"The four winds of the earth"
"The four WINDS of the earth"
WHAT are they?
"I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth [at the TIME of the sealing of the 144,000], holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." Rev. 7:1-3. {8Tr:21.2}
These two hurtings are to take place at the same time. The one by the four WINDS of the earth and the other by the four ANGELS to whom it was given to hurt. These two hurtings take place in the Assyrian period. Why? Because the sealing takes place in the Assyrian period. Furthermore, the four winds cannot blow unless they are loosed first by the four angels holding them and these winds cannot be loosed unless the 144,000 are sealed.
So now we want to understand first clearly “what is the seal?” before we move back to the significance of “the four winds of the earth” allowed to blow after the 144,000 are sealed.
Well according to 7SC7-12:21.2-5 two unique aspects in regards to "the seal" are presented. One aspect is “Present Truth” (the sealing message [7SC7-12:21.3, 4; 2An:32.1]) and the other aspect is “a special seal” [7SC7-12:21.5; 2An:32.2] that permits its possessor to survive the slaughter or the antitypical Passover. These two aspects are not interchangeable. None can receive the second aspect “a special seal” without the first which is obedience to “present truth” (EW:63.1; Eph. 4:30; 2Ti 2:19). However, all can receive the first aspect and pass away before the EVENT to seal and separate 144,000 from the wicked all at the same time. (See: 2An: 32.3.)
From both testimonies, 7SC7-12:21.3-5 and 2An:31.3-32.3, it is solidly confirmed that the sealing message takes place while probation is open for the SDA Church and the other aspect by the sealing angel takes place AFTER probation is closed for the SDA Church at the opening of the 7th seal. These are two aspects, two separate and distinct items on two separate occasions. They are again rehearsed in 2Tr:22, 23. It reads as follows:
From the evidences adduced, the fact towers forth that the purification takes place before the work of the gospel is finished in any part of the world: for those who "escape" the slaughter are sent to "bring all [their] brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations." Necessarily therefore, the consummation of this "special; work of purification" precedes the commencement of "The Loud Cry." Doubly conclusive proof of this is that the Spirit of Prophecy states that "the true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord,…will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins.…Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand.…" This special work of purification and "sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown to Ezekiel in vision."—Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 266; Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445. {2Tr:22.1}
Ezekiel's vision discloses that those who "sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof" (the church) are marked, or sealed, and that the men with the "slaughter weapons" then "slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children and women" who have not the mark. The purification of the church, therefore, is a separation of the sinners from the true people of God. At the TIME of its fulfillment, 👉👉 the immediate future, 👈👈 the 144,000 receive [[ not have this “a special” ]] the seal, or mark, escape the slaughter [[ AT THAT TIME ]], become the "servants of God," and go forth unto the nations to finish the work. This makes them the "first-fruits" of the living who are to be translated, and "all their brethren" whom they bring in (the "great multitude" of Revelation 7, verse 9), the second fruits of the living who are to be translated: for where there are no second fruits, there can be no first. (For further light on this subject, read Tract No. 1, Pre-"Eleventh Hour" Extra!.) {2Tr:22.2}
What makes the 144,000 SDAs eligible for “a special seal,” the second aspect?
1. The sealing message since 1930 and
2. meeting the matured required sanctified condition (2Tr:66.1) before probation for the SDA church closes.
All must be found [[ Altogether and at the same EVENT ]] “sighing and crying” at the time of the purification of the church or the time for the tares to be removed from among the wheat (3Tr:66.2, 3).
If you don’t believe just read 1TG7 “What makes one Eligible?” This again affirms the positive truth that there exist two aspects to “What is the seal?”
"…Therefore, as the sealing message makes its way through the church, those who awake and reform (sigh) and endeavor to enlighten others by the light that is shining upon them (cry), he receives the seal.”—1SC13:9.6 [1935]
The Revelator, moreover, was told that the things about which he was to write, were to be "hereafter" (Rev. 4:1)—after 96 A.D., when he had the vision. And furthermore, the sealing of the 144,000 takes place in the period of “the sixth" seal, just prior to the opening of "the seventh" seal (Rev. 6:12-17; 7:1-17; 8:1), shortly before the end of all things.—9Tr:53.3 [1942]
…Therefore, as the sealing message makes its way through the church, only those who awake and reform (sigh) and endeavor to share with others (cry) the light that is shining upon them, receive the seal.…—2An:34.1 [1944]
Again
“…The purification of the church, therefore, is a separation of the sinners from the true people of God. AT the time of its fulfillment, the immediate future, the 144,000 receive the seal, or mark, escape the slaughter, [[ marking and slaying in one EVENT ]] become the ‘servants of God,’ and go forth unto the nations to finish the work.…
Brethren, we must "sigh and
cry" against the sins in the church; not against the message which is
to seal us for translation and make us a people fitly symbolized by the
mountains of brass. Your sighing and
crying for the abominations done in her ‘midst,’ makes you ELIGIBLE for
the ‘mark’; but should you attempt to shield the abominations, you shall
fall under the slaughter weapons of the angels.…”—2Tr:22.2-23 [1941] (See also: 5Tr:74.2; 7SC7-12:19.2.)
