The Trojan Horse

June 1, 2013

trojanhorse

Satan has long ago abandoned his torture and abuse method of overtaking God’s people. Since the reformation, he has changed course. Instead he has found great success in sending a “tare flood” into the church. He’s found that his work from within has produced wide-spread success as opposed to his former work of coming at God’s people from without. The story of the Trojan Horse is similar in many aspects to Satan and his workers coming inside of their victims stronghold (as in our case–the church) Many of us are familiar with the Greek story of the “Trojan Horse”. In Wikipedia it gives us a short description.

“The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan war about the subterfuge that the Greeks used to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse , and hid a select force of men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war.”

As is evident, their whole purpose was to infiltrate and conquer. Deception was used as the key weapon. The people saw one thing yet unbeknownst to them , something totally different appeared. There are very similar tactics being used today by an equally unassuming, yet far more frightening foe– Satan. Yet as deceptive as he is, we can look to our Lord’s word for courage and strength. “..greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Since the very beginning, Satan has been the most “slippery” foe we’ve had to deal with. Some have said he was(possibly still is) the number 4 of the universe, as far as intelligence goes. Now  that’s formidable! Because of this we must be keenly aware of his sinister ways. Apostle Paul said, “.. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). As we can see,  way back then Christians were being told to be on guard.

As successful as this Trojan horse method has been, as we’ve mentioned it has not always been the method of choice from Satan and evil ones. We recall at Christ’s birth, Satan tried to have Him killed by way of king Herod. Then after our Lord ascended, he riled up the people to persecute the Christians. The tortures, the lion’s den and arenas, and the host of other terrible deeds, was his method of choice in trying to eliminate God’s people. But that proved futile because he found that only the pure and converted dared enter the hated sect. Thus the church composed of only truly converted believers and as such they were very strong spiritually and were able to serve Christ effectively to those ready to live and die  for Him.

So he began to implement His scheme of infiltrating Christianity from within. This has been his most succesful strategy ever since. And once he was able to bring in the great numbers of tares into the church, he began to “change things”, some very important doctrines. We as SDA know that his primarily change was the changing of the Sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st day(Sunday).

Thus we are brought down to today. We wanted to set the above stage concerning Satan because we must come to grips with his plans today and know of his schemes used in times  past.

Ok, with the background set above, would you like to see in prophecy how God will deal with Satan and his purposeful flooding of tares into the church? Let us now turn to Rev. 12:1-17. Here the Scriptures give a past and future view of the ploys of our enemy and what our Lord plans to do about it. 

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Rev.  12:1-6 — “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red Dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”

We all somewhat agree, I know, that this woman of Revelation 12 is symbolical of the Church; that the Dragon is symbolical of Satan; and that the child represents Christ.  But inasmuch as we may not agree as to whether the woman is symbolical of the Old Testament church or of the New or of both, it is essential that we study to see eye to eye.

Now, the questions naturally arise, If Christ is the One Who brought forth the Christian church, then how can she be His mother? And was not Christ born at least thirty years before the Christian church came into being? Is not the egg laid before the chicken is hatched? And finally, is it not true that if we blunder forth on an erroneous premise that we shall find ourselves further and further from the truth on the subject? — Most assuredly.  Let us, then, make certain of the foundation upon which we build.

We all know that Christ was born, not to the Christian church, but to the Jewish.  This being so, then how can we escape the truth that this twelve-star-crowned woman is primarily the Jewish church who travailed and gave birth to the “world’s Redeemer” in the Old Testament period?

Moreover, before the child was born, and before the Gospel of Christ came to the Church, she was clothed with the sun, and the moon stood under her feet.  There is therefore not the slightest excuse for one to conclude that the woman represents the Church clothed with the Gospel of Christ.  And if her sun clothing does not represent the Gospel of Christ, then what does it represent?

Since she was clothed with the sun before Christ’s birth, and before the Gospel came, then her sun-clothing must be the Bible, the Word of God that clothed her in the period of the prophets.

What is symbolized by the moon under her feet? — The fact that the moon of the heavens reflects the light from the sun to earth, the symbolical moon therefore being under the woman’s feet, and the sun shining directly upon her, not by reflection through the moon, denotes that her channel of light conveyance, the moon, was passing away, was no longer needed, that the sun itself, the source of her light, shining directly upon her, enveloped her with its bright rays.  What could the moon then symbolize but the period before the Bible came, the period before Moses, in which the Word of God did not shine directly on the people as It does to-day (for they had no Bible in those days), but was reflected on them by men of God, the medium, that is, the prophets before Moses never wrote down the messages of God but verbally passed them on.

Though this twelve-star-crowned woman symbolizes something in the Old Testament time, as we have already seen, she nevertheless is seen to symbolize something in the New Testament time.  This we see from the fact that after the child was born, and after the Christian church came into being, the woman was given the wings of a great eagle, and was thus enabled to fly into the wilderness, there to be nourished “for a time, and times, and half a time. ” Moreover, her leaving the vineyard (her homeland — Palestine) and going into the wilderness (the lands of the Gentiles, for that is what wilderness symbolically stands for in contrast to a vineyard), again shows that she continued after her child was born.

Taking all these points into one common whole, they positively show that the woman is symbolical of God’s everliving Church for all times, and that she is His saving Truth, His true wife, the Truth that gave birth to Christ and that gives birth to all His “brethren” (His followers), “the remnant of her seed.” Rev.  12:17.

When the promise of the coming Saviour was made, it was then that the dragon learned that the Church was to give birth to the “man child,” and from then on he watched her closely, hoping to destroy the world’s Redeemer as soon as He was born.  This he endeavored to accomplish through Herod, when he caused a multitude of little children to be slaughtered.  The child Christ, nevertheless escaped, and the Devil met his first defeat in this connection.

Now the Dragon being fortified with seven heads and ten horns, denotes that he controlled all the civil and religious powers in that day (for the symbolical number “ten” denotes universality, just as do the ten toes of Daniel 2, the ten horns of the other Bible beasts, and the ten virgins of Matthew 25).

The horns represent all the civil powers, while the heads represent all the religious powers, for the Biblical number “seven” denotes completeness.  Moreover, the fact that the Church (the Jews), the only agency through which God worked up to that time, crucified the Lord, is in itself sufficient proof that the Church had apostatized, that she had become the Dragon’s seventh head, and that thus was the Dragon armed with ten horns and seven heads, — with all the civil and religious powers.  And, so, you see, the Dragon with his horns and heads represents the world captured by the Devil.

Thus it is that the world was lost in that day, and thus it was that Christ came to redeem it.  To do all this He started a new church organization.  In this light we see Christ, the world’s Redeemer, and His mission even more important than we have ever seen it before.

 Dragon’s drawing from heaven a third part of the stars (angels, Rev.  12:9) with his tail, not with his claws, denotes that in the beginning of Satan’s universal rebellion the angels volunteered to follow the rebel leader, and to unite with him in his evil work against the human family.

Rev.  12:7-17 — “And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the Dragon; and the Dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  And the great Dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.  Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the Devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.  And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.  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.  And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The main point to be noticed in these verses is that after the Dragon and his angels were cast out of Heaven (Satan’s second defeat), and after he had persecuted the Church, and she had taken her flight into the wilderness, the Dragon followed her there, but rather than persecuting her, he cast “water as a flood after her,” hoping to cause her to be carried away by it.  In other words, after he saw that he could not stop the growth of the Christian Church by persecuting her followers, he changed his tactics and instead compelled the Pagans to join her, expecting thereby to cause her to be paganized — “carried away.”

The Dragon, though, is again to miss the mark, for the earth is to open her mouth and swallow up the flood; that is, Inspiration definitely forecasts that those who join the Church for some purpose other than to follow and practice the Truth, shall be disposed of by a miracle, be swallowed by the earth, as it were.  And when this comes to pass Satan shall have met his third defeat.  Summarized, here are his three defeats: No.  1 — Failing to devour the child; No.  2 — Losing the war in Heaven; No.  3 — Failing to paganize the Church by flooding her with the unconverted.

When he meets his third defeat, when the tares which he sowed are burned (for as a flood they are swallowed by the earth, but as tares they are burned by the angels), then it is that the Church will appear “‘Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners,’ she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” — Prophets and Kings, pg.  725.

Having met such a mighty defeat, and having seen that the Church is freed from his flood, the Dragon’s wrath is to be intensified.  He will 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), “the Spirit of Prophecy” (Rev.  19:10).

Obviously, the remnant are those who are left after the earth opens her mouth and swallows up the flood.  They as a body keep the commandments of God, and have the living Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit Who dictated the Scriptures, Who has led God’s people into all Truth down through the ages, and Who still is.  Thus it is that the Dragon’s wrath, and the Church’s purity, caused by the Dragon’s third defeat, are to bring the time of trouble such as never was:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan.  12:1.

Nothing in the world is worth as much as having our names written in the book.  And therein we may have our names if we choose to follow the Spirit of Truth and to keep the commandments of God.  Here we have seen that those who think that the law, the ten commandments, is “abolished,” that their lives need not comport with the law; and those who think that the Spirit of Prophecy is a thing of the past, that God has left the world to get along as best it can, that He no longer bothers Himself to send a prophet; that all such shall find themselves in league with Babylon the Great, the seat of the Dragon, and rather than having their names written in the Book, they will have the mark of the beast, and have a part in persecuting the remnant which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Now is the time for all to decide either to be swallowed up by the earth — cast into the fire — or to be delivered by Michael, our Prince.

Let us therefore choose deliverance rather than defeat.  “O love the Lord, all ye His saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.” Psa.  31:23.

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The above prophetic words concerning Rev. 12  were taken from Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, no.16. Brother Houteff gave it as a sermon address on Nov. 29, 1947.

Let us recap what we’ve learned from the prophecy.

1)The woman of Rev. 12 symbolizes the church

2)The Dragon symbolizes Satan

3)The Child symbolizes Christ

4)The woman does not represent the “Christian” church only. This has been a long time mis-conception.  It symbolizes “God’s everlasting church for all times”. As clearly explained by brother Houteff.

5)The Dragon (Satan) having 7  heads and 10 horns shows he controlled all civil and religious powers in that day (Christ’s).This shows that Satan had complete worldly control.

6)Thus because of this satanic world control, Christ had to come and start a new church organization.

7)After Satan’s attempt to kill Christ and later to kill off  the newly formed “Christian” church, he changed tactics and followed her into the wilderness. His new method was to “carry her away” with a flood of unconverted members.

8)Satan is to miss his mark three times (3 strikes-he’s out!). The last miss is when the “earth opens it’s mouth” (Ezekiel 9, Test. for the Church, vol.5, p.211, vol.3, p.266-267)

9)The three defeats are — No.  1 — Failing to devour the child; No.  2 — Losing the war in Heaven; No.  3 — Failing to paganize the Church by flooding her with the unconverted.

10) After this “swallowing” the church is to be spirit filled and be –‘Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners,’ she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” — Prophets and Kings, pg.  725.

11) After the church purification, Satan is furious. He goes to make war with “the remnant of her seed”. This brings on the “time of trouble such as never was”. This is the last closing scene.

So what can we learn from all this? One of the main points is that there are two clases right now in the church–the “wheat” and the “tares”. Satan is attempting to “flood” out the church with tares.  The wheat being symbolic of the righteous converted ones and the tares being symbolic of the careless unconverted ones. Satan has planted many tares and we must be aware that these people, however nice and sincere they may be are serving Satan’s purposes (nearly all being unaware). Look at what our prophetess showed us as a key sign that one is working as a tare.

“If wrongs are apparent among His people, and if the servants of God pass on them indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike gulity and will just as surely receive the displeasure of God; for they will be made responsible for the sins of the guilty….Those who have excused these wrongs have been thought by the people to be very amiable and lovely in dispostion, simply because they shunned to discharge a plain Scriptural duty. The task was not agreeable to their feelings; therfore they avoided it.” (Test. for the Church, vol. 3, p.266)

Wow! That says alot. The act of ignorance in taking our God given duty to warn the church members of their errors makes us just as guilty as those who commit them. This all comes back to clear warnings given in Ezekiel 9. We must sign and cry for the abominations done in the church and our own lives–if we are to be sealed in the forehead by the Lord prior to His coming to His church.(Test. for the Church, Vol.5, p.211  Vol. 3, p.267)

For a helpful link on what some of the church abominations are , click here.https://godsloveandlaw.com/2012/07/07/sighing-and-crying-part-2/

In closing, let us be watchful of the cunning ploys of Satan and the devils and realize that they have found that the more they infiltrate as the Greeks did with the Trojan horse, the more they can  sow the tares among the wheat. This makes it all the harder for those of us pushing against the goad. We know that the church is infiltrated because our reproofs and warnings many times fall on deaf ears. Many within our church ranks care not to listen  but we mustn’t stop. The Lord is working behind the scenes to “take the reins in His own hands” (Test. to Ministers, p.300) and “take charge of the flock Himself” (Test. for the Church, vo.5,p.80). That day —will come. How do we know it?

