By John Thiel, mp3

God is love. In his loving effort to reach our sin darkened hearts we can see this demonstrated when we look at nature – the creatures he has put into existence for us to enjoy and look at the demonstration of his method in instilling his love into the sinner’s heart. This is the greatest dimension of his love that we can study. This never ceases to thrill my soul. If you ever want to get continued enjoyment, find someone to study with. Study the things of God’s love. When that person has settled into the truth, find another to study with. As you share with others the demonstration of God’s love in saving humanity, this will keep you alive.  Observe the study of God’s love demonstrated in the story of the Jews escaping from the Egyptians. This is an object lesson of God’s love for the sinner. For 400 years the Egyptians held the Israelites in captivity.

They were slaves to be used for the empire of the Egyptian nation. As the Hebrews were gaining energy and power because God blessed them, Pharaoh was so afraid of them multiplying, he turned the fire on. Instead of supplying them with raw material, they had to go and find it themselves. Then all the boys under two years old had to be slain. The intensity of the suffering they were going through brought out cries from them to God – save us. As a result of the intense crying, the Lord revealed himself to these people. The ten plagues came upon Egypt. Pharaoh was convinced to let these people go. Then they saw Pharaoh behind them and they trembled with fear.  We know the story of the Red Sea opening up for them. What a demonstration of Gods power for their souls. Filled with fear and anguish God demonstrated his amazing power of love towards them. Doesn’t this warm the heart? Can you imagine how they must have felt momentarily there of Gods hand to save them. God says, see how much I love you?

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

As he demonstrated his immense love, he says;

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.

Can you imagine it if you were there. You would say, we would do everything you say God.

Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Is this not love motivated obedience? Is this not something that God has created in their hearts? Yes, we will do whatever you say. Indeed a willingness to enter into a sacred pact with God who said, ‘If you will obey my voice and keep my covenant.’ You would respond to his invitation. God led them through a very sacred covenant. God wrote this covenant of principles down in a book. He had the men read out these beautiful counsels. They made so much sense and then in a very meaningful way, some animals were slain. They really knew they had covenanted with God. Feeling a deep sense of Gods greatness. They were trembling. When they heard the ten commandments, they were really impressed. Now with all these deep impressions on the heart of the people. What happened next? They went and danced around the golden calf.  Israel stood before God with guilt. What would he do to them now? They knew how he dealt with sin. Now they stand there trembling before him. Even their best intentions were doomed to failure. What does God meet them with? What does God meet us with after we have seen his wonderful care after we have made a wonderful decision to do what God wants us to do and then we miserably fail?  What do we expect God to do with us? They have just broken his commandments.

A New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Here is this amazing God, he has just demonstrated his power, his love, his greatness and people have declared they will solemnly follow such a great benefactor.  They then break it and now God now says – ‘I’m going to make something better for you’. Is this you, is this I? How many times have you come back to God with a deep sense of your disgrace after you’ve had a wonderful demonstration of his love for you and then you go and do the exact thing you didn’t want to do?  What is this new covenant? I will not make the same covenant before. I will give you something else. God says, ‘How am I going to do it?’ You’ll recall how the children of Israel had atonement for their sins by the slaying of an animal, but now God is going to do something better for them.

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Why did Jesus die? Did he die merely for the sinners in general? He did die for every sinner. But what do these bible texts tell us? What kind of sinner did he die for? To redeem those who have made a promise, for those who promised to keep his law. He died for those who were under the first testament and second that try to keep his commandments. This proves that we are still under the first covenant as we vow to keep his law when we see it’s holy, just and good. You’ve come to love him, you’ve disobeyed him, you’re trembling and now he says, ‘I’m going to die for you’. What happens to you inside? What has the death of Jesus made possible for you and me?

