To continue with our series, we’ll discuss more about the “great bypass” as it were. The SDA leaders bypassing the end time prophecy of the Gospel Kingdom. “
Let’s look again at one of the references we showed in part one.
“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”(Daniel 2:41-44)
Notice that “in the days of THESE KINGSthe God of heaven willl set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed..”
This is no small point, infact it gives us great clarity of “when” this kingdom will be set up. As shown in Daniel 2:31-35, Daniel was describing the great image that the king dreamed. Below is that image —
Spirit of Prophecy tells us helpful information about the toes , mixed with Iron and clay.
“We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay..”( 15 MR, p.39)
“Our position in the image of Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the toes..” ( Testimonies, vol.1, p.361)
So we see that today we are living in the time of the ten toes– our present world. The kings referred to are the rulers today, their governments partly strong and partly fragile. Now notice IN their days, not after their days will God set up a kingdom. That means during our current world this kingdom will be set up! Daniel supports exactly what Ezekiel prophesied , as well as Jeremiah and many of the other prophets.
So with the preponderance of God’s word clearly showing the fact that God will have a kingdom set up in the last days, we can be assured, just as Isaiah said –the word of the Lord shall come from the Holy land.
Is this kingdom a worldwide kingdom? No. The arch enemy will fight it and ultimately counter with the Sunday Law to force many to not accept this kingdom. To correctly label it, we can describe it as the Gospel Kingdom. The Loud Cry headquarters from which the final message of the Lord shall come.
Let’s look at a striking prophesy by the Lord Himself. Often misunderstood by our SDA leaders.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”(Matt. 24:14)
Let’s rightly divide this word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). When we understand the promises of the Gospel kingdom, we can see that our Lord is talking of THIS KINGDOM, not the heavenly kingdom. You see, in order to make the heavenly we must first come into the earthly one. Those who are alive during this kingdom time will have a chance to “witness” the amazing pentecostal power and beauty coming from there. A fateful decision will have to be made by every single human alive during this time. No fence sitting!
The SDA leaders almost exclusively teach the aforementioned reference as Christ talking of the heavenly kingdom. So wrong they are!
Isaiah describes some what we will witness and its beauty.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.
And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people;For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious. It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.” (Isaiah 11: 6-12)
Before some say “Oh that’s talking of the earth made new” –no it is not. How do we know? Notice there are “Gentiles” during this time. In heaven or the earth made new , there shall be no Gentiles.
Inspiration shows us why.
“There is to be but one family tree in the Kingdom, the tree of Jacob, into which the Gentiles are grafted, as is seen from Romans 11.
This is further shown by the holy city wherein is no Gentile gate, but each of whose twelve gates bears one of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Hence, the Gentiles are saved through adoption—grafted into the original olive tree, and thus as naturalized citizens of Israel they inherit the Kingdom.( Answerer, vol. 3, p.76)
Ezekiel in Chapter 47 also describes this Gospel kingdom, particularly in the divisons of the holy land. There shall be new boundaries for the twelve tribes. Also the final temple sanctuary shall be built, chapters 40-43.
So all of these prophecies will be for a witness of God’s final message of the kingdom. The two armies take the field. The final battle for souls will be from God’s army (Joel 2:1-11) versus Satan’s army –false prophet and his miracles promoting the false Sabbath, Sunday.
There are generally three reasons the SDA leaders don’t proclaim this truth.
1) They are ignorant of it (not being guided by the Spirit of Truth John 16:13) 2) They say it was conditional (those promises were only for the Jews IF they were good)
3) Ellen White did not teach this Gospel Kingdom in the holy land. Therefore it’s not really applicable.
As most can see these are extremely poor and illogical reasons to brush God’s word away! Infact God , through the Elijah message, addressed this issue —
“Although the doctrine of the Kingdom may not appear quite so complete under the lens of Sister White’s writings as under the lens of the Rod, one dare not thus superficially reject either, but must the more studiously compare both views of the doctrine under the super-lens of the Bible. He must keep in mind that we are not given license to harmonize the Bible with any other writings, but are charged to measure all others by It.
First of all, in order to do justice to the Scriptures, to Sister White’s writings, and to the Rod the position of each on the subject must be viewed in the light of the Scriptures, which incontrovertibly teach that the Promised Land will be reinhabited by the Lord’s own converted people. (See Isaiah 2; Micah 4; Ezekiel 36, 37; Jeremiah 31-33).
