Archive for the ‘Salvation’ Category

Will Women and Children be counted among the 144,000?

July 27, 2019

Image result for children and women with Jesus

Recently the subject of who will comprise the 144,000  came up on our Facebook ministry. This is quite a good question because of the issue of women and children, how do we understanding the elect of God in relation to them?

Fortunately, the Lord’s final message of Elijah does have a lot to say about this and makes our understanding clear upon study. First, we should know that in order to be found a part of the 144,000, including women and children, you MUST be sealed. Let us look at inspiration concerning this.

“Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.” (Ezek. 9:6.)

“When God was about to smite the first-born of Egypt, be commanded the Israelites to gather their children from among the Egyptians into their own dwellings, and strike their door posts with blood, that the destroying angel might see it, and pass over their homes. It was the work of parents to gather in their children. This is your work, this is my work, and the work of every mother who believes the truth. The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who
are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.”–“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 505.

“The curse of God will surely rest upon unfaithful parents. Not only are they planting thorns which will wound them here, but they must meet their own unfaithfulness when the Judgment shall sit. Many children, ‘will rise up in judgment and condemn their parents, for not restraining them, and charge upon them, their destruction. The false sympathy and blind love of parents causes them to excuse the faults of their children and pass them by without correction, and their children are lost in consequence, and the blood of their souls will rest upon the unfaithful parents.”—Testimonies for the church, Vol. 1, p. 219.

“Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.” (Ezek. 9:6.) In this Scripture we see that as the “ancient” men are lost, their children are not saved either.

   “And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons and his slaughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his   sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them m with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.” (Joshua 7:24, 25.)

   “I saw that the slave-master will have to answer for the soul of his slave whom he has kept in ignorance; and the sins of the slave will be visited upon the master. God can not take to heaven the slave who has been kept in ignorance and degradation, knowing nothing of God or the Bible, fearing nothing but his master’s lash, and holding a lower position than the brutes. But He does the best thing for him that a compassionate God can do. He permits him to be as if he had not been; while the master must endure the seven last plagues, and then come up in the second resurrection, and suffer the second, most awful death. Then the justice of God will be satisfied.” — “Early Writings, ” p . 276.

   The above references indicate that the children of the righteous will be saved, and that the children of the wicked will be lost. However, none who have had no opportunity to be saved will themselves suffer punishment. Therefore, missionaries must be sent to every “nation, kindred, tongue, and people” to inform all of the plan of redemption, so that each will be given an equal opportunity to be saved.” (SC, vol. 2, no.11, p.9)

Here will see some clear instructions about sealing. We notice the solemn responsibility placed upon the parents! The children are sealed (saved) because of their faithfulness. Likewise, they can be lost for their parent’s unfaithfulness. 

“Those who are slain before the commencement of the Loud Cry in fulfillment of Isaiah 66:16 are professed Sabbath keepers who fail in the time of the closing work for the church to receive the seal of God. “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 3, p. 266. (See the Sept. Code of 1935, p. 7)” (2 SC,
no 7, 8, p.11).

“Obviously all the sinners in the church will perish in this slaughter of the wicked, be they men, women, or children. PARENTS who continue to SERVE the DEVIL will have their LITTLE ONES with them in HELL; and PARENTS WHO BREAK AWAY FROM ABOMINATIONS will have their LITTLE ONES WITH THEM in the KINGDOM. Where do you stand? Are you with those who have the burden of this work, or are you against them? This you see is the decisive hour for you, for me. {1 TG  no.52: p.21.2}

“Question: “Will all but the 144,000 of the present S.D.A. denomination actually be slain in the separation?”

Answer: All but those who do not receive the mark or seal, old or young, male or female, will fall under the slaughter weapons of the angels. (Ezek. 9:6.) Only those who sigh and cry for all the abominations in the midst thereof will receive the mark. (verse 4.) John saw 144,000 sealed (marked). If others from within the S.D.A. denomination besides the 144,000 should escape, it is not known to us.” (1 SC, no. 15, p.9)

In our last reference find clear unmistakable points on our topic, let us rejoice in Him who gives our light!

“Because the Word says: “Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men,” therefore some have held the position that the entire company is made up of men only. The second reason given for this erroneous idea is that they are to be kings and priests and therefore they must be men. The idea carried by these passages cannot be sustained by other portions of Scripture. Thus we are compelled to study deeper into the subject. 

While Ezekiel calls them “men,” John says they are “virgins.” (Rev. 14:4.) Now, if we should take the position that Ezekiel means men only, then we can as well say, John means women only. Can it be possible that one writer should contradict the other? No indeed. We conclude by the following Scriptures that the 144,000 are of both sexes: “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.” (John 1:7.) “All men,” must include both men and women, otherwise salvation would be for men only. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32.)

