Volume 18, Number 2 - Andrews University · 2012-01-30 · Volume 18, Number 2 3 Volume 18, Number 2 February 2003 It is the mission of Hope International and the editors of Our Firm

1Volume 18, Number 2

2 Our Firm Foundation

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To Obey is BetterThan Sacrifice

nd Samuel said, Hath the LORDas great delight in burntofferings and sacrifices, as in

obeying the voice of the LORD?Behold, to obey is better thansacrifice, and to hearken than thefat of rams. For rebellion is as thesin of witchcraft, and stubborn-ness is as iniquity and idolatry.Because thou hast rejected theword of the LORD, he hath alsorejected thee from being king.”1 Samuel 15:22–23.

The story of king Saul is a verytragic episode in the history of theancient church. Israel had asked fora king. They wanted to be like thenations around them.

“Then all the elders of Israelgathered themselves together, andcame to Samuel unto Ramah, Andsaid unto him, Behold, thou art old,and thy sons walk not in thy ways:now make us a king to judge uslike all the nations. But the thingdispleased Samuel, when they said,Give us a king to judge us. AndSamuel prayed unto the LORD. Andthe LORD said unto Samuel, Hear-ken unto the voice of the people inall that they say unto thee: for theyhave not rejected thee, but theyhave rejected me, that I should notreign over them. According to allthe works which they have donesince the day that I brought themup out of Egypt even unto this day,wherewith they have forsaken me,and served other gods, so do theyalso unto thee.” 1 Samuel 8:4–8.

God granted their request. Intheir determination to be like theother nations around them, they

lost their protection of the theoc-racy—God’s rule. Saul’s disobedi-ence, his rejection of the Spirit ofProphecy by the prophet Samuel,and his rejection of God’s way, HisWord, and doing his own way isrecorded for us today.

Today, many members andleaders of the remnant church arerejecting God’s way—His Word—and doing their own way. What atragedy!

Why has the church today beenunable to finish the great commis-sion of the gospel—to preach thethird angel’s message in verity,which is victory over all temptationby the power of the Holy Spirit?—See Evangelism, 190.

Why has the latter rain beendelayed more than 100 years?—SeeTestimonies, vol. 2, 194. We havebeen told that God was ready topour out His great power in thelatter rain soon after 1888:

“The time of test is just upon us,for the loud cry of the third angelhas already begun in the revelationof the righteousness of Christ, thesin-pardoning Redeemer. This isthe beginning of the light of theangel whose glory shall fill thewhole earth.” Selected Messages,book 1, 363 (1892).

Four years after the MinneapolisConference, the latter rain experi-ence was still offered to the church,but again leaders rejected theexperience of justification by faiththat was necessary for the comple-tion of the gospel’s commission.

Just as assuredly as Saul’srejection of the Spirit of Prophecy—

God’s words, His orders, Hisdirections—brought a terribleapostasy into Israel, so in this finalgeneration we have delayed thelatter rain, the completion of thegospel’s commission. This isapostasy at its worst, for we—thechurch’s leaders, pastors, andlaity—continue to follow our ownways and refuse to follow thedirection of the Lord. If we con-tinue in this path, we will receivethe curse given in Jeremiah 17:5:“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be theman that trusteth in man, andmaketh flesh his arm, and whoseheart departeth from the LORD.”

Let us remember that God slew50,070 men for their disobedience—looking into the ark—in Samuel’sday. See 1 Samuel 6:19.

For the same reason—disobedi-ence to the commands of God—themajority of leaders, pastors, andlaity will be lost. Let us remember,“There is no such thing as follow-ing Christ unless you refuse togratify inclination and determine toobey God.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 515.

The condition of salvation is thevery same today as it was in thedays of king Saul and the church inthe Old and New Testaments—obedience to all known truthwithout a single compromise.

Let each of us determine withall of our heart to obey all thatGod says, relying upon His divinepower, that Christ might say toyou and me, “Well done, thougood and faithful servant . . .enter thou into the joy of thylord.” Matthew 25:21. �

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Volume 18, Number 2 February 2003

It is the mission of Hope International and theeditors of Our Firm Foundation to clearly presentChrist and His truth. The days remaining forthis world are few, and we must work quickly.We must boldly proclaim the historic truths ofAdventism that place us on so firm a founda-tion in the midst of this troubled world.

–EditorsExecutive Editor: Ron SpearManaging Editor: Harvey SteckLayout & Design: Kevin H. Patterson

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Cover photo: © Steve Allen / Brand X Pictures / PictureQuest

Newswatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Defending the Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

departments

4 Sound an Alarm in My Holy MountainRussell StandishThe Lord has extended our time of probation a little longer.Will it be in vain?

9 Where Are the Elijahs?Cody FrancisAre you willing to stand up and give the last warningmessage to the world?

16 Ellen White’s Writings: Their Role and FunctionDennis PriebeWere the things that Ellen G. White wrote merely an expres-sion of her own opinion?

21 Salvation By ManipulationRalph LarsonDid man fall because he had a “loose screw”? Will we besaved by some magical manipulation by God?

24 “As Much as Lieth in You, Live Peaceably With All Men”Ellen G. WhiteThe true friend of sinners will not remain silent while theyare headed for destruction.

28 Boredom at Canaan’s BorderPatricia TempleOne of spiritism’s inroads among those who are on theborders of the heavenly Canaan

13 Blessed Is He That Considereth the PoorEllen G. WhiteCultivating the tenderness and compassion of Christ


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“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,and sound an alarm in myholy mountain: let all the

inhabitants of the land tremble: forthe day of the LORD cometh, for it isnigh at hand; a day of darkness andof gloominess, a day of clouds andof thick darkness, as the morningspread upon the mountains: a greatpeople and a strong; there hath notbeen ever the like, neither shall beany more after it, even to the yearsof many generations.” Joel 2:1–2.

In the beautiful poetic form ofthe ancient Hebrew language, Godcommands His servants to under-take a most distasteful task. Theinitial line of this poem states,“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion.”

Zion is God’s church. The term“blow the trumpet” indicates thepresentation of a message of direwarning. Here God’s words applyto the last days of earth’s history—the days in which we are nowliving. His command is to sound awarning in His church, the Sev-enth-day Adventist Church.

The second line of the poemstates, “And sound an alarm in myholy mountain.” Here we see therepetition of the precise command inalternate words, as befitted ancientHebrew poetry. The alarm is thetrumpet of warning, and the holymountain, of course, is Zion, God’schurch. The next two lines are alsopoetic in form: “For the day of theLord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.”

Here is evidence that this is amessage for the time just prior tothe close of probation. We are nowin the day of salvation—the day ofprobation. Very soon, probationwill close and the awesome day ofthe Lord will commence. Itssignificance may be judged by twofurther poetic lines found in versetwo, “A day of darkness and ofgloominess, a day of clouds and ofthick darkness.”

God’s church has been estab-lished to take the three angels’messages and the loud cry messageto every corner of the earth. Thismessage is to be presented to thosewho know not the truth, whetherthey belong to the churches ofBabylon or whether they have noChristian profession whatsoever.Why, we may well ask, does Godcommand also the presentation of amessage of great urgency withinHis beloved church?

Why an Alarm in the Church?

The reasons that God com-mands us to sound an alarm inHis holy mountain are: firstly,because our church exists inalarming times; and secondly, ourchurch is experiencing alarmingconditions within it. Apostasy hasbecome accepted as normative.Blasphemous celebration servicesare widespread. Institutionswithin God’s church are closing atan alarming rate.

Destruction of the Spirit ofProphecy is fulfilling Sister White’sstatement, “The very last deceptionof Satan will be to make of noneeffect the testimony of the Spirit ofGod.” Selected Messages, book 1, 48.Ministers and laity now dare todenigrate the Spirit of Prophecy.Others claim to believe it, and yet,never read it. Still others, whileclaiming to espouse a sacred viewof the Testimonies, refuse to acceptany writings of Sister White after1884. Others, although theirnumbers are yet few, claim thatalthough the Spirit of Prophecy isreliable, only those messagespresented after 1898 are relevantfor Seventh-day Adventists in thetwenty-first century. Is it anywonder that God urges upon Hisservants their duty to sound analarm in His holy mountain?

This is an unpleasant duty.Never in the history of God’schurch have such warnings beenreceived with popular gratitude. Itis popular to preach about theapostasy that was in God’s churchjust prior to the destruction ofBabylon. No ire is aroused for thosewho refer to the gross apostasy atthe time of the First Advent.However, speak about contempo-rary apostasy and contemporarysins, and then the ire of the classwho refuse to follow the path ofsanctification is greatly aroused.Satan ensures this. Any servant of

Sound an Alarmin My Holy Mountain

Sound an Alarmin My Holy Mountain

R u s s e l l S t a n d i s h


God accepting this commission tosound an alarm in God’s holymountain may expect to receivestern condemnation and to belargely banned from the pulpits ofthe church. Yet, no true servant ofGod should, on such grounds,cease to fulfill this solemn divinecommand.

There is a Laodicean message tobe given within God’s churchbecause the work will never becompleted until every Seventh-dayAdventist has been afforded theopportunity to hear the precioustruths of the Seventh-day AdventistChurch. Many today are deniedsuch privileges by preachers whohave “betrayed their trust.” Testi-monies, vol. 5, 211. Nevertheless, itis the fearful nature of the day ofthe Lord that urges the conscienceof true servants to sound the alarmin God’s holy mountain.

“And the LORD shall utter hisvoice before his army: for his campis very great: for he is strong thatexecuteth his word: for the day ofthe LORD is great and very terrible;and who can abide it?” Verse 11.

Lest ministers, elders, deaconsand others commissioned by Godto His service do not notice theimport of verse 1, God repeats Hiscommand:

“Blow the trumpet in Zion,sanctify a fast, call a solemnassembly: gather the people,sanctify the congregation, assemblethe elders, gather the children, andthose that suck the breasts: let thebridegroom go forth of his cham-ber, and the bride out of hercloset.” Verses 15–16.

What a command! The wholepurpose of camp meetings is tofulfill this command. Holy convo-cations should be eagerly soughtby faithful people on every conti-nent. The camp meetings of HopeInternational, Hartland Institute,Remnant Herald, and many otherfaithful self-supporting organiza-tions are specifically designed tofulfill the command of verse 16above.

There is a word of warningassociated with God’s command.Some who are unsanctified in heart

point out the sins of the churchalmost with an exultant air—“We’ve caught them again!” Suchan attitude bespeaks nothing oflove for God or His church. Godsets forth the spirit in which theseholy convocations will be held:

“Let the priests, the ministers ofthe LORD, weep between the porchand the altar, and let them say,Spare thy people, O LORD, and givenot thine heritage to reproach, thatthe heathen should rule over them:wherefore should they say amongthe people, Where is their God?”Verse 17.

It is with love for the Lord in thehearts of faithful workers that thisalarm must be set forth. Truepresenters of this message of alarmand warning will empathize withthe sense of earnestness anddespair in the heart of the prophetJeremiah 2,500 years ago. They,

too, will cry out, “My bowels, mybowels! I am pained at my veryheart; my heart maketh a noise inme; I cannot hold my peace,because thou hast heard, O mysoul, the sound of the trumpet, thealarm of war. Destruction upondestruction is cried; for the wholeland is spoiled: suddenly are mytents spoiled, and my curtains in amoment. How long shall I see thestandard, and hear the sound of thetrumpet?” Jeremiah 4:19–21.

How long will we see thestandard raised—the banner ofPrince Emmanuel?—That banner isbeing cast down into the dust asstandard after standard is ridiculedand breached within God’s pre-cious church. It is time to hear thesound of the trumpet, the alarm ofwar, for scripture states:

“For my people is foolish, theyhave not known me; they aresottish children, and they have

none understanding: they are wiseto do evil, but to do good they haveno knowledge.” Verse 22.

This is God’s assessment of Hischurch today. How He must grieveover those whom He has especiallyprivileged to receive the highestand holiest calling of mankind, thecommission to undertake complet-ing the task on earth.

Eternally Lost!

That which is alarming goes farbeyond the fearful desecration ofGod’s standards, His law, His holyprecepts, His saving grace. Thatwhich now motivates the servantsof God to sound an alarm in Hisholy mountain is the knowledge ofthe unspeakable remorse that willsoon be felt by many Seventh-dayAdventists who will realize too latethat they are lost—and lost eter-nally.

Sister White set forth that whichwill be the depth upon the mindand upon the emotions, of theknowledge that one is lost, and lostwithout hope of salvation. Thefrenzy of these people is describedin the words, “Others rushed to thepeople of God and begged to betaught how they might escape Hisjudgments. But the saints hadnothing for them. The last tear forsinners had been shed, the lastagonizing prayer offered, the lastburden borne, the last warninggiven. The sweet voice of mercywas no more to invite them. Whenthe saints, and all heaven, wereinterested for their salvation, theyhad no interest for themselves. Lifeand death had been set beforethem. Many desired life, but madeno effort to obtain it. They did notchoose life, and now there was noatoning blood to cleanse the guilty,no compassionate Saviour to plead

It is the fearful nature of the day of the Lord that urges the

conscience of true servants to sound the alarm in God’s holy

mountain.


for them, and cry, ‘Spare, spare thesinner a little longer.’ ” EarlyWritings, 281.

Imagine the utter despair ofSeventh-day Adventists who havehad a knowledge of the truth andwho now realize that they are lost.The Holy Spirit has been removedfrom the earth except for the livesof the 144,000. Lost Seventh-dayAdventists will then be totallyunder the control of Satan whoseonly motivation is hate. There will

be no mother who tenderly lovesher little baby, no son or daughterwho loves his or her parents. Hatewill be universal. No wonder weare informed that it is “a time oftrouble, such as never was sincethere was a nation”! Daniel 12:1.

Those who have spurnedfaithful preachers of truth andpresenters of God’s warningmessages given during the day ofsalvation will then seek such menand women in a futile effort to hearthe messages which these lostSeventh-day Adventists formerlyspurned. Those they despised, thosethey denounced as critical, thosethey assessed as fanatical are soughtout in the futile hope that they willnow point to the Source of salvation.But it will be forever too late.

Lost Families

The interaction that occursbetween families is clearly exposed:

“Many of the wicked weregreatly enraged as they sufferedthe effects of the plagues. It was ascene of fearful agony. Parentswere bitterly reproaching theirchildren, and children their par-ents, brothers their sisters, andsisters their brothers.” Ibid., 282.