Now let us return to 8Tr:22 and continue with the two hurtings. These two hurtings transpire at the same time in the Assyrian period. And according to the Bible, they can only take place after 144,000 are sealed by “Present Truth” or are settled in the “sealing message” before probation closed for the SDA Church in the 6th seal.
…Since, therefore, as soon as the servants of God are sealed both the winds and the angels WILL BEGIN to hurt the question arises as to what the work of the winds and the work of the angels represent—political strife or something else? As the nations have always been at war, this two-fold work of hurting could not represent political strife. And as Jesus says that at the time of the end "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Matt. 24:7), it is clear that the hurting by the winds, also the hurting by the angels both of which are kept back until the 144,000 are sealed, must be figurative of holding back the "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation." Dan. 12:1. Accordingly, God's restraining of the four winds is His holding back the image of the beast's activity (Rev. 13:15-17) against the saints, while His restraining the four angels that they hurt not is His holding back the executing of His vengeance (Isa. 63:1-4; Jer. 51:18) upon the sinners who trouble the church, until after the sealing of the 144,000 is completed. Being coupled, these two hurtings BRING the time of trouble such as never was. {8Tr:22.1}
Revelation 7:1-3, therefore, reveals a two-fold conflict: wicked men against God (the blowing of the winds) and God against them (the angels hurting them). But though the blowing of the winds and the hurting of the angels after the servants of God are sealed, will bring the "time of trouble," yet "every one that shall be found written in the book" "shall be delivered." Dan. 12:1.—8Tr:22.1-23.1
This is the reason why
"…The sealing of the 144,000 is at the closing of the judgment of the dead, AND at the beginning of the judgment of the living.…"—2SR:171.2 [1932]
How difficult it must be if we combine incorrectly and/or isolate our favorite section alone and apart from the rest of the SRod? We cannot get the full corroborated picture without having to leave 8tr:22 (1941) to another place in the SRod. That place is 2TG7:10.4 (1947). When additional light on a point is brought out more clearly and it does not bring contradiction then everything else must be viewed in that harmonizing advanced light. And that "new" or additional point of truth becomes THEN retroactive throughout the entire SRod message.
Two sections are brought to view. Yes, Dan. 12:1 has a comma
"…a time of trouble, [[ comma ]] such as never was since there was a
nation…" but it was clearly divided by Inspiration into two sections in
1947. The first section unlike the second will fulfill Dan. 11:45. That does not
mean that everywhere else there is a comma dividing a phrase the same follows
true. It would have to be fully demonstrated as is the case with 2TG7:10.4.
For illustrative purposes, the paragraph will be divided into its VTH interpreted constituent parts of 2TG7:10.4 so that you may witness both sections (of trouble) by using numbers within this singular paragraph…
[1.] AT that TIME (that is, at the time the king of the north comes to his end and none help him) shall Michael stand;
and at the same time
[2.] THERE SHALL BE trouble such as never was even to that very time.
Only God's people, who have their names written in the book, will be delivered. None other.—2TG7:10.4
Which is in harmony with the context,
Our subject for this afternoon is found in Daniel, chapters 11 and 12. Chapter 12 contains the "time of trouble," but the time of the "time of trouble" is FOUND in the eleventh chapter of Daniel. The twelfth chapter IS, of course, a continuation of the eleventh chapter.—2TG7:3.1
Although you don't see directly the first trouble (2TG7:10.4) that applies to the 144,000 only [1.] mentioned as thus as you see with the second we dare not ignore the implication of the context found on page 3 paragraph 1 that carries throughout the entire TG without failing. So we must rightly divide the word of truth.
Furthermore, as you finish the Inspired idea on 8Tr, page 22 with the last sentence, "Being coupled, these two hurtings BRING the time of trouble such as never was;" it should be understood that "the time of trouble such as never was" was preceded by "a time of trouble" for the 144,000 when they were still commingled with tares in the SDA church. The "coupled" "two hurtings" comes FIRST in the Assyrian period (Isa. 7, 8) and what follows (Isa. 13) is brought on because of it.
Now the traditional meaning of “the four winds of the earth” to mean just the Sunday blue law and nothing else is clearly challenged and brought under the inspection and correction by the SRod’s interpretation.
The loosing of the “four winds of the earth” are responsible for the fulfillment of Dan. 12:1. It has "a time of trouble," .... and it also has after the comma .... trouble "such as never was since there was a nation." VTH’s interpretation gives this One TIME of trouble and divides it into two sections. The First section involves antitypical (SDAs) Jacob and Esau AFTER the sealing period to become “eligible” (2Tr:23) expires. Probation closes first for the SDA church before the Tares are removed. The other section is about the same trouble that "spreads into Babylon." (9Tr:63.) It’s the same Trouble because like in the first section, the purpose of the trouble is about interfering with both reapings (9Tr:56.2) in the One Harvest TIME.
Thus the true meaning of what the “four winds” of Rev. 7:1 represents is found in four references:
1. 9Tr:52.5;
2. 2SR:161.1;
3. 8Tr:22;
4. 3Ans. 24.2.
