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# What is Truth? - Number One

Što je istina? - Broj jedan

The Framework of Truth: Revelation, Prophetic Parallels, and the Alpha and Omega

Okvir istine: Otkrivenje, proročke usporednice i Alfa i Omega

Author

Jeff Pippenger

Published

August 5, 2023

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Before we address the subject of what is truth, we note that we have begun this study with the first three verses of Revelation chapter one, and thereafter added an article about Elijah. A few purposes of these studies are to identify the role of the United States in prophecy, to open up the message of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, to recognize the role of prophets as symbols of God’s people, and to consider the implications of what it means that Jesus is the Alpha. We illustrated that the first three verses of Revelation agree and align with the last verses of Revelation, and in both cases at the beginning and the end, Jesus identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, the first and the last.

Prije nego što se pozabavimo temom što je istina, primjećujemo da smo ovo proučavanje započeli prva tri retka prvoga poglavlja Otkrivenja, a potom dodali članak o Iliji. Nekoliko je svrha ovih proučavanja prepoznati ulogu Sjedinjenih Država u proročanstvu, otvoriti poruku Otkrivenja Isusa Krista, prepoznati ulogu proroka kao simbola Božjega naroda te razmotriti posljedice onoga što znači da je Isus Alfa. Pokazali smo da se prva tri retka Otkrivenja slažu i podudaraju s posljednjim recima Otkrivenja te da se u oba slučaja, i na početku i na svršetku, Isus poistovjećuje kao Alfa i Omega, početak i svršetak, prvi i posljednji.

We used a brief discussion of Elijah in the second study in order to demonstrate that the opening verses of the Bible agree with the closing verses of both the Old and New Testaments, and further that the opening verses of the New Testament also agree with the beginning or ending of any way you wish to consider the Bible, either as a whole or as two Testaments.

Poslužili smo se kratkim razmatranjem o Iliji u drugom proučavanju kako bismo pokazali da se uvodni redci Biblije slažu sa završnim redcima i Staroga i Novoga zavjeta, te nadalje da se i uvodni redci Novoga zavjeta također slažu s početkom ili završetkom, kako god želite promatrati Bibliju, bilo kao cjelinu bilo kao dva zavjeta.

Another point we are seeking to develop is the understanding that Divinity has worked to slowly reveal the godhead throughout history. This is why we have noted that as time proceeds in the biblical theme of covenant history, that God, step-by-step revealed more-and-more of His character through the symbolism of His various names. The Almighty God spoke to Abraham, and the same God spoke to Moses, but informed Moses that from then onward his name was to be known as Jehovah. Then when Christ came, He introduced Himself with a name that was unknown in the Old Testament, other than one expression of that name by a Babylonian in chapter three of Daniel. Not only did Jesus identify that He was the only-begotten of the Father, but He also in that particular covenant history identified Himself as the Son of Man. God also gave Millerite Adventism a name when He entered into covenant with the beginning of Adventism.

Druga točka koju nastojimo razviti jest razumijevanje da je Božanstvo djelovalo kako bi postupno otkrivalo božanstvo kroz povijest. Zato smo istaknuli da, kako vrijeme odmiče u biblijskoj temi povijesti saveza, Bog korak po korak otkrivao sve više i više svojega karaktera kroz simboliku svojih različitih imena. Svemogući Bog govorio je Abrahamu, i isti je Bog govorio Mojsiju, ali je obavijestio Mojsija da će od tada nadalje njegovo ime biti poznato kao Jehova. Zatim, kada je Krist došao, predstavio se imenom koje je bilo nepoznato u Starome zavjetu, osim jednoga izraza toga imena od strane jednoga Babilonca u trećem poglavlju Daniela. Isus nije samo posvjedočio da je On jedinorođeni od Oca, nego se također u toj posebnoj povijesti saveza poistovjetio kao Sin Čovječji. Bog je također dao ime Milleritskom adventizmu kada je stupio u savez s počecima adventizma.

> “At this time, when we are so near the end, shall we become so like the world in practice that men may look in vain to find God’s denominated people? Shall any man sell our peculiar characteristics as God’s chosen people for any advantage the world has to give? Shall the favor of those who transgress the law of God be looked upon as of great value? Shall those whom the Lord has named His people suppose that there is any power higher than the great I AM? Shall we endeavor to blot out the distinguishing points of faith that have made us Seventh-day Adventists?” Evangelism, 121.

> „U ovo vrijeme, kada smo tako blizu svršetku, hoćemo li u praksi postati toliko slični svijetu da će ljudi uzalud tražiti Božji imenovani narod? Hoće li itko prodati naše osebujne značajke kao Božjega izabranog naroda za bilo kakvu prednost koju svijet može ponuditi? Hoće li se naklonost onih koji prestupaju Božji zakon smatrati nečim od velike vrijednosti? Hoće li oni koje je Gospodin nazvao svojim narodom pretpostaviti da postoji ikakva sila viša od velikoga JA SAM? Hoćemo li nastojati izbrisati razlikovna obilježja vjere koja su nas učinila adventistima sedmoga dana?” Evangelism, 121.

The name given to Seventh-day Adventists was given by the Lord, and Sister White often refers to Adventists as God’s denominated people. “Denominated” means to be named. The only two churches that Sister White identifies as God’s denominated people is ancient Israel and modern Israel.

Ime dano adventistima sedmoga dana dano je od Gospodina, a sestra White često upućuje na adventiste kao na Božji imenovani narod. „Imenovani“ znači biti nazvan. Jedine dvije crkve koje sestra White označuje kao Božji imenovani narod jesu drevni Izrael i suvremeni Izrael.

Therefore, as we proceed in our study of the book of Revelation, I am suggesting that the “new name” that is revealed to the Philadelphians, who are also represented as the one hundred and forty-four thousand is a large part of the prophetic secret that is unsealed just before probation closes.

Stoga, dok nastavljamo naše proučavanje knjige Otkrivenja, iznosim prijedlog da je „novo ime“ koje se otkriva Filadelfijcima, koji su također prikazani kao sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće, velik dio proročanske tajne koja se otpečaćuje neposredno prije nego što se zaključi vrijeme milosti.

> Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:12, 13.

> Onoga koji pobijedi učinit ću stupom u hramu Boga svojega, i više neće izići van; i napisat ću na njemu ime Boga svojega, i ime grada Boga svojega, novoga Jeruzalema, koji silazi s neba od Boga mojega; i napisat ću na njemu svoje novo ime. Tko ima uho, neka čuje što Duh govori crkvama. Otkrivenje 3:12, 13.

The last message of warning is the message of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and it is a revelation of His character.

Posljednja poruka upozorenja jest poruka Otkrivenja Isusa Krista i ona je otkrivenje Njegova karaktera.

> “Those who wait for the Bridegroom’s coming are to say to the people, ‘Behold your God.’ The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 415, 416.

> „Oni koji čekaju dolazak Zaručnika trebaju reći narodu: ‘Evo Boga vašega.’ Posljednje zrake milosrdne svjetlosti, posljednja poruka milosti koja se treba dati svijetu, otkrivenje je Njegova karaktera ljubavi. Djeca Božja trebaju očitovati Njegovu slavu. U vlastitom životu i karakteru trebaju otkriti što je za njih učinila milost Božja.“ Kristove prispodobe, 415, 416.

We have much more to put into the record concerning Jesus as the Word, but we will now take up the word ‘truth.’ The understanding of the “truth” and also the word “truth” and also the letters employed to form “a word of truth” is an understanding of the character of Christ.

Imamo još mnogo toga unijeti u zapis u vezi s Isusom kao Riječju, no sada ćemo se posvetiti riječi „istina“. Razumijevanje „istine“, kao i riječi „istina“, a također i slova kojima se tvori „riječ istine“, jest razumijevanje Kristova karaktera.

> Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. John 18:37, 38.

> Tada mu Pilat reče: Ti si dakle kralj? Isus odgovori: Ti kažeš da sam ja kralj. Ja sam se zato rodio i zato došao na svijet da svjedočim za istinu. Svaki koji je od istine sluša moj glas. Pilat mu reče: Što je istina? I pošto to reče, opet iziđe k Židovima te im reče: Ja na njemu ne nalazim nikakve krivnje. Ivan 18:37, 38.

The Greek word translated as “truth” in the verse is taken from a Hebrew word, that is also a letter and even a number. The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is ‘aleph.’ In fact, the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are “aleph” and “beth,” and they are very similar to the first two letters in Greek which are alpha and beta. Together they form the root for the word “alphabet.” The word “alpha” (from the Hebrew letter aleph) therefore is used as a letter, a word, a number and also as one of the many names of Jesus.

Grčka riječ prevedena kao „istina“ u tome retku izvedena je iz hebrejske riječi koja je također slovo, pa čak i broj. Prvo slovo hebrejske abecede jest „alef“. Zapravo, prva dva slova hebrejske abecede jesu „alef“ i „bet“, i vrlo su slična prvim dvama slovima u grčkome, a to su alfa i beta. Zajedno tvore korijen riječi „alfabet“. Riječ „alfa“ (od hebrejskoga slova alef) stoga se rabi kao slovo, riječ, broj, a također i kao jedno od mnogih Isusovih imena.

When Pilate asked the question, “What is truth?” Jesus had already told him that the reason that He “came into the world,” and also that the reason He was “born” was to bear witness to the “truth.” He added that “everyone that is of the truth heareth” His voice.

Kad je Pilat postavio pitanje: „Što je istina?”, Isus mu je već bio rekao da je razlog zbog kojega je „došao na svijet”, kao i razlog zbog kojega je bio „rođen”, taj da svjedoči za „istinu”. Dodao je da „svatko tko je od istine” sluša njegov glas.

> Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:3.

> Blagoslovljen je onaj koji čita i oni koji slušaju riječi ovoga proročanstva te drže ono što je u njemu zapisano, jer je vrijeme blizu. Otkrivenje 1,3.

TRUTH: G225—From G227; truth: – true, X truly, truth, verity. G227—From G1 (as a negative particle) and G2990; true (as not concealing): – true, truly, truth. G1; Α. Of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet: figuratively only (from its use as a numeral) the first. Alpha.

ISTINA: G225—Od G227; istina: – istinit, X uistinu, istina, zbiljnost. G227—Od G1 (kao niječne čestice) i G2990; istinit (kao onaj koji ne prikriva): – istinit, uistinu, istina. G1; Α. Hebrejskoga podrijetla; prvo slovo abecede: samo figurativno (po svojoj uporabi kao brojke) prvo. Alfa.

> Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6.

> Isus mu reče: Ja sam put, istina i život; nitko ne dolazi Ocu osim po meni. Ivan 14,6.

When Jesus said “I am… the truth.” He was saying He was a letter, a number and a word for the letter alpha, and the word alpha, and the number alpha are all “truth.” In the book of Daniel, Christ revealed Himself as the wonderful numberer which is the definition of the Hebrew word “Palmoni,” which is translated as “the certain saint which spake,” in Daniel eight.

Kad je Isus rekao: „Ja sam… istina.” Govorio je da je On slovo, broj i riječ, jer slovo alfa, riječ alfa i broj alfa svi su „istina”. U knjizi proroka Daniela Krist se objavio kao čudesni Brojitelj, što je definicija hebrejske riječi „Palmoni”, koja je u osmom poglavlju Daniela prevedena kao „onaj sveti koji govoraše”.

> Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Daniel 8:13, 14.

> Tada čuh jednoga sveca gdje govori, a drugi svetac reče onomu određenom svecu koji govoraše: Dokle će trajati viđenje o svagdašnjoj žrtvi i o prijestupu pustoši, da se i Svetište i vojska predaju da budu pogaženi? I reče mi: Do dvije tisuće i tristo dana; tada će Svetište biti očišćeno. Daniel 8,13.14.

That “certain saint” in verse thirteen is “Palmoni”— the wonderful numberer, or the numberer of secrets. These two verses are where the prophecy of the 2300 years and the two prophecies of 2520 years are set forth. The 2300 years address the “sanctuary” and the two 2520-year prophecies address the “host,” for both the sanctuary and the host would be trodden down by Rome. The 2520-year prophecy represent a trampling down of God’s sanctuary and people. Three profound interconnected prophecies based upon time at the very point in the Bible where Jesus introduces Himself as the wonderful numberer of secrets. Its not simply that he chose these two verses to introduced Himself as the Master of time, but the two verses where He reveals Himself identify the time when He would enter into covenant with modern spiritual Israel and those two verses are also the foundation and central pillar of Adventism.

Onaj „neki svetac” u trinaestom retku jest „Palmoni” — čudesni brojač, ili brojač tajni. U ta su dva retka izložena proročanstvo o 2300 godina i dva proročanstva o 2520 godina. Tih 2300 godina odnosi se na „Svetište”, a dva proročanstva od 2520 godina odnose se na „vojsku”, jer će i Svetište i vojska biti pogaženi od Rima. Proročanstvo o 2520 godina predstavlja gaženje Božjega Svetišta i Njegova naroda. Tri duboka, međusobno povezana vremenski utemeljena proročanstva nalaze se upravo na onome mjestu u Bibliji gdje se Isus predstavlja kao čudesni brojač tajni. Nije riječ samo o tome da je izabrao ta dva retka kako bi se predstavio kao Gospodar vremena, nego dva retka u kojima se objavljuje također označuju vrijeme kada će stupiti u Savez s modernim duhovnim Izraelom, a ta su dva retka ujedno i temelj te središnji stup adventizma.

> “The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and central pillar of the Advent faith was the declaration, ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.’ [Daniel 8:14.]” The Great Controversy, 409.

> „Biblijski redak koji je, više od svih drugih, bio i temelj i središnji stup adventne vjere, bila je izjava: ‘Do dvije tisuće i tri stotine dana; tada će se Svetište očistiti.’ [Daniel 8:14.]” Velika borba, 409.

At the time of the end in 1798, the book of Daniel was unsealed and the first angel’s message arrived in history, marking the increase of prophetic knowledge that took place in the time of the Millerite movement, which was the beginning of Seventh-day Adventism. When the book of Daniel was unsealed to the Millerites, a message from Palmoni—a message of time was understood. God’s Word never fails, and it always identifies the end with the beginning. So, in the end of Adventism there will most certainly be a revelation of His character, as there was in Millerite history. This fact is based upon the beginning and ending of Adventism, but it is also based upon the stated relationship of the book of Daniel with the book of Revelation. Daniel and Revelation represent one book, and in that representation, they are two witnesses, the first being Daniel and the last being Revelation.

