The first Babylon and last Babylon have some interesting things in common. The first Babylon ended when their language was confounded— everyone spoke something different. This demonstrated that in human nature there is no true tendency to unity with one another, apart from unity in opposition to God.

Modern Babylon presents a confusing array of conflicting doctrines, and displays no unity except in its opposition to the commandments of God. This situation is foretold in Isaiah 4:1, “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name.”

The remnant, on the other hand, are distinguished by their unity in spirit and action. Jesus’ desire is “that they may be made perfect in one,” producing in them the result that “they shall see eye to eye,” so much so, in fact, that it becomes a powerful evidence “the world may know” that Jesus is the Saviour of the world (see John 17:21, 23 and Isaiah 52:8).

How can the remnant come to this remarkable condition? How can they be united in a pure faith? And how was it that the Advent movement could denounce Babylon and stand free of error?

The answer to these questions is found in the principles of study which led Advent believers in the discovery of truth. Are you familiar with the story of William Miller? Let’s notice some things about how he studied the Scriptures.

What were William Miller’s study aids? Because there were so many different interpretations of the Bible, promoted by the many different denominations and theologians, Miller “saw that he must distinguish between the Bible and all the peculiar and partisan interpretations of it.” His biographer records that “[Miller] laid aside all commentaries and used the marginal references and his Concordance as his only helps.”1

Later in the book the biographer relates the story of a clergyman who once went to visit William Miller and was disappointed to find that he was not home at the time. Since he could not meet with Mr. Miller, he asked if he could at least see his library. Miller’s daughter led the way to his study and, to the visitor’s amazement, showed him the two books on Miller’s desk and said, “That is his library.” His Bible and his concordance were the only theological books that he had. (See Bliss, p. 245).

Miller studied through the Bible verse by verse, comparing Scripture with Scripture. “When he found anything obscure, it was his custom to compare it with every other text which seemed to have any reference to the matter under consideration. Every word was permitted to have its proper bearing upon the subject of the text, and if his view of it harmonized with every collateral passage , it ceased to be a difficulty. Thus whenever he met with a passage hard to be understood he found an explanation in some other portion of the Scriptures.”2

It was not just William Miller who studied like this. Those who followed on into the third angel’s message were still “searching the Scriptures upon the same plan that Father Miller adopted.” They followed the same principles that he set out in his book Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology. Some of the most important principles found there are:

“1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible.

“2. All Scripture is necessary and may be understood by diligent application and study.

“3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering.

“4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error.

“5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible.”3

J. N. Andrews, an Advent preacher, once wrote, “We have the truth concerning any doctrine of the Bible when we are able to present a divine harmony of all the scripture testimony pertaining to that subject”4

We today need to take the same approach to Bible study. The apostle wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Let’s talk a little more about some important things to keep in mind while researching in God’s Word.

What is a characteristic of those who keep following God’s guidance? Proverbs 4:18 says that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” This means that when you walk with Jesus, you never stop learning truth from His Word.

God’s people need to keep studying for greater revelations of truth. “Let no one come to the conclusion that there is no more truth to be revealed. . . . Many gems are yet scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant people of God.”5

Of course, new light will never contradict the old. We need to “prove all things,” and then to “hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). But just because we have a solid foundation of truth does not mean that we don’t need to keep studying.

In fact, not studying for new light is a Babylonish characteristic. This is what the Advent believers met and which led them to proclaim the message of the second angel and to separate from the apostate churches. They experienced first-hand that “as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God’s word and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative and seek to avoid discussion.”6

Why is it important to study individually to understand the truth? The verse we read earlier says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God” (emphasis added).

This means that “we are not safe when we are content to float along with the current, believing because some one else believes. . . . We must, through fervent prayer and deep and earnest research, become established and settled, rooted and grounded in the faith, and know, each for himself, that we have the truth.”7 “We are nearing the time when we shall stand individually alone to answer for our belief.”8

It’s like when you were a newborn baby—your “food” was actually eaten for you by your mother and given to you in another form. But eventually you had to start eating for yourself. “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:13, 14). When we first learn the truth, we get it from someone else. But as we grow spiritually, we begin to study God’s word for ourselves.

Who then can God teach? “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts” (Isaiah 28:9). This means people who are not just taking someone else’s word for it! “We should not take the testimony of any man as to what the Scriptures teach, but should study the words of God for ourselves.”9

However, in order to be able to study for ourselves, following the same principles as those first Advent believers, we need the right attitude.

