Godsloveandlaw's Blog

As with any organized war, we know that in order to succeed there must be a battle plan. The attacks must come strategic and at points of strongholds that will weaken the enemy. This is warfare 101. In this same war plan, Satan has clearly directed his attack at three SDA strongholds of faith. That is not to say that he attacks us in other areas but these three are major. 

This week’s post we shall look at these three pillars and see what the enemy of souls is doing and how we can stand firm against him in the tried, true and successful — “Thus sayeth the Lord”.

As we all know from the beginning in the garden, Satan has attacked us ever so sneakily. His plans have been stealth and so very often unnoticed by the vast majority of church members, certainly our leaders!

Satan has long been at his work of deception, in GC, p.496-497 we read —

“God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all. Lucifer, as the anointed cherub, had been highly exalted; he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence over them was strong.

God’s government included not only the inhabitants of heaven, but of all the worlds that He had created; and Satan thought that if he could carry the angels of heaven with him in rebellion, he could carry also the other worlds.

He had artfully presented his side of the question, employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects. His power to deceive was very great, and by disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood he had gained an advantage. Even the loyal angels could not fully discern his character or see to what his work was leading.”

Thus from a long history of practicing his work, he is working within our church to promulgate his attacks, in a form of misconstrued righteousness as we shall see. Let us look at the three pillars —

1st Pillar — The SDA Church is Babylon

The church has so much wrong with it as to constitute Babylon. This is the storyline that is promulgated today in reports, videos, websites, etc. Because of the abominations done in her, we should at once “touch no unclean thing” and have nothing more to do with her.

Satan’s go-to reference is this–

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:16-18)

Ah, they say, see here, we are not to associate ourselves with evil, idols, sin of any kind. We are unclean if we are among those people. Thus, the underground “home church” is the God-approved place of worship. These home churches are growing today due to the widespread message of “Come out from among them ” meaning quit the SDA church and associate yourself with small groups or just your family worship.

And as expected, enough of these brethren form alliances and a new smaller church is formed, yet separate and apart from the main body.  But his plan works, he gets some to make a FATAL blunder. How do we know it’s fatal? The Lord’s last message of Elijah says so, let us read —

“Our relation to the church is the same as was John the Baptist’s Jesus Christ’s, and the apostles’: We have a message to proclaim to the church, and though the church officials order us out, as the Sanhedrin ordered the apostles out of the “temple,” we must in a righteous way refuse to leave, and must continue returning to the church. For if we depart and stay away and become strangers, how, then, shall we proclaim the message to our people?

   All must realize, however, that it ill becomes a Christian to cause any disturbance at anytime, especially during church services. Neither is it possible for any of us by such methods to present the message to them, or to convince them that we are speaking “the words of life.” By witnessing silently, reverently, and circumspectly in church and out of church, we shall give provocation for naught but false accusations.

   In Sabbath School, it is perfectly right and  permissible to answer questions which arise in connection with the lesson. For this, they cannot justly accuse anyone of causing disturbance, as it is in no wise an infraction of the constituted purpose and rules of the Sabbath School. But if anyone should be specifically requested not to answer questions, then let him refrain from doing so rather than cause contention and displeasure.  It is wrong to create controversy or to argue over any points which may arise. Nothing but harm to the cause of Present Truth can result from such procedure. Let your deportment win the people’s confidence.

   Two of the chief reasons for not staying away from Sabbath School and church services are, (1) that we would be depriving ourselves of the privilege of public worship in the church we helped build, and (2) that by absenting ourselves from services, we would become strangers  to our brethren and would have to become reacquainted with them if ever we were to give the message to them.

By continuing, though, to go to church, we are then, after the congregation is dismissed, afforded an opportunity to speak with the brethren in the interest of the message, urging them to investigate for themselves either by attending our studies or by reading the publications of Present Truth. Also, there is always an opportunity to get one or more new names and addresses to send in for our mailing list.

   So, if we voluntarily stay away from the church services, we lay ourselves open to the charge of being offshoots from the body, and at the same time forfeit the opportunity of coming in contact with the congregation.

