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Blocking eyes/hearts to the Truth

November 30, 2019

Image result for man not listening to bible

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In John 12:40 we read —

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn–and I would heal them.”

There is no doubt that the so-called Religious “Scholars” of Jesus’ day were about as blind as one could be –in knowing Truth.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Pilate in his inquiry of what is truth asked the Lord the all-important question. Of course, the King was not about to get into doctrinal matters with a heathen governor who was ready to issue an important part in the redemption of man plan.

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. (John 18:37-38)

So we know as Christians that–

1. Jesus is the Truth

2. All that really know Jesus knows Truth

Yes, this is very basic Christianity but so vast and deep. Although simple in it’s description, it is so numerous in its misapplication and true understanding. Let us look at an example.

Brother R has been a “street preacher” for several decades. He came to “know Jesus” by reading the Bible and attending regular Sunday services. But brother R has a stubborn “I know it all” attitude about the Lord, His love and His plan for mankind. 

We have had many discussions over the years, particularly on the “love” of Jesus. Recently this issue came up again via some email and he said words such as —

“Love sums up all the commandments. If i don’t have love for God and my brother, i have nothing. Bottomline. I have “no condemnation in Christ Jesus”. I have a relationship based on Christ’s righteousness, not my own. I live by the grace of God.”

This was in response to what I had sent him previously that said the following —

” If you LOVE ME , keep My Commandments” (John 14:15)   (a quick reminder the word “Commandments” is Entole, which means His 10 Commandments.)

I  was trying to explain that Jesus Himself says “how” we are to love Him. It can’t get any clearer than that! But as we showed in the above quote, their eyes and hearts are blinded. For some reason, they cannot read and comprehend straight clear words from the word of God. This got me thinking, “supping” with the Lord. Then an answer came to me.

You see brethren many today, especially Sunday keepers, I believe are held back from having the vail lifted from their eyes. The  Spirit of Prophecy explains —

“..the influence of these older church members will leaven those newly come to the faith. The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?” (Testimonies, vol.6, p.370)

If brother R  gives up his Sunday worship and comes into the Seventh-day Adventist church, after a short while,  what will he most likely find from some leaders and members we will show in pictures (they speak a thousand words).

Image result for young lady dress for church in short dress and high heels      Image result for thanksgiving dinner

Image result for pastor wearing rolex watch and rings

Image result for woman in jewelry in church

In summary, he will find women and men not dressing according to the Bible/ SDA teaching of modesty. Women, especially many younger ones, dressed in “nightclub” attire complete with nail polish. Men dressed in T-shirts and other common dress. He will find the eating of meat is practiced by some members(most of them privately beyond gazing eyes), even though it is against the SDA teachings. He will find jewelry and worldly fashions practiced by many, even the leaders.

But the most serious issue he will find is the “lukewarm” and carefree live and let live style that many SDA practice, not calling sin by its rightful name due to the “shepherd’s” unfaithfulness. THIS would be very hard to ignore and no doubt would hinder a “truth walk”.

The Lord has some dire Words for this situation, straight solemn words for our leaders (shepherds) —

“The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?  You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.  You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured.

You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.  So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:  As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because My flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but cared for themselves rather than for My flock, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:  This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for My flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue My flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them.  As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.

I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I Myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.” (34:1-16)

In order for these blind ones to see God’s love/power within His people there will soon be a church judgment. The 144,000 will then be empowered to proclaim the Lord’s kingdom.

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)

Soon the Loud Cry will come upon the earth, the Truth in all it’s luster and power will convict masses. Those who cannot see or understand now may indeed know the Lord then. SOP tells us more —

“In the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God’s people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith.” (GC, p.483)

In closing let us remain at our post of duty bringing the Elijah message to our brethren, but know that should the situation arise that we discuss the Lord’s truth with those of outside faiths, don’t be surprised  if they cannot grasp God’s truth now because according to God’s plan they may soon do so in the future.

 

Posted in Christian faith, Commandments, Loud Cry | Leave a Comment »

God’s Meat — Prophecies

September 21, 2019

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The Elijah message tells us —

“He who controls the Scriptures is able to reveal present truth to His people at a time when needed. Therefore, though such truths are originally prophetic, they become new, and stand as a direct letter from God to men at the time revealed. “Thus saith God the Lord,… Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isa. 42:5, 9.)”(SRod, vol. 2, p.9)

Let’s face it, prophecy is sometimes so deep and mysterious that many throw up their hands and say “Well, there are more important things to know about God than prophecies. They are not so important as Jesus taught about love and that is what we need to concentrate on.”

True, God is all about love and His unfailing Word to us is about salvation and how His Son enables us to live forevermore. Amen! But the Scriptures tell us Jesus is the –Word (John 1:14), and as such the Scriptures are Him — the Word–ALL of it. Thus all of the Word, including the prophecies are about Him.

To say that one part of His Word is needed and not the other is to short change ourselves about learning about the Lord’s plans for mankind. The prophecies guide us to know about end-time events and what to expect in the future.

Our post was motivated by Brother R who recently seemed to say that prophecies are not the real focus, and that doing His will is the key. True, Commandment keeping is first and foremost, but doctrine is equally important–hand and glove as they say —

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim. 4:16)

 

To be sure, prophecies are sometimes complicated and involve symbols. The message tells us —

“These prophetic symbols of beasts, wings, horns, heads, crowns, etc., prove to be most perfect symbols in revealing the truth represented by them and when correctly applied it is certain that their meaning cannot be misconstrued.” (SRod, vol. 2, p.10)

We are to grow in our spiritual walk not remain stagnant. The Word tells us about growing up–

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly–mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able.” ( 1 Cor. 3:1-2)

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Hebrews 5:12)

Here we see that spiritual growth is expected of us. We need to advance in our knowledge of God’s Word. We need to ultimately eat “solid food” and not stay on “milk” like a stunted baby all our spiritual life.

Unfortunately, some want to stay as a baby just speaking and knowing the elementary things of His Word, not attempting to take some solid food for nourishment. And once we start eating this solid food –wow, we really feel deeply satisfied and know for certain God is truly brilliant and able to show us great and wonderful things in His Word and prophecies! Symbols become understandable, end-time events come into focus.

If anyone steers clear of prophecies due to the deeper and more complicated nature of them, the Word gives us a simple solution to know them more clearly —

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Parables also are filled with symbols and the message explains more —

“The reason these wonders were portrayed by symbols is the same as that which caused Christ to teach by parables. “And the disciples came, and said unto Him [Christ], Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matt. 13:10, 11.) “But the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:10.)”

Thus we see that symbols are not freely given to be understood, but only by those who it is “given”. Those who do the will of God and receive His gift — the Spirit of Truth.

“However,  when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”(John 16:13)

Did you read that?? The Spirit of Truth shall show us —THINGS TO COME–Prophecy! Thus prophecies will be correctly understood and we shall know what to expect. The Word will then become a roadmap guiding us to know where we are going. No longer we will have this fuzzy “well I am just waiting to go to heaven” or “I am just waiting for Jesus to come in the clouds”, etc. No! We will know His plans for the end times and what His servants (God willing we will be one) are to do in the last days.

But God has perfect timing. His prophecies are meant to be understood at their proper time. For example, the Jews had in the Scriptures the following prophecies such as —

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2).

“My people, hear My teaching; listen to the words of My mouth. I will open My mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old” (Psalm 78:1–2)

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (Zech. 9:9)

Yet they did not dwell or teach on them as significant prophecies. They were only revealed as timely truth once His Word was ready to be understood after Christ ascended. But even then only some understood due to their willing reception to understand prophecy! The searchers of truth thus rewarded!

