Great Controversy - Christ's Character, before, during and after 2023-07-16

In part 2, we want to take a limited glimpse into the un-variable Character of the Eternal Father, and His only Begotten Son, in Whom we place all our trust. Being "not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Peter 3:8 Using that day/1000 year metric; He spent a very short (essential and effective), time, tabenacling among us, as the great gentil teacher and sacrificial Lamb. Who the Son was (before coming in the flesh), and will be, when He returns and "shall rise up ... that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act" (Isa 28:21), is the reason for Lucifer's rebellion ie. the Great Controversy begun in Heaven. It will end here.

There are some, who apparently dwell only on His gentil Longsuffering, who are aghast at the idea, that He has other attributes (elements of Character), that when no longer restrained, will end the lives of Satan and those who choose to remain wicked. It is held by some, that it is Satan and our own sin (exclusively), are the destroyers. That is partially true, but that concept limits execution of Divine / Righteous Judgment, to what Satan does. He does not do so, righteously. It (like Eve, sitting under the wrong tree), becomes a complicated issue. We would do better to take and love Him as He is:

{Fundamentals of Education 356, 357} "There will soon be a sudden change in God’s dealings. The world in its perversity is being visited by casualties,—by floods, storms, fires, earthquakes, famines, wars, and bloodshed. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power; yet He will not at all acquit the wicked. “The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” O that men might understand the patience and longsuffering of God! He is putting under restraint His own attributes. His omnipotent power is under the control of Omnipotence. O that men would understand that God refuses to be wearied out with the world’s perversity, and still holds out the hope of forgiveness even to the most undeserving! But His forbearance will not always continue. Who is prepared for the sudden change that will take place in God’s dealing with sinful men? Who will be prepared to escape the punishment that will certainly fall upon transgressors? -- We have not a temporal millennium in which to do the work of warning the world. There is need of transformation of soul.”

We hope you can join us. Happy Sabbath - Shabbat Shalom, Maranatha

Theme Texts: Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” James 4:12 “There is One Lawgiver, Who is able to save and to destroy:…” John 5:22-30 “For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 … He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent Him. 27 And has given Him authority to execute judgment also… 30 … I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not My Own will, but the will of the Father which has sent Me.”