If the word all men in this text does not include both sexes, then the women are lost. “And the time of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” (The Acts 17:30.) Again, if “all men” include not both male and female, then women are not commanded to repent. It is evident that the noun, men, is a collective Biblical term of both men and women. The same is true by creation, for, God made the woman of the man. Therefore, she is a wo-man. Again in Gal. 3:28, we read: “There is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (SR, vol. 2, p.164)

Posted in Our Lord's kingdom, Salvation, Who are the 144K? | 2 Comments »

What Makes One Eligible?

July 29, 2017

OPENING PRAYER THOUGHT

   I shall read from The Mount of Blessing, pg. 155, beginning with the second paragraph.

   M.B. pp. 155, 156 — “The very first step in approaching God is to know and believe the love that He has to us; for it is through the drawing of His love that we are led to come to Him.

   “The perception of God’s love works the renunciation of selfishness.  In calling God our Father, we recognize all His children as our brethren.  We are all a part of the great web of humanity, all members of one family.  In our petitions we are to include our neighbors as well as ourselves.  No one prays aright who seeks a blessing for himself alone.

   “‘Which art in heaven.’  He to whom Christ bids us look as our Father,’ ‘is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.’  In His care we may safely rest, saying, What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.'”

   What does the reading instruct us to pray for? — For an appreciation of God’s love and for better understanding of Him; for the right understanding of what it means to pray the Lord’s prayer; for wisdom to know why we address God as our Father, why we are members of one family, brethren of one household; for grace to remember to pray not for ourselves only but for our neighbors, and even for our enemies.

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WHAT MAKES ONE ELIGIBLE?TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTSSABBATH, SEPTEMBER 21, 1946MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS  

A number of brethren have written to me from time to time, wanting to know what makes them eligible to receive the Seal of God.  Some want to know whether they will be sealed by doing this or by doing that.  Others want to know whether they will be left without the seal by not doing this or not doing the other.

   The questions are indeed very timely and commendable.  Such vital questions deserve answers as concrete as are the questions themselves.  And who can give a more concrete answer than those who have gone before us, those whose duties were similar to ours, those who were passing through a similar experience, those who traveled the same road that we are traveling, those who were preparing themselves for the Kingdom as are we.

   In whom do we find such a parallel? — In no others than those who left Egypt and started for the promised land.  No, in none others.  They are our only type.  Says Inspiration: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11.)  Their duties, therefore, are our duties, and their failures should be our stepping stones to success.  Thus it is that the deeds of those who entered into the promised land must be our

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deeds, and if we are to be sealed, then the deeds of those who failed to enter therein, we must shun as completely and as quickly as we would shun a lion’s den.

   We are now to find out why some of them went into the promised land, and why others did not go in, for this is what Inspiration commands us to do.  This scripture implies that if the experiences of ancient Israel had not been for ensamples, they would never have been written.  How important, then, that we diligently study them.  Yes, in order for us to know what we must do or must not do to receive the seal and to enter into the Promised Land, we must examine the deed of both those who entered it and of those who were left out of it.

   Let us begin our examination by starting with Moses, with the human agent, the visible leader of the movement.  Reared in the courts of Pharaoh, he received the highest education the world then offered.  And having understood that he was the one to free his brethren from Egyptian bondage, he felt quite capable for the job.

   You remember the story of how he started out to deliver them although he was not yet told to do so.  He killed an Egyptian, fell into a quarrel with one of the Hebrews, and then fled for his life.  So it was that in Midian he obtained a job, became a shepherd, and married his employer’s daughter.  During those forty years of shepherd’s life he forgot the Egyptian language, and with it the Egyptian learning.  In its place, though, he learned to tend well to sheep.  He therefore dismissed from his mind the idea of ever delivering the people of God from their Egyptian bondage.  Then it was that God saw him strong and well able, and commanded him to go back to Egypt and to bring

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out of it His groaning people.  You recall that Moses protested against the idea and argued that he had failed at his first attempt, the time he was young and well-informed and that at that late hour of his life he was not trying again, that he could no longer even speak the language.  After a prolonged conversation God removed his objections by promising to give him his brother, Aaron, to be his spokesman, and Moses finally consented to return to Egypt.

   There with his shepherd’s rod he performed many signs and wonders before both the Egyptians and the Hebrews.  And you remember what took place the night of the Passover, the night before they left Egypt: Moses had proclaimed throughout the land that in every dwelling where no blood was found on the doorpost, that very night the firstborn in each such dwelling would die.

   Those who disobeyed the Divine injunction, were, on the day following busily moaning and burying their dead, while those who obeyed the command were joyously and orderly marching out of the cities.  Yes, only those who were able to take orders were made free from slavery.  It is, therefore, prerequisite that we learn to take orders if we are to receive the seal of God in our foreheads.

