Seeds of Discord

Recently we read another discord report from  Eric Edstrom AKA – The Shepherds Rod Speaks, WhyPerish.org.  He made some comments that we’d like to straighten out here in this report.

His words will be in these bold letters.

Brother Edstrom says, “Or what about the ongoing efforts centered around a Facebook group called “truth tellers” led by Rob Peralta and B. Albert Graham? They claim that the storehouse can be any of four different places according to a recent blog post yet fail to take into account the Waco and Mt. Dale groups do not agree on every point of doctrine or that one the other two websites that are recommended and happy to accept your tithe money are largely borrowed from the labors of others (Dara and Michael Dietz and their website, www.shepherds-rod.org and Brother Gerald’s website www.davidianssda.org who are excluded as tithe worthy places of recommendation).”

Perhaps brother Eric Edstrom should know a little more about something before he writes his accusing words. We’ve had several contacts with sister Dara. In fact we asked her several months ago why we couldn’t donate  to her site (she has no donate click area as of this writing). She responded that she would consider it but has never done this. We do not force donations upon people who do not request them.

 The same can be said about the other site-brother Gerald’s. There is NO donate area for someone to donate (as of this writing). We have sent an email to this brother asking if he’d like to be included in our recommendations, as we feel his site is another “storehouse” for present truth. Further more, before you read the below words, keep in mind that brother Gerald, just like ourselves, recommends many other organizations to study, even though they do not all agree totally on all doctrines and issues, talk about Edstrom’s inconsistency.

He continues, “It is a strange inconsistency indeed that this and a fourth recommended website do not publish (print) any meat in due season, not even one single piece of original Rod tract literature. Is this the basis of unity when such confusion abounds? Does anybody actually know what constitutes the “meat in due season” that the flock is to feed upon? Is it some man’s popular videos, or another man’s audio studies, or the borrowed content from another party’s website, or perhaps the CD/DVD’s that come from yet another location and done at the expense of their supporting members?”

Again Edstrom says ” or perhaps the CD/DVD’s that come from yet another location and done at the expense of their supporting members” . He ignores the fact that we include the site (Mt.Dale) that makes those CD/DVD’s in our storehouse recommendations on our sister site–Godsloveandlaw. Also it’s important to note, that we at the Sighandcry web site are also frequent donaters to Mt. Dale and the other recommendations as well. So his insinuations that we do not support the people we promote is baseless and an exposed propagation of  falsehoods .

Unlike Edstrom, we believe the people from whom we’ve placed some important information  on our site  honestly want the truth spread. We believe they  do not view the situation as Edstrom does and demand a “Where’s my credit and money ?”  (Note- Unfortunately we’ve had to deal with the credit  issue already in regards to an email concerning  Edstrom, see our post “Deception of the worst kind”.)

Interestingly, we’ve seen brother Gerald’s site and there are the same pictures of brother Houteff and the Mt.Carmel camp, that is on  sister Dara’s site. Who got them from whom and where? Does the credit appear on those sites that rightfully belongs to sister Bonnie? Does it even matter?  You see the humble and honest of heart,  the true workers for saving souls in these very last hours, could care less for placing or receiving credit on any of the studies, charts, etc. Soul winning consumes them and they focus not on themselves but on Christ and His kingdom!

In fact we as professing Elijah messengers (Davidians) should try to live by brother Houteff’s specific words in regards to getting “credit”.

“He is unselfish, he rejoices in the good fortune of others, and loves to have others receive credit for something he himself may have accomplished. He expects credit from the Lord only.”(Brother Houteff’s Letter- ’To Any Seeking To Be DSDA”.)

It’s clear that from the above quote our last prophet knew  well our Lord’s words, “so that your giving may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”(Matt.6:4) Whatever we wish to give or do something for the Lord, if we try to do it “secretly” or without any claim to “credit” there is One who notices it, and that’s all that counts!

 We’ve had several enjoyable talks with one of the orignal members of Mt. Carmel, sister Bonnie, and we believe she was the  originator and contributor of those pictures. As with the other issues raised in his allegations, we  disagree with  his premises and points, including his idea of  “meat in due season” and his idea of “unity”. As we are very backed up in projects right now, if time allows, we hope to address those later.

His point about different organizations not all agreeing on the same doctrines is quite a bit of fluff. Brother Houteff showed us clearly that some doctrines are important and some less so. Most importantly, some make no difference to our “Christianity”, hence they are non-salvational.(See Tract 10, p. 20-21)

 Is Edstrom mounting the judgment seat and claiming he is judging which doctrines of the different groups, affects our Christianity?  Does he consider that maybe the differences are over non-salvational issues (ie.  less important doctrines)?

Also we like to point out that we do not claim to be perfect, and as such stand willing to be corrected when the truth is clearly shown us. We did take something of value from brother  Edstrom’s report and that is we were remiss in adding an “Acknowledgement” section to the Sighandcry site. Additionally, we’ve added the storehouse recommendations to the Sighandcry site. We try to look for the good in all things and this brother did bring up a few good points.

We suggest Edstrom should do the same as he has contributions from others on his sites, with no acknowledgements .The Lord says,  “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Matt. 7:3)

One question that should be posed to him is — Where do you think the true storehouse is today?

We noticed he has advertised his sites as worthy of donations. If his sites are the ONLY acceptable storehouses of present truth then tell everyone, don’t insinuate and manuever, going around among the brethren accusing error here and error there,  leaving a trail of discord among davidia.   People are not as stupid as this brother seems to think, many see through his innuendos, discords,  and objectives.

It is our prayer that this brother carefully read the following quotes and take heed of their instructions, as they describe clearly the folly of fault finding , criticizing , and trying to control the work, instead of concentrating on HIS work. If we or anyone else who proclaims the Lord’s Elijah message is in error, we or they, must answer for that to the ONE AND ONLY great Judge. It’s not “his job”  to police God’s work, lest he be found judging wrongly!

                                     APPLICABLE QUOTES

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

 “There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. ” (Test. to Min. P.300) 

“That Code readers may surely know and understand that those who continue in the evil habit of watching others instead of themselves, will never see the glory of the kingdom..” (Symb. Code , Vol.4, no.1-3)

“ The atmosphere of selfish and narrow criticism stifle the nobel and generous emotions, can cause men to become self-centered judges and petty spies…” (Mount of Blessing p.177)

“..let us pray that God help us not to judge others; not to look for faults, not to make mountains out of molehills, and not to criticize; not to set ourselves up as criterions. Let us pray that we may know that God has called us to teach the Truth, not to whip people into it.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, no.22,  p.22)

“Now”, say these self-constituted judges, “We have the facts. We will fasten upon them an accusation from which they cannot clear themselves.” They wait for the fitting opportunity, and then produce their bundle of gossip, and bring forth their tidbits.” (Test. for the Church, vol.5, p.95)

“Just because others do not come up to our expectations and ideals, is by no means good reason to condemn them in order to help them. Far from it.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, no.22, p.28)  

“These six things the Lord hates…one who sows discord among the brethren.” (Proverbs 6:19)

In closing, we cannot support this brother’s actions in mounting the judgment seat. Those who consistently find ways to sow discord among us, criticizing, fault-finding, judging,  finger-pointing, advertising their supposed wrongs,  etc. will have to face the Holy One in explaining their actions.  Right now we come to the conclusion that only the Holy Spirit can help at this point, so we ask for your prayers for this brother.But with God nothing is impossible. We are not under any illusion, if the past is any indicator,  these words may possibly fall on deaf ears , but nevertheless we must sound the trumpet of warning and alarm within davidia and Mother(SDA church).

We here at HearYeTheRod ask for your prayers as well, as we try to do His will in these final days. Time is short and we all must forsake  exalting self and credit, and do what we can to help reach Mother.

Taking on the Enemy, A Rebuttal (part 2 of 3)

In part 2 of our series, we continue with our rebuttal. In last week’s post we saw that John Lewis had brought allegations that brother Victor Houteff’s message of reform and revival was satanic.  But we showed that the points he raised did not hold up upon clear and careful scrutiny.

A Challenge Taken Up

This writer agrees with Mr. Houteff’s assertion – accepting this message is a life or death issue. One of the first great and true statements made by this author we’ve seen yet! This writer does not agree with Mr. Houteff, however, as to which class will experience life and which class will experience death. In the second of these letters, he issues a challenge to the elders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, claiming that ‘if this Truth can be refuted, they would not act like mad men,…..but would sit down and refute it, if it is incorrect, as they sit down with all others who disagree with them.’ (Jezreel Letters, No. 2, pg. 3). The purpose of this article is to take up this challenge.

Let us stop here for a moment to state that the author’s insinuated view that the church purification was strictly VTH’s view should be seen as false. With the previous points,  we can clearly see that BOTH EGW and VTH were in harmony with the idea of our Lord’s “church purification”. And we must point out again that  only the “pure upright” ones of God will be permitted to act a part in the Loud Cry, so there must be a purification FIRST before entering the Loud Cry. Again, as we’ve clearly seen, the author’s claims up to this point are a sad and rank deception.

In our study of the Bible, it is critical to rely in no way upon ourselves, but to earnestly seek from our Master an unfolding of His precious truths to our feeble and dull minds.  It is the Holy Ghost that inspired these writings, and only He can reveal their meaning to us (2 Peter 1:20,21). When we come to the prophecies of the Old Testament, we must allow the Bible to interpret itself, and follow the principles set forth by the New Testament writers in applying these truths. Where Mr. Houteff has erred is in not understanding the conditional nature of God’s promises to His people, and in not understanding how these promises to ancient Israel are to be fulfilled for the church.

As we continue to read the following statement by this author, we cannot help but remember the prophecy made by EGW “.. Somebody is the come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say: You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way, let me tell you how to teach your message.” (Test. To Min. p.475) So let us now read how this author “interprets” Scripture, even though he claims that he’s using Scripture to interpret Scripture. This fact is evident by the author’s interpretive comments shown after the Scripture quotes.

Ancient Israel was a literal nation inhabiting literal territory. God gave to them instructions to build a sanctuary that He might dwell among them. He established this nation in a territory that was a crossroads between the two great civilizations of the time (Egypt and Mesopotamia), and gave unto them the commission of reflecting His glory to these civilizations.

God promised to Israel great prosperity for the purpose of fulfilling this commission Through Moses, He promised:

‘The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou are called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.’

Deuteronomy 28:9,10

These same promises were made often to Israel throughout their stay in the promised land and were repeated to them after returning from their captivity in Babylon. Great was the prospect laid out before God’s people! Before them was the privilege of representing the Creator and Redeemer of all mankind to all mankind. God had granted to mortal man the chance of being an instrument of salvation to a lost and otherwise helpless race!

‘Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee’

Zechariah 2:10,11

But the promises of God to ancient Israel regarding prosperity and glory were conditional. Moses made this plain in the quote above and in the following: This is not a true statement as not ALL “prosperity and glory” promises were conditional as we’ll see.Furthermore, Ellen White confirmed that the SDA is the “Israel” of today. (Test. For the Church, vol.5, p.79, Ibid , Vol.9, p.164)

‘Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it; that thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

‘Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage……(for the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee off the face of the earth.’

Deuteronomy 6:1-3,12-15

Sadly, the promises God made to ancient Israel regarding her standing among the nations could not be fulfilled to her, because of her rejection of the conditions God placed before her, because of her desire to be like the nations around her, because of her stubborn refusal to put away from her the hard heart and allow the righteousness of Christ to cover her. What a warning for the people of God today! What a lesson given to us of the folly of following our own wisdom and choosing our own lusts! How much is lost when we lose God!

However, as Paul asserts:

‘The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.’

Romans 11:29

That is, God will not repent of the promises that He made to His people in the Old Testament. He is bound to fulfill them. It was not God that failed in His promises. How often He would have gathered them as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But they would not (Matthew 23:37). How, though, will He fulfill these promises? Jesus, before His final rejection by the nation of Israel, made this bold statement to her leaders:

‘Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’

Matthew 21:43

Israel was no longer to enjoy the privilege of being called by the name of the Lord. They were no longer to have committed to them the sacred responsibility of delivering the oracles of God to the world. This was to be given to another nation. Peter, in his epistle to the Gentile churches, makes plain who that nation is:

‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.’

1 Peter 2:9

The kingdom of God was taken from ancient Israel and given to the Christian church. The promises that were given to ancient Israel apply now to the church (see Galatians 3:29). Yes they do indeed(SDA). And the literal promise of the kingdom in Israel as well will be fulfilled. EGW statements affirm this. However, unlike ancient Israel, the church is not a literal nation, but a spiritual nation scattered across the world. Unlike ancient Israel, the church does not have a sanctuary it built on earth in which God dwells, but a sanctuary in heaven constructed by God Himself (Hebrews 8:1,2). Unlike ancient Israel, the church does not have an inheritance of territory here on this earth, but, rather, looks for one to come:These statements crumble like sand once we read and understand the OT prophecies, showing a nation of Israel to be literally brought back and formed in the Holy land. Further quotes will be clear on this point.

‘Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.’

2 Peter 3:13

Jesus taught plainly that the nature of His kingdom was spiritual, and not literal as it was with ancient Israel:

‘Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from thence.’

John 18:36

Because of the different natures of the Old Testament kingdom and the New Testament kingdom, all the details of the promises given to ancient Israel cannot apply to the church.

Let us now look at what our prophetess said “That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today. He has “let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen,” even to His covenant keeping people, who faithfully “render Him the fruits in their seasons.” Never has the Lord been without true representatives on this earth who have made His interests their own. These witnesses for God are numbered among the spiritual Israel, and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises made by Jehovah to His ancient people.” (Prophets and Kings, p.713-714)

Inspiration’s Examples of Interpretation

The Bible does not leave us without examples of interpreting the Old Testament prophecies in the light of the spiritual nature of God’s kingdom today. If we are to let the Bible interpret itself, we must follow in the precedent set for us by its writers. Only then can the glorious truth of Christ’s kingdom have the intended effect upon our hearts and minds. Only when it is God Himself who opens up to our understanding the jewels in His word can we see all that He has done for us, and our hearts may be filled with abundant thankfulness, rather than pride and self-dependency.

Example 1

In the book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39, God gave a vision to the prophet of a time when the nation of Gog, from the land of Magog, will come against the nation of Israel with the intention of plundering her and taking her spoil. This campaign will be witnessed by many nonparticipating nations (Sheba, Dedan and Tarshish; see 38: 13, 16, 23 and 39:7). Other nations will join Gog in this attempt, such as Persia, Ethiopia and Libya. However, God promised to protect His people and glorify His name among the heathen by destroying the surrounding armies and by leaving alive a sixth of them (39:2,7). These armies will be scattered on the mountains and their corpses will cause a stink throughout the land (39:11).

