“ There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is “present truth” that the flock needs now.”(Early Writings, p.63)
So in order to properly study present truth, the message of truth preached in our day can benefit from study guides or tools to help us “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)
In this light we will show some applicable references that will indeed help us.
Study tool no. 1 — MARK EVERY WORD
“…as there are no useless words in either of the writings, those who desire to know the truth must carefully mark every word, otherwise they will never comprehend the truth and, as a consequence, they will be driven by the winds as the waves of the sea until the winds cease blowing (probation closes), and they be left to sink down in their sins as do the waves in the sea.”(SC, vol. 2, no.7-8, p.10)
“…when we take into consideration the meaning of each word instead of making thoughtless and hasty conclusions, the Scriptures prove to be not only most perfect and wonderful and yet simple, but also inspiring, making wise the humble — and lightening the path of him who as did Christ, delights to do the will of God.” (SC, vol. 2, no. 2, p.3)
“..to him who digs deep into the well of salvation, and that can think and reason for himself. Such a one reads between the lines and notes the full value of each word.” (1 TG, no.45, p.22)
“Hold not to what fabricated ideas seem to make the Scriptures say, but grip tenaciously to what the Word, in simplicity, plainly says.” (Tract 10, p.13)
“..the only safe and sane procedure is to read closely every page of the solemn message contained in The Shepherd’s Rod publications. Let not a line escape your attention. Study every word carefully and prayerfully. Be earnest and diligent in your perusal of Truth, and “prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5:21. (5 Ans, p.29)
Study tool no. 2 — GO BY WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE
“Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives candid evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence.”(Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p.675)
“The weight of evidence” is the only fair and final criterion worthy of a Christian who must ever make an investigation for himself concerning purported truth.” ( 1 Ans, p.77)
“In considering the several scriptures bearing on this point and on the kindred points in question, we must base our conclusions solely on the weight of evidence, so that we may not only know all the truth, but also teach nothing but the truth” (Tract 9, p.6)
“Some who are anxious to risk Present Truth on the weight of what one inspired statement seems to say or imply, are thereby presumptuously or very ignorantly overlooking the “weight of evidence.” Others are doing this through shortsightedness, while still others are doing it to prop up certain cherished ideas of their own.” (3 Ans, p. 41-42)
“Says the Spirit of Prophecy, “Close reasoners and logical thinkers are few. ” “How many men in this age of the world fail to go deep enough. They only skim the surface. They will not think closely enough to see difficulties and grapple with them, and will not examine every important subject which comes before them with thoughtful, prayerful study, and with sufficient caution and interest to see the real point at issue. They talk of matters which they have not fully and carefully weighed. ”—“Fundamentals of Christian Education,” p. 27; “Testimones for the Church,” Vol. 4, p. 361. (3 SC, no.5-6, p.7)
Study tool no. 3 — HARMONIZATION
“Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements. ( 3 Ans, p.41)
“Those who are willing to risk all on the ground of one inspired statement and disregard another in order to carry out certain cherished ideas of their own… We would never try to establish an idea on the basis of agreeing with one passage of Scripture while disagreeing with another, for such a conclusion is as sure to be erroneous as if one should conclude that when the sun sets in the evening, it will never arise in the morning. The student of truth should harmonize”(2 SC, no. 1, p.5)
“Those who entertain the idea that there is only one sifting, and only first fruits, will never be able to harmonize every statement of the Bible and of the Spirit of Prophecy, for while their idea may perfectly harmonize in one instance, it will not in another. But the position of those who know the truth, and who all speak the same thing, will be in harmony with every inspired statement on the subject.” (2 SC, no. 12, p.7)
“No candid Bible student would build a theory upon an interpretation that would lead him to set aside all other scriptures on the subject. He will seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all of them, or else confess that he does not have the light on the subject.” (3 Ans, p.53)
“Though there is but one right interpretation of each Bible doctrine, yet a multitude of conflicting interpretation are in the Christian world today, with the result that it is split into many sects and schisms (heads), with no two believing alike.” (Tract 12, p.24)
Study tool no. 4 — USE THE STUDY CHARTS
“Written words can be misconstrued, but symbols cannot. Thus making it possible for the learned and unlearned, to immediately distinguish the difference between truth and error.” ( 2 SR, p.288)
While the enemy has succeeded in confusing the written Word, God lightens the earth with His glory by these symbolic revelations; and by which He discloses the entire truth and uncovers the traps of the devil! Thus through types and symbols He makes wise the simple and confounds the prudent by showing that where there is no type there is no truth. (2 SR, p.10)
For those who are serious in rightly dividing the word of truth, all these guides will certainly help you. To see the study charts , click this link. It may take a few minutes to load. Happy studying!
TEXT FOR PRAYERThe Good-Ground Hearer I shall read from “Christ’s Object Lessons,” beginning on page 60, third paragraph.
“The word of God often comes in collision with man’s hereditary and cultivated traits of character and his habits of life. But the good-ground hearer, in receiving the word, accepts all its conditions and requirements….
“And he brings forth fruit ‘with patience.’ None who receive God’s word are exempt from difficulty and trial; but when affliction comes, the true Christian does not become restless, distrustful, or despondent. Though we can not see the definite outcome of affairs, or discern the purpose of God’s providence, we are not to cast away our confidence. Remembering the tender mercies of the Lord, we should cast our care upon Him, and with patience wait for His salvation.