Because the promise of His word says — “But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened it’s mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” (Rev.12:16)

Posted in End times, Final Events, revelation, Satan | 4 Comments »

A Prophet Answers (Part 2 of 2)

May 25, 2013

This week we’ll continue to show some of the questions and answers that brother Houteff addressed. As we’ve mentioned before VTH had a fourth grade education. But when the Spirit of God moves upon someone, especially a prophet of God, then thought, phrases, words, all come into that person’s mind and we behold truly divine knowledge.

As advancers of our walk with God, we are counselled to keep abreast of the advancing light. In (Hosea 4:6) we read, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  What better way to learn of the Lord than to study what His last prophet said. This message, being the Elijah message, prophesied in (Mal. 4:5) and (Test. to Ministers, p.475) has many writings within it, such as Srod volumes, Tracts, Sermon addresses and these Q and A’s. These Q and A’s are one of the best ways to learn the message.  May the Lord grant us wisdom and discernment.  

                                              

                                              Question No. 23:

How can your teaching of the separation of tares from the wheat in the church be harmonized with the statement which says: “The tares and the wheat are to grow together until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time….When the work of the gospel is completed, there immediately follows the separation between the good and the evil, and the destiny of each class is forever fixed”?- “Christ’s Object Lessons,” pp. 72, 123.

Answer:

Yes, according to the statement in question, the “harvest” is the end of probationary time, taking place at, not after, the close of probation. And the fact that the Investigative Judgment acts upon one’s case after his life’s career in relation to salvation has ended and while probation still lingers, is another proof that the “harvest” is the last part of probationary time.

This accords with Jeremiah’s statement, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer. 8:20. It shows that the harvest is a period of time, having a beginning and ending, and that during its time men are saved. And Early Writings, p. 118, reveals that the Third Angel is the one who does the harvesting, while Matthew 13:30 shows also that the angels separate the tares from the wheat “in the time of harvest.”

Hence Christ’s command, “Let both grow together until the harvest,” points down to our day the “time of the end,” the period in which the harvest is to be consummated and the “tares” separated from the “wheat.”

Thus to all practical purposes “the harvest” is indeed “the end of the world”-the end of the wicked.

The only way in which one can otherwise understand Christ’s Object Lessons is by failure to realize that the world is right now at the very “close of time.” Failing to sense what the close of time really means, one is thus unable correctly to connect the related subjects of the harvest.

The Bible teaches that the Lord “will search Jerusalem [the church] with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil” (Zeph. 1:12); that is, He will punish those who by their actions say: “The Lord is not greatly concerned about what we do”; when in solemn warning truth God is declaring: “I will search Jerusalem,” not carelessly and in darkness, but carefully with candles of light.

“I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.” Amos 9:9, 10. “There shall be as the shaking of an olive tree and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord.” Isa. 24:13, 14.

These scriptures show that after the church has been shaken by the Lord’s visitation, then her faithful members who are left will “sing for the majesty of the Lord.” The shaking will have made the church what she ought to be.

“But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ sope.” Mal. 3:2.

“In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength [number] of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor.”-Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 80.

Thus, both the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy proclaim that He Himself will purify the church, and that when she is thus purified, “the Gentiles shall see” her “righteousness, and all kings” her “glory.” Isa. 62:2.

                            Question No. 39:

The Seventh-day Adventist church has always taught that the number 666 applies to the leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:1-10). But “The Shepherd’s Rod” teaches that it applies to the two-horned beast (Rev. 13:11). Dose not the Spirit of Prophecy plainly tell us that “no line of truth that has made the Seventh-day Adventist people what they are, is to be weakened”?—Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 17. And does it not furthermore warn: “Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of” those messages?—Early Writings,” p. 258.

Answer:

The Spirit of Prophecy does indeed so teach, and to be in harmony one hundred percent with it on this point as on all others, the Rod is carefully stripping from the Truth the rubbish with which men have covered it, and is thus restoring it to its primitive luster. So it has done with the truth concerning the number 666.

Though this number has admittedly long been applied to the leopard-like beast, the application was not originated by the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, neither was it taught by them in the early days of the Movement. Rather, it was brought in from outside and woven into the web of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine despite the fact that the Spirit of Truth declared through the founders of the Denomination that the number applied to the two-horned beast:

The “beast,” says Elder G.W. Holt, writing in the early days of the message, “having seven heads and ten horns is the one referred to, and I think the image, is the beast having ‘two horns like a lamb,’ but ‘spake as a dragon.’ His number is 666.”- The Present Truth, Vol. 1, No. 8, March, l850.

The “last power that treads down the saints,” says Elder White, writing at about the same time “is brought to view in Rev. 13:11-18. His number is 666.”—A Word to the Little Flock, p. 9.

And finally, Sister White in authenticating this position, declared: “I saw all that ‘would not receive the mark of the Beast, and of his Image, in their foreheads or in their hands,’ could not buy or sell. I saw that the number (666) of the Image Beast was made up; and that it was the beast that changed the Sabbath, and the Image Beast had followed on after, and kept the Pope’s, and not God’s Sabbath.” A Word to the Little Flock, p. 19. (Note: The number 666 was placed in parentheses by the editor of A Word to the Little Flock.)

Here we have from the mouth of three witnesses absolute proof that the Denomination’s present teaching concerning the number 666 was neither originated nor sanctioned by its founding fathers, that, in fact, it was not one of the lines of truth, nor even one of the blocks or pins of the message, which God gave to this people. Moreover, the Bible puts the number on the two-horned beast. Note that all the characteristics which pertain to the ten-horned beast are described in Rev. 13:1-10, and that all which pertain to the two-horned beast are described in Rev. 13:11-18. As the number closes the description of the two-horned beast, it cannot logically be applied to the ten-horned beast.

This is just one of the many departures from Truth, which caused Sister White far back (1882) to cry out: “The church has turned back from following Christ her Leader, and is steadily retreating toward Egypt. Yet few are alarmed or astonished at their want of spiritual power. Doubt and even disbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God, is leavening our churches everywhere. Satan would have it thus. Ministers who preach self instead of Christ would have it thus. The testimonies are unread and unappreciated. God has spoken to you. Light has been shining from his word and from the testimonies and both have been slighted and disregarded. The result is apparent in the lack of purity and devotion and earnest faith among us.”-Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217.

“We have wandered away from the old landmarks. Let us return. If the Lord be God, serve him; if Baal, serve him. Which side will you be on?”-Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 137.

                                      Question No. 41:

Will you please explain the difference in the terms, Judah, Ephriam, and Israel?

Answer:

In its original and strictest denotation the term “Israel” designated the children of Israel from the days of Jacob their father, to the end of the reign of King Solomon.

It will be remembered, however, that after Solomon’s death, the kingdom was rent in twain (I Kings 11:11, 12; 12:19, 20, 21). The one division, composed of the two tribes, occupied the southern portion of the Promised Land, while the other division, composed of the ten tribes, occupied the northern portion. The former took the title “Judah” because the tribe of Judah ruled over it, the latter took the title “Israel” because it was comprised of the majority of the tribes. To this ten-tribe kingdom, therefore, the term “Israel” applies when used in its secondary acceptation, excluding the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin.

The term “Ephraim,” in the collective sense, also designates the ten tribes or northern kingdom (Isa. 7:1, 2) because the tribe of Ephraim ruled over it. Thus the eponyms “Israel” (when used exclusively of the ten tribes) and “Ephraim” are applicable to the northern division, and the eponym “Judah” to the southern division, of God’s ancient people.

  Question No. 53:

   Testimonies to Ministers p. 444,  states: John sees the elements of nature —earthquake, tempest, and political strife—represented as being held by four angels.” But Tract No. 8, “Mt. Sion at the Eleventh Hour,”  p. 22, says: “As the nations have always been at war, this twofold work of hurting could not represent political strife.” How are these contradictory statements reconciled?

Answer:

  We are confident that if the questioner will carefully restudy Testimonies to Ministers p. 444, he will see that it is endeavoring to show that the Divine object in holding back the winds, is, as the passage plainly says, “the safety of God’s church.” That being the case, then the winds, themselves being figurative of strife, trouble, and war, are, when let loose, to blow against the church. This is very evident because their being held from John’s day until this very hour, has never prevented and is not now preventing the nations’ warring among themselves. Always have they been at war with one another, and today they are engaged in a deadly world-wide conflict unparalleled in all history, although the angels are still holding the winds. Of necessity, therefore, the strife represented by the blowing of the winds, must be essentially religious in aim, and political only in procedure, thus religious-political, as stated in Tract No. 12, The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, pp. 38, 65 and in The Shepherd s Rod Vol. 2, p. 114. This conclusion is borne out in the following passage:

  “The time is coming when we cannot sell at any price. The decree will soon go forth prohibiting men to buy or sell of any man save him that hath the mark of the beast. We came near having this realized in California a short time since; but this was only the threatening of the blowing of the four winds. As yet they are held by the four angels. We are not just ready. There is a work yet to be done, and then the angels will be bidden to let go, that the four winds may blow upon the earth. That will be a decisive time for God’s children,—a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.”—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 152.

  The tract, in its particular statement in question, is stressing only the religious aspect of the trouble, in the endeavor to show that the trouble is not political in aim,—not to conquer territory, but to build up international religion in order to compel the world to worship the image of the beast.

  In this clear light, we see that both Testimonies to Ministers and The Shepherd’s Rod series are endeavoring to show that the strife is neither purely political nor purely religious, but religious-political. It is the church and state allied in common action.

                                        Question No. 56:

 If the church is to be purified before the close of probation for the world and remain pure thereafter without any sinners in it as “The Shepherd’s Rod” teaches, then how do you harmonize this with “Early Writings,” p. 71, which says Some “will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building”?

Answer:

  There are other statements from the author of Early Writings which bear even more positive evidence that God will, before that time, have a church pure and true. (See The Great Controversy p. 425, Prophets and Kings, p. 725, Testimonies Vol. 5 p. 80; Isa. 52:1-2.)

   As these several statements with reference to a preliminary purification are just as true as the one in Early Writings which seems to negate a purification, one cannot honestly disregard them and give consideration only to it. Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements.

  Some who are anxious to risk Present Truth on the weight of what one inspired statement seems to say or imply, are thereby presumptuously or very ignorantly overlooking the “weight of evidence.” Others are doing this through shortsightedness, while still others are doing it to prop up certain cherished ideas of their own.

  The basic foundation for the no-preliminary-purification doctrine is built, not upon solid rock, but upon the same shifting sand as that which underlies such as the erroneous ideas of the conscious state of the dead, the eternal torment of the wicked, baptism by sprinkling, Sunday sacredness, and the millennial age of peace on earth.

  Since, Truth is progressive, and since the purification of the church had not yet been revealed when the statement in Early Writings was written, the danger foretold and the counsel given therein could not possibly have been stated in terms other than those then familiarly comprehended. All were thus plainly forewarned that if they continued sinning, then after the close of probation for the world, the plagues, of which they already had some understanding, would be their recompense. So for the Lord to have explained the matter in Early Writings as He does through the Rod today, He would have had to reveal, out of due time, when Early Writings was being written, the message which is applicable only to the church for today, and which we are now therefore receiving.

  In the last analysis, the unrepentant sinners who are now in the church, may never see the seven last plagues, while others who are now in the world, will in the time of the Loud Cry yet have opportunity to be “squared” for the building, and be treasured with the “living stones,” or else to suffer the consequences of the plagues.

  No one should have difficulty in seeing this now, for all those to whom Early Writings primarily spoke are already dead, though the plagues are yet in the future. Furthermore, there is much more light to come concerning the truth of the seven last plagues, and when it comes, we may again see that we have “many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn.”-Testimonies to Ministers p. 30.

                                              Question No. 57:

 Is not the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 to be fulfilled by the seven last plagues?

Answer:

  The slaughter as described in Ezekiel’s prophecy takes the lives of only those wicked who are in “the house of Israel and Judah” (Ezek. 9:9)—the church; whereas the destruction of the plagues falls upon all who are found in “Babylon” (Rev. 18:4) after the Lord has proclaimed, “Come out of her, My people,” and after they have responded and thus separated themselves from those in Babylon. The destruction of Ezekiel 9, therefore, can apply to her communicants only as an ensample or forerunner of the seven last plagues.

   Moreover, His people, the ones who are marked by the angel according to Ezekiel’s prophecy, are not called out, but rather are left in.

                                        Question No. 59:

  If Daniel 7:8, 25 and Revelation 13:3 both prefigure the same power, and if the Roman church during the Middle Ages is the one there predicted, then why is she, in Daniel’s vision, a combined secular and ecclesiastical power (horn-head), while In The Revelation she Is only an ecclesiastical power (head)?

Answer:

  That the same power is indeed symbolized by both beasts is unmistakably seen from the fact that both “blasphemed” the same length of time: the former, for “a time and times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25): and the latter, for “forty and two months” (Rev. 13:5). This same period is identically stated in Revelation 11:3, and is equivalently represented in Revelation 12:14 as “a time, and times, and half a time,” which according to the rule of interpretation of Ezekiel 4:6, is equated: “time”–1 year; “times”–2 years;  “and  half a time” or “dividing of time”–l/2 year: in the aggregate equaling 3 1/2 years, 42 months, or 1260 days (12 months to a year, and 30 days to a month, Bible reckoning).

