EllenWhite.Org Website - The Shepherd’s Rod
https://ellenwhite.org/correspondence/185931
Questions addressed in this post are as follows:
1. When will Christ's kingdom be established?
2. Where will Christ's kingdom be established?
3. Will Palestine be a place of perfect peace and safety before Christ's second coming?
4. What two applications of the word "harvest" are found in the Bible?
5. When will the separation of the righteous from the wicked take place?
6. Will probation close on two different occasions or will there be just one close of probation?
7. Who will be slain by the five men with slaughter weapons in Ezekiel 9, and when will this destruction take place?
8. When did the sealing work begin?
9. Is it vital for us to know who the 144,000 will be? What is the message of the hour?
10. Who does the leopard-like beast of Revelation 13 represent?
By the method which they have used—disproving one person's writings by comparison with another's—any two books of the Bible can be made to contradict each other.…—7Tr:38.1
When those who love the truth study any doctrinal subject, they never, in trying to harmonize their private opinions with a scripture in point, leave the scripture so interpreted as to contradict either other portions of the Bible or the position of constituted authority, but rather they forsake their opinions.—3Tr:113.2 (3rd Edition)
"Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony [not by hers], these will detect the deceiver in his disguise.…Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible, and the Bible only?"—The Great Controversy, p. 625. {7SC7-12:6.2}
Clearly, therefore, her work must never be interpreted in such a way as to contradict the Bible, but always to clear it. If you undeviatingly follow this absolute rule of interpretation, you can never possibly have any trouble with the Rod or with any message the Lord may ever send. {7SC7-12:6.3}
Your interpretations of many of Sister White's writings, most notably, perhaps, those concerning the Kingdom, being manifestly contradictory to the prophecies of the Bible, cause the one who accepts her writings, to doubt the Bible, and the one who holds to the Bible, to be set against her writings, thus bringing in dispute and schism among the brethren. Such interpretations, one-sided and division-making, are therefore grievously unfair not only to the Bible and to Sister White's writings but also to yourself, and consequently to the cause of Truth. {7SC7-12:6.4}
So you will, we trust, see that while you are intentionally endeavoring only to prove the Rod wrong, you are unwittingly endeavoring in reality to prove Sister White at odds with the Bible—a work which is scattering from Christ rather than gathering to Him.—7SC7-12:6.2-5
…Furthermore, the following example will sufficiently demonstrate that not only can the writings of any two persons, though in perfect harmony, be made to clash, but that also the writings of any one person can be made to appear self-contradictory. Take for example the following two statements from Sister White's writings: {7Tr:38.1}
"There are a thousand temptations in disguise prepared for those who have the light of truth: and the only safety for any of us is in receiving no new doctrine, no new Scriptures, without first submitting it to the brethren of experience. Lay it before them in a humble, teachable spirit, with earnest prayer; and if they see no light in it, yield to their judgment; for 'in the multitude of counselors there is safety.'"—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 293. {7Tr:38.2} | "Every soul must look to God with contrition and humility that He may guide and lead and bless. We must not trust to others to search the Scripture for us. Some of our leading brethren have frequently taken their position on the wrong side; and if God would send a message and wait for these older brethren to open the way for its advancement, it would never reach the people. {7Tr:38.3} |
"Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men, and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them."—Gospel Workers, p. 303; Testimony to Ministers, pp. 106, 107. {7Tr:38.4} |
From this example, we can see very quickly that though two passages be inspired by the same Spirit, yet, when treacherously manipulated, they can easily be made to collide with each other. However, when the author's object in making the statement is first considered in every case, then and then only can one rightly interpret his thought, and find it trouble-free.…—7Tr:38.1-5
When is it right and integrous to interpret any portion of an author's writing isolated from its context? How honest is that procedure? Wouldn't you be automatically doing violence to its meaning?
Never is it right to interpret any scripture isolated from its context, for to do so is automatically to do violence to its meaning.—3Tr:111.3 (3rd Ed.)
To read in full the subheading "Unfair Comparisons" see Tract No. 7, "The Great Controversy over the Shepherd's Rod," pp. 30.1-41.2
Before we provide the Bible's answer to the above question(s) we want to know beforehand and keep in mind, which scripture(s) has God revealed and promised to forfeit? Please bring forward your strong evidence. While we wait for your answer notice what the Bible says:
Isa. 55:10, 11—"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Matt. 5:18—For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Deu 8:3—And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
"Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour's teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God's word that they are light-bearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in the steps of learned men, and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view in the Bible, and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit attending its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.…—4Tr:68.2
Jer. 17:5—Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Isa. 2:22—Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?
1. When will Christ's kingdom be established?
One sentence without context was quoted from Answerer Book No. 2 page 77. It would now be honest and best practice to read in full what the Answerer was addressing. (See: 2An:74.2-85.3.)
