My Vision on Laodicea as the Once Noble Ship That DOES NOT Go Through as the Church Triumphant

"The state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald, 8/19/1890.

 

The Laodicean Church—What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right when they are ALL WRONG?”  Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 253, 254.

             

"The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst." E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.

 

“We ARE NOT saved as a sect; no denominational name has any virtue to bring us into favor with God. We are saved individually as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.” E.G. White, Review and Herald Articles, vol. 2, p. 464.

 

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On October 30, 2013, the following vision of sequential statements was given to me as proof that Laodicea is not the noble ship that becomes the SDA church triumphant. Though I was given parts of this vision years ago, the following was given to me in facets of a different presentation to prove that Laodicea could not possibly go through as the church triumphant, but only individuals who come out of Laodicea or the foolish virgin state of the church will be saved as individuals. This vision will be most difficult to accept by a people who think they are ALL RIGHT, when the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church asserts that they are ALL WRONG. This vision is as straight as the STRAIGHT TESTIMONY gets. It is SHAKING TESTIMONY TRUTH that will be rejected by the majority of professing Seventh-day Adventists.

 

SDA leaders are teaching that Laodicea is the seventh and last church, so it must go through as the noble ship, the church triumphant, no matter what that church does, because God has nothing else to work with. The object of this document is to prove that teaching as totally wrong. All seven messages apply to our day, to wit:

 

“The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the Christian Era. The number 7 indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages [PLURAL] extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods in the history of the world.” {AA 585.3}

 

“The messages [plural] given to the churches in Asia, portray the state of things existing in the churches of the religious world today. The names of the churches are symbolic of the Christian church in different periods of the Christian era the number of the churches--SEVEN--indicates completeness and is symbolic of the fact that the messages [plural] extend to the end of time, and are enforced today while the figures used are symbolic of the state of God's professed people,--the wheat developing among the tares truth; standing on its own eternal basis in contrast with error.” Ms 81, 1900, pp. 17, 18. ("Solomon's Reign," 1900.) {1MR 372.2}

 

In quest of the stated objective, we will look at Bible and Spirit of Prophecy statements that prove this teaching to be a lying divination by SDA leaders.

 

We will begin with Bible statements:

 

Statement #1: Isaiah 37:31, 32. The Bible clearly states that a remnant will go out of Jerusalem as well as being called out of Babylon:

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

 

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. Isaiah 37:31, 32.

 

Statement #2: Ezekiel Chapter 5.  The fifth chapter of Ezekiel involves Jerusalem, THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL only—not Babylon! Chapter 5 is another description of Ezekiel chapter 9. Ellen White says that Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled again.

 

Ezekiel 5 King James Version (KJV)

 

1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

 

2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

 

3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

 

4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

 

5 Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

 

6 And she [Spiritual Jerusalem, THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, the SDA church] hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.

 

7 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;

 

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

 

9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

 

10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

 

11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

 

12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

 

13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

 

14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

 

15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it.

 

16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

 

17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it. Ezekiel 5:1-17.

 

Important qualifications in the above chapter:

 

·       The reason we know that Ezekiel chapter 5 is end time in context is relative to verse 9, for it is at the end-time that God does the worst thing He has ever done or ever will do. Compare with Matthew 24:21, to wit: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

·       Verse 2 says: “…a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.” This part is the many martyrs, for all who are saved at the end-time, but for the 144,000, will be martyred for their faith.

·       The “few in number,” that are bound in His skirts, verse 3, is the bride, the true remnant, the 144,000, who go forth out of Jerusalem. A sword is even drawn after them (Ezk. 5:2) as well, when Satan attempts to kill them. But they are the faithful bride, the 144,000, and they are delivered from their enemies by the voice of Jesus.

·       These verses are referring to the House of Israel, spiritual Jerusalem, the SDA church, in the end-time application. They applied to ancient apostate Jerusalem in the first fulfillment, the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70, Chapter 1, The Great Controversy.

Statement #3: In Chapter 1 of The Great Controversy, p. 25, Ellen White says that what happened to apostate Jerusalem was a PREFIGURE (TYPE) of what will occur again in the terrors of the last great day, to wit: “The future was mercifully veiled from the disciples. Had they at that time fully comprehend the two awful facts--the Redeemer's sufferings and death, and the destruction of their city and temple--they would have been overwhelmed with horror. Christ presented before them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close of time. His words were not then fully understood; but their meaning was to be unfolded as His people should need the instruction therein given. The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meaning; while foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day.” The Great Controversy, p. 25.

It is important that you assimilate the words: “…but their meaning was to be unfolded as His people should need the instruction therein given.” The angel of the Lord showed me that these words have applied since 1986. It was at that time that the Lord first gave me a vision concerning these words as they relate to the experience of ancient Israel being A DIRECT PARALLEL; A PREFIGURE TYPE, of exactly what will befall the professing SDA church at the end-time, and for many of the same reasons that they applied to apostate Israel. The destruction of Jerusalem was the first fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. It could not have been fulfilled until after A.D. 34, for that is when the 490 weeks of Israel’s probation (cited in Daniel 9) ended. God would not destroy His “chosen” people until their probation ended, and before the faithful among them were called out and sealed by the Man in Linen, Ezekiel 9.

The prophecy which Christ uttered to His disciples was TWOFOLD. 1) It foreshadowed the destruction of Jerusalem. 2) It PREFIGURED the terrors of the last great day, which BEGIN AT HIS CHURCH, HIS SANCTUARY, JERUSALEM, SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, THE HOUSE OF JACOB:

Statement #4: BEGINNING AT HIS SANCTUARY, HIS CHURCH, to wit: “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.   

How would Laodicea ever repent when its leaders are laden with UNBELIEF, peace and safety, and will NEVER AGAIN show God’s people their transgressions and the House of Jacob its sins? This is why they all perish together in another literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, for the chapter the above statement derives from, begins on page 207, quoting Ezekiel 9. Anciently, only individuals who heeded Paul’s teachings were spared the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 slaughter in A.D. 70. See Chapter 1 of The Great Controversy, for a review of all that will transpire in the next Ezekiel 9 debacle, as well as Ezekiel 22:17-31. Adventists cannot conceive of the fact that this fate will befall the SDA Laodicean church militant any more than the disciples could conceive that the Temple would be brought down to destruction. See Isaiah 56:10-12 for the rest of the story concerning the “dumb dogs” that won’t bark. Their philosophy is eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow will be better than today, verse 12, and these verses indict them ALL, the word ALL being used three times for serious emphasis.