“Through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened. Trials well borne will develop steadfastness of character, and precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, and love often matures best amid storm-clouds and darkness.”
Let us pray that our spiritual perceptions be quickened so that we shall more readily understand God’s dealings in answer to our prayers; that through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened; that we throw not away our confidence when afflictions arise, but that like Paul we rejoice for having been accounted worthy to suffer in patience.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 2
CHRONICALLY ILL WITH TOO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND TOO LITTLE UNDERSTANDINGTEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF D. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTSSABBATH, FEBRUARY 14, 1948MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS
To illustrate the subject of our study this afternoon, let us take for example the book which the Denomination has put out on Daniel and The Revelation, the two most invalued books of the Bible. The book which I have in mind was originally entitled Thoughts on Daniel and The Revelation. It is written in scholarly fashion, and so convincing are its contents that thousands of copies have been sold all over the world in a number of languages. Anyone that can write a book like it, evidently has great knowledge. We should, however, examine to see how much understanding is there on the books of Daniel and of The Revelation themselves.
Take for example Revelation chapter 12, where it speaks of the 12-star-crowned woman. The Denomination in the book I mentioned explains that this woman is a symbol of the Christian church, that her sun-clothing is the Gospel of Christ, and the public seems to take it in very nicely.
But if the brethren were asked the question: “How could the woman be a symbol of the Christian church, and at the same time be Christ’s
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 3
mother?” They will have a time answering, for Christ Himself brought the Christian church into being thirty or more years after He was born. Consequently she could not be His mother.
And if they were asked, “How could the woman’s sun-clothing symbolize the Christian church clothed with the Gospel of Christ, as you contend?” they would have a hard time answering for she was clothed with the sun before Christ was born, and before the Gospel even came into being.
Were these questions put to the brethren, I am sure they would become profoundly confused in trying to answer. But the fact that no one asks these questions, shows that there is altogether too little understanding throughout Christendom.
Again you cannot deny the fact that the Denomination has made a very scholarly exposition of The Seven Trumpets, of plowing through such an intricate symbolism, propping their explanations of it with commentaries and history and making the people take it as nicely as they do. By their scholarly methods, though, they contend that the locusts which were released as soon as the Heavenly Star unlocked “the bottomless pit” at the sounding of the fifth trumpet (Rev. 9:1-3), are symbolical of the armies of the Mohammedans. This they do in spite of the fact that the locusts were not to kill anybody, but only to torment those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads, whereas the Mohammedans killed everybody that stood against them, especially the Christians, those who had the seal.
Moreover, the brethren explain that the 200,000,000 horses and horsemen that were to kill
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 4
a third part of men (Rev. 9:18), are symbolical of a Mohammedan cavalry, although the Mohammedans never had such a large cavalry in all their existence.
Furthermore, John the Revelator plainly tells that the horses’ tails were like serpents, and their heads the heads of lions belching fire, smoke, and brimstone. Contrary to these facts, the brethren say that the horses were common Arabian horses, that Turks armed with guns were riding them, that John failed to detect that the fire, smoke and brimstone came from the guns, not from the horses’ mouths.
I say for one to so garble the Scriptures and yet make people believe that he is thus unfolding Truth, he must have great ability, but too little understanding of the fact that if John was left to blunder in this part of his vision, he could have been left to blunder all through The Revelation, and that for anyone who thus voices his opinion of the Scriptures is not building but tearing down faith in all the prophets, causing one to say that if the Scriptures be so imperfect as they make them appear to be, then what good are they? And how can we find the Truth and be saved by It, for if the prophets themselves could not tell the facts, then how can any of us do so thousands of years after their time?
Since the brethren have not been able to see this, and since no one who has studied their expositions of them been able to either, then does it not appear to you that although there is much knowledge everywhere, there is very little understanding anywhere?
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 5
Dealing with a situation similar to this, Paul declared:
1 Cor. 3:1 — “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.”
Here Paul reproved those whose knowledge seemed to be great, but their understanding dull, those who had not spiritually advanced commensurate with the time, who could not stick strictly to what the Word says, were not developed into full-grown Christians. He was, therefore urged to say:
1 Cor. 3:2 — “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
Paul was disappointed with the progress which the Corinthians had made: They were still unable to take strong meat. Concretely speaking, he said–
1 Cor. 3:3, 4 — “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
By taking sides, some for Paul and some for Apollos, they were actually accepting what God had sent through one messenger, and rejecting what He had sent through the other messenger. This you will see even more vividly in the verses which follow:
1 Cor. 3:5-7 — “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 6
Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
God is everything, and the men of His appointment are only His mouthpiece.
1 Cor. 3:8, 9 — “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”
This side-choosing was ruining the Christians in Paul’s day, and it is ruining them in our day; that is, people are setting their affections on men who bring them the knowledge of the Gospel rather than on the One Who sends them with the Gospel. And worse than this is the fact that multitudes are setting their affection even on men who have not a spark of Inspiration, men who are not sent by God at all, but who are running loose of their own accord.
