BRANCH SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS

That everyone who thirsteth for the truth may obtain it, these publications are, as a Christian service, provided without charge. They levy but one exaction: the soul's obligation to itself to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. The only strings attached to this free proffer are the golden strands of Eden and the crimson cords of Calvary – the ties that bind.

THE UNIVERSAL PUBLISHING ASSN.
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CONTENTS

Lesson  1 - Kingdom Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Lesson  2 - Kingdom Restored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Lesson  3 - Kingdom promised to Abraham by Covenant. . . . . . . . . . .12
Lesson  4 - Kingdom Prophecies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Lesson  5 - Kingdom's King Prophecies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Lesson  6 - Kingdom Forfeited by Ancient Israel and Judah. . . . . . . .23
Lesson  7 - Kingdom Restored to Modern Judah and Israel. . . . . . . . .27
Lesson  8 - Kingdom Heralded by "Rod" Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Lesson  9 - Kingdom Pre-Millennial for Jew and Gentile . . . . . . . . .38
Lesson 10 - Kingdom Restored in Three Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Letters from around the world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Holy Convocations - 1997-1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

OUR FRONT COVER

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious... And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." – Isa. 11:6-10,12.

NOTE:

All emphases and parentheses are ours unless otherwise stated throughout the lessons.

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Question 1

Who was the first king of the earth, and what was his dominion? Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 8:4-6; Heb. 2:6-8.

Note – "As the white horse [see Rev. 6:2] represents the beginning of our earth in her sinless state, the rider can be none other than Adam himself, with whom the judgment began. The crown is a symbol of kingly authority. 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over... all the earth.... The same is expressed in the words, 'And a crown was given Him.' Therefore, the Lord set in motion a perfect world, with a king created by the hand of God, and we are the sons of Royalty.

" 'Behold a white horse: and he that sat on him... went forth conquering and to

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conquer.' The symbolical words are the fulfilment of the words spoken by the Creator's lips: 'And God blessed them (Adam and Eve), and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.'.... 'And I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow.' The bow is an implement used to conquer with (replenish). Therefore, Adam was given a bow (Eve) corresponding with the words: 'And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet.... 'And Adam called his wife's name Eve: because she was the mother of all living.'... Thus Adam conquered (inhabited the earth) with the bow (Eve)." – The Shepherd's Rod, Vol. 2, pp. 205,206. (Parentheses belong.)

"...the white horse... identifies the world's first state of being – pure and sinless with a Divinely-crowned ruler (rider)... God's crowned king, Adam..." – To The Seven Churches, Tract No. 15, pp. 39,40. (Parenthesis belong.)

Question 2

What happened to Adam's kingship and dominion when sin entered? Gen. 3:22-24.

Note – "When Satan declared to Christ, The kingdom and glory of the world are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it, he stated what was true only in part, and he declared it to serve his own purpose of deception. Satan's dominion was that wrested from Adam, but Adam was the vicegerent of the Creator. His was not an independent rule. The earth is God's, and He has committed all things to His Son. Adam was to reign subject to Christ. When Adam betrayed his sovereignty into Satan's hands, Christ still remained the rightful King. Thus the Lord had said to King Nebuchadnezzar, 'The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.' Dan. 4:17. Satan can exercise his usurped authority only as God permits." – The Desire of Ages, pp. 129,130.

"Not only man but the earth had by sin come under the power of the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption. At his creation, Adam was placed in dominion over the earth. But by yielding to temptation, he was brought under the power of Satan. 'Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.' When man became Satan's captive, the dominion which he held, passed to his conqueror. Thus Satan became 'the god of this world.' He had usurped that dominion over the earth which had been originally given to Adam .... When Satan was thrust out of heaven, he determined to make the earth his kingdom. When he tempted and overcame Adam and Eve, he thought that he had gained possession of this world; 'because,' said he, 'they have chosen me as their ruler.' " – Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 67,69.

Question 3
Along with his kingship and dominion, what else did Adam lose? Gen. 3:7-11,19.

Note – "The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear. So long as they lived in obedience to God, this robe of light continued to enshroud them .... After his transgression, Adam at first imagined himself entering upon a higher state of existence. But soon the thought of his sin filled him with terror. The air, which had hitherto

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been of a mild and uniform temperature, seemed to chill the guilty pair. The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future, a nakedness of soul. The robe of light which had enshrouded them, now disappeared, and to supply its place they endeavored to fashion for themselves a covering... Instead of the happy labor heretofore appointed them, anxiety and toil were to be their lot. They would be subject to disappointment, grief, and pain, and finally to death... As they witnessed, in drooping flower and falling leaf, the first signs of decay, Adam and his companion mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The death of the frail, delicate flowers was indeed a cause of sorrow; but when the goodly trees cast off their leaves, the scene brought vividly to mind the stern fact that death is the portion of every living thing." –Ibid., pp. 45,57,59,62.

"Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege." – The Great Controversy, p. 7.

"Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever.... But by disobedience this was forfeited." – Education, p. 15.

"Often they were visited by His messengers, the holy angels, and from them received counsel and instruction. Often as they walked in the garden in the cool of the day they heard the voice of God, and face to face held communion with the Eternal ....Man lost all because he chose to listen to the deceiver rather than to Him who is Truth. . ." –Ibid., pp. 21,25.

Question 4

What was the enemy's plan and purpose in causing Adam and Eve's fall? Isa. 14:13,14.

Note – "With the earliest history of man, Satan began his efforts to deceive our race. He who had incited rebellion in heaven desired to bring the inhabitants of the earth to unite with him in his warfare against the government of God. Adam and Eve had been perfectly happy in obedience to the law of God, and this fact was a constant testimony against the claim which Satan had urged in heaven, that God's law was oppressive and opposed to the good of His creatures. And furthermore, Satan's envy was excited as he looked upon the beautiful home prepared for the sinless pair. He determined to cause their fall, that, having separated them from God and brought them under his own power, he might gain possession of the earth and here establish his kingdom in opposition to the Most High." – The Great Controversy, p. 531.

Question 5
How did Adam lose his kingship and his kingdom? Gen. 3:1-6.

Note – "With Christ, as with the holy pair in Eden, appetite was the ground of the first great temptation. Just where the ruin began, the work of our redemption must begin. As by the indulgence of appetite Adam fell, so by the denial of appetite Christ must overcome." – The Desire of Ages, p. 117.

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"By eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam broke the health (food) law, and by so doing he also, indirectly, broke the Ten Commandment Law; for by transgressing God's Word he dishonored Him as a son would dishonor his earthly father by disobedience, and thereby breaking the fifth commandment. (Exodus 20:12.) Therefore, Adam is guilty of violating two laws.... Adam's transgression brought him to the grave (dust); for, after eating of the forbidden fruit, it reacted on his physical being, and thus the evil passed from father to son. But as Lucifer had not transgressed the laws of health, natural death had no power over him." – The Shepherd's Rod, Vol. 2, p. 144. (Parentheses belong.)

"All was lost when Adam yielded to the power of appetite." – Selected Messages, Book 1 p 272.

Question 1
What program did God immediately begin after Adam and Eve fell? Gen. 3:15.

