Ship of the West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So far, we have observed many things about prophetic machinations of Daniel chapter eight. 

 

 

• It concerns the completion of YHWH’s Covenant promises concerning the people of Israel.

• 2300 years were to pass (between the fall of 458 BC and the fall of 1843 AD) before concentrated efforts would be made to reconstitute the Abrahamic community.

• Recipients of these efforts will halt and eventually rebel against this directive.

• To insure that the covenant objectives are completed, YHWH will disown the rebellious sons and daughters of Israel and deliver them into the hands of the beast for 1260 days until they are destroyed.

• YHWH will stand up and protect the remnant who remain faithful to the objectives of the Covenant.

All of these observations can be concluded from the prophecy of Daniel chapter eight if we cross reference his vision with the writings of the Covenant written by Moses. In the book of the Covenant (known to us as Deuteronomy) we find that the foundation of prophecy has been most clearly expressed concerning the chosen people. Moses proclaimed on his last day with Israel “all that YHWH had commanded him concerning them” (Deuteronomy 1:3). 

Those who fail to utilize the Covenant writings to interpret biblical prophecies fall into the trap of constructing their own false narratives concerning future events. Ignorance on this matter has led to many false expectations regarding prophetic events among the churches. Refusing to correct false assumptions will lead into a state of spiritual destitution and confusion that was predicted in the parable of the ten virgins. “The (five) foolish ones said to the (five) wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' (Matthew 25:8-9). This crisis was predicted by Moses and later restated in the prophecies of Daniel 8, 10, 11 and 12.

The undoing of the five foolish virgins is attributed to the work of the “little horn” of Daniel eight. We know that this little horn represents the Roman power who has had its influence over the world for over 2000 years. Daniel was told that “He will cause deceit to prosper” (Daniel 8:25). More details are mentioned as the vision is expanded upon in Daniel chapter 11. “With flattery (divisive smooth words) he will corrupt those who have violated the Covenant” (Daniel 11:32). Note carefully that the violation of the Covenant comes before corruption by the little horn.

There are many ideologies in this world that have the potential to corrupt believers, but Daniel specifically points to the Papacy as its primary influence over the chosen people who emerged from 1843. "It (the little horn) grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them" (Daniel 8:10). The words emanating from the little horn will crowd out the directives of the Covenant. This corruption will prevent the ability of the holy people to take the Covenant made with their forefathers seriously. 

And what will be the outcome of this oversight? Moses stated what their end will be: “And YHWH said to Moses: "On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?' And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18).
What disasters? Moses states them as the curses of the Covenant of Deuteronomy 28:15-68. In the near future, these curses will be fulfilled in the form of the trumpets and plagues found in the book of Revelation. They are calculated to turn Israel back to the righteous ways expressed through the instructions of Moses. But if they do not take heed, His judgments will be poured out upon the rebels without mercy in the form of the seven last plagues (see Leviticus 26:27-28). Concerning this time Moses wrote, “YHWH will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and YHWH will blot out his name from under heaven” (Deuteronomy 29:20).

Moses also reveals the attitude of the recipients of the curses: “When such a person hears the words of this curse, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, "I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way." This will bring disaster!” (Deuteronomy 29:19). Note carefully here that the rebels receiving the curses will be knowledgeable about the covenant, but they will be under the erroneous belief that the standards and directives within the Covenant do not apply to them. What’s more, they believe they will be in a safer position by not adhering to warnings within the Covenant. 

There is one common teaching held by the movements that came from 1843 that has done exactly what Moses warned against. It is the teaching of “New Covenant Theology”. Once accepted, the receiver erroneously comes to understand that the death of Jesus Christ eradicated the Mosaic Covenant and the adherent is no longer subject to the commandments given by Moses for to Israel to obey. This, according to Moses, will be the “root that produces the bitter poison” that destroys the earth (see Deuteronomy 29:18).

