Syllabus & Notebook - It Took A Miracle Falls 2011 Syllabu… · · 2013-03-11SYLLABUS NOTES Jeff...

Syllabus & Notebook

Summer 2011 Campmeeting

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P.O. Box 869 Tehachapi, CA 93581Office: (661) 821-2153

Email: [email protected]: www.pathofthejust.org

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Camp Meeting Schedule

Youth’s Schedule

Children’s Schedule

Speaker’s Schedule

SYLLABUS NOTES

Jeff Pippenger

1. The Message And Work, Part 1





Manuel Carrasco

1. Laodicea Identified

2. How Did We Get This Way?

3. Determined Upon Thy People

4. The Time Of Thy Visitation

5. Looking Unto Jesus

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CONTENTS

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NOTEBOOK PAGES FOR PERSONAL NOTES

Kevin Howard

1. Meeting #1

2. Meeting #2

3. Meeting #3

4. Meeting #4

5. Meeting #5

Darrio Taylor

1. Meeting #1

2. Meeting #2

3. Meeting #3

4. Meeting #4

5. Meeting #5

Jamal Sankey

1. Meeting #1

2. Meeting #2

3. Meeting #3

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CONTENTS

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4. Meeting #4

5. Meeting #5

Emiliano Richards

1. Meeting #1

2. Meeting #2

3. Meeting #3

4. Meeting #4

5. Meeting #5

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CONTENTS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 20115:30—6:30 PM Supper

7:30—8:00 PM Orientation

8:00—8:30 PM Season Of Prayer

MONDAY — FRIDAY, JUNE 13-17, 2011MONDAY — FRIDAY, JUNE 13-17, 2011MONDAY — FRIDAY, JUNE 13-17, 20116:30—7:00 AM Season Of Prayer

7:00—8:00 AM Breakfast

9:00—10:00 AM Meeting #1

10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

11:20—12:20 PM Meeting #3

12:30—1:30 PM Lunch

1:30—3:00 PM Break/Family Time

3:00—4:00 PM Meeting #4

4:10—5:10 PM Meeting #5

5:30—6:30 PM Dinner


SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 20116:30—7:00 AM Season Of Prayer


9:00—10:00 AM Meeting #1

10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

CAMP MEETING SCHEDULE

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11:20—12:20 PM Communion

12:30—1:30 PM Lunch

1:30—4:00 PM Baptism, Break

4:10—5:10 PM Meeting #3


7:00—8:00 PM Special Presentation, Song Service, & Testimonies

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 20116:30—7:00 AM Season Of Prayer


9:00—10:00 AM Meeting #1

10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

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9:00—10:00 AM Youth Meeting

10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

11:20—12:20 PM Meeting #3

12:30—1:30 PM Lunch


3:00—4:00 PM Activity

4:10—5:10 PM Meeting #5






10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

YOUTH’S SCHEDULE (9-15 YRS.)Grayed Out Areas Indicate Participation In Regular Camp Schedule

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12:30—1:30 PM Lunch


4:10—5:10 PM Meeting #3






10:45—11:45 AM Meeting #2

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9:00—10:00 AM Children’s Meeting

10:10—11:10 AM Crafts

11:20—12:20 PM Meeting #3

12:30—1:30 PM Lunch


3:00—4:00 PM Activity

4:10—5:10 PM Meeting #5





9:00—10:00 AM Children’s Meeting

10:10—11:10 AM Meeting #2

CHILDREN’S SCHEDULE (2-8 YRS.)Grayed Out Areas Indicate Participation In Regular Camp Schedule

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12:30—1:30 PM Lunch


4:10—5:10 PM Crafts





9:30—10:30 AM Children’s Meeting or Activity

10:45—11:45 AM Meeting #2

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9:00-10:00 AMMEETING

10:10-11:10MEETING

11:20-12:20 PMMEETING

3:00-4:00 MEETING

4:10-5:10MEETING

SUNDAY-----

MONDAY----- K. Howard J. Pippenger M. Carrasco D. Taylor J. Pippenger

TUESDAY----- J. Sankey K. Howard M. Carrasco D. Taylor K. Howard

WEDNESDAY----- J. Sankey J. Pippenger E. Richards D. Taylor K. Howard

THURSDAY----- J. Sankey J. Pippenger M. Carrasco E. Richards D. Taylor

FRIDAY----- J. Sankey E. Richards E. Richards M. Carrasco K. Howard

SATURDAY----- E. Richards D. Taylor J. Pippenger

SUNDAY----- J. Sankey M. Carrasco

SPEAKER’S SCHEDULE

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1

THE WORK AND MESSAGE, PART 1

BOARD WORK: NUMBER ONE

The Introduction

! “As the wheellike complications were under the guidance of the hand beneath the wings of the cherubim, so the complicated play of human events is under divine control. Amidst the strife and tumult of nations He that sitteth above the cherubim still guides the affairs of this earth.! “The history of nations speaks to us today. To every nation and to every individual God has assigned a place in His great plan. Today men and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their destiny, and God is overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes.! “The prophecies which the great I AM has given in His word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order.” Prophets and Kings, 535–537.

The Commencement Of The Chain Of Truth

! “God sent His angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had not believed the Bible, to lead him to search the prophecies. Angels of God repeatedly visited that chosen one, to guide his mind and open to his understanding prophecies which had ever been dark to God’s people. The commencement of the chain of truth was given to him, and he was led on to search for link after link, until he looked with wonder and admiration upon the Word of God. He saw there a perfect chain of truth. That Word which he had regarded as uninspired now opened before his vision in its beauty and glory. He saw that one portion of Scripture explains another, and when one passage was closed to his understanding, he found in another part of the Word that which explained it. He regarded the sacred Word of God with joy and with the deepest respect and awe. . . .! “God directed the mind of William Miller to the prophecies and gave him great light upon the book of Revelation.” Early Writings, 229–232.

The Commencement Of The Chain Of Truth: 677BC, 457BC & 508

! “From a farther study of the Scriptures, I concluded that the seven times of Gentile supremacy must commence when the Jews ceased to be an independent nation at the captivity of Manasseh, which the best chronologers assigned to B. C. 677; that the 2300 days commenced with the seventy weeks, which the best chronologers dated from B. C. 457; and that the 1335

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days commencing with the taking away of the daily, and the setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate, [Daniel 12:11] were to be dated from the setting up of the Papal supremacy, after the taking away of Pagan abominations, and which, according to the best historians I could consult, should be dated from about A. D. 508. Reckoning all these prophetic periods from the several dates assigned by the best chronologers for the events from which they should evidently be reckoned, they all would terminate together, about A. D. 1843. I was thus brought, in 1818, at the close of my two years study of the Scriptures, to the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five years from that time all the affairs of our present state would be wound up.” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, April 18, 1854.

The First Link

! “The message in regard to the fall of Babylon must be given. God’s people are to understand in regard to the angel who is to lighten the whole world with his glory, while he cries mightily, with a loud voice, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.’ The solemn events which are now taking place belong to a series of events in the chain of history, the first link of which is connected with Eden. Let the people of God prepare for what is coming upon the earth.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7, 985.

The Last Link

! “From the destruction of Jerusalem, Christ passed on rapidly to the greater event, the last link in the chain of this earth’s history,—the coming of the Son of God in majesty and glory.” The Desire of Ages, 630.

THREE ONE

Adam, Eve & Christ Family; Father Of Mankind

Abel Family Member

Shem, Japheth & Ham Family; Father Of Mankind

Noah Family Member

Miriam, Moses & Aaron Family; Leaders Of God’s People

Joshua New Leader

Eli, Hophni & Phineas Family; Leaders Of God’s People

SamuelNew Leader

Saul, David & Solomon Family; Kings Of God’s People (leaders)

Rehoboam King

Jehoikim, Jehoichin & Zedekiah Family; Kings Of God’s People

Nebuchadnezzar Pagan King

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Cyrus, Darius & Artaxerxes Pagan Kings; Three Decrees

Artaxerxes Pagan King, A Decree

John, The Sanhedrin & Christ Three Prophecies

Pentecost A Prophecy

Three Angels’ Messages Three Messages

Fourth Angel A Message

Revelation 18:1–3 Messages Repeated

Revelation 18:4 Message Repeated

Disappointments

Adam, Eve & Christ EVE Abel

Shem, Japheth & Ham HAM Noah

Miriam, Moses & Aaron AARON”S SONS Joshua

Eli, Hophni & Phineas ICHABOD Samuel

Saul, David & Solomon JEROBOAM Rehoboam

Jehoikim, Jehoichin & Zedekiah BABYLON Nebuchadnezzar

Cyrus, Darius & Artaxerxes EZRA Nehemiah

John, The Sanhedrin & Christ CROSS Pentecost

Three Angels’ Messages 1844 Fourth Angel

Revelation 18:1–3 SUNDAY LAW Revelation 18:4

Dispensations

Adam, Eve & ChristFACE TO FACE

AbelGATES OF THE GARDEN

Shem, Japheth & HamGATES OF THE GARDEN

Noah ALTARS

Miriam, Moses & AaronALTARS

JoshuaTENT

Eli, Hophni & PhineasSHILOH! (TENT)

Samuel JERUSALEM (TEMPLE)

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Saul, David & SolomonTEMPLE

RehoboamJUDAH

Jehoikim, Jehoichin & Zedekiah JERUSALEM (TEMPLE DESTROYED)

Nebuchadnezzar BABYLON

Cyrus, Darius & Artaxerxes OUT OF BABYLON (TEMPLE RE-BUILT)

NehemiahJERUSALEM FINISHED

John, The Sanhedrin & Christ EARTHLY TO HEAVENLY TEMPLE

Pentecost HOLY PLACE

Three Angels’ Messages HOLY PLACE TO MOST HOLY PLACE

Fourth Angel JUDGMENT BEGINS

Revelation 18:1–3 JUDGMENT OF THE LIVING!

Revelation 18:4 JUDGMENT ENDS

The Fourth Waymark

Abel: Gates Of The Garden, The Everlasting Gospel

Noah: Altars, The Shut Door

Joshua: Tent Sanctuary, Pentecost & The Covenant

Samuel: Temple, Self-supporting Work

Rehoboam: Temple, Judah & Adventism

Nebuchadnezzar: Babylon, The King Of The North

Nehemiah: Jerusalem, Temple & Troublous Times (Islam)

Pentecost: Heavenly Sanctuary, The Holy Place & The Early Rain

Three Angels: Most Holy Place, The Sabbath & Adventism

MESSAGE: NUMBER ONE

The Everlasting Gospel

! Galatians 1:6–8; Luke 18:8; 4:17; 2 Corinthians 11:14–15

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Genesis 3:15

! “The message proclaimed by the angel flying in the midst of heaven is the everlasting gospel, the same gospel that was declared in Eden when God said to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.’” Selected Messages, book 2, 106.

A Prophecy

! “The spirit which put Christ to death moves the wicked to destroy His followers. All this is foreshadowed in that first prophecy: ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.’ And this will continue to the close of time.” The Great Controversy, 507.

The Gospel

! “The first gospel sermon was preached in Eden, when God said to the serpent, Genesis 3:15 quoted.! “In Eden, Adam and Eve transgressed the law of God. God had forbidden them to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But instead of obeying the voice of God, they listened to the words of the tempter. ‘Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ Satan asked. ‘And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Youth Instructor, February 22, 1900.

A Prophecy

! “To John were opened scenes of deep and thrilling interest in the experience of the church. He saw the position, dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance of the people of God. He records the closing messages which are to ripen the harvest of the earth, either as sheaves for the heavenly garner or as fagots for the fires of destruction. Subjects of vast importance were revealed to him, especially for the last church, that those who should turn from error to truth might be instructed concerning the perils and conflicts before them. None need be in darkness in regard to what is coming upon the earth.” The Great Controversy, 341.

