8
Just before the loud cry,
{4}
all God's servants are to have their sins purged and mighty power given to them.
The Bible tells us what is keeping the Holy Spirit's power from us. There are so many winds of doctrine blowing with which agents of the enemy are keeping the truth for this hour from God's elect. The power of the Spirit depends on the unity of the remnant. "Thy watchmen. shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing for they shall seeeye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." Isa. 52:8.
When the 120 in the upper room saw eye to eye, the power of the Spirit came upon them. (Acts 2:1-4). Therefore, wake out of sleep, brethren and go out to meet the Bridegroom (Matt. 25) in the truth and in confession of sin, and in acceptance of His righteousness. God's Kingdom-bound saints must place themselves on vantage ground so as to be in a position to have their lips touched with the live coal by the angel.
We must fully realize that there are five angel's messages in Rev. 14. The Spirit of Prophecy says, "In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end." A.A. 585.
In order to understand the two soul-harvests, we must understand the two literal harvests taught in the ceremonial law of Moses. The first-fruit harvest, you will note, began immediately after the Passover and offering of the wave-sheaf, and ended with the offering of the two wave-loaves after fifty days (at the end of seven weeks) at the feast of weeks, or Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-4). See also Lev. 23:16, 17.
The two wave-loaves, or first-fruits, in our day are the 144,000 of Rev. 7:1-8; 14:1-5. Inspiration calls them first-fruits (Rev. 14:4). Those who sound the warning to wake up the sleeping virgins (Matt. 25:5), or first-fruits, are the first of the first fruits, or wave-sheaf – a vanguard as it were. If you will please note in Rev. 14:4 the 144,000 are called virgins, and Jesus said that all the virgins were asleep, but a cry was made at midnight to wake up the dozing virgins. Inspiration never sleeps and when the One on the cloud thrust in His sickle, the virgins were awakened by the noise of the cry, "Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." Matt. 25:6.
Those who are studying and getting the messages (oil) trimmed their lamps, but the foolish virgins, because of their prejudices or cares of this life, or for some other reason failed to study and get the oil when it was flowing forth from the fountain of Inspiration.
"They had boasted that they were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing." 8 T. 250. "The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place." 8 T. 251.
This purification and reformation is the first-fruit harvest which John saw in vision. "And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." Rev. 14:16.
The Lord reaps the first-fruits of Rev. 14:4. Some in the
9
church are tares and not wheat – (wave-loaves) and will see where they made their mistake after it is too late. They will get the oil then, but it will avail them nothing. They let opportunity slip by unnoticed. "But there are many, many in our churches who know little of the real meaning of the truth for this time.... O, how many who have not sought their soul's salvation will soon make the bitter lamentation, 'The harvest is past, the summer s ended, and my soul is not saved!' " 8 T. 252:3.
Says the Spirit of Prophecy, "The proud heart strives to earn salvation; but both our title to heaven and our fitness for it are found in the righteousness of Christ." D.A. 300. "If the church will put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, withdrawing from all allegiance with the world, there is before her the dawn of a bright and glorious day." A.A. 601.
At this time, this is the message for the church to prepare her for the loud cry. The wonderful message of Isaiah causes "many, many" in the church to wail, "The harvest is past ..." At the same time, Isaiah 6:13 has much encouragement for the gospel prophet, "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof."
{5}
"The message therefore was one of encouragement and hope. Isaiah's work was not to be entirely in vain; in the end a remnant would saved.
"The holy seed. In the 'stump' there would remain life, and this would ultimately spring forth again and become a new tree. A tree is a common OT figure for God's people (see Isa. 65:22; Jer. 17:8; cf. Dan. 4:14, 23). From this 'holy seed' a new and glorious Israel would rise." S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 4 Page 130.
In S.D.A. there are tares (Matt. 13:30) – foolish virgins (Matt. 25:2; Isa. 6:10). Among these are the wheat (Matt. 13:30) – wise virgins (Matt. 25:2), 144,000 that stand on Mt. Zion with the Lamb and who are redeemed from the earth(land of the two horned beast Rev. 13:11); who are not defiled with women (churches), and who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth: they are first-fruits, or fruits of the first harvest (Lev. 23:17), in whose mouth is found no guile (false doctrine Rev. 14:1-5); these are they who have had their lips touched with the live coal from off the altar. They are the tenth-tithe, holy seed. (Isa. 6:8, 13).
The 144,000 wheat (wave loaves) who have faith in the ever-flowing blood of Jesus go out in a loud cry to gather the second fruits of the great multitude of grapes. (Rev. 14:18). No other people have, as a whole, been without fault before the throne of God having no false doctrine since the 120 in the upper room. Therefore, let us work to understand a pure doctrine, seeing eye to eye, so we may have the upper-room experience.
10
A tenth will stand on Mt. Zion to give the loud cry. It is well to consider the present number in the S.D.A. Denomination. "And this promise of Jehovah was made doubly sure; it was confirmed by an oath. As surely as God lives and reigns, his glory should be declared, 'among the heathen, His wonders among all the people.' It was concerning the future fulfillment ..." P.K. 313. The Captivity and Restoration.
"In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." Jer. 33:15, 16.
Judah is to be saved in the day that David executes judgment and righteousness in the land. In that day she shall be called the Lord our Righteousness, when God takes away her sins in the day of judgment. "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." Isa. 62:2.
The prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-12 tells us how this message of Isaiah will cause a separation among the Lord's people; and also how the message is triumphant in the end. "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, . ." "And saviours shall come upon Mt. Zion to judge the Mt. of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's," Obadiah 21 "... for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Micah 4:2.
Many Jews have already returned to the land God promised our father Abraham, and the way is now open for all Seventh-day Adventist Jews to return. Let us who are Jews labor earnestly for our Jewish brethren in the church by telling them of the splendid opportunity to be in the land of Israel where we can keep the Sabbath when the law of God is made void among the nations. At that time, we well know that the headquarters of the General Conference cannot be operative in the same place as the headquarters of the two-horned beast. (While he is speaking as a dragon that no one may buy or sell lest he receives the mark or the number of His name. Rev. 13:11-18).
Let us pray for the complete covering of the Righteousness of Christ and the Pentecostal energy, and say with the disciple, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." St. John 13:9.
Yours to receive Christ's Righteousness
Benjamin Roden
THE BRANCH
"The Lord Our Righteousness"
Message Thread
« Back to index