“The prophecies, we all know, are Heaven’s light to our feet.  If we fail to open our eyes and hearts to them at the time the Lord would have us profit by the unrolling of the Scroll, how then shall we escape being like the blind leading the blind?” (WHR, p.27)

“Truth is ever timely, ever unfolding as time goes on.  So it is that our knowledge of one phase of a message is followed by God’s revealing another phase of it.  How glad and how anxious, then, ought we to be to keep pace with the unfolding of the Scroll, as we keep pace with time.” (WHR, p.29-30)

So why do we need to know prophecies today? As mentioned they provide a roadmap of where we are going. For example, much of the Christian world does not know that Jerusalem shall be seriously devastated soon and then rebuilt quickly by the Lord for the final Gospel Loud Cry headquarters, let us read —

“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” (Zech. 14:1-5)

A gigantic war is soon to happen over Israel. And those of us watching the news daily know that the middle east is a powder keg, ready to explode. This is all the Lord’s doing to bring back His people, beginning with the 144,000 and then the Great Multitude (Rev. 7:1-9). Prophecy confirms the ultimate purpose of the great war —

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 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. (Isaiah 2:2-3)

What will those who have ignored certain areas of His word–especially the prophecies, think when they see these things come to past? Well just like the Jews, they will have a decision to make. Search the Scriptures to see what God revealed or stay stuck on limited ideas (milk) not letting the Lord’s prophetic movements guide you as it should–just like the Jews! The Spirit of Truth either works or He doesn’t, the choice is ours.

So we see a clear map to end time events. 1) gigantic war 2) the 144,000 and great multitiude go back to the Holy Land  3) the Word of the Lord comes from the headquarters–Jerusalem.

In closing, let us be grown men and women, who are able to feast on meat in due season. We grow up for a time on milk, but soon our growth needs more to keep spiritually fit and strong.

Posted in General thoughts, Loud Cry, Our Lord's kingdom, Present Truth, Proper teachings, Prophecy study | 1 Comment »

That “Other” Angel (Rev.18:1 — EW. P.277)

March 2, 2019

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In Revelation 18:1  we read —

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

And in Early Writings, page 277 —

“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory.

The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “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.” The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844.

The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.”

Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844. The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling upon God’s people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom.”

Let’s look at some Inspired references to gain more light on the powerful and full of glory angel message.

   There are several references that indicate what the fourth angel message is. Granted we don’t have the full understanding but we have a good solid idea. Starting with the above SOP reference. we see that this angel unites with the third angel. In other words this message in closely associated with that of the third angel message, which is basically a warning not to worship the Beast and his image (Rev. 14:9-11).

The message gives “power and force” to the third angel’s message and at the “right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry.”

It is worth noting that this fourth angel is called “mighty angel” and has “great power.” Ah, now let us zoom in now! Let use read this part again —

“This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844. The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling upon God’s people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom.”

The above SOP quote tells us an important fact — the 144,000 sealed servants of God from Rev. 7:1-4 give the fourth angel’s message! The Rod message confirms this fact–

“As a result of the purification of the church, the sealing of the 144,000, the servants of God, the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel (Rev. 18:1), with “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6).  God’s people are then called out of Babylon’s domain that they be not partakers of her sins (Rev. 18:4).  Then are they brought into a place where there are no sins, where the remnant keep the commandments of God, and where there is no fear of the plagues ever falling (Rev. 18:4).  And so chapter 18 begins after the sealing of the servants of God, and ends with the destruction of the woman, Babylon the Great.  This takes place after the saints have been called out and taken home.” (2 TG, no. 14, p.20)

 

“The eighteenth chapter is a continuation of the seventeenth, and so we shall study it also:

Rev. 18:1 — “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.”

   After what things? — After the scarlet-colored beast comes into being and while the woman, Babylon, is sitting upon him.  It is then that the earth is to be lightened with the glory of the angel, with the message of the hour.

Rev. 18:2-4 — “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.”

   A heavenly voice, the Spirit of Truth, is heard calling God’s people out of Babylon after the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel.  For God’s people to come out so that they be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues, they must necessarily be called into a place that is free from sin, and thus be saved from Babylon’s plagues.  Consequently they go into a purified sinless church, and a land that is not in danger of the plagues.” (TG, Vol. 2, no. 18, p.23)

So we see that the 144,000 shall deliver the message with great power and fearlessly. We also see that this great final powerful message, which joins the third angel’s message is AFTER the church purification. So not only do we have the beginning time period of the fourth angel’s message but we notice that the end of it is when all God’s people have been called out of Babylon and placed into the kingdom “home”.

“To get the proper understanding of the third angel’s message we shall divide it into three periods: (1) Beginning of the proclamation of the true Sabbath, Rev. 14:6-11; (2) Reformation, and sealing of the 144,000, Rev. 7:1-8; (3) The Loud Cry, Rev. 18:1.” (SRod, vol. 1, p.32)

Once again we notice the timing of the fourth angel is the –Loud Cry period. 

 “If we would receive the light of the glorious angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory, let us see to it that our hearts are cleansed, emptied of self, and turned toward heaven, that they may be ready for the latter rain. Let us be obtaining a fitting up to join in the proclamation of the angel who shall lighten the earth with his glory.” (Signs of the Times, Aug. 1, 1892, par.14)

Below is a handy chart showing the Revelation chapter time periods. Again, we see that Rev. 18 fourth angel’s message begins in concurrence with the “time of trouble”, which can only start once the tares are removed from the church. Such a pure church will enrage Satan (Rev. 12: 15-17), thus the time of trouble comes upon the world.

 

 

   As a result of the purification of the church, the sealing of the 144,000, the servants of God, the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel (Rev. 18:1), with “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6).  God’s people are then called out of Babylon’s domain that they be not partakers of her sins (Rev. 18:4).  Then are they brought into a place where there are no sins, where the remnant keep the commandments of God, and where there is no fear of the plagues ever falling (Rev. 18:4).  And so chapter 18 begins after the sealing of the servants of God, and ends with the destruction of the woman, Babylon the Great.  This takes place after the saints have been called out and taken home.(2 TG, no.14, p.20)

 

“Flood” is the same as “water”, which means people (in the church) unconverted, whom Satan is using to cause the church to be carried away in a very quiet manner, so that no one would be suspicious of the great deception.  In this way he attempts to deceive the very elect (144,000) if it were possible.  Being impossible, Christ Himself interposes and delivers His people (those who sigh and cry for all the abominations in the church) and then makes an example of the others.

Rev. 12:16, “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.”  The meaning is that they die, being buried in the earth, as in Num. 16:32, “And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.”  Thus, “the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isa. 59:19, last part.  This will fulfill Matt. 13:29, 30:  “Let both the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest.” 

The separation will mark the beginning of the harvest, which is the Loud Cry of the third angel’s message.  Rev. 18:1.  The Spirit of God is poured upon His people (those who escape the ruin), and the promise is, that it shall never depart from them.  Isa. 59:21, “As for Me, this is My covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever.”  Read “Isaiah the Gospel Prophet,” Volume 3, pages 43-49.

   As soon as the separation is finished, and Satan has lost out with his deceptive scheme, the church finds herself in a great conflict with the enemy.  Rev. 12:17, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed [those who are left], which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (The war against the woman is the blue law.)  (SRod, vol. 1, p.151-152)

This subject of the fourth angel’s message is deep and far-reaching and we’ve only touched a bit on it. Hopefully we’ll do further posts expanding more on this “great and glorious” message.