Note – "Now, that we might know what it means to be 'as God,' we must study what God is like. At the outset He did not only create and abundantly fill the earth with every good thing for His creatures, but He also planted a garden (home) for the man .... Even after the holy pair fell in sin God was still interested in them as He was before – so much so, in fact, that He immediately began to teach them how to redeem themselves, and to return to their eternal home. From that day to this He thus continued to teach the human family." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 9 (Revised), pp. 7,8. (Parenthesis belongs.)

"Heavenly angels more fully opened to our first parents the plan that had been devised for their salvation. Adam and his companion were assured that notwithstanding their great sin, they were not to be abandoned to the control of Satan." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 66.

Question 2


When was the plan of salvation – the redemption of mankind, the restitution of the lost dominion, glory covering, life eternal, and communion with God – first formed? Rev. 13:8.

Note – "The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for Christ is 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world'. . ." – Ibid., p. 63.

"The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of 'the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.' Rom. 16:25, R.V. It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God's throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son,

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'that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' " The Desire of Ages, p. 22.

Question 3

Who is the central figure in the plan of redemption? Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:11,12; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2:5-8; Rev. 1:17,18; Matt. 1:21; John 14:6.

Note – "Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost, and that world which God had created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and there was no way of escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die. I saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying angel, He is in close converse with His Father. The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time He came from the Father, His person could be seen. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express. He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself, that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life.

"At first the angels could not rejoice; for their Commander concealed nothing from them, but opened before them the plan of salvation. Jesus told them that He would stand between the wrath of His Father and guilty man.... He would leave all His glory in heaven, appear upon earth as a man...that He would die the cruelest of deaths... The weight of the sins of the whole world would be upon Him. He told them He would die and rise again the third day, and would ascend to His Father to intercede for wayward, guilty man.

"The angels prostrated themselves before Him. They offered their lives. Jesus said to them that He would by His death save many, that the life of an angel could not pay the debt. His life alone could be accepted of His Father as a ransom for man. Jesus told them that they would have a part to act, to be with Him and at different times strengthen Him... that they would be witnesses of His humiliation and great sufferings; and that as they would witness His sufferings, and the hatred of men toward Him, they would be stirred... and... would wish to rescue and deliver Him from His murderers; but that they must not interfere to prevent anything they should behold; and that they should act a part in His resurrection; that the plan of salvation was devised, and His Father had accepted the plan." – Early Writings, pp. 149-151.

Question 4
Outline the central theme of the Bible. Acts 3:15.

Note – "The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in the human soul of

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the image of God. From the first intimation of hope in the sentence pronounced in Eden to that last glorious promise of the Revelation, 'They shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads' (Revelation 22:4), the burden of every book and every passage of the Bible is the unfolding of this wondrous theme, – man's uplifting, – the power of God, 'which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 1 Corinthians 15:57.

"He who grasps this thought has before him an infinite field for study. He has the key that will unlock to him the whole treasure house of God's word.

"The science of redemption is the science of all sciences... the study of the angels and... the unfallen worlds... that engages the attention of our Lord and Saviour... that enters into the purpose brooded in the mind of the Infinite... that will be the study of God's redeemed throughout endless ages. This is the highest study in which it is possible for man to engage." – Education, pp. 125,126.

Question 5
Enumerate God's purposes in the plan of restitution.

Note – "To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized, – this was to be the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of life." – Ibid., pp. 15,16.

"But the Son of God proposed to come to this earth to pay the penalty of sin, and thus not only redeem man, but recover the dominion forfeited... the psalmist had in mind the same final restoration of man's original inheritance when he declared, 'The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.' " – Prophets and Kings, p. 682.

"It is of this restoration that Micah prophesied when he said, 'O Tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion.' Micah 4:8. The apostle Paul has referred to it as 'the redemption of the purchased possession.' " – Ibid.

"But the plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe... The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the results of sin." – Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 68,69.

Question 6
To do this saving work, what agencies did God ordain? Amos 3:7.

Note – "To do this saving work God sent down the Spirit of Truth, He sent prophets and angels, also His only Son – all teachers of redemption. He Himself descended

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to Sinai, and even though they slew nearly all his servants including His Son, His unfailing interest in the human race has continued on to this very day. Notwithstanding our faults, His promise to take us back into Eden there to live with Him if we repent, still stands as sure as does the sun." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 9 (Revised), p. 8.

"When all was lost in Adam, and the shades of night darkened the moral heavens, there soon appeared the star of hope in Christ, and with it was established a means of communication between God and man through the gift of prophecy. In his fallen state, man could not converse face to face with God, and with Christ, and with angels, as when in his Eden purity. But through the ministration of holy angels could the great God speak to him in dreams and in visions....

"The manifestation of the spirit of prophecy was designed for all dispensations. The sacred Record nowhere restricts it to any particular period of time, from the fall to the final restitution. The Bible recognizes its existence alike in the patriarchal, Jewish, and Christian age. Through this medium God communed with holy men of old....

"We have seen that the manifestation of the spirit of prophecy became necessary in consequence of man's being separated from the visible presence of God ....

"When man in Eden stood in all the perfection of his manhood, before the blight of sin had touched anything that God had made for him, and with open face beheld the glory of the Lord, he could have no need of the spirit of prophecy. But when Eden was lost in consequence of transgression, and man was doomed to grope his way from the gates of Paradise, enshrouded in the moral gloom that resulted from the curse and the reign of Satan, he needed this light. And his need in this respect will continue more or less urgent until the restitution, when the redeemed shall walk and talk with God, and with Christ, and with the holy angels, in Eden restored." – Life Sketches, pp. 330,331,336,337 (first edition only).

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Question 1

God's work of restoring the earth under the rule of a righteous people began with what command to what person? Gen. 12:1-3.

Note – "The message of God came to Abraham, 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee.' In order that God might qualify him for his great work as the keeper of the sacred oracles, Abraham must be separated from the associations of his early life.... 'By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.' Heb. 11:8. Abraham's unquestioning obedience is one of the most striking evidences of faith to be found in all the Bible. To him, faith was 'the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' Verse 1. Relying upon the divine promise, without the least outward assurance of its fulfillment, he abandoned home and kindred and native land, and went forth, he knew not whither, to follow where God should lead. 'By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise (not heaven) as in a land not his own...' " – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 126.

Question 2


What land did God choose to be the place where He would begin His work of restoring the lost dominion, kingship, and glory? Gen. 13:14,15; Ps. 105:8-11,45; Deut. 34:1-4.

Note – "Still the patriarch begged for some visible token as a confirmation of his faith and as an evidence to after-generations that God's gracious purposes toward them would be accomplished. The Lord condescended to enter into a covenant with his servant, employing such forms as were customary among men for the ratification of a solemn engagement. By divine direction, Abraham sacrificed... dividing the bodies, and laying the pieces a little distance apart... This being done, he reverently passed between the parts of the sacrifice, making a solemn vow to God of perpetual obedience... About sundown he sank into a deep sleep; and, 'lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.' And the voice of God was heard.... The plan of redemption was here opened to him, in the death of Christ, the great sacrifice, and his coming in glory. Abraham saw also the earth restored to its Eden beauty, to be given him for an everlasting possession, as the final and complete fulfillment of the promise.

"As a pledge of this covenant of God with men, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, symbols of the divine presence, passed between the severed victims, totally consuming them. And again a voice was heard by Abraham, confirming the gift of the land of Canaan to his descendants, 'from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates (the beginning point of the restoration before the second coming of Jesus).' " – Ibid., p. 137.