1 Cor. 3:10 — “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”
The Christian’s life is, as it were, a building under construction. One messenger of God lays the foundation, another builds thereupon. Thus to no one messenger is given all the material with which to build.
Consequently, if anyone should choose to give heed to this or to that messenger instead of to
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 7
God and to all His servants as He Himself sends them one after another, that one will certainly be left with insufficient building material, and consequently without the acquirement which he needs to have at the coming of the Lord.
1 Cor. 3:11-18 — “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.”
Here we are told that the theories — wood, hay, stubble — brought in by men whom God has not sent, not inspired, such as I called your attention to at the beginning, theories which appear to arise from a great store of knowledge, but which are devoid of the Spirit, are as you already see rubbish on which the fire of God thrives and the souls of men starve.
And again we are told that worldly wisdom is foolishness with God, and that if we wish our structure of Truth to withstand the storm, we need to throw out the rubbish and take all the
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 8
God-sent materials as we continue building.
1 Cor. 3:19, 20 — “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
Since the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, we had better have nothing to do with it, and quit taking sides — one for Luther, another for Wesley, still another for Campbell, or White — but we had better stand with the Lord, and accept all the Truths from all His servants He chooses to send. Otherwise when we arrive at the door He will have to say to us, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
1 Cor. 3:21, 22 — “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your’s; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your’s.”
To glory in man, whether it be in self or in another, is to cheat yourself of everything. Take for example the Jews: They were determined to “be of Moses,” and as they saw it, to accept the prophets, or even Christ, to them it meant to give up Moses! As a result, rather than all things being theirs, they lost everything, even Moses, and where are they today? The wood, hay, and stubble which they piled upon the structure of Truth after Moses left them, has long been swept away by the Fire of Truth, the Holy Spirit.
The only safe way to build is with Truth sent from the throne of God. This is how
Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 27 9
Moses, the prophets, and the apostles built, and this is how we must build. Moses, for example, founded his structure of Truth on the solid rock of creation, the Genesis, on the work of Him Who created the worlds (Heb. 1:1). The prophets after him, also the apostles, continued building on the same foundation, not on the theories of the priests and rabbis, the so-called religious educators of that day. And that is why their structure of Truth stands today firmer than ever before.
Knowledge, you see, devoid of Divine understanding is as devastating to the soul as is fire let loose in a house that is built of wood and hay. Let us therefore no longer be side-choosers, but come to the table which God has spread so abundantly with spiritual food, and unbiasedly and free from prejudice feast to the full, refresh our souls and strengthen our backbones with good understanding so that we may be able to stand against the chronic ills of worldly knowledge; that we overcome temptation in the strength of the Mighty One, and be permitted to have a part in proclaiming the message when it shall swell into the Loud Cry.
“…Those who train the mind to seize upon everything which they can use as a peg to hang a doubt upon,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “and suggest these thoughts to other minds, will always find occasion to doubt. They will question and criticize everything that arises in the unfolding of truth, criticize the work and position of others, criticize every branch of the work in which they have not themselves a part. They will feed upon the errors and mistakes and faults of others, ‘until,’ said the angel, ‘the Lord Jesus shall rise up from his mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary, and shall clothe himself with the garments of vengeance, and surprise them at their unholy feast; and they will find themselves unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ Their tastes has been so perverted that they would be inclined to criticize even the table of the Lord in his kingdom.” – “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 690.
“…The separation,” continues the Spirit of Truth, “causes pain and bitterness to both parties. It is the variance which Christ declares that he came to bring. But the converted will feel a continual longing desire that their friends shall forsake all for Christ, knowing that unless they do, there will be a final and eternal separation. The true Christian cannot while with unbelieving friends, be light, and trifling. The value of the souls for whom Christ died, is too great.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 83.
Believe me, my friend, that if the message of the Judgment for the Living had not been Divinely revealed to us, if it was less serious than it is, if it had not been as clear as crystal, and if we were not commanded to bring it to you, we would not be hunting God’s misled people in the rocks and in the mountains (Jer. 16:16) as it were—we would not have been put under such a heavy burden and expense by going from door to door throughout the Adventist world in order to rescue them from the Laodicean self-deception; neither could we with our human power so nicely take the insults that are thrown at us almost hourly by men and women who profess to be serving God
“…In this time,” says the Spirit of God, “the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy, will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness…. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and his truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church, will be as David—willing to do and dare…. Then will the church of Christ appear ‘fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.’”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, pp. 81, 82.
These Davids whom God is now disclosing to view will soon be calling on you to lay down God’s plans for you. Please receive these servants of God in this layman’s movement with the same courtesy with which you would expect them to receive you.
We come to you with the pure Word of God and all we request of you is to give us an unbiased and unprejudiced hearing when we call on You in your home. Since you see that this letter contains the plain untarnished Truth, then if you hear any one talking against it you can help him by asking him to give you something better on these scriptures if he has it, and if not, to let you alone.
If you are to help the enemies of Truth, tell them their drilling the laity that they have all the Truth, that they need no more, that they have the last message, that the Spirit of Prophecy says so although It says on the contrary, is plain falsehood. Tell them, not the Judgment for the Dead, but the Judgment for the Living is the last message, and they do not have it, and instead of looking for it, they are fighting against it. Tell them that the bible either proves these things so, or It does not; if It does not, then make them tell you where It does not.
