This page was developed while holding meetings on what it means to live in times of judgment. Being more specific and speaking on a practical basis, I am speaking on what it means to to be one of God's faithful messengers in times of judgment. One could also speak of what it means to "serve" God in times of judgment.
Throughout the Scriptures we find that judgments came upon people who had not only turned their backs on God, but they were also defying and rebelling against Him. Times of judgment included the destruction of the world by a flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the destruction of Jerusalem.
Prior to pouring out these judgments, God brought warnings of the impending event through messengers who faithfully shared the messages given them. Often—more often than not—the messages were ignored and the messengers were scorned and ridiculed—think Noah and Jeremiah. Sometimes the message was accepted and the disaster was averted—think Jonah warning the Ninevites.
The series was given at the Central SDA Church in Calgary, AB (Canada) in January of 2018. Portions of the series was also giving in Olds and Ponoka, AB. The people and times considered were Noah, who faithfully warned the people of his day of the coming flood; Lot, who lived in Sodom even though he was vexed by the iniquity around him and sadly failed to convinced many of his family members to leave Sodom; Elijah who courageously prayed that God would withhold the rain and then was cared for by God in the same way God's people will be cared for in the last days; Jonah who tried to avoid taking the judgment message to Ninevah by taking a ship to Tarship, and greatly endangered the seamen who were with him; a testimony (The testimony of how God brought Rose and I together) that speaks a bit on knowing God's will and how we may seek God's wisdom in times of judgment; and the Exodus Story that shares how God prepares a people to faithfully serve him through an ongoing and progressive journey of dying to self.
Among future presentations will be Jeremiah, the beleaguered messenger, who encouraged his people to submit to Babylon; Enoch who was so fearful of being tainted by the iniquitous people around him that he lived a separated life; and Jesus, the perfect messenger, who refused to endanger his mission with any unnecessary confrontations.
In preparing I read many helpful articles on the subject, some of which were wonderfully instructive. I have assembled some of them here to enable further study by those attending and others listening to the series.
Unless indicated otherwise, additional resources come from the writings of Ellen White. In some cases the article titles were slightly modified to be more descriptive.—Dan
Introduction
One of the interesting veins of thought regards the varying messages given by the faithful messengers who were warning the people of their day. Where Noah was calling the people of his day to enter the ark, Elijah was calling his people to return to their spiritual roots and serve the creator God. Truth had not changed, but the situations were different and thus the messages given were different. James White wrote a very helpful treatise on saving faith. I have added a quotation below of one of his most helpful paragraphs, but the link follows so that you can read the entire chapter for yourself. The last few paragraphs were especially helpful.—Dan
"What, then, is saving faith for our time? In the days of Noah, saving faith was to believe that the waters of the flood were coming. In the days of Lot, saving faith was to believe that fire would be rained from heaven upon the ungodly. In the days of Christ, saving faith was to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah. Saving faith now is to believe that the second coming of Christ will take place in a little while. This embraces faith in God and in his word, in all the way the Lord God has led us, and that the consummation of the blessed hope will come in a little while. Here is saving faith for the Christians of the last generation."
