Issue: 2009 November

Bible Study Guide – Important Prophecies for the Last Days

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December 20, 2009 – December 26, 2009

Key Text

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 635–652; Early Writings, 236, 237.

Introduction

“Daniel is standing in his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel and of John are to be understood. They interpret each other.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 949.

1 What will happen when Michael (Jesus) stands up to leave the heavenly sanctuary? Daniel 12:1.

Note: “An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received ‘the seal of the living God.’ [Revelation 7:2.] Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. …

“When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God’s long-suffering has ended.” The Great Controversy, 613, 614.

“The ‘time of trouble, such as never was’ [Daniel 12:1], is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God.” Ibid., 622.

2 What criteria determines whether our names shall be found in the book of life? Revelation 3:5. How do we know that there will be no second chance? Luke 13:23–25; Revelation 20:15.

Note: “I want to be among that number who shall have their names written in the book, who shall be delivered. I want the overcomer’s reward. The masterly temptations of Satan will overpower many who now profess to believe the truth. Their unworthy course of action, their denial of Christ, will make it necessary for God to blot their names from the book of life. But O, may it not be so with us!” The Review and Herald, March 26, 1889.

“When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined, by Him who declares, ‘I know thy works.’ [Revelation 3:15.] If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 987.

3 What promise is given to the “wise” and why? Daniel 12:3, 10; Matthew 13:43. What was Daniel instructed to do? Daniel 12:4, first part.

Note: “Honored by men with the responsibilities of state and with the secrets of kingdoms bearing universal sway, Daniel was honored by God as His ambassador, and was given many revelations of the mysteries of ages to come. His wonderful prophecies, as recorded by him in chapters 7 to 12 of the book bearing his name, were not fully understood even by the prophet himself; but before his life labors closed, he was given the blessed assurance that ‘at the end of the days’ [Daniel 12:13]—in the closing period of this world’s history—he would again be permitted to stand in his lot and place. It was not given him to understand all that God had revealed of the divine purpose. …

“As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures. Satan has led many to believe that the prophetic portions of the writings of Daniel and of John the revelator cannot be understood.” Prophets and Kings, 547.

4 What knowledge has increased since 1798? Daniel 12:4, last part.

Note: “But since 1798 the book of Daniel has been unsealed, knowledge of the prophecies has increased, and many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judgment near.” The Great Controversy, 356.

“The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 105.

“The time has come for the light given him [Daniel] to go to the world as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth’s history.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1174.

5 At the end of which prophetic period did the time of the end begin? Daniel 12:5–7. What events transpire in this time?

Note: “Already the Lord’s restraining power is being withdrawn from the earth, and Satan is seeking to stir up the various elements in the religious world, leading men to place themselves under the training of the great deceiver, who works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in the children of disobedience. Already the inhabitants of the earth are marshaling under the leading of the prince of darkness, and this is but the beginning of the end.

“The law of God is made void. We see and hear of confusion and perplexity, want and famine, earthquakes and floods; terrible outrages will be committed by men; passion, not reason, bears sway. The wrath of God is upon the inhabitants of the world, who are fast becoming as corrupt as were the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Already fire and flood are destroying thousands of lives and the property that has been selfishly accumulated by the oppression of the poor. The Lord is soon to cut short His work and put an end to sin.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 49.

6 What did Christ predict would follow the long period of papal persecution? Mark 13:24, 25. What warning did He add? Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 21:34–36.

Note: “In the Saviour’s conversation with His disciples upon Olivet, after describing the long period of trial for the church,—the 1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which He had promised that the tribulation should be shortened,—He thus mentioned certain events to precede His coming, and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed: ‘In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.’ Mark 13:24. The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased.” The Great Controversy, 306.

“Who reads the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times? What impression is made upon worldlings? What change is seen in their attitude? No more than was seen in the attitude of the inhabitants of the Noachian world. Absorbed in worldly business and pleasure, the antediluvians ‘knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away.’ Matthew 24:39. They had heaven-sent warnings, but they refused to listen. And today the world, utterly regardless of the warning voice of God, is hurrying on to eternal ruin.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 14.

7 What assurance was given to Daniel concerning his visions? Daniel 12:8–10.

Note: “As the message of Christ’s first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end.” The Desire of Ages, 234.

8 What blessing belongs to the true believers under the threefold message? Daniel 12:12; Revelation 14:13.

Note: “There are living upon our earth men who have passed the age of fourscore and ten. The natural results of old age are seen in their feebleness. But they believe God, and God loves them. The seal of God is upon them, and they will be among the number of whom the Lord has said, ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.’ [Revelation 14:13.]” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 982.

9 What event takes place at the commencement of the seventh plague? Daniel 12:2.

Note: “In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: ‘It is done.’ Revelation 16:17.

“That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.’ Verses 17,18. The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. …

“Graves are opened, and ‘many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth … awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’ Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ‘They also which pierced Him’ (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.” The Great Controversy, 636, 637.

10 After this special or partial resurrection, how many living saints will there be on earth? Revelation 7:4.

Note: “The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook like a reed in the wind and cast out ragged rocks all around. The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder.” Early Writings, 285, 286.

“The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 59.

Additional Reading

“The Scriptures describe the condition of the world just before Christ’s second coming. James the apostle pictures the greed and oppression that will prevail. He says: ‘Go to now, ye rich men. … Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.’ James 5:1–6.

“This is a picture of what exists today. ‘Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.’ Isaiah 59:14, 15.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 91.

“The duty of old and young must be set forth in simple, positive language because our lot is cast in perilous times when it seems that truth must be overborne by falsehood and satanic delusions. In the time of testing and trial the shield of Omnipotence will be spread over those whom God has made the depositaries of His law. When legislators shall abjure the principles of Protestantism, so as to give countenance and the right hand of fellowship to Romanism, then God will interpose in a special manner in behalf of His own honor and the salvation of His people.

“The principles necessary for our youth to cultivate must be kept before them in their daily education, that when the decree shall go forth requiring all to worship the beast and his image, they may make the right decisions, and have strength to declare, without wavering, their confidence in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, even at the very time when the law of God is made void by the religious world. Those who waver now and are tempted to follow in the wake of apostates who have departed from the faith, ‘giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,’ [I Timothy 4:1] will surely be found on the side of those who make void the law of God, unless they repent and plant their feet firmly upon the faith once delivered to the saints.

“If we are living amid those fearful perils described in the word of God, should we not be awake to the realities of the situation? Why keep so silent? Why make of the least importance the things that are of the greatest interest to every one of us? The Bible should be our dearest treasure and should be earnestly studied and zealously taught to others. How can this marvelous indifference continue upon those who have had light and knowledge?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 525.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The World Astir

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December 13, 2009 – December 19, 2009

Key Text

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.” Daniel 11:32.

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 5, 449–454; Maranatha, 180–186.

Introduction

“From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” The Great Controversy, 46.

