The Hungering and Thirsting are Filled

“Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled; for Jesus has promised it. Precious Saviour! his arms are open to receive us, and his great heart of love is waiting to bless us.” {GW92 413.3}

"We cannot appreciate the truth only in contrast with error; with the dark background, false doctrines, and error, the truth shines forth clear and connected, link after link, uniting in a perfect whole; it binds all that is good and true together, and connects them with heaven." Ms 15a, 1886, p. 1, 4. 5 MR 272.

Click to go to our Home Page

---

Ellen White said that Satan designs that every reformation movement is accompanied by fanaticism. That is very true today. Ellen White also said that truth was to be continually unfolding. As truth has advanced to give us new insights today, Satan has his henchmen acting like outriders to every true reform agency. They are as forerunners to muddy the waters of truth and cast contempt upon God’s servants. You can always mark them by their quest to cast contempt upon the messengers of truth rather than advancing the cause of truth. They are more interested in avenging their foolish “peculiarities” than real truth. Thus, they prove that they love a continuum of revenge more than they love truth. They do not consider what their declamations do to the advancement of the cause of truth, nor do they care! They hunger and thirst more for revenge and accusation than they do the upholding of truth and those who are trying their best to give all the truth. They are void of the Holy Spirit. They do all they can to uphold Satan before the throne, day and night accusing the true brethren of past things they have repented of and have been pardoned for. And for this reason, their sins will not be pardoned—because they do not forgive, thus they are not forgiven. “Forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE…”

Recently one of these types told me that he tries to be peculiar in any way he can. In the same week he stated that he does not like the words Holy, Bible and the use of the title Jesus. That should tell you a lot in and of itself. It is Satan who tries to make truth more peculiar than God’s Word makes it, so it will appear as foolishness and fanaticism to the world at large. And to a great extent, his efforts in this arena are very successful.

These types try to draw attention to themselves by their self-styled peculiarities, as though real truth is not accompanied by enough valid peculiarities. Conjuring up peculiar notions of their own invention, they use these devices in a despotic attempt to contrive a message for God’s people. God does not give them a message, so they attempt to invent their own.

Another thing the same person told me was that I should not quote any who are in error on any point. That is not what Ellen White did. She took the truths from men like Farrar, Wolff, and Edersheim to name a few. In fact, she even quoted a very serious error of Wolff in citation of a truth, without even correcting his error. Here is what I speak of:

Joseph Wolff said: “"Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah," he said, "whose hands and feet were pierced, who was brought like a lamb to the slaughter, who was the Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief, who after the scepter was taken from Judah, and the legislative power from between his feet, came the first time; shall come the second time in the clouds of heaven, and with the trump of the Archangel" (Joseph Wolff, Researches and Missionary Labors, page 62) "and shall stand upon the Mount of Olives; and that dominion, once consigned to Adam over the creation, and forfeited by him (Genesis 1:26; 3:17), shall be given to Jesus. He shall be king over all the earth. The groanings and lamentations of the creation shall cease, but songs of praises and thanksgivings shall be heard. ... When Jesus comes in the glory of His Father, with the holy angels,... the dead believers shall rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:32. This is what we Christians call the first resurrection. Then the animal kingdom shall change its nature (Isaiah 11:6-9), and be subdued unto Jesus. Psalm 8. Universal peace shall prevail."--Journal of the Rev. Joseph Wolff, pages 378, 379. "The Lord again shall look down upon the earth, and say, 'Behold, it is very good.'"-- Ibid., page 294.

