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"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() THE GOLDEN CALF APOSTASY
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![]() --FOR OUR WARNING--
Patriarchs and Prophets (PP), p 293: "The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God's dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan."
Review and Herald, vol 4 (4RH), p 200, col 1: "We need to beware lest we suffer the same fate as did ancient Israel. The history of their disobedience and downfall has been recorded for our instruction, that we may avoid doing as they did. It has been written 'for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.' If we pass by these cautions and warnings, developing the same trait of character developed by the Israelites, what excuse can we plead."
Testimonies for the Church, vol 5 (5T), p 160: "Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as the were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people."
1T 129: "I saw that many who profess to believe the truth for these last days think it strange that the children of Israel murmured as they journeyed; that after the wonderful dealings of God with them, they should be so ungreatful as to forget what He had done for them. Said the angel: 'Ye have done worse that they.'"
![]() THE GOLDEN CALF APOSTASY
In a letter to the Review and Herald, dated Nov 20, 1905, Sister White writes:
"For years the backward tendencies of many have greatly hindered the work of God...No longer are we to be a mixed multitude."
I will read more of this letter later in the study, but it raises the question--who is the mixed multitude? Can we find any example in history that can help us to discover who represents this group? Yes.
During the exodus of ancient Israel from Egypt, a mixed multitude accompanied them on their journey. This story is very familiar to most of us; in fact so familiar that we may tend to overlook some of the events which have extreme importance for Seventh-day Adventist's today.
Selected Messages, book 3 (3SM), p 339: "All the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history have been, and are, repeating themselves in the church in these last days."
With this in mind, let's go over some of the history of ancient Israel.
God saw His people Israel under bondage in Egypt, and raised up Moses--a prophet--to bring His people out. At the end of the prophetic period, and to the very day (see Exodus 12:40-41), God--being Israel's invisible leader, and Moses being their visible leader--led them out of Egypt (see 4RH 199, col 2, 3T 399). A mixed multitude accompanied them, and Sister White writes about this group:
PP 281: "In this multitude were not only those who were actuated by faith in the God of Israel, but also a far greater number who desired only to escape from the plagues, or who followed in the wake of the mobbing multitudes, merely from excitement and curiosity. This class were ever a hindrance and a snare for Israel."
As the congregation of Israel came to the Red Sea, God tested their faith and delivered them mightily from their enemies. From there they traveled in the wilderness towards Mount Sinai. God provided them with all of their food and water. Other leaders were then chosen, and Israel became more organized.
When they arrived at Sinai God held a special meeting with the 70 elders, and then made His covenant with Israel, who voiced their approval and appeared to accept it.
Moses left the camp to go to Mount Sinai, and Aaron was left in charge. God gave to Moses instructions to guard and guide His people, that must be carefully followed so that God could dwell among them (see Exodus 25:8).
While Moses was absent, the people began to clamor for some visible representation of God. They went to Aaron and told him to form a god for them, he agreed and they accepted Aaron as their leader. He then commanded them to bring their gold to him, and from this means He formed a golden calf. Aaron and the rest of the leaders and rulers of Israel commanded the people to bow and worship their new gods; and the people bowed and worshipped the golden calf.
Let's look a little closer at these events.
Who was Israel to God? His church (Acts 7:38, 3RH 85, col 1, 4RH 199, col 2).
Who was Moses to Israel? Their main leader and their prophet (Acts 7:37). He was a messenger from the Lord to Israel, yet he never claimed, nor denied the office of prophet.
Who were the mixed multitude of Israel? Some were just Egyptians, and most of the others were Egyptians and Israelites who had intermarried (Spirit of Prophecy, vol 1 (1SOP), p 243). In other words, they were not fully God's people, but were half and half (PP 377).
What was God trying to show His people by performing all the mighty miracles In their behalf?
4RH 199, col 2: "When the children of Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians, God revealed Himself as a God above all human authority, all human greatness."
Who was Aaron to Israel? He was Moses's voice to the people. He took the instructions and messages of God through Moses, and let all Israel know what they were. But in the absence of Moses, Aaron was "placed in the responsible position to lead and control Israel" Signs of the Times, vol 1 (1ST), p 158, col 2.
--He became the guardian of the church (see 4RH 199 col 2).
--He was made Israel's leader or governor, and was placed in charge of the entire congregation (see 3T 296, PP 323; 3RH 85 col 1, 389 col 2).
--Judicial authority had been delegated to him (see PP 316).
--He became the magistrate of the church (see 5RH 496 col 1).
--"...the spirit which had actuated the people imbued him and he took the lead, and directed as a general, and the people were singularly obedient" 3T 299.
--"God had committed the government of the people [to him] in the absence of Moses" PP 323.
Who were the people that came to Aaron and told him to form them a god? It was the mixed multitude--the group who were not fully united with God's people, being half and half.
--This large company of the mixed multitude were the people responsible for instigating the making of the golden calf (see 1SOP 243, PP 324).
--They were the leaders in the apostasy (see PP 316).
--They were the first to indulge murmuring and impatience (see PP 316).
--They were the ringleaders in wickedness (see PP 324).
--They were ever a hindrance and a snare to Israel (see PP 281).
--"...they were continually finding fault with the way in which Moses was leading them, though they knew he, as well as they, was following the guiding cloud. Dissatisfaction is contagious, and it soon spread in the encampment" PP 377.
--They were continually disposed to rebel (see 1SP 245).
--"...they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless. Especially was this the case with the mixed multitude. They were impatient to be on their way to the land of promise--the land flowing with milk and honey. It was only on condition of obedience that the goodly land was promised them, but they had lost sight of this" PP 315.
Was this the first time that they rebelled? No, they rebelled at Rephidim before they reached Mount Sinai. It was here that they questioned whether or not Moses was really receiving God's instructions for them. It was here that they, in their blindness and presumption, became suspicious and distrustful of their prophet, and wasted no time is spreading these seeds of rebellion throughout the camp. If they would have only looked to God in humility for the refreshing waters, God would have abundantly provided for their thirst, and would have poured out enough water to full every longing soul. But they chose to rebel, and to distrust their God and prophet. They were even ready to stone Moses, and to physically remove him from being their visible leader! (1SP 227-28, PP 297-98). It was this event that set the stage for the golden calf rebellion and apostasy.
What was Israel really saying, in the absence of Moses, when they told Aaron to form a god for them?
--In this act they had "deserted God [as their invisible leader] for a calf" Youth Instructor (YI), p 528, col 1 (Nov 21, 1901).
--"The people had broken their solemn covenant" and "their allegiance to God" 1SP 250, Testimonies to Ministers (TM), p 1O1. They were in essence divorcing themselves from God!
Not only were they giving up God as their invisible ruler, but they were also giving up Moses, their prophet and messenger of the Lord, as their main visible leader. They were tired of Moses continually keeping their sins before them by warning, reproving, and threatening God's displeasure. They wanted to follow their own ways and reasonings, and wanted smooth things spoken unto them. They wanted to follow the works of their own hands, instead of following God's ways (see 3T 300, 1SP 249, 4RH 25, col 3).
What happened when Aaron decided to form the golden calf? Aaron was trying a new policy, and compromised with the people. When He took the first step in this wrong direction, he became imbued with the spirit of satan, and a new order of things was set up. Aaron took the lead in ordering the people what to do with a zeal and earnestness that was new to him. And the people also came under satan's influence, and they obeyed Aaron's instructions willingly, unquestionably, and without a thought of resistance (see 3T 298-300, 3RH 399, col 3).
--In this act satan became their real invisible leader instead of God (see TM 102).
--Sacred trust was being betrayed (see 4RH 199, col 2).
--"A terrible spiritual blindness had come upon Aaron" 3T 300.
--"Even the leaders of the host seemed to have lost their reason" TM 99, 3RH 399, col 2.
--They "put light for darkness and darkness for light!" 3T 300.
--Rebellion was being sanctioned and approved 5RH 494, col 1.
--"Satan had set up his banner in the midst of Israel, and it was exalted as the banner of God" 3T 300.
How was the golden calf actually formed? Aaron commanded the congregation of Israel to bring him their gold, and from this means, he made the form and structure of the golden calf. He then set it upon a foundation to establish it before the eyes of all Israel. So all the people who donated their gold and means to establish the golden calf were guilty of this great sin, just as if they were the ones who actually formed it!
If the people would not have given Aaron their gold to establish the golden calf, could it have still been made? No, there would not have been enough means to form it unless the majority of Israel contributed to it.
Now how long did it take to form the golden calf? Its form and structure was completed and set upon its own foundation in the 39th day of Moses's absence. Or just a short time--one day--before their prophet returned (see Exodus 32:5-7).
Did all of Israel participate and support this apostasy of the golden calf? No, one tribe named Levi--or 1/12 of Israel did not participate in this rebellion. But neither did they raise their voices in protest. So they were also guilty in this rebellion by their silence by not warning the people. (see Desire of Ages, p 112, 3T 265-66, 269 for this principle).
Did anyone in Israel raise their voice in protest? Yes.
PP 316-17: "A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image-making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives."
And with these out of the way, nothing stopped their plans.
When the golden calf was finally completed, what did Aaron, along with the rest of the leaders tell the people?
"These be thy gods, 0 Israel" Exodus 32:4, 5RH 493, col 2. And Israel bowed and worshipped the golden calf.
Since there was only one golden calf, then why did their leaders proclaim that "these be thy gods," making it plural? The structure of the golden calf itself now represented the god of Israel, but it could not literally talk, only men could do the talking for it. So as the people worshipped the structure of the golden calf, they also came to regard the words and instructions of their leaders, who were closely connected with it, as the voice of their god to them. So, in essence, the calf and their leaders became their gods! No longer did the people look to the true God for their guidance and instruction, they now looked to the structure of the golden calf and their leaders for all their guidance and instruction. Israel had formed a hierarchy, built around man and a false god.
