The Faithful and the Foolish

Continued…..

When Bro. Miller, and those who became acquainted with him, and adhered to his expositions of the prophecies, went forth faithfully showing to the world that according to the best light they could obtain from the prophecies, the prophetic periods and the signs, that Christ would come by the end of the Jewish year 1843, then the faithful servants gave " meat in due season." And while giving this cry, the hireling priest, the infidel, and the drunkard, united in raising the cry, " My Lord delayeth his coming "—" These are fanatics who say he is coming ;" and thus they smote their fellow-servants. Here were two events, perfectly fulfilling in all their features, the acts of the faithful and wise servants, giving " meat in due season," and the evil servants, uniting with the drunkard, in opposing the truth, who will reap their reward with hypocrites in bitter weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

While these two cries were going throughout the width and breadth of the land, the specified time came, and the virgins, with the word of God, (their lamps,) went forth fully expecting to meet the bridegroom at that point of time. Now for a disappointment, and tarrying time. Were these the next events that actually transpired in our experience after we went forth in the spring of 1844 to meet the bridegroom? Thousands, thousands can answer this question in the affirmative ; and the evil servants have not yet forgotten to reproach and taunt us with this disappointment. Next in this series of events is a cry at midnight, or about the middle of the slumbering and sleeping time, " Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him." This also, was fulfilled in exact order as to time and event. It was calculated that, the Jewish year, 1843, would end the twenty-first of March, 1844; and this was the time of the first going forth. The second going forth was on the tenth day of the seventh month, 1844. The tarrying time, or time 'of slumbering and sleeping, was the space between these two points; and at the centre point, or midnight, the second cry began to be heard, which increased in power,  and effect as it went throughout the land, waxing louder and louder, until the virgins were fully awake.

Thus we had in our experience, previous to the tenth day of the seventh month, 1844, a perfect fulfilment of all the events in the parable, as stepping stones to the SHUT DOOR; and since that time, the event, (knocking: at the shut door,) that was to take place after the shutting of the door, has not failed to fill tip the concluding scene in the drama. We are thus brought to a clear and perfect fulfilment of every feature of this important parable, and also to a clear fulfilment of those Scriptures connected with, and relating to the shut door ; such as the parable of the great supper, Luke xiv, 16-24; the proclamation of the " mighty angel," " that there should be TIME NO LONGER,"  Rev. x, 1-8 ; the flying angel, proclaiming the hour of judgement come, Rev. xiv, 6, 7; and the cleansing of the sanctuary, &c. Therefore, we are brought, by the force of circumstances, and the fulfilment of events, to the irresistible conclusion that, on the tenth day of the seventh month, (Jewish time,) in the autumn of 1844, Christ did close his daily, or continual ministration or mediation in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and SHUT THE door, which no man can open; and opened a door, in the second apartment, or Holiest of all, which no man can shut, (see Rev. iii, 7, 8,) and passed within the second vail, bearing before the Father, on the breast-plate of judgement, all for whom he is, now acting as intercessor. If this is the position that Christ now occupies, then there is no intercessor in the first apartment; and in vain do misguided souls knock at that door, saying " Lord, Lord, open unto us." The words of the prophet apply to the fulfilment of this point in the parable.

" They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord ; but THEY SHALL NOT FIND HIM--HE HATH WITHDRAWN HIMSELF FROM THEM.

" They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten STRANGE CHILDREN ; now shall a month devour them with their portion."—Hosea v,6, 7

But, says the objector, does not this leave the present generation, who have passed the line of accountability, since that time without an intercessor or mediator, and leave them destitute of the means of salvation ? In reply 'to this objection, I would remark, that as they were then in a state of INNOCENCY, they were entitled to a record upon the breast-plate of judgement as much as those who had sinned and received pardon ; and are therefore subjects of the present intercession of our great high priest.

The professed conversions, through the instrumentality of the different sects, are also urged as positive proof that the door is not shut. I cannot give up the clear fulfilment of prophecy, in our experience which shows the shut door in the past.

for the opinions, fancies and feelings of men, based upon human sympathy and a superstitious reverence for early imbibed views. God's word is true, though it prove all men liars. As a stream is of the same character as the fountain that sends it forth, (see James iii, 11,) and does not rise higher than the fountain, so these professed converts will not rise to a better state than the low standard of the fallen sects ; therefore, they are converted to the religion of the various sects, but not to God, and the high and holy standard of the Bible. The Prophet Hosea saw this time ; and for " our learning " and guide has written—" They have dealt treacherously against the Lord ; for they have begotten strange children."

DAVID ARNOLD Fulton, N. Y. Dec. 16, 1849.