"God tested the world when he sent, through Noah, a message to the antediluvians. He sent warning after warning that the world would be destroyed by the waters of the flood; but the wise men of the age despised the message, and showed contempt for God’s messenger. They had so far separated themselves from God that they trusted to the imaginations of their own hearts, and cared not to know the will of God. But the unbelief of great and intelligent men did not prevent the fulfillment of God’s pronounced judgments. The judgments came as God had declared by the word of his prophets that they would come. Only faithful Noah and his family entered into the ark, and were saved when the deluge engulfed the world. The days of Noah are pointed to as an illustration of the unbelief that will prevail at the end of the world. Says the Saviour, “But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” {RH November 5, 1889, par. 2}
If a similar condition of things is to exist in our day, we should be intelligent concerning it, and have sanctified judgment, that we may not take a course like the course of those who perished in the flood. We should be so instructed that we will not follow a multitude to do evil. God has sent reproofs and warnings that men might repent of their transgressions, and forsake the evil of their ways, and so escape his threatened judgments. God has always made a refuge for those who have repented of their sins, believed in his love, and hoped in his mercy. {RH November 5, 1889, par. 3}
"To walk with God is the highest duty, the greatest honor, blessedness, and excellence of man. Many men were at first receivers of the message that faithful preacher of righteousness bore. Noah’s carpenters were receiving instruction from his lips and they could not be in the companionship of such a man without receiving in large measure an influence by his words. But there were mockers in those days and everything serious was mocked and derided by a certain class whose minds and works were evil and that continually." {Ms200-1899.12}
In Noah’s day, the inhabitants of the old world laughed to scorn what they termed the superstitious fears and forebodings of the preacher of righteousness. He was denounced as a visionary character, a fanatic, an alarmist. “As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Men will reject the solemn message of warning in our day as they did in Noah’s time. They will refer to those false teachers who have predicted the event and set the definite time, and will say they have no more faith in our warning than in theirs. This is the attitude of the world today. Unbelief is wide spread, and the preaching of Christ’s coming is mocked at and derided. This makes it all the more essential that those who believe present truth show their faith by their works. They should be sanctified through the truth which they profess to believe; for they are savors of life unto life or of death unto death. {RH August 16, 1887, par. 8}
"When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice of Lot was heard in Sodom. Yet Lot could have preserved his family from many evils had he not made his home in this wicked, polluted city. All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance from the city. Enoch walked with God, and yet he did not live in the midst of any city, polluted with every kind of violence and wickedness, as did Lot in Sodom."—Mrs. E. G. White, Kress Collection 4.2
Find more resources on the subject of parenting at the Christian Family section on this website.
"Enoch kept the Lord ever before him, and the inspired Word says that he “walked with God.” He made Christ his constant companion. He was in the world, and performed his duties to the world; but he was ever under the influence of Jesus. He reflected Christ’s character, exhibiting the same qualities in goodness, mercy, tender compassion, sympathy, forbearance, meekness, humility and love. His association with Christ day by day transformed him into the image of him with whom he was so intimately connected. Day by day he was growing away from his own way into Christ’s way, the heavenly, the divine, in his thoughts and feelings. He was constantly inquiring, “Is this the way of the Lord?” His was a constant growth, and he had fellowship with the Father and the Son. This is genuine sanctification." – {RH December 5, 1912 Par. 4}
"Enoch was holy because he walked with God in God’s way. In him the world had an example of what those will be who, when Christ comes, are caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air. As Enoch was, so are we to be. Personal piety is to be blended with the most earnest and energetic warnings and appeals. We are to point to what is, with what is to be following fast after. We are instructed to be “not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” [Romans 12:11.] We are to be earnest in our efforts to clear the King’s highway, to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord. Fervency of spirit must be brought into our service for the Lord. The lamps of the soul must be kept filled and burning." {Lt97-1902.6}
I spent many hours reading everything I could about Enoch and was very blessed. I was especially helped in finally understanding why the birth of his brought him into a new walk with God. Because of time limitations the presentation could not share all I had learned. However, the ppt pdf is more complete and is highly instructive. Eventually a little booklet will be made on the life of Enoch.—Dan
Country living is a compilation of quotations on the virtue of living in the country. You should read this if you are contemplating relocating to the country. However, you should also read From City To Country Living to gain additional insight. I have listed a link below.
From City to Country Living is a short pamphlet prepared by Arthur White and E. A Sutherland on the subject of country living. This is a highly important and helpful document that gives additional insight on what Ellen White meant when she spoke of living in the country. Unfortunately, this pdf is no longer available through the White Estate website. You can buy it at the ABC.
You can learn more about abandoning the cities in the question section at the bottom of this page.