   Let us not forget, though, that the children of Israel left Egypt with great zeal and high hopes.  But when they saw the Red Sea ahead of them, and Pharaoh’s army behind them, they were filled with consternation.  They saw themselves in a death trap although they were at the brink of another marvelous deliverance.  Then they turned on Moses and accused him of bringing them to the sea, of making their escape from their enemies absolutely impossible.

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   Humanly viewing the situation, they were in a precarious predicament.  In that moment they forgot their miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh’s taskmasters and their eyes closed to the wondrous cloud by day and pillar of fire by night that had led them all the way.  As they saw it, the evidence against Moses’ ability to lead them safely was overwhelming.  Insofar as they were concerned, the whole venture appeared doomed to failure.  Their hopes of going ahead or of even going back left them, and all because they thought Moses, not God, was their deliverer!  How shortsighted, unstable, doubting, and forgetful human beings are!  Experience in the gospel work has taught me that God’s people of today have the same tempter to contend with, and similar temptations to overcome if they are to receive the seal of God.

   What a great difference would there have been had the Israelites only believed that God, not Moses, was their Leader, that that which appeared to be their death trap, was their door of hope.  Let their experience teach us to remember that God is either leading us altogether or not at all, that His ways are not; our ways, and that what may appear to be our greatest obstacle, may actually turn out to be our greatest blessing.

   Israel’s real danger, we now see, was not in what Moses did, but in their unbelief of God’s having the reins in His hands, in not knowing that His ways are beyond finding out — contrary to ours.  They failed to see that God could again and again perform miracle after miracle to deliver them from their enemy’s hand, that He could dry the ocean as easily as He could flood the earth.

   Having their failures before us, we should make

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them our stepping stones to success.  Let us therefore wholeheartedly believe that God is in charge of our salvation, of our lives and of our death, too.  That He is able to take us to safety even if the earth should drop out of space, that we cannot die if He wants us alive, and that we cannot live if He wants us dead.  Let us ever bear in mind that we of ourselves know nothing about God’s plans except as told through His appointed servants, the prophets, and as we witness them day by day.  If we daily walk with God, if we commit all to Him, then the responsibility is all His.

   God, in His wisdom, brought Israel to the Red Sea for their own good, and though they could not see it His way, He nevertheless for His Name’s sake divided the sea, took them safely across, and at the same time, by the same miracle, He destroyed their enemies!

   Had Moses been as doubtful of God’s power and leadership as were the people that were with him, what effect would his rod have had as he struck the sea with it? — None whatsoever.  If the Judgment of the Infinite were the same as the judgment of the finite, then Pharaoh’s army would have either killed or enslaved Israel anew.

   Their mighty deliverances should, therefore, forever establish our confidence in God, and should stand as everlasting memorials that the wisdom of men is foolishness with God, and that faith in Him does actually remove mountains and seas, too.

   Notwithstanding these ensamples, though, men still expect God to work in accordance with their judgment, and that is why sometimes He uses children in

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His work instead of wise and prudent men.

   The Hebrew host well knew that they were led to the sea by following the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  Yet none of these wonders seemed to have made any lasting impression on them.  There is a danger that we, too, may forget the way the Lord has led us.

   After Israel crossed the sea, and after the sea closed in on their enemies, they all sang and gave God the glory, but though Pharaoh’s army and the sea were no longer objects of fear but of interest, their trials, doubts, and fears were not yet at an end: Almost immediately after they saw the sea behind and the desert ahead they began to recriminate Moses for having brought them into the desert to starve there for want of water and food.  It never entered their minds that if God can dry the sea, He can certainly flood the desert and make it blossom as a rose.  Notwithstanding their doubts and their moanings God again performed an even greater miracle: He caused water to gush out of the rock and He brought manna from Heaven!

   Today as in Moses’ day many are duplicating the sins of that people: Some are all on fire on day, and all on ice the next.  Others praise God to the top of their voices while their ship is smoothly sailing, but when the sea becomes rough and the waves start beating against them, then they see only a man at the wheel and rather than expecting God to calm the sea they begin to hunt for a jumping off place.  Still others are constantly trying to promote themselves by continual fault-finding against the ones that bear the whole burden of the load.  So it is that there must be among us today — antitypical doubters, complainers

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office seekers and faultfinders, admitting one great truth one day and forgetting it the next day — yet expecting to be sealed with the seal of God and to stand with the Lamb on Mt. Zion!

   The Lord fed His ancient people with Angel’s food, the kind their work and climate required.  He delivered it fresh daily, and it did not cost them one cent.  All they had to do was to bring it into their tents and to eat it.  But they disliked the manna, and wished they were back in Egypt eating from its flesh pots, “the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick.”  In their eyes, Moses was the greatest of sinners, and they blamed him for every trial of their faith.  Had God given them something other than manna, they would have been just as dissatisfied with it because an evil spirit was in them.  Let us gladly and with thanks eat and drink what the Lord gives us and when He gives it to us.

