christian study

Ellen White wrote in a couple of places about “balls of fire”:

Other Manuscripts Volume Eleven
Cities Destroyed by Balls of Fire

In the night I was, I thought, in a room but not in my own house. I was in a city, where I knew not, and I heard expression after expression. I rose up quickly in bed, and saw from my window large balls of fire. Jetting out were sparks, in the form of arrows, and buildings were being consumed, and in a very few minutes the entire block of buildings was falling and the screeching and mournful groans came distinctly to my ears. I cried out, in my raised position, to learn what was happening: Where am I? And where are our family circle? Then I awoke. But I could not tell where I was for I was in another place than home. I said, Oh Lord, where am I and what shall I do? It was a voice that spoke, “Be not afraid. Nothing shall harm you.”

I was instructed that destruction hath gone forth upon cities. The word of the Lord will be fulfilled. Isaiah 29:19-24 was repeated. I dared not move, not knowing where I was. I cried unto the Lord, What does it mean? These representations of destruction were repeated. Where am I? “In scenes I have represented that which will be; but warn My people to cease from putting their trust in men who are not obedient to my warnings and who despise My reproof, for the day of the Lord is right upon the world when evidence shall be made sure. Those who have followed the voices that would turn things upside down will themselves be turned where they cannot see, but will be as blind men.

These words were given me from Isaiah 30: “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.” (Isaiah 30:8-15 quoted.) . . . .

I was instructed that light had been given me and that I had written under special light the Lord had imparted.–Ms. 126, 1906. (Diary, August 23, 27, 1906.)
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Review and Herald Vol.8 11-24-1904:
An Impressive Scene.–Not long ago a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire falling among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard some one say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.” Others said, “You knew? Why then did you not tell us. We did not know.” On every side I heard such words spoken.
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Manuscript 102, 1904, p. 9. (Untitled Manuscript, a sermon preached in Nashville, Tennessee, July 2, 1904.)
Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little. It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world and crushed large houses. From place to place the cry arose, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, “Praise
the Lord!”

“Why are you praising the Lord?” inquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction.

“Because we now see what we have been looking for.”

“If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!”….

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Romans 13:1-7 — rulers are of God.
1Peter 2:13-17 – honor the king

April 10, 2008 Adventist Review editor Bill Knott writes in regards to a rumor circulated by a SDA pastor with a ministry in Virginia that secret meetings had taken place between Vatican and White House and Congress representatives, and that a Sunday Law would formally be signed into law when the pope would visit in April 2008:
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The Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference has been “flooded” with calls and e-mails about these claims and has spent dozens of hours patiently investigating–and rebutting—the unfounded assertions of this conspiracy theory.

The alleged November gathering never occurred. “We checked every specific claim that accompanied this rumor and every one of them proved false,” writes attorney James Standish, director of legislative affairs for the General Conference, in a widely distributed letter. “The meeting did not occur at the site claimed, and the high-profile individuals who allegedly attended the meeting are documented to be in other locations at the time.”

“There has been no Sunday law bill introduced in the subsequent four months [since the alleged November conclave] and our research has turned up no evidence that would tend to corroborate the rumor,” Standish continues. “The person who is the source of the current claim also circulated another Sunday law claim approximately seven years ago. Once again, we vigorously researched the elements that could be verified and found each one to be inaccurate. In the seven years since that claim, no Sunday law has been introduced in Congress.”

The truly tragic aspect to the circulation of these conspiracy theories is that they reveal how successful uninformed and misguided persons can be in quickly creating a climate of fear and mistrust among thousands of believers. To treat such rumors as credible, a person must also conclude that the leaders of the church in both the North American Division and the General Conference—the offices for which are located less than 14 miles from the White House—are ignorant of events occurring in their very backyard, lulled into a fatal sense of end-time complacency, or worst of all, somehow in league with the enemies of religious freedom.

Such attitudes toward the church’s elected leaders are repugnant, and hold up to contempt the men and women whose wisdom, experience, and character are every day being used by the Lord Jesus to advance His cause in this world.
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While i don’t believe just everything written in the Review, i do wholeheartedly agree with the conclusions stated here, that quickly fear and mistrust can be inculcated in people, and that these conspiracies make us view our church leaders with contempt.

The “mother lode” of current conspiracy theories is that somehow the American govt. was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. This should be reprehensible to all citizens of this country, unless of course, it can be proved that there is actual complicity involved. But what are the charges? They are supposed video footage, supposed ways on how buildings should or shouldn’t catch fire, supposed ways on how buildings should or shouldn’t collapse – all pure speculation.

