Israel

Lessons from the Children of Israel, Part II

by

Have you ever set yourself about a task that you wanted to accomplish, but you could see that it was teetering in the balance between success and failure? Even though you do everything that you can to make it succeed, it fails. Do you, when someone asks you about the outcome, have a tendency to minimize the failure and to maximize the part that did succeed? Pride will not allow a person to exercise their faith because of the fear of failure.

Ten of the spies that had been sent into the Promised Land were scared to death, looking around and among themselves, that if the children of Israel went to the Promised Land, they were going to fail. (Numbers 13:25–14:1.) They did not want to face that. As a result of their fear, they began to work against Caleb, Joshua, Moses, and God. It appeared that they were against everything.

That is the process that we can go through. It happens that way sometimes. It seems that things can go along smoothly, and then, all of a sudden, a foul spirit can upset things so badly that everything is in an uproar.

Ultimately, the bottom line for the ten spies was not that they were concerned about Caleb and Joshua and Moses. They just did not want to obey the Lord.

That is usually the bottom line. If you begin to deal with issues and there are those of a rebellious spirit, it is usually because there is an area of rebellion in their hearts. They are not willing to surrender to the Lord, and it is really God that they are rebelling against and not the flesh and blood with which they have to deal. That is precisely what we see being taught in this lesson given from the experience of the children of Israel.

A Big Lie

“And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, [is] a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof . . . .” Numbers 13:32. This was an out and out lie. It was a fabrication of the first order. They went over to the Promised Land, and if indeed the land was eating up inhabitants, from where did the giants come? From where did the huge amount of grapes come that they brought? They fabricated the idea that it was the land.

“And all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” Verse 32, last part. Well, that was not really true either. There were giants that were there, but now the story begins to grow. At this point the evil spirit had so influenced their thinking that they began to do things that, under other circumstances, they would never have done. They determined that they would discourage all effort to go in and possess the Promised Land, so they lied about it. They claimed there was not really anything good in it at all.

There is only one way that we can keep ourselves from falling into a similar trap, and that is, when God comes to us and reveals to us His will, we do it immediately. That is the only way we will be saved from getting involved in some kind of trap that will ultimately close us out of the Promised Land and leave us dying in the wilderness. When God comes to us, when we know what His will is, we must immediately set things in action, so we can follow what He has asked us to do.

Reaction to the Lie

What was the response of the congregation upon hearing this lie? They were rejoicing earlier, but now they have heard a lie. Their reaction is given in Numbers 14:1: “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.”

We cannot begin to measure the amount of torment that these people experienced in their minds that night. The only reason they were tormented at all, however, was because they had forgotten that pillar of fire that was giving light through the darkness of night—and they had chosen to believe a lie. They were in their tents with the flaps closed, crying all night.

“And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return to Egypt?” Verses 2, 3. Little did the people realize that their words would be fulfilled. They would die, but not in the land of Egypt.

Maybe they had forgotten about God, but He had not forgotten about them. He had heard every word that they were saying. Right in the shadow of the cloud, right while they were in the shade of His presence, they rebelled against Him. They began to murmur and complain, and God heard it all.

There is another aspect of this lesson that needs to also be considered. That is the fact that the children of Israel not only rebelled against Joshua and Caleb, but against Moses and Aaron. They rebelled against their leaders.

Need for Leadership

We wrestle with this today, wondering how we are to relate to leadership. A spirit similar to that of the children of Israel is circulating in and amongst the congregation of modern Israel today. I believe that a lot of this came from the 1960s and the 1970s eras, when a spirit took control of a large majority of the world, and they were determined that they would not be beholden to anyone—nobody was going to tell them what to do. If they wanted to have free love, then they were going to have free love. If they wanted to do drugs, they were going to do drugs. If they wanted to just do their own thing, that was what they were going to do.

That prevailing spirit of the world in the ’60s and ’70s has made its way into the church, and we find that a lot of the turmoil within the church is because the people are not going to be beholden to anyone but God. There is a truth to that. We know that we are not to put any man before God.

Ellen White counseled: “I do hope you will not look to man, nor trust in men, but look to God and trust in God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, 395. She also wrote: “Man’s inventions [sayings of others] are not only unreliable, they are dangerous; for they place man where God should be. They place the sayings of men where a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ should be.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 109.

Although we should not put man in the place of God, at the same time, we are told that an order of leadership was put in place by God to lead His people as they were making their way to the Promised Land. This order was followed by the disciples as they established churches, and is important in our groups today.

Writing of this, Mrs. White said: “The same principles of piety and justice that were to guide the rulers among God’s people in the time of Moses and of David, were also to be followed by those given the oversight of the newly organized church of God in the gospel dispensation. In the work of setting things in order in all the churches, and ordaining suitable men to act as officers, the apostles held to the high standards of leadership outlined in the Old Testament Scriptures. They maintained that he who is called to stand in a position of leading responsibility in the church ‘must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.’ Titus 1:7–9. ” The Acts of the Apostles, 95.

However, as the children of Israel began to entertain some of the thoughts that came to them, it was their determined effort to rebel against the vision of a Promised Land that was flowing with milk and honey. They first rebelled against those who tried to encourage them to enter the Promised Land; then their rebellion went up the line of command until it reached Moses and Aaron. The people began to murmur and complain against the leadership, which ultimately ended with God.

How do we understand the issue of leadership today? What is its ordained place within the congregation today? I have come to the conclusion that we need to have leadership today. We need to have people in positions that can lead the congregation. The lack of such leadership is why, in many aspects, the home church movement is in shambles. It does not have the leadership that it should.

The lessons of the children of Israel are speaking to us in these verses from Numbers. How are we going to work out the issues facing the home church movement? We must get beyond our fears, first of all. We look out and see the walled cities; we see the giants that are out there. We have been told this, and we have been told that, and as a result, we are scared to death to move forward and to bring things into the order that God would want them to be. As a result, we are still just kind of wandering along.

Determined to Rebel

Numbers 14:5–8 says, “Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, [is] an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.”

I would like to take a little ministerial license on verse 9. It begins with the word only—“Only rebel not ye.” I would like to substitute, for the word only, the word please—Please do not rebel against God. I really believe that was the intent of the pastoral heart of these men in making an appeal to the people to follow the promises of God. In spite of how circumstances seemed, God was still in control of things. “[Please] rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [are] bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord [is] with us.” Please do not be afraid of them.

We would like to believe that they followed the pastoral counsel of Caleb and Joshua and that they were willing to submit to the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Friends, this lesson is speaking to us who are living in the twenty-first century. What is to be our relationship as we make our way to the Promised Land? In reality, we in the United States are sailing along pretty well, compared to some places in the world. I am speaking even spiritually. There are places around the world where your head is cut off if you even think about changing faith. How does this relate to the pleading of Caleb and Joshua? Notice verse 10: “But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.” The people were starting a campaign to see if they could gain control and do things their way. They wanted to go back to Egypt.

Interestingly, when a person rebels against God and no longer wants to serve Him, the course that he or she takes is never a course into blatant atheism; it is a course into idolatry. As we begin to read the story of the history of the children of Israel, we see that this very same thing took place. Those Seventh-day Adventists whom I have known, who had served the Lord with faithfulness of heart and then began to rebel against God and what He wanted them to do, slid into the area of idolatry. They began to do all the things that brought them pleasure before they were Seventh-day Adventist Christians.

The shamefacedness that is to be addressed, according to the New Testament, now becomes a proud face. (See 1 Timothy 2:9.) All the bangles and bobbles are once again worn. The health message goes out the window. The modesty of dress and the places visited become an idolatrous involvement. It is not an atheistic involvement; it is an idolatrous involvement.

This is what we are actually to learn from the experiences of the children of Israel. The congregation wanted to stone the godly leadership to get them out of the way, so they could slip back into idolatry. If it had not been for the immediate intervention of God, that would have happened.

God’s Forbearance

Sometimes we wonder why things are in the state that they are. The limit of God’s forbearance has not yet been reached. When God’s forbearance has been reached, He will personally intervene and put a stop to what is happening. I never want to be in a place or in a set of circumstances where I have pushed God to the point where He has to personally intervene and bring me to the place He wants me. I want to be able to follow Him where He leads; I do not want to have to be driven with a whip. There are times when that will happen, and many experiences could probably be related as illustrations.

Numbers 14:10 continues, “The glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.” You would think that, with the next words spoken, Moses would have stood back and said, “Lord, have at it.” God said, “Moses, I want you to get out of the way. I am going to destroy all these miserable wretches. Then I will use you, and I will make a nation out of you.”

But Moses said, “Oh no, Lord, please do not do that. Spare your people.” I have never quite been able to work that out in my own thinking, but it is recorded for us. It is something we must consider.

The people had sinned, but Moses interceded on behalf of those people, and because of his action, God said, “All right, I have pardoned the people because of your intercession.” (Verse 20.) There is something to be said for personal confession and personal involvement, but we have this example that, because of the intercession of another, pardon is extended. This tells me that there is a place for the work of intercession which we do not totally understand.

Obedience Required

One thing that needs to be emphasized in this lesson from the children of Israel is the fact that, even though God requires obedience of His people, He is still a God of great mercy. He is longsuffering; He is of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.

“And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: but [as] truly [as] I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” Verses 20, 21. The Lord said, “My plan may know some delay. I may have to wait for a little while, but ultimately, this is going to move back out into the eternity of time, and My glory is going to be known.”

“Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it.” Verses 22, 23.

The Lord continued, declaring that Caleb had a different spirit. Caleb had followed Him, and Caleb would go into the Promised Land, and his seed would possess the land. (Verse 24.)

Whoredoms

“(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long [shall I bear with] this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, [As truly as] I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me. Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, [concerning] which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But [as for] you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.” Verses 25–33.

This is an interesting declaration that God makes concerning their “whoredoms.” To what is God referring? He is referring to the idolatrous practices in which they were involved. For some reason, they had not yet been cleansed of all of that. It was their lapse into idolatry—their seeking another god—that had brought them to rebellion against Jehovah. And He declared, “Because of these whore-doms, because of this idolatry, your carcases are going to waste in the wilderness.”

You would think that somehow this would be all there was to Scripture, because the lessons are so clear, but we find that is not the case. There are repeated instances of God’s chosen people turning their backs on Him.

Time Prophecy

Verse 34, which is a favorite text for Seventh-day Adventists, is then given: “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

Seventh-day Adventists have always looked at this text as a formula which outlines prophetic time—and rightfully so, because this is a prophecy. This formula has been utilized to determine prophetic time, because it is in the setting of prophecy that it is given. God said this is what is going to happen; this is why it is going to happen; and this is how long it is going to happen. We can very comfortably utilize this formula when we need to measure time in prophetic settings and when we need to place things in their right perspective.

This formula has correctly and successfully been applied many times, particularly so in the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9. Application of this formula to the 70 weeks prophecy accurately identified the very time when Jesus would begin His ministry and how His ministry would be executed. When we see how the formula of this text fits so precisely, we are encouraged, for the Lord has given us the key to unlock other prophecies. The more prophecies we unlock, the better our understanding is of Scripture and coming events. We do not have a thing to be ashamed about as far as our understanding of the Bible is concerned; it is based on good, biblical interpretation.

Conversion Flourishes

Verse 35 says, “I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” So the story continues that after this pronouncement, conversion flourished among the children of Israel. They suddenly decided that what the Lord had said about them going in and taking the land, they wanted to follow.

They said, “We need to go to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” (Verse 40.) They recognized the fact that they were not doing what God wanted, but there is more involved in gaining God’s acceptance than just saying, “I have sinned.”

Judas, clutching the bag of 30 pieces of silver, went in before the priests and, throwing the bag down before them, said, “I have sinned,” but Judas found no place for pardon. (Matthew 27:3, 4.) Many instances are given in Scripture where the confession, “I have sinned,” is voiced, but it does not bring the approbation of God upon the person.