 

Statement #5:  SDA leaders teach as does pastor Jack Sequeira in his statement below, that “Christ will never take us to heaven as individuals, but only as members of His church.”      

 

"Saved into the church.--The world to which we belong by birth is hostile to God and under condemnation. Therefore, in order to save us, the cross must deliver us from the world and place us in the church, the body of Christ. Every other aspect of salvation is based upon this fact. The gospel delivers us not primarily from hell to heaven, nor from death to life, but from the world to the church. As a subjective experience, this is always the first step of our salvation. Christ will never take us to heaven as individuals, but only as members of His church."  Jack Sequeira, SDA Pastor, Beyond Belief, p. 115.

 

Pastor Sequeira’s above statement directly contradicts the Spirit of Prophecy:

 

Statement #6: "We ARE NOT saved as a sect; no denominational name has any virtue to bring us into favor with God. We are saved individually as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ." E.G. White, Review and Herald Articles, vol. 2, p. 464.

 

We are not saved as a sect, AS A DENOMINATION, but we can be lost as a sect, just as those ancient Jews who remained at the apostate organization of their day were lost as a corporate body, as the Synagogue of Satan. Why? Because when we join a corrupt church organization, we become corporately responsible for the corruption, to wit:

 

Statement #7: The Lord said to Joshua, "Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you." The defects of character in any member of the church, or in the minister, are charged to the church if the church make light of the defects. If you place Elder Daniels over the church as a minister, you, as a church, assume his defects, you make them your own, and the whole church stands under the rebuke of God, even as ancient Israel was under his rebuke on account of the sin of Achan. But your case will be more grievous than theirs, because you knew the evil, yet hid your eyes from it and walked contrary to the will of God.” {PH028 5.4}

 

How does one “make light of the defects or the abominations for which we are to sigh and cry? He/she merely regards the abominations as insufficient to sigh and cry about. He/she remains indifferent in light of all the abominations and/or chooses and refuses to investigate the evidence concerning the abominations, and/or totally denies that they exist:

 

Statement #8: "Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God's sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure 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." E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 267.

 

Statement #9: “What astonishing deception and fearful blindness had, like a dark cloud, covered Israel! This blindness and apostasy had not closed about them suddenly; it had come upon them gradually as they had not heeded the word of reproof and warning which the Lord had sent to them because of their pride and their sins. And now, in this fearful crisis, in the presence of the idolatrous priests and the apostate king, they remained neutral. If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God.”—3 Testimonies, 280-281.

 

The True Church That is the Apple of God’s Eye—The Church That the gates of Hell Will not Prevail Against

 

Statement #10: “From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth.  In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived.  These sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called to lay off their armor, others took up the work.  God brought these witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the church on earth with the church in heaven.  He has sent forth His angels to minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people.”  E.G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 12. 

 

"To the end of time, the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true church." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.

 

The Church That the Gates of Hell Will Prevail Against

 

Statement #11: “Among the professed children of God, how little patience has been manifested, how many bitter words have been spoken, how much denunciation has been uttered against those not of our faith. Many have looked upon those belonging to other churches as great sinners, when the Lord does not thus regard them. Those who look thus upon the members of other churches, have need to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Those whom they condemn may have had but little light, few opportunities and privileges. If they had had the light that many of the members of our churches have had, they might have advanced at a far greater rate, and have better represented their faith to the world. Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, "But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent [in their own estimation], and hast revealed them unto babes.” {RH, August 1, 1893 par. 5}

 

I have added NOTHING to the above statement. That is just as it appears in the Review and Herald of August 1, 1893. I have all the Review and Herald articles bound in book form. There are six large volumes of them. The bracketed portion is just as it appears in the article. Look it up on the Ellen G. White Writings at the White Estate, at this address: https://egwwritings.org/singleframe.php

 

Statement #12: "The state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald, 8/19/1890.

         

"The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst." E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.

 

·       Are the foolish virgins saved?

·       Is Laodicea, the foolish virgins, the noble ship that goes through to port heaven?

·       Is God the captain of the Laodicean ship if His presence in not in her midst?

·       Did the church of Laodicea begin as Philadelphia in 1844? Philadelphia is not faulted for one thing.

·       The gates of hell will not prevail against faithful souls—obviously, the barley (firstfruits crop in Israel) bride of 144,000 and the wise virgin wheat.

 

Which Ship Are You On?

 

Defective Ship: We can know that if a ship has false teaching it will not survive the rigors of the ocean of strife and turmoil: "You have had too great confidence in the ability of these men. A ship may be sound in nearly every respect but if there is one defect,--a bit of timber worm-eaten,--the lives of all on board are imperiled." E.G. White, Testimonies, vol. 4, 322.

 

Ship Drifting at Sea Without Chart or Compass: "The facts concerning the real condition of the professed people of God, speak more loudly than their profession, and make it evident that some power has cut the cable that anchored them to the Eternal Rock, and that they are drifting away to sea, without chart or compass." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 128, (Review and Herald, Vol. 2, p. 231). (Also see Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 348).

 

"The people to whom God has entrusted eternal interests, the depositaries of truth pregnant with eternal results, the keepers of light that is to illuminate the whole world, have lost their bearings." Testimonies to Ministers, p. 397.

 

"Every ship sailing the sea of life needs to have the divine Pilot on board, but when storms arise, when tempests threaten, many persons push their Pilot overboard, and commit their bark into the hand of finite man, or try to steer it themselves. Then disaster and wreckage generally follow, and the Pilot is blamed for running them into such dangerous waters." E.G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 348.

 

Is the Pilot on board the SDA New Movement, New Organization Ship described in Selected Messages, vol. 1, 204-5? Page 205, removed? God says He [God] has been removed!

 

Noble Ship #1: "I lately read of a NOBLE SHIP that was plowing its way across the sea, when at midnight, with a terrific crash, it struck upon a rock; the passengers were awakened only to see with horror their hopeless condition, and with the ship they sank to rise no more. The MAN AT THE HELM [VERSUS CHRIST] had mistaken the beacon light, and hundreds of souls were at a moment's warning launched into eternity." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, 128.

 

Is the SS Laodicea ship of foolish virgins the ship that sinks to rise no more?

 

Noble Ship #2: "There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order. If maters need adjusting at the head of the work, God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith that God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into port." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, 390.

 

How does God propose to work to right every wrong IN THE CHURCH WHERE HE IS AT THE HEAD OF THE WORK? Watch carefully:

 

 "The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life. He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the work of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But, if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and make them a reproach.

God is not 'worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing' (Acts 17:25). E. G. White, The Upward Look, 131.

