Habakkuk's Two Tables #90
Presented by Jeff Pippenger
Invocation by Brother Jeff Pippenger: Heavenly Father, as we bring this day's presentations to a close, we ask that you would continue to guide the message in such a way that we can be benefited, that we can tie these things together as we bring this series to a conclusion. We again would ask that you would grant us your Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds, to strengthen us, awaken us. We want the Latter Rain poured out upon us. And we know that even though we are living in the time of the Latter Rain, if we do not have clean vessels prepared for the Latter Rain, we do not receive it. We would ask that you forgive us our sins, forgive us the transgressions that may be preventing us from understanding these things and receiving the presence of yourself into this temple where you wish to rest. As we take up this next study, I ask that you would once again take control of my humanity, and also the humanity of those who are hearing these things so that we can hear your voice and understand these things in a way that we can be benefited and have a message to carry to those that we come in contact with. We thank you for all these things in Jesus's name. Amen.
Conclusion
BROTHER PIPPENGER: How many of you were here that we did this presentation [referring to the timelines on the whiteboard]? Raise your hands.
Figure No. 168A (Pergamos and Civil Rome)
Pergamos
330 538
Civil Rome 508
AD321 cast down SUR 533
Temple of God
RUM
Decree of
Justinian
Figure No. 168B (The Millerite History – Sardis and Philadelphia)
1798 1844
Papal Rome
SARDIS cast down 1840 1843 3/22/44 8/17/44
Rev 13 Holy Place
Chart Fanaticism
Falling Away
Midnight Cry
August 12-17, 1844
Exeter Camp Meeting
Figure No. 168C (The Four Abominations, Ezekiel 8)
SUNDAY
WORSHIP
JEALOUSY • SPIRITUALISM • WEEPING for TAMMUZ
Figure No. 168D (Alpha Apostasy)
"Book: The Doctrine
of Christ"
1863 1919
Protestant USA 1888 Living Temple
1860 cast down 1915 (Temple of
1901 1902 the Lord)
Pantheism
1 Samuel 8:6-8 Sur Falling Away
Daily
Figure No. 168E (Omega Apostasy)
Sunday
1989 9/11/2001 Law
Civil USA
1930s cast down 1843 1850 Structure
Strong (Temple of
Charts/Tables Delusion the Lord)
Falling Away
Figure No. 168F (Judas)
Turning Point Barabbas 3
1 2 Falling Away
Gâdal
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Attendees raise their hands.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: One, two, three, four—okay. Maybe half of you in this room, and who knows how many on the internet; so, I am not going to go—I do not know how far I am going to go through this, but I am going to refer to it briefly to get started.
We looked at the history of the Daily, the taking away of the Daily, in the context of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, where Paul tells us that in the 1st Century "the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work," and that there would be a falling away before the man of sin would be revealed. So, the typical application of that is the history of the Ephesus Church in Paul's day and age. Moving to Smyrna, Pergamos, the exalted church (Constantine), the falling away begins. And Pergamos leads to the complete falling away that leads to Thyatira in AD538, Thyatira being the Papal church.
So, we were looking at that in the context of the history that took place, but also in the context of the Daily; because, in Daniel 11:31 and Daniel 12:11 the Daily is taken away, and that word translated as take away is [the Hebrew word] sûr, to remove. But, in Daniel 8:11, the word take away is [the Hebrew word] rûm, and it means to lift up and exalt.
So, we identified that in AD508, when Paganism was taken away at the Battle of the Visigoths that it was sûr(ed), it was removed; but, at this point in time Paganism begins to be lifted up and exalted, rûm(ed), as it is going to be placed upon the throne of the Earth as a counterfeit religion in AD538.
Paganism was a counterfeit religion, also; but, as we have shown repeatedly, the transition from Paganism to Papalism is governed by the transition in Christ's life in the Old Testament to the New Testament, the earthly sanctuary to the Heavenly Sanctuary. These two prophecies line up with one another.
And, so, there are changes of dispensations going on in here from AD508 to AD538, the 30 years of preparation for the Papacy paralleling the 30 years of preparation for Christ, is where the religion of Paganism (Daniel 8:11) is lifted up and exalted; AD533 being the point where the Decree of Justinian actually identifies the Pope of Rome as the head of the churches, but he is not on the throne until the last of the three horns are driven out of the City of Rome.
So, this line here [Figure No. 168A], AD321 that we are marking as the beginning of the falling away, this is where Constantine passes the first Sunday law, Constantine and the Church of Pergamos being the symbol of the compromise between Christianity and Paganism. And this mingling is an element of the Mystery of Iniquity.
The Mystery of Iniquity already works back here in the year AD100 in the time of Paul, but we are marking it here just for a point of illustration.
In the year AD330, Civil Rome is cast down by Constantine. So, we have the Mystery of Iniquity beginning back here [prior to AD100]. Civil Rome is cast down in the year 330; and, the casting down of Civil Rome in this history takes place leading up to AD508.
And what happens in 508 in connection with Daniel 8:11, and this is kind of a really profound insight if you can get it into your memory bank, is that in Daniel 8:11 you are seeing a counterfeit offering happening. You are seeing Paganism being slain in 508, but you are seeing Pagan Rome being slain in 508; therefore, Pagan Rome is the false offering, so to speak. But, the religion of Pagan Rome is Paganism and it, as some of the offerings in the sanctuary are, is going to be lifted up and exalted as a wave offering, but only a satanic wave offering. So, even though it is not specifically there in Daniel 8:11, you can see with enlightened eyes that in Daniel 8:11 there has to be a priest there that is going to life this offering up and exalt it. And, it is the Catholic priest that is going to do this. So, in 508 to 538, in the context of Daniel 8:11, you have this illustration of not only a transition from Paganism to Papalism but a counterfeit offering of Paganism. It does not really change; Paganism is Catholicism.
