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"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren,...and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew....he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: And he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared...But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian." Ex. 2:11-15.
Moses supposed he was to deliver the children of Israel by force or arms, therefore he rolled up his sleeves and went about his duty. Moses' misconception of the method to be used in the deliverance of Israel was not the only thing wrong with the man. If that was the way he understood Israel was to obtain their freedom, he failed to carry out the plan. His trouble was not because of lack of education, or training as a general of armies, that he failed to carry out his project, but because he was too cowardly and feared Pharaoh. If this was not the cause of his failure, why then kill only one Egyptian, bury him in the sand, and after it was made known, run away and leave Israel to perish in slavery? If his intention, or understanding, was to lead Israel against the armies of Egypt, he should not have hidden the Egyptian in the sand, but left him upon the ground for an example, and then go after others. Failing to carry out his proposed scheme, Moses made a double mistake.
This ancient Moses is a symbol of modern Moses (present leadership). As Moses' failure was not because of lack of training, but because of a misconceived idea of the method to be carried out, just so with the leadership now. As Moses failed to accomplish his own mistaken plan (what he supposed was wise judgment), just so the leadership have now failed on their part. The aim has been to finish the work in this generation which is practically past, and at the rate of speed the work is going now, it could not be finished in another 100 years. "We are in danger of trusting to methods, organization, and high-pressure service, which if taken alone, can, in the end, result only in confusion, dissatisfaction, and defeat." Review and Herald, Feb. 20, 1930.
If Pharaoh is the king, the (leadership) who rules over the people, then the church is the "queen", then the "princess" is the church school. Egypt is a symbol of the world and the Nile a symbol of the sins of the world. By the aid of the God-fearing mother, Moses (the type) was not cast into the river Nile. Just so with Modern Moses, who, by the help of his Christian mother is saved from the river Nile (the sin in the world), but when she can not keep him any longer, and must send him to the schools of the land where sin reigns, the church school (the "princess") finds him. As Moses (the type) received his education by the aid of the princess, just so modern Moses receives his education by the aid of the church school.
We, like Moses, have thought that we are to deliver Israel by force of arms (the aid of men). Like Moses, we are too cowardly to accomplish anything. It has been said by a good minister of God, "This is wrong in the church, and that is not right, and should be corrected, but we can not do it." Why? Because he is afraid he will lose his job. But what shall we do? Work for God and trust in Him, or work for Pharaoh and trust in the job?
Quoting Volume 5, pages 80-82: "But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor....Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But, it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed....In this time, the gold will be separated from the dross in the church....Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy, will then go out in darkness....The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David--willing to do and dare....Then will the church of Christ appear 'fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners'....God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit, than by the outward training of scientific institutions. These facilities are not to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications. God will manifest that He is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals."
"But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian...And the priest of Midian....gave Moses Zipporah his daughter to wife....Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: And he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God...[Horeb],...and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt....God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I....And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,...And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians,...Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,...And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: But I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 'I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?' And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say....And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand....And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses." Read Ex. 2:15 to 4:13.
This last Moses is the unlearned Moses. Note, he is slow of speech, has no eloquence is of a slow tongue, and "uncircumcised lips" (untrained). He knows not how to approach Pharaoh. He shrinks with the thought of standing before the great monarch, like the mercury shrinks from the north wind, but though this Moses is handicapped, he has nerve; he is not a coward. He risks his life, for he was asked only once to take the fabulous serpent by the tail, and he did so. This Moses is not a crown prince, but a common shepherd only. The shepherd Moses is a type of men who are to bring about reformation and be used in the time of the Loud Cry", brought to view in the following quotations. Quoting Life Sketches, page 245: "God is putting burdens upon more inexperienced shoulders. He is fitting them to be caretaking, to venture, to run risks also." Volume 5, page 82: "He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit, than by the outward training of scientific institutions."