In the act of Israel bowing and worshipping the work of man, or the golden calf (1ST 158, col 2, 1SP 249), what occurred?
--They "have corrupted themselves" Exodus 32:7.
--God was dishonored (see 3RH 389 col 2, 85 col 1).
--This was a terrible offense to God (see 4RH 24 col 3).
--Israel was guilty of treason (see PP 318, 5RH 496 col 1).
--Israel had broken their covenant and allegiance to be God's chosen people (see 3T 398, TM 1O1, 1SP 250).
--So God broke His covenant with them (see PP 320).
--God then signified that He disowned His people (see PP 318, 5RH 95 col 1).
--God declared that He would destroy them (see Exodus 32:10).
As Israel was worshipping the golden calf, God told Moses what was happening. Moses then realized the great sin and apostasy that was taking place, and he unselfishly pleaded with God for mercy not to destroy them. God agreed to withhold His judgments upon them for the time being (see Exodus 32:10-14, 4RH 199 col 3). Moses then returned to the congregation of Israel, saw them worshipping the golden calf, and he threw down and broke the tables of stone in front of all Israel.
Moses asked Aaron why he had made the calf and encouraged Israel to apostatize. Moses told all of Israel, "whoever is on the Lord's side to come to him," away from the golden calf apostasy. Only those who remained, who defiantly continued in their rebellion, refusing to follow the instruction of their prophet, lost the lives.
What happened to the golden calf? It was burned with fire, ground to powder, mixed with water, and all Israel were compelled to drink it. Now let's look a little closer at these events.
When Moses threw down and broke the tables of stone, where did he throw them? He threw them directly at the structure.
3T 341: "He saw the law broken by the Hebrews, and in his zeal for God, to deface the idol that they were worshipping, he sacrificed the tables of stone."
What was Aaron's reply when Moses asked him why he formed the golden calf? Aaron was proud of his work and "seeks to justify his course in a grievous sin" 3T 341.
What was Moses calling for when he told Israel that whoever is on the Lord's side, to come and stand with him? He was calling for separation!
TM 102: "Judgments were about to fall on the infatuated, besotted, multitude. Yet God in His mercy gave them opportunity to forsake their sins.
"Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, 'Who is on the Lord's side?' The trumpeters caught up the words, and sounded them through the trumpet, 'Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto Me'....All who were repentant had the privilege of taking their stand beside Moses."
God was giving all ample opportunity of showing their loyalty to God and their prophet, by repenting of their sin and apostasy by willingly leaving those who continued in the rebellion and apostasy.
5RH 496, col 1: "All the people had the opportunity of demonstrating their repentance, and thus saving their lives....All were given opportunity to be loyal to God. All who humbled themselves before Him, and placed themselves on His side, showing that they desired to obey Him, would be pardoned, while those who would not yield would condemn themselves as rebels. There would be no excuse for them. All were given the opportunity of repudiating their past idolatrous conduct, and of showing their determination to be true."
God and Moses were calling for the distinction to be made plain between him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not. Only those who humbled themselves in obedience to the instructions of their prophet, and showed themselves to be on God's side, were saved. Obedience to their prophet's instructions and counsel was the key to their survival. And thus two distinct parties were being formed within the camp. The calling for all of Israel to willingly and openly show their loyalty to God by separating from those who continued in apostasy and rebellion of the golden calf, was a demonstration to all of the spirit that really controlled their heart.
Did Moses risk anything in calling for separation?
4RH 199, col 3: "In calling for this division of the people, Moses exposed himself to the wrath of those who would not repent, the boldest and most obstinate, who might have fallen upon him in an attempt to take his life. But God was there to sustain his servant: he placed around him a bulwark of unseen angels."
Who chose to remain stubborn and impenitent, and stand with the rebellion and apostasy of the golden calf? I find three classes.
#1. Those who flatly refused to repent of their rebellion and apostasy, and continued to uphold and justify the forming of the structure. This class was made up mostly of the mixed multitude, who were the ones responsible for the making of the golden calf.
1ST 160, col 1: "But a large company, mostly of the mixed multitude, who instigated the making of the calf, were stubborn in the rebellion, and would not stand with Moses, either at his right hand or at his left." (Those at Moses's right hand we those who stayed separate from this apostasy all along, while those at Moses's left hand were those who had joined in at first, but had repented later.)
#2. Were those who knew that they had apostatized but were to proud to admit their error and to show true repentance by standing with their prophet. They allowed their pride to interfere with their decision to obey God's call, and they did not humble themselves in the sight of Israel by willingly showing themselves distinct and separate from the apostasy.
#3. Were those who did humble themselves, but who did not act quickly enough in obeying their prophet and make the distinction plain before the judgment fell. If they would have only been physically taken to the side of the loyal, that would have solved their problem. But they waited too long to act and did not willingly distinguish themselves from the rebellious, and thus they perished right along with them. It was found that it was easier to remain in the apostasy than to obey the call to separate from it. But that decision cost them their lives.
How was judgment executed against those who remained in the apostasy? They were slain with the sword. God commissioned His messengers to slay utterly both brother and companion whether old or young, whether women or children. Only those who remained in the apostasy of the golden calf were cut off.
PP 324: "Without regard to position, kindred, or friendship, the ringleaders in wickedness were cut off..."
PP 325: Only those were cut off who persisted in rebellion."
What happened to the golden calf? It was burnt with fire and ground to powder, and even its foundation was destroyed so that nothing remained.
But what would have happened if the people would have rose up and not allowed their golden calf to be destroyed? I believe that God's judgments would have immediately fallen upon Israel, and I'll show you why later in the study.
Interestingly, the structure and foundation of the golden calf fell the same day that its supporters and followers were slain. So in one day came fire, death, and judgement.
What did Moses do with the powder of the golden calf? It was put in the water, and the entire congregation of Israel were made to drink of it--even those who never partook in the apostasy. Why? Why did these innocent people also have to drink the water mixed with its powder? Because they were part of the body of Israel. What is another term for what was just stated? Corporate-responsibility. These people were corporately responsible, whether they did anything wrong or not, by just being a part of the body of rebellious Israel.
But why didn't they share in the destruction also? Because they willingly obeyed the call to become distinct and separate from those who refused to obey their prophet. All Israel heard the call, and all exercised their power of choice as to where they would stand and lend their influence--either with their God and their prophet, or along with the rebels. And none could excuse themselves from the results that followed, for all had made up their own minds. Then the limits of God's patience and forbearance was reached, and judgment was executed.
Moses said to those who had separated themselves from the apostasy within the camp, "Ye have sinned a great sin..." He then, at God's direction, removed the tabernacle of God's presencefrom the midst of Israel, and placed it far outside and away from the congregation. Moses instructed Israel that all who were truly repentant of their rebellion and apostasy, to humbly go out and worship God at His tabernacle, and to plead for His forgiveness and see His mercy. When they returned to their tents, Moses entered the tabernacle to intercede for the people. They agonizingly watched for some token of Divine forgiveness, and when the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, the people wept for joy. God forgave these repentant people, and again Moses went back up to Mount Sinai, saw the glory of God, and returned with his face lighted up, having God's 10 commandments in his possession.
Let us examine these events more closely.
Because God's people had committed the high crime of idolatry (see 1ST 160 col 3), in setting up, establishing, and worshipping the golden calf, God's tabernacle and His presence were taken out from the midst of the congregation of Israel.
What is another name for God's tabernacle? His sanctuary or church. So God's church and presence were removed from being connected with the congregation of Israel!
1ST 160, col 2: "The Lord directed Moses to move His tent afar off from the encampment of Israel, thus giving expression to the people that God separated Himself from them."
We have already discovered that the congregation of Israel was considered to be God's church. But here we find that God had removed His presence and church from them. Is there a contradiction or confusion here, because there seems to be two churches, each separate and distinct from the other? Of these two, which is God's true church? The one where His presence is abiding--which was the one outside the congregation of Israel!
Upward Look (UL), p 315: "God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ's church, for the presence of the high and holy one who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church."
SDA Bible Commentary, vol 5 (5BC), p 1150, col 2: "He (Christ) declared it to be His will that where He was, there His church should be..."
So there is no contradiction or confusion, because if God's presence is not in a certain place, it certainly cannot be a church of God! No matter how many people are registered on the church books, no matter how many people advocate and repeat over and over again that they are the true church, if God's presence is not in their midst, they are living and preaching a lie!
Since God's presence was removed far away from the congregation of Israel, they were no longer considered to be the church of God at that time, but were basically a nation unchurched!
But something else happened because of this golden calf apostasy. Moses their prophet, in obeying God's instructions, separated himself from their congregation, and was with God's tabernacle or true church.
1ST 160, col 3: "...their sin had also separated Moses, their leader from them."
Israel's prophet was no longer in their midst to lead and guide them. He was now abiding in God's true church, completely distinct and separate from the camp and congregation of Israel.
Moses directed Israel, all those who were truly repentant and humble in regard to this great rebellion and apostasy of the golden calf, to prove their loyalty by obeying his voice and willingly come out and separate themselves from the body and congregation of Israel. They were to willingly come out--in the sight of all the congregation--and join God's true church in the wilderness. There God would forgive their great sin, and receive them back as His children.
1ST 160, col 1: "Moses required all who were truly penitent and humble in view of their transgression, to manifest it by separating themselves from the congregation. In the sight of all Israel, they were to repair to the tabernacle, and he would plead with God to forgive their transgression, and receive them back again to His favor."
