Shaking before
the Latter Rain: Leaving to be filled-up again
Koot van Wyk (DLitt
et Phil; ThD) Visiting Professor, Department of Liberal Education, Kyungpook
National University, Sangju Campus, South Korea, Conjoint lecturer of Avondale
College, Australia.
For
the church 2016 is very eventful. Not only for the Seventh-day Adventist Church
but also other churches: On the 22th of August 300 denominations would meet in
Munich for the ecumenical gathering. On the 9th of October the paper
of dr. Ng et al from the General Conference arrived on Unity and Uniformity on
biblical principles, GC sessions decisions on woman ordination and other
issues. The following day, 10th of October Kevin D. Paulsen and
Larry Kirkpatrick wrote an article on the “false claims and answers about
authority and unity in the church”. The 11th of October the GC
announced on their Website about rebellious unions and what to do about it. This
is the day the vote came out by the GC to be conciliatory about the NAD et al
to come in line with the biblical principles.
On
the 17th of October appeared the shocked announcement by Prof. I.
Brink of the Calvinistic Afrikaans Protestant Church that he lamented that the Calvinistic
Dutch Reform Church of South Africa followed by the Calvinistic Dutch Reformed
Church of Africa decided to allow same-sex relationships aligning with the
global jurisdiction axioms focusing on the equality of genders. In principle it
means the following: “A human is no longer a man or woman but a choice to be
the one or the other,” according to global jurisdiction since 2006/2007
announced by the President of the European Union that year from Germany. (On
the 20th of June 2008 same sex-weddings became legal in California,
but was cancelled due to the Mormons agitation in November 2008). Agitation and
civil right movements, no matter how right the cause, is unbiblical. This is
the Adventist position.
Some interesting ideas regarding the Bible and woman ordination was dealt with in September 2016. On the 23rd of September appeared the interesting article on woman ordination in Seventh-day Adventism by John Witcombe “NPUC Constituency –Why the Ordination Controversy Matters”.
The Green column is the
priesthood of all believers and the red column is the ordination of elders,
unrelated to the priesthood of all believers. The green is the unordained men
and women serving God and the red is based on 1 Timothy 2:11 through 3:7 and
Titus 1:5-9.
It
is interesting that in all churches there is a call over the globe for their
denominations to stand by the Bible or to deviate from it and stand by modern
cultural perceptions and human’s current experience of it. That is what prof.
I. Brink was lamenting on the 17th of October about the three
Calvinistic Churches of South Africa: Wanneer
die NHKA in hulle besluit verklaar dat “elkeen in terme van sy of haar gewete
en verstaan van die Bybel daarmee handel”, ontbloot dit die feit dat die Bybel
ondergeskik gestel word aan die mens se behoeftes en begeertes, met die gevolg
dat die tydsgees en die praxis van die samelewing die besluite, asook die
Skrifverklaring van die kerk beheers. Dit laat die vraag ontstaan of die NHKA,
wat hierdie saak betref, nie sy roeping om suurdeeg en lig in die wêreld te
wees, versaak het nie. [When the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa in their
decision declare that ‘everyone should deal with the Bible in terms of his/her
conscience and understanding’, it reveals the fact that the Bible is placed in
a subordinate position with humanity’s needs and desires, that the world trend
and practice of the society is ruling the decisions as well as the hermeneutics
of the Scripture by the church. It raises the question whether the Dutch
Reformed Church of Africa [following the Dutch Reform Church weeks before]
concerning this issue, did not forsake its mission to be the yeast and light of
the world”.
Are
Seventh-day Adventists just following the Roman Catholic Church exegesis of the
Bible here? Thomas Aquinas stated in strong terms that woman should not have
spiritual jurisdiction. This is very absolute. In the Adventist church, woman
have the power of jurisdiction. It is preserved to the case of woman ordination
only as the bible specified that Adventists make their position. See the
position of Aquinas in the (sources) below.
The
Mormon church reacted three days after the legalization of gay marriage in
California on the 20th of June 2008. “the new president of the
Mormons Thomas S. Monson asked contribution to help pass Proposition 8 which
would condemn this new decision. To counter gay marriage they: 25000 walking
door to door; ran a speakers bureau, distributed hundreds of lawn signs along
with campaign literature, had 100 000 members working on election day, created
several slick “Yes on Prop 8” web sites, produced nine commercials, created
four video broadcasts , conducted two satellite simulcasts over five Western
states. Fred Karger reporting for the Huffington Post. Prop 8 victory ended gay
marriage for thousands in California and complaints came in 20th of
November 2008. Many left the church.” This was the experience when they tried
to stand firm on these issues.