THE PRESENT TRUTH.

PUBLISHED, SEMI-MONTHLY, BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. I.] OSWEGO, N. Y. DECEMBER, 1849. [No. 6.

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Having read this article on the Shut Door…. We must take into consideration time and place. I felt further study was necessary.  People in every generation that passes must apply the Scriptures as God enlightens it to them, because they have no other recourse. To simply ignore God's word would be a spiritual tragedy, and eternal mistake. We always need to pray as we study, always! We need the guidance from the very One who relayed these words to the men who wrote them originally.  We need to pray for protection from any and all deception Satan has lying in wait for us.

Was what David Arnold wrote in 1849 truth? It was for His time.  Yet here we are 170 years later. This parable of the Ten Virgins is truly enlightening in its warning for God's people throughout time, since it was given to mankind.

Here is another article published January 1999 in a Watchman, What of the Night?, monthly newsletter put out by the Adventist Laymen's Foundation. 

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NOTE- The following article does not start with the Ten Virgin parable, however it will eventually get there, so please patiently read all leading up to it. Thank you!

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Basic Understandings

The underpinnings of Adventism rest on the prophecy of Daniel 8:14, typology associated with the Hebrew sanctuary and its services, and the parable of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 25. (See The End of Historicism by Kai Arasola, pp. 90, 128) Commenting on typology, Dr Arasola writes "The typology of the NT is both horizontal, referring to historical fulfilments, and vertical, illustrating things considered as heavenly realities. An example of horizontal typology is in 1 Cor. 10 where Paul regards things from the Exodus and wilderness itinerary as symbols of various things in Christian experience" (p. 162) [Regarding vertical typology, he states - "Some of the clearest examples of vertical typology are found in the book of Hebrews" (p. 163)].

One horizontal type drawn by Paul from the Wilderness wanderings will preface our discussion of Basic Understandings. He wrote - "Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer" (1 Cor. 10:10). This is referring to the experience found in Numbers 14 where it is written: "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness" (ver. 2).

This murmuring and discontent was the result of the report of ten of the twelve spies sent into the land of Canaan to search out the land. While Paul does not draw specifics from this experience or any other which he cites, he does leave the whole open for typological instruction. "They are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come" (v. 11). There is one aspect to the murmuring experience at Kadesh-barnea which we need to give careful consideration. God in judgment declared "Ye shall know my breach of promise" (14:34). The margin reads - "altering of my purpose." God intended to take the children of Israel into the Land of Promise at Kadesh-barnea, the point to which they had then come after leaving Sinai. Instead they went back into the wilderness for forty more years of wanderings till that generation died. They finally crossed over the Jordon at Jericho.

In the fifth volume of the Testimonies for the Church, there are a series of statements which associates the Church as "modern Israel" and compares its experiences with those of ancient Israel in the wilderness. (All of these statements were written in the decade leading up to 1888) They read:

I have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did ancient Israel. (pp. 75-76)

The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the expressed will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts. Modem Israel are fast following in their footsteps and the displeasure of the Lord is surely resting upon them. (p. 94)

Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people. (p. 160)

[While this last reference alludes to the time after the forty years of wandering, it does add to the conclusion that the Seventh-day Adventist Church was perceived as "Modern Israel" by the Messenger of the Lord and thus subject to the type-antitype analogy in 1 Corinthians 10. (See The Exodus and Advent Movement in Type and Antitype by Taylor G. Bunch. This has just been republished by Teach Services, Brushton, NY 12916)].

We reached our Kadesh-barnea at Minneapolis in 1888 God sent to His Church a report from the Land of Promise of the glorious redemption in Christ Jesus through faith in His righteousness. What broke out in the camp of modern Israel? - rebellion. The reaction to the report of "two spies" who brought forth evidences of the "fruit" of the Heavenly Land of Promise has been noted as a matter of record in the original edition of 1888 Re-Examined. Quoting from the Writings, they wrote:

I (Ellen White) can never forget the experience which we had in Minneapolis, of the things which were revealed to me in regard to the spirit that controlled men, the words spoken, the actions done in obedience to the powers of evil ... They were moved at the meeting by another spirit and they knew not that God had sent these young men to bear a special message to them which they treated with ridicule and contempt, not realizing that the heavenly intelligences were looking upon them.