Why was this second separation required by God? Wasn't just separating from the sin and apostasy connected with the golden calf and its supporters enough? Couldn't they show their repentance and loyalty to God by remaining physically within their congregation? Even though God's presence was no longer with Israel, and they were no longer His church, couldn't they remain connected without willingly having to disconnect themselves from the body of Israel?
No. By their prophet calling for this second separation, God was finding out who, among all those who professed to follow Him, were truly repentant of their sins and who fully wanted to obey all His commands and unite themselves to Him as His children, as opposed to those who were not sincere in their separation from the apostasy.
Only those who obeyed their prophet and willingly separated themselves physically from the body of Israel proved themselves willing to continue to follow and obey God's voice, no matter what the cost. The rest remained where they were.
Only those who broke the connection with the body of Israel continued to follow the narrow path of obedience to God regardless of what people, friends, relatives, or even their own reasoning told them. To be humble and obedient to God was their only purpose.
God was testing and proving His professed people, to see who really wanted to follow only Him, and thus become His children. God richly blessed these faithful ones by forgiving their sins and giving these His covenant.
Now with all these insights, let's look a little deeper into the reason that this story has been recorded for us, and instead of saying golden calf all the time, I'm just going to say its initials and you will know what I'm saying.
At the end of the prophetic period, God called and separated His people or church from Egypt, and gave them His prophet and messenger to instruct and guide them to the promised land. A mixed multitude accompanied them, made up of Egyptians and Israelites who intermarried--being half God's people, or not fully united with them.
The church came to the Red Sea and their faith was tested. God mightily delivered His people, by His power, to prove that He is above all human authority, and that He is to be obeyed above all else. God led them through the sea on dry land, and they proceeded to Mount Sinai. Along the way their food supply ran out, and the mixed multitude began to murmur and complain, and soon all Israel joined in. God then sent manna, His chosen diet for His people.
Then their water supply ran out in the valley of Rephidim, and instead of trusting in God and in humility asking Him for the refreshing waters to quench their thirst, they rebelled against God and their prophet. They were suspicious and questioned whether their prophet was truly being led of the Lord. Were his instructions to them from his own wisdom, or were they truly from the Lord? Doubts and unbelief spread rapidly throughout the congregation, and many seeds were sown that would produce their evil crop in the future. God provided the water, and Israel moved on.
Other church leaders were chosen, and Israel was better organized. When the people arrived at Mount Sinai, God appeared to the leading elders of the congregation in a special meeting. God made a covenant with Israel, and all the people agreed to follow God.
Moses departed from the congregation and went up upon Mount Sinai, leaving Aaron as the governor or magistrate of the entire church. Shortly after Moses left, the seeds of doubt and unbelief sprouted into insubordination and rebellion against God and their prophet. The evil seeds produced a wicked harvest. They had only assented to follow God and their prophet, but inside they were still rebellious as ever. They did not like the way that their prophet was leading them--always pointing out and rebuking their sins.
This rebellion spread like wild-fire, and most of the leaders and people joined together and came to Aaron, telling him to form them a visible god to worship. They were tired of God and their prophet leading them and telling them what to do. They wanted to follow their own way and to choose their own leader. They wanted to return to Egypt, and wanted to resemble them so closely that they would be easily accepted.
Aaron saw that the church was deserting God and their prophet, but he made the wrong decision and yielded to their wishes. Satan stepped in and controlled their minds, and he now became their invisible leader in the place of God.
Aaron, who was now their main leader or president, commanded the church to bring him their gold to form this god. The congregation willingly and unquestionably obeyed, becoming just as guilty in this act, by giving Aaron their gold which should have gone to glorify God.
From this means, the GC or golden calf was formed as their new god, and was set upon a foundation to establish it before the eyes of all the church. This was finished and completed just a short time before the prophet returned.
The church leaders joined their president, as the command was given for all the church to bow and worship the structure of the GC as their god. The congregation singularly obeys as they regard their leaders instructions as the voice of their god to them. They had forgotten the true God and their covenant to obey only His voice, and they blindly and explicitly followed their church leaders instructions to worship the GC.
God informed the prophet that a terrible spiritual blindness had come over the entire church. Their leaders had lost all reason, and had put darkness for light by forming the structure and foundation of the GC as their god. They had chosen apostasy, betrayed sacred trust, and satan had planted his banner in their midst--claiming them as his territory and church.
God declared that His judgments were to fall against the congregation for this great abomination, and Israel's prophet and true leader pleads for mercy. God agrees to withhold His judgments for the time being, and the prophet returned to the congregation with the stone tables of God's commands in his possession.
The prophet beheld what was going on, and threw God's commands directly at the structure of the GC, thus marring its form and structure. He asked Aaron why he had led the church into such apostasy from God by forming the GC. Aaron did not repent, but offered excuses to try and justify the formation of the GC and its foundation.
All the church body stood corporately responsible and guilty in this apostasy by being a part of the congregation. Hence the holy were mixed up with the unholy, and the prophet risks his life by raising his voice to all the church saying, "Who ever is on the Lord's side, come to me and refuse to stand with the rebellious and the apostasy of the GC. Leave the banner of satan, and distinguish yourselves from being supporters and followers of it." The line of demarcation between God's repentant and true people, and satan's followers must be made plain. The trumpeters caught up this separation message and spread it throughout the entire church body so that all heard the message and all were given ample opportunity to obey.
The decision of all was made--their physical presence showing, with all its influence as to where their heart really was and where their affections were really attached to. It was found that a large majority, mostly of the mixed multitude who instigated and were the ringleaders in this apostasy of the GC remained, along with those who refused to make up their minds. These were in valley of decision--or riding the fence as it were. They saw so many friends who chose to remain and stand with the apostasy, and this blinded their reasonings so that they did not obey God, but they also remained connected.
But the time had come, and the limit of God's forbearance was reached. He commissioned His messengers--the ones with the slaughtering weapons--to go through the midst of the church, through the midst of Israel, and smite, to spare not, but to slay utterly all who continued in the apostasy of the GC--whether young or old, brother or companion, women or children--until they had gone from one end to the other of the church.
Moses then informed those who repented and who came to him, that they had committed a grievous sin and a high crime against God. He removed the tabernacle of God's presence and the true church away from the body of Israel. God's presence and true church were no longer connected with them--being entirely distinct and separate from the congregation. They were no longer considered to be God's church, but were basically a nation unchurched.
The prophet had also willingly separated himself from them and was now with God and His true church. The prophet was the first to separate himself from the body of Israel. Now he called all who were truly repentant and wanted to continue to obey God's voice and instructions, to prove this by willingly coming out and being separate--disconnecting themselves from the congregation and body of Israel, or from God's former church.
No one, not leaders, relatives, friends, or even their own reasoning could stop these faithful ones from humbling themselves and obeying this call from God. They willingly came out, without being forced or physically removed, in the sight of all their congregation, to join God's true church and to stand with their prophet.
God saw that this separation was a necessity to prove who were indeed willing to follow His voice and instructions without any force being used--those who would refuse to follow the reasoning and wisdom of man.
Only those who humbled themselves and came out and separated themselves from the body of the congregation, were blessed of God. He forgave these obedient children of all their sins, bringing them back into His favor, while those who remained connected with their God-forsaken congregation were not partakers of His covenant blessing.
Moses again on the mount, communed with God and came back with his face lighted up, full of the glory of God, and also with God's precious and everlasting covenant in his possession.
All this apostasy, judgment, death, and the necessity for all of God's true people to distinguish themselves from the apostasy by coming out and separating themselves from the body of Israel, occurred because of one man who was invested with authority over all congregation, chose to step away from God. He then formed the structure and foundation of the GC--putting light for darkness and darkness for light, and satan became their invisible leader in the place of God, leading the greater majority of the church into rebellion, apostasy, and death.
Some can already see the writing on the wall just from this history, and for these, I need not proceed any further. Yet for the majority of others, what does all this sad history have to do with the Seventh-day Adventist church and its members of today?
Sister White gives us this testimony immediately after rehearsing the golden calf apostasy, and states:
4RH 200: "We need to beware lest we suffer the same fate as did ancient Israel. The history of their disobedience and downfall has been recorded for our instruction, that we may avoid doing as they did. It has been written 'for our admonition, upon whom the ends of world are come.' If we pass by these cautions and warnings, developing the same traits of character developed by Israelites, what excuse can we plead?"
TM 101: "To us the warning is given..."
Now why would she warn specifically the SDA church and its membership to beware of repeating this particular history of Israel? She even tells the church to read this history of the rebellion and apostasy of the church of Israel in forming the structure and foundation the golden calf, as least once every week!
TM 98-99: "I urge that these chapters be read at least once every week."
Why would she be telling the SDA church to study this particular apostasy in forming the golden calf so much? Did she realize that since SDA's are God's modern Israel (2T 109), that they would be in greater danger of following in ancient Israel's footsteps? That the SDA church could be the ones that would repeat this great and terrible apostasy of Israel, and form a golden calf to which all SDA's must bow and worship as their god?
After again rehearsing this particular apostasy of Israel, she then explicitly warns the SDA church:
4RH 25, col 3: "Our dangers are not less, but greater than were those of the Hebrews. There will be temptations to jealousies and murmurings, and there will be outspoken rebellion as are recorded of ancient Israel."
Did the SDA church heed the warnings and follow the counsel? Or did they shut their eyes and ears to follow in Israel's footsteps and repeat this history of the rebellion and apostasy of the golden calf? If they do repeat this history, then we will see all the events repeated.
So the question remains; "Is the SDA church repeating this history of ancient Israel?" To answer this important question, we must review some of the SDA church history to see if this they are repeating it.
