Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: GAB
Program Code: GAB000003
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01:10 Shall we bow our heads for prayer?
01:13 Father in heaven, what a joyous privilege 01:16 it is to be in Your house of worship 01:18 on Your holy Sabbath. 01:21 We thank you Father, for the privilege 01:24 of belonging to Your people, to Your church. 01:28 But we know that Your church faces 01:30 great dangers in the future. 01:33 The only way that we can understand 01:35 those dangers in the future is by understanding 01:37 what has taken place in the past. 01:40 And so as we study this morning, 01:42 we ask for the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. 01:45 We ask Lord, that you'll speak 01:47 through each heart and each mind 01:49 and You'll give us the humility 01:52 to receive the message that You have for us. 01:55 We thank You for hearing our prayer 01:58 for we ask it in the precious name of Your Son Jesus, Amen. 02:04 I like to invite to open your Bibles with me, 02:06 to 1 Corinthians Chapter 10, 1 Corinthians Chapter 10. 02:13 This chapter is describing several events 02:19 in the history of Ancient Israel. 02:24 And after relating these events 02:28 in the first 10 verses of 1 Corinthians 10, 02:33 the Apostle Paul tells us why these things were written. 02:39 And I would like to read verse 11. 02:43 The Apostle Paul says there 02:45 "Now all these things happened to them as examples." 02:53 The Greek word is the word types. 02:57 "And they were written for our admonition, 03:01 on whom the ends of the ages have come." 03:07 So you will notice that the History of Israel 03:09 was written for our admonition 03:12 upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 03:18 Now, I am going to review very quickly, 03:22 the story of the exodus of Israel from Egypt 03:26 because it really is the story of our personal exodus 03:30 from the world of the sin. 03:33 You see, Egypt represents the world, 03:37 Canaan represents heaven 03:41 and the journey across the wilderness 03:43 represents the period between 03:45 when we left the world 03:47 and when we enter the heavenly kingdom. 03:52 Now, it's important to recognize 03:54 then that the history of Israel 03:56 is really a microcosm of our experience. 04:02 It is a model in miniature of the experience 04:05 that God's people go through that God's church 04:08 will go through as we approach the Promised Land. 04:13 Now if you remember Israel was in cruel bondage 04:17 and being in bondage 04:19 they cried out to God for deliverance. 04:22 They had no merit to offer God 04:24 they were living in idolatry, they were living in sin 04:28 but in their great need they cried out to God and it's-- 04:32 we are told in Exodus 2 that God heard their cry. 04:37 And God began to work their deliverance. 04:41 He poured out plague after plague upon Egypt 04:44 telling Pharaoh let My people go, 04:48 free My people from bondage. 04:51 All of the work of deliverance was done by God. 04:55 None of it was done by Israel. 04:58 They had no merit to claim anything from God 05:01 because they were sinners 05:03 and they deserved the judgment of God. 05:06 But God in His mercy and grace delivered them 05:10 from bondage because they cried out to Him. 05:15 The sign of their deliverance 05:17 was the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. 05:20 The blood was placed on the doorposts 05:22 and in the lintel of the door representing the fact 05:26 that their deliverance was done 05:30 or was performed by the Lamb of God 05:34 who takes away the sin of the world. 05:36 Then after sacrificing the lamb 05:38 they were led to the baptismal waters of the Red Sea. 05:42 And the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10 05:45 that they were baptized in the cloud 05:48 and in the sea 05:50 and when they came out on the other sides of the waters 05:52 they were a free people. 05:54 God had worked out their deliverance. 05:56 He had buried their old life 05:59 and now they resurrected to newness of life. 06:03 And in Exodus 15 they sang the famous song of Moses 06:07 the song of their deliverance. 06:09 I can imagine what it must have been like 06:12 for them to sing that song 06:14 it was the song of their experience. 06:17 But baptism wasn't it. 06:20 Burying their old life and resurrecting to a new life 06:23 was not the end. 06:24 They still had a wilderness to cross 06:27 to arrive at the Promised Land. 06:29 And therefore, in Exodus 16 and 17 06:32 God gave them food manna from heaven 06:35 and he gave them water from the rock. 06:38 If you're gonna cross a desert you are going to need 06:41 both of those things urgently and desperately. 06:46 Now you have probably noticed 06:47 that the experience of the people of Israel 06:49 is actually our experience. 06:52 We also were in bondage in the world 06:55 or in Egypt so to speak. 06:57 We also cried out to God in desperation. 07:00 God heard our cry and God through Jesus 07:04 worked out our salvation. 07:07 He did it for us even though we didn't deserve it. 07:11 Free grace is what Jesus poured out upon us 07:15 and the sign of deliverance was the blood shed 07:18 on the cross of Cavalry. 07:20 We also came to the waters of baptism, 07:23 our old life was buried 07:25 and we resurrected to newness of life 07:27 as we came out of the waters. 07:29 And then we were able to sing 07:31 the song of our deliverance, 07:33 redeemed how I love to proclaim it. 07:36 But we still have a desert to cross 07:39 as individuals and as a church. 07:41 And therefore we need the manna 07:43 which represents the word of God 07:45 and we need the water which represents prayer 07:48 and the Holy Spirit in order for us to arrive 07:52 finally in the heavenly kingdom. 07:56 Now I gave you that background 07:58 because I want us go forward 08:00 to the arrival of Israel at Mount Sinai. 