John Thiel mp3
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
These are the words of Stephen just before he was being stoned:
Acts 7:37-39 This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me, him shall you hear. This is he that was in the church, in the wilderness, with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Zion and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give unto us, to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them.
Lessons from the Church in the Wilderness
The church that God was leading from Egypt to the promised land, if you rethink back to last Sabbath, we studied closely God’s church identity – what is God’s church identified by in the Bible? You will remember it is the pillar and ground of the truth. That is God’s church. The pillar and ground of the truth. We saw last week that in these last days the Seventh Day Adventist Church that was raised from 1844 through and over fifty years restored all the truths that had been undermined and destroyed when the Bible was being preached in sackcloth through the Dark Ages. Truth that was accumulated over a period of fifty years.
We saw the importance of Jesus. I just want to really bring the point home to us this hour that Jesus is not to be lost sight of in the whole research of God’s church coming out of the darkness of the Middle Ages and God’s church meeting the darkness of our time in which we live just now.
Jesus and His Church
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28. When he launched out His church, His ministry, which as He sent them out, was the pillar and ground of the truth. That’s Matthew 28. It’s not just an argument for truth, but what is it?
Matthew 28:18-20 All power is given unto me… go ye therefore [because of this I your saviour Jesus Christ and sending you] go ye because all power is given unto me and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father son and holy ghost teaching them what to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you all way, even unto the end of the world.
Jesus, our personal saviour says that those that I am with, those that I send out, are to teach everything to observe everything that I have commanded. Jesus is declaring plainly here something that we cannot evade. That is that those whom He sends out, those that are His church, His body, are endowed with his teaching where he is. He says, I am with you, my church, till the very end. You must know where He is. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. Very comprehensive. I am the truth. It’s not just the doctrine on its own. It’s the person of the doctrine, Jesus Christ.
Warning About False Christs
What did He warn as we live today after those over 2,000 years? In Matthew chapter 24, what did He warn?
Matthew 24:22-24 And those days had to be shortened… Then if any man shall say unto you, lo, here is Christ or there, believe it not, for there shall arise…
Mark Christ’s warming, comforting assurance.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
Jesus is very concise – no multiple ones saying here is Christ there is Christ etc. There will be one-fold and one shepherd, and I am the good shepherd and my sheep know me.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Do you want to be His sheep? If you have the attitude of a sheep to its shepherd, you will recognise the voice of your shepherd. That’s the comfort in the midst of this terrible time in which we are living. This time of multiple different voices saying, here is Christ there is Christ; my sheep hear His voice.
The Testimony of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 1:4-8 I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ that in everything you are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you so that you come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall also confirm you unto the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Where do we start in these last days in which we are waiting for the coming of our Lord and we’re trying to find our way through the gift of the testimony of Christ? Jesus says I’m with you to the very end and the testimony of Jesus is what – the Spirit of Prophecy, Sister White’s writings. Because there are so many interpretations of the Bible that many people are deceived by false preachers and teachers.
Finding the Voice of Jesus
Sister White points us into a very secure assurance where the voice of Jesus is. I want to make sure that I can hear Jesus speaking to me.
Remember what we are here pursuing? Where are you? The men who’ve followed on step by step in the very fulfillment of prophecy, men whom God is leading, the messages that they have communicated – these messages received and acted upon are doing their work to prepare a people to stand in the Great Day of God. What are we to do? We are to search the scriptures to confirm the truth God has given to His servants for the world, and if we will do that, we shall be found proclaiming the first, second, and third angel’s messages.
We are to take, what did we read there? We are to believe on their word who have been led. Those of us who have not had the experience that they had – who was she Sister White pointing to? To the pioneers in unity that proclaimed the beautiful system of truth that God was leading them to proclaim. There we have a sure starting point.
