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As you recall we ended our last post with John standing in his church with a few others, after witnessing the Lord’s “strange act” and the literal beginning of the “Judgment for the Living”. Among the few were two church leaders, who had fought John’s message. They have survived, but why?

Let us now read from the prophet, about what will befall those who have fought the message.

Isa. 2:10 — “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty.”

   Here we are plainly told that the sinners will eventually find themselves unprepared for the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and when God thus manifests His Power they will indeed be terrified. They will as wild men run to the rocks and the mountains there to hide themselves.  The event of this particular verse runs parallel with that of The Revelation:

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Rev. 6:15-17.

  Very evidently Isaiah’s prophecy meets its fulfillment in the time of the sixth seal, the time in which the Lord sits on the Throne of His Glory, not on the clouds, the throne before which gather all nations, whereupon the Judgment work begins: the separation takes place, the saints (sheep) are then put to His right and the sinners (goats) to His left (Matt. 25:33).  The prophet Joel declares the day in these words:

“Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.  The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” Joel 3:13-16.

It is the time in which shall be said,

“The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.  Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?  who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?  He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.  And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” Isa. 33:14-16, 24.

The sinners in Zion are first to cry to the rocks and to the mountains, then will the proclamation of the great and dreadful day of the Lord go forth far and wide saying: “Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge My might.” Isa. 33:13. (1 TG, vol. 5, p.10-12).

As we see from the above, there will be some who survive the initial church judgment but oh how it shall cause them to sink to the depths of despair! For they will feel their great mistake so loud and clear within their soul. One can only imagine to see your life before you with no chance to live for ever more. This is truly the most terrible and horrible feeling one could have.

But what they did was not right and in fact led to many deaths. The vast amount within the church was denied the message from the Lord, the Elijah message,  because these leaders effectively stopped it from gaining any foothold within the church. They professed godliness but were indeed found out as “hypocrites” in that great and dreadful day.

Notice it says this running and hiding in the rocks, is in the “fulfillment of the sixth seal.”  The Plagues happen during the seventh seal. So the Elijah message clearly points out this time as right after the church judgment, the closing of the sixth seal! That is not to say that there may be a second application for the sinners of the world as well, during the seventh seal.

Keep in mind, the light that Ellen White had on this was the application of this reference in the time of the plagues. Her message was not the Elijah message and the scroll advanced as far as was seen by her at that time.

Back to John. He had to work underground  because his name was smeared to a certain degree, even those who may have had a chance to accept his message, were made prejudiced against John. It all was a truly miserable end result.

Our Lord spoke of this hindrance–

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matt.23:13)

Now, when we read that they ” hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.” We should keep in mind that our own houses are built of rocks. Plaster, drywall, stucco are all made from rocks and mountains. Therefore, this could indicate that they hide themselves up within their homes, and not necessarily go and drive or run out to the mountains literally.

So as the days go by, they must feel like despair beyond belief. The Lord decides to spare, but it’s for His righteous judgement and to recompense their ways for “blood on their hands” because they would not allow His sealing message of present truth to seal the people.

“Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay. In time their foot will slip, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”(Deut. 32:35)

Let us look closely at the following word of God.

“And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt.22:12-13)

Obviously this is indicative of those who are not prepared when our Lord comes to invite the guests in. This is symbolic of the time right after day one of Ezekiel 9, and when the pre-millennial kingdom  begins setting up in the Holy land. The very first phase of His kingdom as taught by Daniel 2. (See our post on this subject – https://godsloveandlaw.com/2011/11/26/the-daniel2-vision/

This, I believe, is showing the time of the immediate days following day one of Ezekiel 9. Those who have fought the message are “speechless” as they come to the deep realization that they have fought Christ. They now want to “come in” yet the door must close.

The Lord will do something similar in this solemn realization when He raises those who mocked and persecuted Him during His own ministry. They too, see the full realization of their terrible actions.

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7)

The seven days finally produces the 144,000 from the church. The “elect of God” prepare to go to work, no longer being hitched to the SDA leaders who stopped them from proclaiming His Elijah message. The world is now their stage, the Lord is to now work through them mightily and protect them.

“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 58:8)

Summary

Let us recap what we have learned from the 3 posts of the solemn half-hour silence.

1) The day of Ezekiel 9 church judgment shall come as a great surprise to the non-believers, ignorant, and present truth haters. Malachi describes this–

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Mal. 3:1)

Isaiah describes the after events of the church judgment–

“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.