08:05 Turn with me in your Bibles to Exodus 19. 08:07 We will hovering around Exodus quite a bit in our talk today. 08:12 Exodus 19:3-6, God has delivered Israel 08:19 without any merit on their part. 08:21 They have not worked out their own salvation. 08:25 The blood of the lamb has delivered them from bondage 08:29 and now they come to Mount Sinai 08:31 and at Mount Sinai God wants to make them His people. 08:38 Notice, Exodus 19:3-6, 08:43 "And Moses went up to God, 08:46 and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying." 08:49 Now notice Moses goes up 08:51 to the top of the mountain to God 08:53 and God has a message to give him for the people. 08:58 "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, 09:00 and tell the children of Israel. 09:03 "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, 09:07 and how I bore you on eagles' wings 09:10 and brought you to Myself." 09:13 In other words, I delivered you from bondage, 09:16 you saw what I did not what you did. 09:19 Now notice verse 5, 09:22 "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice 09:28 and keep My covenant, 09:31 then you shall be a special treasure to Me 09:34 above all people for all the earth is Mine." 09:38 In other words, God wants to enter at Sinai 09:40 into a covenant relationship with Israel. 09:43 He wants to officially make them His people. 09:47 Verse 6, "And you shall be to Me 09:50 a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." 09:53 These are the words which you shall speak 09:56 to the children of Israel." 09:57 God is saying, I delivered you from bondage 09:59 without any effort on your part 10:01 it was free grace because you cried out to me, 10:04 He says but now I want you to be-- 10:06 I want you to become my people, 10:08 I want you to form a covenant with Me. 10:10 And these are the conditions 10:12 hear My voice and obey My covenant. 10:16 And so God says to Moses, 10:18 I want you to relay that message 10:20 to the children of Israel. 10:22 I want you to notice 10:24 that Moses then comes down from the mountain 10:26 and he talks with the people 10:28 and he is gonna tell them folks, 10:30 this is what God has told me. 10:33 He has given me message to share with you. 10:35 And He wants to know if you accept 10:38 the deal that God is offering. 10:40 Notice, Exodus 19:7, 8, 10:45 "So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, 10:51 and laid before them all these words 10:55 which the Lord commanded him." 10:59 In other words, he is going to the elders 11:01 and he is saying this is what God wants from Israel. 11:07 Do you accept or do you not accept. 11:10 Notice verse. 8, 11:12 "Then all the people answered together and said, 11:15 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do.'" 11:23 Did they accept the terms of the covenant, yes or no? 11:26 They sure did. 11:27 God says this is My message I want to make you My people. 11:31 These are the conditions 11:32 if you obey My voice and keep My covenant do you accept. 11:36 Israel says yes, we do accept. 11:39 And then notice verses 8 and 9 11:42 Moses takes the message back to God. 11:46 We are told there 11:47 "So Moses brought back 11:50 the words of the people to the Lord." 11:53 And now Israel was officially God's people 11:57 incorporated by covenant with God. 12:00 I want you to notice that they were not made God's people 12:04 because of their obedience they were made God's people 12:08 because God delivered them from bondage 12:11 through His grace and God offered them 12:14 a covenant relationship with Him. 12:16 By the way in Jeremiah 31:32 12:20 this covenant at Mount Sinai is spoken of as a marriage. 12:26 God says that when He gave His law at Mount Sinai 12:30 He was a husband to Israel. 12:33 In other words this was a marriage covenant. 12:36 God says, I want to marry you. 12:39 Do you want to marry me? Israel says, I do. 12:43 And so now they enter this covenant relationship with God. 12:47 They have been delivered from bondage. 12:49 They accept the terms of the covenant. 12:52 Notice that the covenant is given to a redeemed people. 12:56 God doesn't say keep My covenant 12:58 and I will redeem you. 13:00 He says I will redeem you 13:02 so that you can then, out of love for Me, 13:05 keep My covenant. 13:07 And so then God comes 13:08 and he actually speaks the covenant. 13:10 See, Israel has accepted that everything 13:12 that God says they will do. 13:14 So now we find that God actually speaks the covenant to Israel. 13:19 Exodus 20:1, 2 13:23 "And God spoke all these words, saying." 13:28 Now I want you notice this is very important. 13:30 "I am the Lord your God, 13:34 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 13:37 out of the house of bondage." 13:41 Whose people were the Israelites? 13:46 Who took them out of Egypt? God. 13:51 It says here I am the Lord your God 13:53 who brought you out of the land of Egypt 13:55 out of the house of bondage. 13:57 And then God proceeds to speak what? 14:01 The Ten Commandments. 14:03 The Ten Commandments are the terms of the covenant. 14:08 The Ten Commandments 14:10 are what Israel promised to do what? 14:12 To obey. 14:14 They should have obeyed God out of love 14:16 because God had delivered them from bondage. 14:19 So their loving response to God 14:21 should have been obedience to the commandments of God. 14:25 And then we are told of the God spoke 14:27 the Ten Commandments the terms of the covenant. 14:31 Then we are told in Exodus 31:18 14:33 that God gave the tables of the covenant to Moses. 14:38 It says there in Exodus 31:18 14:42 "And when He had made 14:43 an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, 14:46 He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, 14:49 tablets of stone, written with the finger of God." 14:55 And so you might think they got married 14:58 and they lived happily ever after. 