Study #1
PURPOSE OF SERIES
Certainty of Truth. Luke 1:1-4.
We are living in a world of uncertainty where there is nothing sure but God and His truth. If we pass safely through the perils of the last days we must know individually the certainties of the foundations of our faith. Satan is now making his last and fiercest attack on the remnant against whom he is furiously angry. Revelation 12:12. As we near the end of the conflict Satan will make his supreme and most desperate effort to shake our confidence in the word of God and the message of salvation for this time. Under this attack many will lose faith and cast away their confidence. Hebrews 10:35-39. Just before the return of Jesus many will get off on side issues and allow themselves to be sidetracked from the main line of the message. We can only reach our destination by keeping on the main line.
A Sure Foundation. 2 Timothy 2:15-19.
"Yet God's solid foundation stands unmoved, bearing this inscription, 'The Lord knows those who really belong to Him' and this also, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord renounce all wickedness."—Wey. The seal that makes the foundation sure is God's acknowledgment that we are His because we have departed from all iniquity. A "seal" is defined as "that which authenticates, confirms, ratifies, makes stable; that which effectually secures." That which makes the foundation of God's church-temple secure and stable and effectually secures all who build on it, is victory over sin through faith in Christ. These alone are acknowledged as His and in them He is well pleased. A mere knowledge of the truth is not enough to constitute a sure foundation. Many who have such a knowledge are apostatizing and their character-buildings are crashing before the storm.
The Bulwarks of Zion. Psalm 48:12-14.
The time has come when every believer in the threefold message should walk about Zion and count her towers, mark well her bulwarks, and consider her strongholds to see if they will stand the strain of the coming storm. This is the purpose of this series of studies when we can together make this examination. "A good character must be built up brick by brick, everyday growing in proportion to the effort put forth. … A storm is arising that will wrench and test the spiritual foundation of everyone to the utmost. Therefore avoid the sand-bed; hunt for the rock. Dig deep; lay your foundation sure. Build, oh build for eternity. Build with tears and heart-felt prayers."—Vol. 5:129, 130. See Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49. Both builders had a knowledge of the word and therefore it is not the amount of known truth but of obeyed truth that constitutes the sure and safe foundation.
Present Truth. 2 Peter 1:10-13, 16, 19.
Every generation has had its message of present truth for that time and the eternal destiny of those who heard it depended upon their attitude toward it. This was true of the Antediluvians and the message of Noah; of Sodom and Gomorrah and the message of Lot; of Nineveh and the message of Jonah; of ancient Israel and the message of Elijah; of the Jewish nation and the threefold message of John the Baptist, Christ and the apostles. It is equally true of the threefold message of Revelation 14 which is present truth for this generation. "Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God's people at that time. Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; and those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried. "G.C. 609.
Personal Knowledge.
"As real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God's word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion … when no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves, to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition, and worship they know not what. I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth, know not what to believe. They do not know the evidences of their faith. … 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 … Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. 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. God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly and perseveringly searched, with prayer and fasting … We should present sound arguments, that will not only silence our opponents, but will bear the closest and most searching scrutiny. … Whatever may be man's intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of thorough and continuous searching of the Scriptures for greater light."—Vol. 5:706-708.
Books of Parallels
The Bible is a book of parallel events and movements; of types and their antitypes. This makes the Bible an up-to-date Book from Genesis to Revelation to the very close of human history. Thus "all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16). Adam, the first man, was a type of Christ, the second Adam; Enoch and Elijah were types of those who will be translated when Jesus comes; Moses was a type of those who will be resurrected at the second advent; Noah and his message were typical of the messengers and message of the second advent; so also were the messages of Elijah and John the Baptist. Jezebel was a type of the papacy; ancient Egypt, of spiritual darkness and the bondage of sin; and ancient Babylon, of Satan's false and counterfeit system of religion to the close of time. The earthly sanctuary with its apartments, furniture, service, and priesthood, were typical of the heavenly temple and the atoning ministration of Christ.
Ancient and Modern Israel
One of the greatest parallels consisting of types and antitypes is found in what we call the Exodus and Advent movements of ancient and modern Israel. The Lord delivered ancient Israel from the bondage of Egypt and led them through the wilderness into the earthly Canaan, or the "promised land." The exodus from Egypt and the experiences of Israel were typical of the gathering of modern Israel out of the darkness of modern Egypt and spiritual Babylon to lead them into the heavenly Canaan. These are the two greatest religious movements of all history. Both arose in fulfillment of prophecy and accomplished their work in harmony with a divine purpose and move forward under the leadership of the God of heaven.
Parallel Movements. Jeremiah 16:14-16, 19; 23:5-8.
The deliverance from Egypt and its bondage was the greatest event in the history of ancient Israel and they were never to forget it. It was to be commemorated by the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and other memorials. But the time will come when God's people will experience another and greater deliverance upon which they will place the emphasis rather than upon the exodus from Egypt. Modern Israel is to be delivered from the bondage of sin and gathered from "all lands" and from "the ends of the earth."
The Remnant. Isaiah 11:10-12, 16.
The second advent movement had its real beginning in apostolic days but was brought to a standstill by the great apostasy or "falling away." The purpose of God's message today is to finish the gospel commission which the apostles so nobly began. This movement includes "the remnant of His people" gathered out of all the world "like as" the gathering of ancient Israel out of Egypt. The last great gathering is "from the islands of the sea" and from "the four corners of the earth." It is spoken of as the "second time" which indicates that there have been two movements of the same kind, one being a type of the other. The second is fulfilled only in the final world message described in Revelation 14:6-14.
Song of Moses. Revelation 15:2, 3.
Why will the Advent people repeat the same song sung by ancient Israel to celebrate their deliverance unless they go through a similar experience? "That song does not belong to the Jewish nation alone. It points forward to the destruction of all the foes of righteousness, and the final victory of the Israel of God."—P.P. 289. "This scene is another reminder, but of many more, that in the history of Israel may be read, in symbol, the story of the Christian church. (Conway in Pulpit Commentary.) Only those in the Advent movement who have passed through the experience of the Exodus movement can sing the song commemorating their triumph.
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