However, Israel never reached the goal that God had set for her after her Babylonian captivity, and this campaign of Gog never took place. How is this prophecy to be fulfilled? The book of Revelation gives us the answer:

‘And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.’

Revelation 20:7-9

This prophecy finds its fulfillment after the 1,000 year period spoken of inRevelation 20. This statement does not hold up upon close scrutiny as will be seen by VTH’s explanation.At that time, all that had ever lived and had rejected the plea of God to accept salvation will be resurrected. Satan will deceive them into thinking that they can take the city New Jerusalem and plunder it. But as they surround the city, God convinces all of them of their ungodly deeds (Jude 14,15, Revelation 20:11,12), and consumes them with fire from heaven. Take note that not all of the details mentioned above in the prophecy of Ezekiel regarding Gog and Magog will apply to its final fulfillment. There will be no nation (or soul for that matter) that will not be participating in this event; there will be not one survivor among the invaders; there will be no corpses, but the invaders will be reduced to ashes when consumed by the fire from God out of heaven.

Let us now look at brother Houteff’s writings concerning this subject. You will note that it is in direct opposition of the interpretations of this author.

Ezek. 38:1, 2 — “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.”

   Gog is here said to be the chief prince, the king of Meshech and Tubal.  These two cities, Meshech and Tubal were anciently situated in Asia, south of the Black Sea, where the Turkish Empire now is.

Ezek. 38:8 — “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.”

   The “many days” after which Gog is visited are the thousand years.  The latter days in which Israel return to their land, and the time in which Gog shall go against them are premillennial.

Ezek. 38:9 — “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”

   The expression, to “ascend, and come like a storm,” suggests that these things are to take place in the time of the airplane.

Ezek. 38:10-12 — “Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.  To take a spoil, and to take a prey;

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to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”

  As the land of Israel shall have no visible human protection whatsoever, it will appear to Gog that he should have no difficulty robbing the people of the land.

Ezek. 38:13 — “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?  hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey?  to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?”

  These neighboring countries and people that ask Gog to tell them his mission, evidently are not allied with him.

Ezek. 38:14-17 — “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: and thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.  Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?”

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  Clearly, this Kingdom of Israel is set up in the latter days, in the days before the millennium, for after the Kingdom is set up, Gog opens war against It.  Indeed, this cannot be after the millennium, for then all the nations from the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog with them, shall encompass, not the mountains of Israel, but the new Jerusalem.  Furthermore at that time the slain shall not be buried but burned to ashes (Rev. 20:9, 10; Mal. 4:1).

Ezek. 38:23 — “Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Ezek. 39:1-7 — “Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: and I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: and I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.  Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.  Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.  And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.  So will I make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let them pollute My holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.”

   Gog, you see, shall fail to rob God’s people.  He will instead perish in the mountains of Israel.

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 4 19

Ezek. 39:8-15 — “Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken.  And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord God. 

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The Valley of Hamon-gog.  And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.  Yea, all the people of the land sall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.  And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.  And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog.”

  As these verses need no comment, we pass on to

Ezek. 39:22-29 — “So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward.  And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 4 20

trespassed against Me, therefore hid I My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.  According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid My face from them.  Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.  When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.  Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My Sprit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.”

   I do not know of any chapters in the Bible that are more explicit than these chapters of Ezekiel.  They need no interpretation whatsoever.  But in spite of it the Denomination ignores them as though they were not in the Bible.  And even now, rather than teaching the soon fulfillment of these chapters, the setting up of the Kingdom, the ministers are doing all they can to confuse the laity and to enshroud the Scriptures in mystery!  So there is evidence upon evidence that the angel of the church of the Laodiceans is blind, and yet knows it not.

   Now at this crossroad, the eternal destiny of all God’s servants is to be settled.  Now they must take either the step that Paul was forced to take on the way

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to Damascus, or the step that Judas took in the upper room after the Master washed his feet.  This is, you see, not man’s talk; it is God’s, the Bible’s.

   You are now given the opportunity to be a Daniel, a Job, a Stephen, a Luther, a Miller, or a White.  I hope that none of you choose to be a scribe or a Pharisee.  They were geniuses to find fault, but too stupid to see Truth.  Such you know have never led anyone into Truth, but have ever kept even whole nations away from It.  They are geniuses at their wicked profession.

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Example 2

God showed to the prophet Amos a time when he will restore Israel to the status it attained under His servant David:

‘In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will build up the ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may posses the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this’

Amos 9:11,12

In this prophecy, God promises to return Israel to the pinnacle it reached under the kingship of David and Solomon. This Amos quote appears to hold a double application which on some occasions Ellen White speaks with doctrinal emphasis. She gives a double application to Matthew 24:4-14 as New Testament writers did for Old Testament prophecies.(See Desire of Ages, p.628-633)In tracing the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, she makes specific applications, especially in reference to Daniel 7-9 and Revelation 6-17.

At that time, Israel was at its height. It had conquered the surrounding nations and brought them under subjugation, it had great wealth and fame spread throughout the world.David’s son Solomon was known for the divine wisdom that he had requested from God. The Lord was glorified in the earth through the comeliness He had imparted to His people. But, sadly, beginning with Solomon, Israel began to turn back on Him. And all that was gained under David was eventually lost. If ancient Israel chose to be faithful to Him, this prophecy given through Amos would have been fulfilled to them. David’s kingdom could have been restored as it was ‘in the days of old’. But, in rejecting Christ, Israel rejected the kingdom of God. ‘He came unto His own, and His own received Him not’ (John 1:11).

How, then is this prophecy to be fulfilled? We find this answered in the first ‘general conference’ mentioned in the Bible. In Acts 15, a session was called to address an issue that came up as a result of Gentiles joining the church. After much debate, the apostle James, who was presiding over the meeting, stood up and spoke to the assembly. He pointed out that this prophecy given to Amos had been fulfilled in Christ. Notice, however, in his recitation of the passage, how he applies the details:

‘And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon had declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. and to this agree the words of the prophets as it is written, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things ‘

Acts 15:13-17

According to James, Christ, in taking upon Himself our humanity, born in the lineage of David, in taking upon Himself our judgment at the cross, and in being raised again from the dead to minister for mankind in the tabernacle above, has rebuilt the tabernacle of David. In applying this passage to a spiritual, rather than a literal, kingdom, James did not include all of the details. This Amos quote appears to hold a double application which on some occasions Ellen White speaks with doctrinal emphasis supporting such applications. For example she gives a double application to Matthew 24:4-14 as New Testament writers did for Old Testament prophecies.(See Desire of Ages, p.628-633) In tracing the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, she makes specific applications, especially in reference to Daniel 7-9 and Revelation 6-17.

One of the phrases that James omits in his recounting of this prophecy is the phrase ‘I will build it as in the days of old’. We find that this same “omission” point is similar for Sunday keepers against us Adventists. We have had to deal with the Sunday keepers omission logic, i.e  9 of the 10 Commandments are affirmed in New Testament but not the Sabbath, then they say, “It’s omitted! Therefore the Sabbath is a non-issue” John Lewis tries to use the same argument.The tabernacle of David is not to be set up as it was with ancient Israel; in the Middle East, in Mount Zion. The king presiding over the kingdom was not to be a mere mortal man, one in need of sacrifices for sins like all of his subjects. This kingdom was not to go to war with the nation of Edom and the other Gentile (heathen) nations and possess their territories. But, rather than this, the new tabernacle is established in heaven, far from any danger of the enemy’s approaches. Its King is ‘holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens’ (Hebrews 7:26), ‘which in His times He shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto’ (1 Timothy 6:15,16). Furthermore, the Gentiles, rather than being physically conquered, will ‘seek after the Lord’ when the tabernacle is built. This author’s interpretation is negated according to Scripture and clear reasoning, as evidenced by the following–

Jeremiah 30:3:

“For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it”

Now you may be saying, “Now wait a minute, are we saying that we’ll be going back to Palestine?” Well the Bible did say that, that God’s people would one day return back to the land that He gave to their fathers. That land is of course the promise land.

You say, “Now wait a minute, that cannot be.” Well the Bible says that. Well perhaps you may say, “Well that happened in Jeremiah’s day” Well it is true that in Jeremiah’s day He predicted that the Jewish people would return back to Jerusalem, from Babylon. You remember they were in captivity for 70 years and after that captivity, they were allowed to return back to their homeland. That is Palestine, Canaan. And there in that land they once again established themselves as a nation. That is true. It did happen in Jeremiah’s day. However this prophecy calls for all 12 tribes to return.Both Israel and Judah. All 12 tribes. In Jeremiah’s day, the 10 tribes did not exist as a nation. They had been scattered well over a hundred years prior to that. In fact they were scattered in 721 BC. And God’s people the Jews had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem at around 536 BC. So itshows that this is not talking about Jeremiah’s time. Author John Lewis should explain the reasoning bro. Houteff makes here about the 12 tribes returning. We’d like to hear it.

Let’s take a look at Jer 30:24;

“The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart:in the latter days ye shall consider it.“

The prophecy that Jeremiah made here is not talking about is not talking about his day, but is actually talking about our time. The latter days. In the days of these kings Daniel says. In the latter days, Jeremiah says.

Thus we see very clearly that this prophecy begins with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Church of the last days. And we just read from inspiration, that all the covenant promises that were made to ancient Israel are to be fulfilled with us today. That is what the Bible says. As strange and new as it may sound, this is what the Bible says. Israel and Judah are to one day go back to the land that He gave to the fathers.

Now why would God want His people back there? Well to fulfill His promise. The promise that He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Israel. He vowed to them that He would have a kingdom. Now you know why the disciples asked Jesus will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? They could not just shove those prophecies aside. They understood that it must be fulfilled. Because God promised it. And Jesus told them it was not for them to know the times. But in the latter days, Jeremiah proclaims it to be. God does not make a mistake. He is always right.

And you might still have another question to be asked and rightly so. The question is…

Are not these promises conditional? Because the Jews rejected Christ therefore the prophecies would not be fulfilled.

The answer is, these promises are not conditional. They are not conditional promises. Of course what God says may be conditional to us as an individual, that may be so, but collectively, God is saying prophetically, that There will be a people, There will be a Kingdom, in Palestine, prior to the coming of our Lord in the Latter days. That’s what the Bible says. You see there are no conditions here brothers and sisters. None whatsoever. In fact Jer. chap. 33 says

Jer 33:25: Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

26: Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

And vs

14: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

You see a condition means that someone must do something in order for something else to be done in response. The Bible says IT WILL HAPPEN.

The Lord speaketh and it must come to pass. Look atJeremiah 23:5-8

5: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6: In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

7: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8: But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Vs 20: The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts. The above makes it solidly understood that NO CONDITIONS are placed on His statements and promises. The time of Christ’s return the only tribe that ‘returned” was Judah, the lost 10 tribe Israel has never returned to Jerusalem , as His word says will happen.

The apostle James gives us here a beautiful insight into how we are to look at the promises and predictions of the Old Testament. The center of all scripture is the Son of God. Its purpose is to testify of Him (John 5:39). Christ, according to Gabriel, was not only going to ‘make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,’, but to, as well, ‘seal up the vision and prophecy’ (Daniel 9:24). That spirit which does not focus on the gospel of Christ in its unfolding of the word of God is not from God. Again the claim is made, and the specific intent of understanding by this author is that Victor Houteff was serving Satan in his work. Has it held up to this point? Absolutely not.

Example 3

God revealed to the prophet Joel of a time when He will restore to the nation those things that were lost to its enemies in the plundering they suffered at their hands. When this restoration takes place, and Israel acknowledged that the Lord alone is God, He shared to Joel the following promise:

‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.’

Joel 2:28-32

This promise found its fulfillment, not to ancient Israel, but to the New Testament church on the day of Pentecost While the apostles were speaking to the visitors to Jerusalem in their own native tongues, some accused the apostles of being drunk. Peter stood up and stated that these men were not drunk,….

‘But this is that which is spoken by the prophet Joel;’ [Joel 2:28-31 quoted]’And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words.’

Acts 2:16-22

Did you notice where Peter stopped in his quotation from the prophet Joel? He did not include in the application of this prophecy the detail ‘in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance’. Why? Because the fulfillment of this prophecy is through a spiritual kingdom whose government’s headquarters is not found on earth, in Jerusalem below, but in heaven above, where its King sits at the right hand of God on the throne of grace. Again the author interjects his interpretation as to the motives of Peter. This Joel quote appears to have a double application because if we continue to read the rest of the Joel chapter we read about “..in those days and at that time…(Joel 3:1) What time? It says the time will be when — “I will gather ALL nations and bring them to the valley of Jehoshaphat;and I will enter judgment with them there..” However let us be clear here, these Amos and Joel quotes are but just the beginning of a vast amount of evidence of the physical restoration of the pre-millennial kingdom from Scripture(ie. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezek. etc)

Example 4

One last example should suffice to show how inspiration views today the promises given to ancient Israel. Through Isaiah, God pledged to make Jerusalem a fruitful and prosperous city, even though it was soon to suffer destruction at the hands of Babylon. This vow is expressed beautifully in terms of a childless woman who mourns her inability to give birth:

‘Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.’

Isaiah 54:1

Despite the fact that God was committed to keep this promise to Jerusalem, her inhabitants refused the gift He gave to them in His Son. As a result, their ‘house was left unto’ them ‘desolate’ (Matthew 23:38). Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, shows, however, how this promise applies to the Christian church. In this application is also a warning to those who still look to literal Jerusalem. Such, he claims, are still in bondage and have not known the freedom that is theirs in Christ.

In referring to Abraham’s two wives (Sarah and Hagar) as an allegory of the two covenants, Paul states the following:

‘For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.’

Galatians 4:25-27

While the promise, when it was originally given through the prophet Isaiah, was given to ‘Jerusalem which now is’, because the kingdom of God was taken from her, it now applies today to ‘Jerusalem which is above’.

These are only a few of the many examples that can be shown from the Word of God as to how to interpret Old Testament prophecy. These are enough to demonstrate the conditional nature of these promises and the manner in which they are to be viewed today.

Let us look at the opposing view of Isaiah 54:1 from brother Houteff.

 

Isa. 54:1 — “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.”

   Two women are here brought to view: One is barren, and the other is not.  The barren woman is encouraged to break forth into singing, for she is promised to have many more children than the one who is having children.  To learn who these women are, let us turn to the fourth chapter of Galatians.

   “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.” Gal. 4:22-24.

   The Apostle Paul reminds us that Abraham had two wives and two sons.  We all know the story, that when God called Abraham to depart from his country and to go to an unknown land, God promised to give him a son.  Something like twenty-five years passed by and still the arrival of a son was not in sight.  Sarah was then about ninety years old (Gen. 17:17).  During those years of Abraham’s and Sarah’s waiting for a son, Hagar became Abraham’s wife and through her Ishmael was born.  Sarah, therefore, is the desolate woman (put aside), and Hagar is the one who has an husband.  Accordingly Isaiah 54:1 is allegorically speaking of these two women and their children.  As to what the allegory is about, the Apostle explains:–

   “For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal. 4:25, 26.

