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Sabbath Service
Saturday, February 17, 2007
“Why the Law?” — Part 2

(If you are meeting in a small group, select a leader for the day. The leader reads
the text printed in regular face. The rest of the group reads the text printed in
bold face and wherever it states “In Unison.” If you are worshipping as a single
individual, read all the parts.)

CALL TO WORSHIP

Make a joyful noise to God, all the lands!
Come into God’s presence with singing!
Enter into worship in a spirit of thanksgiving;
serve God in praise and gladness.
   It is God who made us, and to God we belong;
   we are God’s people, the sheep of God’s pasture.
   God’s steadfast love endures forever,
   and God’s faithfulness to all generations.

INVITATION (In Unison)

Gracious God, beyond all our thoughts of heaven and earth, there is no power greater than yours in all the universe. We worship One beyond our imagination, yet near to our hearts. You are so much more than we can know, yet so much closer than we have dared to explore. Receive now our humble praise. Amen.

OPENING HYMN #184                           “This is My Father’s World”

Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901
Traditional English Melody
Arr. Franklin L. Sheppard, 1915

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!

OPENING PRAYER (In Unison)

God of our lives, to whom our stories are as important as those of persons who have gone before us, help us to learn from their experiences and to value our own. Help us to understand that your Word is one of communion and not of domination; of welcome and not of exclusion; of liberation to new life, and not of oppression in old roles. We thank you that in Christ you have given us this good news of hope and release from bondage and despair. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who is our freedom. Amen.

MOMENTS OF SILENCE

PERSONAL PRAYER (In Silence)

HYMN # 5                                        “Give Ear Unto My Words, O Lord”

Psalm 5
Dwight Armstrong

Give ear unto my words, O lord, My meditation weigh;
Hear my loud cry, my King, my God, For I to Thee will pray.
Lord Thou shalt early hear my voice; I early will direct
My prayer to Thee, and looking up, An answer will expect.

For Thou art not a God who does In wickedness delight;
No evil shall abide with Thee, Nor fools stand in Thy sight.
All evil doers Thou dost hate, Cut off shall liars be;
The bloody and deceitful man, Abhorred is by Thee.

But I into Thy house will come In Thy abundant grace;
And I will worship in Thy fear Toward Thy holy place.
Because of watchful enemies, O lead me by Thy grace,
And in Thy righteousness, Thy way Make straight before my face.

Let all who trust in Thee be glad, In shouts their praise proclaim;
Thou savest them; let all rejoice Who love Thy Holy Name.
For Lord, unto the righteous man Thou wilt Thy blessing yield;
With favor Thou wilt compass him About as with a shield.

PRESENTATIONS BEFORE GOD (Not monetary offerings)

Time for any in attendance to offer a musical or instrumental piece, a reading, comments, or anything they would like to present before God.

If no one is prepared or if you want more, the link below will open an offering from the vocal artistry of Jaci Velasquez for your listening enjoyment.

“On My Knees”

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Time for groups to make any necessary announcements relating to their own group.

Today we are continuing the three-part study, “Why the Law?,” written by Neville V. Stevens.

COLLECT (Preparing for the Lesson, In Unison)

Say again the word by which our lives become new, O God. In the stories of other times and places, confront us with who we are and lead us to what we may yet become. Deepen our trust in you and our love for one another. Keep us from hearing only what we want to hear, so the gospel may reach us in its fullness. Amen.

THE LESSON (Use the lesson provided here, or conduct a study of your own selection.)

Why the Law?
Part 2

The Bible says Christ is the end of the LAW. What does it mean? Did He bring the LAW to an end? Did He repeal all LAWS? Is LAW still necessary today? Or should we be living LAWLESS lives. You need to understand what the Bible MEANS!

By Neville V. Stevens

New International Version used throughout unless otherwise stated.

Shortly after Jeremiah’s recorded statement in Jer 3:14 concerning those whom God will gather, and following the same thread, God makes another statement. This time, about another group. He says He hears a noise like a woman in labour. It’s a groaning noise like that of someone bearing her first child. This groaning reveals great distress, and God tells us why! This is what God says: Jer 4:31 “I hear a cry as of a woman in labour, a groan as of one bearing her first child—the cry of the DAUGHTER OF ZION gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, “Alas, I am fainting; MY LIFE HAS BEEN GIVEN OVER TO MURDERERS.” And who is this DAUGHTER OF ZION whose life has been given over to MURDERERS?

