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Service This Week Next Week

25th November 2nd December

Divine Service Dudley House Peter Tung

Divine Service Prelims Jay Neff Krystal Morris

Sabbath School Dudley House Karen Roberts

Sunset Sabbath (Tonight) 8:32 pm DST

Sunset Next Friday 8:38 pm DST

This Week: Local Church Budget

Next Week: Local Church Budget

Pastor Justin Bone 04 3973 4368

Website : http://hamilton-adventist.net

Email : info@hamilton-adventist.net

November 19th 2017 - December 2nd 2017 Neff Family

December 3rd 2017 - December 16th 2017 Karen Roberts

November 19th 2017 - December 2nd 2017 Jay Neff

December 3rd 2017 - December 16th 2017 Volunteer Needed

"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held;

that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."

[ Romans 7:6 KJV ]

71 King Street Hamilton, Victoria, 3300

Issue No. 11-17-335-4

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Song Service 9:45 am

Sabbath School 10:00 am

Church Service 11:30 am

Taking the Three Angels’ Messages to the whole world...

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~ Announcements ~

Welcome - We welcome Dudley House and his wife for Sabbath praise and worship today. May God bless you and lead you all in His truth always.

Farewell Justin - Our pastor, Justin Bone, is going to be transferred to North Point and Sunshine churches in Melbourne next year. We wish him well but are sad to see him and his family go. We have not been advised who his replacement will be. A farewell for him and his family is being planned. Any suggestions are welcome.

Wedding Celebration - Congratulations Ron and Joi Erb on your marriage last Sunday afternoon. May the Lord bless you union abundantly with love, joy and peace. May keep you both united for eternity. God bless, Hamilton Church.

Building Fund - Next Sabbath there will be a special offering for the building fund to allow for upgrades etc. of our church building. Please dig deep to help with the repairs of God’s house.

The Great Controversy - This afternoon and for the next 8 weeks at 2pm in the main church, there will be an afternoon program covering the last 10 chapters of The Great Controversy. It is of great value and spiritual growth that we learn and discuss these chapters, so please do attend these sessions. This week we are studying chapter 34, Satan’s Masterpiece—Spiritualism

Communion Service - Next Sabbath is our quarterly communion service. Please prepare your hearts and minds for this special time with Christ. Deacons and Deaconesses, please begin making the necessary preparations.

C.A.R.E. Group Meeting - There will be NO C.A.R.E. Group gatherings from December 1st through December 15th. So the next C.A.R.E. Group gathering will be on Friday, December 22nd, 6pm, at Amber & Krystal’s place. (See Amber or Krystal for address and further details.)

Recipe Booklets - The recipe booklets for 2017 will be available for purchase from January 20th onwards. Both Club Recipes 2017 and 2017 Year End Member Recipes booklets come in black and white or colour print. Copies in black and white print are available for $7.00 and colour print for $10.00. See Shaun for more details or email him recipeclub@hamilton-adventist.net

Prayer Meeting - November 29th at 5pm. Please join us each fortnight for prayer and a short Bible study. Let us always keep the communication channels to heaven open through our prayers.

Recipe Club - Our next club meeting will be this coming Tuesday evening November 28th and it is the end of year party. Please bring along a plate with the accompanying recipe for the year end booklet. There will be a special guest

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November 25th

Lydia's Hospitality

A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, . . . heard us.... And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. Acts 16:14, 15

"On the Sabbath," Luke [declared], "we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened." Lydia received the truth gladly. She and her household were converted and baptized, and she entreated the apostles to make her house their home.--The Acts of the Apostles, p. 212. God's Spirit can only enlighten the understanding of those who are willing to be enlightened. We read that God opened the ears of Lydia, so that she attended to the message spoken by Paul. To declare the whole counsel of God and all that was essential for Lydia to receive--this was the part Paul was to act in her conversion; and then the God of all grace exercised His power, leading the soul in the right way. God and the human agent cooperated, and the work was wholly successful.--The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1062. [The authorities] visited the prison, apologized to the apostles for their injustice and cruelty, and themselves conducted them out of the prison, and entreated them to depart out of the city. . . . The apostles would not urge their presence where it was not desired. They complied with the request of the magistrates, but did not hasten their departure. . . . They went rejoicing from the prison to the house of Lydia, where they met the new converts to the faith of Christ, and related all the wonderful dealings of God with them. They related their night's experience, and the conversion of the keeper of the prison, and of the prisoners. The apostles viewed their labors in Philippi as not in vain. They there met much opposition and persecution; but the intervention of Providence in their behalf, the conversion of the jailer and all his house, more than atoned for the disgrace and suffering they had endured. The Philippians saw represented in the deportment and presence of mind of the apostles the spirit of the religion of Jesus Christ. . . . The news of their unjust imprisonment and miraculous deliverance was noised about through all that region, and brought the apostles and their ministry before the notice of a large number who would not otherwise have been reached. Christianity was placed upon a high plane, and the converts to the faith were greatly strengthened.--The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, pp. 385, 386.

