By John Thiel
What is the purpose of our existence as a separate group of Christians that doesn’t harmonize with churches around us? What pertains to the life of God’s people in the last days? We are over one hundred years beyond the beginning of the time of end. The time of the end commenced in 1798 as we all know.
Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
There are three points we will look at today:
- What is meat in due season?
- What is the faithful servant doing at this time?
- Revelation 14 and the effect of the three angels messages.
Matthew 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one]; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The wheat and the tares are still in the church, but what is in reality happening right now?
I saw that the strong hand of the enemy is set against the work of God, and the help and strength of everyone who loves the cause of truth should be enlisted; great interest should be manifested by them to uphold the hands of those who advocate the truth, that by steady watchcare they may shut out the enemy. All should stand as one, united in the work. Every energy of the soul should be awake, for what is done must be done quickly. {EW 117.3}
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. {EW 117.3}
Compare with the days of Noah: everyone should have been occupied with being saved from the deluge that was to take place.
The third angel’s message is to be given with power. The power of the proclamation of the first and second messages is to be intensified in the third. In the Revelation John says of the heavenly messenger who unites with the third angel: I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice.” Revelation 18:1, 2. We are in danger of giving the third angel’s message in so indefinite a manner that it does not impress the people. So many other interests are brought in that the very message which should be proclaimed with power becomes tame and voiceless. At our camp meetings a mistake has been made. The Sabbath question has been touched upon, but has not been presented as the great test for this time. While the churches profess to believe in Christ, they are violating the law which Christ Himself proclaimed from Sinai. The Lord bids us: Show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isaiah 58:1. The trumpet is to give a certain sound. {6T 60.1}
We need to lift up the standard, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We need to receive, explain and enforce the teaching of Revelation.
Our warfare is aggressive. Tremendous issues are before us, yea, and right upon us. Let our prayers ascend to God that the four angels may still hold the four winds, that they may not blow to injure or destroy until the last warning has been given to the world. Then let us work in harmony with our prayers. Let nothing lessen the force of the truth for this time. The present truth is to be our burden. The third angel’s message must do its work of separating from the churches a people who will take their stand on the platform of eternal truth. {6T 61.2}
Our message is a life-and-death message, and we must let it appear as it is, the great power of God. We are to present it in all its telling force. Then the Lord will make it effectual. It is our privilege to expect large things, even the demonstration of the Spirit of God. This is the power that will convict and convert the soul. {6T 61.2}
We are to warn the people of the danger they are in.
Advance new principles, and crowd in the clear-cut truth. It will be as a sword cutting both ways. But be not too ready to take a controversial attitude. There will be times when we must stand still and see the salvation of God. Let Daniel speak, let the Revelation speak, and tell what is truth. But whatever phase of the subject is presented, uplift Jesus as the center of all hope, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star.” Revelation 22:16. {6T 61.4}
Who are the angels of Revelation 14?
During the past fifty years of my life, I have had precious opportunities to obtain an experience. I have had an experience in the first, second, and third angels’ messages. The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth’s history. 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. {2SM 387.1}
Compare this with the ten virgins who are asleep; the angels are not these people. They are the bridal party awakening those who are asleep. What is the effect of these in the bridal party crying out the three angel’s message? Is it the people doing the separating? Are they separating the wheat and the tares?
What course shall the advocates of truth pursue? They have the unchangeable, eternal word of God, and they should reveal the fact that they have the truth as it is in Jesus. Their words must not be rugged and sharp. In their presentation of truth they must manifest the love and meekness and gentleness of Christ. Let the truth do the cutting; the word of God is as a sharp, two-edged sword and will cut its way to the heart. Those who know that they have the truth should not, by the use of harsh and severe expressions, give Satan one chance to misinterpret their spirit. {9T 239.2}
Jesus cut with the Word.
Ministers of present truth, while they bear a pointed testimony, reproving individual wrongs and seeking to tear away the idols from the camp of Israel, should manifest forbearance. They should preach the truth in its solemnity and importance, and if this finds its way to the heart it will accomplish that for the receiver which nothing else can. But if the truth spoken in the demonstration of the Spirit does not cut away the idols, it will be of no avail to denounce and bear down upon the individual. It may appear that some are joined to their idols, yet I saw that we should be very reluctant to give up the poor, deceived ones. We should ever bear in mind that we are all erring mortals, and that Christ exercises much pity for our weakness, and loves us although we err. If God should deal with us as we often deal with one another, we should be consumed. While ministers preach the plain, cutting truth, they must let the truth do the cutting and hewing, not do it themselves. They should lay the ax, the truths of God’s word, at the root of the tree, and something will be accomplished. Pour out the testimony just as straight as it is found in the word of God, with a heart full of the warming, quickening influence of His Spirit, all in tenderness, yearning for souls, and the work among God’s people will be effectual. {1T 383.1}
We do not do the separating. Let the truth do the cutting and hewing, the ministers are not to do it themselves. The Holy Spirit and the Word do the cutting.