 

Does Ezekiel Chapter 5 say that God is going to make Spiritual Jerusalem, the SDA once “CHOSEN” people of God, a taunt, an instruction, a reproach?

 

14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

 

15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it.

 

How Did Christ Work to Make Everything Right in the PREFIGURE TYPE of Once Chosen Israel?

 

Israel began as the apple of God’s eye. But she played the harlot and finally apostatized beyond the pale of repentance. Ellen White quotes the apostles as stating that this act of apostasy will be repeated by a COUNTERPART CHOSEN PEOPLE at the end-time:

 

Statement #13: COUNTERPART: "The Lord commanded one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:14], neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee.' The prophet thus describes the sins which had called forth this fearful denunciation: 'The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof?' 'From the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.' The apostles declare that this state of things will find its COUNTERPART in the last days. Many have a form of godliness, but in their daily life deny the power thereof. They have ceased to be convicted of their sins or alarmed at their state. They say in their hearts, 'The church is flourishing. Peace and spiritual prosperity are within her borders.' The words of the prophet may well apply to these self-deceivers, 'They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them." E. G. White,  Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald,  11-07-82.

                  

COUNTERPART: "In the time of the Saviour, the Jews had so covered over the precious jewels of truth with the rubbish of tradition and fable, that it was impossible to distinguish the true from the false. The Saviour came to clear away the rubbish of superstition and long-cherished errors, and to set the jewels of God's word in the framework of truth. What would the Saviour do if he should come to us now as he did to the Jews? He would have to do a similar work in clearing away the rubbish of tradition and ceremony. The Jews were greatly disturbed when he did this work [As are SDAs today!]. They had lost sight of the original truth of God, but Christ brought it again to view. It is our work to free the precious truths of God from superstition and error." E.G. White,  Review and Herald, vol. 2, 308. 

 

There is a modern COUNTERPART to the ancient apostate "chosen people" of God. That modern COUNTERPART is the people who claim to be the modern "chosen people" of God, the remnant, God’s commandment-keeping people if you will.

 

More on How Christ Worked to Make Things Right With the Headquarters of Apostate Israel

 

Christ chose “others!” There were then TWO JERUSALEM HEADQUARTERS. The headquarters of the disciples were at Jerusalem as well. What did He do?

 

"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.

         

Paul left

 

“And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.  9But 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. 285, 286.

 

"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. 

 

Some say that it would do no good to come out from an apostate church, because in time any church would apostatize. That is not true, for in every generation there has been a church of faithful reformers who remained faithful members of the church in heaven—MEN MADE PERFECT, Heb. 12: 22, 23. But if that premise were true, why did SDA’s come out of Babylon in 1844? Why have true reformers left the church of their fathers in every succeeding generation since Christ and before that? By “before that” I refer to the recreant priests way back in the times of Shiloh!

 

There are over 100 statements to the affect that SDAs are repeating the history of ancient Israel. Here are just a few of them:

 

"I have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did ancient Israel. There is the same falling away from your holy calling as God's peculiar people. You are having fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Your [ecumenical] concord with unbelievers have provoked he Lord's displeasure. You know not the things that belong to your peace, and they are fast being hid from your eyes. [The very words applied to fallen Israel on page 17 of The Great Controversy] Your neglect to follow the light will place you in a more unfavorable position than the Jews upon whom Christ pronounced a woe." Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 75-76.

 

"Like ancient Israel, the church has dishonored her God by departing from the light, neglecting her duties, and abusing her high and exalted privilege of being peculiar and holy in character. Her members have violated their covenant to live for God and him only. They have joined with the selfish and world-loving. Pride, the love of pleasure, and sin have been cherished, and CHRIST HAS DEPARTED. His Spirit has been quenched in the church. Satan works wide by side with professed Christians yet they are so destitute of spiritual discernment that they do not detect him." E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, pp. 441-442.

 

"Among the professed followers of Christ, there is the same pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, and OPPRESSION, that existed in the Jewish nation." E.G. White, Sketches from the Life of Paul, 251-252.

 

"God's professed people are selfish and self-caring....They are idolaters, and are worse, in the sight of God, than the heathen, graven-image worshippers who have had no knowledge of a better way." Testimonies, Vol. 2, 440-441.

 

In Every Succeeding Generation, Is There Always a Church Triumphant With Representatives on Earth?

 

Statement #14: "The members of the church triumphant--the church in heaven--will be permitted to draw near to the members of the church militant, to aid them in their necessity." E. G. White, The Southern Watchman, Sep. 8, 1903.

 

"The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called 'the bride, the Lamb's wife.' Said the angel to John: 'Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.' 'He carried me away in the spirit,' says the prophet, 'and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.' Revelation 21:9, 10. Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church [militant]. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be represented also as the bride...He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, 'prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.'" E. G. White, The Great Controversy,  426, 427.

 

The bride, the church triumphant, is permitted to draw near to the members of the church militant to aid them in their necessity—IF THE CHURCH MILITANT WILL RECEIVE THAT AID. But more often than not, the ecclesiastical leaders have spurned the light of the bride. They reject what she has to tell them by way of help. She is considered as a troubler of Israel!

 

Let us analyze the above statement very closely: The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the CAPITAL and REPRESENTATIVE of the kingdom, is the bride, the Lamb's wife.

 

The bride REPRESENTS [ambassadors of] the Holy City.

 

The virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church they are the "people of God" they are guests at the marriage supper, and if guests, they cannot also be represented as the bride! They cannot be both!

 

Christ receives the NEW JERUSALEM, the CAPITAL and REPRESENTATIVE [ambassadors] of His kingdom, as a bride adorned for her husband."

 

Therefore, the bride, NEW JERSUSALEM," the representatives or earthly ambassadors, the true messengers of the heavenly NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH the earthly REPRESENTATIVES of the heavenly church called ZION, Hebrews 12: 22, 23, the church triumphant, consisting of men made perfect [verse 23] are the bride of Jesus Christ. OL

 

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar IN THE TEMPLE of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is NEW JERUSALEM, which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my NEW NAME ." Rev. 3:12.

 

Will Scripture support Ellen White's view of the matter? Let’s explore:

 

Isaiah 62 tells us who Jesus marries: "For ZION'S SAKE will I no hold my peace, and for [New] Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THEREOF go forth as brightness, and the SALVATION THEREOF as a lamp that burneth.

 

And the Gentiles shall see THY [ZION'S] RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all kings thy GLORY: and thou shalt be called by A NEW NAME, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.

 

Thou Zion in context] shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

 

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate  [because it is Zion that appears to fall]: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

 

For as a young man marrieth a virgin [bethulah in Hebrew], so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

 

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence. And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make [NEW] Jerusalem a praise in the earth. . . .

