protestant reformation

Yielding Brings Ruin

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We need to have the story of Jesus written in our hearts. God has promised, under the new covenant, to write His Law into our hearts and minds—our hearts representing our affections, and our minds representing our intellectual aspects. We need to believe and to love His Law and the story of Jesus, and it needs to be more dear and precious to us than life itself. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Revelation 12:11. We need to come to the place that we would give our life for Christ’s sake because we love Him that much, and we do not want anything to separate us from Him.

This was the experience Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had when they refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. We also need that experience, for things are happening all around us—increase of crime, wars and rumors of wars, and the judgments upon the land. (See Matthew 24.) The United States is speaking like a dragon.

But, we are not to be fearful. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out all fear. We need that perfect love to cast out all fear! There is a tendency to become frightened about what the Bible tells us is going to occur in the last days. It is comforting to know that Jesus is coming again soon to redeem us. But, the Bible also speaks of a “time of trouble,” which may not appear very comforting to us. It is natural for us to be afraid. “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6. We are not to be troubled or to fear or have apprehension for the future, because we know that Christ will carry us through. If we are planted on the Rock, nothing can shake us. We are to lift up our heads, because our redemption draws near.

“We have nothing to fear for the future except we forget how the Lord has led us in the past.” Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 196. It is important that we remember the past, because what happened in the past is applicable to us today. “These things . . . were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11. That is us! We must study history so we will not be led astray in the future. It only makes sense that if someone else has gone through an experience we are to go through, that we look and see how the situation was handled. It is well to learn from previous mistakes, failures, and successes. We do not need to worry about the future if our soul is right with God.

Beware of Men

In Matthew 10:17-19, Jesus, giving instruction to His disciples before sending them out to witness, said to them, as well as to us, what they were going to encounter: “But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak.” These things happened over and over again. Many people have gone through these experiences, and we will face such things, too, but we are not to be frightened, for Jesus will be with us.

Protestant Reformation

During the Protestant Reformation, the Papacy tried many different tactics to destroy it. Persecution did not work, but one scheme was almost successful. If God had not intervened, the Protestant Reformation would have failed, because they were on the very verge of accepting the bait.

When Luther was brought before the Diet, he boldly declared that nothing was going to shake him. He said, “Here I take my stand; I can not do otherwise. God be my help.” (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 78.) The Diet was baffled. Here was one man, one lone monk with no backing, standing before all the great men of the empire, and they could not shake him. We need to stand as Luther, as the three worthies, and as Daniel stood. We dare not swerve our allegiance to God.

Shortly after Luther’s experience came one of the grandest moments for the Protestant Reformation, namely the “Protest of the Princes.” Instead of one man standing before the Diet, some of the most powerful princes in the empire stood on the offensive, not on the defensive. (See The Great Controversy, 197-210.)

Peace prevailed for a few years, but then came one of the most formidable obstacles to the Protestant Reformation—the Augsburg Diet in 1529 and 1530. The elector and princes were going to what seemed certain death. Their heads and morale were hanging low. It was then that Luther composed the song, A Mighty Fortress. It was timely and uplifted their spirits. It would be well for us to memorize that song.

Charles V had returned. He had vanquished Italy, and he controlled almost all of Europe. The pope had given him the order, “Crush Lutheranism.” He marched to Augsburg with that sole purpose. The princes and the elector knew it was dangerous, but Luther encouraged them. He said, “Go ahead, confess Christ before the great men in this world.” The Papists met them with warm friendship. They were trying to get them to yield to compromise, but that did not work. Next, they threatened persecution and death. That did not work either. Then they tried the most successful inducement and the most to be feared. The Romans said, “We will send three of our theologians, and you send three of yours. We will try to come to an agreement.” This was the newest and most formidable of the dangers. This plan almost crushed the Protestant Reformation.

Luther Begs to Be Excused

First, the Romanist party made amazing compromises and concessions. The Protestants put together a confession of 21 points. There were only three that the Protestants and Romanists were wrangling over. The Roman party made it appear that they had won the Reformation. They knew that if they could get the Protestants to yield once, they would eventually yield on everything. Unfortunately, the Protestants agreed at first, but Luther, from his hideout, wrote letters. From one letter we read: “I learned that you have begun a marvelous work, namely, to reconcile Luther and the pope, but the pope will not be reconciled, and Luther begs to be excused.” The Reformation was saved. He knew that when they began to yield, they stepped off the platform to sure ruin. Yielding will always bring ruin. We cannot compromise!

Whenever the church has yielded to compromise, the result has always been a lost battle. The early church was pure in the days of the apostles, but it compromised, and now we have the Roman Catholic Church. Compromise is spiritual suicide on the installment plan. We cannot pull down the banner even a little bit. Compromise may appear to look good, but it is not. That is what resulted in the Dark Ages. The Waldenses compromised, and many lives were lost. The Bohemians compromised, and their nation was bathed in blood. This sad history is for us to ponder.

We read from The Great Controversy, 607: “As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. But their steadfast answer is: ‘Show us from the word of God our error the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances. Those who are arraigned before the courts make a strong vindication of the truth, and some who hear them are led to take their stand to keep all the commandments of God.” The early Christians let down the standard to convert pagans, and it resulted in converting the church to paganism.

We, too, are going to have to answer for our faith. We must stand firm. Our God is A Mighty Fortress. He will uphold us and give us strength. We must say, as did Luther, “Here I take my stand; I can not do otherwise. God be my help.” The Great Controversy says that if Luther had yielded in one point, Satan would have won the victory. Neither can we yield in one point.

Dare to be a Daniel

Daniel was thrown into the den of lions because he prayed with his windows open, as he always did. (Daniel 6:10.) He did not compromise on one point, and God shut the lions’ mouths. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could have bowed down to tie their shoes, but that would have been compromising. They knew very well that to not bow could result in their deaths, but they stood firm, even though the greatest man in the world opposed them. (Daniel 3:12-19.) Their steadfast adherence to right converted Nebuchadnezzar. It is encouraging to know that if we stand for the right, souls may be converted. Before these experiences, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tested on the point of appetite. Because they stood firm on the Word of God then, they were able to stand the more severe trials.

We must set our faces as firm as a flint now, if we are to stand later. “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And [if] in the land of peace, [in which] you trusted, [they wearied] you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5. Right now we are deciding if we are going to stand as did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego or if we are going to bow down as all the other Hebrews did. We are choosing under which banner we are going to be arraigned. We are either with Luther, saying, “Here I take my stand; I can not do otherwise. God be my help”; or we are compromising.

Little Things

Some people excuse themselves, saying, “God understands.” God does understand your situation, and He tells you in His Word what you need to do. The devil is in the business of giving excuses, not God. We read in Romans 1:20 that we are all without excuse. There is no excuse if it goes against God’s Word. Daniel and his three friends stood firm in the little things. Because they had proved faithful in that which was least, they could be trusted with that which was more. “What if Daniel and his companions had made a compromise with those heathen officers and had yielded to the pressure of the occasion by eating and drinking as was customary with the Babylonians? That single instance of departure from principle would have weakened their sense of right and their abhorrence of wrong. Indulgence of appetite would have involved the sacrifice of physical vigor, clearness of intellect, and spiritual power. One wrong step would probably have led to others, until, their connection with Heaven being severed, they would have been swept away by temptation.” The Sanctified Life, 23. It is the little things in life that make up the sum of life’s big things.

Too many times we think that little things do not matter much. But little choices set us upon the path that we are going to take. If you bend a tree when it is young, it will grow bent. There are some funny looking trees, because they were bent that way when they were saplings. By compromising in little things, we prepare ourselves to compromise in big things.

Compromise and indifference in a religious crisis is one of the sins that God hates the most. We cannot flatter ourselves that we will stand when we are forced by law to disregard the Sabbath if we do not keep the Sabbath now. It is not just in the Sabbath; it is in everything of our lives. “It is the grossest presumption for mortal man to venture upon a compromise with the Almighty in order to secure his own petty temporal interest.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 249. God says what he means, and He means what He says. Right now, in the little things, we are determining our destination. “It is as ruthless a violation of the law to occasionally use the Sabbath for secular business as to entirely reject it, for it is making the Lord’s commandments a matter of convenience.” Ibid. It is just the same to compromise in any other point. It is always the principle.

Solomon compromised. This was what led to his ruin. He knew that polygamy was against God’s Law, but it was a very common practice. The first wife he took appeared to be converted, but eventually he set up an idol to another god, which he and his children worshipped—because he took one wrong step. If we, like Solomon, take that one wrong step down, it will be much easier to take the next one. We are developing habits that determine where we are going to stand. One little compromise in sin will eventually crowd out all the good.

Do you think that the Jews at their first departure from the right had any intentions of crucifing the Son of God? No, none whatsoever. But they took the one wrong step, and it led to that terrible sin. The fall of any person can be traced back to one departure from the right. We cannot, even in the slightest thing, compromise. It will not work. God considers it the grossest presumption to compromise in the smallest thing.

Compromise is the most dangerous thing we can do for our souls. In the history of the Israelites, there are many examples of failure, but, fortunately, there are encouraging examples also—Daniel and his three companions, Joseph, and others.

There is a song with these words: “Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!” We must dare, like Daniel, to stand for the right no matter what. We cannot depart in the slightest, because it will lead to us going all the way renouncing everything and being lost.

Right now we are deciding if we are going to be numbered on the Lord’s side. If we know to do right, and do not do it, we will be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary and found wanting. Different people have different temptations and problems. It may not be the Sabbath issue for you; it could be something else. We dare not depart slightly; we must stand firm as a rock. The record says of Jesus that “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” Luke 9:51. That is what we must do—set our face steadfastly to go to the New Jerusalem. We must not allow anything to hinder us. We must not compromise in the slightest, because it will be our ruin if we do. Many pleasing allurements and inducements may be held out to us, but we cannot compromise. We must, as did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, stand erect, not allowing anything to sway us.

Cody Francis is engaged in worldwide evangelism through Mission Projects International and pastors the Remnant Church of Seventh-day Adventist Believers in the Seattle, Washington, area. His gospel service began with Steps to Life in Wichita, Kansas. Cody and his wife, Mandy, have one daughter and live in western Washington. He may be contacted by e-mail at: cody@missionspro.org.

Two Very Different Reformation Characters

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As Protestantism began to fight and win spiritual battles, it became clear that, given only a few years, Protestantism’s victory would be so complete that any opposing power would fight vainly to win the battle; for a new light was shining and a new life was stirring the souls of men. Schools of learning, pure churches and free nations were rising up in different parts of Europe. It was clear that armies would never overthrow this flourishing power. A new weapon must be forged and other armies mustered to succeed where the powers of emperors and kings had failed. “It was now that the Jesuit corps was embodied. And it must be confessed that these new soldiers did more than all the armies of France and Spain to stem the tide of Protestant success, and bind victory once more to the banners of Rome.” Wylie, History of Protestantism, book 15, 377.

Ignatius Loyola

Don Inigo Lopez de Recalde, the Ignatius Loyola of history, was the founder of the Order of Jesus, or the Jesuits. His birth was near the same time as that of Luther. He was born to one of the highest Spanish families in his father’s castle, in Loyola, during the time of the wars with the Moors. He was an ardent man who caught a religious fervor and longed to distinguish himself in battle. He was wounded severely in both legs while attempting a defense of a besieged garrison. His bravery won the respect of the foe who carried him to a hospital and saved him from bleeding to death.

During his confinement he first read tales of war, but when these were finished, legends of the saints were brought to his couch. As he read of martyrs, monks and hermits, and of the conquests they achieved, he panted to rival these heroes whose battles were so pure and bright compared to the battlefield which he had known. “His enthusiasm and ambition were as boundless as ever, but now they were directed into a new channel . . . The change was a sudden violent one, and drew after it vast consequences not to Ignatius only, and the men of his age, but to millions of the human race in all countries of the world, and in all the ages that have elapsed since.” Ibid., 380.