The divine Teacher bears with the erring through all their perversity. His love does not grow cold; His efforts to win them do not cease. With outstretched arms He waits to welcome again and again the erring, the rebellious, and even the apostate. His heart is touched with the helplessness of the little child subject to rough usage. The cry of human suffering never reaches His ear in vain. Though all are precious in His sight, the rough, sullen, stubborn dispositions draw most heavily upon His sympathy and love; for He traces from cause to effect. The one who is most easily tempted, and is most inclined to err, is the special object of His solicitude. {Ed 294.2}

Do you err? Have you made promises and then you fail? God bares with that. As he’s demonstrated it to the children of Israel, he’s t to tell us all, I’m patient with you. Even in your ignorance and short sightedness, you argue with him, it doesn’t mean he’s finished with you. He will accept you again and again, the rebellious and the apostate. That is why Jesus has died so he can do that. This is a love that is beyond computation. We need to be reminded of that. Especially in our disgrace.

Not because we first loved Him did Christ love us; but “while we were yet sinners” He died for us. He does not treat us according to our desert. Although our sins have merited condemnation, He does not condemn us. Year after year He has borne with our weakness and ignorance, with our ingratitude and waywardness. Notwithstanding our wanderings, our hardness of heart, our neglect of His Holy Word, His hand is stretched out still. {MH 161.1}

How many times as we read these things can you identify that you are one of these people? How many times has the Lord opened his heart to you? the law, it condemns me and crushes my soul. When you loathe yourself, you see yourself as you really are. What sort of a spirit do you have in you? You just hang your head. You are bereft of any comfort and joy. Your confidence is gone. But as you are in that position, you see the smile of Gods understanding love. Can you identify with Mary who was caught in the act of adultery? As they dragged her there, she was guilty. In that horrifying sense of total abject sense of hopeless, assured she was going to get stoned. What did Jesus say, those who are without sin? Cast the first stone. She thought those men – the Pharisees were holy so she was expecting to be stoned. But then what happened?

Mary had been looked upon as a great sinner, but Christ knew the circumstances that had shaped her life. He might have extinguished every spark of hope in her soul, but He did not. It was He who had lifted her from despair and ruin. Seven times she had heard His rebuke of the demons that controlled her heart and mind. She had heard His strong cries to the Father in her behalf. She knew how offensive is sin to His unsullied purity, and in His strength she had overcome. When to human eyes her case appeared hopeless, Christ saw in Mary capabilities for good. He saw the better traits of her character. The plan of redemption has invested humanity with great possibilities, and in Mary these possibilities were to be realised. Through His grace she became a partaker of the divine nature. The one who had fallen, and whose mind had been a habitation of demons, was brought very near to the Saviour in fellowship and ministry. It was Mary who sat at His feet and learned of Him. It was Mary who poured upon His head the precious anointing oil, and bathed His feet with her tears. Mary stood beside the cross, and followed Him to the sepulchre. Mary was first at the tomb after His resurrection. It was Mary who first proclaimed a risen Saviour. Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. You may say, I am sinful, very sinful. You may be; but the worse you are, the more you need Jesus. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to any all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration. . . . He is today standing at the altar of incense, presenting before God the prayers of those who desire His help. {CC 309.4}

Jesus had to work with her. Meditate on his love. Wherever there is one human being who feels like Mary from those around her in the strife of tongues, Jesus can lifts them from above it. Whenever you hear that someone in the church is faulty, and you talk about it, you are doing Satan’s work.

When you loathe yourself, when you are crushed from the terrible sense from the conviction that the Holy Spirit has imparted to you, what now do you have? A situation of human brokenness of spirit and no human joys at all but the joy and love of God. You gain a peace that passeth all understanding. Have you experienced that? As you keep on realising in your life and you’ve failed again, Jesus receives you to himself. What finally and deeply takes place in your heart? You will ask the question of the theme of our divine service today. You will adorn yourself for the one you love.

1 Peter 3:4 Let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight to God of great price.

You stand there bereft after your sin. Here is what your heart is prepared to do as your heart is affected, adorn yourself in a meek and quiet spirit.

