Habakkuk's Two Tables #32
Part Four: DANIEL
Presented by Jeff Pippenger
Invocation by Brother Jeff Pippenger: Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing us together this morning for this worship. We ask as we begin that you would grant us the presence of your Holy Spirit that He might guide and direct our thoughts, our understanding, that He would take control of my thoughts in particular. Let the humanity be overruled that this message might be a message that glorifies and honors you and works to edify your people. We want to understand the prophecy of William Miller's dream and how it applies to us here at the end of the world, and we would ask that you unseal this truth for us at this time. We thank you for all these things in Jesus's name. Amen.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: All right. Yesterday we looked at some truths about the jewels of God's Word and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, in advance of going through William Miller's dream.
William Miller's Dream
We are going to go through William Miller's dream from the perspective that it is typified by Daniel, chapter 4, and that they are two testimonies of the same history, the history of Adventism from 1863 to 1989.
So, let us just start into the dream. Most of these symbols that are in this dream will have been established yesterday.
This is William Miller's second dream. If you are not familiar with William Miller's two dreams, our last newsletter is online. You can download it and it has both of William Miller's dreams in it.
Early Writings, pages 81 � 83:
1798 1840 1844 1863 1989
7 times Scattering
126 years
126 Shekels = 2520 Gerahs��1000 MENE
1000 MENE
20 TEKEL
500 UPHARSIN
2520
Figure No. 53A.
"I dreamed that God,�
Who dreamed? William Miller dreamed; so, this is William Miller's dream, and you have every right to assume that it is about himself.
�"I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought casket"�
What is a casket in the Word of God? It is the Bible.
And the word curiously is a little bit different in our day and age. If you go back to Webster's underneath this first paragraph, it says, curiously means with nice care.
�"I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought casket about ten inches long by six square,"�
For some reason this dream tells us the dimensions of this casket, and it is 10 x 6 x 6; and, when you multiply this out, it is 360, thus representing the year-day principle of Bible prophecy.
�"I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought casket about ten inches long by six square, made of ebony and pearls curiously inlaid. To the casket there was a key attached."�
What is the key? It is the Rules of Prophetic Interpretation; it is Scripture exposes Scripture; proof-texting.
�"I immediately took the key and opened the casket, when, to my wonder and surprise, I found it filled with all sorts and sizes of jewels, diamonds, precious stones, and gold and silver coin of every dimension and value, beautifully arranged in their several places in the casket; and thus arranged they reflected a light and glory equaled only to the sun."�
And from yesterday we found that in 1798, at the Time of the End, the Lion of the tribe of Judah began to unseal the Seven Seals, and there was an increase of knowledge. This is 1798 to 1844. And William Miller is having a dream about the Lion of the tribe of Judah unsealing these truths to him, because he is the one that is going to recognize them initially and place them on a table [referencing the 1843 Chart] in the center of his room.
CURIOUSLY: With nice care. Webster's 1828 Dictionary.
SEVERAL: Separate; distinct. Webster's 1828 Dictionary.
And when it talked about there were several places, that word in the time period of William Miller meant separate, distinct places. They all have a particular place in the Word of God.
The next paragraph:
�"I thought it was not my duty to enjoy this wonderful sight alone, although my heart was overjoyed at the brilliancy, beauty, and value of its contents. I therefore placed it on a center table"�
Here are the jewels that he found on this table of Habakkuk [again referencing the 1843 Chart].
�"I therefore placed it on a center table in my room and gave out word that all who had a desire might"�what?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Come and see.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Come and see: What does it mean when you see the phrase, "Come and see"? It is when the truth is unsealed. He takes these truths; they end up here [depicted on the 1843 Chart (the table of Habakkuk)]. They have been unsealed to that generation.
�"come and see the most glorious and brilliant sight ever seen by man in this life.
"The people began to come in, at first few in number, but increasing to a crowd. When they first looked into [the Bible] the casket, they would wonder and shout for joy. [1840 to 1844]"�
"[1840 to 1844]": which was a glorious manifestation of the power of God.
�"But when the spectators increased, everyone would begin to trouble the jewels,"�
And you will notice the definition of trouble. It is pretty much the same in our day and age: to agitate the jewels.
But, notice the first thing they do.
�"But when the spectators increased, everyone would begin to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket [1863]"�
This is 1863. The first jewel, according to William Miller that he found, was the 2520; and the first jewel to be taken out of the Bible to be argued, "Well, this really isn't in the Bible," was the 2520 in 1863. This is where these jewels began to get covered up by traditions and customs and human teachings. They are taken out of the Bible.
�"everyone would begin to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket and scattering"�
Now, if you count the scatterings from this point [1863] on, he is going to mention scattering of these jewels, the truths of God's Word that are on this table in the center of his room. He is going to mention seven times that they are scattered, until he reaches the point down here [1989] where he weeps.
And, of course, we know right here, right before 1798, who wept? John the Revelator; and, then the Lion of the tribe of Judah began to unseal the truths.
So, when William Miller, after mentioning the jewels are scattered seven times, he then weeps and that takes you to the Time of the End [1989]. Of course, we have not proved that 1989 in this worship is the Time of the End. We know that. Nor have we proved everything that can be proved about 1863. But, you can only prove so many things at one time. We are not going to deny that they are truth before we have opportunity to prove them. We intend to prove them as we proceed.
So, we need to count the times he mentions scattering as we go through here.
�"But when the spectators increased, everyone would begin to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket and scattering [1863] [1] them on the table. I began to think that the owner would require the casket and the jewels again at my hand; and if I suffered them to be scattered [2], I could never place them in their places in the casket again as before; and felt I should never be able to meet the accountability, for it would be immense. I then began to plead with the people not to handle them, nor to take them out of the casket; but the more I pleaded, the more they scattered [3]; and now they seemed to scatter [4] them all over the room, on the floor and on every piece of furniture in the room.