 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.”(Isaiah 66:15-19)

2) It shall not be so much a surprise to the believers as they know from the message that it will occur during or right after the next world war over Israel. (Tract 14, p.22)

3) There will be “few” that survive the church judgment, yet all have a chance , even right now to embrace His Elijah message and proclaim it. This requires strength and courage , to step forward and admit belief due to the fact that the  leaders are fighting it.

But those who do, acutely remember that the Lord has always rewarded courage. Noah proclaiming a “strange and fanciful” message of world doom by flood. Moses courageously foregoing his privileged status among the Egyptians on behalf of his poor brethren. Joseph preferring to be thrown in jail rather that to sin by committing an adulterous affair. David taking on the powerful lion to protect his sheep and then later risking his life to go against the mighty warrior Goliath.The Apostles willing to die for Christ rather than submit to the non-believers.

The 144,000 likewise must choose to be courageous, even to the point of slander, demotion, false rumors and dis-fellowship, all for Christ’s last message of the “judgment of the living” , aka –the Elijah message.

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

“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.” (Matt. 7:13)

4) The “strange act”(Isaiah 28:21), the Lord’s execution of judgment,  shall last seven days. The heavenly beings shall be silent as they witness the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

5) There will be some who survive the judgment, but it will be only for them to see what they have done. Who they have fought and what side they really were on.

6) The end of this seven-day silence shall be the beginning of the Loud Cry. Those who survive, the 144,000, then begin to prepare for their final mission. They know the word says they must head back to Israel, as the war is winding down. The Lord will be waiting there to meet them.

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Rev. 14:1-5)

7) The world begins the final battle, which the Spirit of prophecy calls “The Great Controversy.” The sixth seal, and its truth, now passes into the seventh seal and it’s truth. The 3 angels are joined by the fourth angel and the world gets it’s message of truth whereby those who accept it, are sealed and spared the plagues.

“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.”(Early Writings, p.277-278)

We underlined the part that shows another angel (message of truth) comes to join the 3 angels’ messages. This is the “judgment for the living”message, which is to go to the world after it has went to the SDA church.

In closing, let us choose to live rather than die in the upcoming church judgment. The Lord is pleading right now to all who will listen. What it takes is courage to stand up and be counted! Those who sit back and say “Yeah I think this message is correct, but I’ll stay quiet about it” may be horribly saddened when they find that they missed their chance to “speak up” and be counted.

Remember when Joshua and Caleb came with the much scorned positive report on the promised land? Do we not think that some in the vast crowd, silently admired their courage? Of course there were some, possibly many (over 20 years old). yet did they make it to the promise land? Absolutely not. They clamped up and hid like cowards, afraid to speak up in support for the two courageous souls. God want’s us to “speak”!

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”(Isaiah 62:6-7)

“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet;Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1)

Brethren, the Lord is giving us a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to be among the 144,000. We need not fear the upcoming “half hour silence”. Rather it will set free all those who have waited on the Lord and believe that He will do as His word says, amen.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.“(Psalms 27:14)

(NOTE: Due to the Lord’s guiding, we’ve had to expand upon this subject, so we’ll have three parts)

It’s a regular Sabbath morning, John get’s up and then shortly begins to get ready for the local Sabbath service in his town. After cleaning up, grabbing a bite to eat, he heads out the driveway down to the local SDA church. He arrives about a half hour before service.

John has been a member for several years. But he now has a  unique relationship with his church. You see, he once was a deacon. A man who was “going places” within his church. He’d advanced fairly rapidly in the circle of the church, being frequently asked to go up before the church on occasions and give a motivational talk based on Scriptures and Ellen White.The local laity had shown much appreciation for the talks, as he was one to “tell it like it is”, in other words–the straight testimony.

However his last pre-Sabbath school speech, he was particularly straight, pointing out sins in the church and startling Scriptural revelations of what God was soon to do to purify His church. Unfortunately, there were a couple in the pews who objected to the straight talk. Later he found out that the pastor wanted to speak to him in his office later that week.

He was asked point blank– Are you a Davidian and believe in the Shepherd’s Rod? He did not flinch and said–Yes. The three against one conversation then proceeded to discuss what the leaders called a meeting of passion. A meeting to help steer John back into the regular SDA beliefs. But John pointed out that he still believed in them however he found “new light” which the Scriptures foretold would come to God’s people through His Elijah prophet, right before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

“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.” (Mal. 4:5-6)

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)

The meeting went nowhere as far as John was concerned, he had looked deeply into the Elijah message and it all clicked it was harmonious with Scripture and Ellen White. A true majestic message with power and strength to convert the worst of sinners into the Lord’s bountiful and righteous light! John himself has witnessed this power in his own life. He converted completely to the Lord, his Master was now his passion.

