Clearing up the confusion of the "he" in 2Thess. 2:6,7

After taking another look at Daniel 11, I found that I had missed the 4^th king of Persia in verse 2. Then reading through Daniel 11 again I found that I had overlooked some things that the kings of the south had done. The chapter 11 kings of the south don’t necessarily affect the number of kings of the north, but I made mistakes with the kings of the south, and therefore needed to stop the whole study. Not to make an excuse, but I was crowded with other aspects of my life, and wasn’t able to give it the focus that it needed.

However, my corrections on Daniel 11 don’t change the fact that Paul was referring to Daniel 11 in his interpretation of prophecy regarding the 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “son of perdition”, “man of sin”, and verse 7 “mystery of iniquity”. The main point of my blog post still stands, which was that Paul was not referring to the Holy Spirit when he said that “he would hold back the son of perdition until he is taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7, my paraphrase). It isn’t the Holy Spirit that plays into Paul letter to the Thessalonian believers, and to us today. Paul was paraphrase-quoting from Daniel 11:36 and 45, which detailed the evils perpetrated by the vile king of the north. The Holy Spirit will be withdrawn from the earth as faith and love for God in the hearts of the world’s multitudes is replaced by violence toward Him. So, it doesn’t matter who the 7^th or 8^th or 9^th or jillion^th king of the north is regarding who holds back perdition, or who is held back. What matters is that the vile king of the north, which is showcased in the whole second half of the Daniel 11 vision, is the same key player of Daniel 8. Both vile king of the north of Daniel 11:21 and the abominable horn of Daniel 8:9 represent the same evil entity. 1) Both stand up against the Messiah the Prince (Dan. 8:11,25; 11:22). 2) Both cast down the heavenly sanctuary of strength (Dan. 8:11; 11:31). 3) Both  place the abomination of desolation (Dan. 8:13; Dan. 11:31). 4) Both use peace to destroy many (Dan. 8:25; Dan. 11:25). And, 5) both start small and grow to world-dominating power (Dan. 8:9; Dan. 11:23).

These five points of both Daniel’s prophecies establish the way to situate each prophecy one upon the other, and help find the key to understanding the seemingly convoluted Daniel 11 prophecy, as well as the 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 prophecy. But a mistake I made was in using Revelation 17:10 in conjunction with Daniel 11. The two visions aren’t compatible; they are apples and oranges.

Revelation 17 must use Daniel 7 for its precedent prophecy, although Revelation 17 uses the beast’s 10 horns for a eschatological application as opposed to the application that we see in Daniel 7’s fourth beast, which uses its horns to represent the Dark Ages Germanic kings that broke up Imperial Rome. Revelation 13 applies its first beast’s horns the same as Daniel 7 does its fourth beast, except that it looks at the heads also. Revelation 13 shows the beast with the ten horns that Daniel saw in his chapter 7 dream/vision, both blaspheming God and His kingdom for 1,260 prophetic days, and making war with the saints. Revelation 17 explains those heads consecutively (that is, the first five as fallen, the 6^th in existence, and the 7^th not yet come. And then an 8^th associated with them all, as if the first 7 were extra or ancillary to the original 8^th head of the beast controlled by the mother of harlots. It appears that what John saw was an 8 headed beast, not a 7 headed beast.

Daniel 7 and 8 are also connected in that both visions have a little horn as God’s primary nemesis. Both little horns are blasphemous, violent, and make war. Daniel 7, 8, 11, Revelation 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 all point to the Roman papacy’s Dark Age and New Age phases.

Concerning the number of kings of the north I find 8 northern kings when we call the vile king of Daniel 11:21-39 the same king of the north in Daniel 11:40-45, as the vision calls him the same personality. That could point to the Revelation 17:11 8^th king, except for the difficulty of pinpointing the 6^th and 7^th kings of the north, and their respective associated descriptions: “one is” and “the other has not yet come for a time”. For the vile king of the north to be the old papacy as well as the New Age papacy, it must be preceded by pagan Rome’s Julius Caesar, as the 6^th king of the north, and the Augustan Caesars, as the 7^th king of the north, which would last only “a few days” (Dan. 11:20), and “continuing a short space” (Rev. 17:10). This could fit, except that then John heard of the 7^th king that he was “not yet come” (Rev. 17:10), but the Augustan kings had already started before Christ was incarnated. Therefore, the 7^th king’s placement doesn’t fit John’s historical perspective. John lived through several of the 7^th king Augustan Caesars “in the glory of the kingdom”, the first and main Augustan Emperor being Octavius, who, decades before John’s birth had died, “neither in anger, nor in battle” (Dan. 11:20).

The point I am making is that we can’t use Daniel 11 to interpret Revelation 17:11. We can only use 2 Thessalonians 2 to interpret Daniel 11.

Thank you for your patience with me. I hope I didn’t steer you off too far from the truth.