The Bible always explains! Following the GATHERING of those whom God has CHOSEN, whom He GATHERS on the wings of an EAGLE (Rev 12:14), and whom He takes to a specially prepared place, Satan turns on another group of people; this is the DAUGHTER OF ZION. These are the OFFSPRING of the WOMAN (the Tribe of Judah) that gave BIRTH TO CHRIST (Rev 12:4-5). This DAUGHTER or OFFSPRING becomes the focus of Satan’s fury. This is what God says: Rev 12:17 “Then the dragon was enraged at the WOMAN and went to make WAR against the REST of her OFFSPRING—those who OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS and have the TESTIMONY OF JESUS.” This narrows the identity of this OFFSPRING considerably doesn’t it? These are the ones that OBEY God’s Commandments! But they also have another quality. They ALSO have the TESTIMONY OF JESUS! And readers, you should now know that the TESTIMONY OF JESUS is the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (Rev 19:10). And the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY is only imparted to faithful, obedient servants of God. You cannot understand prophecy without the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, and you cannot receive the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY unless you are a faithful servant of God. The up-coming article on the ‘TRIBES OF ISRAEL’ will explain these things in greater detail. (Ed. Note: This series is now available at the Zion Ministries website.)

But this OFFSPRING is the DAUGHTER OF ZION! ZION is the MOTHER, the SPIRITUAL PARENT of this OFFSPRING. This DAUGHTER OBEYS GOD’S COMMANDMENTS (just barely), but they have never had the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. But this has never stopped them from teaching their cockeyed version of prophecy from the dark recesses of their own minds. They have no fear of God, nor do they respect His words, instead, with a licentiousness borne of greed and avarice, and the desire to exercise power over the Body of Christ, they have fabricated their own ‘prophecy.’ They have twisted and perverted scripture to reflect their own views. And for proof, what do they provide? The opinions of other ‘scholars’ who happen to agree with them! You readers are required to have sufficient spiritual acumen to recognize who speaks according to God’s Word and those who do not! Then you will see the difference BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, between those who SERVE God and those who do not (Mal 3:18).

This MOTHER (the Tribe of Judah, and more properly—the SEED OF DAVID) was represented by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Concerning Mary, this is what the Bible says: Luke 1:46 “And Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED, for the Mighty One has done great things for me.” Yes, we are obligated to call the mother of Jesus blessed, but notice what Christ said when these very words were later stated: Luke 11:27 “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “BLESSED is the MOTHER WHO GAVE YOU BIRTH and nursed you.” He replied, “BLESSED RATHER are those who HEAR the WORD OF GOD and OBEY it.”

These words have great significance. But notice something else. Christ always honoured His mother. At one time when all the guests at a wedding in Cana had wolfed down all the wine in very short order, Mary asked her Son for a miracle: John 2:4 “Dear woman, why do you involve Me?” Jesus replied. “MY TIME HAS NOT YET COME.” His mother said to the servants, “DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU.” In fact, Jesus ministry had already begun (John 1:41), and Nathanael declared Him to be the Son of God and the King of Israel (V49). These things are further clarified: Matt 12:46 “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. Someone told Him, “YOUR MOTHER AND BROTHERS ARE STANDING OUTSIDE, WANTING TO SPEAK TO YOU.” He replied, “Who is My MOTHER, and who are My BROTHERS?” POINTING TO HIS DISCIPLES, He said, “HERE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS. For whoever DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in heaven is MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND MOTHER.”

The ‘WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN’ doesn’t include telling lies in His Name. Nor does it involve creative human reasoning in the interpretation of God’s Words. Nor does anyone’s salvation depend on believing the teachings of some obscure ‘scholar.’ It depends on BELIEVING GOD! And it requires OBEDIENCE to His Commandments.

While we must believe and obey God, and insofar as we are able, ensure that HIS WILL is done on earth as it is in heaven, in the case of a true Christian, we are responsible for our own conduct only. In reference to nations, God holds them collectively responsible for their sins or for their repentance. God visits the sins of the fathers on the children, and the sins of the leaders on the people (and He also visits the sins of the people on the leaders). God judges whole nations by the way they dispense justice. And the quality of mercy is very important. And the term ‘mercy’ does not suggest that the guilty should go free! Under God’s Laws the guilty (once tried and convicted) are to die without mercy where the crime warrants it. This is the other part of the equation—it’s called JUSTICE!

Christ said that ‘whoever does the WILL of My Father in heaven is My BROTHER and SISTER and MOTHER’ (V50). In order to be a brother or sister to Christ, therefore, we must do God’s will—personally! But, as Christians, we cannot enforce God’s will on others! And this is where the provisions of God’s will can become multi-faceted. Whereas a Christian is obligated to trust God for his healing, others are not. And while a Christian is obligated to OBEY all God’s Laws, the rest of the world are not—they merely have the option!

