In the mid 1830’s a revival sweep the eastern coast of the United States that not only changed the face of religious’ revivalism, utopianism and eschatology but turned the earth sciences and humanities in a paradigm 180 degree shift. Out of this fervor and utopian brew grew the basic foundations of Darwinism, Humanism, Marxism, Spiritism, Mormanism, Zionism, the revival of Catholicism, and the Great Awakening of the 1840’s.

The Protestant Reformation witnessed its next sweeping revolt from the Orthodox Roman Church as the religio-social movement of Utopianism and Adventism resurrected itself from the backwater pioneers of the early Sabbatarian Adventist Millerite founders of early Seventh-day Adventism. The most prominent were James White ( - 1881), the husband of Ellen G. White and Captain Joseph Bates (1792-1872) who were originally ministers of the Christian Connection Church, a country version of Boston Unitarianism whose theological mindset was rationalistic, anti-creedal in the slogan “we have no creed but the Bible.”

As Woodrow Whidden, Ph.D. Professor of Religion at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan stated, “Such sloganeering betrayed a hearty suspicion of anything that could not be rationally explained and the key test of doctrine was: did it conform to the most obvious and literal reading of the Bible?”

This literal interpretation of scripture centered on the thirteen lecture series of William Miller, a Baptist minister, who began to preach on the soon and literal coming of Jesus Christ. While Christendom today talks widely about the Parousia, the Rapture and the Coming of Jesus with various motifs of it being literal and visible versus spiritual and secret. What is forgotten is that both the Catholic and Protestant denominations of that era did not believe in the literal coming of Jesus. They instead believed in a spiritual coming of Jesus and that He was already dwelling here within our hearts. In other words, these denominations were amillennialist, or believed that the millennium was already here. Jesus had already come and was dwelling, not literally a human like you and I, but spiritually. Yes, the Millerites and the Great Awakening affected all Christendom and forever changed the theological map of doctrine and ideology.

What is less appreciated was that the Seventh-day Adventist sector of the Advent Movement at that time began a steady diet of re-acclimating their theology in the roots of the Hebrew-Judaic faith. The seventh-day Sabbath (Shabbat), the Mosaic dietary laws, the revered appreciation of the Temple services of the Jews in its affirmation of the future coming messiah, and the festivals of the Lord as given to the Hebrews became all a part of the stable diet of religious revivalism.

The Festivals of the Lord

As has been fundamental in all new religious experiences, the “Faith of our Fathers” carries with it a pristine purity as they were BibleSearchers looking for literal and spiritual extension of their childhood faith. The Protestant reformation as it began with Martin Luther has been an ongoing swing from the corruption of the Orthodox Roman Church from the purity of the Apostolic Jerusalem Nazarene Ecclesia led by the brother of Jesus, James the Just, the Tzaddik or Righteous One. The Advent Movement was one more step of returning to the fold of the Hebrew-Judaic Church by affirming her Hebrew philosophy rather than the Roman-Greco philosophy grafted onto the early Christian Church by the Roman and Alexandrian bishops in the 2^nd to the 4^th century by the Nicean Orthodoxy and the great ecumenical councils of the Roman Orthodox Church.

When the date for the coming of the Lord underwent deep discussion with the early Millerites after the first missed date in 1843, they went back into the study of the Fall Festivals of the Lord with Rosh Hashanah, which was a ‘shadow’ (Colossians.2:16) of the future blowing of the 7^th and Great Shofar at the Seventh Seal in Revelation. Also Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Judgment, was a shadow of that last Day of Judgment in which Jesus, as our High Priest was to go into the Most Holy Place of the Temple of G-d in heaven and present Himself as the Pesach Lamb that was slain. Here, He, the Son of the Lord of hosts offered Himself as a ‘sin offering’ for all the sins of this world from the beginning of the historical time of man. His sacrifice accepted by the Lord of hosts, Yahshua leaves the Holy of Holies where the Throne of the Lord of hosts resides and is sent to redeem His saints from the clutches of the demonic forces under the control of Satan.

It was reported that the counsel of the Karite Jews in Jerusalem that led them to set the date of October 23, 1844, because the barley harvest was late to ripen that spring in 1844 and the festivals were delayed a month from the tradition September date for the Day of Atonement. This day, Yom Kippur had been seen by the tradition of the Torah believing Jews to be the Great Day of the Lord and the return of the messiah (Maschiah)

Ellen and James White were avid participants in these early studies into the Hebrew roots of the Christian Church. As such, they had a healthy respect and reverence for the Festivals and Convocations of the Jewish people. It is the BibleSearchers conclusion that Ellen and James Whites believed in the binding principles to the Christian believers of the Law, known as the Torah that required the observance of the Biblical Feasts. These Biblical holidays were called Mo’adim, or ‘appointed times’. In Leviticus 23, which contained the catalogue or index of Biblical holidays, it states

“These are the Mo’adim (appointed times) of YHWH, holy convocations which you shall proclaim in their appointed times (Mo’adim).”

Let us visit Ellen White as she looks at the holidays of the Lord of hosts.

Would it not be well for us to observe holidays unto G-d, when we could revive in our minds the memory of His dealing with us? Would it not be well to consider His past blessings, to remember the impressive warnings that have come home to our souls, so that we shall not forget G-d?

"The world has many holidays, and men become engrossed with games, with horse races, with gambling, smoking, and drunkenness. They show plainly under what banner they are standing. They make it evident that they do not stand under the banner of the Prince of life, but the prince of darkness rules and controls them.

"Shall not the people of G-d more frequently have holy convocations in which to thank G-d for His rich blessings?" (Ellen White, Counsels To Parents, Teachers, and Students, page 343.)

It is important to note that the idea of “Holy Convocation” is used only eighteen times in the Old Testament coming from the Hebrew word, migra, (mik-eaw - Strongs’s 4744) meaning, a rehearsal, assembly, calling, convocation, or reading. In every text, it refers only to the Biblical Feasts of the Lord. For what reason were they rehearsing in an assembly? This brings us back to the BibleSearchers belief that the “Calling” of the ‘Chosen Ones” or the Hebrew Israelites, was that they were chosen to be actors in a drama, now continuing for over 3,500 years depicting on how the Lord of hosts interacts and intervenes in the history of man.

Ellen G. White as Inspired Writer who did behold the Glory of YHVH’s Messiah

For 1,500 years until the coming of Yahshua, as a babe in Judea, they had rehearsed the drama of the spring festivals would be literally fulfilled when Jesus became the Suffering Servant and the literal Passover (Pesach) Lamb, fulfilling the coming of the first messiah, the Maschiah ben Joseph.