U vrijeme svršetka, 1798. godine, Danielova je knjiga bila zapečaćena otvorena, a prva anđeoska poruka pojavila se u povijesti, označivši porast proročkog znanja koji se dogodio u vrijeme mileritskog pokreta, što je bio početak adventizma sedmoga dana. Kada je Danielova knjiga bila otvorena mileritima, razumjela se poruka od Palmonija — poruka o vremenu. Božja Riječ nikada ne zatajuje i uvijek poistovjećuje svršetak s početkom. Stoga će na svršetku adventizma zasigurno doći do objave Njegova karaktera, kao što je bilo u mileritskoj povijesti. Ta se činjenica temelji na početku i svršetku adventizma, ali se također temelji na istaknutom odnosu Danielove knjige s knjigom Otkrivenja. Daniel i Otkrivenje predstavljaju jednu knjigu, a u tom prikazu oni su dva svjedoka, pri čemu je prvi Daniel, a posljednji Otkrivenje.

> “The books of Daniel and the Revelation are one. One is a prophecy, the other a revelation; one a book sealed, the other a book opened.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7, 972.

> „Knjige Daniela i Otkrivenja jedno su. Jedna je proroštvo, druga otkrivenje; jedna je zapečaćena knjiga, druga otvorena knjiga.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, svezak 7, 972.

Daniel and Revelation are two books that are one book, the same way the Bible is one book divided into Old and New, or beginning and end. In Revelation eleven the two witnesses that are presented as Moses and Elijah are the Old and New Testaments.

Daniel i Otkrivenje dvije su knjige koje su jedna knjiga, na isti način kao što je Biblija jedna knjiga podijeljena na Stari i Novi, odnosno na početak i svršetak. U jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja dva svjedoka koji su prikazani kao Mojsije i Ilija jesu Stari i Novi zavjet.

> “Concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further: ‘These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.’ ‘Thy word,’ said the psalmist, ‘is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ Revelation 11:4; Psalm 119:105. The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament.” The Great Controversy, 267.

> „O dvojici svjedoka prorok nadalje izjavljuje: ‘To su dvije masline i dva svijećnjaka što stoje pred Bogom zemlje.’ ‘Tvoja riječ’, reče psalmist, ‘svjetiljka je nozi mojoj i svjetlo stazi mojoj.’ Otkrivenje 11,4; Psalam 119,105. Ta dva svjedoka predstavljaju Sveta pisma Staroga i Novoga zavjeta.” Velika borba, 267.

Daniel and John are two witnesses who were both persecuted, both taken captive, both given the same line of prophetic history to record, both representing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, both living in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem, both symbols of death and resurrection, (John from the boiling oil and Daniel from the lion’s den).

Daniel i Ivan dva su svjedoka koji su obojica bili progonjeni, obojica odvedeni u sužanjstvo, obojici je dana ista crta proročanske povijesti da je zabilježe, obojica predstavljaju sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće, obojica žive nakon razorenja Jeruzalema, obojica su simboli smrti i uskrsnuća (Ivan iz vrelog ulja, a Daniel iz lavlje jame).

Daniel identifies a special revelation of Christ’s character, and he does so in the two verses that inspiration calls the “central pillar and foundation” of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Those two verses were the “capstone” the final stone placed in the foundations that were represented by the works of William Miller. The capstone brought with it the understanding of the heavenly sanctuary, the law of God, the Sabbath, the investigative judgment and the three angels of Revelation fourteen. Daniel is the beginning of the book, John is the end.

Daniel prepoznaje posebno otkrivenje Kristova karaktera, i to čini u dvama recima koje nadahnuće naziva „središnjim stupom i temeljem” Crkve adventista sedmoga dana. Ta su dva retka bila „završni kamen” — posljednji kamen položen u temelje koji su bili predočeni djelima Williama Millera. Taj je završni kamen sa sobom donio razumijevanje nebeskog Svetišta, Božjeg zakona, subote, istražnog suda i trojice anđela iz četrnaestog poglavlja Otkrivenja. Daniel je početak knjige, Ivan je kraj.

John’s writing will identify a revelation of Christ’s character at the end of Adventism. At the beginning of modern Israel, He revealed Himself as the Wonderful Numberer, the Creator of everything mathematical and at the end of modern Israel He is revealing Himself as the wonderful linguist. He is the Creator of everything that is involved with language whether it be the structure of language, the grammatical rules, the words and even the letters of the alphabet. He created communication that is accomplished by words, governed by grammatical rules whether written or spoken, written with an alphabet that was by His design, and beyond all that—He is the Word. By that Word He transforms blind unprepared Laodiceans into sanctified Philadelphians.

Ivanov spis otkrit će objavu Kristova karaktera na kraju adventizma. Na početku suvremenog Izraela objavio se kao Divni Brojitelj, Stvoritelj svega što je matematičko, a na kraju suvremenog Izraela objavljuje se kao divni lingvist. On je Stvoritelj svega što je uključeno u jezik, bilo da je riječ o strukturi jezika, gramatičkim pravilima, riječima pa čak i slovima abecede. On je stvorio komunikaciju koja se ostvaruje riječima, kojom upravljaju gramatička pravila, bilo pisana ili izgovorena, zapisanu abecedom koja je bila po Njegovu naumu; a povrh svega toga — On je Riječ. Tom Riječju On preobražava slijepe, nepripremljene Laodicejce u posvećene Filadelfijce.

> Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17.

> Posveti ih svojom istinom: tvoja je riječ istina. Ivan 17,17.

The word translated as “sanctify” means to make holy. The one hundred and forty-four thousand will be holy and they will have attained that condition of character by the “truth” or you could say, by his “word,” for Jesus is the Word and He is the truth.

Riječ prevedena kao „posvetiti” znači učiniti svetim. Sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće bit će sveti i dosegnut će to stanje karaktera po „istini” ili, moglo bi se reći, po njegovoj „Riječi”, jer Isus je Riječ i On je istina.

> In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1–3.

> U početku bijaše Riječ, i Riječ bijaše kod Boga, i Riječ bijaše Bog. Ona bijaše u početku kod Boga. Sve je po njoj postalo; i bez nje nije postalo ništa što je postalo. Ivan 1,1–3.

Notice that this is the first thing that John writes in his gospel. It of course parallels the first thing written in Genesis. It adds to the testimony, identifying more clearly what is stated in Genesis one.

Primijetite da je to prvo što Ivan piše u svom Evanđelju. To se, naravno, podudara s onim što je prvo zapisano u Postanku. To pridonosi svjedočanstvu, jasnije određujući ono što je izrečeno u prvoj knjizi Postanka.

> In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1.

> U početku stvori Bog nebo i zemlju. Postanak 1,1.

The word translated as “God” in verse one is plural, thus identifying from the very “beginning” that God is more than one. “In the beginning” in the gospel of John the Word was with God and was God. And the Word was the Creator.

Riječ prevedena kao „Bog” u prvom retku jest u množini, čime se već od samoga „početka” utvrđuje da je Bog više od jednoga. „U početku” u Evanđelju po Ivanu Riječ bijaše u Boga i bijaše Bog. A Riječ bijaše Stvoritelj.

Jesus is the Word, and He produced the Bible through combining divinity with humanity—divinity represented by the Holy Spirit and humanity in the person of those who wrote the words in the books that were to be sent to the churches. Thus, the Bible is a combination of humanity and divinity as is Jesus. The Bible, in spite of the involvement of fallen fleshly human beings is holy, and then the men who penned it were holy too.

Isus je Riječ, i proizveo je Bibliju spajanjem božanstva i čovještva — božanstva koje predstavlja Duh Sveti i čovještva u osobama onih koji su zapisali riječi u knjigama koje su trebale biti poslane crkvama. Tako je Biblija, kao i Isus, spoj čovještva i božanstva. Biblija je, unatoč uključenosti palih tjelesnih ljudskih bića, sveta, a sveti su bili i ljudi koji su je zapisali.

> We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:19–21.

> I imamo još pouzdaniju proročku riječ; i dobro činite što na nju pazite kao na svjetiljku koja svijetli na tamnu mjestu, dok dan ne osvane i zvijezda Danica ne uzide u vašim srcima: Znajući ponajprije ovo, da nijedno proroštvo Pisma nije stvar osobnoga tumačenja. Jer proroštvo nekoć nije dolazilo voljom čovječjom, nego su sveti Božji ljudi govorili potaknuti Duhom Svetim. 2 Petrova 1:19–21.

Though the prophets were holy men, they were still fallen human beings, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Never-the-less the Bible is a combination of divinity and humanity, and it is holy, for the Word of God came to demonstrate in His life and in His written Word that humanity combined with divinity does not sin. What is true of the Bible is true of Christ for He is the Bible.

Premda su proroci bili sveti ljudi, ipak su još uvijek bili pali ljudi, jer svi su sagriješili i lišeni su slave Božje. Ipak, Biblija je spoj božanskoga i ljudskoga, i sveta je, jer je Riječ Božja došla pokazati u svojem životu i u svojoj zapisanoj Riječi da čovještvo sjedinjeno s božanstvom ne griješi. Ono što vrijedi za Bibliju vrijedi i za Krista, jer On je Biblija.

Jesus took upon Himself sinful flesh and never sinned, thus providing the example that humanity combined with divinity does not sin.

Isus je na sebe uzeo grešno tijelo i nikada nije sagriješio, pruživši tako primjer da čovještvo sjedinjeno s božanstvom ne griješi.

> “The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden ‘the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.’ Romans 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour’s sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension. It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.” The Desire of Ages, 48.

> „Priča o Betlehemu neiscrpna je tema. U njoj je skrivena ‘dubina bogatstva i mudrosti i spoznaje Božje’. Rimljanima 11,33. Divimo se Spasiteljevoj žrtvi što je zamijenio prijestolje neba jaslama, a zajedništvo anđela koji Ga obožavaju životinjama u staji. Ljudska oholost i samodostatnost stoje ukorene u Njegovoj prisutnosti. Ipak, to je bio tek početak Njegova čudesnog poniženja. Bilo bi gotovo beskrajno poniženje da je Sin Božji uzeo ljudsku narav čak i onda kada je Adam stajao u svojoj nevinosti u Edenu. No Isus je prihvatio čovještvo kada je ljudski rod bio oslabljen četirima tisućama godina grijeha. Kao i svako Adamovo dijete, prihvatio je posljedice djelovanja velikoga zakona nasljednosti. Kakve su bile te posljedice, pokazuje povijest Njegovih zemaljskih predaka. Došao je s takvim naslijeđem da podijeli naše žalosti i kušnje te da nam pruži primjer bezgrešnoga života.” Čežnja vjekova, 48.

Jesus is the Word, and both Jesus and the Bible are a combination of humanity and divinity. When Jesus produced the Bible over the centuries, he placed rules within the Bible to allow those who will hear, to hear. The rules which govern the Bible are also attributes of His character.

Isus je Riječ, a i Isus i Biblija spoj su ljudskoga i božanskoga. Kada je Isus tijekom stoljeća stvarao Bibliju, u nju je postavio pravila kako bi oni koji će čuti, čuli. Pravila koja upravljaju Biblijom također su obilježja njegova karaktera.

> “In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel.” Acts of the Apostles, 585.

> „U Otkrivenju se susreću i završavaju sve knjige Biblije. Ovdje se nalazi dopuna knjige proroka Daniela.” Djela apostolska, 585.

The word “complement” means to bring to perfection. The testimony of Daniel ends in Revelation, making Daniel’s testimony the beginning and Revelation the end. The beginning of Revelation is repeated at the end of Revelation and in the first verse of Daniel chapter one there is warfare between literal Israel and literal Babylon in which Babylon wins, but at the conclusion of probationary history in Daniel 11:45, 12:1; spiritual Babylon is in a war with spiritual Israel and in the end, Babylon loses and Israel prevails. As with John in the Revelation the beginning of Daniel’s testimony agrees with the end of his testimony. So, what is truth?

Riječ „upotpuniti” znači dovesti do savršenstva. Danielovo svjedočanstvo završava u Otkrivenju, čineći Danielovo svjedočanstvo početkom, a Otkrivenje svršetkom. Početak Otkrivenja ponavlja se na kraju Otkrivenja, a u prvom retku prvoga poglavlja Daniela vodi se rat između doslovnog Izraela i doslovnog Babilona, u kojem Babilon pobjeđuje; no pri završetku povijesti kušnje u Danielu 11:45; 12:1 duhovni Babilon ratuje s duhovnim Izraelom i na kraju Babilon gubi, a Izrael nadvladava. Kao što je s Ivanom u Otkrivenju, početak Danielova svjedočanstva slaže se sa svršetkom njegova svjedočanstva. Dakle, što je istina?

Doctrine is a word that identifies what a body of believers understand to be correct. Its purpose or use is not restricted to the Bible or Christianity. In so-called Christianity, there are probably more false “doctrines” than true, for spiritual Babylon, the papacy is a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, and those birds represent evil, which is sustained and covered up by churches through false doctrines, such as the law has been abolished. But there is true doctrine.

Doktrina je riječ koja označuje ono što neko tijelo vjernika smatra ispravnim. Njezina svrha ili uporaba nije ograničena na Bibliju ili kršćanstvo. U takozvanom kršćanstvu vjerojatno ima više lažnih „doktrina” nego istinitih, jer duhovni Babilon, papinstvo, jest krletka svake nečiste i mrske ptice, a te ptice predstavljaju zlo, koje crkve održavaju i prikrivaju lažnim doktrinama, kao što je učenje da je Zakon ukinut. Ali postoji istinita doktrina.

> “The minds of the Bereans were not narrowed by prejudice. They were willing to investigate the truthfulness of the doctrines preached by the apostles. They studied the Bible, not from curiosity, but in order that they might learn what had been written concerning the promised Messiah. Daily they searched the inspired records, and as they compared scripture with scripture, heavenly angels were beside them, enlightening their minds and impressing their hearts.

> „Umovi Berejaca nisu bili suženi predrasudama. Bili su spremni ispitati istinitost nauka koje su propovijedali apostoli. Proučavali su Bibliju, ne iz znatiželje, nego da bi doznali što je bilo napisano o obećanom Mesiji. Svakodnevno su istraživali nadahnute spise, i dok su uspoređivali Pismo s Pismom, nebeski anđeli bili su uz njih, prosvjetljujući njihov um i ostavljajući dojam na njihova srca.

> “Wherever the truths of the gospel are proclaimed, those who honestly desire to do right are led to a diligent searching of the Scriptures. If, in the closing scenes of this earth’s history, those to whom testing truths are proclaimed would follow the example of the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily, and comparing with God’s word the messages brought them, there would today be a large number loyal to the precepts of God’s law, where now there are comparatively few. But when unpopular Bible truths are presented, many refuse to make this investigation. Though unable to controvert the plain teachings of Scripture, they yet manifest the utmost reluctance to study the evidences offered. Some assume that even if these doctrines are indeed true, it matters little whether or not they accept the new light, and they cling to pleasing fables which the enemy uses to lead souls astray. Thus their minds are blinded by error, and they become separated from heaven.