Why will parents bitterlyreproach their children?—We livein an age when it is so difficult to

raise our children in the nurtureand admonition of the Lord. As aparent, I have great pity for God’speople who are struggling with thisproblem. At least when I was a lad,ours was a home where the Bible,the Spirit of Prophecy, and thehighest principles of the faith wereuplifted. This, too, was true in theSabbath School, in the JuniorMissionary Volunteer (Pathfinder)meetings, in the church services, inthe church school, in the afternoon

Missionary Volunteer programs, inthe Sabbath School Quarterlies, in theyouth magazines, and in otherdenominationally publishedperiodicals and books. But suchformer sources of truth are now, inmany cases, the enemies of truth,taking our young people awayfrom their eternal salvation.

The lowered standards counte-nanced in many local churches andpromoted by many conferenceyouth leaders encourage the youngpeople to believe that their parentsare depriving them of somethinggood and worthwhile when theyuphold the high and holy stan-dards set forth in the Bible and theSpirit of Prophecy. Churches todaypromote watching movies; attend-ing sporting events; listening torock music; reading novels; andparticipating in dramas, puppetry,and clowning.

Think of the pressure upongodly parents as they strive to raisechildren in purity. In many in-stances, the standards of many ofour churches and institutions arenow lower than those permitted insociety at large 50 years ago.

The Peril of Indulgence

What is happening today is thatyoung people are much more apt toput very severe pressure upon their

parents. There is growing withinGod’s church the view that if weare too strict in adherence to ourprinciples of faith and standardsthat our children will be lost to thechurch. That may happen; how-ever, on the other hand, if heaven isto be the home of our families, thenwe must uphold those principlesand uphold them without devia-tion—not in a belligerent spirit, butin an understanding one with ourarms around our children and witha tone of deep love in our voices.We must sit down with them andexplain to them the dire conse-quences of breaching God’s holystandards.

Today, many parents cannotwithstand the pressure. “Oh Dad,all the other children in the churchschool are watching these televi-sion programs; their parents thinkit is all right, why can’t we?”Eventually, some parents capitulateto that type of pressure, in themisguided hope that their acquies-cence will help the child to remainin the church. He may; yet, will hebe a child of God? These will be theparents, who in hate, turn on theirchildren with words like “It’s allyour fault that we are lost. If youhad not continued to pester me, wemay have all been saved now.” Thehate in the voices of the parents intheir distress at their lost conditionwill be beyond anything that weexperience today.

The same children will retort totheir parents, “It’s all your faultthat we are lost. If only you had putyour foot down, we might be in thekingdom now!” What a tragedy!What an alarming prospect! Oh,young people reading this article,do not put such pressure uponyour moms and dads. Thank yourparents for upholding the stan-dards because they want you in thekingdom of Heaven. Recognize thisas the measure of their love foryou.

False Shepherds

Again, we see in the followingwords the terrifying plight of thosewho will realize after probationcloses that they are lost:

Imagine the utter despair of Seventh-day Adventists who have

had a knowledge of the truth and who now realize that they

are lost.


“Loud, wailing cries were heardin every direction, ‘It was you whokept me from receiving the truthwhich would have saved me fromthis awful hour.’ The people turnedupon their ministers with bitterhate and reproached them, saying,‘You have not warned us. You toldus that all the world was to beconverted, and cried, Peace, peace,to quiet every fear that wasaroused. You have not told us ofthis hour; and those who warnedus of it you declared to be fanaticsand evil men, who would ruin us.’But I saw that the ministers did notescape the wrath of God. Theirsuffering was tenfold greater thanthat of their people.” Ibid.

Today, many church membersflatter and fawn over pastors whonever reprove sin. They love totrust in such ministers thinkingthat their salvation is assured ifthey are “loyal” to their minister.Such would do well to read thewords of Inspiration:

“He who trusts in man not onlyleans upon a broken reed, andgives Satan an opportunity tointroduce himself, but he hurts theone in whom the trust is placed; hebecomes lifted up in his estimationof himself, and loses the sense ofhis dependence upon God. Just assoon as man is placed where Godshould be, he loses his purity, hisvigor, his confidence in God’spower. Moral confusion results,because his powers becomeunsanctified and perverted. Hefeels competent to judge hisfellowmen, and he strives unlaw-fully to be a god over them.”Testimonies to Ministers, 376.

Here we see the folly of thiscourse. Many ministers todaybelieve that they are the mastersrather than the servants of thechurch because many of themembers put their utmost depen-dence and trust upon their pastor.Dare we so hurt our ministers?

We need to have a very sincerelove for them, these ministers, fortheir fate is beyond our presentcomprehension. We who areministers and elders of the churchshould in no wise feel complacent

in the message that we have justread. It is time that we shouldstand for the truths of God and forHis righteousness.

Why Have We Not Seen MoreTerrorism?

Many Seventh-day Adventistshave little understanding how nearwe are to the end of this earth’shistory. The urgency of preparingour lives in holiness and sanctifica-tion is well nigh ignored—if notopenly opposed. How our peopleneed to have their vision enlargedto see the mighty standards ofGod’s law! Each one of us mustrecognize our great need. Theevents of September 11, 2001,opened the eyes of some, but as

time has passed, those impressionshave faded.

Some Seventh-day Adventistseven joined the chorus of thosewho cried, “Why did God let ithappen?” This question is mostimproper. It imputes upon God theterrible tragedy of that day. Thegreat question, as we see how nearwe are to the close of probation, is“Why did such terrorism nothappen decades ago?” For alongwith New York, the cities of theworld are vile.

There can be only one reasonwhy that which transpired in NewYork City has not occurred innumerous cities around the world.And that reason is to be found inRevelation 7:1: “And after thesethings I saw four angels standingon the four corners of the earth,holding the four winds of the earth,that the wind should not blow onthe earth, nor on the sea, nor onany tree.”

Angels which excel in strengthare holding back the winds of strifeso that God can give mankind

every possible opportunity forsalvation, for “the Lord is not slackconcerning his promise, as somemen count slackness; but islongsuffering to us-ward, notwilling that any should perish, butthat all should come to repen-tance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

I have often wondered aboutthe next two verses in Revelation 7:

“And I saw another angelascending from the east, having theseal of the living God: and he criedwith a loud voice to the fourangels, to whom it was given tohurt the earth and the sea, saying,Hurt not the earth, neither the sea,nor the trees, till we have sealed theservants of our God in their fore-heads.” Verses 2–3.

My question has been, Why didGod need to send a fifth angel inorder to instruct the four powerfulangels as to their duty?—Theanswer to this question is found ina vision that Sister White was givenon January 5, 1849 during prayerwith Brother Belden’s family atRocky Hill, Connecticut. Thedetails of that vision are recordedbelow:

“I saw four angels who had awork to do on the earth, and wereon their way to accomplish it. Jesuswas clothed with priestly garments.He gazed in pity on the remnant,then raised His hands, and with avoice of deep pity cried, ‘My blood,Father, My blood, My blood, Myblood!’ Then I saw an exceedingbright light come from God, whosat upon the great white throne,and was shed all about Jesus. ThenI saw an angel with a commissionfrom Jesus, swiftly flying to thefour angels who had a work to doon the earth, and waving some-thing up and down in his hand,and crying with a loud voice, ‘Hold!

The great question, as we see how near we are to the close of

probation, is “Why did such terrorism not happen decades

ago?”


Hold! Hold! Hold! until the servantsof God are sealed in their fore-heads.’ ” Early Writings, 38. (Em-phasis in the original.)

As I have read the account ofthis vision my mind has beenstruck with the wonderful pity Godhas for the remnant: “Like as afather pitieth his children, so theLORD pitieth them that fear him. Forhe knoweth our frame; heremembereth that we are dust.”Psalm 103:13–14.

The passage from Early Writingsquoted above depicts a scenetranspiring just before the close ofprobation. We know it is prior tothe close of probation becauseChrist is still clothed in priestlygarments. Notice the anguish inHis voice as He pleads before the

Father, “My blood, Father, My blood,My blood, My blood!” God wants tomake atonement for each one of us.Only in eternity will we know howvital was the message sent by thefifth angel crying with the loudvoice, “Hold! Hold! Hold! Hold! untilthe servants of God are sealed intheir foreheads.” Like us, SisterWhite was not absolutely certain ofthe meaning of this vision, but thatmeaning was conveyed to her:

“I asked my accompanyingangel the meaning of what I heard,and what the four angels wereabout to do. He said to me that itwas God that restrained thepowers, and that He gave Hisangels charge over things on theearth; that the four angels hadpower from God to hold the fourwinds, and that they were about tolet them go; but while their handswere loosening, and the four windswere about to blow, the mercifuleye of Jesus gazed on the remnantthat were not sealed, and He raisedHis hands to the Father and

pleaded with Him that He hadspilled His blood for them. Thenanother angel was commissioned tofly swiftly to the four angels andbid them hold, until the servants ofGod were sealed with the seal ofthe living God in their foreheads.”Ibid.

Often we forget that just as Godgives us discretionary power, so Hegives it also to the angels. Appar-ently, the angels judged that thecup of God’s iniquity had beenfilled and were about to let thewinds of strife loose with theconsequent pouring of the plaguesupon the earth. Christ looked downin pity upon His remnant, you, andme. What a God! Many of us werenot ready, and He wanted us in Hiskingdom.

The Last Crisis

Could it be that September 11,2001, was the very time when thisevent transpired? You will remem-ber that, while visiting New YorkCity, Sister White received a visionof the fiery destruction of loftybuildings. It was recorded inTestimonies, vol. 9, 11–17, and wasentitled “The Last Crisis.” Could itbe that the signal for the com-mencement of the last crisis uponthis old earth was the destructionof the twin towers? Certainly, inview of this possibility, the eventsof September 11, 2001, shouldindicate to every one of us that theclose of probation may be veryclose.

If the restraining angels thoughtthat the time had come, how muchmore significant should this be forus whose eternal destinies will bedetermined at that time! Howmuch more significant for wepastors who will be the first to bejudged, for judgment commences

with the ancient men, those whohave stood as the spiritual guard-ians of the people! See ibid., vol. 5,210–211. What a soberingthought—that Christ looked downupon His people and saw that wewere not yet ready, and in greatpity He gave to us another littlesliver of probationary time!

Since that time my prayer hasbeen that I will not fritter away thislast opportunity to be ready. Idesire heaven with all my heart.How I love Him because at thattime He had pity on Russell RolandStandish.

Dear brothers and sisters, this iswhy we must sound an alarm inGod’s holy mountain. There is anurgency in the times in which welive. If ever there was a time whenthere were wars and rumors ofwars, it is now. If ever there was atime for each of us to put every-thing right between himself and theLord, today is that time.

It is my urgent prayer withGod’s people around the world,that we make our calling andelection sure. We need to humbleour hearts. We need to followChrist in the beauty of holiness. Weneed to serve Him with unfeignedhearts. We need to be ready tobecome a part of the 144,000.Probation surely is about to closefor the living. We remember thatthe judgment of the living com-mences in the Seventh-dayAdventist Church, for we have hadthe light. Furthermore, let us do allin our power to arouse our dearbrothers and sisters in darknesswithin our own beloved churchand to enlighten the ministry andthe leadership to the ominousmoment in which we are living.May God bless each reader andgive you grace to serve Him withyour entire heart. This is my prayerfor God’s people today, for I wantheaven more than anything else,and I want to share it with God’swonderful people. Thank God forHis great mercy, His unfathomablepity toward us.

This must ever be our motive, tosound an alarm in God’s holymountain. �

Could it be that the signal for the commencement of the last

crisis upon this old earth was the destruction of the twin

towers?


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ave you ever misplacedsomething, and then beenunable to find it? Perhaps

you spent long hours searching forthe lost item before you finallyrecovered it. There is somethingthat the God of heaven is missing—not something that He has mis-placed, but something that todayHe is seeking for diligently. He issearching our earth, desiring tofind what He needs before Christcan return to take His faithfulpeople home.

We are living in the mostexciting time possible—a timewhich the prophets, the righteousmen, and the patriarchs desired tosee. What a privilege and anawesome responsibility it is to livein the last days of this world’shistory and to have such a vitalmessage to give to the entire world!In His mercy God has given usdifferent illustrations in His Wordto help us comprehend what isabout to break upon us—to help usbe prepared for the days ahead.The stories, history, and illustrationsin the Bible were recorded specifi-cally for us. The Apostle Paul wrote,“Now all these things happenedunto them for ensamples: and theyare written for our admonition, uponwhom the ends of the world arecome.” 1 Corinthians 10:11.

Where Are theElijahs?

C o d y F r a n c i s

HI often marvel at God’s Word.

We can study the lessons in it againand again, and each time the Lordgives us new insights and a newdepth of understanding. We willnever exhaust them. What awonderful proof of the Bible’sinspiration. Jesus said, “Heavenand earth shall pass away, but mywords shall not pass away.”Matthew 24:35.

In this article, we will discoverwhat God is missing by looking ata familiar incident in Old Testa-ment history that holds manyimportant lessons for us today. In1 Kings, chapter 16, we read of howthe kingdom of Israel had falleninto a desperate condition. AfterJeroboam broke away from David’skingdom, the apostasy among theten tribes grew deeper and deeperuntil the moral state of the nationwas at an all-time low. In verses30–31, it is recorded, “And Ahabthe son of Omri did evil in the sightof the LORD above all that werebefore him. And it came to pass, asif it had been a light thing for him

to walk in the sins of Jeroboam theson of Nebat, that he took to wifeJezebel the daughter of Ethbaalking of the Zidonians, and wentand served Baal, and worshippedhim.”

Ahab did not just follow in thewicked course of Jeroboam, hewent to the priest of Baal, Ethbaalwhich means “with Baal,” and tookto wife the daughter of this paganhigh priest. The result of thisunholy union was that Jezebel ledalmost the entire nation into Baalworship. Almost all of Israel wasseduced into compromising withheathen sun worship; and theyquickly became so debased that thevilest of pagan rites were common-place.