TROUBLE: Agitate or disturb. Webster's 1828 Dictionary.
"I then saw that among the genuine jewels and coin they had scattered [5] an innumerable quantity of spurious jewels and counterfeit coin. [post 1888]"�
Okay. Now they are not just taking the jewels out of the Bible; now they are introducing error. They are introducing false teachings.
And I place this after 1888, because after 1888 you are going to see the wrong view of the Daily come in; you are going to start seeing errors of Pantheism introduced. This is different than taking the jewels out of the Bible. This is now the point in Advent History when erroneous teachings actually begin to be introduced into Adventism.
�"I was [Miller was] highly incensed at their base conduct and ingratitude and reproved and reproached them for it; but the more I reproved, the more they scattered [6] the spurious jewels and false coin among the genuine.
"I then became vexed in my physical soul and began to use physical force to push them out of the room; but while I was pushing out one, three more would enter and bring in dirt and shavings and sand and all manner of rubbish, until they covered every one of the true jewels, diamonds, and coins, which were all excluded from sight."�
Now, how did the precious jewels of the Bible get covered up, according to yesterday's study? Traditions and customs handed down from generation to generation.
�"They also tore in pieces my casket [1919]"�
What is the casket?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Bible.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Bible.
Now, Brothers and Sisters, here we are at the end of the world in Adventism and we do not understand our history. We do not understand our beginning history back here [1798 to 1863], nor do we understand the history here [between 1863 and 1989]; but, in the early part of the 20th Century when the errors began to be introduced, the false teachings, there was a controversy raging among those people that were defending the Pioneer views and those people that were introducing the error. And even though as Laodiceans we have not been motivated to go out and check that history, it is still easy to take those historical records and find that the men that were on the right side of the issues that were defending the Pioneer beliefs, that when they dealt with men such as W. W. Prescott that were introducing the false teachings, one of the things that they were saying repeatedly about W. W. Prescott is he was promoting these false teachings by introducing the new bibles, the Catholic bibles. He was turning away from the King James Bible. He was tearing up the casket.
And today, because this is what we were born into, we do not think anything about it, that when we are in a typical Adventist church we are using the New King James Version Bible or the NIV (New International Version).
This is not a study on the two lines of bibles, the Catholic bibles and the Received Text Bible; but, it is just an historical fact, and the fact that we do not understand our history, does not deny that you can go into the history and show that in the early part of the 20th Century, when they began to introduce the Catholic bibles in Adventism to sustain their errors, that the faithful men were fighting against that. It is in the record, the historical record; and, here it is in William Miller's dream.
�"They also tore in pieces my casket [1919] and scattered [7] it among the rubbish."�
Scattered what? The Bible; they buried up the Bible.
�"I thought no man regarded my sorrow or my anger."�
He has said scattered now seven times.
And, Brothers and Sisters, for those of you�I know there are a lot in Adventism that would argue about what we are saying about William Miller's dream. Okay? And that is fine. It is like those men that argue against what we teach about the last six verses of Daniel 11. I used to be willing to go into a public forum with those men and share what I understood about the last six verses of Daniel 11; and, then I reached an understanding that I am not going to do that anymore. The only time I am going to go into a public debate, if you want to call it that, or a discussion about the last six verses of Daniel 11 is when the men that are opposing those verses, as we understand them, are willing to say, "Well, this is what I understand about those verses."
I want to be able to critique what they understand about those verses; because, almost every time that I have been in those kind of situations, the other men, what they say is, "Well, I don't understand what the last six verses of Daniel 11 are, but I know he is wrong."
Okay? I will not go into those kinds of situations anymore.
So, for those of you that think what we are saying about William Miller's dream is a bunch of fantasy here, first off, why is it in the book, Early Writings? And if it is in the book, Early Writings, then it is governed by the rules of Inspiration, and the rules of Inspiration tell me then what it must be related to is a prophecy.
So, if you do not think what we are saying is correct, what do you think it represents? I want to hear that before I receive your criticism about what we are teaching, because it is a prophecy.
�"I thought no man regarded my sorrow or my anger. I became wholly discouraged and disheartened, and sat down and wept."�
We are saying William Miller weeps right down here in 1989; because, when John weeps, you reach the Time of the End; and, in 1989 is the Time of the End for Adventism. I have not proved it, but it is.
�"While I was thus weeping and mourning for my great loss and accountability, I remembered God, and earnestly prayed that He would send me help. Immediately the door opened, and a man entered the room,"�
Now, we are going to show that this man is Christ. This is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but here He is portrayed as the Dirt Brush Man.
1798 1840 1844 1863 1989
7 times Scattering
126 years
126 Shekels = 2520 Gerahs��1000 MENE
1000 MENE
20 TEKEL
500 UPHARSIN
2520
Sunday
Law
1989 2001 USA 1798 1844
Seven Seals Removed
Increase of Knowledge
SEVEN THUNDERS
666
2001 Sunday Law Sunday Law
(1840) (1844) 1989 USA
PURGING OF THE FLOOR
1 2 3
Figure No. 53B.
And I am not going to deal with this, but I am at least going to put it in place: When you see a door opening, it is talking about a change in dispensation. There is a dispensational change going on here. Christ has just arrived here in 1989, and He has begun to unseal the Seven Seals that represent the message of this history. He begins to develop an increase of knowledge during the history that is represented by the Seven Thunders, which Sister White says is the delineation of events of the First and Second Angels' Messages. The Seven Thunders is 1798 to 1844, but she also says the Seven Thunders represent a delineation of future events, from the Time of the End in the future [1989], until the door closes on Adventism [The Sunday Law in the USA], as the door closed into the Holy Place to end this history.