Testimonies to Ministers, page 300: "Unless those who can help in--are aroused to a sense of their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness. Those who are accounted good workers will need to draw nigh to God, they will need the divine touch." Also read Isaiah 3. "It is not men of great talents and titles that are needed so much as it is men who are great in faith, holiness, consecration, and love. Men who are great for God and great in simplicity, fidelity, and self-denial,--upon such transmitting God's message, life, and blessings to humanity, and for advancing His kingdom in all the earth." Review and Herald, Feb. 20, 1930.
The Spirit of Prophecy says in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 251, that the rod of Moses was a symbol of God's power. The shepherd's rod: Power of God; the sheep: God's people; the shepherd's rod is an instrument which is used to catch sheep. The rod in this is an instrument which is used to catch people. What could it be? It can not be anything else but some wonderful, plain, clear-cutting Bible truth which could not be contradicted. When it is revealed, it will produce serpents (people), or converts, by reformation. But the Egyptians did the same also, for they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents, and perhaps more in number, for every man cast his rod, but they were counterfeit. Symbols of hypocrisy (untrue Christians); but Moses' rod swallowed the rods of the Egyptians. Symbol of victory for true Israel. The result is opposition, but true Israel wins at last.
In Volume 5, page 696 we read: "They did not really cause their rods to become serpents, but by magic, aided by the great deceiver, made them appear like serpents, to counterfeit the work of God." Symbol of an outward appearance of Christianity by Seventh-day Adventists. But one may say, What? God's people symbolized by a serpent? Why not by sheep? If the meek and lowly Christ was symbolized by the brazen serpent in the wilderness which Moses raised up for the children of Israel to look upon, and be healed from bites of the fiery serpents, then God's people could be symbolized by a serpent as well. If the rod would have turned into a sheep it would have spoiled the symbol, for the 144,000 are not to be sheep in the sheep-fold and cared for by an earthly shepherd, but the opposite. For this reason the serpent is used as a symbol, meaning wise; cannot be frightened (would not run away from anything: The opposite of sheep). They are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaim the message and triumph with victory. "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: Who, if he go through both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver." Micah 5:7, 8.
"And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts." Ex. 11:4, 5. "And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle....and there was a great cry in Egypt; For there was not a house where there was not one dead." Ex. 12:29, 30.
The firstborn, a symbol of a class of priesthood, a representation of Ezek. 9:6, last part "the ancient men that were before the house." "From the firstborn the sitteth upon the throne to the firstborn in the dungeon," symbol of Ezek. 9:6: "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women:....Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house." "The firstborn of cattle" symbol of Isa. 63:18 and Isa. 64:1; Num. 26:10.
"In the case of Achan's sin, God said to Joshua, 'Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.' How does this instance compare with the course pursued by those who will not raise their voice against sin and wrong, but whose sympathies are ever found with those who trouble the camp of Israel with their sins? Said God to Joshua, 'Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.' He pronounced the punishment which would follow the transgression of this covenant....And Joshua, and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent and all that he had; and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said Why hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones." Volume 3, pages 267-8.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast; it is mine." Ex. 13:1, 2. A symbol of a new priesthood, and the firstborn of cattle representing a system of support, or maintenance. "Should a case like Achan's be among us, there are many who would accuse those who might act the part of Joshua in searching out the wrong, of having a wicked, faultfinding spirit. God is not to be trifled with, and His warnings disregarded with impunity by a perverse people." Volume 3, page 270.
"Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:...And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it....And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: It is the Lord's passover....And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Ex. 12:3-13.
"All the ceremonies of the feast were types of the work of Christ. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an object-lesson or redemption, which the Passover was intended to keep in memory. The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of firstfruits, represented the Saviour." Desire of Ages, page 77.
The lamb represents Christ. Isa. 53:7.
The lamb roasted by fire, the Spirit of
God. Gen. 15:17; Acts 2:3; Lev. 9:24.
The eating of the flesh: Christ is our
life, for "in Him we live, and move, and have our being." John 6:53.