“As the place of His ascension, Jesus chose the spot so often hallowed by His presence while He dwelt among men. Not Mount Zion, the place of David's city, not Mount Moriah, the temple site, was to be thus honored. There Christ had been mocked and rejected. There the waves of mercy, still returning in a stronger tide of love, had been beaten back by hearts as hard as rock. Thence Jesus, weary and heart-burdened, had gone forth to find rest in the Mount of Olives. The holy Shekinah, in departing from the first temple, had stood upon the eastern mountain, as if loath to forsake the chosen city; so Christ stood upon Olivet, with yearning heart overlooking Jerusalem. The groves and glens of the mountain had been consecrated by His prayers and tears. Its steeps had echoed the triumphant shouts of the multitude that proclaimed Him king. On its sloping descent He had found a home with Lazarus at Bethany. In the garden of Gethsemane at its foot He had prayed and agonized alone. From this mountain He was to ascend to heaven. Upon its summit His feet will rest when He shall come again. Not as a man of sorrows, but as a glorious and triumphant king He will stand upon Olivet, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas, and the voices of the redeemed as a mighty host shall swell the acclamation, "Crown Him Lord of all!” Desire of Ages, p. 830.

This is a very serious error that should have been corrected when Ellen White quoted Wolff. It is very possible that Ellen White did make a correction and it was ignored by the leaders, but this involves a very serious error in the writings of Ellen White. When Jesus comes, He will not touch down on this earth. We will be caught up with Him in the air and shall travel seven days to heaven and will remain there for one-thousand years. Then the saved will return to this earth with Christ.

The reason this error is serious is because the great distinction between Christ and Satan’s personating of Him, is the fact that Christ Jesus does not touch down on this earth at the second coming, but Satan does. This is how we are to know the difference. Willie White and/or the White Estate should have corrected this grave error many decades ago. But I use this illustration to show that Ellen White quoted from those who were in error.

Do not Waste Time with the Cavilling

There is a time when we must be patient with those who have never heard the truth. Heaven’s grace still lingers for them. But that is not true concerning those who have heard and understood the truth.

Another contention of the same person who says he tries to be peculiar is that he questioned my view that we should not waste time on those who cavil against the truth.

“The perils of the last days are upon us. Devote not precious time in trying to convince those who would change the truth of God into a lie. Proclaim the third angel's message. Bear a straightforward, clear-cut message.” {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 9}

"If those who have been in the church for weeks and months have not learned the straightness of the way, and what it is to be Christians, and can not hear all the straight truths of the word of God, it were better that they were cut off from Israel.  It is too late in the day to feed with milk.  If souls, a month or two old in the truth, who are about to enter the time of trouble such as never was, can not hear all the straight truth, or endure the strong meat of the straightness of the way, how will they stand in the day of battle?  Truths that we have been years learning must be learned in a few months by those who now embrace the Third Angel's Message....There is no need of milk after souls are convinced of the truth.  As soon as the conviction of truth is yielded to and the heart willing, the truth should have its effect, the truth will work like leaven, and purify and purge away the passions of the natural heart.  It is a disgrace for those who have been in the truth for years to talk of feeding souls who have been months in the truth, upon milk.  It shows they know little of the leadings of the Spirit of the Lord, and realize not the time we are living in.  Those who embrace the truth now will have to step fast.  There will have to be a breaking up of heart before the Lord, a rending of heart, and not the garment."  E.G. White, Manuscript Releases, Vol. 1, p 33-34 (Manuscript 1, February 12, 1854).

“Thus I was speaking before a perplexed company just before I called them to take their stand on the right side. If some choose another position, let them alone. Labor for those who have never had the evidence of truth. So long as men hold fast to men, and believe men in the place of the word of God, you can do little to help them. You are working against principalities and powers, as is represented in Eph. 6:12.” {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 10}

“We are to revive the truth; to stand in the truth. Whoever is determined to depart from the faith can not be helped by you. All your reasoning will be as idle tales.”{RH, August 9, 1906 par. 11}

“Let not souls be drawn into Battle Creek. Warnings are to be given. A message similar to that borne by John the Baptist is to be heard. But beware of men; for they will seek to divert the mind from the necessity of heeding the true issues for this time. Carry on the work now for those who need the truth, and who have not resisted evidences of the truth for fallacies and scientific imaginations.” {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 7}

