My Vision on Matthew 16:27, 28 and the
Regeneration
of the 144,000
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works.
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto
you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see
the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Jhn 11:26 And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Ellen White said that there are things in her works and
in the Bible that “appear” to contradict. Some individuals have listed 143
apparent contradictions in the Bible: http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/bible.htm
Others maintain that the Bible is replete with thousands of contradictions: http://contradictionsinthebible.com/
Others maintain there are no contradictions in the Bible and that the Bible is
inerrant: https://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/contradictions.html
I have often wondered why Ellen White’s critics like Dirk
Anderson, don’t do the same with the Bible’s “apparent” contradictions that
they do with Ellen White’s “apparent” contradictions. For example, they use
Ellen White’s “Food for worms” statement as one of their attempts to prove that
she was a false prophet. The statement goes like this:
Concerning a conference in 1856 Ellen White declared: “I
was shown the company present at the conference. Said the
angel: 'Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some
will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of
Jesus.' Solemn words were these, spoken by the angel.”--1T,
pp. 131, 132. {1BIO 339.4}
To boot, Ellen
White said those words were spoken by an angel! Such statements as the above
and Matthew 16:28, are as stumbling blocks to those
who do not follow God’s instructions to search deep in the mines of truth. Such
persons will always be plagued by a lack of proper faith because of the
unnecessary doubts such statements instill in the minds of surface readers and
those who are bereft of spiritual discernment. There are good answers for these
“apparent” contradictions which we will explore in this document.
It is cowardly
for men/women like Dirk Anderson who pick on the soft target Ellen G. White.
They are not so brazen when it comes to the Bible! But were they consistent in
their attacks on truth, they would pursue the very same course regarding the
many “apparent” contradictions in Scripture!
The Matter of
Matthew 16:27, 28
Ellen White quotes Matthew 16:27 four times and in an
end-time reward context only:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?” (Mark 8:36, 37). “For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works” (Matthew 16:27). The reward will not be according to his
faith but according to his works, and the life will be eternal with Jesus. In
order to obtain this we must be obedient, and not only apply our powers, but if
necessary give our lives."{3MR 98.2}
Mrs. White comments on Matthew 16:28 are as follows:
"Beyond the poverty and
humiliation of the present, He pointed
the disciples to His coming in glory, not in the
splendor of an earthly throne, but with
the glory of God and the hosts of heaven. And then,
He said, “He shall reward every man according to his works.” Then for their encouragement He gave the promise, “Verily I say unto
you, There be some standing here, which shall not
taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.” But the
disciples did not comprehend His words. The glory seemed far away. Their eyes were fixed upon the nearer view,
the earthly life of poverty, humiliation, and suffering. Must their glowing
expectations of the Messiah’s kingdom be relinquished? Were they not to see
their Lord exalted to the throne of David? Could it be that Christ was to live
a humble, homeless wanderer, to be despised, rejected, and put to death?
Sadness oppressed their hearts, for they loved their Master. Doubt also
harassed their minds, for it seemed incomprehensible that the Son of God should
be subjected to such cruel humiliation. They questioned why He should
voluntarily go to Jerusalem to meet the treatment which He had told them He was
there to receive. How could He resign Himself to such a fate, and leave them in
greater darkness than that in which they were groping before He revealed
Himself to them?" {DA 417.3}
·
Man receives his reward for works at the
end of time.
·
Ellen White clearly relates the statement
to an end-time context, and as NOT occurring before
Christ’s followers died.
·
Christ did not come with the hosts of
heaven BEFORE THE DISCIPLES TASTED DEATH.
Mrs. White applies
Matthew 16:28 to the Transfiguration (below) and to the end of time (above):
“Jesus had told His
disciples that there were some standing with Him who
should not taste of death till they should see the kingdom of God come with
power. At the transfiguration this
promise was fulfilled. The countenance of Jesus was there changed and
shone like the sun. His raiment was white and glistening. Moses was present to represent those who
will be raised from the dead at the second appearing of Jesus. And Elijah, who was translated without
seeing death, represented those who will be changed to immortality at Christ’s
second coming and will be translated to heaven without seeing death.
The disciples beheld with astonishment and fear the excellent majesty of Jesus
and the cloud that overshadowed them, and heard the voice of God in terrible
majesty, saying, “This is My beloved Son; hear
Him.”{EW 164.3}
·
At the transfiguration the promise was
partially fulfilled, because although Jesus appeared in the glory of God at
that time, He was not attended by the angels and He did not give
every man his reward at that time.
·
The complete fulfillment of Matthew 16:27,
28 is at the end-time, but what about Jesus’ words to the affect that there were
some standing there with Him who would not taste death until they saw Him
coming with His angels and with His reward to man? How were those words
fulfilled at the Transfiguration? The truth is that they were not fulfilled at
that time. I asked the Lord for more light on this question, and I
was shown the following advanced truth involving regeneration applies to the
complete fulfillment of the verses in question.