Question 3

The promise of restoration to a land of their own, required what of man? Gen. 26:5; 17:7.

Note – "The covenant (agreement) of grace (favor with God) was first made with man in Eden.... To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal

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life on condition of fidelity to God's law. Thus the patriarchs received the hope of salvation.

"This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, 'in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' Genesis 22:18. This promise pointed to Christ. So Abraham understood it (see Galatians 3:8,16), and he trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God's law... The testimony of God concerning his faithful servant was, 'Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.' Genesis 26:5. And the Lord declared to him, 'I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.' Genesis 17:7." – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 370. (Parenthesis belong.)

Question 4

Did the covenant God made with Abraham extend to Christ and down to our day? Gal. 3:29.

Note – "The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden ...This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, 'in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.'. . . .'l will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant .... Though this covenant was made with Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could not be ratified (made valid) until the death of Christ .... when ratified by Christ, it is called a new covenant." – Ibid., pp. 370,371.

"That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today... even to His covenant-keeping people.... and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises made by Jehovah to His ancient people." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 713,714.

"I am instructed to say to you: Move guardedly, doing always that which the Lord commands... He will work in behalf of His covenant-keeping people." – Testimonies, Vol. 7, p. 242.

"In the last days of this earth's history, God's covenant with His commandment-keeping people is to be renewed." Prophets and Kings, p. 299.

Question 5


Enumerate the "covenant promises" God made to His ancient people which are yet to be fulfilled to His church on earth today. Ps. 105:9-11; Deut. 28:1-14; Ps. 118:17; John 6:51; 1 Cor. 15:51.

Note – "The children of Israel were to occupy all the territory which God appointed them... As the numbers of Israel increased they were to enlarge their borders, until their kingdom should embrace the world." – Christ's Object Lessons, p. 290

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Question 1

What is Jeremiah's testimony regarding the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Israel? Jer. 31:31-36; 30:2,3.

Note – "Jeremiah, also bearing witness that this promised covenant (restoration to the land and perfect obedience to God's law) has not yet been fulfilled, but that it is to be honored now in the gathering time, declares: 'Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord, and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.' Jer. 30:2,3.

"These verses show vividly that God is to validate the second covenant when He brings His people again from their captivity.... " – Mount Sion At "The Eleventh Hour," Tract No. 8, pp. 79,80.

Question 2

Isaiah envisioned what Edenic conditions would exist on the earth while the Gentiles still existed? Isa. 11:6-11.

Note – "... the truth is obvious that the Lord will have a victorious nation - a kingdom through which He will manifest His great power, and which shall be A Kingdom of Peace.

"That a heaven-like safety and peace shall infuse the kingdom at the time that God shall use it as His 'battle ax' with which to smite the nations, is evidenced by the following scriptures.... Isa. 11:6-9." – Ibid., p. 65.

Question 3

How did Hosea reiterate the promise of the covenant or kingdom of peace? Hos. 2:18.

Note – "As in Noah's ark, the type, so in the antitypical ark, the kingdom, nothing shall hurt or destroy: the lion, the wolf, the lamb, the leopard, the calf, and the fatling shall live peaceably together and, like the ox, all shall feed on 'straw.' Thus now, as in Noah's time, God shall preserve a remnant of man and beast out of His whole creation, instead of exterminating every living thing, and then creating them all over again." – Ibid., p. 66.

Question 4

What unusual symbolism does Ezekiel use to describe the latter-day Kingdom? Eze. 37:15-22.

Note – "Anciently the Lord commanded Moses to write the names of each of the twelve tribes of Israel on a rod (stick) and lay them up before the Lord 'in the tabernacle of witness.' Num. 17:7.

"Here the Lord commands Ezekiel to write on 'one stick' for Judah, the two-tribes or southern kingdom and another 'stick' for Joseph – the stick of Ephraim, the ten northern tribes.

" 'And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.' Eze. 37:17.

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"Bible students are familiar with how, shortly after the death of Solomon, the twelve tribes of Israel were divided, making two kingdoms. The sticks representing these two nations were to be joined, making 'one' stick in Ezekiel's hand.

"Consequently, since the sticks were not joined in the hand of Ezekiel of old in the captivity in ancient Babylon, it must be that antitypical Ezekiel is to accomplish the task in our day. Therefore, let us consider what the Bible has to say about the way the literal sticks are joined, which is a figure of joining the two kingdoms of Israel ....

"Speaking of the Jews, God says, 'Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;' Zeph. 2:1.

"The Jewish people are the one nation that is undesired by all nations. Here the Lord tells them to gather together -- in Palestine, of course...

"The Jews have become a nation in fulfillment of God's commanding prophecy....

"We are now better able to understand God's plan to join the two sticks. Here it is plainly seen that the Jews are the first to be gathered to their homeland and made 'one' nation. Then the gathering of the ten tribes will be accomplished. Thus is fulfilled the Lord's promise to Abraham. (Gen. 13:14,15)...

"The meaning of this symbolism is that God will gather the 12 tribes of Israel from among the heathen nations and will bring them into their own land. They are, in that day, to be no longer 'two' divided and scattered nations among the wicked nations, but rather, are to be 'one' nation and 'one' king is to rule over them. Some may contend this Scripture was fulfilled at the gathering of the Jews from ancient Babylon. However, the Bible says, 'they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.' Surely, anyone can see this prophecy has not been fulfilled." – The Man On The White Horse, pp. 6,8,9,12. (Parentheses belong.).

Question 5
What important work is the Kingdom to do for God's people? Eze. 36:24-38.

Note – "Here you see that no one can meet God face to face and live with Him eternally (in earth made new) without first having this body-cleansing and heart-changing experience.

"Very evidently none who remain ignorant of these signs of the coming Kingdom will have this experience and consequently shall never enter into it, never be fitted to live and reign with Christ." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 44, p. 46.

"No one dares say that these promises have taken place, and no one dares say that they are post-millennial. Think on them and study them over, Brother, Sister. Do not lightly dismiss them, for they are your life. They mean your salvation, your destiny, your eternity. No one is fit to live and reign with Christ during the thousand years who does not participate in this cleansing." – Ibid., No. 43, p. 14.

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"Plain it is to see that before you and I can be ready for translation, we must first be ready to go into the Promised Land, there to be cleansed, there to have our stony hearts removed. Yes, the only way to have this heart operation performed upon us is to let the Lord first gather us from among the heathen and bring us into our own land. For 'then will I,' says the Lord, 'sprinkle clean water upon you,' and 'a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.'

"In the face of this, I should like to know who could ever live with Christ during the thousand years without having first gone to the land, there to be cleansed and there to receive a new heart?" – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Revised), p. 6.

Question 6

Who is to witness this cleansing of God's people and then join with them? Eze. 36:36; Isa. 2:3; Zech. 8:20-23; Isa. 66:20,21; 60:1-5,11,14.

Note – "It is interesting to envisage the expansion of God's Truth as outlined in this chapter: First, one individual speaks the Truth to another individual. Then one city communicates It to another city. Finally, one strong nation invites another nation to join the Lord. Thus will the harvest continue until the gospel work is finished, until God's faithful people stand on the Lord's right side (in the Kingdom)....

