Article

# Future for America and July 18, 2020 - Number Five

The Ensign

Author

Jeff Pippenger

Published

September 21, 2023

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Key Takeaways

- Prophetic Symbolism: Moses and Elijah represent the message of restoration and revival, following symbolic death and resurrection.
- Vision of Dry Bones: Ezekiel’s vision illustrates the spiritual awakening of God’s people, brought to life by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God.
- Shaking and Revival: A “straight testimony” to Laodicea prompts repentance, shaking the church, and refining the faithful.
- Role of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit breathes life into the spiritually dead, transforming them into a mighty army.
- Historical Waymarks: Key moments in prophetic history, such as the Millerite movement and events tied to Islam, are interpreted as part of God’s covenant with His people.
- Call to Action: Believers are urged to participate in their own spiritual revival through study, prayer, and obedience to God’s Word.
- Final Ascension: The symbolic resurrection of Moses and Elijah culminates in their ascension, representing the ultimate victory of God’s people.

> All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3.

The messenger represented as Elijah proclaiming the message represented by Moses is slain in the streets by a beast that ascends from the bottomless pit. After being trampled down for a period represented by the “curse” of Moses which is the “scattering” of Leviticus twenty-six the Holy Spirit enters into their dead bodies through God’s Word. They then stand up and thereafter ascend up into heaven. A message that is represented as in heaven is the everlasting gospel of the three angels.

> And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Revelation 14:6.

Before Elijah and Moses ascend into heaven they first would stand upon their feet.

> And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. Revelation 11:11, 12.

Every prophet agrees with the other prophets and they all come together in the book of Revelation. The book of Ezekiel teaches that when the Spirit enters into men they stand upon their feet.

> And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. Ezekiel 2:1, 2.

Ezekiel represents God’s people in the “last days” who are dead, yet they hear God speak, and the reception of God’s Word brings the presence of the Holy Spirit and they then stand upon their feet. Those in Revelation who have been slain and left in the street to be trampled down for twelve hundred and sixty symbolic days also hear God’s Word, which conveys the Holy Spirit into their hearts and minds and they stand upon their feet. Ezekiel informs us what the Word of God is that they hear, which in turn brings the entire movement represented by Moses and Elijah that has been dead in the streets back to life, and causes them to stand.

> The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. Ezekiel 37:1–14.

Daniel and John represent God’s one hundred and forty-four thousand in the “last days” who have been symbolically killed and resurrected. John in the boiling oil, Daniel in the lion’s den. The movement that was an offspring of its Laodicean mother is symbolically slain and thereafter resurrected, thus becoming the eighth that is of the seven. It is the resurrection of the sixth church, which was Philadelphia that becomes the eighth, though it is not a church but a movement. At the end of a period where they remain unburied, that they might be trampled down by those that are celebrating their deaths, they stand upon their feet as a mighty army. They stand up because they hear a message from God’s Word. Any corpse that has been in the street for over three years has rotted away to the point that all that would remain would be bones.

> “The dry bones need to be breathed upon by the Holy Spirit of God, that they may come into action, as by a resurrection from the dead.” Bible Training School, December 1, 1903.

We are required to participate in the work of resurrecting ourselves. We do this by reading, hearing and keeping the things which are written.

> “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” Selected Messages, book 1, 121.

The prophetic “Word” that produces this resurrection from a Laodicean experience unto the experience of Philadelphia comes from a message found in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

> “When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience.” Testimonies to Ministers, 112–114.

The experience of the legal religion of Laodicea is changed by a life-giving message. The message of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is the message of His creative power, which most certainly is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believes.

> “What power must we have from God that icy hearts, having only a legal religion, should see the better things provided for them—Christ and His righteousness! A life-giving message was needed to give life to the dry bones.” Manuscript Releases, volume 12, 205.

The legal religion is a backslidden religion as represented by Adventism’s departure from the foundations in 1863 and onward.

> “I lay down my pen and lift up my soul in prayer, that the Lord would breathe upon his backslidden people, which are as dry bones, that they may live.” General Conference Bulletin, February 4, 1893.

Jesus is “the faithful witness” in the Revelation.

> And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. Revelation 3:14.

Sister White informs us that it is Jesus who is the “faithful witness” that presents a “straight testimony” to the Laodiceans who are dead in trespasses and sin, and that just as with the message to the valley of dead dry bones, the message causes a shaking.

> “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.

> “I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance; all who truly receive it will obey it and be purified.

> “Said the angel, ‘List ye!’ Soon I heard a voice like many musical instruments all sounding in perfect strains, sweet and harmonious. It surpassed any music I had ever heard, seeming to be full of mercy, compassion, and elevating, holy joy. It thrilled through my whole being. Said the angel, ‘Look ye!’ My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy.

> “The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks. Evil angels still pressed around them, but could have no power over them.

> “I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.’” Early Writings, 270, 271.

The straight testimony to Laodicea that raises up an army after a severe shaking is the message to the valley of dead dry bones, and those bones represent the message of Moses and the messenger Elijah that were slain in the street on July 18, 2020 by a beast from the bottomless pit.

> “A straight testimony must be borne to our churches and institutions, to arouse the sleeping ones.’

> “When the word of the Lord is believed and obeyed, steady advancement will be made. Let us now see our great need. The Lord cannot use us until he breathes life into the dry bones. I heard the words spoken: ‘Without the deep moving of the Spirit of God upon the heart, without its life-giving influence, truth becomes a dead letter.’” Review and Herald, November 18, 1902.

We have shown that the four waymarks that represent the history of the seven thunders are represented in every reform line. In connection with that is the fact that in each reform line each of the four waymarks represent the same prophetic theme. With Moses the theme at each of the four waymarks typifying the seven thunders was the covenant with a chosen people. With David it was the ark of God. With Christ it was death and resurrection. With the Millerites it was the day for a year principle.

With Future for America, it is Islam. Islam on September 11, 2001. It was again Islam on July 18, 2020 with the failed prediction, the first disappointment and the beginning of a tarrying time. The third waymark that produces a mighty army that stands up is the message of the four winds, which represents Islam, the “angry horse” of Bible prophecy.

> “Angels are holding the four winds, represented as an angry horse seeking to break loose and rush over the face of the whole earth, bearing destruction and death in its path.

> “Shall we sleep on the very verge of the eternal world? Shall we be dull and cold and dead? Oh, that we might have in our churches the Spirit and breath of God breathed into His people, that they might stand upon their feet and live. We need to see that the way is narrow, and the gate strait. But as we pass through the strait gate, its wideness is without limit.” Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 216, 217.

Immediately after Elijah and Moses stand up, they are lifted up to heaven as an ensign.

> And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. Revelation 11:12.

We will address the ensign represented by Moses and Elijah in the next article.

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