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A Review of Doug Batchelor’s “Pinnacle of Prophecy” Series

November 18, 2023

There have been over 500,000 views on YouTube of the series entitled “The Pinnacle of Prophecy” and over that viewership on Facebook. Pastor Doug Batchelor, who needs no introduction, has produced a series of 14 studies on different end-time prophecies. It is supposed and implied that Amazing Facts and their leader are authorities enough to give us a “pinnacle” or top-rated and knowledgeable explanation of these prophecies. But is that so? In our analysis of some of this series, we’ll carefully look at what Doug interprets from these prophecies.As present truth believers, we know the message of the hour says —“..the two golden pipes, which carry the golden oil from the trees to the bowl, are the only two mediums which God has employed since 1844 A.D. to interpret the Scriptures.” (  5 SC, no. 1-5. p.3)

Is Doug one of those pipes? Does he have the light of God to interpret the prophecies for us? We shall carefully examine his studies and see first hand.

In our first report, we’ll examine report no. 14, entitled “Satan’s Mark of God’s Seal?” We’ll quote his comments and then compare them to what the message says. We’ll discuss the high points or noteworthy remarks and label him –DB.

To prep his speech and explain the “Key” to knowing prophecy, DB begins by telling us how you and I can interpret prophecy–

DB – “We’ve told us along the way, the key to understanding these prophecies in Revelation are the stories in the Bible. Out of 404 verses in Revelation 278 are found in the Old Testament. That’s where the keys are.”

We need to point out something profound right here. The Scriptures say something completely different concerning unlocking prophecy, let us read —

 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”(2 Peter 1:19-21)

So are we to think that everyone is “holy”, a prophet of God, able to interpret the prophecies? Apparently, DB thinks so. For he makes no distinction between who is private (not a prophet) and God’s prophets. In other words, God’s very important “Key” is thrown out for DB’s — any and all can privately interpret the prophecies with studious effort! This sets the stage for great error to come in.

DB–  “In the days ahead everybody is going to be marked one way or another…. There are only two roads… We want to know what God’s seal is. We either have the seal of God in our foreheads or the mark of the beast.”

We know this is not accurate here because many (those within the SDA who fail to get the mark of Ezekiel 9) will get neither the mark nor the seal, but are to be slayed. So not “everybody” will get one or the other. Doug bypasses the very important prophetic event of our Lord’s next “sudden” coming (Mal. 3:1-5) and subsequent church judgment (Ezekiel 9 and Isaiah 66:15-21). This leaves a large prophetic hole in his study of the seal/mark as we shall see.

DB then brings up Isaiah 4:1 —

“And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.”

 

DB then goes on to explain this Scripture applying to today’s multitude of Christian sects. This is true for today’s application of the prophecy to the world due to the hypocrisy. Yet DB fails to state the context or REASON why God places this worldly hypocritical setting there. This prophecy helps us to know the “time of the season” we are living in today to prepare us for what God is soon to do with our church! The context as seen in verses  2 to 6 shows WHY we should know the time we are living in. The full contextual explanation is found in 1 TG, no. 30  —

“SEVEN WOMEN TAKE HOLD OF ONE MAN”

Today we are to continue our study of the book of Isaiah, beginning with the first verse of the fourth chapter.

Isa. 4:1 — “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by Thy name, to take away our reproach.”

The first thing we need to know is the time indicated by the term “in that day.” The antecedent of the words “that day” is found in verses 13 and 14 of the preceding chapters of which the fourth chapter is a continuation. These verses point out that “that day” is the Judgment day, the day in which the sanctuary (the church) is cleansed — the harvest day. So, pointing to the day in which we are now living, to the Judgment day, the scripture figuratively reveals that all (for that is what the Biblical number “seven” indicates) the churches have arrived at the place where by their actions they are in reality saying to the Lord: “We want nothing from you but Your name. Just let us be called Christians is all we want from You. We want Your name because it takes away our reproach; that is, if we be called Christians, then what we do can be blamed on You; You get the credit for it.”

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 30, page 17

Accordingly, the world has reached the day when God, in order to save the Church, is finally compelled to do something as great and as revolutionary as brought about by the first Advent of Christ. And what could that be? — The remaining verses of the chapter give the answer.

Isa. 4:2 — “In that day [when seven women take hold of one man] shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”

This verse shows that the time is now ripe for this glorious revolutionizing of the church and of the world. Let us remember that history repeats, and that a dark cloudy day is always followed by a bright one. So this great apostasy is to be followed not by chaos, but by glorious revival and reformation, by glory and prosperity for all the saints who escape the vengeance of a great God. The faithful shall reap a harvest of souls as did the Apostles on and after the Pentecost.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days [in the Christian era] Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jer. 23:5, 6.

This very message, therefore, is the message of “Righteousness by Faith” to them that believe. In the day the “righteous branch” is raised, Judah and Israel shall be saved, and they shall dwell safely.

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 30, page 18

Yes, the day is here when God’s vengeance is to fall upon His adversaries, and the once trodden-down kingdoms of Judah and Israel are to rise to prominence and power. “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.” Jer. 23:7, 8.

Plainly this is the final harvest of the earth, the gathering of the people from all countries. It is the day in which to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. This is to be the second and last Exodus Movement. So great will it be that it will entirely eclipse the Movement of Moses’ day. Do we, then, realize that we are on the verge of a new day? — a great day for the faithful and a dreadful one for the unfaithful?

Isa. 4:3 — “And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.”

This verse clearly shows that while none of the wicked in the church will survive the purification, yet none of the righteous will perish. Indeed, all that are left, will be called holy, and will enjoy even greater security than did His ancient people at the time they left Egypt.

“Behold,…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

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 30, page 19

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.” Mal. 3:1-3.

Isa. 4:4-6 — “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.”

“For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.” Zech. 2:5.

Anyone who knows the Bible can see that all these events are premillennial. So it is that this present apostasy is to bring forth the “Lord’s fruitful branch”; that the wicked who are among God’s people are to be taken out of the way, and the faithful, those that escape, are to be the servants of God and reap a harvest of souls, of “such as should be saved,” that the day of vengeance is already at the threshold of the house; that His faithful ones are to be raised to prominence and power; that the greatness and the glory of the movement is to cause the wonders of the Exodus Movement and of the early Christian church to fade into insignificance.”

Instead of applying the context of Isaiah 4:1 to our church and the soon-to-come church purification, he cuts out God’s intended meaning and simply applies it to the world with no applicable lesson to our SDA church. Clearly proving God’s word — “knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)

Next DB  asks–  “What is the seal? We want to know that.”  “Seal the Law among my Disciples (Isaiah 8:16). Have you noticed the connection between the seal and the Law? The seal of God can be found in the Law of God.”

DB then goes into the point that the seal of God is found in the 4th Commandment. A well known SDA doctrinal teaching. True, we as Adventists have always taught this basic doctrine but the scroll  has unrolled since our prophetess’ time. There is a “present truth” understanding here on the seal or mark for us today, let us read  more about present truth–

“In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began “at Moses and all the prophets” and “expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies the old. He who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old. For him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form. ” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 127)

So while DB does accurately describe the “old” understanding of the seal for God’s people, an understanding held for over a century by our church, he neglects to expound upon the present truth of this seal upon God’s people today. To his credit he does mention Ezekiel 9 but he neglects the application God would have us to understand today. But God is faithful! He indeed made sure we understand this seal or mark.

“WHAT IS THE SEAL?

Question No. 21:

What is the seal of God upon the foreheads of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3)? Is it the Sabbath seal or something else?

Answer:

Being sealed in Christ “with that Holy Spirit of promise,” after having “heard the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13; 4:30), the saints are consequently sealed by Present Truth–the truth preached in their own day.

“The seal of the living God,” the Truth, by which the 144,000 are sealed (Rev. 7:2), is a special seal, being the same as “the mark” of Ezekiel 9. (See Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445; Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 267; Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211). It demands one’s sighing and crying over the abominations which defile him and which desecrate both the Sabbath and the house of God, especially against selling literature and raising goals during Sabbath services. As the saints have this seal or mark on their foreheads, the angels will pass over them, not slay them. It is equivalent to the blood on the door post on the night of the Passover in Egypt. The angel is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who by sighing over their own sins, and over the sins in the house of God, show fidelity to the Truth. Then the destroying angels will follow, to slay utterly both old and young who have failed to receive the seal. (See Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 505.)

So, the former seal enables the receiver to rise from the dead in the resurrection of the just, while the latter seal enables the sighing-crying one to escape death and forever to live for God.” (2 Answerer, p. 31-33)

DB then goes on to emphasize that the Sunday Law is coming and all, including the SDA must have God’s seal or mark. However this again is falsely leading our people to a comfort or should we say, ignorance of that secretive coming of Mal. 3:1-5 and His judgment of  Ezekiel 9 and Isaiah 66:15-21. Thus many SDA won’t be around to even see and experience God’s sealing or marking. A false leading of the SDA chain of prophetic events!

DB — “So what is this seal, we want to know that. As a matter of fact, I think it’s more important that we know what the seal is than the mark. Because you don’t want to be an expert in the mark and get the mark, you want to be an expert in the seal, amen.”

No, the final message of Elijah tells us all about the mark. This mark must be disquished from the Sunday law mark! Let us read —

 

“Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a [deadly weapon in his hand.” And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn [at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill;[do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly[slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.  So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?”

Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”

Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”(Ezekiel 9:1-11)


Yes, we want to know all about this mark because God sent us , by way of His prophetess, the following counsel on this mark —

“Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity.(Manuscript Releases, p. 260)

Instead of just quoting Ezekiel 9 about the mark as DB does and then applying it to the coming of Jesus in the clouds, we are to KNOW about it for it will affect EVERY SDA , before the Lord’s coming in the clouds and even before the mark of the Beast (Sunday Law). Once again we can see that DB fails to instruct us as to the lessons God has for His people in these last days. The prophetic timelines are incorrectly pointed out and will only lead to us failing to obtain that “extra oil” (Matt. 25:8-9).

