Will the SDA Church Militant Be Cleansed and Rained Upon  by the Holy Spirit?

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It should be obvious to any thinking, responsible person, that if the apostate SDA church militant was cleansed and purged, the destroying angel of Ezekiel 9 would surely not begin at SDA sanctuaries around the world, just as the destroying angel began at the apostate Jewish Temple in A.D. 70, after all the faithful Christians were gathered out from A.D. 27 to A.D. 66, 3 ˝ years before the apostate Jewish church was destroyed by the Roman army. I say A.D. 27, because it was then that the disciples of Christ were first gathered out, Desire of Ages, 232. Then from A.D. 34, to A.D. 66, the rest of any faithful Jews were gathered out of apostate Israel. This is what occurred in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, so any future literal fulfillment must follow this order of events.

 

But nevertheless, most professing Adventists interpret Ellen White statements relative to this matter in a manner that makes her contradict not only herself on this issue, but the Word of God, as well.

 

Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.

 

Some actually teach, totally contrary to the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, that the good will stand around and watch, but will not be touched while the bad will be slaughtered. Is that what occurred in the A.D. 70 literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9? No. And according to God’s Word and Ellen White, the good will all have been gathered out and fled to the mountains before this slaughter occurs.

 

There are two direct evidences in Ezekiel (Scripture without Ellen White) that Chapters 1-22 will be repeated at the end-time.

 

1.    Ezekiel 5:9 mentions the worst thing God ever does. Compared with Revelation 14:10, 11, and Matthew 24:21, 22, this must occur at the end-time. Here are those verses:

 

9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. Ezekiel 5:9.

 

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:21, 22.

 

2. Ezekiel 22:23,  says apostate Jerusalem (Spiritual Jerusalem at the end-time) will not be cleansed nor rained upon (No outpouring of the Holy Spirit) in the day of indignation. That is at the end-time per Revelation 14:10-11.

 

23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. Matthew 22:23.

 

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Revelation 14:10-11.

 

That is the Bible evidence for a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 and the other verses mentioned being fulfilled at the end-time. Those chapters should be read in full. Then there is the following evidence from Ellen White.

 

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling will YOU hear? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260. 

 

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

 

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880:  “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.” 

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.”  Prophets and Kings, 416.

 

With this evidence from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, it is manifest unbelief and false teaching to say that the apostate church militant will be purged and cleansed. It is BY and FROM the church triumphant, as defined in Ezekiel 20:34-38, that all rebels will be shaken from the church in heaven--Heb. 12:22, 23.

 

34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. 37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 

Obviously, when the remnant is brought into the bond of the covenant, they are the church triumphant. They are like the disciples who were told that whoever them bound (sealed) on earth would be sealed in heaven. They are the third angel, faithful men, who thus select the wheat from the tares:

 

"I then saw the third angel.  Said my accompanying angel, 'Fearful is his work.   Awful is his mission.   He is the angel that is to SELECT THE WHEAT FROM THE TARES,  AND SEAL, OR BIND,  THE WHEAT FOR THE HEAVENLY GARNER.'   These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention." 

 

Third Angel—“No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe of heaven.  Men and women, enlightened by the Spirit of God and sanctified through the truth, proclaim the three messages in their order.”  E.G. White, Selected Messages, Bk. 2, p. 387.

 

 "The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this message, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message WAS NOT to be committed to the religious leaders of the people." E.. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 199, 200.

 

So anyone like Ernie Knoll who is teaching that the SDA church militant will be cleansed and purged, is a false prophet giving one of the most deceiving peace and safety messages of all time.

 

God will have a purged and cleansed Seventh-day Adventist people (remnant) at the end-time, but it will be those who come out from the apostasy as soon as they learn of it, just as the disciples came out in A.D. 27, at the first call of Christ’s ministry. Then, after Israel’s probation closed in A.D. 34, all faithful Jews were called out of the apostate Jewish church by the disciples, Matthew 22:1-10. Ellen White reapplies Matthew 22:1-10 to our time in the following treatise:

 

Called to the Wedding Feast

 

(Sermon by Ellen G. White In Washington, Township, Iowa, Cir. 1874.)