Wieland and Short rightly concluded - "Thus did modern Israel, fondly expecting to be vindicated before the world by a display of supernatural power in the long-expected 'loud cry' actually do despite to the Spirit of grace, and despised the riches of His goodness." (A Warning and Its Reception, p. 17)

Following the rejection of the God-sent message of Righteousness by Faith at Minneapolis, a series of crises followed, even as in the case of ancient Israel as they returned to the Wilderness (See Numbers 16 & 20). The organizational struggles which climaxed in 1901 and 1903 grew out of the rejection of the message of 1888. (See Testimonies for Ministers, pp. 362-363) Of this trend, Ellen White would write to P. T. Magan:

We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel, but for Christ's sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own

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wrong course of action. (M-184-1901)

The fact that we are still here proves the accuracy of this possibility. The possibility has become a reality. We face the necessity of accurately analyzing what did happen, and its significance for us as we stand on the eve of the Third Millennium of the Christian Era. We face the question - Will the final events be now as they would have been had the end come at the close of the 19th Century? Or, to ask the question in another way - Will the "altering of the Divine Purpose" affect the final events in a way similar to the way the course of the history of the Children of Israel was effected by the insubordination at Kadesh-barnea?

Beyond question, the Seventh Month Movement, out of which Adventism originated, taught that that Movement was the fulfilment of Jesus' parable-prophecy of Matthew 25. This is attested to in The Great Controversy which reads:

The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people. In Matthew 24 ..., Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent ... After this He spoke of His coming in His kingdom, and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for His appearing. Chapter 25 opens with the words, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins." Here is brought to view the church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out in the close of Chapter 24. (p. 393; writer's emphasis)

In the parable of Matthew 25 the time of waiting and slumber is followed by the coming of the bridegroom. This was in accordance with the arguments just presented, both from prophecy and from the types. They carried strong conviction of their truthfulness; and the "midnight cry" was heralded by thousands of believers. Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land. (p. 400)

Simply stated, those involved in the Seventh Month Movement, believed that the whole of the parable of the ten virgins applied to their experience. They could reason in no other way because they believed that Jesus would return October 22, 1844, the 10th day of the 7th month. Thus all prophecies of events prior to the return of Jesus would be fulfilled in their entirety. But if we continue to so believe as they did, we will err because we will fail to take into consideration the continuance of time, and the application of that parable as the scroll unrolls. Here is a critical area for study which left unresolved will continue to promote the disunity and continued confusion which marks the various segments in Adventism today.

The parable is twofold in its message. There are two calls to go forth to meet the Bridegroom, the first implied, the second explicit. Actually the lesson intended by the parable does not begin to unfold, until the first call is an accomplished fact. It is stated in the Greek aorist (past) tense - "Then ... ten virgins ... took their lamps, and went forth (ἐξῆλθον) to meet the bridegroom" (Matt. 25:1). Then Jesus describes how they went forth: five being "wise" took oil with them; five foolishly did not. However, after coming out as a united group - all ten - they "slumbered and slept" (ver. 5). The story as it unfolds indicates that at "midnight" a call from outside the sleeping virgins arouses them declaring - "Behold, the bridegroom; be going out (ἐξέρχεσθε) to a meeting of him" (v. 6; literal). This verb is in the present tense indicating the focus of the parable on the time of the second call to go out to meet the bridegroom.

Ellen White was conscious of this factor and noted it in connection with the 1888 experience. She wrote:

I was confirmed in all I had stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out [notice the past tense] of the denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out [present tense]. While we will endeavor to keep the 'unity of the Spirit' in the bonds of peace, we will not with pen and voice cease to protest against bigotry. (Ms. Release 1216, pp. 5-6; 1888 Material, Vol. 1, pp. 357).

This statement says much. While the Adventist Church was not Babylon ("the denominational churches"), if she did not reform, but continued in the path of "Babylon," it would produce "the necessity for another coming out." Then in writing of the first Tasmanian Campmeeting in 1896, she interjects the concept that such a coming out will become a reality. She wrote:

My mind was carried into the future, when the signal will be given, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." But some will have delayed to obtain the oil for replenishing their lamps, and too late they will find that character, which is represented by the oil, is not transferable. (R&H, Feb. 11, 1896)

This revelation is saying in simplest language possible that there is to be a second coming out. There will be a division among the "Ten Virgins." It will not be a separation from the "denominational churches" which marked the initiation of the Ten Virgins into one corporate body. It will be a separation within the "Virgins." It will take character to respond to the "signal" and come out a second time. In 1896, the Spirit speaking through "the messenger of the Lord" indicated that it was yet future. What was then future is now present.

Further in 1901, the same year she was to indicate to P. T. Magan that because of insubordination our entrance into

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"the land of Canaan" would be delayed, she conveyed at the close of a letter to Dr. J. H. Kellogg the necessity to study the prophecy of Jesus found in Luke 21. Her words were:

"The words of Revelation 18 will be fulfilled. [The specific verses are not given, so the whole of the chapter must be assumed] Is not this description enough to cause all who read to fear and tremble? But those who do not love the light, who will not come to the light lest their deeds shall be reproved, will not follow on to know the Lord. By their attitude they say, I want not thy way, Lord; I want my own way.