(Reflecting Christ – Ellen G White - page 343)

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speaker, Mr Rohan Fitzgerald, CEO of Hamilton Base Hospital. He will speak about the successful campaign to pass a Sugar Tax, which Hamilton Hospital can take credit for. Please come along and why not bring a friend too and support this speaker who is a committed Christian.

~ Prayer Requests ~

This Week’s Prayer List: Please remember: Marilyn, Joyce Bekker and her family, Darrell Chang, Shahbaz Gulzar, a Pakistani Christian who is stranded in Malaysia, Joi Wilkinson, Kyle Thomas, Youn & Lee Koh, The Hamilton Church and its members, Roger Pearce, Joan Ruthven, The Mocilac Family, Dale Mea, Olga and Simon Novak, Kezia Derksen, Trevor from the fish shop and his sister and workmates, Marilyn McDonald, John & Gloria Tyack, Suzi, Maria and John Franjic, the Recipe Club and our Pastor.

~ Special Prayer Requests ~

Thank you for all your prayers for Darrell Chang. He is recovering at home. Please continue to pray that the test results will be favourable and that he will recover quickly."

Please pray for Joyce Bekker as she struggles to find her way to Christ. She needs help progressing further forward and is hitting obstacles that she needs to overcome.

Please pray for Marilyn, who has fractured her arm and is in need of God’s mighty healing hand to be placed upon her.

Please continue to remember the 45 LE contact visits in your prayers and the 45 LE contact visits in your prayers and the members doing the visiting, that they will be instruments of the Holy Spirit.members doing the visiting, that they will be instruments of the Holy Spirit.

~ Quarterly Prayer Vigil ~

Season of Prayer - Please set aside the time on Wednesday, November the 29th at 6:45 pm for a special season of prayer.

Prayer Vigil - This quarter’s prayer vigil topic: - "Personal Prayer and Evangelism in the Family Home" and also for our Pastor and the work that he is doing in our community. Time is short and we need to be ready now! Next quarter’s prayer vigil topic - “Church Growth and the Holy Spirit in our Halls”

Prayer Chain - If you are interested in joining our anonymous prayer chain, please visit our website and sign up via our mailing lists page. You will be emailed with prayer requests as they become available. Thankyou.

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"OLD TESTAMENT GOD VS. NEW TESTAMENT JESUS,"

Dialogue 3 (1991), 14-15, 29.

Alden Thompson

Many Christians avoid the Old Testament. God seems so violent there, so heavy-handed compared with the gentle Jesus. Others idealize it, putting a pretty face on events you would never let your children watch on video. A few idolize it, claiming our lawless age needs a God who can split the heavens and rattle mountains!

In this article we will explore a fourth option, looking at the Old Testament as it really is. Admittedly the task is an impossible one, for we can never be sure whether we are idealizing or idolizing. Furthermore, one person's realism is another's idealism.

Nevertheless, taking the Old Testament seriously is worth a try. After all, it was the Bible of Jesus and the Apostles. Even more, Jesus Himself not only claimed the God of the Old Testament as His God and Father, He claimed to be the incarnation of that God: "Before Abraham was, I am," He said (John 8:59 ). That testimony Christians accept.

If the two Testaments are inseparable, how far can we press the differences between them and still retain a sense of unity? Or is it even appropriate for Christians to address perceived "differences" between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New? Echoes of Malachi 3:6 ring in our ears: "I am the Lord, I change not" (KJV).

Both the Sermon on the Mount and the book of Hebrews are clear enough in this respect. In Matthew 5 Jesus repeatedly contrasts the old with the new: "You have heard it said, but I say...." Yet Jesus is contrasting, not negating. Similarly, Hebrews claims Jesus is the "better" revelation. It's the point of the entire book, beginning with the first verse: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" (Heb. 1:1-2). Again, the "better" of Hebrews is a good-better comparison, not a worse-better contrast, an important difference.

