Tag / William Earnhardt

by In Light Of The Cross

The Reformation Continues Until the Whole Earth Sees the Goodness of God.

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg church. Hence, 31 October has become known as Reformation Day. Regarding the Reformation, this is one of my favorite passages in Revelation,

After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. Revelation 18:1 NKJV 

The reason I love this passage is that it brings us to complete recovery from the Dark Ages. After 1260 years of spiritual darkness, the Protestant Reformation began to shed light on various points of God’s Word. Still, in Revelation 18:1, it continues until the entire earth is illuminated with the light which Satan tried to snuff out entirely during the Dark Ages. The world being enlightened with heaven’s glory may mean more than even some Adventists suppose. Yes, we come out of the Dark Ages as we recover certain Bible doctrines, like the Sabbath and the state of the dead, which were misrepresented during that time. But these doctrines are not the goal. These doctrines lead us toward a better understanding of God’s love. During the Dark Ages, something even more crucial than the Sabbath was shrouded in darkness. The very character of God and His love was shrouded in darkness. As various Bible doctrines came to light, a better understanding of God’s love emerged. This is why Ellen White wrote, 

The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. To be rightly understood and appreciated, every truth in the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light that streams from the cross of Calvary. I present before you the great, grand monument of mercy and regeneration, salvation and redemption–the Son of God uplifted on the cross. This is to be the foundation of every discourse given by our ministers.–Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p. 315.

For the sake of time, let’s use the false teaching about the immortality of the soul and sinners being tortured throughout the endless ages of eternity as an example. This false teaching greatly misrepresented God’s love. In the light of the cross, we see that the wages of sin are death, not eternal torment, and Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross. Thus, as we study every doctrine in the light of the cross, we see the light of God’s love that Satan tried to shroud in darkness.

As Seventh-day Adventists we have a special message to give to the world, to prepare people for the second coming. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us God wants everyone to come to repentance. Romans 2:4 tells us the goodness of God leads us to repentance. Thus our last day message to the world is way more than just about a day of worship or the non-immortality of the soul. Our most crucial message to the world is the love and goodness of God. 

It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth. –Ellen White, Christ Object Lessons, Page 415. 

The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children  of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works—in words of truth and deeds of holiness.-Ellen White, Christ Object Lessons, Pages 415-416. 

As we celebrate Reformation Day let’s remember that the reformation is continuing to this day, and will continue until the whole earth not only sees the truth about the Sabbath and the immortality of the soul, but even more importantly sees the truth about God’s character and love. The reformation continues until the whole world sees the goodness of God that leads them to repentance and salvation. 

by In Light Of The Cross

Michael is My Savior

Recently I was studying with a man who believed Jesus was a really good person, even a savior who died for us, but he did not believe Jesus was God. I shared with him the importance of knowing Jesus was actually God. I asked him, “If your wife was trapped inside a burning building, which would convince her more that you love her? Sending a fireman in to rescue her or going in yourself to rescue her?” He replied, “Going in myself.”

God the Son shows His love for us by dying Himself to rescue us. 

In Daniel 10, Daniel is in a fierce spiritual battle when, finally, 

Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Daniel 10:13 NKJV

In Daniel’s time of need did God send someone else to rescue Daniel, or did He demonstrate His love by rescuing Daniel Himself?

It’s easy for some to conclude, on surface reading, that Michael is just another angel. But as we look deeper, we see that Michael is actually the Son of God, who became incarnate as “Jesus,” coming to our rescue.

Archangel is a compound of two Greek words: “arche” which means beginning or commencement, and “aggelos” which means angel or messenger. The word arche is also closely related to the word “archo,” which means “to be first” or to “reign (rule) over.” Thus the “Archangel” is the One who began (created) the angels and reigns over them. That would be none other than Christ. 

Bible scholars are in general agreement that an “archangel” is over the created angels. But not all agree that the Archangel is the Creator Himself. 

Let’s look at a similar passage in which Christ is called the “beginning” of the creation of God:

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

In this text “arche” is translated as “beginning.” Is it not reasonable to conclude that since to all the other churches, the One speaking is Christ Himself, this is clearly another description of Christ. Thus, it appears that in biblical usage, the “arch-creation” or “beginning of creation” means the Creator Himself. 

Thus from the word usage, we could conclude that the “archangel” is also the Creator of the angels and not one of the created angels.