1 How does Scripture depict worldly kingdoms being overturned? Daniel 11:1–4. Contrast this to the followers of Christ.

Note: “Many falter and fall because of the indulgence of a perverse temper. …

“God calls upon you to yield pride and stubbornness, and to let His peace rule in your hearts. A meek and quiet spirit must be cherished. Carry Christ’s meekness with you in all your labors. An excited temper and cutting censure will not impress the people or gain their sympathy. If we have the truth, we can afford to be calm and unexcited. Our language should be modest and elevated. The spirit you have cherished within has left its impression upon the countenance. Christ, enthroned in the soul-temple, will efface that fretful, peevish, unhappy look; and as the cloud of witnesses look upon a man reflecting the image of Christ, they will realize that he is surrounded by a pleasant atmosphere.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 348.

2 After years of struggle between the southern and the northern kingdoms (Daniel 11:5–19), our attention is drawn to Rome. What is written about Caesar Augustus? Daniel 11:20; Luke 2:1–3.

Note: “As in old time Cyrus was called to the throne of the world’s empire that he might set free the captives of the Lord, so Caesar Augustus is made the agent for the fulfillment of God’s purpose in bringing the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. She is of the lineage of David, and the Son of David must be born in David’s city. Out of Bethlehem, said the prophet, ‘shall He come forth … that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.’ Micah 5:2, margin. … In a rude building where the beasts are sheltered, they [Joseph and Mary] at last find refuge, and here the Redeemer of the world is born.” The Desire of Ages, 44.

3 How did the heavenly messenger describe the actions of papal Rome? Daniel 11:31; 12:1 (cf. Daniel 8:11, 12).

Note: “The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders. Thus the minds of the people were turned away from God to fallible, erring, and cruel men, nay, more, to the prince of darkness himself, who exercised his power through them. Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity.” The Great Controversy, 55.

4 What is said about the faithfulness of God’s people in the time of persecution under papal Rome? Daniel 11:32.

Note: “In lands beyond the jurisdiction of Rome there existed for many centuries bodies of Christians who remained almost wholly free from papal corruption. They were surrounded by heathenism and in the lapse of ages were affected by its errors; but they continued to regard the Bible as the only rule of faith and adhered to many of its truths. These Christians believed in the perpetuity of the law of God and observed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Churches that held to this faith and practice existed in Central Africa and among the Armenians of Asia.

“But of those who resisted the encroachments of the papal power, the Waldenses stood foremost. In the very land where popery had fixed its seat, there its falsehood and corruption were most steadfastly resisted.” The Great Controversy, 63, 64.

5 Describe the sufferings of God’s people under papal Rome. Daniel 11:33–35; Matthew 10:17–22; 24:21.

Note: “In the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the papacy—the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy.” The Great Controversy, 59.

“Persecution will spread the light. The servants of Christ will be brought before the great men of the world, who, but for this, might never hear the gospel. The truth has been misrepresented to these men. They have listened to false charges concerning the faith of Christ’s disciples. Often their only means of learning its real character is the testimony of those who are brought to trial for their faith. Under examination these are required to answer, and their judges to listen to the testimony borne. God’s grace will be dispensed to His servants to meet the emergency.” The Desire of Ages, 354.

6 How will history be repeated? Matthew 24:9; Revelation 12:17; Matthew 10:23.

Note: “The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains. And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be preparing to move to a better country, even a heavenly. Instead of spending our means in self-gratification, we should be studying to economize. Every talent lent of God should be used to His glory in giving the warning to the world.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 464, 465.

7 What benefits should we draw from trials permitted by God? I Peter 1:7; Psalm 139:23, 24.

Note: “Trial is part of the education given in the school of Christ, to purify God’s children from the dross of earthliness. It is because God is leading His children that trying experiences come to them. Trials and obstacles are His chosen methods of discipline, and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their weaknesses better than they themselves can know them. He sees that some have qualifications which, if rightly directed, could be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these souls into different positions and varied circumstances, that they may discover the defects that are concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to overcome these defects and to fit themselves for service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to burn, that they may be purified.” The Acts of the Apostles, 524.

8 How will God interpose in behalf of His people during the last great crisis? Isaiah 26:20, 21.

Note: “In this time of prevailing iniquity we may know that the last great crisis is at hand. When the defiance of God’s law is almost universal, when His people are oppressed and afflicted by their fellow men, the Lord will interpose.

“The time is near when He will say, ‘Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.’ Isaiah 26:20, 21. Men who claim to be Christians may now defraud and oppress the poor; they may rob the widow and fatherless; they may indulge their Satanic hatred because they cannot control the consciences of God’s people; but for all this God will bring them into judgment. They ‘shall have judgment without mercy’ that have ‘showed no mercy.’ (James 2:13.) Not long hence they will stand before the Judge of all the earth, to render an account for the pain they have caused to the bodies and souls of His heritage. They may now indulge in false accusations, they may deride those whom God has appointed to do His work, they may consign His believing ones to prison, to the chain gang, to banishment, to death; but for every pang of anguish, every tear shed, they must answer. God will reward them double for their sins.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 178, 179.

9 What parallel exists between Daniel 11:36, 8:25, II Thessalonians 2:3, 4 and Revelation 13:6?

Note: “Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. The doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves. The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reformation, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives, to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes, and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty and slew the saints of the Most High.” The Great Controversy, 571.

10 What should we know concerning the final verses of Daniel 11? Habakkuk 2:3.

Note: “The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 14.

Additional Reading

“The signs of the times tell us that the end of all things is at hand. Prophecies fulfilled have become facts of history, clearly defining our position. We are standing upon the verge of the eternal world. … Our Lord forewarned His people that iniquity would abound in the last days and would have a paralyzing influence upon true godliness. Wickedness is seen and heard and felt all around us. It seems to permeate the very atmosphere, and affects the faith and love of God’s professed people. It is difficult to hold fast Christian integrity. The fact is, much which is current in our day as Christianity is indebted for its very existence to the absence of persecution. When the test of fiery trial comes, a great proportion of these who profess the faith will show that their religion was hollow formalism. …

“The days in which we live are days of peril. Carelessness, levity, love of pleasure and selfish gratification, are seen in the lives of very many professed Christians. Is this the time for Seventh-day Adventists to lose their faith and grow cold and formal? God forbid! Shall we turn traitor at the very moment when God would be most glorified by our steadfast adherence to principle? Shall we turn from the heavenly attractions now, when we can almost see the glories on the other shore? We are living in the most important period of earth’s history. By maintaining our allegiance to God, we may bear the noblest testimony for Christ and the truth.

“The true Christian will cling to the promises of God more firmly now than ever before. His heart is where he has laid up his treasure—in heaven. When right principles are despised and forsaken, then the true and loyal will show their warmest zeal and deepest love; then they will stand most firmly for truth, unpopular though it be. …

“The Lord is coming. … Let us be consistent; let our works correspond with our profession of faith.” That I May Know Him, 352.

“The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment.

“Soon strife among the nations will break out with an intensity that we do not now anticipate. The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the strained, restless relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they realize that something great and decisive is about to take place, that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.” Maranatha, 174.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – God’s Precise Timetable

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December 6, 2009 – December 12, 2009

Key Text

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 698–702; The Sanctified Life, 46–52.