The apostle John, in the book ofRevelation, elaborates upon thissad part of Israel’s history pointingout its broader application. In themessage given to the church atThyatira, Christ says, “Notwith-standing I have a few thingsagainst thee, because thou sufferestthat woman Jezebel, which calleth


herself a prophetess, to teach andto seduce my servants to commitfornication, and to eat thingssacrificed unto idols.” Revelation2:20. This prophecy directly paral-lels the time of the Dark Ages whenthe Roman Catholic Church andthe corrupt government shecontrolled seduced God’s people toonce again compromise with sunworship. There are also strikingparallels for our day:

“Through the long centuriesthat have passed since Elijah’s time,the record of his lifework hasbrought inspiration and courage tothose who have been called tostand for the right in the midst ofapostasy. And for us, ‘upon whomthe ends of the world are come’(1 Corinthians 10:11), it has specialsignificance. History is beingrepeated. The world today has itsAhabs and its Jezebels.” Prophetsand Kings, 177. The apostatechurches of today, like Jezebel of

old, are influencing nearly theentire world to worship the beastpower and reverence the day of thesun instead of God’s holy Sabbathday.

A Cowardly King and a FaithfulMessenger

Consider the parallels we seebetween the man Ahab and thecivil rulers of our day. The Biblesays that this king did morewickedly than all the wicked kingsbefore him. The biblical recordshows a struggling man who attimes tried to do right and evenrepented occasionally for hiswicked ways; however, he neverfound the moral courage to stepout from his cowardly, vacillatingcourse. As the head of state, he wasconstantly influenced, if notdirected by the wicked counsel of

Jezebel and the priests of Baalwhom she had brought to power.

Who are the Jezebels and Ahabsin our world today?—The apostatechurches are acting out the part ofJezebel as they seduce the people tofollow the beast power. Throughtheir work behind the scenes, theyare forcing governments to prepareto enforce their dogmas:

“The dignitaries of church andstate will unite to bribe, persuade,or compel all classes to honor theSunday. The lack of divine author-ity will be supplied by oppressiveenactments. Political corruption isdestroying love of justice andregard for truth; and even in freeAmerica, rulers and legislators, inorder to secure public favor, willyield to the popular demand for alaw enforcing Sunday observance.Liberty of conscience, which hascost so great a sacrifice, will nolonger be respected.” The GreatControversy, 592.

Like compromising King Ahabof old, the rulers and legislators oftoday will yield to popular de-mand—even at the sacrifice ofjustice and liberty. Our governmentwill yield, as did weak Ahab, inorder to please the Jezebels oftoday, which will result in thedeepest apostasy ever known andwill be followed by the swiftjudgments of God—just as hap-pened in Israel millennia ago.

A Startling Message

In the days of ancient Ahab andJezebel, however, a bright spotappeared on the scene. A mandared to take a stand, dared toproclaim an uncompromisingmessage from God. He is describedin 1 Kings 17:1, “And Elijah theTishbite, who was of the inhabit-ants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As

the LORD God of Israel liveth,before whom I stand, there shallnot be dew nor rain these years, butaccording to my word.”

Think for a moment aboutElijah, dwelling in the mountains ofGilead—unknown to society,nonetheless, known and loved ofGod. From his mountain home hesees the gross apostasy of Israel,and he pleads with the Lord to dosomething to check its awfulprogression. In his anguish, he asksthe Lord to send judgments if thatis what is necessary to wake Israelfrom her deep, carnal slumber.During his prayer, a messagecomes to him, Your prayer hasbeen answered; go tell Ahab thejudgment that is to come becausehe has lead My people into apos-tasy. Would that have been an easything to do?—Elijah could havethought of many excuses: How amI going to get an audience withAhab? Will he listen to me? Will itdo any good? Yet, without questionor hesitation, Elijah obeyed thecommand of God and marched inbefore the monarch of the land togive his fearful message.

Does a stern and startlingmessage need to be given today?—Inspiration tells us, “In this fearfultime, just before Christ is to comethe second time, God’s faithfulpreachers will have to bear a stillmore pointed testimony than wasborne by John the Baptist.” Testimo-nies, vol. 1, 321. The message fortoday is to be more pointed thanthat borne by Elijah to vacillatingAhab or by John the Baptist to thecorrupt religious leaders of his day.The message must be more pointedbecause the darkness of apostasy iseven deeper now than in thosetimes.

Even though Elijah bore God’smessage with unswerving fidelity,the people scoffed at and ridiculedhim. The religious leaders urgedthem not to worry about themessage from this “fanatic”—tohave confidence in Baal. As thejudgments continued for one year,two years, then three years, ratherthan repenting, the people blamedElijah for the disaster. The whole

Like compromising King Ahab of old, the rulers and legislators

of today will yield to popular demand—even at the sacrifice of

justice and liberty.


nation echoed Ahab’s accusation,“Art thou he that troubleth Israel?”1 Kings 18:17. Not seeing theirsinful condition and not realizingthat God had sent judgments topunish them for their wickedcourse, they blamed the messengerwhom God had chosen.

The time is coming in our land,as the judgments increase andcalamities become more and morefrequent, that the world will blameall of the disasters upon theSabbathkeepers:

“The great deceiver will per-suade men that those who serveGod are causing these evils. Theclass that have provoked thedispleasure of Heaven will chargeall their troubles upon those whoseobedience to God’s commandmentsis a perpetual reproof to transgres-sors. It will be declared that menare offending God by the violationof the Sunday sabbath; that this sinhas brought calamities which willnot cease until Sunday observanceshall be strictly enforced; and thatthose who present the claims of thefourth commandment, thus de-stroying reverence for Sunday, aretroublers of the people, preventingtheir restoration to divine favorand temporal prosperity. Thus theaccusation urged of old against theservant of God will be repeatedand upon grounds equally wellestablished: ‘And it came to pass,when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahabsaid unto him, Art thou he thattroubleth Israel? And he answered,I have not troubled Israel; but thou,and thy father’s house, in that yehave forsaken the commandmentsof the LORD, and thou hast followedBaalim.’ Verses 17–18. As the wrathof the people shall be excited byfalse charges, they will pursue acourse toward God’s ambassadorsvery similar to that which apostateIsrael pursued toward Elijah.” TheGreat Controversy, 590.

Are we ready to have a similarcourse pursued against us as waspursued against Elijah? He washunted from coast to coast. Eventhe king joined in the search. Thenations around Israel were re-quired to give their oath that Elijah

was not in their territory; such wasthe hatred that was shown towardGod’s messenger. Many otherprophets of the Lord were slainduring that time. Yet, when thetime appointed by God wasfulfilled, Elijah came again withouthesitation before the king and allthe people to demand that theymake a decision either for Baal orfor the true God. “And Elijah cameunto all the people, and said, Howlong halt ye between two opinions?if the LORD be God, follow him: butif Baal, then follow him.” Verse 21.

The time is soon to come wheneveryone in our world will bebrought to make a decision be-tween the mark of the beast or theseal of God, between following theGod of heaven—the Creator ofheaven and earth—or following thebeast. As God’s faithful servantsproclaim the third angel’s message,

all will have the opportunity tochoose which side they will be onduring the last final conflict—justas the inhabitants of Israel werebrought to take a stand upon Mt.Carmel.

More Parallels From Elijah’sDay

After God unmistakably re-vealed His power on Mt. Carmeland the people were constrained toconfess His sovereignty, all 850 ofthe prophets and priests of Baalwere destroyed. Have you evertried to think of what it will be likefor the false ministers, just beforeChrist’s second coming, who haveled thousands and millions astraywhen it becomes clear to all whatthey have done?—“The people seethat they have been deluded. Theyaccuse one another of having ledthem to destruction; but all unite inheaping their bitterest condemna-

tion upon the ministers. Unfaithfulpastors have prophesied smooththings; they have led their hearersto make void the law of God and topersecute those who would keep itholy. Now, in their despair, theseteachers confess before the worldtheir work of deception. Themultitudes are filled with fury. ‘Weare lost!’ they cry, ‘and you are thecause of our ruin;’ and they turnupon the false shepherds. The veryones that once admired them mostwill pronounce the most dreadfulcurses upon them. The very handsthat once crowned them withlaurels will be raised for theirdestruction. The swords whichwere to slay God’s people are nowemployed to destroy their en-emies.” Ibid., 655–656. What asolemn warning this is for all whoprofess to be shepherds of God’speople!

The parallels in the history ofElijah do not end here. AfterElijah’s faithful life of unwaveringservice for God, he was translatedto heaven without tasting death.Those today who are faithful ingiving the final message to thisworld are admonished to seek tofollow in Elijah’s steps. We muststrive with all of our powers to be apart of the 144,000.

The history of Elijah in connec-tion with Ahab and Jezebel is afascinating illustration of our day.Now, let us see, what is the God ofheaven missing today?

The Greatest Want of theWorld

It is not difficult to recognize theAhabs (cowardly leaders afraid totake a stand for justice and equity)and the Jezebels (apostate churchleaders who confuse the peoplewith false doctrines until they are

Where are the Elijahs? Where are those who are willing to give

the message of stern rebuke regardless of the consequences?


drunk with Babylon’s wine).However, where are the Elijahs?Where are those who are willing togive the message of stern rebukeregardless of the consequences?

“Elijah, amid the generalapostasy, did not seek to hide thefact that he served the God ofheaven. Baal’s prophets numberedfour hundred and fifty, his priests,four hundred, and his worshiperswere thousands; yet Elijah did nottry to make it appear that he wason the popular side. He grandlystood alone. . . . The result was thatthe Lord God, who ruleth in theheavens, was vindicated, and theBaal worshipers were slain. Whereare the Elijahs of today?” Testimo-nies, vol. 5, 526–527.

“God calls for men like Elijah,Nathan, and John the Baptist—menwho will bear His message withfaithfulness, regardless of theconsequences; men who will speakthe truth bravely, though it call forthe sacrifice of all they have.”Prophets and Kings, 142.

What is the greatest want in theworld and in the church today?—Itis not finances, for God ownseverything. It is not institutions orlearning. No, the greatest want inour world today is men—“Menwho will not be bought or sold,men who in their inmost souls aretrue and honest, men who do notfear to call sin by its right name,men whose conscience is as true toduty as the needle to the pole, menwho will stand for the right thoughthe heavens fall.” Education, 57.

Where are the Elijahs today?The stage is set; all the players areready, except for God’s people.What God is missing is not power;it is not resources; it is not means.He is missing men and womenwho are willing to stand up likeElijah and give a message likeElijah gave. Are we doing all in ourpower to give that warning mes-sage? God is waiting upon you andme. He is waiting upon us; and Hedoes not wait alone. The world isdying for the lack of our message,waiting for someone to bring thema message of hope. The angels, thatinnumerable host of Heaven, arewaiting with earnestness andeagerness to come to our aid andfinally to accompany our Lord andKing in triumphant return. Sadly,they wait on—waiting for you andme.

“Why has the Lord so longdelayed His coming? The wholehost of Heaven is waiting to fulfillthe last work for this lost world,and yet the work waits. It isbecause the few, who profess tohave the oil of grace in their vesselswith their lamps, have not becomeburning and shining lights in theworld. It is because missionariesare few. Many voices are saying,‘My lord delayeth his coming.’Matthew 24:48. Have we noincentive to work? Does not deathenter the doors of your neighborsand friends, telling you that yourprobation is fast hastening to itsclose?” Review and Herald, March27, 1894.

It is not time for us to lookaround and count what we aredoing, but to look around and ask,What more can I do? Each of us has awork to do; and, like Daniel, each ofus is to stand in our lot and give anElijah message in the way whichGod calls us to give it. We shall haveto answer before the judgment bar ofGod if we neglect to take up thisHeaven-ordained work and continueto keep all of Heaven waiting for theElijahs to take the scene.

“Remember that those whoknow the truth for this time and yetconfine their efforts to their ownchurches, refusing to work for theirunconverted neighbors, will becalled to account for unfulfilledduties.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 35.What is it that the God of heaven ismissing?—It is the Elijahs who willgive the message of God regardlessof the consequences.

As we look around us and seeheartache, suffering, and death, dowe realize that all of it would cometo an end very soon if we would dothe work that God commands us todo? Have we lost sight of heavenand the reward prepared for thefaithful? Where are the Elijahs whowill obey God without hesitation?Our Father in heaven is waiting.Jesus is waiting, pleading Hisblood yet a little while longer. Theangels of Heaven are waiting tocooperate with human instrumen-talities to give power to the work.The world is waiting, languishingin sin and misery. Will you answerHis call to be an Elijah, today? �

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The Lord Jesus said, “Blessedare the merciful; for they shallobtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7.

There never was a time when therewas greater need for the exercise ofmercy than today. The poor are allaround us, the distressed, theafflicted, the sorrowing, and thosewho are ready to perish. Thosewho have acquired riches haveacquired them through the exerciseof the talents that were given themof God; but these talents for theacquiring of property were given tothem that they might relieve thosewho are in poverty. These giftswere bestowed upon men by Himwho maketh His sun to shine andHis rain to fall upon the just andthe unjust, that by the fruitfulnessof the earth men might haveabundant supplies for all theirneed. The fields have been blessedof God, and of His goodness Hehath prepared for the poor. SeePsalm 68:10.

In the providence of God eventshave been so ordered that the poorare always with us, in order thatthere may be a constant exercise inthe human heart of the attributes ofmercy and love. Man is to cultivatethe tenderness and compassion of

E l l e n G . W h i t e

Christ; he is not to separate himselffrom the sorrowing, the afflicted,the needy, and the distressed. Jobdeclares: “When the ear heard me,then it blessed me; and when theeye saw me, it gave witness to me:because I delivered the poor thatcried, and the fatherless, and himthat had none to help him. Theblessing of him that was ready toperish came upon me: and I causedthe widow’s heart to sing for joy.”Job 29:11–13.

How many there are who claimto be followers of Christ, yet who donot follow Him in truth. They do notmanifest the sympathy and love ofChrist by being merciful and com-passionate. They do not make thewidow’s heart sing for joy; they treatthe fatherless with coldness, indiffer-ence, or contempt. Said Job: “I put onrighteousness, and it clothed me: myjudgment was as a robe and adiadem. I was eyes to the blind, andfeet was I to the lame. I was a fatherto the poor: and the cause which Iknew not I searched out.” Verses 14–16. This was an evidence that Jobhad righteousness that was afterChrist’s order.