The Law of Moses is specifically for the 12 tribes of Israel. It’s the Law by which they are governed. Since the Churches of God are a spiritual nation, rather than a physical nation with power to rule, they are required to live in peace with all men. The physical nations under which Christians live are required by God to put to death all those who transgress His Laws. God has not granted Christianity rulership over the nations so they cannot enforce the Law of Moses on others, nor can they exact the penalties. In fact, it is the princes of the tribes of Israel, or their appointees, who are required to uphold the penalty of the Law—not Christianity itself. It is God Himself who will ultimately enforce these requirements. And He will bring all the penalties that He has prescribed on the Nations of Israel (Deut 28, 29:1). Christians are required to live blameless lives and to observe what is happening among the Nations of Israel—nothing more! It’s God’s prophets that are sent to warn, and those who are truly the disciples of God’s endtime prophets will have a role to play. And their reward for service will be the reward of a prophet (Matt 10:41). And these disciples must be attached to the Branch!

Paul said prophecy was for believers. The word is believers NOT hearers. Hearing God’s truth means nothing if it’s not BELIEVED and OBEYED! Most Bible students know and understand that God has prepared a special place for a certain group of people. These people have been tested for obedience and are faithful to God. The Bible also clearly identifies this special place that God has prepared.

When Satan turns his attention to the DAUGHTER of ZION, those who OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS, they will have heard the true TESTIMONY OF JESUS, and then, in terror, and being pursued by MURDERERS, they will believe! Having chosen not to believe in time of relative peace, they will believe in times of torment and the want of all things. Then they will be required to face the grim reality of God’s truth for them. And whereas Jeremiah said of them: ‘my life is given over to murderers’, God Himself will give them over to these tormentors: Dan 7:25 “He (the beast) will speak against the Most High and oppress His saints and try to change set times and laws. The SAINTS WILL BE HANDED OVER TO HIM for a TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME.” And God has never made a secret of this! Again and again He has warned! He also confirms it in Rev 13:6 “He (the beast) opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander His Name and His dwelling-place and those who live in heaven. He was GIVEN POWER TO MAKE WAR AGAINST THE SAINTS and to CONQUER them.”

And when these things happen, your instructions are as follows: Rom 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “FOR YOUR SAKE WE FACE DEATH ALL DAY LONG; we are CONSIDERED as SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” (Just as Christ was—Acts 8:32). You have chosen to take the name of Christ (that is ‘Christian’) and so God considers you as SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED—JUST LIKE HIS SON! But even then, you have a choice. If you try to save your life—you will lose it! (Matt 16:25). And if you do, there will be no resurrection to eternal life. For once in your life—believe God!

Those who refute the Laws of God and the legal structure of the Bible and speak contemptuously of ‘legalism’ have already identified themselves as those marked for slaughter. Theirs will not be an easy transition to death. Insofar as they have treated the very Words spoken by God with contempt, they will also be treated with contempt by the enemies of God. The same measure they have used will be measured against them (Matt 7:2). But the big difference for those who refute the Laws of God is: THEY WILL NOT DIE IN FAITH! They will get what they DESERVE!

One man, who thinks he’s a Christian, and who now argues strongly AGAINST observing the one day of the week that God himself made holy (Gen 2:2), has now concluded that the entire Old Testament (all 39 books) has been done away. He thinks that Christ has done away with the Works of the Father. In fact, Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8, Heb 2:14). It’s strange that this madman (who happens to be a Gentile) refutes the words of the very ONE he claims to serve. Christ Himself frequently quoted from the Old Testament (which were the ONLY scriptures at that time) and actually linked endtime prophecies to the O.T. prophets. In the case of the prophecies of Daniel, He said, ‘Let the reader understand’ (Matt 24:15). In rejecting the O.T. teachings and prophecies, it’s clear that this man has cut himself off from understanding. Why would anyone listen to a man who, by his own admission, has no understanding.

But Christ also came to reveal the Father as the One we are to worship. And our prayers must be directed to Him (Matt 6:9). And Christ directed to us the right to call Him Father, thereby bestowing on us the status of sons, and a Father/son relationship (John 1:12, Rom 8:14). If we are the children of the Father, what possible justification could we have for rejecting His Words. Christ Himself said this: Matt 5:17 “DO NOT THINK that I have come to ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS; I have NOT COME TO ABOLISH THEM but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH DISAPPEAR, NOT THE SMALLEST LETTER, NOT THE LEAST STROKE OF A PEN, WILL BY ANY MEANS DISAPPEAR FROM THE LAW UNTIL EVERYTHING IS ACCOMPLISHED.” Has heaven and earth disappeared? No! And neither have the Law and the Prophets been abolished! Those who continually advocate the abolition of the LAW OF GOD refuse to acknowledge the Father, and nor do they believe His Son. And who do they believe? They believe the ENEMY of God, the very one who refuses to acknowledge God. Such people worship Satan the devil, who also appears as an ‘angel of light.’ Paul wrote this: 2Cor 11:13 “For such men are false prophets, deceitful workmen, MASQUERADING as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for SATAN HIMSELF MASQUERADES AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. It is not surprising, then, if his servants MASQUERADE AS SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEIR END WILL BE WHAT THEIR ACTIONS DESERVE.” Their end will not be pleasant—God Himself will ensure this!

