Jacob’s Time of Trouble (Part 3 of 3)

October 18, 2014

Jacob's time of trouble

In this last installment of the study of Jacob’s time of trouble, we’ll look at some remaining quotes from brother Houteff. Then we’ll make a final summary as to how we see the whole view of this coming trouble.

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. (Timely Greetings, volume 1, no.47, p.14)

We know that the anti-typical Jacobs who survive, will begin to make the trek back to the “homeland”, Israel. Brother Houteff says. “apparently it is bad enough to frighten all..” and “though terrible the trouble may seem..”, this could be the fearful understanding of the mighty armed men who are falsely protecting the promised land right after the war. This thought could very well make the 144,000 worry and afraid.

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 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 dwelling places; 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. (Ibid. p.16-17)

In this Scripture, I was struck how these words are applicable right now. The words such as “incurable, grievous,wound of an enemy, chastisement of a cruel one, etc.” surely describes those within the church now, who have experienced slander, murmuring, demotions and dis-fellow shipping,  and other such injustices against them, all because of sticking up for the Truth.  Therefore “captivity” surely means this time that the Jacobs are going through right now and even in brother Houteff’s day as well. This must be something they have to go through, the Lord’s refining process.

Expounding on the trouble to take place, brother Houteff correctly prophesied the use “of the civil arm of power to accomplish their evil ends.”

It’s amazing how the great God of recompense, will one day soon turn the tables on those who are now held “captive” by the Esaus within the church. They have been effectively silenced yet the Lord promises —

“And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.

Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful , and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.”(Isaiah 49:5-6)

Wow! What reward will be for those who endure the sufferings and “captivity”!

The S.D.A. church, repeating the history of the Jews (5 T 160), will be swayed by its “priests” and “rulers” today to take a course against “the faithful servants of God “similar to that followed by the priests and rulers in their treatment of Christ’s and the apostles'”. As the 144,000 become more and more like their Saviour, “the light of the world.” making manifest the “darkness and error” enveloping the church, the leaders in their “fanatical hatred” of the saints will move “the mob to a mad fury” against them and, in desperation born of blind and raging hatred, will reach out for the civil arm of power to accomplish their evil ends, merging the following type into antitype.(Sym. Code, vol. 1, no.9, p.3).

Those who have supported and promoted the Lord’s final message of the Shepherd’s Rod have often been first hand witnesses to the un-Christ like behavior from the “Esaus” in the church. Just recently we showed a video of a woman and her kids being escorted from the church by police, for just sticking up for the truth about abortion in our churches while in Sabbath school. The civil arm has been used on more than few occasions against those who’ve embraced His Elijah message. In fact, yours truly experienced the civil arm of the Lord when I helped out “sieging” a church a while back.

Cops in SDA(Picture of cop called out by SDA church officials to interrogate woman and her children)

We did a post a while back that showed the leaders upset and physically threatening some young believers in Zambia, simply because they dare to kneel in prayer upon entering the church. The church leaders did not want “new customs” and were upset because the young men were trying upstage the churches “set time for kneeling and praying”. Hard to believe the “gross darkness” engulfing the church because the Jacobs dare to kneel as the Spirit moves them for God’s honor and truth.

Brother Houteff wrote of the reason why the SDA church leaders perpetrated their stand against the truth of his Elijah message. This is the foundation upon the trouble to the Jacobs of the church–

By having instilled in rank and file throughout Laodicea an unprecedented fear and prejudice against reading or hearing anything but that which enjoys someone’s official sanction and blessing, Satan’s subversives have sought to sever the lines of communication between the Spirit of Truth and the people of God.  Then to hold them in subjection to themselves and their worldly standards, they threaten with disfellowshipment and perdition any who, fearing God more than man, would dare venture to know the Truth for themselves. 

And the few who do have the courage to carry out their convictions, straightway in consequence become targets for the Enemy’s fiercest darts of opposition, — bitterest prejudice, scandalizing falsehood and character defamation, ridicule and scorn and hatred embarrassment and hardship. 

Thus “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:12) find themselves “outcasts” (Isa. 66:5; Luke 6:22; Acts 24:14) at the hands of persecutive forces perpetuating and even outdoing the worst that was ever in Judaism and Romanism.  And what is still worse, when these revivalists of tyranny, clothed in apostle like robes, succeed in confusing and overthrowing the faith of an investigator or of a follower of Truth for this very time, they compel him to submit to rebaptism in order to be readmitted into church fellowship, even though he has become more faithful than ever before!  What astounding blasphemy! (White House Recruiter, p.54-55)

Ok, lets now turn to more references on our subject.

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

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

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

On this trying and testing time the Spirit of Prophecy comments: “A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance.  This was the time of Jacob’s trouble” — Early Writings, pp. 36, 37. (See also Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 202, 203.) (SRod Tract no.1, p.36)

In the highlighted area we want to add a comment. The word’s “the happy end of their long and troubled journey” must include the experience of the 144,000 while in the church pre-Ezekiel 9. This way the word “long” makes sense. We know that after the church judgment the elect will hasten to go home quickly  as the message tells us–

Zech. 14:3, 4 — “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.  And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

   At the time Jerusalem, that now is, falls, the Lord’s feet shall stand upon Mount of Olives and there make a very great valley; that is, remove the obstacles and hindrances, and thus prepare the land for the returning of His people.  Then it is that the prophecy of Zechariah 10:8 — that the Lord shall “hiss” for His people — will have met its fulfillment.

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

   Having thus opened the way for the re-establishment of the house of Judah, His people, who beforehand have been informed of it through present Truth, will flee to the valley, to where the Lord’s feet stand, as quickly as if they were fleeing from an earthquake; and all the saints thereafter follow after them.(Timely Greetings, vol. 1, no.19, p.4-5)

Here we see that Inspiration tells us that right after the war, when the Lord stands on the Mount of Olives, the 144,000 will “flee to the valley, to where the Lord’s feet stand, AS QUICKLY as if they were fleeing an earthquake..” So we see that the trip post Ezekiel 9 to the promised land will be rather quick. The “long journey” therefore must include the experiences of the days of church persecution pre-Ezekiel 9, which spiritually speaking is the first part of our “long” journey.

  “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” (Rev. 12:16)

   Or, literally stated, the unconverted who are now in the midst of the church, are to be slain and buried.  The converted are then to be taken into the kingdom.  Then will the dragon be “wroth  with the woman, and…make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 12:17)

   Stirred to fury over her purification, the dragon will make war “with the remnant of her seed.”  Against her personally, though, he will not war, because her communicants, the 144,000 (the first fruits — Rev. 7:3-8; 14:4), those who go first into the kingdom, stand with the Lamb, the King, on Mount Sion (Rev. 14:1) His palace grounds.  Thus being the rulers of the tribes, they are symbolized by the crowned woman.  And being in their own land, they are protected from the dragon who consequently persecutes only the “remnant,” those who are left behind, who are still in Babylon but who are finally called out of her (Rev. 18:4).(Tract no.12, p.44)

Ah here is something extremely insightful. We notice that the 144,o00 are “protected” once in the kingdom. The dragon (Satan) goes to trouble those outside the kingdom! Let’s look at one more similar quote from the Elijah message.

“Fruits” garnered are the result of a harvest. When the 144,000, the first fruits (Rev. 14:4), are garnered in, and the tares (flood) are destroyed (swallowed) from among them, the 144,000 are taken to Mt. Zion, where they then comprise the Mother church, the twelve-star-crowned woman, under the protection of the Lamb, the One with them. Thus protected, she is secure from the dragon’s then making war against her. So he wars only against her “remnant,” those yet to be garnered-the second fruits still scattered throughout the world, away from Mt. Zion. This climax of the ages was vividly foretold by both Isaiah and Micah:

“But in the last days,” declares Micah, “it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Mic. 4:1, 2. (See also Isaiah 2).