So, we were looking at this in terms of the Daily, the counterfeit, and in terms of 2 Thessalonians.
Then we showed this history is repeated in the history of the Millerites [Figure No. 168B],
In this history of the Millerites, back in the Dark Ages, you have a combination of truth and error that the Protestant churches are going to hold onto that is going to prevent them from accepting the Millerite message.
So, this line here from the Protestant churches is identifying the falling away that is going to happen. Because, when you come to the time period of 1844, the Protestant churches are going to reject the message and they are going to end up praying to Satan. So, they are going to fall away in order to do that. That is what this line [Figure No. 168B] is all about.
So, we find out in this line here that the same things are going on. Here [Figure No. 168A] Civil Rome was cast down in AD330 (Pagan Rome: Constantine moved the capitol from the City of Rome to Constantinople).
Do you follow me?
But, in this history [Figure No. 168B], the Papacy receives a deadly wound in 1798; of, in this sense Papal Rome is cast down.
And, in this history [Figure No. 168A], the offering is going to be Pagan Rome.
Do you follow my logic?
But, in this history [Figure No. 168B], the offering is going to be Papal Rome.
In this history [Figure No. 168A], the Papacy is going to be the false priest that lifts up this offering.
In this history [Figure No. 168B], Protestantism is going to lift up this offering of here [indicating Sardis prior to 1798]. And, that is what they did: They carried the doctrines of Rome. They would not release the doctrines of Rome, and this we tied in to Revelation 17, how the woman [the church] goes from head to head as she rides the beast.
This is a big study; trying to do it quickly.
Go back and look at it. I think is an important study.
In this [referring to the Temple of God after AD538 in Figure No. 168A], in the story of Daniel 8:11, you have the place of his sanctuary is cast down (and that is the City of Rome cast down) in the year 330; but, his sanctuary was the Pantheon Temple which we identified as the temple of all gods, and that Pantheism is Paganism. Okay?
So, when you are identifying the Daily in the Book of Daniel as Paganism, and the key verse in the Book of Daniel is Daniel 8:11 and right there is the temple of Paganism (the Pantheon Temple), then you realize that this word Pantheon is made of theos, meaning gods; and Pan, a Greek god, pantheos = Pantheon, Pantheism. Okay? Pantheism is directly connected to the Pantheon Temple.
So, in each of these histories [Figure Nos. 168A and B] there is a falling away first in order that the man of sin might be revealed. The man of sin that is revealed in 538 is the Papacy, and 2 Thessalonians says that he is in the Temple of God, telling himself that he is God.
Is he in the Temple of God? No; because, in 538 God's temple (God's church) flees into the wilderness. He [the Papacy] is in the counterfeit Temple of God.
In this history [Figure No. 168B] there is a falling away by the Protestants, and the man of sin is revealed as being in the Holy Place; because, the Protestants are going to continue to pray to the Holy Place, and there is Satan in the Holy Place answering their prayers.
Was he truly in the Holy Place in Heaven?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: No.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: No; counterfeit.
So, this [the Temple of God in Figure No. 168A] is the Pantheon Temple in this generation; and, this [the Holy Place in Figure No. 168B] is the Pantheon Temple in this generation, because the Pantheon Temple is the temple of gods. And in each of these histories there is going to be a counterfeit temple as a waymark in these histories, but they are all represented by the Pantheon Temple.
Are you with me?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: I am leaving a lot out. I am leaving lots out, but one of things I have left out is that in here [i.e., 503 to 508; 1840 to 1844; 1888 to 1919; 9/11/2001 to The Sunday Law] there is always a message that produces a falling away. The falling way starts back here [at the beginning of the timelines referenced], but there is a testing message.
Sister White lets us know that the testing message in here [503 to 508] was a message by Paul of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2; and, this is what causes the true Christian church to separate from Rome, as illustrated in The Great Controversy, pages 49 and 50. They would have met on any terms with that corrupt church if they could do it, but they could not do it; so, rather, "Separate and let there be war, if necessary," and they separate.
This message that allowed the Christians at that time period to know who they were dealing with, Sister White tells us this came from 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. A prophetic warning message tested this generation: "Are you going to see that this Christian church in Rome is not really a Christian church, and you cannot belong to it?" And, the true Christians, based upon 2 Thessalonians, separated; but, Sister White tells us that Paul got his message in 2 Thessalonians from the Book of Daniel. So, there is a prophetic testing message in here that causes the falling away, that causes the separation that reveals the man of sin in the Temple of God that came from the Book of Daniel.
So, when you bring that down to the Millerite History [Figure No. 168B]—and I know I am going fast; but, I am going fast because we have not even started the notes, and it is the last presentation of the day. Okay?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Laughter.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: In this history [Figure No. 168B], parallel history, there is a testing message right here that is going to cause Protestants to fall away. And, when it is all said and done, Satan is going to be in the Holy Place, answering the Protestants' (who have fallen) prayers.
See the parallel history?
So, when we get to this history, what we do is we start to put some other details into it; because, all these histories are pointing to our history, and we want to understand our history as much as anyone else's history back there.
So, we notice that in connection with this testing message here [Figure No. 168B] is that this Chart is what starts the process of separation. The [1843] Chart is produced in May of 1842. By June of 1842, they [the Protestants] are closing the door.
Then you have the first disappointment. Before the first disappointment they estimated there were a couple of hundred thousand people, and then it went down to—who knows?—not very many.
