The abused power of God

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12,13).

 

“When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.” Desire of Ages, p. 324.

 

“Those … were … enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.” (Heb. 6:4,5). “That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:12-14).

 

When we are born again, we are given a special anointing that empowers us to new heights we had not previously known. We possess a new freedom of mind and heart, new confidence that drives through difficulty without fear.

 

“Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.

He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.

The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.” (Job 39:19-25).

 

New faculties come to life, new abilities and capabilities are given us from our Creator so that we stand head and shoulders above others around us.

 

“And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.” (Rev. 2:26,27).

 

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:10).

 

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5).

 

“A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” (Ps. 144:1).

 

“For Thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.

For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and Thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, Thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: Thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

Therefore will I give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Thy name.

Great deliverance giveth He to His king; and sheweth mercy to His anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.” (Ps. 18:28-50).

 

With His new anointing and its joy comes a new freedom to create, and an intensity of thought to invent blossoms and blooms within us.

 

“I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Counsel is Mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

By Me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.

Riches and honour are with Me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My revenue than choice silver.

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” (Prov. 8:12-21).

 

“And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.” (2Chro 26:14,15).

 

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor. 2:16).

 

These intellectual endowments come with the Spirit of God through the Spirit of His Only Begotten.

 

“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life.

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” (1Jn. 2:24-28).

 

But, these gifts of God bless us far more than intellectually and temporally. Even more so do they bless us spiritually and eternally. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Cor. 1:30).

 

But, with God’s great endowments upon His elect comes the great need for responsible use. Therefore, God must test all candidates for this power and try them as gold in a furnace of affliction before giving His special privileges. Because of the presence of sin in the kingdom, with every newborn son of God He must be sure that they will not misuse their new powers.

 

Lucifer

 

The very first to abuse his God-given powers was Lucifer. While the Only Begotten in the bosom of the Father was in training to be Heir to the omnipotent throne of God, before He was fully prepared to handle all the contingencies of omnipotence, Lucifer was the King’s second in command and the communicator of the King’s will to armies of heaven, and through them to the universe.

 

“Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: …

Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created.” (Eze. 28:3,12-15).

 

Lucifer enjoyed the gifts of God abundantly above the whole angelic hosts that swarmed the throne. His high priestly rainbow glory streaming from the flowing hair of his head to his bronze feet, his intellectual powers, his friendly influence for good, the perfect organization of his angel subordinates, the worship services of praise to the Creator each Sabbath, and his leadership of the angelic choirs, himself heard coming and going in song above them all. Before there was sin and a tempter, joy, only joy was known in the heaven of God.

 

However, a new development altered the atmosphere of heaven’s perfect trust and complete, self-forgetful vulnerability. The ceaseless beams of God’s righteousness ceased to forever result in Lucifer’s fervent determination to keep his own powerful will reined in. Lucifer began to glorify himself in his mind for all of his gifts, instead of giving all gratitude to his God. One step on the downward path to self-glory, he gradually slipped further and further away from the original dedication of himself to self-forgetfulness.

 

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” (Eze. 28:15-19).

 

The ultimate demise of the most beautiful creation will forever leave a scar upon the heart of God and His Only Begotten. But, nothing else than his destruction would stop his attempted regicide and his lying usurpation of the throne of the Highest.

 

The antediluvians

 

To recreate another greatest of all creations, after Lucifer had usurped the hearts of the angelic host billions, Jesus who had dwelt in the bosom of God from eternity, and having been newly anointed as the second in command of the heaven of God which brought Lucifer to express his thoughts of rebellion, was commissioned of His Father to travel to an inconspicuous place to an inconspicuous, unknown planet in the dark. There the crown Prince would reestablish the hearts of the loyal half of the kingdom by their involvement with a newly inhabited planet like none other in His Father’s universe.

 

Adam came forth from His Creative hand a visible manifestation of all the kingly attributes of his Creator’s Father. And Eve, who He brought forth from Adam’s bosom, would visibly represent the attributes of Himself. In rapid gestation, her form developed through all the stages of prenatal birth. “My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Ps. 139:15). Her beginnings revealed the Only Begotten Divine One, His everlasting goings forth from, and His eternal relation to, His eternal Father.