Yet the fall festivals would also be dramatized yearly, waiting the literally fulfillment of the coming of the second messiah, the Maschiah ben David at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and Judgment. At that time, the Maschiah ben David (messiah son of David) will come as King of kings and establish his rulership of this earth, during the Festival of Booths or the Festival of the Tabernacles.

Yes, the Maschiah ben David will come to “tabernacle” or to dwell among us in the coming messianic kingdom. Here, woven within the matrix of the spiritual and literal lives of the Israelites and later the Jews, were events occurring yearly within their lives to remind them of their future destiny, to welcome the arrival of the first messiah, the Maschiah ben Joseph, and await the coming in the future of the second messiah, the Maschiah ben David.

Yes it was Ellen White’s conviction that keeping the ‘holy festivals’ was important to the ministry and lives of the early Advent believers.

"Shall we not keep holy festivals unto G-d?"
(Ellen White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, page 371.)

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles was one of the most joyous feasts of the year for the Hebrews. It was a time of singing and celebration in reflection on their redemption from bondage in Egypt and their anticipation of the birth of the messiah who would lead them from the bondage of sin. It was also a celebration of the final redemption, when their destiny would finally be fulfilled in the establishment of the literal Kingdom of G-d on this, a renewed earth like the Garden of Eden. Ellen White speaks eloquently of the Hebrews celebrating this joyous occasion.

"When Israel marched out of Egypt, they made their first encampment under the shelter of green boughs at Succoth. And for more than fifteen hundred years the Hebrew nation by the command of G-d left their houses, and dwelt one whole week in tabernacles of green boughs, to commemorate the encampment of their fathers under the palm branches of Succoth. These seasons of sacred recreation were fraught with both physical and spiritual blessings to Israel.

G-d's people still need seasons of quiet and reflection--seasons in which the soul may have undisturbed commune with its Maker. The great work which has been committed to our hands cannot be best carried forward in excitement and confusion. That calm deliberation so essential to sound judgment can often be best secured in some quiet retreat where the thoughtful mind and pure heart can be prompted by the still, small voice. These forest and mountain homes have great blessings for those who are wearied physically or mentally." (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, February 2, 1882.)

"Well would it be for the people of G-d at the present time to have a Feast of Tabernacles -- a joyous commemoration of the blessings of G-d to them...."

(Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 540.)

Obviously James and Ellen White did not believe that the “Law” or the Torah as given to Moses (Moshe) on Mount Sinai was nailed to the cross. (Colossians. 2: 14) As the years went by, it became apparent that they felt that the literal observance of the annual camp meetings of the Advent believers was a literal fulfillment of the Torah commands of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. Listen to the words of James White as preached to the audience at the 1876 camp meeting.

"As he brought his report of this, the first camp meeting of the season, to a close, James White made this enlightening comment:

“This excellent meeting, with all its labor of preparation, anxiety, preaching, hearing, exhorting, confession of sins and want of Christ, its tears, deliverances, and joys, is now past. Those parents who brought their children to the meeting and saw them converted, and take the baptismal vow, are now glad that they brought them. Those who did not bring their children regretted their mistake. THESE ANNUAL FEASTS OF TABERNACLES ARE GATHERINGS OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE; and there should be a general turnout of all who may be benefited.” (James White, Signs of the Times, June 8, 1876)

Where James White was specific in his reference to the Festival of Tabernacles as being celebrated in the annual camp meetings, his wife, Ellen White, alluded that all the festivals of the Lord, were to be observed as a commandment of the Lord by the non-Jewish saints in the end of times. She specifically pointed out the celebration of the festival of Passover as a present day requirement for the saints as required by the Lord of hosts, making note that they were to be ‘sacred migras’ or convocations. In the small book called “The Lonely Years 1876-1891, vol. 3, Ellen G. White made these quotes on page 38.

“.....what G-d appointed for Israel, even sacrifices and offerings.....continues to be required of G-d s people "in these last days.”G-d gave directions to the Israelites to assemble before Him at set periods, in the place which He should choose, and observe special days wherein no unnecessary work was to be done, but the time was to be devoted to a consideration of the blessings which He had bestowed upon them. At these special seasons they were to bring gifts, freewill offerings, and thank offerings unto the Lord, according as He had blessed them...Besides these special religious feast days of gladness and rejoicing, the yearly Passover was to be commemorated by the Jewish nation. "G-d requires no less of His people in these last days, in sacrifices and offerings, than He did of the Jewish nation....

"Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings. All should feel that G-d requires this of them. ...Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus. He will come up to the feast. He will be present, and will do for you that which you most need to have done....These camp meetings are of importance..." (Ellen White, Testimonies, vol.2, pages 573-576.)

"In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as G-d intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world.

"With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with G-d, and to contemplate unseen realities.

"If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict? And if the people of the world needed the light which G-d had committed to His church, how much more do they need it now!" (Ellen White, Testimonies, vol. 6, pages 39, 40, chapter title, "The Camp Meeting.")

It must be made very clear; Ellen White did not suggest that these holy convocations were meant to be rearranged for our pleasure and personal interest. We were not given sanction to appoint our own convocation or general meetings. The purpose of the Biblical holiday and convocations were to affirm and reacquaint the believers in Jesus in the form of drama which commanded all the human senses: light, sound, dance, rhythm, aromas, tastes and smells, plus the agony and emotions of giving up one’s pet lamb or dove as an offering or sacrifice. Every image had a prophetic meaning woven in, out and around the concepts of the two messiahs, the Maschiah ben Joseph, the Suffering Servant as Messiah and the Maschiah ben David, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

To the modern gentile Christian today, the celebration of the fall festivals, along with his Jewish brethren, are to be a living drama depicting a ‘shadow’ or a visible picture of a still to be future event: the Rosh Ha Shanah, represented as the 7^th Shofar (Trumpet) of the Lord, and ten days later, Yom Kippur, represented by the literal coming of the messiah (Maschiah) at the Great and Awe-full Day of the Lord. But the fall festivals do not stop with Yom Kippur. Ten days after the Day of Judgment or the Day of Atonement, is the week of Sukkot, the Festival of Booths and Tabernacles. Does this festival become a spiritual or other dimensional festival? Does it depict a rapture into a spiritual or heavenly dimension?

Observing closely the literal portrayal of this festival by the Hebrews, every element suggests that the Festival of Tabernacles depicts the Messiah (Maschiah) as coming to dwell with us, not us as going to dwell with G-d. As the literal fulfillment of Jesus, Yahshua ben David, who was born on the first day of Sukkot and literally came to dwell and tabernacle with us about 4 BCE, as Immanuel, the Prince of Peace, so also the ‘shadow picture’ of all the ancient prophets of the Maschiah as setting up a literal kingdom where He would rule with a rod of iron suggests also a literal interpretation in its fulfillment.

