Our Firm

Volume 23, Number 3 • March 2008

Foundation
Living the Faith The Prosperity Gospel
Liberty of Conscience
Threatened - Part 3

Living Living
the Faith
the Faith Joseph of Arimathea

Living the Faith

and Nicodemus

Living the Faith The KingPartof the3 North

Living the Faith The Story of Joseph;
Joseph In Egypt
The Statin Scam
Marches On

What Kind
of Fruit Are You
Bearing?
Page 4

The Seventh-day Sabbath Christ Our Righteousness The Immutable Law of God
The Non-Immortality of the Soul The Three Angels’ Messages The Sanctuary
 Editorial Joe Olson Joe Olson serves as the
executive director and
chairman of the board
of Hope International. He
also travels as an
international speaker.

The Lost Sheep

“What man of you, having an hundred LORD.” Isaiah 55:8. He has a complete- when we have so many of them. The
sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not ly different way of looking at things closest that we may be able to come
leave the ninety and nine in the wilder- than we do. Nothing is unimportant to to understanding the concept is with
ness, and go after that which is lost, until Him. Even leftover pieces of fish and our children. No matter how many we
he find it? And when he hath found it, bread are important! have, each one is distinctly important
he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. “And Jesus took the loaves; and when and valuable to us. I say “the closest
And when he cometh home, he calleth he had given thanks, he distributed to the we can come,” because very few of us
together his friends and neighbours, disciples, and the disciples to them that have more than ten or twelve children.
saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for were set down; and likewise of the fishes Imagine billions and billions of them.
I have found my sheep which was lost.” as much as they would. When they were And this is just on earth! Remember
Luke 15:4-6. filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather that there are worlds unnumbered!
This story has always impressed me. up the fragments that remain, that noth- Another thing that boggles my mind
Not so much the going after the one ing be lost.” John 6:11-12. is the fact that the God of all the uni-
that was lost, or even the leaving of the There is nothing in this world that verses has a specific place where He
ninety and nine to go after the one. It escapes the attention of our heavenly resides. The place is called the “City
was the fact of calling his friends and Father, not even the birds. “Are not two of God” in heaven. Of all the “unnum-
neighbors together to rejoice after he sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of bered” worlds that have ever been cre-
had found it. them shall not fall on the ground with- ated, throughout the ceaseless ages of
No doubt if we were to have a lamb, out your Father.” Matthew 10:29. “He eternity, only one has ever rebelled and
a cow, a horse or any other animal that who upholds the unnumbered worlds turned its back of its Creator. Then, not
was lost, we would certainly be happy if throughout immensity, at the same only are we forgiven, and God’s Son
it was found. But have you ever known time cares for the wants of the little dies in our place to redeem us, but all
anyone who has many, many animals brown sparrow that sings its humble of heaven is preparing to pack up and
that, having lost one and found it again, song without fear.” Steps to Christ, 85. move to this insignificant speck of a
called all of his friends and neighbors No, we cannot imagine that the God world. This tiny world will then be the
together to rejoice about it? I doubt it. who has created “unnumbered worlds” center of the universe!
Remember, they were not just called; would have that much concern for a Can you imagine it!? God packs up
they were called together! They are to lost lamb, much less a common spar- the heavenly U-Haul and moves the
come and rejoice together with him. Can row. Yet “Jesus declared to His dis- entire operation of heaven here!!! It is
you imagine getting a call like that? Your ciples that not a sparrow falls to the beyond all comprehension! There are
good friend calls you up and tells you ground without the notice of the heav- not even words to describe that kind
that he has found one of his hundreds of enly Father, and that if God can keep of love, mercy and compassion. You
cows or sheep or goats or whatever, and in mind the wants of all the little birds better believe that His thoughts are not
he tells you to come over so that he and of the air, He will much more care for our thoughts and His ways not ours.
all the rest of his friends and his neigh- those who may become the subjects of No wonder the heavenly beings can’t
bors can celebrate together over it. What His kingdom and through faith in Him quit praising His name! And we won’t
would you think about that call? may be the heirs of immortality.” Tes- either, when we begin to see what our
The Lord has already told us that timonies, Vol. 5, 749. heavenly Father and His wonderful
He does not think like we do. “For my In our finite minds we just can- Son, our Saviour, is really like. I can’t
thoughts are not your thoughts, nei- not conceive of concerning ourselves wait! I know you can’t either.
ther are your ways my ways, saith the that much over just one of something
2 Our Firm Foundation
Table of Contents
Volume 23
Number 3
March 2008

Our Mission - It is the mission of Hope International and the Living The Faith
editors of Our Firm Foundation to clearly present Christ and page 4
His truth. The days remaining for this world are few, and we
must work quickly. We must boldly proclaim the historic truths Liberty of Conscience
of Adventism that place us on so firm a foundation in the midst
of this troubled world. —Editor Threatened - Part 3
Executive Director: Joe Olson Page 7
[email protected] The Prosperity Gospel
Editor: Heidi Heiks Page 11
[email protected]
Bookstore Manager: Kaye Olson Joseph of Arimathea
[email protected]
Hope For Health Center: Heather Olson, R.N., C.H. and Nicodemus
[email protected]
Layout & Design: Sherrie West
Page 14
[email protected] The King of
Our Firm Foundation is published monthly by: The North - Part 3
Hope International Page 18

Hope
P.O. Box 220
International Knoxville, Illinois 61448 USA
The Story of Joseph:
Phone: 309.343.1844
Joseph In Egypt
Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Central Time
Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Central Time
Page 22
Fax: 309.343.3721 Health Gem
Email: [email protected] The Statin Scam
Web: www.hopeint.org Marches On - Part 1
About Hope International - We are a lay ministry founded, supported, Page 23
and operated by Seventh-day Adventists to assist God’s Church in the
proclamation of the Everlasting Gospel in every way that is consistent with
the principles of God as revealed in Inspiration. Newswatch Page 26
Invitation to Writers - We are accepting article-length manuscripts for Historical Footnotes
possible publication in Our Firm Foundation. We prefer that submissions be
submitted in Word .doc format as a computer file. Include a digital picture
Page 28
and a short bio. Please address all correspondence to Editor, Our Firm
Foundation, P.O. Box 220, Knoxville, IL 61448, or by email to
[email protected].
Letters To The Editor
Subscription Information: See page 30 • Shipping & Sales Tax: See page 30 Page 31
Content credited in this publication is the property of its respective owner(s) and is
licensed or used with permission. Other items are the property of Hope International.

Cover Photo: Shutterstock.com All Photos unless otherwise noted: Shutterstock.com

Volume 23, Number 3 3

 Living the Faith
Living the Faith
PART 1
Peter Laurin
It is true that we can change nothing
of ourselves, but when you have Christ
in you, you can work with Christ to
change. And I think Christ expects us
to pray for His help. To explain this I

Living Living
the Faith
would like to say that if you need help
to quit smoking and you ask Christ to

the Faith
help, you don’t hang around a tobacco
“Our first work is with the heart. or smoke shop in your spare time. If
A profession of faith and the possession of truth in you need to quit gossiping, you don’t
the soul are two different things.” call all your old gossip buddies and
hope they won’t talk about anyone.
How can we be like Christ? and sanctified.” Christ’s Object It’s as if you are looking for a job.
In Matthew 5:48, Jesus tells us, Lessons, 96-97. With God’s help you write resumes;
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as with God’s help
your Father in heaven is perfect,” and you write letters to
1 John 3:9 tells us that, “Whoever has prospective employers.
been born of God does not sin, for his You put the letters
seed remains in him; and he cannot in the mailbox; you
sin, because he has been born of God.” drive to the places for
We know that Christ cannot come to interviews. Although
claim us until His Spirit is perfected in you prayed to God to
us, for nothing unholy or impure will help find a job, I don’t
be allowed to enter heaven. But I still think He expects you
sin, and I certainly don’t reflect the to just sit at home and
character of Christ at all! wait for a knock on
the door. He gives us
Broken Promises the ability to help Him
I try all the time to do what is right, help us.
but I fall quite frequently and wonder if I
will ever be ready for Jesus to come. Do The Process of
any of you ever feel this way? Have you Conversion
promised to follow Him and obey His We want to be bet-
Word, only to fail over and over again? ter people, to be “con-
Have you promised to be patient verted,” but what does
with your spouse, family and friends, being “converted”
and failed? Promised to cut down mean? Most people
on snacking between meals, and We Can’t Change Ourselves think they are convert-
failed? Promised and promised, just Can you make a tree produce ed when they decide to accept Jesus
to find that you keep breaking those better fruit just by picking off the as their Savior, and we certainly must
promises? Have circumstances seemed rotten fruit and dead leaves? No, you make this decision. But there is more
to ruin your best-laid plans to have a can’t. You need to get to the reason to having a converted heart. When Je-
successful day, have all your good the tree is diseased. Following Jesus is sus tells us that we must be born again,
resolutions become like water and, like similar. Jeremiah 13:23 tells us, “Can He means we need a converted heart as
me, you don’t understand why? the Ethiopian change his skin or the well as a converted mind, a converted
It is said that “man cannot transform leopard its spots? Then may you also lifestyle, a converted being.
himself by the exercise of his will. do good who are accustomed to do It would be as if you were in the
He possesses no power by which this evil.” Yet we cannot do anything of government witness program. The gov-
change can be effected. . . . There are ourselves to become better Christians. ernment would give you a new iden-
many who try to reform by correcting We cannot make ourselves better tity, and you would need to find new
this or that bad habit, and they hope Christians by correcting our outward friends and a new way of life. In our
in this way to become Christians, but flaws ourselves. We need to get rid of Christian life, we cannot do this on our
they are beginning in the wrong place. the reason for our bad habits. We know own. Jeremiah 17:9-10 tells us, “The
. . . Our first work is with the heart. A that all evil comes from the devil, so heart is deceitful above all things, and
profession of faith and the possession we need to get him out and Christ into desperately wicked; who can know it?
of truth in the soul are two different our hearts. The rotten fruit and dead I, the Lord search the heart, I test the
things. The mere knowledge of truth is leaves of sin in our lives will fall off by mind…” The desires of our hearts are
not enough. We may possess this, but themselves. naturally worldly and downward. We
the tenor of our thoughts may not be Now, although I say they will fall off cannot change them and make them
changed. The heart must be converted by themselves, this is not exactly true. clean. So what are we supposed to do?

