This will be the third installment in a four part series, explaining the differences between the Creation Seventh Day Adventist (CSDA) church and the Seventh Day Adventist® church, under the General Conference (GC).
This will also be the explanation of why we are separate from the Conference body, and to a degree why we keep the name as well, in face of the danger of prosecution.
By the end of this document, I hope to have shown several things beyond a shadow of a doubt.
1. That the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists has "unchurched" themselves, and are no longer the Church of Yah - This as well as, they have contracted the dread state of Babylon Fallen, and are unable to repent of the depths they have sunken to as an organization.
2. That the General Conference has formed an image to the beast as per Revelation 13, and is enforcing the mark of the beast currently, and as such the only responsible and Godly thing to do is to heed the call "Come out of her my people, that ye be not a partaker of her sins."
3. That the Creation SDA church is completely biblically justified in its separation from the General Conference, and not this only, but that they are in fact the true Church of Yah, as well as the true Adventist church.
Section I - Of Brides and Beasts
Now, I will get to these quickly, as this is sure to be a large undertaking. However I feel I should state beforehand that this is admittedly a strictly Adventist argument - That is, most outside of Conference Adventism, Historic Adventism, Davidian, Ancient, etc. will most likely find this to be a bit disinteresting unless they are studying Adventism, or interested in such.
However there may be those who *are* what is said above, simply studying Adventism or interested therein - As well as those who are interested in our admittedly unique "take" on the image to and mark of the beast. As such, I will try to keep this as all inclusive a work as possible - I will be using scattered statements from Ellen White and other Adventist pioneers to help make my points, as well as convict those who do accept her/them as a prophetess/inspired. I will not, however, or at least will try my best not, to ever once make a point by resting soley on their writings, without explaining why they are 100% accurate by scripture.
I admit I would be able to make many points, far quicker if I were to rest soley on their writings, however I am trying to keep this as general as possible.
If I fail to do this, please contact me and I will attempt to explain it to your satisfaction. Also, I would recommend that those of you who are unfamiliar with the "standard" Adventist take on prophecy, more specifically the books of Daniel and the Revelation, please visit that section of my site and learn, specifically, why we teach that the first beast is Rome. The rest of this article will be written on the assumption you are familiar and agree with that teaching.
Now then, to begin.
Since the creation, the church of Yah has taken very many forms; It has always, however, been the same church. The vineyard remains the same, however the caretakers, the keepers of that vineyard may change for certain, specific reasons. If you do not agree that the vineyard keepers, the true Church was the Conference Adventist organization at one point, please go read the section of my site entitled "Creation Seventh Day Adventists," it explains that to a certain degree of satisfaction.
Many people have made the mistake in these last times of separating over petty, simplistic, and bluntly, selfish reasons. They have disliked the use of drums in a local congregation, they have felt that their tithe was not being used properly, they have disliked their congregations pastor, to name a few. Some, though rare, even cite a specific example of Church-wide apostasy, perhaps the Trinity, (See chapter two) perhaps some other lapse in strictness of doctrine. However we will be the first to say, these are the wrong reasons to leave a church.
The true church of Yah has slipped into apostasy before - I will be citing the Israelite nation very often as an example in all this, as their own course has matched the Conference Adventist bodies almost step for step. Israel turned their back to Yah many many times, they went to foreign nations, they went to idols, they at some points turned from Yah completely - When Elijah was the last prophet of Yah, the whole of the Israelite nation (Save for 7,000 who were not actively protesting) had turned from Yah and gone after the prophets of Baal. And yet even after this massively widespread apostasy, He welcomed them back with open arms as His bride.
Apostasy is call for reformation, it is not call for separation. However there is a point when apostasy goes too far - There is a point when the church does something so out of harmony with the principles of heaven, with resting in Yah, that they seal themselves, they turn from Babylon into Babylon fallen, and the true Church is invariably called out of the fallen body.
Do not misunderstand me - No apostasy in and of itself is beyond the point of forgiveness. As cited with Israel and the priests of Baal, you really, honestly cannot go much further into apostasy than that. But, something did happen to Israel eventually, didn't it? We are Christians, the spiritual Jewish nation. We are not Jews by blood, nor were we proselytes into the Jewish religion, who to this day reject Christ. Something, then, must have happened that caused them to "unchurch themselves."
