God

Isaiah’s Wonderful Prophecy

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on February 16, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, God, Grace, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

LightShining2Isaiah’s Wonderful Prophecy

Revelation 18 clearly foretells the time when the glory of God’s character shall be revealed through His people as the final message to humanity. But is this just a message from the New Testament? Or does the Old Testament teach this same thing? Let’s look and see.

I have often wished that an opportunity would be there for me to meet the prophet Isaiah. I have read his book several times and each time I become more intrigued as he weaves history, current events and prophecy into his book. But I must admit, when studying Isaiah chapter 60 I had missed a very vital truth that helps shed further light on our last post. Let’s read it together.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).

Many of you will say as I did that these three verses apply to the work and ministry of Christ and you are correct in your understanding for they do indeed. However, when it is understood that the people of the last church on earth have to reveal the character of God exactly as Jesus did. We need to do this for humanity as Christ did it for the unfallen universe. Christ, by living the life He did revealed to the unfallen universe the true character of God and it is the work of the end time people to fully reveal the Character of Christ to all humanity so that they may see the true contrast between Satan and God the Father.

Yet the character or righteousness of God is not something that is simply credited to the person; it is actually built into the person. It becomes his or her own character, so that when others look upon him or her they see the glory of God’s character just as if they were looking at the Creator. When others look upon a true Christian, they will see the same love, justice, righteousness, peace, goodness, honesty; as Christ had and their desire is to see all mankind saved as it was Christ’s desire to see all mankind saved. Within them is no desire for any to be lost, even though the reality is many will not accept Christ as their Saviour.

There is a parable in the New Testament that helps teach this principle. The parable is of the Ten Virgins and it parallels the teaching found in Isaiah 60. The same darkness broken by clear light is presented. For the virgins are represented as sleeping until the midnight hour which is the darkest hour of the night. Then they arise with their lamps by which they light the way for the Bridegroom’s coming. Without lighting the path, the Bridegroom could not make His way. He is dependent upon that light to make His arrival possible.

Christ the bridegroom came and became betrothed to the church which is His bride. He then ascended to prepare a place for His bride. Therefore, since the Bridegroom has gone to prepare a place for His bride, then another must give the same light that was given when the Bridegroom originally came to become betrothed to His bride. Therefore, it is the power of the Holy Spirit, shining out from the virgins that illuminates or shows the contrast between the darkness and the light. This in turn enables the Bridegroom to find His way to His bride, the church. It is at earth’s histories darkest hour that the light will shine forth from Christ followers as they reflect His Character in their lives.

Through the holy spirit, God’s word is a light as it becomes a transforming power in the life of the receiver. By implanting in their hearts, the principles of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes of God. The light of His glory – His character – is to shine forth in His followers. Thus, they are said to glorify God, to lighten the path to the Bridegroom’s home, to the city of God, to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

It is not enough to merely understand the theory of the truth and then preach it to others. God’s Word is a light as it becomes a transforming power in the life of the receiver. This speaks of an inner working by the transforming agency of the Holy Spirit. This is the changing of the person’s inward nature so that he or she becomes formed into the likeness of God.

By implanting in their hearts, the principles of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes of God.” Of course, these attributes are to be understood as His characteristics. His glory, His disposition, and His qualities, through not His great dynamic powers to impart life, creative power.

You see, and I want us to be very clear about this, “The purpose of the great controversy cannot be fulfilled unless this demonstration of God’s character is given. Read the paragraph above one more time. Could any teaching be plainer than this? Do you desire to know the way in which you can glorify God and light the way to the Bridegroom’s home, to the city of God, to the marriage supper of the lamb?

The frightening thing is that you and I cannot wrap intellectual understanding of the theory of truth, nor can we attempt to wrap Christ’s covering around us through ceremonies, forms, adherence to codes, or practices of religion. It is by none of these, though portions of all these things may have their place in our lives. It is by having the Holy Spirit from the very character of God, His attributes, His righteousness, within the believer. By exactly the same means through which the Saviour accomplished His mission, the followers of Christ likewise must fulfill their commission in the final conflict.

Christ while on earth revealed through Christ that great love for God. It is on the earth that His children are to reflect this love through blameless lives. They must reflect this same love that Christ did for sinners to be led to the cross to behold the Lamb of God.

As true and necessary as these principles have been throughout history, they will be even more necessary in the coming of the darkest hour of all.

