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The Woman of Revelation 17 (Part 1 of 2)

October 15, 2016

The study of the Revelation is both fascinating and very complex. This book truly must have the Lord’s “Spirit of Truth” to correctly interpret it. In 2 Peter 1:20 we read.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20)

Thankfully our all-seeing Lord sent us an end time prophet, the promised “Elijah” spoken of in Mal. 4:5. He knew that the mysteries of this deep book would have to be unlocked and so it is today. What we will see is the true interpretation of this woman and who/what she is.

There are two SOP quotes that specifically apply concerning our study this week, let us read.

“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.30)

“When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart.

The Lord will bless all who will seek humbly and meekly to understand that which is revealed in the Revelation. This book contains so much that is large with immortality and full of glory that all who read and search it earnestly receive the blessing to those “that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.”

Result of True Study

One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation—that the connection between God and His people is close and decided.” (TM p. 114)

So we see that once we understand the books of Daniel and Revelation we will have “entirely different religious experience.” In other words we will shift into a higher gear spiritually speaking. This truly is what the Lord was talking about when he admonished us as Laodiceans to stop thinking we are “rich and increased with goods”–have all the truth, because Revelation truth (along with other end time prophecies) is needed so that we can “buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich.” (Rev. 3:17-18)

The verses we shall go over in part one are Rev. 17:1-6, 9–

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration….And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Ok let us look at this woman of Rev. 17. Before we do it’s helpful to know what we as SDA have been generally taught about this, our historical understanding.

As with many of our standard SDA teaching, one of the leaders in this department is pastor Doug Batchelor. Recently we watched one of his YouTube videos entitled ,”Revelation 17 and Protestant Reformation.”

In agreement with the typical well-known SDA belief, his presentation proclaimed that this woman is symbolic of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). A few clues presented were —

  1. The seven heads represent the seven mountains, which is then interpreted to mean the seven hills of Rome. Because Rome has sometimes been referred as “the city of seven hills” DB connects Rev. 17:9’s  mountains to Rome’s hills. In other words he promotes a literal application in regards to what the mountains mean.
  2. The woman has the colors purple and scarlet and is symbolically meant to mean the RCC because these two colors are historically prominent in Catholicism.
  3. The woman has precious adornment of gold and precious stones and shows that this woman is fabulously rich just as the RCC is known to be. DB points out that the RCC has the most silver in the world and owns some of the world’s most priceless relics.
  4. The golden cup is indicative of the priest’s mass cup.
  5. The woman therefore is symbolical of the RCC solely.

As widely distributed and proclaimed by our leaders, this warning of the woman being the RCC is promulgated to have us focus on it exclusively instead of knowing the whole picture and the forecast. All parts of this Revelation puzzle must fit, there can be no dis-jointed piece forced into the picture.

You see brethren, this is Satan’s ploy similar to the “Sunday Law” hoodwink. Having us look for the implementation of this law, while not getting ready for the Lord’s “suddenly” coming to His temple to begin the judgment for the living (Mal. 3:1-5).  Satan has the SDA’s leading teachers right where he want’s them–mis-understanding the prophecies, looking left when they should be looking right. He wants us to focus on the RCC instead of the real culprit–apostate Protestantism.

“..I saw the Mother of Harlots; that the mother was not the daughters, but separate and distinct from them. She has had her day, and it is past, and her daughters, the Protestant sects, were the next to come on the stage and act out the same mind that the mother had when she persecuted the saints. I saw that as the mother has been declining in power, the daughters had been growing, and soon they will exercise the power once exercised by the mother.” (Spalding/Magan Collection, p.1) 

What we’ll be presenting is a  different understanding of this woman provided by the Lord’s Elijah message, another restoration of truth promised by the Word (Matt. 17:11) . Carefully study all aspects of this and then decide whether our historical SDA understanding is correct or whether the following part two presentation is based on  a “more sure word of prophesy.”

What do we find a  “woman” means symbolically in Scripture?

“I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.(Jer. 6:2)

“In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman—a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.”(GC, p.381)

We see that both Scripture and SOP say that a woman, and particularly the Rev. 17 woman,  represents a church , which is an apostate and impure people  –false religion. Contrarily, for example, we see that Rev. 12’s woman is a pure church, and true religion.

So on this point our historical understanding that the woman is impure and is of a false faith is correct. Being a “whore” she obviously cannot represent purity.

In our part one we see that the historical understanding is that the woman represents the RCC  and that this is based on the afore-mentioned clues (among others). In our part two we’ll bring evidence that this woman cannot be the RCC solely for solid Biblical reasons. Stay tuned, you’ll be blessed and enlightened.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Revelation teachings | Leave a Comment »

“Bright Clouds Bring Gentle Rain”

August 20, 2016

One of the  most rewarding aspects of learning the Lord’s Elijah message is to read sermons such as the one that follows. When read slowly and carefully one cannot help but be satisfied in their soul of the depth of “Truth” spoken. Let us learn more about the “Latter Rain”. Enjoy–

THOUGHT FOR MEDITATION AND PRAYER   I shall read from “The Mount Of Blessing,” beginning with the first paragraph on page 170.  This page is based on the scripture.  “Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil one.” — R.V.

   M.B., pg. 170 — “Temptation is enticement to sin, and this does not proceed from God, but from Satan, and from the evil of our own hearts.  ‘God can not be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempteth no man.’

   “Satan seeks to bring us into temptation, that the evil of our character may be revealed before men and angels, that he may claim us as his own…. The enemy leads us into sin, and then he accuses us before the heavenly universe as unworthy of the love of God….”

   Every temptation resisted, every trial bravely borne, gives us a new experience in character building.  The soul that resists temptation through Divine power reveals to the world and to the universe the efficiency of the grace of Christ.

   Here is seen that Satan is the great tempter of our souls, that he constantly seeks to make us fall.  But he cannot do anything against us if our hearts be right with God, and if we stay within the hedge He has built around us.  He can succeed only if we ourselves make it possible.  If we willingly yield to sin, we thus voluntarily surrender to Satan.  Let us not forget that no one can keep on going his own way and at the same time pray the Lord’s prayer without making a liar of himself.  But those who wholeheartedly take the Lord at His word and allow Him to direct their steps, they never go wrong.  We should pray to be among this latter class.

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BRIGHT CLOUDS BRING GENTLE RAIN

TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,

MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS

SABBATH, NOVEMBER 30, 1946

MT. CARMEL CHAPEL WACO, TEXAS  

This afternoon we are to study the tenth chapter of Zechariah.  To find the time of the fulfillent of its prophecy and of the promises it contains, we need look no further than the first verse of the chapter.

Zech. 10:1 — “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.”

   These figures of speech, you know, are not used by Inspiration promiscuously, the term “latter rain” must have its special and accurate significance.  Inspiration chose to use the term “rain”, because rain makes things grow and brings abundant harvest.  The term “latter” denotes the last rain before the harvest, the rain that completes maturity and that ripens the grain.

   The latter rain of Truth, therefore, is the very last, the one that is to develop the people of God for the harvest, for the time in which God separates the wheat from the tares (Matt. 13:30), the wise virgins from the foolish ones (Matt. 25:1-12), the good fish from the bad (Matt. 13:47, 48), and the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32, 33).  In short, the harvest is the day of cleansing, the day of Judgment, the antitypical

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Day of Atonement, the day in which the sinners are cut off. This spiritual latter rain is, therefore, to do to the church just what the natural latter rain does to the field.  Without this latter rain the saints could not develop for the heavenly garner, neither could the tares for the fire. By the “latter rain,” therefore, is illustrated the last shower of Truth.  And, too, this last portion of Truth must come as freely to every member of the church who lives just prior to the harvest time as does the rain come to every grass in the field.  Just as soon as this final touch of development is accomplished, the sickle is to be put to the precious golden grain.  But let us remember that it is not left in the field to rot, it is put into the “barn,” (Kingdom) while the tares are burned, so says the Lord (Matt. 13:30).  What is symbolized by the “latter rain?  Is it miracle-working Truth, or is it miracle-working power? — The prophet Joel explains that the miracle-working power comes after both the “former and the latter rain.”  Says he:

   “And it shall come to pass afterward [after the former and the latter rain — Joel 2:23], that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.” Joel 2:28, 29.

   Plainly, then, the “latter rain” is miracle-working Truth that causes the saints to mature for the harvest of which the 144,000 are the first fruits (Rev. 14:4).  Then, in order to quickly gather the second fruits, God pours His Spirit upon every first fruit saint, (upon “every one grass”) old or young, boy or girl — not upon one here and upon another there.