Summary —

There is little doubt that Pastor Doug Batchelor has not “rightly divided the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Showing that “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20). God’s intended lessons concerning the seal or mark MUST be rightly understood by us SDA because —

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

 

“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, volume 5, p.211)

In giving his presentation did DB give our church warning of this beginning judgment in God’s church? Did DB give us a warning that we must study and know what the end time “mark” will be for us SDA? No. Instead, assumptions and false teachings are given that “everybody”, including ALL SDA members will soon experience the times of the Sunday Law and be able to say yes or no. Not true, the message of God through His Elijah prophet is that the soon-to-come Ezekiel 9 judgment is come upon His church PRIOR to the Sunday Law, and only those who “sigh and cry for all the abomination done in the church” will escape. They are to be the — 144,000. Solemn and the Truth.

“Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” (Testimonies, volume 3, p.267)

 

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The Lord on One of His Thrones

January 1, 2023




“Besides this divine appearance which Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:28), the Bible describes God enthroned on three other occasions — once as seen by Isaiah, and twice as seen by John the Revelator; to wit:

(1) “…I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke.” Isa. 6:1-4.

(2) “And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne… And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns

Tract 1 page 7

of gold… and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” Rev. 4:2, 4-6.

(3) “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Rev. 22:1.

Since the throne seen by Isaiah was a “train” (retinue), and since as it entered into the temple, “the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isa. 6:1, 4), it therefore is a traveling throne, whereas both the one of Revelation 4, having the “sea of glass” before it, and the one of Revelation 22, having the “river…of life” before it, are stationary thrones.

Though the one which Ezekiel saw is similar to the one which Isaiah was shown, yet they are distinct and separate thrones, for each of the “seraphims” of Isaiah’s vision has six wings, while each of the “cherubims” of Ezekiel’s vision has but four. In the latter, moreover, the cherubims stood under the throne, whereas in the former, they stood above it. On record, therefore, are four thrones — two stationary, and two traveling.

Tract 1 page 8

In determining the location of the throne of Revelation 4, and the one of Revelation 22, we note to begin with that the latter, the one from which the “river…of life” proceeds, is, says the Revelator, “the throne of God and of the Lamb” — that upon which Christ sat at the right hand of God after His resurrection. The former, the one having the sea of glass before it, is (also according to John’s view) in the most holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, for John saw before it “seven lamps of fire” (Rev. 4:5) — a sanctuary fixture. “As in vision the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in heaven he beheld there ‘seven lamps of fire burning before the throne.’ ” — The Great Controversy, p. 414.

Then, concerning the Father and the Son’s moving from the throne of God and of the Lamb — the one where the river of life is — to the throne where the sea of glass is, we read: “I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down. Then Jesus rose up from the throne,… Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat.” — Early Writings, p. 55.

Recording the same event as he saw it, Daniel says: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of days did sit,

Tract 1 page 9

Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:9, 10.

Our greatest interest, however, at this point, is to know the location and the mission of the throne which Ezekiel saw, and concerning which he says: “…I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north.” Ezek. 1:4. The fact that the “whirlwind,” enveloping the throne, “came,” says Ezekiel, shows that this throne, just as with the one of Isaiah 6, is a moving one, and that it came to the banks of the river Chebar.

“This is the living creature,” continues Ezekiel, “that I saw under the God of Israel [Who is “above the cherubims”], by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.” “And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight.” Ezek. 10:20, 19.

As the chariot’s mounting “up from the earth” shows that in this particular throne, God visits the earth and then, when His mission is accomplished, returns to heaven, naturally our uppermost desire is to know the answer to the question,

Tract 1 page 10

When Will This Prophetic Vision Be Fulfilled?

According to Ezekiel 2:3; 3:1, 4, 5, 7, the prophet was to bear his message to the whole “house of Israel” (the term “house of Israel,” denoting either all twelve tribes or only the ten tribes as the case might be). Yet he did not understand the meaning of the vision. Had he he would have explained it, rather than declaring: “I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.” Ezek. 3:15.

Since at the time of the vision, the house of Judah, the two-tribe kingdom, was in captivity in the land of the Chaldeans, and the house of Israel, the ten-tribe kingdom, was in dispersion among the nations whither it had been carried away and scattered some years before (2 Kings 17:6), there was no possibility of Ezekiel’s delivering the message to them. And as it is to both the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Ezek. 9:9), — the twelve tribes, — consequently it was prophetic in Ezekiel’s time.

The Jewish nation, moreover, up to the time of Christ, had no light on this prophecy, and it appeared to them as too complicated to understand, and even unsafe for an ordinary mind to read. “All this chapter appeared so obscure and full of mysteries, to the ancient Hebrews, that, as we learn

Tract 1 page 11

from St. Jerome (Ep. ad Paulin.,) they suffered none to read it before they were thirty years old.” Douay Version, footnote to Ezekiel 1:5. And having seen no light in this scripture until the present time, the Christian church has made little or no attempt to explain it.

And finally as no slaughter such as the one described in Ezekiel 9 has ever occurred, its fulfillment is obviously yet future.

Plainly, therefore, the vision was prophetic in Ezekiel’s time, and has been prophetic ever since. And if it is ever to be fulfilled, and not remain a useless and unprofitable writing, — a thing which God never creates, — then its mystery must, of course, now be unveiled, and its action executed in the near future.

In the clear light of these facts, chapter nine is seen to hold the climactic scene of the vision. Describing the awful work which the Lord is to do when, with the cherubim, He visits the earth, it shows the fearsome consequences to those who reject its message: its blessings missed, the kingdom lost! Tragic, frightful experience, it shall be the fate of all who refuse now to awake and to know about it, but who choose rather to remain in ignorance of its truth, and of

The Object of the Lord’s Coming In His Throne.” (Tract 1 , p. 7-12)

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Jesus For 2020

August 29, 2020

Thousands Put Up 'Jesus 2020' Signs Ahead of Election: 'He's the ...

We are approaching the big election day on November 3. The USA masses are privately and publicly declaring their candidate preference. Yet recently we saw a truly righteous and truthful sign as shown above! The way things are going, we may very well see HIM win! In other words, the prophecies about end-time and His kingdom seem on the verge of happening.

The message dealt with the subject of voting  —

IS VOTING BECOMING TO A CHRISTIAN?

Question No. 145:

Is it right to vote?

Answer:

As the franchise is one of the inalienable rights of a free people, there cannot be any wrong in exercising it if thereby either the law or offices of the land can be better served. To cast a vote though, which will further such an end, requires conscientious study; failing that, one’s vote can only be unintelligent guesswork, and thus adverse rather than conducive to good government.

Those, therefore, who are in no position to devote the time and study necessary to inform themselves on political issues sufficiently to qualify them to vote intelligently on them, cannot conscientiously cast such a vote.

Being ministers of the gospel, with our time completely preoccupied with the spiritual interests of the people, we ourselves are not able to give attention to their political interests also, just as the people’s political representatives are not able to give proper attention to their spiritual needs also. And therefore rarely, if ever, do we see our way clear to vote.” (Answerer, vol. 5, p. 75)

 

Pretty clear wouldn’t you say? Are we to spend our time studying issues that we are foreign about, or are we to spend our time doing HIS work in His vineyard? Seems a no brainer. Further, we know that the Lord has full control of kings in high places —

“He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.”(Daniel 2:21)

Right now we see a very strong divide in our country. It’s similar to the time in Lincoln’s presidency. For a good historical account on our past civil national war, this article is a fine one–

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2967.html

But no matter, God’s people are to be above the fray. The prophecies are very shortly to happen one after another. Those who know them feel secure and put great truth in God’s promises. Let us briefly show the next four events to come in a timeline. Ofcourse this is a general summary, much details are not included.

1 — The great war predicted in Zech 14: 1-9 and Zeph 2:1-3, over the middle east , specifically Israel.

2-  At the time of this war, the Lord is to begin the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” by executing the beginning of the judgment for the living with the SDA church. Ezek.9  happens to startle the world. This judgment then extends to the rest of the world and takes place as the 144,000 saints of God declare this final kingdom message. 

(For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)

3 — The war is over and the 144,000 that survive in the SDA church judgment begin their journey home to the land of their fathers. Ezekiel 36:16-38 is then to be fulfilled. Oh brethren, when we read these words of the Lord –what powerful, beautiful, and righteous promises! Let us read–

“Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.

Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:

 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land.

But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.

Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

4 — The 144,000, then begin to go out into the world, to give the final message of the Lord in warning as prophesied in the following —

“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

So despite what we see all around, political upheaval and unrest, with president Trump declaring he will make America great again, Biden saying he will make masks mandatory and let open the borders. If we are present truth believers we have no time to worry about the politcal unrest, mandatory vaccine threats , loss of freedoms, or whatever else the heathen’s are afraid of.  Let us remember God is in control and we should be able to stand off from afar and with perfect detachment say —

“Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..” (Matt. 6:10)

Posted in Christian faith, Covenants, End times, Ezekiel, Final Events, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Fearing and Escaping the Wrath of God

June 20, 2020

Ezekiel's Visions of God—Ezekiel 1:1

The Spirit of Prophecy says —

“There is nothing in the popular ministry that stirs the wrath of Satan, makes the sinner tremble, or applies to the heart and conscience the fearful realities of a judgment soon to come.” (EW p.273)

Indeed the Holy Scriptures say –

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecc.12:13)

The Word is full of warnings, that our great King is coming with wrath!  Yes wrath! Why you ask? Let us read —

“Said the angel, “Nothing less than the whole armor of righteousness can enable man to overcome the powers of darkness and retain the victory over them. Satan has taken full possession of the churches as a body. The sayings and doings of men are dwelt upon instead of the plain, cutting truths of the Word of God. The spirit and friendship of the world are at enmity with God. When the truth in its simplicity and strength, as it is in Jesus, is brought to bear against the spirit of the world, it at once awakens the spirit of persecution. Very many who profess to be Christians have not known God. The natural heart has not been changed, and the carnal mind remains at enmity with God. They are Satan’s faithful servants, notwithstanding they have assumed another name.” (EW, p.274-274)

His church bodies INCLUDING our beloved SDA church have been countermanded. Now, granted, if one is not in tune with the Almighty, they may indeed be fooled with the illusion prevalent throughout Christendom.  But if one is closely aligned with the Lord and His word, one truly knows “why” the Lord is filled with wrath.

