“I Will Keep Thee From
the Hour of Temptation”
Click to go to our Home Page
|
The message to Philadelphia was delivered to first century A.D.
Christians in the city of brotherly love. Those first century Christians were
told that they would be kept through the time of trouble that comes on “all the world,” which Ellen White applies to the end-time. No
time of trouble affecting all the world occurred in
their day. What is the answer to that apparent
discrepancy? We will see.
Those Philadelphian Christians were the bride
of Christ because they were not faulted for one thing. They were blameless as
are the 144,000 in Revelation 14:1-4. It would be quite redundant to tell the
Christians circa A.D. 1, that they would be kept through the time of trouble
that would come on “…all the world…” because the trouble they
experienced did not engulf the entire world. Those words as applied to them had
to designate the end-time.
At the end-time, Philadelphians will be kept
from the greatest time of trouble, the hour of temptation that comes upon the
entire world. This is the greatest support for regeneration of the bride of
Christ from all ages that she might demonstrate her character in a real live
investigative judgment. Satan’s counterfeit for that regeneration is
reincarnation, and remember that Satan does have a counterfeit for everything
important that God does.
Ellen White applies the words addressed to those
first century Christians from that time to the end-time in the following
articles. We know that the 144,000 are Philadelphians because only the 144,000
enter the Temple on Mt. Zion, Early
Writings, p. 19, and Philadelphians are made pillars (leaders) in that
temple.
Indeed the seven messages to the churches in
Revelation 2 and 3, apply to all eras of the church. Though one state may have
been predominant in one era, all seven apply to the end of time.
“The messages
[plural] given to the churches in Asia, portray the state of things existing in
the churches of the religious world today. The
names of the churches are symbolic of the Christian church in different periods
of the Christian era the number of the churches--SEVEN--indicates completeness
and is symbolic of the fact that the
messages [plural] extend to the end of time, and are enforced today
while the figures used are symbolic of the state of God's professed
people,--the wheat developing among the tares truth; standing on its own
eternal basis in contrast with error.” Ms 81, 1900, pp. 17,
18. ("Solomon's Reign," 1900.) {1MR
372.2}
We know that the 144,000 are the bride of
Christ and that it is their voice that awakens the ten virgins, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 405, 406.
It is they (Zion; Sion) who are married, Isaiah 62:10-12. In Desire of Ages, 179, it says that John
the Baptist prepared a bride for Christ in the person of the disciples. Will
God have to say to His handpicked disciples: “Sorry, you cannot sit nearest me
on my throne because you were born in the wrong generation?” I think not. The
character template of the bride of all ages will be tested in bodies at the
end-time to prove that she can and will withstand all the perfected wiles of
Satan at the end-time. God has shown this writer that this is how first
generation Philadelphians will be protected from the greatest time of trouble
that comes on all the world per Revelation 3:10-12.
If this sounds strange to some, and it surely
will, consider that at the resurrection of Christ, bodies arose from the graves
to go out and witness to the gospel in that day. So the bride of all ages will
be being regenerated one time in bodies to prove her character under state of
the art wiles of Satan, should make perfect sense in relation to Rev. 3:10-12,
where first century Philadelphians were told they would be kept through the
time of trouble.
An SDA Elder and Professor at Canadian Union
College (name at the time) had a vision many decades ago, circa 1950, on
regeneration. He was shown that primarily the 144,000 will need to understand
this truth. However, when Ellen White is being disbelieved because of her “food
for worms” statement, I believe this truth needs to be understood by every
professing Seventh-day Adventist.
Ellen White said that truth was to be ever
expanding. So be very careful to not reject light that is self-evident in the
Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, but has not heretofore been seen.
What new truth has come through the apostate
church since the death of Ellen G. White? None! Only antichrist apostate
teachings are new to the church. But God has ever increasing understanding of
His Word for His saints who obey Him. I sent the follow elaboration of this
advanced truth to a friend this week, along with info on the Godhead.