In spite of lip service to the differences between the Testaments, the tendency to idealize troublesome elements in both is still a powerful one. Two anecdotes, both of which I mention in my book, Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God?, illustrate the point.

With reference to the New Testament, I remember a well-known Old Testament professor muttering that he was going to write a book entitled "The Unchristian Sayings of the New Testament." He was tired, he said good-naturedly, of hearing New Testament colleagues claim theirs as the Testament of kindness and love when it, too, reveals God's heavy hand. Jesus spoke of drowning a person in the sea with a millstone around the neck (Matt. 18:6); sudden judgment fell on Ananias and

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We are not just another small group meeting weekly to read the bible and hang out together - we are a C.A.R.E. Group! C.A.R.E. stands for Christ's Attitude Reflected in Everyone - and that is exactly what we are all about. Our group meets on Friday nights from 6:00pm every week at Amber and Krystal's House. Next gathering - Friday, December 22nd. EVERYONE is welcome to join in the fun of sharing and caring for one another and there is plenty of floor space. For more information contact Krystal/Amber (03) 5572 5589 or visit http://hamilton-adventist.net/sda_church/web_pages /care_group.htm or find us on Facebook - Hamilton CARE group. See Amber or Krystal for more information.

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions,

and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

[ Luke 10:19 KJV ]

themselves upon their superior knowledge. But let us read the inspired apostle's understanding of the matter: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. . . . Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever." {HL 293.2}

In its human wisdom the world knows not God. Its wise men gather an imperfect knowledge of God through his created works, and then in their foolishness exalt nature and the laws of nature above nature's God. Nature is an open book which reveals God. All who are attracted to nature may behold in it the God that created them. But those who have not a knowledge of God, in their acceptance of the revelation God has made of himself in Christ, will obtain only an imperfect knowledge of God in nature. This knowledge, so far from giving elevated conceptions of God, so far from elevating the mind, the soul, the heart, and bringing the whole being into conformity to the will of God, will make men idolaters. Professing to be wise, they become as fools.-- U. T., July 3, 1898. {HL 293.3}

[ From the book “Healthful Living Chapter 43” (1897, 1898)… by (E.G. White) ]

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HEALTHFUL LIVING

God In Nature - Our Only Security

He whose soul is imbued with the Spirit of God will learn the lesson of confiding trust. Taking the written word as his counsellor and guide, he will find in science an aid to understand God, but he will not become exalted till, in his blind self-conceit, he is a fool in his ideas of God.--S. of T., 1884, No. 11. {HL 291.2}

1191. God will not dwell with those who reject his truth; for all who disregard truth dishonour its Author. Of every house that has not Jesus for an abiding guest, he says when he withdraws his presence, "Your house is left unto you desolate." How can those who are destitute of divine enlightenment have correct ideas of God's plans and ways? They either deny him altogether, and ignore his existence, or they circumscribe his power by their own finite, worldly-wise views and opinions. Those who are connected with the infinite God are the only ones who can make a proper use of their knowledge or of the talents entrusted to them by the omniscient Creator. No man can ever truly excel in knowledge and influence unless he is connected with the God of wisdom and power.--U. T. {HL 291.3}

1192. The real evidence of a living God is not merely a theory; it is the conviction that God has written in our hearts, illuminated and explained by his word. It is the living power in his created works, seen by a sanctified eye. The precious faith inspired of God gives strength and nobility of character. The natural powers are enlarged because of holy obedience. The life which we live by faith on the Son of God is a series of triumphs, not always seen and understood by the interested parties, but with results reaching far into the future, where we shall see and know as we are known.--U. T. {HL 292.1}

Science Falsely So Called.

1193. Many are so intent upon excluding God from the exercise of sovereign will and power in the established order of the universe, that they demean man, the noblest of his creatures. The theories and speculations of philosophy would make us believe that man has come by slow degrees, not merely from a savage state, but from the very lowest form of the brute creation. They destroy man's dignity because they will not admit God's miraculous power. {HL 292.2}

God has illuminated the human intellect, and poured a flood of light on the world in the discoveries of art and science. But those who view these from a merely human standpoint will most assuredly come to wrong conclusions. The thorns of error, scepticism, and infidelity are disguised by being covered with the garments of philosophy and science. Satan has devised this ingenious manner of winning the soul away from the living God, away from the truth and religion. He exalts nature above nature's Creator.--U. T. {HL 293.1}

1194. Some may suppose that these grand things in the natural world are God, but they are not God; they but show forth his glory. The ancient philosophers prided

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Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), Paul suggested handing a brother over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5). Those are strong words.

