How God Will Purge, Purify and Cleanse His Church

The Bible and Ellen G. White inform us as to exactly how God will purge, purify and cleanse His Church. Both sources define God’s church so that there can be no room for mistake on the part of those who truly obey God by searching as for hidden treasure.

For all who won’t make the proper study and search, there is a terrible surprise awaiting them. Church leaders in Jerusalem instructed the people to remain at the Temple, saying that it was God’s church and that the enemy would never penetrate the 24 foot thick gate to the city. But Chapter 1 of The Great Controversy, is a depiction of the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 and Isaiah 37:31, 32 upon that Temple and city. On page 25 of that reference, it says:

“The future was mercifully veiled from the disciples. Had they at that time fully comprehend the two awful facts--the Redeemer's sufferings and death, and the destruction of their city and temple--they would have been overwhelmed with horror. Christ presented before them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close of time. His words were not then fully understood; but their meaning was to be unfolded as His people should need the instruction therein given. The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meaning; while foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day.” The Great Controversy, p. 25.

· A full comprehension of the two AWFUL FACTS regarding the Redeemer’s sufferings and death, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR CITY AND TEMPLE would have overwhelmed the disciples with horror.

· Jesus gave to them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close of time.

· The meaning of Jesus’ words was to be unfolded as HIS PEOPLE should need the instruction given.

· The prophecy which Jesus uttered was twofold in its meaning:

1. It foreshadowed the destruction of Jerusalem city, and the temple.

2. It PREFIGURED the terrors of the last great day.

· God gave us something as sure as a PREFIGURE TYPE to go by. What I am going to present to you is a TYPE of what is going to transpire in the antitypical fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, because Jesus Himself presented the TYPE.

· All we have to do is look and learn about what literally took place in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9.

· The literal purging, purifying and cleansing of the Hebrew church occurred from A.D. 27-70. We will study exactly what occurred in that cleansing of God’s church, which was a TYPE of the exact antitypical cleansing of His church. We can’t possibly go wrong if we go strictly by the TYPE, THE PREFIGURE.

The Truth About the Literal Fulfillment of Ezekiel

In the case of the Jews, Ezekiel could never have been literally fulfilled before A.D. 34, because the 490 years of probation proffered them in Daniel 9, did not end until that time. Preterist Jesuits and other church leaders say that the three sieges of Nebuchadnezzar were the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. That is a satanic lie in an attempt to draw attention away from the apostasy of established church organizations and what will happen to them because of their apostasy.

God would never literally fulfill Ezekiel 9 upon a church whose probation still lingered as did Israel’s until the 70 years probation of Daniel Chapter 9, was completed in A.D. 34.

The More Sure Word of Prophecy as to Exactly How Ezekiel 9 was and will be Literally Fulfilled

The objective of this document is to give you a detailed description of the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 in its first and final fulfillment that cannot be gainsaid by ANYONE, no matter how high and impressive his/her education or knowledge of history.

The Ezekiel 9 factor that is going to cause a lot of professing Seventh-day Adventists to be eternally lost, is the fact that at any mention of Ezekiel 9, they think that the Shepherd’s Rod is involved and they reject those who are teaching the truth on Ezekiel 9. Some of my own family and my wife’s family have written to instruct us not to send them any more Shepherd’s Rod material just because we told them the truth about Ezekiel 9, when neither me nor my wife have ever had ONE THING to do with the Shepherd’s Rod! From what I have seen of what the Shepherd’s Rod believes about the fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, they have that figured wrong as well! But I have to admit that I am not sure of all they teach on the subject, nor do I need to know what they teach, for the Bible and Ellen White make the subject clear.

The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, the more sure Word of Prophecy, tell us in clear, unmistakable terms exactly how God is going to purge and cleans His church. That more sure Word of Prophecy tells us exactly:

· That Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled again.

· Where the field is; where the tares are burned.

· Where the garner is.

· Where the true church is.

· Where the dross (tares) was/will be gathered.

· Where the faithful will be gathered.

· Where the wolves in sheep’s clothing are.

· Who the wolves in sheep’s clothing are.

· Why Ezekiel 9 is literally fulfilled and where it begins and ends.

· When Ezekiel 9 occurs.

