admits that she changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Reverend John A. O’Brien of Notre Dame University, wrote: “Let me address myself to my dear non–Catholic reader: You believe that the Bible alone is a safe guide in religious matters. You also believe that one of the fundamental duties enjoined upon you by your Christian faith is that of Sunday observance. But where does the Bible speak of such an obligation? I have read the Bible from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, and have found no reference to the duty of sanctifying the Sunday. The day mentioned in the Bible is not the Sunday, the first day of the week, but the Saturday, the last day of the week.” The Faith of Millions, 136, 137, published by Our Sunday Visitor, Copyright 1974.

The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, a catechism that received the “apostolic blessing” of Pope Pius X, also speaks of this change in a question–answer form:

“Question: Which is the Sabbath day?

“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day?

“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

“Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”

History shows that the Catholic Church is the one that changed the day. The Catholic Church herself admits to it. In fact, this is what she claims as the proof of her power. God’s authority is based upon His ability to make laws. The pope claims to be equal with God, and claims to be in effect above God, when he claims that he can change God’s law.

The mark of the beast is enforced Sunday observance which will become a worldwide oppressive law just before the end of the world. (See Revelation 13:15–17.)

What is the Seal of God?

The terms “seal” or “sign” or “mark” are synonymous (though not identical) terms. A seal is something that gives a law, reality, force and legality. It shows (1) who gave the law, (2) their jurisdiction or territory governed and (3) their title or office or authority.

God does have a seal, (Revelation 7:1–3) and it will be received by the 144,000 before the end of the world. (Revelation 7.) Although this is a special seal or mark is placed on a special group of people, God has always had a seal or mark that He placed on His children. (See 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13.)

God’s seal or mark has always been the Sabbath. (See Exodus 31:12–17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20.) The Sabbath commandment is the seal of God’s law (Isaiah 8:16). God’s seal shows who gave His law, His jurisdiction or territory governed and His title and authority. (See Exodus 20:8–11.)

The special sign of God’s people in the last days is that they keep the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14) and this could not be said of them if they were not Sabbath-keepers. Because, if you keep the whole law, and yet break one you are not a commandment-keeper. (James 2:8–12.)

The Sabbath commandment above all other commandments, points out a person as a worshipper of (1) the God who created the heavens and the earth in six days (2) that this person is under the authority of this creator as His subject,. (3) that this person will keep all other commandments of God’s law since he cannot keep the Sabbath “holy” unless he is holy (Romans 7:12.) To be holy one must be in harmony with all of God’s law which is holy.

The Sabbath is the seal or mark that a person is a subject of God’s government and not under the authority of any antichrist power.

 

What does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit?

 

  1. When a person receives the Holy Spirit He will overcome sin in his life. (Romans 8:1–14.)
  2. When a person receives the Holy Spirit He will witness for his faith. (Acts 1:8.)
  3. Only those who choose to obey can receive the Holy Spirit. (John 14:15–18; Acts 5:32.)
  4. The Holy Spirit is given only to those who desire and request Him in their life. (Luke 11.)
  5. The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with the bedlam and noise and gibberish which has come into many Christian churches today. (See 1 Corinthians 14:40.) No church can receive any gifts of the Holy Spirit if it is in open and deliberate violation of God’s law.

“The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 36.

“Some of these persons have exercises which they call gifts and say that the Lord has placed them in the church. They have an unmeaning gibberish which they call the unknown tongue, which is unknown not only by man but by the Lord and all heaven. Such gifts are manufactured by men and women, aided by the great deceiver. Fanaticism, false excitement, false talking in tongues, and noisy exercises have been considered gifts which God has placed in the church. Some have been deceived here. The fruits of all this have not been good. ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits.’ Fanaticism and noise have been considered special evidences of faith. Some are not satisfied with a meeting unless they have a powerful and happy time. They work for this and get up an excitement of feeling. But the influence of such meetings is not beneficial. When the happy flight of feeling is gone, they sink lower than before the meeting because their happiness did not come from the right source. The most profitable meetings for spiritual advancement are those which are characterized with solemnity and deep searching of heart; each seeking to know himself, and earnestly, and in deep humility, seeking to learn of Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 412.

 

We Have Nothing to Fear Save We Forget

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The Bible says: “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:11,12.

Why did the Lord go to so much trouble to produce His written Word and why have so many lives been lost in the defense of it? Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy are very clear in their answer. It is because God saw that those who live in the last days would need all the help that He could provide. He tells us, both through prophets of old, and a modern day prophet, that if we study and take warning from the past, we will be protected from the devices and deceptions of Satan in the present. God knows that we are about to go through the greatest ordeal in the history of the world. Do we truly understand what is about to crash upon us?

One of Satan’s greatest fears is that we will learn how he operates. He knows that if we follow the counsel of the Lord, if we learn from the past and the mistakes of others, he will be seriously disadvantaged and finally overcome. This is why his most subtle schemes are perpetrated on those who adhere to the claims of Adventism. There have been, and presently are those who would have us believe that there is no danger from within. But, just as surely as God has supreme regard for the church (God’s true and faithful), Satan has supreme hatred for it. He works the hardest to deceive Adventists.

Cain and Abel were brothers. Not only that, but they both claimed to be spiritual brothers as well. They both made the claim to true Christianity, and looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.

It is in the life of Cain that the infiltration of the enemy is brought to view. Over what did the battle surface? True worship of the Creator. Following in the spiritual sense, Abel was truly converted to Adventism; Cain to professed Adventism.

Abel had received the Holy Spirit. Cain also had a spirit controlling him, but it was certainly not holy. Cain became possessed by the devil. The younger brother was concerned for the elder and sought to expose his danger, and lead him to the path of salvation. The elder brother was offended by this straight testimony, and not only rejected the message, but killed the messenger. This has happened again and again ever since.

In Selected Messages, vol. 1, 122 it says, “We have far more to fear from within than from without.” When God shows a person the truth and they are convicted of it, they then have a responsibility to follow it. That person will be held accountable in the judgment day for his acceptance or rejection of the truth. Many today think they can, like the proverbial ostrich, bury their heads in the sand and still fare well in the judgment. This my friends, is a fatal deception. People like this will make comments such as, “I do not want to hear about the apostasy,” or “I am so tired of hearing about it.” If you feel this way, I strongly encourage you to take very seriously the next few lines. God is not going to adjust His program based on the feelings of human beings. In this context, it does not matter how you or I feel. We must stop fighting against God because we do not care for a portion of His program.

“Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” Desire of Ages, 753.

Please take just a few moments to mediate upon the italicized words above. As Adventists we have the greatest opportunity for our spiritual hopes to be realized, but only if these hopes are based in reality and truth. It is amazing that human beings find it so hard to take God at His Word. Let me illustrate.

“For one hundred and twenty years Noah proclaimed the message of warning to the antediluvian world; but only a few repented. Those who believed when Noah began to build the ark, lost their faith through association with unbelievers who aroused all the old passion for amusement and display. In the days of Noah the overwhelming majority was opposed to the truth, and enamored with a tissue of falsehoods. The land was filled with violence. War, crime, murder, was the order of the day, just so will it be before Christ’s second coming.” Last Day Events, 23.

Could anything describe our world, and the movement we are in any better? Does not this bring the words of Christ, concerning how our world would be just before His return, into sharp focus? Look at this next inspired quotation carefully. “Before the destruction of the old world by a flood, there were talented men, men who possessed skill and knowledge. But they became corrupt in their imagination, because they left God out of their plans and councils. They were wise to do what God had never told them to do, wise to do evil. The Lord saw that this example would be deleterious to those who should afterwards be born, and He took the matter in hand. For one hundred and twenty years He sent them warnings through His servant Noah. They used the probation so graciously granted them in ridiculing Noah. They caricatured him and criticized him. They laughed at him for his peculiar earnestness and intense feeling in regard to the judgments which he declared God would surely fulfill. They talked of science and of the laws controlling nature. They held a CARNIVAL over the words of Noah, calling him a crazy fanatic.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 454.

This very well describes Adventism today. Did you notice the words imagination and carnival? How clearly this portrays the use of NLP and the Celebration style of worship, “imagination and carnival.” Notice, this course of action was taken in direct response to Noah’s end-time messages.

I want to point out another part of the modern-day apostasy agenda, one that is effective and very dangerous, that you need to be aware of and warned against.

Within the community of Christianity, Satan’s plan of destruction from the inside out is moving rapidly forward. In the many Adventist retreats we see being conducted around the world, there is a plan of indoctrination that is destructive to the pillars of our faith. Just recently as I was speaking at a camp meeting in New Zealand, I learned that I was not the only one from America who had come to that part of the world to preach. The North American Division was and is at work spreading their message as well. The push for women’s retreats is on and it is gaining ground.