  Daniel’s vision foretells only the formation of that church and state union, and for this very reason John’s was given to show its final stage, its dissolution only. Thus the two visions complete the whole-the formation and the dissolution.

                                           Question No. 62:

 I have carefully studied the temple type as found in “The Shepherd’s Rod,” Vol. 2, but I cannot see how Darius can be made the author of the third decree, unless you take the position that he made two decrees. How do you clear this difficulty?

Answer:

  The Bible declares that the temple was finished at the commandment of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxterxes, “in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the King. Ezra 6:14, 15. As the Artaxerxes decree of Ezra 7 to beautify the temple, not to build it (verse 27), was made after the three aforementioned, it therefore cannot be the Artaxerxes decree of Ezra 6:14. Hence, there were three decrees to build it, and one to beautify it: (1) one by Cyrus (Ezra 1:2-4); (2) one by Darius (Ezra 6:11, 12), (3) one by Artaxerxes, not recorded (4) one by Artaxerxes, recorded (Ezra 7:21-26).

  Thus it is that Artaxerxes’ decree of chapter 7, being the third on record, has received the classification as such, as though it may in fact be the fourth. Accordingly, there must have been two Artaxerxes’ decrees.

  As the temple building was finished “in the sixth year of the reign of Darius” (Ezra 6:15), not in the reign of Artaxerxes, then if Darius’ decree is not the third and last, it must be concluded that the Darius who reigned when the temple was finished made no decree.

  If our deductions should be incorrect, and if ever further light on this subject becomes necessary, it is certain that the Lord will not keep us in ignorance of it. Since at the present time, however, the point of interest is of no practical concern, suffice the answer given.

                                              Question No. 64:

   Romans 9:27 says that a “remnant” of Israel will be saved, but Romans 11:26 says that “all” Israel will be saved.  I do not understand this.  Can you help me?

Answer:

   Romans 9:27 is speaking of Israel as a nation, of which only a remnant will be saved; whereas Romans 11:26 is revering to the elected Israel as individuals, all of whom will be saved.

                                              Question No. 65:

  “The plan of salvation had been accomplished,” says “Early Writings,” p. 281, “but few had chosen to accept it.”  This statement is used very extensively against the doctrine of the “great Multitude” as taught by the Davidians.  Will you please clear it?

Answer:

  Though during His own ministry on earth Jesus lamented that “many be called, but few chosen” (Matt. 20:16), yet long before, through Isaiah, He had declared in prophetic promise to the church: “Thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought…. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.” Isa. 60:11, 22.

  “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Isa. 2:2-5.

  And through the prophet Zechariah, He again recorded the promise: “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day.” Zech. 2:11.

  “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name,  and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” Zech. 13 :8, 9.

  Moreover, while in Early Writings, p. 281, the author says, “But few have chosen to accept it,” in The Great Controversy, p. 665, she classifies the great multitude of Revelation 7:9 as a company separate from the martyrs and from all others who are to be resurrected, thereby plainly showing that the “great multitude” are not the resurrected but the living translated. This is also borne out by Counsels to Teachers, p. 532.

  Now, if we are to arrive at the truth, we must interpret the statement in Early Writings and the one in Matthew 20:16, in a way as to harmonize with Isaiah 60:11, 22, Zechariah 2:11; 13:8, 9; The Great Controversy, p. 665, and other passages, all of which show that there is to be a great multitude.

  No candid Bible student would build a theory upon an interpretation that would lead him to set aside all other scriptures on the subject. He will seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all of them, or else confess that he does not have the light on the subject.

  In the clear light of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy passages here cited, the weight of evidence incontestably leads to the conclusion that a great multitude is to be saved. The truth becomes evident, then, that the “few” comprehends those saved at the call of each message during the ages past, the time before the “harvest.” But in the closing of the world’s history, during the harvest time of the gospel, there is to be a great ingathering of redeemed souls, “a great multitude such as no man can number.” The term “harvest” implies just such a reaping.

  Thus in comparison to the aggregate number of the lost through the ages, the aggregate number of the saved are few; but non-comparatively, the aggregate saved of all ages are, in actual count, many. To this fact attest the words of Ezekiel: “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” Ezek. 37:10.

  As the salvation of a great multitude is counter only to the Devil’s plan, let us not work to his interest.

This concludes our  part 2 post of brother Houteff’s answers. We hope that the light shown has brightened your walk and that you are more knowledgable in the Lord than before. For those who wish to see the full Q and A’s in the “Answerer” series, click here. As we mentioned earlier , these are great learning tools. http://www.shepherds-rod.org/answerers/index%20answerer.html 

Posted in Present Truth, Proper teachings, Useful sites, Victor T. Houteff | 2 Comments »

A Prophet Answers (Part 1 of 2)

May 18, 2013

victor_houteff_1_As we have pointed out before, in approx. 1928, brother Houteff began to teach the Sabbath school lessons in a Los Angeles area SDA church. His classes drew large crowds but soon trouble arose due to the fact that he began to reveal new interpretations of Scripture that wasn’t previously known within the SDA teachings. But to the humble laity these new revelations were quite exciting, as they searched it out and saw this new light clearly. The leaders were a whole different story.

Soon an uproar  began within the SDA churches and the situation had to be dealt with. Either the leaders had to admit that brother Houteff was revealing “new light” or he was giving his own uninspired interpretations. As was clearly prophesied they chose the “let me tell you how to teach your message” that Ellen White predicted in (Test. to Ministers, p.475). In other words they refused to accept the idea that God had sent another prophet.

So it became clear that brother Houteff and his followers would be expelled and have to go elsewhere to promote the new revelations.  After he was disfellowshipped he went to Texas and started his own “Camp” known as Mt. Carmel. A large land tract consisting of  over 300 acres.  He built several buildings, such as main office, school, etc. There he began to use the printing press to proclaim what he and others  believed was the “Elijah” message. Thousands from around the country (SDA churches) began to write him and follow him, yet most were still members of the SDA churches. This was exactly what brother Houteff counselled. They were to learn the message but stay in the churches to reach others with this “sealing” message.

But as the years rolled on he discovered that many kept writing him asking some good pondering questions concerning many topics. Most were sincere requests to know more of the Elijah message. But some were sent with the purpose to try to trip him up or baffle him, to see if they could expose him in error. They were never able to do that. You see when God is leading someone and most especially if He has called them to be a prophet, no one can take away that person’s divine knowledge and understanding. If you’re a truth seeker, the answers you’ll see here should inspire you as to the depth of them.

After a while brother Houteff  began to put the Q and A’s together in a series of written volumes. They’re  known as “The Answerer” series, which consists of 5 volumes of Q and A. There  were also additional questions and answers in the mailing news updates(sent to the thousands of Shepherd’s Rod believers), called the “Symbolic Code Series”. All together there is about 282 publicly addressed questions that brother Houteff answered. These  can  be really great learning tools because of the diversity of questions asked and answers given. We sincerely hope you enjoy them, and see them as many have within the SDA —  truths which are enlightening.

                                                

                                                 Question No. 9:

“Early Writings,” p. 15, speaks about God’s announcing the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming, and pouring upon the saints the Holy Ghost. Does not all this take place at the time of the seven last plagues, just before the second Advent? If so, then does it not show that the “latter rain” is to be poured out upon God’s people after the close of probation?

Answer:

True, we do understand from the passage in question that toward the close of the seventh plague, God will announce the day and the hour of Christ’s coming, and that He will then pour out His Spirit upon His saints. We do not, however, understand this outpouring to be either the “latter” or the “former rain” of truth, or yet the power prophesied of in Joel 2:23, 28, but rather the final manifestation of God’s Spirit, not to reveal to us any more of Gospel Truth, nor to enable us to proclaim it more fully, but simply to baptize us with a fitness to behold Jesus face to face, “as He is.”

                                               Question No. 16:

I have been told that the Davidians teach that the throne of Isaiah 6 is a train pulled by a locomotive belching forth smoke. Do they so teach?

Answer:

No such idea as this is anywhere to be found set forth in the publications of The Shepherd’s Rod, upon which all the Davidian teachings are based, as a careful reading of the literature will completely verify.

The word “train” is quoted from the Scriptures, and means retinue,” as explained in our Tract No. 1, The Pre-Eleventh-Hour Extra, 1941 Edition, p. 8.

Question No. 17:

“The Shepherd’s Rod,” Vol. 1, p. 44, says that the great multitude having palms in their hands are only the second fruits of the earth’s harvest, whereas “The Great Controversy,” p. 646, speaking of all “overcomers,” says: “In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp.” How can these statements be harmonized?

Answer:

The multitude on which the Rod comments and the multitude of which The Great Controversy speaks, are two different companies, in two different locations, and on two different occasions. The former, the multitude of Revelation 7:9, have their palms on earth; the latter, the multitude of The Great Controversy, receive their palms and harps in heaven. These facts may be clearly seen from reading the statements in question.

Question No. 20:

What Biblical proof is there to show that the events of the Seven Seals (Rev. 4-8) span the entire world’s history, which is contrary to the Denomination’s teaching that they cover only the Christian church period? Don’t you know that the book with the seals is symbolical of the books of Daniel and The Revelation?

Answer:

The foundation upon which rests the Denominational position that the seals are prophetic of events in the New Testament period, is their interpretation of the first seal, concerning which John says:

“I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” Rev. 6:2.

This scripture is unauthoritatively interpreted to mean the early Christian church. The facts that the horse in the vision was white and the young church pure, the rider conquering and the church growing, do not in themselves make a rock foundation upon which to build up a theory that the events of the seals began with the Christian church.

John was in vision shown the seals about sixty-five years after the Pentecost, in the period when the church was already declining from her peak purity and steady growth. The Voice said to him: “Come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Rev. 4:1. In other words, the events which he was about to be shown were to develop in the future from the time he had the vision. Now let us take notice of what he saw:

“I was in the Spirit,” says John, “and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne….And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals….And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much,…and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Rev. 4:2; 5:1, 3-5.

Mark that the events symbolized were to materialize sometime after John had the vision, not before. Furthermore, where in any instance have the Scriptures ever symbolized the church by a man riding on a horse? If the horse symbolizes the church, then what of the man?

Obvious it is, that in this vision John was looking forward to the commencement of some important event that was to take place in the future from the time he had the vision rather than back when the church began. Moreover, it was to be in heaven, not on earth. As thousands upon thousands surrounded the throne upon which sat the Great Judge holding up the book that was sealed with seven seals the event obviously is more like the commencement of the Judgment of Daniel 7:9, 10 than like the commencement of the preaching of the gospel.

Speaking of the book which was sealed with the seven seals, the Spirit of Truth says: “Thus the Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision was registered in the book which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”-Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 294.

In this connection each component part of the entire symbolism dovetails with both sacred and profane history, and also with the Third Angel’s Message itself—thus giving “power and force” to the latter.

Question No. 21:

What is the seal of God upon the foreheads of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3)? Is it the Sabbath seal or something else?

Answer:

Being sealed in Christ “with that Holy Spirit of promise,” after having “heard the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13- 4:30), the saints are consequently sealed by Present Truth—the truth preached in their own day.

“The seal of the living God,” the Truth, by which the 144,000 are sealed (Rev. 7:2), is a special seal, being the same as “the mark” of Ezekiel 9. (See Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445; Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 267; Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211). It demands one’s sighing and crying over the abominations which defile him, and which desecrate both the Sabbath and the house of God, especially against selling literature and raising goals during Sabbath services. As the saints have this seal or mark on their foreheads, the angels will pass over them, not slay them. It is equivalent to the blood on the door post on the night of the Passover in Egypt.

The angel is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who by sighing over their own sins, and over the sins in the house of God, show fidelity to the Truth. Then the destroying angels will follow, to slay utterly both old and young who have failed to receive the seal. (See Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 505)

So, the former seal enables the receiver to rise from the dead in the resurrection of the just, while the latter seal enables the sighing-crying one to escape death and forever to live for God.

Question No. 27:

In his history of the Advent Movement, Elder Loughborough relates: “In the month of November, 1846, a conference was held in Topsham Maine, at which Elder Bates was present. At that meeting Mrs. White…had a vision which was the cause of Elder Bates’s becoming fully satisfied as to their divine origin….Mrs. White, while in vision, began to talk about the stars giving a glowing description of rosy-tinted belts which she saw across the surface of some planet, and added, ‘I see four moons.’ ‘Oh,’ said Elder Bates, ‘she is viewing Jupiter!’ Then having made motions as though traveling through space, she began giving a description of belts and rings in their ever-varying beauty, and said, ‘I see seven moons.’ Elder Bates exclaimed, ‘She is describing Saturn. Next she said, ‘I see six moons,’ and at once began a description of the ‘opening heavens,’ with its glory….”-The Great Second Advent Movement,” pp. 257, 258.