The Gospel

! “Our lesson for the present time is, How may we most clearly comprehend and present the gospel that Christ came in person to present to John on the Isle of Patmos,— the gospel that is termed ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ’? We are to present to our people a clear explanation of Revelation. We are to give them the word of God just as it is, with as few of our own explanations as possible.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 29.

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! Matthew 24:14–16

Everlasting

! “Cain and Abel represent two classes that will exist in the world till the close of time.” Patriarchs & Prophets, 72.

A Test

! “Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam, differed widely in character. Abel had a spirit of loyalty to God; he saw justice and mercy in the Creator’s dealings with the fallen race, and gratefully accepted the hope of redemption. But Cain cherished feelings of rebellion, and murmured against God because of the curse pronounced upon the earth and upon the human race for Adam’s sin. He permitted his mind to run in the same channel that led to Satan’s fall—indulging the desire for self-exaltation and questioning the divine justice and authority.! “These brothers were tested, as Adam had been tested before them, to prove whether they would believe and obey the word of God. They were acquainted with the provision made for the salvation of man, and understood the system of offerings which God had ordained. They knew that in these offerings they were to express faith in the Saviour whom the offerings typified, and at the same time to acknowledge their total dependence on Him for pardon; and they knew that by thus conforming to the divine plan for their redemption, they were giving proof of their obedience to the will of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 71.

Developed

! “Cain and Abel are given us in Bible history to represent the two orders in humanity. Abel was faithful and loyal to God, and he was preferred by the Lord. Cain was disloyal; he wished his own ideas to prevail. Abel protested against these principles as disloyal. But as the eldest, Cain thought that his methods and plans should have the supremacy. It made him very angry that Abel would not concede to his views, and his anger burned so hotly that he killed his brother. Here the two principles of right and wrong are developed.” Review and Herald, September 14, 1897.

Manifested

! “The murder of Abel was the first example of the enmity that God had declared would exist between the serpent and the seed of the woman—between Satan and his subjects and Christ and His followers. . . . And wherever there are any who will stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God, the same spirit will be manifested against them. It is the spirit that through all the ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the disciples of Christ.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 77.

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Enmity

! “The enmity referred to in the prophecy in Eden was not to be confined merely to Satan and the Prince of life. It was to be universal. Satan and his angels were to feel the enmity of all mankind. ‘I will put enmity,’ said God, ‘between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel’ (Genesis 3:15).! “The enmity put between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman was supernatural.” Selected Messages, book 1, 254.

! Philippians 2:5; Romans 8:6–7

Sanctify Them Through Thy Word

! “‘They are they that testify of Me,’—of the Redeemer, Him in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. The prayer of Christ for His disciples was, ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.’ If we are to be sanctified through the truth, we must have an intelligent knowledge of God’s will as revealed in His word. We must search the Scriptures, not merely rush through a chapter, taking no pains to understand it; but we must dig for the jewel of truth, which will enrich the mind and the soul.” Bible Echo, October 22, 1894.

His Prophetic Word Is Truth

! “The history of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as that of the Son of God, cannot be fully demonstrated without the evidence contained in the Old Testament. Christ is revealed in the Old Testament as clearly as in the New. The one testifies of a Saviour to come, while the other testifies of a Saviour that has come in the manner predicted by the prophets. In order to appreciate the plan of redemption, the Scripture of the Old Testament must be thoroughly understood. It is the glorified light from the prophetic past that brings out the life of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament with clearness and beauty. The miracles of Jesus are a proof of his divinity; but the strongest proofs that he is the world’s Redeemer are found in the prophecies of the Old Testament compared with the history of the New. Jesus said to the Jews ‘Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.’ At that time there was no other scripture in existence save that of the Old Testament; so the injunction of the Saviour is plain.” Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3, 211.

The Pharisee And The Publican

! “The Pharisee and the publican represent two great classes into which those who come to worship God are divided. Their first two representatives are found in the first two children that were born into the world.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 152.

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Peter The Pharisee

! “For each of the classes represented by the Pharisee and the publican there is a lesson in the history of the apostle Peter. In his early discipleship Peter thought himself strong. Like the Pharisee, in his own estimation he was ‘not as other men are.’ When Christ on the eve of His betrayal forewarned His disciples, ‘All ye shall be offended because of Me this night,’ Peter confidently declared, ‘Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.’ Mark 14:27, 29. Peter did not know his own danger. Self-confidence misled him. He thought himself able to withstand temptation; but in a few short hours the test came, and with cursing and swearing he denied his Lord.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 152.

Thrice Tested

! Mark 14:29–30

Peter The Publican

! “At the last meeting of Christ with His disciples by the sea, Peter, tested by the thrice-repeated question, ‘Lovest thou Me?’ (John 21:15–17), had been restored to his place among the Twelve. His work had been appointed him; he was to feed the Lord's flock. Now, converted and accepted, he was not only to seek to save those without the fold, but was to be a shepherd of the sheep.” Acts of the Apostles, 515.

Progressive

! “The evil that led to Peter’s fall and that shut out the Pharisee from communion with God is proving the ruin of thousands today. There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable.! “Peter’s fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Self-confidence led him to the belief that he was saved, and step after step was taken in the downward path, until he could deny his Master. Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Every one should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God’s word declares, ‘Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.’ Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.)” Christ’s Object Lessons, 154, 155.

Three Tests

The Millerites— Purified, Made White, And Tried

! Daniel 12:3, 4, 9, 10; Hosea 4:6

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! “Many who went forth to meet the Bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels, refused the third, the last testing message to be given to the world, and a similar position will be taken when the last call is made.! “Every specification of this parable should be carefully studied. We are represented either by the wise or by the foolish virgins.” Review and Herald, October 31, 1899.

First Message: PurifiedSecond Message: Made WhiteThird Message: Tried

John 16:8

Sin; First Angel’s Message; PurifiedRighteousness; Second Angel’s Message; Made WhiteJudgment; Third Angel’s Message; Tried

Psalm 77:13

Courtyard; Sin; First Angel’s Message; PurifiedHoly Place; Righteousness; Second Angel’s Message; Made WhiteMost Holy Place; Judgment; Third Angel’s Message; Tried

Justification; Courtyard; Sin; First Message; PurifiedSanctification; Holy Place; Righteousness; Second Message; Made WhiteGlorification; Most Holy Place; Judgment; Third Message; Tried

The Closed Door

! “The first, second, and third angels’ messages are to be repeated. . . .! “Many who went forth to meet the Bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels, refused the third, the last testing message to be given to the world, and a similar position will be taken when the last call is made.” Review and Herald¸October 31, 1899.

! “Many who went forth to meet the Bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels, refused the third angel’s message, the last testing message to be given to the world.! “A similar work will be accomplished when that other angel, represented in Revelation 18, gives his message. The first, second, and third angels’ messages will need to be repeated. . . .! “The parable of the ten virgins was given by Christ Himself, and every specification should be carefully studied. A time will come when the door will be shut.” Manuscript Releases, volume 16, 270.

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The Wheat And The Tares Manifested

! “Both the parable of the tares and that of the net plainly teach that there is no time when all the wicked will turn to God. The wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest. The good and the bad fish are together drawn ashore for a final separation.! “Again, these parables teach that there is to be no probation after the judgment. When the work of the gospel is completed, there immediately follows the separation between the good and the evil, and the destiny of each class is forever fixed.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 123.

Wheat & Tares

! “Let both tares and wheat grow together until the harvest. Then it is the angels that do the work of separation.” Selected Messages, book 2, 69.

Our Threefold Test

! Revelation 14:6–12

! “I then saw the third angel. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Fearful is his word, awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal or bind the wheat for the heavenly garner.’ These things should engage the whole mind, the whole attention. Again I was shown the necessity of those who believe we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily receiving or imbibing new error. I saw that neither young nor old should attend the assemblies of those who are in error and darkness. Said the angel, ‘Let the mind cease to dwell on things of no profit.’” Manuscript Releases, volume 5, 425.

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BOARD WORK: NUMBER TWO

Elijah

MESSAGE: NUMBER TWO

THE PEOPLE WILL CONTEND

Three Elijahs

! 1 Kings 17:1; Matthew 3:12–14; Malachi 4:5, 6.

John the Baptist—“In this time of well-nigh universal apostasy, God calls upon His messengers to proclaim His law in the spirit and power of Elias. As John the Baptist, in preparing a people for Christ’s first advent, called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: ‘Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.’ With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ’s second advent.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1184.

The Millerites—“Thousands were led to embrace the truth preached by William Miller, and servants of God were raised up in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the message. Like John, the forerunner of Jesus, those who preached this solemn message felt compelled to lay the ax at the root of the tree, and call upon men to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” Early Writings, 233.

The 144,000—“The prophet Malachi declares, ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.’ Here the prophet describes the character of the work. Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ, are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent.” Counsels on Diet & Foods, 71.

Into The Wilderness For 3 And " Years

! Revelation 12:6

! “God’s church on earth was as verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile.” Prophets and Kings, 714.

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Choosing Jerusalem

! Revelation 11:1–2; Zechariah 2:1–9

1 Kings 11:36—Jeroboam

A Prophecy—1 Kings 11:29–31

A Promise—1 Kings 11:35–38

Jeroboam’s Rebellion—1 Kings 12:26–33; Exodus 32:4

Jeroboam’s Wilderness—1 Kings 11:4

A Deadly Wound—1 Kings 11:43

A Three Day Test—1 Kings 12:1–5; John 2:19– 20

1798 To 1844 = 46 Years

Jeroboam: The People Will Contend

Jeroboam: H3379 From H7378 and H5971; (the) people will contend.

Bethel And Dan—1 Kings 12:28–31: Church And State

Dan: H1835 From H1777; judge. H1777 A primitive root (compare H113); to rule; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law). H113 From an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign.

Bethel: H1008 house of God; Beth-El.

By the Word of the Lord—verse one

A Prophecy and a Sign—verses two and three

Manifestation of God’s Power—verses four through six

A Distinction Marked—verses seven through nine

Judah’s Food

! Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; John 6:49–51; John 6:63; Deuteronomy 32:2.

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Way: H1870 From H1869 a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action, often adverbially: - along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, [east-] ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, [high-] [path-] way [-side], whither [-soever].

Another Way—Verse Ten

! “While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, ‘Look again, and look a little higher.’ At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path and gave light for their feet so that they might not stumble. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted, ‘Alleluia!’ Others rashly denied the light behind them and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path down into the dark and wicked world below.” Early Writings, 15.

The False Prophet—Verses Eleven And Twelve

Old H259: A numeral from H258; properly united, that is, one; or (as an ordinal) first: H258 Perhaps a primitive root; to unify, that is, (figuratively) collect (one’s thoughts): - go one way or other.

Under The Oak—Verses Thirteen And Fourteen

! “‘I am the true Vine,’ He says. Instead of choosing the graceful palm, the lofty cedar, or the strong oak, Jesus takes the vine with its clinging tendrils to represent Himself. The palm tree, the cedar, and the oak stand alone. They require no support. But the vine entwines about the trellis, and thus climbs heavenward. So Christ in His humanity was dependent upon divine power. ‘I can of Mine own self do nothing,’ He declared. John 5:30.” The Desire of Ages, 674.! “This lesson contains instruction that is profitable for all. Here is revealed a symbol radiant with the glory of Christ, the Great Teacher. The symbol chosen for the representation of the Deity was not a cedar of Lebanon, but a lowly bush, that seemingly had no attractions. . . .! “Men may think that they possess superior qualities, represented by the noble oak, or the stately cedar. Mark the humble birth of Christ, his condescending grace, his infinite humility, the depths to which he descended.” Youth Instructor, December 20, 1900.