Posted in Final Events, God's Light, God's power, Loud Cry, Prophecy study, Revelation teachings, The Loud Cry | 1 Comment »

The Death Decree (Part 2 of 2)

September 1, 2018

Image result for picture of death decree

In continuing our post we look at more references —

REFERENCE ELEVEN —

“..God’s restraining of the four winds is His holding back the image of the beast’s activity (Rev. 13:15-17) against the saints, while His restraining the four angels that they hurt not is His holding back the executing of His vengeance (Isa. 63:1-4; Jer. 51:18) upon the sinners who trouble the church, until after the sealing of the 144,000 is completed. Being coupled, these two hurtings bring the time of trouble such as never was.

   Revelation 7:1-3, therefore, reveals a two-fold conflict: wicked men against God (the blowing of the winds) and God against them (the angels hurting them).  But though the blowing of the winds and the hurting of the angels after the servants of God are sealed, will bring the “time of trouble,” yet “every one that shall be found written  in the book” “shall be delivered.” Dan. 12:1.

   From these facts we see that this time of trouble is held back in order to safeguard the sealing of the 144,000 servants, lest they, “the very elect,” be brought down to worship the image of the beast, or be killed for refusing.” (Tract 8, p.22-23)

Wonderful illumination. The winds held back and angels held back, we see, have two fold purposes.  The sealing was see is omni-important and it’s being done is primary before any letting loose of trouble (winds).

 

REFERENCE TWELVE —

“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Rev. 13:15-17.)

   This drastic decree of the two-horned beast shall be adopted by the nations of the world, and the image of the beast, which will demand obedience to an ecclesiastical form of worship, will be internationally set up.  The mark of the beast is Sunday observance.  Under one pretext or another, the careless and indifferent will worship the image of the beast, and receive the mark.

Only those who have fortified themselves with faith in God knowledge of His Word, and obedience to divine precepts through sanctification of the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, will be able to escape the crutches of the devil.  When God’s people are restrained from buying and selling, their only source of sustenance will be through divine providence.  One way or another, for that short time, God will provide and care for His people.  But it may be in a similar circumstance as in the wilderness journey.

   “The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places.  As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation, in the decree enforcing the papal Sabbath, will be a warning to us.  It will then be time to leave the large cities preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains.” — “Testimonies to the Church,” Vol. 5, pp. 464, 465. (SRod, vol. 2, p.110)

This one seems to warn the great multitude as it mentions heading to the “desolate and solitary places”. This as we know affects the great multitude ( at least part) and not the 144,000 who stand safe with the Lord on Mt. Zion (Israel).

REFERENCE THIRTEEN —

“The anger of the nations” will follow upon the two-horned beast’s decree “that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15); at the same time the notorious woman, Babylon the Great, will ride the scarlet-colored beast (Rev. 17) and rule the nations. This “same crisis will come up on our people in all parts of the world.”–Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 395.

Concerning this anger of the nations, the world-wide confederacy against those who refuse to worship the beast and his image, the Lord predicted through the prophet Zechariah: “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” Zech. 12:3. ( Answerer, vol. 2, p.93)

 

REFERENCE FOURTEEN —

Question: 
   “Will the nominal churches be united, before the slaughter of Ezekiel 9, and before the Loud Cry of the Third Angel’s message takes place?

Answer: 
   The churches may incompletely confederate almost any time, but the union of church and state (the image of the beast) will take place only after the “investigative judgment” of the dead is completed, for the fact that the “anger of the nations” (the time of trouble, Dan. 12:1), “the wrath of God” (the seven last plagues, Rev. 15:1, and the “time to judge the dead” (Dan. 8:14), are events separate and distinct, one following the other.” — “Early Writings,” p. 36.

   Therefore, the persecution against the church by the “image beast” arises in the time of the judgment of the living — the time of the Loud Cry — after the sealing of the 144,000. (Study our tract, “The Dardanelles of the Bible,” and “The Shepherd’s Rod,” Vol. 2, pp. 84-125.) (Sym. Code, vol. 2, no. 7,8, p.12)

One of the clearest reference for our timeline. The death decree must take place “in the time of the judgment of the living — the time of the Loud Cry — after the sealing of the 144,000.”

REFERENCE FIFTEEN —

“After twenty years of faithful service in Padan-Aram, in the sharp, overreaching employ of Laban, his uncle, Jacob at last turned his face and his steps homeward toward his father’s house in the land of promise.

   But trouble overtook him.  While grappling with his fears as to the outcome of his imminent meeting with Esau “there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” Gen. 32:24

   Here lay down the man Jacob and rose up the man Israel, exemplifying the agonizing experience through which his posterity must victoriously pass before they, too, receive a new name, pass from sons of Jacob to sons of God, become Israelites indeed.  Having gained the victory over this test, “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” they will reach home, the land of promise — the happy end of their long and troubled journey.

   On this trying and testing time the Spirit of Prophecy comments: “A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance.  This was the time of Jacob’s trouble” — Early Writings, pp. 36, 37. (See also Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 202, 203.)  (SRod, vol. 1, p.62)

Our last reference is perhaps the most difficult to understand. The reason is that we know that the SRod seems to point the Jacob experience  as applying to the 144,000 in their way to the promise land (See FB, p.12-13) Yet SOP describes this time as applying to the Great Multitude. 

 

SUMMARY  —

The weight of evidence has shown the clear timeline of the “death decree” and likewise time of trouble. It will be after Ezekiel 9 and affecting the great multitude (Rev. 7:9) in the time of the Loud Cry
. The 144,000, those “escaped” from the S.D.A church judgment (Isaiah 66:15-21), will not be affected by this death decree. But we must keep in mind that there will be battles (God’s people versus Satan’s people) and no doubt many of His people will be tested and perhaps thrown in prison, yet preserved. The smart evil ones should know during this time by what the 144,000 are capable of doing, that they cannot be touched, let us read —

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:1-11)

So while the nations attempt to cause damage to those who do not “worship the beast”, the powerful counter movement will be in full gear led by God’s appointed “army” the 144,000. What a time to be alive, destroyers and  ” saviors” doing battle for the souls of mankind!

“Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” (Obadiah 1:21)

Posted in End times, Final Events, Jacob's Time of Trouble, Loud Cry, Sunday law, Who are the 144K? | 2 Comments »

The Death Decree (Part 1 of 2)

August 25, 2018

Image result for picture of death decree

 

One of our most well known S.D.A  theological subjects is the “death decree” of which the Spirit of Prophecy speaks when Governments will no longer protect dissenters from obeying their conscience in religious matters and in fact persecute and kill them if they do not conform to what we know as the  “Sunday Law”. Yet the timeline for this is often confusing when we look at both S.D.A and D.S.D.A understandings. Even among the D.S.D.A. there seems confusion.

Specifically we would like to analyze when this decree takes place and who is it against. But once again much like a puzzle, when we add up all the pieces (all the references) it comes into better focus. Let us look at this interesting yet solemn subject. We’ll post some helpful references and then comment after.

FIRST REFERENCE —

“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for “the munitions of rocks.” Isaiah 33:16. But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days, bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons. No human ear is open to hear their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help.

Will the Lord forget His people in this trying hour? Did He forget faithful Noah when judgments were visited upon the antediluvian world? Did He forget Lot when the fire came down from heaven to consume the cities of the plain? Did He forget Joseph surrounded by idolaters in Egypt? Did He forget Elijah when the oath of Jezebel threatened him with the fate of the prophets of Baal? Did He forget Jeremiah in the dark and dismal pit of his prison house? Did He forget the three worthies in the fiery furnace? or Daniel in the den of lions?

“Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:14-16. The Lord of hosts has said: “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.” Zechariah 2:8. [627]

Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dungeon walls cannot cut off the communication between their souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers; and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace; for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon. (Great Controversy, p.626-627)

The decree here discussed is obviously the Sunday law decree, well known among us S.D.A. But notice who these people are. They cannot be the 144,000 as we know from our many present truth studies that they will be safely in the pre-millenial kingdom in Israel. In fact the message tells us all we need to know about these who run to the hills —

Question No. 37:

If God’s people are in the Kingdom during the Loud Cry, how can they be put in prison or driven to the mountains during that time, as the Spirit of Prophecy asserts they will (“The Great Controversy,” p. 626)?

