The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People

[Dorine]

"Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honor and exaltation. If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them "high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor." "All people of the earth," said Moses, "shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee." "The nations which shall hear all these statutes" shall say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 26:19;  28:10; Deuteronomy 4:6. But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation."

This is why we should rejoice in adversity because it shows us that God is seeking our attention and desires our hearts that He may cleanse and transform us into His character. None of us have arrived yet. We all are in need of the transforming power of Christ.

[Richard Myers]

Amen!  We must maintain our full heart surrender to Christ every day every minute if we want to glorify our Savior! What is the lesson for us today? what was the main theme being presented?  I don't often quote a lot, but I think the last three paragraphs emphasize what we are to understand as it applies to us today.

  While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.   
     At the time of the birth of Christ the nation was chafing under the rule of her foreign masters, and racked with internal strife. The Jews had been permitted to maintain the form of a separate government; but nothing could disguise the fact that they were under the Roman yoke, or reconcile them to the restriction of their power. The Romans claimed the right of appointing and removing the high priest, and the office was often secured by fraud, bribery, and even murder. Thus the priesthood became more and more corrupt. Yet the priests still possessed great power, and they employed it for selfish and mercenary ends. The people were subjected to their merciless demands, and were also heavily taxed by the Romans. This state of affairs caused widespread discontent. Popular outbreaks were frequent. Greed and violence, distrust and spiritual apathy, were eating out the very heart of the nation.
     Hatred of the Romans, and national and spiritual pride, led the Jews still to adhere rigorously to their forms of worship. The priests tried to maintain a reputation for sanctity by scrupulous attention to the ceremonies of religion. The people, in their darkness and oppression, and the rulers, thirsting for power, longed for the coming of One who would vanquish their enemies and restore the kingdom to Israel. They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires. 

How often to we come in contact with those who interpret Scripture in accordance with their selfish desires? No need to comment on what was written. We just need to understand this chapter was written for our benefit. These were the "chosen people" as we are God's chosen people. It guarantees nothing to individuals because they are in the church.

[Beacon]

"Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honor and exaltation."

"If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them "high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor."

"But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation."

"The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. "

"But the Sinless One has taken our place. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6."

"He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest."

"The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear."

"He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart. "

Will we today accept His wonderful offer and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, to be a True Witness in 2022 ?

The following expresses what I want my life to be in 2022 Will You Join with me?

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,

2
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,

3
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,

4
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,

5
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,

6
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Lyrics:Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)
Music:Henri Abraham Cesar Malan (1787-1864)

[Richard Myers]

Amen Brother Beacon!! We want to give all we have and all we are to our Savior!!

 For more than a thousand years the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's coming. Upon this event they had rested their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy, in temple rite and household prayer, they had enshrined His name. And yet at His coming they knew Him not. The Beloved of heaven was to them "as a root out of a dry ground;" He had "no form nor comeliness;" and they saw in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Isaiah 53:2; John 1:11.

How could this be? It is important for us to understand. We have been walking in the of Israel.

   They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires. 

[Beacon]

"In every doctrine of grace, every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attraction presented in the Saviour's life on earth...

We see "God with us."

"Satan represents God's law of love as a law of selfishness.

"He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. "

"The fall of our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and suffering, and death."

"Jesus was to unveil this deception. "

"As one of us He was to give an example of obedience."

"For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences."

"In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren." Heb. 2:17.

Sometimes in our earthly journey we are tempted to become discouraged and give up, but when we look at our Saviour and see what He went through to secure a place for us in His Eternal Kingdom how thankful we should be to know that He has walked through the valley of the shadow of death and came forth victorious. This is His Promise to Each One of Us....


Psalm 23 King James Version, says...

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

[Dorine]

  "After the return from Babylon, much attention was given to religious instruction. All over the country, synagogues were erected, where the law was expounded by the priests and scribes. And schools were established, which, together with the arts and sciences, professed to teach the principles of righteousness. But these agencies became corrupted. During the captivity, many of the people had received heathen ideas and customs, and these were brought into their religious service. In many things they conformed to the practices of idolaters."

As I read this portion of our reading I couldn't help but reflect on where we are today in comparison to the children of Israel. (same problem, different issues) We need to be praying for revival and reformation in our own lives as well as for God's church. God's true remnant will be as a lighthouse on a dark stormy night warning those in peril and guiding them to safety found in an abiding relationship with Jesus.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!