But then, in the Second Angel's Message, how many came out of Babylon?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: 50,000.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: 50,000, just like how many that came out of Babylon under the Second Decree, according to Sister White; 50,000 in both of those histories.
So, there is a process of separation that begins with the introduction of the Chart.
And what is the main issue? There are three points of separation in the history of the Millerites: the introduction of the Chart; the Second Angel's Message, "Come out of her my people—and what is the other issue that causes a separation in that history? —It is the message that the 2520 and the 2300 ends in 1844, where they used the same evidence that they thought proved they ended in 1843, to show it ended in 1844; and, it is that message is what starts getting them kicked out of the churches.
So, what we are saying is: Both of these histories [Figure Nos. 168A and B] are the same.
We added briefly into this line [of Figure No. 168C], underneath it [Figure No. 168B], Ezekiel 8 which we are going to deal with in a little more detail here; and, for that reason I wanted to put this context up here.
And in Ezekiel 8 there are four abominations that escalate to The Sunday Law: (1) Jealousy, self-exaltation; (2) Spiritualism, the secret chambers; (3) Weeping for Tammuz, the false Latter Rain; (4) Sunday worship, the man of sin revealed.
In here [Figure No. 168D] we dealt with, of course, Jericho and the prophecy of Heil that when he rebuilt Jericho, it would cost him his youngest son to set up the gates, and his first-born son to set up the foundation.
And, we pointed out that the gates represent the church, and the discussion to begin the Adventist Church was in 1860, and the selection of the "Adventist-day Adventist" name was in 1860. And in 1860 when this discussion began, Ellen and James White's youngest son was laid to rest.
And 1863 when they official became the Seventh-day Adventist Church, their oldest son was laid to rest, and the reason he was laid to rest was because he took a nap upon the cloth backing that they were using to produce the 1863 chart and caught pneumonia and died.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Indiscernible comments.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, in 1863 their first-born son is laid to rest as they are setting aside the Foundations.
So, we are saying these histories here are marking the time period where the Mystery of Iniquity is beginning. We are beginning to seek for the higher criticism, the hermeneutics of Babylon and begin to set aside the Old Paths.
So, the falling away begins here [1860 to 1919], and it is in here [from 1863] that the Protestants are going to be cast down; Papal Rome was cast down here; and, Civil Rome was cast down here [at this same waymark in these histories]. But, the last of the Protestants is Millerite Adventism.
And when Millerite Adventism was calling the people out of the Protestant churches in this history [Figure No. 168B], here in the Second Angel's Message, their definition what defined Babylon was church organization that had connected with civil authority. And if you had formed a church and got credentialed from the Government, that proved that you were a member of Babylon and you needed to come out of it. It was one of their strongest issues.
And back here [1860 of Figure No. 168D] we read quotes that when James White started pushing in 1860 for a church, when they selected the name "Seventh-day Adventist," some of those early Pioneers said, "If you become a church, you are becoming part of Babylon." Okay?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: And what I am saying, if you can follow me, is that here, up before this [1860], Millerite Adventism, was the last Protestant, and it is going to get cast down right here [1863], paralleling this casting down [Figure No. 168B], and this casting down [Figure No. 168A].
So, this takes off through history; and, in 1888, which I am saying parallels 1840 because this is when the Angel comes down in 1840; and, of course, we know that in 1888 was the Latter Rain; therefore, the Mighty Angel of Revelation 18 is coming down here, even if it gets cut off. That is what is going on.
This [waymark] is what marks the beginning of the Alpha Apostasy, 1888; because, in here by an official vote, we [Adventism] reject the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible's authority. So, from this point on, you reap what you sow; and, then I have some dates in here to show the ever increasing darkness that confronts Adventism.
I have 1901 just to mark the Daily as the first of the tests; because, that is what we are doing. The Daily is the first test. It is always the first test: It is jealousy. Satan's rebellion began in Heaven with his jealousy, and his jealousy is equated to self-exaltation; and self-exaltation in the Book of Daniel is symbolized by the Daily, and the Daily comes into this Alpha history in 1901.
Okay. You can go all the way back to 1845 when Crossier writes the tract that is wrong on the Daily, if you want to really go back in history. But, I do not want to go back in history. I want to deal with the Alpha history that begins in 1888.
And then in 1902 we have the burning down of the Review and Herald [Publishing House] and the Sanitarium; thus emphasizing the Pantheism of John Harvey Kellogg; because, what follows this, what follows jealousy is Spiritualism in Ezekiel 8. They go into the chambers of imagery, and Jesus warned us about the secret chambers, and Sister White in her comments says the secret chambers represent Spiritualism.
And what follows this sequence of, first, self-exaltation (the Daily), and then the Pantheism of John Harvey Kellogg (in the sequence that is nailed down) is that you are going to see a false Christ.
Okay. Here [Figure No. 168C] you have a false Christ in Weeping for Tammuz. Tammuz is a false Christ. He dies in the wintertime; he is going to resurrect in the springtime. And the practice, the counterfeit worship service for the false Christ, of Weeping for Tammuz, the weeping that they are doing represents watering the ground so he [Tammuz] will resurrect. So, the weeping for Tammuz represents the counterfeit Latter Rain.
Are you with me?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, here [Figure No. 168E] in our history, the jealousy, the Daily (self-exaltation) lining up with Ezekiel 8.
The Spiritualism of Ezekiel 8; that is Pantheism (John Harvey Kellogg).
The false Christ, that is W. W. Prescott's book. "Books of a new order will be written," but Prescott's book marks the beginning of this next history, books of a new order, when he writes The Doctrine of Christ, where he purposely takes the Advent Message and removes all the prophetic implications out of it, leaving a false Christ to guide Adventism the rest of the way through their history, and he succeeded. So, the false Christ is set up here in 1919.