He determined to be a knight for Mary and so he took his armaments to her shrine at Montserrat and laid them before her image. He next gave up his fine clothing and put on the filthy rags of a monk and with uncombed hair and untrimmed nails he lived in a cave near Manressa for some time. He fasted for days and underwent penances and mortifications, battling evil spirits and talking to voices heard only by him, until he was found at the mouth of the cave half dead and was carried to the town of Manressa. He spent seven hours each day on his knees and scourged himself three times a day. He planned a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and his efforts were to cleanse himself in preparation for it. His revelations included a vision of the Savior, in the Host, at mass. What further evidence did he need for proof of transubstantiation? The Virgin revealed herself to him, he believed, not fewer than thirty times.

Visions Above the Bible

There is some similarity in the early experiences of Luther and Ignatius. Both had set before them a high standard of holiness and had nearly sacrificed life to achieve it, but their pursuits led in different directions. Luther turned to the Bible for relief of his sufferings while Ignatius gave himself up wholly to visions and revelations. “It required no aid from Scripture, it was based on the belief he entertained of an immediate connection between himself and the world of spirits. This would never have satisfied Luther . . . He would have the simple, written, indubitable Word of God alone.” Ibid., 381.

Feeling that he needed better qualifications to battle Protestantism, at age thirty-five, he enrolled in school and learned Latin and then transferred to another institution to study theology. He began to preach and drew followers. This excited the notice of the Inquisition and he was arrested, but freed with a warning to hold his peace when they found no heretical bias in him.

He next moved from Spain to Paris and enrolled as a student in the College of St. Barbara. His stay in Paris coincides with a period of great religious excitement. He witnessed the time of Louis de Berquin’s martyrdom.

Louis de Berquin

“Louis de Berquin was of noble birth. A brave and courtly knight, he was devoted to study, polished in manners, and of blameless morals. ‘He was,’ says a writer, ‘a great follower of the papistical constitutions, and a great hearer of masses and sermons; . . . and he crowned all his other virtues by holding Lutheranism in special abhorrence.’ But, like so many others, providentially guided to the Bible, he was amazed to find there, ‘not the doctrines of Rome, but the doctrines of Luther.’—Wylie, book 13, chap. 9. Henceforth he gave himself with entire devotion to the cause of the gospel.

“‘The most learned of the nobles of France,’ his genius and eloquence, his indomitable courage and heroic zeal, and his influence at court,—for he was a favorite with the king,— caused him to be regarded by many as one destined to be the Reformer of his country . . . They [the Romanists] thrust him into prison as a heretic, but he was set at liberty by the king. For years the struggle continued. Francis, wavering between Rome and the Reformation, alternately tolerated and restrained the fierce zeal of the monks. Berquin was three times imprisoned by the papal authorities, only to be released by the monarch, who, in admiration of his genius and his nobility of character, refused to sacrifice him to the malice of the hierarchy . . .

“So far from adopting the politic and self-serving counsel of Erasmus, he determined upon still bolder measures. He would not only stand in defense of the truth, but he would attack error. The charge of heresy which the Romanists were seeking to fasten upon him, he would rivet upon them. The most active and bitter of his opponents were the learned doctors and monks of the theological department in the great University of Paris, one of the highest ecclesiastical authorities both in the city and the nation. From the writings of these doctors, Berquin drew twelve propositions which he publicly declared to be ‘opposed to the Bible, and heretical;’ and he appealed to the king to act as judge in the controversy.

“The monarch, not loath to bring into contrast the power and acuteness of the opposing champions, and glad of an opportunity of humbling the pride of these haughty monks, bade the Romanists defend their cause by the Bible. This weapon, they well knew, would avail them little; imprisonment, torture, and the stake were arms which they better understood how to wield. Now the tables were turned, and they saw themselves about to fall into the pit into which they had hoped to plunge Berquin. In amazement they looked about them for some way of escape.

“‘Just at that time an image of the Virgin at the corner of one of the streets, was mutilated.’ There was great excitement in the city. Crowds of people flocked to the place, with expressions of mourning and indignation. The king also was deeply moved. Here was an advantage which the monks could turn to good account, and they were quick to improve it. ‘These are the fruits of the doctrines of Berquin,’ they cried. ‘All is about to be overthrown—religion, the laws, the throne itself—by this Lutheran conspiracy.’ Ibid., book 13, chap. 9.

Berquin Martyred

“Again Berquin was apprehended. The king withdrew from Paris, and the monks were thus left free to work their will. The Reformer was tried and condemned to die, and lest Francis should even yet interpose to save him, the sentence was executed on the very day it was pronounced. At noon Berquin was conducted to the place of death. An immense throng gathered to witness the event, and there were many who saw with astonishment and misgiving that the victim had been chosen from the best and bravest of the noble families of France. Amazement, indignation, scorn, and bitter hatred darkened the faces of that surging crowd; but upon one face no shadow rested. The martyr’s thoughts were far from that scene of tumult; he was conscious only of the presence of his Lord.

“The wretched tumbrel upon which he rode, the frowning faces of his persecutors, the dreadful death to which he was going—these he heeded not; He who liveth and was dead, and is alive for evermore, and hath the keys of death and of hell, was beside him. Berquin’s countenance was radiant with the light and peace of heaven. He had attired himself in goodly raiment, wearing ‘a cloak of velvet, a doublet of satin and damask, and golden hose.’ D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, book 2, chap. 16. He was about to testify to his faith in the presence of the King of kings and the witnessing universe, and no token of mourning should belie his joy.

“As the procession moved slowly through the crowded streets, the people marked with wonder the unclouded peace, and joyous triumph, of his look and bearing. ‘He is,’ they said, ‘like one who sits in a temple, and meditates on holy things.’ Wylie, book 13, chap. 9.

“At the stake, Berquin endeavored to address a few words to the people; but the monks, fearing the result, began to shout, and the soldiers to clash their arms, and their clamor drowned the martyr’s voice. Thus in 1529 the highest literary and ecclesiastical authority of cultured Paris ‘set the populace of 1793 the base example of stifling on the scaffold the sacred words of the dying.’ Ibid., book 13, chap. 9.

“Berquin was strangled, and his body was consumed in the flames. The tidings of his death caused sorrow to the friends of the Reformation throughout France. But his example was not lost. ‘We, too, are ready,’ said the witnesses for the truth, ‘to meet death cheerfully, setting our eyes on the life that is to come.’ D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, book 2, chap. 16.” The Great Controversy, 215–219.

The Society of Jesus

Ignatius Loyola began to attract devoted followers who he put through a rigid course of discipline.”Thus it was that he mortified their pride, taught them to despise wealth, schooled them to brave danger and contemn luxury, and inured them to cold, hunger, and toil; in short, he made them dead to every passion save that of the ‘Holy War’ in which they were to bear arms.” Wylie, History of Protestantism, book 15, 383.

To foster the more rapid growth of his forces, Loyola prepared his book entitled Spiritual Exercises which was a skillful imitation of the process of conviction, of alarm, of enlightenment,and of peace which the Bible calls conversion. The one who participates in the exercises during the four week course, is indeed changed, as if by a miracle. However, he does not find a Savior to lean on; he finds a rule by which he works, and works as methodically and regularly as a piece of machinery. “There are few more remarkable books in the world. It combines the self-denial and mortifications of the Brahmin with the asceticism of the anchorite, and the ecstasies of the schoolmen. It professes, like the Koran, to be a revelation.” Ibid., 384.

In August of 1534, his little army of nine followers joined him for mass at the Church of Montmartre, in Paris. They took a solemn oath to dedicate their lives and services to the Pope. Following their solemn oath, the little army proceeded to Rome. In Rome, Loyola at last found recognition as his new order was given approval by Pope Paul III. Its rules and constitution were drafted and approved and the new order was named The Company of Jesus since Ignatius claimed to have received their constitution by revelation, in the cave at Manressa, directly from Christ. His name they should bare. The date of the papal bull giving formal existence to the order was 1540. Ignatius Loyola became the first General of the order.

The Constitutions were declared a revelation from God and yet their contents were secret. Each General has power to add to them and there are many volumes. The powers of the General are vast. He acts without control of any other body, without responsibility to anyone, and without law. From his orders there is no appeal even to the Pope. His powers are absolute. Through the hierarchy of the Jesuit structure, he has a network of information gathering, regarding everything of interest to their plans, from an intimate knowledge of each member to the secrets of governments.

Enrollment in the Society of Jesus is allowed only after undergoing a severe and long-continued course of training. At the successful completion of the course and, after being closely watched, tested and noted, the member promises absolute obedience to the General.

Moral Code of the Jesuits

Loyola sent forth his men fully equipped to prosecute the war against Protestantism. He gave them the Institutions. “They were set free from every obligation, whether imposed by the natural or Divine law.” Ibid., 393. They were cut off from their country as they vowed to go wherever they were sent and to give allegiance to a sovereign higher than the monarch of any nation—their General. They were cut off from family and friends. They were cut off from wealth and property since they must give everything that they might inherit to the society. “Nay, more, the Jesuits were cut off even from the Pope. For if their General ‘held the place of the Omnipotent God,’ much more did he hold the place of ‘his Vicar’. . .

“They were a Papacy within a Papacy—a Papacy whose organization was more perfect, whose instincts were more cruel, whose workings were more mysterious, and whose dominion was more destructive than that of the old Papacy.” Ibid. 394.

They supplied themselves with their own ethical code which allowed them exemption from all human authority and from every earthly law as well as from the law of God. “The keynote of their ethical code is the famous maxim that the end sanctifies the means . . . There are no conceivable crime, villainy, and atrocity which this maxim will not justify.” Ibid.

Regicide and Murder

“The lawfulness of killing excommunicated, that is Protestant, kings, the Jesuit writers have been at great pains to maintain.” Ibid., 398. The society was first banished from France, as a society detestable and diabolical, from the evidence of papers written by the Jesuit Guignard, a Professor of Divinity, which supported the murder of Henry III and maintained that the same should be done to Henry IV.

The track of the Jesuits may be traced in every country in Europe by their bloody foot-prints. Henry III and Henry IV both fell by their dagger. The King of Portugal dies by their order. The great Prince of Orange is dispatched by their agent, shot down at the door of his own dining room. There were many attempts to murder Elizabeth and yet she escaped. Clement XIV, the Pope who tried to banish the order was poisoned. The Gunpowder Plot, the St. Bartholomew massacre, and the “Invincible Armada” is associated with the Jesuits. “What a harvest of plots, tumults, seditions, revolutions, torturings, poisonings, assassinations, regicides, and massacres has Christendom reaped. Nor can we be sure that we have yet seen the last and the greatest of their crimes.” Ibid., 399.

Bible Study Guides – A Study for Modern Israel

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August 1, 2010 – August 7, 2010

Babylonian Captivity, Escape and Rebuilding God’s Church

A Study for Modern Israel

Part Two:

The Second Babylonian Captivity, A Call Out, A Wall to Rebuild, the Church Reestablished

The Christian Church Returns to a Babylonian Captivity

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

The triumphs of the early church were soon followed by a return to a union with the world, idolatry, and Sabbath breaking by a majority of the Christian church. Recall that these same choices were those that led the ancient church into captivity; and they had a similar result for the early Christian church after the first centuries A.D. The precursors of the ancient Babylonian captivity of God’s professed people were once again present as the church again fell as captive prey into the hands of a modern Babylon.

As with the ancient captivity, we will see that this captivity involved all who professed Christ. For the faithful, the period of the Dark Ages was certainly a physical captivity in the most extreme sense of the word. But through the grinding control of the Papacy, the captivity included not only physical captivity for the faithful, but a period of general gross spiritual darkness; a spiritual captivity. The spiritual captivity was experienced in various ways and degrees, but as with ancient Israel, no one escaped the effects.

