The Faithful Church

While exiled on the Isle of Patmos, John was instructed to write to the seven churches. The church of Philadelphia was one of the only two churches; the other was Smyrna, to which no reproof or rebuke was given. These two were commended because of their obedience.

Today, the Christian church as a whole seems to have forgotten that God’s grace, His mercy, and His love do not excuse disobedience, nor does it make it unnecessary to obey His word. Professed Christians boldly commit premeditated sins believing that they will be forgiven. These premeditated sins are presumptuous sins.

The church of Philadelphia was not perfect. The Bible record does not say that the members never made mistakes or stumbled morally, but that they were faithful. It is said of it: “You … have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Revelation 3:8. This church was obedient. Only those who are obedient and develop a holy character will be protected in the time of trouble. (See Revelation 3:10.)

Within all churches there are two groups: those who make a profession to believe and those who act on their belief. It is this second group that make up the true church. Within the Ephesian church were some who claimed to be apostles but they were not. They were liars.

There were people in the church at Smyrna that Jesus said were of the synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9). In the church at Pergamos, there were Nicolaitans of the Gnostic sect. Jesus said that he hated what they were teaching (Revelation 2:15). He had a few things against the church at Thyatira because they put up with the spirit of Jezebel in their church, which seduced the people to commit fornication (Revelation 2:20). And at the church at Sardis, most of them were spiritually dead; there were very few who had not defiled their garments (Revelation 3:4). Every church suffered problems, even the church of Philadelphia.

The church of Philadelphia represents the church that is living in the time of the end and preparing for Jesus to come. By the account that John saw there will still be people in this church who are part of the synagogue of Satan. How can this church be recognized?

The Philadelphia church is a faithful church. It has kept Christ’s word and not denied His name. Three facts are immediately apparent about this church.

The Church Is Not Hierarchical

A hierarchy is a body of clergy organized into successive ranks, or grades, with each level subordinate to the one above. The Philadelphian church is not a hierarchy because it is a faithful church. Referring to the early believers: “For a time it had seemed that the people of Galilee would receive Jesus as the Messiah, and that the power of the hierarchy in that region would be broken.” The Desire of Ages, 395. The ministry of Jesus did not build up the Jewish hierarchy. Rather it tended to tear it down.

The Jews believed that they had a representative form of government but, in fact, they had a hierarchy. The Roman Empire at one time was a republic. The United States government was patterned very largely after the Roman Republic, which had a government with a senate and popularly elected officials. Julius Caesar was assassinated because he was taking too much power and the people wanted to retain the republic. Though they claimed their republic up to the last days of the Empire, the last 400 plus years, it was actually a military empire. You may say that you are not a hierarchy power and that you have a representative form of government, but what counts is how the system actually works. In the time of Christ the Jews had a hierarchical church government. And concerning Jesus, “The fame of the new Teacher had spread beyond the limits of Palestine, and, notwithstanding the attitude of the hierarchy [the Jewish church], the feeling was widespread that this might be the hoped-for Deliverer.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 3.

A hierarchical church government is one of the prominent identifying features of Babylon and of the Roman Catholic Church.

A Hierarchical Church Uses State Power

“When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.” The Great Controversy, 445.

An image of the Roman hierarchy is formed when the churches use the power of the state to sustain its decrees to enforce their will. The Philadelphian church, called a “faithful church” did not do this.

“The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt and oppressive; on every hand were crying abuses—extortion, intolerance, and grinding cruelty. Yet the Saviour attempted no civil reforms. He attacked no national abuses, nor condemned the national enemies. He did not interfere with the authority or administration of those in power. He who was our example kept aloof from earthly governments. Not because He was indifferent to the woes of men, but because the remedy did not lie in merely human and external measures. To be efficient, the cure must reach men individually, and must regenerate the heart.” The Desire of Ages, 509.

Notice, though Jesus kept Himself completely separate from civil government, He recognized its authority. When tempted by the Jews with the question, “Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar?” Jesus said, “Show me a coin.” He asked, “Whose is this image?” And they said, “Caesar’s.” He said, “You pay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but render to God what belongs to God” (Matthew 20:17–21, literal translation).

Jesus recognized the place of civil government and He did not interfere with its role. Though the government was corrupt, He did not attack or interfere with it and kept His mission separate. He is our example and the example for the church to follow. As individuals and as a church, we are to keep aloof from civil government.

Never Mix the Sacred with the Common

The Philadelphian church does not attempt to mix worldly philosophy with the religion of Christ—the sacred and the common. The Philadelphian church does not try to mix the theories of eastern mysticism with the gospel or with Christian life and practice. The Philadelphian church does not try to mix the religious exercises of the Jesuit Ignatius Loyola, with the Christian religion.

The Philadelphian church does not teach people to use vain repetitions in their prayer life. The Philadelphian church does not foster, promote, or teach people to practice what is called spiritual formation. “Anciently it was a great sin for the people of God to give themselves away to the enemy, and open before them either their perplexity or their prosperity. Under the ancient economy it was a sin to offer sacrifice upon the wrong altar.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 411.

Elijah on Mount Carmel did not use the altar used make sacrifice to Baal. He built the altar of the Lord. “It was a sin to offer incense kindled by the wrong fire.

“We are in danger of mingling the sacred and the common. The holy fire from God is to be used in our efforts.” Ibid. We are not to mix the sacred and the common. We are not to take the theories of eastern mysticism or worldly philosophy and try to mix them up with the Christian religion. That was the problem with Gnosticism in the early Christian centuries. It attempted to mix Greek philosophy with the Christian religion, which ultimately resulted in the papacy.

“The holy fire from God is to be used in our efforts. The true altar is Christ; the true fire is the Holy Spirit.” Ibid. There is a tremendous meaning in those few words. There are things that are common and are all right in their place, but they are not to be mixed with the Christian religion.

“The true altar is Christ; the true fire is the Holy Spirit. This is our inspiration. It is only as the Holy Spirit leads and guides a man that he is a safe counselor. If we turn aside from God and from His chosen ones to inquire at strange altars we shall be answered according to our works.” Ibid. Notice, only the person who is under the influence of the Holy Spirit is a safe counselor. Just because somebody is a minister does not mean that that person is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

There are identifying characteristics of the church of Philadelphia:

  1. No hierarchical church government.
  2. No use of the power of the state to enforce her will.
  3. No mixing the sacred and the common.

In all the letters to the churches, only to the Philadelphian church is given the promise of divine keeping power in the time of trouble. But remember, even within this faithful church, the true church, there are people who are of the synagogue of Satan. Who are they?

“Christ speaks of the church over which Satan presides as the synagogue of Satan. Its members are the children of disobedience. They are those who choose to sin, who labor to make void the holy law of God. It is Satan’s work to mingle evil with good, and to remove the distinction between good and evil. Christ would have a church that labors to separate the evil from the good, whose members will not willingly tolerate wrong-doing, but will expel it from the heart and life.” The Review and Herald, December 4, 1900.

“The origin of false commandments may be clearly discerned by the principles which underlie them. All that is not in accordance with the known and expressed will of God, is at enmity with God, and has its origin in the synagogue of Satan.” The Signs of the Times, June 11, 1894

Caiaphas and the Jewish leaders and priests professed to be God’s people but they crucified the Son of God. There will be those of the synagogue of Satan in the Philadelphia church at the end of time who will crucify Jesus Christ, the Son of God, afresh (Hebrews 6:6).

How do we, as Christians, crucify Christ afresh? There are at least seven ways:

  1. By engaging in any kind of persecution of His people. The Lord says that the one that touches you, touches the pupil, the sensitive spot, of His eye. “They [the apostles] were men of whom the world was not worthy, and by killing them the Jews crucified afresh the Son of God. So it will be again. The authorities will make laws to restrict religious liberty. They assume the right that is God’s alone. They will think they can force the conscience, which God alone should control. Even now they are making a beginning; this work they will continue to carry forward till they reach a boundary over which they cannot step. God will interpose in behalf of His loyal, commandment-keeping people.” The Desire of Ages, 630.

“God has a controversy with the world. When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, He has an awful account to settle, which would now make the world fear and tremble were men not blinded and bewitched by satanic delusions and deceptions. God will call the world to account for the death of His only begotten Son, Whom to all intents and purposes the world has crucified afresh, and put to open shame in the persecution of His people. The world has rejected Christ in the person of His saints, has refused His messages in the refusal of the messages of prophets, apostles, and messengers. They have rejected those who have been colaborers with Christ, and for this they will have to render an account.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 39.

The twentieth century is the most bloody, the most violent in history when more of God’s people have been murdered and martyred than in any previous time of which there is record.

What about when we persecute each other in the church? The way we treat others is accounted as done to the Lord; the way we speak or the way we deal in business, however we treat each other by word or deed. It touches the apple of His eye.

“In as much as you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it to Me” (Matthew 25:36–41, literal translation).

  1. By taking a fellow Christian to court. We are strictly forbidden to take our brother or sister to a worldly court. “When troubles arise in the church we should not go for help to lawyers not of our faith. God does not desire us to open church difficulties before those who do not fear Him. He would not have us depend for help on those who do not obey His requirements. Those who trust in such counselors show that they have not faith in God. By their lack of faith the Lord is greatly dishonored, and their course works great injury to themselves. In appealing to unbelievers to settle difficulties in the church they are biting and devouring one another, to be ‘consumed one of another’ (Galatians 5:15).

“These men cast aside the counsel God has given, and do the very things He has bidden them not to do. They show that they have chosen the world as their judge, and in heaven their names are registered as one with unbelievers. Christ is crucified afresh, and put to open shame. Let these men know that God does not hear their prayers. They insult His holy name, and He will leave them to the buffetings of Satan until they shall see their folly and seek the Lord by confession of their sin.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 299.

God’s church is to be one family in Christ. If we have differences, we are to get together and pray and ask the Lord to help us to solve our problems, our misunderstandings with one another, but we are never to take one another to civil court and publicly air our differences.

  1. By being a Christian who never grows up. When a person is first converted they are a “babe in Christ.” Peter says that person is to “grow in grace” (11 Peter 3:18). Paul rebuked the Hebrews when he told them that they had had enough time to be on solid food and that they should not have to be on milk anymore (see Hebrews 5:13, 14). “Every Christian who is indeed a Christian must grow. … If his light does not shine more and more brightly, his faith becomes weak, his love grows feeble. And unless he sees and acknowledges his danger, he is doing the cause of God more harm than an avowed unbeliever. Piety leaves the soul-temple. He turns carelessly away from duties and responsibilities. The Son of God is by him crucified afresh and put to open shame.” The Upward Look, 74.

A Christian baby is a wonderful thing, and the Lord loves all seekers just the way they are, but He wants all to grow into the full stature of men and women in Christ.

  1. Reject God’s law. “Those who reject God’s law crucify the Son of God afresh.” The Review and Herald, January 30, 1900. These people claim to love Jesus but refuse to keep His law.
  2. Live a life of self-indulgence. “The word of God draws a dividing line between His followers and the worldling. Over that line, toward Egypt, is the life of self-indulgence, fashion, frivolity, and the veriest slavery to sin. Over that line, God is forgotten. When the professed followers of Christ should be fighting the Lord’s battles, how often are they out of the path of duty, on Satan’s ground. Christ is wounded when any who bear His name are found there; He is crucified afresh, and put to an open shame by those who profess to love Him.” The Signs of the Times, October 21, 1880.
  3. Live a life of selfishness. “God has a controversy with those who use His gifts for self-gratification. When the judgment shall sit, and the books are opened, these will have a fearful account to settle. If they were not blinded by the enemy, they would fear and tremble at the thought of the time when God will avenge the death of His Son, whom, by their selfishness, they have crucified afresh and put to open shame.” Ibid., July 24, 1901.

Jesus’ whole life displayed the unselfishness of the character of God. When He was crucified, love and selfishness stood face to face. It was the greatest display of unselfishness on God’s part and also the greatest display of selfishness on the part of the devil and the Jews.

  1. Fanaticism. Mentioning fanaticism makes deadly enemies of those who are involved in it. “Our testimony was rejected, and they clung tenaciously to their errors. Elder Dammon and several others were baptized many times and frequently by the hand of a woman, Mrs. Ayers, a female preacher who had drunk deep of fanaticism. We had done our duty, and with hearts filled with sorrow we turned from these our brethren, whom we had loved, reluctant to leave them in error and delusion. These souls that I had warned turned from me because I had told them they were in error and in darkness. Many of this company went on further and further in delusion and deception, following impressions and impulse rather than the Word of God, until they became disgusted with their own wicked course.

“A fearful stain was brought upon the cause of God which would cleave to the name of Adventist like the leprosy. Satan triumphed, for this reproach would cause many precious souls to fear to have any connection with Adventists. All that had been done wrong would be exaggerated, and would lose nothing by passing from one to the other. The cause of God was bleeding. Jesus was crucified afresh and put to open shame by His professed followers. The anguish of my spirit could not be described. My tears and prayers went up to God for His bleeding, suffering cause. I could see nothing that I could do to help those who refused to be helped.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, 237, 238.

Fanaticism, something very easy to fall into, is extremely dangerous. It was more dangerous to the Protestant Reformation than the papacy. One of the biggest problems facing Martin Luther and the rest of the reformers was the many forms of fanaticism that appeared during the Reformation. This was also a challenge for the early Adventist believers. Within the synagogue of Satan there are people who specialize in fanaticism, going beyond what the Word says and developing a theory out of it.

God is going to purify His church. We can be purified by having these problems taken out of our life or we can hold on to them and be separated from the church by divine providence. There is no need that any fall off the path. The Lord can help us to be part of the church that He purifies if we allow Him. “Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘thus says the Lord’ in its support.” The Great Controversy, 595.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church of Free Seventh-day Adventists in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Book Review and Comments, The Church

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3. There are foundational principles in every person’s mind that shape the way that he sees and understands all information. People’s foundational principles of thinking are largely absorbed from their immediate environment; therefore, what children and young people see and experience generally has more to do with their perception of reality than anything else. As a baby grows up, he or she assimilates what is accepted as fundamental truth and basic values of life from his or her environment. If the parents teach the child the Bible from its earliest years, as an adult, that person will have foundational principles of thought that are based on the law of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. If two people espouse different foundational principles of thinking, they might be talking together about the same subject, but their perspective of that subject is so different that little actual meeting of the minds may occur. One of the foundational principles in the minds of Christians is what they believe the true church to be. For example, if a person is taught from the cradle that there is only one church that goes back to the time of Jesus Christ and that this is the true Church of God, he will generally believe this, although the Bible not only does not give any such assurance but actually teaches just the opposite. For this reason it is important for anyone who is really serious about inheriting eternal life to go right to the Bible itself and find out what the conditions are and then abide by those conditions.

Men who have been used of God in the past to proclaim His message were men who went straight to the Bible to find out the truth and then chose to abide by that truth, even if they were all alone in the world in doing so. If you want to be used by God as a humble instrument in the finishing of His work in the world, you must do the same thing. We must come to the Bible with a humble spirit, promising the Lord that whatever He teaches us by His Holy Spirit, we will believe and obey.

Today, God is preparing to finish His work. Unfortunately, for many Seventh-day Adventists, because of their false understanding of who and what the church is, this work is being incorrectly perceived. They have made up their minds that God has to work within certain regular lines. When we have checked the inspired writings, we find that there is not only basis for this belief but that the inspired writings make it very clear that the work will be finished in a way that we do not expect.

Their definition of who and what the church is, is the foundational principle that is in error in the mind of many Seventh-day Adventists. A controversy has erupted in Adventism as is clearly demonstrated in the publishing of the Issues book (which contained a section about who and what the church is). The controversy over this issue has brought division throughout self-supporting workers, or independent ministries, as well as from within what is called the church structure of Seventh-day Adventists. Just today we received a letter from Wildwood (OCI) saying that they were uncomfortable with our ministry. What they are uncomfortable about is our understanding of who and what the true church is. If necessary, I could name names of individuals from various self-supporting or independent ministries who have gone all over the world trying to destroy the influence of people who have taken the same position that we have on who and what the true church is. The efforts made to destroy the influence of others is strong evidence that even the ones doing these things know that which position you take will completely alter your course of action and even your understanding of right and wrong.

One of the main accusations that has received wide circulation is that certain ministries, such as Steps to Life and others, have changed the definition of the church form that held historically by Seventh-day Adventists. Our research into this subject has shown clearly that not all Adventist pioneers understood the nature of the church, but there have been some who, from their study of the Bible, clearly understood the issue of who and what the true church is. We have published a few statements from these in previous issues of our News Notes.

Apparently J.L. Tucker, one of the pioneers in Seventh-day Adventist radio, was one of these individuals. It is evident from what he wrote about this subject that he had been studying his Bible and accepted what the Bible said about the church. We review briefly his booklet The Church, God’s Last Message To It.

The first paragraph is stunning in its clarity of thought. If this were to have been stated in 1994, it would have immediately placed the speaker in the middle of the controversy over who and what is the church. “The church is dear to the heart of God. Christ loves the church. Ephesians 5:25. More than one hundred times it is mentioned in the New Testament alone. God has had His people (church) in all ages. See Acts 7:38. Not everyone whose name is on some church roll is counted by God to be His own. He keeps His own records in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5. There is, so to speak, a church within a church. Only truly born again, dedicated souls make up the real church.” The Church, 3

Notice three points made in this first paragraph: (1) Not everyone making a profession is part of the real church. (2) The church (singular) has existed in all ages. (3) Although there is only one true church, there is a larger group of people who make a profession; but these are not the real church. As we ponder these three points, the following ideas come to mind. First, we cannot say that there have been two or three or more true churches down through history. Second, the deciding factor as to who is a member of the church has to do with spiritual qualifications. The church, then, is a spiritual entity and therefore must have a spiritual definition. Your understanding of the Ellen White quotations which are used to confuse people will depend on your definition of the church. That is why in our booklet on the church we listed in the appendices the inspired definitions that Ellen White gave of the true church and the professed church.

In the fourth paragraph, Elder Tucker reiterates this truth about the spiritual nature of the true church. He writes: “The church is a spiritual communion, consisting of all those who are connected with the great Head of the church. It is His kingdom in the earth.”

Elder Tucker then begins a brief review of the Great commission and how it was and was not carried out down through history. Notice the four identifying marks of the church to whom this commission was given. He writes: “To His church, divinely constituted, divinely organized, divinely equipped, divinely connected, the divine commission is given. Matthew 28:19, 20.”

He discusses the last or remnant church that god will have in the last days and shows its identifying marks in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12. He gives a beautiful description of this people or church: “Only those who give God first place, His rightful place, in their minds, hearts and lives, will develop those characteristics brought to our attention in verse twelve: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ Out of an impatient, hair-trigger age, God will develop in the hearts of those who have purposed to be His people, regardless, that wondrous grace of patience. In a disobedient age when the laws of men and the laws of God are violated at will, in an age when many religionists teach a brand of grace that throws aside the ten commandments of God, in an age when crime, violence and disobedience are everywhere, God will produce a people, by His infinite grace, of whom he can say, ‘They keep the commandments of God.’ In and age when on every side we hear the theory ‘do as you please,’ it makes no difference what you believe, just so you are sincere,’ ‘why be particular?,’ God will produce a people of whom He can say: ‘They have the faith of Jesus.’ They live like Jesus; they talk like Jesus; they walk like Jesus. Their one great cry is ‘What did Jesus do? What did he teach? What does He want me to do?’ They have the mind of Christ. See Philippians 2:5. Like Christ, they would rather die than sin. Like Him, they will be obedient, even unto death. See Ephesians 2:8 Like their Lord, truth means everything, for did he not say, ‘ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’? John 8:32. They do not trust their own judgment but seek only a ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ for they know ‘there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.’ Proverbs 14:12.” Ibid., 10, 11

Elder Tucker describes this people, this church, as a group who are preparing day by day to soon become part of the church triumphant: “Paul tells us we must be a ‘glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.’ Ephesians 5:25-27. See also James 1:27. The born-again Christian counts his body as the temple of the living God, which he will never knowingly defile: ‘What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ 1Corinthians 6:19, 20. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’ 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17

“In the light of this standard there will be no liquor drinking, no tobacco habits, no slaves of passion. The true church member takes for his standard, ‘What would Jesus do?,’ and he cannot conceive of his Lord deliberately taking poison into His body temple.

“The remnant church will not only be clean in body, mind, and soul, but it well teach what Jesus taught. It will ‘earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.’ Jude 3. It will demand a ‘thus saith the Lord’ for every religious practice and custom. It will hold to sound doctrine, remembering that Christ said, ‘In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ Matthew 15:9. The members of God’s true church will love one another. John 13:34, 35.’ Ibid., 13, 14

Elder Tucker then writes about Christ’s last warning to His church: “Here we are, in an hour when all inventions for a quick work are here, radio, television, every means for mass communication are available to the church. God says for us to ‘wake up’ and use these. ‘Sound the last message.’ Tell the people they are breaking God’s commandments. Tell them to put on the whole armour of God and make a new dedication to the Lord Jesus. How quickly an awakened church can finish her work.” Ibid., 18. What would our pioneers think about the first time that Seventh-day Adventists have been given the opportunity to preach the three angels’ messages from the most powerful short wave station in North America, and many are so asleep they do not even recognize what is going on? One of the main reasons that they do not recognize what is going on is that they are confused about who the church is—they believe that the voice of God must be heard through a certain regular channel. The result will be that the work will be all finished, and then many Adventists will wake up; but it will be too late. Over and over the Spirit of Prophecy has warned us of this possibility.

Elder Tucker recognized, as stated in the first paragraph of his booklet, that not everybody in the professed church was really part of the true church and that God could use others who were of part of the “professed church” structure to finish His work. It is significant that in ministries who are working together to reach the world with the three angels’ messages over short wave radio, one or more leaders has been disfellowshipped or forcibly separated from the ministry where he was trying to spread the three angels’ messages, and it has been spread all over the world that these people are not really Seventh-day Adventists. Keep watching. It is going to become more evident every passing month who the real and true Seventh-day Adventists are. What Elder Tucker stated in the closing paragraph of his booklet about the professed church is today becoming a reality: “God wants to work through His church. That has been His studied plan, but he is not dependent upon the church. The hour has come when the Gospel must be sounded to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. Revelation 18:1. If His church will not arise and shine, then God will use other means. This is the hour for greatness! Dear reader, God wants to use you; but He can only use you as you are wakened, dedicated, clothed with His righteousness. He says His people are ‘for signs and wonders.’ Isaiah 8:18 They are to do exploits (Daniel 11:32). It is HIGH time to wake up, to get up and to speak up for God. It’s time to cut loose of the world and all worldliness; time to cut loose from all extra possessions and translate them into souls. The Lord is coming! Be ready! Help others to be ready! ‘So shall ye be my disciples.’ John 15:8.” Ibid., 19, 20

APPENDIX: COMPLETE BOOK BY J.L. TUCKER

 

The Church: God’s Last Message to It

The church is dear to the heart of God. Christ loves the church. Ephesians 5:25. More than one hundred times it is mentioned in the New Testament alone. God has had His people (church) in all ages. See Acts 7:38. Not everyone whose name is on some church roll is counted by God to be His own. He keeps his own records in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5. There is, so to speak, a church within a church. Only born-again, dedicated souls make up the real church.