From these scriptures, it is plainly seen that Mt. Zion becomes the headquarters for the last gospel work on earth, after the time the 144,000 arrive there, and during the time the dragon wars against the remnant “for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem”-no longer from the General Conference, or from Mt. Carmel Center. (Answerer, vol. 2, Q-26)

Again Inspiration clearly points out that the 144,000 are protected within the kingdom. So the last work of proclaiming the  Gospel  is to have the “headquarters” based from Mt.Zion. This would indicate that, a sort of home base is to be established from which the 144,000 are to leave and return on a regular basis. Sort of like missionary missions to the souls stuck in Babylon(false religions-churches).

One may ask– If the 144,000 go outside of the Kingdom, wouldn’t they then be able to be attacked by Satan and his human agents? Not necessarily, because the Scripture make it clear that His “redeemed” , the 144,000 are to be protected no matter what.

“Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”(Isaiah 52:8-12)

This concludes the references from Victor Houteff. So now we must “put it all together” and get the whole view from our blocks of truth. From what we’ve gathered so far, it is clear that Ellen White was given much more revelations of this trouble during the “post” church judgment (Ezekiel 9). Brother Houteff was given more before  as well as after. Being the “restorer” (Matt. 17:11) he obviously was given a more complete picture of Jacob’s time of trouble.

 SUMMARY

As we mentioned in the beginning, this subject is quite entailed and is not so easily clear to understand. But we did get enough building blocks of truth to see a general whole view.

Ellen White showed us that the trouble comes in the time period after the SDA church judgement. She showed that it comes both before the close of the “world’s” probation and after it. So it appears that she is equating the “Jacobs” as those who are not within the kingdom, because we just found out that the 144,000 will be protected. I am not sure how we can type and anti-type this but it appears that she is calling the “remnant”, those left behind who come out of Babylon, -Jacob– and consequently the Esaus which come from the same Mother (churches of Babylon) are persecuting them.  For instance she says, “As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked who are seeking to destroy them.”(PP, p.201-203)

We know that the 144,000 are untouchable, because we just read–“Thus protected, she is secure from the dragon’s then making war against her. So he wars only against her “remnant,” those yet to be garnered-the second fruits still scattered throughout the world, away from Mt. Zion.(Answerer, vol. 2, Q-26).

So in order for EGW’s statement to apply it has to be concerning the “second fruits”, otherwise known as the “great multitude”.  Again she says, “The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob’s trouble.” ( GC, p.615-616) 

The Elijah message tells us of great joy by the people in the kingdom, such as “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.(Jer.31:13).

So obviously there appears two scenarios. The “Jacobs” of the world, and the Jacobs of the SDA church. A double application. Brother Houteff expounded clearly on the pre-Ezekiel 9 trouble to which singularly applies to the SDA church. Then he described the “short” trouble that can come immediately after the church judgment. But thank God , brother Houteff gives us an uplifting picture of the final result of the long-suffering “Jacobs” within the SDA church. Scripture does also–

“..a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it ,even to the years of many generations.” (Joel 2:2)

So there we have it, two scenarios to play out within the final events. Jacobs and Esaus playing their respective parts, in the world and in the church. As we cannot be sure of all the details, we are thankful for the light that the Lord has provided in regards to this glorious and troubling time–known as the long awaited– JACOB’S TIME OF TROUBLE.

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Jacob’s Time of Trouble (Part 2 of 3)

October 11, 2014

Jacob's time of trouble

This week we’ll look at references from our last prophet, the Elijah to come of Mal. 4:5, Victor T. Houteff. As we look at more references,  more light comes upon this subject. We’ll get a more solid and broader view of this trouble. Hopefully, we can piece it all together for a plausible end-time scenario.

(As always we’ll show Scripture and SOP in blue, and brother Houteff in brown)

We first begin with the following quote–

Isa. 66:5, 6 — “Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His Word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.  A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to His enemies.”

  “Some have already had the experience of being carried bodily out of the churches for no other reason than for having read “The Shepherd’s Rod,” and for having said, “I believe what It says.”  Of course, it is incredible that men should act like demons.  It is nevertheless so, and God Himself testifies against their demon practice. 

We do not pity ourselves, and are not at all angry at our adversaries, but we are sorry about their spiritual blindness, misery, poverty, and nakedness, for we know that the coming joy is to be ours, and the sorrow and shame and gnashing of teeth, theirs.  This we know as verily as Jacob knew that God was with him in his flight from the face of Esau.

The Esaus of today, though, do not know this.  No, they do not know it any more than Esau of old knew of Jacob’s night vision of the ladder that extended from heaven to Jacob’s dew-soaked bed.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 45 , p.14-15)

This one is VERY revealing! It tells us that an application of Jacob’s time of trouble is happening now. In other word’s, the SDA church is composed of Jacob’s and Esau’s. We see that trouble had come in brother Houteff’s day, and even is now coming from our “Esau”, the unconverted worldly types in the church (especially the leaders).

Recently we showed a YouTube Video where a sister and her children were escorted out of church by police for merely trying to discuss how serious the abortion issue is in our church  hospitals.

Brothers and sisters across the nation and in the world, in our church, are suffering trouble just for standing up for the Elijah message. The leaders are restricting them and in some cases physically abusing them. Conference leaders in some states send out “warning letters” to local churches against those who profess belief in the Shepherd’s Rod. All this is indeed trouble to the anti-typical Jacobs from the anti-typical Esaus.

6.   That the angels’ letting loose the four winds to blow over the four corners of the earth (Rev. 7:1), does not anticipate a world war but rather a world-wide decree enforced throughout Babylon by the image-beast, and that then no one may buy or sell save he who worships “the image.” Rev. 13:15-17.

7.   That subsequently, the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7) for the 144,000, the sons of Jacob, logically develops on their way home (Gen. 32:1, 24) to the land of their fathers (Ezek. 36:28; 37:21, 25).(Fundamental Beliefs, p. 13)

In the Davidian statement of fundamental beliefs, which means our core beliefs, they have 15 that are in addition to the SDA fundamental beliefs, which are all believed by the DSDA as well. The above quote is point 6 and 7. We see that the Rod shows that “subsequently” AFTER  the letting loose the four winds-post Ezek. 9, the time of Jacob’s trouble “develops” on their way home.

And then to put an exclamation point on this timeline we read in fundamental belief number 10 the following–
10. That with this sequence of events will ensure the Loud Cry of the angel that lightens the earth with his glory (Rev. 18:1), as the other Voice cries, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4. (FB p. 13-14)

However,we can become confused because we read in the first reference (TG, vol.1 no.45, p.14-15) that this trouble comes now before the time of the world-wide decree (Sunday Law).

But do you notice that brother Houteff says the important word “develops”? Even though the time of trouble has it’s start in Bro. Houteff’s day, and we experience it today, it continues until it develops into the post Ezekiel 9 Jacob’s time of trouble, apparently the most serious time of the trouble. This is the only way we can harmonize those two references.

We see that this time comes AFTER the church judgment of Ezek.9. We know this because the winds aren’t let loose until after the sealing of the 144,000 takes place. And this sealing concludes at the same time as Ezekiel 9 occurs (See Testimonies to Ministers, p.445).

So once the 144,000 are relieved of the tares, how can it be that the “dead” Esaus can cause trouble, since they are gone in the church judgment? As we have seen the time of trouble from the “live” Esaus in the church, according to the Rod were/are in VTH’s day and ours. This is simple and clear. In other words brethren, it appears that the anti-typical time of Jacob’s trouble involves a longer period than we may think.  Instead of just the post Ezekiel 9 period , there is seen a pre-Ezek. 9 period as well.