God and Ellen White on Ezekiel 9’s Literal Fulfillment

I have sat in Sabbath School classes where the opinion was expressed that Ezekiel 9 is only spiritually fulfilled. Usually when you hear either/or opinion in regard to Biblical issues, BOTH are involved, but in the case with Ezekiel 9, Ellen White expressly states that it is literally fulfilled.

"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.

Ezekiel 9 on God’s Church, His Sanctuary

We had best take a serious look at Ezekiel 9 if it is going to be literally fulfilled, because Ezekiel 9 involves God’s church (spiritual Jerusalem), His Sanctuary, in its PRIMARY (first) fulfillment.

Eze 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

Eze 9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

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.

Eze 9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

Eze 9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

Eze 9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Eze 9:9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Eze 9:10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

Eze 9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

"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 for the Church, vol. 5, p. 211.

More on the Dumb Dogs

Did you ever hear any pastor give a sermon on Isaiah 56:10-12? I haven’t! Any guesses as to why? Yet these are some of the most profound words of warning in all of Scripture. These are the reasons why Christ gathered out of the apostate Jewish church those who were to take the gospel to the world. These are some of the reasons God gathers out those who will take the final gospel call to the world:

Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Isa 56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

GOD HAS A PROBLEM! How to Conduct a Purging, Purification and Cleansing of the Church

Tell me friend, if God’s watchmen are blind, if they are ALL ignorant, if they are ALL dumb, if they ALL look to their own way, every one for his GAIN, and their human philosophy is eat drink and be merry and tomorrow will be better than today, and if they will NEVER AGAIN bark to show God’s people, the HOUSE OF JACOB its sins, how could God use a faction like that to conduct a PURGING, PURIFICATION AND A CLEANSING OF THE CHURCH--A REVIAL AND REFORMATION?

God had the same problem on his hands from A.D. 27-70. Remember, that is when Ezekiel 9 was FIRST literally fulfilled in PREFIGURE TYPE. He couldn’t use the leaders then to purify His church, because the leaders were A HUGE PART OF THE PROBLEM. So it is important to ask yourself the question: WHAT DID GOD DO IN THE TYPE, SINCE HIS WATCHMEN, THE LEADERS, WERE A BUNCH OF DUMB DOGS WHO WOULD NOT BARK TO PURIFY THE PEOPLE, THE HOUSE OF JACOB? This is an important question, because what He did then was a TYPE of exactly what He is going to do in the final literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. This is so important that God gave us a PREFIGURE TYPE to go by, so that there would be no excuse for a mistake!

What did Jesus do? How Did He Solve the Dumb Dog Leadership Problem?

How did Jesus purify His church in A.D. 27, in the first literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9? How has Jesus again and again, in every succeeding generation, purified His church?

"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, p. 232.

"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 After Three Months

"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.

Matthew 22 and God’s Methodology for Purging, Purifying and Cleansing the Church of His Day--the PREFIGURE for Our Time

In 1988, God showed me in vision that Matthew 22 had an end-time fulfillment. My own daughter and her husband rejected my vision. A short time later, I discovered that Ellen White applies Matthew 22 in an end-time application in Sermons and Talks, Vol. 1, pp. 4-9. To this day, my daughter and Son-in-law have not acknowledged their error on this important issue.

Jesus gathered out from the apostate church those whom He called to carry the gospel to the world. Matthew 22 is a depiction of what happened. This is the truth as to how God bypassed the dumb-dog leaders to gather out leaders of His choosing. Those disciples formed home churches all over Judea and outlying areas. That constituted another “gathered out” JERUSALEM, and indeed the disciples had their headquarters in Jerusalem as well.

Matthew 22 Sermons and Talks, Vol. 1, pp. 4-9

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."

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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 they [His people] 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 murders and burns up their city [church], 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

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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

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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

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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 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}

End Matthew 22 Parable from Sermon and Talks

Isaiah Prophesied Another Coming Out of Apostate Jerusalem, God’s Chosen People Church

Isa 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

Isa 37:32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

But wait a minute! Didn’t Isaiah speak of those who remain in Jerusalem, to wit:

Isa 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Isa 4:2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Isa 4:3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:

Isa 4:4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

All Bible Commentarians apply Isaiah Chapters 1-4 to the end-time. Seven women is indicative of all the formally organized churches. They want to eat their own bread (their own doctrines and commandments of men), and wear their own apparel (their own robes of self-righteousness), but they want to be called “Christian” to take away their reproach.

