Divine Pattern of Life

Posted Feb 25, 2014 by Adrian Ebens in Divine Pattern

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For those unfamiliar with the principles of the Divine Pattern I suggest you read the article “Divine Pattern – Key to the Law”.

In brief summary the truth about life is based on the relationship of the Father and His Son and this is best summed up with this Bible passage.

1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

The Father is the source of all life blessings and the Son is the channel for life and blessings. Here are some of the many examples of the Divine Pattern in action reflecting the Father and Son.

Source – Of Whom	Channel – By Whom	Dominion
Father	Son	Life
Father	Mother	Family
First Table of Law	Second Table of Law	Law
Law of God	Law of Moses	Two Laws
Old Testament	New Testament	Bible
Sun	Moon	Heavenly lights
Christ	Church	Church
Bible	Spirit of Prophecy	Inspired sources
Heavenly Sanctuary	Earthly Sanctuary	Plan of Salvation

In every key area of our life, everything that has to do with authority, blessing, family or law is a reflection of the Father and His Son. In the last example, the earthly was the Sanctuary of Israel as a channel of blessing for the source in heaven and after the veil was torn in two the Christian believer became the earthly temple of the heavenly Sanctuary’s source of intercession and blessing.

The fruit of worshipping the only true God and His Son is that every area of our lives will begin to reflect the Divine Pattern. Their relationship will be seen in everything we do. In everything we do we will acknowledge that there is a source and a channel and that the channel is not a source in itself. For example, many Christians focus on the New Testament and ignore the Old Testament. This does not follow the Divine Pattern. The Divine Pattern reveals that the Old Testament is the source and the New Testament is the expression and channel of the principles of the Old Testament.

As Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), He therefore is the visible expression of the Father’s glory. In like manner the New Testament is the visible expression of what was written in the Old Testament. Note carefully how the Divine Pattern affects our reading of the Scripture. Notice the supplied word in this text:

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The translators added the word but to the text therefore by using this supplied word, it places the Law in contrast to Christ however through the Divine Pattern, Christ is the expression of the Law. So in the light of the Divine Pattern of Father and Son this verse reads

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, and grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

By supplying the word and rather than but there is no conflict between law and grace. How many issues would this solve simply by accepting that the Divine Pattern of Father and Son is revealed in all God’s ways?

Also by using the word and we are better able to see that the Divine Pattern of law and grace have always operated together. Grace was available from before the world was made.

2 Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Grace was certainly available in the days of Moses through the Spirit of Christ

Exo 33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

One of the many wonderful things of the Divine Pattern is the principle of amplification. We see this signature in the language of Jesus when he speaks:

John 1:51 … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, …

Luke10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha,…

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, …

The amplification signature helps us identify who was speaking in the Old Testament.

Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Exo 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

The second reference or the repetition creates an amplification and intensification. It is the natural product of source and channel. The Son of God does not speak on His own authority but on the authority of His Father and Christ Himself is the amplification and intensification of His Father. He is the brightness of His Glory and the express image of His person.

When we approach subjects in the Bible via the Divine Pattern we will experience an amplification and intensification of the source when we place the two aspects of the subject in the Divine Pattern relationship where one is a channel or expression of the other. We see this principle in the Spring tides that occur when the Sun and moon align to cause greater gravitational attraction and therefore cause a greater movement of the waters. This is the reason why Jesus is the way to the Father. When we align Christ in a Divine Pattern to His Father we receive an amplification and intensification of the Father’s love for us, it’s like a Spring tide in our souls!

1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

We receive an intensification an amplification of the first four commandments by our submission to the last six. We see Paul expressing this in the following way.

Rom 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (9) For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (10) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Paul only mentions commandments from the last six commandments and then says that he that loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law. Paul has not mentioned the first four because the last six are an amplification of the first four. The first four and last six are not co-equal commandments but the last six are a channel for the first four and therefore and expression of them. The last six only exist because of the first four.

