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Helping Christian young people face extraordinary challenges
Presenter: Larry Kirkpatrick
Location: Mentone Seventh-day Adventist Church, CA, USA
Delivery: 2008-11-30 03:14Z
Publication: GreatControversy.org 2008-12-14 18:31Z
Type: Sermon
URL: http://www.greatcontroversy.org/gco/ser/kirl-vgoliathpt2.php
In the first half of our three-part series, (http://greatcontroversy.org/gco/ser/kirl-vgoliathpt1.php) we considered the degree of God’s intervention in the world. We left for today the second question: when He intervenes, how does He choose to do so?
During a time of crisis, we look to the government, the president or leader of our nation, to guide us through it. However, God usually sends deliverance some other way. He remains sovereign. When a crisis arises, we must take a lesson from the story of David versus Goliath, which we will do in the latter portion of today’s message. (You can prepare by turning to 1 Samuel 7).
Where We Are in the Flow of History
Before venturing further, a summary of where we find ourselves in the flow of history. As Seventh-day Adventists in 2008, we believe that we are living while the Investigative Judgment is underway in heaven. First the dead and at last the living are judged, evaluated, life by life. Leading up to the finish of the judgment, God’s people are being sealed. Now is the sealing time; now is the last period of opportunity humans will ever have. Not only are there great challenges during this time, but extraordinary possibilities. Those who are ready and willing receive the outpouring of the latter rain—supernatural grace and power to live Christian lives in the midst of the last burst of societal chaos. Probation finally closes.
We also recognize that the Holy Spirit is being withdrawn from the earth, that is, from those who reject God’s unselfish lordship. As we enter the most intense phase of things, Satan is gaining full control of those who refuse the invitation of love. None of this is new. But where are we now? Here in late 2008 we seem to be at the front end of a very substantial economic decline. Is there any credible suggestion of what the future looks like—about a coming crisis—perhaps from an unexpected perspective?
Generational Constellations
Historians William Strauss and Neil Howe (S&H) in 1997 wrote,
Sometime before the year 2025, America will pass through a great gate in history, commensurate with the American Revolution, Civil War, and twin emergencies of the Great Depression and World War II (Strauss & Howe, The Fourth Turning, p. 6).
Just another prediction? Consider this: these events are all separated by approximately the same time interval (American Revolution, 1780s), (Civil War, 1860s), (and twin emergencies of the Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945). All are around 80 years apart. These three events are really “founding” events in the history of America. It would not be stretching matters far to consider the nation following each of these events almost as a new America. These constitute, for S&H, three previous turnings. But it gets more interesting.
Hear them again:
Sometime around the year 2005, perhaps a few years before or after, America will enter the Fourth Turning (Ibid., p. 272).
S&H describe the millennial crisis:
As the crisis congeals, people will come to the jarring realization that they have grown helplessly dependent on a teetering edifice of anonymous transactions and paper guarantees. . . . As all these generations enter their crisis constellation, the unraveling will have left the government so fiscally overcommitted to sustaining everyone’s expectations that initial official responses to these new concerns will lack credibility. Subliminal fears will now become urgent. The Unraveling era’s wry acceptance that people might never get much back from Social Security crystallize into a jolting new fear that everything from Treasury Bills to remortgage instruments to mutual funds could become just as suspect. . . . This might result in a Great Devaluation, a severe drop in the market price of most financial and real assets. . . With savings worth less, the new elders will become more dependent on government, just as government becomes less able to pay benefits to them. . . The new youth will face even taller barricades against their future. . . . Soon after the catalyst, a national election will produce a sweeping political realignment, as one faction or coalition capitalizes on a new public demand for decisive action. Republicans, Democrats, or perhaps a new party will decisively win the long partisan tug-of-war, ending the era of split government that had lasted through four decades of awakening and unravelling. . . This new regime will enthrone itself for the duration of the crisis (Ibid., pp. 274, 275).
To put it in a nutshell, Strauss and Howe identify a potentially illuminating insight. They suggest that each generation is characterized by (1) a common location in history, (2) common beliefs and behavior, and (3) a perceived membership in a common generation (Ibid., p. 65). Surely this is true.
Those of similar generations grew up hearing of the same events in the news. Household words in America today, like “Iraq,” “terrorism,” “bail-out,” were not usually, if ever, heard by previous generations. They mark a common location in history. What about common beliefs and behavior? Witness (right or wrong) the common beliefs and practices today in Global climate change, jogging while listening to an iPod, or of going to the gym to workout. The way we think and live today is different from the way it was 100 years ago, or 400 years ago, or even 20 years ago. Those of us born and raised in a similar time frame to each other relate to each other as members of a common generation. We remember the same presidents, the same wars, the same events of moment. Born in 1962, some of my memories include 45 RPM records, 8 Track tapes, Nixon, the Vietnam war, watching on television the first manned moon landing, and gasoline rationing. Your earlier memories will be different. The words sputnik, camelot, Watergate, Elvis, Challenger, and Chernobyl, elicit quite different reactions among us.
