WHAT A STRANGE WAY TO
SAVE THE WORLDYesterday as I was walking through our kitchen to the back of our trailer Sulma had some music playing on our little tape recorder. The beautiful melody and words touched my heart, stopping me in my tracks. I stood entranced clasping the Bible in my hands to my chest as tears rolled down my face. Ever since I learned about the character of God message in the fall of 1977 while memorizing in the Psalms I cry very easily. And this was one of those moments. I had just been researching more deeply into God's character and the music seemed to perfectly define the moment for me in my study. She had been playing this song over and over again but I had not paid much attention to it until now.
Sometimes the power and majesty of God's love just overwhelms me when I am preaching and/or writing and I have to stop as the tears flow. Of course, it is embarrassing for me in public, yet we read in John 11:35, that "JESUS WEPT," which is not only the shortest verse in the Bible but one of the most powerful. Think of it. The Creator of the world weeping publicly because of the hardness of men's hearts. Yes, how sad it is to witness the rejection of God's truth. It truly is a miracle every time someone accepts the character of God message, that God does not destroy.
What a joy it is to see the bright beams of the Father's love pierce the darkest corners and recesses of a person's mind. In the chapter, "The Crisis In Galilee," the servant of the Lord in "DESIRE OF AGES," Pg. 392 tells us: "He (Jesus) wished them to understand that if they (Jews) were not drawn to Him it was because their hearts were not open to the Holy Spirit. 'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Cor. 2:14. "IT IS BY FAITH THAT THE SOUL BEHOLDS THE GLORY OF JESUS. THIS GLORY IS HIDDEN, UNTIL, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, FAITH IS KINDLED IN THE SOUL."
One of the nativity songs on the cassette I referred to is titled, "WHAT A STRANGE WAY TO SAVE THE WORLD" referring to Christ's first coming in Bethlehem as a helpless little baby. What could a baby do to save the world? That's why God's methods seem so foolish to the worldly wise. But true wise men still follow His star and seek Him out, bringing Him gifts of love from their hearts. God's methods take time and require patience for their fulfillment. They require humility and a willingness to suffer and sacrifice one's pride...even life itself if necessary. In Jesus' case it became necessary. Only the cross would break men's hard hearts and open their blind eyes. And as He hung dying He prayed for His enemies: "Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing." Ah, forgiveness. That is the real and central issue in the great controversy. Is God willing to forgive the sinner? And how much will He forgive? And how often? As we approach the new millennium we find these questions yet remain burning issues in the hearts of men and women everywhere...calling, pleading, yes, even demanding an answer. Is it any wonder the Catholic doctrine of Mary's willingness to plead earnestly with her son, Jesus. In some paintings I have seen Jesus is often depicted as having an aloof, disdainful and even disgusted expression on his upturned face as Mary pleads with Him to go before His angry and wrathful Father who is impatiently waiting for the day when He can pour out His wrath upon a sinful and rebellious planet gone stark raving mad.
In the light of such theological nightmares and earth's sad state of affairs is it any wonder many new agers and new world order people feel it necessary to exterminate all the "useless eaters?" To most of them it is necessary no matter how cruel and inhumane the methods may be to carry out the "final solution" to save the planet. Does not such a crisis demand a better solution? Yes, and God has already set His solution into action. Do you know what it is my friend? And more to the point, are you having a part in it today? That is the real burning question that demands an answer from each of God's professed people.
About four days ago I received a call from a doctor friend who had a very serious question. Mike, he began, I just had a patient in my office who feels that God cannot forgive him. I tried to share with Him God's love and willingness to forgive us no matter what, but the man was so sad, depressed and despondent that my words seemed to have little or no effect upon him. How do you deal with people like this? I hope to talk to him again and would like some ideas of how to help Him see God's love and power to forgive to the uttermost.
I explained to my friend that every case is different and must be dealt with accordingly. Probing for a little background I asked, Has this man committed a serious crime? I queried. Did he give any indication as to the cause of his terrible guilt? How long has this been going on? The doctor had no idea. So what sin or sins were causing such guilt? Murder? rape? adultery? robbery? arson? kidnapping? child abuse or molestation? Surely only God knows the secrets of our hearts. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try and reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:9.
Perhaps even as you are reading this today, Jesus is touching your heart regarding the wonderful truth of His character. Just as I had been surrounded by the music here in our trailer most of the morning without realizing the deeper message God had for my soul, so it may be with you in this very moment. Can you hear the beautiful music of His eternal love as it plays in your heart? What is He saying to you in this very moment? It is just in moments like these that Jesus speaks to us. "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10. How Does God exalt Himself in the earth? The verses just prior give us the answer. "He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth." Never under estimate the power of God to accomplish all of His goals...especially in your own life. Our blessed Redeemer uses different methods to get our attention and touch our hearts.