The name Michael means “One like God” or “There is no one else like God.” If Michael were only a created angel, then Lucifer’s aspiration to be “like God” could not be blasphemous and a reason for his expulsion from heaven. (See Isaiah 14:14.)

In Revelation 19:10 John starts to worship an angel and the angel tells him not to. Obviously this was a created angel who realized there was no way he, a created being could be equal with God. However, in Joshua 5, Joshua meets an Angel who accepts his worship, demonstrating that this was not a created angel, but the Angel who led Israel in the wilderness, referred to in Exodus 23:20-21:

 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

Notice that the implication that this Angel can forgive transgression. Who but God Himself can forgive transgression? The Jews knew this and accused Christ of blasphemy when He forgave sin. (See Matthew 9:2-6) 

So how do we know in the Bible that Michael is the Son of God, now known as Jesus?

Daniel called Michael a chief prince. Who is our chief prince?

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given….. And His name will be called…. Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

Who did Jude 1:9 say raises the dead?

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Jude 1:9

When Jesus comes, who raises the dead?

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 1

It is the Lord Himself who has the voice of the archangel. The same voice that Jesus said would raise the dead.

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. John 5:25 

There are not two different persons who raise the dead. No created angel can raise the dead. Only Christ can do that. 

While Michael rescued Daniel during his time of need, who will rescue us during our time of trouble?

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…..” Daniel 12:1-2

Michael, the Son of God Himself will come to our rescue! How assuring to know that God loves us too much to let someone else save and rescue us! He rescues us Himself! Yes God also send angels both terrestrial and celestial to help us in our time of needs, but He also loves us so much that He will finally come rescue all His people Himself! 

Daniel 10 gives me comfort that, in my time of need, when I feel I am being overcome by Satan, I can cry out God, “Please send Michael!” And Michael, the Only one “like Unto God,” Yes God Himself will rescue me!

Are you in the middle of a spiritual warfare now, and feel like you are losing the battle? Don’t wait. Call for Michael, the Son of God Himself, now! 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.

  1. In this text “a shout” and “the voice of an archangel” are an example of synonymous parallelism where both phrases mean the same thing, with one reinforcing the other. 

by In Light Of The Cross

Journalling

Photo by Dom J on Pexels.com

“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—Ellen G. White, Life Sketches, p. 196.

Long before Sabbath School Net, my blogsite, and Facebook, I loved to write. When I was a teenager, Earl Hamner inspired me to write and keep a journal. You may or may not know that Earl Hamner created the 1970s TV series The Waltons, based loosely on his own family’s experiences growing up during the Great Depression and World War II. In the TV series, John Boy, the character is based on Earl Hamner, who kept a journal. This inspired me to keep a journal, hoping to write some exciting stories to share later in life. While I did not write anything noteworthy enough to create my own TV series, I did write what has become a gold mine for my own reflection and self-discovery. 

For instance, when I was 15, I had a crush on a girl who didn’t return my feelings, so I wrote in my journal that I had called her a snob to her face. A couple of weeks later, I recorded in my journal that I preached my first sermon, but also noted the girl I had a crush on did not come to hear me preach, and I wondered why. Reading my journal years later, it was blatantly obvious why. Just a few days earlier, I called her a snob. Who wants to hear someone preach who just called you a snob? I didn’t see the obvious at the time, but years later, reading my journal, I could connect the dots that I couldn’t connect at the time. Around the same age, I wrote in my journal how I hoped to become a pastor someday. It is rewarding to go back to my journal and read about dreams that were fulfilled years later. Except now I don’t call people I want to share the Gospel with “snobs.” 

Sadly, after a couple of years of journaling, I stopped because I didn’t feel that what I wrote was exciting enough to record. Was I ever wrong! As I said earlier, I look back and see it as a gold mine of self-reflection and self-discovery, as well as documenting events and dates to refer back on whenever I need a timeline. By reading my old journals, I can see now what I have required to grow and how I have grown. Around 2005, Someone gave me a journal as a birthday gift, and I started journaling again, though I do not write in it nearly as often as I did as a teen. Of course, I now write on my blog and Facebook, so I can still share stories of my life. 

As we study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson, “Memorials of Grace,” I am reminded how journaling can be a memorial of grace.  In recent years, I have journaled about how God closed the door on my Bible Worker ministry only to open an even bigger door for ministry. I have journaled about how God got me out of debt after I lost my job, which is a very unique route out of debt. I have journaled about how God revealed His presence to me when my mother passed away. These miracles in my past are recorded in my journal to remind me that I never have to fear bad news. 

