A People Preparing

In Luke 1:17, the angel said to Zacharias concerning his son, John the Baptist, “He will go before Him [the Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah … to prepare a people who are prepared for the Lord.” Jesus told His disciples that “Elijah has come already, and they did not know him” (Matthew 17:12), meaning John the Baptist was the Elijah prophet for the first advent.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful [or terrible or awesome] day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5, 6). Here again it is predicted that before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, God is going to send to us Elijah the prophet.

Again in the New Testament is predicted that before the coming of Christ in the last days, God’s people are going to have the gift of prophecy. Paul wrote, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:4–9, first part). Notice that the people waiting for Jesus to come will fall short in no gift; the testimony of Christ will be confirmed in them.

It is predicted again in Revelation the 12th chapter that God’s last day people are going to have the gift of prophecy. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [the remnant of her seed], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (verse 17). The testimony of Jesus according to Revelation 19:10 is the spirit of prophecy. The dragon according to Revelation 12:9 represents the devil. A woman, all through Bible prophecy, in both the Old and New Testaments, represents a church. A pure woman represents a pure church and a harlot woman represents an apostate church.

Whole books of the Bible have been written with this symbolism; for example, the entire book Song of Solomon is a compacted, symbolic prophecy about Christ and the church. The first part of the book of Hosea is a prophecy concerning Christ and His church that has gone astray and committed harlotry. Ezekiel 23 is devoted to the church, where Israel and Judah are likened to two women who apostatized from the Lord.

The same symbolism is used in the New Testament. Paul said to the Corinthian church, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste [pure] virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). In Ephesians he again uses the marriage relationship as a symbol of the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:25–27). Revelation talks about the bride of the Lamb who has made herself ready for the marriage dressed in fine linen, clean and bright (Revelation 19:7, 8).

In the book of Revelation two women are represented, the harlot woman (Revelation 17) and the pure woman (Revelation 12). It says, “The dragon was enraged with the woman” (Revelation 12:17). Translating these symbols this would read: “The devil was enraged with the church, and he went to make war with the remnant [the last church], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [the spirit of prophecy].” According to Bible prophecy, God’s last day people will be a commandment keeping people. In the Hebrew language the fourth commandment with the Sabbath at its heart is the longest commandment of all, with 55 words. James says, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). The commandments are not ten laws, but one law.

James makes it clear what law he refers to by quoting the sixth and seventh commandments (James 2:11), and God refers to the ten commandments as one law all by itself (Exodus 24:12). Concerning this ten commandment law, in Deuteronomy 4:13, Moses told the children of Israel: “He [God] declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tables of stone.” The commandments are called God’s covenant. In Psalm 89:34, God says, “My covenant I will not break [profane], nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.”

When Jesus was on earth, He made the strongest statement possible about the ten commandments. He said, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle (just part of a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the smallest stroke in a Hebrew letter) of the law to fail” (Luke 16:17). This was spoken by the One who created the heavens and the earth and upholds them all by the power of His word. (See Hebrews 1:2, 3.) This means the One who has all power and authority would destroy the entire universe before He would allow a part of a letter of His law to fail. How audacious for any created being to think that the law is not important after Jesus makes a statement that strong. It is inconceivable that anyone could try to insult the Lord not only to change part of a letter but to change the longest commandment in the heart of the whole law.

In the book of Joel, it says, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders [signs] in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke [timeroth]” (Joel 2:28–30). The Hebrew word timeroth is smoke that comes up in a column and spreads out like a palm tree, a description befitting an atom bomb explosion. Twenty-five hundred years ago before atom bombs were invented, the Lord knew what would happen in the last days.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord” (verse 31). Before Jesus returns, certain things are going to happen, a dark day, blood and fire and columns of smoke like palm trees. But during that time the Lord said He would pour out His Spirit in prophecy. He said your sons and daughters are going to prophesy.

“It shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (verse 32). When these things happen there will be deliverance and salvation in Mount Zion. Notice what it says in Isaiah 51:16, last part: “Say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’ ” Zion is God’s people.

There will be deliverance in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call (Joel 2:28–32). The remnant are the people who keep the commandments of God and have the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). When you determine who these people are, join them, for they have the truth that will open the doors of heaven to you.

“Elijah the prophet” appeared in the person of John the Baptist to prepare a people for the first coming of the Lord. The purpose of the Elijah prophet the second time is to prepare a people for His second coming.

Now is the time to take advantage of the writings of this “Elijah” prophet, the special messenger for the remnant church whose writings will help us be ready for the second coming of Christ.

No one eats a pickup load of food in one day, but over a year, the food you eat would fill that pickup. The same principle applies for spiritual knowledge. By reading just a few pages of spiritual food each morning and night you can easily read 1500 pages in a year. At that rate, in a few years you will have done quite a bit of reading. The more you read, the more you will enjoy the spiritual feast and keep coming back for more and still more.

Every wonderful gift the Lord gives to His people the devil perverts into something many people think is awful. People are often afraid to read the Spirit of Prophecy thinking God just wants to take things away from them, like not being able to eat what they want to eat, or do something they want to do, or wear the kinds of clothes they want to wear, or enjoy their entertainment. But He wants to replace the things that harm with habits that will benefit. Wouldn’t it be best to know now the changes that can be made so we will be fit for a holy atmosphere in heaven when Jesus returns?

Ellen White tells us that if we were to study our Bibles well enough, there would be no need of her writings. Interestingly, the man Elijah did not write any books like Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekiel. Elijah told Ahab his purpose: “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:18). Elijah’s purpose was to call people back to worship God and keep His commandments. This was also the purpose of John the Baptist and is the purpose of the writings of Ellen White. Those who despise these writings designed to draw the reader to the word of God actually despise the Bible also because the purpose of each is the same—to prepare a people to meet their Lord.

Jesus told a parable of ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). The Elijah message, to get ready to meet the Lord, must be given before the virgins go out to meet the bridegroom because it was at midnight that the bridegroom came and only the faithful ones who had made the preparation of extra oil went into the banquet hall to the marriage feast.

When the ministry of John the Baptist began, the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy were just about completed. This was to signal the Jews that the Messiah was about to come. The Elijah prophet was not sent to the Romans or the Greeks or the Egyptians; the Elijah prophet was sent to God’s professed people. In the same way, when the Elijah prophet came again, it came to those people who were looking for Christ to come the second time. The Elijah prophet arose among the people who were expecting the Bridegroom to come in the year 1844. God rose up his last day prophet, Ellen G. White.

People want to know if Ellen White passes the Bible test of a prophet because Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets” (Matthew 7:15). Notice, He did not say to beware of all prophets, but of false prophets. The test to see if a person has the true gift of prophecy is found in Isaiah 8:19, 20. It says, “And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums [familiar spirits], and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Care must always be taken that the Scripture is not taken out of context. The Scripture here is not talking simply about preachers or teachers, but the test of a prophet. There are many preachers and teachers today who have still not come to the light of the true Sabbath of the fourth commandment who are preaching truth as they know it. Many of the Protestant reformers in the 16th century were also unaware of the true Sabbath, for they had not yet come to that knowledge. Also, none of those early Protestant reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Tyndale, to name a few, claimed to be prophets. The Lord used these faithful preachers to bring great blessings to the people of their time who were seeking for truth.

Isaiah’s test of a prophet is to see by which spirit that person is influenced. A false prophet is one who does not teach according to all the law and the testimony. A human teacher can make mistakes. That does not mean there is no light in what he says. We are given Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy to check out what we hear, and only believe what we find in inspired writings. “Truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is harmonious with itself in all its manifestations.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 258.

A true prophet under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is guided and directed by angels in heaven. Their message never contradicts what has already been established as the word of God. It will be in harmony with the law and the testimony.

Ellen White’s writings do not contradict the Bible. In fact, Ellen White says her work includes much more than that of a prophet. (See Selected Messages, Book 1, 32.) There have been three times that I have known of since the history of the world that God has sent to His people somebody who was more than a prophet. The first time was Moses. The second time was John the Baptist. Jesus said that he is more than a prophet (Matthew 11:9; Luke 7:26). The third time is Ellen White.

The book of Numbers reveals another test. The Lord, speaking to Miriam and Aaron, “Then He said, ‘Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face’ ” (Numbers 12:6–8, first part).

There are only a few cases in the Bible where we have record of the Lord speaking to a prophet in a vision and a dream. The most detailed description in all the Bible of this is Daniel’s vision (Daniel 10:1–17). Daniel said, “How can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me” (verse 17). Daniel asks, How is it possible for me to even be talking to you when there is no breath in me? Here is described the condition of a true prophet while in vision.

The word of any person claiming to be a prophet cannot be accepted unless they have had public visions and dreams that can be documented because of this Bible test. It must be seen that the prophet in a vision be not breathing.

Some experienced divers have trained themselves to hold their breath for a little over 3 minutes. To hold their breath much longer than that would cause you to eventually pass out and could cause brain damage.

Ellen White in vision did not breathe for periods of over 4 hours and many times in public she had visions that lasted up to 30 minutes. In the book, Prophet Of the End, Rene Noorbergen, documents some of these occurrences.

The work of a prophet must bear good fruit. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 15–20, Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous [plundering] wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad [rotten] tree bears bad [evil] fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

We are going through the shaking period in earth’s history and the history of the church. We are told that every wind of doctrine would be blowing. Ellen White has told us that the path of truth will lie so close beside the path of error that only by the Holy Spirit will you be able to tell the difference. When you look in her writings you see a balance which is absolutely astonishing, a balance to keep you from going off on tangents.

The writings of the Spirit of Prophecy produce good fruits in the church. When the members take heed of the counsel therein the church comes into harmony and into unity; it comes into line. The members all follow their great Leader and have the same goals. All kinds of problems in the church are solved.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:1–3).

This is an interesting test. Every single spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God. John goes on to say that this is the way you will know it is the antichrist. The antichrist teaches that Jesus did not come in the flesh. In fact, it teaches that Jesus’ mother Mary was born from an immaculate conception whereby she did not inherit any original sin, therefore Jesus did not inherit any original sin; He was immaculate.

This is a principle teaching of the antichrist and is taught in almost all the Protestant churches. It has even found its way into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But a true prophet will confess that Jesus came in the flesh. Now in the flesh is a technical term that refers to coming in a fallen nature, coming in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8). God sent His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Do not say that He came in sinful flesh, which neither Scripture nor Ellen White believe. The Scripture says, He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, but it also says that in Him is no sin (1 John 3:5). A true prophet will teach this. Ellen White does teach this.

I found a book in which one of our pioneers documented over 100 predictions Ellen White made that had already come to pass in his lifetime. Jeremiah said, “When the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent” (Jeremiah 28:9). Ellen White made many predictions some of which are coming to pass today.

The purpose of the Spirit of Prophecy is to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord. Our work is to get the three angels’ messages to the world. When they accept it and they have the Spirit of Prophecy, they can become part of God’s last day people.

Ellen White predicted that as we draw close to the end of time, the devil’s temptations on appetite would become more severe and more difficult to overcome. That could not be more apparent today.

In 1973, when I started going to the School of Health at Loma Linda University, we were taught in a basic nutrition class that in the United States at that time, we were having an epidemic of obesity. Our instructor said there was a higher percentage of grossly overweight people in the U.S. than in any other country in the world. In fact, it was so bad that there was slightly over 40 percent of Americans significantly overweight. Today it is far worse, with between 60 to 70 percent overweight. Health practitioners are concerned, knowing that the consequence of this obesity will be the skyrocketing incidents of diabetes, cancer, and all kinds of degenerative disease that could absolutely overload the functioning of the health care delivery system.