While ministers preach the plain, cutting truth, they must let the truth do the cutting and hewing, not do it themselves. They should lay the ax, the truths of God’s word, at the root of the tree, and something will be accomplished. Pour out the testimony just as straight as it is found in the word of God, with a heart full of the warming, quickening influence of His Spirit, all in tenderness, yearning for souls, and the work among God’s people will be effectual.(1T 382.2)
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
There is no time of peace in the last days. In the last days the sound doctrine of the third angel and the other angels will not be endured.
Isaiah 30:9 That this [is] a rebellious people, lying children, children [that] will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
The Word separates those who want to hear smooth things from those who want to hear present truth and the three angel’s message. No one will be told to leave. They will go because the message is being rejected.
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Amen.
Comments (6)
csaaphill - 24/09/2020
Do you truly still believe that a national Sunday law is coming? I can see at any one time online atheist calling us Christians stupid for believing in a nonexistent sky god Using their own language so what makes you think they will follow a national Sunday law!
We already have you people and them following satans Mandates with mask mandates. My guess is also most of you will take a Nonobot vaccine because you’ve taught so much crap about some National Sunday law that the won’t see the truth if it bit them on the butt!
We can’t have a National Sunday law for it’s not written in and it’s not part of the old testament law. We are not under the old testament Law we are part of the new testament and new covenant we’re not under the law as even scripture says so a national Sunday law isn’t the truth. Revelations never use Antichrist it says beast and Govt is the beast, not the Pope. The Pope but all or most religions are the false prophets for they have taught crap. That all said if this Coronavirus crap goes on and becomes so bad that even the Atheists follow it then maybe and then and only then would I relent that it could be true. But not yet. In the vaccine they are working on now has the name lucifer in it as in luciferase.it is also what is called transhumanism because it has or will have Nanobots in it or nanotechnology to change our DNA. You already look like a bunch of insects so why not let them do this to you. I mean you wear those godless masks and look just like a bunch of ants already so…?
I believe now with mask mandated and vaccines and those who wear them willingly and will take the vaccine with lucifer luciferase in it is the separation now!
Le traducteur - 27/09/2020
Hello sir, of course we understand where you are coming from. However we, as Bible-believing Christians and Seventh-day Adventists, have always believed, and still do believe, that the whole issue of the contest between good and evil, between Christ and Satan, centers around God’s law—the Ten Commandments. Indeed this is what can be easily concluded from even a shallow reading of the passage of Revelation 14:6-13, where the messages of the three angels are presented in no uncertain terms, and where the differenciation between those who receive the mark of the beast and those who don’t is so clearly laid out. Those who receive the seal of God in their foreheads (the opposite of the mark of the beast) are said to “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
We do believe that this seal of God is true, love-motivated, and faithful Sabbath-keeping (the seventh day of the week), and that those who wilfully reject this light upon the fourth commandment, and deliberately choose to obey the mandate to keep Sunday, whether as a religious activity, or merely as a pretended action for the protection of the environment, will receive the mark of the beast.
Much more could be said, but I will leave it at that for now, and provide you with studies to bring more light to this momentous subject, if you will but take the time and open your heart to consider them:
https://sabbathsermons.com/2017/02/23/are-you-being-marked-by-the-beast/
https://sabbathsermons.com/2009/08/04/7-sunday-laws-second-angel/
https://sabbathsermons.com/2009/08/10/6-sunday-laws-third-angel/
(And as a side note: No, we would not accept any vaccine, for that is against the Bible principle to “glorify God in [our] body”, which is “the temple of the Holy Ghost”, which is lent us of God. As for masks, we commit our lives to God’s providence that we may not have to work in places where wearing them for prolonged periods of time would be inevitable.)
Sincerely,
Your brother in Christ,
Victor Bireaud.
The Typist - 21/03/2022
We have a series of studies here for you regarding the COVID vaccine and how our approach should be – https://sabbathsermons.com/category/covid-vaccine/
The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt and oppressive; on every hand were crying abuses,–extortion, intolerance, and grinding cruelty. {DA 509.3}
What did the Saviour do?
