Repeating the history of ancient Israel

[Apology: The font color is barely acceptable, but I'm making this post from my phone and I don't have all the capabilities of my laptop. Please bear with me.]

"Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.

Therefore son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me." (Eze. 20:25-27).

Is our Lord remiss in His law of freedom of choice, so that He would give statutes that are false? 2 Samuel 24:1/1 Chronicles 21:1, and 2 Thessalonians 2:12 say that He would not be remiss in so doing. But in reality the deceptions have always come from Satan who they were serving through their refusal to keep all of the Lord's laws from a deeply repentant and humbled heart.

"And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: 

And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 

And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not...." (Jud. 2:7-22).

Just what is my point? What has all that got to do with the Trinity? From the Ellen White compilation, Healthful Living,

The Modern Church Repeating the History of Ancient Israel

1169. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ.—The Review and Herald, February 18, 1890. HL 280.1

1170. Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people.—Testimonies for the Church 5:160. HL 280.2

1171. Their history should be a solemn warning to us. We need never expect that when the Lord has light for his people, Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from receiving it. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends, because it does not come in a way to please us.... If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let them not stand in the way of others.—Testimonies for the Church 5:728. HL 280.3

1172. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” HL 280.4

This song was not historical but prophetic. While it recounted the wonderful dealings of God with his people in the past, it also foreshadowed the great events of the future, the final victory of the faithful when Christ shall come the second time in power and glory.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 467.HL 281.1

1173. The apostle Paul plainly states that the experience of the Israelites in their travels has been recorded for the benefit of those living in this age of the world, those upon whom the ends of the world are come. We do not consider that our dangers are any less than those of the Hebrews, but greater.—Testimonies for the Church 3:358. HL 281.2

God's Dealing with Israel

1174. God in mercy called them out from the Egyptians, that they might worship him without hindrance or restraint. He wrought for them in the way by miracles, he proved and tried them by bringing them into strait places. After the wonderful dealings of God with them, and their deliverance so many times, they murmured when tried or proved by him. Their language was, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt.” They lusted for the leeks and onions there.... Said the angel, “Ye have done worse than they.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:128. HL 281.3

The Influence of Flesh Food upon Mind and Body

1175. How frequently ancient Israel rebelled, and how often they were visited with judgments, and thousands slain, because they would not heed the commands of God who had chosen them! The Israel of God in these last days are in constant danger of mingling with the world, and losing all signs of being the chosen people of God.... Shall we provoke him as did ancient Israel? Shall we bring his wrath upon us by departing from him, and mingling with the world and following the abominations of the nations around us? ... The same injunctions that rested upon ancient Israel rest upon God's people now, to be separate from the world. The great Head of the church has not changed. The experience of Christians in these days is much like the travels of ancient Israel. Please read 1 Corinthians 10, especially from the 6th to the 15th verse: “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.... Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:283.HL 282.1

1176. The Lord intends to bring his people back to live upon simple fruits, vegetables, and grains. He led the children of Israel into the wilderness, where they could not get a flesh diet; and he gave them the bread of heaven. “Man did eat angels’ food.” But they craved the flesh pots of Egypt, and mourned and cried for flesh, notwithstanding the promise of the Lord that if they would submit to his will, he would carry them into the land of Canaan, and establish them there, a pure holy, happy people, and there should not be a feeble one in all their tribes; for he would take away all sickness from among them. But although they had a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” they mourned and wept, and murmured and complained, until the Lord was wroth with them. Because they were so determined to have the flesh of dead animals, he gave them the very diet that he had withheld from them. The Lord would have given them flesh from the first had it been essential to their health; but he had created and redeemed them, and led them the long journey in the wilderness, to educate, discipline and train them in correct habits. The Lord understood what influence flesh eating has upon the human system. He would have a people that would, in their physical appearance, bear the divine credentials, notwithstanding their long journey.—Unpublished Testimonies, November 5, 1896. HL 282.2

Warnings from the Experience of Israel

1177. The religion of many among us will be the religion of apostate Israel, because they love their own way, and forsake the way of the Lord.—The Signs of the Times, November 3, 1890. HL 283.1

