In the Word of God there is a most profound truth and glorious reward to all those who follow it, let us read–
“.. He honors them that fear the Lord; He that swears to his own hurt and does changes not.” (Psalms 15:4)
I don’t about you but I get goose bumps just reading this. This, my brethren, is quite an inspiring counsel from our Lord!
We would like to begin our post by giving you a little history from my own experience for a perspective. As some know I’ve been a service repairman for over 22 years and also did many sales in my line of work.
More than on one occasion, I would have a product for sale and would advertise it for a certain price, let’s say 150.00. Soon I would start to get calls and I recall receiving a call that would go like this–
“I am calling about your product, I really need it , would you take 120.00 cash if I came over within the hour?” Depending on my current circumstances (such as certain bills piling up) I would likely say , “Sure, come over.”
Then maybe 15 minutes later another call would come and the guy would say, “I see your product for sale, we really need it, I have the 150.00 cash, can I come now? I can be there in 15 minutes.”
Now, what do you think the old man, the one who was not yet converted, would do? Your right–I’d say. “Yes come over but do so quickly as I have to go”. Meaning “hurry and beat the other guy here.”
Sure enough the second guy would arrive and I’d take the money and off he’d go with the product. Then maybe 20 or 30 minutes later the first guy would show up and ring the door bell. I’d answer and sheepishly say, “Sorry, my wife accidentally sold it to another guy, I’m really sorry.” He hung his head and disappointedly walk away. Sometimes they’d raise a little cain, and looking back–rightly so!
Obviously this conduct was the opposite of the Lord’s way, I was swearing to someone but to that guy’s hurt, not mine.
Today of course I would keep my word and tell the second guy, “sorry but I had a guy call before you and if he doesn’t show in 1 hour I’ll call you back.” Now this is relatively small potatoes in the world’s financial dealings but the moral steadfastness is what counts. Can we imagine keeping our word when thousands and even hundreds of thousands are at stake? This is an example of what Psalms 15:4 is all about. Putting our committed word before the possible detriment to ourselves.
“For He said,‘Surely they are My people, children that will not lie: so He was their Saviour.” (Isaiah 63.8)
As we have posted many times before, our word should be our bond. When we promise something or even commit to someone, we should at all costs do that thing that we said we would. If we don’t we truly take the chance of offending our King.
“It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.” (Ecc.5:5)
Verses that show how important keeping our word is–
“But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:” (1 John 2:5)
“You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.” (Deut. 23:23)
“Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.”(Number 32:24)
Sometimes in our travels through life , it may be easy to say to ourselves “It’s no big deal that I did not do what I committed to do with brother Jim or sister Sally, God will understand.” No! This leads to a harmful habit that may lead us to spiritually damage ourselves, let us be careful here.
Our King is a Word Keeper and as His sons and daughters, let us try to do as our Master and King does–keep our word, even if it’s to our own “hurt”. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19)
“I will not violate My covenant or alter the Word that went forth from My lips.”(Psalms 89:34)
A while back one of our sisters travelled to Michigan to “sigh and cry” for the abominations done in the midst, namely a Doug Batchelor event hosted by the local SDA church in Lansing Michigan, pastored by the man shown above, Wes Peppers.
It is our hope and prayer that this pastor acknowledges his public error of spreading of false rumors and agrees to be corrected and on the side of Truth.
The aforementioned sister has a couple of ministries going on. One, a YouTube ministry where she goes to SDA churches and passes out Tracts, Videos, CD’s etc, of the message of the hour and puts the work they do online as a witness that the Lord is soon to “suddenly come to His Temple” (Mal 3:1). Second, she also has a Facebook ministry as well.
Her method is controversial, for it harkens back to the days of Amos, as we read–
“They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.”(Amos 5:10)
Back in the old days, the man of God would sit or stand “at the gate”, the entry point to the city or Temple. They would call out the public wrongs concerning God’s people. As we see from the word of God, we should not be one of those who “hate” this work, lest we be found to offend God’s work through His unique workers. Granted not all are called to do this but this has/is still a work that God calls some to do.