If the first commandments are loyally observed, the other six, which define the duty of man to his fellow-man, will be as faithfully observed. When God has his rightful place on the throne of the heart the duties assigned in the last six commandments will be performed as there directed. 3SP 52

Again as another example consider the Spirit of Prophecy in relation to the Bible. The Spirit of Prophecy derives its authority from the Bible. When we align them in a Divine Pattern we receive an amplification of what is in the Scriptures, we receive a greater moving of the waters as we navigate the ocean of the Father’s love revealed in His Word. The Spirit of Prophecy gives us a greater movement of the Spirit when we align them with the Bible. We are established by the source and prospered, nurtured or amplified by the channel.

2Ch 20:20 … Believe in the LORD your God, (source) so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, (channel) so shall ye prosper.

It is my prayer that we will begin to see this beautiful pattern of life everywhere. As I have been searching and praying for places in Scriptures where the Divine Pattern occurs I have come across some very interesting things. These relate to the subjects of the Sabbath and Tithing.

Many are unaware of the fact that the Bible mentions two tithes.

To promote the assembling of the people for religious service, as well as to provide for the poor, a second tithe of all the increase was required. Concerning the first tithe, the Lord had declared, "I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel." Numbers 18:21. But in regard to the second He commanded, "Thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always." Deuteronomy 14:23, 29; 16:11-14. This tithe, or its equivalent in money, they were for two years to bring to the place where the sanctuary was established. After presenting a thank offering to God, and a specified portion to the priest, the offerers were to use the remainder for a religious feast, in which the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow should participate. Thus provision was made for the thank offerings and feasts at the yearly festivals, and the people were drawn to the society of the priests and Levites, that they might receive instruction and encouragement in the service of God. (PP 530.1)

The first tithe was for the priesthood and the second tithe was for financing getting to worship and helping the poor and the fatherless. So there was a tithe for the priests and a tithe for the congregation. The proceeds of the second tithe ensured that all could participate in the worship conducted by those receiving the first tithe. Following the Divine Pattern there is an amplification and intensification of blessings that flow to us when we lay aside a second tithe for worship and for the poor and fatherless. I encourage you to “taste and see that the Lord is good” and blesses His people through the second tithe. Since deciding to follow the Divine Pattern of tithing I have received an intensification and amplification of blessings in my life. At first I was a little fearful of a second 10% set aside but the Father has blessed me many times over in ways I could not have imagined. Lack of funds should not prevent anyone from attending camp meetings; those who receive more will be able to help those who have less to travel to the camp meetings. This is one of the many ways the Father intends to bless His people.

Knowing that the Sabbath of the Lord is the seal of the living God, I wondered if there is a Divine Pattern principle operating in the Sabbath. When studying the Scriptures we find that there are two types of Sabbaths. There is the weekly Sabbath of the Lord and then there are the annual Sabbaths that occurred once a year.

The Weekly Sabbath (observed on the rotation of the earth in relation to the Sun):

Exo 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: (10) But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: (11) For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The Annual Sabbaths (observed on the rotation of the earth in relation to the Moon):

Exo 23:15-17 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) (16) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. (17) Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

The Sun and the Moon operate in a Divine Pattern relationship. All of the light of the Moon is derived from the Sun. This Divine Pattern relationship is attached to the Sabbath to create a Divine Pattern relationship between the weekly and annual Sabbaths. There is a second witness to the relationship between the weekly and the annual Sabbaths. The Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses are in a Divine Pattern relationship. The laws written by Moses were derived from the Ten Commandments. Notice the relationship.

But He did not stop with giving them the precepts of the Decalogue. The people had shown themselves so easily led astray that He would leave no door of temptation unguarded. Moses was commanded to write, as God should bid him, judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what was required. These directions relating to the duty of the people to God, to one another, and to the stranger were only the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified and given in a specific manner, that none need err. They were designed to guard the sacredness of the ten precepts engraved on the tables of stone. (PP 364.1)

In consequence of continual transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern the everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon man in every age as long as time should last. These commands were enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law. (RH, May 6, 1875)

So we see the Laws written by Moses were an amplification of the Moral Law, they were enforced by the power of the moral law. They were not laws unto themselves but were completely dependent on the moral law.