The Elijah message gives us a great clue as to when post Ezekiel 9 trouble begins-

“..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.(Tract 14, p.22)

This shows that during this last world war in Israel, while the nations “powers” of the world are engaged, the church purification occurs. After this short gigantic war, the land is cleared out. There will be, no doubt,  victorious armies will  assume that the land is now theirs. At that time the Jacobs of the church, those who survive, will know that the Lord has  done His “strange work”. They will be as a homing pigeon heading for home (Israel).

“They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar And His sons will come trembling from the west.”(Hosea 11:10)

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

At this point, although they are made confident of His power, and now know beyond doubt their mission, they could very well be somewhat fearful as Jacob was,  about how they are to take back the land from the powerful armies there with their  modern computerized weapons and all. This could be an additional  fear that the anti-typical Jacobs have in returning home. We do know that whatever the fear it will  “develop” post Ezek. 9 on the way home.

Yet no matter, they will prevail , praise the Lord!

Next week we’ll finish with part three. We’ll make a final summary of the scenarios that seem plausible. With the final fourth Blood Moon occurring Sept. 28, 2015, this trouble may be closer than we think.

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Jacob’s Time of Trouble (Part 1 of 3)

October 4, 2014

Jacob's time of trouble

Jacob’s time of trouble is somewhat complicated and has some twists and turns, and as such, we’ll try to dissect it reference by reference. Then as we do that, we can start to gain a better “whole view” of this time. I like to look at it this way. When we endeavor to do a study such as this, we have to build small building blocks of truth at first, one at a time. Then when they are all analyzed and assembled, we can step back and hopefully see a solid building of truth standing tall and clear. Kind of like addition. We add it all up and get the final sum total.

This subject matter came to me recently via the  New York gathering of Mountain Dale association of DSDA. It has been much discussed within the Davidian SDA community for many years. Not so much in the S.D.A circles. This is understood when we sadly realize that our church often prefers “milk” as opposed to “meat” such as prophecy and it’s meaning.

What we are attempting to find in this 3 part study is where, when, and how, this Jacob’s time of trouble happens. The DSDA generally have two viewpoints. One says ‘before” Ezek. 9 church judgment and the other “after”. A few believe it occurs both before and after.

In Part 1 we’ll cover Ellen White quotes. And then after each reference, we’ll comment as to its meaning as best can be attained. We’ll bold highlight some areas we want to emphasize.

Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 201-203

“Jacob’s experience during that night of wrestling and anguish represents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before Christ’s second coming. The prophet Jeremiah, in holy vision looking down to this time, said, “We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. . . . All faces are turned into paleness. 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.” Jeremiah 30:5-7.

When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man’s behalf, then this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin. When Jesus leaves His position as man’s intercessor before God, the solemn announcement is made, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11.

Then the restraining Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth. As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked who are seeking to destroy them. And as the patriarch wrestled all night for deliverance from the hand of Esau, so the righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance from the enemies that surround them.

…Such will be the experience of God’s people in their final struggle with the powers of evil. God will test their faith, their perseverance, their confidence in His power to deliver them. Satan will endeavor to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless; that their sins have been too great to receive pardon. They will have a deep sense of their shortcomings, and as they review their lives their hopes will sink. But remembering the greatness of God’s mercy, and their own sincere repentance, they will plead His promises made through Christ to helpless, repenting sinners. Their faith will not fail because their prayers are not immediately answered. They will lay hold of the strength of God, as Jacob laid hold of the Angel, and the language of their souls will be, “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.”

There is little doubt about this time setting of the anti-typical Jacobs’ time of trouble. This trouble comes AFTER probation is closed according to this reference. In the time after the Loud Cry has done it work.

Great Controversy, Page 615-616

“As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom, and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make them objects of universal execration. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness.

The same argument many centuries ago was brought against Christ by the “rulers of the people.” “It is expedient for us,” said the wily Caiaphas, “that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” John 11:50. This argument will appear conclusive; and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World and apostate Protestantism in the New will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the divine precepts. 

The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob’s trouble. “Thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace…. All faces are turned into paleness. 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.” Jeremiah 30:5-7. 

…As Satan influenced Esau to march against Jacob, so he will stir up the wicked to destroy God’s people in the time of trouble. And as he accused Jacob, he will urge his accusations against the people of God.(Page 618)

…The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.(Page 621)

Again SOP clearly places this time of trouble after probation.

Early Writings, page 36-37

“I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues. These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought that we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God. The 144,000 triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God.”

Here we see the connection of the plagues as being in the time of trouble. One important point in this reference, which we’ll touch on later is the “The 144,000 triumphed.”

Signs of the Times, Nov.27, 1879

“When Christ stands up, and leaves the most holy place, the time of trouble commences, the case of every soul is decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin and pollution…Those who live in the last days must pass through an experience similar to that of Jacob. Foes will be all around them, ready to condemn and destroy.

Again we see that this time of trouble is after probation. As she further illuminates of Jacob, it is seen that this trouble is the anti-typical “Jacob’s time of trouble”.

Great Controversy, Page 648-649

Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass as it were mingled with fire,—so resplendent is it with the glory of God,—are gathered the company that have “gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name.” With the Lamb upon Mount Zion, “having the harps of God,” they stand, the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men; and there is heard, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder, “the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” And they sing “a new song” before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand.

It is the song of Moses and the Lamb—a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is the song of their experience—an experience such as no other company have ever had. “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” These, having been translated from the earth, from among the living, are counted as “the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.”Revelation 15:2, 3; 14:1-5.

“These are they which came out of great tribulation;” they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble; they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of God’s judgments.

But they have been delivered, for they have “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” “In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault” before God. “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 have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence, the sun having power to scorch men with great heat, and they themselves have endured suffering, hunger, and thirst. But “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.” Revelation 7:14-17.

Here we see some details about the “time of trouble such as never was” and “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” This one shows more specifics concerning the 144,000, which we can use to harmonize with the Elijah message.

Early Writings, page 85-86(supplement)

  1. On page 33 is given the following: “I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints. I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.”

 

This view was given in 1847 when there were but very few of the Advent brethren observing the Sabbath, and of these but few supposed that its observance was of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and unbelievers. Now the fulfilment of that view is beginning to be seen. “The commencement of that time of trouble,” here mentioned does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the “latter rain,” or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.

This is quite important to understand. Ellen White clarifies that the “time of trouble”is not only in the time of the plagues but “to a short period just before” the plagues are poured out. This shows that trouble is to occur during probation as well as after probation. In other words, an extended time of trouble covering probation and after probation. Christ is in the sanctuary as this trouble first occurs. God’s great and glorious glory takes place while His servants call out those in Babylon but at the same time Satan stirs the wicked to hinder but not stop the work.

Summary

The Spirit of Prophecy shows us that the Jacob’s time of trouble occurs during the Loud Cry as well as after probation. SOP dwells pre-dominantly with the scenes of trouble as it occurs after probation, in the time of the plagues. She describes how God’s people are to be “surrounded” by oppressors. But we’ll have to deal with this “surrounding” in context because the Elijah message tells us God’s people will return to the promised land during the Loud Cry and thus be protected.

It’s important to understand that, just as Ellen White was not given the understanding of the pre-millennial kingdom as Victor Houteff was, She does not show all the details of the time of trouble. The Elijah message will bring a deeper and clearer understanding of this issue  next week.

Posted in End times, Final Events, Jacob's Time of Trouble | 1 Comment »

Amos 5:10

September 27, 2014

Amos rebuking

As we look at the above picture, we see the farmer turned prophet, Amos, rebuking his people for their sins. In Amos 5:10 we read, “They hate the one who rebukes at the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.” 