Serving the Law

“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So^G686 then^G3767 with the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom. 7:25).

“G686 ara Probably from G142 (through the idea of drawing a conclusion); a particle denoting an inference more or less decisive (as follows): - haply, (what) manner (of man), no doubt, perhaps, so be, then, therefore, truly, wherefore. Often used in connection with other particles, especially G1065 or G3767 (after) or G1487 (before). Compare also G687.” Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

I looked to see if “so then with my mind…” could mean “now with my mind...”. Connecting those words might help me understand Romans 8:1 which uses, “There is therefore now no more condemnation....” Connecting those two sequential verses would give me something to work off of for understanding both verses. But what I found is that G686 always referred to only an intellectual action. And those Greek words did not refer to an experience of a change of nature with the Spirit, but to a conclusion of judgment.

G686 with G1487 “if then”

G686 with G3767 “therefore”

G686 with G1065 “if perhaps”

Rom 7:3  So^G686 then^G3767 if,^G1437 while her husband^G435 liveth,^G2198 she be married^G1096 to another^G2087 man,^G435 she shall be called^G5537 an adulteress:^G3428 but^G1161 if^G1437 her husband^G435 be dead,^G599 she is^G2076 free^G1658 from^G575 that law;^G3551 so that she^G846 is^G1511 no^G3361 adulteress,^G3428 though she be married^G1096 to another^G2087 man.^G435

Rom 7:25  I thank^G2168 God^G2316 through^G1223 Jesus^G2424 Christ^G5547 our^G2257 Lord.^G2962 So^G686 then^G3767 with the^G3588 mind^G3563 I^G1473 myself^{G848 (G3303)} serve^G1398 the law^G3551 of God;^G2316 but^G1161 with the^G3588 flesh^G4561 the law^G3551 of sin.^G266

Both Romans 7:3 and 25 speak of a change in conditions with regard to the two issues referred to. And a change in conditions meant a change in freedoms. Both verses spoke of an alteration within a law, making use of a stipulation built into each law, resulting in a different disposition before each law.

There is a connection between Romans 7:25 and 8:1, in that in the original text there were no chapter separations. But the identical “So then” phrases refer not to practical life experience—i.e. spirituality or fidelity and propriety in marriage—but to intellectual conclusion. Therefore, Paul’s victory does not come from an intellectual “So then” all by itself, but from the divinely controlled, spiritual situation within which the “So then” springs. That divinely controlled situation is the change of conditions before the Law, using the proper, respective stipulations built into the Law of God, just as the conditions changed surrounding the law of adultery. This resulted in a different disposition before the law of adultery and before the whole Law of God. In Romans 7 neither law is set aside; the inherent stipulations were patiently and properly made use of.

With regard to the law of adultery, the old man was allowed to die first, and not murdered. And with regard to the Law of God, the old self and the old life were allowed to die, and not forced to die. However, that old, sinful self was required to die, as well the old, sinful life had to be renounced. Likewise the old husband with regard to the issue of adultery. Otherwise, the new husband of the woman, and our new self and life with God, both would be completely inordinate and inappropriate, as unacceptable in earth as they are in heaven. If we seize upon a righteous life before the old man dies, then we've broken the Law. And the fruit shows badly, as Paul's exercise in futility ended in hopeless misery! Pure drudgery! So, our Lord so appropriately appealed, Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden.

Many wives have experienced Romans 7:1-3. Their old man was unloving and unbearable. Their old men snuffed and grumbled over everything. But with patient loving kindness and tender mercy their old men died and new men took their place. I heard of a woman who waited 30 years for her husband to change. For 30 years she served and prayed for the man she loved. Finally, one day he woke up to acknowledging the abuse he had shown her, after all that she had done to make him comfortable and happy. His goliath pride fell before her smooth stones of heartache and patience. He threw out the bottles and six-packs and cancer sticks and boob-tube, and turned into a real man of God for the rest of their lives together. The last half of their marriage to her was more than worth the hard, first half.

Only God could make that change from being dead to living. Only the Judge can convince of sin, through His Son, our mediating Spirit of truth. Only the Creator can create a clean heart and renew a right spirit. And we have the privilege of having a part in that process. But our spirit doesn’t convict anyone’s conscience. Only Christ's convicts. Unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain.

We can’t convert anyone, not even ourselves. Only the Law of God and the crucifixion of Christ can change the human will and heart. Not the Law of God alone; and not the cross of Christ alone. Together they beget children and produce saints.

The Law presents the problem; the crucifixion presents the cure. We must stand before the Law of God guilted and shamed exceedingly, and have our wills overcome by our destitution and helplessness to do anything about it. We can intellectually assent to the Law, and wish to obey it, but we still will not be victorious over our sin problem.