Additionally we read–
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. “(Isaiah 58:1)
So the event took place in Lansing Michigan last Oct 2-10, 2015. Sister Patricia and her crew made the trip to the event and set up their positions on the sidewalk. This is very important to understand as this was not done on their property. In the following video, WP (Wes Peppers) goes to great lengths to accuse them of trespassing and doing an “illegal” protest on his property. In fact he called the police trying to get them booted off the public sidewalk, and they sided with sister Patricia and her crew against WP’s attempted act of curtailment of free speech and assembly.
We all remember that the Jews did the same thing, they blocked, derided, scorned the few present truth believers and the Lord warned us concerning this method–
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men. For you neither enter, nor even do you allow those who are entering to go in.”(Matt. 23:13)
There is no doubt that WP thinks he is doing the right thing “protecting” his people. Yet the Jews had the same attitude. The Jews had mis-read the Scriptures and that was their fatal mistake. Our ONLY safe course to take Inspired counsel here–
“Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth cannot receive the divine enlightenment. Yet, when a view of Scripture is presented, many do not ask, Is it true–in harmony with God’s word? but, By whom is it advocated? and unless it comes through the very channel that pleases them, they do not accept it. So thoroughly satisfied are they with their own ideas that they will not examine the Scripture evidence with a desire to learn, but refuse to be interested, merely because of their prejudices.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.105-106)
“Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing? The only right way would be to sit down as Christians and investigate the position presented in the light of God’s word, which will reveal truth and unmask error. To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true. If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation,it is time that we knew it. There must be no spirit of Pharisaism cherished among us.” (Ibid, p.107)
You see, we as Adventists shake our head at people who write things such as this —
Why? Because we’ve study the whole picture and ALL of the writings concerning hell. But the sad fact is that we, too, are sometimes blinded that we can do the very same thing! Proclaim something falsely when we haven’t studied it all out. Our Lord, in fact said that we would “knowest not that we are “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked..” (Rev. 3:17)
We are counselled that we have “many many lessons to UNLEARN.” (TM, p.30)
Ok, so now that we have laid the groundwork let’s get to the meat of this post. Of special note, WP clears himself by saying that their recordings won’t show anything said “amiss” by him (14:38 of the 2nd video). But the true lovers of the Truth will be offended by his comments as it shows the classic false beliefs and narrative from the leaders of our SDA church. Indeed things are said “amiss”!
We are under no illusion, it appears WP is dug in deeply in his mistaken ideas, but we pray and ask others to keep this man in prayer that his eyes be opened to the real Truth. He “promises” a good thing at the 18:10 mark of the second video, saying–
“If it’s truth and you can show it to me from the Bible, I’ll believe it, that’s a promise.”
Let us look at some of WP’s statements (we have links to both parts of the video below)
At the 36:32 mark of the first video, WP says “You guys believe in the literal interpretation of Ezekiel, when it talks about…”He then tried to move in front of the sister who was attempting to give some Tracts to others.
WP is in need of learning what SOP, which he stated he strongly believes in, shows about “literal interpretation of Ezekiel”. He said, “the truth is the writings of Ellen White and I believe it all”(17:26 of 2nd video).
“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)
“We are amid the perils of the last days, the time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.” (1888 Materials, p.1303)
2. Then doubles down again on the rumored false idea about Ezek. 9 and says–
“Based upon your interpretation of the prophecies of Ezekiel, when that final crisis comes it’s the Shepherd’s Rod’s job to actually kill Adventist pastors is that what you’re going to do? That’s what I was told by different people ” (38:30 of 1st video)
When we “love” the truth, we respect it too much to state something so disturbing (even if it’s a rumor we heard) without knowing the “facts”. Let us be clear, to even bring such a dire dreadful statement up like this shows that WP really didn’t seriously care to “look into this” before. Had he done so he would not have even raised this serious charge against these people. Apparently he blindly assumed what he was told as–truth. When the sister answered him, all she got was a wry snicker instead of any acknowledgment that he may have heard a false witness lie.