----- Original
Message -----
From: Ron Beaulieu
To: Withheld
Sent: Friday, September
09, 2011 7:37 PM
Subject: Re:
Dear Brother B,
I found your e-mail so will respond to it. I had to be gone all day. It
was so nice to speak with you on the phone this a.m. Concerning the ONE Holy
Spirit, I will give the Bible for this. I pray that you, C and J will have a
most blessed Sabbath day.
One Spirit:
1Cr 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be]
Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink
into one Spirit.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have
access by one Spirit unto the Father.
There is one (the) eternal Spirit:
|
Hbr 9:14 "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." The words “THE” eternal Spirit mean ONE
eternal Spirit. This is what constitutes ONE GOD. The three persons of the
Godhead have the same ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. |
On regeneration, note that Revelation 3:10-12, which was first given to
the literal Philadelphian church in the first century A.D., they were told that
they would be made pillars (leaders) in the Temple of Heaven. Ellen White
says only the 144,000 go into that Temple (Early Writings, p. 19) and
that the 144,000 are translated without seeing death. So the Philadelphians of
all past generations would have to be regenerated to be kept through the time
of trouble that comes on ALL THE WORLD. We can choose to believe that God told
the original Philadelphians they would be pillars in His Temple on Mt. Zion,
and that they will be part of the 144,000 bride, or we can call Ellen White a
false prophet in Early Writings, p. 19, where she says only the 144,000
go into the Temple. I choose the latter. God will not fault us for believing
His prophet. She was correct.
In Desire of Ages, 179, the
disciples are referred to as the bride of Jesus. Would Jesus have to say to His
personally selected bride, His disciples, sorry, you were born in the wrong
generation, you cannot be my bride, making Ellen White wrong in saying that
John prepared a bride for Christ, DA 179? I don't think so. They are part of
the bride of Christ, but they will be regenerated so as to be translated without
seeing death at the end time.
If this sounds odd, remember that at Christ's resurrection, folk were
raised from the grave to go out and give the gospel. Please pray about the
following description of the lesson God gives concerning the resurrection of
the body:
"The human agent plants the seed, and God waters it and causes His
sun to shine upon it, and up springs the tiny blade. Here is the lesson God
gives to us concerning the resurrection of the body, and the renewing of the heart. We are to learn of spiritual things from
the development of the earthly." {TM 242.2} Testimonies to Ministers, 242.
What would the human planting the seed have to do with the resurrection
of the body were it not for regeneration?
"A record is kept of how we treat the
Spirit of God. Our characters are recorded
in the books of heaven, as are our faces on photo-plates here. So our character
photos are in heaven, and by these records we shall be judged. May God help each one of us to do his whole
duty and get ready for what is before us, is my prayer."--Ms 42, 1886, pp.
1-7. ("The Ladder to Heaven," Sermon at Nimes, France, Oct. 20,
1886.) {3MR 87.3}
God has a template of our character and He
can resurrect the faithful bride of all ages by regeneration so as to be
translated without seeing death after that regeneration--so as to be made
pillars in the Temple of God on Mt. Zion. Certainly His bride via His disciples
will be part of His 144,000 bride. The investigative for at least the bride of
Christ, is a real, live demonstration of her character at the end-time, when
Satan's wiles are perfected. Otherwise, he could say that if he had the earlier
bride at the end-time, he could influence her to embrace his ways. Her live
demonstration proves that she will be faithful under the most deceptive wiles
Satan has ever perfected at the end-time.
At a conference in 1856, 155 years ago, Ellen
White said:
"I was shown
the company present at the conference. Said the angel, 'Some food
for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and
remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.' " All who were alive then are now dead. Does this
prediction mean that Mrs. White is a false prophet or was she right by the
principle of regeneration? The Lord has shown me in no uncertain terms
the latter is the case. God would not give His people a false prophet.
All His blessings,
Ron
Here is the message to Philadelphia, Revelation 3:7-13, first to the original
church circa 1 A.D. and secondly to every generation and especially applicable
to the end-time.