On Sep. 23rd, 2010, The US delegation to the United Nations walked out of a “conspiracy theory” speech:
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UNITED NATIONS – The U.S. delegation walked out of the U.N. speech of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday after he said some in the world have speculated that Americans were behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks, staged in an attempt to assure Israel’s survival.

He did not explain the logic of that statement that was made as he attacked the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of Israel and is deeply at odds with the United States and European allies over its nuclear program and suspicions that it is designed to produce an atomic bomb. Iran says it is only working on technology for electricity generation.

The U.S. delegation left the hall after Ahmadinejad said there were three theories about the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks:

1. That “powerful and complex terrorist group” penetrated U.S. intelligence and defenses.

2. “That some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime. The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view.”

The Americans stood and walked out without listening to the third theory, that the attack was the work of “a terrorist group but the American government supported and took advantage of the situation.”

Mark Kornblau, spokesman of the U.S. Mission to the world body, issued a statement within moments of Ahmadinejad’s attack.

“Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people,” he said, “Mr. Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable.”
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This is what normal, intelligent, God-fearing people should do – not listen to conspiracy nonsense that has no basis in fact and pours contempt on the govt. which has God has set up.

I too used to believe in conspiracy theories from around 88-92. There were cool stories of ufos landing in Utah, of black helicopters from the UN scouting out America to take control over us, of secret concentration camps being built by the US govt., of new money that was being printed for the US in Australia etc. etc. Yes, there is a little bit of truth in at least some of these things, but thank God, when one SDA conspiracy theorist finally said it was time to buy guns and run for the hills, God led me to ditch it all. And just in time, as the Waco incident was soon after, and while i could see that the govt. did make some mistakes in handling that, it was not some huge conspiracy thing.

God helped me to see some of the fruits of reading and believing these conspiracy theories in my own life — 1. distrust of authority figures 2. secrecy 3. apathy because everything is controlled by the “elite” so i can’t do anything about it anyway. 4. a desire for “forbidden knowledge” 5. A tendency to blindly believe those who “tickle” your ears, and reject all others. 6. the worst of all – pride – because i know something most other people don’t, so they are stupid sheeple.

Are these the fruits of the Spirit? Where’s the love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith? Am i becoming more like the Jesus i see in the Bible, or further away from him for believing these theories?

When we were introduced to the “7 Fat Years” interpretation of the Bible, did we really sit down and study like a good Berean should? Did we find out that nothing happened on Sep. 11, 2001 to signal a start of “fat” years? Did we find that nothing happened exactly 7 years later to signal its end? Did we go into detail about whether that event even has an end-time application, and is that application physical or spiritual? If we follow the whole event and what happened before and after, are we supposed to interpret it to mean that we will be in this world at least 400 more years before Christ delivers us? Where is the deep, long hours of study together like our forefathers did to see if these things are so? If we just take someone else’s word for our Bible interpretations, will we have the strength needed to stand in the Time of Trouble?

Now that we know that this past September was the best for the stock market in 71 years, what are we supposed to make of this? Of course it is possible that there will be a huge economic collapse starting today, only God knows the future, but obviously the 7 Lean Years’ interpretation with September as the time linchpin needs to be studied over, or rejected.

What are two things mentioned that led to Satan’s downfall? – pride and a desire to look into the unsearchable wisdom of God. The 1858 Great Controversy says: “Satan and his affected ones, who were striving to reform the government of God, wished to look into his unsearchable wisdom to ascertain his purpose in exalting Jesus, and endowing him with such unlimited power and command. ” Here is where the very first conspiracy theory was born!

What did God say thru his chosen servant – Ellen White? 1888 Materials:
They (God’s servants) unsettle minds in the truth by entering upon speculative theories, which draw them away from the truth. They help to forge the fetters of doubt and unbelief, fault-finding, and accusing; and souls stumble over them to perdition. The blood of souls will be upon those who, while they profess to be in the service of God, are doing the work of His enemy.

The Southern Missionary 03-01-1904:
Let them (God’s people) discard the cheap, foolish ideas which arise from curiosity, which Satan places in minds to lead to spiritual adultery.

