The Consummation of the Everlasting Covenant
Study 22
By John Thiel
Audio: Inducements and Lawsuits
Each study has been leading us to the consummation. What was the product of the latter rain?
Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.
That sounds comforting doesn’t it? Don’t misunderstand the language. The result of the outpouring of the latter rain is the result of the light of the glory of God. What was that light? What is that glory? None other but his character upon his people. This glory is to be appreciated in our present time.
The Spirit that reveals, also works in him the fruits of righteousness. Christ is in him, “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” [John 4:14.] He is a branch of the True Vine, and bears rich clusters of fruit to the glory of God. What is the character of the fruit borne?–The fruit of the Spirit is “love,” not hatred; “joy,” not discontent and mourning; “peace,” not irritation, anxiety, and manufactured trials. It is “long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” [Galatians 5:22, 23.] {GW 287.2}
As you know there is a direct contrast to what is usual to us. Anxiety is usual to us. Complaining about this or that. Discontent and irritation is normal to us. There will be such a distinct difference that is portrayed under the power of the latter rain. This will be under the demonstration of the latter rain.
By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.–TSS 115, 116. {CSW 100.1}
No other influence that can surround a soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. For us to have to have received the latter rain, the degree of the Holy Spirit is dependent upon the degree of our resignation and self-surrender. To reflect the glory of God and Jesus Christ, how will the darkness relate to that? We would have expected they would have said, wow what light. We would have thought that they felt yes God is right, we are wrong. Will they? Jesus the most beautiful person on earth came and how did darkness to relate to him?
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
The darkness did not comprehend the best person that ever lived. Will it comprehend the glory of the latter rain in you and me? Like the Pharisees of old, the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal their sins. What did the light do to you and me? the nearer you come to Jesus the more his light shines upon you, what does it reveal? More and more sins. Was that comfortable? Because you have been influenced by the love of God and responded to that and sacrificed yourself, that is why his glory was manifested in those who receive it. But the wicked and darkness don’t like the sense of having their sins unveiled. That is why the Pharisees crucified Christ. The Pharisees of old and the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal their sins. These spirit filled people of God are illumined now under the latter rain to know how to handle that reality. Under the Holy Spirits guidance, under the latter rain, it is the opposite of what humans think.
Amos 5:10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
5:13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it [is] an evil time.
Is that a contradiction of terms? Arise, shine, proclaim, and give the message under the power of the latter rain. Be silent? It is an evil time. they hate you. They hate him that rebukes in the gate. The light is rebuking, they hate it. If you speak the way exactly God wants you to speak they abhor that therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time. What is meant by the silence of the prudent? A T Jones expressed it well when he was struggling with congress to stop the passing of the Sunday laws. Notice when the Sunday laws were passed, what he said.
What place have we in Washington any more with petitions or hearings protesting against religious legislation? None at all. We have no more such errands to Washington. There is no place for any of our petitions there any more. That is the situation as it is now. {January 31, 1893 ATJ, GCDB 70.3}
You can see that everything is gone. To be silent means not to go and oppose the things that are being done in parliament, in the churches that are making decisions that are wrong, nothing to raise your voice in reference to that. It is such an evil time that if you would do that, you will cause persecution upon yourself prematurely.
There must be no sharp retaliating between brother and brother, or against those who know not God, or Jesus Christ whom He has sent. These men are in darkness and error, and what we as a people restrain from doing, that we may leave a correct impression upon their minds, will do more to give a correct knowledge of the work in which we are engaged than all efforts to maintain the liberty given us by God. {2MR 193.4}
Those who compose our churches have traits of character that will lead them, if they are not very careful, to feel indignant because on account of misrepresentation, their liberty in regard to working on Sunday is taken away. Do not fly into a passion over this matter, but take everything in prayer to God. He alone can restrain the power of rulers. Walk not rashly. Let none boast unwisely of their liberty, using it for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king” [1 Peter 2:17]. {2MR 193.5}
What did A T Jones say? Don’t raise your voice anymore, be silent. These men are in darkness and if we raise our voice in a spirit of maintaining our liberty by raising our voice in opposition to what they are legislating, we will do much more damage than if we restrain from doing that. That we may leave a correct impression upon their minds. God’s hates something in reference to the temptation that will come upon us when we are being cornered by law suits.
