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17 Oktober 2020

BEBERAPA PEDOMAN DASAR 

TENTANG KEBERADAAN KELOMPOK 5 ANAK DARA PINTAR 

“ —- adalah tidak adil bagi seseorang untuk membela sesuatu masalah berlandaskan pada bobot dari hanya pendapat yang berasal dari satu atau dua ayat, tanpa lebih dulu mempertimbangkan semua ayat dalam terang dari seluruh pasal. Ya, bahkan dari seluruh Alkitab; karena jika interpretasi seseorang terhadap Alkitab tidak ditunjang oleh setiap kalimat dari Kitab Suci, maka itulah interpretasi yang salah, suatu penyimpulan yang buta tanpa landasan Alkitab. —– Why Perish, pp. 75, 76.

“Hendaklah kita ingat selalu untuk memperhatikan aturan yang tak dapat dilanggar bahwa suatu interpretasi terhadap suatu pernyataan yang diilhami harus cocok dengan semua pernyataan-pernyataan yang berkaitan lainnya.” ——- Tanya Jawab buku 3, halaman 34.

“Tidak ada satu pun siswa Alkitab yang jujur yang mau membangun suatu teori berlandaskan pada suatu interpretasi yang akan mengendalikannya mengesampingkan ayat-ayat lain yang membicarakan masalah itu, ia akan berusaha membuat analisa terakhirnya sedemikian rupa sampai sepenuhnya cocok dengan semuanya, atau sebaliknya ia akan mengaku bahwa ia belum memperoleh terang atas masalah itu.” Tanya Jawab buku 3, halaman 44.

Di sini kepada kita diberitahukan, bahwa nubuatan, suatu khayal, adalah merupakan test asam kimia untuk menguji sesuatu yang disebut Kebenaran Alkitab, artinya, jika perkara itu tidak ada dalam nubuatan, jika tidak ada khayal dari hal perkara itu ditemukan dalam tulisan-tulisan para nabi, maka tidak akan ada kebenaran di dalamnya. Ya, khayal-khayal dari para nabi itu harus menjadi khayal-khayal milik kita jika kita memang harus dilindungi. — Amaran Sekarang jilid II buku 4 No. 24 hal. 78, 79.

Jika sebelumnya belum pernah kita tahu, maka kini akan kita saksikan bahwa dimana terdapat contoh akan terdapat juga contoh saingannya dan bahwa dimana tidak ada contoh, maka tidak akan ada Kebenaran. — Amaran Sekarang jilid I buku 8 no. 47 hal. 75.

Victor T. Houteff dalam penjelasan mengenai hal kekecewaan yang terjadi pada tahun 1844, menyatakan sebagai berikut :

Disini terlihat, bahwa ilham tidak secara sekaligus menerangi jalan kita menjadi jelas sampai kepada akhirat, melainkan dilakukanNya begitu secara langkah demi langkah; bahwa Kebenaran Allah itu adalah bersifat terus berkembang; bahwa kita tidak pernah dapat mengatakan dengan sungguh-sungguh kita memiliki semua kebenaran untuk membawa kita dengan jelas memasuki Pintu-Pintu Gerbang Mutiara. — Amaran Sekarang jilid 1 buku 3 no. 11 hal. 11.

Marilah kita kenangkan selalu, bahwa kita oleh diri kita sendiri tidak akan mengetahui apapun dari hal rencana-rencana Allah terkecuali sesuai dengan yang diceritakan oleh hamba-hamba pilihanNya yaitu nabi-nabi dan sesuai apa yang kita saksikan dari hari ke hari. Jika kita setiap hari berjalan bersama Allah, jika kita percayakan segala-galanya kepadaNya, maka segala tanggung jawab adalah kepadaNya. — Amaran Sekarang jilid 1 buku 2 no. 7 hal 28.

 

 

 

PETUNJUK LEBIH LANJUT DARI KEBENARAN YANG BERKEMBANG

 

  1. Amaran Sekarang buku 3 jilid 1 hal 39, 40 :

“…… Hendaklah diingat, bahwa kita bukanlah yang pertama dan satu-satunya umat yang sudah akan merobah cara berpikir kita; kita bukanlah yang pertama dan satu-satunya umat yang menemukan, bahwa rencana-rencana Allah adalah bertentangan terhadap rencana-rencana kita. Musa juga menemukan, bahwa rencananya untuk melepaskan bani Israel dari perhambaan Mesir adalah bukan rencana Allah. Sama seperti rencana Allah bagi rute perjalanan yang akan ditempuh mereka dalam perjalanan mereka menuju ke tanah perjanjian adalah bukan rencana mereka. Rasul-rasul percaya dengan pasti, bahwa Kristus akan mendirikan kerajaanNya pada kedatanganNya yang pertama, namun mereka juga harus merobah kepercayaan mereka. Lagi pula, oleh karena orang-orang Ibrani yang dari budak-budak telah dijadikan Allah raja-raja, telah dijanjikan, bahwa kerajaan mereka akan berdiri kekal untuk selama-lamanya, mereka betul-betul terkejut sewaktu ia itu runtuh. Maka masih terdapat berbagai kejutan yang lain sepanjang sejarah sampai kepada hari ini.

Sementara ilham membukakan gulungan kertas, maka pasti tak dapat tiada diharapkan, bahwa ia itu akan mendapatkan kita secara mengejutkan bodoh dalam banyak perkara – alasan yang sebenarnya sehingga Ia membukakan. Oleh karena itu, jika kita gagal merobah pikiran kita bagi pikiran-pikiran Tuhan, maka harapan apakah tersedia bagi kita untuk kelak dapat diterangi serta pantas bagi kekekalan? Semua pikiran kita akan jatuh merata, dan nubuatan-nubuatan Tuhan akan berdiri ‘tinggi dan terangkat ke atas.’ Kewajiban kita ialah membuktikan Firman Allah itu benar dan bukan berpegang teguh kepada konsep-konsep pengertian kita sebelumnya dan yang salah itu sampai kelak Allah sendiri datang dan membuat kita malu.

  1. Buku Amaran Sekarang buku 4 jilid 1 Renungan doa hotbah “Kerajaan Yehuda, penyaringan terhadap segala bangsa”

 

Murid-murid mengharapkan Yerusalem yang ada dalam sejarah mereka ini akan menjadi ibu kota dari kerajaan Allah yang besar. Namun bertentangan dengan harapan-harapan mereka. Yesus memberitahukan, bahwa Yerusalem akan menjadi suatu kerobohan batu dan sebuah kaabah yang hancur! Jadi, berulang kali kita dibawa untuk menyaksikan, bahwa kita sebagai mahluk-mahluk yang terbatas tidak pernah mengetahui akan rencana-rencana Allah. Sesungguhnya, kita perlu berdoa memohonkan Roh-Nya untuk memimpin kita terus menerus dan untuk menunjukkan kepada kita jalan yang benar pada setiap persimpangan sepanjang perjalanan kita menuju Akhirat. Marilah kita sekarang berdoa agar supaya pengetahuan akan semua kebenaran ini akan membuat kita menjadi seperti yang sepatutnya bagi kita.

 

 

 

  1. The Great Controversy, p. 343:

Tidak seorangpun, betapapun dihormati oleh sorga, pernah berhasil mencapai pengertian yang penuh mengenai rencana penebusan yang besar itu, ataupun mengerti dengan sempurna rencana ilahi dalam pekerjaan bagi masanya sendiri. Manusia tidak dapat sepenuhnya mengerti akan apa yang hendak Allah selesaikan dengan pekerjaan yang diberikanNya kepada mereka untuk dilaksanakan; mereka tidak dapat mengerti pekabaran yang mereka ucapkan dalam namaNya, dalam semua arahnya.”

 

 

 

Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300 :

“Tuhan akan bekerja dalam pekerjaan yang terakhir ini dalam suatu cara yang sama sekali berbeda daripada biasanya, dan dalam cara yang bertentangan dengan setiap rencana manusia. Akan ada orang-orang di antara kita yang selalu ingin mengontrol pekerjaan Allah, untuk mendikte sampai kepada pergerakan apa saja yang akan dibuat apabila pekerjaan itu bergerak maju di bawah pengarahan dari malaikat itu yang bergabung dengan malaikat yang ketiga dalam pekabaran yang akan diberikan kepada dunia. Allah akan menggunakan cara-cara dan sarana oleh mana iaitu akan tampak, bahwa IA sedang memegang kendali pemerintahan di dalam tanganNya sendiri. Para pekerja akan terpesona oleh sarana-sarana yang sederhana yang akan digunakanNya untuk membuat dan memantapkan pekerjaan pembenaranNya.”

 

 

 

Tanya Jawab buku 4 pertanyaan No. 88:

Pertanyaan:

Kebanyakan dari kita telah bergumul untuk melepaskan diri dari ikatan-ikatan yang diwajibkan kepada kita oleh kepemimpinan sidang yang ada sekarang, dan tampaknya tidak lagi benar bahwa kita memiliki jaminan bahwa Tuhan sedang memimpin dalam semua pergerakan di Gunung Karmel. Bolehkah kami mengetahui berapa banyak pekerjaan dari Gunung Karmel itu yang berada di bawah pengendalian Tuhan?

Jawab :

Roh Nubuatan mengatakan : “Setan memiliki kemampuan untuk menganjurkan keragu-raguan dan untuk menciptakan penolakan-penolakan terhadap kesaksian yang tegas yang dikirim Allah, dan banyak orang menyangkakannya sesuatu yang baik, suatu alamat kecerdasan di dalam mereka, untuk tidak percaya, dan untuk mempertanyakan dan berdalih-dalih. Orang-orang yang ingin meragukannya akan memperoleh kesempatan yang limpah untuk itu. Allah tidak menganjurkan untuk menyingkirkan semua kesempatan bagi ketidak-percayaan. Ia memberikan bukti, yang harus diperiksa dengan seksama dengan suatu pikiran yang rendah hati dan suatu roh yang suka belajar, maka semua orang harus memutuskan sesuai dengan bobot kenyataan.” — Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 255.

Lagi pula, tidak seorang pun dapat menilai pekerjaan itu oleh kepintarannya sendiri ataupun oleh kepintaran manusia-manusia lain, sebab, Roh Nubuatan mengatakan: “Para pengerja akan tercengang terheran-heran oleh cara-cara sederhana yang akan digunakan-Nya untuk menghasilkan dan menyempurnakan pekerjaan kebenaran-Nya ……….. Marilah ku ceritakan kepadamu bahwa Tuhan akan bekerja dalam pekerjaan yang terakhir ini dalam suatu cara yang sama sekali di luar tata kebiasaan segala perkara, dan dengan suatu cara yang akan bertentangan dengan setiap rencana manusia.” — Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

Bagi para penganut Kebenaran-Sekarang, satu daripada bukti-bukti yang pasti bahwa Tuhan sedang memimpin dalam pekerjaan di Gunung Karmel, ialah bahwa tanpa menghiraukan tantangan yang tidak habis-habisnya, kurangnya para pengerja, dan banyak lagi kekurangan-kekurangan lainnya, pekerjaan itu sedang bergerak maju secara tetap dengan suatu kuasa yang tak dapat dilawan. Memang benar, ia itu adalah bagaikan benih sesawi.

 

 

 

Penelusuran terhadap petunjuk tulisan Victor T. Houteff mengenai organisasi dan fungsinya bagi penyelesaian pekerjaan

  1. Allah tidak menaruh sesuatu kekuasaan raja apapun di dalam barisan kita untuk mengontrol cabang ini atau itu daripada pekerjaan (Paradoks Besar Sepanjang Zaman, hal. 45)

”Sekarang ingin saya katakan, bahwa Allah tidak menaruh sesuatu kekuasaan raja apapun di dalam barisan kita untuk mengontrol cabang ini atau itu daripada pekerjaan. Pekerjaan telah banyak dibatasi oleh usaha-usaha untuk mengontrolnya pada setiap garis. Di sinilah terdapat suatu kebun anggur yang memberikan tempat-tempatnya yang tandus yang belum memperoleh pekerja satupun. Dan jika seseorang hendak mulai mengolah tempat-tempat ini dalam nama Tuhan, jika ia tidak memperoleh persetujuan dari orang-orang di dalam sebuah lingkungan kekuasaan kecil itu, maka ia tidak akan memperoleh bantuan apapun. Allah menghendaki agar para pekerja Nya harus memperoleh bantuan. Jika sekiranya seratus orang akan memulaikan suatu missi ke lapangan-lapangan yang tandus, dengan berseru kepada Allah, maka Ia akan membuka ke hadapan mereka.

Marilah kuceritakan kepadamu, jika hatimu ada pada pekerjaan itu dan engkau percaya pada Allah, engkau tidak perlu bergantung pada persetujuan pendeta manapun atau umat manapun; jika engkau pergi langsung bekerja dalam nama Tuhan, dalam cara yang sederhana melakukan apa saja yang dapat engkau ajarkan kebenaran itu, Allah akan meneguhkan engkau.

Jika sekiranya pekerjaan tidak dibatasi sedemikian rupa oleh sesuatu rintangan di sini, dan disana dan bahkan rintangan di seberang sana, maka ia itu akan maju dalam kebesarannya. Ia itu sudah akan maju pertama sekali dalam kelemahan; namun Allah di Sorga hidup.” – Review and Herald, April 16 1901.

BANDINGKAN :

Pemerintahan Israel telah dikelola dalam nama dan oleh kuasa Allah. Tugas pekerjaan Musa, tugas pekerjaan dari tujuh puluh tua-tua itu, tugas pekerjaan para pemimpin dan hakim-hakim itu, hanyalah untuk menegakkan undang-undang yang telah dikaruniakan Allah kepada mereka. Mereka tidak mempunyai kekuasaan apapun untuk membuat peraturan bagi bangsa itu. Inilah yang telah menjadi dan terus akan menjadi persyaratan bagi adanya Israel sebagai suatu bangsa. Dari abad ke abad orang-orang yang diilhami Allah telah diutus untuk memberikan petunjuk kepada umat dan untuk mengendalikan mereka menegakkan hukum-hukum.” Patriarchs and Prophets. p. 603. (Keimamatan dari Davidian MAHK hal. 15, 16).

 

  1. Meninggikan karunia pemerintah dan karunia lidah lebih tinggi dari karunia nabi.

Paradoks Besar Sepanjang Zaman, hal 8:

“Karena karunia nabi-nabi, sesuai dengan Firman Injil adalah pada urutan kedua dari semua karunia-karunia yang diperuntukkan bagi sidang, dan karunia pemerintahan-pemerintahan dan berbagai karunia lidah adalah yang terakhir, maka jelaslah bahwa mereka yang meremehkan karunia nubuatan tetapi meninggikan karunia pemerintah dan karunia lidah itu sedang menarik kereta dari bagian belakangnya, dan sedang berjalan menuju kearah yang keliru. Kepada mereka yang sedemikian ini Kristus sedang mengatakan : “Tiada disadari bahwa engkau adalah malang, dan sengsara dan miskin dan buta dan bertelanjang.“ Wahyu 3:17.

Mengapa binasa ?  hal 5 :

“Sementara yang terbanyak daripada karunia-karunia ini, khususnya karunia-karunia lidah dan pemerintah-pemerintahan yang secara bersemangat paling banyak dicari oleh gereja-gereja Kristen, maka karunia yang satunya yaitu, “nabi-nabi” – yang diremehkan oleh orang-orang Yahudi dahulu, secara keseluruhannya terus ditolak oleh hampir semua dunia Kristen. Demikianlah roh yang telah menghasut pembunuhan terhadap para nabi zaman dahulu ditangan para pemimpin Yahudi itu, kini sedang melakukan jenis perbuatan penghancuran yang hampir sama melalui perantaraan tantangan yang terorganisasi.

  1. Organisasi-organisasi ….. akan bekerja di bawah pengendalian Setan (Paradoks Besar Sepanjang Zaman, hal. 68):

“Orang-orang ….. oleh perantaraan sifat mementingkan diri …. Menindas orang-orang yang justru sedang Allah gunakan untuk menyebarkan terang yang telah dikaruniakan Nya kepada mereka … Keahlian Setan telah dipakai …… ia bekerja membatasi kebebasan beragama …. Organisasi-organisasi ….. akan bekerja di bawah pengendalian Setan untuk menghantarkan manusia ke bahwa pengawasan manusia; maka pemalsuan dan penipuan akan memperlihatkan kesamaan semangat mencari kebenaran dan semangat bagi memajukan kerajaan Allah ….. orang-orang yang sedemikian ini mencoba melaksanakan hak-hak kekuasanaan istimewa Allah, yaitu mereka mengira dapat melakukan apa yang Allah sendiri tidak akan perbuat dalam usaha mengontrol pikiran manusia. Demikian inilah mereka mengikuti jejak faham orang Romawi …. Dalam pengaturan-pengaturan yang sedemikian ini orang yang membiarkan pikirannya diatur oleh pikiran orang lain akan sedemikian inilah dipisahkan dari Allah lalu terbuka bagi cobaan…… tetapi Allah telah menyajikannya dengan jelas ke hadapan kita. FirmanNya : “Terkutuklah orang yang menaruh harap pada manusia, dan menjadikan daging sebagai pegangannya.” Testimonies, vol 7, pp 178-181.

  1. Kartu itu sendiri tidak mengandung arti apa-apa (The Symbolic Code buku 1 hal 30, 31) :

Banyak telah menanyakan siapakah yang dapat dipilih untuk memimpin dalam pelayanan pekerjaan? Jawaban yang keluar dari Gunung Karmel ialah, bahwa setiap orang yang tidak memiliki sesuatu Kartu Keanggotaan tidak dapat menjadi seorang guru Davidian. Ia hanya dapat mendengar saja. Tetapi pun pemberian Kartu Keanggotaan itu adalah perkara biasa. Bahwa kartu itu sendiri tidak mengandung arti apa-apa.

  1. Seseorang yang bukan anggota sidang Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh dapatkah menjadi salah seorang dari 144.000 (Tanya Jawab buku 4 hal 29, 30)

Pertanyaan No. 93 :

Walaupun saya bukan seorang anggota sidang Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh, namun karena saya telah memperoleh terang mengenai Yeheskiel 9 dan mengenai Kebenaran 144.000 itu, mungkinkah saya akan binasa dalam pembantaian orang-orang jahat jika saya tidak sepenuhnya menerima dan menghayati terang itu? Dan sebaliknya, dapatkah saya ikut menikmati semua hak dan kesempatan dari mereka yang 144.000 itu dan menjadi salah seorang dari mereka jika saya mematuhi semua terang dari pekabaran ini?

Jawab :

Walaupun Saudara bukan seorang anggota sidang, namun Saudara masih tetap bertanggungjawab untuk terang yang sudah saudara peroleh mengenai masalah itu, karena tidak seorangpun menemukan terang itu secara tidak sengaja, atau melihatnya tanpa bantuan Roh Suci.

Oleh hukum tanggung jawab yang sama atau tanggung jawab yang suci, walaupun saudara mungkin baru saja masuk ke dalam pekabaran itu, saudara tetap dapat dipilih bagi pemilihan 144.000 itu jika saudara menghayati pekabaran itu yang akan menyucikan dan memeteraikan mereka. Tetapi, apakah saudara dapat menjadi salah seorang dari mereka itu atau tidak, secara pasti kami tidak tahu, namun jika saudara setia kepada pekabaran itu, maka sedikit-dikitnya saudara bisa menjadi seseorang yang bersama-sama dengan mereka itu.

  1. Setan Selalu berhasil dalam menjatuhkan setiap pergerakan (organisasi) sampai hari ini (Tanya Jawab buku I hal 52-58)

Pertanyaan No. 4 :

“Apakah Setan memasang sebuah balok rintangan khusus di hadapan sidang sebagai sebuah badan, ataukah hanya menyerang anggota-anggotanya secara pribadi?”

Jawab :

…….. Demikianlah kita saksikan, bahwa sungguhpun Setan tidak berhasil menjatuhkan setiap anggota secara pribadi namun ia telah mampu menjatuhkan setiap Pergerakan sampai kepada hari ini.

Pergerakan jam – Kesebelas karena merupakan yang terakhir sekali, maka dengan sendirinya berada dalam bahaya yang terbesar dari pada semuanya. Jadi, betapa perlunya kita supaya membuka mata lebar-lebar supaya jangan kita pun ikut jatuh! Namun karena Pergerakan ini adalah usaha injil yang terakhir, maka tak dapat tiada ia harus “memberikan kuasa dan dorongan” kepada Pekabaran Malaikat Yang Ketiga dan “menerangi bumi dengan kemuliaannya” (Wahyu 18:1); ia harus menang walaupun setiap Pergerakan yang mendahuluinya telah gagal.

  1. Aku akan mengunjuk tangan Ku kepada yang kecil-kecil (Amaran Sekarang Buku 4 jilid 2 hal 32)

Pada hotbah Victor T. Houteff tanggal 23 November 1946, mengenai “Berakhirnya dewa-dewa manusia dan para penyembahnya”,  Victor T. Houteff menggunakan Zakharia 13:6, 7 antara lain menyebutkan paranglah akan gembala Ku, dan akan orang yang adalah kawan Ku …. Maka domba-domba itu akan tercerai berai; maka Aku akan mengunjuk tangan Ku kepada yang kecil-kecil”, terhadap ayat ini penjelasan Victor T. Houteff nya hanya mengatakan “Saya tidak mempunyai komentar khusus terhadap ayat-ayat 6 dan 7 selain dari pada apa yang umumnya telah dimengerti di antara orang-orang Kristen”.

Catatan :

Sesuai dengan Symbolic Code vol. 10 No. 5 March 1955, dengan meninggalnya Victor T. Houteff tanggal 5 Februari 1955 organisasi membuat pernyataan:

“Semua kita berdiri ke atas adalah sebuah “demikianlah Sabda Tuhan” dan kematian saudara Houteff menggenapi nubuatan ini, dan tentulah ia adalah gembala yang dinubuatkan di dalam pasal ini, adalah bahwa domba-domba akan tercerai berai dan Tuhan sendiri akan membalikkan tanganNya ke atas yang kecil-kecil itu. Dalam hal ini yang manakah engkau: domba yang tercerai berai atau yang si kecil itu?”