 

These inhabitants of their newly embellished planet home, who Jesus chose to make lesser creatures than angels, was not meant to bring less glory to God. But in this time of recovery from the great sanctuary contention caused by Lucifer, self-denial would give the most healing to the hearts and minds of the loyal hosts of heaven as they came to tutor the king and queen of Earth. The loyal angels’ uncertain glory to God must be clothed in sackcloth as they beheld the happiness from a corporeal, physical form glory of God clothed in earthen vessels. Yet, though lacking the power abounding in the throne, contrasting Lucifer these two innocent creatures gave greater glory to God by their lack, and caused angelic hope to rebound. The angelic spirit children of the kingdom must fast in these creatures’ diminishing of the Creator’s ability. Even the Bridegroom Himself must refrain from the vine of full joy until the kingdom of His Father could be won back by the battle against Lucifer. The whole creation must travail together in pain and the restained beauty and dullness of heavenly glory in these least. Adam and Eve together lived, spoke, and in appearance gave, glory to God every moment. But, filled with the Spirit of the Creator, of their own volition all they could do was sound praises to the Father of all. Lucifer’s replacement in corporeal form, though lesser than Lucifer’s original holographic, spirit resplendence, satisfied the angelic hosts and returned peace to the warzone that Lucifer had made of the sanctuary of God.

 

But, the tempter outwitted his corporeal replacements. Immediately, their powers from God’s image turned inward and self-preserving, as each vehemently blamed the other for transgression and their punishment of eternal destruction. The glorious harmonies of Adam and Eve that had wafted over the animal kingdom, turned into a powerful bedlam and cacaphony of crashing thunder and lightning. The countenances that had before this mimicked “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness”, and had shone in the hearts and from the faces of Adam and Eve, “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God”, now evinces the darkness of wrath and murderous hatred. Now, every attribute of Satan’s heart was visibly represented in the greatly beloved king and queen of God’s new heavenly throne.

 

The Creators’ effort to heal the wounds of the controversy in the creation of humanity could not be realized without an additional measure of God’s glory. The restoration of peace in His kingdom must come through infinite diminishment of His image and infinite fasting. Death on earth and death in heaven must be if Satan were ever to be reined in and his revolt ended. But, the death of their Creators brought Adam and Eve back from certain deeper animosity and embarrassment to the Godhead. The reality of their act in transgression returned to their vision. Their previous wonderland of pride and irresponsible abuse of innate power, caved before the mandatory visible, audible, tangible death of an innocent, sacrificed life. Brought back to their first mind, and now in their right mind, the miracle of redemption spared them from damnation. An old, almost lost power from paradise regained ascendency in them, and a new faculty of sorrow to their Creator and repentance to His Father would control them for centuries to come. Though weakened by transgression, the increasing death that they saw all around them, death that grew in exponential dimensions, would be reminders of their first departure from God, and would give them renewed repentance for strength against the tempter who they had loosed into their once heavenly home.

 

Cain, “thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power” (Gen. 49:3), like the King of heaven, developed into the image of Adam, king over Earth.  And Abel loved the self-sacrifice of Messiah the Prince, having inherited the traits of his mother.

Abel was “a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.” (Gen. 49:22-25).

 

Satan moved upon Cain to abandon his relationship to his earthly father, his father’s God, and his God’s covenant. Thus serving that self-pitiful familiar spirit, Cain turned to self-pity in his soul while retaining his big, strong body and his mind of massive intellect and dominating influence. With all that Cain’s heavenly and earthly fathers had endowed him he would break forth to the world as the first to curse the redeemed Adamic race. Cain’s children would wreak havoc upon the redeemed children of Eve, dominating the race and bringing it to its final destruction by the flood.

 

“Notwithstanding that Cain had by his crimes merited the sentence of death, a merciful Creator still spared his life, and granted him opportunity for repentance. But Cain lived only to harden his heart, to encourage rebellion against the divine authority, and to become the head of a line of bold, abandoned sinners. This one apostate, led on by Satan, became a tempter to others; and his example and influence exerted their demoralizing power, until the earth became so corrupt and filled with violence as to call for its destruction.  

