DAVIDIANS HAVE MORE LIGHT THAN OTHERS  WHY?

"If we {Davidians} had a representation of the Seventh-day Adventist church here along with Protestant and Catholic representations, and if we could at one presentation show them the vast amount of Truth which we have been blessed with both from typology and prophecy, they would be amazed and confounded. Just as the woman of Samaria who talked with Jesus at the well, exclaimed because He was able to reveal all that she had ever done, they, too, would ask, 'Where did this people {Davidians} learn so much {truth} about what is going to happen?'

Where did we {Davidians} get it? Who is the one that predicted all this? To find our answer, we will read again {from Isaiah}:"--12 Symbolic Code, No. 5, pg. 20:1,2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last: I am He....That they {Davidians} may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it."--Isaiah 41:4, 20 (bold emphasis, braces added).

It is the Lord who has given to the true Christian Davidians more light than any others in all the history of the New Testament Christian era. But why? The fact that the Lord is "no respecter of persons" (Acts. 10:34), proves irrefutably that He could have given more light to others as well. So why did He chose to give more light to the Davidians? The obvious answer must be that Davidians are willing to do something which opens the way for them to receive more light, but which other Christians will not do! That question can later be answered even further by first answering other questions:

WHY DO SOME NATIONS PROSPER MORE THAN OTHERS?

In order to answer this question, two great nations will be used as examples: (1) England and (2) America. First note how other nations were blessed: During the time of the Old Testament Jewish era, the people of the world were blessed by coming in contact with the religion of the children of Israel. And during the New Testament Christian era, these and other people of the world were blessed by coming in contact with the religion of the Christians.

"Now let us see what benefit the kingdoms and nations reaped from coming in contact with the {Jewish} church. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, who came in contact with the {Christian} church, make up the civilized world of today."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 50, pg. ) (bold emphasis, braces added).

In the book of Revelation John saw a leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:2) which represents the world of today (2 S.R. 86:2). He has, according to Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 7:3-8), the mouth of a lion (Babylon), the feet of a bear (Medo-Persia), body of a leopard (Grecia), and ten horns of the non-descript beast (Rome). The reason why they are represented on the leopard-like beast, which makes up "the civilized world of today" (the Protestant Nations), is because they came in contact with the Jewish church, from which came the Christian church.

"Look at the nations and peoples (the heathen in the somewhat isolated places of the earth) who were not so fortunate as to meet the church as early as the other nations.

"Still further, look at those who are still more isolated in the remotest parts of the earth who have had no contact with the church, not until just recently. Most of them are but little better than animals not only in intelligence but even in progress.

"The people who were fortunate enough to be the closest to the religion of Christ, are, you will find, the most intelligent, the most prosperous. England, for example, who translated the Bible and published and scattered It throughout the world to all peoples and languages, became the greatest of the {Protestant} nations in its time."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 50, pgs. 23, 24 (bold emphasis, braces added).

England became a great nation, in fact the leading power of the other Protestant Nations, because it printed and distrubited the Bible throughout the world. They did something for God and He blessed them with great prosperity. But alas, England refused to give the Christians the freedom of religion which God gave to them as written in the very Bible they printed. And now today England is no longer the leading power of the World. America is! But why?

The very principle of freedom of religion, as guaranteed in the Constitution of America, and doing something for God--printing and distributing the Bible, are the reasons why He has blessed and prospered America, and made her the greatest nation among the Protestant Nations, and even the whole world.

"Then {America} the United States (but a sister nation to the English Empire), who less than two centuries ago founded its government upon the principles of the Bible and inscribed on its dollar, IN GOD WE TRUST, and who also established the American Bible Societies, in but a comparatively few years became the greatest of {the Protestant} nations, as did the Hebrews in their day."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 50, pg. 24:0 (bold emphasis, braces added).