It is indeed a true saying of God, those who rebuke or admonish are not, nor ever been, liked or appreciated by the majority of God’s professed people. Few realize the great love behind God’s words of warning brought by His servants. Let us look at this necessary “act of love”.

The word “rebuke” in the dictionary means, “express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions.” But as true Christians we obviously would not rebuke someone unless the situation calls for it. In other words, as a caring brother or sister, we would first try to warn gently any clear sinning going on “in the midst”. Then if that doesn’t seem to reach them, next time the firmer step of rebuking may be necessary.

Most of us remember as young children, our parents giving us strong medicine. You know, that yucky stuff that we just hated. Yet, most of us found ourselves well within a short period of time. An analogy can be made about giving words of warning to our brethren. It’s often “tough to take” yet if we digest it slowly and dwell upon the healing effects, we’ll be all the better for it.

The Spirit of Prophecy says, “To the obedient, he will give rich blessings; to the transgressors, a curse. Every man who bears the message of truth to our churches, must do his duty by warning, educating, rebuking. Any neglect of duty which is a robbery toward God, means a curse upon the delinquent.”(Special Testimonies, No. 7, p.22).

A few months ago I happened to be surfing SDA YouTube videos and came across a unique ministry for the Lord. As I watched, God’s words as brought by Amos came to mind. The lady with her children were protesting unholy music and abortions within the S.D.A church.

Sadly, the majority ignores them, or worse, some men in “responsible positions” send police to confront them as troublemakers. Yet, the woman was “sighing and crying” for the abominations taking place within our church and conference. Abortion, lack of proper dress, unholy music and a list of other abominations is their cry. To view their videos click here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owdoa6yVMk8

Brother Houteff announced in his very first book , on the very first page, concerning the Lord’s “Elijah”message the following, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”(Isaiah 58:1).

On the next page he continued, “It is the intention of this book to reveal the truth of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7, but the chief object of this publication is  to bring a reformation among God’s people.” (Shepherd’s Rod, vol. 1, preface).

We noticed the word “chief”. In other words the message of Elijah is first and foremost to convert and reform THEN we can learn and know all the Truths found within the Lord’s last message. Obviously we do not learn to run before walking. So too, we must learn to walk upright before the Lord,  in our daily actions.

So before we can rebuke at the gate, we must know that our own life is “cleaned up” and we ourselves are walking in the light as best we can. If this is not the case we fall under the Lord’s striking rebuke–

“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Matt. 7:5)

As we study the past prophets, we notice another “rebuker at the gate”, the prophet Nehemiah. After giving the people the warning not to come into the camp on the Sabbath, selling and buying, he says, “So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after Sabbath….Then I warned them, ‘Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!””(Neh.13:19)

Wow! Not only was the prophet a rebuker of their sins, he was a ready enforcer! How deep the love for God’s honor! How deep the understanding of sin!

This is what “rebuking at the gate” is all about. A true desire to show people their sins in order to help steer them right and to stay on that “straight and narrow” road.

The Elijah prophet confirmed our duty as faithful servants today.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE WHO BEAR THE MESSAGE

   Since Ezekiel represents those whose hearts the message has reached, then to them the Lord is speaking when He says:

“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 

Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because  thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Ezek. 3 :17-21.)

   Because of the unfaithfulness of the former watchmen, the Lord makes the antitypical Ezekiel — he and she who “sigh and cry for the abominations  that be done in the midst thereof” (the church) — a “watchman” (Ezek. 3:17) in their stead.  Be careful, therefore, Brother, Sister, lest you also betray your trust and find yourself thrust out.  “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor. 10:12. (Tract 1, p.41-42)

So the Lord through His Elijah prophet, gives us specific instructions that we are to be a “watchman”. One who carefully warns the sinners in ‘the midst” that sinning will lead to destruction.

In closing let’s look at the Spirit of Prophecy’s counsel to be as faithful as Amos, Nehemiah, Ezekiel and brother Houteff was, in “rebuking at the gate” —

“The prejudice which has arisen against us because we have reproved the wrongs that God has shown me existed, and the cry that has been raised of harshness and severity, are unjust. God bids us speak, and we will not be silent.

If wrongs are apparent among His people, and if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike guilty and will just as surely receive the displeasure of God; for they will be made responsible for the sins of the guilty.

In vision I have been pointed to many instances where the displeasure of God has been incurred by a neglect on the part of His servants to deal with the wrongs and sins existing among them. Those who have excused these wrongs have been thought by the people to be very amiable and lovely in disposition, simply because they shunned to discharge a plain Scriptural duty. The task was not agreeable to their feelings; therefore they avoided it.

The spirit of hatred which has existed with some because the wrongs among God’s people have been reproved has brought blindness and a fearful deception upon their own souls, making it impossible for them to discriminate between right and wrong. They have put out their own spiritual eyesight. They may witness wrongs, but they do not feel as did Joshua and humble themselves because the danger of souls is felt by them.

The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God.

Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet’s illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand.

One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. “And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, 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.”(Testimonies, vol. 3, p.266-267)

Posted in The Book of Amos, Warning our brethren | 4 Comments »

My Sheep hear My Voice

September 20, 2014

Jesus and Sheep

 

As we approach the end of our S.D.A probation, it’s important that we keep our “airwaves” open. As the above words of Christ’s says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they know Me.” (John 10:27).

Let us look at how we can hear His voice and “follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth.”

In today’s bombardment of advanced technological gadgetry, we are faced with sounds almost everywhere. Most of the sounds are man-made and not nature made.We go to work with the radio or stereo playing. We come home and turn the TV on and hear it nearly all night.

The Lord’s voice, through the Holy Spirit,  has to compete with these sounds much of our waking hours. But once we become converted, and change from worldly-minded to spiritual minded, this devil snare can quickly be halted.

Speaking from my own experience, I was one who was truly addicted to music. I just had to listen nearly all the time, to the truck radio or CD’s or tapes. Pop music or Rock was the main stay. It literally was one of my all-time idols. And when the day was done, you’d often find me listening to more of the same well into the evening (if I wasn’t out carousing at a local club or casino).

But conversion came and soon the Lord spoke loud and clear– cut that out! I obeyed and haven’t looked back since. The big life changing day occurred one morning when I clearly was convicted of listening to the worldly music. I had been an Adventist for only a short time, yet the Lord spoke loud and clear.

I found myself so convicted that I went into the yard, and pulled out a large trash can, and went inside and grabbed all the albums (large collection) and CD’s and tapes, and tossed them into the trash can. This was a lifetime collection. Some of them were probably worth some bucks. But I had decided to “follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth.” He spoke I acted. I would no longer drown out His voice.

I could remember that day as I sat on the bed in the room pondering what had just transpired. I sensed angels flying above me, like they were giving high 5’s to one another saying, “Rob has just slayed a life long idol!” Joy swept over me and a big weight on my shoulders (spiritually speaking) had been lifted.

In Luke 15:10 we read, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

You see, our Lord wants an imitate relationship with us, because He has things to say. He want’s to “sup” with us.

“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.”(Rev. 3:20)

In the family structure, when is the most intimate family gathering? Is it not around the supper table? This is the time where the members talk of important matters of the day, or their lives. Our Master has used this human tradition as a symbol of His communicating with us. He want’s to speak. Are we listening?

SOP says, “Hearts are not reached by eloquence or logic, but by the Holy Spirit. The still, small voice of the Spirit of God has power to change the heart.” (Royalty and Ruin, page 59)

Let us be mindful that our King loves us truly so much that he knocks and knocks and knocks all day and night, but we will never hear Him if we drown Him out with the world’s many counter voices and sounds.

Come Lord, speak to us, we are listening.

Posted in Christian walk | 3 Comments »

Are the 144,000 just Men?