God had a purpose (the extent of which is beyond our ability to explain) to demonstrate His character through the suffering He allowed to come upon His true church—those who kept the faith once delivered to the saints. But, in opposition to God’s church, Satan also had opportunity to demonstrate the plan for his own church in the rise of the little horn power. The actions of both churches were to be demonstrated before the universe of created intelligences.

Note: This overview omits, with purpose, the important scenes of Pagan persecution of the Christian church, to focus on the later persecution by the corrupt church that followed a gradual union with Paganism.

1 With the union of church and world (paganism) in the early centuries, what were some of the key attributes of Babylonian captivity that followed? How were these attributes comparable to the captivity of God’s professed people in Zedekiah’s time?

Review and Discuss:

  • Physical captivity (persecution) by the Roman church ensued
  • Spiritual captivity (darkness), perpetrated by the Roman church, ensued
  • God’s people were scattered
  • Pastors and schools were largely destroyed
  • The Word of God became rare
  • This led many professed followers of Christ to be destroyed by a lack of knowledge
  • As in ancient Babylon, the Church unites with the state to persecute the faithful

Thus various combinations of physical and spiritual captivity once again occurred among God’s professed people of Christendom.

2 What factors helped constitute the spiritual captivity of the church in the wilderness? How did the spiritual captivity of the Dark Ages differ from the physical captivity of God’s people during this time? I Samuel 3:1; Proverbs 29:18; Revelation 11:3.

The physical captivity of God’s faithful people (persecution) had an effect that, among other things, tended to the purification of the church: Daniel 11:33–35.

The spiritual captivity of God’s professed people had a much more disastrous effect; tending to the spiritual destruction of the professed church. I Samuel 3:1; II Thessalonians 2:9–12.

Note: As with the ancient Babylonian captivity, and the captivity in the time of Christ we see that the term captivity may refer to combinations of both physical and spiritual captivity, and that no part of Christ’s professed church remained unaffected. Even God’s true church in the wilderness captivity of the Dark Ages was affected by the spiritual captivity (darkness) of the church—the scarceness of the Word of God and of the prophetic gift! See Revelation 11:3; Proverbs 29:18.

Yet, in a broad sense, the captivity had the ultimate effect of purifying the church by separating the true followers of Christ from those who professed Him in name only.

Note: The language used to describe the captivity of the professed church of the Dark Ages again brings to mind Old Testament imagery. Notice the terms violated marriage and children in the message to Thyatira, Revelation 2:20–23.

3 The ancient church did not recognize the commencement of their physical captivity to Babylon. Neither did the Jewish church in Christ’s time recognize their state of captivity. Was the church in the Dark Ages delayed in recognizing its own captivity?

Review and Discuss:

Yes, in general, the church in the Dark Ages was slow to recognize the extent of their captivity. The Protestant Reformation evinced the beginnings of the church’s awakening to its true condition. Martin Luther was a key leader in the work that represented a call to rebuild the true temple (true church). Protestants began to leave captivity and to call people from Babylon.

“I now know of a certainty that the papacy is the kingdom of Babylon and the power of Nimrod the mighty hunter.” Martin Luther, writing in his treatise titled, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.

4 Once the church of the Dark Ages started to recognize their captivity in a fuller sense, what responsibility presented itself to the true church? How did the true church respond? Haggai 1:2, 3; Revelation 3:1–5.

Note: With the rise of the Protestant Reformation commenced a rise of nascent political and social freedoms. See for example Martin Luther’s treatise, “Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation.” But with these advances came the first in priority responsibility of God’s people to rebuild a broken down church! Refer to Haggai 1:2, 3.

What followed instead among the nations of Western Europe that accepted (at least in part) the Protestant Reformation was a focus on economic prosperity, a failure to push unitedly against the opposition of the counter-reformation, a refusal of the Protestants to keep pace with the light and resulting divisions among them. Refer to Revelation 3:1–5.

5 As there was anciently, was there a delay in the rebuilding of the Christian church during the Protestant Reformation?

Review and Discuss:

Yes. As in the time of Zerubbabel and Haggai, there was a delay to return from captivity and thus there was a work stoppage on the rebuilding of the temple (rebuilding of God’s church). See Haggai, chapter 1.

One hundred years after Martin Luther’s challenge at Wittenberg was issued, Pilgrim Pastor John Robinson reminds his hearers that, “I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who … will go at present no farther than the instruments of their reformation. … It is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once.” The Great Controversy, 292.

As in Zerubbabel’s day, God’s people did not fully recognize their need to escape from captivity and rebuild the church (reference Haggai, chapter 1 story). Thus commenced a delay in the rebuilding of God’s church.

6 Though church building was delayed, how did God help clear obstacles for the church building to continue?

Review and Discuss:

Once again, as in the days of Zerubbabel, God moved upon the Civil Government to clear the way for His people to come out of Babylon and prepare for the Judgment and His coming! The proclamation by Cyrus, opening the way for the Jews to return home found its parallel in the birth of religious liberty in America.

The church building continued during the Great Awakening and then the Loud Cry through the work of Baptists, Methodists, Jews, Catholics and others. Leaders like John Wesley and George Whitefield helped to reawaken the church; then later, William Miller and Joseph Wolf led out in the preaching of the first angel’s message.

7 Did the Protestants finish building God’s church?

Review and Discuss:

No. The advice of Revelation 3:1–5 went unheeded by most. The judgment hour message was ultimately rejected by most. As in the ancient Babylonian captivity, most remained in and became one with—assimilated to—Babylon. The Protestants had refused to leave Babylon, and thus could not finish rebuilding the church. See Revelation 14:8.

8 Let us review what has happened to the church since its early victories after Pentecost:

Review and Discuss:

  • The church is encroached by worldliness, idolatry, and a false Sabbath
  • Another Babylonian Captivity ensues, with the hallmarks of historical captivities, spiritual and physical
  • Escape and Church rebuilding begins at the start of the Protestant Reformation
  • Another delay takes place
  • Civil freedom again granted—church building continues, first angel’s message preached
  • First angel’s message rejected, work is halted, the second angel’s message becomes prescient
  • A small remnant of foreigners from many churches is called out and unites to commence work on the church and wall—God’s law proclaimed.

9 Whom did God raise up to finish rebuilding the church? Revelation 12:17.

A small remnant of foreigners, those evicted by the recently reformed churches came out, and stood on a platform of truth—God’s Law. These foreigners became God’s true church. They became a refuge, obtained a name and converts, and started rebuilding. This group, led by people like Rachel Oaks, Frederick Wheeler, Joseph Bates, and James and Ellen White, not only continued to rebuild God’s church, but raised the call to rebuild the wall. This rebuilding of the wall is represented by the up-building of God’s Law, especially the Sabbath. See Isaiah 58:12–14, Nehemiah 13:19 and Ellen G. White’s comments on Isaiah 5:5 in The Desire of Ages, 596.

10 What other structure remained for God’s people to rebuild? Isaiah 58:12–14.

The church needed to be rebuilt on the foundation of Jesus Christ, instead of the false foundation of tradition and popes. But the law, represented by the wall, remained to be repaired! To the Seventh-day Adventist church was given the responsibility of completing the rebuilding of the temple (church) and repairing the breach made in the wall (God’s law).

Note: See The Great Controversy, 452–454.

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 – Luther

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November 20, 2010 – November 26, 2010

Key Text

“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” Habbakuk 2:4.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 120–170; Early Writings, 222–226.

Introduction

“Zealous, ardent, and devoted, knowing no fear but the fear of God, and acknowledging no foundation for religious faith but the Holy Scriptures, Luther was the man for his time; through him God accomplished a great work for the reformation of the church and the enlightenment of the world.” The Great Controversy, 120.

1 What parable illustrates the experience of Martin Luther when he found the Bible for the first time? Matthew 13:44–46.

Note: “While one day examining the books in the library of the university, Luther discovered a Latin Bible. Such a book he had never before seen. He was ignorant even of its existence. He had heard portions of the Gospels and Epistles, which were read to the people at public worship, and he supposed that these were the entire Bible. Now, for the first time, he looked upon the whole of God’s word. With mingled awe and wonder he turned the sacred pages; with quickened pulse and throbbing heart he read for himself the words of life, pausing now and then to exclaim: ‘O that God would give me such a book for myself!’ ” The Great Controversy, 122.

2 As Luther drank deeper and deeper at the fountain of truth and light, what did he do to better understand it? How did he share his joy? Psalm 119:97–104.

Note: “Luther was ordained a priest and was called from the cloister to a professorship in the University of Wittenberg. Here he applied himself to the study of the Scriptures in the original tongues. He began to lecture upon the Bible; and the book of Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles were opened to the understanding of crowds of delighted listeners.” The Great Controversy, 124.

3 When an official raising money to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica was selling indulgences where Luther was pastor, what Scriptures came to Luther’s mind? Acts 8:20; 4:12. What effect did the publication by Luther of ninety-five theses have against this practice?

Note: “His [Luther’s] propositions attracted universal attention. They were read and reread, and repeated in every direction. Great excitement was created in the university and in the whole city. By these theses it was shown that the power to grant the pardon of sin, and to remit its penalty, had never been committed to the pope or to any other man. The whole scheme was a farce—an artifice to extort money by playing upon the superstitions of the people—a device of Satan to destroy the souls of all who should trust to its lying pretensions. It was also clearly shown that the gospel of Christ is the most valuable treasure of the church, and that the grace of God, therein revealed, is freely bestowed upon all who seek it by repentance and faith.

“Luther’s theses challenged discussion; but no one dared accept the challenge. The questions which he proposed had in a few days spread through all Germany, and in a few weeks they had sounded throughout Christendom. Many devoted Romanists, who had seen and lamented the terrible iniquity prevailing in the church, but had not known how to arrest its progress, read the propositions with great joy, recognizing in them the voice of God. They felt that the Lord had graciously set His hand to arrest the rapidly swelling tide of corruption that was issuing from the see of Rome. Princes and magistrates secretly rejoiced that a check was to be put upon the arrogant power which denied the right of appeal from its decisions.” The Great Controversy, 130.

4 What most powerful weapon was in constant use by the Reformers and has been the foundation of reform in all ages? Nehemiah 2:4; Isaiah 38:2, 3.

Note: “From the secret place of prayer came the power that shook the world in the Great Reformation. There, with holy calmness, the servants of the Lord set their feet upon the rock of His promises. During the struggle at Augsburg, Luther ‘did not pass a day without devoting three hours at least to prayer, and they were hours selected from those the most favorable to study.’ In the privacy of his chamber he was heard to pour out his soul before God in words ‘full of adoration, fear, and hope, as when one speaks to a friend.’ ” The Great Controversy, 210.

5 What were some unfortunate reactions to Luther’s work?

Note: “The sin-loving and superstitious multitudes were terrified as the sophistries that had soothed their fears were swept away. Crafty ecclesiastics, interrupted in their work of sanctioning crime, and seeing their gains endangered, were enraged, and rallied to uphold their pretensions. The Reformer had bitter accusers to meet. Some charged him with acting hastily and from impulse. Others accused him of presumption, declaring that he was not directed of God, but was acting from pride and forwardness.” The Great Controversy, 130.

6 In bringing Luther before the Diet of Worms, to what did the papists resort in an effort to silence him? Matthew 27:1, 2. What characterized his response?

Note: “Those who stubbornly closed their eyes to the light, and determined not to be convinced of the truth, were enraged at the power of Luther’s words. As he ceased speaking, the spokesman of the Diet said angrily: ‘You have not answered the question put to you. … You are required to give a clear and precise answer. … Will you, or will you not, retract?’