For those familiar with the prophetic ruler of Daniel 9, as covered partially in the "Messiahship of Christ" section, this was not the stoning of Stephen - For as Stephen said in the speech immediately before his death, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers." (Acts 7:52)
It wasnt simply the crucifixion of Christ (Do not take me to be making light of that matter) because every non-Catholic today must agree that the Catholic church-state union, who did not crucify Christ, is no longer the true church. Therefore, there must be something, some special criteria, that is the standard for the unchurching of a nation, and of many subsequent churches after it.
Therefore, there was something, there must have been one, specific thing, done in the course of Christ's last days, His crucifixion, that was also repeated by the Catholic church, as well as, for those Adventist readers, all other Protestant churches. Ellen White has this to say on the matter, and I will show how her words make perfect sense when coupled with both history and scripture soon.
"Virtually Caiaphas was no high priest. He wore the priestly robes, but he had no vital connection with God. He was uncircumcised in heart. With the other priests he instructed the people to choose Barabbas instead of Christ. They cried out for the crucifixion of Christ and, as representatives of the Jewish nation, placed themselves under the Roman jurisdiction, which they despised, by saying, "We have no king but Caesar." When they said this, they unchurched themselves." [Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, page 388, paragraph 1]
Now, the test of every prophet is scripture. If Mrs. White was a prophet, her words, on this matter as well, should be supportable by the word of God 100%. Are they? Why, yes.
Ever since the beginning, Yah has compared His relationship with His church to a bride, to marriage, Himself as the husband. This pattern went all the way through the Old Testament, and continued, even more magnified a concept, in the New.
If there is one thing we know about Yah, especially from prophecy, it is that there is a reason for every thing, every word, every law that He sets into place. With this in mind, as well as the literally constant parallels between Yah's church and a bride, lets see what scripture has to say on the topic of one specific occurance in a marriage, in particular.
"When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." (Deut. 24:1-4)
Now, some may (And have) said that this is just taking an application too far, making this law regarding marriage apply to Yah's relationship with His bride, the church. Well, I believe the fact that He does everything, every word, for a specific reason bears out that this should apply perfectly. It also should bear out that Yah and His marriage is not held to a different standard than our own.
However, for the sealing of the casket so to speak, Jeremiah 3 has this to say:
"They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 3:1)
It should be noted that at this point Israel had done just that - played the harlot, but had not married.
I believe then that at this point I have shown conclusively that the principle of re-marriage and returning does, without a doubt, apply to the church as well - We have the words of Yah Himself speaking to His church and making mention of that law, it does not come much clearer than that.
Now, considering that the marriage between Yah and the church is a bit different than any human relationship, there must be a different meaning behind simply joining to another man - After all, there is no other God besides Yah for the church to go and marry.
We do see, however, this principle very clearly applied, in the church joining to the state. If the church, the bride, should turn from her first husband (Apostasy) it is a very abominable thing, and the church becomes Babylon at this point, confusion - However Babylon is a recoverable state. Judah spent 70 years in Babylon, but they were recovered, they were released and still as the church. However when the church should not return from her apostasy, and not only turn from Christ, her first husband, her first love, and goes to the state, joining to it, they re-marry. This is the point they fall, they become Babylon Fallen, they are irrecoverable as an organization, and are forever unable to return to their first husband.
Thus, the words of Ellen White on this matter are in complete harmony with the scripture - For when Israel, the church, cried "We have no king but Caesar," they sealed their apostasy. They had disowned Yah and married the state, using civil power to persecute Christ. This is borne out so clearly it is almost impossible to miss in the gospels - The church had no power to crucify Christ because they were under Roman rule. The Roman power, Pilate, had no interest whatsoever in Christ - It was at the churches persuading that the power was given to crucify Him. FURTHER, Rome did not kill Christ - He delivered Him into the power of the church, telling them to do with Christ as they wished.
So, then. We find that when the church joins to the state, and then "consummates" the marriage by using civil power to persecute Christ, in Israel's case, they ceased to be the church. Does this equation, church + state = Fallen church, bear the test of history? Well, let's see.
