They Understood Not - Notes Adrian

They Understood Not

Key passage of 1888 message

1Jn 4:2-3  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  (3)  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

He [Paul] was sent to preach the gospel; he was made a minister of the gospel, a preacher of the mystery of God; and that mystery of God is, as he says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Then the preaching of the gospel is the preaching of Christ in men, the hope of glory. The minister of the gospel is the minister of Christ in men, the hope of glory. It is still, and forever, the preaching of God in Christ, manifest in the flesh—the incarnation. For "every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God." {August 2, 1892 ATJ, ARSH 482.9}

But further, I call attention to that expression, "The mystery of God." I read in Eph. 3:3 and onward: "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; . . . which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men." That mystery, as he says in the other verse, is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Now he says: By revelation God made known to me that mystery, and it pleased God to reveal his Son in me. "The gospel which I preach is not after man. For I neither received it of man; neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Not alone the revelation which Christ gives; it is that and more. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ himself, as he was revealed in Paul, and as he is revealed in men, the hope of glory. And this is how Paul received the gospel—by the revelation of Jesus Christ, not only to him, but in him. {August 2, 1892 ATJ, ARSH 482.10}

This is enough to show that the gospel is the mystery of God; that the preaching of the gospel is the preaching of the mystery of God; and that the preaching of the mystery of God is the preaching of Christ in men. This is the revelation of the mystery of God. This is the gospel that the apostles preached, and this is the only true gospel. {August 2, 1892 ATJ, ARSH 482.11}                       

Wherever Christ is manifest in the flesh the themes in the sequence of the gospels of the Bible are played out again.

What is that sequence?

Matt 5:3-12  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  (4)  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  (5)  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  (6)  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  (7)  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  (8)  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  (9)  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  (10)  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  (11)  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  (12)  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matt 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

John 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Luke 2:49-50  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?  (50)  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

Luke 9:43-45  And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,  (44)  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.  (45)  But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Luke 18:31-34  Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.  (32)  For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:  (33)  And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.  (34)  And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Luke 24:25-26  Then he said unto them, O fools, [unwise unintelligent] and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  (26)  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

John 8:26-27  I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."  (27)  They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

John 10:6  Jesus used this illustration, [Sheep here my voice] but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

John 12:16  These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. 

How is Jesus glorified?

John 17:10  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Interlude

The gift of the Spirit in the Sabbath and the principle of the old and new covenant have proved such a blessing. The testing of character on the edge of the Sabbath and the New Moon and then the gift of the Spirit. The sense of freedom.

The non-judgment and the non-violence we behold in our Father through Christ is bringing forward this glory.

But when Christ is glorified through his people then we will understand the things that have been written about Him in this message.

Like the Saviour's disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ's kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed, and the Saviour made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed and troubled. DA 215

Without understanding Christ slain from the foundation of the world you can’t comprehend the cross or the kingdom of God.

All heaven suffered in Christ's agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God. Ed 263

"And they also which pierced Him." These words apply not only to the men who pierced Christ when He hung on the cross of Calvary, but to those who by evil-speaking and wrong-doing are piercing Him today. Daily He suffers the agonies of the crucifixion. Daily men and women are piercing Him by dishonoring Him, by refusing to do His will.  {ST, January 28, 1903 par. 8}

The Lord desires us to be men and women in Christ Jesus. Our natural dispositions are to be softened and subdued by His grace. Then we shall not be continually crucifying Him afresh. Our Saviour lived on this earth a perfect life. He is our Example. If we now follow Him, doing His will in all things, we shall in the world to come live with Him forever. Let us keep Him constantly in view. It should be our life-purpose to glorify Christ. This is the great purpose that has inspired Christians in every age. It is by cherishing this purpose that we make sure of eternal salvation. Let us learn to know Him whom to know aright is peace and joy and life everlasting.  {ST, January 28, 1903 par. 9} 