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Psalm 112:7 NLT 

So today, I thank God for the gift of writing, whether it is in my personal journal or blogging on Sabbath School Net or social media. I hope you also take advantage of the wonderful gift of writing, and record your own tragedies and triumphs, so you can look back and read and re-read the wonderful things the Lord has brought you through and done for you. I feel that, like me, you will also learn some things about yourself as you read your old stories. 

By the way, at camp meetings and while traveling, I will meet people who tell me they have been following my blog for a long time. Some of them have never commented, so I had no idea they were even following me. So, whether you have commented or not, I want to thank you for reading my blogs. Thank you for being someone I can share my stories with. By sharing my stories with you, I have been able to share my life with you. That makes you very special to me. Thank you. 

by In Light Of The Cross

When Love and Grace Made the Universe Stand Still

There is a saying, “kids who are loved at home come to school to learn. Kids who are not loved at home come to school to be loved.” Is it any different in Sabbath School? Is it also true that God’s children (ages 0-125) who know they are loved come to Sabbath school to learn, and those who don’t yet know they are loved come to Sabbath School to be loved?

I can still remember sitting at my desk in my 4th-grade classroom at Tulsa Adventist Academy, listening to my teachers, Miss Fisher and Mrs. Krueger, lecturing us about something. I don’t really remember exactly what it was about, but we must have been struggling with our grades, because all I remember is that both teachers told us, “If you only learn one thing this year, learn this. We love you!”  Now we were loved at home. We were loved at church and school, but as educated as my teachers were, they knew the most important thing was not money or a degree. It’s love. Without that, nothing else matters, and when you know you are loved, nothing can stop you!

For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died (2 Corinthians 5:14 Amplified Bible)

So while humanity tries harder, and reads self-help books and tries 12-step recovery programs, Paul says it is by looking at the cross and knowing we are loved that we get all our power to succeed. I remember John the Baptist telling everyone to “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29. He didn’t tell them to try harder next time. He told them to look at the Lamb. Let His love soak into you.

As legalistic humans we are always wanting to promise to try harder next time. But the answer is not promising to try harder. The answer is letting yourself be loved.

In Jeremiah God mentions how Israel had not kept the promises they had made, so He was going to make a better promise. His promise would be better because He is the the One making the promise instead of them. He is the perfect Promise-maker while we are lousy promise-makers!

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33 NLT)

So God promises to do for us what we could never even promise to do for ourselves, much less even try harder to make happen. God is the One promising, and He is the One who is accountable to make it so. Please notice something very important though. Its in Jeremiah 31:3 NLT, several verses before He promises to write His law on our hearts.

I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Just like my teachers realized all the book knowledge in the world doesn’t mean a thing without love, God feels the same way. Knowing all the laws and having them memorized in your mind and knowing them all by heart doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t know how much God loves you!

Friends, there is no reason for you to promise God you are going to try harder and do better next time. He has already promised you! We don’t need to promise God what He has already promised us! What? I don’t have any work to do myself? Well yes, and I will let Jesus tell you Himself, exactly what your work is.

 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29 NLT

Our work is to believe God’s promise that He loves us with an everlasting love, and He will place the principles of His love (also known as His law) in our hearts!

This is why John never told us to try harder! Just look at the Lamb and let His love soak into your heart till your heart is saturated with His love, which is also His law. You don’t need to promise God anything. Your work is to believe the promises God has made to you!

I don’t need too many self-help books. I don’t need to try harder. I just need to look at the Lamb and fall in love with Jesus! His love will change me in ways I could never change myself. After all, all the self help books and promises of better performance don’t mean a thing without love!

So just how good is God at keeping His promises to love and save us? For brevity, let me share one example. You can read about it in Joshua 9-10.

The Gibeonites used deceit to trick Israel into letting them in on the covenant God had made with them. Even though Israel was not supposed to make a covenant with anyone living as close as the Gibeonites, they did. Later when the Gibeonites were under attack, they called upon Israel to save them, and even though the Gibeonites had used deceit to secure this covenant, God was so relentless in keeping His promise of love, that He caused the sun to stand still until the Gibeonites were all rescued! God fought for Israel as Israel fought for the mischievous Gibeonites. Let that soak in. The Gibeonites were in no way worthy of any of God’s blessings, but God was still so loving and faithful to His promise that He made the sun stand still until they were all rescued! Talk about a love that moves heaven and earth! And this powerful love was given to the most undeserving people! So, scientifically speaking, the greatest power in the universe is not gravity or the suctioning power of the black hole. God’s love overruled all those powers and made the solar system stand still. Imagine what this love can do in your heart! 