This is so crucial that the necessary emphasis will be supplied in order to assist the comprehension and bury an incomplete biased perspective. We want to be fair and give a complete picture never provided before until now. It is time to lose our flaws (2SR:27.5; CSW:33.1) in our theology if we want to be recipients of the "pure mark of truth" (3T:267.1; TM:64.3). Those who want to hazard their salvation by idolizing a cherished opinion or idea may do so at their own risk. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will humble themselves and "pass under the Rod" (Ezek. 20:37). They will not fail to "view a subject in full perspective from the writer's point of view." (3Tr:103.2.)
1. 9Tr:52.5; (1942)
…the "four winds," figurative OF all the nations scattered to the four corners of the earth, are not permitted to blow—to hurt anything (Rev. 7:1).—9Tr:52.5
Laws don't hurt. Civil powers do. "To blow—to hurt."
2. 2SR:161.1; (1932)
"…Then the four angels of Revelation seven, who were "holding the four winds of the earth [the nations in check], that the wind should not blow…"—2SR:161.1
3. 8Tr:22; (1941)
Revelation 7:1-3, therefore, reveals a two-fold conflict: wicked men against God (the blowing of the winds) and God against them (the angels hurting them).—8Tr:23.1
14Tr:18.1 is not the iMOB yet it is a death sentence. (See: 1Srp:36.4 {1945}; 1SR:62.3 {1930}.)
4. 3An:24.2. (1944)
"That being the case, then the winds, themselves BEING figurative of strife, trouble, and war, are, WHEN let loose, to blow against the church."
When the winds are first loosed because the 144,000 are sealed in the 6th seal is that the TIME of the Two Horned Beast's image of the Mark Of the Beast death decree during the Assyrian period?
Therefore we must judiciously and keenly observe the distinction brother Houteff made between "a time of trouble" and "the time of trouble such as never was…" Based on advanced light coming from within the message and as we mature for the Harvest Dan. 12:1 is certainly divided into two parts (2TG7:3.1). One belongs in the Assyrian period and the other in the Babylonian period.
The SRod makes a difference between the winds loosed from the winds "loosed and blowing."
Because of this clear logic, we can also with clarity affirm that there are two Church and State unions or confederacies prophesied. One Before Ezek. 9 (14Tr:32.1) where “the churches incompletely confederate” (2SC7,8:12.3) against [Candidates to be] the "firstfruits" and the other After the SDA Church is purified, the churches are completely confederated (1SC5:8.3, 4; 13SC3,4:10.2), while the great multitude is being gathered.
"…light is truth.…" (See: 1SR:19.1.)
…Let our workers try this. We want truth, solid truth, from solid, consecrated men, women, and youth.…—CW:18.2
We come to Thee, our compassionate Redeemer; and we ask Thee, for Christ's sake—for Thine own Son's sake, my Father, that Thou wilt manifest Thy power unto Thy people here. We want wisdom; we want righteousness; we want truth; we want the Holy Spirit to be with us.—YRP:313.3
"We should all know what is being taught among us; for if it is truth, we need it....No matter by whom light is sent, we should open our hearts to receive it with the meekness of Christ.…O, may we act as men who want light!" "The Lord sends light to us to prove what manner of spirit we are of. We are not to deceive ourselves." "We must not for a moment think that there is no more light, no more truth, to be given us."—Gospel Workers, pp. 301, 302, 310.—9SC1-12:13.4
9/12/2025
What is the second phase of the judgment? 15Tr:58.2
Isn’t “the second phase” of the judgment according to 15Tr:82.2 the judgment of the living?
When is this "Day" identified as its commencement?
(See: 15Tr:59.1-60.3)
Once again, what did Bro. Houteff identify the winds to represent?
That the angels’ holding the winds does not denote their restraining the nations from warring among themselves, is made clear by the fact that the winds were not held from clashing wind against wind (nation against nation),…—15Tr:60.3 [1947]
It’s not Sunday Law against Sunday Law. So the interpretation of Winds, in this context, properly understood does not represent nation against nation (as in Dan. 7:2) either. Therefore the angels holding them (the four winds of the earth) is their restraining the nations from making an attempt on the lives of the saints from where the 144,000 will come forth at the time of the purification of the SDA Church.
We clearly now have five references giving us the correct interpretation of the four winds of the earth.
1. 9Tr:52.5;
2. 2SR:161.1;
3. 8Tr:22;
4. 3Ans. 24.2.
5. 15Tr:60.1, 3; 58.2
…This therefore adds another link to the golden chain of Truth that cannot be tarnished or broken.…—1An:77.2
No matter which angle you view a point of truth from it will always fit only one way without creating violence in other areas.
…it will be well to bear in mind that any interpretation of scripture which fails fittingly to build an indestructible structure of truth and to bring a lesson of special importance for the time then present, is erroneous, uninspired by the Spirit of Truth—a vain thing.—15Tr:34.1
…light and darkness cannot harmonize. Between truth and error there is an irrepressible conflict. To uphold and defend the one is to attack and overthrow the other. Our Saviour Himself declared: “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34.…—GC:126.3
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