Same passage expanded

"And they also which pierced Him." Not only does this apply to those who last saw Christ when He hung on the cross of Calvary, but to those who by wrong words and actions are piercing Him today. Daily He suffers the agonies of crucifixion. Daily men and women are piercing Him by dishonoring Him, by refusing to do His will. And did He not suffer before He came to this earth as a man among men? The nation that He purposed to lead from Egypt into Canaan rejected Him more than once. During the forty years of wilderness wandering, even though He fed His chosen people with manna and protected them from harm, they resisted His evidences of truth, failed to recognize His light and power, were unmindful of His miracles, and as the result fell in the wilderness, never entering the promised land. The Lord could not fulfill His purpose through them. And why? Because they never left their childhood ways. They failed to overcome their wrong traits of character. Although grown up to the full stature of men and women, they brought into manhood and womanhood the defects of childhood.  {2SAT 214.1} 

     So it is today. The Lord desires us to be men and women in Christ Jesus. Our natural dispositions are to be softened and subdued by His grace. Then we shall not be continually crucifying Him afresh. We have a Saviour who has lived a perfect life on this earth. He is our Example. He gave His life for our redemption. If in this life we follow Him, doing His will in all things, in the future life we shall live with Him forever.  {2SAT 214.2} 

     So long as I live, I desire to keep Christ in view. This is my life purpose. This is what I am living for--to glorify Christ and to make sure of life eternal. This is the great purpose that should inspire everyone. We want to know Him whom to know aright is peace and joy and life everlasting.  {2SAT 214.3} 

Satan is constantly seeking to cause distrust, alienation, and malice among God's people. We shall be often tempted to feel that our rights are invaded when there is no real cause for such feelings. . . . Contentions, strife, and lawsuits between brethren are a disgrace to the cause of truth. Those who take such a course expose the church to the ridicule of her enemies and cause the powers of darkness to triumph. They are piercing the wounds of Christ afresh and putting Him to an open shame.--5T 242, 243

  We see children, they may be brothers and sisters, who, if they chance to be pleased, and circumstances are all favorable for them, are in good spirits, kind and courteous; but wait until something unavoidable comes that does not please them, crossing their ideas, and see how passion is expressed in the voice, and their attitude assumes such a character that Satan can control and make most disagreeable impressions. All that you can judge of the tree is by its fruit. Where is the affection, the love, the true Christian politeness? The countenance expresses hatred. Satan delights in these exhibitions. He delights in extinguishing love and kindness.  {HM, July 1, 1897 par. 9} 

But how does God look upon these things? -- Only with grief and sadness, even in inexperienced children. But when all these objectionable attributes are expressed in grown-up children, when those who have come to years of maturity, who have had great light and knowledge and experience, shall act like children in their fits of malice, it is a sad thing. These are piercing Christ afresh, and putting him to open shame before his adversary. Satan and his confederate angels point to those who profess to be children of God, but who by their disposition and actions show that they are after the similitude of the apostate, and taunt Christ and the heavenly angels. How long shall we thus crucify the Son of God afresh, so that God is ashamed to call us his sons and daughters? Is it not time that we put away childish things? Shall we be of the number who are ever learning, yet never able to come to a knowledge of the truth?  {HM, July 1, 1897 par. 10} 

Some of the depth of the cross and Christ’s suffering we have put into the booklets Calvary in Egypt and Christ’s antediluvian Cross and of course in Agape.

Moses and the Serpent – Calvary in Egypt page 10-12

Exo 4:2-4  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.  (3)  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.  (4)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

The Rod

Num 24:17  I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

The Ground or the Earth

1 Cor 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 

The mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries. In the light that streams from Calvary the attributes of God which had filled us with fear and awe appear beautiful and attractive. Mercy, tenderness, and parental love are seen to blend with holiness, justice, and power. While we behold the majesty of His throne, high and lifted up, we see His character in its gracious manifestations, and comprehend, as never before, the significance of that endearing title, "Our Father."  {GC 652.1}