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Pagan Influence and Demonic Doors

Every now and again I meet an earnest Christian that is concerned regarding some relic of Paganism that has crept into his church or home. From neck ties to Easter bunnies, from Christmas trees to concrete pineapple statues, from Egyptian-themed wall-paper to a rosary kept for illustrations, the influence of a Pagan past was felt in the present.

The concerned persons reasoned that Satan had access, by means of these rites and objects, to the churches or homes of the otherwise faithful.

Likeminded conscientious persons existed in the first century of the Christian church. They are commended, for example, for burning some $100,000[1] worth of spiritualistic literature.

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Ac 19:18-20

But it is a question worth asking whether the books would have been consigned to the flames if they did neither promote evil by their information nor encourage it by their existence.

In other words, should an ancient book on Mayan magic, found by a Christian archeologist, also be burned for its pagan past? Or is it harmless now that it is removed by time and language from an ability to promote the Mayan worship?

Just such an issue did arise in the first century church. And understanding the several passages in the New Testament related to the topic will settle also the issues related to Pagan sources today.

But before getting to that issue, let me offer a few observations.

First, many good and wholesome activities have their earthly origin in the creativity of some unbelieving person in some unbelieving people group.

Lamech, for example, was part of the cursed race of Cain that was destroyed by the flood. He may have been the first man to ever attempt polygamy. This practice the Law of God would forbid us to imitate. But his children introduced a few wholesome arts to the human race: ranching, harping and metallurgy.

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: Gen 4:19-22

Second, Satan needed no pagan practice in the life of Job or Paul or Jesus to get access to them.

These two saints and our Savior lived on the earth where Satan is called “prince.” Except where the evil one is prevented from working by order of God, he is free to work here. And so all men are warned with a woe regarding him.

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Re 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Thirdly, Satan finds access to hearts that cherish some sinful desire. His temptations exert their power through that means and he works “in the children of disobedience.” When Satan came to Jesus, however, he found no such cherished evil.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Joh 14:30  For the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

These three facts each reveal an important principle. First, activities are not made evil by means of being first cultivated by heathen persons. Second, Satan has access to men because they are on the earth – even if they have no connection with heathen worship. And third, Satan works inside of persons that disobey God’s law, even if, like Judas, they are numbered among the believers.

But what happened in the New Testament that promises to provide us with a  model for dealing with traditional pagan symbols and rites today?

Christians had to go shopping.

In much of the Roman world vendors would gather in markets to sell their various products. As good pagans many of these honest traders made sacrifices to their false god’s and then, to avert financial loss, sold the meat at market .

It was understood by many persons that eating the sacrificial meat was a meaningful way to participate in the sacrifice to the gods.

This ritual resembles the sanctuary so closely that it is difficult for me to conceive that it rose independently. All the human race was, four thousand years ago, familiar with animal sacrifices. We can not be too surprised that the descendants of Noah that took forbidden paths carried some form of their familiar worship ritual into their perverted religious experiment.

When these Christians were converted they were led to abhor idolatry. And then, as mentioned earlier, they went shopping.

Some took up the habit of asking vendors regarding the meats, whether they had been offered in sacrifice. This method, a very conscientious one, was flawed somewhat by the tendency of vendors to give the answer needed to make a sale.

The church, as a world body, made a decision regarding meat offered to idols. It was determined that Gentile Christians should abstain from eating it.

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Ac 15:28-29.

It was James who suggested this solution to the question. After committee work, it read as given above. But when James first suggested it, he used a different phrase.

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Ac 15:20.

His suggested wording helps us understand what Paul had to say on this same question. It wasn’t the meat itself that was the problem. Materially, a lamb offered to Moloch differs nothing from a lamb offered to the Most High.

In fact, Moloch exists only in the imagination of his worshippers. Food offered to idols of an imaginary deity is only superstitiously affected. Or is it so? Does Satan so treasure the gifts given to him by proxy that he haunts their resting places? Does someone ingesting a consecrated morsel ingest demonic harassment? Or, at the least, do such a one violate the Second Commandment?

These questions bear heavily on our subject. If an ancient connection to pagan worship defiles a symbol or relic of that worship today, certainly a fresh connection would do the same. In other words, if a relic of Mayan worship from 1100 years ago still charges the air around it with demonic activity, certainly a relic of Greek-goddess worship would defile a meal ninety minutes after it was offered.

What we are asking is “How does pagan ritual defile?” One camp says “by the event of association with idolatry.” The other camp says “by the conscious association with idolatry.”

The first camp argues that if it can be proven to be part of pagan worship that it ought to be taboo. The second camp argues that the earth is the Lord’s and Satan is incompetent to consecrate any part of it to himself. Rituals only have meaning, this camp says, when the performer is considering the meaning of the ritual.

In favor of the second camp is the history of the sanctuary service. In Isaiah 1:12-14 God indicates how little He cared for the fat of fed beast and the pilgrimages of the Jews. Being unmixed with faith in a coming Redeemer these rituals lost their value and became bloody ends in themselves. Performed by unregenerate hearts they were nauseating to a Holy God.

The moral value of slaying a lamb while considering a Savior to come compares well to the moral value of eating communion while considering a Savior that came.  How does God view the ritual of communion, however, when the participant is not thinking about the death of Jesus?

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

So what about the meat offered to idols? What if I can eat it without even knowing it was offered to idols? Would my ignorance make the meat more sinister or render it harmless? Knowing the answer could settle our question regarding pagan influence.

As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. . . . To us there is but one . . . Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge [that idols are nothing] sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. . . .

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? [No,] but I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: 1 Co 8:4-13; 10:19-29.

The passage is clear that idols are nothing. Food offered to them is lawful to eat if it can be eaten without any regard to the idol. But heathen persons have regard to their idols. By their regard to they idol they transgress God’s law and demons highly regard this sacrifice to themselves.

Thoughtful consideration of the whole will show that the church voted to abstain altogether from such food for the benefit of the infant gentile Christians. A life of abstaining from meats in the market would be preferable to causing such a one to stumble back into idolatry.

Then should I be concerned with pagan rituals and symbols abounding today? Just to the extent that persons around me associate those items with pagan worship, to just that extent I should refrain for the benefit of my weak brethren.

This brings to the last portion of this short article. The final thought is a simple piece of logic.

Do we think the devil is a child? Haunting empty homes and meaningless rituals because of sentimental memories of some favorite wicked person? Is he afraid of crucifixes and of the syllables “I-aye-ous” or “yah-shu-ah” or “Je-sus” or “Hay-suse” (Greek, Hebrew, English and Spanish names for the Son of God)?

No, no. The devil is an artful foe. He plays games with teenagers and their Ouija boards if he can lead them, this way, to seek supernatural powers outside of Christ. But the board itself is nothing more to him than a screwdriver is to me.

And the devil is comfortable in churches – even in churches where Jesus is. The devil moved the church where Jesus read Isaiah 61 to grab the Savior and lead him to execution (and the Father allowed him to escape. Lu 4:14-30.) Satan is willing to go one-on-one with Jesus, though he always loses. That is what he did in the wilderness. (Lu 4:1-13). He is willing to hang out with a holy apostle if he can in this way confuse the minds of men. That is what he did Acts 16.

The devil may not like sacred music, yet it was David, not Saul, who chose to flee when the evil spirit of the latter threatened the holy heart of the consecrated musician (1Sa 18:10-11; 19:9-10).

Then how can we make the devil leave if he is so hardy? It is easy, but it has nothing to do with ritual. We scare the devil when we resist his temptations in the power of God.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Jas 4:7

This is still true. We can banish the forces of evil each hour. The hangings on our wall or around our neck won’t do it. But choosing to obey God’s words, depending on God’s power, trusting in Christ’s forgiveness – these simple things bring God’s super-power into our life and make the devil tremble.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Jas 2:19

——

Employment, yes, Satan finds

For idle hands and idle minds.

Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to

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the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” [John 14:30.] Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.  {GC88 622.4}

It is true that Christ at one time said of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power.

These books contained rules and forms of communication with evil spirits. They were the regulations for the worship of Satan, directions for soliciting his help and obtaining information from him. The system of magic, or sorcery, then extant, was the same as that which in this Christian age and nation is known as Spiritualism. In Paul’s day many were deceived by this Satanic delusion, and many are deceived today by the same power. Satan finds access to thousands of minds by presenting himself under the guise of departed friends. The Scriptures of truth declare that “the dead know not anything.” Their thoughts, their love, their hatred, have perished. The dead do not hold communion with the living. But Satan–true to his early cunning, when in the form of a serpent he deceived the mother of our race–employs this device to gain control of the minds of men.  {ST, February 18, 1886 par. 5}

And “magical books” have not been confined to the apostolic age, or to nations that are called heathen. The freedom of the press has been taken advantage of to spread abroad the influence of this baleful literature. Could all the modern productions of this class -all the publications of Spiritualism–be treated as were these magical books of the Ephesians, one of Satan’s most successful avenues by which to gain access to the souls of men would be cut off.  {ST, February 18, 1886 par. 6}

Voices that I was surprised to hear were joining this rebellion and those with whom I had labored in past years without any evidence, or any sure knowledge of any change in Sister White, were hard, bold and decided in denouncing her. And of all those so free and forward with their cruel words, not one had come to me and inquired if these reports and their suppositions were true. I was represented as telling things untrue, when I made the statement that not a word of conversation had passed between me and Brethren Jones and Waggoner nor my son Willie upon the law in Galatians. If they had been as frank with me as they were in talking with one another against me, I could have made everything plain to them in this matter. I repeated this several times, because I saw they were determined not to take my testimony. They thought we all came to the conference with a perfect understanding and an agreement to make a stand on the law in Galatians.  {11MR 233.2}

After hearing what I did my heart sank within me. I had never pictured before my mind what dependence we might place in those who claim to be friends, when the spirit of Satan finds entrance to their hearts. I thought of the future crisis, and feelings that I can never put into words for a little time overcame me. [Mark 13:9, 12, 13 quoted.]-234-  {11MR 233.3}

But although Solomon had had great light, he became lifted up in himself, and imagined that he was wise enough to keep himself, so he separated from God. Then he made alliances with the heathen nations around him, and married idolatrous women, and bowed at pagan shrines, and worshiped after the manner of the heathen.  {RH, March 29, 1892 par. 8}

For the Word Doc: Pagan_Influence_and_Demonic_Doors


[1] That is, roughly ¾ of a ton of silver.

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God, Satan, or Chance

Is it God or Satan or chance or global warming that sends bad weather?

The Bible answers plainly.

First, it is apparent that even the winds “obey” Jesus when He commands. In the midst of a storm that was threatening his disciples’ ship Jesus came to their rescue:

Mt 8:26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Mt 8:27  But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Second, God made the world as a wonderful machine. The sun was made a proper distance and with a proper size to warm the earth well. The great volume of water in our atmosphere causes the earth to be temperate. The placement of the moon causes the tides that refresh the coastal areas and promote sea-life. The water-cycle cares for plants and animals alike, providing trillions of gallons of fresh water daily.

The lightening enriches the soil with nitrates. Periodic fires make way for new growth and remove natural clutter. The system of winds and air currents make local weather similar from year to year allowing plants and small animals to find a comfortable home (the snow hare not dwelling in Ecuador and the mango not sprouting in Alaska).  The insulation of snow protects the ground in northern climates from the bitter cold.

In short, God made the world a precious machine that uses weather to benefit the creation.

This is love. Jesus said that we should love and care for our enemies. He explained that his Father does so and that we should do the same:

Mt 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

So God sends good weather on both good and bad people. He does this through the plan established at creation where He caused the current weather system to be developed. The system originally used dew and later used rain. All the elements of nature work together to fulfill God’s word to creation that they be fruitful.

Ge 2:5  . . . The LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. Ge 2:6  But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

Ps 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

When God was speaking with Job, He revealed the fact that God’s love extends further than the habitation of man. God cares for His tender plants in the desert. He makes provision for their life. He arranged for the desert dew that feeds its denizens. God asked Job:

Job 38:25  Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; 26  To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27  To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28  Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

This system of climate control is greater than the powers of heathen enchantment. We must depend on our Father for the provisions that we need from the weather:

Jer 14:22  Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

Chance

The way that the system was set up shows that chance is involved in the day-to-day operation of the system. Whether we get rain on Tuesday or Wednesday may not be a matter of providence. The wind, according to Jesus, may seem to have a mind of its own. The waves of the sea may neither trouble its sailors nor benefit them, but they exist as part of the system. Chance harmonized with God’s general plan of life:

Ec 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jas 3:4  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Even prophets doing God’s work must, at times, work around the operations of nature. (See Acts 27:4, for example). Winter is not a good time to sail, harvest not a good time to sow seed.

Nature Destroyed

And understanding the system also helps us understand the relation of global warming to bad weather. The Bible predicted that, in the end of time, man would find a way to trouble the gigantic system of nature.

Re 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time . . .  that thou . . . shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

So, yes, the effects of global warming may interfere with the loving provision God has made for man and nature. It is the same principle as when political strife prevents the world’s abundant supply of grain from reaching starving persons. God’s provisions are intercepted alike by careless consumers and wicked conspirators.

Satan (with God’s permission)

But it would be far from accurate to say that all weather, all storms, happen merely by natural workings. Satan is directly behind some destructive events. We see this in the story of Job. There (Job 1) Satan attacks Job’s family with a “great wind” and kills Job’s sons. Job 1:18-19.

It would be unreasonable to suppose that Satan does not have recourse to similar activities today. But in the book of Job God’s man was protected, generally, from Satan’s attacks. Satan was limited in the destruction that he was permitted to perpetrate.

Corrective Judgments (intending mercy)

More commonly in scripture we see God using bad weather as a means of drawing men to Himself. Men tend to seek God in their distress. And their eternal life is worth enough to warrant more than a little weather-caused trouble in their lives, if it will give them a better chance to seek God earnestly.

God explained, for example, that capricious local droughts, hail storms and even pest infestations were tools for bringing Israel to repentance. And a terrible storm was used effectively for the same purpose in the case of Jonah.

Am 4:7  And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. 8  So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Hag 2:17  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.

Jon 1:4  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Bad storms often bring individuals to cry out to God for deliverance. If they learn by this means to depend on Him their entire life will improve. They can see in their physical deliverance an evidence of what God can do in the spiritual life.

Ps 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof…28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. . . .

Droughts, in particular, have been sent as judgments on the “wickedness” of men. In the case of Elijah and Ahab, a three year judgment of drought was followed by national revival and  abundant rain. But the rain only came in answer to the earnest and persistent petitions of Elijah.

Ps 107:33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

1Ki 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42  So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43  And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

Discipline without Mercy

Not all weather-related disasters in the Bible are intended to draw victims to repentance. We have already noted that some disasters are man-made and others are chance-oriented. Men will die one way or another and weather is one of the potential causes.

But some men die at the hand of God. The world-wide flood of Genesis 9 wan an example. No mercy consoled or plead with the wicked men of the world once the rain began to fall.

And Egypt suffered a barrage of horrific plagues that famously included hail. Less known is the part that lightening and frost played in the humbling of that proud nation. Pharaoh’s short-term repentance during the plagues shows men the folly of a danger-only religion.

Ex 9:18  Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. . . 34  And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Ps 78:47  He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. 48  He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

While the plagues on Egypt might properly be classed with those disasters that are tended to lead men to repentance, I include them here because they portend a set of plagues that have been mentioned by prophets for thousands of years. The Seven Last Plagues will fill up the wrath of God on those who have rejected his last offers of mercy. The last of the seven is a plague of 75 pound hail stones.

Job 38:22  Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23  Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Re 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

When Jesus returns storm and whirlwind, lightening and rain, will accomplish his purposes. He “will not at all acquit the wicked” in the day that the “hills melt” and the “earth is burned at his presence.”

Na 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4  He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 5  The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

Jer 51:16  When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. [See also Jer 10:13]

Conclusion

God is love. He has made the world well. He saw that “it was good” at the end of each day of Creation. The systems of this earth marvelously use a variety of weather patterns to benefit plants and animals and man.

This is the cause of most weather.

The system has been compromised by the intervention of man. Global warming and pollution have tipped balanced and corrupted rain-water. The effect has included unhelpful weather patterns.

Satan also interferes with the weather. In the case of righteous men like Job, Satan is limited in what he can do. So as the world becomes more wicked we should expect that he will have more power over the weather.

But in all times of earth’s history God has used various types of bad weather to lead men to seek him, to repent, to humble themselves and pray. We ought to be thankful for this type of corrective love just as adults are thankful for the discipline they received as children.

Finally, some men have died in heaven’s weather-related judgments on earth. When this has happened others have had opportunity to take warning and to reform. But a time is coming when Jesus will return. At that point all nature will seem to be out of control and scorching heat will combine with killer hailstones to “sweep away the refuge of lies.” It will be too late to repent.

God is love. And God is just. We may not be able to point to a particular incidence of bad weather and say whether it was caused by God or Satan or global warming, or by Satan being permitted by God to use global warming.

But we can know that God is love. And we can turn out hearts toward him while there is still time.

I hope this has been helpful to you in relation to your question.

Eugene Prewitt

Volunteer for Bibleinfo.com

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Within the Veil in Hebrews

Within the Veil

A Bible Study

Introduction

Since the 1860’s, but especially during the last twenty years, a succession of men has concluded that the sanctuary doctrine, as they once taught it in Adventism, was wrong. This, of course, is no trivial change in position. If the sanctuary doctrine is wrong then another thought follows quickly: Ellen White was wicked (not just wrong).

Since the latter issue is so crucial to Seventh-day Adventist, and since it would be begging the question to use Ellen White to prove a point when the question was whether she had integrity, a Bible study is in right order.

Books of objections require books of answers. Anyone reading “Cast out for the Cross of Christ” knows that it contains hundreds of arguments against the standard Adventist position. Anyone reading “Hebrews” by M. L. Andreason knows that it contains hundreds of arguments in favor of the standard position. The same could be said of books by Ford, Canright, and others (like Ballenger’s) and of books by James White, Uriah Smith, J. N. Andrews, and others (like Andreason’s).

If someone is looking for a verse by verse answer to Ballenger’s objections they will find it in the form of opposing books. There is a reason that Ballenger did not state his position in the form of a verse-by-verse countering of the already-written Adventist position: It would have taken a mammoth book. I am being generous to say that is the only reason.

In summary, that is the same reason that no-one has taken up a paragraph-by-paragraph refuting of Ballenger. It is easier to write a Bible study that explains the truth.

In this study, however, I will limit myself to a Bible study on issues vitally relevant to Ballenger’s material on the sanctuary.

Christ at God’s Right Hand

Christ sits at the Father’s right hand.

Ÿ  “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”           Ps. 110:1

Biblical observations: This passage is written in the present tense, though it was fulfilled more than 1000 years after it was written. This is not strange or abnormal in scripture. Consider the following familiar passages from the Psalms:

I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee. Ps 2:7

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Ps 45:7

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. Ps 22:16-18

It would be shallow to take these or other passages, especially from the Psalms, and to say that they must have been fulfilled in the Old Testament times because they were written in present tense during that time. A classic example of this from outside the Psalms is Isaiah 6.

In this passage Isaiah sees the Lord “high and lifted up” in the temple. Was Isaiah looking at the situation as it existed in his own day? Or did he look at it as it would exist in the future? What did he see?

 

  1. He saw a time when angels commented that the whole earth is full of his glory (v. 3)
  2. He saw a time when the house was filled with smoke (v. 4)
  3. He saw a time when there was an altar with incense (v. 6)
  4. He lived at a time when a message of hopelessness would be preached until the earth would be uninhabited (v. 11-12)

From Revelation it is easy to make a general statement about the timing of the fulfillment of Isaiah 6.

 

  1. The glory of the Lord filling the earth happens in Rev. 18:1. It is still future in the Old Testament (Num 14:21) and was even future in Isaiah’s time (Hab 2:14; Is 11:9).
  2. The house fills with smoke during the seven last plagues. Rev. 15:8. It signifies the close of human probation.
  3. Intercession at the altar commenced in Revelation 8:2. There Jesus was given incense, representing His own merits, to offer with the prayers of all saints. It ends in 8:5 when the censer is thrown down.
  4. The millennium, when the earth is again void, follows the close of probation and Christ’s coming and the time God when will have “removed men far away” (Is 6:11).

So Isaiah 6 is a prophecy of the closing of Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary. This point could be proven by a great deal more evidence.

The sum of what we have shown, as related to Ballenger’s arguments, is that the ministration of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary commenced when Jesus was “given much incense.” The prophecies of Isaiah 6 and of the Psalms that speak of Christ’s ministry in the present tense must not be understood to contradict others that speak of it in the future tense. The former are prophecies of the natural type by a God that speaks of “things which be not as though they were.” Ro 4:17.

What does the Bible say about the location of God’s throne? Namely, that the throne is mobile. Ezekiel 10 describes a vision very similar to that of Isaiah 6. There Ezekiel sees God’s throne (v. 1) above the cherubim. The timing is following the sealing of Ezekiel 9. Coals from the altar are thrown down to “the city.” (v. 6). The brightness of God’s glory fills the earth (represented by the court, v. 4) and the cloud fills the temple (v. 4).

The summary of the rest of Ezekiel 10 (and of Ezekiel’s first vision) is that the four living creatures are the base of God’s mobile throne. God’s glory moves from the Most Holy and leaves the temple (v. 18).

This is helpful to understand. In Daniel 7:13 Jesus is brought near to the Father on the clouds of heaven. This follows, in point of time, the rise of the ten horns and the little horn. Jesus is on His throne, no doubt. And it is mobile. What apartment is it in?

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. . . . And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. Re 4:2-6

In Revelation 4, at least, it was in the apartment represented as having the candelabra. In Revelation 8 Christ was with the altar of incense. No doubt that when the judgment commences in Daniel 7:13 and Revelation 14:7, the throne has moved to the Most Holy Place.

Vails and Veils

There are two different spellings of the word “veil” in the KJV. This is almost trivial except for the person trying to find the instances of each with a concordance. The spellings are “vail” and “veil.” The former is used in all Old Testament cases except So 5:7.

In the New Testament two different words are indicated. “Vail”, as used by Moses to cover his face, is kaluma. It corresponds to the Hebrew masveh as can be readily seen by comparing Ex 34:33-35 with 2Co 3:13-16.

“Veil” in the New Testament is derived always from katapetasma. This word is a compound of the Greek preposition “kata” and a form of “petomai.” The latter verb means, literally, to “fly” and the former indicates a downward motion or relation. Simply put, the word means “spreading down” or, more flamboyantly, “flying down.” It is a nice word for “curtain.”

Ballenger clearly equates katapetasma with poreketh. In terms of usage, however, it is more like masak.

Poreketh          06532, translated always “vail” in the Old Testament

Masak              04539, translated usually as “hanging.”

Kaluma            2571, translated always “vail” in the New Testament

Katapetasma   2665, translated always “veil” in the New Testament

“Hanging” is the proper idea of katapetasma and explains why Paul would deviate from an Old Testament distinction of the veils. In the sanctuary there are two hangings, masak, (a third guards the courtyard) though there be but one vail, poreketh.

In four passages masak and poreketh are used together. In those passages masak is translated “covering.” These passages are Ex 35:12; 39:34; 40:21 and Num 4:5. These cases refer to the second veil. In cases where masak refers to the first curtain it is translated “hanging.”

The summary of these things is that argument drawn from poreketh as the “vail” of the Old Testament is misleading when applied to katapetasma in the New Testament. There are two katapetasma’s in the holy places. There are two masak’s in the holy places. There is only one poreketh.[1]

Veils in Hebrews

Three passages in Hebrews speak of the veil. The second of these, Hebrews 9:3, falls in the middle of a passage that is vital to the larger question we are addressing. Hebrews 9, when understood, either overthrows the sanctuary doctrine of Adventism or ratifies it. With that end in mind we will examine it first.

Ballenger dismisses the word “second” as a triviality that should not be used to undermine his primary thesis. But the word does directly undermine his thesis in the most simple manner and his readers would not be wise to follow him in dismissing it.

The passage we will study is below with several important Greek transliterations highlighted in superscript. Emphasis is supplied.[2] If one will look for answers to the following questions while reading the passage he will find the answers: What furniture is in the hagia, the first tent? What furniture is in the hagia hagion, the second tent? Was the way of the second tent manifest in Paul’s day? Was the meaning of the first tent relevant to Paul’s day? Which tent was Paul unable to speak about particularly?