 

     The words which I have selected as a foundation for a few remarks you will find in the 22nd chapter of Matthew, beginning at the first verse. [Verses 1-10, quoted.] {1SAT 4.1}

 

     The portion of Scripture presented before us, which I have referred to and have presented before your minds, is of intense meaning--much more than I am able to explain. It is of great interest to us, and we should consider it, and let it have due weight upon our minds. We find by perusing God's sacred Word of inspiration that when the promised Messiah, the Son of God, came into the world His own people, even His own nation--the Jews--would not and did not receive Him. As we are told in the first chapter of St. John, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11). {1SAT 4.2}

 

     The provision was made, but they would not receive it. The Father Himself provided a ransom, even a sacrifice. His own dear Son submitted Himself to His Father's requirements, came into this sinful world, became a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. He went about doing good, speaking in tones of tenderness, saying in the deepest and most fervent and sweetest accents ever uttered, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart"; and He assures us we shall find rest to our souls. {1SAT 4.3}

 

     "Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise."

 

 

                                      -5- {1SAT 4.4}

 

     The great King Himself hath made a marriage for His Son. He hath sent forth His servants for many hundreds of years, saying, "Come, for all things are ready." But how little do the [people of the] world heed the invitation! They make light of it and go their ways to their worldly pursuits and worldly pleasures, the same as they have done for centuries. But the King sendeth forth His armies and destroys those murderers and burns up their city, and we are told in the ninth chapter of Daniel, the 26th verse, that "the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city...; and the end thereof shall be with a flood." {1SAT 5.1}

 

     "Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." {1SAT 5.2}

 

     In the 14th chapter of Luke, verse 16, we find that there was made a great supper and many were bidden. Servants were sent forth to say to those that were bidden, "Come; for all things are now ready" [verse 17]. But they made excuses. {1SAT 5.3}

 

     The King of the kingdom hath made a marriage supper for His Son. He hath sent forth His servants to say to those which are bidden, "Come to the marriage." The Lord is sending His servants, saying unto all who will hear, "Come, make ready for the great marriage supper of the Lamb; He is soon coming to receive all the faithful to the mansions prepared by Him, to partake of the feast which He hath prepared." He is sending, and hath been sending His servants for some thirty years past to say unto His people, "Come, make ready, put on your wedding garments; clothe yourselves with meekness, humility, and truth, and have yourselves clad in the righteousness of Christ, that you may be

 

 

                                      -6-

 

able to appear before Him, and enter into the guest chamber with those who shall sit with Me at the wedding of My Son." {1SAT 5.4}

 

     All must be clothed with the wedding garment in order to be accepted, lest we be found speechless. {1SAT 6.1}

 

     Is it not of the greatest importance that we be found having on the robe of righteousness, that we be ready when the Bridegroom cometh to enter in to the marriage supper? May we heed the invitation given and make ourselves ready that we may have admittance into the Master's house, that He say not unto us that none which were bidden shall taste of His supper. In the parable, those who were bidden heeded not its invitation, but continued excusing themselves, feasting upon the pleasures of this world as the masses do at the present time. {1SAT 6.2}

 

     The servants of God are inviting and entreating them to come away from the alluring scenes of this vain and fleeting world, to make ready for the marriage supper, but they will not come. We hear them saying, There's no danger; tomorrow shall be as this day and much more abundant; no need of being disturbed. We must needs attend to farms and merchandise and the things of this life, lest we lose worldly interests, and become poor and suffer want. They forget that He who careth for the little sparrows and clotheth the lilies of the field, careth for the humble, trusting soul, and will guide and direct all those who are ready to do His will, and bestow upon His dear children such things as they need. To all who through patience and perseverance overcome, He hath promised to give a crown of never fading glory, a robe of righteousness, and an entrance into the beautiful city of our God. {1SAT 6.3}

 

     This same King is sending forth His servants today. He is inviting His guests, saying, "Come, for all things are now ready." The Lord of the marriage

 

 

                                      -7-

 

is soon coming: behold, He is at the door. Delay not to open the door, lest He turn away from receiving you and you enter not into the marriage feast. Open the door and receive the Master, that you may enter into the mansions of everlasting rest and never fading glory prepared for all those that love Him. Who will make ready for the coming of Him who hath said, "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according as his work shall be" [Rev. 22:12]. {1SAT 6.4}

 