The coming of the bridegroom was at midnight – the darkest hour, so will be the coming of Christ which will take place in the darkest period of this earth’s history. This darkness will be brought about by Satan’s delusions, heresies, and false teachings. These teaching have since the fall been with us, but their strength will intensify until it would appear all will be deceived. It is as the exact nature of those delusions are unfolded that we understand the real cause for moral darkness in the world at the end. It is by those who’s lamps are brightly burning by the power of the Holy Spirit that these deceptions will be perceived.

It is the darkness of misapprehension of God’s character that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted.

This then is the great darkness that shall blanket the world in the last days as depicted in Isaiah 60:2. It is the misunderstanding of God’s character. Satan knows that rebellion against God is begun, developed, and sustained by this means. He knows also the great conflict can never be terminated until people are set free from erroneous ideas in respect to who God really is, so he puts forth superhuman efforts to lock humanity in the cross darkness of the misapprehension of God.

Therefore, the Lord will provide His answer to Satan’s deceptions. This is the time of human history that we should be looking, expecting to see the Lord providing the answer. And Indeed, he has for the time has come for the proclamation of a message about the character of God and His righteousness.

But this cannot be an idle expectation: at this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth.

This is the work outlined by the prophet Isaiah in the words, “O Jerusalem, that brings good tiding, 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 (Isaiah 40:9,10).

Those who wait for the Bridegroom’s coming are to say to the people, “Behold your God.” The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character, they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. (Ibid. Pp. 415, 416).

The final message is not a message to be argued, debated, or contested. It is a message to be proclaimed, not only by the lips but by the witness of the life itself; a witness made effective by the forming of the very character of God within, so that when people look upon the messenger they see the character of God revealed. Then they come to know God as God is as they see Him reflected from the transformed hearts of the believers.

The coming of this message from God is no longer a prophetic expectation but a present reality. It is a reality in your life, and in mine. It is my hope, that by this time you will have gained some concept of the vital importance of this theme to the point of earnest study and intense desire to understand and to possess the wonderful character of God.

I invite you to read the first three posts on this:

He Wanted to Teach Respect
Why a Tree to Teach Respect
The End of the Great Controversy

Posts on this theme will return on Monday February 19th.  Till then,

Blessings

Pastor Lester

The End of the Great Controversy

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on February 15, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, God, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

character-siteThe End of the Great Controversy

We live in a world that seems to be governed by the law of “cause and effect.” For each cause there is an equal and opposite reaction or effect. Holy Scripture, God’s word to us, presents the evidence and confirms the truth that the great controversy began with the Character of God being misrepresented. Satan’s extension and continuation of the struggle has been by the same means. Thus, is revealed the cause and effect – the cause being the establishment of an erroneous view of God, and the effect, the proliferation of iniquitous rebellion.

How is this proliferation of iniquitous rebellion quelled? After all, it is a sound principle that once the cause of a problem has been established, the remedy for it is in view. Therefore, it would seem logical that the reversal of rebellion can be accomplished by presentation of the truth in regard to God.

How then is this accomplished? If Satan misrepresented the character of God, then to quell the rebellion, one must then reveal the true character of God. But how could this be accomplished? It was Jesus Christ that became preeminent in this work of divine restoration. When He came to earth, He came not only to save humanity from the penalty of sin by sacrificing Himself but to save people by revealing the character of God in contrast to Satan’s propositions.

Christ’s role as the revealer of the true character of God was as necessary to ending the great controversy and the salvation of the lost as was His supreme sacrifice on the cross. Jesus came expressly to show God’s character to the angels and people exactly as God is.

John in his letter to the Christian church makes this point clear where he wrote: “It is also written that “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8).

In our human thinking we often wonder, why didn’t God just use force to do away with this sin problem and Satan. Then we could live in a world full of happiness and love. But to do this would not have revealed God’s true character and would actually have played into the hands of the deceiver. It would have proven Satan’s point, and caused all unfallen being to worship God out of fear, rather than love.

Truth be told, the unfallen angels were not completely convinced Satan was wrong until Jesus death upon the cross. To them this fully developed the character of Satan and showed the contrast between Satan and God.

But there is one more reason God could not just start over or wipe out those that attempted to assassinate His character. You see, at first there was only the Word of God. That Word came under challenge. God explained the situation to the heavenly host in detail. Thus, the word of Satan was met by the Word of God. But this failed to really settle the question, for it was not accepted by Satan and his followers. Therefore, time had to be given in which Satan could demonstrate the true nature of his claims while God and Christ, on the other hand, could unfold the real character of their position. It was for this purpose that God has permitted the great conflict to continue through all these ages, and until that purpose has been fulfilled, the controversy will continue.

