MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 22, 2023
God’s Saving Enmity
Part 8
THE ENMITY EXPERIENCED BY THE HERALDS OF THE TRUE GOSPEL
His name says it all. The Hebrew “satan” means “adversary,” “to cherish animosity” from the Greek satan, “Satanas” transliterations of the Hebrew and Aramaic.
This “great adversary of God and of man” (Rev 12:7-12), who Jesus described as “the father of lies and MURDERER from the beginning” (John 7: 44) has counterfeits for each testing truth of the Bible. As there is the “gospel of Jesus Christ that we should not be ashamed of” (Rom.1:16).
So there are counterfeit gospels, such as the “accursed another gospel” that apostle Paul had to contend with (Gal. 1:: 6-9, 11, 12: cd. Acts 15:1-11), and in these last days the deceptive “peace-and-safety’ prosperity gospel” (1 Thess. 5:3, etc) versus the “everlasting gospel of the three angels’s messages of Rev. 14: 6-12.
Note the following (emphasis and bracketed words mine):
“The disciples were to be heralds of the truth to prepare the way for the [second] coming of their Master. The message they had to bear was the WORD OF ETERNAL LIFE and the destiny of men depended upon their RESPONSE OR REJECTION of it.
“To impress the people of its solemnity, Jesus bade His disciples, ‘Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be MORE TOLERABLE for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, than for that city.’
“Now the Savior’s eyes penetrate the future [at the time He declared these]; He beholds the broader fields [outside Palestine where His 31/2 year work was confined] in which after His death, the disciples are to be witnesses for Him. His prophetic glance takes in the EXPERIENCE of His servants through ALL THE AGES till He shall come the second time.
“He shows His followers the CONFLICTS they must [not ‘may’ or ‘probably’] meet; He reveals the character and plan of the BATTLE. He lays before them the PERILS they must encounter; the SELF-DENIAL that will be required [not ‘merely ‘suggested’ or ‘implied’]. He wants them to COUNT THE COST [see Luke 14: 25-35] that they be not taken unawares by the ENEMY.
“Their WARFARE is not to be waged against ‘flesh and blood,’ but ‘against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS in the heavenly places.’ Eph. 6:13, R.V.
“They are to CONTEND WITH SUPERNATURAL FORCES but they are assured of SUPERNATURAL FORCES [Who/what are they?]. ALL THE INTELLIGENCES OF HEAVEN ARE IN THIS ARMY. AND MORE THAN ANGELS ARE IN THE RANKS. [Who else?] The HOLY SPIRIT, the Representative of the Captain of the Lord’s hosts [Christ Himself called “Michael the Archangel], comes down to DIRECT the battle.
“Our INFIRMITIES may be many, our SINS AND MISTAKES grievous; but the [enabling, empowering, thus saving] GRACE of God is for all who SEEK IT WITH CONTRITION. The POWER of Omnipotence is enlisted in behalf of those who TRUST in [the true] God.”- E. G. White, Desire of Ages, ch. 37,1950 edition, Apr. 1950, Pacific Press Publishing Asso.
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.