TruthInvestigate

“Oh, the unspeakable greatness of that exchange,—the Sinless One is condemned, and he who is guilty goes free; the Blessing bears the curse, and the cursed is brought into blessing; the Life dies, and the dead live; the Glory is whelmed in darkness, and he who knew nothing but confusion of face is clothed with glory.”

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Location: Kingsland, Georgia, United States

A person God turned around many times.

Saturday, September 30, 2017

3 part series on Charles Fitch

Alex Ortega audio files


Charles Fitch

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20031817%20The%20Christian%20Experience%20in%201844%20-%20Charles%20Fitch.mp3

Charles Fitch, cont.

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20032517%20The%20Christian%20Experience%20in%201844%20-%20Charles%20Fitch,%20cont.mp3

Charles Fitch, part 3

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20040117%20The%20Christian%20Experience%20in%201844%20-%20Charles%20Fitch,%20cont%202.mp3

The Father and the Son and the Sabbath

Alex Ortega audio file

The Father and the Son and the Sabbath

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20011417%20The%20Father%20and%20The%20Son%20-%20The%20Sabbath.mp3




The Father and the Son and the Sabbath, cont.

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20012117%20The%20Father%20and%20The%20Son%20-%20The%20Sabbath,%20cont.mp3




Other Pastor Ortega audio files

http://secondadventrevival.org/

Wonderful sermon on Joseph Wolff

Alex Ortega audio file

http://secondadventrevival.org/audio/2017/Alex%20Ortega%20041517%20The%20Christian%20Experience%20in%201844%20-%20GC,%20Chap.%2020%20-%20A%20Great%20Religious%20Awakening.mp3

Friday, September 29, 2017

The eternal Spirit of Him who could do nothing of Himself except love

“Now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” (John 17:5).

Wonderful thought! Glorify Me with Thine own self. Wrap Thine arms around Me with the glory We had together “from of old, from everlasting.” (Mic. 5:2).

“I wisdom dwell with prudence….
The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
I was set up [H5258 ‘anointed’] from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth [H2342 ‘calved’, ‘born’]:
While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When He established the clouds above: when He strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by Him, as One brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:12,22-31).

The beginning! When was that? The same age as the Father? No. “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” (Prov. 8:23). Men’s most distant concept of prehistory was their world’s creation. During the period of Bible writers the time of our creation was inconceivable to humanity, as well as to the Bible writers, who knew the long lifespans of many generations of the antediluvian world that took place after the creation. The creation of a sinless world and the paradise of Eden was “the beginning”, for all they knew. It took their minds back as far as was conceivable. Creation as the beginning even colored the thoughts of Peter when he prophesied of the last days of rampant, mocking atheism (see 2Peter 3:4). When we interpret the holy prophets of the Lord we must use this world-view, not the spiritualistic, Greek, so-called scientific truth.

“The Son of God declares concerning Himself: ‘The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ Proverbs 8:22-30.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.
    
We must use the Bible world-view of Earth’s creation as the dim, foggy “beginning” in order to conceptualize the distant past. Modern man has bitten into the demonic ruse to use billions and billions of years when attempting to comprehend the dim past. This is simply the deceiver’s means of steering us away from Bible’s terminology, scriptural thinking, and true measurement of the past. But, we must use the Bible writers’ thinking, who made use of the faith of Jesus, as the benchmark to measure the incomprehensible “beginning”. And thus we have a context which, by faith, grasps that the Son of God was begotten from the Father before the creation of our world. The beginning of the precious Child of the eternal One was long before His creating the earth. Eons before Jesus brought forth Adam from Eden’s soil, the Holy One was “brought forth” from Elohim.

The only Begotten was brought forth from His Father, and therefore He came after His Father. The darling Son of Divinity, the Kingdom’s dear Prince, was begotten far before the earth and the other worlds were created; yet the Father had been in eternity before Him.

Prior to the Son’s begetting had been the whole period of ages of “Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever” (Rev. 4:9), “the Ancient of days” (Dan. 7:9), the great, preeminently “self-existent One”. The Father alone is described as living forever and ever. Only He is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Tim. 6:15,16). And He has given His self-existence and His original, unborrowed, underived life to His Son.


Look at the Hubble Deep Field that shows galaxies located so far away that all is darkness between us and them. Those aren’t stars filling the photo, even the tiniest specks of white. With exception of the two bright lights with cross-hairs near the top left and the bottom right, they are thousands of galaxies, each of which contain hundreds of billions of stars. Like the sand on the seashore, beautiful gem-like galaxies litter that one tiny spot on the universe’s canvas. Across each galaxy stretches distances of billions of light-years. And untold millions of those stars have planets like ours, with flora and fauna, and intelligent beings inhabiting them. That is a lot of creating! It’s no wonder that, prior to the terrible crisis from Lucifer, God’s work of creation constituted so much of heaven’s praises. We can still hear it echoing down through the ages since,

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come.... Though art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:8,11).

“The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.’ John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.

“The Son of God shared the Father’s throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 36.

Sharing all the counsels of the Father gave the Beloved His greatest pleasure. In His Father’s presence was fullness of joy, and at His right hand He found pleasure for ever and ever.
       
What a picture the prophet paints of the pre-Great Controversy throne of God! Isn’t that the picture that Matthew depicted in Christ’s transfiguration? And the picture that John was seeing in the Revelation?

“Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a Voice out of the cloud, which said, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; HEAR YE HIM.” (Matt. 17:1-5).

Before Peter dared to step his foot on holy ground and then in his mouth, Jesus was rejoicing in His Father’s excellent presence like He had before the world was created. As if frozen in space and time, all earthly surroundings had disappeared from the Son of God. All He was experiencing was His Father. Again, after three years of wrestling with hard-hearted leaders and people, yearning to lead them to rest in Him, Jesus was getting rest. This was a Sabbath experience that no human had ever known except perfect, sinless Adam and Eve in the garden. Jesus was praying to have then what He prayed for later before He would lay down His eternal life for His children, and then return home again, “O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self.” His face and garments were glorified by the power of His Father and by His fellowship. Thus, after His humiliation and suffering, He ascended from His disciples to be glorified forever. With heaven’s powerful cheers, angelic hosts brought Him to His Father. His greatest test was past and victoriously accomplished.

“As a priest, Christ is now set down with the Father in His throne. Revelation 3:21. Upon the throne with the eternal, self-existent One is He who ‘hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows’.” Great Controversy, p. 416.

In Christ’s eternal Sabbath rest His powerful communion with His Father helps us to rest in communion with Them. His Father had always been His Helper so that He could minister and give His life a ransom for us. Through the “eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14), through the eternal fellowship between Jesus and His Abba, seeking Their lost eternal council of peace, Jesus sunk down into death. But, as it was before the controversy, so it will ever be. They will never again be separated; and the council of peace will forever remain between Them both.

“He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald…. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Rev. 4:3,5).

The seven Spirits, or the infinite Spirit, was Jesus, resplendent and brilliant, shining in response to His Father’s presence during non-computable ages, similarly to the glory that would later beam from Him that night on the holy mountain of His transfiguration. The presence of His Father on the earthly mount was the cause of Christ’s glory. Apart from the Father the Son could not shine.

“While [Peter] thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a Voice out of the cloud, saying, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON: HEAR HIM.” (Luke 9:34,35). The cloud of glory, which rolled over Peter, James, and John, was the Spirit of God who had forever sat upon His throne and who liveth for ever and ever.

