No Other Gods Before God.

 February 12, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 7, p. 104.

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10. 

“The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” Mark 12:29, 30. 

When Moses, at the command of the Lord, said to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go,” Pharaoh, in rebellion, said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” Exodus 5:1, 2. 

If, in reverence, Pharaoh had asked, in an honesty iniquity: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” his question would have been respected by the Lord. For when the Lord first appeared to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, and sent him into Egypt for the deliverance of the people, provision was made for the answer of just such a question. For Moses said to Him: “When I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them?” Exodus 3:13. 

This supposed question, “What is His name?” is only, in different form, Pharaoh’s question,” Who is the Lord?” And, in expectation of the asking of that question, “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.” And “thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Verse 14. 

It is true that Pharaoh did not know the Lord. But that, of itself, was not against him; for that is the condition of every man, at first. Pharaoh’s mistake was in exalting himself upon his ignorance, and supposing that he knew enough without God, and in refusing to receive the knowledge of Him. For, equally with any other man in the world, Pharaoh could have received the knowledge of God. For God had sent into Egypt, for all who were there, the revelation of himself: “I AM THAT I AM.” 

This expression, “I AM THAT I AM,” is the revelation of God. It reveals Him in His self-existence—“I AM;” and in His character—“I AM THAT I AM”—I AM THAT WHICH I AM—I AM WHAT I AM. “This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Exodus 3:15. 

In believing in God it is not enough to believe in the self-existent One. He is more than that—He is more than existence: He is character. And in believing in Him it is not enough to believe that He is: we must believe WHAT He is. As it is written, “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” 

His name embraces both these thoughts. And His name is not known unless these two thoughts—self-existence and character—are known. As to existence, His name is “I AM;” and as to character, “I am what I am.” 

What is He, then, in this which He is? What is His name as to character? This question is answered in full by the Lord himself. He has revealed not only that He is, but He has revealed what He is; and this in order that all men may know Him; may know His name in its fullness, and as it is in truth. For again in its fullness, and as it is in truth. For again He said to Moses: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.... And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. Exodus 33:19; 34:5. 

And in proclaiming this His name, “the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6, 7. 

This is what He is. When He said, “I AM THAT I AM.... This is my name forever,” this is what He said. And when He passed by before Moses and proclaimed this, His name, He only said in more words what He said at the first, “I AM THAT I AM.... This is my name forever.” 

The words, “The Lord, The Lord God,” express self-existence, as do the words “I AM.” All the rest of the words of that glorious name express His character, as do the words, “I AM THAT [THAT WHICH, or WHAT] I AM.” 

And what a Person is thus revealed! 

“Merciful,” full of mercy, which is the disposition to treat persons, even offenders, better than they deserve. The disposition is the very heart’s core of the person. And He is full of the disposition, it is His very nature, to treat all the people of this world, forever, better than they deserve. For this is His name; and His name is but expressive of His nature; for His character is but himself. Then it is himself to treat all people better than they deserve. And He takes pleasure in those who hope in this, His disposition to treat them better than they deserve. 

It is man’s natural disposition to treat offenders just as they deserve; to get back at them; to render evil for evil; to “teach them a lesson.” And this disposition is so natural to man, it is so entirely his own, that it is difficult for him to conceive that it is really God’s disposition to treat him better than he deserves. Men think that God wishes to treat them as they deserve. They think of Him as if He were waiting for an opportunity to treat them fully, and in vengeance, as they deserve. Thus they are afraid that He will; and so are afraid of Him. 

But such is not God; such is not the God revealed in the Bible. He is merciful—full of the disposition to treat offenders better than they deserve. It is His very nature to do so; and He never can do otherwise; for, in order to do otherwise, He would have to cease to be what He is, and would therefore have to cease to be God. 

But that is only one item of His glorious name. 

“Gracious;” extending favor to all people, everywhere, and forever. And this is what He is; and He can not be anything else; for He can not cease to be. He is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” 

“Long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” And this long-suffering is especially that none shall perish; because He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Accordingly, “the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, and since His long-suffering is salvation, His name, then, is Salvation. This is what He is, and He can not be anything else. 

“Keeping mercy for thousands.” And this is not simply thousands of thousands, but thousands of generations; for it is written: “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9. 

Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Note that it is not written, “I will forgive;” but, He is “forgiving.” It is not stated even in the form of a promise, as if it were, “I will forgive;” it is stated in the form of a present actuality: He is “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Note also that this is not merely what He is DOING, but it is what He IS, in His very nature and character. To be everlastingly forgiving is His very essence, and He can not be anything else; for He is God. 

“And before whom no man is clear of guilt.” Our common translation of this clause is very poor, in making the Lord say that He “will by no means clear the guilty,” when every thought of the Bible, from the fall of man to the end, is that He DOES clear the guilty; that He longs to save all; for all are guilty. For “what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.... But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:19, 21-23. 

The true sense is given in the German translation: “Before whom no man is guiltless.” And the Vulgate (Latin translation) expresses the thought that “no person is innocent by, or of, himself” before God. 

This is His name. And it is written, “My people shall know my name.” Isaiah 52:6. And this is known in Christ; for when He came into the world in man’s stead, He said, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren.” Only thus can the name of God be known. To know His name is to know Him. Therefore, only thus can He be known, as it is written: “Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” Matthew 11:27. 

The knowledge of God is obtained only by revelation; and Jesus Christ is the only revelation of God. To know the name of God; to know God as thus revealed; to worship Him according to this revelation; to have Him, and Him alone, as God, loving Him with all the heart, and all the soul, and all the mind, and all the strength,—this, and this alone, is the true keeping of the First Commandment. 

But when He is thus known,—known as He is revealed,—whosoever thus knows Him never wishes any other god, and so, delightedly, keeps the First Commandment. 

And so, whereas without Christ the First Commandment speaks in the stern voice of reproof and condemnation, yet in Christ it is turned into the blessed and glorious promise fulfilled, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;” “Out of Egypt have I called my son;” “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 

Here Are They That Keep the Commandments of God.

 

(Excerpt)

This is the universal lesson: that no man can serve God, that no man can keep a single one of the Ten Commandments, except he is first delivered, by the power of God, from the darkness of Egypt, from the darkness of the shadow of death, from the realm and bondage of sin.                         

This is the lesson of the whole Bible. Look, for instance, at Ephesians 2:1-10: how men are dead in trespasses and sins, in the darkness of this world; walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12), the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. But God, who is rich in mercy, has quickened us together with Christ, and has raised us up together with Him, to live and walk with Him. And this He did, not by our works, nor because of our works, but of His own mercy and grace: “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Thus is the lesson taught, that no man can do good works except he is created unto it by the power of God. 

How strongly this lesson is emphasized in the book of Galatians, which is just now the subject of the Sabbath-school studies. What are generally regarded as the practical things of the Christian life are not mentioned until the end of the book—brotherly kindness; bearing one another’s burdens; communicating in all good things; the sowing and the reaping, whether to the flesh or to the Spirit; doing good to all men, especially to the household of faith. These things come only in the few verses of the very last chapter. After men have been delivered from this present evil world, into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and are standing fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,—the liberty by love to serve one another,—filled with the Spirit, so that all the fruits of the Spirit are shining in the life, reflecting the sunshine of righteousness,—only THEN it is that the generally considered practical things of the Christian life are enjoined. 

Why is this? It is the same universal, divine lesson, that no man can do good works, no man can possibly do the “practical things of the Christian life,” who has not first the Christian life as a practical thing. And, therefore, it is made perfectly plain that deliverance from the darkness and bondage of sin; the finding of the sonship of God; the ability to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free; the receiving of the fullness of the Spirit of God in the life,—these things are the practical things of Christianity, equally with the others. Indeed, in a sense these are the more practical things; because so certainly must these precede the others that, without these, the other practical things of the Christian life can never be seen at all. 

Therefore when, from Mount Sinai, God would speak, with a voice that shook the earth, the practical things of the life of man, He spoke first of all this original practical thing of the life of man—deliverance from the realm and bondage of sin:— 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Exodus 20:2. 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 

Yet this is not the preamble of only the first commandment, but of the whole law, as if it were as follows:—

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not kill.” 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not steal.” 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” Exodus 20. 

And since, when He sent His only begotten Son to redeem us indeed, He renewed and emphasized this preliminary thought, in the words, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son,” it is as if this were the preamble and the whole law—is expressed in the great of the whole law of God. And all of it—the preamble and the whole law—is expressed in the great thought of the Third Angel’s Message: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” 

February 5, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 6, p. 88

Holy Sabbath.

 Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (hallow).

'Hebrew term for "hallow" means to separate a thing from common things, and devote it to God'

The Sabbath is a holy day. A holy day.