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Tempted And Seduced—verses Fifteen Through Eighteen

! Galatians 1:8; Proverbs 14:5

Be Ye Separate—2 Corinthians 6:17, 18The Virgin of Israel—Jeremiah 18:13–17

Eat the Bread of the False Prophet—verses nineteen through twenty-threeSpewed out of the mouth of the Lord—Verses twenty-four through twenty-nineAlas—verse thirtyAlas: H1945 ah, alas, ho, O, woe.

The Death of the Wicked—verses thirty-one and thirty-two

The Lion And The Ass

The Lion: King of the North—Daniel 7:3–4

The Ass: Islam—Genesis 16:11–12

Note: #H6501 pere’ {peh’-reh} or pereh (Jeremiah 2:24) {peh’-reh} from 6500; 1) wild ass. Strong’s.

The Parable Of The Ten Virgins

! “The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25, also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people.” The Great Controversy, 393.

! “I am often referred to the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. This parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth till the close of time.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.

Revelation Eighteen

! “Many who heard the first and second angels’ messages thought they would live to see Christ coming in the clouds of heaven. Had all who claimed to believe the truth acted their part as wise virgins, the message would ere this have been proclaimed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. But five were wise and five were foolish. The truth should have been proclaimed by the ten virgins, but only five had made the provision essential to join that company who walked in the light that had come to them. The third angel’s message was needed. This proclamation was to be made. Many who went forth to meet the Bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels, refused the third angel’s message, the last testing message to be given to the world.! “A similar work will be accomplished when that other angel, represented in Revelation 18, gives his message. The first, second, and third angels’ messages will need to be repeated. The call

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will be given to the church, [Revelation 18:2–5 quoted].” Manuscript Releases, volume 16, 269–270.

The First And Second Messages

! “God has given the messages of Revelation 14 their place in the line of prophecy, and their work is not to cease till the close of this earth’s history. The first and second angel’s messages are still truth for this time, and are to run parallel with this which follows. The third angel proclaims his warning with a loud voice. ‘After these things,’ said John, ‘I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.’ In this illumination, the light of all the three messages is combined.” The 1888 Materials, 804.

Tidings Out The East And North

But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. Daniel 11:44.

! Amos 8:11–14! Ezekiel 37

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BOARD WORK: NUMBER THREE

Leviticus 25: Leviticus 26:33–35; 40–44

! “We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 37.

2520

Blood: The covenant confirmed for 2520 days.The Word: The King James Version translated in 2520 days. Psalms 12:6.

The Beginning: Isaiah 7The Duration: Leviticus 26The Ending: Daniel 8:19; 11:36

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Psalms 77:13.Numbers 7:84–86. Charger 130 x 12 =1560 Bowl 70 x 12 = 840 Chargers & Bowls = 2400 Spoons 12 x 10 = 120 Chargers, bowls and spoons = 2520 shekelsNumbers 7:87–88. 12 bullocks + 12 rams + 12 lambs + 12 goats + 24 bullocks + 60 rams + 60 goats + 60 lambs = 252 offerings x the ten times an animal is named = 2520.

Jacob served 2520 days for Leah and 2520 days for RachaelJacob’s blessing—scattered in Israel and gathered in Judah: Genesis 49

Nebuchadnezzar seven times: 2520 days, Belshazzar’s judgment: mene, mene, tekel upharsin = 2520 gerahs

Mahershalalhashbaz represents the 2520 against the northern kingdom (speed to the spoil); Shearjashub represents the 2520 against the southern kingdom (a remnant shall return)

From 1863 through 1989 represents Miller’s seven scatterings and = 126 years = 126 shekels = 2520 gerahs.

3 is the number of Divine perfection. 7 is the number of Spiritual perfection. 10 is the number of Ordinal perfection. 12 is the number of Governmental perfection, and the four perfect numbers, 3, 7, 10 and 12, have for their product the remarkable number 2,520.3 X 7 = 21; 21 X 10= 210; 210 X 12 = 2520

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2520 is the Least Common Multiple of the ten digits governing all numeration; and can, therefore, be divided by each of nine digits, without a remainder. 2520 ÷ 1 = 2520 2520 ÷ 2 = 1260 2520 ÷ 3 = 840 2520 ÷ 4 = 630 2520 ÷ 5 = 504 2520 ÷ 6 = 420 2520 ÷ 7 = 360 2520 ÷ 8 = 315 2520 ÷ 9 = 280

Forty-six

Moses On The Mount 46 Days46 Jubilee Cycles In 2300 Years46 Years To Build The Temple John 2:19–2046 Days Between The Resurrection And Pentecost46 Years From 1798 To 1844 To Build Millerite Temple46 Chromosomes In The Human Temple

MESSAGE: NUMBER THREE

Josiah: The Foundation Of God

2 Chronicles 35:19—Prepared the Temple

Prepared: H3559: A primitive root; properly to be erect (that is, stand perpendicular);. hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous): - certain (-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-) stablish, stand, tarry, X very deed.

Excerpts From General Conference Daily Bulletin, April 1, 1903

! “Night before last, the experiences and the work of Josiah, the king of Israel, as recorded in the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth chapters of 2 Chronicles, and the twenty-second and twenty-third chapters of 2 Kings, were presented to me as a lesson that I should bring to the attention of this Conference. . . .! “‘Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. . . . And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, . . . the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying. Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people; and let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.’! “This record contains precious instruction for us. Born of a wicked father, surrounded with temptations to follow in his father’s steps, with few counselors to encourage him in the right way,

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Josiah was true to the God of Israel. He did not repeat his father’s sin in walking in the way of unrighteousness. . . .! “In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, God chose him to superintend the repairing of the temple. It was as this work was being done that the book of the law was found. Through some mismanagement it had been lost, and the people had been deprived of its instruction. . . .! “The reading of the book of the law, so long forgotten, made a deep impression upon the king's mind. He realized that something must be done to bring this law to the attention of the people, and to lead them to conform their lives to its teachings. . . .! “In the book of the law itself he found a treasure of knowledge, a powerful ally in the work of reform. He did not lay this book aside as something too precious to be handled. Realizing that the highest honor that could be placed on God’s law was to become a student of its precepts, he diligently studied the ancient writing, and resolved to walk in the light it shed upon his pathway. . . .! “Now as he read in the book of the law of the punishment that would surely follow such practises, great sorrow filled his heart. Never before had he so fully realized God’s abhorrence for sin. . . .! “The king did not pass the matter by as of little consequence. To the priests and the other men in holy office he gave the command, ‘Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not harkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that is written concerning us.’! “Josiah did not say, ‘I knew nothing about this book. These are ancient precepts, and times have changed.’ He appointed men to investigate the matter, and these men went to Huldah, the prophetess. ‘And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you unto Me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the word which thou hast heard, because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me: I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.’! “In Josiah’s day the Word of the Lord was as binding, and should have been as strictly enforced, as at the time it was spoken. And today it is as binding as it was then. God is always true to His Word. What should we do, we who have had great light? The law has been kept constantly before us. Time and again we have heard it preached. The Lord’s anger is kindled against His people because of their disregard of His Word. Conviction of soul should send us in penitence to the foot of the cross, there to pray with the whole heart, saying, ‘What shall we do to be saved? Wherewithal shall we come before the Lord?’ My brethren, inquire quickly, before it is too late.! “Josiah sent as messengers to the prophetess, the highest and most honored of the people. He sent the first men of his kingdom,—men who occupied high positions of trust in the nation. Thus he conferred honor upon the oracles of God.

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! “God sent Josiah the word that Jerusalem’s ruin could not be averted. Even if the people should humble themselves before God, they could not escape their punishment. So long had their senses been deadened by sinning against God, that if the judgments had not come upon them, they would soon have swung back into the same sinful course. But because the king humbled his heart before God, he received from Huldah the prophetess the word that the Lord would acknowledge his quickness in seeking God for forgiveness and mercy. Still, the king must leave with God the events of the future; for he could not change them. The provocation had been too great for the punishment to be averted. . . .! “If those occupying positions of responsibility were as fully resolved to obey God’s law as they are to make laws for governing those in their service, our institutions would be managed along right lines. Those who occupy positions of trust are to make it their highest aim to know God, as revealed in His Word; for to know Him aright is life eternal.! “Josiah proposed that those highest in authority unite in solemnly covenanting before the Lord to cooperate with one another in bringing about a reformation. ‘The king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all their heart and all their soul, which affirmed the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal and for the grove and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them without Jerusalem, in the fields of Kedron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.’ . . .! “Today God is watching His people. We should seek to find out what He means when He sweeps away our sanitarium and our publishing house. Let us not move along as if there were nothing wrong. King Josiah rent his robe and rent his heart. He wept and mourned because he had not had the book of the law, and knew not of the punishments that it threatened. God wants us to come to our senses. He wants us to seek for the meaning of the calamities that have overtaken us, that we may not tread in the footsteps of Israel, and say, ‘The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord are we,’ when we are not this at all. When we reach the mark of our high calling in Christ, the protecting arm of God will be with us. We shall have a covert from the storm. . . .! “In every institution among us there needs to be a reformation. This is the message that at the last General Conference I bore as the word of the Lord. At that meeting I carried a very heavy burden, and I have carried it ever since. We did not gain the victory that we might have gained at that meeting. Why?—Because there were so few who followed the course of Josiah. There were those at that meeting who did not see the work that needed to be done. If they had confessed their sins, if they had made a break, if they had taken their stand on vantage ground, the power of God would have gone through the meeting, and we should have had a Pentecostal season.! “The Lord has shown me what might have been had the work been done that ought to have been done. In the night season I was present in a meeting where brother was confessing to brother. Those present fell upon one another’s necks, and made heart-broken confessions. The Spirit and power of God were revealed. No one seemed too proud to bow before God in humility and contrition. Those who led in this work were the ones who had not before had the courage to confess their sins.! “This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious. . . .

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! “The judgment is right upon us. We can not afford to spend our time quarreling over little things. . . .! “Those who stand as teachers and leaders in our institutions are to be sound in the faith and in the principles of the third angel’s message. God wants His people to know that we have the message as He gave it to us in 1843 and 1844. We knew then what the message meant, and we call upon our people today to obey the word, ‘Bind up the law among My disciples.’ In this world there are but two classes,—the obedient and the disobedient. To which class do we belong? God wants to make us a peculiar people, a holy nation. He has separated us from the world, and He calls upon us to stand on vantage ground, where He can bestow on us His Holy Spirit. . . .! “From the moment of our conversion till the close of our earthly history, our lives are to be characterized by a spirit of true, intelligent service. Only thus can we be true to our covenant with God. He who is daily converted has crossed the boundary line that separates the children of light from the children of darkness. But he who professes to believe the truth, and acts as a sinner, will be treated by God as a sinner, and, unless he repents, will be punished as a sinner, only with many stripes, because he was given great light.” General Conference Daily Bulletin, April 1, 1903.

Daniel 11:45

Armageddon: From The Mouth Of The Lord—2 Chronicles 35:22

Daniel 11:40

The 18th Year Of Josiah—2 Chronicles 35:19–23The 4th Year Of Jehoiakim, The Son Of Josiah—Jeremiah 46:2

1 Kings 13:2—Josiah’s Prophecy2 Kings 23:15–19—Prophecy Fulfilled

! Isaiah 27:2–11

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BOARD WORK: NUMBER FOUR

Daniel 8:14

Six Prophecies:

Seven Weeks = 49 Years. 457BC Unto 408, The Streets And Walls Built In Troublous Times.Seven Weeks, Threescore And Two Weeks = 483 Years. 457BC Unto The Messiah, 27AD.Seventy Weeks = 490 Years. 457BC Unto 34AD.One Week = 7 Years. 27AD Unto 34AD. The Covenant Confirmed For 2520 Days.31AD. Messiah Cut Off, In The Midst Of The Week.457BC Unto 1844 = 2300 Years. The Sanctuary Cleansed.