In this history, from 1989 to The Sunday Law in the United States, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (the Dirt Brush Man) is going to produce an increase of knowledge, and He is going to remove Seven Seals. And as He does so, He has changed dispensations. He is beginning a Movement here. He is taking a Movement from a church.
And, of course, the church started in 1863. The Millerite Movement ends in 1863 when the Seventh-day Adventist Church starts, and the Movement begins in 1989.
�"While I was thus weeping and mourning for my great loss and accountability, I remembered God, and earnestly prayed that He would send me help. Immediately the door opened, and a man entered the room, when the people all left it; and he, having a dirt brush in his hand, opened the windows, and began to brush the dirt and rubbish from the room.
"I cried to him to forbear, for there were some precious jewels scattered among the rubbish.
"He told me to 'fear not,' for he would 'take care of them.'
"Then, while he brushed the dirt and rubbish, false jewels and counterfeit coin, all rose and went out of the window like a cloud, and the wind carried them away. In the bustle I closed my eyes for a moment; when I opened them, the rubbish was all gone. The precious jewels, the diamonds, the gold and silver coins, lay scattered in profusion all over the room.
"He then placed on the table a casket,"�
What is a casket? It is the Word of God.
How can the Word of God be bigger at the end than it was in Miller's time? Because, it includes the Spirit of Prophecy at the end, in 1989. Now you are dealing with the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.
�"he then placed on the table a casket, much larger and more beautiful than the former, and gathered up the jewels, the diamonds, the coins, by the handful, and cast them into the casket,"�
From yesterday's study, who cast the precious jewels into the minds of every generation? The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Dirt Brush Man.
�"[He] cast them into the casket, till not one was left, although some of the diamonds were not bigger than the point of a pin.
"He then called upon me to"�what?�"'come and see.' [1989]"�
What does it mean when He says, "Come and see"? He is unsealing.
From 1989 onward, He is unsealing these truths.
�"I looked into the casket, but my eyes were dazzled with the sight. They shone with ten times their former glory."�
What Miller sees on this [1843] Chart, when God takes us back to the Old Paths, these [1843 and 1850] Charts are going to shine ten times brighter. We are going to see things about these truths that the Millerites handled that they did not see; and, we do.
�"I thought they had been scoured in the sand by the feet of those wicked persons who had scattered and trod them in the dust. They were arranged in beautiful order in the casket, every one in its place, without any visible pains of the man who cast them in. I shouted with very joy, and that shout awoke me." Early Writings, 81�83.
There is your Loud Cry that begins when all the virgins awake.
The Dirt Brush Man
Okay. Who is the Dirt Brush Man?
Gathering His Wheat
Matthew 3:11-12, John the Baptist is going to introduce us to Christ.
"11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:"�
Who is going to baptize them with the Holy Ghost and fire? Jesus. Right?
�"12Whose fan is in his hand,"�
Jesus has a what? He has a fan in his hand.
�"and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:11�12 (KJV).
Jesus arrives at His baptism, when the Holy Spirit comes down as a Dove. This is where the purging of His floor begins.
By the Words of Truth
There is an increase of knowledge from the Time of the End until the door closes; but, when the Divine symbol comes down, now the fan is in His hand. He is going to separate the wheat from the tares.
How does He do that; how does the fan actually separate things?
Desire of Ages, page 392:
"'Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner.' Matthew 3:12. This was one of the times of purging. By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the wheat."�
What is His fan? It is a message. It is a special message.
�"Because they were too vain and self-righteous to receive reproof, too world-loving to accept a life of humility, many turned away from Jesus. Many are still doing the same thing. Souls are tested today as were those disciples in the synagogue at Capernaum."�
Okay. We will come back to that in a moment. Sister White is talking about the experience at Capernaum, and she is saying that Jesus was purging His floor with His fan and she is saying that His fan were words of truth. It was a message.
�"When truth is brought home to the heart, they see that their lives are not in accordance with the will of God. They see the need of an entire change in themselves; but they are not willing to take up the self-denying work. Therefore they are angry when their sins are discovered. They go away offended, even as the disciples left Jesus, murmuring, 'This is an hard saying; who can hear it?'" The Desire of Ages, 392.
And what was the hard saying in this story? "You need to eat my flesh and drink my blood."
So, right here [2001 (1840)], what was He talking about in that story, in the time of Christ? He was saying, "I fed your fathers with the bread of Heaven, with the manna that came down out of Heaven." So, He is marking the beginning of this discussion in Capernaum with the Divine symbol coming down, the manna, and he said, "I am the Bread that came down out of Heaven." So, he is marking the beginning of this discussion that is a testing process in Capernaum with the descent of the Divine symbol.
And He lost more disciples in this presentation than any other place. And where is it that He lost His disciples? In John 6:66.
This history of Capernaum is this same history. It is the Bread of Heaven coming down until 666.
The Third Angel
But He purges His floor with words of truth. We have already read these next two quotes more than once in this worship series. Early Writings, page 119, says,
"I then saw the third angel. Said my accompanying angel, 'Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares,'"�
So, the fan in His hand that separates the wheat and the tares is the Third Angel's Message. Okay?
�"'and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner. These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention.'" Early Writings, 119.
But next you have the quote that we have looked at several times: Selected Messages, book 2, page 104.
"There cannot be a third without the first and second." Selected Messages, book 2, 104.
So, the fan in His hand is the Third Angel's Message, but it includes the First and Second Angels' Messages.