We are living in solemn times. We don’t know yet what is going to happen during the time of trouble, but we have been told that unless you are under the Lord’s care, it is going to be more awful than one can imagine. Everything that we think we have in place is going to break down. We’re living in the time just before that time and our only protection is that which comes from the Lord. If we had time to do the research, I believe that we would find thousands of predictions that Ellen White made that have been fulfilled but there are certainly hundreds.

Since World War II, the idea of the fast food industry has developed. Today, with fast food outlets open 24/7, you can eat anything you want any time of the day or night, unlike sixty years ago when restaurants were only open during mealtimes. Now, at 9:30 at night or even later, you often see cars lined up, waiting to get their late evening snack. That snack is not apples or oranges or grapes, but burgers and French fries, the very things that are making our country sick.

We are living in the sickest generation, and it has seriously affected our church. We ought to be preparing for heaven, changing our tastes to a heavenly diet, but many are suffering with preventable diseases the same as those in the world. We are a sick generation.  Ellen White said that if Jesus does not come, the human race would become extinct. Seventh-day Adventists have had the health message for over 150 years, but so few are prepared to put these principles into practice. God’s remnant people are the last people that God will have in this world. Concerning the second advent movement, He says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

At the end of time there will only be two groups of people: the remnant and those in spiritual Babylon. They will either be part of the second advent movement, or they will be in Babylon. The Lord has given us precious truth and it is this knowledge that is designed to get you out of this world. When you tell others about it, it can get them out of this world – alive. Study the overwhelming evidence, for it is precious truth for this last generation, not for us to hold onto jealously, but to share with others.

The world is going to end soon and when everything comes to pass and Jesus returns, I want to be one of the remnant. Do you? “In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (Joel 2:32).

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

God’s Special Gift for His Last Day Church, Part I

If you are interested in evangelism, you need to be well acquainted with the writings and the speeches of the apostle Peter, because there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who have a special regard for the apostle Peter. They say that he was the first head of their church.

I love to talk to my Roman Catholic friends about the apostle Peter. I just love it! They are shocked when they find out what the apostle Peter said. Did you know that it is recorded in Acts 10 that a man by the name of Cornelius was so happy to see the apostle Peter that he knelt down to worship him?

The apostle Peter said, “Stand up, I am just a man.” Did you know that the first pope would not even allow anybody to get down on their knees in front of him? Something has changed, has it not? Well, the apostle Peter had something to say about the last days.

Where is the Promise?

“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days [Some translations say “mockers.”], walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:3.

Now notice what the apostle Peter says is going to happen in the last days, the days in which you and I are living. He says there are going to be scoffers. What are they going to scoff at? They are going to scoff at the idea of creation. They are going to scoff at the idea that the world came into existence by the word of God.

The apostle Paul talked about this, too. Paul said in the last day perilous times will come. (See 2 Timothy 3.)

Spiritual Suicide

Let me list for you three things that have happened in the last 200 years, things which have brought the world into greater spiritual peril than at any previous time in world history.

  1. The Development of Higher Criticism.

I attended Andrews University. Do not let anybody think that I am recommending that you go there. That is one of the most dangerous places in the world that you could go for an education. My son is an engineer, and he went to a Seventh-day Adventist College in Washington State. When he went there, I talked to him. I said, “Son, it is all right with me if you go to this place and study engineering, but I do not want you to study theology there.”

Now that seems strange. I studied theology at that very place. I told my son, I do not want you to study Bible, and I do not want you to study theology there. Why? Because in our time, theology has become one of the most dangerous things to study in the universities and colleges.

Why? Well, there are a number of reasons, but one of the reasons has to do with the development of higher criticism. The net result of higher criticism is that after you have studied for several years under teachers who have imbibed these theories (and they have imbibed them from other universities where they got their doctoral degrees in theology) you have a completely different idea about the Bible. You do not have nearly as much confidence in the Bible anymore.

You no longer look at it as the infallible Word of God. Christian leaders need to know that we are up against a world of unbelief.

The Age of Unbelief

We are producing a series of programs for television on the age of unbelief—the time in which we are living. Higher criticism is a big part of this. It has destroyed faith in the Bible for the majority of Christian ministers and priests.

There are preachers all over the world who claim to be Protestant preachers and Catholic priests, and they do not believe what the Bible says about how the world came into existence. They do not believe that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. They do not believe in the virgin birth. They do not believe in the blood atonement, and they do not believe in the Second Coming of Christ.

Have you ever read, in the papers or magazines, about meetings where theologians get together and discuss the Second Coming of Christ? Most of them do not believe in it. Why? the outgrowth and development of higher criticism. Christian religious leaders all over the world do not believe the Bible the way Martin Luther, John Calvin and our spiritual forefathers did.

This has brought the world into the most perilous time since the creation of the world. But there are two other things that have happened in the last 200 years that have also brought the world into these perilous times.

  1. The Development of the Theory of Evolution and Uniformitarianism.

In 2 Peter 3, Peter specified that in the last days the theory of uniformitarianism would be taught. That is the theory that all things continue as they were from the beginning.

In 1979, during the Christmas season, my sister’s family, my parents and I were all visiting my brother, Marshall. He and his family were pastoring a church in Pennsylvania. We decided one day to take a trip to the Smithsonian Institute, one of the largest museums in the world. It has many, many different buildings; you cannot visit everything in one day. I decided I was going to go through the geology building.

I knew what I would find. They would say that the earth was millions of years old. By the way, you can figure out from the Bible, within fifty years, how old the world is. It is around 6000 years old right now.

Of course geologists say that the world is billions of years old; the common figure is four and one-half billion years. So I went into their geology building, because I wanted to know what their evidence is.

One Piece of Evidence

Do you know what evidence they have? They have only one piece of evidence for the whole thing. I went through the whole building. I looked at all the exhibits and the explanations and found they only have one piece of evidence—a theory. It is the theory of uniformitarianism. Do you know what the theory of uniformitarianism is? They look at the depth of the sediment at the bottom of a lake. Then they measure and they say that the sediment is gathering at the rate of 1/16 of an inch per year, so that means that this lake is x many years old.

Everything just continues the same. That is the theory of uniformitarianism. That, along with the theory of evolution, has worked to destroy the confidence of men in the Bible and the inspired writings of God.

I am glad that at least some evolutionists are candid, that they know what they believe. One of the leading educators, who is an evolutionist, has written “Now if the theory of evolution is really true, it has to mean the following. It has to mean that there is no God, or gods, there is no such thing as a moral law, and there is no such thing as a future. When you die, that is the end of everything. Also, there is no such thing as free choice.”

He just listed those four things. If evolution is true, then those four things have to be so. We are living in a time when, if you go to any university anywhere in the world—not just the United States—but Europe, Africa, South America, Australia, this theory has permeated all fields of learning.

Made in the Image of Whom?

Has that brought the world into a spiritual crisis? When you are bringing up a young child, does it make a difference in their behavior whether they think they are made in the image of God or they think that they descended from an ape? It makes all the difference in the world in their behavior. Do you want your children to act like animals, or like sons and daughters of God?

The first development has affected the entire religious world. The second development has involved the entire educational and scientific world, every field of human thought. The third development in the world has involved just about everybody except the people who believe in the Bible and know some things in the Bible.

  1. The Development of Modern Spiritualism

This development, which started in 1848, has affected the entire world, and it is affecting everybody It affects atheists, agnostics, evolutionists, scientists, government leaders and church leaders in both Catholic and Protestant faiths. It has permeated the whole world.

Those three things show us how dangerous the world has become and why we are living in an age and world of unbelief. Peter talked about it, Paul talked about it, and God knew about it.

What Would You Do?

Let me ask you this question, and I want you to think about it. If you were in God’s position thousands of years ago, and you foresaw what was going to happen in the world in the last days, and you knew what the devil was going to do to deceive the whole world, (God had His prophet record in Revelation 12:9 how the devil would deceive the whole world); and you wanted to save as many people as you could, what would you do?

Let us see what God said He was going to do about it. In the Old Testament, one of the greatest prophets. Elijah, came to the Children of Israel at a time when they were in a time like we are in today, when there was an apostasy and people did not believe in the God of heaven, and they were kneeling down to Baal and idols.

Elijah came with a message. It was a stern message, but it woke up a lot of people.There was a great that went throughout the land and throughout the Children of Israel.

Ever after that time whenever a prophet arose who brought a great reformation, they would call them an Elijah prophet. God talked about this through the prophet Malachi: “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.’” Malachi 4:5, 6.

The Elijah Prophet for the End Times

Our heavenly Father, foreseeing the great crisis that the world would be brought into in the last days because of the theories of higher criticism, the theories of evolution, and because of the working of spiritualism which has inundated the world with deception, said, “Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, I know that you are going to go into perilous times. You are going to be in very deceptive times. The devil is going to deceive the whole world, but I am going to do something special for My people. I am going to send you Elijah the prophet.”

So the Jews began to look for the coming of Elijah the prophet. When Jesus came, the Jews were looking for the coming of Elijah the prophet. “Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ [That is the prophet Moses predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15.] And he answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’ He said: ‘I am “The voice of one crying in the wilderness;’ Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said.’ Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him saying, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.’” John 1:19–26.

Spiritual Blindness

Here is what the problem was with the Jews. It is a problem among many Christians today; I hope it is not your problem. You know the Bible says that spiritual things are spiritually discerned. (See 1 Corinthians 2:14.) You read that and if you cannot discern spiritual things and all you can see is literal things, you are going to be in trouble. You are not going to understand the Word of God.

The Jews knew that God had taken Elijah in a chariot up into heaven in the days of Ahab. Elijah was up there, and they said, “Before the Messiah comes (this is what they taught) God is going to send Elijah, the same one who spoke to Ahab and Jezebel. God is going to send him back down from heaven to us.” And so they asked John, “Are you Elijah? You know, the one that talked to Ahab and Jezebel,” and John said, “No, no I am not.”

Do you know what they said then? They said, “Well, then the Messiah cannot be coming yet, because before the Messiah comes Elijah has to come back down from heaven.” What was their problem? They did not discern spiritual things. Was John the Baptist the Elijah prophet who was promised? Yes, he was. Jesus said so.

In Matthew 11:11–14 it says, “‘Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [that is greater in privilege]. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.’”

More than a Prophet

Was John the Baptist the Elijah prophet? Yes, he was. And notice what Jesus said about the Elijah prophet. He said, “This person is a prophet all right, but he is more than a prophet.”

Now let me tell you something. This is the very best news on the face of the earth right now. There have been three times since the beginning of the world that God has sent His children, because of the crisis they were in, not just a prophet, but somebody who was more than a prophet.

The first time God sent His children somebody who was more than a prophet was when He sent Moses. Miriam and Aaron were prophets, too. One time they got jealous of Moses, and they said, “Well, has God spoken through Moses and has He not also spoken through us?” (See Numbers 12:2.) Do you remember what the Lord said to them? He said, “Why were you not afraid to speak like this about My servant Moses?” And the Lord said to them, “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make Myself known to him in a vision and dream, but My servant Moses is not so. I will speak to him face to face or mouth to mouth.” (See Numbers 12:6–8.) Moses was more than just a prophet.

The second time God sent His children somebody who was more than a prophet was when He sent John the Baptist. When Jesus came, that was the most important event of the ages. Before Jesus came God sent His children somebody who was a prophet all right, but somebody who was more than a prophet because that was a crisis period and they needed it.

The third time God sent His children somebody who was a prophet, who was more than a prophet, was in the last days. God said, “I am going to send you Elijah the prophet.” Now the Elijah prophet before the first coming was more than a prophet, and the Elijah prophet before the Second Coming is more than a prophet, too. We will see that soon. This is the best possible news I could tell you

Confidence Lost

You and I are living in the most spiritually dangerous time of all the ages, and we need special instruction from heaven to keep us focused in Bible truth. We are dealing with the world. Even the people who are the spiritual leaders of the world do not have confidence in the Scriptures anymore because of the theories of higher criticism.