7And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is
true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth,
and no man shutteth; and shutteth,
and no man openeth;
8I know thy works: behold, I
have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a
little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9Behold, I will make them of
the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;
behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that
I have loved thee.
10Because thou hast kept the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall
come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon
the earth.
11Behold, I come quickly:
hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy
crown.
12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,
and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and
the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out
of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:1-13.
Here is Ellen White’s article on Revelation 3,
message to Philadelphia:
“I
Will Keep Thee From the Hour of Temptation”
[Sermon at
Battle Creek, Mich.]
Text: “Because thou hast kept the word of my
patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come
upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth.” {RH April 15, 1890, par. 1}
These words are important and solemn, and it would be profitable to us should we take them home with us,
and search the Scriptures in reference to their true meaning. The hour of
temptation is to come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth; and although we do not wish to make a time of trouble for ourselves, nor
do we wish to groan over trials in the future, still we should be so closely connected with
God that we shall not fall under the temptation when it does come. “Who is among
you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of
his servant, that walketh in
darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in
the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”
{RH April 15, 1890, par. 2}
The Lord will raise
up a standard for us against the enemy. We should believe that we have a helper in God, that we shall not be afraid, we shall not be filled with
wonder and amazement; for we know that the God of Israel has been with his
people from the very first—from the very infancy of this world God has
been with his obedient children. We must show that we have confidence in God,
and make it manifest to the world that we can trust him because we believe in
him.
His word is pledged that there shall no temptation come upon us, but that help
shall be provided to sustain us. “There hath no temptation taken you but such
as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.” {RH
April 15, 1890, par. 3}
We should be watching unto prayer. Just as surely
as we do watch and pray, we shall know who is our helper.
“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall
say, Here I am.” He
is ready to strengthen us; and may the Lord give you grace day by day, that you
may be able to withstand the storm that is coming, for it will try your
spiritual hope to the very uttermost. If your hope is in man, you are lost; if in
Jesus, who is the Rock of Ages, your salvation is sure. He has said, “Behold, I send
you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the
councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues: and ye shall be
brought before governors and kings for my name’s sake, for a testimony against
them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye
shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the
Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. And the brother shall
deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children
shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye
shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth
to the end shall be saved.” We ought to be thankful that these words are left on record. Every child of God that is brought into difficulty and trial
because of his faithfulness to Jesus, may claim the promise, and will receive
sufficient grace for every emergency.
{RH April 15, 1890, par. 4}
We are only selfishly wise when we plan for
the future, and make resolutions and bring them in, and we ourselves arrange
matters, as we think in all wisdom; for in so doing we are in danger of getting
in the way of the Lord. Stand out of the way with your many resolutions, and when the
time comes for God to bring his people into trying places to test and prove
them, he will help them, and he will not fail or be discouraged, but will be a
present help in trouble. {RH April 15, 1890, par.
5}
We read in the Scriptures, “But beware of men:
for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in
their synagogues: and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my
name’s sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.” Kings,
governors, and councils are to have a knowledge of the
truth through your testimony. This is the only way in which the testimony of
light and truth can reach men of high authority. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought
how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye
shall speak. For it is not ye that
speak, but the Spirit of the Father that speaketh in you.” Christ stood by
the side of Luther, and by the side of all the Reformers whom he commissioned
to go forth and make aggressive moves to advance the message of God in our
world. He did not send them forth alone. Jesus has promised to be at your right
hand. What a gracious promise is this, and it will be fulfilled; for he is
faithful that hath promised. Jesus is yours, and all things in heaven and earth are his, and yours because you believe in him. {RH April 15, 1890, par. 6}
We should become acquainted with the Bible. We
are required to become diligent Bible students, lest we be found adopting error
for truth. We want the truth as it is in Jesus. He says, “It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of the Father that speaketh
in you.” You need not be surprised that God will flash the knowledge obtained
by diligent searching of the Scriptures, into your memory at the very time when
it is needed. But if you let the precious moments of probationary time pass,
and neglect to fill your minds and the minds of your children with the gems of
truth, if you are not acquainted with the words of Christ, if you have never
tested the power of his grace in trial, you cannot expect that the Holy Spirit
will bring Christ’s words to your remembrance. We are to serve God daily with
our undivided affection, and then trust him.