   Agar symbolizes Jerusalem, the city of the Jews, the born after the flesh, whereas Sarah symbolizes Jerusalem that is to come, the city of the “born again,” the children of the promise.

   “For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.  Nevertheless what saith the scripture?  Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” Gal. 4:27-31.

   Inspiration makes clear that allegorically Hagar and her son, Ishmael, represent the church in the Old Testament period, and that Sarah and her son, Isaac, represent the church in the New Testament period.  The membership of the Old Testament church was indeed of the flesh, for it was made up of whosoever was born from the stock of Jacob; but the members of the New Testament church, especially the ones here projected, are persons who have by the Spirit of Truth been converted to Christ.  And as it was impossible for Isaac to have been born by the will of the flesh, just so impossible it is for these children of the Spirit of Truth to be born by the will of men.

   God’s reason for the delay in fulfilling His promise to Sarah, therefore, is very obvious: He was writing both history and prophecy by the life of Abraham’s family.  He caused Ishmael’s birth by delaying the birth of Isaac. Ishmael, therefore, the type of the Hebrews, the children after the flesh, preceded Isaac, the type of the Christians, the children of the promise.

   Our greatest interest, however, is to know the time in which Isaiah 54 finds its entire fulfillment and the generation to which its allegorical prophecy especially applies, to know whether it was written especially for the benefit of the early Christian church, for the church in the Middle Ages, or for the church in our time.  Since none of the New Testament writers comment except on the first verse of Isaiah 54, obviously the chapter was not written especially for the people at that time.  Moreover, verse fourteen further proves the time to which the prophecy applies.

   “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.” Isa. 54:14.

   The promise to this later section of the Christian church is that she shall be far from oppression (be not ruled by another people); that terror will not come near her; and that she will have no need to fear.  In view of the fact that the church heretofore has never been free from any of these, logic rules that she is yet to realize these promises.  Hence, the generation to which this chapter is addressed, the church that is to receive these promises is not in the past, but in the future.  And the fact that Inspiration now for the first time unseals these long concealed promises, and now brings them to attention, makes them “meat in due season,” the truth is obvious: The church, after this announcement has done its work, is soon to merge into this glorious period of time.  Furthermore, verse fifteen says:

   “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.” Isa. 54:15.

   Here she is warned that her enemies will gather together against her, but not by the Lord.  They will, therefore, not prosper, but will fall for her sake.  Her enemies will never again be able to carry any of her members into captivity, not into prison, or in flames of fire, nor into dens of beasts — she is never again to see the Assyrian or the Chaldeans prosper against her; neither is she any more to suffer the persecutions by the Jews and by the Romans.  All of these are now in the past and their re-occurrence will have no effect on her.

   “Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 54:16, 17.

 This concludes part 2.

Taking On The Enemy, A Rebuttal (Part 1 of 3)

God’s word is clear, we are either with Him or against Him  Some will become more  blatant and seek to defeat the plans of the Lord. In 2 Tim.4:3, we read, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Such is the case, we believe with the following report made by a “John Lewis”, who has tried to refute the Shepherd’s Rod message, chiefly the Jezreel letters. We decided to refute his report and to point out that his whole report is on shifting sand, and does not hold up when looked at closely.

Who Is The Shepherd That Holds The Rod? (by John Lewis)

 

Note – We shall respond to this report as follows. Our responses will be in BLUE. Ellen White quotes shall be in PINK . Victor Houteff’s quotes shall be in RED. Comments where the author John Lewis says something we think is important or needs highlighted, they are in highlighted BLACK. His other comments are in regular BLACK. Misc. comments are in BROWN.

We made comments when we saw a point or points that the author, John Lewis, attempts to make that we felt were false or mis-leading and needed to be  addressed.

Introduction

When our faithful High Priest ascended to the heavens, He did not leave His purchased possession unattended. Throughout the ages He has come to His people, graciously granting them indispensable light through His chosen instruments. At the same time, however, there is another power whose purpose has been to infiltrate the church and bring her into bondage, and destroy the vessel that Christ has ordained to be the candle to shine His glory to a dark and dismal world. This purpose is sought for through instruments that often are unaware of the character of their workings. Indeed, as we near the close of this world’s history, many are arising claiming to have light from above for the people of God today. This light is put forth as essential for the cause of Christ, and essential for our salvation. Here we see that this author’s claim is that the message brought by brother Houteff was Satanic, and if found to be wrong, would be quite blasphemous and there would be need of repentance from this author . A very bold statement indeed, let us see if this is substantiated.

One group that has brought this claim forth consistently, zealously and with great earnest is The Shepherd’s Rod. The Shepherd’s Rod has its beginnings in the 1930’s with a member a Seventh-day Adventist church in California named Victor T. Houteff. Mr. Houteff introduced ideas to his fellow members regarding last day events during Sabbath school classes. These ideas were rejected by the congregation and, after confronting him and failing to persuade him to drop them, they dropped his name from membership. In rejecting his teachings, Mr. Houteff believed that the church was rejecting the very message that God had given it through him.This is a rather broad and somewhat misleading statement because it was the leaders that generally rejected VTH’s message (although one conference leader totally accepted it) as proven from the fact that there was popularity for brother Houteff’s prophecy courses, as shown here– 

“The enemies of the message then left nothing unturned in their search for something against me, rather than to make sure that they were not turning down Truth.  They tried every hook and crook to pin something on me and to stop my activities, but found nothing and as a rule about 30 members of the church stayed in my special meetings each Sabbath afternoon.  Then came the time that the elders of the church refused to let us use the church for our meetings, and they made us all get out. 

But one of the sisters who was living in a big house right across from the church offered her place for the meetings, and there was a great uproar among the people around the church premises.  Some were for us and some were against us.  Soit was that the house across from the church was filled that afternoon and many listened from the outside through the windows.  The enemies failed to break up our meetings, and the victory was ours.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 35– 22 )

Mr. Houteff’s efforts were not without fruit. He gained a small following and, with them, moved to Waco, Texas. This small group adopted the name The Shepherd’s Rod. Much literature was published by this group through the years and distributed throughout Adventist churches in hopes of spreading its peculiar messages.

Mr. Houteff asserted that he was a prophet ordained of God and assumed the roleof Jezreel. The main prophet status that bro. Houteff himself understood , was that of his Elijah calling(Mal. 4:5)The role of Jezreel was a secondary application. Jezreel was commissioned by God to ‘plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.’ (Hosea 2:2,3).

As Jezreel, Mr. Houteff pleaded with the church to turn away from error and accept the light purportedly given to him by God. Again, as the Elijah to come, he pleaded and called out to the leaders and laity, that a reformation was needed to straighten the church from its Laodicean condition and it’s steady retreating towards Egypt. This is the first point that should be clear. Brother Houteff’s call for reformation (Dress reform, diet reform, worship and sanctuary reform, etc. ) is very well-known through out his writings (at least to the people who have read them and not bits and pieces of them as it appears the author has done). So on this point so far, to call this work of reform -Satanic, is found seriously wanting and a base deception.

Some of the many publications generated by The Shepherd’s Rod include a group of Mr. Houteff’s letters sent to the church titled ‘The Jezreel Letters’.These were the last of brother Houteff’s writings, but they are only a small portion of his writings. In these letters (in which he consistently addresses himself as V.H. Jezreel), Mr. Houteff expounds on a doctrine he calls ‘the Judgment for the living’, sharing many quotes from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy to support his views. These letters were initially published in 1953 and, in 1990, were republished by The Universal Publishing Association in Exeter, Missouri. We are not familiar with these “republished” 1990 writings from this group. However if there is ANYTHING added or subtracted from the original writings we would reject it in total. For the faction of the original Shepherd’s Rod that operates out of Exeter, these letters are considered inspired of God. For all factions of the Davidians, the belief is that brother Houteff was inspired and as such , a prophet, and in fact the last one (Mal. 4:5).

The purpose of this article is to address the pertinent issues brought out in The Jezreel Letters. If Mr. Houteff was indeed inspired of God, if his message to the churchfinds its origin in heaven, it behooves every Seventh-day Adventist to study it out carefully and heed the beckoning brought forth by him. This statement we find asolid true one – let’s study ourselves to be approved. In these perilous days, when our Savior in heaven is committed to preparing His people on earth to fully reflect His precious love and beneficence to the whole world, we cannot do without any beam of light shining forth from the throne of grace. If, on the other hand, Mr. Houteff was not inspired of God, we must shun his teachings as demonic, camaflogued in heaven-like garments; a snare to all that accept them. The purpose of this article is to determine if, indeed, Mr. Houteff was led by our merciful Savior in his endeavors to teach the church; to ascertain if ‘the Judgment for the living’ message is truly light from heaven; to find outwho is the shepherd that holds The Rod. Amen, let us look at the truth as said by the prophets. Weigh the evidence carefully and fully.

The Judgment For The Living

No message should be accepted or condemned without first carefully and prayerfully scrutinizing it, and understanding its claims and its basis. Amen, true. When Mr. Houteff expounds on his views regarding last day events, he does not fail to supply ample texts from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. The following pages attempt to explain Mr. Houteff’s message regarding the end of the world and how he seeks to support these views from inspired writings. This portion of this article does not necessarily reflect the views of the writer. Its purpose is to expound on Mr. Houteff’s teachings.

What is ‘the Judgment of the living’? According to Mr. Houteff, God will purify His church by slaughtering the unfaithful Adventists, separating the righteous from those who have rejected His truth . We must point out that VTH pointed out several times that the Shepherd’s Rod message he brought was largely based on EGW and Scripture. So let’s look at SOP and see what she says about this church purification.

“The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet’s illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. “And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (Test. For the Church, vol.3, p.266-267)

What do we see from the above? Ellen White calls the “closing work” and the “last work” FOR THE CHURCH as the time of —- “the sealing time of the 144,000.” Then she connects this closing and last work with Ezekiel 9 (the church purification). Now, look at this most powerful statement from EGW. “The sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown Ezekiel in vision. John also had been a witness of this most startling revelation.” (Test. To Min. p.445) Again we see that when the sealing of the 144,000 takes place, the solemn work of Ezekiel 9 happens(Church judgment-purification). Now we ask you, is this idea about the church purification originate from VTH? Of course not , it BEGAN WITH EGW! Also the closing work CANNOT be for the “world’s” churchs as the EGW timeline clearly shows in further references.

Those that are left will number 144,000.These will go to Jerusalem and finish the gospel work in the world, bringing in a rich harvest of souls before Jesus comes again.

How does he support this idea? In the ninth chapter of the book of Ezekiel, a vision is given to the prophet regarding the people of God and how His judgment will be brought upon them. This vision is one of many used by Mr. Houteff to support this message of ‘the Judgment of the living’. Again the author conveniently ignores the source which VTH got this from –EGW. As we progress in our rebuttal it will become clearer that EGW and VTH were on the same page as to the last day events, and the Ezekiel vision being found squarely in the end time scenario.

‘He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side; and they went in and stood beside the brasen altar….And the LORD said unto them, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others He said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.’

Ezekiel 9:1-6

After reading the authors quote concerning Ezekiel 9, let’s look at further writings from EGW (Vol. 3,p267) “Mark this point with care: Those who receive thepure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.”

As many of us serious EGW students know, when the prophetess said words like “Mark this point with care” we must be sure to pay close attention as this is extremely important message from the Lord. Who do we see that get’s the sealing mark? ONLY those who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the church! What sealing mark? The Ezekiel vision of the “man in linen”, the one who marks or seals. So all one must do, is put the writings together to see that EGW confirms the exact message brother Houteff makes in his writings-SIGH AND CRY. As we who have studied VTH’s writing IN FULL and not just the small portion of Jezreel writings know, VTH’s message was that we must sigh and cry and reform in order to get the seal of God. Again, to say that his sigh and cry message is from Satan is deception of the worst kind. So far we’ve seen two strong points of VTH’s message that is supported by EGW, that this author has mis-represented.

Here’s more confirmation of the church purification that the author conveniently left out “…But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true.  In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel.  The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor…. “Testimonies,” Vol. 5, pp. 80, 81.

“The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: “Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.” {5T 211.1}Here we see that the church–the Lord’s sanctuary–was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.”

The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus “Peace and safety” is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions

and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together.”{5T 211.2}

As can be seen in this passage, God revealed to Ezekiel a plan to pour out His wrath upon His people at Jerusalem. According to Mr. Houteff, this prophecy will be fulfilled in the last days. Not only according to VTH but as we have seen above– to EGW as well. Christ will send His angels to slaughter those in the Adventist faith (Jerusalem) who have not lived up to the light given by God to the church. This slaughter will begin with the ministry (the ancient men). Since this is taking place in Jerusalem, then the application of this prophecy today must be restricted to the church.

In the third chapter of the book of Malachi, we read:

‘Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide in the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness….And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from the right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.’

Malachi 3:1-3,5

According to Mr. Houteff, this refers to a time when God will come to His church (the temple) and ‘purify’ it, that is, to remove from it all that are unfaithful. This purification process is the judgment meted out to the unrighteous, and it refers particularly to the ministry (the sons of Levi). It is after this that the offering of the ministry is acceptable to God.

Let us look at some direct words from VTH on this matter – “And through the prophet Malachi we are told that the Lord will beforehand send a messenger, and that after he prepares the way, the Lord will suddenly come to His temple (the church) for no reason other than to purify it, especially to purify the sons of Levi, the ministry.  See Malachi 3:1-3.  Then, says the Spirit of Prophecy, “Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it [Third Angel’s Message] when it shall have swelled into the Loud Cry.” — “The Review and Herald,” Nov. 19, 1908. “ (Jezreel letter no. 2, page 4)

Notice how he ties in the fact that EGW states that “ONLY those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted..” to the church purification in Mal, 3. How can it be that the corrupted leaders and members in our church will remove themselves from taking part in proclaiming the Loud Cry? The straight answer is—they will not. The only way this removal can happen is “The Lord will take the reins into His own hands and thoroughly purge His floor” (Test. To Min. P.300 and Ibid, p.80-81) Do we honestly think that our SDA church leaders, who have approved SDA hospitals around the world to provide abortions (it’s still ongoing right now), who have also agreed to join the World Council of Churches and it’s worldly practices, among other grievous sins , will step down and thus not permit themselves to be part of God’s Loud Cry, the time when the church will have God’s FULL outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon it (miracles, signs, wonders, etc.)? If we do, we are hopelessly ignorant. Something must be done and it can only be accomplished by the direct hand of the Lord.