As God led His ancient people out of Egypt, so He has led His modern Israel out of the world.
4SOP 291: "The history of ancient Israel is a striking illustration of the past experience of the Adventist body. God led His people in the Advent movement, even as He led the children of Israel from Egypt. In the great disappointment their faith was tested as was that of the Hebrews at the Red sea."
God led His modern Israel--His Advent people--out of the world, and brought them through a Red Sea experience in order to test their faith in Him.
Who was the invisible leader of these Advent people? Christ! Who did Christ raise up to be the main visible leader of His people--to be the messenger of the Lord and to instruct and guide His people to the promised land of heaven? Ellen Gould White. Do we see a mixed multitude accompanying the Advent people, and how would they be allowed to enter the church in the first place?
2RH 589, col 2: "...by conformity to the world a mixed company will be brought into the church."
Do we find such an conformity to the world taking place in SDA church history? In the year 1856, she writes:
1T 128: "Then I was pointed back to the years 1843 and 1844. There a spirit of consecration then that there is not now. What has come over the professed peculiar people of God? I saw the conformity to the world, the unwillingness to suffer for the truth's sake."
So the SDA church did conform to the world, and a mixed multitude were allowed into the midst of the church. But will these begin to rebel murmur against God's will as occurred anciently? She continues:
1T 128-29: "I saw a great lack of submission to the will of God....I saw that many who profess to believe the truth for these last days think it strange that the children of Israel murmured as they journeyed; that after the wonderful dealings of God with them, they should be so ungrateful as to forget what He had done for them. Said the angel: 'Ye have done worse than they.'"
How could we have done worse than they? Because we have ancient Israel's history to look at. It is recorded for our admonition and warning, and if we close our eyes to history, then we are doomed to repeat it. We also have a prophet who warns us when we are repeating history. So to have done worse than ancient Israel, we would have had to ignore and refuse to listen to both history and our prophet.
How can SDA's discern who represents the mixed multitude in their midst? Remember this group were not fully united with God's people--being half Egyptian and half Israelite. In Bible symbology, Egypt is synonymous with the world. So the mixed multitude are those who are half worldly and half God's--or not fully united with God's true people, and only giving Him half service. They only profess to follow God's instructions and counsel, but still remain connected with the world. They are not fully converted to God, or in other words--"Laodicean."
Does the Laodicean really serve God half of the time, while the other half of the time they spend in the world? No!
2T 264: "To be half a Christian and half a worldly man, makes you about one-hundredth part a Christian and all the rest worldly."
That is why the mixed multitude were the first to murmur and complain, the leaders in the apostasy, and the ringleaders in all the wickedness. They were a constant hindrance and a snare to God's true people, and were continually finding fault with their prophet. That is why they were continually disposed to rebel, a overlooked the fact that the promised land was granted to Israel only on condition of obedience to God. They were mostly of the world, and only professed to follow and obey God, and were unconsecrated. These mixed multitudes, or Laodiceans, are now all throughout the ranks of the church.
Anciently, what three events occurred after Israel left the Red Sea?
#1. God's chosen diet of manna was provided for their food.
#2. Israel became organized.
#3. The rebellion against God and their prophet at the waters of Massah or Meribah occurred in the plains of Rephidim.
Has the SDA church repeated this history?
#1. Did God send His chosen diet from heaven to our people? Yes! In 1863, our prophet while in Michigan, received a vision from the God of heaven on the health reform. God was thus providing SDA's His chosen diet, and anciently it was only the mixed multitude who complained and murmured about it. So if you hear anyone complaining today about the health reform, they have just exposed themselves as being part of the modern mixed-multitudes of today!
#2. Did the SDA church become organized as did Israel? Yes! In 1863 the General Conference came into being, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church was organized. Why was the GC organized in the first place?
5RH 358, col 1: "The church of Christ is organized for missionary purposes."
Loma Linda Messages, p 816 (Letter 178, 12-06-09): "Simple organization and church order are set forth in the New Testament scripture, and the Lord has ordained these for the unity and perfection of the church."
So anything done other than for "missionary purposes" or a step away from "simple organization" is a step away from being the church of Christ, and thus divisions and imperfections will be brought into the church.
#3. Did the SDA church also rebel against God and our prophetas did Israel at the waters of Massah? Remember it was here that Israel, instead of trusting in God and in humility asking Him the refreshing waters to quench their thirst, rebelled against Him. It was here that they became suspicious and questioned whether their prophet was truly being led of God--whether their prophet's instructions to them were from God, or were from his own wisdom and understanding. It was here that doubts and unbelief spread rapidly throughout the congregation, and seeds of evil were sown broadcast. Did the SDA church also repeat this rebellion? Yes!
In 1888, at the GC session in Minneapolis, God moved upon the church leaders to humble themselves and to repent of their sins. It was here that God wanted our leaders to look to Him in humility, and ask Him for the refreshing waters to come upon them and quench their thirst. God was trying to prepare the way for the latter rain be poured out and His work completed so that His people could go home. But just as ancient Israel rebelled against God, so did the SDA church leaders.
Manuscript 13, 1889 (MR 574, p 15-16): "The men in responsible positions have disappointed Jesus. They have refused precious blessings, and refused to be channels of light, as He wanted them to be. The knowledge they should receive of God...they refuse to accept, and thus become channels of darkness. The Spirit of God is grieved."
She writes in 1SM 234-35 that Satan, through the leading brethren, kept God from pouring out His Holy Spirit--"in a great measure"--upon our people. She also states in TM 467-68, that God's Holy Spirit with the message of Christ's righteousness "was slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected," and that the religion of many Adventist's "will be the religion of apostate Israel." She also states:
Series A #6, p 20: "But all the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ represented by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them, they would have treated Him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ."
How did the Jews treat Christ? They beat, buffeted, scourged, and crucified Him!
Now which group led out in the rebellion anciently? The mixed multitude, and the same group of ringleaders led out here. But what else did Israel begin to doubt and question and become suspicious of? Their prophet, and the same in this rebellion at Minneapolis!
Letter 14, 1889 (MR 574, p 11-13): "...a firm, decided, obstinate spirit was taking possession of hearts, and those who had known of the grace of God and had felt His converting power upon hearts once, were deluded, infatuated, working under a deception all through that meeting....Their base passions were stirred and it was a precious opportunity to them to show the mob spirit....
"Thus it was in the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus...and the satanic spirit took the control and moved with power upon the human hearts, that had been opened to doubts and to bitterness, wrath and hatred. All this was prevailing in that meeting....
"Voices that I was surprised to hear were joining this rebellion and those with whom I had labored in the past years without any evidence, or any sure knowledge of any change in Sister White were hard, bold and decided in denouncing her. I was represented as telling things untrue...I saw they were determined not to take my testimony....
"After hearing what I did my heart sank within me. I had never pictured before my mind what dependence we might place in those who claim to be friends, when the spirit of satan finds entrance to their hearts. I thought of the future crisis, and feelings that I can never put into words for a little time overcame me. 'But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in their synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them" [Mark 13:9]. "Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" [Mark 13:12-13].
"All this passed through my mind like a flash of lightning and I was sensible how little trust or dependence could be put in the friendship of men...It is the same spirit which condemned the Lord of life and glory."
A.T. Jones saw exactly what happened, and states:
1893 General Conference Bulletin, p 183: "...what did the brethren in that fearful position in which they stood, reject at Minneapolis? They rejected the latter rain, the loud cry of the third angel's message....
"...the Spirit of the Lord was there to tell them that they were doing it, was it not? But when they were rejecting the loud cry, the teaching righteousness; and then the Spirit of the Lord, by His prophet, stood there and told us what they were doing, what then? Oh! Then they simply set this prophet aside with all the rest."
Sister White also saw exactly what was going on, and she did not want any part of it.
Letter 2a, 1892 (AVO 39-40): "When I proposed to leave Minneapolis, the angel of the Lord stood by me and said: '...not so, God has a work for you to do in this place. I have placed you in your proper position, which those who are not in the light will not acknowledge; they will not heed your testimony; but I will be with you..."
In 1888, symbolically at the waters of Massah, the GC and SDA church leaders rejected the latter rain, they rejected the loud cry, and they rejected the Holy Spirit and Jesus. But they not only rejected all this, but they also rejected Sister White as their prophet refusing to acknowledge her in her proper position--which was? To be the main visible leader of our people!
The SDA church leaders have chosen their own ways and leadings, and have unquestionably done worse than Israel did anciently. Many evil seeds of rebellion were spread broadcast throughout the ranks, and sister White sent a warning to all our people in 1889.
5T 477: "Do not forget that the most dangerous snares which satan has prepared for the church will come through its own members..."
So where since 1889, should Adventists be especially watching for satan's trap to be laid out for them? Is it from the world, or from the other churches as we have been taught? No, but it is from their very own church, just like it was anciently!
Did the Laodicean mixed multitude leaders continue to harbor this rebellion against God and our prophet? She writes in 1890:
TM 467-71: "The prejudices and opinions that prevailed at Minneapolis are not dead by any means; the seeds sown there in some hearts are ready to spring into life and bear a like harvest. The tops have been cut down, but the roots have never been eradicated, and they still bear their unholy fruit to poison the judgment, pervert the perceptions, and blind the understanding...
"With many the cry of the heart has been, 'we will not have this man to reign over us.' Baal, baal, is the choice...because they love their own way, and forsake the way of the Lord....
"The steps now being taken by the few cannot be followed by the remnant people of God. Your course cannot be sustained by the Lord....But God forbid that those who claim to be guardians of sacred trust shall betray the interests of God's cause through the insinuating suggestions and devices of the enemy of all righteousness."