Just a week or so before I arrived in New Zealand, Hyveth Williams held a women’s retreat there. One of many still being held around the globe. Here are a few things that this North American Division leader said with authority. Please take note that this woman is the speaker, to the people, sent from the North American Division and the General Conference. You have seen her picture, more than once, in the Review and on its cover. Buckle up, for what you are about to read is quite shocking!

“A lot of people say that 666 means all kinds of things, you know, it means the pope, it means Ellen White, it means Ronald Reagan, anyone’s name that’s letters can number 666, but it means none of those things.

“The number six represents man. Human beings were created on the sixth day. So the number six represents human beings. And when human beings usurp the role of God and take the place of God, we present ourselves as the trinity. So we write our names, like the trinity, three times. So that’s all that is. Simple isn’t it? It’s just saying that a human being is taking the role of God, is taking the place of God.

“So, 666 simply means anyone. I can be 666 if I come here, and try to steal your heart from God. Then I’m Antichrist. I’m against Christ. That’s all it is, it’s as simple as that. So anyone, regardless of which denomination or affiliation, that takes the place of God in the lives of human beings is Antichrist, and has written their names, 666. That’s it.

“The word here for mark [of the beast] comes from a Hebrew word which originally meant ‘snake bite.’ The original word for ‘mark’ originally meant ‘snake bite’ and I’m going to show you where it was first used in the Bible in a minute. But listen to this, the serpent, the dragon, the devil, he caused all, the rich, the small and the great, the rich and poor and the free man and the slave to be bitten, to be given that snake bite. The Bible tells us that we’re all born in sin from [when] Adam and Eve fell, all human beings have been born in sin and shaped in iniquity, because we’ve all been given that snake bite, great and small, rich and poor, it doesn’t matter who you are, we have that snake bite. [What you just read is the doctrine of original sin].

“And when we have that snake bite it pours a venom inside of our bodies that makes us hate God. There has never been anyone born, after Adam and Eve, who were lovers of God. We naturally hate God. It is contradiction to our nature to love God. That is why there is this great act of reconciliation. [This word, “reconciliation,” like “celebration” is another buzz word, and very much a part of the false revival within the ranks of the ecumenical movement.]

“And, and it says that all of them had this mark, and, and they had it in their minds, and it influenced what they did. It influenced what they did to the point where those who, who no longer had the mark because of the gift of Jesus Christ have difficulty living with those who do. It influences the way we do our economics. It says that those who, who have the mark, he provided that no one who, who had, and he, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell except those who have the mark. And when we have the bite of the snake, before the transforming work of Jesus Christ, it influences how we buy and sell. We do things correctly. We don’t mind fudging a little bit. We don’t mind stealing a little bit. We don’t mind lying a little bit. But when that venom is stopped, we cease to do these things. [Transcribed exactly from the original].

“And a lot of people have been teaching that the Sabbath is the seal of God and not even our founder Ellen White said so. [Can you believe this?!]

“Now here’s the gospel. He made us who are sinners, to be so reconciled with God that we become the righteousness of God in Christ. That is awesome to me. That is awesome.

“I once read a statement that said ‘When the will of man cooperates fully with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent.’ Can you believe that?! We’re scared of it, you know.

“I remember one time I preached at a camp meeting, and I preached about the Holy Spirit. And this particular lady, and people were getting on fire, and people were singing with power, and people were praising God with power and people were reading the scriptures with power, and this lady came up to me, when we had a break and she said I want you to stop preaching about the Holy Spirit. She said, I don’t want you to say another thing about the Holy Spirit because I don’t know what He’s going to ask me to do, and I’ve been a quiet, conservative lady all my life.

“See, the Spirit was about to break her chains and she was going to go boogeying [dancing] from one end of the stage to the other. And she was scared of it! Freedom scares us!”

Here is what Hyveth says the sealing of God is: “So then, the sealing of God’s people by the Holy Spirit, is the cross of Jesus Christ. When the Holy Spirit seals us, He imprints on our place of decision the cross of Jesus Christ. That’s what the sealing of the Holy Spirit is.”

These blatant falsehoods are a startling revelation of two things. First, the agenda we keep warning people about, and second, the ignorance of professed Adventists at large! There is more, but I think the point has been thoroughly demonstrated. There are a few of us who keep making efforts to convince people that the agenda to destroy Adventism from the inside out is very real, and very dangerous. I have two words of counsel which I think what you should know about most, if not all, Conference retreats. STAY AWAY!!! The last deception inside of the Adventist movement is to make of none effect the testimony of Jesus Christ and we have seen, from sources that both shock us and sear our hearts, the truth of this. We must be convinced, for we are seeing the very last demonstrations of God’s mercy to a rebellious people, and our last few minutes of probation are quickly being spent. Soon, very soon, judgment will fall on Modern-day Israel and that program will proceed just exactly as the Lord has predicted.

We are truly living in the fulfillment of Ezekiel 8 and are suffering the agony of the shaking, even within the ranks of professed historic Adventism. We must realize that we must know the truth for ourselves. God still has a few men who will continue to stand. As truth is now being openly attacked, a few men in leadership positions are standing firm on the wall. We need to be earnestly praying and supporting and encouraging the efforts of these people. God is still in charge and HE WILL WIN!! Do not ever let the enemy plant any doubt in you about this. We need to be like Gideon’s army. Not concerned ourselves with numbers, but with the awesome task ahead of us. We have a glorious opportunity. Do not pass it by. This is our last chance to make good on our professed appreciation of what God has done and is doing for us. We have nothing to fear in the future save we forget how He has lead us in the past.

The good news of Adventism is that although we have come to a time where willful ignorance and political correctness rules, we as individuals need not be robbed of our invitation to be real Adventists. In order to do this we must be willing to have several things, which God wants to give us. Here are a few:

  • An honest and willing heart.
  • A humble, teachable, subjective, spirit to God alone, and to our fellow man as long as it does not conflict with God.
  • We must understand that God means exactly what He says.
  • We must understand that He is the Creator and we are the created.
  • We must understand that our salvation depends on Christ.
  • We must stop blaming others for our unnecessary failures and rebellion.
  • We must be willing to trust God and accept the call to eternal life and true Adventism.

If we do not do the above we are not going to fare well in the very near future. Friends, we cannot afford to be the chaff in the parable any longer. If we think riding on the experience of someone who has a true relationship with the Lord will provide us a mansion in heaven, we are deluding ourselves.

We will continue to expose the overwhelming and ongoing apostasy to keep all informed and invited to take the straight and high road, which leads to heaven and immortality.

Please do not be caught telling God that you are the exception to His plan so you do not need to engage in the battle against apostasy. To do so is to sink willfully deeper into self deception; the kind that kills! “Satan is now seeking to hold God’s people in a state of inactivity, to keep them from acting their part in spreading the truth, that they may at last be weighed in the balance and found wanting.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 260.

This battle has been raging for almost 6,000 years. It started in heaven, and it will not end until the redeemed are on their way to heaven. It is called the Great Controversy. I am alarmed at those, even in the historic camp who are fighting against these obvious plans of the Lord. The shaking time is upon us, and all that can be shaken will be shaken. It should cause us to tremble and prostrate ourselves before the Lord, asking Him in mercy to forgive us and give us the eyesalve we so desperately need. The good news of true Adventism is that He will! He longs to, and is more anxious to give us these life saving gifts than is a good earthly father willing to give good gifts to his children. We have but a very short time left, my dear brothers and sisters. Let those who have an ear choose wisely.

 

 

The Shadow of the Stanton Controversy, part 3

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Editor’s note:

In the first article, a brief history of the Stanton Controversy was given: In the early part of 1893 two brethren, one whose last name was Stanton, after attending the General Conference, published a pamphlet called the Loud Cry. In this tract the Seventh-day Adventist Church was denounced as Babylon (the great Spiritual Babylon of Revelation 18). This tract proclaimed the fall of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as Babylon and called upon the people to come out of her. This tract was widely circulated. Ellen White began writing pointed rebuttals against this pamphlet and the two men publishing and circulating it. Our first article gave some of the Ellen White definitions about who and what the church is as found in these “Stanton manuscripts.” The church was defined in these manuscripts as God’s chosen people who are keeping His commandments, especially the fourth commandment and are receiving the Holy Spirit, and who will give the final warning to the world. The church is that group of people breasting the opposition from the world and uplifting God’s down-trodden law. It has the added qualifying definition as those who are laborers together with God. These definitions of the church quoted from Ellen White in the first article are paramount if the rest of the manuscripts now to be discussed are to be understood.

