My Vision on the Man
in Linen Ezekiel 9
Part 1
Jhn 5:22 For the Father judgeth
no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
“The old
standard bearers knew what it was to wrestle with God in prayer, and to enjoy
the outpouring of His Spirit. But these are passing off from the stage of
action; and who are coming up to fill their places? How is it with the rising
generation? Are they converted to God? Are we awake to the work that is going
on in the heavenly sanctuary, or are we waiting for some compelling power to
come upon the church before we shall arouse? Are we hoping to see the whole church revived? That time
will never come.” {1SM 122.1}
“Mark this point
with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost,
represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those “that sigh and that
cry for all the abominations that be done” in the church. Their love for purity
and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear
a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being
in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” {3T
267.1}
I have
written before that I was shown that the Man in Linen is Jesus Christ. Of course it is His Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost that does the
Marking as He moves through true and apostate Jerusalem. I stated that it was
Christ without consulting any other source than my vision from the Lord. Elder
J. Wilfred Johnson identifies the Man in Linen as being Elijah. Had I followed
the testimony of Elder Johnson, I would have said that the Man in Linen is
Elijah. Panorama of Truth, Vol. 1, p.
110. But I did not receive my message from J. Wilfred Johnson. I received it in
visions.
I
supplicated the Lord for more evidence when a lady in the UK wrote to me
yesterday, November 1, 2018, asking me who was right, me or Elder Johnson. She
was reading his book entitled Panorama of
Truth. She had also read where I stated that The Man in Linen, Ezekiel 9,
is Jesus Christ.
Eze 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone
up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he
called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his
side;
Eze 9:4 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.
The
glory of God the Father calls to the Man in Linen, the preincarnation Divine
Nature of the Son, the Holy Spirit, which became the Holy Ghost after the
Incarnation, and instructs Him to go through the midst of the city and set a
MARK upon the foreheads of all that sigh and cry for all the abominations. When
the Son is finished, He reports back to the Father.
However,
Elder Johnson is not entirely errant
because it was John the Baptist who prepared a bride for Jesus, the bridegroom,
Desire of Ages, p. 179 and Matthew
Chapter 11. And what Spirit did Elijah and John the Baptist have? The Spirit of
Christ. There are very interesting comparisons between Elijah and Christ. https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/newsletter-jun-2012/jesus-and-elijah-comparisons-and-contrasts/
But to
receive a more specific answer, let’s consult Ellen White and the Bible Commentarian Matthew Henry. First, Ellen White:
“Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure
mark of truth, wrought in
them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen,
are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the
church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they
have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of
sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read
the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” {3T 267.1}
The MARK of truth is wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost,
Jesus Christ, represented by a MARK by the Man in Linen. Only Jesus is
qualified as JUDGE OF ALL THINGS, to place that MARK upon man, as He is the
only discerner of character.
“Who are standing in the counsel of God at
this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people
of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would
reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with
those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and
leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and
in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing
approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked,
represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this
point with care: Those who
receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy
Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those
“that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the church.
Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they
are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth
chapter of Ezekiel.” {3T 267.1}
The
Mark by the Man in Linen involves JUDGMENT on the Day of Atonement, and all
judgment has been committed to Jesus.
·
Jhn 5:22 For the
Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment unto the Son:
·
The Holy Ghost is
Christ’s Holy Spirit.
·
The Mark is
identified in Revelation 3:10-12 as NEW JERUSALEM.
·
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
·
Rev 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name
of the city of my God,
which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and
I will write upon him my new name.
·
Jesus is speaking in
Revelation 3:11, 12. He
says that He will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God. So Jesus is the Man in Linen in Ezekiel 9.
Matthew
Henry on Ezekiel 9 and The Man in Linen
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ezekiel/9.html
The prophet had, in vision, seen the wickedness that was
committed at Jerusalem, in the foregoing chapter, and we may be sure that it
was not represented to him worse than really it was; now here follows, of
course, a representation of their ruin approaching; for when sin goes before
judgments come next. Here is, I. Preparation made of instruments that were to
be employed in the destruction of the city (v. 1, v. 2). II. The removal of the Shechinah from
the cherubim to the threshold of the temple (v. 3). III. Orders given to one of the persons
employed, who is distinguished from the rest, for the marking of a remnant to
be preserved from the common destruction (v. 3, v. 4). IV. The warrant signed for the
execution of those that were not marked, and the execution begun accordingly (v. 5-7). V. The
prophet’s intercession for the mitigation of the sentence, and a denial of any
mitigation, the decree having now gone forth (v. 8-10). VI. The
report made by him that was to mark the pious remnant of what he had done in
that matter (v. 11). And this shows a
usual method of Providence in the government of the world.