Those who think they can ABOLISH the LAWS OF GOD will get exactly WHAT THEIR ACTIONS DESERVE! The die is cast and their end is sealed. Few if any of them will be granted repentance. Having tasted the heavenly gift, the glorious Word of God imparted through, and confirmed by, His Son, and having turned away and refuted it, they are now doomed (Heb 6:4-6). There will be no ‘on the road to Damascus’ conversion for them! Not now, not ever! There is NO GREATER BETRAYAL OF GOD than to REJECT His WORD. And most of these have REJECTED 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE!

These crazed maniacs (and this is exactly what they are) think they can institute their own form of worship and then hold God to ransom. They think they can force God to acknowledge their ‘righteousness.’ Christ has already answered them: Matt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who DOES the WILL OF MY FATHER who is in heaven. Many will SAY to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not PROPHESY in Your Name, and in Your Name DRIVE OUT DEMONS and PERFORM MANY MIRACLES? Then I will tell them PLAINLY, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU. Away from Me you EVILDOERS!’” If you think Christ was bluffing, then you will soon see it with your own eyes! Did you notice who Christ was calling EVILDOERS? These people actually claim to PROPHESY (from their own demented minds), they CAST OUT DEMONS (or so they claim! Even the enemies of God receive the cooperation of Beelzebub—Luke 11:19—sometimes!), and perform many miracles (if someone survives heart surgery they claim it’s a miracle), but to move a mountain or cast a tree into the ocean is impossible to them! Christ said the exact opposite in Matt 17:20. God is not deceived by these self-proclaimed ‘angels of light’!

There is a big difference between those who have been held in slavery all their lives to the PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD, and those who have once been ENLIGHTENED to understand the PRINCIPLES OF GOD. God’s judgment is against those who have CORRUPTED that which they FORMERLY BELIEVED and PROVED was the acceptable Word of God. The Apostle Peter spoke in terms of the ‘end of all things’ being near (1Pet 4:7). He was speaking of the endtime. And this is what he said in 1Pet 4:17 “For it is time for JUDGMENT TO BEGIN with the FAMILY OF GOD; and if it BEGINS with us, what will be the OUTCOME be for those who do NOT OBEY the GOSPEL OF GOD?”

Clearly, it comes down to those who OBEY God, and those who REFUSE to OBEY God. The Book of Malachi also confirms this (Mal 3:18). And for good measure, you are also commanded in this book to remember the LAW OF MOSES in the time that immediately precedes THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD (Mal 4:4). Your choice is clear!

What is so bizarre about all those who are now campaigning for the abolition of God’s LAW are their objectives. They would convince you that God will be pleased if you disobey Him. If there is one central theme throughout the Bible, it is God’s requirements that we HONOUR and OBEY Him. Did He ever threaten punishment against those who OBEY Him? Did Christ ever say, ‘If you would enter into life DO NOT keep the Commandments.’ HE SAID THE EXACT OPPOSITE. When asked ‘which ones?’ He identified them as the Ten Commandments of God. If the Father had been seeking disobedient children who would reject everything He commanded or spoke, what just cause would He have to punish anyone?

Those who have identified themselves as enemies of God would have you believe, that they are the ‘goodies’ because they treat God and His Word with contempt. And on the crazed presumption of these enemies of God, all those who obey God and believe Him will be punished and put to death. Presumably, all the things that God hates are honourable in the eyes of these people. Idol-worship, homosexuality, sexual intercourse with your best friend’s wife, rape, murder, destruction and carnage are all honourable because you are opposing the Father and His LAWS. Do you think Christ will be pleased with you for treating His Father and His LAWS with contempt! This is the reasoning of madmen! And many of you have believed these contemptible beasts!

The human architect of this depraved doctrine is now dead. He got what he deserved, and so will many others in the very near future! So says Almighty God! These limp-wristed wimps who gasp in horror at such comments will soon be choking on their own vomit! The days of conciliation are over; the main event has begun.

You want to be feted and mollified with platitudes and hopeful rhetoric? Then go and talk to those who oppose God! Rejoice with them; they’ll satisfy your debauched reasoning for a little while. A very little while!

But all those who love the Great God, who honour Him and obey Him and long for the establishment of His Kingdom and His Day—the one thousand year Seventh Day, who stand in awe of Him and fear Him as the Almighty God of the Universe—your day is coming soon! Don’t feel humiliated or ashamed, you will soon refute every tongue that accuses you, because you have believed Him, and your VINDICATION will come from God (Isa 54:17). And the whole world will know that you are His chosen sons and daughters when you enter the world stage. Then you will be a beacon of light to the whole world. It’s coming, and it’s not far off.

