Habakkuk's Two Tables #43
PART SIX: 1989
Presented by Jeff Pippenger
Invocation by Brother Jeff Pippenger: Heavenly Father, we thank you for a night's rest, for bringing us together to consider your Word this morning and taking us through another week of studies. As we open your Word this morning, we ask that you grant us the presence of your Holy Spirit to direct or thoughts that we might understand these truths connected with Daniel 11— verse 40, 1989, William Miller's dream—that we might understand them in a way to better prepare us to stand faithful in the times that we are living in, and to have a message to share with those we come in contact with. We ask that you take control of our humanity, both mine and the presentation and the brothers and sisters that are listening to these things. And we would ask that you would pour the Latter Rain out upon us at this time by opening our understanding to your Word. We ask for traveling mercies for Kathy, and we thank you for all these things in Jesus's name. Amen.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Well, we are dealing with 1989 in connection with William Miller's dream. We have identified that the seven times that Miller marks the scattering in his dream represent a period of time when these foundational truths of Adventism were covered up. We have taken time to show that that covering up began in 1863, when the first truth that William Miller had discovered was set aside by James White.
And then we have identified but not proven that 1989 is the point where the covering up ceases and the Dirt Brush Man enters in to begin His work of sweeping away the rubbish of error and tradition and custom.
But, in order to do 1989 in a thorough way, we have to look more deeply at Daniel 11, verse 40, which is the verse that marks the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 and marks the point in time for the Time of the End where the Reform Movement of the 144,000 begins, which is also the end of William Miller's dream.
As we began this two days ago, we identified that the last six verses of Daniel 11, they begin in 1798, verse 40; and, they go on into the close of human probation in Daniel 12:1 when Michael stands up. And Michael stands up in Daniel 12:1 somewhere in verses 44 and 45; because, it begins saying, "And at that time shall Michael stand up."
I am under the conviction that verse 44 and 45 are describing pretty much the same event, verse 44, "tidings out of the east and north trouble him [the King of the North]: therefore he goes forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly make away many, . . . yet he shall come to his end," (Daniel 11:44-45) is describing the last movements of the Papacy, but it is in those last movements where Michael stands up and human probation closes. We will deal with that as we proceed.
So, we identified that we are to understand the great and solemn events that prophecy identifies as we stand on the threshold of their fulfillment. We identified that the great and solemn events are the solemn events connected with the close of probation.
And we identified that repeating the history of Ancient Israel, Seventh-day Adventists today do not understand the events connected with the close of probation by and large, though they have been clearly revealed and that they are salvational. So, we identified that Daniel 11:40-45 are the events connected with the close of probation.
Yesterday we identified not in a dogmatic way but that in 1856, at least by 1856, you can say that Adventism entered into their Laodicean condition.
And from there we went and showed from the Spirit of Prophecy and from Stephen Haskell that all the histories represented in the Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3 are repeated in the history of Laodicea.
In the history of Laodicea, the Everlasting Gospel is going to be accomplished in two classes of worshippers in Adventism, and will be developed and then demonstrated.
The one class that is going to be lifted up as an ensign and receive the Seal of God are repeating the history of Ephesus, the history of the First Seal when as a white horse the Church goes forth to carry the final warning message as prefigured by the Apostles when they carried the Gospel to the world in their history. But, we know that they are lifted up as an ensign at The Sunday Law, and at The Sunday Law persecution begins. So, we know that Smyrna is going to be active in this history, too.
But, in order for The Sunday Law to arrive in the United States and begin this process of persecution, Pergamos will be repeated in the history of the United States. Constantine's combination of Paganism with Christianity is prefiguring the work of the United States setting aside Protestantism and coming into agreement with the Papacy. And we know from Bible prophecy that once this compromise in the United States takes place, as represented in Pergamos, that the Papacy is going to be returned to the throne of the Earth. This is Thyatira. This Thyatira marks 1260 years of Papal rule. In this history there will be three classes of worshippers once The Sunday Law arrives. You will have Sardis (those that escape); and, in Daniel 11, verse 41, you will see those that escape the hand of the Papacy when The Sunday Law arrives in the United States, represented by Sardis. At The Sunday Law in the United States in Daniel 11:41, you will have many overthrown that are the Laodiceans in Adventism; and, then you will have the ensign [Philadelphia] that is lifted up, those that will receive the Seal of God. So, these three histories (Pergamos, Sardis, and Philadelphia) are also repeated here at the end of the world.
So, what we showed, for those that are willing to see, is that when the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Dirt Brush Man, unseals the prophecy that is going to test this generation, that prophecy is the last six verses of Daniel 11; and, the unsealing begins with a fulfillment of prophecy; and, the prophecy that is fulfilled is verse 40, identifying the collapse of the Soviet Union.
And in agreement with the concept that once this prophecy is fulfilled, the Lion of the tribe of Judah opens up a prophetic truth. What we are seeing is, is He opens up the entire Bible.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Amen!
The Seven Seals
Ancient Israel
BROTHER PIPPENGER: But, yesterday, all we showed was at least the history of Christianity. Today, we are going to take it a step further; so, let us go to our notes and show that it is the entire Bible that is repeated within the structure, the history, represented in the last six verses of Daniel 11.
Healthful Living, beginning at page 280, says,
"The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ."—
So, now we are not talking about the history of the Christian Church being repeated in Adventism. We are talking about the history of Ancient Israel being repeated in the history of modern Israel; and, Sister White, of course, identifies this principle often.
—"Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people.
"Their history should be a solemn warning to us. We need never expect that when the Lord has light for his people, Satan will stand calmly by and make no effort to prevent them from receiving it. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends, because it does not come in a way to please us. . . . If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let them not stand in the way of others."