God is angry with those who pursue a course to make the world hate them. {Mar 157.5}
Will it make the world hate you if you fight for your rights? God is angry with people who do that.
If a Christian is hated because of his good works, and for following Christ, he will have a reward. But if he is hated because he does not take a course to be loved, hated because of his uncultivated manners, and because he makes the truth a matter of quarrel with his neighbors, and because he has taken a course to make the Sabbath as annoying as possible to them, he is a stumbling-block to sinners, {Mar 157.5}
I thought it was right for us to fight for the truth. We are to earnestly contend for the faith once given to the saints. There must be no sharp retaliating between brother and brother. If we do, we haven’t got the latter rain properly because under the power of the latter rain, we will do the exact opposite to these kind of thrusts and this is what the Lord is trying to fill us with. To be silent. Our demeanour, our respect, honour the king, honour these people, we have a prime minister at the moment who is not married but who lives with her partner. Are you going to mouth off about that? Some do. The hearers will say, these are not Christians. Be silent, respect them. That’s what they believe in. Leave them alone. You are going to see much worse yet. Silent. Our demeanour and by our convictions these people know that we don’t agree with them but when we relate to them in the demeanour of the Holy Spirit in love and compassion that God has shown to every sinner on this planet, they will say oh, this is a different kind of religion. We are still trying to win them. It is not the close of probation yet. Under the power of the latter rain, we are to be instruments to give the loud cry. As we are surrounded by darkness and they hate the light that they see in us, can a light be ignored? A little candle at the back of the hall will be seen. You don’t have to raise your voice. It is the way in which you handle the matter will shine.
But when any requirement is made that shows disrespect to the seventh-day Sabbath, we are to refuse compliance. {2MR 193.4}
Even then it depends how you do it. Because Gods people who are illuminated by the Holy Spirit, because we are not activists who create a stir like activists do, it says now we seem to be unnoticed.
Now we seem to be unnoticed, but this will not always be. Movements are at work to bring us to the front, {Ev 69.1}
Movements of darkness creeping over the planet. How much have we seen those movements of darkness and how people feel they are responsible as Gods people to attack the darkness when they are doing wrong by doing so because the darkness is in the law courts.
Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw [it], and it displeased him that [there was] no judgment.
What is written here is happening around us. The increasing expectation and demand of rights in corruption is actually being delivered to the law courts by the government. Corruption. Same sex marriages, is that corruption? What do the law courts pass? Go right ahead, you have a right. I could not believe it the behaviour of the schoolies. When the young people finish their year 12 exams, they gather together and create havoc that they have a right to inflict upon society by which policeman are being hurt and adult policemen have to put up with the schoolies behaviour. It’s absolutely diabolical but it’s their right. Judgment is turned away backward, justice stands afar of so that nowadays that young people are so cocky sure of themselves that they can come to an adult person and tell him what they think instead of asking him what do you think? Have you been tarred by that brush young people? Young people are to listen and learn not to tell the adults a thing or two but that is what has happened today. The years of experience matter nothing to the young. They think they know better. These are the rights of the youth and children. If the children are going to be punished at home for their wrong doing, they have rights in court against their parents. Judgement is turned away backward and justice stands afar of and equity can’t enter. This is the darkness we are surrounded by and it is important to be silent.
Nakedness
I can’t even go shopping anymore and not be bombarded by nakedness on the street. I thought how ridiculous it was once on the main street there were two women dressed in bikinis dancing to the drums displaying their nakedness swinging themselves let alone just at the beach but displaying it as though it was a brothel. I felt I had to go to the council and say how dare you permit this to happen but said nothing. Promiscuity, homosexuality is a right in this corrupt generation. Those upon whom and in whom Jesus is shining, can they continue to be hidden even though they are silent? What did Jesus say?
Mark 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
13:11 But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
How many times I see and hear different things and I think wait till I get to court, I’m going to tell them a thing or two and I premeditate what I’m going to tell them. Jesus says no because what I premeditate at the sense of the moment is not the spirit of God. when we under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are brought to eh courts because the darkness is so strong, then we are not to think I will give them a word or two, it says it will be given you in that hour. How important then at this very moment that we rely upon what is given than what I like to give. What sort of a habit are we in? how much of the holy spirit have you got when you are opposed? What is your next reaction? Lord, what do I say here or do react strongly? Can you see what the Lord wants us to tune into? A total silence of the soul in every respect and wait and speak only that which is given. Wasn’t that Christs example? He was in the court and he was reviled and he what? He reviled not again. He was silent.