False witness against someone is a terrible crime before the Lord–terrible! So important that it’s one of the great Commandments! The “Shepherd’s Rod” people have been slandered against, rumored against, and flat our lied about for a long time now. It’s time these falsehoods are met head on and expose this kind of Satanic rumor.
By way of disclosure I have had a few back and forth emails with this pastor and have clearly pointed out that his idea (that he “heard”) that the “Shepherd’s Rods” will commit the killing as described in Ezekiel 9 is nothing short of ludicrous and the spawn of that ol deceiver and instigator of false hood. He was sent this video which shows clearly without question what the Rod teaches about Ezek.9
Let us now look at what the SRod actually teaches about those who will commit the slaying as spoken of in Ezek.9
Question:–“Are the 144,000, after being sealed, to go and kill all the others in the S.D.A. church who failed to receive the seal?” — {1SC16 3.2}
Answer:–The slaying of the tares in the church is plainly foretold that this work is not man’s duty to perform. The prophet Ezekiel, in vision, was shown that the angels who bear the slaughter weapons are the ones whom the Lord commissioned to “slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women”…but to “come not near any man upon whom is the mark.” (Ezek. 9:6.) The Lord makes this destruction of the “tares” still plainer by His parabolic illustration, saying:
“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn.”
“So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.” (Matt. 13:30, 49.) (Sym. Code, vol. 1, No.16, p.3)
It will be seen by the following paragraphs that the enemy of truth is determined that light shall not reach the people (“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 411), also that he is doing everything to tear down Mt. Carmel Center and the work she is carrying on.
1. “I have been told,” says one, “that Mt. Carmel Center is being builded as a sort of fort where weapons are being stored for the purpose of slaying all the S.D.A.’s who do not accept the message of the Rod. Is this true?”
Nothing could be quite so absurd as the story which the questioner has been told, and we admonish our brethren not to believe what they are told by Mt. Carmel’s enemies, any more than while they were investigating the Sabbath truth they believed the wild stories told about Adventists.” (Sym. Code, vol. 3, no.11-12, p.2)
3. WP asks, “He is going to set up a kingdom here on earth?” (in reference to the sister speaking of the pre-millennial kingdom phase– 20:36 of the 2nd Video) The sister then gives an explanation based on Daniel 2. But it appears to not make sense to WP as he disputes the sister’s interpretation of Daniel 2.
There are many places we could show evidence “from the Bible” of this pre-millennial kingdom, but we’ll show just one for now. We’ll quote Isaiah 11: 6-12.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
Questions for WP–
When will this day be that the “wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid… and a little child shall lead them?” In heaven, the new earth or on the existing earth?
Will there be “sucking and weaned children” in heaven or the new earth? To play with snakes there?
In that day, the days mentioning the above circumstances in 1 and 2, can it take place in heaven where “Gentiles” can seek an “ensign” from the Lord? Heaven or the new earth will have Gentiles who want to “seek” the Lord?
The first “recover the remnant” was when the Lord recovered His people from Egypt, and was that recovering here on earth? Is this second recovering of His people on heaven or earth? Is this Gathering to a place on earth just as the first one was?
Will there be nations in heaven or in the new earth?
“True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as only to be brought before God; they may be wrongs that should be confessed before individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and then should be publicly confessed.
But all confession should be definite, and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you have been reproved by the Spirit of God.” (Signs of the Times,March 16, 1888)
(Part One)
(Part Two)
For any and all who would like to read an authoritative article on just who are the Davidian SDA (aka Shepherd’s Rods) see this Wikipedia article –
In summary, Wes Peppers has the right to reject the Rod. But when he talks of false rumors and tries to pawn them off as legitimate statements, without truly knowing the truth of the matter, then he takes a solemn chance of offending the Lord by breaking Commandment no. 9–solemn indeed! We suggest he does not further hinder those who wish to “enter therein” to look at the whole matter, as many of us have done. You have not weighed this matter thoroughly (as we have) and therefore should be concerned you speak rightly concerning it.