When Israel fell, the Apostolic church was called out. We have in Acts, this record early in the book, of one of Peter's sermons:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:36-38)
According to scripture, it was the religious leaders and the religious leaders alone who crucified Christ, with of course a mob they assembled. They did this under cover of darkness it even tells us, explicitity for fear of the Jews. Peter however tells in this passage, "All the house of Israel" that they had crucified Christ, and that they must repent and be baptized for their leader's sins. Does Mrs. White have anything to say that mirrors this fact? Yes, very much so:
"Thus by choosing a heathen ruler, the Jewish nation had withdrawn from the theocracy. They had rejected God as their king. Henceforth they had no deliverer. They had no king but Caesar. To this the priests and teachers had led the people. For this, with the fearful results that followed, they were responsible. A nation's sin and a nation's ruin were due to the religious leaders." [Desire of Ages, Page 737, Paragraph 6]
So we find then that not only does a church - state union, enacted entirely by the religious leaders unchurch the entire nation/organization, but that the members themselves become responsible when it is made known, and that they must repent, coming into the true body, out of the fallen one. For what would staying imply, except support of the leader's sin?
But, as I said we are going past Israel - A sad thing to a degree, as there is so much to cover in this first great unchurching. However there is yet another more recent example. After the Apostolic church was called out of fallen Israel, some time past. I will not attempt to summarize all of the events happening in this time; the point of interest for us at this moment, is what ended the Apostolic church's life as the true Church. This, and most Protestants agree with me already so I will not spend too long on explaining this, was accomplished under Constantine.
The Apostolic church was called out of Israel, and later committed that selfsame sin - Not only that, but with the very same power! They joined to Pagan Rome, and formed a church state union, the Papacy, Catholicism. They then went on to persecute God's people to astronomical levels, in numbers that will most likely take up the greater portion of the kingdom. When they did this, they, too, unchurched themselves.
And what was the result? This we all know - the Reformers were called out. Protestants they were called eventually, who separated from the apostate fallen organization, and began to find the truth as it is in Yah's inspired word. This is not intended to be a history of the reformation - I should have by now, however, shown that by these two examples there is a consistency, that when the church joins to the state, they follow perfectly with the pattern set forth in marriage - They are beyond return, and the true church is called out.
Section II - Fallen from her high estate
Okay, so you agree with this now. So what you may say, so a church who uses civil power unchurches itself. What does this, you may ask, have anything to do with the Conference SDA church? Oh, it has everything to do with it - Very, very sadly.
You see, as you would know already from reading the two chapters previous to this, the Conference has been slipping into apostasy over time, gradually, but surely. However as I very clearly stated before, this is not cause for separation, it is call for reformation. From this point there is either one of two roads to take: Either I am a liar who does not follow my own teachings because I separated, or the Conference joined to the U.S. government.
Since I am obviously not writing this to discredit myself, I will now go into what all of this so far has anything whatsoever to do with us leaving the Conference.
As the century drew well into the mid-1900s, the Conference slipped yet further into darkness than the two beliefs listed to the left. They began to not only renounce their past anti-Papal teachings, but as time drew into the 1970s, they decided to "change with the times" apparently, by allowing practicing homosexuals to be baptized into the church body.
Now, let me be quick to say there are of course, very many kind and loving homosexuals in the world. However kindness of itself is not Godliness, and scripture very clearly teaches, Old Testament and New, that homosexuality is a condemned lifestyle, an abomination, and something
mostdefinitely not to be actively practiced by a professed member of the body of Christ.
That being said. After not long, the homosexual members of the SDA church began to meet together, seeing they had two common bonds - They had a shared lifestyle, as well as religion. The history of this development can be found out on the organizations website, however suffice to say, out of this was born an organization known as Kinship International.
Kinship International was an organization within the S.D.A. church, expressly for the congregating of gay SDAs. Now, it was sometime around here that the Conference began to realize the apparent error in their decision: Kinship was not exactly the kind of press the S.D.A. church was hoping to receive from their lapse in conviction, for lack of a better term.
