SDA Internet Group Therapy—Session #6

 by Ron Beaulieu

Motto:

"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." -1 Timothy 6:3-5

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Dear Reader, 

The son of an SDA minister has notified me that he believes that the prefigure of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, The Great Controversy, Chapter 1, and called PREFIGURE on p. 25, can easily be fulfilled by SDA’s leaving the other protestant churches in 1844. It is the objective of this therapy session to prove beyond any particle of a doubt that the prefigure destruction of Jerusalem could not equate to the fallen churches of 1844 and the separation of Adventists from those churches.

 

Here is his statement: 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Bryan (Last name withheld)

To: SDAIssues@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 9:42 AM

Subject: Re: [SDAIssues] United in Error

 

Ron,

The prefigure of Jerusalem can easily be fulfilled by SDA leaving the other protestant churches.  That was ALSO at the end of the world in Bible reckoning of time.  I do agree that when the Sunday law happens, it's possible that the govt. will force SDA officials to break God's law and some will capitulate. At that time home churches will probably become the way God's people worship.  But, it is not any kind of necessity now. Signed

 

Ron responds:

 

Reasons Why the Fallen Churches of Babylon DO NOT Equate With the Prefigure of Apostate Israel Circa A.D. 27-70

 

The following factors totally preclude the possibility of Bryan’s suggestion that: “The prefigure of Jerusalem can easily be fulfilled by SDA leaving the other protestant churches.”

What Bryan is saying is that the Ezekiel 9 debacle that Ellen White said would have another LITERAL FULFILLMENT, applies to Babylon, and implies that fallen Babylon was once equal to “Jerusalem” or God’s chosen people—Israel.

Here are the reasons why that could not and DOES NOT accrue:

 

1. The Jews were a called out and chosen people who claimed to be a remnant and to keep the commandments of God. They were given a commission by God to take the gospel to the world. Adventists of 1844 were given that same commission.

 

2. The churches of the Reformation did not claim or meet that criteria. They were not given the commission of the Everlasting Gospel of Revelation 14 to the world.

 

3. The fallen daughters of Babylon, the mainline protestant churches, always taught doctrines which designated rendered it impossible for them to be the bride of Christ elect. They taught and still teach four doctrines that constitute them as fallen daughters of Mother Rome. In the prefigure of A.D. 27-70, the Jews never taught that vile doctrines of Rome and her daughters. Therefore, they never qualified as being “Jerusalem,” per say. They were always fallen in the sense that they have always followed certain erroneous doctrines of Rome.

"In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure which is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of a church. A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a HARLOT and the prophet beheld her drunken with the blood of saints and martyrs. The Babylon thus described represents Rome, that apostate church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of Christ. But Babylon the HARLOT is the MOTHER of DAUGHTERS who follow her example of corruption. Thus are represented those churches that cling to the doctrines and traditions of Rome and follow her worldly practices, and whose fall is announced in the second angel's message." E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Volume Four, p. 233.

 

4. The SDA Bible Commentary, in commenting on Ezekiel 9, says that the destroyer of “Jerusalem,”
at the end-time, is Babylon. Therefore, Babylon cannot be “Jerusalem” destroying itself! That is what would accrue if Bryan’s version was correct.

 

5. In the prefigure, the “gathered out” by Christ and His disciples constituted the bride of Christ. They were faithful to all His commands and they fled to the mountains in A.D. 66, three and one-half years before the destruction of apostate Jerusalem in A.D. 70. They indeed were “gathered out” to take the gospel to the world. They were the bride, DA 179.

 

6. That bride of A.D. 27 and on, that was “gathered out,” did not backslide into Laodiceanism. That bride escaped and was saved. Great Controversy, Chapter 1. Ezekiel 5:1-3 and Isaiah 37:31, 32. Commensurately, the bride that is “gathered out” of modern-day apostate Jerusalem, the SDA church, will not backslide into Laodiceanism.