"It is logical to conclude that the ten men who take hold of all the languages of the nations in the time of this great ingathering are figurative of a group of people... These ten men [ten represents universality] will speak all the languages as did the Apostles on the Pentecost." – Ibid., Vol. 1, No. 16 (Revised), pp. 28,29. (Parenthesis belongs, brackets added.)

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Question 1

What is Ezekiel's testimony regarding God's latter-day servant, David? Eze. 34:1, 2, 23-26.

Note – "In the days of this antitypical David God gathers His flock from all the countries where they have been scattered, and brings them into their own land. God will no longer leave them in the mountains and the hills of the Gentiles. 'Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their

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God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.' Hos. 1:11; 3:5." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 17,18.

"The self-centered shepherds against whom the prophet is told to write, are to be replaced by one shepherd, David. When this takes place God's people will then have but one shepherd. This, of course, cannot be Christ Himself, for Inspiration never calls Him David, but rather It calls Him the Son of David. Since God's people have always had, and still do have many shepherds, the truth stands out as clear as crystal that the David of verses 23 and 24 is yet to come (in 1947), and that the shepherds whom Inspiration addresses are in particular those whom David is to succeed.

"Ezekiel, then, was not given a vision of the shepherds in his day, nor of those before his day, but of the shepherds after his day – the day in which God raises up this antitypical David to feed His hungry and neglected flock. God's people shall then no longer serve strangers, 'But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.' Jer. 30:9. Here we see that not only Ezekiel, but Jeremiah also was given a vision of this same truth. Yes, all the prophets." – Ibid., pp. 14,15.

In view of the fact that the Son of the Eternal Father came to earth, lived as a man lives, and gave His life a ransom for the fallen race, the earth in its fullness belongs to Him and He ever lives to reign over it. However, since the third overturning was at the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., 40 years after the Messiah had returned to Heaven to sit on the right hand of God in His Father's throne (Heb. 8:1), and by the fact the Messiah's throne is established on the earth (Rev. 3:21), under the whole heaven (Dan. 7:27), in the latter days, before the millennium, according to the mouth of all the holy prophets, the coming of the one whose right it is evidently refers to the antitypical David, the heir to David's throne (Acts 15:15-17), in fulfillment of God's covenant promise with David of old (Jer. 33:17-22). – B.L.R.

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." – Matt. 17:11.

"Do you see that the prophet appears in a day he can restore all things, everything that was lost through sin, even the Kingdom?" – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 7, p. 11.

"So it is that what a multitude of shepherds have failed to do, one shepherd, even David, will, in God's hands, get done." – Ibid., No. 2 (Revised), p. 17.

Question 2
How does Hosea envision this same latter-day King David? Hos. 2:11; 3:5.

Note – "The Word of God, therefore, definitely declares that the subjects of the torn-down kingdoms – Judah and Israel – as Christians, along with the Gentiles that have joined them, will gather together and appoint themselves a king.

"In a similar symbolism, the prophet was told that after many days of obscurity and wandering, 'shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and

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David their king [evidently David is the 'one head' whom they appoint], and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.' Hos. 3:5." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 6, p. 17. [Brackets belong.]

"Here we are defintely told that in the latter days, God's saints, without a sinner among them, are to be gathered together from the four corners of the earth, and be organized into a Theocratic government, of which antitypical David is to be the king." – Ibid., No. 21 (Revised), p. 7.

"In this part of the prophecy, you see, we are told that after they have sojourned among the Gentiles for 'many days' without a king, and without any sign of identification (having been entirely lost sight of as a nation and as a people), they shall finally have antitypical David rule over them. This would not be ancient David as he was already dead when the prophecy was made. Neither could this promised David be Christ Himself, for Christ is the son of David (Matt. 22:42), not David himself; and if He shall, moreover, sit on the throne of David (Luke 1:32), then David must have a throne for Him to sit on." – Ibid., No. 43, p. 17. (Parentheses belong.)

Question 3

What is to be the condition of David's Kingdom which no other Kingdom had since Adam's Kingdom? Eze. 37:21-28; Isa. 60:21; Jer. 33:15,16; Isa. 4:2-6.

Note – "After the restoration of God's people to their homeland they are cleansed from their idols and detestable things wherein they have sinned among the heathen. Therefore, the Loud Cry church (Rev. 14:18; 18:1-4) is a pure, holy church without one sinner in their midst." – The Man On The White Horse, p. 13. (Parenthesis belongs.)

" 'Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. 'Fair as the moon, clear as sun, and terrible as an army with banners,' she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.' P.K. 725:1...

"These words of Inspiration tell the most wonderful story ever spoken by human lips -- the story of God's pure church, soon to be disclosed to view. Therefore, Brother, Sister, and young people, 'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:' (Phil. 2:5) that your hearts and minds may be purified with the most wonderful promises ever beheld. There is nothing here to lose, and everything to be gained." – Ibid., p. 11. (Parenthesis belongs.)

Question 4

What does Inspiration reveal in the illustration of Isaiah 11:1? Isa. 11:1-4; Rev. 22:16; Matt. 1:1.

Note – "In this illustration there are three persons brought to view: Jesse (the father of David), the rod (David), and the Branch (Christ). The relationship shows that David (the rod) is not Christ (the Branch), for the 'rod' sprang from the stem of Jesse, and the Branch from the rod – a fact which is born out in the cry of the multitude when Christ entered Jerusalem. They shouted: 'Hosannah to the Son of David.' Matt. 21:15. Plainly, therefore, the 'rod,' coming from the stem of Jesse, is symbolical of David; and the Branch, coming from the rod, is symbolical of the son

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of David – Christ.

"Upon this 'ensign' (Branch and rod) 'the Spirit of the Lord shall rest.... the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.... Isa. 11:2-5.

"So though the 'ensign' emblematizes the connection of three persons (Jesse, the root; David, the rod; and Christ, the Branch), yet the power and wisdom of Christ is its underlying and controlling force. Wherefore says Christ: 'I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star' (Rev. 22:16), bearing out that He is all and in all.

"Since therefore from the 'stem' of Jesse came the 'rod' (David), and from the rod sprang the Branch (Christ), David the visible king and Christ the invisible King of kings shall 'in that day' – in our time – constitute the 'ensign,' and 'to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest (or His resting place, – the location where the 'rod' or ensign stands – the kingdom) shall be glorious.' Yea, 'I will make the place of My feet glorious' (Isa. 60:13), saith the Lord....

"Thus His church, or kingdom, is again reflected without 'spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing' (Eph. 5:27), a theocracy of peace, safety, and invincibility, under the rule of one shepherd and a king – David, His servant." – Mount Sion At "The Eleventh Hour," Tract No. 8, pp. 45-47. (Parentheses belong.)

Question 5

How sure is the establishment of the throne of David in the latter days? Jer. 30:3,9,18,24; 33:15-26; 1 Chron. 17:11-13; Amos 9:9-15; Acts 15:16.

Note – "These verses (Jer. 30:2,3) show vividly that God is to validate the second covenant when He brings His people again from their captivity, while subsequent verses (verses 8,9) fix the time of this liberation or ingathering...