 

Go through, go through the gates prepare ye the way of the people cast up, cast up the highway gather out the stones [of stumbling--the errors the stumbling blocks] lift up a standard [God's Holy Law] for the people [the guests--the body of the church].

 

Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

 

And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city [church kingdom] not forsaken." Isaiah 62:1-7 10-12.

 

What you have just read is a Biblical description of Zion, the Bride of Jesus Christ.

She has sons, verse 5, and she has daughters, verse 11. She is the holy mother:

 

"The people of God, symbolized by a holy woman and her children, were represented as greatly in the minority. In the last days only a remnant still existed. Of these John speaks as they 'which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." E. G. White, Signs of the Times,  Nov. 1, 1899, and Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,  vol. 7, p. 972.

 

Zion is the church triumphant which has always existed to come to the aid of any valid church militant in any and every age:

 

"The members of the church triumphant--the church in heaven--will be permitted to draw near to the members of the church militant, to aid them in their necessity." E. G. White, The Southern Watchman, Sep. 8, 1903.

 

"The church is God's fortress, his city of refuge, which he holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of her sacred trust is treachery to him who has bought her with the precious blood of his only begotten Son. In the past, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth, and God has taken them into covenant relation with himself, uniting the church on earth with the church in heaven. He has sent forth his holy angels to minister to his church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against it." E. G. White, Review and Herald, 12-04-1900.

 

The Church in Heaven is the Church Triumphant of Men Made Perfect

 

"But ye are come unto mount Sion [Zion], and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men MADE PERFECT." Hebrews 12:22, 23.

 

Further Distinctions Between the Bride and the Ten Virgin Guests--The Ten-Virgins are Awakened by the Voice of the Bride

 

"Lingering near [not at] the bride's house are ten young women robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon for oil. All are anxiously watching for the appearance of the bridegroom. But there is a delay [since 1844]. Hour after hour passes the watchers become weary and fall asleep. At midnight the cry is heard, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him.' The sleepers [all ten slept Matt. 25:5], suddenly awaking, spring to their feet. They see the procession moving on, bright with torches and glad with music.  They hear the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.  The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim them, in haste to go forth, But five have neglected to fill their flasks with oil [character]. They did not anticipate so long a delay, and they have not prepared for the emergence." E. G. White, Christ's Object Lessons,  pp. 405, 406.

 

If the voice of the bride awakens the 10 virgins, then the bride is a separate entity, who is awake before the awakening of the 10 virgins. This is attested to in Isaiah 62:11, where the mother, Zion, says the same thing, in similar other words, to her daughter.

 

Only Zion, Philadelphia, New Jerusalem, the Bride, the 144,000, the Firstfruits [Firstborn] go into the Temple on Mt. Zion.

 

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar IN THE TEMPLE of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is NEW JERUSALEM, which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my NEW NAME." Rev. 3:12.

Conclusions:

 

Zion consists of the earthly representatives of the heavenly church of Hebrews 12:22, 23. They are like heavenly messengers who awaken the 10 virgin church militants of guests. Only Zion goes into the Temple on Mt. Zion, as only the priests of the earthly Sanctuary, went into the Temple: (Rev. 3:12--made a pillar--leaders-in the Temple) and:

 

"And as we were about to enter the holy temple, Jesus raised His lovely voice and said, 'Only the 144,000 enter this place," and we shouted, 'Alleluia." E. G. White, Early Writings, 19.

                                                                                               

"The leaven if godliness has not entirely lost its power. At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But MORE ESPECIALLY will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because ITS MEMBERS are doing after the manner of the world." Testimonies, vol. 5, 209, 210.

 

"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. 

"Characteristics of True Reformers.--Here are given the characteristics of those who shall be reformers, who will bear the banner of the third angel's message, those who avow themselves God's commandment-keeping people, and who honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in the sight of all the universe, in building up the old waste places. Who is it that calls them, The repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their names are registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers, restorers, as raising the foundations of many generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1151.

The members of the church triumphant, the faithful of all ages, is a member of the church in heaven, Hebrews 12:22, 23, and has entered that church by faith, to wit:

  “After Jesus opened the door of the most holy, the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God's law. I saw the third angel pointing upward, showing the disappointed ones the way to the holiest of the heavenly sanctuary. As they by faith enter the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and joy spring up anew. I saw them looking back, reviewing the past, from the proclamation of the second advent of Jesus, down through their experience to the passing of the time in 1844. They see their disappointment explained, and joy and certainty again animate them. The third angel has lighted up the past, the present, and the future, and they know that God has indeed led them by His mysterious providence. {EW 254.2}

“It was represented to me that the remnant followed Jesus into the most holy place and beheld the ark and the mercy seat, and were captivated with their glory. Jesus then raised the cover of the ark, and lo! the tables of stone, with the ten commandments written upon them. They trace down the lively oracles, but start back with trembling when they see the fourth commandment among the ten holy precepts, with a brighter light shining upon it than upon the other nine, and a halo of glory all around it. They find nothing there informing them that the Sabbath has been abolished, or changed to the first day of the week. The commandment reads as when spoken by the voice of God in solemn and awful grandeur upon the mount, while the lightnings flashed and the thunders rolled; it is the same as when written with His own finger on the tables of stone: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." They are amazed as they behold the care taken of the ten commandments. They see them placed close by Jehovah, overshadowed and protected by His holiness. They see that they have been trampling upon the fourth commandment of the decalogue, and have observed a day handed down by the heathen and papists, instead of the day sanctified by Jehovah. They humble themselves before God and mourn over their past transgressions.” {EW 255.1}

"Those who think that the church militant is the church triumphant make a great mistake." E.G. White, The Upward Look, 152.

Those who think that the church triumphant is the church militant purged and cleansed make a greater mistake! Members of the church militant who prove faithful will become part of the church triumphant, but it is unmistakeable from Scripture and Ellen White that the heavenly church of Hebrews 12:22, 23 has existed from the beginning being represented by faithful souls [the bride of Christ] on earth.

“The Church Triumphant.--The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant.”-- Letter 32, 1892. {Ev 707.1}

Some think the church triumphant is not organized. That is one of the greatest mistakes professing Christians can make. The church triumphant consisting of true and faithful reformers is called and led by God Himself.