The Lord’s last message of Elijah brings this point home clearly–

“… only a true Christian, one who has a personal experience with God, a perfect knowledge of His Word, and who is filled with His Spirit, can discriminate saint from sinner. He, only, can recognize who has the seal and who does not have it, when the latter is cloaked in a counterfeit robe of righteousness.” (Tract 5, p.63)

When one advances in His Word as we have reported countless times in our blog, we learn that the coming of wrath, starting with the Seventh-day Adventist church, shall disclose TWO GROUPS  –Those who Escape and those who do not –that is it!

No merry middle ground, no “lukewarm followers” allowed anymore. Oh how they shall be “spued” out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16). We don’t need to quote Ezekiel 9, many already know it’s dire prophetic action.

With this knowledge of what is to come, let us now look at the overwhelming evidence of those who are to escape His beginning wrath (Ezekiel 9 church judgment) in the SDA church. Notice who they are, and focus sharply how many they are. Revelation 7 will indeed come true.

 “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)

Brethren, in all of history, has this prophecy ever come true? Not yet, and we do believe it is near at hand. The escaped do what? Proclaim the Lord Cry to all the world!

Isa. 4:2 — “In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”

In that day, — in the day the daughters of Zion become haughty, in the day the seven women take hold of the one man, at that time the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth excellent and comely for them that are the escaped of Israel. From what are His people to escape? Here is the answer:

Isa. 3:1-3 — “For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, the captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.”

It is obvious that they escape the destruction of these sinners in the church.

Isa. 4:3 — “And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.”

Only the holy ones, those whose names are left written in the Book escape the destruction that falls upon the wicked in the church. Only they constitute “the remnant,” the ones that are left. ( 1 TG, no.6, p.37-38)

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“The remnant of Israel must be something else than what we have thought it to be for “remnant” is a small portion, or part which is left after a destruction. The destruction is the mighty shaking, sifting time which is the separation of the two classes in the church (the sealing of the 144,000) as prophesied in Ezekiel 9, and Isaiah 63. Those who escape are the “remnant.” The Bible gives no other definition of “remnant” than the one given here.” (SRod, vol. 1, p.102-103)

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“If one cannot deny that the 144,000, the first fruits, are members of the church , then one cannot deny that they are of her seed.And as they remain alive from the slaying of the unfaithful in their midst they are therefore the “remnant”-that which remains.” (Answerer, vol.2, question 33)

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“Since the slaughter predicted by the prophet Isaiah takes place among those who profess to be sanctified and purified (falsely believe to have need of nothing more), and since those who escape from among them are sent to the Gentiles to preach the gospel, five distinct and supremely important points stand out plainly:

(1) since the victims of the slaughter are those who against their God-given knowledge indulge in swine’s flesh and other abominations, and since those who escape are versed in the gospel work enough to be sent to preach it to the Gentiles, the slaughter, therefore, is seen to take place in the church;

(2) those who escape, according to Ezekiel, are those who sigh and cry against the abominations, and thus receive the mark of deliverance,

(3) since they are sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles after they escape the slaughter, they are “the remnant,” those that are left, the future servants of God;

(4)since they are to gather from the Gentiles all their brethren, all that can possibly be saved, they are the ones who finish the gospel work in all the world,

(5) since there are two separations –one from the church (Israelites), and one from the Gentiles, –those who escape and those who are gathered in — then the former are the first fruits and the later the second fruits — those of Revelation 7:4, 7-9, one from the tribes of Israel, and one from the Gentile nations. (JL, no.2, p.6-7)

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“…let every serious-minded reader pause to ponder what Inspiration says: Isa. 66:19 and 20 explain that those who escape the slaughter of Isa. 66:15 and 16, are to be sent as missionaries to the Gentiles, who as yet know not God. Hence these escaped(remaining) ones are God’s remnant, His first fruits of the harvest, His guileless servants, the 144,000 — the elect. And only they, none others, the Scriptures declare, shall bring all their brethren from all nations, is a clean vessel, into the purified house of the Lord — His White House.” (White House Recruiter, p.25)

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“Since “those that escape” the slaughter (the 144,000)shall “bring all your brethren [all those who shall be saved in the time of the ‘Loud Cry’]…into the house of the Lord,” then it follows that those who escape are the ones who finish the work —the reason they are called “the servants of God.” Rev. 7:3.(Tract 1, p.23)

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“Those who are sealed (marked) and escape the ruin are the ones who will constitute the number which prophecy declares to be 144,000.” (SRod, vol. 1, p.30)

These are but a few of the many Words of warning the Lord sent us from His last message of Elijah. The time of probation is close to ending for us as SDA. Soon our name will be changed and we shall have a new goal and work– The Loud Cry to the whole world, Lord willing.

“The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.” (Isaiah 62:2)

We see that ONLY 144,000 are prophesied to escape. Will you be one, will I be one? That is the great question that each of us SDA  members needs to ask, indeed dwell on!

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

 

Color code-
Orange– The Lord speaking 
Blue — Bible or SOP
 Brown –Elijah message –Victor Houteff (Shepherd’s Rod)
Red–Main important highlights

Posted in Ezekiel, Warning our brethren, Who are the 144K? | Leave a Comment »

Religion will take World’s Center Stage

November 23, 2019

Image result for Everybody speaking about religion

In Spirit of Prophecy we read —

“By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvellous working of Satan and that the end is near.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.451)

 In this post we shall look at the fast-approaching end times and what we are to expect from God’s Word. We are nearing the events that Scripture, SOP and the Rod all declare will come upon us. What is fascinating is how it all comes together when we look at His coordinated message.

Let us start where we are at. Right now we have much division among our nation. The Trump administration has produced a strong reaction throughout the country. Half of us support their work and half hate their work. A truly polarized nation indeed!

However, the USA constitution to a large extent is still in place. Our liberties, however, are slowly being stripped. Social media is curtailing some free speech activities and many no longer have the right to report what they see as wrong (ie. LBGT movement, Abortion politics, government corruption, etc.). Take Alex Jones , for example, a leader in uncovering corruption within the USA and world has consistently reported on wrongdoing within our government for years but has recently been silenced on online social media to a large degree (kicked out of FB, Twitter, YouTube, etc). Even his financial payment system –PayPal has banned him. Multitudes of like-minded rejectors of the current corruption of the USA are likewise banned.

But the main parts of our constitution still stand. But something is going to change that. There will be a catalyst that will move us to as SOP says, “repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government.” What does the Word say that will be?

It is well known among the religious community that the world’s Sunday keeping theologians have read the following Scriptural references —

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:25-27)

to mean that the unbelieving Jews (all of them) that are now in Israel will be miraculously saved and converted into Christians. In other words, it is almost like the Lord puts them into a spell and takes over there wills and makes them believe in Christ! This is a prevalent dogma among the Sunday keeping churches.

They also describe this reference —

 “For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep still, Until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch.” (Isaiah 62:1)

as pertaining to the current Jerusalem, mostly consisting of unbelieving Jews (the vast majority now there), that somehow the Lord will turn that land into a great Christian center and Gospel proclamation hub. They are right about the land being the soon to come world’s Gospel headquarters but wholly misguided in how the Lord will do it.

The Word confirms this Gospel headquarters location–


“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”(Isaiah 2:2-3)

However, this false dogma of the current unbelieving Jews converted in Isreal on a mass scale has spread all throughout Christendom. It teaches that current Jews now there will be strong proclaimers of the Gospel to the world soon. Teachers like Jonathan Kahn and Hal Lindsey are leaders in this well-known religious dogma.

However, our all-seeing and knowing Lord God has not forsaken the Truth seekers without a plan, a road map. His final message of Elijah tells us the real truth about Romans 11:25-27.

ALL OR A REMNANT–WHICH?

Question No. 64:

Romans 9:27 says that a “remnant” of Israel will be saved, but Romans 11:26 says that “all” Israel will be saved. I do not understand this. Can you help me?

Answer:

Romans 9:27 is speaking of Israel as a nation, of which only a remnant will be saved; whereas Romans 11:26 is referring to the elect of Israel as individuals, all of whom will be saved. (3 Ans, p.51)

But those habitual private interpreters who claim to be leaders of “God’s church” today, misinterpret much of prophecy. They generally have no correct understanding about the following for example —

“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” (Zeph. 2:1-5)

To them, these are dark sentences, not applicable to today’s world. Past history or some other false idea is applied here. But the Elijah messengers know very well what it means and also know what the following means —

“Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.” (Zech. 14:1-5)

But the message tells us very clearly when this gigantic war happens in the middle east over Israel, a  most startling and shocking worldwide event happens —

“..while the powers of earth are engulfed in a gigantic war, the wicked in the church shall be cut off, no more to pass through her.” (Tract 14, p.22)

The prophesied church purification happens throughout the Seventh-day Adventist church–Ezekiel 9! The very one that Ellen White spoke of as follows —

“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 eyespare, 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, p.211)

So as that gigantic war is happening, in the midst of it, then the “great and dreadful day” will come. Great for the faithful, those who have “followed the Lamb wherever He goes” (Rev. 14:4) and dreadful for those who remained in the Laodicean lukewarm condition. They had failed to “sigh and cry over all the abominations done in the midst” (Ezek. 9:4)

Shocked and bewildered by the double whammy upon the world, the people, lead by the now confused religious leaders unite (“Hey we’re all confused — let’s unite and figure this out!”) and help to fulfill another one of the Elijah message’s prophesies–

“For, seeing Catholic set against Catholic, and Protestant against Protestant, in mortal combat, they will in dread fear be inspired to saddle the beast, and to re-establish the church as its driver in order to free themselves from the shackles of totalitarianism, and to safeguard Christianity. They will see victory in this stratagem, if it be denied them in war, for the very evident reason that many of the millions of communicants of these churches, in every army of the totalitarian states allied in the conflict, will honor the dictates of the church, above those of their respective governments. 