4 Our Firm Foundation

 We’re told in Romans 10:17: “Faith so deplorably hard, why
comes by hearing and hearing by the they are so fickle, so vari-
word of God.” The Scriptures are the able, is that they try to at-
best place to go for the transformation tach themselves to Christ
of character. Didn’t Jesus pray in John without first detaching
17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth: themselves from these
Your word is truth”? If we do as we cherished idols” (empha-
should and study the Scriptures, the sis added).
Word would work on our hearts and we And in the Seventh-
would be so filled with Christ and His day Adventist Bible
love for us that we wouldn’t have time Commentary, vol. 6, page
for the evil, worldly things we find 1101, we read, “God makes
ourselves always falling back into. The no compromise with sin. A
Holy Spirit would convict us of our genuine conversion changes
sins and mold us into God’s image. hereditary and cultivated
tendencies to wrong. . . .
Christ’s plan is the only
“The Word destroys the A Change of Heart safe one. He declares, ‘Behold, I make
natural, earthly How great it would be to have Je-
sus in close companionship, to have
all things new.’ ‘If any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature.’ Christ gives man
nature, and imparts a our hearts’ affections going out after no encouragement to think that He will
new life in Him rather than to the cares of this
world, which last but a moment and
accept a patchwork character, made up
mostly of self, with a little of Christ. This
Christ Jesus.” then are gone! It is heart-work, heart- is the condition of the Laodicean church.
change, real heart-change that we must At first there seems to be some of self and
We are told that we must spend have, and it comes by seeing Jesus and some of Christ, but soon it is all of self and
time in the Scriptures, not just read a giving in to the love we see reflecting none of Christ. The root of selfishness is
text from our morning devotionals and from Him. revealed” (emphasis added).
then forget it and get on with our life. To have this close of a relationship
No, we must read the Bible and fill our with Jesus does cost us something. We Laodicean Unforgiveness
spiritual need at least as much as we must all have a complete change of Realizing what the Bible says about
fill our bellies with physical food. heart. It is a relationship of complete the Laodicean church is essential to
The Scriptures are the power of dependence, which can only be obtained our having a close walk with our Lord
God unto salvation if we come to their by people who have surrendered Jesus Christ. I hear now and again
study with a humble spirit, desiring completely to God. Someone who how we are the Laodicean church. I
to be led to and by the Lord. The De- wants this close relationship must don’t know if those who say this are
sire of Ages, page 391, says: “As they choose Christ first, last and totally in referring to the Seventh-day Adventist
feed upon His Word, they find that it is everything. We need to feel the atoning movement or to the Christian church
spirit and life. The Word destroys the blood of Jesus. We must have a change as a whole. It is my understanding
natural, earthly nature, and imparts a of heart. But this change of heart is not that the seven churches in Revelation
new life in Christ Jesus.” easy. There will be a constant struggle are seven periods in the history of the
Just as in the parable of the leaven, with worldly and personal obstacles. Christian church, with the Laodicean
when yeast is put into one part of the church being the last.
dough and then spreads to the whole Sometimes when I listen to
lump, so does the Word of God as we “There must be a ministers and lay people in our church
read and study it. In Christ’s Object
Lessons, page 98, we’re told, “The
painful work of talk, it sounds as if they are proud of
being the Laodicean church. In my
leaven of truth works secretly, silently, detachment, understanding of the Bible, while
steadily, to transform the soul. The
natural inclinations are softened and
as well as a work the church is lukewarm, this is not
something to be proud of. “So then,
subdued. New thoughts, new feelings, of attachment.” because you are lukewarm, and neither
new motives, are implanted. A new cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My
standard of character is set up-the life We are told in Testimonies, vol. 5, mouth.” Rev. 3:16.
of Christ.” page 231, that “there must be a pain- It sounds to me that the church
The more we open the Bible and ful work of detachment, as well as a mentioned would find its way out of the
read about Jesus, the more our eyes work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, mouth of Christ faster than it went in.
would be opened. We would have a vanity, and worldliness--sin in all its “Because you say, ’I am rich and
closer walk with Christ, and we would forms--must be overcome if we would in need of nothing’ –and do not know
see exactly what sin is. enter into a union with Christ. The rea- that you are wretched, miserable, poor,
son why many find the Christian life blind, and naked.” Rev 3:17.

Volume 23, Number 3 5

 I don’t know about you, but I can to thinking, “If only they could be like me. I’m told that since I was baptized, I
look and listen, and I can put two and me.” But then I think of Christ com- am a new person; my past sins are cast
two together. All around--at work, at pared to myself, and I thank God that into the sea. You don’t know about my
family gatherings, even at church--I they aren’t as bad as I am. past, so it doesn’t bother you. It should
hear people claim to have a close walk Sometimes I think it is hard for us to be no different with our church mem-
with Christ, but I hear “wretched” forgive others because it would mean bers, family or friends.
complaints about former and current that we would have to accept the fact If you know anything about the past
church members, former and current that there are other circumstances or of a family member, a friend, or even
family members, complaints about people who would also need to share a church member, if they have asked
friends. There are complaints about in the forgiving process. Sometimes Christ to forgive them, who are we
how someone treated them in the we might actually need to forgive our- to say they haven’t been forgiven? If
past, complaints about how people selves. But this must be done in order a friend or family member or even a
are treating them now. Apparently for there to be the close communication stranger has sinned against us, who are
we haven’t forgiven as Christ says to with Christ we need for Him to dwell we not to forgive them? And if Christ
forgive. Since Christ will forgive all in us. A close walk with Christ is not has forgiven them and we don’t allow
of us for whatever we may have done possible if we hold on to unnecessary ourselves to forgive them, we are hurt-
in our past and present, are we above baggage. It tends to get in between ing only ourselves. This unforgiving
Christ, that we hold resentments Christ and us. “You cannot serve two will keep us out of heaven.
against others? masters.” If a church has too many of these
types of issues within itself, it will
Are we above If God Has Forgiven . . .
Don’t we realize that claiming to
more than likely not be a growing
church. It would be the worst form of
Christ, that we
hold resentments
against others?
Sometimes
we think we are
rich because we
have the truth
of the Bible. We
need to realize
there is much in
the Bible that we
have yet to learn.
Sometimes we
think we are
rich because if
everyone were
“just like us,” the
church would be
ready for Christ
to come and get
it. We think we
are rich; there is
nothing wrong
with us. But we
don’t realize how
pathetic in the eyes of God we really forgive and actually forgiving are two the Laodicean church. Do you think
are. If we hold grudges, or even think different things? Don’t we realize that God would want new Christians to join
we are better than anyone, we are most the cutting remarks we make and the a church where this unrest and ill feel-
certainly NOT living up to the stan- actions we do reflect on us as well ing toward one another exists?
dards Christ expects from us. And, if as on Christ, if we claim to belong to
we hold ill feelings or anything in our Him? To be continued. . .
hearts, there is no room for Christ there, I know there are some things I have
and He will NOT come in. done in my past that, if certain people Peter enjoys gardening, writing,
I know in my own life, it is much eas- heard me, they would wonder why I am and reading books and articles on re-
ier to see the faults of others-- or what I allowed to write articles which might ligious topics. He and his wife live in
think are their faults. Sometimes I get help others. I have asked God to forgive southeastern Wisconsin.

6 Our Firm Foundation

 Pa r t 3

T h reat en ed Ellen G. White

God’s word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded,
and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are,
only when it is too late to escape the snare.
Sunday Exalted then Enforced made slaves. The lower classes were to lest they bring some great calamity on
As the papacy became firmly estab- suffer perpetual banishment. themselves and neighbors. An eccle-
lished, the work of Sunday exaltation siastical council brought forward the
was continued. For a time the people Divine Disapproval Claimed argument, since so widely employed,
engaged in agricultural labor when not Miracles also were called into req- even by Protestants, that because
attending church, and the seventh day uisition. Among other wonders it was persons had been struck by lightning
was still regarded as the Sabbath. But reported that as a husbandman who while laboring on Sunday, it must be
steadily a change was effected. Those was about to plow his field on Sun- the Sabbath. “It is apparent,” said the
in holy office were forbidden to pass day cleaned his plow with an iron, the prelates, “how high the displeasure of
judgment in any civil controversy on iron stuck fast in his hand, and for two God was upon their neglect of this day.”
the Sunday. Soon after, all persons, of years he carried it about with him, “to An appeal was then made that priests
whatever rank, were commanded to re- his exceeding great pain and shame.”-- and ministers, kings and princes, and
frain from common labor on pain of a Francis West, Historical and Practical all faithful people “use their utmost
fine for freemen and stripes in the case Discourse on the Lord’s Day, page 174. endeavors and care that the day be re-
of servants. Later it was decreed that Later the pope gave directions that stored to its honor, and, for the credit
rich men should be punished with the the parish priest should admonish the of Christianity, more devoutly ob-
loss of half of their estates; and finally, violators of Sunday and wish them served for the time to come.”--Thomas
that if still obstinate they should be to go to church and say their prayers, Morer, Discourse in Six Dialogues on

Volume 23, Number 3 7

the Name, Notion, and Observation of The roll forbade labor from the ninth human origin of the institution by which
the Lord’s Day, 271. hour, three o’clock, on Saturday after- it had been supplanted. In the sixteenth
noon, till sunrise on Monday; and its au- century a papal council plainly declared:
Civil Backs Ecclesiastical thority was declared to be confirmed by “Let all Christians remember that the
The decrees of councils proving in- many miracles. It was reported that per- seventh day was consecrated by God,
sufficient, the secular authorities were sons laboring beyond the appointed hour and hath been received and observed,
besought to issue an edict that would were stricken with paralysis. A miller not only by the Jews, but by all others
strike terror to the hearts of the people who attempted to grind his corn, saw, who pretend to worship God; though we
and force them to refrain from labor on instead of flour, a torrent of blood come Christians have changed their Sabbath
the Sunday. At a synod held in Rome, forth, and the mill wheel stood still, not- into the Lord’s Day.”-- Ibid., pages 281,
all previous decisions were reaffirmed withstanding the strong rush of water. A 282. Those who were tampering with
with greater force and solemnity. woman who placed dough in the oven the divine law were not ignorant of the
They were also incorporated into the found it raw when taken out, though the character of their work. They were delib-
ecclesiastical law and enforced by the oven was very hot. Another who had erately setting themselves above God.
civil authorities throughout nearly all dough prepared for baking at the ninth
Christendom. (See Heylyn, History of hour, but determined to set it aside till Woe to Dissenters; African Churches
the Sabbath, pt. 2, ch. 5, sec. 7.) Monday, found, the next day, that it had A striking illustration of Rome’s
been made into loaves and baked by policy toward those who disagree with
Forgeries and Other Lies divine power. A man who baked bread her was given in the long and bloody
Still the absence of Scriptural au- after the ninth hour on Saturday found, persecution of the Waldenses, some of
thority for Sundaykeeping occasioned when he broke it the next morning, that whom were observers of the Sabbath.
no little embarrassment. The people blood started therefrom. By such absurd Others suffered in a similar manner for
questioned the right of their teachers to and superstitious fabrications did the ad- their fidelity to the fourth command-
set aside the positive declaration of Je- vocates of Sunday endeavor to establish ment. The history of the churches of
hovah, “The seventh day is the Sabbath its sacredness. (See Roger de Hoveden, Ethiopia and Abyssinia is especially
of the Lord thy God,” in order to honor Annals, vol. 2, pp. 526-530.) significant. Amid the gloom of the
the day of the sun. To supply the lack In Scotland, as in England, a greater Dark Ages, the Christians of Central
of Bible testimony, other expedients regard for Sunday was secured by uniting Africa were lost sight of and forgotten
were necessary. A zealous advocate with it a portion of the ancient Sabbath. by the world, and for many centuries
of Sunday, who about the close of the But the time required to be kept holy var- they enjoyed freedom in the exercise of
twelfth century visited the churches ied. An edict from the king of Scotland their faith. But at last Rome learned of
of England, was resisted by faithful declared that “Saturday from twelve at their existence, and the emperor of Ab-
witnesses for the truth; and so fruit- noon ought to be accounted holy,” and yssinia was soon beguiled into an ac-
less were his efforts that he departed that no man, from that time till Monday knowledgment of the pope as the vicar
from the country for a season and cast morning, should engage in worldly busi- of Christ. Other concessions followed.
about him for some means to enforce ness.--Morer, pages 290, 291.
his teachings. When he returned, the
lack was supplied, and in his after la- Papists Admit to Changed Day Those who were
bors he met with greater success. He But notwithstanding all the efforts
brought with him a roll purporting to to establish Sunday sacredness, papists tampering with the
be from God Himself, which contained themselves publicly confessed the di-
the needed command for Sunday ob- vine authority of the Sabbath and the divine law were not
servance, with awful threats to terrify
the disobedient. This precious docu- ignorant of the
ment--as base a counterfeit as the in-
stitution it supported--was said to have character of their work.
fallen from heaven and to have been An edict was issued forbidding the
found in Jerusalem, upon the altar of observance of the Sabbath under the se-
St. Simeon, in Golgotha. But, in fact, verest penalties. (See Michael Geddes,
the pontifical palace at Rome was the Church History of Ethiopia, pages 311,
source whence it proceeded. Frauds 312.) But papal tyranny soon became
and forgeries to advance the power a yoke so galling that the Abyssinians
and prosperity of the church have in determined to break it from their necks.
all ages been esteemed lawful by the After a terrible struggle the Romanists
papal hierarchy. were banished from their dominions,
and the ancient faith was restored. The
churches rejoiced in their freedom, and
Rome is aiming to re-establish her power, they never forgot the lesson they had
learned concerning the deception, the
to recover her lost supremacy. fanaticism, and the despotic power of

