..To Ancient SDA's ............ To "What's New?"

by

Ron Parsons

Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library.  No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly.  All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.

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The aim of this series:

“Then He said to them, ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27.

A PDF version of this reading is available by clicking here

When the third day dawned, Jesus returned and spoke again.

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Genesis 1:9-13

And God said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear": and it was so. [The land came up from underneath].

And God called the dry land "Earth"; and the gathering together of the waters called He "Seas" [great lakes]: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth": and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the third day.

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So the age-old question is answered. "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Your reply shows whether you are an evolutionist or a creationist. In creation the full-grown life came instantly bringing the seed with it. In that "seed" was set the boundaries of the species. We now know that the DNA helix sets out all the main characteristics of the creature, as well as the pattern for the individual within that species. The only way for the species to cross into one another was with the intervention of man, and that is what we call "genetic engineering". We’ll find out later that this is not something new to our time.

Now the earth was there clothed in all its glory with living things to supply the food for the creatures who were to inhabit it. The humans were to eat the fruit, grains and nuts on the plants, not the plants themselves, while the animals would eat the green grass. Nothing would have to die to supply life to another. As the food was eaten, the plant replaced it.

Then Jesus left it like that for another twenty-four hours. No one but He and His Father knew of the plan to create a new race and He wanted to place the questions in the minds of His watchers and holy ones. "Who was the planet for?" "Was it to be a prison for the rebels?"

There were no great oceans as we know them cutting off one land from another, for the workmanship of our Creator was "good". The surface of the earth was mainly dry land and it was possible to walk from end to the other. The "seas" were large, as are some of the lakes we have on earth today, but they were designed to be walked around. Their purpose was to supply the moisture required by the plants.

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Genesis 2:5-6

... the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

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Today we have five sevenths of our planet’s surface as water, one seventh as desert and ice, and we live with reasonable space on the remaining one seventh. The reverse was the case in those days. Most of the area was liveable and capable of producing the food for its future inhabitants.

What did it all mean, spiritually?

Jesus wanted the loyal angels to see that although the rebels would appear to have unlimited access to this world, there would actually be unseen boundaries. The waters of the lakes could rage, and with the aid of strong winds even move on to the dry land temporarily, they could not remain there. "Thus far, and no further," was God’s command. In the same way, Satan and his devils could have influence over those who joined in the rebellion, but could not touch those who were following God’s commands (advice). All he could do was annoy them with temptations.

Jesus knew this from His reading of Genesis, and so, one time after a weary day’s work, He went on board a ship and promptly fell asleep.

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Mark 4:35-41

And the same day, when the even was come, He said to them, "Let us pass over to the other side [of the lake]." And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships.

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full [of water]. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awoke Him, and said to Him, "Master, care You not that we perish?"

And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

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Even when the storm arose He continued sleeping, for He knew that He and they were all in the safety of obedience to God’s command. He knew that nothing except what the Spirit allowed could possibly happen, unless they stepped out from their duty.

So the question, "What manner of man is this?" is answered quite simply. He was a Christian man doing what He was told. That’s why the wind and sea obeyed, not Him, but His guardian, the Holy Spirit. He knew that the storm was brought by Satan, and that he could only rage within the boundaries. So He was perfectly at peace, living what He had shown to the "sons of God" at the beginning.

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As a practical example of how this works for other Christians, see the following story of Elisha and his servant.

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2 Kings 6:11-23

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing [what he thought was spy in their midst]; and he called his servants, and said to them, "Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?"

And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber." [Even the heathen know what the Spirit can do.]

And he said, "Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him." And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan." Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horses and chariots.

And his servant said to him [Elisha], "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" And he answered, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray you, open his eyes, that he may see." And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. [Their protecting angels.]

And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Smite this people, I pray You, with blindness." And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. [God NEVER punishes, so how did this happen?]

And Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." [He just didn’t say "Where".] But he led them to Samaria [the country they were fighting]. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria [and were very scared].

And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, "My father, shall I smite them? Shall I smite them?" [Let’s kill them all off!]

And he [Elisha, the man of God] answered, "You shall not smite them: would you smite those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master." And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master.

So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

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What a way to defeat your enemies! Heap "coals of fire" on their heads. Proverbs 25:21-22. [This means to pray long and hard for them – to learn how to treat them. Read Leviticus 16:12 carefully.]

Notice they didn’t come back.

What a nice lesson the third day has for us.

See you next week,

Ron

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