Remnant of the Remnant
2-26-07
Revised:8-28-07
The Refreshing
Isaiah 28:9-13
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
LINE UPON LINE?
“Prophecy has been fulfilling, line upon line. The more firmly we stand under the banner of the third angel's message, the more clearly shall we understand the prophecy of Daniel; for the Revelation is the supplement of Daniel. {2SM 114.}
Young men who desire to give themselves to the ministry, or who have already done so, should become familiar with every line of prophetic history.--Gospel Workers, p. 98. (1915)
The truths that have been unfolding in their order, as we have advanced along the line of prophecy revealed in the Word of God, are truth, sacred, eternal truth today. --2SM 103
PRECEPT? = A commandment!
Refreshing Is Latter Rain!
“The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are "the times of refreshing" to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus." Acts 3:19, 20. {GC 611.3}
“When the third angel's message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received "the latter rain," "the refreshing from the presence of the Lord," and they are prepared for the trying hour before them.”--GC 613
“I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight.--
EW 71
“The refreshing is coming from the presence of the Lord. Let us set our hearts in order that the truth of God may live in us; that it may purify us, ready to receive the latter rain. 8MR, 228
I was shown that if God's people make no efforts on their part, but wait for the refreshing to come upon them and remove their wrongs and correct their errors; if they depend upon that to cleanse them from filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and fit them to engage in the loud cry of the third angel, they will be found wanting. The refreshing or power of God comes only on those who have prepared themselves for it by doing the work which God bids them, namely, cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. {CD 33.3}
Latter Rain Is Before Sunday Law!
“Under the influence of the fertilizing showers, the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season, ripens the grain and prepares it for the sickle....The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God's grace in the soul. By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ.” [REVIEW AND HERALD, MARCH 2, 1897.]
Consider:
It is before the Sunday Law that the character of God’s remnant “church” will be perfected and therefore qualifying them to be “harvested”. It will then be the intention of God to employ the 144,000 in giving the Three Angel’s Messages so that His sheep that are “in other folds” might be prepared to be harvested.
“It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” {TM 507.1}
The Latter Rain In Messages
“To John were opened scenes of deep and thrilling interest in the experience of the church. He saw the position, dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance of the people of God. He records the closing messages which are to ripen the harvest of the earth, either as sheaves for the heavenly garner or as fagots for the fires of destruction. Subjects of vast importance were revealed to him, especially for the last church, that those who should turn from error to truth might be instructed concerning the perils and conflicts before them. None need be in darkness in regard to what is coming upon the earth.”
-- GC 341
The anointed ones standing by the Lord of the whole earth, have the position once given to Satan as covering cherub. By the holy beings surrounding his throne, the Lord keeps up a constant communication with the inhabitants of the earth. The golden oil represents the grace with which God keeps the lamps of believers supplied, that they shall not flicker and go out. Were it not that this holy oil is poured from heaven in the messages of God's Spirit, the agencies of evil would have entire control over men.
God is dishonored when we do not receive the communications which he sends us. Thus we refuse the golden oil which he would pour into our souls to be communicated to those in darkness. When the call shall come, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him," those who have not received the holy oil, who have not cherished the grace of Christ in their hearts, will find, like the foolish virgins, that they are not ready to meet their Lord. They have not, in themselves, the power to obtain the oil, and their lives are wrecked. {RH, July 20, 1897 par. 7}
Clearly Presented
“So in the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.” --GC 594
NOTE: The Latter Rain is what we understand “ripens the harvest” and here we see the same applied to “messages”. It’s through these messages recorded in Daniel and Revelation that God will send the Latter Rain.
Ephesians 5:25, 26
25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Water (Holy Spirit)
+Word (Jesus)
= Church without spot or wrinkle. (Sanctified)
John 17:17 17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
God’s Word received into our hearts cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
The Cleansing Word’s
As we near the close of this world's history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures. {PK 547.2}
“One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation--that the connection between God and His people is close and decided.
“A wonderful connection is seen between the universe of heaven and this world. The things revealed to Daniel were afterward complemented by the revelation made to John on the Isle of Patmos. These two books should be carefully studied.” {Testimonies to Ministers 114}
Re-Evaluation of our Current Position
“There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. We are living in perilous times, and it does not become us to accept everything claimed to be truth without examining it thoroughly; neither can we afford to reject anything that bears the fruits of the Spirit of God; but we should be teachable, meek and lowly of heart. There are those who oppose everything that is not in accordance with their own ideas, and by so doing they endanger their eternal interest as verily as did the Jewish nation in their rejection of Christ. The Lord designs that our opinions shall be put to the test, that we may see the necessity of closely examining the living oracles to see whether or not we are in the faith. Many who claim to believe the truth have settled down at their ease, saying, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." But Jesus says to these self-complacent ones, Thou "knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Let us individually inquire, Do these words describe my case? If so, the True Witness counsels us, saying, "Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see." Review and Herald, December 20, 1892
Testimony of two or three!
Deuteronomy 19:15
15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Matthew 18:16
16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
2 Corinthians 13:1
1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Jesus also upheld this principal.
John 8:17
17It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Revelation 11:3 – Two witnesses testify.
In Christ’s Day
First Cleansing @ the beginning of His ministry:
When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the Temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of His ministry was the second cleansing of the Temple. --The Review and Herald, Dec. 6, 1892.
See: John 2:13-16
Second Cleansing @ the end of His ministry- (just before He’s crucified):
These were the words Christ spoke at the first cleansing of the temple; and at the second cleansing, just prior to His crucifixion, He said unto them, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye made it a den of thieves. The Bible Echo October 1, 1894
See: Mark 11:15-17
Parallel
“Just prior to His crucifixion,” at the close of His earthly ministry, Jesus cleansed the temple the second time.
“Just prior to His crucifixion” at the close of His heavenly ministry in the last days, He will cleanse the temple the second time.
Crucifixion Explained:
In Revelation 11:8 there is depicted a scene in which the Old and New Testament, the “two witnesses,” are to be crucified in the streets of spiritual Sodom and Egypt. History reveals that as France completely made void the Law of God in their land, they spiritually crucified our Lord. --
GC Chapt. 15 “The Bible and the French Revolution”
“The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation.” –GC 267
Conclusion:
When America shall “make void the law of God”, “national apostasy will lead to national ruin.” This will all occur at the Sunday Law. It is at the Sunday Law that America crucifies our Saviour spiritually in the streets of “Sodom and Egypt” in that she will completely divulge herself of God’s law- “The Word.”
So then, just prior to His crucifixion- in the streets of “Sodom and Egypt,” Jesus will cleanse His temple (the church) the final time.
History will be Repeated
All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God's prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment.
In history and prophecy the Word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been, will be repeated. {2SM 109}