A Summary of Thoughts and Concerns regarding the Teaching of Jeff Pippenger

  I have only met Jeff one time in my life. I attended a symposium on Daniel 11 at the Lifestyle Center of America. The meeting was sponsored by several persons that favored Jeff’s teachings on Daniel 11, though persons with varying views were invited to attend. It is fair to the organizers to say that they never thought to invite me. But how and by whom I was invited is beyond the scope of this short paper.

Before attending the seminar I was favorably inclined to believe what Jeff had to share. I had heard, as far as I knew, only positive things about his theology and his knowledge of prophecy. And to his credit, I heard that he had avoided the pitfalls of “futurism” that have ruined the usefulness of so many would-be prophetic expositors.

More than that, I heard (and am still impressed) that Jeff has a high-level of respect for the Testimonies. And more than this, that he has made a diligent study of the pioneers. This is an important point. The average Adventist doesn’t realize the difference in Biblical quality between the writings of the pioneers and modern writings. The former are logical, Biblical, earnest, and to the point. The latter deliver less of these qualities. And so, again, Jeff has made a good study of the pioneers and on the points on which they are well agreed with each other, he tends to agree with them also.

Another positive point is that Jeff reminds Adventists of their duty and need to know and teach their message. He reminds us of the coming Sunday Law, the coming change in the USA, the coming Latter Rain and the final “rise and fall” of the Papacy. In terms of our belief about the end of time and about Daniel 11, we share the following views: The Man of Sin, the Leopard-like Beast, the Little Horn, etc., represent the Papacy.

The 1260 days began in 538 and ended in 1798. Clovis led pre-France into becoming the first Catholic nation in 508. The France-led invasion of Italy brought an end to the Papal rule over Rome in 1798. France is represented by Egypt in Revelation 11. Atheism, as nationally represented by communism, is the extension of the principles of the French Revolution, and spiritually, of Egypt. The Latter Rain will add power to the church and cause our message to swell to the Loud Cry. The tidings from the East and North in Daniel 11:44 are the Sealing messages of the Sabbath and of the Fourth Angel. Daniel 12:1 is the close of human probation. There are many other points that I could add to this list. The points well established by the book Great Controversy are held in common by us, and this means a lot of points.

If I ended here I guess this paper would amount to a recommendation of Jeff’s lectures and of his printed materials. I wish I could stop here.   In the future we will be brought before tribunals. There we will be asked to give reasons for our faith. If our reasons are sound, our enemies will be vanquished by the power of the Word. The power of the Spirit will add conviction to what we share.

This Spirit-powered conviction characterized the teaching of William Miller. He held crowds spell-bound under the searching power, not of exciting antics, but of calm reasoned explanation of the scripture. Authors wrote that if you accepted his suppositions that his conclusions were inescapable. This is how our writings on prophecy should be. Scripture should interpret scripture. Clear passages should illumine obscure ones. This is how the introduction to Jeff’s book advertises the rest of it, as a Bible study that lets scripture interpret itself.

Discussing the weaknesses of Jeff’s book, “The Final Rise and Fall of the King of the North”, carries certain risks. I think of three of these dangers: First, argument is always risky. We are prone to be proud and biased. A desire to “smite with the fist of wickedness” characterizes the devotional persons of our church according to Isaiah 58. I, as a Christian, must be kind and considerate in my presentations. Second, Jeff has built his interpretations around a framework of truth. Any discussion of the weaknesses of his reasons could be easily misunderstood as an argument against the framework itself. If Jeff has given faulty reasons for believing a true fact, an attack on the faulty reasons could appear as an attack on the truths they were used to buttress. Third, the power of the Ellen White statements that fill the book is strong. Many persons could well be benefitted by those statements in a powerful way. They could be awakened to a closer sense of their need to prepare for Christ’s coming. To show the weaknesses of the book could be perceived by them as an attack on the beauty of the spiritual revival they, as readers, have experienced.   If the reader understands the nature of these dangers it will make my work safer.

When I point out logical fallacies (there are a few) and faulty principles (there are a couple) and faulty parallels (there are many), the reader can understand that I still believe in the soon coming National Sunday Law. Any doubts regarding my own teaching may quickly be settled by listening to my sermons at www.audioverse.org or reading my materials at www.bibledoc.org.   What follows immediately is a summary of concerns with the Jeff’s book already mentioned. After the summary you will find a partial detailing of issues related to the book and expanding on the summary.

Point One:           How is history repeated?   That history is repeated, especially in our day, is absolutely established by the prophets. But the nature and cause of that repetition needs to be understood before that repetition is a helpful element in our interpretation of prophecy.   The work of God in the earth presents, from age to age, a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious movement. The principles of God’s dealing with men are ever the same. The important movements of the present have their parallel in those of the past, and the experience of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for our own time.  {GC 343.1}

History repeats because God, and even men and demons, operate on basically the same principles from age to age.   God does not force evil men to repeat the history of their ancestors. In fact, God warns them against doing so. He does, however, encourage faithful persons to imitate the faithfulness of ancient worthies. In every age mercy pleads with both camps until hope for the former is lost through the hardness of their hearts.

Ps 78:8  And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

Eze 20:17  Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. 18  But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

In every age there is given to men their day of light and privilege, a probationary time in which they may become reconciled to God. But there is a limit to this grace. Mercy may plead for years and be slighted and rejected; but there comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. The heart becomes so hardened that it ceases to respond to the Spirit of God. Then the sweet, winning voice entreats the sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease.  {DA 587.1}

The law of cause and effect doesn’t change. So the type of behavior exhibited by Abel produced persecution by persons like Cain. Holy living by Jesus led to his persecution. In fact, all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Revivals are collective growth in holy living. Therefore a great revival will be followed by a serious persecution. Thus history repeats itself.   The apostle Paul declares that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12.

Why is it, then, that persecution seems in a great degree to slumber? The only reason is that the church has conformed to the world’s standard and therefore awakens no opposition. The religion which is current in our day is not of the pure and holy character that marked the Christian faith in the days of Christ and His apostles. It is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, because the great truths of the word of God are so indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital godliness in the church, that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world. Let there be a revival of the faith and power of the early church, and the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the fires of persecution will be rekindled.  {GC 48.3}

As an example of how history repeats we may consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses’ followers rebelled against God, Moses was tested over his love for them by an invitation to separate from their company. This happened in Numbers 14. It happened twice again in Numbers 16. It happened also in Numbers 20. God used the rebellion of the rebellious to cultivate the faithful intercession of the faithful. And this happened repeatedly on the way to Canaan, a trip representing our journey at the end of the world.

The question is: Does history repeat in numerical patterns? Or does it repeat rather as men of one age make choices similarly to men of another? Should I expect that, in our day, there will be four such intercede-or-leave tests, each with characteristics of the four in Israel’s history, and in the same order? Should I expect 10 unfaithful men (against two faithful peers and two faithful leaders) to spearhead the first rebellion (as Num 14); three unfaithful men (two with families, one, like Korah, without his family) to spearhead the second (as Num 16); the third to be the entire nation (as Num 16 also), and the forth to irritate the faithful (as Moses struck the rock in Num 20)?

Or should I expect that in the end of time that there will be repeated tests of men’s love for their brethren by calls to leave the denomination because of its sins? In the same way, shouldn’t I expect that most rebels will take their families with them, but that being a child of a rebel doesn’t doom a man (as it didn’t doom Korah’s children)? And shouldn’t I expect that I am under obligation to guard my spirit, even while interceding, so that I am not irritated by the church’s unfaithfulness (as was Moses) and so, like him, forfeit my chance at translation?

The latter paragraph, and not the former, is the proper way to view the repetition of history. In the latter case we understand that God selected snippets of history that would well represent the spiritual condition of our age. That is how Paul used the Exodus stories in 1 Corinthians 10:

5  But with many of [the Israelites] God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 ¶  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

But the other way of understanding historical patterns is one used by Jeff regarding Daniel 11:30-36, regarding the timing of numerous events, and regarding number-oriented patterns and parallels. He looks for numbers of “enemies”, order of obstacles, and short patterns in history, and reads these as prophecies, as principles of how the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan works.

Yet this idea is flawed. The reason that there were three horns to pluck up by the influence of the little horn was not that God was making it happen that way to produce a prophetic pattern. The little horn uprooted the very tribes it needed to, and unless a prophet says otherwise, that is all we should assume. In summary of this first concern, a misunderstanding of how history repeats creates many false prophecies out of perceived patterns planned neither by God nor orchestrated by Satan.

Point Two:          How much should we trust an author?

Jeff repeatedly makes suggestions as to the meaning of passages of scripture. He states his convictions as matters of fact. The Libyans and the Ethiopians, he explains, represent the poor and the rich. He gives a little evidence in the form of some anecdotal history. And then he expects his readers to believe him.

This isn’t safe. Our pioneers adopted another course. They took the various views, along with the scriptural evidence for each, and logically eliminated all but the true view. You could read their writings starting with a differing view and see, by the end, that you were wrong. You didn’t need to trust the authors to follow their logic.

The method of suggesting a meaning works best for passages which people know that they don’t understand. That is why I, like many, was anxious to read the section on the Libyans and the Ethiopians. I had ideas about their meaning, but had not been able to settle on any conclusion with certainty. I thought Jeff might present compelling Biblical data that would throw light on the subject. And neither have I settled on a meaning for these two nations now.[1]

Point Three:        What role does a Lexicon play in Biblical interpretation?

Words change in meaning over time. “By and by” today means “eventually.” In 1611 it meant “immediately.” And “let” today means “allow.” But in 1611 it often meant “hinder.” In cases like these lexicons can be helpful to persons unaware of the ancient meaning of a word.