Introduction

“The gospel message, as given by the Saviour Himself, was based on the prophecies. The ‘time’ which He declared to be fulfilled was the period made known by the angel Gabriel to Daniel.” The Desire of Ages, 233.

1 How was the prayer in Daniel 9:3–19 answered? Daniel 9:20, 21. In what ways is this experience to boost our faith today?

Note: “The angel had to reveal himself as a man before he could speak with the prophet.” The Youth’s Instructor, February 22, 1900.

“It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel. …

“God has given these things to us, and His blessing will attend the reverent, prayerful study of the prophetic scriptures.” The Desire of Ages, 234.

“Like Daniel, you may make confession of your sin, and present daily supplication unto God; but however poor and unworthy and erring you may feel yourselves to be, it is your privilege to appropriate the promises of God.” The Signs of the Times, March 24, 1890.

2 For what reason was Gabriel sent to Daniel? Daniel 9:22, 23.

Note:“God had bidden His messenger: ‘Make this man to understand the vision.’ That commission must be fulfilled. In obedience to it, the angel, some time afterward, returned to Daniel, saying: ‘I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding;’ ‘therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.’ Daniel 8:27, 16; 9:22, 23, 25–27. There was one important point in the vision of chapter 8 which had been left unexplained, namely, that relating to time—the period of the 2300 days; therefore the angel, in resuming his explanation, dwells chiefly upon the subject of time.” The Great Controversy, 325.

3 What do the seventy weeks represent? Daniel 9:24.

Note: “As the 2300 days was the only period of time mentioned in chapter 8, it must be the period from which the seventy weeks were cut off; the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of the 2300 days, and the two periods must begin together. The seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. If the date of this commandment could be found, then the starting point for the great period of the 2300 days would be ascertained.

“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12–26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built ‘according to the commandment [‘decree,’ margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.’ These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years. Taking 457 B.C., the time when the decree was completed, as the date of the commandment, every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to have been fulfilled.” The Great Controversy, 326, 327.

4 What would happen at the end of sixty-nine weeks? Daniel 9:25; Acts 10:38; Luke 3:21, 22; 4:18; Mark 1:14, 15.

Note: “ ‘From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks’ [Daniel 9:25]—namely, sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years. The decree of Artaxerxes went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. From this date, 483 years extend to the autumn of A.D. 27. At that time this prophecy was fulfilled. The word ‘Messiah’ signifies ‘the Anointed One.’ In the autumn of A.D. 27 Christ was baptized by John and received the anointing of the Spirit.” The Great Controversy, 327.

5 Name two more events shown to Daniel and later fulfilled in history. Daniel 9:26. What is the warning for us today?

Note: “[In A.D. 70] both the city [of Jerusalem] and the temple were razed to their foundations, and the ground upon which the holy house had stood was ‘plowed like a field.’ Jeremiah 26:18. In the siege and the slaughter that followed, more than a million of the people perished; the survivors were carried away as captives, sold as slaves, dragged to Rome to grace the conqueror’s triumph, thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheaters, or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth.” The Great Controversy, 35.

“The Saviour’s prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God’s mercy and trampled upon His law.” Ibid., 36.

6 What took place in the midst of the seventieth week? Daniel 9:27. What did Jesus say about the “abomination of desolation” mentioned in Daniel 9:26, 27? Matthew 24:15–18.

Note: “ ‘In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.’ Daniel 9:27. In the spring of A.D. 31, Christ the true sacrifice was offered on Calvary. Then the veil of the temple was rent in twain, showing that the sacredness and significance of the sacrificial service had departed. The time had come for the earthly sacrifice and oblation to cease.” The Desire of Ages, 233.

“This warning was given to be heeded … at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Christians obeyed the warning, and not a Christian perished in the fall of the city.” Ibid., 630.

7 In the third year of Cyrus’ reign, when Daniel prayed and fasted for more light, how did Heaven respond? Daniel 10:1–7.

Note: “No less a personage than the Son of God appeared to Daniel. This description is similar to that given by John when Christ was revealed to him upon the Isle of Patmos. Our Lord now comes with another heavenly messenger to teach Daniel what would take place in the latter days. This knowledge was given to Daniel and recorded by Inspiration for us upon whom the ends of the world are come.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1173.

8 What can we learn from the evidence Daniel was given of the great controversy between Christ and Satan? Daniel 10:8–14.

Note: “For three weeks Gabriel had been wrestling with the powers of darkness, and seeking to counteract the influences at work on the mind of King Cyrus. Before the contest closed, Christ Himself came to Gabriel’s help. All that heaven could do in behalf of the people of God, was done. The victory was finally gained, and the forces of the enemy were held in check all the days of Cyrus, who reigned for seven years, and all the days of his son Cambyses, who reigned about seven years and a half.” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1907.

9 Describe Daniel’s experience. Daniel 10:15–21.

Note: “In answer to his petition, Daniel received not only the light and truth which he and his people most needed, but a view of the great events of the future, even to the advent of the world’s Redeemer. Those who claim to be sanctified, while they have no desire to search the Scriptures or to wrestle with God in prayer for a clearer understanding of Bible truth, know not what true sanctification is.

“Daniel talked with God. Heaven was opened before him. But the high honors granted him were the result of humiliation and earnest seeking. All who believe with the heart the word of God will hunger and thirst for a knowledge of His will. God is the author of truth. He enlightens the darkened understanding and gives to the human mind power to grasp and comprehend the truths which He has revealed.” The Sanctified Life, 48, 49.

10 What do heavenly angels do on our behalf? Hebrews 1:13, 14.

Note: “As a people we do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Evil angels are constantly at work, planning their line of attack, controlling as commanders, kings, and rulers, the disloyal human forces. … Do not indulge in fanciful speculations. The written Word is our only safety. We must pray as did Daniel, that we may be guarded by heavenly intelligences. As ministering spirits angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. Pray, my brethren, pray as you have never prayed before. We are not prepared for the Lord’s coming. We need to make thorough work for eternity.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1173.

“The armies of heaven are in continual warfare with satanic agencies, to obtain victories in behalf of those who do not sense their danger, and who are passing on in unconscious indifference.” Ibid., vol. 6, 1120.

Additional Reading

“The prophecies in the eighteenth of Revelation will soon be fulfilled. During the proclamation of the third angel’s message, ‘another angel’ is to ‘come down from heaven, having great power,’ and the earth is to be ‘lightened with his glory.’ [Revelation 18:1.] The Spirit of the Lord will so graciously bless consecrated human instrumentalities that men, women, and children will open their lips in praise and thanksgiving, filling the earth with the knowledge of God, and with His unsurpassed glory, as the waters cover the sea.

“Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third angel’s message is proclaimed with great power. During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere.