8 Our Firm Foundation

Rome. Within their solitary realm they countries that
were content to remain, unknown to once ac-
the rest of Christendom. knowledged
The churches of Africa held the Sab- her domin-
bath as it was held by the papal church ion is still far
before her complete apostasy. While from being
they kept the seventh day in obedi- dest royed.
ence to the commandment of God, And proph-
they abstained from labor on the Sun- ecy foretells
day in conformity to the custom of the a restoration
church. Upon obtaining supreme pow- of her power.
er, Rome had trampled upon the Sab- “I saw one
bath of God to exalt her own; but the of his heads
churches of Africa, hidden for nearly as it were
a thousand years, did not share in this wounded to
apostasy. When brought under the death; and
sway of Rome, they were forced to set his deadly
aside the true and exalt the false sab- wound was
bath; but no sooner had they regained healed: and
their independence than they returned all the world
to obedience to the fourth command- wondered af-
ment. (See Appendix.) ter the beast.”
Verse 3.
Hatred of True Sabbath
to Resurface
These records of the past clearly
reveal the enmity of Rome toward the
true Sabbath and its defenders, and the
A movement to enforce Sunday observance
means which she employs to honor the
institution of her creating. The word of
is fast gaining ground.
God teaches that these scenes are to be The infliction of the deadly wound Scriptural evidence, as with the papal
repeated as Roman Catholics and Prot- points to the downfall of the papacy leaders who fabricated miracles to sup-
estants shall unite for the exaltation of in 1798. After this, says the prophet, ply the place of a command from God.
the Sunday. “his deadly wound was healed: and all The assertion that God’s judgments are
the world wondered after the beast.” visited upon men for their violation of
Worship Papacy by Paul states plainly that the “man of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated;
Honoring Sunday sin” will continue until the second already it is beginning to be urged.
The prophecy of Revelation 13 de- advent. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. To the And a movement to enforce Sunday
clares that the power represented by very close of time he will carry for- observance is fast gaining ground.
the beast with lamblike horns shall ward the work of deception. And the
cause “the earth and them which dwell revelator declares, also referring to the Protestants Obey Rome, Not God
therein” to worship the papacy --there papacy: “All that dwell upon the earth Marvelous in her shrewdness and
symbolized by the beast “like unto a shall worship him, whose names are cunning is the Roman Church. She
leopard.” The beast with two horns is not written in the book of life.” Revela- can read what is to be. She bides
also to say “to them that dwell on the tion 13:8. In both the Old and the New her time, seeing that the Protestant
earth, that they should make an image World, the papacy will receive homage churches are paying her homage in
to the beast;” and, furthermore, it is to in the honor paid to the Sunday institu- their acceptance of the false sabbath
command all, “both small and great, tion, that rests solely upon the author- and that they are preparing to enforce
rich and poor, free and bond,” to re- ity of the Roman Church. it by the very means which she her-
ceive the mark of the beast. Revelation self employed in bygone days. Those
13:11-16. It has been shown that the Prophecy Soon to be Fulfilled who reject the light of truth will yet
United States is the power represented Since the middle of the nineteenth seek the aid of this self-styled infal-
by the beast with lamblike horns, and century, students of prophecy in the lible power to exalt an institution
that this prophecy will be fulfilled United States have presented this tes- that originated with her. How readily
when the United States shall enforce timony to the world. In the events now she will come to the help of Protes-
Sunday observance, which Rome taking place is seen a rapid advance tants in this work it is not difficult
claims as the special acknowledgment toward the fulfillment of the predic- to conjecture. Who understands bet-
of her supremacy. But in this homage tion. With Protestant teachers there is ter than the papal leaders how to deal
to the papacy the United States will not the same claim of divine authority for with those who are disobedient to the
be alone. The influence of Rome in the Sundaykeeping, and the same lack of church?

Volume 23, Number 3 9

 Rome vs. Governments History testifies of her artful and past centuries. Protestants little know
The Roman Catholic Church, with persistent efforts to insinuate herself what they are doing when they pro-
all its ramifications throughout the into the affairs of nations; and having pose to accept the aid of Rome in the
world, forms one vast organization un- gained a foothold, to further her own work of Sunday exaltation. While they
der the control, and designed to serve aims, even at the ruin of princes and are bent upon the accomplishment of
the interests, of the papal see. Its mil- people. In the year 1204, Pope Inno- their purpose, Rome is aiming to re-
lions of communicants, in every coun- cent III extracted from Peter II, king establish her power, to recover her lost
try on the globe, are instructed to hold of Arragon, the following extraordi- supremacy. Let the principle once be
themselves as bound in allegiance to nary oath: “I, Peter, king of Arrago- established in the United States that
the pope. Whatever their nationality nians, profess and promise to be ever the church may employ or control the
or their government, they are to regard faithful and obedient to my lord, Pope power of the state; that religious ob-
the authority of the church as above all Innocent, to his Catholic successors, servances may be enforced by secu-
other. Though they may take the oath and the Roman Church, and faithfully lar laws; in short, that the authority
pledging their loyalty to the state, yet to preserve my kingdom in his obedi- of church and state is to dominate the
back of this lies the vow of obedience ence, defending the Catholic faith, conscience, and the triumph
to Rome, absolving them from every and persecuting heretical pravity.” of Rome in this country is
pledge inimical to her interests. --John Dowling, The History of Ro- assured.
manism, b. 5, ch. 6, sec. 55.
Secret Growth—
Then the Strike
God’s word has given
warning of the impend-
ing danger; let this be un-
heeded, and the Protestant
world will learn what the
purposes of Rome really
are, only when it is too late
to escape the snare. She is
silently growing into power.
Her doctrines are exerting
their influence in legislative
halls, in the churches, and
in the hearts of men. She
is piling up her lofty and
massive structures in the
secret recesses of which her
former persecutions will be
repeated. Stealthily and un-
suspectedly she is strength-
ening her forces to further
her own ends when the time
shall come for her to strike.
All that she desires is van-
tage ground, and this is al-
ready being given her. We
shall soon see and shall feel
what the purpose of the Ro-
We shall soon see and shall feel man element is. Whoever shall believe
and obey the word of God will thereby
what the purpose of the Roman element is. incur reproach and persecution.

Great Controversy, 575-581.

This is in harmony with the claims re- Rome’s Power Regained
garding the power of the Roman pon- And let it be remembered, it is the Ellen G. White, 1827-1915, received
tiff “that it is lawful for him to depose boast of Rome that she never changes. the spiritual gift of prophecy, and the
emperors” and “that he can absolve The principles of Gregory VII and In- fruits of her life and work accord with
subjects from their allegiance to un- nocent III are still the principles of the the biblical tests of a true messenger of
righteous rulers.”--Mosheim, b. 3, cent. Roman Catholic Church. And had she God. To this day, her counsels are an
11, pt. 2, ch. 2, sec. 9, note 17. (See also but the power, she would put them in incalculable blessing to God’s people
Appendix note for page 447.) practice with as much vigor now as in around the world.

10 Our Firm Foundation

A
n unhealthy excitement is being fueled amongst
professed followers of God over temporal
prosperity. Everywhere is seen the mushrooming
of “prosperity preachers,” business or
entrepreneurship seminars, and literature on how
to prosper materially. Frequently from the pulpits Christians are
taught that God’s ultimate will for them is material prosperity
and that poverty, misfortune or suffering want is a curse. If one
is having financial problems, it is taken a sign of not being true
to God. Initially I thought our denomination was immune to
such perversions of the truth, but, sad to say, even the traditional
stewardship seminars among Adventists are taking this mode,
wherein members are encouraged to give so that they get and to
strive for material prosperity—all because this is God’s purpose
for them.

Prosperity, not Soul Preparation

This implies that those Christians who are not materially
prosperous are under a curse, and that the more prosperous one is
the more approved and righteous before God. Therefore, material
prosperity becomes a yardstick to measure one’s spirituality and Admiral Ncube
faith in God. Bible texts are misquoted and misapplied to sustain
such thinking. Calls for Christians to be business-minded ignites
in them a zeal to compete with the world in acquiring material
wealth--consequently making it the object of their existence. In
this “prosperity gospel,” members are motivated on principles
of temporal success, i.e., how they can acquire more materially,
instead of how they can best develop Christ-like characters and
advance His kingdom. Little or nothing is mentioned about
preparing for the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Below are some of the shocking statements on prosperity from
renowned charismatics. These sentiments in a subtle way are
creeping into our ranks:

“I Want It Now!”
“Prosperity is a major requirement in the establishment of
God’s will,” and “God’s will for His people today is abundance.”
God’s Will is Prosperity, article downloaded from the KCM
website http://www.kcm.org/studycenter/finances/pdf/gods_
will_prosperity.pdf.
“I’m sick and tired of hearing about streets of gold [in heaven].
I don’t need gold in heaven, I’ve got to have it now. . . . But if I
hear the thing one more time of how it will be and how it was, I’m
gonna kick somebody.” Benny Hinn on Praise the Lord Show,
Trinity Broadcasting Network, Dec. 9, 1990, quoted in Hank
Hanegraaff’s Counterfeit Revival, page 120.
The implications of such thinking are profound. Many
Christians, instead of seeking the beauty of Christ’s righteousness,
focus their energies and efforts on material prosperity. Like the
ancient Jews, they equate material prosperity to God’s approval,
blessing and righteousness. Like the world around them, many
have come to believe that life is meaningful only when one has
“things,” and this has been turned to be the message of the hour!
As we investigate the truth of such issues, let us consider what
God’s will for us really is:
Appealing to
carnal minds,
prosperity preachers
God’s Will: It Is Written…
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. . . .” 1

violate biblical
Thessalonians 4:3.
“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from

Volume 23, Number 3 principles. 11

this present evil world, according to the will of God and our
Father.” Galatians 1:4.
It is clear that God’s priority is our deliverance from the power
of Satan, to live lives of obedience to His commands through His
grace. Ultimately, His will for us is not that we make money

$
Our greatest object and ambition in life should be to conform
to His will, rather than compete with the world in acquiring
material wealth.

and become materially prosperous, but rather that we be true

saints here on earth. Therefore, our greatest object and ambition
in life should be to conform to His will, rather than compete with
the world in acquiring material wealth. To treat this prosperity
gospel as the message of the hour is to imply that material wealth
is our greatest need-- which is outright falsehood.
In conjunction with the above, it should also be categorically
stated that the idea that true faith will bring the believer loads of
money has no scriptural basis, either. In fact, our Saviour Jesus,
while He never condemned material possessions outright,
• Preached that those who serve God must despise money
(Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13-15) because their hearts will be
wherever their treasure is (Matthew 6:21);
• Did warn us not to store up earthly treasure (Matthew
6:19);
• Said giving is better than receiving (Acts 20:35);
• Taught that wealth is deceitful and can choke out our faith
(Matthew 13:5, 22; Luke 8:14);
• Warned us to be on guard against self-indulgence and greed in
all its forms (Matthew 23:25; Mark 7:21-23; Luke 12:15);
• Made it clear our object in life should not be to have an
abundance of material possessions but rather seek His
kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:32,33);
• Said it is almost impossible for a rich person to enter heaven
(Matthew 19:21-24);
• Commands all his followers to lay down their lives in self-
denial (Matthew 16:24) and told a wealthy would-be disciple
to sell all his possessions (Matthew 19:21-24);
• Said there will always be the poor in the world, and these may
either be Christians or non-Christians (Matthew 26:11);
• Pointed out He did not even have a bed to sleep on (Matthew
8:20).