Jesus spoke of the church as “My Father’s House.” John 2:16. When the Jewish nation, the once chosen people, signally failed to achieve the spiritual standards and accomplish the work of being a light to the world, they, as a notion, were rejected, though God bore long with them. See Isaiah 5:1-7; Matthew 21:33-45; Matthew 23:38.

Some little time before the rejection of the Jewish nation as His peculiar treasure, Jesus laid the foundation of the Christian church, which was to take over the vineyard and become God’s custodian of divine truths for the world. See Matthew 16:13-18; Matthew 21:41. Christ is the Rock of Ages and the eternal foundation for all that pertains to the Gospel plan. Upon that mighty truth, given utterance to by the apostle Peter, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build My church.”

The church is of too great importance to have as its foundation any human being. No such responsibility or place of importance was assigned to any man. See Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-30; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:19-22; I Peter 2:4, 5 Christ is a sure foundation. Upon this living stone both Jew and Gentile alike, as individuals may now build. It is broad enough for all and strong enough to sustain the weight and burden of the whole world. The church is a spiritual communion, consisting of all those who are connected with the great Head of the church. It is His kingdom in the earth.

The Great Commission

To His church, divinely constitute, divinely organized, divinely equipped, divinely connected, the divine commission is given. Matthew 28:19, 20.

The church is to proclaim Christ’s gospel of salvation to all nations and to everyone. Every new addition to the church of family of God is to be given a responsibility to bear. Every one is to let his light so shine for Christ that he will attract other men to Christ, the Head of the church. See Mark 13:34; Ephesians 2:10; I Corinthians 3:9.

The early church in the days of the apostles took the command of their Lord seriously. They were told to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the outpouring of power, the promised Spirit. Acts 1:8. Under the leadership of the third person of the Godhead, they went forth a conquering force. Millions embraced Christianity from Judaism and from paganism, during the remaining lifetime of these disciples. Satan’s camp trembled at the mighty onslaught of Christianity. He and his cohorts laid plans to stop the triumphs of the gospel truths. The church was warned and counseled against the plans of the enemy. Paul wrote to his fellow workers: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Acts 20:28-31.

Gradually the spiritual leaders succumbed to the sophistries of the Devil, and they began to welcome into the church false doctrines and perverse things—anything to get a following and become somebody in the eyes of others. Once the bars were down, error swept into the once pure church, as an overwhelming flood. With the coming of error and false doctrine, the spirit of evangelism waned and died.

For centuries there was bickering and strife among the churches and between the leaders of the church. Gradually, but surely, the bishops of Rome assumed and obtained control and became the head of the so called Christian church, though it had but very little resemblance to the church Jesus organized. With a man assuming the role of vicegerent of Christ, or taking the place that God gave to the Holy Spirit, love waned; doctrines of men took the place of the doctrines of the Word; anyone daring to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, was declared a heretic, and multiplied millions through the centuries were put to death for their faith.

The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation had predicted just such an experience. They also gave the length of time that the apostasy would hold sway. When that hour dawned, a revival began to break out in Europe. It was spoken of as the Reformation. Men dared to come back to the Word and to seek God’s will from the original source, the Blood of God. See Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19, 20. The divine commission given to the church, though, long, long delayed in being carried out, has not changed.

One Gospel

Though there is but one gospel, one plan of redemption, one name that can save, (see Acts 4:12), yet at times in God’s dealings with man there has been special emphasis upon special truths. The disciples emphasized the resurrection of our Lord. The reformers’ particular message was “The Bible and the Bible only” and “The just shall live by faith.” The message today that must belt the globe is present truth for this hour. It must include all points of the Gospel, with special emphasis upon “The hour of His judgment is come.” “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7

Then in rapid succession follows two more messages which blend with the first. See Verses 8-11. We read in verse fourteen: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, 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,” The harvest of the earth is reaped.

God’s final message which prepares His people for the Second Coming of the Lord is here in Revelation 14. It needs to be studied earnestly, prayerfully. It is a message that gives the Creator His rightful place, in an hour when human rationalism, atheistic evolution, and modernism are doing their baneful work of ruling God out of His own universe. His last message sounds: “Fear God, and give glory to Him.” And then there is this emphasis: “For the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

Only those who give God first place, His rightful place, in their minds, hearts and lives, will develop those characteristics brought to our attention in verse twelve: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Out of an impatient, hair-trigger age, God will develop in the hearts of those who have purposed to be His people, regardless, that wondrous grace of patience. In a disobedient age when the laws of men and the laws of God are violated at will, in an age when many religionists teach a brand of grace that throws aside the Ten Commandments of God, in an age when crime, violence and disobedience are everywhere, God will produce a people, by His infinite grace, of whom He can say, “they keep the commandments of God.” In an age when on every side we hear the theory “do as you please,” “it makes no difference what you believe, just so you are sincere,” “why be particular?,” God will produce a people of whom He can say: “They have the faith of Jesus.” They live like Jesus; they talk like Jesus; they walk like Jesus. Their one great cry is “What did Jesus do? What did He teach? What does he want me to do?” They have the mind of Christ. See Philippians 2:5. Like Christ, they would rather die than sins. Like Him, they will be obedient, even unto death. See Ephesians 2:8. Like their Lord, truth means everything, for did He not say, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”? John 8:32. They do not trust their own judgment but seek only a “thus saith the Lord,” for they know “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12. “In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9

As God called and chose Abraham and separated him for a special task, as He chose the Jewish nation and made them the heralds of a newly organized Christian church, as He raised up and used mighty men of the Reformation days and through succeeding years, so he has a church today. He speaks of it as His “remnant church.” Revelation 12:17. Her characteristics are plainly described, that all may recognize her. Revelation 14:12, 12:17. Her work is worldwide. The commission is plain and distinct. She must emphasize the whole gospel, with special emphasis on the climax of it all and the events in connection with our Lord’s return. The solemn truth that the hour of God’s judgment IS come is to awaken saint and sinner. The call is sounded to come out of Babylon, out of error into truth. The warning against the beast power and his image and mark is to be carried to every corner of the world. The fruitage of such a message is to prepare man for the meeting with king Jesus. They are described by inspiration: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

It is a high standard God has for His church, as well as a tremendous task, but Christ’s grace is sufficient for everyone. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20. We will never rise higher than we aim. Paul tells we must be “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27. See also James 1:27. The born again Christian count his body as the temple of the living God, which he will never knowingly defile; “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17

In the light of this standard there will be no liquor drinking, no tobacco habits, no slaves of passion. The true church member takes for his standard, “What would Jesus do?,” and he cannot conceive of his Lord deliberately taking poison into his body temple.

The remnant church will not only be clean in body, mind, and soul, but it will teach what Jesus taught. It will “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” Jude 3. It will demand a “thus saith the Lord” for every religious practice and custom. It will hold to sound doctrine, remembering that Christ said, “in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9. The members of God’s true church will love one another. See John 13:34, 35.

The greatest function of the church is to win souls. Every member of the church is an ambassador for Christ. He is to entreat men and women to be reconciled to God. By precept and example he will sound the invitation; “Whosoever will may come.” Revelation 22:17. Those persons who shut themselves away from bearing burdens for others, will soon suffer spiritual feebleness. It is labor that keeps the strong man strong and spiritual labor, toil and burden-bearing is what will give strength to the members of the church of Christ.

Christ’s Last Warning to His Church

Though Christ loved His church and gave Himself for it, yet down through the years He has counseled and warned His church. So today He has a striking warning and makes a special appeal to His remnant church. Here it is: “And that, knowing the time, that, now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:11-14. Here Christ accuses his church, who professes to know the times and understand the meaning of world conditions, of being asleep in the hour of crisis. They have had knowledge, but they’ve been lulled to sleep. God’s long-suffering with a judgment-bound world has caused many to say, “My Lord delayeth His coming.” They have grown weary in well doing—God speaks of these as being asleep. They need to wake up. He says it’s “high time to awaken out of sleep.”

As a boy, I learned the meaning of the words “high time.” I was raised on the farm and certain seasons of the year meant getting up very early. Father would call “Julius, it’s time to get up.” Partially awake I’d respond; “Yes, just a minute,’ and I’d go back to sleep in that moment. Pretty soon I’d hear father’s voice again, with more emphasis: “Julius, it’s time to get up.” “Yes, just a minute; I just want to stretch.” And when a boy stretches in a nice warm, cozy bed, he can go back to sleep to dream he is out currying the horses, feeding the stock, milking the cows, only waiting for mothers call to breakfast. And all at once my dreams would be rudely shattered with the voice of father, “Julius, it’s HIGH time you were getting out of there.” And out I’d come, for I had learned through sad experience that when father called “It’s HIGH time,” that was his last call that morning for, you see, my father believed in the laying on of hands, and he didn’t care much where he laid them as long as they landed on me, if there had been disobedience.

Reverently I say that our heavenly Father has been calling, calling to His church down through the centuries; and now His last call “It is HIGH time to awake, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the flesh—no excuse for living on a low level. This is the hour when every member of the church is to know what victory is, not planning to get ready sometime, but to be ready, for does not our Lord say, “Be ye also ready: for in such and hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh”? Matthew 24:44.

What the ship captain said to one of God’s men of old who was running away from duty and had gone to sleep in a time of great local crisis, so God says to his church today: “What meantest thou, oh sleeper? Arise, and call upon thy God.” Jonah 1:6. What a tragedy! The one man on that boat who knew God, was asleep. In the hour of the world, and God has to call to His church or to large segments of it, “What meanest thou, oh sleeper? You know the time. Wake up! It’s HIGH time to proclaim to every corner of the world My final message!”

Here we are, in an hour when all inventions for a quick work are here, radio, television, every means for mass communication are available to the church. God says for us to “wake up” and use these. “Sound the last message.” Tell the people they are breaking God’s commandments. Tell them to put on the whole armour of God and make a new dedication to the Lord Jesus. How quickly an awakened church can finish her work. God has promised the outpouring of the holy Spirit in the latter rain proportions to His remnant church. He sent the early rain of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and great were the results. Thousands were converted in a day. The latter rain will be infinitely greater in abundance and greater the harvest. God is going to finish His work. Romans 9:28. God wants to work through His church. That has been His studied plan, but He is not dependent upon the church. The hour has come when the gospel must be sounded to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. Revelation 18:1. If His church will not arise and shine, then God will use other means. This is the hour for greatness! Dear reader, God wants to use you; but He can only use you as you are wakened, dedicated, clothed with his righteousness. He says his people are “for signs and wonders.” Isaiah 8:18 They are to do exploits (Daniel 11:32). It is HIGH time to wake up, to get up and to speak up for God. It’s time to cut loose from all extra possessions and translate them into souls. The Lord is coming! Be ready! Help others to be ready! “so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:8.

The End

Called From the Plow

Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, I want to place before you the urgency of the hour in which we are living. Time has almost run out, and we are now to be urgently going about our Father’s business. We are living in a time when the Lord Himself, as He did when on earth, “will call men from the plow and from other occupations to give the last note of warning to perishing souls.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 170

Satan knows his time is very short, and he is actively seeking to deceive the whole world, but especially the elect. God’s last day messenger tells us: “I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. My accompanying angel cried out with awful solemnity, ‘Get ready! Get ready! Get ready! For the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come. His wrath is to be poured out, unmixed with mercy, and ye are not ready. Rend the heart, and not the garment. A great work must be done for the remnant.’” Early Writings, 119

Do we understand what it means to be ready, having put on the whole armor of God? Do we know by experience what it means to be a laborer with Christ?

Christ, when calling His first disciples, said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” These common men straightway left their nets and followed Jesus. If we are truly living for Jesus every day, we will be willing to leave all for Him. Or, have we become caught up in the things of this life?

If we are not earnest and sincere about our salvation and the salvation of others, if we have not made Christ and the vindication of God’s character first in our lives, can we really say that we want to see Jesus return? Christ tells us: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

The things of this earth will very soon pass away. We need to focus all of our energy and attention on proclaiming the three angels’ messages.

Our present situation finds a close parallel in the experience of Israel at the Jordan River. “And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.” Joshua 3:13. Today we are standing on the very edge of the Jordan, and the promised land is just before us.

Just as the soles of the priest’s feet had to be placed in the water for the water to part, opening to them an entrance into the promised land, so we cannot stand back and fail to exercise faith in God while expecting to have Jesus receive us into His kingdom at His return. We must go forward in faith, with strong, unyielding determination to finish the gospel commission.

Speaking of the Laodicean church, Christ said, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16. It is time to become hot. We are in the final reformation and the only difference between this reformation and those that have preceded it is that heaven is in sight, and we are soon going home. It only remains for us to step by faith into the Jordan, as it were, putting all of our energies into finishing the work that the Lord has placed before us to do.

“Those who are truly converted are called to do a work that requires money and consecration. The obligation that binds us to place our names on the church roll holds us responsible to work for God to the utmost of our ability. He calls for undivided service, for the entire devotion of heart, soul, mind, and strength. Christ has brought us into church capacity that He may engage and engross all our capabilities in devoted service for the salvation of souls. Anything short of this is opposition to the work.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 447

Have we contemplated the cost that our precious Saviour paid that we might have eternal life? If we are truly converted, will we not be willing to lay all on the altar, giving Him our undivided service? When we do this, everything we have, soul, mind, strength, and finances will then be put unreservedly into the finishing of this work.

“There are only two places in the universe were we can deposit our treasures—in God’s storehouse or in Satan’s, and all that is not devoted to God’s service is counted on Satan’s side and goes to strengthen his cause….

“He whose life consists in ever receiving and never giving, soon loses the blessing. If truth does not flow forth from him to others, he loses his capacity to receive. We must impart the goods of heaven if we desire fresh blessings….And if men, and women as well, will become channels of blessing to other souls, the Lord will keep the channels supplied.” Ibid. 448, 449

There is a special need at this time to present the message that God has given to us in clear, sharp lines, putting it before the people in such a way as to leave no doubt in the hearer’s mind as to what God requires of them.

“The truth must be published far more extensively than it yet has been. It must be defined in clear, sharp lines before the people….

“‘Those who do not arouse will be passed by, and God will move upon men who will respond to His call, and carry His work forward and upward.’” The Home Missionary, February 1, 1890

“All who will be saved must cooperate with the agencies of heaven to arouse the inhabitants of the earth to the solemn truths for this time.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 140

In this work, however, we are not called to work alone. The angelic host is waiting for you and me to arouse to the call to become laborers together with them. “All heaven, if I may use the expression, is impatiently waiting for men to cooperate with the divine agencies in working for the salvation of souls.” General Conference Daily Bulletin, January 28, 1893

“The Lord has given his church a special work of personal service to do. God could have sent angels to work for the reformation of man, but he did not do this. Humanity must touch humanity….

“Christ’s commission is to be received and acted upon. We are to go forth in faith, with earnest prayer for the promise of One who has said, ‘Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ With the promise of such companionship, we are guilty of great unbelief and disobedience if we refuse to take up the cross of self-denial and self-sacrifice….

“As we communicate the light that has found entrance to our souls, the Holy Spirit gives increased light, and our hearts are filled with the precious joy of the Lord….

“We have a crucified, risen Saviour to present to the people. All who have come to Jesus for pardon have found Him ever ready to take their sins, and to impute His righteousness to them. He who has come to Christ, and has been truly converted, will have a longing to save the souls that are out of Christ. He who loves God supremely and his neighbor as himself cannot rest content with doing nothing….

“God will use humble men as His instruments. Even though they have but one talent, if they trade upon it, it will increase. The great fault in the church is that the work of saving souls is so limited that the advancement of the kingdom of God is slow. A backslidden church is the sure result of a selfish church,—a church that does not use her talents in cooperating with Jesus to restore the image of God in men. We are to minister to every creature. A responsibility is laid upon us to work for all,—our friends, our acquaintances, those who are bound up with the world and alienated from God. The apparently amiable and agreeable are to come into the sphere of our labors. The truth is for them as much as for us, and we must say, ‘Come.’” Review and Herald, April 26, 1898

Do we long for heaven? Do we really want to go home to be where Jesus is? Jesus tells us that when this gospel of the kingdom is preached to all the world, the end will come. (See Matthew 24:14.) There is no time to be lukewarm Laodiceans.

“The solemn, sacred message of warning must be proclaimed in the most difficult fields and in the most sinful cities, in every place where the light of the great threefold gospel message has not yet dawned. Every one is to hear the last call to the marriage supper of the Lamb. From town to town, from city to city, from country to country, the message of present truth is to be proclaimed, not with outward display, but in the power of the Spirit.” Maranatha, 261

We are about to enter upon a time when we will have to work to proclaim the gospel under much less favorable circumstances. “The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warning that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 463. Perhaps, as the Waldenses did, we will find that we are only able to spread the truth by concealing the Scriptures and truth filled pamphlets in our clothing. We do know however, that eventually we will only be able to keep and share what we have stored in our minds.

The crisis is right upon us. We must now, by the Holy Spirit’s power, proclaim the truth contained in the first, second, and third angel’s messages. We must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, bringing light to the darkness of every corner of the earth.

“Our watchword is to be, Onward, ever onward! Angles of heaven will go before us to prepare the way. Our burden for the regions beyond can never be laid down till the whole earth is lightened with the glory of the Lord.” Maranatha, 261

If we are Christians, it will be the desire of our life and our delight to work with Christ for the saving of souls. Sadly, however, “There are those who for a lifetime have professed to be acquainted with Christ, yet who have never made a personal effort to bring even one soul to the Saviour….

“There are many who need the ministration of loving Christian hearts. Many have gone down to ruin who might have been saved, if their neighbors, common men and women, had put forth personal effort for them. Many are waiting to be personally addressed. In the very family, the neighborhood, the town where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight.” Desire of Ages, 141. Let us not be mere professors of historic Adventism, but by your fruits my we proclaim that we are workers with Christ.

These are exciting, yet solemn times in which we live. It is exciting to know that we will soon be able to look up and see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven with all of the holy angels. Our hearts thrill with the thought that we are about to walk with Jesus in the promised land. But before we will be prepared for this great event, there is a solemn and great work before us—the giving of the three angels’ messages to a dying world. And beyond that, a time of trouble such as never was.

Are you tired of this world? Do you really want to go home where Jesus is? Then let us move as a mighty army, with Jesus as our Captain, to finish giving the gospel message, loudly proclaiming and boldly standing under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. I challenge you today to put the sole of your feet in the Jordan. Let us possess that promised land. Let us, with Joshua, boldly proclaim, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

We have this promise: “A true missionary spirit will be imparted to those who seek earnestly to know God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent.” Medical Ministry, 321

“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

The End

Come Into Line

In previous articles we have been studying the importance of unity. We have seen that if we do to have unity, when the storm comes and the crisis breaks, we are going to be destroyed. It is absolutely essential that we stand unitedly to face the foe.

In John 17, we have recorded the prayer that Jesus prayed just before he went into the Garden of Gethsemane. In this prayer, Jesus expresses His will that we all come into perfect unity of spirit and doctrine. Ellen White tells us that we should make a special study of that prayer because if we understand the principles contained in it, we will understand how unity is to be achieved.

“The true peace will come among God’s people when, through united zeal and earnest prayer, the false peace that exits to a large degree is disturbed.” Selected Messages, book 3, 20

A major obstacle to real unity is a false unity that many mistake for true unity. As long as this condition exists, there can be no progress in achieving real unity. It is God’s plan to disturb the false peace that we have among us today. Though truth does not bring dissension, the presentation of truth does disturb the false peace because of the resistance that rises against it. This is not to say that we all have to believe everything exactly the same, but there are certain foundational pillars of the advent message that we have to agree on if we are going to have unity.

In the Scriptures, Jesus is not only described as a lamb, but as a lion. (See Revelation 5:5.) He is a General who makes war. (See Revelation 19:11.) He is the Commander in Chief of the celestial forces, and very soon, He is coming back to this world to conduct a battle. The message we want to consider here comes form the Person who is the Commander in Chief—the General. It is not from a lamb; it is from the Lion.

These orders can be expressed in just three words and are given in the following paragraph.

“In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standard of Immanuel into many hands while a mighty general cried out with a loud voice: Come into line.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 41

For a long time, we have been treating this order as advice, thinking of it as something that sounded good but failing to realize what it means. But when the General says, “Come into line!” you and I must obey if we are to be saved.

What does a banner mean in a war? When you pick up a banner, it declares on which side you are going to fight. In picking up the banner of Prince Emmanuel, you are declaring to the whole universe that you are going to war and that you are going to fight.

Today there is a lot of apostasy because people do not have enough backbone to hold up the banner and go to war. They do not want to fight but prefer to go to heaven sitting down. They want to just pray, read, and study, and expect the Lord to save them. If, however, you are not willing to take up the banner and fight, you are not going to heaven.

“‘Our work is an aggressive one, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus, we must bear the blood-stained banner into the very strongholds of the enemy.” Review and Herald, May 8, 1888

The first principle we have to understand is that if we are going to take hold of the banner and come into line, we have to be willing to fight. There is little use of an army even coming into line if you are not going to fight.

“Those who stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, should be faithful soldiers in Christ’s army. They should never be disloyal, never be untrue. Many of the young will volunteer to stand with Jesus, the Prince of life. But if they would continue to stand with Him, they must constantly look unto Jesus, their Captain, for His orders. They cannot be soldiers of Christ and yet engage with the confederacy of Satan, and help along his side, for then they would by enemies of Christ. They would betray sacred trusts. They would form a link between Satan and the true soldiers, so that through these living agencies the enemy would be constantly working to steal away the hearts of Christ’s soldiers.” Youth’s Instructor, March 30, 1893

You need to realize that there are people who say that they are Seventh-day Adventists, but they have united with the world. They have formed a link with Satan. In a war you cannot be on both sides; Satan and the Lord do not work together.

“My message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth. Unmask the pretentious sophistries which, if received, will lead ministers and physicians and medical missionary workers to ignore the truth. Everyone is now to stand on his guard. God calls upon men and women to take their stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. I have been instructed to warn our people; for many are in danger of receiving theories and sophistries that undermine the foundation pillars of the faith.” Series B, no. 2, 15

If we are going to hold the banner of Emmanuel high, it is our job to unmask those sophistries and teachings that are undermining the pillars of the faith. Have you noticed, however, that whenever anyone does this work, there are always some people who will say, “Oh, that is not Christ-like.” That is Christlike! Christ is not only a lamb, he is a lion. He is a general and he says you are to unmask those false doctrines and deceptions. You are to take the mask off so people can see the truth, while exposing the error. There is no sitting on the fence; you are either going to hold up the banner of Prince Emmanuel or, if you are ashamed of it, someone else is going to place another banner in your hands.