The mark of God (Ezekiel 9:4) and the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16) are here seen to be two opposites as are the two women of Revelation twelve and seventeen—the true and the counterfeit.
The beast we are told is a man (Rev. 13:18). The demand to worship, obey the beast’s command, therefore, is a demand to worship (obey) man in place of God. Both marks are for no other purpose but for to define who is who—who is for God and who is for the beast. Those who obey God’s Judgment message rather than the beast’s decree, receive God’s mark. And those who obey the beast’s decree rather than God’s message receive the beast’s mark.
These two different marks, you see, separate the worshipers of God from the worshipers of men. And since Jesus declares that the separation takes place during harvest, and as you now see that the ‘harvest” and the “Judgment” for the living are synonymous terms, then the conclusion is that as the mark of God is urged upon the believers of His Judgment message in the church, and as the mark of the beast is urged upon the worshipers of the beast during the Judgment in the world, the subject becomes clear: The enemies of the Judgment message in the church, and the enemies of the Judgment message in the world are both imbued with the spirit of the beast—both doing the same kind of work against God’s people, first in the church then in the world. The only difference between the two is that in the world the mark of the beast is enforced by civil law, whereas the church it is not, though the enemies against the Judgment message already have done everything in their power to secure the arm of the law against us. It is now left up to every individual member of the church to either take heed to God’s Judgment message and receive His mark of deliverance, or to give heed to men’s vain talk and die under the slaughter weapons of the angels. (JezreelLetter, no. 2, p.9-11)
As shown before, in the Judgment for the Dead the sinners are separated from the righteous in books only, but in the Judgment for the Living the sinners and the righteous are bodily separated one from the other as Inspiration through the prophet Ezekiel explains:
“And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; and the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem [the church], and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof [in the church]. And to the others he said in mine hearing, 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 where before the house.” Eze. 9:3-6.
And through the prophet Malachi we are told that the Lord will beforehand send a messenger, and that after he prepares the way, the Lord will suddenly come to His temple (the church) for no reason other than to purify it, especially to purify the sons of Levi, the ministry. See Malachi 3:1-3. Then, says the Spirit of Prophecy, “Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it [Third Angel’s Message] when it shall have swelled into the Loud Cry.”—“The Review and Herald,” Nov. 19, 1908. And to this “startling revelation” (“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 445) the prophet Isaiah adds:
“For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come, and see My glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the Isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.” Isa. 66:15-20.
Since the slaughter predicted by the prophet Isaiah takes place among those who profess to be sanctified and purified (falsely believe to have need of nothing more), and since those who escape from among them are sent to the Gentiles to preach the gospel, five distinct and supremely important points stand out plainly: (1) since the victims of the slaughter are those who against their God-given knowledge indulge in swine’s flesh and other abominations, and since those who escape are versed in the gospel work enough to be sent to preach it to the Gentiles, the slaughter, therefore, is seen to take place in the church; (2) those who escape, according to Ezekiel, are those who sigh and cry against the abominations, and thus receive the mark of deliverance, (3) since they are sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles after they escape the slaughter, they are “the remnant,” those that are left, the future servants of God; (4) since they are to gather from the Gentiles all their brethren, all that can possibly be saved, they are the ones who finish the gospel work in all the world, (5) since there are two separations—one from the church (Israelites), and one from the Gentiles,—those who escape and those who are gathered in—then the former are the first fruits and the later the second fruits—those of Revelation 7:4, 7-9, one from the tribes of Israel, and one from the Gentile nations.
All these scriptures and many more, my friend, as you plainly see, refer to the purification of the church, to the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5), to the Judgment for the Living and the gathering of the saints—the “harvest” of which every prophet has written, some more and some less. Since this is so you certainly see that our elders are now doing what the priests in Christ’s day were doing, and also what the religious leaders down through the Reformation were doing, and are no less determined to keep this message away from the laity, and to thereby deceive even the very elect, the 144,000, the very first fruits of the harvest, those who are to survive the Judgment “in the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17), the future servants of God
If this is not the enemy’s aim behind these hostile Elders’ doings, and if this Truth can be refuted, they would not act like mad men, would not shun discussion with us, would not push us out of the churches in the hope that we cannot come in contact with the laity, would not advise you not to read but burn our literature, would not threaten to excommunicate you for studying this message, but would sit down and refute It if It is incorrect as they sit down with all others that disagree with them.
Can’t you see that the spirit which is now manifesting itself through these Truth-hating brethren is the very spirit which manifested itself through the Jews, and through the enemies of Truth during the Protestant reformation, and also in the beginning of the 1844 movement? Do you not see that because they cannot attack this message on It’s own merits, they get personal, attack the men in charge and resort to character defamation, to gossip and falsehood, to anything in the hope of turning you against the Message and the messenger. The Spirit of Prophecy predicted the crime in these words:
“I saw that the very spirit of perjury, that would turn truth into falsehood, good into evil, and innocence into crime, is now active. Satan exults over the condition of God’s professed people….” – “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, pp. 94, 95.