The Father shut down Peter and his great idea, and put terror into his soul because, in thoughtless ignorance and inconsideration of the needs of His divine Master and Parent, he had butted in and interrupted this once-in-a-lifetime reunion that the Saviour of the Kingdom was having with His Father before suffering His terrible soul agony in Gethsemane. The Father’s preparatory resuscitation of Jesus’ soul that night was to help His Son save the world from their eternal judgment, which included Peter’s case in eternal judgment. How ignorantly we get in the Godhead’s way for our salvation! Our self-sacrificing Saviour could have been ten times better physically rested, mentally prepared, and spiritually fortified to save us if He could have had the whole night with His Father and His Father’s human representation through Moses and Elijah. Oh, but Peter fell before Satan’s temptation to jeopardize Jesus’ salvation of the whole human race by cutting short the untrammeled, Niagara volume-like inspirations that He needed from His Father! Peter’s interruption staunched the Father’s liberating fellowship full and free that was rejuvenating the Saviour of the world and strengthening Him for His infinite sacrifice. The intimacy with His Father must end so that Christ could tend to the needs of His beloved children, His babies! Duty called, and self-sacrificing love must respond.

It was the constant self-sacrifice for His creation, which filled the Son of God, and His love for His Father’s companionship that pleased the Father and kept Him imbuing His Son with His own self. The powerful Lawmaker and terrible Law Enforcement never needed to initiate Their conversation or to create Their bond. His Son initiated it all.

So, although robbed of the Edenic communion with His God by His children’s needs, Jesus went on carrying them in His bosom and singing to His Father from the depths of His soul,

“I will bless the LORD, who hath given Me counsel: My reins also instruct Me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before Me: because He is at My right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore My heart is glad, and My glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope.” (Ps. 16:7-9).

The infinite Spirit who could do nothing of Himself

“Now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” (John 17:5).

Wonderful thought! Glorify Me with Thine own self. Wrap Thine arms around Me with the glory We had together “from of old, from everlasting.” (Mic. 5:2).

“I wisdom dwell with prudence….
The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
I was set up [H5258 ‘anointed’] from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth [H2342 ‘calved’, ‘born’]:
While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When He established the clouds above: when He strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by Him, as One brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:12,22-31).

The beginning! When was that? The same age as the Father? No. “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” (Prov. 8:23). The furthest concept in prehistory was our creation. During the period of Bible writers the time of our creation was inconceivable to humanity, as well as the Bible writers. The Creation of our world was the beginning, for all they knew. When we interpret the prophets we much use their world-view. The only begotten was poured forth from His Father, and therefore, came after His Father.

“The Son of God declares concerning Himself: ‘The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ Proverbs 8:22-30.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.
    
The beginning was before the creation of Earth. We know from this context is that the Son of God was begotten before the creation that we see on our planet. But, there was a time before that when He was “brought forth”.

Prior to the Son’s begetting had been the whole period of ages of “Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever” (Rev. 4:9), “the Ancient of days” (Dan. 7:9). Only the Father is described as living forever and ever. Only He is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Tim. 6:15,16).



Look at the Deep Field that shows galaxies located so far away that all is darkness between us and them. Those aren’t stars filling the photo. They are galaxies that each contain hundreds of billions of stars that stretch across each galaxy for a distance of billions of light-years. That is a lot of creating!

“The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.’ John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.

“The Son of God shared the Father’s throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 36.

Sharing all the counsels of the Father gave the Beloved His greatest pleasure. In His Father’s presence was fullness of joy, and at His right hand He found pleasure for ever and ever.
       
What a picture she paints of the pre-Great Controversy throne of God! Isn’t that the picture that Matthew depicted in Christ’s transfiguration? And that John was seeing in the Revelation?

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a Voice out of the cloud, which said, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; HEAR YE HIM.” (Matt. 17:1-5).

Although Peter dared to step his foot on holy ground and in his mouth, Jesus was rejoicing in His Father’s presence like He had before the world was created. Again, after 3 years of wrestling with hard-hearted leaders and people, leading them to rest in Him, Jesus was getting rest. This was a Sabbath experience that no human had ever known except Adam and Eve in the garden. Jesus was praying to have what He prayed for when He would return home again, “O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self.” Thus, after His humiliation and suffering, He ascended from His disciples and with powerful cheers was brought before His Father. From His Father imbuing Him again with the glory of His own self, Jesus would send the infinite power of the Highest to His children on the earth. “And I beheld, and, lo, in themidst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain. having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev. 5:6).

“As a priest, Christ is now set down with the Father in His throne. Revelation 3:21. Upon the throne with the eternal, self-existent One is He who ‘hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows’.” Great Controversy, p. 416.

In His eternal Sabbath rest His powerful communion helps us to rest in communion with Him. His Father was always His Helper so that He could minister and give His life a ransom for us. As it was before the controversy, so it will ever be.

“And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald…. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Rev. 4:3,5).

The seven Spirits, or the infinite Spirit, the “eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14) was Jesus glorious and bright, shining as He shone on the holy mount of His transfiguration. The presence of His Father on the earthly mount was the cause of Christ’s glory. The cloud of glory, which rolled over Peter, James, and John, was the Father.

“While [Peter] thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON: HEAR HIM.” (Luke 9:34,35).

The Father shut down Peter and his big ideas, and put terror into his soul because he had butted in and interrupted the once-in-a-lifetime reunion with His Father before His terror in Gethsemane. This resuscitation of Jesus’ soul was to help Him save the world from their sin. How ignorantly we get in God’s way! Our self-sacrificing Saviour could have been ten times better physically rested and mentally prepared to save us if He could have had the whole night to be with His Father. Oh, but Peter jeopardized the salvation of the whole human race by cutting short the Niagara volume, open communion that was rejuvenating the Saviour of the world and strengthening Him for His infinite sacrifice. The communion must end so that the Son could tend to the needs of His children. Duty called, and self-sacrificing love must respond.

It was that self-sacrifice that pleased the Father and imbued His Son with His own self. Jesus went on singing in His soul, “I will bless the LORD, who hath given Me counsel: My reins also instruct Me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before Me: because He is at My right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore My heart is glad, and My glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope.” (Ps. 16:7-9).

A good chapter in Desire of Ages

Chap. 52 - The Divine Shepherd

     "I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." "I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep."  {DA 476.1}

     Again Jesus found access to the minds of His hearers by the pathway of their familiar associations. He had likened the Spirit's influence to the cool, refreshing water. He had represented Himself as the light, the source of life and gladness to nature and to man. Now in a beautiful pastoral picture He represents His relation to those that believe on Him. No picture was more familiar to His hearers than this, and Christ's words linked it forever with Himself. Never could the disciples look on the shepherds tending their flocks without recalling the Saviour's lesson. They would see Christ in each faithful shepherd. They would see themselves in each helpless and dependent flock.  {DA 476.2}

     This figure the prophet Isaiah had applied to the Messiah's mission, in the comforting words, "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! . . . He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." Isaiah 40:9-11. David had sung, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1. And the Holy Spirit through Ezekiel had declared: "I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them." "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." "And I will make with them a covenant of peace." "And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen; . . . but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid." Ezekiel 34:23, 16, 25, 28.  {DA 476.3}

     Christ applied these prophecies to Himself, and He showed the contrast between His own character and that of the leaders in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven one from the fold, because he dared to bear witness to the power of Christ. They had cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was drawing to Himself. In this they had shown themselves ignorant of the work committed to them, and unworthy of their trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now set before them the contrast between them and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to Himself as the real keeper of the Lord's flock. Before doing this, however, He speaks of Himself under another figure.  {DA 477.1}

     He said, "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep." The Pharisees did not discern that these words were spoken against them. When they reasoned in their hearts as to the meaning, Jesus told them plainly, "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  {DA 477.2}