In the second article we began to show, from the Stanton manuscripts, the “big picture” about what was really going on—the nine objectives of the devil to harass and eventually destroy the second advent movement. First, by an attempt to separate the true and faithful from the movement. The second article showed how this very same objective of the devil is being carried out today around the world.

Now, we turn to the even bigger picture, the overall focal point of attention in the Great Controversy, at the present time. This should also be our focal point in these closing days of earth’s history.

When we understand this bigger picture, we will be able to keep the rest of the picture in focus. We will not lose our bearings because there is some hard text of scripture or some statement in the Spirit of Prophecy that we cannot immediately understand. What is the really big picture? Here it is from the Stanton manuscripts: “In place of working with divine agencies to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord, they have taken their stand with him who is an accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before God day and night.” Review and Herald, August 22, 1893. What are God and heaven doing today? “Oh, that you could see that you are doing nothing while all heaven is engaged in intense activities to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God.” The Signs of the Times, February 8, 1892.

Ellen White asked the following question of those teaching the message with Stanton about the Adventist church being Babylon: “Have they gone to those who are chosen of God to bear a living testimony, and given them evidence that this light would better qualify them to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God?” Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.

To understand the really big picture that emerges from the Stanton manuscripts we must understand what is involved in preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord. This was the biggest concern expressed by Ellen White in the Stanton manuscripts.

One of the reasons why Ellen White always opposed any manner of time-setting was because of what the Lord showed her in regard to the magnitude of the task of preparing a people for the end. See Appendix #10.

Everything done or taught, every project big or small in the second advent movement, every significant development in the work of God in these last days, revolves around this one worldwide supreme objective. This is the big picture—everything else must fit into this picture. If we are going to pull all lines evenly we must see how everything else fits into the really big picture, for example:

  1. The reason why Adventists developed medical institutions and began to teach health reform was to prepare a people for the great day of God. See Appendix #1.
  2. This is the reason for developing an educational system. See Appendix #2.
  3. This is the reason for developing the restaurant work. See Appendix #3.
  4. This is the reason for preaching the Three Angels’ Messages, righteousness by faith. See Appendix #4.
  5. This is the reason for music in our worship services. See Appendix #5.
  6. This is the reason for all the reforms of belief and life that God has given the second advent movement. See Appendix #6.
  7. This is the reason for the importance of the sanctuary message that was given to us. See Appendix #7.
  8. Preparing a people for the day of God is the reason for everything in Adventism. See Appendix #8.

The big picture is that God is preparing a people for translation. He is bringing these people, whom He is preparing for translation, into the second advent movement. They are not being put to sleep by the new theology, but are learning the historic doctrines that our pioneers taught. Not only are they studying how God has taught us in our past history—the historic Adventist message, but they are also learning how God has led us in the past, and how God led us to New Testament organization. They are returning to the old landmarks both in terms of church organization and theology.

 

The Spiritual Temple Being Built

 

“The living church of God is individually a habitation of God through the Spirit, that man may become a well-built temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, that the Lord Jesus Christ may dwell in his innermost being, ennobling and sanctifying his human nature by His divine attributes.” In Heavenly Places, 283.

This is the reason for the shaking we are presently going through—all defective members must either correct their defects of character or the angels will remove them from the spiritual building. If you are in earnest, God will perfect a spiritual experiment on you that will bring you to character perfection. (This is a major subject of the Stanton manuscripts.) See Appendix #9.

“One stone mislaid affects the whole building. This figure represents human character, which is to be wrought upon, point by point. There is not to be a flaw in it, for it is the Lord’s building. Every stone must be perfectly laid, that it may endure the pressure placed upon it.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 340.

“ ‘Ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.’ [1 Corinthians 3:9.] This figure represents human character, which is to be wrought upon, point by point. Each day God works with His building, stroke upon stroke, to perfect the structure, that it may become a holy temple for Him. Man is to co-operate with God. Each worker is to become just what God designs him to be, building his life with pure, noble deeds, that in the end his character may be a symmetrical structure, a fair temple, honored by God and man. There is to be no flaw in the building, for it is the Lord’s. Every stone must be perfectly laid, that it may endure the pressure placed upon it. One stone laid wrong will affect the whole building.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 173.

This is the temple that the Lord, “through His human agents, has been building up.” The devil is “full of anger because he cannot bind the people of God,” God’s “saints,” “the loyal people of God.” They are “the chosen ones whom he [the devil] cannot deceive.” They are not perfect yet. “The church of Christ on earth will be imperfect, but God does not destroy his church because of its imperfection.” They have turned “from disloyalty to God . . . and come back to their allegiance, standing to vindicate the holy law of God . . . a people in which all heaven is interested, and they are the one object on earth dear to the heart of God.” Through these people “will be made manifest the final and full display of the love of God to the world that is to be lightened with its glory. The prayer of Christ that his church may be one as he was one with his Father, will finally be answered. The rich dowry of the Holy Spirit will be given, and through its constant supply to the people of God, they will become witnesses in the world of the power of God unto salvation.” Some of the most wonderful promises in the Spirit of Prophecy are made to this group of people: “Jesus sees his true church on the earth, whose greatest ambition is to co-operate with Him in the grand work of saving souls. He hears their prayers, presented in contrition and power, and Omnipotence cannot resist their plea for the salvation of any tried, tempted member of Christ’s body.” (Quotations from the Stanton manuscripts: Review and Herald, July 22, 1893; August 29, 1893; September 5, 1893; October 17, 1893.)

This group of people will not apostatize when the National Sunday Law comes: “Will God’s commandment-keeping people be carried away with the prevailing iniquity? Will they be tempted, because universal scorn is placed upon the law of God, to think less of that law which is the foundation of his government both in heaven and in earth?—No. To his church his law becomes more precious, holy, honorable, as men cast upon it scorn and contempt.” Review and Herald, October 17, 1893.

This group of people receive the reproof, rebuke and chastening of God: “He reproves, he rebukes, he chastens; but it is only that he may restore and approve at last.” Review and Herald, October 17, 1893.

 

Hindering God’s Work

 

Those who try to cut off these true and faithful commandment-keepers from the second advent movement are doing a similar work to Stanton who received some of the most severe rebukes given in the Spirit of Prophecy. To attempt to cut off a true commandment-keeper from the second advent movement, is according to the Stanton manuscripts, “error,” “greatly deceived,” “is not bearing the message of truth. Receive him not, nor bid him God-speed; for God has not spoken by him,” “they will deceive the people.” “The Lord forbids us to proceed in any violent way against those whom we think erring, and we are not to deal out excommunications and denunciations to those who are faulty.”

Would to God that all who profess to be Seventh-day Adventists would heed this counsel from the Stanton manuscripts. It would bring a halt to the suing, the burning of churches, the stoning, the beatings of one professed Adventist by another, or by structure church officials. If it were carefully heeded, it would bring all Adventists to a position of greater humility and heartsearching than we have ever seen. Instead of having a judgmental attitude, if we would heed God’s counsel, it would force us to completely cease from all politicking, from all cover-up of sin or worldly policy.

The following experience, that the Adventist church structure had in 1893, as reported by the Stanton manuscripts, would be seen again. “Testimonies had been given correcting and counseling the church and many had made a practical application of the message to the Laodicean Church, and were confessing their sins and repenting in contrition of soul. They were hearing the voice of Jesus, the heavenly Merchantman, ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ Review and Herald, November 8, 1956. (From Manuscript 21, 1893.)

This is the experience that every Adventist must have before the end, otherwise, the angels will separate us (as tares) from the true and faithful, not necessarily from the structure. We may call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists but that will not make any difference: “Shall Seventh-day Adventists walk in the same path as did the Jewish nation? . . . The true commandment-keeping people of God show to the world a character of unspotted integrity, testifying by their own course of action that the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. Thus the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, through His obedience to the law of God, exalted and made that law honorable. God will surely condemn every member of every church claiming to be a Seventh-day Adventist, who is not doing Him service, but through pride, selfishness, and worldliness, is showing that the truth of heavenly origin has not worked a reformation in his character . . .

“Will the churches heed the Laodicean message? Will they repent, or will they, notwithstanding that the most solemn message of truth—the Third Angel’s Message—is being proclaimed to the world, go on in sin? This is the last message of mercy, the last warning to a fallen world. If the church of God becomes lukewarm, it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment-keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God. Only those that are sanctified through the truth will compose the royal family in the heavenly mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him and keep His commandments.

“ ‘He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him’ [1 John 2:4]. This includes all who claim to have a knowledge of God, and to keep His commandments, but who do not manifest this by good works. They will receive according to their deeds. ‘Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him’ [1 John 3:6]. This is addressed to all church members, including the members of the Seventh-day Adventist churches. ‘Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother’ [1 John 3:7–10].