“The Reformer answered: ‘Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require from me a clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give you one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, because it is clear as the day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me. Amen.’ ” The Great Controversy, 160.

7 How was it that Luther, a simple monk alone, was not intimidated by the assembly? John 16:33. Who stood alone in similar circumstances? Acts 6:9, 11, 15.

Note: “Thus stood this righteous man upon the sure foundation of the word of God. The light of heaven illuminated his [the Reformer’s] countenance. His greatness and purity of character, his peace and joy of heart, were manifest to all as he testified against the power of error and witnessed to the superiority of that faith that overcomes the world.” The Great Controversy, 160.

8 Who was favorable to the cause advocated by Luther?

Note: “The elector Frederick had looked forward anxiously to Luther’s appearance before the Diet, and with deep emotion he listened to his speech. With joy and pride he witnessed the doctor’s courage, firmness, and self-possession, and determined to stand more firmly in his defense. He contrasted the parties in contest, and saw that the wisdom of popes, kings, and prelates had been brought to nought by the power of truth. The papacy had sustained a defeat which would be felt among all nations and in all ages.” The Great Controversy, 162.

9 Who was with Luther in this trial? Matthew 28:20. Under the persuasion of the papists, what decision did Charles V make?

Note: “Two conflicting opinions were now urged by the members of the Diet. The emissaries and representatives of the pope again demanded that the Reformer’s safe-conduct should be disregarded. ‘The Rhine,’ they said, ‘should receive his ashes, as it had received those of John Huss a century ago.’ …

“Charles himself, in answer to the base proposal, said: ‘Though honor and faith should be banished from all the world, they ought to find a refuge in the hearts of princes.’ … He was still further urged by the most bitter of Luther’s papal enemies to deal with the Reformer as Sigismund had dealt with Huss—abandon him to the mercies of the church; but recalling the scene when Huss in public assembly had pointed to his chains and reminded the monarch of his plighted faith, Charles V declared: ‘I should not like to blush like Sigismund.’—Lenfant, vol. 1, p. 422.

“Yet Charles had deliberately rejected the truths presented by Luther. ‘I am firmly resolved to imitate the example of my ancestors,’ wrote the monarch.—D’Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 9. He had decided that he would not step out of the path of custom, even to walk in the ways of truth and righteousness. Because his fathers did, he would uphold the papacy, with all its cruelty and corruption. Thus he took his position, refusing to accept any light in advance of what his fathers had received, or to perform any duty that they had not performed.” The Great Controversy, 163, 164.

10 When Luther had triumphed over the papists before the Diet, how was he protected from their wrath and determination to kill him? Psalm 31:19–21. What other benefits came as a result?

Note: “God had provided a way of escape for His servant in this hour of peril. A vigilant eye had followed Luther’s movements, and a true and noble heart had resolved upon his rescue. It was plain that Rome would be satisfied with nothing short of his death; only by concealment could he be preserved from the jaws of the lion. God gave wisdom to Frederick of Saxony to devise a plan for the Reformer’s preservation. With the co-operation of true friends the elector’s purpose was carried out, and Luther was effectually hidden from friends and foes.” The Great Controversy, 168.

“While his [Luther’s] enemies flattered themselves that he was silenced, they were astonished and confused by tangible proof that he was still active. A host of tracts, issuing from his pen, circulated throughout Germany. He also performed a most important service for his countrymen by translating the New Testament into the German tongue. From his rocky Patmos he continued for nearly a whole year to proclaim the gospel and rebuke the sins and errors of the times.” Ibid., 169.

11 What Divine plan was also fulfilled in the concealing of Luther for a while? Psalm 115:1. How is this a lesson for our time?

Note: “He [God] desired that work [of the Reformation] to receive, not the impress of man, but that of God. The eyes of men had been turned to Luther as the expounder of the truth; he was removed that all eyes might be directed to the eternal Author of truth.” The Great Controversy, 170.

Personal Review Questions

1 How and where did Luther find the light of gospel truth?

2 What brought Luther to publicly proclaim the arguments of the truth?

3 How did the papal authorities try to silence Luther?

4 How was Luther’s appearance before the Diet both a triumph and a tragedy?

5 Explain how God’s goodness overruled perilous adversity in the life of Luther.

Additional Reading

“Notwithstanding all the persecution of the saints, living witnesses for God’s truth were raised up on every hand. Angels of the Lord were doing the work committed to their trust. They were searching in the darkest places and selecting out of the darkness men who were honest in heart. These were all buried up in error, yet God called them, as He did Saul, to be chosen vessels to bear His truth and raise their voices against the sins of His professed people. Angels of God moved upon the hearts of Martin Luther, Melanchthon, and others in different places, and caused them to thirst for the living testimony of the Word of God. The enemy had come in like a flood, and the standard must be raised against him. Luther was the one chosen to breast the storm, stand up against the ire of a fallen church, and strengthen the few who were faithful to their holy profession. He was ever fearful of offending God. He tried through works to obtain His favor, but was not satisfied until a gleam of light from heaven drove the darkness from his mind and led him to trust, not in works, but in the merits of the blood of Christ. He could then come to God for himself, not through popes or confessors, but through Jesus Christ alone.” Early Writings, 222, 223.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – Huss and Jerome

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November 13, 2010 – November 19, 2010

Key Text

“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 97–119; The Acts of the Apostles, 598–600.

Introduction

“ ‘I call God to witness that all that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that truth which I have written and preached.’ ” The Great Controversy, 109.

1 In what century was the gospel established in Bohemia and in what language was their Bible and their worship?

Note: “The gospel had been planted in Bohemia as early as the ninth century. The Bible was translated, and public worship was conducted, in the language of the people.” The Great Controversy, 97.

2 Contrary to the example in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, what directive did Pope Gregory VII make and what reason did he give? Nehemiah 8:5–8.

Note: “Gregory VII, who had taken it upon himself to humble the pride of kings, was no less intent upon enslaving the people, and accordingly a bull was issued forbidding public worship to be conducted in the Bohemian tongue. The pope declared that ‘it was pleasing to the Omnipotent that His worship should be celebrated in an unknown language, and that many evils and heresies had arisen from not observing this rule.’—Wylie, b. 3, ch. 1. Thus Rome decreed that the light of God’s word should be extinguished and the people should be shut up in darkness.” The Great Controversy, 97.

3 What similarities may be observed between the childhood and youth of John Huss and Samuel, the Old Testament prophet? 1 Samuel 1:28; 2:1, 8.

Note: “John Huss was of humble birth, and was early left an orphan by the death of his father. His pious mother, regarding education and the fear of God as the most valuable of possessions, sought to secure this heritage for her son. Huss studied at the provincial school, and then repaired to the university at Prague, receiving admission as a charity scholar. He was accompanied on the journey to Prague by his mother; widowed and poor, she had no gifts of worldly wealth to bestow upon her son, but as they drew near to the great city, she kneeled down beside the fatherless youth and invoked for him the blessing of their Father in heaven. Little did that mother realize how her prayer was to be answered.

“At the university, Huss soon distinguished himself by his untiring application and rapid progress, while his blameless life and gentle, winning deportment gained him universal esteem. … After completing his college course, he entered the priesthood, and rapidly attaining to eminence, he soon became attached to the court of the king. He was also made professor and afterward rector of the university where he had received his education. In a few years the humble charity scholar had become the pride of his country, and his name was renowned throughout Europe.” The Great Controversy, 98, 99.

4 Huss was eventually appointed preacher of the “chapel of Bethlehem.” What significance did this chapel have, and what characterized the preaching of Huss? Isaiah 50:4; Ephesians 5:11; II Timothy 4:2.

Note: “Several years after taking priest’s orders he [Huss] was appointed preacher of the chapel of Bethlehem. The founder of this chapel had advocated, as a matter of great importance, the preaching of the Scriptures in the language of the people. Notwithstanding Rome’s opposition to this practice, it had not been wholly discontinued in Bohemia. But there was great ignorance of the Bible, and the worst vices prevailed among the people of all ranks. These evils Huss unsparingly denounced, appealing to the word of God to enforce the principles of truth and purity which he inculcated.” The Great Controversy, 99.

5 Who returned to Bohemia with the writings of Wycliffe? Revealing Divine providence, what royal connection also helped the cause of the Reformation?

Note: “A citizen of Prague, Jerome, who afterward became so closely associated with Huss, had, on returning from England, brought with him the writings of Wycliffe. The queen of England, who had been a convert to Wycliffe’s teachings, was a Bohemian princess, and through her influence also the Reformer’s works were widely circulated in her native country. These works Huss read with interest; he believed their author to be a sincere Christian and was inclined to regard with favor the reforms which he advocated. Already, though he knew it not, Huss had entered upon a path which was to lead him far away from Rome.” The Great Controversy, 99.

6 How was Huss, among others, influenced by the sermon without words given by two English teachers? Habbakuk 2:2.

Note: “About this time there arrived in Prague two strangers from England, men of learning, who had received the light and had come to spread it in this distant land. Beginning with an open attack on the pope’s supremacy, they were soon silenced by the authorities; but being unwilling to relinquish their purpose, they had recourse to other measures. Being artists as well as preachers, they proceeded to exercise their skill. In a place open to the public they drew two pictures. One represented the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, ‘meek, and sitting upon an ass’ (Matthew 21:5), and followed by His disciples in travel-worn garments and with naked feet. The other picture portrayed a pontifical procession—the pope arrayed in his rich robes and triple crown, mounted upon a horse magnificently adorned, preceded by trumpeters and followed by cardinals and prelates in dazzling array.

“Here was a sermon which arrested the attention of all classes. Crowds came to gaze upon the drawings. None could fail to read the moral, and many were deeply impressed by the contrast between the meekness and humility of Christ the Master and the pride and arrogance of the pope, His professed servant. There was great commotion in Prague, and the strangers after a time found it necessary, for their own safety, to depart. But the lesson they had taught was not forgotten. The pictures made a deep impression on the mind of Huss and led him to a closer study of the Bible and of Wycliffe’s writings.” The Great Controversy, 99, 100.

7 What purpose of God was being fulfilled in Bohemia by the work of Huss and Jerome in their day? Proverbs 4:18.

Note: “God permitted great light to shine upon the minds of these chosen men, revealing to them [Huss and Jerome] many of the errors of Rome; but they did not receive all the light that was to be given to the world. Through these, His servants, God was leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism; but there were many and great obstacles for them to meet, and He led them on, step by step, as they could bear it. They were not prepared to receive all the light at once. Like the full glory of the noontide sun to those who have long dwelt in darkness, it would, if presented, have caused them to turn away. Therefore He revealed it to the leaders little by little, as it could be received by the people. From century to century, other faithful workers were to follow, to lead the people on still further in the path of reform.” The Great Controversy, 103.

8 After a long battle against entrenched evils and superstitions, what prophecy of Jesus was literally fulfilled in the experience of Huss? Matthew 10:16–22.

Note: “The Reformer was in a short time arrested, by order of the pope and cardinals, and thrust into a loathsome dungeon. Later he was transferred to a strong castle across the Rhine and there kept a prisoner. …

“Enfeebled by illness and imprisonment—for the damp, foul air of his dungeon had brought on a fever which nearly ended his life—Huss was at last brought before the council. Loaded with chains he stood in the presence of the emperor, whose honor and good faith had been pledged to protect him. During his long trial he firmly maintained the truth, and in the presence of the assembled dignitaries of church and state he uttered a solemn and faithful protest against the corruptions of the hierarchy. When required to choose whether he would recant his doctrines or suffer death, he accepted the martyr’s fate.

“The grace of God sustained him. During the weeks of suffering that passed before his final sentence, heaven’s peace filled his soul. ‘I write this letter,’ he said to a friend, ‘in my prison, and with my fettered hand, expecting my sentence of death tomorrow. … When, with the assistance of Jesus Christ, we shall again meet in the delicious peace of the future life, you will learn how merciful God has shown Himself toward me, how effectually He has supported me in the midst of my temptations and trials.’—Bonnechose, vol. 2, p. 67.” The Great Controversy, 106, 107.