After attempting to get them to get rid of the name, they finally took the first step on the road to their destruction: They filed for a trademark on the name "Seventh Day Adventist" from the U.S. government in 1981.
Now, according to trademark law, there is a 5 year period after a trademark is filed where it may be appealed by another person or group, though obviously only if it is known about. Coincidentally, the Conference was completely silent regarding their trademark for exactly 5 years. In 1986 they suddenly lashed out in 130-some legal proceedings.
They had 5 years between the filing of the trademark, and the consummating of the marriage of the state. 5 years to repent, to turn back, to stop from going so far. And I say with no joy nor malice in my heart whatsoever - only sadness - that they did not.
Now, above I may very well have shown already that the Conference has fallen and gone beyond redemption as an organization, simply by their action of joining to the state and using civil power to persecute. Yet even this is far, far from the end of the matter. We now will go into Revelation, the 13th chapter in particular, and see how unchurching - Important as it is - is not all that is at work in these times.
You see, Rome was the first beast, as we all agree. If you do not, I point you once more to the studies on Prophecy on the main menu, and the link to Daniel & the Revelation by Uriah Smith. What made Rome different, as expounded upon in the little horn prophecy of Daniel 7 - the little horn being "diverse" from it's fellows - Was that they were a church and state power, they were a union. They were a church riding upon a scarlet beast, they were, and are still today, the ultimate symbol of the corruption that ensues when the church of Yah marries the arm of man.
As such, an image to the beast would most obviously be another church, joining to the state. As the second beast is who gives power and life to the image, it needs be the U.S. government (Symbolized by the second lamblike beast - If you do not agree with anything presented in here that is not basic Adventism, I refer you, yet again, to the book link posted elsewhere) that the church joins to.
The works of Ellen White do also boost the power of this argument, for those in Adventist circles:
"The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work papists and Protestants unite.--GC 607 (1911). " [Quoted in Last Day Events, p. 145, Paragraph 4]
"A union of church and state means a recognition of a spurious sabbath, and a failure to respect the conscientious observance of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." [Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, page 218].
"The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas." [Great Controversy p. 445]
"But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image." [Great Controversy p. 449]
From then, Ellen White's writings, history, and scripture, we find unison - The image to the beast is a church joining to the state, the U.S. government, and then consummating the marriage, persecuting Yah's faithful people.
We find this perfectly enacted in the Conference joining to the U.S. government, and using civil power to enforce the observance of "it's" name.
Take a moment to consider a few points on just how perfectly they parallel with Israel, and their unchurching, as covered earlier:
2000 years ago: The Israelite nation had no power to persecute because they were under Roman rule
Modern day: The Conference had no power to persecute Adventists because they are under U.S. rule.
2000 years ago: Pilate, the representative of Rome, had no interest in Christ.
Modern day: The U.S. could not care less about someone using the church's name.
2000 years ago: The state gave the church power to crucify Christ.
Modern day: The state gave the church power to crucify Christ in the person of His saints.
If you can find me one fundamental difference between the course of Israel's unchurching, and the unchurching we are alleging the Conference has taken part in, please contact me.
Following with Rome however. If the Conference has done what I allege it has done, and formed an image to Rome, then I must be able to prove how every, single, last part of that prophecy fits into place. I also, as I am Adventist and hold Ellen White as a prophet, must be able to show how the Conference has fit every, single, last criteria she envisioned for the image to the beast as well. Believe me, we have only just begun. :)
Section III - The Image and the Mark
Back to Revelation 13 now. Let us, now, take the image's description verse by verse, point by point, and I intend to show you just how perfectly these two things match up.
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." (Revelation 13:10)
This simple proverb is recorded by John for no apparent contextual reasons - It however, is recorded immediately before the second beast rises from the earth, the beast that breathes power and life into the image. So then, as Yah's word has a reason always, we must concede that this verse has significance as well.
We have heard this in scripture once before : They are a paraphrase of the words of Christ, in His rebuke of Peter in Gethsemane.