To show you how deeply this poison has effected the movement designed to regather Israel, I will quote a passage from a popular tract circulated among the Seventh Day Adventists called “The Ten Commandments, Twice Removed”. In it, the writer states, “I am delighted the Bible declares the “handwriting of ordinances” was nailed to the cross… I hope the Scripture will prove to you this verse refers to the Law of Moses.” (Ten Commandments, Twice removed – Page 25)

The tract was originally designed to draw attention to the controversy surrounding the removal of the Ten Commandments from public buildings. But it also serves as a medium to indoctrinate its readers into the idea that the Creator defines morality elusively through the Ten Commandments and not the whole Law of Moses. In it the writer asks, “Does Scripture prove the Ten Commandment Laws of God is eternal? In contrast, does the Scripture demonstrate the Law of Moses was added as a temporary plan to remedy violation of God’s Law? Did God ordain the second division of law (Moses’ Law) to remain in force until Christ, established the New Covenant at the cross? Does the New Covenant contain the Ten Commandments? The Bible makes it clear and simple to understand – and there is nothing more important for this generation to grasp!” (Ten Commandments, Twice removed – Page 36).

This is not a new line of thinking to the Seventh Day Adventist, but rather, it consolidates the approach they have taken for generations as to the reasons why the Law of Moses is no longer valid today. If this movement were like most denominations throughout the course of their development, we should expect that it would halt in its progression at some point, backslide into formalism and be forgotten. But if this movement is an act of God to fulfill the prophecies mentioned in Daniel 8, 10, 11 and 12, then we have to believe that YHWH is gathering the people who are obligated to hold to the specifications of the Mosaic Covenant and that any backsliding on their part will be visited by the judgments of the God of Israel. And the "little horn" prophesied by Daniel will be given the authority to become the rod of punishment in YHWH's hand. "He (the little horn) will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people" (Daniel 8:24).

Turning the ear from hearing the Torah produces a deadly vacuum that the Roman Power is very happy to fill. Indeed, the ideologies of Rome have been subtly embraced for generations by the Seventh Day Adventists as you will see in the next quotation from the same tract. “After God spoke the Ten Commandment Law to the assembly, Moses alone drew near to God. The Lord gave him civil and ceremonial ordinances for Israel to follow … Moses wrote these special ordinances in his own handwriting – in the book of the Law (Book of the Covenant) …This Book of the Law (the handwriting of ordinances) was positioned in a temporary place, beside the ark, and stood there as a witness against the people” (Ten Commandments, Twice Removed – Pages 39-40).

Who divided the Law of Moses into the three portions and declared two of these three divisions to be non-binding. It is not in any Old or New Testament writings. It came through the Catholic Church “Theologian Thomas Aquinas explained that there are three types of biblical precepts: moral, ceremonial, and judicial. He holds that moral precepts are permanent, having held even before the Law was given, since they are part of the law of nature. Ceremonial precepts (the "ceremonial law", dealing with forms of worshiping God and with ritual cleanness) and judicial precepts (such as those in Exodus 21) came into existence only with the Law of Moses and were only temporary. The ceremonial commands were "ordained to the Divine worship for that particular time and to the foreshadowing of Christ". Accordingly, upon the coming of Christ they ceased to bind, and to observe them now would, Aquinas thought, be equivalent to declaring falsely that Christ has not yet come, for Christians a mortal sin”. (Summa Theologica, I-II, q. 102, a. 2)

Through the teachings of Catholicism as well as the misinterpretation of the 2300 evening and morning prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the Seventh Day Adventist adherent fails to recognize the true intent of prophecy's meaning. The rejection of the Holy Covenant puts this movement into the cross-hairs of the curse of the Law. The horrific destiny of the Seventh Day Adventist is prophetically designed to serve as a cautionary tale to those who question whether it is right or wrong to keep the whole Torah. Moses wrote, “Just as it pleased YHWH to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you … you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth” (Deuteronomy 28:63 & 25).

The very thing that the teachers and ministers are advising their members to forget is the very thing that the Prophets have warned the people of the Last Days to remember: "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel… before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. (Malachi 4:4-5)