Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Never are we absent from the mind of God. God is our joy and our salvation. Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force for us. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). "Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into" (1 Peter 1:12). {3SM 338.1}
The Bible has been your study-book. It is well thus, for it is the true counsel of God, and it is the conductor of all the holy influences that the world has contained since its creation. We have the encouraging record that Enoch walked with God. If Enoch walked with God, in that degenerate age just prior to the destruction of the world by a flood, we are to receive courage and be stimulated with his example that we need not be contaminated with the world but, amid all its corrupting influences and tendencies, we may walk with God. We may have the mind of Christ. {3SM 338.2}
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
The stone that was cut without hands
Genesis 28:10-22; 35:6-15
Beth-el = house of God
Luz = almond tree
stone/stones -
Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45
Psalm 118:22
John 17:10-22
1 Peter 2:5-9
Jeremiah 6:16
I Corinthians 3:11
Isaiah 41:10-20
Isaiah 61
John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
17:21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
1 Corinthians15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
Numbers 15:30-36
30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall becut offfrom among his people.
31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly becut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
32And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
Note:The Sabbath obedience will always be the issue until the close of this earth's history. All will be united in heaven on this issue. The gathering of the sticks symbolizes two things: the joining of the two sticks (Judah/Priests and Jerusalem/ Levites) and its gathering before the sticks prior to the Sabbath and Sunday law or Day of the Lord. As the natural preceded the spiritual. The sticks must be gathered in preparation of the Sabbath/ Sunday law to be lifted up as an ensign and used as a stone to break the spiritual bondage.
Anything done after the preparation or knowledge was literally stoned by Moses law. The natural before the spiritual.So the stoning of the people that breaks the laws after probation closes is paralleled to the stone in Dan2:44the stone that is used to break the image or kingdom that is made to the beast.
33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
Note: Moses and Aaron - Moses (law giver), Aaron (prophet) and all the congregation (church) the stones/stone or execute the law
34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregationshall stone him with stones without the camp.
Note: Might the stone here represent the law as well as the Church triumphant who is governed by the law and character becomes the law as God's character is the law and we are recreated in His image. The image of God reproduced in us will be used at the midnight cry and Sunday law. The same stone thatbreaksthe image in Dan2:44. They are one in the same. So how do we practically apply this?
36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses.
Note: Again the natural before the spiritual.A spiritual stoning is taking place in our individual lives today as we are being measured by the stone ( Ten Commandments or reed/rod of Rev 11:1 measuring the temple again). We are being spiritually stoned to death (experiencing a spiritual death to self) in this tarrying time of the church in the wilderness. By the law, the prophets and the congregation preparatory to the midnight/midnight cry and Sunday law. There should be a daily spiritual death, "I die daily", Paul says.
Joshua8:32 And he wrote there upon thestones a copy of the law of Moses, which hewrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Note: Writing on thestonerepresents the law being written on our forehead as anadamant stonealso for by beholding webecome changed.He wrote it in the presence of the children of Israel. That they behold andwould remember.
Genesis 28:18-22
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, andtook thestonethat he had put for his pillows, and set it up for apillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.19 And he called the name of that placeBethel: but the name of that city was calledLuzat the first.
Note: Bethel = "house of God" Luz = "almond tree"
The oil is the Holy Spirit that continue to flow all the way to the Sunday Law. The oil is on top which will ignite the fire like at Pentecost. Because the lamp is already burning. First the city was named Luz almond treeand a name changed to Bethel House of God. Trees with fruit that begin to bud or prophesy and change to house of God which become atriumphant house at M/C & Sunday law.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Note: God will be with me (Immanuel God/Christwithin the hope of glory), keep me in the way (through trials), as long as we keep eating the Light, Bread theShewbread (line upon line),raiment a white robe is promised
21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Stone = Christ; stones = His people - that all may be one
Genesis 29:1-3
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 3 And thither were all theflocks gathered: andthey rolled the stone from the well's mouth, andwatered the sheep, and put thestoneagain upon thewell'smouthin his place.
Notes: natural preceded the spiritual
The threeflocks are priest, Levites and the eleventh hour workers asthey are watered by the sprinkling 9/11,the doubling M/Cand the full measure S/L a complete gathering.