And the temple for this time is expressed symbolically by the book, The Living Temple. But, in this time period, when Sister White is talking about the apostasy of these men, she repeatedly says that their justification for their apostate acts is that they claim, "The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord are we." So, in this history, the false temple that parallels this false temple [Figure No. 168B], that parallels this false temple [Figure No. 168A] is represented by the book, The Living Temple and their profession that the Temple of the Lord were them. That is the Alpha Apostasy.
But, we are living in the Omega [Apostasy] (John Harvey Kellogg) [Figure No. 168E.
So, in the 1930s—and this is nineteen thirties; I had to select 1930-31—in that time period we [Adventism] are seeking accreditation for our health work, and then for our theological work, and we accept the hermeneutics of apostate Protestantism. We have set aside now proof-texting officially, and we begin to train people in this darkness.
Then comes 1989 and Civil USA (the United States of America) has two aspects: religious (Protestant) and it began to close its doors in June 1842, and the last Protestants in the United States [Millerite Adventism] closed their doors in 1863.
But, in 1989, what is going to be cast down in this history is the civil aspect of the United States—okay?—i.e., cast down, Civil Rome [Figure No. 168A]; cast down, Religious Rome [Figure No. 168B]; cast down, religious United States [Figure No. 168D]; cast down, Civil United States [Figure No. 168E]: Rome [Figure Nos. 168A and B, the beginning]; modern Rome [Figure No. 168D and E, the ending].
So, this goes on in the Ronald Reagan years [Figure No. 168E]. The Mystery of Iniquity begins in the 1930s. It is what is going to cause the falling away in Adventism, this false technique of studying the Bible.
So, you come to 9/11 which lines up with 1888, which lines up with 1840, which lines up with 508; but, now you are looking at the Omega Apostasy. And now, as in the Millerite History, you do not simply have the 1843 Chart, you have these two Charts [the 1843 and the 1850 Charts], the complete story, of not just the Foundations but the Foundations and the Pillars. And the testing process of Adventism begins.
Therefore, the first test here is the Spirit of Prophecy. There are a lot of ways to express this first test. I am not threatened by any of them; but, the symbol of them that repeatedly comes up is the self-exaltation, the gâdal (the Daily)—all right?—the Daily. So, those people that do not think the Daily is a test question, it is a test question for a lot of reasons; but, what I want you to understand is ultimately it is the symbol of the Omega Apostasy, and what follows that is the Spiritualism and the strong delusion, the strong delusion being the false revival that meets its climax just before The Sunday Law, as represented by the Weeping for Tammuz.
And here [at The Sunday Law] the false temple is now what we call "the structure" that is going to be swept away at the storm and tempest of The Sunday Law, as Sister White deals with the Omega Apostasy.
Of course, this down here [Figure No. 168F], this is a parallel history of Judas. And Sister White talks about the turning point in the life of Judas is in the message of Christ concerning eating His flesh and drinking His blood; but, we are also told that there are turning points in the history of the nations and the church. And these crises the light for that time is given.
The turning point for the nation and the church, September 11, 2001, that is the turning point of Judas. And, in the story of Judas his turning point was where Jesus was saying, "Now you must eat my flesh and drink my blood." And, now, 9/11, now the test for Adventism, is you must take the Little Book and eat it. Okay?
And this gâdal, this self-exaltation of Judas, it takes one step further after the sermon in John 6 when he is at the foot washing at Simon's house. There is where he determines to go ahead and begin the process of meeting three times [see tests 1, 2, and 3 on the timeline] with the Sanhedrin to sell out the Lord.
And we noted that the beginning of Judas's history is at the foot washing, and the end of Judas's history is at the foot washing of the 12 Disciples.
And what is it that Adventists call the foot washing ceremony?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Communion Service.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Ordinance of Humility.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Ordinance of Humility.
So, what Judas is rejecting is humility.
If you are rejecting humility, what are you demonstrating?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Gâdal.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Gâdal (the Daily).
Okay. The Daily is always right here [indicating the waymark of 9/11], this self-exaltation.
Of course, as we read through the Spirit of Prophecy, Judas becomes demon-possessed (Spiritualism). Okay?
But, here, before he sells out Christ for the third time, at the foot washing of the Disciples, his probation was still open. Sister White says so. But, when he left the foot washing, he closed his probation; thus, telling Seventh-day Adventists that their probation closes before The Sunday Law; because, The Sunday Law is the cross. Judas closed his probation here; and, before the cross, he hung himself, but the tree would not hold. The branch would not hold and he fell away to the ground, and the dogs finished him off.
And the dogs, the dogs, are identified in the Bible as the civil power. Seventh-day Adventists that think that they are saving themselves a headache by accepting Sunday do not realize that the civil powers that are going to do the persecution in that time period are going to finish them off; because, the dogs, the civil power, are what finished off Judas.
But, that is another story.
This falling away [before the cross] is the falling away of 2 Thessalonians. It is the strong delusion that began back here [in the 1930s] when we accepted the false educational techniques.
And, of course, once Judas fell away, the cross, the man of sin was revealed, the man of sin being Barabbas, a false Christ.
In this history [Figure No. 168D] the false Christ is The Doctrine of Christ by W. W. Prescott; the false Christ here [Figure No. 168C] is Tammuz; and, the false Christ here [Figure No. 168A] is the Pope of Rome; and, here [Figure No. 168B] is Satan in the Holy Place7.
That is a review of that history.
Let us go to your notes and see if we can finish this off.
Strong Delusion
"Strong Delusions."—It is bad to do that in the last presentation of the day when you are already in overload mode, is it not? But, my excuse for doing that, ultimately it is getting on a DVD and you can just pause it, come back when you are refreshed, and start it over again.
