Habakkuk's Two Tables
Part Four: DANIEL
Presented by Jeff Pippenger
Invocation by Brother Jeff Pippenger: Heavenly Father, we thank you for a good night's rest, waking us up to serve you another day. As we take up our study this morning, we ask that you would pour your Holy Spirit out upon us and Latter Rain power, that you would purify our vessels that we might receive this message, this infilling of the Holy Spirit, that you would forgive our sins, that you would take control of this study, that you guide and direct and let your words be the words that are conveyed, your thoughts, and give us the ability to understand them as you see fit, in a way that we can have light to share with those around us and in a way that we will be changed in the fullness of your image. We ask in Jesus's name. Amen.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: We are dealing with these Two Tables [the 1843 and the 1850 Charts] beings typified in Bible prophecy. I will have to go through a few hoops before we pull the trigger on how the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel represent the waymarks of Millerite History. This is where we are going. And one of those waymarks is the 2520. We are showing that the 2520 is the symbol of the judgment, the Executive Judgment for Nimrod, Belshazzar, and Nebuchadnezzar. And once we see that, we take the history of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and bring it to our history. We are going to see that the 2520 has been typified as a symbol of our rebellion here at the end of the world.
So, we still have to put a few things in place before we get to those conclusions.
Belshazzar's Fall
Our first quote. If you have not been paying attention closely to your quotes because of time or whatever, this quote will seem almost identical to the first quote that we read yesterday; but, if you go back and read it, it is not. It starts with the same seven words or so, but then Ellen White says something totally different.
Signs of the Times, July 20, 1891:
"In the history of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, God speaks to nations of today."—
The other quote says He speaks to the people, and she says something; but, here she says,
—"God speaks to nations of today. We are to take to heart the lessons he sought to teach these rebellious kings; for if Belshazzar had pursued a course in harmony with the instruction given to his grandfather, he would have retained not only his kingdom but his life. He disregarded the lessons [of his grandfather], and went on in rebellion against God, committing the very sins for which his grandfather had been reproved and punished. He, too, lifted himself up in pride and exaltation, and the final judgment of God fell upon him and his house. His great sin was that, notwithstanding God had given him light, he refused to walk in the paths of righteousness." Signs of the Times, July 20, 1891.
The Warning Message
But, you could also say that Belshazzar refused to walk in the Old Paths. The foundational warning message for Belshazzar was the judgment that came upon his father Nebuchadnezzar; and, when Belshazzar is rejecting that warning message of Nebuchadnezzar's punishment of 2520, he is rejecting to walk in the Old Paths.
BELSHAZZAR'S FALL
Judgment of the Living
Scattering (Nimrod)
2520
(John the Baptist) Judgment
(Shem) BEGINNING END
Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel)
WARNING MESSAGE FEAST
FOUNDATION
Falling
Away
MENE……… 1000
(2) (3) MENE……… 1000
Gold Silver Precious TEKEL……… 20
Stones UPHARSIN… 500
2520
Figure No. 44A.
So, in our studies, we have been looking at the dynamics, the characteristics of these periods of time when God is dealing with mankind. They are always the same.
And some of the illustrations in God's Word are illustrating how the righteous respond to this testing process, and at other times these illustrations are dealing with the unrighteous response to this testing process.
And we noted with Nimrod, it is the Judgment of the Living that the Lord comes down, investigates the city and the tower. He is passing judgment on it. He is investigating it. It is the Investigative Judgment.
But, Nimrod and his cohorts were alive, and this history that begins when the Lord comes down is identifying the Judgment of the Living.
And we identified that as the testing message for Nimrod, it was the testing message of Shem. If you remember back a ways when we dealt with Judas, it was the testing message of John the Baptist.
And for Belshazzar, it was the testing message of Nebuchadnezzar. It was Nebuchadnezzar's warning to him. And I have here in parentheses, and the reason I do have "(Daniel)" [Figure No. 44A] is I want you to see that it is noted in there that the warning message for Belshazzar comes from the Book of Daniel. It comes from Daniel; because, this is prefiguring the warning to us at the end of the world.
So, once the warning message is empowered, you have illustrated the judgment of the living.
Ultimately you get to a point where there is a Falling Away first, and the Falling Away has many symbols that represent the Falling Away.
And the Falling Away takes place before the Judgment. This is where the man of sin is revealed, if you are speaking in terms of 2 Thessalonians. This is teaching Seventh-day Adventists, if they are willing to be taught, that even though they are protesting the concept that probation closes for Seventh-day Adventists at The Sunday Law, the reality of it is, it closes before The Sunday Law. The Falling Away is marking those people in Adventism that then begin to see strong delusion, while the other class in Adventism then begin to receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, just prior to the man of sin being revealed at The Sunday Law.
So, this [Figure No. 44A] is a very brief synopsis of this process.
And with the story of Belshazzar, it starts right here; it starts with the Falling Away. It takes us into his feast.
And this is Belshazzar's last supper, just as it was Judas's last supper. Judas and Belshazzar, teaching the same story.
At the beginning and the ending there are many times a lesson in the beginning and the ending.
With Judas, his rebellion began with the feast at Simon's house. It ended with his last supper.
But, with Belshazzar, the story just takes us right into the last supper.
So, in Daniel 5, verses 18 through 24, it says—and this is the warning message that Daniel brings in to Belshazzar. He does not bring him the warning message. It is too late for him to receive the warning message. He is just defining what is going to happen to Belshazzar because of his rejection of the warning message.
18O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne,"—
Okay. This is where Belshazzar is at. His heart is lifted up in pride and he is going to be deposed from his kingly throne.
—"and they took his glory from him: 21And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
22And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;"—
Okay. This is probably one of the most important thoughts in this. Daniel is making sure that we understand here at the end of the world that Belshazzar's rebellion took place in spite of the fact that he fully knew the foundational warning message of Nebuchadnezzar, which was the 2520, the seven times, "Though thou knewest all this, . . . ."
—"23But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven;"—
Lifted himself up: pride, gâdal, self-exaltation.
—"and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written." Daniel 5:18–24 (KJV).
