Is Prophesy the Only Meaning of the Word Predict?

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Written and published on my Website on  2012-06-27

Among my most strenuous detractors/accusers are two men who believe that the word predict has only one meaning. They have applied their myopic view to my prediction of a few months ago that war with Iran could break out this later summer or fall. When making that prediction, I fully qualified the next day that I had not been shown that prediction and that I was merely expressing my own personal opinion based on world events and that I had no intended notion of prophesying any such thing.

 

Here is how my Website has read since November 20, 2011. The two men in question either omit the words [I predict (not a prophesy—I was not shown this), and/or deny that predict has any other connotation than prophesy, and one of them publicly publishes the following misrepresentation of what I said.

 

*Posted November 20, 2011: Lindsey Williams: VINDICATED [I predict (not a prophesy--I was not shown this) we have about a year to WW III which will begin summer/fall 2012. Syria must be dealt with first in the same manner Libya was so that Syria cannot come to the aid of Iran. The final events will then be very rapidly fulfilled. We have but little time to demonstrate the character of Christ. Ellen White said it will be impossible to develop character amongst the tumult of the end-time events. Character developed before will then be demonstrated.]

 

The two men in question, believe that the word predict has but one meaning: to prophesy, and that is not true as you will see from an on-line unabridged dictionary at this link: http://dictionary.reference.com/

 

As the synonyms of predict suggest, prophesy is not the only meaning of the word predict. One of the synonyms of predict is prognosticate, and I used the word predict with the intention of prognosticating, not prophesying—to forecast from present indications, but not in the prophesying sense. Probably everyone has said at one time in his/her life: I predict, without the least intention of PROPHESYING! And that was my intent.

 

Predict also means to declare or tell in advance and/or foretell, which can be done without the intent of prophesying by inspiration, eg. Weather men predict the weather every day, but they don’t claim that their prediction is inspired, nor did I when I said that I believed war with Iran would begin in the summer/fall of 2012, based on world conditions at then and now.

 

The two men in question can’t wait to prove me wrong so that they can brand me as a false prophet, which they have already done many times by saying my teachings are of baal and referring to me as baalieu. Both men in question have violated and are violating the three angel’s messages and the Midnight Cry light, by defending membership in a church that is so doing, so that if Ellen White is correct in Word to the Little Flock, p. 14, (quoted further down in this document) these men have sealed their fate.

prognosticate

[prog-nos-ti-keyt] Example Sentences

prog·nos·ti·cate

/prɒgˈnɒstɪˌkeɪt/ Show Spelled [prog-nos-ti-keyt] Show IPA verb, prog·nos·ti·cat·ed, prog·nos·ti·cat·ing.

verb (used with object)

1.

to forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy.

2.

to foretoken; presage: birds prognosticating spring.

verb (used without object)

3.

to make a forecast; prophesy.

 

predict

[pri-dikt] Example Sentences Origin

pre·dict

/prɪˈdɪkt/ Show Spelled[pri-dikt] Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1.

to declare or tell in advance; prophesy; foretell: to predict the weather; to predict the fall of a civilization.

verb (used without object)

2.

to foretell the future; make a prediction.

Synonyms
1, 2. presage, divine, augur, project, prognosticate, portend. Predict, prophesy, foresee, forecast  mean to know or tell (usually correctly) beforehand what will happen. To predict  is usually to foretell with precision of calculation, knowledge, or shrewd inference from facts or experience: The astronomers can predict an eclipse; it may, however, be used without the implication of underlying knowledge or expertise: I predict she'll be a success at the party. Prophesy  usually means to predict future events by the aid of divine or supernatural inspiration: Merlin prophesied the two knights would meet in conflict; this verb, too, may be used in a more general, less specific sense. I prophesy he'll be back in the old job.  To foresee  refers specifically not to the uttering of predictions but to the mental act of seeing ahead; there is often (but not always) a practical implication of preparing for what will happen: He was clever enough to foresee this shortage of materials. Forecast  has much the same meaning as predict;  it is used today particularly of the weather and other phenomena that cannot easily be accurately predicted: Rain and snow are forecast for tonight. Economists forecast a rise in family income.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

 

Collins

World English Dictionary

 

 

The apostate SDA church has taken its eyes off the Midnight Cry light of 1844 (Matthew 25), which Ellen White said gave power to the second angels’ message, by strictly forbidden ecumenical liaison with fallen Babylon’s associations, counsels/councils, girdings and confederacies. The church conspired to join these organizations of Satan, without the knowledge of church members and they denied such for decades after some members discovered such liaisons.