But it all fell on deaf ears, they would have none of it. They steadfastly spoke of deceptive teachings from  the man who brought the Elijah message to the SDA church. John wanted specifics, but none were given. They closed the meeting by making the ultimatum, either John gives up his new beliefs and acknowledges it, or they would have to demote him and remove him from being as deacon.

He wrote a resignation letter (upon their request) within the week. But in that letter he warned them that they were making a serious mistake and an unjust one as well.

So soon the word spread among the church. Gossip and heresy was spread. John kept going to church faithfully but it would not be the same. A couple months later the head elder called a meeting, which John chose to attend, pointing out to the members that John was a Shepherd’s Rod believer. As if to not only demote him but to smear his name as if he had gone apostate. John defended himself and surprisingly most in attendance were on John’s side that day.

Being convicted that the Elijah message, though solemn , was true, he continued to look for opportunities to reach out to members in the hope that someone would study it as well and learn the Lord’s final plans for His church. He’d talk to this one and that one, and they’d give an excuse why they didn’t have the time or they’d get back to him later.

He sent out packages to some (Cd’s, DVD’s, literature) and no one would want to study it. They remained relatively silent about the contents after receiving it. In other words, no engagement occurred. He therefore continued to go to church with a heavy heart, for he knew that someday soon each one that rejected this last “pleading message” from the Lord would not escape the church judgment. This Elijah message was THE LORD’S LAST to His church, there would be no other!

So this was the church situation as John walked into church that morning. He sat down in his regular area and looked over the church bulletin. He said hello to some of the members as they walked by or came down his aisle. The church, this day, was surprisingly full. As if by some divine power many were drawn to services this day.

The service begins on time and starts with the first song. The schedule moves along. John starts to feel eerily strange. Something or someone is tugging on him as if to alert him of something. The service continues, yet John is really feeling something alarming! He knows it is not human. For since his conversion he has remained faithful to the Lord and knows the Lord’s voice.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

John tries to remain calm but he knows something is up. Now, the time has come for the pastor to get up for his sermon. All are quiet and attentive.

Suddenly there is a strong wind within the sanctuary! A howling is heard, as the wind gusts up and down and side to side. People start to look at each other, some get up to walk out of the sanctuary. The door is closed, it has locked itself! The wind and howling continues. What is going on? All are wondering. Some young ones and women start to cry out amid the strange occurrence. The pastor begins to speak, and says, “Please remain calm, please.” He is visably shaking.

By now the congregation is very fearful–what is this???!! They are frozen in fear. Suddenly a thunderous Voice speaks, ” Why have you not listened to my servant John — ?”  Those within the church who know John, and what he said, now begin to shake tremendously. The others are now even more confused. The Voice continues, “I sent him to you, he had a message from Me, yet you rejected it.” The wind continues to howl, the Voice stops for a few moments to let it sink in, particularly to those who had heard John’s  solemn message of church judgment. They start to feel a deep sense of wrong doing from their past actions. But the majority church members have no clue what the Voice is talking about because the leaders had effectively silenced the Lord’s message through John, to a large degree.

Suddenly John stands up and cries aloud “Save them my Father if You can!!”. He is weeping and pleading on behalf of his church, his hands stretched out. He now knows this is the great and dreadful day of the Lord! The time has come, the word of the Lord has began to be fulfilled. It is the beginning of the prophesied “half hour silence” –Ezekiel 9!

The Voice responds , “My judgment now begins!”. Suddenly, the leaders of the church begin to fall to the ground. There are screams every where within the locked church. The Lord’s angels begin to execute His righteous judgment. John kneels and prays, he cannot look, as the wind continues to howl and blow. There is now a earthquake in the sanctuary, the building shakes. The angels have gone through the church.

Suddenly after what seemed eternity, it is now quiet in the church. The wind stops. John feels a calmness over him. He gets up and is startled, there are only a few others standing. But he is perplexed, he sees two of the leaders who fought his message still standing(?) But he quickly realizes why that is, he silently kneels in prayer, for he knows it will turn out horribly for them. The rest is laying dead on the church floor! Ezekiel 9 has come! His prophesied word has been fulfilled.