Answer:

When it is understood that the 144,000 are but first fruits, the forerunners or advanced guard of a great multitude of second fruits, the difficulty in question is immediately resolved. The first fruits stand with the Lamb, safe on Mt. Zion (in the Kingdom). Thus those who shall find refuge in the mountains, and those who shall be put in prison, can only be from among the second fruits—those who shall accept the message during the Loud Cry, but who shall not yet at that time have reached the Kingdom. (See our Tract No. 12, The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, 1941 Edition, pp. 45-49.)

Thus we see that the Great Multitude (Rev. 7:9) , at least a portion, will be the ones who are affected by the death decree, This is a time after Ezekiel 9 church purification and in the time of the Loud Cry.

 

REFERENCE TWO —

“I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put them to death.

Though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment keepers may be put to death, their enemies will in some cases anticipate the decree, and before the time specified, will endeavor to take their lives. But none can pass the mighty guardians stationed about every faithful soul. Some are assailed in their flight from the cities and villages; but the swords raised against them break and fall powerless as a straw. Others are defended by angels in the form of men of war.

Could men see with heavenly vision, they would behold companies of angels that excel in strength stationed about those who have kept the word of Christ’s patience. With sympathizing tenderness, angels have witnessed their distress and have heard their prayers. They are waiting the word of their Commander to snatch them from their peril. But they must wait yet a little longer. The people of God must drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism.” (Maranatha – Page 269)

Once again we see that SOP mentions the decree in relations to those who flee the cities. Thus this is also showing the same people and same timeline.

REFERENCE THREE —

“The civil power is called to the aid of the Church in persecuting those who keep holy the seventh day. The Church and the world are united in trampling upon God’s commandments, and those who obey these commandments they threaten with death. John declares, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The decree goes forth that no man shall be allowed to buy or sell save he that has the mark or the number of the Beast.” RH JUL.16,1901

We see the same basic scenario –Great Multitude and after Ezek. 9 during the  Loud Cry. Further we know well as present truth believers that the dragon being “wroth with the  woman” can only be post Ezek. 9, when Satan is furious that he now must deal with God’s powerful team of angels and servants who will ultimately bring him down . He no longer has his agents in the church, they are no more.

REFERENCE FOUR —

“Though God’s people today shall go through a “time of trouble such as never was” (Dan. 12:1), when earthly tribunals shall cause to come to pass “that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15), yet the Word declares: “…at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12:1.

   O what a promise and what assurance!  Who can comprehend God’s mighty power, and the glory of this long awaited deliverance?  Those who at all do, and who fully trust in the Lord will, for the good of His people, “go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.” Heb. 13:13.

   In thus pursuing a course against all earthly favor (by proclaiming the message of the “hour”), they will be going “forth as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt. 10:16) — “seeking death.”  And although happy to “die” for Christ’s sake, or, as the Revelator puts it though they “shall desire to die,” the promise is that “death shall flee from them,” making it impossible for them to die.  Even the sword of the wicked that is raised to kill them, shall break and fall “as powerless as a straw” (Early Writings, p. 34), making them utterly invincible.” (Tract 5, p.77)

This is our first Rod reference. We see that the timeline is clear –after Ezek. 9. The time when Michael shall stand up (Dan. 12:1) is definitely after the church purification. But here we are not given great clarity whether it’s the GM or the 144,000, although it looks more like the GM.

REFERENCE FIVE —

“David’s victory over the giant against whom no one was able to make war, typifies the victory of the church (the house of David — Zech. 12:8), in the “time of trouble such as never was,” over the beast and his image (antitypical Goliath), concerning whose formidableness the Revelator asks: “Who is like unto the beast?  who is able to make war with him?”  The giant, Goliath, accordingly, represents those who now defy the servants of God, and who shall comprise the Image of the Beast, that  religio-politico system which shall defy the armies of the Lord, and issue a decree “that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name…and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Rev. 13:17, 15.”(Tract 8, p.58)

The evidence is mounting as to the timeline , once again we see that this decree comes during the time “that  religio-politico system which shall defy the armies of the Lord” issues their decree. This is post Ezek. 9 and during Loud Cry. We do notice that this decree is going against the “armies of the Lord” which would include the 144,000 and the Great Multitude. 

REFERENCE SIX —

“The beast’s being driven by the woman, Babylon clearly reveals three important truths: first, that the call of God’s people to come out of Babylon (Rev. 18:4), is a call for them to come out from among the nations that are symbolized by the beast which she is driving (ruling); second, that the called ones are to come out from her sin-filled dominion because it is to be ruined by the plagues; and third, their coming out necessitates their going into a place where sin does not exist and where there is no danger of the plagues’ falling.  Thus their coming out of her dominion must be their going into God’s kingdom.

   Then the warning against receiving the mark (Rev. 14:9-11), along with the call to come out will be repeated with an exceeding loud cry throughout Babylon’s dominion.

   Both those who find themselves in her dominion, and those who find themselves out of it, must then immediately decide to receive the seal of God instead of the mark of the beast if they want to escape the wrath of God.  To do this, the former class must come out of her, and the latter class must stay out of her.  Despite the death penalty for taking such a stand (Rev. 13:15), there must be no hesitancy or indecision on the part of either class.

   Those who are in Babylon must heed the Voice which says: “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.  And those who are out, must carefully heed the warning: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Rev. 14:9, 10.

   The light on this subject will spread as fire in stubble until it finally illuminates the whole earth (Rev. 18:1), and all who walk in its blaze will have their names placed in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  They will find deliverance from the Enemy’s  last determined effort to plunge the world into the bottomless pit of eternal ruin.  For them, said the angel, “shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children  of thy people…and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12:1. (Tract 12, p.36-38)

No doubt this is during the Loud Cry and certainly concerns the Great Multitude. Being Loud Cry servants the 144,000 are not described here, as we know they do not need to come out of her dominion (they are Commandment keepers since before Ezek. 9).

REFERENCE SEVEN —

“.. when this sealing work is completed, then the angels who hold the winds, will let the winds blow, and the angels who are to hurt the earth, sea, and trees, will then commence their given work.  Otherwise stated, to let the winds blow, is to permit the two-horn beast to decree “that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15); and to let the angels hurt, is to allow the Lord’s decree to take its course: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Rev. 14:9, 10. (Tract 15, p.61-62)

Ah this is very helpful. Notice that the “winds blow” represents the Sunday Law containing the death decree! And they will not be let loose until after the 144,000 are sealed in their forehead. Notice also it says that the winds blow after sealing completion. Obviously we  know that the Sunday Law develops and the 144,000 will do their Loud Cry warning PRIOR to the death decree. So as there may not be much time delay for the winds to let loose right after the 144,000th servant is sealed, there will be some length of time from the winds loosed to the death decree.

REFERENCE EIGHT —

 

“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. 

  “And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” Mic. 4:1-4. 

  Conclusively, therefore, the Kingdom-church  must be “set up” before the Devil turns upon the remnant, those who are left behind and who are then being gathered, and against whom he wars for refusing to worship him in the person of the beast and his image (Rev. 13:15). 

  In this cumulative light, one sees never so clearly that though the Lord is to allow  persecution to come anew upon His people in Babylon, He will do so only to serve His own end to cause them to get out of her dominion (as He caused His ancient people to get out of Egypt), and to go into the Kingdom-church–the only place on earth where there will be no sin and upon which the destruction of the plagues will not fall.” (See Revelation 18:4). (2 Answerer, p.16-17)

 

The picture is starting to come into better focus now. We see that the 144,000 servants are to “set up” the Kingdom -church PRIOR to “the Devil turns upon the remnant” These are the ones who are “His people in Babylon.” Thus, these are part of the Great Multitude and obviously in the time of the Loud Cry.