Yet the Saviour attempted no civil reforms. He attacked no national abuses, nor condemned the national enemies. He did not interfere with the authority or administration of those in power. He who was our example kept aloof from earthly governments. Not because He was indifferent to the woes of men, but because the remedy did not lie in merely human and external measures. To be efficient, the cure must reach men individually, and must regenerate the heart. {Ibid.}
The question came to me, Are we not to raise our voice against the abuses? Well, according to what we just read, Jesus didn’t do that. What did He do? He encouraged and strengthened the individual to be able to be faithful and deal with the challenges that came across their personal life. This is the counsel that comes from God to us, that we do not raise our voice against what the authorities are doing wrong or right, or whatever; that we just simply respect them for their position, and that we follow Christ’s example in dealing with the diseases and sicknesses that come upon us, while we appeal to the authorities to let us live like that.
We are to go forward quietly, and when our way is apparently blocked in one direction we are to make no condemnation of the powers that be, for in thus doing we are teaching other powers how to work to hedge up our way. We are not to stir up opposing elements or provoke retaliation or revenge. {TDG 250.5}
The Typist - 21/03/2022
Caution is to be prayerfully exercised by everyone who believes the truth. There are trying scenes before us, and we need to exercise great caution, keeping the door of our lips while the wicked are before us. We shall have to meet in our experience with men having fanatical zeal which will provoke those who hate the truth and it will be necessary to preserve a calm attitude and not state all we do know, for impressions will be made upon human minds that will, under the influence of Satan, grow to large proportions. TDG 250.2
How important we understand what is written.
There is need of watching unto prayer. The evils we shall meet have long been gathering and like a storm, will come upon many when they least expect it. While they cannot be charged with originating the evil, they precipitated it. Charges will be made which believers cannot refute, because they have not shown wisdom in the use of either the pen or the voice. TDG 250.3
Many laws will be enacted for the government of nations, calculated to oppress; and old laws that have practically become of none effect, will be resurrected. We need to move forward in our work understandingly and in faith, under the wise generalship of Jesus Christ. A great work is to be done for the Master in proclaiming the last message of mercy to our world, and we are dependent upon authorities and powers to find passage from one end of the world to another, and as long as we are dependent upon the powers that be, we must not divorce ourselves from them, for this is a worldwide message. TDG 250.4
We are to go forward quietly, and when our way is apparently blocked in one direction we are to make no condemnation of the powers that be, for in thus doing we are teaching other powers how to work to hedge up our way. We are not to stir up opposing elements or provoke retaliation or revenge. The climax will come soon enough. It is already stealing on as a thief in the night. And we can speak Bible truth which will not set opposing influences at work.—Manuscript 90, August 29, 1893, “Our Attitude Toward the ‘Powers That Be.’” TDG 250.5
Are we to be anti-vaxer activists? No, not at all. As Gods children we are to respect the authorities. The prudent will not start levelling their condemnation upon the government for what they are doing. As the vaccinations are being enforced, what are we to do? We are in need of remaining under the radar. Do not say too much. A vaccination passport is being discussed and in some places already taking it’s course. While we are trying to remain under the radar, quietly getting on with our situation as best the Lord will help us, we read this interesting statement, that when we are brought to the forefront:
“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life.” Every position of truth taken by our people will bear the criticism of the greatest minds; the highest of the world’s great men will be brought in contact with truth, and therefore every position we take should be critically examined and tested by the Scriptures. Now we seem to be unnoticed, but this will not always be. Movements are at work to bring us to the front, and if our theories of truth can be picked to pieces by historians or the world’s greatest men, it will be done. Ev 69.1
We will be brought to the front by the circumstances that the government are enforcing. But how shall we work? Very carefully and respectfully.
We must individually know for ourselves what is truth, and be prepared to give a reason of the hope that we have with meekness and fear, not in a proud, boasting, self-sufficiency, but with the spirit of Christ.—Letter 6, 1886. Ev 69.2
What we know and believe, communicate it with meekness and fear. Let us do it in our ranks and to others around us.
We are nearing the time when we shall stand individually alone to answer for our belief. Religious errors are multiplying and entwining themselves with Satanic power about the people. There is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible that has not been denied.—Letter 6, 1886. Ev 69.2
for those who have the ears to hear « JRFibonacci's blog: partnering with reality - 12/04/2012
[…] How the Wheat and the Tares are Separated (sabbathsermons.com) […]
God’s Truths Belong To His Children « bummyla - 06/04/2012
[…] How the Wheat and the Tares are Separated (sabbathsermons.com) […]