The aspect which I pointed out that Stephen Haskell probably did not see, though he upheld by his recognition of the truths which bring to light this fact, is that in the history at the end of ancient Israel, you simultaneously find the beginning of modern Israel overlapping the same historical period. When Christ was confirming the covenant with many for one week (twenty-five hundred and twenty days), ancient Israel was living out the experience of Laodicea, on the verge of being spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Simultaneously modern Israel was living out the experience of Ephesus. Laodicea of ancient Israel was being scattered and Ephesus of modern Israel was being gathered in the very same history.
Umba endawawubonisileyo wokuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba uStephen Haskell akazange awubone, nangona wawuxhasa ngokuwamkela kwakhe amazwi enyaniso azisa olu nyaniso ekukhanyeni, kukuba kwimbali esekupheleni kukaSirayeli wamandulo, ngaxeshanye ufumana ukuqala kukaSirayeli wanamhlanje kudibana kwaloo xesha lembali linye. Xa uKristu wayeqinisa umnqophiso nabaninzi iveki enye (iintsuku ezingamawaka amabini anamakhulu amahlanu anamashumi amabini), uSirayeli wamandulo wayephila amava aseLawodike, esondele ekugabheni ngaphandle emlonyeni weNkosi. Ngaxeshanye uSirayeli wanamhlanje wayephila amava ase-Efese. ILawodike kaSirayeli wamandulo yayisasazwa, yaye iEfese kaSirayeli wanamhlanje yayiqokelelwa kwakuloo mbali inye kanye.
And “yes” if you are wondering, I am aware that the week that Christ confirmed the covenant in fulfillment of Daniel chapter nine, which began at His baptism and ended with the stoning of Stephen was not a literal twenty-five hundred and twenty days, but prophetically it most definitely was, for prophetically a year equals three hundred and sixty days. Three hundred and sixty days multiplied by seven is twenty-five hundred and twenty days, and “the dead center” of that prophetic week is the cross. Prophetically Christ placed the cross, dead center of the prophetic period of twenty-five hundred and twenty days, thus showing that the “seven times” of Leviticus twenty-six is established and upheld by the cross of Christ. It is not an accident that when Sister White teaches, as she does that both of Habakkuk’s sacred tables; the 1843 and 1850 chart have the twenty-five hundred and twenty year prophecy in the very center of the chart, and both charts have the cross dead center of that illustration.
Kwaye “ewe” ukuba uyazibuza, ndiyazi ukuba iveki uKristu awaqinisekisa ngayo umnqophiso ekuzalisekiseni isahluko sesithoba sikaDaniyeli, eyaqala ekubhaptizweni kwaKhe yaza yaphela ngokuxulutywa ngamatye kukaStefano, yayingeyiyo ngokwenene imihla engamawaka amabini anamakhulu amahlanu anamashumi amabini, kodwa ngokwesiprofeto ngokuqinisekileyo yayinjalo, kuba ngokwesiprofeto unyaka ulingana neentsuku ezingamakhulu amathathu anamashumi amathandathu. Iintsuku ezingamakhulu amathathu anamashumi amathandathu ziphindwe kasixhenxe zenza amawaka amabini anamakhulu amahlanu anamashumi amabini eentsuku, yaye “umbindi kanye” waloo veki yesiprofeto ngumnqamlezo. Ngokwesiprofeto uKristu wawubeka umnqamlezo embindini kanye wexesha lesiprofeto leentsuku ezingamawaka amabini anamakhulu amahlanu anamashumi amabini, ngaloo ndlela ebonisa ukuba “amaxesha asixhenxe” eLevitikus amashumi amabini anesithandathu amiselwa yaye axhaswa ngumnqamlezo kaKristu. Asiyongxaki nje yokwenzeka ukuba xa uSister White efundisa, njengoko esenza, ukuba omabini amatafile angcwele kaHabakuki; itshathi ka-1843 neka-1850 anesiprofeto seminyaka engamawaka amabini anamakhulu amahlanu anamashumi amabini kanye embindini wetshathi, yaye omabini la matshathi anomnqamlezo embindini kanye waloo mzekeliso.
“The Bible contains all the principles that men need to understand in order to be fitted either for this life or for the life to come. And these principles may be understood by all. No one with a spirit to appreciate its teaching can read a single passage from the Bible without gaining from it some helpful thought. But the most valuable teaching of the Bible is not to be gained by occasional or disconnected study. Its great system of truth is not so presented as to be discerned by the hasty or careless reader. Many of its treasures lie far beneath the surface, and can be obtained only by diligent research and continuous effort. The truths that go to make up the great whole must be searched out and gathered up, ‘here a little, and there a little.’ Isaiah 28:10.
“IBhayibhile iqulethe yonke imigaqo abantu abayidingayo ukuba bayiqonde ukuze bafaneleke nokuba kubomi obu okanye kubomi obuzayo. Kwaye le migaqo ingaqondwa ngabo bonke. Akukho namnye onomoya wokuxabisa imfundiso yayo onokufunda isiqendu esinye seBhayibhile engafumani kuso ingcinga ethile eluncedo. Kodwa eyona mfundiso ixabisekileyo yeBhayibhile ayifumaneki ngokufunda ngamaxesha athile nje okanye ngokufunda okungadityaniswanga. Inkqubo yayo enkulu yenyaniso ayivezwa ngendlela enokuthi iqondwe ngumfundi okhawulezayo okanye ongakhathaliyo. Uninzi lobutyebi bayo bulele nzulu ngaphantsi komphezulu, yaye bunokufunyanwa kuphela ngokuphanda ngenkuthalo nangomzamo oqhubekayo. Iinyaniso ezakha loo nto inkulu ipheleleyo zimele zifunyaniswe zize ziqokelelwe, ‘apha intwana, phaya intwana.’ Isaya 28:10.
“When thus searched out and brought together, they will be found to be perfectly fitted to one another. Each Gospel is a supplement to the others, every prophecy an explanation of another, every truth a development of some other truth. The types of the Jewish economy are made plain by the gospel. Every principle in the word of God has its place, every fact its bearing. And the complete structure, in design and execution, bears testimony to its Author. Such a structure no mind but that of the Infinite could conceive or fashion.” Education, 123.
“Xa zikhangelwe ngolu hlobo zaza zaqokelelwa ndawonye, ziya kufunyanwa zilingane ngokugqibeleleyo omnye komnye. IVangeli ngalinye lisisongezo kwezinye, sonke isiprofeto sisicaciso sesinye, yaye yonke inyani kukuphuhliswa kwenye inyani. Iindidi zenkqubo yamaYuda zenziwa zicace ngeVangeli. Umgaqo ngamnye elizwini likaThixo unendawo yawo, inyaniso nganye inentsingiselo yayo. Yaye ulwakhiwo olupheleleyo, kuyilo nakwenzeko, lunika ubungqina kuMbumbi walo. Ulwakhiwo olunjalo alunakuqondwa okanye lwenziwe nangayiphi na ingqondo ngaphandle kweyo yoNaphakade.” Education, 123.
Along with the principle that each of the seven churches are repeated in Millerite history and also our history is another important principle early Adventism acknowledged. That principle demonstrates that “internal and external” prophetic lines of the same history is employed by the Holy Spirit to convey truth. Miller recognized this and directly taught it. He correctly taught that the seven seals of Revelation represent a parallel history to the churches, but in that parallel illustration the seals represent an external and the churches an internal truth of the identical history. Uriah Smith also addresses this principle and employs the words “internal” and “external” which seems to me to be the best way to express the two parallel lines.
Kunye nomgaqo wokuba nganye kwezo nkonzo zisixhenxe iphinda ibonakale kwimbali yamaMillerite kwanakwimbali yethu, kukho nomnye umgaqo obalulekileyo owamkelwa yi-Adventism yokuqala. Loo mgaqo ubonisa ukuba imigca yesiprofeto “yangaphakathi neyangaphandle” yembali enye isetyenziswa nguMoya oyiNgcwele ukuhambisa inyaniso. UMiller wakubona oku waza wakufundisa ngokuthe ngqo. Wafundisa ngokuchanekileyo ukuba amatywina asixhenxe eSityhilelo amele imbali ehambelanayo naleyo yeenkonzo, kodwa kulo mzekeliso uhambelanayo amatywina amele inyaniso yangaphandle, zize iinkonzo zimele inyaniso yangaphakathi yembali efanayo. No-Uriah Smith uyawusingatha lo mgaqo, aze asebenzise amagama athi “yangaphakathi” nethi “yangaphandle,” nto leyo ebonakala kum iyiyeyona ndlela ilungileyo yokuvakalisa loo migca mibini ehambelanayo.
“The seals are introduced to our notice in the 4th, 5th, and 6th chapters of Revelation. The scenes presented under these seals are brought to view in Revelation 6, and the first verse of Revelation 8. They evidently cover events with which the church is connected from the opening of this dispensation to the coming of Christ.
“Amatywina aziswa phambi kwengqalelo yethu kwizahluko ze-4, ze-5, neze-6 zeSityhilelo. Imiboniso evezwayo phantsi kwala matywina iboniswa kwiSityhilelo 6, nakwivesi yokuqala yeSityhilelo 8. Ngokucacileyo iquka iziganeko ezinxulumene nebandla ukususela ekuvulweni kwalo eli xesha lolawulo lukaThixo kude kube sekufikeni kukaKristu.
“While the seven churches present the internal history of the church, the seven seals bring to view the great events of its external history.” Uriah Smith, The Biblical Institute, 253.
“Ngoxa ezi cawa zisixhenxe ziveza imbali yangaphakathi yecawe, amatywina asixhenxe abonakalisa iziganeko ezikhulu zembali yayo yangaphandle.” Uriah Smith, The Biblical Institute, 253.
We will now begin our consideration of the seven churches. It is important to recognize that the first two churches and then again, the third and fourth church have a “cause and effect” relationship that demands that they be considered together. Smyrna is the church that represents those that are persecuted by Rome, and Ephesus was the church that carried the gospel to the entire world.
Ngoku siya kuqalisa ukuqwalasela kwethu amabandla asixhenxe. Kubalulekile ukuqonda ukuba amabandla amabini okuqala, kwakhona icawe yesithathu neyesine, anobudlelwane “besizathu nesiphumo” obufuna ukuba aqwalaselwe kunye. ISmirna yicawe emele abo batshutshiswa yiRoma, yaye iEfese yicawe eyawusa iindaba ezilungileyo kulo lonke ihlabathi.
“It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. The name was given them because Christ was the main theme of their preaching, their teaching, and their conversation. Continually they were recounting the incidents that had occurred during the days of His earthly ministry, when His disciples were blessed with His personal presence. Untiringly they dwelt upon His teachings and His miracles of healing. With quivering lips and tearful eyes they spoke of His agony in the garden, His betrayal, trial, and execution, the forbearance and humility with which He had endured the contumely and torture imposed upon Him by His enemies, and the Godlike pity with which He had prayed for those who persecuted Him. His resurrection and ascension, and His work in heaven as the Mediator for fallen man, were topics on which they rejoiced to dwell. Well might the heathen call them Christians, since they preached Christ and addressed their prayers to God through Him.
“Kwase-Antiyokwe apho abafundi baqala ukubizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu. Elo gama balinikwa kuba uKristu wayengumxholo oyintloko wokushumayela kwabo, wokufundisa kwabo, nowencoko yabo. Ngokuqhubekayo babebalisa iziganeko ezazenzekile ngemihla yobulungiseleli baKhe emhlabeni, xa abafundi baKhe babesikelelwe bubukho baKhe ngokobuqu. Bengadinwa babehlala becamngca ngeemfundiso zaKhe nangemimangaliso yaKhe yokuphilisa. Ngezindebe ezingcangcazelayo nangamehlo azaliswe ziinyembezi bathetha ngentlungu yaKhe emyezweni, ukungcatshwa kwaKhe, ukuxoxwa kwetyala kwaKhe, nokubulawa kwaKhe, ukunyamezela nokuthobeka awayekunyamezele ngako ukugculelwa nokuthuthunjiswa awakwenzelwa ziintshaba zaKhe, kwanenceba efana nekaThixo awayethandazela ngayo abo babemtshutshisa. Uvuko lwaKhe nokunyukela kwaKhe ezulwini, nomsebenzi waKhe ezulwini njengoMlamli wabantu abawileyo, yayizizihloko ababekuvuyela ukuhlala kuzo. Ngoko ke, ngokufanelekileyo, abahedeni babebiza bona ngokuba ngamaKristu, ekubeni babeshumayela uKristu yaye bebhekisa imithandazo yabo kuThixo ngaYe.
“It was God who gave to them the name of Christian. This is a royal name, given to all who join themselves to Christ. It was of this name that James wrote later, ‘Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?’ James 2:6, 7. And Peter declared, ‘If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.’ ‘If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.’ 1 Peter 4:16, 14.” Acts of the Apostles, 157.
“YayinguThixo owabanika igama elithi amaKristu. Eli ligama lobukumkani, elinikwa bonke abazibandakanya noKristu. Yayileli gama awabhala ngalo uYakobi kamva, esithi, ‘Azinicinezeli na izityebi, zininqwengele ezinkundleni zokugweba? Azilihlambeleli na elo gama lihle, enabizelwa ngalo?’ Yakobi 2:6, 7. Kwaye uPetros wavakalisa wathi, ‘Ukuba umntu eve ubunzima ngenxa yokuba engumKristu, makangabi nazintloni; makazukise ke uThixo ngenxa yalo mba.’ ‘Ukuba ningcikivwa ngenxa yegama likaKristu, ninoyolo; ngokuba uMoya wozuko, noMoya kaThixo, uphumle phezu kwenu.’ 1 Petros 4:16, 14.” IZenzo zaBapostile, 157.
The Ephesus church represented the early church that lived “godly in Christ Jesus” which is a “cause” that always produces an “effect.”
Ibandla lase-Efese lalimela ibandla lokuqala elaliphila “ngokuhlonela uThixo kuKristu Yesu,” nto leyo “ingunobangela” osoloko uvelisa “isiphumo.”
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12.
Ewe ke, nabo bonke abaya kuphila ngokuhlonela uThixo kuKristu Yesu, baya kutshutshiswa. 2 Timoti 3:12.
The godliness of the Ephesian church brought about the persecution represented by the church of Smyrna. The two churches represent a cause and an effect relationship, and the effect demands to be preceded by a cause. The persecution of the Sunday law crisis is instigated by a manifestation of what Sister White calls “primitive godliness.” A godliness that has been illustrated in past, or primitive histories.
Ubungcwele bebandla lase-Efese bazisa intshutshiso emelwe libandla laseSmirna. La mabandla mabini amela ubudlelwane besizathu nesiphumo, yaye isiphumo sifuna ukuba sandulelwe sisizathu. Intshutshiso yengxaki yomthetho weCawa iqaliswa kukubonakaliswa koko uDade White akubiza ngokuba “bubungcwele bamandulo.” Ubungcwele obubonakalisiwe kwiimbali zangaphambili, okanye zamandulo.
