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Why Study The Holy Scriptures?
Month: January 2021
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
EGYPT’S ENDURING IDOLATROUS INFLUENCE ON EMPIRES, NATIONS AND WORLD RELIGIONS
“Egypt was the first among the heathen nations to attempt to suppress the SEVENTH DAY Sabbath, and INFLUENCED OTHER NATIONS to regard the first day as the weekly holiday of their sun-god. Truel Lunds gives us the following information on this important and interesting subject of the WEEK in Egypt, in his extensive work:
“According to the Assyrian-Babylonian conception, the particular stress lay upon the NUMBER SEVEN….The whole week pointed prominently to the seventh day, the rest day, in this day it collected, in this it also commanded. ‘Sabbath’ is derived from both ‘rest’ and ‘seven.’ With the Egyptians it was the REVERSE…..For them on the contrary the sun-god was the beginning and origin of all things. The day of the Sun, Sunday, therefore became necessarily the FEAST day….The holiday was transferred from the LAST to the FIRST of the week.’- ‘Dagligi Liv i Norden,’ Vol. XIII, pp. 54,55.
“The seven planetary names of the days were at the close of the SECOND CENTURY, A.D., prevailing everywhere in the ROMAN EMPIRE….This ASTROLOGY originated from Egypt, where Alexandria now so proudly proclaim it to all….’The day of the Sun’ was the Lord’s day, the chiefest and first of the week. The EVIL AND FATAL SATURN’S DAY was the last of the week, on which none could celebrate a feast….
“From Rome, through the Roman legionaries, the SEVEN PLANETARY DAYS pressed forward north to Gaul, Britain, and Germany. Everywhere people yielded respectfully to the ASTROLOGY IN ITS POPULAR FORM: the doctrine concerning the Sun-day with its fortune, the MOON-DAY with its alternative play, and the FILTHY, UNLUCKY SATURDAY…..As a concentrated troop the planetary appellations and heathen deities stood on guard, when LATER CHRISTIANITY reached Europe, and attempted to displace them…..For the Christians the lot was cast by the reception of the sun. Not till they themselves had later gained power were they awakened to doubt….And the HEATHEN names of the days seemed at variance with Christian faith.’ -Ibid, pp. 91, 92, 110.” – (From Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, pp. 77, 78. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville 8, TN: 1943.
If only sincere Christians who worship on Sunday find out its true heathen origins
as Satan’s banner-day, how shocked and repulsed they would be that they have been deceived by the master deceiver and his agents whom Christ exposed as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Matt. 7:15; 10:16; Luke 10:3; cf. Acts 20:29-31. Bless all, NMF
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
FROM EGYPTIAN SUN-WORSHIP TO TODAY’S SUNDAY-WORSHIP
The Exodus Movement in the Old Testament for ancient Israel is the type of the Advent Movement for the Church in the New Testament. We often only associate the Exodus as God’s intervention to deliver from bondage and emancipate the Israelites from slave labor by their atheistic Egyptian masters headed by Pharaoh. While this is true there is a far deeper issue being addressed in these two major movements: the Sabbath!
Now this: Taylor Bunch, p. 15. Egypt in the Bible, particularly in prophecy, symbolizes atheism. “While the Egyptians worshipped many gods, their chief god was the sun. In fact all other gods were but various manifestations of the sun-god and his [alleged] creative power in nature. In ‘defining themselves with the idols of Egypt’ they worshipped ‘the hosts of heaven.’ Exo. 20:6-8; Acts 7: 39-42. When the children of Israel forgot the Creator and began to worship the creature, they also CEASED to celebrate the SIGN of the true God and the MEMORIAL of His creative power—the SABBATH. As the true Sabbath gradually lost significance to them they gradually adopted the COUNTERFEIT, the SIGN of idolatry and the memorial of sun-worship.
“The Egyptians dedicated the first day of the week to their first or chief god, Amon Ra, the sun. Since the king of Egypt was the chief pontiff of their religion and the high-priest of sun-worship, he took the dynastic title of PHARAOH which is the Hebrew rendering of Ph Ra—the sun. The Sun’s day finally became known as Sunday. ‘The wild solar holiday of all pagan times.’ – ‘The North British Review, Vol. 18, p. 409.
‘It is not to be denied but we borrowed the name of this day from the Ancient Greeks and Romans, and we allow that the old Egyptians worshipped the sun, and as a standing memorial of their veneration, dedicated this day to him. And we find by the influence of their example, OTHER NATIONS, and among them the JEWS themselves, doing him homage.’- Morer, ‘Dialogue on the Lord’s Day,’ pp. 22,23.