So in this history [2001 (1840) to 666, The Sunday Law (1844)], there is a three-step testing process�in all these histories, whether it is Capernaum, Millerite History, our history�and the purging, the sweeping of the floor, begins when the Divine symbol comes down; but, the increase of knowledge begins at the Time of the End when John the Revelator or Miller weep and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, or the Dirt Brush Man, enters the scene and begins to clean up the mess that has been made by the Mystery of Iniquity during the darkness that precedes every Reform Movement.
Two Classes
Review and Herald, November 8, 1892:
"The Lord is about to reveal the difference between the righteous and the wicked; for his 'fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'" Review and Herald, November 8, 1892.
Now, I am going pretty fast and it is early in the morning; so, maybe you are not seeing that I have created a disagreement here. Because, what I am saying is when the Lord comes in and He cleans up the mess, that He is sweeping the false jewels and the false coins out the window like a cloud. Right?
But, I am saying that that is the false doctrine that is coming, the false teachings.
But I have just been showing you that when He cleans up the mess, He is sweeping out the wicked, the false people. Okay? So, the jewels can be people; the jewels can be truths; but, when the Dirt Brush Man comes in and sweeps it out the window, is He sweeping out false teaching, counterfeit teaching, or is He sweeping out the tares of Adventism?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Both.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Both? How is that so? We will try to explain that.
Proverbs 23:7:
"7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." Proverbs 23:7 (KJV).
As a man thinketh, so he is. Okay?
Education, page 149:
"The truth that as a man 'thinketh in his heart, so is he' (Proverbs 23:7), finds another illustration in Israel's experience. On the borders of Canaan the spies, returned from searching the country, made their report. The beauty and fruitfulness of the land were lost sight of through fear of the difficulties in the way of its occupation. The cities walled up to heaven, the giant warriors, the iron chariots, daunted their faith. Leaving God out of the question, the multitude echoed the decision of the unbelieving spies, 'We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.' Numbers 13:31. Their words proved true. They were not able to go up, and they wore out their lives in the desert." Education, 149.
As a man thinketh, so is he.
This is why it is good�and I have not said in this worship setting, but we do when we are not recording�when we ask questions, when we are a little less focused on getting through the material and people in the audience throw out answers and they are guessing, the rule of thumb is if you do not know, do not answer; because, when you guess and it is wrong, you are telling yourself something that is wrong, and as a man thinketh, so is he. You are creating a bad habit.
But, if you do not know the answer, do not say it. You become connected with what you believe. As a man thinketh, so is he.
Idols
Notice the next quote, Manuscript Releases, volume 9, page 182.
"The lessons of Christ could give them precious gems and jewels of truth which had been lost sight of. He gathered up these grand, glorious jewels�originated by Himself and given to patriarchs, prophets, and apostles�and replaced them in the framework of the gospel, giving them their own divine brightness. But the Jews were obstinate. Their own ideas and customs and practices were their"�what?�"idols. Would they give up their own misinterpretations, which they had taught the people to regard as sacred doctrines? No; never! They formed a confederacy to stand by the old traditions. Their human interpretations they set in defiance to the lessons and pure truths of practical godliness." Manuscript Releases, volume 9, 182.
So these erroneous coins, these counterfeit coins, the false jewels, they determined that they were going to form a confederacy and hold onto these coins.
And in Hosea 4:17, it says,
"17Ephraim is joined to idols:"�
What were their idols? Their false doctrines.
�"17Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." Hosea 4:17 (KJV).
So, when the Lord is going to sweep out the false doctrines, what goes with them? The idolaters that hold onto those false doctrines.
This is Christ's Object Lessons, page 237:
"Every time you refuse to listen to the message of mercy, you strengthen yourself in unbelief. Every time you fail to open the door of your heart to Christ, you become more and more unwilling to listen to the voice of Him that speaketh. You diminish your chance of responding to the last appeal of mercy. Let it not be written of you, as of ancient Israel, 'Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.' Hosea 4:17. Let not Christ weep over you as He wept over Jerusalem, saying, 'How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.' Luke 13:34, 35." Christ's Object Lessons, 237.
They Know It Not
Review and Herald, December 23, 1890:
"The Holy Spirit strives to make apparent the claims of God, but men pay heed only for a moment, and turn their minds to other things: Satan catches away the seeds of truth; the gracious influence of the Spirit of God is effectually resisted. Thus many are grieving away the Holy Spirit for the last time, and they know it not."�
If you disregard a warning message, you do not know but that might have been your last call.
�"The words spoken by Christ of Jerusalem are, 'Your house is left unto you desolate.' What anguish of soul did Jesus feel when all his appeals, his warnings and reproofs, were resisted! At the time he brought them home to the soul, impressions were made; but self-love, self-sufficiency, love of the world, came in and choked the good seed sown. Pride of heart prevented his hearers from humbling themselves before God, and confessing their sin in resisting his Holy Spirit, and reluctantly it left them. On the crest of Olivet, as he beheld the city, he wept over it, saying, 'If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!' Here he paused; he was loth to utter the irrevocable sentence. O that Jerusalem would repent! When the fast westering sun should pass out of sight, her day of mercy would be ended. Jesus closed his sentence, 'But now they are hid from thine eyes.' On another occasion he lamented the impenitence of the chosen city: 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.' The Lord forbid that this scene should now be repeated in the experience of God's professed people! 'My Spirit,' he says, 'shall not always strive with man.' The time will come when it must be said of the impenitent, 'Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone.'" Review and Herald, December 23, 1890.
A Refining Process
Testimonies to Ministers, page 373, says,
"Just how soon this refining process will begin I cannot say, but it will not be long deferred. He whose fan is in His hand will cleanse His temple of its moral defilement. He will thoroughly purge His floor." Testimonies to Ministers, 373.
The purging comes in here when the Divine symbol comes down.
When John and Miller weep, there is an increase of knowledge. Seven Seals begin to be removed.