But Lexicons are merely dictionaries. They describe part of the range of meanings that a word may have. Let me demonstrate a faulty use of a lexicon by taking an actual statement by Ellen White (in English) and using an English lexicon like a foreign person unfamiliar with English might erroneously do when trying to understand a translation of the passage into his own language. Supposing that the translation was a good one, it would read something like this, but in a foreign language:       

My attention was then called to William Miller. He looked perplexed and was bowed with anxiety and distress for his people. The company who had been united and loving in 1844 were losing their love, opposing one another, and falling into a cold, backslidden state. – EW 257

Looking up key words in his English lexicon, our foreign speaking person might find the following definitions for original English words:

1. Attention: n, attentiveness, as “attention to a teacher”; affection for an ailing person; military: standing upright as a sign of respect;
2. Call: v., to beckon with a voice; to make a song, as a “bird call”; a telephone communication or attempted communication;
3. Bow: v., to kneel, usually as a sign of respect; to bend at the waist, as “the artist bowed to the clapping persons.”; to bend;
4. Company: n. Group; Companions, as “they make good company”; an organized business;

So now our foreign student tries to understand the passage. He might conclude that Ellen White heard a voice calling her to be kind to William Miller who was having a rough day and was nervously kneeling, apparently under pressure from his people. These companions had been united and loving in 1844 but were losing their kindness [as is obvious earlier in the passage when they lead William to “bow.”]

But we, as English speakers, wouldn’t conclude that. You see, we know the language. It is easy for us, very easy, to know what “attention”, “call”, “bowed”, and “company” mean in that Early Writings paragraph.   This is like the difference between Bible translators and us. They knew the language. Many times it was very easy for them to know which definition of a word (for many words have more than one) ought to be understood in a passage.

And we? We don’t. And we are likely to guess wrongly and to make up fanciful interpretations if we do guess using a lexicon. [2]   A safer way (than correcting a text via lexicon) to see if there are alternate ways to read the Hebrew or Greek is to look at a variety of translations based on the same Greek Text and to check the marginal readings in the KJV. Looking to see how the word is used in other similar contexts may also provide insights. The translators of the KJV did a tolerably good job of giving literal translations and alternate readings in the margin. And other translations based on the same family of manuscripts as the KJV include the Rotherham, Webster, Weymouth, Young’s Literal, and much of the NKJV.

There is another and graver mistake in using a lexicon that is often made, and sometimes made by Jeff in this book. Men use the history of the development of the word to help them understand its meaning in a passage. Let me illustrate.

Joh 11:9  Jesus answered ^[611], Are there not twelve hours in the day ^[2250]? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

The two words, Strongs numbers 611 and 2250, are two of the most abundantly used words in the new testament (used 250 and 389 times respectively, compared to an average occurrence of 5 uses per word.) It is easy to look at the definitions and see that they mean “answer” and “day.” And it is easy to look up other passages that use them and see that they are translated that way all through the New Testament. But if you look at the introduction of their definitions you will find that the word “answer” is derived from two Greek words, “apo” and “krino.” These words mean, “away from” and “judgment, or condemnation.” It seems that at some time the word “apokrinomai” came from replying to an accusation. Yet by the time of Jesus it was used simply to mean “answer.”

And in the passage quoted above the word “day” is haemera. This is what my lexicon says about it: from (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit, akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; Now this is all very interesting. The word day was derived from a word that meant “to sit” and that was related to a word meaning “tame” or “gentle.” It implies the Greek word for “hour” (5610).

One could get the idea that “day” means “an hour for gentle meditation, or sitting.” But this would be a faulty conclusion. The word just means “day.” Its meaning developed and changed over time. By the time of Jesus it had lost all meaningful connection with its historical sources. When prophets use words, they use them as those around them currently understand them, not in accordance with their ancient derivations. One of my friends, reading the first draft of this document, was concerned that I was pushing Biblical interpretation back into the dark ages where only the learned could do it.

But it is not so. In fact, William Miller studied the Bible with a Cruden’s Concordance[3] and by making use of the marginal readings. This was sufficient. He was dependant, you might say, on the scholars that translated the Bible into English. We all are, of course, unless we make diligent study of the languages ourselves. These great men translated the scripture into our language to free us so that we could read and interpret the Bible without depending on scholars. The misuse of the Lexicon actually creates an unhealthy dependence on men. When common men see that a lexicon has been referenced they often suppose that the writer is more learned than they. They assume that what he says about the Greek or Hebrew words is true since he quotes it from a lexicon. And so they repose in the conclusions of his studies being neither inclined nor able to follow him into the maze of a foreign language.

Point Four:          Does repetition transform speculation into study?

Jeff, after making a point about the interpretation of Daniel 11, often refers back to that point again and again. This is a fine method of teaching. It helps settle points in the mind. But if the initial point was made with a deficient amount of evidence, or with an improper use of parallels or of a lexicon, that fact may be readily forgotten by the reader a few pages later. This is particularly troublesome if the point made was speculative. By “speculative” I mean that Jeff selected one of the ways that a passage or word could be understood to the exclusion of others, but without evidence that he had good reason to exclude the others. The repetition gives the impression that there is a lot of material and many ideas in the study even when there is little data and few evidences. Instead of the pioneer method of evidence-evidence-evidence-evidence-conclusion, Jeff sometimes uses a conclusion-evidence-conclusion-conclusion-conclusion-conclusion pattern.

Point Five:           Does plausibility mean dependability?   Let me illustrate this with an actual point from the book. The following is a quotation from the section on the first 39 verses of Daniel 11:   After the delineation of the history of pagan Rome, verse 29 describes the closing scenes of pagan Rome’s authority.  Here we see Constantine moving the capital away from Rome at the “time appointed.” In verse 30 we see his “indignation against the holy covenant” as he introduces the first Sunday laws. So here is the plausibility. Perhaps Constantine’s Sunday Law of 321 AD is what is meant by “indignation against the holy covenant” in verse 30. Perhaps it is so. And it fits well if you believe Daniel 11 to be about Sunday Laws later on in the chapter.   But do plausibility and a nice fit in connection with end-time scenarios help us know if this is the right interpretation of the prophecy?

I say “no.” We need to look at reasons, arguments, data, and to compare scripture with scripture. Consider the following:

1. Constantine did not live at the time of the “closing scenes of pagan Rome’s Authority.”
2. Constantine’s Sunday Law was pagan, not Christian, in nature and wording
3. The first part of verse 30 speaks of the “ships” that both Jeff and I understand to refer to the Vandals. They began their work against Rome after being chased from their homeland by the Huns, and this was long after the time of Constantine.
4. Time wise, this passage parallels the introduction of the little horn in Daniel 7 where it seeks to “change times and laws.”
5. Conclusion: It is the papacy that has indignation against the Holy Covenant in verse 30.

Conclusion   These are my concerns with the book. It does have merits. It connects Rev 14:12 and 17:3. And it connects Dan 11:36 with 2The 2. It makes a good point regarding Rev 13:2 and Rev 17. There are other valid observations.

But there is also too much creativity and speculation. Men are invited to adopt interpretations without sound reasoning. And this habit of uncritical thinking in the face of doctrinal teaching does not bode well for the time in which we live.

If someone wants more specifics on my relation to Jeff’s teachings, my comments on the following book are highlighted in blue [see the Word Document for blue highlighting] so as to be easy to find. (Items not in blue, below, are quoted from Jeff’s book.) Most of Jeff’s book is not found below. But in the numerous places where portions (many large) have been omitted, an ellipsis is inserted, usually after one of my comments in blue.

———  WORDPRESS DID NOT SUPPORT THE FORMATTING OF THIS PART OF THE DOCUMENT WITHOUT ME INVESTING A LOT OF TIME TO FIX IT. TO READ THIS PART, DOWNLOAD THE DOC OR CLICK ON THE LINK AT THE END. — EUGENE, 8-22-13

My Stand Regarding the Movement Known As

The Shepherds Rod

Eugene Prewitt takes responsibility for this document

Take heed therefore how ye hear

Luke 8:18

Introduction

Adventist generally are aware of a shaking that is to take place among God’s people. Those that can be shaken will be shaken. Those, who on the contrary, are settled into the truth intellectually and spiritually so that they can not be moved, will remain with the truth.

I have, in my brief lifetime, received many studies, books, and articles that asserted that my salvation would hinge on whether or not I accepted the propositions set forth in them. Many of them were charitable enough to say that God would wink at the times of my ignorance. But precious few of the authors believed that an honest searcher for truth, led by the Holy Spirit, could read the documents and be unconvinced.

If I were only to take into consideration those studies that met the following guidelines, there would still be more than you might guess.

1. The author is a firm believer in the Spirit of Prophecy as manifest in Ellen White
2. The author is very knowledgeable
3. The author has carefully examined the arguments urged against his views
4. The author has prayerfully and humbly pleaded for guidance from heaven
5. The author has a disdain for sin, avoids display, advocates helpful reforms
6. The author has a very significant list of statements from inspiration proving his/her position.
7. The author has a theory that makes many otherwise difficult passages easy to harmonize with each other.
8. The author has more than one passage from inspiration that indicates that one’s salvation may hinge on how one receives the message being presented

Yet, if I were to believe only the studies that meet these qualifications, I would at one time believe that our God is three persons and two. I would believe that we should keep the feasts, and that we should not. I would believe that we should stay in the SDA church, join the SDARM church, leave both, start a third. I would believe that modern prophets that rejected each other were both true. I would pronounce God’s name in Hebrew with great care. I would believe that the movement to pronounce that Name aright is the 4^th angel of Revelation 18. I would also believe that the Shepherds Rod is that 4^th angel. I would also believe the literature work of the SDA denomination is that angel. I would also believe that the call to leave the SDA denomination for non-denominational Sabbath-keeping is that angel. I would also believe that the Reform Movement is that angel. And I would believe more things than can be well recounted about Daniel 7 through 11.