“It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law that it is good. ‘The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.’ But he added, in the bitterness of his soul-anguish and despair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin.’ Romans 7:16, 12, 14. He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to which in himself he was powerless to attain, and cried out, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ Romans 7:24, margin.” Steps to Christ, p. 19.

God and His Law can only bring us half way to salvation. He and His Law alone cannot bring us to the point of total abasement of self. He and the long arm of His Representative can scare us straight, but not enough to leave a permanent impression, and an eternal result in the life. We still need the Prodigal's revelation of love. However, God and His Law are the foundation of salvation, and cannot be dismissed or bypassed. But no one lives forever in a foundation. They continue building to live in a whole house.

There must be more than fear in order to overcome our wretched body of death. It takes more than the fear of God for the resilient old man to be smitten. He must see self-sacrifice and unending mercy. We must witness our unwarranted provocations upon the Prince of peace that have crucified Him afresh a million times over. We must see His unabated mercy in the merciful abasement of His agonized body and soul. “They crucified Him.” “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them.” (Luke 23:33,34). “To all, there is but one answer, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29.” Steps to Christ, p. 19. We must fall on this Stone and be broken.

“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37). “If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32).  

“It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.  

     The Saviour said, ‘Except a man be born from above,’ unless he shall receive a new heart, new desires, purposes, and motives, leading to a new life, ‘he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ John 3:3, margin. The idea that it is necessary only to develop the good that exists in man by nature, is a fatal deception. ‘The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ ‘Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.’ 1 Corinthians 2:14; 3:7. Of Christ it is written, ‘In Him was life; and the life was the light of men’--the only ‘name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ John 1:4; Acts 4:12.” Steps to Christ, p. 18.

Until Both, “God through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 7:25), have brought all of heaven to bear upon our conscience and heart no transformation of heart and life happen. But, once the moralist or atheist, turned helpless wretch, cries to “somebody out there”, then Somebody out there answers in power. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.” (Eze. 36:26,27).

“So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom. 7:25).

Not with any mind, as in the unconverted mind, but with the new mind, “the mind of Christ” (1Cor. 2:16), we serve the Law of God. It is only the “spiritually minded” (Rom. 8:6) that can serve the Law of God, for “the carnal mind…is not subject to the Law of God.” (Rom. 8:7).

With the new mind and new spirit we can obey the Law of righteousness. But with the flesh, the old man, the unregenerate, reprobate mind, we only serve Satan the old master, and the law of sin. With the flesh we can’t serve and obey God. As the woman of Romans 7:1-3 couldn’t be married to both old and new husbands, neither can we serve God’s Law of life while we still own our original body of death, and still serve under Satan's regime. It just cannot be. Satan doesn’t mind receiving our divided service because his oldest trick is to subtly take full occupation. But a divided heart is totally unacceptable to God. He refuses to dwell in that kind of polluted environment. He couldn’t dwell in the temple with Dagon, and He surely can’t co-habit a heart with Satan. With God, there is no such thing as ☪☮e✡-ı☯s✝.

 “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom. 7:25).

All alone, the Law is an it, rather than a person. The Law is cold, hard stone full of cold, hard commands. “Thou shalt….” “Thou shalt not….” The letters on paper are just as lifeless as stone, and the stone and paper kill unless the letter and words in stone and on paper contain the recognizable voice of their Author, which is His Spirit. Then both are precious. 

But, standing alone, the Law gets worshiped. And, likewise, when the Spirit is apart from the Law, it too gets worshipped. But, God would never admonish us to make the Law, or the Spirit, another god. The Law of God and the Spirit of God go together--always--or we end in idolatry and godless atheism. 

But, a new heart can recognize the Author’s voice (His Spirit) and thus serve God’s Representative (His Law) because that child of God is essentially serving God Himself. 

          Hearing His voice in every line;                making each faithful saying mine.

“No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (1Jn. 4:12). If we love His Law we love Him. The spiritually minded will discern the spirit of the Law. If we serve His designated Representative through “the Spirit of His Son” (Gal. 4:6), He counts that as serving Him. Because of His new heart we can love; and because we can love we can obey the Law of love, and thus serve the Law of God in the spirit of the Law, and thus are serving God in spirit and truth through the Spirit of truth.

God has two Representatives. 1) His Law the “Schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:24) that is “holy, and just, and good” and “spiritual” (Rom. 7:12,14); and, 2) the Spirit, His Son, “the Word of God” (Rev. 19:13), who has ever been the deliberator of His Law, and brought it to life for Their family in heaven and in earth. God’s word is His glory, and His glory is “His own self” (John 17:5). Both His Law and His Son own His Spirit without measure, and therefore both contain life without measure. 

“I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them [through trusting in Him]. Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.” (Eze. 20:11,12). “Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” (Jer. 9:24).

“I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them;

And hallow My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.” (Eze. 20:18-21).