The Solid Platform
“I was shown three steps, first, second, third angel’s message said my accompanying angel. Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages. The true understanding of these messages is of vital importance. The destiny of souls hangs upon the manner in which they are received.” (Early Writings, page 258, paragraph 3)
Our destiny is dependent upon those messages. Don’t diminish the slightest importance of anything that I’m reading, the destiny. You’ll see as we proceed how there is the destiny of those who have unsettled the established faith of the body. What is their destiny?
“I was again brought down through these messages, and I saw how dearly the people of God had purchased their experience. It had been obtained through much suffering and severe conflict. God had led them along step by step, until he had placed them upon a solid, immovable platform.” (Early Writings, page 258)
That fifty years of developmental discovery of pure truth to find the voice of Jesus, that system of truth became a platform that we are to stand upon and permit nothing to interfere and she saw a company who did that.
“I saw individuals approach the platform and examine the foundations. Some with rejoicing immediately stepped upon it.” (Early Writings, page 258)
They were the sheep that recognised the voice.
“Others commence to find fault with the foundation. They wished improvements to be made and then the platform would be more perfect and the people much happier. Some stepped off the platform to examine it and to declare it to be laid wrong but I saw that nearly all stood firm upon this platform and exhorted those who had stepped off to cease their complaints for God was the master builder and they were fighting against Him. They recounted the wonderful work of God which led them to the firm platform and in union raised their eyes to heaven and with a loud voice glorified God.” (Early Writings, page 258)
This affected some of those who had complained and left the platform and they, with humble look again, stepped upon it. There is an absolute assurance that we may know the pillar and ground of the truth. Where? In the truth. But can you see that there are some who say, that wasn’t the right thing. It wasn’t a safe platform. We can improve on that.
God’s Pure Church
In conclusion of my introductory thoughts here is that God has a pure church, that pure church are the preachers that went through the experience of establishing this platform of truth and there is the pillar and ground of the truth and with that in mind come with me to the church in the wilderness.
What were they doing? They were traveling from Egypt, from the slavery of sin to the promised land, Canaan. What does God’s word tell us we should be doing with that church experience? What should we be doing? This is God’s church in the wilderness, traveling from Egypt to Canaan.
The Church in the Wilderness – Our Example
1 Corinthians 10:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Remember what we read in our scripture reading? A prophet like unto me. It’s Jesus Christ was with them.
1 Corinthians 10:5-11 But with many of them God was not pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples” (now the marginal reads our types) “to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents. And neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for types and samples. They were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
I’ll be paying close attention. We are living in the end of the world and the story of the Hebrews in the wilderness is a type of the church in the wilderness. What did we read in our scripture reading? That Moses said there will be a prophet like unto me. He was pointing directly to Jesus. Was Jesus right there? Jesus was right there in the cloud etc? They were all baptised into Moses in the cloud and the sea. They did all eat the same spiritual meat. They did all drink the same spiritual food.
The Parallel to Our Time
1844 and especially as we come close to the events that were foreshadowed and who do we have as a prophet? E.G. White, yes, and the faithful ones who went through the experience and that we were told we were to take their word, the faithful pioneers of original Adventism, of the original platform of truth that was established under the prophet and the faithful ministry, the faithful ministry.
As they were establishing this system of truth, preparing them for the coming of Jesus, we come to 1888 through to 1900, and what is written in 1881 as we see the typology of the children of Israel in the days of Moses and God’s people today that the Hebrew, the church in the wilderness, was a type of.
“The history of the children of Israel is written as a warning to us, upon whom the ends of the world are come. We are standing, as it were, upon the very borders of the heavenly Canaan.” (Review and Herald, November 29, 1881, paragraph 7)
You get that? They came to the borders of the heavenly Canaan and she says, we, in 1881, are standing at the very borders of the heavenly Canaan.
“We may, if we will, look over on the other side and behold the attractions of the goodly land. If we have faith in the promises of God, we shall show in conversation and in deportment that we are not living for this world, but are making it our first business to prepare for that holy.” (Review and Herald, November 29, 1881)
Coming to the very coming of Jesus.