“And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them  forth with silence.” (Amos 8:3)

“In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of  their tinkling ornaments , and  cauls, and  round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.” (Isaiah 3:18-24)

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

John has now witnessed the Lord’s coming “near” for judgment. His heart is heavy yet he feels as if the yoke has been lifted off him. No more is he bound by the restraint of the false shepherds.  The Elijah message of Zech. 6:1-8 comes to his mind, where the  Lord’s true horse team (real leaders) which were hitched and bound by the SDA horse team(false leaders) in the hitched chariot, is now unhitched and free to go throughout the world. (link to the Zech. 6 prophecy- http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/tracts/tract_2.html

The Three Angels Message is about to be proclaimed to the world with God’s power entrusted to His “Jewels.” The fourth angel has now come to join fully with the other angels. John now realizes  that he has been counted worthy to go to work in this last great proclamation known as the –Loud Cry.

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Mal. 3:17)

In this part two we have covered the day itself, but remember that there are “7” days of silence in heaven. In other words the heavenly beings are in solemn silence as the Lord works those 7 days to do His “strange act.”(Isaiah 28:21)

Next week we’ll close by looking at what happens those other six days.And if you can believe it , it’s even worse than the first day!

My brethren please seriously consider accepting His final pleading message , it is your future destiny we are talking about! Eternity! Our Lord is pleading to all who are listening, let’s get away from false shepherd’s and listen to His true messengers.

“The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.”(Testimonies, vol. 3, p.253)

Questions and Answers–

If Ezekiel 9 starts in America, let’s say east coast, then won’t the west coast people hear about it several hours prior to services, and then be scared and not go to church that day?

As the message of Elijah did indeed start in the USA, possibly the church judgment would start here as well (before going around the world). One scenario would be that the doors on all the churches, starting in the east coast would stay locked by the Lord’s angels, for the necessary hours until the west coast services have been underway. This would stop, at least for the first few hours, the panic that would surely spread once the doors are open. This is just our conjecture and obviously the Lord has His plan.

Once Ezekiel 9 is over, what happens to the churches? Do they remain or are abandoned?

As the message tells us , there will be few who survive the judgment because of the prevalent pride and rich and increased with goods attitude among the SDA members. The rejection of His Elijah message is THE specific message the Lord had in mind (they would not heed) when He wrote the rebuke of Rev. 3 to the SDA church. So logically the church will be quite silent after the judgment. We know that the surviving “elect” of God will very quickly be on their way to Israel to set up the headquarters for the final proclamation of the –Loud Cry to go around the world. Rev. 14:1 -5 describes the time right after Ezek. 9 where the Lord meets up with His people (the 144,000).on Mt. Zion. As the elect help bring the people out of Babylon, it may well be that the former SDA churches will be a new gathering place for those who come out of the Sunday churches. We are not told in Inspiration much about this unfortunately. We do know that many around the world will come to Israel to join the 144,000. Keep in mind, Israel will then be protected from Satan’s attacks by the Lord Himself, so naturally many will want to relocate there for safety.

“And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (Zech 2:3-5)

Will there be any immediate warning that Ezekiel 9 is about to happen, such as a month or week in advance?

The Elijah message does tell us the approximate time when it happens. In explaining this brother Houteff says,

They are enjoined to fix their vision upon the feet of him who brings “good tidings” (message from the Lord), who publishes “peace” (the peace of Christ’s Kingdom), and who declares that while the powers of earth are engulfed in a gigantic war, the wicked in the church shall be cut off, no more to pass through her.  Specifically, the prophet exhorts all penitently to turn unto  the house of Judah (the latter-day Kingdom of Judah — Mic. 4; Ezek. 37:16-22), the church in the purification of which are to be sealed 12,000  out of each of the 12 tribes, as firstfruits.  

And he urges the subjects of the kingdom to perform their religious duties and to keep their promises to the Lord.  In short, he admonishes them to give heed to the message of the hour — the message which announces the imminence of the church’s purification, after which, as the promise is, “the wicked shall no more pass through” her, for “he is utterly cut off.” (See also Matt. 13:30, 47-50, Isa. 66:16, 19, 20). (Tract 14, p.22-23)

Here we see that it is during the upcoming great world war 3 over Israel that this occurs. Some say right after, but this does serve as the great sign that it’s about to happen.

The mystical “half hour silence”, what does this really mean? Our standard SDA teachings doesn’t tell us much about this important word of God. But the Lord’s word, through His Elijah prophet certainly does. It is indeed described as an extremely serious and disturbing event to take place within the S.D.A. Church. Please know that the following will happen, yet He loves each and every S.D.A member immensely. When we look at a specific prophecy describing Ezekiel 9 we notice a “pleading” is done before the act.