> „Gdje god se navješćuju istine evanđelja, oni koji iskreno žele činiti što je pravo bivaju potaknuti na marljivo istraživanje Svetoga pisma. Kad bi, u završnim prizorima povijesti ove zemlje, oni kojima se navješćuju istine kušnje slijedili primjer Berejaca, svakodnevno istražujući Pisma i uspoređujući s Božjom riječju poruke koje im se donose, danas bi bio velik broj onih koji su vjerni propisima Božjega zakona, ondje gdje ih je sada razmjerno malo. No kada se iznose nepopularne biblijske istine, mnogi odbijaju provesti to istraživanje. Premda nisu u stanju pobiti jasna učenja Svetoga pisma, ipak pokazuju krajnju nevoljkost da prouče ponuđene dokaze. Neki drže da, čak i ako su ta učenja doista istinita, nije od velike važnosti hoće li prihvatiti novo svjetlo ili ne, te se drže ugodnih bajki kojima se neprijatelj služi da bi odveo duše na stranputicu. Tako su njihovi umovi zaslijepljeni zabludom i oni postaju odvojeni od neba.“

> “All will be judged according to the light that has been given. The Lord sends forth His ambassadors with a message of salvation, and those who hear He will hold responsible for the way in which they treat the words of His servants. Those who are sincerely seeking for truth will make a careful investigation, in the light of God’s word, of the doctrines presented to them.” Acts of the Apostles, 231, 232.

> „Svima će se suditi prema svjetlu koje im je dano. Gospodin šalje svoje poslanike s porukom spasenja, a one koji čuju smatrat će odgovornima za način na koji postupaju s riječima Njegovih slugu. Oni koji iskreno traže istinu pomno će, u svjetlu Božje riječi, ispitati nauke koje su im iznesene.“ Djela apostolska, 231, 232.

There are “doctrines” which are the “truths of the gospel” and they need to be investigated. Some, (if not all) are “testing truths.” The Sabbath is an easy testing truth to understand. There are true and false doctrines. Some of the true doctrines present a test to those who hear them. There is also a type of truth that is designed for a certain period of time. These truths are called “present truth.”

Postoje „doktrine” koje su „istine evanđelja” i njih treba istraživati. Neke su, (ako ne i sve), „istine kušnje”. Subota je istina kušnje koju je lako razumjeti. Postoje istinite i lažne doktrine. Neke od istinitih doktrina predstavljaju kušnju onima koji ih slušaju. Postoji i vrsta istine koja je namijenjena određenom vremenskom razdoblju. Te se istine nazivaju „sadašnja istina”.

> “There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is ‘present truth’ that the flock needs now. I have seen the danger of the messengers running off from the important points of present truth, to dwell upon subjects that are not calculated to unite the flock and sanctify the soul. Satan will here take every possible advantage to injure the cause.

> „U Božjoj Riječi sadržane su mnoge dragocjene istine, ali stadu je sada potrebna ‘sadašnja istina’. Vidjela sam opasnost da se vjesnici udalje od važnih točaka sadašnje istine kako bi se zadržavali na temama koje nisu prikladne da ujedine stado i posvete dušu. Sotona će ovdje iskoristiti svaku moguću prednost da naudi djelu.

> “But such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the 2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future. These, I have frequently seen, were the principal subjects on which the messengers should dwell.” Early Writings, 63.

> „No teme kao što su Svetište, u vezi s 2300 dana, Božje zapovijedi i vjera Isusova, savršeno su prikladne da objasne prošli adventni pokret i pokažu kakav je naš sadašnji položaj, učvrste vjeru onih koji sumnjaju i daju sigurnost slavnoj budućnosti. Često sam viđala da su to bile glavne teme na kojima bi se vjesnici trebali zadržavati.“ Rani spisi, 63.

Adventists often employ this passage to avoid what it actually states. They argue that all which should be emphasized in our messages of “present truth” is the sanctuary, the 2300 days, the commandments and the faith of Jesus. They make this claim to avoid what is identified about these four subjects.

Adventisti se često služe ovim odlomkom kako bi izbjegli ono što on zapravo kaže. Tvrde da sve što treba naglašavati u našim porukama o „sadašnjoj istini“ jesu svetište, 2300 dana, zapovijedi i vjera Isusova. Tu tvrdnju iznose kako bi izbjegli ono što je utvrđeno o tim četirima predmetima.

The purpose of these four great truths is that they have been “perfectly calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future.” These four present truth doctrines are designed to show that the beginning of Adventism (the past Advent movement) illustrates the end of Adventism (our present position). Those four primary doctrines are “calculated perfectly” to explain the principle that the end is illustrated by the beginning. According to this passage of inspiration, this is the “present truth” that the “flock needs now.”

Svrha ovih četiriju velikih istina jest da su „savršeno sračunate da objasne prošli adventni pokret i pokažu kakav je naš sadašnji položaj, učvrste vjeru onih koji sumnjaju i daju izvjesnost slavnoj budućnosti.” Ove četiri doktrine sadašnje istine osmišljene su da pokažu kako početak adventizma (prošli adventni pokret) predočuje svršetak adventizma (naš sadašnji položaj). Te četiri temeljne doktrine „savršeno su sračunate” da objasne načelo da je svršetak predočen početkom. Prema ovom nadahnutom odlomku, to je „sadašnja istina” koja je „stadu sada potrebna.”

Ancient Israel is the beginning of Israel and modern Israel is the end. Ancient literal Israel typified the Seventh-day Adventist people from the time of the end in 1798, until the Sunday law. Before the first coming of Christ “present truth” was unseen by the Jews, for they were blind (Laodicean) due to their dependence upon customs and traditions.

Drevni Izrael početak je Izraela, a moderni Izrael njegov je svršetak. Drevni doslovni Izrael predočavao je adventni narod sedmoga dana od vremena svršetka 1798. godine pa sve do nedjeljnoga zakona. Prije prvoga Kristova dolaska „sadašnja istina” bila je nevidljiva Židovima, jer su bili slijepi (laodikejski) zbog svoje ovisnosti o običajima i predajama.

> “We want to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. We do not half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ—how the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews, and today he is seeking to blind the minds of God’s servants, that they may not be able to discern the precious truth.” Selected Messages, book 2, 406.

> „Želimo razumjeti vrijeme u kojem živimo. Ne razumijemo ga ni upola. Ne shvaćamo ga ni upola. Srce mi drhti u meni kad pomislim s kakvim se neprijateljem moramo suočiti i kako smo slabo pripravljeni da mu se odupremo. Kušnje djece Izraelove i njihov stav neposredno prije prvoga Kristova dolaska iznova i iznova bili su mi predočeni kako bi se prikazao položaj Božjeg naroda u njegovu iskustvu prije drugoga Kristova dolaska — kako je neprijatelj tražio svaku priliku da zavlada umovima Židova, a danas nastoji zaslijepiti umove Božjih slugu, da ne bi mogli razabrati dragocjenu istinu.” Selected Messages, knjiga 2, 406.

According to our next reference, the Jews had lost sight of the “original truth of God,” and that original truth for the Jews was the history of the deliverance from Egypt. The history of that deliverance was their original truth, it was the truth they were instructed to teach their children throughout their generations. They failed, as has Adventism. In order to present the truth to the blinded Jews, Jesus placed truth into a framework.

Prema našoj sljedećoj referenci, Židovi su izgubili iz vida „izvornu Božju istinu“, a ta izvorna istina za Židove bila je povijest izbavljenja iz Egipta. Povijest toga izbavljenja bila je njihova izvorna istina; to je bila istina koju im je bilo naloženo poučavati svoju djecu kroz njihove naraštaje. Oni su podbacili, kao što je podbacio i adventizam. Da bi slijepim Židovima iznio istinu, Isus je istinu smjestio u okvir.

> “In the time of the Saviour, the Jews had so covered over the precious jewels of truth with the rubbish of tradition and fable, that it was impossible to distinguish the true from the false. The Saviour came to clear away the rubbish of superstition and long-cherished errors, and to set the jewels of God’s word in the frame-work of truth. What would the Saviour do if he should come to us now as he did to the Jews? He would have to do a similar work in clearing away the rubbish of tradition and ceremony. The Jews were greatly disturbed when he did this work. They had lost sight of the original truth of God, but Christ brought it again to view. It is our work to free the precious truths of God from superstition and error.

> „U vrijeme Spasiteljevo Židovi su tako prekrili dragocjene dragulje istine smećem predaje i bajki da je bilo nemoguće razlikovati istinito od lažnoga. Spasitelj je došao ukloniti smeće praznovjerja i dugo njegovanih zabluda te dragulje Božje riječi postaviti u okvir istine. Što bi Spasitelj učinio kada bi sada došao k nama kao što je došao Židovima? Morao bi obaviti slično djelo uklanjanja smeća predaje i obreda. Židovi su bili silno uznemireni kada je učinio to djelo. Izgubili su iz vida izvornu Božju istinu, ali ju je Krist ponovno iznio na vidjelo. Naš je posao osloboditi dragocjene Božje istine od praznovjerja i zablude.“

> “Glorious truths have been buried out of sight, and have been made lusterless and unattractive by error and superstition. Jesus reveals the light of God, and brings forth the beautiful radiance of the truth in all its divine glory. The minds of the honest are filled with admiration. Their hearts are attracted in holy affections toward him who brought forth the jewels of truth and displayed them to their understanding.

> „Slavne istine bile su zakopane izvan vidokruga te su zabludom i praznovjerjem učinjene bez sjaja i neprivlačnima. Isus otkriva Božje svjetlo i iznosi prekrasan sjaj istine u svoj njezinoj božanskoj slavi. Umovi poštenih ispunjeni su divljenjem. Njihova su srca u svetim osjećajima privučena k Onome koji je iznio dragulje istine i pokazao ih njihovu razumijevanju.

> “The Jews understood some portion of the truth, and taught some part of the word of God; but they did not comprehend the far-reaching nature of the law of God. Christ swept away the rubbish of tradition, and displayed the real kernel and heart of the purposes of God. When he did this, they became exasperated beyond control. They circulated false reports from one town to another that Christ was destroying the work of God. But while Jesus did away with the old forms, he re-instated the old truths, placing them in the frame-work of truth. He matched and joined them together, making a complete and symmetrical system of truth. This was the work our Saviour did; and now what shall we do? Shall we not work in harmony with Christ? Shall we be ruled by hearsay? Shall we let our own imaginings hide from us the light of God? We are to read attentively, to hear understandingly, and to teach others also the things we have learned. We must be constantly hungering for the bread of life, constantly seeking for the living water and the snow of Lebanon, that we may be able to lead the people to the living, cooling waters of the Fountain of truth.” Review and Herald, June 4, 1889.

> „Židovi su razumjeli neki dio istine i poučavali neki dio riječi Božje; ali nisu shvatili dalekosežnu narav Božjeg zakona. Krist je uklonio smeće predaje i pokazao pravu jezgru i srž Božjih namjera. Kada je to učinio, razbjesnili su se do krajnjih granica. Širili su lažne glasine od jednoga grada do drugoga da Krist razara djelo Božje. Ali dok je Isus uklanjao stare oblike, ponovno je uspostavljao stare istine, stavljajući ih u okvir istine. Uskladio ih je i povezao zajedno, tvoreći cjelovit i skladan sustav istine. To je bilo djelo koje je naš Spasitelj učinio; a sada što ćemo mi činiti? Nećemo li raditi u skladu s Kristom? Hoćemo li se ravnati prema rekla-kazala? Hoćemo li dopustiti da nam vlastite maštarije zaklone Božje svjetlo? Trebamo pažljivo čitati, razumno slušati i i druge poučavati onome što smo naučili. Moramo neprestano gladovati za kruhom života, neprestano tražiti živu vodu i snijeg Libanona, kako bismo mogli voditi narod k živim, osvježavajućim vodama Izvora istine.” Review and Herald, 4. lipnja 1889.

At his first coming Jesus “re-instated the old truths, placing them in the frame-work of truth. He matched and joined them together, making a complete and symmetrical system of truth.” Jesus used the history at the beginning of ancient Israel in order to reestablish the old truths, and He did so by matching those truths (by topic) and joining them together (in parallel, line upon line). He did so for the purpose of freeing the Jews of the customs and traditions that had blinded them. That history was the ending history of literal Israel.

Pri svome prvom dolasku Isus je „ponovno uspostavio stare istine, stavljajući ih u okvir istine. Usporedio ih je i povezao zajedno, sačinivši cjelovit i skladan sustav istine.” Isus se poslužio poviješću s početka drevnoga Izraela kako bi ponovno uspostavio stare istine, i to tako što je te istine usporedio (po temi) i povezao ih zajedno (usporedno, redak na redak). Učinio je to sa svrhom da oslobodi Židove od običaja i predaja koje su ih bile zaslijepile. Ta je povijest bila završna povijest doslovnoga Izraela.

Adventism is repeating the history of ancient Israel’s ending, and the framework to place the truth into in order to remove the Laodicean blindness of tradition and custom is accomplished now as when Christ interacted with the Jews. The “old truths” are to be placed into the “framework” of truth, in order to bring prophetic lines together with other prophetic lines, “line upon line” in parallel for the purpose of possibly freeing a Laodicean from their blindness. Christ is our example, in all things.

Adventizam ponavlja povijest završetka drevnoga Izraela, a okvir u koji se treba smjestiti istina kako bi se uklonila laodicejska sljepoća predaje i običaja uspostavlja se sada, kao i onda kada je Krist djelovao među Židovima. „Stare istine“ trebaju se smjestiti u „okvir“ istine, kako bi se proročke linije dovele zajedno s drugim proročkim linijama, „redak na redak“, usporedno, s ciljem da se laodicejac možda oslobodi svoje sljepoće. Krist je naš primjer u svemu.

There are truths in the Bible which are identified as doctrine, and “there are many wonderful truths,” but there is also “present truth” which is a “test to the people of” the “generation” living when the truth is revealed. Prophetically this happens in the fourth generation of Adventism, and the “present truth” “which is a test for this generation” was not a test for early generations of Adventism.

U Bibliji postoje istine koje se prepoznaju kao nauk, i „ima mnogo divnih istina”, ali postoji i „sadašnja istina” koja je „ispit za narod” „naraštaja” koji živi u vrijeme kada se ta istina otkriva. Proročki se to zbiva u četvrtom naraštaju adventizma, a „sadašnja istina” „koja je ispit za ovaj naraštaj” nije bila ispit za rane naraštaje adventizma.

