Lessons from the Sanctuary

Lessons from the Sanctuary

To truly understand the earthly sanctuary we need to first understand the reason for its existence.  Meaning: why did God decide to “let them make me a sanctuary?”  The verse gives the answer, “…

that I may dwell among them: (Exodus 25:8).  It has always been God’s desire to dwell among His created beings.  To say that the Sanctuary is a teaching tool, and ignoring the fact that God wanted to dwell among Israel, is to miss the point that God is love.  To say that the sanctuary was the way in which the people could reach out to God is missing the point that it was God who asked Moses to build it; in other words, it was actually God’s way of reaching out to Israel. 

Even before this sanctuary was built, Christ lived among the angels as an angel.  God had met with Adam and Eve in the garden.  Enoch walked with God.  And, God met with Abraham face to face.

Let’s take a closer look on Enoch: Enoch learned without the sanctuary about God.  Among the antediluvians was one young man who “walked with God” (Gen. 5:24). God took Him by the hand and Enoch went for a walk with God. “By faith” Enoch bore a “testimony” to his generation “that he pleased God” (Heb. 11:5). Enoch did not resist God and permitted Him to purify his life of sin and thus God was able to reveal the deeper meaning of the sanctuary truth and cleanse him of all known and unknown sin so that “he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.” Here was one person before the Flood who comprehended the “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of “the love of Christ, ... filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph. 3:18, 19).

Abraham learned the Gospel from God himself, without the sanctuary.  God’s everlasting covenant given to Abraham pointed him to the heavenly sanctuary for salvation and he believed the promise. Specifically Abraham believed in the gospel of Christ as God proclaimed it to him. [Galatians 3: 8] The Sacrifice for sinners was so vividly proclaimed by God to Abraham that when asked to “sacrifice” his son Isaac on the altar, he was motivated by Divine love to give his only true son. [Heb. 11:17, 18] The source of agape is the heavenly sanctuary (Early Writings, p. 55). When God evangelized Abraham with the gospel it was thorough and complete (Galatians 3: 14; Romans 5: 5). He revealed to Abraham what was in heaven, the sanctuary, so that he could share with God as much as a human could, the sacrificial love of God.

This demonstrates that there was no necessity for an earthly sanctuary for a large part of earth’s history. For some 2,200 years, from creation until Mt. Sinai, there was no earthly sanctuary, but there was a real Temple residence for God in heaven.  It was not until Israel made their old covenant promise, “all that the Lord hath spoken, will we do” (Ex. 19:8) that out of necessity God initiated the construction of an earthly tabernacle. Motivated by their own self-sufficiency to obey the commandments, ancient Israel made their vain pledge to keep their part of the bargain and that was the old covenant.  God never asked them to promise him anything. He simply proclaimed the good news promise to them as he had done with their father Abraham. The only appropriate response would have been for them to believe God’s promise just as Abraham did.  Then God’s Divine love would have been written in their souls.

But their self-confident pledge was the great sin of unbelief. Paul writes: “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19). The root cause of “transgressions” is unbelief. Evidently there was a great sin committed by Israel at Mt. Sinai which necessitated the emphasizing of the law of God in the format of the Ten Commandments written by God’s own finger on tables of stone. Since the people would not simply believe God’s promise so that He might write His laws in their hearts and minds, He was obliged to write them on rocks which were placed in a box, the Ark of the Covenant, which was put in the tabernacle.

God wanted to abide in their lives, but through unbelief they sent Him to dwell in a “motel room.”

Now what God would have taught them Himself, as He taught Enoch, Abraham and Moses, He taught through the sanctuary and its services.  Did they learn?  Some did.  And, we should point out that according to Ellen White it was through the sanctuary service that Christ learned about Himself as the paschal lamb.  And, so now we are to learn about the plan of redemption through learning about the sanctuary and its services.  It was through understanding the earthly sanctuary that we learn about what is happening in the heavenly one.

The actual structure is full of meaning.  Nothing was left to chance.  Everything from the hooks to the curtains, from the cups to the Ark of the Covenant, the materials used and the colors are reference to Christ and the plan of redemption.  There too many details to discuss here.  Suffice it to say, one more time: they are all a reference to Christ and the plan of redemption. 

In Psalm 27:4, David boldly identifies his single-minded goal in life, his one great request: “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (NIV). The “house of the Lord” is another term for the sanctuary. David’s single-minded quest was focused upon the sanctuary! In Psalm 27, he summarizes the threefold experience he wished to have in the sanctuary. Verse 4 gives two facets of this experience: “to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire [after truth] in his temple” (NKJV). (The Hebrew word translated as “inquire,” baqar, refers to careful examination of evidence in order to determine the truth of a matter.) Toward the end of the psalm (in the verse exactly paralleling verse 4), David pinpoints the third aspect of the sanctuary experience that he longs to have: “to see the goodness of the Lord” (vs. 13).