To get a full treaty on the first three questions regarding the setting up of the kingdom of God's glory see our
– "Taking the Reins into His Own Hands," 4SC10-12:5.6-7.10; [1938]
– "Mt. Sion at the Eleventh Hour," Tract No. 8; [1941]
– "Will Old Jerusalem be Built Up?" 7SC7-12:21.8-23.8 [1941]
– "The Kingdom of God in the Heart, or in the Earth?" 9SC1-12:14.7-10; [1943]
– "Which Nations will Disarm, and Why?" 1TG25; [1947]
– "A Trodden-Down Kingdom Rising to Prominence and Peace," 1TG29; [1947]
– "The End of Your Long and Trying Journey," 1TG37; [1947]
The next three questions are dealing with the parable of the Harvest.
4. What two applications of the word "harvest" are found in the Bible?
5. When will the separation of the righteous from the wicked take place?
6. Will probation close on two different occasions or will there be just one close of probation?
Let's examine closely what the Shepherd's Rod message teaches in light of the Bible from the writer's point of view, shall we?
(See: "The Judgment and the Harvest," Tract No. 3 [3rd Ed.];
– "Behold I Make all things new," 9Tr:67.3-71.2;
– "The Church Entering into and in the Harvest Period," 1TG21;
– 1SC9:7.13-8.5;
– "When in Need of Truth, Why Beg for Power," 9SC1-12:5.2-6.2;
– 2An:36.1-42.1;
– "Which Sanctuary is Cleansed and What Polluted It?" 3An:5.1-7.1.)
7. Who will be slain by the five men with slaughter weapons in Ezekiel 9, and when will this destruction take place?
(See: Pre-"Elleventh Hour" Extra, Tract No. 1;
– "Five men Slay after One Sets a Mark," 1TG52.)
8. When did the sealing work begin?
(See: Pre-"Elleventh Hour" Extra, Tract No. 1;
– "The Judgment and the Harvest," Tract No. 3 [3rd Ed.];
– "The Sealing of the Firstfruits—the 144,000," 1Srp:7.1-23.1;
– 2An:31.3-35.2.)
9. Is it vital for us to know who the 144,000 will be? What is the message of the hour?
(See: 1SR:1SR:34.1; 67.1; 75.2; 100.2-101.2; 129.1;
– "The One Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand," 2SR:163.3-170.1
– 7SC7-12:17.15-18.4;
– 3An:26.1-28.3;
– 4An:35.2-37.3; 41.2-44.2;
– "The Shepherd's Rod, Vol. 1 pocket edition";
– "If Only 144,000 Translated, What Chance for You?" 1TG12;
– "1950 General Conference Sprecial";
– "The White-House Recruiter";
– "The Leviticus," p. 2.1.)
10. Who does the leopard-like beast of Revelation 13 represent?
(See: "Summary of the 144,000," 1SR:209.1-222.2;
– 2SR:85.1-107.2;
– 1SC4:6.8-8.8;
– 12Tr:19.3-35.2;
– "A World Government…," 2TG17;
– "The Final World Government," 2TG18;
– "…Which is Next to Rule the World?" 2TG36.)
"Is It Safe to Challenge?" 7SC7-12:16.6-14
The Bible and the books of the Spirit of Prophecy being the sole source of The Shepherd's Rod message, therefore when the Rod is taught, the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy are taught.—5An:55.2
As God foresaw all movements that would arise against, or for His church, He would have pointed out this message either as being false, or true. He foresaw that some movement would arise and claim that the church is "Babylon," so gave us the warning that it was false. Read Testimonies to Ministers, pages 49, 53. Again, God foresaw that some will come and call the ministry "priestcraft," and forewarned us that they are not sent from Him. Read Testimonies to Ministers, page 51. He also foresaw that some will announce the "day and the hour for the second coming of Christ," etc. Thus, God has forewarned the church all the way. Nowhere do we find any prophecy in contradiction against the message presented in this book. It is impossible to find opposition, seeing the entire message is derived from the Bible and the Testimonies, and predicted by them both. {1SR:234.3}
If any should think this message for reformation is false, while he cannot find prophecy against it, would be saying, God has overlooked the danger and has failed to expose the scheme. Therefore, such a one means to say that God knows but little in predicting the future. But the matter of fact is that God knows it all from the beginning to the end. Thus, He has been able to present a message of warning such as this to His people inscribed in advance for thousands of years.—1SR:234.3, 4
The very fact that they have not been able to contradict any part of the message in The Shepherd's Rod, is self evident that the thing is right; and had not the Spirit of God made it possible, it would have been like the rest of their books. They are not against The Shepherd's Rod because they fear it may be error, for they know it is the Truth. The reason they are warring against it, is because it tells the truth of their ungodly deeds, and is calling for a decided change of things. {10SC7:9.1}
I am not surprised at what they are doing to me, for they have been doing the same thing to Sister White who founded the denomination and whom they had already accepted to be the servant of the Lord. Think of the message in 1888. This same class of workers stood in the way and the message never reached the people! If they performed such ungodly deeds then, it is much easier for them to do it now.—10SC7:9.1, 2
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