Flocks gathered, they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, watered the sheep,
Then put the stone back
Not in their own power did the apostles accomplish their mission, but in the power of the living God. Their work was not easy. The opening labors of the Christian church were attended by hardship and bitter grief. In their work the disciples constantly encountered privation, calumny, and persecution; but they counted not their lives dear unto themselves and rejoiced that they were called to suffer for Christ. Irresolution, indecision, weakness of purpose, found no place in their efforts. They were willing to spend and be spent. The consciousness of the responsibility resting on them purified and enriched their experience, and the grace of heaven was revealed in the conquests they achieved for Christ. With the might of omnipotence God worked through them to make the gospel triumphant. {AA 595.1}
Upon the foundation that Christ Himself had laid, the apostles built the church of God. In the Scriptures the figure of the erection of a temple is frequently used to illustrate the building of the church. Zechariah refers to Christ as the Branch that should build the temple of the Lord. He speaks of the Gentiles as helping in the work: "They that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord;" and Isaiah declares, "The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls." Zechariah 6:12, 15; Isaiah 60:10. {AA 595.2}
Writing of the building of this temple, Peter says, "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4, 5. {AA 595.3}
In the quarry of the Jewish and the Gentile world the apostles labored, bringing out stones to lay upon the foundation. In his letter to the believers at Ephesus, Paul said, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22. {AA 596.1}
And to the Corinthians he wrote: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1 Corinthians 3:10-13. {AA 596.2}
The apostles built upon a sure foundation, even the Rock of Ages. To this foundation they brought the stones that they quarried from the world. Not without hindrance did the builders labor. Their work was made exceedingly difficult by the opposition of the enemies of Christ. They had to contend against the bigotry, prejudice, and hatred of those who were building upon a false foundation. Many who wrought as builders of the church could be likened to the builders of the wall in Nehemiah's day, of whom it is written: "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon." Nehemiah 4:17. {AA 596.3}
We are now in God's workshop. Many of us are rough stones from the quarry. But as the truth of God is brought to bear upon us, every imperfection is removed and we are prepared to shine as lively stones in the heavenly temple, where we shall be brought into association, not only with the holy angels, but with the King of heaven Himself. {CG 73.1}
The first tabernacle, built according to God’s directions, was indeed blessed of Him. The people thus were preparing themselves to worship in the temple not made with hands—a temple in the heavens. The stones of the temple built by Solomon were all prepared at the quarry and then brought to the temple site. They came together without the sound of ax or hammer. The timbers were also fitted in the forest. The furniture was likewise brought to this house all prepared for use. {CTr 155.4}
Even so, the mighty cleaver of truth has taken out a people from the quarry of the world and is fitting this people, who profess to be the children of God, for a place in His heavenly temple. We want the cleaver of truth to do its work for us. . . . We are here as probationers, and we must pass under the hand of God. All rough edges and rough surfaces must be removed, and we must be stones fitted for the building. We are brought into church capacity with defects of character, but we must not retain them. We must be fitted and squared for the building. We must be “labourers together with God,” for we are “God’s husbandry,” we are “God’s building.” In view of this we must see that the temple is not defiled with sin. We should be lively stones, not dead ones, but live ones that will reflect the image of Christ. We must be worshipers in spirit and in truth.—Manuscript 49, 1886 (Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, pp. 230-232). {CTr 155.5}
We are now in God's workshop. Many of us are rough stones from the quarry. But as we lay hold upon the truth of God, its influence affects us. It elevates us and removes from us every imperfection and sin, of whatever nature. Thus we are prepared to see the King in His beauty and finally to unite with the pure and heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. It is here that this work is to be accomplished for us, here that our bodies and spirits are to be fitted for immortality.{CH 44.1}
The precious stones represent the most perfect Christians, who have been refined and polished by the grace of God, and by affliction which they have endured with much prayer and patience. Their obedience and love resemble those of the great Pattern. Their lives are beautified and ennobled by self-sacrifice. They will endure the test of the burning day, for they are living stones. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.” - LP 155.2
Centuries before the Saviour’s advent Moses had pointed to the Rock of Israel’s salvation. The psalmist had sung of “the Rock of my strength.” Isaiah had written, “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.” Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 62:7; Isaiah 28:16. Peter himself, writing by inspiration, applies this prophecy to Jesus. He says, “If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” - DA 413.1
Upon this living stone, Jews and Gentiles alike may build. This is the only foundation upon which we may securely build. It is broad enough for all, and strong enough to sustain the weight and burden of the whole world. And by connection with Christ, the living stone, all who build upon this foundation become living stones. Many persons are by their own endeavors hewn, polished, and beautified; but they cannot become “living stones,” because they are not connected with Christ. Without this connection, no man can be saved. Without the life of Christ in us, we cannot withstand the storms of temptation. Our eternal safety depends upon our building upon the sure foundation. Multitudes are today building upon foundations that have not been tested. When the rain falls, and the tempest rages, and the floods come, their house will fall, because it is not founded upon the eternal Rock, the chief cornerstone Christ Jesus. - DA 599.4