The scientific community and the educated people do not have confidence in the Bible because of the theories of geology and evolution, which they have been taught since they were young. And nobody, believes, in what this Book teaches anymore, who has been involved in spiritualism because they have been taught opposite theories that are contrary to this Book.

God knew that this would happen, Jesus predicted it in Luke 18, and so He promised through Malachi the prophet. He said that before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, He was going to do something special for us. He knew we were going to be in trouble: we were going to be in perilous times. There were going to be scoffers; there were going to be mockers. It was going to be an age of unbelief.

So the Lord said, “I am going to send to you Elijah the prophet, somebody who is more than a prophet.” John the Baptist was more than a prophet. The Elijah prophet is to be more than a prophet. We know that from the words of Jesus in Matthew 11.

Jewish Tragedy

The great tragedy that happened to the Jews is that the Elijah prophet came. They asked him, “Are you Elijah? Are you the one that talked to Ahab and Jezebel?” He said, “No, I am not.” So they said, “That is not the Elijah prophet” and they left, and they missed out. Here they had had contact with the man whom Jesus said there had never been anybody born of a woman who was greater than this man. (See Matthew 11:11.) He was more than a prophet. He was a special messenger sent to prepare the people for the Messiah.

Do you know whom it was that became Jesus’ disciples? If you study the New Testament, you will find that when Jesus came it was the people who had been with John the Baptist. Was it important whether or not they knew whom the Elijah prophet was? Well, it made all the difference in the world whether or not they would be ready to meet the Messiah.

Now the Jews had the Bible, that is the Old Testament. That was all that had been written so far. Sometimes I meet people who say, “Pastor John, I do not need any more prophecy. I have the Bible.” I say, “Oh, bless your heart, I have the Bible, too, and I love every word of it.”

But do you realize, my dear friend, that those Jews in the time of Christ missed what God wanted them to know because they did not accept the gift of prophecy that God sent to them just before Jesus came? They missed it! The most wonderful thing that God sent to them and they missed it! That was part of the reason they rejected the Messiah.

To be continued……

God’s Special Gift for His Last Day Church, Part II

“Now as they came down from the mountain [this was coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration,] Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.’ And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first.’” Matthew 17:9, 10.

Looking for Elijah

You see, the Jews were looking for the Elijah who had talked to Ahab and Jezebel to come down from heaven. That had not happened. “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” Matthew 17:11–13.

Can you imagine a greater tragedy than this? God sends to you, His chosen people, a special messenger, somebody who is more than a prophet. Since the days of Moses there had never been anybody like this with the people of God. Yet you do not know who it is, so you miss the blessing God has for you. The religious leaders turned their backs on him. They would not listen.

This is what happened to the Jews. I do not want this to happen to me or to you. “‘But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, “Son, go, work today in my vineyard.” He answered and said, “I will not.” but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, “I go, sir,” but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said to Him, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him.…’” Matthew 21:28–32.

They did not believe the special messenger whom God sent. Jesus said the harlots and the tax collectors were going to be saved before they would be, because they believed. It is a dangerous thing, a very dangerous thing, to reject a messenger whom God sends. It is supremely dangerous, because you are turning your back on the Lord Himself. That is the way God accounts it.

Rejecting the Lord

Do you remember when the children of Israel came to Samuel, the prophet, and said, “We want a king”? And Samuel went to the Lord, and he wept all night. He said, “Lord, they have rejected me.” And the Lord said, “No, they have not rejected you. They have rejected Me.” (See 1 Samuel 8.) What we are talking about is so deadly serious; I must convey to you how serious it is.

If I reject a messenger whom God sends, I have turned my back on the Lord Himself. I will never be right with the Lord again unless I repent. This is serious! “…John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and harlots believed him, and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent [repent] and believe him.’” Matthew 21:32.

What did God mean when He said “I will send you Elijah the prophet?” (See Malachi 4:5.) He meant, as the angel said to Zacharias concerning John the Baptist, “‘He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah.’” Luke 1:17. In the spirit and the power—not the same body, not the same person that talked with Ahab and Jezebel, but an Elijah prophet.

The Lord promised that we would have an Elijah prophet again in the end times, because the Lord knew these perilous times would come. He knew what would happen to the world on account of the theories of higher criticism that would destroy the faith in the Christian churches. He knew what would happen in the scientific world because of the theory of evolution. It would destroy confidence in the Bible. He knew what would happen to the world because of the development of modern spiritualism.

So God promised His children a special messenger; He promised to send them Elijah the prophet. God considered this so important that in the book of Revelation, when He is talking about the end of the world, the end times of world history, God says, “I am going to have a people, a remnant, and if you want to find My remnant in the last days, My remnant are going to have two characteristics.” Notice what they are in Revelation 12:17. It says, “And the dragon [the devil] was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [the remnant of her seed], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 19:10 tells us that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of Prophecy. We are living in a time when God is in the process of calling millions of people to become a part of this remnant.

Spiritual Gifts will Continue

Ephesians 4 makes it clear to us that the gifts of the Spirit exist until we come into the unity of the faith, into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ unto a perfect man. (Verse 13.) Now that has not yet happened. That will not happen until the church is ready for Jesus to come in the clouds of heaven. So we know from that Scripture that spiritual gifts are to continue until the Second Coming, including the gift of prophecy.

Some people are terribly mixed up about spiritual gifts. They think that the main spiritual gift is talking in tongues. But if you look at spiritual gifts in Romans 12 or in 1 Corinthians 12 or in Ephesians 4, you will find that tongues is just one of many gifts, and it is never even mentioned as the most important one. The most important gifts are the gifts of apostleship and of prophecy.

Let us compare Revelation 12:17 with Revelation 19:10, and let me just write it with what the words mean. The dragon is the devil; the woman is the church; and the rest of her offspring, or the remnant of her seed, are the last church. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. So it would read like this:

“And the devil was enraged with the church, and he went to make war with the last of the church who keep the commandments of God and have the Spirit of Prophecy.” Ibid. So God’s last people in the world will be keeping the commandments. They will be a Sabbath–keeping church because that commandment is right in the heart of the Ten Commandments, and they will have the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy.

In 1988 while I was preaching in Australia, I was given some material by someone I met there. (Everywhere I go people give me things, and I appreciate that very much. It helps me get a lot of information easily without doing the research myself.) The material I was given was documentation about something that had occurred on a radio program in Australia. I do not know what religious topic was being studied on this radio program, but it was probably about the antichrist. The documentation I was given is a photostat of a letter. I do not know the writer. I have no way of authenticating the letter, but it is very interesting that he sent this letter to the radio station.

Thoroughly Infiltrated

In the letter the writer said, “I am a teacher in a Church of England, or an Anglican, School.” He indicated he was an SJ, which means that he belonged to the Society of Jesus, commonly called the Jesuits. So he was a Jesuit priest who apparently was working under cover in an Anglican School as a teacher. He wrote, “There is a church spoken of in Revelation 12:17 and 19:10.”

I thought that was interesting, that the Jesuits know that there is a church described in Revelation 12:17 and 19:10. And then the next statement he made is very revealing. He said, “We [Who is “we”? the Jesuits.] have thoroughly infiltrated that church.” Which church? The church that keeps the commandments of God and has the Spirit of Prophecy! Maybe that will help explain why there are some things happening in the world that some people have a hard time understanding.

Do not think that is the only church that has been infiltrated. But it was interesting to me to find out that even the Jesuits know that there is such a church, and they know who it is, because it says it is the people who keep the commandments and have the Spirit of Prophecy.

More than a Prophet

I want to tell you; I am so happy to tell you; I am not the least bit embarrassed to tell you; God has sent His people not only a prophet, but also somebody who is more than a prophet, a special messenger. If we would listen to this special messenger, we would be guided back to all the truth in God’s Word.

God is going to have a perfect church. To have a perfect church, the members have to be adhering to everything in the Bible. We cannot come up to the Day of Judgment, when Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven, and say, “Oh, Lord, I did not see that text. I am sorry, Lord, I was not living according to that, because I just did not notice it.”

The Lord knows that you and I are living 6,000 years from the Garden of Eden, and we all, compared with our forefathers, have very feeble minds. So the Lord chose to send us a special messenger to lead us back to Bible truth. There is a text in Isaiah 55 that says, “My ways are not like your ways.” Oh, no? God’s ways are not like our ways.

1 Corinthians 1:19–24 shows how different God’s ways are from our ways. Look at this. This is really something! “For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

Let us look at the power and the wisdom of God, which is supremely higher than anything that we would figure out or imagine. Notice what it says, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” Verses 25–29.

And when God chose to send His people in the last days a special messenger, He chose to send somebody who would not only be a prophet, but who would be more than a prophet. A special messenger who, if they would listen, would lead them back to the truths of the Bible, so they would be ready for the coming of Christ. Because when Christ comes, He is coming to receive a perfected church—not a backslidden church, not an apostate church, a perfected church—and not a lukewarm church, either.

The Weakest Vessel

So, we read in the Bible that God chose to use an instrument that would be so weak that we would be forced to recognize, if we were willing to recognize, that this was the power and the wisdom and the might of God. God chose to send His message through the weakest of the weak.

Now who are the weak? Please do not be insulted, ladies, but in the Bible Peter does say that the wife is the weaker vessel. (See 1 Peter 3:7.) I did not say that; please do not be offended. It is in the Bible.

So if God said He was going to send a message through the weakest of the weak, who would it have to be? It first of all would have to be a woman. But it would not be just a woman. There are some women who are much stronger than other women. It would have to be a woman who was weak. Not just weak as a woman but a weak woman.

Somebody might say, “Pastor John, that is impossible. If God was going to send somebody who was going to be more than a prophet, obviously He would send a man. John the Baptist was a man. Moses was a man. God would have to send a man.” Some people do not believe in women prophets.

Have you ever checked that out in the Bible? In both the Old Testament and the New Testament there were women who were chosen as prophets. It did not even matter what their status was as women. Sometimes men judge women by a woman’s status. But whatever her family status was, I have found that there were women in all different family relations or status, and God still chose them as prophets.

For instance, in the New Testament in the book of Acts it says Philip had four daughters who were prophets and these daughters were virgins. (See Acts 21:8, 9.) So can a virgin be a prophet? Yes. But would you have to be a virgin to be a prophet? No, because in both the Old and the New Testament there are recorded married women who were prophets. Sometimes it even records their husbands’ names.

So, according to both the Old and New Testament, you could be a virgin and be a prophet or you could be married and be a prophet. And then, there were women who were prophets whose husbands had died. Just because their husbands had died and they were widows did not disqualilfy them from being a prophet. In fact, when Jesus was born, they brought Him into the temple and one of the persons who came and held Him, adored Him and admired Him, was Anna, a prophetess. (See Luke 2:36, 37.)

Anna was a widow, but she was a prophetess. Since she was a prophetess, the Lord had given her special instruction. She knew, when she looked at this Baby, that this Baby was the Messiah. She was a prophet. The Lord showed her that. So there is much information in the Bible about women prophets.

The Lord said, “I am going to choose the weakest of the weak.” The person whom God chose as a special messenger to His people in the last days was a person 17 years of age who was so weak the she could not write without her hand shaking. She had been in an accident when she was about nine years of age. A girl had become angry with her and had thrown a rock, and that rock had hit her in the nose and she had a deformed nose for the rest of her life.

There are many fine blood vessels in the nose, so when the rock hit her in the nose, the blood gushed out, and she lost so much blood that she had to be carried home. She was so weak from loss of blood that she could not go back to school. After some months, she was able to go back to school but when she tried to write, her hand would shake so bad, she could not write. So she had to quit school. She was not expect to live very long. The first thing her father would ask when he came home was, “Is Ellen still alive?” That is the way she grew up. “Is Ellen still alive? Is she still here?”

