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January 15, 2008
December 2, 2007
As Christian Seventh Day Adventist’s we believe that the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem bagen with King Artaxerxes decree in the year 457BC.
Biblical author Uriah Smith stated: “The years of Artexerxes reign are among the most easily established dates of history. The Canon of Ptolemy, with it’s list of kings and astronomical observations, the Greek Olympiads, and allusions in Greek history to Persian affairs all combine to place the 7th year of Artexerxes at 457BC” (The prophecies of Daniel and the revelation, p208, Uriah Smith).
Let’s look at the Bible text found in the book of Ezra which mentions this incident;
Ezr 7:12; “Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
[13] I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
[14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
[15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
[16] And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
[17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
[18] And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
[19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
[20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.
[21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
[22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
[23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
[24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
[25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
[26] And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.”
We must understand that before this decree there were two others given which helped and started the process of COMPLETE restoration.
The apostate, Desmond Ford a former Christian Seventh Day Adventist has stated;
“The problem is that the Adventist case for 1844 asserts that the decree for rebuilding Jerusalem is predicated in Daniel 9:25 on the decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7. But Ezra 7 says nothing whatsoever about rebuilding Jerusalem! Nor does any other passage attribute the building of the city to Artaxerxes or to Ezra. The whole Adventist case for 1844 depends upon missing evidence!”
The confusion is that Desmond Ford [along with a few other Adventist "scholars"] does not understand that the first two decrees began the PROCESS of RESTORATION which was finalized in this final decree. These other two decrees had a part in the restoration of Jerusalem, as they commissioned a return of the Jews to Jerusalem and rebuilding to start. It’s really that simple.
As Adventist Christians we believe that one of the rules of Biblical interpretation is, “context controls meaning” and of course any Scripture taken out of context is a “pre-text”.
So we must let the WHOLE BIBLE interprete itself, a Law of Adventist Christians. It was this final decree that allowed for religious law making and tax immunity to the priests. Thus, the PROCESS was complete.
God works out many things through PROCESS. He creates circumstances for things to UNFOLD. Most all prophetic fulfillment’s happen through a PROCESS. We get glimpses of the end result. In a sense it is through this process that God teaches us to LISTEN to Him and to develope a RELATIONSHIP with Him.
Written by Eric W. King [December 2nd 2007]
Visit: The Adventist Way of Life
November 13, 2007
Being a Seventh Day Adventist Christian I always get asked the question regarding early Adventist author, Ellen G. White; “Wasn’t Ellen White a plagiarist?”
I find that instead of searching out her writings for themselves, most Christians are too relaxed in their own minds about their conclusions regarding what I call, “easy religion”. Religion that doesn’t really ask them to seperate from the world or it’s ways. That being said, let’s take a brief look at the question of plagiarism.
Did you know that modern “scholars” have “proven” that most all of the Christian Bible is a work of plagiarism? Take the flood story for instance.
In Sumerian clay tablets dating from the third millennium BCE there is an account of a great flood whose hero is called Ziusudra. There is also a flood story in the second millennium BCE Babylonian legend of Gilgamish. In the Babylonian legend, preserved in much greater detail than that of Sumeria, the hero is named Utnapishtim. All these pre-date the Mosaic texts that have been found.
What about the fact that “word for word” passages are found in Isaiah and Micah? Who copied who? Did Isaiah copy Micah or visa versa?
And what of “Mithraism”? There is much speculation that Christian beliefs were influenced by Mithraic belief.
The worshippers of Mithras held strong beliefs in a celestial heaven and an infernal hell. They believed that the benevolent powers of the god would sympathize with their suffering and grant them the final justice of immortality and eternal salvation in the world to come. They looked forward to a final day of judgement in which the dead would resurrect, and to a final conflict that would destroy the existing order of all things to bring about the triumph of light over darkness.
Modern scholars have found many of the Old Testament stories in religions that pre-date Jewish faith. Some found in ancient Egypt and Sumeria. So what does it all mean?
My point is simple, if people want to believe that early Adventist Ellen G. White was not inspired by God to write what she wrote they can,… but remember, the same arguements that people use against her can be used against the entire Bible itself!
Me, along with thousands of Adventist Christians have gained strength, inspiration, and a closer walk with God through the study of her writings. Just as people try to find condradictions in Scripture people search for “hooks of doubt” to hang their hats on when reading Ellen White.
Ellen White wrote in the “Steps to Christ”:
“There are many things apparently difficult or obscure, which God will make plain and simple to those who thus seek an understanding of them. But without the guidance of the Holy Spirit we shall be continually liable to wrest the Scriptures or to misinterpret them. There is much reading of the Bible that is without profit and in many cases a positive injury. When the word of God is opened without reverence and without prayer; when the thoughts and affections are not fixed upon God, or in harmony with His will, the mind is clouded with doubts; and in the very study of the Bible, skepticism strengthens. The enemy takes control of the thoughts, and he suggests interpretations that are not correct. Whenever men are not in word and deed seeking to be in harmony with God, then, however learned they may be, they are liable to err in their understanding of Scripture, and it is not safe to trust to their explanations. Those who look to the Scriptures to find discrepancies, have not spiritual insight. With distorted vision they will see many causes for doubt and unbelief in things that are really plain and simple.”