9 When taken to the tribunal, what pledge was betrayed and whom did Huss reproach? What prophecy was thus fulfilled? Jeremiah 17:5–7.

Note: “For the last time, Huss was brought before the council. …

“Being called upon for his final decision, Huss declared his refusal to abjure, and, fixing his penetrating glance upon the monarch whose plighted word had been so shamelessly violated, he declared: ‘I determined, of my own free will, to appear before this council, under the public protection and faith of the emperor here present.’—Bonnechose, vol. 2, p. 84. A deep flush crimsoned the face of Sigismund as the eyes of all in the assembly turned upon him.” The Great Controversy, 108.

10 When tied to the stake, what invitation was Huss given to save himself and what was his response? Matthew 16:24–26.

Note: “He [Huss] was now delivered up to the secular authorities and led away to the place of execution. An immense procession followed, hundreds of men at arms, priests and bishops in their costly robes, and the inhabitants of Constance. When he had been fastened to the stake, and all was ready for the fire to be lighted, the martyr was once more exhorted to save himself by renouncing his errors. ‘What errors,’ said Huss, ‘shall I renounce? I know myself guilty of none. I call God to witness that all that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that truth which I have written and preached.’ ” The Great Controversy, 109.

Personal Review Questions

1 What were the circumstances of the birth and training of Huss?

2 What enlightened Huss and his country until the papal suppression?

3 What was the influence of Wycliffe on Bohemia?

4 How did the papacy try to quench the light?

5 What was the final testimony of Huss?

Additional Reading

“The enemy of righteousness left nothing undone in his effort to stop the work committed to the Lord’s builders. But God ‘left not Himself without witness.’ Acts 14:17. Workers were raised up who ably defended the faith once delivered to the saints. History bears record to the fortitude and heroism of these men. Like the apostles, many of them fell at their post, but the building of the temple went steadily forward. The workmen were slain, but the work advanced. The Waldenses, John Wycliffe, Huss and Jerome, Martin Luther and Zwingli, Cranmer, Latimer, and Knox, the Huguenots, John and Charles Wesley, and a host of others brought to the foundation material that will endure throughout eternity. And in later years those who have so nobly endeavored to promote the circulation of God’s word, and those who by their service in heathen lands have prepared the way for the proclamation of the last great message—these also have helped to rear the structure.

“Through the ages that have passed since the days of the apostles, the building of God’s temple has never ceased. We may look back through the centuries and see the living stones of which it is composed gleaming like jets of light through the darkness of error and superstition. Throughout eternity these precious jewels will shine with increasing luster, testifying to the power of the truth of God. The flashing light of these polished stones reveals the strong contrast between light and darkness, between the gold of truth and the dross of error.” The Acts of the Apostles, 598, 599.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – The Morning Star

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November 7, 2010 – November 13, 2010

Key Text

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” Psalm 111:10.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 79–96; Education, 123–127.

Introduction

“The great movement that Wycliffe inaugurated, which was to liberate the conscience and the intellect, and set free the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of Rome, had its spring in the Bible.” The Great Controversy, 93.

1 During the Dark Ages, what hope did the people of God have? Romans 13:12.

Note: “In the fourteenth century arose in England the ‘morning star of the Reformation.’ John Wycliffe was the herald of reform, not for England alone, but for all Christendom. The great protest against Rome which it was permitted him to utter was never to be silenced. That protest opened the struggle which was to result in the emancipation of individuals, of churches, and of nations.” The Great Controversy, 80.

2 Although Wycliffe received a liberal education as did others, what made the difference in his case? Psalms 111:10; 119:99.

Note: “Wycliffe received a liberal education, and with him the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning. … While he could wield the weapons drawn from the word of God, he had acquired the intellectual discipline of the schools, and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen.” The Great Controversy, 80.

3 In the time of Wycliffe, what were the languages in which the Scriptures were available?

Note: “While Wycliffe was still at college, he entered upon the study of the Scriptures. In those early times, when the Bible existed only in the ancient languages, scholars were enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth, which was closed to the uneducated classes. Thus already the way had been prepared for Wycliffe’s future work as a Reformer.” The Great Controversy, 80.

4 How did Wycliffe repeat the experience of Jeremiah and the psalmist when he investigated the Word of God? Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 119:130.

Note: “When Wycliffe’s attention was directed to the Scriptures, he entered upon their investigation with the same thoroughness which had enabled him to master the learning of the schools. Heretofore he had felt a great want, which neither his scholastic studies nor the teaching of the church could satisfy. In the word of God he found that which he had before sought in vain. Here he saw the plan of salvation revealed and Christ set forth as the only advocate for man. He gave himself to the service of Christ and determined to proclaim the truths he had discovered.” The Great Controversy, 81.

5 After a period overseas to defend the English crown against the encroachments of Rome, what gave Wycliffe confidence to continue his plain speaking? John 5:39; Genesis 15:1.

Note: “Wycliffe was called to defend the rights of the English crown against the encroachments of Rome; and being appointed a royal ambassador, he spent two years in the Netherlands, in conference with the commissioners of the pope. Here he was brought into communication with ecclesiastics from France, Italy, and Spain, and he had an opportunity to look behind the scenes and gain a knowledge of many things which would have remained hidden from him in England. He learned much that was to give point to his after labors. In these representatives from the papal court he read the true character and aims of the hierarchy. He returned to England to repeat his former teachings more openly and with greater zeal, declaring that covetousness, pride, and deception were the gods of Rome. …

“Soon after his return to England, Wycliffe received from the king the appointment to the rectory of Lutterworth. This was an assurance that the monarch at least had not been displeased by his plain speaking. Wycliffe’s influence was felt in shaping the action of the court, as well as in molding the belief of the nation.

“The papal thunders were soon hurled against him. Three bulls were dispatched to England—to the university, to the king, and to the prelates—all commanding immediate and decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy.” The Great Controversy, 84, 85.

6 In what way did the Lord fulfill His promise to protect His servant and open the way for the development of the Reformation? Isaiah 54:17.

Note: “The arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all England a peremptory command for the arrest and imprisonment of the heretic. These measures pointed directly to the stake. It appeared certain that Wycliffe must soon fall a prey to the vengeance of Rome. But He who declared to one of old, ‘Fear not: … I am thy shield’ (Genesis 15:1), again stretched out His hand to protect His servant. Death came, not to the Reformer, but to the pontiff who had decreed his destruction. Gregory XI died, and the ecclesiastics who had assembled for Wycliffe’s trial, dispersed.” The Great Controversy, 86.

7 How did the death of Pope Gregory XI aid the work of the Reformation, and what was revealed to the people about the papacy in the events that followed? Isaiah 57:19–21.

Note: “God’s providence still further overruled events to give opportunity for the growth of the Reformation. The death of Gregory was followed by the election of two rival popes. Two conflicting powers, each professedly infallible, now claimed obedience. …

“The schism, with all the strife and corruption which it caused, prepared the way for the Reformation by enabling the people to see what the papacy really was. In a tract which he published, On the Schism of the Popes, Wycliffe called upon the people to consider whether these two priests were not speaking the truth in condemning each other as the anti-christ.” The Great Controversy, 86, 87.

8 What precious heritage was Wycliff able to bequeath to the English-speaking people? II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19–21.

Note: “He [Wycliffe] lived to place in the hands of his countrymen the most powerful of all weapons against Rome—to give them the Bible, the Heaven-appointed agent to liberate, enlighten, and evangelize the people. There were many and great obstacles to surmount in the accomplishment of this work. Wycliffe was weighed down with infirmities; he knew that only a few years for labor remained for him. …

“At last the work was completed—the first English translation of the Bible ever made. The word of God was opened to England. The Reformer feared not now the prison or the stake. He had placed in the hands of the English people a light which should never be extinguished. In giving the Bible to his countrymen, he had done more to break the fetters of ignorance and vice, more to liberate and elevate his country, than was ever achieved by the most brilliant victories on fields of battle.” The Great Controversy, 88.

9 Why is Wycliffe called the “morning star?” In what way did he herald the light of the Reformation? Psalm 119:105.

Note: “Wycliffe came from the obscurity of the Dark Ages. There were none who went before him from whose work he could shape his system of reform. Raised up like John the Baptist to accomplish a special mission, he was the herald of a new era. Yet in the system of truth which he presented there was a unity and completeness which Reformers who followed him did not exceed, and which some did not reach, even a hundred years later. So broad and deep was laid the foundation, so firm and true was the framework, that it needed not to be reconstructed by those who came after him.” The Great Controversy, 93.

10 How was Divine providence working to break the shackles of papal darkness in the minds of the common people? Isaiah 55:10, 11.

Note: “The great movement that Wycliffe inaugurated, which was to liberate the conscience and the intellect, and set free the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of Rome, had its spring in the Bible. Here was the source of that stream of blessing, which, like the water of life, has flowed down the ages since the fourteenth century. Wycliffe accepted the Holy Scriptures with implicit faith as the inspired revelation of God’s will, a sufficient rule of faith and practice.” The Great Controversy, 93.

“It was through the writings of Wycliffe that John Huss, of Bohemia, was led to renounce many of the errors of Romanism and to enter upon the work of reform. … A divine hand was preparing the way for the Great Reformation.” Ibid., 96.

Personal Review Questions

1 What was the first point that turned Wycliffe in the way of God?

2 What was Wycliffe’s desire as he realized the truth in the Scriptures?

3 What particularly did he attack in the light of the Word of God?

4 What was his great bequest to the English people?

5 How far did the work of his influence extend?

Additional Reading

“A third time he was brought to trial, and now before the highest ecclesiastical tribunal in the kingdom. Here no favor would be shown to heresy. Here at last Rome would triumph, and the Reformer’s work would be stopped. So thought the papists. If they could but accomplish their purpose, Wycliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines, or would leave the court only for the flames.

“But Wycliffe did not retract; he would not dissemble. He fearlessly maintained his teachings and repelled the accusations of his persecutors. Losing sight of himself, of his position, of the occasion, he summoned his hearers before the divine tribunal, and weighed their sophistries and deceptions in the balances of eternal truth. The power of the Holy Spirit was felt in the council room. A spell from God was upon the hearers. They seemed to have no power to leave the place. As arrows from the Lord’s quiver, the Reformer’s words pierced their hearts. The charge of heresy, which they had brought against him, he with convincing power threw back upon themselves. Why, he demanded, did they dare to spread their errors? For the sake of gain, to make merchandise of the grace of God?

“ ‘With whom, think you,’ he finally said, ‘are ye contending? with an old man on the brink of the grave? No! with Truth—Truth which is stronger than you, and will overcome you.’—Wylie, b. 2, ch. 13. So saying, he withdrew from the assembly, and not one of his adversaries attempted to prevent him.

“Wycliffe’s work was almost done; the banner of truth which he had so long borne was soon to fall from his hand; but once more he was to bear witness for the gospel. The truth was to be proclaimed from the very stronghold of the kingdom of error. Wycliffe was summoned for trial before the papal tribunal at Rome, which had so often shed the blood of the saints. He was not blind to the danger that threatened him, yet he would have obeyed the summons had not a shock of palsy made it impossible for him to perform the journey. But though his voice was not to be heard at Rome, he could speak by letter, and this he determined to do. From his rectory the Reformer wrote to the pope a letter, which, while respectful in tone and Christian in spirit, was a keen rebuke to the pomp and pride of the papal see.

