The main items to keep in mind before studying THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY
And since the Organization and its ministers are themselves lacking the capacity to reveal all the secrets of the Bible, as those provided us in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, then you may be sure, that the present young generations of Seventh-Day Adventists are the most doubting people among us in the Church. This is to be seen in nearly every class of discussion on the Bible prophecies and their interpretations in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. And this is the condition that motivated me to lift up some of the items to the front, to keep in mind, before starting to study the Bible Prophecies and their interpretations in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
The Spiritual Identity of the Remnant Church of God
In the book of Revelation, in his prophecy concerning the life and the destiny of the Church of God in the time of the end, John the Revelator said :
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with t h e r e m n a n t of h e r s e e d, which k e e p the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” ………………….. worship God : for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” – Revelation 12 : 17 ; 19 : 10 (margin).
Woman in the prophecy means the Church. The chastised woman means the Church of God. So the fallen Churches of the New Testament era are represented in the prophecy of Revelation 14 : 4 as the defiled women. And in the prophecy of Isaiah 4 : 1 they are also represented as “seven women“, who shall take hold of one man (Christ) only for being called by His name (Christians), that they may be recognized as the Church of God. “Seven” in the prophecy means completeness. The woman of Revelation 12 : 17 ; 19 : 10 (margin) represents the true people of God, which is His Church of the Laodiceans or the Seventh-Day Adventists.
The Laodicean Church is the seventh, of the whole seven prophetic Churches that cover a long period of time ever since the time of the apostle Paul. Regarding this Church Sister White said:
“In view of the many virtues enumerated, how striking is the charge brought against the Church at Ephesus: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love.” This Church has been highly favored. It was planted by the apostle Paul. In the same city was the temple of Diana, which, in point of grandeur, was one of the marvels of the world. The
Ephesian Church met with great opposition, and some of the early Christians suffered persecution; ……” – MS 11, 1906.
If the Ephesian Church began with the apostle Paul as its founder, then from the historical fact it is undeniable to recognize that the Laodicean Church is the remnant Church in this time of the end, with Mrs. Ellen G. White as her founder. “ Laodicea“ derives from two syllables of Greek origin: Lao and Dekei. Lao = people or to say; Dekei = judgment.
So the Laodicean Church means the people who proclaimed the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary that commenced in 1844. This is the people who emerged at the end of the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8 : 14 with a message; and that is the three angels’ messages (or as usually called ‘The third angel’s message’) of Revelation 14.
The Founder of the Church and his Function
As founder of the Ephesian Church, even as the appointed apostle of God, Paul said:
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ : that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”— Ephesians 4 : 11 – 14.
There are five jobs appointed by the Lord Jesus Himself to edify and control His people all along the whole history of the seven prophetic Churches up to this time of the end. In the time of the Ephesian Church, Paul was appointed the apostle by the Lord Himself for perfecting the people for the work of ministry, and for edifying the whole of them as the body of Christ. But later as prophesied through the book of Revelation: “In view of the many virtues enumerated, how striking is the charge brought against the Church at Ephesus: ‘Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love.’ The servant of the Lord, Sister White said:
“The Ephesian Church met with great opposition, and some of the early Christians suffered persecution ; and yet some of these very ones turned from the truths that had united them with Christ’s followers, and adopted, in their stead, the specious errors devised by Satan. This change is represented as a spiritual fall. “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first work” — as outlined in the preceding verses. The believers did not sense their spiritual fall.” — MS 11, 1906.
And as founder of the Laodicean Church ever since the beginning in 1844, Sister White said:
“God has a church, and she has a divinely appointed ministry. ‘And He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ …………..etc. “– Testimonies to Ministers, p. 52.
God appointed ministry in this time of the end is still the same, with the only exception of the apostles, because they all had died in the first century. As well as how the people of the Ephesian Church should abide by the teachings of the apostle Paul, who had edified them ever since the beginning, then the people of the present Laodicean Church must also abide by the teachings of Mrs. Ellen G. White and her three angels’ messages in the Spirit of Prophecy publications, because she is the founder and edifier of the body of Christ ever since the beginning in 1844.