     Christ is the door to the fold of God. Through this door all His children, from the earliest times, have found entrance. In Jesus, as shown in types, as shadowed in symbols, as manifested in the revelation of the prophets, as unveiled in the lessons given to His disciples, and in the miracles wrought for the sons of men, they have beheld "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and through Him they are brought within the fold of His grace. Many have come presenting other objects for the faith of the world; ceremonies and systems have been devised by which men hope to receive justification and peace with God, and thus find entrance to His fold. But the only door is Christ, and all who have interposed something to take the place of Christ, all who have tried to enter the fold in some other way, are thieves and robbers.  {DA 477.3}

     The Pharisees had not entered by the door. They had climbed into the fold by another way than Christ, and they were not fulfilling the work of the true shepherd. The priests and rulers, the scribes and Pharisees, destroyed the living pastures, and defiled the wellsprings of the water of life. Faithfully do the words of inspiration describe those false shepherds: "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away; . . . but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." Ezekiel 34:4.  {DA 478.1}

     In all ages, philosophers and teachers have been presenting to the world theories by which to satisfy the soul's need. Every heathen nation has had its great teachers and religious systems offering some other means of redemption than Christ, turning the eyes of men away from the Father's face, and filling their hearts with fear of Him who has given them only blessing. The trend of their work is to rob God of that which is His own, both by creation and by redemption. And these false teachers rob man as well. Millions of human beings are bound down under false religions, in the bondage of slavish fear, of stolid indifference, toiling like beasts of burden, bereft of hope or joy or aspiration here, and with only a dull fear of the hereafter. It is the gospel of the grace of God alone that can uplift the soul. The contemplation of the love of God manifested in His Son will stir the heart and arouse the powers of the soul as nothing else can. Christ came that He might re-create the image of God in man; and whoever turns men away from Christ is turning them away from the source of true development; he is defrauding them of the hope and purpose and glory of life. He is a thief and a robber.  {DA 478.2}

     "He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep." Christ is both the door and the shepherd. He enters in by Himself. It is through His own sacrifice that He becomes the shepherd of the sheep. "To Him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice."  {DA 478.3}

     Of all creatures the sheep is one of the most timid and helpless, and in the East the shepherd's care for his flock is untiring and incessant. Anciently as now there was little security outside of the walled towns. Marauders from the roving border tribes, or beasts of prey from their hiding places in the rocks, lay in wait to plunder the flocks. The shepherd watched his charge, knowing that it was at the peril of his own life. Jacob, who kept the flocks of Laban in the pasture grounds of Haran, describing his own unwearied labor, said, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes." Genesis 31:40. And it was while guarding his father's sheep that the boy David, single-handed, encountered the lion and the bear, and rescued from their teeth the stolen lamb.  {DA 478.4}

     As the shepherd leads his flock over the rocky hills, through forest and wild ravines, to grassy nooks by the riverside; as he watches them on the mountains through the lonely night, shielding from robbers, caring tenderly for the sickly and feeble, his life comes to be one with theirs. A strong and tender attachment unites him to the objects of his care. However large the flock, the shepherd knows every sheep. Every one has its name, and responds to the name at the shepherd's call.  {DA 479.1}

     As an earthly shepherd knows his sheep, so does the divine Shepherd know His flock that are scattered throughout the world. "Ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God." Jesus says, "I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine." "I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands." Ezekiel 34:31; Isaiah 43:1; 49:16.  {DA 479.2}

     Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep.  {DA 479.3}

     Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, "Follow Me," and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth.  {DA 480.1}

     "He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. . . . And the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice." The Eastern shepherd does not drive his sheep. He depends not upon force or fear; but going before, he calls them. They know his voice, and obey the call. So does the Saviour-Shepherd with His sheep. The Scripture says, "Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Through the prophet, Jesus declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." He compels none to follow Him. "I drew them," He says, "with cords of a man, with bands of love." Psalm 77:20; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:4.  {DA 480.2}

     It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.  {DA 480.3}

     As the shepherd goes before his sheep, himself first encountering the perils of the way, so does Jesus with His people. "When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them." The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour's footprints. The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us. Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne.  {DA 480.4}

     Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world. "And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast.  {DA 480.5}

     Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Revelation 1:18. I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken. Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isaiah 54:10.  {DA 483.1}

     However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not only our shepherd; He is our "everlasting Father." And He says, "I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father." John 10:14, 15, R. V. What a statement is this!--the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be "the Man that is My fellow" (Zechariah 13:7),--the communion between Him and the eternal God is taken to represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth!  {DA 483.2}

     Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore trust.  {DA 483.3}

     Jesus thought upon the souls all over the earth who were misled by false shepherds. Those whom He longed to gather as the sheep of His pasture were scattered among wolves, and He said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd." John 10:16, R. V.  {DA 483.4}

     "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again." That is, My Father has so loved you, that He even loves Me more for giving My life to redeem you. In becoming your substitute and surety, by surrendering My life, by taking your liabilities, your transgressions, I am endeared to My Father.  {DA 483.5}

     "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." While as a member of the human family He was mortal, as God He was the fountain of life for the world. He could have withstood the advances of death, and refused to come under its dominion; but voluntarily He laid down His life, that He might bring life and immortality to light. He bore the sin of the world, endured its curse, yielded up His life as a sacrifice, that men might not eternally die. "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:4-6.  {DA 484.1}  

Monday, September 18, 2017

A sinner's redress of grievances against God

“So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Gen. 3:24).

Adding salt to the wound. Was it necessary? First He brought the man to confession. But that wasn’t enough. Then He cursed the man’s world. But that wasn’t enough punishment. Then He forced him to slay one of his favorite pets for a sin offering. But that wasn’t enough. Then He drove him out of paradise. But that wasn’t even enough. He followed through with His original threat, “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17).

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” (Gen. 5:3-5).

And all during that 900 year life Adam died a thousand deaths. He saw one son die at the hands of his own brother, and then Adam saw that brother flee and begin a worldwide rebellion against the holy God that Adam still loved. Yet, to Jesus the question would remain, “Did Adam remain faithful to Jehovah to the very end?”

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10).
“[Christ’s] house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Heb. 3:6).

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise....
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Heb. 10:36,38,39).

After all that we suffer, does Jehovah dog us with guilt and shame to the very end?

What kind of incentive do we have to be faithful all our life long if rejection, real rejection from Jehovah is all we get from Him? Rejection! Rejection! Silence from heaven all during our life. And on top of that the threat of Judgment Day if we reject Him after He has been rejecting us! We may find it hard to accept, but all His rejection and continuous accountability is for our good.

We need rejection to keep us straight. We are so weakened by the destroyer that we cannot stay sober and vigilant against his charms without prods from above. We need to be kept under the curse of His Law that we’ve all broken and keep rejecting. Even among our own we get rejection. It’s all over the place. It’s a reality that never goes away.

I had already spent a lot of money paying the publisher for changes I had made to my book on the subject of Revelation’s seven trumpets in relation to the investigative judgment. Yet when I submitted my last edit, I received this unexpected email in return:

___________________
RE: final edit
Tuesday, September 20, 2016 11:06 AM
From: "Bill N______" publisher@t________.com
To:      "David Burdick" b____________@yahoo.com
Cc:      "Timothy H_______" manager@t_________.com  

Hi, David.

We have gone over everything and have rejected your manuscript because of the following:

All design instructions included in the manuscript MUST BE REMOVED (Any remaining will be charged at $3.10 per change if you want us to do it for you)
The Appendices in TB6 MUST be added to the manuscript to be included (we can do this at an estimate of $200-300 additional)

If the above two above problems are resolved by you, the charges will remain as originally estimated at $818.45. (Based on 236,527 words)
There is an additional charge of $36.00 per 1,000 words for anything over 235,527 words.

Thank you,
Bill


___________________

I read, “rejected” and the capitalized demands; and then I felt victimized. What did I do to deserve such strong language? Why couldn’t they be polite? Why couldn’t they treat me like a human? Like a customer?