“For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.” (Isaiah 66:16)

Fire represents the Holy Spirit —  “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11)  — “There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:3-4).

Sword can be the Holy Word of God– “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”(Eph 6:17)

So we add it up and we see that before the Lord slays he pleads with His people with the Holy Spirit and His word. But nevertheless His judgment comes once the pleading is over.

It is up to each one of us individually to surrender our pride and fall not asleep with the “peace and safety”message so prevalent in our church today.

The Spirit of prophecy writes, “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.” (Early Writings, p.277)

The “event” we shall look into, Scripture mentions as the “half hour silence” in Rev. 8:1,

“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.”(Rev. 8:1)

This subject , we as SDA know, is very rarely discussed within our church, yet it will happen to be one of the most important and earth changing acts in mankind’s history.

To first get a little background surrounding this half hour silence we shall read,

In graphic demonstration that He will come to earth with all His angels to execute judgment upon the living, the Lord revealed Himself prophetically to Ezekiel as being brought enthroned to earth by four living creatures just before the slaughter of the hypocrites in the church takes place. And as each of the living creatures has the face of a lion, the face of a calf, the face of a man, and the face of an eagle (Ezek. 1:10), — the same judicial insignia as have the beasts who are before the throne in the heavenly sanctuary (Rev. 4:7) in the time of the judgment of the dead, — and as they descend to earth, they thereby symbolically show that the work of the mediatorial-judicial throne which convenes and presides over the judgment of the dead is extended to earth.

   This extension, so far as we are able to know now, must take place at the opening of the seventh seal (Rev. 8:1), for at that time the celestial voices, which opened the judgment of the dead, cease in the heavenly sanctuary and begin, after the half hour’s silence, to sound on earth. In other words, just as in heaven at the opening of the judgment of the dead, there were “lightnings and thunderings and voices” (Rev. 4:5), likewise on earth at the opening of the “judgment of the living,” there are “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” Rev. 8:5.

   With the judgment of the dead, however, the work of separation takes place in the books in the heavenly sanctuary; whereas with the judgment of the living, the separation takes place among the people in the church as well as among their names in the books in the heavenly sanctuary, thus showing that both sanctuaries will finally be cleansed.

   Inescapably, therefore, the Lord’s coming to His temple (Mal. 3:1-3), His coming with all His angels (Matt. 25), and His coming enthroned above the living creatures (Ezek. 1), — all three representing the same event as has been shown, — take place at the beginning of the judgment of the living: the time in which the judicial activities of the heavenly sanctuary extend to the earthly sanctuary — the church. (Tract 3, p.46-47)

But when the seventh seal is opened, there is silence in heaven (the beasts hold their peace, also the “lightnings,” the “thunderings,” and the “voices” cease — Rev. 4:5) “about the space of half an hour.” Rev. 8:1.  The silence clearly  reveals that the first session of the Judicial  proceedings comes to a close, and that the second session commences after the silence is over.(Tract 15, p.17-18)

As we have seen, the silence divides the two pre-millennial Judicial sessions, the one for the dead and the other for the living, and the fire from the heavenly altar, the voices, lightnings, and thunderings, descend to earth.  These facts, along with a number of scriptures on the subject, besides the remainder of The Revelation, the chapters after the breaking of the seventh seal, prove that the Judgment of the living, the cleansing of the earthly temple, is something which takes place on earth, not in heaven only!

   “Behold,” declares the Lord, “I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple,… But who may abide the day of His coming?  and who shall stand when He appeareth?  for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.” Mal. 3:1,

   Yes, the work of the second Judicial session includes the earthly sanctuary, the church.  At that time the Lord’s “fire” is “in Zion, and  His furnace in Jerusalem.” Isa. 31:9.(Tract 15, p.65)

So we see that this silence is the beginning of the judicial judgment of the “LIVING”,  the dead session being completed. In other words it appears that when the judgment begins and extends down to the earth, and when the Lord begins to put His sickle upon the “earth”(Rev. 14:14-16), the SDA church purification begins. This, as we as present truth believers well know is–the Ezekiel 9 church judgment. It produces the “jewels” of God, the 144,000.

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.”(Mal. 3:17)

This half hour silence is solemnly adhered too,  by the heavenly beings due to the fact that  the “great and dreadful” day of the Lord is taking place. It is also known as the Lord’s “strange act”and His “day of vengeance”.

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

“For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.” (Isaiah 63:4)

But let us ask the question–Why a “half hour”? What does this mean?