     In sparing the life of the first murderer, God presented before the whole universe a lesson bearing upon the great controversy. The dark history of Cain and his descendants was an illustration of what would have been the result of permitting the sinner to live on forever, to carry out his rebellion against God. The forbearance of God only rendered the wicked more bold and defiant in their iniquity. Fifteen centuries after the sentence pronounced upon Cain, the universe witnessed the fruition of his influence and example, in the crime and pollution that flooded the earth. It was made manifest that the sentence of death pronounced upon the fallen race for the transgression of God’s law was both just and merciful. The longer men lived in sin, the more abandoned they became. The divine sentence cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity, and freeing the world from the influence of those who had become hardened in rebellion, was a blessing rather than a curse.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 78.

 

“In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation.” Great Controversy, p. 664.

 

Ham, Cush, Nimrod

 

After the flood, the combined innate power of the pre-flood race and the sense of grace from heaven in the deliverance from the flood waters, gave the family of Noah an anointing that could have perpetuated the new government of righteousness until the coming of Messiah. But, again Satan worked ingeniously upon the weakest of Noah’s sons to dissolve his determination to avoid the pitfalls of departure from their Deliverer and Creator.

 

Ham, the third son, grew weary of well-doing and to the service of self-sacrifice. Satan took immediate opportunity to widen the opening Ham was creating. Soon enough the devil had full control of that powerful antediluvian migrant from the other side of the flood. Quickly Satan brought back to his mind all the follies and idolatry which had destroyed that race. A new rebellion broke out by Ham and others to eventually stop the reformation of humanity and their new world.

 

Ham inculcated Satan’s greed for research and alteration of the laws governing God’s natural world. This led to Ham’s experimentation in the amalgamation of man and beast. His son, Cush, came forth with an increase of his father’s lusts. This manifested itself in all aspects of the soul, mind, and body, especially in the freedom from the government of God. Cush, later named Bachus, became known throughout the ages since as the god of knowledge and wine and sexual depravity. The terms of baccalaureate, bachelor, and debauchery descend from Cush. Satan had greater control of Cush than he did of his father.

 

But, Satan found the greatest human host in Cush’s son, Nimrod.

 

“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.” (Gen. 10:8-12).

Though greatly masked by the constantly imbued power of Satan, and empowered and guided by his father and grandfather, the powerful image of God drove Nimrod to the utmost pursuit of every aspect of the human experience. Never satisfied, he attempted to satiate a heart that had a God-sized cavern, empty of love and life. Yet, he inherited the long-lived antedelvian race’s body and the constitution of a petrified tree, as a product of his father’s and his grandfather’s experimentations. Uncontrollable by men, unstoppable in his determination to serve the hosts of darkness, he is the ultimate example of what happens when the power of God comes into the hands of men resolved to serve satanic hosts. The weakening and limiting of God’s beautiful images of Himself must continue to happen, in mercy to both the strongest and the weakest on earth. When under Satan’s control, the children of Adam know not what they do with all the power that they inherit. Having to compete with out of control perverted appetites, the conscience and yearning for love and righteousness get pushed back into the oblivion of the scattered mind, a mind that is full of Beelzebub, the god of constant confusion and legion buzzing voices.

 

Nimrod’s halted Tower of Babel feat could not stem his pride and lusts. He immediately rounded up the obedient children of Noah who had dispersed, in accordance with the Creator’s command to spread out on the earth and replenish it. With these captives Nimrod started the first empire, the first slave state, the first totalitarian government, the first dictatorship. Shaking his fist at the Creator, he would never desist, never back down, never surrender his will in any venture or any practice that might fill his heart’s God-sized hole.

 

Job of Uz

 

A man of inherited moral strengths from righteous Shem (see Genesis 10:22,23). Considering Job’s full age of probably 200, he probably lived about the time of Abraham. This contemporary of Abraham still retained some of the original powers of antediluvian bodily constitution that passed down from Noah, but received from his Creator and Redeemer the same super-added redemption that had kept Abel under the control of God. But, when his justification began to slip in light of his great attainments in sanctification, the Lord had to let Satan loose on him to show him his first step in departing from the living God.