1844 The Judgment

! “‘And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away.’ Daniel 7:13, 14. The coming of Christ here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” The Great Controversy, 479.

The Judgment Of The Living

! “The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The advent movement of 1840–44 was a glorious manifestation of the power of God; the first angel’s message was carried to every missionary station in the world, and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel.! “The work will be similar to that of the Day of Pentecost. As the ‘former rain’ was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the

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precious seed, so the ‘latter rain’ will be given at its close for the ripening of the harvest.” The Great Controversy, 611.

Seventy Years

The Desolations Of Jerusalem: Daniel 9:2The Punishment Of Babylon: Jeremiah 25:9–12The Choosing Of Jerusalem: Zechariah 1:12–17

! “Today the church of God is free to carry forward to completion the divine plan for the salvation of a lost race. For many centuries God’s people suffered a restriction of their liberties. The preaching of the gospel in its purity was prohibited, and the severest of penalties were visited upon those who dared disobey the mandates of men. As a consequence, the Lord’s great moral vineyard was almost wholly unoccupied. The people were deprived of the light of God’s word. The darkness of error and superstition threatened to blot out a knowledge of true religion. God’s church on earth was as verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile.” Prophets and Kings, 714.

The Resting Land: 2 Chronicles 36:16–21

490 Years

Acts 13:16–20―490 Years To The First King1 Samuel 8:4–7―490 Years To The Last King

Saul Anointed King 1096/1095 BC, 1 Samuel 10. Jerusalem’s Captivity Began 606/605 BC, 2 Kings 24:1. Clark’s Commentary.

Probationary Time―Matthew 18:21–22; Daniel 9:24

MESSAGE: NUMBER FOUR

Isaiah 23

Tyre—Revelation 17:1–2

Alas, Alas—Revelation 18:9–12; 15–19

Woe, Woe, Woe—Revelation 8:13

The East Wind! Genesis 41:5–6; Psalm 48:1–8; Ezekiel 27:12–26; Isaiah 27:2–9

Seventy Years: The Days Of One King—Isaiah 23:15–17

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Forgotten

! “Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. In those countries where Catholicism is not in the ascendancy, and the papists are taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence, there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy; the opinion is gaining ground that, after all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome. The time was when Protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their children to abhor popery and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed!! “The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned, and the Protestant world are inclined to accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge the church of today by the abominations and absurdities that marked her reign during the centuries of ignorance and darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarism of the times and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments! “Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power?” The Great Controversy, 563.

The Days Of One King

! “What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America.” The Great Controversy, 441.

The Cup Of Iniquity

! “He has borne long with the perversity of the race; he has tried to win them to himself. But the time will come when they shall have filled their measure of iniquity; and then it is that God will work. This time is almost reached. God keeps a record with the nations: the figures are swelling against them in the books of heaven; and when it shall have become a law that the transgression of the first day of the week shall be met with punishment, then their cup will be full.” Review and Herald, March 9, 1886.

! Daniel 11:41

Probationary Time—490 Years! Revelation 2:20–21

The Decrees

! “The whole earth is to be lightened with the glory of the Lord. The pure in heart shall see God. It is those who are following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth that will receive power from

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that angel that came down from heaven ‘having great power.’ The first message is to be repeated proclaiming the second advent of Christ to our world. The second angels’ message is to be repeated.” Manuscript Releases, volume 16, 40.

! Revelation 13:11, 13

! “By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.” Testimonies, volume 5, 451.

The Power Descends

! “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13–15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: ‘Christ has come! Christ has come!’ The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying: This is ‘the great power of God.’ Acts 8:10.” The Great Controversy, 624.

The Streets And Walls

! Daniel 11:42–43; Revelation 13:13–15; Revelation 17:16–17

In The Midst Of The Week

! “The two armies will stand distinct and separate, and this distinction will be so marked that many who shall be convinced of truth will come on the side of God’s commandment-keeping people. When this grand work is to take place in the battle, prior to the last closing conflict, many

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will be imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs for Christ’s sake in standing in defense of the truth.” Maranatha, 199.

! Daniel 11:44

None Shall Help—Daniel 11:45–12:1

Judgment Begins—Revelation 11:18

! “I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one following the other, also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out.” Early Writings, 36.

! “The wrath of God for the present generation is filled up in the seven last plagues (chapter 15:1), which consequently must here be referred to, and which are soon to be poured out upon the earth.! “The Judgment of the Dead.—‘And the time of the dead, that they should be judged.’ The great majority of the dead, that is, the wicked, are still in their graves after the visitation of the plagues, and the close of this dispensation. A work of judgment, of allotting to each one the punishment due to his sins, is carried on in reference to them by the saints, in conjunction with Christ, during the one thousand years following the first resurrection. 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 20:4. Inasmuch as this judgment of the dead follows the wrath of God, or the seven last plagues, it would seem necessary to refer it to the one thousand years of judgment upon the wicked, above mentioned; for the investigative judgment takes place before the plagues are poured out.! “The Reward of the Righteous.—‘And that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets.’ These will enter upon their reward at the coming of Christ, for he brings their reward with him. Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12. The full reward of the saints however is not reached till they enter upon the possession of the new earth. Matthew 25:34.” Uriah Smith, Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, 539.

Judgment Of The Living Lost

! Revelation 20:7–15

A Scattering

! Genesis 11:7–9

A Gathering

! Joel 3:9–12; Revelation 16:14–16

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BOARD WORK: NUMBER FIVE

The Ten Kings

! “All society is ranging into two great classes, the obedient and the disobedient. Among which class shall we be found? Those who keep God’s commandments, those who live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, compose the church of the living God. Those who choose to follow Antichrist are subjects of the great apostate. Ranged under the banner of Satan, they break God’s law, and lead others to break it. They endeavor so to frame the laws of nations that men shall show their loyalty to earthly governments by trampling upon the laws of God’s kingdom.! “Satan is diverting minds with unimportant questions, in order that they shall not with clear and distinct vision see matters of vast importance. The enemy is planning to ensnare the world.! “The so-called Christian world is to be the theater of great and decisive actions. Men in authority will enact laws controlling the conscience, after the example of the Papacy. Babylon will make all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Every nation will be involved. Of this time John the Revelator declares:! “Revelation 18:3–7 quoted.! “‘These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful’ Revelation 17:13, 14.! “‘These have one mind.’ There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of Satan’s forces. ‘And shall give their power and strength unto the beast.’ Thus is manifested the same arbitrary, oppressive power against religious liberty, freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, as was manifested by the Papacy, when in the past it persecuted those who dared to refuse to conform with the religious rites and ceremonies of Romanism.! “In the warfare to be waged in the last days there will be united, in opposition to God’s people, all the corrupt powers that have apostatized from allegiance to the law of Jehovah. In this warfare the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will be the great point at issue; for in the Sabbath commandment the great Law-giver identifies Himself as the Creator of the heavens and the earth.” Manuscript Releases, volume 1, 296–297.

The Dragon—Ezekiel 29:1–3

! Isaiah 27:1; Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9

! “The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to be Satan (Revelation 12:9);

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he it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian Era was the Roman Empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.” The Great Controversy, 438.

Kings, Rulers And Governors Are The Dragon

! “Kings and rulers and governors have placed upon themselves the brand of antichrist, and are represented as the dragon who goes to make war with the saints—with those who keep the commandments of God and who have the faith of Jesus. In their enmity against the people of God, they show themselves guilty also of the choice of Barabbas instead of Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers, 38.

Ten: Warfare & Unity—Revelation 17:9–18; Psalm 83:1–18Ten: Relationship & Characteristics—AhabTen: Judged—Ezekiel 30:1–19; Daniel 2Ten: Symbol—Daniel 7; Revelation 12; Revelation 2:9–10

MESSAGE: NUMBER FIVE

The Ships Of Tarshish

! Psalm 48:1–8; 2 Chronicles 9:21–22; Psalm 107:23; Isaiah 60:9

Weep and Howl—James 5:1–7; Isaiah 23:1, 6–9, 14; Ezekiel 27:12, 25–26. 32–36

Alas, Alas—Revelation 18:9–12; 15–19; Revelation 8:13

The End From The Beginning—Isaiah 44:6–8

Egypt

! “The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God’s people.” The Great Controversy, 628.

! “The Lord God of Israel is to execute judgment upon the gods of this world as upon the gods of Egypt.” Last Day Events, 240.

! “Why is it so hard to lead a self-denying, humble life? Because professed Christians are not dead to the world. It is easy living after we are dead. But many are longing for the leeks and onions of Egypt. They have a disposition to dress and act as much like the world as possible and yet go to heaven. Such climb up some other way. They do not enter through the strait gate and narrow way.” Testimonies, volume 1, 131.

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The East Wind—Genesis 41:5–6, 23–27Judgment—Exodus 10:13; Exodus 14:21The Children of the East—Genesis 25:6

Ishmael—Genesis 16:12

! “By many the disposition to fret is encouraged until they become like grown-up children. They do not leave this portion of their child life behind them. They cherish these feelings until they cramp and dwarf the whole life by their querulous complaints. And not only their own lives but the lives of others also. They carry with them the spirit of Ishmael, whose hand was against everybody, and everybody’s hand against him.” Adventist Home, 226.

The Wild Arabian Ass—Genesis 16:12Wild: sense of running wild; the onager: - wild (ass).! Jeremiah 2:24

From Genesis to Revelation—Revelation 9:7, 9, 16, 17

Directed By The Hand Of The Lord

! “I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed.” Early Writings, 74–75.

Designed For God’s People

! “I saw that God was in the publishment of the chart by Brother Nichols. I saw that there was a prophecy of this chart in the Bible, and if this chart is designed for God’s people, if it [is] sufficient for one it is for another, and if one needed a new chart painted on a larger scale, all need it just as much.” Manuscript Releases, volume 13, 359.

The Angry Horse And The Four Winds

! “Angels are holding the four winds, represented as an angry horse seeking to break loose and rush over the face of the whole earth, bearing destruction and death in its path.” Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 217.

The End From The Beginning—Revelation 13:2

496: His Power

! Daniel 8:12; Daniel 11:31

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330: His Seat

! Daniel 8:11; Daniel 11:24

533: His Great Authority

! “In 330 a. d. Constantine removed his capital from Rome to Constantinople. The ancient city was left to the papal power and the pope occupied in Rome a throne higher than any occupied by the Cæsars. Constantine laid the foundation of the papacy; but it remained for Justinian to complete the edifice in 533 a. d., by declaring that memorable decree which constituted the pope the head of all the churches. The Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths were of the Arian faith and opposed to the bishop of Rome. The decree could not go into effect until 538 a. d., when the last of the Margin opposing powers was overthrown by the armies of Justinian.” Stephen Haskell, The Story of the Seer of Patmos, 229.

! “Such was the position of affairs, when, in 533, Justinian entered upon his Vandal and Gothic wars. Wishing to secure the influence of the pope and the Catholic party, he issued that memorable decree which was to constitute the pope the head of all the churches, and from the carrying out of which, in 538, the period of papal supremacy is to be dated. And whoever will read the history of the African campaign, 533-534, and the Italian campaign, 534-538, will notice that the Catholics everywhere hailed as deliverers the army of Belisarius, the general of Justinian.” Uriah Smith, Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, 150.

Parallel Histories

! “The first and second angel’s messages are still truth for this time, and are to run parallel with this which follows.” The 1888 Materials, 804.