God’s powerful promises and love are also for you and me. In Hebrews 13:5 God promises to never leave us or forsake us, but the Amplified Bible is the only English version that even begins to grasp what God is actually promising.

for He has said, “I will never under any circumstances desert you nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless, nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you- assuredly not!” Hebrews 13:5 Amp version.

If we know we are loved we can come to Sabbath School to learn, and we can learn while we are loved, but we can’t learn without love.

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 NLT

—and the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Perception and Reality

God never affirms a proud and arrogant attitude, but, as in the case of Joshua, He does tell meek and humble people to be strong and courageous. See Joshua 1:7-9. 

In His message to the seven churches in Revelation, Jesus tells the church of Smyrna that, although they may appear poor, they were actually rich. See Revelation 2:9. Later, He tells the church of Laodicea that, although they appear rich, they are actually destitute. See Revelation 3:17. It was because of Laodicea’s pride that Jesus could not call them rich, while He could call the humble people of Smyrna rich. The question is, who do we believe when Jesus contradicts our perception of reality? Do we believe in Jesus or do we believe what we see, hear, and feel? Let’s be cautious, as pride and arrogance can blur our perception of reality. On the other hand, so can our lack of faith in God ‘s love. 

Satan well knows how perception affects our picture of reality. So he likes to play little mind games. A while back, during a Bible study, I mentioned that I sometimes feel tempted to think that I care more about people than they care about me. My Bible student quickly responded, “Me too!” Then he paused, scratched his head, and added, “I bet Satan tries to make everyone feel that way.” I agreed with my Bible student.

Let’s look at how Satan played mind games with the Israelites. Look at how they perceived themselves after spying out the Promised Land, which had already been … well, promised to them!

“All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” Numbers 13:32-33 NLT.

Wait a minute? First of all, historians suggest that the Canaanites may have been a few inches taller than the Israelites, but not significantly taller so as to be considered giants. The grasshopper comparison was a drastic exaggeration. Furthermore, how did they know the Canaanites thought they were like grasshoppers? How would they know what they were thinking at all? They didn’t! They projected their perception on the Canaanites and thought their perception was reality. But it was all in their minds. Satan was playing mind games with them.

Later, in Joshua 2:9, Rahab, an actual Canaanite who could speak for the residents of Canaan, told the Hebrew spies exactly how they felt towards them, and they definitely did not see them as grasshoppers.

“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.” Hebrews 2:9 NKJV

So the grasshopper comparison was just a little mind game of Satan that the first spies bought into. It was not reality. Sure, God wants us to be humble, but that does not mean he wants us to think we are grasshoppers while everyone else is a giant. Those who walk humbly with God are a terror to those who stand in their own pride and arrogance. If you walk humbly with God, you do not need to be intimidated by anyone, regardless of their title or the letters behind their name.

Humble men, armed with the word of truth alone, withstood the attacks of men of learning, who, with surprise and anger, found their eloquent sophistry powerless against the simple, straightforward reasoning of men who were versed in the Scriptures rather than in the subtleties of the schools. –Ellen White, Great Controversy, Page 455.

So it is today, as in every age. The same can be said for you today, which was said of John the Baptist.

He could stand erect and fearless in the presence of earthly monarchs, because he had bowed low before the King of kings. –Ellen White, Desire of Ages, page 103.

Wisdom and humility go beautifully together, while the typical combination of arrogance and ignorance seems to lack comeliness. While we do not want to be arrogant and ignorant, it is possible to be humble and confident. Our confidence should be in God and not in ourselves.

Are you facing a giant today? First, humble yourself before God. Put your confidence in His love and power. Walk forward in humble faith and obedience, and your giants will turn into grasshoppers. The humble of the land can also be the confident of the land, not cowards. 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Accountability Works Both Ways

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 NKJV

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17 NKJV

As we study this week’s Sabbath School lesson, about the apostasy of Israel, including Aaron, their priest, I am reminded of a vital lesson. We cannot assume a pastor or any church leader is doing a good job just because they are making everyone happy. After all, the greater majority of the people were delighted with Aaron while he was leading them into apostasy. The point was made that Aaron should not have allowed the people to worship an idol, much less help them make one. With the majority being in the wrong, Aaron should have stood for the right, even if all alone. 