The other incident, focusing on the Old Testament, happened in a college-level Hebrew class, one which included several graduating theology majors. One of the exercises in our grammar book (when properly translated) read: "Samuel cut off the head of the king." Because the exercises were based on biblical passages, the students subconsciously heard the Bible as they worked. In this case, several brought in curiously mutilated translations. After we worked it through, one of them sheepishly admitted, "We thought that's what it said but didn't think Samuel would do such a thing."

We opened our English Bibles to 1 Samuel 15:33 and read in our mother tongue: "Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD." The picture of innocent little Samuel in the temple, well scrubbed and obedient, had buried Samuel's bloody sword.

In short, our challenge is this: What kind of framework allows us to integrate into a coherent whole the contrasting pictures of God: The Gentle God holding little children on His lap and The Violent One wielding a bloody sword? The contrast between the Testaments is a valid one, I believe, even though God's heavy hand still appears in the New. But regardless of whether we are dealing with the tension between the Testaments or with the contrast between God's gentle and heavy hand elsewhere, the same basic explanation applies, one that is closely bound up with the cosmic struggle between good and evil.

The Cosmic Struggle Between Good and Evil

Evangelical Christians hope for a better and perfect world. But we are not there yet. The classic questions of theodicy arise when believers confess that God is good and all-powerful, but is master of a world such as ours. Is His power limited or His goodness? That is the dilemma.

A free-will theodicy, known among Adventists in terms of "the great controversy between good and evil," is the one I find most attractive. It argues that free and uncoerced love is the ultimate good. Rebellion without threat of immediate extinction must be a live option. Thus God temporarily chooses to limit the exercise of His power in the interests of ensuring the ultimate good.

Such a theodicy argues the need for demonstrating to intelligent beings that goodness freely chosen is superior to enforced "goodness." Indeed "enforced" goodness would be the ultimate evil, the antithesis of goodness, requiring the arbitrary use of power by one being over another. The "great controversy," then, is the dramatic battle between good (reciprocal love, freely given and chosen) and evil (selfishness, a "goodness" enforced on another by the arbitrary use of power).

The book of Job is the classic biblical model for such a theodicy. A malevolent (selfish?) Satan confronts the benevolent (loving?) Deity: Does Job really love God and the good for goodness' sake? God allows Satan limited access to Job. By enduring the test, Job vindicates both God and the good. God then exercises His power to bring evil to an end, a judgment now seen to be just since both love and selfishness have had their day in court.

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In this struggle, the role of authority is the key for understanding the tension between the gentle God and the violent one. What is the essence of authority: power or goodness?

Because of sin, created beings view authority in terms of power, not goodness. Commands are issued, not invitations. Fear is its natural corollary and primary motivating force. By contrast, authority in a perfect world is defined in terms of goodness, not power. Joy is its natural corollary and primary motivating force. Invitations are issued, not commands. The response is natural and freely chosen, not because the authority can force compliance, but because it is seen to be good.

In Scripture, that ideal is described in the new covenant promise of Jeremiah 31. Because the law is written on the heart, commands become unnecessary. "No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, `Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest" (Jer. 31:34). Ellen White's description of heaven before Lucifer's rebellion reflects that ideal: "When Satan rebelled against the law of Jehovah, the thought that there was a law came to the angels almost as an awakening to something unthought of."

In the presence of sin, God is prepared to use authority as power. He will appeal to fear in an emergency. Sinai was a violent revelation because He could reach the people in no other way. Their slavemasters had exercised authority as power. It would take a long time before they could see it in terms of goodness. Jesus, the incarnation of God's law, illustrated authority as "goodness." But Israel at Sinai was not ready for such a revelation.

God still resorts to power and still motivates by fear. In a sinful world emergencies require it. But His ultimate goal is a kingdom where love reigns, freely and by choice. Scripture records the history of His efforts to that end.

Within this setting of the great struggle between good and evil, two pictorial models are helpful in organizing the biblical material. The "Toboggan" provides a historical perspective, the "Pyramid" a systematic one.