“Another and still another will arise and bring in supposedly great light, and make their assertions. But we stand by the old landmarks. [1 John 1:1-10, quoted[. I am instructed to say that these words we may use as appropriate for this time, for the time has come when sin must be called by its right name. We are hindered in our work by men who are not converted, who seek their own glory. They wish to be thought originators of new theories, which they present claiming that they are truth. But if these theories are received, they will lead to a denial of the truth that for the past fifty years God has been giving to His people, substantiating it by the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.”—Letter 329, 1905; 1 Selected Messages, 162.

 

“We can read from cause to effect and see the greatness of the act is not that which constitutes sin; but the disobedience of God’s expressed will, which is a virtual denial of God, refusing the laws of His government.”—1 Bible Commentary, 1083.

 

“I must speak the truth to all. Those who have accepted the light from God’s Word are never, never to leave an impression upon human minds that God will serve with their sins. His Word defines sin as the transgression of the law.”—Manuscript 16, 1901; 1 Selected Messages, 115.

 

“When our eyes look by faith into the Sanctuary, and take in the reality, the importance and holiness, of the work there being done, everything of a selfish nature will be abhorred by us. Sin will appear as it is,—the transgression of God’s holy law.”—4 Bible Commentary, 1141.

 

“It is not the greatness of the act of disobedience that constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God’s expressed will in the least particular; for this shows that there is yet communion between the soul and sin. The heart is divided in its service. There is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government.

“Were men free to depart from the Lord’s re­quire­ments and to set up a standard of duty for themselves, there would be a variety of standards to suit different minds and the government would be taken out of the Lord’s hands. The will of man would be made supreme, and the high and holy will of God—His purpose of love toward His creatures—would be dishonored, disrespected.

“Whenever men choose their own way, they place themselves in controversy with God. They will have no place in the kingdom of heaven, for they are at war with the very principles of heaven. In disregarding the will of God, they are placing themselves on the side of Satan, the enemy of God and man. Not by one word, not by many words, but by every word that God has spoken, shall man live. We cannot disregard one word, however trifling it may seem to us, and be safe. There is not a commandment of the law that is not for the good and happiness of man, both in this life and in the life to come. In obedience to God’s law, man is surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. He who breaks down this divinely erected barrier at one point has destroyed its power to protect him; for he has opened a way by which the enemy can enter to waste and ruin.

“By venturing to disregard the will of God upon one point, our first parents opened the floodgates of woe upon the world. And every individual who follows their example will reap a similar result. The love of God underlies every precept of His law, and he who departs from the commandment is working his own unhappiness and ruin.”—Mount of Blessing, 51-52.

 

“The True Witness says: ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.’ And again, ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.’ Then comes the promise: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.’

The people of God must see their wrongs and arouse to zealous repentance and a putting away of those sins which have brought them into such a deplorable condition of poverty, blindness, wretchedness, and fearful deception. I was shown that the pointed testimony must live in the church. This alone will answer to the message to the Laodiceans. Wrongs must be reproved, sin must be called sin, and iniquity must be met promptly and decidedly, and put away from us as a people.”—3 Testimonies, 259-260.

 

“The great reason why so few of the world’s great men and those having a college education are led to obey the commandments of God is that they have separated education from religion, thinking that each should occupy a field by itself. God presented a field large enough to perfect the knowledge of all who should enter it. This knowledge was obtained under divine supervision; it was bound about with the immutable law of Jehovah, and the result would have been perfect blessedness.

“God did not create evil, He only made the good, which was like Himself. But Satan would not be content to know the will of God and do it. His curiosity was on the stretch to know that which God had not designed he should know. Evil, sin, and death were not created by God; they are the result of disobedience, which originated in Satan. But the knowledge of evil now in the world was brought in through the cunning of Satan. These are very hard and expensive lessons; but men will learn them, and many will never be convinced that it is bliss to be ignorant of a certain kind of knowledge, which arises from unsatisfied desires and unholy aims. The sons and daughters of Adam are fully as inquisitive and presumptuous as was Eve in seeking forbidden knowledge. They gain an experience, a knowledge, which God never designed they should have, and the result will be, as it was to our first parents, the loss of their Eden home.”—5 Testimonies, 503-504.

 

“If men resist the warnings the Lord sends them, they become even leaders in evil practices; such men assume to exercise the prerogatives of God—they presume to do that which God Himself will not do in seeking to control the minds of men. Thus they follow in the track of Romanism. They introduce their own methods and plans, and through their misconceptions of God they weaken the faith of others in the truth and bring in false principles that work like leaven to taint and corrupt institutions and churches.

Anything that lowers man’s conception of righteousness and equity and impartial judgment, any device or precept that brings God’s human agents under the control of human minds, impairs their faith in God and separates the soul from Him.

God will not vindicate any device whereby man shall in the slightest degree rule or oppress his fellow man. As soon as a man begins to make an iron rule for other men, he dishonors God and imperils his own soul and the souls of his brethren.”—7 Testimonies, 181.

 

The New World Order is certainly a device whereby man will attempt and is attempting to rule over and oppress his fellow man! One cannot respond intelligently to such a system of government if one is ignorant of its devices!

 

“Never was there greater need of faithful warnings and reproofs, and close, straight dealing, than at this very time. Satan has come down with great power, knowing that his time is short. He is flooding the world with pleasing fables, and the people of God love to have smooth things spoken to them. Sin and iniquity are not abhorred. I was shown that God’s people must make more firm, determined efforts to press back the incoming darkness. The close work of the Spirit of God is needed now as never before. Stupidity must be shaken off. We must arouse from the lethargy that will prove our destruction unless we resist it. Satan has a powerful, controlling influence upon minds. Preach­ers and people are in danger of being found upon the side of the powers of darkness. There is no such thing now as a neutral position. We are all decidedly for the right or decidedly with the

 wrong. Said Christ: ‘He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.’ ”—3 Testimonies, 327-328.

 

Ellen White on Isaiah 58

 

“I urge you to consider Isaiah 58, which opens a wide and extensive vineyard to be worked upon the lines which the Lord has pointed out. When this is done there will be an increase of moral sources and the church will no more remain almost stationary. There will be blessing and power attending their labor.”—Manuscript 28, 1900; 4 Bible Commentary, 1148.

 

“My brethren, you need to study more carefully the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. This chapter marks out the only course that we can follow with safety . . The prophet receives this word from the Lord—a message startling in its clearness and force:

“ ‘Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.’ Though they are called the people of God, the house of Jacob, though they profess to be linked with God in obedience and fellowship, they are far from Him. Wonderful privileges and promises have been given to them, but they have betrayed their trust. With no words of flattery must the message be given them. ‘Show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.’ Show them where they are making a mistake. Set their danger before them. Tell them of the sins they are committing, while at the same time they pride themselves on their righteousness. Apparently seeking God, they are forgetting Him, forgetting that He is a God of love and compassion, long suffering and goodness, dealing justly and loving mercy. Worldly policy has come into their business and religious life. Their hearts are not purified through the truth. God looks on their outward ceremonies of humility as a solemn mockery. He regards all religious sham as an insult to Himself.”—Letter 76, 1902; 4 Bible Commentary, 1149 [italics hers].