Sister White says in Bible Echo, April 25, 1898:
"Belshazzar had been given many opportunities for knowing and doing the will of God. He had seen"—
He had seen; he just did not hear about it.
—"He had seen his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar banished from the society of men. He had seen the intellect in which the proud monarch gloried taken away by the One who gave it. He had seen the king driven from his kingdom, and made the companion of the beasts of the field. But Belshazzar's love of amusement and self-glorification effaced the lessons he should never have forgotten; and he committed sins similar to those that brought signal judgments on Nebuchadnezzar."—
And we are going to look at the word signal.
The judgment of Nebuchadnezzar is a sign. It is a signal, just like the judgment of Belshazzar is a sign; just like the judgment of Nimrod is a sign.
What was the judgment of Nimrod?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: They were scattered.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Scattered, and . . . ?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (No response.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: And the tower got brought down. There is a sign.
—"signal judgments on Nebuchadnezzar. He wasted the opportunities graciously granted him, neglecting to use the opportunities within his reach for becoming acquainted with truth. 'What must I do to be saved?' was a question that the great but"—what?—"foolish king passed by indifferently." Bible Echo, April 25, 1898.
Belshazzar is representing a class that are fools. This is the foolish virgins. He is a king, but maybe a king of the foolish virgins; but, he is a foolish virgin and he "passed by indifferently."
And in Webster's Dictionary from Sister White's day and age, it says,
SIGNAL: noun—A sign that gives or is intended to give notice; or the notice given. Adjective—Eminent; remarkable; memorable; distinguished from what is ordinary. Webster's 1828 Dictionary.
A signal, a sign that is given or is intended to give notice. As an adjective, one of its definitions is that it is memorable. It is a memorial.
So, Belshazzar's punishment, Nebuchadnezzar's punishment, Nimrod's punishment, they are signal punishments. They are signs. They are punishments that you and I are supposed to understand at the end of the world. We are supposed to understand them prophetically.
Nimrod's Memorial
And we have already read this in a previous presentation, but from Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 118 – 123, it says, speaking of Nimrod's time,
"The schemes of the Babel builders ended in shame and defeat."—
This is where Belshazzar is ending, in shame and defeat.
But, with Nimrod, the monument, the memorial monument:
—"The monument to their pride became the memorial of their folly. Yet men are continually pursuing the same course—depending upon self, and rejecting God's law. It is the principle that Satan tried to carry out in heaven; the same that governed Cain in presenting his offering.
"There are tower builders in our time."—
So, these judgments are being marked by Scripture—the judgment of Nimrod, Belshazzar, and Nebuchadnezzar—as signs, signals, memorials.
—"Infidels construct their theories from the supposed deductions of sciences, and reject the revealed word of God. They presume to pass sentence upon God's moral government; they despise His law and boast of the sufficiency of human reason. Then, 'because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.' Ecclesiastes 8:11." Patriarchs and Prophets, 118–123.
Belshazzar's Memorial
Messages to Young People, page 229:
"Those who are unfaithful to the work of God are lacking in principle; their motives are not of a character to lead them to choose the right under all circumstances. The servants of God are to feel at all times that they are under the eye of their employer. He who watched the sacrilegious feast of Belshazzar is present in all our institutions, in the counting-room of the merchant, in the private workshop; and the bloodless hand is as surely recording your neglect as it recorded the awful judgment of the blasphemous king. Belshazzar's condemnation was written in words of fire, 'Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting'; and if you fail to fulfill your God-given obligations your condemnation will be the same." Messages to Young People, 229.
So, Sister White is making sure that we understand that the judgment against Belshazzar is typifying our judgment, if we followed his practices.
The Wine of Babylon and the Vessels of God—Boundary Line Crossed
Okay. Belshazzar is going to make a big feast in this story, and we want to draw some thing out of this feast.
Daniel 5:1-5, this is where the story of Belshazzar begins in chapter 5.
"1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." Daniel 5:1–4 (KJV).
So, what are we seeing here? We are seeing the climax of the Mystery of Iniquity; because, the vessels from the temple represent God's people, God's true and faithful people because we are all vessels from God's temple; and, here, they are being mixed with the wine of Babylon. This is the amalgamation, the mixture, the mingling that represents the climax of the Mystery of Iniquity in Belshazzar's life.
And here, in the Falling Away, this is very important to see. When you get to this point in this process, the Falling Away is marked by the climax by the Mystery of Iniquity. There is a Falling Away first in order for the man of sin to be revealed, and there are several symbols of what this climax of the Mystery of Iniquity is, whether it is the marrying of heathen wives that we have looked at, or the sons of God marrying the daughters of men, or the mixing the sacred fire and the unsacred fire, or light with darkness.
What Belshazzar is doing here is he is mixing the wine of Babylon with the sacred vessels. He is mixing the doctrine of Babylon with God's people. This is the Mystery of Iniquity.
And who is he praising when he does this? The gods of gold, silver, bass, iron, wood, and stone.
And in Patriarchs and Prophets—we have already read this, but I want you to see concerning Nimrod—page 119:
"When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned, were devoted to their idols. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth."—
This is the same thing that Belshazzar is doing, that Nimrod is doing.
—"Suddenly"—
Now, this is to be noted. Right here [the Feast, in Figure No. 44A], when you get to this point, the last supper for Belshazzar, at the last supper for Judas, what did Jesus say to Judas? "What thou doest, take your time"?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: "What thou doest, do quickly."
BROTHER PIPPENGER: "Do quickly."
With Nimrod, "suddenly"; and with Belshazzar, suddenly there is a hand writing on the wall.
And what does Sister White say about this history leading to The Sunday Law? She says the final movements will be rapid ones. When you get to the cup of iniquity being full [pointing at the period of the Feast in Figure No. 44A] and the foolish virgins here, [claps his hands three times] time moves very quickly.
