FOURTH QUARTER 2025
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #6
NOVEMBER 8, 2025
"THE ENEMY WITHIN".

 

“We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world” —Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, March 22, 1887.

Our Sabbath afternoon introduction to this week’s study makes this insightful statement:

“During the appropriation of the Promised Land, Israel had to learn the difficult lesson that their most dangerous enemy was not outside their camp but within their own rank and file. The greatest challenge that stood before them was neither the fortified walls of the Canaanite cities nor their advanced military technology, but the obstinate will of individuals within their own camp to willfully ignore the instructions of the Lord.

“Waiting for our heavenly inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4, Col. 3:24), we face similar challenges. While we are on the border of the Promised Land, our faithfulness is tested, and we can be victorious only through surrender to Jesus Christ.”

I have found it easy to zero in on Achan and pin the whole mess to his covetousness and concealment.  After all, it seems as though the Lord felt that way.  But Achan’s sin is the symptom not the problem.  He is responsible for what happened in his own heart, but the nation as a whole prepared the fertile ground for his sin.

When God redeemed His people from Egypt He did not ask them to assist in the deliverance.  Their part was to believe in His work and exercise their freedom to follow as He “bore them on eagle’s wings.”  His people did not contribute to their redemption from Egypt or at the Red Sea.  They did not provide for themselves bread or water, shade or warmth.  They were not able, nor did God require of them, to provide for their own security or well being.  God was doing all that He promised and more.

When it came time to disclose the purpose of all His work on their behalf, the Covenant He made with Abraham, the people’s response was “all that the Lord has said we will do”!  Instead of walking in faith in the promise (the covenant that the Lord initiated) that the Lord had made to and for them, God’s people responded by amending the promise by promising something in return.  

In co-brokering the covenant, God’s people moved from believing and resting in His promise to a faith plus works experience that guaranteed a rough path. 

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’  But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’  Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’”  (Galatians 3:10-12, NKJV).

Trusting in themselves to “live by them” and to fulfill the promise that only God Himself could accomplish, put His people in an impossible position and led to numerous failures as they sought to fulfill their part of the bargain.  If His people will not submit to His covenant then He will humble Himself and meet them where they are.

“‘But the children of Israel did fight throughout all their natural existence, and under God's direction, too,’ it will be urged. That is very true, but it does not at all prove that it was God's purpose that they should fight. We must not forget that ‘their minds were blinded' by unbelief, so that they could not perceive the purpose of God for them.

They did not grasp the spiritual realities of the kingdom of God, but were content with shadows instead; and the same God who bore with their hardness of heart in the beginning, and strove to teach them by shadows, when they would not have the substance, still remained with them, compassionately considerate of their infirmities. God himself suffered them, because of the hardness of their hearts, to have a plurality of wives, and even laid down rules regulating polygamy, in order to diminish as far as possible the resulting evils, but that does not prove that He designed it for them. We well know that ‘from the beginning it was not so.’ So when Jesus forbade His followers to fight in any cause whatever, He introduced nothing new, any more than when He taught that a man should have but one wife, and should cleave to her as long as he lived. He was simply enunciating first principles--preaching a thorough reformation.” —E. J. Waggoner, The Everlasting Covenant, p. 385

By faith, God’s people had success in crossing the Jordan and marching on Jericho.  These were gained by the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:30).  But very soon a change came.  

“The great victory that God had gained for them had made the Israelites self-confident. 

""Because He had promised them the land of Canaan they felt secure, and failed to realize that divine help alone could give them success. Even Joshua laid his plans for the conquest of Ai without seeking counsel from God.” —Ellen. G. White,  Patriarchs and Prophets, p 493.

In other words, the problem was much bigger than Achan.  Achan only took the unbelieving, self-sufficient, covetousness mindset to its ultimate end.  It has been said that the most dangerous time for our souls is immediately after we have experienced success.

“But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things… so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel”  (Joshua 7:1).

“There was sin in the camp when Israel went up against Ai, and this was the cause of their defeat. The whole people suffered, not simply because of Achan's sin, but because all had sinned. 'Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.' Whether they were blinded by ‘the deceitfulness of sin,’ and then became exalted in their minds, or whether their self- exaltation led to their sin, is not material; certain it is that the people had given place to sin, and had become self-confident, which is in itself sin. 