But here [when He purges the floor], He empowers the message and the testing begins; and, the cloud that He sweeps out the window are these false doctrines, but these false doctrines are the idols that these people are holding onto and they go out the window with their idols.
Capernaum
I went back to this that we mentioned earlier.
Signs of the Times, May 15, 1901:
"The plainly spoken truth did its work. By it many were offended. They showed by their actions that truth was unpalatable to them. Closing their eyes to the light, and their hearts to rebuke, they chose the praise of men rather than the admonition of God. They willingly misapprehended Christ's words. 'From that time,' we read, 'many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.'
"With sorrowful heart the Saviour watched the result of His words, and saw that many were departing from Him. His compassion was unappreciated,"�
What was Capernaum, by the way? That was Christ's city. That is where He stayed more often, and that is where He was associated with. When He was in ministry, Capernaum was his town. That is His church; that is His people.
�"With sorrowful heart the Saviour watched the result of His words, and saw that many were departing from Him. His compassion was unappreciated, His love unrequited, His mercy slighted, His salvation rejected; and He felt this keenly. It was such developments as this that made Him a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
"The news quickly spread that Christ Himself had declared that He was not the Messiah."�
See, they willingly misapprehended His words. They on purpose twisted His words, we would say today. So, they left Him saying, "Oh, He denies being the Messiah."
He never denied being the Messiah.
�"This garbled statement changed the tide of popular feeling,"�
As they twisted His words, some people that were on the borderline of decision, they were driven away from Christ.
�"This garbled statement changed the tide of popular feeling, and turned many away from Him. But Christ did not enter into controversy with those who had left Him. He did not seek to remove from their minds the impression which had resulted in their leaving. He did not try to explain away His words. Looking upon the twelve who remained, He asked, 'Will ye also go away?' Peter responded by the inquiry, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' 'To whom shall we go?' Separated from Christ, where would they be? Should they leave His lessons of love and mercy for the unbelief and wickedness of the world?
"Those who were reproved in love were offended, and turned from Christ in disdain, uniting with His enemies. They could not bear the test sent to save them from fatal deception.
"Today souls are being tested and tried, and many are passing over the same ground trodden by those who forsook Christ. When tested by the Word, they reject the divine Teacher. When rebuked because their lives are not in harmony with truth and righteousness, they turn from the Saviour; and their decision, like that of the offended disciples, is never reversed. They walk no more with Christ. Thus are the words fulfilled, 'Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner.'" Signs of the Times, May 15, 1901.
666
"66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." John 6:66 (KJV).
This Capernaum history is the history of 1840 to 1844; it is the history of 2001 until The Sunday Law: 666. It is the testing process. That is when He is purging His floor.
And who purges His floor?
Who purges His floor? The Dirt Brush Man.
When does the Dirt Brush Man come? When Miller weeps, 1989.
Why is Miller weeping? Because, the jewels on the table in the center of his room [the 1843 Chart] had been covered up.
This is about Jeremiah 6:16, going back to the Old Paths.
Okay. We are going to switch gears now: one more point to put in place before we close today.
Switching gears.
A Scattering at the Third Waymark
The Cross
When it comes to the third waymark�all right? We are switching gears here. Okay?�the third waymark is 1844; the third waymark is The Sunday Law; the third waymark is the cross. There are lots of third waymarks. Correct?
7
7
7 times
7
THE THIRD WAYMARK
Figure No. 54.
What happens at the third waymark? One of the things that happens is the door closes. Did a door close in the story of Noah? Yes, it did. That was the third waymark in the story of Noah.
And how long was he in the ark after the door closed, before the rain came? Seven days.
The third waymark in the story of Elijah is when the prophets of Baal are judged; and, now Elijah is going to pray for rain.
How many times did he pray for rain? Seven times.
Where did Christ rest after the cross? He rested on the Sabbath [7].
What were the Millerites to understand after 1844? The Sabbath [7].
We found in Daniel, chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace that that was The Sunday Law. It is a third waymark. Right? But, before Nebuchadnezzar threw them [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego] in the fire, what did he do? He heated the furnace seven times [hotter].
So, on and on and on you see this number 7 after the third waymark.
And, one of the things that it [the third waymark] represents is the seven times, the scattering. There is always a scattering after the third waymark. So, we want to look at that, that there is a scattering after the third waymark.
Zechariah 13:6-7, speaking of the cross, it says,
"6And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
"7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd,"�
When was the Shepherd smitten? At the cross.
�"smite the shepherd, and"�what?�"the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones." Zechariah 13:6�7 (KJV).
After the cross, there is a scattering marked, and it is fulfilled in Matthew [26:55-56].
It says,
"55In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled." Matthew [26:55�56] (KJV).
There is a scattering that goes on right here [at the third waymark] at the cross.
The Sunday Law
At The Sunday Law in the very near future.
We have read one of these before, so I just have the sentence that I want to focus on; but, I have a secondary quote.
Fundamentals of Christian Education, page 535:
"We are going to be greatly scattered before long, and what we do must be done quickly." Fundamentals of Christian Education, 535.
Adventism is going to be scattered at The Sunday Law.
So, notice the next quote, Review and Herald, March 25, 1890:
"The time is coming when we shall be separated and scattered, and each one of us will have to stand without the privilege of communion with those of like precious faith; and how can you stand unless God is by your side, and you know that he is leading and guiding you?" Review and Herald, March 25, 1890.
We dealt with this a little bit. Everyone is going to have to be able to give a testimony all by themselves in The Sunday Law crisis, and you are going to be all by yourself because you are going to be scattered. Okay? There is a scattering that follows the third waymark. That is what we are saying here.