But God has given His object lesson. If the world will not heed, will not the people of God take heed? In the twenty-first chapter of Luke, Christ foretold what was to come upon Jerusalem; with it He connected the scenes which were to take place in the history of this world just prior to coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (MS. Rel., #1102, pp. 10-11: Letter 20, 1901)

Already in 1898 the Pacific Press had published a book by James Edson White, The Coming King, which commented on the prophecy of Jesus as given in Luke. Edson White wrote:

"We also read that 'Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.' Luke 21:24. Jerusalem has never again come into the possession of the Jews, and will not until 'the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.' This will be when the work of the gospel is finished." (p. 98)

The counsel was not heeded, and the exegesis given Luke 21:24 by James Edson White was left undeveloped. In 1944, the same Pacific Press published a paperback by J. C. Stevens titled - Palestine in Prophecy. This was given wide circulation as a book of the month by the Voice of Prophecy. It closed with the sentence - "Palestine and Jerusalem do not have a bright future in this present world, and those, and those are holding the hope of national restoration for the Jews are following a theological will-o'-wisp.11 (p. 97)    Again in 1947, another paperback, The Jews and Palestine, came from the Pacific Press, this time written by Roy F. Cottrell. He declared -    "The God of heaven who overthrew the city and nation and who because of their apostasy dispersed the inhabitants to the ends of the earth, forever settles the question of a complete return and restitution in old Canaan by asserting that it 'cannot be."' (p. 61)    Yet one year later, Israel once more became a State. Was this a fulfilment of Bible Prophecy? No! But coming events cast their shadows before." (See Desire of Ages, p. 636)

God was beginning to set His hand a second time "to recover the remnant of His people." God convicted again two young men to re-examine the Message of 1888, and to call the attention of the leadership of the Church in 1950 to the results the rejection of that message had brought upon the people of God. The Bible Conference called in 1952 had as its main objective to show that the Church did proclaim the message of Righteousness by Faith (Our Firm Foundation, Vol. II, pp. 616-617), and thus blunt the charge made by Wieland and Short. However, during this Conference, the Church's attention was redirected to the prophecy of Luke 21:24, and the exegesis as given by James Edson White was enlarged.

Arthur S. Maxwell, in his presentation of the "Imminence of Christ's Second Coming," listed three areas of "Unfulfilled Prophecy" from his viewpoint in time (1952). One of these then, unfulfilled prophecies was Luke 21:24. He stated -    "The recent dramatic restoration of the nation of Israel focused the attention of mankind once more on Palestine." (ibid., p. 230) Here is a reversal of the interpretation given the previous decade, and a tacit admission that our prophetic exegesis had been faulty in certain aspects. Observing that this event was not "in fulfilment of the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," Maxwell said "however, there is one prophecy concerning Palestine that we should all be watching with special care," and he quoted Luke 21:24.

As Maxwell reviewed how victorious "the forces of Israel" were "in every other part of Palestine," he observed that "they failed to take the most dazzling objective of all. Mysteriously they were held back from achieving this most cherished goal, this culminating triumph, as by an unseen hand." Then he asked - "What could be the reason?" And his own answer was - "Only that the times of the Gentile. are not yet fulfilled." He cited an experience of ancient Israel where because "the iniquity of the Amorites" was "not yet full" (Gen. 15:16); they were not permitted to enter Palestine. He concluded - It may well be that the same principle applies today, on a wider scale. If so, then Jerusalem is to remain trodden down by Gentiles till the probationary time of all Gentiles has run out." (pp. 230-231)*

From this date - 1952 - to the fulfilment of Luke 21:24 in 1967, the agitation over the 1888 Message has paralleled in time. (See A Warning and Its Reception for the reaction of the Church to the allegations made in 1888 Re-Examined and the responses of Wieland and Short.) In 1967, in the same month that Jerusalem came again under Jewish control, a meeting was held in Washington by the General Conference brethren at which Elder R. J. Wieland was given an opportunity to defend his and Short's manuscript. In an eight page letter, Wieland outlines for D. K Short the reaction and attitude of the leadership of the Church. The final paragraph reads:

To sum it all up, as I see the meeting in retrospect: the 1951 report [by the General Conference] said the Ms was unworthy of serious consideration because it was "critical"; the 1958 report said it was unworthy of such consideration because it used EGW statements out of context; the 1967 hearing concludes it is likewise unworthy because its fruitage is evil. When we are not able to say