As to Sister White’s statement in The Great Controversy, she is there speaking of the Kingdom complete, after the dead are raised, at the time the saints receive it. This was the only phase of the subject-the consummate phase that Providence had made known when she wrote. Now as the scroll of prophetic Truth has unrolled further since her day, the Kingdom in reality is seen to have an intermediate, Davidian phase, as well as the final one heretofore known.” (Answerer, vol. 2, p.74-75)
In closing our SDA leaders are indeed blind as Rev. 3 says, and sadly they “knowth not”. Full of false ideas and bypassing end time events to come! Let us not be fooled as they are, God’s promise is of this Gospel kingdom –get ready and watch.
(NOTE: we have added this picture solely for the beauty of it, and don’t neccesarily subscribe to 119 ministries views)
The Apostles assembled one last time in Jerusalem with Jesus and He spoke the following then ascended back to heaven.
Apostles — “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Jesus– “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by His own authority”. (Acts 1:6)
They had learned of the Great Teacher and they knew the Scriptures. Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Isaiah and the rest. They spoke of a kingdom of glory established on the earth, not neccesarily in heaven. Yes the Bible speaks of a heavenly kingdom but it also speaks of an earthly kingdom BEFORE that. It was a promise spoken over and over again such as —
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increaseI will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jer. 23:1-8)
“Thus says the Lord God: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God.” (Ezekiel 28:25-26)
“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”(Daniel 2:41-44)
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)
So with these promises of the Lord, how can any serious Bible student refuse to accept them? Afterall His word will not return void.
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
We shall indeed learn the full ramifications of the following promise of the Lord —
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14)
That promise is so misconstrued by our SDA brethren.
Unfortunately most SDA leaders do not proclaim these promises. There is a myriad of reasons and we shall go over them in part 2 (possibly adding a final part 3). This IS the final plans of the Lord and we would be wise to subscribe to these promises. His word is like a beautiful puzzle picture and if we miss placing these pieces in the puzzle picture we shall be held accountable. The Lord is serious about our knowledge of His word and promises.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being a priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6)
With the cares of this world many of us sit watching TV, being on the computer or handheld, or out for entertainment night after night, the Bible collecting dust on the shelve! Let that not be you or I.
A while back we did a video on this important topic. Please spend a short while listening to it as DJT needs our focus, not only for political reasons but for prophetic reasons. Be blessed and enlightened.
“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”
Here we read a profound statement and warning. Not only will all receive a close review and judgment of their lives but the “teachers” will be examined even more closely! That should make any present teacher of God’s word step back and ask “Am I sound in my doctrine? Am I keeping private interpretations out of my teachings? Am I absolutely sure I can be held to account from the Lord on my teachings?
Peter also gives us more —
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” ( 2 Peter1:20-21)
Sadly as I experience more time in the Lord’s word and watch our fellow brethren and their teachings, I am more and more alarmed at the lack of knowledge, the lack of respect for the word of God. The carelessness that many of today’s teachers exhibit in videos, written reports and sermons is indeed quite alarming!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)
Because we are living in the last days and the message of Elijah has come (for those who have received it), we should be keenly aware that the Lord gave us counsels on how to “rightly divide the word of Truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)
Basically they are–
1) Go by weight of evidence 2) Harmonize 3) Mark every word 4) Understand that light progresses
Therefore, we as “present truth” teachers should first and foremost follow counsel. But is this done? Most of the time, sadly no! Let us give some examples.
This SDA brother is teaching that the fall of the Twin Towers was the begining of the judgment of the living. See the specific area of 59:50 mark to 1:15:00 mark.
Then we have a well known pastor, Doug Batchelor, who while discussing the middle east leaves out two of the most central prophecies in end time events —
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord‘s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)
Also the last days great war over Jerusalem as spoken of in Zech. 14:1-8.
Amazing Facts recent video on the happenings in the middle east —
What is concerning is that most of these prvate interpreters are falsely giving final events timelines. The Lord’s message of Elijah clearly and without doubt gives us a straight, clear Biblical guide to end time events to soon occur.