The spring festivals to the modern Christian also with their brethren the Jews, who acknowledge faith in Yahshua, are ‘shadow pictures’ looking back to the past when Jesus gave his body as the literal Living Passover (Pesach) Lamb. This was not the end of the drama. On the eve of the 1^st day (sundown Saturday night), when the barley sheaves were cut down in the fields on the side of the Mount of Olives and gathered into bundles of sheaves, so also Jesus arose from the grave as the ‘First Fruits of the Resurrection’ representing as a prophecy within a prophecy of a future gathering of the ‘first fruits’ when the resurrection of the saints will occur at the coming of the messiah. What about fifty years later at Pentecost (Shavuot) when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the believers in the early rain? The early rain to the Hebrews was in the fall after Sukkot, when the winter wheat and barley was planted and the fall rains nurtured the sprouting seeds in the fertile soil. Yet in the spring, the time of Pentecost, was the time of the latter rain, preparing the spring planting of grain for the fall harvest. Oh yes, the believers in Yahshua at the end of times will be anticipating the literal Latter Rain to come down upon the Land of Israel, sending the countryside in bloom and the fields to be sprouting crops in abundance, while the spiritual rebirth of the G-d’s people will be manifested in the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit amongst the Jews, returning Lost Tribes of the House of Israel, and also the gentile Christians.

It is no wonder Ellen White made the comment,

"How much more do we need THEM (Festivals) in these last days?"

The Apostle Paul (Rabbi Shaul) and the Festivals of the Lord

The great debate in Christendom is whether the Apostle Paul (Rave Shaul) taught that the Jewish economy, the feasts and the festivals ceased or were done away with at the crucifixion of Christ upon the tree. Ellen White speaks her peace.

"Nor does Paul proclaim to the Jews a Messiah whose work is to destroy the old dispensation, but a Messiah who came to develop the whole Jewish economy in accordance with the truth."

(Ellen White, Evangelism, page 554.)

The belief of Rabbi Shaul (Apostle Paul) was that Yeshua (Jesus) as the messiah’s mission was to develop the whole Jewish economy in accordance with the truth? Yes, the whole economy, not just bits and pieces, but the whole as proclaimed by the Lord of hosts to Moses in the Torah. A thorough study of the life of Rabbi Shaul suggests that he never did abandon the true Torah observances of his Hebrew faith. He did not seek to evangelize his own Jewish brethren to become gentile believers in faith with Jesus. Rather, Paul went back to worship with his own true Torah believing, Shabbat worshipping, Yeshua as the messiah believing Jewish members of the assembly of the Apostolic Nazarenes in Jerusalem, during the festival season of the Passover (Pesach) and Pentecost (Shavuot)

"The most convincing proof was given [by Paul] that the gospel was but the development of the Hebrew faith. Christ was come for the special benefit of the nation that was looking for His coming as the consummation and glory of the Jewish system." (Ellen White, Sketches from the Life of Paul, page 104.)

What happened? Is it the goal of the Christian protestant denominations to seek the restoration and development of the Hebrew faith and the economy of the Jewish system? Hardly so! Most Christian denominations rather believe in a ‘Replacement Theology’ that suggest that the Jewish system of living has been abolished and done away with and replaced with a Greco-Roman system of life, culture and religious philosophy. The Roman Catholic Church with Augustine, the doctor of law, was the chief promoter of Replacement Theology in which the city of Rome became the City of G-d and with the Bishop of Rome in succession from Peter, the chief of the Apostles, the One G-d, one church, one orthodoxy, one bishop, all under a male succession of bishops was now intact. The roots of Replacement Theology lie at the heart of the apostasy of Roman orthodoxy and continue to weave in and out of all the Protestant daughters of Rome.

Ellen White and the Biblical Feasts

Let us re-affirm the emphasis that Ellen White felt about the Biblical Feasts.

"G-d gave directions to the Israelites to assemble before Him at set periods...

"G-d requires no less of His people in these last days...

"Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings.

ALL SHOULD FEEL THAT G-D REQUIRES THIS OF THEM...

Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus.

He will come up to the feast. (Ellen White's Testimonies. Vol. 2, pages 573-576.)

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been on a learning curve. Unfortunately this learning curve has slowed down as the church as a corporate assembly has been embroiled over the defense that it is not a cult, but rather a sister in the federation of Christian Protestant denominations. To acclaim the allegiance of the Christian denominations, it has spent considerable effort to reaffirm its identity with the daughters of the Roman Orthodox Church over positions of doctrine and creed. Yet the mission of the Adventist Church should be in keeping with her early chapter, to pave a further path away from Roman Orthodoxy and towards the Jewish roots of the Apostolic Nazarene Church.

The Adventist Church has also been struggling with her identity with the Gifts of Prophecy, wondering if the gift’s of prophecy manifested in Ellen White suggest that she is no longer human, but rather an oracle of G-d, or whether she is occasionally errant and must be ‘sanctified’ for her gifts. These issues have been disorienting to a church who was so zealously seeking her Hebrew-Judaic Torah roots during the aftermath of the Great Awakening.

The Picture of the Mature Ellen G. White in later years of 1899.

Yet, let us give credit where credit it due. The literal truth in the “Thus saith the Lord” is a healthy return to the Hebrew roots of Advent church. While there is no Scriptural requirement to attend camp meetings, camp meeting attendance actually came as an outgrowth of the revivalism of the mid 1800’s when Baptist, Methodists, Adventists, and Pentecostals went to the Great Tents in celebration as they revived their faith in the messiah.

Yet there is a scriptural command that appears to have future prophetic application; the command of the Lord to participate in the Festivals of the Lord. It is clear that Ellen White believed in principle that the Torah laws requiring holy convocations, Israelite-centered, Feast observation was still binding upon Christian believers and that this would become even more imperative as we moved closer and closer to the time of the return of Jesus.

It is true that Ellen White was not given the ‘Full Light” in that she believed that these Torah observant feasts were satisfied by camp meetings. The concept of ‘appointed times’ was to be a later truth for Advent people in the future. Was this disturbing to Ellen? No!

In the 1890’s, Ellen penned these words in 1^st Selected Messages

"The question has been asked me, 'Do you think that the Lord has any more light for us as a people?' I answer that He has light that is new to us and yet it is precious old light that is to shine forth from the Word of truth. We have only the glimmerings of the rays of the light that is yet to come to us." (1^st Selected Messages page 401 (Review and Herald, June 3, 1890))

And twenty five years later, near the close of her illustrious career, in 1915, she penned these words:

“We must not for a moment think that there is no more light, no more truth, to be given us. We are in danger of becoming careless, by our indifference losing the sanctifying power of truth, and composing ourselves with the thought, 'I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.