Knowing and heeding and serving either God’s Law that represents lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, or God’s only begotten Son of His love who is easier to recognize the principles of lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, gives life. To eat the quartz of the Law of God or the flesh of the Son of God is to live. No man has seen or can see God at any time. All we can know of the self-existent Life-giver is what He has commanded by His stentorian Law and from His melodious Son. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” (John 1:18).

And if we are in the bosom of Jesus, we will serve the Law of God like Jesus did, His Spirit imbuing our spirit, not running after our flesh, but yearning after His Spirit.

Exodus from the New Age

“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.

And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.” (Isa. 60:2-4).

“It feels like there’s this exodus.”

In an encouraging conversation between Doreen Virtue and her friend, Melissa confesses this hope on minute 6:05 of their video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JynjMoFzbs.

Reaching out to struggling ex-New Agers, and to other potential New Age interests in Jesus who are still fearful of leaving their New Age community and stepping out in faith, Melissa speaks of her own experience of aloneness, the loneliness without anyone on earth to help her remain faithful to her new trust in her Creator, Jesus. Starting on minute 5:19:

“…I felt so kind of lost, I mean when it came to Mormonism [after leaving the New Age] at least they had some sort of … understanding that they could become a god. So I could relate in that sense. But, they still couldn’t quite understand that there was [a] difference [between them and my lonely path out of the New Age].

So I looked for that for a while. And I remember when Steven Bancarz made his testimony video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMu5F2icsT8&t=33s]… I had so many friends tag me on it, and here Steven is one of my really good friends now. But, it’s so funny because at that point, at that time, nobody, I couldn’t find anybody [to talk to about my newly found Jesus]. I didn’t know about Warren Smith, Warren Smith was an ex…I mean these books that were out. You have Johanna Michaelson…all these people who came out of the New Age in like the ‘70s, but now it feels like there’s this exodus almost…”

Doreen’s statement to this:

“Yeah, YouTube’s filled with testimonial videos of ex-New Agers…”

Until recently both Doreen and Melissa found it very difficult to find other ex-New Agers to fellowship with.

This begs the question, Why doesn’t Adventism hold the wreath for spearheading this rush out of the New Age, like Moses delivering a host from bondage? We’ve had the promise of the Latter Rain in Isaiah 60:2-4. We have it in Great Controversy, pages 611, and 612.

“The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The advent movement of 1840-44 was a glorious manifestation of the power of God; the first angel’s message was carried to every missionary station in the world, and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel.  

     The work will be similar to that of the Day of Pentecost. As the ‘former rain’ was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the precious seed, so the ‘latter rain’ will be given at its close for the ripening of the harvest. ‘Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.’ Hosea 6:3. ‘Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain.’ Joel 2:23. ‘In the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.’ ‘And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:17, 21.  

     The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are ‘the times of refreshing’ to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus.’ Acts 3:19, 20.

     Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works, with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Revelation 13:13. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand.  

     The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.”

“The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience.”

We live in a Western world age where a widespread knowledge of the Bible exists. Atheists, pagans, hedonists, drug abusers and sellers, gangsters, New Age and Buddhism and Islam and Hinduism followers, they all know something about the Bible, not to mention the people in the churches. Yet misconceptions abound concerning Jesus, His Father, and Their kingdom of righteousness and holiness in love. Satan and his locusts hordes of Revelation 9 have done an exquisite job of bringing the Protestant world into almost total ignorance with regard to the principles and power of the gospel. They have been let loose from the bowels of hell to lead the world to make its last final decision for or against an eternity of precious life and health from the holy presence of Jesus.

“Side by side with the preaching of the gospel, agencies are at work which are but the medium of lying spirits.” The Desire of Ages, p. 258.

“Two great parties are developed, the worshipers of the beast and his image, and the worshipers of the true and living God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p. 45.

“In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance―a custom which originated with Rome, and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy―the spirit of conformity to worldly customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God―that is permeating the Protestant churches and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them.

     If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past….” Great Controversy, p. 573.

God’s people have been hiding in the woodwork. Multitudes have not yet surrendered fully to Jesus and received His abundant Spirit because their misconceptions of the Christian life with Jesus are preventing them. Like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, they have not cut off the Spirit of God; they have not committed the unpardonable sin. They will join in the Latter Rain when it comes.

But even though we don’t see the multitudes visibly, we are seeing their firstfruits in the exodus on the YouTube videos. Soon there will be an exodus of millions, “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (Rev. 7:9)! Millions from around the world will give similar testimonies such as we hear from YouTube. Millions of liberated and joyful disciples of the Lord will declare their Maker’s praises. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9). In a short period of time the gospel will be preached to a whole world of captives to spiritualism.

We need to hear the words of our YouTube testifiers, and realize their agreement with the counsels of the Spirit of Prophecy.