> “There are in the Scriptures some things which are hard to be understood and which, according to the language of Peter, the unlearned and unstable wrest unto their own destruction. We may not, in this life, be able to explain the meaning of every passage of Scripture; but there are no vital points of practical truth that will be clouded in mystery. When the time shall come, in the providence of God, for the world to be tested upon the truth for that time, minds will be exercised by His Spirit to search the Scriptures, even with fasting and with prayer, until link after link is searched out and united in a perfect chain. Every fact which immediately concerns the salvation of souls will be made so clear that none need err or walk in darkness.

> „U Svetome pismu ima nekih stvari koje je teško razumjeti i koje, prema riječima Petra, neuki i nepostojani izvrću na vlastitu propast. Možda u ovome životu nećemo moći objasniti značenje svakoga odlomka Svetoga pisma; ali nema nijedne bitne točke praktične istine koja bi bila obavijena tajnom. Kada dođe vrijeme, u Božjoj providnosti, da svijet bude kušan istinom za to vrijeme, umovi će pod djelovanjem Njegova Duha biti potaknuti da istražuju Pisma, čak i uz post i molitvu, sve dok se karika po karika ne istraži i ne sjedini u savršen lanac. Svaka činjenica koja se neposredno tiče spasenja duša bit će tako jasno iznesena da nitko ne mora griješiti niti hoditi u tami.“

> “As we have followed down the chain of prophecy, revealed truth for our time has been clearly seen and explained. We are accountable for the privileges that we enjoy and for the light that shines upon our pathway. Those who lived in past generations were accountable for the light which was permitted to shine upon them. Their minds were exercised in regard to different points of Scripture which tested them. But they did not understand the truths which we do. They were not responsible for the light which they did not have. They had the Bible, as we have; but the time for the unfolding of special truth in relation to the closing scenes of this earth’s history is during the last generations that shall live upon the earth.

> „Dok smo slijedili lanac proročanstva, objavljena istina za naše vrijeme bila je jasno viđena i objašnjena. Odgovorni smo za prednosti koje uživamo i za svjetlo koje obasjava naš put. Oni koji su živjeli u prošlim naraštajima bili su odgovorni za svjetlo kojemu je bilo dopušteno da ih obasja. Njihov se um bavio različitim točkama Svetoga pisma koje su ih iskušavale. Ali oni nisu razumjeli istine koje mi razumijemo. Nisu bili odgovorni za svjetlo koje nisu imali. Imali su Bibliju, kao i mi; ali vrijeme za razotkrivanje posebne istine u vezi sa završnim prizorima povijesti ove zemlje jest tijekom posljednjih naraštaja koji će živjeti na zemlji.״

> “Special truths have been adapted to the conditions of the generations as they have existed. The present truth, which is a test to the people of this generation, was not a test to the people of generations far back. If the light which now shines upon us in regard to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment had been given to the generations in the past, God would have held them accountable for that light.” Testimonies, volume two, 692, 693.

> „Posebne su istine bile prilagođene okolnostima naraštaja onako kako su postojali. Sadašnja istina, koja je kušnja narodu ovoga naraštaja, nije bila kušnja narodu naraštaja iz davne prošlosti. Kad bi svjetlo koje sada svijetli na nas u pogledu subote četvrte zapovijedi bilo dano naraštajima u prošlosti, Bog bi ih smatrao odgovornima za to svjetlo.” Testimonies, svezak drugi, 692, 693.

For those who may wish to deny that there are four generations in the history of Adventism I would point you to Habakkuk’s Tables. A very simple way to understand this fact is that the name Laodicea, means a people judged. The beginning of Adventism announced the opening of the judgment and the end of Adventism announces the close of judgment. The close of judgment takes place in the third and fourth generations.

Onima koji bi možda željeli nijekati da u povijesti adventizma postoje četiri naraštaja, uputio bih na Habakukove ploče. Vrlo jednostavan način da se razumije ta činjenica jest da ime Laodiceja znači narod kojemu se sudi. Početak adventizma objavio je otvaranje suda, a kraj adventizma objavljuje završetak suda. Završetak suda zbiva se u trećem i četvrtom naraštaju.

> Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:4–6.

> Ne pravi sebi lika rezana niti ikakva obličja od onoga što je gore na nebu, ili dolje na zemlji, ili u vodama pod zemljom: ne klanjaj im se niti im služi; jer ja, Gospodin, Bog tvoj, Bog sam ljubomoran, koji pohodim bezakonje otaca na djeci do trećega i četvrtoga koljena onih koji me mrze; a iskazujem milosrđe tisućama onih koji me ljube i drže moje zapovijedi. Izlazak 20:4–6.

At the close of judgment, the final generation of Laodicean (a people judged) Adventism will be judged and spewed out of the mouth of the Lord, as was ancient Israel at the destruction of Jerusalem. Biblical doctrines, are truths, and there are also testing truths and then there are present truths. Present truth is always a testing truth, but it identifies a testing truth specially designed for the generation that is currently living. The fact of the matter though, is more likely to be that any truth from God’s word which we choose to reject, has just become a testing truth that we just failed.

Na završetku suda, posljednji naraštaj laodicejskog (narod kojemu se sudi) adventizma bit će suđen i izbačen iz usta Gospodnjih, kao što je bio drevni Izrael pri razorenju Jeruzalema. Biblijske doktrine jesu istine, a postoje i istine kušnje, a zatim postoje i sadašnje istine. Sadašnja istina uvijek je istina kušnje, ali ona označuje istinu kušnje osobito namijenjenu naraštaju koji upravo živi. No činjenica je, vjerojatnije, da je svaka istina iz Božje riječi koju odlučimo odbaciti upravo postala istina kušnje koju smo upravo pali.

Jesus is the word of God, and He is the truth. He informed Pilate the reason He “came” “into the world,” was to “bear witness unto the truth,” and that everyone that heard His voice, “is of the truth.” The word “truth” that Pilate and Jesus spoke of comes from a Hebrew word that is translated as “truth” and is found one hundred and twenty-seven times in the Old Testament. That Hebrew word (H571) is translated into various English words, but it is translated ninety-two times as “truth” in the Old Testament. It is one of those words that is profoundly powerful, on many levels.

Isus je Riječ Božja i On je istina. Obavijestio je Pilata da je razlog zbog kojega je „došao” „na svijet” bio da „svjedoči za istinu” te da je svatko tko čuje njegov glas „od istine”. Riječ „istina” o kojoj su govorili Pilat i Isus potječe od hebrejske riječi koja se prevodi kao „istina” i pojavljuje se stotinu dvadeset i sedam puta u Starome zavjetu. Ta se hebrejska riječ (H571) prevodi različitim engleskim riječima, ali se u Starome zavjetu devedeset i dva puta prevodi kao „istina”. To je jedna od onih riječi koje su duboko snažne, na mnogim razinama.

The word translated as “truth” in the Old Testament consists of three Hebrew letters, and with Hebrew letters, the letters have their own definition, so the word that is created from the letters blends the combined meanings of each letter to produce the ultimate meaning of the word. The word “truth” is made up of three Hebrew letters, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a letter in the middle and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. “Truth” in the Old Testament is represented by the first and the last letters of the alphabet, with a letter in the middle!

Riječ prevedena kao „istina“ u Starome zavjetu sastoji se od triju hebrejskih slova, a kod hebrejskih slova svako slovo ima vlastitu definiciju, tako da riječ koja je sastavljena od slova spaja združena značenja svakoga slova kako bi proizvela konačno značenje riječi. Riječ „istina“ sastavljena je od triju hebrejskih slova: prvoga slova hebrejske abecede, jednoga slova u sredini i posljednjega slova hebrejske abecede. „Istina“ je u Starome zavjetu predstavljena prvim i posljednjim slovima abecede, sa slovom u sredini!

This is the definition of the biblical “rule of first mention.” The first time a subject is presented is the most significant reference for the word, which is a seed, and it contains all the DNA necessary to produce the entire story. The second most important reference in the “rule of first mention” is the last reference, for that is where all the stories that arise between the beginning and ending are tied together. “In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end,” and Revelation is the last book of the Bible.

Ovo je definicija biblijskog „pravila prvoga spominjanja“. Prvi put kada je neka tema predstavljena jest najznačajnija referenca za tu riječ, koja je sjeme, i ona sadrži sav DNK potreban da proizvede čitavu priču. Druga po važnosti referenca u „pravilu prvoga spominjanja“ jest posljednja referenca, jer se ondje povezuju sve priče koje nastaju između početka i svršetka. „U Otkrivenju se sve knjige Biblije susreću i završavaju“, a Otkrivenje je posljednja knjiga Biblije.

The Hebrew word “truth” we are considering begins with the letter “Aleph” the thirteenth character is “Mem” and the twenty-second and last letter is “Tav.” Of course, there are various nuances to the definitions of these letters depending upon which linguist you turn to for the definition but the general definitions are very informative.

Hebrejska riječ „istina“ koju razmatramo započinje slovom „Aleph“, trinaesto slovo je „Mem“, a dvadeset i drugo i posljednje slovo jest „Tav“. Naravno, postoje razne nijanse u definicijama tih slova, ovisno o tome kojemu se jezikoslovcu obratite za tumačenje, no opće su definicije vrlo poučne.

א (Aleph): First letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it is often associated with the unity, and represents the Divine and the eternal, symbolizing the connection between God and creation.

א (Aleph): Prvo slovo hebrejske abecede, a često se povezuje s jedinstvom te predstavlja Božansko i vječno, simbolizirajući povezanost između Boga i stvorenja.

מ (Mem): Thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is often associated with water.

מ (Mem): Trinaesto slovo hebrejskoga alfabeta i često se povezuje s vodom.

ת (Tav): Last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it carries the meaning of “mark” or “sign.” It is often associated with the concept of completion or the “seal” of creation. In ancient Hebrew, the letter Tav had the shape of a cross.

ת (Tav): Posljednje slovo hebrejskoga alfabeta, a nosi značenje „oznaka” ili „znak”. Često se povezuje s pojmom dovršenja ili „pečata” stvaranja. U drevnome hebrejskom slovo Tav imalo je oblik križa.

The Hebrew word translated as “truth” that we are considering is made up of three letters, that together represent the everlasting gospel. What? This is easily recognized if you understand that the three angels’ messages are the everlasting gospel. It is recognizable because the definitions of these three letters represent the three angels’ message.

Hebrejska riječ prevedena kao „istina” koju razmatramo sastoji se od tri slova koja zajedno predstavljaju vječno evanđelje. Što? To se lako prepoznaje ako razumijete da su poruke trojice anđela vječno evanđelje. To je prepoznatljivo zato što značenja ta tri slova predstavljaju poruku trojice anđela.

The first angel of Revelation fourteen identifies the everlasting gospel and then tells the entire world to “fear God” and glorify Him through worshipping the Creator. The definition of (Aleph) the first of those three letters is “the Divine, Eternal God, and as mankind’s Creator, the God that men should reverently fear and worship.”

Prvi anđeo iz četrnaestoga poglavlja Otkrivenja prepoznaje vječno evanđelje, a zatim cijelomu svijetu govori da se „boji Boga” i da Ga proslavi klanjajući se Stvoritelju. Definicija (Alefa), prvoga od tih triju slova, glasi: „Božanski, Vječni Bog i, kao Stvoritelj čovječanstva, Bog kojega ljudi trebaju sa strahopoštovanjem štovati i klanjati Mu se.”

Aleph represents the first angel’s message.

Alef predstavlja poruku prvoga anđela.

The second angel’s message calls men out of Babylon, marks when the Holy Spirit is poured out and identifies the rebellion of Babylon. The definition of (Mem) is associated with water, (symbol of the outpouring of the Spirit) and it is the thirteenth number of the alphabet, the number thirteen being a symbol of rebellion, thus identifying Babylon. Mem represents the second angel’s message.

Poruka drugoga anđela poziva ljude iz Babilona, označuje vrijeme kada se izlijeva Duh Sveti i prepoznaje pobunu Babilona. Definicija slova (Mem) povezana je s vodom (simbolom izlijevanja Duha), a ono je trinaesto slovo abecede; broj trinaest simbol je pobune te tako označuje Babilon. Mem predstavlja poruku drugoga anđela.

The third angel warns men against receiving the mark of the beast, identifies two classes of worshippers and God’s wrath. The definition of (Tav) is that it represents a “mark,” (the mark of the beast) it represents the seal of creation (the seal of God). The letter itself is shaped as the cross. Tav represents the third angel’s message.

Treći anđeo upozorava ljude da ne prime žig Zvijeri, razlučuje dvije skupine štovatelja i Božji gnjev. Značenje slova (Tav) jest da ono predstavlja „znak“, (žig Zvijeri); ono predstavlja pečat stvaranja (Božji pečat). Samo slovo oblikovano je kao križ. Tav predstavlja poruku trećega anđela.

> “What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption. The intelligent mind has seen the sign of the cross of Calvary in the Lord’s adopted sons and daughters. The sin of the transgression of the law of God is taken away. They have on the wedding garment, and are obedient and faithful to all God’s commands.

> „Što je pečat Boga živoga, koji se stavlja na čela Njegova naroda? To je znak koji anđeli, ali ne ljudske oči, mogu pročitati; jer anđeo zatornik mora vidjeti taj znak otkupljenja. Razumni je um vidio znak križa s Kalvarije na usvojenim sinovima i kćerima Gospodnjim. Grijeh prijestupa Zakona Božjega uklonjen je. Na sebi imaju svadbenu haljinu te su poslušni i vjerni svim Božjim zapovijedima.

> “The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not in word and deed obey His commands.” Maranatha, 243.

> „Gospodin neće opravdati one koji poznaju istinu ako ne slušaju njegove zapovijedi riječju i djelom.“ Maranatha, 243.

The Hebrew word translated as “truth” consist of three letters that each have their own definitions. Those three definitions are also the definitions of the three angels’ messages. They are also the definitions of the first angel’s message, for the first angel’s message was the message at the beginning of Adventism and the third angel’s message is the message at the end of Adventism. Because Jesus illustrates the end with the beginning, the first angel possesses all the prophetic waymarks of the third angel’s message. In doing so, the definition of the three Hebrew letters become symbols of not only the third angel’s message, but also symbols of the first angel’s message.

Hebrejska riječ prevedena kao „istina” sastoji se od triju slova od kojih svako ima vlastitu definiciju. Te su tri definicije također definicije poruka trojice anđela. One su također i definicije poruke prvoga anđela, jer je poruka prvoga anđela bila poruka na početku adventizma, a poruka trećega anđela jest poruka na kraju adventizma. Budući da Isus prikazuje kraj početkom, prvi anđeo posjeduje sva proročka obilježja poruke trećega anđela. Time definicije triju hebrejskih slova postaju simboli ne samo poruke trećega anđela, nego i poruke prvoga anđela.