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Amen.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: "'I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.'
"This song was not historical but prophetic. While it recounted the wonderful dealings of God with his people in the past, it also foreshadowed the great events of the future, the final victory of the faithful when Christ shall come the second time in power and glory.
"The apostle Paul plainly states that the experience of the Israelites in their travels has been recorded for the benefit of those living in this age of the world, those upon whom the ends of the world are come. We do not consider that our dangers are any less than those of the Hebrews, but greater." Healthful Living, 280−281.
So, the history of Ancient Israel is going to be repeated at the end of the world. And what we are going to show is that the history of Ancient Israel was governed by the Seven Churches; the Seven Churches illustrate the history of Ancient Israel. And, if this is true, then when we see when the Seven Churches are repeated in Laodicea, it means that Ancient Israel's history is repeated in Laodicea as well, which means that the history of Ancient Israel is repeated in the last six verses of Daniel 11, which means when the Lion of the tribe of Judah unsealed the prophecy in 1989, He was unsealing the entire Bible.
But, it can only be seen if you take advantage of the principle of bringing line upon line, from here a little, there a little, the principle that we call "proof-texting," the principle of study that was adopted by William Miller which has been recommended to us by Inspiration.
All the Great Events
Selected Messages, book 3, beginning at page 338, it says,
"The Bible has accumulated and bound up together its treasures for this last generation."—
Now, when Sister White says that, "the Bible," that precedes even Ancient Israel, does it not?
—"All the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history have been, and are, repeating themselves in the church in these last days." Selected Messages, book 3, 338−339.
That takes you all the way back to Adam.
Thyatira
HISTORY OF THE SEVEN SEALS
Sunday
"How long?" 1856 Law
1st Seal 2nd Seal 3rd Seal 4th Seal
Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea
Exodus / Jericho Judges 1260 / 70 Daniel 11:40
Figure No. 85.
Okay. We have in our worship studies used this next quote more than once. We have used it to show the 70 years of captivity in literal Babylon for literal Israel prefigured the 1260 years of captivity of spiritual Israel and spiritual Babylon.
Prophets and Kings, page 714:
"Today the church of God is free to carry forward to completion the divine plan for the salvation of a lost race. For many centuries God's people suffered a restriction of their liberties. The preaching of the gospel in its purity was prohibited, and the severest of penalties were visited upon those who dared disobey the mandates of men. As a consequence, the Lord's great moral vineyard was almost wholly unoccupied. The people were deprived of the light of God's word. The darkness of error and superstition threatened to blot out a knowledge of true religion. God's church on earth was as verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile." Prophets and Kings, 714.
If you are going to apply that prophetically, it means that Thyatira, which was the 1260 years of Papal rule, is the 70 years of captivity in Babylon; therefore, the 70 years of captivity in Babylon for Ancient Israel was Thyatira for Ancient Israel.
Parallel Lines: Repeat and Enlarge
Uriah Smith informed us yesterday,
"While the seven churches present the internal history of the church, the seven seals bring to view the great events of its external history." Uriah Smith, The Biblical Institute, 253.
We did not take a great deal of time yesterday to mark it, but Ephesus is the First Seal; Smyrna is the Second Seal; Pergamos is the Third Seal; Thyatira is the Fourth Seal.
Now, whether it is the Churches, the Seals, or the Trumpets, the last three, they are conveying another truth. So, this is sequential history [the First Seal through the Fourth Seal]. This, whether it is the last three Churches, the last three Seals, or the last three Trumpets, it is dealing with God's people at the end of the world. It is dealing with modern Israel. It is dealing with the beginning of modern Israel, the Millerites; and, the end of modern Israel, the 144,000. So, when you are dealing with the last three Churches, the last three Seals, or the last three Trumpets, there is a special message for modern Israel. But, the first four Seals are paralleling the first four Churches.
But, what we have said is that these 70 years for Ancient Israel was Thyatira, which if this is true, then you are going to have three periods that precede Thyatira. Okay? The first one would be Ephesus, then Smyrna, and Pergamos.
The First Five Seals
Revelation 6:1-11
But go to Revelation 6.
Unfortunately in Adventism, the Book of Revelation is not familiar ground. It should be; typically, it is not. Those people that do not like me saying that, sorry. I have asked questions to hundreds of Seventh-day Adventists around the world about basic concepts in Daniel and Revelation, and we do not know them anymore. They are just not there.
So, in Revelation 6, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is going to begin to unseal the Book that is sealed with Seven Seals, that Book being the Bible; and, He began to unseal it for the Millerites in 1798. The unsealing is marking a progressive increase of knowledge, because the Seals are removed one at a time.
And beginning in verse 1, it says,
"1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."—
That is the church of the Apostles.
Verse 3,
—"3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4And there went out another horse that was red:"—
Red because it is blood; because, it is representing Smyrna and the persecution.
—"and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.—
Verse 5,
—"5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."—
The [black] horse of compromise, of Constantine: Pergamos.
Verse 7,
—" 7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth"—
The pale horse of death is the Papacy. It is Thyatira.
Verse 9,
—"9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:"—
He saw those people that had been murdered by the Papacy in the 1260 years; and, the Fourth Seal is Thyatira.
In verse 10,
—"10And they"—those that had been murdered—"cried with a loud voice, saying, How long,"—
Do all the prophets agree with one another?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: All the prophecies have to agree with one another.
Immediately after Thyatira, after the Fourth Seal, there is a question raised, "How long?"
The Fifth Seal raises the question, "How long?"
—"10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Revelation 6:1‑11 (KJV).