The Latter Rain will have more power than the Early Rain at Pentecost. “The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening.” Great Controversy, p. 611. Therefore, the following awe-inspiring promises of what Jesus will do apply to the Protestant and Advent remnants more than they did to the pre-John the Baptist Jews awaiting the Messiah. Read these promises not as a historical message to ancient Israel. But, put yourself in them as the person to whom Jesus spoke.

“Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth;

Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

Ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me.

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Saviour.

I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” (Isa. 43:4-12).

“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.

For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 54:1-17).

“The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?” (Isa. 49:20,21).

These promises are for you if you are born again and are struggling to remain faithful to the truth and testimony of Jesus. And they are for you if you aren’t born again, but fearfully need certainty of salvation, and are striving to get to the truth and the testimony of Jesus. Jesus desires to give you new birth now and every day.

If you are weary and heavy laden, if you are sighing and crying for the Laodicean conditions in the midst of the church and in your own heart, if you see the coming desolations in a time of trouble such as never was, this is for you.

“Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:1,2).

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isa. 40:3-11).

His reward will be with Him, but His work must be before His reward. Get ready for the purging from the purifying global troubles and Latter Rains that precede His coming in great glory and destructive power. Let Him start sanctifying you now. Let’s all have a part in, and together with Jesus be workers toward, the great exodus of slaves from the captivities around the world!

The Law in your face

“With the pure Thou wilt shew Thyself pure; and with the froward Thou wilt shew Thyself froward.” (Ps. 18:26).

In a past post I wrote, “We need to come together, compare notes, and learn how we all, Protestants and Adventists, can have a childlike trust with the Judgment Day fear of God.” I also quoted, “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him.” (Ps. 91:14). Then I said, “We need what David had, who was the figure of Jesus.”

We need both the trembling before God and a deep love for God. Righteousness by faith by Jesus is the beautiful science of having both faith in God through Christ and fear of God through Christ. The first example of this given in the Bible was Abraham. Paul wrote,

“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith….

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the Law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise….” (Gal. 3:14,17,18).

Then Paul shifts to another perspective of this science.

“Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; …

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the Law. ” (Gal. 3:19,22,23).

God has always had His Law.

“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy Law is the truth.

Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet Thy commandments are my delights.

The righteousness of Thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.” (Ps. 119:142-144).

But until the confrontation with Lucifer in heaven the Law was known to exist by His Spirit, His blessed presence, and not by letters or in writing.

“Before the entrance of evil there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator’s will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial. Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father, ―one in nature, in character, and in purpose,― the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. By Christ the Father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings. ‘By Him were all things created, that are in heaven,... whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers’ (Colossians 1:16); and to Christ, equally with the Father, all heaven gave allegiance.

     The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness.” Great Controversy, p. 493.

   

“God desires from all His creatures the service of love ― service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service.

     So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. It was the joy of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator. They delighted in reflecting His glory and showing forth His praise. And while love to God was supreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish. There was no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34,35.

“The Spirit of [the] Father” (Matt. 10:20) continuously guided the thoughts and actions of the angelic hosts and inhabitants of the worlds. And they all loved to have it so. Obedience to the Law was never an issue because sin did not exist to obstruct their minds from the truth of the Law.

Likewise was it with Abraham and all the patriarchs. It wasn’t necessary for God to boldly and blazingly, with lightning and thunder, present to them a stone hard Law because they knew their Father in heaven, and loved to obey Him. He never needed to show Himself “froward” because no heart was “froward”. There was only perfect accord between them and their Father, and between each other.

In the Revelation, along with the twenty-four elders, we see four beasts that were in the throne and surrounding the throne, representing the hosts of angels, similar to the tribes of Israel that surrounded the tabernacle of the Lord in the wilderness. Nothing except fear, faith, and joy was heard in their praises to “Him that sat upon the throne, who liveth for ever and ever”.

“And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:2-11).

Perfect love for God filled every heart, and there was no need to put before them a warning or threat against disobedience to the Law of love.

“But a change came over this happy state. There was one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and was highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, ‘son of the morning,’ was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him. ‘Thus saith the Lord God; 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. . . . 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, till iniquity was found in thee.’ Ezekiel 28:12-15.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35.

Froward rebels forced the God of love to present thunderous precepts and “in your face” instructions. Bold, insolent, and mischievous pride has required a new kind of presentation, if hopefully the froward rebels would back down from eternal destruction. God must make His case plain, not in order to cover His back, but in order to give every possibility for the rebels to come to repentance and be spared damnation.

But, this was not for the angels who remained faithful, and neither was this necessary for the patriarchs.

“The LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect.

And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep My covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.” (Gen. 17:1-9).

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” (Gal. 3:6-9).

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph and his brothers all knew heart surrender and then peace with God. They had all been tested; and all passed by repentance. They knew guilt and shame. They knew conviction of apparently unpardonable. They had fallen on their faces before their exceedingly sinful sins, and had accepted its humbling into the dust. Self-justification did not enter, and salvation reigned in Israel’s holy first few generation families. The same blessing and covenant would come to everyone who would fall in repentance, trusting in the mercy of the Lord to forgive, as the patriarchs had done.