 

 "While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them--when a voice said to me, 'Look again, and look a little higher.' At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way of, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming....

By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing Jesus' new name." E.G. White, Word to the Little Flock, p. 14.

 

In God’s Word, Jeremiah 11:9-15, those who conspired with His enemies committed unpardonable sin, for God told Jeremiah not to pray for them. Ellen White said that this would have an end-time counterpart fulfillment:

 

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. WhiteReview and Herald, vol. 2, 308. 

 

There is a modern COUNTERPART to the ancient apostate "chosen people" of God. The ONLY modern COUNTERPART is professing SDA’s, the people who claim to be the modern "chosen people" of God, the remnant, God’s commandment-keeping people if you will, for those are the very same claims the Jews made.

 

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.

 

The reasons for the COUNTERPART end-time fulfillment of Jeremiah 11:9-15, is because professing SDA leaders conspired in secrecy to return in liaison association, counsel/council, and conspiratorial confederacy with Babylon. This violates Isaiah 8:9-12 and Jeremiah 11:9-15. The only option is “broken in pieces,” stated three times for serious emphasis.

 

In Jeremiah 11:9-15, in addition to God instructing Jeremiah not to pray for the Jews of that generation, He asks the question: What hath my beloved (bride) to do in mine house (church/temple) since she (the church) hath wrought lewdness with many, and when she does evil she rejoices—[CELEBRATES]. See KJV

 

The two men in reference, have decided that the only apostasy that the church will (future) commit is instructing its members to keep Sunday sacred. They say that is the time to separate. That could not be further from the truth.

 

The Lord has shown me that millions of Adventists mistakenly interpret that there is to be no separation until the National Sunday Law. They derive their support from a misinterpretation of Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81 where it says in the time of Sunday legislation the wheat will be separated from the dross. That, my friends is the wheat being separated from the tares or insincere believers (COL, pp. 70-72). The tares (insincere believers) are not to be uprooted until the time of harvest, because one would have to judge their motive/motives in order to uproot them. The Sunday Law will be the time of harvest. Even the tares will THEN be separated from the wheat in all churches [EVEN HOME CHURCHES] at that time. But that has nothing to do with the separation of open sin from the church at any time such occurs if the leaders will not reform or remove corrupt open sinners from the camp. And how could they do that when:

 

·       The leaders are the ringleaders in the apostasy.

·       The will NEVER AGAIN show the House of Jacob its sins. (5T 211).

·       They will allow nothing to stand in the way of their new movement. (1SM 204-205)

 

There are tares even in home churches, but corrupt, open sinning apostates are quite another matter. They, unlike tares, are supposed to be separated from the church if they will not reform.

 

God and Ellen White teach that it is impossible for the wheat to mature and become/remain pure while united to the corrupt open sinning apostates, and this is the reason for every separation that has ever occurred because the leaders would not remove the open sinners, and indeed were always the ring-leaders in apostasy themselves.

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Isaiah 9:16 KJV

"Christ has plainly taught that those who persist in open sin must be separated from the church, but He has not committed to us the work of judging character and motive.” COL 71.

 

One does not have to judge motive or character to recognize open sin. If an organization or individual is participating in open sin, it is not part of God's church.

 

     "It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure.  'What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?'  God and Christ and the heavenly host would have man know that if he unites with the corrupt, he will become corrupt." Review and Herald, January 2, 1900 (vol 4, p 137).

 

“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}

 

SDA’s who have heard of the apostasy are corporately accountable (responsible) for their evil deeds, because it is the leaders of the new movement that changed pillar doctrines, substituting Rome’s errors as in the Trinity Doctrine, which Rome attests to be her central doctrine, and which sweeps away the entire Christian economy by negating the prescribed limit of a sacrifice that occurred at the Incarnation. Nothing could be more antichrist.