Verses
1-4 In these verses we have,I. The summons given
to Jerusalem’s destroyers to come forth and give their attendance. He that
appeared to the prophet ch. 8:2 ), that had
brought him to Jerusalem and had shown the wickedness that was done there, he
cried, Cause those that have charge over the city to draw near (v. 1), or, as it might better be read, and
nearer the original, Those that have charge over the city are drawing near. He
had said ch. 8:18
), I will deal in fury; now, says he to the prophet, thou shalt see who are to
be employed as the instruments of my wrath. Appropinquaverunt
visitationes civitatis—The
visitations (or visitors) of the city are at hand. They would not know the day
of their visitations in mercy, and now they are to be visited in wrath.
Observe, 1. how the notice of this is given to the prophet: He cried it in my
ears with a loud voice, which intimates the vehemency
of him that spoke; when men are highly provoked, and threaten in anger, they
speak aloud. Those that regard not the counsels God gives them in a still small
voice shall be made to hear the threatenings, to hear
and tremble. It denotes also the prophet’s unwillingness to be told this: he
was deaf on that ear, but there is no remedy, their sin will not admit an
excuse and therefore their judgment will not admit a delay: "He cried it
in my ears with a loud voice; he made me hear it, and I heard it with a sad
heart.’’ 2. What this notice is. There are those that have charge over the city
to destroy it, not the Chaldean armies, they are to be indeed employed in this
work, but they are not the visitors, they are only the servants, or tools
rather. God’s angels have received a charge now to lay that city waste, which
they had long had a charge to protect and watch over. They are at hand, as
destroying angels, as ministers of wrath, for every man has his destroying
weapon in his hand, as the angel that kept the way of the tree of life with a
flaming sword. Note, Those that have by sin made God
their enemy have made the good angels their enemies too. These visitors are
called and caused to draw near. Note, God has ministers of wrath always within
call, always at command, invisible powers, by whom he accomplishes is purposes.
The prophet is made to see this in vision, that he might with the greater
assurance in his preaching denounce these judgments. God told it him with a
loud voice, taught it him with a strong hand (Isa. 8:11 ), that it might make the deeper
impression upon him and that he might thus proclaim it in the people’s ears.II. Their appearance, upon this summons, is recorded.
Immediately six men came (v. 2), one for each of the principal gates of
Jerusalem. Two destroying angels were sent against Sodom, but six against
Jerusalem; for Jerusalem’s doom in the judgment will be thrice as heavy as that
of Sodom. There is an angel watching at every gate to destroy, to bring in
judgments from every quarter, and to take heed that none escape. One angel
served to destroy the first-born of Egypt, and the camp of the Assyrians, but
here are six. In the Revelation we find seven that were to pour out the vials
of God’s wrath, Rev. 16:1 . They came with
every one a slaughter-weapon in his hand, prepared for
the work to which they were called. The nations of which the king of Babylon’s
army was composed, which some reckon to be six, and the commanders of his army
(of whom six are named as principal, Jer. 39:3 ), may be called the
slaughter-weapons in the hands of the angels. The angels are thoroughly
furnished for every service. Observe whence they came—from the way of the
higher gate, which lies towards the north (v. 2), either because the Chaldeans came from
the north (Jer. 1:14 , Out of the north
an evil shall break forth) or because the image of jealousy was set up at the
door of the inner gate that looks towards the north, ch. 8:3, ch. 8:5 . At that
gate of the temple the destroying angels entered, to show what it was that
opened the door to them. Note, That way that sin lies
judgments may be expected to come. 2. Observe where they placed themselves:
They went in and stood beside the brazen altar, on which sacrifices were wont
to be offered and atonement made. When they acted as destroyers they acted as sacrificers, not from any personal revenge or ill-will, but
with a pure and sincere regard to the glory of God; for to his justice all they
slew were offered up as victims. They stood by the altar, as it were to protect
and vindicate that, and plead its righteous cause, and avenge the horrid
profanation of it. At the altar they were to receive their commission to
destroy, to intimate that the iniquity of Jerusalem, like that of Eli’s house,
was not to be purged by sacrifice. III. The notice taken of one among the
destroying angels distinguished in his habit from the rest, from whom some
favour might be expected; it should seem he was not one of the six, but among
them, to see that mercy was mixed with judgment, v. 2. This man was clothed with linen, as the
priests were, and he had a writer’s inkhorn hanging at his side, as anciently
attorneys and lawyers’ clerks had, which he was to make use of, as the other
six were to make use of their destroying weapons. Here the honours of the pen
exceeded those of the sword,
but he was the Lord of angels that made use of the writer’s inkhorn; for it is
generally agreed, among the best interpreters, that this man represented Christ
as Mediator saving those that are his from the flaming sword of divine justice.
