An Hour and An End - Pt. 10 (Prophetic Signs)

Guilt or innocence?

Probation for each one of us means we have been given time to repent.  We are all on probation, every single one of us. When probation is over we will either have repented and accepted Christ as our Savior, trusting in Him for our Righteousness, or we will not have truly repented but taken on some form of self centered  unrighteousness.  One or the other, God's or not God's when probation is over.

When the times of the gentiles was up, did judgment pass on from the corporate church of God which was left found wanting just as Israel of old, and to the living individual? If so, that began in 1980.  For the last 34 years this has been going on and the one remaining sign concerning Jerusalem is the Papacy establishing a presence in Jerusalem.  And more and more in our news these days we can read of the Papacy and Israel. The Pope is going to Jerusalem in May, where some say he will receive lands he's been after for many, many years.  Is it true? I don't know, but I'm watching the signs. If it is true and this last prophetic sign is to take place in May or herald it's fulfillment in some way are we prepared? Is Christ first in our lives? Are we ready for our individual probation to be up? No matter how you answer those questions just remember this VERY important fact- your probation could be up in the next minute, the next hour, the next day, month, year… because it also ends in our deaths.  For those alive when Christ returns - for the living who are changed and brought to meet Christ in the air- they are the ones who will live through probation's closing upon them while they are still alive, death doesn't end their probation. We have to remember though, at anytime our probation could be over and not believe we have time to waste away, unconcerned with our eternal fate.

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We've been studying the signs.  Clearly from the signs we can tell that things WILL come to a head, it's just a matter of time.

If you are a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church, or were a member you have to read the following and continue reading because you have to know what has happened, you have to read the proof and the ways to find the proof that the church apostatized, never to repent and be God's again.  The church, but not all the individual members, they still have a chance to  be God's.

If you've had nothing whatsoever to do with the Seventh Day Adventist's then this will probably confuse you a bit, but read it if you can and pray for GOD'S truth, and GOD'S will to be done always, in all things!

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p 37 -- Chapter XI -- The Church Today

Up until 1980, all decisions effecting the Church, doctrinally and ecumenically, were made by the hierarchy at the highest levels of administration. The laity had no part in deciding whether there should be conferences with the Evangelicals. They were not consulted as to the compromises made in doctrine, but were submitted, as were also the lower levels of the clergy, the propaganda enforcing these compromises. The book - Questions on Doctrine - was thrust upon them as a "missionary book."

The decision to make contact and carry on dialogue with representatives of the World Council of Churches was not made by the laity. And even though it was first initiated on a personal basis, it was adopted and encouraged by the highest levels of church authority. It was not a layperson who suggested that a Seventh-day Adventist theologian be appointed to the Faith and Order Commission of the WCC. Neither was it a lay decision to give the Church "in symbol" into the hands of the Pope.

The laity did not enter into the decision to play the stock market with its ensuing losses; neither did the laity initiate nor promote the investments in the Davenport enterprises. But it was the money the laity dedicated to the Church in tithes, offerings and trusts for the work of the Lord which was gambled and lost.

The General Conference in 1980 enlarged the scope of the involvement. The Church in general session voted the 27 Fundamental Statements of Belief, and into these statements were incorporated the compromises of the previous decades. While the General Conference in session was and is considered the highest authority on earth speaking for God, still the rank and file of the laity and clergy had little voice. It was the theologians of the Church working in close alliance with the top levels of administration who guided through the 1980 session the new statement of beliefs which included concepts which never had appeared in any previously accepted or voted statement. Some of these new statements were very good, but this only adds to the deception, producing a "tree" of both good and evil.

In the mind of the hierarchy, these new statements of belief were not considered a rejection of the compromises made in the Evangelical Conferences of 1955-1956, but were rather an affirmation of them. However, due to the continued agitation in the Adventist community by "dissidents," not only concerning the compromises of the 50's, but also because of what was written into the 27 Fundamentals, the late Dr. Walter Martin, one of the chief conferees for the Evangelicals at the conferences in the 50's, wrote to the General Conference. Here is his rationale for writing and the answer he received in reply: -        Since I have always stressed the importance of doctrinal integrity in my evaluations of religious movements, the doctrinal upheaval in Adventism is of special concern. Consequently on February 16, 1983, I wrote the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (Washington D.C.), calling for the Conference's public and official statement reaffirming or denying the authority of the Adventist book, Questions on Doctrine, which was the representative Adventist publication on which I based my earlier evaluation and book. On April 29, 1983, W. Richard Lesher, vice-president of the General Conference [now president of Andrews University], responded in a personal letter. His reply read in part: -        "You ask first if Seventh-day Adventists still stand behind the answers given to your questions in Questions on Doctrine as they did in 1957. The answer is yes. You have noted in your letter that some opposed the answers then, and, to some extent, the same situation exists today. But certainly

p 38 -- the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists are in harmony with the views expressed in Questions on Doctrine." (The Kingdom of the Cults, p. 410)

In 1985, another General Conference convened, this time in New Orleans. During the final business meeting of the session, Elder Neal C. Wilson commented on several requests that had come to re-open discussion on the 27 Statements of Fundamental Beliefs. He then explained why these requests had not be honored: -       There have been several requests for an open discussion of the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists. I want to explain why we chose not to do this at this session. There seems to have been a very favorable world reaction to and acceptance of the Fundamental Beliefs as voted in 1980.

The introduction states that "when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of God's Holy Word," wording revision could be discussed again. Frankly, throughout this past five years there has been no one who has revealed to us that the Holy Spirit has led in making any substantive changes.

There needs to be a degree of permanence to a Statement of Fundamental Beliefs. It should not be opened up every time we meet, seeing how we can word it a little differently. When the Holy Spirit leads us to some different conclusions or when it seems as though the Holy Spirit points out that it should be more clearly stated, we want certainly to open it. For these reasons we have chosen to leave this statement as it is. (Adventist Review, July 11, 1985, p. 17)

The 1985 Session was large1y devoted to organizational changes. No suggestion was made that the Church should return to the structure as formulated in 1901 and rejected in 1903. It should be kept in mind that it was this rejection of the 1901 Constitution which caused Ellen G. White to call for corporate repentance and conversion. But no such repentance was forthcoming at the 1985 Session, but rather a continuing fulfillment of the warning sounded by P. T. Magan at the 1903 Session. (See Chapter IX, p. 26) Papal language was used during the session in illustrating the roles of the officers of the General Conference. Wilson, in responding to questions raised by a report of the nominating committee and a feeling expressed from the floor that the selection of leadership did not rightly represent the Church in the Third World, stated - "If you compare vice presidents to 'cardinals,' we already have a 'cardinal' from Africa, and before this session ends, I predict we will have two African 'cardinals' among the 15 vice presidents." He used the same comparison a second time in this response. (Bulletin, p. 795) There is no desire to repent but organizational strengthening of hierarchical control in continued rebellion against the purposes of God.

As the Church prepared for the 1888 Centennial celebration, opportunity was provided for the laity to evaluate and decide in regard to the 27 Fundamental Statements of Belief. In the Ministry (April, 1988) and in the Adventist Review (April 7, 1988), Elder Neal C. Wilson revealed the plan for the Sabbath School lessons for the last two quarters of that year. He wrote: -       The framework is already in place for intense study of the fundamental doctrines of the church. The Sabbath School lessons for the last two quarters of this year focus on our 27 fundamental beliefs. Seventh-day Adventists Believe..., the 325-page doctrinal book on which we have been working for two years, will be on the press by May 1. The manuscript for this book has been read and critiqued by more than 200 Adventist scholars and church leaders around the world. Each of the 27 chapters takes an in-depth look at one of our beliefs. And yet the book is written in such a way that every member of the church can understand and grasp the importance of these great truths that bind us together.