And we have looked at two passages where Sister White places the development of this second class of martyrs at The Sunday Law in Revelation 18. Those that were murdered by the Papacy during the Dark Ages are told to rest in their graves until there is another group of martyrs at the end of the world during The Sunday Law crisis that are made up; and, then the Papacy is going to be judged in Revelation 18 double. That is why the Papacy is judged double in Revelation 18; it is for the martyrs for the 1260 and for the martyrs at the end of the world.
But, after the Fourth Seal, after the four Churches, you see the question, "How long?"
You can see these two quotes that I have referenced before, about putting the Sixth Seal in The Sunday Law, in Revelation 18.
Manuscript Releases, volume 20, page 197:
"'And when he had opened the fifth seal . . . [Revelation 6:9–11]. Here were scenes presented to John that were not in reality but that which would be in a period of time in the future." Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 197.
Manuscript Releases, volume 20, page 14:
"When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath the altar the company that were slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth of Revelation, when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon. Revelation 18:1–5 quoted." Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 14.
And you can see the reference from James White that we read yesterday, that the first four Churches cover the same history of the first four Seals; but, the last three are teaching a different lesson.
James White, Review and Herald, February 12, 1857:
"We have now traced the churches, the seals, and the beasts, or living beings, as far as they will compare as covering the same periods of time. . . . Neither do the last three churches, and the last three seals, compare, as covering the same periods of time, as the first four churches, and the first four seals do. But, as we have shown, the churches, seals and beasts do agree, as covering the same periods of time for the space of nearly 1800 years, till we come down to a little more than half a century of the present time." James White, Review and Herald, February 12, 1857.
Walking To and Fro
Zechariah 1:7-11; Zechariah 6:1-8
Now let us go to Zechariah, chapter 1. And the reason we are going to Zechariah is we have seen that the Spirit of Prophecy says that the 70 years of captivity in literal Babylon typified the 1260 years of captivity in spiritual Babylon, and those 1260 years are Thyatira; therefore, the 70 years was Thyatira for Ancient Israel. And after Thyatira for the Christian Church, you have the martyrs under the altar asking the question, "How long until you judge the Papacy for murdering us?"
In Zechariah, chapter 1, beginning in verse 7, it says this,
"7Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 8I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse,"—
In the first four Seals we have horses, different colored horses in the first four Seals.
Here we see a horse.
—"and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. 9Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be."—
Okay. He wanted to know what these horses are, right? He asked the question, "What are these horses?"
And the angel said, "I will show you what they are."
What does that mean? For a student of prophecy that means you need to wrap your mind around why Zechariah wanted to understand what those were, so when the angel finally explains to him what they are, you will know what they are.
Verse 10:
—"10And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth."—
So, what are these horses? They are those which the Lord sent to walk to and fro through the Earth.
Verse 11:
—"11And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is"—
Out of control.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Earth is at rest.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The earth—
—"is at rest." Zechariah 1:7-11 (KJV).
Okay. These horses have been sent to and fro in the Earth; and, after they have done their task, the Earth is at rest. Do you see that?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: For a second witness, and maybe you do not know what we are witnessing here yet; but, for a first and second witness, let us go there. And maybe after you have seen this second witness, you will know what we are witnessing. All right?
Zechariah 6, beginning in verse 1:
"1And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass."—
How many chariots?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Two.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Four.
Where did you get two?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Sorry.
—"2In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses."—
So, now we have horses of four different colors.
Have we seen that anywhere else? We have seen it in Revelation 6, the first four Seals.
—"4Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?"—
Zechariah is curious.
—"5And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6The black horses which therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth:"—
These are the same horses, evidently, that we have seen in chapter 1. They are doing the same thing. They are walking to and fro in the Earth. This is the second testimony to chapter 1.
Verse 7 again:
—"7And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country." Zechariah 6:1-8 (KJV).
So, in chapter 1 they make the whole Earth at rest. In chapter 6 they quiet His spirit in the north country. They walk to and fro and, when they are done doing their work walking to and fro, His spirit is quiet.
Go back to Zechariah, chapter 1.
After we see these horses in chapter 1—and what I am suggestion is these horses are the first four Seals. Okay? You can see them real easy in chapter 6: There are four sets of horses. They have a specific work to do, walk to and fro in the Earth. They are going to cause the Earth to be at rest.
But, they are also there in chapter 1. Sometimes it is a little bit more difficult to see in chapter 1. That is why I go to chapter 6 first, to give you a third witness, the first witness being in Revelation 6.
How Long?
Zechariah 1:12-17
But, what happened after the fourth horse in Revelation 6?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Earth was at rest.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Earth was at rest, you can make that application; but, when we read chapter 6 of Revelation, what happened in the Fifth Seal? There is a question raised, marking the Fifth Seal. Right?
So, in chapter 1 of Zechariah, verse 12, it says after verse 11, ". . . all the earth sitteth still and is at rest." Verse 11.
Now, verse 12.
"12Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?"—
What is threescore and ten?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Seventy.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: That is this right here [indicating the end of 1260//70 years marked at Thyatira in Figure No. 85]. The question is, "How long? You have been punishing Israel for 70 years. How long until you are going to have mercy on them, until you rebuild Jerusalem and bring them out of Babylon?" Right?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, this 70 years, what is it?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The 1260.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Well, it is the 1260, but what is it?
Well, it is Thyatira, but what is it?
It is the Fourth Seal. Right? It is all these things.
So, verse 13.
—"13And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. 14So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy."—
He is going to rebuild Jerusalem—right?—after the 70 years. He is jealous for it. He is going to reestablish Jerusalem.
—"15And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. 16Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. 17Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem." Zechariah 1:12-17 (KJV).
So, after the 70 years He is going to build Jerusalem. We understand that history.