“Notwithstanding the widespread declension of faith and piety, there are true followers of Christ in these churches. Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.” The Great Controversy, 464.
“Nangona kukho ukuhla okuxhaphakileyo kokholo nokuhlonela uThixo, kukho abalandeli bokwenyaniso bakaKristu kula mabandla. Phambi kotyelelo lokugqibela lwezigwebo zikaThixo phezu komhlaba kuya kubakho phakathi kwabantu beNkosi imvuselelo yobungcwele bokuqala engazange ibonwe ukususela kumaxesha abapostile. UMoya namandla kaThixo aya kuthululwa phezu kwabantwana Bakhe. Ngelo xesha abaninzi baya kuzahlula kula mabandla apho uthando lweli hlabathi luthathe indawo yothando lukaThixo nelizwi Lakhe. Abaninzi, bobabini abalungiseleli nabantu, baya kuzamkela ngovuyo ezo nyaniso zinkulu uThixo athe wazibangela ukuba zivakaliswe ngeli xesha ukuze kulungiselelwe abantu ukuza kwesibini kweNkosi. Utshaba lwemiphefumlo lunqwenela ukuthintela lo msebenzi; yaye ngaphambi kokuba lifike ixesha lentshukumo enjalo, luya kuzama ukuwuthintela ngokungenisa into yobuxoki efana nawo. Kula mabandla anokuwazisa phantsi kwamandla alo okukhohlisa, luya kwenza kubonakale ngathi intsikelelo ekhethekileyo kaThixo ithululiwe; kuya kubonakala oko kucingelwa ukuba ngumdla omkhulu wezenkolo. Izihlwele ziya kugcoba zisithi uThixo usebenza ngokumangalisayo ngenxa yazo, kanti umsebenzi lowo ngowomnye umoya. Phantsi kwesigqubuthelo senkolo, uSathana uya kufuna ukwandisa impembelelo yakhe phezu kwehlabathi lamaKristu.” Imbambano Enkulu, 464.
The Midnight Cry of the “last days” is the revival of “primitive godliness” identified in the passage. It’s a revival that occurs in a movement, not a church. The history Sister White employs to describe the revival is the history of “apostolic times,” which is represented by the church of Ephesus. That revival will produce “persecution.”
Isikhalo Sasezinzulwini Sobusuku se “mihla yokugqibela” sisivuselelo “sobungcwele bokuqala” esichongiweyo kwesi sicatshulwa. Sisivuselelo esenzeka kwintshukumo, hayi ecaweni. Imbali uDade White ayisebenzisayo ukuchaza esi sivuselelo yimbali “yamaxesha abapostile,” emelwe yicawe yase-Efese. Eso sivuselelo siya kuvelisa “intshutshiso.”
“Many will be imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs for Christ’s sake in standing in defense of the truth.” Selected Messages, book 3, 397.
“Abaninzi baya kuvalelwa entolongweni, abaninzi baya kusabela ubomi babo bephuma ezixekweni nasezidolophini, yaye abaninzi baya kuba ngabafeli-nkolo ngenxa kaKristu ngokuma bekhusela inyaniso.” Selected Messages, incwadi 3, 397.
The “life of Christ on earth” in the next passage represents the beginning of the church of Ephesus, but it also typifies the history of Laodicean Adventism at the end of the world.
“ubomi bukaKristu emhlabeni” kule ndinyana ilandelayo bumele isiqalo sebandla lase-Efese, kodwa bukwangumfuziselo wembali yoBuvangeli bama-Adventist baseLawodike ekupheleni kwehlabathi.
“‘Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.’ Isaiah 59:14, 15. This was fulfilled in the life of Christ on earth. He was loyal to God’s commandments, setting aside the human traditions and requirements which had been exalted in their place. Because of this He was hated and persecuted. This history is repeated.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 170.
“‘Umgwebo ubuyiselwe umva, nobulungisa buma kude; kuba inyaniso iwile esitalatweni, nokuthe tye akunako ukungena. Ewe, inyaniso iyasilela; nalowo usukayo ebubini uzenza ixhoba.’ Isaya 59:14, 15. Oku kwazaliseka ebomini bukaKristu emhlabeni. Wayethembekile kwimithetho kaThixo, ebekela bucala izithethe neemfuno zabantu ezaziphakanyiselwe endaweni yayo. Ngenxa yoku wayethiyiwe waza watshutshiswa. Le mbali iyaphindwa.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 170.
The experience represented by Ephesus takes place simultaneously to the experience of Laodicea. The quibbling Jews were the Laodiceans of ancient Israel and Christ and His disciples were Ephesians of modern Israel. John the Baptist introduced the church of Ephesus, and he represents the church in the “last days” which is opposed by Laodiceans, who call themselves Jews, but they are not.
Amava amelwe yi-Efese ayenzeka ngaxeshanye namava eLawodike. AmaYuda aphikisanayo ayengamaLawodike akwaSirayeli wamandulo, yaye uKristu nabafundi baKhe babengamaEfese bakaSirayeli wale mihla. UYohane uMbhaptizi waqalisa ibandla lase-Efese, yaye umele ibandla “lemihla yokugqibela” elichaswa ngamaLawodike, azibiza ngokuba ngamaYuda, kanti awakho.
“The work of John the Baptist, and the work of those who in the last days go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah to arouse the people from their apathy, are in many respects the same. His work is a type of the work that must be done in this age. Christ is to come the second time to judge the world in righteousness. The messengers of God who bear the last message of warning to be given to the world, are to prepare the way for Christ’s second advent, as John prepared the way for his first advent. In this preparatory work, ‘every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain’ for history is to be repeated, and once again ‘the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’” Southern Watchman, March 21, 1905.
“Umsebenzi kaYohane uMbhaptizi, nomsebenzi wabo bathi ngemihla yokugqibela baphume ngomoya nangamandla kaEliya ukuze bavuse abantu ekungakhathali kwabo, uyafana ngeendlela ezininzi. Umsebenzi wakhe ungumfuziselo womsebenzi omele wenziwe kweli xesha. UKristu uza kuza okwesibini ukuze agwebe ihlabathi ngobulungisa. Izithunywa zikaThixo ezithwala isigidimi sokugqibela sesilumkiso esimele sinikwe ihlabathi, zimele ukulungiselela indlela yokubuya kukaKristu okwesibini, njengoko uYohane walungiselela indlela yokufika kwakhe kokuqala. Kulo msebenzi wokulungiselela, ‘zonke iintili ziya kuphakanyiswa, neentaba zonke neenduli zonke ziya kuthotywa; nezigoso ziya kulungiswa, neendawo ezimagqagala zibe lithafa’ kuba imbali iya kuphindwa, yaye kwakhona ‘ubuqaqawuli beNkosi buya kutyhilwa, yaye yonke inyama iya kububona kunye; kuba umlomo weNkosi uthethile.’ Southern Watchman, Matshi 21, 1905.”
Ephesus is the “cause” and Smyrna is the “effect.” Pergamos and Thyatira also represent a cause-and-effect relationship. Pergamos is the church of compromise that corrupted Christianity by combining it with paganism. The Christian church fell when it accepted the premise that it was possible for the idolatry of paganism to co-exist within its borders. The emperor Constantine is the symbol of that compromising history, and his prophetic role was to produce the falling away of true Christianity in advance of the papacy being revealed.
IEfese “ngunobangela” yaye iSmirna “sisiphumo.” IPergamo neTiyatira nazo zimela ubudlelwane bonobangela nesiphumo. IPergamo yibandla lokuvumelana elonakalisa ubuKristu ngokuludibanisa nobuhedeni. Ibandla lobuKristu lawa xa lamkela umgaqo wokuba kunokwenzeka ukuba unqulo-zithixo lobuhedeni luhlale kunye ngaphakathi kwemida yalo. Umlawuli uConstantine ngumqondiso waloo mbali yokuvumelana, yaye indima yakhe yesiprofeto yayikukuzisa ukreqo lokumka kubuKristu benyaniso kwangaphambi kokuba ubuPopu butyhilwe.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:3–8.
Makungabikho bani onikhohlisayo nangayiphi na indlela; kuba loo mini ayiyi kuza, kungakhange kufike kuqala ukuwa ekukholweni, kuze kutyhilwe loo mntu wesono, unyana wentshabalalo; omelene naye, eziphakamisa ngaphezu kwako konke okubizwa ngokuba nguThixo, nokuba kunqulwa; ade athi njengothi nguThixo ahlale etempileni kaThixo, ezibonakalisa ukuba unguThixo. Anikhumbuli na ukuba, ndakuba ndisenani, ndanixelela ezi zinto? Ke kaloku niyakwazi okumthintelayo ukuze atyhilwe ngexesha lakhe. Kuba imfihlelo yokuchasa umthetho sele isebenza; kuphela lowo uthintelayo ngoku uya kuqhubeka ethintela ade asuswe endleleni. Kuya kuthi ke emva koko kutyhilwe loo nongendawo, aya kuthi uNkosi amgqibe ngomoya womlomo wayo, imtshabalalise ngokukhazimla kokufika kwayo. 2 Tesalonika 2:3–8.
The Pergamos church was the “cause” and Thyatira was the “effect.” The prophet Daniel often presents the history of paganism giving way to papalism, and the falling away that preceded the establishment of the papacy that Paul identified is addressed in Daniel eleven.
Ibandla lasePergamo lalingu“nobangela,” kanti iThiyathira laba “sisiphumo.” Umprofeti uDaniyeli usoloko ebonisa imbali yobuhedeni obunikela indawo kubupopu, yaye ukuwa emfundisweni okwalandulela ukusekwa kobupopu, awayekuchongile uPawulos, kuthethwa ngako kuDaniyeli ishumi elinanye.
For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. Daniel 11:30–31.
Kuba iinqanawa zaseKittim ziya kuza zimelane naye; ngoko uya kudana, abuyele umva, abe nomsindo ngakwisivumelwano esingcwele; uya kwenza njalo; ewe, uya kubuya, abe nokudibana nabo abasishiyayo isivumelwano esingcwele. Kwaye imikhosi iya kuma kwicala lakhe, yaye baya kuyingcolisa ingcwele yamandla, bawususe umbingelelo wemihla ngemihla, baze bamise into ecekisekayo ebangela incithakalo. Daniyeli 11:30–31.
The church of compromise that fell away before the papal power was revealed into history is represented by Daniel as “them that” forsook “the holy covenant.” After they forsook the covenant, then the papacy, represented by Daniel as the “abomination that maketh desolate,” was placed upon the throne of the earth. Sister White identifies the last six verses of Daniel eleven when she states, the “prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment.” The last six verses are the final fulfillment of Daniel eleven, and she teaches that the history represented by those final verses was typified by Daniel 11:30–36, which identifies the historical “cause and effect” represented by Pergamos and Thyatira.
Icawa yokuvumelana eyawa yaza yaphambuka ngaphambi kokuba amandla obupopu abonakaliswe embalini imelwe nguDaniyeli ngokuthi “abo” bayishiyayo “umnqophiso ongcwele.” Emva kokuba bewushiyile umnqophiso, ngoko ubupopu, obumelwe nguDaniyeli “njengesikizi esenza incithakalo,” babekwa etroneni yomhlaba. UDade White uchaza iindima ezintandathu zokugqibela zikaDaniyeli ishumi elinanye xa esithi, “isiprofeto esikwishumi elinanye likaDaniyeli siphantse safikelela ekuzalisekeni kwaso okupheleleyo.” Ezo ndima zintandathu zokugqibela zizaliseko lokugqibela lukaDaniyeli ishumi elinanye, yaye ufundisa ukuba imbali emelwe zezo ndima zokugqibela yafanekiswa nguDaniyeli 11:30–36, ochaza imbali “yesizathu nesiphumo” emelwe yiPergamo neThiyathira.
“We have no time to lose. Troublous times are before us. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. The prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated.
“Asinaxesha lakulichitha. Amaxesha enzima aphambi kwethu. Ihlabathi liyashukunyiswa ngumoya wemfazwe. Kungekudala iziganeko zenkathazo ekuthethwe ngazo kwiziprofeto ziya kwenzeka. Isiprofeto esikwisahluko seshumi elinanye sikaDaniyeli siphantse safikelela ekuzalisekeni kwaso ngokupheleleyo. Inxalenye enkulu yembali ethe yenzeka ekuzalisekisweni kwesi siprofeto iya kuphindwa.”
“In the thirtieth verse a power is spoken of that ‘verses 30 through thirty-six quoted.’
“Kwindinyana yamashumi amathathu kuthethwa ngamandla athile athi ‘iindinyana 30 ukuya kuma-36 zicatshulwe.’”
“Scenes similar to those described in these words will take place.” Manuscript Releases, number 13, 394.
“Iziganeko ezifana nezo zichazwe kula mazwi ziya kwenzeka.” Manuscript Releases, inani 13, 394.
The cause-and-effect relationship of Pergamos and Thyatira, as well as the cause-and-effect relationship of Ephesus and Smyrna are repeated in the “last days.” The Protestants of the United States will compromise with idolatry, as represented by Pergamos (the premier sign of idolatry is the worship of the sun), and when they fall away the way is prepared for the man of sin, to once again be prophetically revealed. While the falling away and placing of the papacy on the throne is repeated God will simultaneously be raising up a church typified by Ephesus to carry the message of Daniel and Revelation to the world and the persecution represented by Smyrna will be repeated.
Ubudlelwane besizathu nesiphumo obuphakathi kwePergamo neTiyatira, kwanobudlelwane besizathu nesiphumo obuphakathi kweEfese neSmirna, buyaphindwa “ngemihla yokugqibela.” AmaProtestanti aseUnited States aya kulalanisa nonqulo-zithixo, njengoko kufanekiswa yiPergamo (owona mqondiso uphambili wonqulo-zithixo kukunqulwa kwelanga), yaye xa ewa asuke enyanisweni kulungiswe indlela yendoda yesono, ukuze iphinde ityhilwe ngokwesiprofeto. Ngoxa ukuphambuka nokubekwa kobupapa etroneni kuphindwa, uThixo ngaxeshanye uya kube evusa ibandla elifanekiswa yiEfese ukuba lithwale isigidimi sikaDaniyeli neSityhilelo lisise ehlabathini, yaye intshutshiso efanekiswa yiSmirna iya kuphindwa.
I will address the last three churches after we consider the truth that the first four seals of Revelation are an external line of truth that runs parallel to the internal line of truth represented by the first four churches. As already noted, Uriah Smith states it this way:
Ndiya kujongana neebandla ezintathu zokugqibela emva kokuba siqwalasele inyaniso yokuba amatywina amane okuqala eSityhilelo angumgca wenyaniso wangaphandle ohamba ungqamene nomgca wenyaniso wangaphakathi omelwe ngamabandla amane okuqala. Njengoko sele kuphawuliwe, u-Uriah Smith ukuchaza ngolu hlobo:
“While the seven churches present the internal history of the church, the seven seals bring to view the great events of its external history.” Uriah Smith, The Biblical Institute, 253.