For the Elders to tell the laity what to read and what not to read, who to talk to and who not to talk to, who to let in their homes and who not to, is to make dolts, automatons, and spiritual invalids of them. The Elders should be told that they are taking even heavier burdens upon themselves than did the Jews or the ministers in our former churches while many of us where studying the Advent message. They can be helped if the laity tell them that this is a matter to be decided between the laity and their God; that if any one is to get into the Kingdom he must get there on his own God-given ability. Show them what the Spirit of God says in the following:
“Precious light is to shine forth from the word of God, and let no one presume to dictate what shall or what shall not be brought before the people in the messages of enlightenment that He shall send, and so quench the Spirit of God. Whatever may be his position of authority, no one has a right to shut away the light from the people. When a message comes in the name of the Lord to His people, no one may excuse himself from an investigation of its claims. No one can afford to stand back in an attitude of indifference and self-confidence, and say: ‘I know what is truth. I am satisfied with my position. I have set my stakes, and I will not be moved away from my position, whatever may come. I will not listen to the message of this messenger; for I know that it cannot be truth.’ It was from pursuing this very course that the popular churches were left in partial darkness, and that is why the messages of heaven have not reached them.”—“Counsels on Sabbath School Work,” p. 28.
This is what the phrase “religious liberty” means, my friend. Is this not the proper, honest, and honorable way to deal with the situation? Are you to follow men’s sayings, or are you to follow Christ and His Truth? Tell those hostile Elders that their fight is not against “The Shepherd’s Rod” but against God and against their own souls.(Jezreel Letter, no. 2, p.4-9)
The only way for you to escape being taken by wolves in sheeps’ clothing is if you ever remember the fact that the Judgment message, the last before Christ comes the second time, is what made us a people; that is, because the message had come, and because it has to be proclaimed, we S.D.A.’s came on the scene, and we certainly want to stay there until the work is finished. We must not become a back number as did the Protestant churches since they rejected the messages one after another. God forbid that we should be “spued out” and lose so late in the day. And what is the truth of the Judgment?
The JudgmL 1.1ent as you know is in two separate and distinct sections, one following the other—the Judgment for the dead first, and the Judgment for the living last. This we know is so and we must not let subversive influences, even if they be in Seventh-day Adventist’s garb, cause us to lose sight of this truth. Our part of the Judgment message since 1844 has been, as you know, to proclaim the Judgment for the dead, not for the living as yet. What is the Judgment for the dead?
We have been taught by Inspiration that it is to separate the good from the bad, not bodily, but in books, because before the resurrection, the dead have no being, or “portion” “in anything that is done under the sun.”—Eccl. 9:5, 6. This judgment work is to enable the angels to know who is to come up in the first resurrection, in the resurrection of the holy ones (Rev. 20:4, 5, 11-14), and who is to come up in the second resurrection, in the resurrection of the unholy ones. To this end declares Daniel “the Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (Dan. 7:10.)
Thus it is that Inspiration calls the judgment work, “the cleansing or the sanctuary” (Dan. 8:14); that is, each professor of religion that ever died since the beginning of sin, is now judged and the case of each decided either to bring him up in the first resurrection or in the second; either to blot out from the records the name of each impenitent sinner, or to blot out for ever from the Book the sins of each penitent sinner. This has been Heaven’s work since the year 1844, and every informed Seventh-day Adventist knows it.
Now, since the message of the Judgment for the Living is of far greater importance than the message of the Judgment for the Dead, it is but expected that the Bible will have more to say about the latter than the former. This is so because the Judgment for the Living has to do with the living themselves, with the message bearers, rather than with the dead. In importance, therefore, there is no comparison between the two. How will we get the message of the Judgment for the Living?
The answer is clear to all: We will get it in the same way we got the one in 1844. Since it then came through Inspiration and through God’s own chosen instrumentality, it is certain that the additional message (“Early Writings,” p. 277), too, is to come in the same way; that is, by inspiration through God’s own chosen agency. Indeed Truth is never revealed in any other way but by Inspiration. See 2 Peter 1:20.
As we had to hear the old message preached before we accepted it, we will have to hear the new message preached, and how shall we “hear without a preacher” (Rom. 10:14)? And as the old message was unpopular in its beginning, scoffed at, laughed at, ridiculed and scorned by men of station and influence, it is certainly expected that the new message and messengers, too, will be received and treated no better but even worse. Then it was strictly an individual matter, no priest or prelate could meddle with the conscience of the other and so it must be now. Every soul is to make his own decision in his secret chamber with the aid of the Spirit of Truth.
Is it possible for one to lose out when the message of the Judgment for the Living begins to sound, though he did not lose out when the message of the Judgment for the Dead sounded?—The Spirit of Prophecy answers thus: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—”Life Sketches,” p. 196. Yes, this is to be our only fear. Let us, therefore remember, and make positively sure that God is now to lead us in the same way as He did in 1844 and throughout the ages.
Make doubly sure that you follow no other kind of leadership, that you let no man divert your attention from this straight path—that you let no one lead you to believe that God is now leading through every Tom, Dick, and Harry. This we must not forget if we are to emulate and succeed the saints that have gone before us, and if we expect to be saved. If we forget this, then as sure as we stand, men will lead us away from God’s message and turn us against His messengers even as the Jewish priests made their followers turn against Christ. God forbid that we should sin against the Holy Ghost by rejecting His message when It comes to us. Only by strictly following this Divine command can we be led right and survive the Judgment for the Living when it starts to “sever the wicked from among the just.” Matt. 13:49.