“There is to be no compromise with the powers of darkness. Individually we must take our stand. If we are not at enmity with the prince of darkness, the serpent, his folds encircle us and all our power; his sting is in our hearts. All who range themselves under the blood-stained banner of the Prince of life will henceforth count Satan as a foe, and will in God’s strength oppose him as a deadly enemy.” In Heavenly Places, 48

The second principle that is involved in this warfare is that we must break with the devil’s force. You cannot hold two banners; you cannot fight for two armies at the same time.

“And everyone who will break from the slavery and service of Satan, and will stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, will be kept by Christ’s intercessions. Christ, as our mediator, at the right hand of the Father, ever keeps us in view, for it is as necessary that he should keep us by His intercessions and that He should redeem us with His blood. If he lets go His hold of us for one moment, Satan stands ready to destroy.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 104

If you are going to hold up the banner, you need to break from the slavery and service of Satan. What is the slavery and service of Satan? In John 8:44, Jesus is speaking to the leaders of His day and he accuses them of being children of the devil. These people were lying and contemplating murder—breaking God’s commandments. Because of this, they had a character like the devil. Jesus said to them, “Your spiritual father is the devil.” It is true that they were the professed church of God, but their spiritual father was the devil. The same principle still holds today. No matter what the profession may be, if the character and life are not in harmony with God’s law, the person is in slavery to Satan, a member of his army. You may know with certainty that if a person is living like the devil, practicing unrighteousness, and without love for his brother, he is of the devil. It is just that simple. He can profess anything he wants, but he is under the black banner of Satan.

The third step we must take is that we must develop a character like our Leader.

“What is it to serve God?—it is to resemble Him in character, to imitate Him. To serve God is to obey Him, to keep His commandments, to make an open confession of standing, not under the black banner of the great apostate, but under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Those who serve God strive earnestly to obey His will. Thus they show to what army they belong.” Signs of the Times, February 1, 1899

Fourth, we must be organized as an army of soldiers. No army can win a war unless they are organized. The people who are going to win this war are going to be perfectly organized. They are not just going to be a group of independent ministries or separate groups of Historic Adventists with everyone doing whatever he thinks best. We are going to be in perfect unity.

“God’s people are called upon to rally without delay under the blood-stained banner of Christ Jesus. Unceasingly they are to continue their warfare against the enemy, pressing the battle even to the gates. And everyone who is added to the ranks by conversion is to be assigned his post of duty.” Review and Herald, January, 13, 1903

When a person becomes an Historic Seventh-day Adventist in your home church, he is to be assigned a post of duty. The church is not just a club where everyone meets together to congregate. We are an army, and everyone is to be assigned his post of duty.

“Everyone should be willing to be or to do anything in this warfare. When church members put forth earnest efforts to advance the message, they will live in the joy of the Lord, and will meet with success. Triumph always follows decided effort.” Ibid.

We are either going to conquer or be conquered, and we must have perfect order among us in order to prosecute the war that we are in.

“They have lifted the cross, separating from opposing friends and relatives, and have taken their stand under the blood-stained banner of Christ, to be loyal to all the commandments of God….Now this little flock are babes in Christ, and need to be taught and led along, step by step, into faith and assurance; they need to be educated and trained to do the work of soldiers in the army of the Lord, and to bear hardness, that is, trials and opposition, contempt and scorn, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.” Paulson Collection, 134

If we are going to hold high that banner, we must (1) be involved in the war, (2) forsake the slavery and service of sin and Satan, (3) develop a Christlike character, and (4) be organized—just as organized as a group of soldiers.

“Many have received all the evidences of truth that God will ever give them. They have permitted and encouraged false sentiments; and they have practiced deception to cover up their apostasy.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 194

Part of the battle is to unmask these sophistries, but there are people who are working to cover up the apostasy with deceptive statements. This is why we have to have videos and print tracts to unmask it.

“I am instructed to say to those who desire to return to God, ‘Cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts. Break loose from the spell of the enemy.’” Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 272

This is the problem with many Adventists. They are under the spell of the enemy. When my parents were missionaries in Burma, I remember going to a place where they showed snakes. The cobra starts weaving back and forth and can actually hypnotize its prey. This is the situation we are in in Adventism right now. The serpent is trying to hypnotize Adventists and get them all calmed down. Oh, friend, go to your closet and pray:, “Lord, take the blinders off of my eyes and help me to see what is going on.”

The problem with a large number of Adventists today is that they have fallen into error, but they cannot comprehend it unless the Lord works a miracle in their heart. Friend, we need to pray for ourselves and for each other and say, “Lord, give me a new heart, please. Open my eyes so that I can see.”

God is appealing to people to close up the ranks and to come into line! We have to be willing to be involved in the battle. We have to break from Satan’s banner, keep the commandments, develop a character, and become as organized as an army of soldiers. In the past we have worked in a much too haphazard way, and it is not pleasing to the Lord. This is why we must be organized. We need to counsel with each other; that is part of gospel order.

Who are we to counsel with? Somebody might say, “Oh, there are plenty of people to counsel with.” No there are not. We have been forbidden to counsel with anybody who does not give evidence that they are under the control of the Holy Spirit. That severely limits the people with whom you can counsel.

“When all our ministers and physicians come into line, taking their stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, we shall see an army of men and women going forth to work for Christ, speaking the word with holy boldness and power.” Review and Herald, February 16, 1905

Friends, we are never going to finish God’s work if we do not come into line. It is a Divine command that we must be organized in everything we do. Do not think that just because you have a home church, you have been cast out and that you can forget about organization. It is more important now than ever before. Every Historic Adventist needs to belong to an organized body that is working for the Lord to finish His work.

I want to make an appeal to you. Very soon there will no longer be another opportunity. We are either going to be organized and in unity or we are going to be destroyed. It is just that simple. I am not asking you to do anything rash. In fact, I am not asking you to do anything at all; it is the Lord who has given the order. As the General of the armies of heaven, he says, “Hold up the banner and come into line.”

Are you willing to make this commitment with the Lord? You may not understand everything that is involved, and Jesus does not ask you to do what you cannot understand. The question is, Are you willing to say to the Lord, “Lord, I am willing to come into line, to do your will. Lead us into that line that You want us to be in so that we will have a united front against the foe”? Let us ask the Lord to help us to come into line and to be ready for the final crisis.

The End

Tyndale

The reformation was the result of two significant factors, a revival of learning and the return of the Word of God. While the Bible was the principle cause of the Reformation, without learning, it could not, by itself, have caused the great changes of the Reformation. Without the benefit of learning, the work that Wycliffe began in England would not have had the lasting affect it did. It would have been much like the brief bursts of light that had from time to time shone forth in earlier times; they shone for a little time, only to be crushed out by the darkness that everywhere prevailed. Times, however, were changing, and a new era was beginning.

After the death of Wycliffe, his followers traveled from one end of England to the other, spreading the gospel. Townspeople crowded around preachers of truth, and many of the nobility accepted the new teaching; some even of the royal family believed. For a time it appeared that England would accept the reformed faith.

The favorable reception with which the gospel was received encouraged Wycliffe’s followers to advance even further. Placards aimed at the priests and friars, and the abuses they defended, were placed on the walls of some of the cathedrals. In 1395, the friends of the gospel petitioned Parliament for general reforms. Then, not fully understanding the true nature of government and the truth which they were teaching, they asked Parliament to abolish celibacy and various other errors of Rome. Emboldened by early successes and the absence of the king in Ireland, they fastened their Twelve Conclusions on the gate of St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey.

When Arundel, archbishop of York, and Baybrooke, bishop of London, had read these propositions, they quickly found their way to the king and urged him to return. On his return to London, he forbade the Parliament to take up the propositions the Wycliffites had petitioned them to consider. He then summoned before him the most influential supporters of the reformed movement and threatened them with death if they persisted in defending their opinions.

Richard had scarcely withdrawn his hand from the gospel when, as the historian says, God withdrew his hand from Richard. (See D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, book 17, chapter 9.) His cousin, Henry of Hertford, son of the famous Duke of Lancaster, who had been banished from England, suddenly returned from the Continent. Having gathered all the malcontents in England around him, he was acknowledged as king. Unhappy, Richard was deposed and confined to Pontefract castle where he soon died.

Sadly, Henry chose to become the protector of the church, exercising his power and influence to conciliate the clergy. Under his reign, in the beginning of the fifteenth century, England’s first martyrs were burned at the stake in Smithfield.

A foremost leader among the followers of Wycliffe was Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, a man highly in favor with the king. Lord Cobham caused many copies of Wycliffe’s writings to be made and circulated through the dioceses of Canterbury, Rochester, London, and Hertford. Cobham attended the preaching of the gospel ministers, and if anyone attempted to interrupt them, he threatened them with his sword.

In 1413, Henry V followed his father to the throne of England, and the clergy were not slow to denounce Cobham to him. On September 23, 1413, an ecclesiastical court tried Lord Cobham, sentencing him to death. One night he escaped from the tower where he awaited execution and made his way to Wales. He remained there until he was again arrested in 1417 and returned to London where he was burned alive.

England was to pass through more years of suffering before the gospel truth would shine forth in the soft light of tolerance. For the next few years, the humble followers of Wycliffe suffered severe persecution.

About the end of the fifteenth century, the learning that was taking place in Florence, Italy, began to make its way to England. Caxton imported printing from Germany, and the dawn began to break more fully over England.

While learning was reviving, a new dynasty succeeded to the throne; Henry Tudor became king. His mother, Countess of Richmond, was known for her piety. Among her closest friends was Montjoy, who, along with his wife, were the governor and governess of the king’s children. Montjoy had met Erasmus in Paris and now invited him to visit England. Erasmus, who was the greatest scholar of his time, was fearful of catching the plague that was then ravaging the Continent, and he gladly accepted the invitation.

One day while visiting the Montjoy home, Erasmus, was introduced to young prince Henry. The young prince could ride his horse with great skill and hurl a javelin further than any of his companions. Besides these skills, he had a taste for music and could perform on several instruments. The king had taken great care to see that his young son should not come behind in any area of learning. It was his intention that the young prince would one day become the archbishop of Canterbury. Erasmus, appreciating Henry’s aptitude, did his best to share his learning with him.

About this time, King Henry VII asked the hand of Catherine of Argone for his oldest son. Catherine was the daughter of Ferdinand, the king of Spain, and was the richest princess in Europe. The marriage of the Catholic Catherine to Arthur, however, was an ill-fated marriage that was to have a long lasting effect.

A short time after the marriage, in the early part of 1502, prince Arthur died. It soon become evident that Catherine would not become a mother, and young Henry was declared to be heir to the crown.

A difficult question now surfaced. Henry VII had received from Spain a dowry of two hundred gold ducats as a dowry for Catherine. With her husband dead, having left her without a son, the question was raised as to whether Henry VII would be obliged to return the dowry. Besides this misfortune, there was the very distinct possibility that such a rich heiress might marry a rival of England. To prevent this from taking place, Henry decided to unite her with his second son, and heir apparent to the throne. There were, however, serious objections raised. Warham, the primate, pointed out that according to Scripture, it was not proper for a man to marry his brother’s wife. (See Leviticus 20:21.)

As a solution to this dilemma, a special dispensation was sought from the pope. In December, 1503, Julius II granted a bull declaring that for the sake of preserving union between the Catholic princes, Catherine was authorized to marry the brother of her first husband. The two parties were engaged, though the marriage was delayed because of the youth of the Prince of Wales.

Soon after the engagement, the king, who had earlier lost his queen, became sick. Wondering if all of these things were judgements from God, he began to have second thoughts about the proposed marriage. Many people were still unhappy about the idea of the young prince marrying his brother’s wife and questioned the right of the pope to authorize something forbidden by God. Young Henry, learning of his father’s change of mind and taking advantage of the popular feeling that was running high, declared he would never make Catherine his wife.

On May 9, 1509, Henry VII died and the Prince of Wales became Henry VIII. Seven weeks later he married Catherine. Only eighteen years of age, and with an insatiable desire for pleasure, Henry engaged himself in one grand round of amusement.

During the Middle Ages, the orders of the church had come above the law. A member of a religious order could commit any crime but could be tried only by the church. Parliament, seeking to correct this abuse and to check the growing power of the church, in 1513 passed a law that any ecclesiastic accused of theft or murder should be tried before a secular tribunal. Exceptions, however were made in favor of bishops, priests, and deacons. In doing so, they had actually exempted nearly all clergy of the church. This however, did not satisfy the church, and Cardinal Wolsey, accompanied by a long train of priests and prelates, attained an audience with the king. With hands uplifted, Wolsey protested that it was a violation of God’s laws for a church clerk to be tried. Henry, distinctly seeing that to put the clergy above the law was to put them over the throne, replied that it was by the will of God that the kings who reigned in England were kings. Furthermore, the kings of England in time past had recognized no superior, other than God. He therefore, affirmed the right of the crown above that of the church.

The Reformation in England, to a greater extent than in the rest of Europe, was the result of the Bible. While there could have been no Reformation without God’s Word, unlike much of the rest of Europe, England had no great individuals to compare with Luther in Germany or Zwingli in Switzerland. Men of the stature of Calvin did not appear in England during the Reformation period, but the Bible was widely circulated. That which was largely responsible for the light in England was the Word—the invisible power of the invisible God.

Erasmus left England and returned to the Continent where he completed his work on the Greek New Testament. When he published his finished work, he little realized the impact it would have on the world. When some of his friends questioned the wisdom of the work he had set himself to accomplish, he replied: “‘If the ship of the church is to be saved from being swallowed up by the tempest, there is only one anchor that can save it: it is the heavenly Word, which issuing from the Father, lives, speaks, and works still in the gospel’….Erasmus, like Caiaphas, prophesied without being aware of it.” Ibid., book 18, chapter 1

The clergy were horrified. They pointed to some passages where the differences were most glaring and accused Erasmus of trying to place himself above Saint Jerome in seeking to correct the Latin Vulgate. “Look here! This book calls upon men to repent, instead of requiring them, as the Vulgate does, to do penance! (Matthew 4:17)” Ibid.

On none of his works had Erasmus worked so carefully. He had compared all of the best manuscripts. He had corrected many obscurities and errors found in the Vulgate and had even placed in his version a list of the errors he had found. Nothing else went as far to prepare the way for the Reformation as the Bible being restored in its purity.

As the time for the dawning of the Reformation approached, Providence worked to prepare the way for the coming day. In 1484, about a year after the birth of Luther and about the time Zwingli first saw the light, William Tyndale was born to the southwest of Gloucester. At a very early age he attended Oxford, where Erasmus had many friends. Here he was introduced to the Greek New Testament, which profoundly affected his life. He later went to Cambridge but left there in 1519.

The spiritual revival that was beginning to gain ground in England because of the introduction of the Greek New Testament filled the clergy with apprehension. They were not in such a position of strength as to dare attack the universities, so they turned their attention to the more humble Christians.

Tyndale, after leaving Oxford and Cambridge, obtained employment as a tutor for the children of Lord and Lady Walsh. Sir John Walsh had made a fine showing in the tournaments of the court and by this means had gained the favor of the king. Many men of note and learning as well as church dignitaries, found a welcome at their home.

Behind their mansion was a small chapel where Tyndale would preach on Sundays. Tydale explained the Scriptures so clearly that his hearers felt as though they were listening to the apostles themselves. Soon, however, the small church became too small for the interest that was aroused, and Tyndale began to preach from place to place. No sooner would he leave one place than the priests would follow him, seeking to undo all that he had done, threatening to expel from the church anyone who dared listen to him. When Tyndale returned, finding the field laid waste by the enemy, he exclaimed; “‘What is to be done? While I am sowing in one place, the enemy ravages the field I have just left. I cannot be everywhere. Oh! If Christians possessed the Holy Scriptures in their own tongue, they could of themselves withstand these sophists. Without the Bible it is impossible to establish the laity in the truth.’” Ibid., chapter 4. From that point on, Tyndale began to dream of giving the Bible to England in the common language of the people.

The first triumph of the truth was in the home of Lord and Lady Walsh. As Sir John and his wife began to accept the gospel, they became disgusted with the priests. The clergy were not so often invited to Sodbury, and when they did come, they no longer met with the same welcome. Soon they could think of nothing but how they might drive Tyndale from the diocese.

A storm was beginning to build. A formal complaint was filed, but a judicial inquiry into Tyndale’s conduct presented some serious problems. The king’s champion-at-arms was a patron of Tyndale’s and Sir Anthony Poyntz, Lady Walsh’s brother, was sheriff of the county. It was, therefore, decided that the most prudent thing that could be done would be to call a general conference of the clergy. Tyndale obeyed the summons to appear, but recognizing what was planned for him, sought the strength and help that could come from God alone.

Before the assembled church dignitaries, when his turn came to speak, Tyndale, in a calm and Christian manner, administered the chancellor a severe reprimand. This so exasperated the chancellor that he gave way to his passion, treating Tyndale as though he were a dog, whereupon Tyndale, required of him that he produce witnesses to support the charges. Not one of those assembled dared to come forward. Tyndale was, therefore, allowed to return quietly to Sodbury.

When the priests saw that their plot to silence the Reformer had failed, they commissioned one of the celebrated members of the clergy to undertake the task of converting Tyndale. The Reformer answered his opponent so well from the Greek Testament that the latter was left speechless. He then exclaimed: “‘Well then! It were better to be without God’s laws than the pope’s.’ Tyndale, who did not expect so plain and blasphemous a confession, made answer: ‘And I defy the pope and all his laws!’ and then, as if unable to keep his secret, he added: ‘If God spares my life, I will take care that a ploughboy shall know more of the Scriptures than you do.’” Ibid.

For some time, the position of Lord and Lady Walsh had been as a barrier protecting the Reformer from the malice of his enemies, but the enmity of the clergy was so great that Tyndale realized they would stop at nothing to interrupt his work of translating the Scriptures. Sorrowfully, he bade his host and hostess farewell and left to search for a safer retreat from which to pursue his work.

Tyndale made his way to London where he hoped to gain the patronage of Tonstall, the bishop of London. Tonstall, who was a learned man, was a friend of letters and the gospel. For a time, he had managed to walk a thin line between the two sides. Though learned, Tonstall lacked courage; and when forced to choose between the ignorant and bigoted priests and learning, clerical interests prevailed and he refused Tyndale employment. Greatly disappointed, Tyndale turned away.

Among those who had heard Tyndale speak was a rich merchant named Humphrey Monmouth. Monmouth invited the poor man to come live with him, and for the next year Tyndale pursued his work of translation in Monmouth’s home. Soon, however, persecution broke out in England and Tyndale, foreseeing an interruption to his work, left England.

From London, the Reformer made his way to Hamburg, and eventually to Cologne, France, where he continued his work. At last he took his prepared manuscripts to a printer and the actual printing was begun. Before the work had progressed far, Tyndale’s secret became known to the clergy and he was forced to flee, taking with him his precious manuscripts.

About the close of the year 1525, the first English New Testaments made their way across the Channel to England, hidden among the cargo of five different merchants. In spite of the strict vigilance exercised by the English authorities, the Bibles were successfully brought into the country. Thus, the Word of God, first given to the learned by Erasmus in 1517, Tyndale gave to the common people in 1526.

It was not Tyndale’s edition alone that was entering England. A Dutch house, knowing the desire for the Bible, printed an edition of 5,000 of Tyndale’s translation and sent them to England. These were soon sold and two more editions followed. Tyndale was able to follow these with a new and more accurate edition. This edition was printed in a smaller and more portable form, filling the clergy with great dismay. They quickly found that in endeavoring to prevent the circulation of the Bible, they were attempting a work that was beyond their ability to accomplish. The foundation of the reformed church was being laid in England by the diffusion of the Scriptures.

Tyndale was eventually betrayed into the hands of his enemies. After having suffered many months of imprisonment, he witnessed for his faith by a martyr’s death. Just before he died, his last prayer was that God might open the eyes of the king of England.

In a most unusual way, that prayer was answered. In 1538, Henry VIII signed an order appointing that a copy of the Bible was to be placed in every parish church, available for all to read. That edition become known as the Coverdale Bible, but it was largely the work of Tyndale. Within two years the edition was sold out and another one was printed. How different things were than they had been but two years before when anyone who had a Bible could only read it in secret, where none might see him.

Though Tyndale did not live to see the event, the weapons he prepared enabled others to carry forward the standard of truth, changing for all time the course of history.

The End

California Fires

“Is it smoke, or is it smog?” Jeanne and I pondered this as we left our house in Cherry Valley for our early morning walk. The Santa Ana winds were blowing with their usual intensity, up to four times the velocity of normal winds in our area. In the past week the Santa Anas had brought destructive fires to Laguna Beach, southwest of us, and to Malibu, northwest of us. As we walked, we talked about how difficult it would be for our friends in other parts of the country to understand our Santa Ana winds. In most places, when strong winds blow they bring either rain or snow, and so fire is not a hazard. But the Santa Anas blow toward us from the fiercely hot desert that lies just east of us. They don’t bring rain or snow. They bring fires. Any spark anywhere can create a conflagration that may be almost impossible to control.

Our attention was drawn to an ominous looking cloud that was forming over the long, low ridge about five miles east of us that separated the small communities of Banning, Beaumont, and Cherry Valley from the desert. Was it smoke? Suddenly our question was answered. Those bright red flashes could not be from the rising sun. They were flames, leaping into the air from behind the ridge, steadily increasing in size.

All day the fire moved steadily in our direction, following the ridge that curved slowly around the valley until it passed behind our house, despite the best efforts of the planes and helicopters that were dumping water and fire retardants upon the flames. About three o’clock our question was answered. The fire blazed brightly for a while on top of the ridge, then, still driven by the winds, began its grim descent into our valley.

Realizing that we might soon be required to stand guard over our house, we agreed that I should use the intervening time to make an urgent trip to the post office. But when I started back, I was confronted by road blocks. No problem, I thought. I could drive a mile south to the freeway, turn west a mile to the Cherry Valley exit, and soon be home. But I found a road block at the Cherry Valley exit also. Long lines of cars were forming. There was nothing I could do but take my place in a line on an off ramp. From where I sat I could see the heavy smoke and fire moving steadily in the direction of our home, where, I reflected uneasily, Jeanne was alone.