True Riches
Therefore, never did our Saviour promise material possessions
or inspire men to yearn for them. Always He sought to lead men
to seek true riches. Furthermore, the apostles did not put emphasis
on financial or material prosperity. See 2 Corinthians 6:10; 1
Timothy 6:10-11; Hebrews 13:5, Colossian 3:5, 1 Timothy 3:2-
3, Colossians 3:2.
To think that God’s will for us is that we become materially
prosperous is to lose the essence of the gospel, which is complete
deliverance from sin. God has not promised us material
prosperity, but He has assured us that He will supply our needs.
Scripture is full of promises alluding to the fact that He will
do that. (See Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 13:5,
Isaiah 41:17, Psalm 23:1, Psalm 37:25.) Therefore, instead of
making the search for mammon the object of life, let us rather
seek the development of Christian character and advancement
of His cause. If He blesses us with material wealth, let us always

12 Our Firm Foundation

bear in mind that the wealth is not for self-glorification and afflictions. A classic example would be the apostle Paul. In 2
indulgence, but service. Corinthians 11:24-28 he writes:

$
“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
God has not promised us material prosperity, Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
but He has assured us He will supply our needs. suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the
deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of
Wealth Given in Trust robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the
“Money is a trust from God. It is not ours to expend for heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in
the gratification of pride or ambition. In the hands of God’s perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness
children it is food for the hungry, and clothing for the naked. and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in
It is a defense to the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things
a means of preaching the gospel to the poor. You could bring that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care
happiness to many hearts by using wisely the means that is of all the churches.”
now spent for show. Consider the life of Christ. Study His Now if Paul was indeed a true Christian whose life was
character, and be partakers with Him in His self-denial.” dedicated to God’s service, why would he go through all that
Ministry of Healing, 287. suffering? Why would he talk about sufferings with joy if
they are indeed not part of the Christian’s ordeal? See also

$ “Of all the gifts that heaven can bestow upon men, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, 16-18; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:12,13;
fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty Philippians 3:8-10; Job 23:10; 1 Peter 5:10; Philippians 1:29;
trust and the highest honor.” Hebrews 12:6-11.
Even the young evangelist Timothy suffered “frequent
Our Lord in Luke 4:18 clearly set forth His mission on illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23), but instead of telling Timothy
earth, which was not make men materially prosperous, but to “claim a healing” or “rebuke the devil,” Paul actually
rather to “. . . preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to instructed him to add unfermented wine to his diet (it was
heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, used as a form of medicine). In Miletus, Paul also left a man
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them named Trophimus sick (2 Timothy 4:20). Therefore, though
that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” misfortune may befall a true Christian, God’s grace is sufficient
Nowhere did He promise His followers worldly wealth, but to see him or her through. To say that true Christians should
rather eternal life when they accept Him into their lives. In never face trials, want or misfortune would therefore render
light of this, let the following warning be borne in mind: false the numerous texts which point to trials as part of the
Christian’s experience. If our Saviour went through the same
Prosperity Dangerous—And ordeal, what about His beloved children? See Philippians
Possibly Misleading 1:29, 1 Peter 2:21, Hebrews 5:8, Romans 8:18, James 1:2.
“In the midst of prosperity lurks danger. Throughout the
ages, riches and honor have ever been attended with peril to Fellowship in Christ’s
humility and spirituality. It is not the empty cup that we have Suffering the Highest Honor
difficulty in carrying; it is the cup full to the brim that must “God never leads His children otherwise than they would
be carefully balanced. Affliction and adversity may cause choose to be led if they could see the end from the beginning
sorrow, but it is prosperity that is most dangerous to spiritual and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling
life. Unless the human subject is in constant submission to as coworkers with Him. Not Enoch who was translated to
the will of God, unless he is sanctified by the truth, prosperity heaven, not Elijah who ascended in a chariot of fire, was
will surely arouse the natural inclination to presumption.” greater or more honored than John the Baptist who perished
Prophets and Kings, 59. alone in the dungeon. ‘Unto you it is given in the behalf of
The other error that is being echoed by these prosperity Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His
preachers is that a true follower of God should NEVER suffer sake.’ Philippians 1:29. And of all the gifts that heaven can
misfortune or illness. Notice the words of Benny Hinn: bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings
“Sickness does not belong to you. It has no part in is the most weighty trust and the highest honor.” Desire of
the Body of Christ. Sickness does not belong to any of Ages, 224-5.
us. The Bible declares if the Word of God is in your May God help us to wake up and cast off the shackles
life, there will be health, there will be healing--divine with which the evil one attempts to bind us. The time we
health and divine healing. There will be no sickness for are living in is too, too solemn to be trifled with in pursuit of
the saint of God. If Moses could live such a healthy life, material wealth which we will not take with us to heaven and
so can you.” Benny Hinn, Rise and Be Healed! (1991), does not add value to our spirituality. We have been called
page 14, quoted in Hank Hanegraaff’s Christianity in not to be business people but to be saints. Stand up. Refuse
Crisis, 242. to listen to error or allow prosperity preachers to administer
their poison to you. We cannot and should not allow such
Christians Have Trials, Too error take the place of vital and relevant truths that God has
In fact, nowhere does the Bible teach that Christians will given us to be embraced and proclaimed to the world. We are
never be sick or face misfortune. The Bible actually contains almost home and we cannot allow such a diversion. Beware
many examples of true followers of God facing trials and of being diverted, deluded and diluted!

Volume 23, Number 3 13

Joseph of Arimathea
and Nicodemus
Jean Handwerk

God prepared two men

for special roles
in prophetic history.
 The stories of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus reveal
the power of divine love that drew these men of wealth and Joseph stepped forward
influence. The record of these unselfish men shows how in the hour of need, heedless
willingly they gave all to honor, follow and obey the One
whom they came to know as the sacrificial Lamb of God.
of all the political and social
consequences of his act.
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned only once in each of the Fortunately, there was only one moment of delay. Pilate had
gospels; each acknowledges Joseph as a disciple of Jesus and not believed Jesus had died so soon (Mark 15:44), but a cen-
defines his important role of begging from Pilate the body of turion who was present was able to confirm the fact. Joseph’s
Jesus. Matthew adds that Joseph was wealthy, and Mark, that haste was rewarded, as Pilate granted him Jesus’ body.
he was a respected counselor—a lawyer. Those two facts Scripture tells us Joseph asked boldly for Jesus’ body. One
were central to Joseph’s role in Jesus’ life and death. might wonder how he could be considered “bold” while he was
Joseph, like much of Jerusalem, was present during the acting “secretly” and “for fear of the Jews.” John 19:38. How-
crucifixion. Joseph knew the disciples had no money to ever, although Joseph went secretly to beseech Pilate “for fear
bury Jesus. In truth, they hadn’t even anticipated His death, of the Jews,” his was not fear for his own safety but wisdom
despite His plain warnings of it. Notably, the only apostle born of knowing that the Jews’ hatred was so great they might
at the cross was John. Still expecting Jesus to establish an have prevented Jesus having an honored resting place. Joseph’s
earthly kingdom, the disciples were completely unprepared burden was that Christ’s body would be carefully dealt with.
spiritually, emotionally, and even practically for what oc- Therefore, the plan to ask for His body and bury Him in his
curred. This example of deceptiveness of wrong under- own tomb had to be kept quiet until it was accomplished.
standing and the unpreparedness for crises it brings, even Matthew and Luke said he “begged” for Jesus’ body; Mark
despite forewarnings, is a forceful reminder for us in these said he “craved” it. Again we see his urgency; delay would
last days. be serious. Pilate may have been incredulous—possibly even
And yet, “notwithstanding the disciples had been disap- resistant— when he heard such a request from a Jewish lead-
pointed in their hopes concerning Jesus, they yet loved Him er, whom he generally despised for their recent manipulation
and desired to give His body an honored burial, but knew not of him during Jesus’ hearing. He also had no way of knowing
how to obtain it.” Early Writings, 181. Only faithful men of Joseph and Nicodemus had been excluded from the shameful
influence and wealth could accomplish that. Joseph of Ari- meetings at which Jesus had been condemned. But perhaps
mathea was that man, the one God had prepared for this cri- Pilate knew Joseph as Luke describes him: a “good man, and
sis. It was at this point that Joseph of Arimathea enters Scrip- a just.” Certainly Pilate had judged Jesus favorably: “I find
ture chronology by name. He stepped forward in the hour of in him no fault at all.” Perhaps he was cooperative on that
need, heedless of all the political and social consequences of account. Whatever the reasoning of Pilate, Joseph prevailed
his act. To Pilate he immediately headed. with him. The scheming yet fearful Jewish leaders had to
content themselves with petitioning Pilate on Passover Sab-
Time Constraints and Possible Opposition bath for a three-day guard at the tomb (Mat 27:62).
Jesus died around 3 pm; the Sabbath would begin around
6:30 pm at that time in Jerusalem, so there was some ur- Nicodemus
gency to Joseph’s mission to Pilate. He had to go to Pilate, Unlike Joseph, Nicodemus is mentioned in only three dif-
secure an audience with him, state his case and get permis- ferent places, all in the gospel of John. Prior to the cross,
sion for the body, return, remove the body from the cross, when the soldiers returned to the Pharisees without having
carry it to the tomb, wash it tenderly and wrap it with spices carried out their instructions to arrest Jesus, we read that
and linen—all before sunset. those incensed leaders didn’t even ask them what Jesus had
Also, he had to make his request of Pilate before the oth- said that so affected them. John 7:45-53. They weren’t inter-
er Jewish leaders would be certain to arrive to make their ested in anything but what would aid their goal to silence
own request. It was against the law of Moses that bodies Jesus. In their two questions to the soldiers, “Are ye also de-
of impaled criminals remain displayed after sundown, and ceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed on
especially this sundown, because it was a high Sabbath of Him?” they placed the majority opinions of influential and
Passover. We know from John 19:31 that the other Jewish evil men above the clear demands of the law.
leaders also appeared before Pilate after Jesus’ death to re- Nicodemus dared not remain silent at this juncture, for
quest that the bodies not remain on the crosses. Had they although he was not yet fully convinced Jesus was the Messi-
preceded Joseph or been present to learn of Joseph’s plan, ah, the law prohibited the condemnation of an innocent man,
they might have persuaded Pilate against it. After all, it was and he knew Jesus to be innocent of their charges. “The Holy
they who had insisted Jesus be positioned between the two Spirit had been striving with Nicodemus during [his night-
criminals, a public message that He was the worst of the time conversation with Jesus], and Nicodemus received the
dying criminals. They certainly would object to His being lesson from Christ, and carried it with him. He searched the
buried in an honorable manner. Therefore, Joseph under- Scriptures in a new way, not for the discussion of a theory,
standably felt considerable urgency in his mission due to but in order to receive life for the soul. For a time Nicodemus
the imminent sunset and the hatred of the Jews toward his did not publicly acknowledge Christ, but he watched His life,
Master. and pondered His teachings. In the Sanhedrin council he re-