Such a combination of circumstances will result in a replication of the international church-and-state rule of the Middle Ages, and will relegate to the scrap heap the world’s finest instrument of human liberty – the divinely inspired Constitution of the United States of America.” (Tract 12, p54-55)

The “totalitarian” nations, ie Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, etc will be the victors in the Israel war BUT the religious leaders and USA government leaders will see only one way out– forced religion! Because of the world disasters hitting the world at one time, millions mysteriously slaughtered in the SDA church, Israel utterly destroyed to a large extent, they see the great interest in God and finding answers for these world-shaking events! Religion will take the World’s center stage!

“The warring nations are already divided into two distinct ideological camps: On the one side are the democratic governments, while on the other side are the totalitarian. If the latter continue successfully to prosecute their relentless conquest for world-dominion and sovereignty, the only victorious way out for the Christian nations, as they humanly view their plight, will be to surrender their power to the church.” (Tract 12, p.54)

Instead of the vast held belief that the current Jews there now will make up the end time headquarters, after this war takes place, an obscure people which very few have heard of, the 144,000, will come forth. They had been ridiculed, scorned, and in many cases kicked out of the very churches they loved! Davidian Seventh-day Adventists are what they were known as. Just as in the days of Elijah they pleaded with their own people to awake and stop following false leaders yet few took heed!

“In concluding this narrative, I would say that we are living in a most solemn time. In the last vision given me, I was shown the startling fact that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it and be saved. Many will get above the simplicity of the work. They will conform to the world, cherish idols, and become spiritually dead. The humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world.” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p.608-609)

But what a time that will be! Israel will blossom before the world and “signs and wonders” shall captivate the world! The Lord will come on the stage! Just as in the days of coming out of Egypt He will be active in His people’s work.

“‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited. Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.” (Ezek. 36: 33-36)

Zech. 1:14-17, 20, 21 — “So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem…. And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. Then said I, What come these to do? And He spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.”

“Obviously one part of the Gentile nations shall come against the part that is in the Holy Land, and chase them out to make room for God’s people. Then will the Lord’s feet stand on Mount Olives and the Mount shall cleave in the midst thereof and make therein a very great valley. Thus shall the Lord open the way for His people to flee there to the “valley” where the Lord’s feet stand, and all the saints with them (Zech. 14:4, 5).

This truth, you see, supersedes all truths, for without it your other truths will not profit you, will not take you into the Kingdom. It is the last mile of all the miles of our faith through life that takes us Home. We have gone this long; let us, therefore, keep on going right on to glory land, which is no longer beyond the horizon. The mile ahead is indeed the last mile that will take us Home. ” (2 TG, no.44, p.50-51)


The very next big event to take place in our world will be the gigantic war over Israel. The current situation over there is very tense and all the big armament nations are in the area. As soon the Lord issues His decree, the war will begin. Are we ready? If we are a part of God’s church today–the Seventh-day Adventist church, we had better be! For the world (the irreligious and false religions too!), there is hope as the “Loud Cry”  given by the 144,000 with headquarters based in the restored holy land, will call into her the “great multitude which no man could number.”(Rev. 7:9)

A beautiful chart is shown giving the timeline of events soon to come —

 

For those who would like to enlarge this chart, copy it and take it to your email and paste there to view.

Color code: Orange–Lord speaking, Blue — Bible or SOP speaking, Brown– Elijah message brought by Victor Houteff  Red — Highlighted noteworthy areas of importance 

Posted in End times, Ezekiel, Final Events | Leave a Comment »

Coming in the Clouds

July 13, 2019

Image result for Jesus coming in the clouds

The great hope for believers is the long sought after “coming in the clouds” of our King and Savior. Let us read–

“But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”(Matt. 14:61-62)

This, as we know, is what we are taught as basic Christianity 101. But there is advanced learning that must be accended to if you are a current member of God’s remnant church, those professing to be keeping the Commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. In other words, if we are Seventh-day Adventists, there is present truth that will put in a clear timeline and focus on this “coming in the clouds”.

Briefly, as a personal testimony, when I first came into the SDA church, this was a basic understanding that I had and was confirmed by our church. The very “next” coming is to be His coming in the clouds with all glory and power.  In other words, our great hope and anticipation. 

Our leaders, nearly all of them, confirm this next coming and the following is a typical example of our belief.

Amazing Facts ––  “The Second Coming of Jesus is mentioned more than 300 times in the New Testament is the capstone of our teachings, it is essential to our identity as Seventh-day Adventists Christians. The doctrine is engraved in our name… without the promise of His coming our faith would be in vain, and indeed it would. This glorious truth gives us a sense of destiny and motivates our missionary outreach.

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/media/e/10309/f/6/t/the-second-coming-of-jesus
(mark 13:57- 14:95)

But there is a precedent, a type, that indeed fits us SDA. That is the Jews of Christ’s day and their expectation of their King’s coming and how they taught this coming and neglected the truth of His real coming.

“As a nation the Jews had been growing prouder and prouder. They had made great boasts of their righteousness. They made broad their phylacteries, uttered long prayers in the market places, and gave alms to be seen of men. Their religion was formal, consisting of ordinances and purifications, rites and ceremonies. It was not heartfelt. Although they made their religious profession so very prominent, yet they did not scruple to grind the faces of the poor and to take advantage of them in every way possible.

This proud people could not think of acknowledging the lowly Nazarene as their Messiah. They knew that if they should take their position by the side of this humble man, all the surrounding nations would deride them and scoff at them. After having so loudly boasted of how they would be exalted when the Messiah should come, they could not think of recognizing the carpenter’s Son as the Messiah. Satan had blinded their eyes so they knew not what was for their good.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p.153)

So down through the centuries have we as God’s people learned from our past? Obviously not. Our SDA leaders continue to be generally destitute of the real knowledge of the Scriptures. The Lord’s Word tells us exactly of what His next coming will be —

 

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1-5)

There are great jewels we gain from a close examination of these great prophetic words. Let us see.

1) A messenger is to come to His people before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. This rules out John The Baptist, as he did not come before that day. He was before the first advent only. As we know of only one place in all of Scripture that predicts someone to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and that is “Elijah”. A male prophet.

2) We SDA are seeking Him, thinking as we have noted that He will come in the clouds, yet His word corrects us and says He will  “suddenly come to His temple”. He will come as a surprise to us (except not to those prepared for this sudden coming), and that is to His church (temple).

3) But there will be some who “stand” and some who will not. The complimentary Scripture for this understanding is found in Rev. 6: 15-17, let us read —

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The message explains more of these words above —

 

“In these verses are pictured the fate, the fear, and the smitten conscience of all who are not able to stand in the day of the Judgment of the living, the great and dreadful day of the Lord — the wrath of the Lamb in the great “time of trouble such as never was” (Dan. 12:1), the day following the appearance of the antitypical “Elijah the prophet” (Mal. 4:5) — yes, the day in which those who have not clad themselves in the wedding garment, are cast into outer darkness, there to gnash their teeth (Matt. 22:11-13).

   Also in these scripture (Rev. 6:14-17), asserts the Spirit of Truth, “two parties are brought to view.  One party permitted themselves to be deceived, and took sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy.  They misinterpreted the messages sent them, and clothed themselves in robes of self-righteousness.” — Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 268.” (Tract 15, p.56)

Thus the great and dreadful day of the Lord, the day in which judgment starts first in the house of God upon earth (1 Peter 4:17) will produce the Rev. 7-1:4 , 144,000, those who will “stand” in that day. Sad indeed to think we now have over 20 million SDA!

When questioned about this extremely small number, we often respond, how many were saved out of God’s first worldwide judgment upon His people? Eight from Noah’s many years of preaching!

In the great vast throng, some say over 1 million strong, who partook in the great exodus from Egypt, who over the age of 20 made it into the kingdom? Two, Joshua and Caleb!

These are solemn examples of the Lord not carelessly preserving those who will not listen to His prophets! This is why we time and again warn–LISTEN TO HIS ELIJAH PROPHET before it is too late!

4) We see why the Lord comes suddenly to His church, to purify His church  “like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.”

5) Then after His “strange act” (Isaiah 28:21) the church will finally please Him and “the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

6) He will draw near to us, meaning He will come to our very house, His house called by His name the Seventh-day Adventist church! he will then perform the great and dreadful day, as a “swift witness” against those who have not the wedding garment on.

So we see that just like the Jews of old, our leaders, from Doug Batchelor, Stephen Bohr, Mark Finley, 3 ABN, Amazing Facts performers, Stephen Wolberg, Kenneth Cox, and a slew of others, all are teaching us “Be ready Jesus is soon to come in the clouds, this is His next coming”. Wrong.

Be not confused the Lord WILL come in the clouds, but after He has first come invisibly to His church to produce His final Loud Cry servants, from His church purification to give the final message to the dying world.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 13:3-9)

Color code  – Orange is our Lord/God the Father speaking, Blue is Scripture or Spirit of Prophecy, Brown is Elijah message as brought by Victor T. Houteff.

Posted in Ezekiel, Present Truth, Proper teachings, Righteous Anger | 3 Comments »

The Lord’s Answer to the Inquirers of God

April 6, 2019

TEXT FOR PRAYERJesus’ Example In Teaching   We shall read from “Christ’s Object Lessons,” paragraph one, page 21:

   “Again, Christ had truths to present which the people were unprepared to accept, or even to understand.  For this reason also He taught them in parables.  By connecting His teaching with the scenes of life, experience, or nature, He secured their attention and impressed their hearts.  Afterward, as they looked upon the objects that illustrated His lessons, they recalled the words of the divine Teacher.  To minds that were open to the Holy Spirit, the significance of the Saviour’s teaching unfolded more and more.

Mysteries grew clear, and that which had been hard to grasp became evident.  Jesus sought an avenue to every heart.  By using a variety of illustrations, He not only presented truth in its different phases, but appealed to the different hearers…. None who listened to the Saviour could feel that they were neglected or forgotten.  The humblest, the most sinful, heard in His teaching a voice that spoke to them in sympathy and tenderness.”

   As the people in Jesus’ time were as the people of today, not anxious to learn new Truth, He used Nature to arrest their attention.  The prophets were led to use the same method.  We, therefore, need to pray for a burning desire to know God’s Truth for today.  We need to pray that we do not become self-confident, and satisfied with our attainments in the Word of God; that we lay aside all prejudices and be willing to learn from the “humblest of the humble.”