The divinely appointed ministry of the Laodicean Church,
and its Spiritual Condition
Whether you like to believe it or not, it is a fact, that in the time of the Ephesian Church the Lord had somewhat against them, because they had left their first love. Read Revelation 2 : 4, 5. To this end Sister White said,
“……..some of the early Christians suffered persecution ; and yet some of these very ones turned from the truths that had united them with Christ’s followers, and adopted, in their stead, the specious errors devised by Satan. This change is represented as a spiritual fall. ……….. The believers did not sense their spiritual fall.” — MS 11, 1906.
Therefore, as well as how the early Christians did not sense their spiritual fall, most of our present Laodiceans of God too, would continue to deny the fact, that our angel of the Church of the Laodiceans had been severely condemned by the Lord Himself in the Book of Revelation in the following words :
“And unto the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write: These things, saith the Amen, the faithful and the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.” – Revelation 3 :
14 : 22.
(1) Who is the angel of the Laodicean Church ?
“God’s ministers are symbolized by the s e v e n s t a r s, which He who is the first and the last has under His special care and protection.” – Gospel Workers, p. 13.
“The s e v e n s t a r s are the angels of the seven Churches.” – Revelation 1 : 20.
It could be concluded now from the two statements, that God’s ministers are symbolized by the angels of the seven Churches. Thus is the angel of the Laodicean Church ever since the beginning to represent God ministers of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Therefore we have a divinely appointed ministry to lead and control the people of God ever since the beginning. But why were they later fallen spiritually, and then did not realize their spiritual fall even up to now?
(2) Why is he saying : I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing?
This is to show us, that the angel of the Laodicean Church has ever been presented with something of the highest value as of the gold tried in the fire and the white raiment. And as he continued to reject the offer, he has failed to recognize his own spiritual declension, which ‘art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ Sister White said:
“What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right when they are all wrong? The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable on the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.” – Testimony Treasures, Book 1, p. 327, 328.
The angel of the Laodicean Church seemed to be not alone, because he has succeeded to gain the hearts of most of the people of God, who are now sharing in his fallen condition. Could they later in the future come to themselves, to embrace the entire offer at last, and then to evade from being spewed out of Jesus mouth? The servant of the Lord again makes us to be assured:
“In my last vision I was shown that even this decided message of the True Witness had not accomplished the design of God. The people slumber on in their sins. They continue to declare themselves rich and having need of nothing. Many inquire: Why are all these reproofs given? Why do the testimonies continually charge us with backsliding and with grievous sins? We love the truth; we are prospering; we are in no need of these testimonies of warning and reproof. But let these murmurers see their hearts and compare their lives with the practical teachings of the Bible, let them humble their souls before God, let the grace of God illuminate the darkness, and the scales will fall from their eyes, and they will realize their true spiritual poverty and wretchedness. They will feel the necessity of buying gold, which is pure faith and love; white raiment , which is a spotless character made purer in the blood of their dear Redeemer; and eye salve, which is the grace of God and which will give clear discernment of spiritual things and detect sin. These attainment are more precious than the gold of Ophir.” – 1 Testimony Treasures, p. 329.
(3) What is meant by being spewed out of Jesus’ mouth ?
Jesus as the True Witness said :
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” – Revelation 3 : 15, 16.
Since up to the last vision shown to Sister White, still no change to be seen in his attitude toward the offer, she then said,” even this decided message of the True Witness had not accomplished the design of God. The people (the angel of the Laodicean Church and his diehard followers in the churches) slumber on in their sins. They continue to declare themselves rich and having need of nothing.” Then comes the time for them to be spewed out of Jesus mouth. Sister White said :
“To those who are indifferent at this time Christ’s warning is: ‘Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.’ Revelation 3 : 16. The figure of spewing out of His mouth means that He cannot offer up your prayers or your expressions of love to God. He cannot endorse your teaching of His word or your spiritual work in anywise. He cannot present your religious exercises with the request that grace be given you.” – 6 Testimonies, p. 408.
(4) When is the figure of spewing out of Jesus’ mouth to be fulfilled ?
The answer is actually very simple, because the figure of spewing out is very clear. Therefore the spewing out would be accomplished :
Whenever Jesus can no more offer up the prayers or the expressions of love to God by His ever appointed ministry in the General Conference of SDA, to His Father in Heaven, when He can no more endorse their teachings of His word or their spiritual work in anyway, and when He can no more present their religious exercises with the request that grace be given unto them, to His Father, then you may be sure that the angel of the Laodicean Church, which is the General Conference of SDA and all its ministers in the world, would have been spewed out of His mouth. And all these will be clearly fulfilled when the Call for a spiritual Revival and a spiritual Reformation by Sister White in the Review and Herald, February 25, 1902 begins to be carried out. For a more ample deliberation on the Call for a spiritual Revival and a spiritual Reformation in the Review and Herald, February 25, 1902, we suggest you to study the next article: THE CALL FOR A SPIRITUAL REVIVAL AND A SPIRITUAL REFORMATION.