Although the book was written in a style which the average laymen could grasp, they were not provided with previous statements of belief held by the church so that a comparison could be made as to changes that were voted in 1980 and the gravity of those changes. Each individual member of the Church needed an opportunity to decide if indeed the 27 Statements are fundamental truths, or apostate formulations, or a

p 39 -- mixture of the two which would make them the more deceptive.

The Lord through Hosea declared - "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (4:6)

It is not that the laity have had no opportunity to obtain knowledge. The facts of what has taken place over the past three decades have been available to all who wished to know. But "false prophets" on the periphery of Adventism have been plucking leaves from the "pretentious" fig tree to lure the concerned laity into thinking that they have an understanding of the apostasy which has engulfed the Church.

Nevertheless these agents of Satan (II Cor. 11:13-15) have urged the laity to give at least lip service to these 27 Statements of Belief so that some of them could still find entrance into the "sanctuaries" of the Church. Thus this segment of the concerned laity have been robbed by these "false prophets" of essential facts so as to evaluate correctly the Sabbath School lessons and the book on them. One such "false prophet" when asked to take a stand on the changes made in the 1980 Statement of Beliefs from the previous statements, replied through an associate - "Up to this time we have not performed a thorough analysis of the 27 fundamental beliefs. Thus we cannot provide an official critique of them." This letter was dated January 3, 1989, over eight years after the Statements were voted at Dallas, and yet this "false prophet" has proclaimed himself a spokesman for "historic" Adventism holding to the "firm foundation."

A vast segment of the laity who studied the Sabbath School lessons during the last two quarters of 1988 were brought into church fellowship under the ministry of men who had been taught in college and the Seminary the apostate teachings arising from the compromises made with the Evangelicals thirty years ago. How large this segment actually is can be noted in the membership difference between 1955, the time of the SDA-Evangelical Conferences and the present. From about one million members worldwide, the Church grew in three decades to over five million. A sizeable portion of the ministry of the Church has been recruited from this influx of new members during this same period. However, the lesson plan for the final two quarters of 1988 did give each individual the opportunity to review for himself what the Church officially proclaimed itself to believe, and whether he would concur or dissent.

There is a prophecy in the Writings of Ellen G. White which has a direct relationship to this present time. (See Appendix A) In this prophecy, she wrote that "the church - the Lord's sanctuary - was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God." (5T:211) And she told why -       The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light, and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. (Ibid.)

But the final sentence of this prophecy could not be fulfilled until every member of

the church had an opportunity to evaluate the situation to see if they would choose to

accept the betrayal of the sacred "trust" by "the ancient men." That sentence reads

"Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." The opportunity was given in the study of the Sabbath School lessons for the final two quarters of 1988 to make that evaluation and decision.

The fearful import of the final six months of 1988 cannot be fully perceived unless we understand clearly the lessons of the final years of the Jewish Church/Nation as a corporate entity before God, and the time allotted by God for the individual members of that church to make a decision. Further the close parallel between recent Jewish history and the Seventh-day Adventist Church history tells us in the words of Ezekiel -       "It is coming, the hour has come, the hour is striking at you, the hour and the end." (Eze. 7:6-7 Mofatt)

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More tomorrow by the grace and mercy of our LORD.

All glory, honor and praise to our Savior!

Please, Lord, save us.

An Hour and An End - Pt. 9 (Prophetic Signs)

Continuing with - 'An Hour and An End' by William Grotheer.   May God help us, bringing us to all truth, giving us the wisdom we need to understand.  Please Lord, we need You, Your love!

Yesterday we discussed the three angels message, the message given to God's chosen people in the mid-1800's. The messages given to the Seventh Day Adventists.  The messages, the truth that the church turned their back on.  Let's read more…

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p 30 -- Chapter X -- The Church - 1967-1980

In permitting the final sign given by Jesus to be fulfilled, God was seeking to tell the Church something, even as God used John the Baptist to seek to tell the Jewish Church something in that day -- there was only a brief period of time left in which to bring forth "fruits meet for repentance." (Matt. 3:8)

 It dare not be overlooked that the "trust" committed to the Church - the Three Angels' Messages of Revelation 14 (See 9T:19) - was a message to every "nation" as well as to individuals. With the "times of the nations" about to be fulfilled, the Church faced a crisis of the greatest magnitude -- either the work had to be finished; was finished; or else the Church had failed in its trust before God. Further, if the Church has altered the basic beliefs of the Three Angels' Messages, how could they in reality profess before God that they were still able to carry to completion that which had been committed to their trust? This is not a theoretical question, and the answer is written with indelible ink on the pages of history.

During the second session of Vatican II, a Seventh-day Adventist "representative" and a staff member of the World Council of Churches concluded that informal talks between a group of Seventh-day Adventists and an equal number of representatives of the WCC would "fulfill a useful purpose." The first informal meeting was held in 1965. This was followed by formalized meetings with the "blessing," authorization and funding by the employing bodies of the Adventist participants. (So Much in Common, p. 98) The results of these meetings were quick in coming.

The January, 1967, issue of the official paper of the WCC - Ecumenical Review - carried an article on "The Seventh-day Adventist Church." Our official organ - Review & Herald - responded through its associate editor, Raymond F. Cottrell, in three editorials (March 23, 30, & April 6, 1967) In the last editorial, Cottrell concluded: -       It is no small measure of regret that SDA's do not find it possible, as an organization, to be more closely associated with others who profess the name of Christ. On the other hand, if the Secretariat on Faith and Order, for instance, were to invite SDA's to appoint someone competent in that area to meet with their group from time to time and represent the SDA point of view, we could accept such an invitation with a clear conscience. Perhaps the same might be done in other areas of Christian concern. On such a basis we would concur with Dr. Hanspicker that the WCC is "one more place" where SDA's might bear their distinctive "witness to the full truth of the Gospel." (p. 13f)

The invitation was not long in coming. The Central Committee of the WCC appointed Dr. Earle Hilgert, vice-president for Academic Administration of Andrews University as a member of the 120 member Commission on Faith and Order. (See Exhibit #10) The leadership of the Church endorsed this selection. Events moved so rapidly in 1967 that Dr. Hilgert was able to attend the triennial meeting of the Faith and Order Commission held in Bristol, England, July 30 to August 8, 1967, as the first Seventhday Adventist to serve on such a Commission.

[Note: Dr. Hilgert has since become an ordained Presbyterian minister and is serving on the staff of McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. His replacement on the Faith and Order Commission was Dr. Raoul Dederen, also of Andrews University.]

The hierarchy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church loudly proclaims to the laity that the Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches. This is true, but the

p 31 -- request and subsequent appointment of a Seventh-day Adventist theologian to the Faith and Order Commission have far greater implications than appears on the surface. Cottrell sought to cover his suggestion as "an opportunity to witness." This naive stance betrays either ignorance of, or a purposeful cover up of the real objectives of the Faith and Order Commission. It must be clearly understood that the World Council of Churches is "a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit." (WCC Constitution) The WCC does not perceive itself as "a universal authority controlling what Christians should believe and do." However, they are striving as a "community" to "realize the goal of visible Church unity." To assist this "community" -     Towards this goal, the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council provides theological support for the efforts the churches are making towards unity. Indeed the Commission has been charged by the Council members to keep always before them their accepted obligation to work towards manifesting more visibly God's gift of Church unity. So it is that the stated aim of the Commission is "to proclaim the oneness of the Church of Jesus Christ and to call the churches to the goal of visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in common worship and common life in Christ, in order that the world might believe." (By-Laws) [Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry, pp. vii & viii; Faith and Order Paper No. 11, Emphasis mine]

This is what the leadership of the Church through its official organ asked to become a part of in 1967. Then we forwarded this whole process toward "Church unity" by placing in the Statement of Beliefs voted at Dallas, Texas, in 1980, the full Constitutional statement of the WCC which is required for membership in that organization.