On
the 16th of October appeared also the article of warning to the
Seventh-day Adventist church by Andrew Henriques, “Beware of ‘He Said Go
Missions Conference.’ GC, NAD at War over Voted Policy. Yet Unite on Mission”. He
is talking about a conference that will feature Dwight Nelson, the pastor of
Oakwood University and the pastor of La Sierra University. “The three that are
among the lineup of speakers are Dwight Nelson, Senior Pastor of pioneer
Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University and professor at Andrews
Theological Seminary; Carlton Byrd, Senior Pastor of the Oakwood University
Church and speaker/director of the Breath of Life television broadcast; and Sam
Leonor, Chaplain at La Sierra University.” Nelson is singled out for his
comments that Abraham’s God was Allah on video. “Carlton Byrd is known to
preach a popular, social, “feel-good message,” clearly not rooted in the
historic, distinctive messages of Adventism. He is also well-known for inviting
renowned, worldly, “gospel” singers (from the fallen churches of Babylon) to
his church to entertain attendees. He is also known for using money designated
for the service of God to bestow various awards upon worldly athletes,
entertainers and political figures, some of which include Hollywood producer,
Devon Franklin and his wife, actress Meagan Goode, former professional
basketball player Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Congressman John Lewis, and
Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee.” About Sam Leonor, Henriques indicated: “Sam
Leonor, as mentioned before, is also scheduled to speak at the “He Said Go
Mission Conference.” Pastor Leonor is a board member of the One Project
Movement along with Alex Bryan (the chair and founder of the movement) and
others. The One Project Movement, simply put, is a part of the emerging church
movement, which minimizes standards, contemporizes worship and urges moving
away from foundational pillars of faith and emphasizes relationships and
various spiritual exercises that are nothing more than forms of eastern
meditation techniques rooted in spiritualism. The mission statement of the One
Project Movement is “Jesus.All.” or “Jesus…full-stop. All… full-stop.”(note 10
in Henriques sources). At its first meeting, or gathering, as they refer to it,
Sam Leonor made the following statement concerning end-time eschatology:
“End-time charts don’t fit with Jesus’ insistence, in Acts 1:7, that we cannot
‘know the times or periods.’”
Just
when the GC decision to reckon with the NAD et al rebels with their culture
over Bible approach, was made, the church mouse [anonymous contributor] reported
about the president of the NAD and his attitude regarding the matter the last
few days at Andrews University Seminary: “On
Tuesday morning, 10-18-2016, Dan Jackson attended a worship meeting held
in the chapel of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, at Andrews
University in Berrien Springs, MI. He (Dan Jackson) was introduced by Jiri
Moskala, Dean of the Seminary who stated that "Dan Jackson preached good
news without an agenda and that he favored ministry for all, even women."
Faculty and students present applauded and cheered, possibly not realizing
in that moment that the statement was self-contradictory. Just before Jackson
spoke, a lady removed the drums from the platform. Jackson stated that he
wants to learn to play drums when he retires. He said when he was young
his parents didn't allow him to, and then when he was a pastor, that others in
the church didn't support them either. He began his talk by saying that
the vote at Annual Council didn't change a thing. Jackson claimed that
news was spreading in the South America Division that he would be dismissed at
Annual Council, and spoke of how emotionally hurtful this experience was for
him.The NAD president stated that he was saddened by the vote at Annual
Council. He disagrees, he says, with the reconciliation document being
treated like Scripture. After he said this there was more clapping. He
mentioned that he is Canadian, and praised America for their role in fighting
for cultural issues. Just at the election in America is culturally
charged, he said there is a culture war going on in the church as well.
He said the NAD will not turn away or change their minds. They will
pursue their course and they are not innocent anymore [whatever that means].
They are developing strategy but will not share it. Jackson said
that unlike Donald Trump, he actually has a strategy. More clapping.”
Listen
to Ellen White about the End Time: “All
who neglect the word of God to study convenience and policy that they may not
be at variance with the world, will be left to receive damnable heresy for
religious truth” (EGW GC 523).
From
the online Revived by His word SDA
Devotional Commentary on Daniel, the following thoughts about the Shaking and Latter Rain just before the End: “The
Book of Daniel was to be sealed for the time of the end (v. 4). After 1798 =
the time of the end (11:35), fuller understanding of it was to be obtained.
Knowledge also increased rapidly as we speak (v. 4). We know it is 1798 for in
verses 5-6 a conversation was between an angel on this side of the river Tigris
in front of Daniel speaking to an elevated one in linen, who answered his
question: How long? as "time, times and half a time" which Daniel
understood as the year of the hemerological cuneiform texts as 360 days = time;
360 + 360 days = times; and 180 days = half a time, totaling 1260 days-years.