“There is to be, at this period, a series of events which will reveal that God is Master of the situation. The truth will be proclaimed in clear, unmistakable language. As a people, we must prepare the way of the Lord, under the overruling guidance of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is to be given in its purity. The stream of living water is to deepen and widen in its course. In all fields, nigh and afar off, men will be called from the plow and from the more common commercial business vocations that largely occupy the mind, and will be educated in connection with men of experience. As they learn to labor effectively, they will proclaim the truth with power. Through most wonderful workings of divine providence, mountains of difficulties will be removed, and cast into the sea. The message that means so much to the dwellers upon the earth will be heard and understood. Men will know what is truth. Onward, and still onward the work will advance, until the whole earth shall have been warned. And then shall the end come.” Maranatha, 218.

“It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who will be alive on the earth when past woes and celestial glory will be blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By the means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth.

“The people of God will not be free from suffering; but … they will not be left to perish. … While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous, and supply their wants. To him that ‘walketh righteously’ is the promise, ‘Bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.’ Isaiah 33:16.” The Faith I Live By, 340.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Contrition and Confession

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November 29, 2009 – December 5, 2009

Key Text

“O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.” Daniel 9:18.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 164–168; The Great Controversy, 409–432; Testimonies, vol. 5, 635–650; Steps to Christ, 37–41.

Introduction

“What a prayer was that which came forth from the lips of Daniel! What humbling of soul it reveals! The warmth of heavenly fire was recognized in the words that were going upward to God.” That I May Know Him, 271.

1 What had Jeremiah prophesied of the Babylonian captivity? Jeremiah 25:8–13.

Note: “Jeremiah declared that they [the Israelites] were to wear the yoke of servitude for seventy years; and the captives that were already in the hands of the king of Babylon, and the vessels of the Lord’s house which had been taken, were also to remain in Babylon till that time had elapsed. But at the end of the seventy years God would deliver them from their captivity and would punish their oppressors and bring into subjection the proud king of Babylon.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 169.

2 What did Daniel understand through study of the prophetic Scriptures? Daniel 9:1, 2; Isaiah 44:24–28; 45:1–3.

Note: “The year that Cyrus succeeded Darius the Mede to the throne of Medo-Persia marked the completion of seventy years since the first company of Hebrews had been carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, who was familiar with the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah regarding the duration of the captivity, and with the prophecies of Isaiah regarding the restoration by decree of Cyrus, was still living, and was occupying a position of leading responsibility in the Medo-Persian court.” The Review and Herald, March 28, 1907.

3 As the prophesied time neared its fulfillment, what did Daniel see as the most urgent need? Daniel 9:3.

Note: “For nearly seventy years, Israel had been in captivity. The land which God had chosen for His own possession was given into the hands of the heathen. The beloved city, the recipient of heaven’s light, once the joy of the whole earth, was now despised and degraded. The temple that had contained the ark of God’s covenant and the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat, was in ruins. Its very site was desecrated by unholy feet. Faithful men who knew of the former glory were filled with anguish at the desolation of the holy house that had distinguished Israel as God’s chosen people. … Daniel knew that the appointed time for Israel’s captivity was nearly ended; but he did not feel that because God had promised to deliver them, they themselves had no part to act. With fasting and contrition he sought the Lord, confessing his own sins and the sins of the people.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1172.

4 What factors must we realize about genuine prayer? Proverbs 28:13.

Note: “Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! how few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” The Great Controversy, 621.

“Daniel did not seek to excuse himself or his people before God; but in humility and contrition of soul he confessed the full extent and demerit of their transgressions, and vindicated God’s dealings as just toward a nation that had set at nought His requirements and would not profit by His entreaties. …

“Confession of sin, whether public or private, should be heartfelt and freely expressed. It is not to be urged from the sinner. It is not to be made in a flippant and careless way or forced from those who have no realizing sense of the abhorrent character of sin. The confession that is mingled with tears and sorrow, that is the outpouring of the inmost soul, finds its way to the God of infinite pity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 636, 637.

5 What did Daniel declare in his prayer? Daniel 9:4–6.

Note: “Daniel does not proclaim his own fidelity before the Lord. Instead of claiming to be pure and holy, this honored prophet humbly identifies himself with the really sinful of Israel. The wisdom which God had imparted to him was as far superior to the wisdom of the great men of the world as the light of the sun shining in the heavens at noonday is brighter than the feeblest star. Yet ponder the prayer from the lips of this man so highly favored of Heaven. With deep humiliation, with tears and rending of heart, he pleads for himself and for his people. He lays his soul open before God, confessing his own unworthiness and acknowledging the Lord’s greatness and majesty.” The Sanctified Life, 46, 47.

6 What qualities of Daniel do we need to adopt? Isaiah 57:15.

Note: “That God who heard Daniel’s prayer will hear ours when we come to Him in contrition. Our necessities are as urgent, our difficulties are as great, and we need to have the same intensity of purpose, and in faith roll our burden upon the great Burden Bearer. There is need for hearts to be as deeply moved in our time as in the time when Daniel prayed.” That I May Know Him, 271.

“What earnestness and fervor characterize his [Daniel’s] supplications! The hand of faith is reached upward to grasp the never-failing promises of the Most High. His soul is wrestling in agony. … If we as a people would pray as Daniel prayed, and wrestle as he wrestled, humbling our souls before God, we should realize as marked answers to our petitions as were granted to Daniel.” The Sanctified Life, 47.

7 What did Daniel declare of his nation and why? Daniel 9:7–12. How did Christ later summarize the situation? Matthew 23:34, 35.

Note: “For ages Judah had been the repository of sacred truth. Here the knowledge of Jehovah had been cherished and preserved, when God had not been acknowledged among the nations, and His worship was lost in the earth. The streets of Jerusalem had been trodden by angel feet, and its very soil had been sacred to God. From its temple prayer and praise had ascended to God. From its altar the bleeding sacrifice had testified to human guilt, pointing to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. The Lord had sent them messages of warning and reproof, of consolation and promise, by His prophets, rising up early and sending them, but they had beaten one and stoned another.” The Review and Herald, April 18, 1893.

8 Why had woes come upon Judah? What was Daniel’s main concern? Daniel 9:13–19. What should this make us consider today?

Note: “When sin has deadened the moral perceptions, the wrong-doer does not discern the defects of his character nor realize the enormity of the evil he has committed; and unless he yields to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit he remains in partial blindness to his sin. His confessions are not sincere and in earnest. To every acknowledgment of his guilt he adds an apology in excuse of his course, declaring that if it had not been for certain circumstances, he would not have done this or that for which he is reproved. But the examples in God’s word of genuine repentance and humiliation reveal a spirit of confession in which there is no excuse for sin or attempt at self-justification.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 641.

9 Name some important points of contrast between true and false confession. II Corinthians 7:10; James 5:16.

Note: “This scripture has been interpreted to sustain the practice of going to the priest for absolution; but it has no such application. Confess your sins to God, who only can forgive them, and your faults to one another. If you have given offense to your friend or neighbor you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God because the brother whom you wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and Redeemer. The case is not brought before the priest at all, but before the only true mediator, our great High Priest, who ‘was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,’ and who is ‘touched with the feeling of our infirmities’ [Hebrews 4:15] and is able to cleanse from every stain of iniquity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 639.