The Fall Out -- "Since 1968 the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has been actively represented at the annual meeting of 'Secretaries of World Confessional Families'. This participation is largely the result of WCC/SDA Conversations and contacts made at the time of the Uppsala Assembly [of the WCC]." (So Much in Common, p. 100) This association led to the separate audience granted by Pope Paul VI to the "participants of the Conference of Secretaries of the World Confessional Families." (RNS, May 19, 1977, p. 19) The Secretary for the Conference of Secretaries is Dr. B. B. Beach of the Adventist Church, who on the occasion presented the Pope with a gold medallion as "a symbol of the Seventh-day Adventist Church." (Review, August 11, 1977, p. 23) Thus in symbolism the Church was given into the hands of the Anti-christ. No greater affront could be given to the God of Heaven than for His chosen people through a representative to wantonly defy the message of the Third Angel as was done on this occasion. This act was done with the full approval of, and prior arrangements with the Northern Europe-West Africa Division Committee. [For full details, see Steps to Rome]

The fraternization with the World Council of Churches on an international level reaches down to the local units of this "community" - the Ministerial Associations. Southern Tidings the official paper of the Southern Union Conference in the Telex news section for April, 1975, reported that Elder Robert Hunter, then pastor of the Morganton District of the Carolina Conference, joined in the local ministerial association's "Pulpit Exchange Day." The pulpit of the Adventist Church on that day was occupied by Thomas Burke, parish priest of the Roman Catholic Church. "The theme of the city-wide program was 'Blest Be the Tie."'

The strong contrast envisioned in the Third Angel's Message between those who were to be entrusted with the giving of this message, and the power symbolically represented by the "beast" was nullified in a Brief presented in the United States

p 32 -- District Court for Northern California. The Brief read: -       Although it is true that there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint, and the term "hierarchy" was used in a perjorative sense to refer to the papal form of church governance, that attitude on the Church's part was nothing more than a manifestation of widespread anti-popery among conservative protestant denominations in the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, and which has now been consigned to the historical trash heap as far as the Seventh-day Adventist Church is concerned. (Reply Brief for Defendants in Support of Their Motion for Summary Judgment, Civ. No. 74-2025 CBR) [See Fotenote, p. 41, Excerpts - Legal Documents; EEOC v. PPPA]

In the same Brief, the legal counsel for the Church's officers quoted from an affidavit given by one of the intervenors, Mrs. Lorna Tobler, in which she had sworn that during her training and instruction in Adventist schools and churches, she had been taught that the Adventist Church strongly disapproved "the Roman Catholic system." To this the reply in the Brief read: -      In several ways this illustrates the dangers incurred by an individual church member who presumes to deny the authority of the duly constituted officials and governing bodies of the Church. In the first place, it is true that for a period in its history, the Seventh-day Adventist Church had an aversion to Roman Catholicism and especially to the papal form of church government -- an aversion shared by virtually all Protestant denominations ... While, however, Adventist doctrine continues to teach that church government by one man is contrary to the Word of God, it is not good Seventh-day Adventism to express, as Mrs Tobler has done, an aversion to Roman Catholicism as such. (Ibid., p. 46)

How must the God of Heaven have felt when the Church, to whom He had committed in sacred trust the giving of the Three Angels' Messages, no longer shared the aversion" with which the book of Revelation indicates He holds the Papal system?

Monetary Trust -- Not only did God entrust His chosen people with truth, and the final message to the nations, but He also entrusted them with the means to carry out this primary purpose of their calling. How have these means been handled, and when were fateful decisions made? In an article - "Investment Practices of the General Conference," Elder Robert E. Osborn of the Church's Treasury Department wrote: -       Because the General Conference is responsible for a large pool of capital, the controlling investment and securities committee decided in 1967 to retain professional investment counsel. (This took place at the time the "unitized funds" program. described later in this article, began operation.) Lionel D. Edie & Company, Inc., of New York City, was chosen to do the research, analysis, and selection of securities for the General Conference portfolio. Members of the investment section of the Treasurer's Office worked very closely with Edie & Company and kept in communication by telephone and in person conferences for detailed review of current and projected trends in the economic and money markets. (Spectrum, Vol. 5, #2, 1973)

The "unitized funds" program, as explained by Osborn, "operated in a manner similar to mutual funds. All unit holders (conferences, unions, divisions, the General Conference, and church-owned institutions) own a proportionate share of the unitized funds, on the basis of the amount invested; and unit holders share in the investment income and capital appreciation." [And loss?] (Ibid., pp. 53-54)

While no report is available to this writer as to the amount of the losses sustained in playing the stock market by the General Conference since 1967, a window into the results of this type of monetary practice is to be found in reports of the investments made by one conference in the Pacific Union. The Pacific Union had chosen to set up its own investment program. One conference - Northern California - during a period of six years - 1968-1973 - had a "paper loss" of over $2 Million. This loss involved

p 33 -- funds of trust deposits, and revocable trust funds. A Lay Advisory Committee reporting on the investments and the losses stated - "If the trustors and trust depositors should elect to withdraw their money the fund would be insolvent - unable to honor these withdrawal requests." This committee made the following two-fold recommendation: -     That the Conference and the Association adopt a policy of making no additional stock investments after this date and of eliminating all investments in common stock and stock investment funds and that the time for accomplishing this be no more than two years. (Report #2, Sub-Committee on Conference Organization & Finance of the Steering Committee of the NCC-LAC)

One member of the Steering Committee, Ken Cortner, reported in the Adventist Laymen's Pipeline, July 1, 1983, the full picture of these investment procedures. That report read: -        Church publications have been silent concerning some seven (7) million dollars of Northern's [Northern California Conference] funds turned over to the Pacific Union Conference in the late 60s and early 70s for investment in the stock market. The market had seriously declined thereafter, and in January 1974 conference officials, without disclosing either the investment or the loss to the church members ordered the sale of shares of stocks that had cost $837,402.97 for $500,000. The realized loss in that single transaction that was sustained by Northern California Conference and/or Association was $337,402.97.

In the fall of 1974, a then independent Northern California Conference Lay Advisory Committee (NCC-LAC), chaired by a lay person in contrast to the present (1983) chairmanship being held and under the control of the conference president, discovered the investments and asked the Conference Executive Committee to call a halt to any further dealings in the stock market and that divestiture of all stock held be completed within a two year period. They contended the $2,053,298.42 loss of stock value from 1968 through 1973 was "only a paper loss" and that by waiting for whatever time it took, the market would recover and possibly even bring a profit. LAC members, generally. did not agree with that decision but lacking authority and having only an advisory capacity felt that they had done their job.

Local and Union Conference officials had characterized the stock purchased as "all of the blue chip variety" and that they had been selected by "a group of experts to whom we gave complete authority to buy and sell in our behalf." Laymen learned that the "group of experts" contained not one single Seventh-day Adventist Church member and the portfolio of stocks described as "all of the blue chip variety" consisted of such companies as Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, and among others, a host of small, insignificant, virtually unknown and highly speculative businesses.

Keep in mind that this is but the story of one conference and its investments. Some units of the General Conference "unitized funds" program dissatisfied with the results turned to the glowing possibility of Dr. Davenport's investment schemes. The story of the resulting scandal need not be recited here.