I was shown that John
11:26 is relative to Matthew 16:27, 28:
Jhn 11:26 And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Ellen White
comments on John 11:26:
“He that believeth
in Me,” said Jesus, “though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and
believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Christ here
looks forward to the time of His second coming. Then the righteous
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
the living righteous shall be translated to heaven without seeing death.
The miracle which Christ was about to
perform, in raising Lazarus from the dead, would represent the resurrection of
all the righteous dead. By His word and His works He declared Himself
the Author of the resurrection. He who Himself was soon to die upon the cross
stood with the keys of death, a conqueror of the grave, and asserted His right
and power to give eternal life.{DA 530.3}
“The miracle which Christ was about to
perform, in raising Lazarus from the dead, would represent the resurrection of
all the righteous dead. By His word and His works He declared
Himself the Author of the resurrection. He who Himself was soon to die upon the
cross stood with the keys of death, a conqueror of the grave, and asserted His
right and power to give eternal life.”{DA 530.3}
Matthew 16:27, 28 and The
Purpose of Regeneration of the 144,000
For those of you who are not familiar with
the Biblical teaching on Regeneration of the 144,000, I will relate to you some
of the teaching of the late J. Wilfred Johnson, a college professor and first
elder at the Canadian Union University College church for a number of decades.
Mr. Johnson had a vision that the 144,000 are the faithful bride of Christ from
all generations and that a template of the mind and character of this bride is
regenerated into human bodies at the end-time. Mr. Johnson had about 23 hours
of Bible and Spirit of Prophecy on tape to support his vision. One of the
statements from the Spirit of Prophecy that he liked to use is below. What
does the following statement from the Spirit of Prophecy have to do with the
resurrection?
“The human agent
plants the seed, and God waters it and causes His sun to shine upon it, and up springs the tiny blade. Here is the lesson God
gives to us concerning the resurrection of the body, and the renewing of the
heart. We are to learn of spiritual things from the development of the
earthly.” {TM 242.2}
·
The connection between the human agent
planting the seed of life and the resurrection of the body are directly related
to the principle of regeneration.
·
The Holy Ghost planted the seed in Mary’s
womb and a body was prepared for the Son of God come in the flesh. Then Christ
died, and His resurrection was the firstfruits of the dead. The bride is the
second, third, fourth, etc., etc. fruits of the dead.
·
1Co 15:20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that
slept.
At Christ’s
resurrection from His death on earth, saints arose from their graves and went into
the holy city, Jerusalem, and appeared unto many to witness to them. In light
of this occurrence, one should not think of regeneration as strange. The very
fact that Satan has a counterfeit for regeneration which is reincarnation,
should be a high proof of regeneration for the simple fact that Satan has a
counterfeit for every important thing God does, and proving the
fidelity of His bride against Satan’s state of the art deceptions is highly
important to the Great Controversy theme.
Mat 27:51
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent;
Mat 27:52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of
the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53
And came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
I was shown that
Mr. Johnson’s vision is truth. When Jesus said that those who believe in Him
shall never die, though they are dead, refers to the fact that they will not
die the second and final death. Christ has a template of the life and character
of the righteous, along with the breath of their life. He is going to
regenerate the bride of all ages according to that template. They will be given
another body just as Christ was given a body. He was the firstfruits of those
born from the dead and the 144,000 are second, third etc., etc., of them that
slept. They are raised to life by the human planting of the seed, and that is
the lesson of the resurrection of the bride of all ages.
The Express Purpose of Regeneration of the
Bride of All Ages
·
The first purpose of the bride being
regeneration in the last generation is so that anyone of any generation might
aspire to be the bride of Christ. As Mr. Johnson used to query: “Will Jesus have to say to His disciples, ‘Sorry, you can’t be my bride
because you were born in the wrong generation!”
·
Desire of
Ages, p. 179, says that John the Baptist formed a bride for Christ in the
persons of the twelve disciples. Judas was proof that it is possible to fall
from the position of being the bride of Christ.
·
The second purpose of the regeneration of
the bride of Christ from every generation is so she might be tested by Satan’s
arts when he has refined them to the highest state—at the end-time. Otherwise Satan
could maintain that if he had all of the 144,000 bride
of Christ at the end-time, he would convert at least some of them to his way,
much as he converted a third of the angels. Satan won’t have that excuse
because he will have access to the 144,000 comprised of the bride of all
ages—every generation.
·
The Investigative Judgment is the real life
proof of the character of every person, especially the bride of Christ. People
live out the life they lived in a former existence as a second proof of their
character before the universe.
·
The above point is very instructional in
regard to sexually deviant persons. They seem to be born with a bent toward
homosexuality and many believe that they can’t help their sexual orientation.
According to the fact of regeneration, that is true as one merely lives out a
template of the life they lived prior to regeneration. This fully explains
being apparently born with the propensity toward homosexuality. This does not
mean that homosexuality cannot be overcome like any other sin. If it was
overcome in one’s past life, it will be overcome in the regenerated life.