Those who have declared their hatred of the Father and have rejected the Old Testament, and have demanded a reward from Him for treating His Laws with contempt, seize on certain scriptures to justify themselves. They ignore certain other scriptures though, such as Rev 14:11 “...There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast or his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the SAINTS who OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS and remain FAITHFUL TO JESUS.” So the SAINTS are those who OBEY God’s Commandments AND remain faithful to Jesus. The evil beasts who reject the Father’s Commandments think they can demand salvation by their own version of faithfulness to Jesus. But let’s also notice the next verse: V13 “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: BLESSED are the dead who die IN THE LORD from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labour, FOR THEIR DEEDS WILL FOLLOW THEM.” These BLESSED people, who OBEY God’s Commandments and hold to the TESTIMONY OF JESUS will endure to the end and will die—and their deeds will follow them! We learn a little more about these people in Rev 20:4 “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those WHO HAD BEEN BEHEADED BECAUSE of their TESTIMONY [OF] JESUS (Rev 19:10) AND because of the WORD OF GOD. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

These people will go to their deaths willingly and faithfully BECAUSE of the TESTIMONY OF JESUS and also BECAUSE of GOD’S WORD. And these will be given AUTHORITY TO JUDGE. And they will also reign with Christ for a thousand years.

Notice these people were BEHEADED for their belief in Almighty God. A dear friend recently pointed out to this writer that Moslem nations love to execute with the sword. Public beheading is a gala event. It’s no coincidence that these are the only people on the face of the earth that still use this method of execution.

But why Law? The answer is because God is the Great Judge. And He will judge all, both small and great, rich and poor, in fact all humanity. And God is not an unjust judge, He judges strictly according to LAW—and from the BOOK OF THE LAW—the Holy Scriptures. And ignorance of the LAW will be no excuse. God has warned everyone to remember the LAW OF MOSES, and He warns of this in the period just prior to the GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD (Mal 4:4). While there are many who say the LAWS must be forgotten and abandoned, God says the EXACT OPPOSITE! A judge must deliver verdicts according to the WRITTEN LAW, otherwise he is an unjust judge. And where there is no written law, there is no offence (1John 3:4). The purpose of remembering the Law is to ensure we refrain from sin.

God speaks of a time when He laid the landmass of the earth. He laid it according to set dimensions and in perfect form, and even stretched a measuring line across it. And affixed to this landmass was a CORNERSTONE. At this time the MORNING STARS (plural) sang TOGETHER. And all the angels shouted for joy. God was speaking to Job when He said these words: Job 38:4 “Where were you when I LAID THE EARTH’S FOUNDATION? Tell Me if you understand. Who marked off its DIMENSIONS? Surely you know! Who stretched a MEASURING LINE ACROSS IT? On what were its FOOTINGS SET, or who LAID THE CORNERSTONE—while the MORNING STARS sang TOGETHER and ALL THE ANGELS SHOUTED FOR JOY?”

The MORNING STAR is the SUN—the BRINGER OF LIGHT. You will notice that God speaks of MORNING STARS (plural) indicating there was MORE THAN ONE. IN FACT THERE WERE TWO! In another place, God speaks of ONE of these: Isa 14:12 “How you have FALLEN from heaven, O MORNING STAR, SON OF THE DAWN! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” Most Christians are aware that Gentile Christianity and the seed of Satan have always worshipped the SUN. In doing this, they are worshipping the one whom God CAST OUT IN DISGRACE.

Some Sabbath-keepers may claim vindication from this. They would argue that supplanting the Sabbath as the day to worship on, with the ‘day of the sun’ (Sunday) is a central issue of doctrine—which they firmly resist. AND THEY ARE RIGHT! But it’s not the ONLY issue! The central issue is which day God made holy. Because this is the day that identifies God’s people—FOREVER! (Ex 31:16-17). Satan knows that those who have rejected God’s Holy Seventh Day are still in the long night. The DAY STAR or MORNING STAR hasn’t yet DAWNED for them. They are still blinded by the DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.

There are now a few people on whom the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS has arisen: Mal 4:2 “But for you who revere My NAME, the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will rise with healing in its wings.” These people are further described in Mal 3:16. And so there are no misunderstandings, Christ has said this: Rev 22:16 “I, JESUS, have sent My angel to give you this TESTIMONY for the churches. I am the ROOT AND OFFSPRING OF DAVID, and the bright MORNING STAR.”

Concerning the Sabbath Day and those who profane it, there is soon to come a time when the rebellious will neither worship God on this day nor on the day of the sun. Satan already knows which groups have rebelled against God and joined his camp, he has in mind to enforce another day—the day of his seed—Friday! This Moslem ‘holy’ day is the day on which you will worship him or die. In this circumstance, God’s instructions to you are to choose death rather than to dishonour God!