Testimonies, volume 8, pages 249-250:
"One who sees beneath the surface, who reads the hearts of all men, says of those who have had great light:"—
That is Capernaum. That is Adventism at the end of the world.
—They are not afflicted and astonished because of their moral and spiritual condition.' Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.' 'God shall send them strong delusion,—
This is where Sister White is tying Isaiah 66 and 2 Thessalonians together.
—"'God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,' because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,' 'but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' Isaiah 66:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 10, 12."—(to be continued)
Which means, if all of us in this room are going to receive the strong delusion, then He is going to choose a delusion for me that will be different than that which He chooses for you; because, what I am going to fall over is going to be different than what you are going to fall over, and it is going to be different than you fall over [speaking to each section of the audience], but they all come under the category of 2 Thessalonians' strong delusion. Okay?
Let us go to 2 Thessalonians And there is much that you can say about 2 Thessalonians.
Of course, these timelines are based upon 2 Thessalonians [referring to Figure Nos. 168A, B, C, D, E, and F]. Up here are these lines [up on the whiteboard].
I want to remind you of something here. I know you know this, so it will be very redundant.
But, 2 Thessalonians, chapter, beginning at verse 3,
"3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,"—
Do you see that up there? It was not just prior to AD538. There is always a falling away that precedes the revelation of who the man of sin is.
—"and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not that, when I was yet with your, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time."—
"Now you know," Paul says, "Now you know what withholdeth the Papacy—the Papacy is going to be revealed in its time (in AD538)—"but, you know what is holding him back; because, I was with you and I told you before."
Who is holding him back?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Pagan Rome.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Pagan Rome. Pagan Rome is holding him back.
—"7 For the mystery of iniquity"—there is the Papacy—"doth already work:"—
But, that is the Papacy's activity back here in the 1st Century that Paul is talking about, the Mystery of Iniquity that is going to lead to this is already at work.
And, what was the Mystery of Iniquity that John dealt with in his ministry more often than anything else? And, if you do not understand this, then you probably do not miss some of the context that the writings of John. What was it that John was dealing with in his writings that was the Mystery of Iniquity that is going to impact here [AD538]? Gnosticism; Gnosticism: spiritualizing the truths of the Bible away; putting metaphorical meanings on them which, of course, is Catholicism.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Is it a form of Pantheism?
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Yes, it is a type of Pantheism.
So, where were we?
Verse 7:
—"7 For the mystery of iniquity doeth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."—
And I pretty much say, when I am explaining that verse: "he who restraineth."
And we have a sister that watches these, and she pointed out that although we are not familiar with it here in the United States, the word letteth is actually okay; because—Mark, wherever Mark is he could confirm this—in the British Isles and Great Britain, if you are going to rent a house or rent a car, you let a house, you let a car. It is the English [British] word for renting. She pointed out here that there is a sense here that it is just saying that Paganism was renting a space in history as a kingdom of Bible prophecy until his rent was up—okay?—". . . only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."
Okay. So, what do we know about this, Brothers and Sisters? What do we know about this verse? This verse is where William Miller came to understand that the Daily is Paganism. When he saw this, "Whoa!" Okay? He is looking for what gets taken away in connection with the Daily in the Book of Daniel, and he is using his [Cruden's] Concordance and he is going through, take away, take away, take away, take away, and he comes to here to this passage and he says, "Ah, I get it! Paganism is the Daily! Pagan Rome is what has been restraining the Papacy."
This is a big understanding, the first time (as I understand it) that anyone truly recognized the truth about the Daily. And, some people may have recognized it, but he is the one the Lord used to put the truth about the Daily into history. Okay?
This is a big verse for us!
Verse 8:
—"8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,"—
And Miller commenting on this said, "We know the Wicked' is the Papacy."
— whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."—
Christ's coming is after the miracles of Satan.
And then in verse 10, it says,
—"10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 (KJV).
And, what I am saying here, Brothers and Sisters, is as I understand what is going to cause the strong delusion upon Seventh-day Adventists is the general disregard for truth, period.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: But, in reality, the primary message of this is the truth that is rejected by Seventh-day Adventists that brings upon them the strong delusion is the truth that you will find in this passage. We first have to address and apply the truth in this passage, then we can make our general applications; and, the truth that is in this passage is the truth about the role of Pagan Rome (the Daily). It is not loving that truth that brings the strong delusion.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Amen.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, when we are realizing that these histories [referring to the whiteboard (being Figure Nos. 168A, B, C, D, E, and F)] are based upon the structure of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, and we are pointing out that in each of these histories there is a testing message that finalizes and climaxes the falling away, and that the rebellion is manifested consistently, and the first part of this rebellion is this self-exaltation of Judas, then it is just not out of context to say that the Daily in the Book of Daniel is the symbol of the Omega Apostasy.
Of course, even if the Daily is the symbol of the Omega Apostasy, those people that do not have the love of this truth will never understand that; so, they are going to respond to a claim like that, "Oh, that is just a bunch of foolishness!" or some other response. And, there is just nothing you can do about that.
There are just too many lines of prophecy. Even if you do not have this [the timelines on the whiteboard], this [the 1843 Chart] is the Foundations, and right there [AD508 reflected on the 1843 Chart] is the Daily; therefore, when the Lord leads His people back to the Old Paths, which these truths are, the Daily becomes a present testing truth, period!
But, if you are going to understand Daniel 11:40-45, Sister White says the history that illustrates those verses is the history of verse 30 to 36 of Daniel 11. She quotes those verses: She says, "Scenes similar to those described in these words will take place."