We need rejection if we’ve done wrong. I had done wrong to the publishing company by my many extensive edits. I had dragged out the publishing process until it had become costly to the publisher and probably confusing to the copy-editor. Even though I didn’t realize it I was causing them to be inefficient in the publishing process. Nevertheless, ignorance is no excuse. I needed to learn, and whether under terms spoken nicely or bluntly I needed to accept the communication. I wasn’t the only customer involved. I had a contract with the publisher; which made the company a customer to me. If I was dragging them around, even without knowing I was, then they needed to let me know to stop it. And it needed to be in black and white in case they needed to resort to the legal system to end this trespass against them.

We need Jehovah’s strong language. Our demon-controlled heart and blinded mind need to hear His blunt terms or we won’t end our trespasses against Him, even if our minds are blinded and we do it all ignorantly.  “Thou shalt not” needs to ring in our ears. Our damage done to Him must be made transparent to the angelic court and to us. It needs to be written in black and white, even in stone. Our mouths are open sepulchers and Satan’s abominable breath poisons our prayers that ascend, our ignorant, faithless demands to the King of heaven. We just don’t know how much we need His bold, blaring message of rejection.

“There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me….
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” (Luke 18:2-5,7).

Isn’t God represented by the unjust judge? Why does He bear so long with us before He helps us? The devil whispers into our mind, “Doesn’t He claim to love His children? Isn’t He the God of love? Look at how careless His words treat your sensitive, darling heart! Look at how carelessly He treated David publicly in his own court.”

THOU ART THE MAN. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL, AND I DELIVERED THEE OUT OF THE HAND OF SAUL;
AND I GAVE THEE THY MASTER’S HOUSE, AND THY MASTER’S WIVES INTO THY BOSOM, AND GAVE THEE THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND OF JUDAH; AND IF THAT HAD BEEN TOO LITTLE, I WOULD MOREOVER HAVE GIVEN UNTO THEE SUCH AND SUCH THINGS.
WHEREFORE HAST THOU DESPISED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD, TO DO EVIL IN HIS SIGHT? THOU HAST KILLED URIAH THE HITTITE WITH THE SWORD, AND HAST TAKEN HIS WIFE TO BE THY WIFE, AND HAST SLAIN HIM WITH THE SWORD OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON.
NOW THEREFORE THE SWORD SHALL NEVER DEPART FROM THINE HOUSE; BECAUSE THOU HAST DESPISED ME, AND HAST TAKEN THE WIFE OF URIAH THE HITTITE TO BE THY WIFE.
Thus saith the LORD, BEHOLD, I WILL RAISE UP EVIL AGAINST THEE OUT OF THINE OWN HOUSE, AND I WILL TAKE THY WIVES BEFORE THINE EYES, AND GIVE THEM UNTO THY NEIGHBOUR, AND HE SHALL LIE WITH THY WIVES IN THE SIGHT OF THIS SUN.
FOR THOU DIDST IT SECRETLY: BUT I WILL DO THIS THING BEFORE ALL ISRAEL, AND BEFORE THE SUN.” (2Sam. 12:7-12).

A cloud hung over David for the rest of His life for his act of rape and premeditated murder. So did a sword, the curse of God. One of his sons raped David’s daughter. Her brother assassinated that half brother and then became an insurrectionist against the Lord’s holy kingdom. David’s life was imperiled, and his wives publicly ravaged, by his son. He lived the rest of his years unable to forget his great sin.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Because that wildly popular question builds a satanic straw man, an anti-biblical notion. It feeds God’s people with the insinuations of Satan against God’s righteous rejections. The Bible says that our fallen nature is completely rotten, even the best of us, as Job thought he was. “Behold, He findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for His enemy, He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths.” (Job 33:10,11). God or the boogie man is just out to get me! The cause of my affliction is everyone else but me! Poor me!

“It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom. 3:10-18).

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23).

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer. 17:9,10).

Will we submit to His judgment of our character as “exceeding sinful.” (Rom. 7:13). Will we surrender and say, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2Sam. 12:13). “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in Thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son.” (Luke 15:21).

If we will say these things, then the scourging Schoolmaster (see Heb. 12:6;Gal. 3:24) will bring us to the lamb that taketh away the sin of the world. There we will see the first glimpse of the love we’ve been waiting for. There we won’t see rejection. From God we hear palpably thundered, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; HEAR YE HIM(Matt. 17:5)! But from the Provision that He authorized we feel a gentle, merciful touch on our trembling, terrified body, and hear the blessed words, “Arise, and be not afraid.” (Vs. 7). In Him we aren’t treated as an abomination. We see and hear the voice of love that “[loves us] unto the end.” (John 13:1). Men a-dying aren’t men a-lying. Dying men don’t lie. Jesus’ testimony at His very end was “all that was in His heart.” (2Chron. 32:31). “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). “Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me.... I in them, and Thou in Me.... Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with with Me where I am.” (John 17:11,23,24).

Wonderful! What love! What acceptance! But, what about the Father’s love? Didn’t Jesus say, “the Father Himself loveth you” (John 16:27)? But He scourges us with His rejection! How is that love? Isn’t that what Baal does?

Where was the love in Nathan’s words to David? “The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” (2Sam. 12:13). You mean, God was on the verge of killing David? A man who had been chasing after Jesus’ heart before he fell into sin?

If only the sinner could realize how arrogant and devilish he is, he would consent to being killed, forever blotted from existence. If only he could realize what would happen to the universe if sin and sinners had not been confined to this world and allowed to die! And David had to relearn that because he lost the understanding of it completely. But he did relearn it.

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Ps. 51:5). “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” (Ps. 58:3). David had known the ever-present potential for sin in his heart. He had remained conscious of this truth before his great fall from innocence, but in his raging, violent self-indulgence he lost that great truth from his conscience. And he never would have got it back if God had not especially intervened to bring it back to His servant. Satan quickly turned David into a Nimrod and a Cain. All that David had done by inspired wisdom to build up “an holy nation” and to inspire his people to be “a kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:6), he had demolished. He tore it down with his own hands. The kingdom would never again be the same. Forever the people would doubt that God can keep us from falling into sin, and that His righteousness can preserve a nation.

But will we surrender to divine judgment like David did? Or will we forever fight the intimation of rejection that resides in judgment? Will we fall on the Lamb and be broken, as Adam and Eve and Abel did over and over again? Or will we be malicious and insolent and stone cold toward Jehovah as was Cain? And then offer to Him a piece of His own medicine—mutual stonewalling and rejection, and an offering that could never be acceptable to God because it could never lead him to repentance. Will we admit our failure, tremble before our sin, and bow our pride, or will we shake our fist at God and resist accountability to the truth concerning our sinful nature? Will we become repentant or rebellious? Will we become an Abel or a Cain? Here is where the road divides between a dying life and a living death.

The Lord said that Abel’s “blood crieth unto Me from the ground.” (Gen. 4:10). Abel “being dead yet speaketh.” (Heb. 11:4). When it comes to Jehovah and His saints, “He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.” (Luke 20:38). Abel was crucified with Christ, yet he lived by the Spirit of Christ. In his dying life Abel mortified his body by the Spirit in order to mimic his Saviour, until his martyrdom. Then, he would sleep awaiting his resurrection to the God he love, who anxiously awaited that day.

But of Cain the Lord said, “Now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand…. And Cain said unto the LORD,… Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from Thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” (Gen. 4:11,14,15). You didn’t die, but your life will make you wish you did. “Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.” (Deut. 28:66,67). Of his living death Cain said, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Gen. 4:13).

Will we be “righteous in [our] own eyes” and “justif[y] [ourselves] rather than God” (Job 32:1,2)? Will we say, “We … were never in bondage” (John 8:33)? “I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.” (Job 33:9)? Will we stubbornly resist sorrow for sin with Babylon the Great, saying, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow” (Rev. 18:7)? Or will we accept the rejection of heaven and say, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13). Will we bow to God’s accountability and declare to the world with a great emperor who bowed and received a heart of gold, “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.” (Dan. 4:37).

