Athen's Library

THE SECOND ADVENT

THE COMING OF “ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN”

Letter #10 In The Series

February 1999

The Door of Hope

And I will give her, her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.  Hosea 2:15.  In the type the Achan was pointed out in the wilderness before Israel went into the kingdom God had promised them.  So in the antitype the Achan or Achans will be brought into the valley before the kingdom of Glory can be given to the saints of the Most High.

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth ...  And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.  Revelation 10:2, 5-7

This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world’s history, neither of Probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord.  That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time.  After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time.  The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844. 7A Bible Commentary 971, 972.  Emphasis added.

Like the “man of sin” was given the 3 1/2 or 1260 years in the prophetic prophecy on the “sea” side of where the angel is standing, so Satan is given 3 1/2 literal years in the land, or “earth” side, of where the angel is standing in the literal prophecy.  At the conclusion of the prophetic time, the message of the Sabbath, the Sanctuary and the State of then dead was given.  This message caused the leaders of that movement to feel the assurance that God was with them more than others.  This assurance gives one confidence that he is all right and has all the truth that he needs, not realizing this sets one up for the deceiver to come in.

The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation.  The only safety for you is to search for truth as for hid treasures.  Dig for the truth as you would for treasures in the earth, and present the word of God, the Bible, before your Heavenly Father and say, Enlighten me; teach me what is truth.... You should store the mind with the word of God; for you may be separated, and placed where you will not have the privilege of meeting with the children of God.  7A Bible Commentary 911.

Like the “man of sin” took over the Christian church in the prophetic time, so Satan will take over the church that is deceived into thinking that they are all right when they are all wrong.  So what we will have is that the church will be divided into light and darkness, wise and foolish.

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Malachi 4:4.  When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.”  Deuteronomy 4:30-31.

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.  Deuteronomy 4:5-6.

Here we see that when we are in tribulation, if we will become wise and will obey His statutes and judgments, which is your wisdom, He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.  Satan came as an angel of light in the wilderness of temptation to deceive Christ; and he does not come to man in a hideous form, as he is sometimes represented, but as an angel of light.  He will come impersonating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ.  We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ.  What shall we do?  Tell them Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man’s worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice.  6 Bible Commentary 1105-6.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.  Revelation 13:15-18.

Some may say how can this be, for this is the number of a man?  We see that in Isaiah, talking about Satan, it says They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; Isaiah 14:16.

This prophecy begins in the Old World (sea) and ends in the New World (earth).  This also shows the church (Temple) down through history.  With this understanding and that God leads His Church step by step, Daniel says And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.  Daniel 11:45.

With the understanding that the feet standing on the sea and the earth represent God’s Church (Temple), Daniel says that the “man of sin” shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, or between the feet.  In the type during the prophetic time prophecy it is the “man of sin”, but in the antitype during the literal time prophecy it will be Satan himself.  Like the leader of the papal power was put into prison, so Satan, in the literal, is bound.  And as “the man of sin” took over the Christian church and said that he could forgive sins and change times and laws, so Satan transformed into an angel of light will stand in the holy place (church that keeps the commandments of God and has the faith of Jesus) and bless those who are keeping his changes.  Of this deception Christ said For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Matthew 24:24.

The very elect have the “Door of Hope”.  This “Door of Hope” is the knowledge that the symbols will not “make those who approach perfect.”  Those who only have “symbols”, those who have not made an effort to look beyond the symbol to see the very image, will be deceived.

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. Hebrews 10:1 (NKJ).  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14.  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  Revelation 12:9.

Here we see that Satan is transformed into an angel of light and he was cast out into the earth and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, he shall deceive the very elect.  The story of Esther is a symbol of how the deceiver works.  Haman used the Nation to enforce his will to do away with the people that would not go along with his laws.  Esther, the queen, saved her people from the laws of Haman.  These symbols will also help us to understand how God will save His people in our day.  Esther, being the type depicts for us how in the antitype the woman of Revelation 12, the woman with the crown makes intercession with the King of Kings saving His people out of this deception.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field?  From whence then hath it tares?  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.  The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.  Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus is showing that the two parts of the harvest have two different locations to be placed; the tares are bound into bundles while the wheat is put into His barn, His kingdom.  The Queen of Queens will be there to help those who will flee to the Mountain of the House of the Lord.  Like the woman, church, fled into the wilderness, mountains, so the church will flee to the mountain of the house of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:2-4.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  Matthew 24:29-35.