“Ngoxa ezi cawe zisixhenxe zibonisa imbali yangaphakathi yecawe, amatywina asixhenxe azisa embonweni iziganeko ezinkulu zembali yayo yangaphandle.” Uriah Smith, The Biblical Institute, 253.
We have shown that the first four churches represent two “cause and effect” relationships that are repeated in the “last days.” Based upon the pioneers of Adventism, but more importantly upon the authority of God’s Word, those four internal histories of the church should have a parallel external history represented by the first four seals. The first and second seals echo the same characteristics of Ephesus and Smyrna, but use a white horse to represent the work of carrying Christianity to the world. It represents the external work of the church, and the second seal represents the blood bath of Smyrna with a red horse.
Sibonisile ukuba amabandla amane okuqala amele ubudlelwane obubini “bonobangela nesiphumo” obuphindwa “kwimihla yokugqibela.” Ngokusekelwe koovulindlela be-Adventism, kodwa okona kubaluleke ngakumbi phezu kwegunya leLizwi likaThixo, ezo mbali zine zangaphakathi zebandla zimele ukuba zinembali yangaphandle ehambelanayo emelwe ngamatywina amane okuqala. Itywina lokuqala nelesibini livakalisa kwaezo mpawu zinye zase-Efese naseSmirna, kodwa lisebenzisa ihashe elimhlophe ukumela umsebenzi wokuthwala ubuKristu uluse ehlabathini. Loo nto imele umsebenzi wangaphandle webandla, yaye itywina lesibini limele igazi elaphalazwayo laseSmirna ngehashe elibomvu.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Revelation 6:1–4.
Ndabona, xa iMvana ivula olunye lwamatywina, ndeva, ngokungathi sisandi sendudumo, esinye kwezo zidalwa zine sisithi, Yiza uze ubone. Ndabona; nanko ke ihashe elimhlophe; lowo wayehleli phezu kwalo wayenesaphetha; wanikwa isithsaba; waphuma esoyisa, ukuze oyise. Kwathi, yakulivula itywina lesibini, ndeva isidalwa sesibini sisithi, Yiza uze ubone. Kwaye kwaphuma elinye ihashe, elibomvu; lowo wayehleli phezu kwalo wanikwa igunya lokususa uxolo emhlabeni, ukuze babulalane; wanikwa nekrele elikhulu. ISityhilelo 6:1–4.
Zechariah contains a few passages that directly identify the four horses represented in the first four seals of Revelation. In one of those passages in chapter ten, Zechariah identifies that when the latter rain is poured out “the flock of Judah” which is God’s “house” will be turned into “his goodly horse in the battle.”
UZekariya uqulethe iziqendu ezimbalwa ezichaza ngokuthe ngqo amahashe amane amelwe kumatywina amane okuqala eSityhilelo. Kwenye yezo ziqendu kwisahluko seshumi, uZekariya uchaza ukuba xa imvula yasemva ithululwa “umhlambi wakwaYuda” oyiyo “indlu” kaThixo uya kuguqulwa ube “lihashe lakhe elihle emfazweni.”
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. Zechariah 10:1–3.
Celani imvula kuYehova ngexesha lemvula yasemva kwexesha; uYehova ke uya kwenza amafu aqaqambileyo, abanike izihlambi zemvula, anike wonk’ ubani ingca entsimini. Kuba izithixo zithethe amampunge, nabavumisi babone ubuxoki, baxele amaphupha obuxoki; bathuthuzela ilize; ngenxa yoko bahamba njengomhlambi, babebandezelekile, ngokuba kwakungekho malusi. Umsindo wam wavutha phezu kwabalusi, ndawohlwaya amabhokhwe; kuba uYehova wemikhosi uwuvelele umhlambi wakhe, indlu kaYuda, waza wayenza yaba njengehashe lakhe elihle ekulweni. Zekariya 10:1–3.
Ellen White repeatedly identifies that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost typifies the latter rain that is now falling. The work done for the world at Pentecost is represented by the church of Ephesus, and Ephesus causes the persecution represented by Smyrna, which John represents as the “red horse” of the second seal. The first two seals run parallel to the first two churches and they illustrate the “last days,” when the latter rain is being poured out.
UEllen White uphindaphinda echaza ukuba ukuphalazwa koMoya oyiNgcwele ngePentekoste kungumfuziselo wemvula yamva esehla ngoku. Umsebenzi owenzelwa ihlabathi ngePentekoste umelwe libandla lase-Efese, yaye i-Efese ibangela intshutshiso emelwe yiSmirna, leyo uYohane ayimela njenge “hashe elibomvu” lesitywina sesibini. Izitywina ezibini zokuqala zihamba ngaxeshanye namabandla amabini okuqala, yaye zibonakalisa “imihla yokugqibela,” xa imvula yamva iphalazwa.
The Spirit of Prophecy also selects both the end of the third seal and beginning of the fourth seal thus tying them together (cause and effect), and in doing so she places the history represented as existing in her day and in the “last days.”
UMoya Wokuprofeta ukwanyula kokubini ukuphela kwetywina lesithathu nokuqala kwetywina lesine, ngaloo ndlela ewabophelela kunye (unobangela nesiphumo), yaye ngokwenjenjalo ubeka imbali emelweyo njengokhoyo ngemihla yakhe nakwi “mihla yokugqibela.”
“The same spirit is seen today that is represented in Revelation 6:6–8. History is to be repeated. That which has been will be again.” Manuscript Releases, volume 9, 7.
“Kwa lo moya mnye ubonwayo namhlanje umelwe kwiSityhilelo 6:6–8. Imbali iya kuphindwa. Oko kuye kwabakho kuya kuphinda kubekho.” Manuscript Releases, umqulu 9, 7.
In Sister White’s personal history, (penned in 1898) the spirit of compromise that prepares the way for the papacy to once again be enthroned was already alive and well, for the falling away of Protestantism that began with the rejection of the first angel’s message in the spring of 1844, had already begun (in 1863) to encroach upon the horn of Protestant Adventism.
Kwimbali yobuqu kaDade White, (eyabhalwa ngowe-1898) umoya wokulalanisa olungiselela indlela yokuba ubupopu buphinde bumiselwe etroneni wawusele uphilile yaye usebenza ngamandla, kuba ukutyibilika ekukreqeni kobuProtestanti okwaqala ngokwaliwa kwesigidimi sengelosi yokuqala entlakohlaza ka-1844, kwakusele kuqalisile (ngowe-1863) ukungenelela kuphondo lobuAdventist bamaProtestanti.
The compromise of Pergamos is represented as a “pair” of balances in the third seal. Two balances of measuring represent a dishonest measurement. The third seal leads to the fourth seal, represented by a “pale horse” of “death,” thus representing the murder of millions by the papacy during the Dark Ages. “Hell” is what follows the pale horse of the papacy. The history of the third and fourth seals parallel the history of the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira. The compromise of Constantine was a progressive work; thus, the spirit of compromise was already active in Sister White’s personal history, just as it was in the time of Paul when he said the “mystery of iniquity does already work.” The falling away that precedes the papacy’s enthronement is always a progressive history, and that “history is to be repeated. That which has been will be again.”
Ukuyekelela kwePergamo kumelwe njenge “sibini” sezikali kwitywina lesithathu. Izikali ezibini zokulinganisa zimela umlinganiselo onganyanisekanga. Itywina lesithathu likhokelela kwitywina lesine, elimelwe “lihashe eliluthuthu” “lokufa,” ngaloo ndlela limela ukubulawa kwezigidi ngabopopu ngexesha lamaXesha Obumnyama. “Isihogo” seso silandela ihashe eliluthuthu lobopopu. Imbali yamatywina esithathu nesine ihambelana nembali yamabandla asePergamo naseTiyatira. Ukuyekelela kukaConstantine kwakungumsebenzi oqhubekayo; ngoko ke, umoya wokuyekelela wawusele usebenza kwimbali yobuqu kaDade White, kanye njengokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha likaPawulos xa wayesithi “imfihlelo yobugwenxa seyisebenza.” Ukuwa kokholo okwandulela ukubekwa kobopopu etroneni kuhlala kuyimbali eqhubekayo, yaye loo “mbali iya kuphindwa. Oko kwakukho kuya kubakho kwakhona.”
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:6–8.
Ndeva ilizwi phakathi kwezo zidalwa zine lisithi, Umlinganiselo wengqolowa ngedenariyo, nemilinganiselo emithathu yerhasi ngedenariyo; ke wena qaphela ukuba ungeyonakalisi ioli newayini. Ke kaloku, xa wayelivulile itywina lesine, ndeva ilizwi lesidalwa sesine lisithi, Yiza ubone. Ndakhangela, nanko ke ihashe elimthubi-buthuntu; negama lowayehleli phezu kwalo lalinguKufa, nelabafileyo lalimlandela. Baza banikwa igunya phezu kwesahlulo sesine somhlaba, ukuba babulale ngekrele, nangendlala, nangokufa, nangezilwanyana zomhlaba. ISityhilelo 6:6–8.
James White identified another prophetic anomaly in the seven churches, and seven seals. He identifies a purposeful distinction between the first four churches and the last three churches, and then again, the same phenomenon in the first four seals and the last three seals.
UJames White wachonga enye ingaqhelekanga esiprofetweni kwiicawe ezisixhenxe nakwamatywina asixhenxe. Uchaza umahluko owenziwe ngenjongo phakathi kweecawe ezine zokuqala neecawe ezintathu zokugqibela; aze kwakhona abonakalise kwaloo meko inye kumatywina amane okuqala nakumatywina amathathu okugqibela.
“We have now traced the churches, the seals, and the beasts, or living beings, as far as they will compare as covering the same periods of time. The seals are seven in number, the beasts but four. And it may be well here to notice, that at the opening of the first, second, third and fourth seals the first, second, third and fourth beasts are heard to say ‘Come and see;’ but when the fifth, sixth and seventh seals are opened, there is no such voice heard. Neither do the last three churches, and the last three seals, compare, as covering the same periods of time, as the first four churches, and the first four seals do. But, as we have shown, the churches, seals and beasts do agree, as covering the same periods of time for the space of nearly 1800 years, till we come down to a little more than half a century of the present time.” James White, Review and Herald, February 12, 1857.
“Ngoku sizilandele iicawe, amatywina, namarhamncwa, okanye izinto eziphilayo, de kwafikelela apho zinokuthelekiswa khona njengoko zigubungela amaxesha afanayo embali. Amatywina asixhenxe ngenani, kodwa izinto eziphilayo zine kuphela. Kwaye kusenokuba kuhle apha ukuqaphela ukuba ekuvulweni kwetywina lokuqala, lesibini, lesithathu nelesine, into ephilayo yokuqala, eyesibini, eyesithathu neyesine ivakala isithi, ‘Yiza ubone;’ kodwa xa kuvulwa amatywina esihlanu, esithandathu nese seveni, akukho lizwi linjalo livakalayo. Kwananjalo neecawe ezintathu zokugqibela, kunye namatywina amathathu okugqibela, azithelekiseki ngokuba zigubungela amaxesha afanayo embali, njengoko zisenza iicawe ezine zokuqala namatywina amane okuqala. Kodwa, njengoko sibonisile, iicawe, amatywina, nezinto eziphilayo ziyavumelana ngokuba zigubungela amaxesha afanayo embali kangangeminyaka emalunga ne-1800, side sehle siye kutsho kancinane ngaphezu kwesiqingatha senkulungwane yeli xesha langoku.” James White, Review and Herald, Februwari 12, 1857.
James White did not include the fact that the same pattern exists in the trumpets, but it does. The first four trumpets are trumpets, but the last three trumpets are three woes. The first four trumpets represent God’s judgment on pagan Rome for Constantine’s Sunday law in the year 321, and the three trumpet woes represent Islam. The first two trumpet woes were judgments against papal Rome for the Sunday law it enacted in 538, and the third trumpet woe is for the Sunday law crisis that is coming in the very near future.
UJames White akazange aquke inyaniso yokuba kwaloo mzekelo mnye ukho nasezimpondweni, kodwa ukho. Iimpondo ezine zokuqala zizimpondo, kodwa iimpondo ezintathu zokugqibela zingooha abathathu. Iimpondo ezine zokuqala zimela umgwebo kaThixo phezu kweRoma yobuhedeni ngenxa yomthetho weCawa kaConstantine ngonyaka ka-321, yaye ooha abathathu beempondo bamele ubuSilamsi. Ooha ababini bokuqala beempondo babeyimigwebo echasene neRoma yobupopu ngenxa yomthetho weCawa eyawumiselayo ngowama-538, yaye uha wesithathu wempomdo ngowengxaki yomthetho weCawa ezayo kwixesha elikufuphi kakhulu.
Joseph Bates employs the pioneer understanding of the last three churches as a singular symbol to describe three contemporary churches in the Millerite time period. All the emphasis in the passage was supplied by Bates.
UJoseph Bates usebenzisa ukuqonda kwabavulindlela kwamabandla amathathu okugqibela njengomfuziselo omnye ukuchaza amabandla amathathu ayekhona ngelo xesha langoku ngexesha lamaMillerite. Yonke ingqinisiso ekwesi siqendu yabekwa nguBates.
“‘In all the land saith the Lord; TWO PARTS therein shall be cut off, and die; but the THIRD shall be left therein. God says he will bring the THIRD PART through the fire, and refine them. They shall call upon him, and he will hear them. He will say ‘IT IS MY PEOPLE; and they shall say the LORD IS MY GOD.’ First part, SARDIS, the nominal church or Babylon. Second part, Laodicea, the nominal Adventist. Third part, Philadelphia, the only true church of God on earth, for they are to be translated to the city of God. Revelation 3:12; Hebrews 12:22–24. In the name of Jesus, I exhort you again to flee from the Laodiceans, as from Sodom and Gomorrah. Their teachings are false and delusive; and lead to utter destruction. Death! DEATH!!* eternal DEATH!!! is on their track. Remember Lot’s wife.” Joseph Bates, Review and Herald, volume 1, November 1850.
“‘Kulo lonke ilizwe, utsho uYehova; IZIQINGATHA EZIBINI kulo ziya kunqunyulwa, zife; kodwa ESITHATHU siya kusala kulo. UThixo uthi uya kusingenisa ESO SITHATHU emlilweni, asihlambulule. Baya kubiza kuye, yaye uya kuva kubo. Uya kuthi, “NGABANTU BAM”; nabo baya kuthi UYEHOVA NGUTHIXO WAM.’ Inxalenye yokuqala, yiSardis, ibandla elisesidlangalaleni kuphela okanye iBhabheli. Inxalenye yesibini, yiLawodike, umAdventist osesidlangalaleni kuphela. Inxalenye yesithathu, yiFiladelfiya, elikuphela kwebandla lenyaniso likaThixo emhlabeni, kuba baya kuguqulelwa kwisixeko sikaThixo. ISityhilelo 3:12; Hebhere 12:22–24. Egameni likaYesu, ndiyanibongoza kwakhona ukuba nibaleke kumaLawodike, njengokuba kusindwa eSodom naseGomora. Iimfundiso zabo zibubuxoki, ziyalahlekisa; yaye zikhokelela ekutshatyalalisweni okupheleleyo. Ukufa! UKUFA!!* ukufa okungunaphakade!!! kubalandela. Khumbulani umfazi kaLote.” Joseph Bates, Review and Herald, umqulu 1, Novemba 1850.