10 Why is true confession so important for us today? Psalm 34:18.

Note: “If ever a people needed to offer a prayer such as Daniel offered, it is our people. There is among them such self-confidence, such presumption! The Lord has been sending light to them, but the testimonies of His Spirit have not been heeded.” Selections from the Testimonies for the Church, 70, 71.

“Confession will not be acceptable to God without sincere repentance and reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything offensive to God must be put away. This will be the result of genuine sorrow for sin.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 640.

Additional Reading

“When a crisis finally comes, as it surely will, and God speaks in behalf of His people, those who have sinned, those who have been a cloud of darkness and who have stood directly in the way of God’s working for His people, may become alarmed at the length they have gone in murmuring and in bringing discouragement upon the cause; and, like Achan, becoming terrified, they may acknowledge that they have sinned. But their confessions are too late and are not of the right kind to benefit themselves, although they may relieve the cause of God. Such do not make their confessions because of a conviction of their true state and a sense of how displeasing their course has been to God. God may give this class another test, another proving, and let them show that they are no better prepared to stand free from all rebellion and sin than before their confessions were made. They are inclined to be ever on the side of wrong. And when the call is made for those who will be on the Lord’s side to make a decided move to vindicate the right, they will manifest their true position. Those who have been nearly all their lives controlled by a spirit as foreign to the Spirit of God as was Achan’s will be very passive when the time comes for decided action on the part of all. They will not claim to be on either side. The power of Satan has so long held them that they seem blinded and have no inclination to stand in defense of right. If they do not take a determined course on the wrong side, it is not because they have a clear sense of the right, but because they dare not.

“God will not be trifled with. It is in the time of conflict that the true colors should be flung to the breeze. It is then that the standard-bearers need to be firm and let their true position be known. It is then that the skill of every true soldier for the right is tested. Shirkers can never wear the laurels of victory. Those who are true and loyal will not conceal the fact, but will put heart and might into the work, and venture their all in the struggle, let the battle turn as it will. God is a sin-hating God. And those who encourage the sinner, saying, It is well with thee, God will curse.

“Confessions of sin made at the right time to relieve the people of God will be accepted of Him. But there are those among us who will make confessions, as did Achan, too late to save themselves. God may prove them and give them another trial, for the sake of evidencing to His people that they will not endure one test, one proving of God. They are not in harmony with right. They despise the straight testimony that reaches the heart, and would rejoice to see everyone silenced who gives reproof.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 272, 273.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Recipe – Gluten Cutlets and Broth

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Gluten Cutlets

3 cups instant gluten flour

½ cup minute tapioca

or ½ cup pecan meal

½ tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1 scant cup whole wheat flour

3 ¼ cups cold water

¼ cup of Bragg’s Aminos

Broth

13 cups water

3 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp Savorex (or similar seasoning)

1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1 Tbsp McKay’s Seasoning (beef or chicken)

1 tsp onion salt

4 Tbsp Nutritional yeast flakes

½ cup Bragg’s Aminos

1 tsp Postum or Roma

Gluten Cutlets: Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients. Then add all at once: 3 ¼ cups cold water and ¼ cup of Bragg’s Aminos. Stir very quickly and knead lightly. Divide the dough, roll into two rolls about 1 ½ inches thick and let stand while preparing the broth.

Broth: Add all the ingredients to water and bring to a boil. Slice the rolls of gluten and then add the sliced gluten to the broth. The slices should fill the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Food – Water, A Critical Health Need

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Typically, a person can live for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. This time will be greatly shortened in the case of environmental heat, heavy exertion, illness, debilitation, or other deleterious conditions. Water is critical to good health in many ways and helps prevent many serious diseases such as asthma, renal problems, endocrine system problems, adrenal fatigue, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, digestive difficulties, kidney stones, back and joint pain, Alzheimer’s disease and more.

Adequate consumption of water can reduce the risk/occurrence of colon cancer, breast cancer, chronic pain, stress, migraines, and constipation. It improves gland, hormone, and liver function, transport of nutrients to the cells, metabolism, regulation of temperature, lubrication of tissue, and removal of wastes. It is critical to the proper function of the body in breathing, digestion, and elimination. It is the primary ingredient in all of the fluids of our body and is good for treatments to improve health and treat illness.

Basically, water is critical for the health and well-being of every cell and organ system in the body. Is it any wonder that Jesus compared Himself to water and promised to supply our need? In John 7:37, Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.”

If water is so critical to life and health, it is important to know how much water we need. A broad generalization of 6 to 8 glasses per day has often been stated, but this cannot meet everyone’s need. A more precise way to determine your specific requirement is to take your weight divided by 2, then divide again by 8. This is the number of ounces and then glasses of water you should drink each day. E.G. a person weighing 160 pounds divided by 2 equals 80 ounces of water. Divide this by 8 and you find that 10 glasses of water are needed each day.

Most people do not get the required amount of water each day to promote good health. If our bodies are continually robbed of its daily need, it will compensate for this state of dehydration, but not without cost to our body and health.

Do the math, and then determine to drink the amount of water your body craves and needs.

Children’s Story – A Home for Harry

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“Home” was a strange word to little Harry; he had never known what a home was. He had lost both his parents at a very young age and had been alone in the world ever since. His whole life he had been lonely, wandering about the big city all day and sleeping at night under some bridge or archway, with no one to think about him or to care for him. He never knew about Jesus either, because there was nobody to teach him. He learned how to speak in a rough, hard way using nasty language because he had nobody to show him love or kindness. He knew only the coldness of the street, a cold which was reflected in his heart.

One day a kind old man found Harry on the street and took him home to live with his family. It felt strange for Harry to leave behind the well-known city streets and go on a long journey with this man. The old man told Harry to call him “Grandfather.” Soon the houses were left behind and Harry’s eyes began to take in all the new things he could see. There were high hills, trees, and beautiful green fields. He had never seen anything like it before and it all seemed strange and funny to him. He felt like laughing and talking, but he felt slightly afraid of the white-headed, grave old man by his side.

The daylight was already disappearing and Harry felt quite sleepy when they finally arrived at Grandfather’s little house. As he walked into his new home, he looked around and felt at once that there was something home-like and pleasant about this house. He had never known this feeling before and it felt nice.

The next morning Harry awoke in his real bed feeling refreshed, but very strange. He hardly remembered having slept in a real bed before. He heard the sound of children playing outside the window, and jumping into his few ragged clothes he was soon outside playing among them. He met a boy named Hugh who was kneeling by the well. Hugh was holding something in his hands and all the other children were looking at it. Harry moved closer to the children and saw that in Hugh’s hand was a baby swallow that appeared to have fallen out of the nest under the roof.

As Harry approached he heard a girl called Hannah say, “Grandfather says it’s a good sign that the swallows are coming back to our house. I think it shows that they know what’s good, that’s all.” Hugh laughed, saying, “So you think everybody that comes to our house must feel at home? What do you say to that Harry? Do you feel at home?”