Manuscript 9, February 3, 1890 (MR #574, p 18-19): "How long will the people at the heart of the work hold themselves against God? How long will men here sustain them in doing this work? Get out of the way, brethren. Take you hand off the ark of God, and let the Spirit of God come in and word in mighty power....
"...if you can show me that the work is advancing, we say amen. But we cannot see it....We want to see men that bear heavenly credentials that shall carry this work in the very last days to its completion. God will give all here a chance if they will accept it."
Did the SDA church leaders accept this precious chance to thoroughly change from being the mixed multitude and the servants of the Devil, into becoming the servants and children of God once again?
Now, after Israel arrived at Sinai, what three events occurred?
#1. A special meeting was called.
#2. The presence of their prophet was taken away from the camp of Israel.
#3. The golden calf apostasy and rebellion took place.
Has the SDA church also followed this history?
#1. Anciently a special meeting was called of the leading elders, and to these leading men the power and Spirit of God was revealed. They, along with all Israel, assented to follow all that the Lord God had instructed, even though the hearts of many were still black and rebellious as ever! And the same with modern Israel!
In 1891, a General Conference session was called, and all the leading men in the church met together. But what did the church leaders do? Did they only assent to follow and obey the instructions and light of God, while inwardly they remained rebellious and hard-hearted as ever? Or did they repent of their past mistakes, and unitedly work under the guidance and instruction of God's Spirit? She writes in 1901 referring to this meeting:
1901 GCB, p 23: "...lO years ago, when we were assembled in conference (1891), and the Spirit and power of God came into our meetings, testifying that God was ready to work for this people, if they would come into working order. The brethren assented to the light God has given, but there were those connected with our institutions, especially with the Review and Herald and the conferences, who brought in elements of unbelief, so that the light that was given was not acted upon. It was assented to, but no special change was made..."
#2. Israel's prophet was taken away from the congregation of Israel, and did the same happen to SDA's? Was our prophet taken away from the church congregation? Yes! In September 12, 1891, Sister White was on board a ship, the "Alameda", bound for Australia.
But was she called away of God as was Moses? Or was she forced away by the mixed multitude GC leadership of the SDA church to try and stop her from warning our people as to what was going on? Did the Laodicean church leaders ship her away to Australia to quote "get rid of her?"
I'm going to quote a statement from a paper produced by E.G. White estates on July 2, 1986. This paper was made by Robert Olson who is the head man of the White estates, so you can't get much more official than this statement. He states on p 2:
"In 1891 our church leaders got rid of Ellen White by sending her to Australia."
She said exactly the same thing: "that the people of Battle Creek (GC headquarters) should feel that they could have us leave at the time we did was result of man's devising and not the Lords" Letter 127, 1896.
But did the church leaders succeed in shutting her up by sending her away so that she could not so easily reprove them and warn our people? NO! While she was yet sailing on the ocean before she even reached Australia, she wrote back saying:
TM 273, 277: "And when men in the highest responsible positions make no difference between those who serve God and those who serve Him not, they evidence that their eyes are not single to the glory of God; therefore their whole body is full of darkness....
"Already has the power of darkness placed its mold and superscription upon the work that should stand forth untainted, unpolluted from satan's cunning devices. We lift our voice of warning...Woe be unto him whose wisdom is not from above but from beneath!"
#3. The golden calf apostasy.
When Moses was absent from the congregation of Israel, what happened? The evil seeds that were sown by the mixed multitude atthe waters of Massah, sprouted up and produced an evil harvest of rebellion and apostasy. The mixed multitude rose up along with most of Israel behind them, and instigated the making of the golden calf. They chose another visible leader instead of Moses, and man began to look to man and to trust in man, and in the works of man.
Has this great rebellion of the golden calf taken place in the SDA church also? Will the evil seeds sown at Minneapolis by the mixed-multitude leadership, spring up and produce the same harvest of rebellion and apostasy as it did in Israel? Will new gods be demanded and built for our people to worship? Will the structure and foundation be laid for the golden calf to be formed in our very midst, and our people be led to bow and worship this image of the beast or calf? This can only happen if the men in the highest positions of responsibility in the church are just like Aaron was.
All the rebellion and apostasy of the golden calf hinged on how Aaron would react and to what course he would pursue with the people, and so with the church. Were there Aarons in the church leadership?
1ST 158, col 3 (May 20, 1880): "We have compliant Aarons in our day, those who hold positions of authority in the church and who coincide with an unconsecrated people..."
Now if there were more than just a few Aaron's in the church at that time, then, we are doomed to repeat this apostasy of golden calf. How many were there?
1ST 160, col 3 (May 27, 1880): "Aaron represents the case of a large number composing our churches at the present day."
In history, what was the first step that the mixed multitude and people did after Aaron decided to go along with their demands? Aaron became their main visible leader or president in the place their prophet. Has this happened in the church? Because if the leader of the SDA church is ascribing the title of president of the entire congregation of Adventism to himself, then the golden calf apostasy has begun in the SDA church!
We can clearly see today that the church does have a president who is over the entire SDA church, but who was the first president to begin to use this office as justification to control the church instead of allowing our prophet to control? G.I. Butler. And when was the first time that he usurped this title, as the main visible leader of the church, away from our prophet? She states in a letter dated 1888:
Letter 21, 1888 (MR #574, p 22): "Your spirit, my brother, was not right....You refer to your office as president of the General Conference, as if this justified your course of action...Your brethren in the ministry who respect you and your office, will be very apt to follow your example..."
So truly it was the rebellion at the waters of Massah that set the stage for the golden calf apostasy, and the SDA church has followed right along.
Now after Aaron was made Israel's main visible leader or president, what three events followed?
#1. Satan took God's place as the invisible leader, and the church leadership were under his control.
#2. The people were led to unquestionably follow and singularly obey their president and leaders as the voice of God tothem.
#3. The people were commanded to bring and donate their gold, and from this means the form and structure of the golden calf was made. It was then set upon a foundation to establish it before the eyes of all the congregation as their new god.
Did the SDA church follow in this apostasy also?
#1. Were the SDA leaders under the guidance and control of satan?
TM 396 (1896): "Oh if I could have the joyful news that the will and minds of those in Battle Creek who have stood professedly as leaders, were emancipated from the teachings and slavery of satan, whose captives they have been for so long, I would be willing to cross the broad Pacific to see your faces once more. But I am not anxious to see you with enfeebled perceptions and clouded minds because you have chosen darkness rather than light."
#2. Can we see our people being led to follow men instead of God--being bound to their leadership and instructions and to man's authority instead of God's?
3RH 173-75 (August 7 & 14, 1894): "The people of GOd have educated themselves in such a way that they have come to look to those in positions of trust as guardians of truth, and have placed man where God should be....Men must not be educated to look to men as to God....one man's mind and one man's judgment must not be the controlling power....
"When men place the president of the conference in the place of God...they are doing that which is exactly opposite to what Christ has told them to do....
"Satan exults as he see's men looking to men, and trusting to men to be wisdom for them....
"Spirituality will wane under an influence of this kind, and the knowledge of God's will, will become more and more indistinct, while the sayings of men become of more and more importance in the eyes of the people. In this way God is dishonored....
"God is not exalted, but is put in the shade by human inventions and by those who may be so deceived as to think that they are in Gods service."
3RH 273-76: "There is much exercising of man-made authority by those whom God has not given His wisdom because they did not feel the need of the wisdom from above....
"God has not appointed any man guide, nor made any man conscience for another...They are not to be treated in a lordly, commanding manner. Laws and rules are being made at the centers of the work that will soon be broken into atoms. Men are not to dictate....None are to exercise their human authority to bind the minds and souls of their fellow men....
"If the cords (see EW 240-43) are drawn much tighter, if the rules are made much finer, if men continue to bind their fellow laborers closer and closer to the commandments of men, many will be stirred by the Spirit of God to break every shackle, and assert their liberty in Christ Jesus....
"The safeguards which false shepherds have thrown around their flocks will become as naught; thousands will step out into the light, and work to spread the light....
"Let man now cease to trust in man."
She then raises her voice in protest:
TM 493-94: "I must speak to my brethren nigh and afar off. I cannot hold my peace. They are not working on correct principles....
"The Lord has not placed any one of His human agencies under the dictation and control of those who are themselves but erring mortals....
"There are strange principles being established in regard to the control of the minds and woks of men, by human judges, as though these finite men were gods....
"Organizations, institutions, unless kept by the power of God, will work under satan's dictation to bring men under the control of men; and fraud and guile will bear the semblance of zeal for truth, and for the advancement of the kingdom of God....
"We are warned not to trust in man, nor to make flesh our arm."
She then spells it out clearly and states:
TM 359-64: "At the center of the work matters are being shaped so that every other institution is following in the same course. And the General Conference is itself becoming corrupted with wrong sentiments and principles....the same principles are manifest that have controlled matters at Battle Creek for quite a length of time....
"Plans contrary to truth and righteousness are introduced in a subtle manner on the plea that this must be done, and that must be done, 'Because it is for the advancement of the cause of God'....
"Satan's methods tend to one end, to make men the slaves of men....
"The high-handed power that has been developed, as thoughposition has made men gods, makes me afraid, and ought to cause fear. It is a curse wherever and by whomsoever it is exercised....
"...Satan exults, for he has inspired them with his attributes. They are following in the track of Romanism....
"Their human invention originating with the specious devices of satan, appears fair enough to the blinded eyes men...A lie, believed, practiced, becomes truth to them....
"In order to reign and become a power, they employ satan's methods to justify their own principles. They exalt themselves as men of superior judgement, and they have stood as representatives of God. These are false gods."
She tells us why so many are deceived into following these false gods in the General Conference.