My thoughts churned. She could leave in our pickup and avoid personal danger, but the house would probably be lost. If both of us were there to watch for flying embers, the house could be saved, even if the fire burned all around it. We had fireproofed it as much as possible—stucco walls, a fire resistant roof, and generous fire breaks on all four sides.

But I wasn’t there, and the fire was now little more than a half-mile from our house! As I pondered, my attention was drawn to the steadily increasing fleet of fire trucks that were assembling just before me. I counted ten in all, bearing the names of other towns whose administrators had sent them to help us. I felt a glow of gratitude.

After a tense half-hour, the police at the road block started checking addresses. Those who could not prove that they lived in Cherry valley were directed back to the freeway. We who had Cherry Valley addresses were allowed to proceed.

It didn’t take me long to get home, past the lines of people and horses that were being evacuated. While I had been gone, the police had come through advising everyone to leave with their animals, but since we had no animals to evacuate, we decided to stay. Viewed from our hillside, the fire appeared to be subsiding. A retired fire chief, our neighbor, approved of our decision. Slowly the wind died down, and by late evening the fire was under control.

How grateful we were for all the help that came to us in this emergency! Citizens and officials alike had been unceasingly alert and vigilant. Each one took the emergency very seriously because he or she knew form past experience what devastation such a fire can bring. The planes and helicopters had been loaded and ready to “scramble.” All levels of government, from the local mayor’s office to the state capitol gave the fires their concerned and careful attention. Officials in nearby towns sent emergency equipment and crews. Police brought warnings to every home. Neighbors checked on neighbors, helping wherever there was a need. In short, everyone worked together against the fire. The fire was costly, but by the combined and energetic efforts of all concerned it was finally extinguished!

It appeared that some of the California fires had been started unintentionally, but not all. Arsonists had been doing their devilish work as well. Justice, though fair, will be firm, we have no doubt.

How different, we reflected later, was this fire form the treatment of the fire of apostasy that is raging today in the Seventh-day Adventist church, urged on by the devil’s strong influence, his “Santa Ana winds.”

The SDA fire of apostasy was kindled in the 1950’s, though perhaps unintentionally, by the publication of the book Questions on Doctrine, the volume that had grown out of the dialogues and discussion between a group of our church leaders and the Calvinistic theologian, Walter Martin. Questions on Doctrine presented to the Seventh-day Adventist church and to the world a grossly false statement about our doctrine of Christ and a carefully muted statement about our doctrine of the atonement. Intentional or not, it was a fire, a dangerous beginning of apostasy.

Has our Adventist community and leadership responded to this emergency in a manner similar to that demonstrated in the California fires? Not exactly. While Questions on Doctrine was in manuscript form, an alert and intelligent spiritual watchman, Elder M.L. Andreason, sounded an alarm, but the alarm was ignored. When he would not be silenced he was rewarded for his faithfulness by having his ministerial credentials taken away on the grounds that he was disturbing the peace and tranquility of the church.

While church members remained blissfully unaware of what was happening, the fire spread. Special donations made possible a circulation of 250,000 copies of Questions on Doctrine. Without tracing all of the developments since then, we simply note that the fire of apostasy is now threatening to engulf the entire North American Division and is reaching out from there to the world field.

And so what is being done? The contrast with the treatment of the California fires is startling.

THE OFFICIALS

Seventh-day Adventist officialdom, with few, if any exceptions, is manifesting an attitude of indifference. It is being maintained that:

  1. There really isn’t any fire.
  2. It is only a small fire, and therefore nothing to worry about.
  3. There have always been fires, and so we should relax and forget about it.

Concerned church members are pleading in vain that:

  1. The existence of the fire is self-evident beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. That any fire, regardless of its size, constitutes an emergency situation.
  3. That while it is true there have been fires of apostasy in the past, church leaders did not ignore them as our leaders are doing today. On the contrary, they used all of their authority and influence to meet the apostasies and put the fires out.

THE ARSONISTS

While it may be possible that the original fire was started unintentionally by the writers of Questions on Doctrine, that could not be said of those who are now laboring to spread it, the “arsonists” among us. And, strangely, these “arsonists,’ these teachers and preachers of apostasy, are being honored and exalted by our church officials to an amazing degree. This is in remarkable contrast to the attitude being taken toward arsonists in California.

THE ALARMS

Alarms are being sounded with increasing frequency and intensity throughout the church by faithful members as the devastation of the fire spreads, bringing injury to more and more church members. But the attitude of Adventist officialdom toward those who are sounding the alarms is as astonishing as their exalting, promoting, and honoring of the “arsonists.” Most church officials have manifested an increasing hostility toward the “alarmists,” as they are called, alleging that they are controversial, divisive troublemakers, a cancer on the body of the church that must be cut out, and finally setting in motion plans to disfellowship them from the church.

THE CHURCHES

Unlike the nearby communities which gladly sent equipment and crews to the assistance of those who were struggling with the California fires, churches and constituencies are being led by Adventist officialdom to disband entire churches and disfellowship members who refuse to be quiet about the fire of apostasy. Since many individual churches have been slow to act on the official’s recommendation that those who are sounding the “fire alarm” should be disfellowshipped, we now hear that plans are being made to take the authority to disfellowship away from the local congregation and place it in the hands of officials themselves, who can be expected to be ruthless.

A neutral observer would probably find this scenario so bewildering as to be utterly beyond comprehension. What spirit of madness, he might ask, could produce such irrational behavior as this? If the same attitude that most of our church officials are manifesting toward the California fires by government officials in that state, much, if not most, of southern California would be in ashes by now.

What will it take to arouse Adventist officialdom from their somnolent state? Will they temporize and continue to misread and misjudge the situation until the whole church is consumed by the flames of apostasy? Or will God have to take firm corrective action of some kind?

Possibly the best thing for us is to regard this strange situation as a call to prayer. Pray that the church officials will throw off their stupor and arouse to their duty. Pray that God will deliver and save His church. Pray that we may be individually true and faithful, regardless of the apostasy around us. And though the flames of apostasy about us continue to leap higher and higher, we may still put our trust in Isaiah 43:2, 3:

“When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, they Saiour….”

The End

Letter from a Concerned Reader

The issue of the two differing views among the ministries as to who and what is the church has been a frustration and a sorrow to many of us laity. Many of us have asked, “Why can’t they get together on this?” of “Aren’t they both saying the same thing?” After much research in this area, I fear these sides may not find unity. But with a greater understanding of the roots for these two trains of thought, it is my prayer that a unity can come, based on truth, that will prepare the way for the latter rain fullness. As we are still to be operating as a theocracy (see Testimonies, vol. 8, 180; Testimonies, vol. 7, 109), I have been puzzled as to why some have been so adamant against the ordination service that was carried out according to the Bible plan. I am reluctant to comment concerning what motives may be hidden here.

Is it not appropriate at this time, when much of the structure is rapidly hastening off the platform of truth and forming the false organization we are warned about (see Selected Messages, book 2, 390), to ask the question, Where is God’s theocracy ? This became a life and death issue in Jesus’ day when Jesus and John presented the good old paths. But God knows that we, as humans, cannot handle knowing these things ahead of time. I cannot find any place that the infallibility of this structure is taught—it is conditional. I believe this was why God sealed the book of Daniel to the Jews, for it predicted their termination and the times when who and what is the church would be an issue. They were not to know ahead of time but were to do as we must do—dig deep into the mine of truth. As is our situation now, their shaking, or harvest, involved the shaking of their minds when confronted with truth interfacing with errors. (See 2 Thessalonians 2) It is then, when one’s mind remains unshaken from the platform of truth and he upholds God’s law, that his name also remains unshaken from the books of heaven. (See Hebrews 12:23, 27)

I believe God has again held His hand over aspects of truth until His timing is correct. He has promised before the last great test to indicate to the sheep which shepherds were in danger of leading them astray and to vindicate those who are teaching the truth. (See 1888 Materials, 1002; Testimonies, vol. 5, 100) This is a wonderful promise.

The traditional view which has been held in Adventism for many years is that the shaking out of the truth, or off the platform of truth, necessarily equates with being shaken out of the church. This latter has next become the prominent feature of the shaking—another tower of Babel so to speak. And indeed, as long as the structure and theocracy remains pure, these will be equated. But in times of apostasy, instead of leaving the organized structure, those who blow off the platform of truth by the heresies and false doctrines allowed by God’s fan are received and maintained, while those who attempt to expose their danger by the presentation of truth are cast out. This is truly the measure of our apostasy. (See Testimonies to Ministers, 490-410; Habakkuk 3:17)

Are the true and faithful ministries under God’s theocracy as they move according to all God’s counsels and by the leading of the Holy Spirit? Yes. Are we under God’s theocracy when we go to Egypt or to Babylon for church growth aid, use NLP, ecumenize, celebrate in sin, and as we go to legal counselors of the world instead of our true Counselor? We need to take God’s Word as it reads. I find that Selected Messages, book 3, 303, speaks clearly to me that our lawsuits being allowed are a sign from God concerning who is in control. And when ministers read Elder Johnson’s Review and Herald concerning the harmless nature of labs 1 and 2, if they truly understand the issue, they will be found following the counsel in Selected Messages, book 3, 412.

Do we believe Mrs. White, that this structure will be swept away if the omega remains? (See Selected Messages, book 1, 205) We know that historically, the whole system had to be swept away. (See The Desire of Ages, 36) History is repeating. In the 1888 Materials, 919, we read that if we do not keep God as our local destination harbor pilot, the church will make shipwreck and sink. This could not be referring to the true church, for we know it will go through. Mrs. White teaches the conditionality of the fate of the structure. The true ship to go through will be the one with solid planks of truth. The one that will shipwreck will be those who step off the platform of truth and range under Satan’s banner, joining the ranks of the enemy. And many of these are now still professing to be Seventh-day Adventists.

With these, and other quotes, are we not misreading Selected Messages, book 2, 380 if we view this church as being the whole church and structure? Are we not in danger of causing Mrs. White to contradict herself and thus to subtly be a part of Satan’s last great deception. Can the side-skirting of Upward Look, 131, occur? If I read these quotes correctly, it is very possible.

If we try to reason out things from the Bible without regard for the Spirit of Prophecy, our divinely inspired expositor of Scripture, we are idolizing our own reason and have not truly experienced the new birth. We need to study line upon line (see Selected Messages, book 1, 42) in order to find the true view that will bring unity.

Now, if we look closely at Selected Messages, book 2, 380, in a way that does not bring contradictions in Mrs. White’s teachings, we find defined there which church she is talking about which does not fall off the platform of truth. It is the wheat, the true church, which ever will remain on the platform of truth. Yes, Mrs. White is a true prophet and does not contradict herself.

This also brings to light our grave danger of attributing this phase of the harvest, which is even now occurring, to a time in the future. If our structure had remained pure, indeed it would also have been found with the true church which remains on the platform of truth. Many would not have been found leaving the true gospel of present truth and dabbling in worldly methods, including hypnotism (see Early Writings, 55-56) Rather, they would have sided on the truth with God’s messengers.

Are we too embarrassed today to call attention to God’s plan for a theocracy , with no need for church lawsuits which always culminate in persecution? If so, may God be with us and give us the love we need for our brethren in the structure who are caught unawares and need to know where the truth is. As Jesus did with Nicodemus, we need to point out to the leaders that they cannot understand the nature of the new birth when they refuse to understand the nature of Christ. The lifting up of the brass serpent typified the mystery of godliness, the union between humanity and divinity made possible by God’s great plan. It represented Christ, come in the likeness of sinful flesh. (See John 3:14 with Desire of Ages, 174-175 and Series A, 304)

Some are now emphasizing that we have time to choose here, as did those in Jerusalem as the Roman armies approached; but we need to remember what happened in Jesus’ day to those who did not, according to God’s timing, receive His message concerning who and what is the church.

The surrounding of Jerusalem by the Roman armies now equates with the national Sunday law, of course. But many forget that the door of mercy always closes first on those with great light. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 41, 401; This Day With God, 163; Review and Herald, July 5, 1906; Testimonies, vol. 5, 208-216; The Great Controversy, 27-18) In this latter reference, we see that the long probation on Jerusalem was especially for the children ant those who had not yet received ample light. It concerns me when I hear leaders apply this time factor to themselves. It is true that many leaders took their stand for truth during the early rain, but most were looking to a bright future for the apostate church structure with a freedom from the one-world order, Roman oppressors. And most of the people followed them to destruction without studying for themselves. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 747) Notice in Adventist Apocalypse, 256, that this deceptive teaching was prominent before the fall of Jerusalem. But especially note that it is again going to be prominent with us. Are we not now seeing the beginnings of this same deceptive message today in some of the ministries? I will try to explain.

Notice in Rosenvold’s book on the wheat and tares—1993, that some are beginning to place all the “weeds” with the tares. Some are placing open sinners with the tares and wheat. This homogenous mixture is taught to be the apple of God’s eye and includes open sin and the new theology false prophets. This, they say, is God’s church; and God will cause it to be physically purged of all the tares, at this highly visible, physical cleansing of the structure prior to the latter rain. According to this view, the cleansing from all sin of the individuals in the church and the polarization within the church, to then be brought about by the three angels’ messages as is even now under way, is effectively placed in the future. This cleansing, which will be very obvious, will, of course, bring a mass exodus from our church and will also free us again from the Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist oppression from those in our midst who are ecumenizing and favoring the coming one-world order. Does not this view depict a glorious future for the structure? I would also like to embrace this view! Then the issue of who and what is the church is already cut and dried. It is a cinch and we will clearly see the time for the latter rain. But does Inspiration uphold this view?

This generally held view is exactly why many now see no relevancy in the question of who and what is the church and actually become upset at hearing about it. This, of course, is why they also see no reason for the ordination service which they feel was out of God’s timing. Some with this view, who place open sinners with the tares, quote from Testimonies to Ministers, 233-235, but somehow fail to see that on page 234 this final separation takes place at the second coming! They forget that the reason we are in danger of unifying with those who depart the faith (see Selected Messages, book 3, 412) is that they still call themselves Seventh-day Adventists. In The Great Controversy, 608, we need to emphasize that these apostates abandon the three angels’ messages and join ranks of the enemy, whether or not they physically leave a pure church or remain in an apostate church.

Are we not now seeing this storm approach? Mrs. White equates the Jews, who are in the synagogue of Satan (see Revelation 2:2, 9; 3:9), to Adventists. (See Little Flock, 11.) Understanding who and what the true church militant is becomes clear by looking closely at Testimonies to Ministers, 1-81 (recommended reading by writers of Issues) and has helped us to place things in perspective. Notice how Testimonies to Ministers, 16, defines the synagogue of Satan. Then notice the definition of the true church militant on page 51. It is those on God’s side of the great controversy who are militant with truth against the synagogue of Satan. Notice all of the qualifying phrases all through these pages which help to clarify God’s true church militant. So, Testimonies to Ministers, 22-23, must now be flip-flopped 180 degrees when we understand the earmarks of His people. Testimonies, vol. 5, 83, states that we are God’s people only when entirely His (new birth = wheat = wise virgins). They do not rise up against the message. (See Early Writings, 270) They do not disparage the true church about to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They do not fight against those who uphold the Laodicean message. (See Testimonies to Ministers, 23) It is the synagogue of Satan which forms a hollow square around the true church militant, turning upon it their unholy guns of Perth, issues, lawsuits, and illegal disfellowshipping, done according to men’s rules rather than God’s. They denounce the Seventh-day Adventist Church as Babylon. It is not the true church militant which favors celebration and ecumenism over the three angel’s messages. (See Testimonies, vol. 8, 118-119.) Many have forgotten that for us to celebrate in the day of atonement when we have this great light is to commit an unpardonable sin. (See Isaiah 22.)

The Jews rejected the theocracy when they chose Caesar as their king rather than Jesus. (See The Desire of Ages, 737-738.) Do we love our brethren enough to warn them about the true nature of God’s theocracy ? Was this not one of the main issues in 1888? Do we not repeat history as we go against Christ in the form of His messenger, going to Caesar to rid ourselves of them?

Please read Testimonies, vol. 6, 408, concerning what it means to be spewed out of Jesus’ mouth. Those in Jesus’ day who did not learn who and what is the church did not know when they were spewed. And when Jesus cleansed the temple, the structure and leadership went right on for years claiming to be the true Seventh-day Adventist Church, while those seeking the truth found it. During the early rain, Peter had to warn the people to no longer wait for nor counsel with the leaders. (See Acts of the Apostles, 43-44) It appears that the latter rain is near. I want to be a part of it. This is why Satan now has his new theology ministers trying to hypnotize the flocks. (See Early Writings, 43-44) We are not to link up or unify with them. (See Selected Messages, book 3, 411-412) By simply following this counsel and Jesus’ counsel to not follow the blind leaders of the blind, we will be called separationists and dissidents. That is all right. We want to be saved along with our young children. Lately, we have not been having to worry about having to explain to our children why the minister has been teaching error. We have come to realize that we can no longer safely exclude our Seventh-day Adventist Church from the counsel in Early Writings, 124-125. If, after addressing error with truth, a minister plays down truth in favor of some “hidden agenda,” then we no longer feel safe in going back to that church. I praise the Lord for the shepherds who are feeding many, now in their own home churches. God indicated the value of home churches in the latter rain time as in the early rain. (See Testimonies to Ministers, 508) Sad to say, I know altogether too many sheep and loved ones who are not now motivated to really study. They do not recognize this current harvest and the crisis that is here. They are determined to stay by what they believe is the ship because of their erroneous view concerning a future physical purging, confusing this with our current harvest being effected by the third angel. (See Early Writings, 118) Some of them who used to be staunch missionaries are actually now willing to say that it must not now be God’s timing to give the three angels’ messages, for the church leaders will know the timing. I want to realize God’s timing on who and what is God’s theocracy .

It appears that we are in excellent company when we absent ourselves from many of today’s religious gatherings. (See Desire of Ages, 449-450) We see no Bible precedent for withdrawing our membership. But nonattendance may be necessary to not unify with them and to maintain our Bible standards. “At that time [latter rain—just before close of probation and plagues] many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this wold has supplanted love for God and His Word.” Maranatha, 33. If the world is introduced into the church, it will thus become corrupted as other denominations, as stated in Revelation 18. (See Testimonies, vol. 4, 513) “When Christians choose the society of the ungodly and unbelieving, they expose themselves to temptation.” Great Controversy, 508

The End

Where God is Working

The third chapter of 1 Corinthians is rapidly becoming one of my favorite books in the New Testament. It is really one of the great books in the Bible about who and what the church is. Verse 2 of the first chapter says, “To the church of God which is at Corinth to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus.” We see that the church in Corinth, were those people in that city who were sanctified in Christ Jesus. If you turn to chapter 3, you will find one of the most astounding verses in all of the Bible. In fact, verse 9 was the verse that my brother Marshall used for his very last sermon. It says, “For we are God’s fellow workers.” If you study the Spirit of Prophecy writings carefully, you will find out that this is one of Ellen White’s favorite verses and that she used it over and over again to show how we become workers together with God. There is no higher privilege that any person could have than to actually be a fellow laborer—a fellow worker with God! If you want to be a fellow worker with God, do you think it might be important for you to find out where God is working? Ever since the beginning of time, God has been working. As you study the inspired writings, they always focus the attention on where God is working.

When I studied ancient history, I found out that there were many things going on during Abraham’s time, but inspiration does not go into any of that. It focuses all the attention on where God is working. If you want to be a fellow worker with God, you need to find out where God is working.

Even though Adam had many children, inspiration focuses only on a holy line of men through whom God was working. Seth had a son named Enos, and in his time, the Bible says that men began to call on the name of the Lord. That is where God was working. Then, in the seventh generation from Adam, Enoch was born. That is where God was working, and the people who chose to be fellow workers with God worked in cooperation with Enoch. After Enoch, there was Noah; and if you had been living in Noah’s time and you wanted to be a fellow worker with God, you would be working with Noah.

By the time there had been twenty generations, the whole world had already rejected God twice. God looked over the world and he found a man whose name was Abraham. He said to Abraham, “I am going to fulfill the plan of salvation through you and through your seed [Christ].”

As you study the Bible record, you will find a certain characteristic in common among all those through whom God was working. In speaking of Abraham, God clearly identified what it is that qualifies a person to be a colaborer with Him. “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5. Abraham was obedient.

At the time that God brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, He made them a wonderful promise: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then You shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” Exodus 19:5

Did this promise have conditions? God made a covenant with them. He said, “If you do this, I will do this for you; you will be My special people.” There have always been conditions.

Have you ever heard people say that there are unconditional promises? I decided to check this out in inspired writings; and when I looked in the writings of Ellen White, she says that all of God’s promises and threatenings are conditional. Do not let anyone tell you, unless they can show you from inspired writings, that any promise is unconditional.

Israel wandered in the wilderness for thirty-eight years longer than they had to because they were not obedient and they rebelled. Finally, when they entered Canaan, they went into apostasy again and started worshiping idols. This went on for hyndreds of years. During this time the tabernacle was still with them, and they kept the yearly feast days.

Do you know where the tabernacle was located during all the period of the judges? It was located in Shiloh, in the land of Ephraim. Many people have almost forgotten that Ephraim was the center of divine worship for over three hundred years. The people of that time thought that it would always be that way.

Look what it says about this in the Psalms. “Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.” Psalms 78:67,68

Why did God reject Ephraim and remove the tabernacle from Shiloh? “The ark remained at Shiloh for three hundred years, until, because of the sins of Eli’s house, it fell into the hands of the Philistines, and Shiloh was ruined.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 514

The leaders of God’s people fell into apsotasy and sin. As a result, the Lord told Eli, “You are not going to be a priest for Me. Your descendants are not going to be My priests forever.”

They were descendants of Aaron—God’s people; but the Lord said, “You are no longer going to be priests.” He rejected Ephraim as the religious center—something that they thought could not happen, happened. “The sanctuary service was finally transferred to the temple at Jerusalem, and Shiloh fell into insignificance. There are only ruins to mark the spot where it once stood. Long afterward its fate was made use of as a warning to Jerusalem.” Ibid.

A few hundred years later the people of Jerusalem thought the same thing. The temple there was the center of divine worship, and they believed that this was where God was working. Hundreds of years after the worship had been transferred from Shiloh, the Lord, through Jeremiah, said: “’Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,’ says the LORD. ‘But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because you have done all these works,’ says the LORD, ‘and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren—the whole posterity of Ephraim.’” Jeremiah 7:9-15

As we look at history, we see that God cannot work with people who are living in sin. If you want to be a fellow worker with God, you cannot link up and work with people who are living and working in sin. With God, character is what counts; and God is working with people who listen to His voice and who obey.