John in the Revelation was told to write the things which then were, and in so doing he would simultaneously be writing the things that would be in the future. He recorded the beginning to illustrate the end. In no uncertain terms, Seventh-day Adventists have been informed to study and proclaim the message of the Millerites, which is the message of the first angel. In studying and proclaiming those truths and that history we shall be proclaiming the third angel’s message and repeating the history of the first angel.

Ivanu je u Otkrivenju bilo rečeno da napiše ono što tada bijaše, i čineći to istodobno će pisati ono što će biti u budućnosti. Zabilježio je početak kako bi predočio svršetak. Bez ikakve dvosmislenosti, adventisti sedmoga dana upozoreni su da proučavaju i objavljuju poruku milerita, koja je poruka prvoga anđela. Proučavajući i objavljujući te istine i tu povijest, objavljivat ćemo poruku trećega anđela i ponavljati povijest prvoga anđela.

> “God is not giving us a new message. We are to proclaim the message that in 1843 and 1844 brought us out of the other churches.” Review and Herald, January 19, 1905.

> „Bog nam ne daje novu poruku. Mi trebamo naviještati poruku koja nas je 1843. i 1844. izvela iz drugih crkava.“ Review and Herald, 19. siječnja 1905.

> “All the messages given from 1840–1844 are to be made forcible now, for there are many people who have lost their bearings. The messages are to go to all the churches.” Manuscript Releases, volume 21, 437.

> „Sve poruke dane od 1840. do 1844. sada valja iznijeti sa silom, jer ima mnogo ljudi koji su izgubili svoje uporište. Poruke trebaju ići svim crkvama.“ Manuscript Releases, svezak 21, 437.

> “The truths that we received in 1841, ‘42, ‘43, and ‘44 are now to be studied and proclaimed.” Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 371.

> „Istine koje smo primili 1841., ’42., ’43. i ’44. sada se trebaju proučavati i naviještati.“ Manuscript Releases, svezak 15, 371.

> “The warning has come: Nothing is to be allowed to come in that will disturb the foundation of the faith upon which we have been building ever since the message came in 1842, 1843, and 1844. I was in this message, and ever since I have been standing before the world, true to the light that God has given us. We do not propose to take our feet off the platform on which they were placed as day by day we sought the Lord with earnest prayer, seeking for light. Do you think that I could give up the light that God has given me? It is to be as the Rock of Ages. It has been guiding me ever since it was given.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1903.

> „Došlo je upozorenje: Ništa se ne smije dopustiti da uđe što bi uznemirilo temelj vjere na kojemu gradimo još otkako je poruka došla 1842., 1843. i 1844. godine. Ja sam bila u toj poruci, i od tada stojim pred svijetom, vjerna svjetlu koje nam je Bog dao. Ne namjeravamo maknuti svoja stopala s platforme na koju su bila postavljena dok smo iz dana u dan tražili Gospodina usrdnom molitvom, tražeći svjetlo. Mislite li da bih se mogla odreći svjetla koje mi je Bog dao? Ono treba biti kao Vječna Stijena. Ono me vodi otkako mi je dano.“ Review and Herald, 14. travnja 1903.

The message of the first angel and the history where that message was presented parallels and illustrates our current history—with some prophetic caveats. Both those histories are also represented by the three letters employed by the Divine linguist to form the word “truth.” And that word “truth” represents the everlasting gospel.

Poruka prvoga anđela i povijest u kojoj je ta poruka bila iznesena usporedne su s našom sadašnjom poviješću i prikazuju je — uz određene proročke ograde. Obje su te povijesti također predstavljene trima slovima kojima se božanski lingvist poslužio da oblikuje riječ „istina“. A ta riječ „istina“ predstavlja vječno evanđelje.

The history of the Millerites at the beginning of Adventism, represents the first angel and the history at the end of Adventism that is represented by the third angel are parallel histories, but they contain some differences.

Povijest milerita na početku adventizma predstavlja prvoga anđela, a povijest na kraju adventizma, koju predstavlja treći anđeo, jest usporedna povijest, ali one sadrže određene razlike.

The first angel announces the opening of the judgment and the third angel announces the close of the judgment. The prophetic structure upon which the history of Adventism unfolded is identical both in its beginning history and in its ending. Either end can be shown to follow the three steps of the three angels as they arrive in history. And those three angels are also those three letters. Therefore, the prophetic sequence of events at both ends of Adventism are based upon the three steps of the three angels, which are waymarks that are also represented by those three Hebrew letters that create the word “truth.”

Prvi anđeo objavljuje otvaranje suda, a treći anđeo objavljuje završetak suda. Proročka struktura na kojoj se odvijala povijest adventizma istovjetna je i u svojoj početnoj i u svojoj završnoj povijesti. Može se pokazati da oba kraja slijede tri koraka trojice anđela dok se pojavljuju u povijesti. A ta tri anđela ujedno su i ta tri slova. Stoga se proročki slijed događaja na oba kraja adventizma temelji na tri koraka trojice anđela, koji su putokazi što su također predstavljeni tim trima hebrejskim slovima koja tvore riječ „istina“.

Alpha is the beginning of Adventism, Omega the end of Adventism and the letter in the middle, being the thirteenth letter, thus identifies the rebellion of Adventism from its beginning unto its end.

Alfa je početak adventizma, Omega njegov svršetak, a slovo u sredini, budući da je trinaesto slovo, tako označuje pobunu adventizma od njegova početka pa sve do njegova svršetka.

We are instructed about where God’s way is:

Poučeni smo o tome gdje je Božji put:

> Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Psalms 77:13.

> Tvoj je put, o Bože, u Svetištu: tko je tako velik Bog kao naš Bog? Psalam 77,13.

In the sanctuary we find that God’s way is the same three steps as the three angels’ messages. In the courtyard the fear of God leads one to make an offering and secure justification. In the holy place sanctification is represented by the prayer life represented by the altar of incense, the study life represented by the table of showbread and life of service represented by the candlesticks. The Most Holy Place represents judgment. When we possess the fear of God as represented in the first angel’s message, we seek justification at the foot of the cross, in the courtyard. When we are justified (made righteous) we walk in the newness of the sanctified life (growth in holiness) as represented by the holy place. The holy place represents the work of a Christian as accomplished by the Millerites during the second angel’s message accompanied by the Midnight Cry. Justified and sanctified we are prepared for the judgment represented by the Most Holy Place. Three sanctuary steps, representing among other things three theological terms—justification, sanctification and glorification and also representing the three angels’ messages, and of course also representing the first angel’s message and of course also representing the three letters that are employed to create the word “truth.”

U Svetištu nalazimo da je Božji put isti onaj put od tri koraka kao i poruke trojice anđela. U predvorju strah Božji navodi čovjeka da prinese žrtvu i zadobije opravdanje. U Svetinji je posvećenje prikazano životom molitve, predočenim kadionim žrtvenikom, životom proučavanja, predočenim stolom za prinosne kruhove, i životom službe, predočenim svijećnjacima. Svetinja nad svetinjama predstavlja sud. Kada posjedujemo strah Božji, kako je prikazan u poruci prvoga anđela, tražimo opravdanje podno križa, u predvorju. Kada smo opravdani (učinjeni pravednima), hodimo u novosti posvećenoga života (rasta u svetosti), kako je to prikazano Svetinjom. Svetinja predstavlja djelo kršćanina, kako su ga ostvarili mileriti tijekom poruke drugoga anđela, praćene Ponoćnim pokličem. Opravdani i posvećeni, pripravljeni smo za sud koji je prikazan Svetinjom nad svetinjama. Tri koraka Svetišta, koji između ostaloga predstavljaju tri teološka pojma — opravdanje, posvećenje i proslavljenje — a također predstavljaju i poruke trojice anđela, i naravno također predstavljaju poruku prvoga anđela, i naravno također predstavljaju tri slova koja se upotrebljavaju za tvorbu riječi „istina“.

In the courtyard of the sanctuary, we find all three steps as well. The first step into the sanctuary must illustrate the last step of the sanctuary, just as the first angel parallels the third angel. The first step in the courtyard is the slaying of the offering, representing justification. The second step is the laver where the fat (sin) is removed and the offering cleansed before the final steps. The water of the laver is a characteristic of the second step. The third step is the actual burnt offering, which typified Christ on the cross where judgment was accomplished. The same three steps are in the first step of the sanctuary, just as the same three steps are in the first angel’s message. The principle of alpha and omega is within the sanctuary, as it is in the three angels’ messages, as it is in the letters forming the word “truth.”

U predvorju Svetišta također nalazimo sva tri koraka. Prvi korak u Svetište mora predočavati posljednji korak Svetišta, kao što prvi anđeo odgovara trećemu anđelu. Prvi korak u predvorju jest klanje prinosa, koje predstavlja opravdanje. Drugi je korak umivaonik, gdje se uklanja salo (grijeh) i prinos čisti prije završnih koraka. Voda umivaonika obilježje je drugoga koraka. Treći je korak stvarna paljenica, koja je bila praslika Krista na križu, gdje je sud bio izvršen. Ista se tri koraka nalaze u prvome koraku Svetišta, kao što se ista tri koraka nalaze i u poruci prvoga anđela. Načelo alfe i omege nalazi se unutar Svetišta, kao što je i u porukama triju anđela, kao što je i u slovima koja tvore riječ „istina“.

The 2300-year prophecy possesses the identical structure. The prophecy began with three decrees and ended at the arrival of the third angel’s message on October 22, 1844. The prophecy sets forth five prophetic lines and the history at the beginning of the 2300-year prophecy represents the ending history of each of those five prophecies. The beginning and ending of the complete 2300-year prophecy has three decrees, and it ends with three messages.

Proročanstvo o 2300 godina ima istovjetnu strukturu. Proročanstvo je započelo s tri dekreta i završilo dolaskom poruke trećega anđela 22. listopada 1844. Proročanstvo iznosi pet proročkih linija, a povijest na početku proročanstva o 2300 godina predstavlja završnu povijest svakoga od tih pet proročanstava. Početak i završetak cjelovitoga proročanstva o 2300 godina imaju tri dekreta, a ono završava s tri poruke.

The beginning of the prophecy in 457 BC took place in troublous times and provided for the Jews to return and rebuild the temple and city. In agreement with the prediction, 49 years later after the work that was started in 457 BC, it was finished in troublous times. The beginning of the 49 years illustrates the end of the 49 years.

Početak proročanstva 457. pr. Kr. zbio se u teškim vremenima te je omogućio Židovima da se vrate i ponovno sagrade hram i grad. U skladu s predviđanjem, 49 godina poslije, nakon djela koje je započelo 457. pr. Kr., ono je bilo dovršeno u teškim vremenima. Početak tih 49 godina oslikava kraj tih 49 godina.

457 BC marks the beginning of the prophecy that identifies the anointing of Christ at His baptism. His anointing marked the beginning of His work in gathering together a people to be citizens of New, not Old Jerusalem, just as ancient Israel was gathered to re-build literal Jerusalem in 457 BC.

Godina 457. pr. Kr. označava početak proročanstva koje ukazuje na pomazanje Krista pri Njegovu krštenju. Njegovo je pomazanje označilo početak Njegova djela sabiranja naroda da bude građanstvo Novoga, a ne Staroga Jeruzalema, kao što je drevni Izrael bio sabran da ponovno izgradi doslovni Jeruzalem 457. pr. Kr.

457 BC also marks the beginning of the prophecy identifying when Christ would be crucified. Sister White lines the history of the cross up with the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, and she also aligns the history of the Red Sea crossing up with the Great Disappointment. In 457 BC there was a disappointment which typified the disappointment of the Hebrews at the Red Sea, the Great disappointment for Adventists, the disappointment of disciples at the cross and of Ezra in 457 BC.

457. pr. Kr. također označava početak proročanstva koje određuje kada će Krist biti razapet. Sestra White povijest križa dovodi u istu liniju s Velikim razočaranjem od 22. listopada 1844., a također povijest prijelaza preko Crvenoga mora usklađuje s Velikim razočaranjem. Godine 457. pr. Kr. bilo je razočaranje koje je predoznačavalo razočaranje Hebreja kod Crvenoga mora, Veliko razočaranje adventista, razočaranje učenika na križu i Ezrino razočaranje 457. pr. Kr.

> “Ezra had expected that a large number would return to Jerusalem, but the number who responded to the call was disappointingly small. Many who had acquired houses and lands had no desire to sacrifice these possessions. They loved ease and comfort and were well satisfied to remain. Their example proved a hindrance to others who otherwise might have chosen to cast in their lot with those who were advancing by faith.” Prophets and Kings, 612.

> „Ezra je očekivao da će se velik broj vratiti u Jeruzalem, ali broj onih koji su se odazvali pozivu bio je razočaravajuće malen. Mnogi koji su stekli kuće i zemljišta nisu imali želje žrtvovati te posjede. Ljubili su lagodnost i udobnost te su bili sasvim zadovoljni ostati. Njihov je primjer predstavljao zapreku drugima koji bi inače možda izabrali pridružiti svoju sudbinu onima koji su napredovali vjerom.“ Proroci i kraljevi, 612.

457 BC also marks the beginning of the prophecy identifying when ancient Israel would be divorced of God and the gospel would be taken to the Gentiles, marking the end of a special probationary time of 490 years especially for ancient Israel. 457 BC therefore marks the beginning of their probationary time and 34 AD marks the end of their probationary time, typifying that Adventism’s probationary time began in 1844 and ends at the Sunday law.

457. pr. Kr. također označava početak proročanstva koje utvrđuje kada će drevni Izrael biti razveden od Boga i kada će evanđelje biti odneseno poganima, čime se označava kraj posebnog vremena kušnje od 490 godina osobito određenog za drevni Izrael. Stoga 457. pr. Kr. označava početak njihova vremena kušnje, a 34. po. Kr. označava kraj njihova vremena kušnje, predočujući da je vrijeme kušnje adventizma započelo 1844. i završava nedjeljnim zakonom.

There are a few other internal time prophecies in the 2300-years prophecy, but they all possess the signature of Alpha and Omega. Their beginnings illustrate their endings.

Postoji još nekoliko drugih unutarnjih vremenskih proročanstava unutar proročanstva o 2300 godina, ali sva ona nose pečat Alfe i Omege. Njihovi počeci predočuju njihove završetke.

It is important to note that ancient Israel was made the depositaries of the law of God and that modern Israel was made not only the depositaries of His law, but also the depositaries of His prophecies. When the Lord entered into covenant with ancient Israel, He made them the depositaries of the Ten Commandments as written on two tables of stone. When He entered into covenant with modern Israel in the Millerite history, He made them the depositaries of His prophetic word as represented upon the two tables of Habakkuk represented by the 1843 and 1850 pioneer charts. The beginning of ancient Israel illustrates the beginning of modern Israel.