1178. Because of Israel's disobedience and departure from God, they were allowed to be brought into close places, and to suffer adversity; their enemies were permitted to make war with them, to humble them and lead them to seek God in their trouble and distress.—Testimonies for the Church 2:106.HL 283.2

1179. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and 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. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” The experience of Israel, referred to in the above words by the apostle, and as recorded in the 105th and 106th psalms, contains lessons of warning that the people of God in these last days especially need to study. I urge that these chapters be read at least once every week.—Special Testimony to Battle Creek Church, 43. HL 284.1

1180. With the history of the children of Israel before us, let us take heed, and not be found committing the same sins, following in the same way of unbelief and rebellion.—The Review and Herald, April 18, 1893. HL 284.

With all of the above background, we can more correctly understand Adventist history. Below is an article copied from Ministry Magazine written by Merlin E. Burt, one of the directors of the Ellen White Estate.

"The 1890s began, two of the key thinkers on each side of the righteousness by faith/law in Galatians issue agreed on the derived divinity of Jesus. E. J. Waggoner wrote in his 1890 Christ and His Righteousness, “There was a time when Christ proceeded forth and came from God . . . but that time was so far back in the days of eternity that to finite comprehension it is practically without beginning.”¹² In 1898, Uriah Smith wrote in Looking Unto Jesus, “God alone is without beginning. At the earliest epoch when a beginning could be,—a period so remote that to finite minds it is essentially eternity,—appeared the Word.”¹³

The period after the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference saw a new emphasis on Jesus and the plan of salvation. This led to a consideration of His deity and what it meant for the redemption of humanity. A. T. Jones was among the first (with the exception of Ellen White) to suggest that Christ was eternally preexistent. Jones emphasized Colossians 2:9 and the idea that in Christ was the “fullness of the Godhead bodily.” He also described Christ as “ ‘the eternal Word.’ ”¹⁴ Though he avoided the word Trinity, in 1899 he wrote, “God is one. Jesus Christ is one. The Holy Spirit is one. And these three are one: there is no dissent nor division among them.”¹⁵

Ellen White played a prophetic role in confirming the eternal deity of Jesus and the Three-Person Godhead. As early as 1878, she referred to Jesus as the “eternal Son of God.”¹⁶ In The Desire of Ages, she wrote, “[Christ] announced Himself to be the self-existent One” and “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived.”¹⁷ She wrote of the Holy Spirit as the “Third Person of the Godhead.”¹⁸Ellen White played an important role in urging the church toward a biblical trinitarian position. However, for years after the publication of The Desire of Ages, the church generally avoided these and other statements. While she never used the term Trinity in her published writings, she repeatedly conveyed the concept.

M. L. Andreasen questioned whether Ellen White had actually written some of her statements in The Desire of Ages and other books. During 1909, Andreasen spent three months at Elmshaven, California, and was convinced of the accuracy of her published position.¹⁹

 

FROM 1900 TO 1931: TRANSITION AND CONFLICT

During the first three decades of the twentieth century, the church remained divided in its position on the deity of Christ. The use of the word Trinity in print continued to be avoided. W. W. Prescott and A.T. Jones, both editors of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, were key supporters of the full and eternal deity of Jesus. During the 1890s, Prescott was slower than Jones to accept the new view. But after 1900, as editor of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, he published articles on the personhood and eternal nature of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.²⁰ Still Prescott believed that Jesus had a derived existence from God the Father. At the 1919 Bible Conference, he presented a series of eight devotionals for the conference titled “The Person of Christ” that expressed this view. Careful discussion at this conference showed that there were varying opinions.²¹

The early twentieth century saw Adventists and Protestant Fundamentalists battling higher criticism and the “new modernism” growing in Christianity. Liberalism rejected the deity of Jesus and His virgin birth. Adventist articles defending the Bible view began to appear more frequently in church papers. Irrespective of individual differences on details, Adventist ministers pulled into line against liberal views. Naturally, those who rejected the eternal preexistence of Christ did not want to speak of His beginning and weaken the argument against higher criticism. Even articles on the Trinity were tolerated.²² The result was an increased appreciation of the full deity of the Son of God.

