Jeremiah

Babylonian Captivity, Part II

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In part one of this article, we learned that the messages of the true prophet, Jeremiah, were rejected because: (1) Zedekiah, the king, did not humble himself and obey; (2) the false prophets had great influence with their smooth messages; (3) the king trusted to his own wisdom; and (4) the truth was contrary to the inclinations of the human heart.

Agreeable Religion Desired

People today—not just people of the world, but people who say they are Christians, people who say they are part of God’s remnant people—want a religion that agrees with the inclinations of the human heart. The Bible religion does not agree with the inclinations of the human heart. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24. That is why the apostle Paul said that the old man has to be crucified. (See Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6.)

The religion of the Bible—the truth of the Bible—is contrary to the inclinations of the human heart. People want a religion that is agreeable, that is not contrary to their human inclinations. That is why the false prophets have always been more popular than those who are preaching the truths of the Bible.

Message of Mercy

If Zedekiah had not been afraid and had accepted the message that he actually believed to be true, God would have been merciful.

“Even to the last hour, God made plain His willingness to show mercy to those who should choose to submit to His just requirements. Had the king chosen to obey, the lives of the people might have been spared, and the city saved from conflagration; but he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.” Prophets and Kings, 457.

Interesting! I wonder if anyone reading this article right now is in that situation. Preachers meet a lot of people who have gone contrary to what God has said to do for so long that they think there is no hope.

Now, there was hope. Remember that Jeremiah, when speaking to Zedekiah, said, “If you will just submit to the king of Babylon, you will save your life, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your family will all live.” Jeremiah 38:17. But he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.

Friend, the devil is the one that is trying to convince you to believe that you have gone too far to come back to Jesus, that you have gone too far to repent. Jesus says, “He that comes to me I will in no case cast out.” John 6:37.

Too Far to Retrace

Ellen White wrote, “None have fallen so low, none are so vile, but that they can find deliverance in Christ.” The Desire of Ages, 258.

Zedekiah could have found the same deliverance. He could have stood up and said, “I am going to make an about face. I have been living in rebellion and transgression against the warnings of Jeremiah, but now I am going to follow the Lord’s instructions.” I believe that if he would have had the moral backbone to take that stand, he would have saved his life, saved his eyes, saved the lives of his children, saved the city from being burned, and saved the lives of thousands of other people who would have followed his example. But he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.

How is it with you? Parents, are you in a situation where your young children or teenagers are rebelling, because they have not seen the example of a godly father or a godly mother? It may be very late, but if you will now stand up for the right, you will have a better chance than anything else you may do to redeem the time. But many people feel they have gone so far that they cannot turn around; they cannot retrace their steps. That is how Zedekiah felt.

Choose to Stand

In addition, Zedekiah was afraid. He was afraid of the Jews around him who had been influenced by the false prophets. He was afraid of the Jews; he was afraid of their ridicule; he was afraid he would lose his life. Are you afraid of people around you who have been influenced by false teachers?

Zedekiah had been rebelling against God for years, and he thought it would be too humiliating to admit that he had been wrong all that time. It would be too humiliating to say that he had made the decision to accept the word of the Lord and not war against it anymore.

Friend, how is it with you? Are you willing to say the following to the people in your family? “You know, for a long time now, I have gone the wrong way. I have set a bad example, but I am choosing to turn around. From now on, I am going to set a godly example; whatever God tells me to do, I am going to obey. I hope you in my family will choose with me to obey God, but whether or not you do, I am going to stand for God no matter what.”

You must be willing to stand alone. If you will stand alone, through your influence, God will save others.

Zedekiah was not willing to take this stand. As a result, the city was burned; he saw the rulers of Judah slaughtered; he saw his children slaughtered; his eyes were put out, and he was taken to Babylon.

The Faithful Blamed

As time was building up to the final crisis, the false prophets were creating confusion and rebellion by prophesying lies and encouraging people to look upon sin as a light thing. When the terrible results of the evil deeds were made manifest, they sought to put the blame on Jeremiah. Concerning this, Ellen White wrote: “To the end of time, men will arise to create confusion and rebellion. . . . When the terrible results of their evil deeds are made manifest, they will seek, if possible, to make the one who has faithfully warned them, responsible for their difficulties . . . .” Prophets and Kings, 442.