“All who claim to be Sabbath-keeping Adventists, and yet continue in sin, are liars in God’s sight. Their sinful course is counterworking the work of God. They are leading others into sin. The word comes from God to every member of our churches. [Hebrews 12:13–17 quoted.]

“This is applicable to many who claim to believe the truth. Rather than give up their lustful practices, they venture on in a wrong line of education under Satan’s deceiving sophistry. Sin is not discerned as sinful. Their very consciences are defiled, their hearts are corrupted, even the thoughts are continually corrupt. Satan uses them as decoys to lure souls to unclean practices which defile the whole being.” [Hebrews 10:28–31 quoted]. Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 172–178.

Notice in the above statement, not everybody who claims to be a Seventh-day Adventist is acknowledged as such by God. As always, there is a difference between the professed church and the true church, “God is honored, not so much by the great number, as by the character of those who serve Him. He appreciates moral worth. He draws the dividing line between those who bear His name by profession, and those whose character shows them to be His children.” The Signs of the Times, June 30, 1881.

There are some intelligent and apparently very sincere people who cannot see the big picture that we have been looking at in these Stanton articles. They believe that these Stanton manuscripts are their strongest argument to prove that the structure of Adventism is the church and that it will for sure go through to glory. Of course one might wonder what such people think about the book of Romans, but truth can always afford to be fair and candid and look at every side of an issue. We have already seen in the first article how Ellen White defines who and what the church is in the Stanton articles, but we hope to look directly at these arguments or objections.

Is there any danger that former historic Adventists could overlook the serious warnings in the Stanton articles to the Seventh-day Adventist church, and souls be lost because of it, while they thought they had proved the historic Adventist position wrong (from the Stanton articles) and had salved the conscience of multitudes? Will the following prophecy actually be fulfilled among historic Adventists who decided to go back into fellowship with apostasy? “They mingled with the tares from choice. Like drew to like in transgression. It is a fearful assimilation. Men choose to stand with the first rebel, who tempted Adam and Eve in Eden to disobey God. The tares multiply themselves, for they sow tares, and they have their part with the root of all sin—the devil.” Testimonies to Ministers, 235.

In the past when the protest of the true and faithful could not keep open sin out of the church, then, “They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children’s children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war.

“Well would it be for the church and the world if the principles that actuated those steadfast souls were revived in the hearts of God’s professed people.” The Great Controversy, 45, 46.

 

Appendix:

 

  1. “The gospel minister should preach the health principles for these have been given of God as among the means needed to prepare a people perfect in character. Therefore, health principles have been given to us that as a people we might be prepared in both mind and body to receive the fullness of God’s blessing. The medical missionary work has its place and part in this closing gospel work. Call to Medical Evangelism and Health Education, 43.

It is for this reason that the historic remnant have had to oppose the new teachings that have come in, which disagree with the health message and teaching, that health reform is not related to a person’s salvation. We still believe that it is heresy to teach that after the cross, eating unclean foods and drinking alcoholic drinks is all right. We still believe that any practice is wrong that harms, weakens or injures the body and is expressly prohibited in the Word of God. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.)

  1. Adventist education was “to educate in spiritual things, to prepare a people to stand in the trying crisis before us; but there has been a departure from God’s plan.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 221. “The whole line of study in our schools should be to prepare a people for the future, immortal life.” Ibid., 383. When the educational program at Battle Creek did not fit the overall objective Ellen White could not advise parents to send their children there anymore. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 21.)
  2. “The restaurant work should be made a means in the purpose of God to prepare a people to stand in the day of judgment.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, 402.
  3. The focal point of Adventist preaching is the Three Angels’ Messages because this is the message that will prepare a people for the end. Ellen White states too many times to cite that the Three Angels’ Messages are to prepare a people for the end. A few references are, “These men . . . have been led by the Lord in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. These messages, received and acted upon, are doing their work to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God. If we search the Scriptures to confirm the truth God has given His servants for the world, we shall be found proclaiming the first, second, and third angels’ messages.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 111. “To you, as God’s servants, has been entrusted the Third Angel’s Message, the binding-off message, that is to prepare a people for the coming of our King.” Review and Herald, November 25, 1909. “The message of the third Angel is to prepare a people to stand in these days of peril. It is to be proclaimed with a loud voice and is to accomplish a work which few realize.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 94. “We need to wake up. The third angel’s message is to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord.” Australian Union Recorder, July 28, 1899.

This is the big reason that historic Adventists have had to start home churches. The churches they were going to were not preaching the Three Angel’s Messages anymore (in name perhaps, but not in reality). Their families were not being prepared for the end of all things and to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. James White wrote, “I know you must be rooted, and built up in present truth, or you will not be able to stand ‘in the battle in the day of the Lord’ (Eze. 13:5).” ref??

  1. “The song of praise, the words spoken by Christ’s ministers, are God’s appointed agencies to prepare a people for the church above, for that loftier worship into which there can enter nothing that is impure, unholy.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 8, 1896.
  2. “To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished.” The Great Controversy, 311. “When their education there [at Loma Linda] is completed, they should be able to go forth and join the intelligent workers in the world’s great harvest fields who are carrying forward the work of reform that is to prepare a people to stand in the day of Christ’s coming.” Loma Linda Messages, 581.
  3. “All need to become more intelligent in regard to the work of the atonement, which is going on in the sanctuary above. When this grand truth is seen and understood, those who hold it will work in harmony with Christ to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God, and their efforts will be successful. By study, contemplation, and prayer God’s people will be elevated above common, earthly thoughts and feelings, and will be brought into harmony with Christ and His great work of cleansing the sanctuary above from the sins of the people. Their faith will go with Him into the sanctuary, and the worshipers on earth will be carefully reviewing their lives and comparing their characters with the great standard of righteousness. They will see their own defects; they will also see that they must have the aid of the Spirit of God if they would become qualified for the great and solemn work for this time which is laid upon God’s ambassadors.” Testimonies vol. 5, 575. For this reason the historic remnant, for duty sake and conscience sake, had to raise a protest when the sanctuary message was and is opposed by many. The sanctuary message that God gave to us corroborates the New Testament teaching that we must overcome sin and perfect a character if we are to have eternal life. This is why it is opposed by those who want to preach a different gospel in Adventism.
  4. “I wish to speak about the relation existing between the medical missionary work and the gospel ministry. It has been presented to me that every department of the work is to be united in one great whole. The work of God is to prepare a people to stand before the Son of man at His coming, and this work should be a unit. The work that is to fit a people to stand firm in the last great day must not be a divided work.” Medical Ministry, 237.
  5. “Although there are evils existing in the church, and will be until the end of the world, the church in these last days is to be the light of the world, that is polluted and demoralized by sin. The church, enfeebled and defective, needing to be reproved, warned, and counseled, is the only object upon earth upon which Christ bestows his supreme regard. The world is a workshop in which, through the co-operation of human and divine agencies, Jesus is making experiments by his grace and divine mercy upon human hearts. Angels are amazed as they behold the transformation of character brought about in those who yield themselves to God, and they express their joy in songs of rapturous praise to God and to the Lamb. They see those who are by nature the children of wrath, converted, and becoming laborers together with Christ in drawing souls to God. They see those who were in darkness becoming lights to shine amid the moral night of this crooked and perverse generation. They see them becoming prepared by a Christ-like experience to suffer with their Lord, and afterward to be partakers with Him in His glory in heaven above.” Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.
  6. “I there stated in public that the Lord had been pleased to show me that there would be no definite time in the message given of God since 1844; and that I knew that this message, which four or five were engaged in advocating with great zeal, was heresy. The visions of this poor child were not of God. This light came not from heaven. Time was short; but the end was not yet. A great work was to be accomplished to prepare a people to be sealed with the seal of the living God.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 73. [All emphasis supplied.] This was one of the problems Ellen White warned against in the Stanton manuscripts: “Let all our brethren and sisters beware of any one who would set a time for the Lord to fulfill his word in regard to his coming, or in regard to any other promise he has made of special significance. ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.’ False teachers may appear to be very zealous for the work of God, and may expend means to bring their theories before the world and the church; but as they mingle error with truth, their message is one of deception, and will lead souls into false paths. They are to be met, and opposed, not because they are bad men, but because they are teachers of falsehood, and are endeavoring to put upon falsehood the stamp of truth.” Review and Herald, September 12, 1893.

 

Children’s Story — On the Road Home

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Going home! Going home! Going home! We were bubbling over with joy at the prospect. It had been a long year in what seemed like a different world. We had hardly gotten used to the extreme cold, the snow that piled high on the telephone lines, the dangers of the tundra, and the habitat of the Eskimo and their Husky dogs.