The more powerful telescopes and stellar photography of today have enabled astronomers to discover that Jupiter has nine moons, and Saturn ten. The five additional moons of Jupiter were discovered between the years of 1892 and 1914. The eighth moon of Saturn was discovered in 1848, the ninth in 1899, and the tenth in 1905. And since her vision, it has been discovered that Uranus has but four instead of six moons.

In the light of these astronomical facts, how can you contend for the inspiration of Mrs. White’s writings?

Answer:

The book, The Great Second Advent Movement, pp. 257, 258, is not saying that Sister White named the planets, but is repeating what was purportedly said by those who were present on the occasion of her having the vision of the planets. It does not, moreover, even intimate that Sister White concurred in the particular designations which Elder Bates (in the light of then current astronomical knowledge) gave to the planets which she then envisaged.

It was but natural for him, however, to identify them as he did, for it all did fit nicely into the astronomical teachings of that day. So, simply because he, in a moment of zealous enthusiasm not according to Divine revelation, presumed to identify and label what God identified or labeled not, does not give even a semblance of integrity to the charges which the question prefers against her.

She evidently knew nothing about the names of those planets; Elder Bates knew less; and we today know very little if any more. If and when God sees fit to make known their names, His identification of them will be correct; that we know.

                                                Question No. 31:

If the Davidians think they have a message, why are they not content to go their way and let others go theirs? Why should they agitate their message in our church?

Answer:

Tracing the church’s history down through the ages, we find that if all had taken the same position as the questioner, the advancing Truth would never have reached the church in any period. Had God’s messengers at sundry times failed to agitate their message in their own churches, how, then, would the various reformatory messages have reached His people? Is He not more interested in them than He is in the heathen? John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles, all sacrificed their lives in order to take their message to their own church. Why, then, should not the Davidians do likewise?

“Against these men [Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Tyndale, Baxter, Wesley], persecution raged with relentless fury; yet they ceased not to declare the truth. Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God’s people at that time. Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried. The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He commands His servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls.”-The Great Controversy, p. 609.

Consequently, we dare not refuse to publish the special Davidian truth for the church today.

Question No. 34:

Tract No. 10, “The Sign of Jonah,” 1942 Edition, says that the evening is the ending, not the beginning, of the twenty-four-hour day. But Genesis 1:5 says the evening and the morning were the first day. Does not this statement put the evening in the first part of the day?

Answer:

It is agreed that according to Genesis 1:5 the evening truly is the first part of the day. For example, Friday night is the first part of Saturday, and Saturday night the first part of Sunday. This Bible fact was recognized by God’s people all along the way. But from early in Bible time to this very day, the term “at even” has been used to designate the last part of the day-the afternoon (Ex. 12:6; 16:13; Mark 14:12, 13, 15, 17; John 20:19).

Thus this terminology, though in common use, does not in any wise alter the fact that the night which follows the “at even” period and precedes the day, is to be reckoned as the first part of the twenty-four-hour cycle, for “the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Gen. 1:31. It is in this light that the statement on page 17 of Tract No. 10, is to be understood.

Question No. 36:

How can the sealing of the 144,000 (the first fruits) and the great multitude (the second fruits), both take place under the sixth seal, as Revelation 7 indicates from its position between the closing events of the sixth seal and the opening of the seventh seal?

Answer:

Revelation 7, coming as it does between the closing events of the sixth seal and the opening of the seventh, naturally appears to place the sealing of both the 144,000 and the great multitude among the events of the sixth seal. But a careful study of the seven seals, proves that the sixth chapter connects with the eighth chapter in continuity. So the seventh chapter is parenthetical, and does not restrict itself either to the sixth seal or to the seventh.

In other words, though the seventh chapter follows the events of the sixth seal, and precedes the events of the seventh seal, the chapter itself is not to be taken as necessarily chronological any more than are chapters 12 to 22 to be taken as a part of the seventh seal simply because they are recorded immediately following its events. The time of the events of the seventh chapter must be determined relatively, in the same manner as must the events of the twelfth to the twenty-second chapters.

Question No. 37:

If God’s people are in the Kingdom during the Loud Cry, how can they be put in prison or driven to the mountains during that time, as the Spirit of Prophecy asserts they will (“The Great Controversy,” p. 626)?

Answer:

When it is understood that the 144,000 are but first fruits, the forerunners or advanced guard of a great multitude of second fruits, the difficulty in question is immediately resolved. The first fruits stand with the Lamb, safe on Mt. Zion (in the Kingdom). Thus those who shall find refuge in the mountains, and those who shall be put in prison, can only be from among the second fruits—those who shall accept the message during the Loud Cry, but who shall not yet at that time have reached the Kingdom. (See our Tract No. 12, The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, 1941 Edition, pp. 45-49.)

Question No. 38:

“The Shepherd’s Rod” seems to say that Jesus will leave the Most Holy place at the execution of the slaughter of Ezekiel 9, while “Early Writings,” p. 36, seems to say that He will leave the place after His work in the sanctuary is done, and then will come the seven last plagues. How do you reconcile the two?

Answer:

Though the author of Early Writings says that Christ will not leave the sanctuary before His “work is done,” yet elsewhere she writes: “They will feed upon the errors and mistakes and faults of others, ‘until,’ said the angel, ‘the Lord Jesus shall rise up from his mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary, and shall clothe himself with the garments of vengeance, and surprise them at their unholy feast; and they will find themselves unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’-Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 690.

Viewing the question in the light of both statements, we see that Christ leaves the sanctuary at a certain time in the “unrolling of the scroll.” Coming to the church, He finds her not spotless and ready to meet Him, but deep in sin, yet self-complacently feeding upon the errors, faults, and mistakes of others.

Now the problem before us is not to harmonize the Rod with Early Writings, but Early Writings with the Testimonies. These are automatically harmonized when it is understood that Christ leaves the sanctuary more than the one time: Once after “the closing work for the church” (Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 266), and again after the closing work for the world.

(Next week we’ll bring more Q and A in part 2)

Posted in Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, Victor T. Houteff | 3 Comments »

The 4th Angel’s message of Rev. 14

May 11, 2013

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As SDA we no doubt think of the “Three Angel’s” messages of Rev. 14 as our calling to the world. We have been established and known  largely upon the 3 angel’s of Rev. 14. However, upon closer examination what do we really find there in Rev. 14?  We find SIX angels, with 5 of them declaring a message and one portrayed as “doing” something but yet not speaking. Could it be that the other 3 angels also have very important messages for us as well, especially the 4th angel?  

In Test. for the Church, Vol.6, p.17, we read, ” The light we have received upon the third angel’s message is the true light. The mark of the beast is exactly what it has been proclaimed to be. Not all in regard to this matter is yet understood, nor will it be understood until the unrolling of the scroll..”

As we are so well aware, the Scriptures and the light it bears, is left in God’s hands. When He declares that we should understand “new light” we then see clearly that which is intended for us.

As SDA we have always understood that the 3 angels have been symbolic of three messages of truth proclaimed by the church. Way back in the mid 1800’s, the understanding of  more than 3 “messages” to be given to us,  appears in the book–” Word to the Little Flock” by James White. On page 10-11 it reads, ” All classes of second advent believers agree, that the angel brought to view in the 6th, and 7th verses of this chapter, represents the advent message, to the church and world.”

“If this is true, then all five of the angels brought to view in this chapter represent five distinct messages, prior to the advent, or we are left without a rule to interpret this chapter… The last two angels are messages of prayer. We shall, no doubt, better understand them at the time of their fulfillment.”

 Ellen White confirmed her husband’s light of truth received from God. “God has permitted the precious light of truth to shine upon his word, and illuminated the mind of my husband.” (Test. for the Church, vol.3, p.502)

In Rev.14, we find the following.

1) The first angel speaking in 14:7

2) The second angel speaking in 14:8

3) The third angel speaking in 14:9

The above “messages” are spoken with a loud voice. Obviously they are important messages of truth, needed by God’s people. These are the well-known “three angels message” which we are known for as SDA.

4) The fourth angel’s “cries” his message in 14:15

5) The fifth angel appears to be a “reaping” angel(Rev. 14:17)(14:19). One who gathers the second harvest in the world, known as the “great multitude”

6) The sixth angel appears to be the cry of the 144,000 to the world in the “Loud Cry” period (Rev. 14:18)

Concerning the 4th angel, we see he  cried his message with a “loud cry”. Also we notice that this cry is to Someone who “sat on the cloud”. We also notice that this message is spoken to “One like the Son of Man”. In other words this message is given to our Lord and Savior, King of Kings. The cry here represents that the message of  reproof, corrections and warnings have finally sealed those whom have accepted it and therefore the Lord now is asked to ” reap”. Meaning to fulfill His Ezekiel 9 promise.

Ellen White describes this also, ” “While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14.” (Great Controversy, p.425)

This fourth angel’s message is so important that we should read our last prophet’s words to get a good understanding. In  (Tract 3, p. 47) we read ,   ” Inescapably, therefore, the Lord’s coming to His temple (Mal. 3:1-3), His coming with all His angels (Matt. 25), and His coming enthroned above the living creatures (Ezek. 1), — all three representing the same event as has been shown, — take place at the beginning of the judgment of the living: the time in which the judicial activities of the heavenly sanctuary extend to the earthly sanctuary — the church.

   “And I looked, and behold a white cloud,” exclaimed John the Revelator, envisaging the same coming variously described by Malachi, Matthew, and Ezekiel, “and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Rev. 14:14-16.

   This coming of the Son of man is plainly, therefore, not when the resurrected and the living righteous are caught up together to meet Him in the air: for verses 17-20, following the ones quoted in the paragraph above, reveal that after He came and reaped the earth, “another angel…having a sharp sickle” came and reaped a second harvest before the wrath of God — the seven last plagues (Rev. 15:1) — was poured out upon the wicked.”

So we see that the fourth angel’s message is the proclaiming the “judgment for the living” message. The very same one that is being cried right now! And with the advent of the telecommunication age, is growing steadily. It is none other than the message of the Davidians to us within the SDA church. It is for us to get ready,  the Lord is about to enter the churches “suddenly” (Mal.3:1) to begin the first phase of the judgment for the “living”.

Ellen White further enlightens upon this 4th angel. ” Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry.” (Early Writings, p.277)

It is important to point out that one of the main focus points of the SRod message is/has been –church corruption, just as is prophesied. Ellen White explains further of this other angel (4th) ” We are to throw aside our narrow, selfish plans, remembering that we have a work of the largest magnitude and highest importance. In doing this work we are sounding the first, second, and third angel’s messages, and are thus being prepared for the coming of that other angel from heaven who is to lighten the earth with his glory.” (Test. for the Church, Vol 6. p.406)

When she spoke those words , she was pointing to our time, right now, as this 4th angel (symbolic of us the messengers) is proclaiming a message that will soon “lighten the earth”.

Let us again review an important aspect of the understanding of the angel messages of Rev.14 . As we’ve learned in our studies through the previous posts–The promised “Elijah to come” has primarily a single purpose in mind. That is to reveal all the pertinent Scriptures and SOP that describes the “great and dreadful” day of the Lord. In other words, the Elijah was to begin the 4th angel’s message of preparation for the aforementioned day which has the purpose of the judgment for the living, as opposed to the prior work of judgment for the dead.Very shortly, the Lord will be moving onto the judging of existing living souls right here on earth! And so many of us don’t realize how close He is to beginning this solemn work.

And as such we know that we, the SDA church,  are the first to experience these judgments and just as importantly–execution of judgments (per Ezekiel 9). In addition to the Rev. 14 evidence,  the important  Scriptures and SOP for this judgment work is (1 Peter 4:17)  and (Test. for the Church, Vol. 5, p210-212).

Our last prophet explains more on (Rev. 14:14-19).

” Here we are again told that there are two reapings, one by the Son of Man, and another by an angel.  The reaping by the Son of Man precedes the reaping by the angel.  “Son of Man,” therefore, gathers the firstfruits, and the angel gathers the second fruits.  (The vines, not the fully ripe grapes, he casts in the wine press.) The Son of Man Himself obviously reaps the firstfruits because His servants (figuratively the angel of the church of the Laodiceans) are in no condition to do such a work, for they themselves are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” and know it not” (Rev. 3:14-18).

   “Looking down to this very time, the Spirit of Prophecy in Isaiah’s day said:”

Isa. 63:5 — “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.”

   “Here you note that when the time came there was not even one among His servants “to uphold” the work of the harvest, and consequently the Lord Himself did the work without them.”

   “For the second reaping, however, He uses His guileless “servants,” the “firstfruits,” the 144,000, as prefigured by the angel with the sharp sickle (Rev. 14:17, 18).  And just as there are two fruits and two reapings from two different places, the church and the world, there are, as shown before, also two ways of harvesting: at first the bad are cast from among the good, and at last the good are called out from among the bad.”  (Timely Greetings, Vol.2 No.44, p.37)

We notice that immediately after the work of the angels in Rev. 14, then there is Chapter 15 where it says, “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.” (Rev. 15:1) Then it is time for probation no more. All rapidly comes to an end the heavenly kingdom is home to the righteous for 1000 years.