15:01 Once married always married, 15:05 well, that's what you would hope. 15:08 But it didn't quite work out that way. 15:11 You see, folks Israel was not delivered 15:14 because they obeyed but once they were delivered 15:17 God expected them to obey. 15:20 Not because they had to but because they loved the Lord 15:24 because of what He has had done 15:26 to deliver them from Egypt. 15:28 In other words, obedience was to be 15:30 the consequence of redemption, 15:32 it was not the cause of redemption. 15:35 But they had to live like God's people. 15:38 God said I redeemed you from Egypt, 15:40 I have made you My people, now live like you're My people. 15:47 And Exodus tells us that Moses stayed up 15:50 in the mountain a very longtime 15:54 and the people got restless 15:56 because Moses did not returned 16:00 when they expected. 16:03 Notice Exodus 32:1, 2. 16:06 There was a delay in the return of Moses. 16:08 Here we have symbolized a delay in the return of whom, 16:13 the return of Jesus. 16:16 It says there in Exodus 32:1, 2, 16:20 "Now when the people saw that Moses 16:22 delayed coming down from the mountain, 16:25 the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, 16:28 'Come, make us gods.'" 16:32 That's not a good translation. 16:34 The word is Halloween. 16:36 What they are saying is make us God. 16:40 Because we are gonna notice 16:41 that they were professing to worship the true God. 16:46 This worship service was offered to the true God. 16:50 But in Egyptian style, 16:54 and so they said to Aaron, 16:58 "Come make us gods that shall go before us," 17:03 and now notice "for as for this Moses." 17:08 You see the despective comment. 17:10 As for this Moses. 17:14 Now listen to this "As for this Moses, 17:18 the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt." 17:23 According, to them who brought them out of Egypt? 17:26 Moses and God is listening. 17:30 "For as for this Moses, 17:32 the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, 17:36 we do not know what has become of him." 17:40 So when there is a delay in the coming of Moses 17:44 the people become complacent 17:46 and they ask for the special worship service 17:50 where Aaron will make God for them to worship. 17:58 Now it's important to realize that those ringleaders 18:02 in the apostasy that we are gonna study about 18:05 was a group which is known as the mixed multitude. 18:10 Have you ever heard of the mixed multitude? 18:12 They were people who joined Israel in the Exodus from Egypt 18:16 not because their heart with the Lord 18:19 but because they are one who has escaped from the plagues. 18:23 And they saw that God was blessing Israel. 18:26 And so they left Egypt 18:28 but Egypt was very much in their hearts still. 18:33 The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that every time 18:35 that there was discord and problems and Israel 18:38 the mixed multitude was the group 18:40 that originated the problems. 18:43 I'd like to read you a statement that we find 18:45 in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 408, 18:48 where Ellen White comments on this mixed multitude. 18:50 She says this. 18:52 "The mixed multitude that came up 18:54 with the Israelites from Egypt 18:57 were a source of continual temptation and trouble." 19:01 Is there such thing as mixed multitude 19:03 in the Seventh-day Adventist church today? 19:06 People have joined the church 19:08 whose heart is not with the church, 19:11 who perhaps want to practice a different worship style 19:16 than the style that is contemplated in Holy Scripture. 19:20 She continues saying 19:22 "They professed to have renounced idolatry 19:25 and to worship the true God, 19:28 but their early education and training 19:31 had molded their habits and character, 19:34 and they were more or less corrupted with idolatry 19:38 and with irreverence for God." 19:42 They did not look at God as the awesome God 19:45 before whom you should fall as a creature and worship. 19:50 They treated Him with irreverence. 19:53 She continues to saying, 19:54 "They were oftenest the ones to stir up strife 19:59 and were the first to complain, 20:01 and they leavened the camp with their idolatrous practices 20:06 and their murmurings against God." 20:11 And so they said to Aaron we want you to make God for us 20:15 and we want to have this worship service. 20:18 And of course, Aaron instead of standing for what was right 20:23 and little later on we're gonna talk about 20:25 Aaron a little bit more. 20:27 He gives in to the will of the people. 20:29 Notice Exodus 32:2-4 20:32 this is the case of the sheep leading the shepherd. 20:36 This is the case of those who are led leading the leader. 20:42 Notice Exodus 32:2-4. 20:45 "And Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden earrings 20:50 which are in the ears of your wives, 20:52 your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.'" 20:56 So they took off in other words all of their earrings. 20:59 But we are going to see before the end of the sermon today 21:01 that they were a lot more from where those came from 21:05 because they took some off but they put some others on. 21:10 The Bible continues saying 21:12 "So all the people broke off the golden earrings 21:15 which were in their ears, 21:17 and brought them to Aaron." 21:20 Let's continue verses 4 and 5 21:23 "And he received the gold from their hand, 21:27 and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, 21:31 and made a molded calf. 21:35 Then they said, 'This is your god, O Israel, 21:40 that brought you out of the land of Egypt'" 21:44 I like to read a very incisive statement 21:46 that we find in the Review and Herald September 6, 1906. 21:50 Here Ellen White is commenting on this experience 21:53 and she has a very interesting way of expressing 21:57 what happened there with the people at Mount Sinai. 