“By the end of the fourth generation the Israelites were in such dense darkness and idolatry that they were but little better than the Egyptians themselves. They were at least SEMI-PAGANS with but little left of the faith and practice of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Exodus Movement was therefore a REFORMATION to lead Israel back to the knowledge of the true God; back to ‘the faith once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3). – Taylor Bunch, ‘Exodus and Advent Movements in Type and Antitype, pp. 15,16, Teach Services, Inc., Bruston, NY.
More on this specific sub-topic tomorrow, God willing, NMF.
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THE 1260-DAY PROPHECY (PART 2)
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE 1260-DAY PROPHECY (PART 2)
THE ‘NEW ERA’ OF CHURCH-STATE HISTORY USHERED IN 538 A.D.
- The reign of [emperor] Justinian is more remarkable as a portion of the HISTORY OF MANKIND, than a chapter in the annals of the Roman Empire or the Greek nation. [Here’s why]: The changes of centuries pass in rapid succession before the eyes of ONE generation….With the conquest of Rome by Belisarius, the history of the ancient city [Rome] may be considered as terminating; and with the defense against Witigis (king of the Ostrogoths, their last of the three Arian ‘horns’) [A.D. 538], COMMENCES the history of MIDDLE AGES [more accurately, the Dark Ages].’ – ‘Grace under the Romans,’ George Finley, pp. 198, 240, Dent edition, revised by author, 1877.
- Even the Papacy itself changed [how?], so there was a NEW ORDER of popes after 538 A.D. History relates:
“Down through the centuries all popes are declared SAINTS in the martyrologies. Vigilius (537-555) is FIRST of a series of popes who NO longer bear this title [saint], which is henceforth SPARINGLY conferred. From this time on the popes, more and more enveloped in WORLDLY events, no longer belong SOLELY TO THE CHURCH, they are MEN OF THE STATE.’ – ‘Medieval Europe,’ Belmont and Monod (revised by John Burton Adams), p. 120. NY. H. Holt & Co. 1902.
“From the death of (Pope) Silverius the Roman Catholic writers date the episcopacy of [pope] Vigilius, reckons him therefore among the lawful popes.’ – ‘History of the Popes,’ Vol. II, p. 488, under the year ‘538.’ Dublin: 1751. ‘His [Silverius’] death happened on the 20th of June, 538.’- Ibid, p. 488. Dr. Philip Schaff says: ‘Vigilius, a pliant creature of Theodora, ascended the papal chair UNDER THE MILITARY PROTECTION of Belisarius.’ – ‘History of the Christian Church,’ Vol. iII, p. 327. NY: Scribner’s, 1893.
- Dr. Summerbell gives still another reason why we should date the beginning of the Papal supremacy from 538. He says: ‘Justinian….enriched himself with the PROPERTY of all ‘heretics’—-that is, non-Catholics, and gave all their churches to the Catholics: published edicts in 538 compelling all to join the Catholic Church in 90 days or leave the empire, and confiscated all their goods.’ – ‘History of the Christian Church,’ pp. 310,311. Cincinnati: 1873. The same is stated by Samuel Chandler in ‘History of Persecution,’ pp. 142, 143; and by Edward Gibbon. In ‘Decline and Fall,’ chap. 47, par. 24.
“Thus we see that Roman Catholicism was made the STATE RELIGION in 538, and all other religions were FORBIDDEN. What gave special significance to these edicts of Justinian was the fact that he had already in 533 [5 years before] declared the bishop of Rome to be the head of the universal [meaning of the word ‘catholic’], and has subjected all the priests even of the East, under the See of Rome. This fact he wrote to Pope John II in March 15, 533 in the following language: [pp. 11-13 of ‘The Civil Law of Justinian, translated by S. P. Scott, A.M., (in 17 volumes), Book 12.
“Both of these letters appear in the ‘Code of Jusfinianus,’ as well as the following law: ‘Concernjng the Precedence of Patriarchs: ‘Hence, in accordance with the provisions of those Councils, we order that the Most Holy Pope of Ancient Rome shall hold the first rank of all the Pontiffs, but the Most Blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, shall occupy the second place after the Holy Apostolic See of Ancient Rome, which precedence over all sees.’ -Ibid, Vol. XVII, p. 125. (‘Constitutions of Justinian,’ Vol. XVIi, 9th Collection, Title 14, chap. 2.