“ ‘Verily I do rejoice,’ he said, ‘to open and declare unto every man the faith which I do hold, and especially unto the bishop of Rome: which, forasmuch as I do suppose to be sound and true, he will most willingly confirm my said faith, or if it be erroneous, amend the same.’ ” The Great Controversy, 90, 91.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – The Failure of a Ghastly Experiment

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December 12, 2010 – December 18, 2010

Key Text

“And when they [the two witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” Revelation 11:7.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 275–288.

Introduction

“It had been Rome’s policy, under a profession of reverence for the Bible, to keep it locked up in an unknown tongue and hidden away from the people. Under her rule the witnesses prophesied ‘clothed in sackcloth’ [Revelation 11:3]. But another power—the beast from the bottomless pit—was to arise to make open, avowed war upon the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 269.

1 What had God declared of His two witnesses—the Old and New Testaments—during the 1260-year period of papal persecution? Revelation 11:2–6. What was to occur just as they were finishing their testimony? Revelation 11:7.

Note: “[Revelation 11:7 quoted.] The period when the two witnesses were to prophesy clothed in sackcloth, ended in 1798. As they were approaching the termination of their work in obscurity, war was to be made upon them by the power represented as ‘the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit’ [Revelation 11:7].” The Great Controversy, 268.

2 As a nation which had long been a stronghold of papal power and total suppression of God’s Word, why was France ripe for revolution? John 3:19.

Note: “The war against the Bible, carried forward for so many centuries in France, culminated in the scenes of the Revolution. That terrible outbreaking was but the legitimate result of Rome’s suppression of the Scriptures.” The Great Controversy, 265.

3 How did the prophecy of Revelation 11:7 meet its fulfillment?

Note: “The atheistical power that ruled in France during the Revolution and the Reign of Terror, did wage such a war against God and His holy word as the world had never witnessed. The worship of the Deity was abolished by the National Assembly. Bibles were collected and publicly burned with every possible manifestation of scorn. The law of God was trampled underfoot. The institutions of the Bible were abolished. The weekly rest day was set aside, and in its stead every tenth day was devoted to reveling and blasphemy. Baptism and the Communion were prohibited. And announcements posted conspicuously over the burial places declared death to be an eternal sleep.” The Great Controversy, 273, 274.

4 In a spiritual sense, what two characteristics—one of Egypt and one of Sodom—were found in France during the revolution? Revelation 11:8; Exodus 5:1, 2; Ezekiel 16:49.

Note: “ ‘The great city’ in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, is ‘spiritually’ Egypt. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: ‘Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. ‘The great city’ is also compared, ‘spiritually,’ to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfill the specifications of this scripture.

“According to the words of the prophet, then, a little before the year 1798 some power of satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the land where the testimony of God’s two witnesses should thus be silenced, there would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh and the licentiousness of Sodom.” The Great Controversy, 269.

5 How had Rome inflamed the kings against Protestantism at the beginning of the sixteenth century? What scriptural law was now being fulfilled in France? Galatians 6:7.

Note: “It was popery that had begun the work which atheism was completing. The policy of Rome had wrought out those conditions, social, political, and religious, that were hurrying France on to ruin. Writers, in referring to the horrors of the Revolution, say that these excesses are to be charged upon the throne and the church. In strict justice they are to be charged upon the church. Popery had poisoned the minds of kings against the Reformation, as an enemy to the crown, an element of discord that would be fatal to the peace and harmony of the nation. It was the genius of Rome that by this means inspired the direst cruelty and the most galling oppression which proceeded from the throne.” The Great Controversy, 276, 277.

“Unhappy France reaped in blood the harvest she had sown. Terrible were the results of her submission to the controlling power of Rome. Where France, under the influence of Romanism, had set up the first stake at the opening of the Reformation, there the Revolution set up its first guillotine. On the very spot where the first martyrs to the Protestant faith were burned in the sixteenth century, the first victims were guillotined in the eighteenth. In repelling the gospel, which would have brought her healing, France had opened the door to infidelity and ruin.” Ibid., 282.

6 How did Scripture prophesy of the massacre of St. Bartholomew? Revelation 11:9, 10. Into what category will those who lost their lives in this darkest crime of the dark period be reckoned? Hebrews 11:36–38. How many were slain?

Note: “Blackest in the black catalogue of crime, most horrible among the fiendish deeds of all the dreadful centuries, was the St. Bartholomew Massacre. The world still recalls with shuddering horror the scenes of that most cowardly and cruel onslaught. The king of France, urged on by Romish priests and prelates, lent his sanction to the dreadful work. …

“Throughout France the butchery continued for two months. Seventy thousand of the very flower of the nation perished.” The Great Controversy, 272.

7 What are we all to learn from the real cause of the shame and reproach that came upon France? Proverbs 14:34.

Note: “The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of France was the ignoring of this one great truth: that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of God. …

“Atheists, infidels, and apostates oppose and denounce God’s law; but the results of their influence prove that the well-being of man is bound up with his obedience of the divine statutes. Those who will not read the lesson from the book of God are bidden to read it in the history of nations.” The Great Controversy, 285.

8 Upon what does the welfare of the family, the church, and the nation depend? Proverbs 1:33; Isaiah 48:18, 22.

9 What does God declare in the midst of crises such as happened in France? Jeremiah 16:20, 21. How did His two witnesses vindicate His name in that nation—and touch the lives of people all over the world? Revelation 11:11, 12.

Note: “God’s faithful witnesses, slain by the blasphemous power that ‘ascendeth out of the bottomless pit,’ were not long to remain silent. ‘After three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.’ Revelation 11:11. It was in 1793 that the decrees which abolished the Christian religion and set aside the Bible passed the French Assembly. Three years and a half later a resolution rescinding these decrees, thus granting toleration to the Scriptures, was adopted by the same body. The world stood aghast at the enormity of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the Sacred Oracles, and men recognized the necessity of faith in God and His word as the foundation of virtue and morality. Saith the Lord: ‘Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.’ Isaiah 37:23. …

“Since France made war upon God’s two witnesses, they have been honored as never before.” The Great Controversy, 287.

10 When was the period of papal domination to end? Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:4–6.

Note: “The periods here mentioned—‘forty and two months,’ and ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.” The Great Controversy, 266.

11 What prophecy of Jesus indicated that the Lord in His mercy would cut short the tribulation within that period? Mark 13:19, 20.

Note: “The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the ‘great tribulation’ to befall the church, the Saviour said: ‘Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.’ Matthew 24:22. Through the influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798.” The Great Controversy, 266, 267.

Personal Review Questions

1 What were the seeds of the French Revolution?

2 What was the blackest blot in the Dark Ages and how many were directly affected?

3 What restrained the tyranny even before the time had fully elapsed?

4 How were the persecutors finally rewarded?

5 What is given men to keep them from falling into such traps?

Additional Reading

“Then came those days when the most barbarous of all codes was administered by the most barbarous of all tribunals; when no man could greet his neighbors or say his prayers … without danger of committing a capital crime; when spies lurked in every corner; when the guillotine was long and hard at work every morning; when the jails were filled as close as the holds of a slave ship; when the gutters ran foaming with blood into the Seine. … While the daily wagonloads of victims were carried to their doom through the streets of Paris, the proconsuls, whom the sovereign committee had sent forth to the departments, reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even in the capital. …

“All this was as Satan would have it. This was what for ages he had been working to secure. His policy is deception from first to last, and his steadfast purpose is to bring woe and wretchedness upon men, to deface and defile the workmanship of God, to mar the divine purposes of benevolence and love, and thus cause grief in heaven. Then by his deceptive arts he blinds the minds of men, and leads them to throw back the blame of his work upon God, as if all this misery were the result of the Creator’s plan. In like manner, when those who have been degraded and brutalized through his cruel power achieve their freedom, he urges them on to excesses and atrocities. Then this picture of unbridled license is pointed out by tyrants and oppressors as an illustration of the results of liberty. …

“The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of France was the ignoring of this one great truth: that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of God. ‘O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.’ ‘There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.’ ‘But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.’ Isaiah 48:18, 22; Proverbs 1:33.” The Great Controversy, 284, 285.

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

Bible Study Guides – It is Written—Unveiling the Sacred Text

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December 5, 2010 – December 11, 2010

Key Text

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” Isaiah 41:6.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 265–275; Early Writings, 214.

Introduction

“Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.” The Great Controversy, 595.

1 During the Dark Ages, who were the only ones who could read the Scriptures? What two major factors caused this? Isaiah 34:16; 29:11, 12.

Note: “In those early times, when the Bible existed only in the ancient languages, scholars were enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth, which was closed to the uneducated classes.” The Great Controversy, 80.

2 What more precious legacy did the Lord impress on some of the Reformers that was greater and longer lasting in its influence than their teaching, example or writings? Isaiah 28:9, 10.

Note: “Upon his return from the Wartburg, Luther completed his translation of the New Testament, and the gospel was soon after given to the people of Germany in their own language. This translation was received with great joy by all who loved the truth; but it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions and the commandments of men.” The Great Controversy, 193, 194.

“When there were but few copies of the Bible, it was precious and comforting to the persecuted followers of Jesus. It was read in the most secret manner, and those who had this exalted privilege felt that they had had an interview with God, with His Son Jesus, and with His disciples.” Early Writings, 214.

3 Why did the papal leaders oppose the general publication of the Scriptures among the common people? John 3:19–21.

4 On what basis only can all true doctrine and enduring reform be established? What did Jesus say of those having another foundation? John 5:39; Matthew 15:13.

Note: “God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.” The Great Controversy, 595.

5 What is essential in order to know the will of God? For what did Christ rebuke religious leaders in His day? Mark 12:24.

Note: “The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are false teachers. It was to such a class that Jesus declared: ‘Ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.’ Mark 12:24. The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given the promise: ‘If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.’ John 7:17. If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad and that would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error.” The Great Controversy, 598, 599.

6 Who followed the work of Wycliffe in translating the Scriptures into the English language? Why was his work completed in mainland Europe? Luke 4:24; Matthew 10:23.

Note: “The purpose which he [William Tyndale] had begun to cherish, of giving to the people the New Testament Scriptures in their own language, was now confirmed, and he immediately applied himself to the work. Driven from his home by persecution, he went to London, and there for a time pursued his labors undisturbed. But again the violence of the papists forced him to flee. All England seemed closed against him, and he resolved to seek shelter in Germany. Here he began the printing of the English New Testament. Twice the work was stopped; but when forbidden to print in one city, he went to another. At last he made his way to Worms, where, a few years before, Luther had defended the gospel before the Diet. In that ancient city were many friends of the Reformation, and Tyndale there prosecuted his work without further hindrance.” The Great Controversy, 246, 247.

7 What Reformer was instrumental in translating the New Testament into the French language? Which bishop helped him?

Note: “Lefevre undertook the translation of the New Testament; and at the very time when Luther’s German Bible was issuing from the press in Wittenberg, the French New Testament was published at Meaux. The bishop [of Meaux] spared no labor or expense to circulate it in his parishes, and soon the peasants of Meaux were in possession of the Holy Scriptures.” The Great Controversy, 214, 215.

8 With what actions did the leadership of Sweden warmly welcome the Scriptures in their native tongue?

Note: “The New Testament had been translated by Olaf Petri into the Swedish language, and at the desire of the king the two brothers [Olaf and Laurentius Petri] undertook the translation of the whole Bible. Thus for the first time the people of Sweden received the word of God in their native tongue. It was ordered by the Diet that throughout the kingdom, ministers should explain the Scriptures and that the children in the schools should be taught to read the Bible.” The Great Controversy, 244.

9 Biblical Perspective

  • Why was the Bible written? Romans 15:4
  • Why were the Bereans commended? Acts 17:11
  • What can the Bible do for one who believes in it? II Timothy 3:15
  • When opening the Bible, what should we pray? Psalm 119:18; Ephesians 1:17
  • What is the condition upon which we will receive understanding? Proverbs 2:3–5

10 What was the result of the Swedes having the complete Bible in their language, churches and schools? Proverbs 14:34, first part.