THE TOBOGGAN: The World Is Falling Apart

Though the implications have not always been grasped, the early chapters of Genesis vividly describe a world in the grasp of selfishness. As in Job, God allows selfishness its day in court. The result is successive disasters: Eve's sin and Adam's, Cain's murder of Abel, Lamech's boast of greater violence than Cain's, the flood, Noah's drunkenness, Babel. Joshua 24:2 notes that Abraham's own family "served other gods." Genesis reveals the shocking fact that child sacrifice and polygamy were "acceptable" within the family of faith.

Devout believers often overlook this "toboggan" slide into depravity, subconsciously putting a positive construction on the actions of God and His people. This "high road" approach to the Bible stresses the continuity of God's truth. Hebrews 11 is the classic example, transforming Old Testament sinners into New Testament saints. If you want to hear Sarah laugh, go to Genesis. You won't hear it in Hebrews 11.

The Old Testament narratives themselves, however, suggest a "low road" approach,

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Mr. Turnbull, the Prime Minister speaking shortly after the results were announced, heralded the “overwhelming” support for same-sex marriage. “They voted ‘yes’ for fairness, they voted ‘yes’ for commitment, they voted ‘yes’ for love,” he said. “It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming.” “And now it is up to us, here in the Parliament of Australia, to get on with it,” he added, “to get on with the job the Australian people have tasked us to do, and get this done this year, before Christmas. That must be our commitment.” Gay Liberal senator Dean Smith declared it “the most important electoral mandate” Australia had ever seen. “This is by any and every measure a huge democratic achievement for our country,” he said. “I have never been more proud to stand up and represent Australian people than I was this morning when I listened to that result.” Gay Labor frontbencher Penny Wong thanked Australians for their “resounding” verdict and spoke of how difficult the public vote had been for the LGBTI community. “I hope from this you can take a message of solidarity, of support, of decency from your fellow Australians,” Wong said. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, speaking to a jubilant crowd in Melbourne, said the emphatic verdict was “not just good for marriage equality” but showed “Australians have voted for a generous view of themselves, for a modern Australia, where diversity is accepted, supported and respected. “Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate.” The de facto leader of the “no” campaign, Australian Christian Lobby director Lyle Shelton, conceded defeat and said he accepted the democratic decision of the Australian people. Debate inside and outside Parliament will now turn to the legislation. Fierce argument is expected over religious exemptions. Australians have a tendency to defy God’s word, like many other secular nations. They do not understand where this will take them. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot… even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:28 and 30.

Source References

Same-sex marriage postal survey: ‘Love has had a landslide victory’ as ‘yes’ wins

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AUSTRALIANS VOTE TO SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Friday November 17th, 2017 in Briefings, Prophetic Intelligence Briefings

Unfortunately, but as we predicted, Australians have emphatically voted in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, saying “yes” to the historic social change by a substantial margin of 61.6 per cent to 38.4 per cent. After years of political stagnation, the public has now tasked the Turnbull government with changing the law before Christmas to allow same-sex couples to marry. Almost 80 per cent of eligible voters participated in the unprecedented voluntary postal survey, giving the verdict an authority unmatched by most elections globally. Australia is one of the last English-speaking nations to take this step, and is poised to join 25 other countries that have re-engineered the definition of marriage, moving away from biblical norms. At street parties across the country, gay and lesbian Australians cheered, danced and embraced as the results of the landmark vote were announced. “Love has had a landslide victory,” declared Alex Greenwich, co-chair of the Equality Campaign, from a public gathering in Sydney. Mr. Greenwich said the campaign had exceeded all expectations, and the result had delivered “an unequivocal mandate” for politicians to vote through the change. Every state and territory voted “yes” by more than 60 per cent except for NSW, where the “yes” vote was 57.8 per cent, and the “no” vote was 42.2 per cent. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) had the highest “yes” vote in the country at 74 per cent, followed by Victoria at 64.9 per cent.

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one that recognizes the effect of sin on God's perfect world. The "low road" shows how far creation fell from God and how patient God has been in drawing it back. He will be violent in order to reach violent people. But He patiently points toward the goal of a gentle kingdom of love.

The step-by-step loss of the knowledge of God requires a step-by-step growth back. Such a view not only allows, but requires, a means of recognizing different perceptions of truth. The "once-true-always-true" model cannot explain much of what we find in the Old Testament. The knowledge of truth "develops" under God's guidance. This is not natural evolution, but a pilgrimage led by God.