 

7. In the prefigure fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, A.D. 27-70, the tares (dross) were gathered into the midst’s of Jerusalem for burning. Since Bryan says that Adventists in 1844, were the counterpart to the faithful remnant that was gathered out of apostate Jerusalem, Bryan’s theory would have the tares being gathered into the midst’s of Babylon for burning, rather than “Jerusalem,” (Ezekiel 22:17-31) because the fallen daughters of Babylon were always fallen for reason of the false doctrines of Rome which they retained even after leaving Roman Catholicism. Thus, they never qualified as “Jerusalem,” or what could be considered as a counterpart of Jerusalem, the “chosen” people.

 

In the prefigure of Ezekiel 9, A.D. 27-70, faithful Jews were separated from apostate Jerusalem, not apostate Babylon! Bryan’s theory would have modern day faithful Jerusalem separating from apostate Babylon in 1844. The error of this model is empirical!

 

8. Bryan’s theory would have judgment begin at Babylon as the House of God, rather than “spiritual Jerusalem,” as the House of God.

 

9. Ellen White and Scripture has God’s judgment BEGIN at spiritual “Jerusalem,” the House of Jacob, those who have been privileged with great light (SDA’s), Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211, and note that Ellen White begins the chapter on page 207, by quoting Ezekiel 9.

 

10. Bryan’s proposal would have a remnant (Adventists) in 1844, coming out of a daughter of Babylon. In the prefigure, a remnant was called out of a “chosen” people constituting Jerusalem, not Babylon.

 

11. It could be argued that I am contradicting myself when I teach that fallen Adventism is a sister to fallen Babylon, the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, but that falls flat when one considers that fallen Adventism is still distinguished, as was fallen Israel (Jerusalem) by not having ever taught fallen doctrines of Babylon previous to its election as a “chosen” people of God. The same cannot be said for fallen Babylon and her daughters which have both always taught Babylonian error.

 

12. The bride that was called out circa A.D. 27-70, never apostatized in any way. She never once associated, took counsel and/or confederated with any Babylonian entity. The SDA church and fallen Babylon have both done so.

 

13. In the prefigure, Christian converts were gathered out before probation closed for Israel. The first work of Christ’s ministry was to gather out His disciples, the bride (DA 179) in A.D. 27, 7 years before the general close of probation in A.D. 34, at the stoning of Stephen. Conversely, in 1844, SDA’s were not gathered out of Babylon until she sealed her already fallen state by rejecting the truth that exposed her long state of being fallen from the time she left Rome. So Adventists in 1844 left a daughter of Babylon, not Jerusalem, as was the case in the prefigure—faithful Jews leaving apostate Jerusalem, not apostate Babylon!

 

14. The “gathered out” Christians of A.D. 27 – A.D. 66, received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in order to give the gospel to the world. That was the church triumphant receiving the Holy Spirit, and did not include the bad being shaken from any church militant to leave it the church triumphant as SDA’s visualize the scenario for their church. The good left the bad and the bad were gathered into the midsts of the apostate church, Ezekiel 22:17-31.

 

Commensurately, the good who separate from the apostate church in the antitypical fulfillment of the prefigure type, will receive the outpouring of the Latter Rain Holy Spirit for giving the gospel to the world. Whereas, the apostate Jerusalem church is the land that IS NOT rained upon in the day of indignation which is at the end of time, Ezekiel 22:24 and Rev. 14:10 as follows:

 

Eze 22:24  Son of man, say unto her, Thou [art] the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

 

There goes “Operation Global Rain” as far as the SDA “Jerusalem” church is concerned. To find who receives the Latter Rain, see Ezekiel 20:34-38.

 

 

Dan 8:19

And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].

 

Hbr 10:27

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Rev 14:10

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

 

 

15. In the prefigure of Ezekiel 9, God’s people, Jerusalem, played the harlot with Babylon, confusion, error. Bryan’s proposal would have Babylon playing the harlot with itself! The parallel does not meet the type of the prefigure!

 

16. Those who came out of apostate Jerusalem in the prefigure, did not commit any abominations. The SDA church has committed abominations for which we are to sigh and cry. In Bryan’s proposed model, Adventists would not have committed any abominations (were they true to the separated of the prefigure—church triumphant ONLY), for which we are to sigh and cry. But they have indeed committed abominations. In Bryan’s model, we would only sigh and cry for the abominations of Babylon, not Jerusalem!