“I was directed by a messenger from heaven not to take the burden of picking up and answering all the sayings and doubts that are being put into many minds."Stand as the messenger of God anywhere, in any place," I was bidden, "and bear the testimony I shall give you. Be free. Bear the testimonies that the Lord has for you to bear in reproof, in rebuke, in the work of encouraging and lifting up the soul; 'teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'" {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 2}

“After the vision I prayed aloud with great fervor and earnestness. My soul was strengthened; for the words had been spoken: "Be strong, yea, be strong. Let none of the misleading words of ministers or physicians distress your mind. Tell them to take the light given them in publications. Truth will always bear away the victory. Go straight forward with your work.” {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 3}

"If the Holy Spirit is rejected, all my words will not help to remove, even for the time being, the false representations that have been made, and Satan stands ready to invent more. If the evidence already given is rejected, all other evidence will be useless until there is seen the converting power of God upon minds. If the convincing impressions of the Holy Spirit made in the past will not be accepted as trustworthy evidence, nothing that can be presented hereafter will reach them, because the bewitching guile of Satan has perverted their discernment." {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 4}

“It is Satan's plan to produce these variances, to keep our minds on dissensions and unprofitable problems until the last woe shall come upon the world. Time now is too precious to be lost through confusion. Proclaim to the world that Christ is soon coming.” {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 13}

I have given you examples of unprofitable problems in citing the example of how on my forum, a person brought up the fanatic notions that he did not like the use of the word Holy, the word Bible, and the use of the title Jesus. These are foolish distractions used by Satan to cause variances that keep our minds on dissension and unprofitable problems. The person also expressed the notion that we should teach only the truth and not quote truth expressed by those who deal in error. That was not Ellen White’s methodology. She quoted truths from many sources who believed and taught serious errors. She said that we cannot truly appreciate the truth unless it is contrasted with error. If we dealt only on the positives truths, we could not sigh and cry for all the erroneous abominations which sighing and crying is a condition for being sealed (Ezekiel 9:4).

Chap. 309 - For the Hungry and Thirsty

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matt. 5:6. {AG 317.1}

Would that you could conceive of the rich supplies of grace and power awaiting your demand. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. We must exercise greater faith in calling upon God for all needed blessings. {AG 317.2}

The strength acquired in prayer to God, united with individual effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and caretaking, prepares the person for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances, however trying. The temptations to which we are daily exposed make prayer a necessity. In order that we may be kept by the power of God through faith, the desires of the mind should be continually ascending in silent prayer for help, for light, for strength, for knowledge. But thought and prayer cannot take the place of earnest, faithful improvement of the time. Work and prayer are both required in perfecting Christian character. {AG 317.3}

We must live a twofold life--a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work. . . . God requires us to be living epistles, known and read of all men. The soul that turns to God for its strength, its support, its power, by daily, earnest prayer, will have noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty, lofty purposes of action, and a continual hungering and thirsting after righteousness. {AG 317.4}

Let us realize the weakness of humanity, and see where man fails in his self-sufficiency. We shall then be filled with a desire to be just what God desires us to be--pure, noble, sanctified. We shall hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ. To be like God will be the one desire of the soul. This is the desire that filled Enoch's heart. And we read that he walked with God. He studied the character of God to a purpose. He did not mark out his own course, or set up his own will. . . . He strove to conform himself to the divine likeness. {AG 317.5}

There is no excuse for defection or despondency, because all the promises of heavenly grace are for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. The intensity of desire represented by hungering and thirsting is a pledge that the coveted supply will be given. {AG 317.6}

There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help from Him. He has promised, "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart must be open to the Spirit's influence, or God's blessing cannot be received. {SC 95.1}

March 26, 1894 Principle Never to be Sacrificed

for Peace.

The Love of God a Constraining Motive

Mrs. E. G. White.

