The Nature of Man
“To
the Christian, death is but is sleep, a moment of silence and darkness.” The Desire of Ages, 787.
What
Is Death?
•
Psalm 13:3. The psalmist calls death a sleep.
•
1 Thessalonians 4:15. The dead are asleep. The
Desire of Ages, 787.
•
Matthew 27:52. They sleep in their graves.
•
Acts 13:36. When David died he went to sleep.
•
1 Corinthians 15:51. Paul calls death a sleep.
•
1 Thessalonians 4:14. The righteous dead sleep in Jesus.
•
1 Kings 11:43. More than twenty-five times the expression, “Slept with his
fathers,” is used when recording deaths of kings in the old Testament. We give
one sample text.
•
John 11:11-14. Jesus calls death a sleep.
•
Hebrews 9:27. One death is appointed unto men.
•
Genesis 2:17; 3:22-24; Romans 6:23. Death is the result of sin.
•
John 8:44. Satan is the father of sin.
•
Hebrews 2:14. He has the power of death.
•
2 Timothy 1:10. Christ abolished death. He changed death into a sleep.
•
1 Corinthians 15:22. This included all the dead.
•
John 5:25-28. Christ has the power to awaken all from the sleep of death. The Desire of Ages, 320.
Are
The Dead Conscious?
•
Psalm 146:4. “His breath goeth forth; ... in that very day his thoughts
perish.”
•
Job 14:12, 21. No knowledge of what happens on earth after death. The Great Controversy, 549.
•
Isaiah 38:10, 11. Do not see the Lord or men on the earth. The Great Controversy, 546.
•
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. Do not know anything. The
Desire of Ages, 557, 558.
•
Psalm 115:17. Praise not the Lord.
•
Psalm 6:5. No remembrance of God.
•
Psalm 88:11, 12. Grave the land of forgetfulness.
•
Job 14:12. Remain in the grave till the heavens are no more.
•
Revelation 6:14-17. Heavens roll together when Christ returns to earth.
•
Job 19:23-27. Job knew he would wake at that time.
•
John 5:29. Two classes in the resurrection.
•
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. Righteous arise when Christ comes.
•
Revelation 20:5. Wicked raised 1000 years later.
How
Are The Dead Raised Up?
•
1 Corinthians 15:35. “With what body do they come?”
•
1 Corinthians 15:36-38. The same individual will come from the grave that went
into the grave as truly as wheat comes from wheat sown in the earth.
•
1 Corinthians 15:44. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”
•
1 Corinthians 15:20. Christ was the first-fruits, or sample. Testimonies for the Church 9:286.
•
1 Thessalonians 4:14. Those that sleep in Jesus will be brought forth as He
was.
•
Luke 24:39-43. Christ arose with the same body that hung on the cross.
•
Luke 24:30, 35. Recognized by His manner of breaking bread.
•
John 20:15, 16. Mary knew her Lord by His voice.
•
John 20:3-8. John recognized Christ by his orderly habits.
•
John 20:26-28. Philip knew His by His personal appearance. As Jesus’ friends
recognized Him, so we will recognize our friends.
•
1 Corinthians 15:51-54. Righteous dead raised immortal.
•
Philippians 3:20, 21. Their bodies will be like Christ’s glorious body.
•
Matthew 17:1, 2. Their faces will shine as the sun, and raiment be white as the
light.
•
Hosea 13:14. Christ has pledged to redeem them from death.
•
Job 14:15. He will call, the saints will answer.
•
Isaiah 26:19. Christ will call, “Awake and sing.”
•
1 Corinthians 15:54-57. The righteous spring forth with a song of victory. Testimonies for the Church 2:229.
Two
Resurrections and the Second Death
•
John 5:28, 29. Two resurrections: one to life, and the other to damnation. The Great Controversy, 544.
•
Revelation 20:5. One thousand years between the two.
•
Matthew 24:30, 31. When the righteous arise Christ gathers them.
•
Revelation 20:5-9. When the wicked arise Satan gathers them. Christ’s Object Lessons, 270.
•
Revelation 20:13. Gathered from land and sea.
•
Revelation 20:6; 2:11. Righteous never die the second death.
•
Revelation 20:14. Second death is the lake of fire.
•
Revelation 20:15; Romans 6:23. All whose names are not in the book of life,
suffer the second death.
Eternal
Life, The Gift Of God
•
1 Timothy 6:15, 16. God only hath immortality.
•
John 5:26. God gave Christ immortality.