She only had a second—or maybe a third–grade education. That is the person whom God chose, because He was going to do something to show the difference. He was going to show that the foolishness of God was wiser than men and the weakness of God was more mighty than men. That woman, at 17 years of age, received her first vision. After she received her first vision, a number of times she had very serious medical problems and again it was thought she would die—soon.

Given a Death Sentence

One such time she went to see a physician. There were three ladies there waiting to see the physician. She was the third one. The first one went to see the physician; the second one went to see the physician, and then Ellen went to see the physician. He said, “All three of you have heart trouble, but (he said to Ellen) your heart is far worse than the others.’” She was not expected to live because of heart disease.

She only lived about 60 more years after that, but that is a miracle. The Lord healed her of that. Another time she had cancer. Because of the cancer, she should have died. But the Lord healed her of that. She was not supposed to live. She could not write. She was too weak. She was too timid. The Lord allowed these things to happen so men would find out that He was the One in charge. This person had a special message.

She said to the Lord, at first, “I could never address anybody in public! I cannot write; my hand shakes.” How much did she write? She wrote more pages of manuscript than any other woman in recorded history—over 100,000 pages! That from somebody who was shaky, with a second, or third grade education, who, at the age of 17, was supposed to die in a few months from tuberculosis.

To be continued…..

Bible Study Guides – Answers to Prayer

January 17, 2004 – January 23, 2004

Memory Verse

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3.

Suggested Reading: The Desire of Ages, 356, 357; Gospel Workers, 112–114.

Introduction

“We have too little faith. We limit the Holy One of Israel. We should be grateful that God condescends to use any of us as His instruments. For every earnest prayer put up in faith for anything, answers will be returned. They may not come just as we have expected; but they will come—not perhaps as we have devised, but at the very time when we most need them. But, oh, how sinful is our unbelief!” Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White, 215.

1 For what purpose were the experiences of Bible characters recorded? Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11.

note: “The repeated murmurings of the Israelites, and the visitations of God’s wrath because of their transgressions, are recorded in sacred history for the benefit of God’s people who should afterward live upon the earth, but more especially to prove a warning to those who should live near the close of time. Also their acts of devotion, their energy and liberality in bringing their free-will offerings to Moses are recorded for the benefit of the people of God. Their example in preparing material for the tabernacle so cheerfully is an example for all who truly love the worship of God.” The Story of Redemption, 152.

“Not alone for men in positions of large responsibility is the lesson of Elijah’s experience in learning anew how to trust God in the hour of trial.” Prophets and Kings, 175.

“Men whom God favored, and to whom He entrusted great responsibilities, were sometimes overcome by temptation and committed sin, even as we at the present day strive, waver, and frequently fall into error. Their lives, with all their faults and follies, are open before us, both for our encouragement and warning.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 238.

“The errors, sins, and vile apostasies of some, who had been the consecrated and favored servants of God, are dwelt upon in Sacred History at length, as a warning to after generations.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, v. 2.

2 What assurance is given those who call upon the Lord in trouble? Psalms 50:15; 107:4–6.

note: “If the Hebrews had continued to obey God after they left Egypt, and had kept his righteous law, he would have gone before them and prospered them, and made them always a terror to the heathen nations around them. But they so often followed their own rebellious hearts, and departed from God, and went into idolatry, that he suffered them to be overcome by other nations, to humble and punish them. When in their affliction they cried unto God, he always heard them, and raised them up a ruler to deliver them from their enemies.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 66.

3 What can we learn from the prayers of Godly men? Nehemiah 1:4–11; Daniel 9:3–5.

note: “Nehemiah humbled himself before God, giving Him the glory due unto His name. Thus also did Daniel in Babylon. Let us study the prayers of these men. They teach us that we are to humble ourselves, but that we are never to obliterate the line of demarcation between God’s commandment-keeping people and those who have no respect for His law.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1136.

4 How did God open the way for Nehemiah’s work? Nehemiah 2:1–6.

note: “He [Nehemiah] had a sacred trust to fulfill, in which he required help from the king; and he realized that much depended upon his presenting the matter in such a way as to win his [the king’s] approval and enlist his aid. ‘I prayed,’ he said, ‘to the God of heaven.’ [Nehemiah 2:4.] In that brief prayer Nehemiah pressed into the presence of the King of kings and won to his side a power that can turn hearts as the rivers of waters are turned.” Prophets and Kings, 631.

“Nehemiah did not regard his duty as done when he had mourned and wept and prayed before the Lord. He did not only pray. He worked, mingling petition and endeavor.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 346.

5 For what did Elijah pray? Why did his prayer so effectively alter the course of nature? James 5:17, 18.

note: “Elijah’s prayer was answered. Oft-repeated appeals, remonstrances, and warnings had failed to bring Israel to repentance. The time had come when God must speak to them by means of judgments. Inasmuch as the worshipers of Baal claimed that the treasures of heaven, the dew and the rain, came not from Jehovah, but from the ruling forces of nature, and that it was through the creative energy of the sun that the earth was enriched and made to bring forth abundantly, the curse of God was to rest heavily upon the polluted land. The apostate tribes of Israel were to be shown the folly of trusting to the power of Baal for temporal blessings. Until they should turn to God with repentance, and acknowledge Him as the source of all blessing, there should fall upon the land neither dew nor rain.” Prophets and Kings, 119, 120.

6 During Elijah’s experience at Mount Carmel, why did not the rain come immediately after his first prayer? 1 Kings 18:17–45; Psalm 26:2.

note: “Important lessons are presented to us in the experience of Elijah. When upon Mount Carmel he offered the prayer for rain, his faith was tested, but he persevered in making known his request unto God. Six times he prayed earnestly, and yet there was no sign that his petition was granted, but with strong faith he urged his plea to the throne of grace. Had he given up in discouragement at the sixth time, his prayer would not have been answered, but he persevered till the answer came. We have a God whose ear is not closed to our petitions; and if we prove his word, he will honor our faith. He wants us to have all our interests interwoven with his interests, and then he can safely bless us; for we shall not then take glory to self when the blessing is ours, but shall render all the praise to God. God does not always answer our prayers the first time we call upon him; for should he do this, we might take it for granted that we had a right to all the blessings and favors he bestowed upon us. Instead of searching our hearts to see if any evil was entertained by us, any sin indulged, we would become careless, and fail to realize our dependence upon him, and our need of his help.” Review and Herald, June 9, 1891.

7 How important was prayer to the prophet Daniel? Daniel 6:4–10.

note: “Morning, noon, and at night Daniel prayed to his God, notwithstanding the king’s decree, and the fearful den of lions. He was not ashamed, or afraid to pray, but with his windows opened he prayed three times a day. Did God forget his faithful servant when he was cast into the lion’s den? O, No. He was with him there all night. He closed the mouths of these hungry lions, and they could not hurt the praying man of God.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 1, 1855.

8 What were Isaiah’s concerns when he was called by God, and how was he strengthened by communion with the Almighty? Isaiah 6:5–8.

note: “Never before had Isaiah realized so fully the greatness of Jehovah or His perfect holiness; and he felt that in his human frailty and unworthiness he must perish in that divine presence. . . . But a seraph came to him to fit him for his great mission. A living coal from the altar was laid upon his lips . . . and when the voice of God was heard saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Isaiah with holy confidence responded, ‘Here am I; send me.’ [Isaish 6:8.] . . .

“[Isaiah] had seen the King, the Lord of hosts; he had heard the song of the seraphim, ‘The whole earth is full of His glory’ [Isaiah 6:3]; and the prophet was nerved for the work before him. The memory of this vision was carried with him throughout his long and arduous mission.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 750, 751.

9 During the time Jonah was neglecting his duty to God, what serious warning must we heed from his experience? Jonah 1:1–12.

note: “The prayers of the man [Jonah] who had turned aside from the path of duty brought no help.” Prophets and Kings, 267.

10 What does Jonah’s experience teach of God’s delight in the prayers of the penitent? Jonah 2:1–10; 3:4–10.

note: “At last Jonah had learned that ‘salvation belongeth unto the Lord.’ Psalm 3:8. With penitence and a recognition of the saving grace of God, came deliverance. Jonah was released from the perils of the mighty deep and was cast upon the dry land.

“Once more the servant of God was commissioned to warn Nineveh. ‘The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.’ [Jonah 3:1, 2.] This time he did not stop to question or doubt, but obeyed unhesitatingly.” Prophets and Kings, 269, 270.

11 What invitation does God extend to each of us? Jeremiah 33:3.

note: “Our prayers for conformity to the image of Christ may not be answered exactly as we desire. We may be tested and proved, for God sees it best to put us under a course of discipline which is essential for us before we are fit subjects for the blessing we crave. We should not become discouraged and give way to doubt, and think that our prayers are not noticed. We should rely more securely upon Christ and leave our case with God to answer our prayers in His own way. God has not promised to bestow His blessings through the channels we have marked out. God is too wise to err and too regardful of our good to allow us to choose for ourselves.” The Upward Look, 109.

12 Under all circumstances, what promise may the righteous claim? Psalm 34:17.

note: “Our God has heaven and earth at His command, and He knows just what we need. We can see only a little way before us; ‘but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.’ Hebrews 4:13. Above the distractions of the earth He sits enthroned; all things are open to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity He orders that which His providence sees best.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 272, 273.

These lessons are adapted from the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, April 1912.

Learning to Walk With God, Part I

In this age of increased crime, infidelity, and disaster, many people are bombarded with trials and hardships. In the face of these challenges of life some feel that they are alone and need help in addressing their different tests, fears, guilt, sorrows, griefs, disappointments, and cares. Unfortunately, in most cases they know not what to do. Many desire to be true to God and to their high and holy calling, but fall short of victory because they fail to learn how to walk with God.

Enoch Walked With God

Thus, in this day of great peril, Christians lack the experience that Enoch had anciently. Of him it is recorded: “And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24.

The time has come for Christians who are preparing for translation in these last days to take the time to study and appreciate the life of Enoch. The Word of God reveals that this servant of the Most High walked with God for 365 years. Yes, this mere human being like ourselves remained faithful and true to his high and holy calling for nearly four centuries. Yet we as professed Christians today struggle to remain upright during our short lifetimes (usually less than one century). Surely, Enoch knew something that we need to know; he knew exactly how to walk with God.

Communion With God

“In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. He continued to exclude himself at certain periods from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, laboring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart.

“Communing thus with God, Enoch came more and more to reflect the divine image. His face was radiant with a holy light, even the light that shineth in the face of Jesus. As he came forth from these divine communings, even the ungodly beheld with awe the impress of heaven upon his countenance.

“His faith waxed stronger, his love became more ardent, with the lapse of centuries. To him prayer was as the breath of the soul. He lived in the atmosphere of heaven.” Gospel Workers, 52.

You Can Choose

The busy rounds of life’s daily activities did not deter Enoch from keeping in tune with God. Yet today, so many are quick to make excuses for neglecting to think of, talk to, or even trust our loving Father. If it is not because they have too much to do and they just cannot find the time, it is because they see themselves too unworthy due to their sins. One excuse always seems to follow another. But these individuals need to realize that their failure to abide in the Lord’s presence and trust in Him as they should are the main reasons they sometimes find themselves failing, worrying, and unstable.

Therefore, the longer they continue to listen or respond to the enemy’s distractions (which are geared to keep them from the safety of abiding in God’s holy presence and doing His divine will), the longer it will take before they can get back to the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal. Unfortunately, these persons often continue to tread on this dangerous ground until it is too late.