“Hear ye the Rod, and Who has appointed it.” (Micah 6:9)
You said “from the Bible” and here it is, the Lord says “HEAR ye the Rod” are you doing that WP?
“For He said, ‘Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so He became their Saviour.” (Isaiah 63:8)
“Do not be unbelieving. The more you are jostled, misapprehended, misstated, misrepresented, the more evidence you have that you are doing a work for the Master, and the more closely you must cling to your Saviour.” (Testimonies, vol.8, p.130)
Please keep sister Patricia and her team in your prayers, they are actually “doing something” about the upcoming judgment upon God’s house (1 Peter 4:17).
“Our message is not one of peace and safety.” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p.1184)
“Then saith He unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
There is no doubt whatsoever that this statement by the Lord is true beyond measure. Today, as in days past, there are truly only a few among the large population of nearly 18 million Adventists who are “working” in His vineyard. By this we mean, not only trying to live the “right life” but proclaiming the Lord’s end time message of present truth. They are not perfect but they do endeavor to do both.
But why is this, why so few? Let us look at some of the aspects of this neglected work.
During the time of Christ, we know that there were few professed believers in the early days. The Jews had lambasted Christ’s message so far and wide that they greatly outnumbered the small faithful. The early workers had to bear much slander, accusations, persecution, etc. Yet their work was not wholly unfruitful, for example the day of pentecost.
Then in the days of the dark ages, the workers had all but disappeared, except for the small amount of Waldenses , Huguenots, etc. But the true “work” during this time was the Bible.
“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand , two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”(Rev. 11:3)
“The two Witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and theNew Testament.” (GC, p.267)
Then we come to today, has anything changed you suppose? Absolutely not. But thank the Lord there are a few faithful and courageous workers in His harvest field! Did you notice that word–courageous?
Yes indeed, just as times of old, one of the main ingredients to profess the message of the hour is courage. And it appears that the Lord puts a premium on it too–
“But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”(Rev. 21:8)
Which one is listed first? Yes, this is one of the prime reasons, we believe, that the workers are so few today just as times past.
Search the Bible, you will find that the Lord has always placed a premium on courage, standing up for Him despite the consequences. Take for instance Joshua and Caleb. Among the vast multitude that ridiculed and doubted the word of the Lord, those two stood up and bravely said “We can take this land.”
This same courage is required today, because our leaders, the rulership of our SDA does not like the present truth that exposes the sins of the church. Our church is full of “soothsayers” instead of “Truthsayers”.
Isa. 2:6 — “Therefore Thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of Jacob, [those men that are causing the people to follow them], because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.”
At the time the great ingathering here projected is about to take place, His professed people, He declares, please themselves among the unconverted and are charged with being soothsayers, ably explaining away God’s revealed Truth for this time rather than to magnify and to proclaim It. (TG, vol. 1, no.5, p.9)
“Our message is not one of peace and safety.” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol.4, p.1184)
So with the forces greatly stacked against God’s courageous Truth proclaimers, is it any wonder that few would want to get involved?
This reminds us of the man and his wife, mother and father of the blind man who from birth had never seen before. They rejoiced of their son’s new-found sight yet lacked courage to stand up for Jesus when the time came for favor of the self-righteous Jews.
We have a crisis here, so few realize the “clean work” God is about to do on His professed people (Testimonies, vol. p.190). SOP describes what God thinks of those who stand idly by.
“If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.281)
Again the SOP tells us the straight scoop–
“To excuse yourself from working for others on the plea of inability, while you are all absorbed in worldly pursuits, is mockery of God. Multitudes are going down to ruin; the people who have received light and truth are but as a handful to withstand all the host of evil; and yet this little company are devoting their energies to anything and everything but to learning how they may rescue souls from death.