Volume 23, Number 3 15

peatedly thwarted the schemes of the priests to destroy Him.
. . .” Conflict and Courage, 291-3.
Spirit of Prophecy tells us, “Again the priests and rulers
proceeded to lay plans for arresting Jesus. It was urged that if
He were longer left at liberty, He would draw the people away
from the established leaders, and the only safe course was to
silence Him without delay. In the full tide of their discussion,
they were suddenly checked. Nicodemus questioned, ‘Doth
our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he
doeth?’ [John 7:51] Silence fell on the assembly. The words
of Nicodemus came home to their consciences. They could
not condemn a man unheard. But it was not for this reason
alone that the haughty rulers remained silent, gazing at him
who had dared to speak in favor of justice. They were startled
and chagrined that one of their own number had been so far
impressed by the character of Jesus as to speak a word in His
defense. Recovering from their astonishment, they addressed
Nicodemus with cutting sarcasm, ‘Art thou also of Galilee?
Search and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.’
“Yet the protest resulted in staying the proceedings of the
council. The rulers were unable to carry out their purpose
and condemn Jesus without a hearing. Defeated for the time, time meeting. In their absence Jesus had been condemned and
‘every man went unto his own house. Jesus went unto the delivered to be crucified. There were present at the council
Mount of Olives.’” Desire of Ages, 460, italics supplied. other influential men who believed on Jesus, but their influ-
ence prevailed nothing against that of the malignant Phari-
“…By remaining in the sees.” Ibid., 538. Their names are not honored in Scripture, and
from this we know that Nicodemus and Joseph were Jesus’
Sanhedrin, Joseph and two most capable and outspoken defenders in the Sanhedrin,
Nicodemus had hoped to for their names we know. The other believers in Jesus had not
protect Jesus by their insistence been excluded and their words were powerless to stop the tide
of evil, nor did they step forward for Jesus’ burial.
in those councils that the law be
followed.” Jesus’ Burial
But “now that Jesus was dead, they no longer concealed
The “priests and rulers” represent those ecclesiastical and their attachment to Him. While the disciples feared to show
civil leaders who will speak contrary to the principles of the themselves openly as His followers, Joseph and Nicodemus
United States’ Constitution and against Sabbath keepers in the came boldly to their aid. . . .” Conflict and Courage, 327.
time of trouble. When the image to the beast is formed, we In John 19 we see that Nicodemus worked with Joseph to
will walk the path our Master walked before us. For a while prepare Jesus for burial. Time was of the essence, so while
honorable men, like Joseph and Nicodemus before them, will Joseph was begging Pilate, Nicodemus was gathering burial
successfully insist on adherence to just laws and/or principles. spices and linen cloth. Only John, of Jesus’ closest follow-
That will be precious time for the proclamation of the Loud ers, was at the cross, and being without influence or money,
Cry. But eventually their influence will be circumvented to he stayed with the body, along with some women. Although
accomplish destructive ends. Reasons without foundation in Matthew and Luke credit only Joseph for taking Jesus’ body
justice or law will be put forth and accepted that one group from the cross and completing all the burial necessities, he
should die for the sake and survival of the nations. would not have had time to do all that was necessary. Nor
would he have been able to lower or transport Jesus’ limp
Secret Disciples body with care and honor by himself. Nor would the privi-
Ellen White wrote, “Neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had lege of preparing Jesus for burial have been selfishly with-
openly accepted the Saviour while He was living. They knew held from appropriate others present. Thus we read in John
that such a step would exclude them from the Sanhedrin. You 19:39-42 of Nicodemus’ participation, and that “they” took
see, in desperation the Jews had finally passed an edict that the body from the cross, and “they” wound it in linen.
any man who professed faith in Jesus should be cast out of Up to this point, so hidden was their legal defense of Jesus
the synagogue. The Jewish leaders couldn’t kick them out, that Spirit of Prophecy tells us that “the women of Galilee
because they hadn’t openly declared for Jesus. And by re- had remained with the disciple John to see what disposition
maining in the Sanhedrin, Joseph and Nicodemus had hoped would be made of the body of Jesus, which was very precious
to protect Jesus by their insistence in those councils that the to them. . . . The women were astonished to see Joseph and
law be followed. For a time they had seemed to succeed; but Nicodemus, both honored and wealthy councilors, as anx-
the wily priests, seeing their favor to Christ, had thwarted their ious and interested as themselves for the proper disposal of
plans by simply not calling them to that hastily-called night- the body of Jesus.” Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3, 174-5 (1878).

16 Our Firm Foundation

 “In the normal course of events Jesus, as a traitor to Rome, were no longer mysterious. He felt that he had lost much by
would have been given a dishonorable burial in a field re- not connecting himself with the Saviour during His life. Now
served for the basest of criminals.” 5BC 551. In the sure prov- he recalled the events of Calvary. The prayer of Christ for His
idence of God, though, the wealthy Joseph owned a new sep- murderers and His answer to the petition of the dying thief
ulchre among those of other wealthy men, which he readily spoke to the heart of the learned councilor. Again he looked
relinquished for the Son of God, thus fulfilling the prophecy upon the Saviour in His agony; again he heard that last cry, ‘It
that he was laid to rest “with the rich in his death.” Isa 53:9. is finished,’ spoken like the words of a conqueror. Again he
beheld the reeling earth, the darkened heavens, the rent veil,
“The disciples had been afraid the shivered rocks, and his faith was forever established.
to show themselves openly as “The very event that destroyed the hopes of the disciples
convinced Joseph and Nicodemus of the divinity of Jesus.
Christ’s followers, but Their fears were overcome by the courage of a firm and un-
Nicodemus and Joseph had wavering faith.” Conflict and Courage, 327.
come boldly to their aid.” “After the Lord’s ascension, when the disciples were scat-
tered by persecution, Nicodemus came boldly to the front. He
employed his wealth in sustaining the infant church that the
Although Jesus was buried expeditiously without the cus- Jews had expected to be blotted out at the death of Christ. In
tomary recognition accorded the respected dead (“he made the time of peril he who had been so cautious and question-
his grave with the wicked…” Isa 53:9), we’re assured “the ing was firm as a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples,
most honored in all Jerusalem could not have been shown and furnishing means to carry forward the work of the gos-
more respect in death.” Story of Redemption, 227. We’re told pel. He was scorned and persecuted by those who had paid
“the women who had been Christ’s humble followers while him reverence in other days. He became poor in this world’s
He lived, would not leave Him until they saw Him laid in goods; yet he faltered not in the faith which had its beginning
the tomb and a stone of great weight placed before the door, in that night conference with Jesus.” Ibid., 293.
lest his enemies should seek to obtain His body” (Early With the examples of Jesus and Nicodemus before us, may we
Writings,181), but they need not have worried. Invisible an- “endure our own crosses and despise any shame.” May we step
gels sent from heaven guarded that tomb, as well as Roman forward in this portentous time, “choosing the right because it is
guards requested by the worried Jewish leaders. right and leaving the consequences with God” (GC 460), telling
Acts of the Apostles, page 104, reveals that “with Joseph of fellow souls of the only safe harbor in the coming storm.
Arimathea, Nicodemus had borne the expense of the burial
of Jesus. The disciples had been afraid to show themselves True Conversion
openly as Christ’s followers, but Nicodemus and Joseph had The story of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus is one of
come boldly to their aid. The help of these rich and honored the working of the Holy Spirit for that time and for eternity.
men was greatly needed in that hour of darkness. They had It is a story of true conversion. Ellen White wrote, “. . . While
been able to do for their dead Master what it would have been the work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects
impossible for the poor disciples to do; and their wealth and are manifest. If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of
influence had protected them, in a great measure, from the God, the life will bear witness to the fact. . . .
malice of the priests and rulers.” “Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Of
whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affec-
Joseph’s Story Ends tions and our best energies? If we are Christ’s, our thoughts
Thus ends the Biblical chronicle of wealthy counselor Jo- are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we
seph of Arimathea. Along with Nicodemus, God had pre- have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His im-
pared him to enable Jesus’ ministry to continue longer than age, breathe His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all
the jealous Jewish leaders would have permitted-- indeed for things.” Steps to Christ, 57-8.
the full 3½ years of prophecy-- and to solve the problem of a “When, as erring, sinful beings, we come to Christ and
timely and honored burial for His Son. Joseph’s wisely-con- become partakers of His pardoning grace, love springs up
cealed discipleship while Jesus lived, and his stepping for- in the heart. Every burden is light, for the yoke that Christ
ward openly afterward to obtain Jesus’ body, regardless of imposes is easy. Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a
consequences, reflect a discernment and a courage fueled by pleasure. The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness,
devotion that serve as examples to us. becomes bright with beams from the Sun of Righteousness.”
Ibid., 59.
Nicodemus’s Conversion Bore Fruit So it was for Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. So it
Although we know no more about Joseph of Arimathea may be for us.
after the burial, we are told more about Nicodemus. John 3:21
says, “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his
deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Jean Handwerk is
That is true of Nicodemus. a former teacher
“On that Sabbath, when Christ lay in the grave, Nicodemus who writes
had opportunity for reflection. A clearer light now illuminat- from Delaware.
ed his mind, and the words which Jesus had spoken to him

Volume 23, Number 3 17

 Theological
Heidi Heiks

Waymarks
Part 3

The King of the North

The “glorious land” that Rome “enters” to overthrow is God’s church.
Dan. 11:41 “He shall enter935 also into This plot of ground, in its superiority in goodness and truth, keeping mercy
the glorious6643 land,776 and many7227 to the uncultivated waste, he expects for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
countries shall be overthrown:3782 to do him honor by showing the results transgression and sin.’ Ex. 34:6, 7. This
but these428 shall escape4422 out of of his care and toil in its cultivation. was the fruit that God desired from
his hand,4480, 3027 even Edom,123 and So God had chosen a people from the His people. In the purity of their char-
Moab,4124 and the chief 7225 of the world to be trained and educated by acters, in the holiness of their lives, in
children1121 of Ammon.”5983 Christ. The prophet says, ‘The vine- their mercy and loving-kindness and
yard of the Lord of hosts is the house compassion, they were to show that
11:41 . . . into THE of Israel, and the men of Judah His ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, convert-
GLORIOUS LAND . . . pleasant plant.’ Isa. 5:7. [This piece of ing the soul.’ Ps. 19:7.
land is the same as in Daniel 8:9, the
In our last issue we discovered the “pleasant land”] Upon this people God Israel’s Duty and Privilege
“glorious land” was a term designated had bestowed great privileges, bless- “Through the Jewish nation it was
for the church. With all the different ing them richly from His abundant God’s purpose to impart rich bless-
terms used to designate God’s church, goodness. He looked for them to honor ings to all peoples. Through Israel the
why did heaven use the term “glori- Him by yielding fruit. They were to way was to be prepared for the diffu-
ous” to define His last day church in reveal the principles of His kingdom. sion of His light to the whole world.
the book of Daniel? We suggested this In the midst of a fallen, wicked world The nations of the world, through fol-
was brisling with meaning. Turning they were to represent the character of lowing corrupt practices, had lost the
to a chapter in Christ Object Lessons God. As the Lord’s vineyard they were knowledge of God. Yet in His mercy
entitled “The Lord’s Vineyard,” His to produce fruit altogether different God did not blot them out of existence.
church; Ellen White clarifies the mat- from that of the heathen nations. . . . He purposed to give them opportuni-
ter for us: ty for becoming acquainted with Him
“The great work of life is through His church. He designed that
Representing the Character of God character building. . .” the principles revealed through His
“The parable of the vineyard applies “It was the privilege of the Jewish na- people should be the means of restor-
not alone to the Jewish nation. It has a tion to represent the character of God ing the moral image of God in man. . . .
lesson for us. The church in this gen- as it had been revealed to Moses. In . And as the tower in the vineyard, God
eration has been endowed by God with answer to the prayer of Moses, ‘Show placed in the midst of the land His holy
great privileges and blessings, and He me Thy glory,’ the Lord promised, ‘I temple. . . . . God desired to make of
expects corresponding returns. . . . . will make all My goodness pass be- His people Israel a praise and a glory.
The husbandman chooses a piece of fore thee. Ex. 33:18, 19. ‘And the Lord Every spiritual advantage was given
land from the wilderness; he fences, passed by before him, and proclaimed, them. God withheld from them nothing
clears, and tills it, and plants it with The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and favorable to the formation of charac-
choice vines, expecting a rich harvest. gracious, longsuffering, and abundant ter that would make them representa-
18 Our Firm Foundation
tives of Himself. Their obedience to the idea that they were the favorites of fulfilling His commission, and repre-
law of God would make them marvels heaven, and that they were always to senting His character to the world? .
of prosperity before the nations of the be exalted as the church of God. . . . As . . The glorious possibilities set before
world. . . The glory of God, His maj- a people the Jews had failed of fulfill- Israel could be realized only through
esty and power, were to be revealed in ing God’s purpose, and the vineyard obedience to God’s commandments.
all their prosperity. They were to be a was taken from them. The privileges The same elevation of character, the
kingdom of priests and princes. God they had abused, the work they had same fulness of blessing--blessing on
furnished them with every facility for slighted, was entrusted to others. . . .” mind and soul and body, blessing on
becoming the greatest nation on the house and field, blessing for this life
earth. . . . . the people were to reflect Obedience to Right Principles and for the life to come--is possible for
the attributes of His character. Glorifies God us only through obedience. In the spiri-
Ellen White now describes the church tual as in the natural world, obedience
Robbing Men and God of today: “In the lives of God’s people to the laws of God is the condition of
“Even the heathen would recognize the truths of His word are to reveal fruit bearing. And when men teach the
the superiority of those who served their glory and excellence. Through people to disregard God’s command-
and worshiped the living God. . . . His people Christ is to manifest His ments, they are preventing them from
The children of Israel were to occupy character and the principles of His bearing fruit to His glory.” Christ’s
all the territory which God appointed kingdom. . . . The Lord desires through Object Lessons, 284-306 (all emphasis
them [His church]. Those nations that His people to answer Satan’s charges ours).
rejected the worship and service of the by showing the results of obedience to Paul admonishes us to glorify God
true God were to be dispossessed. But right principles. These principles are in everything we do including our spir-
it was God’s purpose that by the rev- to be manifest in the individual Chris- itual, mental and physical well being
elation of His character through Israel tian, in the family, in the church, and in and to be blameless at His appearing:
men should be drawn unto Him. . . . He every institution
desires that the families below shall be established for
a symbol of the great family above. . God’s service. . . .
. . But Israel did not fulfill God’s pur- Not all the beauty
pose. . . . All their advantages were ap- of art can bear
propriated for their own glorification. comparison with
. . . They robbed God of the service the beauty of tem-
He required of them, and they robbed per and character
their fellow men of religious guidance to be revealed in
and a holy example. . . . Like the in- those who are
habitants of the antediluvian world, Christ’s repre-
they followed out every imagination sentatives. . . . We
of their evil hearts. Thus they made are to praise God
sacred things appear a farce, saying, by tangible ser-
“The temple of the Lord, the temple of vice, by doing all
the Lord, are these” (Jer. 7:4), while at in our power to
the same time they were misrepresent- advance the glory
ing God’s character, dishonoring His of His name. God
name, and polluting His sanctuary. . . . imparts His gifts
. Thus the Gentile world was given oc- to us that we also may give, and thus “And the very God of peace sanctify
casion to misinterpret the character of make known His character to the you wholly; and I pray God your whole
God and the laws of His kingdom. . . . world. . . . God claims the whole earth spirit and soul and body be preserved
as His vineyard. blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Though now in Jesus Christ.” 1Thess. 5:23.
“Not all the beauty of art can bear the hands of the
usurper, it be-
“In Egypt their taste had become
perverted. God designed to restore
longs to God. . .
comparison with the beauty of temper .
their appetite to a pure, healthy state,
in order that they might enjoy the sim-
“Yet the world ple fruits that were given to Adam and
and character to be revealed in those is asleep. The Eve in Eden. He was about to estab-
people know lish them in a second Eden, a goodly
who are Christ’s representatives.” not the time of
their visitation.
land, where they might enjoy the fruits
and grains that He would provide for
In this crisis, them. He purposed to remove the fe-
where is the verish diet upon which they had sub-
“The Jewish rulers did not love God. church to be found? Are its members sisted in Egypt; for He wished them
. . . The Jewish people cherished the meeting the claims of God? Are they to be in perfect health and soundness