“We are going to go up,” the people said, “and we are going to do what God told us to do after all. We have sinned, we know that this is what God wanted us to do.”

Moses said, “I am sorry; do not even try it. Do not go there.” (Verse 41.)

Presumption

“Go not up, for the Lord [is] not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.” “But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.” Verses 42, 44. The presence of God and the leadership of God stayed in the camp. But the people decided that, in spite of the fact that God’s presence and the leadership were not with them, they were going to go anyway.

That is what we call presumption. That can happen even in our own experiences. We can recognize that we have failed the Lord, but if we have not taken the proper steps to come back into His favor, and we go off on a tangent again, we will find that we will again suffer defeat. That is where confusion begins. We cannot begin to understand why we are experiencing the trouble that we are. It could be that we have not really understood what is outlined for us in the lessons from the past.

Is history indeed going to repeat itself in our generation? I hope not. I hope you have dedicated your life as I have dedicated my life to finishing the work of God. There is a lot of work that is yet to be done. It is a work of faith. God expects us to step out in faith, regardless of the circumstances; whatever the walled cities or giants may be, He says, “I want you to follow Me.”

To be continued . . .

Pastor Mike Baugher is Associate Speaker for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mikebaugher@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Lessons from the Children of Israel, Part I

by

Perhaps, if you are familiar with my previous articles in LandMarks, you have already determined that my favorite portion of the Bible is the Old Testament. I love the Old Testament, because it provides a foundation and a depth for our understanding of where we are today. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are told this very thing: “The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9. Chapter 3, verse 15, says something very similar: “That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.” When we stop and think about this, history does have a way of repeating itself. If we do not learn the lessons that are in the past for us, that which has been will be. We will go back through those cycles again. God is working with us as a people to bring us to a point where we will not be repeating history.

But, on the other side, we find that just the opposite is true. “Satan is working that the history of the Jewish nation may be repeated in the experience of those who claim to believe present truth.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 111. This is why the Old Testament is a favorite of mine to study, because we need to learn the lessons from those things that have been. We need to see how the people conducted themselves then, what failures and victories their conduct brought, and how God dealt with them, so we can cling to the promises that He has for us as we make our way into the future, looking forward to the Second Coming of Jesus.

Spy Out the Land

Eleven days after leaving Mt. Sinai, the children of Israel arrived at a little place called Kadesh, which was in the wilderness of Paran, not too far from the Promised Land. If we were to draw a parallel to see how this may apply to us, we may find ourselves at Kadesh today. As the children of Israel arrived at this point, they were not too sure what the land of Canaan held for them. They knew that God was leading them; they knew what direction they were heading, but they really did not know very much about that land.

The people approached Moses with the idea that they needed to search this land so that they might know what was there. Moses was unsure how to answer this suggestion; he did not know whether to say yes or no. So, as when we do not know what to do, the best thing that we can do is to present the situation before the Lord and ask, “Lord, what would you have us to do?” This is what Moses did. The Lord told him that it was all right to go and to select one man from each tribe for this special job. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 387.)

This brings us, in the story, to Numbers 13:17. “And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this [way] southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it [is]; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they [be] strong or weak, few or many; And what the land [is] that they dwell in, whether it [be] good or bad; and what cities [they be] that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land [is], whether it [be] fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring the fruit of the land. Now the time [was] the time of the firstripe grapes.” Verses 17–20.

So the story goes that the selected men went up; they surveyed the whole land, and they returned, after being gone 40 days, with their report. News of their return, as you can imagine, spread very rapidly throughout the camp, and the people rushed out to meet these messengers, anxious to hear what the Promised Land was like.

Tell Us About It

What would the interest be if Elijah or Enoch, who dwell in the heavenly Canaan, should come down into our midst? Would we have any interest in attending the meeting where they were going to share their experiences in the heavenly Canaan? We really do not know very much about heaven. We have some little vignettes of understanding that have been given to us in Scripture and by the Pen of Inspiration, but we look through a glass very darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12). We do not begin to understand just what it is that God has in store for us in heaven. If Elijah or Enoch or Moses were here, we would be very anxious to hear what they had to say.

The same thing was true for these spies who had now been in the land that God had promised to the children of Israel, and they wanted to hear the story. What was it like? Was it lean? Was it fat? Was it a land of plenty or not? “And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this [is] the fruit of it.” Verses 25–27. Now, we can imagine how the people of the congregation felt when they heard this news.

There is a whole background of information that comes with this. They had come out of Egypt as slaves. They owned nothing. Everything they had involved plunder; they had plundered the Egyptians and brought the goods with them. Everything they had formerly belonged to the Egyptians, and now they were coming into a land that was flowing with milk and honey, a land that was filled with plenty. Imagine the enthusiasm that was circulating amongst them when they heard this story! All they wanted at that moment was to fulfill the word of the Lord that they should go up and possess the land.

When I was a student at Walla Walla College (Walla Walla, Washington), having just been converted, there was nothing more that I wanted than to see the Second Coming of Jesus take place. I went through my four-year experience in two years and eleven months, because I just knew that Jesus was going to come before I could enter His work, and I wanted to have a part in it. I knew a little bit about what it would be like to be transported into the Promised Land, and I was anxious to get there. I wanted to get into the work, so I could have a part in bringing some sheaves with me. That is the way the children of Israel were in this experience. They had heard what the Promised Land was like; now they wanted to go over and possess that land. Probably they were not any more prepared to go into the Promised Land than I was when I was making my way through Walla Walla College. It has been a long time since then. A lot of refining experiences have taken place since then. God knows what is necessary for the development of our characters. What we have failed to learn in times of ease and prosperity, we will have to learn under the most discouraging and forbidding of circumstances. During the last movements of earth’s history, those learning experiences are going to rapidly take place.

Catch of Faith

The children of Israel wanted to go up and possess that land immediately. But there was a catch to it all. They could never move forward without faith. They were called upon to have faith in what God had said, but at this point, we find that their faith was failing. God had led them in a very marked way, no question about that. Their history had been recounted to them of the wonderful things that God had worked out in their behalf, but somehow they began to fail in their faith.

After describing all the beauty and the fertility of the land that they had seen, ten of the spies began to tell about the difficulties that they would come up against. They began to tell about the nations—how strong they were, how great the walled cities were, and how strong the people were. On top of all of this, they told them about giants being in the land. Their faith began to fail.

Interestingly, what has been, is destined to be again, and either corporately or individually we are destined to repeat these kinds of things, unless we are able to get above and beyond the circumstances that were prevailing then. Do we have any giants in our experiences? As we look out across the horizon, do we see giants out there and think that what God has asked us to do seems almost impossible? As we look out, do we see walled cities that are supposedly impervious? Really, we are no different than the children of Israel. We may not have physical giants with which to contend, but there are things that loom in our minds and make it seem almost impossible for us to move forward in the experience to which God is calling us. So we hesitate, and we begin to fail in our faith, and when that begins to happen, the devil moves right in and causes an upset in the whole program.

Verses 28 and 29 say, “Nevertheless the people [be] strong that dwell in the land, and the cities [are] walled, [and] very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.” The spies were telling that there were people everywhere, and it did not look like they would be able to get into the Promised Land at all.

Over the years, I have sat in board meetings and business meetings where, when some path that God has brought before us seems to be beckoning us, there are suddenly giants in the land. There are walled cities that seem impervious. I have seen people who have exercised faith and climbed mountains that seemed insurmountable. Always there were those people who would try to discourage anyone from climbing the mountain for God and gaining victory. There was always some reason given why we should not move forward, even though God had said so. All the bad things that they could, with the devil’s help, bring up, they would present and would begin to dwell on the negative side of things. The devil would be allowed to come in, and he would begin to take control of their minds to such an extent that the situation being considered looked like a lost cause.

Ellen White, writing of this situation, said, “Hope and courage gave place to cowardly despair, as the spies uttered the sentiments of their unbelieving hearts, which were filled with discouragement prompted by Satan. Their unbelief cast a gloomy shadow over the congregation, and the mighty power of God, so often manifested in behalf of the chosen nation, was forgotten.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 388. Has God done great things for you in the past? Or have you just kind of wandered along in the wilderness of Paran, wondering if indeed there is a Promised Land? Do you have any reference points to which you can actually anchor, acknowledging that, yes, God manifested Himself here, and because I know that, I am going to exercise faith, and I am going to go beyond the giants and walled cities in my mind and do what God has asked me to do, regardless of what the circumstances are or what consequences may come?

Forbidding Circumstances

That is no different than what the children of Israel were facing. They saw forbidding circumstances that would swallow them up, unless they just took God at His word, stepped out in faith, and went the direction that He wanted them to go. The judgments that were upon Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the manna in the wilderness, the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night were all forgotten. It was all forgotten because of what a few people had to say. Think about that for a minute.

All the experiences that you have had—that you have been able to mark down that God has done for you, that you have said, “God met me here”—under certain kinds of circumstances, can all be blown away because of what a few people say. It is something to ponder. History has a nasty way of repeating itself. Unless we learn the lessons that are there for us, we are destined to repeat those things.

Who is it that is there, trying to repeat that same kind of history? Who is it that is urging those things to take place? It is the devil. As noted previously, the devil is trying to repeat the history of the experiences of the children of Israel in those who are believers of present truth.

It is amazing how just a few people can cause real problems for the children of God—that is, if people will listen to them. Have you ever noticed that? Many times the conversation that comes from the few who try to discourage others from moving forward in God’s program does not provide enough time for us to reflect upon what God has given to us. But if we have taken the time to reflect, then our faith can continue and grow.

The children of Israel did not take time to reflect that, if God had done all of those wonderful things for them in the past and had brought them thus far, He would continue taking them on into the Promised Land. They had forgotten about all those things. They acted as if they had to depend upon their own force of arms.

That is not the way God works. He desires more than anything for us to develop a dependency on Him based upon what He has done for us in the past. He wants nothing to deter us from moving ahead and accomplishing the tasks that are yet before us. If we limit God’s power by our unbelief, as did the children of Israel, can God work for us at all? No, yet we find ourselves, so many times, doing the exact same thing. We limit God’s power as we begin to entertain the doubts and the thoughts about whether this is really what God would want for us. Can God really protect us? Can God really override circumstances and see us through a situation? We look at our lives, and we see that there are those things that we would like to accomplish or have, but they seem to be beyond our grasp. They are just too far away. Yet, all the while, God is there saying, “Move forward; move forward.” I can guarantee you this much: If God has ordained that something is to be, then He will empower us to see that it becomes a reality in our lives. It may appear to be impossible, but He can accomplish it.

Looking at the Negative

You see, the children of Israel were looking at those walled cities; they were looking at those giants, as if they had to go out and do all the conquering on their own. God said, “No, I am going to take care of all this for you. You just move ahead.”

The people, however, began to talk amongst themselves about the problem. The more they talked about the problem, the more their unbelief in God increased in their minds. As they faced the problem and as they began to exercise their unbelief, they began murmuring and complaining.

The servant of the Lord says that Caleb comprehended the situation and tried for all that he was worth to stand in defense of the Word of God. He tried to do everything in his power to counteract the evil influence of his unfaithful associates. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 388.) The spies had been in the Promised Land for 40 days. They had all been there together. Numbers 13:30 says, “Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.”

There is always a process that takes place in situations such as this. Somehow, if we can recognize the circumstances of process, we can stop that process so that we do not get caught in the trap. There was a process taking place with the spies and the children of Israel.

“These men, having entered upon a wrong course, stubbornly set themselves against Caleb and Joshua, against Moses, and against God.” Ibid., 389. Do you know what was driving that process? It was driven by pride. That was the underlying foundation of the whole thing. Pride is of such a nature that it absolutely abhors failure.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Mike Baugher is Associate Speaker for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mikebaugher@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

History to Be Repeated

by

If you have ever felt frustrated trying to help somebody who would not accept your help, or listen to your advice, you would have experienced the same problem as God. The Creator is the only One who is able to solve the problem of death; however, even He cannot solve this problem unless we are willing to listen and heed His advice.