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuaryhagia. And after the second veil katapestasma, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of allhagia hagian; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. [YLT] And into the second, once in the year, only the chief priest, not apart from blood, which he doth offer for himself and the errors of the people, the Holy Spirit this evidencing that not yet hath been manifested the way of the holy places hagion, the first tabernacle having yet a standing; which is a simile in regard to the present time, in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which are not able, in regard to conscience, to make perfect him who is serving, Heb 9:1-9

If you have answered each of the questions above from the passage you can say with clarity that the Holy Place represented the ministration of Jesus during the time of Paul. You can say that the Most Holy Place would not be explained to men until the Holy Place ministry was closed.

You could also gather that hagia hagion is better translated holy (hagia) of holies (hagion). (The adjective, as per Greek grammar, is also plural. English does not do the same). The first apartment, hollowed by the presence of Jesus, is called hagia.[3]

The third of the three veil passages in Hebrews is in the next chapter.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the  [YLT] holy places hagia. by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil katapestasma, that is to say, his flesh; Heb 10:19-20

From the previous chapter we learned that the way of the first tent, called hagia, was for the present time of Paul. We saw that the way into the second tent was not yet manifest.

What was manifest is that the way, or progression, of the holy places would be manifest at some point. Hebrews 10 tells us that the way into the holy places, whichever apartment happens to apply to our time, is by the blood of Jesus. The plural “places” removes all difficulty.

If the passage had to be limited to one apartment or the other, we would have to say it is the holy place—for the hagia of chapter nine had the table of showbread. But it is better, perhaps, to allow it to mean both as it apparently does in the term “way of the” holies in chapter nine.

Here we should observe that Hebrews 9 is a masterpiece of revelation. The task of the apostle was to write to persons to whom the book of Daniel was sealed and, at the same time, for persons that would understand it. He was to write in regard to the Most   Holy Place sufficiently to make it plain that a future progression would be revealed—but without revealing it.

It is the latter quality of Hebrews 9 that demands that we begin with prophetic interpretation and proceed to the interpretation of Hebrews 9.

Ballenger’s primary point in Hebrews is undermined by both Hebrews 9 and 10. Both use the term veil in such a way as to overthrow his interpretation of chapter 6. Hebrews 9 used the term “second veil” as if a first veil had been mentioned somewhere. Hebrews 10 uses the term “veil” to refer to the entrance of the sanctuary or holy place, the hagia, itself.

Hebrews 6 parallels Hebrews 10 in thought and provides the antecedent that explains “second” in chapter 9.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil katapestasma; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Heb 6:18-20

Forgiveness in the Old Testament

Paul briefly addresses the issue of Old Testament forgiveness in Romans 3. How could God forgive men and grant them righteousness prior to the cross?

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a mercy seat (margin) through faith in his blood, [YLT] for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God—for the shewing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who is of the faith of Jesus. Ro 3:24-26.

Though Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, all forgiveness that antedated Calvary was apparent injustice to those not knowing the future. It was a forbearance that might mar God’s reputation for righteousness. The cross showed, in the present time of Paul, that the passing over the past sins had been, indeed, righteous.

This perspective is not divine. God inhabits eternity. The Father and the Son understood the nature of the sacrifice to be made and treated men, such as Abraham, with the same quality of righteousness that is granted to us today. Nevertheless, this “everlasting righteousness” was not brought in until the cross. Daniel 9:24.

The pre-cross application of this righteousness is the salvational meaning of Revelation13:8. The term “before the foundation of the world” is used by Peter, Paul, Matthew and John to refer to God’s ordained plan for saving men.

This did not make the cross superfluous when the time came for the sacrifice. Nor did it make Christ’s intercession superfluous when the time came for his mediation to begin. Nor does God’s plan make the judgment superfluous now that the books have been opened.

Defiling of the Sanctuary

Ballenger is correct when he writes that it is the sins of God’s people, not their confessions of the sins, that defile the sanctuary. The sins of Judah are written on the horns of the altars. Jer. 17:1. The sins of men, every thought, are recorded in the books of record. Ecc 12:14. These records of sin are the source of defilement.

But the pioneers were not in error when they emphasized the cleansing of the sanctuary by the putting away of sin and by the judgment. On the Day of Atonement the sanctuary’s defilement was removed in two different ways.

For those who partook in the services the sins were transferred from sinner to Savior. The record was cleansed. Their sins were, in type, blotted from the sanctuary.

For those who neglected to take part in the services the names, in type, were removed from the register of God’s people. The book of life was freed of their presence. They, along with Satan, bore the brunt of God’s wrath against the impenitent.

A Summary of the Study

The strong points of Adventist eschatology are built on the bedrock of prophetic interpretation. This study has not reviewed the connection between Daniel 7 and 8, or 8 and 9. It has been, rather, confined to the ground chosen by Ballenger for opposing our position.

And here, in the ground thought by Ballenger to be most fit for establishing his own thought and overthrowing that of the movement, he has been shown to be weak.

But that weakness will be so much the more apparent to those that review the fundamentals of Miller’s interpretation of Daniel and the study of Crosier’s self-repudiated article on the types. These works contain no references to modern visions. Yet they present a work more thorough, a ground more winning, a scholarship less faulty, than that of Ballenger.

We live in a time when what can be shaken will be shaken.

May men remember that “none of the wicked will understand.” Yet the wicked have great minds, powerful wit, and help from at least one experienced source in their expositions. The wicked “by good words and fair speeches deceive the” hearts of the uneducated. They are to be avoided. Rom. 16:17-18.

And only those who are seeking to conform their lives to God’s standard of holiness will escape the curse of 1 Cor. 11:19.

John 7:17 is still true. What sin have you cherished? What command have you slighted? What counsel have you despised? Then repent before you step into the seat of the Bible expositor. It is your only safety.

 



[1] As a balance to this I should add that Old Testament words often converge in New Testament terms. New Testament writers seeking for a Greek word to reflect either masak or poreketh might have had no better choice than katapetasma. But rather than hurting the argument here, this rather helps explain why the gospels use katapetasma for the second veil without specifying “second.”

[2] Verses 7 to 9 are from Young’s Literal Translation. The KJV mistakenly uses a past or pluperfect tense in these verses where the Greek has a perfect tense. Young’s renders it correctly and is used here for that reason. The change in version is signified by [YLT].

[3] Why the plural form for one apartment? Both apartments are holy. The adjective, since it applies to both, is made plural in both cases to match the scope of its nouns. But in its introduction here the two uses of hagia are clearly distinguished.

For the Word Document, Click Here: Within_the_Veil

What Shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life

What Shall I do that I may Inherit Eternal Life

A Brief Study by Eugene Prewitt

I.                     I need salvation

II.                    God knew my need before I knew it.

A.                    So He was working for my salvation before I was.

B.                    I should know what He has already done.

1.                    He has paid for my sins.

2.                    He has provided a model for my life. 1jo 2:16

3.                    He has granted me an ongoing probation

i.                     Probation was forfeited in Eden.

ii.                    Probation is forfeited every time a man sins.

iii.                  On-going probation, then, is a very precious gift.

4.                    He has provided power for my needed change to holiness.

i.                     The gift of the Holy Scriptures

ii.                    The gift of the Holy Spirit

iii.                  The assistance of Holy Angels

iv.                   The faculties of conscience, reason, and judgment.

v.                    The faculties of desires, appetites, and passions.

vi.                   The faculty of imagination

vii.                 The faculty of faith and of the will

5.                    He has provided a setting conducive to spiritual growth and prosperity

i.                     The home

ii.                    The woods

iii.                  The garden

iv.                   Useful occupation

v.                    Sacred music

vi.                   Nutritious food

vii.                 Sabbath and rest

6.                    He has provided for us to become heirs and children of holy men

i.                     By the Law of Beholding

ii.                    To undo our inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil.

iii.                  Ultimately, becoming a child of the Holy Jesus, and heir

1.                    By the same Law of Beholding

2.                    By the means of Christ’s sacrifice

7.                    He has set in operation means to draw us to Himself.

i.                     The powers and faculties and settings already mentioned.

ii.                    A command to believers to share the truth with you.

1.                    Gifts to the church to facilitate its work of sharing

2.                    Power to give efficiency to the church in its work

III.                  I don’t deserve any of this work that God has been doing to serve me.

A.                    Therefore all these things are grace, gifts freely given to me while undeserving

B.                    These gifts are evidence regarding the character and power of God

IV.                  Satan knows that we need salvation

A.                    He has been working for 6000 years to make it difficult to be saved.

B.                    I should be aware of his devices and of what he has done

1.                    He accuses me of my sins.

2.                    He provides alternate models for my life

3.                    He seeks to end my probation through death or presumptuous hardening

4.                    He opposes Christ’s work with the power of his demonic hosts

i.                     He provides alternate sources of authority and comfort

ii.                    He provides alternate sources of spiritual power and miracles

iii.                  He habituates mankind to a perverted use their faculties

1.                    Using the law of beholding against us through a perverted imagination

2.                    Exalting our desires and appetites above the dictates of conscience

iv.                   He attacks the nucleus of the family and of its devotion

v.                    He promotes city-living

vi.                   He promotes artificial amusements and sports

vii.                 He promotes alternate music

viii.                He promotes an unhealthy lifestyle

ix.                   He promotes skepticism

x.                    He assails the church and its effectiveness in these same ways

C.                    My setting, then, is a Great Controversy between Christ and Satan

V.                    My Part (and His)

A.                    I respond to what Christ is doing for my salvation

1.                    With love for Him

i.                     Resulting from my understanding of Calvary or other evidence of God’s love

ii.                    Resulting from my meditation on the same

ii.                    Not with sentiment alone, but with love – the putting of other’s needs before one’s own

2.                    With faith in Him and in His Word

i.                     Moved by the love as directed by the faith I….

1.                    Avail myself of Christ’s provisions

i.                     Depending on God’s promises

ii.                    Depending on God’s power

iii.                  Asking for the Holy Spirit

2.                    Harmonize the use of my faculties with His intentions

ii.                    Which means obedience, for living faith works obedience

iii.                  Which means confession, for this has been commanded

iv.                   Which means repentance, for this has been commanded

3.                    My part is His Part. He works in me to love and believe, to will and to do, and grants me repentance.

4.                    My part is to will; His part is to empower. I may not feel his part, but I will experience it.

B.                    I hold on, endure, continue as I have started, with a faith that works by love

VI.                  The Results

A.                    I am declared Righteous

1.                    I am forgiven

2.                    God’s Word, declaring me “righteous”, recreates me and continues to work in me

B.                    The result of that miracle-working Word, as long as I endure, is growth in holiness

C.                    When my name comes up in the judgment above…

1.                    My sins are written there with the record of their forgiveness

2.                    Jesus confesses my name before the Father and before the angels

i.                     The latter witness that my works justify Christ’s declaration of my faith.

ii.                    The Former confirms Christ’s request and my sins are blotted out.

D.                   Whether living or dead, it is now in heaven as if I had never sinned.

1.                    If on earth I am alive, I am sealed. God declares to the angels that I am secure.

2.                    If on earth I am dead, I rest.

i.                     When resurrected I am given a new nature.

ii.                    I am secure.

VII.                 Conclusion

A.                    Conversion is simple. Take God at His Word and live as if that Word is true.

B.                    Conversion is simple. Love and fear God and keep His Commandments. This is your only duty.

C.                    Conversion is simple. Consider Jesus (and thus come to love and fear and obey Him).

D.                   Conversion is simple. Consider Jesus (and thus come to take Him at his Word.)

E.                    Conversion would be simple if there were no devil. But as he opposes Christ at every turn…

1.                    We must follow God’s Word earnestly and closely to be kept secure from unbelief

2.                    We must depend on God’s wisdom and power and righteousness to overcome the evil one.

3.                    Organizing our life in harmony with God’s plan of living greatly simplifies the process of holding on to our faith.

Introduction

All my adult life I have pursued one theme, one aim. I am interested only in accomplishments that will last forever.

Saved souls live forever. For this reason I ought to know what is involved in saving them. I ought to know how to explain the process to them. And often I am asked questions that, boiled down to their sticky concentrated form, amount to “How can I be saved? How can I know if I am converted? What must I do to be sure of eternal life?”

The answers to these questions are simple and concise. Yet they are often asked in contexts that complicate giving an answer. A concise answer, combined with two or three well-designed demonic misunderstandings can combine in the mind to create a fall answer. This is why the Bible is much longer than the three sentences it  might otherwise take to explain the way of salvation.

In this essay I will endeavor to retain simplicity of expression and brevity of explanation. I am aiming to make the way of salvation plain even to persons that have been very much duped by the most common tricks of the devil.

The essay follows an orderly development. I need  salvation. God knew my need before I knew it and began working to save me even before I was born. Satan hates me and has been working for thousands of years to make the way of life more difficult. The work of God and the work of Satan oppose each other, each seeking either my well being or my destruction – and much of their labor for or against me was done before I had any awareness.

How should I respond to God’s work in my behalf? With love, and faith, and endurance. And when I do I am declared righteous and made to be righteous. And when I endure to the end my destiny is made certain. The Judgment declares Christ’s righteousness in place of my defects and sins. In conclusion, the gospel and its application to the soul is simple, as simple as can be, to understand. But it is work, a great deal of work, to be faithful. It is enough to wear out any man that is not considering Jesus and thus being strengthened by His power for the task.

I Need Salvation

 

I am born into a big problem. First, I inherited many evil tendencies and many physical imperfections and many social inadequacies. Second, I grew up in a defective society. Family relations, national relations, social values, or the lack thereof, plague my growing up. I learn from family, from friends, from TV, from school, indeed, from many sources, to despise Divine counsel. And what is more, I have sinned. What one sin can do is apparent in Genesis. I have sinned more than once. So I am doomed and weakened and separated from God. I have bad habits that came from bad decisions. Some of these, like my temper and my appetite, were cultivated when I was an infant and became strong before my muscles did.

So I am thoroughly lost before the gospel works its miracle in my life.

God comments that even discipline is vain for the ills in my life. Pain cannot solve my problems.

Is 1:5-6  Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

No man responds to God’s invitations naturally. Rather, he is naturally inclined to ignore God’s wishes.

Ro 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

 

And no obedience of today can ever atone for any obedience of yesterday. We ought to know this intuitively. If a man steals today the fact that he does not steal tomorrow cannot save him from prosecution. But we do not know it well. As the verse above states, “there is none that understandeth.”

I am mortal and my nature has been deranged by sin. The effect of this is that I thoroughly enjoy my worst habits. I delight in making light of God’s counsels. I naturally hate them and wish they would leave me to myself.

Pr 1:22  How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Pr 1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Pr 1:30  They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

All which problems make my case just about hopeless. I could, with propriety, just give up on having anything better than a painful and short existence. I could nearly justify suicide. There just is not sufficient light and hope to warrant breathing. I am promised that I will answer for my sins at the bar of God. And there I can muse with William Miller of old:

“Annihilation was a cold and chilling thought, and accountability was sure destruction to all. The heavens were as brass over my head, and the earth as iron under my feet. Eternity–what was it? And death–why was it? The more I reasoned, the further I was from demonstration. The more I thought, the more scattered were my conclusions. I tried to stop thinking, but my thoughts would not be controlled. I was truly wretched, but did not understand the cause. I murmured and complained, but knew not of whom. I knew that there was a wrong, but knew not how or where to find the right. I mourned, but without hope.” – GC 318:2.

God Knew my Need before I Knew I was Lost

 

So He was working for my salvation before I had any interest in it. In fact, He was working to secure my redemption before I was born. While I was growing up, a sinner from my earliest days, He was already working to win me.

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;      

Ro 5:6-8  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

I should know what He has already done. This will inform me regarding what, if anything, remains to be accomplished.

First, He has paid for my sins. And Second, by the same spotless life that was sacrificed in my place, Christ has provided a model for me to follow.

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1Jo 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Lu 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

When Adam was expelled from the Garden of Eden, he left behind an opportunity to prove himself loyal and true to his Creator. The tree in the midst of the garden had been a test and he had been, as it were, on probation. Once fallen, his probation violated, he was barred from the Tree of Life.

Yet Christ has extended probation to us. He has redeemed us from Adam disgraceful fall. Though already fallen and guilty we have been granted a future judgment. By making the judgment future (rather than immediate) God has given us the gift of a probationary life. He has given us hope. See Tit 1:2 above and:

He 9:27-28  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

On-going probation, then, is a very precious gift. When a man sins this gift becomes most valuable. It postpones his judgment and gives him time to conform to God’s requirements.

Another thing God has provided is power for my needed change to holiness. This power was provided before I ever sought help. The mighty creative power of God has been placed in written form, in the Holy Scriptures. This is incomprehensibly good news.

And the fullness of the power of God has been granted to men in the work of the Holy Spirit. This power works for our salvation even before our birth, impressing and moving parents and grandparents, church members and others to act in such a way as to smooth our path to heaven. And this power may indwell even infants as it moved John the Baptist in his mother’s womb. Lu 1:41, 44.

The Power of God’s Spirit is accompanied by the power of hundreds of millions of Holy Angels. These have been commissioned to aid us.

Heb 1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

The Faculties of the Mind

 

Beside these mighty influences, the Scriptures, the Spirit, and the angelic host, God has fashioned mankind with powerful faculties ingeniously equipped to bring us to Him. The faculties of conscience, reason, and judgment have been given to act as a cabinet serves a president. They give direction. And the first of these is susceptible to direct communication from heaven. These higher powers of the mind are called, in scripture, the “inner man” and they have been fashioned to “delight in the Law of God.”

Ro 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Built to serve the mind in an entirely different capacity, the lower powers of desires (including our appetites and passions) were crafted to create a hungering and thirsting after righteousness that only the gospel could satisfy. Man was made to desire wisdom, power, beauty, wealth, development, intimacy and health. These boons, all resting in the gifts of the gospel, have been designed to draw men heavenward.

The imagination, created by God as an image to His power to see the past and the future, allows men to benefit from scenes far in the past, far in the future, and even scenes at a great distance. This faculty, the mind’s eye, may picture Jesus on Calvary, Jesus in the Judgment, Jesus returning to earth. As if man was omnipresent, his faculty of imagination allows him to rise above his circumstances to place his mind in heavenly places or wretchedly in hollows ones.

To our race God has entrusted a free will. This faculty, combined in every man with a measure of freely given faith, governs the soul. Made impervious to Satan’s attacks, this fortress is capable of choosing the right even when it is utterly incapable of performing the same. When used in the way intended by the Creator, as a servant of faith, the will becomes endued with God’s power and becomes indomitable.

Ro 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

God’s Gift of a Setting Conducive to Growth

Fashioned after God’s wisdom, the Garden of Eden lacked nothing that would promote the spiritual life of Adam and Eve. The setting God provided, so conducive to spiritual growth, has been granted in principle to every man that will avail himself of it.

Part of that setting we call the “home.” Family, functioning in God’s order, with a priest and with a  family altar, with love blended with discipline, with security and well-placed intimacy, is a most precious gift. It points many souls heavenward before they are even able to reason from right to wrong.

Nature, with her woods and hills and flowers and their lowly inhabitants, the birds and small animals, bears testimony to her Creator.  She is a preaching gift uninhibited by human laws and national traditions. There is no place where her voice has not sounded.

Ps 19:3-4  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

As God’s place of chosen interaction with nature, the garden was one of the first gifts to men. Agriculture was intended to promote man’s spiritual life and to afford him a lesson-book purposed by heaven to teach him most essential lessons.

Not that every man was to be a farmer by trade. While all might cultivate a small plot of ground, God gave the race a larger variety of occupations. Useful work puts the breaks on societies downward slide. Where men are gainfully employed crime diminishes and taverns languish.

And the hours of work, with hours of recreation and family time, have been joined to hours of devotion by the heavenly gift of music. Existing before the earth’s creation, this powerful medium can communicate spiritual power, courage, wisdom and contrition. It serves its highest purposes when promoting a holiness that praises God.

Fruits, grains, nuts, and eventually, vegetables have been given to mankind to build up a healthy functioning body. When unencumbered with sickness or disease, the human frame provides a setting for the faculties of the mind to serve the soul well.

And the setting given to men has been crowned with the gift of rest. Sabbath comes to us from Eden unchanged by the fall. As a sign of God’s Creative Power and of “sanctification” this Holy Day was given to make holy men.

These wonderful presents – home, nature, agriculture, useful work, sacred music, healthy food, and rest – form a setting that makes holy living comparatively easy, almost natural. They were given to us before we were seeking for them and constitute an important part of the Mighty Power acting in our behalf.

Inheritance

Satan’s effort to assure that I inherit a very degenerate set of morals is more than matched by Christ’s gift of inheritance. But this takes a little thinking to understand.

How do we inherit the characteristics of our parents? Clinically, we might answer “by genetics.” And, truthfully, this is how we inherit physical characteristics. But when we speak of moral characteristics, this is only half of the story. These are inherited by two means: genetics and infant observation. Children observe the behavior of their parents and are molded into the same image by what they see and hear. This is one of the laws of heredity – the law of beholding.

And this is why the Bible has more chapters about Abraham than about all the holy men before him combined. We are to become children of Abraham. In fact, we are to become children of Israel and children of Levi. By the use of the imagination combined with the Holy Scripture we may observe their spiritual victories and be changed into their image. We may become like them in character – and this is what it means to be a spiritual child – to acquire their moral character. In the case of the Jewish leaders, Jesus affirmed that they had inherited genetic material from Abraham, but denied that they were his children.

John 8:37-40  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

The law of beholding allows us, even late in life, to undo our inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. It is a gift from heaven of most precious proportions. Ultimately, we become a child of our Holy Jesus by this same means. In particular, our continual consideration of Jesus and his sacrifice for us softens and subdues our hearts, inspires reciprocal love, and strengthens us for moral battles.

He 12:2-3  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

1Jo 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

Isa 45:22  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Mic 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Operation of Christ’s Church for our Salvation

In addition to the wonderful setting provided for our spiritual advancement, and to the incredible faculties built into our nature, God has set in operation a church to draw us to Himself.

Believers have been commanded to share the truth with the lost. And they have been given spiritual gifts to facilitate their work in saving me. God has filled the work of his consecrated workmen with Divine power, giving them efficiency in their attempts to reach me.

Ro 10:14-15  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Mt 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Mt 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mt 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Grace

I don’t deserve any of this work that God has been doing to serve me and to save me. Therefore all these things are grace – gifts freely given to me while undeserving. These gifts, themselves, provide evidence the very best of God’s character and of His power to Save.

So the amount of power and wisdom invested in my salvation before I took any interest in the same has been immense. I, I did not deserve a chance, much less a helping hand. But what have I been given? Grace upon grace, power added to power, gifts and pledges and provisions and invitations. My salvation has occupied the attention of the universe’s greatest intelligences. Why? Because Jesus deserves that level of attention and grace came this way – God gives me, at Christ’s request, what the Lord Jesus deserves.

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

The Complicating Factor – Satan

Satan is the reason that I need salvation in the first place. It is no wonder that his continued existence complicates what might otherwise be a simple process. He has been working for 6000 years to make it difficult to be saved. I should be aware of his devices and of what he has done.

But it is one of my operating principles not to give honor to my enemy.  I will only note briefly his wicked activities that tend to darken pilgrims’ paths.

First, he accuses me of my sins. The Bible titles him “the accuser of the brethren.”

Re 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

If it was only in heaven that he accuses me nothing would be harmed, for my Savior hushes him up there. (small pun intended).

Zec 3:2  And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

But Satan accuses me…to me and to other persons. This confuses the otherwise straightforward issue of confession and repentance. The Holy Spirit works to convict me of sins that I have yet to confess and put away. Satan harasses me with sins already forgiven. The Holy Spirit works to convict me of my need of the hope God offers. Satan harasses me with doubts that my sinfulness allows for any hope. And while my mind is unaccustomed to discern between these two spirits I may be overwhelmed with thoughts of my sins. But Satan does not do the work of God’s Spirit. With many he seeks to belittle real and evil transgressions of the law as unworthy of notice, as not needful of repentance and confession.

The evil one’s second trap has been to provide alternate models for my life. Rather that Christ and holy men of old, Satan has exalted military heroes, men of wealth, men of might and of sporting ability, child prodigies, musicians, prominent uncles and wayward older siblings. These and others he has sought to thrust into my channel of attention and to thus eclipse the bright creative light shining through scripture biographies.