God institutes a series of services in which the people would come to the Sanctuary to seek and inquire of God.  Ellen White says,

“The typical service was the connecting link between God and Israel. The sacrificial offerings were designed to prefigure the sacrifice of Christ, and thus to preserve in the hearts of the people an unwavering faith in the Redeemer to come. Hence, in order that the Lord might accept their sacrifices, and continue His presence with them, and, on the other hand, that the people might have a correct knowledge of the plan of salvation, and a right understanding of their duty, it was of the utmost importance that holiness of heart and purity of life, reverence for God, and strict obedience to His requirements, should be maintained by all connected with the sanctuary.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1010.

In Patriarchs and Prophets Ellen White reiterates the same concept in different words,

“The most important part of the daily ministration was the service performed in behalf of individuals. The repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle, and, placing his hand upon the victim’s head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. By his own hand the animal was then slain, and the blood was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 354.

If the Sin was transferred to the Sanctuary, then the sinner no longer has it.  The sinner is freed from the Sin.  The sinner leaves the sanctuary with assurance of God’s love, grace and forgiveness.  He leaves the sanctuary with a heartfelt appreciation for what God has done for Him.  He leaves the sanctuary with God in his heart.  

Sacrifice

There will be no audio version until further notice.  Sorry for the inconveience.

Sacrifice

A seminary professor tells the experience of when she reluctantly accompanied her husband through the conflict-torn region of the Holy Land to the top of Mount Gerazim at Passover time. Here, the few surviving Samaritans on earth still sacrifice Passover lambs. As the lambs were led to the slaughter, she averted her eyes. But at the last minute, she looked. How utterly awful their deaths were. As she beheld the innocent creatures struggling against the knife, her soul revolted against the callousness of the priest, who was offering the sacrifice. But even more, she found revolting the whole idea of the sacrificial system. Why did innocent animals have to die to point forward to the death of Jesus? On the way back that night, in the light of the full Passover moon, she poured out her bitterness against God for the awfulness of the animal sacrifices until suddenly light from heaven penetrated her darkened mind. She finally began to understand the point: sin is so awful that it cost the life of the innocent Lamb of God. This Sacrifice was the only way that God could get people with their hardened human hearts to see how terrible sin was, how costly our salvation is. 

The sacrifices also teach us by which means God has removed what has estranged us from Him: our distrust of Him due to Sin.  It reveals to what extent God is willing to go, to bring us back into an intimate relationship with Him.  Christ was that Lamb slain from the foundation of the world to take away the Sin of the world (John 1: 29; Revelation 13: 8).  The cross was the instrument to slay the Lamb. 

However, it is unfortunate that “With most of the people in the days of Christ, the observance of this feast had degenerated into formalism. {DA 77.2}  Too often through human history God gives teaching tools to teach a greater reality and people mistakenly think the teaching tool is the reality.  Thus, the sacrifices, which were only to teach the way back into close relationship with God, became misunderstood as the means to a close relationship with God. And people have taken the teaching tool and extrapolated false ideas about God and the heavenly sanctuary.  Christ is the means, the way, the truth and the life.  It is through Christ that we enter into close relationship with God.

But what was its significance to the Son of God? Ellen White tells us Gives us a glimpse,

For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the temple. He saw the white-robed priests performing their solemn ministry. He beheld the bleeding victim upon the altar of sacrifice. With the worshipers He bowed in prayer, while the cloud of incense ascended before God. He witnessed the impressive rites of the paschal service. Day by day He saw their meaning more clearly. Every act seemed to be bound up with His own life. New impulses were awakening within Him. Silent and absorbed, He seemed to be studying out a great problem. The mystery of His mission was opening to the Saviour.    Rapt in the contemplation of these scenes, He did not remain beside His parents. He sought to be alone. When the paschal services were ended, He still lingered in the temple courts; and when the worshipers departed from Jerusalem, He was left behind.  {DA 78.2}”

Abraham had a similar experience in Mount Moriah.  We know the story.  God asked Abraham to go to Mount Moriah to sacrifice Isaac, his beloved child of promise.  There was something different about God’s approach to Abraham.  The patriarch’s life with God had always been accompanied by divine promises: the promise of land, of descendants, and of blessings; the promise of a son; and the promise that God would take care of Ishmael.  Abraham sacrificed, but it was always as a response and in the light of some promise. However, in the situation described in Genesis 22, Abraham did not get any divine promise; instead, he was told to sacrifice the living promise, his son.  Abraham was posed with a dilemma.  He had to choose between God and Isaac.  Following through on God’s command, Abraham showed that God was more important to him than anything else.  That animal, which God provided, prefigures the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, on whom “the Lord has laid . . . the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6, 7; Acts 8:32, NKJV).