In summary, our SDA church has largely not heeded the counsel of James 3:1, and as a consequence many Idols (false teachers) are in the midst. We MUST be careful dear brethren if we decide to take the up the duty of teaching. If we are listening to a teacher, we also must ask — “has this teacher accepted the final message of Elijah?” If not, he is likely to instill private interpretations, a thing forbidden in the Lord’s word. Then such “itching ears” will fall victim to their Idol, such as the followers fell for Korah in Moses’ time.
For those who wish to start their course in studying this final message of Elijah, see this link and commence. Be blessed.
I shall read from “The Mount of Blessing,” page 217, beginning with the first paragraph–
“But to-day mercy pleads with the sinner. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?’ The voice that speaks to the impenitent to-day is the voice of Him who in heart-anguish exclaimed as He beheld the city of His love: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!’ In Jerusalem, Jesus beheld a symbol of the world that had rejected and despised His grace. He was weeping, O stubborn heart, for you! Even when Jesus’ tears were shed upon the mount, Jerusalem might yet have repented, and escaped her doom. For a little space the Gift of heaven still waited her acceptance. So, O heart, to you Christ is still speaking in accents of love: ‘Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ ‘Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.'”
We should pray that we gladly respond to God’s merciful plea; that we realize that His aim is to save us from eternal ruin; that we should respond now in the day of salvation; that we know He is pleading for us today as He pled for Jerusalem at the time of His first advent; that the door of our hearts be never closed to Him.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 47
JACOB’S TIME OF TROUBLE;JUDAH AND ISRAEL GOING HOME
TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTSSABBATH, JUNE 28, 1947 MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS
We are now to continue the same subject which we have been studying from the book of Isaiah, but today we shall study it from the book of Jeremiah.
To begin with, we shall notice that the first chapters of the book deal with ancient Judah and Israel, with their sins and stubbornness of heart, and with their resultant dispersion throughout the Gentile nations. The thirtieth chapter, however, deals, not with the scattering of ancient Judah and Israel, but with the gathering of Judah and Israel in our day.
We shall now begin our study with the first three verses–
Jer. 30:1-3 — “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.”
Note that both Judah and Israel together have the promise of returning to their homeland. As this has
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never yet been realized, the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.
Jer. 30:4-6 — “And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?”
The cause of the fear here forecast is fundamentally needless and unnecessary, declares the Lord.
Jer. 30:7 — “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”
The people that have come to this antitypical time of trouble are returning to the homeland, are comforted. Apparently it is bad enough to frighten all, but God’s encouraging counsel is, “Fear not.”
Plainly, the burden of this chapter is concerning the antitypical returning to the homeland. Though terrible the trouble may seem, yet the outcome of it is to be the same as in the type. Right now we may not appreciate this study as we ought to, but the time is soon coming in which we will dig as fast and as hard for it as we would to get out from under an avalanche. Those who have but little faith in the Word of God though, the study will not do them much good. Now is the time to start cultivating the faith we need to have then.
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Jacob, our type, well knew that God had directed his return from Padanaram to the homeland, yet he trembled when he heard that Esau, with four hundred men were on the way to meet him. Besides, he was led to wrestle with the angel all night long. He prevailed only because he would not let the Angel go until He blest him. The final result was that on the morrow, Esau, rather than destroying the whole company, very kindly greeted Jacob with a kiss, and cordially invited him to return home! So when it all worked itself out, Jacob plainly saw that there was no need at all to have ever feared.
How encouraging that “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. That which happened to Jacob is sure to happen to us, and how comforting to know all this ahead of time. Now, if never before we should see that where there is a type there is also an antitype, and that where there is no type, there is no Truth.
Jer. 30:8 — “For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him.”
This verse plainly says that God is to free His people from the Gentile yoke, and that strangers [unconverted] shall no more trouble them.
Jer. 30:9 — “But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.”
No longer shall the followers of Truth serve others, but they shall serve the Lord, and a king whom God Himself shall provide.
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Jer. 30:10 — “Therefore fear thou not, O My servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.”
There is therefore no need of fear, but there is a need for faith in the promises of God.
Jer. 30:11 — “For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”
The punishment dealt to Israel is their being scattered among the Gentiles as amplified in the verses which follow. The time of freedom has nevertheless come, and for this we should be glad and give God the glory.
Jer. 30:12-19 — “For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore
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health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.”
After having gone through their captivity, the people shall fully realize God’s mercy and His wisdom to save them. They shall be happy forevermore, for He will multiply them in the land of their fathers, and there He will make them great.