And he tries to kill me.

The gift of a life-long probation Satan seeks to minimize my shortening my life. Whether by violence or by ill health or by reckless amusements or by inciting to presumptuous sin, he seeks to cut off my opportunities.

A fourth method of his work is to rally his demonic hosts to do his bidding everywhere he can not be. These evil angels work together (doubtfully in good order and without bickering) to foist all manner of malicious ideas on mankind.

They work especially diligently to establish alternate sources of authority. The Living Word of God they fear. In its place they suggest the manipulatible sources of the church fathers. Or they put forward as unassailable the might of modern science. Or they suggest that truth is wholly unattainable, or that everyone is right. They exalt man’s reason as sufficient to guide him. Or they suggest that breaking from tradition is arrogant and selfish.

These sources of authority they oppose to Holy Scripture. To the comforting work of the Bible and of the Comforter they exalt escapism. From novels to DVD’s, from music to extreme sports, from drugs to masturbation to alcoholism, they open doors that bring cheap comfort by means of distraction or grogginess. They provide eight inches depth of sand for the ostrich.

The true power placed in God’s church they obscure as they did Moses’ miracle rod-serpent. False charisma in the churches, supernatural experiences in non-Christian religions, and the creative genius of natural selection slither everywhere hardening the hearts of modern Pharaohs.

But they work more particularly to pervert the habitual use of the mental faculties. Imagination is subjected to serve the carnal lusts or to entertain dreamy fantasies, or otherwise to assist the false comforts/escapes already named. Desires and appetites are encouraged in their clamors. (“Just do it.” “Want it? Get it.” “Indulge yourself.” Etc.) And reason and conscience, the rightful managers of the soul, are thus made to act as spectators of a life being wasted.

Where the Holy Christ blessed mankind with family, the evil one has cursed mankind with a society-wide apathy towards divorce. Popular teachers have inveighed against corporal punishment. (That means they have said spanking is bad.) Women have been led to take the lead in spiritual things and men to be passive. Children have been grouped, at Satan’s suggesting, in such a way that they are each other’s teachers – the more perverted ones taking the lead in teaching. Step families, over-busy fathers, single-parent homes, and even same-sex unions have each played their part in displacing God’s intention of a spiritual, loving, stable family.

The garden and the beauties of nature Satan has sought to make inaccessible by building cities. The first human seed “of the serpent” built the first city, “Chanock” just outside of Eden. Gen 4:16-17.

The city environment designed by him keeps noise and pollution ever present. It glorifies the alternate mentors and life-styles already mentioned. And the lack of physical employment in the open air has helped cultivate a competing love of amusement and sports. Music on the corners, on the radios, in the I-pods, at the schools, in the stores, and every where else is of an alternate (not to be read “alternative” as a genre) to the beautiful and calming sounds of nature. “Good music is like the singing of the birds, soft and melodious.” This Satan knows. And this he seeks to counteract.

He has arranged that man’s chief aim in life is some variety of a sedentary job. The leaders of society, except at the highest levels, are pudgy. Health is further threatened by man’s eating habits. Downtown grocery stores appear to contain isles of oil, sugar, white flour combined in hundreds of combinations (with food colorings and preservatives). 24% of the United States population still smokes. (And higher percentages exist throughout most of the world.)

Voltaire’s spiritual descendants, such as Richard Dawkins, have made open attacks on the Christian religion. The most popular magazines, even in Christian homes, breed skepticism. When in 2006 National Geographic featured an article on Charles Darwin it was to refute challenges to his theory. And the greatest promoters of modern infidelity are those with access to the children in their elementary years – the public schools, the internet, and television.

Satan’s devices work best when unsuspected. The Christian Church, placed on earth to promote the salvation of individuals, would necessarily find it in her list of things to do to expose him. The powers granted her would make short work of the assignment. And for this reason, beside spite to Christ, Satan has attacked the church. Part of her has been lulled to sleep. Another part has been roused to espouse Satan’s own worldly agenda as a means of converting the unchurched. Another part has been poisoned with bitterness. And nearly all parts share this: They stand unconverted – and thus robbed of the Spirit’s power, of spiritual gifts, of Biblical understanding, of courage, even of holiness.

In summary, Satan has taken from men what God has given to men. And this has made the way of salvation difficult for millions. A simple restoration of Eden’s gifts would prepare a great many of these for the truths of the gospel. Such a restoration the devil opposes.

Christ proposes the restoration. And thus the setting of my struggle for life is a Great Controversy between Christ and Satan.

My Part (and His)

This essay is titled “What shall I do?” All the introductory material shared thus far has failed to address question. And the answer is so simple that Ellen White wrote:

     We find this is the great want of the soul–something that the needy, longing soul can grasp, something easy to be understood. The great reason why many do not lay hold of this truth is that it is so easy. They think they must do some great thing, and that God expects them to go through some wonderful process in order to be converted, but when we present the truth as it is, in its beautiful simplicity, they stand amazed. “Is that all?” they inquire.  

     We need to make the way of life just as clear as it is in Jesus, that all may see the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Simply to take God at His word seems so easy they hardly dare accept it. {10MR 195}

My part is to respond, in a certain way, to what Christ is doing for my salvation.

I am to respond to the evidences of His love, especially as manifest in the death of my Savior.  My understanding of that unspeakable gift ought to rouse a reciprocal love in my heart. Then, after knowing and understanding something of Calvary, my meditations on the theme are to continue to renew my affections and to promote contrition.

Ro 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1Jo 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Lu 7:47  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2Co 5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

1Jo 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

Jas 2:5  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Heb 12:2-4  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

My response is one of love and not merely one of sentiment. Love puts the needs of others before one’s own. Jesus put my need before his own. I respond by putting the needs of his beloved human family before my own. This love is accounted by Him as if lavished directly on his person.

Mt 25:37-40  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

1Jo 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Eze 33:31  And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

My response is to be one of faith.

This is not, truly, a distinct response from my response of love. Faith and love go together (See Eph 1:15; 3:17; 6:23; Col 1:4; 1Th 1:3; 5:8; 1Ti 1:14;2Ti 1:13; Tit 3:15; Phm 1:5; Jam 2:5.) The one is the will, the other the motive force. Faith works by love.

In view of Christ’s gift for me my love is roused to choose allegiance, to live by His word. This choice is faith. In the Old Testament it is described as loving obedience (See Ex 20:6; De 5:10; 7:9; 11:1, 22; 19:9; Jos 22:5; Da 9:4; Jo 14:15; 15:10;1Jo 5:2-3). In the New Testament it is described as faith working by love.

Ga 5:6  For in Jesus Christ . . . faith which worketh by love [avails].

Deut 30:14-20  But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: … I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:

Ro 10:8-10  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

My response of loving faith must seek direction in God’s Word. If I love him, I will obey Him. If I will obey Him, I must know his will. These two ideas together produce a third: If I love Him, I will love the truth.

Loving the truth is the way that I find direction for the power provided by my love. Love moves me. Faith directs me. Faith ties me, and my salvation, firmly to scripture. Faith, another word for “obeying the truth”, deepens the love that moves it. In short, love and faith cultivate each other in my heart.

Ro 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2Th 2:10 [Men] perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

1Pe 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Moved by the love as directed by faith in God’s Word, I avail myself of Christ’s wonderful provisions. This is how the work He has long been doing for my salvation becomes effective in changing my life:

1.         I avail myself of God’s promises. The Word becomes a treasure-store of creative power. Love for Christ moves me to depend on his mighty words in my day-to-day living. I read, claim, and am transformed by the “precious promises.” 2Pe 1:4.

2.         I avail myself of God’s power. I invite the Holy Spirit to live a holy life in me; to teach and guide me. I cultivate continual reference to and dependence on God’s Spirit.

Love and faith, not without my willful cooperation, reorganize my faculties to harmonize with God’s revealed will. My desires are removed from the throne. My conscience is crowned. My imagination is brought into captivity and made to serve its original holy purpose of mediation on redemptive themes.

When conscience, reason, and judgment are at the helm, the Spirit working through the first of them, I am obedient. Living faith works obedience.

Faith and love produce intelligent confession. They seek to compare themselves to the scripture standard and so know, Biblically, what to confess. Faith prevents them from both cherishing guilt over sins previously confessed and also from cherishing false assurance in relation to sins not yet confessed.

So faith and love move me to repentance.

My part is also God’s part. He is the one that gives me the gift of repentance. He is the one that, by the Spirit, works in me “to will and to do”, to love and to obey. His is the power that makes the promises effective.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Ac 5:31  Him [Christ] hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

In other words, no part of my salvation is done alone by me. Besides the tremendous volume of work done on my behalf without my cooperation, there is a great deal of work to be done in my behalf with my cooperation.

My part is to will, his part is to empower. I may not feel his part, but I will experience it. That is the meaning of the phrase “I live, yet not I, [it is] Christ….”

Ga 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

My part is to endure. His part is to motivate my endurance with thoughts of his love and sacrifice and faithfulness. My part is to pay attention to those things, to think on them. His part is to transform me while I gaze, with spiritual eyes, on my Savior.

Heb 12:2-3  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb 11:27  By faith [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Faith, working with my imagination, allows me to scan the ages, to see my future reward, to visualize the ongoing judgment, to see the stories told in Scripture. That is how we see well enough to walk spiritually.

2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

The Results

Ultimately, the result of God’s great work and my enduring faith is salvation. But the meaning of salvation, and the process by which I receive it, are both worth considering. There is much more to redemption than many suppose.

First, I am declared righteous. God says “Eugene Prewitt is righteous.” Since God cannot lie, and since His Word is creative, when God says “that man is righteous”, however unrighteous he may have been, he becomes righteous.

Tit 1:2  God, that cannot lie, promised [eternal life] before the world began.

Ro 4:21-24  [Abraham was] fully persuaded that, what [God] had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Ro 4:5  But to him that . . . believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

It is “faith” that is counted as “righteousness” with God. This is deep. Faith, living by every Word of God, allows Christ to live in my heart. And when He dwells there, He works in me both to will and to do his Good pleasure.

In other words, persons with faith really do work righteousness.

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

But the ellipsis in Romans 4:5, if filled in, reads “But to him that worketh not, but believeth….”

Why is this? When God declares me to be righteous, the perfect life of Jesus is credited to my account. His death for my sins is honored by giving Him the right to give me life for his righteousness. His right to forgive me this way is not based on any good thing I have done or ever will do. His right to declare me righteous is based on His work.

So though I speak about “my part” in the plan of redemption, I never mean that God owes me. No good thing that Jesus does through me ever atones for one of my sins. I am not employed in weaving my own robe of self-forgiveness.

When God forgives me, by saying “he is righteous,” His creative word does miracles.

One miracle is instantaneous. I am strengthened by God’s Spirit in my “inner man” so that God may live through me. In a moment I become a channel for Divinity, a partaker of the Divine Nature by depending on God’s promises (i.e., by faith.)

Eph 3:16-17  [I pray] that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is the “new birth”, and “conversion.” Both are metaphors for the miracle of a reordered mind, a supernatural presence in the heart, and all that these two changes bring with them.

Another miracle is ongoing. Like the seeds that germinate every spring since that powerful Word said “be fruitful and multiply”, my life is continually growing in holiness as long as I hold on to my faith. When God says “he is righteous” His Word goes on a mission. It does not return to God until it accomplishes what He sent it to do.

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Mt 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Is 55:10-11  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

When my name comes up in the judgment my sins are found recorded along with a record of their forgiveness. Jesus confesses my name before the Father and before the elect angels. That latter witness that my works justify Christ’s declaration of my faith. The Former confirms Christ’s right to grant me His righteousness in place of my sins. My sins are blotted from the record.

Da 7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Re3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Ac 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Whether I am living or deceased, it is now in heaven as if I had never sinned. Not that anyone in heaven is confused about the topic. All know that I richly deserved to die for my sins. But all are satisfied to have my sins blotted out and to welcome me through the pearly gates.

If I am dead, I rest until the resurrection of the just. At that point I am given a new nature. I am saved and secure. There is still a great deal more to the plan of redemption, but for the purpose of this article, that is the end of the story.

If I am alive, I receive the seal of God and eventually hear those words “let him that is holy be holy still.” I am secure and await the last Trump to change my nature and to clothe me with the gift of immortality.

Conclusion

Conversion is simple. Take God at His Word and live as if that Word is true.

Conversion is simple. Love and fear God and keep His Commandments. This is your only duty.

Conversion is simple. Consider Jesus (and thus come to love and to fear and to obey Him.)

Conversion is simple. Consider Jesus (and thus come to take Him at his Word.)

Salvation would be simple if there were no devil. Be as he opposes Christ at every turn,  we must follow God’s Word earnestly, closely, to be kept secure from unbelief. We must depend on God’s wisdom and power and righteousness to overcome the evil one.

Organizing our life in harmony with God’s plan of living greatly simplifies the process of holding on to our faith.

For the Word Document Click here: What_Shall_I_do_that_I_may_Inherit_Eternal_Life

Tricks of the Devil

Photo of death warning

Tricks of the Devil

 

 

Tricks of the Devil

In this article titled Tricks of the Devil I outlined a variety of different ways the Devil is using to deceive us into sin. It will help you to smell a snare before you feel it.  

Here is a list of Satan’s most successful tricks: 

  1. Baby and bath-water trick
  2. Gospel can’t work for me trick
  3. God is too kind to condemn good people trick
  4. The freedom trick
  5. The Shoved down my throat trick
  6. The hypocrites trick
  7. The later trick
  8. I can’t understand those things trick
  9. This is how I am trick
  10. That is how they are trick
  11. I see where you are going trick
  12. I won’t like heaven; it won’t be fun trick
  13. You can’t prove it trick
  14. I’m rich and doing evangelism trick
  15. I thank you, oh God, that I am balanced and level-headed and not like this Pharisee…trick
  16. Authorities disagree trick
  17. The informed and intelligent judge trick
  18. It doesn’t affect me that way trick
  19. God told me trick
  20. I prayed and prayed trick a
  21. I prayed and prayed trick b
  22. I’m called to do what I like trick
  23. God let it happen trick
  24. The slippery slope trick a
  25. The slippery slope trick b
  26. First duty is to my family trick
  27. I will go and minister to my friends trick
  28. I don’t need anyone to teach me trick
  29. You can find what you are looking for trick
  30. I’ll witness by living a good life trick
  31. You are judged by what you know trick
  32. More people will accept the truth this way trick
  33.  I can’t take it any longer trick
  34. What counts is a personal relationship trick
  35. The Bible, not Ellen White trick
  36. God is blessing trick
  37. Boy-Girl bag of tricks
Baby in bath

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1. Baby and bath-water trick

This trick of the Devil has historically been one of the most effective. Martin Luther was once confronted with a group of men that recommended ditching the Bible and having direct communication with the Spirit. They were fanatics from Zwickau. He rejected them and their silly ideas.

One of their ideas: infant baptism does not count for anything. In olden days water for bathing was hauled to the home from the well and was discarded when all had taken their bath. “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” was a proverb arising from that era. It illustrated the danger of discarding something precious in your hurry to be rid of something repulsive.

Luther threw the metaphorical baby truth out with the bathwater of false prophecy. The false logic sounds like this,

If a weirdo is teaching it, it must be false.

If we are willing to reject an idea simply because it comes from a source that spews out error, we are easy prey. All Satan needs to do to dupe us is to have a quack tell us the truth.

Image of hands crossed

2. Gospel can’t work for me trick

How do you know the gospel doesn’t work for you?

The Bible didn’t tell you that.

This trick of the Devil often works this way:

A man tries the gospel, as he understands it. He does not have the victory he expects. He tries again, harder this time, but falls after a short while. His best efforts meet with the same misfortune, and he eventually concludes that, though it works for others, it just can’t work for him. The conclusion seems inescapable. What else could he believe? The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

The cause of his failure might be any number of things. Often one of the other tricks of the Devil discussed below has led the offender into a cycle of failure and despondency.

Reader, the fact that God has bothered to start a work in your heart is evidence enough that He is willing and able to finish it.

Have you grasped the beauty of the cross?

Do you understand the force of the will?

Are you certain you comprehend faith? 

Image of woman giving thumbs up

3. God is too kind to condemn good people trick

This is one of the most shallow of the tricks of the Devil. It carries a terrible presupposition about how God separates the sheep from the goats. Is it an arbitrary decision on His part that excludes men from bliss?

Are unregenerate men condemned because Jesus was not kind enough to spare them? Heaven is shut against them by their unfitness for its holiness. A man must be born again.

 

4. The freedom trick

Imagine two horses in a large corral.

Prairie and forest, vale and rivulet wind through the fenced-in area. One horse romps and trots at pleasure through the open land. The other, ever near the barbed wire, circles the corral feeling ever the confining nature of his prison. Though the same boundaries keep in both horses, one has freedom, and the other bondage.

The irony is that the one looking for freedom is the one that feels the bondage.

The young man or young woman that is asking at every turn “what is wrong with that?” “Why can’t I go there?” and other similar questions is pacing the fence.

Someday, maybe, he will find the answers to his questions to be so inadequate that he will jump the fence. In the mean time his is an abject bondage. If he would ask the question “what is best?” and back away from the fence into the open pasture, he might share the freedom of the first horse.

There is room for joy and peace and activity in the corral established for our safety. The limitations are felt by the would-be-wanderer alone.

The gray areas near the edge of the fence are also causes of confusion and strife. Avoid them as tricks of the Devil. Ask not “what will Jesus put up with?” but “What would make Him most happy?”

Image of baby birds with mouths open

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5. The Shoved down my throat trick

This delusion has a counterpart, the they-will-accept-it-if-we-force-them-to-do-it-long-enough trick. But here we wish to consider the falsehood from the perspective of the one being forced to do right. This is a form of the first trick of the Devil.

The dirty bath water here is often the method used to instruct the young. When young people rise up in rebellion against the methods used to teach them they often unwittingly throw baby truth out with the suds. If we allow ourselves to be swayed from the right and from life by the manipulative methods of those that believe in the right, we are sitting as easy targets. Satan has plenty of truth-teachers prepared by long practice to disgust your soul. One must judge truth on its own basis if he would find it at last.

A few hundred years ago Roman “Christians” made an unprovoked attack on the Northmen of Scandanavia. Unprepared for the onslaught the surprised heathen suffered heavy losses. They heard the departing praises to the Christian God for the triumph. That was no mistake on the part of the Romans. They knew what would happen next. The Northmen soon gathered their forces and prepared for a counter attack. But where were Christians to attack? In Great Britain. And so the Celtic church became the victim of a terrible slaughter planned by the Romans and executed by ignorant Northmen that had played right into the trap. It was a misdirected revenge on innocent men and women. The Celtic Christians bore no spiritual relation to the barabaric soldiers of the Roman legions.

Would you take revenged on God and His counsels for the way “Christians” have treated you? Please don’t take it out on Him. He is not to blame for their mistakes. His counsels were written for your well-being. If you turn from them, your vengeance will injure no one as much as yourself.

6.       The hypocrites trick

By now you might recognize this as a variation on the theme of tricks of the Devil.

The Devil has long converted hypocrites to the truth for no other purpose than to turn off truth seekers. If you are looking for a church with few hypocrites, you will find one that Satan does not care to corrupt.

Truth always has and always will attract men without a heart religion. But are you sure you know who the hypocrites are? Be careful. See trick number 15.

Someone sleeping

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7.       The later trick

 

We make our best decisions when we have the most accurate information making the deepest impression on us.

You might imagine a man outside of the ark screaming for admittance for himself and the four-year old daughter on his back. That mental picture shows the danger of putting off ‘til tomorrow spiritual decisions that should be made today.

Satan knows that when the mind is convicted to make an important decision for God that the best thing he can do is stall for time. The answer “almost you persuade me to be a Christian,” will be followed ever so surely by a weakening of the impressions of the moment. The many thoughts that combined together nearly lead a man to yield are forgotten one by one.

The trick of the Devil is to lead men to put off a decision until they forget the things that would have prompted them to make a good one. The way to dodge the snare is to do right at the very first opportunity.

Image of man working on laptop

8.       I can’t understand those things trick

The Bible teaches that the gospel has been written in such a way that the wayfaring man, though a fool need not misunderstand.

Satan has a growing lack of demon power on this earth. Human population has soared an astounding 600% in the last 130 years. During the same period of time the demonic forces have grown by 0%. Rather than try to man each human with a personal demon, he has adopted the delegation method.

He leads most men and women to feel that they can not understand the Bible for themselves. And he leads a few others, chosen if possible for their pliability, to feel that they understand it better than most. The former very naturally follow the latter and all the local imps have left to do is keep the leader under their influence. Don’t be fooled with this trick of the Devil.

The same God that teaches the eagles to find their prey will teach his children to find Him in His word.

Learning, degrees, positions, these things may add influence to a man, but they do not give him an edge on spiritual discernment.

Image of woman wearing pink cultural dress

9.       This is how I am trick

This one is intimately related to the kindred “I need to find myself” trick of the Devil.

“Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you can not overcome. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God.” COL p. 331.

The way we are has only a limited relation to what we must become. As the mind becomes like that thing on which it mediates, there is nothing so prone to slow down character development than studying to find one’s self.

“A fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover itself.” Pr. 18:2.

Photo of woman grimacing face

10.    That is how they are trick

This fallacy is the demonic equivalent to man’s famous straw-man argument. The soul under attack this trick of the Devil is led to believe that the reason men adopt high standards and self-denying lifestyles is that they are constituted that way. The presupposition is that conservative people become that way due to a natural bent, and liberals bend that way for similar reasons.

The power of the Word of God to change lives is ignored.

The fact that those that strive most earnestly to bring their lives into conformity to the scriptures all move in the same spiritual direction is dismissed as evidence that they are of the conservative frame of mind. The Word is undermined by this opinion. Serious arguments are dismissed, rather than considered, with the brief excuse that the one presenting them “is just that way.”

When men will not seriously study, they will be seriously wrong. Arguments and reasons, the basis or critical thinking in its positive sense, militate against the various deceptions of Satan. He is careful to avoid the dead-end of road of meeting them one by one with lies. The “that is how they are” trick of the Devil is one his ways of doing away with all of them at the same time.

 

Photo of young girl thinking

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11.    I see where you are going trick

Truth has components that are both simple and complex. The latter thoughts require connected reasoning on the part of those arriving at them. If you were to try to persuade a man that the seventh day is the Sabbath and should be kept, you might begin by defining sin as the transgression of the law.

As one that considers himself to be a budding intellectual your listener might quickly perceive that to accept the definition is, by and by, to accept the conclusion that the Sabbath must be kept. He does not want to get there and begins to resist points that he might readily have admitted under any other circumstance. Now imagine that on your side are 20 arguments to his 3 counter arguments. If all 23 arguments were on the table at once, the truth could be readily seen.

But by jumping ahead in the train of thought, the hapless listener has managed to keep at all times a maximum of four thoughts on the table—his three and one of yours. At each point he feel very justified in resisting your conclusion, for his arguments outweigh your argument. Avoid this trick of the devil. 

If you would know the truth or falsity of an idea you will do better to hear the arguments for and against it, follow the thoughts, and to postpone a conclusion until you have time to study the reasons.

Do not be so afraid of losing the argument as of losing the truth. 

It’s really just a trick of the Devil. 

Woman watching sky after sunset

12.    I won’t like heaven; it won’t be fun trick

Who gave men the ability to enjoy music, flowers, warmth, and mangos?

Who made the heart in such a way that it could be excited, the lungs with the power to laugh, and the eyes with the power to wink?

Was it an ambiguous force in nature that gave men an ability to enjoy high-speed travel?

The fact that sin has degenerated our powers and changed our tastes should encourage us. Our resurrected frames will be stronger; our passions more fiery, our intellect brighter. And our ability to enjoy will exceed anything experienced here. Do not suspect that the God who gave us such an abundance of active and passive pleasures would not equip us to enjoy them in heaven. It’s simply another one of the tricks of the Devil.

Image of caution sign

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13.    You can’t prove it trick

One hundred and sixty years ago there were a few people that thought that smoking was unhealthy. They couldn’t prove it, but they saw evidence. No one demands proof when they are warned that a bomb may be in a building. Danger is avoided by caution. We are cautious not because we are sure of loss, but because we are unsure.