Mark 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against [their] parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Isn’t that exactly what is happening?
Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Endure all that without retaliation.
The Abomination of Desolation
Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
This is directly related. Who will be the most prominent in the work of putting us into councils and courts? This is why we must be silent even now when brother and church members are in error and put their foot down in our life. Have you gone thought that? Our brothers in the church that have even given us a hard time, what should we do? Nothing. Let them do what they have to do. Don’t raise your voice against them. You think you have to tell them something? They have already been tarred by the spirit of the world. There is nothing you can do to change it. Some people think you are wrong, you have to try and help them, go talk to them. Sorry, it is too late. People have already placed themselves in categories of mind decision. How only are we going to do it? This is how it is done.
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. {GC 608.2}
Many people read this to leave the church. Sorry, they abandon their position on the truth they abandoned but they are still in the church. How was it in Matthew 24? They eat and drink with the drunken.
By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them. {GC 608.2}
To stir up who? The rulers. I thought the rulers were going to be against us. Who is going to be against us? Jesus said it in Mark. Our own closest friends and brethren in the family and church. It is also in Isaiah 66:5. They will dismiss us in the name of the Lord for those who tremble at his word. If they dismiss you, are you going to fight to go back to them again? It doesn’t make sense. They have dismissed you why? Because you stood up for what is right. What are you doing trying to get back with them again? Some know that those very brethren of the church you belong to took your case to the solicitors, to the court. Lovely brethren.
Kings, governors, and great men will hear of you through the reports of those who are at enmity with you, {Mar 253.3}
How will you get to court? Not because you are a rabble rouser but because of the faithfulness of the glory of Jesus Christ in your life, those that hate you for it, will put you into the position in front of kings, governors and great men. Little known by the Catholics you will now be known by those who were at enmity with you.
… your faith and character will be misrepresented before them. {Mar 253.3}
Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
How does that happen? Different to what we imagine. We think we are going to attract them to us by our great representation of God’s word. What a dream world. Darkness doesn’t want it but they will come to your side. This is the way.
… your faith and character will be misrepresented before them. {Mar 253.3}
Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
How does that happen? Different to what we imagine. We think we are going to attract them to us by our great representation of God’s word. What a dream world.
But those who are falsely accused will have an opportunity to appear in the presence of their accusers to answer for themselves. They will have the privilege of bringing the light before those who are called the great men of the earth, {Mar 253.3}
That is how you are going to reach the highways in the end. Are you shaking your head in disbelief that this is how it is going to happen? When I first discovered this quite a few years ago, no one believed me, very few did but I knew it to be true because history repeats itself.
The saints then will be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics; {SpM 1.5}
Inducements and Lawsuits
Because the character of the faithful is so Christlike, the courts will work like this. We will be brought before rulers by those who are at enmity with us if we are faithful. The law courts will still have a skerrick of justice in their mind because we aren’t attacking the rights of others, we are being attacked. If you and I do not attack the rights of anyone, even of the church which is why Ellen White writes, don’t attack the Catholic church or the government or these apostates. Be gentle and calm and quiet and as you end up in court, what sort of an impression will the judge have of you? What will he do?
As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God’s downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. . {GC 607.1}
They don’t want the loud cry to come to them.
By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite. {GC 607.1}
Who is our worst enemy? Our former brethren.
As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, {GC 607.1}
Is a threat action? Why is it a threat? Because Gods people are so loving, so kind, so courteous, the people who hate you will find it so hard to be able to put you into the law courts so they will threaten you. Every threat they make will work against them. They will think, these people can’t be aroused into fighting. We have nothing against them. The only thing we have got is that the law courts are putting forward Sunday laws which we have installed but they are not vindictive people so they will be threatened with fines.
and some will be offered positions of influence, {GC 607.1}
Do you remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? They didn’t bow to the image and the fire was already burning to anybody that would not bow but when the king saw them his heart was filled with compassion for them as they were such nice fellows. Are you such a nice person that the kings will look at you and hear you and say wow, come on, please do what the law says? You can have some positions of trust if you will? Others rewards and advantages as inducements to renounce their faith. you are too nice to be put into prison, please. That is the way that will happen.