—"Suddenly the work that had been advancing so prosperously was checked. Angels were sent to bring to naught the purpose of the builders." Patriarchs and Prophets, 119
Now, we have read—and this is No. 25 of a series—and we have emphasized in the past that it is the Third Angel that does the work of separating the wheat from the tares. But, here it was angels that were sent "to bring to naught the purpose of the builders." And in this history, we have the First Angel, the Second Angel, and the Third Angel. So, it is the process of these three-step messages that separates the wheat from the tares. And when you get down to the last supper of Belshazzar or Judas, the separation is taking place, just before the man of sin is revealed, just before the judgment.
Okay. Habakkuk, chapter 2. And what is Habakkuk, chapter 2? It is the chapter that we get these Two Tables from [the 1843 and the 1850 Charts]; but, we usually do not read this far into the chapter.
Beginning in verse 18, it says,
"18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it;"—
But of course, this is referencing the people that are praising the gods of the gold and the silver and wood, graven images, idolatry.
—"18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19Woe unto him that saith to the wood,"—
Now, here is the woe right here [the Feast] on Belshazzar, Nimrod, Judas.
—"19Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver,"—we are praising the gods of gold and silver—"Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But"—what?—"the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." Habakkuk 2:18–20 (KJV).
When this is going on, the Lord is in his holy temple. It is the Judgment of the Living.
The Fool
When you reach the Falling Away, we have established repeatedly that what happens when you reach the climax of the Mystery of Iniquity in your own life is that your imagination is wicked continually. All right?
Romans 1:21-22 says,
"21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,"—
Or you could put in there, 'Because when Judas and Belshazzar knew God, they glorified him not as God."
Did Judas know God? Yes. He walked with Him for three and a half years.
Did Belshazzar know God? He had every opportunity to know God. He watched what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, and he watched the activities of Daniel in relation to that event.
—"21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became"—what?—"vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise,"—Belshazzar became a foolish king—"they became fools." Romans 1:21–22 (KJV).
They become the foolish virgins.
What do not the foolish virgins have? The golden oil.
What is the golden oil? It is the message that lets them know who God is.
They know not God, but they could have.
Every Man's Work shall be made Manifest and then shall that Wicked be Revealed
Paul speaks of some of these themes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-20. He says,
"10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation,"—
Paul is talking about laying the foundation, and the foundations are always laid here [indicating at the first waymark of Figure No. 44A]. So, Paul is talking about building on the foundation.
Two classes: one class is going to build gold on the foundation, silver, and precious stones; but, the other class, they are going to build wood, hay, and stubble. They are going to come into this experience [at the first waymark, the laying of the foundation].
Judas came into this experience at the feast at Simon's house. He already had an attitude problem, according to Sister White, because of the teaching of Christ in John, chapter 6, when He says, "You have to eat my flesh and drink my blood." And Sister White said that Judas understood that message. He knew what it meant. He knew that it was to be spiritually understood, but he did not want to receive that message because he wanted Jesus to be a literal king. So, in spite of the fact that he knew that message, he fought that message.
And then he goes into the feast at Simon's, and there is Mary.
And what is Mary doing? She is humbling herself at the feet of Jesus.
Jesus illustrates the end from the beginning.
The thing that irritates Judas at his last supper, what is it? The same thing as Mary. There is Jesus washing the Disciples' feet. He did not like that, either. He did not like Mary washing Jesus's feet. At the beginning, he did not like Jesus washing the Disciples' feet at the end, at this feast [at the first waymark, Simon's feast] to this feast [at the Falling Away]. Mary was kissing Jesus's feet; Judas kisses Jesus, too, as he betrays Him.
There are things that are illustrated from the beginning and the end. And in here [when the Divine Symbol comes down], John hears the message of the Bread of Heaven; and, we see John in Revelation 10, he goes and takes the Bread of Heaven out of the Angel's hand and he eats it. He is illustrating the contrast with Judas.
So, when you are talking about worshipping these idols of gold, wood, silver, and stone, praising those gods, Paul is talking about two classes of worshippers, one that puts gold, silver, and precious stones on the foundational truth. And gold, Sister White says, is faith which works by love and purifies the soul. And the First Angel's Message is the message of purification; because, in Daniel 12:10, it says, "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; . . ." The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, purification, gold; and righteousness, made white. And silver in the Bible represents obedience. This is righteousness.
This is the Three Angels' Messages what is being placed upon this foundation: gold, faith which works by love and purifies the soul; silver, obedience, manifested in righteousness; and, precious stones. And what are the precious stones? The precious stones are the stones that are on the High Priest's breastplate when He is in the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement.
Paul is speaking to this.
—"10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
"12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones,"—
There is one class. There is John.
—"wood, hay, stubble;"—
There is Judas. There is Belshazzar.
—"13Every man's work shall be made manifest:"—
When is it made manifest? Well, the man of sin is made manifest right here [at The Sunday Law], after the power that is restraining him falls away.
—"13Every man's work shall be made manifest:"—
And it is every man's work. At The Sunday Law you are going to manifest, whether you have a character for the Seal of God or a character for the mark of the beast. You are going to manifest at The Sunday Law whether you are a wise or a foolish virgin, whether you are Judas or John.
—"13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire;"—
How is it revealed? By fire.
We read a quote here yesterday or the day before. It says Jesus is the true altar. And what is the fire, the true fire? The Holy Spirit.
So, what reveals what we are? Well, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in this history, the fire coming down out of Heaven. He is going to manifest whether you or I are building on this foundational work, either gold, silver, or in precious stones, or wood, hay, or stubble. And what reveals this is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which begins when the Divine Symbol comes down.
—"13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try"—test—"every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."—
Is wood, hay, and stubble going to remain in a fire? No.
—"15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
"16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."—
What was Belshazzar doing? He was defiling the temple of God, the temple utensils.
—"18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world,"—
Belshazzar!
Judas, all the Disciples thought Judas was wise.
—"If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God."—
What is the wisdom of this world? Mystery of Iniquity. It is foolishness with God.
—"For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are"—what?—"vain." 1 Corinthians 3:10–20 (KJV).
The wise are vain.
And the climax of this vanity is when their imagination is totally corrupted.