In our illustration, a man living in 1845 might have asked “is the pleasure of smoking worth the risk that it might be the cause of these gentlemen’s coughing and cancer?” A demand for proof might have lead to a fatal mistake. In spiritual things, Satan often leads souls to demand proof that their chosen vices are truly injurious.

Proof is hard to come by and easy to confute. Is a new vice harmless until research shows it otherwise? In the area of music this question has significant repercussions. Evidence has been compiled by several authorities that certain types of music lead to unwanted types of behavior. Others contest the findings. What if the former views are correct? Are we willing to pull the trigger on the music pistol on the whim that we have a 5/6 chance of getting away with our souls? Don’t fall for this trick of the Devil. 

If the man giving evidence in favor of a truth in unacquainted with the best arguments, does it make the truth less true? The only safety from mistake is to go with the evidence and to display caution proportionate to the gravity of the potential loss. You might walk a balance beam and risk falling two feet. But you would not walk it at 2,000 feet.

When our eternal life is at stake, do we show a reckless hardihood to demand proof before exercising caution? The Jews in the time of Jesus demanded proof in Matthew 12:38-39 because they didn’t really want to believe.

14.    I’m rich and doing evangelism trick

The question “What must I do to inherit eternal life” has often been answered by the human heart. In fact, all false religions are variations on the theme of “activity saves.” The message to Laodicea is written to workers for God. Thinking that they are “rich in good works,” even the poorest of Adventists are in danger of neglecting whole-hearted religion.

Many that do not know Jesus in a very personal way dedicate hours and dollars into weekly outreach activities. Comparing themselves with the inactive majority they are certain that if anyone is truly Christian, they must be. Beware of that thought as a trick of the Devil. It is a truly justified man in Ez. 33:13 that, after his true conversion is condemned for self-righteousness.

Image of toy boy and girl on bench

15.    I thank you, oh God, that I am balanced and level-headed and not like this Pharisee…trick

This idea works with astounding consistency. The plot goes like this: Satan convinces men that the arguments in the church are the result of extremists advocating extreme positions. Then he pulls the parallel trick—the Saduccees are like the liberals today, and the Pharisees are like the conservatives. Whether or not this is true is not relevant to the next step.

He convinces men that by avoiding either extreme, they can land atop the narrow way. The way to find truth becomes a balancing act: trick of the Devil. Now the poor soul has no idea of the fact, but he has just put himself where he can be easily manipulated.

If the Devil wants to push him to the right, all he has to do is bring into the man’s association a great deal of very far right people. That makes the manipulee feel a bit left of center, and he moves accordingly. If the Devil would have him give up a few basic reforms, all he needs to do is bring in a host of men and women that militate for giving up all lifestyle issues.

The poor soul suddenly feels very conscious of his glaring right of center tendencies. He needs balance. After an adjustment in his position, he is ready for the last step in the trick: Self-congratulation. He is so glad that he is not like the Pharisee in the front pew of his church that he becomes just like the Pharisee in the parable of Jesus—“I thank thee, oh God, that I am not…”

Photo of conference

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16.    Authorities disagree trick

By the way, the title of this trick of the Devil is certainly a truth. Eminent men are at each other’s intellectual throats. Men that have spent thirty years with their noses in Hebrew manuscripts can not come to terms even on the most basic of Christian doctrines.

“Therefore said some of the [theologians] ‘This man is not of God, because he keeps not the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?’ And there was a division among them.” Jn. 9:16.

Now here is the question—Why can’t they? Satan suggests the answer, “the issues are too complex. The more you study, the more ignorant you realize you are. If educated men can not agree, lesser men would be heady in the extreme to dare an interpretation.” The logic is sound proof if the supposition is accepted. Are the issues honestly too complex? Is that the reason men do not agree? “From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not from your desires that fight within you?” James 4:1. It is a lack of spiritual discernment that leaves these men destitute of truth.

But hold! Careful how you relegate the trick to the Babylon without. Are there divisive issues in your church that it seems men have been arguing for years? Have you thought that their lack of consensus is evidence that neither side is right? Or that study of the topic is vain? Or that the issues are too complex for you? If so, you are a victim of the trick.

Authority does not disagree. You can go straight to it for yourself.

17.    The informed and intelligent judge trick

This trick of the Devil is so easy to understand that it is often played by men on each other. It is a variation of the “authorities disagree” trick, but with an element of disciple making.

An example might go like this: Rob opens his presentation, “Ladies and gentlemen, great thinkers have studied the writings of Rophart for decades. Most have concluded that the fifth volume of the series is a fraud. Wesson and Peters, great doctors that they are, have ably shown that the fifth volume bears, contrary to the general consensus, distinct evidence of Ruphart’s personal labor. The point that most of Peters’ critics have missed is….”

While never stated, there is an implication. The speaker knows more. More than the doctors, for he is evaluating them; more than the critics, and for the same reason. He is informed and intelligent, and intelligent listeners will accept his assertions. Watch this move. The fact that a man has read widely is no evidence that he is right. Others that have read widely disagree.

Photo of red mushroom

18.    It doesn’t affect me that way trick

Giving a child everything he wants will spoil him. But how? In olden times many monarchs were poisoned by very small servings of a deadly substance delivered to them day after day for months. You might ask them after their third tainted meal if they felt a little queasy and hear a jolly “not at all.” Some poison in very small portions does not have immediate perceptible effects.

Satan has many slow poisons. Much of the counsel of God has been given to warn us against these things. The Bible presents them as deadly. The Devil makes a sly move here. He makes us aware of hypersensitive people.

They can feel the anger rising in them when they listen to that music. We can’t.

They had a headache the last time they ate a candy bar. You could eat ten without noticing anything.

They became suicidal when they broke up with their boyfriend. You get over it with a few minutes of tears and a resolve to move on.

They get drunk on one beer. You can drink three before you get a buzz. It just doesn’t affect you the same way. It is safe for you. It kills slowly, so no worries. Simply stated, it’s a trick of the Devil. 

Photo of man praying with hand up

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19.    God told me trick

Be careful how you say that. How do you know God told you? There are three ways that God speaks to us (5T 512). Find what they are. Imagination, feeling, desire, impulse, circumstance, all of these are often confounded with the voice of God.

God chooses to lead us by his counsel. He never leads us contrary to that counsel. The trick of the Devil here often involves a two-step stumble. Both missteps come from impulse. The first impulse comes when we are seeking to know God’s will. The timing of the impulse seems to clothe it in Divinity. But inwardly we know better.

But then we are talking to someone about it and without thinking it through we say “and God told me….” We might even know it is an exaggeration, but we said it. Now self is committed and the powers of the mind begin preparing to answer challenges to the claim. We convince ourselves. Impulse wins the day. Our god made it that way.

20.    I prayed and prayed trick a

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way, which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” Ps 32:8-9.

Men have a fundamental misunderstanding of the way that God leads his children. He leads them by his counsel. And He enables them to understand it by granting them reason. These powers atrophy in the soul that will not study earnestly.

Men would rather have a sign. 

They would rather have a vision. They would rather just choose what they want if they thought they could get away with it in the judgment. So they do, but they give God veto power. They pray and pray and pray and ask him to close the doors if He does not appreciate their choice.

But God does not answer prayers for wisdom and guidance by giving more of the same when the first Wisdom and Guidance is neglected. He does not even respect those insulting prayers enough to give the veto. If you will not follow the counsel, do not pray for guidance. Just chose. You will make the same decision, and won’t be fooled into thinking it was God’s will.

Photo of man looking up praying

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21.    I prayed and prayed trick b

A few years ago I was talking to a young man that was giving up religion. Religion didn’t work for him. “I prayed and prayed that if God was real that he would make Stephanie like me. Nothing happened.”

The forces of evil would throw a party if they could convince everyone that prayer is white magic—that is, a method of controlling forces of the universe for the purpose of doing good. God never agreed to give weak-minded sinfully inclined human beings their every whim. He does not spoil us. If we do not get what we asked for, it is an impotent prayer rather than an impotent God that is to blame. See the chapter “Prayer” in Steps to Christ and James 4:1-4.

Photo of children playing operation

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22.    I’m called to do what I like trick

Moses almost fell for this one. He enjoyed many things, but public speaking and Egyptian vacations were not among them. Our Savior had no relish for a life of rejection and personal sorrow. Paul was constrained by the love of Christ to put his life on the line. “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed,” was his testimony. 2Co 4:8-9.

There are many that, while burdened to know God’s will for their life, have written off the uncomfortable options. Their thoughts find roots in a great truth, namely that God wants His children to be happy. But they siphon that truth through a very narrow-minded filter. God wanted Moses and Paul to have the greatest joy possible in the long term. He often calls men and women to work for him in ways that war against every fiber of their being that they might be fitted for eternity with him.

Personal evangelism involves personal rejection, but they that “be teachers shall shine as the brightness of the skies, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Be open. If you are called to a self-denying work for others you must evaluate that call based on your aptitudes, not your attitudes.

Fireman holding hose

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23.    God let it happen trick

A Time magazine a few years ago had on the title the words “God is good; God is all powerful; Evil exists; the Philosopher’s Dilemma.” God can not be blamed for men’s foolish attempt to separate cause and effect.

The curse causeless will not come.” Pr 26:2. The life of man, due to the history of man, brings one caused curse after another. The weakness of the human body, the human mind, the human will, are the results of the choices of our forbears. Accidents, illness, war; these require no vengeance on the part of God. They are life on a planet ceaselessly cursing itself. While a Loving hand watches the pressures of the curse and refuses to let them overwhelm the searching soul, God can not be blamed for any of the pain here. Man let it happen and God did not exterminate him. That is all the blame that Heaven will bear. Thank God for that.

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24.    The slippery slope trick a

When someone is just crossing over the doorstep from pleasure seeking to conscientiousness, he is welcomed by offers of peace and joy. That is what draws him to enter the door at the sacrifice of some cherished pleasures. But just on the worldly side of the gate a band of picketing men carry placards warning of the oppression experienced by everyone entering the narrow opening. “Giving up chicken is just the first step!” “Caffeine today; fun tomorrow!” “Those that enter here must ALWAYS be consistent!” “Admit that its wrong then freedom is gone!” “Want plight? Read White!”

The fears seem grounded. But this is only an earthly version of the “I won’t like heaven trick.” The offers of Peace and Joy are substantial, and those that give up “all things” to get them, “count them but trash” that they might win Christ. Part of the deception involves a severe exaggeration of the fun derived from the lessor life-style.

While we may enjoy poor food, revealing dress, and any number of other little vices, we do not get that much joy from them. It is partly because we get so little joy in life that we cling with such fervor to the bits that we do get. Give the bits up and you get a meal.

Photo of person standing on cliff edge

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25.    The slippery slope trick b

At the same moment that Satan portrays the “dangers” of stepping onto the reform slide and entering into a life of ever steeper and faster commitments leading to who knows where, he places the feet of his listeners on a yet steeper slide. The compromise slope is nearly horizontal at its top, and you may walk up and down the slope without even realizing a change of altitude. This gives a sense of security.

If compromising on little issues in life doesn’t make any significant difference in your spirituality, why fuss over conscientiousness? But the path of religious life is lined with the wrecks of men that stepped just a few steps too far down and lost their balance. Just at that point where the soul begins to slide, signs on the incline ask those sliding down “why be a hypocrite? If you aren’t going to obey all the way, give it all up.” “You really knew better. Too late now.” “Shame on you! If your mother saw you here…”

The soul filled with shame looses nerve and strength to hold on and slow the fall. It is not safe to violate your conscience in little things. Take the high road with no regrets.

One other thought—Prayers of repentance and faith do wonders even for those on high-speed declines. God can pick you off the slide. If Satan didn’t know this, he wouldn’t bother placing the hopeless signs all over the path. He fears you might exercise trust.

Old family photos

26.    First duty is to my family trick

“But your first and most sacred duty is to your family.” 2T 85. Satan often uses truth as groundwork for error. He quoted Ps 91 and God’s promise to keep us from harm before inviting the Messiah to jump from a lofty height. The mistake often made here is in the method to be employed in helping our family.

Will we, by leaving our appointed task to return home and aid them, impress them with the urgency that we feel? “If Lot himself had manifested no hesitancy to obey the angels’ warning, but had earnestly fled toward the mountains, without one word of pleading or remonstrance, his wife also would have made her escape. The influence of his example would have saved her from the sin that sealed her doom. But his hesitancy and delay caused her to lightly regard the divine warning.” PP 161.

When our kin see us making decisions that could cost us our friends and dearest relations in the service of God, they will know that the truth means something to us. Speaking of punctuality and decision in the work of God, Ellen White wrote, “Never should the cause of God be left to suffer, in a single particular, because of our earthly friends or dearest relatives.” 3T 499.

Photo of friends on sofa

Photo by Afta Putta Gunawan from Pexels

27.    I will go and minister to my friends trick

This is the opposite side of the “I am called to do what I want” false coin. The dupe reasons that he can do God’s work anywhere in the world and he might as well do it among his buddies. This thought is not always errant. Jesus told the Gadarene to return and show his friends the great things that God had done for him.

But when it is a violation of Romans 13:14, “make no provision for the flesh,” it is foolhardy decision that has led to the spiritual apostasy of thousands. “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17. Children that will one day make good soldiers make poor fodder in the mean time. If they have recently left the vices of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, immorality, and idleness, do not send them back to minister to their own until they have grown strong in the faith. The author writes from sad experience on this point.

Photo of teacher and student

28.    I don’t need anyone to teach me trick

Founded on I Jn 2:27 this argument neglects to mention the immediate context of seducing teachers (v. 26). The very writing of this Epistle of John is evidence that true teaching was needed. The point of the verse is that the members were not at the mercy of their false teachers. They could go to inspiration for themselves. That they were inclined to credit unfounded assertions is evidenced in the fact that they were being seduced.

Far different counsel is written to those heady and high-minded men who would think it weakness to say “How can I [understand] except some man should guide me?” Acts 8:31. We need each other. God designed the church that way very much on purpose. Not even Paul, the recently renamed Saul, aspired to spiritual independence in his newly converted state. In vision he was told, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Acts 9:6. Not an angel, but God’s servant Ananias became his tutor.

Woman standing by university

29.    You can find what you are looking for trick

The deception is the old “did God really say you shouldn’t eat it?” It paints God’s counsel as narrow and restrictive. “You can find what you are looking for.” “Just weed out the error and accept the truth.” “Just find the good friends that are there.” “Sally is there and she is doing fine.”

This trick is used most often on young people making decisions that will affect their entire future. Satan and God and angels good and bad all know how easily the values gained during childhood may be thrown off in adolescence. When God has given counsel that such and such a course of action is unpleasing to Him, to say “you can [do that] if you are careful to look for the good and resist the evil.” But being careful is a character issue.

If one is not careful enough to search his heart for the sins that separate him from heaven; if he is not careful enough to study the Bible earnestly to know God’s counsel; what magic will render him careful enough to resist the influences of those that are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? In the first person, if you go and escape with your soul, who will follow your example and lose theirs?

And if God has outlined a different plan for his children, how do you know that you will be just as well off to make your own?

In your educational planning, has God asked you to aim at a mere absence of corruption?

How will you answer for the things that you might have known about his Word had you followed his Testimonies and entered a school of his choosing?

If you are looking to put searching for the kingdom first, God will show you where to do your looking as well as for what to be looking.

 

30.    I’ll witness by living a good life

The trick here is that living the good life involves active as well as passive witnessing. If you are not actively witnessing, you are not living a good life, and are not being a good witness.

Photo of man reading

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile from Pexels

31.    You are judged by what you know trick

A more accurate statement would be “you are judged by what you might have known had you lived up to your privileges.” Willful ignorance is not winked at. Those that neglect to study lest they should find light and be challenged by it are responsible for it nonetheless. “This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light.” Jn. 3:19.

Image of two paths

32.    More people will accept the truth this way trick

This is how Satan pushes the church to the outer boundaries of the gray areas. Centuries were taken by Satan to change the Sabbath. It progressed from keeping Sabbath Holy, to Keeping Sabbath Holy and Sunday Fun. From there, it was Sabbath Solemn and Sunday Blessed. Finally Sabbath was scorned and Sunday was Holy. There are lessons we can learn from history. Two paragraphs from the Great Controversy, pp. 289-290, when meditated on, will be sufficient comment on this trick.

“The English Reformers, while renouncing the doctrines of Romanism, had retained many of its forms. Thus though the authority and the creed of Rome were rejected, not a few of her customs and ceremonies were incorporated into the worship of the Church of England. It was claimed that these things were not matters of conscience; that though they were not commanded in Scripture, and hence were nonessential, yet not being forbidden, they were not intrinsically evil. Their observance tended to narrow the gulf, which separated the reformed churches from Rome, and it was urged that they would promote the acceptance of the Protestant faith by Romanists.

“To the conservative and compromising, these arguments seemed conclusive. But there was another class that did not so judge. The fact that these customs “tended to bridge over the chasm between Rome and the Reformation” (Martyn, volume 5, page 22), was in their view a conclusive argument against retaining them. They looked upon them as badges of the slavery from which they had been delivered and to which they had no disposition to return. They reasoned that God has in His word established the regulations governing His worship, and that men are not at liberty to add to these or to detract from them. The very beginning of the great apostasy was in seeking to supplement the authority of God by that of the church. Rome began by enjoining what God had not forbidden, and she ended by forbidding what He had explicitly enjoined.”

Man sitting with hands on head

33.    I can’t take it any longer trick

Though the overwhelmed soul rarely thinks it through, this is a denial of I Cor. 10:13, “But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.” Judge God to be faithful, tempted soul. You may feel as if you will die, but God will not fail. Do not give up.

Photo of child praying

Photo by Binti Malu from Pexels

34.    What counts is a personal relationship trick

Fuzzy facts facilitate fallacies and foster farces. A personal relationship with our Savior that involves the indwelling of his Spirit in a regenerated heart is of the utmost value. Those that have it will be saved, and those that are found in the judgment without it will be lost.

Then why is “relationship” here in a list of tricks? Because the fuzzy definition given to relationship often lends itself to demonic purposes. Those that Satan suspects of being honest Christians he leads to feel that their relationship is too weak. They don’t know enough scripture yet. They haven’t arrived. They still find themselves with sins to repent of each morning.

And those that Satan suspects of being hollow Christians (no Holy Spirit inside) he leads to feel confident that their relationship is healthy. They spend time with God everyday “and delight to do his will as a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the commandments of God.” Is. 58:2. And “relationship” is used as an excuse for ignoring the details of God’s counsel.

What would your mother think if she asked you to clean up your room and you said “no mother, I don’t want to. I just want to have a relationship with you.” The Bible defines our love relationship with Jesus in terms that are not as fuzzy. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” Jn 15:10.

Open Bible

35.    The Bible, not Ellen White trick

Though the words are very different, in method and principle this deception differs little from the “what counts is a personal relationship” trick. Except in those that have had little opportunity to test the claims of Ellen White, these words often show a preference of the fuzzy to the concrete.

This paragraph will certainly not attempt to summarize Ellen White and Her Critics. Suffice here to say that if a man claims to believe and follow the Bible wholly, then he must accept as authoritative the writings of non-canonical prophets. If the Bible says “do what they say,” and the reader replies, “no, I will only do what you, my Bible, say,” he is manifestly inconsistent. He does not obey the Bible.

And do men dare to tie God’s hands and say, “I will not believe any light you send me unless it is in the Bible,” when the Bible foretold that God would speak to his last-day church through dreams and visions. If they are willing to resist the Spirit, we must not join them. The “Bible only, not Ellen White” trick is a farce when spoken by those that believe her to be heaven sent.

Hand holding gold

36.    God is blessing trick

When men make a decision the haunting question lingers on, “was it the right one? Is this God’s will?” When the decision has been made in harmony with God’s counsel and within the bounds of both his guidelines and the powers of reason that He has given, we should leave regrets behind. But when we have ignored the counsel, we must beware the prosperity deception.

Not all that glitters is gold. And not all that turns to gold is from God. Most of the wealth of this world has ever been in wicked hands and the Devil is not so stingy as to withhold capital from those that would be confirmed in wickedness by receiving it. If you build where God counsels you not to build and a man pays off your mortgage, please do not feel that heaven has bankrolled your godless project.

If you enroll is a school that treats God’s counsels with the same carelessness that you did when enrolling and some benefactor pays your tuition, don’t insult with God with your praise. If prosperity were a mark of heavenly approbation Jesus might have had reason to doubt his calling.

Couple sitting on bench

37.    Boy-Girl bag of tricks

As I do not propose to write a book in addition to this pamphlet, I must be ever so brief on this bag of tricks. Here is a short list of tricks that I have seen the devil use repeatedly and with astonishing success.

  1. I can help him trick
  2. But he has a good heart trick
  3. He respects my beliefs trick
  4. I need someone trick
  5. God led us together trick
  6. I’m not serious trick
  7. [oblivious] trick

Just a word on this topic: While young people are forming their characters and shaping their values, often in their late teens and early twenties, it often happens that they change direction several times. Students heading “down” and students heading “up” may cross paths in the process and be about the “same” when they do, except in the direction they are moving.

It is at this very time that Satan works feverishly to engross the mind of the poor youth. He binds them together, for he knows that their continued movement will lead to difference and misery in the home. And these tricks draw much from a lack of faith in our Creator.

While heaven has been working for years to prepare a match for the type of young lady that Sally will become, Satan knows that she will not be ready for a year or two yet. Then he puts all his powers to the task of linking her with someone less than ideal and at the less than ideal time to prevent the ultimate blessing that heaven would bestow.

Young man, young lady, be patient, be slow, give you time to grow. Make your big decisions without reference to the one that courts your affections. Let your big decisions bring you to the one for you. You make yourself easy prey if you let the “one for you” bring you to your big decisions.

Click Here for the Word Version: Tricks_of_the_Devil

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast

A Bible Study for the Arkadelphia Study Group

Revelation describes those that live at the end of the world’s history as falling into two categories. These categories are characterized by a seal or a Mark. The following graph illustrates the contrast made between them in the book of Revelation:

Those with the Seal of God                            Those with the Mark of the Beast

Worship God as Creator (14:7)                       Worship the Beast (13:15)

Keep the Commandments (12:17; 14:12)

Resist Legal Pressure to Disobey (15:2)         Submit to the Pressure (13:16)

Those that do not keep God’s Law, the “lawless ones”, will include “many” that profess to worship Jesus.

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

The Seal of God is placed in the forehead. The Mark of the Beast is placed in either the forehead or the hand.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, Re 14:9

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Re 7:2-3

Anciently, God explained to his people, repeatedly, that their loving obedience to the Ten Commandments would set them apart like a mark in their foreheads. Additionally, the Ten Commandments were to be “as a sign” bound on their hands.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words [the Ten Commandments, see Deut 5], which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: . . . And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. De 6:5-8. See De 11:18; Ex 13:9, 16.

In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit writes, or binds, the Law of God on the heart of the believer. This was represented as the sign placed on the ancient forehead. In the Revelation it is pictured as a seal being placed in the mind, in the forehead.

Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. Is 8:16

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Heb 8:10.

The most solemn warning found in the entire Bible is found in conjunction with the Mark of the Beast.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Re 14:9-11

The Beast, the civil power of the Roman Papacy, is marked, or characterized, as attacking God’s law and trying to change its “times.” Dan 7:25.

The Law of God includes a Commandment that honors God as Creator, establishes His authority on earth, and identifies Him as the Sovereign of the Universe. It is the fourth, the command related to “times.”

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Ex 20:8-11

Jesus clearly indicated that this Commandment would extend beyond His Death. Matt 24:20.

The Apostles and even the Gentile believers clearly observed it. Acts 13; 17; 18

In a future study we will study how the Sabbath is identified by the Bible as the sign of the Seal of God.

Today we will simply notice that continuing to transgress the Law by keeping it in its humanly changed form defies God’s authority. Such disobedience places men in a camp that will, when put under pressure in the future, receive the Mark of the Roman beast’s authority.

Let us “Remember” the Command that begins with that word. It does so for a reason.

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast II

The Roman beast is against the people of God, even if many of God’s people are found among her members.

It stomped on “the remnant with its feet.” Dan 7:7, 19. It “made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” Dan 7:21. It spoke “great words against the most High, and [wore] out the saints of the most High, . . . and they [were] given into his hand.” Dan 7:25.