Harry had no time to answer before a girl named Hatty interrupted clapping her hands, “Yes, yes! Jesus brought both Harry and the little swallow to us and we’ll take care of them both, won’t we, Grandfather, and make them both so happy they will always want to come back here!” Little Hatty jumped up and ran indoors very pleased at her bright idea. Harry followed slowly, dragging his feet behind the other children and feeling hot and red all over. He did not like the idea of being compared to a little outcast bird. He doubled up his fists and wanted to shout out loud that he wouldn’t stay here, that he hated them all, but suddenly he caught the sound of some words which soothed him. “Hannah,” said little Hatty under her breath, “Harry isn’t much like our little pet swallow, is he? He is so rough and untidy. But, Hannah, what pretty eyes he’s got. Do you know, I think I will like him if he likes me.”

Harry felt surprised and pleased by Hatty’s kind words. Nobody had ever told Harry that his eyes were pretty, and certainly nobody had ever offered to like him. It was a completely new idea, and a rather nice one, thought Harry. He decided that he liked Hatty, and from that day on they were great friends.

By this time Harry had begun to feel quite at home and he was as happy as could be. To his delight his cheeks became rosy and round and nobody would ever have guessed that he was not a country boy.

“The mother,” as Harry called her, took a great interest in little Harry. She taught him about Jesus. She corrected him when he said nasty words and with her help he learned to speak gently and with love. She taught him that “a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1. She helped him fight to break off all of the bad habits his homeless life had taught him. He always listened to the wise words of “the mother” because he was learning about Jesus through her. As Harry grew bigger, it was a great pleasure for him to be a help to “the mother,” and sometimes her own children teased her saying that she spent more time with him than anyone else. However, the children understood that she spent more time with Harry to give him the love and guidance he needed to forget the old ways he had learned on the streets. In this way, Harry lived happily among this family until he went off to make his way in the world.

The years passed by and many changes had taken place. The old house where Harry grew up, however, looked much the same, and the swallows twittered about, building their nests under the thatch as they used to do. Hatty had grown into a beautiful young woman and she loved to be outside in the garden listening to the sound of the birds. One day as she watched the swallows building their nest, she caught sight of a tall, handsome soldier walking up the hill to the house. He seemed familiar, and straining her eyes against the sun, she recognized the grown-up face of little Harry. He had come back from the war! How they all welcomed him with open arms and smiling faces. Everyone was so happy to see him. Harry had never forgotten the love they had given him when he needed it most and he remembered where his “home” was. He was so happy that Jesus had given him a home with a family that loved him.

Harry and the family had a lot of time to catch up on, and they spent a long night sitting together and reminiscing on old times. Harry reminded Hatty of the spring evening many years before when she had offered him her friendship, saying that they would make the swallows and a certain little homeless boy happy in their home and always welcome them home when they wanted to come back. Now Harry was back.

Harry grew up to be a nice young man because somebody had cared enough to bring him to their home, show him the love of a family and teach him about Jesus. It changed his life and made a difference in the lives of that little family also. When we offer a kind hand to somebody in need, we are doing what Jesus would do. “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” Isaiah 58:7. Little Harry found a loving home and learned the meaning of kindness because someone followed the words of Jesus.

Unknown Author

Health – Alfalfa, A King of Herbs

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The herb alfalfa, called lucerne or purple medic, is good for man or beast. Alfalfa is a plant we can use with complete safety. It is non-toxic, non poisonous and non-habit forming. This qualifies it as one of many herbs which are beneficial for mankind. It is “seed bearing” and a green herb, fulfilling the Biblical specifications in Genesis 1:29 and 30.

The Nutrition Almanac by John D. Kirschmann (Nutrition Search, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 55402) says, “Alfalfa is a leguminous plant which is particularly rich in Vitamin K. The seeds, seed sprouts, and leaves of the plant can be eaten.” Here is a statement from Alma R. Hutchens in Indian Herbology of North America (Merco, 620 Wyandotte East, Windsor 14, Ontario, Canada) showing many values in this plant: “It is only in recent years that we moderns are rediscovering its valuable nutritive properties, which include organic minerals of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, plus all the known vitamins, including vitamin K and the recently discovered vitamin B-8 and vitamin P.”

North American Indians adopted alfalfa quickly for human use, as well as for animals. This is a perennial herbaceous plant, with two stems. Leaflets: Three toothed above. Flowers: Violet. Calyx: Five-toothed. Corolla: Papilionaceous, six lines long. Stamens: Nine united and one free. Pod: Spirally coiled and without spines. The small, violet-purple or bluish flowers bloom from June until August. In some regions it is cut every month as cultivated food for both man and animal.

Alfalfa’s organic salts are among the richest known, the depth and spread of its roots enabling it to absorb its valuable nutrition as far as 125 feet below the earth’s surface.

Alfalfa was discovered by the Arabs and is one of the first known herbs. They called it the “father of all foods.” This is interesting, as they knew only by evidential experience. It is only in recent years that we moderns are rediscovering its valuable nutritive properties.

It is helpful for every condition of the body, whether it be maintaining or regaining health, as the contents are balanced for complete absorption. It may be used by itself or blended with other herbal teas.

  • W. Walker, D.Sci., in his book, Raw Vegetable Juices, 29, 30 (Pyramid Books, New York, first printed in 1936), gives his views on alfalfa and alfalfa juice:

“Alfalfa is a particularly valuable leguminous herb, not only rich in the principal mineral and chemical elements in the constitution of the human body, but it also has many of the trace elements obtained from deep in the soil where the roots reach down 30 to 100 feet.

“Of specific value I would point out the rich quality, quantity and proper balance of Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Choline, Sodium, Potassium and Silicon in Alfalfa. These elements are all very much needed for the proper function of the various organs in the body.

“While Alfalfa is widely used as forage for livestock, it is nevertheless of immense value, in the form of juice, using only the leaves, when it can be obtained fresh. It is also known as Lucerne grass, while in England it is known as Purple Medic.

“Because Alfalfa adapts itself to widely varying conditions of soil and climate, even thriving on alkali soil, there is no excuse for not growing it on one’s home grounds, as it is usually difficult to obtain when living in the city.

“When we are unable to obtain fresh Alfalfa, we sprout Alfalfa seeds and eat the sprouts with our meals. They sprout easily and they are very beneficial.

“Vegetation miraculously transforms and vitalizes inanimate substances into living cells and tissues.

“Cattle eat vegetation, raw, for nourishment. They take into their system one living organism and convert it into a still more complex live organism.

“Vegetation, on the other hand, whether vegetable, fruit plant, or grass, takes inorganic elements from the air, from the water, and from the earth, converting them into live organic elements. It takes nitrogen and carbon from the air; nitrogen, minerals, and mineral salts from the earth in which it grows; and oxygen and hydrogen from water.

“The most vital and potent factors in this process of conversion are the enzymes and the life-giving influence of the rays of the sun which generate chlorophyll.

“The chlorophyll molecule is made up of a web of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms around one single atom of magnesium. It is interesting to compare this design with that of the hemoglobin of our red blood corpuscles, which has a similar web of elements girdling an atom of iron instead of the atom of magnesium.