He is our high priest, clothed with holiness, for that was signified by the
fine linen, Rev. 19:8 . As prophet he wears the writer’s
inkhorn. The book of life is the Lamb’s book. The great things of the law and
gospel which God has written to us are of his writing; for it is the Spirit of
Christ, in the writers of the scripture, that testifies to us, and the Bible is
the revelation of Jesus Christ. Note, It is a matter
of great comfort to all good Christians that, in the midst of the destroyers
and the destructions that are abroad, there is a Mediator, a great high priest,
who has an interest in heaven, and whom saints on earth have an interest in.
IV. The removal of the appearance of the divine glory from over the cherubim.
Some think this was that usual display of the divine glory which was between
the cherubim over the mercy seat, in the most holy place, that took leave of
them now, and never returned; for it is supposed that it was not in the second
temple. Others think it was that display of the divine glory which the prophet
now saw over the cherubim in vision; and this is more probable, because this is
called the glory of the God of Israel ch. 8:4 ), and this
is it which he had now his eye upon; this was gone to the threshold of the
house, as it were to call to the servants that attended without the door, to
send them on their errand and give them their instructions. And the removal of
this, as well as the former, might be significant of God’s departure from them,
and leaving them their house desolate; and when God goes all good goes, but he
goes from none till they first drive him from them. He went at first no further
than the threshold, that he might show how loth he was to depart,
and might give them both time and encouragement to invite his return to
them and his stay with them. Note, God’s departures from a people are gradual,
but gracious souls are soon award of the first step he takes towards a remove.
Ezekiel immediately observed that the glory of the god of Israel had gone up
from the cherub: and what is a vision of angels if God be gone?V.
The charge given to the
man clothed in linen to secure the pious remnant from the general desolation.
We do not read that this Saviour was summoned and sent for, as the destroyers
were; for he is always ready, appearing in the presence of God for us; and to
him, as the most proper person, the care of those that are marked for salvation
is committed, v. 4. Now observe, 1. The
distinguishing character of this remnant that is to be saved. They are such as
sigh and cry, sigh in themselves, as men in pain and distress, cry to God in
prayer, as men in earnest, because of all the abominations that are committed
in Jerusalem. It was not only the idolatries they were guilty of, but all their
other enormities, that were abominations to God. These pious few had witnessed
against those abominations and had done what they could in their places to
suppress them; but, finding all their attempts for the reformation of manners
fruitless, they sat down, and sighted, and cried, wept in secret, and
complained to God, because of the dishonour done to his name by their
wickedness and the ruin it was bringing upon their church and nation. Note, It
is not enough that we do not delight in the sins of others, and that we have
not fellowship with them, but we must mourn for them, and lay them to heart; we
must grieve for that which we cannot help, as those that hate sin for its own
sake, and have a tender concern for the souls of others, as David (Ps. 119:136 ), and Lot, who vexed his
righteous soul with the wicked conversation of his neighbours. The abominations
committed in Jerusalem are to be in a special manner lamented, because they are
in a particular manner offensive to God. 2. The
distinguishing care taken of them. Orders are given to find those all out that
are of such a pious public spirit: "Go through the midst of the city in
quest of them, and though they are ever so much dispersed, and ever so closely
hid from the fury of their persecutors, yet see that you discover them, and set
a mark upon their foreheads,’’ (1.) To signify that God owns them for his, and
he will confess them another day. A work of grace in the soul is to God a mark
upon the forehead, which he will acknowledge as his mark, and by which he knows
those that are his. (2.) To give to them who are thus marked an assurance of
God’s favour, that they may know it themselves; and the comfort of knowing it
will be the most powerful support and cordial in calamitous times. Why should
we perplex ourselves about this temporal life if we know by the mark that we
have eternal life? (3.) To be a direction to the destroyers whom to pass by, as
the blood upon the door-posts was an indication that that was an Israelite’s
house, and the first-born there must not be slain. Note, Those
who keep themselves pure in times of common iniquity God will keep safe in
times of common calamity. Those that distinguish themselves shall be
distinguished; those that cry for other men’s sins shall not need to cry for
their own afflictions, for they shall be either delivered from them or comforted
under them. God will set a
mark upon his mourners, will book their sighs and bottle their tears. The
sealing of the servants of God in their foreheads mentioned in Rev. 7:3 was the same token of the care God
has of his own people with this related here; only this was to secure them from
being destroyed, that from being seduced, which is equivalent.