A day devoted to God.

God the Creator, the Redeemer. God who gives us breath. God who offers us unworthy creations, salvation from all that has corrupted us into the sinning creatures we are. Redemption is offered to all, without exception. Not all choose to be redeemed, Satan has used his great deception to bring them to that state, to that mindset.

May God open the spiritual eyes and the hearts of all to His truths. May the deceptive blinders be removed from their eyes so they may catch a glimpse of the pure love of our LORD. May they know that it isn't the present world we live in that is our home, but our treasures are in heaven and the new world to come with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, on this Sabbath day, this holy day, may God's presence be known by all as we recognize Him as our LORD- Creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them. Amen.

Out of Bondage.

 Egypt. When you think of the Bible and Egypt you almost automatically think of the Ten Commandments and Moses freeing the Hebrew slaves from Egypt by taking them through the Red Sea. Egypt, the place of the pyramids and sphinx, pharaohs and tombs.  Jesus came out of Egypt…

Mat 2:15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Jesus went into Egypt as a baby for protection and stayed there until it was safe for Him to travel to Nazareth, taken there by His loving parents guided by God, led by the angels. 

God led the Hebrews into Egypt to protect and save them as well, when a famine overtook the land for seven years. Prior to the famine He'd set things up so that a Hebrew sold into slavery would become the second in command of all Egypt. Then those saved Hebrews over the years (400 years) went from being saved people into being slaves, captives of Egypt. God then saved those slaves from their subjugation by using a deliverer, Moses.  You know the very famous true story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. 

Jesus was a part of all these things, a very important part. 

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lust

The Spiritual Rock- was Christ.

Way before Jesus, as God with God took on the flesh of the Son of God,  He was there with the children of Israel as they were being led out of Egypt. Then as a babe He physically came out of Egypt.  There is an importance here we don't consider… read on…  and may  God enlighten us!

*******

February 5, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 6, p. 88.

WHEN the Lord visited and redeemed His people, to take them into the land of promise, the land which He sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give to them: when He took them unto himself to serve Him only in the keeping of His holy law, He said, first of all: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” etc. 

Israel missed God’s call; they believed Him not, and therefore could not enter into His rest. These fell in the wilderness. And the generation that went into the land of Canaan did not in that go into “the land” and the “rest” to which the Lord would have taken the people when they first left Egypt, had they only believed. They drifted further and further away from God until they actually rejected Him, that they might be like the nations. 

And they became like the nations. They failed exactly as had their fathers before them. For, in the days of David, the Lord said still: “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.” Hebrews 3:7-11; 4:7, 8. 

But still they hardened their hearts, and went further away from the Lord, until they got into such darkness that it was the very darkness of “the shadow of death,” which is “darkness, as darkness itself, and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.” And there the people sat, when there shined unto them a “great light,” even the light of God, in which darkness itself is light. Isaiah 9:2; Job 10:21, 22; Matthew 4:16. 

Christ came. Again God visited to redeem His people, to make them not simply servants, but sons of God, that we “might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.” And at that time again God said: “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” 

Why was it necessary that the infant Jesus should be taken into Egypt at the time of the slaughter of the innocents by Herod? It was not alone to escape the decree of Herod, that Jesus was taken into Egypt; for that decree could have been easily escaped by a much shorter journey. This was done to teach all people forever the deep spiritual lesson of the true deliverance from Egypt. 

Jesus came into the world to take the place of man, to be our substitute and surety. Mankind is overwhelmed in the darkness and bondage of sin—Egyptian darkness, a darkness that may be felt. He was made to be sin; upon Him was laid the iniquity of us all; He was numbered with the transgressors; He was made in all things like those whose substitute He became. 

Therefore He was taken into Egypt, and was brought out again, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son;” and that by this object lesson there might be emphasized anew, and forever, the great lesson taught from of old to all people, the great truth that men become the sons of God only by their being called out of Egypt. 

The Ten Commandments express the whole duty of man. All that ever a man can do, in deed, word or thought, in righteousness, is covered by the Ten Commandments. All man’s service to God is in the keeping of this His Law. And when it was written of Christ, and it was fulfilled in Christ, as the Example of all mankind, that “out of Egypt have I called my Son,” this was simply speaking anew to all mankind the words which, that great day, God spoke from heaven, as the preamble to the whole Ten Commandments and their keeping: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” 

This is the universal lesson: that no man can serve God, that no man can keep a single one of the Ten Commandments, except he is first delivered, by the power of God, from the darkness of Egypt, from the darkness of the shadow of death, from the realm and bondage of sin.