Thousands had prayed for the war to end and now God had answered those prayers. How thankful we were that all of this horrible war would now stop and our lives could get back to normal.

Life here, could be rather monotonous, and we looked for things to do that would brighten the long dark days and make the best of the almost total daylight. What could be better then to get a car and make it ready for the long trip home. How could we do this, though, when the government had turned all of the steel into tanks and airplanes. Then, there it was, almost a perfect answer to our prayers. An officer from the base had turned over his almost new car out on the icy highway. It was for sale even though the side and top were all bashed in and the fabric inside was all hanging loose. The engine seemed all right and the frame was not damaged. The price tag said $700. We didn’t have very much money, but we decided that with a little fixing up it would be as good as new. There were long hours of hearing the “bang, bang, bang,” of the hammer and the groaning from the sore arms as they sanded out the endless dints and bumps. Then, it was painted and Viola, it looked good! Now, there was another problem. The spare tire had been used and because the war had taken all of the rubber, it would probably be impossible to find another tire. We needed it for the long miles of gravel and dirt road ahead. Our expression must have shown an obvious concern for surely there would not be a tire for purchase no matter at what price. Yes, it was impossible! Oh! but there could be a solution. We could pray, for hadn’t the Lord found us a car?

Days went by. Every available possibility was check out but no tire was found. Sabbath came and we took our usual walk across the Chenna River bridge to where there was a small Seventh-day Adventist Church. We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw a new little jeep trailer sitting in the yard across the street. It had a sale sign on it and it appeared to have two new tires. It was a temptation, but NO, we could not think of doing business on the Sabbath, even though our hearts sank at the thought that it could be sold before the Sabbath was over. We prayed that the Lord would keep it for us. We do not know how He accomplished it, but He did! That was the beginning of our long lonely trip down the Alkan Highway from Fairbanks, Alaska to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Now it is apparent that the Lord hears our prayer and he answers them if we love and obey Him. It must be in His own time and in His own way. Sometimes it is just the way we wanted, and sometimes it is even better. Sometimes we have to patiently wait and sometimes we think we are disappointed, but then we can remember that He knows what is best for us. So, He answers not always according to our expectation, but always for our good. His final answer will be when he takes us on the road to His Heavenly Home because we love Him and keep His commandments.

 

Ye Would Not

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The cry of the human heart is for love and acceptance. There is an irrepressible longing to belong, to have a true friend who sympathizes with us. Nothing else can satisfy the heart. Many have tried to fill this longing with popularity, wealth, education or position. But none of these have ever filled the most basic longing of the human heart—the longing to be loved and comforted, to be needed and respected. Billions have turned to the religions of this world to satisfy the great need of their hearts. But to most, this deep longing has never been satisfied. Bewildered and deceived, they move “on in a gloomy procession toward eternal ruin—to death in which there is no hope of life, toward night to which comes no morning.” The Desire of Ages, 36.

Christians have been promised that their need of joy and love, comfort and satisfaction would be met. God Himself has promised to ravish the heart of men with love and satisfy the longings of the heart. But even here, few have realized the reality of God’s promises. In this article we will look at why such wonderful promises are enjoyed by only a few, why only such a small number realize complete fulfillment.

 

Promises

 

“Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. “Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psalm 145:16. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” John 14:27. “These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” John 17:13.

One of the greatest promises in the Bible is found in this verse: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18. No one can find love if he is alone. That is why Jesus promised to “come to you.” The realization of love and being loved takes more than one person. That is why our great longing for love can only be fulfilled by having a companion.

We should be amazed that the One who is the Creator of love came to this loveless world and that coming here was the only way to bring us love and joy! The One who basked in the sunlight of His Father’s presence and received the love and admiration of all the angels came here to be despised. The One who was surrounded with admiring friends came to this cold and friendless world. Why did His come? He came to bring love to the unloved, joy to the sorrowing, health to the sick and peace to the restless and troubled heart. Oh, the wonder of His love! He came to understand what it means to be alone and friendless, so He could bring us friendship. He came to save us from hatred and loneliness and sin. The price of this salvation was infinitely expensive. We will never understand the cost until we see Christ in His glory and then realize that He left all that is lovely to come here and die for us.

 

To His Own

 

When Jesus came, He was treated as though He came to His enemies. No one, who was looking on, would have guessed He had come to His friends. His friends treated Him like an enemy. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” John 1:11. How could it be? Those who were “His own” did not receive Him. Jesus was the central figure in the economy of the Jewish nation. He was the fulfillment of every sacrifice and ceremony of the Jewish sanctuary. But when He appeared, they refused to recognize Him—to surrender their ways to His way.

It was He—the unrecognized One, who made these marvelous promises that will satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. He gave unsurpassed promises like this one: “If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision. Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 173. [All emphasis supplied.]

There it is, spelled out clearly. “Whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend.” That promise meets the need of the human heart. Every person longs for a sympathizing Friend. But the promise is given on this condition: “IF we surrender our lives to His service.”

When we realizes the possibility of unsurpassed love and friendship, of acceptance and understanding, we naturally want it. We are quick to want our hearts to be satisfied. The cry of the soul is: “Just give me this love, I want it.” That is what the woman at the well said, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not.” John 4:15.

Christ is quick to answer the request of such a one. He who put the desire for love in our hearts is waiting to satisfy our needs. “To every soul, however sinful, Jesus says, If thou hadst asked to Me, I would have given thee the living water.” The Desire of Ages, 194.

Right here, at this very point, is where a great struggle starts. Christ gladly claims us as His child and He loves to satisfy our longing heart. He came to this world to save just such ones, but, as the woman at the well, He has some things to show us. He wants to reveal Himself to us, but to receive of the water of life, we must give ourselves to Him—“surrender our lives to His service.” Surrender our sin, surrender our pride of opinion, surrender everything to Him—He (and us) will be satisfied with nothing less. So Jesus asked the woman at the well, about her husband and He hit the sore point. This is the point where many walk away from Christ and consequently, never receive the desired blessing. They want all the blessings of Christ’s presence, but they do not want to surrender their own way. They do not want their sin pointed out. They thereby refuse the gift of life.

Just as Jesus blessed the woman at the well, He longed to bless everyone—but the Jews refused to surrender themselves to Him so He could heal their infirmities. They wanted to receive love and admiration, but they did not want their own unloveliness pointed out, so it could be healed. They wanted to be loved and respected, but they did not love and respect others. “Instead of returning His love with gratitude, they thrust Christ from them.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 11. They rejected His love which is the only thing that would give them true happiness. They resisted Him, the giver of every good and perfect gift. Christ weeps for those who refuse His love. He knows the bitterness of loneliness and He longs to deliver us from it. “The tears of Christ as he wept over Jerusalem were for the sins of all time. The Jewish nation was a symbol of the people of all ages who scorn the pleadings of Infinite love. Those who profess to be the representatives of Christ upon earth, yet whose lives are a continual denial of Him, may read their own condemnation in Christ’s denunciation of the self-righteous Jews.” Ibid., 9.

 

Bold Professions

 

All the while the Jews were rejecting Jesus, they kept up a wonderful form of religion. “The Jewish nation were outwardly religious, priding themselves upon their sacred temple, the pomp of priests and the imposing ceremonies of the morning and evening services, gorgeous synagogues and sacrificial offerings.” Ibid., 19. So today, we can send out beautiful papers, hold magnificent meetings and have exciting worship services, but are we following the Lord’s instructions in the Spirit of Prophecy? Are we holding up the law of God? Are we becoming more like Him and less like the world? In spite of our religious activities, it appears that we are departing from God just like the Jews did. Unfortunately, this description of them fits us: “The Jewish religion with its magnificent display of temple, sacred altars, sacrificial pomp, mitred priests and impressive ceremonies, was but a superficial covering under which pride, oppression and iniquity held sway.” Ibid., 18.

The forms of religion will never keep us from destruction. A profession of Christ does not satisfy the wants of the soul. Our only remedy is to accept the One who, so often, does not come as we expect. He did not come the way the Jews thought He should—the way they taught from the scriptures that He “had” to come. He did not come to pamper their pride and convenience. So He was unrecognized and rejected. Jesus coming in an unexpected way reminds me of a story that I heard once.

There was a couple who so much wanted a son. One day a baby boy was born into their home. How happy he made his new mother and father. They lavished every gift that money could buy on their son. He grew to be strong and healthy. One sad day he was called away to war. He faithfully wrote his parents, and how they looked forward to his letters.