   Obviously “bright clouds” represent agencies conveying Truth which they scatter everywhere in the

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Lord’s vineyard — over every church member — “every one grass,” wheat or tare.

   Literally speaking, dark clouds suggest a very heavy and damaging rain that frightens the beholders.  Conversely, bright clouds suggest a gentle rain, the kind that descends in such a way so that the ground can absorb all of it.  It does not waste itself.

   Spiritually speaking, dark clouds would, therefore, represent a source of dangerous reading matter and too voluminous for one to welcome or to comprehend.  But bright clouds stand for a source of small, easily comprehended Truth-laden publications packed with “meat in due season,” Truth that comes in portions easy to take in, easy to assimilate all of It, and thus to develop the recipient of It for the “master’s” use and for His service.

   Then, too, spiritual “latter rain” must fall as freely and without cost to the recipients as does literal rain.  Thus it is that never before has the world witnessed so much absolutely free literature scattered away as this literature is.  Millions!  So it is that these small comprehensive publications, the bright clouds, laden with present Truth, are now being scattered as leaves of autumn throughout Laodicea to every church member, “to every one grass” in the vineyard of the Lord.  The final results?  “More than one thousand,” attests Inspiration, “will soon be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications.” — “Review and Herald,” Nov. 10, 1885.  Accordingly, along with the world’s dark clouds that now hover over those who are pessimistic about the promises of God, there are these bright clouds that hover over the faithful believing and trusting children of God.

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   And so, Brother, Sister, you need not listen to the voices that urge you to shut yourself in from this gentle rain, or to tuck in under someone’s umbrella.  Come out and avail yourself of this much needed shower.  It is sent to give you the development which you need, and to enable you to survive the great and dreadful day of the Lord, the Judgment for the Living.  Delay no longer, get out in the open and let the precious rain fall upon you, let it soak in through and through lest the angels find you unfit for the “barn” and they cast you into the fire along with the tares. Inspiration makes it as clear as can be made that not a soul (not one blade of grass), can be fit for the Kingdom (“barn”) if it fails to absorb this rain of Truth.

   How important then that you should avail yourselves of it. No, you cannot afford to stand dry under the umbrellas of Truth-haters.  Get out from under their devilish umbrellas lest you lose out eternally, lest you hopelessly cry out, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer. 8:20.

Zech. 10:2 — “For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.”

   Here is conveyed the thought that this character-building and wisdom and light-importing “rain” that fits one for the society of Heaven, finds the waiting ones listening to idols speaking “vanity” and to diviners telling false dreams, in vain trying to comfort.  Will you not heed Inspiration’s Voice and turn away from listening to idols?

   Who could they be if not vain self-important Truth-hating

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ministers that are idolized by the laity, false preachers trying to comfort by preaching falsehood.

   Revival and reformation therefore must do their work among both ministers and laity.  Indeed the sheep are troubled because there is no real shepherd anywhere, they all have gone their own way!

Zech. 10:3 — “Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited His flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle.”

   This verse discloses that the Lord has visited His people with revealed Truth preparatory to separating the goats from the sheep whereupon He is to reward the sheep and punish the goats — the work of the Judgment for the Living.  His visit makes His servants as goodly horses in His vineyard.

Zech. 10:4 — “Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.”

   The Lord Himself chooses from Judah the “corner” stone (founder), the “nail” (organizer), the “bow” (the Truth, or instrument by which to gain the victory over the Enemy), and every “oppressor” (ruler).  With these He builds the house of Judah.

Zech 10:5 — “And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.”

   The victory shall be so complete that even the

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demons who lead our enemies in the conflict, will themselves be confounded.

Zech. 10:6 — “And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.”

   The statements, “I will strengthen,” instead of save, “the house of Judah,” and “I will save” instead of strengthen “the house of Joseph,” imply that the house of Judah is saved before the house of Joseph is, and to save the house of Joseph He strengthens the house of Judah.  The second fruits need to be saved, whereas the first fruits need to be fitted for service.  Both are gathered into one place, (the “barn,” the Kingdom).  The Lord extends this favor to both of them because He has mercy upon them and will treat them as though they had never caused Him to cast them out.

Zech. 10:7 — “And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.”

   The fathers shall rejoice and the children shall see it.  He shall thus “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers….” Mal. 4:6.

Zech. 10:8 — “I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.”

   “They shall increase,” that is, the second fruits

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are to be added to the “firstfruits.” (Rev. 7:4, 9).

Zech 10:9 — “And I will sow [multiply] them among the people: and they shall remember Me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again [to their homeland].”

Zech. 10:10 — “I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.”

   The elect shall be gathered from everywhere, and shall spread as far as the land of Gilead and Lebanon.  But even then, the place shall be too small for them.

Zech. 10:11, 12 — “And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.  And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in His name, saith the Lord.”

   That is to say, the gathering of the people is to be unobstructed.  Every hindrance is to be removed.  The reign of sin is to be brought to an end.  The nations who have enslaved God’s people are to be humbled, and their scepters (thrones) are to be no more.

   Be strong in the Lord, walk up and down happy and without fear, saith the Lord.

   The work that God has begun in the human heart by Divine light and knowledge, must continually go forward.  “…Every individual must realize his own

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necessity.  The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit.  It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.  The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now.  Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing, and wait for the Lord to perfect the work concerning him.  It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ.  But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain.

   “Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light.  Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain.  It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. — “Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 507.

   Since this Truth is so vitally important do not let any enemy against revealed Truth confuse you.  If he tries to convince you against this Truth, you take him to task — make him give a more Biblical interpretation of these scriptures.  If he cannot give you something better or as good, then tell him to mind his own business and you will mind yours.

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The Meaning of Hosea Chapter One and Two, Part 2 of 2

July 2, 2016

hosea

Continuing with part two of  our study —

Continuing with the same family illustration, and pointing to the Christian era, the Lord commands:

Hos. 2:1 — “Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.”

   Here we see that the names of the two children of chapter 1 are again mentioned, but the first two letters of each name have been dropped:

Lo-ruhamah has become Ruhamah, and Lo-Ammi has become Ammi.  Now the fact that these are the brother and sister of Jezreel, bears out the truth that the one whom the Lord commands to speak to them, is Jezreel, the first-born of the three.  He is to deliver the message to his brethren, Ammi and Ruhamah.

 

   Now, what is it all about? — It is not too difficult to see.  The one to whom God speaks, Jezreel, represents a prophet.  His brother and sister, Ammi and Ruhamah, can only represent the church membership, both male and female.  In actuality Jezreel must deliver God’s message to them.  And here is the message:

Hos. 2:2 — “Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not My wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts.”

   The fact that God Himself calls the prophet Hosea’s visionary wife His own wife, reveals that she represents the church, that Hosea represents God, and that while Jezreel represents the mouthpiece of God, Ammi and Ruhamah represent the church membership.  In childhood (Hosea 1), they represent the Old Testament church, the Hebrews, but in their youth, having their names altered, (Hosea 2), they represent the New Testament church, the Christians.

   Now that the laity, at the command of God are through a prophet to plead with the church, therefore, the reformation here called forth is sponsored by Inspiration and carried out by the laity.  It is the long expected revival and reformation to the Laodiceans, and hence a layman’smovement called forth by the revived Spirit of Prophecy.

 

   From this prophecy, you see, the Denomination is by God Himself charged with “whoredom,” with having illicit connections with the world.  This lewdness she must give up if she is to obtain favor with God.

   These are not man’s words, you understand, but God’s.  And should we not be grateful that He is doing everything He can to save us?  The church must repent, says the Lord:

Hos. 2:3 — “Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.”

   The Denomination often boasts of gain in membership (children), but God charges that those whom she brings in are illegitimate children!  And how could it be otherwise if the church herself is corrupted with the world?  What else could her converts be?  What would free them from the worldly influences, if she (the ministry), is herself tainted with the practices of the world?  Indeed her converts cannot be lawful children.

Hos. 2:5 — “For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.”

   The church has gone after the world because she mistakenly thinks that her support comes from worldlings, from her “lovers.”

Hos. 2:6 — “Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.”

Here we see that the church proposes, but that God disposes; her plans do not work out as expected — she loses her way as does a ship without chart or compass drifting at sea.

 

Hos. 2:7 — “And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.”

   Again we see that trials and adverse circumstances are for our good, for thus is the church brought to her right senses.