In Heavenly Places, page 47, it says,
"As fire reveals the difference between gold, silver, and precious stones, and wood, hay, and stubble, so the Day of Judgment will test characters, showing the difference between characters formed after Christ's likeness and characters formed after the likeness of the selfish heart. All selfishness, all false religion, will then appear as it is. The worthless material will be consumed; but the gold of true, simple, humble faith will never lose its value. It can never be consumed; for it is imperishable.
"Anyone can be just what he chooses to be. Character is not obtained by receiving an education."—
Character is not obtained by receiving an education.
—"Character is not obtained by amassing wealth or by gaining worldly honor. Character is not obtained by having others fight the battle of life for us. It must be sought, worked for, fought for; and it requires a purpose, a will, a determination. To form a character which God will approve, requires persevering effort. It will take a continual resisting of the powers of darkness to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel,"—
By the way, if you go into In Heavenly Places, this last saying, this last statement, it will require "a continual resisting of the powers of darkness," it leaves out that next phrase. You know, it has the little ellipsis ( . . . ), and it jumps right to the end of the sentence, "to be approved in the day of Judgment, . . ." And when I find in the middle of the paragraph the dot, dot, dot, I invariably am forced to go see what they took out—all right?—why did they take it out
So, I put it back in. I do not know why they took out only ten words out of a paragraph. Why would they take that out? It makes no sense to me editorially to remove that statement.
What did they remove? They removed, "to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel."
Okay. That is not what we are studying here. It is just an observation about the people that prepared the book Heavenly Places. If you go back to the original, those ten words are in the original. I have no idea why that was taken out.
Now that I have got our minds going in the wrong direction, let me back into the paragraph.
—"To form a character which God will approve, requires persevering effort. It will take a continual resisting of the powers of darkness to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, to be approved in the day of Judgment, and have our names retained in the book of life. Is it not worth more to have our names registered in that book, have them immortalized among the heavenly angels, than to have them sounded in praise throughout the whole earth?
"In the probationary time granted us here we are each building a structure that is to have the inspection of the Judge of all the earth. This work is the molding of our characters. Every act of our lives is a stone in that building, every faculty is a worker, every blow that is struck is for good or for evil. The words of inspiration warn us to take heed how we build, to see that our foundation is sure. If we build upon the solid rock, pure, noble, upright deeds, the structure will go up beautiful and symmetrical, a fit temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit." In Heavenly Places, 47.
So, I have taken the time here to try to emphasize that when Nimrod and Belshazzar here [the Feast marked in Figure No. 44A] are praising the gods of gold and wood and silver, at the time that they are falling away, leading to Judgment, they are teaching the lesson that in this history of the Judgment of the Living we have a work to do to build our temple, our character, for the Lord. And we either are going to do it one of two ways. We are either going to build gold, the First Angel's Message; silver, the Second Angel's Message; precious stones, Third Angel's Message, or it is going to be wood, hay, and stubble.
And in this time period when the Fire is coming down out of Heaven, if it is wood, hay, and stubble that you have been building with, it is going to be burnt up; and, this will be manifested right here at the Judgment, after he that restraineth is taken out of the way so that who can be revealed? The man of sin.
Because, right here at the Judgment two men are going to be revealed, the man of sin or the man of righteousness. Okay?
But, in these stories, 2 Thessalonians, Nimrod, Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar, and Judas, it is talking about how this process impacts the foolish virgins; so, it is talking about the man of sin being revealed. But, do not ever forget, the wise virgins, they are going to be revealed, too. They are going to be lifted up as an ensign, perfectly reflecting the character of Christ. They are the men of righteousness.
Is not Christ righteous?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Amen.
Earthen Vessels
BROTHER PIPPENGER: 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 and other places in the Bible, tells us that we are vessels.
"6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:6–7 (KJV).
So, when Belshazzar brings in the sacred vessels out of God's temple, he is mixing the sacred with the common. This is a symbol of the Mystery of Iniquity reaching its climax in his life. It is the sons of God taking for wives the daughters of men. We are the vessels.
Judas
And I have already mentioned this, The Desire of Ages, page 655.
"In surprise and confusion at the exposure of his purpose, Judas rose hastily to leave the room. 'Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. . . . He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.' Night it was to the traitor as he turned away from Christ into the outer darkness.
"Until this step was taken, Judas had not passed beyond the possibility of repentance. But when he left the presence of his Lord and his fellow disciples, the final decision had been made. He had passed the boundary line." The Desire of Ages, 655.
The hand writing on the wall, the lightening that brings down the tower, when the cup of their iniquity is full, whether it is Judas, Nimrod, Belshazzar, when the Falling Away is final, then it comes suddenly, as a thief in the night.
Nimrod
And you will see the quote in your notes concerning it coming suddenly to Nimrod.
"When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned, were devoted to their idols. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth. Suddenly the work that had been advancing so prosperously was checked." Patriarchs and Prophets, 120.
Restraint Taken Away
Now concerning Belshazzar, where it says, "Restraint Taken Away," because that is what is going on here. The Falling Away is the removal of the restraint. The Falling Away is when Paganism in AD508 is taken away that the Papacy can rise, the man of sin.
Prophets and Kings, page 530:
"In that last night of mad folly,"—Belshazzar's last supper—"In that last night of mad folly, Belshazzar and his lords had filled up the measure of their guilt and the guilt of the Chaldean kingdom. No longer could God's restraining hand ward off the impending evil."—
The restrainer is removed. God's restraining hand is taken away.
—"Through manifold providences, God had sought to teach them reverence for His law. 'We would have healed Babylon,'"—
Did you know that? The Lord was willing to turn Babylon into a righteous nation.
He is willing to do that with every nation that comes onto the scene of history.
—"'We would have healed Babylon,' He declared of those whose judgment was now reaching unto heaven, 'but she is not healed.' Jeremiah 51:9. Because of the strange perversity of the human heart, God had at last found it necessary to pass the irrevocable sentence. Belshazzar was to fall,"—
And here is the falling away first.
—"Belshazzar was to fall, and his kingdom was to pass into other hands." Prophets and Kings, 530.