“While we must hold fast to the truths which we have already received, we must not look with suspicion upon any new light that G-d may send."

(Gospel Workers page 310 Written in 1915.)

Here demonstrates the maturity of a BibleSearcher, when one maintains the confidence that the Lord of hosts can reveal new insight into scripture to those Searchers who struggle to reach up and make contact with the Divine and to comprehend the scriptural insights that the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) bestows upon us.

Listen to this beautiful quote.

"[N]o man, however honored of Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation of the divine purpose in the work for his own time. Men do not fully understand what G-d would accomplish by the work which He gives them to do; they do not comprehend, in all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name...

"Even the prophets who were favored with the special illumination of the Spirit did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them. The meaning was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of G-d should need the instruction therein contained...

"...Not infrequently the minds of the people, and even of G-d's servants, are so blinded by human opinions, the traditions and false teaching of men, that they are able only partially to grasp the great things which He has revealed in His word."

(Ellen White, Great Controversy, pages 343-345.)

Well stated. Scholarly studies on the writings of Ellen White depict one aspect; there was always a continuous growth in the development of the depth of her knowledge of scripture. There are few biblical writers who have developed the breadth of understanding of the spiritual covenantal redemption and relationship with the Creator as did Ellen White, yet in these last days with the unfolding of prophecy before our eyes, events are happening that even Ellen White could not foresee.

A careful study of the Millerites, though they believed in the literal interpretation of scripture, they still could not comprehend that the coming of Jesus was to occur at Jerusalem. Their overwhelming concern was that the Lord was coming NOW! Jerusalem was not a viable center of world attention in 1843 and 1844. The early nurturing of literal scriptural interpretation swung back and forth between ‘spiritual’ and ‘literal’ interpretation.

This process of biblical interpretation and exegesis in which literal and spiritual interpretation weave in and out continues to plague the eschatology of Adventist prophetic studies to this day. It is as though the Adventist prophetic scholars matured too early and then failed to allow ‘new truth’ to nurture them over the years. The Jews were given the custody to be ‘Keepers of the Oracles of G-d’ which gives the Gentiles an unusual freedom to be BibleSearchers and to be led by the Holy Spirit to new understandings in truth. Even so, the historical tradition of scripture goes way back to the time of Moses and Joshua. The mantra was, “Hear the word of the Lord and keep it.” Obedience was black and white and not trying to ‘fudge’ what the Lord of hosts was actually saying.

It is no wonder that the early prophecy scholars could only see through the ‘glass darkly’ to the prophetic future. Where was Jerusalem? In the early 1800’s, Jerusalem was a dusty, dirty and forgotten city. Celebrating Easter in Jerusalem in March 29, 1839, David Robert R.A., the famed oriental artist left his legacy of colored lithographs etched on paper of the memorable sites in the Holy City.

(The Holy Land, colored lithographs by David Roberts R.A., 1^st Ed. 1842, 1982 ed. By Terra Sancta Arts, Wellfleet Books, New York)

With a population of the whole city of only a few thousand, the throngs swelled to about 20,000 for the Christian festival of Easter. This was not a city to command international attention much less prophetic application.

Even in America, the Jewish presence was negligible. In 1826, there were only 6,000 Jews in America, by 1840 there were 15,000. Yet the 1850’s saw an exponential influx of Jews until at the eve of the Civil War, there were 150,000 in America. (Paul Johnson, The History of the Jews, p. 366)

We are blessed today to see prophecy in action, developing right before our eyes, yet most of Christendom is asleep. Even so the principles of prophetic interpretation were instilled early in Millerite and Adventist people, literal interpretation and literal application. Yet, Adventist’s theologians have continued to this day to weave between spiritual and literal interpretations of prophetic scripture, moving texts around out of context with how they were written, abandoning whole sections of end times prophecies by the Hebrew prophets because of revisionists ideas of ‘conditional prophecies’ and ideas that are an outgrowth of Replacement Theology.

Camp Meeting as the Festivals of G-d

Let us look at the festival verses camp meeting applications. The concept of a Conference wide assembly of Advent believers at a week-long camp meeting as a parallel spiritual concept to the literal assembly of Israelites at the feasts of the Lords can be understood and was understood by Ellen White. Even the ancient prophets of the Hebrews, though given an oracle of G-d, did not understand the meaning of that oracle to its fullest extent. Even the Prophet Daniel was told to seal part of his prophecies until the end of times. G-d was not ready to give the full revelation. And so Ellen White, knowing that she was a recipient as a ‘vessel’ of the Lord of hosts, also knew that her understanding was not also the most complete and the clearest revelation.

At the same time, there cannot be found any Biblical command even under the New Covenant suggesting that revivalism and camp meetings at any time of the year were to be ‘appointed times’ given by the Lord? Rather, these self appointed times were akin to the Roman Orthodox Church of changing the Mosaic feasts or the Seventh-day Sabbath (Shabbat) to different days with different customs adapted from pagan heritages, such as the Jewish Passover being changed to Easter Sunday.

This analogy may sound harsh, but the literal implications have born it out in history. Since the camp meeting - festival parallel was inaugurated without identifying the literal times of the festivals, their association with the agrarian harvest and the unsure timing of the new moons, led the Seventh-day Adventist Church to continue to process spiritual interpretations upon scripture and thereby loose a great part of the Prophetic Mission the Advent Church was given during the Great Awakening. The message was “Come out of Her (Roman Orthodoxy) my people!

The problem lays in the fact when you change the ‘times’ and the literal interpretation of the ritual application, the typology or the symbols of the festivals, either prophetic in the future or celebration of the past, lose their meaning. The Word of G-d becomes distorted and even worse, lost. Let us not forget again that the purpose of the Protestant Reformation was to leave the corruption of the Orthodox Roman Christian philosophy and return to the Hebrew-Judaic customs, traditions and philosophy that our entire religious, spiritual and philosophical ideas should be imbedded within.

Sunnyside, the home of Ellen White while she was living in Australia – Paintings and Prints by Sandra

The great momentum of the Advent Movement of watching and waiting for the soon coming of Jesus slowed down when the waiting became an agonizingly long time. The Adventist Church forgot and turned away from the Hebrew sources of scripture, interpretation directly from the Hebrew language, comparing all scripture to the Torah, which was the custom of Jesus and his disciples, seeking the restoration of the Hebrew context to derive a true Biblical meaning and the return to the Hebrew philosophy to base the foundations of their testimony and faith. They struggled with the idea of abandoning the Torah, the Law, yet their literal interpretation of the Decalogue kept them from wandering totally back into the fold of the Roman ideology. They struggled with the Christian Protestant Churches charges that that they were anti-Trinitarian, whereas they failed to recognize that the ideology of Divinity and the G-dhead in Christendom was based on a Greco-Roman philosophy after the early Christian church abandoned her early Hebrew philosophical roots.