 

Nothing and nobody could convince of Job his sin. The great man himself couldn’t see it, and all who he had been a blessing would not dare entertain such a heresy that Job was not just before God. But, Job was running on his own steam, his own natural resources that were specially strong from his natural descent from Shem, not his spiritual descent by faith in the righteousness of God from his Creator. He was living off of the accoutrements of his first birth, not the heavenly peace of his second birth. And it showed in his sons and daughters. For, “wisdom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7:35). Job had lost “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1Cor. 1:24). He had lost “the Spirit of His Son.” (Gal. 4:6). Job’s heart could not cry, “Abba.” He was like the child that is troubled in selfish irritation. What he needed was a good spanking to bring him back to his right mind. Hence, Christ’s challenge to Satan.

 

By letting the destroyer loose upon the man of God, the Crown Prince of God’s government wasn’t trying to destroy Job. The Prince never comes to destroy, but to save.

 

But, to save every child of Adam He must begin with our indomitable pride and self-centeredness. “Though He was the Prince of Peace, His coming must be as the unsheathing of a sword.” Desire of Ages, p. 111. “The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.” (Ex. 15:3). Nothing except immutable willpower from his Redeemer could break the blinded self-will of Job. His inherited image of God without His presence made a combination bound for another miniature great controversy, Job taking the place of Lucifer and Cain, Ham and Nimrod. We should never underestimate the end of Satan’s purposes; we should see as our omniscient Prince sees, and accept the calamities He brings us to turn us from our hell-bent destruction.

 

Nothing but the voice of a prophet in Elihu could stop Job’s self-justifications. Although Elihu was much younger than the man of God, Job heard the voice of the Almighty coming from this babe and suckling. But, just to make certain the conviction that Elihu had begun in Job, the Lord got involved. Next, the voice of a train thundering at Job from a tornado finalized and convinced Job of his deeply rooted flaw. Only the long, one-way conversation from Job’s Redeemer, could “set to his seal that God is true.” (John 3:33).

 

Job stopped his self-justification forever. He put his hand over his mouth and became guilty before God forever.

 

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Their feet are swift to shed blood:

Destruction and misery are in their ways:

And the way of peace have they not known:

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Now we know that 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.” (Rom. 3:10-19).

 

“And the LORD turned the captivity of Job…: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

He had also seven sons and three daughters.

And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

So Job died, being old and full of days.” (Job 42:10-17).

 

Thank the Lord that He has willingness, patience, and mercy to wrestle us down into the dust of death.

 

“What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself.” Testimonies to Ministers, p. 456.

 

The Anakim and the Amalekites

 

“The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.” (Deut. 2:10,11).

 

“A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead.” (Deut. 2:21).

 

“Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.” (Deut. 1:28).

 

“And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.” (Josh. 11:21).

 

“And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.” (Josh. 15:14).

 

“And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.” (Jdg. 1:20).

 

“And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.

And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.

But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.

These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” (1Chron. 20:4-8).

 

“Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” (1Sam. 15:3).

 

“The LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Ex. 17:16).

 

Two more indomitable groups that inherited supernatural power from Ham and from Satan, which gave them destructive energy to prevent the restoration of Eden to earth. Nothing short of divine intervention imbuing the Lord’s Israelites could halt the influence for evil from these peoples. God’s immutable law of consequences always comes. These champions of idolatry frightened the land into obeisance to their gods. Therefore, David’s intrepid warriors had to kill them.

 

David

 

A man after Jesus’ own heart. A warrior priest. A man who knew Jesus and could pray,

 

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit.” (Ps. 51:10-12).

 

But, why would David also need to pray the following?

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.” (Ps. 51:1-9).

 

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

When God bestows His holy power and gifts upon a man or woman, child or aged, that one retains that power and those gifts for life. If it’s the gift of tongues, such a privileged one keeps that endowment until death ensues. If it is used for the reason the Lord gave it, to spread the gospel, then a large population of multitudes and cultures and nations learn of the “Unknown God”. Other endowments from heaven remain for life. But, if misdirected those powers cause perpetual dishonor to God and grief on earth.