Just look at VTH’s summation of our current status as a church  “

“What a privilege and what an opportunity is now ours! Look and see what a difference there is between God’s method for supporting His work, and the Roman system that is now carried on by the church: plate-passing, high-powered speeches, Big Day, Book Day, high pressuring, campaigning, selling, auctioneering, Harvest Ingathering, birthday offerings, Christmas-tree hangings, baby weighings, Dorcas sales, investment funds, and what not!  As none of these squeezings are Biblical, and as all of them are Pagan in origin and condemned by the Scriptures, they could not possibly be considered freewill offerings. Search and see.

   Instead of Sabbath-keeping the day is devoted to money raising, and instead of a house of worship, the church is turned into a den of thieves — disgusting to observers, and most discouraging for a member to invite a friend or a neighbor to a church service.  Is there any wonder that God does not now bring many into the church (“Testimonies,” Vol. 6, p. 371) (Jezreel Letter, no.9 , p.7)

In addition, Mr. Houteff asserts that the harvest of Christ’s parable of the wheat and the tares and the separation of fish in the parable of the fishermen (Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43, 47-50) refers to this ‘purification’ as well. In reference to ‘the field’ of the former parable, Ellen White states that ‘we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world’ (Christ’s Object Lessons, pg. 70). The scope, then, of these parables is the church, and not the entire world. So, when the angels gather the wicked to be burned, they are gathering the unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists.

One of the passages that Mr. Houteff quotes often in support of his view is found in the last chapter of Isaiah:

‘For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations…to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations…to my holy mountain Jerusalem.’

Isaiah 66:15-20

Regarding this passage, Mr. Houteff shares the following view. ‘Since the slaughter predicted by the prophet Isaiah takes place among those who profess to be sanctified and purified (falsely believe to have need of nothing more), and since those who escape from among them are sent to the Gentiles to preach the Gospel, five distinct and supremely important points stand out plainly: (1) since the victims of the slaughter are those who against their God-given knowledge indulge in swine’s flesh and other abominations, and since those who escape are versed enough in the Gospel to be sent to preach it to the Gentiles, the slaughter, therefore, is seen to take place in the Church; (2) those who escape, according to Ezekiel, are those who sigh and cry against the abominations, and thus receive the mark of deliverance; (3) since they are sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles after they escape the slaughter, they are “the remnant”, those who are left, the future servants of God; (4) since they are to gather from the Gentiles all their brethren, all who can possibly be saved, they are the ones who finish the gospel work in the world; (5) since there are two separations – one from the church (Israelites), and one from the Gentiles – those who escape and those who are gathered in – then the former are the first fruits and the latter are the second fruits. ‘ (Jezreel Letters, No. 2, pg. 3).

Mr. Houteff associates these two gatherings with the vision John received in Revelation 7, in which two separate and distinct groups are brought to view. The first is the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel (the church); the second is a group ‘which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds and peoples and tongues’ (Revelation 7:9). The 144,000 survive the slaughter in the church and gathers in the latter group before Christ returns. As we have read Isaiah 66:15-20, we find that there is perfect alignment in the end time events—purification first then the ‘escaped’ (from Ezek.9)going to work in the Babylon world to bring in the great multitude.

Revelation 14:1 depicts the 144,000 on Mt. Zion with the Lamb. Mr. Houteff expounds on this vision in the following quote. ‘Since there is but one Mount Zion and one Jerusalem on earth, and since every prophet of the Bible predicts that the gathering of the people is their returning to the Promised Land, the land which God gave to their fathers, then the first fruits, the 144,000, are the first to return. Thus it is that it shall come to pass in the last days “that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth out of Zion, and Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Micah 4:1,2.’ (Jezreel Letters, No. 3, pg. 3).

Though these texts do not make up the entire list of passages that have been used by Mr. Houteff to support his ideas, they do sufficiently show why he believed as he did.

Mr. Houteff claimed that this message of ‘the Judgment of the living’ is the last message to be given to the church. Again go back and read the words “last work” and “closing work” and see that it is connected to the church purification at the time of the sealing of the 144,0000, located in the EGW quote in Test. For the Church, vol.3 p.266-267. And if this purification takes place upon God’s church before the Loud Cry, would not our Lord had to have “judged” those worthy to be permitted to take part in that Loud Cry?Hence the judgment for the living begins in God’s house (church). Receiving this message as light from heaven, receiving him as the messenger sent of God to prepare His way before Him, is a life or death issue. Yes, this is true. The message of Elijah as brought by VTH was/is our present truth for today, and is also known as the “sealing message”. To deny VTH and his Elijah message is, many believe, to deny Christ.

 This concludes part 1 of 3. As can be clearly seen John Lewis’ claim that brother Houteff is in error is an error itself  at this point. We shall see on the next post  if he can bring some solid points against the Shepherd’s Rod message.

Deception Of The Worst Kind

Recently we were saddened by the discovery of an email going around in Davidia from an anonymous source. Apparently they choose to hide from the public. Instead of facing up to who they are so that people can see from whom these allegations come , secretness and guile is used by them. This should tip us off that something less than a Christian spirit is at work here.

“Everyone  who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (John 3:20)

That being said we would like to address their allegations. Let us start with their main points of contention. We “stole” their study material for two reports. The Special Resurrection Report and the Symbolic Codes Report. Let’s start with the latter first.

It is a very well known fact among Davidia, that in the mid 1990’s  two men, Lennox Sam and Michael Graham, discovered some glaring contradictions within the “new codes” or more correctly known as the unpublished codes. They then spread their teachings around Davidia in hopes of awaking the people to the need to resign the unpublished codes to their rightful place. They highlighted the well known contradictions, that we in Davidia are well aware of.

In the  email, the allegation is made that we stole these studies from Eric Edstrom, who has the whyperish site mentioned in the email. Now, let’s get this right. How is it that Edstrom originated these studies when he didn’t come into the Shepherd’s Rod message until AFTER the aforementioned brothers made their studies known years before? Let’s ponder this.

What is the obvious conclusion here? Is not the email deceptive in that it claims Edstrom has the title to these studies when in fact he did not originally come up with them himself? One shouldn’t have to wonder  where Edstrom himself got the study from. It’s quite obvious. Additonally, did Eric Edstrom give any credit to the above said parties in his reports? At least we certianly didn’t see any on their video presentations on the new codes.

He mentioned on the video that they were given a CD in 2007 concerning the contradictions on the new codes and were then “shocked”. Who made that CD? Where is those authors credit?Obviously the basis for the whyperish studies are from that CD and/or those authors literature.  See how silly this whole thing is. Once we start playing the “where’s my credit?” game we can get into a spiral downward to carnal selfishness and covetness.

We think the above lays to rest their deceitful claim on point one.

On  the second allegation that we stole the special resurrection study, we must point out something hiding from all this. As we pointed out (even Edstrom) that this study “idea”( to put a report out to the public) originated from a discussion we had on Truth Tellers ( a worldwide Facebook group promoting the Shepherd’s Rod). Edstrom and I discussed the need to put something out there to address this important issue( in calls and emails).We  discussed  certain areas, and because he had  put out a video on the subject we made sure to express our appreciation for getting something out their on this subject.

As we discussed this, Edstrom said that he originally heard about the idea of a dual application from a brother, Trent Wilde (This brother is mentioned in a study on whyperish site but no mention of credit to him for coming up with this theory). As our God liveth I heard this straight from him. So did  the email imposter fail to discuss his smear email with Edstrom before posting it around Davidia?

Would not this admission negate any claim that this dual application theory was Edstrom’s? Especially since he(Edstrom) himself admitted that the idea came from the aforementioned brother? So there is a big breakdown here on point two.Further, Edstrom knew very well that we were preparing our own study on this subject as evidenced through our emails.

After reviewing our study he called it “solid”.This is what Edstrom told us — “Praise the Lord, it looks that you are sinking the shaft deeper into the mine of Truth as we all should to show ourselves approved unto God. I gave your study a quick read and so far your reasoning is solid”.

And then a few days later, “It looks like you have most all of the important statements from the SOP on the special resurrection to prove the case. To confirm you could search the CD-ROM using “special resurrection” as a keyword, also the scripture index for Dan. 12:2 to see if there is anything else.”

At this point we were happy to see that our harmonious work going to glorify God and not ourselves (at least that was my thinking). He would bring his study through video form and I would bring mine through blog form.  I felt our mutual efforts were sincerely helping clear a very difficult area in Davidia for a long time.

He later asked us what we were going to do with the study after we had finished it. We said we’d put it on the blog and did in August of 2012. Nothing was ever said for close to 7 months after publication(orignally on the Godsloveandlaw site). Let us point out that we are always ready to help out or support a brother and if he would have mentioned to us (or any friend had) that he felt slighted in any way, we would have been happy to add any applicable acknowledgement. Now a mysterious ‘friend” of Eric Edstrom appears several months later with these outrageous claims. Saying with a threat  “You have 48 hours to take this off or we will expose you as a thief!”, go figure.

Let us point out something that should be very clear and obvious to any logical thinker.  How can the point be made that we wanted credit to oursleves for this report when nowhere on this site was there ever any mention of who the author was? The email imposter is the one who exposed it as “Godsloveandlaw”‘s work. We were perfectly content to remain anonymous to the viewing public.

As we pointed out in the response back to a comment from part one.  We did receive a very helpful index from Edstrom that helped us to locate all the quotes pertaining to Daniel 12:1-3. This was our information basis for the report not Edstrom’s video. As we mentioned there are many differences and points on the two studies, which can be readily found upon reviewing both. We (meaning myself with the Lord’s guidance) carefully researched each and every reference and then put the analysis as we were guided to make under each one.

We pleaded to the Lord more than once our need for help in doing the study.  When we commented on the video being one of the basis, we meant to say “one of the idea basis” not the information basis as we had to arrive at the conclusions with each and every quote found on the topic. As we reviewed the video we found areas we agreed to and areas we disagreed to.

 All one has to do is simply watch Eric Edstrom’s video or read his report,  and then read our report to see the BIG differences between them. Although we are addressing the same topic, we discuss totally separate points and issues and look at this subject from very different angles.  Let’s look at some of them.

Our report addresses the following important references that his video and written report  leaves out.

Ellen White writings —-

1)Early Writings, p. 33,  p.36,  p.285

2)Spiritual Gifts, p.193

3)The Faith to live by, p.183

Scriptures —-

1) Rev. 20:6

2) Ezekiel  chapter 37 ( if one is going to discuss “special resurrection”, then this is a very in depth reference)

Victor T. Houteff writings —-

1) The Answerer (question 65)

2) The Answerer (Vol.1, p.50)

3) The  Shepherd’s Rod ( Vol. 1, p.48,  p.132, p.186, p.220)

4) The Shepherd’s Rod ( Vol. 2, p.235)

5) Tract. No.9, p.41-42

6) Timely Greetings ( Vol. 2, No.7, p.3, p.12-15)

Further additional points. In our discussion of (Test. for the Church, vol.1, p.131 “food for worms”) we come to two different conclusions. Additonally we addressed many other quotes in our report, that Edstrom makes mention of but does not elaborate upon. That is one of the big differences in our reports, each and every reference was, and should be, discussed and analyzed.

But perhaps even more important than all the above is this startling fact– someone is trying to place the credit for something that rightfully belongs to God– the Truth! Are we to argue over ‘This is mine!” Or are we to say, “Go brother,  publish away, may God be glorified!” I can tell you one thing, if anyone was to “steal”(their words not ours) one of our reports and use them to further God’s truths, we would say “praise the Lord, may HE be glorified.” We have never wanted any credit for these studies, as we claim the prophets words below and as such are “doers” of those words . If you’ll notice in the reports(Hearyetherod) we do not mention our name anywhere within them. We want credit from the Lord and not any man or woman.

Please read this very carefully because someone is attempting to promote  doing the exact opposite and putting their nose to the branch(even though their claims are false). “He is unselfish, he rejoices in the good fortune of others, and loves to have others receive credit for something he himself may have accomplished. He expects credit from the Lord only.”(Brother Houteff’s Letter- ‘To Any Seeking To Be DSDA”.)

That is so important, allow us to repeat it, “He is unselfish, he rejoices in the good fortune of others, and loves to have others receive credit for something he himself may have accomplished. He expects credit from the Lord only.” In the email they use EGW writings to justify their behavior,  but why do they skip  the Elijah words  for us today? Is it because they must  ignore and sidestep their clear and obvious instructions?  Their actions are in direct opposition to these words.

“And since the enemy cannot get around the Truth, he does all he can to blacken character and pick flaws in personalities”  (1950 General Conference Special, p.8)

Someone has suggested that we could make the following proposal and we would certainly agree to it. Since we want nothing more that to lift up God’s truth we would gladly allow the folks at whyperish to copy our special res. and new code studies, even change the format if they wish, but keep the report intact. Then post it on their site and we will take off our reports both on this site and Godsloveandlaw site.

And if any should ask “Do you know anything about the “Special Res.? ” or “Can you show that the new codes are not right?” we would say, “Yes, go to this site (Whyperish) and read their reports and see their video’s. Again we could care less who gets the credit for these reports.

In closing we strongly call on Eric Edstrom to take quick action to correct the falsehoods and smears being circulated. We know that one of the registered followers of this blog is whyperish.org (at least at the time of this writing). The email imposter is doing a real dis-service to Eric Edstrom’s cause. We take solace in knowing that those who know us, know we want only to lift up the Lord and His message, not any credit or glory to us. Our Lord has said the following speaking of those who are to stand with Him on Mt.Zion (The 144,000)  “And in their mouth was found no deceit(guile), for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Rev. 14:5).

Can this email imposter be sowing unity or discord? We’ll let you decide.

“Six things the Lord hates … A false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among the brethren.” (Proverbs  6:19)

“..He (God) never honors with promotion those who seek to uplift and aggrandize self, but that He exalts in due season those who humble themselves under His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6)” (The Answerer Vol. 1, question 3)

Be careful, as candidates for being one of the 144,000 WE MUST NOT BE FOUND WITH GUILE IN OUR MOUTHS.(Rev.14:5)

(Special note– we appreciate the many emails and  messages from our friends. Keep this matter in your prayers, and may His truth  shine gloriously through into the Kingdom. Also we will be updating this post from time to time as neccessary.Normally we seldom revise our posts but due to the important matter here we’ve found it neccessary)

The Special Resurrection (Part 2 of 2)

(** Special note– Recently there has been a claim going around via email that we  “stole” this report from another party. This is absolutely false and a weak attempt to covet what we have done. For more information see our post -Deception of the Worst Kind and false circulating email.)

As we who have studied the Elijah message in depth know, the prophesied ”Elijah” to come was indeed Victor T. Houteff (VTH).  As such we must search his  word carefully on any subject as we would any of the prior prophets. Brother Houteff spoke much about the special resurrections. His purpose as Scripture pointed out was to “reconstitute all things” (Matt.17:11).  This meant that he was to straighten or strengthen our interpretations of Scriptures and SOP in regards to the knowledge of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, the upcoming premillennial church kingdom on earth, and other matters we need to know in these last days. In this study we’ll look at the pertinent work he did concerning our subject matter.