But, go back now. I want you to see something that you saw, but I want to emphasize it now back in verse 12. He has talked about the 70 years of captivity, that they are going to rebuild Jerusalem thereafter; and, in verse 12, "Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, . . ."—what?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: "How long?"
BROTHER PIPPENGER: —" . . .How long?"
This is the Fifth Seal for this history, the Fifth Seal for Ancient Israel.
See, Ancient Israel is governed by the Seven Churches of Revelation, just as the Christian Church was governed by the Seven Churches of Revelation.
How Long?
Isaiah 6:11-13; Psalm 74:1-10; 79:5-10; Daniel 8:13; Revelation 6:9-11
Go to Isaiah 6. We have dealt with Isaiah 6 a little in this worship series, but we have dealt with a lot of information in this worship series; so, sometimes I am sure that it does not all click.
Now in Isaiah 6, beginning in verse 11—in Isaiah 6, verse 3, the angels—and Sister White applies verse 3 of Isaiah 6 the same way I am going to apply it—in verse 3 of Isaiah 6 it says,
"3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6:3 (KJV).
This is Revelation 18. Sister White says so. It is in your notes previously.
So, in Isaiah 6, you have Isaiah representing God's people at the end of the world when the Mighty Angel of Revelation 18 descends, and we know he is purified and prepared to give a message. And once he realizes that he has to give a message to a church that is in apostasy, because the Lord just told him, "You are going to go to a people that seeing won't see, and hearing won't hear. They are a rebellious people, unless they would turn and be converted," when he realizes that is his job assignment, then in verse 11 he says,
"11Then said I, Lord, how long?"—
"How long?" Right here [see note above end waymark of Thyatira and beginning of Sardis in Figure No. 85]: And the "How long?" for Isaiah is identified as, "You are going to continue to give this message until the desolation of Jerusalem takes place at The Sunday Law."
—"And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, 12And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. 13But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof." Isaiah 6:11-13 (KJV).
This "How long?" is always the same question throughout Scripture. For Isaiah, "You have to give the final warning message to the Seventh-day Adventist Church until the Church is purified at The Sunday Law."
And when the Church is purified at The Sunday Law, the Lord is going to raise up an ensign, and that ensign is going to be modern Zion that has been rebuilt and reestablished. That is Zechariah.
But, modern Israel, it is in disarray at the end of the world.
Where is it? It is in captivity. It is in the wilderness.
What wilderness? It is in William Miller's wilderness, the seven times scattering.
The Lord is going to raise up a people out of darkness like He does every time. Every Reform Movement is preceded by a time period of Darkness, a wilderness time period, a scattering time period. And from that scattering time period the Lord will raise up Jerusalem. He will build it.
The 70 years, was Jerusalem destroyed?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, for Zechariah, the question is, "How long until you rebuild Jerusalem?"
For Isaiah, "For how long do I have to give this message to Adventism?"
"Until you rebuild Jerusalem at The Sunday Law"; because, at The Sunday Law He is going to lift up a people like a crown, like an ensign. Jerusalem is going to be the City that all nations flow into.
We have looked at Psalm 74 before, and Psalm 793 before. Both of those places in Psalm you will find the question, "How long?"
Psalm 74:1-10:
"1O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. 4Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. 7They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
9We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. 10O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" Psalm 74:1-10 (KJV).
Psalm 79:5-10
"5How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. 7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. 8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. 10Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed." Psalm 79:5-10 (KJV).
But, Daniel 8:13.
If you cannot grasp the significance that the question "How long?" is the same question every time, then you are not really, probably, believing or understanding that all the prophets are speaking about the end of the world and you have to get that concept in your head. And once it is in your head, you realize that every time you see "How long?" it is the same question; and, therefore, each time the question is raised, it is giving another component to this thought.
And in Daniel 8:13, it says,
"13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long [how long] shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?" Daniel 8:13 (KJV).
Was Adventism trodden underfoot? Yeah, William Miller's dream. It was trodden underfoot. It has been scattered.
And what is Daniel 8 talking about, with the question, "How long?" It is talking about reestablishing Jerusalem, the sanctuary.
And, what else?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Establishing the host.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Reestablishing the host, because they have both been trodden down.
So, when does it get reestablished? At The Sunday Law.
It is always the same question and answer.
Go back to Psalm 74, just to give you one more line, if you are not familiar with this. Psalm 74; we went over this before.
Beginning in verse 1:
"1O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?"—
That is Adventism, right? We are the sheep of His pasture.
—"2Remember thy congregation,"—
We are His congregation.
—"which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt."—
We are Mount Zion in Scripture.
Verse 3:
—"3Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;"—
All the prophets are speaking about the end of the world. What was the perpetual desolations in Adventism? It was William Miller's dream.
—"even all that the enemy hath done wickedly"—where?—"in the sanctuary."—
The sanctuary of Adventism gets covered up by those "wicked feet." That is what Miller had in his dream, those wicked feet that trod the precious jewels.
—"4Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers."—
They are breaking down the sanctuary.
—"7They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,"—
Sister White says many will stand with the torch of false prophecy in the pulpits of Adventism.
—"7They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
9We see not our signs:"—
The Old Paths, the waymarks are gone.
—"9We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet:"—
We pass a resolution in the General Conference Session saying we are only—we cannot use the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy for faith and practice; and, if you cannot use them for faith and practice, what can you use them for? There is no longer any prophet. The Spirit of Prophecy has been removed, and the last deception of Satan is to make of none effect the Spirit of Prophecy.
—"neither is there among us any that knoweth how long."—
Nobody understands the message of "How long?"
And what is the message of "How long?" The message of "How long?" is how long until The Sunday Law. That is what Isaiah wanted to know, how long until The Sunday Law. And where do we find out how long The Sunday Law is? Where do we find that out?