“My covenant was with [Levi] of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared Me, and was afraid before My name. The Law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.” (Mal. 2:5,6).

But, later after receiving abundant earthly privileges they turned away from the loving God of their fathers to serve Baal and Ashtoreth. Then Jehovah’s rebuke weighed heavily upon them.

“O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.” (Eze. 33:7).

“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart….

For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept My ways, but have been partial in the Law.” (Mal. 2:2,7-9).

“Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of Me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.

Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up Mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up Mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

In the day that I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them;

And hallow My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.…

Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me.

For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?

For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.

And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:

And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto Me: but pollute ye My holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

For in Mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to your fathers.

And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?” (Eze. 20:2-20,25-49).

The Son of righteousness, acting under the auspices of His Father of greatest righteousness, was strong against sin so that His grace could be as strong toward the repentant sinner. “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” (Ps. 2:12). “Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him.” (Ex. 23:21). Don’t ever cross the Son in arrogance, but do always come to Him in repentance.

Doing His Father’s will, the Son concluded all mankind under sin, keeping His people under the special, strict condemnation of an especially clear Law. But this must be in order to keep them bowed before His Father, “that no flesh should glory before His presence.” (1Cor. 1:29). He kept them ever on their faces until He could reveal to them His personal side in their own human form, garbed in incrementally increasing robes of humility, and thus filtering the blinding glory of His divine office as Prince “sitting on the right hand of Power” (Matt. 26:64).

“The scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a Schoolmaster.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:22-26).

Although Jesus had to lay down the Law for His people if He might awaken them to their lost condition, He prefers the nicer treatment that He gave the patriarchs.

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made…. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made….” (Gal. 3:16,19).

He could reveal that the Abrahamic niceties again to His apostolic church, and He also plans to give the same to a yet-to-appear generation before His return the second time.  Although Christ was the Seed, His church was also the seed, His seed.

“When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.” (Isa. 53:10).

“For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee.

And again, I will put My trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me.” (Heb. 2:10-13).

“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12).

“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest? For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Isa. 66:1,2).

“Their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 54:17).

All of these precious promises were for the early church, by which they became partakers of the Lord’s divine nature.

Today, we’ve been under the Law—under the Spirit of Prophecy, i.e. the testimony of Jesus through Ellen White. He will never forebear to give His precious people reproof and catastrophic punishment, as needed. But Jesus does this because it’s the only way they can need a Saviour from sin. He remonstrates, so that He can grow surrender and faith, and then He can justify. “With the [stony-hearted] Thou wilt shew Thyself [stony-hearted]. For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.” (Ps. 18:26). “He made [them] to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.” (Deut. 32:13). Have we been sucking honey from the rock? Have we been searching His flint-hard Law, with all our heart, for His sweet and satisfying grace?

And in the end Jesus could declare, “Ye are all the children of God by faith.” (Gal. 3:26).

Sacred history doesn’t continue forever with the Law in our faces. The story ends “happily ever after”. If it doesn’t seem to be ending well at the moment, if it looks like the church or us individually are a dismal failure and we will die under the condemnation of God, it’s only because the story isn’t finished yet. It’s because of divided hearts and disobedience that we are still under the condemnations of the testimony of Jesus. But a soon-coming, single-hearted generation will accept the condemnations and seek Him with all their hearts.

“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.

Then sacred history will end amazingly and blazingly at His coming.

“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isa. 25:9).

Then He will remove His Father’s rebuke from off His people and the veil that His Father put between us and Himself.

“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Rom. 8:19-23).

And Jesus will replace the rebuke and separation with perfect and perpetual approbation.

“He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth.” (Isa. 25:6-8).

“In this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined…. For the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isa. 25:6,8).

Never again will the Law be blazened in an “in your face” way. Never again will “Thou wilt shew Thyself forward.” (Ps. 18:26). But, the perfect peace of pre-great controversy heaven will again pervade all creation. As it was in the beginning so shall it be forever.

“For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest.” (Isa. 25:10).

The Son of righteousness, like His Father, a spent Neutron Star

“I am black.”

“For the hurt of the daughter of My people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on Me.” (Jer. 8:21).

“I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

Look not upon Me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon Me.” (Song 1:5,6).

“Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.

We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness….

They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.

Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!” (Lam. 5:7-9,11-16).

“Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.” (Lam. 5:10).

Blackness is used in the Bible to indicate total darkness, especially in the soul. What does this say about Jesus? Was He ever black? Was His soul ever utterly dark? Did the Lamb slain from the beginning know a living death?

“And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.

And He went a little further, and fell on His face.” (Matt. 26:37-39).

And His three pleas: “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:39).