·
Mrs. White’s Food for Worms
statement is fully answered to by the fact of regeneration. Indeed, some of the
folk present at that meeting will be regenerated and will be translated without
seeing death. So all who point to that statement as evidence that she was a
false prophet because of that misunderstood statement are found to be lacking
in spiritual discernment of advanced truth.
Bible Proof of Regeneration
The Lord showed me
IRREFUTABLE proof for regeneration that Mr. Johnson never spoke of. That proof
is found in the message to Philadelphia, Revelation 3:
Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of
Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make
them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved
thee.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast
kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon
the earth.
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.
·
The Synagogue of Satan won’t worship before
the feet of the saints until the very end of time!
·
Philadelphia, circa A. D. 1, is told by God
that she will be kept from the hour of temptation which comes upon ALL THE
WORLD to try them that dwell upon the earth. She has to be around to be kept
during that time.
·
She is told she will be made a pillar
(LEADER) in the Temple of God in heaven. Ellen White says in Early Writings, p.
19, that only the 144,000 enter that Temple.
·
Revelation 14:1-4 agrees with Ellen White’s
statement, because these verses say that the 144,000 are without fault and Philadelphia
is pronounced as without fault.
·
Philadelphia will not be left out from
being part of the bride of Christ because she existed in the “wrong”
generation! Nor will the disciples be omitted for the same reason!
The Disciples Are Part of the Bride of Jesus
Christ as is Philadelphia
“John had by nature
the faults and weaknesses common to humanity, but the touch of divine love had
transformed him. He dwelt in an atmosphere uncontaminated with selfishness and
ambition, and far above the miasma of jealousy. He manifested no sympathy with
the dissatisfaction of his disciples, but showed how clearly he understood his
relation to the Messiah, and how gladly he welcomed the One for whom he had
prepared the way.
He said, "A
man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear
me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that
I am sent before Him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend
of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's
voice." John represented himself as the friend who acted as a
messenger between the betrothed parties, preparing the way for the marriage. When the bridegroom had received his
bride, the mission of the friend was fulfilled. He rejoiced in the
happiness of those whose union he had promoted. So John had been called to
direct the people to Jesus, and it was his joy to witness the success of the
Saviour's work. He said, "This my joy therefore
is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” Desire of Ages, 179.
It is clear that
there was indeed a bride in John’s day and that John had a part in preparing
that bride for marriage to Christ. Would this bride be disqualified because of
the generation she was born in? Would she be disqualified to be alive at the
end-time and be translated without seeing death after she is regenerated? How
else, other than regeneration, could she be part of the bride at the end-time. Ask God to show you the answer to that important
question if you don’t believe He already has.
The Bride Must Die Before the Judgment
Heb 9:27 And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
·
The disciples of
Christ are named as the bride of Christ, yet they all died.
·
The Philadelphians are obviously the perfect,
blameless bride of Christ, yet they all died.
·
The Bible says that men are appointed to
die before the judgment.
·
Regeneration provides a way for the 144,000
bride to be translated without seeing death AFTER SHE HAS BEEN REGENERATED.
The following treatise is by a non-Adventist. The
pastor’s lack of full understanding not having the benefit of the Spirit of
Prophecy is evident! We should feel so blessed and privileged to have the
Spirit of Prophecy amongst us.
Pastor Mark Driscoll, Tough Text Thursday: Matthew 16:28 http://pastormark.tv/2012/02/16/tough-text-thursday-matthew-16-28
Nor does the SDA Bible Commentary have the complete
truth on the issue:
SDA Bible Commentary on the words “kingdom of heaven”
appearing in Matthew 16:19:
“Kingdom of heaven. As
frequently used throughout the ministry of Christ, the kingdom of divine grace
in the hearts of those who become its citizens, here and now (see on chs. 4:17; 5:2). No one can ever hope to enter the future
kingdom of glory (see on ch. 25:31, 34) who has not first entered the present kingdom of His grace.”
SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 433.
The Regeneration
of the 144,000
And so we have come full circle
in regard to our thesis statements:
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man
shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward
every man according to his works.
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some
standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man
coming in his kingdom.
Jhn 11:26 And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Psa 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God:
lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
1Co 15:20 ¶ But now
is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21
For since by man came death, by man came also
the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive.
1Co 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they
that are Christ's at his coming.
Conclusions
· Indeed, via the principle of regeneration, the disciples Jesus was speaking to in Matthew 16:28 will not
taste of death AFTER they are regenerated and they will see the Son of man
coming in His kingdom.
· Per John 11:26, all who live the life of Christ and
believe on Him by faith, “never die” a permanent death.
· Jesus was speaking of the second death, for all men
must die and then the judgment.
· The Investigative Judgment is a real live
demonstration of the character of the bride of all generations.
In the name of the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
Ronald William Beaulieu