Važno je uočiti da je drevni Izrael bio učinjen čuvarom Božjega zakona, a da je moderni Izrael bio učinjen ne samo čuvarom Njegova zakona, nego i čuvarom Njegovih proročanstava. Kada je Gospodin sklopio savez s drevnim Izraelom, učinio ih je čuvarima Deset zapovijedi kako su bile napisane na dvjema kamenim pločama. Kada je sklopio savez s modernim Izraelom u mileritskoj povijesti, učinio ih je čuvarima svoje proročke riječi, kako je predočena na dvjema Habakukovim pločama, predstavljenima pionirskim kartama iz 1843. i 1850. godine. Početak drevnoga Izraela oslikava početak modernoga Izraela.

> “The Lord called out His people Israel, and separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He made them the depositaries of His law; and He designed through them to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Through them the light of heaven was to shine out to the dark places of the earth, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from their idolatry to serve the living and true God.

> „Gospodin je pozvao svoj narod Izrael i odvojio ga od svijeta, kako bi mu mogao povjeriti sveti zalog. Učinio ih je čuvarima svoga Zakona; i naumio je po njima sačuvati među ljudima spoznaju o sebi. Po njima je svjetlost Neba trebala zasjati u tamnim mjestima zemlje, i glas se trebao čuti kako poziva sve narode da se odvrate od svojega idolopoklonstva te služe živomu i istinitomu Bogu.

> “Had the Hebrews been true to their trust, they would have been a power in the world. God would have been their defense, and He would have exalted them above all other nations. His might and truth would have been revealed through them, and they would have stood forth under His wise and holy rule as an example of the superiority of His government over every form of idolatry. But they did not keep their covenant with God. They followed after the idolatrous practises of other nations; and instead of making their Creator’s name a praise in the earth, they brought it into contempt.

> „Da su Hebreji bili vjerni povjerenju koje im je bilo povjereno, bili bi sila u svijetu. Bog bi bio njihova obrana i uzvisio bi ih iznad svih drugih naroda. Njegova bi se moć i istina otkrivale po njima, i oni bi se, pod Njegovom mudrom i svetom vladavinom, istaknuli kao primjer nadmoćnosti Njegove vlasti nad svakim oblikom idolopoklonstva. Ali oni nisu održali svoj savez s Bogom. Povodili su se za idolopokloničkim običajima drugih naroda; i umjesto da ime svojega Stvoritelja učine hvalom na zemlji, izvrgnuli su ga preziru.“

> “Yet the purpose of God must be accomplished. The knowledge of His will must be given to the world. God brought the hand of oppression upon His people, and scattered them as captives among the nations. In affliction many of them repented of their transgressions, and sought the Lord. Thus scattered throughout the countries of the heathen, they spread abroad the knowledge of the true God.

> „Ipak, Božja se namjera mora izvršiti. Svijetu se mora objaviti spoznaja Njegove volje. Bog je dopustio da ruka tlačenja dođe na Njegov narod i raspršio ih kao sužnje među narodima. U nevolji su se mnogi od njih pokajali za svoje prijestupe i tražili Gospodina. Tako raspršeni po zemljama pogana, raširili su spoznaju o pravome Bogu.״

> “In this day, God has called His church, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth,—the messages of the first, second, and third angels,—He has separated a people from the churches and from the world, to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositories of His law, and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time. Like the holy oracles committed to ancient Israel, these are a sacred trust to be communicated to the world.

> „U ovo doba Bog je pozvao svoju crkvu, kao što je pozvao drevni Izrael, da stoji kao svjetlo na zemlji. Moćnim sječivom istine — porukama prvoga, drugoga i trećega anđela — odvojio je narod od crkava i od svijeta, da ih dovede u svetu blizinu sa samim sobom. Učinio ih je čuvarima svojega zakona i povjerio im velike istine proroštva za ovo vrijeme. Kao i sveta proročanstva povjerena drevnom Izraelu, i ovo je sveta povjerenost koju treba priopćiti svijetu.“

> “Prophecy declares that the first angel would make his announcement to ‘every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.’ The warning of the third angel, which forms a part of the same threefold message, and is the message for this time, will be no less widespread. The banner on which is inscribed, ‘The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,’ is to be raised aloft. The power of the first and second messages is to be intensified in the third. It is represented in the prophecy as being proclaimed with a loud voice by an angel flying in the midst of heaven, and it will command the attention of the world.

> „Proročanstvo objavljuje da će prvi anđeo objaviti svoju vijest ‘svakom narodu i plemenu i jeziku i puku’. Upozorenje trećega anđela, koje čini dio iste trostruke poruke i koje je poruka za ovo vrijeme, neće biti ništa manje rasprostranjeno. Zastava na kojoj je ispisano: ‘Zapovijedi Božje i vjera Isusova’ treba se visoko podići. Sila prve i druge poruke treba biti pojačana u trećoj. U proročanstvu je prikazana kao objavljena jakim glasom od anđela koji leti posred neba, i privući će pozornost svijeta.“

> “The most fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals is contained in the third angel’s message. That must be a terrible sin which calls down the wrath of God unmingled with mercy. But men are not left in darkness concerning this important matter; the warning against the worship of the beast and his image is to be given to the world before the visitation of God’s judgments, that all may know why the judgments are inflicted, and may have opportunity to escape.” Signs of the Times, January 25, 1910.

> „Najstrašnija prijetnja ikada upućena smrtnicima sadržana je u poruci trećega anđela. To zacijelo mora biti strašan grijeh koji navlači Božji gnjev nepomiješan milošću. Ali ljudi nisu ostavljeni u tami glede ove važne stvari; upozorenje protiv štovanja Zvijeri i njezina lika treba biti dano svijetu prije izlijevanja Božjih sudova, kako bi svi mogli znati zašto se sudovi izvršavaju i imali priliku izbjeći ih.“ Signs of the Times, 25. siječnja 1910.

The production of the two tables in fulfillment of Habakkuk chapter two was a fulfillment of several prophecies.

Izrada dviju ploča, kao ispunjenje drugoga poglavlja Habakuka, bila je ispunjenje nekoliko proročanstava.

> I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

> Stat ću na svoju stražu i postaviti se na kulu, i motrit ću da vidim što će mi reći i što ću odgovoriti kad budem ukoren. A Gospodin mi odgovori i reče: Zapiši viđenje i učini ga jasnim na pločama, da može trčati onaj koji ga čita. Jer viđenje je još za određeno vrijeme, ali na svršetku će progovoriti i neće slagati; premda oklijeva, čekaj ga, jer će zacijelo doći, neće zakasniti.

> Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1–4.

> Evo, duša njegova koja se uzoholi nije prava u njemu; ali pravednik će živjeti od svoje vjere. Habakuk 2,1–4.

The production of both the 1843 pioneer chart and the 1850 pioneer chart was a fulfillment of prophecy. The study of Habakkuk’s Tables provides ample evidence of this. But the passage in Habakkuk makes an important contribution to this point in our discussion.

Izrada i pionirskog grafikona iz 1843. i pionirskog grafikona iz 1850. bila je ispunjenje proročanstva. Proučavanje Habakukovih tablica pruža obilje dokaza za to. No odlomak u Habakuku daje važan doprinos toj točki u našem razmatranju.

> “I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed.” Early Writings, 74, 75.

> „Vidjela sam da je karta iz 1843. bila upravljana rukom Gospodnjom i da se nije smjela mijenjati; da su brojke bile onakve kakvima ih je On htio; da je Njegova ruka bila nad njima i prikrila pogrešku u nekima od brojki, tako da je nitko nije mogao vidjeti, sve dok Njegova ruka nije bila uklonjena.” Early Writings, 74, 75.

After 1843 the Lord directed to make another chart, but that the first (1843) chart should not be altered, except by inspiration.

Nakon 1843. godine Gospodin je usmjerio da se izradi druga karta, ali da se prva karta (1843.) ne smije mijenjati, osim nadahnućem.

> “I saw that the truth should be made plain upon tables, that the earth and the fullness thereof is the Lord’s, and that necessary means should not be spared to make it plain. I saw that the old chart was directed by the Lord, and that not a figure of it should be altered except by inspiration. I saw that the figures of the chart were as God would have them, and that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none should see it till His hand was removed.” Spalding and Magan, 2.

> „Vidjela sam da istinu treba jasno iznijeti na pločama, da su zemlja i punina njezina Gospodnja, te da se ne smiju štedjeti potrebna sredstva kako bi se ona učinila jasnom. Vidjela sam da je stari dijagram bio upravljen od Gospoda i da se na njemu ne smije izmijeniti ni jedan prikaz, osim nadahnućem. Vidjela sam da su prikazi na dijagramu bili onakvi kakvima ih je Bog htio, te da je Njegova ruka bila nad jednom pogreškom u nekim od prikaza i prikrivala je, tako da je nitko ne bi vidio dok se Njegova ruka ne ukloni.” Spalding and Magan, 2.

While living with Brother Nichols (who produced the 1850 chart), during the time he made the chart, Sister White said she saw the 1850 chart in the Bible.

Dok je živjela s bratom Nicholsom (koji je izradio kartu iz 1850.), u vrijeme kada je on izrađivao kartu, sestra White rekla je da je vidjela kartu iz 1850. u Bibliji.

> “I saw that God was in the publishment of the chart by Brother Nichols. I saw that there was a prophecy of this chart in the Bible, and if this chart is designed for God’s people, if it [is] sufficient for one it is for another, and if one needed a new chart painted on a larger scale, all need it just as much.” Manuscript Releases, volume 13, 359.

> „Vidjela sam da je Bog bio u izdavanju karte po bratu Nicholsu. Vidjela sam da u Bibliji postoji proročanstvo o ovoj karti, i ako je ova karta namijenjena Božjem narodu, ako je dovoljna za jednoga, dovoljna je i za drugoga, a ako je jednome bila potrebna nova karta naslikana u većem mjerilu, svima je potrebna isto toliko.“ Manuscript Releases, sv. 13, 359.

Habakkuk had commanded “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables.” The two tables of Habakkuk were the symbol of the covenant God made with Adventism when He made them depositories of His prophecies, just as He did when he entered into covenant with ancient Israel and gave the two tables of the law and the responsibility to be the depositories of the law. But Habakkuk identifies two classes of worshippers in relation to the tables that were to make the vision plain. One class whose “soul which is lifted up” and “is not upright,” and another class that are identified as “the just” who “shall live by his faith.”

Habakuku je bilo zapovjeđeno: „Zapiši viđenje i učini ga razgovijetnim na pločama.” Dvije Habakukove ploče bile su simbol saveza koji je Bog sklopio s adventizmom kada ih je učinio povjerenicima svojih proročanstava, upravo kao što je učinio kada je stupio u savez s drevnim Izraelom i dao dvije ploče zakona te odgovornost da budu čuvari zakona. No Habakuk u vezi s pločama koje su trebale viđenje učiniti razgovijetnim prepoznaje dvije skupine štovatelja. Jednu skupinu, čija je „duša uznosita” i „nije prava”, te drugu skupinu, koja je označena kao „pravednik” koji će „od svoje vjere živjeti.”

The context of Habakkuk identifies that those who are justified are living by a faith that is based upon the prophetic Word, as represented by the two tables, and therefore those who are not justified have rejected the beginnings of Adventism. The point I wish to make is based upon a passage we considered some time back. It reads:

Kontekst Habakuka pokazuje da oni koji su opravdani žive po vjeri koja se temelji na proročkoj Riječi, kako je prikazano dvjema pločama, te stoga oni koji nisu opravdani odbacuju početke adventizma. Poanta koju želim iznijeti temelji se na jednom odlomku koji smo razmatrali prije nekog vremena. On glasi:

> “But such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the 2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future. These, I have frequently seen, were the principal subjects on which the messengers should dwell.” Early Writings, 63.

> „Ali teme kao što su Svetište, u vezi s 2300 dana, Božje zapovijedi i vjera Isusova, savršeno su prikladne da objasne prošli adventni pokret i pokažu kakav je naš sadašnji položaj, da utvrde vjeru onih koji sumnjaju i daju sigurnost slavnoj budućnosti. Često sam viđala da su to bile glavne teme na kojima bi glasnici trebali prebivati.” Rani spisi, 63.

We have just reviewed all four of these truths; the sanctuary, the 2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We placed all four of these truths into the framework of truth that has been “perfectly calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present position is.” That framework is “the rule of first mention,” it is the signature of Alpha and Omega, and it is the framework of truth, for the word “truth” contains the very same signature as all four of the truths that are identified as “present truth” which was designed to explain the beginning of Adventism.

Upravo smo razmotrili sve četiri ove istine: Svetište, 2300 dana, zapovijedi Božje i vjeru Isusovu. Sve četiri te istine smjestili smo u okvir istine koji je bio „savršeno proračunat da objasni prošli adventni pokret i pokaže kakav je naš sadašnji položaj“. Taj okvir jest „pravilo prvoga spominjanja“, on je obilježje Alfe i Omege, i on je okvir istine, jer riječ „istina“ sadržava posve isto obilježje kao i sve četiri istine koje su označene kao „sadašnja istina“, a koja je bila osmišljena da objasni početak adventizma.

If nothing else, this means that the word translated as “truth” which we are considering is the framework of the everlasting gospel, and it is the framework for the final warning message, and it is the framework of the third angel’s message, and it is a large part of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Ako ništa drugo, to znači da je riječ prevedena kao „istina”, koju razmatramo, okvir vječnoga evanđelja, i okvir posljednje poruke upozorenja, i okvir poruke trećega anđela, te velik dio Otkrivenja Isusa Krista.

The final warning message represented as the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the first three verses of Revelation chapter one is testified to a second time at the end of Revelation. The end of Revelation testifies of the first verses of the Old Testament and also the last verses of the Old Testament. With those four references it can be deduced by employing the divine rule of placing prophetic line upon prophetic line that the final warning message has to do with the Creator’s relationship to His created beings. It has to do with His creative power. It has to do with how His creative power is communicated to His church. It has to do with the attribute of Divinity that identifies the end with the beginning. It is a message that arrives just before the close of probation and more. When considered together it is about God’s creative power! And the first mention of His creative power is in the beginning of Genesis one from the first verse through to the second chapter verse three.