Jer. 30:20 — “Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before Me, and I will punish all that oppress them.”
The Kingdom (the church purified and apart from the world) is to be as natural and as real as was the kingdom of ancient Israel, but there will be no sinners in It.
Jer. 30:21-23 — “And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto Me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto Me? saith the Lord. And ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.”
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Their nobles shall be of themselves; that is, this Kingdom shall be self-governing under theocracy. The word “behold” calls attention to something that can be seen and therefore implies that the Lord’s whirlwind is already doing its work. No wonder, then, that we are now having disturbance of all kinds, and heavy loss of life and property throughout the earth.
Jer. 30:24 — “The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have done it, and until He have performed the intents of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.”
The very fact that these truths are now revealed, and also the fact that the things foretold by the Scriptures are now taking place, plainly show that we are now living in the latter days, — the days in which we must consider the cause of the evils which envelop the whole world, and make our calling and election sure.
How thankful we ought to be that the Lord is feeding us with “meat in due season”! Though people kill one another by the millions in order to free themselves from the yoke of some other nation, Moses freed ancient Israel without a casualty. We should now know that faith removes mountains, while doubt ruins nations. We should no longer be fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written (Lu. 24:25) “Believe” was Jesus’ motto, and it should be ours, too. No doubters will ever enter His Kingdom.
These things are written “that ye might believe….” John 20:31.
There is but one sensible conclusion that you can come to, and that is to whole-heartedly accept and to comply with all the prophets have written. Let no one divert your attention from this Truth.
What is the marriage spoken of in “Christ’s Object Lessons “ p. 307, and in “The Great Controversy,” pp. 416, 427? In one instance, it is said to be “the union of humanity with divinity”; in another, “the reception by Christ of His kingdom”; in still another it is said that the marriage “takes place in heaven, while [the saints] are upon the earth” waiting “for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding.” Will you please clear this complex subject for me?
Answer:
Let us remember that these figures of speech, along with many others, are only illustrations of truths, not the truths in themselves. For example, the setting up of the Kingdom is illustrated, in one instance, by the “harvest;” the subjects of the Kingdom, by the “wheat”; and the kingdom itself, by the “barn.” Matt. 13:30. In another instance, the setting up of the Kingdom and the separation of the sinners from among the saints, are illustrated by the angels drawing “the net” to shore, then sitting down, segregating the bad from the good fish, and putting the good into “vessels,” but casting out of it the bad (Matt. 13:48). In this instance, the subjects of the Kingdom are represented by the good fish; and the Kingdom itself, by the “vessels.”
So, while it is true that the marriage of Christ is a “union of humanity with divinity,” it is also true that the marriage is “the reception of His kingdom,” for humanity makes up the Kingdom. Therefore, the marriage is equivalent to the coronation- the Kingdom itself, to the city, or bride- and the guests, to the saints, or subjects of the Kingdom. From this we see that when Christ receives His Kingdom, He indeed will unite humanity with divinity.
The reception of His Kingdom takes place in heaven while the saints are still on earth, as Daniel was shown: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Dan. 7:13, 14.
Bringing into prophetic focus this same event, Jesus declared parabolically: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for Himself a kingdom, and to return.” Luke 19:12. Note that He receives the Kingdom (acquires ownership of it) while He is away, not when He returns. (See The Great Controversy, pp. 426, 427).
So, the marriage is the coronation of Christ, which takes place in the heavenly temple when all His subjects on earth are made ready, while the work is drawing to completion, and probation to a close. Obviously, then, the marriage takes place before He comes to “receive” the saints unto Himself (John 14:3), and before they meet Him “in the air.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Afterwards is served the “supper.”
Consequently though the wedding takes place in heaven, the saints while on the earth are the prospective guests for the marriage supper. Then, after the marriage is solemnized in the Holy of Holies, Jesus descends from heaven and takes the guests unto Himself, so that where He is, they may be also (John 14:1-3). There they eat of the “marriage supper of the Lamb.”—The Great Controversy p. 427; Rev. 19:9. In this instance, while the saints are said to be the guests, the Holy City is said to be “the bride.” Rev. 21.9, 10.
Again: just before the marriage, when the saints are still on earth, their righteousness is said to be the bride’s (city’s) “fine linen.” Rev. 19:8.