•
1 John 5:11, 12. Eternal life given man through Christ. “He that hath the Son
hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life.”
•
1 John 3:15. No wicked person hath eternal life.
•
2 Timothy 1:10. Christ “brought life and immortality to light.”
•
Job 4:17. Man is only mortal.
•
Romans 2:6, 7. We are admonished to seek for immortality, eternal life. If we
possessed it, we would not need to seek for it.
•
1 Corinthians 15:51-54. It will be given the righteous at Christ’s second
coming.
Life
Only Through Christ, As Taught By The Cities Of Refuge
•
Numbers 35:11-14. The six cities of refuge were a constant reminder that
eternal life was a gift and not an inherent human inheritance. Patriarchs and Prophets, 516.
•
Deuteronomy 19:2, 3. The roads leading to the cities were to be kept in good
repair that the one fleeing might not be hindered. Patriarchs and Prophets, 515.
•
Numbers 35:15. The refuge was free to all; even the stranger and sojourner
might flee thither. Patriarchs and
Prophets, 515.
•
Numbers 35:16-25. The regulations regarding these cities taught that there were
degrees of crime. It was possible to go so far in sin that the sinner was
delivered over to the avenger even at the gate of the city. Patriarchs and Prophets, 516.
•
Hebrews 6:4-6; Matthew 12:31, 32. There is an unpardonable sin.
•
Hebrews 12:16, 17. Illustrated in the case of Esau.
•
Joshua 20:4. Confession was made at the gate before the one fleeing was
received.
•
1 John 1:9. The sinner must confess.
•
Numbers 35:26-29. Inside the city was life; outside the city was death.
Patriarchs and Prophets, 517.
•
Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 91:2. Christ is a refuge. Patriarchs and Prophets, 516, 517.
•
1 John 5:11, 12; John 15:4-7. Our safety is to abide in Christ.
•
Numbers 35:26-28. If one presumptuously went outside the city, his life could
be taken.
•
Ezekiel 18:24-26. The one that turns from the refuge of Christ, dies the second
death.
•
Joshua 20:6; Numbers 35:25. There were two important events to which the
dweller in the city looked forward,-the judgment and the death of the high
priest. The judgment decided his destiny; the death of the high priest restored
him to freedom of the land. The decision in the judgment decides our eternal
destiny; and when our High Priest ceases to be high priest, our adversary, the
devil, has no power to take our life, and we come into possession of our
eternal inheritance.
The
Great Adversary
“The
true character of the usurper, and his real object, must be understood by all.”
•
Ezekiel 28:15. Was perfect when created.
•
Ezekiel 28:12. Full of wisdom, perfect in beauty. Patriarchs and Prophets, 35.
•
Ezekiel 28:14. Covering cherub.
•
Ezekiel 28:17. Proud of his beauty.
•
Ezekiel 28:17. Pride ruined his wisdom.
•
Isaiah 14:13. Coveted higher position. Patriarchs
and Prophets, 36.
•
Isaiah 14:14. Coveted the throne of God.
•
Revelation 12:7. Other angels affected. Patriarchs
and Prophets, 37, 39, Testimonies for
the Church 3:328.
•
Revelation 12:7. Christ and loyal angels fought against Satan and his angels.
•
Revelation 12:8. Satan was defeated.
•
Isaiah 14:12. Satan cast out of heaven. The
Desire of Ages, 493.
•
Revelation 12:9. His angels cast out with him. Patriarchs and Prophets, 41.
•
Revelation 12:9. Cast to this earth.
•
Genesis 3:1-6. He caused our first parents to sin. Patriarchs and Prophets, 53-59.
•
Romans 6:16. Gained Adam’s dominion.
•
Ephesians 2:2. Prince of the power of the air.
•
John 14:30. The Saviour called him the prince of this world. The Desire of Ages, 123, 679.
Second
Fall of Satan
•
1 Kings 22:19-22. Although Satan and his angels had been cast from heaven, they
still could appear in the counsels of the Lord at the gate of heaven.
•
Job 1:6. Satan met with the sons of God.
•
Luke 3:38. Adam as the prince of this earth was called a “son of God.”
•
2 Peter 2:19. Satan usurped Adam’s position.
•
Job 1:7. He represented the earth in the council.
•
Job 1:9-11. Accused God of being arbitrary.
•
Job 1:12-22. When given power only destroyed.
•
John 14:30. Satan has no part in Christ, who was a sinless son of Adam.
•
John 12:31-33. Christ’s death judged Satan. The
Desire of Ages, 490.