Volume 23, Number 3 19

when they entered the goodly land to that “the conditions and promises are leases, 159-60.
which He was leading them, so that the the same in the Old Testament as they “During the loud cry, the church, aided
surrounding heathen nations might be are in the New. The favor of God is by the providential interpositions of her
constrained to glorify the God of Isra- promised only to those who obey him.” exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge
el, the God who had done so wonder- Signs of the Times, January 6, 1888. of salvation so abundantly that light will
ful a work for His people. Unless the Let us take heed, brothers and sis- be communicated to every city and town.
people who acknowledged Him as the ters, for we have an admonition that The earth will be filled with the knowl-
God of heaven were in perfect sound- no one can misunderstand. John com- edge of salvation. So abundantly will the
ness of health, His name could not be plements Daniel in Revelation 14:1: renewing Spirit of God have crowned
glorified.” 1SDABC 1102. “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood with success the intensely active agen-
on the mount cies, that the light of present truth will be
Sion, and with seen flashing everywhere.” Review and

A name denotes character, and him an hundred

forty and four
Herald, Oct. 13, 1904.
“The message of Christ’s righteous-
thousand, hav- ness is to sound from one end of the
having the Father’s name written in ing his Father’s earth to the other to prepare the way
name written in of the Lord. This is the glory of God,
one’s forehead denotes having His their foreheads.”
A name denotes
which closes the work of the third an-
gel.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 19.
glorious character exemplified in one’s life. character, and
having the Fa-
“When the Lord was about to manifest
to them his great power and goodness,
ther’s name writ- to make his name glorious in the earth,
ten in one’s forehead denotes having and exalt his people as a nation favored
Character Development His glorious character exemplified in and honored of Heaven, they became
Essential Now one’s life. In Revelation 14 we have the discouraged. They knew that whenever
In Ps. 96:3 we are commissioned to clearest instruction for those who will they had trusted in God he had might-
“Declare His glory [character] among act a part in the proclamation of the ily wrought for them. Yet their unbelief
the nations.” Daniel presents the char- last warning messages to the world, strengthened into rebellion; their own
acter for those who would be endowed and the condition for those who will perverse wills obstructed the way, mak-
with the Holy Spirit when the church be able to stand when Michal Him- ing walls before them higher than had
is to meet her enemies in the final on- self will stand up, Daniel 12:1. Many been built by their enemies.
slaught with the forces of evil just be- are now hidden, but nevertheless His “The history of the children of Israel
fore she is to enter the promised land. glorious church will arise and their is written as a warning to us, ‘upon
The condition is summarized here: “The light will shine forth: “Arise, shine; whom the ends of the world are come.’
great work of life is character building. . for thy light is come, and the glory of We are standing, as it were, upon the
.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 596. the LORD is risen upon thee.” “For, very borders of the heavenly Canaan.
Here, then, lies the most important behold, the darkness shall cover the We may, if we will, look over on the
aspect of Daniel 11 and why Satan earth, and gross darkness the people: other side, and behold the attractions
would introduce a counterfeit of so but the LORD shall arise upon thee, of the goodly land. If we have faith in
great a magnitude. In Daniel 1 we have and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” the promises of God, we shall show in
the history of the Jews being taken Isa. 60:1-2. conversation and in deportment that
captive, but we were not specifically we are not living for this world, but are
told why in that chapter. That reason The Glorious Role making it our first business to prepare
is addressed in Inspiration: “By their of the End-Time Church for that holy land.
spirit and works the children of Israel Ellen White describes this glorious “The dangers and difficulties before
misrepresented the righteousness of ascent of the church in the following us are increasing as we near the heav-
God’s character, and the Lord allowed excerpts: enly rest. Satan is filled with deadly
the Babylonians to take them captive. “Christ’s true followers are kind, hatred against all who are seeking
He left his people to their ways; and in tender, pitiful. They will realize the to gain the land which was once his
the calamities that befell them the in- meaning of the work of the angel of home. His envy has lost none of its bit-
nocent suffered with the guilty.” Youth Revelation 18, who is to lighten the terness since he was excluded from the
Instructor, May 14, 1903. whole earth with his glory, while he brightness and glory of Heaven. Before
It was all because of a misrepresenta- cries with a loud voice, ‘Babylon the his fall an enemy to Christ, seeking to
tion of God’s character to the surround- great is fallen, is fallen.’ Many will rob him of his honor and glory, he is no
ing nations. And to us the message is heed this call. . . . When the earth is less his enemy now. He has determined
made plain: “Now all these things hap- lighted with the glory of the angel of to take the world captive. He sees that
pened unto them for ensamples: and Revelation 18, the religious elements, his time is short, that a mightier than
they are written for our admonition, good and evil, will awake from slum- he will soon take away his power, and
upon whom the ends of the world are ber, and the armies of the living God he will make one last mighty effort
come.” 1 Cor. 10:11. And we all know will take the field.” 19 Manuscript Re- against Christ and his church.” Review

20 Our Firm Foundation

and Herald, November 29, 1881. men and of angels, and have not charity, “land of ornament.” What was the or-
“The third angel’s message is to I am become as sounding brass, or a tin- nament that God wanted to extend to
lighten the earth with its glory; but only kling cymbal. And though I have the gift the borders of Palestine and beyond?
those who have withstood temptation of prophecy, and understand all myster- “She [Wisdom] shall give to thine head
in the strength of the Mighty One will ies, and all knowledge; and though I have an ornament of grace: a crown of glory
be permitted to act a part in proclaim- all faith, so that I could remove moun- shall she deliver to thee.” Prov. 4:9.
ing it when it shall have swelled into tains, and have not charity, I am nothing. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
the loud cry.” Historical Sketches, 155. And though I bestow all my goods to feed my soul shall be joyful in my God; for
the poor, and though I give my body to be he hath clothed me with the garments
Supreme Love for God burned, and have not charity, it profiteth of salvation, he hath covered me with
the Christian’s Only Foundation me nothing.” 1 Cor 13:1-3. the robe of righteousness, as a bride-
in the Coming Storm It was this strong motivating princi- groom decketh himself with orna-
Our instruction for preparation is pal of supreme love for God that pre- ments, and as a bride adorneth herself
clearly set before us. The Jews, we were pared Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- with her jewels.” Isa. 61:10.
told, did not love God; therefore, it was nego not to bow to the king’s image, And what did John say is the cover-
an impossibility for them to reflect His and enabled them to accept without ing or “ornament” of salvation for the
glory or character to the surrounding hesitation the fiery trial resulting from born-again Christian? “And to her was
nations. Hence they failed to compre- their refusal. On a daily basis they had granted that she should be arrayed in
hend and experience that obedience to faithfully lived the principles of righ- fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
God’s commands springs forth only teousness in truth, thus sealing their linen is the righteousness of saints.”
after one experiences supreme love for fate in that hour of temptation. Revelation 19:8.
God. According to the scriptures, this “‘Lo, I see four men loose, walking in The ornament of salvation or glory
is the very root and foundation for the the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; that is to shine and sound from one end
born-again Christian: and the form of the fourth is like the Son of the earth to the other in the soon-
of God.’ How did coming crisis is none other than Christ
that heathen king and His righteousness, exhibited
know what the through the persons and characters of
Son of God was his witnesses, His Church.
like? The Hebrew Paul “encouraged the believers to
captives filling look forward to the time when Christ,
positions of trust who ‘loved the church, and gave Him-
in Babylon had in self for it,’ would ‘present it to Himself
life and character a glorious church, not having spot, or
represented be- wrinkle, or any such thing’--a church
fore him the truth. ‘holy and without blemish.’ Ephesians
When asked for 5:25, 27.” Acts of the Apostles, 470.
a reason of their Having allowed the scriptures and
faith, they had Spirit of Prophecy to interpret them-
given it without selves, it is transparently clear that
hesitation. Plainly when Rome invades into the “glorious
and simply they land,” she is invading the realm of the
had presented the Church. In our next issue we will show
principles of righ- when, where and how Rome is to ac-
“Yet hath he not root in himself, but teousness, thus teaching those around complish this apparent overthrow.
dureth for a while: for when tribulation or them of the God whom they worshiped.
persecution ariseth because of the word, They had told of Christ, the Redeemer to To be continued.
by and by he is offended.” Matt. 13:21. come; and in the form of the fourth in the
“That Christ may dwell in your midst of the fire the king recognized the
hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted Son of God.” Prophets and Kings, 509.
and grounded in love. . . .” Eph. 3:17. So it is that in the soon-coming crisis
After being beaten, stoned, impris- when the image to the beast is to be set Heidi Heiks, editor of Our
oned, shipwrecked and the like, what up, the only ones who “shall escape out Firm Foundation maga-
was Paul’s secret for not harboring a of his hand” will be those who, in life and zine, has been a college
bitter spirit and forsaking his Lord? character, have glorified their Redeemer educator, an author, and
“For the love of Christ constraineth in a life of loving, willing obedience. a radio speaker for The
us.” 2Cor 5:14. People of the Book radio
His answer was simple yet profound. It The “Ornament” Given program. He continues
should be of no wonder, then, why Paul God’s Church to write and is currently a teacher
would exclaim in summation: The last term mentioned in the mar- and speaker for Hope International
“Though I speak with the tongues of gins of Daniel 11:16 and 41 was the throughout the United States.