This is the unsolicited testimony from a Brother Shaw, received several years ago:
The Lord has shown me what is wrong with the way we have attempted to work for Him in the past…The whole bulk of our ministry has been using the New World Order and the Jesuits, etc…to try to wake people up, to try to show them their need of Christ, etc…and friends we have watched the fruits of this kind of ministry over the past 4-5 years. Literally there has been no fruits….None among the souls we have shared this type of message with and none among ourselves–those whose ministry is based upon this consumed approach of evangelism. And let me tell you, there has not been much fruit! This Ministry is NOT ordained of Christ and is not following after His method of reaching the lost! This kind of Ministry has NOT helped my family nor has it helped others make fully surrendered choices for Jesus Christ. This type of ministry has not helped us overcome sin, prepare Christian characters, nor has it helped us learn to truly love one another. The devil is using these issues(jesuits, NWO) WHICH ARE TRUE to lead Adventists away from the message we have to give which is the Righteousness of Christ in the context of the Three Angels Messages…The message the Lord sent us in 1888…through Sister White, Jones and Waggoner…and it seems to me that the majority of the so-called Adventist Independent Ministries have swallowed it hook line and sinker….They are to busy condemning the GC, this church or that church, everyone and everything under the sun and that mind set and that character will not be ready to meet Jesus when He comes…I have spent tons and tons of hours over the past 4-5 years reading and pouring over anti-catholic material and Jesuit Conspiracy books, etc…all in attempt to show people from History all these terrible things that Rome has done. However, not only have I wasted a lot of the Lords money, I have wasted a lot of personal preparation time for allowing the Lord to teach me from His Word and allow Him to Perfect my Character and prepare to meet Jesus.
We have little by little been selling many of these books that we have collected over the years and we will be selling most of them…..these are not the kind of books we need to keep in our library to be feasting upon….we know this evil is in the world and we know what this evil has done, is doing and will do….enough information is in the Great Controversy Book to deal with all of that….that is all the information the people need to know about this. They need to know Jesus Christ, not about the Jesuits, NWO, Black Pope, etc…Jesus Christ and His love for them! The gift of God’s Son. That is what changed my life and that is the only thing that can change another’s!
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Please notice that i understand that we, as Seventh-day Adventists, spread the message that there will be a Sunday law enacted at the end times. Some people in the world may call this a “conspiracy theory”. But the difference is, is that this is fully supported from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, whereas the conspiracy theories i’m talking about here are of the speculative, secretive, variety that usually have to do with interpreting current events – something we are definitely NOT supposed to do, as inspired word tells us how we will actually close doors to witness to the people for believing these speculative theories:
1888 Messages:
Let none feel it his duty to make speeches in the presence of our own people, or of our enemies, that will arouse their combativeness and they take your words and construe them in such a way that you are charged with being rebellious to the government, for this will close the door of access to the people.

The Southern Missionary 03-01-1904:
They (God’s people) are to purify themselves even as Christ is pure. When they understand fully the meaning of the prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John, they will be so closely united with Christ that there will be no place in their minds for the speculative theories that spring out of nothingness and end in nothingness.

In this article, George Weigel, who i presume to be a Catholic (and whom National Review writes as “a distinguished senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center”, speaks quite persuasively in favor of natural law. It is mind-boggling to see the title of his article: “Defending Religious Freedom in Full”, while knowing full well where this mindset is leading – to the world’s last dark age where everyone who doesn’t “fit in” is exterminated.

What am i talking about?

To give a very short background: Natural Law basically arose from the Catholic church. The ablest proponent of this theory is Thomas Aquinas, who is quoted: “… all human laws were to be judged by their conformity to the natural law. An unjust law is not a law, in the full sense of the word. It retains merely the ‘appearance’ of law insofar as it is duly constituted and enforced in the same way a just law is, but is itself a ‘perversion of law.’ At this point, the natural law was not only used to pass judgment on the moral worth of various laws, but also to determine what the law said in the first place”. So according to this, all human laws are subject to some super law which is enshrined in nature itself. There are various flavors of “Natural Law”: to see a short write-up in wikipedia, try this

I think all thinking SDAs will be able to see from this where this will lead.

Let me explain it very simply: There is a theory of law saying that there are universal “natural laws” which apply to all humans in all situations. Of course God’s Word is not the source of these laws, they just somehow “exist”. Since God created the natural world, proponents of this theory try to use God as their “source”, but of course, never seem to get around to actually quoting the 10 Commandments. They use very persuasive arguements like:
1. If a tree has a dead branch, you must prune it off to make the tree healthier.
2. If you have a barrel of apples, and there is one spoiled apple in it, you must throw it out to save the other apples.
3. Nature itself teaches you what is right and wrong, so abortion and homosexuality are wrong.