{RH April 15, 1890, par. 7}
We read, “And the
brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and
the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to
death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” You must carry Christ
with you to the very close of probationary time, and let no man take your
crown; keep an eye single to the glory of God, and stand as did Paul, believing
that God has power to keep that which has been committed to his trust against
that day. In believing that God will keep that which has been committed to his
trust, we show confidence in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But we desire
you to understand what you are to do at the present time. You are to keep your
eye single to the glory of God. There is too much talk and too little prayer. A
great deal more is spoken of things that we think we know and understand, than
should be spoken, because our knowledge is only superficial. There should be
more humble trust and confidence in our Saviour. We should have the simplicity
of Christ; we want to be like him, having our lives hid with Christ in God,
that “when Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with
him in glory.” {RH April 15, 1890, par.
8}
We expect trials to come in these last days;
we are not looking for anything else; but may God give us grace that we may
endure the trials when they do come, and not faint under persecution. We do not
desire to be in a position where we shall have no strength at that time. Then
let us become acquainted with God now. Many in this congregation are ignorant of
God’s grace and power and matchless love, because they have allowed the enemy
to do just what he designed to do—to intercept himself between them and their
God. {RH April 15, 1890, par. 9}
There will be an effort made to unsettle the
faith of every believer in present truth. Since Satan fell from heaven, he has
been trampling underfoot the word of God, and putting something of his own
devising in its place. His work has been accepted as the work of God. When the
legislature frames laws which exalt the first day of the week, and put it in
the place of the seventh day, the device of Satan will be perfected. {RH April 15, 1890, par. 10}
If man had always kept the Sabbath of the
fourth commandment, there never would have been an atheist or an infidel in the
world.
Through the fourth commandment, the attention of men is called to the power of
the infinite hand that placed the stars in the firmament. If they had obeyed
this commandment, they would have worshiped God, as they looked at the sun that
rules the day, and the moon which rules the night. Everything in nature,—the
tints and coloring that he has given to every opening bud and every blooming
flower, the lofty tree, the grass that clothes the earth in its green mantle,
would have spoken to the soul, bidding us to remember God and the commandment
in which he says that he created all these in six days and rested on the seventh
day, and hallowed the Sabbath day which he had made. He blessed man, and gave
the Sabbath to him to be observed as a memorial of his creative power. But
Satan has come in, and shown himself the decided enemy of man, and he seeks to
make of none effect the work of God, and get in every
conceivable thing of human origination, to hide God and his glory from our
sight. The man of sin, it is declared in Daniel, “shall think to change times
and laws,” And is not this very work done now? Is he not seeking to change
times and laws? {RH April 15, 1890,
par. 11}
He cannot do this, because God’s holy law is as unchangeable as his throne, and is from
everlasting to everlasting. Christ has said, “Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled.” But the question of Sabbath and Sunday observance
is to be agitated everywhere, and the
deceptions of Satan will flood the world. The man of sin has instituted a spurious sabbath, and the Protestant world
has taken this child of the papacy and cradled and nurtured it. Satan means to
make all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of the fornication of Babylon.