Before the Sunday Law
There is also a scattering that precedes this history; because, the darkness that precedes these Times of the End, whether it is the 1260 years of Papal rule, or the 70 years of literal Israel in captive in literal Babylon, or the children of Israel in Egypt, or the three and a half years of drought with Elijah, this darkness is also representing a scattering. Okay?
The scattering of the 2520 against the Northern Kingdom came to its end on 1798; therefore, before 1798 there was a scattering.
Before 1989, our Time of the End, there is a scattering represented by William Miller's dream, where he says "scatter" seven times.
And we are marking 1863 to 1989�we have not proved these dates yet, but they are the right dates�which is the 126 years; and, 126 years can be understood, if you want to understand, as 126 shekels, and 126 shekels equals 2520 gerahs, and this connects with Daniel, chapter 5, were a MENE is a 1000, MENE is a 1000, a TEKEL is 20, and UPHARSIN is 500 gerahs, which totals to 2520 gerahs.
But, this 126 years, if it is 126 shekels, it is 2520 gerahs. It is representing, it is giving you two witnesses, for a scattering time.
God's people are scattered before 1989. They are scattered before The Sunday Law. The Dirt Brush Man comes in to dispel the scattering.
And this is a subject of the Bible. I am just going to take one passage from Ezekiel. Ezekiel 20, beginning at verse 33, says,
"33As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: 34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered,"
Do the prophets speak more about the end of the world than the times in which they live?
Okay. God's people are going to be scattered before end-time prophecy is fulfilled. They are going to be taken out of the scattering.
�"with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people,"�
A voice crying in the wilderness: There is a wilderness that precedes a Reform Movement.
�"35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. 37And I will cause you to pass under the rod,"�
This is judgment.
�"37And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:"�
Before He enters into covenant with His people, they have been scattered; and, Sister White says the Lord is going to renew His covenant with His commandment-keeping people in the last days; therefore, His commandment-keeping people in the last days, prior to being in covenant with God, have been scattered.
�"and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38And I will purge out from among you the rebels,"�
When does He purge them out? When He has His fan in His hand. Okay? He is going to bring you out of the wilderness, out of the scattering. He is going to bring you right here to 1989 to begin to unseal the Seven Seals and enter into a covenant with the people. And when He is entering into covenant with them, it is the time period when He is purging out the rebels.
And how does He purge out the rebels? He pronounces Ephraim is joined to his idols, and He sweeps the idols out of the window and they [Ephraim] go with them.
�"38And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 20:33�38 (KJV).
1844
Now I want to show you 1844. After the third waymark there is a scattering.
In Testimonies to Ministers, page 24, it says,
"From the first our work was aggressive. Our numbers were few, and mostly from the poorer class."�
Sister White is talking about the very beginning, 1844 onward.
�"Our views were almost unknown to the world. We had no houses of worship, but few publications, and very limited facilities for carrying forward our work. The sheep were scattered in the highways and byways, in cities, in towns, in forests. The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus was our message.
"My husband, with Elders Joseph Bates, Stephen Pierce, Hiram Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, was among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure." Testimonies to Ministers, 24.
So, in 1844, after the third waymark, there was a scattering that took place among the Millerites, and it is the scattered Flock.
The Scattered Flock (Alpha and Omega)
The Little Flock
Luke 12:32 says,
"32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32 (KJV).
We are His little flock. Adventism is His little flock.
1847�The Remnant Scattered Abroad
Now, in A Word to the 'Little Flock,' the publication, I am just going to take part of the introduction and part of the appendix to A Word to the 'Little Flock,' just to make the point that the little flock was scattered after 1844. It was scattered after the third waymark. And hopefully when I get through this I can tell you why I am trying to make this point.
From A Word to the 'Little Flock,' it says,
"A Word to the 'Little Flock.'
"The following articles were written for The Day-Dawn, which has been published at Canandaigua, New York, by O. R. L. Crosier. But as that paper is not now published, and as we do not know as it will be published again, it is thought best by some of us in Maine, to have them given in this form. I wish to call the attention of the 'little flock'"�this is James White�"I wish to call the attention of the 'little flock' to those things which will very soon take place on this earth. . . . "�
Okay. They are the little flock; 1844.
Now, at the end of A Word to the 'Little Flock,' explaining some things that were in A Word to the 'Little Flock,' the publication, James White says,
�"The reader will have observed that three communications from the pen of Mrs. E. G. White were included in A Word to the 'Little Flock.' . . ."�
He is going to explain these three, but I am only going to take one of them.
�"The second communication from Mrs. White, found on pages 14�18, is an account of her first vision"�
Her first vision, her first vision, the first time her first vision was published, they put a title on it.
�"[it] is an account of her first vision under the title, To the Remnant Scattered Abroad."�
Okay. They understood that they had been scattered.
�"This was written December 20, 1845, as a personal letter to Enoch Jacobs, and was first published by the recipient in The Day-Star of January 24, 1846. Then on April 6, 1846, it was reprinted in broadside form by James White and H.�S. Gurney. The statement as it appears in A Word to the 'Little Flock,' with the exception of minor editorial changes and added scripture references, is identical with the full account of the vision as first printed." James White, A Word to the 'Little Flock,' 1, 25.
May, 1850
Then James White says in another article, in 1850,
"DEAR READER�My object in this review has been to expose error by the light of sacred truth. . . ."�
In this article, if you read it, he is making a defense for the Sabbath.
And then further on, he says,
�"In presenting this little work to the scattered flock, I have discharged my duty to them, in this respect, and may God add his blessing. Amen." James White, The Seventh-day Sabbath not Abolished, 2.
In 1850 they were still understanding that they had been scattered. All Right? So, when they are writing in 1850, whether it be James White or Ellen White, they are relating to God's people as the scattered flock.
But, when a prophet writes, it is more about the end of the world than for the time in which they lived.