“We find in this analogy one of the secrets of the value of chlorophyll to the human system. Strict vegetarians—whose diet excludes grains and starches but includes an abundance of fresh juices with a good proportion of the green juices—are healthier, live longer and are more free from degenerative ailments than those who eat mostly cooked foods and little or no raw vegetables and juices. It would seem that we have here fairly conclusive evidence as to which diet regimen is the correct or natural one for healthy human beings.

“One of the richest chlorophyll foods we have is alfalfa. It is a food that builds up both animals and humans, all things considered, into a healthy, vital, and vigorous old age, and builds up a resistance to infection that is almost phenomenal.

“The juice of fresh alfalfa is too strong and potent to be taken by itself. It is best taken with carrot juice, in which combination the individual benefits of each juice are intensified. It has been found very helpful in most troubles with the arteries and dysfunctions connected with the heart.”

In alfalfa we have a plant that even animals such as dogs and cats will go and find when they are sick. They are “led” to this and other herbs by instinct which tells them it will heal them. Perhaps even humans have such an instinct, if they only would “listen.” As a small child, and a very sickly one at that, I used to go out in the springtime and pick young alfalfa leaves and eat them. For this I am grateful, because I feel I was given additional help to fight off some of the sicknesses with which I was born.

I remember reading, years back, the story of a father, mother, and some children who were in a concentration camp where the food and living conditions were far below standard. People were dying from malnutrition, but this family found a small clump of alfalfa growing in the corner of the concentration camp grounds. Each day they would chew thoroughly a sprig or two of the alfalfa and found as a result that the entire family felt strong and healthy. They would beg others there to do the same, but were laughed at and ridiculed. However, they continued eating the alfalfa (new growth coming on continually) as long as they remained imprisoned in that area. When they were released they were in good health, while their friends who had refused to follow their advice had either died or were very sickly and suffering from severe malnutrition.

An alfalfa plant in your flower or vegetable garden would supply fresh salad greens or a healthful “green” drink to add to other vegetable juices most of the year. It is, of course, a perennial, coming up year after year. It would be wise also to have on hand some alfalfa tablets, powdered alfalfa in capsules, dried or bagged alfalfa for teas, and the seeds to sprout. Alfalfa sprouts are delicious alone or in salads and are very nutritious! We have been given, in this herb, the “king of chlorophyll.” If we use alfalfa regularly, with a proper diet also, we should have radiant health!

How many times have we thought that alfalfa was “just fodder for the cattle?” Any of us who have lived on a farm would have no more considered alfalfa as “human food” than a “mess of fried nails” as an iron supplement. It is true, however, that alfalfa IS the “fodder of all foods.” In fact, the very name, “alfalfa” comes from the Arabic and translates into English as “the father of all foods.”

Alfalfa belongs to the family Leguminosae, the family of legumes, beans, or “pulse” as it is known in the Scriptures in the book of Daniel. Other members of this family include lentils, pintos, and kidney beans.

Parts of the Herb Used

We use the whole herb; that is, the leaves and smaller stems. Alfalfa best lends its properties to water. This means that when an infusion or tea is made from alfalfa leaves, we can obtain 90% of the potassium contained in the dried alfalfa plant, 85% of the magnesium, 75% of the phosphorus, 50% of the nitrogen, and 40% of the calcium when we brew and drink that cup of alfalfa tea. Speaking of nitrogen, alfalfa is a splendid plant to grow near other plants that need nitrogen. Alfalfa can be planted and then turned back into the soil to enrich the land for other crops.

Medicinal Properties of Alfalfa

Alfalfa has been reported to be an appetizer, diuretic, tonic, nutritive (especially calcium) antianemic, and antihemorrhagic. Because the taproot of alfalfa penetrates beneath the soil to a depth of 65 feet or more, it is reported to absorb minerals from the subsoil which are inaccessible to plants having more shallow roots. The root of the alfalfa plant grows 10 times as fast as the stem during the first three weeks of its life. The depth of the root is attested to by a former Kansas State Secretary for the Department of Agriculture.

Alfalfa leaves are extremely rich in calcium. This accounts for the claims of herbalists and doctors concerning the benefits of using alfalfa for repairing tooth damage and strengthening the structure of the teeth. Calcium is also necessary for proper muscle function—that includes the heart muscle as well. Calcium regulates the heart rhythm. How much simpler to indulge in alfalfa early in life rather than a pacemaker in later life!

The protein content in alfalfa is quite high; in fact, pound for pound it outranks beef, milk, and eggs. Also, alfalfa is full of non-toxic, non-mucus forming elements which promote healing of the body.

We have often heard that there is no vegetable source of vitamin D. The sun, of course, is our favorite source. But did you know that alfalfa contains 4740 International Units of vitamin D per pound? We’ll talk more about this later.

In addition to the aforementioned nutrients, alfalfa also contains vitamins K, A, E, B, and U. Vitamin K is essential in the clotting of blood and is a preventative measure against hemorrhages. Many historical hemophiliacs would have benefited themselves had they considered the lowly alfalfa plant as something more than “munchies” for their herds. We know of several cases where women who have just delivered babies have eaten alfalfa tablets like candy directly after the birth in order to shorten the postpartum bleeding time. Alfalfa is also a remarkable herb to bring in milk in a nursing mother. It has also been observed that vitamin K is instrumental in lowering high blood pressure.

Vitamin E is contained in alfalfa to the tune of 173.8 mg per pound. Vitamin E is essential for the proper functioning of the reproductive system, and the vitamin E found in alfalfa is so much more valuable than the synthetic variety which is not readily assimilated by the body.

As mentioned earlier, vitamin D is found as 4740 International Units per pound of dried alfalfa. There is 173.8 IUs of vitamin E in the specimen we gave for analysis. All of these figures will, of course, vary with the time and season of the harvest. Our sample had 9.4 mg per pound of vitamin K, the clotting factor.

Alfalfa also contains a saponin, which is a substance that forms colloidal dispersion (a soap suds-like reaction) when shaken with water. The steroid saponins have been recently successfully investigated for their suitability as cortisone and hormone precursors.

Alfalfa can be used as a beverage, as well as medicinally. When taken daily it can improve the appetite, alleviate urinary tract disorders such as the retention of water, and give relief for digestive and bowel problems such as peptic ulcer. A combination of alfalfa and peppermint makes a very pleasant tea for the refreshment of mind and body.

According to May Bethel, author of The Healing Power of Herbs, 1968, alfalfa contains 8 known enzymes which are instrumental in food assimilation. Bethel also quotes Dr. W. H. Graves, D.C., who has successfully used alfalfa in cases of diabetes, rheumatism, bright’s disease, toxemia, jaundice, neuralgia, insomnia, nervousness, syphilis, constipation, lumbago, hardening of the arteries, dropsy, prostatitis, anemia, skin eruptions, poor complexion, and inflamed bladder. Graves also mentions alfalfa as a blood builder and is beneficial for building teeth and bones.

Alfalfa sprouts have experienced a resurgence in popularity. Once they were the “in thing” among health fanatics; now they rival iceberg lettuce in the supermarkets across the nation. Alfalfa sprouts can be enjoyed alone, as greenery on sandwiches, in soups, salads, and other vegetarian delights.