Let us look a moment into the matter through the following diagram:
“A revival and a reformation must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend.” – Review & Herald, Feb. 25, 1902.
Revival and reformation are to do their work as presented on the above diagram. But wherein are we to find the rules of implementation specified and detailed for us to act? As the prophet of the Lord, Sister White has been charged to establish the Organization of the General Conference of SDA in 1863. Later due to their spiritual declension, she again issued the call for a spiritual revival and a spiritual reformation in 1902. But since she died in 1915, whereas the call for a spiritual revival and a spiritual reformation was not as yet accomplished, then we must be aware that there must inevitably come after her another prophet to be charged to have the Organization of General Conference of SDA r e o r- g a n i z e d.
In the re-organizing process, the new prophet would have established a new divinely appointed ministry to succeed the fallen one of the General Conference of SDA. And with the newly establishment of the re-organized body, then the spewing out of Jesus’mouth of those General Conference of SDA and all its ministers, would have been accomplished for good.
The coming of a new prophet is a must
and undeniable, because it has been foretold in the prophecies
As founder of the Laodicean Church ever since the beginning in 1844, Sister White said :
“God has a church, and she has a divinely appointed ministry. ‘And He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ …………..etc.“– Testimonies to Ministers, p. 52.
All the apostles have accomplished their work in the first century, and the rest of the divinely appointed ministry will be found up to the end of time. Though they all have been appointed to edify the body of Christ or the Church, only the prophet that God has authorized to be inspired by His Spirit, to write down the testimonies of Jesus Christ for us, in the so-called THE SPIRIT OF PROPHEY.
Therefore, THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY is not the SPIRIT OF GOD. It is the written testimonies of His Spirit presented us by the prophets of the time of the end (Mrs. EG White and the other new prophet). The ownership of the Holy Spirit is God the Father and His Son. And the written testimonies of Their Spirit here on earth, ever since the beginning were first known by the name : TESTIMONY (Isaiah 8 : 20). Then later by the name : THE PROPHETS (or the writings of the Old Testament prophets — Matthew 7 : 12), and later when Jesus’ name was already popularly known, the name again developed to become: TESTIMONIES OF JESUS CHIRST (Revelation 12 : 17). And at last in the time of the end, when THE THINGS TO COME (John 16 : 13) foretold in all the prophecies and the parables of Jesus have been interpreted, then the name becomes THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, to meet the prophetic word of Revelation 19 : 10 (margin). The prophet Isaiah said : “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. That is, to the Ten Commandments as the basic Law, and to the Testimony as the By-laws (or rules of implementation of the Law), if we speak not according to all those, it is because there is no light in us. Here is also proven that God is to save His people only with a complete Gospel. And we have to base our faith upon the foundation of a complete Gospel. This is the only condition by which the professed Christians of God could be forgiven of all their sins, to be saved into the heavenly kingdom. But conversely, if the Lord, due to His loving kindness, could be willing to save us with only a partial Gospel, He should have also to save all the fallen Churches outside with their non complete Gospel respectively. And this is absolutely impossible, and illogical, and even illegal as well.
The coming of the new prophet after Mrs. Ellen G. White would be identified by the new message or an additional truth that should have come to unite with her message. John the Revelator has ever said:
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.” – Revelation 18 : 1.
And Mrs. Ellen G. White, in her interpretation of the verse, ever said:
“Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory.…………..This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” – Early Writings, p. 277.
Prior to His return to the Father in Heaven in year 31, Jesus has ever said : “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth , is come, he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak ; and he will shew you things to come.” – John 16 : 13.
“THE ALL TRUTH” had actually come ever since the outpouring of the Spirit of Early Rain in the time of the apostles. But “THE THINGS TO COME” was not as yet come in that time, because the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets, and the book of Revelation and the parables of Jesus, would just be interpreted in the time of the end. That is why Sister White said:
“In ancient times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets and apostles (in the Bible). In these days (in this time of the end). He speaks to them by the t e s t i m o n i e s o f H i s S p i r i t. There was never a time when God instructed His people more earnestly than He instructs them now concerning His will, and the course that He would have them pursue” – Evangelism, p. 255, 256 (In brackets added).