Liberal Trend -- Not only did the SDA-Evangelical Conferences in the mid-1950s signal a doctrinal revision of some of the basic concepts of the Advent Movement, but by the mid-1960s, "for the first time in the history of the church, a whole generation of scholars with doctorates from secular universities became active in church institutions." (Spectrum, Vol. 15, #2, p. 23) Further, there were Adventists with a similar training in gainful employment outside the church's institutions. Some of these became convinced that individual participation within the framework of the church was an ineffectual means of dealing with the issues of the 20th Century they faced in the society in which they moved. Others met in small groups both here and abroad "with the primary aim of trying to understand how the secularizing and divisive trends [could] be reversed." These groups were formed around academic and professional people.

p 34 -- "To further this spontaneous search for meaningful participation, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists invited representatives from several of the groups to meet with them in October of 1967. The purpose was to discuss possible methods of establishing a cohesive program to provide for dialogue between the church leadership and this segment of the laity and to involve the latter more significantly in the activities and concerns of the formal church. The outgrowth of that meeting was an action by the officers of the General Conference (taken at the 1967 Fall Council) to approve the establishment of an organization known as The Association of Adventist Forums." [AAF] (Spectrum, Vol 1, #1, Winter, 1969)

It is AAF which publishes Spectrum. This Association with its publication has been on the "cutting edge" of liberal trends within the church structure, manner of life, and doctrinal revision. While they prefer to see themselves as "progressives," both the liberals within the church, and the liberals of the Adventist community outside the payroll structure find common cause. It was the AAF which provided Dr. Desmond Ford the podium from which he launched his attack on the sanctuary teaching of the Advent Movement.

During the administration of R. R. Figuhr, not only was approval given but firm support maintained by Figuhr himself in the publication of Questions on Doctrine. Further, during his administration, provision was made for a study program in geology which led to the establishment of the Geoscience Research Institute. In the early 1960s a change was made in the leadership of the Institute, and "by the mid-1960s, the progessives' [liberals'] study of the issues led them to conclude that harmony between Genesis and geology required some kind of a theological accommodation by the church." (Spectrum, Vol. 15, #2, p. 26) This conclusion led to the appointment of two men with theological backgrounds from the Seminary. The reason - "At that time the most theologically flexible products of the Adventist educational system were its seminary graduates." (Ibid.)

The resolution of the problem in the eyes of the liberals required much more time be allotted than six literal days, and a creation six thousand years ago of "the earth, the sea, and all that in them is." (Ex. 20:11) Any altering of the concept of six literal days for the creation of the earth ex nihilo (out of nothing) strikes at the very heart of the Sabbath commandment. In such a schema, the Sabbath ceases to be a specific memorial, and the emphasis on the seventh day irrelevant. It can then be thought of as a celebration, a weekly rest for man's restlessness.

It dare not be overlooked that all these major actions which laid the groundwork for the acceptability of liberalism in the Church, and open agitation of the same, was done with the full approval of the highest officers of the Church, starting with Figuhr in the mid-1950s, and culminating with the Pierson-Wilson official blessing in 1967.

The Closing Event -- In 1979, the Annual Council voted a new Statement of Beliefs to be presented for adoption at the 1980 session of the General Conference in Dallas, Texas. The full disclosure of all that took place in the formulation of the Statement of Beliefs voted at the Annual Council and the final adoption of the 27 Fundamentals as voted at Dallas, has yet to be written. There are gaps in the story as known. This detail is beyond the scope of this manuscript. However, certain factors of this story must be understood. The Statement as adopted by the Annual Council was written by a group of theologians at Andrews University. (Spectrum, Vol. 11, #3, p. 61) It was sent out to "the division committees immediately as well as unions and overseas colleges. It was given to the Adventist Review for immediate publication in the hope that as many reactions as possible could be received from the field prior to the General Conference quinquennial session in Dallas. Unfortunately, for reasons never disclosed, it did not appear for four months, until February 21, 1980," (Ibid., #1, p. 6; emphasis mine)

p 35 -- Substantive changes from previous Statements of Belief were apparent in the Andrews University formulation. Sections on the Godhead were expanded; other sections contained new terminology which altered historic Adventist concepts; and new sections were added not covered in any previous Statements. Section 2, captioned, "The Trinity" read in part: "That there is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a self-existing Unity in Trinity." Elsewhere in the Statement, "the oneness of the triune God" is noted. The death of Christ is spoken of as "this act of atonement" and declared to be "a complete and perfect atonement." Such a position makes any concept of a final atonement irrelevant. The heavenly ministry of Christ is described as simply "making available to believers, the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross." Then in 1844, Christ merely "entered the second and last phase of His atoning work." Baptism and the Lord's Supper were noted as "sacraments," and "the service of foot washing" was designated "a means to seek renewed cleansing." The "ministries of the Church" as defined in the Statement include "the ministry of intercession." All of these expressions have Roman Catholic overtones. The Church itself is defined to be "the company of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour." (Adventist Review, Feb. 21, 1980, pp. 8-10)

When the time came for a discussion of the Statement of Beliefs at Dallas, the delegates received a different formulation than had been adopted at the Annual Council and no explanation was given as to why. This brought expressions of shock and dismay from a number of delegates. "Those who had been involved in formulating the earlier draft felt that the new version was disastrous in form, if not content. Gone was the balance, the beauty and the sensitivity to words. Clumsy rhetoric prevailed." (Spectrum, Vol. 11, #1, p. 8) Substantive alterations were also apparent. The statement on the Godhead was modified to read - "There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of Three co-etemal Persons." Although there was considerable discussion over this new wording (Adventist Review, April 22, 1980, pp. 11, 14), it was made a part of the voted Statement with only cosmetic alterations. The terms, "sacraments" and "means" were deleted as was also the idea of a minister in the role of an intercessor. The Cross was still referred to as the "act of the atonement." This was changed in the voted Statement to read - "this perfect atonement" - which in reality changed nothing, still nullifying the concept of a final atonement. If the Cross is the "perfect" atonement nothing can be added to that which is perfect. In historic Adventism, the Cross, typified by the Altar of the Court, is the place of sacrifice and an atonement which brought forgiveness, to be followed with a final atonement which resulted in cleansing. The section on the Church was rewritten and divided into two statements, but when finally voted, a key wording from the Andrews University formulation was restored - "The church is a community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour."

The retention of the definition of the Church from the Andrews University formulation when coupled with the Statement on the Trinity - a statement never appearing in any prior Statements of Belief from 1872 to 1979 - is significant. These two concepts are borrowed from the Constitution of the World Council of Churches. The first article of that Constitution reads - "The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Further, the idea of "one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-etemal Persons" was first formulated by the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381.(Early Christian Doctrine, p. 88)

In all three Statements - the Andrews University formulation, the one given to the delegates, and the one finally voted by them - there appears a phraseology describing the heavenly ministry of Christ which also had never appeared in any previous statement of Adventist beliefs. It read in its final form - "There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ

p 36 -- ministers in our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross." This language was first used in the book - Questions on Doctrine (pp. 354-355, 381), where it stated: -       Jesus our surety entered the "holy places" and appeared in the presence of God for us. But it was not with the hope of obtaining something for us at that time, or at some future time. No! He had already obtained it for us on the cross. And now as our High Priest, He ministers the virtues of the atoning sacrifice for us." (p. 381, emphasis theirs)