When their hearts are affected by the truth, it will cause a death to the world, and they will lay aside the ribbons, laces, and collars; and, if they are dead, the laugh, the jeer, and scorn of unbelievers will not move them. They will feel an anxious desire to be separate from the world, like their Master. They will not imitate its pride, fashions, or customs. The noble object will be ever before them, to glorify God and gain the immortal inheritance. TV1 page 136

Can you see the connecting link? Without the deep appreciation of God’s love that has been demonstrated from the story of his way, you will not see it. Here lies the true motive of what I am about to share. Here lies the true motive of which the church is standing in the world to display. Consider here in what we have read. What will you be adorned with? The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Who does this include? We will now go into some detail.

Adornment

Adornment includes both men and women. It so often happens when it comes to adornment, men are left out. The truth of Gods saving love so affects me, that I yearn with anxious desire to please him with a contrite spirit. How can I best please him? The adornment of a meek and quiet spirit is of great value. A humble and contrite spirit, meek and lowly. Not ready to pounce back at what something doesn’t suit them.

There is an ornament that will never perish, that will promote the happiness of all around us in this life, and will shine with undimmed lustre in the immortal future. It is the adorning of a meek and lowly spirit. God has bidden us wear the richest dress upon the soul. {OHC 273.3}

This is the ornament that makes people really happy. People who never say boo at you for anything you do wrong, who never condemn you and who humbly get on with their own life, that is the adornment of a meek and quiet spirit. That is what God favours. If your hearts ornament is meek and quiet, what is the index of that meek and quiet spirit? How does it show? When we are talking about ornamentation, we are talking about what we put on to make ourselves attractive.

The outside appearance is an index to the heart. True refinement does not find satisfaction in the adorning of the body for display. A modest, godly woman will dress modestly. Simplicity of apparel always makes a sensible woman appear to the best advantage. A refined, cultured mind will be revealed in the choice of simple and appropriate attire. In the sanctified heart there is no place for thoughts of needless adornment. There is an ornament that will never perish, that will promote the happiness of all around us in this life, and will shine with undimmed luster in the immortal future. It is the adorning of a meek and lowly spirit. God has bidden us wear the richest dress upon the soul. {OHC 273.3}

How do you adorn yourself on the outside? If you have been touched by the enormous love of God you will have a meek and quiet spirit because God has put it there. Let’s go back to Adam and Eve before the fall. Reflect on their love to God. How was it revealed? God made them in his own image.

Psalm 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest [thyself] with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

What is God clothed with? Honour, majesty and light but also a meek and quiet spirit because he sits in the high and holy place.

How Did He Clothe Adam And Eve In Eden?

A beautiful soft light, proceeding from God, enshrouded the holy pair, and was reflected from every object upon which they looked. God was their teacher, and in the beauties of nature around them his lessons were repeated. The invisible things of God were clearly seen and understood by the things which he had made. {ST, January 28, 1897 par. 1}

That was the index of their heart. What was the index of sin on the outside of them? They were naked. They saw each other’s nakedness. They covered themselves with these aprons and still that wasn’t enough and so they were ashamed and ran for their life. I was afraid because I was naked, they said. When man covers himself today, it is no different to the fig leaves of Adam and Eve. Sin is a condition of the heart which is manifested by the attire. They stood all crushed because they couldn’t cover up their nakedness. What did Gods love demonstrate? He made them coats of skins. They were all crushed at first but now they were happy to receive the provision of Gods covering. What were they covered with? Coats of skins. Here is the principle of external adornment.  What is the symbol of the High Priest? Christ righteousness. If you receive Christ’s righteousness in your heart, what will you be receiving?

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

That is the way the world covers themselves. God covers me with the beauty of holiness. When God takes away your proud human spirit, then you are clothed with his righteousness. The index of this is coats of skins.

Exodus 28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

What sort of garments – holy garments. Is there anything holy about their garments? Is there anything holy about the material?  Here is a representation of Aaron’s holy garments. Whenever we see a representation of Aaron’s garments, we have a shallow understanding. We are not looking deep enough into what those garments are actually representing.

What Are Holy Garments?

Holy garments, what is it? No different to the light that covered Adam and Eve and no different to coats of skin and no different to the light that covers God. Look at it in reference to understanding what are holy garments. When you look at those garments, what do you see? You see no shape and form of what is inside. Do you see the shape or form? Think carefully, holy garments, enshrouding of the light. You could not see the shapes and contours of what is inside.