"This prophecy, we observe, did not meet its fulfillment in the return of the Jews from their captivity in ancient Babylon, because at that time God did not 'raise up' David their king. They did not, in fact, have any king at all of their own, but were under Medo-Persian rule. The prophecy, therefore, can be applied to no other time than today, when both 'Israel and Judah' shall be joined into one great kingdom, established in everlasting righteousness. Then 'they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,' says the Lord. Consequently, the fact that there has never been a time from the day that this scripture was written even to the present time, that every one of God's people, as a church or a nation, has known the Lord and kept His commandments, again proves that the fulfillment of the second covenant (of which the exodus movement was a type), is yet future." – Ibid., pp. 80,81. (Last parenthesis belongs.)

" 'It shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou [David] must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever." – Ibid., p. 62. [Brackets belong.]

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Question 1

Moses was given a vision of the fate of ancient Israel. What did he see? Deut. 34:1.

Note – "Moses saw the chosen people established in Canaan, each of the tribes in its own possession. He had a view of their history after the settlement of the Promised Land; the long, sad story of their apostasy and its punishment was spread out before him. He saw them, because of their sins, dispersed among the heathen, the glory departed from Israel, her beautiful city in ruins, and her people captives in strange lands. He saw them restored to the land of their fathers, and at last brought under the dominion of Rome." – Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 475.

Question 2
What were contributing factors to twelve-tribe Israel's downward course?

Note – "When the Israelites first settled in Canaan, they acknowledged the principles of the theocracy, and the nation prospered under the rule of Joshua. But increase of population and intercourse with other nations brought a change. The people adopted many of the customs of their heathen neighbors and thus sacrificed, to a great degree their own peculiar, holy character. Gradually they lost their reverence for God and ceased to prize the honor of being His chosen people." – Ibid., p. 603.

"The days of Israel's greatest prosperity had been those in which they acknowledged Jehovah as their King – when the laws and the government which He had established (covenant with Abraham) were regarded as superior to those of all other nations. Moses had declared to Israel concerning the commandments of the Lord: '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 4:6. But by departing from God's law the Hebrews had failed to become the people that God desired to make them, and then all the evils which were the result of their own sin and folly they charged upon the government of God. So completely had they become blinded by sin." – Ibid., p. 605.

Question 3


Because Solomon had steered Israel away from God what sentence was pronounced upon him and the twelve tribes of Israel? 1 Kings 11:11, 12, 28, 31, 33-35.

Note – "God had designed that His people should be the light of the world. From them was to shine forth the glory of His law as revealed in the life practice. For the carrying out of this design, He had caused the chosen nation to occupy a strategic position among the nations of the earth.

"In the days of Solomon the kingdom of Israel (12 tribes) extended from Hamath on the north to Egypt on the south, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the river Euphrates. Through this territory ran many natural highways of the world's commerce, and caravans from distant lands were constantly passing to and fro. Thus there was given to Solomon and his people opportunity to reveal to men of all nations the character of the King of kings, and to teach them to reverence and obey Him. To all the world this knowledge was to be given. Through the teaching of the

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sacrificial offerings, Christ was to be uplifted before the nations, that all who would might live.

"Placed at the head of a nation that had been set as a beacon light to the surrounding nations, Solomon should have used his God-given wisdom and power of influence in organizing and directing a great movement for the enlightenment of those who were ignorant of God and His truth. Thus multitudes would have been won to allegiance to the divine precepts, Israel would have been shielded from the evils practiced by the heathen, and the Lord of glory would have been greatly honored. But Solomon lost sight of this high purpose. He failed of improving his splendid opportunities for enlightening those who were continually passing through his territory or tarrying at the principal cities.

"The missionary spirit that God had implanted in the heart of Solomon and in the hearts of all true Israelites was supplanted by a spirit of commercialism. The opportunities afforded by contact with many nations were used for personal aggrandizement... the countless multitudes who thronged the highways of travel were allowed to remain in ignorance of Jehovah." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 70-73.

Question 4

What was the fate of the ten-tribe Israel after separation from two-tribe Judah? 2 Kings 17:6-41.

Note – "For two centuries and more the rulers of the ten tribes had been sowing the wind; now they were reaping the whirlwind....

"With the severest reproofs, God sought to arouse the impenitent nation to a realization of its imminent danger of utter destruction. Through Hosea and Amos He sent the ten tribes message after message, urging full and complete repentance, and threatening disaster as the result of continued transgression....

"The iniquity in Israel during the last half century before the Assyrian captivity, was like that of the days of Noah, and of every other age when men have rejected God and have given themselves wholly to evil-doing. The exaltation of nature above the God of nature, the worship of the creature instead of the Creator, has always resulted in the grossest of evils. Thus when the people of Israel, in their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth, paid supreme homage to the forces of nature, they severed their connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling, and fell an easy prey to temptation...

" 'In the days of Pekah,' who reigned twenty years, Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, invaded Israel, and carried away with him a multitude of captives from among the tribes living in Galilee.... From this terrible blow the northern kingdom never recovered...

"...Samaria was invested by the hosts of Assyria under Shalmaneser; and in the siege that followed, multitudes perished miserably of hunger and disease as well as by the sword. The city and nation fell, and the broken remnant of the ten tribes were carried away captive, and scattered in the provinces of the Assyrian realm.

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"The destruction that befell the northern kingdom was a direct judgment from Heaven. The Assyrians were merely the instruments that God used to carry out His purpose....

" 'So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria,' 'because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded.' 2 Kings 17:7,11,14-16,20,23; 18:12." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 279,280,281,287,291,292.

Question 5

What was Jeremiah shown concerning the fate of Judah's inhabitants? Jer. 16:1-13; 18; 20:1-5.

Question 6

Who was foremost in leading Judah to ruin and what was his judgment? 2 Chron. 36:11-21; Eze. 21:25-27.

Note – "Foremost among those who were rapidly leading the nation to ruin, was Zedekiah their king. Forsaking utterly the counsels of the Lord as given through the prophets, forgetting the debt of gratitude he owed Nebuchadnezzar, violating his solemn oath of allegiance taken in the name of the Lord God of Israel, Judah's king rebelled against the prophets, against his benefactor, and against his God. In the vanity of his own wisdom he turned for help to the ancient enemy of Israel's prosperity, 'sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people.'

" 'Shall he prosper?' the Lord inquired concerning the one who has thus basely betrayed every sacred trust; 'shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant and be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he break, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war:... seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.' Ezekiel 17:15-18.

"To the 'profane wicked prince' had come the day of final reckoning. 'Remove the diadem,' the Lord decreed, 'and take off the crown.' Not until Christ Himself should set up His kingdom, was Judah again to be permitted to have a king. 'I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it,' was the divine edict concerning the throne of the house of David; 'and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.' Ezekiel 21:25-27." – Ibid., pp. 450,451.

Question 7

Micah prophesied what calamity would befall Jerusalem? Micah 3; Jer. 26:18; Eze. 21:27.