With that said, I propose that one acknowledge that having these eight identifying marks is not sufficient evidence that a matter is true. And from that I would suggest that if I conclude from my study that I would rather say “I don’t believe that matter” in the judgement, that I am not accusing the document of lacking any of these eight evidences.

This introduction nearly states the direction the paper is going, and for that I am not ashamed. We will have to give account in the judgement for the use of our time and energies. That is reason enough to motivate me to “take heed how [I] hear.”

Charity in Judging

I fear men, not because they are a member of one group or another, but because they are men. Men, the best and most honest of them, are erring and contradictory. They make mistakes and retract them or defend them to the bitter end. The evangelist Bunyan, breathing the very atmosphere of heaven,
wrote with ability against the 7^th day Sabbath. Luther and Carlstadt attacked each other. On nearly every point of difference, Luther was in the wrong. A few of our pioneers opposed Andrew’s opinion that Sabbath begins at sundown. And nearly all early Adventists kept it wrong in that respect for several years.

We ought, then, to be charitable in judging. Men may be sincerely wrong, and while we must strenuously oppose the worst of their errors, we may count the erring men as better than ourselves.

But there is a class with whom we can not be as charitable, in the social sense of the word, as with others. That class is made up of prophets, true and false. A person that speaks for God is His servant or His enemy. His ministry is not a harmless mistake; it is of the Devil or of God. Most prophets acknowledge this.

Victor Houteff falls into this last category. Speaking of his own material, Houteff wrote “It can not be anything else but some wonderful, plain, clear-cutting Bible truth which could not be contradicted.” SR p. 95. A man that claims to be a prophet (see page 196) makes a statement about inspiration, and thus about the Bible. If he is mistaken in detail, then the Bible may be also. If he can change his views over time, then portions of scripture may be outdated. The Bible has no kind words for false prophets.

Yet false prophets may repent and be converted. Two young ladies in Ellen White’s day were self-deceived until instructed by her. They both returned to their position as learners in the school of Christ.

If there is one passage quoted more often by Houteff than others, it is Ezekiel 9. Repeatedly he represents that the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 will happen prior to the loud cry and will be the means of purifying the church. Ellen White presents the truth on this issue, and it is very distinct from the Rod’s interpretation.

The slaughter of Ezekiel 9 is parallel with the releasing of the four winds in Revelation 7 and the destruction of the unfaithful by the four “sore judgments” of Ezekiel 14 and the Time of Trouble of Daniel 12:1. The advent movement is purified prior to this as the following passages point out.

The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness.  {5T 81.1}

When trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David–willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God’s people, the more brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful; but, in the name of Jesus, they will come off more than conquerors. Then will the church of Christ appear “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”  {5T 81.2}

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.  {GC 608.2}

Then where does Ellen White place Ezekiel 9? She places the slaughter 50 pages later in the same book, the Great Controversy, well after the commencement of the time of trouble (p. 613) and the deliverance of God’s people (p. 635), in the midst of the “Desolation of the Earth.” (p. 656).

“The Lord hath a controversy with the nations;” “He will give them that are wicked to the sword.” The mark of deliverance has been set upon those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done.” Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel’s vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” Says the prophet: “They began at the ancient men which were before the house.” Ezekiel 9:1-6. The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall. There are none to pity or to spare. Men, women, maidens, and little children perish together.  {GC 656.2}

“The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:21. “And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.” Zechariah 14:12, 13. In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of God’s unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth–priests, rulers, and people, rich and poor, high and low. “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.” Jeremiah 25:33.  {GC 656.3}

For other references were Ellen White applies Ezekiel 9 to the time of trouble, see GC88 p. 656, CET p. 185, 4SP p. 473, Mar. p. 296, 5T p. 207-210.

But after failing to teach the truth on these issues, Houteff dares to say of Ellen White:

“[She] has failed to point out the exact company by assembling the references together and clear the mystery.” Shepherds Rod, vol. 1, p.

It is Houteff who has failed. By pure speculation on page 36  he places the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 as preceding Revelation 18 in point of time. This would place the giving of the 4^th angel’s message after the experience of Ezekiel 9. But the experience of Ezekiel 9 will come after it is too late to give the message! Sad deception this is.

Houteff does not hesitate to say that the truth about the 144,000 was not understood prior to his writings. Yet a great deal of material by Ellen White, and by other pioneers, has been written on this subject. (See article, Ellen White on the 144,000.) See SR p. 14-15 for the statements about how the key messages explained soundly by our pioneers (ie. Haskell, Smith, White) have “never been understood at any time, nor proclaimed by this denomination or any other people, and only theories have been advanced.”

Only those who have never thoroughly studied the biblical writings of the pioneers should be unashamed of this last statement. Houteff contrasts his studies with the pioneers’ theories. But the contrast could not be more reversed. While the early Adventists, such as Bates and Miller and Haskell and White and Andrews and Loughborough present connected thought and strong arguments, Houteff repeatedly urges the thought that his doctrines can not be proven wrong as evidence that they are right. Ellen White wrote the following

We are to pray for divine enlightenment, but at the same time we should be careful how we receive everything termed new light. We must beware lest, under cover of searching for new truth, Satan shall divert our minds from Christ and the special truths for this time. I have been shown that it is the device of the enemy to lead minds to dwell upon some obscure or unimportant point, something that is not fully revealed or is not essential to our salvation. This is made the absorbing theme, the “present truth,” when all their investigations and suppositions only serve to make matters more obscure than before, and to confuse the minds of some who ought to be seeking for oneness through sanctification of the truth. {14MR 178.3}

Your ideas of the two subjects you mention do not harmonize with the light which God has given me. The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery not clearly revealed, and you will never be able to explain it to others because the Lord has not revealed it to you. You may gather together scriptures and put your construction upon them, but the application is not correct. The expositions by which you sustain your position are not sound. You may lead some to accept your explanations, but you do them no good, nor are they, through accepting your views, enabled to do others good.  {14MR 179.1}

You need to come into harmony with your brethren. You may take certain views of Scripture and, searching the Bible in the light of your ideas, may gather together a large number of texts and claim that they mean this and that, and call for anyone to prove to you that your views are incorrect. But what influence could anyone have upon your mind, when he takes the same scriptures and interprets and applies them differently? Both of you claim to found your views on the Bible.  {14MR 180.2}

Houteff was not careful enough in making his assertions. His arguments are often based on the false premise that prophets have been inspired verbally. An example of this is on page 21 of SR vol. 1. Houteff argues from the words “come down” in Revelation 18, and speaks of how it does not say “descended.” But Ellen White quotes this same passage in Early Writings p. 277 and refers to the angel “descended.”

Houteff had certainly read Early Writings p. 277, for he quotes it on the same page and draws on the word “addition.” He presents his work as the “addition” to the message of the third angel. However, the context indicates how the 4^th angel is an addition to the first. It is a delineation of “additional corruption” that have entered the fallen churches.

And on the same page (p. 21) he reinterprets “mid-heaven” in Revelation 14 to mean “not as powerful.” Interestingly, Ellen White also referred to the meaning of the angels being “in heaven.”

The warning of the third angel, which forms a part of the same threefold message, is to be no less widespread. It is represented in the prophecy as being proclaimed with a loud voice, by an angel flying in the midst of heaven; and it will command the attention of the world.  {GC 449.2}

When God sends to men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. {GC 594:2}

On the next page (p. 22) SR teaches that “The sealing can not begin until the angel (of Rev. 7) arrives.” “we must await his arrival.” Did Ellen White place the sealing in the future from her time? No, she wrote that it was already in progress in her time (see below). Houteff (p. 32) says it began in 1929.

There is a spirit of desperation, of war and bloodshed, and that spirit will increase until the very close of time. Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads,–it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved,–just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming. Ms 173, 1902, pp. 3-6

On page 27 Houteff writes that “It is positive that the sealing of the 144,000 is Ezekiel 9, — the separation (sifting in the church — the godly from the ungodly.)”

This is dealt with thoroughly in the first page of this document. The experience of Ezekiel 9 describes the experience of the faithless during the time of trouble. Then what does cause the shaking and sifting? The statements quoted earlier show that it ends with the work of the Sunday Law. And it begins now by the giving of the message to the Laodiceans. This is the cause of the shaking today.

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.  {EW 270.2}

The Seal of God, explained thoroughly in scripture as the experienced Sabbath, and given as a sign from the time of Moses, is very important to Adventism. Houteff, on page 28, indicates that this is not the seal of Revelation 7. See Publishing Ministry p. 16 where James White quoted Ellen White as confirming Joseph Bates study on the Sabbath being the seal of Revelation 7. Houteff adopts a maxim that would make any present truth into “the seal” and would thus muddy the waters regarding the great Sabbath issue. He writes “Whatever the present truth is, that is the seal.” p. 28.

A clear example of reasoning that would never proceed from a true prophet is found on page 30 of SR, vol. 1. Houteff reasons as follows:

“Those who are sealed (marked) and escape the ruin are the ones that will constitute the number which prophecy declares to be the 144,000. Our denomination numbers about 300,000. This means the denomination will be divided in half and suggests the ten virgins, five of whom were wise and five were foolish. In other words, half and half.”

That nice ratio of 144,00 to 300,000, which was about equal to the ratio of 5 to 10, formed the basis for interpretation of the parable! But how would he interpret it today? By his reasoning there should be one wise virgin and 89 foolish. Or the parable was only valid for the years 1933-1937 and was not possible to be understood either before or after. This is a sad commentary on how to interpret the Bible. Houteff made it worse by indicating that there was hope that the ratio might be made better.

His determination to find something new and odd led him to negate important truths. He wrote on p. 32 that if we do not know the timing of Revelation 7 and 18 that we have no message. This is so contrary to revelation. We have a message, for example, about Christ’s coming. We do not know when it will happen, but we have it. Revelation 10 and Habbakuk 2 were fulfilled by the advent movement when they had no idea there were fulfilling them. This did not negate the value of these passages. They came to be a great source of comfort to the Advent people.