The Distress Of Nations—Luke 21:25

1838–August 11, 1840

! “As the prophetic period of this trumpet commenced by the voluntary surrender of power into the hands of the Turks by the Christian emperor of the East, so we might conclude its termination would be marked by the voluntary surrender of that power by the Turkish Sultan back again into the hands of the Christians. In 1838 Turkey became involved in war with Egypt. The Egyptians bid fair to overthrow the Turkish power unless other nations should interfere. To prevent this, the four great powers of Europe, England, Russia, Austria and Prussia interfered to sustain the Turkish government. Turkey accepted their intervention. Turkey accepted their intervention. A conference was held in London at which an ultimatum was drawn up to be presented to Mehemet Ali, the Pacha of Egypt. It is evident that when this ultimatum should be placed in the hands of Mehemet, the destiny of the Ottoman Empire would be virtually lodged in the hands of the Christian powers of Europe. This ultimatum was placed in the hands of Mehemet on the 11th day of August 1840! and on that very day the Sultan addressed a note to the ambassadors of the four powers, inquiring what should be done in case Mehemet refused to comply with the terms which

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they had proposed. The answer was that he need hot alarm himself about any contingency that might arise; for they had made provision for that. The prophetic period ended, and on that very day the control of Mohammedan affairs passed into the hands of Christians, just as the control of Christian affairs had passed into the hands of the Mohammedans 391 years and 15 days before. Thus the second woe ended, and the sixth trumpet ceased its sounding” Uriah Smith, Synopsis of Present Truth, 218.

The Angering Of The Nations—Revelation 11:18

Now Getting Angry

! “I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one following the other, also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out.” Early Writings, 36.

Held In Check At The Latter Rain

! “‘The commencement of that time of trouble,’ here mentioned does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” Early Writings, 85.

The Rough Wind is Stayed—Isaiah 27:8

The Day of the East Wind—Revelation 7:1–3

Seeking To Break Loose


At That Time: Held In Check

! “At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” Early Writings, 85.

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Islam Restrained Prophetically In Millerite History—Revelation 9:14–15

Islam Historically Restrained on August 11, 1840

! “At the very time specified, Turkey, through her ambassadors, accepted the protection of the allied powers of Europe, and thus placed herself under the control of Christian nations. The event exactly fulfilled the prediction. When it became known, multitudes were convinced of the correctness of the principles of prophetic interpretation adopted by Miller and his associates, and a wonderful impetus was given to the Advent movement. Men of learning and position united with Miller, both in preaching and publishing his views, and from 1840 to 1844 the work rapidly extended.” The Great Controversy, 334.

Islam Restrained Prophetically In The History Of The 144,000—Revelation 7:1

Islam Historically Restrained on 9/11

! “Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” George W. Bush, September, 2001.

Every Man’s Hand: Egypt—Genesis 16:12

Destruction And Death


Abaddon: A destroying angel; Apollyon: a destroyer

! Revelation 9:11.

The Day Of The East Wind: When The Lord Shall Arise

! “Now comes the word that I have declared that New York is to be swept away by a tidal wave. This I have never said. I have said, as I looked at the great buildings going up there, story after story: ‘What terrible scenes will take place when the Lord shall arise to shake terribly the earth! Then the words of Revelation 18:1–3 will be fulfilled.’ The whole of the eighteenth chapter of Revelation is a warning of what is coming on the earth. But I have no light in particular in regard to what is coming on New York, only I know that one day the great buildings there will be thrown down by the turning and overturning of God’s power. From the light given me, I know that destruction is in the world. One word from the Lord, one touch of His mighty power, and these massive structures will fall. Scenes will take place the fearfulness of which we cannot imagine.” Review and Herald, July 5, 1906.

Changing Dispensations—Acts 7:55–56; Isaiah 3:13–14; Isaiah 28:21; Daniel 12:1

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The Shaking Of The Powers That Rule On Earth

! “December 16, 1848, the Lord gave me a view of the shaking of the powers of the heavens. I saw that when the Lord said ‘heaven,’ in giving the signs recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, He meant heaven, and when He said ‘earth,’ He meant earth. The powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars. They rule in the heavens. The powers of earth are those that rule on the earth. The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God.! “I saw that the powers of earth are now being shaken and that events come in order. War, and rumors of war, sword, famine, and pestilence are first to shake the powers of earth, then the voice of God will shake the sun, moon, and stars, and this earth also. I saw that the shaking of the powers in Europe is not, as some teach, the shaking of the powers of heaven, but it is the shaking of the angry nations.” Early Writings, 41.

Turning Points: 9/11

! “There are lessons to be learned from the history of the past; and attention is called to these, that all may understand that God works on the same lines now that He ever has done. His hand is seen in His work and among the nations now, just the same as it has been ever since the gospel was first proclaimed to Adam in Eden.! “There are periods which are turning points in the history of nations and of the church. In the providence of God, when these different crises arrive, the light for that time is given. If it is received, there is spiritual progress; if it is rejected, spiritual declension and shipwreck follow. The Lord in His word has opened up the aggressive work of the gospel as it has been carried on in the past, and will be in the future, even to the closing conflict, when Satanic agencies will make their last wonderful movement.” Bible Echo, August 26, 1895.

The Refreshing

! “The latter rain is to fall upon the people of God. A mighty angel is to come down from heaven, and the whole earth is to be lighted with His glory. Are we ready to take part in the glorious work of the third angel? Are our vessels ready to receive the heavenly dew? Have we defilement and sin in the heart? If so, let us cleanse the soul temple, and prepare for the showers of the latter rain. The refreshing from the presence of the Lord will never come to hearts filled with impurity. May God help us to die to self, that Christ, the hope of glory, may be formed within!” Review and Herald, April 21, 1891.

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WHY ARE WE NOT CHANGED?A Study on Laodicea

LESSON #1: LAODICEA IDENTIFIED (THE DIAGNOSIS)

Salt Without Savour

! 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; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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: 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. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:14-22

! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:23-28

! Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 5:13

! “The savor of the salt represents the vital power of the Christian--the love of Jesus in the heart, the righteousness of Christ pervading the life. The love of Christ is diffusive and aggressive. If it is dwelling in us, it will flow out to others. We shall come close to them till their hearts are warmed by our unselfish interest and love. The sincere believers diffuse vital energy, which is penetrating

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and imparts new moral power to the souls for whom they labor. It is not the power of the man himself, but the power of the Holy Spirit that does the transforming work.! “Jesus added the solemn warning: "If the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." ! “As they listened to the words of Christ, the people could see the white salt glistening in the pathways where it had been cast out because it had lost its savor and was therefore useless. It well represented the condition of the Pharisees and the effect of their religion upon society. It represents the life of every soul from whom the power of the grace of God has departed and who has become cold and Christless. Whatever may be his profession, such a one is looked upon by men and angels as insipid and disagreeable. It is to such that Christ says: "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth." Revelation 3:15, 16.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36, 37

! “Today there are thousands and tens of thousands who are making the same mistake as did Cain, and as did the Pharisees in the days of Christ. They are trusting in self, and depending upon their own wisdom, and do not realize their own spiritual poverty. To them comes the Laodicean message: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 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."” Signs of the Times, December 11, 1893 par. 5

Note: The washing of hands is good. It is healthful. It is absolutely beneficial in it’s own respect. Properly washing cups and such is also nothing to be condemned, but is a healthful practice that makes good, logical sense. Yet, to think of and hold to these outward religious demonstrations as a veritable sign of righteousness is a facade. So we, having turned things that are in and of themselves sound and even necessary principles - such as reformed modes of dress; reformed dietary habits; where we live; how we educate our children; our worship style; etc. - into proofs of inward, true conversion, is placing us in a similar position as were the Pharisees of Christ’s day.

More than this, are we not in danger of thinking that an assent to the truth somehow makes us righteous? A mere ‘head knowledge’ of even the most wonderful and advanced truths will prove fruitless unless Christ is abiding in the heart by faith. There is a strange occurrence that takes place when a Laodicean-sinner, tries to be righteous in his own strength. It becomes a scary and often ugly reality. Perhaps Satan, the enemy of souls, knows that we are inclined to be prideful, and does that which he has done from the beginning. He takes that which the Lord intends for our good, and perverts it; or may we say, he preys on the perverseness of the natural heart, and he gets us to make that which God ordained for our benefit and turn it into a snare. Thus the much needed reforms, and vital truths end up being a stumbling block; not only for ourselves, but for other souls whom Christ died to save. We are great peril when we think that we are righteous because of our outward appearance; our approach to eating and drinking; our homes in “the country” or probably worst of all - because of our knowledge of the truth.

If these “good works” do not spring forth from a heart of love and gratitude towards Christ, then we are zealous, but with the wrong motivation. In the Christian experience, not perception or appearance - but intent is everything.

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From the Inside Out

! But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:7

! And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelation 22:12, 13

! I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:10

! “He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy. ! “The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption. ! “But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled, "I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." Hebrews 10:16. And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? Obedience--the service and allegiance of love--is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the Scripture says, "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.! “We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith. "Ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." 1 John 3:5, 6. Here is the true test. If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings, our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous." 1 John 3:7. Righteousness is defined by the standard of God's holy law, as expressed in the ten precepts given on Sinai.” Steps to Christ, 60, 61 GO BACK TO THIS PORTION OF STEPS TO CHRIST

Note: Fruit, by definition is the end-result... “That which is produced”... “The effect or consequence”. It is that which has worked itself out as a result of that which has taken place internally.

! Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20

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

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What is the “Will”?

! “What you 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.” Steps to Christ, 47

! For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Proverbs 23:7 (a)

! Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. Proverbs 4:23-27

! And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:20-23

Note: The will represents the internal workings of the mind (heart). It is as the soil that will react upon the seed, which germinates and eventually brings forth a harvest. It is, as it were, the cause to the effect.

What is it To “Do” Works of Righteousness?

! Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28, 29

! I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Psalms 40:8-10

! But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26

! “The savor of the salt represents the vital power of the Christian--the love of Jesus in the heart, the righteousness of Christ pervading the life. The love of Christ is diffusive and aggressive. If it is dwelling in us, it will flow out to others. We shall come close to them till their hearts are warmed by our unselfish interest and love. The sincere believers diffuse vital energy, which is penetrating and imparts new moral power to the souls for whom they labor. It is not the power of the man himself,

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but the power of the Holy Spirit that does the transforming work.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36

Note: “To do”, in the plainest terms, are the words and actions. These are the external manifestations of what is in us; a reflection of the thoughts and the feelings. These are the fruits that are borne from the condition of the heart... The effect of the cause.

