Review and Herald for 1971

December 23, 1971 einiew Vol. 148 No. 51 THE ADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD + WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL EDITION HEAVEN IS BROUGHT NEAR TO EARTH BY THAT MYSTIC LADDER, THE BASE OF WHICH IS FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE EARTH, WHILE THE TOPMOST ROUND REACHES THE THRONE OF THE INFINITE. AN- GELS ARE CONSTANTLY ASCENDING AND DE- SCENDING THIS LAD- DER OF SHINING BRIGHTNESS, BEARING THE PRAYERS OF THE NEEDY AND DIS- TRESSED TO THE FA- THER ABOVE, AND BRINGING BLESSING AND HOPE, COURAGE AND HELP, TO THE. CHILDREN OF MEN.- THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, PAGE 153. EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Confrontation in the Wilderness HRISTIANS find joy in talking about Jesus. presence of temptation, who turned away from They delight in discussing the mystery of the dazzling spectacle of earthly power and glory C the Incarnation, the wonder of Heaven's spread out before Him. Gift at Bethlehem, the remarkable childhood of the Wielding the Word with consummate skill, Jesus carpenter's Son, the amazing life of the Teacher met every temptation successfully. He routed the from Galilee, the victorious death of the Lamb of enemy. "But the conflict had been long and ex- God, the glorious resurrection of the Son of God, ceedingly trying, and Christ was exhausted and the dramatic ascension of the Saviour of the world, fainting. He fell upon the ground as though dying. and the mediatorial ministry of our great High Heavenly angels . .. now came and ministered unto Priest. Him. They prepared Him food and strengthened Strangely, however, little attention is given to Him, for He lay as one dead."—Ibid., p. 55. the wilderness temptation of the Son of man. Few Christians talk about it. Fewer yet study it. Its Message to Us Relatively few see its tremendous importance. What does this dramatic, decisive confrontation Ellen G. White was an exception. In 1874 and in the wilderness say to us? What relevance does 1875 she wrote a series of 13 articles for the Review it have to our experience as Adventist Christians and Herald on the subject of temptation in general, living in earth's last days? with major emphasis on the magnitude and signifi- For one thing, it points up the importance of cance of the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. victory on the point of appetite. For another, the Four years later the articles were published in a 96- necessity of self-denial. "The great trial of Christ page booklet entitled The Temptation of Christ in in the wilderness on the point of appetite was to the Wilderness. The booklet was No. 2 in the Re- leave man an example of self-denial. The sal- demption series. A few months ago the Review and vation of man was in the balance, and to be decided Herald reissued this long-out-of-print booklet in a by the trial of Christ in the wilderness."—Ibid., paperback edition entitled Confrontation. As we p. 66. It also teaches that victory over evil is more read the booklet recently, we found ourselves desirable than the preservation of one's life. And gripped by its message and underlining phrases and it reveals that Satan usually conceals his true sentences on almost every page. In this editorial we identity and the terrible results of evil. wish to share some of the thoughts gleaned. Most important, it reveals that all who are will- Picture the scene. For nearly six weeks Jesus had ing to pay the price of victory may obtain it. "Christ been in the harsh, desolate, Judean wilderness has power from His Father to give His divine grace "surrounded with wild beasts. Everything around and strength to man—making it possible for us Him was repulsive. 'And in those days he did through His name to overcome."—Ibid., p. 63. "In eat nothing.' He was emaciated through long fast- the name of Christ we may have complete victory ing and felt the keenest sense of hunger. His in resisting his [Satan's] devices."—Ibid., p. 72. visage was indeed marred more than the sons of Christians who see the serious issues in the conflict men."—Confrontation, p. 37. between good and evil will be determined to have Then came the enemy. Not emaciated. Not weak. victory. They will not be content to retain sinful Not with marred visage. "He came to Christ en- habits in the life. The real problem is that in this shrouded in light, claiming to be one of the angels permissive age too many Christians excuse sin in- from the throne of God, sent upon an errand of stead of conquering it. "They have not the moral mercy to sympathize with Him and to relieve Him courage to persevere in self-denial, and to endure of His suffering condition."