Therefore the sad news, yet good news is that this struggle will go on, Christ shall not return, sin will not be ended, and death will continue to reign, until both angels and humanity see for themselves the real nature of God’s character. Not only must they see the for themselves the true nature of God’s character but also the sharp contrast between Satan’s government and that of God’s government. When that point is reached, then and only then will the end come and Christ return.

Yet for the heavenly angels and all the unfallen, the contrast has been shown and accepted. All the reasons for doubt were wiped away upon Satan’s cruel crucifixion of Christ, upon what else, but a tree. Which was the most disrespectful death a person could endure.   And was it not through a tree, God attempted to teach respect? But for the angelic host and all the unfallen, the Character of Satan was fully revealed. But strangely, the human race, did not fully grasp the nature of God, choosing still to continue to believe the lie as told by Satan about the character of God.

Before the cross, although Satan had only drawn one third of the angels with him, the other two thirds held serious doubts. These uncertainties about God, His character, and the principles of His government were generated in them to the point where a definite sympathy for Satan’s cause was present. Throughout the long centuries elapsing between the fall of Lucifer and the cross of Calvary, that sad state of affairs continued. During this period the holy angels served God with definite reservations and felt that Satan had something of a case to be argued.

As one author has stated it: “God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan’s government. The Lord’s principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God’s government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power.

It was God’s purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were superior to God’s principles. Time was given for the working of Satan’s principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe” (Desire of Ages, pp. 758, 759).

At the cross the last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken.

Revelation 12:10 gives us a wonderful picture of this. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night”

For Satan, his administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. It revealed to all that Satan was a murderer, incapable of reform. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. From this point forward his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ’s brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and defilement of sin (ibid p761).

Finally, the angels saw and understood the character of God as it truly was. Christ had destroyed the works of the devil in them, and for them, the purpose of the great controversy had been achieved. There, for if only angels were involved in the struggle, Satan’s end would have come at the cross. But what had been done for the angels had to be done for humanity too, for while angels saw the real nature of the character of God and of Satan at the cross, humanity certainly did not and still has not. Even today, those who walk nearest to God still have a measure of sympathy with Satan and his ways. Not until the final time of testing will this at last be removed from us. For this reason, because this work has yet to be accomplished in the hearts of human beings so that the purpose of the great controversy is fulfilled for them as it was for the angels, the battle was not terminated at the cross.

The mystery of salvation although it revealed the Character of God and the Character of Satan, was and is still not fully understood. There was more to be fully revealed. Therefore, as cruel as it may seem, the existence of Satan must continue until man as the angels have seen the full contrast between the light of this world and the prince of darkness.

Revelation 12 gives us a glimpse of this struggle of ideology that took place in heaven which resulted in Satan’s removal from the heavenly realm.

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael (the Pre-incarnate Christ) and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, call the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” Revelation 12:7-9).

At the cross, the decision of all the heavenly host had been reached and therefore they were placed beyond the temptation of Satan. This happened when Christ bowed his head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, and power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:10).

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!” (Revelation 12:12). Although the unfallen universe rejoices with joyous songs, upon earth, because Satan’s attention is focused only on one group: humanity. I addition, his fearful losses sustained at the cross did not discourage Satan they only maddened him into a frenzy of desperate and determined activity. Verse 12 concludes by saying, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

Therefore another great battle must be fought for the achievement of full recovery in order to accomplish for humanity that which was accomplished for the unfallen universe. This victory will be gained exactly as it was gained by Christ, for we are to overcome as He overcame (see Revelation 3:21).

Counter-accusation is unproductive, because a contest of confusing words only leads to more confusion. And the use of force often generate sympathy for the rebel though the natural tendency to take up the cause of the underdog.

I find this interesting, for it is the way Christ dealt with it while on earth. The only way to reveal evil is to expose it to righteousness. Jesus sojourn here was to signal defeat of Satan to the point where the unfallen universe was completely and eternally delivered from the power of Satan’s deceptions. But for the human beings the purpose of the great controversy has not yet been fulfilled.

Christ is not returning to this earth to repeat the demonstration already given. He has other plans. This full and final display of merciful, gracious, kind, good, and just character of God is to be regenerated through His people. Only as He is able to do this will the purpose of the controversy be finally achieved for humanity as it was for angels. Then the Savior can and will return.