You may not understand it yet, but you find it out in the last six verses of Daniel 11. "But none knoweth that anymore," that is what Sister White says in The Great Controversy: "Multitudes have no more an understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed." No one knows how long until The Sunday Law.
No one understands that we are living in the history of Daniel 11, verse 40; and, the next thing to happen is verse 41, which is The Sunday Law in the United States. And because they do not know that, they do not know that this is the last moment of time to prepare their character for the Seal of God or they are going to receive the mark of the beast. They do not know that.
Why? Because an enemy has come into the sanctuary and burned it with fire and trampled it underfoot and tore it down with axes. That is not me; that is the prophetic word.
So, anyway, the question is "How long?"
—"10O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" Psalm 74:1-10 (KJV).
Revelation 6:9-11:
"9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Revelation 6:9-11 (KJV).
The Lord Will Choose Israel
Zechariah 1:17; Isaiah 14:1-7
In Zechariah that we are dealing with is this question, "How long?" [referring to Figure No. 85 on the whiteboard]. It is marking the arrival of the Fifth Seal for Ancient Israel, which means that now we have got a reference to Sardis and a reference to Thyatira for Ancient Israel.
And why was it that God's people were carried into captivity for 70 years in Babylon? Why was it?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: They never let the land rest.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: It was from Israel participating in the worship of Paganism, right? That is Pergamos. That is Constantine; Constantine is a symbol of mixing the true religion with the false religion. What leads them into Thyatira is Constantine. It is the mingling that took place in this history [of Pergamos].
This here, Smyrna, the persecution, that is the time period of the Judges.
And Ephesus, when they were victorious, that is the time period of coming out of Egypt, bringing down Jericho. This is Ephesus for Ancient Israel.
Go to Zechariah 1:17.
You know, some of us have studied—I mean, as far as I know, those people that are publicly teaching this prophetic message (probably all of them, but at least the majority of them), they teach this very truth that we are teaching here; because, this message sometimes is summarized as the Message of the Little Book. And the Little Book is the Bible; but, the Bible becomes the Little Book because this approach to prophetic application lets you take every passage of the Bible and line it up on the last six verses of Daniel 11, and in this sense it becomes a Little Book.
So, I am sure that everyone that is publicly presenting this message addresses this particular teaching that we are dealing with here this morning and yesterday. So, for those of you in this room, or those of you who are watching LiveStream, once again this may be a redundant presentation. We have been doing some of those along the way.
But, I tell you what, it is unfortunate that if we get to this study that we are doing here and we somehow get so used to this study that we are unable to remember how profound this is the first time you recognized it, that the whole Bible is illustrated on the last six verses of Daniel 11. That is more than amazing! It is more than amazing!
So, if we are going through this and it is kind of like, "Okay. B follows A, which is followed by C and then comes D. All right. If you have studied this before, sobeit." But, if you get to the point that you do not recognize that this understanding is something that only the Dirt Brush Man, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, could open up to the minds of human beings, then you are missing the point: This truth is something that Christ is presenting to His people at this time.
In Zechariah 1:17, it says,
"17Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem." Zechariah 1:17 (KJV).
Jerusalem is going to be chosen for the final time at The Sunday Law. Okay? And then Jerusalem is going to be lifted up and the eleventh-hour laborers are going to come stand in Jerusalem with the ensign. The Lord is going to choose Jerusalem.
But, back here in this history [of Sardis], He was choosing Jerusalem again and He was bringing them out of Babylon to build Jerusalem.
Go to Isaiah 14:1-7. We still have not answered one question that we raised, probably several questions that we raised but we will try to answer this one. Isaiah 14, beginning at verse 1.
Now, notice that Isaiah is talking about choosing Jerusalem, too, just like Zechariah was in verse 17 of Zechariah, chapter 1.
What does it mean "to choose Jerusalem"? That is the city; that is God's city.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The bride.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The bride.
First verse of Isaiah 14:
"1For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob."—
What is that? Is that the same story?
He is going to choose Israel. That is Seventh-day Adventists, is it not?
But "strangers," who is that?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Indiscernible responses.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: That is the Gentiles. That is the eleventh-hour workers. Those are the other sheep that He has that when they hear His voice, they shall come.
This is choosing Jerusalem, but it is saying it in a different way. But it is choosing Jerusalem.
Verse 2:
—"2And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. 3And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,"—
This is talking about them being in bondage and captivity [gestures to the Church of Thyatira in Figure No. 85], and the Lord is going to reverse that captivity and make those that were ruling over them in submission to them [those being in bondage and captivity]—this is spiritual submission—when He chooses Jerusalem again, when He chooses Israel.
Verse 4:
—"4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!"—
So now it is being specific. This is about their time period in Babylon. It is about when He is going to end the captivity in Babylon. Right?
Verse 5:
—"5The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. 6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. 7The whole earth is"—
What?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: At rest.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: —"at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing." Isaiah 14:1-7 (KJV).
Ahh, when is the whole earth at rest, and is quiet? Well, it is at the end of the 70 years.
What did those four horses do? They went and walked to and fro into the Earth, and what did they cause to happen? The Earth to be at rest. They came to a conclusion right here [indicating the waymark between Thyatira and Sardis as depicted in Figure No. 85].
These four chariots in Zechariah 6, these horses in Zechariah 1, these horses in Revelation 6 is this history here [indicating the first four of the Seven Churches]; and, when you get to the conclusion of the 70 years, or the 1260 years, or the scattering of William Miller, the Lord is going to choose Jerusalem. At that point the Earth is at rest.
So, I hope you see this. Ancient Israel is governed by the Seven Churches of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3.