Such an approach also requires that we use "key texts" with greater care, for they are best understood in their historical context. Furthermore, if God spoke in time and place, how do we know what applies in our day? That is where the law pyramid provides a crucial organizing principle.

THE PYRAMID: The One, the Two, the Ten, the Many

The toboggan-like effect of sin on human history often raises an unsettling question: Is all of Scripture suddenly on the "slippery slope"? No. The one principle of love, further defined by the two great commands (love to God, love to each other), and by the Decalogue, provides a stable pyramid that never moves. Everything else in Scripture is commentary in time and place. The one, two, and ten form a pyramid that is more like a codebook; the rest of Scripture is more like a casebook.

The "toboggan" is unsettling because devout Christians tend to think of Scripture as codebook even while subconsciously treating it as casebook. "Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death" (Ex. 21:17). That is a command from God. Do we practice it? No. Then let us be honest and bring theory and practice into harmony. We will be stronger for it.

A casebook approach allows us to integrate revelation, reason, and the work of the Spirit into a harmonious system. Revelation provides the concrete cases which reason evaluates. Prayer invites the Spirit to ensure that reason is guided by love not selfishness.

All of Scripture remains normative in the sense that it provides concrete illustrations of God's dealings with people in times past. But the applicability of such illustrations to our day is neither self-evident nor absolute. I develop this approach more fully in Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answers, a book targeted to the Adventist audience.

Summary and Conclusion

The cosmic struggle between good and evil provides a framework within which it is possible to understand why a gentle God must sometimes be violent. Given the radical differences between people and cultures, a God of consistent love, i.e. a God who does not change, must adapt that love in radical ways if indeed He is to be perceived by all as a God of love.

Just as wise parents adapt to the differences in their children in order that their love might be consistent, so God adapts His love to the understanding of the people He is

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attempting to reach. A recent article treating the differences between the genders put the matter succinctly: "Treating people the same is not equal treatment if they are not the same."

Jesus allows us to see God in the flesh, a tantalizing and enduring revelation. He also spelled out the organizing principles (the two great commands) more clearly than they appear in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is more authoritarian. The cosmic struggle between good and evil explains why. This is also why codebook thinking is more dominant there, for in an authoritarian system one does not need to think, one obeys!

As we move towards the New Covenant ideal, a reciprocal love relationship with God becomes increasingly important. That requires a thoughtful response. When the process is complete, God is no longer violent, even in emergencies, for there are no more emergencies.

To make His law of love secure, God wanted us to see the difference between selfishness and love before we make our ultimate choice. The Old Testament is an essential part of the drama. In the light of the New it makes very good sense. But I hope we never lose our sense of horror at what sin has caused.

The picture of Samuel and Agag is a ghastly one and always will be. That's why I want to follow Jesus and live in a world where it won't happen any more, for everyone will have seen and made the choice to follow Him and His law of love.

NOTES

1. Unless otherwise indicated, biblical citations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (1989).

2. Alden Thompson, Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God? (Exeter, UK: Paternoster Press, 1988; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1989), pp. 13, 21.

3. Ellen G. White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p. 109.

4. Alden Thompson, Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answer (Hagarstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1991), esp. chapter 7, "God's Word: Casebook or Codebook?" (pp. 98-109); and chapter 8: "God's Law: The One, the Two, the Ten, the Many" (pp. 110-136).

5. Deborah Tannen, "Teachers' Classroom Strategies Should Recognize that Men and Women Use Language Differently," The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 19, 1991, p. B3.

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HAMILTON CHURCH WEBSITE

Church Website: http://www.hamilton-adventist.net Church Email: info@hamilton-adventist.net recipeclub@hamilton-adventist.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamiltonsdachurch.victoria Mobile App: http://hamilton-adventist.net/sda_church/sda_site/web_pages/mobile-app.htm Recipe Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/171081359679949/

The arch deceiver will soon be upon the world wreaking havoc, mayhem and death. The only solace for man is the protection offered by God Almighty, who by His grace alone can save us from the coming conflicts. It breaks the heart to know and understand that millions upon millions of individuals refuse to accept God’s generous offer of grace. They do this to their own peril. Great signs and wonders are coming. Where will your heart service be?

“And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid;

and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass,

that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto him,

Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.

