Letter From an Irate Member of the New Movement SDA Church
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Dear Reader, I received the following post from
an irate SDA New Movement member of the church. I cut and pasted it from his post, so the
miss-wording is his. Ron, Your call out message holds no
weight with all the evidence I supplied from EGW....NONE. Your understanding
of the context of Jerusalem in EGW's writings at the end time is wrong. But seeing as you want only
Biblical evidence for this, let's open God's Holy Word. Mat. Mark. Luke.
Three accounts of fleeing. Now are you going to tell this forum that not only
Jerusalem, but the whole of Judaea refers to the SDA church!? Please note
that the fleeing is not only from Jerusalem but concerns anybody living in
Judaea. From the housetops in Judea. From the fields in Judaea. From
Jerusalem in Judaea!!!! What do you want people to understand by your
message.....? Judaea, of which Jerusalem was in, both comprise God's church,
the TEMPLE??? We are to flee both Jerusalem and Judaea......???? EGW and now
the Bible. Problems on all fronts with your "Most Loved Call Out
Message"! Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall
see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in
the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)16 Then let them which be
in Judaea flee into the mountains:17
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any
thing out of his house:18 Neither let him which is in the field
return back to take his clothes. Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see
the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing
where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be
in Judaea flee to the mountains:15 And
let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house,
neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:16 And let
him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his
garment. Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see
Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is
nigh.21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the
mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and
let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. Spiritual things are Spiritually
discerned. I suggest that before continuing to call people out of God's Body,
you first start reading God's word personally, prayerfully, reverently, for the wisdom of this world is truly
foolishness to God. And before you start calling
Judaea, Jerusalem - here's Strongs :
Judaea = "he shall be praised" 1) in a narrower sense, to the
southern portion of Palestine lying on this
side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee,
Peraea, and Idumaea 2) in a broader sense, referring to
all Palestine http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDAIssues/message/45903 Ron’s Response: I will let Ellen White answer your
questions: "The loss of even one soul is
a calamity infinitely outweighing the gains and treasures of a world; but as
Christ looked upon Jerusalem, the doom of a whole city, a whole nation, was before Him--that city, that nation, which had once been the chosen of
God, His peculiar treasure. Prophets had wept over the apostasy
of Israel and the terrible desolations by which their sins were visited.
Jeremiah wished that his eyes were a fountain of tears,
that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people,
for the Lord's flock that was carried away captive. Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17.
What, then, was the grief of Him whose prophetic glance took in, not years,
but ages! He beheld the destroying angel with sword uplifted against the city
which had so long been Jehovah's dwelling place. From the ridge of Olivet,
the very spot afterward occupied by Titus and his army, He looked across the
valley upon the sacred courts and porticoes, and with tear-dimmed eyes He
saw, in awful perspective, the walls surrounded by alien hosts. He heard the
tread of armies marshaling for war. He heard the voice of mothers and
children crying for bread in the besieged city. He saw her holy and beautiful
house, her palaces and towers, given to the flames, and where once they
stood, only a heap of smoldering ruins. Looking down the ages, He saw the
covenant people scattered in every land, "like wrecks on a desert
shore." In the temporal retribution about to fall upon her children, He
saw but the first draft from that cup of wrath which at the final judgment
she must drain to its dregs. Divine pity, yearning love, found utterance in
the mournful words: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the
prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I 22 have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
O that thou, a nation favored above every other, hadst known the time of thy
visitation, and the things that belong unto thy peace! I have stayed the
angel of justice, I have called thee to repentance,
but in vain. It is not merely servants, delegates, and prophets, whom thou
hast refused and rejected, but the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer. If thou
art destroyed, thou alone art responsible. "Ye will not come to Me, that
ye might have life." Matthew 23:37; John 5:40. Christ saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the
world
hardened in unbelief and rebellion, and hastening on to meet the retributive
judgments of God. The woes of a fallen race, pressing upon His soul, forced from
His lips that exceeding bitter cry. He saw the record of sin traced in human
misery, tears, and blood; His heart was moved with infinite pity for the
afflicted and suffering ones of earth; He yearned to relieve them all. But
even His hand might not turn back the tide of human woe; few would seek their
only Source of help. He was willing to pour out His soul unto death, to bring
salvation within their reach; but few would come to Him that they might have
life." The Great Controversy, pp. 21, 22. "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. Pertinent Text: 15 When ye
therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is
on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither
let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe
unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath
day: 21 Pertinent Quote: "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. Where do the terrors begin?
1Pe 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey
not the gospel of God? Pertinent Quote: Begin at My Sanctuary -- Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old [and] young, both
maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is] the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient
men which [were] before the house. "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. For the proper context of the above
statement, how does the above chapter of the Testimonies, begin on page
207? Answer: Ellen White is
quoting the first verses of Ezekiel 9. Chap. 24 -
The Seal of God "He
cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have
charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon
in his hand." {5T 207.2} And he
called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his
side; and the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through
the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that
sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city,
and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and
young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man
upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the
ancient men which were before the house." {5T 207.3} Jesus is
about to leave the mercy seat of the heavenly
208 sanctuary to put on garments of vengeance and pour out His
wrath in judgments upon those who have not responded to the light God has
given them. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil." Instead of being softened by the patience and long forbearance
that the Lord has exercised toward them, those who fear not God and love not
the truth strengthen their hearts in their evil course. But there are limits
even to the forbearance of God, and many are exceeding these boundaries. They
have overrun the limits of grace, and therefore God must interfere and
vindicate His own honor. {5T 207.4} Study Ezekiel 9 "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. Questions: 1. Was Ellen White speaking of the doom of a
WHOLE NATION? 2. Did the WHOLE NATION include the Province
of Judea? 3. Was Jerusalem part of the Province of
Judea? 4. Did folk flee from all of Judea as well
as Jerusalem? 5. Was the instruction of Matthew 24:15 to
all true Christians living and residing in the fields, the housetops, and the
country of Judea and Jerusalem proper, which functioned as the headquarters
of the apostate church, as well as the headquarters of Jesus’ Christian
church? 6. Did Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, apply to
the true Christians in all Judea? Remember,
the disciples and Christ started churches throughout Judea. Or did the
warning apply to only the inhabitants of Jerusalem proper? The answer is obvious! It applied to all. And so does the warning
of Ezekiel 9 apply to SDA’s the world over, for Jerusalem is a symbol of the
world church. 7. Pray tell, what does the irate person see
in his meaningless diatribe that destroys my warning message, being that
Ezekiel 9 applies to the SDA church in literal fulfillment of the prefigure
mentioned by Ellen White? Does Matthew 24 apply at the end-time? "When He referred to the destruction of
Jerusalem, His prophetic words reached beyond that even to the final
conflagration in that day when the Lord shall rise out of His place to punish
for their iniquity, when the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no
more cover her slain. This entire discourse was given, not for the
disciples only, but for those who should live in the last scenes of this
earth's history." E.G. White,
Desire of Ages, p. 628. Ron Beaulieu |