   Moreover, if in this wise we separate ourselves, then in the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. when those who have not the “mark” are taken away, we shall not have the same right to claim an inheritance in the Denomination. (Answerer, vol. 4, p.30-33)

In the Tract called White House Recruiter, the same warning is given —

 “Do not, though, let any one fool you into believing that the Recruiter is calling you out of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination and into something else.  Such allegations and insinuations come only from those who are enemies of God’s eleventh- or Judgment-hour Truth, and who are therefore neither His servants not your friends.  God’s servants get their orders from God, and friends are ever cautious not to push their friends into accepting propagated falsehood, especially when the Scriptures are under consideration.

The plain truth about the Recruiter is that Its mission is to make sure that you stay in the Denomination, and to keep you from being cast out, not by men, but by the Lord when He proceeds to inspect the guests therein and to cast out those who have failed to put on the “wedding garment” which the Recruiter brings.” (WHR, p.53)

A wealth of information! We see that the Lord requests that we remain at our place of duty, and not to abandon her ranks. Further, we read solemnly that if we do stay away from her, at the time of the Lord’s church purification, we shall have no right to claim inheritance to her! This time will be her most glorious time, the time of the last great Loud Cry.  What devastation awaits those who have proclaimed false holiness, yet killed others (spiritually)! To look from without what could have joyfully been theirs from within, no more to walk with her ever again!

“I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things in their vessels; Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.” (Isaiah 65:2-5)

2nd Pillar  — We must keep the Feast Days

In this second pillar, we find it is similar to the first, as both have the underlying motive of false holiness by certain  “righteously” cloaked SDA members. The premise is that we are to please God by continuing to fulfill the Feast holy days. Often the home church proclaimers will also be one of these Feast keeping proclaimers as well. Satan cares not how he fools us, as long as he does somehow someway!  In these first two pillars it’s from an angle of an “angel of light”, let us read —

“For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14)

But once again the Lord knew ahead of time how to meet these tricks and warned, through His final message fo Elijah, to not fall for such Satanic ploys, proclaimed by his human agents dressed as angels of light. Let us read–

Broadly speaking, the law of Moses consists of three parts.  The first is the Ceremonial law, the law of the temple — the sacrificial law.  This law, of course, we today must not observe, except in antitype, for it foreshadowed things to come, particularly Christ’s first advent.  Thus it is that if we had lived in Old Testament times and had failed to comply with the sacrificial law and system of that day, we would thereby have demonstrated unbelief in Christ, Who was to come.  But since we are living in the Christian era, if we should now observe the typical sacrificial law and system, we should thereby demonstrate unbelief in Christ, Who has come.

   And so, as this law was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), we need not, and must not, observe it now. (TG, vol. 2, no.37, p.14)

It cannot get any clearer, we show “unbelief in Christ” if we observe the Feast days! SOP has much to say here as well–

“Christ discharged his disciples from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue; for type was meeting antitype in himself, the authority and foundation of all Jewish ordinances that pointed to him as the great and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. … To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah.” — (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, June 14, 1898)

3 — The sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7 is symbolical and it’s study is of no great importance to members of the SDA Church 

Unlike the first two pillars, this one is the most sophisticated and diabolical. The success rate of Satan’s scheme to make this subject of nearly no importance throughout the vast SDA church membership is astonishing! 

The Spirit of Prophecy led out with this very subject when Ellen White, as a young girl had her first vision. Early Writings page 13-16 describes how the 144,000 make it to the kingdom, their temptations and struggles to stay on the “narrow path”. Thus God led out our church from its inception — this subject!

Further SOP declared what we as SDA need to focus on —

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand. And let us do all that we can to help others to gain heaven.” (RH, March 9, 1905)

To be clear,  while EGW under inspiration spoke those words at that time, it applies to us right now. This concept is explained —

“The prophets of God spoke less for their own time than for the ages to come, and especially for the generation that would live amid the last scenes of this earth’s history. “Not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.” “All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (Signs of the Times, January 13, 1898)

The Lord followed SOP with the Elijah message and that too, He led out with this omni-important 144,000 subject —

“It is the intention of this book to reveal the truth of the 144,000  mentioned in Revelation 7, but the chief object of this publication is to bring about a reformation among God’s people.” (Preface Shepherd’s Rod, volume one)

And to those of us who have read all the Lord’s Rod publications, there is no doubt about it, the subject of the 144,000 is shown from many different angles. This unfolding is certainly the Lord’s doing, to let us have a clear precise understanding of what we are striving for. There is no “B” team or second class servants from the SDA church–no! 

But this knowledge is not ignored by Satan and his workers. They know that to know about this subject in detail and have it secured in our minds as –truth, hinders their work and ultimately brings their doom as the 144,000 take the field and begin to destroy the works of Satan.