September 13, 2014

144,000 picture

 

The command to mark this company so that they fall not under the slaughter weapons by the figure of the five men, reads as follows: “And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, 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.” (Ezekiel 9:4.)

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

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

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32.)  If the word all men in this text does not include both sexes, then the women are lost.  “And the time of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” (The Acts 17:30.)  Again, if “all men” include not both male and female, then women are not commanded to repent.  It is evident that the noun, men, is a collective Biblical term of both men and women.

The same is true by creation, for, God made the woman of the man.  Therefore, she is a wo-man.  Again in Gal. 3:28, we read: “There is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Since there is no difference between either sex in Christ, then we see that women as well as men can be kings and priests.  The same thought can be carried out by the experience of the Jewish nation: “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time…. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.” (Judges 4:4, 5.)

This woman held a man’s position, being a judge of God’s people, which is equivalent to a king.  Not only a king, but she was a prophetess as well.  Again we read in Luke 2:36,37, “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”

Also the wife of Shallum being a prophetess taught Israel and controlled the college. (See 2 Kings 22:14-16.)  Phillip the evangelist had four daughters who also did prophesy.  (See The Acts 21:8, 9.)

From Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:12, “I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence,” you will note the meaning here is, that the woman is to be in subjection to the man as God had ordained, and not that she is forbidden to hold the office of a teacher.

Again we quote, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.” (1 Cor. 14:34.)  Read the chapter and you will see that Paul wishes to establish order in the churches, for there was great confusion by speaking in unknown tongues.  Therefore, to silence the confusion, he says: “Let your women keep silence in the churches.”

He is not forbidding them to speak if they have a duty to perform.  If this lesson was heeded in this age there would be a great change for the better in the house of God.

In the beginning God created both the man and the woman equal, as king and queen.  “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28.)  Note that the dominion was given to them both.

However, after they sinned a change was made: “Unto the woman He said,… thy desire shall be to thy husband, and He shall rule over thee.” (Gen. 3:16.)  So, after the woman sinned she fell under the government of man.  But that which Eve lost by deception, shall be restored by redemption.  Thus again the equality of both shall be established as kings and queens.

Therefore, “There is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus.”  Christ himself confirms the idea in the following expression: “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

Thus the noun “men” used by Ezekiel, and the noun “virgins” by John is a collective Biblical term comprehending both.  Furthermore, the denomination numbers a little over 300,000 at present time.  Only about a third of them are men.  If every man was sealed and numbered as one of the 144,000, we still would be far short of reaching the total.  Again we note at the time of the passover in Egypt the blood on the door-post was a type of the marking or sealing. (“The Shepherd’s Rod,” Vol. 1, pp. 96-98.)

In that night wherever the blood appeared on the door-post, the first born whether male or female, perished not, just so now, those who receive the seal, have applied the blood on the door-post (forehead), and as the first born of both classes, those who died and those who did not, were a type of the present priesthood (ministry), evidently, the type points forward to a ministry in the anti-type made up of both sexes — the first born who died represent the class that shall fall under the slaughter weapons of the five men, and the first born who escaped from death, represent the class that shall receive the mark of the man with the writer’s inkhorn and pass from death to life.

Thus the first born who lived and passed through the red sea, are a type of the 144,000.  The first fruits of the harvest, are the servants of God in the time of the “loud cry” of the Third Angel’s Message.

The above was taken from Shepherd’s Rod volume 2, p.167-168.

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

As the holy angels are now going about marking those who accept and obey the last message of the Lord, the Elijah message, we know that women as well as men will comprise the 144,000. Certainly children as well. Let us get ready as time is quickly coming to an end. The pieces are getting set-up with tension in the Mideast soon to erupt.

Our prophetess gave us the Lord’s command–“Let us strive with all power God has given us, to be among the one hundred and forty four thousand. And let us do all we can to help others to gain heaven.” (Review and Herald, March 9, 1905)

Posted in The 144, Who are the 144K? | 5 Comments »

Correction

September 6, 2014

corrections key

As we read the Scriptures we come to a sad fact, over and over again. God’s people have continually had one fatal flaw– unwilling to be corrected. This alone seems to be the very thing that erects a barrier that so many times, we as “Christians” fail to break down. Pride and stubbornness rears its ugly head and  keeps us “stuck” instead of going forward in our walk.

In Jeremiah  5:3 we read, “O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.” (Jeremiah 5:3)

We remember the days of the Exodus movement, the Lord continually had to correct their ways and behavior, yet they soon abandoned His corrective instructions. It is no different today. We as a people are even more stiff-necked than they were.

As God’s Elijah messengers, our duty is often to  be our “brother’s keeper”. We should really care about our fellow believer and be faithful in dis-charging our duty of support and even warnings and rebukes, if necessary.

If we fail to warn our brethren we fall under the words as spoken by Ezekiel “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.”(Ezek. 3:18-19)

We see here a two-fold promise. Give correction and spare your life, ignore your brethren and lose your life. We must be un-selfish and not have the attitude of “I’m going to heaven, I don’t know about you”.

One of God’s greatest correctors was Elijah the prophet.

“The benefits which God gave to this people called forth from them no gratitude to the Giver. All the bounties of heaven,–the running brooks, the streams of living waters, the gentle dew, the showers of rain which refreshed the earth and caused their fields to bring forth abundantly,–these they ascribed to the favor of their gods.

Elijah’s faithful soul was grieved. His indignation was aroused, and he was jealous for the glory of God. He saw that Israel was plunged into fearful apostasy. And when he called to mind the great things that God had wrought for them, he was overwhelmed with grief and amazement.

But all this was forgotten by the majority of the people. He went before the Lord, and, with his soul wrung with anguish, pleaded for Him to save His people if it must be by judgments. He pleaded with God to withhold from His ungrateful people dew and rain, the treasures of heaven, that apostate Israel might look in vain to their gods, their idols of gold, wood, and stone, the sun, moon, and stars, to water and enrich the earth, and cause it to bring forth plentifully. 

 The Lord told Elijah that He had heard his prayer and would withhold dew and rain from His people until they should turn unto Him with repentance.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.263) 

How great was this man’s love for his people! Sadly, the correction given, even coupled with great signs from the Lord, would not be long accepted.

Eternal life is so mind-boggling that we should do all we can to learn His word and that includes His instruction to correct and be corrected.

Refusing correction can be shown by either combative or polite refusal, silent ignoring, or empty promises of reform. All of them give the same results –a failure to turn around and walk uprightly before the Lord.

But as we study Scripture, the lessons are many of how we can allow ourselves to be corrected and it’s a key that unlocks a whole new purpose and desire to serve the Lord.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

As we let go of our pride, it’s much easier to listen to corrective instruction.

In the story of king David and being corrected by the prophet Nathan, we read from Spirit of Prophecy  —

“The prophet Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb, given to King David, may be studied by all. The light was flashed sharply upon the king, while he was in utter darkness as to what was thought of his actions in regard to Uriah. While he was following his course of self-indulgence and commandment breaking, the parable of a rich man who took from a poor man his one ewe lamb, was presented before him.

But the king was so completely wrapped in his garments of sin, that he did not see that he was the sinner. He fell into the trap, and with great indignation, he passed his sentence upon another man, as he supposed, condemning him to death. When the application was made, and the facts brought home to him, when Nathan said, Thou art the man; unknowingly thou hast condemned thyself, David was overwhelmed. He had not one word to say in defence of his course of action. (2BC 1023.2)

This experience was most painful to David, but it was most beneficial. But for the mirror which Nathan held up before him, in which he so clearly recognized his own likeness, he would have gone on unconvicted of his heinous sin, and would have been ruined. The conviction of his guilt was the saving of his soul. He saw himself in another light, as the Lord saw him, and as long as he lived he repented of his sin.” (Letter 57, 1897).(2BC 1023.3)

What a great story and lesson! The mighty king David was thoroughly corrected and he accepted it deeply. As we see “as long as he lived repented of his sin.”