 

FROM 1931 TO 1957: ACCEPTANCE OF THE TRINITARIAN VIEW

F. M. Wilcox was crucial in facilitating the final transition to an accepted Seventh-day Adventist view on the Trinity through his guidance in the 1931 Statement of Fundamental Beliefs and his articles in the Review and Herald.²³Doctrinal summaries were carefully avoided during the first decades of the twentieth century, due in part to conflict on the Trinity. According to L. E. Froom, Wilcox was “respected by all parties for his soundness, integrity, and loyalty to the Advent Faith—and to the Spirit of Prophecy—he, as editor of the Review, did what probably no other man could have done to achieve unity in acceptance.”²⁴ It was not until 1946 that the General Conference session officially voted a Statement of Fundamental Beliefs.²⁵

During the 1940s, an ever-increasing majority of the church believed in the eternal, underived deity of Christ and the personhood of the Holy Spirit, yet there were some who held back and even actively resisted the change. These were mainly comprised of a few older ministers and Bible teachers such as J. S. Washburn, C. S. Longacre, and W. R. French. In 1944, Uriah Smith’s Daniel and the Revelation was revised and his comments on the derived nature of Christ’s divinity were removed.²⁶

In 1957, the book Questions on Doctrineanchored the doctrine of the Trinity or Godhead for Adventists. While the book produced theological conflict in other areas, there was virtually no dissent on the book’s clear teaching of the Trinity.²⁷The current unambiguous statement on the Trinity in the Seventh-day Adventist  at the 1980 General Conference Session.

The process of adopting the Trinity continued from 1900 to 1950. Key influences in the change were (1) repeated published biblical studies on the topic, (2) Ellen White’s clear statements, (3) Adventist response to the attacks of modern liberalism on the deity of Christ and His virgin birth, and (4) F. M. Wilcox’s statement of Fundamental Beliefs and his Review and Herald editorials.

We may learn several lessons from the history of the development of doctrine of the Trinity in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. First, we must acknowledge that the development of Adventist theology has usually been progressive and corrective. This is clearly illustrated in the Holy Spirit is dynamic. Other doctrinal concepts developed in a similar manner. This development never supposed a paradigm shift that contradicted the clear biblical teaching of the heavenly sanctuary ministry of Jesus and the prophetic foundation of the church. Second, the development of the Trinity doctrine demonstrates that doctrinal change sometimes requires the passing of a previous generation. For Seventh-day Adventists, it took more than 50 years for the doctrine of the Trinity to become normative...."

https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2009/02/the-trinity.html

And the rest is history to the present day.

But that past 130 year history, having disregarded Ellen White's statements from Healthful Living, paints only a partial picture. We have repeated the history of ancient Israel by departing into heathen worship. Just as Allah is not the God of the Old Testament, but is Ba'al, likewise is the Trinity god not the God of the New Testament, but is simply a makeover of ancient Baalim and Ashtaroth. Satan hasn't changed his tactics. He only changed names.

Therefore, the Ministry Magazine article is biased. Not taking into the Trinity discussion this post's opening scriptures and Ellen White quotations, Mr. Burt skews our history. He places a favorable light upon F.M. Wilcox's personal "1931 Statement of Fundamental Beliefs". I say "personal" because his Statement of Fundamental Beliefs was not voted on by a General Conference Session, as had all the previous Statements of Fundamental Beliefs. It could appear in the Review and Herald because he was its editor-in-chief from 1911-1944.

An excerpt from another website, Leroy Froom sheds light on this very subject:

"...Watson stated to me, that in the thinking of the small committee, no formal or official  approval should be sought forthe unofficial Wilcox statement of 1931.  It was therefore not brought before the General Conference Committee.  It had not been prepared as a creed, but as a summary of our fundamental beliefs, to see how it [the "Trinity" term] would be received. To this end the committee of four had been given power to act."  (Froom, MOD, p. 418, 419, emphasis supplied).

https://maranathamedia.com/article/view/another-perspective-of-the-1913-f-m-wilcox-trinity-statement

A point repeated by several documented cases in the above website regards the Adventists' backlash toward the current concepts of the Trinity. The introduction of this papal dogma was insidiously engineered and gradually slipped into SDA thinking. Such manuevering mimics Jesuitry so closely that it would defy reason to disallow Jesuit machinations here.