REFERENCE NINE —

“The scarlet colored beast is also controlled by the woman riding on his back (church and state).  Thus it denotes that she is the authority, or the crown, for she rules the beast.  This is one of the reasons why the crowns are absent on this beast.  The last is an image of the first verifying the fact that the scarlet colored beast represents the “image of the beast” period, fulfilling Revelation 13:12, 15: “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”  The difference between the two drastic systems is revealed by the two symbols (horn-head on the one, and the woman riding on the other).” (SRod, vol. 2, p.113-114)

Clear once again. The “image of the beast” period” is the time of the death decree.This does not happen pre-Ezek. 9.

REFERENCE TEN —

“As the 144,000 are to go through the time of the anger of the nations — the time of trouble such as never was — as well as through the time of the wrath of God and yet be preserved for translation, and as the anger of the nations must take place in the time of the judgment of the living as shown in the preceding paragraphs, it follows that Michael is to stand up in the time of the judgment of the living and deliver His people from the anger of the nations — the time of trouble — or else it would be impossible to preserve the lives of all the 144,000; proving the fact that a change is to take place at the commencement of the judgment of the living — Michael is to stand up for His people, take the “reins in His own hands” (“Testimonies to Ministers.” p. 300) and deliver “every one that shall be found written in the book.”

May God’s people be aroused by the Good Shepherd’s voice now and place their names in the “book” by sighing and crying “for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof,” so that when the trouble bursts out — “when the overflowing scourge shall pass through” — they may find shelter.

   The anger of the nations being in the time of the judgment of the living — in the Loud Cry of the Third Angel’s Message — their anger is against God’s people, not against each other nation otherwise the statement in “Early Writings,” p. 36 could not be correct, for the nations against each other have been and are angry; for instance, the world’s war took place in “the time of the judgment of the dead.”

   “The anger of the nations” will develop by the decree that the two-horned beast is to enact “and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15), for the fact that all the nations will follow in the footsteps of the two-horned beast and “the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world” (6 T 395) showing that this “anger of the nations” is a world-wide confederacy against God’s people as predicted by the prophet Zechariah: “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zech. 12:3.)  (Sym. Code, vol. 2 no. 2, p.4-5)

Same as the others  the timeline is still Loud Cry period. But here we see that the decree is more open as to who it affects and lends credence to both the 144,000 and the Great Multitude.

This concludes part 1 of our study. Next week, Lord willing,  we’ll conclude with part 2 and a summary.

 

 

Posted in End times, Final Events, Jacob's Time of Trouble, Loud Cry, Sunday law, The 144 | Leave a Comment »

The 4th Angel’s message –Dangerous or Wonderful?

June 9, 2018

 

Image result for 4th angel message to lighten the world

For those who are advanced students of the unrolling scroll, we know that the “4th Angel’s message” is truly our present truth. Far too many of us Adventists do not know much about this message nor, sadly care. Yet nevertheless, God’s word tells us we are to be aware and up to date in this message that shall give “power and force” to the Third Angel’s message.

“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory.

The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “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.” The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844.

The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.” (Early Writings, p.277)

Many of us have a few specific Inspired verses or paragraphs that we hold special. There is one that especially draws my admiration for its depth and clear unmistakable guidance and clues as to what God will send to us in the very last days. A message of hope, cutting truth, and prophetic guidelines. Let us read —

“There is to be in the churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it.

Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations, they will oppose the work. “Why,” they say, “should not we know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?”—Because they did not respond to the warnings, the entreaties of the messages of God, but persistently said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.”

Talent, long experience, will not make men channels of light, unless they place themselves under the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and are called, and chosen, and prepared by the endowment of the Holy Spirit. When men who handle sacred things will humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, the Lord will lift them up. He will make them men of discernment—men rich in the grace of his Spirit. Their strong, selfish traits of character, their stubbornness, will be seen in the light shining from the Light of the world. “I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” If you seek the Lord with all your heart, he will be found of you.” (Review and Herald, Dec. 23, 1890)

We see that something special  from God is to “move upon” our churches yet those who do not humble themselves will not be moved.

Obviously the Lord is telling us that the power which is to lighten the earth with the glory of God–will be rejected by the ones unwilling to humble themselves before the Lord. This manifestation of God’s power which illuminates the earth  is a “work” being done.

Let us not forget that these words spoken by our prophetess came on Dec. 23, 1890 and under the headline “An Appeal to Our Churches”. This was a direct appeal to us ,not the world.

We as Adventists know, or should know all about the “Three Angel’s messages”, yet we should also know about the Fourth Angel’s message. The very one SOP speaks about in the above references. But unfortunately few of us truly know about this last message to our churches, which shall also go to the world in the time of the Loud Cry. The fact that it is lighten the whole earth means that it will be glorious and full of God’s power to move the honest of heart from Babylon into His kingdom.

Some questions we should ask —

Why is this message first to be rejected among our people?  “those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance.”

Instead of seeing a wonderful, deep and loving message from God, what deception will they see? “..they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears.”

What will many within the S.D.A church do with this 4th Angel’s message ? “.. they will brace themselves to resist it…they will oppose the work.”

What is the reason many will oppose this work? “..they did not respond to the warnings, the entreaties of the messages of God, but persistently said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.”

How can men (and women) turn this all around and see/understand this message and It’s Truth? When men who handle sacred things will humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, the Lord will lift them up. He will make them men of discernment—men rich in the grace of his Spirit.

What happens to those who stubbornly ignore this message? “I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

Who is guaranteed to find the Lord and His end time message? “If you seek the Lord with all your heart, he will be found of you.”

What message has come to our church that many have declared “dangerous” and expressed fearful concern about it?  There is only ONE message that has this label and experience CHURCH WIDE — the Shepherd’s Rod message. One of the primary points of the message is “additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844.”

Inspiration is telling us that this very last message which soon shall swell into the Loud Cry is first given to us (right now) and we must make a decided effort to hear it and respond. Unlike today within our church , many people of the world will see this very Rod message that we now scorn and think it’s wonderful and powerful. Yes they will fully embrace it and they will be known as the “Great Multitude” (Rev. 7:9).

“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.” (Micah 4:1-2)

Do we stay on the side lines, careless and ho-hum about this situation? Yes sadly many are. Even worse some, like those who call themselves “religious leaders” recently booted us out of a local S.D.A church because we wanted to discuss the very references marked on this report, are ACTIVELY hindering those who would come and learn more. Let us read  what our Lord said about such people–

“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”(Luke 11:52)

Yes hindering indeed! They condemn that which they do not even know much about! They declare it “dangerous”. May God help these blind and prideful Laodiceans.

“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people.

The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified.” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p.181)

Once again Inspiration goes to great lengths to point out a rejection of the counsel from the  “True Witness” by us, the Laodiceans. This shaking we are now experiencing, especially those in the “spiritual fight”. The “church destiny” hangs upon  this “lightly esteemed” message.

In conclusion my brothers  and sisters, there is a message called “dangerous” that is FROM THE LORD. Do not be deceived, those who are warning you “stay away , stay away” are themselves deceitful and hinder the Lord’s final message–the 4th Angel’s message, the wonderful manifestation of the power of God.

If you hear these false warnings from such, ask them –“What message is viewed as “dangerous” and “lightly esteemed” by our S.D.A leaders yet is from God”?”