22:00 She says this. 22:01 "The result of their murmuring 22:04 and unbelief was that Aaron made them 22:09 a golden calf to represent God." 22:15 Whom were they claiming to worship? 22:19 Not pagan Gods but whom, God. 22:23 By the way Ellen White uses the capital 'G' 22:25 with that reference to God. 22:28 "He proclaimed this idol to be God." 22:31 Once again, capital 'G.' 22:34 "And a great deal of enthusiasm 22:37 was created over this false god." 22:42 with a little 'g.' 22:44 In other words they claim to be worshipping the true God 22:48 but they were actually worshipping 22:51 a false or a counterfeit God. 22:56 Now I want you to notice that this was a worship service 22:59 this was not a social occasion. 23:01 This wasn't the time where they all got together to party. 23:05 This was a worship service that they were celebrating 23:08 and they claimed to be doing in honor of the true God. 23:11 Notice Exodus 32:5, 6 it says "So when Aaron saw it, 23:19 he built an altar before it." 23:22 That is before the golden calf. 23:23 Let me ask you, 23:25 would building an altar be a religious endeavor? 23:28 Most certainly. 23:30 "And Aaron made a proclamation and said," 23:33 notice this "'Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.'" 23:38 Is this worship purportedly to the Lord? 23:41 Yes. 23:42 "Then they rose early on the next day, 23:44 offered burnt offerings," 23:47 see there you have religious activities. 23:50 "And brought peace offerings." 23:53 There you have also offerings that were, 23:56 that were made at sanctuary. 23:58 "And the people sat down to eat and drink, 24:03 and rose up to play." 24:06 In other words, during this worship service 24:10 they wanted to have what? 24:12 They wanted to have fun, 24:17 nothing of the reverent worship to God. 24:21 It says that they sat down to eat and drink 24:25 and rose up to play. 24:28 And Moses is at the top of the mountain 24:30 when this worship service is going on. 24:33 And God says to Moses, 24:35 Moses the people are celebrating 24:40 an apostate worship service down there at Mount Sinai, 24:44 they made a golden calf purportedly to worship me. 24:49 And I want you to notice what God says in Exodus 32:7. 24:54 And this is very incisive. 24:57 "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Go, get down! 25:02 For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt 25:07 have corrupted themselves.'" 25:10 Now what had God said? 25:12 These are My people that took, I took out of Egypt. 25:15 But the people had said what? 25:18 This Moses who took us out of Egypt 25:20 we don't know what happened to him. 25:22 So God what listening and God says, oh, yeah. 25:25 Okay, go get down for your people 25:30 whom you brought out of the land of Egypt 25:32 have corrupted themselves. 25:35 Do you know what happened at Mount Sinai 25:37 with this counterfeit worship service? 25:39 Israel disannulled their covenant with God. 25:46 They were no longer God's people. 25:50 Now wait a minute pastor, can that be true? 25:53 Allow me to read you several statements here 25:56 and then I'm gonna give you biblical proof, 25:58 several statements from Spirit of Prophecy. 26:01 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 318, Ellen White says, 26:05 "God's covenant with his people 26:09 had been disannulled." 26:14 Also on page 318 she says, 26:17 "God had signified that he disowned his people." 26:22 In other words, disowned means they are no longer what? 26:26 They are no longer mine. 26:29 On page 320 she says this, 26:31 "To show his abhorrence of their crime," 26:36 speaking about Moses "he threw down the tables of stone." 26:40 The tables of the covenant, 26:41 see this is the biblical proof 26:43 that what Ellen White has to say is true. 26:46 "To show his abhorrence of their crime, 26:49 he threw down the tables of stone, 26:51 and they were broken in the sight of all the people, 26:55 thus signifying that as they had broken their covenant with God, 27:00 so God had broken his covenant with them." 27:05 Wow, on page 324, Ellen White adds this. 27:11 "The Israelites had been guilty of treason." 27:15 Wow, that's strong isn't it? 27:17 Had been guilty of treason. 27:20 "And that against the king 27:22 who had loaded them with benefits and whose authority 27:26 they had voluntarily pledged themselves to obey." 27:29 And by the way treason against the king, 27:31 they claimed to be worshipping the king. 27:34 They claimed to be worshiping the true God. 27:36 If you told them that they were worshiping a false God 27:39 they would say no, no, this golden calf 27:41 represents the true God, we are worshipping the true God. 27:46 And so now God says I disown these people. 27:49 I have disannulled my covenant with this people 27:54 and finished with them. 27:56 And so Moses goes and he intercedes with God. 27:59 Notice Exodus 32:11, 12. 28:04 "Then Moses pleaded with Lord his God, and said," now notice. 28:11 "'Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against your people 28:17 whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt 28:21 with great power and with mighty hand?'" 28:23 He is saying don't throw all of the responsibility 28:25 of this people on me. 28:27 They are your people and you delivered them from Egypt. 28:31 He is saying Lord, you made the covenant with them. 28:34 They have made covenant with you. 28:36 And yes they were apostatized from You 28:38 by having this counterfeit worship service 28:41 but they are still your people 28:44 and You are the one who took them out of the land of Egypt. 28:49 Interestingly enough when Moses comes down from the mountain 28:53 you get a little glimpse of what this worship service was like. 28:59 Let's notice what the Bible has to say 29:01 about Moses come down from the mount. 