It will be that way until the end of time. If God has called you to preach or to teach His people, remember this: If you preach the truth, those who are preaching lies will blame you for everything that is going wrong. They will blame you for discouraging the people, and they will say, “You are reproving them so much that you are causing them to be discouraged. You have got to be a little easier on them; you cannot be reproving all the time; you have got to talk more about the love of God.” That is what they said regarding Moses; that is what they said regarding Jeremiah; that is what they said regarding all the prophets.

History Repeated

It is so easy for people to read this account in the Bible and simply think that they are reading a story—an ancient story about what happened to God’s people long, long ago. But the captivity of God’s people into Babylon, during the time of Zedekiah, is not just a story of long ago. It is something that will occur again in the future.

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.” Ibid., 417.

“The church will yet see troublous times. She will prophesy in sackcloth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 594. Is there going to be another Babylonian captivity? Yes, there is.

There was a Babylonian captivity in Jeremiah’s time, and there was a Babylonian captivity predicted in Revelation 2, which occurred from 538 a.d.–1798 a.d. “The holy city,” or the church, “shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months.” (Verse 2.)

Another Captivity

But friend, there is going to be another Babylonian captivity at the end of time. Are you ready for it? Do not listen to the voices that say, “Oh, do not worry; everything is going to be all right. We are going to be right here until the Lord comes.” How do you know you are going to be right here until the Lord comes?

Another Babylonian captivity is coming, friend. The Bible clearly predicts it in Micah 4:1: “And it shall come to pass in the last days . . . .” Are we living in the last days? Is this a prophecy about the last days? The answer to both of those questions is Yes.

The very opening words in the fourth chapter of Micah are: “It shall come to pass in the last days.” Then it speaks of the great, worldwide, international, religious, peace movement. It is described in language very similar to the description given by Isaiah in the second chapter of his book. Micah 4:9 says, “Now you, why do you cry? Why do you cry out? There is no king among you.” Zedekiah was the last king. In the Book of Ezekiel, the Lord said that, after Zedekiah, there would never again be a king over His people “until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [him]”—that is, the Messiah. Ezekiel 21:27. (See also Ezekiel 37:22.)

Abide in the Field

“Now you, why do you cry? Why do you cry out? There is no king among you. Your advisors, have they perished? For pain has seized you, labor pains as a woman giving birth. Have labor pains and give birth, O daughter of Zion, as a woman giving birth. Because now you shall go out from the city, and you shall abide in the field.” Micah 4:9, 10, first part.

“You are going to go out from the city.” People say, “We are going to stay right here.” The false prophets say, “You are going to stay right here.” But the Lord says, “No, you are not going to stay here; you are going out from the city. You are going to dwell in the field.” Some of God’s people are already dwelling in the field. Some have already been driven out of the city, but that is not all. “Because now you shall go out from the city, and you shall abide in the field, and you shall go even to Babylon.” Are God’s people going to go to Babylon again? Yes, they are. “You shall go even to Babylon. There you shall be delivered; Jehovah will redeem you there from the hand of your enemies.” Verse 10.

From where is the Lord going to deliver his people? They will have been driven out of the city; they will have been dwelling in a field, and then they will have been even to Babylon. From there, the Lord says, “I am going to deliver you; I am going to redeem you.” Ibid.

Troublous Time

There is coming a time, friend, when some of God’s children will be driven out of the city into the fields, the rocks, and the mountains. Some will be in Babylon, down in the belly of the beast, and some will be in dungeons. But from those places the Lord is going to deliver them; He is going to redeem them.

There is another Babylonian captivity coming. The church is going to see troublous times. She is going to prophesy in sackcloth. Do not let any false prophet tell you otherwise. In verse 7, we read: “I will make the lame for a remnant, and she who has been removed for a strong nation, and Jehovah will reign over them in the mountain of Zion from now, even for ever.”

Are you going to be one of that remnant? Oh friend, not all that profess to be Israel will be saved. In fact, only a remnant will be saved. That is what the Bible says, because another Babylonian captivity is coming. Another time of trouble is coming.

Troublous times are coming when again the church is going to prophesy in sackcloth. Are you ready for it? Do not say, “Well, everything is going to be all right.” Do not listen to the false teachers who are telling you not to worry about getting ready. It is coming whether you are ready or not.