TM 365: "Multitudes will be so deluded through their rejection of truth that they will accept the counterfeit. Humanity is hailed as God."
We can clearly see that the SDA GC organization has completely fallen away from the "simple organization" set forth in the Scriptures, and has completely gone aside from being organized for "missionary purposes only" as the church of Christ should be. Hence, their whole organization of today is not ordained or endorsed of God, because they have stepped away from what God intended their organization to be!
#3. Has the money--the gold as well as the silver--that has been given to the SDA church to glorify God and to spread His truth; has this sacred money been stolen and used to form the structure and foundation of the golden calf in the SDA church? Has the church really repeated this same rebellion and apostasy of Israel in forming the GC as the golden calf?
Kress Collection, p 120 (June 26, 1900): "The churches must arouse. The members must awake out of sleep and begin to inquire, how is the money which we put into the treasury being used? The Lord desires that a close search be made. Are all satisfied with the history of the work for the past fifteen years? Where is the evidence of the co-working with God? Where has been heard throughout the churches the prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit? Dissatisfied and disheartened, we turn away from the scene.
"Our churches and institutions must return to where they were before the backsliding commenced, when they began trusting in man and making flesh their arm. Have we not seen enough of human wisdom?...
"The children of Israel beheld the awful semblance of God's presence on the mount; but before Moses had been forty days away from them, they substituted a golden calf for Jehovah. Things similar to this have been done among us as a people."
The leadership of the SDA church have rejected God, and have formed the GC into the golden calf. Our people have accepted it as their god, and have regarded the instructions of their leaders as the voice God to them--just like ancient Israel.
Now anciently, when the calf was formed, what happened? Among other things, satan's banner was planted in the midst of the church, and he was claiming them as his territory and his church! (see 3T 300). Has the same thing happened in the midst of the SDA church? Has Satan's banner been set up as supreme in the ranks, and the SDA church been claimed as satan's synagogue?
2T 440: "These are the true feelings of many of our people. And satan exults at his success in controlling the minds of so many who profess to be Christians. He has deceived them, benumbed their sensibilities, and planted his hellish banner right in their midst, and they are so completely deceived that they know not it is he."
The GC of the SDA church has been set up as the golden calf was to Israel. And all this was finished by the middle of the year 1900, or just a short time before Sister White returned to the church in the end of the year 1900. And what was the first thing that Moses did when he returned to the camp of Israel? He threw the tables of stone, or the commands of God directly at the structure of the golden calf, thus marring its form. This is exactly what our prophet did also!
She wrote a message to the leaders of the GC, just before she was to arrive and attend the 1901 GC session, which stated:
Message to the GC, April 1, 1901: "God desires that these committees which have handled these matters so long, shall be discharged from their rulers and have a chance for their lives, in order to see if they cannot get out of the rut that they are in, which I have no hope of their getting out....
"The Lord wants His Spirit to enter. He wants His Holy Spirit to be king....The work all over the field demands an entirely different course of action than we have had....
"This present standing must come to an end...finally it will come to nothing." (see also 13MR 195 & 198, Manuscript 43, April 1, 1901).
She then arrived at the General Conference session, and was the very first to speak to the delegates and leadership when the session was formally opened.
1901 GCB, p 23-26 (April 3, 1901): "I feel a special interest in the movements and decisions that shall be made at this conference regarding the things that should have been done years ago. God gave them (leadership) clear light as to what they should do and what they should not do, but they separated from the light; and it is a marvel to me that we stand in as much prosperity as we do today....
"Why, I ask you, are men who have not brought self into subjection allowed to stand in important positions of truth and handle sacred things?...We have been given an opportunity to get rid of every kind of rebellion....
"That these men should stand in a sacred place to be as the voice of God to the people, as we once believed the General Conference to be, that is past....
"The men that have long stood in positions of trust while disregarding the light that God has given, are not to be depended upon. God wants them to be removed....
"Now I want to say, God has not put any kingly power in our ranks to control...
"There must be a renovation, a re-organization."
So the GC and its leadership are no longer the voice of God to the SDA people! God's followers are no longer to follow these apostate leaders of the church. In fact Sister White also stated, that to regard the words of the GC as the voice of God, was almost blasphemy (see Manuscript 35, 1901 (17MR 250), Manuscript 37, April, 1901).
Our prophet took the commands of God and through them directly at the GC, and its form and structure were marred. God had commanded that this structure should come to an end. The kingly controlling power assented to step down, the structure was changed, a reorganization seemed to take place, and the messenger of the Lord was elated. But did these mixed multitude ringleaders in the GC, in the highest positions of the SDA church and organization, allow their golden calf structure to be completely destroyed? Did they allow it to be burnt and ground to powder, as it were? No!
Battle Creek Letters, p 55-56 (Letter 123, August 5, 1902): "What a wonderful work could have been done for the vast company gathered in Battle Creek at the General Conference of 1901, if the leaders of our work had taken themselves in hand. But the work that all heaven was waiting to do as soon as men prepared the way, was not done, for the leaders closed and bolted the door against the Spirit's entrance. There was a stopping short of entire surrender to God. And hearts that might have been purified from all error were strengthened in wrong doing. The doors were barred against the heavenly current that would have swept away all evil. Men left their sins unconfessed. They built themselves in wrong doing, and said to the Spirit of God, 'Go Thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for Thee.'"
God also gave Sister White a vision of what would have happened if the golden calf structure would have been allowed to be destroyed. You can read it in 8T 104-06. She also wrote:
Letter 17, January 14, 1903: "The results of the last General Conference (1901) has been the greatest, the most terrible sorrow of my life. No change was made....Men did not receive the testimonies of the Spirit of God....It is a perilous thing to reject the light that God sends....So today upon those who have had light and evidence, who have refused to heed the Lord's warnings and entreaties, heaven's woe is pronounced."
God and Sister White had warned the leaders in 1896 of a woe to be pronounced (see TM 277), but they stubbornly refused to listen, and so heaven's woe is now upon them. And because the leaders refused to allow their golden calf structure and church to be destroyed, God sent His judgments down upon the church.
In February, 1902, the Battle Creek Sanitarium burnt down to the ground with an unquenchable fire. And in December, 1902, the Review and Herald building burnt down to the ground with an unquenchable fire. So in one year, two of the most important SDA institutions was literally "burnt with fire and ground to powder!" But did these judgments from God stop them from their corrupt actions and from fully bringing back their kingly power and control over our people? No, it only inspired them to continue on, and in the 1903 GC session, they voted to bring back their kingly power, and in essence repaired their golden calf structure that was marred by the commands of God. They flaunted their fruitless and withered branches directly in the face of our God, and in defiance stated "You cannot do anything about it!" (see 2RH 454 col 2, 2T 36).
Because of this, God Himself--and not any human wisdom or judgment--declared the apostate SDA church as being the harlot of Babylon!
8T 250: "Who can truthfully say: 'Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are unspotted by the world'? I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He said to me: 'Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their rottenness of character? How is the faithful city become an harlot! My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed.'"
The SDA church has truly done far worse than ancient Israel!
Anciently, after Moses finished with the golden calf, what then did he do? He stood in the gate of the camp of Israel, and commanded all of God's people to come and stand by him and to come away from following the apostasy of the golden calf and its leaders--to make the distinction plain between those who follow satan, and those who follow God--to freely stand with the group that they want to lend their influence and where their heart was really abiding. And sister White did the same thing!
She had already told God's people that they were not to follow their GC leadership anymore, and now she stated:
4RH 307, col 3: "Many commit themselves to a course that insults the Spirit of God, and that in the face of the conviction of conscience. They make a free choice of the wrong side. They rebel against God. Mercy is despised, and justice defied. They become spiritually palsied, not because they cannot submit to God, but because they will not. Their feet are set in the way of the froward, and they have no desire to turn back...."Come out from among them, and be ye separate," is the call. "And touch not the unclean thing..."
Battle Creek Letters, p 53-54 (Letter 128, July 6, 1902): "We have been greatly humiliated as a people by the course that some of our brethren in responsible positions have taken in departing from the old landmarks. There are those who in order to carry out their plans have by their words denied their faith. This shows how little dependence can be placed on human wisdom and judgment. Now, as never before, we need to see the danger of being led unguardedly away from loyalty to God's commands....Let our people beware of belittling the importance of the Sabbath...Let them beware of departing from the principles of our faith making it appear that it is not wrong to conform to the world. Let them be afraid of heeding any man's counsel, whatever his position may be, who works counter to that which God has wrought in order to keep His people from the world.
"The Lord is testing and trying His people, to see who will be loyal to the principles of His truth....
"The line of demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God and those who do not, is to be revealed with unmistakable clearness. We are conscientiously to honor God, diligently using every means of keeping covenant relation with Him, that we may receive His blessings..."
Did Sister White risk anything in calling for this division of our people within the ranks?
Series B, #2, p 22: "My message will become more and more pointed, as was the message of John the Baptist, even though it cost me my life. The people shall not be deceived."
After Moses called for all God's true people to come and stand by him in the gate, what occurred next? God commissioned the men with the slaughtering weapons in their hands, to go through the camp and smite all who remained and stood by the apostasy of the golden calf rebellion. Will this also happen to the SDA church? She writes in reference to Ezekiel 9:
5T 211: "The Lord commissions His messengers (angels), the men with the slaughtering weapons in their hands: 'Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.'
"Here we see that the church, the Lord's sanctuary, was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interest of the people, had betrayed their trust."
What comes next was left out of 5T 211. She continues with this testimony, and states:
2RH 105-06: "This shows us that we must not look to men for example. We need to stay our faith upon God; for there is just before us a time that will try men's souls....