“We are standing on the verge of the eternal world.” (Review and Herald, November 29, 1881, paragraph 10)
She wrote that back there in that 1881.
“Shall we turn from the heavenly attractions now when we can almost see the glories on the other shore?” (Review and Herald, November 29, 1881, paragraph 12)
On the borders.
The 1888 Message
God gave them a message in 1888 to render them his people secure so that he could come so that through this message of the 1888 message of Christ our righteousness they would be fitted for a place ready for Jesus coming to go into the promised land. What do we read about that message and their reception it was given by the professed ministers? What happened? They were on the borders. Remember the typology.
“The perils of the last days are upon us. Satan takes control of every mind that is not decidedly under the control of the Spirit of God. Some have been cultivating hatred against the men whom God has commissioned to bear a special message to the world.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79, paragraph 3)
She’s talking about people at that time. This is in the period of 1888 – they are these people that are giving the special message to the world.
“They began this satanic work at Minneapolis, 1888. Afterward, when they saw and felt the demonstration of the Holy Spirit testifying that the message was of God, they hated it the more, because it was a testimony against them. They would not humble their hearts to repent, to give God the glory and vindicate the right. They went on in their own spirit, filled with envy, jealousy and evil surmising, as did the Jews, they opened their hearts to the enemy of God and man. Yet, these men have been holding positions of trust and have been moulding the work after their own similitude as far as they possibly could.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79, paragraph 3)
The Parallel to the Wilderness Rebellion
Remember the typology. What happened? The ten spies said it’s too hard. Who said it wasn’t? Caleb and Joshua. Did they hate these two men? They wanted to stone them didn’t they? These men that were giving the 1888 message were despised because they were giving a testimony that was against the ministers of the church at that time. The leaders hardened their hearts against it, hatred against men whom God had commissioned to bear this special message. Sister White is writing about this terrible crisis back there. She uses the words of Christ, woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, etc.
“These denunciations are given as a warning to all who outwardly appear righteous unto men but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79, paragraph 1)
“What lessons are here? How fearful and decisive. Jesus said, “Wherefore behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them you kill and crucify, and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city.” This prophecy was literally fulfilled by the Jews in their treatment of Christ and of the messengers whom God sent them. Will men in these last days follow the example of those whom Christ condemned?” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79)
There’s the question hanging in the air.
“These terrible predictions have not yet carried out to the full.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79, paragraph 2)
Back there in 1888, they were resisting the messages in the leadership and she says that these terrible predictions were not yet applied to them fully.
“But if God spares their lives and they nourish the same spirit that marked their course of action both before and after Minneapolis meeting, they will fill up to the full the deeds of those whom Christ condemned when he was upon the earth.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 79, paragraph 2)
Remember the typology – we’re at the border and the beautiful message of preparation to go across was being given in 1888 and now what was the leadership doing? They were hating it, just like the people in Moses’ time. They were hating the message “we can go, let’s go.”
The Spirit of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
“Men who are entrusted with weighty responsibilities, but who have no living connection with God, have been and are doing despite to His Holy Spirit. They are indulging the very same spirit as did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And as did the Jews in the days of Christ. Warnings have come from God again and again for these men, but they have cast them aside and ventured on in the same course.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 78, paragraph 2)
Here is introduced the spirit of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Back there when they were on the borders of the land and remember they said we cannot enter there. Indeed, they rejected the very message that they could if they would follow that message but they rejected that message. Here we have a development of perfect parallel to the Hebrews on the border of Canaan. This is a quote that Sister White sent when she was in Melbourne. She sent that to the leaders of the church:
“I saw that Jones and Waggoner had their counterpart in Joshua and Caleb.” (Letter, May 9, 1892)
Can you see the parallel? Can you see the tie? There, in 1888, there was a Joshua and a Caleb – Jones and Waggoner.