Men are binding themselves together in bonds of union to show their disloyalty
to the God of heaven. The first day of the week is to be exalted and presented
to all for observance. Shall we be partakers of this cup of abomination? Shall
we bow to the authorities of earth and despise God? The powers of darkness have
been gathering their forces to bring this crisis about in the world, so that
the man of sin may exalt himself above God. God does not force the conscience
of any man, but the powers of darkness have been trying to compel the
consciences of men ever since Abel fell under the murderous blow from the hand
of pitiless Cain because Abel’s works were righteous and his own were sinful. God had
respect unto the offering of Abel, but he had no respect for Cain’s offering,
and this made Cain very angry, and the Lord said, “Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt
thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin
lieth at the door.” God was not at fault that Cain’s offering was not
respected. It was valueless because it was destitute of the thing that gave it
virtue, and that was the blood that was to be shed for the sins of the
world,—the blood of Jesus Christ. {RH
April 15, 1890, par. 12}
Satan is ever
seeking to bring about a state of things in which righteousness may be termed
unrighteousness, and unrighteousness righteousness. What are we to
do?—We are to keep in living connection with the God of heaven,
ranking in his army and under his banner, and we cannot afford to be in such
gross blindness that we cannot discern truth from error. We want to know
what is truth. Many say, “The whole world is keeping
the first day of the week, and do you think that all the great and good men are
in error?” God is going to bring around a condition of things where the good
men and the men in authority will have an opportunity to know what is truth indeed. And because a people will not bow the knee
to the image, and receive the mark of the beast in the hand or the forehead,
but will stand to the truth because it is truth, there will be oppression, and
an attempt to compel the conscience; but those who have known the truth will be
afraid to yield to the powers of darkness. God has a people who will not
receive the mark of the beast in their right hand or in their forehead. God has
a place for his people to fill in this world, to reflect light. You are God’s
sentinels. Christ says of his people, “Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” We are to stand the trial and test of
persecution because of allegiance to the truth. Not a move has been made in
exalting the idol sabbath,
in bringing around Sunday observance through legislation, but Satan has been
behind it, and has been the chief worker; but the conscience should not be
compelled even for the observance of the genuine Sabbath, for God will accept
only willing service. The question is asked, Shall we not obey the powers that
be?—Yes, when they are in harmony with the higher powers that be. God made his
law for all the universe. He created man, he gives the bounteous provisions of nature, holds our
breath and life in his hand. He is to be recognized, his law honored, before
all the great men and the highest earthly powers. {RH April 15, 1890, par. 13}
April 22, 1890
“I
Will Keep Thee From the Hour of Temptation”
[Continuation of sermon in last week’s issue.]
After the crucifixion and resurrection of
Jesus, the Jews, the priests, and the rulers of this world expected to see the disciples of Christ cast down and discouraged, because their
Lord had been put to death. The disciples might have reasoned that they were in
danger, and that they would better go out of Jerusalem; some might have said,
“Do not stay there, but if you do stay, do not mention the name of Christ; for
he is regarded as an impostor.” But Christ had said, “Tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye are endued with power from on high.” After
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they were to begin their work in Jerusalem,
and let it extend from this city to the uttermost parts of the earth. Did any one lose his life in exalting Jesus before the people?
Was any one killed?—Yes, Stephen was killed. Their enemies expected that terror
would come upon the disciples, and that they would be afraid to speak the
message of God. But hear what Peter says: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words;
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by wonders and miracles and
signs, which God did by him in the midst of you as ye yourselves also know: him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up,
having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be
holden of it.” {RH
April 22, 1890, par. 1}
God wants his witnesses to present the genuine
in contrast to that which is false. There were many converted under Peter’s
preaching, and it greatly disturbed the people; and as they spake to the
people, the Sadducees came upon them. The disciples remembered the falsehood which
these great, and supposedly good men had so zealously circulated,—that the
disciples had stolen him away by night while the Roman guard slept. Can you be
surprised that the Sadducees were grieved because those who believed, preached
the resurrection of the man they had murdered, when the number of those who
believed was about five thousand? The seed that Christ had been sowing while he
was on earth, sprang up. Many were waiting for this
God-given testimony to come from the disciples in reference to Christ and his
resurrection, and they believed when they heard it; for it revived the
testimony they had heard from the lips of Jesus, and they took their stand in
the ranks of those who believed the gospel of Christ. {RH April 22, 1890, par. 2}
We have on record another testimony that
proves the boldness of the disciples. When Peter and John had bidden the
paralytic arise in the name of Jesus, and he had been healed, the people were
amazed; and the Scripture says, “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the
people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own
power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of
Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom
ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was
determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired
a murderer to be granted unto you: and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath
raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name, through faith in
his name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which
is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And
now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did
it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had showed by
the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so
fulfilled.” {RH April 22, 1890, par.