“The recognition of the Roman See as the highest ecclesiastical authority (cf. Novellae, cxxxi) remained the cornerstone of Justinian’s policy in relation to the West.’ – New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, Vol. VI, art. ‘Justinian,’ p. 286.
“Thus we see that the way had been prepared in 533, in anticipation of the THREE FINAL ACTS which were to occur in 538, when the Arian powers were destroyed, Catholicism made the STATE RELIGION, and the Papacy placed under the protection of the STATE, which gave rise to the long struggle between church and state as to which would be SUPREME.” – ‘Facts of Faith,’ C. Edwardson, pp. 53, 54, 56, 57. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville 8, TN: 1943.
Possess the ‘faith of Jesus’ by practicing and declaring the “truth as it is in Jesus’ only. NMF
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THE 1260-DAY PROPHECY
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE 1260-DAY PROPHECY
In prophetic time a DAY always stands for a YEAR of 360 days.
See Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 first.
“The little horn of Dan. 7: 8, 25 was to reign for ‘a time and times and the dividing of time.’ This same ‘time, and times, and half a time’ is also mentioned in Rev. 12:14, and in the sixth verse it said to be ‘a thousand three hundred and three score days.’ This prophetic period [of definite time] is therefore literally 1,260 literal years. We shall now show that these 1260 years began in 538 A.D. and invite the reader to notice the FOUR great changes that took place that year:
- We have already seen that the little horn symbolized the Papacy, and that the three Arian kingdoms, which stood in its way, were plucked up by the roots, and that the last of these received its deathblow in 538 A.D. through the efforts of Justinian, ‘the faithful son of the Church of Rome.
“History states that the work of Justin and Justinian in elevating the Papacy to power brought on a NEW ERA, introducing the Middle Ages:
“Accordingly, the RELIGIOUS and POLITICAL tendencies of the [Roman] Empire now took SO DIFFERENT a direction so as to positively constitute the dawn of a new era…..Thus at last Rome had TRIUMPHED, after fighting so long with unflinching vigor and WITHOUT yielding a single point.” – ‘The Barbarian Invasion of Italy,’ P. Villari, Vol. I, pp. 177, 178. (Facts of Faith, C. Edwardson, p. 52. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville 8, TN: (revised) 1943.
More follows, God willing and guiding through His Spirit of prophecy, NMF.
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE OSTROGOTHS FINALLY ‘PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS’ IN 538 A.D.
“Witiges [Vitigis] was now the king of the Ostrogoths [succeeding Theodoric], and Rome was continuing its policy. Professor J. B. Bury says: ‘In the meantime Belisarius [head of Emperor Justinian’s army] had left Naples and was marching northward. The Romans, warned by the experiences of Naples, and urged by the Pope, who had no scruples in breaking his OATH with Witigis [note this], and a messenger inviting him to come, he entered Rome on Dec. 9, A.D. 536.’ – ‘History of the Later Roman Empire,’ Vol. II, pp. 179,180.
“Such, then, was the Pope Silverius, who, having sworn a solemn oath of fealty to Witigis, now, near the end of 536 [A.D.], sent a messenger to Belisarius to offer the PEACEFUL surrender of the city of Rome.’ – ‘Italy and Her Invaders,’ T. Hodgkins (8-Vol. ed.), Vol. IV, Book 5, p. 83. 1885.
“Rome BETRAYED. The Catholics, on the first approach of the emperor’s army, boldly raised the cry that the apostolic throne [?] should no longer be profaned by the triumph or TOLERATION of Arianism, nor the tombs of the Caesars trampled by the ravages of the North; and deputies of the Pope and clergy, and what is called the SENATE and the people, waited upon the approach of the army to whom they threw OPEN the gates of the city [remember the Trojan horse strategy?], and the Catholics were rewarded for their TREASON by the apparent respect of Belisarius for the Pope.’ – ‘History of the Christian Church,’ N. Summerbell, p. 340, third edition, Cincinnati: 1873.
“Witigis then besieged the city of Rome from March, 537, to March, 538, when he raised the siege, after LOSING the flower of his army, and retired to Ravenna, his capital. T. Hodgkin says: ‘With heavy hearts the barbarians must have thought, as they turned them northwards, upon the MANY graves of GALLANT men which they were leaving on that fatal plain. Some of them must have suspected the MELANCHOLY TRUTH that they had dug one grave, deeper and wider than all—THE GRAVE OF THE GOTHIC MONARCHY IN ITALY.’ – ‘Italy and Her Invaders,’ (8-vol. ed.), Vol. IV, p. 285.