Because of sin they suffered defeat; so long as sin was given a place in their hearts, they could not go on with the conquest of the land; and this again proves that the promised inheritance, into which God was leading them, was such as could be possessed only by righteous people--those who had the righteousness of faith.”— E. J. Waggoner, The Everlasting Covenant, p. 380.

“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

“Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all”  (Romans 4:13-16).

Now the path to the promise spoken, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you…. no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life” (Joshua 1:3, 5) was found by contrite repentance.  “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent”  (Revelation 3:19).

In turning away from their subtle self-sufficiency and turning toward the righteousness of God the victory over Ai was assured.

This brings us to a discussion question posed at the end of the lesson:   

“Read Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19. Why is it significant that Daniel, in confessing Israel’s sins, kept on saying ‘we’ did all these bad things, even though we have no record of Daniel himself ever doing evil?”

To me, it is reasonable to say that an entire quarter could be devoted to studying this section of Daniel.  In my limited understanding I see at the least two dynamics here.  

First, the Lord sees us as one.  As Adam.  We were created together.  We sinned together.  We were redeemed together.  And we are going home together.  Those who acknowledge this reality become the church.  

Second, Daniel recognizes that we all share the same fallen, human nature which is capable of the most abhorrent behavior imaginable, the full expression being the murder of the Son of God.  We are all “Achan.”  When Daniel says “we have sinned” it is a confession that: 

“There is none righteous, no, not one;

There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God. 

They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”

“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”; 

“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

Destruction and misery are in their ways; 

And the way of peace they have not known.” 

“There is no fear of God before their eyes”  (Romans 1:10-18).

Daniel simply did the math and saw the truth.  He repented corporately for the failures of God’s people because he was just as much in need of a Savior as any other member of the “body.”  Without an understanding of this reality I do not think heaven could have responded to him as they did.

One final thought on the question posed regarding Daniel.    From my little window to the world, I do not think it is possible to effectively minister to another sinner without recognizing yourself as “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).  If we do not grasp that self-righteousness is worse than no righteousness or, put another way, if we fail to see that the sin of another is our sin but for the grace of God, we will project a vibe that will repel people away from Christ.  This precipitates a gut wrenching response by the True Witness.  Incidentally, the words of the “Faithful and True Witness” with the Laodicean diagnosis of “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” is not directed outside of those who believe and proclaim the Three Angel’s Messages.  Nor to those who nominally speak of it.  It is directed to those closest to the fire—those who, at the tip of the spear, tell the world they believe and proclaim that message.

Returning to the lesson’s opening statement:  

“During the appropriation of the Promised Land, Israel had to learn the difficult lesson that their most dangerous enemy was not outside their camp but within their own rank and file. The greatest challenge that stood before them was neither the fortified walls of the Canaanite cities nor their advanced military technology, but the obstinate will of individuals within their own camp to willfully ignore the instructions of the Lord.

“Waiting for our heavenly inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4, Col. 3:24), we face similar challenges. While we are on the border of the Promised Land, our faithfulness is tested, and we can be victorious only through surrender to Jesus Christ.”

To be sure, the “rank and file” are not exempt, but we must be honest that the problem escalates as we climb toward “the angel of the church of the Laodiceans.”  All of us in leadership positions need to come to terms with to whom the letter is addressed and what it says.  The Word of God is repeatedly challenging the “tip of the spear.”  

When faced with the daunting task of facing the Roman authorities, Martin Luther famously said, “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.”

“I feel a special interest in the movements and decisions that shall be made at this Conference (1901) regarding the things that should have been done years ago, and especially ten years ago, when we were assembled in Conference, and the Spirit and power of God came into our meeting, testifying that God was ready to work for this people if they would come into working order. The brethren assented to the light God had given, but there were those connected with our institutions, especially with the Review and Herald Office and the Conference, who brought in elements of unbelief, so that the light that was given was not acted upon. It was assented to, but no special change was made to bring about such a condition of things that the power of God could be revealed among his people. —Ellen G. White, GC Bulletin, April 3, 1901, emphasis supplied.

“O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.  Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name….”

“We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God…. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed… we have sinned, we have done wickedly!  O Lord, according to all Your righteousness…. hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary….

“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”  (Daniel 9, excepts from vv. 4-19).

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ’ ” (Revelation 3:22).

 

~ Clinton Meharry