3}
“And as they spake unto the people, the
priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the
resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold
unto the next day: for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard
the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. And it
came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high-priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and
Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high-priest, were gathered
together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then
Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and
elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the
impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to
all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye
crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here
before you whole.” The disciples were not afraid to proclaim the truth. They
expected that they would be persecuted. “Whom ye crucified.”
Why did they not keep that back?—Because it was a
testimony that they were to bear before the great men of the earth. “This is
the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of
the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw
the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge
of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Then they asked in this council, “What
shall we do to these men?” I expect that this question will be asked many times
in reference to those who keep the commandments of God in these days of peril
as time is about to close. The priests acknowledged that a notable miracle had
been wrought, but they said, “That it spread no further among the people, let
us straightly threaten them, that they speak
henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not
to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and
said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of
God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we
cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they
had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might
punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God, for that which
was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this
miracle of healing was showed. And being let go, they went to their own
company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord,
and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” They said, “Lord, thou art
God,” and we shall have to say the same thing.
{RH April 22, 1890, par. 4}
When the authorities come between us and God,
we shall receive help if we only trust in him as did the patriarchs, prophets,
and apostles, and with them we shall be able to say, “Lord, thou art God, which
hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” But while
we trust in God, no one should be presumptuous; and that we may not take an
unwise course, we should pray constantly. We should not rush into danger unless
God sends us there; nor should we call our brethren cowards because they are
cautious in their plans that they may not unnecessarily provoke the rulers and
powers of the earth. What was the strength of those who in the past have suffered
imprisonment and death for Christ’s sake?—It was union with God, union with the
Holy Spirit, union with Christ. They had fellowship with God and with his Son,
and the multitude that believed were of one mind and
one soul. We may safely seek to be of one accord in doctrine and spirit, and if
this were done, we would be in harmony with God’s will. If selfishness and
pride and vanity and evil surmising were put away, we would become strong in
God, and the door of our heart would be open for the entrance of Christ; the
baptism of the Holy Ghost would fall upon us, and we should be filled with all
the fullness of God. Then we should know what is the length and depth and
breadth and height of the love of God which passeth
knowledge,—we should know something of the mystery of godliness. We would be
able to speak, as did Peter and John, of the things which we had seen and
heard. What we need is a living experience in the things of God. We need the
transforming grace of Christ to bring into subjection every thought of the
mind, every power of the intellect. The physical, mental, and spiritual powers
should be under the control of the God of heaven who gives us life, who gives
us food, who gives us every blessing. He is the God of Israel, therefore we
will accept him, and him alone will we serve.
{RH April 22, 1890, par. 5}
We read in the Acts of the Apostles that after
the miracle at the temple gate, many signs and wonders were wrought, and many
were healed. “Then the high-priest rose up, ... and
all they that were with him, ... and were filled with indignation.”
Why?—Because the great adversary of God and man was provoked that he could not
hold his captives in torment, and that Christ was doing the very work that he
had declared in Nazareth he would do. He had said, “The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to
preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
{RH April 22, 1890, par. 6}
And then they shut the disciples up in a
prison, that the message of God should no longer be given to the people, but
the angel of the Lord was there. All heaven was looking upon them then, and the
angels are now looking upon those who are living at this closing period of
earth’s history. The angel of the Lord came by night to the servants of God,
and said, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of
this life.” Here was an order directly contrary to the command given by the
potentates of the earth. But the direction of the angel was from the highest
court in the universe. Did the apostles say to the angel, “We cannot do this
until we have consulted the magistrates, and received permission of them?”—No;
God had said “Go,” and they went forth to speak according to his commandment.
