Commentary on "The Prophetic Gift"

COLLEEN TINKER

 

Day 7: Friday, January 9, 2009

Friday’s lesson consists of three quotations from Ellen White. The first from Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 130, says this: “During his stay in Egypt, Abraham gave evidence that he was not free from human weakness and imperfection. In concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, he betrayed a distrust of the divine care, a lack of that lofty faith and courage so often and nobly exemplified in his life.”

The second is from the devotional compilation, Conflict and Courage, p. 81: “Moses had been instructed in regard to the final reward to be given to the humble and obedient servants of God, and worldly gain sank to its proper insignificance in comparison. The magnificent palace of Pharaoh and the monarch’s throne were held out as an inducement to Moses; but he knew that the sinful pleasures that make men forget God were in its lordly courts. He looked beyond the gorgeous palace, beyond a monarch’s crown, to the high honors that will be bestowed on the saints of the Most High in a kingdom untainted by sin. He saw by faith an imperishable crown that the King of heaven would place on the brow of the overcomer.”

The third quote is another from Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 330: “The glory reflected in the countenance of Moses illustrates the blessings to be received by God’s commandment keeping people through the mediation of Christ. It testifies that the closer our communion with God, and the clearer our knowledge of His requirements, the more fully shall we be conformed to the divine image, and the more readily do we become partakers of the divine nature.”

 

Problems:

As discussed earlier this week, the real essence of the situation with Abraham was not that he displayed “human weakness and imperfection”. All humans are weak and imperfect, and our mortal flesh remains weak and imperfect until we are glorified at Christ’s return.

Romans 3:20-22 clarifies that righteousness is never connected to works of the Law. Rather, the righteousness “of God through faith in Jesus Christ” is the inheritance “of all those who believe”. Abraham’s lie in Egypt, like his lie to Abimelech, was an event in which God demonstrated His sovereign intervention, protection, and accountability. Abraham responded to God’s intervention. Even Sarah’s submission to Abraham was counted as a mark of spiritual maturity, as Peter explains: “For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening” (1 Peter 3:5-6, ESV).

God does not “excuse” human weakness. Abraham was not “excused” for his lack of faith. Neither does our human weakness mean we are not alive in Christ. Human weakness is the wrong focus. As Christians, we are either trusting God and surrendering to Him, or we are not. God does not ask us to reach perfection; He asks us to trust Him and to live by the Spirit (Romans 8).

 

Moses glory not symbol of commandment-blessings

The quotation about regarding Moses also received attention earlier this week. To reiterate: the glory on Moses’ face did not illustrate “the blessings to be received by God’s commandment keeping people through the mediation of Christ.

The Bible reveals something completely different. The glory on Moses’ face reflected God’s own glory, but Moses hid his face in order to hide the fact that the glory was fading. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 overtly state that Moses’ veiled glory represented the fading glory of the Law and the old covenant. Far from representing the blessings for God’s commandment-keeping people, he episode with Moses represented the fact that the glory of the law was fading.

We, the recipients of the new covenant which Jesus keeps with the Father for us, live with unveiled faces. We who live by the ministry of the Spirit instead of by the letter in stone reflect glory that is increasing rather than decreasing.

Ellen White completely misrepresented Moses and the glory on his face which he covered. She completely missed the real point of 2 Corinthians 3.

God has given us His glory in Jesus, and when we place our trust in Him, we receive the glory of the ministry of His Spirit. Moses and his veil represented a covenant that was fading away. We with unveiled faces reflect the glory in the face of Christ.

 

Called to glory

Our glory comes to us not through the law but through God’s “precious and very great promises”, as Peter states: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4, ESV).

No prophet of God would write commentary that completely reversed the message of the Bible. Ellen White’s interpretation of Moses and veiled face misses completely the real point of 2 Corinthians 3.

 

Summary

1. The Bible never asks us to become free of human weaknesses. Abraham’s lies were not primarily examples of a still-imperfect man of God. Rather, they were moments of failure when God demonstrated His sovereign power and accomplished His purposes in spite of Abraham . God intervened and rescued people, disciplined Abraham, and revealed His just nature. God asks us to surrender to Him and trust Him, not to “become perfect” in behavior.
2. Moses’ shining face did not represent God’s blessings for commandment-keeping people. 2 Corinthians 3 is explicit that Moses’ veiled face represented the fading glory of the old covenant which was replaced by the glorious ministry of the Spirit. The letters in stone were passing away. The ministry of the Spirit is eternal. We, with unveiled faces, reflect the glory in the face of Christ. The law was far less glorious than the new covenant which is reflected in our unveiled faces with increasing intensity.
3. The glory we receive is not connected to commandment-keeping. Rather, God calls us to glory and excellence and grants us His “precious and very great promises”. There are the source of our glory!

 

Copyright 2008 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 8, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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