So in closing we note that the current and most important work right now is that of our 4th message(angel). We are being shown a decisive message of truth, and then watched whether we accept it and then live it. As in times past, the Lord has always given us what is called “testing truth”. For example, in Noah’s day the test was to accept Noah’s message of warning for the world wide flood to come. In Mose’s time, it was the test of whether the people would obey the 10 Commandments. In Christ’s day, the test was whether the people would accept Him as God’s Son. In Ellen White’s day the test was whether they would accept the Sabbath and sanctuary truth.

Ofcourse the testing truth is also known as the “present truth”. The holy Law of God, the 10 Commandments have remained constant (Psalms 111:7-8) but each generation has met a new challenge, a new “testing truth”. Another way of looking at it is that each generation has had a new “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and then watched to see if God’s people obey Him or not.

“God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God’s means of provoking inquiry and awaking minds that other wise would slumber. ” (Test. for the Church, Vol 5, p.453)

Has there been a message from God that has tested us today? Yes there has,  it’s called– The Shepherd’s Rod message, the 4th angel’s  message.

Posted in Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, End times, Final Events, Present Truth, The 144 | 3 Comments »

Doing the Right Thing

May 4, 2013

Often many times throughout the day, we come upon the ol proverbial “fork in the road”. One side goes to the right (right doing) the other goes to the left (wrong doing).  We come to action time and we choose one or the other. The side we choose helps establish our faith.

If we can learn and practice choosing the “right side”, we’ll be doing what our prophetess said. “Righteousness means being good and doing good. Righteousness is obedience to the law. Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will be judged.” (Righteousness by Faith-E. White)

Let us look more closely at some aspects of choosing the right path daily. I’ll start with a recent example of something that occured in my Christian walk. As a part-time property manager, I have to oversee the maintenance and upkeep of certain properties.

We recently had a house where the tenants were evicted. They left the property in shambles. But I had just a couple decent handyman repairmen I could use. One was good yet VERY expensive. The other was good but unreliable. But the all knowing Lord was guiding the situation.

Last week I happened to stop at a local gas station to fill up. As I walk into the store a young couple was sitting on the floor with a “please help” sign. Although normally I may give a couple dollars, I rarely stop and talk with them.

But something was different with this couple. The Spirit nudged me to stop and talk. I found out that the young man (Joshua) and his girl friend were quite pleasant and courteous. I could sense that they were just “down and out” due to circumstances. But my attention was grabbed when he explained that he did handyman work. Bingo!  I took there number and told them I’d call them in a couple days.

To make the story short, I hired them and they are currently staying in the home while fixing it up. They have done superb work! But here’s what I want to say about this. They are obviously down and out and as such are vulnerable to cost-cutters and tightwads who could seize upon this situation and pay them way below what is fair.

In (James 2:1) we read, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”  And also (James 2:9), “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

So clearly this was a “fork in the road” for me. Would I take advantage of this situation or would I do the right thing. I knew what was the thing to do in this manner.

This is just a small example of the kind of situations we can come upon where we must know that our Lord is watching.

You see it is great to know all the doctrines and theories, but it’s the basic daily steps we take and make that shows the Lord where our heart really is.

As we posted a while back, “If we talk the talk, we must walk the walk”. May the Lord give us the understanding of the basic “right doing” in our daily actions.

Posted in Brotherly love, Christian walk | 4 Comments »

A Sign Confirmation

April 27, 2013

005-jesus-wedding miracle

It’s been awhile since we last posted on God’s signs, but recently we heard of a most exciting sign from a dear sister in the Lord. When king Darius found that Daniel was spared from the lions, he wrote, ” He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and earth…” (Daniel 6:27)

Jesus said  “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me, but if you do not believe Me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves.” (John 14:11)

The Lord asks us to believe in Him, and additionally by His works we can believe as well, and sometimes when we’ve witnessed them–we’ll believe even more! They can strengthen and refresh us in our walk. As mentioned  I heard from a sister in the Lord and she told me of an amazing sign given her from  the Lord. Unbeknownst to her,  it was the very same sign that I had also received.

Signs have always played an important role throughout the Bible. One of the neatest for example, was the sign given to Heziekiah in the book of Isaiah.  “‘And this is the sign from the LORD to prove that He will do as he promised: Behold, ” I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined. (Isaiah 38:7-8)

We are all aware of the many other great signs throughout the Bible. The Lord’s water from the rock, the blind seeing, the lame jumping up, The dead raised and so on. Each of these acts inspired awe and true inspiration. Yet to the ones who had their “stakes set deep” in their own ideas and agendas, it didn’t move  them. Let’s look at one of the latest signs from the Lord and what can be the role of signs  in our walk.

So let me tell you about this wonderful sign from “Debbie” (alias used). In December of 2011, in a post called “Looking for signs and wonders” (https://godsloveandlaw.com/2011/12/24/looking-for-signs-and-wonders/  I wrote the following, ” After once again praying for strength and leading in these new teachings, I got a ‘big” sign. I had been listening to the video called “Daniel’s vision” by brother  Glenroy Matthews on the computer (based on the Shepherd’s Rod teaching of the Daniel 2 vision).”

“After I had watched a portion of it, I had to stop it, as I was late for work. So I put it on pause thinking I would watch later. Later, after work I came home and walked into the house. As I come in, I hear this man speaking from my back office room. I was a little perplexed. I continued cautiously to walk into the room, I peak in and it is that same video of brother Matthews playing right where I left it on pause! I am in mild amazement as I knew it was the Lord’s doing. I was thrilled to know He had sent His angel to turn back on the video when I got home, confirming it was to be LISTENED TO.”

About 4 weeks ago, I sent Debbie some Cd’s and DVD’s on the Elijah message. One of them included the “Thy Kingdom Come” CD. Debbie has been actively studying the message and she is getting more and more knowledgable about it. Anyway, we’ve talked a few times by phone and it’s real inspiring to hear her questions and her excitement to have some puzzling questions cleared up. This is what is so exciting. When we search things out, our Lord inspires us to search further because He knows we’ll find the truth. It truly is as Ellen White said, “Search for the truth as for hidden treasures..”. ( Review and Herald, Nov.22, 1892)

Last week I received a call from Debbie and she said, “Are you busy?”  I said no. She continued, ” I have to tell you something that happened, that is amazing.” I urged her on, as her excitement had held of me. “Remember those Cd’s you sent?” I answered affirmedly. ” I was listening to the one on the kingdom, but I had to stop and do other things so I shut it off. Later I was in the kitchen, and I hear this voice coming from the room. I walk into the room and that same kingdom CD is playing.”  We continued talking about this direct sign and I explained I had the very same sign given. We both praised the Lord!

As I mentioned in that post, the Lord is still giving us many signs today. But it’s only to those who “believe”. The ones who don’t look for them or don’t care, they can’t expect them. The Lord can do things that we’ll be amazed at and like He said ” at least believe in the miraculous deeds themselves.”

In (Isaiah 7:11) we read, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”  The Lord can do something, all we have to do is ask, then believe. But be aware if we ask “amiss” (James 4:3) we won’t get an answer. Additonally, as we saw in Debbie’s case, sometimes He shows us a strong sign because He knows we can receive it.

Some may say, “Maybe it’s the devil doing this “. No,  the devils won’t dare “led us into truth”— far from it!  But they will lead us into perdition and such, at every turn we give him. But we must  be careful on wanting signs. Some of the Jews demanded a sign as proof.Our Lord said “”A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matt.12:39).

If we start to base our walk on something like “Ok, Lord I’ll believe it only if you give me a sign”, or some such thing, we’ll be considered “testing” the Lord.  Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.'”(Luke 4:12)

This doesn’t mean we can’t ask for a sign as He showed in (Isaiah 7:11). It’s just that we must have the right motives. From a personal aspect,  the signs I have received have truly been a blessing and I often call them a “refreshing” from the Lord. Sometimes I’ll be a little down and ask the Lord, “Lord can I get a refreshing today?” Then as I go out I am watchful. Because if we ask for something and we don’t look for it, the Lord may not answer us because of our unbelief.

In closing, let us be ever prayerful and then watchful for His tokens of love-His signs. For He is the great One who “works signs and wonders in heaven and earth…” –that we may believe.

Posted in Christian walk, God's signs | 2 Comments »

God’s Premillennial Kingdom

April 20, 2013

 Jeruslaem

As we have so often seen, the Elijah message is the straight testimony. And we are well aware it is a serious message, one that often cuts to the depths of the soul, arousing the honest of heart to search themselves and come to the real realization of their  true condition. Ellen White says, “The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and his testimony must be correct.” (Test. for the Church, vol.3, p.253)

But sometimes it is good to dwell on the ultimate goal of each and every one of us who profess the be “followers” of Christ.  That goal is to live in Godly beauty and bliss with our King and Savior — in the Kingdom.  Let us now look at glimpses of the “premillennial” phase of the kingdom. The one that Satan effectively hid for centuries even though it was spoken of  throughout the Old Testament. It was hidden, that is, until our Lord gave to His last prophet the divine understanding of it. I don’t know about you but this is REALLY EXCITING!

But before we look more into this beginning stage of the kingdom we must understand something very clearly. If we miss this premillennial stage we miss the future eternal stage as well. Ellen White speaks about this upcoming time, the “manifestation of the power of God” at which the “churches” have God’s glory-the premillennial phase of His kingdom. But prior to that,  the beginning announcements of this kingdom which is the time the manifestation starts(today),  will be met with resistance.

“There is to be in our churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of their hearts by repentance confession. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which arouse their fears and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their expectations and ideas, they will oppose the work.” (Bible Training School, may 1907)

The above is happening right now. Those who are beginning to give that message that soon “lightens the earth”, the message of the upcoming kingdom and the upcoming church purification are  being resisted and opposed  by the majority within our church. Why? Because the pastors and preachers of our churches teach almost nothing about this( church purification and subsequent kingdom), and when it is brought to their attention they say that this is not the Lord’s work, as prophesied.  

Let’s  review the timeline. The actual prophesied event schedule that takes place. As we’ve shown from other studies the church purification must take place prior to the Loud Cry.Why? Because the Lord will not allow His servants to go into Babylon and then call them out of her into a church co-mingled with sinners and righteous. The church that they will be called into will be pure and free from tares. “Awake, awake! Put on your strength O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!  For the uncircumcised and unclean shall no longer come to you.” (Isaiah 52:1)

Has that ever happen in our history? No, it’s yet future. Also, the holy city Jerusalem is here on earth not in heaven.

 Remember that the “sealing” of God is the same as Ezekiel 9 (Test. to Min. p.445). So in order to be able to become part of this kingdom, we must be ready first.

Ellen White makes a short powerful statement regarding these things, ” The latter rain is coming on those that are pure — all then will receive it as formerly. When the four angels let go, Christ will set up His kingdom. None receive the latter rain but those who are doing all they can. Christ would help us. (Spalding Magan Collection 3.1 and 3.2).

The above is quite telling because we’ve learned in our prior studies that the “winds” symbolize the mark of the beast decree, the Sunday law. (Test. for the Church, vol.5, p.152) So when the winds are “let go” the kingdom will begin to be set up. Those that remain from the church judgment will form His “spotless and pure “church. “That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:27). 

We know that the Loud Cry happens at that point and there will need to be some time for the servants of God to call out the faithful from Babylon. The Kingdom therefore is set up during this time. We are not told how long this premillennial kingdom will last, some say 7 years, some say longer. Keep in mind it’s a “church” kingdom  also known as a Theocracy. The world’s governments will still exist, yet the kingdom, based in Israel will form a  hub base, for the last great work.

Before we quote just a few of the many Old Testament Scriptures that point to this premillennial phase. We’d like to point out why His kingdom must be holy and pure, and that obviously includes the pre-kingdom.

“Satan deceives many with the plausible theory that God’s love for His people is so great that He will excuse sin in them; he represents that while the threatenings of God’s word are to serve a certain purpose in His moral government, they are never to be literally fulfilled. But in all His dealings with his creatures God has maintained the principles of righteousness by revealing sin in its true character–by demonstrating that its sure result is misery and death.

The unconditional pardon of sin never has been, and never will be. Such pardon would show the abandonment of the principles of righteousness, which are the very foundation of the government of God. It would fill the unfallen universe with consternation. God has faithfully pointed out the results of sin, and if these warnings were not true, how could we be sure that His promises would be fulfilled? That so-called benevolence which would set aside justice is not benevolence but weakness.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, P.522)

Let us now look at some scripture that confirms this kingdom.

In speaking of the two tribes (all of Israel) it says, ” In those days and in that time,” says the LORD, “The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; with continual weeping they shall come and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it saying, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD, in a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten.’ (Jer. 50:4-5)

“For behold, the days are coming”, says the LORD, “That I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,” says the LORD. “And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.” (Jeremiah 30:3)

Here we notice that these prophecies has never been fulfilled to this day because the lost tribes (10 tribes) of Israel have never returned to Zion. Also notice there are no conditions. He said “they SHALL possess it.” The Lord’s word specifically says He’ll do it.  The crying can certainly be tears of joy because they know they are going to Israel to be joined with the King.