In the morning their enemies called a council, and sent to the prison that they
might be brought before them, but when the officers found them not, they said,
“The prison truly found we shut with all safety, ...
but when we had opened, we found no man within.” The angel of God could take
them through the prison walls, and they had no power to hold them. We have the
same God today, and he works on the same plan. When they said the prison was
shut, the chief priest doubted the keeper. God was working and the enemy was
working, and the battle was waged between the God of heaven and the powers that
be. Then the captain sent the officers and had them
brought, because they feared the people, and when they were before the council,
the high-priest asked, “Did not we straitly command
you, that ye should not teach in his name? and,
behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.” Then the apostles
answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” We ought to be obedient
to all the laws of our country, except when those laws come in collision with
the law of God, and then we must obey God, irrespective of everything else. {RH April 22, 1890, par. 7}
“Then stood there up one in the council, a
Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in
reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a
little space; and said unto them, Refrain from these men, and let them alone:
for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught. But if it
be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against
God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten
them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let
them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple,
and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” {RH April 22, 1890, par. 8}
April
29, 1890
“I
Will Keep Thee From the Hour of Temptation”
[Conclusion of
sermon in last two issues.]
God has the same power to bestow upon us as he
gave to his people anciently, and he will give it to his people now, if we do
not choose our own ways but God’s ways. Let God take care of his people, and
teach and direct them, and let man keep his plans out of the way. We would not
lessen the courage of God’s people, and be in a position where we shall
dishonor the God of heaven, instead of glorifying him. There are many things
brought to view in the Scriptures that will help us. James was killed, and
because the enemies of the gospel saw that it pleased the Jews, they were going
to take Peter, but they did not, because the Lord took charge of him. They
killed Stephen, but the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors for Peter, for “prayer was made without ceasing of the
church unto God for him.” There is your work. Pray as you have never prayed before;
and if you spend nights in prayer, and learn to trust God, you will have an
intelligent experience. It was by
praying without ceasing that Peter gained the victory, and when the angel went
to bring him out, Peter was bound with two chains, and, behold, the angel of
the Lord came forth, and smote Peter on the side, and said, “Rise up quickly.” {RH April 29,
1890, par. 1}
All the ruler’s expectations failed because
the same mighty agent that Joshua summoned when he was to bring down the walls of
Jericho, was with the men who were bound with chains. When Peter returned to
his brethren, a free man, he found them praying, and this is the key to his
deliverance,—they were praying. He knocked at the gate, but the maid who came
to open it, ran back to the house in great astonishment without letting him in.
They did not think that Peter was to be released from the prison. They had
expected a deliverance of a different order, but God worked in his own way and
after his own counsel, and brought him to the very door of those who were
praying for him. {RH April 29,
1890, par. 2}
We should seek to understand how God works. He
wrought for his servants and released them from prison. They did not say, “If I
can only get out of this place, I will never speak of Christ again,” no, for
Jesus was in their hearts, and they were happy. God is always by the side of
his people, and he never leaves them,—he never gives a trial to his children
but he will be there to help; he knows just what they can bear, and he does not
give them any more than they can bear. If they fail, it is because they do not
in faith bring their difficulties to God as to one who will help them. God does
not forsake. No one fails because God leaves him to perish. When men fail, it
is because they do not avail themselves of the provisions which God has made;
they do not trust in the Lord. {RH
April 29, 1890, par. 3}
When Paul and Silas were left with bleeding
backs and with their feet in the stocks, they did not lament over their
situation, but sang glory to God. A different note sounded in the prison from
any ever heard there before. The keeper had heard cursing and swearing and
blasphemy, but he had never heard the praises of God resounding through the
halls; for he himself was an unconverted man. The
suffering servants of God continued to send up their notes of thanksgiving, and
they echoed in heaven; and the angels of God, as they caught the strain, came
to their aid with a mighty tread, and the prison was shaken, and the apostles
were loosed from their bands, and the light of the glory of God shone in the
prison, and every man’s bands were loosed, and the jailers found the doors
open. The record says that the jailer drew out his sword, and would have killed
himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled; but Paul cried out with a loud
voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm; for we are all
here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell
down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I
do to be saved?” {RH April 29, 1890, par. 4}
How do we know but that this persecution came
upon the servants of God in order that souls might be saved in that prison? God worked for
his people in the past, he manifested his power in their behalf when they were in
emergencies. If we let human counsel prevail, and arrange our plans so that God
cannot work for us, we may expect to get into difficulties. May God help us to
come to our senses. We have had little enough faith in
the past, and we do not want to crush out the least particle of the faith that
still lives. {RH April 29, 1890, par.