   You recall that by craving flesh food they made the situation unbearable for Moses.  So, to their great surprise quail filled the camp, and the multitude carried them into their tents.  But at what a cost!  Thousands of them died even while the flesh was yet between their teeth.  Then they understood that the manna was the better food.  It was a great lesson, but an expensive one.  What about us Vegetarians?

   Their murmuring, however, did not end even then.  They found something else to murmur about.  They grew jealous of Moses and of Aaron.  “They are taking too much on themselves,” the office seekers complained.  “We are just as much favored of God as are Moses and Aaron.  God speaks with us as much as He speaks with them,” they said.  And who were the chief complainers? — The princes of the nations, the

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men who were the most capable, the very ones who should have known better.  Those who could have been the greatest help to Moses became the biggest hindrance to him.  They wanted Aaron’s office; they wanted Moses’ office.  They refused to be satisfied with anything less.  The Lord Himself got nowhere with them.  The only thing He could do was to cause the earth to swallow them.  Thus in one day thousands — practically all the so-called wise — fell into the bowels of the earth.  Are we, too, seeking office by which to exalt self and are we, too, endeavoring to usurp the seat of the Spirit of Truth?

   Finally, the emancipated children of Israel came to the borders of the promised land.  And though they had witnessed great miracles right along, yet they did not believe that God could procure the land for them!  They had seen that He was able to deliver them from Pharaoh’s brick yards, to take them dryshod through the sea, to destroy their enemies, to give them food and water in the desert where there was none to be had, yet they did not believe that He was able to take the land for them and that He could finish what He had started!

   There are thousands today who are doing virtually the same when they say, “Isaiah, chapter 2, Micah, chapter 4, Jeremiah, chapter 31 and Ezekiel, chapters 36 and 37 will never be fulfilled.”  It was those who were of age, those who should have known better, that started the ball rolling down hill to destruction.  The youth, of course, must have echoed the murmurings of their elders, but the Lord did not hold it against them.  And in order to salvage the youth, God had to bury all their murmuring parents except the two faithful, trusting men who protested against the evil report of the other ten spies.  Mark you, every adult that

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left Egypt, except Caleb and Joshua, had to be buried before the youth could cross the Jordan!  Why? — Because though God did take them with ease out of Egypt, He could not get Egypt out of them.  Are you still wondering why the prophet Elijah must “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers”? (Mal. 4:6.)

   Christians often think that the Israelites were very wicked and unruly people, but after having their experiences to profit by, think how much worse we would be if we do as they did!  If we do no better than they, how can we expect to be eligible for the seal and for the Kingdom since they were not eligible?

   In the very prime of life, Moses thought himself capable of delivering the children of Israel.  But Providence said: “You are not fit for the work, come out and I will make you fit.”  And out Moses went.

   He did not need Pharaoh’s training in order to do God’s work.  It was a hindrance to him!  Why?  Because it made him self-sufficient, independent of God.  Such a person would be the right one to lead God’s people away from Him and into sin, but the wrong one to lead them to God and away from sin.

   How true the statement in Testimonies, Vol. 5, pg. 80: “…In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged.  They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and he cannot use them.  The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view.”

   God can help only those who know that they are unequal to their task, those who know that they need His help.  So, then, those who think that they can do wonders

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are the very ones who can do nothing but harm.

   Plainly, those whom God is to use in His final work, in the time of the end, are not to be anything like the Egyptian crown prince, not anything like the learned Moses.  Those who can learn to keep and feed sheep well and to readily take orders, are the ones who can be taught how to keep and feed God’s people.

   Moses’ wife was the only Ethiopian in the entire company.  For this reason some thought they were superior to her.  They thought that Moses had committed the unpardonable sin by marrying out of his nation, as though race had anything to do with making people superior or inferior.  Moses’ own sister, Miriam, was caught in that sin.  There she was, trying to break up his family, yet Moses prayed for her recovery when she was stricken with leprosy.

   Who went into the promised land? — All but the murmurers.  Do you suppose that you can entertain the same spirit of murmuring and complaining, and in spite of it receive the seal? — How absurd the very thought!  How unfair it would be for a just God to destroy the disobedient of that day, but to save the disobedient of this day.

   What made one group eligible to cross the Jordan? — It was their trust in God, knowing that He was their Chief Leader.  They recognized Moses and Joshua as the ones through whom God was communicating with them.  They did not look upon them as being anyone other than who they actually were.  They were satisfied with their lot.  They took orders as the orders were given.  So it was that they were the only ones who entered into the land.