Through Jesus men may possessa spirit of tender pity toward the

needy and distressed. They mayhave the mind of Christ. He was theSon of God, rich in heavenly trea-sures, yet for our sake He becamepoor, He descended to the lowesthumiliation and was obedient untodeath, even the death of the cross,that He might exalt us to be jointheirs with Himself. The whole worldwas in need of that which Christalone could give them. He did notwithdraw Himself from those whocalled upon Him for help. He did notdo as many now do, say, “I wishthey would not trouble me with theiraffairs, I want to hoard up mymeans, to invest it in houses andlands.” Jesus, the Majesty of heaven,turned from the splendor of Hisheavenly home, and in the graciouspurpose of His heart He demon-strated the character of God to menthroughout the world. The require-ment of God from those who claimto be His children is that they bedoers of His Word, that they followHis example, represent the life ofChrist in tender, pitying love to theworld; that they reflect His image.

Jesus says, Be ye thereforemerciful, as your Father which is inheaven is merciful. See Luke 6:36.To pursue the course that Jesus did,


Blessedis He That

Considereththe Poor

BlessedIs He That

Considereththe Poor


to follow in His divine footsteps, isnot in harmony with the feelings ofthe natural heart; but if we areChristians, we shall practice thewords and works of Christ, whogave Himself in order to ransom anapostate race. The root of selfish-ness has a firm growth in manyhearts, and worldliness and pridespring from this root; but selfish-ness is not a Christian characteris-tic; it is an attribute of the greatapostate. No one can live forhimself and at the same time beunited with Christ. Conformity tothe world, attachment to the world,manifests a decided denial ofChrist.

The Value of a Man

The rich are not to be favoredabove the poor. How inconsistentis it to make favorites of menbecause the Lord has entrusted Hisgoods to them to be wisely dis-pensed to those who are needy.Unless the rich manifest the spiritthat moved Christ to come to ourworld to seek and to save thatwhich was lost, they are none ofHis. They are training underanother general. The importantquestion is not, “Is a man rich?”But the important question is,“What use does he make of hisriches?”

The value and character of aman is determined by the use towhich he puts his entrusted talents.Does he do good in this life? Doeshe seek to bless humanity, to buildup the kingdom of Christ in theworld? Shut away the rich from thepoor in large and costly dwellings,make churches too splendid for theentrance of the poor, so that therich man may not be brought incontact with the distressing needsof the fatherless and the widow,and the result will be that his

sympathies will be withered, mercywill not be exercised, and the richman will be in imminent danger oflosing his soul.

Christ says, “How hardly shallthey that have riches enter into thekingdom of God!” Mark 10:23.Unless the grace of Christ controlsthe heart, the tendency of the richman is to grow more proud, moreself-sufficient, more self-righteous.He acts as if he were made of betterflesh and more costly blood thanhis poorer brother. But Christ lookson, and says, “All ye are brethren.”Matthew 23:8. There is no respectof persons with God. The rich manhas plenty, and makes no effort to

put himself in the poor man’splace; but because he does notconsider the poor, he becomesunfeeling, indifferent, and hard-hearted. He does not try to under-stand the conflicts, temptations,and struggles of his poor brethren,and mercy dries up in his heart.

The poor are robbed daily of theeducation and training they shouldhave concerning the tender mercieswith which the Lord would havethem regarded; for he has madeample provision that they shouldbe comforted with the necessities oflife. They are compelled to feel thepoverty that narrows life, and theyare often tempted to becomeenvious, jealous, and full of evilsurmisings. Their sympathies arealienated from their more prosper-ous neighbors; but when men areborn again, when they are trulyconverted, old things pass away,and behold, all things become new.A new moral taste is created, andhe that was exalted because Godhad entrusted him with means willseek to aid and exalt others. Hisresponsibilities will seem weightyupon him and will humble hisheart before God; for he will realize

that his goods are entrusted of theLord, that he may relieve theneedy, comfort the distressed, feedthe fatherless, and make thewidow’s heart sing for joy.

But instead of using their meansfor the Master, how many em-bezzle it, invest it for themselves,furnishing their homes with richcarpets, fine furniture, and multi-plying lands and houses to glorifythemselves in the earth, while theneedy call upon them in vain. Ifthey do anything for the poor, theycall them paupers, and look uponthem with contempt. They do notconsider from whence comes theirentrusted capital and that they areall the time receiving unnumberedblessings from God. If He shouldwithhold His beneficence, theywould be numbered with the poor.We are all dependent upon thebenevolence of a gracious God. Theday will come when those whohave cherished selfishness andcovetousness, who have defraudedthe poor, who have withdrawnmercy and love from them, will bemade manifest.

Considering the Needs of thePoor and the Cause of God

God has placed property in thehands of men in order that theymay learn to be merciful, to be Hisalmoners1 to relieve the suffering ofHis fallen creatures. Further thanthis, they are to consider the wantsof the cause of God, and keep Histreasury supplied according to thegifts bestowed upon them. Satanhas had power to make menhaughty and like himself in charac-ter, so that the money given themof God has been used for thegratification of self, and the cry ofthe poor has reached unto Godagainst them; for they have beenunmerciful in their conduct towardthe needy. Whatever we spend forthat which is not necessary forhealth and godliness will becharged as robbery against God;because all that was spent for thegratification of self someoneneeded to obtain necessary foodand clothing.

Those who have the Spirit ofChrist will see all men through the

The important question is not, “Is a man rich?” But the

important question is, “What use does he make of his riches?”


eyes of divine compassion. Nomatter what may be the socialposition, no matter what his wealthor how high his education, if a manis in Christ, he will not be unkind,uncourteous, hard-hearted, andmerciless. Since every soul isentirely dependent upon God forevery blessing he enjoys, howpatient, how merciful, we shouldbe to every creature.

God looked upon man in hislost condition, in his degradationand guilt, and paid the same pricefor the ransom of the poor and theoutcast that he paid to ransom therich with all his entrusted talents.There is no respect of persons withGod. All are candidates for heavenor hell. All need to be taught everyhour of God, to be diligent stu-dents, that in their time they maymake a wise use of their entrustedability, that they may be livingagencies to cooperate with theheavenly intelligences for thesaving of men’s souls, that withtender hearts, overflowing withmercy and true goodness, they maywork as Christ worked.

The apostle says, “We arelabourers together with God.”1 Corinthians 3:9. You are to lookafter the poor; you are to look afterthe fatherless ones, who need yourwisdom, your care, your love, andhelp. You are to look after thewidow. You are to look after thosewho go in want, in hunger, in rags,who are depraved in principle; forJesus came to seek and to save thatwhich is lost.

God cares for the outcast, anddo you think yourself too good, toohonorable, to bear the yoke withChrist, in seeking to save theperishing? Will you despise yourfellowmen? Will you become anoffense to God by slighting anddespising His image in man? Indistinct lines Christ has revealedthe relation of man to his fellow-man. Jesus, the only-begotten Sonof God, has settled that questionforever in the example He has setto the world. Ask yourself: Am Imy brother’s keeper? And who ismy neighbor?

There is in society an increasingtendency to separate the rich from

the poor, to set them apart indistinct, definite classes; but this isnot at all after God’s order, butafter the policy of Satan. Heavenlooks with pain and amazementupon the scenes that are dailyenacted among those who arecalled Christians. Many cannotread the meaning of the great planof redemption because Satan hascast his shadow upon their path-way. Many who could be as lightsin the world, as the salt of theearth, who command great re-sources for doing good to theirfellowmen, are not in union andsympathy with Christ, that theymay be laborers together with God.They have felt that a high value

was set upon them, that they wereplaced above their brethren, andeven above their own flesh andblood. They have expended theirLord’s goods in lifting up theirsouls unto vanity, in cultivatingpride, envy, self-exaltation. Theyhave surrounded themselves withcostly luxuries, and placed them-selves in a position which it wasimpossible for their brethren toreach, and they have left the poorin their poverty to get along as theycould without sympathy and love.God looks down from heaven, andhates all these pretensions. He callsfor men who have intellect, menwho have property, men who havemoral worth, to change this orderof things.

Let every leader of the peopleassociate with the people; for theyreally need his help, so that sympa-thy shall not congeal in the humanbreast.

No church should become solifted up that its members shall feelabove the poor, and the poor feelthat they cannot enter freely intothe house of God. A church that istoo rich for the poor to feel at home

in is too aristocratic for Jesus tomake one in its assembly. Thisnarrow exclusiveness that shutsman away from his brother is anabomination in the sight of God.When men are converted, they willhave an abiding sense of the factthat they have been bought with aprice. Whatever may be the sum ofour talents—whether one, two, orfive—not a farthing of our moneyis to be squandered upon vanity,pride or selfishness.

Every dollar of our accumula-tion is stamped with the image andsuperscription of God. As long asthere are hungry ones in God’sworld to be fed, naked ones to beclothed, souls perishing for the

bread and water of salvation, everyunnecessary indulgence, everyoverplus of capital, pleads for thepoor and the naked. It is no lightthing to be entrusted with riches,although men treat their positionand property as though they werenot accountable to anyone, asthough it was by their own virtuethat they had these things. “Howhardly shall they that have richesenter into the kingdom of God!”

Those who consecrate themselvesto God, with their riches, becominglaborers together with him, are theonly ones to whom the King of glorywill give the benediction: “Come, yeblessed of my Father, inherit thekingdom prepared for you from thefoundation of the world.” Matthew25:34. “Well done, thou good andfaithful servant: thou hast beenfaithful over a few things, I willmake thee ruler over many things.”Verse 21. �

Note:1 One who distributes alms.

Signs of the Times, June 13 and 20,1892.

God cares for the outcast, and do you think yourself too good,

too honorable, to bear the yoke with Christ, in seeking to save

the perishing?


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any questions have beenraised in recent yearsrelating to the proper

function of Ellen White’s writings.What relation do her writings bearto the Bible? Was everything shewrote inspired? Does she havedoctrinal authority? What is properand what is improper in using herwritings? It is crucial that weunderstand the proper place ofEllen G. White’s ministry to theSeventh-day Adventist Church.

The Seventh-day AdventistChurch believes that God gavedivine inspiration to Ellen G.White. We do not mean occasionalprophetic utterances by thisassertion, for she claimed that herentire life was guided by Inspira-tion. A person who claims to be aprophet or to receive propheticmessages and visions must bejudged by a different standardfrom Christians who try to inter-pret the Scriptures. We must be fairand evaluate the claims made bythe claimant to a prophetic office. Ifa person claims to have receivedvisions or direct guidance from

Ellen White’sWritings:Their Roleand Function

D e n n i s P r i e b e

M God, either this person is underdivine inspiration or he is not. InSister White’s writings we do notperceive the gray areas that we findin other speakers for God.

A prophet who lies or is mis-guided misleads a whole people.God does not speak some truth andsome error through the samemessenger, or we would have noway of knowing which parts of themessages have been given by Godand which parts come from theprophet’s own ideas. I believe thatGod exercises very strict controlover the content He reveals to Hismessengers. Either all that themessenger speaks is truth, or theprophet is impelled by Satan or hisown ideas.

In the case of Ellen White, thelast option—her own ideas—isruled out by the physical phenom-ena which could not have been self-induced. Thus her visions had tocome either from God or fromSatan. Either her visions aregenuine or they are a masterpieceof deception, and should beshunned as coming from Satan. No

other option is open for one whoclaims the prophetic gift and hasexperienced the physical phenom-ena which Ellen White did. In fact,she herself stated that her visionscame either from God or fromSatan. Thus we must accept orreject the messenger as a whole.

All From God?

We must begin with somestatements by Ellen White herself,because it is only fair to evaluatethe claims made by the person whosupposedly received messagesfrom God. We must not make upour own claims for the work of aprophet, but we must evaluate theprophet’s own claims. Just whatdid Ellen White claim for herself?

“I speak that which I have seen,and which I know to be true.”Selected Messages, book 3, 49.

She claimed that she was told,“In all your communications, speakas one to whom the Lord hasspoken. He is your authority.”Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, 63.

“Sister White is not the origina-tor of these books. They contain the


instruction that during her lifeworkGod has been giving her. Theycontain the precious, comfortinglight that God has graciously givenHis servant to be given to theworld.” Selected Messages, book 3,50.

“I do not write one article in thepaper expressing merely my ownideas. They are what God hasopened before me in vision—theprecious rays of light shining fromthe throne.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 67.

“Weak and trembling, I arose atthree o’clock in the morning towrite to you. God was speakingthrough clay. You might say thatthis communication was only aletter. Yes, it was a letter, butprompted by the Spirit of God, tobring before your minds things thathad been shown me. In these letterswhich I write, in the testimonies Ibear, I am presenting to you thatwhich the Lord has presented tome.” Ibid.

I conclude, after reading thesestatements, that she claimed not tobe the source of the messagescontained in her articles and herletters. That does not mean that shecould not use words from otherauthors in writing out the messagesGod had given to her. Because weas a people do not believe in“verbal inspiration,” we areconcerned here about the source ofthe ideas, the originating point ofher messages. Did they come fromGod, or did they come from herown opinions or the ideas ofothers?—She expressly said thather messages came from God, thatthe originating point is God. So, letus remember that her claim is thatthe messages she wrote are God’smessages, not her messages.

Of the Spirit of God, or of theDevil

However, her claim becomesclear and specific. “God is eitherteaching His church, reprovingtheir wrongs and strengtheningtheir faith, or He is not. This workis of God, or it is not. God doesnothing in partnership with Satan.My work . . . bears the stamp ofGod or the stamp of the enemy.

There is no halfway work in thematter. The Testimonies are of theSpirit of God, or of the devil.” Ibid.,vol. 4, 230.

I am very thankful that she washonest with us. She was willing tosay that we have to make up ourown minds about her writings. Shelaid out a specific principle toguide our decision. She said thatthis work was either God’s work orit was Satan’s work, because ifSatan were operative in theprophet, God would cease speak-ing. God does nothing in partner-ship with Satan—that is the prin-ciple. This statement means herwritings either came from God orthey came from Satan. They cannot

be partly from God and partly fromSatan, or even partly her ownopinions. She was either controlledby God or by Satan. Let us be surethat we are evaluating her ownclaims. We must not put anotherclaim in the place of the one shehas made herself. She has asked usto judge her work and then at-tribute it to either God or Satan,and I believe that we must accepther challenge.

“Many times in my experience Ihave been called upon to meet theattitude of a certain class, whoacknowledged that the testimonieswere from God, but took theposition that this matter and thatmatter were Sister White’s opinionand judgment. This suits those whodo not love reproof and correction,and who, if their ideas werecrossed, have occasion to explainthe difference between the humanand the divine.