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anything effective to clarify misunderstandings, I do not think the last charge is really fair; but I believe the time has come to "let go and let God, " and keep still. The Lord Jesus gave everybody, good and bad, an excellent example as sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. Whether I am right or wrong, I believe I must from hereon be "dumb." (p. 8, "Buff Section" of A Warning & Its Reception)

[Wieland did not follow through on his "belief," but the events of history indicate that God has indeed taken the reins in His own hands, and that the Enemy has come down in great wrath setting in operation "every conceivable power of evil." (R&H, Dec. 13, 1892)]

To declare the fruitage of the message of Christ's righteousness as evil, is no different than declaring that very Righteousness One, a malefactor [evil doer] (John 18:30). The leadership had made its decision. Thirteen years later, the Church in session would place its imprimatur on a Statement of Beliefs which denied the original trust given to it by God. The "signal" was then given. Israel moved its capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and by an act of the Knesset declared that Jerusalem united as one city was to be the capital of all Israel.

What are all of these facts - if so recognized - saying to us? Number one and primary is the factor that the final edition of The Great Controversy in 1911 did not contain the added light given to the Messenger of the Lord between 1888 and 1911 involving the Parable of the Ten Virgins and Luke 21.

How this omission should affect our use of The Great Controversy in understanding current events is a question that must be resolved.

Secondly, an understanding of Revelation 18 as well as Luke 21 was indicated in the letter to J. H. Kellogg written by Ellen White in 1901. While, as we noted above, no specific verses are indicated in the counsel, the section of Revelation 18 which concerns the call to come out of Babylon is primary in current "historic" Adventist thinking. Certain aspects of this factor of basic understandings, essential for this hour, need to be addressed. This we shall do in the following article.

From <http://www.adventistlaymen.com/Documents/BASIC_UNDERSTANDINGS.html>

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And another ---

EXCERPT from Appendix F (Bible Study Guide)

The teachings of Scripture in regard to the second coming of Christ use various comparisons. The Son of man is pictured as coming first to the Ancient of days to receive a kingdom. (Daniel 7:13-14) In the book of Revelation when the Lord God omnipotent exercises His power to re-establish His authority in the earth, the declaration is made - "the marriage of the Lamb is come." (Rev. 19:6-7; 11: 15-17) The coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of days involves a pre-Advent investigative judgment. This dual representation of Jesus' coming is mingled by Jesus in a parable He told. Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven "unto a certain king, which made a marriage for His son." (Matthew 22:2) When those bidden would not respond, the festive hall was filled with other guests. Then the king came in to inspect the guests. (22:11) If a guest failed to have on the wedding attire supplied by the king, he was cast out "into outer darkness." (22:12-13) While the thrust of the first part of the parable was directed to the Jewish leadership and how they responded to the coming of Jesus the first time, the second section involves those who responded to fill the places of the original Israel. The robe fitly represents the righteousness of Christ. The messengers whom God has sent, present to God's second Israel the robe necessary to come to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

There is another parable which Jesus told which should engage our attention in regard to the marriage of the Lamb. It is the parable of the Ten Virgins. (Matthew 25:1-13) The setting should be carefully studied. As the story begins, ten virgins have already responded to one call to go forth and meet the Bridegroom. They "took their lamps and went forth (exelthon from exerchomai) to meet the bridegroom." (Verse 1) They were all a part of one group - albeit five were wise and five were foolish. "They all slumbered and slept" because the Bridegroom tarried. (Verse 5) Then at "midnight" a cry was made. (Verse 6) It was the darkest hour, and the voice came from outside of the virgins. This is what makes this parable so distinctive from the other marriage parables Jesus told. The invitations in the other parables were given by servants of the same kingdom as were the invited guests. Further, this voice at midnight calls in the same language as the call which brought them together in the first instance. The voice called - "Go ye out to meet Him." (Verse 5) Here the word is exerchesthe from exerchomai, but in the present tense: - "Be going out to a meeting of Him." In response to this a separation occurred. Five responded, while five continued to lean upon the venders of spiritual merchandise until it was too late - the door was shut! (Verse 11)

Here is the same picture as all the other calls - a messenger with the Lord's message. The tragedy is that there will be those who will be giving lip service to the messenger and messengers of the past, but who will miss or reject the message and messenger of the midnight hour. The concept of the spiritual gift, which we call the spirit of prophecy, is much broader as pictured in Scripture than we are prone to accept. Our limited view may prove very costly in the light of eternity.

Bible Study Guide (Adventist Laymen['s Foundation)  Appendix F An Overview Page 90, 91