Approximately 500 years before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, a prophecy was made concerning the events surrounding the birth and ministry of Christ. In Zechariah 9:9, it says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold your King is coming to you: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, and a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This was fulfilled as prophesied on what is today called Palm Sunday, the celebration of the day Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey.

Mark describes this event, saying, “They brought the colt to Jesus, laid their clothes on him and set him on him. And a very great multitude spread their garments on the road: others cut down branches from the trees, and spread [them] on the road.” Mark 11:7, 8. As they proceeded down the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem, the multitudes began to rejoice. It says in Luke 19:37, “As he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen.”

Triumphal entries were not new. Each time a Roman general returned from war or battle, there would be a triumphant entry into the city. Behind the victorious soldiers and the army followed the band of chained captives. These miserable creatures knew, of course, that some of them would be thrown to the lions or forced to fight as gladiators and others sold as slaves, thus it was a very mournful procession. Jesus’ happy procession, however, was unlike any procession that had been before, for the people following, were rejoicing and singing.

Many in the crowd were those who had been healed by Jesus. Some could have said, “I was blind until Jesus came, but now I can see.” Others could have said, “I was deaf until Jesus came, and now I can hear,” and still others might have said, “I had leprosy and I was ostracized and quarantined until Jesus came, and now I am whole.” Some of those who walked and rejoiced with the crowd might have been paralyzed before being healed by Jesus. There was even one in the crowd who could say, “I was dead and buried for four days in a cave, but Jesus came and now here I am alive and rejoicing.” There were also people in that crowd who were able to say, “I was under the control of demons; I had no control over my appetite or my passions, until Jesus came and set me free.” Remembrance of all of these wonderful things that had happened gave each and every one a reason to rejoice.

As the joyous procession approached the city, all eyes turned toward the beautiful temple with its walls of white marble, with its gold and precious stones blazing in the sunlight. The beauty of this scene was impressive; thus it was with great amazement that they turned to Jesus and saw that He was weeping.

This was a time of rejoicing, yet there was Jesus, the Majesty of Heaven, weeping at the sight of Jerusalem and the beautiful temple. In Luke 19:41–44, it says, “As he drew near, he saw the city, and wept over it, Saying, If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! but now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you, and close you in on every side, And level you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another: because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Everybody rejoiced, but Jesus, knowing both past and future, wept for the people who would be destroyed with Jerusalem 39 years later.

Jerusalem was the city that had been honored by God above every other place in the world. For ages, God’s prophets had uttered messages of warning to this city. It was in this city where priests had waved their censors and a cloud of incense had risen with the prayers of the worshippers and ascended before the God of heaven. It was in this city that the blood of thousands of slain lambs had been offered, pointing forward to the real sacrifice of the Lamb of God who would later come. It was in the temple in this city where Jehovah had revealed His presence in the Shekinah glory above the mercy seat. There in the heart of God’s chosen people, was represented the base of the mystic ladder dreamed of by Jacob and spoken of by Jesus, the ladder which connects the human race into the holiest of all.

Jeremiah had pleaded with the people to heed his warning, promising that if they changed their rebellious ways, Jerusalem could avoid destruction and stand forever. “Thus says the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they did not obey, nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. And it shall be, if you diligently heed me, says the Lord, to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work in it; Then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, accompanied by the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities of Jerusalem, and from the places around.” Jeremiah 17:21–26.

Jeremiah goes on to say, “But if you will not heed me to hallow the sabbath day, such as not carry any heavy burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.” Verse 27.

The Old Testament records a history of backsliding and rebellion on the part of the Jewish nation. They continually resisted Heaven’s privileges and grace and slighted the opportunities repeatedly offered to them.

“They mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.” II Chronicles 36:16.

Finally, after sending many prophets and messengers, God sent the Majesty of heaven. All of heaven was poured out upon this world in the gift of His Son. For over three years Jesus pleaded with the impenitent city trying to save them from destruction, but they would not listen. Jesus went about doing good, healing the sick and all who were oppressed by the devil. He passed through villages healing the sick and giving hope to the hopeless. His mission was to “Bind up the brokenhearted, to set at liberty those that were bound, to restore the sight of those that were blind, to cause the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear, to cleanse the lepers, to raise the dead, and to preach the gospel to the poor.” See Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Matthew 15:31. His gracious invitation to all was the same, “Come unto me, all of you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

His love and good deeds were rewarded with evil and hatred, but He steadfastly pursued His mission of mercy, never rejecting any who sought His grace. Waves of mercy were beaten back by stubborn hearts, and Israel turned from her best Friend and only helper. He was the only One who could save her from destruction. But the pleadings of His love were despised. His counsels were spurned. His warnings were ridiculed. Today also, the hour of hope and pardon is temporary, and if we do not accept the invitation of mercy while it is still available, then, like Jerusalem, we can only receive the just consequences of our deeds.

God’s long deferred wrath against Jerusalem was about to be fulfilled. A cloud had been gathering over the city through ages of apostasy and rebellion and now it was about to burst upon a guilty people. The only one who could save them from the impending destruction was the one person to whom they would not listen. His warnings and invitations had been slighted and abused. He was rejected, and would soon be crucified. In less than a week, when Christ would hang upon the cross of Calvary, Israel’s day as a nation favored and blessed of God, would be over.

The loss of even one soul is priceless in the eyes of God, but here was the whole nation of Israel about to be destroyed. Prophets wept over this vision, “O that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” He continues, “But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for [your] pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.” Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17.

The Messiah Himself knew what the consequence of their rejection of mercy and truth would be, prophetically seeing the walls surrounded by an enemy army. He heard the tread of armies being marshaled to war and the voice of mothers and children crying for bread. He saw the temple and all the beautiful houses and structures around it destroyed, until not one stone was left upon another. He saw the holy city leveled in total destruction.

Looking through the ages, He also saw the covenant people scattered in every land like wrecks on a desert shore. In the temporal retribution about to fall on the children of Israel, He saw but the first draft from that cup of wrath which, at the final judgment, will be completely drained. Divine pity and yearning love found utterance in the mournful words, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her; how often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen [gathers] her chicks under [her] wings, but you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate.” Luke 13:34, 35, first part.

There is no other God, no other person, no other intelligence or power that can give you eternal life except Jesus Christ. “The one who has the Son has life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” I John 5:12.

Jesus also saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the entire world at the end of time, hardened in unbelief and rebellion, rushing to meet the judgments of God. He also saw the record of sin, human misery, tears and blood, and in His infinite pity for an afflicted human race, He yearned to relieve them. But even He could not turn back the tide of human suffering because few would seek Him, the only Source of help.

He was willing to pour out His soul unto death to make salvation possible, but few would accept Him and His gift of eternal life, so the Majesty of heaven was in tears. The Son of the infinite God was troubled in spirit, and bowed down with anguish revealing to us the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This demonstrates how difficult a matter it is for even infinite power to save the guilty from the consequences of breaking the law of God.

Jesus saw the world in the last generation in a deception similar to that which caused the destruction of Jerusalem. The great sin of the Jews was their rejection of Christ. The great sin of the Christian world in the last generation would be their rejection of the law of God, the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. In the last days, the precepts of God would be despised and set at nought, and millions of human beings in bondage to sin, doomed to suffer the second death as slaves of Satan, would refuse to listen to the words of truth.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus predicted what would happen to a large portion of the Christian world in the final day of judgment.

“Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? cast out demons in your name? and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.” Matthew 7:21, 23.

Jesus predicted that the last days would be a time of great lawlessness, a time when people were breaking the law of God, even professed Christians. Revelation 12:17 says, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” John also says, “Blessed [are] those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14.

Speaking to Christians many decades after the crucifixion, the apostle James points out that it is not sufficient to respect only that part of the law of God which we find convenient. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is guilty of all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak, and so do, as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:10–12. God’s law is the standard of the judgment revealing which spirit controls our lives, be it the Holy Spirit or some other spirit.

The Jews made a great mistake in rejecting Jesus Christ and have been suffering the consequences of their actions throughout the centuries. The great mistake of the Christian world in the last days will be the rejection of the law of God.

“If you keep the whole law, but you offend in one [point], you are guilty of all.” James 2:10.

Be ready, for you know not the day of your visitation.

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

Lessons on Reformation, part 3

by

The promise made to Abraham concerning a son was fulfilled in the birth of Isaac and it was through his descendants that the Savior was to come. We pick up the narrative of God’s continuing attempts at reformation in His followers. Isaac has grown into manhood and married Rebecca who gave him two sons, Esau and Jacob. It was God’s plan that the firstborn receive the birthright, but Esau was too self-centered to submit himself to such a restriction on his activities. Coming home one day, tired and hungry, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a “mess of pottage.” “‘Thus Esau despised his birthright.’ In disposing of it he felt a sense of relief. Now his way was unobstructed; and he could do as he liked.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 179. Jacob, later named Israel, at the insistence of his mother, practiced deception on his father to gain that birthright for himself.

As the result of this deviousness, Jacob paid a heavy price. Laban, his father-in-law, deceived him with regard to Leah and Rachel, and changed his wages many times during the years he spent working for him. In addition, he never saw his mother again, and his sons lied to him about their treatment of Joseph. But God did not reject Jacob and blessed him throughout his life. He lived long enough to see Joseph and his sons and be reunited with them in Egypt where Joseph was the governor.

After Joseph’s death, “there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” As this king viewed his kingdom, he saw that the Israelites were growing in number. He feared they would become strong, join the enemies of Egypt in a war and leave the country, depriving the Egyptians of their workforce.

At first the king tried to keep the Israelites from increasing in number by issuing a decree that all male babies were to be destroyed at birth. This cruel law failed and Israel continued to increase. He also made them work under severe conditions. The hard work only made the Israelites grow stronger and continue to increase.

 

Moses, a Reformer

 

It was under these circumstances that Moses now appeared upon the scene. Having grown up in the house of Pharaoh, he was to be the next ruler of Egypt. The time had come for Israel to be delivered from bondage, and Moses decided that since he was chosen by the Lord to deliver his people, he would proceed to do it. When he saw an Egyptian attacking an Israelite, he put into motion the only method he knew to carry out that deliverance. He killed the Egyptian. This was not God’s plan for the deliverance of His people, and Moses had to flee to Midian. There he spent the next forty years herding sheep and learning the lessons of humility and patience.

“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11. These are lessons that we are to learn; lessons of truthfulness and openness, of maintaining a humble spirit and exercising patience at all times under all circumstances. With that kind of spirit the Lord can use us to bring the message of salvation to a lost world.

Moses came back to Egypt ready to lead his people out to the Promised Land. Now God could use him to bring reformation to His people. Moses did not know it, but there was a long, arduous and frustrating journey ahead of him. There would be many occasions where his patience would be severely tried. When asked to go before Pharaoh and demand that he let Israel go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, he hesitated, giving the excuse that he had a speech impediment. The Lord was patient with Moses and consented to have Aaron,his brother, speak for him to the Egyptian ruler.

It was at Sinai that the attempt at the reformation of Israel was begun in earnest. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on the mount to help the children of Israel understand God’s character as well as His requirements for their salvation and work. The people promised to obey every word spoken by God. However, they failed to realize their own shortcomings and inability to do as they had promised. They were tested many times before arriving at the borders of the Promised Land. Most of the time they failed those tests, but the Lord continued to work with His people in spite of these failures. He wanted them to evangelize the world in order to save lost humanity.

At Kadesh-barnea Israel refused to go into Canaan. Because of unbelief and insubordination they spent the next forty years wandering in the wilderness until all those who had been twenty or older at the Exodus from Egypt had passed off the scene of action. “It was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be thus delayed. God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached, went not in ‘because of unbelief.’ Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them . . . We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action.” Evangelism, 696.