"Brethren, you to whom the truths of God's Word have been opened, what part will you act in this momentous time of the closing scenes of earth's history? Are you awake to these solemn realities?...Let all who have received the light, who have had the opportunity of reading and hearing the prophecy, take heed to keep those things that are written therein; 'For the time is at hand'....
"The destroying angels have the commission from the Lord, 'Begin at My sanctuary,' and 'they began at the ancient men which were before the house.' If the warnings which God has given are neglected or regarded with indifference, if you suffer sin to be cherished, you are sealing your soul's destiny; you will be weighed in the balances and found wanting. Grace, peace, and pardon will be withdrawn forever; Jesus will have passed by, never again to come within the reach of your prayers and entreaties. While mercy still lingers, while Jesus is making intercession for us, let us make thorough work for eternity."
When was this written? January 11, 1887, or just one year before Minneapolis and their great rebellion. Even after this God gave them another chance to come to Him, but in 1903 they rejected this chance, and Heaven's woe was pronounced upon them. The doom and destruction of the SDA church and its hierarchical organization and structure is certain. And for any who doubt this prophecy of Ezekiel 9, please pay close attention.
Letter 106, September 26, 1909 (Last Day Events, p 204): "Study the ninth chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep....Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse..."
God in His great mercy has forestalled these judgments against the SDA church because our people are asleep and confused as to what their action should be. The church leadership refused to allow their GC structure to be dissolved, but are still upholding it and keeping our people in bondage to it and to them (see TM 361), and many are still unknowingly being deceived into standing along with the apostasy. The truth has not yet reached them and broken through this great deception,and God is mercifully delaying this slaughtering until all can clearly see and then choose to stand where they will.
Some may ask; "what about the shaking?" Many argue that in this shaking all the bad will leave the SDA church organization, and all the good will remain within. But is this true? No! Because if all the bad have left, and only the good remain within the church, then why does the slaughtering start within the church and with the leadership--the ancient men? It is because all the good and repentant people of God have left the church, while all the bad have remained within the church--continuing to cling to the golden calf apostasy--that the slaughtering begins with the corrupt and apostate leadership, just like it occurred in ancient Israel!
Now about the shaking--Sister White writes that this shaking had already started by the year 1850!
EW 50: "The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, an all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth and to sacrifice for God and His cause."
This was 13 years before the SDA church was organized in 1863! So being "shaken out" does not mean being shaken out of the SDA church and its organization, but it means being shaken out of the faith, off of the firm platform of eternal truth given the Advent people in their beginning! (see EW 258-59). If you are shaken off of this firm platform by giving up this precious truth, then you are the "offshoot"--no matter how much you proclaim that you are the true church, no matter how many people are registered on the church books, no matter if you are in the majority--you are the "offshoot." And the Seventh-day Adventist church and its organization has stepped off of this platform, and they are the biggest offshoot that there ever has been! So it is not those who cling to God and His truth and leave the SDA church who are the offshoot, but it is the SDA church and all those who cling to this apostate religious system--posing as the true church and religious system of God--who are the offshoot! (For complete documentation of the apostasy of the SDA church, please write for the book; The Abomination of Desolation and Church History--Second Edition, at the address given in the front of this booklet.)
But in regards to the deceiving position which the SDA church and its leaders have taken, and in regards to those of our people who are being snared by the church, God gives us this precious promise:
1T 99-100: "A corrupt people has arisen who could not live with the people of God. They despise reproof, and will not be corrected. They had an opportunity to know that theirs was an unrighteous warfare. They had time to repent of their wrongs; but self was too dear to die....
"Every honest soul that may be deceived by these disaffected ones, will have the light in regard to them, if every angel from Heaven has to visit them, to enlighten their minds. We have nothing to fear in this matter. As we near the judgment, all will manifest their character, and it will be made plain to what company they belong."
Anciently, because of all the rebellion and apostasy associated with the Golden Calf, what three major events occurred?
#1. God's presence and His tabernacle or church were removed from being connected with the congregation of Israel, and was now found in the wilderness.
#2. Their prophet physically separated himself from their apostate and corrupt congregation.
#3. Their prophet called for all God's true people to also physically separate themselves from their congregations, and to come out and stand with God's true church in the wilderness.
How about the SDA people?
#1. We have already found out that wherever God's presence is, that is where His church is to be found (see UL 315), and hence where His presence is not, then His church is not found there either. So has God taken His presence, and hence His church away from being connected with the apostate Laodicean mixed multitude SDA church and its organization?
2T 441-42: "...the church has dishonored her God by departing from the light, neglecting her duties, and abusing her high and exalted privilege of being peculiar and holy in character. Her members have violated their covenant to live for God and Him only. They have joined with the selfish and world-loving...and Christ has departed. His Spirit has been quenched in the church. Satan works side by side with professed Christians; yet they are so destitute of spiritual discernment that they do not detect him."
2RH 453, col 2: "There is a lack of moral and spiritual power throughout our conferences. Many churches do not have light in themselves. The members do not give evidence that they are branches of the true Vine...but appear to be withering away. Their Redeemer has withdrawn His light, the inspiration of His Holy Spirit from their assemblies....They have ceased to be true and faithful....
"The deep movings of the Spirit of God are not with them; the glorious presence of the King of saints, and His power to cleanse from all moral defilement are not manifest among them....
"The words spoken by Christ to Jerusalem are, 'Your house is left unto you desolate."
8T 247-50: "In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed....
"'How is the faithful city become an harlot! My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed!"
Notebook leaflets, p 99: "...the church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of Christ is not in her midst."
So this means that every time that you hear the church leaders proudly proclaiming that they are the Laodicean church, what they are actually revealing is that they are the church that is destitute of the presence of Christ--being drier than the hills of Gilboa!
Since the Laodicean, apostate, mixed multitude, SDA church and organization is without the presence of God in their midst, then they can no longer constitute the church of God! Because it is only the presence of Christ that can constitute the church of God, and Christ is no where to be found within the SDA church. The SDA church has become unchurched because of their continued rebellion and apostasy. But yet we constantly hear the leadership and church-supporters stating that they are the Laodicean remnant people and that only their church is going through to the Kingdom of heaven--that they are "the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we." But is this true? No!
Sister White warned them that they would be so completely deceived by the devil, that they would actually believe this lie and even state that they were the temple of the Lord!
Manuscript 29, 1903 (3MR 264-65): "My guide said, 'This work (southern field) will be sowing seed for time and eternity.' And then the instruction was given, 'The angels of the Lord will go before him (Edson). He will be accounted out of line (from the GC leadership).' But many ought to be out of the lines that have been maintained to be the regular routine, and unless they themselves (GC leaders) come into line, they will say, 'The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we.' Unless that temple is purified, cleansed, sanctified, God will never give them His presence in the temple of which they boast."
Did the SDA church leaders come into line? No, she writes just 2 years later:
5RH 86, col 2 (November 3, 1904): "Hear ye this, 0 House of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel...which swear by the name of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they call themselves the holy city...
"Read the whole of this chapter, the 48th of Isaiah. It has been pointed out to me as a representation of the true condition of those who, though they have had the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, have refused to hear and receive the testimonies of warning that God has given. They have hindered the work and cause of God with misrepresentation, falsehood, and heresy, and when the Spirit of God has spoken, they have said 'It is naught, it is naught...for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously.'"
That is why we hear them preaching this heresy today, that the SDA church organization is the only true church of God and that it will go through to the sea of glass. But nothing is farther from the truth! The GC mixed multitude leadership are overlooking the same thing that the mixed multitude overlooked more than 3000 years ago, that the promised land (or heaven today) is granted them only on condition of obedience to God! (see PP 315; Ev 695).
#2. Did our prophet physically separate her presence from the apostasy and corruption of the SDA church organization? Listen closely:
Letter 186, December 2, 1902: "...I have but very little confidence that the Lord is giving these men in positions of responsibility spiritual eyesight and heavenly discernment. I am thrown into perplexity over their course, and I desire now to attend to my special work, to have no part in any of their councils, and to attend no camp meetings nigh nor afar off. My mind shall not be dragged into confusion by the tendency they manifest to work directly contrary to the light that God has given me. I am done. I will preserve my God-given intelligence.
"My voice has been heard in different conferences and at campmeetings. I must now make a change....I shall therefore leave them...I have pity for them, but...they are brought no nearer right actions by what I say than if the word were never spoken...this is the light given me, and I shall not depart from it." (Similar statement in the Paulson Collection, p 124-25).
This is not saying that Ellen White never went back to the conferences or campmeetings, but that she refused to go unless the Lord directed her to personally return to the conferences and campmeetings to deliver a testimony to them. This is exactly the same action that Jesus took in separating Himself and presence willingly from Jerusalem.
DA 232: "The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death; therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations."
When were the apostate Jewish leaders bent upon the death of Jesus? Was it just before He was crucified? No! It was right in the beginning of His ministry. There is still over 500 pages left in the Desire of Ages of His ministry before His death on the cross! In John 5:16, we find that the church leaders were seeking Jesus's death, but he was not crucified by them until 14 chapters later! So Jesus separated Himself willingly from the Jewish church, way before He died because His counsel was rejected; and the same thing with our prophet!
#3. Anciently, after Israel's prophet physically separated himself willingly from their mixed-multitude congregation, what did he call for? A willing, physical separation from their own congregation in order to prove who were truly repentant, and who--without any outside force--would be willing to obey God and His prophet at any cost. Was this same call given by our prophet?
Manuscript 106, November 20, 1905: "For years the backward tendencies of many have greatly hindered the work of God. Now, just now, the Lord's people are to show their loyalty. The time has come when the Lord would have all who will honor Him take their stand fully and decidedly on the side of truth and righteousness. No longer are we to be a mixed multitude....