But how ironic it is that the written TESTIMONIES OF HIS SPIRIT, in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY publications have nearly completely forgotten, whereas our people have continually been taught to respect the Bible as the only authentic WORD OF GOD above all other publications, even above the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, which contains all the TESTIMONIES OF HIS SPIRIT in the time of the end.
So with the coming of THE THINGS TO COME through the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 to unite with THE ALL TRUTH of the third angel message of Revelation 14, we now have two messages united in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, coming from two messengers of God : Mrs. Ellen G. White since 1844, and Brother Victor T. Houteff since 1929.
This is also to meet the fulfillment of the prophecy of Prophet Joel in the following word:
“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God : for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, The Former Rain, and The Latter Rain in the first month. ……. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of
Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else : and my people shall never be ashamed.” – Joel 2 : 23, 26, 27.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions : And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” – Joel 2 : 28, 29.
As we are now in the time of the end, then THE ALL TRUTH and THE THINGS TO COME promised by the Lord in John 16 : 13 would have been here provided us in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. The Former Rain and the Latter Rain prophesied by Joel would have been the same things, because they will be the messages to prepare the people for the coming kingdom, as well as for the coming Holy Spirit of the second Pentecost. Therefore, the Former Rain is to be the Spirit of Prophecy of the third’s angel message of Revelation 14 by Mrs. Ellen G. White, and the Latter Rain is the Shepherd’s Rod of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 by Brother Victor T. Houteff. Both messages are now provided in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. These two messages cannot be separated from each other, or else the earth could not be enlightened, and the Church would keep on staying in the darkness.
The staunch followers of Mrs. White and Brother Houteff, in these days, should be glad and rejoice in the Lord, our God, because as children of Zion, we have been now in the first month, wherein the Former Rain and the Latter Rain are now falling. We all shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and then praise the name of the Lord our God. Whereas those, who continue to reject Houteff and his message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 to unite with the third angel’s message of Revelation 14, by Mrs. White, they would keep on staying in the darkness, because no single message of the angels of Revelation, would have enlightened the earth for them.
The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 applies specifically in Laodicean Church of Seventh-Day Adventists
JESUS :
“T h e n shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessel with their lamps.”
— Matthew 25 : 1 – 4. —
Since we have only one kingdom of heaven found in the Bible, then the kingdom likened unto the ten virgins in the parable must inevitably mean the Church. It is the
Church of God on the earth with the five foolish virgins in her midst, which represent the kingdom of God in heaven and it’s Basic Law of the Ten Commandments. In her deliberation of this parable, Sister White said:
“In the parable, all the ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. All had lamps and vessels for oil. For a time there was seen no difference between them. So with the church that lives just before Christ’s second coming. All have knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ’s near approach, and confidently expect His appearing. But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard,” Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,” many are unready. They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit.” – Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 408.
It is clear now, that the remnant Church of Seventh-Day Adventists is now likened unto the kingdom of heaven. The basic Law of the Ten Commandments, and its By-laws or Rules of Implementation of the Law, in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, must be found here, to be kept by the remnant Church as their spiritual identity. Read Revelation 12 : 17. But why are there still to be found in their midst “the five foolish virgins”? The answer is, because “They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit.”
At the outset,” All had l a m p s and v e s s e l s f o r o i l”, which means all had the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy of the third angel message of Rev 14. “For a time there was seen no difference between them. So with the church that lives just before Christ’s second coming. All have knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ’s near approach, and confidently expect His appearing. But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard,” Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,” many are unready………..”
The lamps and the vessels, represent the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy of Sister White. Their oil has been consumed during the time of waiting intervene. And only the wise virgins still have the extra oil in their vessels. And when the cry is heard, ”Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,” which represents the new message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 to unite his voice with the third angel’s message of Revelation 14, many are unready. They have no extra oil in their vessels to refill their lamps to enlighten the rest of their journey. It is the lack of the Holy Spirit in their heart, that led to their failure to see THE ALL TRUTH and THE THINGS TO COME, promised by the Lord in John 16 : 13, to have been now provided us in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. And this is the reason why Sister White has to warn us further as follows:
“We all need to study as never before the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. This is the holy oil represented in Zechariah (Zech.