"And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matthew 26:51-54)
Take notice: What was that rebuke for? What did Peter do that Christ rebuked him for? Did he not take up the sword, and attempt to defend Christ (Or His name) by his own might, with carnal weaponry? Yet what did Christ say to him? Not only did He rebuke him in the exact words cited before the image-breathing beast arises, but He tells Him that He could send 12 legions of angels - one for each apostle - to His defense should He need it. This principle will be seen in its full importance later.
However, sticking on topic.
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men," (Revelation 13:11-13)
Now, it is in agreement that this second beast is the U.S. government. This beast causes all to worship the first beast - We find this fulfilled clearly in that it is the spirit of the Papacy, the first beast, that is what we are forced to bow to in the trademark - But this will be cleared up later on, specifically in the issue of a literal "Sunday law." As for the fire, this is able to be covered more in depth in a study on the false prophet - Suffice to say however that this ties in with the later dealt with concept of the beast being the one gives force and power to the image/union. The Conference, as part of the false prophet, the false EliYah (Elijah) calls down fire on the sacrifice on spiritual Mt. Carmel as well: However this prophet is so convincing, as Satan's miracles are stated, that fire shall indeed come from heaven and consume the sacrifice (us, in this case) and be so convincing that were it possible, the very elect should be deceived. "Seventh Day Adventist" and "Seventh Day Adventist®" look very, very similar.
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." (Revelation 13:14)
Ah, now our main subject makes its appearance - The image to the first beast. We will start with the first part concerning it: That it is the U.S. government who says that the image should be made, and it is men that make the image.
This is easily and simply enough explained in that, as cited earlier, the Conference had no power whatsoever to protect its name. Only by the means of a church-state union - the Conference going to the Government (Hence men erecting the image) and receiving power - could they have power to persecute; only by forming this image.
As for the deadly wound, we must also conclude that the image would have a deadly wound as did the beast it is the image of. What matches this in the Conferences past? Well, let us bring back into the picture Kinship International.
As said earlier, the Conferences main purpose in getting the trademark in the first place, was to stop K.I. from using the name S.D.A. and thus bringing a bad reputation on the 'church.' (At this point merely an image) However of those 130+ cases filed in 1988, none of them were against Kinship. In trademark law in particular, the more smaller cases you have won, the more legal precedence you have for cases filed later, the more leverage, and after enough of them, an almost automatic win against an opponent.
We will go back over this in a moment, however for now suffice to say, the Conference, despite their leverage, lost their case against Kinship on the grounds that Kinship never claimed to be a church or religious organization - On top of this they were still S.D.A. members, and so they were essentially trying to sue their own members, which, obviously they cant really do. The Conference therefore lost their case, and received what appeared to be a death wound, a deadly blow to their union with the state - However the beast's wound was healed, the images would have to be too. And, indeed it was. The loss of the Kinship case was not the end. Despite it being their original target, it was a wound that was healed - They stood back up, grasped their sword once more, and began to persecute across the world; as a trademark is worldwide, an important point. For examples of some of these persecutions after the wound, please see the Trademark Photocopies and Resources section.
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." (Revelation 13:15)
I alluded to this before several times I believe, in parallels between Israel and the Conference. Of itself the Conference has no power whatsoever to enforce the name Seventh Day Adventist, nor to sue anyone, nor put anyone in jail. It is only with the civil, borrowed power that they are able to do this - It is the government's, the beast's life and power that are given into the image/union, and it is the government's ability to cause those who do not bow to, or worship this image to be killed.
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)
Ahh... the mark. Most of our "Loose ends" will be tied up in this section.
Now, agreed upon by all sides is that the right hand signifies actions, being led - The forehead represents thoughts, decisions. The frontal lobe more specifically is the decision making part of the brain - But, to stay general. :)
Now, something will clear up our understanding amazingly as we go into this verse, and that something is this: There is a simple mistranslation in that verse. In the Greek, there are only four "or"s, the fifth was added by translators. That fifth "or" appears between "the mark" and "the name of the beast." So then, we find that scripture reads thus:
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark - the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)
The name of the beast, and the mark, are one and the same. This is very very significant, as I am sure you are aware already. If you do not have the mark, the name of the beast, or if you are not of the number of those *with* his name, you cannot buy or sell - You cannot trade.