All that the King of heaven has done by rejecting us He has done to our innocent Mediator since the beginning. “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isa. 63:9). Jesus was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev. 13:8). “God left Him, to try Him, that He might know all that was in His heart.” (2Chron. 32:31, cf John 5:39).

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.
And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:36-39).

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).

“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17).

Grace is the end of divine rejection for everyone who surrenders up their weapon against the King. And grace Incarnate “is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom. 10:4). A friendship with Grace Incarnate, the only grace-encased human, is our reward for bowing to the King and being brought to His crucified Prince for our full humiliation, and for divine sorrow to repent and faith to be justified. He who has the Son has grace. He who has not the Son has rightful, divine rejection.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36).

“Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.
For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knoweth the power of Thine anger? even according to Thy fear, so is Thy wrath.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Ps. 90:3-12).

Sunday, September 17, 2017

An excerpt from my book, The Seven Trumpets and the Investigative Judgment

Chapter 5

Revelation Chapter 8: The Trumpets Begin

Revelation chapter 8 ends the scene of all the future excitement in heaven, the victorious church of chapter 7 upon which John, like Jeremiah, so pleasantly lingered (see Jeremiah 31). With Jeremiah John could say, “Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me” (Jer. 31:26, cf vs. 25). John, like Jeremiah, was viewing the redemption of another humbled Israel. John must, however, leave the triumphant picture of eternity, and revert to the mustering church still earth-bound and marching against Satan. The scene of Revelation 7’s celebration must close in patient hope. The future eternal celebration must cease from John’s sight, for he must review the most solemn period of all Earth’s history, the final examination that decides who will be part of Revelation 7’s joyful, eternal kingdom of God, or who will refuse the war with self in order to gain the everlasting kingdom. Revelation chapter 7 provides the hope and encouragement that would be needed for the reader of The Revelation prior to continuing on to the distressing scenes of the seventh seal’s seven trumpets. Christ’s chapter 7 vision does for the reader what He did for His disciples when He gave them a break from their public labors. “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). Now, in chapter 8 the reader must hear His words to move forward in battle. “Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward” (Deut. 2:3) to fight for the church’s home in the heavenly land of promise, “in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established” (Ex. 15:17, cf Ps. 77:13; Heb. 8:1, 2).

On October 22, 1844, the seventh seal opens and there is a solemn silence in heaven for about a half hour (one week on earth, see verse 1). This occurs at the close of the 2,300 year prophecy of Daniel, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Dan. 8:14, cf Dan. 9:25; Ezra 7:7). That prophecy began in 457 B.C. in the days of Ezra. The week of silence intentionally divides chapter 7’s eternal celebrations by the victorious church at Jesus’ coming from the next scenes of the church still militant against sin and Satan, which precede Christ’s final redemption and His celebrations (see Isaiah 25). The Revelation chapter 8 silence separates the final reward, seen in chapter 7, from the necessary struggles that culminate in that final reward. The day of reward will cause the redeemed to expel all sin from their heart, cleanse sin from the heavenly sanctuary, condemn Satan and his hosts (see Leviticus 16:12; Daniel 8:9-14, 23-25), and will forever hide every reminiscence of the great controversy (see Leviticus 16:16, 19, 30; Isaiah 65:17). Since the days of Adam, all who sought God’s love and grace, and obtained it, were recorded in the book of life (see Psalm 56:8). However, Jesus tells in His parable that not every soul fights to retain His grace all the way to the very end of life. (See Matthew 13:20-22; Matthew 24:13; Revelation 1:3; 2:25, 26; 16:15; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:6; 6:4-8, 15; Romans 4:17-22; John 8:31.)

Jesus said that most do not strive for the fullest surrender that comes at life’s completion (see Matthew 7:13; Revelation 2:11; Hebrews 10:36, 38). They do not put their whole will and heart toward pleasing God or toward wrestling with His Law for the duration of their lifetime. They become indolent, temptation engulfs them, and they end up with an abrasive heart and character, and a spiritual experience of thorns and briers (see Isaiah 32:13, 16; 33:11-14; Matthew 7:15-17; 12:43-45; 1 Samuel 16:1). They miss the fullness of redemption, not doing like Abraham who continued pressing for the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (see Romans 4:18-22).

Therefore, an investigation by Jesus must ensue (see Ezekiel 34:17; Isaiah 40:10) and be recorded by all the angelic hosts (see Revelation 3:5; 14:6, 10; Luke 15:7, 10, 21; Daniel 4:13, 35). It must judge all whose hearts had confessed the Son of God, from Adam until the end of the judgment. Heaven must examine all who initially surrendered to the condemnation and goodness of God, who trusted in the pouring out of Christ’s soul for them, and ultimately whose candlestick Satan was or was not able to take away (see Revelation 2:5; Matthew 13:38-43; 22:12-14; Revelation 17:14). If their trust and obedience remained to the end, then the heavenly court will not blot out their names from the book of life.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Rev. 3:5, cf Heb. 3:6; 10:39).

He that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matt. 10:22).

This infers that Jesus must blot out of His book some people. They will not keep His word and remain surrendered to the will of God; they will not keep setting their love on Jesus, enduring (see John 8:31; 14:21-23; Psalm 91:14-16; Revelation 3:11) until the end in the battle against their exceeding sinfulness. The sanctuary cleansing infers that there will be judgment on those who failed in that investigation (see 1 Corinthians 3:13; 2 Peter 2:18-22; 1 Peter 4:17; Psalm 73:17) by their rejoining Satan’s hosts (see 1 Timothy 5:11-13; 2 Timothy 4:10). But thankfully, the promise means blessing on everyone who, like their Master, patiently held the beginning of their confidence in God to the very last moment of life (see Hebrews 3:14; 2 Timothy 4:7, 8). It promises that through His continued, abundant grace from above, many do overcome. The great cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment determine who of the final generation will stand when Jesus returns and who will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming (see 2 Thessalonians 2:8, 9). When Jesus returns, He delivers those who, after the investigation and “a time of trouble, such as never was” (Dan. 12:1), are still “found written in the book” (Dan. 12:1, cf Rev. 13:8; 17:8).

The Revelation chapter 8 sanctuary scene is a solemn event because it begins the preliminary spiritual judgments upon the world before Christ’s return. The preliminary investigation period must require soul-searching from everyone on earth. “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come” (Rev. 14:7). Is my mind fortified with truth so that I can stand in the day of battle as Paul valiantly fought for the gospel, and I will ultimately stand in the day of destruction? Does the love of God so control my heart that Satan cannot inspire me with hatred toward even one enemy in the persecutions? Can I accept correction? Can I be reproved? Can my appetites survive “the loss of all things”, “to be abased”, to be “hungry”, and “to suffer need” (Phil. 3:8; 4:12) during the time of trouble and Jesus’ return? Am I experiencing the Early Rain’s justification and sanctification by faith so that I can take part in the Latter Rain’s sealing and glorification by faith? Am I reconciling with the work of losing personal idols; do I “count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:8)? Are the heavenly agencies putting in me a love of the truth and giving me the Early Rain’s promised sprinkling from a cursed, evil conscience, giving me relief from the hounding of Satan for my past shame? Am I already washing my robe “white in the blood of the Lamb” and preparing to be the fully ripened fruit of the great tribulation” (Rev. 7:14)? Am I open to the heavenly agencies’ reproducing the character of Jesus in me (see 1 John 3:1-3), even perfectly reproducing it, as our Father in heaven is perfect (see Matthew 5:48)? Am I being sanctified by the truth that I preach, or am I a castaway? Am I understanding and experiencing the science of salvation, so that I will be among the 144,000 who correctly preach “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6) “in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14)?