 

David’s love for people always could become selfish, and end in the Bathsheba disaster. When he should have been working with his troops, keeping them encouraged and redeemed, he decided to live idly in retirement. What else could the Lord do but unleash Satan on him? Suddenly, all the power from a man who knew how to love God with all his heart and might, was directed to powerful self-pleasure, then ingenious murder, then an official corruption. Left to his own doings, David was going directly to hell.

 

What a prize catch for Satan! Before the whole world he could show what eventually becomes of the revivals and reformations of Jesus! In the same man the world would see Jesus and Satan. What kind of confusion would David make in the minds of the whole world! Victory for the satanic forces! He who had established the kingdom of God on earth can rape and murder? The Law of God makes a man the most heinous sinner? God is a respecter of persons? Intimidated by His children? He is afraid to correct His children? His beloved human children?

 

But, who among his subject had the power to bring David to repentance? Joab, the second in power, followed with David’s cover-up. Nobody but a prophet had the authority and therefore courage to stand up against David. When a king has no connection with the God of righteousness, those who rebuke him lose their life. But, the rebuke stands, even if the reprover dies.

 

Therefore, in a story born of divinely inspired wisdom, Nathan craftily reports an invented injustice. A wealthy man steals the only lamb of a poor man, so that the wealthy can entertain a guest. David doesn’t discover the metaphor and discern the parable. So, in utmost justice and pretended wrath and religiosity, and vow by God in highest heaven, he vainly cries out, “As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” (2Sam. 12:5,6).

 

And, Nathan inspired by God to know exactly what David’s response would be, declares even louder than David, “THOU ART THE MAN!” And with the divine nature flashing through humanity, Nathan continues in a voice that all of Jerusalem can hear the reproof,

 

“Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” (2Sam. 12:7-12).

 

As with Adam and Eve, David was saved from sure damnation. Power, influence, prosperity, world domination, alone are no sign that God is with a person or a group. Satan can wrest every gift of God for his devious purposes, and hoodwink his victim the whole time.

 

Solomon

 

“And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father.” (1Ki. 3:3).

 

Praying to the Lord “Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before Thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee; and Thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

And now, O LORD my God, Thou hast made Thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

And Thy servant is in the midst of Thy people which Thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?” (1Ki. 3:6-9).

 

“And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.” (1Ki. 3:10-14).

 

Solomon was greatly endowed with wisdom like no one had ever before heard of.

 

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (1Ki. 4:29-34).

 

“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,

And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king, to do judgment and justice.

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.” (1Ki. 10:1-10).

 

But, all the praise Solomon received from his people and the kings of the earth, led to a monstrous pride. His pride reached to heaven and God remembered his iniquities. Determined to make Israel as monumental as ancient Egypt in a couple of short decades, Solomon taxed the people of all the wealth the Lord gave them. He still had intellectual endowment, although it was blunted, enervated, and effeminate. His manhood was spent on a life of luxury, endless philosophical and scientific stimulation, and mental stress. The life of hardship which the Lord had given David for a blessing, was never endured and thus never benefited from.

 

When the Lord was able to arrest Solomon’s lust for this world, Solomon tried all within his blunted powers to undo all the Egyptian worldliness that he had foisted upon God’s holy people and His corrupted kingdom of priests. He spent the remainder of his days undoing his great evils. Repentant and redeemed, but worn out and feeble in spirituality, his message made little impression on Israel. But a little is better than nothing.

 

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing….

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” (Ecc. 1:2-8,12-18).

 

“Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecc. 12:8-14).

 

Jeroboam and Jehu

 

Anointed to be kings, these men also diverted from the path of truth, yet retained the anointing and gifts from God.

 

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.” (2Ki. 9:1-10).

 

“So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.” (2Ki. 9:16-20).

 

“And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.” (2Ki. 10:16).

 

Wrath, the wrath of God! But, without His Intercessor. And before the great controversy had ended.

 

“And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot…. But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.” (2Ki. 9: 24,27).

 

We see how the powers and gifts of God lead to total abuse of power when mercy is not woven into the work of justice. It made a big opening in Jehu’s heart for Satan. Jehu misrepresented the God he attempted to obey.