Belshazzar's fall, and that is what is one of the things we are studying this for, is that Babylon is fallen, is fallen; it is the fall of Babylon. Here is Belshazzar's fall.
Does the fall of Babylon come before Babylon is judged? Yes. He falls away first. His judgment is going to be right here [at the third waymark of Figure No. 44A]. Babylon is fallen just before the—
You know, that is why when comes to when Belshazzar falls, this waymark here, when the restraint is moved away that the man of sin might be revealed, this is where the Mystery of Iniquity always reaches its climax, the Mystery of Iniquity being the marrying of two things that should not be married, the combining of dark with lightness, God's people marrying heathen people.
Are you with me? Is everyone with me?
When that reaches its climax right here, one of the symbols of this is the combination of church and state.
Are church and state supposed to be combined?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: No.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay.
And Sister White calls the combination of church and state, more than once, the image of the beast. And because of this, if you understand this process, right here [at the Falling Away] the image of the beast is formed. It is put in place.
Was Belshazzar here projecting the image of the beast?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations).
BROTHER PIPPENGER: How about Judas?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay. The image of the beast is formed here [at the Falling Away]; but, probation closes here [at Judgment, The Sunday Law].
That is why Sister White says in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7, page 976.2,
"The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes;"—and then what does she say?—"for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.... [Revelation 13:11-17 King James Version
American Standard Version
Webster's Bible
American King James Version
Darby Bible
World English Bible
Young's Literal Translation
quoted.] ..." {7BC 976.2}
This is the test they must pass before they are sealed.
When are we sealed? We are sealed at The Sunday Law.
But this test here, the image of the beast test, it comes before The Sunday Law and it is the great test which our eternal destiny will be decided.
Did Belshazzar pass that test?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: No.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: No. He demonstrates right here [at the Falling Away] that the Mystery of Iniquity has reached its climax in his life. The image of the beast has been formed. He falls away.
Now the man of sin is going to be revealed. Probation is going to close.
You have got to see this. I am emphasizing these things on purpose. You have got to see this sequence of events if you are going to unravel Revelation 18:1-4.
Thyatira – the Papacy
In your notes you have Revelation 2:21. This is Thyatira; this is the Papacy. Belshazzar's Babylon is prefiguring spiritual Babylon, the Papacy; and, the Lord gave Belshazzar's Babylon opportunity to repent, just like he gave the Papacy space to repent.
"And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not." Revelation 2:21 (KJV).
What was the space given to the Papacy to repent?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: 1260 years.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: 1260 years.
What was the time period that the Lord gave to Babylon to be healed?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: 70 years.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: 70 years. That is why Sister White compares this 70 years with the 1260. This is their probationary time.
This here [Figure No. 44A] is showing the end of Belshazzar and Babylon's probationary time.
And right here—we have already been through these things. This is a review—when it comes to Nimrod [indicating the Falling Away], Genesis 11:6,
"6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." Genesis 11:6 (KJV).
The restraint is removed.
And 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8:
"6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And 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 2:6–8 (KJV).
And the man of sin will be revealed.
Who is the man of sin with Judas? Barabbas. Barabbas, because he gets taken out of the way before the man of sin.
The Divine Pronouncement
Okay. Now, the Divine Pronouncement is going to come upon Belshazzar [pointing to the waymark of Judgment], and the Divine Pronouncement is Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. And here is the math of it.
When you consider the coinage, the monetary system of this time period, it was gerahs. And Mene represents 1000 gerahs; Mene, 1000 gerahs; a Tekel, 20 gerahs; Upharsin, one-half a Mene, 500 gerahs = 2520. That is the Divine Pronouncement on Belshazzar.
Daniel 5:5-6:
"5In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." Daniel 5:5–6 (KJV).
So, what writes this pronouncement upon the wall? The fingers of a man's hand.
Whose fingers are those?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: God's.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: God's.
And how many times does God write in the Bible? Three times. They all have to do with conviction of sin.
Notice the next one, Exodus 32:16.
"16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables." Exodus 32:16 (KJV).
And we have already shown, Brothers and Sisters, when we are dealing with the typology of these Two Tables [the 1843 and 1850 Charts] that the two tables of The Ten Commandments typifies these Two Tables of Habakkuk. And one of the characteristics of the two tables of The Ten Commandments is that it was God that wrote them. And every time God writes, it has to do with conviction of sin.
And God is writing Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin for Belshazzar. Is Belshazzar getting convicted of sin?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Yes.
And then the other place that you can see God is writing in the Bible is John 8:6.
"6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." John 8:6 (KJV).
What was Jesus writing on the ground?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Their sins.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Their sins. And one by one, as He took up their names and wrote their sins, they fled.
When God writes, it has to do with convicting of sin.
The Handwriting on the Wall
Of course, when it comes to studying the typifications of these Two Tables [the 1843 and 1850 Charts], what does Sister White say in Early Writings, page 74?
"I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by"—who?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The hand of the Lord.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: These Charts were produced
—"by the hand of the Lord,"—
Were Belshazzar's pronouncement produced by the hand of the Lord? Yes.
These have to do with the conviction of sin, based upon the testimony of three.
—"and that it should not be altered;"—
"It should not be altered, Brother Jeff? I thought this 1843 Chart had many mistakes on it and that we needed to alter it and introduce a counterfeit in 1863."
No, that is not what the Spirit of Prophecy says. When God writes something, it is supposed to stand fast forever.
—"that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed." Early Writings, 74.
I like this next passage. I like it a lot. This is from Youth Instructor, May 26, 1898.
It does not matter at all if I like it. I hope the Holy Spirit uses it to convict you as well. All right? But, I like this passage.
Remember this story. Belshazzar sees the handwriting on the wall.
By the way, Brothers and Sisters, do you see the handwriting on the wall?
Do you see the handwriting on the wall [directing his question to an attendee in the audience].
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmation.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Where?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: There behind you.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Right here (indicating the 1843 and 1850 Charts on the wall behind the podium), the handwriting on the wall.
And Belshazzar sees the handwriting on the wall and he is freaking out. I mean, think about it. He cannot control his legs. He has got to be sitting down.