“If the preconceived opinions orparticular ideas of some are crossedin being reproved by testimonies,they have a burden at once to makeplain their position to discriminate

between the testimonies, definingwhat is Sister White’s humanjudgment, and what is the Word ofthe Lord. Everything that sustainstheir cherished ideas is divine, andthe testimonies to correct theirerrors are human—Sister White’sopinions.” Selected Messages, book3, 68.

This crucial statement expressesagain the principle she asks us totake seriously. If we say that hermessages did come from God, butthat mixed in with these messagesare Ellen White’s personal opinionsand judgments, that means webecome the final arbiter of what isinspired and what is not inspired inher writings. We define what is her

human judgment and what is theWord of the Lord. Whether wedecide on an emotional or anintellectual basis, we are determin-ing which parts of Ellen White’swritings are authoritative becausethey are messages from God, andwhich parts of Ellen White’swritings are not authoritativebecause they are simply her ownopinions.

After Ellen White said that somemake their own decisions aboutwhat was her human judgment andwhat was the Word of the Lord,she concluded her statement withthis crucial sentence. “They [theones making these distinctions]make of none effect the counsel ofGod by their tradition.” Ibid.

Remember, these are the oneswho acknowledge that the testimo-nies are from God. They say, “Yes,Ellen White was an inspiredmessenger from God. I believe inthe inspiration of Ellen White.” Butwhen it comes to a specific pointthat Ellen White made, manypeople say, “Well, that was just heropinion. That was her own idea.”

Her writings either came from God or they came from Satan.

They cannot be partly from God and partly from Satan, or

even partly her own opinions.


Ellen White said that this attitudemakes of none effect the counsel ofGod. Do you remember that shealso said, “The very last deceptionof Satan will be to make of noneeffect the testimony of the Spirit ofGod”? Ibid., book 1, 48.

Not to deny, please notice, but tomake of none effect. Perhaps thegreatest danger we face is not fromthose who deny the inspiration ofthe Spirit of Prophecy, but fromthose who profess to believe in theinspiration of Ellen White. When itcomes to specific points, they takegreat pains to declare that thesewere her judgments and opinions.This attitude is the last deception ofSatan—making God’s testimony ofnone effect by attributing parts of itto her personal opinion and accept-ing only those parts which squarewith our opinions.

Once again she warned us, “Donot by your criticisms take out allthe force, all the point and power,from the Testimonies. Do not feelthat you can dissect them to suityour own ideas, claiming that Godhas given you ability to discernwhat is light from Heaven andwhat is the expression of merehuman wisdom. If the Testimoniesspeak not according to the Word ofGod, reject them. Christ and Belialcannot be united.” Testimonies, vol.5, 691.

We dare not make distinctionsbetween messages from Heavenand her opinions. But if her opin-ions are mixed into these writings,if in fact she did present her ownideas as the Word of God, then hercounsel to us is very clear. We areto reject the Testimonies, not justthose parts which we feel were herown opinions, but all of the Testi-monies, because Christ and Satancannot be united.

No Human Opinions

As a messenger speaking forGod, a prophet claims a higherauthor than an interpreter trying tounderstand the Word of God. Aprophet claims to have directrevelation from God, direct com-munication from God, regardingGod’s will for our lives. Thus, wemust decide whether a prophet’swritings come from God or fromSatan. We cannot credit part of thewritings to God and part of thewritings to human opinion. “In thetestimonies sent to ——— I havegiven you the light God has givento me. In no case have I given myown judgment or opinion. I haveenough to write of what has beenshown me, without falling back onmy own opinions.” Selected Mes-sages, book 3, 70. Please notice, “In

no case have I given my ownjudgment or opinion.” (All empha-sis supplied unless otherwisenoted.)

“Permit me to express my mind,and yet not my mind, but the Wordof the Lord.” Ibid.

This statement means that partof a prophet’s responsibility is tonot speak when the Lord has notspoken. In one instance, EllenWhite said, “I have no light on thesubject [as to just who wouldconstitute the 144,000]. . . . Pleasetell my brethren that I have nothingpresented before me regarding thecircumstances concerning whichthey write, and I can set before themonly that which has been presentedto me.” Quoted in a letter by C. C.Crisler to E. E. Andross, December 8,1914. Ibid., 51.

It is a major responsibility for aprophet not to give his own opin-ion. A prophet cannot suggest whathe thinks is true, because his

listeners will assume that hisopinion is the Word of the Lord onthat subject. So, if the Lord has notspoken, the prophet must notspeak.

In writing to a person wantingguidance, she said, “I am not atliberty to write to our brethrenconcerning your future work. . . . Ihave received no instructionregarding the place where youshould locate. . . . If the Lord givesme definite instruction concerningyou, I will give it you; but I cannottake upon myself responsibilitiesthat the Lord does not give me tobear.” Ibid.

Once again, she had to remainsilent when the Lord had notspoken. She could speak only whenthe Lord had spoken. If a prophetspeaks with prophetic authoritywhen the Lord has not spoken,then the prophet must be rejectedas a false prophet. “This morning Iattended a meeting where a selectfew were called together to con-sider some questions that werepresented to them by a lettersoliciting consideration and adviceon these subjects. Of some of thesesubjects I could speak, because atsundry times and in diverse placesmany things have been presentedto me. . . . As my brethren read theselections from letters, I knew whatto say to them; for this matter hasbeen presented to me again andagain. . . . I have not felt at libertyto write out the matter until now.”Ibid., 55–56. Notice her words, “Ofsome of these subjects I couldspeak.” She could only speak whenthe Lord had spoken.

The bottom line of this discus-sion is that we cannot pick andchoose what we think is inspiredout of her writings and leave therest alone. The same principleapplies to her that applies to Biblewriters. If John and Paul wereinspired then their writings weretotally inspired and they broughtus messages directly from God.There are no degrees either ofinspiration or revelation. If Ellen G.White was inspired, then her writ-ings are totally inspired, and hermessages came directly from God.

A prophet cannot suggest what he thinks is true, because his

listeners will assume that his opinion is the Word of the Lord

on that subject. So, if the Lord has not spoken, the prophet

must not speak.


There is one more point wemust address. If Ellen Whiteincluded her own messages amongGod’s messages and thus confusedGod’s people as to when God isspeaking and when He is not, thenthe movement she guided—theSeventh-day Adventist Church—isalso suspect because of her tremen-dous impact upon this movement.If that were the case, this move-ment might not be the remnantchurch at all.

Tested by the Scriptures

If you find anything in herwritings which contradicts theBible, it is your responsibility toreject her as a messenger of God. Inlight of her dramatic claims, it isimpossible to accept her as a goodwoman while believing that certainthings she wrote are contrary to theteachings of the Bible. I recentlycame across the opinion that EllenWhite could be a prophet and yetbe in error on doctrinal matters ofsome consequence. Then howwould we make our judgments asto what is error and what is truth?

If we determine that Ellen White,or any other claimant to the gift ofprophecy, is teaching error on anysignificant Bible doctrine, then wemust follow the biblical counsel thatthere is no light in that messenger.Ellen White’s writings must stand orfall on the basis of her agreementwith Scripture, which means totalharmony with previous revelation. Ifshe is in error on one biblical doc-trine, then it is unsafe to follow heron any doctrine. If her messages arenot from God, then we must rejecther work, and it is imperative thatwe take a second look at the move-ment she was so prominent inguiding.

The Danger of Doubt

However, if her messages werefrom God, then it is extremelydangerous to reject her work. “Itdoes not become anyone to drop aword of doubt here and there thatshall work like poison in otherminds, shaking their confidence inthe messages which God has given,which have aided in laying the

foundation of this work, and haveattended it to the present day, inreproofs, warnings, corrections,and encouragements. To all whohave stood in the way of theTestimonies, I would say, God hasgiven a message to His people, andHis voice will be heard, whetheryou hear or forbear. Your opposi-tion has not injured me; but youmust give an account to the God ofheaven, who has sent these warn-ings and instructions to keep Hispeople in the right way. You willhave to answer to Him for yourblindness, for being a stumblingblock in the way of sinners.” Ibid.,book 1, 43.

“I saw the state of some whostood on present truth, but disre-garded the visions—the way Godhad chosen to teach in some cases,those who erred from Bible truth. Isaw that in striking against thevisions they did not strike against

the worm—the feeble instrumentthat God spake through—butagainst the Holy Ghost. I saw itwas a small thing to speak againstthe instrument, but it was danger-ous to slight the words of God. Isaw if they were in error and Godchose to show them their errorsthrough visions, and they disre-garded the teachings of Godthrough visions, they would be leftto take their own way, and run inthe way of error, and think theywere right, until they would find itout too late.” Ibid., 40.

If God is speaking, and we slightGod’s words, we are not reallyslighting the prophet; we are reject-ing God. “What reserve power hasthe Lord with which to reach thosewho have cast aside His warningsand reproofs, and have accreditedthe testimonies of the Spirit of God tono higher source than human

wisdom? In the judgment what canyou who have done this offer to Godas an excuse for turning from theevidences He has given you that Godwas in the work?” Testimonies toMinisters, 465–466.

I believe that we must take EllenWhite’s challenges seriously. If hermessages did not come from God,then we must reject her claim to bea messenger of the Lord. However,if her messages were from God, thenwe must listen very, very carefully towhat God says, because to reject hermessage is to reject God’s message.

What Does Lesser LightMean?

If we believe that these writingswere inspired by God, what is theproper relationship of these writ-ings to the Bible? We must remem-ber she said that her messages weregiven because God’s people werenot faithful students of the Bible, so

God sent these messages to leadthem back to the Bible. See Testimo-nies, vol. 5, 665. Thus her functionwas not to write another Bible—another part of the Canon. Herwritings are to lead us to the Bible,so that we may better understandthe messages contained in Scrip-ture. She characterized her work asa lesser light to lead people to thegreater light—the Bible. See Colpor-teur Ministry, 125. Her function wasto direct attention to the Bible, tohelp us understand the Bible, andto apply Bible principles to ourlives.

It is crucial that we understandexactly what she meant when sheused the term lesser light to explainher relationship to the Bible. “Thewritten testimonies are not to givenew light, but to impress vividlyupon the heart the truths of inspi-ration already revealed. Man’s

If God is speaking, and we slight God’s words, we are not

really slighting the prophet; we are rejecting God.


duty to God and to his fellow manhas been distinctly specified inGod’s Word, yet but few of you areobedient to the light given. Addi-tional truth is not brought out; butGod has through the Testimoniessimplified the great truths alreadygiven, and in His own chosen waybrought them before the people toawaken and impress the mind withthem, that all may be left withoutexcuse.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 665.

She understood her role to bethat of bringing out more clearlythe truths already contained in theBible, and to simplify the greattruths already given. Her purposewas to lead to the Bible as the basisof all truth.

However, she also wrote, “Inancient times God spoke to men bythe mouth of prophets andapostles. In these days He speaks tothem by the testimonies of HisSpirit. There was never a timewhen God instructed His peoplemore earnestly than He instructsthem now concerning His will andthe course that He would havethem pursue.” Ibid., 661.

So lesser light does not meanless important light. God is not lessserious today when He speaksthrough a prophet. This fact meansthat we must carefully define lesserlight and greater light so that wewill understand what the wordsmean and what they do not mean.

Lesser light is not God beingless serious in communicating withHis people. Lesser light is not Godspeaking less clearly. Lesser lightdoes not mean dimmer light,unreliable light, unimportant light,or untrustworthy light. Lesser lightdoes not refer to an inferior qualityof inspiration. The messages thatcame through Ellen White werejust as much the Word of God as

the messages that came throughIsaiah or Ezekiel; yet, Ellen White’spurpose was different.

The purpose of the Bible is toreveal the plan of salvation to man.God is trying to reveal Himself tomankind, and He is trying to revealthe way of salvation, which isGod’s plan of restoration. Thepurpose of the Spirit of Prophecywas to reveal more clearly the planof salvation which is alreadycontained in the Bible. Ellen Whitehas not given us a new plan ofsalvation. She did not intend toshow us another way to heaven.God’s plan is outlined for all menin all times in Scripture. EllenWhite simply revealed more clearly

those areas of Scripture whichpertain to our time and our needs.Thus her light is lesser in that itshines back upon the greater light.

One of the most helpful illustra-tions that I have found comes fromthe pen of Uriah Smith, a long-timeleader in Seventh-day Adventistthought:

“Suppose we are about to startupon a voyage. The owner of thevessel gives us a book of directions,telling us that it contains instruc-tions sufficient for our wholejourney, and that if we will heedthem, we shall reach in safety ourport of destination. Setting sail weopen our book to learn its contents.We find that its author lays downgeneral principles to govern us inour voyage, and instructs us as faras practicable, touching the variouscontingencies that may arise, tillthe end; but he also tells us that thelatter part of our journey will beespecially perilous; that the fea-tures of the coast are ever changingby reasons of quicksands andtempests; ‘but for this part of thejourney,’ says he, ‘I have provided

you a pilot, who will meet you, andgive you such directions as thesurrounding circumstances anddangers may require; and to himyou must give heed.’ With thesedirections we reach the periloustime specified, and the pilot,according to promise, appears. Butsome of the crew, as he offers hisservices, rise up against him. ‘Wehave the original book of direc-tions,’ say they, ‘and that is enoughfor us. We stand upon that, andthat alone; we want nothing ofyou.’ Who now heed the originalbook of directions? Those whoreject the pilot, or those whoreceive him, as that book instructsthem? Judge ye. . . .

“What we do say is distinctlythis: that the gifts of the Spirit aregiven for our pilot through theseperilous times, and wherever and inwhomsoever we find genuinemanifestations of these, we arebound to respect them, nor can wedo otherwise without insofarrejecting the Word of God, whichdirects us to receive them. Who nowstands upon the Bible, and the Biblealone?” It is the one who “willreceive the pilot according to itsdirections. We do not, then, discard,but obey, the Bible by endorsing thevisions; while we should just so farreject and disobey it, as we shouldrefuse to receive the provisions it hasmade for our comfort, edification,and perfection.” Uriah Smith, “DoWe Discard the Bible by Endorsingthe Visions?” The Review and Herald,January 13, 1863; reprinted in OurFirm Foundation, May 2002.

Perhaps this is a good way tounderstand the difference betweenlesser light and greater light. Lesserdoes not refer to authority, for theauthority of the book describingthe ocean voyage and the authorityof the pilot come from the sameSource. Lesser refers to function, forthe pilot comes on board later, at theend of the journey, to give specificguidance for God’s people. �

Next month we will conclude ourdiscussion of the “lesser light,” and wewill consider the question, Does EllenWhite have doctrinal authority?