 

“And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.” (2Ki. 9:32,33).

 

True, reform came to the northern kingdom quickly. But, Jehu and Jeroboam themselves brought in the return of idolatry. And their totalitarian regimes remained doggedly in place. No voice was lifted up against them without sure violent, unrestrained, and determined retribution.

 

The apostolic church

 

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” (Heb. 6:4-8).

 

The church that Christ set up in the flesh and later in the Spirit was the glory of mankind.

 

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” (Heb. 12:22,23).

 

Yet, all too soon it would suffer a fatal defeat. Paul’s closing exhortations to the believers of Ephesus who had met him at Miletus on his way to arraignment and ultimate execution.

 

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:28-35).

 

“And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,

Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.” (Acts 20:36-38).

 

Those days of glory ended with Paul. Although John remained in charge of the church of the Roman civilization, he could not hold back the work of Satan from every quarter of the map.

 

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:29-31).

 

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2Thess. 2:3-8).

 

The Protestants

 

Born after the manner of the children of Israel delivered from slavery, the church of the Reformation brought to the world honesty, self-government, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Willing to die for the Bible truth their conversation was in heaven but their blessing was to the earth. They hadn’t regained everything lost to the papal Beast, but they had the essence of the gospel.

 

But, intrigue from the Counter-Reformation, and then the gift of America changed the heart of Protestantism in the children of the Reformation. They lost the first love and loved the gifts instead of the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

 

“Wilt thou not from this time cry unto Me, My Father, Thou art the guide of my youth? … But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call Me, My Father; and shalt not turn away from Me.” (Jer. 3:4,19).

 

After 200 years He gave them up to their former master, the Beast. By 1844 they would reject His strong message from William Miller, owing to their goodly appearance socially, economically, politically, internationally. But, spiritually, they were dead. Says the Spirit,

 

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Rev 3:1-3).

 

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Rev. 13:11-17).

 

Protestant America has dominated the globe fueled by the blessing of God as His reward to the faithfulness of the Reformation generation. That generation has bequeathed to Americans a spiritual constitution that no other nation can stand before. But, their old adversary from the Dark Ages has conspired to over throw the Protestant heart of America and use its worldly, secular body to be the host of a revived papal heart. The abomination that it is about to plague the world with another Assyrian Nimrod totalitarian empire ascended out of the bottomless pit in 1849 and is soon to go into perdition.

 

The evangelical papacy will look Protestant American because it will reside in the United States. The evangelicals will evince much light and power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace with God.

 

“End of the 2300 Days

 

     I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus’ countenance and admired His lovely person.… Before the throne I saw the Advent people--the church and the world. I saw two companies, one bowed down before the throne, deeply interested, while the other stood uninterested and careless. Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus; then He would look to His Father, and appear to be pleading with Him. A light would come from the Father to the Son and from the Son to the praying company. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son, and from the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would receive this great light. Many came out from under it and immediately resisted it; others were careless and did not cherish the light, and it moved off from them. Some cherished it, and went and bowed down with the little praying company. This company all received the light and rejoiced in it, and their countenances shone with its glory.

     I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down. Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were bowed down arose with Him. I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after He arose, and they were left in perfect darkness. Those who arose when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on Him as He left the throne and led them out a little way. Then He raised His right arm, and we heard His lovely voice saying, ‘Wait here; I am going to My Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to Myself.’ Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat. There I beheld Jesus, a great High Priest, standing before the Father. On the hem of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray, ‘My Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace.

     I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, ‘Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived and to draw back and deceive God’s children.” Early Writings, p. 54,55.

 

“Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace.” This describes the effect of Satan upon the people that God made strong and well-endowed. Light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace.

 

Jesus

 

“For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.” (John 3:34,35).

 

“All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” (Matt. 11:27).

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4).

 

“I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions….

I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find me….

Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.

Now therefore hearken unto Me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep My ways.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors.

For whoso findeth Me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death.” (Prov. 8:12,17,31-36).

 

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

 

What could Satan do to the royal Prince of the covenenat, the Prince of the armies of heaven, the Prince of princes? As a man with all the “contradiction of sinners against Himself.” (Heb. 12:3).