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   Having these ensamples before us, this picture to go by, I can confidently tell whether I am headed for the Kingdom or whether I am headed for the bowels of the earth (Rev. 12:16).  And I am sure that you, too, can tell which way you are headed.  The Lord does not require more or less of us than He required of our types.  There is therefore no mystery as to what we must do, and what we must not do to receive the seal of God.

   We need not go into a land of wonderment, need not entertain the idea that we must have a mysterious feeling, exciting emotion, need not wallow in the dust or jump to the ceiling.  No, we need not make fools of ourselves.  All we need to do is be ourselves.  Be calm, decent, respectable, heaven-like beings, endeavoring to do God’s will on earth as it is done in heaven.  We need not make a display of ourselves, but we need to mind our God-given business and to keep our noses out of other people’s business.

   Only when we have done all we can to comply with the requirements of the message for today, not of yesterday, shall we be sealed and stand with the Lamb on Mt. Zion.

   Should we not be glad that while we are being invited to the Kingdom, we are also being told how to get there?  Seeing all these, we must never let our confidence in God wane.  We ought to be stable, firm in everything, lacking nothing.  God’s eleventh-hour servants, says Inspiration, are to be “a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it.” Joel 2:2.  They know what they believe, and believe what they know.  Most important of all, they know that they are led by God, not by man.

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   They are not like the Pharisees who were building monuments in memory of the dead prophets (Matt. 23:29-31) and at the same time were slaying the living ones!  With this light shining on our pathway, Hebrews, chapters 3, 4, 10 and 11 become self-interpreting.

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The Sacred Page

A glory gilds the sacred page,Majestic like the sun;It gives a light to every age,It gives, but borrows none.

The Spirit breathes upon the word,And brings the truth to sight;Precepts and promises affordA sanctifying light.

The hand that gave it, still supplies The gracious light and heat;His truths upon the nations rise,They rise, but never set.

Let everlasting thanks be thine,For such a bright display;It makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day.–Wm. Cowper (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, no.7 , p.15)    

Posted in Elijah Interpretations, Salvation | Leave a Comment »

“The 144,000, what we they be like?”

October 1, 2011

As the Lord’s appearance grows closer and closer, it is VERY important for us to know the “present truth” that most especially concerns us today. The 144,ooo servants of God truth, is  one of those most important truths to know right now, because it hastens on a pace towards us.. Let us look into this most exciting and profound subject, soon to be seen by ALL the world!

As many know the 144,000 are called the “servants of God.” And they will have a serious purpose and calling from God, and that is to bring in the “great multitude” from out of “babylon” (false churches). So just how important is the 144,000 company to us today? Look at what the last phophetess of God said “Let us strive with all the power that God has given us, to be a part of the 144,000.” This is quite a powerful and forceful statement she said, isn’t it?  She didn’t say ” Let us know and study the 144,000″ or “let us think about the 144,000”. She directly said  –Let  –Us –Strive— With —- All—–Power— God—–Has—Given—-Us—-To —-Be—-A—-Part—-Of—-The—144,000. If this is something we must strive for with “all our power”, let us seriously know more about this group.

In her very first vision, Ellen G. White saw the 144,000 in her vision. God saw to it, that He wanted her to see a most important vision right off the get go. For He knows this is now applicable for OUR times, our “present truth”. Here’s some of that first vision.

“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. At our happy holy state, the wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us, to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch for the hand in the name of the Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was that the synagogue of satan knew that God had loved us, who could wash one another’s feet, and salute the brethren with a holy kiss, and they worshiped at our feet.”(Early writings p.15)

In the above words we can gain alot about the 144,000.  First, you’ll notice they are “sealed and united.”  This sealing can no doubt be from that mentioned in Revelation. But also important is that they are united, meaning they think alike, talk alike, live alike, because the Lord’s way is their way. EGW describes them in (Early Writings p.271)  “I heard those clothed in armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect.”  Being sealed with God’s full Holy Spirit, they do indeed have “armor” on!

But we also notice that they have a physical power, even merely stretching out their hands will stop the evil people right in their tracks!  This is all due to the “full” power of the Holy Spirit coming upon them. Healings, signs and wonders will be also be done all over among this gifted of God. Finally she notes that the “synagogue of satan ….they worshiped at our feet.” This is describing the amazement that many of the wicked will see, and hence they will be overwhelmed by the power of God’s chosen ones and decide to switch camps, as it were.(meaning coming out of the Sunday churches into God’s Sabbath church.)

One of the most important aspects that we see about the 144,000 is that they have “No deceit in their mouths.” (Rev. 14:5) “And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before God.” Brothers and sisters, this is SO VERY important. When we speak and commit to something–we must do it! If you carelessly speak commitments and promises and renege on them, according to God, don’t even think about being among this group.(Isaiah 63:8) ” For He said ‘Surely these are My people, Children who will not lie.’ So He became their Savior.”