The loins girded: The truth of God, the
Word. Eph. 6:14.
The shoes on the feet: The preparation
of the gospel. Eph. 6:15.
The staff in the hand: The sword of the
Spirit. Eph. 6:17.
Ye shall eat it in haste: Do not hesitate;
get ready; quick delivery. Ex. 12:11.
Ex. 12:34, "And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders."
The kneading-trough is the Bible. Eph.
6:13.
The dough is the word of God it contains.
Eze. 44:30 (the type).
Unleavened: The unadulterated word of
God, and it must be kept as such. Rev. 22:18.
The kneading-troughs on their shoulders: Means make sure you have the whole Word of God continually with you. Thus shall you depart from Egypt. Eph. 6:13. "The bondage in Egypt represents the bondage of sin. The promises of deliverance are the promises of the gospel. The power revealed in the judgments upon the gods of Egypt indicates the measure of power provided for the deliverance from the hard service of 'the god of this world'." Review and Herald, Jan. 23, 1930.
The blood on the door post is the symbol of the "seal", Revelation 7; "mark," Ezekiel 9 (Rev. 7 and Eze. 9, is the same mark or seal). See Testimonies To Ministers, page 445.
The blood being applied on the door post is to signify that the seal, or mark by which the 144,000 are to be sealed, is to be visible.
The "door post" and the "forehead" both have the same significance. We do not mean to say that it is a certain visible brand, or mark on their foreheads, but a "seal" of character, principal, or rule; the standard being the pure Word of God. Thus they apply the blood on the door post, and their brethren in the church could be conscious of a change.
The only ones who can have the seal are those who sigh and cry for all the abominations (sins) that are done in the church. But if any take part and try to throw a cloak over the existing evil in the church, then they are left without the seal. Read Volume 5, pages 207-12; Volume 3, page 266.]
The Red Sea symbolizes Isaiah 63. Edom means "red." "Edom" is Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. His name was changed to Edom because he sold his birthright for a bowl of "red pottage", and Esau himself was red, therefore, we have Red Sea, red man, red pottage. Read Esau and Jacob, Section 3.
"Sea," a symbol of "people." Rev. 17:15.
Pharaoh and his host: The chief instigators against reformation. "Egypt had developed an intricate ecclesiastical organization. It was proud of its religious institutions; it despised this people Israel who did not worship according to the popular religion, and who now, under the message of reform preached by Moses, were taking their stand yet more fully to represent the truth and the law of Jehovah." Review and Herald, Jan. 23, 1930.
Bozrah: sheep-fold (the church). Micah 2:12; Isa. 34:6.
Edomites: Those who sold their birthright to gratify appetite. They make their stomachs their god; violators of health reform. For further explanation see page 156, under heading "Afflicted for His People's Sake." "The bondage in Egypt represents the bondage of sin. The promises of deliverance are the promises of the gospel. The power revealed in the judgments upon the gods of Egypt indicates the measure of power provided for the deliverance from the hard service of "the god of this world." The glorious triumph at the Red Sea foreshadows the victory which is assured to every trusting child of God." Review and Herald, Jan. 23, 1930.
"In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai."..."And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Ex. 19:1; Ex. 20:1-3. Here is where the 430 years ended, beginning with Abraham going out of Ur. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 760. Here is where Moses organized a church, when he appointed seventy elders, and where God spoke to the people Himself. The experience at Sinai is a symbol of re-organization of the church,--God Himself takes charge of the flock. We read in Volume 5, page 80: "We have been inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers, there can be no true Christians; but this is not the case. God has promised that were the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities. But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place, we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel."
"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;...I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth." Rev. 3:14-16.
Note that the existence of the present name--"Seventh-day Adventist" is conditional, otherwise the name will be spued out of His mouth. "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: And thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name." Isa. 62:2. "And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen [the 144,000]: For the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name." Isa. 65:15. Read Testimonies to Ministers, page 300.