In reference to those who remain in Jerusalem, Isaiah makes a very important qualification--HE THAT IS LEFT IN ZION--that is, those who follow the bride, Zion, Isaiah 62:1-5. She (Zion) is the 144,000 who give the Loud Cry, verses 11, 12. The wise virgins are awakened by her voice and they join her procession, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 405-406. They follow the bride (Zion) out of all apostate churches, just as the wise virgins followed the disciples of Christ out of the fallen Jewish Temple of their day. The disciples were a type of the bride that John the Baptist prepared for Jesus. Desire of Ages, 179.

Isaiah DOES NOT contradict himself in Isaiah 4:1-4 and Isaiah 37:31, 32. He is speaking of those who remain in TRUE JERUSALEM.

The Two Jerusalem’s in the Prefigure Type of Ezekiel 9

Some make the tragic mistake of misinterpreting Ezekiel 9 to mean that one must remain in an apostate Jerusalem church in order to receive the seal of the Man in Linen. No apostate church has any virtue to seal anyone! The disciples gathered the faithful Christians into home churches, and their headquarters was also in JERUSALEM. The disciples were told by Jesus that whomever they bound (sealed) on earth, would be bound (sealed) in heaven. It was the disciples who functioned as the angel messenger who put a mark on those who were saved, just as Ellen White said the THIRD ANGEL, faithful men, would select the wheat from the tares at the end-time:

"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." E.G. White, Early Writings, 118.

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. G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 199, 200.

Why is this message NOT to be committed to the religious leaders of the people? Because they are ALL dumb-dog watchmen who cannot understand the truth because they have rejected so much light.

“If the erring one repents and submits to Christ’s discipline, he is to be given another trial. And even if he does not repent, even if he stands outside the church, God’s servants still have a work to do for him. They are to seek earnestly to win him to repentance. And however aggravated may have been his offense, if he yields to the striving of the Holy Spirit, and by confessing and forsaking his sin gives evidence of repentance, he is to be forgiven and welcomed to the fold again. His brethren are to encourage him in the right way, treating him as they would wish to be treated were they in his place, considering themselves, lest they also be tempted. {GW 501.2}

“Verily I say unto you,” Christ continued, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”{GW 501.3}

This statement holds its force in all ages. On the church has been conferred the power to act in Christ’s stead. It is God’s instrumentality for the preservation of order and discipline among His people. To it the Lord has delegated the power to settle all questions respecting its prosperity, purity, and order. Upon it rests the responsibility of excluding from its fellowship those who are unworthy, who by their unchristlike conduct would bring dishonor on the truth. Whatever the church does that is in accordance with the directions given in God’s word, will be ratified in heaven. {GW 501.4} 7T, p. 263.

What and Where was the Church When the Disciples Gathered Out the Faithful From Apostate Jerusalem?

"God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. 'Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them' [Matt. 18:20]. Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ's church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church." The Upward Look, 315.

"Those who keep God's Commandments, those who live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, compose the church of the living God." 1MR 296

"To the end of time, the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true church." CS 251

What About Laodicea?

"The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst." E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.

"The state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald, 8/19/1890.

Do the foolish virgins go through? Nay! Did ancient Laodicea ever repent? Nay! When one buys what Laodicea is counselled to buy is he/she any longer lukewarm, LAODICEAN? Nay! He/she then becomes a wise virgin, a Smyrnan. The church of Smyrna was not faulted. Philadelphia is the faultless bride who is made pillars [leaders] IN THE TEMPLE ON MT. ZION IN HEAVEN, and only the 144,000 enter that Temple, Early Writings, p. 19. All others who are saved will be martyred. Smyrnan’s will be martyred. Only the 144,000 Philadelphians will be translated without seeing death.

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 During the Alpha Heresy

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?

"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.

Did Ellen White Instruct to Leave the Apostate SDA Church?

In Ellen White’s lifetime, she was able to stem the tide of apostasy, but she prophesied that after her death great changes would come about. She prophesied that the omega would definitely come and that the SDA church would finally fall because it would not fulfill the conditions of God’s Word:

"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.