According to this, the tribulation has to do with the time that the antichrist is given, that is, his time during the literal prophetic fulfillment of Daniel 8-9.  At the end of this tribulation Satan is bound and the “Son of Man” will come to rule on the throne of David.  This coming is what the Jews were looking for at the first Advent.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22.

In Adam was the rib that God made woman from and the woman, by eating and giving to the man, led man from the garden, their kingdom.  This story becomes a symbol for the work of a woman in our time.  A woman led man from the garden, so it will be a woman who will lead man back into the garden restored, the kingdom.  After having “the Baby”, the woman of Revelation 12, flees into the wilderness, to a place God has prepared for Her.  This place is the New Jerusalem John saw coming down from Heaven.  While there She leads “man”, male and female, into all truth.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  John 14:26.  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13.

These words of Jesus are a prophetic prophecy and a promise of His Helper, His Spirit.  The effect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in guiding the church has been visible while His Helper remained invisible.  This fact allows us to understand that this is a shadow, and God revealed to Ezekiel the truth about this time.  In Ezekiel 4:12 we find the prophet being instructed to take the truths brought by the Holy Spirit and bake them into barley cakes using dung in place of wood for the fire.  This is a symbol of how man pollutes the truths God has given him.  This pollution allows “the man of sin” to come in and do his work.  During the time of the literal, Christ the Holy Spirit (the Second Eve) will be here Herself to make sure that the truths are taught unpolluted.

In Genesis 5, God “called their name Adam.  This is the book of the generations of Adam.  In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.  Genesis 5:1-2.

When Christ was divided male and female, They also are called Christ.  With the coming of the Mother and Son in the type; it gives us a picture of what the Second Advent of Christ will be like.  When Christ was taken to the Temple and His name placed there in the lineage of the kings, He could have ruled on David’s throne.  Because Christ at that time did not take the throne and with the destruction of the temple came the loss of the records of David’s descendants, it appeared there would not be a legally confirmed heir to sit on David’s Throne.  But by God’s design a copy of Jesus’ linage has been preserved making it evident to all that Christ’s Son (the Son of Man) is the only legal heir to David’s Throne.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Matthew 25:31-32.

This kingdom is yet future.  It is not to be set-up until the second advent of Christ.  Great Controversy 347.

The woman, Mother-Christ, prepares the people for this coming in the clouds.  It is then that we will rule and reign with Him a thousand years.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not the strong meat.  For ever one that useth milk is unskillful in the word (law) of righteousness: for he is a babe. Hebrews 5:12.

Here we see that even though we have been skillful in the Word, the time comes that symbols are changed to the literal so we need to be given understanding.

Synonym for the word “oracle” are “A revelation” and “A prophet” and means; (1) a) the place where, or medium by which, deities were consulted. (b) the revelation or response of a medium or priest. (2) a) any person or agency believed to be in communication with a deity. b) any person of great knowledge or wisdom.  C) opinion or statements of any such oracle.

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  Amos 3:7

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.  Malachi 4:4-6.

Here the Lord says, “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD”.  He revealeth his secrets which are the first principles of the oracles of God so you can teach His oracles.  These oracles, revelations, come by the Spirit who will lead into all truth.  One author says “in the final analysis, the Holy Spirit is Elijah.”  And with the understanding of the woman of Revelation 12 as another Comforter, the Holy Spirit, we can see that leading into all truth, and Elijah’s work, are the same.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Revelation 12:17

This church (SDA), by not accepting the 1888 message, did like Israel when they came to the borders of the promised land; they went into a 40 year stay in the wilderness.  An Elder by the name of Taylor Bunch wrote a book called 40 Years in the Wilderness.  The rejection of the 1888 message, along with other messages that came to the church, has kept the church in darkness of what the Lord is about to do.  Sister White says that we should flee to the mountains; but what mountains?  The only “mountain” that has any safety is “the Mountain of the house of the Lord”.  Isaiah 2.

As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places.  Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains.  Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for “the mountains of rocks,” Isaiah 33:16.  But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage.  The beloved of God pass weary days, bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons.  No human ear is open to hear their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help.  Great Controversy 626.

Yours to meet Christ in His Kingdom

Athen Slawson