COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE! PART 3

Come Out of Her, My People! | Part 3

Scripture presents a very special group of people who, in full and willing obedience, follow their divine Leader into all truth.  They are called: the Sons of Zadok.  Heaven rewards them for their loving obedience and full surrender by honoring them with the commission to minister unto God Himself!  While others may minister unto the people, the Sons of Zadok minister directly to the Lord and live their lives in direct contact with Him at all times.  (See Ezekiel 44:15.

farmer holding BibleTo prepare for this high calling, the Sons of Zadok are taught in the school of Heaven.  Their teachers are the angels; their textbook is Scripture and nature.  The training they receive, their instruction in righteousness, comes directly from Heaven.  No earthly institution is up to the task of training the Sons of Zadok for their high and holy calling.

At 40 years of age, Moses was a prince of Egypt, a successful general of their armies.  He was confident he could deliver Israel.  God knew differently and sent him to the desert.  At 80 years of age, after 40 years of tending sheep in the School of the Wilderness, a humbled Moses did not feel up to the task of leading Israel out of Egypt.  Then, God knew Moses was finally ready.  Forty years under the direct tutelage of heaven, Moses was at last qualified for his great life's work.

In both the training they receive from Heaven and in the worship they return to the Creator, Sons of Zadok have often been called to stand alone.  Never was this more true than now, at the very end of time.  The churches that were once pure have rejected truth and now teach error.  They are not fit training-grounds for the Heaven-called Sons of Zadok.   Such it was for Elijah, hiding beside the Brook Cherith. God had directed him there for his safety.  He did not attend the local synagogue on the Sabbath, but worshiped in solitude.

After the brook dried up, Elijah was directed to the home of a humble, believing widow and there he stayed until the three and a half years were over.  During this time, Elijah still did not attend any organized worship services.  He held home church with the widow and her son.  The spiritual strength he thus obtained, prepared him to stand alone before Ahab and the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mt. Carmel.

John the Baptist is another Son of Zadok whose solitary worship prepared him to do a mighty work for God.  Home churches are truly of the order of the Sons of Zadok.  Such direct, one-on-one worship with God is what prepares the Sons of Zadok for their unique ministry of standing faithfully for God in the face of the whole world’s apostasy.

All who fully obey the call to come out of Babylon into the full light of truth, will find that worship at home is inevitable.  The training they must receive from woman standing with crossed arms Heaven is not available in the fallen churches.  Furthermore, "church" attendance simply for the sake of fellowship is not condoned by Scripture for, as God observed, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"  (Amos 3:3,)

All who commit to following truth, no matter what the cost, will face obstacles designed by Satan to discourage them.  New situations will arise that require faith to surmount.  Home church can somehow feel wrong.  Feelings of loneliness and being "cast adrift" can be intense – particularly if a person is all alone and has no one else with whom to worship.  It is easy to question whether or not home church is even Biblical.

Surprisingly, home churches is not only Biblical, but in one notable instance, it was even commanded.  As the Ekklesia of Jesus grew and spread, individual worship in homes or in quiet retreats in nature was very common.  In Philippi, the customary place of worship for the devout was along the river.  "And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there."  (Acts 16:13  

Apparently, it was "customary" for the devout to withdraw to the quiet solitude of the river to pray and worship on the Sabbath.  While there, Paul and Silas made the acquaintance of Lydia, a seller of purple.  She and her entire household were baptized.  (See Acts 16:14-15.)

Throughout all time, the faithful have held home church.  Enoch walked with God, not in the hustle and bustle of city life, but by withdrawing to worship Him in the quiet of solitude.  From these spiritual retreats, Enoch was strengthened to go and be a teacher of righteousness.

Even when the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, individuals and families held home churches!  From the first, Moses pitched a "tent of meeting" where he would go to speak with God.  Within a year, the Israelites had the sanctuary right there in front of them.  One would think that they would all be called to have a worship service every seventh day.  Who better to give a Sabbath sermon than Moses?  However, this was not the case!  Everyone was commanded to stay in their tents.

God even provided them with extra food for the Sabbath so that everyone could stay home during the holy hours.

"See!  For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days.  Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."  So the people rested on the seventh day.  (Exodus 16:29, 30

Men's Bible study Even though home church is a necessity for all who flee Babylon, it takes time to mentally adjust to new ways of worship.  One Bible promise that may be claimed by all is found in Matthew 18:20: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”  The person worshiping alone can claim this promise with as much confidence as a group of many.  Scripture teaches that all who love God are given guardian angels who watch over and protect them.  Thus, even the person alone is not ever truly alone, but with his or her guardian angel, they constitute an church of two, and there Jesus is in the midst of them.