What is the Judgment for the Living? and what happens with the righteous, and what happens with the wicked, after they are judged?—In His parables Christ illustrates that the righteous, as good fish, are put into vessels; as wheat, they are put into the barn; and as sheep, they go into life eternal—they are placed in absolute security sealed for eternity. But the wicked, as bad fish, are cast out, as tares, they are burned up; and as goats, they are sent into everlasting punishment. “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 13:49, 50.
Here we see that the judgment work for the living is illustrated in several ways, and is variously called: “Judgment” (Dan. 7:10; Rev. 14:7; 1 Pet. 4:17); “Cleansing of the Sanctuary” (Dan. 8:14); “Purify His Temple” (Mal. 3:1-3); “Harvest” (Matt. 13:30); “Mighty sifting,” “purification of the church,” (5 T., p. 80).
Concerning this judgment work, the Spirit of Prophecy has this to say:–
“…But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor…. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But, it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed.” – “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pp. 80, 81.
The fact that the message of the Judgment for the Living is by far more widely treated by all the Bible prophets than is the Judgment for the Dead, is in itself proof positive that it is supremely important. I can, however, treat of it only very briefly in this letter—only give the gist of it… (Jezreel Letter no. 2, p. 1-4)
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.
-15-
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.
-16-
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.
-18-
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. –
-19-
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.
-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 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.
-21-
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.
-22-
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.
In this report we will look at the Holy Spirit from 3 sources. The Bible, The Spirit of Prophecy, and The Elijah message ( Shepherd’s Rod). Before we start we are told from SOP the following —
“The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.” (AA, p.52)
So despite our striving to know all we want on the Holy Spirt, it will remain a mystery until it is revealed at God’s time. Things such as — does the Holy Spirit have a bodily form, why is there no throne spoken of in the Bible for the Holy Spirit to sit upon, like the Father and Son, etc.?
But we do have sufficent evidence from Inspiration to make, according to our finite understanding, a good idea of who and what the Holy Spirit is. God did not withhold light on this subject.
THE BIBLE:
What did Christ say about the Holy Spirit?
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26)
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Notice something clearly. Jesus continually referred to the Holy Spirit as “He” and “Him”. Now, there are some who make the argument that Jesus is talking about Himself in the third person. For example in John 17:1-5 it says —
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
But let us now show from the Bible that the Holy Spirit a separate and distinct Being.
” “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.” (John 8:54)
Now let’s compare that to John 16:13-14.
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authourity, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
As Jesus won’t glorify Himself, this shows someone else (a separate being) as able to glorify Him.
Next look at how The Father and Son are within each other.
“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”(John 14:11)
“Abide in Me and I in you.” (John 15:5)
“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”(John 14:20)
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.” (John 14:10)
Now, because the Father is in Christ, and Christ is in the Father can we now say the Father or Christ is not a separate and distinct Being? Likewise when we read that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and Son and lives in us, we cannot say He is not a separate distinct Being. As they all exist within each other, we that are limited in human understanding, must accept the fact that the Triune Godhead exists. This is an example of the “mystery” spoken of in Spirit of Prophecy.
So scripture such as follows —
“And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”(John 20:22), cannot prove the Holy Spirit is not a separate distinct Being. Again, this is part of the mystery of the Holy Spirit.
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)
SPIRIT OF PROPHECY:
“We have been brought together as a aschool, and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds, unseen by human eyes, that the Lord God is our keeper and helper.”(Letters and Manuscripts 14, MS 20, 1899)
” The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God.” (Evangelism, p.616-617)
“In Co-operation with the Three Highest Powers –We are to cooperate with the three highest powers in heaven,– the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.” (Special Testimonies, Series A (1897)
THE ROD: (Micah 6:9 and 7:14)
We as Davidian SDA know that our Fundamnetal Beliefs are our core doctrines of faith, a summary of what we believe. In them we find FB no. 2 on page 4 of FB Tract, the following —
“2. That the Godhead, or Trinity, consists of the Eternal Father, a personal, spiritual Being, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite in wisdom and love; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, through whom all things were created and through whom the salvation of the redeemed hosts will be accomplished; the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, the great regenerating power in the work of redemption. Matt. 28:19.
Some try to explain away the meaning of “person”. This leads to confusion and down a road of doubtful faith in what the clear obvious meaning of words are. The prophet viewed it as a person, a living separate distinct person, so should we.
How do we know this? God revealed to him, and now to us, the meaning of Ezekiel 4 prophecy (the grains). In this revealing, it is shown that John Knox’s teaching brought the “Truth of the Holy Spirit” from God. Knox clearly taught that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. A Triune Godhead consisting of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In closing let us stand firm on our fundamental beliefs, remembering this about our arch enemy —
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”(1 Peter 5:8)
“And it shall come to pass in that day,” declares the prophet, “that his [Assyria’s] burden shall be taken away from off thy [Judah’s] shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” Isa. 10:27.