Growing Alfalfa Sprouts

Select a good variety of alfalfa seed. Usually natural food stores have them in stock, purchased explicitly for sprouting. Put about 1-2 tablespoons of dried seed into a clean glass quart jar. Instead of the original jar lid, use a flexible piece of screen and a rubber band to top the jar, preventing seeds from falling out while rinsing.

Alfalfa sprouts are inexpensive to grow at home, and rank among the world’s most nutritive substances.

Alfalfa may be sprouted at home in approximately three to four days. According to research reports, the sprouts contain the highest amount of vitamin B-12 on the fourth day of germination.

In harvesting alfalfa for drying, it is best to collect it before the flowering of the plant, for at this time the greatest potency is within the leaves. Alfalfa should be dried in the shade and stored in jars or containers with tight-fitting lids to preserve the nutritional value. When reconstituting dried alfalfa as a tea, it is best to use steam distilled water.

A form of alfalfa was known as early as the fourth century B.C., when Dioscordes, a physician who traveled with Alexander the Great, employed the wild plant for the difficulties with the urinary tract. In the Soviet Union and in Europe, alfalfa tea is considered a traditional beverage.

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Question & Answer – What can I do to help my children to be saved?

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Dear friend, there are many mothers and fathers with a burden on their hearts for the salvation of their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord.” Psalm 127:3. They are given to us for our joy and learning that we may develop characters like Jesus.

The training of children should begin at birth, and this requires much sincere prayer and in-depth study of the Scriptures. Study how God dealt with His people. Memorize and apply Scripture verses such as Philippians 4:8; II Peter 1:3-9; Galatians 5:22–24; Psalm 1; Psalm 15, and, of course, the Ten Commandments. These are just a few suggested texts to memorize. If you learn and practice these principles, you will set the example and your children will understand what it means to be a Christian.

Children learn from observation and take in the environment in which they live. They may not always listen and practice what you tell them, but they absorb how they are treated and the relationship between other members of the family. Parents will often make mistakes in dealing with their children, but it is very important to be humble enough to ask forgiveness.

It is very easy to tell a child that he should say please and thank you, but if the parents do not practice these things the children will soon forget the training. The same thing is true with Bible study and prayer. Morning and evening worship is a wonderful training time for all members of the family.

Children also must learn to make choices. Once the child has made a choice, do not deny him the choice he has made, but allow him to follow through with it. Our young people should be sheltered from the influence of the world as far as possible by keeping our homes free from television and a worldly environment. Our conversation should be more on the things pertaining to the Lord and His righteousness than on money and worldly enterprises. This will help to positively influence the young person’s choices later in life.

When the child has grown up and thinks he is an adult, you must allow him to choose his lifestyle. You can make suggestions and guide, but you cannot force him into your choice of life. You may make restrictions and insist on rules in the home. You can pray with him and for him, but ultimately he must choose his own lifestyle, and you must let him know that he will reap the result of his choice but you will still love him or her.

There are many young people who are lonesome, and by just showing kindness and friendship you will win them to the Lord. There are also those who are so rebellious that all you can do is pray and ask the Lord to lead you and your loved one. The Lord has promised to answer our prayers. Lean heavily upon Him. He will not disappoint you.

“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” Isaiah 49:25.

Pen of Inspiration – Prayer for the Sick

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The Scripture says that “men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1); and if ever there is a time when they feel their need of prayer, it is when strength fails and life itself seems slipping from their grasp. Often those who are in health forget the wonderful mercies continued to them day by day, year after year, and they render no tribute of praise to God for His benefits. But when sickness comes, God is remembered. When human strength fails, men feel their need of divine help. And never does our merciful God turn from the soul that in sincerity seeks Him for help. He is our refuge in sickness as in health. “Like as a father pitieth his children, So the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” Psalm 103:13, 14.

“Because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, men are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of food; And they draw near unto the gates of death.” Psalm 107:17, 18, A.R.V. “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And He saveth them out of their distresses. He sendeth His word, and healeth them, And delivereth them from their destructions.” Verses 19, 20, R.V.

God is just as willing to restore the sick to health now as when the Holy Spirit spoke these words through the psalmist. And Christ is the same compassionate physician now that He was during His earthly ministry. In Him there is healing balm for every disease, restoring power for every infirmity. His disciples in this time are to pray for the sick as verily as the disciples of old prayed. And recoveries will follow; for “the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” We have the Holy Spirit’s power, the calm assurance of faith, that can claim God’s promises. The Lord’s promise, “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18), is just as trustworthy now as in the days of the apostles. It presents the privilege of God’s children, and our faith should lay hold of all that it embraces. Christ’s servants are the channel of His working, and through them He desires to exercise His healing power. It is our work to present the sick and suffering to God in the arms of our faith. We should teach them to believe in the Great Healer.

The Saviour would have us encourage the sick, the hopeless, the afflicted, to take hold upon His strength. Through faith and prayer the sickroom may be transformed into a Bethel. In word and deed, physicians and nurses may say, so plainly that it cannot be misunderstood, “God is in this place” to save, and not to destroy. Christ desires to manifest His presence in the sickroom, filling the hearts of physicians and nurses with the sweetness of His love. If the life of the attendants upon the sick is such that Christ can go with them to the bedside of the patient, there will come to him the conviction that the compassionate Saviour is present, and this conviction will itself do much for the healing of both the soul and the body.

And God hears prayer. Christ has said, “If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Again He says, “If any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.” John 14:14; 12:26. If we live according to His word, every precious promise He has given will be fulfilled to us. We are undeserving of His mercy, but as we give ourselves to Him, He receives us. He will work for and through those who follow Him.

But only as we live in obedience to His word can we claim the fulfillment of His promises. The psalmist says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18. If we render to Him only a partial, halfhearted obedience, His promises will not be fulfilled to us.

In the word of God we have instruction relative to special prayer for the recovery of the sick. But the offering of such prayer is a most solemn act, and should not be entered upon without careful consideration. In many cases of prayer for the healing of the sick, that which is called faith is nothing less than presumption.

Many persons bring disease upon themselves by their self-indulgence. They have not lived in accordance with natural law or the principles of strict purity. Others have disregarded the laws of health in their habits of eating and drinking, dressing, or working. Often some form of vice is the cause of feebleness of mind or body. Should these persons gain the blessing of health, many of them would continue to pursue the same course of heedless transgression of God’s natural and spiritual laws, reasoning that if God heals them in answer to prayer, they are at liberty to continue their unhealthful practices and to indulge perverted appetite without restraint. If God were to work a miracle in restoring these persons to health, He would be encouraging sin.

It is labor lost to teach people to look to God as a healer of their infirmities, unless they are taught also to lay aside unhealthful practices. In order to receive His blessing in answer to prayer, they must cease to do evil and learn to do well. Their surroundings must be sanitary, their habits of life correct. They must live in harmony with the law of God, both natural and spiritual.

The Ministry of Healing, 225–227.