Even the very wording of modern times displays this: trademark If you do not have the mark, you do not trade. If you do not have the name "Seventh Day Adventist®" you cannot buy or sell anything, you cannot trade anything, with the name "Seventh Day Adventist" on it, legally. And once again it is the government that causes all to receive this mark - For once more, without the government, the Conference could make all the decrees they wanted, but would have no power to enforce a single one of them. It would be equal to, for example, the Baptist church decreeing, presently, that everyone who baptizes without their consent must be jailed. They have no power to enforce this, no matter what they may issue.
Now, some may wonder at this point, about those who have no connection with Adventism whatsoever. What about those who are, well, for example again, Baptists? Those who don't care about buying or selling anything called SDA anyway? Well, obviously the image will not force the mark on those who do not protest it, and who go along with it regardless. If you have the mark, you do not need to have it enforced upon you.
Now you have to be wondering of course, what am I talking about? If their not called Adventist, how do they have a mark? Well, simple really. Virtually every protestant church on earth keeps Sunday. Adventism has been showing the Sabbath truth for well over 100 years now, and all other denominations have no real excuse for keeping Sunday - A symbol of the church-state union of Rome, the first beast. They, then, willingly accept the mark of that long past union, they accept the symbol of the Papacy, and the mark of the image need not be enforced upon them - They willingly accept another.
Now, what about where they are received? In actions and in thoughts? Well, one can disagree with the trademark (And thus avoid the mark in the forehead) but still go along with it, staying in the organization, or agreeing to give up the name as part of the decree. They can pay tithe into the corrupt machine that by admission goes to prosecution, and as such, as with those in Israel, by their staying inside, agreeing silently with the actions, even if their mouths may protest. These take the mark in the hand. As the prophet who cried out "Woe to Jerusalem" day and night before the destruction of 70 A.D., but did not leave the city himself, they stay and are destroyed with the city, they "receive of her plagues" and "partake of her sins."
There are also those who leave the organization for whatever reason, possibly even the trademark, but either wilfully or when they are pushed to do so, give up the name. Thus they also bow to the decree of the image, and take the mark of leadership in the hand. Then there are those who are so sadly, desperately blind that they agree with the trademark itself. These take the mark in the forehead, they decide it is just, and to obviously go along with it.
As of yet we are the only we know of who have pledged solemnly that we will not take the mark neither in hand nor head. The Eternal Gospel church agreed to give up the name, settling out of court - taking the mark in the hand we believe. Pastor John Marik, of Kona Hawaii (A long and sad story, contact Pastor "Chick" at the CSDA church for more on this) gave up the name after he spent 5 days, and was raped, in prison for contempt of court - Not giving up the name despite a court ruling that he must.
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Revelation 13:18)
And finally our Revelation 13 study closes, with the last verse. This will most likely end up leading into the discussion of Mrs. White's statements on the image as well. In order to understand what 666 means, we must understand what 777 means. What is 7? For those Sabbath keepers this should come as a quick and simple answer. In scripture, you work 6 days, rest the 7th. Labor 6 years, rest the 7th. Keep a servant 6 years, release them the 7th. Plow a field 6 years, let it grow wild the 7th, etc. Interestingly, as shown in the rainbow, Yah's covenant symbol, there are 7 prisms of light - Together they are pure light, divided they are separate colors. All throughout scripture and even nature to a degree, 7 equals rest, completion, wholeness. If 7 means rest and completion, what must come before it?
6, most obviously. And 6 of what, if 7 is what it is? 6 of works, of labor, of unrest, of incompletion.
Okay, so you can follow that logic - But why 666? Why three parts? Well, Paul tells us that there are three parts to a human being:
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Body, soul, and spirit. Or, more modernly termed, Body, mind, and spirit/heart. One who is in the principle of rest, victory over sin, as explained in chapter one, has entered into the rest of Yah. He has ceased from his own actions, his own attempts at justification, his own works, his own attempts to defend himself instead of trusting in Yah the creator, who is able to summon 12 legions of angels. And as such, he has 7. Rest in all areas. Rest in body, soul, and spirit. 777.
