MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
June 12, 2025
God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration
THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION/SALVATION
“Even He shall build the temple of the Lord: and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne; and the COUNSEL OF PEACE shall be between THEM both” Zechariah 6:13, KJV.
“The counsel of peace.” At first blush, this seemingly “undramatic” phrase written by one of the so-called Minor Prophets of the OT is, when better comprehended, is staggeringly profound in its import—way before our planet earth and man, “made in the image and likeness of God,” were created. And thus, before the fall of man!
It reveals the great imponderables—the incontrovertible “mysteries”
of God’s love, mercy, patience, long suffering, and kindness, as well as His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, from eternity past to eternity future.
Such is the true nature of Bible prophecies (and all the other truths of God’s Word). They hold in preserve and reveal “the deep things of God” at their precise appointed time, roles, and ways in perfect accord with God’s master plan. He is in full and perfect control.
However, as revealed only by the Spirit of God to the “holy men of God” from the beginning, “spiritual things can only be spiritually discerned.” The “carnal mind” is not only passively incapable of comprehending and seeing “the beauty of holiness” in them but is actively “at enmity” with God’s law and pure Bible truth “for darkness hateth the light.” This helps explain why Jesus, “the brightness of the Father’s glory and the EXPRESS image of His person” (Heb. 1: 1-3, A.V.), was hated, not loved and welcomed by a sin-darkened, sin-loving world.
Briefly, “in simplicity, accuracy, and purity,” in humility yet bold confidence in the truth, we declare that the purpose of the plan of salvation/redemption is the only divine antidote, answer, and solution to the great controversy started and waged by Satan and his demonic and human agencies against God, His law and authority and mankind, that guarantees complete and perfect victory of repentant sinners over all temptation, “the love of the world and the things of the world, the lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh”, “over the world, the flesh, and the devil,” and the eternal triumph of truth and the full restoration of all that was deranged and lost to and through sin and Satan!
As introduction, I will here
quote portions of The Plan of Redemption, chapter 4 of the volume, Patriarchs & Prophets by E. G. White, Pacific Press Publishing Asso. Mt. View, CA, 1913, p. 63.
I urge all to get your own book wherever most convenient, study the five complete volumes of the Conflict of the Ages series by the same author, this volume being one of these. Note:
“The fall of man filled ALL HEAVEN with sorrow. The world that God had made was blighted with the CURSE of sin, and inhabited by beings DOOMED to misery and death. There appeared NO ESCAPE for those who had transgressed the law [both first created human beings!].
“ANGELS ceased their songs of praise Throughout the heavenly courts there was MOURNING [a mourning that preceded any and all mourning following a death on earth] for the RUIN that sin had wrought.
“The Son of God, heaven’s glorious Commander [title as Michael the Archangel, Commander-in-Chief of the heavenly host of angels], was touched with PITY for the fallen race. His heart was moved with INFINITE COMPASSION as the WOES of the lost world rosé up before Him.
“But divine love had conceived A PLAN WHERBY MAN MIGHT BE REDEEMED. The BROKEN LAW [by disobedience] demanded the LIFE of the sinner [‘the wages of sin is death;’ and ‘sin is the transgression of the law.’]. In all the universe there was BUT ONE who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its claims.
“Since the divine law is AS SACRED as God Himself, only one EQUAL WITH GOD could make ATONEMENT for its transgression None but Christ could REDEEM fallen man FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, and bring him again into HARMONY WITH HEAVEN [note this!].
“Christ would take upon Himself the GUILT AND SHAME OF SIN, —-SIN SO OFFENSIVE to a holy God that IT MUST SEPARATE THE FATHER AND HIS SON. Christ would reach the depths of misery to RESCUE the ruined race.” (End quote).
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.