Numerous other little errors, some more or less significant, fill the book. They are listed below, but are not commented on in great detail. One reason: Our counsel is to not allow ourselves to be caught up on all these little details, which is just why Satan brings them all up. The key points presented above should be reason enough to reject the claims of a pretended Messenger of God.

–Eugene Prewitt   April 9, 2002

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Page references below are to Shepherds Rod, Volume One

p. 236-237. Accused brethren because no letter in five months. How much time does it take a group of men to study so many ideas and conjectures and suggestions? It would take much more than five months, and it is not reasonable to expect that they would lay aside their duties to devote full time to this project.

p. 216   Makes “deadly wound” into the reformation. This is false. p. 221 makes various entities of Protestantism into the heads of the beast! This can only be derived by speculation, and false speculation at that. Reading a few pioneer works on Daniel and Revelation would clear up these misconceptions.

p. 185   Hollow argument that heaven is in “north” as answer to Indian’s infidel arguments. Orion is not in north. And the example is thoroughly silly. The Indian would not have been any more impressed by one pointing to the arctic. This page also says that Lucifer was “honest in his deception.” John 8 says he was a liar from the beginning.

p. 195    After arguments to show the church is ignoring the SOP, brings up TM 475 as another example that we should be teaching our people to expect another prophet. Ellen White was speaking of her own ministry and was quoting scripture when she said “he.” She was specifically asked repeatedly if there would be a successor to her work. She never indicated that there would. To say that the church was amiss for not teaching that there would be one is misleading.

p. 203   Here Houteff “proves” with faulty math. He used a poor sample as the basis of his calculations. True growth (from births) in the church is same as the population growth of the nation, about 12% in four years. In actuality the church has grown faster than the world’s population, which is evidence that it has converted more people each year than it has lost to apostasy. He forgets that the children he was counting (ages 2 to 7 for example) are born nine years prior to their baptism and membership. This places his calculations off by nine years. A little checking with someone better at math would have solved the problem, and reveals with how little care the work was done.

p. 210  Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Papacy, France/Reason, America/Image—heads of blasphemy. Not true of Luther, Wycliffe, White, etc.

p. 213 Argument from absence of info—weak argument regarding “crownless” heads. They are “kings” in Dan. 7:24. Hollow argument.

p. 151     Reasoning from Is. 59…There was no intercessor…therefore God clothes himself with zeal and recompensed the people while clothed with the “garments of vengeance.” SR says “Had there been a man, God would let the man do the work, but as there was no one, He does it himself. This reveals one of God’s working principles. He will use one man or a nation to help correct or punish another.” “This…takes place before probation closes.”

At the commencement of the holy Sabbath, January 5, 1849, we engaged in prayer with Brother Belden’s family at Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and the Holy Ghost fell upon us. I was taken off in vision to the most holy place, where I saw Jesus still interceding for Israel. On the bottom of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Then I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and clothed Himself with the garments of vengeance. {CET 100.1}

Then Jesus will step out from between the Father and men, and God will keep silence no longer, but pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead, were separate and distinct, one following the other; also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out. {CET 100.2}

See also p. 185, 229; 8T 42; EW 36. Many more

And what about the idea of “one man” correcting being a “working principle” of God? The man being sought for was an “intercessor.” See Ez. 23:30-31, Ps. 106:23, Job 42:7-11. False application by SR.

p. 153-154            Is. 61:2—Makes the “year” literal and the “day” prophetic. The acceptable year was the fulfillment of Daniel 9 at Christ’s baptism.

When Jesus in the synagogue read from the prophecy, He stopped short of the final specification concerning the Messiah’s work. Having read the words, “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,” He omitted the phrase, “and the day of vengeance of our God.” Isa. 61:2. This was just as much truth as was the first of the prophecy, and by His silence Jesus did not deny the truth. But this last expression was that upon which His hearers delighted to dwell, and which they were desirous of fulfilling. They denounced judgments against the heathen, not discerning that their own guilt was even greater than that of others. They themselves were in deepest need of the mercy they were so ready to deny to the heathen. That day in the synagogue, when Jesus stood among them, was their opportunity to accept the call of Heaven. He who “delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18) would fain have saved them from the ruin which their sins were inviting.  {DA 240.4}

p. 162-163  Explains “gardens” “bricks” “swine’s flesh” “in the graves” all by assertion. What does he say graves are? “Man made devices of which there are no resurrection.” This is anything but proof, anything but sound.

Robbing Christ of His Glory (after reading pp. 85-91)

Moses was a type of Christ. . . . God saw fit to discipline Moses in the school of affliction and poverty before he could be prepared to lead the hosts of Israel to the earthly Canaan. The Israel of God, journeying to the heavenly Canaan, have a Captain who needed no human teaching to prepare Him for His mission as a divine leader; yet He was made perfect through sufferings; and “in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:10, 18). Our Redeemer manifested no human weakness or imperfection; yet He died to obtain for us an entrance into the Promised Land.  {CC 111.5}

“And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, . . . but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Heb. 3:5, 6).  {CC 111.6}

Compare to: p. 91 “Ancient Moses is a symbol of modern Moses (present leadership).” The page speaks of Moses fleeing Pharaoh because “he was too cowardly and feared Pharaoh.” Contrast this to:

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:27

Assertions regarding God’s Purposes

If I say that my middle name is Bethel, you could find evidence against it by looking at my birth-certificate or by asking my mother, or looking at my passport. But if I said that my middle name William was chosen by God and placed in the mind of my mother because I will do a work of reformation like William of Orange, and that the proof is that I teach the same as he did regarding our duty to risk death in the cause of God, it would be impossible to prove that I am wrong.

Assertions regarding meaning and the purposes of God can not be proved or disproved, and this is why Satan uses them to great advantage in interpreting the Bible. But we are not to follow cunningly devised fables.

You need to come into harmony with your brethren. You may take certain views of Scripture and, searching the Bible in the light of your ideas, may gather together a large number of texts and claim that they mean this and that, and call for anyone to prove to you that your views are incorrect. But what influence could anyone have upon your mind, when he takes the same scriptures and interprets and applies them differently? Both of you claim to found your views on the Bible.  {14MR 180.2}

Houteff argues that all scripture must be understood at the end of time. This does just what God has asked us not to do…it encourages speculation and focus on side issues.

For the Word version, see here: The_Shepherds_Rod_and_Related_Issues1

Thoughts on the Lunar Sabbath

By Eugene Prewitt

In the last decade several persons have approached me with data that they understood to promote  lunar Sabbath calculation. They believed that the weekly cycle gets a fresh start each month so that the Sabbath always falls on the 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, and 29^th of a given lunar month.

Practically, this means that while there are generally seven days from Sabbath to Sabbath, there are eight or nine days between the 29^th Sabbath and the next 8^th Sabbath. The last of these days, the eighth and/or ninth day, as lunar Sabbath proponents understand, is a new moon day. As such it is not counted as a work week.

I have concluded that the data in support of this idea is faulty. Various parts of it are either speculative, strained, inference-based, or uninspired. Whether approached Biblically or from the Testimonies, the idea has not stood up to scrutiny.

The Assertions

First, let me summarize the nature of evidence that I have seen so far as given in support of the idea.

1.  It is suggested that Sabbath falls on the 15^th of three Biblical months in a row (the three months beginning with the Exodus from Egypt). As moon cycles are only 29.5 days long, the Sabbath could not fall on three of them in a row unless the Sabbath was lunar based.

2.  It is asserted that no Sabbath in scripture can be shown to occur on any day other than an 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, or 29^th of a lunar cycle. As only about 15% of Gregorian-style Sabbaths fall on those days, this is taken as corroborative evidence for lunar Sabbaths.

3.  It is asserted that the lunar calendar was essential to the determination of the date October 22, 1844. As this calendar has been affirmed by Ellen White when she validated that date, it must be a valid calendar. And if the calendar is right for calculating feast-day dates, it must be right for calculating Sabbath dates as Sabbaths are among the feasts.

4.  It is asserted that ancient authorities trace the seven-day week to Babylonian sources and that the Jews anciently kept the Sabbath on a lunar basis. This Jewish habit was changed by the Roman power and is the reason that Jews currently honor Saturday as found on the Gregorian calendar.

5.  Circumstantial evidence, it is asserted, points to Lunar Sabbaths in the time of Joshua, Solomon, and Hezekiah, and Paul.

6.  The New Moons do not count as “working days” and so there are still 6 working days in each weekly cycle in the new moon calendar.

While other thoughts have appeared here and there in lunar documentation, these are the ones that appear repeatedly in the documents I have read. What appears in not one of the documents is a “thus saith the Lord” teaching that new moons interrupt the weekly cycle.

The Evidence

The most intriguing argument, to me, in the six listed above was item number two. The word “Sabbath” appears more 100 passages of scripture. It seems, at first thought, that if not one of those can be shown to fall on the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, etc., day of the month, that that would be fairly significant evidence in favor of the lunar Sabbath theory.

Here are the facts:

There are many passages that refer to the Sabbath in a precept in such a way as to provide no precise and certain information regarding the correlation of days with months. See Ex 20:8-11; De 5:12-15; Ex 31:14-16; Ex 35:2-3; Le 24:8; Nu 28:9-10; [Neh 9:14]; [1 Chr 9:32]; Ps 92:1; Amos 8:5; Jer 17:21-27; Is 56:2, 6; Is 58:13; Matthew 24:20; John 7:22-23; Colossians 2:16

There are 20 Stories in scripture that refer to the Sabbath, but without dating it in terms of a day of the month. See Nu 15:32; 2Ki 11:5-9, 2Chr 23:4-8; 2Ki 16:18; Neh 10:31; Neh 13:15-22; Matthew 12:1-12, Mark 2:23-3:4, Luke 6:1-9; Mark 1:21; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:16; Luke 4:31; Luke 13:10-16; Luke 14:1-5; Acts 1:12; Acts 13:14-44; Acts 15:21; Acts 16:13; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4; John 5:9-18[1]; John 9:14-16[2].

