SOP tells us that there is to be more work done by those faithful ones who rest in the graves, let us read–
“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” (Testimonies, vol. 7, p.17)
What was Ellen White’s referring to as “my work”? Was it playing the harp and visiting other planets? Or was it saving souls for Christ? Yes, this was the only work they knew and did and that work will be taken up once more in the premillennial kingdom, praise the Lord.
The Scriptures also declare this special resurrection of saints —
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3)
The above is often not closely examined. But the Elijah prophet showed us that this cannot be about the resurrection solely to fit them for heaven, oh no! This is seen by the fact that some of these resurrected have a work to do– “they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
The message explains this Word of God —
“In these three verses several things clearly stand out: (1) Only those whose names are written in the books are delivered; there are therefore no “foolish” ones among them; (2) Those who are resurrected, however, are mixed, both foolish and wise come up; (3) The statement, “and they that be wise [implying that some be foolish] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament” indicates that these “wise” ones are from among the raised; (4) That if the wise are from among the resurrected and turn many to righteousness, then they must be resurrected in probationary time, in time of salvation.
“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” — Testimonies, Vol. 7, pg. 17.
Dan. 12:4, 10 — “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
Now what is meant by being wise? — Let us turn to–
Matt. 25:1-4 — “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”
Here we see that the wise are those who take extra oil, extra Truth that lightens the rest of their way. Finally, it plainly appears that this mixed resurrection is a test; that is, they are all given the opportunity to be wise, to turn many to righteousness, but only a part of them do so. Some of them again fall into sin, and therefore they awake to shame and everlasting contempt (everlasting disobedience), but the wise awake to everlasting life, never again to die.
This plainly shows that those who give themselves to wickedness up to the time they die, would not turn to righteousness even though they be given a second chance. The extra oil (Truth for this time) is what decides each one’s destiny. The wise shall embrace the “additional Truth,” while the foolish will not. Sin is indeed a mystery! (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no. 7, p.14-15)
So we see that there is “work” yet to be done by the faithful whom God will raise up during the “time of trouble” which we as present truth believers know is post Ezekiel 9 church judgment.
Now let’s look at the heart of this post , these are truly bright lights of truth on our subject —
“Ezek. 34:23, 24 — “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.”
The self-centered shepherds against whom the prophet is told to write, are to be replaced by one shepherd, David. When this takes place God’s people will then have but one shepherd. This, of course, cannot be Christ Himself, for Inspiration never calls Him David, but rather It calls Him the Son of David. Since God’s people have always had, and still do have many shepherds, the truth stands out as clear as crystal that the David of verses 23 and 24 is yet to come, and that the shepherds whom Inspiration addresses are in particular those whom David is to succeed.
Ezekiel, then, was not given a vision of the shepherds in his day, nor of those before his day, but of the shepherds after his day — the day in which God raises up this antitypical David to feed His hungry and neglected flock. God’s people shall then no longer serve strangers, “But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” Jer. 30:9. Here we see that not only Ezekiel, but Jeremiah also was given a vision of this same truth. Yes, all the prophets.
Ezek. 37:24, 25 — “And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.”
Since this is the addition to the “Third Angel’s Message” (“Early Writings,” p. 277) and since it is the message of the hour, consequently the day of the Davidian Kingdom is at hand. Let us turn to–
Hos. 3:4, 5 — “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, p.14-16)
We see that there is to be “one shepherd” instead of today where there are all kinds of shepherds trying to lead the flock, yet falling abysmally short. The Lord tells us prophetically that the last days shall have a kingdom and a king to rule there, no question about it!
What we also see is that the Lord will “raise up unto them” a king (Jer. 30:9).
As we mentioned the Lord left no stone unturned and through the Elijah message He tells us what His role is in these pre-millennial kingdom days —
“The Lord will work in no less miraculous a manner now to free His people from being ruled by a worldly organization. He will command the work Himself in the same manner as He did in Moses’ and David’s day.
…In the days of Moses and in the days of David, when the Lord had the work in His Own hands, He spoke to the people through Moses and through David, and thus He ruled. In like manner will He, at this time, rule the work when He takes the reins in His Own hands.
…It is generally understood that when Christ visibly appears, the nations will die by the brightness of His coming, and thus the wicked will have no chance for either the Lord to speak to them or they to speak to Him. Furthermore, according to the parable, He sits on the throne of His glory instead of sitting on the clouds as in 1 Thess. 4:17.
Therefore, the throne of His glory is His kingdom where He, invisible to the nations, sits on the throne and gathers all nations before Him as recorded by the prophet Isaiah also, saying: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isa. 2:2.) (SC, vol. 4, no.10-12, p.6)
It is now clear that the Lord’s promise of restoration is not hard to understand. Once we look at the whole picture, all the references, much as a puzzle it all comes together. And this restoration comes from the “Elijah” who the Lord delegated as the one to do it. It is not to our human understanding that Victor Houteff should do the initial work of Elijah, calling out the sins of the people and church and yet die then come back and finish the work. But the Lord, as SOP noted, will work “in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”
We have heard the argument “Oh no, you take away Christ’s rightful role as the restoration one”. No, “we” do not, the Lord has spoken that HE wants His Elijah prophet to supervise and command the kingship in the time of restoration, just as He wanted Moses to lead His people.
SOP gives a most beautiful picture of these times of restoration —
“In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great Day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest.
On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence. Great blessings were received by the true and humble people of God. I heard voices of thanksgiving and praise, and there seemed to be a reformation such as we witnessed in 1844.” (Testimonies, vol. 9, p.126)
Some of you may not know much of this man –Victor T. Houteff, but if you are like a detective, a Sherlock Holmes type, searching each piece of the puzzle, you will come to this conclusion we assure you. Stick to the Bible, SOP and the Rod and you’ll have no trouble.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)
Let us remember that the Lord loves His people deeply and has pointed a clear road map for His Seventh-day Adventist people, clear to the kingdom, we only have to follow it.
In closing, there is no doubt that brother Victor Houteff, whom the Lord brought forth to give the Rod message (the Elijah message) and prepare the people for His sudden church coming (Ezek.9), will “take up the work once more” after the church purification, along with Ellen White and all the faithful pioneers. Then it shall surely be as the Lord promised, the Elijah will “restore all things.”
“. . . a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can endure it?” (Joel 2:2-11.)
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 
July 8, 2017 at 4:41 am |
Who is the steward (man), upon the Lord’s direction is to call the labourers from their graves? Remember this last week… “And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.” Luke 12:42-44
Someone is to be alive and teaching and distributing strong meat when his Lord cometh, of a truth the Lord will make him ruler over all that he hath. Sounds like this man will rule the planet as was Adams duty before the fall of man.
Answer the questions.
July 8, 2017 at 4:43 am |
Remember this is a thus sayeth the Lord…
July 8, 2017 at 5:01 am |
“So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.” Matthew 20:8 &9
Here is another thus sayeth the Lord… The Lord says to his steward “call the labourers, and give them their hire… they received every man a penny.” Who calls forth the labourers is it the same man who is alive in the thus sayeth the Lord above in Luke 12:42-44?
July 8, 2017 at 5:01 am |
VTH needs to be given life from the grave does he not?
July 8, 2017 at 5:12 am |
Once more and for the last time Dave, your ideas and ours are in complete disagreement. Let’s not waste your time or ours, Carry on brother and soon the Truth will show us.
July 8, 2017 at 5:30 am |
You can count on it! Praise The Lord!!!