In the history of the Advent Movement there have been several occasions when we have come to a Kadesh-barnea experience and have refused to go into the Promised Land. The most notable of these events occurred in 1888 at the refusal by many at that conference to accept the messages of righteousness by faith. We turned into the wilderness and have been there ever since.

“How sad, how deeply regrettable, it is that this message of righteousness in Christ should, at the time of its coming, have met with opposition on the part of earnest, well-meaning men in the cause of God. The message has never been received, nor proclaimed, nor given free course as it should have been in order to convey to the church the measureless blessings that were wrapped up within it. The seriousness of exerting such an influence is indicated through the reproofs that were given.” Christ Our Righteousness, 47. By A. G. Daniels, 1941.

At the close of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel once again came to the borders of Canaan. The devil was working furiously to frustrate God’s plans for Israel. He was successful once more and seduced the Israelites into idolatry and infidelity. Through the efforts of some that stood for principle, this problem was solved and Israel finally entered the Promised Land.

“God had placed His people in Canaan as a mighty breastwork to stay the tide of moral evil, that it might not flood the world. If faithful to Him, God intended that Israel should go on conquering and to conquer. He would give into their hands nations greater and more powerful than the Canaanites. The promise was: ‘If ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, . . . then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.’ Deuteronomy 11:22–25.

“But regardless of their high destiny, they chose the course of ease and self-indulgence; they let slip their opportunities for completing the conquest of the land; and for many generations they were afflicted by the remnant of these idolatrous peoples, that were, as the prophet had foretold, as ‘pricks’ in their eyes, and as ‘thorns’ in their sides. Numbers 33:55.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 544.

 

Israel Desires a King

 

“Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 1 Samuel 8:5. Israel desired to be like the heathen nations around them. This was one of the consequences of not driving out the inhabitants of Canaan when Israel first entered that land. Up to this point God had been their king, but they were not satisfied with that arrangement. They wanted a king to rule over them the way the other nations were ruled. The Lord sent a warning to them regarding the consequences of having an earthly king, but they refused to listen and demanded a king. The Lord granted their wishes and Israel was led down the path into idolatry.’

The principle of becoming changed into that which we behold is one of the reasons we have been counseled to get out of the cities into a country setting. Our children would be contaminated with the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the cities and as a result would be lost. And we as adults are not immune to the influences of city life. The devil uses such settings to cause us to become so engrossed in our daily living that we lose sight of our purpose for being, that is giving the Three Angels’ Messages to the world.’

It seems that we, as modern Israel, have come to the same place as they. We desire to be like the churches around us. Two Union Conferences and one mission have joined the Council of Churches as guest members in their respective areas. That requires payment of dues. The two Unions are the North and South German Unions and the Mission is Vanuatu. Seventh-Day Adventists in the Solomon Islands have also joined as guest members. Both the German and South Pacific Councils are arms of the World Council of Churches. Will we ever learn the lessons that Old Testament history attempts to teach us? We are to be a separate and peculiar people, peculiar in that we have a unique message for fallen man.

God says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14–18.

 

Results of Kingly Power

 

Because of this demand for an earthly king, the ten tribes were led deeper and deeper into idolatry and eventually were scattered over the earth and lost to history. Judah fared better but they too were finally taken captive to Babylon for seventy years. After returning to Jerusalem, rebuilding the city and temple, they failed to continue their reformation and were almost lost sight of, for the next four hundred years, until the time Jesus was born.

When Christ arrived as a babe in Bethlehem, the Jews were looking for a messiah but not as the one portrayed by the prophets. They were expecting a great general to free them from the Roman yoke and establish Jerusalem as the leading city of the world. Because Jesus did not fulfill their desires, He seemed to them to be a usurper of the throne of David. So they decided to eliminate Him. He interfered with their plans. His gospel included humility, which hurt their pride. Caiaphas said, “Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” John 11:50.

The Messiah had come to bring salvation and greatness to the children of Israel and they crucified Him. Yet the Spirit of God continued to plead with them until the stoning of Stephen. Then the Lord accepted Israel’s rejection of Him, and He rejected them as a people and turned to the Gentiles. Will we as a people suffer the same experience as they did and be rejected also? God is waiting for a people that will finish the Reformation that was begun in the fourteenth century with Wycliffe. He will use people; will it be you and me? If not, then who will it be?

The disciples and apostles did their best to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20and they were able to reach the whole world. (See Romans 10:18.) But there came a falling away even before Paul died. He said: “the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

The work Jesus had begun while he was upon the earth reached a plateau of development at the death of John and then began a steady slide down into a paganistic religion.

This descent into a false religion continued until the evils of paganism once more entered the church, leading to the establishment of the Papacy by the year 538 A.D. For the next one thousand years, that papal power ruled the consciences of men all over the world. However, there were, in various parts of the earth, groups of people that remained untainted by the false doctrines of the Papacy. These faithful souls stood steadfast and loyal to God’s Ten Commandments, including the fourth commandment.

Throughout the period known as the Dark Ages, when the Papacy was in control of most of the world, there were those who refused to be obedient to the papal demands. In many areas of the world there were people that not only obeyed the Commandments of God but also propagated the Gospel message any way they could. Because of extreme persecution by the papal power, the spread of the Gospel was limited as long as Roman Catholicism was in control. But the time was approaching when this control was to be broken. There were signs of disintegration of Papal supremacy, visible at different times and various places in the earth, revealing that God was moving upon the hearts of people. When the break came, it was like a thunderbolt to the Papacy and was to shake the Triple Crown upon the heads of the popes at Rome.

In our next article we will pick up this story of the broken shackles, and follow its movement in the world and in the hearts of men.

 

Neglectful Blindness in the Light of Truth

by

Often people put their trust in things that turn out to be not so trustworthy. This is one of the most common human experiences, and also one of our greatest disappointments. Some put their trust in the government, some in the church, the military, or the court system while others trust only in their own mind. As human beings, we have a seemingly insatiable desire to know what is going to happen in the future. The God of the Bible gives a challenge in Isaiah 45 and 46. He challenges those who are worshipping all other gods. He says, “Prove your case. Who can tell the future? I can tell the end from the beginning.”

In the Bible, we find the only accurate prophecies from ancient times dealing with not only up to the present, but to things that have not yet happened.

The disciples of Jesus also enquired about the future.

A few days before His crucifixion, Jesus left the Jewish temple in Jerusalem for the last time. He had just denounced the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders and of the nation as a whole and as He was leaving He made this pronouncement. He said, “See, your house is left to you desolate.” Matthew 23:38.

This was not an arbitrary decree but Jesus explained why. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to you, how often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Verse 37.

He then went on and told them, “You are not going to see me anymore, until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Verse 39. Here He referred to what they will say in the resurrection at the last day. He then walked out of the temple, and with His disciples went out of the city, up into the Mount of Olives where they sat down overlooking the temple. See Matthew 24:1.

This temple they saw was not the original which had been built by Solomon. Great stores of material had been gathered by King David for the first temple and built according to the plans that had been given him by divine inspiration; however, David was not allowed to build it himself. See I Chronicles 28:12, 19.

David’s son, Solomon, who was declared to be the wisest of Israel’s monarchs, completed the task. The building is reputed to have been the most magnificent building that the world has ever seen. However, because of the apostasy of the Jewish people, God allowed that building to be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. About 500 years before Christ was born the Jews, returning from captivity to a land that had been largely desolated during their absence, rebuilt the temple.

This second temple was not nearly as magnificent as the first and when the people, the old men who had seen the first temple, saw it, they wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes (Ezra 3:12).

Describing the second temple the Bible says, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts: and in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:9.

The prophet explained how that was going to happen. “For thus says the Lord of hosts; Once more, it is a little while, I will shake heaven, the earth, the sea, and dry land; And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations: and I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:6, 7.

Though the second temple did not have the visible tokens of the glory of God like the first one did, it was honored and was more highly exalted because in this second temple there came the desire of all nations. The Man of Nazareth taught and healed in its sacred enclosure. The presence of Christ alone made it more glorious than the first.

But Israel had put from her God’s proffered gift. And that day, when the humble Teacher had passed out from the temple for the last time, Jesus said, “Your house is left to you desolate.”

Now the disciples were filled with awe and wonder and astonishment as they heard Christ speaking these words, and as He was going out of the temple they tried to draw His attention to the wonderful architecture and to the skill and to the wonderful and expensive materials that had constructed this temple.

“Then as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” Mark 13:1.

The temple walls were made with white marble. They were fitted together so tightly that, according to tradition, you could not stick a knife between them. From a distance it was a gorgeous sight and looked like one solid piece of white marble. The disciples attempted to draw Jesus’ attention to this marvelous building that He had just said was left to the Jewish people, desolate. “And Jesus answered and said to him, Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Verse 2.

At this the disciples were in a state of astonishment. They thought that if Jerusalem would be overthrown, Jesus must be talking about the events associated with His personal coming back to this world in temporal glory, to take the throne of universal empire, to punish the impenitent Jews and to break off the Roman yoke. Jesus had told them that He was going to come back to this world a second time. So when He mentioned the judgments that were going to come upon Jerusalem their minds reverted to that coming. “Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3.

Fortunately, in mercy, the future was veiled from the disciples. If they had known that in just a few more days their Lord and Master would be tried, scourged and crucified and also that for most of them, within their own lifetime, Jerusalem and the temple would be totally destroyed with not one stone being left upon another, they would have been filled with horror and unable to think logically or analytically about anything. They would have been overwhelmed, so Jesus simply presented to them an outline of the prominent events that were to take place before the destruction of Jerusalem and before the close of time. The prophecy He uttered had a two-fold meaning; firstly it had to do with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, but it also had to do with the terrors of the last great day.

Jesus declared to His listening disciples the judgments that were going to fall upon apostate Israel and especially the vengeance that would come upon them for their rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah. Before this dreaded hour would come there would be unmistakable signs that would precede the awful climax. This would come swiftly and suddenly.

He warned, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand).” Matthew 24:15.

Luke records this in literal terms and in the most graphic language. Jesus said, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

“Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains; let those who are in the midst of her depart; and let not those who are in the country enter her.” Luke 21:20, 21.

In other words, when they would see the idolatrous standards of the Roman armies set up on the holy ground around Jerusalem, then the followers of Christ were to find safety in flight.

This is an interesting command that Jesus gives. He told them that when they saw the Roman army surrounding Jerusalem they were to flee.

But how were the Christians to flee from Jerusalem if there were Roman armies surrounding and besieging it? Jesus did not explain how it would happen; He just gave them instructions what they were to do. He told them they were not even to take time to return home to get a garment but when they had the opportunity they were to immediately flee.

At the time that Jesus spoke those words the city of Jerusalem was a highly fortified city and any person who publicly foretold that Jerusalem would be destroyed and there would not be one stone left upon another at the temple would have been regarded as Noah was when he predicted a worldwide flood. They would have been considered a crazed alarmist and out of their mind. But Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35.

Because of her sins, wrath had been denounced against Jerusalem and her stubborn unbelief rendered her doom certain. This is exactly what the Lord predicted was going to happen in Jerusalem through the prophet Micah hundreds of years before it happened. “Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice, and pervert all equity. Who build up Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her heads judge for a bribe, her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money: yet they lean on the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? no harm can come to us.” Micah 3:9–11.

Notice that these people who are living in wickedness say, “We are God’s people.”

There are people today who say they are Christians and that no harm can come to them, yet they are not living a Christlike life but live directly contrary to the way Jesus said to live. Jesus said to the people in His day, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you don’t do what I say?” Luke 6:46.

Because they were living like the devil while claiming to be God’s own people their outcome was predicted: “Therefore because of you, Zion shall be plowed like a field. Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the temple like the bare hills of the forest.” Micah 3:12.