Free of Fear

What is going to happen to the people who, as Zedekiah, are afraid of the Jews? Read again the story of Zedekiah. From this study we already know that he lost his life; thousands of people around him who were God’s professed people lost their lives; his family was slaughtered; his rulers lost their lives; his eyes were put out, and he was brought to Babylon. Why? Because of fear of the Jews, he was not willing to stand up alone for the truth.

How Will You Stand?

How is it with you? Are you waiting for someone else to stand up, or are you willing to stand up for truth and say, “Lord, help me to never have the fear of the Jews—the fear of man”? There is a reason, friend, that the Three Angels’ Messages open with the words, “Fear God.” As we approach the end of this world’s history, each of us will be in one of two categories. We are either going to fear God and be obedient to His law, or we are going to fear man and be obedient to him—even when it is contrary to the Law of God. Where are you going to be? How are you going to stand for the truth then, if you cannot stand for the truth now?

You see, friend, every day you are making decisions, which are going to determine your eternal destiny, and when the final Babylonian captivity comes, where will you be? Will you be with the great majority who, because of the fear of the Jews, is afraid to stand alone? Will you end up losing your life, and will those around you lose their lives, because you are afraid to stand up for the truth? That is what happened to Zedekiah. That is what will happen today with those who listen to the false prophets.

Troublous times are coming. Now is the time to get ready. Now is the time to be studying your Bible and praying, “Lord, teach me the truth, so I will be ready to give witness for you to anyone in the world—a king, a legislature, government officials, the learned men of the earth.” If we do not know our Bibles, the wisdom of the world’s men will be too great for us. Now is the time to get ready, so we will not be afraid of the Jews.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor 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 – Contrition and Confession

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November 29, 2009 – December 5, 2009

Key Text

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

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

Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional Reading

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

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

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

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

Bible Study Guides – Leadership by Faith

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November 19, 2011 – November 25, 2011

Key Text

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of … David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.” Hebrews 11:32.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 569–574, 592–602; Testimonies, vol. 4, 176–185.

Introduction

“It is hardly possible for men to offer a greater insult to God than to despise and reject the instrumentalities that He has appointed to lead them.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 355.

1 A BELOVED PROPHET AND JUDGE

  • What is written of Samuel even before he was conceived in his mother’s womb, and how did he respond to God’s call as a child? I Samuel 1:20; 2:18; 3:10.

Note: “Though Samuel’s youth was passed at the tabernacle devoted to the worship of God, he was not free from evil influences or sinful example. The sons of Eli feared not God, nor honored their father; but Samuel did not seek their company nor follow their evil ways. It was his constant endeavor to become what God would have him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 573.

  • What are some ways in which Samuel was a blessing to Israel? I Samuel 7:8–13.

Note: “Samuel, by the Lord’s direction, established the schools of the prophets. These schools were intended to serve as a barrier against the wide-spreading corruption, to provide for the mental and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote the prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors. To this end, Samuel gathered companies of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious.” Education, 46.

2 THE NEW MONARCHY

  • What request of the Israelites grieved Samuel, and why? I Samuel 8:4–7, 18–22.
  • What did Samuel declare to the people about their new king, and how did the Lord demonstrate His support for the words of His servant? I Samuel 12:13–25.
  • What reveals the depth of Samuel’s love for God’s heritage? I Samuel 15:10, 11.
  • What had been the key to Saul’s remaining in power? I Samuel 15:17. Why was his reign called to a halt? I Samuel 15:18–23, 28; Psalm 75:5–7.

Note: “If Saul had shown a regard for the requirements of God in this time of trial, God could have worked His will through him. His failure now proved him unfit to be the vicegerent of God to His people. He would mislead Israel. His will, rather than the will of God, would be the controlling power. If Saul had been faithful, his kingdom would have been established forever; but since he had failed, the purpose of God must be accomplished by another. The government of Israel must be committed to one who would rule the people according to the will of Heaven.

“We do not know what great interests may be at stake in the proving of God. There is no safety except in strict obedience to the word of God. All His promises are made upon condition of faith and obedience, and a failure to comply with His commands cuts off the fulfillment to us of the rich provisions of the Scriptures. We should not follow impulse, nor rely on the judgment of men; we should look to the revealed will of God and walk according to His definite commandment, no matter what circumstances may surround us. God will take care of the results; by faithfulness to His word we may in time of trial prove before men and angels that the Lord can trust us in difficult places to carry out His will, honor His name, and bless His people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 621, 622.