Before we begin this part of the study let’s take important note of the following. VTH had published a question and answer series known as  “The Answerer”. In the beginning days of his work, many SDA had some good and tough questions that he addressed. Some were questions that addressed controversies in his views versus Scripture and EGW’s views. Many indeed tried to trap him or stump him, however he never shunned them , rather he  published them for all the public  to see. (Here is a link to see all the Q and A in the Answerer http://www.shepherds-rod.org/answerers/index%20answerer.html )

Importantly, we can learn how he handled very difficult and even seemingly contradictions. Let’s look at the following . He says the following in answer to question no.74, “No rational person who believes Paul’s writings as a part of the Holy Writ can honestly convince himself that Paul would at one moment uplift the law and at the next moment tread it down. Decidedly, therefore, one’s interpretation of the apostle’s writings must be such as to make them consistent.”

“  No candid Bible student would build a theory upon an interpretation that would lead him to set aside all other scriptures on the subject. He will seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all of them, or else confess that he does not have the light on the subject.”(Answerer, Vol. 3, p.65)

Also in responding to question no. 65, he says “Now, if we are to arrive at the truth, we must interpret the statement in Early Writings and the one in Matt:20:16, in a way to harmonize with the one in Isaiah 60:11,22, Zechariah 20:16, 13:8,9.: The Great Controversy p.665, and other passages…”

So we can clearly see that rather than say divine writings are sometimes unable to be reconciled, VTH makes it plain that we should seek to “harmonize” them with each other, if we are to arrive at the truth.  Parts of the Truth scroll can’t be ripped out and replaced, it must be rolled out further to see more illuminating light. What is written by each of the prior prophets must stand as truth, and if need be,  made to harmonize with the following prophets. Such harmonization is indeed divine and a real beauty to behold, for example Daniel and Revelation, Isaiah and Ezekiel, etc.

And lastly,  in regards to the harmony of all the phophets we read “Inspiration, moreover, always brings messengers of God into perfect harmony, never into division.” (The Answerer, Vol. 1, P.50)  So here we see that the messengers must bring their message into harmony with each other. Never can we see a prophet follow another and say ” Disregard, what the prior messenger said, it is wrong, this is how it will be”. No, the message must corroborate each other, as bro Houteff said “perfect harmony”.

Let’s now turn to VTH’s writings about our subject matter, and it’s found in his first book. (Again my comments start with —)

Shepherd’s Rod. Vol.1. P.23 – After quoting Early Writings, p.285, and GC, p.637, VTH says the following   “This makes it positive that the resurrected Sabbath keepers come forth in the special resurrection of Daniel 12. This is the time when great hailstones are doing their destructive work (7^th plaque)…The resurrected Sabbath keepers did not live during the time of the plaques, for they were resurrected at the time of the seventh plaque, so that they hear the announcement of the day and hour of Jesus’ coming.”

—- Here we see that VTH makes a clear, simple and concurrent statement with EGW. This compliments perfectly with what we learned in our previous study of EGW’s GC.637 statement of the second special resurrection, and such as Mrs. Hastings time of resurrection for example. So this first quote of VTH fully supports her light on what she said. A solid conformation.

 Shepherd’s Rod Vol. 1, P.23-26 – Next we see VTH identify EGW as being with the 144,000, not one of them. After quoting Early Writings, p.40, VTH says “There is no contradiction in this statement, for the angel told her that she, with the 144,000, meaning she is one with them but not one of them. She will doubtless be with them for she may be termed as the mother of them…”

 —-We should note that VTH himself , will most likely be (by God’s grace) one “with” the 144,000. One of those workers who take up the work again.

 Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.1, P.48 – “Speaking of this mixed resurrection, Daniel says: ‘And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’ Then there will be some righteous included who lived and witnessed the crucifixion; also those who crucified Him, and pierced Him, for, (Rev. 1:7) “Behold He cometh with the clouds:And every eye shall see Him, and they also which  pierced Him.” Therefore the resurrection which witnessed of the power of God to these murderers of His Son, typified the just who are raised in the mixed (special) resurrection.

 —-So from the above we notice a few things. 1) it is clear VTH connects Daniel 12:2 to the second special  resurrection because he backs up what EGW said in GC p. 637, he also notes it as a “mixed” resurrection. So at this time, he further identified and described more on the second, or as he called it, mixed resurrection. 2) We can see that what is taking place here is a describing of a unique group.We learn that some righteous ones who “witnessed” the Lord’s brutal crucifixion, will rise in this mixed resurrection. Perhaps this is to show direct shame to those who mocked and derided our Lord at this terrible event, for the evil persecutors will recognize these righteous counterparts. This confirms EGW’s visions of both the good and bad raised in this second special resurrection. Again solid conformation on the second special resurrection.

 Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1, P.186 – “We as a people, have been honored by heaven with a special message for the world in this generation. We call this message “The Third Angel’s Message”….. The chief and only purpose of these doctrines being to prepare a peculiar people to God’s own glory and honor; a people to meet the Lord without tasting death, or, to rise in the special resurrection of Daniel 12.”

 —-Here brother Houteff makes a clear point to us as SDA. Those who truly obey and walk with the Lord will be raised prior to His coming, or never die(the 144,000). This quote again supports the light which he had at this time (second special resurrection).

 Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.2 P. 146 – “At this time, Christ (Michael) shall stand up for His people, and every one shall be delivered who is found written in “The Book.” Thus God’s people need not fear in the time of trouble.

 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2) It will be noticed that the resurrection foretold in this Scripture is mixed— some are of the righteous, while others are of the wicked. Therefore, this is a special resurrection, and independent of the one referred to in 1Thessalonians 4:16, 17, for it plainly says : “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

 ”John also makes it clear that the righteous only are called forth at the coming of the Lord, for he says: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power.” (Rev. 20:6) Consequently , the mixed resurrection must precede the one at the coming of Christ in the clouds. Those who awake to “everlasting contempt” must be those who pierced Christ, thus fulfilling the following Scripture: “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced him.” (Rev 1:7)

—Now we have clear evidence that the second special resurrection, is not at the time of the “first resurrection” of Rev.20:6, because it precedes it. However, it does appear that while both of these resurrections happen within or at the end of the 7^th last plaque, there is a time period difference in them. We don’t know how long, most likely only days or weeks.

Continuing with Shepherd’s Rod P. 146, we read “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”(Daniel 12:3). They who are “wise” are the ones who shall “understand”, and they shall turn many to righteousness; thus they shall shine as stars “forever and ever.” These are not those who resurrected in the special resurrection, for it would be after the close of probation, and about the end of the seventh plaque, just shortly before the coming of the Lord. Thus the resurrected ones would have no chance to turn any to righteousness. Therefore, those who shine as stars are the 144,000, and all who shall have a part in the closing work of the gospel.

—Now we’re getting a lot deeper and the Truth scroll unrolls with new light! This is quite revealing. First, we can see without any doubt that VTH still shows the light which he knows, that is of the second special resurrection. But we can see the beginning glimmer of light upon him, in regards to the first special resurrection, when he states “and all who shall have a part in the closing work of the gospel.” He could not realize it at the time, but he was identifying some selected “first” special resurrected ones who will be “with” the 144,000, such as EGW and himself(by God’s grace).

—So we can now make the following preliminary time line.

1. After Ezekiel 9, the first special resurrection takes place including EGW, VTH and others- “workers”.  Selected bad people are raised here as well.
2. During or at the end of the 7th plaque the second special resurrection takes place, it includes the good and bad. It’s “mixed”. It precedes the next one(#3).
3. The “first” resurrection of Rev.20:6 takes place at the coming of Jesus in the clouds. These are the righteous only( no bad people in this).The final resurrection before He comes in the clouds.

Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.1, P.132 (EZEKIEL 4 CHART) –- In this chart it clearly shows bro. Houteff pointing out that a special resurrection takes place IN the time of the 7^th plaque. This is undeniable. Even though we know new light came to him later, this was divinely conferred to him that “a” special resurrection takes place within the 7^th plaque, no doubt as we know, it is the second special resurrection. 

Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.1, P.219 – “And I heard a voice in heaven say unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” Note that after the sealing of the 144,000 there would be some who would die in the Lord (saved), for the scripture reads “from henceforth”, meaning from the time this company was sealed.”

“The 144,000 are living saints, to be translated without seeing death. “The Lord has shut them in. Their destination is inscribed-GOD,NEW JERUSALEM.” Testimonies to Ministers, p.446. Therefore, those who die“in the Lord” must be of those who are saved, after the separation (in the time of the harvest) under which Isa.52:1 and Zeph 3:13, are fulfilled. Those that die at that time are perhaps those who cannot stand the hardships while the judgments of God are falling upon the land in the time of the plaques. While God clears the way for the seven last plaques by laying some of His people asleep in the grave … The predicted event for the purification of God’s church is by no means a small one. Those who cannot undergo the trial are laid in their graves, while the 144,00 remain and will escape…”

—Again, this is very revealing. We note that this “dying in the Lord” takes place after the separation , meaning after Ezekiel 9 church judgment. These “saved” who experience death, are not part of the 144,000, because VTH says the 144,000 remain and escape. Who are they? Some would say it’s some of the Great Multitude(those called out of Babylon). At this point we don’t have enough light to say with certainty. It appears they cannot be those who are raised in the first special resurrection(“those with the 144,000”) because it makes no sense God would raise them up only to have them die shortly after again.  Selected wicked ones are raised and will die again shortly thereafter, but we can’t see that happening with those “with” the 144,000, the ones who are to “take up the work once more”.

Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.2, p.235 – “Why are the first paid last, and the last first? Answer – The pay God’s servants receive is eternal life, and is characterized by the penny. Therefore, those who are granted the assurance of a never ending life first, are those who were hired last, and according to the parable, it was the company called at the 11^th hour. They are those who are marked or sealed by the man with the writer’s ink horn of Ezekiel 9, or as John calls him, the angel with the seal of God; and he sealed, or marked, 144,000. (See Rev. 7). The glorious company is the first who are granted the assurance of never tasting death. (See “the Shepherd’s Rod, Vol.1, pp22-24) Thus they are paid first but those who were called early in the morning ( Israel after the flesh) are to be resurrected (the righteous) when Christ comes in the clouds, at which time they shall be given immortality. “So the last shall be first, and the first,last”. For this reason, those who are sealed and saved by the Third Angel’s Message since 1844, are resurrected in the special resurrection before Christ comes. (See Daniel 12:2, Early Writings, p.285)

—We see here that bro. Houteff makes his first note on the righteous of Israel being raised. They are raised in the “first” resurrection (Rev. 20:6).They are those original Israelites who were righteous. Who are these specifically? Could Apostle Paul be one of them? Look at this statement – “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (1 Thess.4:17)

— Also in (Hosea 6:1-3) we read ” Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live in His sight….He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain  to th earth.”  Here’s another verse that indicates a “raising” by the Lord, and that “He will come to us”, indicating a raising here on earth because in the other raising (Rev.20:6) we “go to Him”.

—In keeping with the light he had, he notes that those sanctified by the Three Angels message come forth prior to “Israel” in “the” special resurrection. So even though he had beginning glimmers of light on two special resurrections he still referred to them as “the”.

—Let us stop here for a moment to address an issue about limited light. Some may ask why didn’t VTH have the light on the first special Resurrection like he had on the second at this time? Remember this was written in the very early years of his ministry. Not to worry,  he himself explains “There has never been given so much light on any one prophetic event since the world began, as the Lord has given on this particular subject that is set forth in this publication (the sealing of the 144,000, and the slaughter in the church in connection with the harvest, though it has not all been published.)” (Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1, p.220)

—VTH clearly points out that more light was to come “though it has not all been published”. Prophets are led along as the scroll unrolls, they write that which is divinely given and at the time it is divinely given. Speaking of this fact, EGW clears it up beautifully “Men do not fully understand what God would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do: They do not comprehend, in all it’s bearings, the message which they utter in His name.” (GC, P. 343) Naturally this applied to EGW as well. This study being a prime example, she didn’t fully comprehend  about the special first resurrection, as Brother Houteff did.

—That concludes the pertinent VTH quotes from the Shepherd’s Rod volumes. Let’s now look at a Tract booklet reference.

BEHOLD I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW, P.41-42 (Tract #9) – “The “mountain”, the kingdom of God, clearly then, is begun with the first fruits of the living (the 144,000) and followed by the second fruits (the great multitude – Rev.7:9), and is completed with the first and second fruits of the dead- the 120 (those who received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost), plus those who arose with Christ (Matt. 27:52,53), plus the great multitude

who accepted Him after the Pentecost (Acts 5:14), plus all who awake to everlasting life in the resurrection of Daniel 12:2, plus the remaining dead of all ages, who rise on the great resurrection day (Rev. 20:6), also those of Ezekiel 37:1-14.”

—We see the total different types of all those raised in the different resurrections. The light shown here is showing identification or labeling of the saints.

—We shall now look at the very informative Timely Greetings publications. These were written after the Shepherd’s Rod volumes, consequently the unrolling of the divine scroll was further along.

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 7 – 3– Dan. 12:4 “But thou,O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the end of time: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

“Daniel was told to shut and seal the book even to the end of time. The book, therefore, was not for the understanding of the people before the time of the end.” So, then, when the book is unsealed and understood we may know that the time of the end is come.”

—This is very telling. Once these verses of Daniel’s prophecies are to be clearly understood, it signals we are at the very end. We do indeed now understand the book of Daniel through brother Houteff’s writings (“reconstituting all things”) .

Timely Greetings, Vol.2, No. 7 (10 -15) – After quoting Dan.1, VTH says “At that time (that is at the time the king of the north comes to his end and none help him) shall Michael stand; and at the same time shall be trouble such as never was even to that very time. Only God’s people, who have their names written in the book, will be delivered. None other.”

Continuing down to no. 7 –11, we read “ Dan. 12:2 – “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt.”

“Here we are told that in the time of trouble these arise, some to live forever and some to die again.”

“Do you now realize that not only the time of trouble is at the door, but even this special resurrection? Do you actually see that in the time of trouble, while the living saints are being delivered these dead who rise “to everlasting life,” are also delivered from their graves? Do you realize that this time of trouble is in “the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” the day which the promised Elijah announces? …… (after speaking of John’s vision of the resurrection in Rev.20:6 and Paul’s of Thess. 1) VTH says “ The apostle Paul obviously speaks of the same resurrection as the Apostle John because in it only the holy ones are raised. Both Paul’s and John’s descriptions make clear that these arise at the commencement of the thousand years. This we see from the facts that they lived with Christ a thousand years, and that they were caught up to meet the Lord in the air, that they were on the way to live with Christ during the thousand years, not Christ with them.”