To be continued…. By the grace and will of God! All through Jesus Christ our Lord, now and forever! Amen!

Made Sin

 He was made sin for us. You read that right. The sinless Son of God, was made sin for us. The sinless Son of God was made like us. Not my words…

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin…

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren

MADE to be LIKE US.

If Jesus was made to be like us in ALL THINGS, then He was made EXACTLY as we are in our fallen state. HE was NOT given any special powers to defeat sin, powers we do not have access to. He wasn't made in a special flesh, a special spiritual leg up that we aren't given. We sit here and contemplate Jesus being able to remain sinless when we fail over and over again, even from a young age, and we convince ourselves that the only way Jesus could have not sinned was if He has something special, a special connection to the Father, a special ability to commune with Him that we are born without. But that CAN'T BE TRUE if He were made in all things like us. So how did He keep from sinning, where we fail? We can't fathom it try as we might. We insist on given Jesus super powers, of changing His flesh nature to something different than ours. Our flesh nature leads us into sin, Jesus' didn't so His had to be super flesh, protected flesh, changed flesh, special flesh something UNLIKE us in that one thing at least. But we are told IN ALL THINGS He was made like us! Come on! We need to reconcile this some how and it's NOT by giving Jesus something He didn't have! As soon as we give Jesus a supernatural flesh we strip the very humanity from Him that He took on in order to redeem us. Can so few comprehend that HE TRULY did take on our flesh and redeemed us in that flesh? THIS IS FAITH! This is believing in something when we truly cannot fathom it as being real. We NEED to have THIS FAITH, not make up something we can fathom as being realistic. If we do that we are against what Christ truly is, what He truly did! 

God help us to have the FAITH we need and not add super powers to our Savior so we can excuse our failure. 

All through our SAVIOR! 

(excerpt)

“The Faith of Jesus” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 5, pp. 72, 73.

“LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery [“a thing to be seized upon and held fast”] to be equal with God; but emptied himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:5-7. ARSH January 29, 1901, page 72.1

“For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10. ARSH January 29, 1901, page 72.2

“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” Verses 17, 18. ARSH January 29, 1901, page 72.3

Made “in all things” like unto us, He was in all points like as we are. So fully was this so that He could say, even as we must say the same truth, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” ARSH January 29, 1901, page 72.4

Of Him this was so entirely true that, in the weakness and infirmity of the flesh,—ours which He took,—He was as is the man who is without God and without Christ. For it is only without Him that men can do nothing. With Him, and through Him, it is written: “I can do all things.” But of those who are without Him, it is written: “Without me ye can do nothing.” ARSH January 29, 1901, page 72.5

Therefore, when He said, of himself, “I can of mine own self do nothing,” this makes it certain forever that in the flesh,—because of our infirmities which He took; because of our sinfulness, hereditary and actual, which were laid upon Him, and imparted to Him,—He was of himself in that flesh exactly as is the man who, in the infirmity of the flesh, is laden with sins, actual and hereditary, and who is without God. 

He came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” And in saving the lost, He came to the lost where they are. He put himself among the lost. “He was numbered with the transgressors.” He was “made to be sin.” And from the standpoint of the weakness and infirmity of the lost, He trusted in God, that He would deliver Him and save Him. Laden with the sins of the world, and tempted in all points like as we are, He hoped in God, and trusted in God to save Him from all those sins, and to keep Him from sinning. 

And this is the faith of Jesus: this is the point where the faith of Jesus reaches lost, sinful man, to help him. For thus it has been demonstrated, to the very fullness of perfection, that there is no man in the wide world for whom there is not hope in God: no one so lost that he can not be saved by trusting God. And this faith of Jesus, by which, in the place of the lost, He hoped in God, and trusted God for salvation from sin, and power to keep from sinning,—this victory of His it is that has brought to every man in the world divine faith, by which every man can hope in God, and trust God, and can find the power of God to deliver him from sin and to keep him from sinning. That faith which He exercised, and by which He obtained the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil,—that faith is His free gift to every lost man in the world. And thus “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 

This is the faith of Jesus that is given to men. This is the faith of Jesus that must be received by men, in order for them to be saved. This is the faith of Jesus which, now in this time of the Third Angel’s Message, must be received and kept by those who will be saved from the worship of the Beast and his Image, and enabled to keep the Commandments of God. This is the faith of Jesus referred to in the closing words of the Third Angel’s Message: “Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Truth Then, Truth Now.