We are told of Israel:

“Their calamities did not come because they kept the law of God, but because they disregarded that law. God had told them that if they did not obey His commandments, he could not keep His covenant with them. The history of the Israelites is portrayed for our warning. They had great light and exalted privileges; yet they did not live up to that light nor appreciate their advantage, and their light became darkness. They walked in the light of their own eyes, instead of following the leadings of God. Their history is given for the benefit of those who live in these last days, that we may avoid following the same example of unbelief.” Signs of the Times, July 19, 1899

Where was God working in the time of Jesus? When Jesus was brought to the temple to be dedicated, Ellen White says that the priest did not recognize anything unusual. Commenting on this experience she says, “So it is still. Events upon which the attention of all heaven is centered, are undiscerned, their very occurrence is unnoticed, by religious leaders, and worshipers in the house of God.” The Desire of Ages, 56

The attention of all heaven is focused on Christ’s birth! And down here in this world the people who claim to be God’s true people do not even know it has taken place. How can you be a laborer together with God it you do not even know where God is working?

So, during the time when Jesus was here, where was God working? God was working through His Son to bring salvation to a lost world, If you had wanted to be a laborer together with God, you had to connect yourself with Jesus and work with Him.

So, during the time when Jesus was here, where was God working? God was working through His Son to bring salvation to a lost world. If you had wanted to be a laborer together with God, you had to connect yourself with Jesus and work with Him.

The New Testament writers predict that a terrible change is going to take place among those who profess to be Christians. Paul speaks, addressing the elders from the church of Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchases with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves [church leaders] men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:28-30

Speaking of this same great apostasy, Paul wrote: “Let no one deceive you by any means: for that Day [the day of Christ] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4

Peter talked about this apostasy, too. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 2 Peter 2:1, 2 [All emphasis supplied.] The word blasphemy means to speak evil of something. As a result of this new teaching, the real way of truth will be evil spoken of.

Notice that both Peter and Paul say that false prophets will secretly bring in destructive heresies. Whenever you find a book that is written to which the authors do not want to put their name, you ought to remember these texts.

Paul identifies this element as the mystery of lawlessness. This apostasy will, therefore, involve the breaking of God’s law and result in the way of truth being evil spoken of. Did this happen?

“The history of God’s people during the ages of darkness that followed upon Rome’s supremacy is written in heaven, but they have little place in human records. Few traces of their existence can be found, except in the accusations of their persecutors. It was the policy of Rome to obliterate every trace of dissent from her doctrines or decrees. Everything heretical, whether persons or writings, she sought to destroy….Before the invention of printing, books were few in number, and in a form not favorable for preservation; therefore there was little to prevent the Romanists from carrying out their purpose.” The Great Controversy, 61, 62

If you were living in that time and you wanted to be a fellow worker with God, it made all the difference in the world whether or not you understood that God was working with people who were keeping His law. If you did not understand this principle, you could not be a fellow laborer with God. Do you realize, friends, that there have been millions of people who have believed that they were working with the Lord but were working with the devil the whole time?

We find that all of the sixteenth century Reformers upheld God’s law. They did not all understand the binding claims of the fourth commandment, but they did not reject it. There is a great difference between not understanding truth and rejecting it. Martin Luther, a well as John, preached a great deal on the Ten Commandments and believed in them. God was leading a people on step by step.

When you study sacred history, you find that in the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of nineteenth century, simultaneously, all over the world, God started raising up people from all the various Christian churches with the message that Jesus was coming soon. The great second advent movement emerged. We are not able in our limited space here to go into detail about what happened in the second advent movement, but out of that movement there was a group of people that eventually formed who were called Millerites, Adventists, and later Seventh-day Adventists.

As this group studied, they discovered the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14. Having learned the meaning of the sanctuary message in the books of Hebrews and Daniel, they realized that the day of Judgment was to begin on October 22, 1844. This is not a message that the apostle Paul preached, because it would not have been true during his lifetime. The apostle Paul taught that the Judgment was still in the future. (See Acts 24:25.) Martin Luther did not preach it either. But here is a message that the hour of God’s Judgment has come. You cannot preach that the hour of God’s judgment has come unless you know it has started. But how do we know for sure that it has started? There is only one way that I know of that you know that the hour of God’s judgment has started, and that is from Daniel 8 and 9.

Now, do you understand why the devil has made our understanding of Daniel 8 and 9 a focal point of attack? If he can destroy a person’s confidence in that truth, that person can no longer preach the first angel’s message. And remember, the second and third angels’ messages are built upon the first. You cannot preach the third unless you preach the second, and you cannot preach the second unless you preach the first. And if you do not understand Daniel 8:14 about the twenty-three hundred days, you are no longer a Seventh-day Adventist.

Where is God working today? God is working today with the people who are proclaiming the three angels’ messages. That is where God is working today. If you want to be a fellow laborer with God today, you have to join up with the people who are doing this.

Let me ask you this question. How can you preach the second angel’s message if you do not know who Babylon is according to Revelation 18:1-5? The second angel’s message is going to be a fellow laborer with God today, you have to know this message.

The third angel’s message is a warning against the beast, his image, and his mark. Notice how the message concludes. “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. If you are not even sure that you can really keep the commandments of God, how can you be a fellow laborer with God and preach Revelation 14:12? Have you noticed that it does not say that here are those who are trying to deep the commandments? It says they keep them. You cannot be a fellow laborer with God and be involved in His last work for the world if you cannot proclaim the message, and you certainly cannot proclaim the message if you do not believe it is true. Do you see how dangerous this idea is when people say, “You are going to keep sinning until Jesus comes”?

If you want to know where God is working, the first thing you want to look for is a group of Adventists who really keep the commandments and do not play around and say, “Well, we are doing the best we can.” Listen, friends, the best you can do is not good enough, unless you are keeping the commandments by the power of God. If you give your life to the Lord, He has the power to give you so that you can keep them. If we fail to keep them, when Jesus comes He will be able to show us millions of people who had the same besetting sins that we had, and He will say, “I gave all of these people power to overcome.” What are you going to say then? I want to tell you, you are going to be speechless.

The people described in Revelation 12:17 not only keep the commandments but they have the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 19:10 says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen White fulfilled this prophecy of giving the gift of prophecy to God’s remnant people. If you want to find the people who God is working through, you want to look for a people who have, believe, and obey the spirit of prophecy. That eliminates the large portion of those who make a profession of waiting for the Lord to come.

Revelation 14:12 points out that God’s people not only keep the commandments but they have the faith of Jesus. You will never find somebody who has the first qualification and does not have the third one because you cannot keep the commandments unless you do have the faith of Jesus. People who have the faith of Jesus will be a sanctified people.

There is another characteristic that, unfortunately, disqualifies many who qualify according to the first three characteristics. Revelation 14:6 tells us that God’s last people will be giving His last message to the world. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” If you want to find the people through whom God is working and if you want to be a fellow laborer with God, you need to find the people who are determined to take the three angels’ messages to every single person in the world.

When you find those people, you will know what group to work with; you will know how to be a colaborer with God, because that is where God is working. He is working with the people who have these four characteristics: they keep his commandments; they have the spirit of prophecy and live by it; they have the faith of Jesus; and they are out to take the gospel to every single person in the whole world.

The catastrophe that I see taking place in Adventism today is that the great majority of Adventists are going to destruction, and when I try to warn them they say, “You say that we are in total apostasy.” Looking at the destruction of Jerusalem, we get just a little idea of what is ahead for Adventism. The only way that you are going to avoid being part of that destruction is if you are a coworker with God, working where God is working, obedient to his law.

The gospel is not a halfway business. Either you have to get in to it all the way or you might as well get out. Soon time will be no more, and when it is all over, I want to know that I have given it everything I have. I want all of my money, my time, my talents, everything I have, to be in the finishing God’s work. How about you?

The End

Editorial – The Wheat and the Tares, part 2

The parable of the wheat and the tares forcibly teaches the lesson that salvation or damnation is not the result of a moment but is a process which takes place over a period of time. Unfortunately, the idea has become commonly accepted that a person may live a life of sin and at a moment of utmost extremity, call on the name of the Lord, and be saved by a mere profession of faith. But notice what Ellen White says.

“Those who are quieting a guilty conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose, that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed, take this course at their peril. They think that after casting all their influence on the side of the great rebel, in a moment of utmost extremity, when danger compasses them about, they will change leaders. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education, the discipline of a life of sinful indulgence, has so thoroughly molded the character that they cannot then receive the image of Jesus. Had no light shone upon their pathway, the case would have been different. Mercy might interpose, and give them an opportunity to accept her overtures; but after light has been long rejected and despised, it will be finally withdrawn.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 269 (See also Testimonies, vol. 1, 81, 82.)

Salvation is not obtained by a simple profession of faith. The faith that is professed must be perfected through a growth in grace. “In the Kingdom of God, position is not gained through favoritism. It is not earned, nor is it received through an arbitrary bestowal. It is the result of character. The crown and the throne are the tokens of a condition attained; they are tokens of self-conquest through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Desire of Ages, 549 (See James 2:14-26.)

In the parable of the wheat and the tares, the wheat, or good seed, represents the gospel of truth. (See Signs of the Times, February 4, 1897.) When this seed is received, it begins to transform the character until the mind perfectly reflects the mind of Christ. (See Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, 244.)
As a person is what he thinks in his heart, the person who is transformed into the likeness of Christ, displays a Christlike character—a mature stalk of wheat.

Tares, on the other hand, represent the seeds of evil. Any seed of evil that is allowed to remain in the heart will eventually choke the good seed. “Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel.” Steps to Christ, 34. As the seed of evil matures in the mind, it eventually becomes evident in a character that is symbolized by tares.

When the person is openly bearing evil fruit—living in open sin—he is to be disfellowshipped from the church but as long as he professes faith and is outwardly living according to the commandments, we are not to judge his character and motive. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 71.)

Years ago we simply stated that the harvest is the end of the world, which is, of course, true. A careful reading of the parable, however, reveals something about the nature of the harvest.

All farmers know that the harvest is not instantaneous, but the closing period of the growing season. The same is true of the harvest of grace. Speaking of this event, Jesus said: “And in the time of the harvest.” That phrase could also be accurately translated, “during the time of the harvest.” The harvest time is that period in the “end of the age” of grace. It is that period of time when through the third angel’s message a final separation of the wheat and the tares takes place (see Early Writings, 118), when the character of every plant becomes evident and public.

Notice in the following quotation how clearly it is stated that the harvest is a period of time. “Let both grow together until the harvest. Then the Lord sends forth His reapers to gather out the tares, and binds them in bundles to burn, while the wheat is gathered into the heavenly garner. The time of the judgment is a most solemn period, when the Lord gathers His own from among the tares. Those who have been members of the same family are separated. A mark is placed upon the righteous.” Special Testimonies, Series A, 6. Clearly the harvest is a period of time during which the character, which has long been developing through the growing season (the age of grace), is fully developed, and the destiny forever fixed.

Friend, do not be tempted to think that the harvest could not possibly take place without you knowing it. It could be over before you know it! (See Jeremiah 8:20; Early Writings, 71.)

The True Witness Speaks

The Teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod in the Light of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy

(This book was written and published many years ago. Reprinted with permission of the author.)

Author’s Preface

The Shepherd’s Rod teachings came to me in the autumn of 1933. A book was sent to me which I was asked to read through twice before saying anything to anyone. I received it with joy, for across the page were the words, “The 144,000—A Call for Reformation.” Just what I was interested in!

I became an ardent supporter of the Shepherd’s Rod. Though I had read the Bible through at least three times and the Testimonies and other writings of the Spirit of Prophecy almost as many times, I could not see that this new teaching was false; so the words and entreaties of friend and ministers fell as stones at my feet. I worked all the more to give this doctrine to others.

I realize now why I could not see the falsehoods the Shepherd’s Rod teachings contain. I was so busy searching through the Spirit of Prophecy writings to find quotations and statements to harmonize with the Shepherd’s Rod that the thought never came to me that I was taking the truth out of its setting and placing it in the framework of error. How differently I would approach the matter now! I would leave the quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy just were they belonged and read from cover to cover and from book to book, then judge between truth and error. I would bring the teachings to the light of the Spirit of Prophecy.

It took seven years to bring me to my senses. Seven years of perplexity, confusion, heartache, darkness, gloom, loneliness, and suffering, mentally, physically, and spiritually, finally brought me to the place where my eyes could be opened. But as I cried out for the Lord to open my eyes and let me see what was wrong, whether I was untrue to the Shepherd’s Rod or to the Seventh-day Adventist church, I began to receive light.

The following blessed assurances were realized in my experience:

“Satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the truth that it deceives those who are willing to be deceived;…but it is impossible for him to hold under his power one soul who honestly desires, at whatever cost, to know the truth.” The Great Controversy, 528

“God will open the eyes of honest souls to understand the cruel work of those who scatter and divide. He will mark those who cause divisions, that every honest one may escape from Satan’s snare.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 334

I send this booklet out with a prayer that it will be of some help to those who have been led astray, as well as to those who have remained upon the true platform. My heart goes out to those in deception; for I know just how they were ensnared, and how hard it is to get free. I had declared many times that if the Shepherd’s Rod were not true, nothing was. But sincerely and honestly believing a lie does not make it true.

“God will not condemn any at the judgment because they honestly believed a lie, or conscientiously cherished error; but it will be because they neglected the opportunities of making themselves acquainted with truth.” Testimonies to Ministers, 437

Let us study the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy as we have never studied before, and may truth be so embedded in our minds and hearts that we will stand unshaken against the delusions of these last days. My desire now is to help those who have been deceived, and to redeem the time that is past. I pray and beseech all those who are now in the clutches of the enemy of truth to step back upon the platform of the three angels’ messages, that the prayer of Christ may be fulfilled: “That they all may be one.”

Appreciation is hereby expressed for the hearty reception accorded the first edition of this booklet and for the many expressions of gratitude from those who have been helped by it to avoid or renounce this Shepherd’s Rod delusion.

With some clarifying revisions this edition is sent forth with the prayer that it may continue to be a blessing to the remnant church. May God help us all to realize that “God has a church upon the earth, who are his chosen people,” that “He is leading, not stray offshoots,…but a people.” (Testimonies to Ministers, 61); and to believe what Ellen White wrote to the General Conference session before her death, that “the God of Israel is still guiding His people, and that He will continue to be with them, even to the end.” The Remnant Church, 70

Hazel Hendricks

[Italics are mine throughout unless otherwise noted.—H.H.]

Introduction

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20
“We are forewarned that there would be false prophets in the last days, and the Bible gives a test by which to try their teachings, in order that we may distinguish between the true and the false. The grand test is the law of God, which is applied both to the prophesyings and to the moral character of the prophets. If there were to be no true prophesyings in the last days, how much easier to have stated the fact, and thus cut off all chance for deception, than to give a test by which to try them, as if there would be the genuine as well as the false.”—R.F. Cottrell in Early Writings, 138

Because in the last days there are the true as well as the false prophets, we are not to despise prophesyings, for we have the promise, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Joel 2:28

“The words of a true prophet will harmonize with the law of God and the testimony of all previous prophets of God. One who claims to be a prophet may fulfill every other test, but if his instruction is contrary to the Bible and the testimonies, he proves himself to be false.” S.N. Haskell, Bible Handbook, 138, 139

“Truth is straight, plain, clear, and stands out boldly in its own defense; but it is not so with error. It is so winding and twisting that it needs a multitude of words to explain it in its crooked form.” Early Writings, 96

Chapter 1: When is the Kingdom Set Up?

The culmination of the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod is the setting up of the kingdom of God during the loud cry and before the second, visible coming of Christ. Many texts of Scripture are quoted along with passages from the Spirit of Prophecy to try to prove this point, but let the Spirit of Prophecy speak for itself without any other interpretation, and we shall see the truth.

Will the kingdom of God, the kingdom of glory, be set up wholly or in part, at any time before the second, visible coming of Christ?

The Shepherd’s Rod—”‘And in mercy shall the throne be established: and He shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.’ Isaiah 16:5

“The fact that the establishment of Christ’s throne, according to this scripture, is yet in the future, and that He is to set His throne in the tabernacle of David on the earth, which He did not at His first coming, it proves that this time in the antitypical reign He will sit on the throne of David; and as He is to judge, and seek judgment, and hasten righteousness while sitting on the throne, it further proves that He will do this before the close of probation, for He cannot hasten righteousness after the door of probation (righteousness) has been closed to all nations.” Tract 8, 86

The Spirit of Prophecy—”Not until the personal advent of Christ can his people receive the kingdom. The Saviour said: ‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ We have seen by the scriptures just given that when the Son of man comes, the dead are raised incorruptible, and the living are changed. By this great change they are prepared to receive the kingdom; for Paul says, ‘Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.’ Man in his present state is mortal, corruptible; but the kingdom of God will be incorruptible, enduring forever. Therefore man in his present state cannot enter into the kingdom of God. But when Jesus comes, he confers immortality upon his people; and then he calls them to inherit the kingdom of which they have hitherto been only heirs.” The Great Controversy, 322, 323

“So the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory; and this kingdom is referred to in the Saviour’s words, ‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations.’ This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be set up until the second of advent Christ.” Ibid., 347

About His coming cluster the glories of that ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.’ Then the long-continued rule of evil shall be broken; the ‘kingdoms of this world’ will become ‘the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.’ ‘The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’ ‘The Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.’ He shall be ‘for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people.’

It is then that the peaceful and long-desired kingdom of the Messiah shall be established under the whole heaven.” Ibid., 301, 301

The Spirit of Prophecy plainly tells us that the kingdom of God will not be set up in part or wholly before the second, visible coming of Christ; that man cannot enter the kingdom until he is changed from mortal to immortal, which change cannot take place until Christ comes.

The Throne of David

The Shepherd’s Rod quotes many Bible texts that speak of David and Israel, to prove the setting up of the kingdom of God before the close of probation. To the surface reader, to the inexperienced, and to those who do not “dig deep” it is confusing, but if one will bear in mind what the Spirit of Prophecy says, it is clear that the kingdom of God cannot be set up until the Second Advent. Let us take some of the texts that are quoted by the Shepherd’s Rod and see what light the Spirit of Prophecy throws on them.

The Shepherd’s Rod—”Again we read in Hosea 3:4,5 that the children of Israel were to ‘abide many days without a king;’ which has been their lot unto our time ever since from the days when they were led into Babylonish captivity. But ‘afterward,’ some time in the future says the Scripture, ‘shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.

“When this prophecy was made, David, the king of ancient Israel, had been dead for many years. Therefore, the David of Hosea’s prophecy can only be the antitypical king who reigns in the ‘latter days’—our time. Thus we see that, out of the twelve tribes, all those, and only those, who ‘fear the Lord and His goodness’ (not the unconverted Jews who even deny the divinity of Christ) shall be gathered together, and shall appoint themselves one ‘head’ or ‘king’—David in antitype.” Tract 8, 11, 12

The Spirit of Prophecy—”The prophecies of judgment delivered by Amos and Hosea were accompanied by predictions of future glory. To the ten tribes, long rebellious and impenitent, was given no promise of complete restoration to their former power in Palestine. Until the end of time, they were to be ‘wanderers among the nations.’ But through Hosea was given a prophecy that set before them the privilege of having a part in the final restoration that is to be made to the people of God at the close of earth’s history, when Christ shall appear as King of kings and Lord of lords. ‘Many days,’ the prophet declared, the ten tribes were to abide ‘without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.’ ‘Afterward,’ the prophet continued, ‘shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.’’ Prophets and Kings, 298

“To the ‘profane wicked prince’ had come the day of final reckoning. ‘Remove the diadem,’ the Lord decreed, ‘and take off the crown.’ Not until Christ Himself should set up his kingdom was Judah again to be permitted to have a king. ‘I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it,’ was the divine edict concerning the throne of the house of David; and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him,’” Ibid., 451

“He ‘shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne.’ Not now ‘upon the throne of His glory;’ the kingdom of glory has not been yet ushered in. Not until His work as a mediator shall be ended, will God ‘give unto Him the throne of His father David,’ a kingdom of which ‘there shall be no end.’” The Great Controversy, 416

We see by the above quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy that there is to be no king on the throne of David until Christ Himself shall receive it when He appears as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the one raised up to sit on David’s throne. See Acts 2:29-30.

The Cleansing Fountain

The Shepherd’s Rod—”Speaking of the time when the descendants of the two ancient kingdoms, Judah and Israel, are to be gathered together with the antitypical David as their king, the prophet Zechariah says: ‘In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness.’ Zechariah 13:1

“The fact that ‘to the house of David’ there is a fountain opened ‘for sin and for uncleanness,’ proves that the consolidation of these two kingdoms is accomplished, and that then the gospel is proclaimed in all the world, because no one can by that ‘fountain’ have his sin and uncleanness washed away after the close of probation.” Tract 8, 17, 18 (Italics theirs.)

In other words, the Shepherd’s Rod teaches that there can be no “house of David” until the kingdoms of Judah and Israel are literally reunited on this earth, and that after this union takes place, the gospel is proclaimed to all the world. But according to the Spirit of Prophecy, a spiritual “house of David” is referred to, and the “fountain” signifies the divine provisions for our salvation.

The Spirit of Prophecy—”In order to gain a proper knowledge of ourselves, it is necessary to look into the mirror, and there discovering our own defects, avail ourselves of the blood of Christ, the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, in which we may wash our robes of character and remove the stains of sin. But many refuse to see their errors and correct them; they do not want a true knowledge of themselves.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 58, 59

“To Jeremiah, Christ is ‘the fountain of living waters;’ to Zechariah, ‘a fountain opened…for sin and for uncleanness.’” Patriarchs and Prophets, 413

“Christ came as the Great Physician to heal the wounds that sin has made in the human family, and His Spirit, working through His servants, imparts to sin-sick, suffering human beings a mighty healing power, that is efficacious for the body and the soul. ‘In that day,’ says the Scriptures, ‘there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.’ (Zechariah 13:1) The waters of this fountain contain medicinal properties that will heal both physical and spiritual infirmities.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 227

The Ensign of Isaiah Eleven

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The above quoted scriptures [Isaiah 11:2-5; Revelation 22:16] plainly show that from the ‘stem’ of Jesse came the ‘rod’ (David), and that from the rod sprang the Branch (Christ). Therefore, ‘in that day’—in our time—David the visible king and Christ the invisible King of kings shall constitute the ‘ensign,’ and ‘to it shall the Gentiles seek,’ and His ‘rest’ (or His resting place,—the location, where the ‘rod’ or ensign stands), and ‘it’ (the kingdom) ‘shall be glorious,’ proving that the church, or kingdom, shall be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Saith the Lord, ‘I will make the place of My feet glorious.’ (Isaiah 60:13)” Tract 8, 42

These passages are used by the Shepherd’s Rod to prove that Judah and Israel will be united into a literal kingdom under David as king. But the Spirit of Prophecy gives no such idea.