 

THE LORD’S ANSWERTO THE INQUIRER OF GODTEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTSSABBATH, AUGUST 9, 1947MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS   Our subject is found in Ezekiel twenty.  This chapter, we will find, contains a prophetic history of the Church from the time of her servitude in Egypt to the time of the sealing of the 144,000.

Ezek. 20:1-8 — “And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.  Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of Me?  As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.

Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them?  cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up Mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up Mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God; in the day that I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: then said I unto them, Cast ye away very man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt:

I am the Lord your God.  But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.”

   In the writings of Moses we do not find a record as to the faithfulness of the children of Israel in the land of Egypt.  Whether they were good or bad, Moses does not say.  But here through Ezekiel we are told what they were.  Not all of them, you note, were God-fearing people.  This scripture makes clear that even when God called them to move out of the land of Egypt, the majority were unfaithful in their devotion to God.

Ezek. 20:9, 10 — “But I wrought for My name’s sake, that It should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.  Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.”

   We have now read the record of the Hebrew host, — of their spiritual standing in the land of Egypt, and of God’s reason for bringing them out of Egypt.  Next we shall read the record which they made in the wilderness.

Ezek. 20:11-13 — “And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.  Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.  But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.”

   Here we see that the deeds of the descendants of Jacob were even less commendable in the wilderness than they were in Egypt.

Ezek. 20:14-28 — “But I wrought for My name’s sake, that It should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.  Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.  But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kpt My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.  Nevertheless I withdrew Mine hand, and wrought for My name’s sake, that It should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

I lifted up Mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; because they had not executed My judgments; but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.  Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.

Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me.  For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drik offerings.”

   They were unfaithful in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the promised land.  We shall now read of the results.

Ezek. 20:29-36 — “Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go?  And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.  Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers?  and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?  For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel?  As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.  And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say,

We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.  As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: and I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.  Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.”

   On one hand we see the reasons for elevating the Hebrew host from Pharaoh’s slaves to God’s priests, prophets, and kings.  On the other hand we see their scattering throughout all the nations.  Next we behold God’s promises of their gathering out of the countries in which they are scattered.  This He promises to do with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm.

Ezek. 20:37 — “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.”

   This verse is somewhat involved and needs to be elucidated with the help of another scripture.  Let us turn to Leviticus.

   “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” Lev. 27:32.

   To determine the Lord’s part, the tithe, the Lord’s lambs, goats, or sheep, were made to pass under the rod.  Each tenth then was taken and set aside for the Lord.  The statement of Ezekiel twenty, verse thirty-seven, “to pass under the rod,” therefore, means to separate His very elect from among the multitude, from among the “tares,” (Matt. 13:30) or from among the “bad fish” (Matt. 13:47, 48).  And being thus separated, they are counted.  So it is that the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3-8; 14:1) are a separate and numbered company.

   Now we see that Ezekiel twenty contains a prophetic history from the time of their sojourn in Egypt to the time of the sealing of the 144,000, and of the gathering of the people.

   When God causes His people to thus pass under the rod, He will then bring them into the bond of “the covenant which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac; and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance.” 1 Chron. 16:16-18.

   The promises which they failed to realize, the Lord reassures that He will now let His people have them.

Ezek. 20:38 — “And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”

   Here we are plainly told that only the elect will He bring “into the bond of the covenant.”  Them only will He bring into the land of Israel.  The sinners (tares, bad fish or goats) that are now among God’s people shall be taken out and be no more.

   “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net, saith the Lord, “that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 13:47-50.  The separation, the Judgment for the Living, you note, brings the end of the world.

Ezek. 20:39 — “As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto Me: but pollute ye My holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.”

   God has now made clear His “clean work” which He is to do, both for the penitent and for the impenitent.  It is now up to them to decide whether to serve Him or to serve their idols — they are now not making their decision ignorantly.  If they wish to perish they may continue to serve their idols.

Ezek. 20:40, 41 — “For in Mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve Me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.  I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.”

   All these things, you see, take place in the sight of the heathen.

Ezek. 20:42-44 — “And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to your fathers.   And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.  And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.”

   These things God does for His people, not because they are deserving, but for His name’s sake, because His promise cannot fail.  The Kingdom of God, you see, does not begin in heaven, but on earth.  And the Kingdom, you now see, is not to be made up of ghosts, but of living human beings, of saints, not a sinner among them.

   Yes, the Eden that was lost is to be restored.  In fact, the Word plainly declares that Elias must first come and restore all things (Mark 9:12).  As Eden was a real home at the beginning occupied by real human beings so shall it be again.

   The remaining verses of Ezekiel twenty take up another parable.  But as time will not permit us to go into it, we shall bring our study to a close.  First, though, let it be noticed that the remaining verses of this chapter, and also chapter 21 have, with this light on hand, become self-explanatory, and you can study them at your leisure.  Verse 27 of chapter 21 though, I may touch on now.

Ezek. 21:27 — “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until He comes Whose right it is; and I will give it Him.”

   In these chapters are brought to view both the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  In this verse God plainly declares that He was to make three overturnings, and that after that the Kingdom was to be no more until “He comes Whose right it is”; that is, after the three overturnings, He “Whose right it is” shall come and the Kingdom shall be restored.

   The first overturning took place when Assyria overturned the house of Israel, the ten-tribe kingdom; the second overturning took place when the king of Babylon overturned the house of Judah, the two-tribe kingdom; and the third overturning took place when Titus in 70 A.D. destroyed Jerusalem.  Thus it is seen that we are now living in the period after the third overturning, the period in which “He Whose right it is,” is to come and set up His Kingdom.

   The very fact that Inspiration has now unfolded these prophecies, and has brought them to the attention of the church, leads us to know for a certainty that the time for the restoration of the Kingdom is at hand; that we are now in the sealing time of the 144,000; and that if we are faithful we shall be among them, and stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.

   This, Brother, Sister, is the Lord’s Own answer to you.

   Your duty is now to accept it if you wish life forevermore.  Let not the enemy of Truth bring doubts to your mind, and let no one talk you out of this Truth for the Devil will not stand idly by.  He will do all to overthrow you.  Check up again and again and see that the Bible teaches this Truth so that you be able to hold your own.  You cannot afford to lose out this late in the day.

——0-0-0–0–0-0-0——   “The Lord abhors indifference and disloyalty in a time of crisis in His work.  The whole universe is watching with inexpressible interest the closing scenes of the great controversy between good and evil.  The people of God are nearing the borders of the eternal world; what can be of more importance to them than that they be loyal to the God of heaven?  All through the ages, God has had moral heroes; and He has them now, — those who, like Joseph and Elijah and Daniel, are not ashamed to acknowledge themselves His peculiar people.

His special blessing accompanies the labors of men of action; men who will not be swerved from the right line of duty, but who with divine energy will inquire, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’  men who will not stop merely with the inquiry, but who will demand that those who choose to identify themselves with the people of God shall step forward and reveal unmistakably their allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Such men make their wills and plans subordinate to the law of God.  For love of Him, they count not their lives dear unto themselves.  Their work is to catch the light from the Word, and let it shine forth to the world in clear, steady rays.  Fidelity to God is their motto.” — Prophets and Kings, pg. 148.   (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 1 p.2 -12)

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Ezekiel | 2 Comments »

The Half-Hour Silence Teaching

February 2, 2019

Image result for half hour silence in heaven

In Revelation 8:1, as seen above, there is silence in all of heaven. No one speaks, no songs or any noise, just silence. Something big is happening that requires no one speak.

Many believe the complimentary  prophetic verse is the following —

“For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass his act, His strange act.” (Isaiah 28:21)

There is a big difference in the teaching of the half hour silence in heaven between Seventh-day Adventists and Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. The standard S.D.A teaching is that it is a description of the Second Advent of Christ. But just as with Swiss cheese, when we look closely at it , it is filled with holes and cannot stand up against the “more sure word of prophecy”. The following study guide , we hope will shed light on the true understanding.

Is The Half Hour Of Silence The 2nd Advent Of Christ?

a. THE JUDGMENT IS STILL IN PROGRESS since Jesus is still in the Sanctuary opening the seventh seal which means that he is still investigating the names of those during this period.

b. CHRIST IS STILL A BLEEDING LAMB.

c. AN HALF HOUR OF SILENCE IMPLIES THAT THERE IS AFTER THE HALF
HOUR WHAT EVER WAS GOING ON BEFORE MUST CONTINUE—The Judgment. Therefore the half an hour divides the judgment into two sections— the JOD and the JOL.

d. THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ARE OFFERED UP BEFORE GOD. This indicates that probation is still open since you cannot offer prayers after Jesus’ 2nd advent—there will be no need.

e. THE ANGEL CAST DOWN FIRE TO THE EARTH. Fire is a symbol of THE HOLY SPIRIT. No one will need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the second coming of Christ.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”(Acts 2:1-4)

f. THE VOICES, THUNDERINGS, LIGHTINGS, RETURN, SHOWING THAT THE JUDGMENT STARTED AGAIN. Compare with Rev. 4:5. The voices must represent the speaking of the beasts, elders, angels, etc. When God speaks it is like thunderings and lightnings. The voices clearly indicate that judgment continues AFTER THE HALF HOUR OF SILENCE.

What Happens During The Half Hour Of Silence?

The Purification of the Church.

a. The silence reveals that the Judgment must have ceased for a time. The only event which would cause silence during the judgment is the purification of the church–Ez. 9. It is the only time we know from both the Bible and the Testimonies that Jesus will interrupt his mediatorial work.

“Those who train the mind to seize upon everything which they can use as a peg to hang a doubt upon, and suggest these thoughts to other minds, will always find occasion to doubt. They will question and criticize everything that arises in the unfolding of truth, criticize the work and position of others, criticize every branch of the work in which they have not themselves a part.