Spirit of Prophecy comments on our subject, “I have been shown that the greatest reason why the people of God are now found in this state of spiritual blindness is that they will not receive correction. Many have despised the reproofs and warnings given them.( Testimonies, vol. 3, p.255)

Are we willing to stand corrected? Or does our pride hinder us? Is it not worth our eternal salvation to admit our wrongs, whatever they may be? Eternity, wow, is this not worth fighting for? Is this not worth our every effort to “know the worst of our case”?

“Determine to know the worst of your case. Ascertain if you have an inheritance on high. Deal truly with your own soul.” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p.163)

Posted in Humility, Obedience, Warning our brethren | 2 Comments »

A Spiritual Virus

August 30, 2014

Spiritual virus

 

“Spiritual Virus”,  just what is that? Before we explain allow me to tell how this term came recently.

In Revelation 3:20 we read, “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.”

Here we see that the Lord will “come in” to us if we hear His voice and open the door. And an important part of this process is that we will “sup” with Him. This is a fascinating description of communicating with Him. Hopefully we can do a post soon on this subject alone, as it is very important.

To simplify “sup” is indicative of communicating with our Lord, and as such we hear Him speaking to us. As I often do each week, I drive several miles in my truck. For decades I would be playing the pop music or CD’s. Basically drowning out any possibility of hearing anything except that worldly music.

But since my conversion, I no longer listen to that music and as such have my ears ‘wide open” to hear His voice. I explain all this to show how this word “Spiritual Virus” came. It came as I was “supping” with the Lord. It just came into me.

So that being said, I kept hearing that as days went by. So I knew that this was a topic the Lord wanted me to discuss.So let us look at this subject and how we must be on guard and take precautions not to develop this most serious plague.

Just as there exists many physical viruses, so too, there are many spiritual viruses. And as the physical ones lodge within us and are sometimes hard to eradicate, same with the spiritual. While there are certainly many “strains” or symptoms of spiritual viruses such as habitual sinning, they can begin the same way. His Inspired word shows us how they develop.

Let us look at how they can develop.

Christ our King showed us the importance of “knowing” Him. In 1 John 2:3-4 we read, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his Commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

Any true Christian must first “know” the Lord, yes? And if we are to know Him, we see clearly that keeping His Commandments are the key. So the very first steps in our walk is to repent and then to  “walk” in His Commandments. Therefore, the ones who are susceptible to a spiritual virus are the ones who really don’t know Christ. They may talk of Him and profess to know Him yet we know they are lying if they do not keep His Commandments. 

It’s similar to someone walking around with a bull’s-eye target on their back. The Satanic forces can see it in the spiritual realm and zero in on them. So our first area of defense from the viruses, is to know and keep His Commandments.

Sadly, as I have continued to walk along the path of the Lord’s leading, I have found that even those who proclaim the Elijah message (the Lord’s highest light) are no exception to these terrible viruses. What does that tell us? It can only mean that Satan and his workers have tricked them into being careless in their walk.

In other words, a deception has crept in and that is that they are the Lord’s messengers and thus they don’t need to be careful daily in walking in His Commandments.

Inspiration points out how important it is to keep faithful in obeying them —“When one commandment of the Decalogue is broken, the downward steps are almost certain.” (Signs of the Times, July 1, 1903)

You see, it is a ‘gift” from the Lord to have His “Spirit of Truth”. In John 16:13 we read, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Those who know Him can thus be guided to know the Truth. This goes even to the fact that those who know Him can tell sinner from saint! The Elijah prophet said,  “For  only a true Christian, one who has a personal experience with God, a perfect knowledge of His Word, and who is filled with His Spirit, can discriminate saint from sinner.  He, only, can recognize who has the seal and who does not have it, when the latter is cloaked in a counterfeit robe of righteousness.” (Tract 5, p.63)

One of the most important areas to check in regards to our faithfulness in keeping His Commandments, is to investigate our Sabbath keeping. We often should check up on ourselves in this area.

Let us look at some questions we can ask ourselves–

1) How is our appearance on the Sabbath day? Do we dress our “best”? Are we well-groomed and bring the Lord honor by going into His house a good representative of Him?

2) Are we abstaining from the numerous temptations that Satan brings on the Sabbath? Buying and selling? Worldly pleasures such as TV and music? Discussing business?

3) Are we careless like Eli was and overlooking, or worse yet contributing, to our family and friends willful transgressing of the Sabbath

Let us expand on this point. If we have a wife or husband, or children, and they often do things that are not right in the Lord’s sight on the Sabbath, how do we respond? Do we wink at it or even participate in it?

Suppose we are on the way to the church service on the Sabbath and our wife says. “oh honey I just remembered  I promised to bring a salad to the lunch today. Could we stop by the grocery store on the way to church and buy the salad?  What is the husband to do? Be like Eli and wink at this and go along with this willful breaking of the Sabbath? Or does he protect the wife and himself from falling for this devil trick , thereby saving themselves from trampling His holy Sabbath?

Just so we know the Lord’s will in  this regard, let us read His instruction, “In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the Sabbath day?

“Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the Sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the Sabbath day.” (Nehemiah 13:15-19)

What a beautiful story of true respect and admonishment from the prophet! He cared enough for the Lord’s honor to make known the error of the people. Are we doing this with any of our friends or family who happen to carelessly honor the Lord on His holy day? If we are not, we may be compromising our “defense system” and allowing a virus to develop. Why? Because we are also committing transgression just as we allow those within our reach and care to do.

“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..” (Isaiah 62:6)

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.(Ezekiel 3:18)

So what is our point here? It is that the strongest defense in not obtaining a spiritual virus is to keep His Commandments. This is first and foremost. Let us not forget that we also show the Lord we “love” Him.

“If ye love Me, keep My Commandments.” (John 14:15)

So now that we know what  helps us as a healthy line of defense, let us look at some specific symptoms of these viruses.

1) Repetitive breaking of the Sabbath.

This can include but not limited to: Doing business on the Sabbath, such as phone calls, writings, job appointments, worldly TV and music, lack of reverence in His house such as, talking loudly in sanctuary, playing games on cell phone in sanctuary, lack of presentable attire in His sanctuary (this one is especially specific to the ladies for dresses and shoes and proper head-covering)

2) Proclaiming false teachings and beliefs.

Such as no Trinity exists, no Elijah prophet message needed, no need to strive with all power God has given us to be among the 144,000 (Review and herald, March 9, 1905), Elijah prophet is not to be the last, continual proclaiming of peace and safety message. No church judgment to come, only the next coming of Jesus in the clouds at end of plagues, etc.

Let us expound on this point. Our Master told us the following:

“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether  I speak of myself.” (John 7:17)

This again shows that first we must “do His will” THEN we shall know His true teachings. This is why some get tripped up in their walk, they fail to do “first things first” and falsely presume that the Lord allows then to “jump over the threshold”.Even though they may know quite a bit of the word of the Lord.

The prime example of this was the Pharisees. Jesus admonished them, even though they knew all the Scriptures and professed to know God, He exposed them for not doing the basics.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier  matters  of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (John 8:32)

From another angle we see an excellent example of women “laden with sins”unable to learn properly. Although it mentions silly women, the concept applies to all sinners.

“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:6-7)

Our prophetess also explained, “God never honors unbelief and questioning and doubt. When He speaks, His word is to be recognized and carried out in the daily actions. And if the heart of man is in living connection with God, the voice that cometh from above will be recognized…There is need that we reverence the Word of God and recognize His voice in the living oracles, that we may practice its precepts and live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.(Testimonies on Sabbath School Work, p.64)

3) Robbing God.