Introduced during the morning session prior to the final reading and voting of the Statement of Beliefs was Bishop Robert Terwilliger, a representative of the Anglican Consultative Council. He had been reading the proposed Statement of Beliefs, and had listened to some of the discussion. When he responded to Dr. B. B. Beach's introduction, he said - "As I have read the beliefs set before you for revision, I had hoped to find some degree of disagreement. I had the most awful disappointment. I found increasingly that we are together in our faith. Therefore the unity that we share is not simply a unity of good will and fellowship but unity in faith increasingly, a unity in Christ." (Adventist Review, May 1, 1980, p. 16)

How can God finish His work on the earth through an instrumentality that has so altered the faith committed to it in trust that an Anglican bishop perceives a growing unity with that which he believes? This culminating denial in a series which began in the 1950s, left God with no alternatives. The Church weighed in the balances of the Sanctuary was found to be wanting. He had given the prophetic warning in 1967 when the military forces of Israel retook Jerusalem that the final period had begun - the achri hou (until) of Luke 21:24. Now that period was up. Three months after the Statement of Beliefs was voted at Dallas, the Israeli Knesset voted to move the entire government from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The times of the visitation of the nations being ended, God would take things into His own hands for the completion of the Advent Movement which He had begun in 1844. We are now in the tarrying time as events move rapidly to the final conflict of the great day of God Almighty. The end of all things is at hand.'

*******

Time and again we can read in the old testament of Israel's backsliding. We ask ourselves how could those who witnessed the miracles performed by God to free them from Egyptian slavery doubt God's ability to care for them? They questioned God's ability to sustain them going so far as to say it would be better if they'd never left Egypt.  Then when God provided miraculously food from heaven on a daily basis (enough on Friday- the preparation day to last through the Sabbath), they wanted more, they wanted meat not just heavenly bread.  They got that meat but at what price? They weren't happy to be God's, they agreed to His covenant  and then turned right around and broke the covenant.  Then over and over they would be His only to turn away from Him.  So how can we know all this and not believe that God's chosen people in the tail end of history would apostatize?  People want to say it's impossible, they wouldn't do that. Yet all the facts say otherwise. Once again, God is left with a remnant of His chosen.

We are told this--

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

And this--

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Five out of ten of the virgins- of those watching, those professed to be Christ's true followers, only five are really God's in this parable, only five have the oil they need.

This isn't talking about the outright people who defy God and don't believe in Him at all, these are among those who by all appearances are God's! 

The church entrusted with the truth has apostatized!  They might look the same, talk the good talk, but the truth is they are no longer following God's truth, but a truth they've made up themselves. How many of God's people are going to be led astray like lambs to a slaughter because they refuse to believe the truth, they follow blindly. Please! If you are among those who belong to the Seventh Day Adventist corporate church, please, seek the truth! If you've read this far, read further, study more, pray!  The truth is out there! The truth will be known by all those who seek it!

Please, Lord, help us! Guide us to YOUR truth, only YOUR truth! We would be Yours! We would be among the five virgins who bring the extra oil with them and are ready, are prepared, are waiting for YOU!

Please, by Your grace! Your LOVE!

Three Angels Message

Before we continue with - 'An Hour and An End' by William Grotheer, I'd like to do a little background study on the special message that was given to the Seventh Day Adventist movement after the great disappointment, when the book of Daniel was opened and the prophecies unfolded.

The Three Angel's Messages-

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, 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.
Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

I did a study on this in depth, a lengthy study I've copied here- PLEASE, by the grace of God, pray and study for yourselves!

'Christ's Message for Our Days (Rev. 14: 6-13)
 
What does all that mean?

'And I saw..'

Who saw?

John. He's the one who received all these visions. John was given the revelation of Jesus Christ. We read in Revelation 1:1-

'The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John'
 
John then saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven. This angel John saw has something. The everlasting gospel. Why does the angel have the everlasting gospel? To preach to us on earth, to every nation, kindred, and tongue and people.

God's word-

Rev.14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people


What is the everlasting gospel?

EVERLASTING-
(dictionary def)
everlasting (èv´er-làs´tîng) adjective
1. Lasting forever; eternal.
2. a. Continuing indefinitely or for a long period of time. b. Persisting too long; tedious: everlasting complaints.
noun
1.  Everlasting. God. Used with the.
2. Eternal duration; eternity.

GOSPEL-
1. Often Gospel . The proclamation of the redemption preached by Jesus and the Apostles, which is the central content of Christian revelation.
2. a.  Gospel. Bible. One of the first four books of the New Testament, describing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and recording his teaching. b. A similar narrative.
3. Often Gospel . A lection from any of the first four books of the New Testament included as part of a religious service.
The everlasting gospel is Eternal Redemption. The gospels bring to us the reality of our redemption found only in Christ. The gospels give to us the life of Christ- His birth, His ministry, His great sacrifice so that we all might choose life in Him and therefore find eternal redemption in Christ.

The angel John saw was to preach of eternal redemption to all on the earth. Amazing and so wonderful.

Everyone has the opportunity for eternal redemption, it's not a gift that goes to the highest bidder, it's not something only the rich can buy, it's not an exclusive gift, there haven't only been so many copies made, it's there for all.

I'd say it's there like the air we breath, air that every human has access to, but you know what, it's even more accessible than that.

There is no way for access to eternal redemption to be cut off, unlike oxygen.

This message from the angel is giving EVERYONE the opportunity to have eternal redemption to know about the love of God through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.

That's not all… What else does this angel do?

'Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, 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.'

He speaks. What's he saying?

Fear God. Give glory to him.

Why? For the hour of his judgment is come.

Worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters.

~
Fear God.

Fear.
(dictionary def)
fear (fîr) noun
1. a. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger. b. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.

Reverence God.
(dictionary def)
reverence (rèv´er-ens) noun
1. A feeling of profound awe and respect and often love; veneration. See synonyms at honor.
2. An act showing respect, especially a bow or curtsy.
3. The state of being revered.
4. Reverence. Used as a form of address for certain members of the Christian clergy: Your Reverence.
Feel profound awe towards God.
Respect and love God=Fear God
(dictionary def)
venerate (vèn´e-rât´) verb, transitive
venerated, venerating, venerates
To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference.
Heartfelt deference towards God=Fear God

Fear God-Love God

We are to Love God, be in awe of God, revere him, fear him. Do you? Think about it? Do you love God? What is love?

1 John 4:8 '…for God is love.'

We are to love God as He loves.

Is it easy to love someone who meets your every need? Is it easy to love someone who showers you in gifts? Is it easy to love someone who only has your best interest at heart? Is it easy to love someone who is selfless? Is it easy to love someone who first loves you?

The answer should be yes.

Should be.

Perfect love should be easy to love in return. All God wants of us is our love. All God wants is what he gives to us perfectly. Our needs in this world have been so warped we often think God isn't meeting our needs.

What is our greatest need? God. And yes, he is available to us always, through all we go through, the bad, the good, and every day in between. Even through the worst we can possibly imagine going through, the ultimate worst, God is there. Love, something not dependent upon any conditions- is there. God. Love that offers eternal life-- is there. God. Redemption through Jesus--is always there.  God. The promise for a better life with Jesus--is always there. God. No matter what catastrophe we are passing through, the promise given in Love is ours. The promise is not taken away because of what we are going through. It's not a sign God has left us when we go through the deepest, darkest valley in existence. We like to cry out and ask God why he's doing this to us, why is he letting us go through such torture, such pain. If he were loving he wouldn't let these horrible, horrible things happens. Yet God's promise is a new life through Jesus Christ. It is a promise that promises eternity after this life, after all this pain, after all the torture that comes our way and the way of others. The ultimate prize, not 1,000,000 dollars after an arduous six weeks traveling the world and facing hard tasks, not a 1,000,000 dollars after rough living for a month with no amenities and passing through skill tests, physical and mental, not two weeks paid vacation after fifty weeks of hard work. After a lifetime of living whatever lot in life is yours for however long that lifetime is, a promise of eternity where there is no pain, no tears, no heartache, no suffering, no torture, but only love, forever. God.