And, the Daily is in verse 31 of those verses. If you are going to understand the final testing message of Daniel 11, you have to understand the Daily correctly. So, do not tell me that the Daily is not a testing truth. No way is it not testing truth! I can give you several witnesses that it is.
Do not tell me that it was not a shaking incident in the Alpha [Apostasy] time period. It definitely was.
And do not tell me that Sister White says we are not supposed to talk about it! That is just your unwillingness to investigate correctly the historical record. The ones that she was telling to be silent on the subject were the ones that were pushing the wrong view of the Daily that she said "came from angels that were expelled from Heaven!" She was not rebuking those people that were defending the Daily for talking; she was rebuking them for providing a platform for the discussion to continue. She wanted the discussion to end because it was only a minority of people in Adventism that were producing that shaking over this doctrine that came from angels that were expelled from Heaven.
So, when you go into that history where she says on this subject "Silence is golden," and you use that to say you are not supposed to be teaching this, you are not reading the history right. And if you do not get your head on straight, you are going to receive strong delusion.
So, back to our quote, the second paragraph.
"The heavenly Teacher inquired: 'What stronger delusion can beguile the mind"—
And Sister White is talking about the delusions He is going to pick in Isaiah 66 and saying they are the delusions of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.
—"The heavenly Teacher inquired: 'What stronger delusion can beguile the mind than the pretense that you are building on the right foundation and that God accepts your works, when in reality you are working out many things according to worldly policy and are sinning against Jehovah?"—
Two foundations: one upon the sand; one upon the Rock.
By the way, you know, of course, that Sister White identifies the truths of this [1843] Chart as the Rock of Ages and the Foundation, and the Platform.
Where are you going to build your house?
—"Oh, it is a great deception, a fascinating delusion, that takes possession of minds when men who have once known the truth, mistake the form of godliness for the spirit and power thereof; when they suppose that they are rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, while in reality they are in need of everything.'
"God has not changed toward His faithful servants who are keeping their garments spotless. But many are crying, 'Peace and safety,' while sudden destruction is coming upon them. Unless there is thorough repentance, unless men humble their hearts by confession and receive the truth as it is in Jesus, they will never enter heaven. When purification shall take place in our ranks, we shall no longer rest at ease, boasting of being rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing.
"Who can truthfully say: 'Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are unspotted by the world'? I saw our Instructor"—capital "I"— pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He said to me: 'Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? 'How is the faithful city become an harlot!' My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed! For this cause there is weakness, and strength is lacking.'" Testimonies, volume 8, 249–250.
The faithful city at the end of the world is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The question is, is how did it become a harlot?
I did not say it. She says, "My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed!"
That is simply the Laodicean message. If you think that you have Christ within, but you do not, you are deceiving yourself. You still have a Spirit within. Sister White is clear: We are decidedly serving Satan or decidedly serving Christ. If we think that we have Christ within and we are deceiving ourselves, then who are we serving?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Satan.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Satan.
Ezekiel 8 and 9
Let us go to Ezekiel 8 and 9.
Verse 1 of Ezekiel 8, I like this verse. I will say it this way: It is nice, but I am not putting a lot of weight on it. Okay? I am putting the same amount of weight on it that I would put on the fact that in John 6, verse 66, when the majority of the Disciples turned and walked no more with Him that that is identifying The Sunday Law in our time period because it is "666."
And I am putting a kind of weight on it that in Revelation 9:11, where there is a name given for the king of Islam that is Apollyon and Abaddon, which means death and destruction, and we know that a name represents character, I am putting the same kind of weight on it that I find it interesting that it is Revelation 9:11 that emphasizes the character of Islam. So, I am not putting a great deal of weight on it.
It is similar to Daniel 9:11, where the curse of Moses, and the oath—and that [Hebrew] word [translated as] oath is the same [Hebrew] word that is translated as seven times in Leviticus 26. So, it is just something that you notice when you look for those things.
But, I kind of like the idea that verse 1 of Ezekiel 8 says,
"Ezekiel 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year,"—[holds up 6 fingers]— in the sixth month,"—[holds up 6 fingers]—"in the fifth day"—[holds up 5 fingers]—"of the month,—
That makes it the day before 666. All right? This is right on the verge of The Sunday Law, the day before 666.
And, of course, this chapter is about The Sunday Law. But, that is just . . .
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Indiscernible comment.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: —"as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.
"2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. 3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. 4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
"5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. 6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
"7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. 8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. 9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. 11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. 12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.
"13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
"15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. 16 And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
"17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them." Ezekiel 8 (KJV).
Now, the sister [from the audience] points out that this vision here is the marah vision, and the marah vision we talked about this morning—the feminine of mareh—the marah vision of the looking glass. And what she is emphasizing, if we are willing to hear it, is that it occurs 12 times in the Scriptures; and, when it occurs, it occurs in passages—the marah, the feminine of mareh—that are marking the judgment upon the House of God. All right?
It is pretty much marking that when you see marah vision, that the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been passed by. In other words, it is saying that as we, as students of Bible prophecy, begin to understand these things, we know that we do not understand them because we are smart; we understand them because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah has determined that it is now time to let them see these truths.
So, now, as we are coming to grips with what the marah represents, it means now that we are understanding the marah, it is now just another of several evidences that teaches that the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is being passed by.
That is not hard for me to follow, because we know that here on 9/11 they passed a rule that if you are going to be an ordained pastor, you have to learn the spiritual exercises of the Jesuits. You have just turned your your shepherds into a priesthood: "How has the faithful city become a harlot?"
Okay. We are in Ezekiel 8. We have already dealt with it a little bit.
There are four abominations; thus, meaning worldwide [referencing Figure No. 168C]. This is Adventism worldwide.
