Amen and amen! We have purpose in life. As I read this morning, I continue to appreciate the reason why we were given this wonderful revelation of God and His plan of redemption and security for the universe. The Bible tells us that Israel of Old is an ensample (example) for those whom the end of the world has come. Who is that? It is us. What lessons are we to learn from today's reading? Sadly, when we compare yesterday's chapter with today's, we are not seeing to a great degree the same thing. Why not? Because fallen man has been deceived and needs to see there is a working from below that wants to keep him from seeing the truth that brings restoration of character to those who learn of God and the plan He has put in place.
If we listen to Peter shortly before he died, we will better understand why God presented to us today's chapter. This is from 2 Peter.
1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off [this] my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me.
1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.
Chapter 2
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;)
2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
I feel the same burden as did Peter. Keep these things in remembrance so that your faith remains strong and Satan's effort to deceive will not deprive you of your prize. The very same deceptions work today as they did then. It is rare to find those who are truly converted and understand the power of grace to transform the character, at conversion. Israel perverted the truth and set up a system whereby they thought keeping their system of laws would save them. But, they did not understand that it was Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that would save them. Thus when Jesus came to His own. His own knew Him not.
What would be the situation if Jesus came today? How many would be prepared to live in heaven? Today's reading is presented in hopes that we as a people might understandrist our continual need of grace in order to do any good thing. It was written that we might consider what happened to Israel that we might seek after God with the whole heart, that we might love Him supremely and escape the corruption that is in the world, and has come into His church. We need Jesus' grace that we might be cleansed of sin, that we might prove the righteousness of Christ to a world soon to perish. We are not to follow in the path of Israel.
"With too many of the people obedience was not prompted by love. The motive was selfish. They rendered outward service to God as the means of attaining to national greatness. They did not become the light of the world..."
We are here speaking of God's "chosen people." Why does this have meaning to us today? Because we know we are God's chosen people. For what reason did God choose a people? Israel was to reveal God's character not only to the nations of the world, but to the watching universe. Where they failed, the Seventh-day Adventist Church will not fail. But, we have not rightly represented God's character yet. As a people we have been walking in the footsteps of ancient Israel. We have spent more than 40 years wandering in the wilderness. But, the good news is that the gospel of grace is being proclaimed from within modern day Israel. Not only this, but I just listened to a teaching on the seven trumpets of Revelation wherein the teacher is presenting truth that also had been greatly perverted. What a blessing to see that the Book of Daniel which was sealed unto the time of the end is being understand and taught within God's church today. The Jews did not seek to be set free from sin.
While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin.
Is that our desire, to be set free from sin? If so, then we are wanting to accomplish the mission which has been entrusted to His chosen people today. There are many today who are beginning to realize the gospel of grace was given that sinners might be transformed into saints.
And, we also see that there are those who are discovering the truth that the health message we have been given is indeed the "right arm" of the gospel and is being used to reach a lost world. Jesus is coming soon and within His chosen people are those who are studying to show themselves approved of God. As a city is named for the river upon which it is built, so it is with God's church. There is a direct connection between the truths it proclaims and its connection with God. The leading edge of truth is God's method of leading His people into His fold. It is with this mind that today's reading was given to His end time church, God's chosen people.