  1. Pengirikan yang terjadi di kedua tempat di Edom dan Bozrah (Amaran Sekarang buku 8 jilid 1 hal 17-19)

Yesaya 63:1

“siapakah ini yang datang dari Edom, yang datang dari Bozrah dengan baju-baju berwarna merah? Siapakah ini yang bersemarak dengan pakaianNya, yang berjalan dalam kebesaran kekuatanNya? Aku yang berbicara dalam kebenaran, berkuasa untuk menyelamatkan.”

Penjelasan Victor T. Houteff :

Dalam khayal nabi itu melihat seseorang dengan baju-bajunya yang terpercik darah bergegas-gegas kembali dari Edom dan Bozrah. Terhadap pertanyaan dari nabi itu “siapakah ini yang datang dari Edom, yang datang dari Bozrah dengan baju-baju berwarna merah?” datanglah jawaban, “Aku yang berbicara dalam kebenaran, berkuasa untuk menyelamatkan.”

Siapa lagi orang ini kalau bukan Tuhan sendiri, Juruselamat dunia, Yang maha kuasa untuk menyelamatkan itu?

Kembali nabi itu menanyakan, 

Yesaya 63:2 

“Mengapakah pakaian-Mu merah begitu, dan baju-baju Mu seperti baju pengirik buah anggur?”

Penjelasan Victor T. Houteff:

Jawaban terhadap pertanyaan-pertanyaan itu mengemukakan suatu urutan peristiwa-peristiwa besar, yaitu peristiwa-peristiwa yang tercatat dalam :

Yesaya 63:3-5

Aku seorang diri yang telah melakukan pengirikan itu; dan dari antara umat itu tidak seorangpun yang menemani Aku; karena Aku hendak mengirik mereka dalam murka Ku, dan menginjak-injak mereka dalam kehangatan amarah Ku; maka darah mereka itu akan terpercik pada baju-baju Ku dan Aku akan menodai semua pakaian Ku; karena hari pembalasan itu sudah Ku rencanakan, dan tahun dari umat tebusan Ku telah sampai. Lalu ku pandang, dan tak seorang pun yang akan menolong Ku, lalu Aku tertegun karena tidak seorang pun yang membantu; oleh sebab itu lengan Ku sendiri membawakan keselamatan bagi Ku dan kehangatan murka Ku itulah yang membantu Ku

Penjelasan Victor T. Houteff :

…. pada kedatanganNya yang pertama, walau tak seorangpun yang memberi bantuan kepada Nya; artinya semua imam dan pemimpin-pemimpin agama – General Conference pada masa Nya itu (badan Sanhedrin) bukannya membantu pekerjaanNya, melainkan bahkan melawan Dia.

…..Lalu ku pandang, dan tak seoranpun yang akan menolong Ku, lalu Aku tertegun karena tidak seorang pun yang membantu; oleh sebab itu lengan Ku sendiri membawakan keselamatan bagi Ku dan kehangatan murka Ku itulah yang membantu Ku (semuanya dalam masa yang akan datang ’future tense’) – menunjukkan kepada keadaan sidang pada masa ini, bukan saja sama jeleknya dengan pada masa kedatangan Nya yang pertama dahulu, melainkan bahkan lebih buruk lagi. Betapa benarnya sejarah itu terulang kembali sekarang! Sementara hari pembalasan itu makin dekat, orang-orang yang disangka akan mempertahankan dan membantu dalam pekerjaan penebusan, para pendeta dan para pemimpin agama, Sanhedrin contoh saingan yang ada sekarang (General Conference), terlihat kini justru sedang menghalangi dan sedang berdiri menutup jalan Tuhan yang menuju kepada umat Nya.

Oleh karena umat Allah pada waktu ini bukan berada di tanah Edom, di sebelah selatan Palestina, melainkan sedang tercerai-berai di seluruh bumi dan karena Tuhan akan memalu semua musuh mereka itu untuk menyelamatkan mereka, maka kebenaran itu jelas, bahwa semua ini adalah Edom dan Bozra contoh saingan.

Sesudah Esau yang dahulu itu menjual hak kesulungannya untuk mendapatkan sepiring kacang merah ia telah disebut Edom; dan nama Bozrah berarti ”kandang domba”. Jadi jelaslah, bahwa orang-orang Edom pada Yesaya 63:1 adalah berarti orang-orang yang di dalam masa sejarah kita telah menjual hak kesulungannya dan yang pada waktu yang sama sedang menganiaya (seperti yang diperbuat Esau dalam menganiaya Yakub) orang-orang yang telah membeli hak kesulungan itu; begitulah dimisalkan. Jadi, sebagaimana umat Allah harus dilepaskan dari Sanhedrin di masa Kristus yang lalu, mereka harus sekarang juga dilepaskan dari General Conference, saudara-saudara orang Edom contoh saingan itu, supaya mereka itu dapat dihantarkan kepada segala Kebenaran, dan ke dalam tanah nenek moyang mereka.

Kata-kata “tahun dari umat tebusan Ku sudah sampai” dan “hari pembalasan itu sudah Ku rencanakan,“ dengan jelas mengatakan bahwa perbuatan Tuhan yang aneh di Edom dan Bozrah ialah hari pembalasan dan suatu tanda di Israel contoh saingan (sidang yang sudah disucikan) kembali ke tanah airnya.

  1. Organisasi setelah terbentuknya 144.000 adalah yang sempurna (Amaran Sekarang buku 3 jilid 2 hal 45)

Menunjukkan bahwa organisasi yang sempurna yang sesuai rencana Allah adalah organisasi setelah terbentuknya 144.000, sehingga jika pada saat ini adalah tidak tepat jika menjunjung tinggi organisasi yang tidak sempurna, terlebih lagi dari buah-buahnya terlihat jelas bahwa mereka yang di Waco Texas pada saat ini benar-benar menggenapi kata-kata Ny. White dan Victor T. Houteff yaitu berlaku sebagaimana raja, mengontrol setiap pekerjaan yang mereka sendiri tidak ambil bagian, memiliki iman seperti imam-imam di zaman Yesus.

  1. Orang yang akan bertugas ke dalam kebun anggurNya adalah orang yang tidak pernah memperoleh tumpangan tangan (The Acts of The Apostles, p. 110)

Allah akan mengutus keluar ke dalam kebun anggurNya banyak orang yang belum pernah didedikasikan ke dalam tugas kependetaan melalui tumpangan tangan”.

Komentar :

Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa para pekerjaan ini bukan utusan dari organisasi, karena apabila dari organisasi tentunya mereka dapat bertugas setelah memperoleh tumpangan tangan – dilantik. Dengan demikian mereka tentunya bertanggung jawab hanya langsung kepada Tuhan (sebab pekerjaan yang terakhir berada dalam kendali tangan Tuhan sendiri).

  1. Setiap organisasi gereja yang datang menyusul itu telah gagal menyesuaikan langkahnya dengan kemajuan Kebenaran, hanya secara perorangan yang dapat melihat hal ini (Buku Amaran Sekarang buku 5 jilid II hal. 24)

Demikianlah untuk bertanya, mengapa orang-orang Mohammedan dan orang-orang Buddha masih tetap saja orang-orang Mohammedan dan orang-orang Budha sampai kepada hari ini mengapa mereka tidak lebih maju dari pada semenjak kematian Mohammad dan Buddha dahuIu; adalah sama saja dengan bertanya mengapa orang-orang Katholik belum juga menjadi orang-orang Lutheran, mengapa orang-orang Lutheran belum juga menjadi orang-orang Presbyterian, mengapa orang-orang Presbyterian belum juga menjadi orang-orang Methodist, mengapa orang-orang Methodist belum juga menjadi orang-orang Baptist, mengapa orang-orang Baptist belum juga menjadi orang-orang Masehi Advent Hari Ke tujuh, dan mengapa orang-orang Masehi Advent Hari Ke tujuh belum juga menjadi orang-orang Davidian Masehi Advent Hari Ke tujuh? Keseluruhan jawabannya ialah, bahwa setiap organisasi gereja yang datang menyusul itu telah gagal menyesuaikan langkahnya dengan kemajuan Kebenaran, sebab masing-masingnya telah gagal untuk naik lebih tinggi daripada tinggi pendiri dari masing-masing organisasi gereja yang bersangkutan yang sedapat mungkin telah menghantarkan mereka itu ‘selama masa hidupnya’.

Roh yang sama itu pun merajalela di dalam sidang Kristen. Sidang tidak pernah naik lebih tinggi dari pada tingkat di mana Rasul-Rasul meninggalkannya, dan pada sesuatu masa ia bahkan telah jatuh sedemikian rendahnya sampai hampir mencapai dasar dari pada lobang. Dan ia sudah hampir hilang sama sekali kalau saja Allah tidak kembali mendatangi umatNya melalui perantaraan Luther, Knox, Wesley, Campbell dan para reformator lainnya, melalui siapa Tuhan telah membuka bagian-bagian tertentu dari Kebenaran Alkitab yang sudah lama diinjak-injak di bawah kaki. Tetapi adakah dunia kristen secara keseluruhan melihat akan Terang itu? Dan adakah semua mereka berjalan di dalamnya? Sesungguhnya tidak, sebagai kesatuan umat tidak, tetapi hanya secara perseorangan. Inilah alasannya mengapa kini terdapat banyak sekte agama di dunia.

  1. Berulang kali sidang dijatuhkan oleh para pemimpin dari dalam sidang sendiri. (The Symbolic Code buku 1 hal 5)

Hendaklah diingat; bahwa hamba-hamba Allah jarang sekali mendapat tantangan dari dunia. Kesusahan mereka adalah berasal dari saudara-saudara yang palsu di dalam sidang. Kita tidak akan pernah mampu melaksanakan pekerjaan Eliyah dengan kata-kata yang baik dan pembicaraan-pembicaraan yang indah. Maka jika kita membawa pekabaran Eliyah, kita akan menimbulkan ketidak puasan pada pihak orang-orang yang tidak setia, sehingga memerlukan suatu perjuangan sampai kepada akhirnya. Juga adalah benar bahwa sidang Allah belum pernah disesatkan dari Kebenaran oleh suatu pekabaran palsu atau aniaya; berulang kali sidang dijatuhkan oleh para pemimpin dari dalam sidang sendiri. Sedemikian inilah yang telah membagi sidang ke dalam banyak bagian, lalu menimbulkan perpecahan demi perpecahan dan noda bagi kepentingan Kristus.

  1. Pekerjaan tidak akan diselesaikan dari tempat yang dipusatkan (Amaran Sekarang buku 8 jilid II hal 92):

Kini kebenaran yang nyata itu ialah, bahwa jika sejarah akan diperpanjang dan jika kita harus tetap tinggal dalam jalan Kekristenan yang benar di mana terang itu bercahaya, maka semua orang harus berbuat sesuatu terhadap pekerjaan melayani orang susah yang sangat dilalaikan ini, karena ia itu tidak akan terselesaikan dari satu tempat yang terpusat, melainkan harus dialokasikan di daerah dan Negara dimana saja pekabaran dari hal jam itu “berakar dan mengeluarkan buah”.

 

 

 

Keberadaan Waco Texas sebagai Gunung Carmel

saat Victor T. Houteff masih hidup dan penugasannya

  1. The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), p. 5:

“Memang benar kami sedang mendirikan markas besar kami pada gunung ini yang terdapat di dalam nubuatan, namun keberadaan kami di sini akan sangat, sangat singkat, karena ‘Ia akan menyelesaikan pekerjaan itu, dan mempersingkatkannya dalam kebenaran: sebab suatu pekerjaan yang singkat akan Tuhan lakukan di bumi.’ (Rum 9 : 28).

Hal itu mungkin menarik bagi Pendeta G. untuk mengetahui bahwa pemberian nama bagi ‘perkemahan’ kami, Pusat Gunung Karmel’, terjadi dalam cara yang sama dengan pemberian nama bagi penerbitan buku-buku kami ‘Tongkat Gembala,’ karena kami sebelumnya tidak tahu bahwa iaitu ada di dalam nubuatan sampai kemudian perhatian kami terarahkan ke Mikha 7 : 14 dan Amos 1 : 2.

  1. Tanya Jawab buku 3 pertanyaan No. 66:

Bagaimanakah orang-orang Davidian menganggap gereja Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh? Bagaimana pendirian mereka mengenai tulisan-tulisan Ny. White, dan Gunung Carmel melambangkan apa?

Jawab:

……. Oleh kematian Ny. White dalam tahun 1915, maka karunia ilham, sebagai Roh Nubuatan yang aktif telah menjadi diam, tidak lagi memanifestasikan diriNya untuk beberapa waktu. Dengan adanya sidang terputus sedemikian ini dari sumber kehidupannya, sebagaimana sidang Yahudi semenjak dari kematian nabi Maleakhi sampai kepada datangnya Yahya Pembabtis, maka bagaimana mungkin dapat ia mempertahankan kekuatan dan pertumbuhannya? Sebab itulah, maka kini seperti halnya di waktu itu, telah menyusul kekurangan gizi kerohanian yang tak terelakkan berikut kerusakan bentuk, yang diikuti dengan suatu rangkaian sengsara yang lama.

Menentang latar belakang kemerosotan kerohanian dan penyusutan yang suram ini (tidak terkasihan, sengsara, melarat, buta, dan telanjang), dan ajal yang tak terelakkan (diludahkan keluar), muncullah keluar Pusat Gunung Karmel dalam gambar-gambar besar yang terpahat dengan mencolok, bagikan puncak cahaya dari Karmel kuno yang lalu ditengah-tengah penyembahan berhala dan kemerosotan Israel yang murtad. Contoh kembali menemui contoh saingannya.

Dan kini suara dari Karmel melalui penerbitan buku-buku Tongkat Gembala makin hari makin keras bunyinya. Penulis Ilahinya mengatakan: “Suara Tuhan ….. kepada negeri itu, dan orang yang bijaksana akan menyaksikan namamu : “dengarlah olehmu akan Tongkat itu dan akan DIA yang telah menetapkannya.” Mikha 6:9.

Ia memerintahkan : “Berilah makan umatKu dengan tongkatmu, kawanan domba pusakamu itu, yang tinggal terpencil di hutan, ditengah-tengah Karmel.” Mikha 7:14.

Jadi, perlulah Pusat Gunung Karmel dibangun sebagai suatu basis operasi bagi latihan dan pemantapan para pekerja untuk membawa pekabaran yang istimewa ini kepada sidang; bagi mendidik orang-orang muda yang patut; bagi pemeliharaan orang-orang miskin, orang-orang tua, janda dan anak piatu; dan bagi melayani orang sakit dan orang yang lemah sesuai dengan rencana Allah.  Pusat Gunung Karmel itu telah mendengar penugasan rangkap Allah kepadanya yang berbunyi: “Nyaringkanlah suaramu, janganlah menahaninya, angkatlah suaramu bagaikan nafiri, dan tunjukkan kepada umatKu segala pelanggaran mereka dan rumah Yakub segala dosa mereka Yesaya 58:1.

Tanggung jawab Gunung Karmel yang besar ialah menyelesaikan pekerjaan yang bermacam-macam ini secepat mungkin, supaya dapat kita pulang ke peristirahatan kita yang kekal, tidak lagi terbelenggu dengan berbagai rantai dosa.

  1. Tanya Jawab buku 2 pertanyaan No. 35:

Kami ingin mengetahui sekiranya itu benar sesuai yang kami dengar, bahwa kebijaksaan Pusat Mt. Carmel adalah menangani dengan sangat rahasia semua surat-menyurat dan permintaan buku-buku.

Jawab:

Adalah salah satu dari tata etika kantor pada pusat Mt. Carmel yang tidak dapat diganggu gugat ialah bahwa tidak satupun surat menyurat atau permintaan-permintaan akan buku-buku akan dikemukakan kepada umum, terkecuali oleh kesempatan atau dengan persetujuan penulisnya.

  1. Tanya Jawab buku 4 pertanyaan No. 88:

Kebanyakan dari kita telah bergumul untuk melepaskan diri dari ikatan-ikatan yang diwajibkan kepada kita oleh kepemimpinan sidang yang ada sekarang, dan tampaknya tidak lagi benar bahwa kita memiliki jaminan bahwa Tuhan sedang memimpin dalam semua pergerakan di Gunung Karmel. Bolehkah kami mengetahui berapa banyak pekerjaan dari Gunung Karmel itu yang berada di bawah pengendalian Tuhan?

Jawab :

Roh Nubuatan mengatakan : “Setan memiliki kemampuan untuk menganjurkan keragu-raguan dan untuk menciptakan penolakan-penolakan terhadap kesaksian yang tegas yang dikirim Allah, dan banyak orang menyangkakannya sesuatu yang baik, suatu alamat kecerdasan di dalam mereka, untuk tidak percaya, dan untuk mempertanyakan dan berdalih-dalih. Orang-orang yang ingin meragukannya akan memperoleh kesempatan yang limpah untuk itu. Allah tidak menganjurkan untuk menyingkirkan semua kesempatan bagi ketidak-percayaan. Ia memberikan bukti, yang harus diperiksa dengan saksama dengan suatu pikiran yang rendah hati dan suatu roh yang suka belajar, maka semua orang harus memutuskan sesuai dengan bobot kenyataan.” — Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 255.

Lagi pula, tidak seorang pun dapat menilai pekerjaan itu oleh kepintarannya sendiri ataupun oleh kepintaran manusia-manusia lain, sebab, Roh Nubuatan mengatakan: “Para pengerja akan tercengang terheran-heran oleh cara-cara sederhana yang akan digunakan-Nya untuk menghasilkan dan menyempurnakan pekerjaan kebenaran-Nya ……….. Marilah ku ceritakan kepadamu bahwa Tuhan akan bekerja dalam pekerjaan yang terakhir ini dalam suatu cara yang sama sekali di luar tata kebiasaan segala perkara, dan dengan suatu cara yang akan bertentangan dengan setiap rencana manusia.” — Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

Bagi para penganut Kebenaran Sekarang, satu daripada bukti-bukti yang pasti bahwa Tuhan sedang memimpin dalam pekerjaan di Gunung Karmel, ialah bahwa tanpa menghiraukan tantangan yang tidak habis-habisnya, kurangnya para pengerja, dan banyak lagi kekurangan-kekurangan lainnya, pekerjaan itu sedang bergerak maju secara tetap dengan suatu kuasa yang tak dapat dilawan. Memang benar, ia itu adalah bagaikan benih sesawi.

  1. Tongkat Gembala Edisi Khusus hal 67, 68 tentang Yehezkiel 4:

“Kepunglah akan dia” tentunya berarti menyerangnya dengan suatu bala tentara pekerja-pekerja reformasi dan memaksanya untuk menyerah – – – yaitu datang kepada pengetahuan kebenaran yang diungkapkan di sini. Jadi jelaslah sekali, bahwa pekabaran dari hal jam, dan hal inilah yang harus dibawakan ke hadapan umat Allah.

“Dan bangunkanlah sebuah tugu pertahanan menghadapinya” berhati-hati agar tidak seorangpun luput, baik ataupun jelek. Kemudian “buatkanlah suatu timbunan tanah”; jangan ragu-ragu, dan lakukan pengamanan untuk merebut kota itu.

“Tempatkanlah juga perkemahan tentara menghadapinya”; artinya, buatkanlah suatu pondok sementara bagi pekerja-pekerjamu, yaitu Markas Besar untuk dari padanya meneruskan pekerjaan, dan bersiap-siaplah untuk tinggal di sana sampai kelak engkau mengalahkan kota itu. Inilah maksud yang tulus dalam membangun Mount Carmel Center (di Amerika), dan inilah tujuannya yang telah dikaruniakan.

  1. Tanya Jawab buku 5 :
  • Pertanyaan No. 115 tentang pakaian orang-orang gunung Karmel,
  • Pertanyaan No. 121 tentang Karunia atau talenta yang harus dilaksanakan salah satunya mendirikan organisasi gunung Karmel,
  • Pertanyaan No. 141 tentang obligasi,
  • Pertanyaan No. 154 tentang bagaimana dapat memegang jabatan di dalam organisasi gunung Karmel apakah harus memiliki kartu anggota,
  • Pertanyaan No. 164 dan 165 tentang dapat diterima sebagai siswa lembaga keimamatan Davidian.

 

 

 

Petunjuk periode akhir dari Waco Texas

 

  1. Pemahaman yang dibagikan oleh Victor T. Houteff selama ia hidup

 

The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), pp. 5-7:

 

Di dalam nubuatan Amos (1:2) kita baca sebagai berikut :

“Tuhan akan bergemuruh suara-Nya dari Zion, dan mengeluarkan suara-Nya dari Jerusalem; maka tempat-tempat tinggal para gembala akan meratap, dan p u n c a k   K a r m e l akan layu.”

“Dengan sedikit komentar terhadap tulisan di atas, maka setiap siswa Alkitab akan mengenalnya sepintas lalu, bahwa iaitu berlaku di akhir zaman, sebagaimana yang dijelaskan oleh nabi Injil berikut: ‘Maka akan jadi kelak di akhir zaman, bahwa gunung dari rumah Tuhan akan didirikan pada puncak dari gunung-gunung, dan iaitu akan ditinggikan di atas bukit-bukit ………. karena dari Zion akan terbit hukum, dan firman Tuhan dari Jerusalem.’ (Jesaya 2 : 2, 3), yang dalam bahasa dari Amos berbunyi : ‘Mengucapkan suara-Nya dari Jerusalem.’ Sambil memandang kepada masa yang sama ini Joel mengemukakannya sebagai berikut : ‘Maka Tuhan akan mengucapkan suaranya ke hadapan bala tentaranya : karena kemah-Nya : besar sekali : karena Ia adalah kuat yang melaksanakan firman-Nya; karena hari Tuhan itu besar adanya dan sangat mengerikan, maka siapakah yang dapat tahan berdiri?’ (Joel 2 : 11).