There always have been, and always will be to the end of time, two classes on the earth,--the believers in Jesus and those who reject Him. The truth will be a savour of life unto life to those who believe. However wicked, abominable, and corrupt he may be, the sinner will be purified by faith in Him, made clean by the doing of His word. But the same truth will be to the unbeliever a savour of death unto death. {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 1}

Argument will fail to convince the sinner of his responsibility to God. Learning and talent will fail to convince the soul. But the presentation of the love of God has a convincing power above that of argument, debate, or eloquence. The love of Christ, as expressed in self-denial, self-sacrifice, and death, as He bowed low under the sins of humanity, touches the sympathies and melts the stubborn heart. The fact that the Son of God, innocent and pure, suffered for sin; that the guiltless bore the punishment of the guilty, the just endured the penalty for the unjust, breaks the heart; and as Jesus is lifted up, conviction strikes to the soul, and the love that prompted the bestowal of the infinite gift of Christ, constrains the repenting one to surrender all to God. The seed of gospel truth has been dropped into his heart; and he beholds a love that is without a parallel, pledging a personal Saviour, and with Him every needed blessing. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 2}

Those who receive Christ are melted and subdued by the manifestation of His love in His humiliation, suffering, and death in their behalf. They behold Him as their substitute and surety, as pledging Himself to accomplish their full salvation through a plan that is consistent with the justice of God, and which vindicates the honour of His law. But there are some who are stirred with strong emotion as they view the humiliation of Jesus, who shrink from following in His footsteps when they understand that they must be sharers in His humiliation and suffering. When Jesus asks the surrender of self without reserve, when He asks compliance with His government, and that they shall walk in humble obedience and implicit trust, their nature rebels. "No," says the proud heart; "we want to keep our independence." But this is the very thing that Jesus wants you to have. It was that you might be freed from the slavery of sin that He died on Calvary's cross. He died that through faith in Him, you might be free indeed, and stand fast in the glorious liberty of the children of God. {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 3}

Contemplate the sufferings of your Redeemer, and you will find that a check will be put upon sin. Every sin that is committed is a re-enacting of Christ's humiliation, a re-opening of His wounds. Those who refuse to look upon Jesus lifted up upon the cross, who will not deny the inclination of their perverse hearts, who will not give up what they term their independence, their freedom to serve the author of sin as they please, will find their hearts filled with bitterness against those who accept Jesus as a personal Saviour. To them Christians will seem their enemies and injurers, and the gospel a sword. {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 4}

Paul writes. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." There is a mutual suffering here presented on the part of the Christian and the world. The world sees no charm in Jesus, and the Christian sees in Him matchless charms, and expresses his love, saying, "Thy gentleness hath made me great." Christians realize the blessing that comes upon those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they are filled. The blessing comes upon those who desire entire conformity to the will of God, who desire to know Christ and to reflect His image. Through the merits of Jesus Christ, they realize that nothing is reserved in the heart of God for them but the fountain of the water of life,--tender mercy, loving-kindness, infinite compassion. Jesus changes place with the sinner who believes, and the Father loves the followers of Christ, even as He loves His Son. He who receives the truth, has his heart filled with peace and joy as he contemplates Jesus. {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 5}

But how different is the case of him who refuses to receive the salvation purchased at infinite cost. He refuses to look upon the humiliation and love of Jesus. He plainly says, "I will not have this man to reign over me." To all who take this attitude, Jesus says, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." Families must be divided, in order that all who call upon the name of the Lord may be saved. All who refuse His infinite love, will find Christianity a sword, a disturber of their peace. The light of Christ will cut away the darkness that covers their evil doings; and their corruption, their fraud, their cruelty will be exposed. Christianity unmasks the hypocrisies of Satan, and it is this unmasking of his designs that stirs his bitter hatred against Christ and His followers. {BEcho, March 26, 1894 par. 6}

A message similar to John the Baptist A message stronger than John the Baptist

Let not souls be drawn into Battle Creek. Warnings are to be given. A message similar to that borne by John the Baptist is to be heard. But beware of men; for they will seek to divert the mind from the necessity of heeding the true issues for this time. Carry on the work now for those who need the truth, and who have not resisted evidences of the truth for fallacies and scientific imaginations. {RH, August 9, 1906 par. 7}

February 28, 1895 Who are the Sanctified?