“For on My holy mountain, the great mountain of Israel, says the Sovereign LORD, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices.I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.” (Ezekiel 20:40-41)

Here we see that it is describing the holy land-Israel. Notice that again “all” of God’s people (Spiritual Israel) come back from the “countries wherein ye have been scattered.” Very importantly this coming back is for the purpose of the Lord being glorified or sanctified — before the heathen. Has this ever happened? Not yet. This tells us that the unconverted, the heathen,  will still be upon this earth while the Lord brings back His people to Israel. Can it get any more obvious that a premillennial phase of the kingdom will exist in front of the heathen?

“For the days come,  saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.” (Jer. 30:3)

Again remember that this prophecy calls for all 12 tribes to return. Only Judah (2 tribes) has ever returned. And just so we’d be clear what days these prophecies in Jeremiah were to happen, we read,  “The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until He had done it, and until He have performed the intents of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.”(Jer. 30:24)

Another promising Scripture,  “Therefore , behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, the LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But the LORD liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries  whither I had driven them;and they shall dwell in their own land.  (Jer.23:7-8)

We notice that the Lord’s word draws the experience of the first gathering of His people (from Egypt) to a yet future experience of gathering them “from all countries” to “dwell in their own land”.

And for double assurance again the LORD says in Jeremiah, “… in the latter days, ye shall consider it perfectly.”(Jer.23:20)

Who are the ones who understand this “perfectly” today? It’s the Davidian Seventh Day Adventists (Not associated with “Branch Davidians”). Won’t you take the time to study with them?  Order the CD’s or DVD’s, read the study materials **. There is so much to learn here. They have things to show you and it’s present truth for our day.  This understanding comes  because the Lord fulfilled His promise in (Mal. 4:5) that He would send “Elijah” to us so we would have “our” present truth. Before this Elijah came we did not fully understand this premillennial phase, even our dear prophetess had limited knowledge of these things. But now the kingdom veil is lifted because the time is at hand. We “consider it perfectly”.

Another prophet who spoke of the pre-kingdom was Isaiah. In (Isa.26:1-2) we read, “In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song: Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.”

“He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isa. 11:12)

Let us close with a beautiful promise in Isaiah. The Lord cannot wait forever to get this premillennial kingdom going. Will you be a part, will I be a part? All we can do is agree to make a commitment to “follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth”. Then if we are faithful we will be found “among the living” in Jerusalem.

“Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a cover from storm and from rain.” (Isa. 4:3-6)

** For a complete website with all the study materials and CD’s and DVD’s, see our Elijah message site at www.sighandcry777.wordpress.com

For more on this premillennial kigdom see our 2-part post called “Thy Kingdom Come” https://godsloveandlaw.com/2012/03/31/thy-kingdom-come-part-1-of-2/

 
 

 
 

Posted in End times, Final Events, Our Lord's kingdom | 1 Comment »

History of the Enemy’s Work

April 13, 2013

Free Bible illustrations at Free Bible images of Noah building the Ark and the great flood. (Genesis 6:9 - 9:17): Slide 11

Since that tragic day in Eden when he introduced sin into the world and caused the fall of man, Satan has cast in the way of each redemptive movement, a different stumbling block upon which multitudes have tripped and fallen.  Most assuredly, therefore, he must be expected to have some such distinctive danger planted in our way today.  We, though, having in this age the tremendous advantage of knowing the respective pitfalls which have proved fatal to the multitudes in past movements, shall suffer a proportionately greater condemnation and punishment if we fail to recognize ours.

  And what is more, if we fail, we shall witness thereby to the universe that we are the weakest of the weak. We must stand–stand against the most ingenious special trap ever set by the Evil One!  But how shall we do this if we know not what it is or where it is?

To find the danger where it really lurks, let us briefly view in retrospect previous snares, by periods in which they occurred, beginning with the first recorded church movement:

THE NOATIC MOVEMENT was ordained to build the ark both as a warning of the impending deluge and as a refuge from it.  The special block of stumbling which Satan cast in the way of the multitudes at that time, he devised from the fact that never in all nature had man seen anything that lent the remotest evidence to the possibility of there ever materializing such a phenomenon as rain.  Accordingly, leaning upon their finite knowledge of nature and its potentialities, they scoffed and scorned Noah’s science and his warning of doom, and continued their “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away.”  Matt. 24: 38, 39.

Their exalting human science and disregarding divine science, therefore, was the special snare which took the antediluvians.  Their fate solemnly warns us carefully to avoid their mistake.

IN THE ABRAHAMIC MOVEMENT, the father of the faithful was called to depart from the cities of the ancient world, in the hope that someday the movement would triumphantly possess the promised land.  Fully aware of this fact, Satan worked mightily to sidetrack the movement into the cities of the nations along the way.  On this block of stumbling Lot fell, with the result that when the Lord finally snatched him from the destruction of Sodom, as a brand plucked from the burning, he came out the poorest of the poor.

Thus the worldly cities were the quicksands to the first postdiluvians.  May we not lose all therein, as did Lot.

THE MOSAIC MOVEMENT was led out of Egypt to possess the land of promise, and there to become a kingdom.  Cunningly suiting his temptations to their predispositions, Satan inspired those who were of age when they left the land of Pharoah, to continuous murmuring, complaining, office-seeking and rebelling, and finally to fearing the giant inhabitants of the promised land.  Failing to see that their strength was the strong hand of the Lord, they were consequently forced to wander forty long years in the desert, and there to leave parching the bones of all but two of their members who were of age when they left Egypt.

Unbelief, stiffneckedness, distrust of divine leadership, and office seeking, therefore, were the four-headed monster that devoured the people of the Exodus.  And these will devour every Present Truth believer who strays into their lair.

THE CANAAN MOVEMENT UNDER JOSHUA was ridded of all sinners and commissioned to possess the land, drive out the heathen, and set up an everlasting kingdom.  Knowing that its continuance was contingent on their obedience to the Lord’s instructions through His prophets, Satan moved upon the people to mock the messengers of God, despise His words, and misuse His prophets, “until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy” (2 Chron. 36:16), and He gave them back to captivity.

Hence to the subjects of the kingdom, the prophets were the great rock of offense–a rock upon which no age before or since has been free from stumbling.  The wise today, therefore, will “despise not prophesyings.” 1 Thess. 5:20.

THE APOSTOLIC MOVEMENT was brought forth to proclaim the transferring of the earthly sanctuary service to the heavenly “tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Heb. 8:2), and to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19) all who should repent of their sins.  But to frustrate its purpose, Satan set to work to fashion another deception, and with the departure of the Apostles he quickly succeeded in causing the church completely to lose sight both of the truth of the priesthood of Christ and the truth of baptism, and to establish in their stead an earthly priestcraft and infant baptism.

Thus being led to disbelieve and disregard the sanctuary services and baptism, their very salvation, the Christian church fell through Satan’s trapdoor into error.  And that door is still set to take the feet of the unwary–all who disregard or lightly esteem the ever advancing truth unfolded in the special sealing message for today.

THE PROTESTANT MOVEMENTS were raised up to declare and to exploit the primacy of the Bible, because thepre-reformation world was bound in darkness by uninspired man’s religious rule, disallowing the common people the right to possess a Bible, and making them dependent upon his private interpretation of it.  Hence came the Protestant churches in their succession, to restore the down-trodden Truth, each protesting against these abuses and usurpations of human rights, each being called forth to make the Christian world realize the need of true Inspiration and of freedom of religion, the right to own a Bible and to study for themselves, and the duty to make the Bible and the Bible only, the rule of their faith.

Being determined, though, to bring the Reformation to naught, Satan has from its beginning constantly worked to cause every church member to revel in private interpretation of the Scriptures and in extra-Biblical theories.  Consequently, Protestantism today finds itself following not merely in the way of the uninspired Bible interpretations of one man but in the ways of the uninspired interpretations of thousands of men!  And the result is that Christendom teems with schism and confusion unrivaled in history–evidence that the great work of the founding fathers of the Protestant Reformation has been perverted and turned into an undermining force for the frustration of God’s special design for the church today.

Thus we see that the Reformation, which, originally under the direction of inspired men, lifted the church out of one morass, later under the direction of uninspired men, plunged her into another, wherein she has been floundering ever since.  And unless we let the truth extricate us from this fatal bog of confusion, we cannot defeat the enemy of Inspiration in his tireless and powerful efforts to pervert the implements of our salvation into weapons for our destruction.

THE S.D.A. MOVEMENT was appointed to declare the sanctuary message: “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment [the harvest] is come” (Rev. 14:7) upon all the dead who, from Adam’s time on, failed to get the extra oil (truth) in their vessels (Matt. 25:4), double their talents (verses 15 through 30), or put on “the wedding garment.”  Matt. 22:11.  These shall have their names blotted from the Lamb’s Book of Life.

This proclamation concerning the dead was to prepare the living for their impending judgment.  For this reason, Satan has employed his every device to lull Adventists into being merely hearers and preachers but not doers of the Word; into tithing mint and anise and cummin, as it were, but omitting the weightier matters of the law. 

In short, he has made them to become wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked by failing on the one hand to be faithful themselves in doing what they teach others to do, and by failing on the other hand to keep themselves free from doing what they teach others not to do.  And to prevent them from awakening to this “terrible deception” (Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 254), he keeps them lukewarm, complacently dreaming of being rich in truth and of having need of nothing, though in fact they are in misery and in need of everything.

Clearly, then, lukewarmness and the hallucination of being rich are the faults peculiar to the Laodiceans, and are the dangers which if not recognized and removed are finally to result in God’s spuing them out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16).  Thus again the Lord mercifully pleads with Present Truth believers to walk in the light and shun lukewarmness, lest they fall back into thinking themselves rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, and again become poor and in need of everything.

THE ELEVENTH-HOUR MOVEMENT affects us today most immediately and intimately.  Being the last gospel effort, it must “give power and force” to the Third Angel’s Message and “lighten the earth with his glory” (Rev. 18:1); it must triumph, though every movement before it has failed.  It is destined, not to “prophesy again to many nations” (Rev. 10:11), but to “all.”  And as it is to go to those who have not heard of His fame, and to bring to the house of the Lord all the saints “out of all nations” (Isa. 66:19, 20), it is consequently foreordained to endure. 

To effect this predetermined purpose, God is now taking the reins in His own Hands (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300), to purify the church by removing from it the tares, and to preserve it free from them henceforth, so that it may stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb (Rev. 14:1).

Indeed, in the very nature of the case, the Eleventh-Hour movement must triumph, for, being the last, the one to garner in the harvest, then should it fail, everyone in the world today would forever remain lost.  Double, therefore, are the reasons that the Lord purposes it to stand.  Thus the Davidians have been called to “the Kingdom for such a time as this.”

“For,” declares the Word, “by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many….And I will send them that escape of them unto the nations….And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.  And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations.”  Isa. 66:16-20.

“And they [the Gentiles] shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord.”  Isa 62:12.

“But who may abide the day…?  Who shall stand when He appeareth?  for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.”  Mal. 3:2.

All the more reason, then, that its adherents must be tested and proved worthy.  What, therefore, is the first and gravest danger con-fronting Present Truth believers today?

With the end of the long journey in view, the work was never so great, the time in which to do it never so short, and the laborers never so few, as now.  Self-evident, therefore, is the fact that Satan’s supreme effort at this hour must be to cause the time to be wasted and the work to go undone.

Rouse, then, O Present Truth believer!  Rise speedily to the task set, and “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”  Eccles. 9:10.  No longer let a moment be wasted, for every precious one is vital to the salvation of your own soul and to the souls of others.

Thus with the day already at hand, finding “the last movements rapid ones” (Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 11), to no avail now will be one’s zeal, efficiency, and speed unless they match that held up to view in the following warning to

Redeem The Time.

“The day is at hand.  For the lessons to be learned, the work to be done, the transformation of character to be effected, the time remaining is but too brief a span.”–Education, p. 184.

“Every year millions upon millions of human souls are passing into eternity unwarned and unsaved.  From hour to hour in our varied life, opportunities to reach and save souls are opened to us.  These opportunities are continually coming and going.  God desires us to make the most of them.  Days, weeks, and months are passing; we have one day, one week, one month, less in which to do our work.  A few more years at the longest, and the Voice which we cannot refuse to answer will be heard, saying, ‘Give an account of thy stewardship.'”–Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 373, 374.

“The life of Christ from His earliest years was a life of earnest activity.”– Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 345.

“Our time belongs to God.  Every moment is His, and we are under the most solemn obligation to improve it to His glory.  Of no talent He has given will He require a more strict account than of our time.

“The value of time is beyond computation.  Christ regarded every moment as precious, and it is thus that we should regard it.  Life is too short to be trifled away.  We have but a few days of probation in which to prepare for eternity.  We have no time to waste, no time to devote to selfish pleasure, no time for the indulgence of sin.  It is now that we are to form characters for the future, immortal life.  It is now that we are to prepare for the searching Judgment.”