In the Millerite history Sardis, was the church that had a name that claimed to be alive, but it was dead.
Kwimbali yamaMillerite iSardesi yayilibandla elalinegama elalibanga ukuba liyaphila, kanti lalifile.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Revelation 3:1.
Yibhalela isithunywa sebandla laseSardis, uthi; Utsho nje lowo uneMimoya esixhenxe kaThixo, neenkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe; Ndiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, ukuba unegama lokuba uyaphila, kanti ufile. ISityhilelo 3:1.
God’s people always have a name. The name during the history of Ephesus through Pergamos was Christian. The name during the papal rule was the church in the wilderness. The name from the introduction of the morning star, John Wycliffe was Protestant. At the time of the end in 1798, the Protestants had already begun their return to the Roman communion. All that was needed then was a test that would manifest the fact that in spite of their professed name, they were no longer the chosen church. In the spring of 1844, they reached the test that would manifest that they were no longer the church that carried Christ’s covenant name. The story of Elijah provides a very detailed second witness of this fact. When they manifested their true character, it was difficult for the Millerites to initially identify that the Protestants had demonstrated that they had become the daughters of Babylon. But the Millerites eventually did that very thing, and began to call souls out of those fallen churches in fulfillment of the second angel’s message. Then there was a testing process that would cause the Millerites to manifest their own characters. Were they Philadelphians or Laodiceans?
Abantu bakaThixo bahlala benegama. Igama ngexesha lembali yase-Efese ukuya ePergamo lalinguKristu. Igama ngexesha lolawulo lobupapa lalingulibandla entlango. Igama ukusukela ekungenisweni kwenkwenkwezi yakusasa, uJohn Wycliffe, lalinguProtestanti. Ngexesha lesiphelo ngo-1798, amaProtestanti ayesele eqalile ukubuyela kunxulumano lwaseRoma. Into eyayisafuneka ngoko yayiluvavanyo olwalunokubonakalisa inyaniso yokuba, nangona begama labo abalivumayo, babengaselilo ibandla elinyuliweyo. Ngentwasahlobo ka-1844, bafikelela kuvavanyo olwalunokubonakalisa ukuba babengaselilo ibandla elaliphethe igama lomnqophiso kaKristu. Ibali likaEliya linikela ubungqina besibini obuneenkcukacha kakhulu ngale nyaniso. Xa babonakalisa isimilo sabo sokwenene, kwaba nzima kumaMillerite ekuqaleni ukuqonda ukuba amaProtestanti ayebonakalisile ukuba ayesele engamantombi aseBhabhiloni. Kodwa amaMillerite ekugqibeleni enza kanye loo nto, aza aqalisa ukubiza imiphefumlo iphume kuloo mabandla awileyo ekuzalisekisweni kwesigidimi sengelosi yesibini. Emva koko kwabakho inkqubo yokuvavanywa eyayiza kubangela ukuba amaMillerite abonakalise ezawo izimilo. Ngaba ayengamaFiladelfiya okanye amaLawodike?
The Philadelphians followed Christ into the Most Holy Place and those Millerites who refused to do so manifested the character of Laodiceans. Thus, we find the logic for Bates identification of the three churches as contemporaries of the same history. That history was fulfilled within the prophetic structure of the parable of the ten virgins, which inspiration informs us has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter.
AbaseFiladelfiya balandela uKristu bangena eNdaweni eNgcwele Kangcwele, yaye abo baMillerite abala ukwenza njalo babonakalisa isimilo sabaLayodike. Ngaloo ndlela, sifumana ingqiqo yendlela uBates awazichaza ngayo ezi cawa zintathu njengezangexesha elinye kwimbali enye. Loo mbali yazaliseka ngaphakathi kwesakhiwo sesiprofeto somzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi, apho uPhefumlelo usazisa ukuba sele uzalisekile kwaye uya kuzaliseka ngokuthe ngqo kweyona nkcukacha yawo.
“The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people.” The Great Controversy, 393.
“Umzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi kaMateyu 25 ukwayimbonakalisa amava abantu bama-Adventist.” Imbambano Enkulu, 393.
“I am often referred to the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. This parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth till the close of time.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.
“Ndihlala ndikhunjuzwa ngomzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi, ezintlanu kuzo zazizizilumko, zaza ezintlanu zaba zizidenge. Lo mzekeliso uzalisekile, yaye uya kuzaliseka, ngokwentetho yawo kanye, kuba usebenza ngokukodwa kweli xesha, yaye, njengomyalezo wengelosi yesithathu, uzalisekile yaye uya kuqhubeka uyinyaniso yangoku kude kube sekupheleni kwexesha.” Review and Herald, Agasti 19, 1890.
The last three churches represent those outside of the Millerite movement as Sardis, and those within the movement represent either Philadelphia or Laodicea. Those three churches are identified in Revelation chapter three, and the first four churches are in chapter two. Therefore, when Sister White references the history of chapter three of Revelation, she is identifying the very same churches Joseph Bates just identified.
Amaziko amathathu okugqibela amele abo bangaphandle kwentshukumo yamaMillerite njengoSardesi, yaye abo bangaphakathi kwentshukumo bamele nokuba nguFiladelfiya okanye nguLawodike. Loo mabandla mathathu achongiwe kwisiTyhilelo isahluko sesithathu, yaye amane okuqala asesahluko sesibini. Ngako oko, xa uDade White ebhekisa kwimbali yesahluko sesithathu seSityhilelo, uchonga kanye loo mabandla afanayo athe uJoseph Bates wasandul’ ukuwachonga.
“Oh, what a description! How many there are in this fearful condition. I earnestly entreat every minister to study diligently the third chapter of Revelation, for in it is portrayed the condition of things existing in the last days. Study carefully every verse in this chapter, for through these words Jesus is speaking to you.” Manuscript Releases, volume 18, 193.
“Owu, yinkcazelo enjengani! Baninzi kangakanani abakule meko yoyikekayo. Ndicela ngokunyanisekileyo wonke umfundisi ukuba afundisise ngenkuthalo isahluko sesithathu seSityhilelo, kuba kuso kubonakaliswa imeko yezinto ezikhoyo ngemihla yokugqibela. Fundisisa ngononophelo yonke indinyana kwesi sahluko, kuba ngala mazwi uYesu uthetha kuni.” Manuscript Releases, umqulu 18, 193.
The three contemporary churches of Millerite history are repeated at the end of Adventism. Joseph Bates was identifying the dynamics of the Millerite period and identified Sardis as the daughters of Babylon, which was the target audience for the second angel’s message. He was addressing the struggle between the little flock that followed Christ into the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844 and those who refused to move out of the holy place. He was attempting to call the Laodiceans out of the darkness they had received, and at least part of their Laodicean blindness was due to the fact that William Miller had taken a leading position in the Laodicean movement. This is the same struggle identified in the message to Philadelphia.
Amabandla amathathu angoku kwimbali yamaMillerite ayaphindwa ekupheleni koBu-Adventist. UJoseph Bates wayechonga iimeko ezisebenzayo zexesha lamaMillerite, waza wachonga iSardesi njengeentombi zaseBhabheli, ezazisisihlwele esasijoliswe sisigidimi sengelosi yesibini. Wayethetha ngomzabalazo phakathi komhlambi omncinane owalandela uKristu wangena kwiNdawo eNgcwele Kakhulu ngomhla wama-22 Oktobha 1844, nabo balayo ukuphuma kwiNdawo eNgcwele. Wayezama ukubiza amaLawodike aphume ebumnyameni ababebamkele, yaye ubuncinane inxalenye yobumfama bawo bamaLawodike yayibangelwe yinto yokuba uWilliam Miller wayethabathe isikhundla sobunkokeli kwintshukumo yamaLawodike. Lo ngumzabalazo ofanayo ochongiweyo kwisigidimi esiya eFiladelfiya.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Revelation 3:9.
Yabona, abo besinagoge kaSathana, abathi bangamaYuda, kanti abanjalo, kodwa bayaxoka; yabona, ndiya kubenza ukuba beze baqubude phambi kweenyawo zakho, baqonde ukuba ndikuthandile. ISityhilelo 3:9.
A religious crisis always produces two classes of worshippers as it did in the Great Disappointment. The mantle of Protestantism had just been taken from Sardis, as they returned to Rome and officially became Rome’s daughter. The mantle was then held by Millerite Adventism, but a test would soon after produce two classes professing to be the little flock. A true flock and a counterfeit flock. Bates represented the little flock that followed Christ into the Most Holy Place. His struggle was with Laodiceans who professed to be the little flock. As a Philadelphian, Bates’ struggle was with the synagogue of Satan, a group that professed to be God’s people, but did lie and were not Jews.
Ingxaki yenkolo isoloko ivelisa iindidi ezimbini zabakhonzi, njengoko kwenzekayo kuKudana Okukhulu. Isambatho sobuProtestanti sasandul’ ukususwa eSardis, njengoko babebuyela eRoma baza ngokusemthethweni baba yintombi yaseRoma. Isambatho eso sabanjwa emva koko yiMillerite Adventism, kodwa uvavanyo lwaluza kuthi kwakamsinya emva koko luvelise iindidi ezimbini ezivumayo ukuba zingumhlambi omncinane. Umhlambi oyinyaniso nomhlambi womgunyathi. UBates wayemele umhlambi omncinane owalandela uKristu wangena eNdaweni Engcwele Kakhulu. Umzabalazo wakhe wawukunye namaLawodike, awayezibanga ukuba angumhlambi omncinane. NjengomFiladelfiya, umzabalazo kaBates wawukunye nesikhungu sikaSathana, iqela elalizibanga ukuba lingabantu bakaThixo, kodwa lalixoka yaye lalingengomaYuda.
When the parable is fulfilled for the final time at the end of Adventism there will be a chosen covenant people that were passed by at the time of the end in 1989, the same as the Jewish leadership was passed by at Christ birth, which represents the time of the end in that prophetic history. When the history of Christ reached the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Midnight Cry history of the Millerite time was typified. Inspiration repeatedly aligns the waymark of the cross with the Great Disappointment of 1844. Judas represents the Laodiceans of Christ’s history, and the apostles were the Philadelphians. For three and a half years after the cross the Philadelphians, represented by Bates, attempted to call the Laodiceans out of a fallen church that was represented by the disciple Judas Iscariot.
Xa umzekeliso uzaliseka okokugqibela ekupheleni kobu-Adventist, kuya kubakho abantu bomnqophiso abanyuliweyo abathe badlulwa ngexesha lesiphelo ngo-1989, kwangokunjalo njengokuba ubunkokeli bamaYuda badlulwa ekuzalweni kukaKristu, nto leyo emele ixesha lesiphelo kulo mbali yesiprofeto. Xa imbali kaKristu yafikelela ekungeneni ngoloyiso eYerusalem, imbali yoKhalelo lwaseBusuku Baphakathi kwexesha lamaMillerite yabonakaliswa ngomfuziselo. Impefumlelo iphinda-phinda ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukumatanisa uphawu lwendlela lomnqamlezo noDaniso Olukhulu luka-1844. UYuda umele amaLawodike kwimbali kaKristu, yaye abapostile babengamaFiladelfiya. Iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha emva komnqamlezo amaFiladelfiya, amelwe nguBates, azama ukubizela amaLawodike ukuba aphume ecaweni ewileyo eyayimelwe ngumfundi uYuda Iskariyoti.
In 1989 the former chosen covenant people rejected the light that was unsealed and were passed by. When the first disappointment of July 18, 2020 arrived the testing process began among those who formerly had appeared to be of the same movement. Yet one class are Laodicean and the other class Philadelphian. Just as Judas covenanted three times with the Sanhedrin to betray Christ before the cross, the Laodiceans of the history after September 11, 2001 will have failed three opportunities to repent. At the soon coming Sunday law it will be manifested as certainly as Judas hanging from a tree, that the Laodiceans are separate from the Philadelphians. It is at the harvest when the tares are separated from the wheat. We are rapidly approaching that harvest.
Ngo-1989 abantu bomnqophiso ababekade bekhethiweyo balikhaba ukhanyiso olwalutyhilwe lwaza lwadlulwa. Xa ukufikelwa lithemba kokuqala kukaJulayi 18, 2020 kwafikayo, inkqubo yokuvavanywa yaqala phakathi kwabo ababekade bebonakala ngathi bangowentshukumo enye. Kanti ke elinye iqela lingamaLawodike, lize elinye iqela libe ngamaFiladelfiya. Kanye njengoko uYuda wenza umnqophiso kathathu neSanhedrin wokungcatsha uKristu ngaphambi komnqamlezo, amaLawodike embali yasemva koSeptemba 11, 2001 aya kube esilele amathuba amathathu okuguquka. Kumthetho weCawa oza kufika kungekudala, kuya kubonakaliswa ngokuqinisekileyo njengokuba uYuda waxhonywa emthini, ukuba amaLawodike ahlukile kumaFiladelfiya. Kusesivunweni apho umdiza wahlulwa khona kwingqolowa. Sisondela ngokukhawuleza kweso sivuno.
These truths are only recognized when and if we are willing to understand that the only biblical methodology that can uncover and establish ‘truth’ is “historicism.” The true methodology is not preterism, futurism, dispensationalism, woke-ism, grammatical or historical expertise or any variation of the many satanic counterfeits. There is a commonly known phrase that is attributed to a seventeenth century philosopher named Jean-Jacques Rousseau that has been restated many ways, but the essence of the thought is, “Error has many roots, but truth has only one.” “Truth” is Alpha and Omega who is as a root out of dry ground.
Ezi nyaniso ziqondwa kuphela xa, yaye kuphela ukuba, sikulungele ukuqonda ukuba ekuphela kwendlela yeBhayibhile enokutyhila ize imisele “inyaniso” yi “historicism.” Indlela eyinyani ayisiyo i-preterism, i-futurism, i-dispensationalism, i-woke-ism, ubungcali ngokwegrama okanye ngokwembali, okanye naluphi na uhlobo lwezinto ezininzi zobuxoki bukaSathana. Kukho ibinzana elaziwa ngokubanzi elinxulunyaniswa nesithandi sobulumko senkulungwane yeshumi elinesixhenxe esinguJean-Jacques Rousseau, eliye laphindwa ngeendlela ezininzi, kodwa umongo wengcinga uthi, “Imposiso ineengcambu ezininzi, kodwa inyaniso inye kuphela.” “Inyaniso” nguAlfa no-Omega, lowo unjengengcambu ephuma emhlabeni owomileyo.