Being unfaithful in returning His Tithes and offerings per Mal. 3:10. Thus not providing your funds so that He may have “food” in His house. The food being spiritual food as in His present truth for us right now–today. Supporting instead an old message that was present truth for generations past.

4) The Laodicean spirit

This is perhaps the greatest virus of all. It paralysis the host. They are unable to get out of their “rich and increased with goods” attitude and therefore they fail to advance in the Lord’s light.

Our King knew these people well and warned:

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”(Rev. 3:14-18)

“The only hope for the Laodiceans is a clear view of their standing before God, a knowledge of the nature of their disease. They are neither cold nor hot; they occupy a neutral position, and at the same time flatter themselves that they are in need of nothing. The True Witness hates this lukewarmness.

He loathes the indifference of this class of persons. Said He: “I would thou wert cold or hot.” Like lukewarm water, they are nauseous to His taste. They are neither unconcerned nor selfishly stubborn. They do not engage thoroughly and heartily in the work of God, identifying themselves with its interests; but they hold aloof and are ready to leave their posts when their worldly personal interests demand it.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p.87)

Obviously there are many more viruses that can lodge into our soul  and those are just some primary ones.

In closing, let us be mindful that we cannot fool God. We may very well fool others but the One that is watchful–we can’t. A “spiritual virus” can be avoided and even eradicated, if we humbly repent of our wrong doing and submit to Christ, keeping His Commandments as best we can daily.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Free, even from a “spiritual virus”.

 

Posted in Commandments, Delusion, Proper teachings | 1 Comment »

To Hell in a Hand Basket

August 23, 2014

Hell in a hand basket

The world seems to be falling apart. Almost daily now, we see reports of killings, and unrest that is instilling real fear in many around the world.  Ukraine, Iraq, the middle east, and many other countries are experiencing  daily bombings and shootings and it’s getting out of control. To many, it seems the world is going to “Hell in a hand basket”.

What is happening? Even the head of the United Nations is at a loss for words. The USA Today said this week, “The world faces the greatest humanitarian crises in the United Nations history, and nations aren’t coming together to solve the problems, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon warned Tuesday.”

In looking down to our time,  the end of mankind’s history , our Lord said, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” ( Luke 21:26)

When we watch on our nightly news of the horrible  crimes such as be-headings of innocent people, our fears certainly rise to the surface. But what really is happening?

As we know from Scripture, this world belongs to the dark adversary. “..the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” (Matt. 4:8-9)

The Lord did not contest Satan’s claim on the ownership of the world’s “kingdoms”. Satan has been at work, in his deceitful, lying, murderous ways since Adam and Eve. So this violence we see today is his handiwork and it will only intensify. We have made the observation that Satan is really like the mad insane killer who wants to take as many with him as he can, he’s going to die and his misery must be shared with all he can take down with him.

Recently the world beheld the first of  four “Blood moons” to occur over a span of a year and a half. This is known as “Blood Moon Tetrad”.  Here are the specific dates.

blood moons

(Click on moons to enlarge)

Without going into the detailed rarity of these concurrent blood moons, we know that even one blood moon is rare. Now when we multiply that by four and then add the fact that they occur on Biblical holy days, well, let’s just say it’s extremely rare.

Scripture prophetically tells us that a “blood moon” is to be a direct sign from the Lord. Specifically right before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

“And I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”  (Joel 2:30 -31)

“The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious Day of the Lord.” (Acts 2:20)

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;” (Rev. 6:12)

So what is all this telling us? We cannot be for certain as we are not prophets, but one thing is sure. Satan knows Scripture in and out and it may very well be that he knows that the final Blood Moon Tetrad is his cue that his final time clock has begun.

Therefore his wrath begins upon mankind and develops in intensity.  Additionally we know from Scripture the world is to be turned upside down. God is about to “go to work” just as Satan is. The titanic battle is very shortly to begin, the “Great Controversy” indeed!

But the proud and mighty are to be debased. The penitent and humble ones are to “takeover”. Ellen White confirms this.

“The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us….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. The deeper the night for God’s people, the more brilliant the stars.(Test. for the Church, vol. 5, p.81)

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

Revelation 7 says that the “four winds” are to be held until the servants of God are sealed in their forehead. As of yet these winds are still being held, so Satan does not have the go ahead to start the “time of trouble as never was”. What we now see is just a prelim of the death , turmoil and upheaval that will encompass the world.

God in His long suffering mercy is holding this trouble back. He is patiently waiting for His “tribes of Isreal” (Rev.7:4-8) to come forward and embrace His final message of Truth. But as we have reported many times, His remnant church is fast asleep and I dare say–in a coma! Those of us who are active in spreading His Elijah message to the church, see the weekly shunning and dishonoring of God’s proper honor, especially in His house. Many preachers from the pulpit speak false things and ignore His last message. “Peace and safety” is the message.

“Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan….”(LDE, p.179)

Sadly, the vast majority of the “Israel of today” will not be around much longer. He is soon the “take the rein into His own hands” (Test. to Min. p.300). So while the time of trouble will be let loose, and test many souls around the world (those in Babylon), the current SDA church members will first experience —

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be  of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

But make no mistake, while God deals with His own first He will by no means acquit the evil doers in the world. Those mask men who we often see in the news holding their sword or knife to kill and maim, think they are hiding behind their masks but they are marked. There punishment will be dire indeed! The God of “recompense” will appear to their horror shortly.

While they take pride in committing killings in the “name” of “God”, the real great “I AM” will soon protect both those who “escape” His church judgment (Isaiah 66:15-19) and those who escape Babylon.

God, through His people, will finally “fight back”. Through  His word He foretells a time when none of the unrighteous will escape and will be brought down.

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

“In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.” Zech. 12:8.

God has put up with Satan’s stomping His truth into the ground through his false teachers and prophets for a LONG TIME. But soon, the tables are to turn, and strong will be the servants of God. The adversary has finally met more than his match.

 “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with  a recompence; he will come and save you.” (Issiah 35:3-4)

So in closing, while it looks as if the world is going to “Hell in a hand basket”, the great God of  Israel holds all the cards. His perfect plan of church and world redemption is at work despite what appears now. It can be very fearful when we  look at the world’s current troubles, but there is hope in His word.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”(Isaiah 41:10)

Posted in End times, Final Events, God's signs | 1 Comment »

Who was Florence Houteff?

August 16, 2014

Flo. Houteff

As many of you are aware we have written extensively on Victor T. Houteff, who we as believers in the Lord’s Elijah message, believe was the “Elijah” to come as prophesied in Malachi 4:5. But how about his wife? Who was she and what happened to her after VTH’s death in 1955?

History reveals that she took on an important role in the events that played out after brother Houteff’s death. Unfortunately most of it was not in accordance with the will of the founder  of the Lord’s end time  message of the Rod. Let us now look at the historical events that took place that shaped the message in ways that was foreseen by the prophet himself.

Florence Houteff was a young woman of  18 when she and Victor Houteff married in Waco, Texas. Brother Houteff was 50. This was a marriage sanctioned by Florence’s mother. As can be seen the age difference was wide and Victor had to address some who looked at it as outside the norm.

In one of the questions he received in the “Symbolic Code” he was asked to address this. He responded in part-

“As to the matter of age, the following Biblical marriages represent a great disparity of years: Abraham, the father of the faithful, certainly took to himself a wife much younger than himself, for when he married the second time, he must have been over 140 years of age, as he was a hundred years old when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5), and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebeccah (Gen. 25:20), at which time Sarah, Abraham’s first wife was yet living (Gen. 24:67), and Keturah, his second wife, was evidently somewhere under forty years of age, for she bare him six sons (Gen. 25:1, 2), which facts present a difference of at least a hundred years between the ages of Abraham and his second wife.