A Jehu Spirit

! “There are many whose religion consists in activities. They want to be engaged in, and have the credit of doing, some great work while the little graces that go to make up a lovely Christian character are entirely overlooked. The busy, bustling service, which gives the impression that one is doing some wonderful work, is not acceptable to God. It is a Jehu spirit, which says, "Come, see my zeal for the Lord." It is gratifying to self; it feeds a self-complacent feeling; but all the while the soul may be defiled with the plague-spot of unsubdued, uncontrolled selfishness.” Signs of the Times, November 20, 1884 par. 3

! “The truth should be presented with divine tact, gentleness, and tenderness. It should come from a heart that has been softened and made sympathetic. We need to have close communion with God, lest self rise up, as it did in Jehu, and we pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or as the still showers that revive the withering plants. Let our words be gentle as we seek to win souls. God will be wisdom to him who seeks for wisdom from a divine source. We are to seek opportunities on every hand, we are to watch unto prayer, and be ready always to give a reason for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear. Lest we shall impress unfavorably one soul for whom Christ died we should keep our hearts uplifted to God, so that when the opportunity presents itself, we may have the right word to speak at the right time. If you thus undertake work for God, the Spirit of God will be your helper. The Holy Spirit will apply the word spoken in love for the soul. The truth will have quickening power when spoken under the influence of the grace of Christ. “God's plan is first to get at the heart. Speak the truth, and let Him carry forward the reformatory power and principle. Make no reference to what opponents say, but let the truth alone be advanced. The truth can cut to the quick. Plainly unfold the word in all its impressiveness. ! “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges, but have not improved them, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us. Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and will depart from the faith. But, on the other hand, when the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd's voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril, strife for supremacy will cease; there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest. No one of the true believers will say: "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas." The testimony of one and all will be: "I cleave unto Christ; I rejoice in Him as my personal Saviour." ! “Thus will the truth be brought into practical life, and thus will be answered the prayer of Christ, uttered just before His humiliation and death: "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast

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sent Me." John 17:21. The love of Christ, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 401

! But what think ye? A [certain] man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I [go], sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of [his] father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. Matthew 21:28-31

"! “Were you cold, there would be some hope that you would be converted; but where self-righteousness girds one about, instead of the righteousness of Christ, the deception is so difficult to be seen, and the self-righteousness so hard to be put away, that the case is the most difficult to reach. An unconverted, godless sinner stands in a more favorable condition than such.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 175!

"Our Hearts are Far from Christ

! Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. Mark 7:1-6

! “He who beholds Christ in His self-denial, His lowliness of heart, will be constrained to say, as did Daniel, when he beheld One like the sons of men, "My comeliness was turned in me into corruption." Daniel 10:8. The independence and self-supremacy in which we glory are seen in their true vileness as tokens of servitude to Satan. Human nature is ever struggling for expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit. Then we are not anxious to have the highest place. We have no ambition to crowd and elbow ourselves into notice; but we feel that our highest place is at the feet of our Saviour. We look to Jesus, waiting for His hand to lead, listening for His voice to guide. The apostle Paul had this experience, and he said, "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." Galatians 2:20. Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 15

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Laodicea’s Case Not a Hopeless One!

! “Yet the case of those who are rebuked is not a hopeless one; it is not beyond the power of the great Mediator. He says: "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 eye-salve, that thou mayest see." Though the professed followers of Christ are in a deplorable condition, they are not yet in so desperate a strait as were the foolish virgins whose lamps were going out, and there was no time in which to replenish their vessels with oil. When the bridegroom came, those that were ready went in with him to the wedding; but when the foolish virgins came, the door was shut, and they were too late to obtain an entrance. But the counsel of the True Witness does not represent those who are lukewarm as in a hopeless case. There is yet a chance to remedy their state, and the Laodicean message is full of encouragement; for the backslidden church may yet buy the gold of faith and love, may yet have the white robe of the righteousness of Christ, that the shame of their nakedness need not appear. Purity of heart, purity of motive, may yet characterize those who are half-hearted and who are striving to serve God and Mammon. They may yet wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Review & Herald, August 28, 1894 par. 3

Summary: Here are some questions to ask of ourselves: Am I willing to allow Christ to work in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure? Is my life a living testimony that the Lord is doing a work within me - by His power and grace - that is working itself out, to His glory and not my own? Do I take pride in my supposed accomplishments as a Christian?

Though I understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, and though I outwardly appear to have possession of all of the “reforms”, am I a better Christian for it? Do I find myself judging those who do not meet my personal standard, even when my standard is based on God’s requirements?

A close examination of one’s self would reveal that we are described, to the letter, in the third chapter of Revelation. What are we doing about it? Well, you see, this is where it gets very complicated for Laodiceans. The biggest problem with us is, we have figured out a way to see ourselves as alright. In other words, we are “blind” to our true condition. And so long as we continue in this state, it will be impossible to seek the help that Christ is offering. One will never seek assistance when the belief is, none is needed.

But, there is hope! To us is made the precious promise: And I will bring the blind by a way [that] they knew not; I will lead them in paths [that] they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16). We need not remain this way. Christ is offering us the heavenly wares, while there is still time to receive them.

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LESSON #2: HOW DID WE GET THIS WAY? (TRACING THE CAUSE) !

Indifferent, Unstable, and Idle

LUKEWARM: 1. Moderately warm; tepid; as lukewarm water; lukewarm heat. 2. Not ardent; not zealous; cool; indifferent; as lukewarm obedience; lukewarm patriots. Rev 3. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

LUKEWARM: #G5513 chliaros {khlee-ar-os'} 1) tepid, lukewarm: metaph. of the condition of the soul wretchedly fluctuating between a torpor and a fervour of love. Strong’s

! A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

! Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. James 4:8

! And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word. I Kings 18:21

! Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel... Genesis 49:3, 4(a)

! “A stagnant pool soon becomes offensive, but a flowing brook spreads health and gladness over the land. The one is a symbol of the idle, the other of the industrious.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers & Students, 275

! Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. Proverbs 19:15

! But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matthew 12:36

! And withal they learn [to be] idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I Timothy 5:13

! And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man

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hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, [that] shall ye receive. Matthew 20:6, 7

"! “It is the idle mind that is Satan's workshop.” Education, 189

! “To the idlers in the Lord's vineyard the Laodicean message is sent.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 961

! “The Laodicean message applies to the people of God who profess to believe present truth. The greater part are lukewarm professors, having a name but no zeal. God signified that He wanted men at the great heart of the work to correct the state of things existing there and to stand like faithful sentinels at their post of duty. He has given them light at every point, to instruct, encourage, and confirm them, as the case required. But notwithstanding all this, those who should be faithful and true, fervent in Christian zeal, of gracious temper, knowing and loving Jesus earnestly, are found aiding the enemy to weaken and discourage those whom God is using to build up the work. The term "lukewarm" is applicable to this class. They profess to love the truth, yet are deficient in Christian fervor and devotion. They dare not give up wholly and run the risk of the unbeliever, yet they are unwilling to die to self and follow out closely the principles of their faith. ! “The only hope for the Laodiceans is a clear view of their standing before God, a knowledge of the nature of their disease. They are neither cold nor hot; they occupy a neutral position, and at the same time flatter themselves that they are in need of nothing. The True Witness hates this lukewarmness. He loathes the indifference of this class of persons. Said He: "I would thou wert cold or hot." Like lukewarm water, they are nauseous to His taste. They are neither unconcerned nor selfishly stubborn. They do not engage thoroughly and heartily in the work of God, identifying themselves with its interests; but they hold aloof and are ready to leave their posts when their worldly personal interests demand it. The internal work of grace is wanting in their hearts; of such it is said: "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."” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, 87

! “The time that is so often worse than wasted in idle, frivolous, and malicious gossip should be given to higher and nobler objects. If our brethren and sisters would become missionaries for God, visiting the sick and afflicted, and laboring patiently and kindly for the erring,--in short, if they would copy the Pattern,--the church would have prosperity in all her borders.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 176

! “Gossipers and news carriers are a terrible curse to neighborhoods and churches. Two thirds of all the church trials arise from this source.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 466

Note: 2/3 = 66.6%

! Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard [this], said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? John 6:60

! From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. John 6:66

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A Dangerous Deception

! Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. Matthew 22:29

! Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

! “The greatest deception of the human mind in Christ's day was that a mere assent to the truth constitutes righteousness. In all human experience a theoretical knowledge of the truth has been proved to be insufficient for the saving of the soul. It does not bring forth the fruits of righteousness. A jealous regard for what is termed theological truth often accompanies a hatred of genuine truth as made manifest in life. The darkest chapters of history are burdened with the record of crimes committed by bigoted religionists. The Pharisees claimed to be children of Abraham, and boasted of their possession of the oracles of God; yet these advantages did not preserve them from selfishness, malignity, greed for gain, and the basest hypocrisy. They thought themselves the greatest religionists of the world, but their so-called orthodoxy led them to crucify the Lord of glory. ! “The same danger still exists. Many take it for granted that they are Christians, simply because they subscribe to certain theological tenets. But they have not brought the truth into practical life. They have not believed and loved it, therefore they have not received the power and grace that come through sanctification of the truth. Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world.” Desire of Ages, 308, 309

! Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12, 13

! “What is it that constitutes the wretchedness, the nakedness of those who feel rich and increased with goods?--It is the want of the righteousness of Christ. In their own righteousness they are represented as clothed with filthy rags, and yet in this condition they flatter themselves that they are clothed upon with Christ's righteousness. Could deception be greater? As is represented by the prophet, they may be crying, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we," while their hearts are filled with unholy traffic and unrighteous barter. The courts of the soul-temple may be the haunt of envy, pride, passion, evil surmising, bitterness, and hollow formalism. Christ looks mournfully upon his professed people who feel rich and increased in the knowledge of the truth, and who are yet destitute of the truth in life and character and unconscious of their destitute condition. In sin and unbelief, they lightly regard the warnings and counsels of his servants, and treat his ambassadors with scorn and contempt, while their words of reproof are regarded as idle tales. Discernment seems to have departed, and they have no power to discriminate between the light which God sends them and the darkness that comes from the enemy of their souls. ! “The voice of the True Witness calls to his chosen people, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." We have tried to arouse our brethren to the fact that the Lord has rich blessings to bestow upon us as a people. The people of God have lost much by not maintaining the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus. This simplicity has been crowded out, and forms and ceremonies and a round of busy activities in mechanical work have taken its place. Pride and lukewarmness have made the

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professed people of God an offense in his sight. Boastful self-sufficiency and complacent self-righteousness have masked and concealed the beggary and nakedness of the soul; but with God all things are naked and manifest. Yet Jesus is going from door to door, standing in front of every soul-temple, proclaiming, "I stand at the door, and knock." As a heavenly merchantman, he opens his treasures, and cries, "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." The gold he offers is without alloy, more precious than that of Ophir; for it is faith and love. The white raiment he invites the soul to wear is his own robes of righteousness, and the oil for anointing is the oil of his grace, which will give spiritual eyesight to the soul in blindness and darkness, that he may distinguish between the workings of the Spirit of God and the spirit of the enemy. Open your doors, says the great Merchantman, the possessor of spiritual riches, and transact your business with me. It is I, your Redeemer, who counsels you to buy of me.” Review & Herald, August 7, 1894 par. 3, 4

The Beam & The Mote Syndrome

! Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Matthew 23:23, 24

! “I saw that the minds of some of the church have not run in the right channel. There have been some peculiar temperaments that have had their notions by which to measure their brethren. And if any did not exactly agree with them, there was trouble in the camp at once. Some have strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel. ! “These set notions have been humored and indulged altogether too long. There has been a picking at straws. And when there were no real difficulties in the church, trials have been manufactured. The minds of the church and the servants of the Lord are called from God, truth, and heaven to dwell upon darkness. Satan delights to have such things go on; it feasts him. But these are none of the trials which are to purify the church and that will in the end increase the strength of God's people. ! “I saw that some are withering spiritually. They have lived some time watching to keep their brethren straight--watching for every fault to make trouble with them. And while doing this, their minds are not on God, nor on heaven, nor on the truth; but just where Satan wants them--on someone else. Their souls are neglected; they seldom see or feel their own faults, for they have had enough to do to watch the faults of others without so much as looking to their own souls or searching their own hearts. A person's dress, bonnet, or apron takes their attention. They must talk to this one or that one, and it is sufficient to dwell upon for weeks. I saw that all the religion a few poor souls have consists in watching the garments and acts of others, and finding fault with them. Unless they reform, there will be no place in heaven for them, for they would find fault with the Lord Himself.

