Cherished Error #1-- The Totally False Teaching That the Bad, the Tares, are Shaken From the Professing, Organized, Seventh-day Adventist Church Militant to Leave it the Church triumphant
Ellen White says that another literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 will be manifested at SDA Sanctuaries, after the separation of the wheat from the tares has occurred. In other words, she says that the destroying angel will begin his destruction "...at His [God's'] Sanctuary, after the separation of the wheat from the tares has taken place. These facts are clear from the following three statements by Ellen G. White: "The angel with the writer's ink horn is to place a mark [SEAL] upon the foreheads of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows this angel." E. G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1161. It is clear from the above statement that the separation, the shaking and the sifting, take place before the destroying angel begins. Now, where does the destroying angel begin his destruction AFTER THE SHAKING HAS OCCURRED? We now quote from Testimonies, vol. 5, 211, and this chapter is based on Ezekiel 9, and is entitled The Seal of God, as depicted on p. 207: "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, and 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. The churches of Babylon are NOT "the Lord's sanctuary; are not "the house of Jacob." Ezekiel 9 did not destroy Babylon. It destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple on Mt. Zion. Babylon was not the Lord's Sanctuary, and Babylon was never referred to as the house of Jacob. Judgment begins at the house of God. Is this portended, prophesied event literal?
"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.
There is no doubt as to whom Ellen White is speaking to in the above statement. It is obviously professing Seventh-day Adventists. She says that Ezekiel 9 will have another literal fulfillment and Isaiah 8:9-20, gives the reasons why. Can it be established from the Bible that Ezekiel 9 will have another literal fulfillment? The answer is a resounding YES! Would you like to see how Ellen White knew that Ezekiel 9 would have another literal fulfillment? Ezekiel 5 is nothing more nor less than another variation on the theme of Ezekiel 9. Turn to Ezekiel 5:9: "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." Ezekiel 5:9. The abominations mentioned are the same abominations in Ezekiel 9:4, for which the people are supposed to be sighing and crying, and weeping between the porch and the alter, instead of celebrating, and having a party on the banks of the proverbial Jordan! "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Matthew 24:21. It should be clear to any discerning mind that if the Ezekiel 9 destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 A.D., was the worst thing God ever did or would ever do again, then that would preclude the time of Jacob's Trouble as being the worst event in the history of the world. Thus, we prove that Ezekiel 9 will indeed have another literal fulfillment, beginning at Jerusalem, the professing SDA church of God, or "His Sanctuary." Now, friend, the finale! If the bad were shaken out of the professing SDA church to leave it the church triumphant, why would a literal fulfillment of the worst thing God ever did or would ever do again, begin at that church AFTER THE SEPARATION FROM SIN AND SINNERS HAS TAKEN PLACE? "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye are all become dross, [tares], behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem." Ezekiel 22:19. Were the tares or dross gathered into the midst of Jerusalem, the church, in the first fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, in 70 A.D.? Yes indeed. Where were the wheat or the gold gathered? Here is the answer: "In the autumn of A.D. 66, Cestius next concentrated his entire force upon Jerusalem. he arrived during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, and although it was Sabbath, the Jews abandoned their religious rites and rushed out to attack Cestius' troops. . . .Cestius withdrew his troops, and placed himself strategically in such a poor position among the Judean hills that the Jews were able to attack him and kill more than 5,0000 infantry and nearly 500 calvary, including many officers, as well as to capture much materiel. "The Siege of Jerusalem.--Titus occupied the Mount of Olives in the spring of A.D. 70 and laid siege to Jerusalem. Sallies by the Jews delayed the Romans, and the tricks they played in fighting infuriated the besiegers and prepare their minds for the unmitigated cruelties they were soon to commit.....From outside the walls Josephus pleaded in vain with the Jews to surrender, but they continued to fight both among themselves and against the Romans. In full sight of the defenders Titus crucified the Jews he captured. Provisions ran short in the city and disease broke out. Josephus preserves a report that between May 1 and July 20, over 1000,000 corpses were carried outside the city for burial." ibid. p. 77.
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