Verses
5-11 In these verses we have,I. A command given
to the destroyers to do execution according to their commission. They stood by
the brazen altar, waiting for orders; and orders are here given them to cut off
and destroy all that were either guilty of, or accessory to, the abominations
of Jerusalem, and that did not sigh and cry for them. Note, When God has
gathered his wheat into his garner nothing remains but to burn up the chaff, Mt. 3:12 .1. They are ordered to destroy all,
(1.) Without exception. They must go through the city, and smite; they must
slay utterly, slay to destruction, give them their death’s wound. They must
make no distinction of age or sex, but cut off old and
young; neither the beauty of the virgins, nor the innocency
of the babes, shall secure them. This was fulfilled in the death of multitudes
by famine and pestilence, especially by the sword of the Chaldeans, as far as
the military execution went. Sometimes even such bloody work as this has been
God’s work. But what an evil thing is sin, then, which provokes the God of
infinite mercy to such severity! (2.) Without compassion: "Let not your
eye spare, neither have you pity (v. 5); you must not save any whom God has
doomed to destruction, as Saul did Agag and the Amalekites, for that is doing
the work of God deceitfully, Jer. 48:10 . None need to be more merciful
than God is; and he had said ch. 8:18 ), My eye
shall not spare, neither will I have pity.’’ Note, Those
that live in sin, and hate to be reformed, will perish in sin, and deserve not
to be pitied; for they might easily have prevented the ruin, and would not.2.
They are warned not to do the least hurt to those that were marked for
salvation: "Come not near any man upon whom is the mark; do not so much as
threaten or frighten any of them; it is promised them that there shall no evil
come nigh them, and therefore you must keep at a distance from them.’’ The king
of Babylon gave particular orders that Jeremiah should
be protected. Baruch and Ebed-melech were secured,
and, it is likely, others of Jeremiah’s friends, for his sake. God had promised
that it should go well with his remnant and they should be well treated (Jer. 15:11 ); and we have reason to think
that none of the mourning praying remnant fell by the sword of the Chaldeans,
but that God found out some way or other to secure them all, as, in the last
destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the Christians were all secured in a
city called Pella, and none of them perished with the unbelieving Jews. Note, None of those shall be lost whom God has marked for life and
salvation; for the foundation of God stands sure.3. They are directed to begin
at the sanctuary (v. 6), that sanctuary which,
in the chapter before, he had seen the horrid profanation of; they must begin
there because there the wickedness began which provoked God to send these
judgments. The debaucheries of the priests were the poisoning of the springs,
to which all the corruption of the streams was owing. The wickedness of the
sanctuary was of all wickedness the most offensive to God, and therefore there
the slaughter must begin: "Begin there, to try if the people will take
warning by the judgments of God upon their priests, and will repent and reform;
begin there, that all the world may see and know that the Lord, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God, and hates sin most in those that are nearest to
him.’’ Note, When judgements are abroad they commonly begin at the house of
God, 1 Pt. 4:17 . You only have I known, and therefore
I will punish you, Amos. 3:2 . God’s temple is a
sanctuary, a refuge and protection for penitent sinners, but not for any that
go on still in their trespasses; neither the sacredness of the place nor the
eminency of their place in it will be their security. It should seem the
destroyers made some difficulty of putting men to death in the temple, but God
bids them not to hesitate at that, but (v. 7), Defile the house, and fill the courts
with slain. They will not be taken from the altar (as was appointed by the law,
Ex. 21:14 ), but think to secure themselves
by keeping hold of the horns of it, like Joab, and therefore, like him, let
them die there, 1 Ki. 2:30, 1 Ki. 2:31 . There the blood of one of God’s
prophets had been shed (Mt. 23:35 ) and therefore let their blood be
shed. Note, If the servants of God’s house defile it with their idolatries, God
will justly suffer the enemies of it to defile it with their violences, Ps. 79:1 . But these acts of necessary justice
were really, whatever they were ceremonially, rather a purification than a
pollution of the sanctuary; it was putting away evil from among them. 4. They
are appointed to go forth into the city, v. 6, v. 7. Note, Wherever
sin has gone before judgement will follow after; and, though judgement begins
at the house of God, yet it shall not end there. The holy city shall be no more
a protection to the wicked people then the holy house was to the wicked priests.II. Here is execution done accordingly. They
observed their orders, and, 1. They began at the elders, the ancient men that
were before the house, and slew them first, either those seventy ancients who
worshipped idols in their chambers ch. 8:12 ) or those
twenty-five who worshipped the sun between the porch and the altar, who might
more properly be said to be before the house. Note, Ringleaders in sin may
expect to be first met with by the judgements of God; and the sins of those who
are in the most eminent and public stations call for the most exemplary