The lessons that are taught by these and other illustrations become priceless jewels of truth to those who take heed to them.(Answerer, vol. 2, Question 44)
I shall read from The Mount of Blessing beginning on page 183, the last paragraph.
M.B. pg. 183 — If Christ is in you the hope of glory you will have no disposition to watch others to expose their errors. Instead of seeking to accuse and condemn it will be your object to help to bless and to save. In dealing with those who are in error you will heed the injunction Consider thyself lest thou also be tempted. You will call to mind the many times you have erred and how hard it was to find the right way when you had once left it. You will not push your brother into greater darkness but with a heart full of pity will tell him of his danger.
He who looks often upon the cross of Calvary remembering that his sins placed the Saviour there will never try to estimate the degree of his guilt in comparison with that of others. He will not climb upon the judgment seat to bring accusation against another. There can be no spirit of criticism or self-exaltation on the part of those who walk in the shadow of Calvarys cross.
From this we see that our need is to pray for Christ to abide in us so that instead of watching for opportunities to accuse or to condemn others and to expose their errors we shall seek every occasion to help them to bless them to save them. We should pray for a deep realization of our own sins pray that the spirit of criticism and self-exaltation be forever banished from us. Then we shall not feel free to mount the judgment seat and accuse anyone.
TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T HOUTEF, MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS SABBATH, FEBRUARY 1, 1947 WACO, TEXAS
This afternoon we shall continue our study of the book of Micah. Let us turn to the fifth chapter and begin with the first verse.
Micah 5:1 — Now gather thyself in troops O daughter of troops: He hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
You will notice that besides introducing a number of pronouns — he us they this verse also introduces several different topics: first a daughter of troops then the judge of Israel and a rod. Other subjects are introduced further along in the chapter.
Now to gain the vision and the lesson that Inspiration is anxious that we should from this scripture it is necessary that we study one subject at a time. And in order to do this we must group the verses according to subjects. Since the subject of verse one is the same as of verses 10-15, we shall quote them connectively:
Mic 5:1, 10-15 — Now gather thyself in troops O daughter of troops:…and it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strong holds: and I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images also will I cut off and thy standing images out of the midst of thee and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen such as they have not heard.
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These verses present a group of people — good and bad commingled — whom God is to cleanse. Then the scripture closes with Gods promise to execute vengeance upon the heathen. The mixed group of people wheat and tares very obviously constitute the church that is approaching the time of the harvest (Matt. 13:30) the time in which all idolators are to perish. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just…. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear let him hear. Matt. 13:49, 43.
We now come to the last part of Micah 5:1. The antecedent of the pronoun He is found in the preceding verse — chapter 4, verse 13. There quickly we see that it is the Lord Himself. Plainly then by the pronoun us Micah means himself and his people — Judah and Israel the church.
Clear it is that while the Lord with His message of warning and reproofs makes a siege against His people the adversaries gather together in groups to oppose. Such has been the case at the introduction of each newly-revealed Truth.
The church is logically called daughter of troops because her mother the Jewish church at the time of the introduction of the gospel of Christ gathered together in troops to oppose the Lord.
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Moreover being smitten in the face rather than in the back the Judge of Israel (Christ) must have been squarely facing them — speaking to them — the reason for which the Jews crucified Him. The verses that follow verse one again confirm the fact that the Judge is Christ. They that smite Him are of course His adversaries His enemies. Concerning them Inspiration says:
Mic 5:9 — Thine hand shall be lifted up upon Thine adversaries and all Thine enemies shall be cut off.
According to Christs parables the time His adversaries His enemies of progressive Truth are cut off is at the commencement of the purification of the church at the harvest time. Then according to Ezekiels prophecy the Lord commissions the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands saying Go ye after him through the city and smite: let not your eye spare neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. Ezek. 9:5, 6. The Spirit of Prophecy confirms this by saying:
Here we see that the church — the Lords sanctuary — was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of Gods power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief and they say The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil. He is too merciful to visit his people in judgment. Thus peace and safety is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show Gods people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men maidens and little children all perish together. — Testimonies Vol. 5, pg. 211. And through the apostle Peter Inspiration declares:
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Pet. 4:17.
Mic 5:2 — But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel Whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting.
There is no doubt that this verse predicts the birth of Christ the Judge of Israel Whose goings forth have been from everlasting.
