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When Christ was on the earth He warned, ". . . there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matt. 24:24.
Interestingly enough, true prophets of the Most High have been regarded by the people of Israel as false prophets. Why is it thus? How can this be? Do they not understand that "...by their fruits ye shall know them"? Matt.7:20. But "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:14. "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so...." Jeremiah 5:31. ". . . this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of YAH: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us." Isa.30:9-11.
In these last days we hear the message of THE FALSE PROPHET just as recorded in Jeremiah 8:10, 11: ". . . from the prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace."
There are many false prophets in these days, to whom sin does not appear specially repulsive. They complain that the peace of the people is unnecessarily disturbed by the reproofs and warnings of God's messengers. As for them, they lull the souls of sinners into a fatal ease by their smooth and deceitful teachings. Ancient Israel was thus charmed by the flattering messages of the corrupt priests. Their prediction of prosperity ["the ship will go through"] was more pleasing than the message of the true prophet, who counseled repentance and submission. Those who seek to cloak sin and make it appear less aggravating to the mind of the offender are doing the work of the false prophets and may expect the retributive wrath of God to follow such a course. THE FALSE PROPHET condemned Jeremiah for afflicting the people with his severe denunciations; and he sought to reassure them by promising them prosperity["the church is not Babylon"], thinking that the poor people should not be continually reminded of their sins and threatened with punishment. God has no sympathy with the evil doer. He gives no one liberty to gloss over the sins of His people [General Conference trademark prosecutions], nor to cry, 'Peace, peace,' when He has declared that there shall be no peace for the wicked who have crucified Christ afresh, "and put Him to an open shame." Heb. 6:6.
The prince of darkness, who has so long bent the powers of his mastermind to the work of deception, skillfully adapts his temptations to men of all classes and conditions. To persons of culture and refinement he presents spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus succeeds in drawing many into his snare. The wisdom which spiritualism imparts is that described by the apostle James, which "descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." James 3:15. He who could appear clothed with the brightness of the heavenly seraphs before Christ in the wilderness of temptation, comes to men in the most attractive manner as an angel of light. He appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating themes; he delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes; and he enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of love and charity. He excites the imagination to lofty flights, leading men to take so great pride in their own wisdom that in their hearts they despise the Eternal One. In place of the righteousness and perfection of the infinite God, the true object of adoration; in place of the perfect righteousness of His law, the true standard of human attainment, Satan has substituted the sinful, erring nature of man himself as the only object of adoration, the only rule of judgment, or standard of character. This is progress, not upward, but downward a "retreating to Egypt."
"Thus saith YAH, Let My people go, that they may serve Me." Exodus 8:1. And
again, the voice is heard, "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev. 18:4. When YAH sees sin "piled up to heaven," He remembers the iniquities in a time of judgment.(see: Rev. 18:5; Gen. 11:4-9). The Heavenly Father desires to see His people freed from the bondage of Egypt the power of sin. He wants His people delivered from the confusion of Babylon and the errors she contrives. "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of YAH's vengeance; He will render unto her a recompense." Jeremiah 51:6. The Bible speaks of a plague of frogs (Ex.8) which were gathered into piles after they died in Egypt "and the land stank. "The whole earth "stinks" now from "all the abominations that be done in the midst [of the land]." Eze. 9:4. And those who participate in piling up the iniquity will receive of the resultant plagues. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also shall reap."
The only mention of frogs in the New Testament is in the prophecy of Revelation16:13, 14:
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of THE FALSE PROPHET. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
John here writes of the unity of those living on the earth to make void the law of God. The dragon is "called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world . . ." Rev. 12:9. The beast is none other than the Papacy a church-state union of Pagan Roman government and apostate Christian religion. THE FALSE PROPHET is now made up of apostate Protestant-Adventist America, forming "the image of the beast" another church-state union bent on persecuting the saints and perpetuating false religion. "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb. . . ." Rev. 17:13, 14a.
"In the warfare to be waged in the last days there will be united, in opposition to God's people, all the corrupt powers that have apostatized from allegiance to the law of Jehovah. In this warfare the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will be the great point at issue, for in the Sabbath commandment the great Lawgiver identifies Himself as the Creator of the heavens and the earth.. . . All things in nature and in the world at large are charged with intense earnestness. Satan, in cooperation with his angels and with evil men, will put forth every effort to gain the victory, and will appear to succeed. But from this conflict, truth and righteousness will come forth triumphant in victory. Those who have believed a lie will be defeated, for the days of apostasy will be ended." 3SM 392-93.