 We think because we are so incredibly advanced in technology that somehow a lot of the Bible doesn't apply to us any longer. We've so far surpassed those of Biblical times in so many ways - to apply Biblical truths seems impossible to some. There are those who will claim that because we have machinery unheard of in Biblical times that we are beyond the Bible. The Bible is outdated and meant for another time, another era, a way of life long gone. All lies. Yes, the Bible was written thousands of years ago, but it's truths are ageless and surpass all time going on into eternity. 

Read these words of our God - - Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Knowledge shall be increased.  If, and I'm speculating here, knowledge was constantly increasing- explain how for thousands of year horses were our main mode of transportation and then quite suddenly we have trains, cars, planes and so on and so forth. That is just one area of increased knowledge. The advancements in our lives are astounding. The increased knowledge increasing at a rate beyond belief really. To think it was just over a hundred and twenty or so years ago approximately that we were still using horses to pull our carriages etc is mind-blowing.

With all this knowledge comes an increase in sin. So much of our technology used for good is also used extensively for evil. The depravity of mankind has only grown along with knowledge. We live surrounded by technologies that allow evil to flourish in our lives. Does this mean if we choose to live like some groups of people who shun all advanced technology that we've overcome sin? No, not by a long shot. Sin thrives no matter the life around us. We can however embrace sin without resistance or resist sin, making no provision for our flesh nature. 

We have to comprehend that very few will be found as Christ's when He returns, very, very few. May we be among those who are Christ's, all through HIS righteousness, through HIS power, through HIS love, on our own we are completely and utterly lost.

*******

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

1Co 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

1Co 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

1Co 10:10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

1Co 10:14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry

January 29, 1901

“The Ten Commandments. Who Shall Escape the Plagues?” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 5, p. 72.

WHO shall escape the plagues? 

In the Seven Last Plagues “is filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1); the wrath of God falls upon those who worship the Beast and his Image; for it is written: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the Beast and his Image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.”  Revelation 14:9, 10. 

This Third Angel’s Message is to keep men from the worship of the Beast and his Image, and so to save them from the wrath of God. And the way in which men escape the worship of the Beast and his Image, and so escape the Seven Last Plagues, is by keeping the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus; for the closing words of the Third Angel’s Message: “Here are they that keep the Commandments, of God, and the Faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. 

It is true that, in a sense, whatsoever is in the Bible is of the Commandments of God. Yet, in a particular sense, above all things else in the Bible the Ten Commandments are distinguished as the Commandments of God. These are especially singled out from all things else, upon which people are directed to fix their special attention. 

Accordingly, thus it is written: “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, ... and the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.” Deuteronomy 4:9, 10, 12, 13. 

When He had spoken the Ten Commandments,—these Ten Words,—He spoke no more: there was no more to be said. Accordingly, the conclusion of the whole matter, the sum of all that hath been heard is, “Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13. 

When the Lord spoke that day from the top of Sinai, all that He said needed to be said. And when He had spoken, all was said that could be said. Now the first words that were spoken that day are these:— 

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Exodus 20:2. 

This is the introduction, the preamble, to all the Commandments, the whole Law of God. It is as much a part of the Law of God as is any word that follows; for it is written: “God spake all these words.” These words were a part, indeed the very beginning of the words that day spoken, when all was said that could be said, and when nothing was said that needed not to be said. 

That law is spiritual: all that is in it or of it is spiritual. This preamble, equally with all the rest of the law that day spoken, is “holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. 

God is spirit. And this law, preface and all, being altogether of God, is therefore altogether spiritual; for “the law is spiritual.” Romans 7:14. Accordingly, the Egypt referred to is spiritual Egypt: and the bondage referred to is spiritual bondage; for the Scriptures deal definitely with a spiritual Egypt, as well as with a temporal Egypt. Revelation 11:8. 

Spiritually, then, what is Egypt? Read this: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” Hebrews 11:24-26. 

Here we have “affliction with the people of God” set over against “the pleasures of sin,” and “the reproach of Christ” set over against “the treasures in Egypt;” thus:— 

Affliction with the people of God. Pleasures of sin. 

Reproach of Christ. Treasures in Egypt. 