“There was never a time when God instructed His people more

earnestly than He instructs them now concerning His will and

the course that He would have them pursue.”


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et us start with a definition:“Manipulate—to treat oroperate with the hands or in

a mechanical manner.”—Webster.Given the title of “New Theol-

ogy” by many Seventh-dayAdventists, a belief system hasbeen introduced into the Seventh-day Adventist Church and has nowbeen accepted as truth by many ofour members. This system ofbeliefs includes a teaching that weshall refer to as “ManipulationTheology.”

Seventh-day Adventists are firsttold that God does not expect themto stop sinning in this earthly life,because He knows that it is impos-sible. Then they are assured thatHe will miraculously and instanta-neously “fix” them, when Christreturns, so that they will never sinagain. This “quick fix” could not becalled either justification or sancti-fication. The proper word for itwould be manipulation—somethingdone in a mechanical manner.

We are called upon to imaginethe Lord taking from His heavenlytool chest a celestial screwdriver,inserting it into the ear of thebeliever, giving it a half turn, andsaying, “There, my beloved. I have

L fixed you. You will never sinagain.”

Question: If God could solve theproblem of sin by such a mechani-cal means, why did He not turnthat screw in Adam’s head sixthousand years ago? Think of thesorrow and suffering that wouldhave spared us!

Another question: Was Adam’sproblem simply that he had ascrew loose? If so, whose fault wasthat? Who left that screw loose?Does not the finger of blame pointto God, Adam’s Creator?

Let us pause here while I inviteyou to challenge me in regard tothis “Manipulation Theology.” Justhow, in your opinion, could Godtake a person who has been sinningthroughout life and instantaneously“fix” that person so that he wouldnever sin again?

Is it not apparent that Godwould have to remove thatperson’s freedom—his power ofchoice—and make him a simplemachine, a robot? Or a pro-grammed computer? Rememberthat the bottom line on this subjectis that computers, machines, androbots have a common failing, theydo not and cannot think, dream,

choose, or love. Is that what God willdo to His people? Is that what wewant?

Again the question: If Godcould solve the problem of sin bysuch a mechanical method, manipu-lation, why did He not do it agesago? Why did He let sin get startedwith Lucifer and the rebelliousangels?

Where Did It Come From?

Surely this new theology, this“Manipulation Theology,” is afaulty and false theology. Wheredid it come from?

To begin with, it is not new. It ismore than 400 years old. It comesto us from Reformation times. It ispart of an elaborate theologicalsystem called Calvinism, devel-oped by Calvin’s followers, whichwe need to understand to somedegree if we are to properlyevaluate it. Here is a brief sum-mary. Please prepare yourself for aseries of shocks.

Before we adopt one part of acertain system of theology, weshould take the time to see whetherit harmonizes with the rest of ourunderstanding of Bible truth—orwhether it harmonizes with one of

Salvation

R a l p h L a r s o n

By Manipulation


Satan’s counterfeit theologies. Asyou read these passages, your firstreaction might be to say, “I don’tknow of anyone in our church whobelieves this!” Perhaps you arecorrect. However, remember,“Manipulation Theology” is justone piece of a bigger picture, andwe need to step back and see thewhole picture to which it belongs.

[Note: All quotations hereafterare from a book by a Calvinist

theologian named Loraine Boettnerentitled, The Reformed Doctrine ofPredestination. His own words areindicated by the letter B and a pagenumber (for example: B17). Hisquotations from other Calvinisttheologians are indicated by thattheologian’s name and then B witha page number (for example:Calvin, B21).]

God’s manipulation makes allthings happen:

“God from all eternity did . . .ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”Westminster Confession, B13. (Allemphasis supplied by the authorunless otherwise noted.)

“He hath foreordained whatso-ever comes to pass.” The ShorterCatechism, B17.

“Nothing can come to pass apartfrom His sovereign will.”—B30.

“Nothing can come to pass con-trary to what He expressly de-crees.”—B14.

“God has an eternal plan inwhich is predetermined every eventthat comes to pass.”—B23.

“His decree . . . extends . . . toevery event in human history.”—B13.

“All things without exception,indeed, are disposed by Him.”—B31.

God’s manipulation includesthe smallest details of life.

“The divine administration restson the foreordination of God

extending to all events both great andsmall.”—B16.

“God is seen as the great andmighty King who . . . directs thecourse of history even down to itsminutest details.”—B13.

“. . . a divine ordering of thewhole course of history to theveriest detail . . .”—B14.

“History in all its details, even themost minute, is but the unfolding ofthe eternal purposes of God.”—B25.

“God’s providential controlextends to all events, even the mostminute.”—B21.

God manipulates everyone’sthoughts, impulses, and feelings.

“Not only the works we dooutwardly, but even the thoughts wethink inwardly. . . . There is no suchthing as chance, or fortune.”—Melancthon, B15.

“God is the Sovereign Rulerwho governs even the intimatethoughts and feelings and impulses ofmen.”—B342.

“It is He that . . . CREATES thevery thoughts and intents of thesoul.”—B31–32.

God manipulates all evil aswell as all good.

“Plainly the fall of Adam and allother sins . . . were in [His] plan.”—B24.

“Even the fall of Adam, andthrough him the fall of the race,was not by chance or accident, butwas SO ORDAINED in the secretcounsels of God.”—B234.

“Even the sinful acts of men areincluded in [His] plan.”—B24.

“That the sinful acts of men havetheir place and a necessary place in[His] plan is plainly seen in thecourse of history.”—B252.

God’s manipulation gives noopportunity of repentance.

“In matters pertaining to hissalvation, the unregenerate man is not

at liberty to choose between good andevil.”—B62.

“He at the same time, and bythe same means, or ordination,withholds from them the opportunityand power of believing and beingsaved.”—Cunningham, B91.

These shocking statementscreate a question. If all sinning isdone by the deliberate foreordain-ing manipulation of God, whichcannot be resisted by sinners, arethey not freed from responsibil-ity?—The Calvinist answers with athunderous “No!”

Observe:“Eternal life is foreordained for

some and eternal death for others.”—Calvin, B15.

“It was foreordained . . . whoshould be condemned.”—Luther, ibid.

“The Reformed Faith has held tothe existence of an eternal, divinedecree which . . . separates thehuman race into two portions andordains one to everlasting life andthe other to everlasting death.”—B83.

“By the decree of God, for themanifestation of His glory, somemen and angels are predestinatedto everlasting life, and others areforeordained to everlasting death.” —B84.

“The doctrine of absolutePredestination of course logicallyholds that some are foreordained todeath as truly as some are foreor-dained to life.”—B104.

“We believe that from all eternityGod has intended to leave some ofAdam’s posterity in their sins.”—Ibid.

As shocking and bloodcurdlingas this is, it is not the end. Anotherquestion must be asked. What isthis “everlasting death” to whichthe unregenerate, the “non-elect”are inescapably doomed? Are youready for this?

The “Manipulation God”tortures the non-elect forever.

“[Predestination] brings us intocontact, on the one side, with asubject so awful and overwhelmingas THE EVERLASTING MISERY ofan innumerable multitude of ourfellow men.”—Cunningham, B7.

“[His decree] extends . . . fromthe creation to the judgment, andincludes all the activities of saints

Remember, “Manipulation Theology” is just one piece of a

bigger picture, and we need to step back and see the whole

picture to which it belongs.


and angels in heaven and of repro-bates and demons in hell.”—B13.

“The final torments of the wicked. . . are INDESCRIBABLY AWFUL.. . . In the next world the wicked,with all restraint removed, will goheadlong into sin, blasphemingand cursing God, growing worse andworse as they sink deeper and deeperinto the bottomless pit.”—B79.

This Is Calvinism

This is Calvinism with its“Manipulation Theology”! It is notan ancient relic from a bygoneage. The book from which I havequoted was published in 1932 bythe Presbyterian and ReformedPublishing Company. This is hardto believe, but it is true. Peopleare actually believing and teach-ing these monstrous misrepresen-tations about God, which, asWesley said, make Him worsethan the devil. Just add it up andsee whether you agree withWesley.

This monster god of Calvinismcreates some people, predestinesthem to be lost, forces them to sin,does not permit them to repent,then tortures them throughout alleternity as punishment for the sinsthat he forced them to commit.

This fiendish god clearlydelights in torture. After hishelpless victims have screamed andagonized their way through amillion years of torture, he willhappily apportion to them anothermillion years, and another, andanother, and another. It will neverstop.

And as an utter outrage to ourreason and a final insult to ourintelligence, Boettner tells us: “Noinjustice is done to the non-elect.”—B113.

Now, why are we studyingthese monstrous misrepresenta-tions about the character of God?

Because, as we pointed outearlier, some Seventh-dayAdventist Church members, andeven some ministers, are presentlytrying to take a page out of thetextbook of Calvinist “Manipula-tion Theology” and introduce itinto the theology of our church. It

is the page that teaches that there isno need for us to stop sinning,because God will miraculously “fixus” at Christ’s second coming sothat we will never sin again.

It is my purpose to demonstratethat this concept can be combinedwith Calvinistic “ManipulationTheology,” but it can never belogically joined with the faith andfree-will theology of Seventh-dayAdventism.

This is because theologicalsystems are like chainlink fences.Doctrines do not stand alone. Theyare connected with other doctrines.To lay hold of a single doctrine andremove it from its system withoutgetting others with it is seldompossible. Thus, those Seventh-day

Adventists who are attracted by theidea that God does not expect themto stop sinning, but that He will“fix” them and make them sinlessat the second coming of Christ, areimmediately confronted with thequestion, “How?”

The only answer that can begiven is, By manipulation. Andonce this door is opened, an entiregroup of horrible Calvinisticdoctrines will come in with it. Letus remember that Calvinistsworship a god who forces people tosin and then punishes them witheverlasting torture for the sins thathe forces them to commit.

As noted above, this conflictbetween two incompatible theolo-gies has come down to us fromReformation times. John Calvin isnow thought of as the leadingadvocate of predestination, al-though Luther was also strong inhis support of that doctrine. Overagainst their position wereErasmus and Arminius, who bothchampioned the doctrine of free-will. The Wesleys agreed with

Arminius and brought his free-willviews into Methodism. Thus thetwo views are now commonlyknown as Arminianism andCalvinism.

We may choose one or the otherof these two views, but we cannotintermingle them. To do so is to setup ludicrous self-contradictionsthat are an outrage to reason andan insult to the reader’s intelli-gence. For example: Boettner, theCalvinist theologian whom wehave quoted in this paper, tells usthat although the will of man isunder the control of the will of Goddown to the minutest details of life,nevertheless the will of manremains totally free. He also insiststhat although God forces the “non-

elect” to sin, not permitting them torepent, then tortures them through-out all eternity as punishment forthe sins that he forces them tocommit, that this is no injustice tothe non-elect. We can only gaspand marvel. What happens to thehuman mind?

How grateful we should be tothose humble but dedicatedChristians who studied out ourbeautiful Seventh-day Adventistmessage in which there are nosuch self-contradictions. Neitherare there any illogical conun-drums such as many Christianshave to struggle with when theygo to a funeral and hear that thedeparted is now in heaven, yetwill be resurrected from the gravewhen Christ returns. Or whenthey hear that a god who willtorture sinners throughout alleternity is a god of love. Ourtheological system contains nosuch problems. Neither does itcontain any “Salvation by Ma-nipulation” theology. Let us keepit that way. �

Theological systems are like chainlink fences. Doctrines do not

stand alone. They are connected with other doctrines.


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he plan of redemption wasformed to bring unity andpeace to men. The world was

at war with the law of Jehovah;sinners were at enmity with theirMaker; Jesus came to make over-tures of peace. At the appointedtime angels were commissioned toannounce His birth, and giveexpression to their joy in thesalvation of the one lost sheep, thefallen world. To the watchingshepherds the message came, “Fearnot: for, behold, I bring you goodtidings of great joy, which shall beto all people. For unto you is bornthis day in the city of David aSaviour, which is Christ the Lord.And this shall be a sign unto you;Ye shall find the babe wrapped inswaddling clothes, lying in amanger. And suddenly there waswith the angel a multitude of theheavenly host praising God, andsaying, Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace, good willtoward men.” Luke 2:10–14.

Shortly before his crucifixion,Christ bequeathed to his disciples alegacy of peace. “Peace I leave withyou,” he said; “my peace I giveunto you: not as the world giveth,give I unto you. Let not your heartbe troubled, neither let it beafraid.” John 14:27. This peace isnot the peace that comes throughconformity with the world. It is aninternal rather than an externalpeace. Without will be wars andfightings, through the opposition of


avowed enemies, and the coldnessand suspicion of those who claimto be friends. The peace of Christ isnot to banish division, but it is toremain amid strife and division.

Though he bore the title ofPrince of Peace, Christ said ofHimself, “Think not that I am cometo send peace on earth: I came notto send peace, but a sword.”Matthew 10:34. By these words Hedid not mean that His coming wasto produce discord and contentionamong His followers. He desired toshow the effect His teaching wouldhave on different minds. Oneportion of the human family wouldreceive Him; the other portionwould take sides with Satan, andwould oppose Christ and all Hisfollowers. The Prince of Peace, Hewas yet the cause of division. HeWho came to proclaim glad tidingsand create hope and joy in thehearts of the children of men,opened a controversy that burnsdeep, and arouses intense passionin the human heart. And Hewarned His followers: “In theworld ye shall have tribulation.”John 16:33. “They shall lay theirhands on you, and persecute you,delivering you up to the syna-gogues, and into prisons, beingbrought before kings and rulers formy name’s sake.” Luke 21:12. “Yeshall be betrayed both by parents,and brethren, and kinsfolks, andfriends; and some of you shall theycause to be put to death.” Verse 16.

This prophecy has been fulfilledin a marked manner. Every indig-nity, reproach, and cruelty thatSatan can instigate human hearts todevise, has been visited upon thefollowers of Jesus. And it will befulfilled in a yet more markedmanner; for the carnal mind is stillat enmity with the law of God, andwill not be subject to its commands.We have been highly favored inliving under a government wherewe can worship God according tothe dictates of our conscience. Buthuman nature is no more inharmony with the principles ofChrist today than it has been inages past. The world is still inopposition to Jesus. The samehatred that prompted the cry,“Crucify him, crucify him” (Luke23:21), still works in the children ofdisobedience. The same satanicspirit that in the Dark Ages con-signed men and women to prison,to exile, and to the stake, thatconceived the exquisite torture ofthe Inquisition, produced themassacre of St. Bartholomew, andkindled the fires of Smithfield, isstill at work with malignant energyin unregenerate hearts.