Those who have rebelled against God, whether they have knowledged it or not, will pay the ultimate penalty. Only those who have believed God will survive. And to those few people who have proven themselves to believe God and to obey Him, hold fast to the faith. When the FINAL DISCLOSURES are made, you will need to be thoroughly familiar with all that God has said. And you must not waver!

You’ve heard all the dinky explanations from those who revile God’s Law, enticing you to believe that God wants us to live lawless lives. God knows how to deal with such evildoers, and the FINAL DISCLOSURES will have them choking with fear. And whether you want to believe it or not, when God releases His FINAL DISCLOSURES, Satan will know for the FIRST TIME, the TRUE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE. This will trigger a massive rebellion against God and Satan will declare war—against God! And Satan will be defeated and cast to earth with all his demonic hordes (Rev 12:7-11). IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE, THEN YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD NOTHING!

God put on notice long ago His intention of revealing all these things. And through the pen of the Apostle Paul He said this: Eph 3:9 “And to make plain to everyone the ADMINISTRATION OF THIS MYSTERY, which for AGES PAST was kept HIDDEN in God, who created all things. His INTENT was that now, through the CHURCH, the manifold WISDOM OF GOD should be made known to the RULERS AND AUTHORITIES IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Peter made it clear that even the angels would like to know these things, but God has not made it known to them. The prophets made it known that Christ would make two separate appearances on earth. The first as a LAMB, and the second as a LION (Rev 5:5-6). And the ADMINISTRATION of these things was only granted to the Apostles and Prophets. It takes the combined efforts of the KJV and the NIV to fully understand these things, since neither of them got it right, but this is what Peter said (NIV): 1Pet 1:12 “It was revealed to them (the prophets—V10) that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. EVEN ANGELS LONG TO LOOK INTO THESE THINGS.” The angels long to look into them—but can’t. This understanding is granted only to those on whom the FULFILMENT OF THE AGE has come: 1Cor 10:11 “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as WARNINGS for us, ON WHOM THE FULFILMENT OF THE AGES HAS COME.” (see also Ps 22:27-28).

For this reason the Apostle Paul said he only prophesied IN PART: 1Cor 13:9 “For we KNOW IN PART and we PROPHESY IN PART, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” He also said this: 1Cor 2:6 “We do, however, speak a MESSAGE OF WISDOM among the MATURE, but NOT the WISDOM OF THIS AGE or of the RULERS OF THIS AGE, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of GOD’S SECRET WISDOM, a WISDOM that has been HIDDEN and that God destined for our glory before time began. NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS AGE UNDERSTOOD IT, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” If the rulers of the heavenly realms had understood the whole purpose of GOD’S PLAN they would have understood the absolute stupidity of their strategy in murdering Christ. They believed that by killing Him they had destroyed Him forever. But Christ appeared to them: 1Pet 3:18 “...He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, through which also He went and preached to the SPIRITS IN PRISON who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the DAYS OF NOAH when the ark was being built.” And He triumphed over them: Col 2:15 “And having DISARMED THE POWERS AND AUTHORITIES, He made a PUBLIC SPECTACLE of them, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM in [Himself].”

And just so there is no confusion over who the powers and authorities are, Paul said this: Eph 6:12 “For our STRUGGLE is NOT against FLESH AND BLOOD, but against the RULERS, against the AUTHORITIES, against the POWERS OF THIS DARK WORLD and against the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS.” When we see those who vehemently refute the LAWS OF GOD, and who conjure up their own interpretations of prophecy with absolutely no Bible evidence, we know we are not dealing with flesh and blood, but with SPIRITUAL FORCES OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. Some believe that as long as they are teaching what everyone else is teaching, they are blameless. Well they are not! Christ describes them as evildoers (Matt 7:22-23). And those who truly love the Great God will see them for what they are, and will view them with the same contempt expressed by Christ!

For nearly two thousand years, the Churches of God had only A THIN VENEER OF TRUTH—just enough to make them identifiable as God’s people. These Churches retained God’s identifying sign—the Sabbath! In order that prophecy be fulfilled, they have never understood the Wisdom of God—the true TESTIMONY OF JESUS (Rev 19:10). This was reserved for those on whom the FULFILMENT OF THE AGES WOULD COME. And again, in order that prophecy would be fulfilled, God planned long ago, and from ages past, that He would reveal these things to His prophets. And the spiritual forces of the heavenly realm, and all those who follow their edicts and perversion, will not understand it—until God chooses to reveal it through His prophets!

And don’t think for one moment that any of the Churches that have existed down through the ages will ‘carry the ball’ in the endtime. They won’t! And nor will any of the modern-day offshoots even though they keep God’s identifying sign. God has passed the mantle to two prophets whose commission is to deliver the true Gospel to the world; and not just to the world, but to the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. This knowledge will trigger a furious enslaught from Satan the devil (Rev 12:7). God will be expecting him, because God will pick the very moment to activate his fury.