"If God has any new light to communicate, He will let His chosen and beloved understand it, without their going to have their minds enlightened by hearing those who are in darkness and error. {EW 124.2}

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness. {EW 124.3}

I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to fables. Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied with the present truth,..." EW p. 125.

The Apostate SDA Church Says:

"Regardless of the pretext, or how righteous the cause may appear, separation from the visible remnant [the SDA church] is apostasy from the body of Christ." Messenger, October, 1994, p 2.

In the PREFIGURE fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, Jewish leaders hired false prophets to tell the people the same thing that the above Messenger statement says, to wit:

“The leaders of the opposing factions at times united to plunder and torture their wretched victims, and again they fell upon each other's forces and slaughtered without mercy. Even the sanctity of the temple could not restrain their horrible ferocity. The worshipers were stricken down before the altar, and the sanctuary was polluted with the bodies of the slain. Yet in their blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim, even while Roman legions were besieging the temple, that the people were to wait for deliverance from God. To the last, multitudes held fast to the belief that the Most High would interpose for the defeat of their adversaries. But Israel had spurned the divine protection, and now she had no defense. Unhappy Jerusalem! rent by internal dissensions, the blood of her children slain by one another's hands crimsoning her streets, while alien armies beat down her fortifications and slew her men of war!” The Great Controversy, p. 29.

SDA leaders will do the same thing in the next literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9! They will tell you that Laodicea is God’s final church--there is no other, when Ellen White has clearly stated that Laodicea is the foolish virgin state of the church and we know that the foolish virgins are not saved!

Where the Tares (Dross) are Burned

In the farming world, tares (weeds) are burned in the field. Did you know that God and Ellen White say that the apostate church is the field where the tares (dross) are burned? First, Ellen White:

The Church and the world as Symbolizing the Field

"The 'field,' Christ said, 'is the world.' But we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world. The parable is a description of that which pertains to the kingdom of God, His work of salvation of men and this work is accomplished through the church. True, the Holy Spirit has gone out into all the world everywhere it is moving upon the hearts of men but it is in the church that we are to grow and ripen for the garner of God." Christ's Object Lessons, p. 70.

Can the wheat grow and ripen to mature in an apostate church? Remember that Ellen White defined what constitutes A CHURCH, and that only the PRESENCE of Christ can constitute a church. In the PREFIGURE of Ezekiel 9, Christ called the apostate Jewish church The Synagogue of Satan, and told the Jews that they were of their father the devil. The same thing accrues in the SDA once chosen Gentile church.

Open sin is supposed to be removed from the church by the leaders, but they have become the ring leaders of the open sin apostasy:

"Christ has plainly taught that those who persist in open sin must be separated from the church..." Christ's Object Lessons, 71.

What happens when the dumb-dogs will NEVER AGAIN bark to show the House of Jacob its sins? How can open sin be separated from the church when the dumb-dog leaders will NEVER AGAIN point out open sin? 5T 211. Jesus had the same problem! So He gathered out the faithful from the apostate church and has done so in every succeeding generation, Desire of Ages, p. 232.

“The names of those who sin and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with the rules laid down in the Word of God.” {11MR 208.3}

Dwelling with open sinners make it impossible for the wheat to mature. Tares are not open sinners. How do we know that? Because Ellen White said we would have to judge their motives in order to uproot them. That is not the case with open sinners. We may not know their motives, but their sin is out in the open and if the church will not reform or uproot them, then there is one option. We have to leave:

"Thorns sprung up.--The thorns made it impossible for the wheat to mature

(see Luke 8:14). In the same way secular interests prevent the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) from reaching maturity. Religion is relegated to the subordinate position of being only one interest among many. For lack of cultivation it withers and eventually dies. That which the thorny-ground hearers lack is a moral transformation [E.G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, p. 50] To them, justification is the sum and substance of religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life consists essentially in the process known as sanctification--the process by which evil traits and tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of Jesus Christ." Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 405.

"It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he unites with the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137.

“The Lord will not write as wise those who cannot distinguish between a tree that bears thorn-berries and a tree that bears olives. {EGW, RH, September 7, 1897 par. 15}

The word WISE refers to the WISE VIRGINS. The foolish virgins cannot distinguish between a THORN BERRY that chokes out the wheat and kills it, making it impossible to mature. Let me give you a classic illustration of wise virgins versus foolish virgins. All foolish virgins, including SDA dumb-dog leaders, will interpret the following statement to mean that one must remain in their “church” to grow and ripen for the garner of God, NO MATTER WHAT THAT “CHURCH” DOES!