Praise the Lord for God's grace and His promise to send Jesus the second time! We can learn some major parallels in prophetic application by studying the experience of God's people at the time of Christ's first coming and comparing it to God's people today. May we seek redemption from sin so we can be ready to meet Jesus when He returns in power and great glory, rather than merely desiring to be free from the trials and troubles of the world in which we live. As we realize the true import and meaning of the Scriptures, we can surrender the whole heart to Jesus so He can manifest through us all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as we gladly obey all the light of His revealed truth given to us!

"While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour." {The Desire of Ages, page 29, paragraph 4}   

May we not be tricked into preparing for the wrong Messiah by having our hopes set in the wrong direction. Before Christ's actual coming in power and glory with all of His holy angels, the devil will counterfeit Christ's coming on the earth (but he will not be able to counterfeit its manner, for the devil will not be found coming from heaven with all the angels). The devil, appearing like Christ on the earth in harmony with the world's powers that enforced the mark of the beast will be seeking to unite the world in acceptance of the false Sabbath, Sunday, in opposition to the plain teaching of Scripture that the seventh day of the week, from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, is the true Sabbath that has never been changed and is still God's sign of rest and worship in Christ. Only a living faith surrender in Christ is enough to prepare us for what is coming on this earth before Jesus returns the second time!! 

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean!  As I read this morning, I saw little good in this chapter. But, I did find some. While Israel brought reproach upon God, His Word, and His church, there was some good being done. There were some, despite the corruption of the gospel message. Today's reading is a warning to modern day Israel who as Sister Dorine has pointed out, shares many of the wrongs done in ancient Israel. But, she has seen what we can take away from our lesson today. At first I did not see it, but in reality she saw what I saw.

  Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honor and exaltation. If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them "high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor." "All people of the earth," said Moses, "shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee." "The nations which shall hear all these statutes" shall say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 26:19;  28:10; Deuteronomy 4:6. But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation.
     They were brought into subjection to Babylon, and scattered through the lands of the heathen. In affliction many renewed their faithfulness to His covenant. While they hung their harps upon the willows, and mourned for the holy temple that was laid waste, the light of truth shone out through them, and a knowledge of God was spread among the nations. The heathen systems of sacrifice were a perversion of the system that God had appointed; and many a sincere observer of heathen rites learned from the Hebrews the meaning of the service divinely ordained, and in faith grasped the promise of a Redeemer.   

Some were converted when God disciplined them through adversity and humiliation. The "light of truth shone out through them, and a knowledge of God was spread among the nations." And so it is in our day. If we will seek wisdom from God and not man, He will teach us as He did the few in Israel. Revival and reformation will come to all who will give up their pride and all that they are and all that they have.

Have a blessed Sabbath dear friends. Jesus is coming soon!!

[Beacon]

"At the time of the birth of Christ the nation was chafing under the rule of her foreign masters, and racked with internal strife."

"The Jews had been permitted to maintain the form of a separate government; but nothing could disguise the fact that they were under the Roman yoke, or reconcile them to the restriction of their power."

"Yet the priests still possessed great power, and they employed it for selfish and mercenary ends. The people were subjected to their merciless demands, and were also heavily taxed by the Romans."

"This state of affairs caused widespread discontent."

"Popular outbreaks were frequent. Greed and violence, distrust and spiritual apathy, were eating out the very heart of the nation."

"The people, in their darkness and oppression, and the rulers, thirsting for power, longed for the coming of One who would vanquish their enemies and restore the kingdom to Israel."

"They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight."

"Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming."

"Pride obscured their vision."

"They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires."

As I read the last 4 sentences I couldn't help but wonder if "WE" aren't somewhat in the same Spiritual Condition? As we once again begin to re-read The Desire of Ages I believe it's time for me to do a deep introspection into my life and I invite you to do the same. God Bless You.

=============================

"Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
    Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
    Spirit Divine!
2
Open my ears that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
3
Open my mouth and let me bear
Tidings of mercy everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
4
Open my mind that I may read
More of Thy love in word and deed;
What shall I fear while yet Thou dost lead?
Only for light from Thee I plead."

Lyrics:Clara H. Scott
Music:Clara H. Scott

 

[Richard Myers]

Yes, dear Brother Beacon!  I too could not remain quiet about this truth.

    Hatred of the Romans, and national and spiritual pride, led the Jews still to adhere rigorously to their forms of worship. The priests tried to maintain a reputation for sanctity by scrupulous attention to the ceremonies of religion. The people, in their darkness and oppression, and the rulers, thirsting for power, longed for the coming of One who would vanquish their enemies and restore the kingdom to Israel. They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires. 