 

17. The Adventist Philadelphia state backslid to the Laodicean state in 1852, before the church was organized in 1863. In the prefigure of those who were “gathered out,” they did not backslide into the Laodicean state. Neither will the antitypical fulfillment of the “true remnant” who is “gathered out” of Jerusalem to take the final gospel to the world, the 144,000, by whom and from whom the rebels are shaken from the kingdom of God, the heavenly church. Ezekiel 20:34-38 and Matthew 13:44 and on.

 

Thus, Adventists coming out of Babylon in 1844, is not to be paralleled with the prefigure of a faithful remnant coming out of the “chosen” people, Jerusalem, in the prefigure.

 

18. In the prefigure coming out of a faithful church triumphant remnant, that remnant did not bring every abominable and uncouth thing into its meetings just before the close of probation for the church it was gathered out of as the SDA church has done via the Celebration Movement, to wit:

 

"The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music, than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit's working." E. G. White,  Selected Messages, Vol. 2, 36.

 

I have Kirk Weedman’s video of SDA Youth meetings at Campmeetings in Oregon, wherein there is loud rock music, shouting and dancing and every lewd and uncouth thing. This is a direct fulfillment of Ellen White’s prophecy above. Weedman is a member of the church and is an engineer. He did an excellent joy of taping the video. Some are contesting that this no longer goes on, but Weedman has threatened to produce another video proving that it is still going on and is even worse than in his first video.

 

18. In the prefigure, the “gathered out” remnant did not invite officials from pagan Rome to speak to them at their General Conference Sessions at their Jerusalem Headquarters, which were and are supposed to be the voice of God to the church!

 

19. In the prefigure, the “gathered out” remnant did not go to Babylon or pagan Rome in search of the Holy Spirit, as apostate SDA’s have done in consulting Babylon concerning the Celebration Movement and how to grow churches. The Holy Spirit would teach SDA leaders ALL THINGS if they were faithful to God’s commands and they would be the vanguards, ahead of all other churches.

 

20. In the prefigure, the “gathered out” remnant did not enter a conspiracy to tone down the gospel and the Sabbath, as the apostate SDA church has done. Vance Ferrell, a former SDA minister, who resigned because he felt he could not abide by principle and be a minister of the church, has said he has proof that the SDA church has entered a secret agreement with the WCC to tone down the Sabbath and Mark of the Beast issues. The Everlasting Gospel has thus been betrayed by compromise.

 

21. The “gathered out” remnant (DA 232), was not ONCE called a harlot by God. SDA’s have been called a harlot four times by Ellen White. Thus, SDA’s today fail to meet the parallel of the “gathered out” faithful in the prefigure of A.D. 27-70, so that there needs be one more coming out.

 

 "Christ was a protestant...The Reformers date back to Christ and the apostles. They came out and separated themselves from a religion of forms and ceremonies. Luther and his followers did not invent the reformed religion. They simply accepted it as presented by Christ and the apostles." E.G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 2, 48, col. 2.

 

 "The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.

As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience." E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.

 

 "The recreant priests added licentiousness to the dark catalogue of their crimes yet they still polluted by their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and, laden with sin, dared to come into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel witnessed the corrupt course of the priests, they thought it safer for their families not to come up to the appointed place of worship. Many went from Shiloh with their peace disturbed, their indignation aroused, until they at last determined to offer their sacrifices themselves, concluding that this would be fully as acceptable to God, as to sanction in any manner the abominations practiced in the Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, vol. 1, p. 264, col. 3, December 1, 1881.

 

"'They that forsake the law praise the wicked.' Proverbs 28:4. When those who are uniting with the world, yet claiming great purity, plead for union with those who have ever been the opposers of the cause of truth, we should fear and shun them as decidedly as did Nehemiah. Such counsel is prompted by the enemy of all good. It is the speech of timeservers, and should be resisted as resolutely today as then. Whatever influence would tend to unsettle the faith of God' people in His guiding power, should be steadfastly withstood." E.G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 660.