—Let’s recap here. We see a couple clear points. One, that VTH says that “IN” the time of trouble the resurrected ones from Dan.12:2 are to rise. We know that the time of trouble starts right after Ezekiel 9, but it also extends right up to the end of the plaques. So this is inconclusive as to whether he means the first or second special resurrection. But he confirms that  1 Thess. and Rev. 20:6 resurrections are one and the same, known as the “first” resurrection, where only the righteous awake, and is the very last resurrection as Jesus comes in the clouds . This appears the most populated of the resurrections.

–Some may say “ I’m confused because the Bible specifically calls this (Rev.20:6) the “first” resurrection, therefore the “special resurrection” cannot be one. There can only be one “first” because that is the label of Rev.20:6.”  Not exactly right. Remember the real “first” resurrection ( meaning several people at once) was when Jesus arose and all those (some say thousands) rose as well(Matt 27:52-53). So title and descriptions are relative.

VTH continues “ Now to line up all the resurrections, we must take into account also the one in Ezekiel”

Ezek.37:1, 11-14 – “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones….Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ; Behold O My people, I will open your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I opened up your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then ye shall know that I the Lord hath spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.”

“In this resurrection only God’s own people, Israel, arise with no sinner among them. Moreover, these do not meet the Lord in the air; they are taken to the land of Israel, Palestine. This resurrection, therefore, is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians, of the Revelation, or of Daniel 12. It must be a separate one.”

—The above is new information and new light is shown.  Most noteworthy is that we see that these can only be brought up in the first special resurrection because VTH mentions that they are not to be brought up in the “Daniel 12” resurrection (meaning the second special resurrection ). Here we see the great scroll being rolled out into new light! For the very first time VTH mentions a new  special resurrection by declaring that these are raised ”separate” from the resurrections of Daniel 12 and Rev.20:6. God’s divine revealing had come.

—- Here we need to discuss what appears at first glance, difficult and even contradictory statements. If we look back to the quote from Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 2, p.235, we notice that VTH in explaining the parable says “(Israel after the flesh) are to be resurrected (the righteous) when Christ comes in the clouds……” Now we notice the above regarding Ezekiel 37 resurrection in which VTH says “In this resurrection only God’s own people, Israel, arise with no sinner among them. Moreover, these do not meet the Lord in the air; they are taken to the land of Israel, Palestine. This resurrection, therefore, is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians, of Revelation, or of Daniel 12, It must be a separate one.”

—Our answer appears to be in understanding the actual quote of Ezekiel 37:11-14. In reading verse 11 , the last part says “Our bones are dry, our hope has wandered, and we are cut for our parts.” This was something that struck me as strange, especially the last part of that verse–”we are cut off for our parts”. This just didn’t make sense as a clear translation. As we are well aware, some translations are off the mark and we have various interpretations by many sources. E-sword, which has the translations of all the words to Hebrew and Greek , was quite revealing. That questionable translation is taken from the word “gazar” and thus translated to say”we are cut off for our parts”. However the word gazar means to cut, to divide, and decree. Then we discovered that the same word (gazar) was used in Job 22:28 as meaning “decree” , Esther 2:1 “decreed” and in Psalms 136:13 as “divided”. So the word apparently has several meanings and applications.

 —-So with the above understanding of the verse we can read it to say “Our bones are dry, our hope has wandered, we have been decreed and divided” or similar words.  With this understanding we can see that they lay there awaiting a decree (the call to rise) and are also divided. For there seems to be two divided groups among them that lay asleep and therefore, under inspiration, VTH mentions the two Israel groups, 1) those who arise in the first resurrection “they are taken to the land of Israel, Palestine.” 2)And those who are “Israel after the flesh” who are resurrected when Christ comes in the clouds (the last ones in the parable). In this way the whole house of Israel is indeed raised prior (the first special resurrection) or at the coming of Christ (Rev.20:6). The two groups are in “the land of Israel” as God prophesied, before being translated to “know that I am the Lord”. God’s word is indeed deep, yet can be found out and understood if we search it out as we would for golden treasure.

VTH continues –“Let us come back to – “Daniel 12:1-3 – “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time Thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”

“In these three verses several things clearly stand out: 1) Only those whose names are written in the books are delivered: there are therefore no “foolish” ones among them. 2) Those who are resurrected, however, are mixed, both foolish and wise come up. 3) The statement,”and they that be wise (implying that some be foolish) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament” indicates that these “wise” ones are from among the raised. 4) That if the wise are among the resurrected and turn many to righteousness, then they must be resurrected during probationary time, in the time of salvation.”

—Let’s recap the above. In point number 1) this is  plain and true. The only ones “delivered” (meaning saved) are found written in the heaven books, no foolish ones are found there. On number 2) this has been proven in our study, both for the first and second special resurrection. On 3) and 4) we see VTH confirm the new light he is now aware of, that of the first special resurrection (“must be raised during probationary time”). Obviously he knew of the prior stance he made in backing up EGW on the second special resurrection, but now he announces a probationary  special resurrection(first) that occurs before the plaques start.

“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” (Testimonies, Vol.7, P.17)

—In the above quote he sees EGW’s statement as a clear indication of the first special resurrection. Obviously he saw this in his earlier writings but was divinely held back from commenting on it at that time, as to it’s real meaning. Note: VTH obviously preferred to call the first special  resurrection– the probationary resurrection.

After quoting Daniel 12:4, 10, and then the parable about the wise virgins (Matt 25:1-4) VTH continues “Here we see that the wise are those who take extra oil, extra Truth that lightens the rest of their way. Finally, it plainly appears that this mixed resurrection is a test; that is, they are all given the opportunity to be wise, to turn many to righteousness, but only a part of them do so. Some of them again fall into sin, and therefore they awake to shame and everlasting contempt (everlasting disobedience), but the wise awake to everlasting life, never again to die. This plainly shows that those who give themselves to wickedness up to the time they die, would not turn to righteousness even though they be given a second chance. The extra oil (Truth for this time) is what decides each one’s destiny. The wise shall embrace the “additional Truth”, while the foolish will not. Sin is indeed a mystery!”

— He is aware of the first special resurrection now, and he points out that those who come forth in first special resurrection, being both good and bad people, are then “tested” once more in front of the angels and mankind, and again proven that they have not changed. The good remain good and the bad remain bad, despite second chances.

Timely Greetings, Vol.2, No.42,P.29 – VTH quotes Dan.12:1. Then says “And at that time” – that is, at the time the king of the north comes to his end (Dan.11:45)–shall Michael stand up and deliver His people, the Church, all who are written in the Book. What else takes place?–”

Dan.12:2 –” And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

“Here is projected a resurrection of a mixed multitude, wicked and righteous, foolish and wise. This resurrection, then, is not the pre millennial “first resurrection,” nor the post millennial resurrection of the wicked (Rev.20:5-6), but a special one. If the wise who turn many to righteousness are of the resurrected of this resurrection, and if they shine as stars forever and ever, then this special resurrection takes place in probationary time.

—Again we see that VTH has clear light on the “probationary” special resurrection (the first). Here would be those, as we mentioned, the “workers” who take up the work once more (the good) to “turn many to righteousness”. Also those whom EGW saw at the conference that will have to suffer the seven last plaques, and the slave master for example (the bad).

                                Final summary

After presenting all the evidence from Scripture, EGW and VTH we can see that the inspired writings appear very consistent. There appears two special resurrections which occur after the Ezekiel 9 church judgment (purification) and before out Lord’s coming in the clouds. As we’ve mentioned this study has been discussed  for many years, hopefully we’ve added a little more light for consideration . Of note, it can clearly be shown that EGW didn’t have clear light on the first special resurrection like she did the second, she did make statements concerning another resurrection apart from the Daniel resurrection, yet fully did not realize it’s time and place. VTH clearly showed that he saw 3 resurrections 1) The probationary resurrection (first special) 2) The Daniel 12 resurrection (second special) 3) The final resurrection at Jesus’ coming in the clouds (Rev. 20:6) (1 Thess 4:16,17).

When we have difficulty in understanding the scroll, we must humbly kneel in prayer for divine guidance and understanding. The “weight” of evidence must be taken into account. This we hope, has been done in this study.

As Apostle Paul said ” Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15). This has been the purpose of this study, to prepare us as a workman in spreading God’s truths.  May the Lord continue to guide us into all truth.

Let us close with the wonderful and timely words of our beloved prophetess  “Wonderful possibilities are open to those who lay hold of the divine assurances of God’s word. There are glorious truths to come before the people of God. Priviledges and duties which they do not even suspect to be in the Bible will be laid open before them. As they follow on in the path of humble obedience, doing His will, they will know more and more of the oracles of God.” (Testimonies for the Church , Vol. 8, P.322)

 

The Special Resurrection (Part 1of 2)

Note: This post is directed primarily to SDA and DSDA members.

For many years, even decades this topic has been discussed among the brethren, particularly among SDA and Davidian SDA. DSDA often found themselves at odds with SDA members over it, and even among other Davidians. One thing I want to make perfectly clear –This is not a salvational issue. This means that whether you believe in this double special resurrection theory or not, I believe it will not effect your being right with Jesus.  Even if you  have another view on how it takes place, that’s your prerogative. I respect all other views.

What we’ve tried to do is search out all the relevant quotes from Scripture, Ellen White, and Brother Houteff. We’ve looked at them closely and made comments and observations as to the clear plain words and meanings. Then at the end we’ll summarize the end view and how we see it all coming together,  bro Rob.

This subject had its origins in the following Scripture:

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation,even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting shame and some to everlasting contempt. Those who  are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12.1-3)

Then as our prophetess came along she expounded on those words, and posted more descriptive words about it. However as we are so very well aware,  she prophesied that “somebody would come” after her in the power and spirit of Elijah(Testimonies to Ministers, p.475, 1 Selected Message, p.412 *). This somebody, as the truth scroll unrolled further, added the final words to this subject so that we could see all the bright clear light on it. He did his job, he “reconstituted all things”(Matt 17:11) and certainly the special resurrection is no exception. (* in both the aforementioned EGW references, be aware the SDA leaders have added their own additions to her comments, denying what she said is what she meant)

Let’s look at the individual Ellen White (EGW) statements. (note: the following was done in the word office format, as the study progressed. So as not to get confused my comments began as —-)

GREAT CONTROVERSY P.637 – “Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth …. awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the 3^rd angels message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who kept His law. “They also which pierced Him” (Rev. 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.”

—-  To understand this we must understand the word “all”. Based on what we will learn further, in this context it would mean that with this last group of resurrected ones, it now constitutes “all” of the special resurrected ones. The number is complete thus it is now–all. This does not preclude the raising of some in a prior special resurrection. For example, if an announcer in a stadium announced “We now have ALL the people come into the stadium for the game to begin” doesn’t mean that all of them came at one time. Some came at various times. But the full number had at that moment “come forth”.

—- This last group would obviously include the Roman soldiers who pierced him, the Pharisees who judged and mocked Him, violent men that have lived down through the ages, such as Nero and the like. Additionally it would include people like Mrs. Hastings.

Ellen White says the following “God gave me a vision last Sabbath night which I will write, I saw that she (Mrs. Hastings) was sealed and would come up at the voice of God and stand upon the earth, and would be with the 144,000. I saw we need not mourn for her; she would rest in the time of trouble, and all that we could mourn for was our loss in being deprived of her company. I saw her death would result in good.” ( 2 SLM p. 263).

—-  So it appears from EGW’s GC statement that both the good and bad are raised just prior to His coming in the clouds. But it does not preclude any prior special resurrections. A clear example of this is the next EGW statements showing that she, along with others will have further work to do after being raised again “In God’s kingdom”.

TESTIMONIES FOR THE CHURCH, Vol.7, p.17 – “Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall in the kingdom of God , take up the work once more.” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7, p.17) (Note- from the Old and New testaments through bro. Houteff’s divine work , we learn that there will be a “pre-millennial” phase of the kingdom of God, known also as His Church kingdom or Theocractic government -not the same as a typical current government kingdom)

EARLY WRITINGS,P.33 – “And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.”

—-  From the above we can clearly see that she cannot be 1) raised just prior to our Lord’s coming in the clouds, as is Mrs. Hastings for example. She could not do any work at that time, as the number of God’s marked and sealed people are completed. 2) There will be others from those who died in the 3 angels message who will be raised up with her to join in the work (indicated by the “Your work” and “we may rest”). 3) This work shall be done in “God’s kingdom”. As such it must be the premillennial phase of the kingdom, because her only “work” was  in securing souls for our Lord and in the heavenly kingdom we shall not being doing that work she is hereto describing.

GREAT CONTROVERSY P.613- “At that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of they people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1.

“When the third angel’s message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received the “latter rain”, “the refreshing from the presence of the Lord,” and they are prepared for the trying hour before them. Angels are hastening to and fro in heaven. An angel returning from earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received “the seal of the living God”. Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He lifts His hands and with a loud voice says “It is done;” and all the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes the solemn announcement: “He that is unjust let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy let him be filthy still:and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Revelation 22:11. Every case has been decided for life or death. Christ has made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins.

The number of His subjects is made up; “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of kingdom under the whole heaven,” is about to be given to the heirs of salvation, and Jesus is to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the site of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked has been removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent.”

—- There can be no doubt, that EGW equates this “standing up” of Michael in Daniel 12:1, to that of the end of the world. The time when no more heavenly intercession can be made. The work of the 144,000 is done, the great multitude has been gathered from the within the false religions and churches into God’s church kingdom. However, as we shall see, along with this view there is  an additional interpretation of this quote in the Shepherd’s Rod and other writings of Victor Houteff.

—- In order to reconcile these two understandings we have three different analysis we can make. 1) We can say that EGW was correct in the above understanding of Daniel 12:1 (consequently bro. Houteff was in error). 2) The reverse, we can say bro. Houteff was correct and that EGW was in error. With both of these we must assume that either “prophet” was guilty of prophesying – error. A dangerous position to take indeed!

—-  3)Then there is the third scenario. Could it be that BOTH were correct, but that EGW being the prophet before bro. Houteff, had limited light on this particular subject and wrote that which she had(mainly the knowledge of the second special resurrection). Bro. Houteff upon the guiding of the Spirit of Truth, then was able to discern the unrolling of the scroll, to see clearer light on this subject. And therefore saw the first delivering of His people, specifically the 144,000 and those with them. We’ll touch more on this in part two of our study of the special resurrections. Next we shall look at EGW’s Early Writings.

EARLY WRITINGS, Page.36 “..Then I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and clothed Him self with the garments of vengeance.”

—-  This statement is clearly addressed by brother Houteff in the Symbolic Code news publications as follows.

Question: “Please explain E.W. 36: “I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every case was decided either for salvation or destruction,” etc.