Now let us look at scripture that tells us more about this most special group. Let us first look at Isaiah’s prophecies about them. (Isaiah 62:11) “Indeed the Lord has proclaimed, to the end of the world: ‘ Say to the daughter of Zion, Surely your salvation is coming; Behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. And they shall call them The Holy people, The redeemed of the Lord, and you shall be called sought out, a city not forsaken.” Here we see some words that go along with EGW, notice the 144,ooo are called  “Holy, Redeemed, and Sought out.”  The lost of babylon notice all this and seek out these “Holy” of God.

(Isaiah 60:1) “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Again we notice how God’s “glory” is with them, attracting the people all over the world to come be a part of God’s true church kingdom.

(Malachi 3:16) “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them. So a book of remebrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall me Mine’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”  In these words, we see that the Lord has searched prior to the “day” He makes them His jewels (144K)  for those who “feared” Him, meaning those who have held Him in holy reverance.

They actually pray fearfully to Him, to be right with Him, to want to not be found carelessly assuming they are right, when they were all wrong. They desired of the Lord to be shown the way to live righteously. They were never haughty and careless. They then are “remembered” by the Lord for this holy “fear”.

Let us remember that so very soon, our Lord has promised in His word,  to visit His churches unannounced and unseen (EGW   Test. to Ministers  p.445-Ezekiel vision chapter 9  &  1Peter 4:17) right before the 144,000 embark on their final duty and journey, to set up His Church Kingdom in front of the world’s  heathen.

In the her book, the Great Controversy, EGW explains most clearly this “special work” our Lord does. (Page 425) “While the investigative judgement is going forward (it is still proceeding) in heaven, while the sins of the penitent believers are being removed from the Sanctuary, there  is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon the earth”. Notice this work of “putting away” of sin in done HERE ON EARTH. This is the “sealing and cleansing “act of our Lord and His angels. This also is clearly identified by EGW in GC P.426  “This coming (final coming in the clouds) and the coming of the Lord to His Temple, are distinct and seperate events.”

On the same page (P.425) look what this “work” accomplishes “Then the Church which our Lord at His coming is to receive to Himself will be a ‘glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle , or any such thins” (Ephesians 5:27)  So once the Church is made whole and clean by the Lord, and no longer having the uncoverted and sinners in her midst, she will “look forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” (Song of Solomon 6:10) These 144,000 can now do their final work to bring in the vast multitude.

The 144,000 will be chosen and sealed because of their righteous ways . They LIVE the Holy 10 Commandments daily(not just profess them) , and they sigh and cry when they see sins done in  their midst (meaning in their lives and in church). Let us indeed “strive” with all the power God has given us to be among the 144,000.

Your servant, in Christ, Rob

Posted in Salvation, Who are the 144K? | 8 Comments »

” The 144,000 “

May 28, 2011

Recently many in the world braced for a startling “end of the world” as we know it on May 21, 2011.  The false prophet Harold Camping AGAIN was wrong in predicting the end of the world or in  his words the ” rapture” of 200,000,000. Yet far from being the end of the world, instead  it would be a monumental day in my Christian walk. I would be  “stunned” by the end of that day. The Lord told me something beyond doubt that would shock me, but it WAS CLEAR and has greatly affected me. I must share this in a spirit of hope but also stern warnings.

I must tell you upfront,   due to the most important nature of this message it will be the longest I have ever posted .

Last week I posted on another site, how apostle John,  and how God had trusted him to write His last book to humanity(Revelation). It would be the “deep” things of God, which God knew John understood and was worthy to write. Of those deep things, possible the most mysterious and baffling is the subject of the 144,000 sealed “servants”. I was not unlike the many who were stumped as to the direct meaning of this. So I have prayed for a while “Lord, is that a literal number or a symbolic one, please guide me as to the correct understanding of this?”  I didn’t forget to remind Him I wanted the truth on this matter, for it was growing more  and more of a concern. Let me tell you why it concerned me.

The Lord works things out in His perfect way.When I was a
baby SDA member, I remember being asked by “oldtimers” of the church to go to lunch at the local restaurant. Thinking nothing of it, I said sure. Later as my walk developed I learned it was a “bad” thing to do on the Sabbath- buy and sell (Nehemiah 10:31). So then I scratched my head and wondered  — how is it that these people who have been Seventh Day Adventist for so long think nothing of breaking God’s CLEAR instruction on keeping His Holy Day–HOLY?”   That bothered me. His word was ignored for their “customs”.

Then later as I began to become familiar with the church and the people,  I discovered many would not keep their word with me. We would talk and agree to do something and I would notice nothing would come about what we discussed. As if we never discussed it! I didn’t feel right about reminding them so I just blew it off. It was the motivation for my post “Just how important is our word?”  listed under “keeping our word” on www.oursword.blogspot.com in Feb. of this year. This also greatly bothered me.