  • What was Samuel soon to understand about God’s abundant mercy toward the erring nation longing for a king? I Samuel 16:1, 6, 7, 10–13.

3 LEADING IN THE FEAR OF GOD

  • How did Samuel describe the only type of king that God could endorse and bless? I Samuel 13:13, 14.

Note: “Saul had been after the heart of Israel, but David is a man after God’s own heart.” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1888.

  • What are some of the various ways in which Hebrews 11:33, 34 can apply to the faith of David? I Samuel 17:34, 35; 19:8, 10, 18; Psalm 144:1.

Note: “On one occasion, as the evening shadows gathered, and he [David] laid aside his harp, he saw a dark form moving stealthily upon his flock. It was a bear, fierce with hunger, that sprang upon the sheep of his care; but David did not flee for his life. He felt that it was the very hour when his charges needed his protection. He lifted his heart to God in prayer for wisdom and help, that he might do his duty in this time of peril. With his strong arm he laid the bear in death at his feet. At another time he discovered a lion with a bleeding lamb between his jaws. Without hesitation the youthful shepherd engaged in a desperate encounter. His arm, nerved by the living God, forced the beast to release its bleeding victim, and as it turned, mad with disappointment, upon David, he buried his hand in its mane and killed the fierce invader. His experience in these matters proved the heart of David, and developed in him courage, and fortitude, and faith. God was teaching David lessons of trust. As Moses was trained for his work, so the Lord was fitting the son of Jesse to become the leader and guide of his chosen people. In his watchcare for his flocks, he was gaining an appreciation of the care that the great Shepherd has for the sheep of His pasture.” The Signs of the Times, August 3, 1888.

  • What was David eventually to instruct the heir to his throne about true leadership? I Kings 2:1–4.

4 DAVID’S ATTITUDE

  • Many are familiar with the serious sins and mistakes of David. Why then can he still be considered such an example of faith and leadership? Psalms 32:1–7; 51:1–4, 9–11.

Note: “It was when David was pure, and walking in the counsel of God, that God called him a man after His own heart. When David departed from God, and stained his virtuous character by his crimes, he was no longer a man after God’s own heart. God did not in the least degree justify him in his sins, but sent Nathan his prophet, with dreadful denunciations to David because he had transgressed the commandment of the Lord. God shows his displeasure at David’s having a plurality of wives by visiting him with judgments, and permitting evils to rise up against him from his own house. The terrible calamity God permitted to come upon David, who for his integrity was once called a man after God’s own heart, is evidence to after generations that God would not justify any one in transgressing his commandments, but that He will surely punish the guilty, however righteous, and favored of God they might once have been while they followed the Lord in purity of heart. When the righteous turn from their righteousness and do evil, their past righteousness will not save them from the wrath of a just and holy God.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 87.

  • What can we learn from how David responded when reproved? II Samuel 12:7–13. How did he view sin’s consequences? II Samuel 15:30, 32, first part; Proverbs 6:23.

Note: “Never was David dearer to the heart of Infinite Love than when, conscience-smitten, he fled for his life from his enemies, who had been stirred to rebellion by his own son. The Lord says, ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.’ Revelation 3:19. Christ lifts up the contrite heart and refines the mourning soul until it becomes His abode.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 11.

  • What reveals David’s humble acceptance of God’s will, even at times when his hopes may have been disappointed? I Chronicles 28:2, 3.

5 THE FAITH OF THE PROPHETS

  • What comes to mind when considering the trials of God’s prophets? James 5:10.
  • How does Hebrews 11:33 apply to Daniel under King Darius? Daniel 6:20–22.

Note: “Daniel would allow no earthly power to come in between him and his God, even with the prospect of death in the den of lions. Although God did not prevent Daniel from being cast into a den of lions, an angel went in with him and closed their mouths, so that no harm befell him.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 527.

  • How does Hebrews 11:36 apply to Jeremiah under King Zedekiah? Jeremiah 38:6.