The book “The Great Controversy” states it so well. In order to endure the trial before them, they (the people of God who will live through the final time of trouble and conflict must understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them (P. 593).

What does this mean for you and me? John in the book of Revelation makes this clear that the final movement of people will provide the Lord with the means of making ultimate manifestation of His character and this is described in Revelation 18:1: “After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having a great authority; and the earth was illuminated with his glory.”

You see the message of the angel was given by a movement of people, not by a literal angel.   Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lighting the earth with his glory and crying mightily with a strong voice announcing the sins of Babylon (Ibid, p. 604).

With whose glory will the earth be lighted? To be sure, it is the glory of God, but that is not what the verse says. It says, “another angel (came) down from heaven . . . and the earth was lightened with his glory.”

It is the glory of the angel that lightens the whole earth. It is true that this is also and primary the glory of God, for it is from God that this glory is acquired. But it has been truly given to the angel that it has become his own and can be described as being his glory.

So, what is the glory of the angel and the glory of God? Is it merely a physical manifestation of brightness? There are numerous Scripture references to this kind of glory as an attribute of God, but there is a meaning to the word “glory” other than the outshining of radiant light and pulsing power. When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, the Lord hid Moses in a crack in the rocks and covered him in protection, while revealing in passing only His “back,” not His face, in order that the physical glory not overpower him, causing harm. But this is not the glory God was eager to share with Moses. The Lord revealed to Moses His character. Here is God’s response to the request.

Then He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion (Exodus 33:19)

Perhaps you like me thought that God showed Moses his outward glory and splendor of His being and countenance, but instead he showed Moses the wonder of His great and lovely character. From this we deduce that the glory of God is His character. When Jesus came to this earth, He left behind all physical glory. This is illustrated so well for us in Isaiah 53:2 where it says; “He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. Yet despite the plainness of His outward appearance, He revealed the glory of God to those with spiritual vision, enabling them to see it.

John the beloved disciple of Jesus describes it in way. “And the Word became 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).

A little book titled Christ’s Object Lessons uses the word “glory” and directly equated it with the character: “the light of His glory – His character – is to shine forth in His followers” (p. 414).

This brings us back to the message of Revelation 18:1, which is summarized as follows:

  • This is the final message to be given to the world
  • The angel is the symbol of a movement of people
  • The glory of the angel is the glory of the character of God

It is the angel’s glory, and therefore, the character glory within the people of the movement that shall lighten the whole earth.

When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69).

I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to believe, as we look at ourselves with all our defects, that Christ could so reproduce Himself within a human agent so that when we see that person it is as if to see the very character and nature of God. Yet, this is how it must be, for if it required a faultless manifestation of God’s character to deliver the sinless beings of heaven and the unfallen worlds and thus achieve the purpose of the great controversy for them, it will require nothing less than the same faultless and complete manifestation of God’s character to deliver humankind from Satan’s deceptive power and accomplish the purpose of the great controversy for fallen humanity. Nothing less than this will bring the finishing of the work, and this is why “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” (Ibid.).

So it will be that “the church, being endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depository, in which the wealth of His mercy, His love, His grace, is to appear in full and final display” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, P.18).

If therefore, is of paramount concern that we appreciate the gravity of the matter. In the final work on this earth, the true understanding and manifestation of the character of God will play a vital role. Let every child of God move forward, making this topic a priority not only in study but in the living work of putting on the character of Christ and making His righteousness our own.

Again, I have waxed long and apologize for it.  I promise the next post will be shorter. I do hope you have enjoyed and will continue to read the rest of this series.

Blessings,

Pastor Lester

Why a Tree to Teach Respect?

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on February 13, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, God, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

apple-tree-1Why a Tree to Teach Respect?

The study of God’s character is not merely a theme related to the Great Controversy, – it is the very subject of the Great Controversy. So, how did this Great Controversy come about and why does it need to continue today and for the foreseeable future? It is a question man has been trying to answer since Adam ate of the fruit. It is the reason God had the book, we call the Bible, written so that he could convey His message of Hope to a fallen world.

Contrary to what many believe and teach, the controversy did not begin on earth, instead it began in the most unlikely of places, that place was heaven itself, the very home of God and the place of creation for the angelic host. The first and foremost of this angelic host was, Lucifer.