And Sister White says when Daniel came down, Belshazzar tried to prop himself up in the chair so he would look like he still had some authority as a king. He was trying to hold himself. I do not know what kind of a nervous breakdown that is, but it is a genuine nervous breakdown.
And there is a woman that comes in, and she tells him, "Hey, Daniel can explain this for you," after Nebuchadnezzar had sought help from the various magicians.
And Sister White comments on this.
"There was in the palace a woman who was wiser than them all,—the queen of Belshazzar's grandfather."—
Who is Belshazzar's grandfather? Nebuchadnezzar.
Who is the king's queen, in our terminology? His wife. This is Nebuchadnezzar's wife.
In prophetic terminology, who is she? She is the church of Nebuchadnezzar.
Is Nebuchadnezzar a saved man?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Yes.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Ah, are all the prophecies pointing to the end of the world?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay. This is the faithful Seventh-day Adventist church at the end of the world going into the unfaithful Seventh-day Adventist Church and telling them the warning message can only be understood if you get the Book of Daniel out.
Now, notice, this woman is a student of prophecy, and this is going to require for you some of your own effort, but you can see it. Okay?
—"In this emergency she addressed the king in language that sent a ray of light into the darkness."—
And Sister White is specifically saying that the queen addressed the king in a language.
Okay. Here in Arkansas, if the Arkansonians are going to talk about this group of people, they are going to say, "Y'all."
And our friends up in Canada, they are going to say, "Youse guys, eh."
And Candace from California, she is going to say, "Dudes." All right?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Laughter.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, how people speak tells you something about where they are from.
You go ahead and you take her words that she presents to Belshazzar and you will see that she is taking words that are derived from Daniel 2, Daniel 3, and Daniel 4. Okay?
She spoke, Sister White says,
—"In this emergency she addressed the king in language that sent a ray of light into the darkness."—
She was a student of prophecy. She had been studying the Book of Daniel. She was using the message of Daniel to produce a ray of light into this darkness, and she was the church in this situation.
—"'O king, live forever,'"—
Go look it up, where that comes from.
—"she said; 'let not thy thoughts trouble thee,"—
Go look that one up, where that comes from. Look them all up.
—"nor let thy countenance be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers: . . . now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.'"—
The Book of Daniel is going to give the prophetic interpretation in this crisis, in this process, in the Judgment of the Living when Belshazzar is representing Judas, representing the foolish virgins. Their only hope is to go to the Book of Daniel and understand the warning message.
And they are not going to know to go to the Book of Daniel, except that Nebuchadnezzar's wife, there is a church there, that is studying the Book of Daniel, they know the message, and they are going to tell Belshazzar, "This is the message."
And what do they tell Belshazzar? Well, the handwriting on the wall is the 2520.
—"'Then was Daniel brought in before the king.' Making an effort to brace himself, and to show his authority, Belshazzar said: 'Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? . . .'"—
Belshazzar is making the effort to brace himself. He could barely sit up.
—"'Art thou Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? . . .' Daniel was not awed by the king's appearance, nor confused or intimidated by his words. 'Let thy gifts be to thyself,' he answered, 'and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. . . .'
"Daniel did not swerve from his duty. He held the king's sin before him, showing him the lessons he might have learned, but did not. Belshazzar had not heeded the events so significant to him. He had not read his grandfather's history correctly. The responsibility of knowing truth had been laid upon him, but the practical lessons he might have learned and acted upon had not been taken to heart; and his course of action brought the sure result."—
This is a people that had rejected the warning message of Daniel. Belshazzar represents a group of people that have rejected the warning message of Daniel as given in the foundation of their history. Nebuchadnezzar is the beginning of Babylon; Belshazzar is at the end. Belshazzar represents a people that have rejected the warning message that is in the foundation of their history.
And what was the warning message of Nebuchadnezzar? That he was going to spend seven times. Hmm. That is why the 2520 connects.
—"This was the last feast of boasting held by the Chaldean king;"—
This is his last supper, just like it was Judas's last supper.
—"for he who bears long with man's perversity had passed the irrevocable sentence. Belshazzar had greatly dishonored the One who had exalted him as king, and his probation was taken from him."—
His probation was taken from him here at the Feast. Cyrus has not yet come in and killed him. When Cyrus comes through the gates, okay, that is October 22, 1844; because, Cyrus opens the gates that no man could open. He comes through that one, and Jesus opens the door that no man could open on October 22, 1844. And Cyrus is a type of Christ.
Cyrus comes after the Feast. Sister White says Belshazzar's probation closes right here when the church, the Seventh-day Adventist church, represented by Nebuchadnezzar's wife, is giving the final warning message to Belshazzar, saying, "The Book of Daniel tells you that the last call for your repentance is the 2520," and they rejected it in their last supper, and thereafter probation closes at The Sunday Law.
Okay. We are going to read this on, because there are some really nice thoughts for some of us in this room.
—"and his probation was taken from him. While the king and his nobles were at the height of their revelry, the Persians turned the Euphrates out of its channel, and marched into the unguarded city. As Belshazzar and his lords were drinking from the sacred vessels of Jehovah,"—the Mystery of Iniquity—"and praising their gods of silver and gold,"—they have closed their probation—"Cyrus and his soldiers stood under the walls of the palace. 'In that night,' the record says, 'was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom.'
"Could the curtain be rolled back before the youth who have never given their hearts to God, with others who are Christians in name, but who are unrenewed in heart and unsanctified in temper, they would see that God's eye is ever upon them, and they would feel as disturbed as did the king of Babylon. They would realize that in every place, at every hour in the day, there is a holy Watcher, who balances every account, whose eye takes in the whole situation, whether it is one of fidelity, or one of disloyalty and deception.
"We are never alone. We have a Companion,"—with a capital "C"— whether we choose him or not. Remember, young men and young women, that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, God is there. To your every word and action you have a witness,—the holy, sin-hating God. Nothing that is said or done or thought can escape his infinite eye. Your words may not be heard by human ears, but they are heard by the Ruler of the universe. He reads the inward anger of the soul when the will is crossed. He hears the expression of profanity. In the deepest darkness and solitude he is there. No one can deceive God; none can escape from their accountability to him." Youth Instructor, May 26, 1898.