Love. A promise. God.
God, the giver of the promise through his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are to love God, to reverence him, to be in awe of him.
Fear God and do what?

'Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, 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.'
And give glory to him.

GLORY TO GOD.

(Dictionary Def)
GLORY (glôr´ê, glor´ê) noun
plural glories
1. Great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown.
2. Something conferring honor or renown.
3. A highly praiseworthy asset: Your hair is your crowning glory.
4. Adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.
5. Majestic beauty and splendor; resplendence: The sun set in a blaze of glory.
6. The splendor and bliss of heaven; perfect happiness.
7. A height of achievement, enjoyment, or prosperity: Paris in its greatest glory.
8. A halo, nimbus, or aureole. In this sense, also called gloriole.
Glory to God. Honor, praise, renown, adoration, thanksgiving to God. How do we honor God?

(Dictionary Def)
HONOR
1. a. To hold in respect; esteem. b. To show respect for. c. To bow to (another dancer) in square dancing: Honor your partner.
2. To confer distinction on: He has honored us with his presence.
3. To accept or pay as valid: honor a check; a store that honors all credit cards.
Respect, confer distinction. Respect God. Confer distinction upon God.

(Dictionary Def)
RESPECT  (rî-spèkt´) verb, transitive
respected, respecting, respects
1. To feel or show deferential regard for; esteem.
2. To avoid violation of or interference with: respect the speed limit.
3. To relate or refer to; concern.

Esteem God. Do we respect him? Do we esteem God? Do we honor God? Do we give glory to God? How do you show honor to another human being? How do you esteem another person? How do you show respect to others? You use your manners with them? The head of your state, country, land, kingdom wherever it is you live, is coming to visit you… yes… you!  They're coming to visit you and you are going to behave how towards them? Just imagine it if you will. Too much of a stretch? Alright a relative from afar is coming to visit you, an elderly relative with all their wits and faculties has just rung you up and told you they're coming for a visit. Let's just say it's a great, great aunt. How would you receive this long lost elderly relative that is coming to visit? Would you show them respect? Would you show them honor? Would you hold them in high esteem? What would your actions be? Respectful to be sure, right? How much respect and honor does God deserve?

ALL our respect. ALL our honor. ALL the glory we can possibly give him. We are told fear God and give glory to him. Why?

'Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, 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.'

'For the hour of his judgment is come'

Guess what? You remember that promise? The promise given to us from the God of Love? The promise is soon to be realized. What good is a promise if it's not kept? If it is never realized? An empty promise is NOT what God offers, that's not love and God is love.

God's promise will be realized and for it to be realized God has to know who of his humans have chosen him as their creator, redeemer, ruler, king, who have chosen his love, to love him.

The only way God can put an end to this life we're living now and usher in the new world, the only way he can bring eternity with him (with love) into reality is to judge the good from the bad, the loving from the unloving, the redeemed from those who have shunned redemption.

There has to be a judgment or there can never be an end to this world full of sin.

God's judgment is underway.

It's not something in the far future.

You're not going to be able to stand before God and plead your case with him.

There will be no lawyers present to argue on your behalf.

There will be no date set for you to appear in God's court.

It's all underway and our lives themselves are a testament to our guilt or innocence.

We do have an advocate, Jesus Christ.

We have to claim him, to believe in him, to trust him, to have faith that He as our advocate will plead our case for us. Yes, the hour of his judgment is come. Time is running out and He wants everyone, every nation, kindred, tongue and people to claim His promise to choose Him, to Love him. He doesn't want to lose a single person, not one.

''Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, 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.'

Worship him that did what? Worship him that made what? Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea and the fountains of waters.

Whoa. People worship lots of things. Are you sitting there shaking your head saying not you? You don't worship anything but God. Well that's wonderful and amazing and praise God for that.

(Dictionary Def)
WORSHIP (wûr´shîp) noun
1. a. The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object. b. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.
2. Ardent devotion; adoration.
3. Often Worship . Chiefly British. Used as a form of address for magistrates, mayors, and certain other dignitaries: Your Worship.

Reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object. Ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed. Accorded a deity. Accorded God. Accorded an idol. You can worship anything really. Just put it first in your life and give the respect and honor you possess. To be clear I think this angel is telling us exactly who we're to worship as God, the one and only true God. No other God made the heavens, the earth, the sea , the fountains of water, none.

Let's look up a few things here-
1 Chronicles 16:26 For all the gods of the people [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

Psalms 96:5 For all the gods of the nations [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

Psalms 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {136:2} O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {136:3} O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {136:4} To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy [endureth] for ever {136:5} To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {136:6} To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm 95:3 For the LORD [is] a great God, and a great King above all gods. {95:4} In his hand [are] the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills [is] his also. {95:5} The sea [is] his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry [land.]{95:6} O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

Psalm 124:8 Our help [is] in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein

There is no doubt that God made these things, not if you believe in God, believe in his amazing word - I just have to bring this up again, from a song I listen to because it just blows my mind over and over again that people can't see the power of the word, that they can't recognize the miracle the Bible truly is.

'The Word is Alive- Casting Crowns-'
'The bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years
In times of war and in days of peace
By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers and shepherds
The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive
Could have been produced by such a diverse crowd
Over a period of time which stagers the imagination
Jesus is it's grand subject our good is designed and the Glory of God is its end'

Inscribed over a period of 2000 years. 2000 years. By so many people. Another aspect to the word of God's validity is the prophecy it contains. Prophecy that was prediction hundreds and thousands of years in advance and all of it coming to pass. Do you get more proof than that? Do you?

The Bible is a miracle book. The Bible is truth and within that truth is the history of mankind's origin. God made the heavens and the earth. We're to worship Him that did so. How can we show worship to God? Go to church for an hour a week? Toss some money in a collection plate?  Lucky us, God set up a perfect design for us to worship Him. He didn't leave us to our own devices, he didn't leave us without instruction. Right there in Genesis, right there after we are given the story of Creation what does God do?

'Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. {2:2} And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. {2:3} And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.'

God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, God rested from all his work the he created and made. Do you think God really needed to rest? God was doing this for us, for his creation.

Read on…
'Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {20:9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {20:10} But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: {20:11} For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is,] and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.'

Are we giving honor and glory to God when we obey His commandments? The Sabbath was instituted at the beginning of the world, at Creation.
When God gave his ten commandments, the embodiment of his love and how we are to love, in among them was the commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. A holy rest day. Do many people bulk when given the weekend off? Do many people complain when they are given two days off after working five? I don't know of anyone personally that complains when they have a day off of anything. School, work, it doesn't matter, they're not complaining when they're given a day off. God designed things so we'd have six days to do our own devices, but one day he wanted us to rest on and worship him. That's not too much to ask is it?

We can't plead ignorance as to what this verse means, we just can't.

''Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, 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.'

God has made it possible for all of us to worship him. To recognize him as our creator, the one who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water. The angel here that John saw proclaimed- '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.'

At a time when the world is filled with evil, selfishness, self-love.. the me, me, me generation. The me at all cost. At this time when people are no longer compelled to go to church and have a religious affiliation - no person's livelihood or position in their community is threatened by their lack of church going-not any longer. Religion has been shoved to the back, to an afterthought. We are too enlightened to allow ourselves to be caught up in anything remotely illogical and inexplicable as a deity creating the earth, we have our own theories thank you very much. Science shows me that everything has a scientific, logical explanation and only fools look to religion to explain things. I could go on, but do I really need to?