My thought brought out that the sin and ruin of a nation (Israel) was due to their religious leaders. What was the problem? Pride. Self was alive in many of the leaders, they needed to be born again of the Spirit. They were rich and increased with goods, but knew not they were miserable, wretched, poor, blind and naked. Oh that we might not forget the God we love.

[Beacon]

"Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honor and exaltation."

"If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them "high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor."

"All people of the earth," said Moses, "shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee." "The nations which shall hear all these statutes" shall say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 26:19;  28:10; Deuteronomy 4:6."

"But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation."

Is there a correlation between this reading and what we see in the church of our generation??

========================

1
Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
    Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
    Spirit Divine!
2
Open my ears that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
3
Open my mouth and let me bear
Tidings of mercy everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
4
Open my mind that I may read
More of Thy love in word and deed;
What shall I fear while yet Thou dost lead?
Only for light from Thee I plead.

Lyrics & Music : Clara H. Scott

 

[Dorine]

"By the Babylonish captivity the Israelites were effectually cured of the worship of graven images. During the centuries that followed, they suffered from the oppression of heathen foes, until the conviction became fixed that their prosperity depended upon their obedience to the law of God. But 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, but shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation to idolatry. In the instruction given through Moses, God had placed restrictions upon their association with idolaters; but this teaching had been misinterpreted. It was intended to prevent them from conforming to the practices of the heathen. But it was used to build up a wall of separation between Israel and all other nations. The Jews looked upon Jerusalem as their heaven, and they were actually jealous lest the Lord should show mercy to the Gentiles."

Oh the patience and forbearance of our precious Saviour. He will never leave or forsake those who are abiding in Him. The church may appear as if it's about to fall but we have the promise that God will take a remnant through to the end. Those who do not have a personal relationship with Him will be sifted out. At the same time many more will pour in. We need to be praying daily and working for our loved ones that are not united with Christ.

[Philip T]

  While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.   

The Jews were not ready for Christs 1st Advent, they did not understand His mission when he came, they were not seeking redemption from sin. Are we today in the same category, not understanding Jesus last commission to his disciples, are we content in living our lives half converted to Jesus? Will we be ready when He comes in the clouds of glory at His 2nd Advent. or will we like the Jewish nation be so busy with our own plans and lives we have no room for Him. I pray we are not in that state.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon, Sister Dorine, and Brother Philip!

Don't lose it. If you have known the pardoning love of Christ and chosen Christ and His loveliness, do not let other things come in between you and Jesus and separate you from knowing His love by a personal experience of His grace through faith changing you into His image! By surrendering the whole heart to Him and giving Jesus our will back to Him, He has power and grace to fill us with His Spirit so not one of the fruits of the Spirit will be missing in our lives as we grow in His grace to be more like Him!

"As they departed from God, the Jews in a great degree lost sight of the teaching of the ritual service. That service had been instituted by Christ Himself. In every part it was a symbol of Him; and it had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty. But the Jews lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms. They trusted to the sacrifices and ordinances themselves, instead of resting upon Him to whom they pointed. In order to supply the place of that which they had lost, the priests and rabbis multiplied requirements of their own; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love of God was manifested. They measured their holiness by the multitude of their ceremonies, while their hearts were filled with pride and hypocrisy." {The Desire of Ages, page 29, paragraph 2}

Jesus can help us guard against the mistakes the Jews made on the verge of Christ's first coming as we are very very near HIS SECOND COMING!!

[Richard Myers]

The Jews were not ready for Christs 1st Advent, they did not understand His mission when he came, they were not seeking redemption from sin. Are we today in the same category, not understanding Jesus last commission to his disciples, are we content in living our lives half converted to Jesus?

Amen Brother Philip! My thoughts also. Israel is an ensample for those whom the end of the world is come, us. We have delayed His coming by our not understanding His mission to transform His people into His image (2 Cor. 3:18).

    While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.   

Many have been taught that they are saved in their sin. That is to say that when one sins, he does not need to be brought to repentance in order to have eternal life. One of our ministers teaches this: "The monstrous teaching in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is that when one sins, he must be re-justified." It is a common teaching in the Seventh-day Adventist Church as it is in Babylon. God's grace is powerful enough to cleanse His church from sin. Not all we be cleansed, but He will have a church that will cease to sin so that He can finish cleansing the heavenly Sanctuary and say "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:11,12. 

Let us hasten that day!!