By Mrs. E. G. White.

"God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 1}

Sanctification is not a happy flight of feeling, not the work of an instant, but the work of a lifetime. If any one claims that the Lord has sanctified him, and made him holy, the proof of his claim to the blessing will be seen in the fruits of meekness, patience, long-suffering, truthfulness, and love. If the blessing that those who claim to be sanctified have received, leads them to rely upon some particular emotion, and they declare there is no need of searching the Scriptures that they may know God's revealed will, then the supposed blessing is a counterfeit, for it leads its possessors to place value on their own unsanctified emotions and fancies, and to close their ears to the voice of God in his word. Why need those who claim they have had special manifestations of the Spirit, and the witness that their sins are all forgiven, conclude that they can lay the Bible aside, and from henceforth walk alone? When we ask those who claim to have been instantaneously sanctified, if they are searching the Scriptures as Jesus told them to do, to see if there is not additional truth for them to accept, they answer, "God makes known his will to us directly in special signs and revelations, and we can afford to lay the Bible aside. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 2}

There are thousands who are being deceived by trusting to some special emotion, and discarding the word of God. They are not building upon the only safe and sure foundation,--the word of God. A religion that is addressed to intelligent creatures will produce reasonable evidences of its genuineness, for there will be marked results in heart and character. The grace of Christ will be made manifest in their daily conduct. We may safely ask those who profess to be sanctified, Do the fruits of the Spirit appear in your life? Do you manifest the meekness and lowliness of Christ, and reveal the fact that you are learning daily in the school of Christ, shaping your life after the pattern of his unselfish life? The best evidence that any of us can have of our connection with the God of heaven is that we keep his commandments. The best proof of faith in Christ is distrust of self and dependence upon God. The only reliable proof of our abiding in Christ is to reflect his image. Just so far as we do this we give evidence that we are sanctified through the truth, for the truth is exemplified in our daily life. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 3}

There are thousands, yes, millions, who are making a mistake in their religious life. They make religion a thing independent of their life, of their thoughts and words, and daily actions. Their religion is a delusion of the senses. Their ideas and principles presented as sanctification are deceitful workings. Some speak of hearing voices and of seeing sights of a supernatural character; but there is no sign in their daily course of action that the Spirit of God has wrought a change in the natural heart, for they are carnal, at enmity with God's law, and neither love God nor obey his commandments. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 4}

Nervous excitement in religious matters is no evidence that the Spirit of God is working upon the heart. We read of frenzied contortions of the body, of shrieking and screaming in the work of Satan upon the minds and bodies of men; but the word of God affords us no example of any such manifestations in connection with those upon whom he pours out his Spirit. It is clear that distempered fancies, wild outbursts, and contorted bodily exercises are the workings of the enemy. Yet many think that the disorder of the mind, which is intensified by the power of Satan, is a warrant that God is causing these deceived souls to act in so uncomely a manner. The whole spirit and tone of the Bible condemns men in acting without reason or intelligence. When the Spirit of God moves upon the heart, it causes the faithful, obedient child of God to act in a manner that will commend religion to the good judgment of sensible-minded men and women. The Spirit of God illuminates the mind with the word of God, and does not come as a substitute for the word. The Holy Spirit ever directs the believer to the word, and presents its passages to the mind, to reprove, correct, counsel, and comfort. It never leads its possessor to act in an unbecoming way, or to manifest extravagant and uncalled-for developments that bear not the least resemblance to that which is heavenly, and lower the standard of what is pure and undefiled religion in the minds of men. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 5}