“So with the Bible, the treasure house of the riches of His grace. The glory of its truths, that are as high as heaven and compass eternity, is undiscerned. To the great mass of mankind, Christ Himself is ‘as a root out of a dry ground,’ and they see in Him ‘no beauty that’ they ‘should desire Him.’ Isaiah 53:2. When Jesus was among men, the revelation of God in humanity, the scribes and Pharisees declared to Him, ‘Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil.’ John 8:48. Even His disciples were so blinded by the selfishness of their hearts that they were slow to understand Him who had come to manifest to them the Father’s love. This was why Jesus walked in solitude in the midst of men. He was understood fully in heaven alone.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 25.
“Ngoko ke kunjalo nangeBhayibhile, uvimba wobutyebi bobabalo lwaKhe. Ubuqaqawuli beenyaniso zayo, eziphakamileyo njengezulu nezisangqa unaphakade, abuqondwa. Kuninzi olukhulu loluntu, uKristu ngokwaKhe ‘unjengehlumelo eliphuma emhlabeni owomileyo,’ yaye ababoni kuYe ‘buhle bokuba’ ‘bamkhanuke.’ Isaya 53:2. Xa uYesu wayephakathi kwabantu, isityhilelo sikaThixo esebantwini, ababhali nabaFarisi bathi kuYe, ‘Wena ungumSamariya, yaye unedemon.’ Yohane 8:48. Kwanabafundi baKhe babemfanyekisiwe kangako kukuzingca kweentliziyo zabo kangangokuba babecotha ukumqonda Lowo wayeze ukubabonakalisa uthando lukaYise. Yiyo loo nto uYesu wayehamba eyedwa phakathi kwabantu. Waqondwa ngokupheleleyo ezulwini kuphela.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 25.
The truths we are currently sharing must be recognized in the context that the growth of truth is progressive throughout history, and more importantly our understanding of truth must be placed in the context of the Alpha and Omega, the context of Jesus identifying the end of a thing with the beginning of a thing.
Iinyaniso esizabelana ngazo ngoku zimele ziqondwe ngaphakathi komongo wokuba ukukhula kwenyaniso kuqhubeka ngokuthe chu kuyo yonke imbali, yaye okona kubaluleke ngakumbi, ukuqonda kwethu inyaniso kumele kubekwe ngaphakathi komongo weAlfa neOmega, umongo kaYesu wokuchonga isiphelo sento ngesiqalo sento.
The fourth church is Thyatira and it represents the period that the papacy ruled as the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy, which is the period that the church in the wilderness was in captivity. The captivity of spiritual Israel by spiritual Babylon for twelve hundred and sixty years was typified by the captivity of literal Israel in literal Babylon for seventy years.
Icawa lesine yiTiyatira, yaye imela ixesha apho ubupopu balawula njengobukumkani besihlanu besiprofeto seBhayibhile, obulixesha apho ibandla elisentlango lalisebukhobokeni. Ukuthinjwa kukaSirayeli womoya yiBhabhiloni yomoya kangangeminyaka eliwaka elinamakhulu amabini anamashumi amathandathu kwakufanekiselwe kukuthinjwa kukaSirayeli wokwenyama yiBhabhiloni yokwenyama iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe.
“Today the church of God is free to carry forward to completion the divine plan for the salvation of a lost race. For many centuries God’s people suffered a restriction of their liberties. The preaching of the gospel in its purity was prohibited, and the severest of penalties were visited upon those who dared disobey the mandates of men. As a consequence, the Lord’s great moral vineyard was almost wholly unoccupied. The people were deprived of the light of God’s word. The darkness of error and superstition threatened to blot out a knowledge of true religion. God’s church on earth was as verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile.” Prophets and Kings, 714.
“Namhlanje ibandla likaThixo likhululekile ukuqhubela phambili lide ligqibe isicwangciso sobuthixo sosindiso sohlanga olulahlekileyo. Kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi abantu bakaThixo baphantsi kokuncitshiswa kwenkululeko yabo. Ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo ngobunyulu bazo kwakwalelwe, yaye ezona zohlwayo zingqongqo zazifikelwa abo babenesibindi sokungawuthobeli umyalelo wabantu. Ngenxa yoko, isidiliya esikhulu sokuziphatha sikaYehova saphantse sashiywa singenabantu ngokupheleleyo. Abantu bahluthwa ukukhanya kwelizwi likaThixo. Ubumnyama bempazamo nobukholwane babusongela ukucima ulwazi lwenkolo yenyaniso. Ibandla likaThixo emhlabeni lalingokwenene ekuthinjweni ngalo lonke eli xesha lide lentshutshiso engapheliyo, kanye njengokuba abantwana bakaSirayeli babethinjiwe eBhabhiloni ngexesha lokuthinjwa.” Prophets and Kings, 714.
The seventy years of captivity in Babylon is represented by the church of Thyatira. The church of Thyatira is the effect that was produced by the cause, which is represented by Pergamos. Pergamos is symbolized by Constantine the emperor that combined idolatry with Christianity. The symbol of his idolatry was the worship of the sun. The biblical reason for ancient Israel being taken into captivity for the seventy years of Thyatira is that their kings formed relationships and alliances with the idolatrous nations around them in direct rebellion against God’s Word. God repeatedly warned Israel not to intermix with the heathen nations around them. The Ten Commandments, the very thing ancient Israel was to be the depositaries of straightly forbids worshipping idols. When the Lord passed by Moses at the cave of Horeb and revealed His character He twice included the very warning we are referring to.
Iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe yokuthinjwa eBhabhiloni imelwe libandla laseTiyatira. Ibandla laseTiyatira sisiphumo esaveliswa sisizathu, esimelwe yiPergamo. IPergamo ifuziselwa nguMlawuli uKonstantine owadibanisa unqulo-zithixo nobuKristu. Umfuziselo wonqulo-zithixo lwakhe yayikukunqula ilanga. Isizathu seBhayibhile sokuba uSirayeli wamandulo athinjwe iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe yaseTiyatira kukuba ookumkani bakhe benza ubudlelane nemifelandawonye neentlanga ezinqula izithixo ezazibajikelezile, ngokuvukela ngokuthe ngqo iLizwi likaThixo. UThixo walumkisa uSirayeli ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba angazixubanisi neentlanga zobuhedeni ezazimngqongile. IMithetho eliShumi, yona kanye into uSirayeli wamandulo awayemiselwe ukuba abe ngabagcini bayo, iyakwalela ngokungqongqo ukunqula izithixo. Xa iNkosi yadlula phambi koMoses emqolombeni waseHorebhe yaza yatyhila isimilo saYo, kabini yaquka eso silumkiso kanye sibhekisa kuso.
And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Exodus 34:10–16.
Waza wathi, Yabona, ndenza umnqophiso; phambi kwabantu bakho bonke ndiya kwenza izimanga, ezingazange zenziwe emhlabeni wonke, naseluhlangeni naluphi na; nabantu bonke ophakathi kwabo uya kuba khona baya kuwubona umsebenzi kaYehova; kuba yinto eyoyikekayo leyo ndiya kuyenza kunye nawe. Gcina oko ndikuwisela umthetho ngako namhlanje; yabona, ndigxotha phambi kwakho umAmori, nomKanan, nomHeti, nomPerizi, nomHivi, nomYebhusi. Zilumkele, hleze wenze umnqophiso nabemi belizwe oya kulo, hleze ube ngumgibe phakathi kwakho; kodwa niya kuzidiliza izibingelelo zabo, niwaqhekeze amatye abo ezikhumbuzo, nigawule neentsika zabo ezingcwele; kuba akuyi kunqula thixo wumbi; kuba uYehova, ogama lakhe linguNomona, unguThixo onomona. Hleze wenze umnqophiso nabemi belizwe, baze bahenyuze belandela oothixo babo, babingelele koothixo babo, aze omnye akumeme, udle emibingelelweni yakhe; uze uthabathe ezintombini zabo ubenzele oonyana bakho, zize iintombi zabo zihenyuze belandela oothixo babo, zibenze noonyana bakho bahenyuze belandela oothixo babo. Eksodus 34:10–16.
Twice God warned ancient Israel in this passage alone, and there are many other biblical testimonies of the command to ancient Israel that they were to make no covenants with the idolatrous nations around them. Those compromises began with ancient Israel’s rejection of God and His theocracy. When they desired a king, God allowed them to have a king and from that point on the majority of all the kings, and most certainly every king of the northern ten tribes disregarded that very command. The principle that required that Israel was separate and peculiar from the idolatrous nations around them was rejected and illustrated by the compromise that Constantine would later become a symbol of. Pergamos and Constantine represent the rebellion of Israel’s kings who introduced idolatry into God’s church. The falling away that began with king Saul typified the falling away of the Christian church that led to the captivity in spiritual Babylon. The sacred history beginning with king Saul onward until the captivity in Babylon is symbolized by the church of Pergamos. The captivity of seventy years that followed was the church of Thyatira.
Kabini uThixo wayilumkisa iSirayeli yamandulo kwesi sicatshulwa sodwa, yaye zikho nezinye ezininzi iingqina zeBhayibhile zomyalelo owanikwa iSirayeli yamandulo wokuba bangenzi minqophiso neentlanga ezinqula izithixo ezibangqongileyo. Ezo zivumelwano zokuzithoba zaqala ngokwala kukaSirayeli yamandulo uThixo nobukumkani baKhe obulawulwa nguye. Xa banqwenela ukumkani, uThixo wabavumela ukuba babe nokumkani, yaye ukususela ngelo xesha uninzi lwazo zonke iinkosi, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo yonke inkosi yezizwe ezilishumi zasentla, yawutyeshela kanye loo myalelo. Umgaqo owawufuna ukuba iSirayeli yahluke yaye ibe ngabantu abakhethekileyo phakathi kweentlanga ezinqula izithixo ezazingqongile waliwa, yaye wabonakaliswa yile ndlela yokuzithoba awayeza kuthi uConstantine kamva abe ngumqondiso wayo. IPergamo noConstantine bamele imvukelo yeenkosi zakwaSirayeli ezazingenisa ukunqula izithixo ebandleni likaThixo. Ukuwexuka okwaqala ngoKumkani uSawule kwakungumfuziselo wokuwexuka kwebandla lamaKristu okwakhokelela ekuthinjweni eBhabheli yokomoya. Imbali engcwele eqala ngoKumkani uSawule iqhubeke de kuse ekuthinjweni eBhabheli imelwe ngumfuziselo webandla lasePergamo. Ukuthinjwa kweminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe okwalandelayo kwakulibandla laseTiyatira.
Ephesus, represents the church that goes forth to conquer the Promised Land. Ephesus represents the time of Moses and the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.
I-Efese imela ibandla eliphumayo liye koyisa iLizwe leDinga. I-Efese imela ixesha likaMoses nokuhlangulwa kukaSirayeli ebukhobokeni baseYiputa.
“The Bible has accumulated and bound up together its treasures for this last generation. All the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history have been, and are, repeating themselves in the church in these last days.” Selected Messages, book 3, 338, 339.
“IBhayibhile iqokelele yaza yadibanisa ndawonye ubutyebi bayo ngenxa yesi sizukulwana sokugqibela. Zonke iziganeko ezinkulu neentengiselwano ezingcwele zembali yeTestamente eNdala bezisoloko ziphindaphindeka, yaye zisaphindaphindeka, ecaweni kule mihla yokugqibela.” Selected Messages, incwadi 3, 338, 339.
The history represented by the deliverance from Egypt is repeated in the last days. It was therefore also repeated in the Millerite history. That is why Sister White repeatedly references that history to describe the Millerite history. She aligns the Great Disappointment of 1844 with the disappointment of the Hebrews as they stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army approaching them from behind. She also aligns the history of the deliverance from Egypt with the time of Christ, thus the disappointment of the disciples at the cross was typified by the disappointment at the Red Sea, which also typified the Great Disappointment of 1844. The disappointment of the cross represented the beginning of the church of Ephesus. The time of Moses at the beginning of ancient Israel represented by the church of Ephesus which also typified the beginning of modern Israel in the time of Christ. Both histories are represented by the church of Ephesus. The truths we are identifying here have often been publicly presented through the years by Future for America, so I am simply providing an overview.
Imbali emelwe kukuhlangulwa eYiputa iyaphindwa ngemihla yokugqibela. Ngenxa yoko yaphindwa kwakhona kwimbali yamaMillerite. Kungenxa yoko le nto uDade White ebhekisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo kuloo mbali ukuze achaze imbali yamaMillerite. Ulinganisa uDano Olukhulu luka-1844 nodano lwamaHebhere njengoko ayemi phambi koLwandle oluBomvu ngelixa umkhosi kaFaro wawusondela kuwo ngasemva. Ukwalungelelanisa nembali yokuhlangulwa eYiputa nexesha likaKristu; ngoko ke udano lwabafundi emnqamlezweni lwafuziselwa ludano olwenzeka kuLwandle oluBomvu, olwalukwafuzisela noDano Olukhulu luka-1844. Udano lomnqamlezo lwamela ukuqala kwebandla lase-Efese. Ixesha likaMoses ekuqaleni kukaSirayeli wamandulo, elimelwe libandla lase-Efese, nalo lafuzisela ukuqala kukaSirayeli wale mihla ngexesha likaKristu. Zombini ezi mbali zimelwe libandla lase-Efese. Iinyaniso esizichongayo apha ziye zavezwa esidlangalaleni izihlandlo ezininzi kule minyaka nguFuture for America, ngoko ke ndinika nje isishwankathelo.
In the history of Christ, we find the beginning of the new covenant people who are being raised up as the previous covenant chosen people are being passed by. The history of Christ is the end of ancient Israel, and in the history of the deliverance from Egypt at the beginning of ancient Israel there was a previously chosen covenant people that were passed by for a new covenant people.
Kwimbali kaKristu sifumana isiqalo sabantu bomnqophiso omtsha abaphakanyiswayo ngexesha abantu bomnqophiso abangabanyuliweyo bangaphambili bedlulwa. Imbali kaKristu sisiphelo sikaSirayeli wamandulo, yaye kwimbali yokuhlangulwa eYiputa ekuqaleni kukaSirayeli wamandulo kwakukho abantu bomnqophiso ababekhethwe ngaphambili abathi badlulwayo ngenxa yabantu bomnqophiso abatsha.
In Christ’s history the former chosen people came to their final conclusion in the year 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem. At the beginning in the time of Moses the former chosen people died in the wilderness over a forty-year period, and Joshua and Caleb became the representatives of the new chosen people that were destined to carry the message to the Promised land as did the apostles of the Ephesian church time period carried the gospel to the world.