“If we do not understand the subject of the 144,000, we may not be sealed, for it would be worthless to understand it after the sealing, just as it would be of no value to understand the beast and his image after his work on earth is finished.” (SRod,  Vol. 1 p.14)

“Some day this subject must be understood, for Inspiration makes no useless statements, and it cannot be in the Bible for a trinket.  It must be understood before the number (144,000) is made or it would be of no value.  When understood, it will guide the feet of the 144,000 in the straight path just as the first, second, and third angel’s messages have led thousands of souls to Christ.”(SRod, vol. 1, p.14)

 …Its dominant doctrinal concern being the truth of the 144,000, and a correct understanding of it being a life-and-death matter to all, the Rod unfolds it from several different angles, each urging the Denomination to prepare for the glorious deliverance of the saints and against the inglorious destruction of the sinners as foretokened by the marking and slaying recorded in Ezekiel 9.” (SRod Tract, p.5-6)

“The Enemy will try everything conceivable to confuse, becloud, and cover up the Truth, especially on the subject of the 144,000.” (White House Recruiter, p.33)

But our adversary knows these verses and thus plans his attacks to counter them. Often when the subject is brought up to our leaders, it is dumbed down and we are told not to worry much as it’s not an important subject, “Christ’s love” is what counts they say. Satan gets the leaders to place prophecies on the backbench, yet the Lord began His last two church movements with this subject!

Today, in our church the 144,000 topic is vastly unheard of throughout her ranks! But the Lord has met this by the spreading of online media. We have alternative ways of finding out more about this subject through YouTube videos, Websites, Facebook, etc.

Now, to be sure Satan has not stopped with silencing this subject among Seventh-day Adventists, he has found a way to confuse and bewilder even some present truth believers–Davidian Seventh-day Adventists! How is this possible you ask? After all these Adventists are the real students  of the Word, they have accepted the message of Elijah (?).

In the Rod message there are some references such as the following —

“As present-truth adherents in the first-fruit period, may God help us all, Brother Sister, to be either among or along with the first fruits, the 144,000.  It is left to every one himself to determine his own destiny. “(White House Recruiter, p.46)

The reference is made to show that there will not be just 144,000 sealed from the SDA church but others, known as “those with”.  Granted , when one reads this reference it appears to say as such. But, as he is so often able to do, his deception is achieved by those not willing to study and to be “guided into all truth” (John 16:13).

The trick is exposed when we look at the verse in context. The paragraph before it says —

“..if you make your decision for the better, then you will receive God’s mark (Ezek. 9; Testimonies To Ministers, p. 445) in your foreheads, be accounted faultless before His judgment throne, and be privileged either to come up in the resurrection of Daniel 12:2, or to stand aforehand with the Lamb on Mount Zion (Rev. 14:1), thence to carry God’s message to all nations and bring all your brethren for an offering to “the house of the Lord.” Isa. 66:19, 20.  You will become part of the first fruits, the nucleus, of the Kingdom Church, the token of the second fruits of the living, of those whom you subsequently bring in.”

Therein lies the context, plain and easy to understand. The resurrected of Daniel 12:2 (faithful SDA who have died in Jesus) are the “along with” the Rod speaks about. 

So Satan’s ploy with the DSDA is to proclaim that the 144,000 are “Israelites” from the SDA church (Rev. 7:1-4) and the “those with” are the Gentiles in the SDA church. Therefore the 144,000 is not the only ones who survive the SDA church Ezek. 9 judgment. 

Thus he has a plan for the SDA, to dumb down the importance of the 144,000 and to the DSDA, to twist the subject of the 144,000.

To be sure the Rod is clear as can be about who survives the Ezek. 9 church judgment —  

“Notwithstanding the fact that “in the closing work” for the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. only 144,000 are to be sealed, according to Testimonies, vol. 3, p.266…” (Answerer, vol. 3, Question 54)

Satan knows that whoever adds or subtracts from the Revelation word, brings upon themselves a fearful and horrible demise —

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19)

In closing, we have seen that Satan is not resting in his unholy work of deception. The question is — are we one of those snared ones that he has fooled? God forbid!  

The Lord’s word promises us —

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

Color code — Orange- The Lord speaking  Blue — Bible and SOP Brown — The Lord’s Rod (Micah 6:9) (aka Elijah message Mal. 4:5)