As we have posted a few times before, Doug Batchelor (hereafter referred as DB) holds a close place to many SDA’s heart. He was one of the first SDA leaders I learned from when I became a Seventh-day Adventist. Many of his DVD’s were purchased and I especially appreciated his very knowledgeable teaching of the Sabbath.
In fact when we decided to run a church Billboard advertising campaign high-lightening the Sabbath day, we didn’t even ask DB or Amazing Facts organization to put their information on the Billboard. We knew that their site was so informative and powerful in Sabbath information for those wanting to learn more, it was a no brainer. Later, they got wind of it and put an article in their world-wide magazine, picture and all.
I say all this to point out that DB is gifted in much knowledge of the Bible and our SDA doctrinal teachings. However, as we’ll show this knowledge must include “present truth” which is God’s latest road map to the kingdom.
“There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is “present truth” that the flock needs now.” (Early Writings, p.63)
We’ve personally had an email study with DB in the past and enjoyed it, although the intended result was not accomplished –to hear the Elijah message from DB. The following is the latest communication we’ve had with DB’s group–Amazing Facts.
We initiated the conversation by sending them the following video–
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxTomqQtFLb2aU5lOFpCNVVnRk0/view
After we sent it to Amazing Facts and several others via email, we received an email response from AF. It read as follows —
“Thanks for sharing”
K –Amazing Facts. (name omitted for their privacy)
We promptly responded –
“You’re welcome. Did you find it revealing?” Their response came a few days later–
“Robert, no I wouldn’t say revealing. I know there are some who believe this… of course you probably already know pastor Doug’s position:
“Although 1 Peter 4:17 says that judgment begins at the house of God,there is no exact statement that I know of in the Spirit of Prophecy regarding probation closing for the Adventists before others.
If probation closes for the church, what that essentially means is that people can no longer be saved into, or lost out of the church. If probation closed for the church, how could others be saved into it, as the loud cry goes out? So, to me, it seems to make more sense that probation closes for those individuals who have had the greatest light.
The evidence in Ezekiel 9:6 and 1 Peter also goes along with the story of Mary being caught in adultery in John 8:9. It says that beginning with the eldest even unto the last.
So I think that judgment, rather than beginning with those who are specifically members of the church, will begin with those who have had the longest lives and the greatest opportunities to respond to salvation. That is also why it says in Ezekiel 9:6, begin with the ancient men.” (We do not know whether “K” asked DB for a direct answer to the video or whether this was a statement made in prior recorded reports or videos)
Ok there is much for us to analyze here. Let’s look at DB’s position and see how it holds up to God’s word from His prophets, specifically compared to the Lord’s Elijah message.
In order to address his points clearly , we’ll discuss each paragraph’s main points.
1) In this first paragraph we see that DB has no knowledge of an “exact statement” in the SOP (EGW writings) showing that probation closes first for Adventists before others. While DB is right that there exists no direct statement saying this, there is a preponderance of evidence when the Scriptures, SOP and the Elijah message is studied.
As Bible students and Adventists, we know that there are basically three sources of Inspired writings Scripture, SOP (EGW writings) and Elijah message (VTH). In order to find that the close of probation happens first for God’s remnant SDA church we can do the following deduction by seeing Inspired references that can give us no other conclusion.
a. SOP announced that Rev. 7 sealings (of the 144k) are one and the same event as Ezek. 9 church judgment (Testimonies to Ministers, p.445). One saw the sealing (marking) and the other saw what happened to those not sealed. In other words the “great and dreadful day” of the Lord completes the sealing and completes the purification. Great for those sealed and dreadful for those not.
b. As Rev. 7 is the Scripture that speaks of the 144,000 sealed, we see also that the four winds are held back until this sealing is done, Rev. 7 /Ezek 9– are done. The four winds in this specific word of God represents the Sunday law ( Testimonies for the church, vol. 5, p.152).
There is much more evidence that the SDA probation closes first but that is one of the clear evidences that DB does not take into account.
2) In the second paragraph DB states that once the SDA probation closes the SDA church would cease to exist (unable to bring new converts into her). This is a fatal interpretive mistake and shows woeful ignorance of the Scriptural plan God has for His church. Additionally DB’s understanding of the “Loud Cry” is misguided because of his misunderstanding of the Ezek. 9 church judgment, its timing and purpose.
By looking at Rev. 12:15-17 we can see one of the clearest evidences that the church purification takes place before the time of trouble. Let us read–
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”(Rev. 12:15-17)
DB ignores the fact that the “earth” , which is indicative of God’s miraculous work of Ezek. 9 (see Numbers 16:32 for the original type) swallows (takes away) the unconverted in the church. It is at this time that Satan gets enraged and go to make war. In other words it is the church purification that cause the time of trouble as never was (Dan 12:1).
But the most clear of all for showing the church purification and subsequent Loud Cry work is found in Isaiah 66:15-20.
“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.”
Ah, in one fell swoop the Lord shows us the church purification and subsequent Loud Cry!
3) This third paragraph is quite a stretch in linking Ezek. 9:6 to John 8:9. There is simply no spiritual connection from what I see.
4) In this paragraph DB says that the judgment (meaning church) will begin “with those who have had the longest lives and the greatest opportunities to respond to salvation.”
This appears to be because DB uses the word “ancient” (“zaqen” H2205 in Hebrew) in Ezek. 9:6 to mean –old, advanced in years. But this fails miserably because when we understand the Hebrew word for ancient we learn the following:
The KJV translates Strongs H2205 in the following manner:elders (115x), old (23x), old man (19x), ancient (14x), aged (3x),eldest (1x), ancient man (1x), senators (1x), old women (1x). (source-Blue Letter Bible. org)
This word is predominantly used for elders not old people. On this strength alone we see that the church judgment begins with the elders, the leaders who have had great light. SOP reiterates these points–
“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 to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p.260)
Notice rather than saying it applies to old people or any other certain group of SDA, SOP says judgment will apply to “the people”. They should already know “great and important truths” but they continue to walk (show obedience) contrary to what they know. In other words the Lord’s final message of Elijah is predominantly a “no-show” among the SDA people. The message of the 144,000 and reformation sits alone and largely ignored. The leaders have refused to “receive His message” and therefore the people likewise.
Pastor Doug has much knowledge of the SDA truths yet as was shown there seems no advancement into more light, the light of present truth. This glaring deficiency is typical of those who fail to truly believe in God’s word, as sincere as they may appear —
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. “(Mal. 4:5)
These words of Malachi do not register with many of our SDA leaders such as DB, Steve Wohlberg, Stephen Bohr, Danny Shelton, etc. They do not think that the Lord literally meant that He would send a prophet “Elijah” to His people in the last days. Hence, these self-important men feel that they have a message from the Lord and there is no such thing as any message from the “Elijah” to come per Malachi 4:5-6.
But by God’s grace and mercy we average laymen will seek the Lord with all our hearts and believe in His word as it reads.
“In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.80)
“In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began “at Moses and all the prophets” and “expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies the old. He who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old. For him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form. (Christ’s Object Lessons, p.127-128)
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