We are required to be Christliketoward those who are our enemies;but we must not, in order to havepeace, cover up the faults of thosewe see in error. The world’sRedeemer never purchased peaceby covering iniquity, or by any-thing like compromise. Though His

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“As Much asLieth in You,

Live PeaceablyWith All Men”

“As Much asLieth in You,

Live PeaceablyWith All Men”


heart was constantly overflowingwith love for the human race, Hewas never indulgent to their sins.He was the Friend of sinners, andHe would not remain silent whilethey were pursuing a course thatwould ruin their souls—the soulsthat He had purchased with Hisown blood. He was a stern re-prover of all vice. He labored thatman should be true to himself inbeing all that God would have him,and true to his higher and eternalinterest. Living in a world marredand seared with the curse broughtupon it by disobedience, He couldnot be at peace with it if He left itunwarned, uninstructed,unrebuked. This would be topurchase peace at the neglect ofduty. His peace was the conscious-ness of having done the will of HisFather, rather than a condition ofthings that existed as the result ofnot having done His duty.

Those who love Jesus and thesouls for whom He had died willfollow after the things which makefor peace. But they must take carelest in their efforts to preventdiscord, they surrender truth; lestin warding off division, theysacrifice principle. True brother-hood can never be maintained bycompromising principle. AsChristians approach the Christlikemodel, and become pure in spiritand action, they will feel the venomof the serpent. The opposition ofthe children of disobedience isexcited by a Christianity that isspiritual. At this crisis is the time todecide who are God’s faithfulservants, who will be true toprinciple, who will bear in mindthat truth is too dearly purchasedfor its least principle to be surren-dered. That peace and harmonywhich are secured by mutualconcessions to avoid all differencesof opinion are not worthy of thename. On points of feeling betweenman and man, concessions shouldsometimes be made; but nevershould one iota of principle besacrificed to obtain harmony. Allour words and actions pass in reviewbefore God; and if we wish to standin the judgment as having done all

that we could do to exert a correctinfluence over our fellow men, wemust return kind acts for acts ofmischief and malice. Christ is ourpattern; we must follow Him.

The apostle Paul exhorts us, “Ifit be possible, as much as lieth inyou, live peaceably with all men.”Romans 12:18. Care should betaken by Christians to give nooffense, that the truth may not beevil spoken of. But the text suggeststhat no amount of diligence andcare will preserve this harmony inall cases. Dissensions will ariseeven between church members,because they are not Christlike in

character. In the home they areoppressive and a reproach to thecause of Christ. Their practices areinconsistent with truth and reli-gion, and to retain them in churchfellowship would be unfaithfulnessto the Master. The church as a bodyis to do all in its power to promoteunion and prevent schisms. Ifunsound doctrine is introduced,the safety of the flock of Christ willbe endangered; and it is the duty ofthose in authority, who are jealousfor the truth as it is in Jesus, tomake a firm, decided protest.

To those who have been injuredwithout cause these words ofscripture apply, “If it be possible,as much as lieth in you, livepeaceably with all men.” Theirfailure to live at peace with all menis not due to the course theythemselves have pursued, but tothe envy, jealousy, and evil surmis-ing of those who have been in thewrong. A division is caused. Howshall it be healed? Shall the manthat has been sinned against,misjudged, and maligned, be calledto give an account? Shall he seekfor something in his past course bywhich he can humiliate himself?

Shall he acknowledge himself inthe wrong for the sake of makingpeace?—No. If he has tried to dohis duty, and has been patientunder abuse, he is not to humblehimself to acknowledge that he isguilty. He does the offenders greatwrong thus to take the guilt uponhis soul, admitting that he hasgiven them occasion for theircourse of action. This is verypleasing to those who have donethe work of the enemy; butHeaven’s books record the factsjust as they are. Concessions thatare not true from the one who hasbeen wrongfully treated gratify the

feelings of the carnal heart. Thewrongdoers interpret their positionas zeal for God, when in truth it iszeal to do the work of the adver-sary of souls. They do not dig outof their hearts the root of bitterness,but leave the fibers to spring upwhen Satan shall stir them again toactive growth.

There is a work for us to do. Wemust begin here to cultivate themeekness of Christ. There are sternbattles for us to fight against ourtraits of character that lead us todecisions that make it hard andunfavorable for others. We are notcommended by God for a zeal thatsavors of Pharisaism; for this is notof Christ. We are not to go to anextreme in false charity, neither arewe to follow a course of unbendingseverity in cases where kindnessand mercy and love would have atelling power. The ax must be laidat the root of the tree. True conver-sion is needed. Heart work isessential. The nature must berenewed after the divine Image,until the work of grace is com-pleted in the soul. �

Review and Herald, January 16, 1900.

We are required to be Christlike toward those who are our

enemies; but we must not, in order to have peace, cover up

the faults of those we see in error.


“Without This Ring . . .”

News Item: “J.B. Silvers and hiswife Barbara stood before a minis-ter at the Nottingham UnitedMethodist Church in Cleveland,Ohio, for one of the biggest mo-ments of their lives. A dozenfriends and family members stoodby as they exchanged vows,promising to respect each otherand asking the support of thosewatching. But the vows were a lotdifferent from the ones they hadtaken 34 years earlier, at theirwedding. ‘We are here to witnessan end and a beginning and toshare the making of new commit-ments,’ said the pastor. ‘Barbaraand J.B. have decided, after mucheffort, pain, and anger that theywill no longer be wife and hus-band.’ They were severing theirmarriage just as it had begun, witha ritual.

“Most divorcing couples arehardly in the mood to stand uptogether in church and make newvows. But a growing number arefinding that a divorce ceremonycan bring closure and even comfortat the end of a marriage. Barbaraand Phil Penningroth divorced in1997 after 25 years of marriage andheld a divorce ceremony featuringfilmed highlights of their lifetogether and poems by RobertBrowning. The Penningroths foundthe ritual so meaningful that theyco-wrote A Healing Divorce: Trans-forming the End of Your Relationshipwith Ritual and Ceremony (1stBooks). Phil believes that in thispost-Sept. 11 era, people may feelmore compelled than ever toattempt a harmonious end to theirmarriage. ‘In a time when we’re alldealing with so much grief andpain, a ceremony that facilitates ahealthy grieving process is of

benefit to everyone,’ he says.” Time,March 4, 2002.

End-Time Perspective: We mustbe very careful that in our rush tosympathize and seek to alleviatehurt we do not lend legitimacy tosituations that God frowns upon.Convictions from the Holy Spiritabout sin and righteousness arelargely muted by these types ofactions. See Isaiah 5:20–21.

Bible Translations

News Item: “Eugene A. Nida is nota household name, but the 84-year-old resident of Belgium has influ-enced the Bibles read by mostChristians around the world. The‘premier linguist and translationconsultant,’ as the EvangelicalDictionary of World Missions styleshim, writes mostly about technicaltopics: descriptive linguistics,cross-cultural communications,translation theory, and semantics.However, the translations hehelped shape in over 200 languagesmake it easier for many millions oflay Christians and nonbelievers tograsp the meaning of the Bible.

“He taught at the SummerInstitute of Linguistics (now SIL),the educational alter ego ofWycliffe Bible Translators, andeventually became executivesecretary for translations at theAmerican Bible Society.

“He coined the term dynamicequivalence translation to describe a‘meaning-based’ approach totranslation—one that looks forfunctional equivalence rather thanformal resemblance in translation.The American Bible Society’s 1976Good News Bible and its 1995Contemporary English Version showhis influence, as do other promi-nent translations, such as the NewLiving Translation.” ChristianityToday, October 7, 2002.

End-Time Perspective: Theimportant terms to notice here are“dynamic equivalence translation”

and “ ‘meaning-based’ approach totranslation.” With the warningfrom Jesus that if possible, even thevery elect would be deceived in thevery last days (see Matthew 24:24),we individually need to know asaccurately as possible what theWord of the Lord is. With a “lit-eral” or “formal resemblance intranslation,” we have as close aspossible the first-hand words ofInspiration. The same Spirit whoinspired them will inspire us tounderstand what the will of God isfor us today. Let us pray for andseek His Spirit for understandingand wisdom with all our hearts.“One sentence of Scripture is ofmore value than ten thousand ofman’s ideas or arguments.” Testi-monies, vol. 7, 71.

“Own a Bible, Pay a Fine”

News Item: “Leaders of a Protes-tant ministry in the Central Asianstate Uzbekistan were raided bypolice on Aug. 9, according toKeston News Service, and in-formed that Bibles are illegal.

“Some 13 members of thatevangelical group were saddledwith fines and saw their pamphletsand at least one Bible seized. Later,government spokesmen back-tracked, saying the Bibles are legal,but that the church group was not,since it had not complied with thecountry’s rigorous policy ofregistering and monitoring reli-gious sects.

“According to the news service,which monitors religious freedomin communist and post-communistcountries: ‘It is all but impossiblefor communities to register, andmany Protestant leaders have beensubjected to fines.’

“Uzbekistan is a majorityMuslim country and former Sovietrepublic that is still ruled autocrati-cally by former communist offi-cials. However, it is cooperatingwith the U.S. war on terror.”National Catholic Register, Septem-ber 8–14, 2002. �

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TB1: Revelation 14:9–10.God warns against worshiping a certain beast.

TB2: Revelation 13:1, 5–7.This beast is a power that is at war with God and His people.

TB3: 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, 8.The beast exalts himself above God.

TB4: Daniel 7:7–8.This beast is the same power as the little horn.

TB5: Daniel 7:25.The little horn exalts himself by thinking he can change God’s“times and laws.”

TB6: Daniel 2:31-45; 8:2–9, 19–25.God reveals the sequence of kingdoms to His prophet.

TB7: Daniel 2:40–41.The fourth kingdom following Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greecewas the Roman Empire—“strong as iron,” yet “broken without ahand.”

TB8: Daniel 7:24.Ten kingdoms followed; however, three were “subdued” by the“different” one—the one that was not only political but alsoreligious.

TB9: Daniel 7:25.Speaking “great words” against God, wearing out “the saints,”and thinking to change God’s “times and laws” were all done bythe Holy Roman Empire during the Dark Ages.

TB10: Revelation 13:3.The deadly wound—the papacy’s political power taken away in1798—began to heal in 1929. Today “all the world” is in awe ofthe pope.

TB11: Revelation 18:4.Many true and sincere believers have not yet heard God’s call to“come out” of the Catholic system—and all the ecumenicalchurches. Will you tell them? Time is running out! �

Bible Marking

As you mark this study in yourBible, we hope that it will be ablessing to you and that you will bebetter equipped to give an answerfor your faith. See 1 Peter 3:15. Letus pray the Lord of the harvest togive us opporunities to share Histruth with others while it is stillday.

“Church members are to doevangelistic work in the homes oftheir neighbors who have not yetreceived full evidence of the truthfor this time. . . . The presentationof the truth, in love and simplicity,from house to house, is in harmonywith the instruction that Christ gaveHis disciples.” Ye Shall ReceivePower, 147.

The Editors

Bible Marking Directions

• On a blank page in the frontor back of your Bible, write thestudy title, the code, and the firstreference. This month’s entrywould appear as follows:

The Beast,TB1: Revelation 14:9–10.• Turn to the first verse and

write the comment (if you wishto use the comments), and thenext reference in the margin nearit. If the comment is long, youcan write it at the top or bottomof the page, with an asterisk orthe code of the study to refer youto it.

• Turn to the next text and re-peat the process until you reachthe end. Beside the last text,write “End TB.”

• Go through the study tocheck for broken links.

• Share the study with others!

Last month we stated that the beast of Revelation 13 is the Papacy.How do we know that?—This short study clearly shows the identity ofthe beast.

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There they were, spread outin the valley of Shittim,Israel’s tents camped near the

borders of the Promised Land. SeeNumbers, chapter 25. Forty longyears Israel had wandered in thewilderness because of their rebel-lion and insubordination. Now, atlast, it seemed they were on theway to their new home.

The camp showed perfect orderand was relatively quiet. Thepeople were weary, and, outside ofcaring for the basic needs of dailylife, they were resting in their tents.They were not too worried aboutthe conquest of Canaan; theirleadership was responsible for that,and they would figure it out.However, even now they werefailing God.

God had given them a respite,during which time He had wantedthem to search their hearts ear-nestly and put away all sin. It was

BoredomatCanaan’sBorder

P a t r i c i a T e m p l eto be a time of reconsecration, ofseeking the Lord with their wholeminds, hearts, and souls. Instead,they relied on the leadership to doall that; they were not that inter-ested in humbling their heartsbefore God. After all, they wereGod’s chosen people, so it did notreally matter; God loved themanyway.

Soon the weariness of thejourney left them, and restlessnesstook its place. They were in a hurryto be on their way to Canaan. Yet,the pillar over the tabernacleremained quiet. God wanted themto realize that trials lay ahead ofthem. Wars would have to befought; some of them would die inthese wars. Were these peopleready for their probation toclose?—His eyes saw that whilethere was at least some outwardobedience among them, few hadany real heart relationship to Him.

What was even sadder, few wereinterested in becoming any moreholy than they thought theyalready were.

Thoughts of the pleasures andpeace of the Promised Land filledtheir minds, and the desire forsensual indulgence ran high intheir priorities. Soon somethingcropped up that should never befound in the mind of any truefollower of God; they becamebored. Rather than earnestlypreparing in heart and mind forwhat lay ahead—and there waslittle enough time for that vitalwork—they became bored!

Satan was watching closely, andhe knew just when the time hadcome to offer them some excitingdiversions. Soon attractive womenbegan strolling into the camp fromthe temples of heathen idolatry notfar from where they rested. Pleas-ant conversation ensued, and


invitations were pressed to theIsraelites to come and enjoy theholiday cheer that was soon to becelebrated in the temples of Midianand Moab.

The children of Israel knew thatGod had forbidden them at thistime to conquer the lands of thesetwo peoples. Perhaps this wasmisinterpreted by some to meanthat their worship was not entirelydispleasing to God—just as manyamong us today feel that, becausewe have been told that God haschildren in the fallen churches ofBabylon, these churches are reallyall right, and we can feel free to joinwith them in “innocent” folly.