How does this principle extend to the two types of Sabbath?

Again the people were reminded of the sacred obligation of the Sabbath. Yearly feasts were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were to assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings of gratitude and the first fruits of His bounties. The object of all these regulations was stated: they proceeded from no exercise of mere arbitrary sovereignty; all were given for the good of Israel. The Lord said, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me"--worthy to be acknowledged by a holy God. PP 311

We notice that the sacred obligation of the Sabbath was impressed upon the people through the channel of the yearly feasts that were appointed. The weekly Sabbath is a moral law and the yearly Sabbaths were given as reminders of this moral obligation. Notice also that these yearly feasts were not an exercise in mere arbitrary sovereignty, there was good provided in this yearly gatherings. Based on the Divine Pattern of Father and Son, the yearly Sabbaths provide an amplification and intensification of the weekly Sabbath. Based on what we have noticed about other things related to the Divine Pattern, we see the yearly Sabbaths acting as a pathway to the true meaning and blessing of the weekly Sabbath. Notice again what Ellen White says about these times:

God directed Moses to say to the children of Israel, “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine.” “Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God, in the place which the Lord shall choose; because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.” Many sacrifices were made at these feasts; and this profusion of blood shed in connection with the harvest of thanksgiving was significant to them of the fact that even the bounties of the earth could come to them only through the cross of Calvary. By thus assembling and bringing their tithes into the treasury, they ever acknowledged the Lord to be the giver of all their blessings. The children of Israel are our ensamples, that while we should imitate their faithfulness and virtues, we should shun those sins which brought the displeasure of God upon them. We have our convocation meetings yearly, and all who possibly can attend them should feel under obligation to do so. RH July 10, 1879

Ellen White takes the example of the yearly feasts of Israel as the basis of having our camp meetings. She says we should feel under obligation to attend these meetings based upon the principle of the yearly gatherings of Israel. The word obligation seems like a strong word but she is eager for all to receive the blessings available in these meetings. Is this a call to align the Sabbath in a Divine Pattern and receive a greater moving of the waters and a receiving of the Spirit of God?

When Christ was upon the earth, attending one of the Jews’ convocations, upon the last day, that great day of the feast, he stood and cried: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” His eye of tenderest pity was cast around upon the multitude who were apparently all joy and rejoicing; but he who reads the secrets of the heart saw that there were many in that festive throng who were thirsting for that peace, and comfort, and consolation which he alone can give. They had failed to quench their thirst at earthly fountains, and his voice was heard by the whole temple crowd: “I am the fountain of living waters. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” In our camp-meetings Jesus is present with his gracious invitations; and if, on the last day of the feast, he is specially near, and his mercies and blessings are more forcibly brought home to us, how great the loss of those who fail to be present! On the very day of all others when they should be present, they are hasting to their homes; and thus failing to drink of the living waters, their souls are unrefreshed. RH July 10, 1879

The Spirit of Prophecy points to the yearly gatherings of Israel as an example of the great blessings that can come to us in our camp meetings. She speaks of attending yearly but if God’s people were able to attend more camp meetings in a year, would it not be a blessing to do so? If we see a Divine Pattern operating here should we not expect an amplification and intensification of Sabbath blessings? Is there reason that a weekly Sabbath occurring on an annual Sabbath is called an High Sabbath in Scripture? Could the alignment in the hearts of God’s people allow greater blessings to be received?

John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

But don’t the yearly Sabbaths only have a ceremonial function? Again we read:

There are certainly ceremonial layers applied to the annual Sabbaths even as there were ceremonial layers added to the weekly Sabbath, but these ceremonial aspects did not remove the underlying moral principle that reflects the Divine Pattern of source and channel that leads to amplification and intensification. We know that there must have been moral implications for the yearly Sabbaths because Jesus took no part in ceremonial temple worship:

Christ passed through all the experiences of His childhood, youth, and manhood without the observance of ceremonial temple worship. Bible Echo Oct 31, 1898.