In Daniel 7 the purpose of the judgment is intimately connected with the civil power of the Church of Rome. The judgment sits to take away that power, to destroy that power, and to establish in its place God’s Kingdom in the hands of the saints. This marks the end of the several-thousand-year saga for world dominion.

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter. Dan 7:26-28.

In Daniel 8 the Roman power “waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.” Dan 8:10. These “stars” and “hosts” are the same “saints” mentioned above. An angel asks how long the Roman power will be permitted to oppress the “hosts.” The answer is, until the “cleansing of the sanctuary,” Dan 8:13-14, or, in other words, until the judgment of Daniel 7.

Though prior to this, the beast’s “power shall be mighty . . . and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people,” Dan. 8:24, yet its judgment is certain. The vision that brings his oppression to an end “is true.” Dan 8:26.

Later, in the most detailed of Daniel’s revelations, a distinction is made between God’s people generally, and “they that understand among” them. The understanding ones are the objects of the wrath of the Roman power.

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. Dan 11:33-35.

As earlier in Daniel 7 and Daniel 8, this last vision of Daniel 11-12 presents God’s final intervention as bringing an end to the Roman oppression. The Time of Trouble with the seven last plagues falls on those not found in the book of life—that is, on those condemned in the judgment that blotted names from the book. Dan. 12:1.

Revelation 12-16 presents the same picture, but even in greater detail. The saints suffer under the oppression of the papal power for 1260 years (Rev 11:2-3, 12:6, 14; 13:5). Then they are relieved by an announcement of the arrival of the hour of Judgment.

There we see that soon the Roman beast will suffer the verdict imposed by the judgment. The world is warned against honoring the soon-to-be-destroyed power. Nevertheless, many honor that power to their own everlasting shame.

This is the connection between the first angels’ message and the latter two. The Judgment that favors the saints also pronounces against the beast. The first angel announces the Judgment. The second states both the charge and the guilty verdict for the beast. The third announces the sentence. Here the messages are abbreviated.

“The hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

 

“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

 

“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God . . . and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: . . . and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”  Re 14:7-12 selected

All four lines of prophecy (Dan 7; 8; 10-12; Rev 12-16) present the same picture in ever increasing magnification. The judgment relieves the saints, pronounces against the beast, and proceeds at once to the execution of the sentence. This is followed by the establishment of God’s kingdom.

Who are these saints? Daniel 7:28 says that those that enter God’s kingdom will “serve and obey Him.” In Daniel 8 they are the “mighty and the holy people.” In Daniel 11 they are “those that understand among the people.” In Daniel 12 they are those found “in the book.” In Revelation 12 they are those “that keep the commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus.” In Revelation 14 they are those that endure persecution and who “keep the commandments of God.”

Taken together, these four lines of prophecy teach that the final scenes on earth will feature the beast warring against commandment keepers. The issues will be worship and the Law. God requires honor as Creator. The Beast offers a sacrifice of its own choosing, denying the creation story of Genesis 1 and supplanting the memorial of that creation with an ancient pagan holiday. The Bible story ends as it began, with a command of God being slighted by the Devil speaking through a medium, then a snake and now the Roman Church.

But this time there are some who refuse to join the woman that fell, despite her affectionate encouragement to take a bite.

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast III

In Daniel the Roman power is characterized as taking special aim at corrupting the covenant. The covenant is first mentioned in 9:4 where Daniel prays to God who keeps “the covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments.” Dan 9:4.

Then, in the prophecy of the same chapter, the earthly work of Jesus is given. He is to “confirm the covenant with many” during the remainder of the 70 weeks. Dan 9:27.

When Jesus is crucified, in Daniel 11:22, he is styled “the prince of the covenant.” And it is only a few verses later that we find the Roman power first having a “heart” “against” the holy covenant” and then becoming indignant “against the holy covenant.” Then he has conspiracy “with them that forsake the holy covenant.” Finally we find him flattering those who “do wickedly against the covenant” and corrupting them by his flatteries. Dan 11:28, 30, 32.

In summary, the powers of Christ and of the Roman church-state clash over the issue of the covenant. The covenant under consideration is that “everlasting covenant” that was ratified by the blood of Jesus. Heb. 13:20. It is the covenant over which Christ stands as “mediator” Heb. 12:24.It is that covenant where the Law of God is written in the heart.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Heb 8:10.

The Papacy is going to be destroyed for casting “truth” (Dan 8:12) down to the ground. Specifically, she will be destroyed for casting down the truth regarding the Holy Covenant. (See above). Namely, she will pay for thinking to change the Law of God. Dan 7:25.

And men are to come out of her communion, and out from among her daughters who have been corrupted and duped by her “intelligence against the covenant.” Her sins have been noted in the heavenly courts where the judgment has been sitting. Those sins have not been forgiven.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Re 18:4-5.

The character of her warfare has been to direct wrath against commandment keepers and to unite with those that forsake the everlasting covenant, corrupting them. The mark of her authority is demonstrated by submission to a civil law (for it is enforced by civil penalties and is made by a nation in Re 13) that distinguishes commandment keepers and others.

Now the history of the Roman church furnishes ample evidence of what kind of commandment keepers she hates. She despises those who keep the commandments that she has changed. She labeled them judeaizers and pronounced anathema against them in ever stronger language through several centuries of the early dark ages.

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast IV

 

There are three Bible stories that illustrate the final conflict over the Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God. These are the stories of the Passover in Egypt, the priestly ambitions of king Uzziah, and Heaven’s execution of King Herod.

In the latter story, the men of Tyre and Sidon who had formerly been at variance with Herod,  decided to make amends. Through the man in charge of his bed-chamber they arranged to hear an oration from Herod, their representative of the Roman Empire. At its conclusion they honored him with words that exalted him as a god on earth.

And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. Ac 12:22-23

In like manner Revelation 13 describes the world wondering after the beast that is named with blasphemy. This world includes those Muslims, Chinese, Protestants, and Orthodox persons, numbering in at three billion people, that have historically felt towards Rome as Herod’s listeners had formerly felt toward Him and Roman rule.

Tyre and Sidon here typify those that receive the Mark of the Beast. Interestingly, the pope is also typified by the prince of Tyre in that chapter, Ez 28, where Satan appears as the king of the same city. In that chapter the prince of Tyrus suffers a fate similar to Herod, and for similar reason. Both represent that king that establishes his throne between the seas in the glorious holy mountain. (Dan. 11:45).

Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: . . . With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches . . .  and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.  Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. Eze 28:2-10.

While the prince of Tyre and Herod, the centuries-later Roman king over the same city, enjoyed the titles of deity in their respective ages, Judah’s own king Uzziah aspired only to the priesthood.

Prior to Uzziah kings and priests had kept their respective places. Saul, of course, had offered sacrifice—and was rejected from being king. But Uzziah went further. Perhaps as a reward to himself for defending the faith, Uzziah took the censor in his own hand, the censor that represented the mediation of Jesus, the mixing of His righteousness with our prayers. Uzziah made himself a figure of antichrist.

Notice in the story the object of the king’s rage. Notice the location of the plague that struck him. Uzziah became a figure of that apostate Christianity that rages against God’s faithful while trying to unite the position of priest and king that God has put asunder.

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 2 Chr. 26:16-19.

While the law was as a sign between the eyes for the faithful among God’s people (De 6), Uzziah’s leprosy was a sign of a contrary nature. It represented false pretensions to the priesthood, a heaven-cursed attempt to change the regulations that governed the sanctuary. Uzziah’s leprosy became typical of the Mark of the Beast.

When Israel was about to be gathered out of Egypt God warned them how to escape the plagues coming on that oppressive nation. The angel of destruction would spare those only that had the appointed sign of faithfulness.

The sign involved killing a lamb, bringing everyone in the household into the home and painting the outside of the door with blood by means of hyssop. Inside everyone was to be dressed to go and to eat the lamb with bitter herbs.

The angel passing by was not to enter homes covered with the symbol of Christ’s atonement. All others received the worst plague, the death of their first born. By this it was shown, even in the plague, that their sin had caused the death of God’s only Son. Those not availing themselves of the offered mercy, who counted the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing, were thought worthy of sore punishment.

The Seal of God is easy to see typified in that evening. But the Mark of the Beast seems to be, in the type, almost passive. It was enough to be Egyptian, in name, or even merely in service. It was enough to forgo the seal to be marked for destruction.

For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the princes of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. . . .And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. . . And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. Ex 12:12-13; 22-23; 29

These three stories highlight the relation of worship to the issue of the mark of the beast. Those that honor the beast and his image with words or acts that should be rendered only to the Deity worship the beast. And those that worship the beast receive the beast’s mark.

The third angel speaks twice of those who “worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.” Rev 14:9, 11. The first plague rests “upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.” When the beast is finally destroyed, it will be with “deceived” ones “that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.” Re 16:2; 19:20.

A fourth story illustrates this reality. In Daniel 3 the head of Babylon and the image that he had set up was to be worshipped. In this story the mark of the beast was kneeling. The seal of God was illustrated simply by refusing to kneel.

Daniel 6 paints the same picture. There the sign of the Seal of God was kneeling. The Mark of the Beast was illustrated by prayers to a god-king who by law exalted himself above all that is worshipped.

The mark that was legally pressed on the three friends, and later on Daniel, was an act of unlawful worship. This was a violation of the very command that contains the terms of the everlasting covenant – “shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.”

We will notice only one more item regarding the Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God in this section: The seal is read by heaven alone; the mark is read by government also. In Ezekiel 9 those with the seal are spared the plagues that destroy the world. This same idea is implicit in the holding back of the four winds until the servants are “sealed” in Revelation 7.

The mark, by contrast, is enforced by human agencies in Re 13:16-17. These two facts give us another significant hint about how to identify the mark and the seal. No truth is more plainly taught in scripture than:

For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1Sa 16:7 

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast V

We concluded the last section with an observation that God looks on the heart and that man looks on the outward appearance. If the three worthies, for example, had bowed to the image, Nebuchadnezzar would have been unconcerned with their insincerity. Conformity was all he was seeking.

God, on the other hand, utterly refuses heartless worship.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matt 15:8

Worship is the theme and issue in the book of Revelation. Men worship the beast or they worship their Creator. The word “worship” and its derivatives, is used more times in the book of Revelation than in any other book of the Bible, Psalms not excluded.

Satan Accepts Third-party Worship

Satan has never been so particular as to require true devotion. In Revelation he is contented to receive third-party worship. Men that honor the image thus honor the beast. And those that honor the beast worship “the dragon which gave power to the beast.” Re 13:4 The dragon is Satan. Re 12:9.

And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? Re 13:4 

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Re 12:9 

Satan’s willingness to accept whatever kind of service he can get was showcased in the temptation of Jesus. The devil stooped to bribe Jesus to worship him.

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Mt 4:9 

Satan does the same in the case of the Mark of the Beast. Hungry men are offered the things that money can buy if they will only bow. Re 13:16-17. By bribe, by hunger, by superstition-inducing miracles, the devil in Revelation draws inadvertent “worship” to himself.

God Requires Direct, Willful Worship without Competitors

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Mt 4:10 

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24.

Where Satan is willing to accept the ignorant worship of idols as directed to himself (De 32:17; Ps 106:36-37), God cannot. How does He relate to ignorant devotion? In kindness, He overlooks it as long as possible. He cannot accept it.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands . . . seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth . . .  For in him we live, and move, and have our being . . . we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17:23-30

While Satan bribes men to worship himself, God will not even accept men’s bribes as worship. He is not “worshipped with men’s hands” Acts 17:25. Here is the reason that the Seal of God must be placed in the forehead while the beasts’ mark can be either in the hand or the head. God only accepts loving obedience. The beast accepts fearful conformity.

But we can not say that God always overlooks ignorant worship. When light is presented, Paul teaches, God “now commands all men everywhere to repent.” When the Jews sank down into idolatry their worship was not winked at. Their opportunities to know better prevented their ignorance from winning them grace. See Jer. 44:18-25.

Honoring Man’s Works and Man’s Commands is Idolatry

Honoring God’s Creative Power and Divine Right to Rule is Worship

This section opened with Matthew 15:8 where Jesus speaks of worshippers who use praise lyrics but whose heart was far from Him. The next verse shows that a heart that is close to Him is one that has been engraven with the Law of God. It shows that worship from a heart filled with man’s commands is pointless, hollow, vain.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mt 15:9 

God seeks worship based on two of His attributes. He is Creator and Redeemer.

The . . . elders fall down before Him . . . and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Re 4:10-11 

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy . . . . for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred . . . Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Re 5:9, 12, 14 

These attributes are written into the 2nd and 4th Commandment. Jehovah shows us mercy in the 2nd and is Creator in the 4th. It is the latter Command that is alluded to in the command to worship that introduces the Three Angel’s Messages.

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Re 14:7 

In summary, the final conflict will be over worship. Satan will seek worship from misguided Christians who honor Satan inadvertently by vainly worshipping the image and the beast. Whether deceived or merely cowed by pressure, the evil one eagerly accepts the submission.

God, quite on the contrary, has a refined taste for worship. He knows what He is looking for in particular. He will only accept worship that honors Him by obedient submission to His will.

And He will avenge his saints by destroying the beast with those that have united in worshipping contrary to God’s Law. Their judgment hints at their crime.

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Re 14:11 

 

These are professed Christians. But they mock the idea of a six-day Creation and of a literal flood. They believe God made the world over ages of time and deny that His judgments are soon to fall. This class rise in the “last days.”

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2Pe 3:3-7 

Yes, Satan accepts whatever kind of honor he can get. This kind of scoffing is honor enough for him. These scoffers are “ungodly.” The Greek is asebaes, “without due reverence, worshipless.” What have they been scoffing at? Very apparently, the First Angel’s Message. They refuse both to acknowledge that the “hour of His Judgment” is come and to “worship Him” as Creator.

God only accepts heart love and obedience. While men will look at the outward acts to determine who accepts the mark of the beast, God will look at the heart to perceive who has been sealed with the covenant Law by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast VI

When God looks at the heart, what is He looking for? In the day that He will judge the secrets of men, Judge Jesus will be looking for the works of the law to be written there. Our thoughts and actions will bear witness whether the Law has been written into the heart.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these . . . shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing [each of them] in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Ro 2:14-16

In the period of time when the world is coming to its end, the Ten Commandments receive greater attention. In the context of the close of human probation, Revelation 22:14 blesses those that “keep” the commandments of God.

In the context of the final controversy between good and evil the law of Ten Commandments is revealed in the Ark that housed it. This happens twice. Revelation 11:19; 15:5. This is further evidence that the Law will have been at issue in the closing scenes of the world.

In Revelation 14:7 the announcement that the hour of “His Judgement has come” begs the question, “What will be the standard of judgment in this trial?”  James 2:8-12 specifies that we are judge by the “royal law” of the Ten Commandments. During the judgment this standard receives due attention. And again we point out that it is the Sabbath command that is partially quoted immediately after the announcement of the judgment.

The Sabbath, as a seal that one is keeping the Commandments of God, fits snuggly into the puzzle of Revelation.

When Jesus speaks of His coming, He mentions a class that will be bitterly surprised to find themselves lost. As all lost persons in Revelation receive the Mark of the Beast, and as all saved persons receive the Seal of God, this class must be the class that has not the Seal of God. The disappointed ones at the Advent are not the class of 14:12 that keep the commandments.

But what commandments would it be that professed followers of God could break and still dare to say “Lord, Lord” to Jesus at His coming?

And of the commandments, the Sabbath seems most like the sign/seal of circumcision. It is the commandment that does not appeal to unaided moral senses any more than the command to avoid the Tree of Knowledge. Some authors have rejected it particularly on this ground—that they could not see the morality in it.

In that respect the sacredness of the Sabbath, like the forbiddeness of the Knowledge Tree in Eden, is a fit test to separate men into two camps. On one side are the Cains who offer to God a generous offering of what makes sense to them. On the other are the Abels who do as they are told by God, human reasoning not withstanding.

The Sabbath has been set apart as a special sign of the work of sanctification, of living our lives as if “the Lord God [were] in our hearts.” Isaiah 8.  Sanctification is the New Covenant process of writing the Law in the Heart.

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Ex 31:16-17.

 

Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. Eze. 20:12

 

And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. Eze. 20:20

Why else has the Fourth Commandment been chosen as a sign of sanctification? In Hebrews 4:4-10 the Sabbath is made a symbol of the creative work that God does in the heart. It emphasizes the Divine gift in writing the law there. We are to cease doing our “own works” and to rest in blissful dependence on God’s inworking power.

A Sign of the Spirit’s Work

“You also trusted [in Jesus], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,” writes Paul. But he adds that there is more. “In Whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”  Eph 1:13.

Jesus received the Seal of God. John 6:67. Jesus was, for the record, filled with the promised Holy Spirit.  Jesus, “being full of the Holy Ghost” preached regarding himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.” Lu 4:1, 18.

Just as Jesus was filled with the Spirit, and thus sealed by God the Father, the last generation will be.  Joel 2; Ezekiel 9; Revelation 7.

Ephesians speaks of the seal being “the earnest” of our inheritance until we receive glorified bodies. Eph 1:14. In other words, we can be sure that we will be resurrected finally when we have received the down-payment of the Spirit.

“Now he which stablishes us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 2 Co. 1:21-22.

The Bible places the seal of the Spirit “in our hearts.” The same idea is expressed in Revelation where the seal, or the Spirit, is placed in the forehead.

The seal of the Holy Spirit is given to those who meet the qualifications for salvation. In the time of Noah, for example, it would not be put on anyone who would not get in the ark. If the seal were given to someone who had not met the conditions of salvation, it would be a false promise.

Now nothing is clearer in our dear country than that many unsanctified persons have exhibited what are called the gifts of the Spirit. The Sabbath, as an outward sign, serves to show the body of believers that are Commandment Keepers, that are New Covenant Christians, and that are being sanctified by the writing of the Law on the heart.

As a sign of the Spirit’s seal, it helps clear confusion regarding what the Spirit is and is not doing in the world. Today the Commandment Keepers are preparing for Christ’s return. They are not building an ark.

But they are engaged in an activity as distinctive and as significant to the final scenes of this earth’s history. They are being sanctified by the special work of the Holy Spirit. 1 Co 6:11; 2 Thes 2:13; 1 Pe 1:2; Ro 15:16; 1 Thes 5:23. This is the sealing process.

The Sabbath is a sign of the special work of the Spirit on the heart. Or, stated another way, we could say, “The Sabbath is the seal of the work of the Spirit.” In a shorter term, we would say that the Sabbath is the sign or seal of the spiritual work of sanctification.

By keeping the Sabbath we confess that God has the right to determine the purpose of His creation. We were created for his pleasure. This idea carries within it the idea of worship. The man that feels he can determine which day is honorable is only demonstrating an extension of another principle. He is his own master, determines his own purpose, makes his own way. He worships himself. Living to please is an act of worship.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10.

The Sabbath is ideally made to discern between him that serves God and him that serves Him not. Our relation to the change proposed by man’s will, when the pressure is on, reveals who we are serving.

An Outline of What We Have Learned So Far

The Lamb                                             The Beast

Prince of the Covenant                      Heart against the covenant

Confirms the covenant                      Works, plans, cooperates against the covenant

Stands for the saints                           Opposes the saints

Helps them                                           Pursues them

Gathers a remnant                              Scatters the whole

Executes vengeance                           Executes saints

The Everlasting Covenant

Saints are forgiven

The Law is written in their heart       à            This is the sealing

They receive the kingdom                                 The Sabbath is the Sign

The Beast’s Arrangement

Claims to give forgiveness

Claims to change the Law

Forces compliance              à            This is the marking

Holds last earthly kingdom                               Bowing to Man’s Law is the Mark

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast VII

Humanity’s Foreheads at Stake

 

The beast introduced in Revelation 13 is often called “a composite beast” for the similarities it bears to the four beasts of Daniel 7. We are told that this seven-headed beast has the name of blasphemy on its heads.

As the mark of the beast is called the “mark of his name” (Re 14:11) this blasphemous name is of particular interest to our study.

The Babylonian head demanded worship through the image of Daniel 3.

The Persian head demanded worship through a law in Daniel 6.

The Roman head, while Pagan, executed saints and accepted honor as a god. Herod illustrates this in Acts 12:19-24.

The Roman head, while Papal, does all these things in Daniel and Revelation and finally impersonates Christ in 2 Thes. 2.

Thus various heads of the beast have the name of blasphemy. They claim the prerogatives that belong to God alone. The mark of the beast is called “the mark of his name” of blasphemy. It is honoring the papacy with the very authority it claims for itself, the ability to change God’s law.

The battle for humanity’s foreheads rages between the beast and the Lamb. The Lamb, gentle Savior, guides His followers. Re 14:4. The beast coerces. Re 13:15. The Lamb fills with the power of the Holy Spirit. The beast works miracle to advertise the legitimacy of his power.

Miracles are the reason that many honor the beast and receive the mark.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Re 19:20.

Far from being an obscure fact, the relation of miracles to the final deception is spoken of widely. Miracles in the end of time aid the great deceiver. Matt 7; 24; Mr 13; Lu 21; 2 Th 2; Re 13; 16; 19.

Miracles fill the beast’s arsenal. Men see them and are deceived. Every class of men are presented as receiving the mark. This is preparatory to their entrance into the lake of fire mentioned above in Re 19:20.

Love fills the Lamb’s followers. Men observe their character, their constancy under persecution, the cogency of their scriptural reasoning, the spiritual power of their presentations. Men know that they are right.

They face beheading (Re 20:4) for refusing the combined authority of the powers of earth. Though decapitated, they are counted victorious (Re 15:2) over their enemies. Like saints before them (Re 6:11 ) they overcome by their testimony and by Christ’s blood while sacrificing their lives (Re 12:11).

The Battle for the Forehead

We have observed repeatedly that the Law of God is to be written in men’s minds. Satan also has a character that he works to have planted there. It is characterized in scripture as having a “whore’s forehead.”

Where men have such a forehead they are nearly impervious to the Spirit’s work of sanctification. They can not be led to the first step of feeling a need for the Spirit’s convictions. They refuse to be ashamed of their sins.

Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore‘s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Jer 3:3 

So there is a forehead of a whore and a forehead of a Lamb. Regarding the latter we are to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who . . . became obedient unto death.” Thus the last-day faithful ones are represented as having foreheads like the Father and the Son. Re 14; 22.

What both camps have is a hardened forehead. This idea is illustrated in the experience of Ezekiel who was called to give fearful warnings to a stubborn (literally “stiff-foreheaded”) nation. To preserve his faithfulness God strengthened Ezekiel’s forehead to be able to stand against their opposition.

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are stiff-foreheaded [Hebrew] and hardhearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Eze 3:7-9

These stiff foreheads are similar in their rigidity. They differ widely otherwise. One is the result of God’s transformation of the human heart, the other of conformity to the world.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Ro 12:2 

The “mother” of harlots has promoted conformity. The compliance of the masses has deluded individuals into refusing to be ashamed, duped them into accepting the essence of having a “whore’s forehead.” See Re. 17

And so men will range under the two banners—one with a Lamb’s forehead, transformed, and braving death for the faithfulness. The other with the whore’s, refusing even to be ashamed. These classes naturally receive the Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast respectively.

 

The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast VIII

The Seal of God is placed, strategically, in the mind. There it is sure to have an impact on the message given by the sealed one.

And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth:  Ex 13:9

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt 12:34

We noted earlier Christ in His character of Prince of the Covenant (Dan 11:22). The New Testament identifies Him in a similar fashion.

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Jas 4:12 

 

The passage indicates a relation between giving Law and being authorized to judge. In a fascinating turn of events, the very class that have suffered for their loyalty to the “one lawgiver” eventually sit with the Law-giver on his throne as co-judges.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them . . . which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Re 20:4

 

The Activity of those who Escape the Mark

 

So those who escape the Mark of the Beast and who refuse to worship the Roman power will at last sit as judges. They will co-reign with their Savior. This is future. But what will they be doing now? The answer to this question is the subject of Revelation 14:8-12.

First the passage warns the world regarding special future judgments on those that submit to the beast’s authority. Then it points out the class who heed those warnings. Those warnings are the most solemn given in the entire history of the human race.