punishments. 2. They proceeded to the common people: They went forth and slew
in the city; for, when the decree has gone forth, there shall be no delay; if
God begin, he will make an end.III. Here is the
prophet’s intercession for a mitigation of the judgement, and a reprieve for
some (v. 8): While they were slaying them, and I was
left, I fell upon my face. Observe here, 1. How sensible the prophet was of
God’s mercy to him, in that he was spared when so many round
about him were cut off. Thousands fell on his right hand, and on his left, and
yet the destruction did not come nigh him; only with his eyes did he behold the
just reward of the wicked, Ps. 91:7, Ps. 91:8 . He speaks as one that narrowly
escaped the destruction, attributing it to God’s goodness, not his own deserts.
Note, The best saints must acknowledge themselves
indebted to sparing mercy that they are not consumed. And when desolating
judgements are abroad, and multitudes fall by them, it ought to be accounted a
great favor if we have our lives given us for a prey; for we might justly have
perished with those that perished. 2. Observe how he improved this mercy; he
looked upon it that therefore he was left that he might stand in the gap to
turn away the wrath of God. Note, We must look upon it
that for this reason we are spared, that we may do good in our places, may do
good by our prayers. Ezekiel did not triumph in the slaughter he made, but his
flesh trembled for the fear of God, (as David’s, Ps. 119:120 ); he fell on his face, and cried,
not in fear for himself (he was one of those that were marked), but in
compassion to his fellow-creatures. Those that sigh and cry for the sins of
sinners cannot but sigh and cry for their miseries too; yet the day is coming
when all this concern will be entirely swallowed up in a full satisfaction in
this, that God is glorified; and those that now fall on their faces, and cry,
Ah! Lord God, will lift up their heads, and sing, Hallelujah, Rev. 19:1, Rev. 19:3 . The prophet humbly
expostulates with God: "Wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, and
shall there be none left but the few that are marked? Shall the Israel of God
be destroyed, utterly destroyed? When there are but a
few left shall those be cut off, who might have been
the seed of another generation? And will the God of Israel be himself their
destroyer? Wilt thou now destroy Israel, who wast wont to protect and deliver Israel? Wilt thou so pour out
thy fury upon Jerusalem as by the total destruction of
the city to ruin the whole country too? Surely thou
wilt not!’’ Note, Though we acknowledge that God is righteous, yet we have
leave to plead with him concerning his judgements, Jer. 12:1 .IV. Here is God’s denial of the
prophet’s request for a mitigation of the judgement and his justification of
himself in that denial, v. 9, v. 10. Nothing could be said in extenuation
of this sin. God was willing to show mercy as the prophet could desire; he
always is so. But here the case will not admit of it; it is such that mercy
cannot be granted without wrong to justice; and it is not fit that one
attribute of God should be glorified at the expense of another. Is it any pleasure
to the Almighty that he should destroy, especially that he should destroy
Israel? By no means. But the truth is their crimes are so flagrant that the
reprieve of the sinners would be a connivance at the sin: "The iniquity of
the house of Judah and Israel is exceedingly great; there is no suffering them
to go on at this rate. The land is filled with the innocent blood, and, when
the city courts are appealed to for the defence of injured innocency,
the remedy is as bad as the disease, for the city is full of perverseness, or
wrestling of judgement; and that which they support themselves with in this
iniquity is the same atheistical profane principle
with which they flattered themselves in their idolatry, ch. 8:12 . The Lord
has forsaken the earth, and left it to us to do what
we will in it; he will not intermeddle in the affairs of it; and, whatever
wrong we do, he sees not; he either knows it not, or will not take cognizance of
it.’’ Now how can those expect benefit by the mercy of God who thus bid
defiance to his justice? No; nothing can be offered by an advocate in excuse of
the crimes while the criminal puts in such a plea as this in his own
vindication; and therefore. 2. Nothing can be done to mitigate the sentence (v. 10): "Whatever thou thinkest of it, as for me, my eye shall not spare, neither
will I have pity; I have borne with them as long as it was fit that such
impudent sinners should be borne with; and therefore now I will recompense
their way on their head.’’ Note, Sinners sink and perish under the weight of
their own sins; it is their own way, which they deliberately chose rather than
the way of God, and which they obstinately persisted in, in contempt of the
word of God, that is recompensed on them. Great iniquities justify God in great
severities; nay, he is ready to justify himself, as he does here to the
prophet, for he will be clear when he judges. V. Here is a return made of the
writ of protection which was issued out for the securing of those that mourned
in Zion (v. 11): The man clothed with linen
reported the matter, gave an account of what he had done in pursuance of his
commission; he had found out all that mourned in secret for the sins of the
land, and cried out against them by a public testimony, and had marked them all
in the forehead. Lord, I have done as thou hast commanded me. We do not find