One last thought: we have applauded the statement concerning the early Dark Ages church's resistance to the Papal Sunday:

"The fact remains though that, outside of Rome and Alexandria, the rest of the Christian world continued to observe the Sabbath as a memorial of creation. Of course, gradually, Sunday observance also became popular early on within many Christian churches as a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.  The mid-5th Century historian Sozomen reported,

'The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria.'

Sozomen. The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen. Comprising a History of the Church, from a.d. 323 to a.d. 425. Book VII, Chapter XIX. Translated from the Greek. Revised by Chester D. Hartranft, Hartford Theological Seminary, Under the editorial supervision of Philip Shaff, D.D., LL.D. and Henry Wace, D. D., Professor of Church History in the Union Theological Seminary, New York. Principal of King’s College, London. T&T Clark, Edinburgh, circa 1846.

Socrates Scholasticus (380-440 AD):

The 5th-century historian Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople noted:

'For although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this.'"

http://detectingdesign.com/wp/2017/04/20/christians-and-the-sabbath/#Sozomen_400-450_AD

If we can be so full of applause to the Sabbath-keepers for holding fast to what God had given the apostolic church, then why shouldn't we be edified by the SDA church for contending for the anti-Trinitarian faith that was once given to the Adventist pioneers?

What is the Spiri

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." (Deut. 29:29).

Notice that whether or not a mystery of God is revealed, the divine purpose is not for the satisfaction of our curiosity, but for power to obey God. And, likwise the question of what the Spirit is, is not revealed simply to satisfy our fleshly pride to know more than someone else, but to keep us from falling into worshipping a creation instead of the Creator.

Normally, the effort to expose the Trinity delusion comes in the form of saying that we aren't explaining what the Spirit is, but who the Spirit is. And that is essentially my effort in this post. But we have been given a few clues from scripture that actually say something about what the Spirit is. But, again, the divine purpose is still to identify who the Spirit is.

In past posts I have likened the Spirit to radio waves that are collected by an antenna and processed through a radio. In order to hear a radio signal that otherwise is inaudible, the radio power supply creates a voltage from 115 volts, 60 hertz, then combines the radio signal, through a transistor, to the destructive 115 volt current. The transistor steps down the destructive voltage while keeping a perfect copy of the radio wave. Thus, a signal in the radio is created identical to the broadcasted signal, a previously inaudible signal that now can vibrate speakers. And so the human ear is able to listen to the person speaking in a studio. And the radio can rightly claim that the voice it decries is from the man in the studio, when technically, it is the electronic emission of the radio speakers.

I compared this earthly form of communication to the spiritual communication that comes from our Father in heaven. The Spirit of God is His powerful, creative, and recreative mind.

 The Spirit can be called a "He", not because it is a separate person from God, i.e. a third person Holy Ghost, but because it represents its source, God.  The Spirit can be called "holy", because God is holy and the source of all holiness. The Spirit can also be capitalized, as is our modern convention, to give It special honor, because God is due our special honor and glory. But the personal, capitalized pronoun, "He", should not presume that the Spirit is a person, not a counselor to pray to, not a deity to sing to, or an object of worship. The Spirit is not a being any more than the radio signal or radio speakers are the person in the studio. He is not a member of the Father and Son Godhead any more than is the voice coming from your phone the person you are talking to, as much as the electronic transmission sure sounds like the person.

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent." (Acts 17:30).

But what does scripture give us to understand the mysterious divine transmissions from God? What is it? And, may we be so bold to ask, How does it work? Perhaps, we have been given clues for understanding this gracious work of God.

Look at the prophets Daniel and John. When Christ revealed Himself to Daniel, who else was present? An angel who was the highest ranking of the heavenly hosts. "I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." (Dan. 10:21).

Who was this messenger from the courts of God?

"Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." (Dan. 9:21, 22).

In chapter 10 Gabriel was sent to explain his recent visit to Daniel in chapter 9. And that visit was to finish explaining a vision that Daniel had received years before that in chapter 8.

"And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be." (Dan. 8:15-19).

At each angelic visit Daniel was incapacitated by the power that Christ had vested in His highest ministering spirit, who came to minister the gift of prophecy from Jesus to the humble servant of God.