What 666 signifies then is most obvious. It is the number of man - Not a man in particular, but of mankind. The number of man's works instead of Christ's rest. It is the number of unconversion, the number of death in works. The number of those uncompleted in Christ, those who have not entered into Sabbath rest of the true meaning, and who have either rejected, or are yet to enter into the completion, the wholeness, the rest of Christ. They are of self, in self, and not Christ. They are works and unrest in body, in soul, and in spirit. They are 666.
Section IV - True Sabbath Rest vs True Sunday Works
This brings us to a very important principle in all of this: Sabbath rest. What is it's true meaning, the spiritual keeping of the Sabbath day? We find that the spiritual keeping of Sabbath is the victory, rest in Christ from all attempts of self in all things. The 7th day Sabbath is the physical counterpart - A day where we rest from all physical labors and spend the day in a private vacation of sorts with Christ. However true Sabbath rest, the rest spoken of in Hebrews chapter 4, is that of constant rest in Christ, in His abilities, in His protection, and in His power over sin.
By this, then, all attempts at self protection and self justification, by the secular arm as well, is a blatant breaking of the Sabbath commandment. This was actually taught very explicitly by the Adventist founders, for those of you who believe I am interpreting of myself; I cited one Ellen White quite earlier that very clearly summarizes the point. They taught that not only was a church state union the observance of a "Spurious (Or false) Sabbath," but taking people to court. Civil suits were condemned very very clearly by every last one of the early Adventists, and for very good reason: Paul states in no uncertain terms what is wrong with this action.
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." (1 Corinthians 6:1-8) [Emphasis mine]
And, while we are on the topic, what does scripture tell us about names, and their reputations?
"And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me." (Mark 9:38-39)
"Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds." (Acts 19:13-18)
Those who are of Christ truly will be shown to be such - And those who falsely use His name (OR the name He gave to His people) will be shown to be false, and not only, but the name of the Lord shall be magnified even greater. It is pure lack of faith, of dependance in Christ, and of Sabbath rest, to appeal to the civil arm for the defense of Christ or His people, or His name.
And thus is how the spirit of Papacy, the worship of such, ties into the image. The pope does indeed best fit the "man of sin," and it was the Papacy who first instituted the concept of salvation by works, a false Sabbath both literally and spiritually, and marred the gospel so greatly that only now is the truth breaking through the clouds.
Now, what of Mrs. White's and the pioneer's writings? Well, I have very, very, very extensively shown in a compilation of their writings on the main menu, how they very clearly did teach exactly, "Pin for pin" what we teach in regards to the image of the beast, what constitutes it, and how it cannot return from it's fallen state.
The only thing then, that I can see, that need be addressed here is her statements that the Sunday law would be about the literal Sabbath. Firstly, I will show two quotes that very clearly show the unison of the early Adventists on just what the spirit of Sabbath was:
"Now I want to state a little further upon the principle that no Christian, being a citizen of the kingdom of God, can of right start any procedure in connection with civil government. After it is started by the government itself, that is another question . . . I repeat therefore, that upon the principles which govern kingdoms and governments, the very principle of the law in heaven,or law in earth, a Christian cannot start any procedure in connection with civil government. And of all Christians, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS cannot do it. The very keeping of the Sabbath forbids it." - 1895 General Conference Bulletin, page 28. - by AT Jones
"A union of church and state means a recognition of a spurious sabbath, and a failure to respect the conscientious observance of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." [Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, page 218].
Amen. Now, what of her statements regarding the enforcement of literal Sunday? Well, we have shown clearly now how the trademark is indeed an enforcement of the spirit of Sunday, of works of man instead of God, of 6 instead of 7. Incidentally - The seal of Yah can only be taken in the forehead, whereas the mark of the beast can be taken in the hand or the forehead. This is because, plainly, you cannot work to Yah. You cannot be sealed by your actions - You can only decide to abide in Christ, in HIS actions, and thus your decision is sealed. Those who are of works, of 666, of the number of the beast, however, can receive it in two manners, as explained above.
Anyway, there is so much to cover on this topic, and I doubt I will even scratch the tip of the iceberg in all of this... so much I want to write and so tired, so tired a set of fingers. :) Back to the topic at hand now: Literal Sunday prophecies of Mrs. White.