Posljednja poruka upozorenja, prikazana kao Otkrivenje Isusa Krista u prva tri retka prvoga poglavlja Otkrivenja, posvjedočena je po drugi put na kraju Otkrivenja. Kraj Otkrivenja svjedoči o prvim redcima Staroga zavjeta, a također i o posljednjim redcima Staroga zavjeta. Na temelju tih četiriju upućivanja može se, primjenom božanskoga pravila postavljanja proročke linije na proročku liniju, zaključiti da posljednja poruka upozorenja ima veze sa Stvoriteljevim odnosom prema Njegovim stvorenim bićima. Ona se tiče Njegove stvaralačke sile. Ona se tiče načina na koji se Njegova stvaralačka sila priopćuje Njegovoj crkvi. Ona se tiče svojstva Božanstva koje poistovjećuje svršetak s početkom. To je poruka koja dolazi neposredno prije završetka vremena milosti, i još više od toga. Promotrena zajedno, ona govori o Božjoj stvaralačkoj sili! A prvi spomen Njegove stvaralačke sile nalazi se na početku Postanka 1, od prvoga retka pa sve do trećega retka drugoga poglavlja.

> In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

> U početku stvori Bog nebo i zemlju. A zemlja bijaše bez obličja i prazna; i tama bijaše nad licem bezdana. I Duh Božji lebdio je nad licem voda.

> And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

> I reče Bog: Neka bude svjetlost! I bi svjetlost. I vidje Bog svjetlost da je dobra; i rastavi Bog svjetlost od tame. I nazva Bog svjetlost Dan, a tamu nazva Noć. I bi večer, i bi jutro — dan prvi.

> And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

> I reče Bog: Neka bude svod posred voda, i neka dijeli vode od voda. I načini Bog svod, i rastavi vode koje bijahu pod svodom od voda koje bijahu nad svodom; i bi tako. I prozva Bog svod Nebom. I bi večer, i bi jutro — dan drugi.

> And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

> I reče Bog: Neka se vode pod nebom skupe na jedno mjesto, i neka se pokaže kopno. I bi tako. I Bog prozva kopno Zemlja, a skupljene vode prozva Mora. I vidje Bog da je dobro. I reče Bog: Neka zemlja pusti iz sebe travu, bilje što nosi sjeme, i drveće rodno koje na zemlji donosi plod prema svojoj vrsti, u kojemu je njegovo sjeme. I bi tako. I zemlja pusti iz sebe travu, bilje što nosi sjeme prema svojoj vrsti, i drveće koje donosi plod, u kojemu je njegovo sjeme, prema svojoj vrsti. I vidje Bog da je dobro. I bi večer i bi jutro — dan treći.

> And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

> I reče Bog: Neka budu svjetlila na svodu nebeskom da dijele dan od noći; i neka budu za znakove, i za vremena, i za dane, i za godine; i neka budu kao svjetlila na svodu nebeskom da rasvjetljuju zemlju. I bi tako. I načini Bog dva velika svjetlila: veće svjetlilo da upravlja danom, a manje svjetlilo da upravlja noću; načini i zvijezde. I postavi ih Bog na svod nebeski da rasvjetljuju zemlju, i da upravljaju danom i noću, i da dijele svjetlo od tame. I vidje Bog da je dobro. I bi večer, i bi jutro — dan četvrti.

> And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

> I reče Bog: Neka vode obilno vrve živim bićima što se miču, i ptice neka lete nad zemljom po otvorenom svodu nebeskom. I stvori Bog velike kitove i svako živo biće što se miče, što ih vode obilno iznjedriše, prema njihovim vrstama, i svaku krilatu pticu prema njezinoj vrsti; i vidje Bog da je dobro. I blagoslovi ih Bog govoreći: Plodite se i množite te napunite vode u morima, i ptice neka se množe na zemlji. I bi večer, i bi jutro — dan peti.

> And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 1:1–2:3.

> I reče Bog: Neka zemlja proizvede živa bića prema njihovim vrstama: stoku, gmizavce i zemaljske zvijeri prema njihovim vrstama. I bi tako. I načini Bog zemaljske zvijeri prema njihovim vrstama, i stoku prema njezinim vrstama, i sve što gmiže po zemlji prema njegovoj vrsti. I vidje Bog da je dobro. I reče Bog: Načinimo čovjeka na svoju sliku, sebi slična; i neka vladaju nad morskim ribama i nad pticama nebeskim, i nad stokom, i nad svom zemljom, i nad svakim gmizavcem što gmiže po zemlji. Tako stvori Bog čovjeka na svoju sliku, na sliku Božju stvori ga; muško i žensko stvori ih. I blagoslovi ih Bog, i reče im Bog: Plodite se i množite, i napunite zemlju, i podložite je sebi; i vladajte nad morskim ribama i nad pticama nebeskim i nad svim živim što se miče po zemlji. I reče Bog: Evo, dajem vam sve bilje što nosi sjeme po svoj zemlji i svako drvo na kojemu je plod što nosi sjeme: neka vam bude za hranu. A svim zemaljskim zvijerima i svim pticama nebeskim i svemu što gmiže po zemlji, u čemu je dah života, dadoh za hranu sve zeleno bilje. I bi tako. I vidje Bog sve što je načinio, i gle, bijaše veoma dobro. I bi večer, i bi jutro — dan šesti. Tako budu dovršeni nebo i zemlja i sva vojska njihova. I sedmoga dana dovrši Bog svoje djelo koje je načinio; i počinu sedmoga dana od svega djela svojega koje je načinio. I blagoslovi Bog sedmi dan i posveti ga, jer u njemu počinu od svega djela svojega koje Bog stvori i načini. Postanak 1:24–2:3.

The previous verses represent the entire testimony of creation, emphasizing that God’s word possesses creative power.

Prethodni stihovi predstavljaju cjelokupno svjedočanstvo stvaranja, naglašavajući da Božja riječ posjeduje stvaralačku snagu.

> Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. Psalms 33:8, 9.

> Neka se sva zemlja boji Gospodina; neka svi stanovnici svijeta strahuju pred njim. Jer on reče, i tako bi; on zapovjedi, i sve postade postojano. Psalmi 33,8.9.

The same creative power that made the world is employed by Christ to transform men.

Ista stvaralačka sila koja je stvorila svijet, Krist koristi da preobrazi ljude.

> “The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.

> „Stvaralačka energija koja je pozvala svjetove u postojanje nalazi se u Božjoj riječi. Ta riječ daje silu; ona rađa život. Svaka zapovijed jest obećanje; prihvaćena voljom, primljena u dušu, ona sa sobom donosi život Beskonačnoga. Ona preobražava narav i ponovno stvara dušu na sliku Božju.

> “The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. ‘By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4) shall man live.” Education, 126.

> „Tako udijeljeni život na isti se način održava. ‘Od svake riječi koja izlazi iz usta Božjih’ (Matej 4,4) čovjek će živjeti.“ Odgoj, 126.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ emphasizes how the Word of God is conveyed to men. It comes from the Father, to the Son, to an angel, to a prophet who writes it down and sends it to the churches. The communication process set forth at the beginning and ending of the book of Revelation is also illustrated with Jacob’s ladder with angels ascending and descending the ladder. It is illustrated with Zechariah’s two golden pipes that bring the oil into the sanctuary. The communication process between God and man is a subject of Bible prophecy and the message that is sent forth contains the creative power that made the universe. In the communication process in chapter one of Revelation, it is to be understood that the message handed down to the churches contains the power to transform a Laodicean unto a Philadelphian.

Otkrivenje Isusa Krista naglašava kako se Riječ Božja prenosi ljudima. Ona dolazi od Oca k Sinu, od Sina anđelu, od anđela proroku koji je zapisuje i šalje crkvama. Proces priopćavanja izložen na početku i na kraju knjige Otkrivenja također je predočen Jakovljevom ljestvama, s anđelima koji uzlaze i silaze po ljestvama. Predočen je i Zaharijinim dvjema zlatnim cijevima koje dovode ulje u Svetište. Proces priopćavanja između Boga i čovjeka predmet je biblijskog proroštva, a poruka koja se odašilje sadrži stvaralačku silu koja je načinila svemir. U procesu priopćavanja u prvom poglavlju Otkrivenja valja razumjeti da poruka predana crkvama sadrži silu da preobrazi laodikejca u filadelfijca.

Whether we consider the beginning or ending of the Old or the New Testament it is the same message. God is conveying the final warning message and it contains the creative power of God if it is heard and kept by those that hear. The message that accomplishes this is set within the divine framework of the Alpha and Omega. The beginning, middle and ending. The three Hebrew letters that go together to create the word “truth” are the everlasting gospel, and the letters and their meanings, and the word they produce when combined with one another symbolize the principle and also the One who is Alpha and Omega. It emphasizes His creative power. The last three words of the creation story, each begin with the three letters, in the order that make up the word “truth.”

Bilo da razmatramo početak ili svršetak Staroga ili Novoga zavjeta, poruka je ista. Bog prenosi posljednju poruku upozorenja, i ona sadrži Božju stvaralačku silu ako je čuju i drže oni koji je čuju. Poruka koja to ostvaruje postavljena je unutar božanskog okvira Alfe i Omege. Početak, sredina i svršetak. Tri hebrejska slova koja zajedno tvore riječ „istina” jesu vječno evanđelje, a slova i njihova značenja, kao i riječ koju proizvode kada se međusobno spoje, simboliziraju načelo, a također i Onoga koji je Alfa i Omega. To naglašava Njegovu stvaralačku silu. Posljednje tri riječi izvještaja o stvaranju svaka započinju s ta tri slova, redoslijedom koji tvori riječ „istina”.

The three words that are the ending of the creation story begin with the three letters which together create the word “truth.” The last three words of the verse begin with the letters א (Aleph), מ (Mem), and ת (Tav) in order. Those three words are translated as “God,” “created” and “made.” These three words each start with the letters א (Aleph), מ (Mem), and ת (Tav) in that order, further emphasize the completeness and orderliness of the creation narrative. This pattern has been noted by Jewish commentators as an interesting linguistic feature of the Hebrew text.

Tri riječi koje čine završetak pripovijesti o stvaranju započinju trima slovima koja zajedno tvore riječ „istina“. Posljednje tri riječi retka započinju slovima א (Aleph), מ (Mem) i ת (Tav) tim redom. Te se tri riječi prevode kao „Bog“, „stvori“ i „načini“. Te tri riječi, od kojih svaka započinje slovima א (Aleph), מ (Mem) i ת (Tav) tim redom, dodatno naglašavaju cjelovitost i uređenost pripovijesti o stvaranju. Taj su obrazac židovski komentatori zabilježili kao zanimljivo jezično obilježje hebrejskoga teksta.

The creation story begins with the words “in the beginning” and it ends with three words that represent the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, the first and the last. The creative power illustrated in the Genesis testimony begins and ends with the signature of the wonderful linguist.

Izvještaj o stvaranju započinje riječima „u početku“, a završava trima riječima koje predstavljaju Alfu i Omegu, početak i svršetak, prvoga i posljednjega. Stvaralačka sila prikazana u svjedočanstvu Postanka započinje i završava potpisom čudesnoga jezikoslovca.

The first of a thing illustrating the last of a thing is what the prophet John emphasized when by writing what then was, he was then simultaneously writing what would be.

Prvo nečega koje ilustrira posljednje od toga nečega ono je što je prorok Ivan naglasio kada je, pišući ono što je tada bilo, istodobno pisao ono što će biti.

The final warning message of Elijah represented at the end of the Old Testament identifies the same prophetic principle, within the context of the Sunday law crisis and the approaching seven last plagues.

Završna poruka upozorenja o Iliji, prikazana na kraju Staroga zavjeta, prepoznaje isto proročko načelo, u kontekstu krize zakona o nedjelji i približavanja sedam posljednjih zala.

The “rule of first mention” and all that it represents is the “framework” that “present truth” is to be placed within. That framework is “the rule of first mention” that is also one of the attributes of God.

„Pravilo prvoga spominjanja” i sve što ono predstavlja jest „okvir” unutar kojega se treba smjestiti „sadašnja istina”. Taj je okvir „pravilo prvoga spominjanja”, koje je ujedno i jedno od Božjih svojstava.

In the book of Daniel representing the beginning of Adventism and the book of Revelation representing the end of Adventism, we find amazing parallels when we look at it with the principle of the first illustrating the last. The book of Daniel sets forth an attribute of Jesus when it uses the name Palmoni, meaning the wonderful numberer of secrets. Daniel also introduces Jesus as Michael the archangel. John is employed to do the same as Daniel, and he identifies not the master of math, or the leader of the angels, but the master of language. When we consider Jesus as the master of the alphabet, we should consider Psalms 119, the longest chapter in the Bible.

U knjizi proroka Daniela, koja predstavlja početak adventizma, i u knjizi Otkrivenja, koja predstavlja kraj adventizma, nalazimo zadivljujuće paralele kada ih promatramo prema načelu da prvo oslikava posljednje. Knjiga proroka Daniela iznosi jedno Kristovo svojstvo kada rabi ime Palmoni, koje znači čudesni brojitelj tajni. Daniel također predstavlja Isusa kao arkanđela Mihaela. Ivan je uporabljen da učini isto što i Daniel, te on ne označuje gospodara matematike niti vođu anđela, nego gospodara jezika. Kada promatramo Isusa kao gospodara abecede, trebamo razmotriti Psalam 119, najdulje poglavlje u Bibliji.

Psalms 119 is an alphabetic acrostic, meaning that the first letters of each set of eight verses starts with the same letter. There are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet, so there twenty-two sections of eight verses. Each section begins with the letter of the alphabet in the order of the alphabet, and thereafter each of the eight verses assigned to that letter begin with that letter. There are eight verses for each letter, thus eight verses times the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet equal one hundred and seventy-six lines. The Psalm emphasizes obedience to a God who is a God of order (hence the acrostic structure), not of chaos.

Psalam 119 akrostih je složen prema slovima abecede, što znači da prva slova svakoga niza od osam redaka započinju istim slovom. U hebrejskoj abecedi ima dvadeset i dva slova, pa stoga postoje dvadeset i dva odjeljka od po osam redaka. Svaki odjeljak započinje slovom abecede prema redoslijedu abecede, a zatim svaki od osam redaka pridruženih tomu slovu započinje tim slovom. Za svako slovo postoji osam redaka; stoga osam redaka pomnoženih s dvadeset i dva slova hebrejske abecede daje sto sedamdeset i šest redaka. Psalam naglašava poslušnost Bogu koji je Bog reda (otuda akrostihna struktura), a ne kaosa.