This shows “affliction with the people of God,” and “the reproach of Christ,” to be synonymous; and “the pleasures of sin,” and “the treasures in Egypt,” to be likewise synonymous. It also plainly shows “sin” and “Egypt” to be synonymous. Spiritual Egypt, therefore, is the realm of sin. Therefore this beginning of the Law of God, as spoken by the Lord from heaven, simply says, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the realm and bondage of sin. 

And by these holy words being placed at the very threshold of the keeping of the Commandments of God, it is signified to all people forever that in the keeping of the Commandments of God the first of all things is that the soul shall be delivered from the realm and bondage of sin. By this it is indicated that no man can keep the Commandments of God unless he is first delivered from the realm and the bondage of sin. And in these blessed words, God presents himself to every soul, as the perfect and free Deliverer of men from the realm and the bondage of sin, that they may keep His Commandments. 

This is the teaching of the whole record of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, which was “written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” While Israel was yet in Egypt, the word was spoken to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: and I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me.” Exodus 4:22, 23. And when, by great plagues and mighty judgments, Pharaoh was brought to the point where he would let Israel go; and when, by His great power, God had delivered Israel, that they might serve Him,—then He said: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” and so on, to the end of the Ten Commandments; and He added no more. 

And all this happened unto them for an ensample: it is “written for our learning,” and “for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 

The deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage did not, even at that time, consist in deliverance from bodily oppression or temporal bondage. For even after the multitude of Israel had been delivered from that bodily oppression and temporal bondage, their hearts were yet in Egypt: in thought and in heart they time and again “turned back again into Egypt.” Hebrews 11:24-26. 

And there were others; because it was by faith that Moses, “when he was born, was hid three months of his parents;” for, by this faith, “they were not afraid of the king’s commandment” that had gone forth, to slay all the male children of the children of Israel. 

As, therefore, it is true that the children of Israel, though bodily and temporarily in Egypt, were yet free from Egypt, and were the children of God; and as the whole multitude, although taken bodily entirely out of Egypt, were not free, but, in heart, were still in Egypt,—this demonstrates that at that time, as well as now and forever, true deliverance from Egypt is spiritual; and that the real Egypt from which this true deliverance is found is spiritual Egypt.

Not An Angel.

 Not an ANGEL.

Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 

God with God made a decree and that decree was the declared Son of God so that it was no longer God with God, but God the Father and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 

God the Father, was whom God the Son relied upon for ALL things when He became the Son of God in the flesh. The Holy Spirit- is not an angel, just as God the Son did not take on the nature of angels. The Holy Spirit is a God, none of the angels are gods. The Holy Spirit is a God who comforts, who lives among mankind. The distinction needed to be made that Jesus did not take on the nature of angels. Angels are ministering spirits doing the will of God- through love. Angels also have freedom of choice, and 1/3 of all the angels created decided they did not want to serve God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 1/3 made a forever choice for Satan, and 2/3 made a forever choice to serve God. These angels of God serve God by doing His will ministering to us human beings. The angels can take on human form, but not human flesh, Jesus took on human flesh, He was born into humanity, no angel is born into humanity, ever. 

Distinctions are necessary, we cannot forget them. Too many want to overlook the distinctive nature of our Savior and gloss over the truth of His flesh nature. Too many simply do not care to make any distinctions and would rather just believe what any charismatic pastor, leader, or person in general might tell them. The Word of God tells us we need to comprehend that Jesus did not take on the nature of angels, but on the seed of Abraham. That seed, humanity's seed is the seed that sinned. 