Note: “Jeremiah could not be deterred from speaking the words that God had given him to speak; and his testimony so enraged the king and princes that he was cast into a loathsome pit.” The Acts of the Apostles, 575.

  • How does Hebrews 11:37 apply to Isaiah under King Manasseh? II Kings 21:16

Note: “Isaiah, who was permitted by the Lord to see wonderful things, was sawn asunder, because he faithfully reproved the sins of the Jewish nation.” The Signs of the Times, February 17, 1898.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why was Samuel so beloved?

2 Why was God loathe to give Israel a king, and why does He have no monarchy now?

3 What made David a better king than Saul?

4 Why can each one of us be encouraged by the way God dealt with David?

5 In following the steps of holy men of old, why will my life never be glamorous?

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

Keys to the Storehouse – Stand Up!

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Jeremiah the prophet pled with Zedekiah to listen to and do what God was saying. God’s word says:

“He [Zedekiah] was afraid of the Jews, afraid of ridicule, afraid for his life. After years of rebellion against God, Zedekiah thought it too humiliating to say to his people, I accept the word of the Lord, as spoken through the prophet Jeremiah.” Prophets and Kings, 457.

  • After years of rebellion against God, Zedekiah was:
    • afraid of the Jews—his own people
    • afraid of ridicule
    • afraid for his life
      • In other words, He was afraid to stand up for the truth.

It would be humiliating and humbling to say, “I accept the word of God” when you have not been following it all along. It would be terrible if there ever came a time that you or I, like Zedekiah, became afraid to stand up for right among our brethren or afraid of ridicule.

God says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10.

“He [Zedekiah] became a cringing slave to public opinion. With no fixed purpose to do evil, he was also without resolution to stand boldly for the right. Convicted though he was of the value of the counsel given by Jeremiah, he had not the moral stamina to obey; and as a consequence he advanced steadily in the wrong direction. …

“If Zedekiah had stood up bravely … what desolation might have been averted! He should have said, I will obey the Lord, and save the city from utter ruin. I dare not disregard the commands of God because of the fear or favor of man. I love the truth, I hate sin, and I will follow the counsel of the Mighty One of Israel.” Ibid., 458.

Desolation—sorrow, gloom, affliction and loneliness can be prevented in our lives and the lives of others when we stand for right. Only when we get to heaven will we know what effect our influence has had on the lives of those around us. If we do not make it to heaven, we will know the desolation that our influence has caused in the lives of others.

“The weakness of Zedekiah was a sin for which he paid a fearful penalty.” Ibid.

Stand up! “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9.

Father, Help me to learn from Zedekiah’s neglect and remove any rebellion or resistance that may be in my heart. Do not allow me to become a cringing slave to public opinion. Give me the courage to speak the words that Zedekiah could not speak: “I dare not disregard the commands of God because of the fear or favor of man. I love the truth; I hate sin, and I will follow the counsel of the Mighty One of Israel.” Amen.

The Swelling of the Jordan

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“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5

Recently I spent two hours listening to a video tape, which, as nearly as I could tell, came from the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. Four speakers spent two hours explaining how, when, and why they are going to bring celebration worship into the whole North American Division. The voices were soft and gentle; the faces were smiling; but the message was unmistakably clear: If you do not like it, get out. There was no credence whatsoever given to the idea that those who object to celebration worship might have a valid reason for doing so. The whole discussion was based on the assumed principle that the people who do not want celebration worship just have a psychological problem and cannot handle change. You are to be patient with them as long as you can; but if you have tried everything else and they just will not accept it, then you just say to them very kindly, “We want you to be ministered to so we are going to find some place where you can go.”

As I understood, they had not decided yet whether it will be on Sabbath or Sunday; but for two hours every week, you will be able to phone in to an 800-number and they will tell you how to handle anybody resisting your attempts to bring celebration worship into your church.

Jeremiah Challenges God

In Jeremiah 12, the Lord is being challenged by Jeremiah. Very carefully Jeremiah is presuming to cast a little bit of reflection on the Lord because he does not understand what He is doing. “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee: yet let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?” Jeremiah 12:1. In other words, Jeremiah is saying, “Lord, I am not criticizing You, You understand. I am not finding fault with You, but I certainly do not understand what You are doing. May I ask a question or two?”