Believe me I am far from being perfect, but I do believe in the basic good principles of keeping my word and GOD’S WORD. These two CANNOT be compromised! As I let go of my Idols (things I put before the Lord) I can see sin clearer and clearer and my walk grows.  I have hid in my heart the following words of God  (Isaiah 59:2-3) “But your sins have seperated you from your God , so that He will not hear you. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered unrighteousness.” God CANNOT listen if we insist on doing unrighteousness.

Then the MOST disturbing thing happened about a month ago. One of our local churches , the Desert Hot Springs Seventh Day Adventist church, I learned owned a large property next door to the church. As I happened to be driving by it, it occured to me to stop by one of the businesses that was in the large property the church owned. It was a chiropractor office. I got their number from the sign and I called and asked ” Are you guys opened on Saturday?”   They said  “Yes we are”. I said thanks and hung up. I was in mild shock and many thoughts ran through my mind.

As I was driving down the road after I heard that I couldn’t contain myself and wept. I felt so sad and devestated for our Lord. Here was His “professed” people telling people to keep His holy Laws and His Sabbath yet profaning His Holy day right in front of His face!!  The words of His Commandment “within your gates” are dead words to that churches leaders.

The Lord was watching all this. What I would do?, how I would respond to these abominations? HE REMEMBERED MY EARNEST PRAYER! The 144,000. He would not let me down and would answer this BEYOND DOUBT.

I did not know this scripture ( Ezekiel 9:4) “…set a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof “. But I soon was to know in a big way.On the eve of May 21, I prayed again to know the truth of the 144,000. Because I had been thinking that just maybe this was the actual saved “servants” number somehow(within the SDA in these last days),  due to all the unrighteousness I was witnessing in our SDA churches. The next morning (Sabbath) I got two signs CONFIRMING it was a real literal number. But the clincher was a sermon the Lord guided me to hear. It was SO CLEAR I must tell you IT IS A MUST TO HEAR!  If you never listen to anything else I say PLEASE listen to this. Your salvation may very well depend on what is discussed in it because it applies to today’s truth for those professing the Lord.

If anyone who is of the SDA faith say’s that the sealing of Ezekiel and Revelation are not one and the same sealing, then they do not   believe Ellen White’s words were inspired of God, plain and simple. That means ALL her words cannot be relied upon. We cannot pick and choose.

The sermon is called “The 144,000, who are they?” you can order this free CD, and some other end time CD’s from this site http://www.11th-hourministries.org/audio/cd_request.html or if you prefer, you can listen now online to it here http://shepherds-rod-speaks.org/2010/11/the-144000-who-are-they/ 

The speaker , brother Glenroy Matthews ,  ties in beautifully Ezekiel, Revelation and Ellen White’s writings (I believe she was indeed a Prophetess).I found NO ERROR in this sermon (believe me I even triple checked it’s references). It reveals truths that  many in their wildest dreams aren’t  aware of. The truth I have learned is that Ellen White said that the Revelation sealing and Ezekiel 9:4 sealing are ONE AND THE SAME!

But our Lord had been watching me observe so much sin and error of the people around me that He knew I was ready for these truths. I now am called by God to share it without compromise. I feel a sense of power yet BIG responsiblity because THERE IS HOPE but also a most serious warning I must give.

The next night I got a dream (further confirmation). In it I am helping someone find a key to a locked room, someone gives me a large book, it has alot of numbers and many pages. I quickly scan down to the middle of page and find the right number which helps find the key. The people are amazed and so am I.  The Lord was telling me I have a new “key of truth”. a very hard to find important truth that I must use to help people open their hearts and mind to the truth.

Now, I would like to reveal more of what I have been shown. Basically God has two people in the world right now . The “gamers” and the “non-gamers”, meaning that the gamers are those professing and trying to follow His word(varying degrees of success). The non-gamers are out of the stadium, not even “trying” to keep His word, they don’t care and are sold out to the lusts of this world.

Of all the gamers, He is watching closely the ones who have “the truth” in the form of His Laws. This defintely would be the Seventh Day Adventists. They know above all other denominations the “truth” as said in scripture. BUT  because of this truth known  by these people there is a big responsiblity and accountabilty to the Lord. Once we know about the Sabbath and His Commandments, we must keep it holy and WALK IN THEM.

And here is the most important part of this whole message   WE  MUST  HATE  SIN!  Let me repeat that   WE  MUST  HATE  SIN!  For God knows we truly love Him if we hate sin, because when we do, we are professing we LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS. Ellen White nails it when she wrote “The Lord abhors indifference and disloyalty in a time of crisis”. She also said (desribing the end times) of God’s people “They will feel most strongly the wrongs done by God’s professing people”.