See, the logic sounds impeccable, and for most everything i’ve seen, the proponents of this theory DO go by the Biblical principles. But what about in the future when a “bad apple” wishes to keep the 7th day Sabbath? When all of Satan’s angels and Satan himself appearing as Jesus and the whole world are clamoring for a Sunday Law, how will “Natural Law” help those who wish to stay true to the words of the God who wrote “Keep the 7th day Sabbath” on tables of stone with his own finger? It won’t, of course. And this is what is so dangerous about it.

Where can we find the first prophecy in the Bible? — Genesis 2:17 Please notice that this prophecy is conditional.

The second prophecy in the Bible is in Genesis 3:14-15. This prophecy is NOT conditional.

Before God does something big, he always tells a prophet: Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Is it OK to consult the spirits to see what our future is?
1 Chronicles 10:13
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
and
Deuteronomy 18:10-13 shows us how much God hates this.

18:18-19 Explains how God raises up true prophets to help us. Notice whose words the prophet is speaking – is it his own words, or God’s words? This is very important.

18:20-22 Explains who is not a true prophet.

Why is it important to know if the words are from God or not?
Does God know everything? 1John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Satan has been alive for more than 6,000 years, and is much more intelligent than we are, but he doesn’t know all things. Many people who listen to fortune-tellers tho place themselves in Satan’s hands, and he can make circumstances happen that will make the words of the fortune-teller come true. This is to make more people believe in this lie.

In Jesus’ prophecy of the end of the world, in Matthew 24, what is the prophecy given by the greatest prophet – Jesus Christ himself? We all know about wars, famines, earthquakes, tsunamis etc. being signs of Christ’s coming, but what is the very first thing he mentions in this great prophecy? – Don’t be deceived. And he says in verse 11 that false prophets will deceive many.
Give personal testimony of how 20 years ago Sunday churches said Ellen White was a false prophet because there are no more prophets after Bible times, but now almost every church has its own prophet, and there are even prophetic webrings on the internet! Thus Satan gets people to doubt the validity of God’s true prophet – Ellen White. False prophets are also increasing inside the SDA church.

How will the true Jesus come? 1Thessalonians 4:13-18
Satan loves to counterfeit the true, and he will also try to imitate Christ’s return – 2Thessalonians 2:4, 2Corinthians 11:14
He will also have a false day of worship to imitate the true Sabbath, and a false Mark of the Beast to imitate the true Seal of God.

Some definitions are in order.
Strong’s concordance:
G25
ἀγαπάω = agapaō = ag-ap-ah’-o
Perhaps from ἄγαν agan (much; or compare [H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense): – (be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368.

G26
ἀγάπη = agapē = ag-ah’-pay
From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: – (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.

Contrasted with “phileo”
G5368
φιλέω = phileō = fil-eh’-o
From G5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while G25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as G2309 and G1014, or as G2372 and G3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specifically to kiss (as a mark of tenderness): – kiss, love.

There are at least 6 places in the Bible showing that “agape” can have meanings different than a “God-like” love. It can even mean a bad love!
agape:

Luke 6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

Here we see that sinners “agape” each other.

Luke 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

Jesus condemns the Pharisees for having “agape”!

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Jesus condemns men for having “agape”!!

2Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Paul rebukes Demas for having “agape”.

2Peter 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Peter shows that Balaam’s “agape” was bad.

1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

If any man has this “agape”, the “agape” of the Father is not in him.

So we clearly see that there are times in the Bible when “agape” refers to a love of something definitely not of God. How about the “phileo” kind of love? Is it just a “human” love, or “brotherly” love as often stated? While it is true that “Philadelphia” means “brotherly love”, there is nothing inherent in the word to signify that it has the meaning of a somehow less than “Godly” type of love.
phileo:

John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

The Father “phileo”s the Son, showing conclusively that “phileo” can also refer to the love of God.

John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

Jesus had “phileo” for Lazarus.

John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

The Father “phileo”s us because we “phileo” the Father. Isn’t this perfect love?

John 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Jesus “phileo”s John.

1Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

If we don’t have “phileo” for Jesus, we are anathema!!!

Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

God our Saviour has “phileo” towards us 🙂

Titus 3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Paul says to his brethren in Christ to greet those who have “phileo” for him and his companions.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Jesus rebukes and chastens all those he “phileo”s.