"Regardless of the pretext, or how righteous the cause may appear, separation from the visible remnant [the SDA church] is apostasy from the body of Christ." Messenger, October, 1994, p 2.

But Ellen White defined what constitutes a church militant. She said it was the field, AND NOT THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT. Again, she WAS NOT talking about the church triumphant. She said that it was the field church in which we are to grow and ripen for the garner of God! But a field church is not supposed to permit OPEN SIN in its ranks! She also said that! For open sin THORNS choke out the wheat, kill it, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to remain/become pure in such an environment! We are to dwell in a FIELD church to ripen for the garner, BUT NOT AN APOSTATE FIELD CHURCH WITH OPEN SINNERS. Tares are NOT open sinners. They are insincere believers whose motives we would have to impugn (JUDGE) in order to uproot them. They are NOT open sinners. Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 70-72. THORNS are deadly OPEN SINNERS who choke wheat and kill it, making it impossible to mature and remain/become pure.

That is why Christ gathered out all who were to carry the gospel to the world in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. That is why He gathered the bad into the formally organized, once chosen people church of the day and melted and burned them--in what was the FIELD of Christ’s day, to wit:

A Field Church Versus the Apostate Field Temple Church According to God’s Word -- Where the Dross Was Gathered in the PREFIGURE -- The First Literal Fulfillment of Ezekiel 9

Any future literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, must follow the following PREFIGURE literal fulfillment, or the future fulfillment WOULD NOT BE LITERAL IN FULFILLMENT, as Ellen White prophesied it would be:

Eze 22:17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Eze 22:18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.

Eze 22:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

Eze 22:20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.

Eze 22:21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.

Eze 22:22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.

Eze 22:23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Eze 22:24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

Eze 22:25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

Eze 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Eze 22:27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Eze 22:28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

Eze 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Eze 22:31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

Some think that Jesus cleansed the apostate Jewish church when he knocked over the tables of merchandise in the Temple. That was an attempt at reform, but it did not work a reformation and revival. That was not the type of cleansing related to the Ezekiel 9 cleansing, for God told the Jews through Ezekiel that their church would not be cleansed or rained upon with the Holy Spirit in the day of indignation.

Eze 22:24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

The above verse now applies to the professing Seventh-day Adventist church in the next literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. They can pray from now until Jesus comes for the Holy Spirit, but it will not come. Why? Because the church has committed unpardonable sin apostasy that sweeps away the entire Christian economy by adopting the Trinity Doctrine and via strictly forbidden Ecumenical liaison with Babylon in violation of Isaiah 9:8-12. This constitutes a conspiracy/confederacy with God’s enemies, and when God’s people betray Him to that extent, He says to no longer pray for them, Jeremiah 11:9-15, and that connotes UNPARDONABLE SIN. In verse 15 He asks what His beloved (bride) has to do in His house (church) since she has wrought lewdness with many via conspiracy/confederacy with His enemies.

If you don’t understand the implications of the Trinity Doctrine and Ecumenical liaison with Babylon, just search the terms Godhead and Council of Churches, or Ecumenical, Ecumenism on my Website. Be sure to check the OVERFLOW page as well. I have to move items to that page so my main page will load faster.

https://omega77.tripod.com/questionstrinityhumannature.htm

The Final Fate of the Foolish Virgin Laodicean Adventist Synagogue of Satan

Ellen White said that the church Zion, the bride church, the church triumphant, THE CHURCH OF HEAVEN, Heb. 12:22, 23, would appear to fall but would not. The true church Zion, the faithful REMNANT, appears as about to fall when the apostate SDA church does indeed fall, but the true SDA church that goes forth OUT OF APOSTATE JERUSALEM won’t fall:

"The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners IN ZION will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat [AT THE CLOSE OF PROBATIONARY TIME--CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS 72]. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths...

The REMNANT that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. All these, He says, 'I have graven . . . upon the palms of my hands' (Isa. 49:16)...

