A Request for Help on the Issue of Babylon

 

"Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them. Leave them alone." – Ayn Rand 

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The following is from an SDA in Brazil.

 

---- Original Message -----

From: Matthew

To: 'Ron Beaulieu'

Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 6:33 PM

Subject: Babylonia.

 

Dear brother Ron,

I need material on a Babylonian, when the SDA church has become part and why.

Could you help me?

ABRs,

Matthew

 

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

From: Ron Beaulieu

To: mateus ; Adventist Hot Issues

Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 10:49 AM

Subject: Re: Babylonia.

 

Dear brother Matthew,

 

What follows is for those who will come together and reason. Most SDA’s will not do that. They will as much as call night day and day night, good evil and evil good. I have learned from long, hard expereince, that we should leave them alone if they will not respond to the following clear facts which need no interpretation by ANYONE.

 

It would be complementary to refer to the church as Babylon, because God's Word and Ellen White both say that the church is worse than Babylon. Why? Because it is worse to know the truth and then violate it. There is no more appeal after one violates the truth and God says His people (in principle) break his statutes more than the nations around them.

 

Worse than Babylon -- "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, 440-442.

 

Ellen White says in over one-hundred statements that Adventists are moving in the same path of disobedience as did God’s first chosen people, the Jews. Here are a few examples:

 

“The same disobedience and failure which were seen in the Jewish church have characterized in a greater degree the people who have had this great light from heaven in the last messages of warning (SDA’s).” Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 456.

 

History repeats itself. “The thing that has been, it is that which shall be: and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” (Ecc. 1:9). In other words:

 

“The work of God in the earth presents, from age to age, a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious movement. The principles of God’s dealing with men are ever the same. The important movements of the present have their parallel in those of the past, and the experience of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for our own time.” {GC 343.1}

 

That the Advent Movement is an important movement of the present no one can deny and it has its parallel in the history of Ancient Israel: “The remnant church is called to go through an experience similar to that of the Jews.” (1 SM, 387). Not one of us can afford to ignore the following warning:

 

The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me, again and again, to ILLUSTRATE the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ—how the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews, and today her is seeking to blind the minds of God’s servants, that they may not be able to discern the Precious Truth.” (1 SM, 406; 2 Cor 4:4). The “precious truth” mentioned here is the light sent to the Seventh-day Adventists in 1888. 

 

"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 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 side 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.

graven image

 

"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.

 

Ezekiel chapter 5 says Jerusalem is WORSE than the nations around because she (Jerusalem--NOW SPIRITUAL JERUSALEM--SDA'S) changes God's statutes more than any other nation. How does the church do that? By conspiring with God's enemies, Jeremiah Chapter 7 and 11. The church has done this via Ecumenical conspiring, confederacy, and that is unpardonable sin (Isaiah 8:9-12 and Jeremiah 11:9-15). At that point we are to no longer pray for the church as a corporate body but rather for individuals. Why did Ellen White not leave the church in her day? Because the church was having fellowship with the works of darkness, but had not yet JOINED THEN IN CONFEDERACY. The church was having concord (agreement) with Babylon, but had not yet joined with Babylon in confederacy. But when it joins Babylon it is WORSE because it knew the truth, and that is why it is then unpardonable for there is no more appeal to the church. It will then be broken in pieces (Isaiah 8:9-12)--Ezekiel 9 slaughter as in A.D. 70.  In Jeremiah 11:9-15, Jeremiah was told not to pray for his people any longer because they conspired with the heathen. That is the point of unpardonable sin AFTER KNOWING THE TRUTH--FOR THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWN THE TRUTH. And that is God's instruction, NOT MINE. When the church conspires/confederates with God's enemies, we are not even to pray for it. Then in Jeremiah 11:15, God asks what His beloved (bride) has to do in His house, for it has then wrought lewdness with many.

 

"The day of God is right upon us, and the world has converted the church. Both are in harmony, and are acting upon a short-sited policy" E.G. White, General Conference Bulletin, 1st Quarter, 1900.

 

"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 concord [agreement] with unbelievers have provoked the Lord's displeasure. You know not the things that belong to your peace, and they are fast being hid from your eyes. 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.

 

Ezekiel 5
 1And 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.

 2Thou 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.

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

 4Then 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.

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

 6And she 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.

 7Therefore 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;

 8Therefore 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.

 9And 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.

 10Therefore 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.

 11Wherefore, 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.

 12A 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.

 13Thus 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.

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

 15So 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.

 16When 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:

 17So 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.

 

Now, Jeremiah chapters 7 and 11 will take place per the following prophesy by God and Ellen White:

 

COUNTERPART: "The Lord commanded one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:14 KJV], 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 SDA's 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.

 

A Literal Fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 Prophesied by God in Ezekiel 5:9 and by Ellen White

 

9And 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. Ezekiel 5:9

 

God is saying in Ezekiel 5:9, the worst thing He ever does because of all of Jerusalem’s abominations. The worse thing God does is at the end-time:

 

 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. 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? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260.

 

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

 

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880:  “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.”

 

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.”  Prophets and Kings, 416.    

Who is modern Israel (below) in your estimation? BABYLON??????

 

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.”  Prophets and Kings, 416.   

“In some cases, BEFORE the time specified in the decree, enemies will rush upon the waiting ones to put them to death.”  E.G. White, The 1884 edition of The Great Controversy, p. 447.

 

The prophesied outcome of the SDA church militant

                                               

"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].

 

Did Ellen White Say to Leave the Church if it Became Untrue to Principle?

 

"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. 

 

"The church has turned back from following Christ her Leader and is steadily retreating toward Egypt. Yet few are alarmed or astonished at their want of spiritual power. Doubt, and even disbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God, is leavening our churches everywhere. Satan would have it thus. Ministers who preach self instead of Christ would have it thus. The testimonies are unread and unappreciated. God has spoken to you. Light has been shining from His word and from the testimonies, and both have been slighted and disregarded. The result is apparent in the lack of purity and devotion and earnest faith among us." {5T 217.2}

 

It’s Time for the Bride to Become Obscure

 

 "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 here 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--Magan's Unpublished Mss. Testimonies, pp. 1, 2.

 

Note: If one cannot see that a church which has steadily retreated toward Egypt and the world is nominal, then leave them alone. There is no reasonable hope for such types. They are not capable of reasoning and are bereft of spiritual discernment.  Jesus did not persist with the rich young ruler. When he rejected Jesus’ counsel to him, Jesus walked away sorrowfully. Go to someone else who is hungering and thirsting for truth.

 

If one cannot see that a corporate church which experiences a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 at the end-time is nominal, one cannot see anything!

 

If you have further questions please feel free to ask.

 

All God's blessings to you and yours,

 

Ron