“A DEATHBLOW was thus given to the Ostrogoths in 538 A.D., and their re-attempts to establish themselves after this [year 538] were but the last flicker of a lamp being extinguished. Belisarius followed them this same year ‘to their last stronghold of power. Ravenna was soon entered by the troops of the empire, and with it FELL the great kingdom of the Ostrgoths.’ – ‘Fall of Rome,’ J.G. Sheppard, p. 306. London. 1892.
“Then occurred a SINGULAR PHENOMENON, —THE ANNIHILATION AND DISAPPEARANCE of a great and powerful people FROM THE WORLD’S HISTORY.’ – Ibid. p. 307.
“But let all remember, that ‘the success of Justinian’s invasion was due to the CLERGY; in the ruin that they brought to their country, and the relentless tyranny they drew upon themselves, they had their reward.’- ‘History of the Intellectual Development of Europe,’ J. G. Draper, M. D., LL.D., Vol. 1, p. 355. NY. Harper Bros., 1839.
“The last of the three Arian ‘horns’ of Daniel 7:8 had passed away, and with the LIBERTY of the common people . Dr. N. Summerbell truthfully says:
‘The Dark Ages, introduced by the persecution of an enlightened Church in the sanguinary wars of Justinian TO EXALT THE CATHOLICS, continued up to the fourteenth century. It was a long, dark night, when IGNORANCE, BIGOTRY, and CRUELTY REIGNED, and TRUTH, PURITY, and JUSTICE WERE CRUSHED OUT.’ – ‘History of the Christian Church,’ p. 342.” (From ‘Facts of Faith,’ C. Edwardson, Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville 8. TN. 1943).
There are three key events and final acts that mark 538 A.D. as the starting date of the of 1260 day/year prophecy (the Dark Ages). This is one of them. Bless the enlightenment and warnings of the prophecies. To the diligent, serious, and consistent yet humble truth-seekers, Christ’s certain promise is, “and ye shall find!” NMF
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FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE PROFOUND EVIL OF FORBIDDEN INTERMARRIAGES AND UNIONS WHETHER INDIVIDUAL OR INSTITUTIONAL
Most do not realize that the stern warning against “being unequally yoked with unbelievers” extends far beyond the scope and magnitude of its wretched results upon the preservation of the purity of God’s law, will, and purpose of marriage and the family.
It’s macro application expressly and unconditionally forbids the union of the earthly institutions of church and state, the sacred and secular, religion and politics.
Following the universal principle of cause—and-effect, are you aware that the Flood was the ultimate global consequence and result of this violation? And as Jesus Himself re-emphasized, “As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man.” After reviewing Genesis chapters 4, 5 and 6, I turned to a Bible Dictionary and found the following (emphasis mine):
“Early in Biblical history INTERMARRIAGE of those who had been hitherto LOYAL to God with those who were wicked brought the HUMAN FAMILY to such a level of MORAL CORRUPTION AND ANARCHY [on display right now] that every thought of the heart ‘was only evil continually.’ Men were so incorrigibly evil that, ‘although it grieved Him at His heart,’ God concluded that they, with other living things, must be destroyed. Only Noah and his immediate family were to be SAVED of the entire race of men. [Why?] This was because Noah was ‘a just man;’ THEREFORE ‘he found grace in the eyes of the Lord.’ (Gen. 6: 8-10).”
“The Flood is attested to by the Old Testament and New Testament writers. Through the prophet Isaiah God reminded His people of His promise no more to destroy the earth with a FLOOD (Isa. 54:9). Jesus plainly testified concerning the Flood, mentioning the condition of the antediluvians, the entrance of Noah into the ark, the coming of the waters, and the destruction of all the wicked (Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:26,27). Peter, too, attested the historicity of the Flood (1 Pet.3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5), as did also the writer of Hebrews [Paul] (Heb. 11:7).” – SDA Bible Dictionary, Complete with Atlas, Commentary Series, Vol. 8, Review & Herald Publishing Asso., Washington, D.C., 1960, pp. 354, 355.
Pray and search the Scriptures and your heart whether there still exists any kind or shade of Scripturally-forbidden “intermarriages,” “amalgamations,” intermingling, double-standards, shifting alliances, compromises of convenience—in thought, practice, and doctrinal beliefs. Such impurity, regardless of any excuse, reason, rationale or justification cannot and will not be allowed to sully the pure atmosphere of heaven and the earth made new. “Choose ye this day whom and what thou shalt serve!” Bless all, NMF