This is where Isaiah's prophecy in chapter 52:1, will be fulfilled: "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: For henceforth there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised and the unclean." Also read Isaiah 4. Zeph. 3:13 "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."
"The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity." This prophecy has never yet met its fulfillment in the history of the church, for there have always been the unclean in the midst of her; but let us thank God for this generous promise. The scroll is making a turn. Shall we pray to God that we fall not out by the way in making the bend? "Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. 'Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners,' she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer." Prophets and Kings, page 725.
It has been made clear that Israel after
the flesh is a photograph of Israel by the promise. In the exodus movement,
all the tribes went out of Egypt. If this is a photograph of Israel by
the promise, then all the twelve tribes must come out now as well. Twelve
tribes must escape the ruin of Ezekiel 9 (death of the firstborn), and
Isaiah 63 (The Red Sea). The number of them is said to be 12,000 from each
tribe, making a total of 144,000. For the reason that they have passed
through a similar experience as ancient Israel, they (the 144,000) sing
a new song of Moses and the Lamb. "Then he remembered the days of old,
Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of
the sea with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he that put his holy Spirit
within him? That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious
arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they
should not stumble? As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of
the Lord caused him to rest: So didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself
a glorious name." Isa. 63:11-14. This Scripture can not refer to another
company than the one we speak of.
The definition of "remnant" is: That which is left after the separation, removal, or destruction of a part. (Standard Dictionary). The beginning of the church of Christ in the days of the apostles was not a large "bolt" just starting to unroll, getting smaller and smaller down through the ages, and now, being at the end of the history of the church be the smallest portion, or that which is left. But, on the contrary, the church just began then to roll on, and had but a very small beginning. It has been rolling and rolling, and putting on all through the ages, and the very end of the history of the church is by no means a remnant. "Remnant" signifies a very small portion, a fragment, or a small bit. The Master said the harvest is at the end of the world; the angels are the reapers. Then there is reaping to be done. "Harvest" means a collection of crops; to gather, store up, or garner in. According to this the harvest is by no means a remnant, but just the opposite, for at harvest we gather in the most.
The remnant of Israel must be something else than what we have thought it to be for "remnant" is a small portion, or part which is left after a destruction. The destruction is the mighty shaking, sifting time which is the separation of the two classes in the church (the sealing of the 144,000) as prophesied in Ezekiel 9, and Isaiah 63. Those who escape are the "remnant." The Bible gives no other definition of "remnant" than the one given here. See Lev. 5:13; 2 Kings 19:4; Isa. 37:4; Ezra 9:8; Isa. 1:9; Isa. 11:11; Isa. 16:14; Jer. 44:28; Ezek. 6:8; Joel 2:32; Rom. 11:5; Rev. 11:13.
In the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, is recorded the same incident we have tried to explain here. In the eleventh verse we read of the remnant which we speak of: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left." Isa. 11:11. Early Writings, page 270: "I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God's people."
Isa. 11:12, first part: "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations." Again we read in Isa. 66:19, "And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations." The 63rd chapter has the same reference as Isaiah 59, part of verse 19, is here quoted: "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun." The "sign" is extensive from the east to the west, and has a meaning for the entire world. The "destruction" is the "sign" and example to the nations, and the "remnant" are those who are left (the 144,000). Following this we have the "Loud Cry" (the harvest): "Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation." Volume 1, page 187. "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." Matt. 13:29, 30.
The same thought is also supported in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 541: "The feast of Tabernacles was not only commemorative, but typical. It not only pointed back to the wilderness sojourn, but, as the feast of harvest, it celebrated the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, and pointed forward to the great day of final ingathering, when the Lord of the harvest shall send forth his reapers to gather the tares together in bundles for the fire, and to gather the wheat into his garner. At that time the wicked will all be destroyed." (Those outside the church.)