—Ibid., p. 38. He suffering for a time through restraint and denial "stated that he was the angel that stayed the of the taste, in order to master the vice. This class hand of Abraham as the knife was raised to slay refuse to overcome as did their Redeemer."—Ibid., Isaac. and he had now come to save His life." p. 77. (See Heb. 12:1-4.) —Ibid., p. 39. Christians who meditate upon the terrible con- Satan hoped to overcome Jesus on appetite, on flict of Christ in the wilderness and upon what the desire for ease and self-indulgence, on presump- God's dear Son was willing to endure for them tion, on the desire for self-preservation, on vanity, will be ashamed of what they have called sacrifice on the desire for earthly authority, fame, and and self-denial. And they will determine to over- power. But he soon discovered that his Foe was come, no matter what the cost, as did their Master. no ordinary human being. Here was One who saw It is right that we gather around the manger at clearly the terrible results of 4,000 years of indul- Bethlehem. It is right that we gather at the foot gence of appetite, One who would rather die than of the cross. It is right that we gather at the empty yield to temptation. Here was One who was so tomb. But let us not neglect to spend time in the familiar with Scripture that He recognized instantly wilderness of temptation, for "the scene of trial the enemy's misuse of God's Word, One who knew with Christ in the wilderness was the foundation of the difference between faith and presumption. the plan of salvation, and gives to fallen man Here was One who had perfect confidence in His the key whereby he, in Christ's name, may over- Father. Here was One who refused to linger in the come."—Ibid., p. 63. K. H. W. 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, December 23, 1971 Briefs From then NangItceeese tion" to patients. When he visits them in person they find it easier to talk to him 714.“ Week, dB. because he seems "familiar." SCAN Programs aired over the main hospital MISSION '72, described as the channel include medical orientation—expla- church's greatest coordinated evangelistic nations of what happens in the various thrust since its organization, receives at- 1.9e lierlenfes From the Fienlliggiceatien Sri rooms and the functions of blood tests and tention this week (see page 4). Assessing other tests. the general religious scene, Marvin H. CARDINAL SAYS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Reeder notes that events of recent PROMOTE HUMANISM IRAN'S "RELIGION CORPS" months indicate the "greatest surge of WILL DRAFT YOUNG MEN religious agitation and interest in years." WASHINGTON, D.C.—Patrick Cardinal Elder Reeder is an associate secretary A. O'Boyle of Washington declared that TEHERAN—A Religion Corps, into of the General Conference Bureau of the nation's public schools already consti- which young men will be drafted, has been Public Relations. He began work for the tute an "establishment of religion" in created within the Iranian Army by imperial denomination as a literature evangelist America through the implementation of edict. in 1942, later becoming a conference "secular humanism" as a state religion. It takes its place alongside three other publishing secretary. He continued in He said that public school neutrality to "revolutionary" corps, those on literacy, this line of work until 1955 (spending religion is a myth. health, and development. A group of 50 six years in Japan) when he accepted the "It may be argued that public schools Moslem divinity school graduates will be position of departmental secretary (pub- need not favor any particular religion," he the first inducted by March, 1972. lic relations, radio-television, religious said, "or any religion at all, because they Draftees in the Religion Corps will liberty, and industrial relations) of the can proceed on strictly humanistic, prag- undergo eight weeks of basic military train- Ohio Conference. In 1962 he accepted matic, and secular conceptions. ing and 16 weeks of specialized study. Dur- his present post. "But this is precisely the point. To pro- ing training, they will wear the same uni- ceed in this way is itself to establish a re- forms as members of other corps. They will Unconsciousness in the intermediate ligion—secular humanism—and to favor serve then for 18 months, wearing the attire state is the subject of the ninth in the this religion over all others." of Moslem clergy. series "An Adventist Confession of Members of the Religion Corps will be Faith," by C. E. Moseley, Jr. (page 6). assigned to duties in schools, cultural in- The term "intermediate state" may not CHAPLAIN VISITS stitutions, and other organizations. At the be familiar to some Adventists.

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