Hos. 2:8-12 — “For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.  Therefore will I return, and take away My corn in the time thereof, and My wine in the season thereof, and will recover My wool and My flax given to cover her nakedness.  And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of Mine hand.  I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.  And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.”

   From these verses we see that it was just such a departure from God that caused the church in her early Christian era to lose her path and all her possessions, including her feast days, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

   This is exactly what happened when the “Dark Ages” of religion began.  The Pagans in whose clutches the church fell were no more to blame for the church’s going into darkness than were the Chaldeans of destroying Judah and her temple.  The real blame falls on the church herself.  And this should be a lasting lesson to each of us, that we should never again have illicit connection with the world, should never depart from the Lord.

 

   Now, let us read what other experiences the church was to go through:

Hos. 2:13, 14 — “And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat Me, saith the Lord.  Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.”

   Notice that the Lord visits the church not when she is in good spiritual standing with Him, but when she is in her greatest idolatry.  Indeed, He could not visit her at a more opportune time, because only when she is in greatest darkness can she possibly discern light.  And her condition, you know, can never improve unless He should call on her.  Thus it was in John the Baptist’s day, also when the Protestant reformation came, and thus it is today.  God knows how to save.  Saving is His chief concern.

   “God requires certain things of His people; if they say, I will not give up my heart to do this thing, the Lord lets them go on in their supposed wise judgment without heavenly wisdom, until this scripture [Isa. 28:13] is fulfilled.  You are not to say, I will follow the Lord’s guidance up to a certain point that is in harmony with my judgment, and then hold fast to your own ideas, refusing to be molded after the Lord’s similitude.  Let the question be asked, Is this the will of the Lord?  if not, Is this the opinion or judgment of __________?” — Testimonies to Ministers, pg. 419.

    And what is God’s promise now to His church?

 

Hos. 2:15 — “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.”

   As a result of her vineyards’ being restored, and also of her being given the valley of Achor for a door of hope, the church is to sing as in the days of her youth, as when she came up out of Egypt and lodged in the Promised Land.  What could her vineyard be but her own land?  And if the valley of Achor is for a door of hope to her, what can it be but what it was in Joshua’s time — removal of the Achans of today from her midst (Hos. 2:15)?  Indeed, this is her only hope — in fact, even more so than it was in the day of Israel’s defeat at Ai, the gate to the Promised Land.

   “The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God.  The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: ‘Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children, and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.  Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.’

 

   “Here we see that the church — the Lord’s sanctuary — was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.  The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light, and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust.  They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days.  Times have changed.  These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say, The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil.  He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment.  Thus peace and safety is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins.  These dumb dogs, that would not bark, are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God.  Men, maidens, and little children, all perish together.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, pg. 211.

Hos. 2:16 — “And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi; and shalt call Me no more Baali.”

   So it is that after the hypocrites and sinners are taken out of the way, the church shall no longer call the Saviour Baali (Lord), but she shall call him Ishi (Husband).  The significance is that then He will truly be her husband, whereas now He is to her as it were only some great personality.

Hos. 2:18 — “And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.”

     Here is peace, the only peace that one can have today if he so desires.  This is peace overflowing with safety.  The saints, after the sinners have been removed from among them, need not fear beasts, fowls or creeping things of the ground, neither gun nor sword; they shall lie down in confidence and assurance that nothing shall hurt them, for He “Whose fan is in His hand,…will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matt. 3:12.

 

Hos. 2:19-21 — “And I will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.  I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.  And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.”

   In saying that the Lord will hear the heavens, and the heavens the earth, Inspiration actually says that when these things take place on earth, the Lord is to be in the midst of His people, that He is to speak from earth and His subjects in heaven shall hear Him.

Hos. 2:22 — “And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.”

    To hear the corn, the wine, and the oil is to hear them speak, and since real corn, wine, and oil cannot speak, they must be figurative of spiritual food and drink — figurative of the mighty message in the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And by the fact that the people of the earth shall hear Jezreel, the mouthpiece of God, it is made clear that the call, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4), will accomplish its appointed work.  Those who come out, go into the aforementioned place of safety.  And those who do not hear Jezreel shall perish as did the Jews who rejected the prophets in their day.

 

   Let us now review our study of today by following this graphic illustration:
 

hosea
 (Click to Enlarge)

Here we see Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi as little children pictorially representing the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in their calamities, a complete but brief history of the Old Testament church and her people.

   Then we see that the letters “Lo” are dropped from the names Ruhamah and Ammi, denoting a change of names — Jews called Christians, — meaning “mercy” and “My people” instead of “no mercy” and “not My people.”  Jezreel’s name, though, remains the same, and as he represents the prophets of God in all times, this shows that they are the descendants of Jacob and therefore we must hear and obey them.

 

   The family as little children representing the people of the Old Testament church, and as youth representing the New Testament church, show that spiritual growth has been made through the stream of time, that they are now grown, able to take “strong meat,” and truly to be the reformers to the church, and the missionaries to the world.

   We also see that the same mother and the same father, along with the same children, represent both the Old and New Testament churches; that the descendants of Jacob in reality are the old olive tree (Rom. 11:24), that the only way the Gentiles can get into the kingdom is for them to be grafted into the old olive tree.  Jew or Gentile, all must join it if they are to be in the kingdom.  This can be done only by our own consent and action now while the Spirit is pleading with us, and while the Lord stands ready to do the work.  No one need be excluded.  No one need remain a lukewarm Laodicean unless he so chooses.  My hope is that all will choose life rather than death.

 

   Next we see that the church as a whole, as a family, is composed of a father, a mother, and of sons and a daughter, that the father is God; that the wife is the ministry (those who bring in converts); that the children are the laity.  We see also that the church (woman) was married to the Lord in her youth, in the day she came out of Egypt; that although the ministry as a whole never advanced from one truth to another, the church (wife) continued by being replaced by new and successive ministers time and again.  And now that she is deep in whoredom, obviously she is again to be replaced by a new ministry, and thus will she become faithful to our Father; that this will be accomplished by taking away the sinners from her midst.  Then will she be given her vineyards, and then will she and all her children live in peace and safety.

   Clearly, then, lewdness shall actually flee away, and this revival and reformation brought forth by this layman’s movement shall accomplish its given work.  And so, you see that as a result of the childrens’ protest, the whole family of God shall live happily in peace and safety forevermore.

(Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 6  P.17-27)

What a beautiful story described in Hosea. The all -loving God gives His all and goes all out to win back “Mother”. Yet she will not return and He must execute , as a last resort, judgment “the valley of Achor for a door of hope” upon His people. Very soon the relationship with the King of Kings shall be one of “Husband and wife”, do we realize the utter privilege that awaits those who are prepared for the Lord’s visitation upon His remnant people, those who have accepted His final message of Elijah?

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The Meaning of Hosea Chapter One and Two, Part 1 of 2

June 25, 2016

hosea

When the Lord promised to send His final messenger to our church, one of the greatest things we find is the understanding of long-held mysteries of the Bible. One of those mysteries we now understand is the often confusing story of Hosea. All too often the people are told that Hosea chapter one and two is a “real” story. That Hosea really did go out and marry a whore. This idea stems mostly from our protestant friends, those who also tell us the Sabbath has been done away with. However we as SDA have some private ideas on this story from our leaders as seen here –https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/bible-ot-texts/hosea-12

But let us  look at the story and find out the real spiritual meaning as brought to us by the final prophet, Victor T. Houteff. We shall see a pleading story from God to us His remnant church, a story that shows the depth of His love for us and the desperation that exists in bringing her back to Him.

 

 

Let us now break this story down and study it from our prophet’s interpretation.

Hos. 1:2 — “The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.”

   We immediately see that this wife and these children symbolize God’s people departing from Him, and that such a wicked act, He calls whoredom.

Hos. 1:3, 4 — “So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.  and the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.”

   God’s reason for thus naming Hosea’s first visionary son, was to signify that in a little while He was to avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, who was then the king of Israel.  Then declared the Lord:

Hos. 1:5 — “And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.”

   To break the bow would mean to break the nation’s military strength.  The history of this is recorded in 2 Kings 10, 11.

Hos. 1:6 — “And she conceived again, and bare a daughter.  And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.”

   This child’s name was to denote the complete destruction of the house of Israel, the ten-tribe kingdom.  This destruction, we know, was accomplished by the king of Assyria, who scattered the people throughout the cities of the Medes.  The history of this is found in 2 Kings 18:11 — “And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.”

Hos. 1:7 — “But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.”