That which God required of Adam before his fall was perfect obedience to His law. God requires now what He required of Adam, perfect obedience, righteousness without a flaw, without shortcoming in His sight....We cannot do this without that faith that brings Christ's righteousness into daily practice." E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 2, 380.

Obviously, Ellen White is describing the church triumphant, and the apostate SDA church applies the above statement to itself! That is an abominable deception in and of itself.

Ellen White’s Prophesied Prolepsis Statement on the Fall of the SDA Church Militant

PROLEPSIS PROPHETIC STATEMENT:

Here is the Spirit of Prophecy prophesied prolepsis statement regarding the final fate of that once Noble Ship. This is a major LYNCHPIN to my warning message. Can you explain it away? Are you a passenger on this once NOBLE SHIP, that is about to sink to rise no more? NOTICE WHO SEPARATES FROM WHOM:

"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].

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. They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had REFUSED THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN therefore they WERE NOT of the number described by the apostle Paul: 'But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness' [1 Thess. 5:4, 5].

The watchmen upon the walls of Zion should be the first to catch the tidings of the Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim him near, the first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. But they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins. Jesus saw HIS CHURCH, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A BACKSLIDING CHURCH closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did nor forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail but they departed from him, and SEPARATED THEMSELVES from his love. As they REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS, his promises were NOT FULFILLED to them." E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, pp. 199-200 [The 1884 edition of The Great Controversy, 199, 200].

Note these important delineations in the above statement:

· Ellen White is addressing HIS PEOPLE.

· Ellen White is addressing those to whom God committed the EVERLASTING GOSPEL of Revelation 14.

· Ellen White is defining the angel represented in prophecy as symbolizing a class of faithful men.

· Ellen White is saying emphatically that the final Loud Cry message is delivered NOT BY THE LEADERS OF THE SDA CHURCH, but by a class of faithful men, because the leaders had failed to preserve their connection with God and had refused light from heaven!

· Ellen White is addressing "watchmen upon the walls of Zion," NOT FALLEN BABYLON!

· Twice Ellen White mentions HIS CHURCH, NOT FALLEN BABYLON.

· It is the MEMBERS of said church that SEPARATE FROM GOD, AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO SEPARATE FROM THEM OR BE CORPORATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR APOSTASY.

· The above reasons are why there is another coming out of a faithful remnant FROM APOSTATE JERUSALEM AS WELL AS FALLEN BABYLON.

· Isa 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

· Isa 37:32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

Ellen White is addressing a BACKSLIDING CHURCH whose leaders and laity alike failed and rejected light from heaven and who refused to comply with the conditions so that God's promises are not fulfilled to them. Consider the following commentary on the 1884 Great Controversy that the above statement is quoted from:

“Consider for a few moments the chapter in the first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV, published by Pacific Press in 1884. In Chapter XXVII, ‘The Snares of Satan,’ you find that about four pages in the latter part of the chapter were omitted from the later editions of Great Controversy. These four pages are to be found in Testimonies to Ministers, pages 472 to 475. The information contained in these four pages is very valuable to Seventh-day Adventists and was very appropriately included in the first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV, which when it was published was like the other volumes considered to be A MESSAGE ESPECIALLY TO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, and to [all] Christian people sympathizing with them in beliefs and aims.” W. C. White, Selected Messages, Appendix C, pp. 452, 453.

Brought Down to Hell

“Of those who boast of their light and yet fail to walk in it Christ says, "But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day." Ellen G. White, Review and Herald Articles, Aug. 1, 1893. [THE BRACKETED COMMENTS ARE BY ELLEN WHITE. I have added NOTHING to the above statement.] {LDE 48.2}

So you can see that when the issues are studied out carefully and deeper, interpreting all the evidence so that nothing contradicts, a very different picture of events emerges! That is the case with many issues in God’s Word. The surface understandings by surface readers are a stumbling block and a snare to those who refuse to search the Word as for hidden treasure--THE HIDDEN TREASURE THAT RESULTS IN ETERNAL LIFE.

The Terror of the Last Great Day Part of the TWOFOLD Prefigure of Ezekiel 9

Ezekiel 9 BEGINS at God’s Church, His Sanctuary, but it ends with Babylon and the world. The Great Controversy, p. 653, IN CONTEXT, is speaking of BABYLON as being ripe for destruction. That is the context for the Ezekiel 9 application spoken of on page 656.