But Jesus did attend the yearly Sabbaths:

John 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

If there is an amplification and intensification to be had of the blessings of our Father in approaching the weekly Sabbath through the blessings of the annual Sabbath, do you think Satan would want to stop that process and establish a system of theology to make us think there was no blessing in approaching the Sabbath by means of the Divine Pattern of source and channel?

My personal experience has been that when I attended a gathering of believers last October as an annual Sabbath I experienced an amplification and intensification of my Christian experience. Especially on the Sabbath of this camp was a mighty blessing of love poured upon us. Was there an alignment that moved the waters more than usual? My joy in the weekly Sabbath after that time was amplified for weeks. The responses to my messages were more penetrating than ever before. The joy and freedom in fellowship was greater than I had ever experienced before. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. Brethren the yoke I carried through that camp was easy and light. We experienced freedom of expression upon the platform of the worship of the one true God and His Son and the keeping of His Commandments.

Satan seeks to hold us in bondage and keep us from this Divine Pattern of the Sabbath. The delight of the weekly Sabbath is amplified and intensified through the yearly Sabbaths. When we align them correctly there will be a greater moving of the waters upon our earthen vessels. There is light and truth in the Divine Pattern relationship of the Sabbaths and I intend to take all the blessings our Father has to offer, there will be not one fragment of bread left on the ground but all will be gathered into the 12 baskets.

I am aware that there are Sabbath keepers who have found a blessing in the appointed times but who have not been convicted about the Father and Son and therefore cannot discern the vital ingredient of the Divine Pattern. I would say to such brothers and sisters that the annual Sabbaths can prove a far greater blessing when you worship the true God and His only begotten Son for only then can you enter into the correct relationship of the weekly and annual Sabbaths. Brethren, I have tasted of the fruit of Canaan by the Father and Son. It is a goodly land; you are able to come up and possess it and enjoy all the blessings our Father desires for us. The doctrine of the Trinity breaks the Divine Pattern of source and channel and creates the danger of placing the annual Sabbaths above the weekly Sabbath, and in so doing, it increases the risk of a spirit of control rather than true freedom.

There is much discussion and debate about the exact timing of these gatherings. I take the position that we adopt the principles of these gatherings with a spring and a fall emphasis but allow flexibility to shift dates to so that most people can attend. We have not been given a clear single calendar and debates on these things tend to shift the emphasis from receiving a blessing to proving who is right. I take the principle as reflected in the Divine Pattern and simply pray for guidance. But these are just my thoughts on timing. Some people take the view that it’s ok to have camp meetings at any time except when other groups gather for their yearly Sabbaths. To me this reflects my former state, enslaved by fear and therefore not free to fellowship in liberty at all times. I want all the blessings I can receive in the Divine Pattern and as there is clearly a Divine Pattern relationship in the Sabbath, I intend to receive all the amplification and intensification I can. I want to sail on the highest possible tide.

One of the things that has really helped me regarding the Divine Pattern is understanding that when someone seeks to make a channel a source in itself, it becomes an empty form because a channel has no power on its own; all of its power is derived from the source. For example, the Moon has no light of its own; it is all from the Sun. The woman received her life from the living rib of the man; she is not a source in herself. She needs the seed of the man in order to bear fruit. We see that when a father and mother do not align themselves in a Divine Pattern, the children often become tyrants or controlling in nature.

Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty [tyrant, warrior] men which were of old, men of renown.