   The Lord promised to spare the house of Judah from the invasion of the king of Assyria.  The history of this incident is recorded in 2 Kings 19:35 — “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”

Hos. 1:8, 9 — “Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.  Then said God, Call his name Lo-Ammi: for ye are not My people, and I will not be your God.”

   The name of the third child was to signify that though Israel and Judah were God’s chosen people, the day was fast approaching in which they would no longer be called His people.  The fulfillment of this phase of the prophecy brings us to the Christian era.

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.”

   In spite of the calamities that were to overtake the children of Israel, they were to become very numerous.  And when they are thus greatly multiplied, they are again to be called the sons of God.  And so here we see a prophecy of the rebellion of God’s people and God’s rejection of them, as well as their repentance and re-acceptance by Him. (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no.6, p.13-17)

Let us here for a moment discuss the titles “Judah” and “Israel.”  When superficially read these titles are as a rule misconstrued and made to mean the identified Jews.  But we must not be superficial readers and thinkers.  Let us be deep Bible students.  Now, everyone knows that the identified Jews of today are but a handful — certainly not as the sands of the sea.  The innumerable children of Israel, therefore, cannot be the unbelieving Jews of today.  Besides, theidentified Jews of today are not the descendants of the ten-tribe kingdom, but of the two-tribe kingdom.  Who, then, is this multitude of people referred to in Hosea’s prophecy?

 

   We must not overlook the fact that the Gospel of Christ divided the house of Judah into two sects — Jewish and Christian, that the Christian church for about four years after the resurrection of Christ consisted practically only of Jews.  Plainly, then, the original Christians were full-blooded Jews, — the Christian church is only a branch of the Jewish church, but they and their descendants have, through the years, lost their racial identity. 

Then, too, the descendants of both Israel and Judah who through the years of captivity lost their identity as did the Jews who embraced Christianity, according to prophecy must also have greatly multiplied.  Plainly, then, many who are taken as Gentiles, are but unidentified descendants of ancient Judah, Israel, and the Jewish Christians.  The Christian church herself is, as we have seen, a Jewish-Christian church.

   These descendants of Jacob, who were assimilated by the Gentile nations, therefore, were to multiply as the sand of the sea.  They are the ones who, after becoming Christians, are again called the sons of the living God.

   Of those who first embraced the Christian faith, the Apostle Peter speaks thus: “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Pet. 2:10.

   And the Apostle John says: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

 

   Now we see that the prophecy of Hosea 1 begins with the house of Israel and Judah, and brings us down through the stream of time to the Christian era.  For light on the church in the Christian period, we turn to–

Hos. 1:11 — “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.”

   The Word of God, therefore, definitely declares that the subjects of the torn-down kingdoms — Judah and Israel — as Christians, along with the Gentiles that have joined them, will gather together and appoint themselves a king.

   In a similar symbolism, the prophet was told that after many days of obscurity and wandering, “shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king [evidently David is the “one head” whom they appoint], and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” Hos. 3:5. (Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no.6, p.13-17)

 

(Next week we’ll finish the Hosea prophecy with chapter two and a summary about it’s lesson for us today)

Color code– Scripture  and  Victor Houteff

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Questions and Answers

May 7, 2016

Q and A

Last week we posted on an example of restoration of the truth concerning the 120 disciples. This week we’d like to address some questions that may arise in the minds of some who would like more examples of the Elijah restoration.

1.If Victor Houteff was the Elijah to come and he was the one to restore all things then how can it be that he can restore the prophesied pre-millenial kingdom when he has died?

This question is a fair one and needs to be addressed. First, the Scriptures show that the anti-typical David is to rule in the upcoming kingdom based in the holy land. We know that just as The Elijah to come was not to be the original Elijah but the anti-type man, so too the David to come will be an anti-type man. Several Scriptures point out this promise of the anti-type David coming and ruling in the pre-mil kingdom. Though this study is quite deep and extensive, we shall give a condensed version.

“.. 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,You are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, You are the sons of the living God.

Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” (Hosea 1:10-11)

“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.” (Hosea 3:5)

“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.”(Ezek.34:23-24)

Knowing the above prophecies we then know that Spirit of Prophecy shows that there shall be a special resurrection of the faithful SDA servants of God–

“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)

Brother Houteff has accomplished his first part of the Elijah duties and that was to warn us about the Lord’s next move–His surprise coming (“Suddenly”-Mal. 3:1) to our SDA church for the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.” The Rod writings have enabled us to know the Lord’s requirements- our present truth. Once the trumpet sounds and those faithful servants arise, then it is that Victor Houteff, many present truth believers believe, will lead the flock based from the land of Israel, the Loud Cry headquarters. This second part of Elijah’s duties will be the setting up of this pre-mil kingdom and the subsequent Loud Cry message to all the world. Isaiah 66:15 -20 is an excellent read for a short synopsis  of this.

2. What are some practical applications of the Elijah restoration?

There are many but we shall address two that come to mind. Communion and Alcohol. In both of these the Lord made sure that they were restored to the correct observance. While reading these instructions, let us keep in mind that truth is ever unfolding and that our instructions change as our time in the Lord’s master time clock changes. For instance, prior to the Lord’s coming, if one was caught in adultery they were to be stoned. Yet when our Lord came he changed that truth and no longer was this the Lord’s instructions (John 8:7). Multiple wives , while not specifically approved, was tolerated until the Lord came and restored the one man-one wife lifestyle (Matt 19:4-6).

Communion — “And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”(Luke 22:19)

But we also have this statement- “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1 Cor. 11:27-29)

So what to do? How can we harmonize these Inspired references? That is why the Elijah was sent! Let us read.

WHAT ABOUT COMMUNION SERVICE?

Question No. 120:

   Should believers who are well established in the message, celebrate the communion service  when they meet together?

Answer:

   As to authorizing the communion service in our own midst, we believe that since we all, as Seventh-day Adventists, have defiled ourselves as did the Jews at Christ’s first appearing (The Desire of Ages, p. 104) and since this sacred service works damnation to those who unworthily receive it (1 Cor. 11: 29), therefore we dare not now, as Davidians, take unto ourselves its hallowed privilege until as a people our lives bear convincing evidence of our repentance from the Laodicean condition.

   The lesson in not authorizing this blessed service in our midst at this time, is inversely parallel to that which John the Baptist taught in ordaining and insisting upon the baptismal service then; that is, John’s instituting the baptismal service then, showed that the Jews were not ready to meet their King, and the Rod’s not instituting the communion service now, shows that neither are we ready to meet our King, and that we must therefore quickly repent from our lukewarmness, buy the “eyesalve,” and anoint our eyes. Then we shall gloriously celebrate the communion service, and the shame of our nakedness will not appear (Rev. 3:18).

   Those who do not sense this great need are yet blind to the church’s undone condition, and to the Lord’s holiness. Just a firm outward faith in the message is not enough; its inward work in our lives is the all-essential and supreme work that must take place in the lives of all of us before we can conscientiously and profitably celebrate the Lord’s supper. Let us hasten that glad day. (Answerer, vol. 5, p.39-40)

This instruction is often a difficult one because when the service is on going and we sit there and pass on it, it can be viewed as odd or even rebellious. Yet as shown we are not fit for taking the Lord’s body and blood due to the fact that we corporately are in a woeful “undone” condition as the prophet explained.
 

Alcohol — “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” (1 Tim. 5:23)

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1)

“Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;” (Proverbs 31:6)

“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”(Nehemiah 8:10)

“Whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.” (Hosea 4:11)

These are not all the Scriptures that speak of alcohol but upon reading the above there is no doubt one can become confused with the drinking of alcohol, particularly–wine. Is a little wine good for us? Or is this something we should avoid? Again the Lord’s restoring message does  not fail us–

“Are you still insulting God by asking His blessing on the table upon which stands the enslaving and injurious pepper shaker, mustard can, spice boxes, and vinegar pitcher? And do you still have to confess shameful addiction to liquor, tobacco, coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, or soda fountain drinks..” (Sym. Code, vol. 2, no. 11, p.3)

Question No. 150:

   As the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association does not have a formal membership what evidence can one give to identify himself as a member of the organization? And how can he establish the length of time he has been with it?

Answer:

   One’s support of the timely Davidian message, and his living out its principles (baptism, Sabbath observance along with the rest of the ten commandments, vegetarianism, dress reform total abstinence from tobacco and alcoholic beverages, and all else contained in the Spirit of Prophecy), are the truest witnesses of his affiliation, and the only genuine visible certification of the fact. These are the only absolutely convincing evidences of one’s worthiness to membership in the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association.