What was God’s purpose in this incredible challenge to Abraham’s faith?  Ellen White tells us what God wanted to accomplish. 

“It was to impress Abraham’s mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man’s redemption. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 154.

Concerning the sacrifice, Abraham understood that no one but God Himself can bring the true sacrifice and the means of salvation. It is the Lord who will, who must, provide. Abraham eternalizes this principle by naming the place “YHWH Jireh,” which means “The-Lord-Will-Provide.” 

As mentioned before, the narrative of Genesis 22 describes the divine test of Abraham in which God asks him to offer up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. This test may be the very apex of Old Testament gospel prefigurations, revealing in advance how both the Father and Son were to be involved in the anguish of the atoning sacrifice. Jesus remarked that “ ‘Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad’ ” (John 8:56, NKJV).

When did Abraham see Jesus’ day? The apostle Paul quotes from Genesis 22 (vs. 18) and specifically points out that Scripture “announced the gospel in advance to Abraham” (Gal. 3:8, NIV). In the Hebrew of Genesis 22:17, 18, as in Genesis 3:15, the word for “seed” (zera‘) first is used in a collective sense to refer to numerous descendants and then narrows to a singular meaning (marked by singular pronouns, although some modern translations do not show this) to focus on the one Messianic Seed in whom “ ‘all the nations of the earth shall be blessed’ ” (Gen. 22:18, NKJV). The experience of Isaac on Mount Moriah is thus explicitly linked to the sacrifice of the coming Messiah. Paul also points to the sacrificial spirit of the Father, who “did not spare [withhold] His own Son” (Rom. 8:32, NKJV), using the same language as God had twice used of Abraham on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:12, 16). 

Abraham understood in Mount Moriah the meaning of the cross.  The sacrifice of Jesus for the eradication of sin, salvation of humanity, securing of the universe, is not The good news, it is the expression, outworking, effective action of the Good News of who God is! In other words, the good news is about God and His character which is fully expressed in the actions of Christ sacrificing Himself for our salvation. But the good news about God was true before He sacrificed Himself, it was just obscured by Satan’s lies. Thus the good news is always about God!  The Good news is God is love - agape (1 John 4: 16).  And, the cross is the most complete and utter demonstration of agape that have ever been revealed to mankind.

“The Heavenly Sanctuary”

Sorry: no audio this week.  Below is the script:

“The Heavenly Sanctuary”

A pastor tells a personal experience regarding the sanctuary in heaven. He says, “Upon entering pastoral duties in a church, I was confronted with a paper written by a scholar who denounced the teaching of the sanctuary in heaven. Three persons each gave me a copy of this paper. I knew that in time I would have to deal publically with this scholarly paper. When doing a sermon series dealing with the book of Daniel that time finally came.

During the week of preparation for the upcoming Sabbath sermon, the Lord impressed my mind with a simple question to ask the congregation. During that sermon I mentioned to the congregation the following: “If someone tells you there is no sanctuary in heaven, do not argue with him/her. Ask the person the following question: ‘Oh, have you been to heaven to see that there is no sanctuary there?’” Next I said: “If he says ‘No,’ then you can consider the statement as hearsay.” I continued: “The next thing for you to do is to search the Bible about what it says concerning the subject. If it says there is no sanctuary in heaven, then accept it. However, if the Bible says there is a sanctuary in heaven, it will be best to accept that.”

You can imagine the brisk activity that simple question caused within the congregation. A few became hostile, while others breathed a sigh of relief when they heard some answers regarding the sanctuary message. Not one who denied the existence of a real sanctuary in heaven could muster an argument against it. At least one who disbelieved in a literal heavenly temple had an about face and decided to looked into the subject from a biblical viewpoint rather than to accept a non-provable negative interpretive assertions.”  The pastor did not trivialize the Sanctuary doctrine, neither did Ellen G. White.

In The following statements Ellen White tells is how important is the doctrine of the sanctuary,

“The correct understanding of the ministration in the heavenly sanctuary is the foundation of our faith,” “our faith” being the unique teachings of Seventh-day Adventists that make us different from the Roman Catholic or Evangelical Protestant churches. [1] 

“[It’s] the central pillar that sustains the structure of our position.” [2]

 “the sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men,” [3]

 Notice what she  has to say about the denial of the heavenly sanctuary by some among us:

The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith. [4]

Satan is striving continually to bring in fanciful suppositions in regard to the sanctuary, degrading the wonderful representations of God and the ministry of Christ for our salvation into something that suits the carnal mind. He removes its presiding power from the hearts of believers, and supplies its place with fantastic theories invented to make void the truths of the atonement, and destroy our confidence in the doctrines which we have held sacred since the third angel's message was first given. Thus he would rob us of our faith in the very message that has made us a separate people, and has given character and power to our work.[5]

If there is no sanctuary in Heaven then the earthly sanctuary on earth is a shadow of Moses imagination.  Also, our understanding of Daniel 8:14 (2,300 day prophecy) is based on a fantasy. 