A few people have the opportunity to worship with others in small groups in homes.  Those who are blessed to have their families believe as they do worship with their families.  Most find themselves worshiping completely alone.  Whether one worships in a semi-formalized group, with one’s own family, or alone in the bedroom, such worship is acceptable to God and He will tremendously bless the worshiper.

It is not beautiful stained glass windows that make a place holy.  It is not having a steeple on the roof or being surrounded by many worshipers.  The only thing that ever makes any place holy is the presence of God.  The Israelites were instructed to build the tabernacle right down on the desert sand.  There was no floor or foundation, no lifting up; only the ground.  God told Moses, “Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.  (Exodus 25:8)  Today the Father and Son seek worshipers that will invite Them to dwell with them, and wherever they are becomes a sacred, set-apart place for fellowship.

When the encampment moved, there was nothing holy about the sand on which the tabernacle had stood.  It was the presence of God which made the tabernacle holy and which still makes any place an area of holiness where worship can be offered to the Creator.  The place of worship might be a quiet spot in nature.  Sometimes it can only be one’s own car parked beside a lake – or even in a parking lot!  Frequently, those who worship alone have to do so in the privacy of their own bedrooms.

Wherever one worships is holy ground because God has pledged to be there.

Worship is simply the means by which love and adoration for the Creator are expressed.  A person used to the traditions and forms of church services may smiling woman looking into distance feel at first that the silence of his or her own bedroom cannot be truly worshipful.  However, true worship is a gift of love.  It is an opening of the heart in pure devotion to God.  Such worship God delights to receive.  It is often the case that it is easier to offer pure worship alone, than in the company of irreverent or even mocking people.

Do not be afraid to step out alone and try something new.  “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”  (Mark 2:27)  The only requirement is that however and wherever one worships, it draws the heart out in love and gratitude to God.  This can be done alone, with one’s own family, or with a group of families.

In the ancient Hebrew language, the word for the number seven is the same as the verb “to marvel.”  Thus Genesis 2:2 with that word inserted would read:

And on the “to marvel” day, God ended His work which He had made and He rested on the “to marvel” day from all His work which He had made.  And God blessed the “to marvel” day and sanctified it because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.

Can you marvel on the Sabbath day over the blessings in your life?  Can you marvel, appreciate and admire the plan of salvation and the wondrous destiny planned for the saved of earth?  Can you marvel that He loves us enough to die for us?  The Sabbath day, the seventh day, will be to all a delight and blessing as the hours increase our sense of the marvelous.

ALONE

The majority of people who leave Babylon do so alone.  Because worship is an active experience, it can take some adjustment to worshiping alone.

contemplative hiker There are many ways a person worshiping alone can attain a very rich Sabbath day’s blessing.  Because no one else’s needs or limitations need to be taken into account, the sacred hours can be spent in deep Bible study and communion with the Father and the Son.  A CD of hymns and religious music can be played and sung along to for the blessing of giving praise through music.  Another enjoyable way to nurture faith is to have a prayer and thanksgiving book.  A simple notebook will do.  Every Sabbath record specific prayer requests.  The following Sabbath, record the prayers answered and the blessings received throughout the week, and make a new list for the upcoming week.

It is important to be specific and to pay attention to what is actually asked so that when God answers, the blessing can be recognized and gratefully acknowledged.  Focusing on the positive blessings received is especially important for those who stand alone.  This arouses gratitude and love which, in turn, increases faith and trust in the Redeemer.

If loneliness is a problem, reach out to others.  If there is someone to whom you have been witnessing, the Sabbath is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to them in spiritual fellowship and sharing.

Spending time in nature is always a rewarding experience.  The voice of the Creator is more easily discernible in nature than anywhere else.  When Jesus lived on earth, He often went out into nature for communing one-on-one with His Father.  He knew that truest, purest worship is the soul’s individual communion with its Maker.  This experience can be yours, too, even by yourself.

FAMILIES

happy family It is a wonderful blessing to be able to be united with one’s family in worship!  Worshiping at home brings a tremendous blessing because the individual needs are often met more easily then when worshiping with a larger group.

Singing together is a wonderful experience.  It draws the heart out to God and most children love to sing. The blessing learned through the memorization of the words to hymns will last forever.

Mothers and fathers can take turns instructing the children, with one teaching the Bible story, and the other sharing a story with a lesson or an object lesson from nature that directs the thoughts to Heaven.  In the afternoon, a family walk in nice weather is a wonderful opening to draw the attention of the children to the Creator’s love shown in the things of nature.