Scarcely begun to live when they begin to die, and the world’s incessant labor ends in nothingness unless a true knowledge in regard to eternal life is gained.  The man who appreciates time as his working day will fit himself for a mansion and for a life that is immortal.  It is well that he was born.”

“We are admonished to redeem the time.  But time squandered can never be recovered.  We can not call back even one moment.  The only way in which we can redeem our time is by making the most of that which remains, by being co-workers with God in His great plan of redemption.”

“In him who does this, a transformation of character takes place.  He becomes a son of God, a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King.  He is fitted to be the companion of the angels.”

“Now is our time to labor for the salvation of our fellowmen.  There are some who think that if they give money to the cause of Christ, this is all they are required to do; the precious time in which they might do personal service for Him passes unimproved.  But it is the privilege and duty of all who have health and strength to render to God active service.  All are to labor in winning souls to Christ.  Donations of money can not take the place of this.”

“Every moment is freighted with eternal consequences.  We are to stand as minute men, ready for service at a moment’s notice.  The opportunity that is now ours to speak to some needy soul the word of life may never offer again.  God may say to that one, ‘This night thy soul shall be required of thee,’ and through our neglect he may not be ready.  In the great Judgment-day, how shall we render our account to God?”

“Life is too solemn to be absorbed in temporal and earthly matters, in a treadmill of care and anxiety for the things that are but an atom in comparison with the things of eternal interest.  Yet God has called us to serve Him in the temporal affairs of life.  Diligence in this work is as much a part of true religion as is devotion.  The Bible gives no endorsement to idleness.  It is the greatest curse that afflicts our world.  Every man and woman who is truly converted will be a diligent worker.”

“Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture.  The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings.  Only let the moments be treasured.” 

“A few moments here and a few there, that might be frittered away in aimless talk; the morning hours so often wasted in bed; the time spent in traveling on trains or railway cars, or waiting at the station; the moments of waiting for meals, waiting for those who are tardy in keeping an appointment,–if a book were kept at hand, and these fragments of time were improved in study, reading, or careful thought, what might not be accomplished.  A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness.”

“It is the duty of every Christian to acquire habits of order, thoroughness, and dispatch.  There is no excuse for slow bungling at work of any character.  When one is always at work, and the work is never done, it is because mind and heart are not put into the labor.  The one who is slow, and who works at a disadvantage, should realize that these are faults to be corrected.  He needs to exercise his mind in planning how to use the time so as to secure the best results.  By tact and method, some will accomplish as much work in five hours as another does in ten. 

“Some who are engaged in domestic labor are always at work, not because they have so much to do, but because they do not plan so as to save time.  By their slow, dilatory ways, they make much work out of very little.  But all who will, may overcome these fussy, lingering habits.  In their work let them have a definite aim.  Decide how long a time is required for a given task, and then bend every effort toward accomplishing the work in the given time.  The exercise of the will power will make the hands move deftly.”

“Through lack of determination to take themselves in hand and reform, persons can become stereotyped in a wrong course of action; or by cultivating their powers they may acquire ability to do the very best of service.  Then they will find themselves in demand anywhere and everywhere.  They will be appreciated for all that they are worth.

“By many children and youth, time is wasted that might be spent in carrying home-burdens, and thus showing a loving interest in father and mother.  The youth might take upon their strong young shoulders many responsibilities which some one must bear.”– Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 342-345.

“It is the very essence of all right faith to do the right thing at the right time.”–Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 24.

WHICH WAY WILL IT BE?

Setting before His followers the “two ways” for life’s “travelers,” the Saviour early in His ministry warned: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Matt. 7:13, 14.

While viewing their own steps with complacency and perhaps even thinking themselves securely on the royal road to the Kingdom, the masses in the broad way view with scorn the handful in the narrow way, regarding them as apostates, fanatically on the way to perdition. 

But being thus sadly mistaken, the majority fail to see that the broad way which begins at the wide gate, leads not to “life” but “to destruction,” and that the narrow way which begins at the strait gate, and which they scorn, leads instead “unto life.”  By this great error, they give full evidence that they are yet carnal–wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and know it not.

“The enemy,” says the Spirit of Truth, “is preparing for his last campaign against the church.  He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing activity and power.  They have to a great extent forgotten his past record, and when he makes another advance move, they will not recognize him as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a friend, one who is doing a good work.(Testimonies, vol.5, p.294)

 (We hope you’ve been blessed by this report. The above was written by brother Victor T. Houteff in 1942, found in the Symbolic Code, Vol.8, no.1-12, p.6-9. For the full article, click this link  http://shepherdsroddavidian.org/symbolic%20Code/8sc_01_12.html )

Posted in Satan, Victor T. Houteff | 6 Comments »

The Elijah Message in a Nutshell

April 6, 2013

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The thought occurred  this week that most likely there are still many who have a vague idea about the Lord’s last message of Elijah. As with most anything, when we simplify something we get at the crux of the matter or issue. Given the supreme importance of this message to us as the remnant church, we cannot afford to vaguely understand it, lest we lightly esteem it. Unfortunately Inspiration says we’ll do that. But not on our watch, right?

1)The beginning of the message starts with Malachi 4:5. Here we see the Lord makes a promise.  So a prophet is to come in the last days.

The Lord states that this prophet comes before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”.  So the purpose of this messenger, obviously, is to reveal important things we are to know concerning this great and terrible day. In other words, he is to unveil hidden Scriptures and new revelations, to prepare us for this extremely important day.

2) The Lord’s prior prophetess proclaimed that a male would come after her in the “spirit and power of Elijah”. (Test. to Ministers, p.475).

As we’ve mentioned many times, the Satanic army is against this message 100% and as such, have tried to confuse, deride, and just plain trash it. So the ploy* was hatched by those in responsible positions, that the quote on p.475, would be interpreted to mean that EGW was describing herself as that promised Elijah. But those  who are guided by the Spirit of Truth soundly reject this ploy. (* The original statement made in 1890 was left alone and untouched until 1962. As the Elijah message was going out and gaining recognition, the leaders put a asterisk by the statement, leading people to think she was describing herself as the Elijah to come.)

3) This prophet, being in the spirit and power of Elijah must be the anti-type of the original type. God’s truth of type and anti-type in its wonderous glory.

The original Elijah proclaimed a message of reform to His own people, not the world’s heathen. This right here, exposes the work of those who preach that we must go out to the world right now and fill up our church. If this were true, then the anti-type would not be the type and therefore, the man to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, would proclaim a different message than Elijah, thus shooting down God’s truth  of types and anti- types .

We should point out that unless we aware of  the true nature of our church condition, the idea of trying to save the church and not the world right now, is foreign.  To make it a little more understandable, picture two boats out at sea. Both are sinking, one is yourself and your family. The other is strangers. What do you do? Do you try to go save the strangers? Ofcourse not you must save your own.(note- the world’s heathen are to be proclaimed to soon, after the church purification)

4) The message is the straight testimony of the rebuking of sins  and the lack of true worship within the temple (church).

Here is the crux of the message. Right now, as we have pointed out so many times in prior posts, the church’s ways are totally unacceptable to God right now. The money passing in the sanctuary,and on the Sabbath,  the Christmas tree hangings in the sanctuary, the laughing and useless talking in His house. Then ofcourse we have our own sins, such as buying and selling on the Sabbath, elaborate cooking on the Sabbath, talking business on the Sabbath, etc. Not only the Sabbath sins, but the vast amount of  idols we cherish ( tv, music, games, entertainment, sports,etc.). The message calls for us to sigh and cry over the abominations done in the church and our lives.(Ezek.9, Test. to Min., p.445, Manuscript Releases, vol.1, p.260)

So this message is the straight and eye-opening truth. It calls us to look  carefully at our walk with the Lord. To stop and take inventory of just what we do for the Lord and His soon to come kingdom.

5) Ellen White, under Inspiration, give us some clear clues concerning this Elijah. The number one clue was that he would be an “interpreter” of Scripture. And as such his interpretations would largely concern the “great and dreadful day” of the Lord. A warning of the Lord’s judgments to come.

As we have pointed out in prior posts, there has been only one man in our SDA history who has fit each and every clue, concerning who and what the Elijah would be. The man has written volumes of literature concerning the prophecies and  about our condition as a church body. Those who honestly study what he has written, have a life changing experience. The words said by this man as Elijah can only do a miraculous change in our heart because he had the Lord’s Elijah spirit. This can be our only explanation as truth seekers.

We see, we read, we study, and if  we perceive God’s Spirit is not in the Elijah words expounded by this man, there is possibly one of two things happening. We are cherishing certain sins and idols (thus blinded from His present truth), or this man wasn’t the Elijah to come and his words don’t have truth. Nevertheless, we should do as Ellen White wrote. In speaking of someone coming to us with a proposal to investigate the Scriptures she says , “The only right way would be to sit down as Christians and investigate the position presented in the light of God’s word, which will reveal truth and unmask error.” ( Test. to Min. p106-107)

But as thousands have found, upon close and dedicated study, many have found the prophecies interpreted have never been as clear and profoundly deep. As we study these writings, we come to appreciate God’s words, ” knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” (1 peter 1:20).

6) New revealed prophecies are explained.  Perhaps the greatest and most soul lifting revelation found in the Elijah message is that of the upcoming “pre” millennial kingdom.  The setting up of God’s glorious church kingdom before the Lord  comes in the clouds. We realize that this is quite an amazing revelation, and not well understood. For more , see our post called -“Thy Kingdom Come”. https://godsloveandlaw.com/2012/03/31/thy-kingdom-come-part-1-of-2/.

7) The final timeline of events. The message gives us the clear time-table of events. Briefly they are:

1) The message goes out around the world now within the SDA church. The people are made to know about it and asked to study it and heed its instructions of reform and renewed dedication to the Lord.

2) The final world war is to happen in the near future over Israel. The prophetic words come, “Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, before the decree is issued, the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!” (Zeph.2:1)

The purpose of this big war is to drive out the current occupants, and get the land ready for the return of God’s remnant people back to Jerusalem. The many prophecies yet to happen have to be completed, so that the Lord’s word does not return void.

3) As the war nears completion or at its completion, the solemn event of Ezekiel 9 takes place upon the church. The beginning phase of the judgment for the living.

This fulfills at least three specific prophecies(there are many others). a) After describing Ezekiel 9, Ellen White says, “Here we see that the church–the Lord’s sanctuary–was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.” (Test. for the Church,Vol.5,  p.211)  b) “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 peter 4:17)

Ellen White connects the marking or sealing of Ezekiel 9 to that of the similar act in Egypt.

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

Inspiration leaves nothing undone. We notice that in connecting Egypt’s judgments and the sealing of God’s people to Ezekiel 9, we also remember that this occured before they came back to the holy land. Not in heaven but back to God’s land here on earth-Israel.

Although our prophetess did not have as much  light on the last message and final events as brother Houteff (the premillennial church kingdom for example), she showed that she did have some understanding of it. (In fact, we hope to have a report shortly showing that brother James White and Ellen both understood that the stone in Daniel 2 was not Christ but the beginning of the premillennial earthly kingdom. Just as brother Houteff  wrote)

Let us stop here for a moment and clear another deceiving devil falsehood  . Some have heard the malicious lie that the Davidians teach that the work of slaying will be done by literal men, as if someday some of the church members will rise up and start slaying others within the church. This is foolishness and beyond absurdity. The Elijah message teaches the straight and clear truth about this. Their belief is based on what Ellen White says, “The work of separation is given to the angels of God, and not committed into the hands of any man.”(Test. to Min. p.47)

c) “While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14.” (Great Controversy, p.425)

4) Upon completion of the church purification, the 144,000 are brought to view. The final outpouring of God’s Spirit comes down upon His “pure church”. The saints are ready for the Loud Cry. The final worldly events begin.

We should stop here and plead with any and all who are reading this, that you and your loved ones have a chance, yes, a most positive chance to be one of God’s elect, his “jewels”. “On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my jewels. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.” (Mal. 3:17).

The Elijah message as we so often show, calls for those willing to “sell out” to the Lord. To forego the worldly treasures and lusts. Elijah said “Serve God or serve baal”. So too, we have to decide. No lukewarm followers will be saved, as our Lord said He must “sprew them out”. ( Rev.3:16)

5) The Loud Cry starts and the world is amazed. Signs, miracles, wonders all shake up the world. News reports of blind people seeing, dead rising, lame walking  all stir the people. Ellen White describes this period, “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.” (Prophet’s and Kings, p.725)

The purpose of the 144,000 servants of God, is to bring in the “great multitude”, the honest in heart people stuck in Babylon, into a pure church. This is key, because as we are well aware many of us in the SDA now believe that this “Loud Cry” is going on now and we are calling them into something  nowhere near “pure”.

In this time another prophecy is fulfilled , “He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge. Selah.(Psalms 50:4-6)

During this time Ellen White shows that  those who “had not heard” of the 3 angels message had opportunity to be saved. “The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere, and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches.” (Early Writings, p.278).