There are only two stories in all of scripture that mention Sabbath in a context that can be dated in relation to a day of the lunar month. These are the giving of the Manna and the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. (Ex 16:23-29 and Mt 28:1; Mr. 15 42; 16:1; Lu 23:54-56; Jo 19:31.)

So how many Sabbath stories in scripture are datable? Two. This fact neutralizes the first two arguments. (In the appendix I address other passages that are asserted to be dateable correlations between the lunar calendar and days of the week.)

The third point, regarding the Lunar Calendar being used to establish October 22, is accurate as far as that goes. In other words, it is obviously true in scripture the feast days were calculated based on the Jewish lunar calendar.

But the extrapolation that says “if dates of the year must be calculated on an annual calendar, therefore days of the week must also be so calculated” is unwarranted. No prophet says anything of the kind. History does not back it up. Muslims today use a lunar calendar but keep a weekly day as honored. The argument is purely speculative.

The fourth point, strictly speaking, is not a Biblical one. But the history is faulty. The fact is that from the time of the book of Acts that there were Jews in “every city” that read the Torah on Sabbath.

Acts 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

There is no way that one million Jews scattered all over the world could, simultaneously, be convinced to change their method of Sabbath keeping without abundant historical evidence being left behind to prove it.

But more than this, the gospel was carried to every part of the known world during the first century.

Colossians 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Lunar weeks predict that when the apostles traveled to India, Ethiopia, and the British Isles, that these places began keeping lunar Sabbaths. None of these were under the influence of Rome by the 3^rd century. This is why they kept the Seventh-day Sabbath so many centuries after Rome had stopped.

And there is no way that Christians around the world, faithful Sabbath keepers, could be convinced to change their day of worship without it showing up in history. The change of the Sabbath to Sunday shows up abundantly in history and proves, by this very appearance, that the other change never occurred.

The fifth point is circumstantial. We do not want to ever turn an observation into a command. But even the observations are faulty as can be seen in the appendix where these stories are examined. If we were to admit circumstantial evidence we would have to observe that the first day of the month was not treated as holy in the following passages:

Genesis 8:13    Noah removed the covering of the ark, a great feat.

Numbers 1:1   The men of Israel were counted on the first day of the week.

Ezra 7:9           Ezra was traveling on two new moons.

The sixth point is based on a verse in Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 46:1  Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

The reasoning goes like this: If the gate is shut on the six working days and open on the new moon, then the new moon can not be one of the six working days. And since it is not one of the six working days, it must not be part of the week.

The fault lies in the fact that the verse is a perfectly natural way to write even if the new moons did occur on random days of the week. The inference that lunar Sabbath proponents make is unwarranted. It would be similar in character to reading “God loves a cheerful giver” and concluding that God doesn’t love other grudging givers.

The Bible is brief and well written. We can not impose on it a demand that enough details be given to prevent us from making false inferences.

Rather, we should demand a “Thus Saith the Lord” for our articles of belief.

Summary and Settling the Issue

Not one of the six primary lines of evidence for lunar Sabbaths holds up under investigation. That could settle the issue for me. No evidence for a life-changing idea is evidence enough that it is false.

But there are some facts that settle the matter more substantially. Let us consider them.

1.  The facts relating to the Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God demand that the issue be one easy to settle on the basis of scripture. Simple minded persons must be able to stake their life on the fact that they are right.

And simple minded persons the world over have flocked to the simple truth that showed their willingness to brave opposition to be faithful.

But the Lunar Sabbath theory is not one that can be traced to a command or a simple statement. It is complex, and this is a sign itself that there is something fishy about it.

2.  The week began before the moon was created. This settles the fact that the week was not based on the lunar cycle.

3.  The phrase “seven weeks” should be 49 days, or 51-52 days, depending on whether weeks are consecutive or lunar. Leveticus 23 and Daniel 9 both establish that seven weeks are 49 days.

4.  The timing of the 1260 year prophecy (538-1798) is entirely too late for changing the nature of the week. When the papacy was established as a civil ruler of the Roman empire it began a historically documented assault on Sabbath keeping. That assault eventually changed the way churches from India to Ethiopia to Ireland related to the Sabbath.

5.  Acts 20 does not harmonize with a Lunar Sabbath model. See Appendix A where this is discussed in detail. The short of it is that the “first day” of the week in Acts 20 follows the feast of unleavened bread; then “after” that, five days until arriving in Troas; then seven days in Troas. Even if the last of the five is the first of the seven days, even if the last of the seven days is the first day of the week, this still places the first day of the week on the third day of the month.

Ellen White on Lunar Sabbaths

Ellen White makes a number of inspired statements that relate to the issue at hand. While the Bible truths discussed in this short article are sufficient to show the murky nature of the lunar-Sabbath teaching, it would be a mistake to think that Ellen White’s writings should not have a bearing.

How did God intend to protect the members of His church from cunning and crafty falsehoods? He does so by the spiritual gifts given to the church.

Ephesians 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; … 14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

So the gift of prophecy was given, among other reasons, to preserve the church from being carried about with various false ideas.

God, in several statements of the Testimonies, uses the word “Friday” when telling us to prepare for the “Sabbath.” Ellen White writes, “Friday is the day of preparation.” (CG 528-529). “Friday is to be the special preparation day.” (CCh 263). And, in fact, “employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon until the beginning of the Sabbath.”

And so far is this from being a modern innovation that “The Lord told [the Israelites that were cooking manna] that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day.” (CCh 263). They were “obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath.” (PP 297). On a lunar calendar Friday would only rarely be the day to prepare for the Sabbath.

And in like manner, Ellen White identifies the day of Christ’s burial as “Friday.” (Ctr 295.) This makes the Sabbath of Christ’s day in the grave a Saturday and mutes the testimony of that Sabbath also being the 15^th of the lunar month.

The Great Controversy also testifies that in every age there were keepers of the true Sabbath. (GC 61). Even those that were early regarding Sunday as a day of “recreation” were at the same time “still sacredly” observing “the Sabbath.” (GC 52). And “amid the gloom of the dark ages” Sabbath keepers “for many centuries” enjoyed freedom to keep their faith in Abysinnia. (GC 577).

And inspiration clearly identifies the origin of the “week.”  “Like the Sabbath, the week originated at creation, and it has been preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. God himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and he then blessed this day, and set it apart as a day of rest for man.” (CE 190)

These statements by Ellen White are found in their full paragraphs of context in Appendix B.

Conclusion

The week was being counted before the creation of the time-keeping pieces of the sun and the moon.  The Sabbath, like marriage, comes to us from the Garden of Eden. It has always had faithful observers. When light shown on the Law of God after 1844 the Sabbath truth was revealed to God’s prophet, Ellen White, and to God’s movement, the Adventists.

The confusion that the lunar Sabbath ideas have created is not sensible. The arguments regarding “three months in a row” and “all Sabbaths in scripture on the 15^th, 22^nd, etc.” are only so much misunderstandings and speculations.

The gifts given to preserve the church from such winds have been despised.

A “thus Saith the Lord” for lunar-Sabbath keeping has not been demanded. And it can not be produced.

One organization has offered a substantive reward for a Biblical refutation of the lunar Sabbath doctrine. Appended to that offer was a quote of Luther, “By the mercy of God, I conjure you, . . . to prove from the writings of the prophets and apostles that I have erred. As soon as I am convinced of this, I will retract every error . . . .”

This is a noble position, and a rare one. May it be the sincere position of those who have been erroneously carried away with the pseudo-history of the lunar-Sabbath proponents.

Amen.

Eugene Prewitt

January 9, 2010

Appendix A

Comments on Passages used as Evidence of Lunar Sabbaths in History

—-

Some studies indicate that Exodus 12 is an example of a weekly Sabbath on the 15^th. The argument runs, “The first day of the feast of unleavened bread was on the 15^th which was a Sabbath (See Leviticus 23: 4-16). This makes the Sabbaths for the first month (Abib) to have fallen on the 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, and the 29^th.”

But look at the passage quoted, Lev 23:4-16. Specifically note verses 7-8. Not only does it make the first day a Sabbath, but it also makes the seventh day of the feast a Sabbath.

In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.8  But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

What verse seven and eight prove is that not all ceremonial holy convocations that involve rest from work can correlate with weekly Sabbaths. And so the fact that there are also holy convocation seven days apart in the seventh month (the 15^th and the 22^nd) loses its significance in view of the fact that holy convocations are only six days apart in the first month.

Some studies indicate that Exodus 19 is an example of a month where Sabbaths correlate well with the lunar calendar. The argument runs like this: “Israel left Egypt the night of Abib 15. Three months later, on the very same day, the 15^th, they rested before the mount. (See Deuteronomy 16:1; Numbers 33:3; Exodus 19:1-2.)”

But when we read the passage we find that the 15^th, and 16^th were days of cleaning up and getting ready for a meeting with the Holy God on the 17^th. If one of these three dates must be chosen for a Sabbath from the narrative, better the 17^th.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11  And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

But really, there is not enough data to make a Sabbath of any day. The argument, as worded above, might lead the reader to think that the Bible associates the 15^th with “rest”, but the passage rather associates it with “camping.” As a preparation day, the 15^th and 16^th do not seem like Sabbaths.

At least one study refers to Leveticus 23:15-16 as evidence of Lunar Sabbaths. This is the argument: “Leviticus 23:15-16 tells us that Pentecost always takes place on the first day of the week on the 9^th of the third month. . .”

If this was true, namely that the 9^th of the month was always a “first day” of the week, it would be a very strong argument indeed for Lunar Sabbath keeping.