They are holy garments, that is what is meant. Adorn yourself with the apparel of a meek and quiet spirit..

The words of Scripture in regard to dress should be carefully considered. We need to understand that which the Lord of heaven appreciates in even the dressing of the body. All who are in earnest in seeking for the grace of Christ will heed the precious words of instruction inspired by God. Even the style of the apparel will express the truth of the gospel. {Ev 269.1}

What is inside of you that the gospel has created, that internal righteousness will be demonstrated.

1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

If you’ve been humbled and are aware of your sin, your clothing and its arrangement on the body will speak of it. There are people who reject this.

Philippians 3:18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; 19 Whose end is destruction, shoes God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

When you read the message of Laodicea you do not know how wretched, poor, blind and naked you are. I advise you to buy of me raiment that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.  Any part of your body that you display is contrary to the cross of Christ. Jesus is waiting to break that.  Clothing is the most powerful tool to display the stubbornness of men and women today. If there is a sin or an area of your life that God has to humble you in, you will study very carefully.  There is no nakedness to be seen in terms in the form and shape of your body. Have a good look at your garments. Is it anything different to that? You may wear garments in such a way that you think it’s good enough but if you have material that is loose and you bend a little, what will happen? Examine your clothing. Is it holy? Is there nakedness of your legs? Examine it closely, your nakedness is shameful.  The bearing of a woman’s body belongs to the man. The man’s bearing belongs to the woman. It’s a beautiful garden according to the Song of Solomon but a secluded garden. That is modest. When the sheer stockings came in, where did that come from? The world.

We cannot, if we would, conceal the fact that women have feet and limbs that were made for use. But in regard to the exposure, this is on the other side of the question. We have travelled extensively the past twenty-five years, and have been eyewitnesses to many indecent exposures of the limbs. But the most common exposure is seen upon the streets in light snow, or wet and mud. Both hands are required to elevate the dress, that it may clear the wet and filth. It is a common thing to see the dress raised one-half of a yard, exposing an almost unclad ankle to the sight of gentlemen, but no one seems to blush at this immodest exposure. No one’s sensitive modesty seems shocked for the reason that this is customary. It is fashion, and for this reason it is endured. No outcry of immodesty is heard, although it is so in the fullest sense. But does the popular style of woman’s dress always hide her feet from the public gaze? See that lady passing over the muddy street, holding her skirts nearly twice as far from the ground as ours, exposing, not only her feet, but her nearly-naked limbs. Similar exposures are frequent as she ascends and descends the stairs, as she is helped into, and out of carriages. These exposures are disagreeable, if not shameful; and a style of dress which makes their frequent occurrence almost certain, we must regard as a poor safeguard of modesty and virtue. But we did not design an exposure of this false modesty in relation to woman’s feet, but simply a defense of the style of dress which we regard, in every way, truly modest. {HR, May 1, 1872 par. 19}

Isaiah 3:16 Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.

Pony Tails

We see what Gods attitude is. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks, walking and mincing as they go, they are displaying the proud spirit of their hearts. God hates it. This is Gods attitude. You can’t please him like that. Do you want to please him? Then study it carefully and anxiously the way we should dress. It is demonstrated when it comes to a woman’s hair. What sort of a picture does she display?

History of Ponytails

Let us observe a horse standing still. His tail is down, his main is also flat.

Then you see some horses, spirited horses, how they start prancing around. What happens to their tail and their neck? Their necks are stretched forth. What is inside of the horse is revealed in its stance.

Let us look at a meek and contrite spirit that a woman is adoring herself with.

Then we come to a picture of a hairstyle that was condemned by early Seventh Day Adventists. They wear it in various different styles.

God shows that the external is the index of your heart but God doesn’t condemn us. I thank God that you’re not going to be dealt with in a harsh manner. The Word of God stands before us appealing to us.

Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit in within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

2 Corinthians 3:2 You are our epistles written in our hearts known and read of all men. 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

May it be our decision to clear out every hindrance of our life.

Amen.