The Lord looks on the heart and understands what is going on inside. He did not enter into any disputation with Jeremiah about his understanding. But if you look carefully at the words that follow, what He is really saying to Jeremiah is, “Jeremiah, you have a problem. You are putting understanding ahead of trust. If I were to try to explain the whole plan of salvation to you, you could not understand it. You could not wrap your head around all of that. You have to learn to trust Me whether or not you understand.”

We are going to be very deeply puzzled by things that we see taking place. Even though they are puzzling, perplexing, and bewildering, they must never affect our trust in God. We must never put understanding ahead of trust. We must learn to say with Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15. The Lord is not worrying about the swelling of the Jordan. He knows what He is going to do. We are told that not one single cloud has ever risen over the church that He has not prepared for. Clouds are no problem to Him.

I want to review quickly and briefly with you just a little bit of what does lie ahead of us.

“The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. . . . Every wind of doctrine will be blowing.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80. Ellen White might have said it would be like a hurricane.

“God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.” Ibid, 707. I had a struggle with this statement. I had to get down on my knees like Jeremiah and say, “Lord, I am not criticizing You, but I have a question. Why are You letting heresies come into the church?”

“Before the last developments of the work of apostasy, there will be a confusion of faith. One truth after another will be corrupted.” Signs of the Times, May 28, 1894. Those who seek to confuse our faith begin with criticizing the sanctuary doctrine. But anyone who criticizes the sanctuary doctrine has to deal with the Spirit of Prophecy which strongly affirms that truth, so they end up taking a position against the Spirit of Prophecy; one thing comes right after another and you can see what is happening; one truth after another is being corrupted.

“In the very midst of us will arise false teachers giving heed to seducing spirits whose doctrines are of Satanic origin. These teachers will draw away disciples after themselves.” Ibid, January 7, 1904. This is a hard thing to understand, too. Why are people deceived and confused? Sometimes literature comes to my desk; and I look at it and think, How in the world can anybody be deceived by something as crude and clumsy as that? But people are being deceived.

“Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Testimonies to Ministers, 409, 410. Now a man does not walk in off the street and step into a Seventh-day Adventist church pulpit, does he? He has to be placed there by authorities that are higher. So what does this tell us about what will be happening in offices of authority, positions of authority? They will be assigning false teachers to the pulpits of Seventh-day Adventist churches.

“The enemy will bring in false theories such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 53

Ellen White writes that there will be changes in our worship. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 491.) I was attending a worship service in a church where they had a guest speaker who was a professor from some university. After the choir sang, he stepped up to the pulpit and said, “Now folks, if you were attending a concert and heard a musical number like that, would you not give some applause? Come on, give them some applause.” I thought, “Oh, dear Lord, this man has a doctor of philosophy, but he does not know the difference between the sacred and the secular. He does not know what worship is all about.” Things that might possibly be accepted some other place are not acceptable in church.

 

In Selected Messages, book 2, pages 36 and onward, Ellen White talks about worship with a bedlam of noise. She is addressing what had taken place in Indiana where a little group of people were doing some different things with worship services. They were using a big bass drum and lots of bedlam of noise, as she describes it. Writing to Elder Haskell, she said, “The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan. . .”

An Invitation to Demons

I want to point out to you something that you might overlook as you read this section. Notice that Ellen White said that the same music would be all right if it were conducted differently. It is the way it is being performed that she is objecting to. But in six places in three pages she points out that Satan is present there; demons are present there; Satanic agencies are present there. Seventh-day Adventists have been very well protected against spiritualism by our belief about the state of the dead. What Seventh-day Adventist would accept an invitation to go to a seance where the spirits of the dead are being called up from the grave, presumably? Why, you would not give that a thought, would you? Listen folks, you can forget about seances. You do not have to go to a seance to get into direct contact with Satan; all that you have to do is go to a celebration worship program. If you think that statement is too strong, go back and read what she says. You can get into direct contact with Satan by going to the wrong kind of worship service.

“Before the final visitations of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” The Great Controversy, 464. Do not give up your hope; something wonderful is just around the corner. “The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His Word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming.” Ibid. That is the good news; but before this can take place, we read: “The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit [a counterfeit revival]. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power, he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit.” Ibid.