But you may read Leveticus 23:15-16, its context, and even the whole Bible, and you will find no such idea as is asserted in this argument. There is no passage that says that the Pentecost fell on the 9^th day of the third month. Here is the passage:

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16  Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

Now consider these two verses carefully. Seven Sabbaths plus one day is “fifty days” inclusive. That is seven complete weeks (first day through Sabbath) plus an additional first day. That is exactly 50 days with a continuous cycle of sevens. But interject into that mix two new moons and you suddenly have 52 days. In truth, Leviticus 23:15-16 is significant evidence against the Lunar Sabbath idea.

One study finds evidence of Lunar Sabbaths in the fact that the manna stopped falling on the 16^th of the first month. But the passage, Joshua 5:10-12, says nothing about whether the 15^th had been a Sabbath. (Indeed, if the 15^th was a Sabbath, then the last day of manna falling was the 14^th rather than the 15^th.)

The same study finds evidence of the 8^th being a Sabbath is Exodus 40:2, 17. The argument runs like this: “Aaron and his sons were sanctified for seven days beginning on New Moon Day (See Exodus 40: 2, 17). On the eighth day (which was also the 8^th of the month), there was an assembly of the congregation. During the preceding seven days, they were not to leave the tabernacle.”

So the evidence of a Sabbath is found in the “assembly of the congregation” on the 8^th day.

What does Exodus 40:2, 17 show? It shows that the first day of the week was the day that the temple was constructed. The remainder of the chapter shows the immense volume of physical work that Moses did in raising up the temple.

2  On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 17  And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

The priests were sanctified for a week. If we have to assign a seventh-day Sabbath to the story, the best place would be the seventh-day of their temple stay. But even this would be a stretch. The truth is that the story (Lev 8-9) doesn’t have any information about when the Seventh-day Sabbath occurred.

The 22^nd of the seventh month was always to be a holy convocation, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. So when Solomon kept it that way in 2 Chronicles 7:8-10, it doesn’t throw any additional light on the question of whether that holy convocation also coincided with the seventh-day Sabbath.

Some find evidence in Esther 9 for a Sabbath on the 15^th of the 12^th month. But the passage indicates that both the 14^th and 15^th were kept as special days, and so the passage provides no information about whether the 14^th, or the 15^th, or neither of those days, was a seventh-day Sabbath.

The story of Hezekiah describes sixteen days of cleaning the courtyard and temple. On the eighth day they started on the temple itself. They finished on the 16^th. But there is no evidence here regarding the location of a seventh-day Sabbath. Indeed, it is quite apparent that if some day was kept holy, it was not the 8^th.

The healing of the blind man on Sabbath in John 9 is believed to be evidence for a Sabbath on the 22^nd of the seventh month. The argument runs like this: “Christ attended the Feast of Tabernacles. (John7:10.) On the last day of the Feast, the 21^st of the seventh month, Christ stood and spoke. (John 7:37.) Christ spent that night on the Mount of Olives. (John 8:1.) The next morning, the 22^nd of the seventh month, Christ returned to the temple. (John 8:2.) At the temple, Christ healed a blind man. (John 9:6.) The healing of the blind man caused great anger for it was the seventh-day Sabbath. (John 9:14.) This places the weekly seventh-day Sabbaths on the 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, and 29^th of the month yet again.”

John 8:1 is, very likely, the 21^st of the 7^th month. Granted. But that it is the same day as John 9:14 is a great stretch. While Jesus went into the temple in 8:2, he was wandering in 9:1, fifty-nine verses later. By chapter 11:55 you are already all the way to Passover. There is no sensible way to know how much time elapsed between 8:2 and 9:1. Even if John 9:6 did say that the man was healed in the temple it would be no evidence that it was the same day, for:

John 18:20  Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

The fact is that we have no way of knowing the date of John 9, even if we do know the date of John 8:1-2. And John 9:6…says nothing about the blind man being in the temple.

Paul’s Journey in Acts 20 is alleged to provide evidence for the lunar-calculation of the Sabbath. The reasoning goes like this: “The seventh day of their stay at Troas was the second day of the month which Paul refers to as the first day of the week.” And so if the first day of the week is the second day of the lunar month, then the month matches lunar-calendar expectations.

The problem is that the math doesn’t work out right. If you count the days inclusively (as Jews always did) then they were in Philippi for the 21^st. A plain reading of the passage makes it appear that they traveled on the 22^nd (which would be an argument against the Lunar Sabbath reckoning).

But let us assume that they rested on the 22^nd and began traveling on the 23^rd and only traveled four days. Those days would be the 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th, 26^th. Now they are in Troas for a week. Let us start that week on the 26^th (as Jews would). That week is the 26^th, 27^th, 28^th, 29^th, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd. And Paul leaves the next morning, the day of the 3^rd, the first day of the week.

A first day on the third does not fit at all with a lunar Sabbath reckoning. And as this is one of only three stories in scripture that allow us to decently correlate a day of the weak with a day of the month, this is significant indeed.

Appendix B — Ellen White’s Comments

Ellen White on Friday

On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness, and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked, and the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make it a rule, you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun, let all secular work be laid aside, and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.  {CG 528.2}

In many families [on Sabbath] boots and shoes are blacked and brushed, and stitches are taken, all because these little odds and ends were not done on Friday. They did not “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” . . .  {CG 528.3}

On Friday the clothing of the children is to be looked after. During the week they should be all laid out by their own hands under the direction of the mother, so that they can dress quietly, without any confusion or rushing about and hasty speeches.  {CG 528.4}

There is another work that should receive attention on the preparation day. On this day all differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church, should be put away.  {CG 528.5}

When the Sabbath commences, we should place a guard upon ourselves, upon our acts and our words, lest we rob God by appropriating to our own use that time which is strictly the Lord’s. We should not do ourselves, nor suffer our children to do, any manner of our own work for a livelihood or anything which could have been done on the six working days. Friday is the day of preparation. Time can then be devoted to making the necessary  preparation for the Sabbath and to thinking and conversing about it. Nothing which will in the sight of Heaven be regarded as a violation of the holy Sabbath should be left unsaid or undone, to be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires not only that we refrain from physical labor upon the Sabbath, but that the mind be disciplined to dwell upon sacred themes. The Fourth Commandment is virtually transgressed by conversing upon worldly things or by engaging in light and trifling conversation. Talking upon anything or everything which may come into the mind is speaking our own words. Every deviation from right brings us into bondage and condemnation.  {CG 529.3}

But still the disciples seemed unbelieving. Their hopes had died with Christ. And when the news of His resurrection was brought to them, it was so different from what they had anticipated that they could not believe it. . . . From eyewitnesses some of the disciples had obtained quite a full account of the events of Friday. Others beheld the scenes of the crucifixion with their own eyes. In the afternoon of the first day of the week, two of the disciples, restless and unhappy, decided to return to their home in Emmaus, a village about eight miles from Jerusalem. . . . {CTr 295.3}

When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal labor that on the day when the Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His service. {CCh 262.5}

While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8. There was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day. {CCh 263.1}

On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked and the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make it a rule you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. {CCh 263.2}

We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy time. Whenever it is possible, employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon until the beginning of the Sabbath. Give them time for preparation, that they may welcome the Lord’s day with quietness of mind. By such a course you will suffer no loss even in temporal things. {CCh 263.3}

A scene passed before me. I was in our restaurant in San Francisco. It was Friday. Several of the workers were busily engaged in putting up packages of such foods as could be easily carried by the people to their homes, and a number were waiting to receive these packages. I asked the meaning of this, and the workers told me that some among their patrons were troubled because, on account of the closing of the restaurant, they could not on the Sabbath obtain food of the same kind as that which they used during the week. Realizing the value of the wholesome foods obtained at the restaurant, they protested against being denied them on the seventh day and pleaded with those in charge of the restaurant to keep it open every day in the week, pointing out what they would suffer if this were not done. “What you see today,” said the workers, “is our answer to this demand for the health foods upon the Sabbath. These people take on Friday food that lasts over the Sabbath, and in this way we avoid condemnation for refusing to open the restaurant on the Sabbath.”  {CH 489.4}

In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, when none would fall, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?” PP 297

Amid the gloom that settled upon the earth during the long period of papal supremacy, the light of truth could not be wholly extinguished. In every age there were witnesses for God–men who cherished faith in Christ as the only mediator between God and man, who held the Bible as the only rule of life, and who hallowed the true Sabbath. How much the world owes to these men, posterity will never know. They were branded as heretics, their motives impugned, their characters maligned, their writings suppressed, misrepresented, or mutilated. Yet they stood firm, and from age to age maintained their faith in its purity, as a sacred heritage for the generations to come.  {GC 61.1}

Like the Sabbath, the week originated at creation, and it has been preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. God himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and he then blessed this day, and set it apart as a day of rest for man.  {CE 190.1}

In the law given from Sinai, God recognized the week, and the facts upon which it is based. After giving the command, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” and specifying what shall be done on the six days, and what shall not be done on the seventh, he states the reason for thus observing the week, by pointing back to his own example: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” [Exodus 20:8-11.] This reason appears beautiful and forcible when we understand the days of creation to be literal. The first six days of each week are given to man for labor, because God employed the same period of the first week in the work of creation. On the seventh day man is to refrain from labor, in commemoration of the Creator’s rest.  {CE 190.2}

The spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for a still further disregard of Heaven’s authority. Satan tampered with the fourth commandment also, and essayed to set aside the ancient Sabbath, the day which God had blessed and sanctified, [Genesis 2:2, 3.] and in its stead to exalt the festival observed by the heathen as “the venerable day of the sun.” This change was not at first attempted openly. In the first centuries the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians. They were jealous for the honor of God, and, believing that his law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts. But with great subtlety, Satan worked through his agents to bring about his object. That the attention of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ. Religious services were held upon it; yet it was regarded as a day of recreation, the Sabbath being still sacredly observed.  {GC88 52.1}