In 1901 and 1903 there were two General Conference Sessions where they tried to reorganize and put the church in a structure that would be able to be accessed by the Lord, to accomplish the Lord's work on Planet Earth. If you have not looked at the 1901 and 1903 General Conference Sessions, you probably do not understand that that is a noted failure in that history. It did not work, and Sister White says so. It was a tragedy.
And, disregarding that [the timelines on the whiteboard for a moment], I bring this up. I just do not get it, and I have said this before. If I ever make it, if I ever make it, if I ever rise through my political expertise, and my money, and my fame, and my power to where I could have a position on the General Conference Committee, what will be my first motion?
What will be my first plan that I submit to the General Conference Committee to be? "Let us go ahead and change what was passed back here in 1901 and 1903. Let us just change it one number, one way or the other. Okay? Let us change it to either 24 or 26, but why do we 25 men on the General Conference Committee when we know that Ezekiel 8 talks about 25 men bowing down to the sun at The Sunday Law?" I think I would change it, if I could.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Various reactions.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Gâdal,
Four abominations: (1) Jealousy is the first image that is in this history; (2) Spiritualism, the secret chambers—we have dealt with this already—(3) Weeping for Tammuz, the false Latter Rain; (4) Sunday worship, the man of sin revealed.
But, Ezekiel 8 is operating upon the principle of repeat and enlarge.
Okay. From Testimonies, volume 5, page 455:
"God has called His church in this day, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth, the messages of the first, second, and third angels, He has separated them from the churches and from the world to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositaries of His law and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time. Like the holy oracles committed to ancient Israel, these are a sacred trust to be communicated to the world. The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people"—
"Three three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people . . ."
—"who accept the light of God's messages and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Christ declares to His followers: 'Ye are the light of the world.' To every soul that accepts Jesus the cross of Calvary speaks: 'Behold the worth of the soul: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."' Nothing is to be permitted to hinder this work. It is the all-important work for time; it is to be far-reaching as eternity. The love that Jesus manifested for the souls of men in the sacrifice which He made for their redemption, will actuate all His followers." Testimonies volume 5, 455.
And, what I am telling you is that you can probably get six or seven quotes from the Spirit of Prophecy where Sister White says the angels—sometimes she says the angels of Revelation 14 and sometimes she says the angels of Revelation 18; but, she defines the angels as representing the work that the people of God do.
Now, there is a sense that these angels are Christ; because, she says just as the Protestants rejected the First, Second, and Third Angels' Messages in the Millerite History, she says "They have verily crucified these messages as the Jews crucified Christ."
"Those who rejected the first message could not be benefited by the second, and were not benefited by the midnight cry, which was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the Most Holy place of the heavenly Sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the Most Holy place. I saw that the nominal churches, as the Jews crucified Jesus, had crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the move made in heaven, or of the way into the Most Holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. {Spiritual Gifts, volume 1, 171.1}
She is comparing these messages to Christ; and so, they do represent Christ. And, the Angel that came down in Revelation 10 she identifies as Christ. So, symbols can mean more than one thing. Check your Rules of Prophetic Interpretation by William Miller. He says that plainly, and he is correct.
So, at one level, these angels represent the messages, the actual nuts and bolts of what is in the message, "Come out of Babylon," "Fear God, and give Him glory."
At another level, they represent Christ, because they can be crucified; but, at another level, they represent the people of God that do the work of proclaiming His messages, and that is the level that we are going to look at here.
Do you follow me?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
We have already used this quote before in Habakkuk's Two Tables: Selected Messages, book 2, page 69. It says,
"Let both tares and wheat grow together until the harvest. Then it is the angels that do the work of separation." Selected Messages, book 2, 69.
So, what I am saying is, we should not separate the tares from the church; but, unfortunately, we kind of corrupt that because we do have a responsibility to separate the open sinners from the church. And, based upon the principle that you are not supposed to separate the tares, we have been afraid to separate the open sinners in the church, so the church is just becoming more and more corrupt. We did not want to fulfill that responsibility, and in fact we have gotten to the point that we sympathize with the sinners, instead of doing our job of separating them.
But, when it comes to wheat and tares, that is a different matter. You cannot tell who the wheat and the tares are. In one place she says we cannot now tell who the wise and the foolish virgins are. They look the same, the wheat and the tares; but, it is the angels that separate them, and the angels that separate them are the Three Angels' Messages. It is these messages that separate them, based upon all these histories [referring to the whiteboard], which causes the separation is a testing message.
In our history, it is the repeat of the Three Angels' Messages, and that is what causes the separation. It is the angels, the messages of the angels, that do the separating; but, how does that message of the angels get conveyed to God's People? Through God's people; because, the angels represent the work that God's people do in proclaiming those messages.
Do you follow me?
The next quote, Manuscript Releases, volume 5, page 425:
"I then saw the third angel. Said my accompanying angel, 'Fearful is his word, awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal or bind the wheat for the heavenly garner.' These things should engage the whole mind, the whole attention. Again I was shown the necessity of those who believe we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily receiving or imbibing new error. I saw that neither young nor old should attend the assemblies of those who are in error and darkness. Said the angel, 'Let the mind cease to dwell on things of no profit.'" Manuscript Releases, volume 5, 425.
What I want you to see here is what does the separation of the Third Angel.
So, let us go to Ezekiel 9, in bringing this to a conclusion.
Beginning in verse 1:
" Ezekiel, chapter 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying,"—
Now, remember, prophecy is governed by repeat and enlarge. We have just seen in chapter 8 the escalating abominations. This abomination [of Jealousy] is bad, but it is not as bad as this one [Spiritualism], and not as bad as this one [Weeping for Tammuz]; but, this one is the worse [Sunday worship]: four escalating abominations, talking about worldwide problems in Adventism, but it is progressively getting worse getting to The Sunday Law.