In the following reference, the message confirms no use of alcohol by way of quoting Spirit of Prophecy.

Question No. 10:

“Shall we still continue the use of milk, eggs, and butter?”

Answer:

“We bear positive testimony against tobacco, sprirituous liquors, snuff, tea, coffee, flesh-meats, butter, spices, rich cakes, mince pies, a large amount of salt, and all exciting substances used as articles of food.” — “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 3, p. 21. (Sym. Code, vol. 2, p.2)

So we see that the message restores us in not allowing alcohol to be any part of our life.

3. Does not the Lord tell us in Matt.11:13 that there was to be prophets only up to John the Baptist? He was to be the last prophet so how can we believe any one can be a legitimate prophet since then?

“Prophesied Until John.” Matt. 11:13.

   If the aforequoted scripture means that there were to be no more prophets after John, then there should have been none since that time.  And were this the meaning, then the Scriptures would contradict themselves, for they bear evidence that while Christ was the Son of God, He was also “a prophet.” Luke 24:19. And although John the Baptist never wrote a single prophetic utterance,  yet he was rated by Christ with the greatest of the prophets (Luke 7:28).  Also Matthew, Mark, and Luke, under the Spirit of Inspiration, wrote concerning Christ and His work.  Likewise John, Peter, and Paul, and others contemporary with them, prophesied in their own right of many things to come.  All these are Scripturally accorded  the title “prophet.”

   Jesus Himself testifies that the book of Revelation  is a prophecy, for the angel “who bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw” says: “Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written  therein: for the time is at hand.” Rev. 1:2, 3.  “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.” Rev. 22:18.

   Now the fact that this prophecy was written nearly a century after John the Baptist was beheaded, is historical acknowledgment that the prophets did not cease with him.  Thus in misconstruing Matthew 11:13 so as to make John the last of the prophets, the opposition is attempting to substitute for the gift of prophecy in the Christian era, “private” (uninspired) interpretations of the Scriptures.  And in doing this, they are led either to ignore or to try to explain away the irrefutable  statement of Paul: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities  of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28) — absolute evidence that the second of the eight gifts to the church in the Christian era, is prophets. (Tract 6, p.5-6)

4. In the Elijah message is there one publication which has the bulk of the restoring instructions in it?

Yes, and that can be found in the publications called “The Answerer”. This addressed many prophetic areas of the message but also dealt with practical areas as well (particularly volumes 4 and 5). People from all over the world wrote to brother Houteff and the chosen questions were addressed. For example one of the questions  was – “Are dolls idols?” Another was “Is it wrong to carry Insurance?”.

For the link to read the complete 5 books of the Answerer, click here– http://shepherds-rod.org/answerers/index%20answerer.html

In closing, we should be so grateful that many things which the Lord knew we needed to get straight about is found in His Elijah message. All we need to do is start reading and then putting it in practice! Amen.

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An Example of Restoration– the 120 Disciples

April 30, 2016

120 disciples

One of the most heart warming scenes in all the Bible is that of the gathering of the 120 disciples. In Acts 1:15 we read–

“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)..” (Acts 1:15)

As we can see the Word says that there were “about an hundred and twenty”. So this Word has been left with us for centuries in that we are not sure just how many came together that fateful day. But our Lord knew that someday all things would be “restored”. Let us now take a look at an important restoration from the Lord’s promised Elijah.

Before we do that let us remember our Lord’s promise–

Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things.(Matt.17:11)

A promise is made that the Elijah to come will restore all things. But what does this mean? Let us turn to the Elijah message itself–

“..since Elijah is to herald the great day, he can therefore be the only one who will rightly interpret the prophecies of the day, which are still mysteries to Christendom, and even to our own Denomination!  Indeed, to reiterate, it is for this very reason that the prophet is sent.  He is to unroll the scroll to explain what the day of the Lord is like, what the Lord will do then, and how we may survive His judgments. 

To re-emphasize the fact, let it be said again that being the last of the prophets Elijah is, therefore, the only one who can open to our understanding all the prophecies of the Scriptures pertaining to the great and dreadful day of the Lord — prophecies which heretofore have been only mysteries to all.  Thus he is, as the Scriptures say, to blow the trumpet in Zion, and to sound an alarm in God’s holy mountain, in the church.

   In doing all this, he sets in motion the Power that is to restore all things.  Hence Christ’s positive declaration: “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Matt. 17:11.  Inevitably, then, without his message we would die in our ignorance and in our sins — never live to see the restoration completed. (General Conference Special , p.19-20)

So we see that the restoration is

1. Understanding the prophecies of this day (even those previously unknown in Christendom)

2. To know what the Lord will do and how we can survive His upcoming judgments

3. Sound a warning through out God’s church of the Lord’s next move

4. Brings a message we must heed or be left to die in ignorance and in our sins

So in regard to no. 1 we shall now take a look at the understanding of the 120 disciples, and why it’s an important restoration.

As we noted in the top referenced quote, the Word says “about 120 disciples”. Yet the message shows us the straight fact about this number, Let us read–

“To get into the full beam of light, we must first face the fact that the pre-pentecostal harvest took place in a self-deceived church, the Jewish; and through miracle-working power manifested by Christ Himself, it yielded the 120 disciples, the first fruits of those who are to be resurrected.  Whereas the post-pentecostal harvest took place among the nations; and through miracle-power manifested by the Spirit-filled 120 disciples, it yielded an innumerable multitude of converts to Christianity (Acts 2:41, 47), the second fruits of those who are to be resurrected.” (TG, vol. 2, no.46, p.27-28)

Ah, we see that the message declares it to be -120 disciples, not “about 120 disciples”! Some may say –so what’s the big deal about this? It is because the 120 disciples represent the “type” of the 144,000, which is the anti-type. And some  present truth believers use this word “about” to justify that the Lord will seal more than 144,000 from the remnant church.

Again the message illuminates about the 120–

Now to summarize the types before the Pentecost: (1) the first fruits were numbered; (2) they came exclusively from the church itself; (3) the miracles then wrought were by Christ Himself.

   Now coming to the types after the Pentecost: (1) the second fruits were not numbered; (2) they came from the nations; (3) the miracles then wrought were by the numbered ones (the 120), the first fruits.

   Accordingly, the antitypical Pre-pentecostal harvest takes place in a self-deceived church, the Laodicean, “the house of God”; and through miracle-working power manifested by Heaven itself in the angels (Matt. 13:39), it yields the 144,000, the first fruits of those who are never to die.  Whereas the antitypical post-pentecostal harvest takes place among the nations; and through miracle-working power manifested by the Spirit-filled 144,000, it yields the great multitude which no man can number (Rev. 7:9), the second fruits, of those who are never to die. (TG, vol. 2, no. 46, p.28)

In the first fruit harvest how many in type composed the church? 120 disciples or “about” 120 disciples?  120 disciples. Thus the restoration message corrects our understanding that there were 120 , no more and no less and the same with the anti-type–there will 144,000, no more and no less. As we just read “the house of God”..yields the 144,000. Not 144,000 and some others but–144,000.

I often tell this personal story concerning the knowledge of 144,000 surviving the first fruit harvest of the church. Before the knowledge of the truth of the 144,000, if someone would have said to me “Rob, you know there will only be 144,000 sealed from the SDA church in the upcoming church purification.” I would say “What are you talking about?? No way , c’mon, there is close to 18 million in our church, no way.”

Now, as the message of Elijah has revealed , through its myriad of lessons and Scriptures, the real truth of the 144,000, I often say , “Lord will there really be that many??” You see once conversion takes place and the Lord’s sealing message is learned and obeyed, we do indeed see sin for what it truly is– deadly sin! Thus we see the church as the Lord sees it, in desperate need of Him. After all He is the real “Restorer.”

Once again the beauty of the words of the Spirit of Prophecy guides us —

“The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people.

This is forcibly set forth by the prophet’s illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. “And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”(Testimonies, vol. 3, p.266)

In closing my brothers and sisters, the restoring message is truly a beautiful thing to know. First we see that the truths we need are restored, such as the truth of the 120 disciples-our type,  then the earthly pre-millennial kingdom will be set up, thus restoring “all things” as the Lord said.

 

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The Purpose of Elijah, Part 2 of 2

April 16, 2016

victor-houteff

In our post last week we laid the groundwork for the purpose of the Elijah’s coming. We found that the Lord sent a message through him, in order that we can know of His next coming. As we have posted before, the vast amount of SDA do not  know about this “sudden” coming of the Lord to His Temple (church). Yes this is indeed His next coming.  It will not be visible, as in the well-known “second coming”. Additionally this coming shall effect only His remnant church.