“Sebagaimana Amos mengatakan : ‘Tempat-tempat tinggal dari para gembala akan meratap,’ adalah jelas bahwa nubuatan Amos itu masih akan jadi di depan, karena kata-kata ‘tempat-tempat tinggal‘ (tempat-tempat) itu terdapat dalam bentuk jamak yang tidak mungkin dapat diaplikasikan kepada satu tempat tinggal gembala (gereja) saja, melainkan kepada semua gereja yang berada pada waktu itu. Sebutan ‘gembala-gembala’ berarti, sebagaimana difahami, sama dengan ‘para tua-tua yang berada di depan rumah itu’ — yaitu para pendeta. ‘Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 211. Perhatikanlah bahwa para gembala itu sendiri tidak meratap, melainkan hanya ‘tempat-tempat tinggal mereka’ (rumah-rumah mereka); artinya, para anggota dari gereja-gereja, kenyataan mana mengungkapkan bahwa yang sedemikian itu akan jadi apabila rombongan orang banyak yang tertidur dalam gereja-gereja bangkit dari lumpuh (knocked-out blows) kerohanian mereka itu lalu menemukan bahwa para gembala (Karmel) mereka itu yang sudah mereka sepenuhnya percaya bagi penyelamatannya justru telah menyesatkan mereka semua.

Nabi Jeremiah dalam kata-kata berikut ini menjelaskan bahwa ratap tangis ini dari mereka yang sedemikian itu telah disesatkan akan jadi pada akhir masa kasihan. Karena mereka akan mengatakan ‘penuaian sudah berlalu, musim panas sudah berakhir, dan kami belum juga selamat’ (Jeremiah 8 : 20). Artinya, sesudah penuaian, masa dimana mereka sudah harus dapat diselamatkan, akan mereka sadari bahwa masa kasihan sudah berakhir. Pada waktu itulah ‘tempat-tempat tinggal dari para gembala itu akan meratap, dan puncak Karmel akan layu.’ Sebab itu, sebelum masa itu puncak Karmel tak dapat tiada harus hijau keadaannya dengan padang rumput yang luas, sebab jika tidak, maka tidak akan ada yang layu; artinya, sekalipun Karmel pada waktu ini melimpah rerumputan hijaunya (Kebenaran sekarang), apabila masa kasihan berakhir iaitu harus ditinggalkan (‘layu’), karena Roh Nubuatan mengatakan : ‘Dalam masa kesusahan itu kita semua melarikan diri dari kota-kota dan kampung-kampung.’ Early Writings, p. 34.

“Demikianlah kelak puncak Karmel itu akan layu, maka mereka yang tidak mau mematuhi himbauan, ‘Hari ini jika engkau kelak mendengar suara-Nya, janganlah mengeraskan hatimu, pada akhirnya akan gempar karena kesempatan mereka untuk menyambut kebenaran itu sudah lenyap. Kemudian dalam keadaan yang tergesa-gesa, dalam usahanya yang bagaikan orang gila, untuk memperkenalkan dirinya kepada kebenaran sekarang yang keluar dari puncak Karmel, secara tak terduga mereka akan menemukan bahwa Karmel telah mengakhiri tugasnya, semua penghuninya sudah pindah, dan masa kasihan sudah berakhir, pada saat mana para penghuni Karmel hanya dapat mengulangi ucapan, ‘penuaian sudah berlalu, musim panas sudah berakhir, maka kami tidak lagi memiliki apa-apa bagimu.’

“Kemudian akan jadi kelak bahwa ‘Mereka akan mengembara dari laut yang satu ke laut yang lainnya, dan dari utara sampai ke timur, mereka akan pergi ke sana kemari mencari firman Tuhan, tetapi tidak akan dapat menemukannya. Pada hari itu anak-anak dara yag cantik dan orang-orang muda akan lemah lunglai karena kehausan. Tengoklah, hari-hari itu datang, demikianlah firman Tuhan, bahwa Aku akan mengirim suatu kelaparan di dalam negeri itu, bukan kelaparan terhadap roti, juga bukan kehausan terhadap air, melainkan kerinduan untuk mendengarkan firman Tuhan.’ (Amos 8 : 12, 13, 11). Oh, betapa kecewanya kelak nanti !

“Dan kini mataku bersama mata dari nabi yang meratap itu ‘gagal penuh air mata, ……… karena binasa puteri bangsaku; karena anak-anak dan budak-budak penyusu lemah lunglai di jalan-jalan negeri itu. Nabi-nabimu (guru-guru) telah bernubuat dusta dan perkara-perkara yang bodoh bagimu : dan mereka tidak menemukan kesalahanmu untuk mengalihkan perhambaanmu; melainkan telah menyaksikan bagimu beban-beban dan sebab-sebab pembuangan yang palsu.’ (Nudup Jeremiah 2 : 11, 14).

“Karena Tuhan tidak pernah membiarkan umat-Nya dalam kegelapan, kita menemukan pekerjaan dari Tongkat Gembala itu secara jelas digariskan di dalam nubuatan di seluruh Alkitab, maka satu-satunya alasan mengapa saudara-saudara pemimpin kita tidak dapat melihat kebenaran di dalamnya dan tidak mengenal ‘dia yang telah menetapkannya’ ialah karena mereka mencoba melihatnya melalui uang dollar dan sen gantinya melalui Roh Nubuatan, yaitu mata bagi sidang, yang hanya melaluinya dapat mereka melihat kebenaran itu dan menyaksikan kondisi keadaan mereka yang sebenarnya yaitu buta rohani, melarat dan sengsara rohani, serta kebutuhan terhadap salp mata, karena apakah yang diketahui orang akan perkara-perkara dari seseorang, kalau bukan roh orang itu yang terdapat di dalam dirinya ? Demikian itu pula dengan perkara-perkara Allah tidak seorangpun mengetahui terkecuali Roh Allah saja.’ (1 Korinthi 2 : 11).

“Tetapi kini sementara Roh Kebenaran itu ada datang, Ia akan memimpin ke dalam semua kebenaran : karena Ia tidak akan berbicara dari diri-Nya sendiri ; melainkan apapun saja yang kelak didengarNya, itulah yang akan dibicarakannya ; maka Ia akan menunjukkan kepadamu perkara-perkara yang akan datang’ (Yahya 16 : 13). Karena tanpa Roh Allah tidak seorangpun dapat mengetahui perkara-perkara Allah.”

  1. Ramalan dan perintah terakhir yang diberikan oleh Victor T. Houteff pada akhir-akhir masa tugasnya sebagai gembala.

 

  1. Pembina Gedung Putih Halaman 34, 35 (1951):

 

Segala perkara yang dapat dilakukan melawan pekabaran Allah bagi zaman ini, akan dilakukan dengan dendam yang bahkan lebih besar daripada yang dimanifestasikan melawan pekabaran Sorga di zaman kedatangan Kristus yang pertama, karena Iblis mengetahui, bahwa jika ia kalah sekarang, maka ia akan kalah untuk selama-lamanya — sehingga ia tidak akan memperoleh kesempatan lagi yang lain. Oleh sebab itu, keadaan pada waktu ini adalah sangat mendesak agar setiap anggota sidang dari jam kesebelas secepatnya dan dengan teguh memperkuat dirinya melawan usaha Musuh untuk mengirimkan sebuah pukulan yang mematikan (knocked-out blows) kepadanya. Kita juga harus waspada untuk menyadari bahwa pukulan itu akan datang secara mengejutkan dari musuh-musuh yang tidak dicurigai — dari rekan-rekan penginjil yang sama, yang tidak kurang setianya daripada para imam di zaman Kristus. Lagipula, adalah terutama supaya diwaspadai, bahwa Musuh itu akan menggunakan setiap sarana yang mungkin untuk menghalangi Tuhan mengeluarkan 144.000 hamba-hamba buah pertamaNya itu yang kini masih tersembunyi, yaitu mereka yang akan pergi mengumpulkan buah-buah kedua (Wahyu 7 : 9). Musuh itu akan mencoba apa saja yang mungkin untuk mengacau, untuk menggelapkan, dan untuk menudungi Kebenaran, terutama mengenai masalah 144.000 itu.

  1. Buku Symbolic Code Vol. 10, No. 1 September 1954 hal 1-5:

Kita sekali lagi, bahkan dengan perhatian yang lebih besar untuk mencapai tujuannya, Pusat Gunung Karmel sekali lagi memberitahukan kepada orang-orang Davidian yang setia dan yang akan menyadari bahwa kabar baik ini adalah merupakan satu pertanda. Pertama sekali, Pusat Gunung Karmel memulainya dengan menjual kelebihan harta miliknya, kemudian menjual seluruhnya, adalah lambang yang mengingatkan kepada program yang digambarkan oleh Alkitab dan Roh Nubuat dalam kata-kata berikut:

Sekali lagi, “Hal kerajaan Surga itu seumpama harta yang terpendam di ladang dan yang ditemukan orang, lalu dipendamkannya lagi. Oleh sebab sukacitanya pergilah ia menjual seluruh miliknya lalu membeli ladang itu. Matius 13:44. Yesus sendiri sedang membuka jalan itu.

“….. Yesus telah membuat perkara itu mungkin bagi kamu untuk menerima kasihNya, dan dengan suka cita bekerja sama dengan dia dibawah pengaruh keharumannya. Ia menghendaki kamu untuk menggunakan harta milikmu dalam pelayanan yang tidak mementingkan diri, supaya rencana keselamatan jiwa-jiwa dapat berjalan dengan kuasa. Ia mengharapkan kamu untuk memberikan tenaga yang tidak terbagi-bagi kedalam pekerjaanNya.

Maukah kamu agar harta milikmu terjamin aman? Berikanlah itu ke dalam tangan yang terpaku di kayu salib. Menahan harta milikmu adalah kerugian kekal bagimu. Berikanlah itu kepada Allah, maka pada saat itu semuanya itu akan diukirkan. Itu akan dimeteraikan dengan keabadianNya. Maukah kamu menikmati kemampuanmu? Maka gunakanlah itu menjadi persembahan.“ —– Testimonies Jilid 9, No. 50, 51.

Aku melihat bahwa kalau ada orang yang berpegang pada hartanya dan tidak bertanya kepada Tuhan mengenai kewajiban mereka, sama Tuhan tidak akan memberitahukannya serta mengijinkan hartanya disimpan, namun pada masa kesukaran hartanya itu akan merupakan sebuah gunung yang akan menimpa kepada mereka dan mereka akan mencoba untuk menggunakannya, tetapi tidak dapat digunakan lagi. Saya mendengar ada orang yang bersungut-sungut begini, “Pekerjaan tersendat-sendat, umat Allah sedang kelaparan akan kebenaran, sedangkan kita tidak berusaha untuk menutupi kekurangan itu; dan sekarang harta kita tidak ada gunanya. Aduh, sekiranya kita telah menyumbangkannya, dan menyimpan harta di surga!” Aku melihat, bahwa pengorbanan tidak bertambah melainkan berkurang dan dihabiskan. Saya juga melihat bahwa Allah tidak menghendaki semua umatNya untuk menggunakan harta mereka pada saat yang sama, tetapi jika mereka mau diajar, Ia akan mengajar mereka pada saat kekurangan, kapan untuk menjual dan berapa banyak yang akan dijual. Ada orang yang telah diminta untuk menggunakan harta mereka pada masa yang lampau untuk menunjang pekerjaan Advent, sementara yang lainnya dibiarkan untuk menyimpan harta mereka sampai pada masa ia itu dibutuhkan. Barulah pada saat harta itu dibutuhkan, maka kewajiban merekalah untuk menjualnya.” —- Early Writings, p. 57.

…….. Dengan semakin berlalunya hari kita melihat bahwa Allah menghendaki umatNya supaya dengan suka cita mereka membantu pekerjaanNya, pertama melalui perpuluhan dan persembahan mereka (Maleakhi 3:8-10), dan akhirnya dengan menjual seluruh hartanya, jika mereka mau masuk kedalam kehidupan yang kekal. Mereka yang memenuhi persyaratan yang pertama, akhirnya akan bergembira menjual semua hartanya apabila Allah memerintahkannya. Hanya dengan demikianlah mereka akan dapat dikatakan, bergembira membeli “ladang” yang memendam harta itu.

Sekarang hal itu menjadi sangat jelas karena waktunya sudah singkat, sehingga ia yang mau bersedia bagi “perjamuan besar” dan bagi “rumah kekalnya” akan membuka matanya terhadap kebenaran dan membuka hatinya kepada keselamatan kekalnya. Hari demi hari Allah akan menuntun dia.

Maka dengan pasti langkah ini dapat menjadi satu tonggak pertanda baik kepada orang-orang Davidian maupun kepada orang-orang Laodekia, bahwa pekabaran Jam KeSebelas itu sudah berada pada puncak terakhir dan sekuat tenaga berusaha untuk merebut kembali sidang dari tangan-tangan musuh.

……….

Maka siapakah yang tahu, kecuali Tuhan, bahwa contoh yang mendebarkan hati ini dapat segera berubah menjadi bunyi tanda bahaya dan yang akan diikuti oleh setiap orang Davidian yang setia di seluruh negeri itu. Bahkan sekarang, contoh yang diberikan Tuhan untuk mengumpulkan dana dengan menjual harta milikNya adalah merupakan satu seruan nyaring kepada setiap orang Davidian untuk menyadari kenyataan bahwa mereka memiliki hak istimewa untuk ikut berkampanye mula-mula dengan memberikan perpuluhan dan persembahan dengan setia, dan akhirnya menambah jumlah dana itu dengan memberikan segala sesuatu sehingga pekerjaan itu dapat diselesaikan lalu orang-orang suci dapat berkumpul kembali pulang ke rumah.

 

 

 

Gambaran pergerakan barisan 5 anak dara pintar pemegang kebenaran

malaikat Wahyu 18:1

Pergerakan barisan 5 anak dara pintar pemegang kebenaran Malaikat Wahyu 18:1, terbagi dalam:

  1. Periode sebelum terbentuk organisasi,
  2. Periode awal organisasi terbentuk,
  3. Periode organisasi Davidian aktif menyediakan makanan bagi pekerjaan di Yerusalem,
  4. Periode akhir dari organisasi sebagai penyedia makanan bagi isi rumah Yerusalem,
  5. Periode mendekati penyelesaian pekerjaan bagi sidang (Periode Testimonies to Ministers P. 300).

 

 

 

SEORANG GEMBALA AKAN MENYELESAIKAN APA YANG BANYAK GEMBALA LAINNYA GAGAL MENYELESAIKAN

 

Oleh: Victor T. Houteff, Pendeta dari Persekutuan Davidian Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh

Sabat, 16 Agustus 1947

 Gereja Mount Carmel,

Waco, Texas Amerika Serikat

Marilah kita kembali ke buku Jeheskiel pasal 34, pasal inilah yang akan kita pelajari hari ini.

Jeheskiel 34 : 1, 2 :

“Maka datanglah firman Tuhan kepadaku bunyinya: Hai anak Adam, hendaklah engkau bernubuat melawan para gembala Israel; bernubuatlah dan katakanlah kepada mereka, Demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua kepada para gembala; Celakalah bagi segala gembala Israel yang memberi makan bagi dirinya sendiri! Bukankah sepatutnya para gembala memberi makan kepada kawanan domba?”

Jeheskiel, sebagaimana kita baca, telah diberikan suatu khayal dari hal gembala-gembala yang mementingkan diri sendiri, yang rakus dan yang tidak patut. Kini masalah pertama yang penting adalah menentukan apakah gembala-gembala yang suka mementingkan diri ini hidup di masa hidupnya Jeheskiel dahulu, atau sebelum masa hidupnya, atau sesudah masa hidupnya. Untuk mendapatkan keterangan ini, maka marilah kita baca

Jeheskiel 34 : 23, 24 :

“Maka Aku akan mengangkat atas mereka itu kelak seorang gembala, maka Ia akan memberikan makan kepada mereka, yaitu Daud hambaku, maka ia akan memberikan makan kepada mereka, dan ia akan menjadi gembalanya. Dan Aku Tuhan akan menjadi Allah mereka itu, dan hambaku Daud itu akan raja di tengah-tengahnya; Akulah Tuhan yang sudah berfirman begitu.”

Para gembala yang mementingkan diri itu terhadap siapa nabi itu telah diperintahkan untuk menulis, kelak akan diganti oleh seorang gembala saja, yaitu Daud. Bilamana peristiwa ini jadi, maka umat Allah kelak akan mempunyai seorang gembala saja. Ini tentunya tidak mungkin dimaksudkan kepada Kristus sendiri, sebab tidak pernah Ilham memanggil namaNya Daud, melainkan justru sebaliknya Ilham memanggilNya A n a k Daud. Oleh karena umat Allah selalu mempunyai, bahkan masih memiliki banyak gembala, maka kebenaran jelas membuktikan bahwa Daud dari ayat-ayat 23 dan 24 itu masih akan datang, dan bahwa para gembala kepada siapa Ilham menyampaikan kata-kata ini adalah khusus mereka yang kelak akan diganti oleh Daud.

Jeheskiel, di masa itu, tidak diberikan khayal dari hal para gembala di masa hidupnya, maupun dari hal gembala-gembala sebelum masa hidupnya, melainkan dari hal gembala-gembala yang hidup sesudah masanya, yaitu masa di mana Allah akan membangkitkan Daud contoh saingan ini untuk memberikan makan kepada kawanan dombaNya yang lapar dan yang dilalaikan. Umat Allah kelak pada masa itu tidak lagi membaktikan diri kepada orang-orang asing. “Melainkan mereka akan berbakti kepada Tuhan Allahnya, dan kepada Daud rajanya, yaitu yang akan kubangkitkan kepada mereka itu.” — Jeremiah 30 : 9. Disinilah dapat kita saksikan, bahwa bukan saja Jeheskiel, melainkan juga Jeremiah telah memperoleh suatu khayal mengenai kebenaran yang sama ini. Yah, bahkan semua nabi pun.

Jeheskiel 37 : 24, 25 :

“Dan hambaKu Daud akan menjadi raja atas mereka itu, dan semua mereka akan memiliki seorang gembala saja. Mereka akan juga berjalan menurut hukumKu dan memeliharakan dan melakukan segala syariatKu. Dan mereka akan diam di dalam negeri yang telah Kukaruniakan kepada Yakub hambaKu, di tempat mana telah diam segala nenek moyangmu; maka mereka itu pun akan diam di sana, baik mereka baik anak cucunya sampai selama-lamanya, dan Daud hambaKu akan menjadi penghulu mereka sampai selama-lamanya.”

Oleh karena ini merupakan tambahan kepada “Pekabaran malaikat yang ketiga” (Early Writings, p. 277), dan oleh karena ini adalah pekabaran dari hal j a m, maka tak dapat tiada hari berdirinya Kerajaan Daud itu sudah dekat. Marilah kita melihat kepada,

Hosea 3 : 4, 5 :

“Karena bani Israel akan tinggal dengan sunyi beberapa hari lamanya tanpa raja, dan tanpa seorang penghulupun, dan tanpa sesuatu korban, dan tanpa sesuatu patung, dan tanpa sesuatu efod, dan tanpa teraphim. Kemudian dari pada itu bani Israel akan kembali, Ialu kembali mencari Tuhan Allahnya dan Daud rajanya, dan mereka itu akan datang dengan gementar kepada Tuhan dan kepada kemurahanNya pada a k h i r      z a m a n”.

Beberapa hari lamanya itu kini sudah hampir berakhir, dan saat bagi digenapinya janji-janji Allah adalah pasti telah sampai di depan pintu sejarah kita.

Jeheskiel 34 : 3 :

“Bahwa kamu mengenyangkan dirimu dengan susu, dan kamu berpakaikan dirimu dengan bulu domba, dan kamu bantai yang tambun-tambun, tetapi tiada kamu memberi makan akan kawanan domba itu.”

Para gembala pada hari Kerajaan itu akan diperdirikan, telah dituduh oleh merampas apa saja yang dapat dirampasnya dari kawanan domba dan oleh karena tidak memberikan pengawasan apapun kepada kawanan domba. Semuanya inilah agar tidak kita lakukan.

Jeheskiel 34 : 4, 5 :

“Yang lemah tiada kamu kuatkan, dan yang sakit tiada kamu obati dan yang luka tiada kamu sembuhkan, dan yang terhalau tiada kamu bawa balik, dan yang sesat tiada kamu cari, melainkan dengan kekerasan dan kekejaman sudah kamu memerintah atas mereka itu. Maka tercerai berailah mereka itu karena tak ada gembala, maka mereka telah menjadi makanan segala margasatwa di padang, sebab sesatlah mereka.”

Sikap kelalaian ini pada pihak gembala-gembala itu telah menyebabkan para anggota mengembara dari faham yang satu ke faham yang lainnya dalam usaha mereka mencarikan makanan rohani serta pengawasan badaniah. Yah, begitulah kita sebut, mereka mengembara dari bukit yang satu ke bukit lainnya, banyak dari mereka secara simbolis telah menjadi makanan binatang-binatang (faham-faham), sebab tak ada gembala yang akan menggembalakan kawanan domba, melainkan terdapat para tukang cukur yang akan mengambil bulu-bulu domba dari punggung mereka, dan susu dari bawah rusuk-rusuk mereka. Memalukan benar! Maka siapakah berani menolak memberitakan apa yang Allah katakan?