Let’s quickly go back to the book of Genesis. In the first verse Moses the author makes a dramatic point by stating in verse one: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The word God used in the singular in our modern translations was used in the plural in the original Hebrew. We see this plural aspect or multiple Gods aspect brought out further in Genesis 1:26 where it says; “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in our own image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”

This is further brought to view in Genesis 3:22 where God says, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Again, God uses the word Us to describe the Godhead that live in heaven.

So then, who are these Gods in heaven. We have learned that Genesis 1:1 states God in the plural form. Genesis 1:2 gives us additional information on one of these persons of what we today call the Godhead. “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” This “Spirit of God” was no other than the “Holy Spirit” the third person of the Godhead that really came into prominence in the New Testament after the ascension of Christ into heaven.

Genesis 1:1 states God created the heaven but uses the plural, but John and Paul bring to light that it was the Pre-incarnate Christ that spoke the world into existence (See John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-4; Hebrews 11:1-3)

Therein lies the rub that began in heaven and eventually spread to this planet we call home.

At the risk of over simplifying this, and perhaps giving the wrong impression, parenthood gives us perhaps the most wonderful representation of the relationship between God and created being. Mankind was given the power to procreate or create new life. This was granted to mankind so that this newly created world could become populated. When my wife and I had children, it became very evident at an early age that they have a mind of their own and are often willing to express the fact that they will do what they want to do. This gives us a glimpse into the working of God. Although God created the angels and mankind he did not create them to be arbitrary beings. Meaning, he did not create them to be robots, but created them with the capacity to learn, think and make choices. As parents we often see our children make choices that are not in their best interest. It hurts and is painful to see and live through as they suffer, but this is the means that we learn by. But this was not the way God originally intended it to be. This way of learning is the result of this Great Controversy that started in heaven and eventually moved to planet earth.

So, how could it start in heaven and what does this have to do with respect?

Lucifer was the first of the created angels in heaven and it is said that he and the Pre-incarnate Christ used to sing together in heaven. Yet Lucifer had the choice and the same choice that all God’s created beings have. What is this choice? The choice is to respect God and by faith accept God at his word. But Lucifer could no longer see God as He is. How did this happen? It happened because Lucifer allowed Pride to ripen into rebellion and once this began, he began to mis-represent the character of God to elevate his own position in heaven. In other words, the created being who could not completely understand the mystery of God, sought to place himself above God. All the result of lustful pride in wanting the power to produce life as Christ could in the creation of the world. He also pridefully wanted the adoration that was given to Christ to instead be directed to himself.

Ever since, wherever those misconceptions have taken root, rebellion has raged on. Therefore, only when those misconceptions have been completely cleared away will rebellion end and permanent, universal peace return.

This does not mean that God is seeking a personal vindication of Himself. That is the last thing He would do. He is seeking the vindication of that which will ensure the eternal life and happiness of everyone of His creatures throughout the full immensity of the universe. God knows that Satan’s misrepresentation and lies about God’s character and government have brought only misery and death into this world. Therefore, it is to save us, and not Himself that God seeks the vindication of his own character.

This is better appreciated when it is seen that God’s law and government are an exact expression of His character. God does not have one code of behavior for Himself while he governs His people on other principles. This is so with earthly rulers, but not with God.

As the leader of all angels lived, he grew in wisdom and abilities, according to the laws that govern all of God’s creatures. Marvelous was his progress until he became the brightest of all the creatures.

By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned (Ezekiel 28:16).

Likewise the needless corruption of the covering cherub through the abundance of his talents and wealth has repeatedly destroyed humanity. The quest for greatness and material possessions has increased since the first sin was committed. In essence “Respect” was lost, for as respect and dependence upon God wanes, material possessions come to be looked upon as the basis and guarantee of security. Thus it is an error to say that people lose faith. Instead, they transfer it from God, who gave the gifts, to the gifts were given by God.

This is the path Lucifer took as he descended from the throne of God until he was thrown out of heaven and still maintains today. Lucifer within his own mind became the critical measurement by which he measured all things. Instead of respecting God, he relied upon his own wisdom and strength. Even the Son of God, the one whom he sang with in heaven came under his critical measurement. So as inflated as his view of himself became that he saw himself being actually superior to the Divine One, as it is written, “You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17).

To understand or comprehend the development of evil in Lucifer, it is only necessary to observe the same process in humanity. It is readily seen today that when a person arrives at this point, the last thing they are inclined to do is recognize that the fault lies in themselves. Everybody and everything else is to blame but never themselves.