29:03 You know Moses is coming 29:05 with the Ten Commandments in his hands, 29:07 the Ten Commandments that speak about 29:09 worshipping the true God with the reverence, 29:13 the Ten Commandments that speak about obeying God as father. 29:18 He is coming down with the Ten Commandments 29:20 and the people at the same time 29:22 are having this counterfeit worship service. 29:25 Notice Exodus 32:15, 16 29:29 "And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, 29:32 and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. 29:36 The tablets were written on both sides, 29:39 on the one side and on the other they were written. 29:43 Now the tablets were the work of God, 29:46 and the writing was the writing of God engraved on tablets." 29:50 And as Moses is descending with the terms of the covenant 29:54 and the people are breaking the terms of the covenant 29:57 and God has said "I have disowned this people, 29:59 I disannulled my covenant" 30:02 when they near the encampment, 30:04 you can catch a glimpse of what that worship service was like. 30:09 Exodus 32:17-19, 30:11 Moses is descending from the mountain with Joshua. 30:16 "And when Joshua heard the noise of the people 30:19 as they shouted, he said to Moses, 30:23 'There is a noise of war in the camp.'" 30:27 Wow, there must have been 30:29 some shouting in this worship service. 30:32 "But he said," that is Moses 30:36 "'It is not the noise of the shout of victory, 30:40 nor the noise of the cry of defeat, 30:43 but the sound of singing I hear.' 30:48 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, 30:53 that he saw the calf and the dancing." 30:57 Dancing, shouting, singing at the top of their lungs. 31:04 Notice how Ellen White comments on this experience. 31:09 She says, "As they drew near the encampment, 31:12 they beheld the people shouting 31:17 and dancing around their idol." 31:20 Notice what an interesting worship style. 31:23 "It was a scene of heathen riot, 31:25 an imitation of the idolatrous feasts of Egypt." 31:29 And then she says this. 31:31 "But how unlike the solemn 31:35 and reverent worship of God!" 31:40 Did you catch that? 31:41 The solemn and reverent worship of God. 31:46 And so when Moses arrives at the bottom of the mountain 31:50 notice what he does. 31:51 Exodus 32:19, 20, "So it was, 31:57 as soon as he came near the camp, 32:01 that he saw the calf and the dancing. 32:03 So Moses' anger became hot, 32:07 and he cast the tablets out of his hands 32:09 and broke them at the foot of the mountain." 32:14 Moses would have nothing of this worship service. 32:18 He would have nothing of this counterfeit worship. 32:21 And by the way the Book of Revelation 32:23 makes it very clear 32:25 that the big issues at the end of time 32:27 are going to have to do with worship, 32:30 true worship and counterfeit worship. 32:32 And listen to what I am gonna say, 32:34 the counterfeit worship is offered by people 32:37 who claimed to be Christians. 32:40 The Book of Revelation is not talking about pagans 32:43 worshipping pagan God's its talking about people 32:46 who claim to serve God 32:47 worshipping God in a false way. 32:51 In other words, they are worshipping a false God. 32:55 Now the question is how could Israel fall into this? 32:59 How in the world could Israel apostatize 33:02 so close to the time 33:05 when God had made His covenant with them? 33:07 The answer is, Aaron. 33:12 The wishy-washy leader who had a character like putty. 33:18 Notice Exodus 32:21-24 "And Moses said to Aaron, 33:26 'What did this people do to you 33:30 that you have brought so great a sin upon them?'" 33:35 Now I don't know well you got something interesting there-- 33:39 by consenting Aaron brought this great sin upon Israel. 33:46 In other words, by consenting to allow them 33:49 to practice this counterfeit worship service 33:52 he was leading Israel into sin. 33:56 It continues saying, "So Aaron said, 33:59 'Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. 34:03 You know the people, that they are set on evil.'" 34:09 Well, if they are set on evil 34:10 the leader has to take a stand for the good. 34:15 You know, this morning at the Sabbath school class 34:17 somebody was asking me pastor would you-- 34:19 and she mentioned I am not gonna mention that the topic. 34:21 She says, would you preach a sermon 34:22 on this controversial subject 34:25 if you were at risk of getting sued? 34:30 I said sure, not a problem. 34:32 If it's in the Bible I preach it. 34:36 I am not afraid 34:38 because God will take care of gossip withers. 34:43 So Aaron says, "You know the people, 34:44 that they are set on evil. 34:47 For they said to me, 'Make us Gods.'" 34:50 Better translation is make us God. 34:52 "'That shall go before us, as for this Moses, 34:55 the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, 34:57 we do not know what has become of him.' 35:01 And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, 35:05 let them break it off.' 35:06 So they gave it to me." 35:07 And now notice he adds to his wishy-washy character a lie. 35:14 "So they gave it to me, 35:15 and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out." 35:23 Better translation is I put the gold in the fire 35:26 and the calf jumped out. 35:31 Moses would have none of the explanations 35:34 of this weak-kneed leader. 35:40 Volume 4 of the Testimonies page 514 and 515, 35:45 we find a very profound statement 35:48 by Ellen White on this experience of Aaron. 35:51 She says "The fellow laborer of Moses, 35:54 who was left with the solemn 35:56 charge of the people in his absence, 35:59 heard them uttering complaints that Moses had left them 36:03 and expressing a desire to return to Egypt." 36:08 Now notice this. 36:09 "Yet, through fear of offending the people, 36:14 he was silent." 36:18 Why was he silent? He was afraid of what? 36:20 Of offending the people. 