Tithes and Offerings imbedded within the proper observance

of the Feasts of the Lord

The Biblical ordained concept of tithes and offerings in the Torah were blended and imbedded in the three required annual feasts: Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Let us see how Ellen White connects these observances of the feast to the laws concerning tithes and offerings.

"But there has been a great neglect of duty. Many have withheld means which G-d claims as His, and in so doing they have committed robbery toward G-d. Their selfish hearts have not given the tenth of all their increase, which G-d claims. Neither have they come up to the YEARLY GATHERINGS with their freewill offerings, their thank offerings, and their trespass offerings.^* Many have come before the Lord empty-handed." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, Calls for Means, pages 510, 511.)

"The plan of system in benevolence G-d designed for the good of man, who is inclined to be selfish and to close his heart to generous deeds. The Lord requires gifts to be made at stated times [the annual feasts], being so arranged that giving will become habit and benevolence be felt to be a Christian duty....

"G-d required of His ancient people THREE YEARLY GATHERINGS… "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy G-d in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy G-d which He hath given thee."

"Whenever G-d's people, IN ANY PERIOD OF THE WORLD, have cheerfully and willingly carried out His plan in systematic benevolence and in gifts and offerings, they have realized the standing promise that prosperity should attend all their labors just in proportion as they obeyed His requirements." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, pages 393-396.)

In fact it appeared that Ellen White approved the whole system and economy of the Hebrew Israelites.

"The system enjoined upon the Hebrews has not been repealed or relaxed by the One who originated it. Instead of being of no force now, it was to be more fully carried out and more extended, as salvation through Christ alone should be more fully brought to light in the Christian age." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, pages 391, 392.)

Christians who extol Christ, but array themselves against the law (Torah) governing the Jewish church, array Christ against Christ." (Ellen G. White, Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, May 6, 1875, The Law of G-d.)

So what was Ellen White’s response of observing how the Lord responded when humans chose to worship in their own way and define the customs and institutions according to their own pleasure?

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

"The king's bold defiance of G-d IN THUS SETTING ASIDE DIVINELY APPOINTED INSTITUTIONS was not allowed to pass unrebuked." (Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, page 101.)

The curse of Jeroboam upon the House of Israel was not an exile of 70 years such as was given to the House of Judah, but an exile of over 2500 years in which they lost their entire identity as chosen actors and players by the Lord of hosts in the Drama of the Ages. Will their exile be permanent? Not so, according to the ancient Hebrew prophets. G-d’s judgments were always associated with redemption and restoration. According to the prophets, the restoration of the House of Israel would not come because Israel was repentant, noble and worthy of redemption, but G-d would redeem them to honor the His ‘Holy Name’.

Ellen White on the Mosaic Law’s Statutes and Judgments.

In addition to the above specific references to the Biblical Feasts, Ellen White has a great number of statements about the binding claims of the statutes and judgments contained in the Mosaic Law.

The first thing to understand is the relationship of Statutes and Judgments as applied to how the Israelites worshipped the Lord of hosts. Our first quote in study showed the reasoned application of having G-d ordained Biblical holidays for the End Times Church. She closed with these remarks.

“Shall not the people of G-d more frequently have holy convocations in which to thank G-d for His rich blessings?” (Ellen White, Counsels To Parents, Teachers, and Students, page 343.)

As noted above, the Hebrew use for ‘holy convocation’ in the Old Testament was given only in relationship to the Biblical Feasts or Holidays. It was also James White, General Conference President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and husband to Ellen White, who stated at the closing of the 1876 summer camp meeting,

The Family of James and Ellen White

These annual Feasts of Tabernacles are gatherings of the greatest importance; and there should be a general turnout of all who may be benefited. (James White, Signs of the Times, June 8, 1876.'")

In the following quote, please note how Ellen White states that what G-d appointed for Israel, even sacrifices and offerings, continues to be required of G-d’s people "in these last days." This is a strange statement since the giving of offerings and gifts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is centered around tithing rather than appointed times and festival observation.

"G-d gave directions to the Israelites to assemble before Him at set periods, in the place which He should choose, and observe special days wherein no unnecessary work was to be done, but the time was to be devoted to a consideration of the blessings which He had bestowed upon them. At these special seasons they were to bring gifts, freewill offerings, and thank offerings unto the Lord, according as He had blessed them...Besides these special religious feast days of gladness and rejoicing, the yearly Passover was to be commemorated by the Jewish nation...

"G-d requires no less of His people in these last days, in sacrifices and offerings, than He did of the Jewish nation...."Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings. All should feel that G-d requires this of them. ...Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus. He will come up to the feast. He will be present, and will do for you that which you most need to have done....These camp meetings are of importance..." (Ellen White, Testimonies, vol. 2, pages 573-576.)

It appears that the seventh-day Sabbath worship was not to be interrupted with the business of the church and the giving of gifts, tithes and offerings. Even the Apostolic Church (Hebrew Nazarene Ecclesia) true to their Hebrew heritage conducted the business of the church after the setting of the sun on Sabbath and the meeting on the eve of the first day was the time for offerings, gifts and church related business.

Even more critical was the time spent in spiritual reflection. It is difficult in this modern era to command the attention of any worshipper for any length of time. Three hours maximum for bible study and religious exhortation is the norm for most Christian churches. Even time flexibility is given so we can come to early service in order to spend the rest of the day in personal ‘enrichment’ or ‘lay activities’ endeavors. ‘Study to know thyself approved unto G-d’ is no longer recognized as a standard of spiritual growth and development. Yet the Lord of hosts commanded also almost a tenth of their time. One twelve of their time was spent in festival worship and the additional time in the weekly Shabbat worship which went for an entire twenty-four hours from sundown to sundown.

"In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as G-d intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world.

"With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with G-d, and to contemplate unseen realities.

"If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations^* in their time, how much more do we need them^** in these last days of peril and conflict! And if the people of the world needed the light which G-d had committed to His church, how much more do they need it now!" (Ellen White, Testimonies, vol. 6, pages 39, 40, chapter title, "The Camp Meeting.")

Judgments of the Lord - Exodus 21:1; 23:14-17

Feast of Unleavened Bread - Passover

Feast of Harvest - Pentecost

Feast of Ingathering - Tabernacles

Exodus 21:1 - "Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them:"

Exodus 21:14 "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto Me in the year.

Feast of Unleavened Bread - Passover

Exodus 21:15 - “Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month of Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before Me empty.”