Note: “Freed from Romish oppression, the nation attained to a strength and greatness it had never before reached. Sweden became one of the bulwarks of Protestantism. A century later, at a time of sorest peril, this small and hitherto feeble nation—the only one in Europe that dared lend a helping hand—came to the deliverance of Germany in the terrible struggle of the Thirty Years’ War. All Northern Europe seemed about to be brought again under the tyranny of Rome. It was the armies of Sweden that enabled Germany to turn the tide of popish success, to win toleration for the Protestants—Calvinists as well as Lutherans—and to restore liberty of conscience to those countries that had accepted the Reformation.” The Great Controversy, 244.

11 What names and cities stand prominently in the pages of history as instruments in the hand of God? Psalm 112:6–8.

Note: “ ‘When we confine our attention to such brilliant centers as Wittenberg and Zurich, and to such illustrious names as those of Luther and Melanchthon, of Zwingli and Oecolampadius, we are apt to be told, these were the leaders of the movement, and we should naturally expect in them prodigious power and vast acquisitions; but the subordinates were not like these. Well, we turn to the obscure theater of Sweden, and the humble names of Olaf and Laurentius Petri—from the masters to the disciples—what do we find? … Scholars and theologians; men who have thoroughly mastered the whole system of gospel truth, and who win an easy victory over the sophists of the schools and the dignitaries of Rome.’ ” The Great Controversy, 243, 244.

Personal Review Questions

1 Why was it necessary to have the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people rather than only for the scholars?

2 Research the history of how the Bible came into your language.

3 Why could Sweden play a critical role in the Reformation?

Additional Reading

“The suppression of the Scriptures during the period of papal supremacy was foretold by the prophets; and the Revelator points also to the terrible results that were to accrue especially to France from the domination of the ‘man of sin’ [II Thessalonians 2:3].

“Said the angel of the Lord: ‘The holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months. And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. … And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. … And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.’ Revelation 11:2–11.

“The periods here mentioned—‘forty and two months,’ and ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. … At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.

“The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the ‘great tribulation’ to befall the church, the Saviour said: ‘Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.’ Matthew 24:22. Through the influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798.

“Concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further: ‘These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.’ ‘Thy word,’ said the psalmist, ‘is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ Revelation 11:4; Psalm 119:105. The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy.

“ ‘They shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.’ During the greater part of this period, God’s witnesses remained in a state of obscurity. The papal power sought to hide from the people the word of truth, and set before them false witnesses to contradict its testimony. … When the Bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed, tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and caves of the earth—then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God’s word and were jealous for His honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare His truth during the whole of this time.” The Great Controversy, 266, 267.

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

Bible Study Guides – After the Scriptures Were Penned

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December 11, 2011 – December 17, 2011

Key Text

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3.

Study Help: Early Writings, 222–226; Maranatha, 15–17.

Introduction

“The Waldenses, John Wycliffe, Huss and Jerome, Martin Luther and Zwingli, Cranmer, Latimer, and Knox, the Huguenots, John and Charles Wesley, and a host of others brought to the foundation material that will endure throughout eternity.” The Acts of the Apostles, 598.

1 BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIANS

  • What is the main key to victory and genuineness in the Christian life? Matthew 4:4.

Note: “This word [of God] is the bread of heaven, and those who read and study it, making its truths a part of the life, will be given power from above.” The Review and Herald, March 24, 1904.

  • How important is Scripture to the Christian faith? Acts 20:32; II Timothy 3:16, 17.

Note: “Spiritual life must be sustained by communion with Christ through His Word. The mind must dwell upon it, the heart must be filled with it. The Word of God laid up in the heart and sacredly cherished and obeyed, through the power of the grace of Christ can make man right, and keep him right; but every human influence, every earthly invention, is powerless to give strength and wisdom to man. It cannot restrain passion, or correct deformity of character. Unless the truth of God controls the heart, the conscience will be warped.” Selected Messages, Book 2,124.

2 THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS

  • In the early centuries after the Scriptures were penned, what happened to the true believers in Bible religion, as symbolized by a pure woman? Revelation 12:12–14.

Note: “The faith which for centuries was held and taught by the Waldensian Christians was in marked contrast to the false doctrines put forth from Rome. Their religious belief was founded upon the written word of God, the true system of Christianity. But those humble peasants, in their obscure retreats, shut away from the world, and bound to daily toil among their flocks and their vineyards, had not by themselves arrived at the truth in opposition to the dogmas and heresies of the apostate church. Theirs was not a faith newly received. Their religious belief was their inheritance from their fathers. They contended for the faith of the apostolic church—‘the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.’ Jude 3. ‘The church in the wilderness,’ and not the proud hierarchy enthroned in the world’s great capital, was the true church of Christ, the guardian of the treasures of truth which God has committed to His people to be given to the world. …

“The Waldenses were among the first of the peoples of Europe to obtain a translation of the Holy Scriptures. Hundreds of years before the Reformation they possessed the Bible in manuscript in their native tongue. They had the truth unadulterated, and this rendered them the special objects of hatred and persecution.” The Great Controversy, 64, 65.

  • What was one of the key doctrines which these persecuted saints upheld? Luke 6:5.

Note: “Among the leading causes that had led to the separation of the true church from Rome was the hatred of the latter toward the Bible Sabbath. As foretold by prophecy, the papal power cast down the truth to the ground. The law of God was trampled in the dust, while the traditions and customs of men were exalted. The churches that were under the rule of the papacy were early compelled to honor the Sunday as a holy day.” The Great Controversy, 65.

3 THE GREAT REFORMATION

  • What precious promises did Christ give to the faithful few living in the era of Thyatira during the Dark Ages? Revelation 2:24–28. How was the prophecy of the “morning star” fulfilled?

Note: “In the fourteenth century arose in England the ‘morning star of the Reformation.’ John Wycliffe was the herald of reform, not for England alone, but for all Christendom. The great protest against Rome which it was permitted him to utter was never to be silenced. That protest opened the struggle which was to result in the emancipation of individuals, of churches, and of nations.” The Great Controversy, 80.

  • What beautiful, yet hidden, gems of truth were rediscovered by men such as Martin Luther? I Timothy 2:5; Romans 1:16, 17.

Note: “Notwithstanding all the persecution of the saints, living witnesses for God’s truth were raised up on every hand. Angels of the Lord were doing the work committed to their trust. They were searching in the darkest places and selecting out of the darkness men who were honest in heart. These were all buried up in error, yet God called them, as He did Saul, to be chosen vessels to bear His truth and raise their voices against the sins of His professed people. Angels of God moved upon the hearts of Martin Luther, Melanchthon, and others in different places, and caused them to thirst for the living testimony of the Word of God. The enemy had come in like a flood, and the standard must be raised against him. Luther was the one chosen to breast the storm, stand up against the ire of a fallen church, and strengthen the few who were faithful to their holy profession. He was ever fearful of offending God. He tried through works to obtain His favor, but was not satisfied until a gleam of light from heaven drove the darkness from his mind and led him to trust, not in works, but in the merits of the blood of Christ. He could then come to God for himself, not through popes or confessors, but through Jesus Christ alone.

“Oh, how precious to Luther was this new and glorious light which had dawned upon his dark understanding and driven away his superstition! He prized it higher than the richest earthly treasure. The Word of God was new. Everything was changed. The book he had dreaded because he could not see beauty in it, was now life, eternal life, to him. It was his joy, his consolation, his blessed teacher.” Early Writings, 222, 223.

4 THE LAODICEAN ERA

  • What did William Miller, a meticulous Bible student, begin to realize in the 1830s?

Note: “He [William Miller] was forced to the conclusion, from the study of Scripture alone, that the period allotted for the continuance of the earth in its present state was about to close.” The Great Controversy, 323.

  • Explain some of the important prophecies which came to light among the believers in the second-advent movement. Daniel 8:14; Revelation 1:7; 14:1–12.
  • Despite the great light entrusted and the urgency of the hour, why has Christ been disappointed in the church of this era? I Corinthians 14:8; Revelation 3:14–17.

Note: “We are in danger of giving the third angel’s message in so indefinite a manner that it does not impress the people. So many other interests are brought in that the very message which should be proclaimed with power becomes tame and voiceless.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 60.

  • Due to the lukewarm state of spirituality, what does Christ warn? Revelation 3:18, 19. Yet with the passing of time, has this problem become better—or worse? James 2:10–12.

Note: “Of those who boast of their light and yet fail to walk in it Christ says, ‘But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee’ [Matthew 11:22–24].” The Review and Herald, August 1, 1893. (All explanations in brackets were penned by the author.)

5 A MOVEMENT OF REFORMATION SEPARATED

  • When the highest level of church-body leadership turns from its original course, to persecute and condemn to imprisonment and death those upholding the very principles on which the body was founded, what does that indicate? Matthew 23:37–39.

Note: “By the stoning of Stephen the Jews finally sealed their rejection of the gospel.” The Desire of Ages, 233.

“There are clear, decided distinctions to be restored and exemplified to the world in holding aloft the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. The beauty of holiness is to appear in its native luster in contrast with the deformity and darkness of the disloyal, those who have revolted from the law of God. Thus we acknowledge God and recognize His law, the foundation of His government in heaven and throughout His earthly dominions. His authority should be kept distinct and plain before the world, and no laws are to be acknowledged that come in collision with the laws of Jehovah. If in defiance of God’s arrangements the world be allowed to influence our decisions or our actions, the purpose of God is defeated. However specious the pretext, if the church waver here, there is written against her in the books of heaven a betrayal of the most sacred trusts, and treachery to the kingdom of Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 16, 17.

  • Why does God endorse a separation in such circumstances? Psalm 11:3; Jude 3.

Note: “Satan has laid every measure possible that nothing shall come among us as a people to reprove and rebuke us, and exhort us to put away our errors. But there is a people who will bear the ark of God.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 411.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How can I develop a greater appreciation for the Bible as the foundation of faith?

2 Why are we to be inspired by our church forefathers in the wilderness?

3 What made Martin Luther’s experience such a joyous one?

4 Why does God place all church organizations on probation?

5 When God calls forth a reformatory movement, what is its continual duty?

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

The Early Hussite Wars

by

Jerome, hearing of the arrest of Huss, quickly made his way to Constance in the hope of being able to be of some help to him. Upon his arrival, it became apparent to him that he was not going to be able to help his beloved master, but that he was in great danger himself. He attempted to flee and was well on his way to Prague when he was arrested and returned in chains to Constance.

Soon thereafter, a letter arrived from the barons of Bohemia, which convinced the council that it had been self-deceived when it had convinced itself that it was done with Huss when it threw his ashes into the Rhine. Very clearly a storm was brewing; and should they plant a second stake, it would all too certainly burst upon them. It was, therefore, decided that it would be most prudent to induce Jerome to recant, and to this the council now directed its efforts. They brought Jerome before them, depressed in mind and sick in body from four months of confinement in a noisome dungeon. When offered the alternative of recanting or the stake, he yielded to the council.

The retraction that Jerome gave was, however, a very qualified one. He submitted himself to the council and subscribed to the justice of its condemnation of the articles of Wycliffe and Huss, saving and excepting the “holy truths” which they had taught; and he promised to live and die in the Catholic faith.

There were men, however, who were determined that Jerome should pay the penalty for his errors, and a new list of charges were preferred against him. Meanwhile, from his cell, Jerome had an opportunity to reflect on what he had done. As he contrasted the peace of mind he had enjoyed before his retraction with the doubts that now darkened his soul, he realized that it was a gulf with no bottom into which he was about to throw himself. As he looked to His Saviour, his faith grew strong and peace returned to his soul.

The new charges were communicated to Jerome in prison, but he refused to answer and demanded a public hearing. On May 23, 1416, he was taken to the cathedral church where the council had assembled to consider his cause.