Per the Old Testament atonement guideline, the investigation mandates such self-examination. “Whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day [during the Day of Atonement], he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls” (Lev. 23:29-32). “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23, 24). Therefore, examining our character and conscience in the light of the Law of God demands our special attention today. Yet, trusting in Christ’s redemptive suffering for us to give rest and victory over sin has not become obsolete in this closing period of Earth’s history, which we have called the investigative judgment. Trusting Christ will be a current requirement all the way to the end. This judgment period for investigating our characters should not cause us any misgivings because it motivates us by amplifying our need of the Son (see 1 John 3:3-7). So, the investigative judgment and the sealing are a good thing. The sealing comes by faith in the Son; everyone else lives under the wrath of God (see John 3:36).

John sees a High Priestly Angel standing at a golden altar before God (see Revelation 8:3). This altar can be none other than the altar of incense which guards the “second veil” (Heb. 9:3, cf Heb. 9:4) that had been set up at the entrance to the Most Holy Places of both earthly and heavenly sanctuaries (see Hebrews 8:2, 5). Therefore Christ’s incense goes up to His Father with the “with the prayers” (Rev. 8:3) of His children. There He intercedes before His Father for their heaven-borne requests and communion, giving them groans that they could not of themselves utter (see Romans 8:26; Galatians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 5:2). This scene of Revelation chapter 8 indicates a preparation to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary. The Angel is carrying a censer, officiating at the altar of incense. Thus, He is ready to enter the Most Holy on the Day of Atonement of October 22, 1844. Like ancient Israel crowding around the tent sanctuary in the wilderness, Christ is surrounded by “all saints” (Rev. 8:3, cf Lev. 23:29) ― His Millerite people who are praying for God’s grace to remain firm during that dark time of their desire to see Jesus.

Gary, a Bible student acquaintance, made this seventh seal introduction more concretely connected to the cleansing of the sanctuary and to the investigative judgment period. He showed me the comparison of the Revelation 8:3 over-abundant incense with its type.

Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: and he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail (Lev. 16:11, 12).

The “much” incense of the angelic High Priest in Revelation 8 is the antitype of the two handfuls of incense that Aaron needed both times he entered the earthly Most Holy Place on each annual Day of Atonement. Everything in Revelation 8:3 speaks of the ceremonial, typical events that took place yearly in the great, final seventh month Atonement, and therefore Revelation 8 speaks of the literal, antitypical commencement of the heavenly sanctuary cleansing. The earthly antitype is what Revelation 8 looks back on and uses it to show the antitype’s fulfillment during the last days seventh seal period.

As we saw in Revelation chapter 6, the sixth seal finished with the close of the Millerite movement, which had begun the proclamation of Christ’s return. Next, we saw Revelation 6:17-7:3 pause the seven seal storyline and insert the Revelation 7:4ff tangent. That tangent intimated much trouble ahead of them, but also wonderful hope afterwards. It gave a snapshot of a difficult battle for blotting out the sins of the 144,000, and a glorious victory in their ultimate atonement to the Father as the scene trailed off into a still more glorious eternity with Him and the Lamb (see Revelation 7:14-17).

Now, Revelation 8:1 picks up the seven seal storyline again. And please notice first, that before the Angel begins His cleansing and throws down His censor, the seven angels who will blow the seven trumpets are already involved and are standing by for their great work (see Revelation 8:2) during the seventh seal. Therefore, this scene of angels and their trumpets before and after of the Day of Atonement scene says that the rest of chapter 8 and all of chapter 9 are connected to the high priestly Angel’s work as He prepares to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary.

This says that because Revelation 8 angelic trumpeters are standing by and because this seventh-seal heavenly sanctuary scene are directly connected to the sixth seal that was paused at Revelation 7:3, then the Revelation chapter 8 sanctuary scene and the seven trumpets that follow it all happen during the seventh sequential seal of the mystery book concerning God. Therefore, Revelation 8’s seventh seal, which must naturally pick up the storyline just where the sixth seal left off, must place all seven trumpets after the early American Millerite October 22, 1844 Great Disappointment of Christ’s return shown in the sixth seal.

Like the Exodus Israel hoping for an immediate entrance into “the Sanctuary” (Ex. 15:17) when they were only eleven days away from Canaan, those involved in that sixth seal pronouncement soon will enter into heaven as Jesus promised (see John 14:1-3), but not without a period of training to overcome Satan’s battle against the final pronouncement.

Chapter 7’s thrilling intermission bridges between the sixth and seventh seals, and then its tangent of glory closes in order for the seven seals prophecy to transition back into a somber, even a stern, setting in order for Revelation 8 and 9 to finish the seventh seal trumpet activities. And as we said earlier, both Revelation chapters 6 finished and 7 began at the terrifying end of God’s merciful Judgment Day warning by the Millerite movement and its Great Disappointment of 1844. Therefore, the Revelation 8 scene opens on October 22, 1844 with a period of silence before God. The week of silence sets the heavenly stage with a serious atmosphere for a determined battle between God and Satan during a final investigative judgment.

Judgment Day could have come in 1844 or shortly thereafter. And God had every right to terminate the church dispensation by His appearing, though no one would have been ready for that day of terror. He didn’t return because the human race merited another 170 years of existence in its sins. But, God’s forbearance and grace must overrule His due justice at this time in order to produce a group which will perfectly show His ability to attract humanity away from their lustful idols to the purity and disinterested love of His coming kingdom. Then He can return in power and glory, and reap a great harvest.

So, upon opening the seventh seal Christ, “the angel of his [Father’s] presence” (Isa. 63:9, cf Ex. 23:20) stands before the altar of incense. He is about to enter the Most Holy Place to blot out from the heavenly sanctuary all the sin of the saints since Adam left Eden.

Into the second [compartment of the tabernacle] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people (Heb. 9:7).

But, before our Angel High Priest goes in in order to prepare the world for His return Jesus must first be cleansed of the open shame with which His Protestants have sullied His name. He must offer “for himself” before the Ancient of days. Then He must “make an atonement for … his house” (Lev. 16:11), preparing a body of Protestants for their unprecedented ministry of preparing the world for His second advent. The Mother of all living goes nowhere and does nothing without His family. He moves no faster than His children can keep up with Him. He says, “I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure” (Gen. 33:14). “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion” (Isa. 8:18).

The Old Testament type for the annual Judgment Day showed this in the requirement for Aaron to first cleanse himself and his family prior to cleansing the sanctuary for the nation. (See Leviticus 16:11, 29.) And Aaron’s house included his anointed servants, the Levites.

I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary (Num. 8:19, cf Num. 3:9).

He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness (Mal. 3:3).

This cleansing He can accomplish only by pruning and purifying His Protestant church. First, as in the days of Gideon, He must remove the Protestants who are incurably worldly and spiritualistic, and have no interest in fighting for heaven, but would demoralize the Protestant army fighting in the investigative judgment. Then He can train and lead His holy army, newly sealed and subordinated under Him, to cleanse “the people” (Heb. 9:7), that is, the greater bulk of His righteous church sprinkled throughout the other world religions. Jesus will cleanse the holy and righteous, and discard the incurable unjust and filthy.

Therefore, not the first Most Holy entrance in 1844 by Jesus ― the Most Holy entering first for creating and cleansing a family that would be drawn out from Protestantism ― but the second and great Most Holy Place entrance of Jesus will occur anti-typically at the end of the trumpets period to cleanse the earthly sanctuary for the saints throughout the world and to fully cleanse the heavenly sanctuary. This should grow clearer to the reader as we study the fifth and sixth trumpet events. But, Christ can enter the Most Holy Place the second time to cleanse it only after first cleansing His remnant Adventist and Protestant peoples as Aaron did his children and Levites. The final Adventist generation is God’s special group of children who will demonstrate for Him the true sacrifice of praise (see Revelation 7:10). Then Jesus can enter the second time to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary, give the Latter Rain to the world, and return to take all of His redeemed home. Amen!