At the sight of Christ the same incapacitation happened to John in Revelation 1:10-20. Was Gabriel present then also? Yes, he was.

 "The Revelation of (from) Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw." (Rev. 1:1,2).

Thus, we can say that Gabriel, a link in the chain of divine inspiration, was instrumental in the process of revelation. "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy (Spirit)." (2Pet. 1:21). This truth from Peter doesn't contradict his earlier statement, but only sheds light on who the Spirit is. It's Jesus!

"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1Pet.1:10,11).

This tells us that Christ is the Holy Spirit, not Gabriel. The Spirit comes from the Father to His Son to His highest angel. It also shows that Gabriel was/is invested with special power from the Son of God, which left the prophets prostrated. 

But, when John fell down to worship Gabriel, he gently but firmly rebuked John. We should learn from that experience not to pray or to worship the Spirit. It's the direct influence of angelic joy that thrills through us when  truth and grace are revealed to our minds. Therefore the Spirit involves a created beings, Gabriel and his hosts, which Daniel spoke to in Daniel 8:13. They are "fellowheirs" with us in the hope of God's restored kingdom.

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God." (Rev. 19:10).

Later, upon seeing the victory of Christ and His Father over the dragon (Satan) and the new heaven and Earth kingdom, John again fell down before the spirit of prophecy in euphoric relief. "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Gabriel has great power. He left Zacharias mute for nine months. He also revealed his high authority to correct sin after the rare appearance of divine glory, and the abundance of precious promises that should have thrilled the priest's soul. Thus Gabriel unveiled his high position.

"And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." (Luke 1:19,20).

Zacharias' should have been Mairiam's response of perfect faith, and his receiving the gift of heavenly joy, new life and youth, and renewed grace.

"Happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." (1Pet. 4:14). "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." ( 1 Pet. 3:8,9).

The angelic spirits bring into the hearts of trusting humanity the light and power of heaven. They had unlimited access to Christ during His earthly sojourn. "...believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:50,51). "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." (John 3:34). Even Jesus' communion, like ours, came through the medium of heavenly agencies. They are vested with the uncanny ability to simulate the very presence of God.

"The words of the angel, 'I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God,' show that he holds a position of high honor in the heavenly courts. When he came with a message to Daniel, he said, 'There is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael [Christ] your Prince.' Daniel 10:21. Of Gabriel the Saviour speaks in the Revelation, saying that 'He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John.' Revelation 1:1. And to John the angel declared, 'I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets.' Revelation 22:9. R. V. Wonderful thought—that the angel who stands next in honor to the Son of God is the one chosen to open the purposes of God to sinful men." Desire of Ages, p. 99.

The Spirit of God

So far we have seen that for Jesus to be with us in spirit the biblical way isn’t talking about us traveling by a disembodied spirit, like the spiritualists on a flying carpet. We have no separate entity within us that can leave us at death. Our spirit is not an individual entity, but a God-given faculty of our mind.

We don’t have spirits that leave our bodies, and neither does our Creator have such a Spirit. To us His Spirit comes from afar; but, really it is the Father and His reunion with us within His sphere of influence, a sphere of influence that spans the universe. Thus, within His omnipresent, omnipotent sphere of influence we live and move and have our being. As our Sun is able to keep Pluto in its gravitational grasp, so does the Father of all give life to all of His creatures and hold His universe within  the parameters of His will. His Spirit can enter us, abiding in us if we want Him, moving in sync with His will, and our hearts vibrating with His eternal love. His Spirit is the way we can interact with Him. Thus, Ezekiel said that the Spirit took him and brought him to different places of the holy land.

“Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days. And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.… And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and He said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain.” (Eze. 3:12-17,22-27).

We must ask, Did Ezekiel speak to anyone while he was in ancient Telaviv? No, he was shown something there and taught something, but he made no communication with anyone. That is because it was all a vision for his instruction. The same thing happened again a year later.

“And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of His loins even downward, fire; and from His loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. And He put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north.” (Eze. 8:1-5).