The Spirit of Prophecy—”The groups of missionaries in heathen lands have been likened by the prophet to ensigns set up for the guidance of those who are looking for the light of truth.

“’In that day,’ says Isaiah, ‘there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious; and it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people….And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.’” Isaiah 11:10-12 Prophets and Kings, 375, 376

Broken in Pieces

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The Prophet Daniel plainly declares that ‘in the days of these kings,’ and not after their destruction, ‘shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,’ and that instead of Christ’s second advent, as understood by some, it is ‘the kingdom’ that ‘shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,’ and thus it shall fill ‘the whole earth.’” Tract 8, 56. Daniel 2:44, 35

Thus the Shepherd’s Rod teaches that a kingdom which is set up before Christ’s second coming will break in pieces and consume all these other kingdoms before Christ appears.

The Spirit of Prophecy—”Our kingdom is not of this world. We are waiting for our Lord from heaven to come to earth to put down all authority and power, and set up His everlasting kingdom.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 360, 361

Where and When Perfect Safety?

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The following scripture reveals the fact that at the time God shall use this spiritual kingdom to smite the nations, it will be in perfect safety as though in heaven. ‘The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the cow. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’ Isaiah 11:6-9″ Tract 8, 57, 58

The Spirit of Prophecy—”Those who accept the teachings of God’s Word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode. And yet, ‘eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.

“In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called a country. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters….’My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.’…There ‘the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.’ ‘Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree.’ ‘the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;…and a little child shall lead them.’ ‘They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,’ saith the Lord.” The Great Controversy, 675, 676

The Shepherd’s Rod places the above pictured scene, which the Spirit of Prophecy says is in the new earth, or Paradise of God, in a kingdom on this earth before the second coming of Christ. As the Spirit of Prophecy has plainly stated that the kingdom cannot be set up before the second, personal coming of Christ nor the saints receive the kingdom, the Shepherd’s Rod falls before the test. Does it not seem ridiculous to claim that the Shepherd’s Rod teachings are in perfect harmony with the Spirit of Prophecy?

“This Man”

The Shepherd’s Rod also endeavors to bolster its theory of a temporal kingdom of David before the close of probation by Jesus’ parable of the pounds.

The Shepherd’s Rod—”but as they ‘sent a message after Him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us,’ it is plain that before Christ’s return, the kingdom is to be set up….There is to be a ‘man’ in Christ’s visible stead reigning over them. Hence, while probation lingered, and while by ‘simple means’ He is ‘taking the reins in His own hands’ (Testimonies to Ministers, 300), they said to Christ in their message, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ Hence ‘this man’ is the antitypical David, the ‘simple means’—the visible king, and Christ the invisible King, as He was in the exodus movement—the type.” Tract 8, 63 (Italics theirs.)

Note that when one goes into error, to what length it will take him, as the above application of Luke 19:14 shows. But let the Spirit of Prophecy speak again:

The Spirit of Prophecy—”The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God, on the charge of high treason against the government of Heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them….All see that their exclusion from heaven is just. By their lives they have declared” ‘We will not have this Jesus to reign over us.’” The Great Controversy, 688

“On whose side are we? The world cast Christ out; the heavens received Him. Man, finite man, rejected the Prince of life; God, our Sovereign Ruler, received Him into the heavens. God has exalted Him….We must all think candidly. Will you have this man Christ Jesus to rule over you, or will you have Barabbas?” Testimonies to Ministers, 139

“This man” referred to is none other than Christ Himself, and not a human man reigning in His stead, as the Shepherd’s Rod would have us to believe.

In a careful study of the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod as compared with the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, one can see that the restoration of a literal Israel and the promises to them on condition of the obedience, and the promises and prophecies of the restoration of spiritual Israel, have been confused and intermingled and mixed in with one another. From this intermingling and twisting and misapplication, the doctrine of the setting up of the kingdom before the second, visible coming of Christ is obtained. But if the reader will carefully study the book, Prophets and Kings, which deals with the restoration of literal and spiritual Israel and the promises made to both, all will made plain.

The Covenants

Let us note some examples of misapplication of the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy by the Shepherd’s Rod. Take the old and the new covenant. The old covenant is found in Exodus 19:5-8, and the new is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. Please read these texts in your Bible.

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The old ‘covenant or agreement between God and His people was upon the promises of both parties based thus….[Deuteronomy 28:1-9 and Exodus 19:8 are quoted in the tract. Please read them.]

“The above paragraph describes the first covenant, which covers the period from the time it was made to the imminent and final ingathering of the twelve tribes as a kingdom, and which covenant has been broken by the Old and New Testament churches until this very day….But the new covenant, which the Lord is now about to make, is to be unlike the old. The commandments of God (Exodus 20:1-17) will not be written on tables of stone (Exodus 31:18), but ‘in fleshy tables of the heart,’ and at that time all shall ‘know the Lord,….from the least of them unto the greatest of them’—exhibiting a church without tares. Jeremiah 31:34

“This is the second covenant, which God is about to make, and the law God, being written on the heart, will be perfectly kept; then, and not before, will the blessings, which His ancient people failed to realize, be fully ours.” Tract 8, 68-70 (Italics theirs.)

Notice that the Shepherd’s Rod says that the old covenant is the only one in existence and that the new covenant is yet to be made; that the old covenant covers the period from the time it was made to the gathering in of the twelve tribes into a kingdom. The Spirit of Prophecy will correct this false teaching and give the truth of the matter. To state that the new covenant is yet future is virtually to deny that Christ has come in the flesh, which we are told false prophets do. 2 John 7

The Spirit of Prophecy—”As the Bible presents two laws, one changeless and eternal, the other provisional and temporary, so there are two covenants. The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden, when after the Fall, there was given a divine promise that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. To all men this covenant offered pardon, and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God’s law. Thus the patriarchs received the hope of salvation.

“This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, ‘In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. This promise pointed to Christ….

“Though this covenant was made with Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could not be ratified until the death of Christ. It had existed by the promise of God since the first intimation of redemption had been given; it had been accepted by faith; yet when ratified by Christ, it is called a new covenant. The law of God was the basis of this covenant, which was simply an arrangement for bringing men again into harmony with the divine will, placing them where they could obey God’s law.

“‘Another compact—called in Scripture the ‘old’ covenant—was formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and was then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the ‘second,’ or ‘new’ covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant. That the new covenant was valid in the days of Abraham, is evident from the fact that it was then confirmed both by the promise and by the oath of God,—the ‘two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie.’” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370, 371

“Every time a soul is converted, and learns to love God and keep his commandments, the promise of God is fulfilled, ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.’” The Desire of Ages, 407

Here, as is so often true, the teaching of the Shepherd’s Rod is in absolute contradiction to the Spirit of Prophecy. The Shepherd’s Rod doctrines cannot be additional light, as it is claimed, for whatever new light may come will not contradict what God has given before.

A Warning

Let the reader bear in mind that all these texts of Scripture referred to or quoted by the Shepherd’s Rod are to substantiate the theory of the setting up of a kingdom before the second coming of Christ; but please keep in mind the statements of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy that the kingdom is not set until the second coming of Christ. The kingdom cannot be established before that time because it is incorruptible and eternal, and flesh and blood cannot inherit it. Man is mortal and will not receive immortality until Christ comes. The second coming of Christ cannot be counterfeited, “for as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be.”

Light to the Gentiles

The Shepherd’s Rod—”‘And He said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel’ only: ‘I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.’ (Isaiah 49:1-6) In other words, those (of ‘Israel’) who declare the sealing message of the 144,000 to the church, shall also declare God’s glory among the Gentiles, thus be His salvation unto the end of the earth, and bring all their brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations. Isaiah 66:19, 20

Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to him whom man despiseth’ (that is, the one whom they called, ‘this man,’ (Luke 19:14…) ‘to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose thee.’” Tract 8, (Rev. Ed.), 86

The Spirit of Prophecy—”The prophet was permitted to look down the centuries to the time of the advent of the promised Messiah….This glorious light of the world was to bring salvation to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Of the work before Him, the prophet heard the eternal Father declare: ‘It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.’ ‘In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that Thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.’ ‘Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west: and these from the land of Sinim.’

“Looking on still farther through the ages, the prophet beheld the literal fulfillment of these glorious promises. He saw the bearers of the glad tidings of salvation going to the ends of the earth, to every kindred and people. He heard the Lord saying of the gospel church, ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream….’

“Jehovah declared to the prophet that He would send His witnesses ‘unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud,…to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off’….

“The prophet heard the voice of God calling His church to her appointed work, that the way might be prepared for the ushering in of His everlasting kingdom. The Message was unmistakably plain: ‘Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee….’ These prophecies of a great spiritual awakening in a time of gross darkness, are today meeting fulfillment in the advancing lines of mission stations that are reaching out into the benighted regions of earth.” Prophets and Kings, 373-375

Let us consider the statement the Shepherd’s Rod makes concerning “Him whom man despiseth” (Isaiah 49:7), interpreting it to mean “this man” whom they would not have rule over them (Luke 19:14). This is interpreted by the Spirit of Prophecy as follows:

“The work of redemption involves consequences of which it is difficult for man to have any conception….As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus….Great as is the shame and degradation through sin, even greater will be the honor and exaltation through redeeming love. To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen.

“‘Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth,…Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose thee.’

“‘For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’” Christ’s Object Lessons, 162, 163

The Two Pipes

Let us now take up some of the statements made concerning the symbols found in Zechariah. Please read Zechariah 4:1-6, 12-14.

Following are the comments made by the Shepherd’s Rod. Note the idea conveyed as compared with that expressed by the Spirit of Prophecy:

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The two pipes through which the oil is carried into the bowl, can only represent the channels (prophets) through whom the oil is transferred from the Bible into the bowl, in the period during which both olive trees (Old and New Testaments) live—in the Christian Era.

“Let the reader take a searching look at the visual illustration on page 19, and he will see the utter impossibility of the candlestick’s (the church membership’s) and the tubes’ (ministers’) themselves, extracting oil direct from the olive trees. The interpretation of the Scriptures, therefore, being entrusted to the two pipes (prophets) in the Christian Era shows that ‘no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation,’ but is of inspiration only….

“The interpreters (the two golden pipes), therefore, are the only ones who are enabled to bring forth meat in due season (golden oil) from the Scriptures (olive trees) into the storehouse (golden bowl) of present truth, and by the aid of the ministers (seven tubes) to pass on the oil to the church (candlestick), that it might illumine with the light of life this dark and dying world of ours.” Tract 6, revised, 23, 24

The Spirit of Prophecy—”The continued communication of the Holy Spirit to the church is represented by the prophet Zechariah under another figure, which contains a wonderful lesson of encouragement for us….

“From the two olive trees, the golden oil was emptied through golden pipes into the bowl of the candlestick and thence into the golden lamps that gave light to the sanctuary. So from the holy ones that stand in God’s presence, His Spirit is imparted to human instrumentalities that are consecrated to His service. The mission of the two anointed ones is to communicate light and power to God’s people. It is to receive blessing for us that they stand in God’s presence. As the olive trees empty themselves into the golden pipes, so the heavenly messengers seek to communicate all that they receive from God. The whole heavenly treasure awaits our demand and reception; and as we receive the blessing, we in our turn are to impart it. Thus it is that the holy lamps are fed, and the church becomes a light bearer in the world.

“This is the work that the Lord would have every soul prepared to do at this time, when the four angels are holding the four winds, that they shall not blow until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads….We should daily receive the holy oil, that we may impart to others….From the two olive trees the golden oil of goodness, patience, longsuffering, gentleness, love….The dispensation in which we are now living is to be, to those that ask, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers, 509-511

“Let every man who enters the pulpit know that when he has angels from heaven in his audience. And when these angels empty from themselves the golden oil of truth into the heart of him who is teaching the word, then the application of the truth will be a solemn, serious matter. The angel messengers will expel sin from the heart, unless the door of the heart is padlocked and Christ is refused admission….

“The Holy Spirit is doing its work on the hearts. But if the ministers have not first received their message from heaven, if they have not drawn their own supplies from the refreshing, life-giving stream, how can they let that flow forth which they have not received?…A man may lavish all the treasures of his learning, he may exhaust the moral energies of his nature, and yet accomplish nothing, because he himself has not received the golden oil from the heavenly messengers….If the Christian minister receives the golden oil, he has life.” Ibid., 338

The Shepherd’s Rod says that it is impossible for the people or ministers to obtain the oil directly from the Bible, but that they must obtain it through a prophet; but the Spirit of Prophecy tells us that the minister must obtain the golden oil directly from the heavenly messengers, or angels. The teaching of the Shepherd’s Rod on this point is a subtle device of the enemy to cause men to trust in the arm of flesh.

“The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Spirit is represented in the prophecy of Zechariah….Without the Spirit of God a knowledge of His Word is of no avail. The theory of truth, unaccompanied by the Holy Spirit, cannot quicken the soul or sanctify the heart.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 407, 408

The author of the Shepherd’s Rod would convey the thought to God’s people that they can obtain knowldege of the Scriptures only through him. According to his teachings on this very point, the thought he wishes to convey in his tract is that the two pipes represent Mrs. E.G. White and himself; and as Mrs. White is dead, that leaves him to communicate the “oil” to the church. He claims that the church, was without the Spirit of Prophecy from 1915 to 1930, that is, from Sister White’s death to the beginning of his revelations. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that the “oil” represents the Holy Spirit, and each one of us can obtain this “oil” only through faith and prayer. Each one is to ask for it of God, and when it is obtained, then the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in the character.

The Overcomers

The Shepherd’s Rod—”The church of the Laodiceans, being the last of the seven churches, is the last section of the Christian church in which the wheat and the tares are commingled. The overcomers, the marked ones, from it, those who hear the Rod, begin the eighth section of the church—the one symbolized by the ‘barn’ (Matthew 13:30) and by the ‘vessels’ (verse 48), also by the ‘golden candlestick, of Zechariah 4. Of her the Lord says:… ‘The Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.’” Tract 9, 61, 62 (second revised edition)

The Spirit of Prophecy—Now note the application of Isaiah 62:3 in the Spirit of Prophecy. “There is the new Jerusalem, the metropolis of the glorified new earth, ‘a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a diadem in the hand of thy God.’ ‘Her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.’ ‘The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.’ Saith the Lord, ‘I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people.’ ‘The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.’” The Great Controversy, 676

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.” Revelation 3:12

In the quotation from the Shepherd’s Rod, the author states that the overcomers, or marked ones, are those who hear the Rod and who are gathered into the kingdom, “barn,” or place of safety, before the second coming of Christ; and that the church shall be called by a new name and shall “be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” (Isaiah 62:3) But the Spirit of Prophecy definitely places this scene after the coming of Christ, and says that it is the New Jerusalem, that is “a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God,” and it is at that time that the overcomers receive their new name.

Prophecies Concerning Literal and Spiritual Israel

Theories concerning the setting up of a temporal kingdom of David are due to a misinterpretation of Old Testament prophecies. The Jews of the time of Christ misunderstood these prophecies and so were expecting the Messiah to set up an earthly kingdom at that time. Likewise, thousands of Christians of our day have fallen into a similar error, and are expecting the literal fulfillment of these prophecies by the establishment of a kingdom of David in old Jerusalem.

The Shepherd’s Rod has taken the prophecies concerning literal Israel, including promises given to them on the condition of obedience, and uses all of them to apply literally to spiritual Israel, thus forming the theory of the setting up of the kingdom on this side of the second of Christ.

Few seem to realize the great purpose of God to be fulfilled through Israel, His chosen people. In the introductory chapter of Prophets and Kings we are told that “it was God’s purpose that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To all the world the gospel invitation was to be given. Through the teaching of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live. All who….turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with His chosen people.” And the astonishing statement is made that “As the numbers of Israel increased, they were to enlarge their borders, until their kingdom should embrace the world.” (Prophets and Kings, 19) Through Jeremiah the Lord had told His people that if they would be faithful to God in the observance of the Sabbath, Jerusalem would “remain forever.” Jeremiah 17:24, 25

How different would have been the history of our world had Israel fulfilled God’s great purpose for them. “But,” says Mrs. White, “ancient Israel did not fulfill God’s purpose. The Lord declared: ‘I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?’ (Jeremiah 2:21) ‘Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.’ (Hosea 10:1).” Ibid.

We are also told that “the withdrawal of divine favor during the period of the exile led many to repentance; yet after their return to the land of promise, the Jewish people repeated the mistakes of former generations.” Ibid., 21. Thus Israel failed, and many glorious promises made on condition of obedience have never been fulfilled nor ever will be. Finally, Israel, as a nation, rejected and crucified their Messiah, and ceased to be the chosen people of God; and the kingdom of David shall be no more “until he comes whose right it is.” Ezekiel 21:27. At that time—His second coming—”the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32, 33. Not a temporal kingdom with some earthly representative of King David on the throne, but the eternal kingdom of Christ in the earth made new. Let us review some of the promises to Israel and see where and when they apply to spiritual Israel.

The Shepherd’s Rod—The Shepherd’s Rod teaches that “the Scriptures plainly point out that the Gentiles will be driven out of the Holy Land. [Zechariah 1:19-21 quoted.] ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts: My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.’ Zechariah 1:17

“Zechariah then saw the powers that had ‘scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,’ symbolized by four horns. Immediately afterward he saw four carpenters, representing the agencies used by the Lord in restoring His people and the house of His worship….See Zechariah 18-21.

“God had commanded that Jerusalem be rebuilt; the vision of the measuring of the city was an assurance that He would give comfort and strength to His afflicted ones, and fulfill to them the promises of His everlasting covenant. His protecting care, He declared, would be like ‘a wall of fire round about;’ and through them His glory would be revealed to all the sons of men. That which He was accomplishing for His people was to be known in all the earth. ‘Cry out and shout, thou inhabitants of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.’ Isaiah 12:1-5” Prophets and Kings, 580, 581

Concerning the time when Nebuchadnezzar’s armies were about to take the walls of Zion by storm, the Spirit of Prophecy says:

“The city was soon to fall into the hand of the Chaldeans; its gates and palaces were to be set on fire and burned; but, notwithstanding the fact that destruction was imminent, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were to be carried away captive, nevertheless the eternal purpose of Jehovah for Israel was yet to be fulfilled. In further answer to the prayer of His servant, the Lord declared concerning those upon whom His chastisements were falling:

“‘Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away form them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul.’ (Jeremiah 32:37-41)…

“In confirmation of these assurances of deliverance and restoration, ‘the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

‘Thus saith the Lord the Maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is His name; call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;…I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first….
“‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.’ Jeremiah 33:1-14.

“Thus was the church of God comforted in one of the darkest hours of her long conflict with the forces of evil. Satan had seemingly triumphed in his efforts to destroy Israel; but the Lord was overruling the events of the present, and during the years that were to follow, His people were to have opportunity to redeem the past….

“Humbled in the sight of the nations, those who once had been recognized as favored of Heaven above all other peoples of the earth were to learn in exile the lesson of obedience so necessary for their future happiness. Until they have learned this lesson, God could not do for them all that He desired to do….To the prophet was given the message:

“‘He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.” Jeremiah 31:10-12 Ibid., 471-476

The reader will notice that the above quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy were promises made to Israel at the time they were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Turn to page 551 of Prophets and Kings, where begins the story of “The Return of the Exiles.” The promises made through Jeremiah are beginning to be fulfilled. Please read this and following chapters to get the complete history.

“‘At the end of the years of humiliating exile, God graciously gave to His people Israel, through Zechariah, the assurance: ‘I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.’ (Zechariah 8:3)…

“These promises were conditional on obedience. The sins that had characterized the Israelites prior to the captivity, were not to be repeated.” Ibid., 704 (Italics supplied.)

But the Israelites failed, and thus separated themselves from God.

“Through messages such as those borne by Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, as well as through oppression from heathen foes, the Israelites finally learned the lesson that true prosperity depends upon the obedience to the law of God. But with many of the people, obedience was not the outflow of faith and love. Their motives were selfish. Outward service was rendered as a means of attaining national greatness. The chosen people did not become the light of the world, but shut themselves away from the world as a safeguard against being seduced into idolatry….Thus ‘going about to establish their own righteousness,’ they built themselves up in a self-sufficient formalism….Thus Satan had succeeded inn preparing the hearts of the people to reject the Saviour when He should appear. Their own pride of heart, and their false conceptions of His character and mission, would prevent them from honestly weighing the evidences of His Messiahship.” Ibid., 708-710.

“Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him….They determined that they would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. They rejected the Light of the world, and henceforth their lives were surrounded with darkness as the darkness of midnight. The doom foretold came upon the Jewish nation. Ibid., 712

In the previous quotations we have been studying the history of literal Israel and the promises made to them upon condition of obedience. Israel failed, and thus received the promises only in part. Now let us study spiritual Israel and see how these promises will be fulfilled in them.

Promises to be Fulfilled to Spiritual Israel

“That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today. He has ‘let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen,’ even to His covenant-keeping people, who faithfully ‘render Him the fruits in their seasons.’ 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 spiritual Israel, and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises made by Jehovah to His ancient people.

“Today the church of God is free to carry forward to completion the divine plan for the salvation of a lost race….God’s church on earth was as verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution, as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon, during the period of the exile.

“But, thank God, His church is no longer in bondage. To spiritual Israel have been restored the privileges accorded the people of God at the time of their deliverance from Babylon. In every part of the earth men and women are responding to the Heaven-sent message which John the revelator prophesied would be proclaimed prior to the second coming of Christ: ‘Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.’

“No longer have the hosts of evil power to keep the church captive; for ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,’ which hath ‘made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication;’ and to spiritual Israel is given the message, ‘Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’ (Revelation 14:8; 18:4) As the captive exiles heeded the message, ‘Flee out of the midst of Babylon,’ and were restored to the Land of Promise, so those who fear God today are heeding the message to withdraw from spiritual Babylon, and soon they are to stand as trophies of divine grace in the earth made new, the heavenly Canaan.” Ibid., 713-715.

“‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’ (Isaiah 60:1) Christ is coming with power and great glory. He is coming with His own glory, and with the glory of the Father. And the holy angels will attend Him on His way. While all the world is plunged in darkness, there will be light in every dwelling of the saints. They will catch the first light of His second appearing. The unsullied light will shine from His splendor, and Christ the Redeemer will be admired by all who have served Him. While the wicked flee, Christ’s followers will rejoice in His presence.

“Then it is that the redeemed from among men will receive their promised inheritance. Thus God’s purpose for Israel will meet with literal fulfillment. That which God purposes, man is powerless to disannul. Even amid the working of evil, God’s purposes have been moving steadily forward to their accomplishment. It was thus with the house of Israel throughout the history of the divided monarchy; it is thus with spiritual Israel today.