Kwimbali kaKristu abantu ababekhe banyulwa kuqala bafikelela esiphelweni sabo sokugqibela ngonyaka wama-70 ngokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem. Ekuqaleni, ngexesha likaMoses, abantu ababekhe banyulwa kuqala bafa entlango kwisithuba seminyaka engamashumi amane, yaye uYoshuwa noKalebhi baba ngabameli babantu abatsha abanyuliweyo ababemiselwe ukuthwala isigidimi basise kwiLizwe leSithembiso, kanye njengokuba abapostile bexesha lebandla lase-Efese bayisa iindaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini.
The beginning and ending of ancient and also the beginning of modern Israel all identify a transition of a former chosen people unto a new chosen people. Upon the testimony of two or three a thing is established; and each of these three lines of witnesses identify the divorce of the previous chosen people and these witnesses possess the signature of Alpha and Omega, the One who identifies the end from the beginning. There will be a former chosen people that is passed by when God enters into covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand. God is not the author of confusion; He never changes and His word never fails.
Ukuqala nokuphela kukaSirayeli wamandulo, kwangokunjalo nokuqala kukaSirayeli wanamhlanje, konke kubonisa ukuguquka kwabantu ababekhe banyulwa ukuya kubantu abatsha abanyuliweyo. Ngobungqina bababini okanye babathathu into iyamiselwa; yaye ngamnye kule migca mithathu yamangqina uchaza uqhawulo-mtshato lwabantu abanyuliweyo bangaphambili, yaye la mangqina athwala umqondiso ka-Alfa no-Omega, Lowo uchaza isiphelo kususela ekuqaleni. Kuya kubakho abantu abanyuliweyo bangaphambili abaya kudlulwayo xa uThixo engena emnqophisweni nabaliikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka. UThixo akanguye umbhali wokudideka; Akatshintshi naphakade, nelizwi lakhe alisayi kusilela.
The deliverance from Egypt and the triumphs accomplished by God through Joshua are represented by the church of Ephesus, but Ephesus was destined to lose its first love. When Joshua was laid to rest another generation arose marking the period represented by Smyrna. Joshua’s wonderful work of clearing the Promised Land was never fully accomplished, for the people became satisfied with themselves and forsook the work given to Joshua. They lost their first love. That period continued until Israel rejected God and Samuel anointed king Saul, thus ushering in the church of Pergamos.
Ukuhlangulwa eYiputa nokoyisa okwenziwa nguThixo ngoYoshuwa kumelwe yibandla lase-Efese, kodwa i-Efese yayimiselwe ukulahlekelwa luthando lwayo lokuqala. Xa uYoshuwa wabekwa ekuphumleni, kwavela esinye isizukulwana, nto leyo ephawula ixesha elimelwe yiSmirna. Umsebenzi omangalisayo kaYoshuwa wokucoca iLizwe leDinga awuzange ufezekiswe ngokupheleleyo, kuba abantu bazanelisa ngokwabo baza bawushiya umsebenzi owanikwa uYoshuwa. Balulahla uthando lwabo lokuqala. Elo xesha laqhubeka de uSirayeli wamgatya uThixo, waza uSamuweli wamthambisa uSawule ukumkani, ngaloo ndlela kusungulwa ibandla lasePergamo.
“The message came to Smyrna, a church in Asia Minor, and likewise to the Christian church as a whole, during the second and third centuries. It was a time when paganism was making its final stand for supremacy in the world. Christianity had spread with wonderful rapidity, until it was known throughout the world. Some embraced the faith of Christ because of heart conversion, others, because of the might of argument brought to bear, and still others, because they could see that the cause of paganism was waning, and policy led them to the side that promised to be victorious. These conditions weakened the spirituality of the church. The Spirit of Prophecy, which characterized the apostolic church, was gradually lost. This is a gift which brings the church to which it is entrusted, into the unity of the faith. When there were no longer true prophets, false teachings spread rapidly; the philosophy of the Greeks led to a false interpretation of the Scriptures, and the self-righteousness of the ancient Pharisees, so often condemned by Christ, again appeared in the midst of the church. The foundation was laid during the two centuries preceding the reign of Constantine for those evils which were fully developed during the two centuries following. During this period, martyrdom became popular in many parts of the Roman Empire. Strange as this may seem, it is none the less true. It was the result of the relationship existing between Christians and pagans.
“Umyalezo wafika eSmirna, ibandla laseAsia Minor, kananjalo nakulo ibandla lobuKristu lilonke, ngenkulungwane yesibini neyesithathu. Yayilixesha apho ubuhedeni babusenza umzamo wabo wokugqibela wokulwela ubukhosi ehlabathini. UbuKristu babunwenwele ngesantya esimangalisayo, de baziwa kulo lonke ihlabathi. Abanye balwamkela ukholo lukaKristu ngenxa yokuguqulwa kwentliziyo, abanye ngenxa yamandla eengxoxo ezazisetyenziswa ngamandla, kanti abanye ngenxa yokuba babebona ukuba umkhankaso wobuhedeni wawusiba buthathaka, yaye umgaqo-nkqubo wabakhokelela kwicala elalibonakala lithembisa uloyiso. Ezi meko zenza buthathaka ubungcwele bebandla. UMoya wesiprofeto, owawuphawula ibandla labapostile, walahleka kancinci kancinci. Esi sisipho esizisa ibandla elinikwe sona ebunyeni bokholo. Xa kwakungasekho baprofeti bokwenyaniso, iimfundiso zobuxoki zasasazeka ngokukhawuleza; ifilosofi yamaGrike yakhokelela kutoliko olungelulo lweZibhalo, yaye ukuzigwebela kobulungisa kwabaFarisi bamandulo, okwakusoloko kugwetywa nguKristu, kwaphinda kwabonakala phakathi kwebandla. Ngexesha leenkulungwane ezimbini ezandulela ulawulo lukaConstantine kwabekwa isiseko saloo bubi obaphuhliswa ngokupheleleyo kwiinkulungwane ezimbini ezalandelayo. Ngeli xesha, ukubulawelwa ukholo kwaba yinto eyamkelekileyo kwiindawo ezininzi zoBukhosi baseRoma. Nangona oku kusenokubonakala kungaqhelekanga, kunjalo noko kuyinyaniso. Kwakuyisiphumo sobudlelane obabukho phakathi kwamaKristu nabahedeni.”
“In the Roman world the religion of all nations was respected, but the Christians were not a nation, they were but a sect of a despised race. When they therefore persisted in denouncing the religion of all classes of men, when they held secret meetings, and separated themselves entirely from the customs and practices of their nearest relatives and most intimate friends, they became objects of suspicion, and often of persecution, by the pagan authorities. Often they brought persecution upon themselves, when there was no spirit of opposition in the minds of the rulers. In illustration of this spirit, history gives the details of the execution of Cyprian, bishop of Carthage. When his sentence was read, a general cry arose from the listening multitude of Christians, who said, ‘We will die with him.’
“Kwihlabathi lamaRoma inkolo yazo zonke iintlanga yayihlonelwa, kodwa amaKristu ayengengohlanga, ayelihlelo nje lohlanga oludelekileyo. Ngoko ke, xa athe gqolo ekugxekeni inkolo yazo zonke iindidi zabantu, xa ayebamba iintlanganiso ezifihlakeleyo, aze azahlule ngokupheleleyo kumasiko nakwiindlela zokuphila zezalamane zawo ezisondeleyo nabahlobo bawo abasenyongweni, aba zizinto zokukrokrelwa, yaye ngokufuthi zentshutshiso, ngabasemagunyeni abangabahedeni. Ngokufuthi bazizisela intshutshiso ngokwabo, nangona kwakungekho moya wokuchasa ezingqondweni zabalawuli. Ukubonisa lo moya, imbali isinika iinkcukacha zokubulawa kukaCyprian, ubhishophu waseCarthage. Xa isigwebo sakhe sasifundwa, kwavakala isikhalo esikhulu esivela kwisihlwele samaKristu esasiphulaphule, esathi, ‘Siya kufa kunye naye.’”
“The spirit with which many professed Christians accepted death, and even needlessly provoked the enmity of the government, probably had much to do with the passage, in 303, a. d., of the edict of persecution, by the emperor Diocletian, and his assistant, Galerius. The edict was universal in its spirit, and was enforced with more or less strenuousness for ten years.” Steven Haskell, The Story of the Seer of Patmos, 50. 51.
“Umoya abathi amaKristu amaninzi azibiza ngawo awawamkela ngawo ukufa, aza ade avuse ngokungeyomfuneko ubutshaba borhulumente, kusenokwenzeka ukuba waba nenxaxheba enkulu ekupasweni, ngowama-303 A.D., kommiselo wentshutshiso, ngukumkani uDiocletian, kunye nomncedi wakhe, uGalerius. Lo mmiselo wawubanzi ngokwendalo yawo, yaye wanyanzeliswa ngamandla angaphezulu okanye angaphantsi kangangeminyaka elishumi.” Steven Haskell, The Story of the Seer of Patmos, 50. 51.
Though Smyrna is one of the two churches that receive no rebuke from the Lord, the history testifies that those who were martyred during that period of time represents some whose motivations were based upon human and not divine impulses. The book of Judges opens by identifying the death of Joshua, and there is a verse that is repeated twice in the book which defines the history of the judges. The second time that verse is cited is the final verse of the book. The first verse of the book marks the end of Joshua and the last verse summarizes the history.
Nangona iSmirna iyenye yeecawa ezimbini ezingafumani kusolwa kuYehova, imbali iyangqina ukuba abo babulawelwa ukholo ngelo xesha babemela abathile ababenentshukumisela ezazisekelwe kwimfutho yobuntu, hayi kweyobuthixo. Incwadi yaBagwebi iqala ngokuchaza ukufa kukaYoshuwa, yaye kukho ivesi ephindwayo kabini kuloo ncwadi echaza imbali yabagwebi. Okwesibini loo vesi icatshulwa yivesi yokugqibela yencwadi. Ivesi yokuqala yencwadi iphawula ukuphela kukaYoshuwa, yaye ivesi yokugqibela ishwankathela imbali.
Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?… In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes… In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 1:1; 17:16; 21:25.
Ke kaloku emva kokufa kukaYoshuwa kwathi ke oonyana bakaSirayeli babuza kuYehova, besithi, Ngubani na oya kusinyukela kuqala ukuya kulwa namaKanan?… Ngaloo mihla kwakungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli, kodwa elowo wayesenza oko kulungileyo emehlweni akhe… Ngaloo mihla kwakungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli; elowo wayesenza oko kulungileyo emehlweni akhe. Abagwebi 1:1; 17:16; 21:25.
As in the history of Smyrna “self” was a primary theme from the beginning to the end. Because they had no king, they determined to do whatever they chose to do. The lack of guidance was what Haskell identified in the history of Smyrna that was represented by no active Spirit of Prophecy. In both histories a lack of guidance opened the door for decisions to be made based upon a person’s own motivations. Ephesus represents the deliverance from Egypt. The history recorded in the book of Judges is represented by the church of Smyrna. From king Saul until the Babylonian captivity is represented by the church of Pergamos and the captivity in Babylon is represented by the church of Thyatira.
Njengakwimbali yaseSmirna “ubuqu” lwalungumxholo oyintloko ukusuka ekuqaleni kuse ekupheleni. Ngenxa yokuba babengenakumkani, bazimisela ukwenza nantoni na ababekhethe ukuyenza. Ukusilela kokhokelo koko uHaskell wakuchongayo kwimbali yaseSmirna, okwafanekiselwa kukungabikho koMoya wesiProfeto osebenzayo. Kuzo zombini ezi mbali, ukusilela kokhokelo kwavulela izigqibo umnyango ukuba zenziwe ngokusekelwe kwizikhuthazo zomntu ngokwakhe. I-Efese imela ukuhlangulwa eYiputa. Imbali ebhalwe encwadini yabaGwebi imelwe yibandla laseSmirna. Ukusukela kukumkani uSawule kude kuse ekuthinjweni eBhabheli kumelwe yibandla lasePergamo, yaye ukuthinjwa eBhabheli kumelwe yibandla laseTiyatira.
In agreement with the phenomenon identified by the pioneers there is a four and three division in the churches, seals and trumpets, and the first four churches in ancient Israel’s history begin with the Egyptian captivity and end with the Babylonian captivity, for the Alpha and Omega always identifies the end with the beginning. The first four churches in modern Israel’s history begin with the subjection of the Jews to Roman authority and the four churches end with the subjection of the spiritual Jews to spiritual Rome for twelve hundred and sixty years.
Ngokuvumelana nesiganeko esachongwa ngoovulindlela kukho ulwahlulo lwezine nezintathu emabandleni, ematywini nasezivuthelweni, yaye amabandla amane okuqala kwimbali kaSirayeli wamandulo aqala ngokuthinjwa kwaseYiputa aze aphele ngokuthinjwa kwaseBhabheli, kuba uAlfa no-Omega usoloko emisela isiphelo ngesiqalo. Amabandla amane okuqala kwimbali kaSirayeli wanamhlanje aqala ngokuthotyelwa kwamaYuda phantsi kwegunya laseRoma, yaye la mabandla mane aphela ngokuthotyelwa kwamaYuda asemoyeni phantsi kweRoma yasemoyeni kangangeminyaka eliwaka elinamakhulu amabini anamashumi amathandathu.
What followed Thyatira was Sardis, which began when they came out of the Babylonian captivity typified by Thyatira. Sardis is the church which had a name that it lived, but it did not live. Their profession of life was a lie. Interestingly enough, of all the seven churches it is the word Sardis that has no definition. Definitions have been assigned to Sardis based upon the context of the history and verses, but there is no etymological definition of the name. It has a name, but it doesn’t.
Eyalandela iThiyatira yayiyiSardis, eyaqalayo xa baphuma ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabheli okufuziselwa yiThiyatira. ISardis yibandla elalinalo igama lokuba liyaphila, kanti lona alizange liphile. Ukuvuma kwalo ukuba linobomi kwakubuxoki. Okunomdla kukuba, kuwo onke amabandla asixhenxe, ligama elithi Sardis kuphela elingenantsingiselo ichaziweyo. Iintsingiselo zabelwe iSardis ngokusekelwe kumxholo wembali neendinyana, kodwa akukho ntsingiselo ye-etymology yelo gama. Linalo igama, kodwa alinayo.
“But the second temple had not equaled the first in magnificence; nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence which pertained to the first temple. There was no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication. No cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly erected sanctuary. No fire from heaven descended to consume the sacrifice upon its altar. The Shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place; the ark, the mercy seat, and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein. No voice sounded from heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah.” The Great Controversy, 24.
“Kodwa itempile yesibini yayingalingani neyokuqala ngobungangamsha; yaye yayingangcwaliswanga ngezo mpawu zibonakalayo zobukho bukaThixo ezazinxulumene netempile yokuqala. Kwakungekho kubonakaliswa kwamandla angaphezu kwawemvelo okuphawula ukunikezelwa kwayo. Kwakungekho lifu lozuko labonakala lizalisa ingcwele entsha eyayisandula ukwakhiwa. Kwakungekho mlilo uvela ezulwini wehla ukuze udle idini phezu kwesibingelelo sayo. IShekinah yayingasahlali phakathi kweekherubhi kweyona ndawo ingcwele; ityeya, isihlalo senceba, namacwecwe obungqina zazingafumaneki kuyo. Kwakungekho lizwi lavakala liphuma ezulwini ukuze lazise umbingeleli obuzayo intando kaYehova.” The Great Controversy, 24.