With all this evidence, why do we still hear of “agape” being some kind of super-human “God-like” perfect love, and “phileo” being some kind of sub-perfect “human” love? I’m not sure, but guess that someone was studying to get a doctorate of divinity (above Jesus?!) and had to come up with something new and clever to catch the attention of those critiquing his thesis, and in reading something original into the text in John 21, got his doctorate, and the result is a confused remnant church today.

All thru the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment.

We should not make ourselves so weary that we cannot enjoy the Sabbath.

Friday is to be the special preparation day.

All should have special Sabbath clothes, to be worn on Sabbath in God’s house.

Before the setting of the sun on Friday, let all secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight.

On the preparation day all differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church, should be put away.

Before the setting of the sun, let the members of the family assemble to read God’s word, to sing, and to pray.

Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be wasted in bed. On Sabbath morning, the family should be astir early.

The food should be more simple and less should be eaten, in order that the mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual things.

While cooking upon the Sabbath should be avoided, it is not necessary to eat cold food.

Provide some kind of food that will be regarded as a treat, something the family do not have every day.

In pleasant weather let parents walk with their children in the fields and groves.

Thus parents can make the Sabbath as it should be, the most joyful day of the week.

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db: 2RH
pt: Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
dt: 05-08-1883
at: Practical Thoughts for the Campmeetings
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And let us not come to the campmeeting to break the Sabbath by cooking on that day. The instructions which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe;” for “tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” God meant what he said; and shall we who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite? God forbid! I know that frequently the Lord has withheld his blessing because we have failed to honor him by keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment. There has sometimes been nearly as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days. I would prefer to eat bread and water only, rather than to run any risk of breaking the fourth commandment. All needful preparation for the Sabbath should be made on Friday. On Sabbath morning, if the weather is cool, let hot gruel be provided. Further than this, all cooking should be avoided as a violation of the Sabbath.
…

enjoy the sabbath by not cooking on it 🙂Read More »

Deuteronomy 23:24 When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.
25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.

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db: 1ST
pt: The Signs of the Times
dt: 11-30-1876
at: The Sabbath
The grain was ready for the sickle when Jesus and his disciples passed through the corn fields on the Sabbath. The disciples were hungry, for their Master had extended his work of teaching and healing to a late hour, and they had been without food for a long time. They accordingly began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat, rubbing them in their hands, in accordance with the law of Moses, which provides that:
“When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing corn.”
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db: 5RH
pt: Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
dt: 08-03-1897
at: Did Christ Break the Sabbath?
Jesus had lessons which he desired to give to his disciples, that when he was no longer with them, they might not be misled by the wily misrepresentations of the priests and rulers in regard to the correct observance of the Sabbath. He would remove from the Sabbath the traditions and exactions with which the priests and rulers had burdened it. In passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath day, he and his disciples, being hungry, began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat. “But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.” To answer their accusation, he referred them to the action of David and others, saying: “Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him; how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.”

If excessive hunger excused David from violating even the holiness of the sanctuary, and made his act guiltless, how much more excusable was the simple act of the disciples in plucking grain and eating it upon the Sabbath day! Jesus would teach his disciples and his enemies that the service of God was first of all; and if fatigue and hunger attended the work, it was right to satisfy the wants of humanity even upon the Sabbath day.

Through Moses, Christ had declared: “And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: this is the burnt offering, of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.” The work of the priests in connection with the sacrificial offerings was increased upon the Sabbath, yet in their holy work in the service of God, they did not violate the fourth commandment of the decalogue. Works of mercy and of necessity are no transgression of the law. God does not condemn these things. The act of mercy and necessity in passing through a grain field, of plucking the heads of wheat, of rubbing them in their hands, and of eating to satisfy their hunger, he declared to be in accordance with the law which he himself had proclaimed from Sinai. Thus he declared himself guiltless before scribes, rulers, and priests, before the heavenly universe, before fallen angels and fallen men.

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

There are many things in this text, nearly all of them “politically incorrect”. Oh yes, one more i saw a couple of days previous to this one:

Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Wouldn’t this apply to our not learning the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu etc literature and customs and ways in order to be “culturally sensitive”? Sure, i understand very well, for example, that it is required in some societies to take off your shoes before entering the house, or for women and men to sit on opposite sides of the church – that is not what i’m talking about. I’m talking about the deliberate formation by our Seventh-day Adventist church of “Buddhist Study Center”s (since renamed) and “Adventist/Muslim Relations” people advocating studying the Qur’an.