The world's condition speaks for itself. We need a reminder to worship God and that's why it's been given. We need to be told that judgment is here. We need to be given all the chances in the world to choose Christ as our Savior and let our lives reflect His love.

There are six more verses in that message for our day. Six more wonderful verses so here we go.

What happened next…  A second angel was seen.

'Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'

'Daniel 5:25-27 - 5:25 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. {5:26} This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. {5:27} TEKEL; ; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.'

Just a little while after that pronouncement, Babylon was destroyed. Babylon a great, great city, Babylon, we hear about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon even today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (also known as Hanging Gardens of Semiramis) (near present-day Al Hillah in Iraq) are considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. They were built by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC. He is reported to have constructed the gardens to please his wife, Amytis of Media, who longed for the trees and fragrant plants of her homeland.[1] The gardens were destroyed in an earthquake after the 1st century BC.

Babylon hasn't been forgotten for all these years. How much history from 600BC has been forgotten? From 500BC, 400, 300, 200, 100 and so on? How many names of cities have been lost to time? And yet strangely enough Babylon that name hasn't been forgotten and for purely secular reasons. Do you think maybe the wonder that was Babylon in the height of its glory is something God wanted us to remember? It wasn't a name that slipped away and has to be dredged up from thousands of years of dust and dirt. Babylon. If these hanging gardens were so magnificent that we still have them well known today is it any wonder that more of Babylon's history should perhaps be known?

Tidbits-

It has been estimated that Babylon was the largest city in the world from ca. 1770 to 1670 BC, and again between ca. 612 and 320 BC. It was perhaps the first city to reach a population above 200,000. It is recorded that Babylon's legal system developed a form of negligence law and Babylon was probably the first culture to develop negligence law. In the common law world, the law of negligence was not fully rediscovered until the 20th century.

More tidbits-

During the reign of Sennacherib of Assyria, Babylonia was in a constant state of revolt, led by Mushezib-Marduk, and suppressed only by the complete destruction of the city of Babylon. In 689 BC, its walls, temples and palaces were razed, and the rubble was thrown into the Arakhtu, the sea bordering the earlier Babylon on the south. This act shocked the religious conscience of Mesopotamia; the subsequent murder of Sennacherib was held to be in expiation of it, and his successor Esarhaddon hastened to rebuild the old city, to receive there his crown, and make it his residence during part of the year. On his death, Babylonia was left to be governed by his elder son Shamash-shum-ukin, who eventually headed a revolt in 652 BC against his brother in Nineveh, Assurbanipal.

More tidbits-

Under Nabopolassar, Babylon threw off the Assyrian rule in 626 BC, and became the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
With the recovery of Babylonian independence, a new era of architectural activity ensued, and his son Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) made Babylon into one of the wonders of the ancient world. Nebuchadnezzar ordered the complete reconstruction of the imperial grounds, including rebuilding the Etemenanki ziggurat and the construction of the Ishtar Gate - the most spectacular of eight gates that ringed the perimeter of Babylon. The Ishtar Gate survives today in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Nebuchadnezzar is also credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), said to have been built for his homesick wife Amyitis. Whether the gardens did exist is a matter of dispute. Although excavations by German archaeologist Robert Koldewey are thought to reveal its foundations, many historians disagree about the location, and some believe it may have been confused with gardens in Nineveh.

More tidbits (Don't worry just a few more)-

In 539 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire fell to Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, with an unprecedented military manoeuver. The famed walls of Babylon were indeed impenetrable, with the only way into the city through one of its many gates or through the Euphrates, which ebbed beneath its thick walls. Metal gates at the river's in-flow and out-flow prevented underwater intruders, if one could hold one's breath to reach them. Cyrus (or his generals) devised a plan to use the Euphrates as the mode of entry to the city, ordering large camps of troops at each point and instructed them to wait for the signal. Awaiting an evening of a national feast among Babylonians, Cyrus' troops diverted the Euphrates river upstream, causing the Euphrates to drop to wading levels or to dry up altogether. The soldiers marched under the walls through thigh-level water or as dry as mud. The Persian Army conquered the outlying areas of the city's interior while a majority of Babylonians at the city center were oblivious to the breach. The account was elaborated upon by Herodotus,[1] and is also mentioned by passages in the Old Testament.[2][3] Cyrus claimed the city by walking through the gates of Babylon with little or no resistance from the drunken Babylonians.
Cyrus later issued a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to their own land, and allowed their temple to be rebuilt.
Under Cyrus and the subsequent Persian king Darius the Great, Babylon became the capital city of the 9th Satrapy (Babylonia in the south and Athura in the north), as well as a centre of learning and scientific advancement. In Achaemenid Persia, the ancient Babylonian arts of astronomy and mathematics were revitalised and flourished, and Babylonian scholars completed maps of constellations. The city was the administrative capital of the Persian Empire, the preeminent power of the then known world, and it played a vital part in the history of that region for over two centuries. Many important archaeological discoveries have been made that can provide a better understanding of that era[4].
The early Persian kings had attempted to maintain the religious ceremonies of Marduk, but by the reign of Darius III, over-taxation and the strains of numerous wars led to a deterioration of Babylon's main shrines and canals, and the disintegration of the surrounding region. Despite three attempts at rebellion in 522 BC, 521 BC and 482 BC, the land and city of Babylon remained solidly under Persian rule for two centuries, until Alexander the Great's entry in 331 BC.
More tidbits- (seriously just a few more!)
In 331 BC, Darius III was defeated by the forces of the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great at the Battle of Gaugamela, and in October, Babylon fell to the young conqueror. A native account of this invasion notes a ruling by Alexander not to enter the homes of its inhabitants.[citation needed]
Under Alexander, Babylon again flourished as a centre of learning and commerce. But following Alexander's death in 323 BC in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, his empire was divided amongst his generals, and decades of fighting soon began, with Babylon once again caught in the middle.
The constant turmoil virtually emptied the city of Babylon. A tablet dated 275 BC states that the inhabitants of Babylon were transported to Seleucia, where a palace was built, as well as a temple given the ancient name of Esagila. With this deportation, the history of Babylon comes practically to an end,[citation needed] though more than a century later, it was found that sacrifices were still performed in its old sanctuary. By 141 BC, when the Parthian Empire took over the region, Babylon was in complete desolation and obscurity.
* (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon)

There we have it, Great Babylon its rise and its fall. Such history, such splendor, such ungodliness. Babylon was never a godly city.

Biblically Babylon was weighed in the balances and found.. wanting.

'Daniel 5:25-27 - 5:25 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. {5:26} This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. {5:27} TEKEL ; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.'

Babylon was destroyed, just as predicted in the prophecies of Daniel. So why is the word Babylon being brought up in a message for the end of time?

Why this…

'Revelation 14:8 And there followed another an angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'

Babylon is fallen is fallen that great city…why is she fallen? Because she made ALL the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Well, lets look at that a bit closer. Jump to Revelation 17 with me.

'{17:1} And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: {17:2} With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. {17:3} So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. {17:4} And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: {17:5} And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. {17:6} And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.'

Mystery Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, drunken with the blood of the saints and blood of martyrs of Jesus. Wow.
The verse in our study -


'Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'

What does it mean? If Babylon represents that which isn't Godly, then this is saying that the ungodly are going to make all the nations drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The ungodly are going to make ALL the nations follow after her. This is why she falls.

There are those with God and those not with God.