“Out of the cities; out of the cities!”—this is the message the Lord has been giving me. The earthquakes will come; the floods will come; and we are not to establish ourselves in the wicked cities, where the enemy is served in every way, and where God is so often forgotten. The Lord desires that we shall have clear spiritual eyesight. We must be quick to discern the peril that would attend the establishment of institutions in these wicked cities. We must make wise plans to warn the cities, and at the same time live where we can shield our children and ourselves from the contaminating and demoralizing influences so prevalent in these places." {RH July 5, 1906, par. 10}
"The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble. I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them or in the field in the time of trouble, when sword, famine, and pestilence are in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands and strangers would reap their fields. Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God, and He will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water will be sure at that time, and that we shall not lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us in the wilderness. If necessary He would send ravens to feed us, as He did to feed Elijah, or rain manna from heaven, as He did for the Israelites." {EW 56.2}
"I was shown that it is the will of God that the saints should cut loose from every encumbrance before the time of trouble comes, and make a covenant with God through sacrifice. If they have their property on the altar and earnestly inquire of God for duty, He will teach them when to dispose of these things. Then they will be free in the time of trouble and have no clogs to weigh them down." {EW 56.3}
"I also saw that God had not required all of His people to dispose of their property at the same time; but if they desired to be taught, He would teach them, in a time of need, when to sell and how much to sell. Some have been required to dispose of their property in times past to sustain the Advent cause, while others have been permitted to keep theirs until a time of need. Then, as the cause needs it, their duty is to sell." {EW 57.1} —Mrs. E. G. White, Early Writings
"We are, as a people, triumphing in the clearness and strength of the truth. We are fully sustained in our positions by an overwhelming amount of plain scriptural testimony. But we are very much wanting in Bible humility, patience, faith, love, self-denial, watchfulness, and a spirit of sacrifice. We need to cultivate Bible holiness. Sin prevails among the people of God. The plain message of rebuke to the Laodiceans is not received. Many cling to their doubts and their darling sins, while they are in so great a deception as to talk and feel that they are in need of nothing. They think the testimony of the Spirit of God in reproof is uncalled for, or that it does not mean them. Such are in the greatest need of the grace of God and spiritual discernment, that they may discover their deficiency in spiritual knowledge. They lack almost every essential qualification necessary to perfect Christian character. They have not a practical knowledge of Bible truth, which leads to lowliness of life, and a conformity of their will to the will of Christ. They are not living in obedience to all God’s requirements." {RH September 16, 1873 Par. 7}
In the course of meetings at Ponoka, AB, in 2018, I came upon the four following articles which were entitled, "The Laodicean Church." The first article begins with strong statements regarding the applicability of the Laodicean message to the Adventist church, including resistance to the message and the messengers bearing the messages. By the end of the article she compares the resistance in her time to the resistance that faced Elijah. The second article begins with a discussion of Achan and how his sin kept God from blessing His people at the battle of Ai, as well as the need to address the sins holding back God's blessings upon the church. From this she transitions to again speak of Elijah, and gives a fuller treatment of the opposition he faced. The final two articles cover the showdown at Mt. Carmel, and praying for rain and the discouragement that came later. Prior to reading these articles I had never seen the story of Elijah as a practical example of the challenges facing those who bear the Laodicean message. The sermon given at Ponoka reflects the new understanding. I will also post the powerpoint eventually. I added the "- Elijah" to the article titles to highlight the "Elijah" connection.—Dan
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This was mainly our testimony of how God led Rose and I together, and how God carefully and clearly led us forward. Five years later we can testify about how great a match-maker God really is. The principles mentioned—being open to God's will, conformity to Scriptures, opening and closing providences, peace and affirmation by mature Christians—work with all areas of life. You find them strongly affirmed in the story of Eliezer finding a wife for Isaac. Learn more about knowing God's will at this link: Discovering God's Will
Here I try to answer some of the questions that are raised when considering living in times of judgment.
Unless otherwise stated, quotations come from the writings of Mrs. E. G. White.