"We cannot afford to trifle with our soul's salvation. All who choose to mark out a path for themselves...will be destroyed suddenly, and that without remedy....Long has He borne with men who have not glorified His name." (Note: this testimony was published in the Review and Herald, December 21, 1905, but was left out of Vol 5 of the Review and Herald Articles. So I wrote to the White estates, and obtained the complete magazine for that date, and found this important testimony on p 1. Also part of it is found in MR 183).
Now with this next important testimony, please keep in mind everything that we have gone over so far, and see if you can follow along.
Series B #7, p 9-17: "...men who have been given wonderful advantages and opportunities, and who are capable of understanding the dealings of God with His people of old, have stood up to defy, as it were, the Holy One of Israel...Some are filled with a wicked spirit of resistance and opposition, and this spirit they will continue to cherish till the bitter, bitter end....
"They have kept up continual defiance against God, and warfare against the Testimonies of reproof that He has sent....
"Many claiming to be believers have dishonored the truth of God. They have diverted His money into wrong channels, to carry out worldly plans. But because of the righteous who are among them the Lord has waited and shown patience....Saith the Lord, 'When I visit them for their iniquity, I will punish them...as the Gentiles. I will not spare...
"Many will never, never have eternal life unless they see the sinfulness of their course of action, and realize how greatly it has dishonored God. They are not servants of Christ, because they do not do His works....At first they felt some compunction of conscience, but they refused to turn back, and now hardness of heart is preparing them for hopeless apostasy and the judgments of God. The appeals of their Saviour have been resisted, His mercy abused, His provisions of redeeming love, made by infinite sacrifice, rejected....
"God calls upon His subjects to give the world evidence of their loyalty to Him....
"In the camp there have been many traitors in disguise, and Christ knows every one of them. God has been dishonored by disloyal subjects, who, were Christ on the earth today in human form, would cry, 'crucify Him, crucify Him'....
"There is a great overturning and overturning to take place in Battle Creek. That which have been done there since the General Conference held at Oakland in 1903 will result in the loss of many souls....
"'And everyone that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it'....
"Satan, with all his host is on the battle field. Christ's soldiers are now to rally round the blood-stained banner of Emmanuel. In the name of the Lord, leave the black banner of the prince of darkness, and take your position with the Prince of Heaven.
"'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear'....On one side is Christ, who has been given all power in heaven and earth. On the other side is satan....
"In this our day there is need of clear spiritual discernment...for blindness hath happened unto Israel, to teachers and unto those who are taught."
Now where is satan's banner that our prophet commanded us "in the name of the Lord" to leave? Right in the midst of the apostate SDA church! (see 2T 440). And where is Jesus, that our prophet commanded us "in the name of the Lord" to go and take our position and stand with? Far outside of the apostate SDA church! (see 2T 442).
Who have ears to hear and eyes that are not blinded so they can clearly see? Christ stands on one side, outside of the SDA Church, and satan stands on the other side, inside his SDA church! That's why she said "there is need of clear spiritual discernment...for blindness hath happened unto Israel."
She then clearly spells it all out:
5RH 435, col 3: "Of those who are constantly working to undermine faith in the message God is sending to His people, I am instructed to say, 'Come out from among them and be ye separate.' Come into the light brethren, and lead others to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Those who in faith accept the leadings of the Spirit of God will see where their danger lies, and will make decided moves in the right direction."
So no longer are we today to be mixed up with the mixed multitude Laodiceans and their apostate SDA church organization. God commandsa willing physical separation from both, so that the line of demarcation between His people and satan's followers may be made plain and distinct!
Don't you think that satan is trying his every deceptive art to hinder this separation? Ellen White warns us that satan desires to have his controversy kept up in his way and after his plan, until the harvest is past, and the summer ended, and the souls of those deceived by him and his agents lost (see Series B #7, p 20-21). And did you realize that many SDA's will sing this bitter lamentation of hopeless despair of Jeremiah 8:20! (see 8T 252). Which means that the harvest occurred in their day, but passed them by because they were looking for the harvest to occur in the future. Hence, a harvest occurs--separating God's true and honest ones out of all apostate and corrupt churches--before probation closes and Christ comes! (For more information, please write for the booklet "The Wheat and Tares").
But how does satan keep the people unaware of there being a harvest going on now? Satan is already secure of those who are asleep within the SDA churches, but what about those who are awake to what is going on and who see all the corruption and apostasy? How does satan keep these "so called reformers" from coming out and separating from the apostate SDA organization? How does satan, through his agents, keep the line of demarcation indistinct between Christ's followers and his followers, and keeps the two mixed up together?
Satan through his agents tell the people that they must remain with the mixed multitude Laodiceans and within their apostate God-forsaken SDA churches until they are dismissed or physically thrown out. In other words, they must remain connected with all the apostasy and corruption until the apostate organization tells them that it is now O.K. for them to obey God and leave. We hear this all over the so-called reform circles. But what they don't remember is to be a reformer meant that you had to willingly and physically separate yourself from that false and corrupt system of Rome, and the reformation did not occur until this happened. Hence satan has put them right back under the yoke of man--waiting for the church to tell them to leave, but they think that they are free and wearing Christ's yoke, and what a masterful deception satan has them trapped in.
If you wait for the apostate church to tell you that its all right to leave now--you do not wear the easy yoke of Christ, but you are wearing the galling yoke of an apostate church! So are these people really free? No, Ellen White states in Series B #2, p 45, that if they do not break every yoke, and take their position with Christ and His truth, that they will be deceived and their faith spoiled. And unless they obtain their freedom, they will go step by step in the downward path until they deny Christ as their King. And she states on p 44:
"Those who are wearing a yoke that man has placed on their necks will have to be freed from this yoke before they can act the part...in the proclamation of truth" Series B #2, p 44.
So these SDA people can never give the loud cry, let alone receive the latter rain if they have the yoke of man or the yoke of an apostate church around their necks. They must first break free of this galling yoke, and quit following the reasoning and wisdom of man, or Christ will never be their leader and commander--hence they will be lost!
3T 457: "In order to be saved you must accept the yoke of Christ."
And no one can wear both! Either you wear Christ's easy yoke, or you don't.
So are these dear deceived people obeying the commands of God by following the counsel to stay within the SDA church and its organization until they are told by the apostate church that it is alright now to leave? No.
God commands a willing separation from the camp, without any force being used. God is testing and proving His people to see who are really repentant and will humble themselves. To see who among all who profess to follow God, will obey His instructions and follow them explicitly--no matter what the cost, no matter what their friends, relatives, leaders, or even their own human reasoning tells them. God being more precious to them than anything.
Just look at the history of this event. It was only those who humbled themselves and willingly came out and separated from the body of their congregation, which were blessed of God. They were not forced out. They did not wait for someone to throw them out. They willingly humbled themselves, obeyed this call from God, and in the sight of all Israel walked out to be with their God and prophet and the true church. While the rest of Israel stayed within their God-forsaken congregation and looked on. And it was only those who were completely disconnected and separated from their congregation who had all of their sins forgiven, and these were blessed of God, and became His children once again.
Oh, brethren and sisters, this is exactly where we are today. History tells us this, and our prophet tells us this.
Sister White wrote that it was only because of the righteous that were still among the SDA churches, as the reason why the Lord has waited and has shown His patience for so long. But when he begins to punish these mixed multitude Laodiceans and their SDA church for all of the rebellion and apostasy that they have willingly committed, that He will spare not--and great will be the fall of their golden calf structure!
Time is so short, and God's patience is almost exhausted. Soon He will begin to punish the church right along with the other churches when the 7 last plagues falls--which means that probation for Adventist's as individuals is almost over. And who will you follow? Who will you obey and stand with? God and His church of faithful souls who are obedient to Him and are separate from sin and sinners (5T 505)? Or satan and his synagogue of the majority who refuse to be obedient to God's commands? The choice is up to you as to where you will stand. But your physical presence will tell all exactly where your heart is really attached to, and also what your decision has been. But all will make this decision, and all must stand or fall on it.
PLEASE COME OUT AND STAND WITH OUR GOD!
"Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He (Christ) shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against (betrayed) My law.
"Israel shall cry unto Me, My God, we know Thee. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good...
"They have set up kings, but not by Me...Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols that they may be cut off.
"Thy calf (golden calf), O Samaria (headquarters of Israel at one time, so the GC headquarters), hath cast thee off. Mine anger is kindled against them...The workman made it; therefore it is not of God: but the calf of Samaria (GC) shall be broken in pieces....
"For Israel hath forgotten his Maker...but I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour the palaces thereof" Hosea 8:1-6, 14.
Now listen to what Sister White states:
"Their (SDA church's) foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure" Series B #7, p 40.
Listen to what Ezekiel has to say:
Ezekiel 13:13-23: "Therefore thus saith the lord God, I will even rend it with a stormy wind in My fury, and there shall be an overflowing shower in Mine anger, and great hailstones in My fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar (false structure), and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall..."
And what will happen to all those SDA's who choose to stay and stand with the SDA church and its golden calf apostasy?
"...and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the Lord....
"Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: Therefore...I will deliver My people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord."
And pay close attention to what Isaiah says:
Isaiah 37:32: "For out of Jerusalem (SDA) shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of Mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this."
Please choose to stand with our God outside of the camp of the church, and obey His commandments willingly and perfectly. Time is only waiting for the last true and humble follower of God obey this call and to come out and separate. Then probation will end, God's judgments will fall, and will not stop until Christ comes to take only His faithful and obedient children home!
So whom will you obey--God, or an apostate and corrupt church? As for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE AND OBEY THE LORD, AND BE SEPARATE!
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