Greatly fearing the effect of his words, the fathers demanded a simple “Yes” or “No” answer. ” ‘What injustice! What cruelty!’ exclaimed Jerome. ‘You have held me shut up three hundred and forty days in a frightful prison, in the midst of filth, noisomeness, stench, and the utmost want of everything. You then bring me out before you, and lending an ear to my mortal enemies, you refuse to hear me. If you be really wise men, and the lights of the world, take care not to sin against justice. As for me, I am only a feeble mortal; my life is but of little importance; and when I exhort you not to deliver an unjust sentence, I speak less for myself than for you.’ ” Wylie, The History of Protestantism, vol. 1, 171

The uproar that followed his words drowned out any further words. When the storm had abated, it was decided that he should be fully heard three days later.

At his earlier hearing, Jerome had subscribed to the justice of Huss’s condemnation; and at his second hearing he bitterly repented of this wrong, done in a moment of cowardice. Having known Huss since childhood, he stated that he knew him to be of a most excellent character. He continued, “Of all the sins that I have committed since my youth, none weighs so heavily on my mind, and causes me such poignant remorse, as that which I committed in this fatal place, when I approved of the iniquitous sentence recorded against Wycliffe, and against the holy martyr John Huss, my master and my friend. . . . You condemned Wycliffe and Huss, not because they shook the faith, but because they branded with reprobation the scandals of the clergy—their pomp, their pride, and their luxuriousness.” Ibid., 172

These words signaled another tumult in the assembly. From all sides the cry was raised: “What need is there of further proof? The most obstinate of heretics is before us.”

“Unmoved by the tempest, Jerome exclaimed: ‘What! do you suppose that I fear to die? You have held me for a whole year in a frightful dungeon, more horrible than death itself. You have treated me more cruelly than a Turk, Jew, or pagan, and my flesh has literally rotted off my bones alive; and yet I make no complaint, for lamentation ill becomes a man of heart and spirit; but I cannot but express my astonishment at such great barbarity toward a Christian.’ ” The Great Controversy, 114

Jerome was carried back to his cell to await sentencing.

On May 30, 1416, Jerome was brought out to receive his sentence. The townspeople, drawn from their homes by the rumor of what was about to take place, crowded to the cathedral gates to watch.

As Jerome was conducted through the city and out to the place of execution, with a cheerful countenance he began to loudly sing. As they arrived at the place, he kneeled down and began to pray. He was still praying when his executioners raised him up, and with cords and chains, bound him to the stake, which had been carved into something that was a rude likeness of Huss.

When the executioner, about to kindle the pile, stepped behind him, the martyr checked him: ” ‘Come forward,’ said he, ‘and kindle the pile before my face; for had I been afraid of the fire I should not be here.’ ” Wylie, The History of Protestantism, 2, vol. 1, 176

Though the light bearers had perished, the light to the truths they proclaimed could not be extinguished.

In Bohemia, the deaths of Huss and Jerome sent a thrill of indignation and horror throughout the country. All ranks, from the highest to the lowest, were stirred by what had taken place; and every day the flame of popular indignation burned more fiercely. It was evident that a terrible outburst of pent-up wrath was about to be witnessed.

But deeper feelings were at work among the Bohemian people than those of anger. The faith which had been so notably evident in the lives of the martyrs was contrasted with the faith of those who had so basely murdered them, and the contrast was found to be very unfavorable to the latter. The writings of Wycliffe, which had escaped the flames, were read and compared with such portions of Holy Writ as were accessible to the people, resulting in a wide acceptance of the evangelical doctrines. The new ideas gained ground daily, and the adherents came to be known as Hussites.

The throne of Bohemia was at that time filled by Wenceslaus, who gave loose reins to his low propensities and vices. He cared little whether his subjects remained within the paths of orthodoxy or strayed into heresy. His dislike for the priests led him to turn a deaf ear to their pleadings that he forbid the preaching of the new doctrines, and he secretly rejoiced at the progress of the gospel teaching.

Meanwhile, back in Constance, the most pressing matter was the selection of a new pope; and on November 14, 1417, the cardinals announced that they had chosen Otho de Colonna. Upon receiving the position, he chose the name of Martin V.

Though the citizens of Bohemia were aflame with indignation, they had no one to organize or lead them. It was at this time that a most remarkable man came to the forefront to organize the nation and lead its armies. John Trocznowski, better known as Ziska, who was chamberlain to Wenceslaus, came to the rescue.

The shock that the martyrdom of Huss gave to the nation was not unfelt by Ziska in the palace. The gay courtier suddenly became thoughtful and quiet. One day the monarch, surprised by his thoughtful mood, exclaimed at finding him so. ” ‘I cannot brook the insult offered to Bohemia at Constance by the murder of John Huss,’ replied the chamberlain. ‘Where is the use,’ said the king, ‘of vexing one’s self about it? Neither you nor I have the means of avenging it. But,’ continued the king, thinking doubtless that Ziska’s fit would soon pass off, ‘if you are able to call the emperor and Council to account, you have my permission.’ ‘Very good, my gracious master,’ rejoined Ziska, ‘will you be pleased to give me your permission in writing?’ Wenceslaus, who liked a joke, and deeming that such a document would be perfectly harmless in the hands of one who had neither friends, nor money, nor soldiers, gave Ziska what he asked under the royal seal.” Ibid., 183

Ziska , who accepted the authorization as no joke, bided his time until the right opportunity should present itself. It soon came. The pope had sent his legate to Bohemia to ascertain how matters stood. In his report, the legate stated that the tongue and pen were no longer of any use and that without further ado, it was high time to take arms against such obstinate heretics. This further stimulated the excitement already felt in Prague where the burghers were assembled to deliberate on the measures to be adopted in avenging the nations’ insulted honor and defending its threatened independence.

Suddenly, Ziska appeared, armed with the royal authorization. The citizens were embolden when they saw one who stood so high, as they believed, in the favor of the king, putting himself at their head. They were led to conclude that Wenceslaus was also with them, but in this they were mistaken. The factions within the city became more embittered every day, and a tumult and massacre broke out against the Catholics. The king, hearing the news of the outrage, was so excited that he had a fit of apoplexy and died a few days later.

Once the king was dead, the queen espoused the side of the Catholics and the tumults broke out anew. For a whole week the fighting continued, resulting in considerable bloodshed and the pillaging of the convents. Emperor Sigismund, brother of the deceased Wenceslaus, now claimed the crown of Bohemia and marched on Prague to take possession of the crown. The Bohemians, however, resolved on resistance, and the pent-up tempest burst.

The Hussites had agreed to meet on Michaelmas Day, 1419, on a plain not far from Prague to celebrate the Eucharist. On the day appointed, 40,000 from all the surrounding towns and villages assembled and partook of the Communion. It was a very simple affair; and when it was concluded, they took up a collection to give to the man on whose ground they had met. Before parting, they agreed to a second meeting to take place before Martinmas.

The matter became known, and it was determined that the second meeting would not be allowed to pass so quietly. A body of the emperor’s troops were sent to lie in ambush. The knowledge of this was given to the approaching Hussites. Being armed only with walking staves, they sent messengers to the towns behind them, begging assistance. A small body of soldiers was dispatched to their aid; and in the conflict which followed, the imperial cavalry, though a superior force, was put to flight.

The die had been cast; and the Bohemians were involved in a conflict, the scope of which they but little dreamed. The Turks, with no thought of intentionally aiding them, struck the empire from the opposite side, thus dividing the emperor’s forces. Ziska, recognizing this Providential occurrence, hurriedly rallied the whole of Bohemia before the emperor could ease the situation with the Moslems and before the bands of Germany, summoned by the pope, should arrive. He at once issued a manifesto in which he invoked both the religion and the patriotism of his country men. In it he said, “Remember your first encounter, when you were few against many, unarmed against well-armed men. The hand of God has not been shortened. Have courage, and be ready. May God strengthen you!” Ibid., 185

The appeal put forth by Ziska was responded to with a burst of enthusiasm. From all parts of the country, the people rallied to the standard. Unfortunately, these hastily assembled masses were but poorly disciplined, and still more poorly armed. This shortage was, however, supplied in a way that they but little dreamed of.

They had but scarcely begun their march toward the capital when they encountered a body of imperial cavalry. They quickly routed, captured, and disarmed them, thus gaining the weapons they so desperately needed. Marching on to Prague, they entered the city and proceeded to sack the monasteries which were known for their beauty. The treasure taken, which was immense, went a long way to defray the expenses of the war.

Sigismund deemed it prudent to come to terms with the Turks that he might more effectively deal with the Hussites. Assembling an army of 100,000 men of various nationalities, he marched on Prague, now in possession of the Hussites, and laid siege to it. The citizens, under the brave Ziska, drove them with disgrace from the field. The imperial forces avenged themselves by committing atrocities in their retreat.

A second attempt was made to take Prague the same year, resulting only in further disgrace to the imperial forces, who again marked their retreat by outrages against the populace.

In the war that followed, the small nation of Bohemia was pitted against the combined nations of Europe. No one can doubt that the hand of Providence covered them as Ziska won battle after battle. He completely outmaneuvered the armies of the emperor, overwhelming them by surprises and baffling them by new and masterly tactics.

The cause for which they fought had a hallowing effect on the conduct in the camps of the Hussites. Often in their marches they were preceded by their pastors, reminiscent of the march of Jehoshaphat against the combined forces of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir when the priests led the army with singing. In the rear of the army the women followed, tending the sick and wounded; and in cases of necessity, working on the ramparts.

This struggle by the Bohemians, reluctant to unsheathe the sword, taught their enemies a lesson long remembered. Their struggle paved the way for the quiet entrance of the Reformation a century later. Charles V long pondered the situation before lending his sword to the cause of the papacy, well remembering the terrible price that had been extracted from those who sought by conflict of arms to crush the Hussites.

Ziska , the greatest general that ever lived, had been deprived of the sight in one of his eyes by an accident in boyhood. During the course of the war, at the siege of Raby, ziska lost the other and was now entirely blind. In spite of this apparent setback, he demonstrated a marvelous genius for arranging an army and directing its movements. When an action was about to take place, he would call a few officers around him and have them describe the nature of the ground and the position of the enemy. His arrangement was instantly made as, if by intuition, he saw the course the battle must run and the successive maneuvers by which victory was to be gained. His inner eye surveyed the whole field and watched every movement.

One contributing factor to his brilliant successes was his manner of arranging his defense. The wooden wagons were linked to one another by strong iron chains, and, ranged in line, were placed in front of the army. This fortification, ranged in the form of a circle, at times enclosed the whole army. Behind this first rampart rose a second wall formed by the long wooden shields of the soldiers, stuck in the ground. The movable walls were formidable obstructions to the German cavalry. Mounted on heavy horses and armed with pikes and battle-axes, they had to force their way through this double fortification before they could close with the Bohemians. All the while they were hewing their way through the wagons, the Bohemian archers were plying them with their arrows. It was a thinned and exhausted force that at length was able to join battle with the foe.

Even when engaged in battle, they found themselves at a disadvantage. The Bohemians were armed with long iron flails which they swung with great force and accuracy, allowing them to crash through the brazen helmet of their opponents. Moreover, they carried long spears which had hooks attached with which they speedily brought the German horsemen to the ground and dispatched them. In addition to numerous skirmishes and many sieges, Ziska fought sixteen pitched battles, all from which he returned a conqueror.

Suddenly Ziska ’s career was ended. It was not in battle that he fell but by the plague. He died October 11, 1424. By his hand, God had humbled the haughty pride of that power which had sought to trample the convictions and consciences of his countrymen in the dust, filling Europe with the fear of his name. The little nation laid him to rest with a sorrow more universal and profound than that with which she had buried any of her kings.

The End