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“Disguise it as they may, the real cause of doubt and skepticism, in most cases, is the love of sin. The teachings and restrictions of God’s word are not welcome to the proud, sin-loving heart, and those who are unwilling to obey its requirements are ready to doubt its authority. In order to arrive at truth, we must have a sincere desire to know the truth and a willingness of heart to obey it. And all who come in this spirit to the study of the Bible will find abundant evidence that it is God’s word, and they may gain an understanding of its truths that will make them wise unto salvation.” SC.111.002
So in conclusion…it is up to you and God alone as to what course you will take regarding Truth. Now let us look at another issue regarding early Protestantism and the Church today.
So many people today watch all the TV specials about the “life of Jesus”. We hear all sorts of things. We hear that Jesus was married. We hear that he did not really resurrect from the dead.
I watched part of a special yesturday that claimed that the apostle Paul was really working for the Roman government [Paul being a Roman citizen] and that his writings where plagiarized, taken from wanna-be massiahs that Rome had arrested and killed.
It claimed that Paul was doing this to help Rome get control of those “fanatic Christian groups”. The funny thing about these TV documenteries is that they always have “proof” about their claims.
What are you looking for? Sister Ellen White has stated; “While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon will find them. And those who refuse to accept and obey God’s word until every objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light.” – Great Controversy, p.527
Wow! Is this you? Are you looking for excuses to disobey God’s word? Perhaps regarding the Sabbath issue?
Many are looking for all the negative aspects and rumors about another persons Christian faith. The Human nature loves to argue and justify itself. Here is something to consider; Martin Luther, founder of the entire protestant movement has much “dirt” written about him. Especially some of his comments about the Jews.
In On the Jews and Their Lies, written in 1543 three years before his death, Luther recommends that Jews be deprived of money, civil rights, religious teaching, and education, and that they be forced to labor on the land, or else be expelled from Germany and possibly killed.
He refers to Jews as “a brood of vipers and children of the devil” (from Matthew 12:34), “miserable, blind, and senseless”, “truly stupid fools”, “thieves and robbers”, “lazy rogues”, “daily murderers”, and “vermin”, likens them to “gangrene”, and recommends that Jewish synagogues and schools be burned, their homes razed and destroyed, their writings confiscated, their rabbis forbidden to teach, their travel restricted, that lending money be outlawed for them, and that they be forced to earn their wages in farming.
Luther advised “[i]f we wish to wash our hands of the Jews’ blasphemy and not share in their guilt, we have to part company with them. They must be driven from our country” and “we must drive them out like mad dogs.”
So do we throw away the whole protestant movement because of Luther’s fallen nature? God forbid! We forgive him and move on. Now, Ellen White [early member of the SDA church] never made such hateful statements about other races yet people try and find “dirt” on her. There are videos about how terrible a Christian she was also.
What are you looking for? If you are looking for Truth you can find it. Jesus is not hiding under a rock someplace. As a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian I invite you to look at our teachings and compare them with Scripture. Read, pray, search the Scriptures for yourself. Stop looking for something to “hang your hat on”. Stand up, get serious about your relationship with Truth, the Christian Truth!
Written by, Eric W. King Novemebr 12th 2007 and some of this article taken from an ealier article written by Eric on May 20,2007
November 4, 2007
Three aspects of the 7th Day Sabbath!
Posted by workers under # points to the 7th Day SabbathLeave a Comment
Here are three aspects of the 7th Day Sabbath. This fourth commandment was written by the “finger of God” in the Ten Commandments;
1.) The Seventh Day points us to the Creator. It point’s us back to the literal Creation [not evolution] of all things. The Sabbath was a literal day. Evolutionist’s try and say that the seven days of Genesis were not literal, thus they promote the lie of evolution. So accepting the 7th Day Sabbath as literal is to accept the Truth that God literally created all that is in 7 days.
2.) Second, the 7th Day Sabbath points to the fact of our positional “sanctification” in Jesus Christ. Most religions accept the morality of the rest of the nine commandments, but the 7th Day [fourth commandment] points to the only True God…He who literally created all that is.
3.) The 7th Day Sabbath points to the “spiritual” rest that we have in Jesus Christ. Thus, the three-fold aspect [meaning] of the 7th Day Sabbath is very important to true Christians.
Please read more articles regarding this very issue;
Is the Fourth Commandment Jewish?
Jesus broke the Sabbath of the Pharisees