One day all letters stopped. Months went by with no word from their son and the sad parents supposed he was dead. Then, unexpectedly, they received a letter from the army that their son was discharged and would soon be home. Not long after, they received a phone call from their son. It was so good to hear his voice. He told them he would soon be home, but first he had one request. He wanted to bring a friend home with him. He said his friend had no home but his. His friend had been terribly injured in the war. He was maimed, a leg had been shot and had to be removed. His friend had half of his face badly burned. He explained to his parents that he would do all of the work of taking care of his friend, they only needed to agree to let him come. “I’ll call you back tomorrow,” the son said. “That will give you time to think about it.”

His parents thought about their sons proposal. They could not wait to have their son home—but an invalid? That would be an inconvenience. Certainly, there is someplace else their son’s friend could go, they reasoned. No, they did not want him to come. So they told him of their decision. “OK,” He said, “I wouldn’t want to bother you or be an inconvenience.”

In a week they received a letter from the armed services announcing the unexpected death of their son. He was actually the one who was maimed and burned. It was he, not another, who needed their love and attention. But he was unrecognized and unwanted.

We want Jesus to come and make us great and popular, to give us wealth and fame. We do not want Him to disturb our convenience and comfort. We seldom expect Him the way He comes—despised and rejected of men. Consequently, again today, He is unrecognized and unnoticed. He will not come where He is not wanted. Many, in thinking about their own happiness, end up rejecting Jesus. But when everything is said and done, just as this couple, all they find is grief. This couple thought they were doing the thing that would bring them the most happiness. They thought they did not want to be inconvenienced. But their selfishness brought them unexplainable grief and despair. That is the was sin is. It is very deceitful. It looks like the way to happiness, but it is the way to loneliness and despair. The way to happiness is in forgetting about our own comfort and thinking about others. How differently things would have been for this couple, if they would have forgot about their own convenience and helped someone else.

Jesus forgot about His own comfort to save us. If we are ever to be happy we must be that way too. Sin has fooled us into believing that the way of happiness is found in thinking of our self, our church, our image, our money—anything for self. Oh, the deceitfulness of the mystery of iniquity is terribly cruel and unexplainable! Even though Jesus did everything to save the Jews from grief and destruction, He could not, because they refused to put self aside and receive His love. They wanted their own way. They disregarded and disobeyed His counsel and by that they refused to be loved. Eventually, they rejected love itself. “The sin of Jerusalem was in the rejection of her then present mercies and warnings. As a tender father pities a loved but erring and rebellious son, so had Jesus compassion upon Jerusalem.” Ibid., 10.

Are we committing the same sin as the Jews did? The Lord in His great mercy has sent the message of revival and reformation, of mercy and warning, to the Seventh-day Adventist church. Has the message or the messengers been accepted? Has there been any change towards following God’s counsel in the Spirit of Prophecy? No! Instead, we want our own way. There has been a continual advancement towards the world. There has been a growing and open rebellion towards the Spirit of Prophecy. There has been a hatred for God’s messengers. The reality of the situation is grim, because, the church can no more reject the message today and be saved from destruction, then the Jews could safely reject Jesus. God does not want destruction to come to us, but we are refusing to come to Him so we could receive life. We are rejecting the messengers that God has sent. If we come to hate those who are giving the warning message, we will eventually be destroyed. What a terrible cup of iniquity we are filling up!

It is no wonder that the messengers are hated today! It has always been that way. “The prophets of God did not find favor with apostate Israel because through them their hidden sins were brought to light. Ahab regarded Elijah as his enemy, because the prophet was faithful to unfold the monarch’s secret iniquities. So, today, the servant of Christ, the reprover of sin, meets with scorn and rebuffs. Bible truth, the religion of Christ, struggles against a strong current of moral impurity.” Ibid., 12.

The warning is being given, pleading for God’s people to return to the old paths—to follow the Spirit of Prophecy. This warning is being continually rejected and scorned. Time is marching on. Someday the last warning will be given, the last call of mercy will be heard. “This is our day of mercies and privileges. In every age of the world there is given to men their day of light and privileges, a probationary time in which they may become reconciled with God. But there is a limit to this grace. Mercy may plead for years and be rejected and slighted; but there comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. The sweet, winning voice entreats the sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease.” Ibid., 11. When will that time come? Oh, reader, we must respond to His mercy while Christ still pleads io our behalf, in the heavenly sanctuary.

If we will turn to Him with a full surrender, He will accept us. His love can never be explained or understood, it can only be experienced! It will be extended to the most unworthy, to the worst sinner. Before it is too late we must come to Him. We must put aside the bigotry against the message of reproof. God sends a warning message in love to the sinner. “If the Jewish people would have thrown off their bigotry and blind unbelief long enough to have looked into the depths of the loving, compassionate heart of Jesus, they could never have crucified the Lord of glory. But they were perverse and self-righteous.” Ibid., 14.

 

How Can I Give Thee Up?

 

Eventually, the sad day came when Jesus said: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37. Ye would not be loved. Ye would not be healed. Ye would not be saved. I would have healed you, I would have loved you, but you refused. Ye would not be gathered together.

Oh to be gathered together! To be one with God and with each other! This fulfills the great longing of the heart. But the Jews refused. Have not we refused? To have this love, that we so much want, the love must go two ways. For God to claim us as His children alone is not the finished product of love. Love must not only be received, it must be given! Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. Obedience is the fruit of love. We must not only be His child, but He must be our God, the Lord and Master of our lives, or love will never be fulfilled. That is the essential part of the new covenant relationship. “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. In other words, I will be yours and you will be mine. We must be gathered together. That is God’s description of true love, true companionship and happiness. Notice, the new covenant is a two-way contract. But if we refuse our part of the agreement, the contract has been broken!

The problem has never been that God leaves us, but rather that we leave Him. “Christ will never abandon those for whom He has died. We may leave Him and be overwhelmed with temptation, but Christ can never turn from one for whom He has paid the ransom of His own life.” Prophets and Kings, 175. If there is a separation, it is because we have left Him and gone towards the world. We show that we have left Him be refusing to obey His counsel. We are not surrendered to Him if we disregard His messengers. When we set aside the Spirit of Prophecy we do not love Jesus. Many today have in reality rejected Christ by ignoring His counsel. We reject Christ when we do despite to God’s law and tell people they cannot overcome sin. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6.

 

Who is Their Father?

 

The subject of those who reject Him, brings up a question. Are they His people? Can those who join the world still be the sons of God? (Of course anyone can claim anything.) What about those people in Jesus’ day who rejected Him? Were they “His own”? Did they receive these promises of love and joy? They definitely did not receive the fulfillment of these promises because they crucified Jesus. Persecuting others could never bring love and joy! But were they His? Did He claim them as His children? No He did not! He plainly said who their father was. He said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” John 8:44, 45.

When one is told the truth, and does not believe it, but believes a lie instead, he is in a deadly relationship with evil. When the sins of worldliness and pride are pointed out to a sleepy church—and the messenger is hated and defamed—who is the father (originator) of that? When the dangers of the “new theology” (that one does not need to overcome sin now) are pointed out, and the messengers are fired—who is the originator of that? When people mock at health reform, education reform and dress reform, who is the father of that kind of spirit? Is the Lord at the head of such things? People say, “The Lord is still at the helm.” What does that mean? Is He the One responsible for the total disregard of the counsels given in the Testimonies to the Church? Was it the Lord’s idea to bring NLP into the church? Is He at the helm of that atrocity? Was He at the helm when Jesus was crucified? When all truth and justice and fairness were laid aside at Jesus’ trial—who was at the helm? Was God the originator of Jesus (God’s) death?

When will Jesus say again as he did before: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:37, 38. Until it is too late, we can never understand the horribleness of that desolation—total aloneness. It is mysterious that the human soul that was created for love and companionship would choose instead desolation and loneliness.

Love has always been a two way street. (The direction of the street for humans to walk on is obedience to God.) We need never worry that Jesus may not love us. He proved that He loved us on Calvary. Now He says to us: “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. If we do not love Him, the covenant is broken. Without that love we would be miserable in heaven, because heaven is a place of love. The most loving thing to do would be to end our misery. But that is not what God wants!! He wants to save everyone! He wants us to turn from our backsliding so that He may give us peace and joy and life. Reader, please do not let Jesus go through the agony of being separated from you.

“It was the sight of Jerusalem that pierced the heart of Jesus—Jerusalem that had rejected the Son of God and scorned His love, that refused to be convinced by His mighty miracles, and was about to take His life. He saw what she was in her guilt of rejecting her Redeemer, and what she might have been had she accepted Him who alone could heal her wound. He had come to save her; how could He give her up?