Is it any marvel that the church is weak and inefficient, that God can do but little for His professed people? They place themselves where it is impossible for Him to work with them and for them. Dare you continue thus to disregard His claims? Will you still trifle with heaven’s most sacred trusts? Will you say with Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Testimonies, vol. 5. p.458-459)
“Everyone who connects himself with the church makes in that act a solemn vow to work for the interest of the church and to hold that interest above every worldly consideration. It is his work to preserve a living connection with God, to engage with heart and soul in the great scheme of redemption, and to show, in his life and character, the excellency of God’s commandments in contrast with the customs and precepts of the world.
Every soul that has made a profession of Christ has pledged himself to be all that it is possible for him to be as a spiritual worker, to be active, zealous, and efficient in his Master’s service. Christ expects every man to do his duty; let this be the watchword throughout the ranks of His followers.” (Same, p.460)
In summary, the cost to bear this solemn message of the hour is but a tiny thing in return for the two -fold glory that God has promised us–
1. The be among the 144,000 end-time servants in the Loud Cry
2. To be with our great King for eternity.
Is this reward not worth the price? Soon the few will turn into a “great multitude” (Rev. 7:9). But we must first be willing to be a –laborer in the tough harvest field of “first fruits” , our SDA church.
Think about this.
“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” (Matthew 20:6)
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.”
Recently we have posted about the 144,000 and as such it would be helpful now to show from God’s word how such gathering of His people shall occur. Let us read from Inspiration–
“..the early Christian church was made up of Jews only: the apostles, the 120 in the upper room (Acts 1:15), and the 3,000 who were converted on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) were all Jews, as were, indeed, virtually all those who “were added daily” for the first three and a half years after the crucifixion (Dan. 9:26, 27; Acts 2:47). And even after this period was over, and the apostles were commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46), many more Jews became Christians, and subsequently, as Christians rather than as Jews, were scattered among the nations.
Clearly, therefore, in each instance most of the sons of Jacob lost their racial distinctiveness. As the Lord, however, has ever kept the genealogies of all nations, especially of the sons of Jacob, He will, as He has promised, “make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.” Ps. 87:4-6.
Thus just as obvious as strange is the fact that no one today but the recognized Jew can vouch for his ancestry, with the result that the 144,000 can be gathered from almost every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and yet be of the sons of Jacob!
“And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Word of prophecy in this connection, “that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.” Isa. 11:11, 12; 27:12.
Since, therefore, history, logic, and scripture combine their evidences to prove unconditionally that God has preserved the genealogy of the chosen branch of the human race forward from Adam to Noah (Matt. 1:1-17), and backward from Jesus to Adam (Luke 3:23-38), He must, then, for a consistent reason, also have preserved the identity of the elect today.
And this we see, is precisely what He has done in His designating the lineage of the 144,000, as “of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” Rev. 7:4. And though we know not what we are, and cannot ever of ourselves tell, the One Who knows all about us, even to the last hair of each head, knows our precise ancestry, although those of us who are to be gathered from the seed of Jacob are, says the prophet, as the sand of the sea,” ..” (Tract 8, p. 9-11)
Isa. 51:1, 2 — “Hearken to Me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”
God advises His people of today to hearken unto Him. They are those who are endeavoring to obtain righteousness, those who are seeking the Lord, and who are anxious to have a revival and reformation among them. They are now urged to look to the rock whence they are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence they are digged.
We are not to conclude that the Jews are the only descendants of Abraham. Those who are fortunate enough to have this revelation brought to them, are the people. There is no other safe conclusion if God causes the prophecies to be written, sealed, and then unsealed at His will and at the time appointed. The Jews, therefore, are not the only descendants of Abraham.
To find who these seekers of righteousness really are, there are several genealogical facts to consider: (1) Only the citizens of the kingdom of Judah (the two-tribe kingdom, Judah and Benjamin) received the title Jews. (2) Those of the ten-tribe kingdom (the kingdom of Israel) were scattered among the nations, and there they completely lost their identity. (3) The Christian church herself is an upshoot of the Jewish church and nation — the Apostles and her followers, up to about 35 A.D. were all Jews. Then it was that again a multitude of Jews lost their identity by calling themselves “Christians.” Comparatively speaking, only a few Jews, from the Kingdom of Judah, have preserved their national title, Jews.