Daniel 5:25-28:
"25And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
"26This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." Daniel 5:25–28 (KJV).
2520
"13This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord." Exodus 30:13 (KJV).
A "mene" is fifty shekels, or one thousand gerahs. "Mene, mene" therefore equates to two thousand gerahs. A "tekel" is twenty gerahs. Therefore "mene, mene, tekel" equates to two thousand and twenty gerahs. A "upharsin" is one-half of a "mene," and represents five hundred gerahs.
Mene 1000
Mene 1000
Tekel 20
Upharsin 500
2520
Executive Judgment
"30In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30 (KJV).
Prophets and Kings, page 523: Cyrus comes in and Darius takes control of the kingdom.
"It was not long before reverses came. Babylon was besieged by Cyrus, nephew of Darius the Mede, and commanding general of the combined armies of the Medes and Persians. But within the seemingly impregnable fortress, with its massive walls and its gates of brass, protected by the river Euphrates, and stocked with provision in abundance, the voluptuous monarch felt safe and passed his time in mirth and revelry." Prophets and Kings, 523.
I have already referenced it.
Isaiah 44:28; 45:1 tell us that Cyrus is a type of Christ. He calls Cyrus His shepherd.
"chapter 44:28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."—
Who is our Shepherd?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Christ
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Christ.
"chapter 45:1Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut." Isaiah 44:28; 45:1 (KJV).
Who is our anointed one? It says Cyrus here.
And the two leaved gates that will not be shut, it was impossible for human beings to open those gates into Babylon; but, they were opened for him. And on October 22, 1844, Christ opened the door into the Most Holy Place. It was impossible for human beings to open those "gates" and He came in on October 22, 1844, as typified by Cyrus, who brought down Babylon.
You see those references from Isaiah and from Revelation 3:7-8.
"7And 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; 8I 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." Revelation 3:7–8 (KJV).
The First and the Last
Notice this next quote, Prophets and Kings, page 533.
"To the last ruler of Babylon, as in type to its first,"—
What does that mean?
That means that Ellen White is saying that Nebuchadnezzar typifies Belshazzar.
—"To the last ruler of Babylon, as in type to its first, had come the sentence of the divine Watcher: 'O king, . . . to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.' Daniel 4:31." Prophets and Kings, 533.
Now, not only here does Sister White say that Nebuchadnezzar typifies Belshazzar, she is telling us that in all the things that Nebuchadnezzar typifies Belshazzar of, the one that she is emphasizing is his judgment.
What was Nebuchadnezzar's judgment? The seven times.
What was Belshazzar's judgment? Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, the 2520; seven times.
Review and Herald, September 24, 1908:
"It has been repeatedly revealed to me that many professing Christians will, in the time of the final test, be greatly disappointed."—
This is the time of the final test [indicating from the first waymark through the Judgment [the Sunday Law in Figure No. 44A].
—"Many, many"—the majority is what she is saying—"Many, many will fail to provide themselves with that righteousness of Christ represented in the parable by the wedding-garment. They have trusted in their own righteousness, and have not manifested the humility of Jesus Christ. They may be seated at the supper table with others, but Christ will recognize them, and will say to them, 'How camest thou in hither not having on a wedding-garment?'"—
Do you know what that is for those people? It is their last supper.
—"Unless those who profess to be Christians become sanctified through the truth, and learn to reveal the likeness of Christ in words, in deeds, in spirituality, in their relation to their fellow men, the great day of test and trial will find them unprepared to enter through the golden gates into the city of God. And unless they can now be made to feel their great need, they will not have a spirit to seek for the essential righteousness of Christ.
"When called before King Belshazzar to explain the mysterious writing on the wall, Daniel reminded the king of matters with which he was familiar, but which had not taught him the lesson of humility that might have saved him. 'O thou king,' said the prophet, 'the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor: and for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: and he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.'
"Then the enormity of Belshazzar's guilt was thus emphasized: 'And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knowest all this; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them, and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways hast thou not glorified: then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
"'And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Tekel; Thou are weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.'
"The Lord does not suffer wicked practices to go on without sending reproof and warning. There are men in high places who know of the reproofs, of warnings, of judgment sent, who know the example of God's dealings with others who have been disobedient, yet who have not sought to correct their ways before God. They have endeavored rather to make of none effect the messages that God has sent. They have continued to exalt themselves, and to carry out their own ways in defiance of the words of God. They have not been ignorant of the right way, but they have allowed their eyes to be blinded. In pronouncing judgment upon these, God will say, as he said to the wicked king, 'Thou . . . hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.'
"Many have continued in a wicked course of action, until the Lord Jesus cannot accept their services unless there is a genuine conversion. His people today have no excuse for turning away from the counsels of his Spirit. In his Word, he has given us examples that should be warnings to us, yet although we have known all this, many of God's people have not taken heed to the warnings of God."—
Now, notice, she is emphasizing Belshazzar as a type of Adventism that rejects the warning messages found in God's Word. She is using that history. There are other histories that she could pull from; but, then she is going to quote some Bible for us. She says,
—"'Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
"'Now these things were our examples,"—
Does that mean that Belshazzar's story is our example?
—"to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
"'Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.'
"Among the many discordant elements, some have been unable to discern the voice of God in the messages of warning and reproof that have been sent for the guidance of the church.
"Men who have refused to walk in the plain counsel of the Lord, are not the ones who should be entrusted with the care of his sheep and lambs. Those who, while professing to believe the truth, resist the Holy Spirit, making light of the message from heaven, will surely be punished for their transgressions. They will not in the future have greater evidence of the truth of these messages than has been given in the past."—
Past histories is all they are going to get.
—"The Lord forbids that they should be entrusted with responsibilities that they might have borne, had they heeded the messages that the Lord in mercy sent them." Review and Herald, September 24, 1908.