Mic 5:3 — Therefore will He give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
Crucifying Christ and their refusing to return to the Lord there was nothing that could have been done for the Jews at that time but to give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth.
The pronoun she points to the daughter of Zion (Mic. 4:10). She is to bring forth her children while in the field while in the Gentile lands. Then the time of her sojourning is to end and she is to be delivered. In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth …and I will make her that halted a remnant…and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever. Mic. 4:6, 7.
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Mic 5:4, 5 — And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth. And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men.
When the children of the daughter of Zion return to Mount Zion they are to abide forever. Never again are they to be cast out among the Gentile nations. Never are they to be given up. The Lord is thus to make Himself great unto the ends of the earth. When she that travaileth shall have brought forth then the saints are to raise against the Assyrian seven shepherds and eight principal men that is all Gods shepherds and all His principal men including Christ the eighth.
Mic 5:6 — And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our land and when he treadeth within our borders.
The kingdom of Israel that was destroyed by Assyria and also the kingdom of Judah that was destroyed by Babylon even all the twelve tribes of Israel are to be delivered. –
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And I will declares the Lord make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be king over them and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them. Ezek. 37:22-24.
Mic 5:7 — And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord as the showers upon the grass that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men.
After the Judgment in the house of God takes place then it is that the remnant those that are left are to finish the work of the gospel.
Those who have trusted to intellect genius or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. 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. — Testimonies Vol. 5, pg. 80.
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Then it is that they the remnant of Jacob are to be gathered into their homeland after which they are sent as missionaries to the Gentiles that have not heard of Gods name and of His fame. Thus it is that those who escape alive from the Judgment of the Lord the remnant shall be as dew from the Lord as showers upon the grass. They shall wait for none in their missionary work. They shall bring all their brethren out of all nations for an offering unto the Lord. Isa. 66:15, 16, 20.
Mic 5:8 — And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver.
While Gods people are as dew and as showers to the righteous (Mic. 5:7) they are to the wicked as lions among beasts and flocks of sheep. In other words their gospel will save the penitent but destroy the impenitent.
Mic 5:9-14 — Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off. And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strong holds: and I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images also will I cut off and thy standing images out of the midst of thee and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
These verses can mean only one thing and that is that God will thoroughly purge His floor. He will take the fan in His hand and blow out the chaff He will destroy the sinners that are among His people. In thus purifying His church He will create a clean people a united and zeal-filled ministry. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice He declares with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Isa. 52:8.
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Mic 5:15 — And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen such as they have not heard.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Peter 4:17, 18.
That we miss no part of the lesson in this study let us recapitulate the main points.
To begin with a group of people — good and bad commingled — are brought to view. They as we have seen constitute the church that is approaching the time of harvest in which the wicked are to be severed from among the just. (Matt. 13:49).
While the Lord with a message of warnings and reproofs makes a siege against His people the adversaries gather together in groups ( troops ) to oppose. Then they are to be cut off. The horses (leaders) shall be cut off (discharged) and the chariots (gathering places) destroyed. Gods people are to be thoroughly purged of sin and sinners and only the penitent are to be left. They are the remnant of Jacob who shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid. Zeph. 3:13. They are to be gathered into their homeland from thence to go as missionaries to the Gentiles. To the penitent they are to be as dew and as showers but to the impenitent as lions among beasts and flocks.
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So the stir caused by Truths siege of the church and Its adversaries warring against It that is already beginning to arrest the attention of the world is to result in the cleansing of the church temple. Mal. 3:1-3
Thus is the Lord to finish His work on earth gather His people destroy the sinners and the heathen alike. Necessarily …the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. — Testimonies Vol. 5, pg. 80. Depth of mercy can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear Me the chief of sinners spare?
I have long withstood His grace Long provoked Him to His face Would not hearken to His calls Grieved Him by a thousand falls. There for me the Saviour stands Shows His wounds and spreads His hands God is love I know I feel Jesus weeps and loves me still.
We have been working in God’s vineyard for about 15 years now and it truly is a great feeling to see a brother or sister, in the faith, produce something so enlightening and informative! This video above is a must watch video, especially if you are Seventh-day Adventist or Davidian Seventh-day Adventist.
The Bible and Spirit of Prophecy references are used to show a comprehensive final event outline. There are details, ofcourse, that the final message of Elijah can expound upon but the general outline here is excellent. Be blessed.