that those who were commissioned to destroy reported what destruction they had
made, but he who was appointed to protect reported his matter; for it would be
more pleasing both to God and to the prophet to hear of those that were saved
than of those that perished. Or this report was made now because the thing was
finished, whereas the destroying work would be a work of time, and when it was brought to an end then the report should be made. See how
faithful Christ is to the trust reposed in him. Is he commanded to secure
eternal life to the chosen remnant? He has done as was
commanded him. Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none.
When
Christ has finished His work of Marking those who sigh and cry for all the abominations
done in the midst of Jerusalem, He reports to His
Father, Lord God. The words: “Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none,”
depict the principle in John 17, relative to those the Father gives to Christ,
His Son, (verse 12) to wit:
Jhn 17:1 These words spake
Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said,
Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify
thee:
Jhn 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give
eternal life to as many as
thou hast given him.
Jhn 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might
know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jhn 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do.
Jhn 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with
thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Jhn 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men
which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Jhn 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me
are of thee.
Jhn 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest
me; and they have received them, and have known surely
that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
Jhn 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world,
but for them which thou
hast given me; for they are thine.
Jhn 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine;
and I am glorified in them.
Jhn 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these
are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Jhn 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept
them in thy name: those
that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is
lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be
fulfilled.
Jhn 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I
speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Jhn 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world
hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world.
Jhn 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out
of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Jhn 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world.
Jhn 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Jhn 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into
the world.
Jhn 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that
they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Jhn 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them
also which shall believe on me through their word;
Jhn 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in
thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me.
Jhn 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest
me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Jhn 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Jhn 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for
thou lovedst me before the foundation of the
world.
Jhn 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known
thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Jhn 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast
loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Now,
let’s consider the statements in the heading of this document:
Ellen
White also says that the person with the writer’s ink horn is an angel. She
said Christ is the Arc Angel Michael.
“The angel with the writer’s ink horn is to place a mark upon the
foreheads of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying
angel follows this angel.” (Letter 12, 1886). {4BC 1161.5}
“The old standard bearers knew what it was to wrestle
with God in prayer, and to enjoy the outpouring of His Spirit. But these are
passing off from the stage of action; and who are coming up to fill their
places? How is it with the rising generation? Are they converted to God? Are we
awake to the work that is going on in the heavenly sanctuary, or are we waiting
for some compelling power to come upon the church before we shall arouse? Are we hoping to see the whole
church revived? That time will never come.” {1SM 122.1}
· The angel with the writer’s ink horn places a mark upon the forehead of
ALL WHO ARE SEPARATED FROM SIN AND SINNERS. This is stark proof that a
SEPARATION TAKES PLACE FIRST, BEFORE THE SEALING.
· “He was clothed with linen,” ‘the ordinary priestly garment, and the
special garment of the high priest at the ceremonies of the great Day of
Atonement (Lev. 16).’” SDA Bible
Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 606.
· This is the antitypical Day of Atonement, and Christ has the High Priest
garment on.
· Ellen White said clearly that the whole church will NEVER be revived. If
the bad left the good, THEN THE REMAINING CHURCH WOULD BE REVIVED. That does
not happen. The bad are destroyed in the midst of the
apostate church, just as they were in the PREFIGURE, A.D. 70. Ezekiel 22:17-31.