The descendants of the early Christian Jews and the descendants of the ten tribes, down the stream of time must have increased to a great innumerable multitude, for Abraham’s seed was to be as the sand of the sea for multitude. It is, therefore, obvious that the few identified Jews of today are not the only descendants of Abraham’s, but that many of the Gentiles must be of Abraham. Since this mixed up situation exists, hardly any one can really say for sure that he is not one of Abraham’s children.
Perhaps many of the nations whom the world calls Gentiles are the children of Abraham. We do not know for sure who is who. God, however, has kept a perfect genealogical record, for He says: “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know Me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the Highest Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.” Psa. 87:4-6.
Furthermore, though one be of Gentile blood, if he truly accepts Christ he by his spiritual birth becomes of the seed of Abraham for says Inspiration, “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:29. The children of Abraham here addressed, therefore, are not to be sought among the identified unbelieving Jews, but among the Christians.
They are admonished to look to Abraham and Sarah, and to consider that when God called Abraham, though he was alone, he nevertheless obeyed and God blessed him; that in spite of all the apparent impossibilities with both him and Sarah, He increased him. What if you personally and alone were called by His word, as was Abraham, to stand alone for Truth and righteousness, would you be a hero for God as was Abraham, or would you do as did backsliding Judas Iscariot? (Timely Greetings, vol. 1, no.37, p.10-12)
Hos. 1:10 — “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”
“Yet,” that is, in spite of the fact that the children of Israel were to be scattered throughout the nations, and rejected, be no longer God’s people, yet in spite of all these, both the descendants of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah (all the children of Jacob) were to be multiplied as the sand of the sea by the time they are reaccepted and thus become the sons of the living God through the Saviour, Jesus Christ.
From this scripture you note that this multitude of sons of Jacob are not the identified Jews of today, but rather the lost descendants of Judah and Israel, of those who were assimilated by the Gentile nations and by the early Christian church by taking upon themselves the title “Christians,” of those who thus lost their racial and national identity. From all these, after having been scattered throughout the Gentile nations, and after having lost their identity, are to come the sons of God that are projected in this allegorical prophecy.
Thus many of us who suppose to be of the Gentile nations may at long last discover that we are of the lost tribes of Judah and Israel, and of the apostolic Christian Jews. Though none of us really know our genealogy very far back, yet God Who knows even the number of hairs on one’s head has kept an accurate genealogical record of each of us.
So He says: “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know Me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was orn there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.” Psa. 87:4-6. (Timely Greetings, vol.2, no.21, p.5-7)
Ok this is quite alot for us to digest. Let us summarize this week’s lesson.
1) The original Christians were all Jews, and they assimilated through out the world. Therefore today we of ourselves cannot tell who is who.
2) The Lord has kept track of the bloodline from Abraham, to the apostolic Jews, to the current Christians today.
3) The Lord shall set His hand a “second time” to recover His people, His “chosen branch” the 144,000. For the purpose of setting up an “ensign” ( which means a sign – the Loud Cry headquarters in Israel for the world to come into and from out of BABYLON).
4) The 144,000 blood line can be traced back to one of the “tribes of Israel.” These are not Gentiles, according to God but of the Jewish line down from Abraham.
5) Some who we think as Gentiles today can be from the “lost tribes of Judah and Israel”. Though if not, by acceptance of Christ they are “spiritually” born into the seed of Abraham.
6) In the future there will be so many Christians (the house of Israel) by acceptance of the Truth, they shall be “as the sands of the sea.”
7) The current identifiable Jews of today are not God’s remnant people, rather the scattered multitude from all over the world are to be found His true remnant.
Amen Lord, thanks and praise Your Holy Name, for You have faithfully kept track of Your people, our only part is to —accept , proclaim and live Your Truth.
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 