…and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. But their steadfast answer is: “Show us from the word of God our error”–the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances. Those who are arraigned before the courts make a strong vindication of the truth, {GC 607.1}
We must understand inducements and rewards and threats because Gods faithful people have not caused the law courts to see they are criminals. They have a beautiful atmosphere about them and they say come on, you are such lovely people and offer inducements and rewards to change your faith. In the law courts you and I need to remember;
Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Don’t talk out of turn. When they are putting all these law suits and inducements and threats across you, yield not to temptation. You will be tempted. It will come according to the flesh and your heart will say no. which will you hear in the battle between the spirit and the flesh? Have you mastered it beforehand so you will not yield then? So you will be calm, pliant, and gentle like your Lord and saviour Jesus Christ? Can you see the imprints of preparation? The latter rain prepares us for that.
A Surprising Understanding
I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth know not what they believe. They do not understand the evidences of their faith. {5T 707.2}
They don’t understand, it doesn’t mean they don’t know, they don’t understand the evidence of their faith. we have rattled it off by memory, we know all the texts, we can argue the subject, but I don’t understand them.
They have no just appreciation of the work for the present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. {5T 707.2}
Why? Because they are not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It won’t be satisfying. It won’t be bringing conviction. It is just another one of those foolish doctrines that the protestant churches have thrown out because of the wrong way of preaching it. So many different doctrines, you are just going to be another one of those people but to come across with a sharp, pure, inspirational understanding but they won’t have it.
Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth. {5T 707.2}
Can you see the statements between the lines? What they had accepted had truth, all the facts and convictions, they did not understand the real content of that.
The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of sleep. Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. {5T 707.3}
Aren’t we under it? aren’t we seeing how appropriate it is?
It is Bible truth, showing the perils that are right upon us. This light should lead us to a diligent study of the Scriptures and a most critical examination of the positions which we hold. . {5T 707.3}
It says this should lead us to diligently study scripture not that we should keep on listening to others and keep on listening. It says go personally and examine it for yourself diligently so you may understand what the pros and cons and realities of these things are.
God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly and perseveringly searched, with prayer and fasting. {5T 707.3}
Have we lost our bearings? Sr White says Adventists have lost their bearings. We are to perseveringly search with prayer and fasting that we would have all our bearings and positions of truth thoroughly understood.
Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the word of God so that when the testing time shall come and they are brought before councils to answer for their faith they may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with meekness and fear. {5T 707.3}
If you haven’t got the outpouring of the latter rain, you will not be able to do it with meekness and fear. You will become a ditherer and a ditherer makes you irritated. A ditherer makes you feel like grabbing hold of the things you do understand and hitting hard with it. That is internal dithering. I tell you from personal experience when I dither, I choose the quickest answer and hit the people with it and now I feel I’m right. We put up this façade. I’ve gotten master over the subject and I dither inside. What did I learn there? I fake it till I make it. Then I think I’ve made it and I hit people over the head and I think I’m right. I have the truth but I’ve not got it as it is in Jesus. It must be a total, restful quietness in the soul. A listening and learning while you are preparing so that you can understand the deep things of God and you can respond as Jesus did when he was in the council. At this time being well prepared includes taking quietly the false accusations. If I don’t have the preparation in the latter rain and the inducements and the law courts are doing their work and I’m being tested singly and alone with no one else with me, I have to have the material within myself and all that will be thrown at me. sometimes you see a court session with the prosecutor and he is making weird and wonderful statements and oh how you would like to tell him a thing or two. You are not talking to the prosecutor, you are talking to the judge so don’t get wild about it.
1 Peter 2:19 For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
2:20 For what glory [is it], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God.
2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:
If you don’t practise this in your home and in the church you won’t practise it in court sorry. If you fight in your home, you will fight in the court. If you fight in the church you will be fighting in court and you will lose your argument.
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
What light shines on that scripture. This will indeed lead to the loud cry.
Amen.
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