First, we have to take the Biblical understanding of time measurement to arrive at what a half hour of time would mean to us in real actual time. In the Bible, a day represents a year in prophecy, according to Ezekiel 4:6, “I have appointed thee each day for a year.” If we apply this prophetic yardstick, one half hour of time would be just about a week or seven literal days.

So we see that the actual work of Ezekiel 9 shall compromise about seven literal days in length. As we continue we shall trust that you are already aware of the solemn act of Ezekiel , as described in Scripture..

Let us look at one of the more popular understandings within the SDA (remember the vast amount of SDA do not know about the true Elijah message or it’s interpretations) concerning our subject.

They teach that this silence is concerning the Lord coming to the earth in the well-known “Second Coming.” But brother Houteff shows why this cannot be so.

The silence in heaven for about half an hour cannot be the second coming of Christ, as some have thought, for afterward the angel with the golden censer and incense, offered the prayers for the saints from the golden altar.  The altar is in the holy place, just opposite the throne that is in the most holy.  The two apartments were separated by a vail.  In the day of atonement, the vail or door of the earthly tabernacle was opened and the high priest went in. 

But let it be remembered that the door (vail) was left open while the high priest officiated.  Thus the two apartments became one.  For this reason the congregation were not permitted in the holy place on that day, as they were at other times, for the vail being lifted, the holy place also became most holy.  So while the door to the most holy was open, the entrance to the holy was closed. 

Therefore, the high priest alone used both apartments on the day of atonement. (See Lev. 16:17.)  Thus the golden altar before the throne, from which the angel offered the prayers of the saints, was, and is, used in both periods — before, and in the time of the judgment.  As the entire judicial tribunal (Judge, Advocate, Elders, etc.) were in the temple after the seventh seal had been opened, it is evident that the judgment was in progress, and probation had not closed at the time of the “silence.”  For after the judgment has ceased and probation closed, no man can enter the temple. (See Rev. 15:8.)

   Had the “silence” of “half an hour” pointed to the coming of Christ, at which time He takes his saints with Him, there would be no necessity for the angel to offer their prayers.  Furthermore, it would be unnecessary to “cast” fire, which is the Spirit of God, from the golden altar to the earth. 

Again, if the opening of the seventh seal means the coming of Christ, then only those under the six seals would have been considered in the judgment, and there could be no seventh seal, which would show lack of perfection and completeness of the judgment, and of the gospel.  It would also be contrary to the number of seals on the book.  As the six seals have reference to six periods in which the saints were sealed, the seventh must also apply to a sealing period; otherwise it cannot be called, seventh “seal.”(SRod, vol. 2, p.215)

Ok so now we have shown that this half hour silence is the Ezekiel 9 church judgment, which is to take about 7 days. But logically we can ask– Why seven days? If Ezekiel 9 is to be the church judgment, why does God extend the solemn act for 7 days instead of more  like, one and done?

Those are great questions and there appears good answers that we’ll show in part 2. Let us keep in mind that the main purpose of the Elijah message is to prepare us for the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”. So if this subject we are now studying is to truly be thorough we should cover every angle.

Let us know the Lord’s plans and be prepared. The Lord is soon to do His work and those who blindly skip along without taking pains to know His plans, shall fall under His word–

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6)

“All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’”(Amos 9:10) 

Those who are saying this Ezekiel 9 church judgment will not happen are saying “Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.”

Spirit of Prophecy illuminates this special work this way–

“Those who train the mind to seize upon everything which they can use as a peg to hang a doubt upon, and suggest these thoughts to other minds, will always find occasion to doubt. They will question and criticize everything that arises in the unfolding of truth, criticize the work and position of others, criticize every branch of the work in which they have not themselves a part. They will feed upon the errors and mistakes and faults of others, “until,” said the angel, the Lord Jesus shall rise up from His mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary and shall clothe Himself with the garments of vengeance and surprise them at their unholy feast, and they will find themselves unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.”(Testimonies, vol. 5, p.690)

Did you catch when this surprise visit (Ezekiel 9) happens? During, not after, His mediatorial  work in heaven. That is in probationary time, because it is in during the  “unfolding of truth” period of time.

Ellen White well knew under Inspiration , the upcoming church purification was a real event.

“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)

Next week we’ll look at the specific ramifications that occur and prophetic references explaining the immediate after effects that take place. We’ll focus on some specifics during the seven days. Remember this one act will truly shake the world and it starts the final event clock that ushers in the Loud Cry. As Scripture says it shall be “great and dreadful”.