“As the children of Israel stoned the spies with literal stones” (Letter, May 9, 1892)
They picked up little stones, they were going to throw at them, but of course God saved them)
“You have stoned these brethren with stones of sarcasm and ridicule. I saw that you willfully rejected what you knew to be the truth. Just because it was too humiliating to your dignity. I also saw that if you had accepted…” (Letter, May 9, 1892)
The typology is perfectly here. Under inspiration, I’m not making this typology, it is the Bible and inspiration that is doing this.
The Rebellion of Korah – The Type
In the parallel of the wilderness church, how did things unfold? God said you must go back for forty years until all of you who have been murmuring and complaining will die. What happened as they were going back? What happened next?
Numbers 16:1-3 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the son of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly famous in the congregation, men of renown. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
What’s the picture here? Korah, Dathan and Abiram were upset because the Lord had led them through Moses and Aaron and so on to go into the wilderness. What are they saying? Who do you think you are? You lift yourself above all the congregation that is holy. We’re all holy. We are holy people. What are you saying? Pick up the typology, what happens?
Numbers 16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
He was leading all the congregation of the church in the wilderness to come against who – Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 16:19 And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment.”
Numbers 16:25 -26And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation saying, Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest you be consumed in all their sins.
What is he saying? Separate yourself from these 250 these men of renown these people who were Levites and who were leaders in the church in the wilderness – separate yourself from them. That’s the story.
Numbers 16:41, 44, 45, 47, 49 – as they were separated then you know the story well. They were called to separate from these two hundred and fifty and the earth opened up and they all fell into the pit and the earth closed over them. That congregation had separated themselves and down they went and then the congregation came to Moses and said you have killed these holy men you have done this terrible deed and so God said to again separate yourself from the congregation and a plague started going through the congregation. Do you know how many people were slain by the plague?
Numbers 16:49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
What was happening in the church in the wilderness? The false leaders were obliterated. The congregation said, this is terrible. You shouldn’t have done that. God said, okay, separate yourself from them and a plague went through and killed all these thousands.
Observe the typology for the last days. God said separate yourself from these corrupt people. I’m going to deal with them. Separate yourself from the congregation because there’s going to be a death. Then Moses of course, prayed to God and sent Aaron with a censer to walk amongst the congregation so that certain people could be saved. There were thousands.
The Parallel in Modern Times
“Now, men are placed in responsible positions who knew not Joseph. Straight testimonies have been borne to head off their ambitious projects again and again. It has hurt their pride. They have but little faith in me.” (1888 Materials, page 988, paragraph 4)
What was that?
“They have but little faith in the spirit of prophecy or the messages the Lord has given me. It would not take a very strong movement to have a state of things created as in the days of old and Korah, Dathan and Abiram would come to the point.” (1888 Materials, page 988, paragraph 4)
What has she just said? What happened to the Hebrews in the wilderness is shaping up among you. Korah, Dathan and Abiram are coming up into the picture.
Remember back there in 1888, she said they were resisting and they had not yet come to the fullness of it, but it’s coming. Korah, Dathan and Abiram’s story is coming from that time onwards. That’s what we’re reading here. The days of Korah, Dathan and Abiram will come to the point. What’s she foreshadowing? The same thing as Korah, Dathan and Abiram will happen in the church, which is modern Israel (The Seventh Day Adventist Church). Separation.
Separation
If Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, two hundred and fifty leaders were swallowed up and destroyed, can that happen today? No. This is not the death decree. There can’t be any obliteration of these false teachers. They can’t be obliterated today, but they have been separated. That’s the picture, the typology.
The Crisis of 1914
Arriving after 1888 through that terrible resistance that took place over the whole period to the turn of the century and arriving in 1914. What do we see? Korah, Dathan and Abiram will come to their point. They were the people that were resisting the 1888 message. What would happen? This message is of vital importance to understand that the Adventist Church is not Babylon, but modern Israel. But what happens in modern Israel? In 1913, they had a general conference session. In the general conference bulletin of 1913, Sister White is sending a message to them. What is she saying?
“Men of clear understanding are needed now. God calls upon those who are willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit to lead out in a work of thorough reformation.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 514, paragraph 3)
She said, that’s what you must do. Men of clear understanding. And then she says what?
