OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN—BUT THEY ARE NOT BLOTTED OUT, UNTIL…!

WHAT?

It was the Spirit of Christ that spoke through Enoch; that Spirit is manifested, not alone in utterances of love,
compassion, and entreaty; it is not smooth things only that are spoken by holy men. God puts into the heart
and lips of His messengers truths to utter that are keen and cutting as a two-edged sword. {PP 86.2} The
power of God that wrought with His servant was felt by those who heard. Some gave heed to the warning,
and renounced their sins; but the multitudes mocked at the solemn message, and went on more boldly in their
evil ways. The servants of God are to bear a similar message to the world in the last days, and it will also be
received with unbelief and mockery. The antediluvian world rejected the warning words of him who walked
with God. So will the last generation make light of the warnings of the Lord's messengers. {PP 86.3}

|Zechariah 1:1-6
Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts;
Turn ye now from your evil ways, and [from] your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me,
saith the LORD. Your fathers, where [are] they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? But my words and my
statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they
returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to
our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. This wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. This is the
holy oil represented in Zechariah 4:11-14. This representation is of the highest consequence to those who
claim to know the truth. But if we do not practise the truth, we have not received the holy oil…(MS 140,
1901).

As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers,
so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner's behalf.
{CCh 347.7} The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the
law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the
type the blood of the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the
day of atonement. {CCh 348.1} In the great day of final award, the dead are to be "judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12. Then by virtue of the atoning
blood of Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books of heaven. Thus the sanctuary
will be freed, or cleansed, from the record of sin. In the type, this great work of atonement, or blotting out of
sins, was represented by the services of the Day of Atonement-- In the great day of final award, the dead are
to be "judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation
20:12. Then by virtue of the atoning blood of Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the
books of heaven. Thus the sanctuary will be freed, or cleansed, from the record of sin. In the type, this great
work of atonement, or blotting out of sins, was represented by the services of the Day of Atonement—the
cleansing of the earthly sanctuary, which was accomplished by the removal, by virtue of the blood of the sin
offering, of the sins by which it had been polluted. 620 {CCh 348.2}

The very same difficulties which were created to hinder the restoration and upbuilding of the work of God, the
great mountains of difficulty which loomed in Zerubbabel's way, will be met by all who today are loyal to God
and to His work. Many human inventions are used to carry out plans after the mind and will of men with
whom God is not working. But it is not boastful words nor a multitude of ceremonies that show that the Lord
is working with His people. The assumed power of the human agent does not decide this question. Those who
place themselves in opposition to the Lord's work may hinder for a time, but the same Spirit that has guided
the Lord's work all the way through will guide it today. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the
Lord of hosts." . . . {4BC 1179.4} The Lord would have every soul strong in His strength. He would have us
look to Him, receiving our directions from Him (RH May 16, 1899). {4BC 1179.5}
 LEARN 15 LESSONS FROM THE ROOSTER

1. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT LOVES ITS JOB; NOT BECAUSE IT’S
FORCED TO.

2. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE OF IT’S HAPPY NATURE; IT CAN’T DO

OTHERWISE.

3. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT’S THE LEADER OF THE PACK. IT’S NOT
THE BOSS.

4. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT IS TRUMPETING THE AWARENESS OF

BREAKING OF THE ANOTHER DAY. NOT BECAUSE IT WANTS TO CAUSE AN
ALARM.

5. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY FOLLOWING HIS ORDERS.

6. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE HAVING MORNING WORSHIP, SINGING IS

THE BEST WAY TO BEGIN THE DAY.

7. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT INTENDS ON SHOWING HUMANS THAT

SINGING CAN BE HARMONIOUS; IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NOISY.

8. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT’S ANNOUNCING THAT BETWEEN 4 A.M.

TO 6 A.M., THE ONLY DISTINCT SOUND THAT HUMANS MAY IGNORE, MUST
BE HEARD.

9. THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT IS WARNING PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS

OF FALLING ASLEEP, WHILE THEY OUGHT TO BE STAYING AWAKE.

10.THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT KNOWS NEITHER THE TIME NOR THE
HOUR; NEVERTHELESS, IT’S SINGING IS ALWAYS ON THE HOUR.

11.THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT KNOWS THAT IT IS THE WATCHMAN ON

THE WALL, WHICH GOD HAS CALLED UPON TO GIVE A CERTAIN SOUND;
OTHERWISE, IF IT NEGLECTS ITS DUTY, THE BLOOD OF THE PEOPLE
WITHIN THE HEARING OF ITS VOICE, WILL BE UPON ITS SHOULDER.
12.THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE ITS CROWN TESTIFIES THAT IT IS UNIQUE,
AND THAT DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHER DOMESTIC SPECIES OF FOULS.

13.THE ROOSTER SINGS BECAUSE IT IS BLESSED, KNOWING THAT, TEN LONG

HOURS HAVE PASSED, SINCE LAST, IT HAS SEEN THE BREAKING OF
ANOTHER DAY. AND SO, BECAUSE OF GOD’S LOVE, SINGING IS A CHOICE,
NOT A CHANCE.

14.THE ROOSTER SINGS NOT BECAUSE OF WHERE IT LIVES; BUT HOW IT

LIVES.

15.THE ROOSTER SINGS TO REMIND US, THAT, THREE TIMES, ITS CROWING
SEALED PETER’S DENIAL OF HIS LORD. AND IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO PETER,
WHOSE IS TO SAY THAT IT WON’T HAPPEN TO YOU?

WHAT’S THE MESSAGE?

PETER WAS RUNNING LATE, WHILE THE ROOSTER WAS RUNNING ON
SCHEDULE!