“The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it.” ( Micah 6:9)

Posted in God's power, Humility, Loud Cry, Present Truth, Uncategorized, Warning our brethren | 2 Comments »

200 Million into the Pre-Mil Kingdom?

December 23, 2017

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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 »

Fleeing to the Mountains

April 29, 2017

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One of the most frequently asked questions from both present truth believers and non believing SDA is a fair and timely one–  “If there is to be a pre-millennial kingdom in Israel why does SOP say that the people will have to flee to the mountains to escape persecution?” Let us look at this intriguing question.

The SOP quote that brings this thought into view is found in GC, p.626, let us read–

“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for “the munitions of rocks.” Isaiah 33:16.

But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days, bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons. No human ear is open to hear their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help.”

Here we read of the struggles that God’s people will have to endure to keep from being destroyed. But how can we reconcile this with the glorious hope that the Scriptures portray for God’s people as this reading shows–

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 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.”(Isaiah 2:2-3)

Here we read of an exalted church (mountain=God’s people) in the last days, yet we just read where the people of God will be scared and running to the hills, what gives?

To begin with let us see what the “restoring message” tells us about this very subject. God in His all seeing ways knew that this issue would need to be cleared and His last prophet addressed it–

WHO FLEE TO MOUNTAINS?

Question No. 37:

If God’s people are in the Kingdom during the Loud Cry, how can they be put in prison or driven to the mountains during that time, as the Spirit of Prophecy asserts they will (“The Great Controversy,” p. 626)?

Answer:

When it is understood that the 144,000 are but first fruits, the forerunners or advanced guard of a great multitude of second fruits, the difficulty in question is immediately resolved. The first fruits stand with the Lamb, safe on Mt. Zion (in the Kingdom). Thus those who shall find refuge in the mountains, and those who shall be put in prison, can only be from among the second fruits—those who shall accept the message during the Loud Cry, but who shall not yet at that time have reached the Kingdom. (See our Tract No. 12, The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, 1941 Edition, pp. 45-49.) (Answerer, vol. 2, Q-37)

Ah, we see that it will be the “second fruits” those who will be called out of Babylon but “shall not yet at that time have reached the Kingdom.” Both the first fruits and second fruits are indeed –“God’s people” and they come into the final truth at different times and circumstances.

The message tells us more about the two fruits —

“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 plagues. (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 44, page 34-35)

Our beloved sister Ellen White, though truly gifted of God, did not have all the light, especially about the pre-mil kingdom (First fruits and second fruits). The Lord’s Elijah messenger was given this task. She herself wrote under Inspiration–

“But no man, however honored of Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation of the divine purpose in the work for his own time. Men do not fully understand what God would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do; they do not comprehend, in all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name.” (GC, p.343)

So often today we hear Adventists say “Get ready, soon we’ll have to move to the hills because we’ll be persecuted in the cities if we stay.” What lack of knowledge, what presumptuousness. Our leaders are spreading this message all over. Yet we as present truth believers know that not one Adventist will be persecuted because the church judgment will leave only those who know where they are going– to the Lord’s promised pre-millennial kingdom in Israel. Their foreheads will say it all–

“The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing Jesus’ new name.” (Early Writings, p.15)

  1. God, meaning they “follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth.” And they have been persecuted for it. (lied about, demoted, suspended and disfellowshipped, slandered against, etc.)
  2. New Jerusalem, meaning they are looking forward to where the Lord said His people will go in His last message of Elijah.
  3. Jesus’ new name, the promised name that the Word says in the following —

“And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.” (Isaiah 62:2)

“And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.”(Isaiah 65:16)

The message describes the meaning of the above verses, quite solemn indeed!

Isa. 62:2: “A new name.”  Indicative of the new experience they have passed through, which is the separation, or sifting, as explained.  God Himself with His own mouth gives the name so it can not be counterfeited.  The time the name is received is at the end of the 430 year period as explained on the chart on pages 112-113.  Thus, the church is reorganized under a new name.  The old name, being polluted, could no longer be retained. 

There is no one to go by the old name, for the ones who were not worthy of having the new name have perished under the figure of the five men with the slaughter weapons of Ezekiel 9.  The name only remains for a curse.  In Isa. 65:15, we read: “And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My chosen: For the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by another name.”  The old order of things being changed.  The watchmen who were unfaithful have perished.”(SRod , vol.1, p.155)

So there  are basically two scenarios that take place with God’s last day people. One, the first fruits and “those with” which are the Gentiles that initially go with the 144,000 into the kingdom. And there is the resurrected SDA, such as Ellen White, God willing, that will be in the kingdom to support the believers.

Two, there are the people who are in Babylon (those in the false and confused religions), who become the termed  “great multitude” in Rev. 7:9. These are those who will either make it to the kingdom or unfortunately be persecuted or run to the hills. The escaping Gentiles (who miss the persecution) will fulfill God’s word–

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'”(Zech. 8:23)

As we showed last week in our report, the SDA who will make up the 144,000 have Israelite blood in them from their ancestors. They are all of the twelve tribes of Rev. 7.

By far the  Gentiles will be the majority in the kingdom, as they go there to hear the word of the Lord. Plus you may recall that the world will witness the awesome display of God’s power in the holy land as Isaiah chapter 11 comes to pass–

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.


They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:6-10)

Can we imagine the TV footage and reports showing the lion and lamb lying down together in Israel? A final witness to the world that the 144,000 are God’s messengers and that they speak in behalf of the Lord and His plans. Unfortunately Satan is not going to set idly by and watch these great works by God go unanswered. Satan’s agents will mount a strong counter movement (Sunday keeping and counter miracles) and the 666 man along with the false prophet who works the miracles shall be a strong delusion to those not grounded upon God’s word.

Soon the persecution will come and that is the time that some of the second fruits will get snared. But God, as we know, shall not abandon them even in their dire circumstances.

“I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put them to death.

But in this hour of trial the saints were calm and composed, trusting in God and leaning upon His promise that a way of escape would be made for them. In some places, before the time for the decree to be executed, the wicked rushed upon the saints to slay them; but angels in the form of men of war fought for them. Satan wished to have the privilege of destroying the saints of the Most High; but Jesus bade His angels watch over them. God would be honored by making a covenant with those who had kept His law, in the sight of the heathen round about them; and Jesus would be honored by translating, without their seeing death, the faithful, waiting ones who had so long expected Him.

Soon I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They seemed to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God had at last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked. But if their eyes could have been opened, they would have seen themselves surrounded by angels of God. Next came the multitude of the angry wicked, and next a mass of evil angels, hurrying on the wicked to slay the saints. But before they could approach God’s people, the wicked must first pass this company of mighty, holy angels. This was impossible. The angels of God were causing them to recede and also causing the evil angels who were pressing around them to fall back.” (Early Writings, p.282-283)

Even though “some” Gentiles may be stuck, the end time church of God is a prevailing power upon the world, SOP says–

“Mighty miracles were wrought, the sick were healed, and signs and wonders followed the believers. God was in the work, and every saint, fearless of consequences, followed the convictions of his own conscience and united with those who were keeping all the commandments of God; and with power they sounded abroad the third message. I saw that this message will close with power and strength far exceeding the midnight cry.

Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven. Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out of Sodom before her destruction. God’s people were strengthened by the excellent glory which rested upon them in rich abundance and prepared them to endure the hour of temptation. I heard everywhere a multitude of voices saying, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”(EW, p.278-279)

So there is the answer to SOP’s writings and the Rod’s writings about fleeing to the mountains. When viewed in totality , harmony comes into clear focus. If you are SDA, please see that you do the following without delay —

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

If you are not, know that God loves you and has a plan for your life. Walk in all the light you have, although you are not now in the full light of God’s word , the time will come that your chance for living in the kingdom will be here. Praise God for His mercy and compassion that every soul, both of the SDA and of the world, will have their opportunity to embrace the truth. But now,  let us hope that we as SDA know the “time” of our visitation, the time now of His final warning of Elijah.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (Hebrews 3:14-15)

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, End times, Loud Cry, Warning our brethren | Leave a Comment »

The Dad is Stumped (Part 2 of 2)

June 4, 2016

Man thinking

Last week we showed the first part of the study, and so far we see that Art has been quite perplexed as to his son’s revealing Scriptures and SOP.