There is one time, in scripture actually, where a prophet had a vision of a literal event, and prophesied of it - Then something happened, and the fulfillment became spiritual. Three guesses as to what that thing was. :)
Ezekiel, chapters 35:15-28 and 38:1-6 more specifically, speak of Israel, the literal nation, enjoying peace and prosperity, being in harmony with Yah, and that Gog and Magog, literal nations, would rise up and surround the city, and fire from heaven would devour them. However Israel never reached that period of peace and prosperity - They instead crucified the Messiah sent to them. What then about the prophecy? It will be fulfilled spiritually. How do we know? Revelation 19:17-20, and 20:7-9. John even describes the armies of Satan as "Gog and Magog" in those passages, who are surrounding New Jerusalem - This prophecy is spiritually fulfilled at the end of the 1000 years, because Israel fell as the church.
We then can but assume the same would be a sufficient explanation for Mrs. White's statements regarding a Sunday law, no doubt, as our example is straight from the scripture. Yes she did speak of a literal Sunday law, and yes Ezekiel spoke of literal Israel. However both of the bodies at those times fell by union with the state - And as such the prophecies became fulfilled spiritually. In Ezekiel's prophecy, spiritual Gog and Magog surround spiritual Israel at the end of the 1000 years. In Mrs. White's prophecy, a spiritual Sunday law - the spiritual equivalent of that type of persecution - is enforced by the spiritual Papacy; Now.
Section V - "Come and see"
And so now, I leave you on a brighter note. Yah never simply calls His people out of anywhere. He does not take the wheat and scatter it into the road - He places it in His barn. He has always had a land ready and waiting for His children, and He has always had His church, His faithful. "Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." (1 Kings 19:18)
Every time the church has fallen, the true church has been called out - The true believers, the vineyard has been given to other caretakers. I believe that the teachings and fruit of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist church speaks for itself. We alone teach the entire three angel's message - For, find me another church that teaches victory over all known sin, the true gospel. Find me another that teaches the truth about the nature of the Godhead, that is neither Trinitarian nor Unitarian, but Scriptural, and scriptural alone. Find me another that warns against receiving the image and mark of the beast, in all it's forms. Find me one that teaches the truth, that teaches what we teach. The Spirit and the bride say, come and see. See a Church that teaches the truth of scripture - and scripture alone.
"Church" means literally "Called out," and such we were and are. This is then the message we sound, the loud cry: "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (Revelation 18:2-3)
I will close with an important point - The words of the third angel. One may take the mark in the hand many ways - Idleness will be the fall of many who thought they could, by indifference ride the storm through. Some will falsely assume the leader's decisions do not affect them, that they may sit in wilful ignorance of the truth. Many even now pay the blood money of the saints in tithe, sit by and watch these things happen, and may even disagree while still remaining a member of the number of the name of the beast. "For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed." (Isaiah 9:16)
As the scripture says, to stay is for you, individually, be a partaker of her sins. Therefore let all the house of Conference Adventism know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified in the person of His saints, both Lord and Christ.
"Although church and state will unite their power to compel "all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16), to receive "the mark of the beast," yet the people of God will not receive it." [Great Controversy p. 450]
Accept the victory Christ had laid up for you; accept His rest, in His power and none other. Remember the two witnesses: They are the two olive trees. (Revelation 11:4) What are the two olive trees? "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
Accept the testimony of the witnesses, of the bride, and the Savior. The Spirit of Yah and that alone should be employed in the defense of His people.
I believe I have shown thusfar what need be done, and the danger in receiving the mark of the beast's image. I pray you will not be idle, but seek the Spirit's voice in scripture, or contact me regarding anything left unanswered - Try the fruits of the CSDA church, weigh them in the balances of scripture. If we do not teach truth then state so and why; if we teach truth then how can it be said we are not the true bride? The Church of Yah is no harlot,"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27)
"Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:15-17)
Come then, read the scriptures, search the word of Yah, and see if these things are not so.
Yah bless and be with you always, and I pray you see the import in this solemn yet all too necessary work: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." (Revelation 3:19, Isaiah 58:1)
The Spirit and the Bride say, come and see.