Our lives, however, do not have to remain in such peril. If we would only behold the Lord in His beauty and continually abide in His lovely presence, we would then seek more of His grace to obey His will. Then our service and relationship with God would greatly improve, and the grip of sin and Satan on our lives would be broken. The Spirit of Prophecy sheds light on how this relationship was attained by Enoch:

“Enoch continued to grow more heavenly while communing with God. His face was radiant with a holy light which would remain upon his countenance while instructing those who would hear his words of wisdom. His heavenly and dignified appearance struck the people with awe. The Lord loved Enoch because he steadfastly followed Him and abhorred iniquity and earnestly sought heavenly knowledge, that he might do His will perfectly. He yearned to unite himself still more closely to God, whom he feared, reverenced, and adored. God would not permit Enoch to die as other men, but sent His angels to take him to heaven without seeing death. In the presence of the righteous and the wicked, Enoch was removed from them. Those who loved him thought that God might have left him in some of his places of retirement, but after seeking him diligently, and being unable to find him, reported that he was not, for God took him.” The Story of Redemption, 59.

Like Enoch, we too can walk with God, if we will follow his example.

Impact of Fear

“True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed.” Prophets and Kings, 48.

What we keep in our mind’s eye and whom we constantly commune with affects our actions. If we go to a place filled with dangers and we believe we are alone, the chance of our running out of that place because of fear is quite great due to our thoughts. For example, if you go to visit a friend and there is an aggressive dog, such as a pit bull, in the yard, you will most likely find yourself hastening out of the yard or picking up a stick or stone to protect yourself. Most likely you will do everything necessary to ensure that nothing bad hap­pens to you. This is man’s normal reaction when he faces such danger alone. But, on the other hand, if someone else is with you, you will most probably pretend to be much braver than you really are. This is human nature.

Sometimes we think that fear is our worst enemy. But, in reality, God sometimes uses fear to make sure that man does not always live on the platform of pride. Man needs support; and if he feels that he can make it all alone, he will do away with God. Therefore, fear, griefs, trials, and disappointments are permitted by God in order to save us from our­selves. He permits such, even though He does not really want them to exist. He wants us to real­ize that we need Him, and therefore sometimes He allows circumstances to arise whereby we are forced to seek some kind of support and help. But the help that God wants us to seek is His own. He does not want us to depend upon ourselves or oth­ers who cannot do much for us; neither does He want us to depend upon physical props, drugs, or weapons as our source of protection or comfort. Yet God’s children have not yet learned to believe that God is truly there for them and wants to always be with them and bless them.

It is important for us as God’s people today to believe with all our hearts that we are not alone when we constantly commune with and trust in God. If this concept can be deeply imbedded within us, we will be con­querors on this earth. Nothing that comes in our way will be able to defeat us, not even the so-called problems and difficulties of life, much less the enemies of truth. Nothing will defeat us because nothing can withstand or overthrow a child of prayer and faith.

“A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as ‘seeing Him who is invisible’ (Hebrews 11:27); looking ‘not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen’ (11 Corinthians 4:18).” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 32.

If we keep the Lord in our daily lives, talk often with Him, and keep a sense of His holy presence ever before us, nothing will cause us to lose our hold on the truth and eternal life. Then it can be said of our personal Christian experience and relationship with God: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.

Now, and in future articles, we will consider a few historical records of individuals who, like faithful Enoch, learned the value of walking with God through constant prayer and believing that they were not alone. This lesson the adults have to learn before it is too late, and it is their responsibility to pass it on to the younger ones. Parents and teachers can achieve much good by inspiring the minds of the children and young people with these examples of the importance of constantly praying and trusting in God. All must learn to rest in the assurance that the Lord is willing and able to be with us and help us under any and all circumstances. This is the outlook or mindset of all true champions involved in the Christian warfare.

Elijah Knew He Was Not Alone

Many incidents and experiences recorded in God’s Word show that holy men of God understood the concept of constantly praying, trusting, and keeping a sense of God’s presence ever before them. Take for example the prophet Elijah. During his experience on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal, he manifested the greatest amount of confidence that he was not alone. While the priests of Baal were jumping around, shouting, screaming, and clamoring for their gods to bring down fire upon their altar of sacrifice, Elijah stood a distance away and watched them and even mocked them, telling them to shout a little louder because their gods may be sleeping.

Elijah would not have done that if he did not believe he would do better when his turn came. In other words, you do not take the chance of challenging anyone unless you are sure that you will not face the very same embarrassment when your chance to act arrives. Since Elijah was in constant contact with God, he believed God was with him. Thus he fearlessly acted the way he did.

Elijah was a friend of God; he knew God. He was absolutely certain that when he called on God for help amidst all of backslidden Israel, he would not be disappointed. So when his turn came, Elijah calmly looked up to heaven and called upon God to send fire to light up his sacrifice. Immediately, fire came down from heaven. Not only did it burn up the sacrifice, but it also burned up the stones of the altar and drank up all the water that was in the trough around it. Elijah had the confidence that even though he did not see God with his physical eyes, yet he was not alone.

Total Dependence

This prophet of God, like many other servants of the Most High before and after him, placed his total dependence upon God. By the time this major contest with the false prophets of Baal arrived, Elijah, like Enoch of old, had the sweet experience of walking with God. This he acquired on a day-to-day basis and in the very same way that Enoch obtained his experience.

“Enoch ‘walked with God;’ but how did he gain this sweet intimacy? It was by having thoughts of God continually before him. As he went out and as he came in, his meditations were upon the goodness, the perfection, and the loveliness of the divine character. And as he was thus engaged, he became changed into the glorious image of his Lord; for it is by beholding that we become changed.” The Signs of the Times, August 18, 1887.

“To him [Enoch] prayer was as the breath of the soul. He lived in the atmosphere of heaven.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 330.

Not All Were Consistent

We learn, however, that not all God’s servants were as consistent in their walk with their Maker as they should have been. Not all were as steadfast in this regard as was Enoch. Hence, all did not qualify to escape death. History reveals that this same Elijah, after he had performed such a magnificent feat on Mount Carmel, heard that Queen Jezebel was coming after him, and he quickly lost his hold on God. Note what happened:

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw [that], he [Elijah] arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Ju­dah, and left his servant there.” 1 Kings 19:1–3.

In other words, Elijah ran for his life. This same man who shortly before believed that he was not alone against the thousands of people surrounding him on Mount Carmel, is now seen running from danger. In the face of Jezebel’s threat, Elijah lost sight of the fact that he had a divine Companion, a sure Guide and Shepherd. Even this prophet of God forgot to maintain his communion and trust in his Maker, and the result was fear and flight. Such an unholy reaction, of course, can only bring shame and disgrace to God’s cause.

After Elijah stopped fleeing, the Lord came to him, “And he [Elijah] said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left [Me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:14–18.

An Only Target

The Lord revealed to Elijah something that was comforting to him in his great fear. Contrary to his exalted spiritual experience on Mt. Carmel, Elijah was thinking that he was alone; he had let go of his hold on Infinite Strength. He depended upon himself and con­cluded that he was the only one in all of Israel who was serving God. But the Lord made it clear to Elijah that there were 7,000 who had not yet bowed their knees to Baal. Surely, this was comforting and reassuring to Elijah. His faith and confidence in God was again restored, and his spirit regained peace and assurance.

This happens to all of us at times. Sometimes we feel that we are the only ones that the devil is targeting; but we are not, even though the devil himself may make us believe so. When we cut back on our communion and trust in God, the more alone we think we are and the more discouraged we be­come. Then it is easier for us to fall under the control of the enemy. In order to escape this dilemma, we have to go right back to the source. We must not think or believe that we need to face the challenges of life by ourselves. We have to learn to eradicate that thought from our minds. God wants to abide with and in us at all times; hence, we must learn to pray more and believe in God’s love for us more. We can then truly focus on the thought, “We are not alone.” Like the Psalmist David, we too will be able to declare: “I will fear no evil: for Thou [art] with me.” Psalm 23:4.

Elisha and His Servant Secured

The lesson of faith or fear arising from whether or not we view ourselves secured by the mighty presence of God is a very important lesson to learn and understand. This is especially so as we approach the great and dreadful day of the Lord. As we have already seen, Elijah was a mighty man only when he believed that he was not alone—that is, when he believed the Lord was with him and he maintained constant communion and trust in God. But the moment he lost sight of God, he ran for his life.

When Elijah fulfilled his mission on earth, the Lord instructed him to anoint someone to take his place. This was Elisha. He had been Elijah’s servant over a period of time. When Elijah was translated to heaven without seeing death, Elisha was given Elijah’s mantle, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Elisha and anointed him to be God’s prophet to minister unto the people in the place of Elijah.

Faith Tested

Elisha had his faith tested just as Elijah’s faith was tested. Elisha and his servant were staying in a city, and their enemies came and surrounded it. These enemies were many, and any possibility of escape was blocked off. The servant saw this and feared for his life. He went to Elisha to tell him about the great ordeal they were in:

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us are more than they that [be] with them.” 11 Kings 6:15, 16.

The servant was fearful, but Elisha was not. This is because the prophet had learned to pray more and trust in God more. Elisha did not have to see with his physical eyes the things of which he spoke unto his servant. Over the years he came to believe in divine help from within the invisible realm. Thus Elisha believed he was not alone. Likewise, although we may not presently see with our physical eyes the Lord and divine beings near us, nevertheless, by faith we too should “see” what is happening in the invisible world and trust in the goodness and presence of the Lord and His holy angels. We too must believe God’s Word which says: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7.

Elisha believed God’s promises with all his heart. Therefore, under such trying circumstances he was able to boldly and fearlessly express unto his servant, “Fear not: for they that [be] with us are more than they that [be] with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 11 Kings 6:16, 17.

Lesson for Us

This is a lesson for us, and a very important one, too. Here were two men with two different outlooks. One believed in the power of prayer combined with faith in God, and the other believed he was alone. The difference between the two is quite evident. When Elisha faced this terrible ordeal, there was no fear, no feeling of defeat; instead there was confidence and boldness because he knew he was not alone. Thus he stood fearlessly in the face of danger. Like Enoch, Elisha walked with God.

“Enoch represents those who shall remain upon the earth and be translated to Heaven without seeing death. He represents that company that are to live amid the perils of the last days, and withstand all the corruption, vileness, sin, and iniquity, and yet be unsullied by it all. We can stand as did Enoch. There has been provision made for us. Help has been laid upon One that is mighty; and we all can take hold upon His mighty strength. Angels of God that excel in strength are sent to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. These angels, when they see that we are doing the very utmost on our part to be overcomers, will do their part, and their light will shine around about us, and sway back the influence of the evil angels that are around us, and will make a fortification around us as a wall of fire. Ample provisions have been made for us when we are burdened, and weary, and cast down, and in distress.” Review and Herald, April 19, 1870.

Eyes Opened

The Bible shows that the reaction of Elisha’s servant to the danger that beset him and his master was opposite to that of God’s prophet. The servant was fearful, scared, hopeless. He thought that this was the end. But the Lord blessed him. Elisha asked the Lord to open the spiritual eyes of his servant, and immediately the servant’s eyes were opened and he was allowed to look within the invisible realm—he saw that he and Elisha were surrounded by heavenly angels in chariots. Surely, Elisha would not have been able to ask God to answer such a prayer unless he, like Enoch, had a true experience with God.

Thus angels of God protected the Prophet Elisha and his servant. As a result of being shown the angelic protection surrounding them, Elisha’s servant became peaceful and calm. Though his faith should have grasped the vision initially, but did not, in God’s mercy and love, Elisha’s servant finally understood and believed what was happening in the spiritual world. This is important to know because we, too, are confronted and will continue to be faced with challenges again and again in our lives.

Whatever may be the circumstance, the attitudes and reactions of people (whether positive or negative) are usually based upon what they believe. Should tragedy befall us and we believe that we are or are not alone, we will react accordingly. It is imperative, therefore, that we, like Enoch, learn to walk with God. Not until we learn to commune more often with our Master, and trust in His love and power, can we rest assured that our experiences will always be positive and within God’s perfect will.