Jeheskiel 34 : 6 – 10 :

 “Kawanan dombaKu sesatlah di atas segala gunung dan di atas puncak segala bukit. Sesungguhnya, kawanan dombaKu telah tercerai berai di seluruh muka bumi, maka seorangpun tiada yang perduli, seorangpun tiada yang mencarikan akan dia. Sebab itu, hai kamu para gembala, dengarlah olehmu firman Tuhan: Sesungguh-sungguh Aku hidup, demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua, dengan sesungguhnya karena kawanan dombaKu telah menjadi mangsa, dan kawanan dombaKu telah menjadi makanan setiap margasatwa di padang, sebab tak ada seorang gembalapun, dan segala gembalaKu tiada perduli akan segala kawanan dombaKu, melainkan segala gembala itu menggembalakan dirinya sendiri, dan tidak memberi makanan akan kawanan dombaKu, sebab itu, hai gembala-gembala dengarlah olehmu firman Tuhan. Demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Bahwasanya, Aku akan melawan segala gembala itu, dan Aku akan menuntut kawanan dombaKu dari tangan mereka, dan akan Kupecat mereka dari tugasnya memberi makan kepada kawanan domba, dan tidak lagi para gembala itu akan memberi makan bagi dirinya sendiri, karena Aku akan melepaskan kawanan dombaKu dari mulut mereka, sehingga tidak lagi mereka menjadi makanannya.”

Jangan lagi membiarkan diri kita bodoh. Allah tak dapat diperolok-olok. Ia tidak akan membiarkan domba-dombaNya terus menerus, dan Ia pun tidak akan mempertahankan gembala-gembala yang tak dapat dipercaya itu untuk selamanya menggembalakan domba-dombaNya. Ia akan segera melepaskan mereka, dan akan menuntut agar mereka memberikan pertanggungan jawabnya bagi ketidak setiaannya. Demikian inilah, bahwa apa yang banyak gembala gagal melaksanakan, maka seorang gembala jua, yaitu Daud, yang akan di dalam pengendalian Allah dapat melaksanakannya.

Jeheskiel 34 : 13 :

“Maka Aku akan membawa mereka itu keluar dari pada segala bangsa, dan Kuhimpunkan mereka itu dari dalam segala negeri, dan akan Kubawa mereka itu kepada negerinya sendiri, dan akan Kugembalakan mereka itu di atas gunung-gunung Israel dan pada tepi segala sungai dan pada segala tempat yang didiami di negeri itu.”

Di dalam sejarah Daud contoh saingan ini Allah akan mengumpulkan kawanan dombaNya dari pada segala negeri di mana mereka telah tercerai berai, lalu membawa mereka kembali kepada tanahnya sendiri. Allah tidak lagi membiarkan mereka di gunung-gunung dan bukit-bukit orang-orang kapir. “Pada ketika itu bani Israel dan segala bani Yehuda akan berhimpun bersama-sama, lalu diangkatnya seorang penghulu atasnya, lalu berangkat keluar dari dalam negeri, karena besarlah kelak hari Jizriel itu. Kemudian dari pada itu bani Israel akan kembali, lalu mencari Tuhan Allah mereka, dan Daud rajanya, dan mereka itu akan datang dengan gementar kepada Tuhan dan kepada kemurahanNya pada akhir zaman.” Hosea 1 : 11 ; 3 : 5.

Jeheskiel 34 : 11 – 16 :

“Karena demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Bahwasanya Aku, bahkan Aku sendiri akan bertanya akan hal dombaKu, dan Aku akan mencari dia. Bagaikan seorang gembala memeriksa kawanan dombanya pada hari ia berada di tengah-tengah dombanya yang tercerai berai itu, demikian pula Aku akan memeriksa kawanan dombaKu, dan melepaskan mereka dari semua tempat di mana mereka telah tercerai-berai pada hari berkabut dan gelap. Dan Aku akan menghantarkan mereka keluar dari segala bangsa serta mengumpulkan mereka dari segala negeri, dan Kubawa mereka itu ke dalam negerinya sendiri, dan Kugembalakan mereka itu di atas segala gunung Israel dan pada tepi segala sungai, dan pada segala tempat tinggal negeri itu. Aku akan menggembalakan mereka itu pada tempat yang banyak rumputnya, dan pada gunung-gunung Israel yang tinggi itu akan terdapat kandangnya; di sana mereka itu akan berbaring dalam kandangnya yang baik, dan makan rumput di tempat-tempat yang gemuk di atas gunung-gunung Israel. Aku akan menggembalakan sendiri kawanan dombaKu, dan Aku akan memberi tempat mereka berbaring, demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Maka yang sesat itu akan Kucari, dan yang terhalau itu akan Kubawa balik, dan yang luka itu akan Kusembuhkan, dan yang lemah itu akan Kukuatkan, tetapi Aku akan membinasakan yang gemuk dan yang kuat; Aku akan menggembalakan mereka dengan adil.”

” … Allah telah berjanji, bahwa di mana gembala-gembala didapati tidak setia, maka Ia sendiri akan mengawasi kawanan domba itu. Allah tidak pernah membiarkan kawanan domba itu bergantung sepenuhnya kepada alat-alat manusia saja. Tetapi hari-hari penyucian sidang itu sedang datang dengan segeranya. Allah hendak memiliki suatu umat yang bersih dan benar. Dalam penyaringan besar yang segera akan jadi itu kita akan lebih mampu untuk mengukur kekuatan Israel. Tanda-tanda menunjukkan bahwa masa itu sudah dekat bilamana Tuhan akan menyatakan bahwa kipasNya ada di dalam tanganNya, maka Ia akan selengkapnya membersihkan lantaiNya.” – Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 80.

SEORANG GEMBALA AKAN MENYELESAIKAN APA YANG BANYAK GEMBALA LAINNYA GAGAL MENYELESAIKAN

 

Oleh: Victor T. Houteff, Pendeta dari Persekutuan Davidian Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh

Sabat, 16 Agustus 1947

 Gereja Mount Carmel,

Waco, Texas Amerika Serikat

Marilah kita kembali ke buku Jeheskiel pasal 34, pasal inilah yang akan kita pelajari hari ini.

Jeheskiel 34 : 1, 2 :

“Maka datanglah firman Tuhan kepadaku bunyinya: Hai anak Adam, hendaklah engkau bernubuat melawan para gembala Israel; bernubuatlah dan katakanlah kepada mereka, Demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua kepada para gembala; Celakalah bagi segala gembala Israel yang memberi makan bagi dirinya sendiri! Bukankah sepatutnya para gembala memberi makan kepada kawanan domba?”

Jeheskiel, sebagaimana kita baca, telah diberikan suatu khayal dari hal gembala-gembala yang mementingkan diri sendiri, yang rakus dan yang tidak patut. Kini masalah pertama yang penting adalah menentukan apakah gembala-gembala yang suka mementingkan diri ini hidup di masa hidupnya Jeheskiel dahulu, atau sebelum masa hidupnya, atau sesudah masa hidupnya. Untuk mendapatkan keterangan ini, maka marilah kita baca

Jeheskiel 34 : 23, 24 :

“Maka Aku akan mengangkat atas mereka itu kelak seorang gembala, maka Ia akan memberikan makan kepada mereka, yaitu Daud hambaku, maka ia akan memberikan makan kepada mereka, dan ia akan menjadi gembalanya. Dan Aku Tuhan akan menjadi Allah mereka itu, dan hambaku Daud itu akan raja di tengah-tengahnya; Akulah Tuhan yang sudah berfirman begitu.”

Para gembala yang mementingkan diri itu terhadap siapa nabi itu telah diperintahkan untuk menulis, kelak akan diganti oleh seorang gembala saja, yaitu Daud. Bilamana peristiwa ini jadi, maka umat Allah kelak akan mempunyai seorang gembala saja. Ini tentunya tidak mungkin dimaksudkan kepada Kristus sendiri, sebab tidak pernah Ilham memanggil namaNya Daud, melainkan justru sebaliknya Ilham memanggilNya A n a k Daud. Oleh karena umat Allah selalu mempunyai, bahkan masih memiliki banyak gembala, maka kebenaran jelas membuktikan bahwa Daud dari ayat-ayat 23 dan 24 itu masih akan datang, dan bahwa para gembala kepada siapa Ilham menyampaikan kata-kata ini adalah khusus mereka yang kelak akan diganti oleh Daud.

Jeheskiel, di masa itu, tidak diberikan khayal dari hal para gembala di masa hidupnya, maupun dari hal gembala-gembala sebelum masa hidupnya, melainkan dari hal gembala-gembala yang hidup sesudah masanya, yaitu masa di mana Allah akan membangkitkan Daud contoh saingan ini untuk memberikan makan kepada kawanan dombaNya yang lapar dan yang dilalaikan. Umat Allah kelak pada masa itu tidak lagi membaktikan diri kepada orang-orang asing, “Melainkan mereka akan berbakti kepada Tuhan Allahnya, dan kepada Daud rajanya, yaitu yang akan kubangkitkan kepada mereka itu.” — Jeremiah 30 : 9. Disinilah dapat kita saksikan, bahwa bukan saja Jeheskiel, melainkan juga Jeremiah telah memperoleh suatu khayal mengenai kebenaran yang sama ini. Yah, bahkan semua nabi pun.

Jeheskiel 37 : 24, 25 :

“Dan hambaKu Daud akan menjadi raja atas mereka itu, dan semua mereka akan memiliki seorang gembala saja. Mereka akan juga berjalan menurut hukumKu dan memeliharakan dan melakukan segala syariatKu. Dan mereka akan diam di dalam negeri yang telah Kukaruniakan kepada Yakub hambaKu, di tempat mana telah diam segala nenek moyangmu; maka mereka itu pun akan diam di sana, baik mereka baik anak cucunya sampai selama-lamanya, dan Daud hambaKu akan menjadi penghulu mereka sampai selama-lamanya.”

Oleh karena ini merupakan tambahan kepada “Pekabaran malaikat yang ketiga” (Early Writings, p. 277), dan oleh karena ini adalah pekabaran dari hal j a m, maka tak dapat tiada hari berdirinya Kerajaan Daud itu sudah dekat. Marilah kita melihat kepada,

Hosea 3 : 4, 5 :

“Karena bani Israel akan tinggal dengan sunyi beberapa hari lamanya tanpa raja, dan tanpa seorang penghulupun, dan tanpa sesuatu korban, dan tanpa sesuatu patung, dan tanpa sesuatu efod, dan tanpa teraphim. Kemudian dari pada itu bani Israel akan kembali, Ialu kembali mencari Tuhan Allahnya dan Daud rajanya, dan mereka itu akan datang dengan gementar kepada Tuhan dan kepada kemurahanNya pada a k h i r      z a m a n”.

Beberapa hari lamanya itu kini sudah hampir berakhir, dan saat bagi digenapinya janji-janji Allah adalah pasti telah sampai di depan pintu sejarah kita.

Jeheskiel 34 : 3 :

“Bahwa kamu mengenyangkan dirimu dengan susu, dan kamu berpakaikan dirimu dengan bulu domba, dan kamu bantai yang tambun-tambun, tetapi tiada kamu memberi makan akan kawanan domba itu.”

Para gembala pada hari Kerajaan itu akan diperdirikan, telah dituduh oleh merampas apa saja yang dapat dirampasnya dari kawanan domba dan oleh karena tidak memberikan pengawasan apapun kepada kawanan domba. Semuanya inilah agar tidak kita lakukan.

Jeheskiel 34 : 4, 5 :

“Yang lemah tiada kamu kuatkan, dan yang sakit tiada kamu obati dan yang luka tiada kamu sembuhkan, dan yang terhalau tiada kamu bawa balik, dan yang sesat tiada kamu cari, melainkan dengan kekerasan dan kekejaman sudah kamu memerintah atas mereka itu. Maka tercerai berailah mereka itu karena tak ada gembala, maka mereka telah menjadi makanan segala margasatwa di padang, sebab sesatlah mereka.”

Sikap kelalaian ini pada pihak gembala-gembala itu telah menyebabkan para anggota mengembara dari faham yang satu ke faham yang lainnya dalam usaha mereka mencarikan makanan rohani serta pengawasan badaniah. Yah, begitulah kita sebut, mereka mengembara dari bukit yang satu ke bukit lainnya, banyak dari mereka secara simbolis telah menjadi makanan binatang-binatang (faham-faham), sebab tak ada gembala yang akan menggembalakan kawanan domba, melainkan terdapat para tukang cukur yang akan mengambil bulu-bulu domba dari punggung mereka, dan susu dari bawah rusuk-rusuk mereka. Memalukan benar! Maka siapakah berani menolak memberitakan apa yang Allah katakan?

Jeheskiel 34 : 6 – 10 :

“Kawanan dombaKu sesatlah di atas segala gunung dan di atas puncak segala bukit. Sesungguhnya, kawanan dombaKu telah tercerai berai di seluruh muka bumi, maka seorangpun tiada yang perduli, seorangpun tiada yang mencarikan akan dia. Sebab itu, hai kamu para gembala, dengarlah olehmu firman Tuhan: Sesungguh-sungguh Aku hidup, demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua, dengan sesungguhnya karena kawanan dombaKu telah menjadi mangsa, dan kawanan dombaKu telah menjadi makanan setiap margasatwa di padang, sebab tak ada seorang gembalapun, dan segala gembalaKu tiada perduli akan segala kawanan dombaKu, melainkan segala gembala itu menggembalakan dirinya sendiri, dan tidak memberi makanan akan kawanan dombaKu, sebab itu, hai gembala-gembala dengarlah olehmu firman Tuhan. Demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Bahwasanya, Aku akan melawan segala gembala itu, dan Aku akan menuntut kawanan dombaKu dari tangan mereka, dan akan Kupecat mereka dari tugasnya memberi makan kepada kawanan domba, dan tidak lagi para gembala itu akan memberi makan bagi dirinya sendiri, karena Aku akan melepaskan kawanan dombaKu dari mulut mereka, sehingga tidak lagi mereka menjadi makanannya.”

Jangan lagi membiarkan diri kita bodoh. Allah tak dapat diperolok-olok. Ia tidak akan membiarkan domba-dombaNya terus menerus, dan Ia pun tidak akan mempertahankan gembala-gembala yang tak dapat dipercaya itu untuk selamanya menggembalakan domba-dombaNya. Ia akan segera melepaskan mereka, dan akan menuntut agar mereka memberikan pertanggungan jawabnya bagi ketidak setiaannya. Demikian inilah, bahwa apa yang banyak gembala gagal melaksanakan, maka seorang gembala jua, yaitu Daud, yang akan di dalam pengendalian Allah dapat melaksanakannya.

Jeheskiel 34 : 13 :

“Maka Aku akan membawa mereka itu keluar dari pada segala bangsa, dan Kuhimpunkan mereka itu dari dalam segala negeri, dan akan Kubawa mereka itu kepada negerinya sendiri, dan akan Kugembalakan mereka itu di atas gunung-gunung Israel dan pada tepi segala sungai dan pada segala tempat yang didiami di negeri itu.”

Di dalam sejarah Daud contoh saingan ini Allah akan mengumpulkan kawanan dombaNya dari pada segala negeri di mana mereka telah tercerai berai, lalu membawa mereka kembali kepada tanahnya sendiri. Allah tidak lagi membiarkan mereka di gunung-gunung dan bukit-bukit orang-orang kapir. “Pada ketika itu bani Israel dan segala bani Yehuda akan berhimpun bersama-sama, lalu diangkatnya seorang penghulu atasnya, lalu berangkat keluar dari dalam negeri, karena besarlah kelak hari Jizriel itu. Kemudian dari pada itu bani Israel akan kembali, lalu mencari Tuhan Allah mereka, dan Daud rajanya, dan mereka itu akan datang dengan gementar kepada Tuhan dan kepada kemurahanNya pada akhir zaman.” Hosea 1 : 11 ; 3 : 5.

Jeheskiel 34 : 11 – 16 :

“Karena demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Bahwasanya Aku, bahkan Aku sendiri akan bertanya akan hal dombaKu, dan Aku akan mencari dia. Bagaikan seorang gembala memeriksa kawanan dombanya pada hari ia berada di tengah-tengah dombanya yang tercerai berai itu, demikian pula Aku akan memeriksa kawanan dombaKu, dan melepaskan mereka dari semua tempat di mana mereka telah tercerai-berai pada hari berkabut dan gelap. Dan Aku akan menghantarkan mereka keluar dari segala bangsa serta mengumpulkan mereka dari segala negeri, dan Kubawa mereka itu ke dalam negerinya sendiri, dan Kugembalakan mereka itu di atas segala gunung Israel dan pada tepi segala sungai, dan pada segala tempat tinggal negeri itu. Aku akan menggembalakan mereka itu pada tempat yang banyak rumputnya, dan pada gunung-gunung Israel yang tinggi itu akan terdapat kandangnya; di sana mereka itu akan berbaring dalam kandangnya yang baik, dan makan rumput di tempat-tempat yang gemuk di atas gunung-gunung Israel. Aku akan menggembalakan sendiri kawanan dombaKu, dan Aku akan memberi tempat mereka berbaring, demikianlah firman Tuhan Hua. Maka yang sesat itu akan Kucari, dan yang terhalau itu akan Kubawa balik, dan yang luka itu akan Kusembuhkan, dan yang lemah itu akan Kukuatkan, tetapi Aku akan membinasakan yang gemuk dan yang kuat; Aku akan menggembalakan mereka dengan adil.”

” … Allah telah berjanji, bahwa di mana gembala-gembala didapati tidak setia, maka Ia sendiri akan mengawasi kawanan domba itu. Allah tidak pernah membiarkan kawanan domba itu bergantung sepenuhnya kepada alat-alat manusia saja. Tetapi hari-hari penyucian sidang itu sedang datang dengan segeranya. Allah hendak memiliki suatu umat yang bersih dan benar. Dalam penyaringan besar yang segera akan jadi itu kita akan lebih mampu untuk mengukur kekuatan Israel. Tanda-tanda menunjukkan bahwa masa itu sudah dekat bilamana Tuhan akan menyatakan bahwa kipasNya ada di dalam tanganNya, maka Ia akan selengkapnya membersihkan lantaiNya.” – Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 80.

 

 

 

Pembina Gedung Putih hal. 38:

“Karena masa dan injil sudah berada pada jamnya yang terakhir, dan pekerjaan dengan sendirinya merupakan bidang yang amat luas dan penting, tetapi singkat sekali waktunya, maka Allah telah mengilhami manusia untuk menciptakan dan membangun berbagai macam alat dan mesin penghemat waktu dan tenaga yang bekerja secara ajaib, yang menguasai bumi — yaitu keajaiban-keajaiban yang sudah akan membingungkan imajinasi dan menurunkan kepercayaan generasi-generasi yang terdahulu, meskipun abad-abad sebelumnya itu “Dia yang tinggi dan maha tinggi yang mendiami kekekalan” Yesaya (57:15) menyatakan “Tetapi akan dikau, hai Daniel, tutuplah semua perkataan ini dan meteraikanlah kitab itu, bahkan sampai kepada akhir zaman, banyak orang akan berlarian pergi datang dan pengetahuian akan dipertambahkan.” Daniel 12:4.

 

 

 

Marilah kita kenangkan selalu, bahwa kita oleh diri kita sendiri tidak akan mengetahui apapun dari hal rencana-rencana Allah terkecuali sesuai dengan yang diceritakan oleh hamba-hamba pilihanNya yaitu nabi-nabi dan sesuai apa yang kita saksikan dari hari ke hari. Jika kita setiap hari berjalan bersama Allah, jika kita percayakan segala-galanya kepadaNya, maka segala tanggung jawab adalah padaNya. — Amaran Sekarang jilid 1 buku 2 no. 7 hal 28.

 

 

 

DAVIDIAN SDA ORGANISATION AND THEIR ISSUES

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Every Christian either Adventist or non-Adventist believe that God is working through the church organization to proclaim the gospel to the World same as how He did in the past. We believe that the existence of the church organization today is because of God, therefor it became a norm for Christian to have sentiment to the organization they belong to and to the extent that when we talk about Christian it means an organization itself. 

As an end time people, specifically to the group of five wise virgin, how are we going to answer the following questions: i) Is God still working through the Laodicean organization, Davidian Seventh Day Adventist (DSDA), to complete His work on the earth?; ii) how far the existence of the organization will affect our salvation?; iii) In another word, should we rely on the organization for our salvation?

No double many of us would have heard pro and contra of the importance of the Davidian organization in Waco, hence some of us might have had second thought of the existence of the organization.

To answer the questions above, it is important to every bible scholar to always remember the official procedure provided by Old Testament prophet Zacharia in Zacharia 4 in which the product of Inspiration or the result of interpretations of those mysteries of the Bible by the end time prophets, was represented by the flow of golden oil out of both olive trees through the two main pipes into the golden bowl, which represents the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY of Revelation 19 : 10. Thus the two main pipes should have represented the end time prophets of Bro. William Miller, Mrs. White and Bro. Victor T. Houteff. 

  1. EXISTENCY OF THE FIVE WISE VIRGIN AND BASIC GUIDELINES

The servant of God, V.T.Houteff in his quotations below said that any interpretation of the Bible shall be supported by every sentence of the Bible itself and in harmony one and other as they are from the same source. Misalignment is an unbiblical.

“—- that it is never fair for one to assume a stand on an issue, solely on the weight of opinion derived from one or two verses, without first considering the verses in the light of the whole chapter, yes, even of the entire Bible; for if one’s interpretation of the Scriptures is not supported by every sentence of Holy Writ, it is a fallacious interpretation, a blind conclusion, without Bible foundation.”  — Why Perish, “What About Women Teaching?”pp. 75,76.

“Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements.”Question and answer book 3, Question No 56, page 40.


“No candid Bible student would build a theory upon an interpretation that would lead him to set aside all other scriptures on the subject. He will seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all of them, or else confess that he does not have the light on the subject.”  —
Question and Answer book 3, Question No 65, page 52.

 

Here we are told that prophecy, a vision, is the acid test by which to judge purported Bible Truth; that is, if the thing is not in prophecy, if there is no vision of it found in the writings of the prophets, then, there is no truth in it.  Yes, the visions of the prophets are to be our visions if we must be preserved. ……. — Timely Greetings II book 4 No. 24 p. 14, “THE PEOPLE THAT HARDLY STAND A CHANCE.”

