If we take a pencil or a stick and place our finger on its center it will balance on our finger. It is the same as taking the religion of the Bible and making it stand on its center—that center is Jesus Christ. The whole Bible, both the Old and the New Testament is about Jesus Christ. When sin entered, the Lord made the first covenant with Adam; He specifically told him to take a lamb and sacrifice it because, with the shedding of the blood, their sins were forgiven. This prefigured the Son of God’s great sacrifice on the cross. In Psalm 40:6–8 we read “Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ears hast Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.”
Now, where does the law of God originate? Isn’t it in the heart of Jesus Christ? If it is originating from Him, it is as holy as Himself. “He is THE ROCK, His work is perfect for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4. It clarifies what is being referred to here, when Moses was to call forth water from the rock, as Paul also refers to in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Everything Christ does He brings it to judgment, to show how much He cares for every intelligent being. “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And all did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that ROCK was CHRIST.” 1 Corinthians 10:2–4.
If we try to keep the law alone it is impossible because of our carnal mind, but One who lifts up the sinner and gives life to the soul—the same wonderful Creator—with His help we can. Please don’t try in your own strength; you will only be disappointed and frustrated. Maybe it looks simple to you at first, but then you find out you cannot. If you truly imagine God—how holy is He. Just imagine the distance between God’s home and our home. It is infinity, as is His holiness; and when we truly pray, His mercy which is at the same distance, so vast is His investment in us, and so great is His love, that He will come to your aid.
When God chose Jacob he was the lowliest person on Earth. What does the Bible say about Jacob? “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD’S portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.” Deuteronomy 32:8–10. This shows how Jacob’s status was. But still this is the Lord’s doing. He didn’t choose the mightiest, but the least of the least; He strengthened His people and kept them as His crown jewels. The church of God was always very lowly and few in numbers—it is no exception now.
What does the Bible say about Jesus becoming a human? “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:1–4. When Our Lord came it happened exactly as it was written. How did they dispute this? By asking, will any Prophet come from Galilee? But what did the Lord say concerning this? “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39. The very scriptures testify of the mission of John the Baptist and of Jesus’ life in Galilee. “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first He lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:1, 6. These verses show clearly that Jesus will start His mission in Galilee and then spread to the whole country.
In England, the Puritans asked King James to only teach the Bible and to reform the teaching of the Anglican church. This caused a rift between the two groups. King James didn’t want a war to break out so he compromised and commissioned a new Bible, but he didn’t want to reform the church; thus most of the Puritans came to the United States. The Puritans coming to the New World were an important part of the Protestant Reform. When William Miller preached the soon return of Christ it created the 2nd great wakening.
William Miller was a simple farmer who started to preach the First Angel’s Message about the soon coming of Christ to this earth. But when October 22, 1844 passed, it was revealed to Hiram Edson what this great event actually was. Daniel portrayed this event in heaven, how the Ancient of days did sit, and when the thrones were set in place, then the Son of Man approaches Him like a trial judge, taking His position. What a marvelous spectacle to watch this event, but it wasn’t to happen before the papacy was to receive the deadly wound. This points us to the year 1844, as promised. When the churches refused to accept the message they became Babylon; soon after the Adventist church started to preach the Third Angel’s message. Let us see what the Spirit of Prophesy says concerning this:
“As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, ‘They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast to the truth.’ The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God’s commandments, had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.” – Early Writings, p. 254
Then during the 1st World War the reformation was prophesied to come and it did come. “I was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. War, bloodshed, privation, want, famine, and pestilence were abroad in the land. As these things surrounded God’s people, they began to press together, and to cast aside their little difficulties. Self-dignity no longer controlled them; deep humility took its place. Suffering, perplexity, and privation caused reason to resume its throne, and the passionate and unreasonable man became sane, and acted with discretion and wisdom.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 268
A CALL FOR REFORMATION
“Unless the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good, when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ, standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her God-given simplicity and purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the chosen of God, His representatives.
“The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation begins, the spirit of prayer will actuate every believer and will banish from the church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living in Christian fellowship will draw close to one another. One member working in right lines will lead other members to unite with him in making intercession for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. There will be no confusion, because all will be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. The barriers separating believer from believer will be broken down, and God’s servants will speak the same things. The Lord will co-operate with His servants. All will pray understandingly the prayer that Christ taught His servants: ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ Matthew 6:10.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 251
How gracefully the Lord called for a thorough reformation to take place—and it happened. Please don’t look for fire to come down or great miracles to take place, but the Lord’s leading is simple, by the sure word of prophesy. AMEN.
God Bless!!
Augustus Ratneiya