The Four Scattering Horns
Zechariah 1:19-20; Jeremiah 50:17-18
Okay. Back to Zechariah, chapter 1, verses 19 and 20, and let us start in verse 18. We are going to need to start in verse 18 to understand what he saw.
"18Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns."—
Zechariah sees four horns.
—"19And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these [four horns]? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."— (KJV).
Okay. These are the powers that scattered them in the 70 years; during the 1260 years; during William Miller's dream.
All the other scatterings are typified in the Scriptures as well, because all the prophecies are speaking about the end of the world, telling the same story.
Verse 20:
"20And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. 21Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the [four] horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them,"—
What are coming to fray thee horns?
What does it mean to fray? Chop down, cut them up.
What is coming to fray these horns that scattered Israel?
—"but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it." Zechariah 1:18-21
There are four carpenters. What is a carpenter?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: One who builds.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: One who builds, but who is the Carpenter in the Scriptures?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Christ.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay. These are four symbols of Christ that bring back God's people, put them back in Jerusalem; build Jerusalem.
I am passing over Jeremiah 50:17-18.
"17Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. 18Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria." Jeremiah 50:17-18 (KJV).
We will go back to that.
The Lord Restoring His People
In the Spirit of Prophecy, Prophets and Kings, pages 580 – 581, it says.
"Zechariah then saw the powers that had 'scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem,' symbolized by four horns. Immediately afterward he saw four carpenters, representing the agencies used by the Lord in restoring His people and the house of His worship. See verses 18−21."—
What were the agencies that were used to bring them out of Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem and the sanctuary, and the streets and the wall? It was these Pagan kings that passed what?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Four decrees.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: [Holding up four fingers]: Four decrees. It is the 3:1 combination.
Continuing on with the Spirit of Prophecy:
—"'I lifted up mine eyes again,' Zechariah said, 'and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand."—
When He is going to rebuild Jerusalem, you see a man with a measuring line.
Did John in Revelation 11 see a man with a measuring line?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: It would be the same man, doing the same thing. The prophets all saw the same vision.
—"'I lifted up mine eyes again,'"—
Speaking of the carpenters that come to restore Jerusalem.
—"Zechariah said, 'and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: for I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.' Zechariah 2:1−5.
"God had commanded that Jerusalem be rebuilt; the vision of the measuring of the city was an assurance that He would give comfort and strength to His afflicted ones, and fulfill to them the promises of His everlasting covenant. His protecting care, He declared, would be like 'a wall of fire round about;' and through them His glory would be revealed to all the sons of men. That which He was accomplishing for His people was to be known in all the earth."—
"In all the Earth," when does that happen?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: That would be in Revelation 18.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Revelation 18: The Earth is going to be lightened with His glory.
—"'Cry out and shout,'"—
What is this here? The Loud Cry.
—"'thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.' Isaiah 12:6." Prophets and Kings, 580−581.
Four Carpenters
Zechariah 1:20-21
"20And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. 21Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it." Zechariah 1:20-21 (KJV).
Three Decrees
But, we are seeing this story about our day and age back here in this history of Sardis for Ancient Israel, the Fifth Seal for Ancient Israel, I their work of rebuilding Jerusalem with the man stretching the line. And the agencies which the Lord used to accomplish that work were the Three Decrees.
And you can see the three Decrees, followed by the fourth Decree of Nehemiah in your notes.
The Great Controversy, page 326:
"In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12−26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built 'according to the commandment ['decree,' margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.' These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years. Taking 457 B.C., the time when the decree was completed, as the date of the commandment, every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to have been fulfilled." The Great Controversy, 326.
So, that is what we are saying, is that these three Decrees are prefiguring the Three Angels' Messages, which are testing God's people at this time. When the third Decree arrives, Judgment arrives. The third Decree, the third test for us today is The Sunday Law, at which point the Law will be lifted up before the world. The streets and walls will be finished even in troublous times.
Measuring Jerusalem
Zechariah 2:1-13; Revelation 11:1-2
Zechariah 2:1-13:
[Sounding of thunder outside of the meeting hall.]
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Praise the Lord for the thunder. Bring on the rain.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Indiscernible affirmations).
BROTHER PIPPENGER: "1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof."—
Let us drop forward because we just read that from the Spirit of Prophecy, and take it up in verse 6.
— 3And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, 4And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: 5For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."—
Sister White did not read verse 6, so we will take it up in verse 6.
—6Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. 7Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon."—
When does that take place? The Sunday Law: "Come out of her my people."
—"8For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. 9For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.
"10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. 11And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. 12And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again."—
That is The Sunday Law.
—"13Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation." Zechariah 2:1-13 (KJV).
What happens when the Lord stands up? It is a change of dispensation. We have looked at that before. This is marking the close of probation for Seventh-day Adventists, if we apply it to the end of the world.
But, what we are looking at here more specifically is the measuring of Jerusalem being a symbol of when Jerusalem is rebuilt after their 70 years of captivity, and it is prefiguring the building of Jerusalem that took place in the Millerite History.
In Revelation 11, starting at verse 1, it says:
"1And there was given me a reed"—
Now, who is this? This is John.
And in the previous verses, and there is no chapter distinctions in the original writings of the Book of Revelation. In the previous verses, John has gone and taken the Little Book out of the Angel's hands and he ate it. It was sweet in his mouth and became bitter in his stomach.
And then in verse 11 of chapter 10, it says, "And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings," telling John, as representing the Millerites, that the history of the Millerites will have to be repeated again.
But, then in verse 1 of Revelation 11, it says,
—"1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months." Revelation 11:1-2 (KJV).
John here in the Millerite History is what? He is building Jerusalem. He is marking that the Lord is once again choosing Jerusalem, entering into covenant with modern Israel. He is told to measure the worshippers therein.