Strauss and Howe tell us that generations come in groupings roughly 20-25 years apart. There are four groupings that overlap in time, like tiles on a roof. The way that they relate to each other recurs over and over. In other words, they propose that by looking at cycles in time we can—to a point—foresee what is likely to come next.
They discuss this recurring pattern over some 500 years of Western history. The one anomaly in the 24 generations they chronicle comes in the 1840s. These are not Adventists. Interesting, eh?
The four types of generation they identify, they choose to call “prophets,” “nomads,” “heroes,” and “artists.” Not prophets, etc., in the biblical sense, but in a very general sense, that is, prophet-like in certain respects.
The “prophet” archetype is characterized by being very active, very capable, judgmental, morally smug, by hubris, by a willingness to take risks and enter into giant societal shifts. He offers an inward emphasis, an awakening mentality. Adventist “prophet” figures include James White’s generation, M.L. Andreasen, and Doug Batchelor.
The “nomad” archetype is characterized by a certain lostness, an independence, a narcism, a resignation to fate. Nomads come into their most prominent social roles of power during terrible crises. Sometimes they shepherd things through successfully, sometimes they make grave errors and all of society pays the price. They expect little from others. Their focus tends to be pragmatic and practical. Adventist “nomad” figures include Ellen G. White, R. R. Figuhr, R. A. Anderson, and L. E. Froom, those responsible for the Questions on Doctrine fiasco.
The “hero” archetype is characterized by action. These are the generations who overthrew the king of England, fought the American Revolution, and survived the Great Depression and World War II. Adventist “hero” figures include General Conference President Robert H. Pierson and theologian Edward Heppenstall.
The “artist” archetype is characterized by life in the shadow of the previous generation. These are refiners of the order established under the heros. Such figures connected to our community of faith are William Miller, A. T. Jones, E. J. Waggoner, Desmond Ford, and George R. Knight.
The Second Coming Question
Before continuing, we should ponder one special point of interest. Hear Ellen G. White in The Great Controversy, pp. 457, 458:
The history of ancient Israel is a striking illustration of the past experience of the Adventist body. God led His people in the advent movement, even as He led the children of Israel from Egypt. In the great disappointment their faith was tested as was that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Had they still trusted to the guiding hand that had been with them in their past experience, they would have seen the salvation of God. If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844, had received the third angel's message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood of light would have been shed upon the world. Years ago the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned, the closing work completed, and Christ would have come for the redemption of His people.
This paragraph, originally written in 1888, offers a window in time. Since it is authored in 1888 and discusses what would have happened “years before this,” and since it speaks of the period immediately following 1844, we understand that the Second Coming could have occurred in the period marked roughly by 1845 - 1886. This corresponds exactly with the single aberration in Strauss & Howe’s 24 generational cycles. A “Hero” period should have commenced in 1843. It is missing.
That missing generation, if S&H are right about their theory, and if we accept as inspired what Ellen G. White offers, could have and should have finished the work. It did not work out thus. It is possible that the set of constellations that God is most likely to open an opportunity window for the Second Coming, is during a period when a hero generation has been prepared. The next such period, going by S&H, would be anticipated roughly between 2003 - 2025.
We are already in it.
Critiquing the Theory of Generation Cycles
I find all this interesting, but I want to be very careful with it. I am not trying to suggest that the Second Coming is imminent because of an unconfirmed theory by people who probably do not even believe in the Bible’s apocalyptic prophecies. I do find it interesting though, and it reminds me that as a Seventh-day Adventist, it is my business to be persistently, currently ready for Jesus to come, even as I labor for Him as if His coming may be several years further off. Ellen White has a most interesting statement touching this:
You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years (Last Day Events, p. 33).
It is always profitable for the church to be ready. It is always profitable for her to be a careful steward and plan for the future. It makes sense to try to understand how God works in His providences. It is never profitable to lock down hard and dogmatically about even an interesting theory. God is God and in the end, we can wait for His explanation. Our challenge today is to consider what would our God have us do now if His coming is possible during our lifetimes, and possibly sooner rather than later.
Of course, we read S&H through Adventist eyes. Where they argue for a cyclical rather than linear conception of history, we still see history in linear fashion. We interpret Bible prophecy via the historicist understanding. We see the prophecies as a series of events in sequence leading from the foundation of the world to culmination in a new heavens and new earth. S&H give much too much place to wars and presidents and the state. Instead of war, the Christian seeks peace. Instead of presidents, we have Jesus as our King. Instead of the state, we have the church, essentially a separate nation from the state, by no means a sub-unit of it. No; we cannot buy into the whole package of S&H.