Summary
BELSHAZZAR'S FALL
Judgment of the Living
Scattering (Nimrod)
2520
(John the Baptist) Judgment
(Shem) BEGINNING END
Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel) Rest Sabbath
WARNING MESSAGE FEAST
FOUNDATION
Falling
Away
MENE……… 1000
(2) (3) MENE……… 1000
Gold Silver Precious TEKEL……… 20
Stones UPHARSIN… 500
2520
Figure No. 44B.
Now, I am just going to take a little bit of time to summarize all this, before we come back to it on Sunday.
Typically in this presentation I go through Nimrod, Belshazzar, and Nebuchadnezzar; and, sometimes I can do that in one presentation. We have already taken two. And the conclusion that I seek to put in place in a typical presentation is that the judgment—the punishment for Nimrod being the scattering; the punishment for Belshazzar being the 2520, represented in the Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin; and, the punishment for Nebuchadnezzar being the seven times—are all three the same punishment. They are the 2520. And, we are going to deal with that.
But, in this presentation, we are going to take it a little bit further. On Sunday we are going to go through and show that chapter 1 of Daniel is the First Angel's Message that arrives in 1798; chapter 2 is the Second Angel's Message, 1842; chapter 3, the Third Angel's Message, 1844; and, that chapter 4 is William Miller's Dream, talking about a scattering that takes place in Adventism; chapter 5 is the end of Adventism, when the foundational truths are rejected; and, chapter 6 is The Sunday Law crisis when we are thrown into jail with the lions of Babylon. Okay?
So, we are going to take a little bit more time with that.
But, what we are putting in place, before we get there, has to do with the typifications of the truths on these 1843 and 1850 Charts and these two Charts.
And in our past studies we have noted that the beginning of Ancient Israel there was a rebellion that is the history that is used for the year-day principle. It was the rebellion of their unwillingness to go into the Promised Land. It was the rebellion of them rejecting the rest, the Rest of Grace we defined it as. It was the foundation of Ancient Israel.
And when you got to the end of Ancient Israel, you have got another rebellion where you find the year-day principle, and it was the rebellion against the rest. It was a rebellion not of the rest of obedience or the rest of not going into the Promised Land. It was a rebellion against the rest of the Sabbath.
So, at the end we see the rebellion of Adventism has to do with receiving the mark of the beast as they reject the Sabbath.
And at the beginning, the rest back here that they rejected was the Rest of Grace, Sister White called it and we defined it from her words. And this is what Paul is talking about, is they failed to enter into His rest. Okay? And this rest was premised upon them forgetting their foundation. They forgot the signs and wonders in Egypt; therefore, they did not have the faith to go into the Promised Land.
How were they going to go into the Promised Land? If they would have been obedient and listened to Joshua and Caleb, what was going to happen? He was going to lead them into the Promised Land, the same way that He brought them out of Egypt. Right? He was going to lead them on the same path. He was going to lead them on the Old Paths. But, they rejected the Old Paths, and then they ended up rejecting the Sabbath. And both of these are the passages in the Scriptures where you find the year-day principle marked; and, what we pointed out is that the 2520, it is the year-day principle. So, it is a symbol of the rejection of the Foundation for us, just as Ancient Israel rejected the Old Paths here, and it led them to rejecting The Sunday Law here.
We have shown the beginning and the end of Judas in this history. And Judas, he refused to eat the Bread that came down from out of Heaven. When it comes down, he did not want to eat the flesh and blood of Jesus. He wanted to put Him on an earthly kingly throne.
And then Sister White tells us that as Judas if failing this first test, that the two examples of his failure are at Simon's feast. He was disgusted with the humility of Mary, because Mary had come to the feet of Jesus, to the foot of the cross to receive the purification; because, she had the gold, the faith which works by love and purifies the soul. And he rejected that.
And in rejecting that, what was his argument? "Man, you could have used that money that you just wasted with that perfume. You could have used that money to reach out to the poor."
But, there is another passage that Sister White talks about, right in about the same timeframe that really irritated Judas, and it was when Jesus addressed the rich young ruler. It was once again about money. And Sister White tells us that Judas thought, "We should have brought the rich guy in among us, no matter what he is doing; because, we could have used that money to lay the foundation of the Christian church. So, Judas is representing a class of people, among other things, right here at the beginning. He is building a false foundation. He is rejecting the foundational test.
He is rejecting the Rest of Grace that Mary is accepting.
And ultimately Judas, down here at this feast, at the Last Supper, he has totally fallen away so that the man of sin, Barabbas, can be revealed.
These are an illustration of the Judgment of the Living. The Divine Watcher comes down with Nimrod.
The Divine Watcher was there with Belshazzar. Was Belshazzar alive?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Yes.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: In this history, each of is going to build upon the foundation either gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and stubble. But, what is going to prove our work?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The fire.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The fire.
What is the fire? It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in this history.
And I know that I am missing some other things that I have been thinking about all night putting in there. All right? But, Brothers and Sisters, this here, this is what Nebuchadnezzar's wife took in to Belshazzar. This is the last warning for Adventism. You are not understanding the handwriting on the wall. You are not understanding the handwriting on the wall, and the symbol of the handwriting on the wall is Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin; and the symbol of the handwriting on the wall is the 2520 that you are rejecting at this time period.
Shall we pray?
Benediction: Heavenly Father, we want to be Marys. We do not want to be Judases. We want to be Nebuchadnezzar's wife. We do not want to be Belshazzar. We ask that you would remove the scales from our eyes that we might see this light as you intended it to be seen, and that before we reach our last supper we will determine at all costs to be one of your disciples that stays with you and not one that goes out into the night. We thank you for opening these truths to our understanding. We ask for a continued blessing upon these worships that we are doing as we proceed further. And we set before you once again this day that as we serve you that it might be a service that will glorify and honor you. We ask for protection. We thank you for protecting those of us that were working yesterday in coming in contact with the poisonous snakes. We ask also, Lord, that through this day we might consider these thoughts and remember that the Holy Watcher that was investigating Nimrod, that was watching Belshazzar is walking and watching with us today. And as we end our prayer, we also ask for a continued blessing upon the production of the DVDs and the LiveStreaming. In Jesus's name, amen.