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Re 14:8-11

How does this message get to the world? “All nations” are in danger, for all have been confused by the teachings of the Roman power. (This is what it means to be made drunk with her wine.) Each man and woman in those nations ought to have a chance to escape such terrible judgments.

So who will give the message? In Revelation 14 it is given by an “angel.” But this angel is a metaphor for certain of God’s people, the ones who understand. They are “here” giving the warning and enduring opposition.

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Re 14:12

 

The saints are those who have lingered to consider the seriousness of the threatened judgments. They struggle with their inability to rouse the world to see their danger. Their position makes them very unpopular. Their simple choice to be loyal to all of “the commandments of God” places them in opposition to the gods of this world: convenience and conventional wisdom.

This is our eighth lesson. We are not close to exhausting the Biblical themes of the Mark of the Beast and of the Seal of God. But we have seen enough to know with Biblical certainty what we are talking about.

The Mark and the Seal Plainly[1]

The Sealing is the special work of the Holy Spirit in writing the Law of God into the heart of God’s people. The Sealing is the work of sanctification. The sign of submission to this work is Sabbath keeping. That sign distinguishes those that reject human authority in religious matters and thus honor God alone.

The character of the beast is to be unashamed of its violations of God’s law. This mindset is, metaphorically, the whore’s forehead. Those that refuse the sealing process are hardened each time they refuse. Their unwillingness to take up their cross and follow their Savior against the current of the world marks them as unworthy of eternal life.

By refusing the claims of the Fourth Commandment they honor men above their Creator, the beast above the Lamb, their comfort above the truth. Their refusal to take up the warning that the world needs so desperately marks them for the judgments of Revelation 14:8-11. They have no “rest” during the plagues who have refused the Sabbath rest. Though sincerely deceived into thinking they are doing right, they are not excused. Their sincerity is rather the fruit of trusting in men than of loving the truth.

When laws enforcing the keeping of another day than Sabbath, undoubtedly Sunday as all history declares, the character of these hardened persons will naturally submit to the coercion of the beast. Heaven is not guided that way. They are unfit to be there. They won’t be there.

Just prior to the sealing of God’s people in Ezekiel 9 (and just prior to the plagues on those that are unsealed) the prophecy describes the abominations that have invaded Christendom.

Though, in the metaphor, these abominations are conducted inside God’s temple, yet they savor of paganism. These idolatrous practices are revealed to Ezekiel in ascending order of magnitude.

The worst item, last in the list, and just prior to the command to seal the faithful servants and to slaughter the rest, is sun-worship.

Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Eze 8:15-16

To be particular, here is worship of the Sun practiced inside Christ’s temple by men who have turned their back on God’s Law.

The illustration is particularly interesting because the worshippers might appear, to an observer, to be worshipping the lamb on the altar.

Ezekiel 8-9, written entirely in figurative speech, indicates that just prior to the end of the world men will turn their back on the Law of God and on Christ in His temple to rather honor the sun. All the while they will be in God’s church.

Sun-worship is the most ancient kind of false-religion. Job says that had he secretly admired the sun that he would be deserving of punishment by the Judge of the Earth. Job 31:26-28. Through Moses God warned his special people regarding worshipping this gift of God to “all nations under heaven.” De 4:19. Josiah’s great reformation involved the cleansing of God’s house from horses and chariots dedicated “to the sun.” 2Ki 23:5, 11.

And the temple had purposefully been built to prevent the very type of abomination figured in Ezekiel 8. As worshippers entered the court in the morning, their backs were to the sun.  They faced forward to where they could not see, the Most Holy Place, and imagined what they knew to be there—the Law of God in a special box built to honor it.

But when a soul persists in ignoring God’s requirements He may give them up to honor the hosts of heaven despite themselves. As the fall into idolatry marked old Israel for captivity in Babylon (Ac 7:42-43), so the fall of Christianity into the worship of religious men was a fall that put them into a spiritual state called Babylon in the book of Revelation.

Those that Sigh and Cry

In the pictures of Ezekiel 8-9, who is spared? The Seal of God is placed on those that “sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the professedly Christian churches.

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. Eze 9:4 

 

In particular, they mourn over the honor given to the sun and over the dishonor shown to the covenant. In figure, these faithful souls are in the same place as the 25 sun-worshippers. They are between the porch and the altar. But they are facing the opposite direction.

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD . . . Joel 2:17

Scripture Index to Study

Re 14:8-11

For the Word Document, click here: The_Seal_of_God_and_the_Mark_of_the_Beast


[1] The Biblical references for these assertions are the content of the rest of this 18 page study. They are missing here only to make the summary more readable.

The Human Imagination and its Diseases

The Faculty of Imagination

A study by Eugene Prewitt

Introduction

The faculty of “imagination” is one that is often enslaved, enfeebled, corrupted, or otherwise poorly developed.

In the two volumes of Mind, Character and Personality we find an entire chapter (pp. 587-595) devoted to the topic and titled, aptly, “Imagination.”

This study, drawn from that chapter and other references, is organized, briefly, into three parts. The first examines principles related to the imagination and its healthy or unhealthy development. The second suggests keys for diagnosing problems with the imagination. The third suggests approaches, gleaned from a careful reading of the first section, that a counselor might take in helping someone with what Ellen White calls “a diseased imagination.”

Many of Ellen White’s statements could justifiably be included in all three sections. To save space they have been located under one of the three heads only.

Section One – Principles

Healthy Uses

 

  1. Grasping Illustrations and Metaphors:      “Through the imagination He [Christ] reached the heart. His      illustrations were taken from the things of daily life, and although they      were simple, they had in them a wonderful depth of meaning. The birds of      the air, the lilies of the field, the seed, the shepherd and the      sheep–with these objects Christ illustrated immortal truth; and ever      afterward, when His hearers chanced to see these things of nature, they      recalled His words. Christ’s illustrations constantly repeated His      lessons.”  – 2MCP p. 587

 

  1. Submitting to the Discipline of the      Will: “Few realize that it is a duty to exercise control over the      thoughts and imaginations. It is difficult to keep the undisciplined mind      fixed upon profitable subjects. But if the thoughts are not properly      employed, religion cannot flourish in the soul. The mind must be      preoccupied with sacred and eternal things, or it will cherish trifling      and superficial thoughts.” 2MCP p. 587

 

  1. Thinking of heavenly things and noble      pictures, preparing one to guide conversations into healthy channels.      “Had you trained your mind to dwell upon elevated subjects,      meditating upon heavenly themes, you could have done much good. You could      have had an influence upon the minds of others to turn their selfish      thoughts and world-loving dispositions into the channel of      spirituality.” 2MCP p. 593

 

  1. Cooperating with research in an effort      to grasp the wonders of redeeming love:  “How blessed will be the lot of      those who enter into that glorious abode where there will be no more sin,      no more suffering! What a prospect is this for the imagination! what a      theme for contemplation! The Bible is full of the richest treasures of      truth, of glowing descriptions of that heavenly land. We should search the      Scriptures, that we may better understand the plan of salvation, and learn      of the righteousness of Christ, until we shall exclaim, in viewing the      matchless charms of our Redeemer, “Thy gentleness hath made me      great.” There we shall see his infinite compassion. The imagination      may reach out in contemplation of the wonders of redeeming love, and yet      in its highest exercises we shall not be able to grasp the height, and      depth, and length, and breadth of the love of God; for it passeth      knowledge.”

 

  1. Determine to think only pure thoughts      and God will help: “Here is a wide field in which the mind can      safely range. If Satan seeks to divert the mind to low and sensual things,      bring it back again and place it on eternal things; and when the Lord sees      the determined effort made to retain only pure thoughts, He will attract      the mind, like the magnet, purify the thoughts, and enable them to cleanse      themselves from every secret sin. “Casting down imaginations, and      every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and      bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2      Corinthians 10:5).” 2MCP 595

 

  1. The will, the reason, the judgment, may      bring diseased imagination under control:  “Dear Sister F, you have a diseased      imagination; and you dishonor God by allowing your feelings to have      complete control of your reason and judgment. You have a determined will,      which causes the mind to react upon the body, unbalancing the circulation      and producing congestion in certain organs; and you are sacrificing health      to your feelings.  {5T 310.2}    You are making a mistake, which, if      not corrected, will not end with wrecking your own happiness merely. You      are doing positive injury, not only to yourself, but to the other members      of your family, and especially your mother. She is very nervous and highly      sensitive. If one of her children is suffering, she becomes confused and      almost distracted. Her mind is becoming unbalanced by the frequent fits of      hysteria which she is compelled to witness, and great unhappiness is      brought upon all around you. And yet you are capable of controlling your      imagination and overcoming these nervous attacks. You have will power, and      you should bring it to your aid. You have not done this, but have let your      highly wrought imagination control reason. In this you have grieved the      Spirit of God. Had you no power over your feelings, this would not be sin;      but it will not answer thus to yield to the enemy. Your will needs to be      sanctified and subdued instead of being arrayed in opposition to that of      God.”  {5T 310.3}

 

  1. Risk something by giving principle a      chance; deny your feelings, for the benefit of others. Value their life as      more than their own. These are thoughts of suggested therapy for a      diseased imagination:   “Invalids,      I advise you to venture something. Arouse your will power, and at least make      a trial of this matter. Withdraw your thoughts and affections from      yourselves. Walk out by faith. Are you inclined to center your thoughts      upon yourselves, fearing to exercise, and fearing that if you expose      yourself to the air you will lose your life; resist these thoughts and      feelings. Do not yield to your diseased imagination. If you fail in the      trial, you can but die. And what if you do die? One life might better be      lost than many sacrificed.” – 2T 534

 

  1. Study the Bible: “If the Bible      were studied as it should be, men would become strong in intellect. The      subjects treated upon in the Word of God, the dignified simplicity of its      utterance, the noble themes which it presents to the mind, develop      faculties in man which cannot otherwise be developed. In the Bible a      boundless field is opened for the imagination. The student will come from      a contemplation of its grand themes, from association with its lofty      imagery, more pure and elevated in thought and feeling than if he had      spent the time reading any work of mere human origin, to say nothing of      those of a trifling character. Youthful minds fail to reach their noblest      development when they neglect the highest source of wisdom–the Word of      God. The reason why we have so few men of good mind, of stability and solid      worth, is that God is not feared, God is not loved, the principles of      religion are not carried out in the life as they should be.” {CG      507.1}

Unhealthy Uses

 

  1. Aggravating illness, suppressing the      immune system: “Disease is sometimes produced and is often      greatly aggravated by the imagination. Many are lifelong invalids who      might be well if they only thought so. Many imagine that every slight      exposure will cause illness, and the evil effect is produced because it is      expected.” 2MCP p. 587.

 

  1. Unfitting persons for useful life:      “From what the Lord has shown me, the women of this class have had      their imaginations perverted by novel reading, daydreaming, and      castle-building–living in an imaginary world.” 2MCP p. 588

 

  1. Sensitive Paranoia: “You must      overcome this disease of the imagination. You are extremely sensitive, and      if a word is spoken favoring an opposite course from that which you have      been pursuing, you are hurt. You feel that you are blamed and that you      must defend yourself.” 2MCP pp. 588-589

“He [a father] has treated small offenses with too great severity. This has had an influence to wean, in a degree, the affection of the son from the father. During his sickness Brother S has had a diseased imagination. His nervous system has been all deranged, and he has thought that his children did not feel for him and love him as they should; but this was the result of disease.” – 2T p. 98

 

  1. Controlling the Reason: “You      are capable of controlling your imagination and overcoming these nervous      attacks. You have willpower, and you should bring it to your aid. You have      not done this, but have let your highly wrought imagination control      reason. In this you have grieved the Spirit of God. Had you no power over      your feelings, this would not be sin; but it will not answer thus to yield      to the enemy.” 2MCP p. 589

 

  1. Vivified by Stimulants: “Tea,      coffee, and flesh meats produce an immediate effect. Under the influence      of these poisons the nervous system is excited, and in some cases, for the      time being, the intellect seems to be invigorated and the imagination to      be more vivid.” 2MCP p. 589

 

  1. To Excite Men in Religious Exercises:      “Popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the      imagination, by exciting the emotions, by gratifying the love for what is      new and startling. Converts thus gained have little desire to listen to      Bible truth, little interest in the testimony of prophets and apostles.”      2MCP p. 590

 

  1. Interacting with the Theater’s Drama:      “Low songs, lewd gestures, expressions, and attitudes deprave the      imagination and debase the morals. Every youth who habitually attends such      exhibitions will be corrupted in principle.” “There is no      influence in our land more powerful to poison the imagination, to destroy      religious impressions, and to blunt the relish for the tranquil pleasures      and sober realities of life than theatrical amusements.” 2MCP p. 590

 

  1. Contemplating morally low or      unrealistically ideal scenes: “You have indulged in novel and      story reading until you live in an imaginary world. The influence of such      reading is injurious to both the mind and the body; it weakens the      intellect and brings a fearful tax upon the physical strength. At times      your mind is scarcely sane because the imagination has been overexcited      and diseased by reading fictitious stories.” “The lust of the      eye and corrupt passions are aroused by beholding and by reading. The      heart is corrupted through the imagination. The mind takes pleasure in      contemplating scenes which awaken the lower and baser passions. These vile      images, seen through defiled imagination, corrupt the morals and prepare      the deluded, infatuated beings to give loose rein to lustful passions.”

 

  1. Masturbation and Fantasizing:      “Impure thoughts seize and control the imagination and fascinate the      mind, and next follows an almost uncontrollable desire for the performance      of impure actions.” 2MCP 591. (See Sec. 1, #3 for the next sentence)

 

  1. Imagining Self as a Hero in Grandiose      Scenarios: “If the thoughts, the dreamings of the mind, are of      great purposes in which self figures, there will be revealed in words and      actions self-exaltation, a lifting up of self.” 2MCP 592

 

  1. Allowing the imagination to run      “riot” wherever it chooses: “Your imagination was not      given you to be allowed to run riot and have its own way without any      effort at restraint or discipline. If the thoughts are wrong, the feelings      will be wrong; and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral      character.” 2MCP p. 593

 

  1. Greedy paranoia: “He has      suffered imaginary pecuniary want while surrounded with plenty. Satan has      taken possession of his mind and, exciting his organ of acquisitiveness,      has made him insane upon this subject.” 2MCP p. 594

 

  1. Health paranoia: “I have been      shown mothers who are governed by a diseased imagination, the influence of      which is felt upon husband and children. The windows must be kept closed      because the mother feels the air. If she is at all chilly, and a change is      made in her clothing, she thinks her children must be treated in the same      manner, and thus the entire family are robbed of physical stamina. All are      affected by one mind, physically and mentally injured through the diseased      imagination of one woman, who considers herself a criterion for the whole      family.” 2MCP p. 594

 

  1. Day-dreaming and romantic      castle-building and thinking about one’s own delicacy:    Many have a self-complacent feeling,      flattering themselves that if they had an opportunity, or were      circumstanced more favorably, they could and would do some great work.      These do not view things from a correct standpoint. Their imagination is      diseased, and they have permitted their minds to soar above the common      duties of life. Day-dreaming and romantic castle-building have unfitted      them for usefulness. They have lived in an imaginary world, and have been      imaginary martyrs, and are imaginary Christians. There is nothing real and      substantial in their character. This class sometimes imagine that they      have an exquisite delicacy of character, and sympathetic nature, which      must be recognized and responded to by others. They put on an appearance of      languor and indolent ease, and frequently think that they are not      appreciated. Their sick fancy is not helping themselves or others.      Appropriate labor, and healthy exercise of all their powers, would      withdraw their thoughts from themselves.       {HR, March 1, 1872 par. 14}

 

  1. Imaging Star-Wars-type conflict between      good and evil, rather than conflict of principles for the heart:  Those who are exalting education above      everything else, may become much more intelligent in regard to the work      that is going forward in this high contest of the two opposing forces      between the principalities and powers. They need not imagine a battle      going on in some distant field with celestial pomp, in all the      terribleness of superhuman strength, but bring the imagination down to the      reality of the war and conflict in the domain of the human heart, and give      this battle the character of a moral conflict, a struggle between      principles supported by opposite parties which appear as combatants. They      must consider they are either to become champions of falsehood or of      truths. But this view of things is not poetical enough for the fancy of      very many who are fighting with Satan the game of life for their      souls.  {RH, July 19, 1887 par. 9}

 

  1. Thinking of one’s own depravity and      weakness, or even more generally, thinking of ‘self’: There are      persons with a diseased imagination to whom religion is a tyrant, ruling      them as with a rod of iron. Such are constantly mourning over their      depravity and groaning over supposed evil. Love does not exist in their      hearts; a frown is ever upon their countenances. They are chilled by the      innocent laugh from the youth or from anyone. They consider all recreation      or amusement a sin and think that the mind must be constantly wrought up      to just such a stern, severe pitch. This is one extreme. {AH 493.1}

Amusements excite the brain more than useful employment. Physical exercise and labor have a more happy influence upon the mind and strengthen the muscles, improve the circulation, and give the invalid the satisfaction of knowing his own power of endurance; whereas, if he is restricted from healthful exercise and physical labor, his attention is called to himself and he is in constant danger of thinking himself worse off than he really is, and of having established with him a diseased imagination, which causes him to have continual fear that he is overdoing, overexercising, and overtaxing his power of endurance. At the same time, if he should engage in well-directed labor, using his strength and not abusing it, he would find that this physical exercise would prove a more powerful and effective agent in his recovery of health than even the water treatment he is receiving.  {5MR 395.1}

 

  1. Superficial reading of stories leading      to magnification of little difficulties:     I am personally acquainted with some      who have lost the healthy tone of the mind through wrong habits of      reading. They go through life with a diseased imagination, magnifying      every little grievance. Things which a sound, sensible mind would not      notice, become to them unendurable trials, insurmountable obstacles. To      them, life is in constant shadow.       Those who have indulged the habit of racing through exciting      stories, are crippling, their mental strength, and disqualifying      themselves for vigorous thought and research. There are men and women now      in the decline of life who have never recovered from the effects of      intemperate reading. The habit, formed in early years, has grown with      their growth and strengthened with their strength; and their efforts to      overcome it, though determined, have been only partially successful. Many      have never recovered their original vigor of mind. {CE 186-187}

 

  1. The Constant Working of the Mind      Diseases the Imagination: Let students with their mental studies call      into exercise the physical and moral powers. Let them work the living      machinery proportionately. The constant working of the brain is a mistake.      I wish I could express in words just that which would express the matter.      The constant working of the brain causes a diseased imagination. It leads      to dissipation. The education of five years in this one line is not of      much value as an all-round education of one year.  {SpM 95.3}

 

  1. To think ill of other’s planning      ability may disease the imagination:     This same character of spirit is      found here in Europe. For years Elder      Andrews held the work back from advancing, because he feared to entrust it      to others lest they would not carry out his precise plans. He would never      allow anything to come into existence that did not originate with him.      Elder Loughborough also held everything in his grasp while he was in California and England,      and as a result the work is years behind in England. Elder Wilcox and      Sister Thayer have the same spirit of having everything go in the exact      way in which they shall dictate, and no one is being trained in such a way      as to know how to get hold of the work for himself. What folly it is to      trust a great mission in the hands of one man, so that he shall mold and      fashion it in accordance with his mind, and after his own diseased      imagination.  {PC 384.1}

 

  1. Exaggerating problems, or reacting      hastily, when suffering under sickness (especially indigestion):     Now, Bro. Fargo, if you did go from      that conference and make such statements to Elder Butler, have you had no      evidence to change you mind? and how could you represent this as you did      to Elder. B. who was broken in mind and diseased in body, who was in a      condition to exaggerate every statement made? How can God look upon this      work of my good ministering brethren? If you have acted a part because of      blindness of mind in helping Eld. Butler to remain under a deception,      making statements to him which his diseased imagination would construe      into the worst possible light, God will not look on this work with any      favor, for if this, your work, is of God, then He has not been leading me.      {1888 294.2}                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Could your eyes have been opened as you      with others sat in counsel, you would have discerned the unseen Watcher      marking your words and noting the hasty, overbearing spirit which      controlled your decisions, especially when something took place to arouse      your combativeness. A sufferer from indigestion, you have brought the      results of this into council meetings and board meetings. You have      presided when, owing to your diseased imagination, you were not fit to      preside. You were not always in this frame of mind, but at times were      conciliating and conceding. Angels of God were present to help you when      you did wish and strive to do the will of God.–Letter 41, 1898. (To A. R.      Henry, May 6, 1898.)  {5MR      443.2}

 

  1. Chronically diseased imagination of      wife may discourage and weaken spouse: All through your life, Sister      Lay, you have had, to a greater or less degree, a diseased imagination.      God designed your affliction for your good, that it should remove from you      many things detrimental to you and which had proved a leaden weight to      your husband. You have not realized your condition or the effect both your      physical and mental infirmities have had upon your husband. They have made      him a weak man, in every sense of the word, when he might have been      strong. He has suffered in mind intensely when it all might have been      saved had you viewed calmly, rationally, and as a Christian wife should. [Note: context shows God worked to change      Mrs. Lay’s condition and that such a change was hopeful.]