September 23, 1850
Now, notice in the passage that we derived the quote from Early Writings, page 74, that, "The Lord showed me that the 1843 Chart was directed by the hand of the Lord." In the original article, which was also in 1850, it says this:
"September 23d, the Lord showed me that he had stretched out his hand the second time to recover the remnant of his people, and that efforts must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the scattering time Israel was smitten and torn; but now in the gathering time God will heal and bind up his people. In the scattering,"�
Now, what I want you to see here, in 1850 Sister White is talking about the Lord stretching out His hand a second time to gather the remnant of His people; and, what she means by that is He gathered them together in 1844, but they were scattered.
�"In the scattering, efforts made to spread the truth had but little effect, accomplished but little or nothing; but in the gathering when God has set his hand to gather his people, efforts to spread the truth will have their designed effect. All should be united and zealous in the work. I saw that it was a shame for any to refer to the scattering for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God does no more for us now than he did then, Israel would never be gathered. It is as necessary that the truth should be published in a paper, as preached." Review and Herald, November 1, 1850.
The little flock was scattered and now in 1850 He is re-gathering them. So from 1840 to 1850 is marked the scattering time, and Sister White comments on this.
In the back of Early Writings, she says,
"3. The view that the Lord 'had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people,' on page 74, refers only to the union and strength once existing among those looking for Christ, and to the fact that He had begun to unite and to raise up His people again." Early Writings, 86.
So, what is my point? My point is that it is not really that important to this study here; but, after the third waymark, there is a scattering noted�all right?�and in every third waymark.
And in the Millerite History in 1844 they were in a scattering time. So, James White, Ellen White, and the Pioneers, they knew it. That is how they expressed it. They believed that they were the little flock, that the little flock had been scattered, that the Lord was gathering the little flock again.
So, I want to look at an article where Sister White is writing in that terminology, and it is in the 1850 time period; so, she is thinking in the here and now, but it is not the here and now. When you analyze the article, it is the end of the world. Okay? Because, some of the passages that she refers to from the Scriptures are definitely our day and age at the end of the world.
And the reason I want to do that is this is where she is going to address the Dirt Brush Man. She is addressing Him, if you understand it correctly, in our day and age.
Proverbs One
And she is going to refer to Proverbs 1. And I challenge you to go read Proverbs�1, and read it as present truth for today. Proverbs 1 is about Adventism right now! That is why I have "Proverbs One" in boldface there; but, I realized if we went through it, although it would be fun, it would gobble up all our time. So, we are going to read the article.
This is April 1, 1850, called To the 'Little Flock.'
APRIL 1, 1850 TO THE 'LITTLE FLOCK.'
"Dear Brethren.�The Lord gave me a view, January 26, which I will relate. I saw that some of the people of God were stupid and dormant; and were but half awake, and did not realize the time we were now living in; and that the 'man' with the 'dirt-brush' had entered,"�
This is the end of the world.
When does the Man with the dirt brush enter? 1989, right here. This is the Lion of the tribe of Judah beginning the work of cleaning up the mess.
�"that the 'man' with the 'dirt-brush' had entered, and that some were in danger of being swept away."�
Where are they going to get swept? Right out the window.
Why are they going to get swept out the window? Because, they are hanging onto their idols, their false doctrines, their false coins.
�"I begged of Jesus to save them, to spare them a little longer, and let them see their awful danger, that they might get ready before it should be forever too late. The angel said, 'Destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind.'"�
Where does she take that from?
Where does destruction "coming like a mighty whirlwind" come from? There is only one place in the Bible you will find this, and that is your homework.
The destruction that comes like the whirlwind is described several places in the Bible, but this particular expression of that thought comes from one place in the Bible. And the destruction that comes like a whirlwind is Daniel 11, verse 40; because, the King of the North comes and sweeps away the King of the South in 1989 as a whirlwind. And that is just where he is starting. He is starting with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, and then he is going to move to The Sunday Law in the United States, and then he is going to capture the whole world in 1842.
But, that is not where you will find the expression, "Destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind." Use your Concordance, like Brother Miller would do.
�"The angel said, 'Destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind.' I begged of the angel to pity and to save those who loved this world, and were attached to their possessions, and were not willing to cut loose from them, and sacrifice them to speed the messengers on their way to feed the hungry sheep, who were perishing for want of spiritual food."�
Ah, now she is talking about when the Dirt Brush Man comes in, there is a present truth message and there are messengers that are going to take this message in this time period, and you are going to be held accountable if you are not financially supporting those messengers in their work. Whoa! That is kind of a serious thought, is it not?
The next paragraph:
�"As I viewed poor souls dying for want of the present truth, and some who professed to believe the truth were letting them die, by withholding the necessary means to carry forward the work of God, the sight was too painful, and I begged of the angel to remove it from me."�
Why would it be painful? Because, she just went through an experience where all the faithful sold everything they had because they thought Jesus was returning, and they put it into the Lord's work. And now she was looking at a people who were unwilling to do that very thing. So, it really was painful to her, as a human being; because, she knew what that experience was.
�"I saw that when the cause of God called for some of their property, like the young man who came to Jesus, [Matthew 19:16�22.] they went away sorrowful; and that soon the overflowing scourge would pass over and sweep their possessions all away, and then it would be too late to sacrifice earthly goods, and lay up a treasure in heaven."�
What is the overflowing scourge? It is The Sunday Law. It is easy to show that.
This is in her day and age. This is not the scattering after 1844 that the Dirt Brush Man has entered and is cleaning up. This is now!