“Prayer and faith are closely allied, and they need to be studied together. In the prayer of faith there is a divine science; it is a science that everyone who would make his lifework a success must understand.” Education, 257.

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Isaiah 32:17.

[All emphasis added.]

To be continued . . .

Pastor Patrick Herbert is the senior pastor of the Tucker-Norcross Adventist Church and Director of the Gilead Institute of America, a medical missionary evangelistic training institution located in Norcross, Georgia. He holds a Doctorate in religion and speaks and writes on a wide range of religious and health topics. He may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.

John the Baptist

Ellen White has told us that we should study the lives of John the Baptist and Enoch—prototypes of those living in the last days: “The experience of Enoch and of John the Baptist represents what ours should be. Far more than we do, we need to study the lives of these men,—he who was translated to heaven without seeing death; and he who, before Christ’s first advent, was called to prepare the way of the Lord, to make His paths straight.” Gospel Workers, 51.

The Old Testament ends with Malachi 4:5, 6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

The great and dreadful day of the Lord is Jesus’ Second Coming. Elijah the prophet will be sent before that event to give an Elijah message. Before Jesus’ first coming, a man came who was also called Elijah. That was not his name, but that is what Jesus called him. Why did He call this man Elijah? The answer is given in Luke 1:15–17.

He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from conception; even before he could reason or think. That was because his parents were filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:6 says, “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” He was a vessel whom God filled. This filling of the Holy Spirit is promised to all, including children. (See Acts 2:38, 39.)

John the Baptist had a great work to do; therefore Gabriel was sent to give explicit instruction to his parents as to how he was to be raised. How wonderful it would be, parents, to have Gabriel tell you how to raise your children! He gave detailed instruction on diet as well as other things. A synopsis of his instruction is found in Luke 1:13–20.

Health Reformer

Of this instruction, Ellen White wrote: “John the Baptist was a reformer. To him was committed a great work for the people of his time. And in preparation for that work, all his habits were carefully regulated, even from his birth. The angel Gabriel was sent from heaven to instruct the parents of John in the principles of health reform.” Temperance, 90, 91.

In all the stories about John the Baptist that are recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, any mention about John and his life specifically state that he had a special diet. He ate locusts and wild honey.

The locusts referred to a locust bean, not a bug. John the Baptist was a vegetarian! (See Testimonies, vol. 3, 62.) That is why the Bible is so specific about what he ate. He is a type of those who will be living before Jesus’ Second Coming.

Health reform is certainly a part of getting ready for Jesus’ Second Coming. We need to clean and purify our bodies and our lives.

“He [John the Baptist] was a representative of those living in the last days, to whom God has entrusted sacred truths to present before the people, to prepare the way for the second appearing of Christ. And the same principles of temperance which John practiced should be observed by those who in our day are to warn the world of the coming of the Son of man.” Temperance, 91.

“Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 62.

God’s Communication

Revelation 12:17 tells us that God will communicate with us in the last days. The last church will have the same thing that John the Baptist had. It will have the testimony of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist’s father was a prophet. He received messages from God through the angel. In the last days, God gives messages through a prophet. That is what the testimony of Jesus Christ is.

We have the same work to do that John was given, and with this great responsibility lies a promise. Like John the Baptist’s parents, we have counsel from God, telling us how to raise our children and how we should live, helping us with our diet and our education, telling us where we should live and how to work. God has provided all this through His messenger in her writings such as Counsels on Diet and Foods; Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students; and Testimonies for the Church.

John the Baptist is a type, a representative of those living in the last days. The instruction for him was given to someone else who passed it on to him. It came through Gabriel speaking to his father before he was ever born or even conceived. He had to trust in his father’s revelation.

And, so, God has also given us a revelation. True, it has come through a channel, not to us directly, but God has communicated to us in the same way. Oh, how we should value and trust these revelations and appreciate them! The gift of prophecy is one of the signs of the remnant church. This church is entrusted with the Elijah message, the Elijah mission. How fortunate we are! It is only as we make use of the information that God has given to us, as our lives are filled with the Holy Spirit, that we can be representatives of Christ, as was John the Baptist, and be ready for Jesus’ Second Coming.

Heed the Instruction

John would never have accomplished his mission, even though the Lord had spoken to him, unless he heeded the message. He did heed the instruction, and the Lord blessed. (See Luke 1:80.) Will we as a church succeed unless we fulfill the messages that have been given to us through the gift of prophecy?

John the Baptist went to the desert for his education. He did not go to the schools of the Rabbis. He did not gain his instruction from the theological thoughts of the day. He went into the wilderness, and there he prayed, studied the Scriptures, and became taught of God.

“God did not send him to the teachers of theology to learn how to interpret the Scriptures. He called him to the desert, that he might learn of nature and nature’s God.” The Desire of Ages, 101.

In the last days, God is going to mightily use humble people filled with His Spirit. They will be instructed by God through their study of the Bible, as they study the instructions that He has given to add light to the Bible through the Spirit of Prophecy, and through prayer. They will be messengers like John the Baptist. “God can raise up men and fit them to carry this message in the power and the Spirit. Although they are lowly, yet in humble obedience they will learn of God and receive counsel of him.” Review and Herald, August 1862.

It is dangerous to put more and more emphasis on secular education for the finishing of God’s work versus experience and knowledge of the Bible. We need to remember that Jesus was not educated in the schools of the day, and neither was John the Baptist. God can teach people today just as He taught them then.

Separated From Evil Influences

“It was John’s choice to forego the enjoyments and luxuries of city life for the stern discipline of the wilderness. Here his surroundings were favorable to habits of simplicity and self-denial. Uninterrupted by the clamor of the world, he could here study the lessons of nature, of revelation, and of providence. … To him the solitude of the desert was a welcome escape from society in which suspicion, unbelief, and impurity had become well-nigh all-pervading. He distrusted his own power to withstand temptation, and shrank from constant contact with sin, lest he should lose the sense of its exceeding sinfulness.

“But the life of John was not spent in idleness, in ascetic gloom, or in selfish isolation. From time to time he went forth to mingle with men; and he was ever an interested observer of what was passing in the world. From his quiet retreat he watched the unfolding of events. With vision illuminated by the divine Spirit, he studied the characters of men, that he might understand how to reach their hearts with the message of heaven.” Review and Herald, December 17, 1903.

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his very birth. He was a health reformer; he was instructed by the Holy Spirit, but even he who had been raised by God-fearing parents, who themselves were filled by the Holy Spirit, was scared of constant contact with evil. He was afraid he would lose a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.

Do you suppose if John the Baptist was scared of that, that we might be a little afraid of that too? Do you suppose that John the Baptist would have spent time and allowed himself to be influenced by daily watching television or listening to what comes over the radio? Or would he have been scared of what it might have done to him?

Speaking of John the Baptist, Ellen White wrote: “If there was anyone who could remain unaffected by the corrupting influences of the age in which he lived, it was surely he. Yet he did not venture to trust his strength; he separated himself from his friends and relatives, that his natural affections might not prove a snare to him. He would not place himself unnecessarily in the way of temptation nor where the luxuries or even the conveniences of life would lead him to indulge in ease or to gratify his appetite, and thus lessen his physical and mental strength. …

“The forerunner of Christ, did not expose himself to evil conversation and the corrupting influences of the world. He feared the effect upon his conscience, that sin might not appear to him so exceedingly sinful. He chose rather to have his home in the wilderness, where his senses would not be perverted by his surroundings.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 108, 109.

When we are searching for a place to live, it would serve us well to think about the influences that surround our potential homes. John’s example gives ample reasons for us to find homes in the country.

We should not flatter ourselves that we are too strong for any influences to affect us, but we should, in humility, guard ourselves from temptation. Even if we move to the country, if we continue to listen to the radio or watch television, we are subjecting ourselves to evil influences and to temptations.

Humbleness

From John 3:26–30, we read: “And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!’ John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ,” but, “I have been sent before Him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I [must] decrease.’ ”

What a magnanimous attitude! Most of us do not mind starting out small as long as we can climb and climb and climb. But we are not always as humble as was John the Baptist.

“Looking in faith to the Redeemer, John had risen to the height of self-abnegation. He sought not to attract men to himself, but to lift their thoughts higher and still higher, until they should rest upon the Lamb of God. He himself had been only a voice, a cry in the wilderness. Now with joy he accepted silence and obscurity, that the eyes of all might be turned to the Light of life.

“Those who are true to their calling as messengers for God will not seek honor for themselves. Love for self will be swallowed up in love for Christ. …

“We can receive of heaven’s light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. … To all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 333, 334.

The one requirement of being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be emptied of self. The Holy Spirit will come in only as we are humbled, as we are emptied of self. Only then will He come in and fill the void.

When Jesus comes again, He is going to have a people like John the Baptist—people who are health reformers, who are instructed by the Holy Spirit, who are separated, as far as they can be, from evil influences, and who are humble.

As was written of John the Baptist, may it be said of God’s last-day people: “By day and by night, Christ was his study, his meditation, until mind and heart and soul were filled with the glorious vision.

“He looked upon the King in His beauty, and self was lost sight of. He beheld the majesty of holiness and knew himself to be inefficient and unworthy. It was God’s message that he was to declare. It was in God’s power and His righteousness that he was to stand. He was ready to go forth as Heaven’s messenger, unawed by the human, because he had looked upon the Divine. He could stand fearless in the presence of earthly monarchs because with trembling he had bowed before the King of kings.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 331, 332.

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

The Spirit and Power of Elijah, Part II

As we read of the experience of Saul sparing Agag and the best of the sheep, when he had been commanded to utterly destroy all that the Amalekites had (1 Samuel 15), let us give heed to the admonition, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:14.

We are reminded of that significant passage in Joshua 17:12, 13 where it is said that the children of Israel could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, “but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.” The whole story of their subsequent failure and captivity is told in that one brief sentence, “The Canaanites would dwell in that land.” But they had no kind of right to dwell there. They were dispossessed. The cup of their iniquity was filled up, and God had said, “I will drive them out.” But they would dwell there; that is to say, they wanted to, and so Israel let them; a compromise was formed, and Israel did not utterly drive them out.

Let us apply these same principles to our spiritual warfare. Have there not been in all our lives all these years those besetting sins of fleshly lusts that would dwell with us, and in some instances have held their own, notwithstanding we have known that they had neither part nor lot with the soul redeemed by Jesus Christ? Let us not condemn too strongly ancient Israel, lest we condemn ourselves. Surely the words of Joshua are as applicable to us as to them: “How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?” Joshua 18:3.

Abundance of Rain

Returning again to the scene of Elijah’s triumph over the prophets of Baal and their false system of religion, we find him saying to Ahab, “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.” Surely it was not the rumbling of the great thunderstorm that was soon to break upon them. For after this he went up on top of the mountain and cast himself down on the ground, and prayed seven times before there was seen even a cloud as large as a man’s hand. (1 Kings 18:42–44.) The preceding verses tell us that when all the people saw the manifestations of God’s power in the consuming of the sacrifice, they said, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” Their hearts had been turned back to God again. This to Elijah was the sound of abundance of rain. The apostasy of the people of God was the thing that had shut up the heavens, and their return to God was the only thing that would open them.

And so it is in our own day. If we are walking in dry places, it is because we have departed from God. If we would enjoy the copious showers of the latter rain, we must repent of our backslidings and turn again to God with all our hearts. Then we shall receive largely of His Spirit.

“What doest thou here?”

The sad story of Elijah’s failure is told in 1 Kings 19, and proves beyond question that he was a man subject to like passions as we are. On the night following his mighty triumphs of faith on Mt. Carmel, where he had stood alone against the wicked king and all the prophets of Baal and a whole nation that had apostatized from God, he arose and fled for his life before the threats of one wicked woman. “When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life.” Verse 3. The story of his defeat is told in that brief clause, “When he saw that.” As long as he kept his eyes upon God, he was invincible; but when he looked away from God and saw that woman Jezebel threatening him, “he arose, and went for his life.” Terrified, he ran away to the desert, and requested that the Lord would take away his life.