     If we neglect our spiritual interests, neglect to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable duty, we become entangled with the trifling cares of this life. If we even once omit our daily duty of calling upon God for His divine aid, His care and protection, we lose one day's enjoyment. We have not the sweet, melting influence of God's Holy Spirit attending us through the day, but we feel cast down and easily discouraged. The enemy of souls is ready to take advantage [of us] and often does, bringing us into captivity and sin. {1SAT 7.1}

 

     We may sometimes be cumbered about much serving, like Martha; but how much more commendable was the act of Mary, who sat and listened to the teachings of Jesus. He says, "Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but . . . . Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41, 42). {1SAT 7.2}

 

     How many times the things of this vain, deceitful world come between us and our eternal interests! Temporal things spring up within our hearts and choke those things which are spiritual. We permit the enemy of righteousness to persuade us that we should attend to the things of this life. We now and then neglect greater duties lest we suffer want. If we faithfully entreat God to

 

 

                                      -8-

 

give us strength and to perform temporal duties, and at the same time to give us grace and wisdom to overcome evil; if we have our hopes centered above and our conversation in heaven, whence we look for the Son of man who has bidden to the marriage all who will come: who has gone up on high to prepare mansions for all those who love and keep His sayings, and has told us He is coming to receive us, we may enter in to the wedding feast with Him, that where He is there we may be also. If we turn away from those calls and invitations, what will be the consequence? {1SAT 7.3}

 

     In the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, 46th verse, we find that if we put God's work from us, and judge ourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we have no reason to expect an entrance into the kingdom. The 24th verse of the 14th chapter of Luke informs us that "none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." {1SAT 8.1}

 

     The great eternal Father has prepared a marriage feast for His Son. Will we give heed to His servants who have been and are being sent forth to proclaim unto us the solemn invitation? Or shall we make light of it? Oh, why refuse to make ready for the marriage of the Son of God? There is room for all who will accept the invitation. None can say [that] those things were not duly represented. Remember, when the good man returns, those who are ready will go in to the feast and the door will be shut, and there will be no further entrance, for we read that when "the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door" (Luke 13:25), then those who would find admittance will hear the answer, "I know you not. . . ; depart from Me." {1SAT 8.2}

 

     May we heed well the solemn warning and make ready to enter into the wedding, that His house may be filled. God's Word informs us, "Blessed are they

 

 

                                     -9-

 

that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). May we be found faithful, and give diligence to our calling, and possess the promised reward of the faithful, is my prayer.--Ms 8, 1874. (MR 900.56) {1SAT 8.3}

 

Who is the Remnant?

 

 "The woman is a symbol of the church, and the remnant of the church represents the Christians of the last generation of men, living just prior to the second advent. The dragon makes war on these for keeping the commandments of God, Sabbath and all, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ, which, according to the inspired definition of [Rev. 19:10] chap. xix, 10, 'is the spirit of prophecy.' Here, then, are the causes of the dragon's warfare upon the remnant. They teach the observance of the ten commandments, and the revival of the gifts, and acknowledge the gift of prophecy among them. When the Devil got one foot upon the fourth commandment, and the other upon the gifts planted in the Christian church by Jesus Christ, then his satanic majesty was filled with revengeful delight. But when the remnant, whom God designs to fit for translation to Heaven without seeing death, 'ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein,' then the dragon is wroth, and makes war on them.

                           

"The true spirit of the dragonic host, which is already being somewhat developed, is vividly described in Isa. xxx, 8-13, as being manifested just prior to the sudden destruction of those who hate the pure testimony, and love smooth and deceitful things." E. G. White, Spiritual Gifts, Vol. III, 26, 27.

 

Early Writings, p. 19, says that it is the 144,000 that are translated without seeing death. So it is the 144,000 that are the true remnant. They are gathered out as the remnant bride of Christ, because she cannot be defiled with women, apostate churches, Revelation 14:1-4. The disciples were also called the bride of Christ, Desire of Ages, 232. Only the 144,000 go into the Temple on Mt. Zion, said Ellen White.

 

Revelation 3:10-12, says that Philadelphians will be made pillars (leaders) in the Temple. So the 144,000 must be Philadelphians, who are translated without seeing death.

 

But were all Christians gathered out in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9? Yes they were. From A.D. 34 until A.D. 66, they were gathered out from the apostate Jewish church into home churches all over Judea.

 

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? 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.

 

 "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 as they persisted in their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But 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. 286.

 

—rwb