They will feed upon the errors and mistakes and faults of others,”until,” said the angel, the Lord Jesus shall rise up from His mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary and shall clothe Himself with the garments of vengeance and surprise them at their unholy feast, and they will find themselves unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Their taste has been so perverted that they would be inclined to criticize even the table of the Lord in His kingdom.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 689)

b. This passage must be fulfilled during probationary time because it mentions: “…the unfolding of truth…” Truth only unfolds while probation still lingers. Furthermore, it states that “the Lord Jesus shall rise up FROM HIS MEDIATORIAL WORK…” This would indicate that He will interrupt his work of atonement.

How Long Is The Half Hour Of Silence?

About Seven Days—One Week.  [Using PROPHETIC TIME (A day=a year)]

a. One day=24 hours

b. One year=360 days

c. 360/24=15

d. 15=1 hour

e. 15/2=1/2 hour =7.5 days (ABOUT a week).

Thus the purification of the church—Ezek. 9, will last about a week.


SUMMARY: The seventh seal reveals that the JOL in Heaven will begin after the half hour of silence—purification of the church. The half an hour of silence, therefore, divides the investigative judgment into two parts: the Judgment of the Dead (JOD) and the Judgment of the Living (JOL).

Other references that bring support for this half hour execution of judgment in the house of God —

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)

 Take a look at the following and see how closely complementing this  prophetic Scripture is to Malachi 3:1-5. 

“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)

Suddenly come to His temple (church), it is a surprise coming. It talks of who will stand at that time. In Rev. 6:15-17 describes men afraid of the coming of the Lord, wanting to hide themselves. But verse 17 says —

“For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Then in the very next chapter the answer is given in Rev. 7:1-8 — the 144,000 ! Thus it cannot be the Lord’s Second coming, rather Mal.3:1-5 and Isaiah 66:15-20. We see some “escape” the Lord’s wrath and go tell the world of the Lord, which cannot happen at the second coming. These purification judgments have never happened yet in the history of God’s people.

The second coming will save the “great multitude”(Rev. 7:9) but this “sudden” coming will save the wheat from the tares in the church the 144,000. The half hour silence is that time of His execution of judgment in God’s house.

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

CONCLUSION: The study of the seven seals reveal that God’s professed people have been on trial since 1844. This court case is the greatest and most important in the history of earth and the Universe. Each individual and generation is investigated with terrible exactness. It especially, and more importantly, reveals that the Judgment in the SDA Church will mark the opening of the Judgment for the Living.

Thus we see, that soon we will have to stand before the never erring Judge and give an account for our deeds—not physically, but our records will testify to whether we are worthy through the merits of Christ to be sealed, allowing the slaughtering angels to pass by and have our names retained on the Book of Life. Thus, we determine our own destiny by either holding on to our sins or repenting of them and forsaking them.

Special thanks to:
Education Department
Davidic Levitical Institute
Mt. Carmel Center
Mountain Dale New York 12763

FURTHER STUDY: 2 SR 187-221
15 TR 1-67 (To The Seven Churches)
2 TG 12,13,14.
2 ANS. 29-31 (Answerer Book)

Posted in Ezekiel, Revelation teachings, Who are the 144K? | 2 Comments »

The Signs of Christ’s Second Coming or the Signs of the Kingdom, which?

December 29, 2018

THE SIGNS OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMINGOR THE SIGNS OF THE KINGDOM–WHICH?TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAYADVENTISTS SABBATH, JANUARY 22, 1949MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS   We as students and gospel teachers have for years dwelt heavily on the signs of Christ’s second coming, but not at all on the signs of the Kingdom.  As a result of this, Christendom has theoretically merged the signs of the Kingdom with the signs of the second Advent.

   Something similar to this is what the Jews of old did when they were expecting the Messiah’s first appearing.  According to their private understanding they deeply studied the signs of the restoration of the Kingdom, but not so much of the signs of the Messiah’s coming.  Thus it was that when they were told that the Messiah had come but not the time to restore the Kingdom, the leaders of the Jews, taking for granted that their private (uninspired) interpretation of the Scriptures was infallible, rejected the message of that day. 

Then in an attempt to safeguard their influence upon the common people and to subjugate them to their way of thinking, they crucified the Lord, their Saviour and King as they did also kill the prophets who went before Him.  Their insistence that the Kingdom be restored in their day, though, profited them nothing.

The fact that Christendom itself is divided and confused, one believing one thing and another something else, is in itself sufficient evidence that besides being in total darkness of the signs of the Kingdom because of private interpretation of the Scriptures, Christendom must be in darkness of many other things as well.  In such a confused state of faith, Christendom is definitely no more led by the Spirit of Truth than were the rebellious Jews. 

Past experience teaches, however, that to try to convince the multitude of this fact would be as formidable a task as to convince the Jews even to this day that Christ is the Messiah that was to come.  The difficulty, of course, lies in the fact that hardly a theologian allows for the possibility that his understanding of the Bible might be at least in a measure erroneous, and that Inspiration might almost at any moment manifest Itself anew, unroll the scroll and bring forth timely Truth, “meat in due season,” and thus expose their private concoctions of so-called tuth.

   Now with all respect and sincerity, by the authority of the Scriptures and by virtue of the facts before me, I say that it would be easier for a chicken to find its roost in the blackest of the night than for uninspired mind to unveil the prophecies and the parables.  The difference between the two is that the chicken realizes the futility of trying to find her roost after sunset, but the self-willed man does not realize that he cannot unveil Truth at his own will and without light from above.

   We as Christians have obviously failed to note that if the secret things of God, matter not how simple, were to be unsealed at anytime by anyone, Inspiration would never in the first place have concealed them in symbols and parables.  Christendom is still blind to the fact that to attempt to break into the mysteries of God would be to attempt to defeat His purposes; yes, to try to break into the Divine code, is to try the impossible. 

For example, even when the time did come for the Book sealed with seven seals to be unsealed (Rev. 4 and 5), no one in heaven or on earth was able to do so, but only “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” could break the seals and look into the things which afterwards were shown to John, the Revelator.  And though John wrote them, he himself could not before time explain them.  Then how can we do such before time and without the Inspiration of the same Spirit Who indicted them?  The Word of God plainly warns:

2 Pet. 1:19-21 — “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

   No one, say the Scriptures, can privately (without Inspiration) unfold the prophecies, for, reasons the Apostle, as prophecy came not by private effort — not by the will of men, but by holy men and the Spirit — neither can it therefore be of private interpretation, but only by holy men led by the Holy Spirit.  Moreover, even after prophecy is thus interpreted, only to the righteous (the penitent) is given the gift of understanding it (Dan. 12:10).

   Since we as a people know some of the signs of Christ’s second coming, and none of the signs of the Kingdom, we had better now concentrate on the signs of the latter.

Matt. 13:24-30 — “Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  So the servants of the Householder came and said unto Him, Sir, didst not Thou sow good seed in Thy field?  from whence then hath it tares?  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. 

The servants said unto Him, Wilt Thou then that we go and gather them up?  But He said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn.”

   This parable of the Kingdom, you note, contains three periods of time: First, the period of sowing the seed — the time of Christ’s ministry; second, the period of growing — the time from the ascension of Christ to the harvest; third, the time of harvest — a short period of time “at the end of the world” (Matt. 13:49), the period in which the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel (Rev. 18:1), and in which all God’s people are called out of Babylon (Rev. 18:4). 

Then those who did not respond to this gathering call will cry out: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer. 8:20.  The “harvest,” therefore, is “the end of the world.” Matt. 13:49.  It commences in the church and ends in Babylon.

   The work of the harvest, very obviously, is synonymous with the Judgment that decides who are tares and who are wheat–who are to be burned and destroyed as noxious weeds, and who are as precious wheat to be admitted into “the barn,” the Kingdom.  Thus it is that the Judgment is the cleansing of the sanctuary (Dan. 8:14), “the house of God,” the temple to which the Lord suddenly comes and purifies His servants, the Levites.  Here is the way the latter scripture reads:

Mal. 3:1-3, 5 — “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….

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.”

   How many yields of fruit is the harvest to give? — If the 144,000 are the “first fruits” (Rev. 14:4), then there must be “second fruits,” for where there is no second there can be no first.  The word “firstfruits” absolutely necessitates second fruits.

   Where do the first fruits come from, and where do the second fruits come from? — We are plainly told that the first fruits are Israelites — all from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:4-8).  Israel certainly stands for the church membership at the time they are sealed; the title “Israel” cannot be construed to mean the world.  The firstfruits, therefore, are harvested from the church itself at the time the separation begins.  The word “sealed” means placed in a safe place — sealed.  This is exactly what the apostle Peter says:

1 Pet. 4:17, 18 — “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

   Now, then, if the Judgment begins first in the “house of God,” in the church, then it will end in the world, outside the church circles.  The parable of the “net” and the Revelation of John very briefly and concisely bring this truth still better to the surface.

Matt. 13:47-50 — “Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

   Clearly, the net represents the gospel church into which are caught both hypocrite and saint.  Accordingly, in the time of the firstfruit harvest (the Judgment “in the house of God”) “at the end of the world” (Matt. 13:49), the angels sever the wicked from among the just, not the just from among the wicked. 

But in the second fruit harvest (the Judgment in the world) the separation is the reverse: the just are taken out from among the wicked, not the wicked from among the just, so says The Revelation: “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 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. 

Plainly, the Judgment “in the house of God” is the harvest in which the hypocrites as “tares” are burned, but as bad “fish” they are cast out.  In the Judgment in Babylon (in the world), though, not the bad, but the good are taken out and brought into the purified house of God where there is no sin and no sinner, and where there is no danger of the lagues.  This same truth concerning the house of God again comes to us in these words:

Isa. 66:15, 16, 19, 20 — “For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many….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.”

   Again we here see that those who escape the slaying of the Lord “in the house of God” (obviously the firstfruits, “the servants of God”), are sent to the nations who know not God, and from there they bring all their brethren (the second fruits) to the purified house of God where there is neither sin nor sinner, and where the plagues of Babylon therefore do not fall.

   We have now positively seen that there are first and second fruits: one from the church — the 144,000 sons of Jacob; and one from all nations — the great multitude which no man can number (Rev. 7:9).