What does the measuring represent? It represents more than one thing. Usually I emphasize something different than I am going to emphasize today.
All Will Be Tested
Testimonies, volume 7, page 219, says,
"All who occupy positions in our institutions will be tested. If they will make Christ their pattern, He will give them wisdom and knowledge and understanding; they will grow in grace and aptitude in Christ's way; their characters will be molded after His similitude. If they fail of keeping the way of the Lord, another spirit will control the mind and judgment, and they will plan without the Lord and will take their own course and leave the positions they have occupied. The light has been given them; if they depart from it, let no man present a bribe to induce them to remain. They will be a hindrance and a snare. The time has come when everything is to be shaken that can be shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."—
And in Zechariah 2 it was talking about the shaking.
—"Every case is coming in review before God; He is measuring the temple and the worshipers therein." Testimonies, volume 7, 219.
So, in this sense, when John is measuring the Temple, it is identifying that on October 22, 1844, Judgment began. It means other things, but the measuring has to do with Judgment.
The Plummet of the House of Ahab
2 Kings 21:10-13
Go to 2 Kings 21, starting at verse 10. We want to look at a place that is a symbol in the Scriptures that has to do with Judgment, with measuring; and, it is only mentioned three times.
Beginning in verse 10 of 2 Kings 21, it says,
"10And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying, 11Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 12Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. 13I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down." 2 Kings 21:10-13 (KJV).
When He is stretching this line over Jerusalem, we have already identified it represents Judgment. He is saying that He is going to judge Judah, the Southern Kingdom, with the line of Ahab, with Samaria, the Northern Kingdom.
What was the judgment that was delivered upon the Northern Kingdom?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: It was the 2520.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: It was the 2520.
He says, "The Northern Kingdom was carried into captivity for seven times; and, now, because of the sins of Manasseh, it is going to happen to the Southern Kingdom."
And what is the symbol of this judgment process, judgment in this passage? You will find it in verse 13. It is the plummet of the house of Ahab, and this plummet is only mentioned three times in the Scriptures; and, it is mentioned in connection with judgment, with the stretching of the line.
Okay. Let us look at the other place where we can see this plummet.
Isaiah 28:14-18
Isaiah 28, verses 14 through 18. This should be familiar ground to us in this worship series by now. We have dealt with this more than once.
But, what I am saying is, when the man is measuring the city, judgment is taking place. And the judgment that was measured upon Judah was the same judgment that was measured upon Samaria; and, the symbol of this judgment is the plummet, the plummet.
And in Isaiah 28, starting at verse 14, it says,
"14Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem."—
And in Testimonies, volume 5, page 211, Sister White tells us that Jerusalem at the end of the world is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. So, verse 14 is talking about the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at the end of the world.
Verse 15 says,
—"15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through,"—
Now, Brothers and Sisters, do not forget this term, "the overflowing scourge."
The overflowing, does overflowing have something to do with dirt? with flowers? It has to do with water. The overflowing scourge is a symbol that is connected with the River Euphrates. It has to do with the King of the North. The overflowing scourge in the Scriptures is The Sunday Law.
But, I want you to remember overflowing; because, when we start to take apart Daniel 11:40, the King of the North is going to overflow and pass over. It is one of his characteristics.
Okay. Verse 15:
—"15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."—
Right here [referring to the 1843 Chart], this is what is going to test them, those scornful men that ruled Jerusalem. It is the cornerstone; it is the Rock of Ages. This is a stumbling stone. You either fall on this and are broken or it is going to fall on you and it is going to crush you.
We have already dealt with this, but notice the next verse.
—"17Judgment also will I lay to the line,"—
What is "laying to the line" represent? Judgment.
—"17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the"—
What?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: To the plummet.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The plummet. This is the second time we find the plummet.
The plummet has something to do with the Judgment; but, now we know that the plummet of Judgment that is brought against these scornful men that rule Jerusalem has something to do with the Foundations of Adventism. Do we not? Is that not what it is saying?
—"17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place."—
There is The Sunday Law.
—"18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it." Isaiah 28:14-18 (KJV).
Zechariah 4
The plummet is also referenced in Zechariah, chapter 4. Go to Zechariah, chapter 4. This is the last place the plummet is referenced.
We will go through this fairly quickly. We are out of time, and I still have to conclude this [referencing the timeline of the Seven Churches on the whiteboard].
Verse 1:
"1And the angel that talked with me [Zechariah] came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep."—
Zachariah here is representing God's people that wake up at the Midnight Cry.
Verse 2:
—"2And [the angel] said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: 3And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."—
Zachariah is representing the Millerites here that wake up at the Midnight Cry in the summer of 1844 and then realize they do not know what the Sanctuary is. They do not know what the seven-branch candlestick is.
Zachariah is representing Seventh-day Adventists at the end of the world that wake up at the Midnight Cry at the end of the world and do not realize that the seven-branch candlestick represents the Latter Rain. They do not know what the Latter Rain is. They do not know what the work of the Holy Spirit is.
Verse 6:
—"6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This"—what?—"This [candlestick] This is the word of the Lord"—
The Latter Rain is a message. It is the Word of the Lord.
—"unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."—
The Latter Rain is the Word of the Lord. It is represented by the candlestick. Seventh-day Adventists at the end of the world do not know that. The Millerites did not know the furnishing of the heavenly Sanctuary because they thought the Sanctuary was the Earth.
Zachariah is representing the beginning and the ending of Adventism, just like John was in Revelation 10.
ZERUBBABEL, the name means out of Babylon, offspring of Babylon.
The beginning of Adventism was established upon the power of the Midnight Cry, the Second Angel's Message, which is "Come out of Babylon." And the end of Adventism is established in the power of Revelation 18, "Come out of Babylon."