This prophecy described the condition of the Jewish nation in the time of Christ. Although they were proud of their self-righteousness,, they were living in sin and were transgressing the principles of the law of God. They hated Christ because of His purity. His holiness was a living rebuke to the way that they were living and they accused Jesus of being the cause of their troubles. They knew that He was sinless. Jesus said, “Which of you convicts me concerning sin?” John 8:46.

They had no answer, but they condemned Him to death because they said His death was necessary for the security of their nation. “If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. And then, do you not consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish?” John 11:48, 50.

As Micah had predicted, they built up Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity, and yet, even though they had killed their Saviour, who reproved their sins, because of their self-righteousness they still claimed to be the people of God, His favored people, and expected the Lord to deliver them from their enemies.

This same thing has happened many times through earth’s history and is still happening today. Many people claim that they are God’s people but refuse to follow His instructions. They make a profession without reflecting His character; they do not walk as He walked, or live as He lived.

For nearly forty years after A.D. 31 when Jesus predicted this destruction, the judgments against Jerusalem were delayed. God is wonderfully long-suffering. The murderers of His Son were given almost forty years to consider the evidence and see the development of the Christian church and what was happening in the world. For two generations the fathers, mothers and children had opportunity to evaluate the character of Christ.

But when the time came that the children also rejected not only the light that their parents had, but also additional light that they themselves had received, the cup of their iniquity was full. The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem just confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence and eventually God gave them up.

When God sees that no matter what evidence He gives a person they still refuse to submit, there is no way they can be saved. He finally gives up and leaves them over to their own control. The Holy Spirit ceases to plead with them because they have committed the unpardonable sin and have come under the control of another spirit.

In their hatred toward the disciples of Jesus, the Jews rejected God’s last offer of mercy to His chosen people. His protection was removed and also His restraining power upon Satan and his angels who came to totally control God’s chosen people. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, the only One who could deliver her.

There now was no safety anywhere. Friends and kindred betrayed one another and uncontrolled passions made the people tyrants.

False accusations made their lives uncertain. They had said, “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Isaiah 30:11. And now their desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his control and sway. All kinds of awful things happened but the leaders still said, “This city cannot be destroyed; it is God’s own city. We are not afraid that this city will be destroyed; God won’t ever let it happen.”

So the multitudes believed, right to the last, that the Most High was going to deliver them from their adversaries. But, they had spurned the Divine protection and now they had no defense. They were rent by internal dissentions and her children were slain by another’s hands.

All the predictions that Jesus gave concerning Jerusalem were fulfilled right to the letter. They learned the truth of His words—As you measure to somebody else it will be measured to you again. See Matthew 7:2.

There were many signs that occurred before the destruction of Jerusalem, showing that something awful was going to take place.

One of the most interesting fulfillments of prophecy when you look at that historical event of the destruction of Jerusalem is that you will find that not one Christian perished in the city. Jesus had given His disciples warning and every one who listened to the warning was saved. This is what Jesus had said to them:

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains; let those who are in the midst of her depart; and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things that are written may be fulfilled.” Luke 21:20–22.

The Romans under the general Cestius surrounded the city, about A.D. 66. It was the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and there were people from throughout the world who were gathered in Jerusalem during this siege. Unexpectedly, Cestius abandoned the siege when everything seemed to be in his favour. These events were so overruled that neither the Jews nor the Romans did anything to hinder the flight of the Christians. Upon the retreat of Cestius the Jews sallying from Jerusalem pursued after his retiring army and while both forces were thus engaged, the Christians had an opportunity to leave the city unmolested.

Also, at this time the country had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavoured to intercept them. At the time of the siege the Jews had been gathered together in Jerusalem and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to make their escape without hindrance.

It is interesting that Jesus gave a command that would seem impossible to be fulfilled and yet the opportunity to escape was there, just as He told them. All those who listened and obeyed the command of Jesus were saved; not one perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. They fled without delay to a place of safety beyond Jordan.

Read Matthew 24 carefully. The destruction of Jerusalem was used by Jesus as a symbol of what will happen to the entire world who rejects the authority of God and His law and the gospel of Jesus Christ at the end of time.

The Bible says, “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7.

If you are willing to listen to the instructions that Jesus gives in His word, then at the end of the world you will not be among the nations that mourn because they then realize that they have been worshipping the anti-christ and not the true Christ.

You can be saved. You do not have to be destroyed in the destruction of the world that is coming. Jesus said it like this:

“Watch therefore: for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready: for the Son of man is coming at an hour when you do not expect.” Matthew 24:42–44.

Jesus is coming, and He is coming in our time.

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

Bible Study Guides – The Jewish Church in Christ’s day; a return to captivity

by

July 25, 2010 – July 31, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

As a result of renewed apostasy, what did the professed church in Christ’s day look like? How was the situation of the church in Christ’s day comparable to the church during the time of the Babylonian captivity? What were the contrasts?

Here the story gets even more complicated. The Jewish leaders in Christ’s time seemed to understand, at least by way of terminology, that the purpose of God’s church was to bear children—and that’s exactly what they claimed to be, the children of the true church. This is what they claimed when they said, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone.” It may seem simple in hindsight to see that they missed the most obvious spiritual applications of the seed bearing church, but it was missed nonetheless. In reality, and contrary to the claims of its leaders, the professed church of the Jewish nation in Christ’s day had actually returned to a Babylonian type captivity—a captivity that contrasted physically and paralleled spiritually the ancient Babylonian captivity.

The Jewish church had become spiritually bankrupt—in aggregate an old wine bottle such as Jesus referred to in Luke 5:37–39. A new church arose alongside the decaying edifice of the Jewish church before anyone, either founders of the new or guardians of the old, fully understood what was happening! Let’s proceed to highlight a few of these details.

“The Pharisees opposed the teachings of Jesus with all their force, and Jesus turned from the recognized religious leaders to find in others new bottles for the new wine. In the untutored fisherman, in the publican at the market-place, in the woman of Samaria, in the common people who heard him gladly, he found his new bottles for the new wine. …

“God’s people must go on from light to a greater light, or they will become, as did the Pharisees, unwilling to receive additional light. They will find themselves in the condition represented by withered, dried-up bottles. In their religious faith they will be unmovable, inflexible, like the withered fig tree dried up by the roots. …

“The lessons which Jesus taught in the parables should be carefully studied; they contain instruction for his people in these last days … Christ, the consolation of Israel, had come unto his own, but his own received him not. He must find new bottles to contain his new wine.” The Signs of the Times, September 19, 1892.

1 What did the Jewish church look like in the time of Christ? How did the experience of the Jewish church in Christ’s day parallel the experience of the Babylonian captivity? In what ways was the experience in contrast to the Babylonian captivity?

Review and Discuss:

The captor nation now in question was Rome. (It is interesting to note in this context that Peter later was to refer to the capital, Rome, as “Babylon.” I Peter 5:13.)

The nation/church of Israel was in near complete captivity to Rome—its civil and spiritual leaders, vassals to Rome, as Zedechiah and his immediate predecessors had been to Nebuchadnezzar. Yet instead of reducing the church to rubble, the captors had helped to beautify and embellish the temple. (Despite outward beautification, the church, as in the time of Jeremiah, was desolate—destitute of the Spirit of Christ. Matthew 23:38.) The temple church had become a “den of thieves.”

Once again, God’s people were in complete denial about the fact that they were in bondage! Note the claim made by one faction of the leaders of the professed church to Christ: “They [the Pharisees] answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” John 8:33.

There now seemed to be many pastors (priests), but yet there were no shepherds! “… Jesus … was moved with compassion for them [multitudes], because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.” Mark 6:34.

Unlike the previous Babylonian captivity, there were now schools for religious instruction associated with the churches—yet not in any of them was there found a place fit for proper instruction! “In the days of Christ the town or city that did not provide for the religious instruction of the young was regarded as under the curse of God. Yet … tradition had in a great degree supplanted the Scriptures. … The principles of the law were obscured.” The Desire of Ages, 69.

As in Jeremiah’s time, a false trust was placed in the professed church—in the ordinances and buildings that had been dedicated by and to God. The forms of religion continued despite the deep divisions of a conservative and liberal class.

The forms of this church carried on, largely uninterrupted clear past the zenith of the early Christian church. The Jewish temple-church soldiered on after the gospel had gone to every person in the world (Colossians 1:23)! It continued on after the key leaders of the early Christian church; Stephen, James, Peter and Paul all had been martyred for their faith.

2 Did Christ also profess to be the head of the church? Was it the same church described above? See Matthew 16:18; John 10:1–9, 11, 16; Matthew 23:32–39; John 15:1, 5, 7, 8; John 8: 34–36.

Note:

Christ also professed to be the leader of the true church. It consisted largely of outcasts, but anyone and all were invited to join: foreigner or Pharisee; fisherman or lawyer; man, woman, or child. Here are some of the claims of Christ regarding this: “on this rock [Christ] I will build my church” and “I am the door. … I am the Good Shepherd … other sheep I have … there will be one flock and one Shepherd … my sheep hear my voice.” Christ explained captivity and the church’s purpose of bearing fruit and bearing children in terms like these:

“I am the true vine … you are the branches … if you abide in Me, and my Words abide in you … you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples” and “you must be born again” and “whoever commits sin is a slave … a slave does not abide in the house forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

3 What did the prospects for this new church look like in Christ’s day? What was their experience?

Review and Discuss:

Christ’s own people reject Him (Luke 4:16–30).

The glory Christ brought to the temple was unrecognized.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while, I will once more shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. … ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.’ ” Haggai 2:6, 7, 9.

An apparent early victory by the Sea of Galilee is followed by a massive shaking among Christ’s followers! Nearly all forsake Him (John 6:60–68).

“Christ sifted His followers again and again, until at one time there remained only eleven and a few faithful women to lay the foundation of the Christian church. There are those who will stand back when burdens are to be borne; but when the church is all aglow, they catch the enthusiasm, sing and shout, and become rapturous; but watch them. When the fervor is gone, only a few faithful Calebs will come to the front and display unwavering principle. These are salt that retains the savor. It is when the work moves hard that the churches develop the true helpers. These will not be talking of self, vindicating self, but will lose their identity in Jesus Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 130.

Christ’s disciples are nearly completely confused about which church they belong to (Matthew 17:24–27; Matthew 16:6–12).

Christ, at the last left by all, treads the winepress of God’s wrath—alone (Isaiah 59:14–17)!

Peter, a key disciple, publically disavows connection with Christ and His church.

On the cross, seemingly a failed traitor of the church, Jesus cries out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46.

With unspeakable sorrow and bitterness, Christ’s disciples see an end to all they understood to be of Christ’s church (Luke 24:21).

4 Do the above descriptions of the Jewish church and Christ’s church complete the story?

Christ predicted the above situation, and the reversals that came, and so had the prophets before Him. Notice here again how Jesus is consistent with the Old Testament imagery of the purpose of God’s church when He tells His disciples, “A woman when she is in labor has sorrow, because her hour has come: but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy. … Therefore you now have sorrow: but … your heart will rejoice.” John 16:21, 22.

5 Although unrecognized by nearly all, what was the true situation of the Jewish church?

Review and Discuss:

Unrecognized, Christ comes a last time, seeking fruit from Israel (Mark 11:11–22).

Unrecognized, probation closes on the Jewish nation-church (Matthew 23:32–39).

Unrecognized, spiritual bondage is at last followed by physical bondage and destruction.

Unrecognized, a new church of spiritual Jews was born to replace the old.

6 And what was the position of the Church that Christ was raising?

Review and Discuss:

Christ declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). The work of Christ prior to and on the cross of Calvary had indeed prepared the new church for victory in the midst of defeat! At the very close of Christ’s agony, Ellen White writes:

“Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour’s cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, ‘It is finished’ [John 19:30].” The Desire of Ages, 764.