�"I then saw the glorious Redeemer, beautiful and lovely, that he left the realms of glory, and came to this dark and lonely world, to give his precious life and die, the just for the unjust. He bore the cruel mocking and scourging, and wore the platted crown of thorns, and sweat great drops of blood in the garden; while the burden of the sins of the whole world were upon him. The angel asked, 'What for?' O, I saw and knew that it was for us; for our sins he suffered all this, that by his precious blood he might redeem us unto God.
"Then again was held up before me those who were not willing to dispose of this world's goods to save perishing souls, by sending them the truth, while Jesus stands before the Father, pleading his blood, his sufferings and his death for them; and while God's messengers were waiting, ready to carry them the saving truth that they might be sealed with the seal of the living God."�
Now, is this the end time or not?
This is the sealing time. The Dirt Brush Man comes in during the sealing of the 144,000.
�"It was hard for some who professed to believe the present truth, to even do so little as to hand the messengers God's own money,"�
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Tithe.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Tithe.
Where is the tithe supposed to go?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: To God's messengers.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: To God's messengers.
Are there two kinds of messengers?
�"It was hard for some who professed to believe the present truth, to even do so little as to hand the messengers God's own money, that he had lent them to be stewards over.
"Then the suffering Jesus, his sacrifice and love so deep, as to give his life for them, was again held up before me; and then the lives of those who professed to be his followers, who had this world's goods, and considered it so great a thing to help the cause of salvation. The angel said, 'Can such enter heaven?' Another angel answered, 'No, never, never, never. Those who are not interested in the cause of God on earth, can never sing the song of redeeming love above.'
"I saw that the quick work that God was doing on earth would soon be cut short in righteousness, and that the swift messengers must speed on their way to search out the scattered flock. An angel said, 'Are all messengers? No, no, God's messengers have a message.'
"I saw that the cause of God had been hindered, and dishonored by some travelling who had no message from God. Such will have to give an account to God for every dollar they have used in travelling where it was not their duty to go; for that money might have helped on the cause of God, and for the lack of it, souls have starved and died for the want of spiritual food, that might have been given them by God's called and chosen messengers if they had had the means.
"The mighty shaking has commenced, and will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a hold and unyielding stand for the truth, and sacrifice for God and his cause. The angel said, 'Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice. No. no. It must be a free-will offering. It will take all to buy the field.'�I cried to God to spare his people, some of whom were fainting and dying.
"I saw that those who have strength to labor with their hands, and help sustain the cause, were as accountable for that strength, as others were for their property.
"Then I saw that the judgments of Almighty God were speedily coming. I begged of the angel to speak in his language to the people. Said he, 'All the thunders and lightnings of Mount Sinai would not move those who will not be moved by the plain truths of the word of God; neither would an angel's message awake them.'" Review and Herald, April 1, 1850.
What Angel's Message?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Third Angel.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Third Angel's Message, the Fourth Angel's Message.
Brothers and Sisters, William Miller's dream is identifying the covering up of the foundational truths of Adventism. We have not proved conclusively 1863 or 1989 in this particular worship series. That is the direction that we are going, though.
And at the end of his dream, when a prophet becomes part of the prophecy�and I know we cause some people a problem for me to imply that William Miller was a prophet. I am not saying that. I am just saying that when his dream is included in the book, Early Writings, and he becomes part of that dream, then he is governed by the same rules as when a prophet becomes a part of the prophecy.
I know that some people do not like me saying that William Miller is a prophet, because he made some prophetic errors, even if he has been compared with Elijah and John the Baptist and Elisha and Moses: "Even if he paralleled their work, we wouldn't want to call him a prophet."
But, that is not the issue here. When he becomes part of the prophecy down here at the end of this seven times, whenever it might be�it is 1989�he weeps, marking the arrival of the Time of the End. The Seven Thunders is then going to be repeated, and the Dirt Brush Man comes in, and He comes in, in the time period when He is going to seal the 144,000 and sweep the idolaters out of Adventism.
Now, that is powerful enough in its own understanding; but, what we are dealing with here is that the First Angel's Message is Daniel, chapter 1; the Second Angel's Message is Daniel, chapter 2; the Third Angel's Message is Daniel, chapter 3; and, the fourth segment we are dealing with is Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And what I am contending is Nebuchadnezzar's dream is William Miller's dream, and that Nebuchadnezzar's seven times living like a beast is prefiguring this time right here, this "7 Times Scattering" [see Figure No.�53B].
So, we are going to take this study here tomorrow and go back into Daniel and show that Daniel, chapter 4, is describing the time period from 1844, when the Third Angel's Message arrived in Millerite History, until the testing time when William Miller wakes up. And, Daniel, chapter 4, runs right into Daniel, chapter 5; and, Daniel, chapter 5, shows that testing time. It shows Belshazzar as the one that rejects the message of the hour, and it shows Nebuchadnezzar's wife as the church that understands the Book of Daniel in the crisis.
Shall we pray?
Benediction: Heavenly Father, we want to be attached to the truth. We want to be attached to the precious jewels that you cast into our minds, as you cast into every generation, the precious truths of your Word. But as Laodiceans, we no doubt have idols that we are holding on to; and, from this study we can see that if we do not turn loose of those idols very quickly, that when those idols get swept out the window, we will go with them. We ask that you do what it takes in each of our lives to reveal those idols to us, and then give us the courage and strength to enter into the work of removing those idols from our lives. We ask that you give us the conviction that Sister White had, about the necessity, the responsibility we have for supporting this final warning message, that whatever we can do can become involved in finishing this work so that we might go home with you soon. We thank you for the work that we are trying to accomplish this year, that we can be a part of it. We pray that you would continue to bless the LiveStreaming and the DVD recording. And we set before you this day of service that we each have and ask that the work we do can be honorable for you, that it will glorify you and that we can do it safely. We thank you for part of our team that is in California under trying times right now and ask that you watch over them as well. In Jesus's name, amen.