To prepare the way for the work which he designed to accomplish, Satan had led the Jews, before the advent of Christ, to load down the Sabbath with the most rigorous exactions, making its observance a burden. Now, taking advantage of the false light in which he had thus caused it to be regarded, he cast contempt upon it as a Jewish institution. While Christians continued to observe the Sunday as a joyous festival, he led them, in order to show their hatred of Judaism, to make the Sabbath a fast, a day of sadness and gloom.  {GC88 52.2}

In the early part of the fourth century, the emperor Constantine issued a decree making Sunday a public festival throughout the Roman Empire. [SEE APPENDIX, NOTE 1.] The day of the sun was reverenced by his pagan subjects, and was honored by Christians; it was the emperor’s policy to unite the conflicting interests of heathenism and Christianity. He was urged to do this by the bishops of the church, who, inspired by ambition, and thirst for power, perceived that if the same day was observed by both Christians and the heathen, it would promote the nominal acceptance of Christianity by pagans, and thus advance the power and glory of the church. But while Christians were gradually led to regard Sunday as possessing a degree of sacredness, they still held the true Sabbath as the holy of the Lord, and observed it in obedience to the fourth commandment.  {GC88 53.1}

A striking illustration of Rome’s policy toward those who disagree with her was given in the long and bloody persecution of the Waldenses, some of whom were observers of the Sabbath. Others suffered in a similar manner for their fidelity to the fourth commandment. The history of the churches of Ethiopia and Abyssinia is especially significant. Amid the gloom of the Dark Ages, the Christians of Central Africa were lost sight of and forgotten by the world, and for many centuries they enjoyed freedom in the exercise of their faith. But at last Rome learned of their existence, and the emperor of Abyssinia was soon beguiled into an acknowledgment of the pope as the vicar of Christ. Other concessions followed. An edict was issued forbidding the observance of the Sabbath under the severest penalties. But papal tyranny soon became a yoke so galling that the Abyssinians determined to break it from their necks. After a terrible struggle, the Romanists were banished from their dominions, and the ancient faith was restored. The churches rejoiced in their freedom, and they never forgot the lesson they had learned concerning the deception, the fanaticism, and the despotic power of Rome. Within their solitary realm they were content to remain, unknown to the rest of Christendom.  {GC88 577.3}

The churches of Africa held the Sabbath as it was held by the papal church before her complete apostasy. While they kept the seventh day in obedience to the commandment of God, they abstained from labor on the Sunday in conformity to the custom of the church. Upon obtaining supreme power, Rome had trampled upon the Sabbath of God to exalt her own; but the churches of Africa, hidden for nearly a thousand years, did not share in this apostasy. When brought under the sway of Rome, they were forced to set aside the true and exalt the false Sabbath; but no sooner had they regained their independence than they returned to obedience to the fourth commandment. [SEE APPENDIX, NOTE 12.]  {GC88 578.1}

These records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of Rome toward the true Sabbath and its defenders, and the means which she employs to honor the institution of her creating. The Word of God teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as papists and Protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the Sunday.

Appendix C – The Days of the Lunar Month

Following is a list of Bible passages that are dated according to their placement in a lunar month. They are organized, as lunar Sabbath proponents might organize them, according to their position in a lunar week. Day “zero” corresponds to the “New Moon” and Day Seven to the Lunar Sabbath.

An examination of these passages reveals that the first day of the month was often quite a day of activity, as was the day after Passover. On a lunar calendar these fall on the New Moon and on the lunar Sabbath.

Day 0

Genesis 8:5  And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

Genesis 8:13  And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

Exodus 40:17  And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

Leviticus 23:24  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

Numbers 29:1  And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

Deuteronomy 1:3  And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

2 Chronicles 29:17  Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

Ezekiel 26:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 29:17  And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 31:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 32:1  And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 45:18  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:

Haggai 1:1  In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

Day 1

Leviticus 23:32  It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

1 Samuel 20:27  And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

Jeremiah 52:6  And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

2 Chronicles 29:17  Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

Day 2

Genesis 7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Genesis 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

Ezekiel 20:1  And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

Ezekiel 24:1  Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 40:1  In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

Haggai 2:20  And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

Day 3

Jeremiah 52:4  And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

Day 4

Jeremiah 52:12  Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

Jeremiah 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,

Ezekiel 1:1  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel 1:2  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

Ezekiel 8:1  And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.

Ezekiel 29:1  In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 33:21  And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

Day 5

Esther 3:12  Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

Esther 3:13  And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

Esther 8:12  Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

Esther 9:1  Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

Esther 9:17  On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Day 6

Exodus 12:6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Exodus 12:18  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

Leviticus 23:5  In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.

Numbers 9:3  In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

Numbers 9:5  And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

Numbers 9:11  The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

Numbers 28:16  And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.

Joshua 5:10  And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

2 Chronicles 30:15  Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 35:1  Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

Ezra 6:19  And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

Esther 9:15  For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

Esther 9:17  On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Esther 9:19  Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

Esther 9:21  To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

Ezekiel 30:20  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 45:20  And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

Ezekiel 45:21  In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

Haggai 2:1  In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,

Day 7

Exodus 16:1  And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 23:6  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Leviticus 23:34  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

Leviticus 23:39  Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

Numbers 28:17  And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

Numbers 29:12  And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:

Numbers 33:3  And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

1 Kings 12:32  And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

1 Kings 12:33  So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

2 Chronicles 29:17  Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

Esther 9:18  But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Esther 9:21  To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

Ezekiel 32:17  It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 45:25  In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.

Fresh Concerns Related to the Recent Teachings of Jeff Pippenger

Several years ago I wrote a paper on the methods used by Jeff Pippenger to interpret the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. That paper was more or less a critique of a book Jeff wrote long ago.

In that paper I commended Jeff for his respect for Ellen White, for his avoidance of time-setting, and for his great respect for the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. All of these virtues are yet to be commended.

And I still recommend reading that paper (www.bibledoc.org). There I explain some of the inherent dangers in critiquing a man’s teachings when the man has the virtues just mentioned.

But to save time I will not rewrite my reasons for being hesitant to oppose Jeff’s teachings.

It is also fair to say that since the time that I wrote that paper that Jeff and I have corresponded via email. There have been a series of misunderstandings that have threatened to alienate Jeff and I even more than our doctrinal differences might. While Christian duty and courtesy demand that Jeff and I try to harmonize as Christian brothers, that duty is a private one. For everyone else the questions should take on a distinctly non-personal character.

In other words, the question should be, “Is Jeff correct? Or is Eugene correct? Or are they both wrong?” rather than “Is Jeff kind and sweet? Or is Eugene kind and sweet? Or as they both obnoxious?” The question of our character is one that can not well be evaluated at a distance and has always been a nearly useless one when judging the truthfulness of a proposition. (In other words, a Jehovah’s Witness might be very sweet and self-sacrificing and humble, and a Seventh-day Adventist might be coarse, suspicious, and exacting. And yet for all that, the Adventist would be right on many points where the Witness was in error.)

Recent Developments and Sources

Recently (December 2008) Jeff gave a series of prophecy lectures at an Ozark camp-meeting. As I have listened to this series I have realized that my earlier paper is inadequate. Jeff’s teachings have certainly progressed and so I offer this updated critique.

No one should lightly evaluate Jeff. His claims are too solemn for that. He believes he is teaching (with others) the present truth message. He believes the Latter Rain is the Spirit empowering the messages that he is teaching. This is no laughing matter. At least in the abstract, it is plausible. God did indeed, for example, send a message in 1888 that came with a power that was the beginning of the Latter Rain.

And if Jeff is right, then in opposing his special teachings I am opposing the Latter Rain. That would place me in a dangerous and utterly unenviable position.

So what am I saying? If you have heard Jeff’s teachings you owe it to yourself to love the truth enough to calmly study and slowly conclude. Do not let Jeff nor I nor an angel pressure you to decide before you have had time to prayerfully and thoughtfully weigh the evidence.

Here is some evidence to consider.

The Time of the End

Jeff teaches that the time of the end for Adventists began in 1989 at the fall of communism.

Is this a Biblical truth? Phrases that mean an equivalent of the “time of the end” occur ten times in Daniel (8:17; 8:19; 11:27; 11:35; 11:40; 12:4; 12:6; 12:8; 12:9; 12:13).

In these ten verses a few thoughts are shared repeatedly:

First, a section of the book of Daniel has been sealed until the time of the end (8:17; 12:4; 12:9; 12:13); then that section will be unsealed and understandable.

Second, the time of the end concludes a period of noted for persecution (8:17; 11:35; 12:7-8).

Third, the time in the phrase “time of the end” has been set or appointed to be at a certain time (8:19; 11:27; 11:35).

Affirming two of these points, Habakkuk 2:2-3, says the vision “is yet for an appointed time” and that “at the end, it shall speak.” There we are admonished to “wait for it” when it appears to tarry. So Adventist, on the basis of the teachings of Daniel unsealed “at the end”, were waiting for a fulfillment of the prophecy that appeared to “tarry.”

And Hebrews 10:35-39 shares what ought to be obvious, that what the early Adventist were waiting for was the Second Coming.

Taken together these twelve scriptures show the relation between the “time of the end” and the Second Coming. When the appointed “time of the end” arrives men are enabled to understand Daniel and are expected to conclude that Christ’s Coming is near. This is why Daniel 12:12-13 connects the special “waiting” of the Advent movement to the “speaking” of the vision at the end.

And this is why 2Th 2:2-3 warns first-century Christians not to be “shaken” in mind by any false epistle that might indicate that the Second Coming is near. Rather, “that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed.”

So the “time of the end” is that specified period  of earth’s history when men can know that Christ is coming soon on the basis of the unsealed prophecies. Children can understand this.