In the last few weeks (Nov, 1998), a bun-fight has developed among the rulers in the Global Church of God. In the simplest terms it’s a battle for who controls the bank accounts of the organization. As an aside, it’s interesting to note that some of these have self-righteously proclaimed a ‘fast’ in order to get a favourable outcome—for them! And in so doing, they have fulfilled prophecy! It’s amazing to see these people lead with their chins. God has something to say in Isaiah 58 concerning these people. The chapter is too long to include here, but notice that it starts with an instruction to His prophets: Isa 58:1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise you voice like a trumpet. Declare to My people their rebellion and to the House of Jacob their sins.” Then God deals with their feigned fasting and identifies it for what it is. V3 “...Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.” They greedily seek the workers money so they can do what they like with it. And God further describes their fasting: V4 “Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife, and striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.” God then speaks of the type of fasting that pleases Him, and concludes with this reward for faithful obedience: V8 “Then your LIGHT will BREAK FORTH like the DAWN, and your HEALING will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” So God is holding out the Olive Branch to them. Will they obey or won’t they? And if they do, God says this: V10 “...then your LIGHT will rise in the DARKNESS, and your NIGHT will become like the NOONDAY.” V12 “Your people will REBUILD the ANCIENT RUINS and will raise up the AGE-OLD FOUNDATIONS; you will be CALLED REPAIRER OF BROKEN WALLS, RESTORER OF STREETS WITH DWELLINGS.” But not under their present administration!

It’s no secret that God intends to gather His ‘treasured possession’ and bring them to Jerusalem to BUILD THE TEMPLE (Zech 6:15) under the direction of God’s prophets. No matter how you view it, none of the leaders of the Churches have ever understood the purpose God has for His faithful endtime people to BUILD THE TEMPLE! In God’s eyes, nothing else is more important! These people would have you believe that your salvation depends on their own internal power-struggles. They are leading you to certain death!

And God adds one more proviso in V13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath....” And let it be positively stated: Anyone who doesn’t keep God’s Sabbath holy WILL NOT BE THERE! You will not help to build the Temple and neither will you repair the dwellings of God’s Holy City.

And those of you who are titillated by the greedy power-struggle of those whose only desire is to gain control of the bank accounts, and are trying to decide who to follow—beware! The moment you see someone fasting to force God’s hand to promote their own self-interest, and who billow their righteousness like a spinaker, you should know that something is wrong! Warning bells should be ringing in your brain.

You know that none of these Churches have ever believed that God’s endtime prophets would build the TEMPLE in Jerusalem. You know they have never taught that a special group of people would be selected by God to accompany them and to help build the TEMPLE. You know they have spiritualized away all that God has to say on the matter. For the most part, they have ordered you to cling to them, on the presumption they would lead you to salvation. Don’t believe them! YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD!

And neither is anyone suggesting you pack your bags and get on the next plane. You would be wasting your time. This is what God says: Zech 6:15 “Those WHO ARE FAR AWAY will come and help BUILD THE TEMPLE of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This WILL HAPPEN if you DILIGENTLY OBEY the LORD your God.” And it says DILIGENTLY OBEY—NOT DILIGENTLY REBEL! And this alone rules out many people.

God has a lot to say about the Holy Land in the endtime. The focus of the whole world will be on the very land that God promised to Abraham. The final result will be glorious just as Isaiah prophesied: Isa 2:2 “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’S TEMPLE will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will TEACH US HIS WAYS, so that we may WALK IN HIS PATHS.” The LAW will go out from Zion, the WORD of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” There’s no escaping it! The LAW OF GOD will go out from Zion—even AFTER peace is enforced upon the earth. And this is the good news! The bad news is all the horror that will precede these glorious events.

In the interim, many prophecies must be fulfilled. Not the least of which is the prophecy found in the Book of Matthew and spoken by Christ: Matt 24:21 “For then there will be GREAT DISTRESS, UNEQUALLED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW—and WILL NEVER BE EQUALLED AGAIN. If those days [were] not cut short, NO-ONE WOULD SURVIVE, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”

And even so, there will be few men left alive! Isaiah recorded this: Isa 24:5 “The earth is defiled by its people; they have DISOBEYED THE LAWS, VIOLATED THE STATUTES AND BROKEN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT. Therefore a CURSE CONSUMES THE EARTH; its people must bear their GUILT. Therefore the earth’s inhabitants are burned up, AND VERY FEW ARE LEFT.” Little wonder that those who despise God and His LAWS, STATUTES and the EVERLASTING COVENANT, also reject the Old Covenant and 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. These sanctimonious, ‘holier than thou’ frauds are also mentioned in Isa 8:20 “To the LAW and the TESTIMONY! If they DON’T SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, they have NO LIGHT OF DAWN (see 2Pet 1:19-20). Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and looking upward, WILL CURSE THEIR KING AND THEIR GOD. Then they will look towards the earth and see only DISTRESS and DARKNESS and FEARFUL GLOOM, and they will be THRUST INTO UTTER DARKNESS (see Matt 25:29-30).”