“Israel had been a favored people; God had made their temple His habitation; it was ‘beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth.’ Ps. 48:2. The record of more than a thousand years of Christ’s guardian care and tender love, such as a father bears his only child, was there. In that temple the prophets had uttered their solemn warnings. There had the burning censers waved, while incense, mingled with the prayers of the worshipers, had ascended to God. There the blood of beasts had flowed, typical of the blood of Christ. There Jehovah had manifested His glory above the mercy seat. There the priests had officiated, and the pomp of symbol and ceremony had gone on for ages. But all this must have an end.

“Jesus raised His hand,—that had so often blessed the sick and suffering,—and waving it toward the doomed city, in broken utterances of grief exclaimed: ‘If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! . . . Jerusalem had been the child of His care, and as a tender father mourns over a wayward son, so Jesus wept over the beloved city. How can I give thee up? How can I see thee devoted to destruction? Must I let thee go to fill up the cup of thine iniquity? One soul is of such value that, in comparison with it, worlds sink into insignificance; but here was a whole nation to be lost . . . Christ’s great heart of love still pleaded for Jerusalem, that had scorned His mercies, despised His warnings, and was about to imbrue her hands in His blood. If Jerusalem would but repent, it was not yet too late. While the last rays of the setting sun were lingering on temple, tower, and pinnacle, would not some good angel lead her to the Saviour’s love, and avert her doom? Beautiful and unholy city, that had stoned the prophets, that had rejected the Son of God, that was locking herself by her impenitence in fetters of bondage,—her day of mercy was almost spent!” The Desire of Ages, 576–578.

Yes, our day of mercy is almost spent, too. Should we not turn with great earnestness to love and obey God? Or have we forgotten the things that belong to our peace? If we followed every one of His directions, how blessed we would be. How happy God would be. But instead it looks as if God’s professed people would like to destroy the messengers He has sent. Already one has been beaten by a conference pastor and local elders. More persecution is sure to follow. It may be now as in Jesus’ day, that those who are willing to follow Jesus will be very few! But how our hearts weep for the multitudes that have refused to come to Him and receive life! “But in blind prejudice they refused the mercies offered them by Jesus. His love was lavished upon them in vain, and they regarded not His wondrous works. Sorrow fled at His approach; infirmity and deformity were healed; injustice and oppression shrunk ashamed from His rebuke; while death and the grave humbled themselves in His presence and obeyed His commands. Yet the people of His choice rejected him and his mighty miracles with scorn. The Majesty of Heaven came unto His own, and His own received him not.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 19.

The great need of many hearts are not being met because of a refusal to love and obey God. God has enough love and mercy to satisfy every heart, but by our disobedience we have rejected His love. There are many discontented and lonely people because a full surrender of the heart has not been made to Jesus. Not only individuals, but whole churches (just as the Jews) are seeking for happiness at the broken cisterns of this world. Christ’s great heart of love is calling for you! “How often would I have gathered thy children together . . . and ye would not.”

 

The Sealing and the Sealer

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“And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seal s. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much.” Revelation 5:1–4.

In order to understand the meaning of the seals, we must realize that according to Revelation 14, those who commit high treason against the government of God and receive the mark of the beast must drink the wine of the wrath of God poured out into the cup of His indignation. Those sealed with the seal of the living God, we are told in Revelation 7, will, as a part of their reward, serve their Lord in His heavenly temple.

“And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel . . . And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:4, 13.

A burst of song accompanied the announcement that the Lion of the tribe of Judah had prevailed to unlock this mysterious scroll. But when John looked to see the Lion, he sees a Lamb as our High Priest, pleading His blood in our behalf. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Revelation 5:9.

And someday soon, Jesus as the Lion will execute the vengeance of God upon the finally impenitent. But Jesus is yearning for your friendship today. Oh, how He loves you! But those who reject His love develop an enmity toward Him, and Jesus cannot take an avowed enemy to heaven. The choice belongs to you.

“With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; . . . and with the froward, Thou wilt show Thyself froward.” Psalm 18:25, 26. Men and women must decide whether they will obey God’s government and receive His seal or join Satan’s rebellion and receive the mark of the beast.

“The observance of God’s rest day is a mark of distinction between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” The Review and Herald, April 23, 1901. “ But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, . . . those who continue in transgression will receive the ‘mark of the beast.’ ”The Great Controversy, 449.

 

God’s Seal

 

“Seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16. Within the ten commandments we find the seal of God with its three identifying elements: One. The name. Two. The title. Three. The jurisdiction. “The fourth commandment is the only one of all ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 307.

The sealing of the believer is a progressive experience beginning with conversion and continuing as long as life shall last. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13.

But Bible prophecy also speaks of a special sealing of the believers just before the close of probation. This sealing involves the Sabbath. “In a little while everyone who is a child of God will have His seal placed upon him.” The Review and Herald, May 28, 1889.

The functions of the seal are: First, the seal assures the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that God’s character is revealed in our deportment and behavior. The sealed “must reflect the image of Jesus fully.” Early Writings, 71. And how is this accomplished? “As the wax takes and retains the impression of the seal, so should the soul take and retain the image of God . . . The character, the spirit of God, is to be revealed in finite man.” The Review and Herald, July 28,1891.

Second: The seal is irreversible. “Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1161.

Third: Seals denote ownership. The Lord of the Sabbath claims Lordship of observers. “The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship existing between God and His people, a sign that they are His obedient subjects, that they keep holy His law.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 198.

 

Seal Expresses Final Approval

 

Fourth: The seal expresses final approval. “Upon those who uphold the principles of the Word . . . and who labor faithfully for . . . souls, God will put His seal of approval.” The Review and Herald, July 8, 1909.

Fifth: God’s seal includes the sanctification of the Spirit. “The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth . . . The sanctification of the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal of God and those who keep a spurious rest day.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 980.

Sixth: God’s seal denotes perfection of character. “Are we seeking . . . the perfection of His character? When the Lord’s people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads filled with the Spirit, they will be complete in Christ.” Seventh-day Adventist Commentary, vol. 6, 1118. The sealing, like sanctification, represents the inner spiritual development which is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Seventh: The seal denotes abhorrence of sin. This is why the faithful earnestly pray over the abominations which exist within the church.

Summarizing these seven points: “Brethren, how long before you will be ready for the seal of God? . . . Terrible destruction is forbidden to come in full . . . until the servants of God are sealed . . . Get ready, get ready, I beseech you, get ready . . . The ministers of vengeance will pour all the terrible judgments upon a God-forsaken people.” The Review and Herald, June 7, 1887.

“The living righteous will receive the seal of God prior to the close of probation.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 66. “Before the work is closed up and the sealing of God’s people is finished, we shall receive the outpouring of the Spirit of God.” Ibid., 111. “The image of the beast will be formed before probation closes . . . This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 976.

There are some who believe that church membership insures them of salvation. Satan before his fall enjoyed church leadership. “The Lord would teach men the lesson that, though united in church capacity, he is not saved until the seal of God is placed upon him.” Ibid. Nothing could be more plainly stated.

“Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, . . . are those ‘that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done’ in the church.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, 267. The remnant must also prepare the world for the impending crisis. Our lives must testify to the sacredness of the Sabbath.

We must experience the deep movings of the Holy Spirit. Ellen White saw this experience in a vision. “We were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.” Early Writings, 33. Soon the Sabbath/Sunday issue will be headlines in all the news. The Spirit of God will arouse every religious body on the face of this earth—Christian and non-Christian. A terrible conflict is coming.

 

The Four Babylons

 

The responsibilities frighten us. But a still greater crisis awaits the saints. Have we so lived that the Holy Spirit has placed the seal of the living God upon us? In order to fully comprehend this life-and-death issue, we must review the four Babylons.

Number one: The first Babylonian kingdom began with the tower of Babel. Nimrod was inspired by Satan to unify the whole world in rebellion against the God of heaven. This led to the building of the first skyscraper which Satan hoped to make his throne. This is the first example of using the power of the majority to defy God, using the means of ecumenical power. “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven and let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4. But God used lightening to knock the tower down, and confused their language and the inhabitants scattered.

Number two: The second kingdom of Babylon was under the rulership of Nebuchadnezzar. “The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the kingdom by my might and of my power and for the honor of my majesty? Daniel 4:30. Nebuchadnezzar’s unholy ambition was to rule men’s souls as well as their bodies. Satan inspired Nebuchadnezzar to build an image entirely of gold, contrary to the dream God gave that his kingdom would end. Then he sent out a decree that all the world must worship his image or be cast into the fiery furnace. Satan would force all to forsake God or be cremated in the furnace. But God delivered His three faithful believers. Religious despotism always tries to force obedience. On the other hand, the Spirit of God never uses pressure, economic sanction, or police state methods to force the conscience.