This, then, brings us to the lesson for the week at hand. We will consider two aspects of the heavenly sanctuary ministry. These are: its literalness and a few of its functions. While it is true that the functions of the sanctuary are the most important part of the sanctuary message, its architecture and architectural furnishings are referred to in several Bible passages. This too is important.  Hebrews  8-10 deals with the literalness along with functions of the heavenly temple.  Likewise in the book of Revelation which has abundant evidence of a heavenly sanctuary (see 1:12-13; chapters 4 and 5; 8:2-6; 11:19; 15:5). The book of Psalms also mentions the sanctuary or temple and constituent parts over 100 times. And of course the prophet Daniel wrote concerning the sanctuary in heaven as a place of judgment (Dan 7:-13; 8:14).

The most important elements of the heavenly sanctuary are its functions. One such function is that it is God’s dwelling place. However, this brings to mind questions concerning the relationship of God to a dwelling place.  Does He need this in light of the fact He is omnipresent (Jer 2: 23-24; Psa 139; Acts 17:24-28)? Since God is ever present in all places at all times, why does He dwell in a temple? In addition to these questions, there is another, how long has there been a temple?

The heavenly sanctuary has been in existence at least since the creation of this world. Jeremiah referred to God’s throne and sanctuary existing from a point of time connected to the beginning: “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary” (Jer 17:12). Jeremiah’s words reflect the farthest point in time for earth which was “in the beginning” when God created earth (Gen 1:1).

The key to the question as to why God dwells in a sanctuary is found in His instruction to Moses: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Ex 25:8). God wants to be with us. His name is called “Immanuel” literally meaning “God with us” (Isa 7:14). Our heavenly Father longs to be with His created beings. He wants to interact with us. Jesus revealed God’s longing when He was born into the human race to dwell with us as “Immanuel” (Matt 1:23).

Today God dwells also with angels—“between the cherubim” (Psa 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16). He longs to be close to His creatures. And the angels love to dwell in the house of the Lord. God also longs for the day when you and I and all the redeemed will be taken to heaven to dwell in His house for ever. Jesus went to heaven to prepare “rooms” for us in the “Father’s house” (John 14:1-3, NIV), which is the heavenly temple.

Does God need a place to dwell in? Of course not. But the fact that He does reveals attributes of His character that are blessings to us by His personal presence in the Person of the Holy Spirit. In the teacher’s comments for this week’s lesson there is a thought provoking statement:

It is vital to grasp that the original purpose of the heavenly sanctuary was to reveal part of the essential nature of God’s character—“Immanuel”—God with us. That God condescends to live in a heavenly sanctuary among the created heavenly beings reveals that He is not aloof, distant, cold and forbidding. He longs to be close to His creatures, and to dwell with us. [6]

Not only is the temple in heaven God’s dwelling place. In the book of Revelation the sanctuary is the place of worship for angels and for those who have been redeemed from earth, (either through translation and resurrection from the grave) (Rev 4:1-11; 5:8-14).

Was there a sanctuary in heaven before sin entered the universe? Yes. Lucifer as the covering cherub was there as a participant in the worship services (Eze 28:17). This was his place of worship until he “desecrated your (his) sanctuaries” (holy places) (v 18, NIV). Then he started a war in heaven, in which he thought he could unseat God from the worship center.

Lucifer attempted to “sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north” (Isa 14:13). The NIV calls this “mount of the congregation” “the mount of assembly.” Lucifer wanted to break into God’s house of worship which is also His residence.

Lucifer, too late learned that God’s temple in heaven is not only His dwelling place and creation’s worship place, but that it is also the courtroom where he is judged, condemned and sentenced to eternal death. It is this function of the heavenly sanctuary—the investigative judgment—that we Seventh-day Adventists mostly dwell upon. This we must do, but we must not forget the other above mentioned and very important functions of God’s heavenly sanctuary.

In closing, there is another vitally important function of the heavenly temple that must be considered. In Revelation, the Lamb metaphor is the “key” to the sanctuary and to the book. Most of the twenty-eight references to Christ the Lamb occur in worship passages and center on salvation more than judgment. The Lamb fulfills the promise of God to establish righteousness, depicting redemption through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. In Rev 5:6 a slain lamb is seen in the midst of the throne which is located in the heart of the temple. This is a revelation of Christ crucified as the central attraction in the heavenly sanctuary. It reveals the self-sacrificing love and mercy of Christ and of the Father and His government. But that is not all.