As we witness a war in Israel, we should be concerned that prophecies may soon be fulfilled in rapid succession. We have put out a video explaining more about the final Gospel Proclamation headquarters. For Seventh-day Adventists in particular, we MUST know the times of the seasons we live in. For the link please click below. May you be blessed.
TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF, MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS SABBATH, FEBRUARY 1, 1947 MT. CARMEL CHAPEL WACO, TEXAS
OPENING PRAYER THOUGHT
I shall read from “The Mount of Blessing,” beginning on page 183, the last paragraph.
M.B., pg. 183 — “If Christ is in you ‘the hope of glory,’ you will have no disposition to watch others, to expose their errors. Instead of seeking to accuse and condemn, it will be your object to help, to bless, and to save. In dealing with those who are in error, you will heed the injunction, Consider ‘thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’ You will call to mind the many times you have erred, and how hard it was to find the right way when you had once left it. You will not push your brother into greater darkness, but with a heart full of pity will tell him of his danger.
“He who looks often upon the cross of Calvary, remembering that his sins placed the Saviour there, will never try to estimate the degree of his guilt in comparison with that of others. He will not climb upon the judgment seat to bring accusation against another. There can be no spirit of criticism or self-exaltation on the part of those who walk in the shadow of Calvary’s cross.”
From this we see that our need is to pray for Christ to abide in us, so that instead of watching for opportunities to accuse or to condemn others, and to expose their errors, we shall seek every occasion to help them, to bless them, to save them. We should pray for a deep realization of our own sins; pray that the spirit of criticism and self-exaltation be forever banished from us. Then we shall not feel free to mount the judgment seat and accuse anyone.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 14
A WORLD WIDE STIR, AND ITS RESULTS
This afternoon we shall continue our study of the book of Micah. Let us turn to the fifth chapter, and begin with the first verse.
Micah 5:1 — “Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: He hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.”
You will notice that besides introducing a number of pronouns — he, us, they, this verse also introduces several different topics: first a “daughter of troops,” then “the judge of Israel” and a “rod.” Other subjects are introduced further along in the chapter.
Now to gain the vision and the lesson that Inspiration is anxious that we should from this scripture, it is necessary that we study one subject at a time. And in order to do this, we must group the verses according to subjects. Since the subject of verse one is the same as of verses 10-15, we shall quote them connectively:
Mic. 5:1, 10-15 — “Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops:…and it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 15
all thy strong holds: and I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.”
These verses present a group of people — good and bad commingled — whom God is to cleanse. Then the scripture closes with God’s promise to execute vengeance upon the heathen. The mixed group of people, “wheat” and “tares,” very obviously constitute the church that is approaching “the time of the harvest” (Matt. 13:30), the time in which all idolators are to perish. “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just…. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matt. 13:49, 43.
We now come to the last part of Micah 5:1. The antecedent of the pronoun “He” is found in the preceding verse — chapter 4, verse 13. There quickly we see that it is the Lord Himself. Plainly, then, by the pronoun “us” Micah means himself and his people — Judah and Israel, the church.
Clear it is that while the Lord with His message of warning and reproofs makes a siege against His people the adversaries gather together in groups to oppose. Such has been the case at the introduction of each newly-revealed Truth.
The church is logically called “daughter of troops,” because her mother the Jewish church at the time of
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 16
the introduction of the gospel of Christ, gathered together in troops, to oppose the Lord.
Moreover being smitten in the face rather than in the back, the Judge of Israel (Christ) must have been squarely facing them — speaking to them, — the reason for which the Jews’ crucified Him. The verses that follow verse one again confirm the fact that “the Judge” is Christ. They that smite Him are, of course, His adversaries, His enemies. Concerning them Inspiration says:
Mic. 5:9 — “Thine hand shall be lifted up upon Thine adversaries, and all Thine enemies shall be cut off.”
According to Christ’s parables, the time His “adversaries,” His enemies of progressive Truth, are cut off is at the commencement of the purification of the church, at the harvest time. Then, according to Ezekiel’s prophecy, the Lord commissions the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands, saying, “Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.” Ezek. 9:5, 6. The Spirit of Prophecy confirms this by saying:
“Here we see that the church — the Lord’s sanctuary — was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light, and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say, The
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 17
Lord will not do good neither will he do evil. He is too merciful to visit his people in judgment. Thus peace and safety is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs, that would not bark, are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children, all perish together.” — “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pg. 211. And through the apostle Peter, Inspiration declares:
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Pet. 4:17.