With Christ’s victory in Gethsemane, at trial, and on Calvary, the church was prepared to fulfill the purposes for which she was ordained:

Bearing the fruit of Spiritual rebirth, at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Bearing the fruit of offspring (converts) on the day of Pentecost.

Representing the name of God to the world (Christian).

The promised triumphs of the church by Old Testament prophets were indeed fulfilled. But no one, not even the disciples, recognized the omens of coming victory. In parallel, the promised decimation of the church by Old Testament prophets was also fulfilled, first spiritually and then physically. Very few of God’s originally called and professed people had any part of the triumph, while most experienced the fulfillment of prophecies of destruction! God’s new Christian church had triumphed, had been born, unrecognized as such by the Jewish nation, from a gathering of all nations. (Note: Even this triumph, though, could have been more complete, had Jewish nationalism among the disciples been seen for what it was earlier, and completely put away (Galatians 4:19–31; Ephesians 2:10–22; Acts 9, 10; Romans 9, 10, 11). Christ looked forward to this birth of a new church when:

In these strangers (the Greeks who came to the temple) He (Christ) saw the pledge of a great harvest, when the partition wall between Jew and Gentile should be broken down, and all nations, tongues, and peoples should hear the message of salvation. The anticipation of this, the consummation of His hopes, is expressed in the words, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” John 12:23. The gathering in of the Gentiles was to follow His approaching death.

The new church was indeed formed by a combination of Jew and Gentile. Praise the Lord for the power of the gospel to make the true Christian church from: Jew (Paul) and Gentile (the Ethiopian eunuch); former Pharisees (Simon): former harlots (Mary), Roman centurions (Cornelius), and former zealots (Simon).

Reader, an understanding of what is really happening in the above parallel mingling of triumph-tragedy for the professed Jewish church and tragedy-triumph of the Christian church is critical to an understanding of Old Testament prophecy. The Old Testament prophecies themselves are, on a large scale, a grand-parallel mingling of stunning triumph in the face of disaster and monumental defeat in the face of misplaced confidence. This history of the church in Christ’s time gives us the tools to understand how these seemingly contradictory prophecies can be fulfilled simultaneously.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – After the Captivity, A Church and a Wall to Rebuild

by

July 18, 2010 – July 24, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

It might seem odd to introduce any Sabbath school lesson by asking what a monetary system, a hydro-electric dam, a jet engine, or fiber-optic network have in common. But they do in fact each carry a feature that is illustrative of a key requirement in God’s last day church. They are products of collective intelligence.

There are millions of very talented, intelligent and industrious people in our world, but no single person knows in full how to design and manage a major infrastructure project, build a jet plane or computer, or manage a monetary system. Nor can one person simply assign a specified amount of physical and mental energy to be expended by a group of people working separately and accomplish any of these projects. All of these projects require collective intelligence. It is collective intelligence and action of human agents that produces the large scale progress in the secular world.

But what of God’s church? If the world we live in were managed the same way that our gospel work has been, we would all be tool-poor, barterers, and hunter-gatherers the world over! The children of darkness are indeed wiser in their generation than the children of light on this point (Luke 16:8, 9). Are there functions that God has assigned to His church that require collective action? Are you taking collective action?

Our lesson today is about the rebuilding of the temple church and the city walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. We will see that collective action was one of the important requirements to the completion of these projects. This lesson covers the events covered by Prophets and Kings, chapters 45–58.

1 Once Babylon had fallen, and it was time to leave, who opened the way for the rebuilding? Isaiah 45:1–4; Daniel 10:13, 20, 21.

Note:

After a mighty spiritual struggle (recorded in Daniel 10), the civil government opened the way for the captive Jewish church to return to Jerusalem and rebuild. See Prophets and Kings, 572.

2 Was the call out successful, in terms of numbers? Ezra 2:64; 8:15.

Note:

“The king and his princes had done more than their part in opening the way for the return. They had provided abundant means, but where were the men? The sons of Levi failed at a time when the influence of a decision to accompany their brethren would have led others to follow their example. Their strange indifference is a sad revelation of the attitude of the Israelites in Babylon toward God’s purpose for His people.” Prophets and Kings, 614.

Apply It:

For the majority of Jews who, having integrated themselves so completely in Babylonian society, decided to remain; was the Babylonian captivity over after 70 years? While choosing to remain fully integrated with Babylonian (and then Persian) society, were they in a position to recognize their state?

3 What key decisions characterized successful rebuilding of the church?

Review and Discuss:

God’s people refuse union with foreigners (God’s enemies) in the building (Ezra 4:2, 3).

Working together “as one man”—working with collective intelligence (Ezra 3:1–8).

Listening to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1, 2).

Fasting, prayer, and spiritual preparation (Ezra 7, 8).

4 Several years later, what key decisions characterized successful rebuilding of Jerusalem’s city wall?

Review and Discuss:

Working together “as one man”—working with collective intelligence (Nehemiah 3; 8:1).

Fasting, prayer, and spiritual preparation (Nehemiah 1:4).

God’s people refuse to again be deterred by foreigners (God’s enemies) in the building (Nehemiah 2:20; chapter 4; chapter 7).

5 What are characteristic features of collective intelligence and action?

Apply It:

More than one person is necessary, but not sufficient.

More than one group of people is necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable and strong people are necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable, strong people working on the same project are necessary, but not sufficient.

Knowledgeable, strong groups of people working together; and under the Divine leadership and human leadership is necessary, and with the Holy Spirit, is sufficient.

Note that we cannot work collectively on building God’s church, while we work exclusively from the waste places of the earth. We cannot effectively work together while all of us move to the mountainous regions. In Nehemiah’s time, ALL parts of the wall needed workers. God needs people today working together on different parts of the wall and from many places. God needs families, not satisfied simply to realize the dangers of raising a family in the city, but to devise plans for reaching other families in the cities. God needs builders on the wall to work in cities, in towns, and in the remote areas. He needs workers in the mountains, in the plains, and the coastal areas. See Testimonies, vol. 8, 119; vol. 7, 34–36; Evangelism, 384–428.

6 What decisions characterized near failure during rebuilding of the church?

Review and Discuss:

A failure to act quickly! See Prophets and Kings, 572.

Union with foreigners in marriage (Ezra 9; 10).

Complacency, personal property before God’s church (Haggai 1).

Failures of priests (pastors) (Ezra 3:12).

7 What decisions characterized near failure during, and after, rebuilding of the wall?

Review and Discuss:

Taking financial advantage of the poor (Nehemiah 5).

Union with foreigners in marriage (Nehemiah 13).

Putting personal property before God’s church (Nehemiah 13:4–9).

Failures of priests (pastors) (Nehemiah 13).

Failure to collect tithes and offerings for the ministers (Nehemiah 13).

Relaxing Sabbath standards (Nehemiah 13).

8 Was the spiritual construction of God’s temple and the city wall, the purpose of His church, ever completed by the Jewish nation?

NO—The nation did not give birth to the character of Christ, or to the offspring of converts! Christ Himself became the ultimate fulfillment of Birth to the church—He was literally given to them—and to us! (Revelation 12:5.)

9 What applications to church and wall rebuilding do we have today? Has the work of rebuilding the church been completed? Has the church completed rebuilding the wall?

Review and Discuss:

Church: Ephesians 2:19–22

Wall: Isaiah 58:12, 13

Apply It:

Review Haggai, chapter 1.

“The expression, ‘This people say,’ is significant. … Pleas for delay are a dishonor to God. … in a communication through his prophet, he [the Lord] referred to them not as ‘my people,’ but as ‘this people.’ ” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1907. Ellen White says that, “This history will be repeated.” [Emphasis supplied.]

How, in practice, might this same experience be repeated?

This is the message of the prophet Haggai: God’s people could have no success while the church was not complete, and they were not trying to do anything about it! God said that because of their slackness, they would continue to fail to receive rain and fail to produce fruit.

In Haggai’s time, God’s people had been called to return to re-build the temple. It was also their privilege to build their own homes, and cultivate their fields. But they had made their personal building and planting a greater priority than building the temple, and were severely rebuked for this. Their crops were cursed. We even find that God temporarily disowned them for this neglect. Today, I fear that many have placed the importance of preparing their property and gardens for the time of trouble ahead of plans to finish building the temple. This is not to say that this preparation is unimportant, but simply to say that we must understand the relative importance of these activities.

10 Is there a need for collective intelligence in God’s church today?

Apply It:

God has appointed both individual and collective will to humans, and both are important. As a starting point, you may compare and contrast collective and individual will to action within Joshua 24:15. You may see examples of the importance of individual action in Daniel 6; I Kings 22:9–14, and Isaiah 40:3. You may see examples of the importance of collective action in John 20:23; Acts 6:1–7, and I Corinthians 12:9–18. As Historic SDAs, we have long exercised our muscle of individual will and action, while our muscle of collective will, intelligence, and action has nigh atrophied. In Heaven, the collective will to action is critical to success in the Great Controversy! What about our collective action?

God, in His infinite wisdom, has given to His church collective tasks in evangelism and education that simply cannot be met exclusively by exercising our talents individually! There are parts of our individual characters that simply cannot be properly developed unless we are at least attempting to work collectively. Unfortunately, many of us have been assuming otherwise.

Let’s be straightforward: the need for true gospel workers, health workers and teachers is not being adequately supplied by any portion of the corporate entity of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. But among historic SDAs, the situation of supplying trained workers is even worse, and no one among us is in a position to exercise collective action with the General Conference, which has shown an eagerness to attempt to control through the court system.

However large this problem may seem, we must at minimum not ignore it, or pretend that because it takes the action of many, we are in no position to make an attempt to rectify it. You can see this is about much more than pooling our money. You will find out, as you continue in this lesson series, that God will use the heathen to fill this vacuum if nothing else is done.

Could it be time to consider more than theoretical future solutions; could it be time to consider pragmatic ones? This author believes that it is past time to ask some very difficult questions; questions such as: If someone felt called to the gospel ministry (the gospel ministry as laid out in Testimonies to Ministers, for example), what real employment options do they have? Would you want to be in their shoes? Are you in their shoes? (Remember, God will call 11th hour workers from secular employment to gospel employment.) What would it take to train and hire workers? Would the Historic SDA church nearest me need to be better organized? Could I help? Would it take more than one local church to get the job done? Would I be prepared to recognize and act collectively with 11th hour workers from other churches? Would it take things like an identity, plans, goals, boards, and bank accounts? Am I an amicable enough person so that others could get along with me well enough to prosecute a plan of action?

I know the preceding paragraph may read like heresy to some. But we’re halfway there, and that halfway position will not long be stable. There exist Historic SDA churches. There are groups of Historic SDA churches working together in various places in the world. There are Historic SDA teachers, and medical professionals. And all of these exist because people believe that the gospel message drives and defines the identity of the remnant, and not the other way around (Revelation 14:12)! Today we are either half wrong, and need to close shop on these activities, or we’re half right, and need to “Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees.” Isaiah 35:3.

You may be tempted to say that the thought of working on a large scale is preposterous given our current situation and the shortness of time. You may ask, “Should we really expect to launch some large, potentially bureaucratic edifice for training and employing workers when God has said that He will complete His work through surprisingly simple means?” These are fair questions. Consider these questions: 1st, Are the dangers of bureaucracy paramount when there exists no organization? 2nd, Even though God has said He will finish His work in simple ways that will astound us, do you think that He will sanction our part in that work if we simply excuse ourselves from attempting to act collectively, because it’s messy, hard to do, and takes time?

11 Is there risk when you choose to engage in collective action?

Apply It:

The good news for us is that Christ has already guaranteed the outcome of the war; there is zero risk that He will lose the great controversy. But there is very real risk in each battle of the great controversy, risk that souls will be lost. When you undertake a project by yourself, you are individually to a large degree in control of the risk of failure. When you engage in collective intelligence and action, you as an individual are in a much smaller way in control of the risk of failure.