Answer: The question which here arises is how is it possible to reconcile “The Shepherd’s Rod” with the “Spirit of Prophecy,” when the one seems to say that Jesus will leave the most holy place at Eze. 9, while the other says He will not leave until every case is decided?

Without attempting to explain the event described in E.W. 36, we shall inquire only into the matter of whether it is possible in view of the E.W. statement for Jesus to “leave” the most holy place to execute the work of Eze. 9 before the general close of human probation.

To begin with there is nothing in the word “leave” that connotes finality and permanence of condition or action. To leave once does not preclude the possibility of having left on previous occasions and then returned. Hence, on the logic of language alone, the mere fact that Sr. White “saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy until

Vol. 1 Symbolic Code No. 7  pg. 8

every case was decided,” does not argue that He could therefore never have left the most holy place before, and that He cannot leave it to execute Eze. 9 on the church.

However, we need not base our position entirely on logic. The Scriptures abundantly evidence the fact that Jesus is to dwell in the midst of His People at a time before every case is decided. We quote Zech. 2:10, 11 — “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people.”

Verse 11 proves that in “that day” when He comes and dwells in the midst of Zion, “many nations shall be joined to the Lord,” and every S.D.A. ought to know that there will be no nations joined to the Lord after probation is closed.

Moreover, in Isa. 66:15, which reads, “Behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire,” (Verse 16) “For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many,” we see that when He comes with fire, it is to “plead” with all flesh, which proves that it is during probationary time, for after the close of probation God will plead with no flesh.

Furthermore, Isa. 66:20 proves that it is in this time during which the Lord pleads with all flesh that “many nations” — “all your brethren” — are joined to the Lord. Hence, “in that day,” the day of slaughter (Eze. 9; Isa. 63; Isa. 66), He “will come, and…dwell in the midst of “Zion.”

Therefore, it is clear that Jesus is to come and dwell in the midst of His people here on earth before the close of probation, as He dwelt with His people in the exodus movement, as is described in Isa. 4.

Some have an altogether too narrow view of the Godhead. They think that in order for Jesus to carry on the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, He must confine Himself there every moment, and that even in case of necessity He cannot leave the place of the most holy apartment to do anything else until His mediatorial work is finished.

Christ’s departure from the holy place, at the consummation of the investigative judgment, is to result in His visible second advent, whereas the event of Eze. 9 and Zech. 2:9-11 is an invisible coming.

EARLY WRITINGS– Page 285 “It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of it’s natural course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters, shaking the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake. The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make with those who had kept His law.”

—  In the above, it appears that this is a more complete description of the previously mentioned last special resurrection of Mrs. Hastings and other Sabbath keepers who died in observance of the 3 angel’s message, and were not partakers of the ones who took up “the work once more”. Thus it certainly cannot be the special resurrection of Ellen White and the other “workers” who came up before them.

TESTIMONIES FOR THE CHURCH, Volume 1, p.131-132 – “ I was shown the company present at the conference. Said the angel: “Some food for worms,…….. some subjects of the seven last plaques, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.”

—-  This is a fascinating one because it shows the diversity of future paths they will take. The ones who will be “food for worms” appears to describe the wicked ones who stay dead, hence food for worms, until they rise to live in the short season, which is for a hundred years*. This is the final period preceding the “fire from heaven” that comes down to destroy them and purify the earth with fire. This is known as the short post-millennial season . (Rev. 20:7-9)

— In the other descriptions “plaque subjects” and “translated ones”, it appears these are some of those who rise with Ellen White. However, this will include both the good and bad, because obviously some suffer the plaques and others get translated ( backed up further from the forth coming bro. Houteff’s statements). The good are those who died “in the faith” and in good standing with the Lord, the ones who are described as being with the 144,000. Consequently the good ones, “take up the work once more”.

—-  Obviously, those she looked upon at her conference are now dead. So in order to have the events take place of which she described (and was given her by the angel), they will have to be resurrected in the first special resurrection with Ellen White. This cannot be the last special resurrection in the coming of our Lord in the clouds. When she says “some will be alive and remain upon the earth” it indicates future tense. It does not preclude that their bodies sleep for awhile, yet after being raised they will be alive and remain upon the earth. So we see in the two special and separate resurrections so far that both will have good and bad people raised up.

—- (* this comes from the early SDA belief as found in a Signs of the Times, dated April 19, 1910, also from bro. Houteff’s interpretation of the Noah flood type/anti-type)

—-  Keep in mind that in these apparent two special resurrections, it is in keeping with other double events that happen in the end times. Such as two harvests (the 144,000 and the great multitude). The two “first fruits”, one from the sleeping (Corinthians 15:20), one from the living (Rev.14:4). The two special resurrections would thus be not out of prior divine harmony.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS – p. 193 “ I saw the slave master …. has to suffer the seven last plaques, and then come up in the second resurrection, and suffer the second most awful death. Then the wrath of God will be appeased.”

—-  Here we see that the slave master, obviously one of the bad people, will be raised up in first special resurrection, most likely with Ellen White’s group because it will be before the seven last plaques start. It cannot be the second special resurrection because the plaques will have been done with (except possibly the last plaque). Also this would be the slave master’s first resurrection, therefore Ellen White makes note that after enduring the plaques, he will come up in the second resurrection in the short season with the rest of the wicked and have to suffer the second awful death.

.THE FAITH TO LIVE BY, P.183 – “The righteous dead will hear the sound of the last trump, and will come forth from their graves….the living righteous changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor.15:52). At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal, and with the risen saints are caught up to meet the Lord in the air…All precious dead, from righteous Abel to the last saint that dies, shall awake to glorious immortal life.”

—-  In the above we can see that EGW describes the consummate phase of the resurrection just prior to the Lord coming in the clouds, known as the “first resurrection” (Rev.20:6). This is not concerning any special resurrection.

SUMMARY

—-  We have now come to the end of our first study on EGW’s statements about the special resurrections. Let us summarize.

1. We see that she had far greater light given her about the second special resurrection as opposed to the first.
2. We see that she did have a somewhat dim light about the first special resurrection, indicated by the limited statements and descriptions. But the quotes – Test. For the Church, Vol. 7, p.17, EW, p.33, Test. For the Church,p. 131-132, confirm that there will indeed be a first special and separate resurrection.
3. She makes a clear distinction of two separate special resurrections. The last pre-millennial resurrection, also known as the first resurrection (Rev.20:6) comes after the two special resurrections.

Next week in Part 2 we’ll look at brother Houteff’s work on the special resurrections. It will marvelously show the unrolling of the scroll, as he combines Spirit of Prophecy and Scripture.

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The New Codes – What’s The Facts?

As many of us are aware among Davidians, the Symbolic news codes are important writings from the Elijah prophet-Victor Houteff. However, there is a controversy among us as to the  “new codes” and the “old codes”. What we’d like to do in this post is state our observations of what stands out as clear facts in this issue. Then hopefully you’ll be in a better position to judge the issue, upon prayer submission to the Lord.

The term “old codes” usually describes those symbolic news code publications published by the brother Houteff  himself while he was alive (he died on Feb.5, 1955) . They include the following –Vol.1  No.1 July 15, 1934 through Vol.10  No.2  Dec. 1954. There were a total of 46 issues published. The “new” or “unpublished” codes were –Vol.10  No.7, May 1955  through Vol. 13  No.11, Sept-Oct. 1958.  There was a total of 21 issues published.

After brother Houteff died, the story goes that Mrs. Houteff had found some of VTH’s news codes that were in files and had never been published by the prophet while he lived. So in the months following his death, she led out the unpublished codes with this statement to Davidians (followers of bro. Houteff’s Elijah message)

AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF INTEREST

– INTRODUCTION –

The following excerpts from a letter written in 1932 by Brother V.T. Houteff to a Seventh-day Adventist Elder is being published at this time not only because of some early historic facts it contains, but also because of its other statements of interest.  (By way of explanation, we point out that the letter was written after The Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1 was printed but before Vol. 2 came.)

So this was the start of “her” publishing career.The first and most obvious question is–why didn’t bro. Houteff publish these code articles while he was alive? It is a well documented fact that he was a very meticulous man, watching over minute details of the “camp” at the Waco grounds. So we are truly perplexed why they remained in the files. Could it had been that he, being “inspired” was told not to publish them for some reason? Being closely in tune with the Lord, could he have realized somehow that something was amiss in the unpublished codes? Whatever the reason,  the Lord saw fit that VTH wasn’t suppose to publish them and therefore he didn’t.

Another interesting fact is this. On Feb. 17, 1959,  a close associate of brother Houteff sent a letter to Florence Houteff warning her of her wrong paths. In this letter he specifically called out her “private programs” of the “new code” and new “Carmel”. So some of the original members of the camp at Mt. carmel knew clearly that these new codes were part of “their” private programs. In other words they mixed in their agenda in promoting them. For the letter, click here –http://www.shepherds-rod.org/dsdaboard/study/reply.htm

In studying the original code articles published by brother Houteff, we as Davidians,  marvel at the great light that the Lord gave him to write and bless us with. Such as —

Vol. 7 No. 7 – 12
July – December, 1941
MT. CARMEL CENTER
Lake Waco Texas
Lightening The Earth

DO YOU KNOW?

 Dear brethren in Laodicea, do you know that prophecy positively declares that the people of God in the Laodicean church are in a critically dangerous condition and know it not?  Well, brethren, whether or not you realize it, whether or not you believe it, that precisely is the case.  And if you hope to enter into eternal life, you must believe it, and that without delay.  Whatever else you may believe or disbelieve, this one thing you must, “for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.”–Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 253.

And remember that above all people, the Laodiceans should not only be the last but the least inclined to criticize, for they themselves, says the True Witness, are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” without so much as suspecting it, but are indeed even imagining that they are “rich, and increased with goods, and” in “need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17).  How, then, can they be in a position truly to know anything about others!

Think, brethren, and rouse to life!  This cannot possibly be the voice of an enemy.

And remember that the Lord “surprises us by revealing His power through instruments of His own choice, while He passes by the men to whom we have looked as those through whom light should come.  God desires us to receive the truth upon its own merits,–because it is truth.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 106

It is very important to note that we (us Davidians) have studied the original codes thoroughly and have found it is in complete harmony through out the publications! We say this to bring to your attention the distinction between the published original and the unpublished posthumous codes.

Before we get to the problem areas of the latter codes, let’s look at some important points that we should discuss. After brother Houteff died there was a power struggle for leadership. Many believed that brother E.T. Wilson was the man VTH had chosen for the job of leader (Vice president). However, Mrs. Houteff, the very next day after VTH’s death called a executive council meeting! The body wasn’t even cold yet! What’s worse is she tried to discuss her future compensation! **

The above is quite disturbing on several counts. Who among us, that really loves our significant other, calls a meeting the very next day to discuss something such as money and other business?? This leads to the next question. What spiritual condition was she in and what motivated her to “lead”  in spiritual matters? Obviously we Davidians are supposed to be the greatest light bearers to the people (most truth known and to spread) and as such the leader of this movement is to be a person beyond reproach.

Additionally, Mr. Wilson was completely shut out of the decision-making on choosing the new leader.** Sadly the Mt. Carmel camp got off on the wrong foot after brother Houteff’s death  and went downhill from there. (** Source “A Davidian Testimony” by D. Adair) (Later in 1962, Mrs. Houteff went apostate and denied the Davidian message and even Ellen White!)

So knowing all this, we can see that “her” leadership and decision to take upon herself the act of publishing written articles of brother Houteff most likely wasn’t inspired, contrasting with fact that the “inspired” man saw to it not to publish them. And further he never issued an order or direction to have them published later or at any time!

Ok, let’s look at the heart of the matter–the contradictions of the writings in the unpublished codes.

Contradictions —         1)  Jonah typology 2) Jacob’s time of trouble  3) Which trumpet is sounding today? 4) Where did Jesus spend 3 days and nights?  5) Assyrian  confederacy

1) The original writings say that Jonah is a type of Christ

Ref– Elisha was a symbol of Christ.  Prophets and Kings, page 240: “Like the Saviour of mankind, of whom he was a type, Elisha in his ministry among men combined the work of healing with that of teaching.”  These are the reasons why Isaac, Jonah, and Elisha are types of Christ, representing the different phases and imports of the work of Christ. (reference Shep. Rod, Vol. 1, p.16-17)

The UN codes says Jonah is a type of message

The whole story of Jonah’s experience, you see, is more than a record of what happened to him.  It is a picture of the experience of God’s everliving church. ( ref. Sym.code, vol.11, no.8, p. 10-11)

This Jonah issue isn’t as strong a contradiction as the others,  nevertheless it is one.

2)The orignal writings say Jacob’s time of trouble is after Ezek. 9.

(The following is brother Houteff’s timeline of events that happen after Ezek.9 and was written in the period of the original codes. For clarification we omitted the other events and started with Ezek.9)

Ref–  4. That the destruction of the tares from among the first fruits of the living (Matt. 13:30, 48, 49; Ezek. 9:6, 7) results in the purification of the church.

5.   That immediately thereafter, the angels let loose the four winds (Rev. 7:1-3), whereupon ensues the time of trouble and Michael’s standing up to deliver from it, all whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Dan. 12:1).

6.   That the angels’ letting loose the four winds to blow over the four corners of the earth (Rev. 7:1), does not anticipate a world war but rather a world-wide decree enforced throughout Babylon by the image-beast, and that then no one may buy or sell save he who worships “the image.” Rev. 13:15-17.

7.   That subsequently, the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7) for the 144,000, the sons of Jacob, logically develops on their way home (Gen. 32:1, 24) to the land of their fathers (Ezek. 36:28; 37:21, 25).(ref. Timely Greetings, Vol.2, no.10 p.29) 

The UN codes say before Ezek.9

On September 21, 1936 Brother Houteff made the remarks concerning the possibility of trouble coming to the church after the sealing of the saints and before the slaughter of Ezekiel 9, and if so what the results would be and why.  Since Revelation 11 has more recently been unfolded before us we should be able to see that it is not just a possibility, but rather both a fact and approaching reality that trouble is coming to the church before the slaughter of Ezekiel 9.  None therefore need be ignorant concerning what we must now be doing about it.)(ref. Sym. code, vol.11, no.7, p.3)

This issue is a biggie, as some in Davidia have taught expanded scenarios that comes from this. Notice clearly how bro. Houteff makes the no. 7(Jacob’s trouble) in his timeline happen after Ezek.9 in unfolding events. Then see in the Un (unpublished by VTH) codes that  Mrs. Houteff (or someone else) announces the “approaching reality” of trouble (meaning Jacob’s trouble) coming to the church “before the slaughter of Ezek.9”. Keep in mind these “facts and approaching reality” words were not said by the prophet!

3) The Orig. writings say the  6th trumpet began right before 1844.