In Revelation the Lamb of God has two aspects: a sacrificial Lamb and a military Lamb (Rev 5:6; 12:11;13:8; 17:14). They are interconnected, standing as the heart of the book depicting the two sides of God’s activity—His mercy and his justice. So we observe the two primary motifs: the sacrificial lamb metaphor united with the metaphorical Lamb Leader, Ruler and Judge. The two are combined here, just as God’s mercy and His justice meet in the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. It is the sacrifice of the Lamb that exalts the temple in heaven along with its other functions we have considered in this lesson—of God’s dwelling place and of creation’s house of worship along with God’s judgment.

Endnotes

[1] Evangelism, p. 221.

[2] Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, p. 245 (1897).

[3] Evangelism, p. 222.

[4] Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.

[5] Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 17. (1905); Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 53-54.

[6] Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Oct | Nov | Dec, 2013, p. 16.

The Promised Revival: God’s Mission Completed

Due to extenuating circumstances the audio portion of the review will be delayed.  Below is the script.

The Promised Revival: God’s Mission Completed

“Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7, 8, NKJV).

Our verse compares the plan of redemption with farming.  Ellen White elaborates on this comparison:

The plant grows by receiving that which God has provided to sustain its life. It sends down its

roots into the earth. It drinks in the sunshine, the dew, and the rain. It receives the life-giving

properties from the air. So the Christian is to grow by co-operating with the divine agencies.

Feeling our helplessness, we are to improve all the opportunities granted us to gain a fuller

experience. As the plant takes root in the soil, so we are to take deep root in Christ. As the

plant receives the sunshine, the dew, and the rain, we are to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit.

The work is to be done “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Zechariah 4:6. If we keep our minds stayed upon Christ, He will come unto us “as the rain, as

the latter and former rain unto the earth.” Hosea 6:3. As the Sun of Righteousness, He will

arise upon us “with healing in His wings.” Malachi 4:2. We shall “grow as the lily.” We shall

“revive as the corn, and grow as the vine.” Hosea 14:5, 7. By constantly relying upon Christ

as our personal Saviour, we shall grow up into Him in all things who is our head.

The wheat develops “first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” The object

of the husbandman in the sowing of the seed and the culture of the growing plant is the

production of grain. He desires bread for the hungry, and seed for future harvests. So the

divine Husbandman looks for a harvest as the reward of His labor and sacrifice. Christ is

seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men; and He does this through those who believe

in Him. The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing—the reproduction of Christ’s character

in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others. COL 66.1.

How do the references to the early and latter rain relate to this farming metaphor?  In Bible times, sowing and plowing took place in the middle of October, shortly after the falling of the early rains. These early rains brought the seed to germination and nurtured its early growth. The latter rain came in the late spring to bring the ripening fruit to harvest.  The latter rain experience would advance the reproduction of Christ’s character in those who are at the stage of growth to receive the latter rain and benefit from its fall.  Thus, the power effected by the rain, is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22, 23). 

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

What are the prerequisites to experience the growth produced by the latter rain?  Again from Ellen White,

The great outpouring of the Spirit of God, which lightens the whole earth with His glory, will

not come until we have an enlightened people, that know by experience what it means to be

laborers together with God. When we have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of

Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this

will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God. God

cannot pour out His Spirit when selfishness and self-indulgence are so manifest; when a spirit

prevails that, if put into words, would express that answer of Cain,—“Am I my brother’s

keeper?”—The Review and Herald, July 21, 1896.

What prepared the disciples for the early rain, is what will prepare us for the latter rain.  We read in Acts 1: 14 that they were studying scriptures and praying.  Ellen White says that they actually confessed and repented of their Sin.  We read from acts of the Apostles 37,

As the disciples waited for the fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. As they called to remembrance the words that Christ had spoken to them before His death they understood more fully their meaning. Truths which had passed from their memory were again brought to their minds, and these they repeated to one another. They reproached themselves for their misapprehension of the Saviour.

No longer were they fighting for supremacy; they were of one accord (Acts 2: 1).  Do we need to repent?  According to Revelation 3 we do. 

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

We are unaware of our condition that leads to death.  Ellen White says,

Jesus did not seek you and me because we were his friends, for we were estranged from him, and unreconciled to God. It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. But he has promised to give us his Holy Spirit, that we may become assimilated to his nature, changed into his image. Therefore we must put away everything like passion, impatience, murmuring, and unrest, and find a place for Jesus in the heart. We must have the buyers and the sellers cleared out of the soul temple, that Jesus may take up his abode within us. He stands at the door of the heart as a heavenly merchantman; he knocks there, saying, Open unto me, buy of me the heavenly wares, buy of me the gold tried in the fire, which is faith and love, the precious, beautiful attributes of our Redeemer, which will enable us to melt our way into the hearts of those who do not know him, those who are cold and alienated from him through unbelief and sin. He invites us to buy of him the white raiment, which is his glorious righteousness, and the eyesalve, that we may discern spiritual things. Oh, shall we not open the heart's door to this heavenly voice? He says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  {ST, February 8, 1892 par. 6} 

The reference to His voice is very important, for He says that His sheep know His voice and follow Him (John 10: 27).  Revelation further speaks of these*,

Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Often ignored is that the third angels message is a subtle rebuke*.