”Now, if never before we should see that where there is a type there is also an anti type, and that where there is no type, there is no Truth.” — Timely Greetings I book 8 No. 47 p. 14, “JACOB’S TIME OF TROUBLE.”

The servant of God V.T.Houteff subsequently describing the great disappointment in 1844 through the quotation below that as much as we thought we know everything, no man is able to fully understand God’s plans unless He reveals to His servant, the prophets and according to what we witness from day to day. William Miller and his fellow were in the great disappointment as they were expected second coming of Jesus in 1844 however later some of small group of his fellowship whom reinvestigated the prophecies found the missing link of Miller interpretation.

Here is seen that Inspiration does not at once lighten our path clear to the end, but that It does so step by step; that God’s Truth is progressive; that we can never really say we have all the Truth to carry us clear through to the Pearly Gates. Timely Greetings I book 3 No. 11 p. 11, “BUILD THE CITIES, COMFORT ZION, CHOOSE JERUSALEM.”

 

Let us ever bear in mind that we of ourselves know nothing about God’s plans except as told through His appointed servants, the prophets, and as we witness them day by day.  If we daily walk with God, if we commit all to Him, then the responsibility is all His. Timely Greetings I book 2 No. 7 p. 6, “What Makes One Eligible?.”

  1. THE TRUTH THAT ARE STILL REVEALING TO US FORM TIME TO TIME

As a Bible scholar we should be honest to ourselves that no man able to understand God’s plan and as how God has revealed His plan in the past, He will reveal His plan like a roll of paper, bit by bit and we have to be ready to change our understanding with the new discover available to us from time to time. We need to pray for Holy Spirit to lead us continually and to show us the right path at every intersection along our journey to the end.

 

 

  1. Timely Greetings Book 3 Vol. 1 No. 13 p. 5, “The Revival And Reformation”.

 

“…… It should be remembered that we are not the first and the only people who have had to change our way of thinking; we are not the first and only people to discover that God’s plans are the opposite of our plans.  Moses, too, found that his plan for delivering the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage was not God’s plan.  Likewise God’s plan for the route they were to take in their journey to the promised land was not their plan.  The apostles positively believed that Christ was to set up His kingdom at His first advent, but they, too, had to change their belief.  Moreover, since the Hebrews, whom out of slaves God had made kings, had been promised that their kingdom was to stand forever, they were indeed astounded when it went down.  And there have been other surprises all along from the dawn of history.”

 

As Inspiration unrolls the Scroll it is, of course, but to be expected that it will find us surprisingly ignorant of many things — the very reason that It unrolls.  If we, therefore, fail to exchange our ideas for the Lord’s then what hope is there for us ever to become enlightened and fitted for eternity?  Our ideas are to fall flat, and the Lord’s prophecies are to stand “high and lifted up.”  Our duty is to prove God’s Word correct rather than to hold tenaciously to our preconceptions and misconceptions until God Himself steps in and puts us to shame.

  1. Timely Greetings Book 4, Vol.1 No. 20 p. 10, Opening Prayer Thought, “THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH, THE SIFTING OF THE NATIONS”.

The disciples expected Jerusalem in their time to become the capital of God’s great Kingdom.  But contrary to their expectations, Jesus proclaimed that Jerusalem would become a desolation, and the temple a ruin!  Thus again and again we are led to see that we finite beings never know God’s plans.  Indeed, we need to pray for His Spirit to lead us on and on, and to point out the right way at every turn as we journey onward to Eternity.  Let us now pray that the knowledge of these truths will make us just what we ought to be.

  1. The Great Controversy, p. 343, “Chapter 19: Light Through Darkness”.

But no man, however honored of Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation of the divine purpose in the work for his own time. Men do not fully understand what God would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do; they do not comprehend, in all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name.

  1. Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300, chapter 42, “The Need of Divine Guidance”.

 

“Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”

Application of Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300 according to the Answerer Book 4, Questions No. 88,  “WHO IS THE KING OF MT. CARMEL CENTER–GOD OR MAN?”

 

Question No. 88:

Most of us have had a struggle to loose ourselves from the bands laid upon us by the church’s present leadership, and it seems no more than right that we have the assurance that the Lord is directing in all the movements at Mt. Carmel. May we know just how much of the work of Mt. Carmel is under the direction of the Lord?

Answer:

“Satan,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends, and many think it a virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving, and to question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence.”–Testimonies, Vol. 3 p. 255.

Moreover, no man can judge the work by his own wisdom or by the wisdom of other human beings, for, says the Spirit of Truth: “The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness….Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

To Present-truth believers, one of the surest evidences that the Lord is leading in the work of Mt. Carmel, is that regardless of ceaseless opposition, paucity of laborers, and many other handicaps, the work is steadily moving onward with an irresistible power. It is, indeed, like the mustard seed.

  • DOES GOD STILL WORK THROUGHT THE ORGANISATION TO ACOMPLISH HIS WORKS?
  1. Reasons for the need for organizations, to organize assistance to gospel work, to pass on duties to areas (managerial reasons and not spiritual reasons).

Testimonials to Ministers, p.26

“Because the number of our members has increased, it is manifest that without some form of organization there will be much chaos, so that the work cannot possibly be successfully advanced to organize assistance to the work of the gospel, to pass on the task to the regions. As well as for a variety of other purposes, the organization cannot be needed “

Explanation:

From Mrs. White’s writing above, it appears that the existence of the organization is intended not to be spiritual or salvation related but is intended only for managerial/administrative purposes. The Adventist church (SDA) was established in 1863 however Mrs. White and the early founder of SDA had been since 1844 commencing their movement. The Davidian organization as a reorganizational organization of the General Conference was only established in 1935 even though V.T. Houteff has introduced his messages in 1929.

Therefor it can be concluded that the existence of the organization has no intention of determining salvation other than the above intent, which is for managerial purposes. It is very unfair if salvation can only be obtained after the establishment of an organization because if a person who joins a small group  who revisited the error made by William Miller in 1844 and participates in the movement of the Advent church was initially unable to obtain salvation simply because the person died before the formation of the organization of SDA in 1863. Similarly, for the Davidians who received the Message of the Shepperd Rod in 1929 but died before the formation of the organization in 1935 and there was no salvation.

  1. God has not put any power in our ranks to control His work.

 

The Great Paradox Of The Ages, p. 39

 

“Now I want to say, God has not put any kingly power in our ranks to control this or that branch of the work. The work has been greatly restricted by the efforts to control it in every line. Here is a vineyard presenting its barren places that have received no labor. And if one should start out to till these places in the name of the Lord, unless he should get the permission of the men in a little circle of authority, he would receive no help. God means that His workers shall have help. If a hundred should start out on a mission to destitute fields, crying unto God, He would open the way before them.

 

“Let me tell you, if your heart is in the work, and you have faith in God, you need not depend upon the sanction of any minister or any people: if you go right to work in the name of the Lord, in a humble way doing what you can to teach the truth, God will vindicate you.

 

“If the work had not been so restricted by an impediment here, and an impediment there, and on the other side an impediment, it would have gone forward in its majesty. It would have gone in weakness at first; but the God of heaven lives.” — Review and Herald, April 16, 1901.

Comparing with:

“The government of Israel was administered in the name and by the authority of God. The work of Moses, of the seventy elders, of the rulers and judges, was simply to enforce the laws that God had given; they had no authority to legislate for the nation. This was, and continued to be, the condition of Israel’s existence as a nation. From age to age, men inspired by God were sent to instruct the people, and to direct in the enforcement of the laws.” — Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 603.

  1. Exalt The Gift of Governments and The Gift of Tongues are higher than The Gift of The Prophets

 

The Great Paradox of the Ages, p. 6, “The Need Of Prophecy”:

“As the gift of prophets is, according to the Scriptures, second in order of the gifts to the church, and the gift of governments and that of diversity of tongues are last, obviously, then, those who despise the gift of prophecy but exalt the gift of governments and the gift of tongues, are pulling the cart from its rear end, and are going in the wrong direction. To such, Christ is saying: “Knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Rev. 3:17.

 

Why Perish, p. 5-6, “Prophesied Until John”:

“While most of these gifts, especially tongues and governments, are zealously sought after by the Christian churches, the one — “prophets” — that was despised by the Jews, is wholly rejected by almost all Christendom! Thus the spirit that instigated the killing of the ancient seers at the hand of the Jewish leaders, is today doing virtually the same sort of destructive work through organized opposition”.

 

  1. The Great Paradox of the Ages p. 62, “TO THE LEADING BRETHREN”:

“Men…through selfishness…crowd down the very ones whom God is using to diffuse the light He has given them…Satan’s skill is exercised….He works to restrict religious liberty….Organizations…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….such men assume to exercise the prerogatives of God — they presume to do that which God Himself will not do in seeking to control the minds of men. Thus they follow in the track of Romanism…. In such arrangements the man who allows his mind to be ruled by the mind of another is thus separated from God and exposed to temptation….but God has plainly set it before us. He says, ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm. — Testimonies Vol. 7, pp. 179, 180, 181, 178.

Explanation:
Let us examine history whether the above quotations are true, which in essence show that Satan uses organizations as a powerful tool to make humans depend on other humans.
For example, when the Lutheran church received the message offered by John Knox, the Lutheran church rejected the message, then some who accepted the message formed a new church, the Presbyterian, with the addition of a new message of Grace. From this example we can see that at that time why they formed a new church, this is because the Lutheran church organizationally rejected the message and some of the people from the church left and formed a new church, meaning that the people at that time were divided into two, namely, first depending on the Organization and secondly depending solely on truth. This is the case with the history of other well-known churches up to our day, when the Adventist church offered the V.T Houteff message, the congregation was divided into two groups, namely that some remain dependent on the General Conference and some who were humble depended only on the truth, progress into the development of meat in due season. It turns out that after we are now in a group of 5 wise virgins, it turns out that again there are also types of people who actually organize and as religious people. That is why we are individually reminded to not depend on humans, but to always test the truth presented to us and choose which one is right. Ephesians 4:11 – we need to be shepherded by evangelists, pastors and teachers so that we are not tossed by the wind teaching.

  1. The Symbolic Code book 1, Vol. 11 No. 3 p. 9-10, “WHAT PRICE THE “EXTRA OIL”?:

“Many have asked who is eligible to lead in the service of the work? The answer that goes out from Mt. Carmel is that anyone not holding a Certificate of Fellowship cannot be a Davidian teacher.  He can listen only.  Yet just the granting of a Certificate of Fellowship is a cheap thing.  That in itself would have no significance…..”

  1. A person who is not a member of the Seventh-day Adventist congregation can be one of the 144,000

 

The Answerer vol. 4, p. 34-35, “DOES MEMBERSHIP SUPERSEDE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH?”:

 

Question No. 93:

Although I am not a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, yet since I have the light on Ezekiel 9 and on the truth of the 144,000, will I fall in the slaughter of the wicked if I do not fully accept and live up to the light? And, conversely, will I be subject to the enjoyment of the privileges of the 144,000 and be one of them if I obey all the light of this message?

Answer:
Even though you are not a member of the church, still you will be held accountable for the light which you have on the subject, for no one finds the truth accidentally, or sees it without the Holy Spirit’s aid.

By the same law of accountability or sacred responsibility, even though you may have come into the message only recently you can be eligible for the election of the 144,000 if you live up to the message that is to purify and seal them. Whether or not for a certainty, however, you will be one of them, we do not know, but if you are faithful to the message, you will at least be one with them.

Comments:
From this explanation, we can get a picture that it is possible for a person whose status is like the questioner to have the opportunity to become one of the 144,000, even though that person has not become Seventh-day Adventist Church member, and of course he is not yet a member of the Davidian organization.

  1. Satan has always succeeded in bringing down every movement (organization) to this day

 

The Answerer vol. 1, p. 59-60, IS SATAN WHOLESALING OR RETAILING DECEPTION?”:

 

Question No. 4:

Does Satan cast a special stumbling block before the church as a body, or just attack its members individually?

 

Answer:
…… Thus we see that the Reformation, which, originally under the direction of inspired men, lifted the church out of one morass, later under the direction of uninspired men, plunged her into another, wherein she has been floundering ever since. And unless we let the Truth extricate us from this fatal bog of confusion, we cannot defeat the Enemy of Inspiration in his tireless and powerful efforts to pervert the implements of our salvation into weapons for our destruction.

The Eleventh-hour Movement, being the very last, is consequently in the greatest danger of all. What urgency, then, that we keep our eyes wide open lest we, too, fall! This Movement, however, being the last gospel effort, must “give power and force” to the Third Angel’s Message and “lighten the earth with his glory” (Rev. 18:1); it must triumph, though every Movement before it has failed …..

Comments:
From V.T. Houteff’s answer above, we can get the understanding that basically Satan attacks not only movements or organizations but also individuals, but in his successful attacks, it is clearly seen in an attempt to overthrow a movement or organization while not all (partially) individuals can conquer, it depends on how strong our defense is, not to use our feelings, as Mrs. White stated:

“The religion of Christ is not a religion of mere feelings. You cannot possibly depend on feelings for a proof of God’s approval, because feelings are arbitrary. You must plant your feet in the promises of God’s word … and learn to live. by faith. As soon as a person begins to consider one’s feelings, one is on a dangerous footing.In Heavenly Places p. 126

Therefore, we are reminded to be careful as the Eleventh Hour movement because Satan is realizing that if he loses now he will lose forever.

  1. God will work in this latter work in a completely different way than usual

 

Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300:

 

“.…Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”

 

Comments:
In this quotation we get the following conclusions:

  1. “The Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things.”
    To understand these words, we need to look at the history of the prophets and gain an understanding of how God normally works.

For example, when Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God guided the Israelites on a journey to the land of Canaan through one leader, namely Moses, then Aaron and Yusak, during the time of the Apostles as well, God guided God’s people under the leadership of the Apostles. this and so on until the new Prophets. This is the usual way that God did in the past, then in this last work the way he does it is different from usual, that is, God will take control in his own hands.

This means that even though in the past He also controlled God’s work, it was seen that He was still carrying out the work through the old testament prophets, messengers and new testament prophets, while especially in this last work (different from the usual) Mrs.White said “God will use the means and means by which it will appear, that He is holding the rulership of government in His own hands, the workers will be fascinated by the simple means by which He will make and solidify His work of justification. by simple means “.

The shape of how God is in control in his own hands can be seen from the above quotes in The Great Paradox Of The Ages p.45, Timely Greetings book 4 vol.2 p.32 and Timely Greetings book 8 vol.2 p.92.

  1. “Contrary to any human planning“.

Every human being has an understanding that any work will be accomplished through the top leadership of the organization as well as the work of God, this understanding is an understanding that is owned by Catholics, Protestants, people of the world in general, including the General Conference, this is also owned by Davidians, namely through the summit Texas Wako leadership the work of gathering 144,000 people will be carried out.

If indeed this last work was carried out also through the leadership of the organization and did not contradict the understandings held by many people, including the Texas Mayor and his followers, then of course Mrs. White is wrong, and of course in this case we have the wrong understanding, therefore if we want to be involved in the implementation of the last work, first we have to find out how the work will be carried out and secondly are willing to change our understandings. so far it has been followed and guided.

  1. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God.”
    These words will really come true when the prophet who combines his voice with the third angel has died, that is, as mentioned in the book Paradox above there will be the efforts of a group of “small powers” who put a king’s power.
  1. I will point my hands to the little ones

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 18 , “THE END OF HUMAN IDOLS AND THEIR WORSHIPERS”:

 

On the V.T. Houteff’s sermon of 23 November 1946, regarding “The end of the human gods and their worshipers”, V.T. Houteff uses Zechariah 13: 6,7, among other things, to say, “…….smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones.” V.T. Houteff in his explanation of the above simply says “I have no specific comment on verses 6 and 7 other than what is generally understood among Christians”.

Explanation:
In accordance with the understanding commonly held by Christians, this verse was first fulfilled in the time of Jesus at his first coming, and what happened to Jesus (machined) then He became an example for an example of his rival in our time, namely V.T. Houteff as God’s shepherd was struck (died) and after the absence of a prophet for us now the sheep were scattered and according to this prophecy God would choose the small ones, this shows that at the same time there must be a large group, but God was not pleased with the group, then the group chosen by God was the small one which showed plural (more than one) groups), and because the number of these small groups is more than one, it shows that God no longer entrusts one top leader of the organization (this is what says that God will use a different method than usual as in Testimonies to Ministers p. 300) , they are directly under God’s control.

On the understanding that this verse was only fulfilled at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross, if we follow the guidelines given by Mrs. White that we are not allowed to take a verse out of context, it must be admitted that the verses before and after all talk about the end of time. So there is no reason not to say the verse talks about the journey of the 144000 candidates as the other verses.

Meanwhile, the meaning conveyed by V.T. Houteff who said that the meaning of the verse was the same as that understood by the Christian world in general, because it is as in the writings of V.T. Houteff about Mount Carmel seems that he was unaware of the things that would happen after he died (about the disbandment of the organization by Mrs. Houteff in 1962 so that there was no longer a Davidian organization in Waco Texas).

  1. The threshing that took place at Edom and Bozra

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, p. 10, No. 43 , “THE YEAR OF HIS REDEEMED — THE SIGN OF THE DAY OF VENGEANCE”:


Isaiah 63: 1

“”Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?  this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength?  I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

In vision the prophet saw someone with bloodstained garments hastily returning from Edom and Bozrah. To the prophet’s question, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” came the answer, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

Who else could this person be but the Lord Himself, the Saviour of the world, the Mighty One to save?

Again the prophet asked,

Isaiah 63: 2

“”Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

The answer to these questions introduces a series of solemn events, the events recorded in:

Isaiah 63: 3-5

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment.  For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine Own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

…… at His first advent, though there was no one with Him to help; that is, all the priests and religious leaders — the General Conference of His day (the Sanhedrin) were against Him instead of helping Him in His work.  But the statements, “for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment; for the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come”; and “I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine Own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me” (all in future tense) — show the present church’s condition not only equally as bad as at His first coming, but even much worse.  How true that history repeats!  As the day of vengeance approaches, those who are supposed to uphold and help in the work of redemption, the ministers and religious leaders, the antitypical Sanhedrin of today (the General Conference), are seen to be hindering, standing in His way of reaching the people…

Since God’s people of today are not in the land of Edom, south of Palestine, but are scattered throughout the earth, and since the Lord is to slay their enemies in order to free them, the truth is obvious: These are antitypical Edom and Bozrah.

After Esau of old sold his birthright for a mess of pottage he was called Edom; and the name Bozrah means “sheepfold.”  Plainly, then, the Edomites of Isaiah 63:1 are those who in our day have sold their birthright, and who at the same time are persecuting (as did Esau persecute Jacob) those who have bought it, so to speak.  Thus it is that as God’s people had to be delivered from the Sanhedrin in Christ’s day, they must now be delivered from the General Conference, the antitypical Edomite brethren, in order to be led into all Truth, and into their fathers’ land.

The words, “the year of My redeemed is come,” and “the day of vengeance is in Mine heart,” clearly says that the Lord’s strange work in Edom and Bozrah is the day of vengeance and a sign of antitypical Israel’s (the church purified) returning to the home land.

Comments:
V.T. Houteff is quite clear that God will do the cleaning in two places, namely on Edom and Bosrah, but even though Houteff gave an explanation of who is represented by Bosrah, namely the “sheepfold”, he did not explain further, so we can conclude that as we have understood that the cleansing will only occur in the congregation – the Laodicean Congregation which consists of only two classes that is, Esau and Jacob have no other class, of course if it is clear that Edom represents Esau, then Bosrah must be from Jacob’s side.

So thus the purification according to prophecy will occur at the General Conference and its followers and the General Association of Davidian (Waco Texas), of course, along with its followers.

  1. The Organization after the formation of the 144,000

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, p. 6-7, No. 15 , “THAT WHICH IS TO BE DURING THE SIXTH TRUMPET WHILE PROBATION STILL LASTS”:

It shows that the perfect organization according to God’s plan is an organization after the formation of the 144,000, so that if at present it is inappropriate to uphold an imperfect organization, even more so from the fruits it is clear that those in Waco Texas today are truly fulfill Mrs. White and V.T. Houteff is acting like a king, controlling every work that they themselves do not share, having faith like the priests of Jesus’ day.

  1. Work will not be completed form one central place

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 45 p. 16, , “WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY? WHO MAY TAKE HOLD OF IT? AND WHO MAY MISS IT?”:

 

Now the manifest truth is that if time should last, and if we are to stay in the pathway of true Christianity where the light shines, then all must do something about this badly neglected work of caring for the needy, for it cannot be accomplished from one central location, but must necessarily be localized to every state and country wherever the message of the hour takes “root downward and bears fruit upward.” Isa. 37:31.

Comments:
From this writing V.T. Houteff clearly shows that this last work does not depend on any decision from the center, but will be resolved in the regions and countries independently. Thus there is no reason for everything to wait for approval from the center, this shows that the practice that has occurred so far clearly fulfills the words in the Review and Herald, April 16, 1901, namely regarding God not placing any king’s power whatsoever.

In addition, the words that state that the work will not be completed from a centralized place, reinforces the understanding that the evangelists, shepherds and teachers of truth now dig about shepherds who are cut off from the prophecies of Zechariah 13: 6,7 are not only fulfilled as they have. among Christians that is only fulfilled by the death of Jesus in the past 31 years, but the death of Jesus is also an example for an example of a rival at the death of V.T. Houteff himself and the Waco Texas Davidian organization disbanded. Then the work after 1962 until the fulfillment of Ezekiel chapter 9 was transferred to small groups or groups which were directly under God’s control.

  1. The ones who will be in charge of His vineyard are the ones who never get a lift

 

The Acts of The Apostles, p 110

“God will send forth into His vineyard many who have not been dedicated to the ministry by the laying on of hands”.