5}
Let
us inspire our people with faith that they may stand firm for the right in
whatever situation they may be placed. There is no necessity for thinking that
we cannot endure persecution; we shall have to go through terrible times. I am
going to stand at my post of duty, brethren, and I hope that you will give your
brethren a chance to stand at their post of duty till the Master shall come. {RH April 29, 1890, par. 6}
When Stephen was called upon to suffer for
Christ’s sake, he did not waver. He read his fate in the cruel faces of his
persecutors, and he did not hesitate to give to them the last message which he
was to bear to men. He looked up and said, “I see the heavens opened, and the
Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” All heaven was interested in this case. Jesus,
rising from the throne of his Father, was leaning over, looking upon the face
of his servant, and imparting to his countenance the beams of his own glory,
and men were astonished as they saw Stephen’s face lighted up as if it had been
the face of an angel. The glory of God shone upon him, and while he was
beholding the face of his Lord, the enemies of Christ stoned him to death. Would we not think that a hard death to die? But the fear of
death was gone, and his last breath was spent in petitioning the Lord to
forgive his persecutors. {RH April
29, 1890, par. 7}
Jesus has made it as easy as he possibly can
for his children, and he wants us to follow in his footsteps; for if we do, we
shall be partakers of Christ and his glory.
{RH April 29, 1890, par. 8}
No law has ever been made to exalt the idol sabbath but that Satan has taken a
leading part in its enactment and its enforcement. Every law for the elevation
of Sunday has a direct reference to the fourth commandment. Every move that has
been made to enforce its observance, is for the
purpose of exalting the man of sin above God and above all that is worshiped.
Satan would have us exalt the idol sabbath,
but we cannot do it, for it would be disloyalty to God. In the face of
Nebuchadnezzar’s decree of death, the three Hebrew children refused to bend the
knee, preferring to be cast into the fiery furnace rather than bow to the
golden image. They declared they were not careful to answer the king, and said,
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver from the burning fiery
furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it
known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy
gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” {RH April 29, 1890, par. 9}
They were thrown into the burning fiery
furnace, but the Lord was with them. The king looked into the furnace, and
said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they
have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Angels of the
Lord were watching by the side of the faithful three. God wished to show to the
nations of the world who was the great I AM, the God of the heavens, the ruler
of the universe, who alone was to be worshiped. Did not the Hebrews break the
law of the king?—Yes, but the law of God was first to be obeyed. {RH April 29, 1890, par. 10}
Now, brethren, we are coming to the crisis.
Let us stand the test manfully, grasping the hand of Infinite Power. God will
work for us. We have only to live one day at a time, and if we get acquainted
with God, he will give us strength for what is coming tomorrow, grace
sufficient for each day, and every day will find its own victories, just as it
finds it trials. We shall have the power
of the Highest with us; for we shall be clad with the armor
of Christ’s righteousness. We have the same God that has worked for his
people in ages past. Jesus stands by our side, and shall we falter?—No, as the
trials come, the power of God will come with them. God will help us to stand in
faith on his word, and when we are united, he will work with special power in
our behalf. {RH April 29,
1890, par. 11}