The Bible is a LAW BOOK! It must be searched to determine the intend of the Legislator—which is God! For over 1,900 years no-one had the ‘LIGHT OF DAWN’, that is, the LIGHT of the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (Mal 4:2, Luke 1:78, 2Pet 1:19). Not only did the PROPHETS prophesy of all the final endtime events, but so did the LAW (Matt 11:13). The Churches never have! What the Churches have ‘prophesied’ is generated from their own minds. It’s almost an obscenity that these people take the name of Christ (Christian) and yet fail to emulate Him. Christ is our COUNSELLOR or LAWYER or ADVOCATE. And as the GOOD COUNSELLOR that He is, He continually intercedes for us with the Father. You should know all the relevant scriptures concerning this; the fact that you’ve never believed them is not the fault of the Scriptures.

Even the most myopic of Bible students could not help but notice that the articles written by those who reject the Word of God in favour of their own doctrine write the most appalling and meaningless dribble. Their pathetic articles don’t reflect the intend of the Great Legislator. Because they have rejected the TESTIMONY of their COUNSELLOR, neither do they have the SPIRIT OF THE COUNSELLOR (Rev 19:10). The pathetic apologists who write their silly, childish articles will be judged, not only for their every action, but also for their every word! The words of these pathetic beasts spew from their mouths like vomit! And they would have you believe they have the Wisdom of God! What a laugh!

God makes a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked (Mal 3:18), and those who are righteous are required to recognize those who SERVE GOD! The whole book of Malachi identifies the endtime prophet; the one God has sent—His messenger—to conclude and fulfil all the prophecies leading up to the return of Christ.

All the articles now posted at Zion Ministries are rudimentary, they contain all the rudimentary elements of the Bible that any devoted Bible student should have known. The fact that you never understood any of it, is because you have always refused to BELIEVE God. What didn’t conform to your brand of righteousness was rejected. You sought to influence God to comply with your standards.

Then we have the others who write articles on ‘prophecy’ and who titillate their readers with every sort of delusion from their own minds. They want you to believe them to be prophets. In the near future, when all TRUE PROPHECY is laid bare, you will probably reject it because you have failed to recognize the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. You will be shocked senseless, but it will be too late. Your instructions will be found in Rom 8:36. The Churches of God in Ephraim are receiving their last wake-up call. Christ said He had other sheep who are not of this sheep pen (John 10:16). Christ affirmed that He would also gather these. He also said the reason the Father loves Him is because He lays down His life (V17).

People use all sorts of excuses for disobedience. Foremost in the Churches of God is the illusion that many are ‘hurt’ because of the conduct of Herbert Armstrong and have justified their swing to the other end of the pendulum because of him. Were these people also blind in the right eye? Apparently they were! Were their arms also withered and weak that they couldn’t raise them in protest? No! They sat in the congregation and believed everything and never raised a protest! Oddly enough they weren’t even ‘hurt’ until a certain Gentile came along called Joe Tkach who began to teach his brand of doctrine. He died of course and his son expanded the Gentile philosophy to include many other worldly teachings that are not taught in the Bible. The Tkach philosophy can be summed up by his words (when he was caught in a fancy restaurant eating lobster) ‘I’m a Gentile, I don’t have to obey the laws, I can do as I like’—or words to that effect. This is the sort of man the ‘crazies’ follow!

Those who have judged God by the standards of Herbert Armstrong are guilty of the most appalling blasphemy and will be so judged. If you think God failed you because He allowed Herbert Armstrong to teach some things that were not Biblical in origin, or because he became a worthless shepherd, then you will answer to God. Your obligation has always been to God to BELIEVE Him, HONOUR Him, and OBEY Him! With obedience to God comes the Wisdom of God, and transversely, with disobedience all knowledge is taken away. If you see a dearth of knowledge in the articles written by these cretins, why do you believe them? How will you ever understand anything if you don’t exercise Godly wisdom?

(Continuing with Part 3 next week.)

For this and other articles by Neville V. Stevens, see www.zionministry.com

CLOSING HYMN # 196                                        “Trust and Obey”

John H. Sammis, 1846-1919
Daniel B. Towner, 1850-1919

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

CLOSING WORDS (In Unison)

Walk before God with all your heart,
and dare to offer God’s steadfast love to others.
Preach the gospel in every day and place
by the way you live and by what you say.
Seek not to please human beings,
but to be servants of God and Jesus Christ.
Make a joyful noise to God and
seek to be faithful to the covenant. Amen.