Again, the Lord chose for His lineage, Boaz (a Jew), and old man, and Ruth (a Moabitess), a young woman (Ruth 3:10)–a union contrary to the principles held by Brother Houteff’s critics… Brother Houteff’s critics seem utterly to forget that he has a tremendous work, and that he does not need a wife able only to make a home for him, but rather one most able to assist him in his work.  Hence, an aged woman, or one without experience in the work, would be to him a hindrance rather than a help.  Therefore, God has provided for him a “helpmeet” that will really help him, as he cannot successfully carry on the work while single.” (Sym. Code, vol. 3, no. 5-6, p.7-8)

So the truth is that brother Houteff had met Florence and found a true “helpmeet”. One who could help him in his important work of writing and spreading the message of Elijah. She was known to take short-hand on his many sermon addresses, called “Timely Greetings”. She obviously helped him in many ways. His work was indeed voluminous and she provided excellent secretarial skills along with her domestic chores.

So through out their approximately 20 years of marriage she exhibited a noteworthy impression as a devoted helper and wife of VTH. I have spoken to one of the original living members of the Mt. Carmel camp, Mrs. Bonnie Smith. She reported that Florence was quite a popular figure on the camp and her and brother Houteff made a great team.

But as we continue our story, we can only conclude that something unbeknownst to human eyes was at work. All was not as meet the eye. It can be similar to the story of Judas. While Christ was alive and doing His great work upon the earth, Judas was right there among the chosen. The masses (possibly even including the apostles) no doubt thought that Judas was a real believer, a real team player. Until the end time events came.

Victor died on Feb. 5, 1955. This was truly a sad event for those who had come to know him. He had some heart trouble and towards the end of his life he had some health challenges. Nevertheless, the faithful mourned the loss of the man who had provided brilliant light from the Lord. Prophecies that had been hidden for centuries became clear as crystal through his writings and Florence Houteff was right there helping.

But the first bit of evidence that something was seriously amiss is the very next day’s events, after his death.

Florence called an executive council meeting to discuss business! The body was not even cold yet and she wants to discuss business. Among other things she requested the council make a resolution that she be provided for her welfare for the rest of her life.( Source- Wikipedia article reference no.91 “Davidian Seventh-day Adventists”.)

She also requested that she be made vice president, effectively making her the person in charge of the whole organization.

So we can see the first seeds of trouble. But Victor had been given the warning from the Lord because he said the following years before.

“Everything that can be done against God’s message of today will be done with even a greater vengeance than was manifest against Heaven’s message in the days of Christ’s first advent, for the Devil knows that if he loses now, he loses forever — that he is to have no other chance. Unparalleled, therefore, is the urgency that every eleventh-hour church member now quickly and solidly brace himself against the Enemy’s effort to deliver a knockout blow. We must be alert, too, to realize that the blow is to come from surprisingly unsuspected foes — from professed friends of the gospel, who are no less pious than were priests in Christ’s day.” (White House Recruiter, p.33)

Despite protests from some on the council, she managed to get her way. The movement was quickly and surprisingly under “new management”. But who really was behind this management? As events unfold further, there can be no doubt as to who.

A few weeks ago I was surfing YouTube, as I do occasionally. I found a video entitled, “The Shepherd’s Rod EXPOSED by their own references”. As one who is well versed in the Lord’s Elijah message I was naturally curious what this guy had to say. As I listened my mouth became wider and wider in dis-belief. Hence the reason and need for this post.

You see, Satan has not changed his game plan since the beginning. His very first work of deception was bearing “false witness” against God and His truth. God said “don’t eat” and Satan  said “no He didn’t say that”. The same applies today and especially in regards to the last message, which he very well knows, once successful in securing the 144,000 true servants of God, it’s the beginning of the end for him.

So he get’s his own servants, those who bear false witness, to dispute and malign the Lord’s message. To spread falsehood and hopefully hood wink those who lean on flesh, who make men their arm.

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. (Jer. 17:5)

So how does this all connect to Florence Houteff?  Because she and her council made the well-known false prediction that brought scorn and wide-spread doubt to the message and it’s effects are seen even to this day. Thus many today are spreading her false prediction  as “proof” that the message was false. They pawn it off on brother Houteff and the Shepherd’s Rod teachings.

In the video, the guy repeats the Satan lie that in 1959 the Shepherd’s Rod message from Victor Houteff predicted that Ezekiel 9 church judgment would take place around the world. That the warning called on all SDA members to save their lives and come to Mt. Carmel, Waco Texas, in April of 1959. To sell everything and get ready for the trip to Israel for the setting up of the pre-millennial kingdom. Many did do this (some say over 1000).

The truth of this matter is that Florence Houteff and her gang (her cronies on the council) set that date of April 1959 as the date of Ezekiel 9 to take place in the SDA churches around the world. But she claimed it was her husband’s interpretation that pointed to that time. The fact is that no where in all of Victor’s writings is found any prophetic prediction of Ezekiel 9 and its fulfillment date. (Good history of this is found in Don Adair’s –“A Davidian Testimony” chapters 19-21).

As we have often mentioned Satan and his devils are fighting for their life. And the best way to survive and delay their time is to tear down God’s message and even it’s messengers. As another example, the guy in this video starts going into how David Koresh was a latter-day follower of the movement started by VTH. If one knows the truth, this is such a blatant deception , it can only be called Satanic.

The 9th Commandment says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against they neighbor.”(Exodus 20:16)

Bearing false witness is serious before the Lord. In times past God did indeed “wink” at certain things, but since His own Son’s blood was shed, it’s all for real now.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”(Acts 17:31)

Florence Houteff and her council found out on that fateful day after their false prediction that the Lord had not spoken to them. So did over 1000 people around the world who had convened on Mt. Carmel in Texas that April day in 1959.  But Satan was pleased. A big blunder had occurred that would serve as the “knock-out blow” that the prophet had predicted a few years before. Today this foul trick has hoodwinked many souls and accomplished its goal to throw many people off His last message of Elijah. The guy’s video is just one example of it.

So unfortunately after the disaster, Florence Houteff continued to make further blunders. Soon she and her council decided that, contrary to the prophet’s clear instructions, they would take the Elijah message to the world. Ignoring the fact, that the message taught that the Lord’s church was to receive this message first and foremost. The church, not the world,  is about to be “spued out” and must prepare. The anti-type was to meet type. Elijah went to his people and not the world, so anti-type Elijah message must do the same.

Then after one dis-jointed plan after another she finally exposed her true colors and announced she was quitting the movement. The camp closed down in 1962. Although the faithful regrouped and headed to California.  Seven years of blunders had run their course.

As can be expected, Florence Houteff later renounced her husband’s message and even Ellen White! Is it no wonder? Wouldn’t we also want to run and hide if the church community knew we had made false prophetic predictions?

As a amazing side note, Florence later remarried a man whose last name was Eakin. So she became known as Florence Eakin. Pronounced  the same as Achan  (the thief) of the solemn Bible story in Joshua (Chapter 7). Was this divine happenstance?

As we mentioned previously, just as Judas was led to fall from grace, it appears the Florence Houteff story is a similar case. Sad endings indeed!

The Scriptures say “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be  ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear..” (1 Peter 3:15)

In closing, let us learn and understand the truth behind some of the false lies spread by the haters of Truth. We can be ready to answer the charge of Victor Houteff making false predictions, when in fact they lay at the feet of Florence Houteff.

And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household ( Matt. 10:36)

(For a specific report detailing some of the committee minutes and decisions made by Florence Houteff and her council after the passing of VTH, see this link (reference 91 and 92) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidian_Seventh-day_Adventist

Posted in Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, Delusion, Victor T. Houteff | 4 Comments »

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