The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. –Ellen White, Education, Page 57. 

Being a pastor, I also see the problem from another angle. While the pastor may chair the church board, the pastor answers to the church board, and the church board answers ultimately to the church at large. In other words, while the pastor holds the church accountable, the church also holds the pastor accountable. Accountability works both ways. 

So, as we study the apostasy of Israel when they made and worshiped the golden calf, we see a total breakdown of accountability. Not only was Aaron not holding the people accountable, but the people were not holding Aaron accountable. The problem was that no one was holding anyone accountable. Here is where we see how crucial accountability is to both laity and leaders. 

The other day, I was having a conversation with a young couple, when the husband said something so profound that I had never heard a husband say before. He said one of the reasons he wanted to find someone to marry was that he needed someone to be accountable to. In a world where everyone is told to mind their own business, not to judge or criticize, and to let others do as they please, this young man realized he could not be all that God expects him to be without offering accountability. Having someone to be accountable to helps to keep us out of trouble and focused on our lofty goals. 

In order for a church to stay out of trouble and focused on their lofty goals they need leaders who will hold them accountable. At the same time in order for church leaders to stay out of  trouble and focused on their lofty goals they need a church body that will hold them accountable. While the pastor may advise the board, the pastor should also consider the board members as his advisors as well. The pastor should not consider it a weakness or be embarrassed to seek counsel from his church family. On the contrary the wisdom in Proverbs tells us we are all here to sharpen each other, and there is wisdom in having many counselors. 

There was a time when I was embarrassed to ask the church for guidance, not because of my ego, but because I felt like I was being paid to know what was right, and if I was not right or did not know what was right then I was not earning my paycheck. Later I realized my job is not so much to always be right or know on my own what is right, as much as it is to find what is right. We actually gain the confidence of our church family when we quickly discern our mistakes and make corrections. Meanwhile I have watched other pastors shipwreck their own ministry by pretending to be infalible instead of accepting the counsel, mercy and forgiveness their congregations so willingly offered. It broke my heart recently, when some friends told me about a pastor in their church who made a mistake, and instead of accepting their forgiveness and invitation for reconciliation, he resigned claiming to be above reproach. 

For marriage to work, both the wife and the husband need to offer accountability to each other. In the church, not only does the congregation need to provide accountability to the pastor, but the pastor also needs to offer accountability to his congregation. Aaron and Israel’s apostasy with the golden calf is an unfortunate example of what happens when neither congregation nor pastor holds the other accountable. While Aaron should have stopped the people from committing apostasy, the people should have stopped Aaron from committing apostasy. Accountability works both ways. 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Near God’s Kingdom or in God’s Kingdom?

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

While last week’s Sabbath School lesson was titled ‘Living the Law,‘ this week’s Sabbath School Lesson’s memory verse contains a promise from the people to do everything the Lord commanded. 

So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has said we will do. Exodus 24:3 NKJV

The difference between knowing and doing is vital. Remember, in the story in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus did not invite people into His kingdom based on what they knew, but instead on what they did. In Mark 12, a scribe makes a profound comment that drew commendation from Jesus. 

So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Matthew 12:32-34 NKJV

While Jesus told the scribe he was not far from the kingdom of God He did not tell him he was already in the kingdom of God. Have you ever noticed or thought about that before? Why did his answer place the scribe near, but not in the kingdom of God? I think I found a clue in Jesus’ conversation with the lawyer in Luke 10.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”  And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28 NKJV

The clue I found is, Jesus said do this and you live. Jesus did not tell the lawyer, say this and you will live, or know this and you will live, but do this and you will live. I realize I am not telling you anything new as far as the fact that we all know we have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. However, the reality of what we already know should really sober us up, when we realize that even after giving a profound answer, the scribe in Mark 12 was near but not yet quite in the kingdowm of God. The answer to the lawyer in Luke 10 was. ” do this and you will live.” The difference between knowing and doing is just as big as the difference between being near God’s kingdom and being in God’s kingdom. 

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Was the Law or the Covenant Given at Sinai Changed at the Cross?

While many people believe that God changed the law or His covenant at the cross, speaking of the covenant in the Old Testament, God told us through David,

My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Psalms 89:34 NKJV

Here God is saying He is not going to change His covenant. So did God change His covenant at the cross? Well let’s look at God’s covenant in the Old Testament. Of course a covenant is a promise. So what were God’s promises?