Collective action requires the individuals to give of themselves at the risk of each other’s good will. There is no way to make money through investment, without putting money at risk of loss—at least temporary loss. And when we invest our talents for Christ, we may indeed realize temporary loss and may not in this life realize the gain of our investment. But our risk in these endeavors pales to the very real risk that God made to save you and me, the risk of the loss of His own Son!

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – The Babylonian Captivity: An Outline of the Scope and Characteristics

by

July 11, 2010 – July 17, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

At first consideration many Bible students of experience may well imagine a lesson on what constituted the Babylonian captivity to be a fairly straightforward exercise. But instead it turns out to be a rather complicated story involving a wide variety of differing experiences and perceptions. This lesson provides an outline summary of this involved story.

1 How does the Bible summarize the variety and the scope of the captivity? Jeremiah 15:1–10.

Apply It:

God, through the prophet Jeremiah, here reiterates the reasons for the captivity, and reveals the vast extent and sorrow of the captivity in all its forms. Everyone in God’s professed church was to experience the impact of the decimating Babylonian captivity in some way! Death, sword, starvation, and captivity!

2 Were God’s people warned of the coming captivity? II Chronicles 36:14–21.

3 What events constituted the Babylonian captivity for church members, prophets and pastors?

Review and Discuss:

100% of God’s people were directly affected (II Chronicles 36:17; II Kings 25:11).

God’s professed people were scattered (Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1, 2).

The shepherds (priests) were lost (Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1, 2; Lamentations 2:10).

The most sacred symbol, the Ark of the Testament, was removed (II Chronicles 36:18).

Many of God’s professed people put to the test in Babylon (II Chronicles 36:20).

The faithful persecuted by the state, united with and goaded by false religion (Daniel 3).

Various combinations of physical and spiritual bondage in different locales.

The Word of God (prophets) again became rare (Lamentations 2:20).

4 What events constituted the Babylonian captivity for the church infrastructure: schools, church, and church headquarters?

Review and Discuss:

The capital city of the church (Jerusalem) was destroyed (II Chronicles 36:19).

The schools that provided religious education were destroyed.

The real property of the church (temple) was destroyed (II Chronicles 36:19).

5 What was the scope of the Babylonian captivity experience for those taken to Babylon?

Review and Discuss:

A staged captivity; Babylon made three trips to Jerusalem.

Captives physically in Babylon, but spiritually free (examples: Ezekiel and Daniel).

Captives physically and spiritually in Babylon (example: Zedekiah; see II Kings 24:17–25:10).

A generation born in captivity becomes so integrated with Babylon that they do not recognize God’s plan in the repeated calls to leave Babylon and rebuild God’s church (examples: Mordecai’s ancestors and many of the priests; see Esther and Ezra 8:15).

A few born in captivity see God’s plan in the call to return (example: Zerubbabel; see Ezra 2:2).

6 What was the scope of the Babylonian captivity experience for the remnant who remained in Judea?

Review and Discuss:

A remnant in Judea, under the yoke of Babylon physically and spiritually (example: Ishmael; see Jeremiah 41:1–10).

A remnant in Judea, under Babylon physically only (example: the prophet Jeremiah; see Jeremiah 39:11, 12).

A remnant, unwilling to admit the yoke, trusting in temple and false messages (Jeremiah 42).

A remnant, unwilling to admit the yoke, seeking freedom in Egypt (Jeremiah 43, 44).

7 When did the Babylonian captivity start?

Apply It:

Note that the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem was not a single point in time. It came in stages over several years. So when did it start? Did God’s professed people recognize the doom of captivity when it commenced? Here’s an outline of the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem:

1st—605 B.C., King Jehoiakim (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah taken prisoners).

2nd—597 B.C., King Jehoichin (the temple looted; Ezekiel taken prisoner).

3rd—586 B.C., King Zedekiah (city destroyed).

The captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, greatest of the neo-Babylonian kings, came in three stages over a 19-year period. The 70-year captivity started in 605 B.C. God never intended the captivity to be as severe as it became! Even though the captivity itself could not at this time be averted (it had been assured since the reigns of Hezekiah and Manasseh), Kings Jehoichin and Zedekiah had opportunity to avert the destruction of the temple and the city by obedience to the word of God through Jeremiah. But Zedechiah’s fear of the leadership in God’s professed church prompted his continued rebellion (see for example, Jeremiah 38:14–26).

8 Did Israel understand and acknowledge the state of their captivity?

This is an astounding question to consider! Why would it not be obvious? Who has ever been subject to captivity, not recognized it—and even argued with those who declared it to be so?

But amazingly the answer is an emphatic NO!

There was a very large argument (even extending internationally) about whether or not Judah (and the surrounding nations) were even in the captivity pronounced by Jeremiah! Imagine, being in captivity or on the cusp of it, and denying it! You may read this extended story in Jeremiah 24–29. There was a near complete denial and rebellion by God’s people against the facts, nature, and extent of the captivity. Due to this, it became much more extreme in nature than it need have been.

Subsequent to the latter stages of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judah, the remnant left in Judea sought freedom from Babylon by fleeing back to Egypt. But Egypt, along with the other surrounding nations, had also—by God’s direction—been placed under the yoke of Babylon. It is as if one prisoner were to seek a break-out to freedom by entering another’s prison cell! The rebellion against, and denial of the captivity was indeed widespread—even to the point of kidnapping Jeremiah. In this we see that all of God’s professed people were partakers of the effects of captivity. See Jeremiah 40–44.

Apply It:

If modern Israel were to ignore prophecy and history; if they continued with the same sins by which ancient Israel secured their own destruction, would it be possible for them to pass as unrecognized the omens and commencement of their captivity?

9 How did Jeremiah summarize the dreadful situation of God’s professed people at this time? Lamentations, chapters 1 and 2.

“How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! … Her children have gone into captivity … [Zion] has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you commanded not to enter … the Lord … has abandoned His sanctuary … the Law is no more … Your prophets have seen for you false … visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captives … Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.” See Lamentations 1. [Emphasis supplied.]

Apply It:

Note the loss of the church’s purpose of marriage and child rearing as revealed in these words of Jeremiah.

10 By way of comparison, note that in prophetic reference, Babylon itself, which claims to be married to Christ, will experience widowhood and the loss of children in one day! Isaiah 47:5–9; Revelation 18:7, 8.

11 Was there anyone to recognize the sorrow and join with Jeremiah in weeping? What will God’s true people be doing when they recognize a disastrous crisis is upon them? Lamentations 1:12; 2:11, 18, 19; Ezekiel 9:4–10.

Apply It:

If God’s modern day people were to fall into a state of disgrace, because of their sins, what should be the responsibility of those seeking to remain faithful? In the Ezekiel reference, what is the outcome for those who are not distraught over the rebellion among God’s professed people?

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

 

Bible Study Guides – Why Did the Babylonian Captivity Happen to God’s Professed People?

by

July 4, 2010 – July 10, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours … their prophesying is in force for us … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

“… because of their failure to fulfill his purpose, he permitted them to be humbled by an idolatrous nation.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 14, 1903.

In general it may be said that the Babylonian captivity of Judah came about because they did not as a nation-church fulfill the purposes of God as outlined in the first lesson. That means that they did not fulfill God’s purpose for them by bearing the fruit of transformed characters and becoming a refuge for converts. The short quote above illustrates this fact. With this one short phrase, the whole of the title question to this lesson may be answered—from start to finish! But the extensive history of the causes and nature of the captivity in both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy invite any serious student to a much more thorough examination.

Rather than simply leave us a general summary, God outlines in history very specific reasons why the captivity happened. He tells us in detail why God’s ancient church was not able to fulfill His purpose of fruit bearing. Several key specific reasons are outlined in the questions below. As we study these, we should keep this question at the forefront of our minds: If this history were to be repeated by God’s professed people today, would the results of captivity again be realized also?

Note:

The focus of this study is largely devoted to the reasons for the captivity of Judah. The near parallel reasons for the captivity and destruction of the northern tribes of Israel are starkly summarized in II Kings 17:13–23.

1 What were the foundational actions that led to the captivity? Ezra 9:14; Judges 2:2, 3.

Review and Discuss:

“In his study of the causes that led to the Babylonish captivity, Ezra had learned that the terrible apostasy of Israel was largely traceable to their mingling with the surrounding nations. Had they obeyed God’s command to keep separate from the heathen, they would have been spared many sad and humiliating experiences.” The Review and Herald, February 20, 1908. [Emphasis supplied.]

“Should we … join … with the people of these abominations? Would you not be angry until … there was no remnant or escaping?”

“And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land … their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

Apply It:

Ezra sought through prayer and study to understand the reason why God’s work on earth had been so humbled through captivity and desolation. Should not modern Israel, if faced with humiliating circumstances, seek to understand the cause? As a counterpoint, note the striking words of Isaiah 22:9–14! Do you have something to be concerned about in God’s cause today?

2 What Lack was a precursor to captivity? Isaiah 5:13; Jeremiah 8:7; Hosea 4:6.

Review and Discuss:

“… my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.”

“My people know not the judgment of the Lord.”

“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”

3 This vacuum of knowledge was the result of what actions that further sealed the certainty of the captivity? II Chronicles 13:15, 16; Jeremiah 26:5, 6; Zechariah 7:12–14; Jeremiah 7:12–14; II Kings 17:13.

Review and Discuss:

“… the Lord … sent warnings to them by His messengers … because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers … despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.”

“… refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord … sent through the former prophets … great wrath came … I scattered them … among all nations.”

“… heed … the prophets … (but you have not) … then I will make this house … a curse.”

Apply It:

The actions of God’s professed people in rejecting the true prophets were both active and passive in nature. But the results of each on the nation were the same. It is easy to see the active rejection in words like scoffed and mocked—and in the stories of the persecutions of Jeremiah, Micaiah, and others. But there is a clear emphasis in these verses on the passive rejection of the prophets. God’s professed people despised His words through refusing to hear the law and the words.

It is very important to understand this in application; to understand what the rejection of these prophets means, and what it does not mean. Note that it does NOT mean that God’s professed people physically destroyed the words of the prophets (although at times they tried). It does NOT mean that they ceased completely to publish the words of these prophets, or were (at least in the long-run) careless to retain the accuracy of the words of the prophets. Indeed, the Dead Sea scrolls are a strong testimony to the fact that there were, centuries later, Jews who were still very rigorous to preserve the text of the prophets with rigorous accuracy. The words of the prophets were passively rejected when they were ignored!

Have God’s professed people ignored and acted counter to any express commands given by God through a prophet? If so, state at least one explicit example.

4 What role did the leadership in the Jewish church play in the captivity? Jeremiah 23:1; 6:13–15; 8:8–11; Isaiah 56:9–12; Ezekiel 34:8; Jeremiah 10:21; 50:6.

Review and Discuss:

“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!”

“… the pen of the scribes is vain. The wise men are ashamed … they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? … For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”

“… beasts of the field, come to devour. … His watchmen are blind … they are shepherds who cannot understand: they all look to their own way. … They get drunk.”

“My people have been lost. … Their shepherds have led them astray.”

“… My flock became prey … because … shepherds … did not feed my flock.”

“The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the Lord; so … all their flock is scattered.”

Apply It:

Note the repetition in the references from Jeremiah chapter 6 and Jeremiah chapter 8! When the prophet repeats himself, we should be doubly assured of the importance and accuracy of the information (for example, Genesis 41:32). Can you identify modern shepherds who lead their flocks astray? Can you identify any modern scribes who pen messages of peace, while God’s professed remnant church dives more deeply into apostasy? By what standards do you make these judgments?

5 Generally, what actions by the nation as a whole led to the captivity? Lamentations 1:5.

Review and Discuss:

“… the Lord has afflicted her [Zion] because of the multitude of her transgressions: her children have gone into captivity.” Lamentations 1:5.