Ref– ” The altar’s being in the holy apartment of the sanctuary at the sounding of the sixth trumpet, proves that the trumpet sounded before the Most Holy apartment was opened for use.  For had it been in use, the “voice” would necessarily have come from therein, where the throne is.  Hence, the sounding of this trumpet had to take place before the door of the Most Holy was opened and the throne occupied.”(Tract 5 p.31)

The Un codes say the 6th trumpet is yet to sound.

Ref– In view of the fact that we are not living in the sixth trumpet, let us ascertain whether we may be in the sounding of the fifth trumpet, or whether it, too, is yet future.( Un Sym.code, Vol.12, no.2, p.4

Ref– The fifth trumpet, therefore, sounded when Christ came nearly 2,000 years ago.  We find ourselves therefore living in the period of the sounding of the fifth trumpet — the Christian period — before the sounding of the sixth trumpet.(Same Un code, p.8)

Wow, now if that is not a total contradiction, we don’t know what is! First the orig. codes says the 6th trumpet sounded right before Christ entered the most holy apartment in 1844, thus we are now living between the 6th and 7th trumpet. Then the Un codes says we’re not sure if the 5th trumpet sounded yet,  or it has and we’re living in it, and still before the 6th trumpet. Can we say total confusion? Both inspired writings? Certainly it cannot be.

4) Where did Jesus spend 3 days and nights? The orig. writings say the following–

Ref–Now mark, that from the time the Jews laid hands on Christ (Thursday the 12th hour) to His resurrection (Sunday the 12th hour), there were exactly seventy-two hours or three days and three nights.  Thus fulfilling the words of Jesus: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:40.)  The idea that in the “heart of the earth” means in the grave, is man’s supposition without Bible foundation.

If the Saviour had in mind His experience in the grave, He would have said so.  If His grave was in the center of the earth — about 4,000 miles beneath its surface (the heart of the earth) then one may suppose He meant the heart of the earth.  Jesus used the expression to indicate that He was to be three days and three nights in the hands of sinners, and in the grave.  Why are sinners called “The heart of the earth”?  Because man was made of it according to Gen. 3:19, “For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”( Shep. Rod, Vol.2, p.25)

The Un code says–

Ref– In our study of the three days and three nights what light did we receive to help us? — That the heart of the earth was not the tomb, but rather Jesus was in reality in the power or in the hands of the church for three days and three nights even though part of that time He was dead and in the tomb.(Un code, vol.11, no.8 p.6)

This one is another minor contradiction, in that the differences appear to be that the orig. code says He was in the hands of the Jews and in the tomb. Other says He was in the hands of the “church”.

5) The original writings say the following about what we are to do with the upcoming “Assyrian Confederacy” —

In addressing what we should do about the Assyrian confederacy, bro. Houteff says–

Ref– The fear which the people fear is not to be our fear; neither are their plans to be our plans.  Our duty is to–Isa. 8:13 — “Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”

   To sanctify the Lord is to be all for Him, to have no one else in His stead, to put your entire trust in Him, not making flesh your arm, for He alone is able to see you through.  And though you should be the only one in all the world to take such a stand, He will not fail you.  If such be your case, you will then become Heaven’s greatest hero.(Timely greetings, vol. 2, no.20)

The Un code says —

Ref– God’s people are not only commanded not to participate in the confederacy, but they are to oppose it “to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy.”(Un code, vol.13, no.8, 4:8)

The  upcoming Assyrian conspiracy is addressed in the original writings with the direction to rely on the Lord when it comes. The un codes tell us to “oppose it, implying we should take actions among ourselves to go against it.

So we see that there are some real distinct contradictions in the unpublished codes compared to the original writings of brother Houteff. Knowing this, we can better understand God’s divine plan to not have them published. It is only, and we repeat–only the decision of a woman whom, as we have seen, took it upon herself to publish the writings.

However, all the above being said we would like to make a final point about the unpublished writings. We have read through some of them and have to be honest. We feel that some and we emphasis “some”, are most likely brother Houteff’s writings. For instance, let’s take a look at one of the file codes that Florence Houteff published , volume 13, no. 5 & 6.

In this code article we see the following question asked–

THE SABBATH WHAT IS IT?  WHEN IS IT?FOR WHOM IS IT?   A Truth-seeker writes: “I am sending you literature on the seemingly Scriptural doctrine that the Bible Sabbath falls on Friday not on Saturday nor on Sunday.  It looks to me unanswerable.  Please give me a

STRICTLY BIBLICAL REPLY.”

Now if we continue to read the answer given, we are astounded at the depth and degree of knowledge that makes up the answer. Please read it if you can. So what are we to make of this? We truly believe that the answer given could have come from no other than brother Houteff.http://www.shepherds-rod.org/symbolic/SC13No5and6.htm

So are the unpublished codes truth or not? The simple answer is yes and no. But that being said, we believe they have been tampered with, such as the example of the contradictions. Could Mrs. Houteff  or others in her office added to the writings? Yes, quite possibly. Let’s also keep in mind no transcripts or notes have ever appeared of these postmortem codes. We only have Florence Houteff’s word for it. But again, even if they were to appear, the simple fact that apparently brother Houteff did not want them published speaks volumes as to whether God intended us to use them as inspired writings.

As proof of her and her council’s lack of trustworthiness, they later conspired at Mt. Carmel to falsely interpret the 42 month prophecy and make the announcement for all the world to see that Ezek. 9 was going to happen at a certain date (early 1959).Even going so far as to publish their own code predicting it would happen! Here’s the wording they used,   “If the message and work of the Shepherd’s Rod is God’s truth as we believe it to be, the 1260 days of Revelation as the Symbloic Codes have explained, will end sometime this Spring. Then will follow the war that will kill the Two Witnesses.”(Sym. Code,  vol. 14, no.6, p.8).   The fiasco was/is  known as the “knockout blow” predicted by brother Houteff.

The unpublished codes can be useful for our “own” reading. Sort of like historical reading. They should not be quoted publicly as a reference due to the fact that tampering  has clearly been made. The alternative,  God forbid, is that we would have no choice but  to believe that bro. Houteff  made clear contradictions(errors) and as such wasn’t inspired. Additionally we often found phrasing/use of words in the unpublished codes that didn’t compare to brother Houteff’s original codes and writings.

Additionally, some may want to read the thorough report by bro. Lennox Sam and Michael Graham that give powerful evidence that the “new codes” contain irregularities  and in some cases — out right errors. As an example, they write, “Just another note of observation we failed to mention. Brother Houteff has published 98 sermons in the Timely Greetings Volumes One and Two, and not once have we found prayer thoughts to be over a paragraph or so long. In these purported sermons delivered by Brother Houteff, there are prayer thoughts four pages long. This does not resemble Brother Houteff’s sermons.”

Their report also reveals a striking fact. Much missing pages are not included in the current “new codes”. They explain–

“Brethren, we would like to draw your attention to some more startling facts. The symbolic codes in the 5 volumes now being distributed are not complete Codes there are many missing pages, which are shown in Exhibit “I”. Was this an oversight or were these pages lost, as some brethren were told? The answer is a big loud No! Why are we distributing portions of these New Codes? Is it because there are some errors found in them? Or did we simply had no access to them, if so, we now do, the complete Symbolic Codes can be found at the Carroll Library at Baylor University, Waco Texas.

The New Symbolic Codes are either all truth or no truth, all right or all wrong, and if they are all right, then distribute them in their entirety. If portions of them are wrong then discard them all and stick to that which was published by Brother V. T. Houteff and we will be standing on the sure foundation. Why are we holding on to publications with a shaky foundation?

3. Please note that 11 SC. No. 2 actually contains in excess of twenty-six pages. Why are we only distributing the first fourteen pages? In addition, we are not even distributing page fourteen in its entirety. Why! Why! Why see Exhibit “I” No. 3. We are splitting Symbolic Codes and even splitting pages so as to avoid the errors found therein. Isn’t there enough literature published by the Prophet to prepare us to receive the seal, go through Jacob’s time of trouble and finally board the chariot bound for the Kingdom?”

NOTE: The following link (report) was made by bro. Lennox Sam and bro. Michael Graham. Sam was NOT at that time promoting his later false doctrines such as VTH is not the Elijah to come,Two Ezek. 9’s , one to DSDA and one to SDA, etc..

http://www.davidiansda.org/NewCodes-BRC.pdf

We should also remember that the original published codes and writings  have all the light we need and comprise the total clear Elijah message, to bring us into God’s soon to come earthly kingdom. Do we need to add such confusion and disruption to the Elijah message, and make it foder for the enemies of truth to use as a weapon against the Lord’s message? The Lord’s Elijah message, as we all know, stands on solid ground in it’s original writings. Not so with the Florence Houteff codes.

Let us remember that we should always seek the Lord in prayer on any study of His word, including His last message, as brought by brother Houteff. We should claim the Lord’s promise “When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come,  He shall guide you into all truth..” (John 16:13)

Excerpts from The Great Paradox of the Ages

When The Church Is Fitly Represented By The Mountains.

   Through the time of this solemn work — a subject of paramount importance to the church of
God at this critical hour — is clearly set forth in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy,  yet,
ironically, it is a matter little thought of and little understood by the people in the church it
concerns.  We therefore at this point inquire further into it.

   At the instance of Inspiration, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “For by fire and by His sword will the
Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many…. And I will send those that
escape of them unto the nations,…and they shall bring all your brethren…in a clean vessel into
the house of the Lord.”  Isa. 66:16, 19, 20.

   Note that these prophetic words say that those who “escape” being among “the slain of the
Lord” are to be sent “unto the nations,” and that they “shall declare [His] glory among the
Gentiles.  And…shall bring all [their] brethren…out of all nations.”

Tract 2                            20

   As this great world-wide work of ingathering cannot be done after probation has closed, you
must not let the enemy deceive you “with good words and fair speeches.”  Show him that he
cannot explain these inspired passages another way, and yet have his explanation in harmony
with what the Lord has said in the foregoing scripture as well as in the following statement
from the Spirit of Prophecy:

   “While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven…there is to be a special work
of purification…among God’s people upon earth…. Then the church which our Lord at His
coming is to receive to Himself will be ‘a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing.’  Then she will look forth ‘as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and
terrible as an army with banners.’ ” — The Great Controversy, p. 425.

   This statement from the Spirit of Prophecy also clearly indicates that the purification takes
place before probation closes, or “while the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven,
“and that then the church, clean and spotless, is to go into all the world conquering and to
conquer (Prophets and Kings, p. 725).

   Brother, Sister, do not rise up against this message of deliverance, and by so doing join the
ranks of the enemy, who sowed the tares in the church, and who is determined to keep them
there, for he knows

Tract 2                            21

that with a purified church, his power will be crushed, and the barriers which he has erected
against it will be smashed to fragments!  Indeed, “we need never expect that when the Lord
has light for His people, Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from
receiving it.  He will work upon minds to excite distrust and jealousy and unbelief.” —
Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 728.

   From the evidences adduced, the fact towers forth that the purification takes place before the
work of the gospel is finished in any part of the world: for those who “escape” the slaughter are
sent to “bring all [their] brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations.”  Necessarily
therefore, the consummation of this “special; work of purification” precedes the
commencement  of “The Loud Cry.”  Doubly conclusive proof of this is that the Spirit of
Prophecy states that “the true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord,…will
always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins…. Especially in the closing work
for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand….”  This special
work of purification and “sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown to Ezekiel
in vision.” — Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 266; Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445.

   Ezekiel’s vision discloses that those who “sigh and cry for all the abominations that

Tract 2                            22

be done in the midst thereof” (the church) are marked, or sealed, and that the men with the
“slaughter weapons” then “slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children and
women” who have not the mark.  The purification of the church, therefore, is a separation of
the sinners from the true people of God.  At the time of its fulfillment, the immediate future, the
144,000 receive the seal, or mark, escape the slaughter, become the “servants of God,” and go
forth unto the nations to finish the work.  This makes them the “first-fruits” of the living who are
to be translated, and “all their brethren” whom they bring in (the “great multitude” of
Revelation 7, verse 9), the second fruits of the living who are to be translated: for where there
are no second fruits, there can be no first. (For further light on this subject, read Tract No. 1,
Pre-“Eleventh Hour” Extra!.)

   Brethren, we must “sigh and cry” against the sins in the church; not against the message
which is to seal us for translation and make us a people fitly symbolized by the mountains of
brass.  Your sighing and crying for the abominations done in her “midst,” makes you eligible
for  the “mark”; but should you attempt to shield the abominations, you shall fall under the
slaughter weapons of the angels.  The church is to be purified and made clean and fit to be
God’s Dwelling Place.  In no other way can she be identified as the

Tract 2                            23

“mountain of brass,” the symbol of endurance.  This is the church that shall “enter upon her
final  conflict,” and the one with whom the dragon is to be “wroth:” for the symbolical
“woman” and “her seed,” as a body, keep the commandments of God and have the “testimony
of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17.

“Let us Reason Together”

LET US REASON TOGETHER

“The Laodicean church, the last of the seven churches (Rev. 2;3), being figurative of the Christian church in her last period, our time, the message on record to her is therefore the last message to the church. So, plainly, if there is any Bible subject essential for the church to study, the message to the Laodiceans certainly is.

Although satisfied with their attainments, the Laodiceans who believe and take God at His Word will not question Him concerning their condition but will, whether they see it or not, acknowledge that they are in a “sad deception,” “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Having honestly made this acknowledgment, they will, in consequent obedience to the True Witness’ counsel to buy of Him eyesalve which He alone can supply, anoint their eyes with it and be able to see.

Those, though, who recline in the false security of self-complacence, will pay no attention to the warning counsel, and will as a result lose everything-be spued out! Yet how few does this dread threat alarm! How few does it impel to find out where the trouble lies and how they stand! How few, indeed, does it even trouble! And O how few incline to inquire into it for fear that it may rebuke their evil course and deprive them of some sinful pleasure which they dearly cherish! Surprisingly few yet all too truly.

Then, too, there being instilled in them great fear of false prophets, and not at all awakened in them any expectation of true ones (although there can be no false where there are no true), they are now therefore almost beyond reach. And behind their careless attitude is seen the truth that “the pains of duty and the pleasures of sin are the cords with which Satan binds men in his snares” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 53), while behind the deeply instilled fear of false prophets, is seen the false watchman’s carefulness to keep them from coming in contact with the messengers whom God has sent to them.

Our deep concern, therefore, is that there awaken an interest in you, dear Laodicean, to go to the bottom of the matter, to make sure of your salvation. So will you not be sensible and courteous enough to sit down with this lightbearer in humble, impartial, prayerful study which must repay you many, many times over what you put into it? Remember, there is a divine law that converts every honest effort into joy, a personal experience with God, and eternal life.”

(The Answerer, Vol. 1, p. 8-10)