After the Babylonian captivity they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple. They then had a name again, for God had promised to put His name in Jerusalem. But His name represents His character, and the lack of His personal presence identified that they had the name that represented life, but in reality, they no longer had the presence that produces life. All they really had was profession and pretense.
Emva kokuthinjwa kwaseBhabheli baphinda bayakha iYerusalem netempile. Emva koko baba negama kwakhona, kuba uThixo wayethembise ukubeka igama laKhe eYerusalem. Kodwa ke igama laKhe limela isimilo saKhe, yaye ukungabikho kobukho baKhe buqu kwabonakalisa ukuba babenalo igama elalimele ubomi, kodwa enyanisweni babengasenabo ubukho obuvelisa ubomi. Eyona nto babenayo ngokwenene yayikukubanga nokuhanahanisa.
The last voice in Sardis promised of an Elijah who would come before the great and terrible day of the Lord. For ancient Israel the destruction of Jerusalem was the great and dreadful day of the Lord. For this reason, Sister White refers to Jerusalem’s destruction in 70AD as an illustration of the great and dreadful day of the Lord represented as the seven last plagues. The church of Philadelphia began with the voice of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, thus typifying the voice of William Miller. The voices of John the Baptist and William Miller were presenting the Laodicean message to a people who believed everything was alright, when everything was all wrong. Both John the Baptist and William Miller laid the ax to the root of the tree. The message to Sardis was that there were “a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” John the Baptist and William Miller represent those who came out of the time period represented by Sardis and were worthy to walk with Christ.
Ilizwi lokugqibela eSardiyo lathembisa ngoEliya oya kuza ngaphambi komhla omkhulu nowoyikekayo weNkosi. KumaSirayeli amandulo, ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem kwakungumhla omkhulu nowoyikekayo weNkosi. Ngenxa yesi sizathu, uDade uWhite ubhekisa ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem ngowama-70 AD njengomzekeliso womhla omkhulu nowoyikekayo weNkosi omelwe zizibetho ezisixhenxe zokugqibela. Ibandla laseFiladelfiya laqala ngelizwi likaYohane umBhaptizi elikhwaza entlango, ngaloo ndlela lifuzisela ilizwi likaWilliam Miller. Amazwi kaYohane umBhaptizi nawakaWilliam Miller ayesazisa umyalezo waseLawodike kubantu ababekholelwa ukuba yonke into ilungile, kanti yonke into yayingalunganga. Bobabini uYohane umBhaptizi noWilliam Miller babeka izembe engcanjini yomthi. Umyalezo oya eSardiyo wawusithi kukho “amagama ambalwa naseSardiyo angazingcolisanga iingubo zawo; yaye aya kuhamba nam emhlophe: kuba afanelekile.” UYohane umBhaptizi noWilliam Miller bamele abo baphuma kwixesha elimelwe yiSardiyo baza bafaneleka ukuhamba noKristu.
“Thousands were led to embrace the truth preached by William Miller, and servants of God were raised up in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the message. Like John, the forerunner of Jesus, those who preached this solemn message felt compelled to lay the ax at the root of the tree, and call upon men to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Their testimony was calculated to arouse and powerfully affect the churches and manifest their real character. And as the solemn warning to flee from the wrath to come was sounded, many who were united with the churches received the healing message; they saw their backslidings, and with bitter tears of repentance and deep agony of soul, humbled themselves before God. And as the Spirit of God rested upon them, they helped to sound the cry, ‘Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.’” Early Writings, 233.
“Amawaka amawaka akhokelwa ukuba amkele inyaniso eyashunyayelwa nguWilliam Miller, yaye kwavuswa abakhonzi bakaThixo emoyeni nasemandleni kaEliya ukuze bavakalise isigidimi. NjengoYohane, umanduleli kaYesu, abo babeshumayela esi sigidimi sinzulu baziva benyanzelekile ukubeka izembe engcanjini yomthi, baze babize abantu ukuba bavelise iziqhamo ezifaneleyo uguquko. Ubungqina babo babulungiselelwe ukuvusa nokuchukumisa ngamandla amabandla, nokutyhila isimilo sawo sokwenene. Yaye xa kwakuvakaliswa isilumkiso esinzulu sokuba mabasabele engqumbeni ezayo, abaninzi ababedityaniswe namabandla basamkela isigidimi sokuphilisa; bakubona ukurhoxa kwabo, baza, ngeenyembezi ezikrakra zenguquko nangentlungu enzulu yomphefumlo, bazithoba phambi kukaThixo. Yaye njengoko uMoya kaThixo wayehleli phezu kwabo, banceda ukuvakalisa isikhalo esithi, ‘Moyikeni uThixo, nimnike uzuko; kuba lifikile ilixa lokugweba kwakhe.’” Early Writings, 233.
The seven churches of Revelation represent the history of the apostles until the Second Coming of Christ, and the seven churches also represent the history of ancient Israel from the prophet Moses until the first coming of Christ.
Iicawe ezisixhenxe zencwadi yesiTyhilelo zimele imbali yabapostile de kube kukuBuya kwesibini kukaKristu, yaye ezi cawa zisixhenxe zikwanemele imbali kaSirayeli wamandulo ukususela kumprofeti uMoses kude kube kukuza kokuqala kukaKristu.
“The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ.
“Izilingo zabantwana bakaSirayeli, nesimo sabo sengqondo kanye nokuziphatha kwabo kanye ngaphambi kokufika kokuqala kukaKristu, zibonisa indawo yabantu bakaThixo kumava abo ngaphambi kokufika kwesibini kukaKristu.
“Satan’s snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people.
“Imigibe kaSathana ibekelwe thina ngokuqinisekileyo kanye njengoko yabekelwa oonyana bakaSirayeli kanye phambi kokungena kwabo ezweni laseKanan. Siphinda imbali yaloo bantu.
“Their history should be a solemn warning to us. We need never expect that when the Lord has light for his people, Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from receiving it. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends, because it does not come in a way to please us. . . . If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let them not stand in the way of others.
“Imbali yabo ifanele ukuba sisilumkiso esinzulu kuthi. Asisokuze silindele ukuba xa iNkosi inokukhanya kubantu bayo, uSathana eme cwaka ecaleni aze angenzi nzame yokubathintela ekubeni bakwamkele. Masiqaphele ukuba singakwali ukukhanya uThixo akuthumelayo, ngenxa yokuba kungafiki ngendlela esikholisayo.... Ukuba bakho nabaphi na abangakuboniyo baze bangakwamkeli ukukhanya ngokwabo, mabaningemi endleleni yabanye.”
“‘I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.’
“‘Ndibiza izulu nomhlaba ukuba kube ngamangqina ngalo mhla ngani, okokuba ndibeke phambi kwenu ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso; ngoko ke khethani ubomi, ukuze niphile nina nembewu yenu; ukuze nimthande uYehova uThixo wenu, nize nilithobele ilizwi lakhe, ninamathele kuye; kuba yena ububomi benu, nobude bemihla yenu; ukuze nihlale ezweni uYehova awalifungela ooyihlo, uAbraham, noIsake, noYakobi, ukuba uya kubanika lona.’”
“This song was not historical but prophetic. While it recounted the wonderful dealings of God with his people in the past, it also foreshadowed the great events of the future, the final victory of the faithful when Christ shall come the second time in power and glory.
“Le ngoma yayingeyoyembali, koko yayingeyesiprofeto. Nangona yayibalisa ngezenzo ezimangalisayo zikaThixo kubantu bakhe kwixa elidluleyo, yayikwabonisa kwangaphambili iziganeko ezinkulu zexesha elizayo, uloyiso lokugqibela lwabathembekileyo xa uKristu eya kuza okwesibini enamandla nangozuko.
“The apostle Paul plainly states that the experience of the Israelites in their travels has been recorded for the benefit of those living in this age of the world, those upon whom the ends of the world are come. We do not consider that our dangers are any less than those of the Hebrews, but greater.” Healthful Living, 280, 281.
“Umpostile uPawulos uchaza ngokucacileyo ukuba amava amaSirayeli ekuhambeni kwawo abhalelwe ukunceda abo baphila kweli xesha lehlabathi, abo bafikelwe ziziphelo zehlabathi. Asiboni ukuba iingozi zethu zincinane nangayiphi na indlela kunezo zamaHebhere, koko zinkulu ngakumbi.” Healthful Living, 280, 281.
The deliverance from Egypt is represented by the church of Ephesus, and the symbol of the church of Ephesus in that history was Joshua. After those who God brought out of Egypt failed ten successive tests, the Lord removed the covenant from the rebels and gave it to Joshua and Caleb.
Ukuhlangulwa eYiputa kumelwe yibandla lase-Efese, yaye umqondiso webandla lase-Efese kuloo mbali yayinguYoshuwa. Emva kokuba abo uThixo wabakhuphayo eYiputa bengaphumelelanga kwiimvavanyo ezilishumi ezalandelanayo, iNkosi yawususa umnqophiso kubavukeli yaza yawunika uYoshuwa noKalebhi.
Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. Numbers 14:28–30.
Yithi kubo, Ndihleli nje mna, utsho uYehova, njengoko nithethile ezindlebeni zam, ndiya kwenjenjalo kuni: Izidumbu zenu ziya kuwa kule ntlango; nabo bonke ababaliweyo kuni, ngokwenani lenu lonke, abaneminyaka emashumi mabini ubudala nangaphezulu, abakhalazele mna, inene anisayi kungena ezweni endafunga ngalo ukuba ndoninika ukuba nihlale kulo, ngaphandle koKalebhi unyana kaYefune, noYoshuwa unyana kaNuni. Numeri 14:28–30.
Sister White identifies that Joshua and Caleb represent those “upon whom the ends of the world are come,” who “make a covenant with God by sacrifice.”
USisi White uchaza ukuba uYoshuwa noKalebhi bamele abo “abafikelwe ziziphelo zehlabathi,” “abenza umnqophiso noThixo ngedini.”
“For our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, was this history recorded. How often the people of God today live over the experience of the children of Israel! How often they murmur and complain! How often they draw back when the Lord bids them go forward! The cause of God is suffering for want of men like Caleb and Joshua, men of fidelity and unshaken trust. God calls for men who will give themselves to him to be imbued with his Spirit. The cause of Christ and humanity demand sanctified, self-sacrificing men, men who will go forth without the camp, bearing the reproach. Let them be strong, valiant men, fit for worthy enterprises, and let them make a covenant with God by sacrifice.” Review and Herald, May 20, 1902.
“Ukuze sicebiseke, thina bafikelwe ziziphelo zehlabathi, yabhaliweyo le mbali. Kukangaphi na namhlanje abantu bakaThixo bephinda baphile amava oonyana bakaSirayeli! Kukangaphi na bekhonona, bekhalaza! Kukangaphi na berhoxa xa iNkosi ibabiza ukuba baqhubeke phambili! Umsebenzi kaThixo uyasokola ngenxa yokuswela amadoda anjengoKalebhi noYoshuwa, amadoda okunyaniseka nokuthembela okungagungqiyo. UThixo ubiza amadoda aya kuzinikela kuye ukuze azaliswe nguMoya wakhe. Umsebenzi kaKristu nowobuntu ufuna amadoda angcwalisiweyo, azincamayo, amadoda aya kuphuma ngaphandle kwenkampu, ethwele ungcikivo. Mawabe ngamadoda awomeleleyo, anobukroti, afanele imisebenzi exabisekileyo, aze enze umnqophiso noThixo ngombingelelo.” Review and Herald, Meyi 20, 1902.
The covenant that is renewed, as represented by the covenant being renewed with Joshua and Caleb, is the covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand and the great multitude. It is renewed after the original covenant chosen people are divorced from God and assigned to die in the wilderness. The covenant with the hundred and forty-four thousand is accomplished in the very same history that a former chosen people is rejected.
Umnqophiso ovuselelwayo, njengoko umelwe ngumnqophiso owavuselelwa noYoshuwa noKalebhi, ngumnqophiso nabalikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka nesihlwele esikhulu. Uvuselelwa emva kokuba abantu bokuqala abanyuliweyo bomnqophiso beqhawule umtshato noThixo baza bagwetyelwa ukufa entlango. Umnqophiso nabalikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka uzalisekiswa kanye kwakwimbali efanayo apho abantu ababekade banyuliwe balahlwayo.
Ephesus means desirable and the work accomplished by both Joshua and the early church was “desirable.” When Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land, he went forth conquering. The first seal runs parallel with the church of Ephesus, and is represented by a white horse that goes forth conquering. This was true of Joshua and of the apostolic church. The first seal runs parallel to the church of Ephesus in both ancient and modern Israel.
IEfese lithetha into enqwenelekayo, yaye umsebenzi owaphunyezwa nguYoshuwa kunye nebandla lokuqala wawunguwo “onqwenelekayo.” Xa uYoshuwa wakhokela abantu bakaThixo ebasa eLizweni leSithembiso, waphuma esoyisa. Itywina lokuqala lihambelana nebandla laseEfese, yaye limelwe lihashe elimhlophe eliphuma lisiya koyisa. Oku kwakuyinyaniso ngoYoshuwa nangebandla labapostile. Itywina lokuqala lihambelana nebandla laseEfese kuSirayeli wamandulo nakuSirayeli wale mihla.
Smyrna is derived from the word “myrrh” which is an oil that was used for embalming the dead. The second seal is represented by a red horse who was given “a great sword” and “power” to take “peace from the earth” which meant that men in that history would “kill one another.” The second seal runs parallel to the church of Smyrna and it represents the authority given to God’s enemies allowing them to overcome and kill God’s people. This was fulfilled in the period following the apostolic church and also in the history of the Judges. In both histories God allowed powers outside of God’s people to bring warfare and death upon His people. In the apostolic church that warfare was motivated by the rejection of the religion of Christ, which in the previous period of Ephesus had been invincible as it carried the gospel to the world. The motivation of the enemies of God’s people in the period of the Judges was based upon the previous period of Ephesus, where God demonstrated his power upon Egypt and the following nations that Joshua had been used to conquer. The second seal runs parallel to the church of Smyrna in both ancient and modern Israel.