“Recently in the night season I was awakened from sleep and given a view of the sufferings of Christ for men. His sacrifice, the mockery and derision He received at the hands of wicked men, His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal and crucifixion—all were vividly portrayed before me. 

     I saw Christ in the midst of a large company of people. He was seeking to impress their minds with His teachings. But He was despised and rejected by them. Men were heaping upon Him abuse and shame. My distress was very great as I looked upon the scene. I pleaded with God: ‘What is to be done with this congregation? Will none give up their exalted opinions of self and seek the Lord as little children? Will none break their hearts before God in repentance and confession?’  

     There was presented to me Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the mysterious cup trembled in the Redeemer’s hand. Father, if it be possible,’ He prayed, ‘let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.’ Matthew 26:39. As He pleaded with the Father, great drops of blood fell from His face to the ground. The elements of darkness were gathered about the Saviour to discourage His soul.

     Rising from the ground, Christ went to the place where He had left His disciples, bidding them watch and pray with Him lest they be overcome with temptation. He would see if they understood His agony; He needed their human sympathy. But He found them sleeping. Three times He went thus to them, and each time they were asleep. 

     Three times the Saviour prayed: ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.’ It was here that the destiny of a lost world trembled in the balance. Should He refuse to drink the cup, the result would be eternal ruin to the human race. But an angel from heaven strengthened the Son of God to accept the cup and drink its bitter woe. 

     How few there are who realize that all this was borne for them individually! How few who say: ‘It was for me, that I might form a character for the future immortal life.’       As these things were presented to me so vividly, I thought, I shall never be able to present this subject before the people as it is;’ and I have given you only a faint representation of what was shown me. As I have thought of that cup trembling in the hands of Christ; as I have realized that He might have refused to drink, and left the world to perish in its sin, I have pledged that every energy of my life should be devoted to the work of winning souls to Him. 

     Christ came to the earth to suffer and die, that, through the exercise of faith in Him and the appropriation of His merits, we might become laborers together with God. It was the Saviour’s purpose that after He ascended to heaven to become man’s intercessor, His followers should carry on the work that He had begun. Shall the human agent show no special interest in giving the light of the gospel message to those who sit in darkness? There are some who are willing to go to the ends of the earth in order to carry the light of truth to men, but God demands that every soul who knows the truth shall seek to win others to the love of the truth. If we are not willing to make special sacrifices in order to save souls that are ready to perish, how can we be counted worthy to enter into the city of God?” Testimonies for the church, p. 101-103.

“The worlds unfallen and the heavenly angels had watched with intense interest as the conflict drew to its close. Satan and his confederacy of evil, the legions of apostasy, watched intently this great crisis in the work of redemption. The powers of good and evil waited to see what answer would come to Christ’s thrice-repeated prayer. Angels had longed to bring relief to the divine sufferer, but this might not be. No way of escape was found for the Son of God. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God’s presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ’s hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father’s love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved.

     Christ’s agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.” Desire of Ages, p. 694.

Jesus came up to this sacrifice already pure. He was the spotless Passover Lamb of God. Yet a greater purification must come upon Him. Why? Wasn’t He already sinless? Yes, He was pure on His own account, infinitely pure. But He needed to be pure enough for our account. All of our accounts. His death for ours must not only cover us, but also cleanse us from all sin. All sin. And it would take patience on His part, and He must sufficiently keep His Father satisfied and patient on our account, on the part of His Father, the Judge. We must be able to pass the bar of God, the eternal Judge. Especially this generation must receive from Jesus the power to face a tribulation such as never was and be made white in the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus’ offering must be able to convince us all to renounce everything we have imbibed of this world of sin. Jesus must be infinitely selfless to the infinite power in order to stand in the day of His visitation.

“The blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh.” (Heb. 9:13). “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14).

Infinity^Infinity. Infinity to the power of infinity. Infinity to the most infinite power. Is there such a concept on Earth? There is in the immense kingdom of God, His universe. Infinity^Infinity is what Jesus submitted to be through His Father’s infinite^infinite grinding in Gethsemane. The great Day of Atonement blood of the bullocks and goats, by the ministration of the human high priest, cleansed the earthly tabernacle of all sin from the past. Likewise, in the way of authority to cover every sinner’s vilest sins, to convince and re-affirm the sinner with the vilest past that Christ has that authority, and to give us overcoming power to vanquish our every sin, Jesus took the infinite^infinite pressure of Gethsemane that pressed His blood out from every pore of His trembling toned body, His distressed beautiful countenance, and His destabilized joyful spirit. In face and form He turned completely red; His perfectly healthy organs bursting and internally bleeding, His strong mind confused and dark, and His fortified and free spirit empty and captive. He was the great red Heifer that was already spotless, yet soon to become supra-spotless ashes.

“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 6:17-20).