Note – "For nearly forty years after the doom of Jerusalem had been pronounced by Christ Himself, the Lord delayed His judgments upon the city and the nation.... Signs and wonders appeared, foreboding disaster and doom. In the midst of the night an unnatural light shone over the temple and the altar. Upon the clouds at sunset were pictured chariots and men of war gathering for battle. The priests ministering by night in the sanctuary were terrified by mysterious sounds; the earth

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trembled, and a multitude of voices were heard crying: 'Let us depart hence.' The great eastern gate, which was so heavy that it could hardly be shut by a score of men, and which was secured by immense bars of iron fastened deep in the pavement of solid stone, opened at midnight, without visible agency. – Milman, The History of the Jews, book 13... After the destruction of the temple, the whole city soon fell into the hands of the Romans.... Both the city and the temple were razed to their foundations, and the ground upon which the holy house had stood was 'plowed like a field.' Jeremiah 26:18. In the siege and the slaughter that followed, more than a million of the people perished; the survivors were carried away as captives, sold as slaves, dragged to Rome to grace the conqueror's triumph, thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheaters, or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth." – The Great Controversy, pp. 27,29,30,35.

"The first overturning took place when Assyria overturned the house of Israel, the ten-tribe kingdom; the second overturning took place when the king of Babylon overturned the house of Judah, the two-tribe kingdom; and the third overturning took place when Titus in 70 A.D. destroyed Jerusalem." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 1, p.11.

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Question 1


Although Micah foretold the doom of ancient Jerusalem, what bright and shining hope did he present for her in the last days? Mic. 3:12; 4:1,2;. Zech. 8:3; Joel 2:32; Jer. 33:16; 30:18,24; Isa. 2:1-4.

Note – "As emphatically as all the prophets before him, Micah declares that after the destruction of the Lord's ancient 'mountain,' (the kingdom), comes the reestablishment of it in the last days, and that peoples and nations shall flow unto it because the Law and the Word of the Lord shall go forth from Zion and from Jerusalem." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 15 (Revised), p. 15. (Paren. belong.)

"Concerning the popular system of interpreting, or misinterpreting, the Scriptures, Wolff wrote: 'The great part of the Christian church have swerved from the plain sense of Scripture, and have turned to the phantomizing system of the Buddhists, who believe... that when they are reading Jews they must understand Gentiles; and when they read Jerusalem, they must understand the church...' " – The Great Controversy, p. 360.

Question 2

Zechariah saw in vision what symbolism showing the return of Judah? Zech. 1:20,21.

Note – "Once God raised 'horns,' nations, to scatter His people throughout the Gentile nations, but those 'horns' in the restoration of 'all things,' are seen to become 'carpenters,' so that while they as horns at long last cast the Gentiles out from the promised land, they are as carpenters to build for Judah. Thus Zechariah, as do all the prophets before him, prophesies of the restoration of the kingdom of Judah." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 15 (Revised), p. 18.

"Here we see, first, that the heathen powers in their scattering of God's ancient people, are represented as four horns, and later, in their casting out the Gentiles, they are represented as four carpenters. Thus it is predicted also pictorially that 'Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, [only] until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.' Luke 21:24." – The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, Tract No. 12, p. 50. [Brackets belong.]

Question 3
What message does Ezekiel's symbolism convey? Eze 37:16-25.

Note – "This illustrated prophecy scarely needs to be interpreted, as it is virtually self-explanatory: showing that the two ancient kingdoms, Judah and Israel, will yet be gathered from among the 'heathen,' among whom they have long been scattered, and that they will become again one great nation – 'a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.' Dan. 2:44." – Mount Sion At "The Eleventh Hour," Tract No. 8, pp. 16,17.

"In the glad day of restoration the tribes of divided Israel were (are) to be reunited as one people." – Prophets and Kings, p. 474.

"In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored." – Ibid., p. 678.

Question 4

What privilege are the descendants of the ten tribes to enjoy? Eze. 37:24-28; Hos. 3:4,5; Isa. 11:12.

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Note – "The prophecies of judgment delivered by Amos and Hosea were accompanied by predictions of future glory. To the ten tribes, long rebellious and impenitent, was given no promise of complete restoration to their former power in Palestine. Until the end of time, they were to be 'wanderers among the nations.' But through Hosea was given a prophecy that set before them the privilege of having a part (joined together with Judah) in the final restoration that is to be made to the people of God at the close of earth's history, when Christ shall appear as King of kings and Lord of lords (coming in judgment, Rev. 14:14,16,18). 'Many days,' the prophet declared, the ten tribes were to abide 'without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.' 'Afterward,' the prophet continued, 'shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.'...

"In the last days of this earth's history, God's covenant ('Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan' Ps. 105:9-11) with His commandment-keeping people is to be renewed." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 298,299.

"These words: 'Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God.' (verse 5) have special meaning. Nothing could be more emphatic nor easier to understand. Furthermore this will happen 'in the latter days.' It might well be asked, Could 'the children of Israel' return without a homeland to return to?" – All Eyes on Israel, p. 62, by Dr. Roy Allen Anderson, Loma Linda University. (Parenthesis belongs.)

"No prophet has spoken more definitely concerning Israel than Ezekiel. His message for his own generation was unmistakable but his message concerning the future of his people is just as clear. We often spiritualize these chapters or claim that these prophecies are all 'conditional,' depending for their fulfillment upon certain actions by the people. But that leaves much to be desired. Through the years earnest teachers of truth have followed that practice. But are we wise to close our eyes to such positive promises backed up by a clear 'Thus saith the Lord'?" – Ibid., p. 69.

Question 5


Although Ezekiel saw Zedekiah and Israel losing the crown, he saw the crown returned when and to whom? Eze. 21:25-27; 34:12,23-25; 37. What did Hosea envision? Hos. 1:11; 3:5.

Note – "It is equally self-evident that the 'many days' (Hos. 3:4,5) are the long years from the time the Kingdom went down until It shall finally be set up again. Wherefore the word 'return' cannot mean anything other than that those dispersed 'many days' are to go back to the land whence they were taken captive.

"This, furthermore, is the only position, consistent with all relevant Bible doctrines, that gives assurance of fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 2 and that of Micah 4.

"Again: from Isaiah 1 1 we see that the Lord is to 'set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people' (verse 11), and that when He does so,

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He will prepare a way for them 'like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.' Verse 16." – The Answerer, Book No. 1, pp. 24,25. (Parentheses belong.)

"The final overthrow of all earthly dominions is plainly foretold in the word of truth. In the prophecy uttered when sentence from God was pronounced upon the last king of Israel is given the message:

" 'Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown:... exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.' Ezekiel 21:26,27.

"The crown removed from Israel passed successively to the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. God says, 'It shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.'

"That time is at hand." – Education, p. 179.

"The Word of God, therefore, definitely declares that the subjects of the torn-down Kingdoms – Judah and Israel – as Christians, along with the Gentiles that have joined them, will gather together and appoint themselves a king.

"In a similar symbolism, the prophet was told that after many days of obscurity and wandering, shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king [evidently David is the 'one head' whom they appoint], and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.' Hos. 3:5." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 6, p. 17. [Brackets belong.]

Question 6


Who do the prophets say will be raised unto King David to bring the final restoration, "peace" and "salvation" to Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem? Jer. 23:5-8; 33:14-17; Zech. 3:8-10; 6:10-15.

Note – "Not by any temporary failure of Israel, however, was the plan of the ages for the redemption of mankind ('Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan' Ps. 105:11) to be frustrated. Those to whom the prophet was speaking might not heed the message given, but the purposes of Jehovah were nevertheless to move steadily forward to their complete fulfillment... That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel ('Jerusalem... as the mighty metropolis of the earth. From her walls the dove of peace would have gone forth to all nations. She would have been the world's diadem of glory.' – The Desire of Ages, p. 577), the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today. He has 'let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen,' even to His covenant-keeping people... these witnesses for God are numbered among the spiritual Israel, and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises ('Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan' Ps. 105:11) made by Jehovah to His ancient people." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 705, 706, 713,714.