There was nothing of this character found in the life or teachings of Jesus. All that is of heaven is pure, peaceable, refined, and ennobling, free from everything that is extravagant or fanatical in thought, word, or action. The religion of Christ bears the heavenly credentials, and when the heart has been impressed with the divine image, the soul is in harmony with all God's commandments. But the sanctification that leads its possessors to refuse to study the Scriptures, and persuades them to believe they know it all, and that there is no advanced truth for them to accept, is of a spurious order. They are yet carnal, for it is the carnal mind that is "enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." They are deluded by the adversary of God and man. They have illusions, and a bewitching power is upon them as they cry out: "I am saved, I am saved. I cannot sin." We only can distinguish the true from the false by the manifestation of the graces of the Spirit, which Christ has promised to implant in the heart. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 6}

Many who claim to be sanctified, who are yet breaking the commandments of God, and filled with enmity against God, are boldly presumptuous, and, while disobeying the words of Christ, yet dare to appropriate the promises given to the loyal and obedient. They have no right to one of the promises of God, because they do not fulfill the conditions upon which the promises are to be fulfilled. They will talk of faith and holiness when their foundation is built up of rotten timbers, and they are depending on their own self-righteousness. But their presumptuous assurance is not faith. They do not know what constitutes faith. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 7}

While there are many who lay claim to the promises of God while they are not fulfilling their conditions, there is another class who are humble and conscientious, but faint hearted, and they overlook the precious promises of God that are for their appropriation. They are continually in fear that Jesus does not love them. They walk in fear and trembling, and the hand of faith seems too feeble to reach up and grasp and hold the promises of God. They continually look to themselves to find an assurance that they are good enough to become the children of God. But to look to self is to look in the wrong direction. The parable of the Pharisee and the publican has forcible lessons for both these classes. The Pharisee is full of self-sufficiency, and rests in carnal security that he is saved, while the publican has a deep sense of his unworthiness, and stands afar off. He does not feel worthy to draw nigh to God, but smites upon his breast in self-condemnation, and will not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven to meet the eyes of the heart-searching God. His cry is one of soul agony, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Yet this was the one that Jesus himself declares went down to his house justified. But the Pharisee had no such divine favor. The publican looked away from himself, for he could see nothing there in which to trust for salvation. He felt the need of a physician, and his humble prayer was heard, while the prayer of the boasting Pharisee was an offense to God. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 8}

The promises contained in the seven beatitudes are not to be fulfilled to the one who feels self-sufficient, who turns from the Scriptures of revealed truth to a false theory, crying: "I am saved, I am saved. I cannot sin." The precious promises of the beatitudes are for those who feel their poverty of spirit, to the true mourners, to the meek, to the peacemakers, to the pure in heart, to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is the weary and the heavy laden that Christ invites to come unto him, and to them his promise is sure, "Ye shall find rest unto your souls." But the rest comes in wearing Christ's yoke, in bearing Christ's burden. {ST, February 28, 1895 par. 9}

The Impossibility of Restoring the Once Enlightened

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Hebrews 6:4.

Ellen White stated the same thing in the following statement:

 "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.

Ellen White said that the Midnight Cry gave power to the second angel’s message in 1844, in the call to come out of Babylon. So a violation of those messages now via ecumenical liaison with Babylon, makes it IMPOSSIBLE to get back on the path to heaven. This fact coincides with Isaiah 8:12, where it says that those who confederate with God’s enemies will be broken in pieces, stated three times to connote the seriousness of this unpardonable sin. There are no other stated options to being “broken in pieces.” That is how serious these issues are, but folk continue to play church as though it involved nothing more than a social club responsibility. Why does this attitude prevail amongst God’s once chosen people? Isaiah 56:10-12 and Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211, give the prime reasons.

"I was shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All who saw the light of the first and second angels' messages and rejected that light were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion, thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them." {1BIO 260.8}

All who reject light, go into darkness in proportion to the degree of light they reject and for many that darkness is a deep as midnight during an eclipse of the moon.

—rwb