Another prominent theme in Psalms 119 is the profound truth that the Word of God is all-sufficient. There are eight different terms referring to the Word of God throughout the Psalm: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. In almost every verse, the Word of God is mentioned. Psalms 119 affirms not only the character of the Scriptures, but it affirms that God’s Word reflects the very character of God Himself. Notice these attributes of God set forth in Psalms 119:

Još jedna istaknuta tema u Psalmu 119 jest duboka istina da je Božja Riječ posve dostatna. Kroz cijeli Psalam pojavljuje se osam različitih izraza koji se odnose na Božju Riječ: zakon, svjedočanstva, propisi, odredbe, zapovijedi, sudovi, riječ i uredbe. Gotovo u svakom retku spominje se Božja Riječ. Psalam 119 potvrđuje ne samo narav Svetoga pisma, nego također potvrđuje da Božja Riječ odražava sam karakter Boga. Zapazite ove Božje atribute iznesene u Psalmu 119:

- Righteousness (verses 7, 62, 75, 106, 123, 138, 144, 160, 164, 172)

  Pravednost (stihovi 7, 62, 75, 106, 123, 138, 144, 160, 164, 172)

- Trustworthiness (verse 42)

  Vjernost (redak 42)

- Truthfulness (verses 43, 142, 151, 160)

  Istinitost (redci 43, 142, 151, 160)

- Faithfulness (verse 86)

  Vjernost (redak 86)

- Unchangeableness (verse 89)

  Nepromjenjivost (redak 89)

- Eternality (verses 90, 152)

  Vječnost (redci 90, 152)

- Light (verse 105)

  Svjetlo (redak 105)

- Purity (verse 140)

  Čistoća (redak 140)

The Psalm opens with two beatitudes. “Blessed” are those whose ways are blameless, who live according to God’s law, who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart. These are the lessons for us in this great Psalm. The Word of God is sufficient to make us wise, train us in righteousness, and equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15–17).

Psalam se otvara s dva blaženstva. „Blaženi” su oni kojih su putovi neporočni, koji žive prema Božjem zakonu, koji drže Njegove uredbe i traže Ga svim svojim srcem. To su pouke za nas u ovom velikom Psalmu. Riječ Božja dostatna je da nas učini mudrima, odgoji u pravednosti i osposobi za svako dobro djelo (2 Timoteju 3,15–17).

Of course, Psalms 119 is part of a subject that is pretty much unresolved in the religious world. It has to do with which verse is the middle verse of the Bible and which chapter is the middle chapter of the Bible. If you search the internet, you will find the various arguments centered around which Bible you use and so on and so forth. The problem with every position in the argument is that the definition of the middle of the Bible, whether a verse or a chapter should be defined by the author of the Bible, not the human student or critic of the Bible.

Naravno, Psalam 119 dio je teme koja je u religijskom svijetu uglavnom nerazriješena. Ona se odnosi na pitanje koji je redak središnji redak Biblije i koje je poglavlje središnje poglavlje Biblije. Ako pretražite internet, naići ćete na razne rasprave usredotočene na to koju Bibliju upotrebljavate i tako dalje. Problem sa svakim stajalištem u toj raspravi jest u tome što određenje središta Biblije, bilo da je riječ o retku ili o poglavlju, treba odrediti autor Biblije, a ne ljudski proučavatelj ili kritičar Biblije.

The Bible teaches that there is a beginning and end to everything. To everything there is a season.

Biblija uči da svemu postoji početak i kraj. Svemu ima svoje vrijeme.

> To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2.

> Sve ima svoje vrijeme, i svakomu naumu pod nebom vrijeme: vrijeme rađanja i vrijeme umiranja; vrijeme sađenja i vrijeme čupanja posađenoga. Propovjednik 3,1.2.

There is a time to be born and a time to die, yet there is also the life that takes place in the middle of the beginning and ending of our lives. The birth is a brief moment in time, as is death. The life is the middle and has generally much more history connected with it than the time when we are born and time when we die.

Postoji vrijeme rađanja i vrijeme umiranja, a ipak postoji i život koji se odvija između početka i svršetka naših života. Rođenje je kratak trenutak u vremenu, kao i smrt. Život je sredina i općenito je s njime povezano mnogo više povijesti nego s vremenom kada se rađamo i vremenom kada umiremo.

The middle in the “rule of first mention” generally has much more testimony than the first and last. To seek a single verse or chapter in the Bible and define it as the middle is to disregard the biblical evidence even if the beginning and ending are essentially points in time; the middle is generally a period of time. Of course, the beginning, ending and middle will agree with one another, though often the identical waymark at the end is the opposite of the beginning.

Sredina u „pravilu prvoga spomena“ općenito ima mnogo više svjedočanstva nego početak i kraj. Tražiti jedan jedini redak ili poglavlje u Bibliji i odrediti ga kao sredinu znači zanemariti biblijske dokaze, premda su početak i svršetak u biti vremenske točke; sredina je općenito vremensko razdoblje. Naravno, početak, svršetak i sredina bit će u skladu jedno s drugim, premda je često isti putokaz na kraju suprotnost početku.

Jesus identified John the Baptist as Elijah, and they both illustrate the same prophetic sequence of events, but Elijah was persecuted by a wicked woman (Jezebel) who sought to imprison and kill Elijah, but she never did. John who was a symbol of Elijah was sought by an evil woman (Herodias) to imprison and kill him, and she did. Elijah and John are interchangeable symbols but they have some prophetic characteristics that are opposite characteristics, but still parallel each other. Elijah never died, John did. Understanding that prophetic waymarks that align with each other are often opposites allows those who wish to see that the middle of the Bible is Psalms 118.

Isus je poistovjetio Ivana Krstitelja s Ilijom, i obojica prikazuju isti proročki slijed događaja, ali Iliju je progonila opaka žena (Jezebela) koja je nastojala utamničiti i ubiti Iliju, no to nikada nije učinila. Ivana, koji je bio simbol Ilije, tražila je zla žena (Herodijada) da ga utamniči i ubije, i to je učinila. Ilija i Ivan međusobno su zamjenjivi simboli, ali imaju neka proročka obilježja koja su suprotna obilježja, a ipak i dalje stoje u uzajamnoj usporednosti. Ilija nikada nije umro, Ivan jest. Razumijevanje da su proročki putokazi koji se međusobno podudaraju često suprotnosti omogućuje onima koji žele vidjeti da je sredina Biblije Psalam 118.

When we use the principle of rule of first mention as we have been defining it, we find that the beginning of the middle of the Bible is Psalms 117, the shortest chapter in the Bible, consisting of two verses. It is followed by chapter 118, which is the middle of the Bible, and chapter 118 is followed by 119 which is the longest chapter in the Bible and the ending of the middle of the Bible. The wonderful linguist marks the beginning with the shortest chapter, then marks the ending with the longest chapter. They are two opposite chapters. The beginning is the seed, and the ending is where the fully mature plant is developed where all the testimonies located within the middle are tied together. Notice Psalms 117.

Kad primjenjujemo načelo pravila prvoga spominjanja onako kako ga definiramo, nalazimo da je početak sredine Biblije Psalam 117, najkraće poglavlje u Bibliji, koje se sastoji od dva retka. Nakon njega slijedi 118. poglavlje, koje je sredina Biblije, a za 118. poglavljem slijedi 119., koje je najdulje poglavlje u Bibliji i završetak sredine Biblije. Čudesni jezikoslovac označava početak najkraćim poglavljem, a zatim kraj označava najduljim poglavljem. To su dva suprotna poglavlja. Početak je sjeme, a završetak je mjesto gdje se razvija potpuno zrela biljka, gdje su sva svjedočanstva smještena unutar sredine povezana u cjelinu. Obratite pozornost na Psalam 117.

> O Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord. Psalms 117:1, 2.

> Hvalite Gospoda, svi narodi; slavite ga, svi puci. Jer velika je prema nama milost njegova, i istina Gospodnja ostaje dovijeka. Hvalite Gospoda. Psalmi 117:1, 2.

The word we are considering that is made up of three letters is translated as “truth” in verse two, and represents the beginning of the middle of the Bible, (the middle of the Bible being Psalms 117–119). The end of the middle is Psalms 119. Psalms 118 is the middle of the middle. Psalms 118 is sandwiched between the shortest and longest chapters in the Bible, and the shortest which is the beginning sets forth the word “truth” which is created by three letters that represent the three-steps of the everlasting gospel, and are the framework of understanding the truth. The framework being the principle representing Christ’s character as the Alpha and Omega.

Riječ koju razmatramo, a koja se sastoji od triju slova, u drugom je retku prevedena kao „istina“ te predstavlja početak sredine Biblije (sredina Biblije jesu Psalmi 117–119). Kraj sredine jest Psalam 119. Psalam 118 sredina je sredine. Psalam 118 umetnut je između najkraćega i najdužega poglavlja u Bibliji, a najkraće, koje je početak, iznosi riječ „istina“, koja je sastavljena od triju slova što predstavljaju tri koraka vječnoga evanđelja i čine okvir za razumijevanje istine. Taj okvir jest načelo koje predstavlja Kristov karakter kao Alfu i Omegu.

The ending of the middle, being chapter 119 is an alphabetic acrostic placed in the middle of the Bible emphasizing the wonderful linguist. Four times in chapter 119 the same word is translated as truth.

Završetak središnjeg dijela, budući da je 119. poglavlje alfabetski akrostih smješten u sredinu Biblije, naglašava čudesnoga jezikoslovca. Četiri puta u 119. poglavlju ista je riječ prevedena kao istina.

> And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. Verse 43.

> I ne uzmi riječ istine sasvim iz mojih usta, jer sam se uzdao u tvoje sudove. Redak 43.

> Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Verse 142.

> Tvoja je pravednost vječna pravednost, i tvoj je zakon istina. Redak 142.

> Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth. Verse 151.

> Blizu si, Gospode, i sve su tvoje zapovijedi istina. Redak 151.

> Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever. Verse 160.

> Riječ je tvoja istinita od početka, i svaki od pravednih sudova tvojih traje dovijeka. Redak 160.

Truth in these verses is a rule of Bible prophecy identifying the end from the beginning, and the truth in the verses is that the Alpha and Omega has placed His signature upon the middle of the Bible, as He has done for the beginning and the end. The signature of the first and last is the “framework” for presenting the final warning message of the third angel. The last of the middle includes four verses which use the word translated as “truth,” though the fourth reference is translated simply as “true.” The last final of those four verses identifies that “from the beginning,” the word is “true.”

Istina u ovim redcima jest pravilo biblijskog proroštva koje prepoznaje svršetak od početka, a istina u tim redcima jest da je Alfa i Omega stavio svoj potpis na sredinu Biblije, kao što je učinio za početak i za svršetak. Potpis Prvoga i Posljednjega jest „okvir” za izlaganje završne opomene poruke trećega anđela. Posljednji dio sredine obuhvaća četiri retka u kojima se rabi riječ prevedena kao „istina”, premda je četvrta uputnica prevedena jednostavno kao „istinit”. Posljednji završetak tih četiriju redaka utvrđuje da je „od početka” riječ „istina”.

In the beginning in the creation story of Genesis one and two, The word “truth” though not directly written is represented in the final three words of the creation story, for each word begins with the letters, in order, that create the word “truth.” In the beginning was the word, and by Him were all things created, and the testimony of the creation in Genesis begins with the words, “In the beginning” and ends with three words representing the truths associated with an attribute of Christ that in Isaiah is defined as the proof that He is the one and only God.

Na početku, u izvještaju o stvaranju u Postanku jedan i dva, riječ „istina“, premda nije izravno zapisana, predstavljena je u posljednje tri riječi izvještaja o stvaranju, jer svaka riječ započinje slovima koja, redom, tvore riječ „istina“. U početku bijaše Riječ, i po Njemu je sve stvoreno, a svjedočanstvo stvaranja u Postanku započinje riječima: „U početku“ i završava trima riječima koje predstavljaju istine povezane s jednim Kristovim svojstvom koje je u Izaiji određeno kao dokaz da je On jedan i jedini Bog.

The middle of the Bible (Psalms 117–119) begins in chapter 117 by referencing the truth that the beginning represents the end through its use of the word “truth.” The word is created by three letters which represent the everlasting gospel and the three angels’ messages, and identify the ending of the creation story. The end of the middle of the Bible is a presentation of the alphabet that the wonderful linguist produced to establish the understanding that what is now being revealed concerning His character is in agreement with the definition of the word revelation, for the Revelation of Jesus Christ is a message that is designed to present an aspect of Christ character that here-to-fore has not been fully recognized, if at all. The revelation is consistent with the lines of covenant history, for covenant history includes evidence of God’s effort to reveal Himself through names as His-story unfolded.

Sredina Biblije (Psalmi 117–119) započinje u 117. poglavlju upućivanjem na istinu da početak predstavlja svršetak, uporabom riječi „istina“. Ta je riječ sastavljena od triju slova koja predstavljaju vječno evanđelje i poruke trojice anđela te označuju završetak izvještaja o stvaranju. Kraj sredine Biblije jest prikaz abecede koju je proizveo čudesni lingvist kako bi uspostavio razumijevanje da je ono što se sada otkriva o Njegovu karakteru u skladu s definicijom riječi otkrivenje, jer Otkrivenje Isusa Krista jest poruka osmišljena da predstavi vid Kristova karaktera koji dosad nije bio u potpunosti prepoznat, ako je uopće bio prepoznat. To je otkrivenje u skladu s crtama povijesti saveza, jer povijest saveza uključuje dokaze o Božjem nastojanju da se objavi putem imena kako se Njegova-priča odmotavala.

> “The great principles of the law, of the very nature of God, are embodied in the words of Christ on the mount. Whoever builds upon them is building upon Christ, the Rock of Ages. In receiving the word, we receive Christ. And only those who thus receive His words are building upon Him. ‘Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 3:11. ‘There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ Acts 4:12. Christ, the Word, the revelation of God,—the manifestation of His character, His law, His love, His life,—is the only foundation upon which we can build a character that will endure.” Mount of Blessings, 148.

> „Velika načela zakona, same naravi Boga, utjelovljena su u Kristovim riječima na gori. Tko god gradi na njima, gradi na Kristu, Stijeni vjekova. Primajući Riječ, primamo Krista. I samo oni koji tako primaju Njegove riječi grade na Njemu. ‘Jer drugoga temelja nitko ne može postaviti osim onoga koji je postavljen, a taj je Isus Krist.’ 1 Corinthians 3:11. ‘I nema ni u kome drugome spasenja; jer nema drugoga imena pod nebom dana ljudima po kojemu se moramo spasiti.’ Acts 4:12. Krist, Riječ, objava Boga,—očitovanje Njegova karaktera, Njegova zakona, Njegove ljubavi, Njegova života,—jedini je temelj na kojemu možemo graditi karakter koji će opstati.” Mount of Blessings, 148.

There is of course much more to address concerning this truth, but we will leave off here.

Naravno, ima još mnogo toga što bi valjalo obraditi u vezi s ovom istinom, ali ovdje ćemo stati.

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