•
John 12:31. Christ’s death cast Satan out of his place.
•
Luke 10:18. He fell as lightening from heaven.
•
Revelation 12:10. A shout rang through heaven when the accuser was cast out.
•
2 Peter 2:19; Hebrews 2:14. Christ overcame Satan, and is now the
representative of this world.
•
Hebrews 2:17. Instead of the accuser at the gate of heaven, we have a merciful
High Priest.
•
Hebrews 4:14-16. One who loves to be merciful to us.
Third
Fall of Satan
•
Revelation 20:1-3. It does not take Christ or a host of angels to overcome
Satan; one angel binds him.
•
Revelation 20:3. He is confined to his own territory.
•
Jeremiah 4:23-26; Isaiah 24:19-21. Sin has made the earth a dark abyss.
•
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. Righteous in heaven.
•
Jeremiah 25:31-33. Wicked all dead.
•
Revelation 20:3. Satan is alone with the evil angels for 1000 years. He is
bound by circumstances; the righteous are in heaven, the wicked dead, there is
no one for him to tempt.
•
Revelation 20:5. The wicked live again at the end of 1000 years.
•
Revelation 20:7. This gives Satan work, and he is said to be “loosed.”
•
Revelation 20:8. Deceives the wicked.
•
Revelation 20:9. As they gather for battle all are destroyed.
•
Hebrews 2:14. Christ died to destroy Satan.
•
Revelation 20:10. As long as Satan lives in the fire he suffers torment, but as
sure as Christ died, Satan will die when he has suffered the penalty for sin.
•
Ezekiel 28:18, 19. Satan becomes ashes on the earth in the sight of the
righteous. The Desire of Ages, 490.
•
Malachi 4:1-3. Ashes on the new earth is all that remains of Satan and sinners.
Ancient
Spiritualism
•
Exodus 7:11-13. Sorcerers (spiritualist mediums) influenced Pharaoh.
•
Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27; Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10-12. Spiritualist
mediums, anciently called witches and wizards, were an abomination. The Great Controversy, 556.
•
2 Kings 1:1-4. Consulted in case of sickness. Testimonies for the Church 5:191-199.
•
1 Samuel 28:8, 11. Familiar spirits profess to be spirits of dead people.
•
1 Chronicles 10:13. Saul’s crowning sin was consulting familiar spirits.
•
2 Chronicles 33:1-6. Manasseh dealt with familiar spirits.
•
2 Kings 17:17, 18. Israel went into captivity because they “used divinations
and enchantments.”
•
Deuteronomy 18:9-14; 2 Kings 17:15-18. The heathen nations were spiritualists;
they dealt with familiar spirits.
•
2 Kings 17:16, 17. Spiritualism always connected with Baal-or sun-worship.
•
Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37; Leviticus 17:7. The heathen Baal-worship was
devil-worship. This was the principal adversary against the cause of God until
about the sixth century A.D.
•
Genesis 3:1-6. The first spiritualist medium was the serpent. The devil spoke
directly through the serpent.
•
Isaiah 8:19, 20. When asked to consult with familiar spirits, turn to the Bible
(the law and the testimony) instead of spiritualism.
Modern
Spiritualism
•
Revelation 16:13-15. Unclean spirits will speak through great powers of earth
in the last days.
•
Revelation 13:1-14. As the prophetic period of 1260 years was closing, a nation
was seen arising. The United States arose at that time. Out of this nation a
miracle-working power was to arise. About 1848 modern spiritualism began to
attract attention through the Fox sisters of New York.
•
Acts 8:9; 13:6-10; Revelation 9:20, 21. Sorcery was an evil in New Testament
times.
•
Revelation 18:2. Modern Babylon becomes “the hold of every foul spirit.”
•
1 Corinthians 10:20. Gentiles worshiped devils.
•
Job 14:14, 20, 21; 7:8-10. The dead do not know what takes place after their
death.
•
Psalm 146:3, 4. Their power to think ceases.
•
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. The dead do not know anything; hence, a spirit purporting
to be a spirit of any dead person, must be a wicked spirit trying to deceive.
•
Revelation 16:14; 13:14. The devil can work miracles. The Great Controversy, 553, 554.
•
2 Corinthians 11:13-15. The devil can appear as an angel of light; hence, can
easily personate the dead, or be a “spirit guide”. The Great Controversy, 552.
•
Revelation 16:13-15. Spiritualism will be a bond uniting different earthly
powers together for the “battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Testimonies for the Church 5:451.