Many among the Israelitesdecided to go and have some fun.“After all, we have to relax some-times; we can’t be religious all thetime. Some entertainment will takeour minds off our problems. Weare supposed to be a happy people,and God wants us to have fun inthis life. God wants us to livevibrant lives; we need to showothers that being a child of Goddoes not make us unable to havefun. Besides, how can we expectpeople from other churches to wantto come to our church if we don’tgo to theirs? After all, we are allchildren of the same heavenlyFather, and God loves each of usequally.”

And so the hollow, vapidexcuses and rationalizations werepassed from tongue to tongue.While the real cause of theserationalizations—the unsubduedlove of sensual pleasure, selfishindulgence, and hearts uncon-verted to God—went unchecked,they found comfort in assuringthemselves that, despite theircorrupt ways, they were still allright with God and accepted byHim. After all, they were His specialpeople, and nothing could changethat, could it?

Some, at first, ventured cau-tiously to the early festivities of theholiday celebrations. Then, notseeing anything that was “terriblybad,” they became even bolder,deciding to really enjoy themselves.(Familiarity with sin leads to

blindness.) It was fun, and thesepeople were so friendly. After all,they were Israel’s neighbors, andGod wants us to be neighborly. It isnot right to be disrespectful ofsomeone else’s religious beliefs, isit? We can always find a “good”reason to do what we have alreadymade up our minds to do anyway.

Soon others, seeing the excite-ment and exhilaration of the firstvisitors to the festivities as theyreturned, ventured to go alongwith it. After all, it was so boring inthe camp. We can only do so muchpraying and stuff like that. Weneed a break; we are only humanafter all! God does not expect us to

deny ourselves every little plea-sure. (Strange how those who donot know God, have never fullysurrendered to Him, and find Hisservice to be boring and restrictiveseem to be such great authoritieson what God expects or does notexpect!)

Soon, many in the camp wereoff to the fun. As they attended thefeasting and indulged their appe-tites, they soon joined in thedancing. Then they continued on infolly after folly until they actuallytook part in the unholy worship ofheathen idols. I am sure most neverintended to go as far as they did inthese things; however, sensualindulgence puts the mind to sleepand silences the watchdogs ofreason and conscience.

The Bible says, “And Israeljoined himself unto Baal-peor.”Numbers 25:3. What a sad, sadtestimony is portrayed in those sixwords! Perhaps some woke up andrepented in sorrow before the Lordas the plague of God’s wrath wasdestroying among them, andpeople were dying. Yet, while therepentant ones were on their faces

weeping before the Lord in heart-broken confession, many hadbecome so hardened and blind intheir rebellion that they were stillopen and bold in their indulgenceof lust and perversion.

The greatest example of thisterrible blindness that rebellious sinlays upon those who choose itsflowery paths is Zimri, who wasone of the leaders of the tribes ofIsrael. Even when the displeasureof God was falling upon Israel fortheir wickedness, he still felt nofear in parading his sin openlybefore God and His people. Zimriwas proud of the fact that he hadfinally cast off the shackles of the

threats and warnings of that oldprophet, Moses, and could live alife of freedom. He would letnothing stand in the way of hisplans. After all, he had a closerelationship with one of the highestruling families in Midian. No doubthe reasoned that this wouldcertainly be an advantage tohimself—and to Israel, too, for thatmatter.

The Bible record says that 24,000died in the plague and scourge ofBaalpeor. See verse 9. The faithfulof the leaders and the people werecommanded to stand up againstthis wicked apostasy—to slay theapostate leaders and hang theirheads up to warn others. And allothers who were involved but didnot repent also died that day.

That day, 24,000 perished whohad truly believed that they wereabout to go into the Promise Land.Oh, that they would have spent theprecious time given them of Godfor study, heart searching, andcultivating primitive godliness!Pleasure seeking and holidayfestivities did not turn out to be so‘innocent’ after all.

Sensual indulgence puts the mind to sleep and silences the

watchdogs of reason and conscience.


Did being part of the nation ofIsrael—God’s “chosen people”—help the guilty ones? Did Mosesstand up under the influence ofGod and declare, “Oh, it’s all right,after all, the wheat and the tareshave to grow together”? Did Godreassure them of His loving themso much that He would acceptthem anyway?—Think about it!Open sin had to be dealt withopenly. The faithful were com-manded to slay the ones that hadincurred God’s wrath.

God is the same now as He wasthen. The God who ordered thedestruction of the people who werejoined to Baalpeor was Jesus—thesame Jesus whose mercy andtender love is made manifest in Hislife and death in the New Testa-ment.

Now, before anyone gets theidea that we are to physically killanybody, remember that theseliteral examples in ancient Israelare to be reapplied as spirituallessons for us today. Nevertheless,it is clear that those among us thatare joined to Baalpeor—those whoare joined to worldly ways andindulgences contrary to the physi-cal and moral laws of the Lord, andthose who have made agreementswith the churches and organiza-tions of Babylon, whether leadersor laity—should be clearly re-buked. If they are unwilling torepent and obey, they are to haveno place within the ranks of thetrue people of God.

“Moses and the people who hadtaken no part in this great depar-ture from God’s law, were weepingand lamenting at the door of thetabernacle for the sins of thepeople, and the plague that hadbegun. But amid all this demon-stration of sorrow, this prince

defied the judges to molest him ifthey dared. The priests wereweeping between the porch and thealtar, crying, ‘Spare thy people, OLORD, and give not thine heritage toreproach.’ Joel 2:17. . . . The point tobe marked is, that Moses’ prayerswere not heard, neither his weep-ing nor the sorrow and prayers ofthose who had maintained theirintegrity, until justice was executedupon that demoralized, Goddefying prince. . . . Somethingbesides prayers and tears areneeded in a time when reproachand peril are hanging over God’speople. The wicked works must bebrought to an end.” Review andHerald, May 17, 1887.

Friends, so many have said tome, “Well, I have to remain in theofficial church. I know God will

sort it out some day. I often seethings I know are not good; but Igo along with it for the sake of myfriends who need my love andencouragement.”

“My message to you is: Nolonger consent to listen withoutprotest to the perversion of truth.”Selected Messages, book 1, 196.

Maybe your friends wouldstand for truth if you spoke up andrefused to be a part of a wrongcourse of action. However, we havethis conspiracy of silence—this“look the other way” mentality. Iam sure many perished in Baalpeorwho had just gone along with it forthe sake of friends.

I am sure there were many whowould have gotten on the ark,except they did not want to bedifferent and leave their friends.After all, who wants to be consid-ered an extremist? I am going totell you a fact: only extremists fortruth are going to make it through!The “blind eyes” and “dumb dogs”

(see Isaiah 42:7; 56:10) are going toperish in the wilderness!

The “borderland” is a danger-ous place to be. We are warnedcountless times in inspired counselto be alert and watchful. Satan isworking with tenfold more effi-ciency now than ever before. Those24,000 in Israel who perished in thevale of Shittim had no idea thatthey would never set foot in thePromise Land. They felt the assur-ance that they were saved, on theirway to a “heavenly” home, mem-bers in good and regular standing,and all the rest.

How many among us today willperish in the “borderland”? Howmany who are so sure they are allright with God will spend themillennium as rotting bonesscattered on this earth instead ofwalking the golden streets?—Oh,dear ones, the fact is, it will be mostof us!

What has trapped thesepeople?—Sensual indulgence,entertainment, fun and frivolity,but above all, the subtle snares ofspiritualism! Spiritualism—with itschanging colors like a chameleon;its shifting, sparkling delusions likea kaleidoscope; its comfortingassurances of higher knowledge; its“personally meaningful” sensa-tions; its promises of an easier waythan the blood-stained path.

Friends, spiritualism is allaround us. The frogs issuing fromthe mouth of the beast, thedragon and the false prophet (seeRevelation 16:13) are swarming inthe land; and they are swarmingamong us as well. The deceptionsof spiritualism are rank amongus. Many are being deceived bywhat they think are loving,Christian sentiments that reallyhave no higher source for theirauthority than the prince ofdarkness himself!

In this series of articles we willtake a look at some of these spiritu-alistic concepts that are crawlingaround among us.

We are in the “borderland”!May God open the blind eyes, andloose the dumb tongues; this is ourprayer! �

How many among us today will perish in the “borderland”?

How many who are so sure they are all right with God will

spend the millennium as rotting bones scattered on this earth?


Thank you very much for yourmagazines. They are very informa-tive. Just what we need to help keepus abreast of the serious times inwhich we are living and to prepareus for the soon-coming King.

GW, Maryland

Use this extra amount to helpsomeone else to receive this journal.I enjoy mine very much.

ES, Alabama

The way world conditions are onewonders if any day may be our last.The Lord is still at the helm. Al-though I’ve been learning on TV thatwe will see a sudden change in ourhistory and the events to follow.

I am retired (age 91) and havetime to take note of events and newsas it comes in. I keep up-to-date.They don’t always tell us everythingon the news, but we can see that thepope in is cahoots with the president– very much so. Much of the hardnews comes in the late news. I gen-erally am awake after 2 or 3 a.m. andget the news of importance. Disas-ters are everywhere! Fires and floodsout of control! What’s next? Sundaylaws can come overnight!

TA, Idaho

Do you have any experience howto share the three angels’ messageswith others? And have you found aneffective way to distribute presenttruth literature?

We never hear any sermons aboutthe last-day events, three angels’messages, sanctuary message, and soon.

I’m 89 and have never seen a timelike this. How long will this go onbefore Jesus comes? We are living inserious times.

I read and re-read my Our FirmFoundation. It’s such a help and com-fort to me. I share all my papers andtell people of the nearness of Jesus.Most people don’t know, but sure lis-ten. God is my Guide. I always askHim for wisdom. Let’s be on theseven-day journey to heaven and atthe marriage feast.

AK, Missouri

I am writing to request a Biblestudy course for beginners because Iam a new Christian and want to learnwhat being saved is all about. Thatis why I would like a Bible studycourse for beginners.

ML, New Jersey

Thank you for sending the secondrenewal notice. I love this magazineand would regret missing even onecopy.

JW, Wyoming

Thank you for the article in theSeptember issue entitled “A NewHeart.” This was an answer toprayer. I had asked God to tell me ifI had committed the unpardonablesin of grieving away His Holy Spiritfor good – or not. After reading thesection of the article about David,God showed me that He will againgive me a new heart. That I haven’tquenched His Spirit, and there is adifference (grieving and quenching).Praise God for His mercy andlongsuffering, His goodness and Hisgreat love!

Thank you again for printing thearticle. Please give this to LeolaRosenvold, I would like her to know.And I thank the Lord for answeringmy prayer.

JC, Indiana

Enclosed is my check for renewalof my subscription to the blessedpublication Our Firm Foundation. Ipraise and thank our Father inheaven for the truth published in thatmagazine. May each of you hold fastto the Lord as Satan continues hisattempts to stop the precious truththat will prepare a people for Christ’ssoon coming.

EK, Canada

From Overseas

I am a Seventh-day Adventist laypreacher. It is my prayer and desirethat the Most High God blesses evan-gelism ministry in order to spreadthe message to the whole world.

I am requesting you to send meplenty of health books, magazines,literature, prophecy books, andabove all, Bibles. I am praying to Godso that He according to His richesmay finance your work to meet ourneeds.

WN, Zimbabwe

This letter serves to acknowledgethe receipt of the mailbag which Ireceived in the month of May 2002. Iwould like to thank you for takingthis challenge. Pamphlets have beendistributed to different people re-gardless of his or her faith. For thebooks, people have turned to myhome as a library. Thy word of en-couragement is that God loves acheerful giver and He shall bless youabundantly.

NF, Zambia

I am encouraged after receivinga big carton full of powerful maga-zines: Behold He Cometh, Earth’s FinalWarning, Future News, and Our FirmFoundation magazines. My friend andI have engaged in lay evangelisticefforts and other activities in manySDA churches for the last eight years.We are encouraged by these present-truth-filled magazines; we cannot besilent. We are going to continuespreading the gospel in our villagesand trading centers. Please, we needsome more KJV Bibles, Spirit ofProphecy publications, and manymore reading materials!

Second, famine is a great sign ofJesus’ soon coming. Here in CentralAfrica, we experienced very badhunger problems because of droughtand floods. About 60 percent ofpeople went to sleep without eating.Our loving God kept us and contin-ues to keep us in such conditions. Wecontinue conducting evangelistic ef-forts in various areas. People are con-verted to the Adventist message.Praise the Lord!

MM, Malawi

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edThe following art prints (shown above) are on sale while quantities last:

Product # Artist Description Reg. Sale*APBB-REAP Bob Bresnahan Reapers (10½" x 14") $2.00 $0.75

APBB-AFAM Bob Bresnahan Angel with Family (10" x 12½") $2.00 $0.75

APBB-JSSG Bob Bresnahan Separating Sheep and Goats (11½" x 12½") $2.00 $0.75

APAJ-RACC James Arrabito Raccoons (16" x 21½") $5.00 $0.75APPC-43a Otis Nichols, Publisher 1843 Prophetic Chart (25" x 37") $5.00 $0.75

APPC-43b J.V. Himes, Publisher 1843 Prophetic Chart (17½" x 23") $4.00 $0.75

APMG-GPRA Georgia Marihugh Girl Praying (8" x 9½") $2.00 $0.75

APBB-EGW1 Bob Bresnahan Ellen G. White at Elmshaven (11" x 15") $2.00 $0.75

APMG-BJUS Georgia Marihugh Blind Justice (13" x 15½") $2.00 $0.75

APBB-JREV Bob Bresnahan John the Revelator (11" x 14") $2.00 $0.75APBB-EGW2 Bob Bresnahan Ellen G. White & Testimonies (9¼" x 15½") $2.00 $0.75

APBB-JACH Bob Bresnahan Jesus and the Children (9½" x 12½") $2.00 $0.75

APAJ-MLFA James Arrabito Mountain Lion Family (16" x 21½") $5.00 $0.75

Order From Hope International Today!*Please see page 3 for shipping and sales tax information.

Art Print Poster Sale!

Documents

Volume 18, Number 2 - Andrews University · 2012-01-30 · Volume 18, Number 2 3 Volume 18, Number 2 February 2003 It is the mission of Hope International and the editors of Our Firm