Zerubbabel is the beginning and the end of Adventism. It is the final gathering that was represented by the gathering in 1844.
Verse 7:
—"7Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain:"—
And Sister White tells us thee mountains are the difficulties that will be swept away.
—"and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."—
Zerubbabel is going to put the headstone—what is the headstone? That is the final stone [gesturing that the headstone is the last stone placed on top]. And Zerubbabel is going to put the foundation on. Zerubbabel represents the beginning and the end of Adventism.
—"before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, and grace unto it. 8Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house;"—
Millerite History.
—"his hands shall also finish it;"—
Our history.
—"and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10For who hath despised the day of small things?"—
There is the day of small things. There is the day of small things [referencing the 1843 Chart].
Who is despised in the Millerite History when all this began? Well, there is a group in Adventism that refused to return to those Old Paths. They despised the day of small things.
—"for they shall rejoice,"—
The other group is going to rejoice.
—"and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven;"—
What is the plummet? Well, it is a symbol of Judgment. It is a symbol of measuring. And there is going to be a group that despised the Foundations of Adventism (the day of small things); but, there is going to be another group that is going to rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven.
Wow! That word seven just happens to be the identical Hebrew word that is translated as seven times in Leviticus 26. What is that plummet? They see the 2520.
—"they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth."—
Who runs to and fro through the whole Earth? It is the work of God. It is the work of God.
—"11Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13And he answered me and said,"—
"You don't know what these are?"
Zechariah is not representing himself. He is representing the Millerites; he is representing us.
—"Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." Zechariah 4 (KJV).
Seventh-day Adventists, the Millerites, they do not understand the Heavenly Sanctuary in their day and age. We do not understand.
We do not understand the two anointed ones.
How many times have I had been confronted with these theologians and these pastors, "Sola scriptura, Brother! Sister White says we are not supposed to use her writings."
"Well, Brother, you do not understand that the Spirit that inspired the Spirit of Prophecy is the identical Spirit that inspired the Bible. They are both the anointed ones."
The people that are identified as the remnant in the Book of Revelation, they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. They do not give it lip service; they have it!
These are the two anointed ones that Adventism does not understand: the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.
So, enough sermonizing. Let us bring this to a conclusion.
Summary
What we are saying is that the history of Ancient Israel is repeated in our history. We read that right off at the beginning. We did not have to do any more. We could have read that and quit early today. Sister White says so.
But, we can show that the history of Ancient Israel is governed—and there is more to do with this study that we are not doing, by the way. Ancient Israel is governed by the history of the Seven Churches.
ANCIENT ISRAEL: OLD TESTAMENT
CHRISTIAN CHURCH: NEW TESTAMENT
L A O D I C E A
Figure No. 86.
And we showed yesterday that the history of the Seven Churches is all fulfilled in Laodicea.
So, what we are saying is, the history of Ancient Israel, that is the Old Testament; and the history of the Christian Church is the New Testament. It is all repeated in our history.
And our history, our history is a repetition of the Millerite History, of course.
So, what we are saying is, when the Lion of the tribe of Judah unseals the message of Daniel 11, verse 40, that this history down here to Daniel 12:1 when Michael stands up, that this history is the history of Laodicea. And on these verses the entire Bible is structured.
So, when we are talking about the Dirt Brush Man coming in, in 1989, and unsealing the Book of Daniel (Daniel 11:40), and beginning to sweep out the garbage from Adventism, we are talking about an unsealing that is just profound.
1st TEMPLE CLEANSING 2nd TEMPLE CLEANSING
1840
Dan. v.40 1841 1842 1843 1844 12:1
1798 v.41 v.42 v.43 v.44
Rev 18
History of Dan 11:40 COP COP
1989 9/11/2001 Sunday Law Close of Human Probation
( And at that time shall Michael stand up…)
Figure No. 87.
And in the history of verse 40, which begins in 1798, it goes all the way to verse 41, which is The Sunday Law. So, in this history, on 9/11 you had the Mighty Angel come down of Revelation 18, and empowered a message that was taken to the Protestants until they closed their doors in 1842.
In verse 42, the Papacy conquers the world; and, then the world is tested, until probation closes.
Am I getting you confused?
This [verse 40] is 1840.
This is verses 41 and 42: This is 1841 and 1842.
This is the first temple cleansing here [1840 to 1842]; the second temple cleansing goes right down to here [Daniel 12:1]. The second temple cleansing in the history of the Millerites was 1843 and 1844, which is verse 43 and verse 44; because "at that time" in verses 42 and 43 probation closes. Michael stands up [Daniel 12:1] in these histories, just as He stood up in 1844.
Did I lose you?
Brothers and Sisters, this is just one example that the whole Bible is structured on the last six verses of Daniel 11. And this is a study all into itself.
But, what are we doing here? We are trying to emphasize that in 1989 the Dirt Brush Man arrived, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, unsealed the Book of Daniel and an increase of knowledge began to test Seventh-day Adventists. And so far it looks like Seventh-day Adventists are greatly failing the test.
Shall we pray?
Benediction: Heavenly Father, we want to be awakened as was Zechariah, as were the Millerites; but, we want to understand the things that you present to us when we are awakened. We want to understand the increase of knowledge. We want to participate in the work of the Dirt Brush Man. We want to be among those that lead God's people back to the Old Paths, that work to uncover the genuine jewels, the genuine coin. We thank you for allowing us to see a glimpse of this truth that you are opening to the world, and we ask a blessing upon the work that we are attempting to do here with the DVDs and the LiveStreaming. We set before you this day of work that we each have and ask a blessing upon on our service to you and ask for you to keep us safe. And we thank you for all these things in Jesus's name. Amen.