Note that the separation takes place just at the beginning of harvest; also that the tares are gathered in first. The separation marks the beginning of harvest. The harvest is the loud cry of the third angel's message. (Rev. 18:1). In this time of harvest the great multitude (of Rev. 7:9) with the palms in their hands is gathered. While this great multitude is being made up and gathered into His barn, the reapers are binding the wicked in bundles (separated, or kept apart from the church) for the wrath of God. See Rev. 14:19.
"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." [It was not Moses that led Israel out of Egypt, but the pillar of the cloud that went before the people.] "And the Lord went before them....to lead them in the way...to go by day and by night. He took not away the pillar....from before the people." Ex. 13:21, 22. According to 1 Cor. 10:4, in this pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night was Christ Himself: "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." Thus we see that the Lord lead out Israel Himself, and not Moses. The people as well as Moses followed the cloud. All Moses did was to convey to the people the words and instructions received from the Lord.
This is the experience of Israel after the flesh, which we call a photograph of Israel by promise. If this is true, then the 144,000 must experience the same in departing out from worldlings (Egypt). Volume 5, page 80: "God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself." Patriarchs and Prophets, page 283: "In one of the most beautiful and comforting passages of Isaiah's prophecy reference is made to the pillar of cloud and of fire to represent God's care for His people in the great final struggle with the powers of evil: 'The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for above all the glory shall be a covering. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain'." Thus, the idea of Israel being a photograph is supported by both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.
Joseph stands as a perfect type of Christ. First of all, the name "Joseph" means "he shall add". So Christ added the human family to the heavenly. Had any sin been recorded against Joseph, it would have spoiled the type, for Christ is not a sinner. Joseph was loved by his father above all his brethren. Of Christ we read in Heb. 1:9, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
Joseph was sent down into Egypt to preserve the lives of his brethren in the seven years of famine. Just so, Christ descended to preserve the lives of His brethren in this world of sin, in A.D.
Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites who were the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's seed after the flesh. Just so, Christ was sold to priests, the descendants of Abraham, (Israel after the flesh).
Joseph was a governor, and no man could lift hand or foot, in all the land of Egypt, without the knowledge of Joseph. Just so, Christ is a governor over the world (Egypt), and no man can lift hand or foot without the knowledge of Christ.
As there was only one above Joseph, namely Pharaoh, just so, there is only one above Christ: God, the Father.
Joseph was 30 years old when he became governor; Christ was 30 years of age when anointed.
As Joseph married the daughter of an idolatrous priest, just so, Christ marries His church which is made up of idolatrous nations.
As Joseph gathered the corn in the seven years of plenty into the storehouses to feed the world in the seven years of famine, just so, Christ gathered the Word of God in the Old Testament time into the great storehouse (the Bible) to feed the world in the New Testament time. One may say, The New Testament came in A.D. True, but the New Testament is only the fulfillment of the Old.
Had not Joseph become a governor of Egypt before the beginning of the seven years of plenty, it would have spoiled the significance, and the type would not then have indicated that Christ ruled before the world's history began. Thus we see Joseph is a perfect type of Christ.
The Pharaoh who honored Joseph is a perfect type of the earthly head of the church of the apostles. Had Pharaoh not been an Egyptian it would have spoiled the type. Egypt, a symbol of the world, signifies an earthly leadership taken out of the world. Had not Pharaoh honored Joseph above every man in Egypt, or had he not commanded the Egyptians to go to Joseph for corn, it would have spoiled the symbol of the church leadership in the days of the apostles, for they exalted and honored Christ above every man in the entire world, also commended the Gentiles to Christ as their life giver.
If the first Pharaoh makes a perfect type of the church leadership in the days of the apostles then we must accept the last Pharaoh who knows not Joseph, as a perfect type of the church leadership who have turned from following Christ, their Leader. Volume 5, page 217: "The church has turned back from following Christ, her Leader, and is steadily retreating toward Egypt." Thus Israel the true (the 144,000) became slaves under Egyptian bondage (the sins in the world). "The bondage in Egypt represents the bondage of sin." Review and Herald, Jan. 23, 1930. "And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: But they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst." Isa. 5:12, 13.