When we fail to align two parts of a Divine Pattern correctly we can create a spirit of tyranny and turn a blessing into a curse. Legalism is the fruit of breaking the Divine Pattern either by taking away one of the elements or by making both the same. In regard to the Law of Moses and the earthly Sanctuary, these things were only channels of the heavenly Sanctuary and the Law of God in heaven. The Jews exalted the channel of blessing (Sanctuary and Law of Moses) to make them a source and turned them into a curse and created a spirit of tyranny. So by exalting the channel to be co-equal with the source they brought a curse upon themselves and enslaved the people. Without being connected to the source in a Divine Pattern, their worship became a round of meaningless forms overruled by a spirit of tyranny. Note carefully that the law was not a curse or a yoke of bondage but they made it a curse and a yoke of bondage by exalting the channel to be a co-equal source in itself. The bondage comes from breaking the divine pattern. Bondage also comes when you remove the channel and try to approach the source alone. As we can only approach the Father through Christ we must also approach the Old Testament through the New Testament and the same for all the Divine Pattern elements in our lives.

When you come into the worship of the Father and Son and understand the Divine Pattern of their relationship, you are enabled to restore the Law of Moses to being a channel of blessing rather than a pretended source of blessing turned into a curse. With these thoughts in mind we can hear the words:

Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

The closing words of Malachi are a prophecy regarding the work that should be done preparatory to the first and the second advent of Christ. This prophecy is introduced with the admonition, "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. (SW, March 21, 1905 par. 1)

On the mount, Jesus was closely watched by spies; and as He unfolded the principles of righteousness, the Pharisees caused it to be whispered about that His teaching was in opposition to the precepts that God had given from Sinai. The Saviour said nothing to unsettle faith in the religion and institutions that had been given through Moses; for every ray of divine light that Israel's great leader communicated to his people was received from Christ. While many are saying in their hearts that He has come to do away with the law, Jesus in unmistakable language reveals His attitude toward the divine statutes. "Think not," He said, "that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets." (MB 47.1)

In the light of the true Son of God being in submission to His Father we can have our eyes opened to the true position of the Law of Moses in relation to the Law of God and we can remember this law without experiencing the curse that comes from breaking the Divine Pattern.

Remember that Satan tried to cause Eve to elevate herself above her true position and thus she fell far below it.

Eve had been perfectly happy by her husband's side in her Eden home; but, like restless modern Eves, she was flattered with the hope of entering a higher sphere than that which God had assigned her. In attempting to rise above her original position, she fell far below it. PP 59

The Jews in seeking to elevate the Law of Moses from its submissive position to the law of God, fell far below it and destroyed a right knowledge of the Law of God. A right knowledge of the Law comes from a right knowledge of God. The idolatry of Israel led to a corrupted knowledge of the Law. It is no different today. An incorrect application of the knowledge of God is causing a wrong reaction to the law of Moses. A true knowledge of God will be revealed in a systematic application of the Divine Pattern in every area of life and a consequent increase an amplification of blessings.

I invite you into the Divine Pattern of the Sabbath and to receive the amplification and intensification that comes from this process. Is this not “proclaiming the Sabbath more fully”?

I invite you into the Divine Pattern relationship of tithing, so that you can bless more people and we can ensure that all our brethren who desire to can attend camp meetings.

I invite you into the blessings of the law as reflected in the life of Jesus. He participated in no ceremonial temple worship, he sacrificed no animals but He demonstrated a perfect keeping of the law. When we have His faith dwelling in our hearts we will manifest an obedience to all the commandments of God with Christ as the source and us as the channel.

So in summary we come back to the Divine Pattern areas with the extra points we have mentioned

Source – Of Whom	Channel – By Whom	Dominion
Father	Son	Life
Father	Mother	Family
First Table of Law	2^nd Table of the Law	Law
Law of God	Law of Moses	Two Laws
Old Testament	New Testament	Bible
Sun	Moon	Heavenly lights
Christ	Church	Church
Bible	Spirit of Prophecy	Inspired sources
Heavenly Sanctuary	Earthly Sanctuary	Plan of Salvation
First Tithe	Second Tithe	Finances
Weekly Sabbath	Annual Sabbaths	Sabbath Rest

Let us seek to align of the Divine Patterns that exist in our lives that we might have an amplification of the blessings of the Father in our lives. May we then find that we will be enabled through a moving of the waters to keep the commandments of God by the Faith of Jesus.