As the end draws to a close the earth is going to be as it was in the days of Noah, as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. Both examples of a world, of a city filled with sin so much so God's wrath was brought down on them. The world was destroyed by a flood and only eight people were spared. Eight people. The city of Sodom and Gomorrah how many were spared? Lot and his two daughters, for even his wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. It's no wonder that Babylon, representing the ungodly, will make all nations drink the wine of her wrath. Babylon the whore. While the Bride of Christ is what? The true church. God's true people. A virgin.

Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; {5:26} That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, {5:27} That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

1 Cor. 11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and indeed bear with me. {11:2} For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.

Rev. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. {19:8} And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. {19:9} And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. {21:2} And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The whore is…

Come on, we have a virgin and a whore.  Would it matter if the virgin we spoke of was lets say an animal virgin. Look there's my dog, she's a virgin. Yes, it matters. You can't have two totally different things when we're talking of opposites. The opposite of a true church is… a false church. God's true church, His true people are virginal, while the false church is…a whore. Strong words but true. There is Babylon, a whore, and this whore is going to make ALL the nations drink the wine of her wrath of what? Fornication. So here we have a people worshiping God, giving glory to him, and then there is talk of the whore church, the ungodly falling..failing…obviously going to be punished. Punished because of her deception. No church today is going to jump up and say…I'm a whore! I'm Babylon! I'm not following God. By the very nature of church and deception, this whore is going to be able to deceive many, she is going to be able to deceive nations. So we're not talking some tiny little wild sect, crazy and holed up somewhere that few are going to be deceived with. We're talking HUGE deception. All Nations are going to drink of the whore. HUGE deception.

Tell me something- if we are told by the first angel to worship God and we know factually that God set aside a day of worship, and then we are told by the second angel that the ungodly church, the false church, the whore of deception is going to make all nations fornicate with her- guilty by association- what one thing pops to mind about all this?

There is a day of worship set aside and that day is the seventh-day, no other day was blessed or sanctified, no other day were we told to remember to keep weekly, not one. And yet, do the majority of Christians worship on the seventh day? No. Deception on such a grand scale. Deception worldwide. Deception for all the nations. Deceptions that cause the fall of so many. Deception is just that….it's being fooled, tricked into believing something that isn't true. It's a lie, a falsehood. How can we be protected from it?

Fear God and give glory to him, worship him that made heaven and earth.

John sees yet another angel doesn't he, a third angel.

14:9} And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, {14:10} The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: {14:11} And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. {14:12} Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. {14:13} And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Wow! So we have the first angel telling us to fear God to worship him and we have the third angel saying if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or his hand, the same are going to drink the wine of the wrath of God.

Let's take this slowly. Worship God. Worship the beast. One or the other. We need to know who this beast is and that second angel gave us a huge clue. Think about it. First Angel - Worship God. Second Angel- Babylon is Fallen. Third Angel- Worship the Beast. A very logical progression there.

There is much talk about a universal system of microchips being implanted in people where they'll use the chip instead of paper money, credit cards and the like, much more efficient. Can't be stolen easily, gruesomely perhaps, who knows but not easily. Can't lose it easily. Clean, efficient logical and well it'd be a way to keep track of every human being on earth. It the technological age we live in today we are looking to use that technology to make life better, safer, easier. So here we are looking at this…many, many people are opposed to such a thing for many reasons. We'd no longer have privacy. Some even are outright saying it'd be the mark of the beast to do something like that so we have to have it in order to buy and sell. Where is the deception? What? You read that right. Where is the deception in something so blatantly out there? There is no deception if this mark of the beast is something so obvious. People are going to fight that tooth and nail and not just supposedly godly people. People everywhere will object to something like a mark - a chip implanted in the hand or forehead. Don't get me wrong, it sounds devilish and mark of the beast-ish and people are talking about doing it.

Let's look at things a little differently for a moment. The hand. If you have a hand in something, does that always mean literally? No.

Your forehead, what exactly is important about the forehead? Perhaps what's behind it? The brain, your thoughts, your beliefs they all reside there right? Head and hand, thinking and doing. It's logical isn't it? Could you receive a mark in any other way than physically?

Yes. A marked man, is a man that has been slotted for a purpose, it doesn't necessarily mean that man has a physical mark on him. Receiving a mark. Does the marked man actually receive a mark? A mark in the hand, a mark in the forehead. It sounds so physical but for a moment consider this. Can a man's actions mark him? Seriously? We judge people all the time by their actions, the things they say and do. We form opinions of them based on the things we witness. Yes, it's wonderful to think that the mark of the beast will be something totally blatant because then, well, then it'll be hard to deceive someone if they're saying line up for this mark. Warning bells will sound for all who have seen the Omen, or one of the other many movies out there about the mark of the beast and the end times. Satan is deceptive. Ah, I hear the supposition that his trickery is to get us not to think it's blatant and then it is. Well, I personally suppose we could think any number of things. However I can't quite separate the three angels messages but rather take them all together. Let's look a little further, after we're told if we receive this mark and how awful it will be for us there is this bit…

'Rev. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

Saints, those not receiving the mark of the beast. The saints do what to protect them from the mark of the beast? Seriously, there are those getting that mark and those who aren't. If those who are getting the mark are satan's then the saints have to be the ones not getting the mark, right? They're doing something too aren't they? It doesn't say the saints are the ones refusing to be marked. No, I don't read that anywhere. It says…

'…here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

They're keeping the commandments of God. And they have the faith of Jesus. Keeping the commandments of God. Commandments of God. And just a couple verses before in the first angel's message we read about worshipping God and giving him glory. What particular commandment has anything to do with honoring the maker of heaven and earth?

'Exodus {20:8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {20:9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {20:10} But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: {20:11} For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is,] and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.'

Maker of heaven and earth and the sea. Suppose for a moment that the saints who are keeping God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus, suppose that they don't receive the mark of the beast because they are keeping those commandments. A seal, any official seal has what? 3 Components- Name, Honorific, Location. God, Creator, Maker of Heaven and Earth. Suppose for a moment that those who are keeping God's commandments are sealed by Him so they can't receive the mark of the beast. It doesn't say the saints are those brave souls who refused to be marked in their hand or forehead, we assume that because the beast marked will be. Specific mention is made of the saints keeping God's commandments. Remember up there when we were talking about the whore, the false church, the ungodly people disguised as Godly? Remember when we mentioned that the false church is going to deceive All nations? Think about it carefully. The Sabbath, worshipping God on the seventh day. The majority of Christians worship on what day? Sunday. Sunday is not the seventh day, it's the first.

Deception at its finest. What day you worship doesn't matter, you hear that all the time. Or…we worship on the first day because Jesus rose on the first day and it was changed. There isn't a single Biblical passage stating it was changed, not one. And yet… the majority of Christians today worship on Sunday. It'd be great to be able to say it doesn't matter, but when we're dealing with marks and such it's really important and it does matter. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Mark of the Beast. Keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. Without Jesus you could keep all the commandments you want and worship on the correct day all you want and it won't matter. The saints of God have to have both. They have to have the love and grace of Jesus in their lives and out of that love they have to keep his commandments which were given out of love. There is a lot more to this study, a lot, but for now this is enough. God loves us so much, he doesn't want to lose a single person to satan, but inevitably the end has to come. Let's all choose to be among the saints. Let's all choose to love Jesus, to accept his grace, his mercy, his forgiveness and seek to follow him as He wills us to. May God bless us all.

In His Son's Name, by His mercy and grace, in His righteousness alone.

Amen.

*******

This is the amazing message given to the Seventh Day Adventist movement after the great and bitter disappointment. And yet now, sadly, the corporate church has shaken hands with the very beast they know to be deadly, eternally deadly.

All by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

In HIS LOVE!