Notwithstanding his cowardice, the Lord did not forsake his servant. Angels provided him food and drink, and he went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights, until he reached Mt. Horeb. This wild and rugged portion of Arabia had once before been the training ground for one of God’s chosen servants. (See Exodus 3:1.) And long after Elijah had finished his life work and gone home, it was for a time an asylum for the great apostle to the Gentiles. (See Galatians 1:17.)

When Elijah had finally put a journey of 40 days and 40 nights between himself and the scene of his recent triumphs, he reached the mount of God, and crawled into a cave and lodged there. “And, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9. It would be well if God’s children would always hear that same voice saying, “What doest thou here?” whenever unbelief has separated them from God, or the allurements of the world have enticed them into some pleasure resort or some questionable place of amusement.

Whisper of Conscience

“And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” Verses 11, 12. God would teach Elijah that he would not always work through the elements, as during the years of famine, and those scenes that he had recently witnessed on Carmel’s height. Doubtless Elijah was depending too much upon the miraculous and spectacular methods to restore his people to their allegiance to God, feeling that it could be accomplished only by some unusually striking manifestation of God’s power. But these signs had failed, and he was now told that in these signs, in the highest sense, God was not—not in these, but in the still, small, gentle whisper of conscience, and solitude was the surest token that God was near him.

Life is filled with sharp and varied experiences. We think of Moses on the mount with God for 40 days, and then his return to the plain and the golden calf; of Christ at His baptism anointed with the Holy Ghost, His Father proclaiming from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and then His temptation in the wilderness; of Christ on the mount of transfiguration talking with Moses and Elias, and then down in the valley to meet the demon-possessed boy; of Elijah on Mt. Carmel, carrying into effect in one day the greatest program for God of which we have any record, and then, before the excitement and inspiration of that eventful day were over, fleeing, panic-stricken, at the threat of the wicked queen.

Elijah had doubtless concluded that because God was not any longer working as he did on Mt. Carmel, he was not working at all. However, that was not God’s chosen way of saving Israel. There had been a more gentle and loving ministry going on that Elijah knew nothing about. The special message to Elijah was that the wind and the earthquake and the fire might pass before him, but God was not in them. But deep down in the heart of the nation, in the caves of Carmel, unknown to him, unknown to one another, were 7,000 who had not by word or deed acknowledged the power of Baal. In them God was still present. In them was the first announcement, often repeated by later prophets, of “an Israel within Israel,” of a remnant within all the great movements of God. This remnant embraced the true hope of the future.

Faith and Courage Renewed

Elijah was now instructed to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria, and Jehu to be king over Israel, and Elisha to be prophet in his stead. We do not know just what time elapsed between Elijah’s return from Arabia and his translation. Possibly it was about ten years. We catch only an occasional glimpse of him during those times. But again the old-time courage and faith had come back to him, and before his translation, he was brought over the same ground, and tested again on the very same point where he had signally failed.

Ahaziah, who was reigning in the place of his father, Ahab, had fallen down through a lattice in his upper chamber, and was very sick. When he learned that Elijah was in the country and had prophesied that he should surely die, he sent for him, doubtless to do him harm. (11 Kings 1:2–9.) There was just as much danger involved in his appearance at the court of Ahaziah, the son of Jezebel, who was still living, as there had been on a former occasion. Still Elijah went boldly down with the messenger through a crowded capital into the palace of his foes and announced to the king his doom. (Verse 16.) As he nears his reward, he no longer fears the wrath of man, for he is once more standing before his God, and is dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.

Before our final leave-taking of this wonderful prophet, let us remember that he was a man of like passions with ourselves, and the secret of his marvelous deeds was to be found, not in any inherent qualities that he possessed, but in the fact that he was filled with the Holy Ghost. It was by his consecration and faith that he “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, . . . escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness . . . [was] made strong. Women received their dead raised to life again.” [Hebrews 11:33–35.] Is it too much to suppose that God will again give unto us the spirit and power of Elijah in the closing years of this generation? In fact, has God not always through all the ages shown Himself strong toward those whose hearts were perfect toward Him?

Absolute Surrender

When D. L. Moody was a young man, he read somewhere that the world had yet to see what God could do through a man who was fully surrendered to Him. Mr. Moody was greatly impressed with the statement; and although he had a very humble opinion of himself, he reasoned that he was a man, and if it was not so much a question of who it was if only the surrender was complete, he was willing to pay the price if only God would use him. His choice was made, and his unsurpassed record as an evangelist and soul-winner for nearly half a century shows what one man may do in one brief life if only he is willing to surrender absolutely and unconditionally to God. While Mr. Moody was a man of rare gifts and a born leader of men, yet the secret of his power was unquestionably due to the fact that he was a man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.

“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you,” Christ said to His disciples; and their lives from that time became a never-ceasing record of mighty signs and wonders done in the power of the Spirit. [Acts 1:8.] Stephen, we are told, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Charles G. Finney was so filled with the power of the Spirit that as he entered a mill, the operatives fell upon their knees in tears before the mere presence of the evangelist before he had uttered a word. There is no limit to the usefulness of those who are willing to put self aside and live a life wholly consecrated to God. One has well said that “there is nothing the church of today needs so much as spiritual power, and there is nothing that we can have so easily, if only we are prepared to pay the price.” It is of no use to exclaim in despairing tones, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” He is here waiting to do as much now as for the illustrious saints of olden times.

O for that flame of living fire

Which shown 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?

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.

~ Wm. H. Bathrust

The Adventist Review and Sabbath Herald, October 19, 1916; October 26, 1916

The Spirit and Power of Elijah, Part I

Elijah the Tishite, an inhabitant of Gilead, is one of the greatest characters of Old Testament times. He has the peculiar distinction of being the only man since the flood to be translated to heaven without seeing death. From those far-off times until the present age he seems to be God’s type of a true man. The prophet Malachi could find no better type of the forerunner of Christ than Elijah the prophet; and the angel Gabriel, four hundred years later, when making known to the aged priest Zacharias the birth of his wondrous son, said: “He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, . . . and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias.” Luke 1:15–17.

The final fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy, which is to reach to the very end, is still in the future. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to their children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5, 6. Elijah was a type of all those who will be translated at the Second Coming of Christ.

A Man of Like Passions

One noted writer has said; “We are studying the life of a man of like passions with ourselves—weak where we are weak, failing where we would fail; but who stood single-handed against his people, and stemmed the tide of idolatry and sin, and turned a nation back to God. And he did it by the use of resources which are within the reach of us all. This is the fascination of the story. Prove to us that he acted by the spell of some secret which is hidden from us meaner men; convince us that he was cast in a heroic mold to which we can lay no claim,—then we must lay aside the story; disappointment has overcast our interest: it is a model we cannot copy, an ideal we cannot realize, a vision that mocks us as it fades into the azure of the past.

“But this is not the case. This man by whom God thrashed the mountains, was only a worm at the best. This pillar in God’s temple was, by nature, a reed shaken by the breath of the slightest zephyr. This prophet of fire, who shone like a torch, was originally but a piece of smoking flax. Faith made him all he became; and faith will do as much for us, if only we can exercise it as he did, to appropriate the might of the eternal God. All power is in God; and it has pleased him to store it all in the risen Saviour, in some vast reservoir; and those stores are brought into human hearts by the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost is given according to the measure of our receptivity and faith.

“Elijah’s strength did not lie in himself or his surroundings. He was of humble extraction. He had no special training. He is expressly said to have been a man ‘of like passions’ with ourselves. When, through failure of faith, he was cut off from the source of his strength, he showed more craven-hearted cowardice than most men would have done; he lay down upon the desert sands, asking to die. When the natural soil of his nature shows itself, it is not richer than that of the majority of men; and, if anything, it is the reverse.”

It was said of John the Baptist that he would go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias. When we think of John the Baptist, we are wont to think of the great power he wielded as the wilderness preacher; and when we think of Elijah, we are apt to think of him on Mt. Carmel, praying down fire on the sacrifice, or of his wonderful departure out of this world. But let us notice the text, “He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias.” Let us consider not alone the power these men wielded, but the spirit they manifested, and especially the training, experience, and discipline through which Elijah passed before he came to Carmel.

Student of Prophecies

Elijah was evidently a student of the prophecies, and from the writings of Moses (Deuteronomy 11:13–17) he had learned that God had said that if the people should turn aside and worship other gods, he would shut up the heavens, so that there would be no rain. Now, under the reign of Ahab, who had done more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him, Elijah knew that the true God had been set aside, and that Baal had been set up.

And so “he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not.” Afterward he went boldly into the presence of Ahab and said, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” When he had delivered his message, “the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.” [James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:1–3.]

Think of those lonely days and weeks and months beside that drying brook in the wild wilderness gorge that runs down from near Jerusalem to the northern shores of the Dead Sea! But God had commanded him to go there, and has promised that the ravens should feed him there. “So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: . . . and it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” [1 Kings 17:5–7.] When the last drop of water had seeped into the ground, Elijah was still there.

Elijah Obeyed

Then the word of the Lord came unto him again, saying, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath.” [Verses 9, 10.]

It will be noticed that Elijah did exactly what he was told, “according unto the word of the Lord”; and afterward he could say, when the time came for God to display his power wondrously through his servant, “I have done all these things at thy word.” [1 Kings 18:36.]

The word “Zarephath” means “place of refining,” and surely this last mission upon which God had sent his servant was calculated to drain the last dregs of pride or self-reliance or independence from the already tried soul of Elijah. Some one has remarked that Elijah, with his great heart, would not have so much minded to sustain a poor widow during those terrible years of famine, but it was certainly not pleasant to his manly nature to feel that a poor widow was to sustain him. So the days slowly passed into weeks, and months, and years. The barrel of meal did not waste, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of God that he spake by Elijah.

The pen of inspiration records only one instance in the life and experiences of Elijah during those weary years of drought and famine, and that was the death of the widow’s son, who, Jewish tradition says, afterward became Elijah’s servant, and who was also the future Jonah. However this may be, Elijah raised him to life, and presented him again to his mother. We can judge of his hold upon God during those times by the testimony of this woman, who said, “I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.” [1 Kings 17:24.]

Challenge to the Gods

“It came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth . . . And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have foresaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.” 1 Kings 18:1, 17, 18. Then Elijah called for a great convocation of all Israel and of all the false prophets, on Mt. Carmel, that a test might be made of the rival systems of worship, and the god that answered by fire was to be acknowledged as the true god.

The prophets of Baal chose their bullock and laid it on their altar, and cried aloud and cut themselves with knives from morning until noon, and from noon until the time of the evening sacrifice, saying, “O Baal, hear us.” But “there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.” [Verse 26.] Then Elijah said unto all the people, “Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. . . . And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood.” [Verses 30, 33.] Elijah was triumphant in the midst of that unbelieving host. He was more than conqueror. When all was ready, he called three times for four barrels of water to put on the wood and the sacrifice. By his mighty faith he even piled up difficulties in the way of God. Instead of trying to make it as easy as possible for his prayers to be answered, he soaked the wood and the sacrifice and filled up the trench around about his altar with water.

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.” [Verses 36, 37.] God more than met Elijah’s faith on this occasion. Not only was the sacrifice consumed, but also the wood and the stones and the dust and the very water that was in the trench.

No Compromise

Immediately following this remarkable demonstration of God’s power, Elijah took the false prophets down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. There was no compromise with sin. That was the secret of his power. This is where King Saul had failed in his war with Amalek. God had told him to “go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” 1 Samuel 15:3. But Saul spared Agag and the best of the sheep. Some one has aptly remarked that if we save our Agags, when we would be at our best in some great crisis (as when Samuel went out to meet Saul) there will be the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen just when we would have them keep still, and it will be to our utter chagrin and undoing.

“Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. . . . and Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.” [Verses 32, 33.] Let us slay utterly, and give heed to the admonition, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:14.

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, October 12, 1916; October 19, 1916.

To be continued . . .

God Raises Up a Man to Meet a Crisis

From the time of Jeroboam’s death to Elijah’s appearance before Ahab the people of Israel suffered a steady spiritual decline. Ruled by men who did not fear Jehovah and who encouraged strange forms of worship, the larger number of the people rapidly lost sight of their duty to serve the living God and adopted many of the practices of idolatry.” Prophets and Kings, 109. [Emphasis supplied.]

Did you notice the italicized words above? When was it that the Lord raised up Elijah the prophet? What were the leaders at that time teaching the people who professed Ancient Adventism?

The above statement, found in Prophets and Kings, makes it clear that as a direct result of the leaders directing the people into strange forms of worship they lost sight of their duty and adopted many of the practices of idolatry. Many might be surprised to find out that you do not have to worship a figure carved from wood or stone to be guilty of idolatry.

 

Following is Webster’s Dictionary definition of an idol:

  1.  A representation or symbol of an object of worship; broadly: a false god.
  2.  A likeness of something b: pretender, imposter.
  3.  A form or appearance visible but without substance.
  4.  An object of extreme devotion.
  5.  A false conception: fallacy.” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition. [Emphasis supplied.]

 

So brothers and sisters, an idol worshiper can be someone who worships a false idea or a concept, just as much as someone who bows down to a carving of a false god. If this is true, it certainly says something about leaders who encourage others into strange forms of worship—celebration—and those who are willingly ignorant or defiant concerning the true worship of God.

It also makes it very interesting to note that it is at this time that we are told that God would send the Elijah message one last time. It will have the same effect as it had so many years ago. We are told, during this time of Earth’s last moments, that the church (God’s true people) will appear as about to fall, but it will not fall. This statement should give us courage and confidence in our Lord’s ability to save us. But it should also be a warning to all that times are going to get very difficult, and only through God’s help and plan—not man’s—do we have any hope of salvation.

There was a parallel to this in Elijah’s day. In the time of Israel’s great apostasy, the tribe of Judah had a king who served God. King Asa had stood firm during his reign and had led his people away from idolatry and false worship. Many years after King Asa began to reign, Zerah, the Ethiopian, invaded his kingdom. This warrior brought with him a host of a million soldiers, and three hundred chariots. (See 2 Chronicles 14:9.) This army could have easily wiped out the tribe of Judah and King Asa knew it.

During the years of prosperity, King Asa did not waste his time in idle amusement and pleasure, but spent the greater part of his time preparing for just such an emergency as he was now facing. He had used the times of peace to train an army for the conflict, which was now before him. He had bent his energies into educating his people in the faith of the true God and encouraged them to put their trust and faith explicitly in Him. Now the test of battle and trial of their faith was before them.

Because the King and his people had remained faithful to the Lord in times of peace they could now, with confidence, call upon Him in a time of crisis. The odds were unquestionably against them by all appearance. Their army, though well trained, was much smaller than their opponent’s, but the kingdom of Judah could rightfully claim the Lord’s promises of protection and this they did.

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

The God of the Remnant (Revelation 12:17) is the true God. We can have confidence in Him as long as we are truly cooperating with Him. In fact, the only way we can claim the promises of God is by our willingness to obey what He asks of us. The very good news for Adventism is not that we do not have to fight—that is a lie that most professors of Adventism want to believe—but the good news is that although we have a battle to fight we will win! Not we can win, not we might win, but we will win! This is tremendous news and we need to invest our whole lives in the fulfilling of this eternal promise.

Just as the Lord answered the prayer of righteous King Asa for the salvation of his people against a humanly unconquerable enemy, so today He will answer the same prayer for help to overcome the spiritual wickedness in high places.

It was through the influence of wicked rulers (Ahab and Jezebel), that a gross spiritual crisis had come to the majority in Israel. These two rulers had brought the spiritual worth of Israel so low that only the message of the prophet Elijah could bring revival and reformation. It was their only chance for salvation and salvation would only come to those who accepted the message, with the whole heart, no matter how severe it seemed.

“Alas, how had the glory of Israel departed! Never before had the chosen people of God fallen so low in apostasy . . . Nothing short of the miracleworking power of God could preserve the nation from utter destruction. Israel had voluntarily separated herself from Jehovah, yet the Lord in compassion still yearned after those who had been led into sin, and He was about to send them one of the mightiest of His prophets, through whom many were to be led back to allegiance to the God of their fathers.” Prophets and Kings, 116. [Emphasis supplied.]

It is amazing that the vast majority, even many who claim to continue in the historical paths, do not seem to realize that the Elijah message, with all its seeming harshness, is the chosen method of redemption for certain levels of apostasy. It is incredible that many who support historic Adventism still want to change the methods of God, and either water down the message or do away with it all together, calling and treating it as something sinful.

Our need to be honest with the Elijah message is paramount if we will ever have any hope for salvation. First of all we should admit that it is God who is calling for the Elijah message and not men who have nothing better to do than go around shouting at everybody. We must understand that it is God’s plan to use men to give this message, men of His own choosing. These men will not find the job any more agreeable than did the prophet whose name the message bears. The job is so disagreeable that God has a hard time finding anyone who will do it and that is why there have been so few throughout the earth’s history who have taken on the task. After we have properly analyzed these truths, we must ask God to give us the conviction and the courage to support the message and the messengers that God Himself has raised up to give His message. We must not find ourselves fighting against God while professing to serve Him. To continue to do this would lead to self-deception so deep and so dark that one becomes eternally blinded to the light before him. The role of Elijah is the one of a man who fights the depths of apostasy head on and in the very strongholds of hell. He does this because he has been equipped to do so by the God Who is the author of the message he gives and because he wishes God’s people to live and not die. The reason the love of these messengers is so easily misunderstood is because it is not based on feeling but an abiding principle that most people have rejected.

“As Elijah saw Israel going deeper and deeper into idolatry, his soul was distressed and his indignation aroused.” Prophets and Kings, 119.

“To Elijah was entrusted the mission of delivering to Ahab Heaven’s message of judgment. He did not seek to be the Lord’s messenger; the word of the Lord came to him. And jealous for the honor of God’s cause, he did not hesitate to obey the divine summons, though to obey seemed to invite swift destruction at the hand of the wicked King.” Prophets and Kings, 120, 121.

Even though the words of Elijah were coming true before Israel’s very eyes, they would not repent of their apostasy. But can we truthfully say anything different about present day Israel? Although much evidence continues to come forth explaining and bringing the apostasy of modern-day Israel into clear focus, how many have allowed themselves to judge honestly the truth set before them. How many have repented of their stubbornness or rebelliousness toward the God of truth? We are repeating the same history as our ancient counterparts.

Those in power, those who were encouraging the “New Theology” and “Celebration Worship” of their day, not only refused the invitation of the Lord to repentance but went further into the depth of their apostasy agenda—an agenda to ruin Adventism from the inside out. It would be advantageous for us to recognize that when Jezebel could not kill the Elijah message by seeking out and destroying the one who gave it, she then set out to kill all those who supported it. Dear friends, do you realize that the Lord has been most gracious by giving us this true story from history? Why do you suppose He wanted us to have it? Could it be because He knows that we are repeating the history of man from the inside of “the church” and we are on a course that will bring the same results.

God has given us all the power and moral right of personal choice in all these matters. But having the right to make a choice should not be understood as having the benefit of choice without its corresponding consequences. We can, and most do, choose to ignore or willfully disbelieve that God means what He says. We can choose to believe that God loves us “too much” to destroy us in our sins. But this choice totally ignores the fact that God loves us and everyone too much not to punish sin. God has proven His love in a myriad of ways, not the least of which is giving His Son to die and giving us the freedom to choose our own way. But those who think that God would ignore what has happened over the last six thousand years with the sin problem that has >brought devastation to heaven and this earth, and killed His Son, are covered with self so heavily that they either will not or cannot think logically. Why would God sacrifice the safety of the entire universe because He loves us “too much” to get rid of sin and sinners who refuse the better life of victory? The only reason we sin is because we love it more than we love God. So, in reality, it is not God’s love which is in question but who or what the sinner loves.

The apostasy of ancient Adventists and modern Israel was and is so deep and so dark that the only way for people to have a real opportunity for life is through the Elijah message. If this were not so, then why would God choose it? It will serve its intended purpose, but far too many people look toward the unconverted among us and, because of a lack of response from the crowd, blame the Elijah message. This is not only a misguided conclusion but can be fatal if not discontinued. The apparent failure or division is never the fault of the truth, but of a rebellion against the truth! Even in the face of apparent failure, true faith dictates that the Elijah message will succeed.

“God had sent messengers to Israel, with appeals to return to their allegiance. Had they heeded these appeals, had they turned from Baal to the living God, Elijah’s message of judgment would never have been given. But the warnings that might have been a savor of life unto life had proved to them a savor of death unto death. Their pride had been wounded, their anger had been aroused against the messengers, and now they regarded with intense hatred the prophet Elijah . . . In the face of the calamity they continued to stand firm in their idolatry. Thus they were adding to the guilt that had brought the judgments of Heaven upon the land.Prophets and Kings, 127–128.

“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people.Testimonies, vol.1, 181.

Two things we can see in the above quotations for sure. The Elijah message, in the face of great spiritual darkness among God’s chosen people, and their hatred for truth, will fulfill its intended purpose. The Elijah message, the pouring forth of the straight testimony, will receive decided opposition from those that hate its exposure and this rebellion is what causes the shaking—not the truth.

Elijah was under a heavy burden for his people who he wished to see come to salvation. He did not want to see them die. He took on the terrible task before him because he knew that it was God’s message and not his own. He accepted the calling because he believed that the message would accomplish the purpose God intended it to and he was willing to leave the consequences with God.

Because God has seen fit to place this event in the written history of the Bible we can have confidence that He knows what He is doing. Just as the Elijah message met the crisis thousands of years ago it will have the same results today. There was nothing that anyone did or could do in the days of Elijah to stop the message given and today, when we find ourselves steeped in apostasy for one last time, is there anything that anyone can do to stop God from His work? It may be true that few who now call themselves Adventists will respond, and certainly the majority of those in the Adventist movement will end up being the most aggressive in seeing to it that the true and faithful are exterminated if possible. However, our faith must not be like that of the apostate or the half-educated infidel, but instead like that of the prophet who, with child-like faith, does what God asks of him even though it might be disagreeable.

Let us never forget that “we have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” Life Sketches, 196. Let us remember that Elijah is now in heaven and represents those who with his message will be translated without seeing death. Let us be wise unto salvation and press toward the mark of our high calling, with confidence in the Author and Finisher of our faith.

 

Inspiration – The Elijah Prophecy

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5, 6.

Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent.

The work of John the Baptist, and the work of those who in the last days go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah to arouse the people from their apathy, are in many respects the same. His work is a type of the work that must be done in this age. Christ is to come the second time to judge the world in righteousness.

John separated himself from friends and from the luxuries of life. The simplicity of his dress, a garment woven of camel’s hair, was a standing rebuke to the extravagance and display of the Jewish priests, and of the people generally. His diet, purely vegetable, of locusts and wild honey, was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed. … The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things.

The self-denial, humility, and temperance required of the righteous, whom God especially leads and blesses, is to be presented to the people in contrast to the extravagant, health-destroying habits of those who live in this degenerate age. God has shown that health reform is as closely connected with the third angel’s message as the hand is with the body.

“As John the Baptist … called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: ‘Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come’ [Revelation 14:7]. With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ’s second advent.” Maranatha, 22.