Pilgrim’s Progress is also a nice thing to enjoy as a family.  It is also a wonderful way to keep the children profitably occupied while the adults have Bible studies.  Children can listen to the deep spiritual lessons in Pilgrim’s Progress while coloring Bible story pictures.1

Parents can nurture their relationship with each other and also older children by studying together the Bible truths and other religious books.

GROUPS 

A group of 25 will require more organization than a family alone.  Adults with no dependents will have different needs then young people, whose needs should not be ignored.  Nor is it reasonable to expect young children to sit for long hours with nothing to do while young children the adults discuss things beyond the children’s level of understanding.  Many adults may enjoy long hours of Bible study, but the needs of young children and the interests of the youth must be taken into account as well.

Watchfulness and prayer should be exercised so that the blessing of meeting with a group does not degenerate into simply another form of stylized church service which can steal the restfulness of the Sabbath day.  Appropriate sermonetes can be given, but should not be the sole responsibility of any one individual.  It will take care and thought to prevent the establishment of a set routine which can single out one person as the more capable leader.  Such rigid routines can also drown out the leading of Jesus’ Spirit who might have something else in mind for that day.

A fellowship meal after the main worship service can provide a wonderful opportunity for visiting together, but all should be cautious that the topics discussed remain on spiritual themes.  In the afternoon, youth can go on nature walks.  They can look for something that teaches an object lesson to share for evening worship.

Whether worshiping singly, with the family or in a group, preparation for the Sabbath blessing begins on First Day.  Mothers and Fathers should try to guard their strength and energy so that when the sacred hours come, they can spend the day with their children, rather than taking naps, catching up on rest lost during the week.

ACTS

   We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the . . . [pious] Israelites who wrote the psalms, and that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of the Lord yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy and zeal.2

It can be very helpful in organized worship to follow an outline that covers the most important elements of active worship.  ACTS is an acronym for Acknowledgement, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.  Whether one is worshiping alone, with one’s family or in a group, following this guideline is very helpful.
Acknowledge

Give unto the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  (See Psalm 29:2.)

youth group singing The first act of worship, be it in prayer, in song or in quiet meditation, is to acknowledge God for who and what He is: the Creator; the fountainhead from which flows all love, life, knowledge and every blessing received.  The act of acknowledging God as the center of all life and love inspires hope and faith as we also acknowledge our relationship to Him: He is the Creator; we are His creatures.  He is our Father; we are His children.

Songs of praise can be sung; psalms of praise can be read and meditated upon.  Bible texts focusing on the parental love of God for His children as well as His might and power, are all excellent ways to acknowledge the Ruler of All.  For group worships, object lessons emphasizing the Creator/creature relationship can be shared.  Children can be told stories of parental love demonstrating the attributes of divine love.
Confess

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

Confession is an important part of worship.  When the worshiper confesses his weakness, he is inspired to lay hold of the Mighty One.  The purpose of confession as part of worship, is to magnify the forgiveness of the Father, not the monstrosity of our sins.

Caution should be exercised here that any public confessions are appropriate to the time, place and audience.  Some confessions should never be made public as they can cause more hurt and harm than good.  Sins of a personal and private nature should be taken care of individually and alone before God.  They should not be brought out in a group or even a family.  If someone has wronged another, the time to make it right is before you come together for worship.  

It is important that any confession in worship emphasizes God’s might, power and willingness to forgive, rather than the nitty-gritty details of an individual’s sins.  Sometimes guest speakers are invited to share their “testimony” of how God led them from a life of sin, to full surrender to the Saviour. man and child kneeling in prayer  Often these people will spend the majority of their allotted time going into great detail about their past sinful lives and all the wicked things they used to do.  With only five minutes remaining, they will finish by stating: “Then I surrendered to the Saviour and everything changed.”

Confessions of this sort tend to glorify Satan, rather than the power of God.  Scripture teaches: “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  (Phillipians 4:8,

Any “confession” that focuses on the vile, the corrupt, the evil – the power of Satan, steals the focus from the forgiving Law-Giver and most certainly is not appropriate for public worship.  However, confession that leads to true repentance is that which springs from the need of a contrite heart and will bring the gift of forgiveness from our God, Ruler of all.
Thanksgiving

O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.  (See Psalm 106:1.)

One of the most thrilling ways to offer thanksgiving to God is smiling mother and daughter by repeating the many ways He has blessed you in the previous week.  Young children can be asked to share what they are thankful for.  Individuals and families can keep a Blessing Book in which they write down the things for which they are grateful.  Larger groups can invite any who wish to speak, to share the blessings they have received through the week.