The ritual exercises of Judgment were seen in the first festival of the year. Here was a command. Israel had a choice to make, obey even though they did not really know what was going on, sacrifice the Pesach lamb and sprinkle the blood on the doorpost and the Angel of the Lord will define whether the Judgment of the Lord will exact mercy or justice. To obey meant life. To disobey meant death.

Feast of Harvest - Pentecost

Exodus 21:16, part 1 - “And the feast of harvest [Pentecost], the first fruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field:”

The second ritual feast proclaimed a judgment at the spring harvest. They were commanded to harvest the winter crops, store the fruits of their harvest so that they could eat all spring and summer. To obey meant life. To disobey meant death.

Feast of Ingathering - Tabernacles.

Exodus 21:16, part 2 - “and the feast of ingathering [Feast of Tabernacles], which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field.”

The third ritual feast of judgment was in the fall. Here was a celebration of the bounties the Lord of hosts had given to his people. Once again they were commanded to harvest, store the produce of their harvest so that they could eat all winter. To obey meant life. To disobey meant death.

The Feast of Tabernacles was also a feast of the final judgment of the living. The Lord of hosts would judge them so they could have the privilege of sitting at the feast table with the Maschiah ben David, their Redeemer and Savior.

Exodus 21:17 - “Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord G-d."

The meaning for the word ‘judgments’ comes from the Hebrew word, mishpat, which is pronounced mish-pawt’ (Strong’s 4941). It means a verdict, a divine law, formal decree judgment, or ordinance. The implication of these meanings in reference to these three feasts was that they were ordained or decreed by G-d with the full weight of divine authority and divine law. There was not a question of whether they had the option to obey or not. These three feasts were commanded that all males living in the Land of Israel would have to obey. If they disobeyed, the judgments of the Lord of hosts would be met upon them collectively as a people.

Statutes of the Lord - Lev. 23:21, 31, 39, 41

Pentecost.

Day of Atonement

Feast of Tabernacles

Whereas the Judgments of the Lord carried the full weight of Divine Law and not open to question, the Statues of the Lord appeared to be centered around the civil legislative body and tribal law. The Torah stories are literally focused on taking spiritual concepts and making literal physical applications with them. It was taken heavenly concepts and putting them into real life in what was called the “Kingdom of G-d” in this present three-dimensional world. Each festival depicted human action played out in drama fulfilling G-d’s Will.

Pentecost

Leviticus 23:21 - "And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be a holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”

Day of Atonement

Leviticus 23:31 - "Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

Feast of Tabernacles

Leviticus 23:39, 41 - "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days...And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month."

The meaning for the word ‘statutes’ comes from the Hebrew word, choq pronounced khoke (Strong’s 2701) meaning, an appointment time, commandment, custom, decree , law, ordinance, set time statute or task.

Notice that to these three feasts, one significant meaning was added: “it shall be a statue forever in your generation. As long as there was any remnant of the Hebrew-Israelites, the import of these feasts would be felt in a literal cause and effect. Each one portrayed a divine flow of that cause and effect pattern from the heavenlies down to this earth.

At Pentecost the Lord of hosts revealed Himself with the power of His Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. When you became possessed by the Holy Spirit, dramatic and powerful things happened in your mental, physical and spiritual person.

At the Day of Atonement, the flow of action and events also came from the Throne of G-d to this earth. The Lord of hosts responded to our obedience and mercy of G-d would grant us longevity for another year.

So we have three selected times of judgments or divine pronouncements of a verdict, a divine law, formal decree, judgment, or ordinance.

Feast of Unleavened Bread - Passover

Feast of Harvest - Pentecost

Feast of Ingathering - Tabernacles

We also have three selected times of statutes, which suggest an appointment time, commandment, custom, decree , law, ordinance, set time statute or task.

Pentecost.

Day of Atonement

Feast of Tabernacles

Let us now evaluate them individually

Spring Festivals

Pesach (Passover) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread - a Judgment

The Feast of Unleavened Bread included the Passover (Pesach), called a High Sabbath, on the 10^th day of Abib and the 1^st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Yom Hanafat Ha’omer (Day of Omer/ Barley Waving or First Fruits) on the 1^st day after the weekly 7^th day Sabbath within the holiday and Hag Ha-Matzot, or the 7^th and last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Why would this collection of feasts only be called a Judgment? We do know that the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus were imbedded with the final judgment of G-d at the end of times. It was the blood of the Lamb that would pay for the penalty of sin and it was paid by the Lamb of G-d Himself. The resurrection of Jesus was the first-fruits of those resurrected and part of the redemptive judgment the Lord of hosts will announce to the saints which He will redeem and claim as His own.

Ellen G. White

Hag Ha-Shavuot called the Feast of Weeks - (Pentecost) - was a Judgment and a Statute

The festival of Pentecost called Hag Ha-Shavuot was to be the first appointed time. We know it best as the appointed time when the Lord of hosts sent the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh, to light the divine torch that inaugurated the greatest missionary evangelistic era in the last two millenniums. The doors of the Jewish faith were opened for the ingathering of the gentile believers into the Hebrew Nazarene Ecclesia of Israel in Jerusalem under the leadership of the brother of Jesus, James the Just. Within one generation the message of Yahshua spread to all the world and the ‘time of the gentiles’ was begun. In the future will be another Pentecost, the Latter Rain, and once again the Ruach HaKodesh will fill each believer with the spirit of the Living G-d. Will this be the Six Seal when the ascending Angel brings the Seal of G-d and probation is closed?

This date was also a judgment, for it was a marker of selection of those that were chosen by the Lord of hosts, a ‘shadow’ of the future era when the Seal of the Living G-d and the Mark of the Beast will demarcate the division between the inhabitants of the earth that the Lord will call His own and Satan will bring under his possessive control.

Fall Festivals

The fall festivals will be heralding the final acts of G-d on this earth. Yom Teru’ah, the day of Shouting and the voice of the 7^th and Last Archangel blowing the Trumpet of the Lord, will be heralded on the 1^st day of Tishri. It heralds the last judgment on this earth until the all the forces of evil are eradicated on Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment when the Heavenly High Priest, Yahshua HaMashiah (Jesus the Messiah) makes His last atonement before the Throne of G-d in the Heavenly Sanctuary.

Five days after the massacre of Armageddon, Yeshua as King of kings and Lord of lords will come to Hag Ha-Sukkot, the Festival of Booths and will there He will tabernacle with His people, beginning the Malkhut, the Kingdom in which He will rule with a rod of iron. On the 8^th day of Sukkot, Yeshua will once again be celebrated as the ‘Living Torah’ who again has returned in the flesh.