Israel being a type of this Advent movement is not a new idea just thought of in this lesson. The whole denomination believes so, for we read in the Review and Herald of Oct. 10, 1929, the following statements: "While the exodus movement was a great movement the second advent movement will be still greater. God will take out a people, not from one nation only, but from every nation under heaven, and He will lead them into the heavenly Canaan. This advent movement, of which the exodus movement was a type, we believe was foretold in prophecy in the following stirring language: 'It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left,' 'There shall be a highway for the remnant of His people;...like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.' Isa. 11:16."
The word "type" means the same as the word "photograph". The very first photo invented was called "tin type." Thus we have the approval of the denomination that "Israel after the flesh" is a photograph of Israel by the promise (the 144,000). As God called out Israel from Egypt anciently, just so now, God is calling His church out from worldlings and worldliness, to be a separate, peculiar people to His honor and glory. This does not mean another movement, but it does mean that God is to deal with the entire body, and those who escape are Israel, the 144,000.
Quoting Review and Herald, May 1, 1930: "Every evil thing must be shaken from the movement. So it was in the exodus movement. When there was sin among the people, the Lord did not give up that movement which He had brought out of Egypt and start another one. He did not call the believers out, but He shook unbelief out of the movement [by destruction causing their death]. He purified it by setting aside from it every element that did not belong with the movement that He was leading according to His promise. On one pretext or another, unbelief and disorder moved out, while the movement itself marched on."
If the exodus movement is a photograph of the true, then the 430 year period connected with ancient Israel must be considered with the one now.
The 430 year period of sojourning and affliction with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, which dates with Abraham going out of Ur, coincides with our time from the Reformation by Luther, to the sealing of Israel by the promise (the 144,000). Quoting Patriarchs and Prophets, page 760: "The actual time spent in Egypt could have been only about 215 years. The Bible says that 'the sojourning of the children of Israel' was 430 years. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the ancestors of the Israelites were sojourners in Canaan. The period of 430 years dates from the promise given to Abraham when he was commanded to leave Ur of the Chaldees. The 400 years of Gen. 15:13 dates from a later period. Notice that the period of 400 years is not only a time of sojourning, but of affliction. This, according to the Scriptures, must be reckoned from thirty years later, about the time when Ishmael, 'he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him [Isaac] that was born after the Spirit.' Gal. 4:29."
Paul, in Gal. 3:15-17, says that from the making of the covenant with Abraham to the giving of the law at Sinai was 430 years. From these Scriptures then, we are not to understand that the Israelites were in Egypt 400 years. See Ex. 12:40. According to this the 430 years began with Abraham going out of Ur, and ended with Mount Sinai. Consequently we have to take the entire period into consideration, beginning with Abraham, which has a definite time of certain existing conditions. At the beginning of the 430 years, idolatry prevailed everywhere: Abraham alone was called out. Such is the spiritual condition that marked the beginning of the prophetic period in its type. Just so the beginning of the time of the duplicate or antitype must be marked with a time of low spiritual condition. In the time of Martin Luther we have the exact reproduction of Abraham's experience, for in Luther's time spiritual darkness and idolatry prevailed everywhere. Abraham is a fitting figure of Luther.
Abraham was called of God by the spoken word, Luther by the written. Abraham is the father of faith; so is Luther. The doctrine taught by Luther was "the just shall live by faith." If this is true, then the 430 years in our time began with Luther. About 1500 A.D. Luther discovered in the library of the University of Urfurt, a Latin Bible, and found to his no small delight that it contained more than the excerpts in common use. Thus God by His word, called Luther out of Papal Rome.