Johnny: Do you remember where we showed that the Lord is to have a conquering  church?

Art: Yes, that was from our prophetess.

Johnny: But how can this be Dad, when right now we have our own beloved church allowing abortions upon demand ,and people with non-Biblical perverted lifestyles  ministering in our churches, for example?

Art: Son, we are still sinful people and the Lord is to work upon us as we walk through our Christian experience.

Johnny: That’s true Dad, but the word says there will be a church purification before the Loud Cry.

Art: I never heard of such a thing show me where you get that? My understanding is that there will be a testing time, the Sunday law, and that will cause the weak in faith to depart the church and thus this produces a solid deep faith church, willing to stand for Christ and His word.

Johnny: There is way too much to address all of the evidence now but I will show you a few.

“The third angel’s message is to lighten the earth with its glory; but only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it when it shall have swelled into the loud cry.” (Review and Herald, Nov. 19,1908)

“The church may appear as about to fall, but it dies not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.” (2 Selected Messages , p.380)

“God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities. But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.80)

“The Lord will work to purify His church. I tell you in truth, the Lord is about to turn and overturn in the institutions called by His name.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.372-373)

The Scriptures also show it —

“Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.” (Nahum 1:15)

 “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.” (Isaiah 52:1)

“But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken.” (Obadiah 1:17)

Art: Ok son you are presenting much that is quite different from what we as SDA have learned or teach , now tell me how you found all this?

Johnny: Ok, let’s turn to Malachi chapter 4 verses 5 and 6. It reads-

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. “

In 1929 a man taught in  our church, in the Sabbath school lessons in Los Angeles. His name was Victor Houteff. This is how I came across all this. He has some publications called the Shepherd’s Rod.

Art: Victor who?

Johnny: Houteff, he is believed by some to be the prophesied Elijah to come that the Lord promised He would bring to His people.

Art: No son, we are told by our prophetess that we as faithful workers in these last days are the prophesied Elijah to come. Here it is–
“There is constant need of earnest, decided messages of warning. God will have men who are true to duty. At the right time He sends His faithful messengers to do a work similar to that of Elijah.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.254)

Johnny: Dad, there is something better, read this —

“Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say: “You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.475)

But I must tell you that the first two original publications of the Testimonies to Minsters  this quote was left alone. But in 1962, the General Conference added an asterisk to it saying that Ellen White was talking of herself as the Elijah to come. It was after Victor Houteff died and the SDA church was dealing with an underground movement saying that his writings were inspired and should be followed. So to quiet the speculation they published a 1962 version of the book and added the asterisk telling people to not take her words as they appear.

In other words Dad, they were saying that when she said “somebody is to come” she was saying it was herself who had already came. And when she said “when he appears” she meant “when she appears”. It’s pretty ridiculous Dad.

Art: Ok , let’s recap son. First, this Victor guy taught we are to go into the land of Israel after the church purification for the purpose of what?

Johnny: The Loud cry. You see Dad, the Lord cannot pour out His Spirit upon a mixed group, converted and unconverted. No where in the Bible has He ever done such a thing. Do you remember when the Israelites were defeated in the land of Ai, after their great victory in Jericho?

Art: Yes

Johnny: Well the people did not have God’s Spirit with them because of one man, just one sinner named Achan. God told them that He would abandon them if that one sinner was not removed. So Joshua discovered who it was that had stolen some items from their prior victory in Jericho. The Lord had Achan and his family along with all their possessions stoned and buried right in the desert.

According to Victor this was a type of the church  purification, because in order to get to the kingdom (Israel) the Lord had to do a purification of  any sinner in the midst. So the anti-type is us today and the upcoming purification.

Art: Well that all makes sense but does the Scriptures say anything more concrete about this purification?

Johnny: Yes it does, In two places we see really good revelations of it. Both were brought to our attention and taught by Victor , let’s read–

“Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.” (Isaiah 63:1-6)

Johnny: His garments are stained red because of the unfortunate dreadful church work the “Mighty to save” One has to do.

(At this point Art is sitting up straight marking every word Johnny says.)

Johnny: And this is perhaps the best one in all the Bible–

“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; the time is coming to 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)

Johnny: Do you see that after this slaying by the Lord there are those who escape and go to all the world to proclaim the Lord’s glory and then bring in brothers and sisters from around the world, into a clean vessel, meaning they will worship the Lord in a clean church? Never before has this happened in history Dad, it is yet future.

Art: My Son, why haven’t we as SDA known about all this? What are we doing? I never knew all this was in the Bible and SOP!

Johnny: It’s because of our refusal to diligently study the Scriptures and SOP for  ourselves  Dad. SOP nails it with this one —
“But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them. ” (Testimonies to Minsters, p.106-107)

Johnny: Too many of us are “rich and increased with goods” as the Scriptures say. We think we know all the truth when we are””Blind and naked” as the Lord said. The General Conference knew all about Victor’s writings and decided to make efforts to spread falsehood about Victor and his work. Soon the SDA was hearing how he was bad and not teaching truth. But remember when SOP said–

Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say: “You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.475)

Johnny: The Lord through Ellen White saw that when the Elijah comes he would be told he teaches falsely and they , the SDA church leaders and General Conference, will tell the people what is truth not this man who many think is the Elijah.

In fact, Victor said this about it–

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

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

It is therefore only to be expected that the predicted Elijah will be denounced as a false prophet, perhaps even as the anti-Christ, offshoot, or what not.” (General Conference Special, p.6-7)

Art: Why do you think they wanted to hush him up?

Johnny: It was because he was calling out their sins. He was showing the people how God, through the Scriptures and SOP,  was soon not going to tolerate the people who had great light yet continued in their sins. Reformations such as dress, eating, worship, medical, schools, Sabbath keeping , etc were all addressed in his writings and the GC knew that should this reformation call take hold the leaders and their own growing structure would be forced to change everything. They had already began to retreat towards Egypt and had no intention of halting this backward direction.

Their medical institutions and schools were fast conforming to worldly standards, and just as the Romans in Constantine’s day decided to appease the worldly masses and lower their standards to gain more attendance to their churches, so too the SDA leaders. The Lord’s strict word became loosely followed. Sin no longer meant sin but a human weakness that we couldn’t really overcome in this life.

Victor called all this out. He found new interpretations of Scripture that had never been revealed. The true understanding of Daniel 2, Hosea 1 and 2, Ezekiel 1 and 2, and more, Isaiah and Jeremiah and the list goes on and on. But the main thing Dad, as the type did (original Elijah) his message was of warning that the Lord is about to come unexpectedly  and shall surprise the hypocrites and non-converted. Thus the church will be as SOP puts it, “Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners”

Art: This truly is enlightening son. So how long have you been studying these writings?

Johnny: For a little over a year. What I did Dad, is I checked it all with Scripture. The main test was –“To the Law and to the testimony.” (Isaiah 8:20)  I checked if he taught correctly about all the Ten Commandments, and then I checked if he taught what the prophets taught as well, including our prophetess Ellen White.

Art: Ok son, this has been a good study, I will make you a promise. I will study what you have and if it’s truth your Dad will be on board, deal?

Johnny: Deal!

