The Glory has Departed

[Sammy Buruchara]

“And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.  And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.” 2 Samuel 4:18-22.

The glory of the Lord is indeed departed from the Israel of God for the ark of the Lord containing the commandments of God has been taken by the Philistines.

The events that have been happening at Nairobi Central Church is simply the harvest of that which our church has been sowing for a while. If we sow tares, we shall reap tares.

And these events are not limited or unique to Nairobi Central. Everywhere both in Kenya and worldwide, there is agitation among the SDA churches. The fight is between the laity and the pastors who are agents of the leadership at the conferences.

The word of God says: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20. According to what is reported to be happening at our church, God’s presence cannot be said to be there. Indeed since we invited the General Service Unit of the Kenya Police force to guard the church service, we signaled to God that we do not need His holy angels to guard us. As we continue to court the world and its policies, as we conform to the world and reject the truths of the Bible, as we reject message after message brought by God’s servants, God has left us to be deceived and blinded by the enemy such that we cannot discern error that is hidden in plain sight.

Our conference leaders drunk with power are intent on bringing their policies to bear upon the local churches. Taking the pattern of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, they insist that we must not question their administration decisions and actions.

The three angels’ message, the message of Christ’s work in the most Holy Place, lies in the dust of the church wrangles. Day after day people are dying unwarned, unreached as church members and leaders engage in demonic fights. And Satan loves to have it this way. 

His plan is to hold us sufficiently long enough till Christ leaves the most Holy Place. Then it will be too late for us to reach perfection and lead others to perfection.

For a long time the church has been resisting Bible truths. Many times preachers have ministered to this church. Many times has the leadership of the Church fought to block such truths from  reaching the people.

The remnant organised church has been backsliding for a long time. God has been patient with us, every time sending messages through His prophet. But majority of us have largely rejected the key doctrinal truths of the Bible as enumerated in the writings of EG White. Such doctrines as the Sanctuary, the Atonement, Three Angels Message, the Health Reform, Education Reform, and the Inspiration of EG White, have virtually been rejected by the leadership of the world church. 

And while these fights are going on, the work of spreading the Gospel message has come to a standstill. We are like blind men groping in the dark. It appears like our Bibles were confiscated, nay, some portions were removed, for it would have been easy to resolve these issues were we to follow the Biblical wisdom.

But alas, it is too late now. The Glory has departed. We have become the laughing stock of the evangelical community of whom we have yearned to join for many years now. The problems they had yesteryears, which we laughed at, are at our very doorstep.

The end of the organised church as we know it is come. God will have to finish the work through some other means. For indeed inspiration states:

“God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Where Christ is, even among the humble few, this is Christ's church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church. Where two or three are present who love and obey the commandments of God, Jesus there presides, let it be in the desolate place of the earth, in the wilderness, in the city, [or] enclosed in prison walls. The glory of God has penetrated the prison walls, flooding with glorious beams of heavenly light the darkest dungeon. His saints may suffer, but their sufferings will, like the apostles’ of old, spread their faith and win souls to Christ and glorify His holy name. The bitterest opposition expressed by those who hate God's great moral standard of righteousness should not and will not shake the steadfast soul who trusts fully in God.” 17MR81.4.

“Phariseeism in the Christian world today is not extinct. The Lord desires to break up the course of precision which has become so firmly established, which has hindered instead of advancing his work.” GCB April 11, 1903, par. 1

“He desires His people to remember that there is a large space over which the light of present truth is to be shed. Divine wisdom must have abundant room in which to work. It is to advance without asking permission or support from those who have taken to themselves a kingly power. In the past one set of men have tried to keep in their own hands the control of all the means coming from the churches, and have used this means in a most disproportionate manner, erecting expensive buildings where such large buildings were unnecessary and uncalled for, and leaving needy places without help or encouragement. They have taken upon themselves the grave responsibility of retarding the work where the work should have been advanced. It has been left to a few supposed kingly minds to say what fields should be worked and what fields should be left unworked.” GCB April 11, 1903, par. 2

“The present showing is sufficient to prove to all who have the true missionary spirit that the ‘regular lines’ may prove a failure and a snare. God helping His people, the circle of kings who dared to take such great responsibilities shall never again exercise their unsanctified power in the so-called ‘regular lines.’ Too much power has been invested in unrevived, unreformed, human agencies.” GCB April 11, 1903, par. 6

“How many more years will it be before our brethren receive the clear, keen perception which calls evil evil, and good good? When will men cease to depend upon the same routine which has left so much work undone, so many fields unworked? Is not the present presentation enough to make men see that a revival is necessary and a reformation essential? If not, it is useless for me to repeat the same things over and over again. 20MR 143.1

I want my brethren to begin to understand some things for themselves. God alone, by the quickening, vivifying influence of His Holy Spirit, can enable men to distinguish between the sacred and the common. God alone can make men understand that working on regular lines has led to irregular practices. God alone can make men's minds as they should be. The time has come when we should hear less in favor of the regular lines. If we can get away from the regular lines into something which, though irregular, is after God's order, it may cut away something of the irregular working which has led away from Bible principles. 20MR 143.2

God's principles are the only safe principles for us to follow. Phariseeism was filled with regular lines, but so perverted were the principles of justice that God declared, “Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey” (Isaiah 59:14, 15). How true these words have proved. 20MR 143.3

It is God who gives men wisdom by which to tell truth from a lie. Those under His guidance almost instinctively separate the good from the evil. God is trying to bring the backsliders in prominent places back to their senses. He corrects the evils to which men who ought to know better, who have heard His warnings and reproofs, have held fast as if evil were a choice commodity of which not one grain must be lost. 20MR 143.4

It is as hard today to break away from the regular lines as it was in Christ's day. We have had great light. Let us not become narrow. Let us break the bonds which bind us. Christ is the source of all true growth, the maintainer of all life. By His Holy Spirit He communicates heavenly principles and furnishes spiritual life. 20MR 143.5

The Macedonian cry is coming from every quarter. Shall men go to the “regular lines” to see whether they will be permitted to labor, or shall they go out and work as best they can, depending on their own abilities and on the help of the Lord, beginning in a humble way and creating an interest in the truth in places in which nothing has been done to give the warning message? MM 321.3

The Lord has encouraged those who have started out on their own responsibility to work for Him, their hearts filled with love for souls ready to perish. A true missionary spirit will be imparted to those who seek earnestly to know God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent. The Lord lives and reigns. Young men, go forth into the places to which you are directed by the Spirit of the Lord. Work with your hands, that you may be self-supporting, and as you have opportunity proclaim the message of warning.—Letter 60, 1901. MM 321.4

Have a blessed week.

Sammy Buruchara

[Wasonga Ojijo]

Timely and profound message; thank you Sammy B.

[Arnold Ogutu]

Some have advanced the thought that, as we near the close of time, every child of God will act independently of any religious organization. But I have been instructed by the Lord that in this work there is no such thing as every man's being independent. The stars of heaven are all under law, each influencing the other to do the will of God, yielding their common obedience to the law that controls their action. And, in order that the Lord's work may advance healthfully and solidly, His people must draw together. 9T 258.1

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[James Omwenga]

Young men, go forth into the places to which you are directed by the Spirit of the Lord. Work with your hands, that you may be self-supporting, and as you have opportunity proclaim the message of warning.—Letter 60, 1901. MM 321.4

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nairobi-central-ambassadors-club/CAHwLAxU8%2BLw4pnEVm76f0_5brkqmidxXVzoQoxYvmaxcqmEN5Q%40mail.gmail.com.