What makes us able to learn? The psalmist wrote, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Psalm 25:9). God can only teach humble people. In fact, our attitude determines what kind of help we will get to study the Bible. “The spirit in which you come to the investigation of the Scriptures will determine the character of the assistant at your side. Angels from the world of light will be with those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance. But if the Bible is opened with irreverence, with a feeling of self-sufficiency, if the heart is filled with prejudice, Satan is beside you, and he will set the plain statements of God’s word in a perverted light.”10

This is how you can lay aside preconceived ideas, like Miller determined to do. This is very important, because many times we will find our ideas are challenged by our study of the Bible. So do this: “If, as you read, conviction comes, and you see that your cherished opinions are not in harmony with the word, do not try to make the word fit these opinions. Make your opinions fit the word.”11

It is the practice of Babylon, on the other hand, to start with a theory, and then set out to prove it from the Bible. See how a false doctrine can start? “The discord and division which exist among the churches of Christendom are in a great measure due to the prevailing custom of wresting the Scriptures to support a favorite theory.”12

This is why it’s important to look at all the evidence on a given subject. The apostle wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). This means that every verse is important. We should treasure and examine “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

How do we weigh the evidence that we find? “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:10). We must be careful that we get the line upon line and the precept upon precept—not just here a little, and there a little!

Many times when we are trying to weigh evidence, we realize that there are questions which don’t seem to have answers. Why would God do this to us? “Divine inspiration asks many questions which the most profound scholar cannot answer. These questions were not asked that we might answer them, but to call our attention to the deep mysteries of God and to teach us that our wisdom is limited.”13

So, be prepared to always have more questions than answers, but don’t let this stop you from making up your mind. “God has made ample provision to establish the faith of all men, if they will decide from the weight of evidence. But if they wait to have every seeming objection removed before they believe, they will never be settled, rooted, and grounded in the truth. God will never remove all seeming difficulties from our path. Those who wish to doubt may find opportunity; those who wish to believe will find plenty of evidence upon which to base their faith.”14

What was the problem with many people in the time of Jesus? The leaders, He said, would “say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3). So we may have the right teaching but the wrong spirit. “Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world.”15

Jesus remarked, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

There is no way around it—we have to live by what we preach. “Many keep the truth in the outer court. . . . A faultless creed and a carnal life are too often found together in professed believers. To be a means to a saving end, the word of God must be intelligently and practically understood and obeyed.”16

“A true knowledge of the Bible can be gained only through the aid of that Spirit by whom the word was given. And in order to gain this knowledge we must live by it. All that God’s word commands, we are to obey. All that it promises, we may claim. The life which it enjoins is the life that, through its power, we are to live. Only as the Bible is thus held can it be studied effectively.”17

In a future issue we will discuss more about what happens when the second angel’s message is repeated by “that other angel” of Revelation 18. But for now let’s think about this point: Why does God want each of us to be diligent Bible students and to follow the principles outlined above?

What will happen in the process of putting truth into practice? Jesus’ last prayer for His disciples included these words: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

What do you think will happen to the church as a whole when it becomes sanctified through the truth? “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26, 27, emphasis supplied). This is God’s purpose for you.

When we are sanctified by the truth, then the part of Jesus’ prayer about unity will also be fulfilled. “When the laborers have an abiding Christ in their own souls, when all selfishness is dead, when there is no rivalry, no strife for the supremacy, when oneness exists, when they sanctify themselves, so that love for one another is seen and felt, then the showers of the grace of the Holy Spirit will just as surely come upon them.”18

It is this experience, promoted by the principles we were taught in the first and second angels’ messages, that prepares the way for the final reception of the third. Notice the grand result: “When the human agents shall exercise their faculties to acquire knowledge, to become deep-thinking men; when they, as the greatest witnesses for God and the truth, shall have won in the field of investigation of vital doctrines concerning the salvation of the soul, that glory may be given to the God of heaven as supreme, then even judges and kings will be brought to acknowledge, in the courts of justice, in parliaments and councils, that the God who made the heavens and the earth is the only true and living God, the author of Christianity, the author of all truth, who instituted the seventh-day Sabbath when the foundations of the world were laid.”19

May we therefore be faithful and diligent students of God’s Word. May we be prepared in our own heart to serve God fully, going forth armed with the principles of truth for a world that needs to hear them.