Jesus’ body, heart, and mind became like a neutron star that we see in the heavens, under a mysterious force that fuels its blinding brilliance. Under a light filter other blinding stars turn red and orange. But not so with neutron stars. Even when filtered, the neutron stars remain pure white, some 10 million times brighter than our sun. No earthly telescopic filter can find in the neutron stars any lesser wavelength than pure, white, total brilliance screaming from such a heavenly body that is expending all of its mass to humble a trillion stars and to brighten a trillion worlds.

It has become known that two neutron stars can collide. Then, when all is spent from the neutron stars, they become “black holes” that work as gigantic sucking machines to draw in space waste located even light-years away. Within the neutron stars’ supra-cooked, supra-empty of original constituent matter except for neutrons, and supra-compressed core shrunken to a 40 mile equator, the exhausted orb is so dense that nothing can escape its gravitational pull, not even photons. Light is sucked in together with every kind of space flotsam and jetsam. Nothing of the star can glory; it is forever hidden from sight. From all directions on the three-dimensional X-Y-Z planes, space waste joins in a disk and collides together in these gargantuan grinders, breaking all the space junk down to the simplest components of matter and energy. Thrown out of each of these cosmic venturi-incinerators fly quarks and leptons as the foundational structural components for use in new creations. These most basic components of creation are free from every pollutant and unwanted hitch-hiker, and ready for their re-conglomeration according to the Master’s will.

“Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.” (Isa. 48:13).

Purified and broken down to the smallest common denominator, such newly cleansed bits of matter are at the disposal of the Creator, new matter that His divine wisdom and power can scoop up at His convenience to form stars, planets, and other inanimate things, and the stuff into which to breath life for living organisms, and for the Creator’s pleasure in creation.

Likewise, Jesus’ ultra-hot, lightning plasma purification from Elohim’s fury made Him an ultra belittled, humbled and devoid of self, yet a hyper-powerful vacuum cleaner, working together with His Father to pull out every particle of sin from every willing human’s body, soul, and intellect. The pressure of inexhaustible condemnation turned Him into a white-white-hot, ultra-silent, screaming pressure-cooker under the Ancient of Day’s super heated, ultra-abundant thunder and lightning condemnation of our sins. The Son was made to be sin, whom God palpably treated as sin.

Thus, together Father and Son as joined Neutron Stars, the Ancient of Days super heated His only begotten Beloved, who then became super blackened and super absorbent, all in order to sufficiently induct and invest Him into His soon-coming office of supra-High Priesthood (see Numbers 19:2-9; 20:25-28). His being made infinitely sinless to the power of infinity only His incomprehensibly infinite Father could facilitate, so that Jesus could be made a High Priest forever before the infinitely just God. Jesus was made a sufficient High Priest; He was made a sufficient High Priest; and His super-heated offering and sufficient pouring out of His mercy and love made Him a High Priest forever. The accuser of the brethren has nothing to contest in any of our cases. Satan has no argument against every trembling soul that lays hold of the promise and oath bound up in the greatest gift to fallen mankind—the cleansed Great Red Heifer and cleansing Great High Priest, and the brightened Great Neutron Star and grinding Great Black Hole of heaven, our Great Prince and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

On a smaller scale we have a similar cleanser on Earth. Charcoal is made from suffocating, high heat, in an enclosed environment starving for oxygen. The formula for combustion equals fuel+oxygen+heat. But, when the oxygen is removed from carbon-based matter, the heat can only use the carbon-based fuel to consume. Without the hyper-active properties of oxygen to aid the fuel consumption process, the heat only partially consumes the carbon. This prevents the de-oxygenated carbon fuel from burning completely to ash, thus leaving the carbon in the element’s fully burned, semi-destroyed yet wholly purified by fire, state—charcoal. The chemical charge of carbon is attractive to that of dangerous poisons and the body’s natural byproducts of chemical oxidants.

And charcoal’s surface is extremely porous. Therefore its comparably extensive surface area creates charcoal’s cumulative, extensive, power-summed electrical charge to cause a powerful chemical attraction of oppositely charged poisons, bacteria, natural by-products, etc. Charcoal is excellent for the drawing of poisons and toxins from sores and inflammations. Even if such damaged tissue is below the skin, the drawing power of charcoal will pull the toxic waste by-products of the white-blood cells attacks on the sub-cutaneous infected area on internal organs and bones and nerves. No enemy substance attacking the human body is safe from the amazing, ionizing attraction and drawing power of charcoal.

Charcoal simulates the ashes of the red heifers that were used us purify the uncleanness of Israelites, both ceremonially and literally. And it all simulates the divine power that draws us away from sin through the brilliant Son who was pressed beyond measure, and left black in order to “draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32).

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.” (Eze. 36:25).

“Let us draw near [to the innocent Red Heifer and the brilliant Neutron Star who has the oil of joy above His fellows] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:22).