A good example of this is a story that comes out of the civil war period. A deserter was arrested, tried and sentenced to be shot. The reason he had left the army, so the story goes, was because even though he had paid for a substitute he later enlisted after getting drunk, possibly because he felt he had not done his duty. But after he sobered up he realized what a foolish thing he had done. He decided the government had no legal right to make him serve in the army so he went AWOL. Fortunately, he had a brave and sensible young wife like Abigail of old, I Sam. 25:14. Of course, when she first heard what had happened she was frantic, but then the Lord gave her a plan of action which involved her newborn child. She took her little baby in her arms, and went to the White House because she had heard President Lincoln was a compassionate man. This gave her the hope and resolve which she would need. Upon arrival she found there were scores of people, like herself, waiting to petition Lincoln. The poor woman was forced to sit in the waiting-room for three days. But even then she was not able to get admission into the President's private office.
Late in the afternoon of the third day Lincoln was going through a passage in back of the waiting-room, when he heard the baby cry. He immediately returned to his office and rang a bell; an attendant answered. Is there a woman with a baby in the anteroom, Lincoln asked. Old Daniel, the attendant, replied that there was indeed a woman waiting on a life and death matter. Send her to me at once, said the president. The woman came in and told her story, and Lincoln immediately pardoned her husband. Later, as she was going down the stairs with happy uplifted eyes, and lips moving in thankful prayer, Daniel said to her, It was the baby that did it.
And so it was that the birth of baby Jesus was the beginning of God's chosen means to accomplish the salvation of the world. And every time a sinner accepts Jesus as His Savior he experiences the NEW BIRTH of salvation. He is a "born again christian," a new baby Christian. A baby represents newness of life as well as innocence, lack of defilement and harmlessness, which is precisely how Paul describes the character of our Lord. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" Heb. 7:26. In Luke 18:17 Jesus further illustrates the nature of His kingdom by saying, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
What are the traits of a little child that are so highly valued by Christ that He places such stress on this particular idea? First of all, as we have already mentioned, a child is innocent in his attitudes. For example, a little child is not suspicious, prejudice or hateful. He is color blind when it comes to races. He is very trusting and not suspicious. These are all traits that, for the most part, are learned behavior. So, in order to enter the kingdom of God we need to become as a little child in our spirit and attitude. This is the character Jesus possessed and that we are encouraged to study and emulate.
So, beloved, this is the real reason Jesus had to come to earth in a body of flesh. As Isa. 53:6 reveals, the entire human race had gone astray. Everyone had turned to His own way instead of seeking the Lord. So, Jesus, the great Shepherd of the flock, came to this dark world, clothed in the garb of an innocent, helpless little baby. We have the wonderful record of His perfect example of growing up into a fully mature, perfect adult. This example He left us will have its final fruition and fulfillment in the final elect who are even now growing up into the perfect knowledge of His character. That is purpose of the character of God message.
The prophecy of Dan. 8:14 has been the central focus of intense and ongoing discussions, arguments and debates for over 150 years, since 1844. Without a knowledge of His true character this prophecy remains a mystery. Let us see if we can begin to unravel it today through the power of God's presence in our hearts and minds as we read and study together today.
"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when He shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to His servants the prophets." Rev. 10:7. Notice, friends, how John says that the Old Testament prophets have already declared or written about this same mystery. Now, please notice the same idea is recorded in Acts 3:17-21 when Peter spoke to the people a second time after the day of Pentecost. A 40+ year old lame man was healed and began praising God. Evidently this man was well known in Jerusalem and a crowd soon gathered around "with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him." At this very moment the Holy Spirit of Jesus tapped Peter on the shoulder and said to him, "It's time for you to preach another sermon Peter." Although it is much shorter and more to the point it contains in it a hidden truth we need to examine more carefully. Starting in verse 19 Peter calls upon the men of Israel to repent so the "times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" Historically, this is what we call the "EARLY RAIN." For over a hundred years now the church has been talking about and praying for the "LATTER RAIN." Basically it is the same experience but only on a wider scale. In other words it will be the preaching of the gospel to the entire world not just in one area such as in Peter's day. Notice that in v. 20 Peter explains what the Latter Rain experience is really all about. It is the "coming" of Jesus Christ in the form of a final message to the entire world. An expansion and amplification, if you please, of all that Jesus taught during His three and half years plus all that the disciples taught from the day of pentecost on through and up until about the third century. That is when the apostasy began to take place and the church went into the dark ages.
Slowly, beginning about the 14th century, with John Wycliffe, the morning star of the reformation, the final message has been building up progressively through the centuries. Today we are nearing noontide when this last message and call to the world is going to reach its zenith. Even now as I write and you read the message is going faster and stronger each and every day. Not only does the character of God message seem to be a topic for discussion among all religious people it is also on the internet for all the non-religious people to check out. It would take several newspapers to just tell you about the miracles that are taking place in this ministry and my own life let alone in many other ministries and lives who are trying to preach the message that God does not destroy but only gives life.