In Genesis 3:15 God promises a Savior.

And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15 NKJV

Did God change this promise at the cross? Of course not. He fulfilled this promise at the cross.

In Genesis 12:1-3 God promises Abram a Savior, among many things. 

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV

Were any of these promises done away with at the cross? Not at all. As a matter of fact we read in Galatians,

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29 NKJV.

The NLT makes it even more clear at to exactly what this means. 

And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3;29 NLT 

Instead of God’s covenant to Abraham being changed, it was extended to everyone who believes. 

At Sinai God makes a promise,

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:4-6 NKJV

In the original manuscripts, the word “obey” is “shama.” It means to listen. The word “keep” is derived from the Hebrew word “shamar.” It means to regard, care for, or treasure. God says, ” Keep my covenant,” and we know that God’s covenant is a promise. How are we supposed to keep God’s promise? We aren’t. God is telling us to listen to His voice and treasure His promise! The word “shamar” is also used in Genesis when Adam was told to shamar the garden, or keep the garden. Was Adam told to obey the garden? No, of course not. He was told to regard, treasure, and care for the garden. In this passage, God instructs His people to treasure His covenant promises, and by doing so, they will become His special people, made holy, preserved from corruption, and a kingdom of priests. Was this promise changed after the cross?

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4 NKJV

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

Once again we see that God’s covenant does not change from Old Testament to New Testament. Everything promised in the Old Testament becomes reality in the New Testament – as  long as we trust in His great and precious promises. That’s because God’s covenant given to Adam, Abram and Moses is an eternal covenant as expressed in Psalm 89:34. This is why Monday’s lesson of last week brought out that the “New” Covenant was actually a renewing of the everlasting covenant God originally gave to Adam, Abram and Moses.

When God spoke of a “new” covenant in Jeremiah 31, He used the word, “hadashah,” which means to renew. Abram forsook God’s everlasting covenant when he took Hagar as his wife. He stopped trusting God’s promises and covenant and tried working things out on his own. At Sinai instead of trusting God’s promises, Israel started making their own promises, saying, “All that God said we will do.” (See Exodus 19:8) The Covenant at Sinai was never the problem. God’s Covenant was never intended to be about legalism. The Covenant God made  was all about grace. Hebrews 8:8 says the problem was with the people. They started making their own promises instead of trusting God’s great and precious promises. When people kept trying to make their own promises and work things out on their own, God had to renew the original covenant He made in  Genesis 3:15, which is based on better promises – God’s promises, rather than people’s promises. For more see Better Promises Make a Better Covenant. When Paul speaks of the “old covenant” I believe he means “old” as in “useless.” because our promises are useless. Paul is not referring to the original everlasting covenant as the old covenant. He is referring to the legalistic covenant that man made at Sinai as the old covenant as in useless. Man-made covenants are useless in both Old and New Testaments.

The “New” Covenant of grace is actually the everlasting covenant of grace found all the way through both the Old and New Testaments, beginning in Genesis 3:15. God never changed this covenant. But He renewed this covenant whenever people tried to change covenants by making their own promises. The “New” Covenant is the original everlasting covenant, which  is God making promises to man. The “old” Covenant, which is a useless covenant, is a covenant man made after God made the everlasting Covenant.  When Abram took Hagar, he was making his own legalistic covenant apart from God’s everlasting covenant. The same for the Jews when they promised at Sinai that they themselves would do what God had promised. 

Some have the idea that the law is the Old Covenan, while grace is the New Covenant. However when Paul said, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” in Romans 3:20, Paul was not saying anything new. Paul was stating a truth as everlasting as the original covenant. No one was ever saved by the law before or after the cross. This is showed up in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve tried to use fig leaves to cover themselves. Their fig leaves proved useless in God’s sight, just like the deeds of the law. In Genesis 3:21 an animal had to die to cover Adam and Eve. This represented Jesus dying on the cross – which is the ratification of the everlasting covenant.

So throughout the Old Testament we see the new or renewed covenant whenever God is promising mankind His grace. Throughout the New Testament we see the renewed or everlasting covenant. Maybe we could clear up a lot of confusion by just calling the New Covenant the Everlasting Covenant, and calling the Old Covenant the “useless covenant.” Remember the New Covenant is the renewing of the original everlasting covenant based on better promises – God’s promises. 