The Great Disappointment

Well Yahshua (Jesus) did not return on October 22, 1844. It was a time of great emotion, grief and disappointment. After the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, the Millerite Movement disintegrated and over two hundred splinter Advent groups fragmented away. Out of these the most prominent was the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Differing from their other Christian brethren, the Seventh-day Advent believer continued the assimilation of other Jewish concepts, customs and Torah commands. These included:

· Belief in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement to be part of the Daniel 8:14 Preference to the cleansing of the Sanctuary.

· Belief in the atonement ministry of Jesus as our High Priest as spoken in Hebrews, especially in reference to the final atonement. These early believers before the 1844 Great Disappointment believed this to be a literal one day ministry of Jesus in the Heavenly Temple as the Levitical High Priest did in the ancient sanctuary service. This was the Great Day of the Lord1

· The Seventh-day Advent believers are found and adopted the Seventh-day Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment of the Decalogue, which was different than the Festival Sabbaths.

· They adopted the Mosaic laws of clean meats, but did not adopt the idea of kosher meats or kashrut concepts of preparing and cooking their meat. They eventually recommended a kosher lifestyle of vegetarianism.

· They adopted a system of tithing, but did not carry it out in respect to the Festivals of the Lord.

Did they get the whole picture? No, but throughout the course of the time that was given to the Gentiles, this Great Awakening heralded the beginning of the End as the Protestant denomination on the Eastern Seaboard of the United Stated for the first time began to take spiritual concepts and begin to relate them back to their original literal and philosophical roots, the Hebrew-Judaic faith.

Obviously, the founders of the Adventist Church moved in and out of the Torah teachings, picking and choosing which of the 615 Mitzvoth (commandments) of the Torah they felt appropriate to adopt. Either way, there is no evidence that they felt that the Mosaic Law had been done away. Yet they did pick and choose which they would choose to affirm yet they were making small steps in the final redemption of the Gentile believers back to the Torah.

There is no doubt that the Spirit of Prophecy as perceived in the writings of Ellen White taught that there were many Hebrew Torah laws which continued to be binding upon all humanity. These additional laws they believed in were called, STATUTES and JUDGMENTS.

Ellen G. White "Christ, to enforce the will of His Father, became the author of the statutes and precepts given through Moses to the people of G-d. Christians who extol Christ, but array themselves against the law governing the Jewish church, array Christ against Christ." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, May 6, 1875.)

One of the last Known Pictures of Ellen G. White (1827-1915)

To believe in one precept of G-d and ignore precept was pitting Jesus against Yahshua against the Torah. They were one in the same. The Torah was the Word of G-d. Yahshua was the Word of G-d. Jesus as Yeshua was the Torah who came in the flesh. There could be no separation.

"The principles set forth in Deuteronomy for the instruction of Israel are to be followed by G-d's people to the end of time." (Ellen White, Prophets and Kings, page 570.)

What is this about celebrate Easter instead of Passover? What is this about celebrating Thanksgiving but not Succot? What is this about celebrating baptism of the water but not celebrating Pentecost, the baptism by the fire and Glory of the Lord? What is this about ignoring the Judgments of G-d until the end of time rather than willingly approaching our Master face to face with supplication and repentance on an yearly basis, knowing one fact, there is not reason to ask for the forgiveness of G-d unless we have asked forgiveness from our own friends and neighbors first.

"Parents should feel it a sacred duty to instruct their children in the statutes and requirements of G-d as well as in the prophecies." (Ellen G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work, page 56.)

What is the heart of true education but to obey and follow the will of their Father in heaven?

"Every character will be tested by the standard of G-d's Holy Law. The Great G-d of heaven, our Supreme Ruler, has rules, statutes, and laws... They govern every member of the human family...G-d will not take into His kingdom and give eternal life to those who will not come under His Laws and Statutes in this life." (Ellen White, Signs of the Times, vol. 2, page 147.)

If the Lord of hosts is the same, unchanging forever and ever and the Torah is a revelation of His true Being, how can the G-d of the TaNaKh (Old Testament) different than the G-d of the Brit Hadassah (New Covenant)?

"Christ gave to Moses...precepts which were to govern the every day life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon man in every age as long as time should last." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 1, page 164. Also in SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, page 1104.)

The Biblical Feasts are shadowy types. But, they are not shadowy types that passed away with the death of Christ. Colossians 2:16 and 17 state that feasts, new moons, and Sabbaths are shadows of things still to come (in the future) not shadows of things that have come (past tense) with the death of our Savior.

"The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far reaching principles of G-d's ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be MORE FULLY understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people." (Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 310.)

How wonderfully stated yet does this not apply to the people of G-d today? For two thousand years, we have been blinded and debased by the corrupted ideology (idolatry) of the Roman Orthodoxy. The cry of Revelation, “Come out of her My people” is a call to return the pristine beauty of the purity of the Mosaic Torah covenants given to the people of G-d. They were to be a ‘lighthouse’ to us the gentiles in the world. The fact that they did not fully fulfill their calling and mission in no way debases or detracts from the original teachings of the Law (Torah) and the Prophets. The call of the Great Awakening by the Millerites to “Come out of her My people” has the same strength and applicability today as it did 160 years ago. We were to leave Roman Orthodoxy and return to our Hebrew roots. The “Protestant Christian” is a half-way house, not the full restoration and redemption of the “Remnant Church”.

"[G-d] did not stop with giving them [Israel] the precepts of the Decalogue. The people had shown themselves so easily led astray that He would leave no door of temptation unguarded. Moses was commanded to write, as G-d should bid him, judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what was required. These directions relating to the duty of the people to G-d, to one another, and to the stranger were only the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified and given in a specific manner, that none need err. They were designed to guard the sacredness of the ten precepts engraved on the tables of stone." (Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 364, 365.)

To all Sabbath-keepers who believe in the sanctity of the Shabbat, if we truly believe in the sacredness of the seventh-day Shabbat, than the “How to manual” written in the judgments and laws are essential to fulfilling how we treat the sacredness of the moments in Cosmic Time when the Lord of hosts comes down to dwell with us on the Sabbath.

"There must be no withholding on our part, of our service or our means, if we would fulfill our covenant with G-d, `This day the Lord thy G-d hath commanded thee to do these statutes.' Deuteronomy 26:16...In this late age of the world's history, we are not, because of the selfishness of our hearts, to question or dispute the right of G-d to make these requirements, or we will deceive ourselves, and rob our souls of the richest blessings of the grace of G-d...G-d will have no controversy with us in regard to these binding precepts. It is enough that He has said that obedience to His statutes and laws is the life and prosperity of His people." (Ellen G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, page 1120.)