Immediately we see that in the revealing light of this scripture, the one (“thee”) who, in both cases, is set free in the time of Assyria’s fall, proves to be the church (Judah) liberated from Gentile (Assyrian) rule. Conclusively, therefore, Isaiah clarifies Nahum’s prophecy as referring to the church’s liberation from the last-day Assyrian yoke. The fact, though, that the church, as Nahum says, is not only to be relieved from affliction and freed from bondage but is also to be sentenced to death (Nah. 1:14), creates a paradox! Inspiration, however, quickly clears it, again through Isaiah. Speaking of the church, he declares:
“And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by another name.” Isa. 65:15.
Plainly, therefore, in the time when Assyria crumbles, the Lord is to perform a dual work among His professed people, some of whom will be made free because of their faithfulness, and some of whom will be slain because of their wickedness. The delivered ones will then be called by another name.
The time of this “work” is termed “harvest.” Matt. 13:30. Therefore, up to this separation, the tares (those who are to be slain) and the wheat (those who are to be delivered) together comprise the membership of Laodicea (the last of the seven churches – Rev. 3:14-18), the church just before the “tares” are forever separated from the “wheat” (Matt. 13:30). Very obviously, then, the penitent Laodiceans are separated from the impenitent ones during Assyria’s fall, and then are liberated from her rule.
VERSE 14. “And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.” –{14TR 19.1}
Thus, at this time, forever perishes the idolater and his idols.
A detailed demonstration of this purification of the church is projected in Ezekiel’s prophecy. There the Lord commands him who records the life history, the angel with the writer’s inkhorn, to go through the city and to set a mark (seal) on those only who sigh and cry for the abominations that are therein. Then five others go after him to slay all who have not the mark. (See Ezekiel 9; Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445; Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 266, and Vol. 5, p. 211.)
“The city” is figurative of Judah and Israel, the church in which are to be found the 144,000 servants of God (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445) those who are to be called by another name after the unworthy servants are slain. And as the 144,000 are the first fruits (Rev. 14:4) of the harvest, they are the “escaped” of the Isaiah 66:19 and of Ezekiel 9. This separation of the tares from the wheat in the church is to signalize the beginning of the final harvest of earth – the end of the world. Then will have come the time for the denominational name to cease, for all her idols to be cut off, and for a new name (Isa. 62:2) to be given to those who escape. Then will these escaped ones proclaim God’s glory and His fame to the Gentiles, and bring out of all nations all their brethren (all that will be saved) to “the house of the Lord.” Isa. 66:16, 19, 20.
For such judgment to be averted, the entire church will have to repent of her erroneous thinking, begin to feel discomfort in her lukewarmness, become either cold or hot (dissatisfied), and emptied of self and filled with the Spirit. (Rev. 3:14-18).
VERSE 15. “Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.”
The term, “Judah,” attaches to the Christian church not only because of antitypical significance but also because of hereditary factor. This will be seen as we review Judah’s history:
The ten tribes (the Kingdom of Israel) were by ancient Assyria dispersed throughout the cities of the Medes, and assimilated by the Gentiles of that day, but it was not until years later that the two tribes (the Kingdom of Judah) were carried into Babylon, remaining there until the expiration of the seventy years of Jeremiah’s prophecy, then returning to their homeland. Thus it was only the descendants of the Kingdom of Judah who became so unfaithful that they rejected and crucified the Lord. But the faithful from among them accepted Him, and became the Christians, the founding members of the New Testament church. The church herself therefore, is the daughter of the Kingdom of Judah. Hence she is appropriately still called Judah.
While she is by virtue of parentage, faithfulness, and purity (absence of tares) entitled to be called “Judah,” still because of their last-day lukewarmness and the resultant infiltration of “tares” into her membership, she is, of necessity, additionally termed “Laodicea.”
Applying the “eyesalve” (Rev. 3:18), they shall “behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!” And beholding Him, they shall accept His message and know the truth and the truth shall make them free, and shall save them from being spued out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16).
Therefore, only as they awake and give heed to the voice of the True Witness, and turn their steps toward the gates of the Kingdom, may they ever hope to participate in the divine eventuality: “O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.”
Here in prophetic utterance is not only a promise to purify the church when modern Assyria is being crushed, but also a suggestive statement as to what constitutes “meat in due season” for men today; and as to what movement they are to enlist in if they would make sure of salvation. They are enjoined to fix their vision upon the feet of him who brings “good tidings” (message from the Lord), who publishes “peace” (the peace of Christ’s Kingdom), and who declares that while the powers of earth are engulfed in a gigantic war, the wicked in the church shall be cut off, no more to pass through her. Specifically, the prophet exhorts all penitently to turn unto the house of Judah (the latter-day Kingdom of Judah – Mic. 4; Ezek. 37:16-22), the church in the purification of which are to be sealed 12,000 out of each of the 12 tribes, as firstfruits.And he urges the subjects of the kingdom to perform their religious duties and to keep their promises to the Lord. In short, he admonishes them to give heed to the message of the hour – the message which announces the imminence of the church’s purification, after which, as the promise is, “the wicked shall no more pass through” her, for “he is utterly cut off.” (See also Matt. 13:30, 47-50, Isa. 66:16, 19, 20). (Tract 14, p.14-22)
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.