“I see a crisis before us. And the Lord calls for his labourers.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 514)
1914, the First World War, there was a crisis, and it was a crisis for the Adventist Church, modern Israel. It was a crisis, and men of clear understanding were needed.
“I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement, a work of revival going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God’s call. My brethren, the Lord is speaking to us. Shall we heed his voice? Shall we not trim our lamps and act like men who look for their Lord to come. The time is one that calls for light-bearing for action.” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 515, paragraph 1)
What is she trying to tell them in their general conference? Be faithful. There must be a revival and a reformation. I can see a crisis before us. Men of clear understanding are needed now. What was the crisis? It’s well-known. 1914. In Europe, they commissioned their members to go as military service. The faithful ones that refused to were shot, were persecuted. The people that were left behind after the war were met by the leadership, the General Conference president and a committee in 1922.
Do you know what the president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church said to those who were disfellowshipped and their brothers and sisters slain in the persecution because they were shot because they wouldn’t go to war? He said, you were wrong. I have the document of that. It’s a booklet called Protokol of the meeting together and the president declared plainly that those people who were disfellowshipped were wrong. What was the leadership doing in regards to the pure truth that was established? Very simple. They separated God’s faithful people and said you were wrong. They were saying exactly the same scenario.
“Those who sympathized with Korah, Dathan and Abiram in their apostasy brought blight and death upon themselves. So it will be in these last days. The cause of Christ will be betrayed by those who have had the light of truth and have enjoyed its blessings but who have turned away from it will fight down the spirit of God. Inspired with a spirit from beneath they will tear down that which they once built up.” (Review and Herald, May 24, 1898)
What will they do? Tear down what has once been built up. That’s exactly what happened in the First World War. They tore down what they once built up.
“And show to all reasonable God-fearing souls that they cannot be trusted. They may lay claim to the truth and righteousness, claim it, but their spirit and works will testify that they are betrayers of their Lord, the attributes of Satan they call the movings of the Holy Spirit.” (Review and Herald, May 24, 1898)
If you were to read the words of A.G. Daniels when he said:
“What would you have said when Moses told them to go and fight the Amalekites?” Protokol
He was claiming to have light from the Bible that they should go ahead and they were wrong by not going to fight in the war.
Separation and Unity
“As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock. They will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will under one pretext or another go out from us.” (Testimonies, Volume 6, page 400, paragraph 3)
How did the spirit of prophecy forecast, in reality, the situation that would take place in modern Israel?
“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the Third Angel’s message, but who have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit they have come to view matters in nearly the same light and when the test is brought they are prepared to choose the easy popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.” (Great Controversy, page 608, paragraph 2)
What have we got here? Their brethren were once together with them. Their former brethren.
“When Sabbath keepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.” (Great Controversy, page 608)
Do you know that this has already happened to some degree? It happened in Europe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church did not support the faithful Seventh-day Adventists, and when it went to court, they didn’t support them. It happened in Russia, behind the Iron Curtain, not just Russia, but in all those countries. The Seventh-day Adventist Church continued to be loyal to the governments that they were under when the faithful ones were persecuted and the Seventh-day Adventist leaders were accomplices to let the public know where these are the people.
What do you expect to happen when we come to the grand finale? We already saw it in the experience of the COVID drama – the leaders of the church told them they all had to be vaccinated, who were leaders and ministers in the church. If they weren’t, they were cancelled. That’s happened, and it’s happening even now by those who are opposing.
The Faithful Servant
This is the sad story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in reality today and the development of these terrible events as per Great Controversy 608. What does Jesus say in Matthew 24:45-49 – the faithful servant giving meat in due season, will be affected by whom? Those who are resisting Sister White.
If you were to attend and we have a brother here who attended the Avondale College, he tells the story: if you were to go and become a faithful servant of God to minister in the Adventist Church you know what they will teach you? Don’t pay any attention to E.G. White’s writings. Is that correct?