The STARTLING truth I have been told is that you must “sigh and cry” for sins you see and hear. Admonishment MUST come from you if you are made aware of sin. For by doing so you are no longer connected to it and can “save” yourself from that sin.

I certainly was hurt by the what is done by that church and made attempts to contact the general conference and let them know. The man in charge,  I was told was a Ernest Furness ( Ministerial Director) I spoke to him over two weeks ago and he said he would check into it–nothing back from him yet. for some reason I don’t think I will hear ANYTHING back!  My point is I will not sit idley by and play the fiddle while Rome burns.

So we must not go through the motions in these last days, for the Lord spoke the truth when He said (Matt 7:14) ” ..Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and ‘few’ (the translation here in greek is puny, which means very tiny)  will find it.”

The 144,000 sealed servants of God will come from the Commandment keeping people and will then go out and save people (Called the Great Multitude in Revelation)  from the “babylon”(False teaching Churches)  to bring in the total saved before the Sunday law takes effect (mark of the beast).So God’s church will be “purified” and a “clean vessel” to go out and do His final work.

Please be zealous my friends, like my friends at www.keepnotsilent.com they are out in the field watching and protecting God’s word and Laws. We will make it, be assured,  IF we love Him with all our heart and walk in His Laws and hate sin. We call it out and let Him know we can be counted on to try to go out and keep the wayward from dying. This is TRUE LOVE, to warn a wayward soul!   Amen.   Ps. the sermon will tell you much more truth about the 144,000.     in Christ,  your servant Rob

Posted in Salvation, Who are the 144K? | 10 Comments »

What is Salvation?

March 12, 2011

In these last days many are preaching a very complicated message on how to be “saved”. Some are saying you must know the correct “name” of God. Some are saying you must understand the Trinity completely. Others are saying “Grace” alone is all you need to be saved. Your life of sin can continue, it is God’s grace alone that get’s you to heaven.

But to truly know “how to be saved” and to get eternal life, let us look at what our Lord’s word says clearly about “how”. In (Matt 19:16) we see a certain man ask just this very important question, he asked ” … Good Master, what good must I do that I may have eternal life?”   This young man wanted to hear Jesus tell the plain simple truth to eternal life. He got it STRAIGHT AND TO THE POINT from our Lord. (Matt 19:17) “…If you wish to enter eternal life, KEEP  THE  COMMANDMENTS”.

On this last verse, it is extremely important to know it has implications for your salvation. We must study it deeply and understand it’s powerful message.  Some mis- guided souls think Jesus is talking about His “general” commands and not the Holy 10 Commandments. But is that really true?

The word Commandments in this verse is “Entole” in the original Greek language . Jesus said we must keep  “Entole”. Further, just so we (and that young man)would know “what” Commandments He was talking about, in verse 18  Jesus quotes directly from  some of the HIS 10 Commandments ( no murder, no stealing, no  false witness, etc.) Here Jesus equated “Entole” to the 10 Commandments.

After I learned that “Entole” means the Holy 10 Commandments I was curious to know if the Sabbath Commandment was ever addressed –Entole (?) Seek and you shall find!  YES IT IS. In (Luke 23:56) we read “… They returned, and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath , according to the Commandment ( Entole). So it is clear when Jesus said that in order to enter eternal life  WE MUST KEEP THE ENTOLE ( Commandments). It can’t get any clearer than this.

But I want to make something very clear. I am SAVED by Jesus’ blood first and FOREMOST! Try as hard as I might I could never  keep the holy 10 Commandments(In this life) good enough to please God. Jesus’ sacrifice covers me in my failures BUT I must keep trying daily to obey them . I CANNOT quit trying and say ” Oh my Lord did it all, I can live sinfully (trespass His Commandments regularly) and claim eternal life”. NO WAY!

Let’s understand this right. Jesus will save us FROM our sins not IN OUR SINS. Jesus wants  me to progress, be a better Christian one month from now than what I am today. His Holy Spirit guides me and I am ABLE to walk righteously and obey His Commandments.

It is so sad to know many are claiming Jesus’ sacrifice and not making an effort to “keep” His Entole.If you trample His holy Sabbath each week, you deny His words and to deny His words is to DENY HIM and His ENTOLE!   We don’t even “know” Him if we don’t keep His Entole. ( 1 John2:3-4) ” This how we know we know Him, if we KEEP HIS ENTOLE.  He that says ‘ I know Him ‘ and does not keep His Entole, is a liar and the truth is not in him”.

He has given us salvation unto eternal life should we love Him as he said to? (John 14:15) ” If you love Me keep my Commandments ( Entole)”. Again, it is SO CLEAR what Jesus wants.

So to summarize , our salvation is simple –Love our Lord and fellow man and KEEP His Entole. (Rev 22:14) confirms this salvation plan “Blessed are they that DO HIS ENTOLE, that they may have the right to the tree of life”  Amen my Lord!

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