36:23 "He did not stand up boldly for God, 36:27 but to please the people he made a golden calf. 36:32 He seemed to be asleep to the beginning of the evil. 36:36 When the first rebellious word was spoken, 36:39 Aaron might have checked it, 36:42 but so fearful was he of offending the people 36:46 that he apparently united with them 36:48 and was finally persuaded to make 36:50 a golden calf for them to worship." 36:53 Who leads who? 36:57 Is it the leader that leads the sheep? 37:00 Is it the shepherd that leads the sheep 37:02 or is the sheep that leads the shepherd? 37:05 Apparently, this was a case of the sheep 37:07 leading the shepherd. 37:09 And you know that sheep have 37:10 a very bad sense of direction. 37:13 And so there we're gonna leave the leader 37:14 down the wrong road, right. 37:18 Several times in this statement Ellen White says, 37:20 that Aaron was afraid of what the people would do 37:26 if he took a stand, a principle stand for the truth. 37:31 Gonna reminds me when I came 37:32 to Fresno Central Church, 37:36 I had saw a handful of people say pastor 37:41 when you preach from the pulpit 37:42 we don't want you to mention the name of Ellen White. 37:48 I said, oh, really. 37:52 I guess I have to read a lot of quotations. 37:56 I didn't say it that way but the Spirit of Prophecy 38:00 is one of our fundamental beliefs. 38:04 There is nothing wrong with reading 38:05 for the Spirit of Prophecy as long as it collaborates 38:08 and supports Holy Scripture. 38:12 Another group said we want contemporary Christian music, 38:15 we want drums and guitars. 38:19 I said, it's not going to happen while I am here. 38:24 Another group said some of the same group 38:27 and I know where you stand on this, 38:29 said we want to ordain women elders. 38:32 Now I am going into a hot topic. 38:35 And I said sorry, its not gonna happen 38:36 as long as I am here. 38:39 And I have got in a lot of flock. 38:42 And there's better lot of exoduses from the church. 38:47 So what shall I do? 38:49 Not use the Spirit of Prophecy, introduce contemporary music 38:54 into the church in order to hang on to the people 38:56 who are offended 38:58 and might go some other place if we say no? 39:01 I don't think so. 39:03 Because God has called me to be a guardian of the flock 39:07 as well as Pastor Fin and Pastor Jensen 39:11 and Phil we're all on the same page on this. 39:16 Praise the Lord, you know, it's difficult to find a staff 39:18 that's all on the same page on these issues, 39:21 these very hard issues. 39:23 Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 316 and 317, 39:27 Ellen White says this, 39:29 "Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, 39:34 but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment 39:40 only rendered them the more determined." 39:44 In other words he wavers says, 39:45 well I don't know where I stand on this. 39:47 You know, may be yes, may be no. 39:48 I don't whether we should do it or not. 39:52 And when he waiver the people got more bold. 39:55 She continues saying "Aaron feared for his own safety 40:00 and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, 40:04 he yielded to the demands of the multitude." 40:09 But do you know that everybody 40:10 did not want to practice this worship style. 40:14 There was a remnant who reviews. 40:16 And I want to read to you what happened to that group. 40:19 Patriarchs and Prophets same pages 316 and 17. 40:23 It says "There were some who remained true 40:27 to their covenant with God, 40:29 but the greater part of the people 40:31 joined in the apostasy." 40:33 Who joined in the apostasy, the what? 40:36 The greater number. 40:37 And some people will say, "pastor, how do you know" 40:40 and you have heard this before 40:41 "how do you know 40:43 that the Sabbath is the right day to keep 40:45 if the whole world keeps Sunday?" 40:48 I mean you're just a little group of people. 40:51 There's a billion catholic's 40:53 and there is millions and millions of Protestants 40:55 who keep Sunday. 40:56 What makes you Adventist think that you are on the right track 40:59 because you keep the Sabbath? 41:01 Listen, in the Bible 41:02 the majority has never been with God. 41:08 If you went by numbers 41:10 then the devils kingdom would be the true kingdom 41:12 because he has most everybody on planet earth on his side. 41:17 She continue saying a few listen to this. 41:21 "A few who ventured to denounce 41:23 the proposed image making as idolatry, 41:29 were set upon and roughly treated, 41:32 and in the confusion and excitement 41:35 they finally lost their lives." 41:40 There were people who died at the foot of Mount Sinai 41:43 to be faithful to God, 41:45 to practice a reverent worship style. 41:51 And yet I want you to notice something very important. 41:55 You know, today there is many people 41:56 in the Adventist church 41:59 who like to be critical of the church. 42:01 They stand outside and they will say 42:02 "oh I am holy and look at the church is in apostasy." 42:08 The church this and the church that 42:10 and you know and it's like they hate the church. 42:16 But you know what Moses did when he saw this apostasy. 42:22 This is the marvelous thing. 42:23 He revealed, he actually revealed the character of Jesus, 42:26 the intercessory power of Jesus. 42:29 You see, he did not want Israel his people to be destroyed. 42:33 He wanted them to be forgiven 42:35 and that's what Jesus wants for His remnant church. 42:39 It says in Exodus 32:31-33 42:43 "Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, 42:46 'Oh, these people have committed a great sin, 42:50 and have made for themselves a god of gold! 42:54 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin but if not, 43:00 I pray, blot me out of Your book 43:04 which You have written." 