Now, this is a little bit cynical perhaps, but I think it is realistic; I think it is practical. If you are a preacher and you would like to have an opportunity to visit camp meetings across the land and preach to people, let me tell you what to do. If you prepare some sermons which subtly, ingeniously, and cunningly undercut the Spirit of Prophecy and the sanctuary doctrine, you will receive invitations from all over the country. “Come to our camp meeting.” Conference presidents will call you. Is that too cynical? I think it is real.

On the other side of that, you cannot put all of the blame on the preachers, folks. I have another supposition, and this is a supposition; you take it for what you think it is worth. My supposition is this: I have observed that these preachers do not need to present good, solid evidence. Maybe this is a little extreme, but this thought has occurred to me as I watch what happens. I believe that those preachers who are trying to undercut our message could stand up in front of the people and say, “Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow. Now there you have absolute proof that you do not need to stop sinning;” and a lot of the people would say, “Ah, that is the great truth of God. That is what we have been waiting for.” They do not have to present strong, carefully researched evidence. Any garbage will work if you are appealing to the carnal spirits of human beings.

Changes in our theology are already here. There are changes in our worship, but they are going to get worse. There is going to be a great false revival, and the result is going to be the forming of two parties. You hardly need to go beyond a Sabbath School class in any church on a Sabbath morning to observe that there are two schools of thought working there; two parties are forming in the church.

Two Parties to Develop

“As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 400. Well, how can this be, both separation and unity? There is a separation into two parties, and the individuals within the two parties are drawing closer and closer to each other.

“Two parties will be developed.” Selected Messages, book 2, 114. People sometimes say to me, “Ralph, I see three parties out there.” Well, that is true in a sense; but in a sense it is not true. Kenneth Sample, the Calvinistic theologian who inherited the work of Walter Martin when Walter Martin died, looked at our church; and he saw three parties also. He said that in the Seventh-day Adventist Church today you have Calvinists, Liberals, and Historics. Well that is true enough. You see, the Liberal says that nothing is important anyway, so what do standards matter. The Calvinist says, “The Bible guarantees me the right to sin and nobody is going to take my right to sin away from me.” So they meet on the ethical platform, or should I say, the unethical platform. They come to it from different sides, but that is where they get together. I have seen this happen.

I watched a church business meeting where a nominating committee report was being discussed in which the question was, “Are we going to let some conservative Historic Adventist people be put into church office?” It was very, very obvious there that the Calvinists and the Liberals ganged up against the Historics. It was just as clear as could be.

“The wheat is being bound up for the heavenly garner. The true people of God are now pulling apart, and the tares are being bound in bundles to burn.” Letter 12, 1892. When somebody accuses you of pulling apart, show them this statement.

And then we have the final separation, the mass exodus. It will not be small. Remember that we read in Testimonies to Ministers, 409, “Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Many, not a few. Again the word many in Testimonies, vol. 5, 81,

“Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness.”

“The light given me has been very forcible that many would go out from us, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils..” Evangelism, 363

“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.” The Great Controversy, 608

“Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 41. During the General Conference in Texas, years back, Elder H.M.S. Richards, who was still alive at that time, read this statement to the delegates from all over the world and then posed the question, “What is a company? What is she describing as a company here? We have our own definition today. A company is a Sabbath School group that grows and grows until it finally becomes a church. Is that what she is talking about or is she talking about something else? Is she talking about a conference? Is she talking about a union conference? A division?” My observation is that any of these definitions could be appropriate.How do we cope with these things? First of all, do not despair. “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, ‘Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.’ ” Isaiah 43:1–3

Let the Jordan overflow, who cares? “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.” The Lord is perfectly able to take us through the troublous times ahead in the way that He sees best.

Trust Before Understanding

Now let us go back to where we started, folks. Our situation is pretty much like Jeremiah’s. The things ahead of us could be put in the same category as what was ahead of Jeremiah, with a little adaptation of course. It is a pretty gloomy picture. In the midst of all this, poor Jeremiah is saying, “Lord, I am not criticizing You; I am not telling You that You are making any mistakes; but would You please let me ask? I have some questions, Lord.” And the Lord’s response to him: “Jeremiah, I understand your questions, and I sympathize with your condition; but, Jeremiah, you have to put first things first. Do not put understanding ahead of trust. You must trust Me, Jeremiah.” Let us take that message given to Jeremiah as a message for every one of us. May God bless you.

The End