“The seer of Patmos, looking down through the ages to the time of this restoration of Israel in the earth made new, testified:

“’I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.’ (Revelation 7:9-10)” Ibid., 720, 721.

Could the truth be more clearly expressed that the restoration of Israel is “in the new earth,” and not in old Jerusalem?

Peace and Safety

In misleading the people to believe that God’s people will be in a kingdom, set up before the close of probation, in a place of “perfect peace and absolute safety,” the Shepherd’s Rod is joining in the last day “peace and safety” cry foretold by the apostle Paul. (1 Thessalonians 5:3) What a different picture is given by the Spirit of Prophecy!

“When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction….

“The people of God—some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains—still plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity, that the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen….

“With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company….

“It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people.” The Great Controversy, 635, 636 (Italics supplied.)

“The living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.’ At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air.” Ibid., 645.

In Early Writings we have the same scene pictured again. One does not find the saints of God in a kingdom of “perfect peace and absolute safety,” but quite the contrary. Not until they stand around the throne in heaven, do we see them in perfect peace and safety.

“I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, giving up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time, to put them to death. But in this hour of trial the saints were calm and composed, trusting in God and leaning upon His promise that a way of escape would be made for them. In some places, before the time for the decree to be executed, the wicked rushed upon the saints to slay them; but angels in the form of men of war fought for them….

“Soon I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They seemed to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God had at last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked….

“It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and night they cried unto God for deliverance….Like Jacob, they were wrestling with God….

“As the saints left the cities and villages, they were pursued by the wicked, who sought to slay them. But the swords that were raised to kill God’s people broke and fell as powerless as a straw. Angels of God shielded the saints. As they cried day and night for deliverance, their cry came up before the Lord.” Early Writings, 282-285

Foundations of Our Faith

The Shepherd’s Rod group claims to believe in the inspiration of Mrs. White’s writings, but confronted with such explicit quotations as these from her pen, the only possible answer is that she did not understand about the setting up of the kingdom of David. For instance, the leader of this group was asked how he harmonized his exposition of Zechariah 14:4, concerning the Lord descending on the mount of Olives before the close of probation, with the statement in Early Writings, pages 51 and 53, that this will be fulfilled at the close of the thousand years, when the New Jerusalem descends to the earth. His answer was that what Sister White said was all right, but that hers was a secondary application. Christ would descend at the end of the thousand years, said he, but the primary application of this passage is to the coming of David. He did not explain how the Mount of Olives could twice part asunder and become a great valley.

Is this new doctrine of the kingdom of David being set up in Jerusalem before the close of probation a part of this Advent message? Perhaps the greatest and most comprehensive revelation that came through Ellen White was the wonderful representation of the great conflict between good and evil, from the fall of Satan to the restitution of the new earth. She tells us how in the early days of this message, the little group of believers earnestly prayed for guidance in their search for truth, and how at times, explanations would be made to her in vision. She said: “A line of truth extending that from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me.” In telling of this, she said further: “Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid.” Series B, no. 2, 57, 56

Let us consider what the acceptance of this central doctrine of the Shepherd’s Rod, “present truth” (falsely so-called), would mean to “the foundations of our faith.”

In 1856 Mrs. White was given a vision in which most of what she had been shown ten years before was repeated, concerning this “line of truth,” covering the last events in the great conflict. She was then instructed to write it out. In obedience to this instruction we have that remarkable series of books on the conflict of the ages. How clearly and specifically the closing events are delineated—the sealing, the loud cry, the time of trouble, the seven last plagues, the second coming of Christ, the judgment of the wicked dead, when the saints shall reign as priests and kings, to the parting of asunder of the Mount of Olives and the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, the second resurrection, the second death, and the purification of the earth by fire, on to the earth made new with New Jerusalem as the capital of the universe.

Is it conceivable, after a hundred years of preaching this revealed “line of truth,” more than half of that time under the instruction and counsel of the Lord’s messenger that God would now reveal to us that one of the most important events in the history of the great conflict had been omitted: namely—the setting up of a temporal kingdom of David before the close of probation and the second coming of Christ? Certainly some “do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid.”

The Return to Palestine

This false doctrine of the establishment of a kingdom of David in Palestine before the close of probation leads this Shepherd’s Rod group into an error against which we were warned in the early days of the Advent Movement. While, as far as we know, this particular fantastic theory of “the land of our fathers” becoming “our final and superb dressing chamber” for entrance into heaven, had not been advanced at that time, the truths stated and the warning given are certainly pertinent at this time. The Lord’s messenger wrote:

“Then I was pointed to some who are in the great error of believing that it is their duty to go to old Jerusalem, and think that they have a work to do there before the Lord comes. Such a view is calculated to take the mind and interest from the present work of the Lord, under the message of the third angel; for those who think that they are yet to go to Jerusalem, will have their minds there, and their means will be withheld from the cause of present truth, to get themselves and others there….I also saw that old Jerusalem never would be built up; and that Satan was doing his utmost to lead the minds of the children of the Lord into these things now, in the gathering time, to keep them from throwing their whole interest into the present work of the Lord, and to cause them to neglect the necessary preparation for the day of the Lord.” Early Writings, 75, 76

Believers in the Shepherd’s Rod are doing the very things against which the Spirit of Prophecy here warns us. Some whom I know are saving up their means to get to Palestine, and their minds and interests are centered there. To be sure, they give many reasons that may be different from those stated above, but the evil results are just the same whatever the inducement. Satan certainly would present other reasons to deceive, and this false doctrine of the kingdom is his strongest.

A False Foundation

The setting up of the kingdom before the close of probation and, therefore, before the second coming of Christ, is the foundation of all the Shepherd’s Rod teachings; and as it is contrary to the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, as has been clearly shown, it is a false doctrine. Thus, all the other points of doctrine presented by the Shepherd’s Rod which lead up to this main issue of the kingdom, can be proved false in like manner.

A Solemn Warning

Let everyone prayerfully consider the following statement and solemn warning from the Spirit of Prophecy. What is said here fits into my own experience to the very detail:

“My soul is much burdened, for I know what is before us. Every conceivable deception will be brought to bear upon those who have not a daily, living connection with God. In our work no side issues must be advanced until there has been a thorough examination of the ideas entertained, that it may be ascertained from what source they have originated. Satan’s angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light, will proclaim as new and wonderful things, and yet while in some respects the message is truth, it will be mingled with men’s inventions, and will teach for doctrines the commandments of men. If there was ever a time when we should watch and pray in real earnest, it is now. There may be supposable things that appear as good things, and yet they need to be carefully considered with much prayer; for they are specious devices of the enemy to lead souls in a path which lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from the path which leads to holiness and heaven. But the eye of faith may discern that it is diverging from the right path, though positively right, but after a while it is seen to be widely divergent from the path of safety, from the path which leads to holiness and heaven. My brethren, I warn you to make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.” Testimonies to Ministers, 229

Let us now take up some of the separate issues that lead to the false doctrine of the kingdom.

Chapter 2: Ezekiel 9

A subject of which the Shepherd’s Rod makes an issue almost as strongly and as falsely as the kingdom, is Ezekiel 9. Let us bring this also to the light of the Spirit of Prophecy:

The Shepherd’s Rod—”According to Ezekiel 2:3; 3:1, 4, 5, 7, the prophet was to bear his message to the whole ‘house of Israel’ (the term ‘house of Israel,’ denoting either all twleve tribes or only the ten tribes as the case might be). Yet he did not understand the meaning of the vision. Had he, he would have explained it, rather than declaring: ‘I came to them of the captivity of Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.’ Ezekiel 3:15

“Since at the time of the vision, the house of Judah, the two-tribe kingdom, was in captivity in the land of the Chaldeans, and the house of Israel, the ten-tribe kingdom, was in dispersion among the nations whither it had been carried away and scattered some years before (2 Kings 17:6), there was no possibility of Ezekiel’s delivering the message to them. And as it is to both the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Ezekiel 9:9),—the twelve tribes,—consequently it was prophetic in Ezekiel’s time….

“And finally as no slaughter such as the one described in Ezekiel 9 has ever occurred, its fulfillment is obviously yet future.” Tract 1, 11, 12, second revised edition. (Italics theirs.)

These are rather astonishing statements. Is it true that Ezekiel did not understand the meaning of the message he was sent to deliver? Is it true that he did not go to those to whom he was told to go? And is it true that the dire predictions of punishment to be visited upon those who led God’s people into idolatrous worship were never fulfilled? Let us see.

Ezekiel’s Vision and Predictions

The Spirit of Prophecy—”While Jeremiah continued to bear his testimony in the land of Judah, the prophet Ezekiel was raised up from among the captives in Babylon, to warn and to comfort the exiles, and also to confirm the word of the Lord that was being spoken through Jeremiah. During the years that remained of Zedekiah’s reign, Ezekiel made very plain the folly of trusting to the false predictions of those who were causing the captives to hope for an early return to Jerusalem. He was also instructed to foretell, by means of a variety of symbols and solemn messages, the siege and utter destruction of Jerusalem.

“In the sixth year of the reign of Zedekiah, the Lord revealed to Ezekiel in vision some of the abominations that were being practiced in Jerusalem, and within the gate of the Lord’s house, and even in the inner court. The chambers of images, and the pictured idols, ‘every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel’ (Ezekiel 8:10)—all these in rapid succession passed before the astonished gaze of the prophet.

“Those who should have been spiritual leaders among the people, ‘the ancients of the house of Israel,’ to the number of seventy, were seen offering incense before the idolatrous representations that had been introduced into hidden chambers within the sacred precincts of the temple court. ‘The Lord seeth us not,’ the men of Judah flattered themselves as they engaged in their heathenish practices; ‘the Lord hath forsaken the earth,’ they blasphemously declared. Ezekiel 8:11, 12.

“There were still ‘greater abominations’ for the prophet to behold. At a gate leading from the outer to the inner court he was shown ‘women weeping for Tammuz;’ and within ‘the inner court of the Lord’s house,…at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.’ Ezekiel 8:13-16.

“And now the glorious Being who accompanied Ezekiel throughout this astonishing vision of wickedness in high places in the land of Judah, inquired of the prophet: ‘Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.’ (Verses 17, 18)…

“The day of doom for the kingdom of Judah set before them the hope of averting the severest of His judgments. ‘Should ye be utterly unpunished?’ He inquired. ‘Ye shall not be unpunished.’

“Even these words were received with mocking derision. ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth,’ declared the impenitent. But through Ezekiel this denial of the sure word of prophecy was sternly rebuked. ‘Tell them,’ the Lord declared, ‘I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.’

“’Again,’ testifies Ezekiel, ‘the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, behold they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of My words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 12:26-28 Prophets and Kings, 448-450.

The second section of the book of Ezekiel, chapters eight to nineteen, opens with the account of the vision given “in the sixth year; in the sixth month; in the fifth day of the month.” The eighth chapter consists of a series of scenes of the heathen abominations that were being practiced in the holy temple of God in Jerusalem. The last words of this chapter introduce the account in the ninth chapter, of the punishment to be meted out to the perpetrators of this terrible desecration of God’s house of worship. The Lord said to Ezekiel: “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Ezekiel 8:17, 18.

It is very plain to be seen that chapter nine is a continuation of chapter eight, where under the symbol of “men” with slaughter weapons, the execution of God’s judgment is foretold. First a mark was to be placed on the foreheads of those in the city who were sighing and crying for the abominations that were done, and then they went forth to slay, without mercy, all upon whom no mark had been placed.

Shepherd’s Rod Claims Refuted

It is certainly evident from these considerations that Ezekiel understood the message to be given, and gave it: He was raised up to “warn” and “comfort” the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah. The Lord said to Ezekiel: “All my works that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.” Ezekiel 3:10. That surely indicates understanding of all God’s messages, including Ezekiel 9.

We are told that “through Jeremiah in Jerusalem, through Daniel in the court of Babylon, through Ezekiel on the banks of the Chebar, the Lord in mercy made clear His eternal purpose, and gave assurance of His willingness to fulfill to His chosen people the promises recorded in the writings of Moses.” Prophets and Kings, 464. It is also said in Prophets and Kings that “Ezekiel made very plain” the falsity of predictions that the exiles would soon return to Jerusalem. Evidently he understood and made plain all that God revealed to him.

As to whether Ezekiel really went to those to whom the Lord commissioned him to deliver His message, we learn that three times in chapters two and three he was commanded to go. “I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation.” (Verse 7) “Then,” says Ezekiel, “I came to them of the captivity of Telabib.” Verse 15.

Certainly there is no reason to assume that Ezekiel’s message did not reach the whole house of Israel then residing in the region of that eastern country where the prophet himself was an exile.

We have here some rather strange reasoning on the part of the leader and spokesman of the Shepherd’s Rod. On the basis of Ezekiel’s statement that at Telabib, he “sat where they sat, and remained there astonished [overwhelmed,—A.R.V.] among them seven days,” he concludes that Ezekiel did not understand the meaning of the vision, and that “had he, he would have explained it.” Does the fact that he remained among them seven days prove that the Lord’s messenger was dumb? Mrs. White says that the visions received by Ezekiel had “in rapid succession passed before the astonished gaze of the prophet.” The very thought of the utter destruction of the city of God and the slaughter of the priests, princes, and people because of their apostasy must have been terrible to contemplate, both to Ezekiel and the other exiles. Doubtless, too, Ezekiel’s astonishment was due to the fact that the captives did not accept his message, even though he had been warned that they would not hearken unto him. Verse 7.

The final argument of the Shepherd’s Rod on their theory of Ezekiel nine is that this prediction has never been fulfilled; therefore it must be in the future. Incidentally, it may be said that this Shepherd’s Rod theory sounds like an echo of what was being said in Jerusalem by those who were resisting the warnings of Ezekiel. The vision, they said “is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off.” What was the Lord’s answer? “Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 12:27, 28) Ezekiel nine is among the words which God had spoken, and there is abundant evidence that all these predictions were fulfilled.

As already quoted from Prophets and Kings “the day of doom of the kingdom of Judah was fast approaching” and there was no longer any “hope of averting the severest of His judgments.” And what judgment could be more severe than the slaughter of the religious and civil leaders and the people? the Lord told Ezekiel to say, “The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.” (Ezekiel 12:23) Ezekiel nine is an integral part of one of those evil men and women in Jerusalem who had engaged in sun worship and practiced other heathenish abominations were marked for slaughter in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel’s message was given by means of symbols. It is clear from the record that the Lord used human agents in carrying out His decree. Again and again the slaughter of the impenitent in Jerusalem is foretold, a reiteration of the prediction in Ezekiel nine. In chapter 21 we read: “Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished: it is sharpened to make a sore slaughter.” (Verses 9, 10) “This sword is sharpened,….to give it into the hand of the slayer.” (Verse 11) “It shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon My people.” (Verse 12) “It is the sword of the great men that are slain.” (Verse 14) “I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for their slaughter.” Verse 15.

It was the Lord’s decree, and He chose Nebuchadnezzar to execute the decree. “Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchanezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof.” Jeremiah 25:9.

Predictions Literally Fulfilled

We find the history of the fulfillment of these prophecies in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. The writer of Second Chronicles thus sums up the causes and the final outcome in this tragic episode in the history of God’s chosen people.

“All the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all that abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by His messenger, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought upon them the king of the Chaldees who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: He gave them all into his hand.” 2 Chronicles 36:14-17.

As a conclusive evidence to Ezekiel and to us that these predictions against Jerusalem were fulfilled, it is significant that on the very day of the beginning of their fulfillment, the Lord revealed it to Ezekiel in Babylon. “Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.” Ezekiel 24:1, 2.

It was also revealed to Ezekiel that he would have the account of the destruction from an eye witness who escaped. “He that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause to hear it with thine ears.” (Ezekiel 24:26) And this promise to the prophet was fulfilled. “And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.” Ezekiel 33:21

“In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, ‘Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem,’ to besiege the city, The outlook for Judah was hopeless. ‘Behold, I am against thee,’ the Lord Himself declared through Ezekiel. ‘I the Lord have drawn forth My sword out of the sheath: it shall not return any more….Every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water.’ ‘I will pour out Mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of My wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skillful to destroy.’ Ezekiel 21:3, 5-7, 31” Prophets and Kings, 452.

“The enemy swept down like a resistless avalanche, and devastated the city. The Hebrew armies were beaten back in confusion. The nation was conquered. Zedekiah was taken prisoner, and his sons were slain before his eyes. The king was led away from Jerusalem a captive, his eyes were put out, and after arriving in Babylon he perished miserably. The beautiful temple that for more than four centuries had crowned the summit of Mount Zion, was not spared by the Chaldeans. ‘They burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.’ 2 Chronicles 36:10” Ibid., 458, 459.

“But now Zion was utterly destroyed; the people of God were in their captivity. Overwhelmed with grief, the prophet exclaimed: ‘How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow!’” Ibid., 461, 462.

From these inspired records is it not perfectly clear that all that the Lord foretold through Ezekiel was fulfilled? In Prophets and Kings, 448, quoted above, we are told that Ezekiel was “instructed to foretell, by means of a variety of symbols and solemn messages, the siege and utter destruction of Jerusalem.” These warnings and predictions were faithfully given, with the assurance that “none” (not one) of God’s words should be prolonged, and that the time was near. The Lord said to them that it would be “in our days.” The Lord said to them that it would be “in your days.” The Lord even named the agent He had chosen for execution of his judgments against Jerusalem. Then we have the Sacred Record that those foretellings were fulfilled.

But in the face of all this the false prophet of the Shepherd’s Rod, claiming to speak by inspiration, announces that “no slaughter such as the one described in Ezekiel 9 has ever occurred,” but is yet to be fulfilled by the slaughter of Seventh-day Adventists.

Can anyone with an open mind fail to see that all Ezekiel’s predictions were fulfilled in the retribution that came upon Jerusalem, her leaders, and the people at the hands of the Chaldeans?

Note—Sad to say, in spite of this terrible punishment of His chosen people for their idolatry, and the mercy of God in permitting them to return and restore the temple and government, they eventually failed to carry out His purpose for them. “By the Babylonian captivity the Israelites were effectually cured of the worship of graven images,” but they failed to learn the all-important lesson of complete dependence on God for salvation. The principle of salvation by works which “lay at the foundation of every heathen religion” now became “the principle of the Jewish religion.” “The people whom God had called to be the pillar and ground of the truth” became “representatives of Satan.” The Desire of Ages, 29, 36 Their rejection of their Messiah sealed the doom of the Jewish nation. “Looking for the last time upon the interior of the temple, Jesus said with mournful pathos, ‘Behold your house is left unto you desolate.’” Ibid, 620. The final siege and destruction of Jerusalem, which Jesus had predicted (Matthew 24), was one of the most bloody and pitiful in the annals of history.

“In the destruction of the impenitent city,” says, Mrs. White, Jesus “saw a symbol of the final destruction of the world.” Thus both the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 636 B.C. and its final destruction by Titus in A.D. 70 are referred to by the Spirit of Prophecy as examples, or symbols of the general destruction of the wicked at the end of the great conflict of the ages.

Last-Day Fulfillment of Ezekiel Nine

“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [“types,” margin]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11.

In times of crises in the agelong conflict between good and evil, there have been outstanding places, events, and personalities which naturally have become designation symbols for future generations. Thus we have “Babylon” and “Jezebel” to symbolize apostasy in the Christian dispensation, and “Elijah” with a special message from God just before the second coming of Christ. Likewise Ezekiel’s symbolic vision, in a time of all but universal apostasy, with a man going through Jerusalem placing a mark on the faithful servants of God, and the subsequent slaughter of all others, has been used by the Lord’s messenger to the remnant church as an illustration or symbol of the sealing of God’s servants just before the close of probation and the general destruction of the wicked.

As already stated, the Shepherd’s Rod teaches that Ezekiel did not understand the meaning of the vision recorded in his ninth chapter, and that therefore he did not give it and that his prediction has never been fulfilled. These statements have clearly been disproved in what has gone before. It is claimed that the meaning of this prophecy has now been revealed through the inspired leader of this offshoot, and that it will be fulfilled by the slaughter of Seventh-day Adventists who reject the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod, that this slaughter is literal and imminent and will take place just before or at the beginning of the loud cry.

Recognizing that Mrs. White, in The Great Controversy, applies Ezekiel nine to the final slaughter of all the wicked, the Shepherd’s Rod claims that she teaches that there are to be two fulfillments of this prophecy—first the slaughter of Laodicean Seventh-day Adventists before the finishing of God’s work in the earth, and later the general slaughter of the wicked after probation has closed.

Let us see what the Spirit of Prophecy really says. Did Mrs. White see two slaughters: one on the church and then another on the world?

In chapter 41 of The Great Controversy we have a vivid picture of the final judgment to “fall upon Babylon in the day of the visitation of God’s wrath,” (page 653), and upon all the people of the world, who now realize that the time of their salvation has past. Among those in despair there are ministers who have been false shepherds, who have “sacrificed truth to gain the favor of men,” and who by “setting aside the divine precept,” have contributed to the terrible condition of lawlessness and corruption.

“The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to destruction; but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the minister. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have led their hearers to make void the law of God and to persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception. The multitudes are filled with fury. ‘We are lost!’ they cry, ‘and you are the cause of our ruin;’ and they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most will pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them. The very hands that once crowned them with laurels, will be raised for their destruction. The swords which were to slay God’s people, are now employed to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed.

“’A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword.’ (Jeremiah 25:31)….The time has come for God to vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. Now the controversy is not alone with Satan, but with men. ‘The Lord hath a controversy with the nations;’ ‘He will give them that are wicked to the sword.’

“The mark of deliverance has been set upon those ‘that sigh and that cry for all that abominations that be done.’ Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel’s vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: ‘Slay utterly old and young, both maid, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’ Says the prophet: ‘They began at the ancient men which were before the house.’ (Ezekiel 9:1-6.) The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall. There are none to pity or to spare. Men, women, maidens, and little children perish together.

“’The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.’ (Isaiah 26:21)….

“At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth,—consumed with the spirit of His mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of His glory. Christ takes His people to the city of God, and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants.” The Great Controversy, 655-657.

Here we have a vivid description of the final act in God’s “controversy with the nations” and will all who have stood on the side of Satan, including the unfaithful shepherds in the churches. It is the end of the great controversy. The destruction of sinners is complete. The saints are taken to heaven, and the earth is left desolate, “emptied of its inhabitants.” It is the final destruction of the wicked world, of which the destruction of old Jerusalem was a symbol. The question is, Will there be a slaughter of unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists at some time previous to the general destruction of the wicked?

In the Testimonies to the Church, where the Lord’s servant has faithfully rebuked sin, and warned ministers and people of the coming destruction that awaits the unfaithful, very naturally she has made use of the symbolic vision of Ezekiel nine. We quote quite fully what she has written. Speaking of the “duty to reprove sin” “among those who profess to be His commandment-keeping people” she says:

“The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet’s illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. ‘And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’

“Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God, and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them, and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work, and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those ‘that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done’ in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.