 

  1. Mistreatment may lead individuals into      a state of diseased imagination, of prejudicial paranoia:  He feared to yield and give up the      oversight of matters lest he should lose his influence. The chief cause      which led to this error on the part of Dr. Lay, was the course pursued      toward him when he first engaged in his efforts for the Institute. He knew      there was jealousy and prejudice existing toward him. This made him      jealous and suspecting in return. His continual fear was of prejudicial      influences working to injure his standing in the Institute. This was, much      of it, the fruit of a diseased imagination. He was constantly wrestling      with enemies which existed only in his imagination.  {PH097 42.2}  

 

  1.  Cherishing      the “disagreeable” excites “a nervous irritability”      which lies at the foundation of “diseased imagination”:  God does not bind upon any one burdens      so heavy that at every step he must complain of the load he is obliged to      bear. It is the friction, and not the constant motion that wears the      machinery. It is the continual worry, and not the work they do, that is      killing these persons. They covet some blessing, either real or imaginary,      which is just beyond their reach; but if they were to gain this cherished      object, it would only excite a desire for something else. The present is      clouded because they under-value the good that they enjoy. They look away      from the honors they possess that they have not earned, and the love that      they have not merited, and want to stand a little higher. They cherish the      disagreeable, and by their thoughts and conversation, excite a nervous      irritability which lies at the foundation of a diseased imagination and      real suffering. God does not propose to work a miracle for this class. He      is not pleased or glorified when his sons and daughters, members of the      royal family, take this course; for they neither enjoy rest and peace in      his love themselves nor permit others to do so. Let none of us think that      our work is greater and more taxing than any others are doing. This same      work has been done in the past, and can be done again. {ST, June 12, 1884      par. 6}

 

  1. Superstition in health matters is fruit      of diseased imagination and of the trump of experience over science and      reason:          Feelings are a      poor criterion at any time, but especially when under the control of a      diseased imagination and strong will. Invalids of this class are almost      sure to continue to be invalids. They generally have some fault to find      with the course of all who try to help them. They are seldom willing to be      guided by the judgment of those who understand the human system and who      have long experience in treating disease. Physicians cannot, by their      counsel, or treatment, help the sick unless the invalids give them their      confidence. If they take their cases into their own hands, and do not      recover health, they should not charge the failure upon the physicians.      Genuine experience is in harmony with the unchangeable principles of      nature. Superstition, caused by diseased imagination, is frequently in      conflict with science and principle. And yet the unanswerable argument is      urged, “I must be correct, for this is my experience.” {HR, June      1, 1872 par. 12-13, see also paragraph 11}

 

  1. Incapability of well appreciating the      atonement or of well appreciating the exalted nature of God’s work, or of      losing a meek and calm frame of mind in doctrinal discussion, is fruit of      diseased imagination: If their moral and intellectual faculties are      beclouded, they can not appreciate the value of the atonement or the      exalted character of the work of God, nor delight in the study of His      word. How can a nervous dyspeptic be ready always to give an answer to      every man that asketh him a reason of the hope that is in him, with      meekness and fear? How soon would such a one become confused and agitated,      and by his diseased imagination be led to view matters in altogether a      wrong light, and by a lack of that meekness and calmness which      characterized the life of Christ, be caused to dishonor his profession      while contending with unreasonable men? Viewing matters from a high      religious standpoint, we must be thorough reformers in order to be      Christ-like.  {TSDF 188.1}

 

  1. Dissatisfaction in marriage, a result      of a diseased imagination:          You know not the deceptions of the human heart. You know not the      devices of Satan. Some who have drawn largely upon your sympathy have a      sickly, diseased imagination, are lovesick, sentimental, ever eager to      create a sensation and make a great ado. Some are dissatisfied with their      married life. There is not enough romance in it. Novel reading has      perverted all the good sense they ever had. They live in an imaginary      world. Their imagination creates a husband for themselves such as exists      only in romances found in novels. They talk of unrequited love. They are      never contented or happy, because their imagination pictures to them a      life that is unreal. When they face the reality, come down to the      simplicity of real life, and take up life’s burdens in their families, as      is woman’s lot, then they will find contentment and happiness.  {2T 302.1}

 

  1. Foreboding danger and problems;      thoughts leading to distrust of God and spouse:     But the enemy took the field and his      suggestions were followed. You entered upon a work which God could not and      did not approve. A way was contrived by the enemy to strike at you both      and block your way. Adelia was a timid soul, feeling pain deeply, easily      discouraged. That imagination which, if devoted to and exercised upon the      truth, would have become a power for God, was now to be used as a      hindrance, easily excited in a wrong direction to forebode evil, to see      things in a distorted light, to feel that there is danger when there is      none, to distrust God, to distrust her husband.{DG 139.4}

Section Two: HELPS IN DIAGNOSIS

 

  1. I want to recognize paranoia as a sign of a diseased imagination. While severe cases are named “schizophrenia” by modern science, Ellen White identifies the disease in its earlier and more curable stages.
    1. Autoimmune disorders:          From all that EGW has written it appears that many of the illnesses referred to today as autoimmunity may be symptoms of a diseased imagination. See Sec. 1, #9.
    2. Hypersensitivity to hurtful words, opposition, correction. See Sec. 1, #11.
    3. Combinations of illness with feelings of being unloved by family. See Sec. 1, #11.
    4. Feelings of “imaginary pecuniary want” while surrounded with “plenty.”
    5. Health paranoia and superstitious belief in health myths because of “experience.” See Sec. 1, #21, #32.
    6. Feelings of not being “appreciated” and of requiring special and peculiar sensitivity on the part of those speaking to them. See Sec. 1, #22.
    7. Prejudicial paranoia, the idea that others are against you or are out to undermine your influence or work. See Sec. 1, #30.
    8. Talk of unrequited love (unreturned love, of a spouse that does not love in return) is an evidence of a diseased imagination. See Sec. 1, #34.
  2. Persons that grew up watching TV or reading fiction or true love stories are likely diseased in the imagination. This means, of course, nearly our entire nation. May God help us. See Sec. 1, #16.
  3. Does the counselee think or day-dream about him/herself being the one that saves the day or solves the problem in some grandiose imaginary scene? Such activity is a symptom of one type of imagination disease.
  4. Does the counselee have inexplicable languor and a love of indolent ease? See Sec. 1, #22.
  5. 5.                  Does the counselee constantly mourn over his own depravity and groan over “supposed evil”? Does he bristle at the sound of an innocent laugh and think all amusement to be a “sin”? These are symptoms of a diseased imagination. See Sec. 1, #24. [Key word is “constantly.” The Day of Atonement demands a healthy dose of mourning over one’s own “spiritual declension.”]
  6. In my mind, as a counselor, I would want to understand why it is that many seem incapable of appreciating the value of the atonement or of remaining in a calm frame of mind in controversial doctrinal discussion. The reason? Diseased imagination. This makes me realize that my own imagination is not entirely healthful. See Sec. 1, #33.
  7. Dissatisfaction in marriage may be a symptom of diseased imagination. See Sec. 1, #34.

 

Section Three: COUNSELING APPLICATIONS

 

  1. Start with the imagination in cases of moral weakness. Suggest healthy meditation on the Word and on noble themes. Read the following statement to the believing counselee. Encourage discipline in bringing the imagination “back” when it wanders.

It is the special work of Satan in these last days to take possession of the minds of youth, to corrupt the thoughts, and inflame the passions; for he knows that by so doing he can lead to impure actions, and thus all the noble faculties of the mind will become debased, and he can control them to suit his own purposes. All are free moral agents, and as such they must train their thoughts to run in the right channel. The first work of those who would reform is to purify the imagination. Our meditations should be such as will elevate the mind. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” [Philippians 4:8.] Here is a wide field in which the mind can safely range. If Satan seeks to turn it to low and sensual things, bring it back. When corrupt imaginings seek to gain possession of your mind, flee to the throne of grace, and pray for strength from heaven. By the grace of Christ it is possible for us to reject impure thoughts. Jesus will attract the mind, purify the thoughts, and cleanse the heart from every secret sin. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God; . . . casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” [2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.]  {CTBH 136.1}

 

  1. Spend time outdoors in contemplation of nature while asking “What is God teaching through these things?”

The burden of sin, with its unrest and unsatisfied desires, lies at the very foundation of a large share of the maladies the sinner suffers. Christ is the Mighty Healer of the sin-sick soul. These poor, afflicted ones need to have a clearer knowledge of Him whom to know aright is life eternal. They need to be patiently and kindly yet earnestly taught how to throw open the windows of the soul and let the sunlight of God’s love come in to illuminate the darkened chambers of the mind. The most exalted spiritual truths may be brought home to the heart by the things of nature. The birds of the air, the flowers of the field in their glowing beauty, the springing grain, the fruitful branches of the vine, the trees putting forth their tender buds, the glorious sunset, the crimson clouds predicting a fair morrow, the recurring seasons–all these may teach us precious lessons of trust and faith. The imagination has here a fruitful field in which to range. The intelligent mind may contemplate with the greatest satisfaction those lessons of divine truth which the world’s Redeemer has associated with the things of nature.  {CH 202.1}

 

  1. If the counselee will be thinking of heavenly things and noble pictures, he  will be prepared to resist temptations to masturbate:

 

“If the mind were educated to contemplate elevating subjects, the imagination trained to reflect upon pure and holy things, it would be fortified against this terrible, debasing, soul-and-body-destroying indulgence.” 2MCP 591

 

  1. 4.                  As a counselor, I want to use encouraging words and references to eternal realities to reach the hearts of persons with diseased imagination.

 

When Christ ate with publicans and sinners, the priest and rulers made all the capital possible out of his action. But Christ did this that He might speak to erring men the words of encouragement that the priests and rulers were not willing to speak. He would satisfy the inmost longings of the soul, and help the sore-troubled ones, who needed guidance and encouragement. His words were always spoken with wisdom. They always exalted the truth. He presented principles that searched the recesses of the hearts of those who listened. He said that which reached the diseased imagination, and drew the mind out after eternal realities. . . .  {15MR 168.4}

 

  1. 5.                  I want to find an opportunity to share with the counselee the true force of the will in bringing diseased imagination under control. See item number 6 in section one (from 5T 310) for the inspired source.

 

  1. 6.                  Continuing with the idea number five, I want to advise weak persons to withdraw their thoughts and affections from themselves and to risk something to benefit others, even at the possibility of great loss. I want to encourage them to think of the lives of others as more valuable, because more numerous, than their own. See 2T 534.

 

  1. 7.                  As part of regular treatment of needy people I want to help get them into habits of thoughtful and meditative Bible study. Whatever their problems may be, this is therapy of the highest order.

 

  1. 8.                  I want the counselee to recognize his moral responsibility to use his reason to control his imagination. He should recognize that he may grieve the Holy Spirit by a neglect to restrain himself in this way. See Sec. 1, #12.

 

  1. 9.                  For persons with an over-active imagination, I want to counsel abstinence from “tea, coffee, and flesh meats” and from other stimulants that tend to vivify the imagination. See Sec. 1, #13.

 

  1. 10.              I want to be aware, as a pastor and Biblical counselor that I do not want to aggravate problems with the imagination by exciting and emotional and sensational appeals. See Sec. 1, #14.

 

  1. 11.              For all persons, and for persons suffering from sexual addictions in particular, I want to counsel them to avoid the TV, the theater, Youtube, country music, other sensually suggestive songs, reading, etc. These “deprave” the imagination. See Sec. 1, #15, #16.

 

  1. 12.              I might let a counselee read this study. For him to realize that his imagination must not be allowed to run “riot” may be entirely eye-opening to him. It was to me when I learned it. See Sec. 1, #19.

 

  1. 13.              I want to counsel woman to give up castle-building and thinking about their own delicacy. Such use of their mind makes real life difficult. It brings on a type of paranoia regarding their not being appreciated. See Sec. 1 #22.

 

  1. 14.              I may not explain this to the counselee, but I want to give him directions and ideas that will get his mind off of himself. Whether I put him to work or give him an assignment or do something else, I want “useful employment” to be on my side in helping to cure him. See Sec. 1, #24.

 

  1. 15.              I will want to encourage reading of deeper materials and challenging essays. The counselee’s tendency to “magnify” little grievances is often a result of superficial reading (or of TV viewing in our day). Passive experiences (as one has when reading exciting stories or watching drama) unfit the mind “for vigorous thought and research.” See Sec. 1, #25.

 

  1. 16.              I will counsel students and parents of students that constant study diseases the imagination (and, as Solomon says, “is a weariness to the flesh.”). Persons involved in too much mental work and too little physical exertion need a change. See Sec. 1, #26

 

  1. 17.              For persons in administrative roles I would counsel a healthy dose of optimism regarding the ability of others to handle responsibility. It appears that many good and effective men hindered the work of God through a type of lack-of-confidence-in-others paranoia. See Sec. 1, #27.

 

  1. 18.              For persons in administrative roles that struggle with combativeness and control issues I would interrogate them regarding their eating and digestive history. See Sec. 1, #28.

 

  1. 19.              For persons who are physically ill I will recognize (internally) that physical healing is an essential and integral part of helping them in my counseling session. Physical illness leads persons to exaggerate problems, to react hastily.

 

  1. 20.              For marital problems I would investigate whether one spouse’s diseased imagination might be discouraging and weakening the other. I might not discuss this, but I would bear it in mind. See Sec. 1, #29.

 

  1. 21.              I might explain to a prejudicial paranoid person how he has reacted to unjust prejudice against himself (if this is the case). To repent of his tit-for-tat imagination would be a helpful step in recovering health. See Sec. 1, #30.

 

  1. 22.              In my mind, as a counselor, I would want to understand the three-step cause-and-effect of first cherishing “disagreeable thoughts”, then becoming nervous and irritable, and finally of becoming diseased in the imagination. Find a way to prevent step one would help alleviate step three. See Sec. 1, #31.

 

  1. 23.              I would want to counsel dissatisfied spouses to “ face the reality, come down to the simplicity of real life, and take up life’s burdens in their families, as is woman’s lot” as recommended in Sec. 1, #34.

 

  1. Prescription – Physical work and exercise and the use of the will; Prognosis – Cure possible:

Once I was called to see a young woman with whom I was well acquainted. She was sick and was running down fast. Her mother wished me to pray for her. The mother stood there weeping and saying, “Poor child; she cannot live long.” I felt her pulse. I prayed with her, and then addressed her, “My sister, if you get up and dress and go to your usual work in the office, all this invalidism will pass away.” “Do you think this would pass away?” she said. “Certainly,” I said. “You have nearly smothered the life forces by invalidism.” I turned to the mother and told her that her daughter would have died of a diseased imagination if they had not been convinced of their error. She had been educating herself to invalidism. Now this is a very poor school. But I said to her, “Change this order; arise and dress.” She was obedient, and is alive today.–Lt 231, 1905. . . . The light given me is that if the sister you mention would brace up and cultivate her taste for wholesome food, all these sinking spells would pass away. She has cultivated her imagination; the enemy has taken advantage of her weakness of body, and her mind is not braced to bear up against the hardships of everyday life. It is good, sanctified mind cure she needs, an increase of faith, and active service for Christ. She needs also the exercise of her muscles in outside practical labor. Physical exercise will be to her one of the greatest blessings of her life. She need not be an invalid, but a wholesome-minded, healthy woman, prepared to act her part nobly and well. All the treatment that may be given to this sister will be of little advantage unless she acts her part. She needs to strengthen muscle and nerve by physical labor. She need not be an invalid, but can do good, earnest labor. Like many others, she has a diseased imagination. But she can overcome and be a healthy woman. I have had this message to give to many, and with the best results.– Lt 231, 1905. (MM 108,109.)  {2MCP 683}

 

  1. I would want to help persons understand the purpose of the imagination, how God intended it to work, and how Satan has worked to direct it into other paths, as illustrated in the story of “Adelia” in Sec. 1, #35.

 

Other ideas for the vespers talk – Meditate (1Ti 4:15) is “imagine” in Ac 4:25

1Ti 4:12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

13  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Ac 4:25  Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine <3191> vain things?

Imagination competes with a knowledge of God

To know God is life eternal – John 17:3

By knowing God we receive all things that pertain to life and godliness – 2Pe 1:2-4

Unrestrained imagination exalts itself against my life and godliness – 2Co 10:4-5

Purpose of the Imagination: To help us grasp illustrations and metaphors. 2MCP 587. As a tool for the mind it is to be directed. It was not intended to give directions or to charge forward on its own. (587)

The imagination, as a tool, prepares us to intervene in unproductive or ill-themed conversations. By thinking on noble themes and heavenly subjects with our imagination, our mind will be lifted to where it can exert an influence. (593).

The imagination brings a time of no more sin and no more suffering near. When used in conjunction with Bible research, the imagination brings God’s love to life in our mind. It was created to help us internalize truths. {ST, May 30, 1892 par. 5}

God watches our use of the imagination, or its use of us, and intervenes in our spiritual battles when he see us making determined efforts to retain only “pure thoughts.” (595)

Imagination and will often unite to make the body sick. From congestion of blood in certain “organs” to improper circulation, from indigestion to degenerative nerves, from languor to death, the power of the imagination to sicken the body exceeds what man would suppose. (5T 310)

A diseased imagination may be treated by taking small risks for the benefit of others. Thoughts that center on self may receive a benign name “introvert”, but if that means more than “quiet”, if it really means thoughts are often on self, it is a disease of the imagination.

The imagination was created to be an aid to intellectual growth. How ironic that Satan uses the undisciplined imagination to enfeeble the mind. Trifling stories supplant the place of lofty imagery. The reasoning powers lay dormant while the imagination is occupied with a love story. Bible study, and Bible stories,

— Outline of talk 2

  1. For two classes: Gave this morning; will give this evening
    1. Will tell what God has done and is doing
    2. Will tell what Satan has done and is doing
  2. The Imagination
    1. God has given us a faculty of imagination
      1.                                                               i.      To repeat his lessons                                                   2MCP 587
        1. To grasp distant truths
        2. To enable the power of truth by bringing it to our attention                          Ju 1:5-6; 2Pe 1:12; 1Co 15:1
          1. Preparing us to have influence            2MCP 589
          2.                                                             ii.      To serve the will in molding the thoughts                  2MCP 587
          3.                                                           iii.      To solve problems before experiencing them
            1. Genius inventors put things together, take apart, test them
            2. Genius musicians have listened to their compositions
    2. Satan has taken worked to capture the imagination                                                               2Co 10:4-5
      1.                                                               i.      To repeat his lessons
        1. To grasp old lies
        2. To enable the corrupting power of falsehood
        3.                                                             ii.      By bringing disease on the imagination
          1. So that it runs ahead of the will
          2. So that the mind is attracted to low and sensual things         2MCP 595
          3. So that feelings take control; congestion of blood, etc.         5T 310
    3. God is suggesting therapy
      1.                                                               i.      Think on heaven
      2.                                                             ii.      Risk something, denying self, for the benefit of others                     2T 534
      3.                                                           iii.      Study the scripture – neglect is why so few men of worth                CG 507
    4. Satan is suggesting diabolical therapy
      1.                                                               i.      Sensual images for the men
      2.                                                             ii.      Love stories for the ladies
      3.                                                           iii.      Violence and love of mastery for men
      4.                                                           iv.      Worry about the future, about health, for the ladies
      5.                                                             v.      Television and Movies
      6.                                                           vi.      Cherishing the disagreeable                                                    ST 6-12-84
      7.                                                         vii.      Masturbation
      8.                                                       viii.      Constant brain-work without regular periods of exercise
    5. Symptoms of a Diseased Imagination
      1.                                                               i.      Incapability of appreciating the atonement
      2.                                                             ii.      Difficulty to retain calm frame of mind in doctrinal discussions
      3.                                                           iii.      Dissatisfaction with marriage
      4.                                                           iv.      Some autoimmune disorders
      5.                                                             v.      Hypersensitivity to hurtful words, correction
      6.                                                           vi.      Lack of confidence in others (Andrews, Loughborough, Wilcox) PC 384

WORD VERSION: The_Faculty_of_Imagination

The 1260, 1290, and 1335 Day Prophecies

The 1260, 1290 and 1335 Day Prophecies

An Abbreviated Exposition

The final revelation to Daniel is found in Daniel 11 and 12. There the history of over 2400 years is briefly outlined. The concluding elements are found in Daniel 12:1-3. These are the deliverance of God’s people during the time of trouble, the special resurrection, and the glorification of the saints at the beginning of their everlasting life.

Then Daniel is ordered to close and seal his messages until the time of the end.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4

When the scroll is unsealed, when men can finally understand it, they will move accordingly. They will unroll the scroll and hasten up and down it to better be able to study its various parts. And they will, accordingly, come to understand it. Knowledge will be increased regarding the book of Daniel.

But an angel nearby asked the question that Daniel must have been wondering.

And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? Daniel 12:6

Jesus swears in the next verse that it will be at the end, or accomplishment, of a 1260 day scattering period. This is neither the first nor the last reference to this same period of time in the scriptures. These 1260 prophetic days mark the period in which the papacy held the position of successor to Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome as master over the known world.

Though the papacy was powerful even in the fourth century, though she converted many pagan tribes in the fifth, it was not until the sixth that she mounted the dragon that she is pictured as riding in Revelation 17. In other words, not until the 6th century was the papacy in control of a nation.

She became a civil power, allowing her to appear in the empire prophecies of Daniel 7 and 8, when the pope became the feudal lord over the Franks in 508. She became the world’s dominant civil power when she became feudal lord over the city of Rome and of the Eastern Roman Empire in 538.

This was her time to rule over God’s people, to war against them, to drive them (as it were) into the wilderness. And these ideas, connected with the 1260 days in Daniel 7, Revelation 12, and Revelation 13, are summarized in Daniel 12:6 as a scattering of the power of God’s people.

But these things were not understood by the prophet himself. Like the angel, he wanted to know when the time would come for the book to be unsealed. And as he had not understood the answer to the question, he asked again.

And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? Daniel 12:8

Jesus begins to answer by alluding to the fact that there is a good reason for Daniel’s inability to comprehend. The vision is not yet unsealed. Thinking about it will not change this, so Daniel might as well go about his business.

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Daniel 12:9

But this is only the beginning of Jesus’ answer. When the time of the end comes, Jesus explains, some will participate in a special work of sanctification. Others will not. And none of the others will be able to understand the book when it is unsealed. Only the “wise” sanctified ones will understand.

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

Daniel asked about the time of the end but hadn’t yet received any more information about its timing. That information Jesus gave next. When will the time of the end be?

And from the time that the daily . . . shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Daniel 12:11.

It is ironic that persons do not catch the connection between verse 11 and verses 8-9. Without the connection one is left to speculate regarding the event prophesied to take place at the conclusion of the 1290. Verse 11 says nothing about what happens at the close of the period.

It would not be sensible to say “It will be fourteen days from the last snow until nothing in particular happens.” But if a prominent event has been the theme of conversation and a knowing person pipes up, regarding time, “and from the time of the first snow it will be 14 days” all would understand that the prominent event would take place at the conclusion of the period.

What has been the theme of the seven verses before verse 11? The book is sealed until the “time of the end” (v. 4), at the end men will “understand” the book (v. 5), so how long will be “to the end” (v. 6)? The end will be after 1260 days of scattering (v. 7).  Daniel asks again regarding “the end” (v. 8).  The book is sealed until “the time of the end” (v. 9). At the point the wise “will understand” (v. 10).

Emphatically the topic has been the unsealing of Daniel’s prophecies at “the time of the end.” So when our Lord Jesus says “and from the taking away of the daily it will be 1290 days” we ought to understand that this is a second way to arrive at the date of the time of the end.

As our pioneers noted, the word “sanctuary” is supplied in verse 11 as it is repeatedly in Daniel 8. The Hebrew word translated “daily” is used 95 times outside the book of Daniel. Eighty of these occurrences are translated “continual” or “continually.” Only two are translated “daily.”

When used substantively (that is, as a noun, like in its usage in the book of Daniel), the closest English equivalent is “continuity.”

Interestingly, in Daniel 7 the fourth beast is said to be “diverse” from the first three. Daniel asks particularly about the “diverse” beast. He is told that it will be the fourth kingdom on the earth. And finally, in the next verse after that, we are told what it is that makes the Roman beast “diverse.”

. . . and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. Da 7:7

Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others . . . which . . . stamped the [remnant] with his feet; Da 7:19

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms . . .  Da 7:23

And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. Da 7:24

That diverse little horn, of course, dominates the rest of the prophecy and much of the book of Daniel.

So what was it that brought an end to the continuity of empire successions in Daniel 7? It was the rise of the papacy as a small civil power. And this happened in 508, as described above when proto-France became the first subjugated land of this little horn. Then that little horn shows up again in chapter eight, again taking away the continuity.

How was the little horn “diverse”? In Daniel 8 it differs from Persia and Greece in several ways. It had power over God’s people (v. 10, “even to the host of heaven.”) It magnified itself to equality with Prince Jesus (v. 11). The truth (v. 12) regarding the sanctuary (v. 11) was cast down.

In short, the little horn was intent on something more than secular dominion. It was domineering over the people of God and over the truth. And this is precisely how Daniel 7 characterizes the little horn in the next verse after v. 24 above. In verse 25 the people of God are given into the Papacy’s power for 1260 days and the truth regarding the Law is perverted by her.

So we are not surprised to find Daniel 12 referring back to the little horn’s rise in two stages. In the first stage a triple-crown power takes its first national conquest. The diverse little horn rises. In the second stage the little horn subdues three others with the empire’s forces, making them her own, and rises to world dominion.

From either of these dates men may get a bead on the “time of the end.” It is 1290 years from the first and 1260 years from the second. Both bring you to 1798 when, in a perfectly sensible conclusion to either reckoning, the Papacy simultaneously lost both world dominion and national existence. Rome was made a republic by the French.

Dating from the first of these events, Jesus continues, you will find a blessed movement rising after 1798. What do we know about the movement from Daniel 12:12?

Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Da 12:12.

We know that the movement is “blessed.”

We know that the movement is a waiting movement.

We know that the movement has a time in mind. They are coming to a date.

We know the date is 1843 (1335 days plus a 508 start date).

From the rest of Daniel 12 we know that the movement is based on an understanding of the book of Daniel opened in 1798.

So the book of Daniel concludes with a prophecy of the blessed Advent movement, the only movement rising in response to an understanding of the book of Daniel to wait for an event in 1843.

Why not 1844? The answer is plain. The 1335 days is not about an event at its termination. No terminating event is even given in the text. The 1335 is about the blessedness of a movement that was waiting for Christ’s coming based on an understanding of Daniel. And what year were the Adventists looking forward to during the years leading up to 1843? Not 1844, but 1843.

How sad it is that many persons try to place the 1335 day prophecy, with the 1290, into the future. If they are in the future, then the book of Daniel is not yet unsealed. Then the advent movement was founded on an error. Then we are robbed of one of the most simple and direct prophecies of the founding of this great Advent Movement. Let it not be.

As earlier in the chapter Daniel was told to go on his way because the book could not yet be understood, so he is told again at the close.

But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. Da 12:13

Daniel has been standing in his portion as teacher since 1798 (the end of the 1290 days) and in his position as being judged by the books since 1844 (the end of the 2300 days). Though resting from his labors, his book has been opened. His lifework has been the lifeblood of a blessed movement. And that is the message of Revelation 10 and 14, the subjects of some other Bible study some other time.