Contrasting with these ideas is the thought that there are multiple times of the end. A simple truth (that Christ’s coming will not be “nigh” until the “time of the end”) that anyone can understand is replaced by a fuzzy one.

What happened in 1798, the beginning of the “time of the end”? Since 1798 light has been shining on Daniel 8-12 so that men can come to understand it by study just as they come to understand other never-sealed portions of the Bible.

This explains why Adventism rose at the time that it did. But add something to this profound Adventist idea and the waters are muddied. Are there two times of the end? Or more? Then are they all “appointed”? Then at which one is Daniel unsealed?

And while a dozen passages above combine to make a “rock solid” Adventist doctrine that is easy to locate on a time-line, easy to explain by making the visions of Daniel plain upon tables, which of the ten verses referring to the “time of the end” can be shown to mean something different or something more?

In his eighth Ozark lecture Jeff goes so far as to say that there is a “time of the end” for every generation. And on the basis of what, pray tell, scripture or testimony can we say something like that? The scripture is of no private interpretation. And the 1989 “time of the end” for Adventist is the one point that he wants us to remember in lecture eight.

The Time of the Latter Rain

We live during the time of the Latter Rain. On this Jeff and I are agreed. But did the time of the Latter Rain begin in 2001? The Bible testifies that the time of the Latter Rain corresponds with the time of the blotting out of sins. If we want to get even more specific than that, the times of “refreshing” in Acts 3:19 are the times when the sins of the righteous are blotted out.

And that period of time corresponds to the judgment that began in 1844. Indeed, the world could have ended in the 1860’s, and again in the 1890’s. And the Latter Rain abortively began to fall in 1888. And all these things confirm what is implied in the statement below, namely that Ellen White could say in her own life time, “now”, “in these last days” is the time to look for the promised Latter Rain. We have been in the times of the Latter Rain since 1844 and since that time men have been bidden to pray earnestly for that gift.

So it may be now. Let Christians put away all dissension and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was “the former rain,” and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant. What is the promise to those living in these last days? “Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee.” “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Zechariah 9:12; 10:1.128 {CCh 98.6}

But Jeff places the time of the Latter Rain as beginning in 2001. But since we both agree that we are now in the time of the Latter Rain, that point is not as significant as the next one.

The Timing of Revelation 18:1-3

The Fourth Angel’s Message , the Loud Cry, will lighten the earth with its glory. Ellen White comments on this event:

“Now comes the word that I have declared that New York is to be swept away by a tidal wave. This I have never said. I have said, as I looked at the great buildings going up there, story after story: ‘What terrible scenes will take place when the Lord shall arise to shake terribly the earth! Then the words of Revelation 18:1-3 will be fulfilled.’ The whole of the eighteenth chapter of Revelation is a warning of what is coming on the earth. But I have no light in particular in regard to what is coming on New York, only I know that one day the great buildings there will be thrown down by the turning and overturning of God’s power. From the light given me, I know that destruction is in the world. One word from the Lord, one touch of His mighty power, and these massive structures will fall. Scenes will take place the fearfulness of which we cannot imagine.”  {LS 411.5}

Let us observe this statement for a moment.

What will the Lord do? He will “arise to shake terribly the earth.” What will happen next? The words of Revelation 18:1-3 will be fulfilled.

What will happen in New York City? The “great buildings there” will be thrown down by the “turning and overturning of God’s power.”

Now the timing of these things is vital to the purpose of this study. Jeff sees in this statement reason to connect Revelation 18 to the date 9-11-01.

But when will it be that the Lord will arise “to shake terribly the earth”? This terrible shaking of the earth precedes the fulfillment of Revelation 18:1-3, and the whole of the chapter. And when does the Lord arise to “shake terribly the earth?” This happens, interestingly, in connection  with the universal Sunday Law.

The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. –Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 141.  {ChS 160.2}

Is 2:19  And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

In short, when the Sunday law becomes universal then it will be true that Babylon will have become the habitation of every unclean and hateful birds, then it will be that the earth will be lighted with the glory of the Lord, and a Loud Cry will go forward.

Jeff has a lot to say about the first of the two statements above, however. He connects the collapse of the world trade center with the fulfillment of Revelation 18 and, if I am not mistaken, makes this connection a test of one’s prophetic legitimacy.

Yet the connection seems, in terms of simple timing, to be wholly a false conjecture that reasons that since buildings fell in NYC that the prophecy was fulfilled.

It wouldn’t be fair, however, in my opinion, to hold Jeff to his statement that if this point is in error, then he is into deep fanaticism and those that follow him are also. A man may be mistaken even in his accidental self-condemnations.

The Only Way to Warn the World

We have a message to take to the world. In a thousand different ways God calls on us to use our talents to do this work. Jeff has apparently been criticized (I have never heard such criticism, only I have heard Jeff respond to it) for having a non-evangelism-oriented ministry.

I am not one to say that every ministry must be evangelism oriented, so I would not level this criticism at Jeff. But I am very concerned with how Jeff responds to it. He quotes the following powerful statement from Ellen White.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy principles, showing in a high, elevated sense, the line of demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God and those who trample them under their feet. The sanctification of the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal of God and those who keep a spurious rest day.  {7BC 980.8}

When the test comes, it will be clearly shown what the mark of the beast is. It is the keeping of Sunday. Those who, after having heard the truth, continue to regard this day as holy bear the signature of the man of sin, who thought to change times and laws (Letter 12, 1900).  {7BC 980.9}

Quoting this is great. This statement is like many others that Ellen White has written. I think of the one in Ministry of Healing where she writes:

It is our own character and experience that determine our influence upon others. In order to convince others of the power of Christ’s grace, we must know its power in our own hearts and lives. The gospel we present for the saving of souls must be the gospel by which our own souls are saved. Only through a living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour is it possible to make our influence felt in a skeptical world. If we would draw sinners out of the swift-running current, our own feet must be firmly set upon the Rock, Christ Jesus.  {MH 469.3}

The idea that our character determines the influence that we carry, this is a profound truth.

The original statement, quoted by Jeff, takes the principle to its logical conclusion. Those that are sealed, who have the character of Jesus, will be plainly different from those with the mark of the beast.

But the idea that “only” a character contrast can make our work effective must not be read as if we the world will be warned without evangelism by the character contrast.

Personal sharing of the truth with unbelievers is one the very means chosen by God to develop in us the character needed to give a proper warning to the world. The fact is that the world only sees that holy character when we are in the field meeting the wordlings.

The 2520

I have written a separate paper on the 2,520 year prophecy that is directly related to the teachings of Jeff Pippenger. That article is available at www.bibledoc.org.

The Fall of Babylon

In one of his lectures on Revelation 18 Jeff early mentions that Adventist in the end of time will understand the fall of Babylon. This he immediately explains to be the “judgment” on Babylon, the “execution” and punishment of that power.

That the word “fallen” can be used this way it should be readily admitted. It is used in a manner similar to this in Revelation 17:10.

But that the word can be used in other ways should also be admitted. It is used to describe a spiritual fall, a loss of moral strength or standing, in Revelation 2:10.

Re 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

That the latter sense is to be understood by “is fallen, is fallen” has been established by Ellen White and attested by the pioneers. Observe in the following statements from the Great Controversy how the Catholic church fell, and then the Protestant bodies fell. The recent fall of Protestantism was announced in 1844 and in view of the fact that Babylon is already “fallen” men are called leave her so as not to receive “of her plagues.”

Babylon is said to be “the mother of harlots.” By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing

the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world. The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God’s people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith. At the time of their rise these churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them. Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel. In the words of the prophet to Israel: “Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.” But they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel–the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly. “Thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown.” Ezekiel 16:14, 15.  {GC 382.3}

“I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:1, 2, 4.  {GC 603.1}

This scripture points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon, since that message was first given, in the summer of 1844. A terrible condition of the religious world is here described. With every rejection of truth the minds of the people will become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are entrenched in an infidel hardihood. In defiance of the warnings which God has given, they will continue to trample upon one of the precepts of the Decalogue, until they are led to persecute those who hold it sacred. Christ is set at nought in the contempt placed upon His word and His people. As the teachings of spiritualism are accepted by the churches, the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart is removed, and the profession of religion will become a cloak to conceal the basest iniquity. A belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and thus the influence of evil angels will be felt in the churches.  {GC 603.2}

Of Babylon, at the time brought to view in this prophecy, it is declared: “Her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Revelation 18:5. She has filled up the measure of her guilt, and destruction is about to fall upon her. But God still has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and “receive not of her plagues.” Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lightening the earth with his glory and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing the sins of Babylon. In connection with his message the call is heard: “Come out of her, My people.” These announcements, uniting with the third angel’s message, constitute the final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth.  {GC 604.1}

Only once have I heard Jeff speak of Babylon’s fall as being the judgments on Babylon. It may be that this is not a hallmark of his teaching. It may have been a slip, an anomaly. And as the Bible indicates that we ought not to condemn a man for a “word” Is 29:21, I advise no one to reject Pippenger’s teachings generally on the basis of this. On the other hand, I advise everyone to reject this particular incident of teaching as untrue.

Conclusion

In my first article I argued that Jeff uses unreliable methods in the interpretation of prophecy. Yet, I suggested, he borrows most of his conclusions from the pioneers and so generally concludes correctly.

Now I reverse the latter of these assessments. The most recent teachings, regarding 1989 and 2001 and the Loud Cry and the Latter Rain, are faulty conclusions. And to this end faulty methods will, it must be admitted, typically lead. There are other concerns, other doctrinal issues, that could be addressed. But these are the center, Jeff and I are agreed. And so they are addressed.

— Eugene Prewitt

April 3, 2009

For the Word Document, see here: Thoughts_Regarding_Jeff_Pippengers_Teachings