Rev 14:7 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.

It tells us to worship God the creator, because maybe we are not, while deceiving ourselves that we are.  We are deceiving ourselves about our condition.  We are in Babylon, so He tells us, “Come out of her my people.”  It does not say we are Babylon, but that we are living there Like the Jews that were taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchednezzer.  At some point the Lord used the Persian King to call them out and restore the temple and Jerusalem.  It is as if He tells us, come out of her my people to restore my temple in you (Revelation 18: 4; 1 Corinthians 3: 16). 

Those in Matthew 7 refuse to respond to the call.  Christ told them I know you not…workers of iniquity.  If we combine this passage with Matthew 25, many who believe they worship the creator, truly do not by the way they have treated fellow humans.  As you did unto them, you did unto me.  To worship the creator is to agape your fellow human beings.  How do we agape? By Laying down your life (1 John 3: 16). It is the Holy Spirit that gives us agape(romans 5: 5).  So, the fruit of the Spirit is an expression of agape. 

Our lesson states that it is God’s work, therefore He will finish it.  But, let us remember He will finish it His way.  The question is will we consent to follow His way and not ours.  According to Ellen White, there will be tension between those who follow God’s way and those who do not.   Let us read,

Unless those who can help in _____ are aroused to a sense of their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.--Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300. (1885)  {Ev 118.1}

The message to be given to the world is the third angel’s message, What is the third angel’s message?  Ellen White says that the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, “…in verity."—(The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890).  What is then Justification by faith?   It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself (FLB 111).  Again we look at Laodicea.  God says that you have a condition that is killing you, you are unaware of it, and you cannot heal yourself.  Only God can heal you. 

The work of the third angel's message that will soon lighten the earth with the glory of God is one in which "there can be no self-exaltation, no boastful claim to freedom from sin, on the part of those who walk in the shadow of Calvary's cross. They feel that it was their sin which caused the agony that broke the heart of the Son of God, and this thought will lead them to self-abasement. Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour." GC 471.

 

So, the Lord is asking us now, “Will you not let me in your heart? Will you not come out of Babylon?”  What will be your answer?

Reformation: Thinking New Thoughts

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Reformation: Thinking New Thoughts

Memory Text: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2, NKJV).

Let us define reformation:

“… a reformation must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit.  … Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. …”—Ellen G. White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Feb. 25, 1902.

As we can see, it is a work that the Holy Spirit does.  And, it is a work that happens in the mind.  Reformation occurs as the Holy Spirit brings our thoughts into harmony with Christ’s thoughts. Christ becomes our meditation.  When that happens, our actions will follow.  Ellen White says,

“It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated to that which it is accustomed to love and reverence. Man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man. Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 555.

Reformation is all about looking to Jesus. It is about Jesus filling our minds. It is about Jesus shaping our thoughts. It is about Jesus guiding our actions. When we behold Jesus, He will lead us to higher standards than a mere rigidity to rules. We cannot really look to Jesus and remain the same. When we think His thoughts, we have only one desire, and that is to do His will.

Ellen white says,

All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent,

He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into

conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses.

The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we

know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience.

Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will

become hateful to us. (DA 668)

Our flesh, still sinful, wants to Sin.  This is our battle.  So, We need weapons specifically for that kind of war.  Paul says,

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5 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;

We cannot always choose the thoughts that race through our minds. We can choose whether we will dwell upon them and allow them to dominate our thinking. To bring each thought into obedience to Christ is to surrender our minds to Jesus. Carnal thoughts are not banished by merely wishing them away. They are driven out as the mind is filled with something else. The mind focused on God’s Word is the mind “safeguarded” and “kept” by God’s grace from the wiles of the evil one.

Scripture teaches that human beings are an integrated unit of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Whatever affects one part of the human frame affects all parts. The disciples taught that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health were interconnected and could not be separated.  All sympathize with each other.  This is why Ellen White warns us,

To every soul Satan comes with temptation in many alluring forms on the point of indulgence of appetite.  The body is a most important medium through which the mind and the soul are developed for the upbuilding of character. Hence it is that the adversary of souls directs his temptations to the enfeebling and degrading of the physical powers. His success here often means the surrender of the whole being to evil (A Call to Stand Apart, 56).