Volume 23, Number 3 21

 James Edson White

Children’s Story

The Story of Joseph: Joseph in egypt

T
he Ishmaelites, who Then the chief butler said
bought Joseph, took that in his dream, a grape
him to Egypt. There vine with three branches
they sold him to Potiphar, was before him. And the
who was a very rich man, vine bore fruit, and he took
and captain of the king’s the grapes, and pressed them
guard. into Pharaoh’s cup for him
The Lord blessed Joseph, to drink.
and Potiphar soon saw that The Lord gave to Joseph
whatever he did prospered. the meaning of the dream;
So he made him steward of so he told the chief butler
all that he had. that the three branches in
But God had a higher place his dream were three days,
for Joseph, and he must and that in three days king
reach it through affliction. Pharaoh would take him out
In all his troubles it was the of prison, and restore him to
Lord who was giving Joseph his position as chief butler.
just the training he needed to Joseph told the butler the story of his own wrongs. He
fit him for the great work before him. asked the butler to tell his story to the king, and to do all he
While living in the house of Potiphar, Joseph met the most could to get him out of prison.
learned men of Egypt, and from them gained knowledge But the butler was like many other people who forget
that helped to fit him to rule in the land when he was called those who have been their friends in trouble. When he came
to do so. out of prison, he forgot all about Joseph.
Potiphar’s wife was a wicked woman, and told a falsehood When the chief baker saw that the dream of the chief
about Joseph. Then Potiphar had Joseph cast into prison, butler was good, he was encouraged to tell his dream also.
where he remained for several years. He dreamed that he had three white baskets on his head,
But even in prison “the Lord was with Joseph, and showed one above the other. In the top basked were all kinds of
him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of baked food for the king. And the birds came and ate the
the prison.” food from the top basket.
The jailor soon saw that Joseph could be trusted, so he Joseph told him that the three baskets were three days,
gave him charge of the prison and all the prisoners. and that in three days Pharaoh would take him from prison,
Now the king’s chief butler and chief baker had displeased and hang him on a tree, and the birds would eat his flesh.
him and he cast them into the prison where Joseph was. Both of these dreams came true according to the
And they were both placed under his special care. interpretation that Joseph had given.
One morning, when Joseph came to see these men, Although the chief butler forgot about Joseph as soon as
he found them looking very sad. And he asked them, he was taken out of prison, the Lord did not forget him, for
“Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day?” He had a great work for him to do.
And they answered him, “We have dreamed a dream, and
there is no interpreter of it.” From The Story of Joseph by James Edson White (1902),
Joseph said, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” Vol. III of the Pioneer Series (Upward Way: 1989), and
Then he asked them to tell their dreams to him. available at Hope International Book Store.
22 Our Firm Foundation
 Health
Heather Olson, R.N., C.H.

Gem

Part 1

The
Statin Scam
Marches On
Byron J. Richards, CCN
December 11, 2007

C
onsidering that tens of millions can you destroy muscle and be more humans who were complaining of se-
of Americans now take statins fit? You can’t. Sure, you can drug your vere muscle pain. Muscle biopsy found
to lower cholesterol, the follow- cholesterol number lower, but will you that the atrogen-1 gene was activated,
ing headline was conspicuously ab- be healthier, fit, and live longer? compared to people with severe muscle
sent from the major media this month: In the new study researchers found pain not on statins and controls. They
“Statins Found To Turn On Gene That that statins activate a gene signal in went on to show through various ex-
Causes Muscle Damage.” It’s now a muscles called atrogen-1. When this periments that statins activate the gene.
fact of science; a new study shows that gene activates, it targets key muscle This is extremely bad news for any per-
taking statins destroys your muscle to proteins for destruction. The activa- son taking a statin.
a greater or lesser degree. And let’s not tion of this gene drives the process of Right now doctors ignore the major-
forget that the heart is a muscle. muscle atrophy and muscle wasting. It ity of muscle aches and pains caused by
Place this study juxtaposed to anoth- is induced in cardiac muscle in failing statins, and in their mind only consider
er rather interesting recent finding: the hearts. Why on earth would any person the problem serious when it is debili-
more fit you are the longer you will live want this gene activated by a drug? tating (rhabdomyolysis), which appar-
– and the two just don’t add up. How The researchers tested statin-taking ently happens less than 1% of the time.

Volume 23, Number 3 23

However, at least 5% - 7% of statin us- Cardiomyopathy (serious weakening publish something negative they will
ers experience significant muscle prob- of the heart muscle) is a known adverse never again get research money from
lems. The number is greater than 10% and often not reported side effect of the industry. These well known tactics
if a person is taking the now commonly statin therapy, previously thought to be discourage basic research on drug-re-
prescribed higher doses. And if a per- the result of a statin-induced coenzyme lated toxicity problems.
son is trying to be fit and exercise, the Q10 deficiency. It is likely that the com- When statistics are honestly looked
number jumps to 25%. These numbers bination of Q10 deficiency with atro- at in the case of using statins for many
are clearly on the low end as it has now gen-1 activation is behind this problem. years to prevent a first heart attack,
been shown that doctors are ignoring for every life that is saved (1% over 10
their patients, not reporting the side ef- years’ use), statins cause an equal num-
fects of statins to the FDA, and telling ber of adverse deaths due to accidents,
them the side effects they are experi- infection, suicide, and cancer (1% over
encing are not from the drug! Statins – Perversion of Science 10 years’ use). This means that as a
This new science shows that as soon as for Profit general public health measure, which is
the atrogen-1 gene is activated by statins, The statin industry is a 20-billion-a- now the lion’s share of current statin use,
it starts destroying muscle. This means year propaganda machine, producing they are an ineffectual waste of money.
that even mild aches or pains while tak- more yearly revenues from one class of It has now been proven that middle-age
ing a statin are a sign that muscle is be- drug than all professional U.S. sports men would be better off taking an aspi-
ing destroyed, an entirely new and so- combined. Just like any hot-selling drug rin a day for a tiny fraction of the cost
bering perspective on the side effects on the market, negative studies are dis- (of course, there are many supplement
of statins. Statins directly work against couraged, to say the least. They are ei- options). Statin-taking for a number of
being physically fit, as is evidenced by ther thrown in the trash can when they years does not reduce mortality rate.
the difficulty statin users have exercis- don’t work out or critical researchers None of these facts faze the statin in-
ing without troubling symptoms. are often blackmailed, meaning if they dustry, which keeps churning out posi-

24 Our Firm Foundation

“Current clinical evidence does not demonstrate
that titrating lipid therapy to achieve
low LDL cholesterol levels is beneficial or safe.”