But Ezekiel 9 begins at His Church, His Sanctuary. That fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 will naturally occur at the first death decree on day 1290, Daniel 12: 11, 12. At first, there will be no death decree after the initial legislation of the National Sunday Law. There will be a time of respite similar to the 3 ½ year respite the faithful Jews had from A.D. 66 to A.D. 70. Ellen White parallels the National Sunday Law to the ascendance of the Roman General Cestius Gallus upon Jewish soil so many furlongs within the Temple, in A.D. 66. That was regard by the Jews as the abomination of desolation.

"By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.” {5T 451.1}

“As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob’s trouble. The cries of the faithful, persecuted ones ascend to heaven. And as the blood of Abel cried from the ground, there are voices also crying to God from martyrs’ graves, from the sepulchers of the sea, from mountain caverns, from convent vaults: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”{5T 451.2}

“It is no time now for God's people to be fixing their affections or laying up their treasure in the world. The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains. And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be preparing to move to a better country, even a heavenly. Instead of spending our means in self-gratification, we should be studying to economize.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 464-5.

According to Revelation 13:1-5, the antichrist rules for 42 months AFTER THE WOUND IS HEALED. That is 1260 days. Those same days are mentioned in Daniel 12. At the end of the 1260 days, there will be a 30 day warning of a death decree which will be enforced on day 1290 and endure until day 1335. It is during this time of license to kill that the Ezekiel 9 slaughter will occur against the SDA church militant.

Most Adventists misinterpret that Ezekiel 9 slaughter occurs only when Babylon experiences that debacle--per The Great Controversy, pp. 653-656. Page 653 specifically gives the CONTEXT for this application of Ezekiel 9. It says: “Such are the judgments that fall upon BABYLON in the day of the visitation of God’s wrath. She has filled up the measure of her iniquity; her time has come; she is ripe for destruction.”

Ironically, when Adventists erroneously apply this SECOND-FOLD of the TWOFOLD application of Ezekiel 9 (GC p. 25) to the SDA church, they are in essence calling that church BABYLON, which is not the case. This is the application of Ezekiel 9 upon Babylon and the world. The first of the TWOFOLD application BEGINS at God’s church, His Sanctuary, Ezekiel 9 and Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211.

The natural and obvious time for the first application of Ezekiel 9, is when Babylon will be given license to kill Adventists whom they have long hated for “stealing its sheep.”

To use a favorite adjective used by Ellen White, it is stupid to apply Ezekiel 9 to the very end of time when Babylon experiences that debacle, because the SDA church could not exist as a visible structure beyond the no buy/sell and death decree time. It is true that some of the more liberal factions of the church will yield to Babylon and keep Sunday sacred, and they will be destroyed with Babylon, but the conservative factions of Adventists who are Laodicean foolish virgin types, will be destroyed in Ezekiel 9 slaughter during the death decree time that extends from day 1290-1335 after the initial legislation of the National Sunday Law.

Also, Ezekiel Chapter 5 says that God is going to make an example, a taunt and an instruction of Adventists (Spiritual Jerusalem) to all nations because Adventists have broken His laws more than any other entity. Why is that? How could that be? Because SDA’s in 1980 adopted the Trinity Doctrine which sweeps away the entire Christian economy. That’s why! And because of the reason that they did this while knowing the truth! That makes them worse than Babylon, because Babylon did not possess the advanced truth that Adventists have been privy to. That is why Ellen G. White made the prophetic statement that Adventists were worse than Babylon--worse than idolaters and heathen, graven-image worshippers, WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF A BETTER WAY, to wit:

Worse than Babylon -- "God's professed people are selfish and self-caring....They are idolaters, and are worse, in the sight of God, than the heathen, graven-image worshippers who have had no knowledge of a better way." Testimonies, Vol. 2, 440-442.

That is why it is errant to refer to the SDA church as being BABYLON. It is worse than Babylon, and to call it Babylon is actually flattering it, and giving it displaced hope. There is more hope for Babylon because she has no knowledge of a better way. So the SDA independent ministries that call the SDA church Babylon, are simply ignorant and erring, just as they are ignorant and erring on the Godhead. They are teaching antichrist error on the Godhead.

~rwb