 

“Our work now is to rouse the people. Satan with all his angels has come down with great power, to work with every conceivable deception to counterwork the work of God. The Lord has a message for His people. This message will be borne, whether men will accept or reject it. As in the days of Christ, there will be the deep plottings of the powers of darkness, but the message must not be muffled with smooth words or fair speeches, crying peace, peace, when there is no peace, to those who are turning away from God. ‘There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked’ [Isa. 58:1-2, quoted.]

“The whole chapter is applicable to those who are living in this period of the earth's history. Consider this chapter attentively; for it will be fulfilled.”—MS 36, 1897; 4 Bible Commentary, 1149.

 

“The testimony of the Word of God is against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works. It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions upon which mercy is to be granted, it is presumption; for genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures.

“Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God’s requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God. ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ And ‘whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the law] hath not seen Him, neither known Him.’ 1 John 3:6.”—Great Controversy, 472.

 

“Christ calls for unity. But He does not call for us to unify on wrong practices. The God of heaven draws a sharp contrast between pure, elevating, ennobling truth and false, misleading doctrines. He calls sin and impenitence by the right name. He does not gloss over wrong doing with a coat of untempered mortar. I urge our brethren to unify upon a true, Scriptural basis.”—Manuscript 10, 1905; 1 Selected Messages, 175.

 

“There is constant need of earnest, decided messages of warning. God will have men who are true to duty. At the right time He sends His faithful messengers to do a work similar to that of Elijah.”—5 Testimonies, 254.

 

“The mountain was covered with people full of eager expectation. The king [Ahab] came in great pomp, and the idolaters, confident of triumph, shouted his welcome. But God had been greatly dishonored. One man, and only one man, appeared to vindicate the honor of God. With clear, trumpet like tones Elijah addressed the vast multitude: ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ The result was that the Lord God, who ruleth in the heavens, was vindicated, and the Baal worshipers were slain. Where are the Elijah’s of today?”—5 Testimonies, 526-527.

 

“The history of Achan teaches the solemn lesson that for one man’s sin the displeasure of God will rest upon a people or a nation till the transgression is searched out and punished. Sin is corrupting in its nature. One man infected with its deadly leprosy may communicate the taint to thousands. Those who occupy responsible positions as guardians of the people are false to their trust if they do not faithfully search out and reprove sin. Many dare not condemn iniquity, lest they shall thereby sacrifice position or popularity. And by some it is considered uncharitable to rebuke sin. The servant of God should never allow his own spirit to be mingled with the reproof which he is required to give; but he is under the most solemn obligation to present the Word of God, without fear or favor. He must call sin by its right name. Those who by their carelessness or indifference permit God’s name to be dishonored by His professed people, are numbered with the transgressor,—registered in the record of heaven as partakers in their evil deeds . .

The love of God will never lead to the belittling of sin; it will never cover or excuse an unconfessed wrong. Achan learned too late that God’s law, like its Author, is unchanging. It has to do with all our acts and thoughts and feelings. It follows us, and reaches every secret spring of action. By indulgence in sin, men are led to lightly regard the law of God. Many conceal their transgressions from their fellow men, and flatter themselves that God will not be strict to mark iniquity. But His law is the great standard of right, and with it every act of life must be compared in that day when God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. Purity of heart will lead to purity of life. All excuses for sin are vain. Who can plead for the sinner when God testifies against him?”—Signs, April 21, 1881; 2 Bible Commentary, 996-997.

 

“There are many false prophets in these days, to whom sin does not appear specially repulsive. They complain that the peace of the people is unnecessarily disturbed by the reproofs and warnings of God’s messengers. As for them, they lull the souls of sinners into a fatal ease by their smooth and deceitful teachings. Ancient Israel was thus charmed by the flattering messages of the corrupt priests. Their prediction of prosperity was more pleasing than the message of the true prophet, who counseled repentance and submission.

The servants of God should manifest a tender, compassionate spirit and show to all that they are not actuated by any personal motives in their dealings with the people, and that they do not take delight in giving messages of wrath in the name of the Lord. But they must never flinch from pointing out the sins that are corrupting the professed people of God, nor cease striving to influence them to turn from their errors and obey the Lord.

Those who seek to cloak sin and make it appear less aggravating to the mind of the offender are doing the work of the false prophets and may expect the retributive wrath of God to follow such a course correction, that he might humble his soul before God and put his sins from him. These false sympathizers will have an account to settle with the Master by-and-by for their work of death.”—3 Testimonies, 328-329.. The Lord will never accommodate His ways to the wishes of corrupt men.”—4 Testimonies, 185.

 

“Those who have in the fear of God ventured out to faithfully meet error and sin, calling sin by its right name, have discharged a disagreeable duty with much suffering of feelings to themselves; but they get the sympathy of but few and suffer the neglect of many. The sympathizers are on the wrong side, and they carry out the purposes of Satan to defeat the design of God.

Reproofs always hurt human nature. Many are the souls that have been destroyed by the unwise sympathy of their brethren; for, because the brethren sympathized with them, they thought they must indeed have been abused, and that the reprover was all wrong and had a bad spirit. The only hope for sinners in Zion is to fully see and confess their wrongs, and put them away. Those who step in to destroy the edge of sharp reproof that God sends, saying that the reprover was partly wrong and the reproved was not just right, please the enemy. Any way that Satan can devise to make the reproofs of none effect will accomplish his design. Some will lay blame upon the one whom God has sent with a message of warning, saying, He is too severe; and in so doing they become responsible for the soul of the sinner whom God desired to save, and to whom, because He loved him, He sent correction, that he might humble his soul before God and put his sins from him. These false sympathizers will have an account to settle with the Master by-and-by for their work of death. {3T 329.1}

 

Conclude what you will, Ellen White prophesied the final fall of the Laodicean SDA church militant:

 

STATEMENT #15  PROLEPSIS STATEMENT:

 

Here is the Spirit of Prophecy prophesied prolepsis statement regarding the final fate of that once Noble Ship. This is a major LYNCHPIN to my warning message. Can you explain it away? Are you a passenger on this once NOBLE SHIP, that is about to sink to rise no more? NOTICE WHO SEPARATES FROM WHOM:

 

"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].