I shall read from “The Mount of Blessing,” page 186, paragraphs one and two. These paragraphs, you will notice, are based on the scripture which says, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.”
M.B., pg. 186 — “Jesus here refers to a class who have no desire to escape from the slavery of sin. By indulgence in the corrupt and vile, their natures have become so degraded that they cling to the evil, and will not be separated from it. The servants of Christ should not allow themselves to be hindered by those who would make the gospel only a matter of contention and ridicule.
“But the Saviour never passed by one soul, however sunken in sin, who was willing to receive the precious truths of heaven. To publicans and harlots His words were the beginning of a new life…. Beneath an appearance of hatred and contempt, even beneath crime and degradation, may be hidden a soul that the grace of Christ will rescue, to shine as a jewel in the Redeemer’s crown.”
Here we see that in His statement, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,” Christ instructs His followers to abstain from trying to poke down any Bible truth into those who have no desire to be freed from sin. Regardless how far one may have fallen in sin, God will not overlook even one soul who is willing to be helped, and willing to accept and practice the Truth. With this assurance, let us pray for an increased desire to escape from slavery of sin. Indeed the important thing is not how good or how bad we are or have been, but how susceptible and submissive to present Truth we are now while It unfolds. The real burden of our prayer, should be that we catch a vision of the Truth that makes free if accepted as the Scroll unrolls.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 12
ON THE THRESHOLD OF ANEW WORLD IN THE SIGHT OF THE OLDTEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF,MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTSSABBATH, FEBRUARY 15, 1947MT. CARMEL CHAPELWACO, TEXAS This afternoon we are to study the seventh chapter of Micah. This chapter brings to our attention three divisions of time in which three different conditions obtain on the earth. The first condition is recorded in the first four verses; the second in verses 5-14; and the third, in verse 15 down to the end of the chapter.
Now let us begin our study with–
Micah 7:1 — “Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.”
Something is likened to a vintage after its fruit is gathered in. What is it? We will find the answer by reading–
Mic. 7:2-6 — “The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. The best of them is as a
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 13
brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.”
The righteous having been taken out of the world and the wicked alone left in it, its condition is depicted by a vintage that has been robbed of its fruit and left in a state of loneliness and fear because of total wickedness. This sifting takes place in the day God visits His watchmen; that is, in the Judgment day, the day He separates the “wheat” from the tares (Matt. 13:30), the good fish from the bad fish (Matt. 13:47, 48) the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31-46).
Mic. 7:7-10 — “Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.”
These verses present God’s faithful people, the people to whom these prophecies have been unfolded as having an enemy that bears the feminine designation “she.” This “she” questions and doubts God’s presence among His people, she mocks them for their faith.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 14
Since these prophecies are now for the first time brought to light they constitute the message of the hour; and since upon us has been placed the burden of carrying the message to the church, and since she is our enemy as was the Jewish church to the Christian, Inspiration thus bears witness against her, and pronounces her doom.
Then it shall come to pass that “the Gentiles shall see” the saints’ righteousness and all kings their glory and they as a people shall “be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” Isa. 62:2.
Mic. 7:11, 12 — “In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed. In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.”
Since this decree is removed in the day the Kingdom (the church purified) is restored, in the day the saints are fortified, the decree has no effect on them. In that day, declares Inspiration, there shall be a great gathering from Assyria and from the fortified cities, even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain. This message, therefore, is the one that precedes the harvest of the earth, the great and dreadful day of the Lord, the Judgment for the Living, the day in which all things are to be restored (Mark 9:12).
Mic. 7:13, 14 — “Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.”
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 15
Before these promises are fulfilled, though, Inspiration declared the land was to be desolate, the dispersion of the people would first take place.
This Rod of God not only speaks, but It feeds, too. And what can It be if not “meat in due season”? if not the message of the hour? The people, explains the scripture, are those who dwell solitarily in the woods, in the midst of Carmel. Prophecy, for this day and hour recommends the message which the Rod contains, and which Carmel puts out, none other.
Mic. 7:15 — “According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.”
We are given the promise that the saints’ experience is to be similar to that of the Exodus movement; that is, just as they were led out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God, and were brought safely into the promised land, so shall it be now.
“And 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, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Isa. 11:11, 12.
Mic. 7:16-18 — “The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 16
“They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of Thee. Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.”
“The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with His mighty wind shall He shake His hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.” Isa. 11:13-15.
As great as shall be the day of the Lord for the faithful, just that dreadful will it be for the unfaithful.
Mic. 7:19 — “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
Our God is wonderful indeed! He retains not His anger. He delights in mercy. He remembers not the sins of the penitent, He casts them away where they cannot be found anymore.
Mic. 7:20 — “Thou wilt perform the Truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.”
Inspiration reaffirms all God’s promises. They
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 17
never fail. His prophecies are sure. We are on the threshold of a new world in the sight of the old — soon there shall be sin no more.
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev. 7:15-17.
Even now, says the Lord, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
“The Lord hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
“But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of My holiness. Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
“Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; 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 thou
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 28 18
shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” Isa. 62:6-12.
We are indeed at the threshold of this new world in sight of the old. Let our works and faith now answer the Lord’s most astounding questions since the world began:
“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ sope: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
“Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the Lord of hosts. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Mal. 3:1-6.
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 