With this truth firmly in mind, we continue to expose the Scriptural discoveries that the Elijah prophet uncovered in order for us to be prepared, to stand in that great and dreadful day of the Lord.

You see brethren, if we truly believe in His word, we know it does not fail. And the reason why present truth believers are very content and even joyful is that they know the road map, the way of the Lord’s plans. And these plans are not well-known due to the fact that the vast leadership (not all though) within the SDA have either purposely rejected the humble man sent to us, or they remain in blissful ignorance, unwilling to hear the “Spirit of Truth” that is promised each of His truth believers AND practitioners.

Ok ,let us now look at more prophecies.

3. The Book of Ezekiel

Here we find the Lord’s prophet expounding upon this book as no one has ever done before him. Chapter 1  provides details of the Lord’s travelling throne, the mysterious “wheel within a wheel”. The Jews of old held this book in such reverence that one could not read it until he was 30 years of age (according to St. Jerome’s writings).

Chapter 4 is the great prophecy of the grains and the prophetic 430 years. A lesson showing the different messages represented by the different grains. See here for the interpretation http://shepherds-rod.org/SRbooks/1sr5txt.htm#114

Chapter 9 is thoroughly dealt with throughout the Rod writings. It explains the when , where and why. The Spirit of Prophecy shed “some” light on this prophecy but it was the Elijah who  expounded upon this solemn church judgment. He showed the many other prophetic Scriptures that also describe the judgment from different symbols and viewpoints (such as Rev. 12 and Daniel 2 for example).

Chapter 36 to 39 deal with the upcoming pre-mil Kingdom. In Chapter 47-48 goes into the specifics of the kingdom (land borders, locations, etc.).

4. The Book of Daniel

We as SDA pride  ourselves in thinking we know the great prophecy of Chapter 2–we don’t. This one prophecy almost more than any other is applicable from the SOP injunction–

“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.30)

The prophet show us the correct interpretation. Amazingly once we see the two interpretations–SDA vs. Inspiration we are truly joyful to see the true great light in this “stone that is cut out without hands” prophecy. In short, this describes the church purification (cut out without hands) and the pre-mil kingdom (breaking the image and filling the earth as a great mountain).

Chapter 7 and 8 are wonderfully explained. Again, it is often different that what we have been shown through traditions as to meaning. Chapters 11 and 12 are interpreted as well, giving us some end time events to come.

5. The book of Hosea

The prophet showed us the meaning of the famous “Go, take yourself a wife of whoredoms and children of harlotry..” This is, contrary to many false Christian interpretations, an allegory story of God’s historical remnant church, committing “harlotry and adulteries” against Him through the ages. The SDA church leadership being the last church He exposes for their betrayal of Him. For a link to read the interpretation of Hosea 1 and 2 click here http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/tracts/tract_4.html

6. The book of Joel

Although a short book, this book is packed with specifics on the days after the church purification, the great army of God and what they will be like and do. Awesome reading for the present truth believers! Chapter 2  was praised by the prophet for being so descriptive of God’s elect, the 144,000.

7.  The book of Micah

The book of Micah is unique. As it is the one book that the Lord directly instructs us to hear His Rod.

“Hear ye the Rod and Whom has appointed it.” (Micah 6:9) Then a few sentences later the Rod is again encouraged upon us- “Feed your people with your Rod, the flock of your heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the middle of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.” (Micah 7:14)

Victor Houteff writes about the discovery of this part of prophecy-

“The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” Micah 6:9.  Note it is the Lord’s voice.  The voice is crying in the“city.” (City, or Jerusalem are symbols of God’s church the same as “mountain,” the difference between the symbols being that “mountain” means the entire denomination, but “city” means the leading part of that body.)  By what means is the Lord’s voice crying in the city (church)?  The last part of the verse answers the question: “Hear ye the rod.”  To hear a rod, it must be the kind that can speak.

 

   The only rod God’s people have ever been asked to hear is this “Shepherd’s Rod.”  At the time we gave the name to this book, we knew nothing about the prophecies in the book of Micah, neither did we know this passage was there.  We mean to say it is not any of our knowledge of this particular scripture that compelled us to name the book by that title, but we feel it was done by the same divine providence that brought about the entire truth, in order to fulfill the scripture.  See also explanation on page 95, under the heading “The Shepherd’s Rod.” (SRod, vol. 1 ,p.242-243)

 

The above is, as we said not all of the prophetic discoveries from the Lord’s last prophet but we wanted to give an idea of the vast scope that entails His very last message of Elijah. The purpose of Elijah as we have learned is two-fold.

One, prepare us to stand in the great and dreadful day of the Lord. The instructions come not only in the prophecies but in all the Rod writings. The Lord’s Rod contains:

15 Tracts, 8 Misc. Tracts, 5 Answerer books, Timely Greetings sermons vol. 1 numbers 1 to 52, volume 2 numbers 1 to 48, 9 Jezreel Letters , Shepherd’s Rod books volume 1 and 2, Symbolic Code news publications, volume 1 to 10 no.2.NOTE: Some organizations publish Sym. Codes volumes after this (vol.10 no. 7 to vol. 13, no.11-12) but we cannot subscribe to those as they were not published by the prophet and are suspect as to originality.

Additionally there are 25 main prophetic charts showing prophecy through chart form. Click here to see them http://davidiantoday.org/en/publication/chart/bea488e4cd28b4dba43b3093aeb51ef7

Two, subsequently to know what our responsibilities are to be once the church purification occurs. Simply put  that is to set up headquarters in the Holy land and then to proclaim the long-awaited Loud Cry to all the world. As mentioned the book of Joel describes a clear future projection of the 144,000 and their work.

Often proclaimed by the prophet as a short synopsis of end time events let us read Isaiah–

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. (Isaiah 66:15-20)

In closing, how can we be a part of this last great work upon earth? Just as Inspiration said–

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

 

 

 

 

 

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The Purpose of Elijah, Part 1 of 2

April 9, 2016

Victor Houteff

 

“Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” 

As we all know, the original type Elijah, never died. He was translated to heaven on a chariot and remains there today. So when the Lord promised an end time Elijah, what was the purpose? Let us look into this important area.

Let us first read what brother Houteff said about the Elijah to come.

Since there is general agreement that Inspiration direct from the Throne of God is our only spiritual eyesight, then we should be able to see eye to eye if we let the Spirit of God have His way with us.  Especially so, dear fellow believers, since the time is dead ripe to look into the situation, now that God’s people everywhere are aroused by the questions:

   “Has Elijah the prophet already come?”  “Is the ancient prophet to appear in person himself?”  “Is a group of people to do a work similar to that of the ancient Elijah?”  Or what?

   As no one can in either honesty or impunity stand aloof to the answer which comes from God’s infallible Word, surely you brethren will now give the most serious attention to this urgent consideration, letting nothing distract you from it for you, as well as I, must realize that it means life and eternity to all of us.

   The serious issue to which these questions give rise, demands that we cease fooling ourselves or letting others make fools of us.  If the questions cannot be answered in positive Truth, far better, then, that they be left on the shelf until the scroll unfolds further, than that they be answered by men’s idle tales, which only confuse and confound.

 Now we may ask, Has the scroll unrolled far enough to clear up all these questions?  Is the Spirit of God pleading for us to stop, look, and listen, or are we still to wait?  For the Divine answer let us open our eyes wise to the light of “the more sure Word of prophecy” Itself, now shining more and more on our pathway:

   “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.” Mall 4:5, 6.

   In the light which this prophecy sheds on the subject, no one can possibly escape the conclusion that a prophet — a person — is to be sent “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” and that thus only can there be a group of people in connection with Elijah’s message.  The Scriptures make definite and sure the promise, the time, and the work, also the way to our security in the great and dreadful day, “lest,” as says the Lord, “I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Mall 4:6.

 No one can afford to commit the absurdity of either treating lightly or of kindling sparks of his own on the subject.  We should remember, moreover, that it is not possible that God should leave a one of us in darkness if we want to know the Truth, and if we are mindful of what God would have us to do. (“The Great Controversy,” p… 560).  To the end that this may be the happy experience of all of us, we should pray that the Spirit Who leads into all Truth would direct this effort.

   However, I would remind you, Brethren, that no prophet of God has ever been welcomed by the church.  On the contrary, each in his time was rejected, abused, and most of them were martyred by the ones to whom they were sent — the very ones who were supposed to be serving God!  Indeed, the Lord Himself paid the same price.  For this very reason we must remember that when the last prophet comes he will have the greatest opposition to meet, for Satan well knows that if he loses now, he loses forever. 

