First Quarter 2003
Adult Sabbath School Lessons: "The Promise"
Special
Insights #1
Lesson
Introduction—What Happened?
January 4,
2003
(Produced
by the Editorial Board of the 1888 Message Study Committee)
No topic of study for thirteen weeks could be more
profitable for our Sabbath Schools around the world than “God's
Everlasting Covenant.” The principal truth of righteousness by faith
that made the 1888 message unique was Waggoner's and Jones’ view of the
Old and New Covenants—a truth that Ellen White said “the Lord in His
great mercy sent” His people.
It
was a refreshingly different view of the two covenants than had been
presented either in the Seventh-day Adventist Church up to that time, or
in the popular Protestant churches. Even the 16th Century Reformers had
never developed the clear-cut differences between the Old and the New
Covenants as the two young men who Ellen White designated frequently as
“the Lord's special messengers.”
She
heard something in those presentations of the two covenants that she had
never heard presented publicly during her previous 45 years. She saw it as
“the beginning” of the “light” that must yet “lighten the earth
with glory.” And since the loud cry can never go forth unless preceded
by "showers from heaven of the latter rain," she saw that
blessing as being included also.
Unfortunately,
our new Adult Sabbath School Quarterly presents no contribution from Jones
and Waggoner that helps clarify the special truth of the two covenants as
Ellen White endorsed it. This series of “Insights” into the lessons
week by week will attempt to supply something of this lack.
As
an introduction, we note Ellen White’s remarks about Waggoner’s view
of the two covenants. On March 16, 1890, the Lord gave her a vision in
which she was shown that the Holy Spirit had given him the correct view,
and that the General Conference president and the Review and Herald editor
were opposing light which had been sent from heaven. The first document is
from a letter written to the editor of the Review:
“Night
before last I was shown that evidence in regard to the covenants were
clear and convincing. Yourself, Dan Jones, Brother Porter and others are
spending your investigative powers for naught to produce a position on
the covenants to vary from the position that Brother Waggoner has
presented [in other words, you’re wasting your time opposing Waggoner
like this]. When you had received the true light which shineth, you
would have not imitated or gone over the same manner of interpretation
and misconstruing the Scriptures that [sic] did the Jews. … They
handled those things that they could make a means of clouding and
misleading minds.
“The
covenant question is a clear question and would be received by every
candid, unprejudiced mind, but I was brought where the Lord gave me an
insight into this matter. (Letter to Uriah Smith, 59, 1890.) Oh, in this
late hour may the Holy Spirit give us ‘candid, unprejudiced minds’!”
Another
statement follows:
“Since
I made the statement last Sabbath that the view of the covenants as it
had been taught by Brother Waggoner was truth, it seems that great
relief has come to many minds. … I am glad that the Lord urged me to
give the testimony that I did.” (Letter 30, 1890.)
But
her testimony was not received as she had hoped. In fact, this was the
first time in Seventh-day Adventist history that her ministry had been
resisted and even rejected by leading brethren. The antipathy for the 1888
view of the two covenants seemed at the time to Ellen White as being
mysterious.
Although
nothing is published in our Quarterly presenting the 1888 view of the two
covenants, thousands of church members around the world have found access
to original writings by Jones and Waggoner published unofficially. Many
readers rejoice in the spiritual clarity that this message has brought
them.
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