DAVIDIANS ALSO PROSPER IN TRUTH

Blessings and prosperity come from God to those who teach and live the principles of His religion in His Word--the Bible! Yet, there are thousands of Christian religions among the Catholics and Protestants in America who teach some principles of the Bible, and they have been blessed and prospered by living in this land of religious freedom. And Davidians also enjoy a better life in America as do the others, but they are not rich in earthly goods; because Jesus said that "the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:32), not rich with money. Instead, they are rich with more truth than others; because they are members of God's last true remnant church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14)--the seventh and last "candlestick" (Rev. 1:20). But how did they acquire this truth?

DAVIDIANS ARE LAODICEANS

The church of "Laodicea" (Rev. 3:14) is one of the seven candlesticks which John the Revelator saw with the "Son of man" (Jesus) standing in their midst (Rev. 1:13). Jesus told John that the "seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). There is, therefore, no need for anyone to wonder which churches these candlesticks symbolize, because of the fact that the "Son of man" (Jesus) is standing in their midst; which proves irrefutably that they can only be Christian churches! And the fact that there are seven candlesticks, which number means completeness, proves indisputably that they symbolize the Christian churches during the entire New Testament Christian era (A.A. 585:3), from early Christianity up to the latter days today. The last "candlestick" is Laodicea. Who are the people that make up that church?

"Laodicea may be infallibly recognized amidst the many 'isms' of Christendom {Babylon} by the work she is doing--declaring the judgment. Indeed, this mark of identification is pointed out by the very name Laodicea, compounded of the two Greek words lao and dekei, the one meaning 'people,' also 'speak,' the other meaning 'judgment,' the two in one meaning the people declaring judgment. The church, therefore, which declares, 'Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come' (Rev. 14:7), is evidently the one called Laodicea. And it is almost as well known outside Seventh-day Adventist circles as within, that the Seventh-day Adventist church is endeavoring to carry the judgment message of Revelation 14:7, and is therefore unchallenged in her claim to the title, Laodicea."--1 Answerer Book, pg. 11 (bold emphasis, braces added).

But why is the Seventh-day Adventist church "unchallenged in her claim to the title, Laodicea"? For two reasons: (1) The other churches are not declaring the judgment as Seventh-day Adventists are doing, so they cannot be Laodicea. (2) The other churches in their babylon of confusion are reluctant to accept this title, because they do not want others to say that they are blind and naked (Rev. 3:17)! [If you want to know more about Laodicea, then click on that study at the end.]

Davidians are members of this church, and that is why they are known as "Davidian Seventh-day Adventists" (L.D. 3:1). And though they have been cast out of the church (8 Tr. 53:3), God still recognizes them as Seventh-day Adventist believers, just as He recognized His own Son Jesus, His apostles, and disciples as Jewish believers, even though they were cast out of the Jewish synagogue (Jn. 9:22)! Davidians also believe in the writings of the prophetess (1 S.M. 34:5) of the Seventh-day Adventist church (Sis. E.G. White). God used her to raise up the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1844 after she had her first vision of the 144,000 (5 Tr. 102:2; E.W. 13:3). She predicted in 1890 that God would send Elijah the prophet to their church:

"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' {Mal. 4:5}. Somebody is to come {future tense--sometime after 1890} in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he {a male person--Mal. 4:6} 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, pg. 475:3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Since Sis. White began her ministry in 1844 and wrote in 1890 that Elijah "is to come" in the future, then she could not have been that Elijah. The Lord proved this when He said: "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time." (Judges 4:4). Did you notice that God's Word did not say that Deborah was a "prophet," a "husband" and a "he"? Why? because the Lord always refers to a male person as a "he" and a "prophet;" whereas He always refers to a female person (such as Deborah) as a "she" and a "prophetess"! And that is the reason why Malachi said that "Elijah the prophet" (Mal. 4:5) is to be a male person "he" (Mal. 4:6), as the first Elijah--John the baptist was a "he" (Mt. 3:1-3). This irrefutable fact proves, then, that Sis. White was not referring to herself as Elijah, but to a "somebody" who "is to come" after her day. [If you want to know more about Elijah, then click on that study at the end.]