This opportunity to speak of the greatness and goodness of the Heavenly Father should never be neglected.  It strengthens the faith of the listeners to hear how God has blessed someone else because they realize that if He would do that for someone else, He could also do the same for them if needed.

It is time well spent and a blessing will be had by all if, when believers gather together, they speak of the gratitude and love they feel for their Saviour.  God listens to these testimonies and is glorified by them.

If Christians would associate together, speaking to each other of the love of God, and of the precious truths of redemption, their own hearts would be refreshed, and they would refresh one another.  We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed and encouraged.  If we thought and talked more of Jesus and less of self, we should have far more of His presence.3

When a person takes the time to speak words of praise that glorify the Father and the Son, these words are treasured in Heaven.  Prayers of love and gratitude are far rarer than prayers of request.  When the adoration of the heart is expressed, these words are written down in Heaven, to stand through time and eternity as a witness of the great goodness of God.

Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.  And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serves him.  (See Malachi 3:16, 17.)

What an honor to be quoted in one of Heaven’s books!  That is how much your words of praise, love and gratitude are valued.

The words to which the Lord and the angels listen with delight are words of appreciation for the great gift that has been made to the world in the only-begotten Son of God.  Every word of praise for the blessing of the light of truth . . . is written in the heavenly records.  Every word that acknowledges the merciful kindness of our heavenly Father in giving Jedsus to take away our sins, and to impute to us His righteousness, is recorded in the book of His remembrance.  Testimonies of this kind "shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9.4

Psalms of praise can also be read.  In families, each person can read one verse.  In larger groups, it can be read all-together as a united responsive reading.

All who participate in sharing their experiences of God’s individual blessing of their lives will find that the testimony meeting is the sweetest of all spiritual experiences.
Supplicate

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.  Not that it is necessary in order to make known to . . . [Yahuwah] what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him.  Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.5

young girl praying Prayer brings the supplicant into the very presence of the Eternal One.  Such a tremendous privilege should not be taken lightly.  However, the place and audience should also be taken into account during public prayer.  Public prayers where one person drones on and on for a long time, leaving children restless and the minds of the audience to wander, should not be given.  The place for long prayers is in the privacy of one’s own secret prayer life.

Ideally, public prayer should not be longer than two minutes.  If there is a large group, one way for all to experience the blessing of prayer is to break up into smaller prayer bands of three to four people.  This allows each one to pray.

Another way of praying, both within large groups as well as within the family circle, is to pray in one accord.  One person starts, but anyone else who has a burden or a thanksgiving can also speak up at any time to share what is on his or her heart.  Even the youngest child can participate by saying something for which he is grateful.  This manner of praying brings rich rewards because it is open to the direct influence of the Holy Spirit.  Something prayed by one person often sparks a thought in another’s mind.  Rather than waiting and waiting one’s turn to pray, an impression can be immediately responded to and the thoughts of the heart expressed in supplication and thanksgiving.  Closing by repeating the prayer Jesus gave His disciples is a beautiful way to close group prayer.

While the ancient practice of “praying in one accord” is not commonly done today, it was done by those whom God saved in He Leadeth Me.  Prayers would last hours, but none were exhausted or bored by it.  Being able to pray freely and as moved by the Holy Spirit was an exhilarating experience.  Heaven drew near and the sick were healed, miracles wrought and even the dead were raised back to life.  Try this way of praying.  You will never want to pray in a group in any other way!

When a person makes a life-style choice to leave a group of believers in a denomination or a church group, the emotional impact can feel almost like a divorce.  The reaction of former brethren combined with loneliness and uncertainty as to how to worship alone, can combine to make a person feel condemned.  This is all part of Satan’s efforts to discourage those who leave Babylon.  By flooding a person with negative emotions, Satan’s seeks to shake the person’s resolve and thus pressure him or her to return to the familiar – to return to Babylon.

Rest in the assurance of the Father’s love for you and His acceptance of your worship.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Jesus Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love .God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  (Romans 8:1, 27, 28

God’s purpose is to have believers all over the world, singly or in small groups, worship
ping Him on His holy day in spite of hardship and condemnation by others.

Walk forward in fullness of faith, believing that He who has called you according to His glorious purpose also accepts you in the Beloved.  When you obey the call to follow your Saviour out of Babylon, be the cost what it may, you glorify your Redeemer and your worship is acceptable to Him.

What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?  It is God that justifies!  Who is he that condemns?  It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Nay!  In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (See Romans 8:31-39.)

   

3 E. G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 92.

4 E. G. White, Our High Calling, p. 168.

5 E. G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 93.