"The gospel of the kingdom was preached in Babylon through Daniel, and Nebuchadnezzar was brought to acknowledge and to worship the true God. But after Nebuchadnezzar's death his successors failed to profit by his experience. The climax was reached when Belshazzar used the sacred vessels from the house of God, dedicated to His worship, in which to drink the Babylonian wine of idolatrous worship. Then came the handwriting on the wall, the fall of ancient Babylon, and the death of Belshazzar. (See Daniel 5.) Bible Readings for the Home, p. 240. (emphases supplied.)
In like manner modern Babylon falls. When the "sacred" is mixed with the "common," a final judgment is then pronounced, "Thou are weighed in the balances[of the sanctuary], and art found wanting." Dan. 5:27. A church uniting with the state to persecute dissenters would again merit the sentence: "Found wanting."
"In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had. If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessings conferred have not qualified her to do the work entrusted to her, on her will be pronounced the sentence: 'Found wanting.'" 8T 247.
"If her moral character and spiritual state do not correspond with the benefits and blessings God has conferred upon her, she will be found wanting. . .. If her talents are unimproved, if her fruit is not perfect before God, if her light has become darkness, she is indeed found wanting."5T 83. (emphases added.)
The threefold message of Revelation 14:6-12 is proclaimed in connection with the closing scenes of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Satan has developed a "false gospel" which is represented by the prophecy of Revelation 16:13, 14. In the authentic "three angels' messages" of Revelation 14, angels in the person of God's saints herald a message of judgment, hope, separation from corruption, salvation from sin, and a solemn warning of the final battle to be waged against the beast and his image. The power of the Creator to deliver from sin and His eternal purpose for His beloved children is foremost. This message erects the standard of God's immutable law above the commandments and traditions of men exalting the Sabbath as "the seal of God." In contrast, the counterfeit "threefold message" is as a plague of frogs issuing from the dragon, the beast, and THE FALSE PROPHET, bent on destroying mankind by deception and "every unclean and hateful [vulture]." Rev. 18:2. These "doctrines of devils" are designed by Lucifer to keep mankind enslaved to sin and ignorance until the plague of death and eternal ruin overtakes them. The message of this "threefold union" is one of "peace and safety," salvation in sin, separation from the Creator and his principles, compromise with the commandments of men "making void the law of God," and exalting the spurious sabbath of man's own reasoning. YAH's character is maligned and confused to the extent of erasing all confidence in His eternal design and abolishing trust in His Word. "Faith that works by love and purifies the soul" is ridiculed as obsolete. Man-made laws and worldly policies are seen as "wisdom" in contrast to the downtrodden law of YAH's Ten Commandments of love.
"And [THE FALSE PROPHET] doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire comedown from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." Revelation 13:13.
In the time of EliYAH, in the controversy over Baal [or self-worship as opposed to the commandments of YAH ], this was the test as to who was the true God the God that answered by fire. (See: 1 Kings 18:24.) Now, in earth's final hour, when self-worship is still in controversy with YAH's law, the counterfeit test of fire will be made to come down as if from God's heaven to confirm men in false worship. But this fire will be "the fires of persecution" as performed by THE FALSE PROPHET and "image of the beast." "Force is the last resort of all false religion." E.G. White. The world hates righteousness and loves sin. This is what caused the hostility of men against YAHSHUA when He walked the earth. Those who do not accept the love of God will find true Adventism a disturbing element and will soon war against the truth and its membership. Fellowship with God ultimately brings enmity with the world. The wicked always persecute the righteous.
On which side are you standing? On the side of those that worship the beast and his image? Are you connected with THE FALSE PROPHET and those who have lost the spiritual principles that distinguish them as men, and allied them to God, and who have become secondary subordinates, united with the great apostate? Christ died to make it possible for you to be allied with angels, "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." Rom. 8:17. If you are obedient to all His commandments, you will reign as "kings and priests unto God. "Rev. 1:6. Will you link yourselves with those who make void God's law, or will you, with His saints, "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of YAHSHUA?" "Choose you this day whom ye will serve. . . ." Jos. 24:15. The True Witness shall defeat the dragon, the beast, and THE FALSE PROPHET!!!