Comments:

This shows that these jobs are not representatives of the organization, because if they are from the organization, of course they can be on duty after getting a lift – being appointed. Thus they are of course responsible only directly to God (because the last work is in God’s own hand).

  1. People will ally (confederate) against God, Satan’s agents are in every city, while busy organizing into groups of people who are against God’s law.

 

Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 41, 42

“This is the picture that was shown to me. But the congregation still has to fight against visible and invisible enemies. Satan’s agents in human form are now on the ground. People have joined forces (confederate) to fight against God in all nature. All this fellowship will continue until Christ later leaves His place of defense in front of the engraved chair and puts on the robes of vengeance. Satan’s agents are in every city, busy organizing into groups of people who are against God’s law. The saints and the unbelievers took a stand and then sided with these groups. There is no time now for God’s people to be weak people. We can no longer be negligent for a moment to stand guard. “

Comments:
From the words of the explanation V.T. Houteff, clearly shows that in the last work for the congregation, Satan will work using the agents who are affiliated with using the means of fellowship or organization to fight against God and all nature. Its agents will exist in every city and its activities in the last days will be very busy inviting large numbers of people to become part of the fellowship or organization branches. This alliance does not only ensnare non-believers but also candidates for “Saints” (so the conclusion that there are no two types of groups in the court cleansing that will take place is unreasonable because there are clearly two groups, namely people who do not believe on the one hand. and the saints on the other).
Because of the methods used by Satan in such a way, God’s people are warned not to be negligent for a moment to watch.

  1. Every church organization that has followed has failed to keep pace with the advancement of the Truth, only as individuals can see this.

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, p. 20, No. 26 , “SHINTOISM AND NON-PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY”:

 

So to ask why Mohammedans and Buddhists are still Mohammedans and Buddhists — why have they not advanced since Mohammed and Buddha died, is like asking why Catholics have not yet become Lutherans, why Lutherans have not yet become Presbyterians, why Presbyterians have not yet become Methodists, why Methodists have not yet become Baptists, why Baptists have not yet become Seventh-day Adventists, and why Seventh-day Adventists have not yet become Davidian Seventh-day Adventists? The overall answer is that each successive denomination has failed to keep pace with the progress of Truth because each has failed to climb higher than the height of the founder of each respective denomination could possibly have led them in his life time.

The same spirit prevailed in the Christian church.  She never rose above the level on which the Apostles left her, and for a time she even fell almost to the bottom of the pit.  And she would have dropped out had God not again visited His people in the persons of Luther, Knox, Wesley, Campbell and the other reformers, through whom the Lord brought to light certain parts of Bible Truth that had long been trampled under foot.  But did the Christian world as a whole see the Light?  And did all walk in It?  No, indeed not, not as a people, but only as individuals.  This is what accounts for the present multi-sectarian world…

Comments:
From the explanation of V.T. Houteff is clear that every church organization has failed to adjust its steps with the progress of truth, only because of the death of its founder because they depend on humans not on the word of God), only individuals who are honest and do not depend on anyone (including the prophet-founder of the community) who can see the development of the truth and do not matter whether or not there is an organization that covers every truth in its development.

 

  1. Several times the trial was overthrown by leaders from within the congregation itself.

Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 7 p. “An Unpublished Letter Of Interest”:

 

Let it be remembered that God’s servants seldom met opposition from the world.  Their trouble was from false brethren in the church.  We shall never be able to do the work of Elijah by good words and fair speeches.  And if we bear the message of Elijah, we shall incur the displeasure of the unconsecrated and demand a fight to the finish.  It is also true that the church of God has never been led away from the Truth by a false message or persecution; she was overthrown time and again by the leaderships from within the church.  Such have split the church in numerous sections and brought about division after division and disrepute to the cause of Christ.

 

 

  1. THE EXISTENCE OF WACO TEXAS AS MOUNT CARMEL while Victor T. Houteff was still alive and on his assignment

The servant of God Houteff when was still alive and during his presidency explaining about the existence of Waco Texas as Mount Carmel as follows: 

 

  1. The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), p. 4, “Today if Ye will Hear His Voice, Harden not Your Hearts”:

”True we are establishing our headquarters on this mount that is found in prophecy, but our stay here shall be very, very short, for “He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Rom. 9:28.)

It might be interesting to Elder G. to know that the naming of our “camp” “Mt. Carmel Center” came about in the same way as the naming of our publications “The Shepherd’s Rod,” for we did not know before hand that it was in prophecy until after our attention was called to Mic. 7:14 and Amos 1:2.

  1. The Answerer vol. 3, p. 53-64, ON WHICH SIDE WILL YOU BE?”:

 

Question No. 66:

How do the Davidians regard the Seventh-day Adventist denomination? What position do they take concerning the writings of Mrs. E.G. White and what does Mt. Carmel stand for?

Answer:
…..Upon the death of Sister White, in 1915, the gift of Inspiration, the active Spirit of Prophecy, became quiescent, no longer manifesting Itself for a time. With the church thus cut off from the very source of its life, as was the Jewish church from the death of the prophet Malachi to the rise of John the Baptist, how could it maintain its vitality and growth? Hence, now as then, there has followed the same inevitable spiritual malnutrition and deformity, accompanied with a long train of woes.

Against this dark background of spiritual decline and consumption (wretchedness, misery poverty, blindness, and nakedness), and imminent end (being spued out), stands out in bold relief the sternly chiseled work of Mt. Carmel Center, as did the flaming summit of ancient Carmel amid the idolatry and decadence of apostate Israel. Again type meets antitype.

And now louder and louder sounds the voice of Carmel, through the series of The Shepherd’s Rod publications, “the Lord’s voice…unto the city, and,” says the Divine Author, “the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the Rod, and Who hath appointed it.” Mic. 6:9.

“Feed thy people,” He commands, “with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel.” Mic. 7:14.

Of necessity, then, Mt. Carmel Center is being built as a base of operations for training and fitting workers to carry this special message to the church; for educating deserving youth; for caring for worthy poor, aged, widowed, and orphaned; and for ministering to the sick and infirm according to God’s plan. It has heard God’s double charge to it: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. 58:1.

Mt. Carmel’s great burden is to get this manifold work done as soon as possible, so that we may then go home to our eternal rest, no more to be fettered with the shackles of sin.

  1. The Answerer vol. 2, p. 64, IS IT TRUE?”:

 

Question No. 35:

We should like to know if it is true as we have heard that Mt. Carmel’s policy is to treat strictly confidential all correspondence and requests for literature.

Answer:
It is one of Mt. Carmel’s inviolable office ethics that no correspondence or requests for literature are made public save at the instance or permission of the writer.

  1. The Answerer vol. 4, p. 24, WHO IS THE KING OF MT. CARMEL CENTER–GOD OR MAN??”:

 

Question No. 88:

Most of us have had a struggle to loose ourselves from the bands laid upon us by the church’s present leadership, and it seems no more than right that we have the assurance that the Lord is directing in all the movements at Mt. Carmel. May we know just how much of the work of Mt. Carmel is under the direction of the Lord?

Answer:
“Satan,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends, and many think it a virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving, and to question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence.”–Testimonies, Vol. 3 p. 255.

Moreover, no man can judge the work by his own wisdom or by the wisdom of other human beings, for, says the Spirit of Truth: “The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness….Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

To Present-truth believers, one of the surest evidences that the Lord is leading in the work of Mt. Carmel, is that regardless of ceaseless opposition, paucity of laborers, and many other handicaps, the work is steadily moving onward with an irresistible power. It is, indeed, like the mustard seed.

  1. Shepherd’s Rod Special Edition p. 73-74 on Ezekiel 4:

To “lay siege against it, means, of course, to invade it with an army of reformatory workers and compel it to surrender — to come to the knowledge of the truth herein revealed. Very evident it is, then, that the message of the hour, and it alone, should be brought before the people of God.

“And build a fort against it” — make sure that none escape, good or bad.

Then “cast a mount”; spare not effort, and take precaution to secure the city.

“Set the camp also against it”; that is, make a temporary lodging place for your workers, Headquarters from which to carry on the work, and make preparation to remain there until you have conquered the city.  This is the devout purpose in building Mt. Carmel Center (In America), this is its given goal.

  1. The Answerer Book No. 5:

  2. Question No. 115 about the dresses adopted by those who reside at Mt. Carmel;
  3. Question No. 121 about the gifts or talents, Some are thus doing by building Mt. Carmel;
  4. Question No. 141 about buying defense bonds;
  5. Question No. 154 about a “Certificate of Fellowship” eligible to hold a position in the Mount Carmel organization;
  6. Question No. 164 and 165 about eligible for matriculation at the Davidic-Levitical Institute.
  1.  
  2. WACO TEXAS, Y 1935, Y 1951,  Y1954
  1. Understanding shared by Victor T. Houteff during his life

The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), p. 4-6, “Today if Ye will Hear His Voice, Harden not Your Hearts”

In the prophecy of Amos we read:

“The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.”

With a few comments on the above scripture, any Bible student will recognize at a glance that it applies at the time of the end, as explained by the gospel prophet: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills;…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”  (Isa. 2:2, 3), which in the language of Amos is, “Utter His voice from Jerusalem.”  Looking to this same time Joel puts it as follows: “And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong that executeth His word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:11.)

As Amos says, “The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn,” it is obvious that Amos’ prophecy is yet future, for the word “habitations” (places) is in the plural form which cannot be applied to one shepherd’s habitation (denomination) but to all that be in existence at that time.  The term “shepherds” means, as understood, the same as “the ancient men which were before the house”–the ministers. “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 211.  Note that the shepherds are not themselves to mourn but their “habitations” (their houses); that is, the membership of their churches, which fact reveals that it will be thus at the time when the sleeping multitudes in the churches awake from their spiritual insensibility and find that the shepherds whom they have implicitly trusted for their salvation had deceived all those who followed them.

The prophet Jeremiah in the following words explains that this wailing by those who are thus deceived will be at the close of probation.  For they shall say “the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. 8:20.)  That is, after the harvest, the time in which they could have been saved, they will realize that probationary time has closed.  Then “the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.”  Hence, before that time the top of Carmel must have been green with much pasture, otherwise there would be nothing to wither; that is, though Carmel has now plenty of pasture (present truth), when probation closes it shall be deserted (“wither”), for says the Spirit of Prophecy: “In the time of trouble we all fled from the cities and villages.”–“Early Writings,” p. 34.

Thus shall the top of Carmel wither, and those who do not take heed to the word, “To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart,” at length will be alarmed that their opportunity for accepting the truth has slipped away.  Then in their hasty, frenzied effort to acquaint themselves with present truth which went forth from the top of Carmel, to their surprise they shall find that Carmel has finished its work, its inhabitants removed, and probation closed, at which time the inhabitants of “Carmel” can but repeat, “the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we have nothing for thee.”

Then it shall come to pass that “They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.  In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”  (Amos 8:12, 13, 11.)  Oh, what a disappointment that will be!

And now “mine eyes” with the eyes of the lamenting prophet, “do fail with tears,…for the destruction of the daughter of my people because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.  Thy prophets [teachers] have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” (Lam. 2:11, 14.)

As the Lord has never left His people in darkness, we find the work of the Shepherd’s Rod clearly outlined in prophecy throughout the Bible, and the only reason that our leading brethren cannot see the truth in it and do not know “who hath appointed it” is because they are trying to see it through dollars and cents instead of through the Spirit of Prophecy, the eyes for the church, through which only can they see the truth and the true state of their condition of spiritual blindness, poverty and wretchedness, and a need for “eyesalve,” “for what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:11.)

But now as “the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come” (John 16:13), for without the Spirit of God “no man” knoweth the things of God.

  1. The prophecy and the last commandment given by Victor T. Houteff at the end of his stint as a shepherd.
  1. The White-House Recruiter, p. 32.

 

Everything that can be done against God’s message of today will be done with even a greater vengeance than was manifest against Heaven’s message in the days of Christ’s first advent, for the Devil knows that if he loses now, he loses forever — that he is to have no other chance. Unparalleled, therefore, is the urgency that every eleventh-hour church member now quickly and solidly brace himself against the Enemy’s effort to deliver a knockout blow. We must be alert, too, to realize that the blow is to come from surprisingly unsuspected foes — from professed friends of the gospel, who are no less pious than were priests in Christ’s day. It is, moreover, but to be expected that the Adversary will employ every agency possible to prevent the Lord from disclosing to view His now obscure 144,000 first-fruit servants, who are to go gather in the second fruits (Rev. 7:9). The Enemy will try everything conceivable to confuse, becloud, and cover up the Truth, especially on the subject of the 144,000.

  1. The Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 1, September 1954, p. 3-5, “PREPARING FOR ALL-OUT EFFORT”:

 

Now again, with even greater emphasis toward reaching her goal, Mount Carmel Center makes the following announcement to all faithful Davidians who will realize that this good news is perhaps nothing short of a sign. Mount Carmel Center, by commencing to first sell its excess property, then the whole is symbolically leading the way to the program that is outlined by the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, in the words:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matthew 13:44, The Lord himself is leading the way.

“ …Jesus has made it possible for you to accept His love, and in happy co-operation with Him to work under its fragrant influence. HE requires you to use your possessions in unselfish service, that His plan for the salvation of souls shall be carried forward with power. He expects you to give your undivided energies to His work.

“ Would you make your property secure? Place it in the hands that bears the nail-print of the crucifixion. Retain it in your possession, and it will be your eternal loss. Give it to God, and from that moment it bears His inscription. It is sealed with His immutability. Would . Would you  enjoy your substance? Then use it for the blessing of the suffering.” –testimonies, Vol. 9. pages 50,51.

“ I saw that if any held on their property, and did not inquire of the Lord as to their duty, He would not make duty known, and they would be permitted to keep their property , and in the time of trouble it would come up before them like a mountain to crush them, and they would try to dispose of it, but would not be able. I heard some mourn like this: ‘ The cause was languishing, God’s people were starving for the truth, and we made no effort to supply the lack; now our property is useless. Oh, that we had let it go, and laid up treasure in heaven!’ I saw that a sacrifice  did not increase, but it decreased ad was consumed, I also saw that God had not required all of His people to dispose off their property at the same time, but they desired to be taught, He would teach them, in a time of need, when to sell and how much to sell. Some have been required to dispose of their property in times past to sustain the advent cause, while others have been permitted to keep theirs until a time of need, Then, as the cause needs it, their duty is to sell”-“ Early Writings,” page 57

…….. We see each passing day more and more that God requires His people to gladly support His cause. First by their tithes and offerings, (Malachi 3:8-10), and at last by selling all, if they would enter into life eternal. He who takes part in the first of His requirements, will at last with joy go all the way by selling all when God gives the command. Thus only may he joyfully buy the “field” with the great “treasure.”

It now becomes very obvious that the time is   short, the he who would be ready for the “great super” and for his eternal home, will have his eyes open to truth and his heart set on his eternal welfare. God will direct him day by day.

Certainly then this move could be a signpost to both Davidians and to Laodiceans that the eleventh-hour message is on the very verge of a final and all-out effort to reclaim the church from the hands of the Enemy.

Then who knows, but the Lord, that this heart stirring example may soon turn into a sounding alarm and be followed by every faithful Davidian believer throughout the land. Even now, the Lord’s example to raise funds by disposing of His possessions, is a loud cry to every Davidian to awake to the fact that he in privileged to join the campaign with faithful tithe and offering at first, and at last to swell the funds by giving everything so that the work may be finished and the saints be gathered home!

  1. ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH

Timely Greetings Vol. 2 No. 2, p. 13, “ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH”:

 

Let us turn to Ezekiel 34, the chapter we are to study today.

Ezek. 34:1, 2:

“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!  should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”

Ezekiel, we read, was given a vision of selfish, greedy, and unworthy shepherds.  Now the first thing of importance is to ascertain whether these selfish shepherds lived in Ezekiel’s day, before his day, or after his day.  To find this information, let us read–

Ezek. 34:23, 24:

“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.  And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.”

The self-centered shepherds against whom the prophet is told to write, are to be replaced by one shepherd, David.  When this takes place God’s people will then have but one shepherd.  This, of course, cannot be Christ Himself, for Inspiration never calls Him David, but rather It calls Him the Son of David.  Since God’s people have always had, and still do have many shepherds, the truth stands out as clear as crystal that the David of verses 23 and 24 is yet to come, and that the shepherds whom Inspiration addresses are in particular those whom David is to succeed.

Ezekiel, then, was not given a vision of the shepherds in his day, nor of those before his day, but of the shepherds after his day — the day in which God raises up this antitypical David to feed His hungry and neglected flock.  God’s people shall then no longer serve strangers, “But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” Jer. 30:9.  Here we see that not only Ezekiel, but Jeremiah also was given a vision of this same truth.  Yes, all the prophets.

Ezek. 37:24, 25:

“And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.”

Since this is the addition to the “Third Angel’s Message” (“Early Writings,” p. 277) and since it is the message of the hour, consequently the day of the Davidian Kingdom is at hand.  Let us turn to

Hos. 3:4, 5:

“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.”

The many days are now almost over and the time for the fulfillment of God’s promises is certainly at the threshold of our time.

Ezek. 34:3:

“Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”

The shepherds in the day the Kingdom is to be set up are accused of taking all they can possibly take from the sheep, and of not giving any care to the sheep.  This must not become our practice.

Ezek. 34:4, 5:

“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.”

This careless attitude on the part of the shepherds is causing the laity to wander from one ism to another in search of spiritual food and physical care.  Yes, they wander, so to speak, from one hill to another, many of whom have figuratively become meat for beasts (isms) because there is no shepherd to care for the sheep, but there are shearers to take the wool from their backs, and the fat from under their ribs.  Shameful, indeed!  And who dare refuse to declare what God says?

Ezek. 34:6-10:

“My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord; As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock; therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”

Let us not fool ourselves any longer.  God cannot be mocked.  He will not for ever forsake His sheep, neither will He for ever retain untrustworthy shepherds herding His sheep.  He will soon discharge them, and will demand that they give an account for their unfaithfulness.  So it is that what a multitude of shepherds have failed to do, one shepherd, even David, will, in God’s hands, get done.

Ezek. 34:13:

“And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.”

In the days of this antitypical David God gathers His flock from all the countries where they have been scattered, and brings them into their own land.  God will no longer leave them in the mountains and the hills of the Gentiles.  “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” Hos. 1:11; 3:5.

Ezek. 34:11-16:

“For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.  I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”

“…God has promised that where the shepherds are not true he will take charge of the flock himself.  God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities.  But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace.  God will have a people pure and true.  In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel.  The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor.” — “Testimonies”, Vol. 5, pg. 80.

  1. TECHNOLOGY TO ACCOMPLISH GOD WORKS

 

The White-House Recruiter, p. 35:

 

Because time and the gospel are at their climatic hour, and the work is consequently of transcendent scope, expansion, and importance, yet of exceeding short duration, God has inspired man to invent and build time and labor-saving, wonder-working, earth-mastering, tools and machinery of all kinds — marvels which would have staggered the imagination and beggared the credulity of former generations, notwithstanding that centuries aforehand “the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity” (Isa. 57:15), declared: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4.

CLOSING

Let us ever bear in mind that we of ourselves know nothing about God’s plans except as told through His appointed servants, the prophets, and as we witness them day by day.  If we daily walk with God, if we commit all to Him, then the responsibility is all His. — Timely Greetings Vol. 1 No. 7 p. 1, “WHAT MAKES ONE ELIGIBLE?”.

 

 

Additional for Topic: Timely Greetings Vol. 2 No. 2, p. 13, “ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH”:

 

 

Izaiah 63:1-5:

1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

Zakharia 13:6, 7:

6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

DAVIDIAN SDA ORGANISATION AND THEIR ISSUES

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Every Christian either Adventist or non-Adventist believe that God is working through the church organization to proclaim the gospel to the World same as how He did in the past. We believe that the existence of the church organization today is because of God, therefor it became a norm for Christian to have sentiment to the organization they belong to and to the extent that when we talk about Christian it means an organization itself. 

As an end time people, specifically to the group of five wise virgin, how are we going to answer the following questions: i) Is God still working through the Laodicean organization, Davidian Seventh Day Adventist (DSDA), to complete His work on the earth?; ii) how far the existence of the organization will affect our salvation?; iii) In another word, should we rely on the organization for our salvation?

No double many of us would have heard pro and contra of the importance of the Davidian organization in Waco, hence some of us might have had second thought of the existence of the organization.

To answer the questions above, it is important to every bible scholar to always remember the official procedure provided by Old Testament prophet Zacharia in Zacharia 4 in which the product of Inspiration or the result of interpretations of those mysteries of the Bible by the end time prophets, was represented by the flow of golden oil out of both olive trees through the two main pipes into the golden bowl, which represents the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY of Revelation 19 : 10. Thus the two main pipes should have represented the end time prophets of Bro. William Miller, Mrs. White and Bro. Victor T. Houteff. 

  • EXISTENCY OF THE FIVE WISE VIRGIN AND BASIC GUIDELINES

The servant of God, V.T.Houteff in his quotations below said that any interpretation of the Bible shall be supported by every sentence of the Bible itself and in harmony one and other as they are from the same source. Misalignment is an unbiblical.

“—- that it is never fair for one to assume a stand on an issue, solely on the weight of opinion derived from one or two verses, without first considering the verses in the light of the whole chapter, yes, even of the entire Bible; for if one’s interpretation of the Scriptures is not supported by every sentence of Holy Writ, it is a fallacious interpretation, a blind conclusion, without Bible foundation.”  — Why Perish, “What About Women Teaching?”pp. 75,76.

“Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements.”Question and answer book 3, Question No 56, page 40.


“No candid Bible student would build a theory upon an interpretation that would lead him to set aside all other scriptures on the subject. He will seek to make his final analysis in such a way as to be in perfect harmony with all of them, or else confess that he does not have the light on the subject.”  —
Question and Answer book 3, Question No 65, page 52.