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" 'Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch.' Verse 8. In the Branch, the Deliverer to come, lay the hope of Israel.... Christ is revealed as the Redeemer and Deliverer of His people... Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel (The Branch) applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people (Seventh-day Adventists and Davidian Seventh-day Adventists) in the closing scenes of the great day of atonement." – Prophets and Kings, pp. 585,592,587.

"In the day the 'righteous branch' is raised, Judah and Israel shall be saved, and they shall dwell safely. Yes, the day is here when God's vengeance is to fall upon His adversaries, and the once trodden-down kingdoms of Judah and Israel are to rise to prominence and power." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 30, pp. 18,19.

"Since therefore from the 'stem' of Jesse [Isa. 11:1] came the 'rod' (David), and from the rod sprang the Branch (Christ), David the visible king and Christ the invisible King of kings shall 'in that day' – in our time – constitute the 'ensign,' and 'to it shall the Gentiles seek [Hos. 3:5]: and His rest [...kingdom] shall be glorious." – Mount Sion At "The Eleventh Hour," Tract No. 8, p. 47. (Parentheses and last bracket belong, other brackets are ours.)

Question 7

What do you exclaim in the light of all these marvelous prophecies? Ps. 106:1; 111:1; 113:1; 146:1; 148:1; 149:1.

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Question 1

What very important statement did Ellen G. White, inspired founder of the Seventh-day Adventist church, make just prior to her death in 1915?

Answer – "In the time of the end every divine institution (Kingdom, life without death, etc.) is to be restored... Not by any temporary failure of Israel, however, was the plan of the ages (restoration to own land) for the redemption of mankind to be frustrated.... the purposes of Jehovah were nevertheless to move steadily forward to their complete fulfillment.... That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today.... and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises ('Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan' Ps. 105:11) made by Jehovah to His ancient people." – The Captivity and Restoration of Israel, or Prophets and Kings, pp. 678,705,706,713,714.

Question 2


To prepare His people for the coming restoration of Christ's Kingdom on earth before the one thousand years reign in Heaven, what message of Inspiration did God send to the Seventh-day Adventist church? Isa. 11:1; Mic. 6:9; 7:14.

Note – "His church is to be a temple built after the divine similitude, and the angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod (announcement of the Judgment for the Living) from heaven, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the divine measurement and polished to shine as an emblem of heaven, radiating in all directions the bright, clear beams of the Sun of Righteousness." – Testimonies to Ministers, p. 17.

"This prophecy was written by Isaiah, the Gospel prophet, some three hundred years or more after David's time and yet it is written in future tense – 'there shall come forth a rod.' If Isaiah was only prophesying of the coming of the Messiah and was only showing that He would come through the lineage of King David, why did he use Jesse's name in the prophecy? And why did he say rod instead of David? And why did he put shall come before rod when the Messiah was the only one of the three to come after his time? The other two were many years before him. Why did he not then put shall only before BRANCH and make the prophecy read? And there was a rod that came out of the stem of Jesse and a BRANCH shall grow out of his roots.

"To answer these many questions in the shortest way would be to say that this entire symbolism has a definite meaning and fulfillment some time after Isaiah's

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time." – The Healing of the Nations, p. 3.

"The rod of His mouth and the sword of His mouth are synonymous terms meaning His Word (Truth). Therefore, the prophetic term, 'There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,' (Isa. 11:1) means a prophetic message (The Shepherd's Rod message). There is no way getting around the fact that the rod is symbolical of a prophetic message. Prophetic messages produce prophetic movements. Jesse, the place from whence the rod sprang, is likewise symbolic of a prophetic message and movement (Seventh-day Adventist church)." – Ibid., p. 4. (First two parentheses belong.)

"Is it necessary for the Lord to come to you with a rod (Shepherd's Rod message) to show you that you need a higher experience before you can be fitted for the connection with the family above?" – Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 69.

Question 3


The Shepherd's Rod message was sent to the Seventh-day Adventist church to teach her what phase of the Kingdom? Matt. 13:31,32; Isa. 2:1-4; Hos. 3:5; Eze. 37:24-28.

Note – "Although the doctrine of the Kingdom may not appear quite so complete under the lens of Sister White's writings as under, the lens of the Rod... in The Great Controversy (pp. 322,323), she is there speaking of the Kingdom complete, after the dead are raised, at the time the saints receive it. This was the only phase of the subject – the consumate phase – that Providence had made known when she wrote. Now as the scroll of prophetic Truth has unrolled further since her day, the Kingdom in reality is seen to have an intermediate, Davidian phase, as well as the final one heretofore known." – The Answerer, Book No. 2, pp. 74,75.

Question 4


Pointing to the prophecies regarding Elijah (Mal. 4:4-6; Matt. 17:11) and The Branch (Isa. 11:1; Zech. 3:8; 6:12) whom did the Rod messenger, V.T. Houteff, prophesy would bring the Kingdom into existence?

Note – "Who is to bring this revival and reformation, this great change? – The BRANCH... What can all this mean? – Just this: Joshua [or latter-day David, Hosea 3:5] is Heaven's appointed judge, ruler. He himself is crowned [king of Kingdom] as such. And in response to the Lord's own command, Joshua crowns (authorizes) his helpers whom the Lord Himself names. In other words, as members of 'the house of David,' Joshua authorizes them to engage in the work... Here is seen an organization having a Leader [The Branch] and an under leader [David] the Lord and Joshua." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 8 (Revised), pp. 24,26. (Parenthesis belongs, brackets ours.)

"Do you see that the prophet (Elijah) appears in a day he can restore all things, everything that was lost through sin, even the Kingdom?"– Ibid., Vol. 2, No. 7, p. 11.

Question 5

How did Brother Houteff envision the first phase of the Kingdom its very beginning? Matt. 13:31,32; Jer. 1:11; Eze. 7:10; 19:14.

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Note – "...in the day of the Branch (in the Christian period), in the day this family tree (Isa. 11:1) is completed, then it is that the kingdom of peace (the church purified) sprouts, so to speak, from the ground up." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 31, p. 5. (Parentheses belong.)

"Matt. 13:31-33 – The Kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed... Not a blast or a boom, and not a bust either, but the plain, quiet Truth, Brothers, Sisters, is what saves you and brings the Kingdom into being." – Ibid., Vol. 2, No. 44, p. 44.

"Mustard seed being the smallest of all seeds this parable shows that that which is to start the Kingdom will be very insignificant... Matt. 13:33 -- Another parable spake He unto them; The Kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven... The Kingdom is here again shown to start with something small.... What could the leaven be but an unpopular message borne by some insignificant one..." – Ibid., Vol. 2, No. 11, p. 6

Question 6


Since the Branch follows the Rod in the symbolism of Isaiah 11:1, and Elijah restores the Kingdom beginning in its "sprout" – Branch phase, when did Brother Houteff say that Elijah would appear and the Kingdom -- Branch "sprout"?