 

Paul left

 

"And as they persisted in their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space for three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." Acts, 19:8, 9.

 

"Fearing that the faith of the believers would be endangered by continued association with these opposers of the truth, Paul separated from them, and gathered the disciples into a distinct body." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 286.

 

Even in Jeremiah’s day, God begged the question:

 

Jer 11:15  What hath my beloved [bride] to do in mine house, [church] [seeing] she hath wrought lewdness with many [ecumenically], and the holy flesh [Christ] is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest [Celebrates!].

 

22. Isaiah 4:1-4, portrays the fact that all formally organized churches at the end-time will be doing their own thing. All Bible Commentarians agree that Isaiah Chapters 1-4 are of end-time context. Don’t confuse the Jerusalem and Zion therein mentioned with apostate Jerusalem. Isaiah is speaking of true Zion and true Jerusalem, and those verses do not contradict the following ones by the same author, and remember that God and Ellen White said that all the ancient prophets wrote more for us than the Jews because we have their example so as to be better able to avoid their pitfalls:

 

Isa 37:31  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

 

Isa 37:32  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

 

23. The leaders of the Christian Jerusalem Headquarters in Jerusalem, committed no apostasy, no abominations. SDA leaders have committed such. So once again, there is no parallel between the prefigure and Adventists coming out of Babylon, rather than Jerusalem, in 1844.

 

24. The SDA church was a church militant comprised of tares and wheat. The “gathered out” church of Christ was a faithful remnant, the bride of Christ, DA 179. So once again, the parallel of the SDA church that Bryan has tried to draw with the prefigure totally fails.

 

25. The “gathered out” prefigure of A.D. 27-70, was a fulfillment of Ezekiel 20:34-38. That is EXACTLY what occurred in the PREFIGURE. That is EXACTLY what will happen in the antitypical fulfillment of the PREFIGURE TYPE. Those verses depict an SDA church triumphant EXACTLY as the one brought into covenant relationship with Christ and His followers in the prefigure.

 

26. The following statement is addressed to SDA’s, not Babylon. The house of Jacob is not Babylon. Those who have been privileged with great light does not refer to Babylon. Is Babylon the Lord’s Sanctuary? According to Bryan’s theory, that would be the case. That does not fit Ezekiel 9, which is addressing Jerusalem.

 

Begin at My Sanctuary -- "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." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.

 

Thus, it was apostate Jews of Jerusalem who were destroyed in the prefigure. According to Bryan’s model, it would be apostate Babylonians who were slain and will be slain. Make no mistake about it, Babylon will be destroyed by God after she destroys apostate Adventism, and the SDA Bible Commentary says that Babylon represents the men with slaughter weapons, Ezekiel 9:2.

 

The leadership of the Jerusalem Christian Headquarters committed no apostasy. No guile was found amongst them. So it will be with the final separated remnant that goes forth out of Jerusalem as well as fallen Babylon.

 

In the following statement, Ellen White was addressing Seventh-day Adventists, the SDA churches of Oakland and Berkeley California, AND NOT BABYLON:

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel.  These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing and the people are sleep.  They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience.  The time is short. God is calling; will you hear?" Letter 106, 1909

This slaughter will begin with the leadership and then proceed to the laity.  Ezekiel saw virtually every Adventist killed.  There will be a remnant of the remnant as stated in the ninth chapter.  Notice in chapter eight, there are abominations committed by Adventists which cause the slaughter in the next chapter.  Those abominations are taking place this very moment.  They "hold the branch to their nose," meaning they are mocking God.  Who is openly committing the abominations in Adventism and refusing to obey God?  The largest AND most apostatizing ministry is the conference.

Please read the "Seal of God" chapter in the fifth volume of the Testimonies, p 207.  The slaughter of Adventists and the abominations in Adventism are outlined.  Only those who are "sighing and crying for the abominations in the church" will receive the Seal of God.  The size of this faithful group is termed a "little company."

God bless all who dig deep as for hidden treasure for only they will find the Pearl of Great Price,

 

Ron