Who gathers the firstfruits if the firstfruits gather the second fruits? — Let us find our answer by reading–

Rev. 14:14-19 — “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.  And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to Him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in Thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.  And the angel thrust in His sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

   Here we are again told that there are two reapings, one by the Son of Man, and another by an angel.  The reaping by the Son of Man precedes the reaping by the angel.  “Son of Man,” therefore, gathers the firstfruits, and the angel gathers the second fruits.  (The vines, not the fully ripe grapes, he casts in the wine press.) The Son of Man Himself obviously reaps the firstfruits because His servants (figuratively the angel of the church of the Laodiceans) are in no condition to do such a work, for they themselves are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” and know it not (Rev. 3:14-18).

Looking down to this very time, the Spirit of Prophecy in Isaiah’s day said:

Isa. 63:5 — “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.”

   Here you note that when the time came there was not even one among His servants “to uphold” the work of the harvest, and consequently the Lord Himself did the work without them.

   For the second reaping, however, He uses His guileless “servants,” the “firstfruits,” the 144,000, as prefigured by the angel with the sharp sickle (Rev. 14:17, 18).  And just as there are two fruits and two reapings from two different places, the church and the world, there are, as shown before, also two ways of harvesting: at first the bad are cast from among the good, and at last the good are called out from among the bad.

   These are some of the signs and events that precede the Kingdom of glory, the second coming of Christ.  Then, too, there are other signs, the first of which is seen from the parable of Matthew 25.

Matt. 25:1-12 — “Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

   In this parable it is seen that the church is likened to ten virgins, five of whom do not avail themselves of extra oil — special Truth for this time, that is, these five do not give heed to the truth of the Judgment of the living, the separation or purification of the church.  When the cry is made, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,” all ten virgins see that the light of their lamps is going out; they see that the message of the Judgment of the dead is passing. 

Quickly then, the five wise virgins refill their lamps with the extra oil which they have stored in their vessels, and go on to meet the Bridegroom.  But the five foolish virgins, those who thought there was no need for extra oil, no need for an extra message, the message of the Judgment of the living, find themselves in gross darkness. 

Yes, they find themselves without the light which the message of the Judgment of the living unfolds.  Upon discovering their foolish neglect, they rush to obtain oil, light on the subject, but in the meantime the door has been shut (probationary time for the virgins, the church, has closed).  When they call for admission they are politely told by the Lord Himself, “I know you not.”

   The sign of the coming Kingdom which this parable brings forth, is obviously the special message (the extra oil) which announces the Judgment of the living, the message which awakens the open-hearted Truth seekers, and which dooms its opposers, the hypocrites and lukewarm in the church — those who are satisfied and think themselves rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing (in need of no timely Truth), those who never awake to the fact that they are absolutely destitute.  Mind you, these are not my words, read what the Lord says to Laodicea:

Rev. 3:14-18 — “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

   Another view of this tragic truth is given in–

Luke 14:16-24 — “Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 

So that servant came, and shewed his Lord these things. Then the Master of the house being angry said to His servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.  And the servant said, Lord, it is done as Thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.  And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.  For I say untoyou, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of My supper.”

   In this parable are seen two periods of time.  The first period is while the gospel has “bade many” (Luke 14:16) to the marriage supper, the time from the Apostles to the time of His last servant with the last message God sends to His people, the time all things are “ready.”  The next period is the time in which His last servant served (Luke 14:17).  This servant is sent, we are told, at “supper time,” at the end of the day, indicating that he bears the last message. 

Moreover, he is at first sent to those who have previously been “bidden”; that is, to those who were already in the gospel truth, in the church.  At the outset he is to contact a class of people deeply engrossed with the cares of this life, and is to tell them that “all things are now ready,” that if they wish they can now prepare and go to the wedding, there to enjoy the Bridegroom’s banquet.  This is the last call for the supper.

   But what happens? — They excuse themselves from having anything to do with the banquet just then.  Some lay the blame on their professions, while others blame having to make a living for the family.  Whereupon the Master of the house angrily sends His servant to the poor and to the afflicted, to those who are hungry and not too busy to take heed, to those who are not so encumbered with business and home that they cannot answer His call.  This very thing takes place in the “city” proper — the church.  The poor, those who realize that they are not “rich and increased with goods,” come in, but still there is room for more.

   Then it is that the Lord of that servant commands that he should go after those who are on the highways and hedges — those outside the church circles, even to the ends of the earth (the “hedges”).  But before the servant goes to the highways and hedges on his last mission, the Master emphatically informs him that those who had been bidden and who excused themselves from coming in, are to be entirely excluded from the banquet; that none of them will be permitted even to taste of His supper; that by turning a deaf ear to the call these have closed their own probationary time, and that there is now nothing that can alter the situation. 

After this the servant’s compelling cry goes out to the nations and the Master’s house is filled, the wedding takes place, and the Bridegroom serves all that are in the house, but none others.

   This same event is again given from another point of view.  This time by the gospel prophet:

Isa. 52:1, 2 — “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.  Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”

   This particular prophecy discloses that while the church, Jerusalem and Zion, is asleep and naked with the unclean in her midst, and in captivity among the Gentiles (away from her own land), an awakening cry, a message, comes urging her to arise and put on her beautiful garments, for the wicked, declares the cry, will no more come into her, for they are to be utterly cut off.

The signs of the Kingdom, you see, are even more important for one to observe than are the signs of Christ’s coming.  If one should miss the signs of the Kingdom, then the knowledge of the signs of Christ’s coming would profit nothing, for all such will be frightened at His appearing and say “to the mountains and rocks.  Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Rev. 6:16, 17.

   Are the efforts to set up the pre-millennial Kingdom — the purified church — accompanied by great signs and wonders, by noise and pomp?  To this question the Lord answers–

Matt. 13:31-33 — “The Kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.  Another parable spake He unto them; The Kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”

Zech. 4:6 — “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

   Not a blast or a boom, and not a bust either, but the plain, quiet Truth, Brothers, Sisters, is what saves you and brings the Kingdom into being.

What is this pre-millennial Kingdom like?  And what other signs precede its establishment?  The answer to this question comes through Ezekiel–

Ezek. 36:23-28 — “And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.”

   Here are additional signs, signs which are displayed within and without the man himself: the scars and defects which sin has written upon the bodies of God’s people are washed away; also the sin-hardened heart is carved out of them and a new, tender heart that delights in keeping God’s statutes and judgments, is set in.

   When does this take place? — After God takes His saints “from among the heathen,” “out of all countries,” and brings them into their “own land,” say the Scriptures.  Thus shall they dwell in the land that God anciently gave to their fathers, and thus shall they be His people and He their God.  Here you see that no one can meet God face to face and live with Him eternally without first having this body-cleansing and heart-changing experience.

   Very evidently none who remain ignorant of these signs of the coming Kingdom will have this experience and consequently shall never enter into it, never be fitted to live and reign with Christ.

   Since these signs are so vital to salvation, they should no longer be overlooked, but should receive first consideration if we expect Christ’s second coming to be for our good, not to our damnation.  Indeed, for this obvious reason it is at this late hour this important message is brought to our attention.

   This great Truth is again foretold in the words of Zechariah–

Zech. 12:5-14; 13:1-5 — “And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God.  In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.  The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

   “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

   “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.  And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart….

   “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. 

And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.”

   The revival and reformation herein presented — mourning and heart searching caused by appreciativeness of God’s great mercy and goodness — shall be in the day the governors of Judah say, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength,” in the day the Lord makes even the most feeble among them as David, and the house of David as God, as the angel of the Lord.

   When this thorough reformation takes place then the cleansing fountain shall be opened to the whole house of David.  In that day the wicked shall be cut off and kept out of the house of David, and the false teachers, “prophets,” shall feel ashamed of having ever taught their private interpretations of the Scriptures.  Then shall men fully realize that though they could be taught by men to keep cattle, yet no man could teach them to prophesy; that this office is restricted to the Spirit of Prophecy, that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of private interpretation.

   Is this cleansing, heaven-fitting pre-millennium Kingdom, set up in probationary time? — To find our answer we shall turn to the prophecy of Micah–

Micah 3:12; 4:1, 2 — “Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest…. But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

   Here we are told that in the latter days, in our time, the ancient Kingdom that was destroyed will be reestablished and exalted above all other Kingdoms.  Then people shall “flow into it” because “the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”  The gospel work, therefore, is to be finished while its headquarters stand in the Holy Land.  Thus the Kingdom is set up in probationary time, in time of salvation and judicial purification, for after it is set up other people from many nations flow into it.

   This is what the Bible says, and certain it is that this is what is to be, for not even the Devil can defeat God’s plans or cheat His people.  Oh, yes, the Devil will try to explain away what these Scriptures say, but he can never make them say something other than what they do say.  Besides, anyone taking the Devil’s word in preference to God’s, deserves the Devil’s reward, and I am sure he will not be cheated out of it.

   Since these signs of the times, in addition to others, are of far greater importance than the “Lisbon earthquake,” “the dark day,” and “the falling stars,” we had better awake to the demand which they impose upon us, and which are bound to fit us for the second coming of Christ and for a home in His Kingdom if heeded.  But if these signs cannot awaken us, then it is positive that they will cause us to slide down into the bottomless pit while dreaming of being rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing, supposedly on the way to the glory land.  What a disappointment and what weeping and gnashing of teeth that would be!

   Who is to drive the Gentiles out of the land? — The answer is in

Zech. 1:14-17, 20, 21 — “So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.  And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.  Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem…. And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.  Then said I, What come these to do?  And He spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.”

   Obviously one part of the Gentile nations shall come against the part that is in the Holy Land, and chase them out to make room for God’s people.  Then will the Lord’s feet stand on Mount Olives and the Mount shall cleave in the midst thereof and make therein a very great valley.  Thus shall the Lord open the way for His people to flee there to the “valley” where the Lord’s feet stand, and all the saints with them (Zech. 14:4, 5).

   This truth, you see, supersedes all truths, for without it your other truths will not profit you, will not take you into the Kingdom.  It is the last mile of all the miles of our faith through life that takes us Home.  We have gone this long; let us, therefore, keep on going right on to glory land, which is no longer beyond the horizon.  The mile ahead is indeed the last mile that will take us Home. (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 44 p. 29-51)

 

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, End times, Ezekiel, Final Events, Our Lord's kingdom | Leave a Comment »

200 Million into the Pre-Mil Kingdom?

December 23, 2017

Image result for people jammed together in a small area picture

 

Astounding as it sounds the Scriptures through the prophets say –yes indeed! Often throughout the Word we see miraculous things that only God could accomplish. Jesus walking on water, the Red Sea opening up for dry land travel, water gushing from a rock, the young boy raised to life by Elijah, etc.