4 : 11 – 14 quoted). This representation is of the highest consequence to those who claim to know the truth. But if we do not practice the truth, we have not received the holy oil, which the two golden pipes empty out of themselves. The oil is received into vessels prepared for the oil. It is the Holy Spirit in the heart which works by love and purifies the soul…….” – EGW. Bible Commentary, Vol. 7 – A, p. 189.
For further Study of the prophecy of Zechariah 4, please read the articles entitled: “Not by Might nor by Power“and “JESUS’ Parable of the Ten Virgins.
As the new message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, represents THE THINGS TO COME in the prophecies and the parables of Jesus, let us now turn to the prophecy of Daniel, when the angel Gabriel was ever commissioned to descend to him, telling him that all the words of his prophecy would be revealed just in the time of the end. The following is what Gabriel said to Daniel,
“Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” – Daniel 12 : 9, 10.
The prophecies of Daniel, related to the time of the end, are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Just in this time of the end all those prophecies would have been interpreted. And they must be interpreted in the remnant Church of Seventh-Day Adventists, which is the Laodicean Church. And since according to Mrs. White: “In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the Book of Daniel ” – The Acts of the Apostles, p. 585, it is unavoidable to conclude that after the interpretations of the books of Daniel and the Revelation, all the other books of Bible prophecies would follow suite. The servant of the Lord, Mrs. White said:
“In ancient times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets and apostles (in the Bible). In these days (in this time of the end). He speaks to them by the t e s t i m o n i e s o f H i s S p i r i t. There was never a time when God instructed His people more earnestly than He instructs them now concerning His will, and the course that He would have them pursue” – Evangelism, p. 255, 256 (In brackets added).
Now through the written testimonies of His Spirit in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, Jesus is speaking to us. He warns us against the five foolish virgins, the wicked, in the Church, who shall do wickedly, and none of them shall understand, but the wise (virgins) shall understand. Only the wise virgins shall understand THE THINGS TO COME as those interpreted in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. They will be purified and made white and t r i e d.
As long as the wicked foolish virgins still dominate the Church, it is no wonder if the wise ones would always be tried on the hands of their executioners (the wicked). Even up to a very short period before their deliverance to the mount Zion to stand with the Lamb of God, they must yet be tried. In regard to the wise virgins in the future, John the Revelator said:
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. …… These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.…… 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.” – Revelation 14 : 1, 4, 5.
There is a numbered company of 144.000 saints from among the wise virgins, who would have survived their ordeal during the Jacob time of trouble that would be delivered to the
mount Zion, in Palestine sometimes in the near future.
If the last message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 in the Shepherd’s Rod publications continues to be rejected as now in the churches, then you may be sure that the word of the ALL TRUTH in the Spirit of Prophecy of Mrs. White could never be fully comprehended. And you may lose all the knowledge of the THINGS TO COME, to direct you to the coming of Jesus, either to stand with the 144.000 on mount Zion in Palestine, or to His second coming later in the clouds of heaven.
The Two Classes of Virgins.
Who are they?
“God has a church and she has a divinely appointed ministry.”—
Testimonies to Ministers, p. 52
With the coming of the new message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 in 1929, to unite his voice with the third angel of Revelation 14, the Laodicean Church then has to be divided into two groups of people. Basically our people should have been divided into only two groups, which according to the parable of Jesus : the five wise virgins on the one side, and the five foolish virgins on the other side. The new message will be embraced by the one group, while the other group will continue to reject the message up to the end. The problem now is, who are they respectively?
Since God has only one Church to represent His kingdom of heaven here on the earth, then the division of the Church should be as follows : The Laodicean Church on the one side, and the angel of the Laodicean Church and his diehard followers on the other side. The Laodicean
Church, means the people who proclaim the Judgment in the heavenly court of justice, unto all the inhabitants of the world, ever since 1844, up to the close of probation for the whole world, in the heavenly sanctuary. The Church of God, despite having been changed her name for several times up to this time of the end, she would always be identified as keepers of the Law and the Testimonies of Jesus Christ. And since she has embraced the new message, and has been categorized as wise virgins, she will always be the Church of God, though no more having the power to dominate her ever appointed ministry and the Organization of General Conference of SDA. This is the reason why through the prophecy of Jeremiah, the Lord has addressed to us the following words of warning:
“Thus said the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited .Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” — Jeremiah 17 : 5, 6.