Those who become confused in their understanding of the Word, who fail to see the meaning of antichrist, will surely place themselves on the side of antichrist. There is no time now for us to assimilate with the world. Daniel is standing in his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel and of John are to be understood. They interpret each other. They give to the world truths which every one should understand. These prophecies are to be witnesses in the world. By their fulfillment in these last days they will explain themselves.  {7BC 949.6}

Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days” [Daniel 12:8-13]. Daniel has been standing in his lot since the seal was removed and the light of truth has been shining upon his visions. He stands in his lot, bearing the testimony which was to be understood at the end of the days.  {1SAT 225.5}

A careful consideration of the latter of these two statements by Ellen White will show that she placed the “end of the days” of the 1290 and 1335 in her past. That was sensible. It still is. As Daniel stands teaching on earth and stands in judgment in heaven, so do we. Our message should be like his that our judgment may be like his also.

The_1260_1290_1335_short_version   Click this link for the Word document.

 

The Remnant Church

The Remnant

A Bible Study

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Ro 11:5 

The Remnant and Captivity

God planned to reach the nations of the world despite the apostasy of His people. A plan to reach the world through the faithfulness of His people would never have materialized. The Lord said “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man” (Jeremiah 17:5). His model of international evangelism harmonizes with this precept.

His method of reaching the world involved international dispersions. When his people became like the nations He would punish them by national captivity. He would scatter them among all nations.

A minority of the scattered ones would see in their lot God’s chastisement. These would revive and reform their lives. God would show Himself mighty to bless this “remnant” and would gather them (without the others) back to their nation.

The various empires that ruled the known world — Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome — all became keenly aware of God’s power on behalf of His faithful people. An obscure defeated nation testified, by its apostasy and its remnant’s repentance, to the heathen world. Jehovah’s power and forgiveness became internationally proverbial.

As one step in this process God promised to scatter His people among the heathen when they would fail to keep His commands. Leveticus 16:14-33; Deuteronomy 4:23-37; 28:15-64.

Scattering was appropriate. The first scattering afflicted the first Babel. Gen 11:9. When God’s people would imitate the stubborn spirit and confused state of the Babel builders, they would be treated in the same way. In other words, when God’s nation appeared like Babylon, it would be scattered by the descendants of the Babel builders.

These cycles of scattering and remnant gathering characterize the history of God’s chosen nation. The last of the Biblical scattering episodes, the Babylonian captivity and Persian gathering, is the local setting for the larger portion of Old Testament eschatological (end-time) material.

The Spiritual Remnant and Spiritual Babylon

In other words, the Lord Jesus made use of the scattering and remnant gathering of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus to picture the history and end of the Christian age. In the New Testament the major players from this Old Testament period—Babylon, Persia, Jerusalem, Remnant—are all spiritualized into end-time metaphors. Revelation 18:10; 16:12; 3:12; 12:17.

They become illustrations that unlock much of the Old Testament information regarding the end of the world. These symbols often answer the troubling question “How did an end-time verse or prophecy end up in the context of an ancient conquest or disaster?”

The summary of the story line is this: God’s special people are unfaithful to their trust and, largely, turn away from His Covenant of Ten Commandments. As a judgment, God uses Babylonian errors (“wine” in the type) to confuse and scatter their power. Then many even of God’s faithful people are captive in Babylon (like “Daniel” in the type). They witness there to the leading men of the world.

Then, after a time, a small faithful remnant are called back to join God’s structured people, Jerusalem in the type. They restore there the damage done by the earlier assaults of Babylon. Then wave after wave of growing remnant returns from their dispersion to thicken the ranks of God’s people under the protection of the Kings of the East, symbols of the Godhead. Rev 16:12.

The Remnant and Prophets

God’s spokesmen focus on the remnant. When his people are about to be taken captive, God sends prophets to tell them how to behave in Babylon. As the time approaches for their gathering from captivity, prophets arise to guide the formation of the remnant. They even assist them with their reconstruction. Jeremiah 25:1; 51:64; Ezra 5:2.

During these periods many messages are given to the prophets for the world and its various bodies of people.

But the world’s messages are delivered rather to God’s people than to their intended recipients. Implicit in the delivery is the obligation of God’s forming remnant to be a currier of those messages.

The nations were unwittingly dependant on porters among the remnant if they were to receive their heaven-sent instructions. Only occasionally, as in the case of Jonah, was the prophet himself the porter.

When the remnant appears in Revelation, following the 1260 years of scattering (Revelation 12:17; 12:14; Daniel 12:7), this pattern appears again. The Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy, aids the returning remnant.

False prophets also proliferated during the periods of God’s special work. Jeremiah and Ezekiel opposed them during the captivity. Nehemiah met false prophets while forwarding the reconstruction. Nehemiah 6:14.

In Revelation these false prophets find their parallel in the miracle-working power overtly supporting Babylon. Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10.

In short, God’s work of regathering brings a resurgence of prophetic activity—both true and false.

The Elect Remnant

The elect remnant correspond to the invisible church. Elijah couldn’t perceive their existence and so felt all alone. Romans 11:3. They, rather than the visible church, are the ones that experience 2Ti 3:12. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

The woman of Revelation 12 is, in fact, the invisible church. She is clothed with the sun. She is dressed in pure white. Revelation 12:1-2. She is one woman, though she exists through the Jewish and Christian age.

The remnant is that “seed of the woman” that is at enmity with the “seed” of the serpent. That enmity is played out in the wrath of Revelation 12:17.

In a time of gathering, the elect and invisible remnant begins to approximate the visible church. During a time of scattering that approximation vanishes.

Where are we, as a Seventh-day Adventist denomination? Are a large portion of the remnant scattered? When will they be gathered? Are the world’s Daniels in Babylon today? Will the world’s Ezras and Nehemiahs be coming to Jerusalem soon? Will the wall be rebuilt in troublous times?

Much of the Old Testament story-information testifies that the answer to all these questions is yes. Then is it accurate to say that we, the Seventh-day Adventists, are the remnant church?

In one important sense, it is very accurate. We are the Jerusalem to which the remnant is being gathered slowly. The portion of the remnant that has been gathered already is in the Seventh-dayAdventistChurch. More precisely, the remnant that keep the commandments of God and that have the Testimony of Jesus have been gathered to form the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

And while we seem to be in a time of scattering, there will be another gathering. Like Daniel, we must be faithful until that time. And like him, may we live to see Babylon overthrown and the way of the Kings of the East prepared.

The Remnant in Type and Antitype

Three times scripture tells the first story of a remnant being blessed. Good King Hezekiah had led a national revival in Judah. He burned idols and desecrated their shrines.

His father had bought peace with Assyria by using gold from the temple. Hezekiah, zealous for God’s glory, rebelled against the Assyrians which had already carried the idolatrous neighbor kingdom of Israel captive. But Hezekiah expected God to favor the reforming nation of Judah.

Then Assyria took several of the fenced cities of Judah. The king wavered. Assyria had demanded submission guaranteed by a rich present. Hezekiah did like his father. The temple pillars that he had covered with silver, he stripped. This, with other precious metal, was forwarded to the waiting king.

But the God who had blessed Hezekiah’s faithfulness neglected to bless his weakness. The gift failed to repel the invaders. The Assyrians besieged Jerusalem. The extremity seemed to bring Hezekiah back to his senses. Meanwhile, outside the city gate, the Assyrian general blasphemed the God of heaven.

Then Hezekiah appealed to the prophet Isaiah. He also spent personal time on his knees acknowledging the victory of Assyria over false Gods but claiming the victory of the only true God over the proud oppressor. God answered the personal praise and prayer session with prophecy:

The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee [the King of Assyria], and laughed thee to scorn . . . 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. By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, “With the multitude of my chariots I am come up  . . . with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.” . . . Hast thou not heard long ago how I have [given power to kings like you over other nations.]  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded . . . . But I know . . . thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me . . . I will put my hook in thy nose . . . and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

Assyria and Babylon prefigure the great apostasy featured in the Bible’s apocalypse. In this prophecy of Isaiah God’s newly reformed nation of Judah is represented as speaking by its  “virgin” daughter (See Jer 31:4 for a similar usage). This usage informs our understanding of Revelation 14 where the 144,000 are found to be virgins that are the “seed” of the woman (Revelation 12:17) that have despised the power of Babylon.

God’s enemy blasphemes God by putting Him on a level with other deities and exalting himself above them all. By political power the enemy expects to overwhelm God’s city. She does not realize that her national clout came through divine providence. Now she rages against the very God that put her on the throne. He will remove her power and repulse her campaign against the Holy People.

This was just the kind of prophecy Hezekiah longed for. But a practical problem loomed ahead. The Assyrians, even if they should leave as prophesied, had already reaped the harvest of the nation’s fields for that year. God turned the prophecy towards meeting this disaster with a promise of supernatural blessing.

He would cause the ground to bring forth sufficient provisions in uncultivated areas to feed the nation. The next year, a Sabbatical year when sowing was forbidden, He would do the same. This provision would be a sign that God supported the rebellion of Judah from under the hand of Babylon.

And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves . . . and in the third year sow ye . . . and eat the fruits thereof. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mountZion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. . . . For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 2 Ki 19; Is 37

Who are blessed in this oracle? The remnant have escaped from Assyrian captivity. They will prosper and be fruitful. Though the king’s call for reform was laughed to scorn (verse 10) a few responded to the reform.

God ordained that the scattering of His people would be followed by gathering and conversion of a few. Hezekiah depended on the gathering promised and used the promise to encourage revival. 2 Chron 30:9. Moses had long before outlined the process.

And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. Deu 30:1-8

The prosperity of the remnant, under Hezekiah, hinged on their repentance and a revival of obedience to God. The Bible notes that participation in the sanctuary service was the mainspring of that revival. 2 Chr 30.

The King, on his part, revived the sanctuary services. God, on His part, revived the hearts of the remnant as prophesied in the words “the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart . . . to love the Lord thy God will all thine heart, and with all thine soul, that thou mayest live.”

Hezekiah’s efforts to restore the temple were accomplished by the “remnant” under his grandson. 2 Chr 34:9. Further apostasy reversed the gathering back to a prophesied scattering of those that remained. 2 Ki 21:14-15. This prophecy was soon fulfilled. 2 Ki 25:11.

Israel was nearly annihilated as a national body. So general was the captivity under Assyria that Isaiah wrote:

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Is 1:9

Besides the very few left behind, a “remnant” would return from captivity.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: Is 10:20-22

This “return” from captivity is salvation in the Septuagint and in Paul’s use of this passage in the New Testament. There the entire process of captivity and remnant’s return is spiritualized. Assyria becomes, with Babylon, a type of institutionalized error.

This false system captures “nations” by making them “drink” of her wine. Some escape. Men that are converted from the “error” of their ways are souls “saved” from death. James 4:21. They are the remnant elected by grace.

In other words, the “elect” remnant are those who have been “chosen” by God’s foreknowledge for their submission to the Spirit’s work of sanctification and for their belief in the truth. 2 Thes 2:13.

God has not “cast away His people.” He “foreknew” a remnant chosen by His grace for their faith. Though unknown to each other, they are known to Him. From Elijah’s day to ours this remnant exists. It was stronger in his day than he expected by a factor of 7000. It is, accordingly, stronger in ours. Rom 11:1-5

When a man is saved by faith he is part of the “remnant” that is to be gathered. He is part of the “Israel” that “obtained” the sought-for prize. Rom 11:6-7.

The remnant responds to Jesus

 

Beginning with these prophecies in Isaiah 1 and 10 the Bible’s use of “remnant” enters into prophecies that are shown by New Testament writers to speak of the Christian age.

The Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11-12 foretells the work of Jesus under the figures of a rod, a branch, and a root of Jesse. There Jesus is filled with the Spirit (11:2) and equipped to judge hearts (11:3). He executes the wicked with the breath of his mouth (11:4) while justifying the defenseless. He is clothed for war with righteousness and faithfulness (11:5).

He will reorder creation so that animals of prey become harmless vegetarians (11:6-8) in His “holy mountain.” This is the result of “the earth” being “full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (11:9). In nine verses the entire period from Christ’s baptism to the restoration of Eden-like scenes is captured.

“And in that day” – in the day when Jesus is anointed to begin His work – He became an “ensign” offering “glorious” “rest” to trusting “Gentiles” (11:10). This is the passage that Paul quotes as evidence that Christianity should embrace non-Jews. Romans 15:12.

And it is a passage that establishes the spiritual nature of the second gathering of the remnant. The “ensign” that Jesus becomes is a beacon for recovering the remnant that have been scattered to the great nations of the world. As the “outcasts” pour in from “the nations” in the four quarters of the earth, old rivalries within the church vanish with their causes.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Is 11:11-13.

God’s people unite in a sweeping campaign that subjects their enemies (11:14). God blesses their efforts to such an extent that the Egyptian language becomes extinct (11:15). A supernatural highway is established for those leaving Assyrian captivity to join the “remnant.” They will break forth in songs of deliverance that have become familiar to many already.

And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Isaiah 11:16-12:6

In summary, the remnant people are the invisible church. They are the few members of the visible church that are “saved.” Bible prophesies describe our time under the figure of a scattering and subsequent gathering.

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. Ro 9:27-29.

—-

The first connection of the remnant with a familiar passage regarding the signs and events of the end of time is found in Joel 2.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:28-32.

The Scattering of the False Shepherds and Gathering around Jesus

If a timeline were to be labeled with the phases of the final scattering-gathering process, the gathering of the faithful would follow the scattering of the false shepherds that have themselves been scattering the flock. These are removed and replaced by faithful pastors prior to God’s promised effort to gather the faithful.

This truth is revealed in the first passage to use the word “remnant” in a clearly apocalyptic setting, Jeremiah 23. There God promises to bring the scattered believers back into the true fold. With this is His promise to hire faithful shepherds and to remove hirelings. In its wording the promise is very similar to the thrice told prophecy to Hezekiah.

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. Jer 23:1-3

The raising of true shepherds (v. 4) precedes the conclusion of the gathering. Then the wicked are destroyed and God is glorified for a gathering far more significant than the gathering of the Israelites from Egypt. (v. 5-8). Jesus leads this gathering as the Good Shepherd, breaking a way through obstacles that inhibit the sheep. Mic 2:10-12. The weak and suffering people will be formed by God into a “remnant” for Himself. To these our Lovely Lord will restore the “first dominion.” The kingdom “under the whole heaven” is “given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” Mic 4:7-8; Dan 7:27.

What is it that arouses true shepherds to take their positions? In the chapter that introduces the New Covenant, Jeremiah 31, we find the answer. The gathering movement begins with “watchmen” who respond to God’s love. God’s love is an ensign that gathers men.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee. Jer. 31:3

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Joh 12:32

The aroused watchmen intercede with God saying “save thy people, the remnant.” Jer. 31.7. The intercession is followed by God’s action. He moves the scattered remnant to begin to assemble as a collection of weak souls that make a “great company.” Jer 31:8.

In God’s providence, that spiritual blessing of the patriarchs followed consecration rather than birth order. It passed from Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Ephraim (Jer 31:9) without ever once following the proscribed pattern of first-born, bypassing Ishmael, Esau, Judah, and Manasseh. Any child could, if he would, be associated by faith with the Only Begotten Son of God and be spared accordingly.

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Mal 3:17

God, like no other, pardons iniquity and passes by the remnant’s transgression. He delights in mercy; he will “turn again” from retaining his anger. He “will subdue our iniquities” and cast away our sins. He will fulfill his ancient promises of truth and mercy to Jacob and Abraham. Mic 7:18-20.Then it is that their spiritual descendants inherit the land of promise.

Micah explains that the captivity would not be gathered until after the cross. The Messiah there became “the peace.” Micah 5:2-5. “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return” to Israel from their scattered positions.

The preciousness of these promises (Mal. 3; Mic 7, 5) that God will spare us as his own son, that he pardons iniquity like no other, that he will subdue our iniquities, that Jesus will be our peace, does not excel that hidden promise in the phrase “his brethren.” The gathered ones are claimed by Jesus as his family.

Though scattered in location they are gathered in spirit and are a victorious body. Mic 5:2-8. Especially will Jesus be a defense when the Babylonian power “treads” within our border. Mic. 5:6. The meaning of this passage must be related to 2 Thes 2:4; Dan 11:45; Eze 8.

Gathering to Build

 

When God undertook to gather his faithful from the Babylonian captivity, he gathered them by giving them a mission. They were to build up the walls and restore the worship services of the broken city of Jerusalem. Building up the waste places became an illustration of the work entrusted to God’s people in the last-day gathering.

They are to “build the old waste places” and “shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” Is 58:12. The restoration of the Sabbath is identified as one of the restoration projects to be undertaken. Is 58:13.

In the story God promised the builders that, as they had begun to build with strength, He would change His relation to them from inciting differences to prospering their work and reputation. This would be no great difficulty for Him. Zec 8:4-15. The implications for us and for the resolution to our internal differences are profound.

The gathering to build the temple suffered a setback of discouragement. In the last day of the last feast of the Jewish year, the day that prefigured our arrival into heaven, a message came to the church that had gathered to help build the temple. Those that had returned were the “residue” of the people. The eldest of them had seen the splendor of Solomon’s temple. Hag 2:2-9

It seemed to these that the work of God was regressing even while it was progressing. The ambitions of the current architects did not even equal the achievements of the past, much less enlarge on them.

God sent a message of comfort to these men. The temple under construction would receive the Messiah. They were to build with confidence for “I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.”

The story of the rebuilding parallels the work of the church today, especially for those workers who realize the extent to which we have fallen as a people. These might be surprised at the up-beat message. And is the passage not an end-time passage? God promises to “shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land” prior to the coming of the Messiah and to fill the under-construction temple with “glory.” While it was literally so in the temple they were literally building, the “shaking” in this passage reminds us of that in the very end in Hebrews 12.

The building up of Jerusalem could have given way to a tragic scattering. This did not happen in Ezra’s day, but he did not presume that it could not happen.

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? Ezr 9:14.

The graciousness of God to the “remnant” is presented as iffy specifically to those that claim it as a certainty for their selves. This is the message to Adventist today, those “who desire the Day of the Lord.” See Amos 5:10-20.

The Remnant Doubts the Prophet and Seeks Affinity with Egypt

Almost one eighth of the uses of “remnant” are found in the story of Gedaliah and Johanan. Jeremiah 39:9-44:28. The “remnant” was taken to Babylon by a general, except a “remnant” that was left in Judah under Gedaliah. The captive remnant included Daniel. The free remnant included Jeremiah.

In the story of these five chapters Johanan discovered a threat on Gedaliah’s life and offered to privately execute the primary conspirator. Johanan felt that Gedaliah’s murder would lead to a scattering of the remaining ones and perishing of “the remnant in Judah.” Jer. 39:9; 40:11; 40:15.

Gedaliah refused Johanan’s offer and was slain by the conspirator (Ishmael). Then Johanan went into action. His plan to save the remnant involved three steps, namely: 1. Win the allegiance of Jews now following the assassin Ishmael; 2. Win the support of the prophet Jeremiah; 3. Win the support of Egypt as an ally against Babylon.

The first point was successful. The second appeared pious. Johanan’s group came to Jeremiah to request guidance and prayer. Jer. 41:16; 42:2. The remnant promised solemnly to do whatever God would show through Jeremiah. Jer. 42:3-6. Ten days later Jeremiah had a message.

God promised to build and plant the remnant right where they were—on condition that they would stay there, trust Him, and not fear the king of Babylon. God promised to give them mercy in the king’s sight and, in this way, to deliver them from him. But the prophecy also warned that seeking Egypt’s friendship would be a lethal mistake.

The first step to Egypt would be a step of rebellion against God’s counsel. They would die in Egypt. God’s fierce anger would be poured out there. Jer. 42:7-17. As Jeremiah closed his plea against the proposed trip of the “remnant” God revealed to Jeremiah that the promise to “obey” whatever God would say was dishonest.

Thus failed the second of Johanan’s points. When the prophet could not be influenced, Johanan leveled the charge of influence against the prophet. He ascribed the content of Jeremiah’s message to Jeremiah’s secretary, Baruch. He took “all the remnant of Judah that had returned “from all nations” and made plans to travel. Jer. 43:1-5.

The story, told in uncharacteristic detail in the scripture, seems uncannily parallel to our time. The church, situated between Babylonian error and Egyptian worldliness, has its Johannans. These are gifted men, professedly going for wisdom to the Spirit of Prophecy, but leveling a charge of influence against the testimonies that rebuke their ways. The fate of these and their followers is ominous in the type.

Their trip to Egypt represented the results of the shaking that is currently underway.

The Shaking of the Remnant

The familiar and fateful sealing-slaughtering scene of Ezekiel 9, following the sealing, will be fearful for these church members. The prophet that saw the scene fell on his face and “cried, and said ‘Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?'” Eze 9:8.

In the fascinating prophecy of Ezekiel 11-12 the prophet mourns the death of Pelatiah as an omen of the destruction, the “full end” of the remnant.  Ezek. 11:13. This question, “Will you destroy all?” was asked again and answered later in the negative.

Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. Eze 14:22

Few passages so clearly show that character determines destiny and that the remnant will be reduced to pure and faithful body by the bloody phase of the shaking, the phase in which “all the sinners of my people” who have a false assurance will be killed. The comfort in these passages is that the shaking will not remove even the “least grain” from the church. The shaking removes false Christians, not weak ones. Amos 9:9-13.

Armageddon

The closing of earth’s history is pictured in scripture as an attack by “all nations” against God’s people. God gathers them to plunder, polarize, and prostrate the church. Indignity and crime threaten the members. Many fall prey to the onslaught.

Half of the city “will go forth into captivity.” They will surrender the truths that have set them apart and will be scattered into mystical Babylon. Yet “the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” Zech 14:2.

Finally, God fights “against” all the nations of the world as He did against Egypt in the past, with mighty plagues. Finally He will descend to level the mount of Olives for the reception of the HolyCity. Zech 14:3-4.

Isaiah 4:3 speaks of “he that remaineth in Jerusalem” after God’s final judgments of several verses earlier. This remnant “shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.” The Book of Life now purged, probation now closed, the remnant now fully gathered, God renews His earlier provision of guidance to the church. This is represented by the familiar “a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.”

Those executed in the earlier judgments include two classes of women, those that ruled over the men and those that demonstrated pride in dress. While these sought an outward adorning, those spared are “beautiful and glorious”, “excellent and comely” in the fruit of their lives. Is 4:2.  Zion has been “purged” by the “spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning” as Christ in judgment refined his teaching priests. Is 4:4;  Mal. 3:3.

“Therefore wait ye upon me, Saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” Zeph 3:7.

Babylon began at Babel and was scattered initially by confusion of languages. When God destroys the nations of the world, the last day Babylon, there will be no longer reason for a continuation of the curse on Babel. Then God will return to man a “pure language.” All will serve Him “with one consent.” Zeph 3:8-9.

Then harmony will prevail in serving God. God’s men will no longer “be ashamed” for their past sins “against” Him. Their society will be purged of “haughty” persons, “them that rejoice” in pride of being God’s church.

God will “leave” an “afflicted and poor,” but trusting, body in His church. They will not “do iniquity” nor “speak lies” but shall be a safe flock. “Sing” of this! With all your heart, since your “judgments” and enemies are banished! No more evil to see! God is with you! Fear not and get busy! God will “sing” and “rejoice” over your salvation! Zeph 3:8-20.

Summary

 

So many passages throw light on end-time events. When we understand the Biblical theme of scattering and regathering, Old Testament stories and passages come alive with meaning.

We should know what is written there. Since 1844 we have already been through at least one cycle of gathering and scattering. The evidence is that we need another gathering. Let us do our part to bring it about.

The Lord showed me that He had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people, and that efforts must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the scattering, Israel was smitten and torn, but now in the gathering time God will heal and bind up His people. In the scattering, efforts made to spread the truth had but little effect, accomplished but little or nothing; but in the gathering, when God has set His hand to gather His people, efforts to spread the truth will have their designed effect. All should be united and zealous in the work. I saw that it was wrong for any to refer to the scattering for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God should do no more for us now than He did then, Israel would never be gathered. . . . The view that the Lord “had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people,” on page 74, refers only to the union and strength once existing among those looking for Christ, and to the fact that He had begun to unite and to raise up His people again. – EW p. 74, 86.

For more information, or to make comments, please email Eugene Prewitt at canvassing@canvassing.org. Be faithful. December 9, 2006

 The Remnant