43:06 I don't see very many of those people 43:08 who become offshoots of the Adventist church saying, 43:13 we would be willing to die in order for the church to live. 43:18 When we see apostasy 43:19 we shouldn't say, oh all those apostasy, 43:21 it's not that church is in apostasy 43:22 all the leaders are apostate. 43:24 You know, what we should do in love 43:28 is be willing to offer our own life 43:31 for God to save the church. 43:34 In order words it has to be a deep 43:36 and intense love for the church. 43:41 God accepted the prayer of Moses 43:46 and He accepted the repentance of Israel. 43:50 And I want you to notice now 43:52 how Israel showed their penitence and their repentance. 43:58 They did something to show that they were now humble 44:04 that their lives had changed 44:06 and now they were going to follow the Lord. 44:08 They did something very significant. 44:10 Notice Exodus 33:1-6, Exodus 33:1-6 44:17 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 44:20 'Depart and go up from here, you and the people 44:23 whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, 44:26 to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, 44:28 and Jacob, saying, 44:29 "To your descendants I will give it." 44:32 And I will send My Angel before you, 44:33 and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite 44:36 and the Hittite and the Perizzite 44:38 and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 44:40 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey.'" 44:44 Now notice what God says. 44:45 "For I will not go up in your midst, 44:48 lest I consume you on the way, 44:50 for you are a stiff-necked people." 44:55 So God is still saying, 44:57 I don't know if I am gonna go with these people or not. 45:01 Notice what the people do in response. 45:02 Verse 4 "And when the people heard this bad news, 45:07 they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments." 45:13 They mourned. 45:15 Is that a sign of repentance? 45:17 What do they take off? 45:20 Their ornaments, their jewelry if you please. 45:25 Now what did they take it off? 45:27 Just on the split of the moment decision of theirs? No. 45:30 It says, "For the Lord had said to Moses, 45:34 'Say to the children of Israel, "You are a stiff-necked people. 45:37 I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. 45:41 Now therefore"'" God's said this. 45:43 "Now therefore, take off your ornaments, 45:45 that I may know what to do to you." 45:50 So the children of Israel stripped themselves 45:53 of their ornaments by Mount Horeb." 45:58 They never put them on again 45:59 until they arrived in the land of Canaan. 46:03 Because God said so. 46:04 Sign of humility sign of repentance. 46:10 You know, if you looked at the church 46:14 at the Christian church in general, 46:17 forty or fifty years ago you would go into the church 46:22 and you would tell that there was the difference 46:24 between church members and world things 46:28 by the way the people dressed 46:31 and by the Christian attire 46:36 even in non-Adventist churches jewelry was rare. 46:42 But you go today and you watch many of these 46:47 worship services on television, 46:50 I mean not only do you have shouting, 46:53 not only do you have drums, not only do you have dancing, 46:58 supposedly in the name of Lord 47:00 worshipping the Lord 47:01 but the people who are living in the worship 47:04 look like a Christmas tree. 47:06 They're so decked out. 47:10 It's a sign of pride according to scripture. 47:13 You see God is a God of simplicity. 47:16 Some people will say, well, the Bible says that 47:18 some people wear jewelry that God put jewelry on people. 47:22 And that's true. 47:23 But you know what, if you examine the Bible 47:25 you will discover very clearly that 47:27 when God puts the jewelry on people 47:31 it's a sign of holiness. 47:33 When people put it on themselves it's a sign of apostasy. 47:37 So you better pray that 47:38 the Lord sends you a lot of them from heaven. 47:43 See that's one point that people don't notice. 47:45 They will say, oh, you know look, 47:46 God says that I have to deck you with ruby's 47:49 and with all these precious stones. 47:51 True, but that's after sin. 47:56 That's not during this earthly trek 47:58 when we become prideful and send it on ourselves 48:02 when we use and wear these things. 48:05 Now you might be saying well, Pastor Bohr 48:08 why you preach the sermon that happened to Israel. 48:12 The reason why is because this experience 48:15 is gonna be repeated by God's people 48:17 at the end of time. 48:19 The Apostle Paul says these things were written 48:21 for our admonition 48:22 upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 48:25 Is it just possible at end of time 48:27 in the Christian world there's going to be 48:30 this claim of worshipping the true God. 48:34 And by the styles of worship it becomes very clear 48:38 that it is not God at all who's been worshipped 48:41 reverently and solemnly bowing before Him as creatures 48:46 and seen Him as the great Creator. 48:52 It's gonna happen folks, and it is happening. 48:56 Just a little bit of history. 49:00 Around the year 1900 in the Indiana Conference 49:06 there was, there were some severe problems. 49:12 You see a man by the name of S.S. Davis 49:14 and the evangelist of the conference 49:17 in 1898 and 1899 began teaching 49:21 what is known as the holy flesh doctrine. 49:24 The idea of that when you accept Christ 49:26 you have holy flesh and you can't sin. 49:28 So if you do sin really it's not sin 49:33 because you have holy flesh. 49:37 The conference president was soon swept away 49:40 with evangelist. 49:42 R. S. Donnell was his name. 49:45 News arrived at the headquarters of the Adventist church 49:48 and so they decided to send two delegates 49:51 to the Indiana camp meeting in 1900. 49:53 One of them was Stephen Haskell 49:55 and the other one was A.J. Breed. 