Number three: Papal Babylon. The prophet Daniel foresaw the rise of this persecuting power. The little horn, “would make war with the saints . . . and would wear out the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:21, 25. It was a religious super power shedding the blood of millions. Again, God had to intervene to stop this diabolical power. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: But for the elects’ sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22. God shortened the reign of the Papal power by bringing in the Protestant Reformation.

Number four: Protestant Babylon. The Bible-based people of the Reformation might have become God’s spiritual bride. But in 1844, the bride turned away from her Lover. The thought that the Bridegroom might come, distressed the nominal churches. They did not want a marriage. As time continued, Protestantism substituted evolution for the Creation story. Their higher criticism cast doubts on the virgin birth and their modernism and liberalism denied the inspiration of the Bible. Since man is incurably religious, a union of church and state is now in the making.

John, on Patmos, saw this one world church developing in which Protestantism would wonder after Papal Babylon and eventually join with her to become a part of Babylon. “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded unto death, and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:3, 4, 7, 8.

This union of church and state is now developing and so an unscriptural day of worship will be offered to the people. And when it happens, we can expect a reincarnation of Papal Babylon. Ecumenism now applauded by the Adventist hierarchy will turn with a vengeance to persecute any dissenter who would dare to keep holy God’s seventh-day Sabbath.

Apostasy will increase until these fallen ecclesiastical bodies will become Babylon. “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon, the great, is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Revelation 18:2. The spirit of intolerance will displace liberty. Those filled with the Holy Spirit will discern this and alert the entire world. “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.

God in His mercy will have a qualified people to give a faithful warning by the unction of His Spirit. “The sins of Babylon will be laid open . . . The stealthy but rapid progress of the Papal power—all will be unmasked . . . Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church . . . The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it . . . In this time of persecution the faith of the Lord’s servants will be tried . . . God’s Spirit, moving upon their hearts, has constrained them to speak . . . Christ’s ambassadors have nothing to do with the consequences . . . The contest grows closer and sharper.” The Great Controversy, 606–610.

The results are certain. “Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches.” Early Writings, 279. God could have used any one of the Protestant churches in 1844. But Protestantism in 1844 grieved the Holy Spirit. Thus the remnant church was born. “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:16,17.

 

Silence the Sabbathkeepers

 

Thus prophecy predicts that the four Babylons will have persecuted God’s chosen people and for some six millenniums the devil has used these powers to fight God’s church. Now Satan plans more terror. Ellen White was given a vision of Satan’s assemblies in which Satan discusses his final strategy.

“Our principal concern is to silence this sect of Sabbath keepers . . . The Sabbath which I have set up shall be enforced by laws the more severe . . . We led the Romish church to inflict imprisonment, torture, and death . . . We will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority. When death shall be made the penalty of violating our Sabbath, then many who are now ranked with commandment keepers, will come over to our side.” Testimonies to Ministers, 473.

Satan plans to do this before probation closes. He is using every wind of doctrine to unsettle the faith of God’s commandment keepers, to recruit them to his side. And he will go so far as to employ death as his weapon. But those sealed with the seal of the living God will demonstrate to the Universe “that humanity, combined with divinity does not commit sin.” Ministry of Healing, 180.

Nothing in the history of this world has ever generated the intensity that will flare up as the coming Sabbath/Sunday crisis. Sabbath keepers will suffer the most stringent economic sanctions ever planned by Satan. The hatred of Babylon the great and her daughters will demand that all who will not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (See Revelation 13:15). Before probation closes, some of God’s children will suffer martyrdom rather than yielding up their faith.

Church and state will combine to suspend religious liberty. The faithful will be harassed and driven from society. Christ’s faithful will inhabit earth’s desolate wastes, but thank God, no martyrs blood will flow during the seven last plagues. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the time has arrived when God’s people must offer the love, the joy and peace to the world which we have discovered in God’s heavenly sanctuary.

Having finally attained to perfect characters by the power of God, we shall be able to stand the searching test of the judgment. Thus we shall openly proclaim God’s presence in the Most Holy Place in a judgment hour message and the glorious second coming. And His Holy Spirit will provide the flame of the living fire.

Oh, for that flame of living fire, Which shone so bright in saints of old;

Which bade their souls to heaven aspire, Calm in distress, in danger bold.

Where is that Spirit, Lord, which dwelt in Abram’s breast, and sealed him Thine?

Which made Paul’s heart with sorrow melt, And glow with energy divine?

That spirit which from age to age Proclaimed Thy love, and taught Thy ways?

Brightened Isaiah’s vivid page, And breathed in David’s hallowed lays?

Is not Thy grace as mighty now As when Elijah felt its power?

When glory beamed from Moses’ brow, Or Job endured the trying hour?

Remember, Lord, the ancient days; Renew Thy work, Thy grace restore;

And while to Thee our hearts we raise, On us Thy Holy Spirit pour.

 

Editorial — Stumbling Along

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Because everything that can be shaken will be shaken, many today are discouraged. They see nothing but the darkness of confusion and dissension that the devil has cast in their pathway, and have all but given up hope of seeing the perfect unity Christ spoke of. They are stumbling along in uncertainty, and darkness, when they could be rejoicing in the light. (This perfect unity will not occur as a result of compromise or going back into apostasy, but only among those who reach character perfection. It is because God’s people are a long way from character perfection, that we do not see unity yet. Much more knee work and striving to overcome are necessary first. “Perfection of character means perfection in unity.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11,179.

These are the steps we should take to walk in the light of love and rejoicing:

  1. Decide to keep all the commandments. “The law of God is a complete standard of righteousness. Man has not in himself sufficient wisdom to frame a perfect rule of right, and therefore God has given His law as a safe guide. Man is not left to his own fallacious reasoning in regard to his course of action toward his fellow men or his service to God. He is not left to stumble along, following the imagination of his own heart and mind. God calls the attention of men to a comprehensible rule of action, commandments that have God for their Author, the law pronounced by inspiration holy, just, and good. The service that God expects of His servants is not left to question and doubt. Will man love God supremely, and his neighbor as himself?” Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, 112.
  2. Live up to all the light of truth that you have now. “Nathanael was walking in the light as far as he had received it, and God did not permit him to stumble along in ignorance and blindness.” Signs of the Times, March 24, 1898.
  3. Pray with persevering faith when you are in trouble. “I have been persons in trouble, who, instead of looking to Jesus, kept looking at their trouble, kept talking of their discouragements, and kept dwelling upon their trials . . .When we are in trial and sadness, we must look to Jesus. We must take our sorrow to the Lord in prayer.” Signs of the Times, January 19, 1891.
  4. Praise the Lord. “Oh, if we would by faith draw nigh to God, He would reveal to us His glory, which is His character, and the praise of God would flow forth from humans hearts and be sounded by human voices. Then we would forever cease to give glory to Satan by sinning against God and talking doubt and unbelief. We should no longer stumble along, grumbling and mourning.” Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1097.

As God gives us light, we should make use of it; God will not give us a second ray while the first is not appreciated. We must praise the Lord for the light already graciously given, and reflect it upon those around us. Then more light will shine upon us. (See Review and Herald, October 11, 1892.)

  1. Study your Bible and strive to overcome. “Let us study the Word, and as we have opportunity, talk Bible truth. As you do this, you will find that your own mind and heart are becoming subdued. As you strive to overcome everything that is displeasing to God, angels of heaven will help you…You will not be left to stumble along in uncertainty.” Youth’s Instructor, June 9, 1914.
  2. Rejoice in faith. “The Christian always has a strong helper in the Lord. The way of the Lord’s helping we may not know; but this we do know: He will never fail those who put their trust in Him. Could Christians realize how many times the Lord has ordered their way, that the purposes of the enemy concerning them might not be accomplished, they would not stumble along complainingly. Their faith wold be stayed on God, and no trial would have power to move them.” Prophets and Kings, 576.

“The children of God may rejoice in all things, and at all times. When troubles and difficulties come, believing in the wise providence of God, you may rejoice.” Review and Herald, February 11, 1890.

  1. Give a steady signal. “The tiniest lamp, kept replenished with the golden oil, and sending forth its bright beams to dispel the darkness, is of far more value than the large lamp which flashes with brilliancy for a time, then sputters and goes out, leaving souls in darkness to stumble along as best they can. It is the golden oil, emptied by the heavenly messengers into the golden tubes, to be conducted into the golden bowl, that creates a continuous bright and shining light. It is the love of God continually transferred to man that keeps him a bright and shining light for God. Then he can communicate the light of truth to all who are in the darkness of error and sin.” Review and Herald, September 21, 1897.