That Elijah did come in 1929. He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church when God called him to the prophetic office of prophet. His name was Bro. V.T. Houteff. He gave to his followers the name of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists.

"...We are the only people who have the message of the re-establishment of the House of David, and of restoring 'all things' (Mark 9:12) {by Elijah the prophet--Mt. 17:11} and are therefore named Davidians,..."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 9, pg. 6:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"This Association shall be known provisionally as The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, the prophetic off-spring of the parent Seventh-day Adventist, the Laodicean, church."--Leviticus, pg. 3 (bold emphasis added).

And the name of the message of truth that Bro. V.T. Houteff (Elijah) brought to the Seventh-day Adventist church is The Shepherd's Rod; and that is what made them rich!

"Now we {Davidians} really are enriched with Truth {message of the SRod} if we have studied and assimilated what has been given us, for we have had made available to us the 'gold that is tried in the fire' that we might be rich {Rev. 3:18}, the 'eyesalve' that we 'might see,' and the 'raiment' with which we may be covered (Rev. 3), and the 'extra oil' that our way might be lighted (Matt. 25)."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 2, pg. 11:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

SOME TRUTHS THAT MAKE DAVIDIANS RICH

It is Elijah's message of The Shepherd's Rod that has made Davidians so rich in truth. These are a few of the truths which they know and keep, and which are listed below:

They know the truth of health and dress reform; and the truth of the Sabbath, and the sanctuary work of Christ our High Priest in the most holy apartment in the heavenly sanctuary; and the truth of Noah's flood; and the truth of the red, black, white, grisled, and bay horses who are pulling chariots (Zech. 6:1-8); and the truth of the call of laborers into God's vineyard (Matt. 20:1-7); and the truth of sealing the 144,000 and the great multitude (Rev. 7:4-9), and the truth of the setting up of God's kingdom in the latter days (Dan. 2:28,44); and the truth of the slaughter of the wicked "tares" in God's church (Ezek. 9); and the truth of the symbolic beasts in Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 7, 8); and the truth in John's prophecy of the seven seals in (Rev. 4-6), the seven trumpets (Rev. 8-9), and the beasts (Rev. 13, 17).

And that is not all, there is much, much more truth not mentioned here, all of which proves that they are indeed rich in truth far beyond all other religions in the entire world! And this is not boasting, but a stated fact by Jesus who said that the Laodiceans would be "rich" if they accepted the truth represented as "gold" (Rev. 3:18). But what is the one predominate thing that Davidians do, besides all the other things that they do and teach, that gives them this truth of gold that makes them so rich?

WHY ARE DAVIDIANS SO RICH WITH TRUTH?

When Elijah the prophet (Bro. V.T. Houteff) came to the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1929, he brought a message that required the Davidians, among other things, to obey God's commandments in the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures. These commandments were kept by the Jews who became Christians, except, of course, the ceremonial sacrificial laws which were nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14; 2T.G. 37:15:0). And those commandments included Malachi's prophecy, which said, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse" (Mal. 3:10). [If you want to know more about the "storehouse, then click on that study at the end.]

What is the meaning of the words "tithe" and "storehouse"? The word "tithe" means "a tenth." God, therefore, commanded all Jews, as well as Christian Jews, through His prophet Malachi to pay a tenth of their income to His "storehouse." Those who refuse to do this are condemned by God as thieves! And nobody likes thieves. If you burglarize a house, you go to jail. If you rob a bank, you go to prison; and the same for embezzlement. But most people are afraid to rob the IRS, because they will surely punish them. And though some people may not rob others, yet, they are still thieves, because they rob God of His tithes; and He says so:

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? {God answers} In tithes and offerings."--Malachi 3:8 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The truth of tithe paying has always been one of the important teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist church. And those who paid a faithful and honest tithe to that "storehouse" were those who received God's blessings of truth in that church. And when Elijah came, they recognized his message of additional truth {E.W. 277:2; 1 Ans. 82:3) and accepted it, and became Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. Then they received far more truth than they had expected, when they paid their tithe to God's Davidian "storehouse," as Elijah instructed them to do in the following paragraph:

"The instructions in The Shepherd's Rod, Vol. 1, p. 251, 'Pay your honest tithe and offering to your {Seventh-day Adventist} church {the storehouse}, and feel that 'IT IS' your Father's house,' came near the close of 1930, before the leading brethren, as a denomination, had rejected the sealing message. Clearly, then, The Shepherd's Rod has faithfully discharged its duty in refusing to accept any tithes or offerings until after the books were scattered throughout the denomination, and after the brethren began bitterly to oppose the message. Now, though, since the opposition is no longer passive, but intensely active, and the proclamation of the message supremely urgent, the only course open is apparent. It will take an army of workers, including the tithes and offerings {paid to the Davidian storehouse}, to reach the people."--4 Tract, pg. 66 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Where is one to look for God's storehouse?--wherever God's Truth is for today, from wherever 'meat in due season' is dispensed.

"The statement, 'Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,' implies that some are already bringing into it, but not all. This, along with the charge that the whole nation is robbing God, positively shows that the tithes are now brought, not to God's storehouse, but to some other house. To repeat, God's storehouse has ever been and ever will be where 'the message of the Hour' {SRod message} is, where 'Present Truth' is, the house from which 'meat in due season' is dispensed at the time the tithes are paid."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 30, pg. 18:2,3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Malachi's charge of robbing God is to both Jews and Christians. The "whole nation" of the Jews robbed God by some who did not pay tithe at all, but mostly by those who paid it to the Jewish synagogue, rather than to the "storehouse" of the newly formed Christian church. Thus, they paid tithe and yet the "whole nation" robbed God! And so it is today. Many in God's church do not pay tithe at all; but many others pay it to the Seventh-day Adventist "storehouse," rather than to the Davidian "storehouse." Thus, they paid tithe and yet the "whole nation" robbed God!

"Since the old message, the 'Judgment for the Dead' {S teaching}, is out of date as is the message of Noah's flood, it is plainly seen that inasmuch as the {Seventh-day Adventist} Denomination as a whole has rejected and is fighting the {SRod} message of the hour, but is still collecting the tithes of the people, it is indeed robbing God.

"His people {Davidians} are, therefore, asked to send their tithes to the 'storehouse' whence Present Truth is dispensed, for it is Present Truth that the flock needs now. 'There are many precious truths contained in the word of God, but it is 'present truth' that the flock needs now.'--Early Writings, p. 63. Those who obey have this promise:"--2 Timely Greetings, No. 30, pg. 18:4,5 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Bring ye {Davidians} all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."--Malachi 3:10 (bold emphasis, braces added).

What a blessing God will give to those Davidians who pay an honest and faithful tithe to His "storehouse." He will give them so much truth that "there shall not be room enough to receive it"! That truth is found in the message of Elijah--The Shepherd's Rod, and even in a life time they cannot "receive it" all. In fact, there have been Davidians who have studied it for years, even ten, twenty, thirty years, and a few for over forty years, and still they are only beginning to "receive it"! Now that really makes them rich in truth beyond their wildest dreams. To them it is their "pearl of great price" (Mt. 13:46). And besides this, there is more truth for them to receive when the missing "gap" of truth is revealed in the near future. [If you want to know more about the missing "gap" of truth, then click on that study at the end.]

DAVIDIANS WHO ARE NOT RICH BUT POOR IN TRUTH

Some false Christians expect the "windows of heaven" to open and make them rich with money, the "filthy lucre" (1 Tim 3:3) which God condemns. They are not looking to be rich with truth, but for the fishes and loaves (Jn. 6:26) to make them rich with money and worldly goods. Therefore, they are terribly disappointed when they pay tithe to their church and receive no money but truth, which they think is worthless.

And there are also some false Davidians who are dissatisfied with the truth which God has given them in the message of the SRod. They have hardly studied into it, and know very little of what it teaches, even though there is so much truth that they cannot "receive it" all. And yet, they imagine that they are poor in truth, and finally leave the truth to follow Davidian usurpers and false prophets. Elijah predicted that some Davidians would do this.