The Two Parties Developed
In Testimonies to Ministers page 409, there is a summary that because false doctrines are being taught in the church, because false practices are there, the faithful men, the faithful ministers will be separated from those who think they know so much. In modern Israel, this is not Babylon. This is modern Israel. Separations will take place, just like it was in the Hebrews of the wilderness.
“A new life is coming from heaven, taking possession of all God’s people, but divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and the tares grow up together for the harvest.” (Selected Messages, Book 2, page 113, paragraph 3)
Two parties would be developed as the harvest is heading towards its conclusion.
“The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They will not be turned from the present message which is already lightening the earth with its glory.” (Selected Messages, Book 2, page 113-114)
That message of 1888, they will not be turned from that.
Why Separation?
Why is there a separation of two companies of two kinds of people in modern Israel?
“It is a solemn statement that I make to the church” (and it’s in 1893, she made this statement in the General Conference Bulletin) “that not one in twenty, whose names are registered upon the church books, are prepared to close their earthly history and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner. They are professedly serving God, but they are more earnestly serving Mammon. This half and half work is constantly denying of Christ, rather than confessing of Christ. So many have brought into the church their own unsubdued spirit unrefined.” (Christian Service, page 41)
Wasn’t that rebellion of Korah?
Isn’t that what God was saying to Moses, to the people? Separate yourself because there’s going to be a vast slaughter here. Be prepared. Separate yourself. This is the call back there in Sister White’s time, not to leave the church organisation of that time at all, but to be separate from unfaithful ones. As you come to the trials, separation and unity takes place. First World War, ever after that, the Second World War.
Summary
Read Desire of Ages 232 and Upward Look page 131 those two tell you exactly that the same history as Christ leaving the Jewish church will be repeated again and again and again and that’s what happened in modern Israel in the first and second world war and God will work on this principle.
In summary: Moses equals the testimony of Jesus/the spirit of prophecy. The faithful of Aaron, Caleb and Joshua represented the faithful pioneers, the adherence to the truth that they taught. Korah represents who? The unfaithful rebellious Adventists to original Adventism. What kind of a church exists today in total equation with Korah, Dathan and Abriam?
“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith and engage in a process of reorganization.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, page 204, paragraph 2)
What was the pillar of one of their faith? We have nothing to do with the war. If you were to examine as I have examined closely all the doctrines that have been established firmly in those early years over those fifty years, those truths have been systematically dismantled as follows:
- The sealing work is future, it’s not the past as it has been.
- The 144,000 are not a literal number, it’s a symbolic number.
- Dismantling the sealing message.
- Dismantling the message of the King of the North and the understanding of the Middle East and Armageddon.
What have they done in dismantling it?
“Were this reformation to take place, what would be the result? The principles of truth that God in his wisdom had given to the Remnant Church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work of the last 50 years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, page 204)
You go to the Adventist bookshops today and you can’t buy Uriah Smith’s book that he had written long ago. You can’t buy Haskell’s book. You can’t buy them. You can buy a book by Metcalf. You can buy a book about the new ideas that are being taught on the book of Daniel and Revelation. That’s what you can buy and it’s totally disbanded the pure truth that they talked back there.
“Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of this new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which without God is worthless.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, page 204)
The Call Home
Let us take the lesson home. Let us firmly place ourselves in that pure doctrine that has been taught. Here is that company in today as Sister White saw, a company of faithful Adventists worldwide.
Early Writings 258.3 – I saw a company who stood firm. They gave no countenance to the slightest change to what has been firmly established in the truth. I have decided to follow the truth as it is in Jesus. What does that mean?
I have decided not to join with the Korahs, Dathans and the Abirams. I have decided to stand true to the 100% platform that had been firmly established. If you do, you are going to be separated in Israel. You can’t help it. But don’t go around saying that modern Israel is Babylon, that’s a mistake. You have been separated within Israel, separated.
May God help us to take it home with us is my prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.