ISmirna livela kwigama elithi “imore,” eliyioyile eyayisetyenziswa ekugcinweni kwezidumbu zabafileyo. Isitywina sesibini simelwe lihashe elibomvu elanikwayo “ikrele elikhulu” kunye “namandla” okususa “uxolo emhlabeni,” nto leyo eyayithetha ukuba abantu kuloo mbali babeya “kubulalana.” Isitywina sesibini sihamba ngokuhambelana nebandla laseSmirna, yaye simela igunya elanikwa iintshaba zikaThixo, zibavumela ukuba boyise baze babulale abantu bakaThixo. Oku kwazaliseka kwixesha elalandela ibandla labapostile, kwakunye nakwimbali yabaGwebi. Kuzo zombini ezo mbali uThixo wavumela amagunya angaphandle kwabantu bakaThixo ukuba azise imfazwe nokufa phezu kwabantu baKhe. Kwibandla labapostile loo mfazwe yayiqhutywa kukwaliwa kwenkolo kaKristu, eyathi kwixesha langaphambili lase-Efese yayingenakoyiswa, njengoko yayithwala iindaba ezilungileyo izise ehlabathini. Inkuthazo yeentshaba zabantu bakaThixo ngexesha labaGwebi yayisekelwe kwixesha langaphambili lase-Efese, apho uThixo wabonakalisa amandla aKhe phezu kweYiputa neentlanga ezalandelayo uYoshuwa awayesetyenzisiwe ukuzoyisa. Isitywina sesibini sihamba ngokuhambelana nebandla laseSmirna kuSirayeli wamandulo nakwaSirayeli wale mihla.
Pergamos means a “fortified citadel,” thus representing a castle of a king. The third seal runs parallel to Pergamos and represents the history where human judgment is carried out by the kings of the land in opposition to God’s judgment. Thus, the measurement, or the judgment which is represented by the “two” scales that weigh the “wheat,” “barley,” “oil” and “wine;” identifies royal human authority, which is always flawed in relation to God’s judgment. Remember that an honest measuring or an honest weighing does not require two scales. Two scales represent unequal judgment.
IPergamo lithetha “inqaba eyomeleziweyo,” ngaloo ndlela simela inqaba yokumkani. Itywina lesithathu lihamba lihambelana nePergamo yaye limela imbali apho isigwebo sobuntu siphunyezwa ngookumkani bomhlaba ngokuchasene nesigwebo sikaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, umlinganiselo, okanye isigwebo esimelwe zizikali “ezibini” ezilinganisa “ingqolowa,” “irhasi,” “ioyile” kunye “newayini;” sichaza igunya lobukhosi lobuntu, elihlala lineziphene ngokunxulumene nesigwebo sikaThixo. Khumbulani ukuba umlinganiselo othe tye okanye ukulinganisa okunobulungisa akudingi zikali zibini. Izikali ezibini zimela isigwebo esingalinganiyo.
The “barley” is a symbol of the Passover festival’s “first fruit” offering, the “wheat” is a symbol of the Pentecostal festival’s offering of the “two wave loaves.” The “oil” is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the “wine” is a symbol of doctrine. Pergamos in the time of ancient Israel is the period of the compromising kings of Israel who brought judgment upon God’s system of worship represented by the Passover through Pentecostal season. The truths of God’s word are represented by the “wine” and “oil.” In both ancient and modern Israel, the church of Pergamos is the period when Satan attempts to accomplish what he could not do through the shedding of blood in the history represented by Smyrna. In Pergamos Satan attempted to destroy God’s people and God’s truth through compromise, not by the shedding of blood as represented in Smyrna. The compromise of the kings of ancient Israel typifies the compromise of Constantine in modern Israel.
“Irhasi” luphawu lomnikelo “weziqhamo zokuqala” womthendeleko wePasika, “ingqolowa” iluphawu lomnikelo “wezonka ezibini zokuphakanyiswa” zomthendeleko wePentekoste. “Ioli” iluphawu loMoya oyiNgcwele, yaye “iwayini” iluphawu lwemfundiso. IPergamo ngexesha likaSirayeli wamandulo lixesha lookumkani bakwaSirayeli ababesenza izivumelwano zokuyekelela, ababazisa umgwebo phezu kwenkqubo kaThixo yonqulo emelwe lixesha elisusela kwiPasika lide lifike kwixesha lePentekoste. Iinyaniso zelizwi likaThixo zimelwe “yiwayini” kunye “neoli.” Kubo bobabini uSirayeli wamandulo nowanamhlanje, ibandla lasePergamo lixesha apho uSathana azama khona ukufezekisa oko wayengenako ukukwenza ngokuphalazwa kwegazi kwimbali emelwe yiSmirna. EPergamo uSathana wazama ukutshabalalisa abantu bakaThixo nenyaniso kaThixo ngokuyekelela, kungekhona ngokuphalazwa kwegazi njengoko kumelwe kwiSmirna. Ukuyekelela kookumkani bakwaSirayeli wamandulo kufanekisa ukuyekelela kukaConstantine kuSirayeli wanamhlanje.
Thyatira means “sacrifice of contrition” and speaks to the spirit of martyrdom that God provides to His people that are slain for His name. The sacrifice of contrition represents the willingness to serve Christ in severe circumstances as represented by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego during the captivity of the seventy years; and it also represents the sacrifice of the Waldensians, the Huguenots and others who were tortured, imprisoned, slandered and slain by the papal authority during the history of the twelve hundred and sixty years. The fourth seal runs parallel to the church of Thyatira and represents the persecution by ancient Babylon against ancient Israel and the persecution by modern Babylon against modern Israel. The history of both captivities first required a falling away from truth which Israel’s kings and the emperor Constantine accomplished. Both prepared the way for a period represented by Thyatira.
IThiyatira lithetha “umbingelelo wokuzisola” yaye sithetha ngomoya wobungqina bokufa uThixo awunika abantu baKhe ababulawelwa igama laKhe. Umbingelelo wokuzisola umele ukuzimisela ukukhonza uKristu phantsi kweemeko ezinzima, njengoko kuboniswe nguDaniyeli, uShadraki, uMeshaki no-Abhednego ngexesha lokuthinjwa kweminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe; yaye ukwamele nombingelelo wamaWaldensia, amaHuguenot nabanye ababethuthunjiswa, bevalelwa entolongweni, benyeliswa, yaye bebulawa ligunya lobupopu ngexesha lembali yeminyaka eliwaka elinamakhulu amabini anamashumi amathandathu. Itywina lesine lihamba ngokungqamene nebandla laseThiyatira yaye limele intshutshiso eyenziwa yiBhabheli yamandulo nxamnye noSirayeli wamandulo, kunye nentshutshiso eyenziwa yiBhabheli yale mihla nxamnye noSirayeli wale mihla. Imbali yokuthinjwa kokubini yaqala ngokufuna ukuwa enyanisweni, into eyafezekiswa ngookumkani bakwaSirayeli kunye nomlawuli uConstantine. Zombini zalungiselela indlela yexesha elimelwe yiThiyatira.
Sardis has no meaning in agreement with it professing a name, but the profession is a lie. The presence of the Shekinah never manifested in the second temple. The presence of Christ never manifested in the history of Sardis. The reformation of the Dark Ages was essentially a series of one step forward and two steps back. The work that the history of Sardis was supposed to accomplish in the Protestant Reformation was never finalized.
ISardesi ayinantsingiselo ehambelana nokuzibiza ngegama, kodwa loo mvumo ibubuxoki. Ubukho beShekinah abuzange bubonakaliswe etempileni yesibini. Ubukho bukaKristu abuzange bubonakaliswe embalini yeSardesi. Uhlaziyo lweXesha leMnyama lwaluyintloko uthotho lokuhamba inyathelo elinye phambili neembini umva. Umsebenzi ekwakufanele ukuba imbali yeSardesi iwufeze kuHlaziyo lwamaProtestanti awuzange ugqitywe.
Philadelphia means brotherly love and it is impossible to love your brother if you do not first love God.
IFiladelfiya ithetha uthando lobuzalwana, yaye akunakwenzeka ukuthanda umzalwana wakho ukuba akamthandi kuqala uThixo.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:20, 21.
Ukuba umntu athi, Ndiyamthanda uThixo, abe emthiyile umzalwana wakhe, ulixoki; kuba lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe ambonileyo, angathini na ukumthanda uThixo angambonanga? Kanjalo nalo umthetho sinawo sivela kuye, wokuba lowo umthandayo uThixo makathande nomzalwana wakhe. 1 Yohane 4:20, 21.
Philadelphia represents the church who loves God, and for this reason there is no condemnation or rebuke levelled against Philadelphia.
IFiladelfiya imele ibandla elimthandayo uThixo, yaye ngenxa yesi sizathu akukho kugwetywa okanye kukhalinyelwa kubhekiswe kwiFiladelfiya.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:7–12.
Uze ubhale kwingelosi yebandla laseFiladelfiya, uthi; Utsho lo uyiNgcwele, oyinyaniso, onaso isitshixo sikaDavide, ovulayo, kungabikho bani uvalayo; ovala, kungabikho bani uvulayo; Ndiyayazi imisebenzi yakho: yabona, ndibeke phambi kwakho umnyango ovulekileyo, ekungekho bani unako ukuwuvala: ngokuba unamandla amancinane, waligcina ilizwi lam, akwalikhanyela igama lam. Yabona, ndiya kubenza abo bendlu yesikhungu kaSathana, abazibiza ngokuba bangamaYuda, bengekho, kodwa bexoka; yabona, ndiya kubenza beze banqule phambi kweenyawo zakho, baze bazi ukuba ndikuthandile. Ngenxa enokuba uligcinile ilizwi lomonde wam, nam ndiya kukugcina kwixesha lokulingwa, eliya kufika phezu kwehlabathi lonke, ukuze kubekho ukuvavanywa kwabo bahleliyo emhlabeni. Yabona, ndiyeza kamsinya: kubambe nkqi oko unako, ukuze kungabikho bani uthabatha isithsaba sakho. Lowo woyisayo ndiya kumenza intsika etempileni kaThixo wam, angabi saphuma phandle; ndibhale phezu kwakhe igama likaThixo wam, negama lomzi kaThixo wam, iYerusalem entsha, eyehla ivela ezulwini kuThixo wam: ndibhale phezu kwakhe negama lam elitsha. ISityhilelo 3:7–12.
Philadelphia is given “the key of David,” and in the Philadelphian history of ancient Israel they were given the Son of David, which represents among other things the prophetic principle of Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. That key represents the methodology of “historicism.” In the period represented by the Philadelphian church at the end of ancient Israel the very Author of biblical prophecy was the key. In the period represented by the Philadelphian church in the Millerite history William Miller was given the key. In those two histories Christ dealt with Jews who thought they were the sons of Abraham, but they were not. Miller dealt with Protestants who thought they were spiritual Jews, but were not.
IFiladelfiya inikwe “isitshixo sikaDavide,” yaye kwimbali yamaFiladelfiya kaSirayeli wamandulo banikwa uNyana kaDavide, omela, phakathi kwezinye izinto, umgaqo-siseko wobuprofeti ka-Alfa no-Omega, owokuqala nowokugqibela. Eso sitshixo simela indlela yokutolika ebizwa ngokuba yi-“historicism.” Kwixesha elimelwe libandla laseFiladelfiya ekupheleni kukaSirayeli wamandulo, kwaLowo kanye ungumbhali wobuprofeti beBhayibhile wayesisitshixo. Kwixesha elimelwe libandla laseFiladelfiya kwimbali yamaMillerite, uWilliam Miller wanikwa isitshixo. Kuzo ezo mbali zimbini uKristu wasebenzana namaYuda awayecinga ukuba angabanyana baka-Abraham, kanti ayengengabo. UMiller wasebenzana namaProtestanti awayecinga ukuba angamaYuda ngokwasemoyeni, kanti ayengengawo.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:13.
Lowo unendlebe, makeve oko kuthethwa nguMoya kuwo amabandla. ISityhilelo 3:13.
Laodicea means a people judged, and the Laodiceans, the Jews of Christ time period, were ultimately judged in 70AD at the destruction of Jerusalem. The ultimate judgment of apostate Protestantism takes place in the Sunday law crisis, but they met their judgment when they rejected the first angel’s message in the spring of 1844, and were then divinely pronounced as the daughters of Babylon. Those fallen Protestants typify Laodicean Adventism in the last days of the investigative judgment.
ILaodike lithetha abantu abagwetyiweyo, yaye amaLaodike, amaYuda exesha likaKristu, ekugqibeleni agwetywa ngowama-70 AD ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem. Isigwebo sokugqibela sobuProtestanti obuwexukileyo senzeka kwintlekele yomthetho weCawa, kodwa bahlangabezana nesigwebo sabo xa besala isigidimi sengelosi yokuqala entwasahlobo yowama-1844, baza ke emva koko babhengezwa nguThixo njengabantwana baseBhabheli. Abo baProtestanti bawileyo bangumfuziselo wobuAdventist baseLaodike kwimihla yokugqibela yomgwebo wophando.
We have now essentially reviewed several various ways in which the seven churches of Revelation can be correctly understood as prophetic symbols and thereafter prophetically applied. But they must be understood and applied within the context of the prophetic rules “that have been given us by the highest authority.”
Ngoku ke, ngokuyintloko, sihlolile iindlela ezahlukeneyo ezininzi apho amabandla asixhenxe eSityhilelo anokuqondwa ngokuchanekileyo njengemiqondiso yesiprofeto, aze emva koko asetyenziswe ngokwesiprofeto. Kodwa ke amele aqondwe aze asetyenziswe ngaphakathi komxholo wemithetho yesiprofeto “esiyinikiweyo ligunya eliphezulu kunawo onke.”
The message to the seven churches were messages given to the seven churches that were in existence when John recorded the messages. The messages to the seven churches provide instruction and warning for all churches throughout history. The messages to the seven churches provide instruction and warning for individual Christians throughout history. The seven churches represent the history of Christianity from the time of the apostles until the end of the world. The seven churches represent the history of ancient Israel from the time of Moses until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The seven churches may be recognized and applied by identifying the distinction between the first four churches and the last three churches.
Umyalezo oya kumabandla asixhenxe yayiyimiyalezo eyanikwa loo mabandla asixhenxe ayekhona ngexesha uYohane ebhala phantsi loo miyalezo. Imiyalezo eya kumabandla asixhenxe inika umyalelo nesilumkiso kuwo onke amabandla kuyo yonke imbali. Imiyalezo eya kumabandla asixhenxe inika umyalelo nesilumkiso kumaKristu ngamnye kuyo yonke imbali. Amabandla asixhenxe amele imbali yobuKristu ukususela kwixesha labapostile kude kube sekupheleni kwehlabathi. Amabandla asixhenxe amele imbali kaSirayeli wamandulo ukususela kwixesha likaMoses kude kube kukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngo-70 AD. Amabandla asixhenxe anokuqondwa aze asetyenziswe ngokuchonga umahluko phakathi kwamabandla amane okuqala namathathu okugqibela.
Of the six various prophetic applications we are identifying, the same applications are represented in the seven seals.
Kwezi zintandathu ngeentlobo ngeentlobo zokusebenza kwesiprofeto esizichongayo, kwa ezo zicelo zikwamelwe kumatywina asixhenxe.
We will address these truths in the next article.
Siza kujongana nezi nyaniso kwinqaku elilandelayo.