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! “Said the angel: "It is an individual work to be right with God." The work is between God and our own souls. But when persons have so much care of others' faults, they take no care of themselves. These notional, faultfinding ones would often cure themselves of the habit if they would go directly to the individual they think is wrong. It would be so crossing that they would give up their notions rather than go. But it is easy to let the tongue run freely about this one or that one when the accused is not present.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 144, 145

Summary: When Peter took his eyes of of Christ, he began to sink. This was written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Yes, the state of the world, the degradation of six thousand years of sin; the general departure from truth among the professed followers of Christ, the moral decay of society and the overall apostasy and rebellion of mankind have brought about their baleful results. But the promise is: “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” God’s people have a living Saviour, and our lives should testify that Christ came into the world to save sinners, and even now ever liveth to make intercession for us. Our thoughts, words and actions should reflect this grandest of all truths. Yet, we are described as “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” How did we get ourselves in such a condition?

Paul said it best when he asked: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He answered by saying: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Interestingly enough, he didn’t mention “self”, because the fact is, we are the only ones who can cause this separation to take place. We are guilty of taking our eyes off of Jesus as Peter did that day on the sea of Galilee, and the results are the same... We are in a sinking condition. We have wasted precious probationary time contemplating the imperfections of man. We have thought too highly of ourselves. We have relied upon our knowledge of the Scriptures, without allowing the word of God to have it’s sanctifying way with us. Furthermore, we have been so busy fixing our gaze on others, and the Bible tells us that those that are “comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

The spirit of competition runs rampant among those who claim to be preparing for the Second Advent of Christ, and the reason can be summed up by saying; We are not beholding the Pattern. And because we are not, we are fittingly described by the True Witness as “lukewarm”; tepid; insipid; indifferent; stagnant; idle. Fortunately, He offers us His heavenly wares - - the only remedy for our condition.

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LESSON #3:DETERMINED UPON THY PEOPLE (THE PROGNOSIS) !

Before Probation Closes

! Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Finish the Transgression

! Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Genesis 2:1, 2

! And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, Deuteronomy 31:24

! This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Daniel 5:26

Note: Although finish may have more than one meaning, we can be certain that it denotes something ‘ending’ such as God’s work after six days, Moses’ writing the book of the law, or the end of the the ancient Babylonian kingdom.

FINISH: #H3607 kala' {kaw-law'} 1) to restrict, restrain, withhold, shut up, keep back, refrain, forbid. Strong’s

Note: Furthermore, there is only one instance in the KJV where the original word was translated as “finish”, namely in Daniel 9:24. The following are some examples of how it was used in the Old Testament:

! The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; Genesis 8:2

! And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, [one] of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. Numbers 11:28

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! And blessed [be] thy advice, and blessed [be] thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to [shed] blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. I Samuel 25:33

! I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. Psalms 40:9

! Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. Psalms 40:11

! Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed [from] her fruit. Haggai 1:10

Note: So we see that Daniel’s people had seventy weeks to “stay” their transgressions; “forbid” themselves from transgressing; “restrain” their transgressions; “refrain” from transgression, or “keep” themselves from transgressing God’s law. They were to “finish”, or bring their sinful activities to an end. Suffice it to say, their is only One who can “keep” us from transgressing.

! Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 24

! And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Make an End of Sins

Note: Now, one might say that this is exactly what “finish the transgression” means, and perhaps that is one application. This would not be unusual considering the poetic language of the Hebrew. However, it has been understood for well over a century that the word “sins” in Daniel 9:24 also means “sin offerings”, as in the sin offerings that were daily brought to the sanctuary. (In Leviticus 4:3 the same Hebrew word - chatta'ah - is translated as both sin and sin offering) The following are just a few more examples of chatta'ah translated as sin offering:

! But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it [is] a sin offering. Exodus 29:14

! Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that [is] for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: Leviticus 16:15

! And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. Numbers 6:11

! And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:27

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! Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Matthew 27:50, 51

! “Type has met antitype in the death of God's Son. The great sacrifice has been made. The way into the holiest is laid open. A new and living way is prepared for all. No longer need sinful, sorrowing humanity await the coming of the high priest. Henceforth the Saviour was to officiate as priest and advocate in the heaven of heavens. It was as if a living voice had spoken to the worshipers: There is now an end to all sacrifices and offerings for sin. The Son of God is come according to His word, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God." "By His own blood" He entereth "in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Hebrews 10:7; 9:12.” Desire of Ages, 757

Note: There is but One who brought an end to the Jewish sacrificial system.

Make Reconciliation for Iniquity

! Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. II Corinthians 5:17-21

! But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:8-11

! And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Colossians 1:20, 21

! And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy [place], and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Leviticus 16:20-22

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! “It was seen, also, that while the sin offering pointed to Christ as a sacrifice, and the high priest represented Christ as a mediator, the scapegoat typified Satan, the author of sin, upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be placed. When the high priest, by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, removed the sins from the sanctuary, he placed them upon the scapegoat. When Christ, by virtue of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final penalty. The scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, never to come again into the congregation of Israel. So will Satan be forever banished from the presence of God and His people, and he will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners.” Great Controversy, 422

Note: There is but One who can atone for our sins and reconcile us to the Father.

Bring in Everlasting Righteousness

! Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans 10:1-4

! But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. I Corinthians 1:30, 31

! As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12

! My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world. I John 3:1, 2

! “In the prophecy of Daniel it was recorded of Christ that He shall "make reconciliation for iniquity, and . . . bring in everlasting righteousness" (Daniel 9:24). Every soul may say: "By His perfect obedience He has satisfied the claims of the law, and my only hope is found in looking to Him as my substitute and surety, who obeyed the law perfectly for me. By faith in His merits I am free from the condemnation of the law. He clothes me with His righteousness, which answers all the demands of the law. I am complete in Him who brings in everlasting righteousness. He presents me to God in the spotless garment of which no thread was woven by any human agent. All is of Christ, and all the glory, honor, and majesty are to be given to the Lamb of God, “which taketh away the sins of the world."” Selected Messages, book 1, 396

Note: There is none righteous, no, not one - but Jesus Christ.

Seal Up the Vision and Prophecy

PROPHECY: #H5030 nabiy' {naw-bee'} 1) spokesman, speaker, prophet 1a) prophet 1b) false prophet 1c) heathen prophet. Strong’s

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Note: In the nearly 300 times the word nabiy’ is used on the Old Testament, there is only one instance where it was translated as “prophecy”, which is in Daniel 9:24. It is always, with only this one exception, correctly translated as “prophet” or “prophets”. Therefore, we conclude that the Scripture is communicating to us that the prophets would be sealed before the “seventy weeks” were accomplished.

! “The many prophecies concerning the Saviour's advent led the Hebrews to live in an attitude of constant expectancy. Many died in the faith, not having received the promises. But having seen them afar off, they believed and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. From the days of Enoch the promises repeated through patriarchs and prophets had kept alive the hope of His appearing. ! “Not at first had God revealed the exact time of the first advent; and even when the prophecy of Daniel made this known, not all rightly interpreted the message. ! “Century after century passed away; finally the voices of the prophets ceased. The hand of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel. As the Jews departed from God, faith grew dim, and hope well-nigh ceased to illuminate the future. The words of the prophets were uncomprehended by many; and those whose faith should have continued strong were ready to exclaim, "The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth." Ezekiel 12:22. But in heaven's council the hour for the coming of Christ had been determined; and "when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, . . . to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Galatians 4:4, 5.” Prophets & Kings, 699, 700

! 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

! And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Revelation 5:1-5

! And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; Revelation 3:7

! “The angel commanded, "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end." Daniel 12:4.” Acts of the Apostles, 585

! “It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel. It was Gabriel, "His angel," whom Christ sent to open the future to the beloved John; and a blessing is pronounced on those who read and hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things written therein. Revelation 1:3. Desire of Ages, 234

! But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and [there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. Daniel 10:21

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Note: Yes, the angel Gabriel was the one who brought the instruction to Daniel to seal the book, but it was that “Certain Saint”, even Palmoni - The Wonderful Numberer, who sent His angel to the prophet. Only the One who sealed up the prophets could, at the appointed time, unseal their prophecies.

Anoint the Most Holy

Note: The term “most holy” is a translation of the Hebrew phrase qodesh qodashim, and is used to describe things, places, the various articles connected with the earthly sanctuary service, and the sanctuary itself, it is never once employed to describe an individual. Notice the following:

! And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. Exodus 30:26-29

! And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which [is] upon the meat offering, and shall burn [it] upon the altar [for] a sweet savour, [even] the memorial of it, unto the LORD. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it [unto them for] their portion of my offerings made by fire; it [is] most holy, as [is] the sin offering, and as the trespass offering. Leviticus 6:15-17

! Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, [both] of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing [is] most holy unto the LORD. Leviticus 27:28

Note: Therefore, we conclude that, that which was to be anointed prior to the termination of the 490 years was the Sanctuary in heaven. This was to take place in preparation for Christ as High Priest. [See “Daniel & The Revelation” (U. Smith), p. 205, and “Messiah in His Sanctuary” (F.C. Gilbert), pp. 167-169]

The Jewish nation was allotted a final 490 year probationary period, in which the following were to be fulfilled:

! Finish the Transgression = Refrain from, or be kept from sinning! Make and End of Sins = Jewish sacrifices and oblations were to cease! Make Reconciliation for Iniquity = Accept God’s appointed means of atonement! Bring in Everlasting Righteousness = Experience the righteousness of Christ, by faith! Seal Up the Vision and Prophecy = Silence the voice of the prophets ! Anoint the Most Holy = Prepare the heavenly sanctuary for Christ as High Priest

All of which could only be accomplished by Divine power, NOT by the power of man.

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An Illustration of Our Position

! “We want to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. We do not half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ. How the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews, and today he is seeking to blind the minds of God's servants, that they may not be able to discern the precious truth.” Review & Herald, February 18, 1890 par. 1 Laodicea has been allotted a final a period of probation. And although our probation is not governed by a set portion of time, we are paralleling the experience of ancient Israel, specifically the third and final subdivision of the 490 years, namely the final seven years. This is the “one week”, or 2520 literal days when Christ confirmed the covenant. During or probationary period, we must have an experience in the following, with a few ‘parallel contrasts’, emphasized in bold:

! Finish the Transgression = Refrain from, or be kept from sinning! Make and End of Sins = Stop crucifying the Son of God afresh - Hebrews 6:6! Make Reconciliation for Iniquity = Accept God’s appointed means of atonement! Bring in Everlasting Righteousness = Experience the righteousness of Christ, by faith! Seal Up the Vision and Prophecy = Have an experimental knowledge in the unsealed

truth for this time ! Anoint the Most Holy = Recognize that the Most Holy Place is soon to be exited!

All of which could only be accomplished by Divine power, NOT by the power of man.

Summary: In the grand scheme of time, we have a short period cut off for us, in which we are to overcome our Laodicean condition. Jesus has plainly told us that without Him, we can do nothing. What a fearful thing it is for us to think that our filthy rags can somehow meet the dress code of the wedding feast. Truly, ‘The trials of the children of Israel, and our attitude just before the first coming of Christ... illustrate the position of the people of God in our experience before the second coming of Christ.’

The prognosis for our condition may sometimes look bleak. We are facing what seems like insurmountable odds when we consider that our greatest enemy is SELF! We are “a judged people” that are often void of judgment, yet we have the reassurance in knowing that we have an Advocate with the Father... Jesus Christ the Righteous. He alone can perform the good work in us that must be realized, before our “determined” time of probation comes to a close. Behold, He is standing at the door knocking. If any man hears His voice, and opens the door, He has promised to come in to him, and sup with him.

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LESSON #4:THE TIME OF THY VISITATION (THE PRESCRIBED TREATMENT) !