And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”

[ Genesis 4:13-16, KJV ]

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openly condemned him; indeed they did not need to, because they saw from John's course that Herod would put him out of the way. So they were willing to have it understood that they participated in the popular sentiment. Had they acknowledged John's mission as heaven-born, they would have had no excuse for rejecting Christ, whose forerunner he was. They could, on the present occasion, have told what they believed about John, but dared not do so before the throng of people listening to the controversy. Christ's answer to their question was wholly unexpected by them, and they were completely discomfited.

3. This was to compare them most unfavourably with the lowest people of that day,—those whom the Jews themselves affected to despise. It was tearing aside their vail of hypocrisy in the presence of those whose leaders they were, and whose good opinion they coveted. But the Saviour was not yet done with them; He would yet reveal what they, in their hearts, purposed to do to Him.

4. By reference to Luke 20:9, it will be seen that this parable was directed to the people, in order that they might render judgment against the priests, whom they would see had been leading them astray. It must have been they, therefore, who gave the decision as recorded by Matthew; for Luke goes on to say (20:16), that when the decision was spoken, those who heard it said, " God forbid." This exclamation of the priests was probably uttered because they thought that the parable was spoken against them, and they could not consent to the conclusion reached.

5. This was a quotation from Psalms 118, which was familiar to the Jews, as referring to the Messiah. It was also a part of the "great Hallel," which had been shouted by the people two days before, while waving the palm branches, also that which the children had sung in the temple immediately after its cleansing.

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Lesson 43

Fourth Quarter, 1899

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October 28, 1899. In the Temple at Jerusalem, A. D. 31.

(Matt. 21: 23-46; Mark 11:27 to 12:12; Luke 20: 1-19)

1. WHEN Jesus arrived at the temple, and began again to teach, what question was asked Him by the priests, scribes, and elders? Matt. 21:23. See note 1.

2. What reply did Jesus make to the question? Verses 24, 25.

3. How did they reason with themselves? Verses 25, 26.

4. What did they finally say in reply ? Verse. 27.

5. Knowing their craftiness, what reply did Jesus make? Verse 27, last part. See note 2.

6. Having brought His adversaries to confusion by His wise answer, How did Jesus begin to put them in their true light before the people? Verses 28-30.

7. When the priests were asked which of the two sons did right, and they had rendered their verdict, what application of the parable did Jesus make? Verse 31.

8. On what ground was this judgment rendered? Verse 32. See note 3.

9. What was the nature of the next parable Jesus laid before them? Verse 33.

10. In this parable, how did the husbandmen treat the agents of the owner of the vineyard ? Verses 34-36.

LESSON 43

THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY

John 2:18, 3:1, 2. John I: 19-27; Mark I1: 29, 30. Matt. 14 : 5 ; Luke 7:29;20: 5, 6. 2 Sam. 12:1-7. Luke 7:37-39 47-50. Matt. 3 : 1-6; Luke 3: 12, 13. Isa. 5:1-7

2 Chron. 36:14-16.

Side Texts to be studied with

questions

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11. Last of all who was sent to these wicked men? Verse 37.

12. What did the husbandmen say and do when the son appeared? Verses 38, 39.

13. What question did Jesus then ask? What answer was returned? Verses 40, 43. See note 4.

14. What reply did the Lord make to the exclamation of the priests? Luke 20: 17. See note 5.

15. What judgment was then pronounced on the people? Matt. 21:43.

16. What two alternatives were then set before all the people? Verse 44.

17. When the priests saw that this parable was spoken against them, what prevented them from laying hold on Christ? Verses 45, 46.

READING

" Desire of Ages," chapters 65, 66 ; " Spirit of Prophecy," vol. 3, chapters 2 and 3.

NOTES

1. Of these three classes the highest council of the Jews was composed. They were constituted the keepers of the temple, the only public building left by the Romans entirely under Jewish control. They believed their rights to have been invaded by one who was neither priest nor Levite, scribe nor elder, and who had taken possession of the temple as though it were His own. During the absence of Jesus since the evening before, there had evidently been a council of the Sanhedrim (Mark 11: 18), and their plans had been definitely marked out, but, as will be seen, they failed to execute them.

2. While the authorities had never acknowledged John's mission, they had never

Ps. 2: 2, 3. Luke 20:15, 16. Dan. 9 :24, 26; Eze. 21:25-27. 1 Peter 2:6-8.