The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this message, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message was not to be committed to the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had REFUSED THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN therefore they WERE NOT of the number described by the apostle Paul: 'But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness' [1 Thess. 5:4, 5]. 

The watchmen upon the walls of Zion should be the first to catch the tidings of the Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim him near, the first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. But they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins. Jesus saw HIS CHURCH, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A BACKSLIDING CHURCH closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did nor forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail but they departed from him, and SEPARATED THEMSELVES from his love. As they REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS, his promises were NOT FULFILLED to them."  E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, pp. 199-200 [The 1884 edition of The Great Controversy, 199, 200].

 

Note these important delineations in the above statement:

·       Ellen White is addressing HIS PEOPLE.

·       Obviously, Laodicea is not the noble ship that goes through to port heaven.

·       Ellen White is addressing those to whom God committed the EVERLASTING GOSPEL of Revelation 14.

·       Ellen White is defining the angel represented in prophecy as symbolizing a class of faithful men.

·       Ellen White is saying emphatically that the final Loud Cry message is delivered NOT BY THE LEADERS OF THE SDA CHURCH, but by a class of faithful men, because the leaders had failed to preserve their connection with God and had refused light from heaven!

·       Ellen White is addressing "watchmen upon the walls of Zion," NOT FALLEN BABYLON!

·       It is the MEMBERS of said church that SEPARATE FROM GOD, AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO SEPARATE FROM THEM OR BE CORPORATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR APOSTASY.

·       And twice Ellen White mentions “HIS CHURCH,” NOT FALLEN BABYLON.

·       The angel of the Lord showed me that ancient Laodicea never repented. It was destroyed by a great earthquake in A.D. 17 and in A.D. 60, it was leveled again.

·       Anciently, an important school of medicine was established in the city of Laodicea. (Sound familiar?) Followers of the teaching of Herophilos believed in compound medicines for complex diseases and developed a compound for curing eye diseases called ‘Phrygian powder.’”

·       It is clear from Ellen White’s prophetic prolepsis statement that the SDA Laodicean church never repents. The foolish virgins don’t repent. They are not saved.

·       The SDA Laodicean church has added misery to malady by becoming cold apostate.

Ellen White is addressing a BACKSLIDING CHURCH whose leaders and laity alike failed and rejected light from heaven and who refused to comply with the conditions so that God's promises are not fulfilled to them. That is the noble ship that sinks to rise no more. Zion, the bride, (Isaiah 62) is the church triumphant. She is married, verse 5. She appears as about to fall when a sword is drawn out after her, per Ezekiel 5. But that sword breaks and she is delivered by the voice of Christ.

 

Statement #16: Wax stronger "One thing it is certain is soon to be realized, the great apostasy, which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger, and will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout. We are to hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith, and go forward from strength to increased faith. Ever we are to keep the faith that has been substantiated by the Holy Spirit of God from the earlier events of our experience until the present time. We need now larger breadth, and deeper, more earnest, unwavering faith in the leadings of the Holy Spirit. If we needed the manifest proof of the Holy Spirit's power to confirm truth in the beginning, after the passing of the time, we need to-day all the evidence in the confirmation of the truth, when souls are departing from the faith and giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. There must not be any languishing of soul now." (E.G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 57).

 

Statement #17: "The enemy will set everything in operation to uproot the confidence of the believers in the pillars of our faith in the messages of the past, which have placed us upon the elevated platform of eternal truth, and which have established and given character to the work. The Lord God of Israel has led out His people, unfolding to them truth of heavenly origin." "The truth for this time is precious, but those whose hearts have not been broken by falling on the Rock Christ Jesus, will not see and understand what is truth. They will accept that which pleases their ideas, and will begin to manufacture another foundation than that which is laid. They will flatter their own vanity and esteem, thinking that they are capable of removing the pillars of our faith, and replacing them with pillars they have devised. This will continue to be as long as time shall last." Notebook, Leaflets, pp. 61-62.

 

Corporate Responsibility for the Abominations

         

"The plain straight testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body [corporately], responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them." Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 269.

 

"The names of those who sin and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with the rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}

 

But what if the above counsel is not heeded by the laity and/or the leadership? Then separation of the faithful becomes imperative for all who will be saved.

 

"The headquarters of our church, affect the whole body of believers. If the physical heart is healthy, the blood that is sent from it through the system is also healthy; but if this fountain is impure, the whole organism becomes diseased by the poison of the vital fluid. So it is with us. If the heart of the work becomes corrupt, the whole church, in its various branches and interests, scattered abroad over the face of the earth, suffers in consequence." Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 210. 

 

“Achan’s sin brought disaster upon the whole nation. For one man’s sin the displeasure of God will rest upon His church till the transgression is searched out and put away. The influence most to be feared by the church is not that of open opposers, infidels, and blasphemers, but of inconsistent professors of Christ. These are the ones that keep back the blessing of the God of Israel and bring weakness upon His people.” {PP 497.2}

 

“When the church is in difficulty, when coldness and spiritual declension exist, giving occasion for the enemies of God to triumph, then, instead of folding their hands and lamenting their unhappy state, let its members inquire if there is not an Achan in the camp. With humiliation and searching of heart, let each seek to discover the hidden sins that shut out God’s presence.” {PP 497.3}

 

"Even though you may not be able to speak a word to those who are working on wrong principles, leave them. Your withdrawal and silence may do more than words. Nehemiah refused to associate with those who were untrue to principle, and he would not permit his workmen to associate with them. The love and fear of God were his safeguard-Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone. Thus as did Moses, you will endure the seeing of Him who is invisible. But a cowardly and silent reserve before evil associates, while you listen to their devices makes you one with them. Come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Review & Herald Vol. 4, p. 42.

 

"If God has any new light to communicate, He will let His chosen and beloved understand it, without their going to have their minds enlightened by hearing those who are in darkness and error.” {EW 124.2}

 

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness. {EW 124.3}


“I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to fables. Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied with the present truth,..." EW p. 125.

 

Zion, the SDA church triumphant, also appears as about to fall when the SDA church experiences another literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, which occurs in the order of Matthew 22:1-10, which Ellen White applies to the end-time in Sermons and Talks, Vol. 1, pp. 4-9. In Ezekiel Chapter 5, the SDA church is made a taunt, an instruction and a reproach before the nations. She experiences her own “general slaughter of the wicked,” and then Babylon follows. Judgment thus begins at the House of God. According to Matthew 22:1-10, the call to the guests is after the Ezekiel 9 slaughter of Matthew 22:7. This is as God has shown this to me in vision. You can sink with the SS Laodicea, or you can join the procession of the SS Philadelphian bride. The choice is yours. And it is a fateful choice of eternal consequence.