 

Here we are told that prophecy, a vision, is the acid test by which to judge purported Bible Truth; that is, if the thing is not in prophecy, if there is no vision of it found in the writings of the prophets, then, there is no truth in it.  Yes, the visions of the prophets are to be our visions if we must be preserved. ……. — Timely Greetings II book 4 No. 24 p. 14, “THE PEOPLE THAT HARDLY STAND A CHANCE.”

”Now, if never before we should see that where there is a type there is also an anti type, and that where there is no type, there is no Truth.” — Timely Greetings I book 8 No. 47 p. 14, “JACOB’S TIME OF TROUBLE.”

The servant of God V.T.Houteff subsequently describing the great disappointment in 1844 through the quotation below that as much as we thought we know everything, no man is able to fully understand God’s plans unless He reveals to His servant, the prophets and according to what we witness from day to day. William Miller and his fellow were in the great disappointment as they were expected second coming of Jesus in 1844 however later some of small group of his fellowship whom reinvestigated the prophecies found the missing link of Miller interpretation.

Here is seen that Inspiration does not at once lighten our path clear to the end, but that It does so step by step; that God’s Truth is progressive; that we can never really say we have all the Truth to carry us clear through to the Pearly Gates. Timely Greetings I book 3 No. 11 p. 11, “BUILD THE CITIES, COMFORT ZION, CHOOSE JERUSALEM.”

 

Let us ever bear in mind that we of ourselves know nothing about God’s plans except as told through His appointed servants, the prophets, and as we witness them day by day.  If we daily walk with God, if we commit all to Him, then the responsibility is all His. Timely Greetings I book 2 No. 7 p. 6, “What Makes One Eligible?.”

  • THE TRUTH THAT ARE STILL REVEALING TO US FORM TIME TO TIME

As a Bible scholar we should be honest to ourselves that no man able to understand God’s plan and as how God has revealed His plan in the past, He will reveal His plan like a roll of paper, bit by bit and we have to be ready to change our understanding with the new discover available to us from time to time. We need to pray for Holy Spirit to lead us continually and to show us the right path at every intersection along our journey to the end.

 

 

  1. Timely Greetings Book 3 Vol. 1 No. 13 p. 5, “The Revival And Reformation”.

 

“…… It should be remembered that we are not the first and the only people who have had to change our way of thinking; we are not the first and only people to discover that God’s plans are the opposite of our plans.  Moses, too, found that his plan for delivering the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage was not God’s plan.  Likewise God’s plan for the route they were to take in their journey to the promised land was not their plan.  The apostles positively believed that Christ was to set up His kingdom at His first advent, but they, too, had to change their belief.  Moreover, since the Hebrews, whom out of slaves God had made kings, had been promised that their kingdom was to stand forever, they were indeed astounded when it went down.  And there have been other surprises all along from the dawn of history.”

 

As Inspiration unrolls the Scroll it is, of course, but to be expected that it will find us surprisingly ignorant of many things — the very reason that It unrolls.  If we, therefore, fail to exchange our ideas for the Lord’s then what hope is there for us ever to become enlightened and fitted for eternity?  Our ideas are to fall flat, and the Lord’s prophecies are to stand “high and lifted up.”  Our duty is to prove God’s Word correct rather than to hold tenaciously to our preconceptions and misconceptions until God Himself steps in and puts us to shame.

  1. Timely Greetings Book 4, Vol.1 No. 20 p. 10, Opening Prayer Thought, “THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH, THE SIFTING OF THE NATIONS”.

The disciples expected Jerusalem in their time to become the capital of God’s great Kingdom.  But contrary to their expectations, Jesus proclaimed that Jerusalem would become a desolation, and the temple a ruin!  Thus again and again we are led to see that we finite beings never know God’s plans.  Indeed, we need to pray for His Spirit to lead us on and on, and to point out the right way at every turn as we journey onward to Eternity.  Let us now pray that the knowledge of these truths will make us just what we ought to be.

  1. The Great Controversy, p. 343, “Chapter 19: Light Through Darkness”.

But no man, however honored of Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation of the divine purpose in the work for his own time. Men do not fully understand what God would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do; they do not comprehend, in all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name.

  1. Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300, chapter 42, “The Need of Divine Guidance”.

 

“Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”

Application of Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300 according to the Answerer Book 4, Questions No. 88,  “WHO IS THE KING OF MT. CARMEL CENTER–GOD OR MAN?”

 

Question No. 88:

Most of us have had a struggle to loose ourselves from the bands laid upon us by the church’s present leadership, and it seems no more than right that we have the assurance that the Lord is directing in all the movements at Mt. Carmel. May we know just how much of the work of Mt. Carmel is under the direction of the Lord?

Answer:

“Satan,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends, and many think it a virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving, and to question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence.”–Testimonies, Vol. 3 p. 255.

Moreover, no man can judge the work by his own wisdom or by the wisdom of other human beings, for, says the Spirit of Truth: “The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness….Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

To Present-truth believers, one of the surest evidences that the Lord is leading in the work of Mt. Carmel, is that regardless of ceaseless opposition, paucity of laborers, and many other handicaps, the work is steadily moving onward with an irresistible power. It is, indeed, like the mustard seed.

  1. DOES GOD STILL WORK THROUGHT THE ORGANISATION TO ACOMPLISH HIS WORKS?
  1. Reasons for the need for organizations, to organize assistance to gospel work, to pass on duties to areas (managerial reasons and not spiritual reasons).

Testimonials to Ministers, p.26

“Because the number of our members has increased, it is manifest that without some form of organization there will be much chaos, so that the work cannot possibly be successfully advanced to organize assistance to the work of the gospel, to pass on the task to the regions. As well as for a variety of other purposes, the organization cannot be needed “

Explanation:

From Mrs. White’s writing above, it appears that the existence of the organization is intended not to be spiritual or salvation related but is intended only for managerial/administrative purposes. The Adventist church (SDA) was established in 1863 however Mrs. White and the early founder of SDA had been since 1844 commencing their movement. The Davidian organization as a reorganizational organization of the General Conference was only established in 1935 even though V.T. Houteff has introduced his messages in 1929.

Therefor it can be concluded that the existence of the organization has no intention of determining salvation other than the above intent, which is for managerial purposes. It is very unfair if salvation can only be obtained after the establishment of an organization because if a person who joins a small group  who revisited the error made by William Miller in 1844 and participates in the movement of the Advent church was initially unable to obtain salvation simply because the person died before the formation of the organization of SDA in 1863. Similarly, for the Davidians who received the Message of the Shepperd Rod in 1929 but died before the formation of the organization in 1935 and there was no salvation.

  1. God has not put any power in our ranks to control His work.

 

The Great Paradox Of The Ages, p. 39

 

“Now I want to say, God has not put any kingly power in our ranks to control this or that branch of the work. The work has been greatly restricted by the efforts to control it in every line. Here is a vineyard presenting its barren places that have received no labor. And if one should start out to till these places in the name of the Lord, unless he should get the permission of the men in a little circle of authority, he would receive no help. God means that His workers shall have help. If a hundred should start out on a mission to destitute fields, crying unto God, He would open the way before them.

 

“Let me tell you, if your heart is in the work, and you have faith in God, you need not depend upon the sanction of any minister or any people: if you go right to work in the name of the Lord, in a humble way doing what you can to teach the truth, God will vindicate you.

 

“If the work had not been so restricted by an impediment here, and an impediment there, and on the other side an impediment, it would have gone forward in its majesty. It would have gone in weakness at first; but the God of heaven lives.” — Review and Herald, April 16, 1901.

Comparing with:

“The government of Israel was administered in the name and by the authority of God. The work of Moses, of the seventy elders, of the rulers and judges, was simply to enforce the laws that God had given; they had no authority to legislate for the nation. This was, and continued to be, the condition of Israel’s existence as a nation. From age to age, men inspired by God were sent to instruct the people, and to direct in the enforcement of the laws.” — Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 603.

  1. Exalt The Gift of Governments and The Gift of Tongues are higher than The Gift of The Prophets

 

The Great Paradox of the Ages, p. 6, “The Need Of Prophecy”:

“As the gift of prophets is, according to the Scriptures, second in order of the gifts to the church, and the gift of governments and that of diversity of tongues are last, obviously, then, those who despise the gift of prophecy but exalt the gift of governments and the gift of tongues, are pulling the cart from its rear end, and are going in the wrong direction. To such, Christ is saying: “Knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Rev. 3:17.

 

Why Perish, p. 5-6, “Prophesied Until John”:

“While most of these gifts, especially tongues and governments, are zealously sought after by the Christian churches, the one — “prophets” — that was despised by the Jews, is wholly rejected by almost all Christendom! Thus the spirit that instigated the killing of the ancient seers at the hand of the Jewish leaders, is today doing virtually the same sort of destructive work through organized opposition”.

 

  1. The Great Paradox of the Ages p. 62, “TO THE LEADING BRETHREN”:

“Men…through selfishness…crowd down the very ones whom God is using to diffuse the light He has given them…Satan’s skill is exercised….He works to restrict religious liberty….Organizations…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….such men assume to exercise the prerogatives of God — they presume to do that which God Himself will not do in seeking to control the minds of men. Thus they follow in the track of Romanism…. In such arrangements the man who allows his mind to be ruled by the mind of another is thus separated from God and exposed to temptation….but God has plainly set it before us. He says, ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm. — Testimonies Vol. 7, pp. 179, 180, 181, 178.

Explanation:
Let us examine history whether the above quotations are true, which in essence show that Satan uses organizations as a powerful tool to make humans depend on other humans.
For example, when the Lutheran church received the message offered by John Knox, the Lutheran church rejected the message, then some who accepted the message formed a new church, the Presbyterian, with the addition of a new message of Grace. From this example we can see that at that time why they formed a new church, this is because the Lutheran church organizationally rejected the message and some of the people from the church left and formed a new church, meaning that the people at that time were divided into two, namely, first depending on the Organization and secondly depending solely on truth. This is the case with the history of other well-known churches up to our day, when the Adventist church offered the V.T Houteff message, the congregation was divided into two groups, namely that some remain dependent on the General Conference and some who were humble depended only on the truth, progress into the development of meat in due season. It turns out that after we are now in a group of 5 wise virgins, it turns out that again there are also types of people who actually organize and as religious people. That is why we are individually reminded to not depend on humans, but to always test the truth presented to us and choose which one is right. Ephesians 4:11 – we need to be shepherded by evangelists, pastors and teachers so that we are not tossed by the wind teaching.

  1. The Symbolic Code book 1, Vol. 11 No. 3 p. 9-10, “WHAT PRICE THE “EXTRA OIL”?:

“Many have asked who is eligible to lead in the service of the work? The answer that goes out from Mt. Carmel is that anyone not holding a Certificate of Fellowship cannot be a Davidian teacher.  He can listen only.  Yet just the granting of a Certificate of Fellowship is a cheap thing.  That in itself would have no significance…..”

  1. A person who is not a member of the Seventh-day Adventist congregation can be one of the 144,000

 

The Answerer vol. 4, p. 34-35, “DOES MEMBERSHIP SUPERSEDE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH?”:

 

Question No. 93:

Although I am not a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, yet since I have the light on Ezekiel 9 and on the truth of the 144,000, will I fall in the slaughter of the wicked if I do not fully accept and live up to the light? And, conversely, will I be subject to the enjoyment of the privileges of the 144,000 and be one of them if I obey all the light of this message?

Answer:
Even though you are not a member of the church, still you will be held accountable for the light which you have on the subject, for no one finds the truth accidentally, or sees it without the Holy Spirit’s aid.

By the same law of accountability or sacred responsibility, even though you may have come into the message only recently you can be eligible for the election of the 144,000 if you live up to the message that is to purify and seal them. Whether or not for a certainty, however, you will be one of them, we do not know, but if you are faithful to the message, you will at least be one with them.

Comments:
From this explanation, we can get a picture that it is possible for a person whose status is like the questioner to have the opportunity to become one of the 144,000, even though that person has not become Seventh-day Adventist Church member, and of course he is not yet a member of the Davidian organization.

  1. Satan has always succeeded in bringing down every movement (organization) to this day

 

The Answerer vol. 1, p. 59-60, IS SATAN WHOLESALING OR RETAILING DECEPTION?”:

 

Question No. 4:

Does Satan cast a special stumbling block before the church as a body, or just attack its members individually?

 

Answer:
…… Thus we see that the Reformation, which, originally under the direction of inspired men, lifted the church out of one morass, later under the direction of uninspired men, plunged her into another, wherein she has been floundering ever since. And unless we let the Truth extricate us from this fatal bog of confusion, we cannot defeat the Enemy of Inspiration in his tireless and powerful efforts to pervert the implements of our salvation into weapons for our destruction.

The Eleventh-hour Movement, being the very last, is consequently in the greatest danger of all. What urgency, then, that we keep our eyes wide open lest we, too, fall! This Movement, however, being the last gospel effort, must “give power and force” to the Third Angel’s Message and “lighten the earth with his glory” (Rev. 18:1); it must triumph, though every Movement before it has failed …..

Comments:
From V.T. Houteff’s answer above, we can get the understanding that basically Satan attacks not only movements or organizations but also individuals, but in his successful attacks, it is clearly seen in an attempt to overthrow a movement or organization while not all (partially) individuals can conquer, it depends on how strong our defense is, not to use our feelings, as Mrs. White stated:

“The religion of Christ is not a religion of mere feelings. You cannot possibly depend on feelings for a proof of God’s approval, because feelings are arbitrary. You must plant your feet in the promises of God’s word … and learn to live. by faith. As soon as a person begins to consider one’s feelings, one is on a dangerous footing.In Heavenly Places p. 126

Therefore, we are reminded to be careful as the Eleventh Hour movement because Satan is realizing that if he loses now he will lose forever.

  1. God will work in this latter work in a completely different way than usual

 

Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300:

 

“.…Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”

 

Comments:
In this quotation we get the following conclusions:

  1. “The Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things.”
    To understand these words, we need to look at the history of the prophets and gain an understanding of how God normally works.

For example, when Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God guided the Israelites on a journey to the land of Canaan through one leader, namely Moses, then Aaron and Yusak, during the time of the Apostles as well, God guided God’s people under the leadership of the Apostles. this and so on until the new Prophets. This is the usual way that God did in the past, then in this last work the way he does it is different from usual, that is, God will take control in his own hands.

This means that even though in the past He also controlled God’s work, it was seen that He was still carrying out the work through the old testament prophets, messengers and new testament prophets, while especially in this last work (different from the usual) Mrs.White said “God will use the means and means by which it will appear, that He is holding the rulership of government in His own hands, the workers will be fascinated by the simple means by which He will make and solidify His work of justification. by simple means “.

The shape of how God is in control in his own hands can be seen from the above quotes in The Great Paradox Of The Ages p.45, Timely Greetings book 4 vol.2 p.32 and Timely Greetings book 8 vol.2 p.92.

  1. “Contrary to any human planning“.

Every human being has an understanding that any work will be accomplished through the top leadership of the organization as well as the work of God, this understanding is an understanding that is owned by Catholics, Protestants, people of the world in general, including the General Conference, this is also owned by Davidians, namely through the summit Texas Wako leadership the work of gathering 144,000 people will be carried out.

If indeed this last work was carried out also through the leadership of the organization and did not contradict the understandings held by many people, including the Texas Mayor and his followers, then of course Mrs. White is wrong, and of course in this case we have the wrong understanding, therefore if we want to be involved in the implementation of the last work, first we have to find out how the work will be carried out and secondly are willing to change our understandings. so far it has been followed and guided.

  1. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God.”
    These words will really come true when the prophet who combines his voice with the third angel has died, that is, as mentioned in the book Paradox above there will be the efforts of a group of “small powers” who put a king’s power.
  1. I will point my hands to the little ones

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 18 , “THE END OF HUMAN IDOLS AND THEIR WORSHIPERS”:

 

On the V.T. Houteff’s sermon of 23 November 1946, regarding “The end of the human gods and their worshipers”, V.T. Houteff uses Zechariah 13: 6,7, among other things, to say, “…….smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones.” V.T. Houteff in his explanation of the above simply says “I have no specific comment on verses 6 and 7 other than what is generally understood among Christians”.

Explanation:
In accordance with the understanding commonly held by Christians, this verse was first fulfilled in the time of Jesus at his first coming, and what happened to Jesus (machined) then He became an example for an example of his rival in our time, namely V.T. Houteff as God’s shepherd was struck (died) and after the absence of a prophet for us now the sheep were scattered and according to this prophecy God would choose the small ones, this shows that at the same time there must be a large group, but God was not pleased with the group, then the group chosen by God was the small one which showed plural (more than one) groups), and because the number of these small groups is more than one, it shows that God no longer entrusts one top leader of the organization (this is what says that God will use a different method than usual as in Testimonies to Ministers p. 300) , they are directly under God’s control.

On the understanding that this verse was only fulfilled at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross, if we follow the guidelines given by Mrs. White that we are not allowed to take a verse out of context, it must be admitted that the verses before and after all talk about the end of time. So there is no reason not to say the verse talks about the journey of the 144000 candidates as the other verses.

Meanwhile, the meaning conveyed by V.T. Houteff who said that the meaning of the verse was the same as that understood by the Christian world in general, because it is as in the writings of V.T. Houteff about Mount Carmel seems that he was unaware of the things that would happen after he died (about the disbandment of the organization by Mrs. Houteff in 1962 so that there was no longer a Davidian organization in Waco Texas).

  1. The threshing that took place at Edom and Bozra

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, p. 10, No. 43 , “THE YEAR OF HIS REDEEMED — THE SIGN OF THE DAY OF VENGEANCE”:


Isaiah 63: 1

“”Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?  this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength?  I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

In vision the prophet saw someone with bloodstained garments hastily returning from Edom and Bozrah. To the prophet’s question, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” came the answer, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

Who else could this person be but the Lord Himself, the Saviour of the world, the Mighty One to save?

Again the prophet asked,

Isaiah 63: 2

“”Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

The answer to these questions introduces a series of solemn events, the events recorded in:

Isaiah 63: 3-5

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment.  For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine Own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.”

Explanation of V.T. Houteff:

…… at His first advent, though there was no one with Him to help; that is, all the priests and religious leaders — the General Conference of His day (the Sanhedrin) were against Him instead of helping Him in His work.  But the statements, “for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment; for the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come”; and “I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine Own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me” (all in future tense) — show the present church’s condition not only equally as bad as at His first coming, but even much worse.  How true that history repeats!  As the day of vengeance approaches, those who are supposed to uphold and help in the work of redemption, the ministers and religious leaders, the antitypical Sanhedrin of today (the General Conference), are seen to be hindering, standing in His way of reaching the people…

Since God’s people of today are not in the land of Edom, south of Palestine, but are scattered throughout the earth, and since the Lord is to slay their enemies in order to free them, the truth is obvious: These are antitypical Edom and Bozrah.

After Esau of old sold his birthright for a mess of pottage he was called Edom; and the name Bozrah means “sheepfold.”  Plainly, then, the Edomites of Isaiah 63:1 are those who in our day have sold their birthright, and who at the same time are persecuting (as did Esau persecute Jacob) those who have bought it, so to speak.  Thus it is that as God’s people had to be delivered from the Sanhedrin in Christ’s day, they must now be delivered from the General Conference, the antitypical Edomite brethren, in order to be led into all Truth, and into their fathers’ land.

The words, “the year of My redeemed is come,” and “the day of vengeance is in Mine heart,” clearly says that the Lord’s strange work in Edom and Bozrah is the day of vengeance and a sign of antitypical Israel’s (the church purified) returning to the home land.

Comments:
V.T. Houteff is quite clear that God will do the cleaning in two places, namely on Edom and Bosrah, but even though Houteff gave an explanation of who is represented by Bosrah, namely the “sheepfold”, he did not explain further, so we can conclude that as we have understood that the cleansing will only occur in the congregation – the Laodicean Congregation which consists of only two classes that is, Esau and Jacob have no other class, of course if it is clear that Edom represents Esau, then Bosrah must be from Jacob’s side.

So thus the purification according to prophecy will occur at the General Conference and its followers and the General Association of Davidian (Waco Texas), of course, along with its followers.

  1. The Organization after the formation of the 144,000

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, p. 6-7, No. 15 , “THAT WHICH IS TO BE DURING THE SIXTH TRUMPET WHILE PROBATION STILL LASTS”:

It shows that the perfect organization according to God’s plan is an organization after the formation of the 144,000, so that if at present it is inappropriate to uphold an imperfect organization, even more so from the fruits it is clear that those in Waco Texas today are truly fulfill Mrs. White and V.T. Houteff is acting like a king, controlling every work that they themselves do not share, having faith like the priests of Jesus’ day.

  1. Work will not be completed form one central place

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 45 p. 16, , “WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY? WHO MAY TAKE HOLD OF IT? AND WHO MAY MISS IT?”:

 

Now the manifest truth is that if time should last, and if we are to stay in the pathway of true Christianity where the light shines, then all must do something about this badly neglected work of caring for the needy, for it cannot be accomplished from one central location, but must necessarily be localized to every state and country wherever the message of the hour takes “root downward and bears fruit upward.” Isa. 37:31.

Comments:
From this writing V.T. Houteff clearly shows that this last work does not depend on any decision from the center, but will be resolved in the regions and countries independently. Thus there is no reason for everything to wait for approval from the center, this shows that the practice that has occurred so far clearly fulfills the words in the Review and Herald, April 16, 1901, namely regarding God not placing any king’s power whatsoever.

In addition, the words that state that the work will not be completed from a centralized place, reinforces the understanding that the evangelists, shepherds and teachers of truth now dig about shepherds who are cut off from the prophecies of Zechariah 13: 6,7 are not only fulfilled as they have. among Christians that is only fulfilled by the death of Jesus in the past 31 years, but the death of Jesus is also an example for an example of a rival at the death of V.T. Houteff himself and the Waco Texas Davidian organization disbanded. Then the work after 1962 until the fulfillment of Ezekiel chapter 9 was transferred to small groups or groups which were directly under God’s control.