*********************************************

The above story, although a allegory, is intended to make us think. The truth is something we as SDA are truly in need of today. The Lord knew we would need more truth and a better understanding of prophecy, otherwise he would never have promised a prophet, Elijah, to come and bring the Lord’s last message to us. Just as Art showed that despite his prior beliefs, when new light was presented to him, he was willing to look, listen and move upon it. My prayer is that all who read this blog will be like Art. You’ll not regret it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Elijah, Loud Cry, Present Truth, Proper teachings, Victor T. Houteff, Witnessing | 4 Comments »

Qualifying for the Loud Cry (Part 3 of 3)

February 14, 2015

Loud Cry (3)

Before we get into our last post, we’d like to show you a current fuzzy and I do mean fuzzy,  popular church “purification” belief among many SDA today. It basically goes something like this–  The soon to be enacted Sunday law will drive all the “weak” and “unsure” SDA out of the church. This threat will cause them to capitulate and get out of the SDA church , for fear of losing their privileges (job, income, peer acceptance, etc.). The mark of the beast (official recognition by the state) will thus be the “cleanser” as it were, and cause a sort of purification.

Our all-knowing Lord saw this fuzzy idea way back then and had the Elijah prophet soundly dismantle it.

Question No. 68:

    Is the church to be purified before the enforcement of the beast’s decree as predicted in Revelation 13:15-17? Or will this drastic decree be the means of purifying the church by sifting from her those who are disloyal to the Truth?

Answer:

  If it be true that the beast’s decree is to sift out the unconverted (the tares) that are in the church then one must conclude that the beast is not symbol of a power of dragon-like principle, but a heaven-sent agency, sent to cast out the tare which the dragon has brought in!

 From Ezekiel 9 we see that not the “beast,” but the angels are to do this. After the one with the writer’s inkhorn by his side mark those who sigh and cry for the abominations that are done in their midst, the five with slaughter weapons follow on to slay all who are left with out the mark. And this great purgation, as both the prophecy itself and the Testimonies specifically state, takes place in the church. (See Testimonies To Ministers, p. 445; Testimonies, Vol. 3 pp. 266, 267; Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 210, 211; also Tract No. 1, The Dardanelles of the Bible.)

  It is Satan’s predetermined purpose to pollute the church by multiplying instead of reducing the disloyal members. And if his most drastic fiat is to purify the church, then to what purpose does the Lord “suddenly come to His temple…and…sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Mal. 3:1-3); why is a message to cause the l shaking (Early Writings, p. 270); and why are the angels of Ezekiel 9, those who “shall come forth,” to “sever the wicked from among the just”? Matt. 13:49.

  Is this burden of the purifying work, Satan’s or the Lord’s? Satan is doing nothing to purify the church, but is doing everything to pollute it.

   Therefore the beast’s decree and his rigid enforcement of it, are not for the purpose of purifying the church, but for the purpose of blockading the way out of Babylon, thereby holding the world captive. This he does specifically to halt the steady flow of multitudes of converts to the then already purged and purified church. In spite, however of the Enemy’s heaviest efforts to keep them in Babylon, the faithful will come out.

They will take heed to the Lord’s counsel: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Rev. 14:9, 10.(Answerer , vol. 3, Q-68)

Upon review of the above , we can clearly see why their idea is not well thought out. You see, Satan can work with those who are shallow thinkers. Those who don’t look deeply into issues, weighing the whole picture. Let us not be one of those, rather those who are actively “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

As we proceed, the clear light will be obvious that the only cleanser possible for the church will be–our King. And that, sadly, must be by direct act. Those 39 quotes we have already seen constitute a preponderance of evidence showing His plans.

But let us now review and delve into some of the particular references that bring a clear picture of the Loud Cry people and the reasons for their select qualifications. To begin with let’s look at a couple Inspired references that show what the Loud Cry people who make it must show. We’ll go through a   sequence of events that leads to the qualification to be “on the field” on that day.

1) Overcome our own sins by the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit

“Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.” (Testimonies, volume 1, p.187)

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.214)

2) Once this victory is achieved to the very end of our  SDA probation, the solemn church judgment begins in the church. Remember the great test today, that must be passed for us as SDA,  is the knowledge, acceptance and obedience of His pleading Elijah message, our “present truth.”

“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.”(Rev. 3:18)

“There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is “present truth” that the flock needs now.” (Early Writings, p.63)

“God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it.” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p.453)

The church purification references have been shown in part 1 and 2.

3) The surviving number from the church shall be the prophesied–144,000. No more no less. This is the ” most startling revelation” (TM p.445).It is the fulfillment of the following–

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.(Matt. 7:13-14)

And I heard the number of them which were sealed:and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.(Rev. 7:4)

(See our post “Who Comprises the S.D.A Church” https://godsloveandlaw.com/2014/08/09/who-comprises-the-s-d-a-church/

Note: Unfortunately Satan has spread the false idea that there will be more than 144,000 sealed from the SDA church. He gets people to “add” to God’s word (ie. God lied and there is really more than 144,000 sealed from His remnant church). Once he gets people to go along with this idea and spread it, he gets you to be a commiter of crime of which there is no remedy  —

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from  the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19)

“In 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.I was pointed back to ancient Israel. But two of the adults of the vast army that left Egypt entered the land of Canaan. ” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p.608)

“Let us strive with all 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)

4) After the church is composed of only “wheat”, the “permitted” are then empowered by the Holy Spirit to go with God’s power to do a great work for the world, those stuck in Babylon and those who have never had a chance to know God’s light.

“As the third message swells to a loud cry and as great power and glory attend the closing work, the faithful people of God will partake of that glory. it is the latter rain which revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble.” ( Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p.984)

“I saw that this message will close with power and strength  far exceeding the midnight cry.” (Early Writings, p.278)

 “In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great day of Pentecost.” (Testimonies, vol. 9, p.126)

“The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close.” (GC. p.611-612)

“As the end approaches , the testimonies of God’s servants will become more decided and more powerful.” (Selected Messages, vol. 3, p.407)

5) Upon this wisdom and power from God, the church will be known the world over, for its powerful truth and conquering power.

“Clad in the armor of Christ’s righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. ‘Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners’ (Song of Solomon 6:10) , she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” (Prophets and Kings, p.725)

“During the loud cry the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. (EV, p.694) 

“The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the Day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit.”(EV.p.692)

“Thou art  my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms..” (Jer. 51:20)

“And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zech. 12:3)

In describing Ezekiel 10, SOP says — “The live coal is symbolical of purification, and it also represents the potency of the efforts of God’s true servants. To those who make so full a consecration that the Lord can place His touch upon their lips, the word is spoken, Go forth into the harvest field. I will cooperate with you.”(Gospel Workers, p. 23)

Summary

So there we have it, a synopsis of the qualifications for being allowed to proclaim the Loud Cry. As we always try to point out, to gain the victory, we must know the enemy attacks and battle plan. Satan knows all too well that he must confuse the message of the hour. He must lead the remnant to ignore the last message brought from the Lord to His Elijah prophet. Are you falling for his deception? Or are you seeing through his wiles and picking up the truth for us today? For those who are faithful readers of this blog, don’t think God is not leading you! I am but a channel of which He works, all these teachings I am given, it does not come from my own knowledge. But as we decide to strive to be one of the 144,000, He guides us ever so beautifully into– “all truth” (John 16:13).

“If there is a point of truth that you do not understand, upon which you do not agree, investigate, compare scripture with scripture, sink the shaft of truth down deep into the mine of God’s word. You must lay yourselves and your opinions on the altar of God, put away your preconceived ideas, and let the Spirit of heaven guide into all truth.”– Review and Herald, Feb. 18, 1890.

May we soon meet on the “harvest field” and join hands and go to this glorious work, and become one of the “great and strong people, the like of whom has never been..”(Joel 2:2)

Posted in Church, Loud Cry | 2 Comments »

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