Godsloveandlaw's Blog

Note: This post is primarily for SDA and DSDA.

Many of us are familiar with the Titanic shipwreck and the great tragic event that occurred  close to 100 years ago on that dark night in the middle of the sea. That experience is an analogy of what Ezekiel 9 is about. Allow me to draw some comparisons to it.

The ship set sail with many very happy and excited passengers (our church started out strong in the beginning right after 1844).  The ship sailed among smooth waters into the deep ocean, for a short while. As the journey progressed much merry times were had and no worries existed. Then soon after on their journey,  one night while the people enjoyed much music , good food, and celebrations, a couple of men in the look out tower were startled. An approaching huge iceberg!  They immediately went to work warning the people. Time was closing quickly in, and the iceberg was but a few minutes away. Then disaster struck, and the majority perished.

The above short synopsis is an example of the church (ship)  quickly approaching a similar huge iceberg (Ezekiel 9) The watchmen are  at their posts and are scrambling , as God’s people, to warn that this iceberg is right ahead and that all on board must prepare (The people must do something per Ezekiel 9). Many of God’s leading watchman, the leaders in our church, are busy downstairs enjoying the music and food (satisfied in their lukewarmness, full and in need of nothing,). The job of warning(sighing) is left with but a few of us (the ones willing  to stand out in the cold, willing to be less than comfortable, in order to protect the church members). Nevertheless this warning is being sounded, the trumpet is being blown and thank God, more and more are coming to the forefront of our church to put this message out — prepare and be ready, the Lord is soon to appear!

Ezekiel 9 is a very solemn message to God’s people. From the beginning our Lord has had a good and righteous plan for us His people, but He has also set a plan in motion that will effectively let Him  take control of  His beloved church. As the great all-seeing Lord, He knew  well that , just as His people said to Him  in the old days, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8) and they miserably failed,  His people would continue to fail Him through out the ages following. His Spirit and power have been  stymied. What will He do? What can He do?

The book of Isaiah, is packed with references concerning the Lord’s plans in regards to the church purification. One of those describes why He must take the reins into His own hands. ” His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant; They are dumb dogs, they cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. yes they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, everyone for his own gain, from his own territory.” (Isaiah 56:10-11).

If our leadership would not be in the condition it is today, He would not need to bring upon His church His “strange act” (Isaiah 28:21).The Scriptural evidence is overwhelming concerning our Lord’s next coming.  The Lord said in (Amos 3:8) “Surely the LORD GOD does nothing, unless he reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” 

Ezekiel 9 is revealed in many, many Scriptures, and as such we dare not look the other way at what the word of the Lord says. What we will do is present the soon to come “judgement for the living'” evidence. And specifically, the very act of the Lord that begins this judgement.

Let us begin with the Achan story. We remember  in  Joshua Chapter 7 ,  the people lost what should have been a certain and  easy victory with the Lord’s backing. But one man, just one man, in the whole camp had stolen what the Lord expressively said was not to be touched or taken. The Lord let Joshua know that it was this man, Achan, who had caused the people’s defeat and the Lord’s anger. Achan, along with his whole family, were stoned at the Lord’s direction.

Ellen White explains, ” .. if the presence of one Achan  was sufficient to weaken the whole camp of Israel, can we be surprised at the little success which attends our efforts when every church and almost every family has it’s Achan?” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p.157).

“God’s displeasure is upon His people, and He will not manifest His power, in the midst of them while sins exist among them and are fostered by those in responsible positions.” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p.270)

 The outpouring of the Lord’s Spirit cannot come while the church has a mixed group of converted and unconverted ones. Just look at the above example of Achan, we know the Lord is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He does not change (Mal.3:6). One Achan stopped His power. Those who think the Lord has done some kind of  strange metamorphic change since then, will be sadly mistaken.

Think of this for a moment. Let’s say for argument’s sake that the Lord does pour out His Spirit upon His current church, as  most of our SDA leaders teach. It would show that He accepts both converted and unconverted. His power would come upon His church despite its current condition.  A total change and departure from our Lord’s prior behavior through out the Scriptures.

 But we know that Achan was not converted, as he was a coveting thief. The Lord refused to accept him as such, as every one else obeyed the Lord. Then it would be apparent that the Lord would have to go back and apologize to Achan for having ordered his stoning. What folly! He would have to admit to Achan that He now allows disobedient thiefs and worse among our church today. How about Korah and all those who followed him? That large camp consisted of coverted and uncoverted, did the Lord accept it? Of course not, the earth swallowed up Korah and his followers.

Ellen White speaks of those who will be permitted to take part when the Lord’s Spirit is poured out. ” Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it when it shall have swelled into the loud cry.”  (Review and Herald, Nov. 19, 1908)

We know that in the last days, our Lord will do His promised outpouring  upon mankind. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28) So what can the Lord do with this problem in His church today? Can He expect His people to right the ship and get their act  together?His answer is —  Ezekiel 9, the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter4:17)

The founding leaders of our church knew that 1844 was the year that our Lord entered the most holy apartment of the sanctuary. And has revewied(judged) all those who professed to know the Lord starting with Adam. But very shortly He will pass to the living.”The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before God. When that work has been completed, judgment is pronounced upon the living.” (1 Selected Messages, P. 125)  “So in the day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God.” (Great Controversy, P.480)

We currently have an SDA leadership who , for the most part, deny His very last message to us, the Elijah message. They ignore it or worse, they hinder it by saying those who promote it, as brought by the brother Houteff, aren’t teaching the message properly ( just as prophesied per EGW , Testimonies for the Church, p. 475). There has been only one man in our church history who has claimed to bring the Lord’s Elijah message, and interpreted Scripture to show us the prophecies concerning Ezekiel 9. This was Victor T. Houteff.

 The leaders have refused to accept that there is a last message needed or promised (Mal. 4:5). They proclaim “I am rich and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17). With this spiritual “wealth” they don’t see any reason to warn the church. Why should they? Many think that both sinners and the righteous are saved, why warn? Grace has ever expanded, conversion not needed.

 When we begin to understand the Lord’s plan, we see it all coming clearly into focus.It is only because His promised  “Spirit of Truth” guides us, that we know and understand His plans. All who have a “healthy fear”of the Lord will take heed now and convert. Ezekiel  Chapter 9 will happen whether will want it or not.

How important is it that we know and study Ezekiel 9? EGW explains,   “Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and be converted. Not a while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but refuse to bring these truths into their individual experiences.” ( Manuscript releases, Vol. 1, p.260)

 I don’t know about you but those words are serious instructions to get involved and study,  the next appearing of the Lord-Ezekiel 9!

Next week we’ll look at more direct Scripture of the Old Testament that point to the Lord’s special coming to the earth. Ellen White and Victor Houteff will also show some clear verses of the Lord’s surprise plan.  

Your servant, Rob

This entry was posted on October 27, 2012 at 1:49 am and is filed under End times, Ezekiel, Final Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.