Lucifer fully believed that he had experienced a great awakening. He felt that he had thrown off the shackles of a terrible bondage. He became hostile toward God and specially toward Christ for having, as he supposed, to hold the angels in deception for so long a time and he determined to assert his rights and reform the government of God.

Lucifer led first the angels and then humanity to doubt the word of God, and to distrust His goodness. Because God is a God of justice and terrible (awe-filled) majesty, Satan caused them to look upon him as severe and unforgiving; a teaching that is still held near and dear by many.

Satan’s objective of enlisting others in rebellion was achieved through the use of a certain very successful method. The method was to persuade angels and humans that God’s character was that of a deceiver, and oppressor and a liar. This was the method used, and to whatever extent it was successful, rebellion followed.

So, this brings us to the purpose of the tree. What tree? Why the tree that was placed in the center of the garden in which God said, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the Garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:15-17).

This seems to be a pretty harsh statement for a God that is a loving God. And this was the point Satan was trying to make without directly saying so when he tempted Eve. Instead he pointed out that she could be elevated above what she was, if she would just eat of the fruit of the tree.

Yet, God intended the tree as a gift. It was for their benefit, designed to teach them about obedience and respect. As they used their ability to create life (Procreate), all that they had would have to be shared with the increasing population. All that they had had been shared with them by God, except for the tree, which he said was His. It was His and His alone to teach them a lesson they could learn no other way, and it was by complete faith in Christ that this lesson could be learned. And unless the lesson of absolute respect for the property of another was deeply ingrained into their minds, contention, strife, confusion, and open war would develop as man sought to wrest from each other that which they desired.

God built into mankind the ability or the desire for more. This was a good thing, for with this desire, mankind would want to learn more of God and the mystery of his power and His ability to sustain life. But this all hinged upon Faith and Respect. Satan sought to take this desire and warp it from its original intention of wanting to learn more about God, to wanting things to increase our own power, wealth, and prestige among our fellow mankind. With sin, this has manifested in killing, strife, war and all forms inhumanity to man as man reaches for that which he does not have because in the Garden Home respect was lost, when first Eve and then Adam partook of the tree.

The instant man accepted the temptation of Satan, Christ, the Son of God, stood between the living and the dead, saying, “Let the punishment fall on Me. I will stand in man’s place. He shall have another chance.” This is the message of the book that I began to read, that caused me to be a student, then teacher, but ultimately be a student of the book.

For the Lord that keeps all things; He sustains the heavenly bodies and systems down to the minutest atom of matter. It is the Creator of all things who maintains their proper function and place. God . . . has in these last days spoken to us by his Son . . . through whom also He made the worlds’ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Even after sin entered this world a loving creator year by year has caused the earth bring forth its bounties and continues its march around the sun. The hand of the infinite One is perpetually at work guiding this planet. It is God’s power continually exercised that keeps the earth in position in its rotation. It is God who causes the sun to rise in the heavens. He opens the windows of heaven and gives rain. It is by his power that vegetation is caused to flourish, that every leaf appears every flower blooms every fruit develops.

Here comes a very bold but true statement. If any one of his creatures in any part of the vast universe – except where the presence of the Savior provides for a delaying factor, puts another god in place of the real God, then the power of God as an upholder of the mighty forces of nature will have been removed from that place, and as surely, they will become uncontrolled forces of terrible destruction. In that very day, those who have made the fatal mistake will die, not because God will strike them down, but because they have placed themselves where life is impossible.

The only reason that such a cataclysm of destruction has not obliterated this earth is because of the merciful interposition of Jesus Christ. Therefore, God’s instruction to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden not to partake of the tree was given to protect them from destruction. In no sense was it to protect Himself or His own position. Rightly understood, the restriction placed upon the first couple was a true revelation of the perfectly righteous character of God. It was an act of kindness and mercy. It was the work of a Savior, not that of a despot.

Therefore, the subject of the character of God is not something apart from the great controversy. It is right at the heart of it. The weapon the devil uses to lead souls into rebellion against God is the misrepresentation of His character. The more he is able to convince men of these deceptions, the more they enter into unrighteousness and rebellion.

I apologize for the length of this post but deemed it important to cover this in one sitting. Our next post will be on the Character of God and the End of the Great Controversy. We will try to answer the question, “Was the cross the end of the battle, and if so, why are we still here?

Blessings,

Pastor Lester