· The true remnant separated from the apostate Temple organization. Isaiah
37:31, 32. So it will be in the next and final LITERAL fulfillment of the
PREFIGURE of A.D. 66-70. All true Christians fled to Pella, while all the bad
were gathered into the midst of Jerusalem and the Temple and were slaughtered
and burned by the Romans.
“Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure
mark of truth, wrought in
them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen,
are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the
church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they
have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of
sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read
the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.” {3T 267.1}
In the Seventh-day Adventist view, the
statement in some translations of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: "For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God" identifies Jesus as Archangel, which is Michael. Ellen
White identifies the Arc angel as Jesus.
“Yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the devil He disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” {3T 220.1}
“At the commencement of the Holy Sabbath, (January 5,) we
engaged in prayer with Bro. Belden’s family at Rocky Hill, Ct., and the Holy
Ghost fell upon us. I was taken off in vision to the Most Holy Place, where I
saw Jesus still interceding for Israel. On the bottom of his garment was a bell
and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Then I saw that Jesus would not
leave the Most Holy Place, until every case was decided either for salvation or
destruction: and that the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished
his work in the Most Holy Place—laid off his priestly attire and clothed
himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus will step out from between the Father and man,
and God will keep silent no longer; but pour out his wrath on those who have
rejected his truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and
the time to judge the dead, were separate events, one following the other. I
saw that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never
was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when
our High Priest has finished his work in the Sanctuary, he will stand up, put
on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured
out. I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was
done in the Sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues. These plagues
enraged the wicked against the righteous, and they thought that we had brought
them down upon them, and if they could rid the earth of us, then the plagues
would be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to
cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then
all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and
were delivered by the Voice of God. Then the 144,000 triumphed. Their faces
were lighted up with the glory of God. Then I was shown a company who were
howling in agony. On their garments was written in large characters, “thou art
weighed in the balance, and found wanting.” I asked who this company were. The
angel said, “these are they who have once kept the Sabbath and have given it
up.” I heard them cry with a loud voice—“we have believed in thy coming, and taught it with energy.” And while they were
speaking, their eyes would fall upon their garments and see the writing, and
then they would wail aloud. I saw they had drunk of the deep waters,
and fouled the residue with their feet—trodden the Sabbath underfoot,
and that is why they were weighed in the balance and found wanting. Then my
attending angel directed me to the City again, where I saw four angels winging
their way to the gate of the City, and were just
presenting the golden card to the angel at the gate. Then I saw another angel
swiftly flying from the direction of the most excellent glory,
and crying with a loud voice to the other angels, and waving something
up and down in his hand. I asked my attending angel for an explanation of what
I saw. He told me that I could see no more then, but he would shortly show me
what those things that I then saw meant.” {PT August 1, 1849, par. 14}
“The angel (Michael,
Jesus) with the writer’s ink horn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all
who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows
this angel.” (Letter 12, 1886). {4BC 1161.5}
“God places His mark of approval upon all who, through the power of the
Holy Spirit, reflect the image of Jesus (See COL, 67). This stamp of
approbation has been likened to God’s MARK of ownership, as though God
inscribes upon those who qualify for citizenship in His kingdom His name and
address—‘God, New Jerusalem” (TM 446). SDA
Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 606.
I am forced to reassess my beliefs about J. Wilfred Johnson. He claimed
to be Elijah, and Elijah would never have made the following errors Mr. Johnson
made:
1.
Mr. Johnson taught that SDA’s will
have to remain in “Jerusalem,” the apostate church, to receive the Mark of the
Man in Linen, because that Man goes through Jerusalem marking the faithful. But
Jesus Himself “gathered out” those who would take the gospel to the world. Desire of Ages, 232.
“Christ was a protestant. He protested
against the formal worship of the Jewish nation, who rejected the
counsel of God against themselves. He told them that they taught for doctrines
the commandments of men, and that they were pretenders and hypocrites. Like
whited sepulchers they were beautiful without, but within full of impurity and corruption. The Reformers date back to Christ and the
apostles. They came out and separated themselves from a religion of forms and
ceremonies. Luther and his followers did not invent the reformed religion. They
simply accepted it as presented by Christ and the apostles. The Bible is
presented to us as a sufficient guide; but the pope
and his workers remove it from the people as if it were a curse, because it
exposes their pretensions and rebukes their idolatry. {RH, June 1, 1886 par. 14}
Where was True Jerusalem vs. apostate Jerusalem
when Jesus and His followers came out and separated from an apostate religion
of forms and ceremonies? It was with the disciples and all they gathered out
into Home Churches.