Christ Speaks Through the Prophets

! Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

! Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer. I Samuel 9:9

! Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. Proverbs 29:18

! “It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to the Christian church, says that the prophets "prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." 1 Peter 1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us through the Old Testament. "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10.” Patriarchs & Prophets, 366, 367

! “Of special value to God's church on earth today--the keepers of His vineyard--are the messages of counsel and admonition given through the prophets who have made plain His eternal purpose in behalf of mankind. In the teachings of the prophets, His love for the lost race and His plan for their salvation are clearly revealed. The story of Israel's call, of their successes and failures, of their restoration to divine favor, of their rejection of the Master of the vineyard, and of the carrying out of the plan of the ages by a goodly remnant to whom are to be fulfilled all the covenant promises--this has been the theme of God's messengers to His church throughout the centuries that have passed. And today God's message to His church--to those who are occupying His vineyard as faithful husbandmen--is none other than that spoken through the prophet of old: "Sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." Isaiah 27:2, 3.” Prophets & Kings, 22

Visitation of Mercy

! Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the

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fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Zechariah 7:9, 10

! Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10

! And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 28:2

Yet They Hearkened Not

! But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Deuteronomy 28:15

! Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending [them]: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Jeremiah 7:25, 26

! Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. II Chronicles 24:19

! Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. II Kings 17:13, 14

Visitation of Judgment

! “Grievously had the children of Israel "sinned against the Lord their God, . . . and wrought wicked things." "They would not hear, but . . . rejected His statutes, and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He testified against them." It was because they had "left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal," and refused steadfastly to repent, that the Lord "afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out of His sight," in harmony with the plain warnings He had sent them "by all His servants the prophets."” Prophets & Kings, 291, 292

! Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment

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of the LORD. How do ye say, We [are] wise, and the law of the LORD [is] with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he [it]; the pen of the scribes [is] in vain. The wise [men] are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom [is] in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, [and] their fields to them that shall inherit [them]: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 8:7-12

! And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending [them]; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Jeremiah 25:4-9

They Knew Not the Time

! And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to [him] for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Matthew 24:1-3

! For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. LUKE 19:43, 44

! “Christ knew that the disciples could not comprehend the instruction he had given them in answer to their question, "When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" He knew the terrible future of the once-chosen people of God; but he knew, also, that his disciples could not then fully understand his description of the fearful scenes to be enacted at the destruction of Jerusalem. In his answer, the two events--the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of the world--were merged into one.” Review & Herald, December 27, 1898 par. 3

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We Know Not the Time

! “Oh, how few know the time of their visitation! How few, even among those who claim to believe present truth, understand the signs of the times or what we are to experience before the end! We are today under divine forbearance; but how long will the angels of God continue to hold the winds, that they shall not blow? ! “Notwithstanding God's inexpressible mercy toward us, how few in our churches are truly humble, devoted, God-fearing servants of Christ! How few hearts are full of gratitude and thanksgiving because they are called and honored to act a part in the work of God, being partakers with Christ of His sufferings! ! “Today a large part of those who compose our congregations are dead in trespasses and sins. They come and go like the door upon its hinges. For years they have complacently listened to the most solemn, soul-stirring truths, but they have not put them in practice. Therefore they are less and less sensible of the preciousness of truth. The stirring testimonies of reproof and warning do not arouse them to repentance. The sweetest melodies that come from God through human lips--justification by faith, and the righteousness of Christ--do not call forth from them a response of love and gratitude. Though the heavenly Merchantman displays before them the richest jewels of faith and love, though He invites them to buy of Him "gold tried in the fire," and white raiment" that they may be clothed, and "eyesalve" that they may see, they steel their hearts against Him, and fail to exchange their lukewarmness for love and zeal. While making a profession, they deny the power of godliness. If they continue in this state, God will reject them. They are unfitting themselves to be members of His family.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 426, 427

Encouragement & Comfort

! “Although the oil in the lamps is almost consumed, and they have not been replenished, still you have not yet reached that desperate position described in the parable of the foolish virgins. They slumbered long, until their lamps were gone out, and they had made no provision for the time of need; and when the Bridegroom came, they were seeking, too late, to replenish their lamps: for the door was shut, and they were left to outer darkness and despair. But the counsel of the True Witness is full of encouragement and comfort. The churches may yet obtain the gold of truth, faith, and love, and be rich in heavenly treasure. "Buy of me gold that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." The white raiment is the righteousness of Christ that may be wrought into the character. Purity of heart, purity of motive, will characterize every one who is washing his robe, and making it white in the blood of the Lamb. ! “Today let the question come home to the heart of every one who professes the name of Christ, "Dost thou believe in the Son of God?" Not, "Do you admit that Jesus is the Redeemer of the world?" Not to soothe your conscience and the consciences of others by saying, "I believe," and think that is all there is to be done. But do you believe with all your heart that Jesus is your Saviour? Do you bring him into your life, and weave him into your character, until you are one with Christ? Many accept Jesus as an article of belief, but they have no saving faith in him as their sacrifice and Saviour. They have no realization that Christ has died to save them from the penalty of the law which they have transgressed, in order that they may be brought back to loyalty to God. Do you believe that Christ, as your substitute, pays the debt of your transgression? Not, however, that you may continue in sin, but that you may be saved from your sins; that you, through the merits of his righteousness, may be re-instated to the favor of God.” Review & Herald, July 24, 1888 par. 3, 4

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Summary: “Thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” This applies to every era in sacred history. Oh, the degradation that sin causes; the worst of which is it’s ability to numb the spiritual faculties and lull the professed people of God to sleep. Awake, awake! This is the appeal made by our Saviour, but the blindness and self-worth of the lukewarm heart places us where we often can not rightly discern that it is “high time.” Or, even worse; we understand the time, but remain dead, dry bones despite the messages of warning and reproof sent to us from the Lord. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” When we find ourselves unchanged and unaffected by the truth for this time, we are as guilty as were God’s ancient people of killing the prophets.

The “more sure word of prophecy” contains the divine prescription, which Christ Himself has formulated to treat our spiritual infirmities. In it is the voice that reproves us of sin, and righteousness, and judgment. In it is the alarm of the trumpet, calling us to revival and reformation. In it is the seed that contains the life-principle that must be implanted in the soil of the heart. “Light is sown for the righteous”, and it keeps shining more and more unto the perfect day. And that accumulated light is a merciful entreaty for the sinner to repent and accept Christ’s precious, saving merchandise. He must be woven into the fabric of our characters, that through His prescribed treatment we can be more than conquerors. The True Witness is speaking to us saying: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

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LESSON #5: LOOKING UNTO JESUS (THE CURE)

Behold Him

! The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18, 19

! 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. Revelation 3:18

! ...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29 (b)

! Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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. Hebrews 12:1-4

! And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14, 15

! And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. Numbers 21:8

"! “We are to copy no human being. There is no human being wise enough to be our criterion. We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the pattern Man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model. Let us, then, take our minds off the perplexities and the difficulties of this life, and fix them on him, that by beholding we may be changed into his likeness. We may behold Christ to good purpose. We may safely look to him; for he is all-wise. As we look to him and think of him, he will be formed within, the hope of glory.” Review & Herald, March 9, 1905 par. 3

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Contemplate His Perfection

! For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Hebrews 7:26

! “O let us encourage our souls to look to Jesus! Tell every one how dangerous it is to neglect his own soul's eternal healthfulness by looking upon the diseased souls of others, by talking upon the uncomeliness of character found in those who profess the name of Christ. The soul does not become more and more like Christ by beholding evil, but like the evil which it beholds. The same love of self, the same indulgence of self, the same hastiness of spirit, the same petulance of temper, the same sensitiveness and pride of opinion, the same unwillingness to receive counsel, the same unsanctified, independent judgment, will be manifest in those who criticise as in those whom they criticise. They will act as if they had not Christ as their pattern and example. O, how much we need to guard against Satan's devices!” Review & Herald, August 15, 1893 par. 4

! They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. Psalms 34:5

! “Shall we look at our sins, and begin to mourn, and say, I have done wrong, and I cannot come to God with any degree of confidence? Does not the Bible say, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"? It is a proper thing for us to have a realization of the terrible character of sin. It was sin that caused Christ to suffer an ignominious death on Calvary. But while we should understand that sin is a terrible thing, we should not listen to the voice of our adversary, who says, "You have sinned, and you have no right to claim the promises of God." You should say to the adversary, It is written, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." I am so glad that God has made a provision whereby we may know that he does pardon our transgressions! We do not believe in God as we should, and I have thought that this unbelief is our greatest sin. The psalmist says, "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. . . . The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." This is the kind of experience that we should have. ! “We must not think, when we are afflicted, that the anger of the Lord is upon us. God brings us into trials, in order that we may be drawn near to him. The psalmist says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." He does not desire us to be under a cloud. We should pray as did David, "Open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise." The Lord would have us lay hold of these promises for ourselves. He does not desire us to go in anguish of spirit. We are not to look at the thorns and the thistles in our experience. We are to go into the garden of God's word, and pluck the lilies, the roses, and the fragrant pinks of his promises. Those who look upon the difficulties in their experience, will talk doubt and discouragement; for they do not behold Jesus, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world. We should keep our minds upon the love, the mercy, the graciousness of our God, in order that we may become changed into his image, by beholding the divine character. Thus joy will be brought into our experience; for by studying the word of God we shall see that we are not left to our weakness, to our doubts, and that there is no occasion for sinking under discouragement. Talk

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faith; act faith. Cultivate the faith that works by love, and purifies the soul.” Review & Herald, May 19, 1896 par. 10

Summary: What shall we more say? To have Christ formed “within”, this is where the hope of eternal glory comes from. He is the cure... “By His stripes we are healed.” We are in a most fearful position, yet it is the most favorable position ever offered to mankind. We were all born to be one of the 144,000. The redeemed of all the ages past received not this promise. Angels are looking into this unfolding plan with wonder and amazement; that of the vastness of God’s enduring mercy, and also the vastness of our unbelief, and our lack of cooperation.

The bottom line is; we love sin. It is in our very nature to sin. It affects the thoughts, the impulses, the words and the actions. It must be uprooted from the soul, moment by moment and replaced with the gold of true faith and love that springs from a heart of gratitude. We have got to behold Jesus, think of Him, speak of Him, work for Him. Then we will have no time to be fault-finders who are busy beholding the imperfections of man, wasting time that can not be replaced. Then it is that the eye-salve can have it’s healing effect, restoring the spiritual vision, allowing us to see every man clearly. Then we can receive the change of raiment that truly conforms to heaven’s dress code, even the white robe of Christ’s righteousness. These things saith the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God!

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Kevin Howard―Meeting #1 Monday, June 13, 2011

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Kevin Howard―Meeting #1 Monday, June 13, 2011

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Kevin Howard―Meeting #2 Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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Kevin Howard―Meeting #5 Friday, June 17, 2011

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Darrio Taylor―Meeting #1 Monday, June 13, 2011

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Darrio Taylor―Meeting #3 Wednesday, June 15, 2011

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Darrio Taylor―Meeting #4 Thursday, June 16, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #1 Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #2 Wednesday, June 15, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #3 Thursday, June 16, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #3 Thursday, June 16, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #4 Friday, June 17, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #4 Friday, June 17, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #5 Saturday, June 18, 2011

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Jamal Sankey―Meeting #5 Saturday, June 18, 2011

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #1 Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Title: _________________________________________________________Title: _________________________________________________________

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #1 Wednesday, June 15, 2011

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #2 Thursday, June 16, 2011

Title: _________________________________________________________Title: _________________________________________________________

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #2 Thursday, June 16, 2011

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #3 Friday, June 17, 2011

Title: _________________________________________________________Title: _________________________________________________________

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Title: _________________________________________________________Title: _________________________________________________________

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #5 Saturday, June 18, 2011

Title: _________________________________________________________Title: _________________________________________________________

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Emiliano Richards―Meeting #5 Saturday, June 18, 2011

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