  1. The ones who will be in charge of His vineyard are the ones who never get a lift

 

The Acts of The Apostles, p 110

“God will send forth into His vineyard many who have not been dedicated to the ministry by the laying on of hands”.

Comments:

This shows that these jobs are not representatives of the organization, because if they are from the organization, of course they can be on duty after getting a lift – being appointed. Thus they are of course responsible only directly to God (because the last work is in God’s own hand).

  1. People will ally (confederate) against God, Satan’s agents are in every city, while busy organizing into groups of people who are against God’s law.

 

Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 41, 42

“This is the picture that was shown to me. But the congregation still has to fight against visible and invisible enemies. Satan’s agents in human form are now on the ground. People have joined forces (confederate) to fight against God in all nature. All this fellowship will continue until Christ later leaves His place of defense in front of the engraved chair and puts on the robes of vengeance. Satan’s agents are in every city, busy organizing into groups of people who are against God’s law. The saints and the unbelievers took a stand and then sided with these groups. There is no time now for God’s people to be weak people. We can no longer be negligent for a moment to stand guard. “

Comments:
From the words of the explanation V.T. Houteff, clearly shows that in the last work for the congregation, Satan will work using the agents who are affiliated with using the means of fellowship or organization to fight against God and all nature. Its agents will exist in every city and its activities in the last days will be very busy inviting large numbers of people to become part of the fellowship or organization branches. This alliance does not only ensnare non-believers but also candidates for “Saints” (so the conclusion that there are no two types of groups in the court cleansing that will take place is unreasonable because there are clearly two groups, namely people who do not believe on the one hand. and the saints on the other).
Because of the methods used by Satan in such a way, God’s people are warned not to be negligent for a moment to watch.

  1. Every church organization that has followed has failed to keep pace with the advancement of the Truth, only as individuals can see this.

 

Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, p. 20, No. 26 , “SHINTOISM AND NON-PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY”:

 

So to ask why Mohammedans and Buddhists are still Mohammedans and Buddhists — why have they not advanced since Mohammed and Buddha died, is like asking why Catholics have not yet become Lutherans, why Lutherans have not yet become Presbyterians, why Presbyterians have not yet become Methodists, why Methodists have not yet become Baptists, why Baptists have not yet become Seventh-day Adventists, and why Seventh-day Adventists have not yet become Davidian Seventh-day Adventists? The overall answer is that each successive denomination has failed to keep pace with the progress of Truth because each has failed to climb higher than the height of the founder of each respective denomination could possibly have led them in his life time.

The same spirit prevailed in the Christian church.  She never rose above the level on which the Apostles left her, and for a time she even fell almost to the bottom of the pit.  And she would have dropped out had God not again visited His people in the persons of Luther, Knox, Wesley, Campbell and the other reformers, through whom the Lord brought to light certain parts of Bible Truth that had long been trampled under foot.  But did the Christian world as a whole see the Light?  And did all walk in It?  No, indeed not, not as a people, but only as individuals.  This is what accounts for the present multi-sectarian world…

Comments:
From the explanation of V.T. Houteff is clear that every church organization has failed to adjust its steps with the progress of truth, only because of the death of its founder because they depend on humans not on the word of God), only individuals who are honest and do not depend on anyone (including the prophet-founder of the community) who can see the development of the truth and do not matter whether or not there is an organization that covers every truth in its development.

 

  1. Several times the trial was overthrown by leaders from within the congregation itself.

Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 7 p. “An Unpublished Letter Of Interest”:

 

Let it be remembered that God’s servants seldom met opposition from the world.  Their trouble was from false brethren in the church.  We shall never be able to do the work of Elijah by good words and fair speeches.  And if we bear the message of Elijah, we shall incur the displeasure of the unconsecrated and demand a fight to the finish.  It is also true that the church of God has never been led away from the Truth by a false message or persecution; she was overthrown time and again by the leaderships from within the church.  Such have split the church in numerous sections and brought about division after division and disrepute to the cause of Christ.

 

 

  1. THE EXISTENCE OF WACO TEXAS AS MOUNT CARMEL while Victor T. Houteff was still alive and on his assignment

The servant of God Houteff when was still alive and during his presidency explaining about the existence of Waco Texas as Mount Carmel as follows: 

 

  1. The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), p. 4, “Today if Ye will Hear His Voice, Harden not Your Hearts”:

”True we are establishing our headquarters on this mount that is found in prophecy, but our stay here shall be very, very short, for “He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Rom. 9:28.)

It might be interesting to Elder G. to know that the naming of our “camp” “Mt. Carmel Center” came about in the same way as the naming of our publications “The Shepherd’s Rod,” for we did not know before hand that it was in prophecy until after our attention was called to Mic. 7:14 and Amos 1:2.

  1. The Answerer vol. 3, p. 53-64, ON WHICH SIDE WILL YOU BE?”:

 

Question No. 66:

How do the Davidians regard the Seventh-day Adventist denomination? What position do they take concerning the writings of Mrs. E.G. White and what does Mt. Carmel stand for?

Answer:
…..Upon the death of Sister White, in 1915, the gift of Inspiration, the active Spirit of Prophecy, became quiescent, no longer manifesting Itself for a time. With the church thus cut off from the very source of its life, as was the Jewish church from the death of the prophet Malachi to the rise of John the Baptist, how could it maintain its vitality and growth? Hence, now as then, there has followed the same inevitable spiritual malnutrition and deformity, accompanied with a long train of woes.

Against this dark background of spiritual decline and consumption (wretchedness, misery poverty, blindness, and nakedness), and imminent end (being spued out), stands out in bold relief the sternly chiseled work of Mt. Carmel Center, as did the flaming summit of ancient Carmel amid the idolatry and decadence of apostate Israel. Again type meets antitype.

And now louder and louder sounds the voice of Carmel, through the series of The Shepherd’s Rod publications, “the Lord’s voice…unto the city, and,” says the Divine Author, “the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the Rod, and Who hath appointed it.” Mic. 6:9.

“Feed thy people,” He commands, “with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel.” Mic. 7:14.

Of necessity, then, Mt. Carmel Center is being built as a base of operations for training and fitting workers to carry this special message to the church; for educating deserving youth; for caring for worthy poor, aged, widowed, and orphaned; and for ministering to the sick and infirm according to God’s plan. It has heard God’s double charge to it: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. 58:1.

Mt. Carmel’s great burden is to get this manifold work done as soon as possible, so that we may then go home to our eternal rest, no more to be fettered with the shackles of sin.

  1. The Answerer vol. 2, p. 64, IS IT TRUE?”:

 

Question No. 35:

We should like to know if it is true as we have heard that Mt. Carmel’s policy is to treat strictly confidential all correspondence and requests for literature.

Answer:
It is one of Mt. Carmel’s inviolable office ethics that no correspondence or requests for literature are made public save at the instance or permission of the writer.

  1. The Answerer vol. 4, p. 24, WHO IS THE KING OF MT. CARMEL CENTER–GOD OR MAN??”:

 

Question No. 88:

Most of us have had a struggle to loose ourselves from the bands laid upon us by the church’s present leadership, and it seems no more than right that we have the assurance that the Lord is directing in all the movements at Mt. Carmel. May we know just how much of the work of Mt. Carmel is under the direction of the Lord?

Answer:
“Satan,” says the Spirit of Prophecy, “has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends, and many think it a virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving, and to question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence.”–Testimonies, Vol. 3 p. 255.

Moreover, no man can judge the work by his own wisdom or by the wisdom of other human beings, for, says the Spirit of Truth: “The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness….Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 300.

To Present-truth believers, one of the surest evidences that the Lord is leading in the work of Mt. Carmel, is that regardless of ceaseless opposition, paucity of laborers, and many other handicaps, the work is steadily moving onward with an irresistible power. It is, indeed, like the mustard seed.

  1. Shepherd’s Rod Special Edition p. 73-74 on Ezekiel 4:

To “lay siege against it, means, of course, to invade it with an army of reformatory workers and compel it to surrender — to come to the knowledge of the truth herein revealed. Very evident it is, then, that the message of the hour, and it alone, should be brought before the people of God.

“And build a fort against it” — make sure that none escape, good or bad.

Then “cast a mount”; spare not effort, and take precaution to secure the city.

“Set the camp also against it”; that is, make a temporary lodging place for your workers, Headquarters from which to carry on the work, and make preparation to remain there until you have conquered the city.  This is the devout purpose in building Mt. Carmel Center (In America), this is its given goal.

  1. The Answerer Book No. 5:

  2. Question No. 115 about the dresses adopted by those who reside at Mt. Carmel;
  3. Question No. 121 about the gifts or talents, Some are thus doing by building Mt. Carmel;
  4. Question No. 141 about buying defense bonds;
  5. Question No. 154 about a “Certificate of Fellowship” eligible to hold a position in the Mount Carmel organization;
  6. Question No. 164 and 165 about eligible for matriculation at the Davidic-Levitical Institute.
  1.  
  2. WACO TEXAS, Y 1935, Y 1951,  Y1954
  1. Understanding shared by Victor T. Houteff during his life

The Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 14. (August, 1935), p. 4-6, “Today if Ye will Hear His Voice, Harden not Your Hearts”

In the prophecy of Amos we read:

“The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.”

With a few comments on the above scripture, any Bible student will recognize at a glance that it applies at the time of the end, as explained by the gospel prophet: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills;…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”  (Isa. 2:2, 3), which in the language of Amos is, “Utter His voice from Jerusalem.”  Looking to this same time Joel puts it as follows: “And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong that executeth His word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:11.)

As Amos says, “The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn,” it is obvious that Amos’ prophecy is yet future, for the word “habitations” (places) is in the plural form which cannot be applied to one shepherd’s habitation (denomination) but to all that be in existence at that time.  The term “shepherds” means, as understood, the same as “the ancient men which were before the house”–the ministers. “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 5, p. 211.  Note that the shepherds are not themselves to mourn but their “habitations” (their houses); that is, the membership of their churches, which fact reveals that it will be thus at the time when the sleeping multitudes in the churches awake from their spiritual insensibility and find that the shepherds whom they have implicitly trusted for their salvation had deceived all those who followed them.

The prophet Jeremiah in the following words explains that this wailing by those who are thus deceived will be at the close of probation.  For they shall say “the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. 8:20.)  That is, after the harvest, the time in which they could have been saved, they will realize that probationary time has closed.  Then “the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.”  Hence, before that time the top of Carmel must have been green with much pasture, otherwise there would be nothing to wither; that is, though Carmel has now plenty of pasture (present truth), when probation closes it shall be deserted (“wither”), for says the Spirit of Prophecy: “In the time of trouble we all fled from the cities and villages.”–“Early Writings,” p. 34.

Thus shall the top of Carmel wither, and those who do not take heed to the word, “To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart,” at length will be alarmed that their opportunity for accepting the truth has slipped away.  Then in their hasty, frenzied effort to acquaint themselves with present truth which went forth from the top of Carmel, to their surprise they shall find that Carmel has finished its work, its inhabitants removed, and probation closed, at which time the inhabitants of “Carmel” can but repeat, “the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we have nothing for thee.”

Then it shall come to pass that “They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.  In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”  (Amos 8:12, 13, 11.)  Oh, what a disappointment that will be!

And now “mine eyes” with the eyes of the lamenting prophet, “do fail with tears,…for the destruction of the daughter of my people because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.  Thy prophets [teachers] have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” (Lam. 2:11, 14.)

As the Lord has never left His people in darkness, we find the work of the Shepherd’s Rod clearly outlined in prophecy throughout the Bible, and the only reason that our leading brethren cannot see the truth in it and do not know “who hath appointed it” is because they are trying to see it through dollars and cents instead of through the Spirit of Prophecy, the eyes for the church, through which only can they see the truth and the true state of their condition of spiritual blindness, poverty and wretchedness, and a need for “eyesalve,” “for what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:11.)

But now as “the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come” (John 16:13), for without the Spirit of God “no man” knoweth the things of God.

  1. The prophecy and the last commandment given by Victor T. Houteff at the end of his stint as a shepherd.
  1. The White-House Recruiter, p. 32.

 

Everything that can be done against God’s message of today will be done with even a greater vengeance than was manifest against Heaven’s message in the days of Christ’s first advent, for the Devil knows that if he loses now, he loses forever — that he is to have no other chance. Unparalleled, therefore, is the urgency that every eleventh-hour church member now quickly and solidly brace himself against the Enemy’s effort to deliver a knockout blow. We must be alert, too, to realize that the blow is to come from surprisingly unsuspected foes — from professed friends of the gospel, who are no less pious than were priests in Christ’s day. It is, moreover, but to be expected that the Adversary will employ every agency possible to prevent the Lord from disclosing to view His now obscure 144,000 first-fruit servants, who are to go gather in the second fruits (Rev. 7:9). The Enemy will try everything conceivable to confuse, becloud, and cover up the Truth, especially on the subject of the 144,000.

  1. The Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 1, September 1954, p. 3-5, “PREPARING FOR ALL-OUT EFFORT”:

 

Now again, with even greater emphasis toward reaching her goal, Mount Carmel Center makes the following announcement to all faithful Davidians who will realize that this good news is perhaps nothing short of a sign. Mount Carmel Center, by commencing to first sell its excess property, then the whole is symbolically leading the way to the program that is outlined by the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, in the words:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matthew 13:44, The Lord himself is leading the way.

“ …Jesus has made it possible for you to accept His love, and in happy co-operation with Him to work under its fragrant influence. HE requires you to use your possessions in unselfish service, that His plan for the salvation of souls shall be carried forward with power. He expects you to give your undivided energies to His work.

“ Would you make your property secure? Place it in the hands that bears the nail-print of the crucifixion. Retain it in your possession, and it will be your eternal loss. Give it to God, and from that moment it bears His inscription. It is sealed with His immutability. Would . Would you  enjoy your substance? Then use it for the blessing of the suffering.” –testimonies, Vol. 9. pages 50,51.

“ I saw that if any held on their property, and did not inquire of the Lord as to their duty, He would not make duty known, and they would be permitted to keep their property , and in the time of trouble it would come up before them like a mountain to crush them, and they would try to dispose of it, but would not be able. I heard some mourn like this: ‘ The cause was languishing, God’s people were starving for the truth, and we made no effort to supply the lack; now our property is useless. Oh, that we had let it go, and laid up treasure in heaven!’ I saw that a sacrifice  did not increase, but it decreased ad was consumed, I also saw that God had not required all of His people to dispose off their property at the same time, but they desired to be taught, He would teach them, in a time of need, when to sell and how much to sell. Some have been required to dispose of their property in times past to sustain the advent cause, while others have been permitted to keep theirs until a time of need, Then, as the cause needs it, their duty is to sell”-“ Early Writings,” page 57

…….. We see each passing day more and more that God requires His people to gladly support His cause. First by their tithes and offerings, (Malachi 3:8-10), and at last by selling all, if they would enter into life eternal. He who takes part in the first of His requirements, will at last with joy go all the way by selling all when God gives the command. Thus only may he joyfully buy the “field” with the great “treasure.”

It now becomes very obvious that the time is   short, the he who would be ready for the “great super” and for his eternal home, will have his eyes open to truth and his heart set on his eternal welfare. God will direct him day by day.

Certainly then this move could be a signpost to both Davidians and to Laodiceans that the eleventh-hour message is on the very verge of a final and all-out effort to reclaim the church from the hands of the Enemy.

Then who knows, but the Lord, that this heart stirring example may soon turn into a sounding alarm and be followed by every faithful Davidian believer throughout the land. Even now, the Lord’s example to raise funds by disposing of His possessions, is a loud cry to every Davidian to awake to the fact that he in privileged to join the campaign with faithful tithe and offering at first, and at last to swell the funds by giving everything so that the work may be finished and the saints be gathered home!

  1. ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH

Timely Greetings Vol. 2 No. 2, p. 13, “ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH”:

 

Let us turn to Ezekiel 34, the chapter we are to study today.

Ezek. 34:1, 2:

“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!  should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”

Ezekiel, we read, was given a vision of selfish, greedy, and unworthy shepherds.  Now the first thing of importance is to ascertain whether these selfish shepherds lived in Ezekiel’s day, before his day, or after his day.  To find this information, let us read–

Ezek. 34:23, 24:

“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.  And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.”

The self-centered shepherds against whom the prophet is told to write, are to be replaced by one shepherd, David.  When this takes place God’s people will then have but one shepherd.  This, of course, cannot be Christ Himself, for Inspiration never calls Him David, but rather It calls Him the Son of David.  Since God’s people have always had, and still do have many shepherds, the truth stands out as clear as crystal that the David of verses 23 and 24 is yet to come, and that the shepherds whom Inspiration addresses are in particular those whom David is to succeed.

Ezekiel, then, was not given a vision of the shepherds in his day, nor of those before his day, but of the shepherds after his day — the day in which God raises up this antitypical David to feed His hungry and neglected flock.  God’s people shall then no longer serve strangers, “But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” Jer. 30:9.  Here we see that not only Ezekiel, but Jeremiah also was given a vision of this same truth.  Yes, all the prophets.

Ezek. 37:24, 25:

“And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.”

Since this is the addition to the “Third Angel’s Message” (“Early Writings,” p. 277) and since it is the message of the hour, consequently the day of the Davidian Kingdom is at hand.  Let us turn to

Hos. 3:4, 5:

“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.”

The many days are now almost over and the time for the fulfillment of God’s promises is certainly at the threshold of our time.

Ezek. 34:3:

“Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”

The shepherds in the day the Kingdom is to be set up are accused of taking all they can possibly take from the sheep, and of not giving any care to the sheep.  This must not become our practice.

Ezek. 34:4, 5:

“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.”

This careless attitude on the part of the shepherds is causing the laity to wander from one ism to another in search of spiritual food and physical care.  Yes, they wander, so to speak, from one hill to another, many of whom have figuratively become meat for beasts (isms) because there is no shepherd to care for the sheep, but there are shearers to take the wool from their backs, and the fat from under their ribs.  Shameful, indeed!  And who dare refuse to declare what God says?

Ezek. 34:6-10:

“My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord; As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock; therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”

Let us not fool ourselves any longer.  God cannot be mocked.  He will not for ever forsake His sheep, neither will He for ever retain untrustworthy shepherds herding His sheep.  He will soon discharge them, and will demand that they give an account for their unfaithfulness.  So it is that what a multitude of shepherds have failed to do, one shepherd, even David, will, in God’s hands, get done.

Ezek. 34:13:

“And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.”

In the days of this antitypical David God gathers His flock from all the countries where they have been scattered, and brings them into their own land.  God will no longer leave them in the mountains and the hills of the Gentiles.  “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” Hos. 1:11; 3:5.

Ezek. 34:11-16:

“For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.  I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”

“…God has promised that where the shepherds are not true he will take charge of the flock himself.  God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities.  But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace.  God will have a people pure and true.  In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel.  The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor.” — “Testimonies”, Vol. 5, pg. 80.

  • TECHNOLOGY TO ACCOMPLISH GOD WORKS

 

The White-House Recruiter, p. 35:

 

Because time and the gospel are at their climatic hour, and the work is consequently of transcendent scope, expansion, and importance, yet of exceeding short duration, God has inspired man to invent and build time and labor-saving, wonder-working, earth-mastering, tools and machinery of all kinds — marvels which would have staggered the imagination and beggared the credulity of former generations, notwithstanding that centuries aforehand “the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity” (Isa. 57:15), declared: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4.

CLOSING

Let us ever bear in mind that we of ourselves know nothing about God’s plans except as told through His appointed servants, the prophets, and as we witness them day by day.  If we daily walk with God, if we commit all to Him, then the responsibility is all His. — Timely Greetings Vol. 1 No. 7 p. 1, “WHAT MAKES ONE ELIGIBLE?”.

 

 

Additional for Topic: Timely Greetings Vol. 2 No. 2, p. 13, “ONE SHEPHERD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT A MULTITUDE OF THEM FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH”:

 

 

Izaiah 63:1-5:

1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

Zakharia 13:6, 7:

6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

 

Yesaya 63:1-5:

63:1 “Siapa dia yang datang dari Edom, yang datang dari Bozra dengan baju yang merah, dia yang bersemarak dengan pakaiannya, yang melangkah dengan kekuatannya yang besar?” “Akulah yang menjanjikan keadilan dan yang berkuasa untuk menyelamatkan!”

63:2 “Mengapakah pakaian-Mu semerah itu, dan baju-Mu seperti baju pengirik buah anggur?”

63:3 “Aku seorang dirilah yang melakukan pengirikan, dan dari antara umat-Ku tidak ada yang menemani Aku! Aku telah mengirik bangsa-bangsa dalam murka-Ku, dan Aku telah menginjak-injak mereka dalam kehangatan amarah-Ku; semburan darah mereka memercik kepada baju-Ku, dan seluruh pakaian-Ku telah cemar.

63:4 Sebab hari pembalasan telah Kurencanakan dan tahun penuntutan bela telah datang.

63:5 Aku melayangkan pandangan-Ku: tidak ada yang menolong; Aku tertegun: tidak ada yang membantu. Lalu tangan-Ku memberi Aku pertolongan, dan kehangatan amarah-Ku, itulah yang membantu Aku.

Zakharia 13:6, 7:

13:6 Dan apabila ada orang bertanya kepadanya: Bekas luka apakah yang ada pada badanmu ini? Lalu ia akan menjawab: Itulah luka yang kudapat di rumah sahabat-sahabatku!”

13:7 “Hai pedang, bangkitlah terhadap gembala-Ku, terhadap orang yang paling karib kepada-Ku!”, demikianlah firman TUHAN semesta alam. “Bunuhlah gembala, sehingga domba-domba tercerai-berai! Aku akan mengenakan tangan-Ku terhadap yang lemah.

13:8 Maka di seluruh negeri, demikianlah firman TUHAN, dua pertiga dari padanya akan dilenyapkan, mati binasa, tetapi sepertiga dari padanya akan tinggal hidup.

 

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