Now Ezekiel is going to repeat that history, only he is not going to tell us now who is going to get the mark of the beast at The Sunday Law but he is going to tell us who is going to receive the Seal of God.
What causes this separation in Ezekiel 9 here?
This is Ezekiel 8 and 9; because, if you take and you lay chapter 9 over the top here [over the timeline in Figure No. 168C], while this is going on [the four abominations], the class that is going to receive the Seal of God, they are sighing and crying over this. This is the same history.
What is it that is going to separate those two classes here [at Sunday Worship (The Sunday Law)]?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (No response.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: You know this. It is a simple question.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: It is the message that is being delivered.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: It is the message.
You have all of these histories to prove it. When the falling away comes, it comes because it is produced by the introduction of a testing message.
Here [AD508] in the early Christian church, they were recognizing (understanding 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2) the man of sin in the City of Rome.
Here [1840], it is the First Angel's Message empowered.
Here [1888], it is the Latter Rain Message of Jones and Waggoner.
Here [1989], it is the Message of Islam.
So, what is separating in here is a testing message. Right?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: And, it is the Message of the Three Angels. Correct?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay. Chapter 9, repeating and enlarging.
—"1 He cried also in mine hears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate,"—
Brother Mark, what does 6 symbolize in Bible prophecy?
BROTHER MARK: The symbol of man.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: It is the symbol of man.
Okay. So, we have 6 here. These destroying angels, they are men.
Ah, this is where Shepherd's Rod determines that they are going to go in and kill all the unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists at the end of the world. This is where they get this crazy idea.
But, sometimes crazy ideas that are out there, they are put out there in advance of the truth. There are counterfeits put out in advance of the truth to prevent God's people from seeing the reality.
These are men, these are men. What men?
What men are these? It is the messengers that are proclaiming the Three Angels' Messages; and, in response to those messages, there are some people that are not sighing and crying. They are not getting the mark on their forehead that is going to protect them. This is about the Three Angels' Messages.
—"Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar."—
You know this story, do you not? There are seven angels. One of them is going to put a mark on the forehead of those that are sighing and crying, and the other six are going to destroy those that are not.
Now, you know, when Shepherd's Rod is teaching their foolishness, and it is total foolishness, they teach that at The Sunday Law, they have been raised up to kill the unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists. Okay?
And, the Spirit of Prophecy quote that just blows that foolish teaching out of the water is when Sister White is commenting on Ezekiel 9. She says those that are destroyed in Ezekiel 9 do not die until the general destruction at the end of the world.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Yes.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: She says that. Those are her words.
So, Ellen White specifically lets us know that they do not die here [at The Sunday Law]; they are going to die down here at the Seven Last Plagues time period.
Now, they might die of natural causes or an accident, but in terms of when they prophetically die, she makes sure we know that they do not die at The Sunday Law. So, we know that. All right? This idea of them being marked for death here with these destroying angels is not identifying that they are going to die at The Sunday Law; it is identifying that they close their probation, and they close their probation by making a covenant with death. And the reason that they did so is because the Three Angels' Messages came into Jerusalem, and came into the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and one angel is marking who it is that is receiving the message and responding accordingly, and marking them; and, the other six, representing men that are carrying the Three Angels' Messages, they are going to go through and close the probation for those people that are not sighing and crying. Because, it is by rejecting the light that is brought to you in this history [Figure No. 168E] that you close your probation. That is why they are destroyed, in a spiritual sense.
—"3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; 4 And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
"8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? 9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not. 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head. 11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me." Ezekiel 9 (KJV).
Brothers and Sisters, these angels that are doing this work in Ezekiel 9 represent you and me, not that we are going to literally kill people, but you and I that have eaten the Little Book and, like Ezekiel and Jeremiah, are commanded to go to the lost house of Israel and present this message to them.
And, as we do so, the Lord promises what for us, among other things? Give us a forehead of flint, a forehead of a diamond.
And what is that? That is a mark on our forehead. That is the Seal of God. If we do not do that, we do not get the Seal.
This message that comes into this history, right here [Figure No. 168E], it is a message that is either going to push us one way or another way, either push onto the foundation of sand or the Foundation of the Rock.
And, when this message starts in Adventism, here in the Omega Apostasy, the first manifestation against this message by those people who refuse the Seal of God is gâdal. It is self-exaltation [Figure No. 168E]; it is self-exaltation [Figure No. 168F]; it is self-exaltation [Figure No. 168B]. They refuse to have the Daily taken away.
Shall we pray?
Benediction: Heavenly Father, we need more of the Spirit that you exhibited as you entered into Jerusalem during the Triumphal Entry and realized that the Seventh-day Adventist Church was about to be swept away by a mighty storm, and the majority of its members were going to be lost for eternity. We need to understand that. We need to have the sympathy, the love and the concern that you have, and we ask that you would do that for us. But, we know that if we are going to have the experience that we need to have to receive the Seal of God that first and foremost we must be obedient to your Word and that you have commanded us to take this warning message to Israel, even though it is stiff-necked and obstinate people with eyes that will not see and ears that will not hear. This job is not a fun job; this work is not a fun work; but, we believe that you have a purpose in this work that will be for our good, so we ask that you would give us courage and wisdom to prosecute this work according to your will. We thank you for blessing the production and the transmission that has been going on here today, and for the message that you have been giving us. And now we ask that you would part with us and bring us back tomorrow morning for the worship at 7:30; and, we thank you for all these things in Jesus's name. Amen.