“If you do not obey the voice of the Lord … the Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.” Deuteronomy 28:15, 25.

6 Were there specific sins that God identified as resulting in captivity and destruction for His professed people? Jeremiah 11:10–17; II Kings 22:17.

Review and Discuss:

“… they have gone after other gods … therefore … I will surely bring calamity. … For the Lord … has pronounced doom against you, for the evil … in offering incense to Baal.”

“Because they have … provoked me to anger by all the idols … my anger will burn against this place.”

7 Are there any other specific sins which resulted in the captivity of God’s people? Ezekiel 22:8–15; Jeremiah 17:27.

Review and Discuss:

“You have … profaned my Sabbaths. … I will scatter you among the nations.”

“If you will not … hallow the Sabbath. … fire … shall devour … Jerusalem.”

8 If today there existed anywhere in the world a church, any church—formally organized or not—who professed to be a part of God’s church and yet largely:

Mingled with the world

Were deficient in the knowledge of God’s Word

Ignored the gift of prophecy

Were guilty of idolatry

Lightly regarded the Sabbath

Had pastors, leaders, and authors leading as blind guides

Would it be reasonable to expect that this church today, in spite of this well-known past history, would escape the experience of captivity? Or would the captivity experience be even more certain because of this history?

Apply It:

“That which made them [the Israelites] denominational, was the observance of God’s commandments.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 39.

“Should we again break thy commandments, and join … with the people of these abominations? Would you not be angry until … there was no remnant or escaping?” Ezra 9:14.

“But let God’s people remember that only as they believe and work out the principles of the gospel can He make them [fulfill His purpose]. … If those who profess to believe in Christ as their Saviour reach only the low standard of worldly measurement, the church fails to bear the rich harvest that God expects. ‘Found wanting’ [Daniel 5:27] is written upon her record.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 14.

This last question is not fully answered with this lesson. The conclusions should be more fully developed in the proceeding lessons.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at grosbolls@yahoo.com.

Bible Study Guides – The Extent and Implications of a Modern Captivity

by

August 22, 2010 – August 28, 2010

Key Text

“Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours. … their prophesying is in force for us. … Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel … spoke of things that … reached down to the future, and to what should occur in these last days.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 338, 419, 420.

Introduction

In our last lesson we viewed a prophetic landscape of potential devastation for modern Israel. In this lesson we continue to examine in more detail whether or not these prophecies fit modern Israel, how they fit, and the extent to which they fit.

1 If this has really been happening in the Seventh-day Adventist church; if the same sins that led to earlier captivities have been practiced with persistence, should we expect a different result? Should we expect that the SDA organization is about to be cleaned up, or expect to find it in a captivity that leads to its destruction?

Recall that in Christ’s day, the church could not be refurbished! The true Gospel, like new wine, had to be put into new wine bottles; the true gospel in new believers—a new church.

Apply It:

“Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ … For if you thoroughly amend your ways … then I will cause you to dwell in this place … you trust in lying words … Will you … walk after other gods … and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? … But go now to … Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people.” Jeremiah 7:4, 5, 7––10, 12.

“O town full of commotion … All your leaders have fled together; They have been captured. … Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling … City of David had many breaches in its defenses; … You counted the buildings in Jerusalem And tore down houses To strengthen the wall. … But you did not look to the One who made it, … The Lord, the Lord Almighty, Called you on that day to weep and to wail, To tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry. … The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,’ says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 22:2—-–4, 9–12, 14. [Emphasis supplied.]

“… a sword is sharpened … polished … to make a dreadful slaughter. … Should we then make mirth?” Ezekiel 21:9, 10.

“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities.” The Upward Look, 131.

“Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant ‘All is well’ … But who prepare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths: Therefore you shall have night without vision. … The sun shall go down on prophetic revelation … Now hear this, You rulers of the house of Israel [whose work is driven by money]. … They lean on the Lord, and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.’ Therefore Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins.” Micah 3:5, 6, 9, 11, 12.

Note:

Contemplate the duplicate warning found in Jeremiah 6:13–15 and 8:10–13.

“… prophets and priests alike, All practice deceit. They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace!’ they say. When there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No! They have no shame at all; They do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; They will be brought down when they are punished, says the Lord. ‘I will take away their harvest,’ declares the Lord. ‘There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, And their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them.’ ”

2 If God’s people are in what seems like a captivity, has it been acknowledged, recognized, prayed about, and acted on?

3 If the Seventh-day Adventist church continued to follow the history of ancient Israel, what might be the next sign of their demise?

For ancient Israel, their last warnings came from Jesus (Matthew 23), the Apostles (Acts 2) and Stephen (Acts 7). Their final demise was not apparent to many Jews until years later when it actually happened; when the Roman armies destroyed their city and church.

In the meantime and without any comprehension by ancient Israel, God’s true church, His new Israel had already carried the gospel to “every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). Since the destruction of Jerusalem is a picture in miniature of the destruction of the world—does it not seem plausible that the Three Angels’ Messages could be completed while many Seventh-day Adventists are oblivious to the happening?

4 What about the promises of the glory and redemption of Israel?

The prophetic warnings of complete destruction for God’s professed people are stark, and have been presented in the straightforward bleakness that Scripture presents them. The reader may ask, What of the promised glory of Israel; aren’t these texts to be balanced with promises of restoration? What about those promises of restoration that are hiding in some of the ellipses above?

Note:

The prophet Jeremiah phrased this same question:

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.” Jeremiah 4:10.

There are indeed precious promises of restoration for Israel. But; question: how does one balance a prophetic warning of utter destruction if certain conditions are met with anything? We will continue to examine this paradox as we move through this study on captivity. For now, the student is left with this reminder from our study on the captivity of Israel in Christ’s time:

An understanding of the parallel mingling of triumph/tragedy for the professed Jewish church and tragedy/triumph of the Christian church is critical to an understanding of Old Testament prophecy. The Old Testament prophecies themselves are, on a large scale, a grand parallel mingling of stunning triumph in the face of disaster and monumental defeat in the face of misplaced confidence. This history of the church in Christ’s time gives us the tools to understand how these seemingly contradictory prophecies can be fulfilled simultaneously. [Emphasis supplied.]

5 What about historic Seventh-day Adventists?

Well, what about them? Who are they exactly? Perhaps these have skillfully evaded the effects of captivity. Let’s review our position as historic Seventh-day Adventists:

Review and Discuss:

  • There is almost no collective intelligence and action (in Ezra’s day, they rose up as “one man” to build).
  • There are almost no shepherds (where are the Pastors?)
  • Could the flocks be any more scattered?
  • There are multiple winds of doctrine, with no unified defense.
  • They possess multiple, disputed names.
  • There is no temple (no organized church and few buildings).
  • Despite many SDA schools, there are essentially none for God’s true remnant.
  • The captivity-like dilemma has not been recognized for what it is.
  • As in Jeremiah’s day, false prophesies abound.
  • We do not see “eye-to-eye” (see Isaiah 52:8).
  • As in Haggai’s time, we have left off building, turning our attention primarily to our country homes and gardens.

Apply It:

Let’s examine a few of these points:

Collective Intelligence:

God has appointed both individual and collective will to humans, and both are important. As historic Seventh-day Adventists, we have long exercised our muscle of individual will and action, while our muscle of collective will, intelligence, and action has nigh atrophied. In Heaven, the collective will to action is critical to success in the Great Controversy! What about our collective action? If we are to build, as God would have us build, we must have collective action and collective intelligence.

Let’s illustrate the importance of collective intelligence and action for God’s remnant by comparing our needs to evangelize and educate (rebuild the temple and the wall) with large scale projects in the secular world. There are millions of very talented, intelligent and industrious people in our world, but not a single one of them knows in full how to create and manage a major infrastructure project, build a jet plane or computer, or manage a monetary system. Nor can one person simply assign a specified amount of physical and mental energy to be expended by a group of people working separately and accomplish any of these projects. All of these projects require collective intelligence and action. If the secular world we live in was managed like our gospel work has been, we would all be hungry, tool-poor barterers the world over! The children of darkness are indeed wiser in their generation than the children of light on this point (Luke 16:8, 9).

God, in His infinite wisdom, has given to His church collective tasks in evangelism and education that simply cannot be met exclusively by exercising our talents individually! There are parts of our individual characters that simply cannot be properly developed unless we are at least attempting to work collectively. Unfortunately, many of us have been assuming otherwise. It is a key responsibility of each person in the church with secular employment to be a part of the collective intelligence and will to action that is needed so that gospel workers can be trained and hired!

Winds of Doctrine:

Let’s just focus on one area where the winds of false doctrine have been blowing: false prophesies; which are often coupled with nearly unbridled accusations against our governments.

Conservative Adventism, in general, is indeed ripe with prophesying today. Some truly have rushed in, where angels fear to tread. For example, we’ve been subjected to prophesying of dates for financial collapse, new money, martial law, and terrorism. Many within Adventism have thrown around specific prophetic predictions tied to years (and sometimes to specific dates) such as: 1979, 1981, 1987, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2009. At times we name drop worldly leaders to bolster the accuracy of our claims.

But when these prophecies are left unfulfilled—when Atlanta still stands, where is the repentance, the humility, and the apologies! As each predicted event passes its time unfulfilled, new predictions take their place! The writings of the prophets do indeed tell us with certainty that disaster, of unimaginable proportion, looms. And we have already begun to see the omens of the complete fulfillment of this. But where are the dates? Ellen White tells us that after 1844 we have “no more message based on time.” When will we believe and act on what is said? (Note, for example, that Ellen White foresaw both the great San Francisco earthquake and the destruction of very tall buildings in New York City—but did not tie dates to either event!)

But even worse yet is the fact that some have even dared to tie together the most solemn, life and death issues of the Three Angels’ Messages with these predictions! How can we possibly convince the world of the unerring nature of God’s law, when we publish it side-by-side with political gossip, especially when these conjectures are subsequently found to be in error! And how can we hope to educate political leaders about the great controversy when our time is consumed in criticizing all that is done or attempted by them? We do not have capital to both endlessly criticize and educate; we will often have to choose! Please see Testimonies, vol. 6, 394–397 on this point.

This lesson series is not devoted to studying winds of false doctrine. Had it been, the above example could have been followed by an examination of false doctrines that challenge the divinity of Jesus, the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit and a host of others.

Identity:

Historic Seventh-day Adventists today have no unified identity.

Seeing Eye to Eye:

Note that Isaiah prophesied in chapter 52 that God’s people would see eye to eye when they were free from their captivity! Has that happened? Would this fact, alone, not indicate that we are in captivity?

Country Homes Come Before Church Building:

In Haggai’s time, God’s people had been called to return to re-build the temple. It was also their privilege to build their own homes, and cultivate their fields. But they had made their personal building and planting a greater priority than building the temple, and were severely rebuked for this. Their crops were cursed. We even find that God temporarily disowned them for this neglect. Today, I fear that many have placed the importance of preparing their property and gardens for the time of trouble ahead of plans to finish building the temple. This is not to say that this preparation is unimportant, but simply to say that we must understand the relative importance of these activities.

This is the message of the prophet Haggai: God’s people could have no success while the church was not complete, and they were not trying to do anything about it! God said that because of their slackness, they would continue to fail to receive rain and fail to produce fruit.

Summary:

While we certainly hope that it is accurate to state that, in general, historic Seventh-day Adventists have not been party to the basest sins, the fact remains that the effects of a seeming captivity are felt far and wide. All of God’s people seem to be profoundly affected. And if it is not a captivity that we are experiencing, it certainly carries many of the same features.

Studies prepared by John T. Grosboll, PE. John T. is a mechanical engineer living near Vancouver, Washington. His secular employment includes several years of experience in primary metals and transportation-related industries. He, along with his wife Teresa, is actively involved in the work of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be reached at: grosbolls@yahoo.com.