This is why The Holy Spirit does not limit Himself to one aspect of our lives when He convicts us of our need for growth. Reformation is not one-dimensional. The Spirit longs to bring our lives into total conformity to the will of Christ in every area. If there are physical lifestyle practices not in harmony with His will, God invites us to surrender them for His glory. Satan wants to control our minds through our bodies; Jesus longs to control our bodies through our minds. Our bodies are a temple, not a funhouse. By following – hearing and hearkening – the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can live more joy-filled, productive, abundant, healthy lives.    

Reformation: A Willingness to Growth and Change

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The Willingness to Grow and Change

 “He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:6, 7, NKJV).

 Our lesson this week is about the continual transformation that must take place in our lives. Each day of the week’s lesson illustrates renovating grace in the lives of the first disciples of Christ. These are examples of what God’s grace will do in those who are faulty, but “willing to be made willing.” Not only is God’s grace a justifying grace (Rom 3:24), it is also His power working within us to change us and to grow us more and more into the likeness of Christ. Grace is always greater and stronger than our sinful nature and our sin (Rom 5:20). If it were not so, it would be impossible for us to change or to grow into Christlikeness.

Growth and change does not involve our promises and pledges, for these are ropes of sand. Continual faith and the willingness to cooperate with God that is key to constant transformation. Our cooperation does not depend on our spiritual “back bone” or, in other words, our will power. However, cooperation does involve the power of the will. The strength of the will is in choosing. The power comes from surrendering the will to God’s will. This is where the battle of every believer (and of every unbeliever) is won or lost. Grace, faith and surrender of the will to God are the deciding factors in reformation, in change and growth. “

Ellen White says: “Let no man present the idea that man has little or nothing to do in the great work of overcoming; for God does nothing for man without his cooperation. Neither say that after you have done all you can on your part, Jesus will help you. Christ has said, ‘Without Me ye can do nothing’ (John 15:5). From first to last man is to be a laborer together with God. Unless the Holy Spirit works upon the human heart, at every step we shall stumble and fall. Man’s efforts alone are nothing but worthlessness; but cooperation with Christ means a victory. . . . Never leave the impression on the mind that there is little or nothing to do on the part of man; but rather teach man to cooperate with God, that he may be successful in overcoming.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 381.

Our part is consenting to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. “All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of ages 668.

Reformation then is transforming our hearts into the likeness of Christ. For that, man must consent to let the Holy Spirit do the work. This is the great battle. It goes against our Sinful nature. But, it is the only way to have victory: surrender to the Holy Spirit. “As finite, sinful man works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, it is God who works in him, to will and to do of His own good pleasure. But God will not work without the co-operation of man. He must exercise his powers to the very utmost; he must place himself as an apt, willing student in the school of Christ; and as he accepts the grace that is freely offered to him, the presence of Christ in the thought and in the heart will give him decision of purpose to lay aside every weight of sin, that the heart may be filled with all the fullness of God, and of his love.”—Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 134.

We cannot do this work ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit can do it. We just let Him. “God wishes us to have the mastery over ourselves. But He cannot help us without our consent and co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the powers and faculties given to man. Of ourselves, we are not able to bring the purposes and desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are "willing to be made willing," the Saviour will accomplish this for us, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the know ledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5.” White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 482, 483; see also The Mount of Blessings, pp. 142, 143.

We cannot will ourselves into this work. Our will is not strong enough. What we “need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.” White, Steps to Christ p. 47.

Reformation occurs as we cooperate with God by choosing to surrender to Him anything that the Holy Spirit points out as not being in harmony with His will. Unless we make those choices (sometimes very painful ones), then positive, spiritual change will not occur.” Revival is what made the prodigal come home. It is a heart hunger to know the Father’s love in a deeper way. Reformation is the choice to respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading for change and growth. It is the choice to give up whatever stands in the way of this closer relationship with God.

 The greatest motivation to make changes in our lives is the desire to no longer break the heart of the One who loves us so much. When the boy was wallowing around in the mud with the pigs, the father suffered more than his son. Revival occurs when God’s love breaks our hearts. Reformation occurs when we choose to respond to a love that will not let us go. It occurs when we no longer want to do anything to break God’s heart. It takes place when we make the difficult choices to give up those attitudes, habits, thoughts, and feelings that separate us from Him.

Discernment: The Safeguard of Revival

Due to extenuating circumstances there will be no audio review this week.  However, the script is blow.

Discernment: The Safeguard of Revival

“Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:159, 160, NKJV).