“But the general slaughter of all those who do not thus see the wide contrast between sin and righteousness, and do not feel as those do who stand in the counsel of God and receive the mark, is described in the order to the five men with slaughter weapons: ‘Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’” Testimonies, vol. 3, 266, 267.

The foregoing quotation is one used by the Shepherd’s to prove that there is a special fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but it does not say so.

What does the Spirit of Prophecy say is “represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons”? Answer: “The general destruction of the wicked.” And who is it that Mrs. White says “will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval,” but “will fall in the general destruction of the wicked”? Answer: It is “those who commit wrong.” It is the ones who oppress “those who have the burden of the work” and hold up “the hands of sinners in Zion [the church].” Unless the people in the church “repent,” they will not be sealed, but will go down “in the general destruction of the wicked.”

If the leader of the Shepherd’s Rod is speaking by inspiration, as he claims, would he contradict what the Lord revealed through Mrs. White? His only defense is to say that Mrs. White did not understand fully the two slaughters. There is not an intimation or the faintest suggestion in the Spirit of Prophecy that the slaughter of the unfaithful in the Laodicean church. The explanation is that this refers to the “general slaughter of all those who do not thus see the wide contrast between sin and righteousness.”

Let us turn to the Spirit of Prophecy again and get another view of the same subject. In a chapter on “The Seal of God,” in Testimonies, vol. 5, we read:

“‘He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.’…

“Jesus is about to leave the mercy seat of the heavenly sanctuary, to put on garments of vengeance, and pour out His wrath in judgments upon those who have not responded to the light God has given them….With unerring accuracy, the Infinite One still keeps an account with all nations. While His mercy is tendered, with calls to repentance, this account will remain open; but when the figures reach a certain amount which God has fixed, the ministry of His wrath commences. The account is closed. Divine patience ceases. There is no more pleading of mercy in their behalf.

“The command is: ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’ These sighing, crying ones [in Jerusalem] had been holding forth the words of life; they had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God, repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel; although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking.

“In the time when His wrath shall go forth in judgments, these humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings….

“The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: ‘Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare.’…

“Here we see that the church—the Lord’s sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust….

“No superiority of rank, dignity, or worldly wisdom, no position in sacred office, will preserve men from sacrificing principle, when left to their own deceitful hearts. Those who have been regarded as worthy and righteous, prove to be ring-leaders in apostasy, and examples in indifference and in the abuse of God’s mercies. Their wicked course He will tolerate no longer, and in His wrath He deals with them without mercy….

“The day of God’s vengeance is just upon us. The seal of God will be placed upon the foreheads of those only who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. Those who link in sympathy with the world are eating and drinking with the drunken, and will surely be destroyed with the workers of iniquity. ‘The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.’

“Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God, or be cut down by the destroying weapons. Already a few drops of God’s wrath have fallen upon the earth; but when the seven last plagues shall be poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation, then it will be forever too late to repent, and find shelter. No atoning blood will then wash away the stains of sin.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 207-212.

The Shepherd’s Rod teaches that the 144,000 cannot be perfected and fitted for translation until they go to Palestine as citizens of that perfect kingdom of David. We are told that “as long as His people are commingling with the tares, and live among the Gentiles, they can never be fitted for translation.” But that is not the teaching of the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy, as all Seventh-day Adventist Bible students know. The following from Testimonies, vol. 5, gives a true picture of the final struggles of the people of God in the days of purification of the church and the sealing of the 144,000.

“While the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the Divine Advocate pleads in their behalf….

“The assaults of Satan are strong, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord’s eye is upon His people. Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but Jesus will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire. Their earthliness must be removed that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected; unbelief must be overcome; faith, hope, and patience are to be developed.

“The people of God are sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land. With tears they warn the wicked of their danger in trampling upon the divine law, and with unutterable sorrow they humble themselves before the Lord on account of their own transgressions. The wicked mock their sorrow, ridicule their solemn appeals, and sneer at what they term their weakness. But the anguish and humiliation of God’s people is unmistakable evidence that they are gaining the strength and nobility of character lost in consequence of sin….

“The faithful, praying ones are, as it were, shut in with God. They themselves know not how securely they are shielded. Urged on by Satan, the rulers of this world are seeking to destroy them; but could their eyes be opened, as were the eyes of Elisha’s servant at Dothan, they would see the angels of God encamped about them, by their brightness and glory holding in check the hosts of darkness.

“As the people of God afflict their souls before Him, pleading for purity of heart the command is given, ‘Take away the filthy garments from them,’ and the encouraging words are spoken, ‘Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.’ The spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness is placed upon the tried, tempted, yet faithful children of God, the despised remnant are clothed in glorious apparel, nevermore to be defiled by the corruptions of the world. Their names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life, enrolled among the faithful of all ages. They have resisted the wiles of the deceiver; they have not been turned from their loyalty by the dragon’s roar. Now they are….not only pardoned and accepted, but honored. A ‘fair miter’ is set upon their heads. They are to be as kings and priests unto God. While Satan was urging his accusations, and seeking to destroy this company, holy angels, unseen, were passing to and fro, placing upon them the seal of the living God. These are they that stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, having the Father’s name written in their foreheads. They sing the new song before the throne, that song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.’” Testimonies, vol. 5, 474-476.

In the quotations given above, the whole truth of the subject of Ezekiel 9 is clearly stated.

There is no mention made of a kingdom set up before Christ comes, with the people of God, especially the 144,00, safely within; but just the opposite. The 144,000 are particularly mentioned during the time of Jacob’s trouble. They are in anguish and trouble, with the enemy of God’s law seeking to destroy them. They are purified during this time, and not in a perfect kingdom of David in old Palestine, without which, says the Shepherd’s Rod, “they can never be fitted for translation.” Their pilgrimage on this earth is over, and now they stand before the throne of God.

Surely, it behooves every Seventh-day Adventist to study as never before to know what the Spirit of Prophecy really teaches, that he may not be ensnared by the terrible delusions of Satan, who will if possible deceive the very elect. Every one of us must be fortified by the truth and with God’s Holy Spirit if he is to stand.

Chapter 3—The 144,444: 

Where Were the 144,000 Seen?

As stated above, the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod center in the theory of a kingdom of David to be set up in old Jerusalem before the close of probation and the Second Advent. The 144,000, it is said, will have been sealed and will be the sinless citizens of that perfect kingdom of David. From Jerusalem as a center they are to go as missionaries to give the “loud cry” to all the world, the results of which, it is claimed, will be the conversion of the great multitude mentioned in Revelation 7:9.

Therefore, in harmony with this theory, it must be that John in vision (Revelation 14:1) saw the 144,000 stand not on Mount Zion in heaven, but on earth.

The Shepherd’s Rod—”Let it be carefully noted that in his vision John saw the 144,000 stand not on Mount Zion in heaven, but upon earth, for had it not been otherwise, he would not say ‘and I heard a voice from heaven.’” Tract 8, 4

“In view of the fact that the 144,000 stood on Mount Zion while the elders and the beasts were before the throne, the 144,000 were, therefore, sealed while the judgment was in session. Moreover, Christ being seen with them in His symbolical form (a lamb), again proves that they stand with Him in Mount Zion during probationary time—while the judgment is in session.” Ibid., 6, 7.

The Spirit of Prophecy—”In holy vision the prophet saw the ultimate triumph of God’s remnant church. He writes:

“’I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory….stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.’ Revelation 15:2, 3.

“’And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him a hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads.’ (Revelation 14:1) In this world their minds were consecrated to God; they served Him with the intellect and with the heart; and now He can place His name ‘in their foreheads.’ ‘And they shall reign for ever and ever.’…

“’These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.’ The vision of the prophet pictures them as standing on Mount Zion, girt for holy service, clothed in white linen, which is the righteousness of the saints. But all who follow the Lamb in heaven must first have followed Him on earth, not fretfully or capriciously, but in trustful, loving, willing obedience, as the flock follows the shepherd.

“’I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps; and they sung as it were a new song before the throne…and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth….In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.’” Acts of the Apostles, 590, 591.

“While John was shown the last great struggles of the church with the earthly powers, he was also permitted to behold the final victory and deliverance of the faithful. He saw the church brought into deadly conflict with the beast and his image, and the worship of that beast enforced on pain of death. But looking beyond the smoke and din of the battle, he beheld a company upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, having, instead of the mark of the beast, the ‘Father’s name written in their foreheads.’ And again he saw ‘them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God,’ and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 752, 753.

“We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square.” Ibid., vol. 1, 60, 61.

“Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass as it were mingled with fire,—so resplendent is it with the glory of God,—are gathered the company that have ‘gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name.’ (Revelation 15:2) With the Lamb upon Mount Zion, ‘having the harps of God,’ they stand, the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men;….And they sing ‘a new song’ before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb,—a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is the song of their experience,—an experience such as no other company have ever had….These, having been translated from the earth, from among the earth, from among the living, are counted as ‘the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.’ (Revelation 14:1-5; 15:3) ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation’ (Revelation 7:14-17); they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble; they have stood without an Intercessor through the final outpouring of God’s judgments. But they have been delivered, for they have ‘washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ ‘In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault, before God. ‘Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.’” The Great Controversy, 648, 649.

It is plain by the foregoing quotations that the Spirit of Prophecy places this scene in heaven. It is the time of “ultimate triumph,” “the final victory and deliverance” of the church. The 144,000 are no longer “in the world.” It has taken seven days to ascend to the sea of glass, and there, with the Lamb upon Mount Zion, stand the 144,000.

The Shepherd’s Rod—”As the 144,000 are the ‘first fruits,’ there must be second fruits, for where there is first, there must also be second. And as the first fruits, there must also be second. And as the first fruits are the ‘servants of God,’ they must subsequently be sent to all nations to gather second fruits (Isaiah 66:19, 20)—the great multitude of Revelation 7:9, whom John saw after viewing the sealing of the 144,000.” Tract 8, 16, 17.

This theory is false, because the 144,000 stand in heaven, after “final victory and deliverance,” “having been translated from earth, from among the living.” Therefore they cannot “subsequently be sent to all nations to gather the second fruits.” The fact that they are servants of God does not prove the theory, for in Revelation 22:3 we read concerning the new earth: “There shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him.” Further, we have the following definite comment on Isaiah 66:19:

The Spirit of Prophecy—”Jehovah declared to the prophet that He would send His witnesses ‘unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud,….to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off.’…

“The prophet heard the voice of God calling His church to her appointed work, that the way might be prepared for the ushering in of His everlasting kingdom….

“These prophecies of a great spiritual awakening in a time of gross darkness, are today meeting fulfillment in the advancing lines of mission stations that are reaching out into the benighted regions of earth.” Prophets and Kings, 374, 375.

An Army With Banners

In the closing chapter of Prophets and Kings, “Visions of Future Glory,” we have a vivid picture of the last great struggle of the church militant and her glorious triumph. No picture is given of a haven of “perfect safety as though in heaven,” for we are told that “the darkest hour of the church’s struggle with the powers of evil, is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance. But none who trust in God need fear; for ‘when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall,’ God will be to His church ‘a refuge from the storm’ (Isaiah 25:4)….The day of wrath to the enemies of God is the day of final deliverance to His church.” Prophets and Kings, 725-727.

But of this remnant church purified in the fires of affliction, it is said, “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,’ she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” Ibid., 725. This does not mean the gathering in of the “great multitude” by the 144,000 as the Shepherd’s Rod would have us believe. In this time of test there is a mighty struggle with foes from without and within, but it is a time of personal victory and the final triumph of the church. In speaking of this time “when the test will come to every soul,” the Spirit of Prophecy has said:

“When trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David—willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God’s people, the more brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful; but, in the name of Jesus, they will come off more than conquerors. Then will the church of Christ appear’ fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banner.’” Testimonies, vol. 1, 353.

“I was shown that the seven last plagues will be poured out after Jesus leaves the sanctuary. Said the angel, ‘It is the wrath of God and the Lamb that causes the destruction or death of the wicked. At the voice of God the saints will be mighty and terrible as an army with banners; but they will not then execute the judgment written. The execution of the judgment will be at the close of the one thousand years.’” Early Writings, 52.

The Wheat and the Tares

This theory of the slaughter of the unfaithful in the Laodicean church and the establishment of a kingdom of David before the close of probation, calls, of course, for the separation of the good from the bad in the church before the end. The Shepherd’s Rod, therefore, teaches that “the harvest is the loud cry of the third angel’s message,” and that the “tares” are separated from the “wheat” at this time. Let the Spirit of Prophecy speak again:

“It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.

“This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings, and immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man ‘to reap the harvest of the earth.’” The Great Controversy, 311.

“The wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of the world. Then the tares are bound in bundles to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the garner of God. ‘Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.’” Christ’s Object Lessons, 75.

“Again, these parables teach that there is to be no probation after the judgment. 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.” Ibid., 123.

Now let us quote the paragraph containing the sentence used so much by the Shepherd’s Rod:

“Many will be in heaven who their neighbors supposed would never enter there. Man judges from appearance, but God judges the heart. The tares and the wheat are to grow together until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time.” Ibid., 72

It is just the last sentence in the above quotation which is used by the Shepherd’s Rod. Notice that it does not say the last part of probationary time, but the end; and to fit in with the other quotations, it could mean only what has already been stated above in all other quotations.

It would make too large a volume to take up every point of controversy; neither is it necessary with the main issues proved false. Let the reader bear in mind this one principle: To find the truth of any subject mentioned in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, get all the statements on that one subject and put them together as one whole. Then the reader will have a full understanding of the truth brought forth, and thus will not be confused when points of controversy arise, as one would if only quotations or texts are taken here and there, separate from the context.

Chapter 4: Warning Against Deception

It will be found who bear false messages will not have a high sense of honor and integrity. They will deceive the people, and mix up with their error the Testimonies of Sister White, and use her name to give influence to their work. They make such selections from the Testimonies as they think they can twist to support their positions, and place them in a setting of falsehood, so that their error may have weight and be accepted by the people. They misinterpret and misapply that which God has given to the church to warn, counsel, reprove, comfort, and encourage those who shall make up the remnant people of God….

“Those who advocate error will say, ‘The Lord saith,’ ‘when the Lord hath not spoken.’ They testify to falsehood, and not to truth.” Testimonies to Ministers, 42, 43.

“When men arise, claiming to have a message from God, but instead of warring against principalities and powers, and their rulers of the darkness of this world, they form a hollow square, and turn the weapons of warfare against the church militant, be afraid of them. They do not bear the divine credentials. God has not given them any such burden of labor. They would tear down that which God would restore by the Laodicean message.” Ibid., 22, 23.

“The conflict is to wax fiercer and fiercer. Satan will take the field and personate Christ. He will misrepresent, misapply, and pervert everything he possibly can, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Even in our day there have been and will continue to be entire families who have once rejoiced in the truth, but who will lose faith because of calumnies and falsehoods brought to them in regard to those whom they have loved and with whom they have had sweet counsel.” Ibid., 411.

To those who may misled into thinking the Shepherd’s Rod must be true because of the interpretations of figures and symbols, I would refer to these statements:

“Others, who have an active imagination, seize upon the figures and symbols of Holy Writ, interpret them to suit their fancy, with little “regard to the testimonies of Scripture as its own interpreter, and then they present their vagaries as teachings of the Bible.” The Great Controversy, 521.

Misguided Efforts to Reform the Church

“There are little companies continually rising who believe that God is only with the very few, the very scattered, and their influence is to tear down and scatter that which God’s servants build up. Restless minds who want to be seeing and believing something new continually, are constantly arising, some in one place and some in another, all doing a special work for the enemy, yet claiming to have the truth. They stand separate from the people whom God is leading out and prospering, and through whom He is to do His great work. They are continually expressing their fears that the body of Sabbath keepers are becoming like the world….Some of these profess to have the gifts among them; but are led by the influence and teachings of these gifts to hold in doubt those upon whom God has laid the special burden of His work, and to lead off a class from the body. The people, who, in accordance with God’s word, are putting forth every effort to be one, who are established in the message of the third angel, are looked upon with suspicion, for the reason that they are extending their labor and are gathering souls into the truth….One man arises with wild, erroneous views, and claims that God has sent him with new and glorious light, and all must believe what he brings.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 417, 418.

What is it that Satan would rejoice to do?

“O how Satan would rejoice to get in among this people, and disorganize the work at a time when thorough organization is essential, and will be the greatest power to keep out spurious uprisings, and to refute claims not endorsed by the work of God!” Testimonies to Ministers, 228.

We are told in an official publication of the Shepherd’s Rod that this organization “exists solely to accomplish a divinely appointed work within the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, wherein it therefore strictly confines its activities.” According to this there is no burden for salvation of sinners, either at home or abroad, who never heard or accepted the Advent message. The words of Mrs. White, quoted above, are definitely applicable to the members of this offshoot. Let us repeat: “When men arise claiming to have a message from God, but instead of warning against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, they form a hollow square, and turn the weapons of warfare against the church militant, be afraid of them.”

This is a very accurate description of the Shepherd’s Rod work. It is negative. Church leaders are called “conference prelates” who yield to “demon power” “to prolong the lukewarm condition indefinitely,” and there are many like denunciations. And what is the counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy? “Be afraid of them.” The following counsel seems very applicable to those who pursue such a course.

“Those who would be overcomers must be drawn out of themselves; and the only thing which will accomplish this great work, is to become intensely interested in the salvation of others. This does not mean that you are to convert men to your way of doing, or to compel them to view things in the same light as you do; but you are to seek to present the truth as it is in Jesus, and laboring to be a blessing to others, you will be blessed of God abundantly. That you have done and are doing something to enlarge the boundaries of the kingdom of God in rescuing poor souls from Satan’s yoke of superstition and error, will rejoice the heart, and broaden your ideas and plans….Some of you will consider it your privilege to leave your homes that you may labor in the islands of the sea, and rescue souls from the bondage of sin and error. As you gain a new and deeper experience, you will learn what it is to pray in the Holy Spirit; and those who are backslidden from God will be reclaimed, and there will be more anxious manifested to learn of Jesus to be meek and lowly of heart, than to point out the mistakes and errors of your brethren.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 207, 208.

Organization and the Platform of Truth

“Our work was not sustained by large gifts or legacies; for we have few wealthy men among us. What is the secret of our prosperity? We have moved under the orders of the Captain of our salvation. God has blessed our united efforts. The truth has spread and flourished. Institutions have multiplied. The mustard seed has grown to a great tree. The system of organization has proved to a great tree. The system of organization has proved a grand success….

“Let none entertain the thought that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study and many prayers for wisdom, that we know God has answered, to erect this structure. It has been built up by His direction, through much sacrifice and conflict. Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to attempt to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of. In the name of the Lord I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled.” Testimonies to Ministers, 27, 28.

“God is leading a people out from the world upon the exalted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. He will discipline and fit up His people. They will not be at variance, one believing one thing and another having faith and views entirely opposite, each moving independently of the body. Through the diversity of the gifts and governments that He has placed in the church, they will all come to the unity of the faith. If one man takes his views of Bible truth without regard to the opinion of his brethren, and justifies his course, alleging that he has a right to his own peculiar views, and then presses them upon others , how can he be fulfilling the prayer of Christ?” Ibid., 29, 30.

“Ministers who have preached the truth with all zeal and earnestness may apostatize and join the ranks of our enemies, but does this turn the truth of God into a lie? ‘Nevertheless,’ says the apostle, ‘the foundation of God standeth sure.’ The faith and feelings of men may change; but the truth of God, never. The third angel’s message is sounding; it is infallible….

“It is as certain that we have the truth as that God lives; and Satan, with all his arts and hellish power, cannot change the truth of God into a lie….

“The Lord has singled us out and made us subjects of His marvelous mercy. Shall we be charmed with the pratings of the apostate? Shall we choose to take our stand with Satan and his host?…Rather let it be our prayer: ‘Lord, put enmity between me and the serpent.’ If we are not at enmity with his works of darkness, his powerful folds encircle us, and his sting is ready at any moment to be driven to our hearts. We should count him a deadly foe. We should oppose him in the name of Christ. Our work is still onward. We must battle for every inch of ground. Let all who name the name of Christ clothe themselves with the armor of righteousness.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 595, 596.

“I saw a company who stood well guarded and firm, giving no countenance to those who would unsettle the established faith of the body. God looked upon them with approbation. I was shown three steps—the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages. The true understanding of these messages is of vital importance. The destiny of souls hangs upon the manner in which they are received.’ I was again brought down through these messages, and saw how dearly the people of God had purchased their experience. It had been obtained through much suffering and severe conflict. God had led them along step by step, until He had placed them upon a solid, immovable platform. I saw individuals approach the platform and examine the foundation. Some with rejoicing immediately stepped upon it. Others commenced to find fault with the foundation. They wished improvements made, and then the platform would be more perfect, and the people much happier. Some stepped off the platform to examine it and declared it to be laid wrong. But I saw that nearly all stood firm upon the platform and exhorted those who had stepped off to cease their complaints; for God was the Master Builder, and they were fighting against Him.” Early Writings, 258, 259.

“Words of power have been sent by God and by Christ to this people, bringing them out from the world, point by point, into the clear light of present truth. With lips touched by holy fire, God’s servants have proclaimed the message. The divine utterance has set its seal to the genuineness of the truth proclaimed.” Gospel Workers, 307.

“Perilous times are before us. Everyone who has a knowledge of the truth should awake and place himself, body, and spirit, under the discipline of God. The enemy is on our track. We must be wide awake, on our guard against him. We must put on the whole armor of God. We must follow the directions given through the Spirit of Prophecy. We must love and obey the truth for this time. This will save us from accepting strong delusions. God has spoken to us through His Word. He has spoken to us through the testimonies to the church and through the books that have helped to make plain our present duty and the position that we should now occupy….

“Let not erroneous theories receive countenance from the people who ought to be standing firm on the platform of eternal truth. God calls upon us to hold firmly to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.” Ibid., 308.

“Abundant light has been given to our people in these last days. Whether or not my life is spared, my writings will constantly speak, and their work will go forward as long as time shall last. My writings are kept on file in the office, and even though I should not live, these words that have been given to me by the Lord will still have life and will speak to the people….Never have testimonies been more clearly brought before the people than those that have been recently traced by my pen. God bids me urge upon the attention of our people the importance of their study. Let this work begin now. Then, whether I am permitted to labor or am laid away to rest until Jesus comes, these messages are immortalized….Every conceivable thing will be brought in to deceive, if possible the very elect; but the Lord will certainly take care of His work.” Selected Messages, bk. 1, 55-57.