 

“God left Him, to try Him, that He might know all that was in His heart.” (2Chron. 32:31).

 

When even His friends left Him? “All the disciples forsook Him, and fled.” (Matt. 26:56).

 

 

“He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” (Isa. 53:3).

 

“I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment.” (Isa. 63:3).

 

When the angels of Satan encamped round about Jesus and enslaved Him, what would He do? When agony on every front would keep His mind confused and unable to focus on every word of God, what would Jesus do? When demons clawed at Him body, mind, and soul, what would He do?

 

Would the Son of the Almighty lash out? Satan’s dream was to see Him be overcome and blurt out from insane facial expressions to the legions of His angels, “NO MORE! I’VE HAD ENOUGH. I HATE THE SINNER WITH THE SIN! I’M LEAVING THIS WRETCHED PLANET WITH THE DEAD HOPEFULS STILL IN THE GROUND. ENOCH, ELIJAH, MOSES, YOU ARE COMING BACK! ANGELS, BRING OUT YOUR BIGGEST GUNS! PULL IN ALL THE ASTERIODS YOU CAN FIND!  THIS PLANET SHOULD HAVE NEVER EXISTED FROM THE START! LET’EM HAVE IT! TAKE THEM ALL AWAY! GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT! THEY ARE ALL BECOME WORSE THAN REPROBATE, WORSE THAN INFIDELS!”

 

Could Jesus have fallen into temptation? Could Christ have become worse than the devil?
 

The painful thought is that the Son of God could have been overcome. Identically to the challenge over Job, taxed to the limit was the requirement of Christ’s substitution in our plight. Christ’s original claim to Satan was that “God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, [Jesus would condemn] sin in the flesh.” (Rom. 8:3). That meant Satan could bring against Jesus everything he had, without any of His Father’s outside help. If, as a man striving for God’s reconnection in the dark, Jesus couldn’t overcome where we all fail, then the great challenge was over immediately. The Son of God could never interceed for every child of Adam. God would be defeated; Satan would win the case. It’s not enough to be holy and just and good during good times, easy times. To be holy and just and good under temptation is the real test, the true holiness and righteousness and goodness. And this Jesus proved in a scenario we'll never see completely.

 

Did Jesus insanely lash out? Praise God, no!

 

“And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44).

 

“But they cried, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him.

And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in Him: I will therefore chastise Him, and let Him go.

And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that He might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with Him to be put to death.

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.

And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God.

And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar,

And saying, If Thou be the king of the Jews, save Thyself.

And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us.

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.” (Luke 23:21-46).

 

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy Son!

Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:25-27).

 

“And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said,

He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.

The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink.

The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save Him.

Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.” (Matt. 27:40-50).

 

Me

 

I’ve come to the end of my rope and have pleaded for Jesus to take me back. Jesus has justified and anointed me with the power to become one of the sons of God. But, what will I do with the gifts and calling of God until the end?

 

“The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

     ‘The last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so,’ said Jesus, ‘shall it be also unto this wicked generation.’ There are none so hardened as those who have slighted the invitation of mercy, and done despite to the Spirit of grace. The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven’s invitation to repent. Every step in the rejection of Christ is a step toward the rejection of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy Spirit.  

     In rejecting Christ the Jewish people committed the unpardonable sin; and by refusing the invitation of mercy, we may commit the same error. We offer insult to the Prince of life, and put Him to shame before the synagogue of Satan and before the heavenly universe when we refuse to listen to His delegated messengers, and instead listen to the agents of Satan, who would draw the soul away from Christ. So long as one does this, he can find no hope or pardon, and he will finally lose all desire to be reconciled to God.” Desire of Ages, p. 324.

 

But, what will my last state be? Will I keep, guard the truth in my heart that my Lord has given me? Or, will I lash out at God or the devil or any fellow men?

 

“If ye love Me, keep [G5083 tēreō, “guard from loss or injury”] My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever…. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him…. If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.” (John 14:15,16,21,23).

 

Will I be an overcomer, “a soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies” and remain “impregnable to the assaults of Satan”? Will I be faithful to the end, among others who “are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end”? (Heb. 3:14).