There are four levels to this message and everyone I know who is talking about it is presenting it according to their understanding all the way from one to four. It is truly amazing. More books, pamphlets, videos and cassettes are being circulated than ever before. Men and women are being led to used books stores and people are giving books and tapes out to their friends and loved ones. Each day my life is filled with writing and teaching. Yesterday I spent several hours on the phone teaching people all four levels of the character of God and the telephone, in my opinion, is the most difficult method to use to give a Bible study. But that seems to be the very method the Lord uses most frequently.
The Bible speaks of a "nation" being born in one day. The first reference is in Isa. 66. It is highly significant to note here in the context of our present study that Isaiah begins (chapt. 1) and ends (chapt. 66) with a severe rebuke to those who sacrificed animals to obtain forgiveness of sin. In Isa. 1:10 God asked His rebellious people who had required/demanded such slaughter of innocent animals. But in Isa. 66:3 the language becomes stronger. "He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man," equating their useless offerings to breaking the sixth commandment and offering to the most high "swine's blood" and burning incense as if he had blessed an idol, a direct reference the breaking of the second commandment. Furthermore, He said they had chosen their own ways which was not only an abomination but a delusion. Is it any wonder that their descendants stoned Stephen to death when he referred to this passage in his final speech recorded in Acts 7 where he even said they were worshipping the "host of heaven" i.e. Satan and his one third fallen angels. A most serious indictment indeed. But the last part of Isa. 66 is what should interest us the most for it is a prophecy about the final Remnant who are being born or brought forth in this last generation. They are God's new babies today, growing up rapidly to maturity, filled with the Spirit's Latter Rain power to preach this final message boldly to a fallen church and unbelieving world. It is a prophecy of not only their birth and coming forth as a nation but of their rejection by the brethren, v. 5, that hated them and cast them out "for my name's sake." Name is a direct reference to the character of God...the very reason they were hated and cast out is because they were standing up for and testifying for His true Name and character...that He is a holy and righteous God who, although He does not destroy, does indeed punish the wicked (Destroy thou them O God; let them fall by their (own) counsels Psalm 5:10), but more importantly, rewards the righteous. And that is what I want to emphasize here as we close off this study.
God's wonderful reward for His chosen and elect people today is all of this information and knowledge that is being brought forth from His Word. "Let the Lord be glorified: (let His character be exalted) but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." Then notice in v. 7 that Isa. tells us that the birth of this nation is going to be miraculous or supernatural because this baby or son or nation is born/delivered "before she (church) travailed." Let me tell you what I believe this means.
God's people are scattered all over the earth among all nations and He is calling His final elect or 144,000, if you wish to use that designation, from among the millions of Christians who constitute His professed church. Of course, there are many among these professed believers who are tares or false believers, wolves in sheep's clothing. The birthing process of this new nation is one of joy, not pain, and takes place before the church goes into the tribulation period. The "church" is the large body of believers out of which God's nation will be born. This nation of 144,000 will have the Father's Name written in their foreheads signifying likeness to Jesus in character and that they are in total agreement with Him in all His plans and become His special van guard and army. They will be the wise ones of Dan. 12 who "understand."
The rest of the believers could be compared to the 7,000 in Elijah's day who refuse to bow the knee to Baal and are hiding out. Although they refuse to take the Mark they suffer greatly during the tribulation. Many of them will probably be martyred. Please note again this Hebrew parallelism. "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain began, she was delivered of a man child." Isa. 66:7, 8.
This is the professed church with both wheat and tares before the terrible persecution comes. The Lord just brought to my memory a parallel scripture in Rev. 12:1-6 which gives more information regarding this man child. This prophecy has a dual application. The first fulfillment or application was in the life of Jesus. The second application will be with the 144,000. Notice that verse 6 is talking about the "woman" or church who just delivered the man child (144,000). She flees into the wilderness due to the persecution. Now, what about the man child being caught up unto God, and to His throne? V. 5. Here again is a dual application. Jesus first and the 144,000 second. At some point during the final days of this earth's history the 144,000 are glorified and this is probably as a result of them being taken to heaven, before the throne of God, just as Jesus was after the resurrection, and then like Jesus, they come back down here on earth for at least 40 days, just like Jesus, who stayed 40 days teaching the disciples and then ascended. So, the 144,000 will go up, be accepted and given Divine power to come back down to finish off the great controversy and then go home with Jesus and the saints at the time of the general resurrection of the righteous dead and the translation of righteous living.
That is what I believe Isa. 66:7-16 and Rev. 12:5-7 are predicting. And through this nation of 144,000 mighty warriors God is going to fulfill vs. 15-18. "For by fire (truth) and by his sword (Bible or Word of God) will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many." If you interpret this symbolically the "slain of the Lord," would be those who are converted or are falling on the rock, Christ Jesus, and being saved. In other words, there are going to be a lot of "slain" (born again) sinners.
John 12:46.---I have not come to judge you...
my word shall judge you in the last days.Jn. 8:32...ye shall know the truth and
the truth (Jesus) shall set you free.Articles | Contact Us | Feedback | Tell-A-Friend | Donation