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

God said- I will put a hatred been Satan and the woman-  between Satan's seed and the woman's seed.  Abraham's seed is from the woman's seed God spoke of. Jesus is from the woman's seed. Did every seed from the woman sin? Without a doubt all who were capable of sinning- sinned. I say it in that way because, there are those who are too young too sin even though their flesh contains all the abilities to sin once they reach an age to unless they perish before that time is reached. Also, there are those whose mental faculties do not allow for them to sin. These innocents are only known by God to be sure, and only God has that power and right to know. All others will sin as their natures incline them towards it in the weakness they possess.  When the Holy Spirit seed merged with the woman's seed and God and flesh united- Jesus was born with the nature towards sin with the ability to sin, with flesh filled with the history of sinning and sinners, yet, He made the choices to resist temptation time and time again.  He had to resist just where we succumb, and without any special flesh, without any special power, save the powers that are available to us all- the power of prayer, of supplication, of submission, of obedience. If our Savior couldn't keep from sinning in our flesh there was no point in His taking on our flesh, none. If He came filled with a special ability above our own, then He proved nothing except that God can overcome sin- something we know already. Jesus had to prove that humans could overcome sin. Why else was Satan so infuriated that he filled the land with his evils so intently trying Jesus to the uttermost, tempting Him in all ways, in the harshest ways he possibly could.  The flesh Jesus had, was OUR FLESH, if it were any other, Satan would have cried FOUL very loudly! Satan wants to get us to believe that Jesus had special power, because therein we are denying Jesus' power to save us. You don't realize it because it's crouched in deep deception and touted as unimportant and inconsequential, but oh, isn't that exactly how Satan disguised as an angel of light would work? Isn't this how Satan is going to deceived millions and millions, and millions who think they are God's?  We need to comprehend the TRUTH, and we need to accept the TRUTH- because Jesus is the TRUTH.

******* EXCERPT)

Elder E. J. Waggoner was asked to give the evening message at 7 p.m. He chose for his text - Hebrews 10:4-10. Then he introduced a question that had been given to him which read as follows:

Was that holy thing which was born of the virgin Mary born in sinful flesh, and did that flesh have the same evil tendencies to contend with that ours does? (1901 GC Bulletin, p. 403).

In Waggoner's answer there was left little doubt as to what he was talking about. He mentioned the concept of sinless flesh, and declared it to be "the deification of the devil" (ibid. p. 405).  He stated very specifically as to when the change would come in the flesh, and what the results would be. His words were:

The flesh will be opposed to the Spirit of God so long as we have it, but when the time comes that mortality is swallowed up of life, then the conflict will cease. Then we shall no longer have to fight against the flesh, but that sinless life which we lay hold of by faith and which was manifest in our sinful bodies, will then by simple faith be continued throughout all eternity in a sinless body (Ibid., p. 406).

What then is the purpose of this earthly struggle? Waggoner continued:

When God has given this witness to the world of His power to save to the uttermost, to save sinful beings, and to live a perfect life in sinful flesh, then He will remove the disabilities and give us better circumstances in which to live. But first of all this wonder must be worked out in sinful man, not simply in the person of Jesus Christ, but in Jesus Christ reproduced and multiplied in thousands of His followers. So not simply in the few sporadic cases but in the whole body of the church, the perfect life of Christ will be manifested to the world, and that will be the last crowning work which will either save or condemn men; and greater testimony than that there is not, and cannot be, because there is none greater than God. When God is manifest among men, not simply as God apart from man, but as God in man, suffering all that man suffered, subject to everything that man is subject to, what greater power can be manifest in the universe than that? (Ibid.)

During the sermon, Dr. Waggoner challenged those listening to settle it, each for himself, whether or not he was truly "out of the church of Rome." He then commented:

There are great many that have got the marks yet, but I am persuaded of this, that every soul who is here tonight desires to know the way of truth and righteousness, and that there is no one here who is unconsciously clinging to the dogmas of the papacy, who does not desire to be freed from them.

Do you not see that the idea that the flesh of Jesus was not like ours (because we know that ours is sinful) necessarily involves the idea of the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary? Mind you, in Him is no sin, but the mystery of God manifest in the flesh, the marvel of the ages, the wonder of angels, that thing which even now they

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desire to understand, and which they can form no just idea of, only as they are taught it by the church, is the perfect manifestation of the life of God in its spotless purity in the midst of sinful flesh. 0 that is a marvel is it not? (ibid., p. 404).

*******

January 22, 1901

“The Faith of Jesus. The Nature of Christ” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 4, p. 56. 

(Excerpt continued) 

'By His death He paid the penalty of all sins actually committed, and thus can justly bestow His righteousness upon all who will receive it. And by condemning sin in the flesh, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity. He delivers from the law of heredity; and so can, in righteousness, impart His divine nature and power to lift above that law, and hold above it, every soul that will receive Him. 

And so it is written: “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Galatians 4:4. And “God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for [on account of] sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3, 4. And “He is our peace, ... having abolished in His flesh the enmity, ... for to make in Himself of twain [God and man] one new man, so making peace.” Ephesians 2:14, 15. 

Thus “in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” 

Whether temptation be from within or from without. He is the perfect shield against it all, and so saves to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.'