What makes Elijah’s work especially hard is that Christendom has long been drilled in the idea that no prophet is to come, that there is no necessity for one, that it has enough revealed Truth to carry it inside the Pearly Gates.

It is therefore only to be expected that the predicted Elijah will be denounced as a false prophet, perhaps even as the anti-Christ, offshoot, or what not. (General Conference Special, p.4-7)

Today unfortunately was have a great confusion, or should we say blissful ignorance of the very last message to come to us as His remnant people. Many us SDA say , “Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming.” Yet is this not what all the other so-called Christian churches are proclaiming? The Lord has specifically sent us a message, unlike them, so that we shall know all about His “next” coming, if we want it that is.  The remnant church has within its reach , great and wonderful prophetic descriptions describing His plans, His methods, and His coming.

Last week we posted of how the Lord led us into His sanctuary to speak of one of the many prophecies (Rev.12) that came directly from the pen of Inspiration–the Elijah prophet.

But the prophet also brought us many other prophetic interpretations, which we shall briefly summarize in this post. But before we do let us remember that the Elijah was to come sometime “before” the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And this being so, obviously, the message must be a preparatory message enabling us to stand in the day of that great and dreadful day. Additionally Elijah was to prepare the remnant to go to the pre-millennial kingdom. This teaching is one of the most awe-inspiring of the whole Elijah message!

Malachi once again sheds light on the purpose of Elijah’s coming.

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.”(Mal.3:1-5)

We see  –

A. Preparatory message given by a messenger

B. A Sudden coming of the Lord to the church 

C. Church purification

D. Loud Cry and True Worship

Ok let us now look at some of the specific areas of Scripture that the Elijah uncovered and how fascinating these prophetic truths are in the Holy Writ. If you take the time to read these references they shall indeed lift us up for a bright future. Or if we have still rejected the last message they may make us uncomfortable due to the solemnity of His church judgment.

  1. The book of Isaiah 

This book shows us the Pre-Mil. kingdom and the church purification . These references are not all in the book of Isaiah but we will point out some of the well-known and clear ones.

The Pre-Mil. Kingdom-  2:1-4, 11:1-16, 14:1-3, Chapter 26, Chapter 35, 49:5-13, 52:7-10, 62:1-12

Church purification- 3:16-24 ,34:5-10, 63:1-6, 65:11-16, 66:15-21

2. The book of Jeremiah

This book also deals much with the Pre-Mil kingdom.

The Pre-Mil Kingdom-  23:1-7, 30:1-22, 32:36-44

 

Next week we’ll look at more prophecies, stay blessed.

 

Posted in Elijah, Elijah Interpretations, Our Lord's kingdom, Victor T. Houteff | 1 Comment »

Hard and Difficult Questions

March 12, 2016

Pharisee entrapment

The Jews of old were no dummies. Many of the Pharisees and scribes were very smart men. They posed tough questions to the King and he squared them away in thorough fashion.

Some of the questions were meant as a form of entrapment. Lawyers, Negotiators, Army generals and even all kinds of evil doers down through history have used this ploy to catch their victim one way or another. But it is even more amazing to see it backfire! Our King turned the tables beautifully when the Pharisees tried to entrap Him with supposed difficult questions.

“And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.” (Luke 20: 20-26)

In many of the questions asked of our very last prophet sent to our church,Victor  Houteff, they were hard and difficult.

The following are a few questions where the questions  demanded a solid answer to clear it. May you be blessed.

Question No. 157:

“I am convinced that ‘The Shepherd’s Rod’ is not the message of the hour, because I believe that when a message comes from God, it will not make a separation among His people. You agree with my logic, do you not?

Answer:

To try to convince the questioner by a long-drawn-out article with proofs from the Scriptures, is needless, for the question reveals that the person is not acquainted with past church history. Therefore, the best way to answer his query is to ask him to tell us the number of times God has sent messages to His church that they made neither trouble nor separation among His people. If facts prove his answer, to be in favor of this question, then of course, as Christians, we must change our position, and admit that the SRod is not a message from God. But if past church history, disproves his logic, then, of course, we shall expect from him, as an honest Christian and a seeker for truth, a letter of confession, stating that his logic has not refuted the SRod.

The SRod message according to Ezekiel’s prophecy, chapter Nine and “Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 445, is to accomplish nothing else but to separate the people in the church!

Thus the fact that the message of the SRod brings a separation in the church, is another proof that it is a message from God. (Sym. Code, vol. 3, no.3-4, p.16)

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Question: “The SRod, Vol, 1, p. 44 says that only the great multitude have palms in their hands, whereas G.C. 646 speaking of all ‘overcomers’ says: ‘In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harps.’ How are these statements harmonized?”

   Answer: According to SRod, Vol. 1, p. 44, Class number two; namely, the great multitude of Rev. 7:9, have their palms in their hands while they are on earth before being transported to the heaven of heavens. Hence their palms according to John’s vision are symbolic of victory gained. But in the statement from The Great Controversy, p. 646: “In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp,” it will be noted that this gift to the saints is not made until they are in heaven — after they have all been transported from the earth. These palms are real but the others figurative.

To prove that the great multitude have their palms in symbol only, and before Jesus finishes His work in the heavenly sanctuary, read Rev. 7:11. Here it states that the great multitude have their palms while the elders and four beasts are still before the throne of the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary. (See SRod, Vol. 2, pp. 189-191.) Therefore, they have their palms while the Investigative judgment is in session-before probation closes.

Furthermore, in regard to the class and the event of G.C. 646, note that in every hand in which is placed the victor’s palm there is also placed a shining harp. Whereas the great multitude have only palms but no harps. Therefore, these are two separate incidents distinct one from the other.” (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.8, p.10)

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Question: “Early Writings, p. 281 says: ‘The plan of salvation had been accomplished, but few had chosen to accept it. This statement is used very extensively against the doctrine of the ‘great multitude’ as taught by the SRod. Please harmonize it with the latter’s teaching.”

Answer: It is true that the words, “few chosen” often appear in sacred writings. However, it is unbiblical to explain the Word privately. We must let the Scriptures explain themselves. The following example will serve to show how fatal it is to explain the Scriptures by the human way of reasoning.

Says Paul: “But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Heb. 9:26.) If one should expound the above quotation as some expound the words, “few chosen,” he would be compelled to do one of two things; namely, either humble himself as a little child and admit that he does not understand Paul’s writings, or else, separate from divine wisdom, exercise his human judgment and accuse Paul of being wrong in his statement, for the world did not end at the time Christ was sacrificed.

Therefore, let us examine the words, “few chosen,” in the light of the Bible. While Jesus declares that “many be called, but few chosen” (Matt. 20:16), Isaiah by the same Spirit says: “Thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought…A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.” (Isa. 60:11, 22.)

Zechariah, while prophetically speaking of our time, also says: “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day.” (Zech. 2:11.) Furthermore, the Lord says: “It shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (Zech. 13:8, 9.)

Moreover, while the Early Writings says: “But few have chosen to accept it,” the same author in The Great Controversy, p. 665, classifies the great multitude of Revelation 7:9 as a company separate from the martyrs and others who are to be resurrected, making it impossible to conclude that the “great multitude” are the resurrected.

Now the question is, if we conclude from the statement in Early Writings, p. 281, and from Matt. 20:16 that only a few are to be saved, what shall we do with Isa. 60:11, 22, Zech. 2:11; 13:8, 9, and The Great Controversy, p. 665? No candid Bible student could from the above statements arrive at any conclusion which would lead him to base his interpretation of the subject on one scripture and wholly ignore the other, but would rather seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all inspired writings or else confess that he does not have the light on the Scriptures.

The only doctrine that, in the present connection, will stand the test and be in perfect agreement with all sacred writings is the one that the “few” are those who were saved during the ages past, which period is figuratively classified in the parable of Christ as the time before the “Harvest.” But in the closing of the world’s history, in the ingathering time — the Harvest — there is to be saved a great multitude.

It is only natural that there were comparatively but few saved in the ages past, because of the fact that that period of time was not the Harvest, and it is likewise just as natural that now “in the end of the world,” — the time of the Harvest (Matt. 13:30), — there shall be a great ingathering of souls which no man can number.

“Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.”