See also Ezekiel 9 and 10. If Ezekiel spoke while he was in vision, only the people immediately around him heard what he said. He had no ability to communicate out of thin air to people who he saw in vision, neither in their hearing nor inside their minds. Only the “Father of spirits” (Heb. 12:9) has that power. This is identical to the experiences we read from Ellen White in her visions. What she saw of workers in Europe or leaders back in Battle Creek Jesus revealed to her mind. She never left the places where she was while the dreams or the visions were in progress. All communications to them came later in person or by postage.

God gave Ellen White Himself when He gave her His Spirit

As the divine endowment--the power of the Holy Spirit--was given to the disciples, so it will today be given to all who seek aright. This power alone is able to make us wise unto salvation and to fit us for the courts above. Christ wants to give us a blessing that will make us holy. "These things have I spoken unto you," He says, "that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11. Joy in the Holy Spirit is health-giving, life-giving joy. In giving us His Spirit, God gives us Himself, making Himself a fountain of divine influences, to give health and life to the world.  {7T 273.1} 

Brother and Sister Loveland, December 13, 1850.)  {1MR 31.4} 
     Friday, March 19, 1896, I arose early, about half past three o'clock in the morning. While writing upon the fifteenth chapter of John, suddenly a wonderful peace came upon me. The whole room seemed to be filled with the atmosphere of heaven. A holy, sacred presence seemed to be in my room. I laid down my pen and was in a waiting attitude to see what the Spirit would say unto me. I saw no person. I heard no audible voice, but a heavenly watcher seemed close beside me. I felt that I was in the presence of Jesus. The sweet peace and light which seemed to be in my room it is impossible for me to explain or describe. A sacred, holy atmosphere surrounded me, and there was presented to my mind and understanding matters of intense interest and importance. A line of action was laid out before me as if the unseen presence was speaking with me. The matter I had been writing upon seemed to be lost to my mind and another matter distinctly opened before me. A great awe seemed to be upon me as matters were imprinted upon my mind. Ms 12, 1896, p. 1. (Untitled Manuscript, March 20, 1896.)  {1MR 32.1} 

I knelt by my chair to pray, feeling disheartened in reference to my journeying. Many appointments were before me. I had not uttered a word when the whole room seemed filled with a soft, silvery light, and my pain and disappointment and discouragement were removed. I was filled with comfort and hope and the peace of Christ. "My peace will I give unto you." I knew it was upon me. The presence of Jesus was in the room. Genesis 28:12-15. I could better understand the meaning of these words: "And Jacob . . . said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." And he was in a desolate wilderness.  {MR1033 58.1} 
     Indeed heaven seemed very near to me, and my heart was filled with joy and gladness. I had no inclination to sleep. I wanted to feast upon the heavenly manna, that bread of life that if we eat thereof we shall live forever. What a night that was to my soul! Every breath was prayer mingled with praise to God.--Ms. 44, 1890, pp. 5-6 (Diary 16, p. 289).  {MR1033 58.2} 

The word

“And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh” (Eph. 2:16,17).

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17).

When Jesus preaches via prophets, the spirit “speaketh expressly”. But, His testimony isn’t limited to the spoken word. His word must entail much more. Much of heaven’s spoken communications, even from the Son of God, entered the ears, but went no further.

“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.…

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.…

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.” (Matt. 13:9,12,14).

“When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 

Yet hath he not root in himself.” (Matt. 13:19-21).

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11).

Without argument, the spoken word and the word sensed aurally, is a most effective and powerful. But, the greatest aspect of “the word” is not communicated via the movement of mouth for the eardrum or the movement of pen in hand for the pupil of the eye. Not in the clashing of the natural world, as Elijah expected, but in the indications sensed within the mind, does God speak. The word does not manifest by photons bouncing off ink or by sound’s vibrations in the air. But rather the real word exists in the thoughts of the heart of sender and receiver. The scientific research should inquire, What does the word do in the human mind?

The mind is where the word of truth, the Spirit comes into play. The intellect, the soul, the conscience, all in the frontal lobe or the heart/spirit, is where, and by what means, judging takes place—our judgment of God’s righteousness and His judgment of our righteousness. Therefore, it is in the heart/spirit that the Spirit is most involved. In “the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter” (Rom. 2:29) or any other post-Eden invention.