Jesus casts down His censer and the first trumpet blows. As He throws down His censer to the heavenly floor, out of the sky on earth fall the coals from His censer, “burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD” (Lev. 16:12), and “his own blood” (Heb. 9:12, cf vs. 7). “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth” (Rev. 8:7).

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity (Isa. 40:22, 23).

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Generations of truth bearers

Thomas Hubbard


 First Generation


        1.  Thomas1 Hubbard[1] birth date unknown.  Thomas died May 26, 1555 in England. 

      
       Thomas Hubbard was a gentleman residing at Horden-on-the-Hill, in Essex, England, “of good estate and great estimation,” and “zealous and religious in the true service of God.” Discovered by an informer to Bishop Bonner, he was seized, imprisoned and burned May 26, 1555.  It is believed that the story of Thomas Highbed in Fox’s Book of Martyrs, refers to him.

       Thomas Hubbard had the following children:

    +      2      i.     James2 Hubbard.
            3     ii.     Richard Hubbard.  He was christened in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG, September 13, 1562.  The following individual is also linked to this event: Thomas Hubbard (father).
            4     iii.     Elizabeth Hubbard.  She was christened in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG, September 13, 1562.  The following individual is also linked to this event: Thomas Hubbard (father).



 Second Generation


       2.  James2 Hubbard (Thomas 1)[2] birth date unknown.  James died in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG. 

       He married Naomi Cocke.  Naomi was the daughter of Thomas Cocke.  Naomi died in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG. 
       James Hubbard was a yeoman of Mendelsham, Suffolk, England, 80 miles northwest of London.  His Testament (printed in 1549) “which he hid in his bedstraw lest it should be found and burned in Queen Mary’s days,” was brought to America by his son Samuel, and is possibly in the Library of Alfred University, at Alfred Centre, NY.  He and Naomi Cocke reportedly had ten children.  Benjamin, James, Rachel, and Samuel came to America, but probably none of the others.  Six are identified in Day’s, “1000 Years of Hubbard History.”

       James Hubbard and Naomi Cocke had the following children:

            5     i.     Rachel3 Hubbard was born in England.  Rachel died in Fairfield Co, CT.  She married John Brandish in England.  John died in Fairfield Co, CT. 
                           Rachel who married John Brandish, of Ipswich, Suffolk, ENG.  They came to America in 1633, and lived in Salem, MA, Wethersfield, CT, and Fairfield, CT.  After the death of her husband, Rachel married secondly, Anthony Wilson, of Fairfield, CT. Rachel and John Brandish had four children.
                           1)  Mary, b. 1628, Ipswich, ENG.  Married Francis Purdy of Fairfield, CT
                           2)  John, b. 1633, Salem, MA.  Removed to Flushing, New Netherlands
                           3)  Bethia, b. 1637, Wethersfield, CT.  Married Timothy Knapp, of Greenwich, near Stamford, CT.
                           4)  A posthumous son born 1639, Wethersfield, CT.
            6      ii.     Benjamin Hubbard.
            7     iii.     James Hubbard.  He was christened in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG, August 14, 1603.  The following individuals are also linked to this event: Naomi Cocke (mother); James Hubbard (father).
            8     iv.     Sarah Hubbard was born 1598.  She married John Jackson in England.  John was born in England.  John died in England. 
                           Sarah, the eldest daughter, and her husband John Jackson, lived in Yarmouth, Norfolk, ENG. They had a son, Robert Jackson, who served four years under Oliver Cromwell.
            9     v.      Thomas Hubbard was born 1604.  He married Esther.  Esther was born in England.  Esther died in England. 
                           Thomas, the eldest son, and his wife Esther, lived in Freeman Lane, near Horsley, down in Southwark, London.
    +    10     vi.     Samuel Hubbard was born May 10, 1610.



 Third Generation


       10.  Samuel3 Hubbard (James 2)[3] was born in Mendelsham, Suffolk, ENG May 10, 1610.  Samuel died 1689 in Newport, Newport Co, RI, at 79 years of age. 

       He married Tacy Cooper in Windsor, Hartford Co, CT, January 4, 1635/6.  Tacy was born in England February 12, 1608/9.  Tacy died circa 1697 in Newport, Newport Co, RI. 

      
       From the Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island and “1000 Years of Hubbard History,” we learn:
       He says of himself: “Such was the pleasure of Jehovah towards me, I was born of good parents, my mother brought me up in the fear of the Lord, in Mendelsham, in catechising me and hearing choice ministers, & c.”
       Oct 1633 - Salem, MA.  He came this month from England.
       1634 - He went to Watertown, MA, where he says he joined the church, “by giving account of my faith.”
       Oct 1635 - With a party of about one hundred, he started to march through the wilderness to the Connecticut Valley; winter coming on before they reached their destination they suffered much from exposure, and insufficient food.  Samuel Hubbard remained at Windsor during the winter where he married to Tacy Cooper by Mr. Ludlow.  Tacy Cooper had come to Dorchester, MA, 9 Jun 1634, and was one of the party.
       In 1636, shortly after their marriage, they went to Wethersfield, CT.      10 May 1639 - Springfield, MA.  He moved here at this date, in search of peace, and a church was soon gathered; he says: “I gave acct. of my faith” and that there were “five men in all...my wife soon after added.”
       To escape persecution under the harsh laws of Massachusetts they agin moved 10 May 1647 to Fairfield, CT. His stay here was short: “God having enlightened both, but mostly my wife, into his holy ordinances of baptizing only of visible believers, and being very zealous for it, she was mostly struck at and answered two terms publicly, where I was also said to be as bad as she, and sore threatened imprisonment to Hartford jail, if not to renounce it or to remove; that Scripture came into our mouths, if they persecute you in one place, flee to another; and so we did 2 day of October, 1648, we went for Rhode Island, and arrived there 12 day.  I and my wife upon manifestation of our faith were baptized by brother John Clarke, 3 day Nov 1648.”
       7 Aug 1651 - He was sent by the church to visit the brethren in prison at Boston, viz: John Clarke, Obadiah Holmes and John Crandall.
       Oct 1652 - “I and my wife had hands laid on us by brother Joseph Torrey.”
       He was admitted Freeman of Newport, RI in 1655.
       1 Oct 1657 - “Brother Obadiah Holmes and I went to the Dutch and Gravesend and to Jamaica and to Flushing and to Hamsted and to Cow Bay.”  They came home 15 Nov 1657.
       In 1664 he was chosen to be General Solicitor, in case of inability of Lawrence Turner.
       He writes:  ”My wife took up the keeping of the Lord’s holy Seventh Day Sabbath. the 10th day March, 1665.  I took it up 1 day April 1665; our daughter Ruth, 25 Oct 1666; Rachel, 15 Jan 1666; Bethiah, Feb 1666; our son Joseph Clarke, 23 Feb 1666.”
       7 Apr 1668 - “I went to Boston to public dispute with those baptised there.”
       Jul 1668 - He wrote his cousin, John Smith, of London, from Boston, where he had been to a disputation:  ”Through God’s great mercy, the Lord have given me in this wilderness, a good, diligent, careful, painful and very loving wife; we, through mercy, live comfortably, praised be God, as co- heirs together of one mind in the Lord, traveling through this wilderness to our heavenly Sion, knowing we are pilgrims as our fathers were, and good portion being content therewith.  A good house, as with us judged, 25 acres of ground fenced, and four cows which give, one young heifer and three calves, and a very good mare, a trade, a carpenter, a health to follow it, and my wife very diligent and painful, praised be God. This is my joy and crown, in humility I speak of it, for God’s Glory, I trust all, both sons in law and daughters are in visible order in general; but in especial manner my son Clarke and my three daughters, with my wife and about 14 walk in the observation of God’s holy sanctified 7 day Sabbath, with much comfort and liberty, for so we and all ever had and yet have in this Colony.”
       16 Dec 1671 - He wrote to his children at Westerly, about the differences between those favoring the seventh day observance and the rest of the church.  Several spoke on both sides.  Mr. Hubbard gave his views. Brother Torrey said they required not my faith. Other discussion followed: “They replied fiercely, it was a tumult.  J. Torrey stopped them at last.”
       With his wife, one daughter, and four other persons he formed the first Seventh Day Baptist Church in America.  He writes: “We entered into a church covenant the 23rd day of December, 1671, viz: William Hiscox, Stephen Mumford, Samuel Hubbard, Roger Baxter, sister Hubbard, sister Mumford, Rachel Langworthy,” &c.  Their church was not formed without a depature (sic) by their former associates from that spirit of toleration and “soul liberty” which Roger Williams claimed; for the members who united on Dec. 23, had been excommunicated Dec. 7, when the Rev. Obidiah Holmes preached against their doctrine of Seventh Day observance, and even declared “they had left Christ, and gone after Moses.”  There is extant a letter from Roger Williams to Samuel Hubbard, in which he argues the position taken by the latter, and cites various texts against his views; but it is written in a very different spirit from that shown by the Newport church, and recognizes the conscientious motives which actuated Hubbard. “Bro’ Hiscox and I send this Church to N. London and Westerly, 7 day Mar 1675,” and again March, 1677/8 and 1686.