While we have grace in the Everlasting Covenant. we also have the law in the Everlasting Covenant. This is why I really appreciate how Thursday’s lesson of last week brought out how the new covenant was not about new laws, but about a new heart. 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV

God does not give us new laws. He gives us new hearts that will trust His promises instead of relying on self. God changes our hearts so that we can keep and cherish all the promises God makes for us in His law. In the Ten Commandments God promises He will deliver us from bondage so we won’t need any other gods before us. He promises to fulfil all our temporal and emotional needs so we won’t need to steal or commit adultery. He promises us a weekly Sabbath rest to always remind us to never rely on our own works. 

After all the problem at Sinai was not the law, it was the promises the people were making. Again that is why Paul said the fault was with “them” in Hebrews 8:8. When God renews His Everlasting Covenant we will be keeping the law with all our new hearts.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV 

Now in Jeremiah 31:32 God talks about Israel breaking the covenant when He led them out of Egypt. They broke God’s covenant when they went about to establish their own covenant promises. God never asked them to make their own promises. Remember in Exodus 19:4-6 God asks them to cherish His promises. The useless covenant is mankind promising God. The Everlasting and Renewed Everlasting Covenant is God promising man. By God’s Everlasting Promises of grace in both the Old and New Testaments we have salvation from sin, and are given new hearts that can keep or Shamar, cherish the everlasting law. We escape the corruption in the world by cherishing God’s great and everlasting promises. 

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4 NKJV

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

What was the Problem With Sinai?

Photo by Ahmed zaki on Pexels.com

For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— Galatians 4:24 NKJV

What did Paul mean by Mount Sinai? Many believe he was referring to the Ten Commandments. Was he? Paul speaks favorably of the Ten Commandments in Ephesians 6, and I doubt he would do so if he really thought they led to bondage. Paul also mentions Hagar. Instead of referring to the Ten Commandments, is Paul referring to a Hagar-like attitude at Sinai?

Hagar represents the man-made covenant or man-made promises. Hagar was not really at fault, and God promised to bless her; however, Abraham used Hagar to try to help him obtain the promised child through the works of his own flesh, rather than trusting God’s promise.

Likewise at Sinai the people promised three times,

“All the Lord has spoken we will do.” Exodus 19:8, 24:3, 24:7.

Their promises are like the “Hagar” mentality. The people were trusting their own promises and works of the flesh, instead of trusting God to work in and through them. When Paul referred to Sinai in Galatians 4:24 instead of the law of the Ten Commandments, he mentions Hagar. In Hebrews, Paul explains that the problem at Sinai was that the people were making their own promises instead of trusting God’s.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Hebrews 8:7-10 NKJV

Paul promotes the Law and says it is to be written on our hearts. The Law was not the problem at Sinai. The problem, Paul says, is how the people tried to establish the Law. They were depending upon themselves instead of God’s promises. Remember Joshua telling Israel that they could not serve the Lord in Joshua 24:19, but they went on and promised they could anyway?

So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.” Joshua 24:22 NKJV

Joshua sees the people are making the same mistake made at Sinai. In Galatians, Paul sees the Galatians making that same mistake. They thought they could earn God’s favor. They thought they could rely on their own promises to keep the Law. By trusting the strength of their own promises, they were making the “Hagar” mistake, just like Abraham. The commandments are good, and while we can’t keep them in the strength of our own promises, what is impossible with us is possible with God. Remember what we read last quarter?

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4 NKJV

Abraham trusted the works of his own flesh with Hagar, instead of trusting God’s promise. The problem at Sinai was that the same Hagar mentality was present. Paul wants the Law written on the Galatians’ hearts as well as our hearts, by trusting God instead of the works of the flesh.

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Three Observations in Exodus 15

As we study this week’s Sabbath School lesson, which also covers Exodus 15:1-21, I found myself pondering three things that the lesson did not cover. 

In Exodus 15:1-18, Moses and all the Israelites are singing a song of celebration about how the Egyptians were defeated. Even singing (celebrating?) how they were drowned in the sea. What would this look like today?

Years ago, a friend from church told me about a neighbor who had been molesting his daughters and beating his wife. He died of a sudden heart attack, and my friend told me that when she went to the funeral, the entire family was sitting there dry-eyed. Not a single tear was shed for this abuser. It wasn’t because they were all cried out either. The family never showed any sorrow over his demise. Should the family have been happy that they were delivered from their abuser, and that, because of his death, he will never abuse again? Should Israel have been singing songs of praise because the Egyptians drowned? 