"The Enemy {Satan} made Laodiceans {in the Seventh-day Adventist church} believe they have no need of more Truth, that they have all Truth that is necessary to get them through Heaven's portals, although God has declared that they are in need of everything, and are about to be 'spued out' (Rev. 3:16) {die in the slaughter of Ezek. 9}.

"Now we {Davidians} really are enriched with Truth if we have studied and assimilated what has been given us, for we have had made available to us the 'gold that is tried in the fire' that we might be rich, the 'eyesalve' that we 'might see,' and the 'raiment' with which we may be covered (Rev. 3), and the 'extra oil' that our way might be lighted (Matt. 25). "Therefore the Devil {working through his usurpers} is not going to attack us {Davidians} where he attacked Laodiceans, but he will tell us that we are poor in Truth. He will do this in almost any way."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 2, pg. 11 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Those Davidians who do not appreciate the "vast amount of truth" (12 S.C. 5:20:1) which God has given them in the message of the SRod (so much truth in fact that they cannot "receive it" all), will be led astray by the devil, who makes them believe that they are not rich in truth but "poor in truth." And that is why some Davidians follow the usurpers whom they think have more so-called truth; when in reality they have truth mixed with error. And if they pay tithe to these usurpers, or leaders of independent groups of Davidians, they will not be paying it to God's "storehouse;" thus, they will be robbing God. Elijah warned the Davidians about these "usurpers"--the office seekers who desire to exalt themselves:

"All these taking place at this particular time, and the prophecies now unfolded, prove that antitypical Zerubbabel {Bro. V.T. Houteff} must now be here, and that as he has started the work, he also must finish it. The fact that Inspiration takes the pains to tell who is to finish the work {Bro. V.T. Houteff after he is resurrected} in itself is proof that there must be active {Davidian} usurpers of his office {to exalt themselves} as there were of Moses' office."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 14, pgs. 21,22 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Satan, we are told, was not the only sinner in Heaven, for with him were cast out of Heaven a third of the angelic host (Rev. 12:4). These were cast out of Heaven because they gave heed to the words of Lucifer, to a man in Heaven, rather than giving heed to the word of God. This was the angels' downfall. Lucifer himself fell when he aspired to be as God {to exalt himself}.

"These two sins--trust in man, and desire to exalt self--are still the leading sin elements now here on earth. This was Eve's stumbling block and to many {Davidians} even today it is still the stumbling block."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 28, pgs. 13,14 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"This same stumbling block, the desire to exalt self, has predominated throughout the ages, and it predominates today {even among some Davidians}. No, I am not making rash and empty statements. I have the facts to back up my words. For example, in the days of the Exodus Movement, there were Korah, Dathan, and Abiram who aspired to the office of Moses and Aaron as Lucifer aspired to the throne of God, the highest offices they could have longed for {L.D. 29}. And did not Lucifer fall because of wanting to be above all others for nothing more than to exalt self? And was not the same true of the fall of Korah, Dathan and Abiram?"--2 Timely Greetings, No. 28, pgs. 14,15 (bold emphasis, braces added).

FAITHFUL DAVIDIANS FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF ELIJAH

The faithful Davidians, however, appreciate the "vast amount of truth" (12 S.C. 5:20:1) which God has given them in the message of the SRod; and they obey its requirement to pay their tithes to God's Davidian "storehouse." They know that it is this message that makes them rich in truth (so much truth in fact that they cannot "receive it" all). And that is why they are not fooled by the usurpers who claim that Davidians are "poor in truth" and need to follow them and believe what they teach. Instead, they follow the teachings of Elijah, wherein their safety lies.

"Nevertheless, one's {the Davidians} only safety will be in the teaching of Elijah, for there will be no other voice of timely Truth and authority to whom one may turn. Any others will lead their victims blind-folded into perdition."--General Conference Special, pg. 8:0 (bold emphasis, braces added).

If you want to know more about tithe paying, then click on--> STUDY.