Samuel Hubbard came in the flood of Puritans at the very beginning of our colonial era. Life was difficult, a wilderness with indigenous peoples who feared the new-comers’ possible takeover of their territories. In that setting Robert Burdick, the sole progenitor of all Burdicks in the United States, arrived in America (Newport, R.I.) in 1651 and loved the dedication and spirituality of the young Bible believing Seventh-day Baptist Church. In that Protestant religion of truly fervent love of the scriptures Robert and Ruth raised up their children, and their children raised up another generation, and so on down into the 1900s.


Robert Burdick, on November 2, 1655, married Ruth Hubbard, who was the first European child born in Agawam (Springfield) Massachusetts and the first baby born into a Sabbatarian family in America. Her father, Samuel Hubbard was the first leader of the Seventh-day Baptists. Her mother, Tacey Hubbard, was the first convert to the seventh-day Sabbath in America. Ruth was a very godly and loving woman, as a letter from her attests:


Most loving and dear father and mother, my duty with my husband and children presented unto you with all my dear friends. My longing desire is to hear from you, how your hearts are borne up above these troubles which are come upon us and are coming as we fear; for we have the rumors of war, and that almost every day. Even now we have heard from your island by some Indians, who declared unto us that the French have done some mischief upon the coast, and we have heard that 1200 Frenchmen have joined with the Mohawks to clear the land both of English and of Indians. But I trust in the Lord, if such a thing be intended, that he will not suffer such a thing to be. My desire and prayer to God is, that he will be pleased to fulfill his promise to us, that is, that as in the world we shall have troubles, so in him we shall have peace. The Lord of comfort, comfort your and our hearts, and give us peace in believing and joy in the Holy Ghost. Oh that the Lord would be pleased to fill our hearts with his good spirit, that we may be carried above all these things! and that we may remember his saying, “When ye see these things come to pass, lift up your heads, knowing that your redemption draws nigh.” Then if these things be the certain sign of our Lord’s return, let us mind his command, that is, pray always that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things, and to stand before the son of man. Let us have boldness to come unto him in the new and living way which he has prepared for us. Through grace I find the Lord doth bear up the spirits of his in this place, in some comfortable measure to be looking above these things, the Lord increase it more and more unto the day of his appearing, which I hope is at hand. Dear father and mother, the Lord hath been pleased to give us here many sweet and comfortable days of refreshing, which is great cause for thankfulness, and my desire is that we may highly prize it, and you with us give the Lord praise for his benefit. I pray remember my love to all my dear friends with you in fellowship. Sister Sanders desires to be remember to you all, so doth sister Clarke. Your loving daughter, to my power. 
“Ruth Burdick” 


They had ten children that survived, the last, Robert, Jr. the ninth child born in 1674, being my forebear. The seventh-day Sabbath has been in our family for almost 350 years. And its been 462 years since the great grandfather of my great grandmother, nine generations removed, was burned at the stake for his Protestant faith on May 26, 1555.



Robert Burdick was a very influential man, as can be seen by the large turnout of twenty families for his son’s “very great burial”.



Robert Jr. became a deacon for his close walk with the Lord. Treasures laid up in heaven meant more to him than treasures here.


His first son, Robert Burdick III, remained faithful to the seventh-day Sabbath. 




Ichabod Burdick also continued the only biblical Sabbath. By now the Sabbatarian community in the Rhode Island/Connecticut area must have grown quite numerous. Eventually it would spread westward into New York and establish Alfred college to keep Seventh-day Baptists trained in the Bible and other subjects, including agriculture. Later it would move into the Midwest.



Joshua Burdick, the son of Robert Burdick, begat Curtis Burdick. 


Curtis Burdick, my great-grandfather, raised his children in the Bible and its seventh-day Sabbath.


My grandfather, Asa Burdick, was born in 1888.



Robert, Deacon Robert, Robert, Captain Ichobod, Joshua, Curtis, and finally, my grandfather, Asa were all Seventh-day Baptists. But, finally we see the SDB church losing its strength of purpose and its faith in commandment-keeping. In my grandfather’s case, farming took up all his time and interest. This may have been the case of many other Seventh-day Baptists.

But, the Lord had another group who was coming up and were destined to take up the Sabbath torch, holding it up before the papal falsehoods being paraded around the world and before the other Protestant denominations that rationalized the Sabbath away. Just as the Seventh-day Adventists began their march through the world, their boast of being the only true commandment-keepers was arrested by a Seventh-day Baptist. It was 1843 when Seventh-day Baptist Rachel Oakes stood up against the preacher at a Washington, New Hampshire Millerite Church. She told them they weren’t keeping all the commandments if they were disregarding the fourth commandment. Soon the Sabbath truth became one of the central pillar doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventists. Their faction of the Millerite movement was very small compared to the whole Millerite Adventists. But, Jesus was with His seventh-day Sabbath-keepers, and He especially blessed their group, so that it would far exceed the other Millerite groups and see their demise.

My grandmother, Emily Rodrick, had accepted the Seventh-day Adventist message before marrying my Seventh-day Baptist grandfather, Asa. She remained faithful to the Lord, bringing my father up in the faith until she passed away when Dad was 9 years old. After that my back-sliding grandfather gave my father
no more religious up-bringing, and dad eventually forgot all about the little bit that his mother had taught him. After 20 years in the Navy and a strong yearning to know God and to understand the truths of the Bible, just as he was retiring and free from the military restrictions, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor knocked on our door one evening during the denomination’s annual Ingathering” campaign. Jesus brought my Burdick line back into His great redemption plan. The Protestant Reformation wasn’t over for us. There was much work left to be done before Jesus could come again and deliver His people from sin.

Dad was very interested and the pastor studied the Bible with him. In 1967 Dad was baptized into the three angels’ message. That was 50 years ago and he has brought me up in the same great last day movement to prepare the world for Jesus’ return in power. Twelve generations since Thomas Hubbard died at the stake for not reliquishing his faith in Jesus, and ten generations since Samuel Hubbard brought the Sabbath to America and eventually to the world, Jesus still has His seventh-day Sabbath-keepers alive and well in the earth.