 

Philadelphia is the bride, while repentant folk of the other representative seven messages of Revelation 2 and 3 are guests at the wedding. (The Great Controversy, pp. 426, 427 and Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 405-406 where the voice of the bride awakens all ten virgins—for they all slumbered and slept, Matt. 25). Only the 144,000 bride goes into the Temple on Mt. Zion, Early Writings, 19, and Revelation 3:10-12, where they are pillars or leaders in the Temple of heaven. It is incorrect to conclude that all are the bride, the 144,000, for only they are translated without seeing death, and all Adventists who are saved are not translated without seeing death.

 

In the Name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

 

Ronald William Beaulieu

 

Addendum: What follows is an example of what SDA leaders teach concerning Laodicea. This work by Robert J. Wieland, is riddled by contradictions of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. This is a classic example of Isaiah 56:10-12 in action. If you forget everything else in this recorded vision, remember the following statement by Ellen White, when reading Robert Wieland’s treatise on Laodicea at the below link.

 

"The state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald, 8/19/1890.

 

http://www.gospel-herald.com/wieland/corporate_repentance/cr_appendix_b.html

 

"It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he unites with the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137.

 

Thorns are OPEN SINNERS. Tares are not OPEN SINNERS. They are insincere types whose motives we would have to judge in order to expel or pull them up from the wheat. (COL, pp. 70-72). But the thorns are quite another issue, and when they spring up, it they are not either reformed or expelled from the church, it is impossible for the wheat to mature. So what must the wheat do in order to mature? Leave the thorns. This is precisely what Jesus and His disciples did, Desire of Ages, 232, as follows:
 
"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.
 
Did Folk Leave the Apostate Jewish Church Before Christ Began Calling Them Out in A.D. 27?
 
Ellen White clearly states in The Great Controversy, p. 25, 1911, edition, that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was a PREFIGURE. Prefigure means TYPE, which demands a similar ANTITYPICAL FULFILLMENT. Then she says that another LITERAL FULFILLMENT of Ezekiel 9 will occur. So all we have to do is go back to the TYPE, THE PREFIGURE and see what happened then, and any other interpretation makes Ellen White a false prophet:
 
1) Who left who then? The good left the Bad.
2) Where were the tares gathered? Into the Midst of Jerusalem, the apostate church, Ezekiel 22:17-31.
3) Was there a primitive revival of the Jewish people? Yes! Where did it take place? Within the apostate Jewish Church, or outside it? Obviously outside it, Desire of Ages, 232, or it would not have been destroyed had the revival occurred inside the Jewish church!
4) Who was True Zion, from whence the sinners were shaken? Was it the apostate Jewish Organization, or was it from the reformer church of Jesus and the disciples?
5) Did the Jewish people leave the apostate Jewish church long before persecution began? Yes, they began to leave when Jesus "gathered out" those who would take the gospel to the world. Desire of Ages, 232, and even before this according to the following statement by Ellen White:

 

 "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.

 

Any teaching that contradicts this Ezekiel 9 PREFIGURE SCENARIO, is contradicting Ellen White and SCRIPTURE, because Ezekiel 5:9, proves that Ezekiel 9 is really PRIMARILY FULFILLED at the end-time when God does the worst thing He has ever done or will ever do again. The end-time interpretations of the current professing SDA New Movement Church, violate this PREFIGURE SCENARIO stated by Ellen White and backed by Scripture. Choose ye this day, between Scripture and Ellen White, versus "dumb dog watchmen," who will NEVER AGAIN show the House of Jacob their sins, Testimonies, vol. 5, 211, and Isaiah 56:10-12.
 
"The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A NEW ORGANIZATION would be established. Books of a NEW ORDER would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the NEW MOVEMENT. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but GOD BEING REMOVED, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.
 
Who has authority to begin such a [NEW] movement? We have our Bibles, we have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth? E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 1, 204, 205.
 
"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 pervert 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 Spirits working." Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p. 36.

 

Question: Is it clear what the condition of the church is JUST BEFORE THE CLOSE OF PROBATION?
 
 "I saw the nominal church and nominal Adventists, like Judas, would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their influence to come against the truth. The saints then will be an obscure [hidden] people, little known to the Catholics but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our faith and customs (for they hate us on account of the Sabbath, for they could not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those who disregard the institutions of the people that is, that they keep the Sabbath and disregard Sunday. 
Then the Catholics bid the Protestants to go forward, and issue a decree that all who will not observe the first day of the week, instead of the seventh day, shall be slain. And the Catholics, whose numbers are large, will stand by the Protestants. The Catholics will give their power to the image of the beast. And the Protestants will work as their mother worked before them to destroy the saints. But before their decree bring or bear fruit, the saints will be delivered by the Voice of God. Then I saw that Jesus' work in the sanctuary will soon be finished. And after His work there is finished, He will come to the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head of the Scape Goat. Then He will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the plagues will come upon the wicked, and they do not come till Jesus puts on that garment, and takes Hs place upon the great white cloud. Then while the plagues are falling, the Scape Goat is being led away. He makes a mighty struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that leads him. If he should effect his escape, Israel would lose their lives. I saw that it would take time to lead away the Scape Goat into the land of forgetfulness after the sins were put on his head.
The great white cloud I saw was not the holy place, but entirely separate from the holy and most holy place, entirely separate from the sanctuary. 
Then the angel repeated these words, and said, 'This is the time spoken of in Isaiah. He saw that there was not man, and wondered that there was no intercessor. He had no mediator between God and man, and these plagues could be withheld no longer, for Jesus had ceased to plead for Israel, and they were covered with the covering of the Almighty God, and they could live in the sight of a holy God, and those who were not covered, the plagues fell upon them, for they had nothing to shelter or protect them from the wrath of God." E.G. White, Dorchester, Maine, October 23, 1850, Spalding--Megan's Unpublished Mss. Testimonies, pp.

 

Note by Ron: Clearly, the nominal Adventists will not be keeping the Sabbath, because they hate the saints on account of the Sabbath. Notice that Ellen White says there will be “nominal Adventists,” AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE TIME OF TROUBLE:

 

“I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. 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. This enraged the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth.” Early Writings, p. 33.

 

It should be clear to every Adventist that Laodicea, as the foolish virgin state of the church, are NOMINAL. That is an understatement.

 

I have made a full rebuttal to Elder Robert J. Wieland’s article on Laodicea at this link:

https://omega77.tripod.com/robertwielandrebuttal1.htm

 

—rwb