 

The leaders are ring-leaders in the apostasy of the new movement, new organization that has removed God by conspiring to confederation with Babylon’s associations and confederacies. The church pays larger annual dues to such associations/confederacies around the world and that money helps to support the proliferation of the false doctrines taught by Babylon. It is just as bad to support those doctrines financially, as it is to teach them, so that the church is now corporately responsible for all the errors taught by Babylon by financially supporting their associations and confederacies.

 

If I paid annual dues to the church of Satan in San Francisco, you would hold me corporately responsible for supporting what they teach and justly so! The same principle has applied to new movement Adventism since the early 1960’s, at which time the church first conspired to join Babylon’s associations/confederacies. So to teach that the only way for the church to fall is by advocating Sunday-keeping is very foolish and naïve in the least and totally lacking in spiritual discernment. This is how blind men go when they reject clear and present truth. They thus shake themselves out of the Kingdom of God.

 

There is a whole lot of shaking going on and IT IS NOT SPRINGING FORTH FROM THE NEW MOVEMENT, NEW ORGANIZAITON SDA CHURCH! The shaking is from and by Zion, the faithful remnant, giving a faithful straight testimony. Ezekiel 20:34-38; Isaiah 62:1-12, Zion is the bride—verses 1-5.

 

The Church That Appears as About to Fall

 

Quite obviously, to some of us, is the fact that the church that does not fall is Zion, the church triumphant and the wise virgins who join her procession, COL, 405-406.

 

"The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners IN ZION will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat [AFTER THE CLOSE OF PROBATIONARY TIME--CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS 72]. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths...

The REMNANT that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. All these, He says, 'I have graven . . . upon the palms of my hands' (Isa. 49:16)...

That which God required of Adam before his fall was perfect obedience to His law. God requires now what He required of Adam, perfect obedience, righteousness without a flaw, without shortcoming in His sight....We cannot do this without that faith that brings Christ's righteousness into daily practice." E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 2, 380.

 

Chaff is like dross and tares. Neither is OPEN SINNING THORNS which are to be reformed or removed lest they, as thorns, choke the wheat and make it impossible for the wheat to mature and become/remain pure. Again, Ezekiel 20:34-38 depicts the church triumphant being the church from which and by which the rebels are shaken out.

 

“Soon I heard the voice of God which shook the heavens and the earth. ["THE LORD ALSO SHALL ROAR OUT OF ZION, AND UTTER HIS VOICE FROM JERUSALEM; AND THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH SHALL SHAKE: BUT THE LORD WILL BE THE HOPE OF HIS PEOPLE, AND THE STRENGTH OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL." JOEL 3:16. SEE ALSO HebrewS 12:26; REVELATION 16:17.] There was a mighty earthquake. Buildings were shaken down, and fell on every side. I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud, musical, and clear. I looked upon this company, who, a short time before, were in such distress and bondage. Their captivity was turned [THE CHURCH THAT APPEARED AS ABOUT TO FALL—GC, 616 WHEN SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY]. A glorious light shone upon them. How beautiful they then looked! All weariness and marks of care were gone; health and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the heathen around them, fell like dead men. They could not endure the light that shone upon the delivered, holy ones. This light and glory remained upon them until Jesus was seen in the clouds of heaven, and the faithful, tried company were changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from glory to glory. The graves were opened and the saints came forth, clothed with immortality, crying: "Victory over death and the grave!" and together with the living saints they were caught up to meet their Lord in the air, while rich, musical shouts of glory and victory proceeded from every immortal tongue.” {1T 184.1}

 

Proof absolute that my interpretation as shown of me by God, is correct, is the following statement which no SDA will ever be able to gainsay:

 

"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 from the above statement:

·       Ellen White is addressing HIS PEOPLE.

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

·       Ellen White is defining the angel represented in prophecy AS DELIVERING THIS MESSAGE--NOT MEN OF BABYLON WHO FAILED TO ACCEPT THAT MESSAGE AS THE 1911 EDITION IMPLIES!

·       Ellen White is implying that the third angel's 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!

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

Ellen White is addressing a BACKSLIDING CHURCH whose leaders and laity alike who failed and rejected light from heaven and who refused to comply with the conditions so that God's promises are not fulfilled to them.

 

—rwb