tive spin and moving right along, re- (the lowest and least toxic dose possible achieve these completely unnatural and
gardless of the damage being done and to provide improvement). Doctors actu- unhealthy levels of cholesterol. In hind-
the money wasted. ally could care less what healthy func- sight we can see that these recommenda-
The fraud of statins inside one’s body tion of the enzyme actually is. Rather, tions boosted yearly statin sales by seven
centers on the regulation of an enzyme the new “gold standard of medical care” billion dollars. A class-action lawsuit has
known as HMG CoA reductase. Statins is to batter the enzyme into a state of already been filed against Pfizer for il-
work by reducing the function of this en- submission so that cholesterol levels are legal Lipitor promotion. Many others are
zyme. The higher the dose, the more the abnormally low. Any apparent benefits sure to follow as this fraud becomes bet-
enzyme is reduced and the less choles- of a statin, many of which are falsely ter understood by those who are injured
terol is made. It is well known that indi- touted, is accomplished by poisoning and those footing the bill.
viduals with naturally lower cholesterol some aspect of health. How long can Further highlighting this fraud is a
(LDL at 130, total less than 200) in their such a charade be allowed to continue study appearing in the October 3, 2006,
40s and 50s have fewer cardiovascular on millions of unsuspecting Ameri- issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
problems as they grow older. However, cans? Why won’t the FDA demand drug Researchers reviewed all studies relating
taking a statin to reduce cholesterol to companies include a correct risk profile to cholesterol-lowering benefits of statin
these levels or even lower is not the same as part of the labeling? As normal, the drugs, with a focus on the new abnor-
thing as natural healthy function. FDA continues to sleep on duty. mally low cholesterol levels promoted by
In healthy individuals with lower the American Heart Association. Their
cholesterol the HMG CoA reductase conclusion: “Current clinical evidence
enzyme is active at a high level as part does not demonstrate that titrating lipid
of health. It is part of a complex com- therapy to achieve proposed low LDL
munication system within the body that Double the Dose – cholesterol levels is beneficial or safe.”
regulates energy, immunity, fat me- Rake in the Billions That is a rather shocking conclusion
tabolism, leptin, cellular thyroid hor- In 2004 the government-funded Na- coming more than two years after the
mone activity, liver-related synthesis, tional Cholesterol Education Program fact. The finding did not faze the statin
stress tolerance, adrenal function, sex selected a panel of nine “experts” to marketing machine or the prescribing
hormone synthesis, and brain function. review statin drug use and make rec- habits of any physician.
This system is core to survival! The ommendations as to guidelines doctors To be continued…
high activity of this enzyme is a type should follow to reduce cardiovascular
of metabolic fitness, similar to the idea disease. They recommended that indi- Byron J. Richards is a board-certified
of muscle fitness. The enzyme is very viduals at high cardiovascular disease clinical nutritionist and author of Fight
active in a healthy state for a variety of risk attain LDL levels < 100 mg/dL and for Your Health and The Leptin Diet.
important and vital needs. individuals at very high cardiovascular He is the founder and director of Well-
Drugging this enzyme is similar to risk attain LDL levels < 70 mg/dL (lev- ness Resources, Inc., at www.wellness-
making a person get around in a wheel- els that are abnormal, levels which are resources.com.
chair, whether he or she needs one or seldom ever this low in healthy people
not. If you put a person’s metabolism in with no cardiovascular disease). Their Copyright © 2007 Wellness Resources,
a statin-induced straitjacket, then maybe advice was published in the marketing Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Humpty Dumpty won’t fall off the wall journal of the American Heart Asso-
so easily. That may be a useful concept ciation. This “scientific journal” failed For natural supplements
for someone in brittle cardiovascular to disclose that six of the nine authors to lower your cholesterol and
health, but it has little to do with the aver- had direct financial ties to the makers improve your heart health,
age person concerned about general car- of statin drugs. see ads on pages 29 and 30.
diovascular well being and maintaining Today, in doctors’ offices around the
a healthy level of fitness and vitality. country, these abnormal cholesterol If you would like
Doctors don’t use statins to try and levels are being pushed on anyone over free health counseling,
reduce HMG CoA activity a little bit, the age of 40, requiring a double or tri- call our health professionals
with the idea of approximating some ple dose of statins or combination with at 309-343-5853.
type of healthy function of the enzyme some other toxic drug (like fibrates) to
Volume 23, Number 3 25
 News Watch
to Catholics before every presidential
race since 1976…. Catholics make
up one-quarter of the electorate
nationwide, but do not vote as a bloc,
and often do not follow the bishops’
political guidance.” However, only for
Arouse Fear to Get Votes with how people practice their religion
reasons of “truly grave moral reasons,
“…Half a century of research has than with what they believe, though
not to advance narrow interests or
shown that fear is one of the most people caught up in this change often
partisan preferences….” (Contrib. by
politically powerful emotions a find that their beliefs are influenced,
Dennis Farley.) Lewiston, ME, Sun
candidate can tap…. Candidates who if not subtly altered, by the changes in Journal, Nov. 15, 2007.
exploit voters’ fears and anxieties their practice. End-time perspective: “There is no
grab attention in a way that others “Put simply, [it is] a return to tradition more remarkable movement of the
appeals, such as those to experience, and orthodoxy, to past practices, present day, and no one fraught with
competence, vision or even anger… observances, and customary ways of more vital consequences to men and
do not…. ‘The skillful use of fear is worshiping….” nations, than the rapidly reviving
unmatched in leading to enthusiasm This renewed interest in tradition is influence of the papacy in national
for one candidate and causing voters to occurring not only in the “so-called affairs. The papacy is fast moving into
turn away from another.’ emergent communities,” but also in the place of the greatest influence of
But “…‘Politicians who speak only to Judaism and Orthodox denominations. any earthly organization.” GC88, 686.
the fear and anxiety part without tran- “Evangelicals are doing things that
sitioning to something more optimistic seem downright Roman Catholic.” Jay
“Worst Ever”—
don’t win….’ Just as fear without hope Tolson, U.S. News and World Report,
Again
is seldom a winning strategy, so failing Dec. 24, 2007, 42-51.
A December
to remind voters of their fears can leave End-time perspective: “[Paul] showed
Midwest ice
even the most optimistic candidate on that religion does not consist in rites
storm was the
the short end of the ballot count….” and ceremonies, creeds and theories….
“worst ever in
Sharon Begley, Newsweek, Dec. 24, [He] taught that it is a practical, saving
Oklahoma,” with
2007, 37-40. energy, a principle wholly from God, a
effects felt in
End-time perspective: “The Lord personal experience of God’s renewing
four neighboring
would have His people bury political power upon the soul.” Sketches from
states. [About
questions. On these themes silence Life of Paul, 276.
one week earlier,
is eloquence. Christ calls upon His flooding in the
followers to come into unity on the Church Teachings to
Northeast was termed either the “worst”
pure gospel principles which are plainly Determine Votes, Say Bishops
or “second-worst” on record.] Sean Mur-
revealed in the word of God. We cannot “Roman Catholic voters and
phy, Asso. Press, Dec. 12, 2007.
with safety vote for political parties; for lawmakers must heed church teaching
End-time perspective: During a sum-
we do not know whom we are voting on issues ranging from racism to
mer of severe weather, if there was an
for. We cannot with safety take part in abortion or risk their eternal salvation,
appearance of a thunderstorm, “some
any political schemes.” FE 475. U.S. bishops said Wednesday.
parents sent their children to our
“The bishops didn’t recommend
house, inviting one of the family to
Returning to Tradition specific policies or candidates in the
visit them… until the storm was over.
“…There is a growing appetite for 2008 election…, but they warned
The children innocently told the whole
something more than ‘worship that is Catholics that their votes for politicians
story: ‘for ma says lightning will not
a glorified Bible class in some ways.’ and laws affect more than just civic
strike a house where the advent people
“Something curious is happening life,” saying their votes “may affect the
are.’” Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 2, 82.
in the wide world of faith, something individual’s salvation.” The bishops
that defies easy explanation or said abortion must always be opposed.
Mandatory Flu Shots for Kids
quantification…. It has to do more “They have offered similar guidance
New Jersey has become the first state
26 Our Firm Foundation
to require vaccinations for schoolchil- MORE SHOCKING: I didn’t notice by themselves or others.” Christian
dren. Preschoolers must get flu and anyone reminding the pope of his own Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 47.
pneumonia shots; sixth graders, vac- church’s history! …The truth of history
cines against meningitis and whooping is that no church has spread its faith by Cancer Risk & Body Mass
cough (booster). Four more vaccines are the sword more than the Catholics! “The risk of 10 different cancers
recommended by government and medi- “The Vatican and Germany primarily increases as body mass index rises.
cal organizations. NJ grants exemptions comprise the so-called Holy Roman . . . With every 10-unit increase . . .
on religious or medical grounds. Linda Empire…. I defy anybody to show me , the risk of incidence increased for
Johnson, Asso. Press, Dec. 15, 2007. a religious empire that has shed more endometrial, kidney, ovarian and
End-time perspective: “So closely blood in man’s entire history. The pancreatic cancers, adenocarcinoma
is health related to our happiness that seventh head of the holy Roman Empire of the esophagus, leukemia, multiple
we cannot have the latter without the is now on the scene in Europe. And the myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
former. A practical knowledge of the stronger it gets, the more aggressive the colorectal cnacer in premenopausal
science of human life is necessary in Vatican becomes….” Gerald Flurry, ed., women and breat cancer in post-
order to glorify God in our bodies. It Philadelphia Trumpet, October 2007, 1. menopausal women.” Medical
is therefore of the highest importance, End-time perspective: “Some of the Examiner, Dec. 7, 2007, 72.
that among the studies selected for Pharisees from among the multitude said End-time perspective: “Ellen
childhood, physiology should occupy unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. G. White… knew the meaning of
the first place. How few know any- And he answered and said unto them, I suffering…. Twice she was bereaved of
thing about the structure and functions tell you that, if these should hold their a son. For nearly half her public life she
of their own bodies, and of nature’s peace, the stones would immediately was a widow. She knew the meaning
laws!” Counsels of Health, 38. cry out.” Luke 19:39-40. of lingering illness. Her messages of
encouragement to [the afflicted, the
Cloned Meat/Dairy dying and the bereaved] were tempered
Coming Soon by her own experience.” 2SM 220.
“With the government set to
allow food from cloned animals Atheism More Prominent
onto the market—and consumers “…With a steady stream of best sell-
not yet convinced it’s safe— ers…, vociferous atheists did bring non-
meat and dairy producers are belief into the public sphere. The number
promoting an industry-led system of people who felt comfortable enough to
to track cloned livestock….The tell Gallup pollsters that they didn’t be-
FDA has said the cloned animals lieve in God inched up to 6 percent this
are scientifically identical to their year from 2 percent in 2001….” Lisa
Why the Pope Offends natural counterparts. But that conclusion Miller, Newsweek, Jan 7, 2008, 89.
“In September 2006, the pope hasn’t convinced shoppers—or meat End-time perspective: “…If the true
offended Muslims by quoting a and dairy producers who fear that Sabbath had been kept, there would
Byzantine emperor from the 14th anxiety about cloned products could never have been an infidel or an athe-
century. Here is what the emperor dampen sales….” Matthew Perrone, ist.” CET 86.
said: ‘Show me just what Mohammed Asso. Press, Dec. 21, 2007.
brought that was new, and there End-time perspective: “We do not Dear Readers: We have provided New
you will find things only evil and hesitate to say that meat is not essential Watch items in order to keep you post-
inhuman, such as HIS COMMAND to the maintenance of health and ed on news related to last-day events.
TO SPREAD BY THE SWORD THE strength…. But few can be made to If you have a news item of interest
FAITH HE PREACHED’ [emphasis believe that it is the meat they have and would like to share it with oth-
original throughout]. eaten which has poisoned their blood ers, please send us a copy. See page 2
“The pope apologized for offending and caused their suffering. Many die for our fax number, email address, or
Muslims, but didn’t retract what he of diseases wholly due to meat-eating, mailing address.
said…. But here is something FAR when the real cause is scarcely suspected
Volume 23, Number 3 27
 “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching
in our past history.” E.G. White, Life Sketches, 196. Many today have neglected to study the history and people that
made up the early days of the Advent movement. To help encourage interest in Adventist history, we have put
together questions about people and events of our past. Our goal is to spark faith and further study into
“the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”

Historical Footnotes
Source: The Great Second Advent
Movement: Its Rise and Progress, by
J. N. Loughborough (Pacific Press: 1992,
for Adventist Pioneer Library). Available at
Hope International Bookstore.

1. The delay in printing the first 5. Very soon in response, means 9. And by 1905, the number
paper on the Sabbath was due to was sent for future issues, along accepting Sabbath truth was almost
a. No writer yet capable of with a. 5,000.
expounding the Sabbath a. Good news of conversions to b. 10,000.
doctrine. the Sabbath. c. 100,000.
b. Lack of funds. b. Ideas for future issues. d. 200,000.
c. Strike of print setters. c. Arguments against the
d. Disagreement on doctrinal Sabbath 10. In 1895, while great
approaches. exposition. advancements in civilization were
noted, also noted was
2. To raise needed money, James 6. In all, ___ numbers of Present a. Unparalleled preparations
White mowed ___ acres of grass Truth were printed. for war.
with a hand scythe. a. 11 b. Increasingly destructive war
a. 40 b. 22 weapons.
b. 20 c. 33 c The withholding of the release
c. 10 d. 44 of the four winds.
d. 5 d. All of the above.
7. By 1905, instead of only 3
3. In July 1849, the first issue persons preaching Sabbath truth,
(number) of _____ was mailed to there were
those who might read it. a. 130.
a. Advent Review b. 230.
b. Present Truth c. Over 400.
c. Medical Missionary d. Over 600.
d. Truth for These Times
8. By 1905, the Sabbath truth was
4. James White would walk eight being preached and printed in
miles to and from the publisher, about ___ languages.
even though he was often a. 20
a. Blinded by snow. b. 30
b. Ill with dysentery. c. 40 5:a; 6:a; 7:d; 8:c; 9:c; 10:d
c. Lost on the way. d. 60 Answers: 1:b; 2:a; 3:b; 4:d;
d. Lame.

28 Our Firm Foundation

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30 Our Firm Foundation

 Letters to The Editor

to your literature for many, many

years.
As a matter of fact, it was he who
first gave to my brothers and me
Wow! Good resources here. En- I enjoy them and also I am shar- your wonderful, life-renewing liter-
joyed the visit! (From the Hope In- ing them with others. What a great ature. It was that gift that sustained
ternational website.) blessing this program is. I am hop- my brother during his terminal ill-
ing to be able to donate again in the ness, and I must say it was also the
I do not know how to show near future. It is so important to of- same gift that in turn gave comfort
appreciation for the large quantities of fer God’s word free to all. Thank to my dad during his final hours. I
Our Firm Foundation magazines and you so much for your work in the read to him from the Bible and ex-
books I received from you. I have shared Lord. cerpts from your magazine.
them with as many people as I can, and WB PL, Texas
they have been a most tremendous
spiritual help to many of us. We just recently got a DVD This whole year I have kept the
I have just one request which I am player so we have been enjoying magazines instead of giving them
making. Can I be on your mailing the DVDs that you have sent. Hope away. The subjects were so inter-
list for monthly issues? I know the International has some excellent esting that I want to go over them
distance factor and I do not have speakers. We like to hear the word again, point by point, especially on
funds to support your organization, as it is. the subject of the “daily”, together
but I have and will continue to ML, Florida with the book I purchased from
pray for all the self-supporting you, A Biblical Defense. I want to
workers worldwide adhering to and Brothers and sisters of the rem- make my studies a priority at this
practicing truth and righteousness. nant church, I salute you all in the time of my life. I love your ministry
I am a self-supporting worker here name of our loving GOD through and have greatly profited from the
in Makurdi, as well, and I know the His beloved son JESUS CHRIST. DVDs you sent. I treasure each one
dangers hanging over the members I thank you a lot for the pam- of them.
of God’s remnant church. phlets you sent to me. I’m sharing US, Canada
We have never ceased to pray and them with friends who have already
will continue to do so, even for our accepted the Sabbath and the truth Thank you for the DVDs. On
dear members who do not desire to thereof. I kindly request you to pray Sabbath after church another sister
see the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. for us to know the truth and live by and I gather and watch them. We
We do a lot of traveling for the it, considering the current condition get a lot of encouragement and en-
purpose of evangelizing the villages of the church in its Laodicean state. joyment from them.
with the true gospel and to herald GOD watch between me and thee AM, FL
the soon return of Jesus. I pray God while we are absent one from an-
provide for someone to put me on other. Be blessed, brothers, as we I have really enjoyed the DVDs
the mailing list of your magazine. strive to have the faith of Jesus. sent and have shared them with
We pray for you all. God bless. PA, Africa family. I’ve also shared Our Firm
D, Nigeria Foundation with my mother-in-law.
Regretfully I am writing to in- She enjoyed it so much she got her
I am a member of your DVD form you of the death of my father. own subscription.
club. I wanted to tell you how much He had been a faithful subscriber DH, CA
Volume 23, Number 3 31
Hope International Bookstore
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