Answer – "Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says: 'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.' Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say: 'You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message." – Testimonies to Ministers, p. 475.

"...its anitypical fulfilment is now not only imminent (Webster: threatening to occur immediately) but that aside from Christ's first advent it is the most important." – Jezreel Letter, No. 9, p. 1. (The last publication by V.T. Houteff before his death in 1955 – Ed.)

"The Rod (Shepherd's Rod message) says the 'BRANCH' brings the great change. 'And according to Isa. 11:1-5, the Branch is the Lord, the Son of David.' 1 TGr 8-24:3. The rod represents David the son of Jesse in the first place and God's word in the second – the Davidian message – a message of David's Kingdom. Therefore, Jesse the stem would represent the father of David and also a message or parent movement – S.D.A.

"Likewise, the 'BRANCH' would represent Christ, the Son of David. Since Jesse and the rod have double applications, then it is obvious that the Branch means a message that reveals Christ and His Truth – the Word of God." – The Family Tree Isaiah 11:1, Branch Lesson No. 6, p. 4.

Question 7



After heralding the coming of the "sprout" Branch Kingdom for many years, Brother Houteff died in 1955: a few months after his death the Kingdom "sprouted;" what was the reaction of most Davidians to the The Branch message and movement? Eze. 8:17.

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Note – "You, yourself, can now answer the question as to whether you are a Davidian or still a Laodicean... if you think you have all the Truth, and that you have need of nothing more; if you think that everyone who does not have your stamp of approval on his belief, is a false prophet; and if you are in constant fear that someone is everlastingly trying to deceive you because he teaches something new; if you never give it thought that you may be slamming your door against a Truth-bearer who may be bringing to you the Lord's 'eyesalve,' and the 'wedding garment' – if you do all these or any part of them, then you must be as good a Laodicean as you can possibly be, not a Davidian." – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 8 (Revised), p. 28.

Question 8


Ignoring Brother Houteff's inspired counsel that The Branch would "bring this revival and reformation, this great change" (Ibid., p. 24), what happened to the Davidian leadership after Brother Houteff's death? Isa. 5:1-7; Eze. 19:11,12; 21:13.

Note – "Information contained in a portion from the minutes of the Executive Council meetings... explains simply enough, what Mrs. Houteff and her Executive Council were doing after Brother Houteff's death in 1955. For instance, in their minutes you will notice... a motion to dissolve the Davidian Association...

"In a letter from their Executive Council to the field, dated Dec. 12, 1961, they took the stand that the Shepherd's Rod was wrong in its interpretation of the prophecy of Eze. 9, stating that the Bible does not sustain either V.T. Houteff or E.G. White in their latter-day application of Eze. 9.

"Just nineteen days later, Dec. 31, 1961, they voted in Council Meeting to divide among themselves and others (a minority group of 72 Davidians – antitypical Achan's house), according to the canceled check record, the sum of $171,551.25. These precious dollars from the second tithe fund for the care of the aged, the poor, and needy were brought into the true D.S.D.A. Association by Victor T. Houteff's interpretations of Eze. 9 and other kindred doctrines. To soothe their conscience they called him a false prophet." – The Flying Roll, p. 5.

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Question 1

In what future state did Jeremiah behold the earth? Jer. 4:23-28.

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Note – "The action here projected against a backdrop of God's coming judgments upon the land of ancient Israel, because of their rebellion, cannot possibly, in the very reason of things, be limited merely to that land. It simply cannot, in other words, be narrowed down, as some think it can, to mean that only the land of God's people has been or will be made 'void' and left 'desolate' and 'without form', – without light and without bird or beast or inhabitant, – and the rest of the earth be left to enjoy all these blessings. The scripture must, on the contrary, be taken just as it reads, showing that the whole earth is to suffer the same end. In view of this fact, therefore, the term the earth obviously cannot be interpreted, as has been done by some, to mean the 'land' – Palestine only.

"When ancient Israel, moreover, was taken by the nations, the mountains and hills were not made to tremble and to 'move lightly'; the cities were not entirely broken down and left without inhabitant; the birds were not forced to fly away from the land; and the land was not left in darkness. So, obviously, the dispersion of the Jews did not in the least fulfil the prophecy of Jeremiah 4:23-28. The earth, therefore, shall necessarily again be, as in the first day of creation, 'without form, and void.' Gen. 1:2. And just as there was then 'darkness... upon the face of the deep,' so shall there be again." – Behold, I Make All Things New, Tract No. 9, pp. 7,8.

" 'While the earth remaineth,' moreover, promises the Lord, 'seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.' Gen. 8:22. The words, 'while the earth remaineth,' expressly denoting limitation of time, imply that though the earth will not always remain, yet as long as it does, the conditions named will prevail." – Ibid., p. 10.

"Though in these scriptures (Gen. 9:12-17) the Lord has vowed never again to destroy by flood every living creature, He gives no promise not to destroy the wicked in some other way." – Ibid., p. 11.

Question 2

When Jesus comes the second time what happens to the earth? Isa. 24:1,4-6, 19,20; Rev. 21:1.

Note – "At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth – consumed with the spirit of His mouth and destroyed by the brightness of His glory....

"The whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness. The ruin of cities and villages destroyed by the earthquake, uprooted trees, ragged rocks thrown out by the sea or torn out of the earth itself, are scattered over its surface, while vast caverns mark the spot where the mountains have been rent from their foundations." – The Great Controversy, p. 657.

"Plainly stating that the cities are to be broken down 'at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger' (Jer. 4:23-26); and not by a flood or by the power of the nations, the Bible tightly closes the door to any attempt to construe this prophecy in such a way as to make possible its fulfilment at a time other than that of the Lord's appearing." – Behold, I Make All Things New, Tract No. 9, p. 11. (Parenthesis belong.)

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Question 3

At the Lord's advent, what happens to the righteous? John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 20:4,5.

Note – "Christ takes His people to the City of God, and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants. 'Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.... Isaiah 24:1..." – The Great Controversy, p. 657.

"The millennial age of peace is hence, plainly, to be spent, not on the earth, but in the 'mansions' above, for the Lord's promise is: 'I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.' John 14:2,3.

"Thus, at Christ's second appearing, both all the righteous and all the wicked receive their rewards: the righteous dead are raised to life everlasting, and the righteous living are changed to immortality in the twinkling of an eye, and are then with the resurrected taken to heaven (1 Cor. 15:52,53; 1 Thess. 4:15-17) while the wicked living go into their graves (2 Thess. 2:8; Isa. 11:4; Heb. 10:27; Luke 19:27). And since from the resurrection of all the righteous to the resurrection of all the wicked (Rev. 20:5), there stretch a thousand years (the millennium), this period, obviously, then, cannot be a time of receiving rewards, but rather must be a time in which the righteous enjoy in heaven the rewards already received, and in which the wicked rest in their graves." – Behold, I Make All Things New, Tract No. 9, p. 13. (Parentheses belong.)

"If, furthermore, during the millennial age the saints were not to dwell in heaven, then there would be no need of having the 'new Jerusalem' (Rev. 21:2,10) there. And if, still further, the saints then live on earth, the Voice of Prophecy would not say they lived 'with Christ', but rather that Christ lived with them. And finally, if they reign with Him on earth, where they are to live forever, prophecy would not say that they 'reigned with Christ a t