6) The elect of God, the 144,000, make their way toward’s the “premillennial” kingdom in Jerusalem (remember the land has just been destroyed by war). We don’t know how long that trip will be. It could be days or months, we’re just not sure as brother Houteff does not say specifically.  The prophecy of Jeremiah now becomes fulfilled, “The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the LORD.”(Jeremiah 30:3) Since Jeremiah’s day only the two tribe kingdom of Judah returned, the lost 10 tribes (Israel) have never returned there, obviously it is  yet future.

You see this is a BIG mis-conception. The vast Christendom believes that these prophecies speak of the literal Jews today as the beneficiaries of the prophecies. But the Lord specifically addressed the Jews and their children, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” ( Matthew 21:43)

Ellen White comments concerning those who will inherit the covenant promises, “Never has the Lord been without true representatives on this earth who have made His interests their own. These witnesses for God are numbered among the spiritual Israel, and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises made by Jehovah to His ancient people.” (Prophets and Kings, p.714).

7)  The Land is glorified and the Lord’s people are literally re-united with their King. “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Rev. 14:1). The people are joyous, the land becomes beautiful again. It becomes the “hub” of the last great work upon mankind. The calling out of Babylon and the acceptance of literally millions who embrace the new “Kingdom” and witness God’s final outpouring, His final chance to mankind. No excuses anymore –all have their chance.

At this point some may be ask, “Wait a minute, with millions of SDA in the church right now, are you saying that only 144,000 survive the  church judgment?”

We’re not saying this, it’s the Scriptures and SOP that clearly indicate this. Stop and think about God’s work through His prior purifications. In Noah’s day, out of the supposed millions on the earth, how many survived His purification? Eight. Back in Mose’s time, with the supposed million or so Israelites who came out of Egypt, how many survived His judgement and made it too the kingdom over 20 years old? Two.

Ellen White even declared this solemn statement ” In the last vision given me, I was shown the startling fact that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it and be saved. ” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 608-609)

But more explicit is the actual Ezekiel 9 prophecy. As Ellen White established the Ezek. 9 and the Rev. 7  sealings are one and the same event(Test. to Min. p.445), we logically see that Ezekiel’s witness was that only those who get the mark (seal) are to survive. And that Rev. 7 says that 144,000 get sealed and survive before the winds let loose (time of trouble and Sunday law). This is not rocket science.  Solemn, yet it’s His word, who are we to doubt it? Better we prepare than fight it.

God loves us immensely but if we fail to listen and obey the prophet that He sends specifically us His remnant people, we are lost. That’s His way , always has been and always will be. “For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6)

If we can buckle down and convert our sinful life to one of obedience to His prophets and thereby His Law, then we’ll witness this most glorious time upon this earth, that His prophet Zechariah revealed about  the Lord’s handiwork, “… ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. And I Myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.'(Zech. 2:4-5)

Just as our Lord created the garden of Eden in the beginning, so shall He return it as a wonderful paradise in front of  the heathen. That’s His full circle being completed. His wondrous final plea to the world. He tells the world He loves them this much (as His hands stretched out on the cross) and then even gives them witness to what they can be  a part of!

Just so we are clear that this upcoming kingdom is pre-millennial, we read the prophecy from Isaiah, ” The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid…and a little child shall lead them… And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:6-9)

We know that there will not be any children in the “new earth”, so these kids and suckling children can only be here on earth during a time when births are taking place. Ellen White clears this up.

“There are men today who express their belief that there will be marriages and births in the new earth; but those who believe the Scriptures cannot accept such doctrines. The doctrine that children will be born in the new earth is not a part of the “sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19). The words of Christ are too plain to be misunderstood.”(Selected Messages, vol. 1, p172)

So there you have it in a nutshell. The Lord’s last message is one of great love yet solemn warning. The same as He did in Noah’s time. Get in the ark (accept His Elijah message of warning of repentance and reform) or be lost. There will be no middle ground. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.” (Luke 17:26)

In closing, let us remember our prophetess’ words, “The glory of the eternal world has been opened before me. I want to tell you that Heaven is worth winning. It should be the aim of your life to fit yourself for association with the redeemed, with holy angels, and with Jesus the world’s Redeemer. If we could have but one view of the celestial city, we would never wish to dwell on earth again.” (Signs of the Times, April 8, 1889)

—Questions and Answers—

What does the  Sunday law have in connection with the Elijah message? Brother Houteff addressed this question.

Question — Is the mark of the beast the Sunday law? Is it to be enforced before or after the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9? And when will “the gold..  be separated from the dross in the church? (Test. vol.5, p.81)

Answer—  Former publications of Present truth have made clear that “the winds” held by the four angels of Revelation 7:1, represent the angel’s holding back “the anger of the nations,”–the image of the beast,– also that the angels will not let ‘the winds” blow into being the image of the beast before the 144,000 are sealed. (Early Writings,p.38)

Thus those who in the time of the sealing are among the 144,000, and who do not receive the mark of God, according to Ezekiel’s vision, are to be tested, not by the image of the beast, but by their attitude toward the abominations in the church; and those who do not  ‘sigh and cry” against the abominations therein, will be separated by the angels’ slaughter weapons (Ezek. 9:6), rather than be left to be tested by the image beast and to be separated when it enforces the reception of the mark of the beast (Rev.13:11-18   3 Test. p.266; 5 Test. p.211)

Then will the influence of truth “testify” to world of it’s sanctifying, ennobling character. (Test. to Ministers, p.18). Then the church will appear “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners, “going forth” into all the world, conquering and conquer.” — “Prophets and Kings, ” p. 725.

Consequently. ‘the gold…separated  from the dross in the church” (Test., vol. 5, p.81) by the enforcement of the mark of the beast, cannot be the 144,000, the fruit (Test. to Ministers, p.445), but rather is the second fruits,— the great multitude of rev.7:9– to who, after the sealing of then 144,000, will come the test of choosing between the commandments of God and the commandments of men.

The mark of the beast constitutes homage to the image of the beast, in compliance with his commandments, just as the mark of God (Ezek.9:4,6) constitutes homage to God in compliance with His commandments.

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

As the Elijah message is sometimes referred to as the “sealing message” some have inquired just what exactly is the “seal” of God. Brother Houteff addressed this question. Let us take heed!

Question— What is the seal of God upon the foreheads of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3)? Is it the Sabbath seal or something else?

Answer — “The seal of the living God,” the Truth, by which the 144,000 are sealed (Rev.7:2), is a special seal, being  the same as “the mark” of Ezekiel 9. (See Testimonies to Ministers, p.445; Testimonies, Vol. 3, p.267; Testimonies, Vol.5, p.211) It demands one’s sighing and crying over the abominations which defile him, and which desecrate both the Sabbath and the house of God, especially against selling literature and raising goals  during Sabbath services. As the saints have this seal or mark on their foreheads, the angels will pass over them, not slay them. it’s equivalent to the blood on the door post on the night of the passover in egypt. the angel is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who by sighing, over their own sins, and over the sins in the house of God, show fidelity to the Truth. Then the destroying angels will follow, to slay untterly  both old and young who have failed to receive the seal. (See Testtimonies, Vol. 5, p.505)

So, the former seal enables the receiver to rise from the dead in the resurrection of the just, while the latter seal enables the sighning-crying one to escape death and forever to live for God.

Posted in Elijah, End times, Final Events, Our Lord's kingdom, The Loud Cry | 3 Comments »

Blinded By The Light

March 30, 2013

001-elijah-fed-by-ravens

Some of us may remember the 1976  top charting music song called ‘Blinded by the light” by a group called Manfred Mann. As I waited for the Lord to guide me in what to write this week, that title occurred to me. I knew it would be the perfect title for the message this week. What we’ll look at is the situations where some professed followers of Christ who have received great knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures, even the Elijah message, yet have been “blinded by the light”. The light of the last present truth, the Elijah message, in particular,  can be a two-edged sword. We must be SO CAREFUL in remaining humble because as we’ll see the devils have a sneaky game plan for the ” light bearers”.

As we have learned, there is only one message that shakes Satan and the devils to the core now, it’s today’s Elijah message of warning to God’s remnant people. The message is sent to us to reform our lives, to stop the abominations going on in our own lives and the church and it sigh and cry about them. And as soon as the elect of God truly convert, then this  “small portion” as Ellen White said in (Test. to the Church, p.608-609) accept the warning and then it is that the final time clock starts and the 144,000 are sealed and the game changes. The power is upon the people of God and the great Loud Cry begins.

But what about sneaky attacks from the evil ones today? What is one of their most successful avenues to bring those who profess His last end time message, into a trap and snare? It is old tried and true–Pharisee plan! Allow me to explain.

We remember when our Lord walked this earth His number one enemy was those who had the greatest knowledge of the Scriptures and therefore were the ones who actively taught and promoted “their” understandings of God’s word and plans. As we know our Lord rebuked them time and again .

In (Matt.23:23) we read, “”Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Imagine an individual that would be  measuring the exact distance you could walk to come to the Temple on the Sabbath. The Pharisees did this, and many other restrictive measures because they perceived God as a merciless overbearing toe the line dictator. They had indeed lost tract of their whole purpose in serving Him.

As our Lord said, instead of being full of justice, mercy and faithfulness, they were full of selfishness, ambition and greed. So the evil ones became well aware that the people who became zealous to teach, the ones who actively promoted God’s word, were the prime candidates to influence to become focused on their “knowledge” instead of their walk. Oh, my brothers and sisters how successful this can become if we are not careful!  The greater the light given and understood the closer we must watch that the spirit of Pharisaism doesn’t overtake us and therefore blind us!

Brother Houteff saw this among some of those who professed the Elijah message. He explains ““After one acquires all the knowledge necessary pertaining to the sign of Jonah, he is neither better nor worse off so far as his Christianity is concerned, without taking into effect the time wasted if his conclusions on the subject be wrong.

But what is still worse, should a group of people who are rightly proclaiming all the revealed doctrines, disagree with these zealous preachers of the sign of Jonah, as to what “the heart of the earth” may mean, the latter will in most instances not only forsake fellowshipping with their brethren, and cease helping to proclaim more important doctrines, but will also become so obsessed with their pet idea that their minds cannot comprehend much else.” (Tract 10, p. 20-21)

The above is very telling! Brother Houteff shows that some will cherish their knowledge and forsake the more important matters. Is this not what the Pharisees were known for?

  In Vol. 4   Symbolic News Code   Nos. 1-3. page 6. He said this, “Do not insist upon any one’s measuring up to your opinion of yourself; make not your business that of  finding fault with others, nor of advertising their sins; expect no one to confess to you any sins other than those committed against you personally; and never from any man demand an apology or confession.”

I bring those above quotes up because I’ve recently noticed that the evil ones have hoodwinked some of the true light bearers, the Davidians, the ones who are active in professing the Elijah message, into arguing over non-salvational issues.

Ellen White’s words ring powerfully upon those who become active in criticizing, “I shall tell the truth as God gives it to me, and I say now, If you continue to find fault, to have a spirit of variance, you will never know the truth.”(Testimonies to Ministers, p.476).

Just like the Pharisees, some have put their knowledge ahead of their heart. In other words, they have lost sight of the “old paths”. The Prophet Jeremiah said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls.”(Jer.6:16).

As I was driving this week I sensed a message from the Lord, it was  — The message should be taught in love. Meaning that although this message (the Elijah message aka the Shepherd’s Rod message) is solemn and straight, it needs to be spoken with compassion. We must humbly proclaim it. The Pharisee aloofness and pride cannot be allowed to be a part of our character.

I hate to say it but there are more than a few  light bearers (Davidians) who have been snared by a lack of love and compassion. Their knowledge has warped them. In fact we read in (Isaiah 47;10) this thought, “Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me.” (Isaiah 47:10).

So again we go back to the snares that the evil ones put up. One of the best, tried and true one, from since way back, is the inflated view of oneself. No longer do the self proud, all knowing ones have to promptly return emails, initiate correspondence with brothers and sisters, return phone calls, etc. The devils say , “you got the goods, let everyone come to you, no need to reach out.” Instead of being a servant they desire to be served. The Lord’s warning in Rev. 3:17 ” have become wealthy and have need of nothing” is even more true among some Davidians than SDA’s.

Peter also gives good counsel. In speaking of  faith, knowledge, self-control, perserverance, brotherly kindness, love,  he then says, “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9)

Let’s not kid anyone. Just because we know a vast amount of present truth does not guarantee we’re saved. As Paul says, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”(1 Cor.13:2)

And our last quote from our beloved prophetess, “God will choose humble men, who are seeking to glorify His name and advance His cause rather than honor and advance themsleves.” (Test. for the Church, Vol.5, p.461)

In closing, let us remember to be humble in our walk, never forgeting the “old paths” . Yes, we need knowledge and advancing truth which is in His Elijah message, but this comes WITH our basics such as love, compassion, servitude, and such.  If we ignore the basics, the devils stand ready to  —  blind us with the light.

Posted in Brotherly love, Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, Humility, Proper teachings, Witnessing | 2 Comments »

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