"When the power of the holy ones [faithful remnant] has been finally
broken, all these things will be completed" (v. 7). (Devotional
Commentary on Daniel 59) The
power of the holy ones [faithful remnant] was not broken in 1798, and there
still remains a shock of the Great Shaking ahead followed by the Latter Rain of
filling-up the empty seats. Daniel heard but did not understand, because the
persecution was to be from 538-1798 for 1260 years, but when will the power of
the holy ones be completely destroyed? He wanted to know when is the end of the
end "what will be the outcome of all this?" What will happen then? The
message came that Daniel had to go his way because the words are closed up and
sealed up until the end (v. 9). It appears as if the one speaking to Daniel is
from here on providing information after the 1798 period. The faithful will be
triumphant and be purified and made spotless through sanctification and testing
of their faith in Christ daily Righteousness available to their lives, and they
will stop their wicked ways (v. 10). But, the wicked will continue their bad
habits, their cover-up of continual sins, their half-hearted participation in
God's true worship, lipservice instead of heart surrendering. However, those
who are wise in God's word and walking with Christ and His Spirit, ‘will
understand’.”
Sources: 1. http://apk.co.za/index.php/kerknuus/algemene-kerknuus 2.
Kevin D. Paulsen, Larry
Kirkpatrick, “God’s End-time Church is to be an Organized Church,” Online
accessed on 12th of October 2016 at http://ordinationtruth.com/2016/10/10/gods-end-time-church-organized-church/ 3. http://www.fulcrum7.com/news/2016/10/19/the-defiance-continues-news-from-the-nad-front 4. http://klerun.blogspot.com/2016/08/ministy-vs-office.html 5. Source: Thomas Aquinas, “Whether priests alone have
the keys?” in Question. 19 - OF THE MINISTERS OF THE KEYS
(SIX ARTICLES)” in
“SUPPLEMENT (XP): TO THE THIRD PART OF THE SUMMA THEOLOGICA” in “Third Part (TP) of the Summa Theologica
(QQ[1] - 90)” in Summa
Theologica, by St. Thomas Aquinas, [1947], at sacred-texts.com. Online
accessed 21st of August 2016 at http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/aquinas/summa/sum635.htm “Reply to Objection 4: According to the Apostle
(1 Tim. 2:11; Titus 2:5),
woman is in a state of subjection: wherefore she can have no spiritual
jurisdiction, since the Philosopher also says (Ethic. viii) that it is a
corruption of public life when the government comes into the hands of a woman.
Consequently a woman has neither the key of order nor the key of jurisdiction.
Nevertheless a certain use of the keys is allowed to women, such as the right
to correct other women who are under them, on account of the danger that might
threaten if men were to dwell under the same roof.” 6. F.
Karger, “Mormon Church Bleeding Members over Gay-Marriage” http:///D:/Mormon%20Church%20Bleeding%20Members%20Over%20Gay%20Marriage.html 7. Carlton Byrd, Dwight Nelson, He Said Go Missions
Conference, NAD, New Organization, Sam Leonor 8. Sources
cited by Andrew Henriques includes the following: 1.
http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story4458-annual-council-approves-measure-to-encourage-adherence-to-church-policies
2.
http://spectrummagazine.org/article/2016/10/12/three-takeaways-annual-council-unity-vote 4. http://www.nadadventist.org/article/1073743345/news/current-and-archived-news-stories/2016-news-current-archives/10-12-16-an-
open-letter-from-dan-jackson-to-female-pastors-in-the-north-american-division 8. Church
Mouse, “The Defiance Continues – News From the N.A.D. Front” 16th of
October 2016. Online accessed on 21st of October 2016 at http://www.fulcrum7.com/news/2016/10/19/the-defiance-continues-news-from-the-nad-front
3.
http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/mark-finley-offers-5-steps-for-resolving-disunity-on-women%E2%80%99s-ordination
5. White, Ellen. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6 (1901), page 370
6. http://hesaidgo.net/
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b-6PS8J528
8. Nelson, Dwight, God’s Dream for You (2016), page 301
9.
http://www.nadadventist.org/article/1073743338/news/current-and-archived-news-stories/2016-news-current-archives/10-3-16-breath-
of-life-speaker-director-carlton-p-byrd-to-receive-naacp-award
10. https://the1project.org/about/faq
11.
http://spectrummagazine.org/article/charles-scriven/2014/02/14/jesusfull-stopallfull-stop
12. http://www.fulcrum7.com/blog/2016/9/9/a-day-at-the-one-project?rq=day+one+project
13.
http://spectrummagazine.org/article/2016/09/27/response-william-johnsson%E2%80%99s-one-project-concerns-and-some-concerns-
my-own