Mic. 5:2 — “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
There is no doubt that this verse predicts the birth of Christ, “the Judge of Israel,” “Whose goings forth” have been from everlasting.
Mic. 5:3 — “Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.”
Crucifying Christ and their refusing to return to the Lord, there was nothing that could have been done for the Jews at that time but to give them up “until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth.”
The pronoun “she” points to the daughter of Zion
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 18
(Mic. 4:10). She is to bring forth her children while in the field; while in the Gentile lands. Then the time of her sojourning is to end and she is to be delivered. “In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth,…and I will make her that halted a remnant…and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” Mic. 4:6, 7.
Mic. 5:4, 5 — “And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.”
When the children of the daughter of Zion return to Mount Zion, they are to abide forever. Never again are they to be cast out among the Gentile nations. Never are they to be given up. The Lord is thus to make Himself “great unto the ends of the earth.” When she that travaileth shall have brought forth, then the saints are to raise against the Assyrian “seven shepherds, and eight principal men”; that is, all God’s shepherds and all His principal men, including Christ, the eighth.
Mic. 5:6 — “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.”
The kingdom of Israel that was destroyed by Assyria, and also the kingdom of Judah that was destroyed by Babylon, even all the twelve tribes of
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 19
Israel are to be delivered.
“And I will,” declares the Lord, “make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people, and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.” Ezek. 37:22-24.
Mic. 5:7 — “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.”
After the Judgment in the house of God takes place, then it is that “the remnant,” those that are left, are to finish the work of the gospel.
“Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent, will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. 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.” — “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pg. 80.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 20
Then it is that they, the remnant of Jacob, are to be gathered into their homeland, after which they are sent as missionaries to the Gentiles that have not heard of God’s name and of His fame. Thus it is that those who escape alive from the Judgment of the Lord, the remnant, shall be as dew from the Lord, as showers upon the grass. They shall wait for none in their missionary work. They shall bring all their brethren out of all nations “for an offering unto the Lord.” Isa. 66:15, 16, 20.
Mic. 5:8 — “And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.”
While God’s people are as dew and as showers to the righteous (Mic. 5:7), they are to the wicked as lions among beasts and flocks of sheep. In other words, their gospel will save the penitent, but destroy the impenitent.
Mic. 5:9-14 — “Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds: and I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.”
These verses can mean only one thing, and that is, that God will thoroughly purge His floor. He will take the fan in His hand and blow out the chaff, He
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 21
will destroy the sinners that are among His people. In thus purifying His church, He will create a clean people, a united and zeal-filled ministry. “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice;” He declares, “with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” Isa. 52:8.
Mic. 5:15 — “And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.”
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:17, 18.
That we miss no part of the lesson in this study, let us recapitulate the main points.
To begin with, a group of people — good and bad commingled — are brought to view. They, as we have seen, constitute the church that is approaching the time of harvest in which the wicked are to be severed from among the just. (Matt. 13:49).
While the Lord with a message of warnings and reproofs makes a siege against His people, the adversaries gather together in groups (“troops”) to oppose. Then they are to be cut off. The horses (leaders) shall be cut off (discharged) and the chariots (gathering places) destroyed. God’s people are to be thoroughly purged of sin and sinners and only the penitent are to be left. They are the remnant of Jacob who “shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 26, page 22
they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Zeph. 3:13. They are to be gathered into their homeland, from thence to go as missionaries to the Gentiles. To the penitent they are to be as dew and as showers, but to the impenitent, as lions among beasts and flocks.
So the stir caused by Truth’s siege of the church and It’s adversaries warring against It, that is already beginning to arrest the attention of the world, is to result in the cleansing of the church, “temple.” Mal. 3:1-3.
Thus is the Lord to finish His work on earth, gather His people, destroy the sinners and the heathen alike. Necessarily, “…the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true.” — “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pg. 80.
Depth Of Mercy
Depth of mercy! can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear, Me, the chief of sinners spare?
I have long withstood His grace, Long provoked Him to His face, Would not hearken to His calls, Grieved Him by a thousand falls.
There for me the Saviour stands, Shows His wounds and spreads His hands, God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps and loves me still.
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