Repairing the Breach in God's Wall by Gertrude Battle (Used by permission)

l. The Church Likened to a Vineyard

A. To what does God liken His church? Isa. 5:1, 2 margin

To a vineyard. What did He do to this vineyard among other things? He fenced it, or as the margin says, made a wall about it.'

II. Peace Within this Wall

A. What is within this wall? Ps. 122:7

There is peace within this wall.

B. What is it that brings this peace? Isa. 48:18

As long as we stay within the principles of God's Law, there is peace. Is there any peace outside? Verse 22 No.

III. By Breaking the One Commandment we Transgress the Whole Law

A.On what is the first commandment of the Decalogue based? Ex. 20:3

Idolatry.

B. What does the last commandment forbid? Ex. 20:17

Covetousness.

C. What is another definition of the word covetousness'? Col. 3:5 ; Eph. 5:5

Idolatry. Since the first and last commandments are based on the same principle, we will let them form the hinge of the circle.

D. If we break one of these commandments, does it mean that we have broken the whole law? James 2:10

No matter what part of this wall we climb over, we will be on the outside of the whole wall.

IV. The Call to Come Out of Babylon and Egypt

A.From were is God calling His people today? Rev. 18:1-4 ; Isa. 27:13

From Babylon and from Egypt. Babylon is a symbol of the confusion in the religious world, and Egypt is a symbol of the world without God--the heathen world..

V. A Breach in the Wall

A. Why was the church in 1844 not ready for Christ to come? Eze.13:4,5

There was a breach in the wall that had not been repaired. He looked for a church at that time which would have accepted the judgment hour message (Lesson 6), but He found none. Eze. 22:30

B. What did God have to do? Isa. 58:12-14

He had to raise up a people, and they were called the repairers of the breach.' We can see by these texts that the breach is the fourth commandment, or the Sabbath commandment. This is the only one that has been changed completely, and another, a false sabbath, set up in its place.

C.When this breach is repaired and closed up, will not those inside the wall be sealed? Rev. 7:1-3

VI. Rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem

A. Under what conditions was the last work in the building of the wall around Jerusalem done after the Jews left Babylon? Dan. 9:25

Through the prophet Daniel God foretold that the completion of the wall would be done in troublous times, and in Nehemiah, chapter 4 we have the fulfillment of this prophecy. Neh. 4:1-3 , 6-11 , 17, 18

At first their enemies mocked them, but when they saw the work progressing, they conspired against them to destroy them. There were times when the Jews almost despaired of ever finishing the work because of so much debris. Today we almost despair of clearing man-made theories and traditions from the minds of people that they might understand the pure truths of the Word of God. verse 10 They had watchmen stationed all around the wall to keep them posted on the movements of the enemy and the progress of the work, and the men worked with their tools in one hand and their weapons ready at a moment's notice. However, through prayer and work and faith, they finished the wall and were at last safe inside their city.

VII. History to be Repeated

A.Under what conditions will the work be done in the last days? Rev.13:15-17

History will be repeated. There will again be a conspiracy against God's people to destroy them.

The Mark of the Beast--One of the claims of the Roman Catholic church as proof of her authority is that she was able to change God's Sabbath from Saturday, the seventh day, to Sunday, the first day of the week. She claims it as a mark of her power.

The Seal of God--The Sabbath is the sign that we worship the God who created us, both in creation and recreation. It is a special sign to all Christians who have experienced the new birth. God's seal is in the fourth commandment. Compare Eze. 36:26,27 and Heb. 8:10

The Issue--The issue is not over days' but whether we worship God and obey Him or obey man and the laws of the land which conflict with our obedience to God. Dan. 3:17, 18 ; Acts 5:29 ; Isa. 8:13

VIII. Call to Modern Israel

A. What call that was made to ancient Israel is applicable to us today?

Jer. 51:6,7

It is just as important for us to come out of spiritual Babylon today as it was for the Jews to come out of ancient Babylon which, by the way, was already condemned to destruction. The city was completely destroyed and never rebuilt..

B. With whom is the church dwelling today? Zech. 2:7

In Revelation 17:5 this great power is called the mother of harlots.' If she is a mother, she must have daughters. Compare with Ezekiel 16:44,45 . Today the call is to separate ourselves from her influence and teachings.

IX. The Work for God's People Today

A. What call should be going to all the world today? Isa. 58:1

God's people, many of them, are in Babylon and in the world. They are scattered throughout the whole world in different churches, among the heathen; many not even members of any church but honest seekers of the truth. They are innocently trampling on one of God's commandments and need to be shown the truth concerning His Sabbath. Before Christ there were two classes of people living in the world, the Jews and the heathen. After Christ there were three classes, the Jews, the heathen, and the Christians. The Christians came from both the other two classes. After a period of about 500 years, the Christian church apostatized and became known as the Roman Catholic church. The Walensians remained faithful. From the Catholic church came also the Presbyterians led by John Knox, and from the Presbyterian church came the Reformed churches. For the Catholic church came the Lutherans. The Anabaptists seemed to have been one of the earliest churches that came through the Reformation. The Baptists came from the Anabaptists. In 1844 people came from all of these churches and formed the Advent Movement, and from this movement came the Remnant church.

X. The Last Decree Before Christ

A. When this work is completed, what decree will go forth? Rev. 22:10-12

It will be as when God closed the door of the ark in Noah's day. probation for man will be closed forever. Those on the inside of the wall will be safe and those outside doomed.

XI. Warning to Modern Israel

A. What invitation did Christ give us? Matt. 11:28

The rest that is found in keeping the Sabbath is a type of the rest that is found in complete surrender to Christ.

B. What warning did Paul give to modern Israel? Isa. 30:15 ; Isa. 42:24 ; Eze. 20:12-24 ; Heb. 4:1-11

Not to make the same mistake that ancient Israel did, in neglecting to keep His Sabbath holy. Emphasize Hebrews 4:10,11. It is His rest that we enter into, and He gave us an example to do even as He did, when He rested from all His works.

XII. The Ones Who Remain Within This Wall

A. Will all who come inside this wall remain? Isa. 4:3

Many who come in will go back out again, but those who remain inside will have their names retained in the Book of Life in heaven.

B. Where will God's people find deliverance in the last days?

Joel 2:32

Not in Babylon, nor Egypt, but in Zion, or Jerusalem.

When one remembers the Creator all week long and plans his work around the Sabbath, he is not likely to forget the other nine commandments. Far from being the least, it is the most important one of the ten. It keeps us in continual remembrance of our Creator, and this is life eternal `that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.' (John 17:3) Isaiah 30:15 ; Isa. 42:24 ; Eze. 20:21-24 ; Heb. 4:1-11. Paul is giving Modern Israel a warning not to make the same mistake that ancient Israel made in disobeying God's commandments and polluting His holy Sabbath day. Compare verse 10 with verse 4, especially that last part of verse 10.

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Updated 6/19/2006 by Kim Rollins