We have first, a period of 400 years and then it was extended to 430 years. We therefore, have a 30 year period to deal with first. It has been stated that the 30 years ended about the time Ishmael persecuted Isaac. According to this, about the year 1530 A.D., something must have been brought forth. What took place in 1530? The Augsburg Confession: A document compiled by Luther which was presented by the Protestants at the Diet of Augsburg to the Emperor Charles V, and the Diet, and being signed by the protestant states was adopted as their creed, and who protested against the pope. This coincides with Sarah protesting against Agar and Ishmael when they departed from the house of Abraham, and the assurance of the covenant of Promise that was made with Isaac. As Sarah protested against Agar and Ishmael, so Protestants protested against papal rule. This is just exactly what should have taken place in 1530 A.D. to fit the occurrence of the prophecy.
At the time Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael, he (Isaac) was five years old, and at the time Jacob was born, Isaac was 60; therefore, we add 55 years to 1530 which brings us to 1585 A.D. Explanation of this period will be given later. From the birth of Jacob to the time Israel went into Egypt was 130 years. Adding this number to 1585 gives us 1715 A.D. The explanation of this period also will be given later. From the time Israel went into Egypt to the birth of Moses was 135 years. Adding this to 1715 brings the total to 1850 A.D. This period is marked by the birth of Moses, which was a hope, a deliverer, for Israel.
What took place in 1850? The first testimony was written to the church and addressed "To Those Who Are Receiving The Seal Of The Living God." Signed, E. G. White. Thus the birth of Moses, the hope of Israel after the flesh, coincides with the birth of the first testimony for the church, the hope of Israel by the promise, the 144,000. Thus we see a perfect harmony in the type with antitype. See Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, page 749.
Moses at the age of 40 years attempted to deliver Israel, and failed. Adding 40 years to 1850, we have 1890 A.D. What happened at this time? The following statement was made by Sister White in 1892: "If the people of God had gone to work as they should have gone to work right after the Minneapolis meeting in 1888, the world could have been warned in two years and the Lord would have come." General Conference Bulletin, 1892. (This reference was given us by a Seventh-day Adventist minister of Los Angeles, Calif.) About the same time (1890) National Religious Liberty was organized by the denomination. Thus the attempt and failure of Moses' experience to set freedom to Israel from Egyptian bondage coincides with organizing religious liberty, and God's people failed to do their duty. "National Religious Liberty Association organized July 21, 1889." Origin and Progress of S.D.A., page 752.
Forty years later Moses was called and sent back to Egypt and did set Israel free from the Egyptian bondage. Adding 40 to 1890 brings the total to 1930. This period should be marked by a reformation and purification of the church, fulfilling Malachi 3, and Ezekiel 9. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left." Isa. 11:11.
The two periods, 1585 and 1715, will now be explained. 1585 corresponds with the birth of Jacob, and 1715 corresponds with Israel going down into Egypt. The entering into Egypt with seventy souls typified the birth of Seventh-day Adventists as explained on pages 73-74, but Seventh-day Adventism was not born until 1845. To get the truth of these two periods we must count back to the birth of Jacob, for it is a birth that we are dealing with. We have 130 years from the entrance into Egypt to the birth of Jacob, and 85 years from the birth of Jacob to Abrahams' departure out of Ur. Therefore, we must go backwards and subtract the first 85 years period (from the going out of Ur to the birth of Jacob) from 1930 and we have 1845. Thus, we get the year of the birth of Seventh-day Adventists. Miss Ellen Harmon then had her first vision and it was about the 144,000 (Israel by the promise), and the first paper published then on the Sabbath truth was called "The Hope of Israel." See Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, page 749.
Now subtract the 130 year period (from the birth of Jacob to the entering into Egypt) from 1845 and we have 1715 A.D., the year which was marked by Israel going into Egypt. Thus, 1715, becomes the dividing line between Canaan and Egypt, just as Christ became the dividing line between B.C. and A.D. Note how it coincides on the chart. If these coincidents were divinely designed, then the beginning and ending of the prophecy as on the following chart, would be correct.
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