Can these words be more clearly stated? How can we dispute G-d? How can we ignore his commands, his urgings, his pleading to return to Him and to allow His Glory to fill our lives? The corporate church (each gentile Protestant denomination) and each individual will be answerable to the Lord of hosts. He has asked for obedience, not negotiation. He pleads with us to trust him for He is about to open the flood gates of the inter-dimensional forces of the Energy of His Mighty Glory as He guarantees us that He will make sweeping changes in the code and laws of how civilization is to be conducted. Does the Lord of hosts not say over and over that the Messiah, the Maschiah ben David, will return with the Rod (Sword) within His mouth. He created us by the Word of His mouth. He is preparing to do radical surgery to His saints and the remnant of His chosen people by the scalpel from His mouth. The transformation or glorification that will be bestowed upon His people at the 7^th Trumpet will be so awe-some that unless we are now trusting fully upon His ways and our hearts and minds are totally in alignment with Energy frequencies of His Glory, we will either be destroyed or that transformation will not occur within our hearts and our bodies.

Is there a third party between the wicked that are destroyed and the saints and tzaddiks that are transformed? Isaiah speaks eloquently of this day.

Isaiah 66:19-23 - “For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. (the coming of the Messiah) For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many….

For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; (Armageddon’s forces) and they shall come and see My glory. I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nation, (the remnant who escape out of Jerusalem) to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands, afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory.

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering (Isaiah is addressing the House of Israel) to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem.” (after the coming of the Messiah) says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. And I will also take some of them for priest and Levites.” (of the Lost Tribes of the House of Israel) says the Lord, “

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before Me,” (future tense, so the New Heaven and New Earth will not be revealed at this time) says the Lord, “so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, (the solar cycle and planetary rotations will continue to exist for another 1000 years.) all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

Of the Statutes and Judgments, Ellen White makes the following commentary regarding the last three verses of Malachi 4:

"The closing words of Malachi are a prophecy regarding the work that should be done preparatory to the...second advent of Christ. This prophecy is introduced with the admonition, `Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments..'"

(Ellen G. White, The Southern Watchman, March 21, 1905.)

Malachi 4:4 gives this clarion call for the last day believers to keep the statues and judgments of the Lord (the Festivals of the Lord)

Malachi 4:4 - “In these Last Days there is a call from heaven inviting you to keep the statutes and ordinances of the Lords.” (Ellen White, Signs of the Times, vol. 2, page 184, 3rd col. (1888).)

Elmshaven, St. Helena
In the following quotation, Ellen White links the comprehension that the statutes and judgments are binding to the Latter Rain and the Loud Cry.

Elmshaven in St. Helena, California, was the last home of Ellen G. White (1827-1915).

"Eighteenth of Revelation...`Another angel.’. During the Loud Cry...`I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes.' This is the descent of the Holy Spirit...The Lord will open the eyes of the blind to see His statutes, and will write upon the hearts of the truly penitent His law." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 5, page 83.)

The End Time Church as envisioned by Ellen White defined the purpose of the prophetic ministry of the Adventist Church. They were to prepare ‘clean and holy people to declare His statutes and judgments."

"G-d is now testing and proving His people...That G-d who reads the hearts of everyone, will bring to light hidden things of darkness where they are often least suspected, that stumbling blocks which have hindered the progress of truth may be removed, and G-d have a clean and holy people to declare His statutes and judgments." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 1, pages 332, 333.)

At the End of Times, Ellen White saw that the work of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) as seen in the Latter Rain and the Loud Cry was to open up the believers in the Messiah to a more richer understanding of the G-d’s statutes and judgments. They would truly have ‘eyes that can see and ears that can hear’.

Why was this important? The Statutes and Judgments were to reveal the principles of the Ten Commandments.

"That the obligations of the Decalogue might be MORE FULLY understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments..." (Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 310.)

So what is the purpose of the Statutes and Judgments in reference to the End Times?

· The laws requiring observance of the Feasts are STATUTES and JUDGMENTS.

· The Latter Rain includes the reception of the understanding that the STATUTES and JUDGMENTS are still binding.

· The STATUTES and JUDGMENTS explain the obligations of the Ten Commandments MORE FULLY.

· Also the purpose of the STATUTES and JUDGMENTS would be to explain the obligations of the Fourth Commandment MORE FULLY.

Watch how these elements come together in the following quotation by Ellen G. White:

"I saw that G-d had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost (Latter Rain) as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath MORE FULLY.

This enraged the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time G-d's chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured persecution with us." (Ellen G. White, Early Writings, page 33.)

As we study, the final spiritual movement of the gentile Christian Church, hearts of the remnant of the saints will be towards their brethren in the Hebrew Jewish Synagogues. We will no longer ignore them but rather we will affirm them as the custodians of the Oracles of G-d. By our faith in their Messiah (Maschiah), we may also be a receptacle to reveal the ‘Faith in the Saving Blood of the Pesach Lamb of G-d”

Also at this time, in the final days, Yahshua will again be revealed to His own people, the Jews and the Israelites and they will accept His as their own Son. A spiritual revival will swell within the Jewish faith as they return, not to the customs, creeds and doctrines of the modern Christian Church, but to the faith in Yahshua as their Messiah ben David.

When this final merger comes between the custodians of the Oracles of G-d with the saints who have had only a spiritual understanding of the faith in Yahshua the Messiah, then the unfolding of mighty revelations will open up the multi-dimensional meanings of scripture. With this revelation and the Power of the Holy Spirit as it descends in the Final Rain, the hearts of G-d’s custodians and His saints will be transformed.

As the Loud Cry pierces the stratosphere by the mighty emissaries of G-d, the Archangels, a mighty revival will be erupt around the world yielding a harvest of souls invigorated by the profound richness of the scriptures as the literal and the spiritual interpretations are finally revealed. Who will do the harvesting? Sit back and enjoy. The Angels of the Lord will do the harvesting. We will be only participants in the process.

Message from BibleSearchers

BibleSearchers scans the world for information that has relevance on the time of the end. It is our prayer that this will allow the believers in the Almighty One of Israel to “watch and be ready”. Our readiness has nothing to do trying to halt the progression of evil on our planet earth. In our readiness, we seek to be prepared for the coming of the Messiah of Israel so that goodness and evil will be manifested in its fullest. Our preparation is a pathway of spiritual readiness for a world of peace. Our defender is the Lord of hosts. The time of the end suggests that the Eternal One of Israel’s intent is to close out this chapter of earth’s history so that the perpetrators of evil, those that seek power, greed and control, will be eliminated from this planet earth. The wars of the heavens are being played out on this planet earth and humans will live through it to testify of the might, power, justice and the love of the

Message from BibleSearchers

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

of Israel. In a world of corruption and disinformation, we cannot always know what the historical truth is and who is promoting evil or mis-information. We cannot guarantee our sources but we will always seek to portray trends that can be validated in the Torah and the testimony of the prophets of the Old and the New Testament.