How can we discern between true revival and a counterfeit revival?  The answer to that is to study the true revival.  Learn it so well that anything out of place is glaringly evident.    Now, revivals are spiritual, and spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2: 14).  False revivals will look real, except to those who are truly spiritual.  Our enemy is a clever foe.  His schemes are so subtle and sophisticated, that even the very elect would be deceived if it were possible (Matthew 24: 24).  So, it is only the Holy Spirit that keeps us from being deceived.   He is the true safeguard of revival.

One of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to converted people is discernment, which in simple language means the ability to recognize the truth in difficult situations. A detective can recognize an incriminating clue in a murder case. That’s discernment, something most of us don’t have.

The apostle John gives us a clue to recognize the difference between a false prophet and a true one, between a false christ and the true Christ: He says, “test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). In other words, don’t let yourself get fooled! You don’t want to end up taking the mark of the beast!  John’s clue? “Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist” (vs. 3).

Two Christs are clearly distinguished in Revelation 13:8—the power behind the Beast, and the Lamb. The latter is the term Inspiration uses to designate Christ as the Crucified One, “the Lamb slain.” Thus the true Christ is the Christ of the cross; the christ of Babylon the one who spurned the cross. It follows that the true Christ is the One who will draw men if He is lifted up as the Crucified One (John 34, 33; Gal. 3:1). The false christ is the “radiant,” winsome, lovable, kindly one who draws all men literally (except those written in the Lamb’s Book of Life) when he is lifted up, but not signifying what death he should die. In other words, the power of this “christ” to appeal is in his winsome lovable ways to make people happy, relaxed, integrated, and to give them an “abundant life,” apart from the appeal of the cross. The false christ will have absolutely everything the true Christ has, power to heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse lepers, set people free from anxieties, worries, etc., feed thousands, smile (constantly), a radiant personality, everything absolutely except the nail prints of the cross.

In the Epistle to the Philippians, Paul describes how low Christ went in order to save us. 

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

                        

Paul states this not only to uplift Christ, but to encourage us to be like Christ,

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Phillipians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

                       

Paul says in verse 3 how this would look like, “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”  John agrees with Paul.  He states in 1 John 3: 16,

1John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Christ said He came not to be served, but to serve others.  A revival in which men glorify themselves is not a true revival.  This echoes Ellen White’s thought on this subject.  She says,

“In many of the revivals which have occurred during the last half century, the same influences have been at work, to a greater or less degree, that will be manifest in the more extensive movements of the future. There is an emotional excitement, a mingling of the true with the false, that is well adapted to mislead. Yet none need be deceived. In the light of God’s word it is not difficult to determine the nature of these movements. Wherever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 464.

The key is “self-denial and renunciation of the world.”  When asked, “What is justification by faith,” Ellen White answered, "What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself" (TM 456.3).  In true revival man will uplift Christ, abhor himself and repent in dust in ashes (Job 42: 6). 

Where do miracles fit?  Can we just ignore them?  Someone said that miracles are for the non- believer and prophecy is for the believer.  Then why did Jesus use miracles?  Our Lesson states,

“The healing miracles of Jesus testified to the fact that He was the Messiah. As our compassionate Redeemer, the Savior was concerned with alleviating human suffering. But He was even more concerned with the salvation of everyone whom He touched with His healing grace. The purpose of Jesus’ redemptive ministry was to “seek and save” lost humankind (Luke 19:10). Speaking to the religious leaders regarding the paralytic, Jesus declared, “ ‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’ ”—then He said to the paralytic, “ ‘Arise, take up your bed and go to your house’ ” (Matt. 9:6, NKJV). The crowd’s response to this miracle was to glorify God (Matt. 9:8).

Miracles were an outgrowth of Jesus’ redemptive ministry, but they were not the main reason He came to earth.”

This statement while accurate still ignores certain historical context of the Jewish life.  Indulge me while I set this up.  You will recall when Jesus was speaking to the young rich ruler (Luke 18: 18 – 30).  After the young man left, Christ indicated that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom.  The disciples responded, “Who then can be saved?”  The disciples thought that riches – and what came along with them - were an indication of God’s favor.  Consider another anecdote: When Jesus heals a blind man who is sitting by the wayside, the disciples asked, “Who sinned: this man or his parents?”  In other words, to the disciples this man’s misfortune was punishment for Sin (John 9: 1 – 41). 

If, the disciples were a microcosm of the people, then we can tell that the Jews had an erroneous picture – schema – of God.  If a widow lost her son, she thought God was punishing her (Luke 7: 11 – 16).  She felt God had cursed her.  Remember, in her society, the loss of the son meant she had no one to look after her.  She would be alone and destitute.  Why would God do this to her?   Christ resurrected her Son.  Not only to show that He was the Messiah, not only to relieve the woman of her suffering; but, to reveal the true character of God.  God loved her and cared for her.  She left the scene thinking and feeling differently about God.  She was grateful to Him.  Yes, she gave God glory.