What we can see is perhaps an insight into the way God works. It could be that in His providence, God does use cycles. He primes the pump, setting up kings and taking down kings. He interacts with the flow of civilization, protecting His followers, to a point, guiding history, from time to time opening the door for prophetic fulfillments.
We do not know. But we do have eyes. We are to be ready. Character is not developed as much as it is revealed in a crisis. Our world shouts at us that we face a rough ride through the final rapids of earth’s history. Some generation has an appointment with destiny. Is it ours?
A Caution
One final point of clarification: we will perhaps touch on this more in another message some time, but it is still important to mention it here: do not build up your expectation of an imminent Second Coming on the basis of the current economic decline. Neither the Bible, nor Ellen G. White support that idea. While the Bible foretells troublous times along the way, and while we must expect substantial turmoil as the Holy Spirit is withdrawn from earth, the testimony of Scripture is not in question. People will be marrying and giving in marriage, they will be going about their daily duties and rounds, they will be working in their day to day occupations, they will be eating and drinking. It will be as it was in the days of Noah. And in the days of Noah, life proceeded along its mostly anticipated path right up until the first raindrops began to fall.
In this sense, then, economic collapse in itself not only does not require an imminent Second Coming, but, actually, calls us to caution and care and diligence, to wisely and in a life marked by faith, execute a careful and successful passage for ourselves and our families through such times. We are not to become obsessed with trusting in ourselves; we are to trust in God. But our preparations should be governed by common sense.
Back to David and Goliath
There are several lessons to be drawn from the confrontation of David with Goliath. We should remember that a monarchy (a human ruler) was never God’s plan. It was the people’s plan.
Israel was under the system of judges, that is, God would choose a man or a woman who had no specific authority, but whom He inspired to win a war, resolve a crisis, and to lead the people back to God. When the “judge” had completed his or her task, he made himself inconspicuous and rejoined the people. It was a very flexible system. The “judge,” like the disciples of Jesus, was usually chosen from obscure or undistinguished lineage. He had no permanent power.
The prophet Samuel was also a judge (1 Samuel 7:15). When he grew old, he made his sons judges in his stead. But they soon turned from right ways and their behavior was corrupt (1 Samuel 8:3). The people were soon fed up with the corruption. Meanwhile, they noticed that other nations having kings seemed to prosper. They approached Samuel, told of their dissatisfaction with his sons, and demanded of him that he appoint them a king to rule them “like all the nations.” They desired a king to “go out before us, and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8:5, 19, 20).
This is crucial context for the monarchy. They wanted a king—a human champion. When they chose him, they chose the tallest man in Israel. “From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people” (1 Samuel 9:2; 10:23, 24). At this very time, the nation was in peril because of the military might of the philistines. When God selected Saul to be the first king, He told Samuel, “I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over My people Israel, that he may save My people out of the hand of the philistines” (1 Samuel 9:16). Nevertheless, their demand for a king was rebellion, even rejection of God’s reign over them (1 Samuel 8:7, 22; 10:17-19).
So here is Saul, a human champion, taller than any other in Israel. And the philistines present a human champion, taller than any other in Philistia or in Israel. Goliath comes and challenges them. This, after all, was what they had wanted: a human champion to go out before them and to fight their battles.
And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together (1 Samuel 17:8-10).
But Saul, much smaller than Goliath, refuses the challenge. The system of human monarchy, which Israel had been so avid for, for the very reason of military protection, was shown to be wanting. For a month and ten days Goliath presented himself and uttering this challenge over and over again. Human leadership is tested and found impotent.
The people had wanted a king to rule over them instead of God. Now where was God? The human champion was a failure, and the prophet Samuel is nowhere to be found. (He is still alive, and will not die until 1 Samuel 25:1.) Deliverance will come from a young shepherd boy, not even part of the army.
Psalm 146:3 offers the lesson for us here:
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
Psalm 118:9 provides the positive solution:
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
But we leave the Hebrews here, standing in the shadow of Goliath, until next Sabbath. Then, David will confront and defeat him, and we will apply the lesson to imminent and specific challenges faced by our youth and by ourselves.
Conclusion
God works through providence. He sets up rulers and takes them down. He intervenes in history, not so much as to turn it into a wholly scripted play, nor so little that Satan is permitted to destroy the human race. History appears to show a cyclical pattern of crises, and we may be entering one even now. We are tempted to look to human champions and solutions, but these will fail us, disappoint us. We must see farther than Saul, farther than Goliath. We must trust in the Lord our God. He has provided for us a champion in Jesus Christ. God will deliver. But first, we learn to trust Him. When we trust Him, we will see the deliverance of God. GCO
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