Scripture on Home Churches
Act 16:32 And they spake
unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:34 And when he had brought them into his
house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his
house.
Act 16:40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia: and when they
had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Act 18:7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain [man's] house, named Justus, [one]
that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
Rom 16:5 Likewise [greet] the church that is in
their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is
the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
1Cr 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you,
my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are
contentions among you.
1Cr 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the
house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and [that] they have
addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1Cr 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila
and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the
church that is in their house.
Ellen White on Home Churches
When the young men and women were kept away from
the Alpha of apostasy in the church, what did they do and where did they meet
for worship?
Ellen White on
Home Churches in the Alpha of Apostasy:
"There is a little hope in one direction: Take
the young men and women, and place them where they
will come as little in contact with our churches as possible, that the low
grade of piety which is current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of
what it means to be a Christian." E.G. White, Manuscript Release #995,
p. 5.
"Brother and sister Haskell have rented a
house in one of the best parts of the city, and have gathered round them a
family of helpers, who day by day go out giving Bible readings, selling our
papers, and doing medical missionary work. During the hour of worship, the
workers relate their experiences. Bible studies are regularly conducted in the
home, and THE YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN connected with the mission receive a
practical, thorough training in holding Bible readings and in selling our
publications. The Lord has blessed their labors, a number have embraced the
truth, and many others are deeply interested." Review and Herald, September 7, 1905, Evangelism,
p. 108.
When
a corporate church engages apostasy and will not put it away and out of the
camp, the faithful must leave or be corporately responsible. This is the reason
Christ and His disciples left. This is why Paul left. This is why Protestants left Rome. This is
why Adventists left the other churches in 1844, when they would not
tolerate light.
Jesus
left
"Christ was a protestant...The Reformers date
back to Christ and the apostles. They came out and separated themselves from a religion of forms and
ceremonies. Luther and his followers did not invent the reformed
religion. They simply accepted it as presented by Christ and the
apostles." E.G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 2, 48, col. 2.
Paul left
“And
he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the
space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the
kingdom of God. 9But when divers were
hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that
way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples,
disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.” Acts 19:8, 9.
“Fearing that the faith of the believers would be
endangered by continued association with these opposers of the truth, Paul
separated from them, and gathered the disciples into a distinct body.” E.G.
White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 285, 286.
"The recreant priests added licentiousness to
the dark catalogue of their crimes yet they still polluted
by their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and, laden with sin, dared to
come into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel witnessed the
corrupt course of the priests, they thought it safer for their families not to
come up to the appointed place of worship. Many went from Shiloh with their
peace disturbed, their indignation aroused, until they at last determined to
offer their sacrifices themselves, concluding that this would be fully as
acceptable to God, as to sanction in any manner the abominations practiced in
the Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, vol. 1, p. 264, col. 3, December 1,
1881.
"The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's
message and was bent upon His death therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the
religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to
another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who
should carry the gospel to all nations.
As the light and life of men was rejected by the
ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in
every succeeding generation. Again and again the
history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers
preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the
established church but the religious leaders would not
tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class,
who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of
the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of
God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often
those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the
churches they love, in order to declare the plain
teaching of the word of God. And many times those who
are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of
their fathers, that they may render obedience." E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.
"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.
2.
Mr. Johnson wrote me a handwritten letter shortly before his death. In
that letter he said that he went through my first Omega Journal with a fine
tooth comb, and could not fault it. In that Journal, I
taught separation. Mr. Johnson never separated. That is inconsistency on his
part, serious inconsistency.
3.
Mr. Johnson said in Panorama of Truth, Vol. 1, p. 110, that
Elijah is the Man in Linen. In that same book, he claimed to be Elijah. I have
proven that he was apparently errant in making such a statement. But I will
await further instruction from the Lord.
I believe Mr. Johnson’s treatise on the Everlasting
Covenant and the Love of God is beautiful and true. So
I will leave his writings on my Website, but with this serious warning. When
folk trust to any man without searching as for hidden treasure the truths of
God’s Word, if the man is wrong, they may make serious mistakes that will be of
eternal consequences.
In the
Name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
R.
William Beaulieu