Well we can count this prophetic word as one of those upcoming miraculous works of the Lord. Yet how will this be? How can 200 million people fit into the land of Israel, which has only about 8000 square miles , slightly larger than New Jersey?

Recently I had a conversation with a long time Elijah messenger. This brother made mention that “all” of God’s people at the time of the end will have to reside in Israel in order to escape the plagues. I said “what”? I had been under the belief that some, even quite a few , of the great multitude would not be able to make it to the holy land during the Loud Cry and have to live out in the mountains or desert until the Second Advent. But after review of the Word, I was wrong.

This post is a two-fold lesson, how God will have 200 million live in His holy land and that we must joyfully embrace the times when we are corrected or new light shines in our path, dispelling our former understandings.

Our first important quotes  —

“I have been shown that the greatest reason why the people of God are now found in this state of spiritual blindness is that they will not receive correction.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.255)

“Do not read the Word in the light of former opinions; but, with a mind free from prejudice, search it carefully and prayerfully.  If, as you read conviction comes, and you see that your cherished opinions are not in harmony with the Word, do not try to make the Word fit these opinions.  Make your opinions fit the Word.  Do not allow what you have believed or practiced in the past to control your understanding.” (Messages to Young People, p. 260.)

So simple and clear, correction is a must if we are not to be in a “state of spiritual blindness”. As new truths are explained and we verify if unsure, then we jump aboard with the Truth and march merrily forward.

So where does this idea of 200 million of God’s people come from? Fair enough, I also wondered. So let us build the foundation on which this is understood.

“Rev. 9:16-19. “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.  For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.”

   These verses immediately evoke the question Who are these “horsemen” and “horses,” numbering  200,000,000 each, “the army” which is to “slay the third part of men”?

   In answering this question, it is to be remembered that likewise the “four angels” were to “slay a third part of men,” also that they symbolize the fourfold message brought to view in preceding  paragraphs.  Unmistakably, therefore, the “army”  of “horses” is figurative of the workers who proclaim the final message.

   That the symbol, horses, is correctly interpreted to represent gospel workers is further borne out by Zechariah 14:20.  There, horses are used to symbolize preachers, those who sound “the bells” — the alarm of warning, the message of salvation.  Like the “locusts,” therefore, they represent the messengers of God, but under different  circumstances. (For more ample treatment of this  symbolical meaning of the horses, read Tract No. 2, The Warning Paradox of Zechariah 6.)

   So as the horses are representative of gospel messengers, and as they are controlled and guided by their riders (divine beings), then the “horsemen,” it automatically follows, are figurative  of the angelic host who lead and direct the saints in their work of proclaiming the message and, subsequently, in killing the third part of men who reject it.  But since riders, not horses, do the killing when engaged in battle, these supernatural beings, the angelic horsemen, are the ones who actually do the slaying.  Hence, their having “breastplates of  fire [protection of the Spirit], and of jacinth, and brimstone.”

   What, then, we may ask, is the “power” of the horses?  These 200,000,000 horses, we have learned, symbolize a great army of gospel workers, from whose lips go a message which means life or death.  That, therefore, must be the power in their mouth.  Consequently, the “fire,” “smoke,” and “brimstone,” which issue “out of their mouths,” are figurative of the message which they proclaim: the power of the Holy Spirit (the “fire”), the sacrifices of Christ (“the smoke”), and the destructive judgments of God (“the brimstone”).  By this three-fold message “was the third part of men killed.” Rev. 9:18.

   “The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” Isa. 60:12.

   “Lift ye up a banner,” saith the Lord, “upon the high mountain [God’s holy church], exalt the voice [the proclamation of the gospel] unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.  I have commanded My sanctified ones [the ministry — “two hundred thousand thousand”  “horses”], I have also called My Mighty ones [the angelic host — “two hundred thousand thousand horsemen”] for Mine anger, even them that rejoice in My highness. 

The noise of a multitude [the army of Revelation 9:16] in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land.

   “Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.  Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.  Behold, the day of the Lord  cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 

For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.  And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.  I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.  Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.” Isa. 13:2-13.

   “And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17.

   If our eyes were opened as were the eyes of “the young man,” we, too, would see an angelic host round about the “Elishas” of today.

   And now as to what swelled the number of preachers from 144,000 to 200,000,000, the Lord says: “I will also take of them [of those whom the 144,000 shall bring from “all nations,” after the fulfillment of Isaiah 66:16 — the purification of the church] for priests and for Levites.” Isa. 66:21.  The very fact of such a multitude of workers speaks for itself that they are engaged in reaping the harvest of the world.

   Here in pledged word, God foretells in clearest tenor that many of those whom He brings into the church after the purification, will join the 144,000 in proclaiming the message to the whole world, when the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel (Rev. 18:1).

Then shall “the sons of strangers,” says the Lord, “build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in My wrath I smote thee…. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel…. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders;  but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.  The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.” Isa. 60:10, 14, 18, 19.

   “And 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.

   Two parts lost and one part saved make three parts in all.  The “one third” (Rev. 9:15) shall be slain by fire, smoke, and brimstone (Rev. 9:18), before probation closes.  The remaining wicked who are slain by the seven last plagues (Rev. 16) and by the brightness of His coming (2 Thess. 2:8), after probation closes, make the other third. The saved, the last third, are “the third…left therein.” Zech. 13:8. (Tract 5, p.89-95)

So the message establishes the fact that the 200 million are “Gospel workers”. The army of God’s servants proclaiming the Loud Cry! Ask yourself    — have you ever seen such clear and sensible understandings of Revelation 9:16-19? The Lord did not fail us brethren, we are reading from His Elijah prophet, praise Him!

Now let us go to other parts of the message showing why the servants of God must come into the Holy Land in the last days.

“The certainty that both the vineyard and the wilderness are in existence at the same time, shows, first, that Babylon, riding (ruling) the beast, reigns only over the wilderness (Gentile world); and second, that from it are God’s people called to go into the vineyard (the kingdom restored), where there are no sins, and where there is no fear of their receiving the plagues.  Of this kingdom of safety the prophet Daniel wrote:

   “And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Dan. 2:44.” (Tract 12, p.41)

Ah, we see that there will be a place where God’s people will need to go to escape the plagues–the holy land.

“And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Rev. 12:16.

   Or, literally stated, the unconverted who are now in the midst of the church, are to be slain and buried.  The converted are then to be taken into the kingdom.  Then will the dragon be “wroth  with the woman, and…make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17.

   Stirred to fury over her purification, the dragon will make war “with the remnant of her seed.”  Against her personally, though, he will not war, because her communicants, the 144,000 (the first fruits — Rev. 7:3-8; 14:4), those who go first into the kingdom, stand with the Lamb, the King, on Mount Sion (Rev. 14:1) His palace grounds.  Thus being the rulers of the tribes, they are symbolized by the crowned woman.  And being in their own land, they are protected from the dragon who consequently persecutes only the “remnant,” those who are left behind, who are still in Babylon but who are finally called out of her (Rev. 18:4).

(For full particulars on Revelation 12, read The Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 2, pp. 64-82.)

   The first fruits of the kingdom come as a result of the shaking, the separation in the church, as is demonstrated by the parables of the net and of the field: The good fish are removed from the net (the church), and put into vessels (the kingdom — Matt. 13:48), and the wheat is  taken from among the tares, and put into the  barn (the kingdom — Matt. 13:30).  As bad fish, they are cast away; as tares, they are burned.  (For a detailed study of the harvest, read Tract No. 3, The Judgment and the Harvest.)

   The second fruits, however, those that are still in Babylon after the purification, are taken from among the bad (Rev. 18:4), rather than the bad from among the good (Matt. 13:49).

   The dragon’s warring against them is occasioned by their having the Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy (Rev. 19:10), by becoming commandment-keepers instead of worshipers of  the beast and his image.  The dragon’s aim is to keep them from coming out of Babylon and thus from going into the rapidly growing Kingdom.   Then it is, though, that the world shall behold all God’s people coming

Out of Babylon’s Dominion Into Their Own Land.The truth now being clearly established that the scarlet-colored beast is the symbol of the dominion over which reigns “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots,” it follows that her boundaries will extend as far as the boundaries of the nations that bow down to her authority.  Therefore, 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), is a call for them to come out of her dominion, that they share not in her sins, nor receive of her plagues.

Those who respond to the Lord’s bidding, must, of course, have a sin-free place to go to, where they may “dwell safely,” though there be “neither  bars nor gates” around it (Ezek. 38:11).  To this haven they shall be “brought forth out of the nations, and [there] they shall dwell safely all of them.” Ezek. 38:8.  So, “all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Isa. 54:13.

   God’s people at that time can no more serve the Lord in “Babylon” and in “Egypt” than they could have in the days of Ezra or of Moses, for when the plagues are poured upon Babylon, as the “fire and brimstone” were poured upon Sodom and Gomorrah, then if they be living among worldlings, they can no more escape the damage of the plagues than Lot could have survived the fire, had he stayed in Sodom.  So all who want to escape the foretold ruin verily must come out of Babylon, as Lot and his family came out of Sodom.

   “And it shall,” therefore, “come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.  And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into  plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Isa. 2:2-4.  (Read also Isaiah 11:11, 12, 15, 16.)  (Tract 12, p.44-47)

 So we see that there shall be a great vast multitude coming into the land. The following is a map of the upcoming land division per Ezek. 47-48. The map on left is the old days map and right is the kingdom map.

 Summary, the holy land is indeed the soon coming gospel headquarters and the Word says not only 200,000 million but that is a part of the actual number because the Word says of God’s people “no man could number” (Rev. 7:9).  Let us know and understand that being S.D.A in order to be in this holy land kingdom we must —

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

Posted in End times, Ezekiel, Loud Cry, Our Lord's kingdom | 2 Comments »

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