It is the heart and spirit that God’s Spirit can convict and humble, and thus He can discern who are His true children. The word working in concepts that together originate only from the Father through Christ, the conceptualizations of truth taking place in the mind, is recreating His Edenic  race, as Jesus revealed. “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20,21).

So preaching is essential. Studying is essential. The audible and visual are important. But, we must remember that neither the spoken or written word is the whole “word” by which the Spirit works. They are simply the holy receptacles, the anointed repositories for the Spirit to abide in and to work through. Crucifying truth, the Spirit’s convicting energy, is where the power of God dwells, rather than in fancy linotype or cursive handwriting or fluff stuffed in theatrical eloquence.

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ” (1Cor. 1:17-21).

There can be a correct place for stimulating the senses with such beauty. God appreciates the beautiful. But, we should never mistake essence and substance for the cosmetic and optional.

But, the ministering spirits and, more so, God Himself through Christ, deal in truth, as They merge Their Spirit with ours. When that occurs, only truth is utilized, which is the stuff of speech and letters, in His actual work of creation and redemption. He dispenses with speech and letters, which articulate the truth, the actual communicated stuff of speech and letters. Truth entering within minds being remade in God’s image, is where the Spirit is, and is what the Spirit is.

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; … the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).

As seen in the parallelism of Gabriel’s explanation, the Holy Spirit of the Most High is the quickening “power of the Highest” (Luke 1:35) working in conjunction with the “Son of the Highest” (vs. 32). “One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” (1Cor. 8:6). “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph. 4:6). “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:36). And the Spirit is God’s powerful means for working with the “creature [‘creation’]” (Rom. 8:20-22), whether in the angelic, or human, or animal mind.

“Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? 

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. 

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? 

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 

With Him is wisdom and strength, He hath counsel and understanding. 

Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.” (Job 12:7-14).

“And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?... Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?” (Num. 22:28,30).

The Spirit is also God’s powerful means for working in, or on the molecules of inanimate nature. “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being”, “Of whom are all things, and we in Him”. (Acts 17:28; 1Cor. 8:6). Even there we see the work of God’s Spirit through His word.

“God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matt. 3:9).

 “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40).

The Word of Wisdom was our Creator. Thus, the Son who was “in the beginning with God”, is “I Wisdom”, who was “One brought up with Him [God]: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:30,31).

“When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.” (Prov. 8:24,25).

The word is the automatic response when Creator meets creature, the deliberate actions taking place from the sovereign Creator in and through and upon His dominion, animate and inanimate.

“Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things?” (Isa. 48:13,14).

The Spirit in the divine word works intellectually, spiritually, physically, chemically, molecularly, atomically, sub-atomically. The Spirit-word, works in the vacuum of inter- and intra-galaxic space, as well as between subatomic particles. The Spirit of God, the word of God, works in the covalent bonds of atoms and in the gravitational forces between stars. Nothing of creation escapes the control and upholding by His word, His Spirit.

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath [ruach, “Spirit”] of His mouth.” (Psa. 33:6). “Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit [ruach], they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth.” (Psa. 104:30). “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit [ruach]? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?” (Psa. 139:7).

His word works in inanimate spiritual natures of men to quicken, or animate, them. He is our Creator and Redeemer; thus we know His Spirit. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Eph. 2:1,5).

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2Cor. 3:17). Christ’s Spirit is that divine word of truth, which comes down to us through Moses or Paul, from inspired kings and prophets, and other “able ministers” (2Co 3:6) and which, placed in a willing soul rather than a veiled, blinded soul, works salvation. The word of truth, aglow by the Spirit, has the principle of life, for “the spirit giveth life.” (2Co 3:6).

But, the unregenerate mind and uncircumcised mouth speak words that are not life-giving, such as came from the visitors to Job. Their words are “idle” (Matt. 12:36) words, Christless words, loveless words, solely “of the letter” and void of the Spirit. And “the letter [without the Spirit] killeth” (2Cor. 3:6). It doesn’t “save life”, but destroys it (Luke 6:9). In spite of all their preaching, they will be judged “workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27).

There is substance and power in God’s word. “He that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not My word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jer. 23:28,29).