49:58 The camp meeting was held in Muncie, Indiana, 50:01 September 13 through 23 of the year 1900. 50:06 After Haskell and Breed attended this meeting 50:13 that was held by those who were cherishing this view 50:20 they sent a report back to Ellen White. 50:22 And Ellen White wrote them a letter dated October 10, 1900 50:29 explaining how God looked upon 50:32 what had happened at Indiana camp meeting 50:35 and what had been witnessed by pastors Haskell's and Breed. 50:40 That letter you can read in volume 2 50:43 of Selected Messages, pages 35 to 45. 50:47 I am gonna read a few excerpts from this. 50:53 She says this, "The things you have described 50:57 as taking place in Indiana, 51:00 the Lord has shown me would take place 51:03 just before the close of probation." 51:07 That along this time. 51:09 Yes, she says "Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated." 51:15 Listen to this. 51:16 "There will be shouting, with drums, music, dancing." 51:23 That sound like Mount Sinai, 51:26 shouting, music, dancing, drums. 51:34 She continues saying "The senses of rational beings 51:38 will become so confused 51:40 that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. 51:43 And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit." 51:51 She continues saying on page 30-- that was page 36. 51:53 On page 36 she continue saying. 51:56 Listen to this, "The Holy Spirit 51:58 never reveals itself in such methods." 52:02 Because some people will say what was wrong about that. 52:04 The move it was on doctrine the only flesh doctrine. 52:06 But Ellen White is saying "The Holy Spirit 52:09 never reveals itself in such methods, 52:11 in such a bedlam of noise." 52:16 See when you're in a bedlam of noise 52:17 you can't hear the voice of Lord speaking. 52:20 It's deafening. 52:23 The purpose of the worship service 52:24 is to come into the presence of God 52:26 with reverence and be able to hear 52:28 the still small voice of God. 52:33 She says "This is an invention of Satan 52:36 to cover up his ingenious methods 52:38 for making of none effect 52:40 the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, 52:43 sanctifying truth for this time." 52:45 In other words, it is a substitute 52:47 so that people cannot see the importance 52:49 of the truth for this time. 52:53 She has she says "Better never have 52:56 the worship of God blended with music 52:59 then to use musical instruments to do the work 53:03 which last January was represented to me 53:05 would be brought into our camp meetings." 53:09 See, she's dealing not with the holy flesh doctrine 53:12 she is dealing with the music. 53:15 And back then there was not rock or disco or rap. 53:21 So I imagine that what she heard was tame 53:25 compared to what you hear in many churches today. 53:29 She continued saying "The truth for this time 53:33 needs nothing got this kind in its work of converting souls. 53:38 A bedlam of noise shocks the senses 53:42 and perverts that which if conducted 53:45 aright might be a blessing." 53:48 So she is dealing not with the doctrine of holy flesh 53:52 she is dealing with the style of worship. 53:56 She says "The powers of satanic agencies" 53:59 listen to this "The powers of satanic agencies 54:02 blend with the din and noise, 54:05 to have carnival and this is termed 54:10 the Holy Spirits working." 54:13 And then she says "No encouragement 54:17 should be given to this kind of worship." 54:21 Categorical, she continues to saying on page 37, 54:28 "The Holy Spirit has nothing to do 54:30 with such a confusion of noise and multitude of sounds 54:34 as passed before me last January." 54:36 See because what some people say they read this-- 54:39 this chapter and they will say, 54:40 well, she is just she just criticizing 54:42 the theology that the holy flesh people have. 54:44 She is not criticizing the theology only 54:47 she is criticizing the style of worship. 54:51 The Holy Spirit has nothing to do 54:53 with such a confusion of noise and multitude of sounds 54:56 as passed before last January. 54:58 "Satan works amid the din and confusion of such music 55:04 which properly conducted will be praise and glory to God. 55:08 He makes its effect like the poisonous sting of the serpent." 55:14 One closing comment on page 38 she says, 55:17 "Those thing which have been in the past will be in the future. 55:22 Satan will make music a snare 55:26 by the way in which it is conducted." 55:33 So Ellen White is talking about counterfeit worship styles 55:37 entering into the Adventist church 55:39 in our camp meetings near the close of probation. 55:47 I believe that we are living in that time. 55:50 And I believe that the battle lines 55:52 are being drawn even as I speak. 55:55 Whether we are going to emphasize the ennobling 56:00 and sanctifying truth for this time the Three Angels Messages 56:04 which sanctify the life and prepare for the coming of Jesus 56:09 or whether we will emphasize the true means of worship 56:12 and forget through these true means 56:15 that God has a special message for His church at this time. 56:21 And folks worship styles have a lot to do 56:24 with the way in which we see Jesus. 56:29 Our worship style can degrade Jesus, 56:32 can degrade our view of Jesus, 56:35 can degrade our respect for Jesus. 56:39 Truly sanctifying and ennobling worship 56:41 can make us more like Jesus can elevate us to Jesus 56:45 and can make us reflect more closely 56:48 the image of Jesus in our lives. 56:51 And once again the issue will be the same as at Mount Sinai 56:56 and that is the issue of worship. 57:02 How we worship, when we worship, 57:06 not so much who we worship 57:09 because everybody in the end 57:11 will be claiming to worship the true God. 57:16 So brothers and sisters, let's the raise the God 57:18 and let's stand for truth till the heavens fall. 57:23 How about it? |
Revised 2014-12-17