Sister White then said:
”We are warned not to trust in man, nor to make flesh our arm. A curse is pronounced upon all who do this.” – Testimonies to Ministers, p. 367 “God cannot glorify His name through His people while they are leaning upon man and making flesh their arm.”– 5 Testimonies, p 729. “Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves.” – Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 414.
“We have been inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers there can be no true Christians, but this is not the case. God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities. But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.” — 5 Testimonies, p. 80.
No more to be inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers in the General Conference of SDA, there can be no true Christians in the world. This is not the case. God has promised that where the angel of the Laodicean Church and his ministers continue to reject the new message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 to unite his voice with the third angel of Revelation 14, He will take charge of the flock Himself. And this is the case why such an article like this could be formulated for you and me, no more by the regular minister of the Church.
The new light of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, the first time came through Bro. Victor T. Houteff, chairman of a Sabbath School of SDA Church in Los Angeles, California,
USA, in 1929. The message was later called by the name, The Shepherd’s Rod. The rules for implementing the Call for a Spiritual Revival and a Spiritual Reformation by Sister White, in the Review and Herald, February 25, 1902, have been later arranged in a book by the name : “ The Leviticus of Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist.” This is one of the books of The Shepherd’s Rod publications by Bro. Houteff.
After successfully won several followers to the message in 1930, they then arranged together to move to Texas to establish their own Headquarters somewhere there near the Lake of Waco, which was later known up to now as The General Association of Davidian SDA in Waco, Texas, USA. Thus is the work of re-organizing the General Conference of SDA according to the book of Leviticus of Davidian SDA, has been accomplished in 1935.
Now with the establishment of the re-organized body of a divinely appointed ministry of the Laodicean Church in 1935, the Lord would have had the lukewarm angel of the Laodicean Church spewed out of His mouth. It is impossible for the Lord to have two Organizations representing Him on the earth at the same time. While the one is striving to accept the call for a spiritual revival and reformation according to the rules and regulations of The SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (under the ministration of the Holy Spirit), whereas the other is striving to reject the call indirectly by blocking the message of the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY to reach the people. And this is the reason why that the candlestick should have been replaced, and then to be placed under the new leadership of the re-organized body of the new divinely appointed ministry.
Now whether you like it or not, it is the Lord’s own design that the remnant Church of Seventh-Day Adventists now must be divided into only two categorized groups, namely the wise virgins who understand THE THINGS TO COME, and then to be purified, made white, and tried, on the one group, and the wicked ones, who shall never more understand, that they shall do wickedly up to the end of their destiny.
Only the LAW and the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY in their completeness that could save
Moses has ever said: “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law.” – Deuteronomy 29 : 29.
Those things which are revealed in the Bible and in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY publications belong now to us, that we may do all the words of the Ten Commandments. Therefore by having all the Ten Commandments taken into our practical religion, through obeying those things revealed, we may be sure that salvation should at last be ours.
But how could we be saved if so many prophecies of the Bible, such as the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, and even the other prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, up to the book of Malachi, have not as yet been fully revealed for us in the churches? Could we be sure to be ready to welcome Jesus at His coming, while having only a simple faith based upon incomplete Gospel? Suppose that the Lord would be willing to forgive and then to save us with only incomplete Gospel, He should have been willing to save also those of the fallen Churches outside with their incompleteness of the Gospel. And this is also to mean, that all our efforts to preach the Gospel of salvation unto the fallen Churches outside, are only to share with each other the incomplete Gospel, which does not at all have to affect their salvation. The servant of the Lord has reminded us in the following words:
“When a message comes in the name of the Lord to His people, no one may excuse himself from an investigation of its claims. No one can afford to stand back in an attitude of indifference and self-confidence, and say:”I know what is truth. I am satisfied with my position. I have set my stakes, and I will not be moved away from my position, whatever may come. I will not listen to the message of this messenger; for I know that it cannot be truth.” It is from pursuing this very course that the popular churches (the fallen Churches outside) were left in partial darkness (incomplete Gospel), and that is why the messages of heaven have not reached them.” – Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 28 (in brackets is added).
“Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God’s people at that time. Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried. The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it?” – The Great Controversy, p. 609.
Dear Readers! “God calls for a spiritual revival and a spiritual reformation. Unless this takes place, those who are lukewarm will continue to grow more abhorrent to the Lord, until He will refuse to acknowledge them as His children.”
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