I believe this is why so many victories of good over evil have to be celebrated privately. Some think we should be “nicer than God” and judge those who are celebrating the victories God gives them over abusive situations because,

  1. Others don’t even have a clue about the abuse going on and may even sympathize with the abuser, and
  2. Some think we should never celebrate the death of anyone, no matter how wicked. 

While it is true that we will not be celebrating the death of the wicked after the thousand years, but rather God will have to wipe the tears from our eyes, there is plenty of biblical support for celebrating the deliverance from evil persons. Let’s consider this passage for a moment. 

O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!  Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock! Psalm 137:8-9 NKJV

Many find this passage disturbing. It is disturbing, but it has its place. What Babylon has done to Israel will finally come back on Babylon. Israel is not happy to see innocent children killed. However, their innocent women and children were raped and abused by the Babylonians, and God is showing His love by showing He has Israel’s back.

There is no need to create a theology where we are “nicer than God” to the point that we can’t celebrate justice and deliverance from evil. There is no need to create a “god” who does nothing to defend His people, but merely waits for “natural law” to work itself out. Psalm 137:8-9 is simply celebrating the justice of God. A God who takes an active role in defending His people and working out justice is a God of love. We need to know God has our back in order to feel secure in His love. Moses and all Israel could celebrate God’s justice and love when God showed that He had their back and drowned their relentless abusers in the Red Sea. 

It is important for me to share this because too many abuse victims have been made to feel guilty for celebrating their deliverance from narcissistic abuse. Too many abuse victims have had to hold their peace, instead of praising God for His miraculous deliverances from evil, because others would not understand. I know Moses would much rather have seen Pharaoh repent and be converted rather than drowned in the sea. Still, Moses had to celebrate the goodness of God by delivering His people and destroying their cruel abusers once and for all. 

My second observation deals with the song of Moses. In Revelation 15 we find the song of Moses, but this time it is also the song of the Lamb. Let’s take a look.

And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and [a]over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the [b]saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.” Revelation 15:2-4 NKJV 

Here we see another celebration after the victory over spiritual Babylon. God gave Israel victory over Egypt through Moses, and God gave Spiritual Israel victory over the beast through the Lamb. These songs are about experiences, and while Moses and the Lamb both experience victory, they both share another experience. Both were willing to say goodbye to life forever if that is what it took to honor God and save others. Moses did this in Exodus 32:32 when he asked God to blot His name out of the book of life if He could not forgive them. The Lamb, Jesus, experienced this at the cross when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?“ Matthew 27:46. Jesus had always called God His Father. In My Father’s House are many mansions. I always do those things that please My Father. I and My Father are One. But when Jesus was on the cross being treated the way you and I deserve, so you and I can be treated the way He deserves, Jesus could not call God His Father, so He cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me.“ Jesus was not asking why God had forsaken Him until Sunday morning. You don’t forsake someone when you leave them for half the weekend. You forsake them when you leave them forever. Obadiah 1:16 says the wicked will be as though they had never been. Jesus was not dying the death of the righteous. We die that first death ourselves. Jesus was tasting the death of the wicked, which meant experiencing being utterly forsaken by God – forever.. 

Amazingly, the entire 144,000 sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. That means they also have the same attitude as Moses and the Lamb. They also would rather die an eternal death than dishonor their heavenly Father. 

My last observation has to do with Miriam. 

Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. Exodus 15:20 KJV 

There is a notion that God does not have women prophets. Yet Miriam was a prophet, and we know there were others in Scripture as well. Yet with Miriam, there is another observation that needs to be made. I have heard it said that the only reason God picked Ellen White as a prophet was because there were no men available. After all, God called two men who had refused before He chose Ellen. But those were not the only two men left in the world. There were countless other men God could have called before He called young Ellen Harmon. Now I also believe the Bible teaches that the man is the priest of the family, and that there is a grave spiritual responsibility that God has placed upon the man that many men seem to be ignore today. At the same time, God does not call women only when  there are no men available. After all, God was already using Moses and Aaron as prophets, and He still used Miriam at the same time.  God uses men and women together. After all, concerning the day of the Lord, does the prophet Joel not tell us, 

And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29 NKJV

While the man is the priest of the family, God also uses women. A grave and solemn responsibility rests upon men that many need to wake up to. Meanwhile, God is using women, not as second-class citizens, but right along with men.