As the idea of a great multitude is opposed only to the devil’s plan, let us not therefore work to his interest. (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.10, p.8)

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Question: “5 T 216, speaking to the brethren, says that some are preparing for the mark of the beast, but according to the SRod, all unfaithful S.D.A.’s will be destroyed before the mark of the beast. Please explain.

Answer: If the questioner will restudy 5 T 216, she will see that it is not the brethren who are preparing for the “mark of the beast,” but rather “Those who are uniting with the world,” not with the church.  (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.10, p.9)

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Question: “How do you harmonize the seven kings of Rev. 17:10 with the beast that ‘was, and is not, and yet is’? The SRod, Vol. 2, p. 118 on this subject is not clear to me.

Answer: Do not try to harmonize the seven kings with the seven beasts, but only with the periods which are symbolized by the four metals of the great image of Dan. 2. To these periods add the period before the flood and the one after the millennium as illustrated in the SRod, Vol. 2, p. 84, and you will have a perfect harmony.

The seven kings embrace the entire world’s history from creation to the earth made new. The antediluvian world is symbolized by the first “king.” The empire of ancient Babylon by the second. The Medo-Persian by the third. The Grecian by the fourth and the Roman monarchy by the fifth. Of these it is said “five are fallen.” The king which “is” is symbolical of the period from the fall of the Roman monarchy to the second coming of Christ; that is, the period which now is; namely, Rome in her broken state.

The seventh king which “must continue a short space” is symbolical of the wicked world after the millennium. Thus, there are seven kings; five are fallen (the antediluvian, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman), but the present world which now “is” comprises the sixth, and the one that is to come after the millennium who is to “continue a short space” will be the seventh and the last. (Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.11,12, p.10)

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Question No. 56:

 If the church is to be purified before the close of probation for the world and remain pure thereafter without any sinners in it as “The Shepherd’s Rod” teaches, then how do you harmonize this with “Early Writings,” p. 71, which says Some “will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building”?

Answer:

  There are other statements from the author of Early Writings which bear even more positive evidence that God will, before that time, have a church pure and true. (See The Great Controversy p. 425, Prophets and Kings, p. 725, Testimonies Vol. 5 p. 80; Isa. 52:1-2.)

   As these several statements with reference to a preliminary purification are just as true as the one in Early Writings which seems to negate a purification, one cannot honestly disregard them and give consideration only to it. Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements.

  Some who are anxious to risk Present Truth on the weight of what one inspired statement seems to say or imply, are thereby presumptuously or very ignorantly overlooking the “weight of evidence.” Others are doing this through shortsightedness, while still others are doing it to prop up certain cherished ideas of their own.

  The basic foundation for the no-preliminary-purification doctrine is built, not upon solid rock, but upon the same shifting sand as that which underlies such as the erroneous ideas of the conscious state of the dead, the eternal torment of the wicked, baptism by sprinkling, Sunday sacredness, and the millennial age of peace on earth.

  Since, Truth is progressive, and since the purification of the church had not yet been revealed when the statement in Early Writings was written, the danger foretold and the counsel given therein could not possibly have been stated in terms other than those then familiarly comprehended. All were thus plainly forewarned that if they continued sinning, then after the close of probation for the world, the plagues, of which they already had some understanding, would be their recompense.

So for the Lord to have explained the matter in Early Writings as He does through the Rod today, He would have had to reveal, out of due time, when Early Writings was being written, the message which is applicable only to the church for today, and which we are now therefore receiving.

  In the last analysis, the unrepentant sinners who are now in the church, may never see the seven last plagues, while others who are now in the world, will in the time of the Loud Cry yet have opportunity to be “squared” for the building, and be treasured with the “living stones,” or else to suffer the consequences of the plagues.

  No one should have difficulty in seeing this now, for all those to whom Early Writings primarily spoke are already dead, though the plagues are yet in the future. Furthermore, there is much more light to come concerning the truth of the seven last plagues, and when it comes, we may again see that we have “many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn.”-Testimonies to Ministers p. 30.

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To see all the questions and answers from the “Answerer” publications click here–http://shepherds-rod.org/answerers/index%20answerer.html

 

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Proper teachings, Revelation teachings, Victor T. Houteff | Leave a Comment »

The Importance of God’s Symbols

February 20, 2016

 

The Word of God is replete with many symbolic pictures through out its sacred pages. The fascination of the deep and heart-moving displays and pictures really should move any and all sincere lover of the Holy Writ.

The usage of these symbols was extensively shown by His last prophet sent to our SDA church– Victor T. Houteff. This week’s post we’d like to show some of the most deep and awe-inspiring charts that the Lord inspired for us as present truth believers.

The Spirit of Prophecy spoke enlightening words concerning these symbols.

“God Himself employed pictures and symbols to represent to His prophets lessons which He would have them give to the people, and which could thus be better understood than if given in any other way.”(Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 211, 212.)

“The Old Testament is the gospel in figures and symbols.” (2 Selected Messages, p.104)

“A correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to an understanding of the message.” (G.C. p.439)

“Impressive symbols were employed to unfold the plan of God.” (Youth Instructor, Dec. 13, 1900)

Let us now review some of the precious charts and a brief description of their import.

Our first chart is the one shown above. It is the Daniel 2 vision. This lesson concerns the last proclamation of the gospel. The stone is symbolic of the 144,000 elect of God “cut out” of the mountain (God’s people/church) and symbolically destroying the worldly kingdoms (feet of the great image) in the end time. The lesson shows that soon the Lord must “take the reins into His own hands.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.300)

For the study outline see this link –http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/outlines/dan_2.pdf

Our second chart is concerning Zechariah 6:1-8, the lesson of different Christian Church movements from the days of the Apostles. This prophecy succinctly describes the four main church movements since Christ. The main lesson concerns the last of the  movements–our SDA church. From the picture you can see the unique chariot that has two sets of horses, unlike the other chariots.

The meaning shows that the horses being symbolic of the leaders, has two different type of leaders (grisled and bay horses), both endeavoring to steer the chariot (laity) in two different directions yet they cannot go in the proper direction because they are hitched. Then in verse 7 the Word says —

“And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.”

The horses are cut loose (church judgement/separation) and the bay horses are free to go to the “north country” in God’s direction. The Bay horses obey God by going out to proclaim the final Gospel proclamation in truth and righteousness.  The grisled are left behind because they wanted to go to the “south country”,  no more to direct the church.

In describing this paradox of two different sets of horses attempting to lead the chariot in two different directions the message says–

“The dissimilar teams hitched to the fourth chariot, each pulling in a different direction from
the other, show not only that there is a double leadership in the Laodicean church, but also
that the one is opposed to the other in character as well as in purpose.  This condition being a
strange one, the wise will well consider it.  Seeing that the Word of God has spoken it, and that
the symbolism perfectly describes the contest which, before their very eyes, is taking place,
they will tenaciously take hold of the truth.” (Tract 2, p. 37)

For the study link on this one , click here — http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/outlines/zech_6.pdf

Have you ever wanted to clear up the confusion of the final hours of our King’s life? There are so many ideas bandied about since the Gospels were written about just when did Jesus die and when did he arise?

Many false ideas are put forth but God in His infinite wisdom sent His restoring prophet to restore to us just what happened and when during those final days. The above chart shows the truth as to when things transpired in the last days of His life. How do we know it’s true? Because when you read the report and then look at the corresponding chart, you will see how it all completely makes sense and lines up clearly with Scripture.

The real key to this understanding as the prophet shows is that we must know the meaning of “the heart of the earth”. Many private interpreters have thought this means–buried in the earth. But we all know Jesus was not buried but rather placed in a tomb laying above ground.

For the report read this Tract– http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/tracts/tract_10.html

In Revelation 4 and 5 we read of the “Seven seals”. The chart portrays what the Scripture pictures as to the seals and their timeline history. No where in all the writings of any writer except from the restoring prophet will one find a most beautiful and clear description of what each of the seals mean. This study will truly bless you once you get into it–I assure you.

For the study of Rev. 4 and 5 see this Tract– http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/tracts/tract_15.html

You see brethren, these symbols are part of God’s plan to reach us today with His final message. Our Lord warns us, the SDA church that we are in need of more truth (Rev. 3:18). He sent us this more truth, and much of it consists of His symbols in order that we may truly grasp the important lessons we need.

The above symbolic studies are but a few of the bountiful supply of lessons He has given us through  the Elijah prophet. Once we endeavor to study these lessons, we draw closer to God because we see His beautiful plans and workings soon to come. Jump aboard while we still have opportunity!

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Present Truth, Proper teachings | 3 Comments »

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