Unsealing the Seven Thunders of Revelation 10

"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." Rev 10:4 

Over 165 years ago, John the Revelator was commanded by a "voice from heaven" to seal up what the seven thunders uttered. The seven thunders were going to tell us something, or give us information that is probably key to understanding the end times prophesied in the scriptures. We might expect that the messages of the seven thunders would be revealed near the end of earth's 6000 year history, just before the final crisis and the tribulation.

Several months ago, I was prompted to explore the meaning of thunders in scripture, to determine what they were, when they were heard or observed, and to see what messages they might hold for us in these times. This project turned out to be far more encompassing than I expected.

Adventist readers will find startling similarities to the Advent movement, beginning with the Millerites and the Seventh Month Movement of the 1840's, to the history of the Israelites as they left Egypt and wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, before finally coming into the land set aside for them by God. The mystery is this; if the Israelites eventually entered the promised land, and Messiah "should have come ere this," why are we still here?

For non-Seventh Day Adventist readers, some of this may be a bit off-putting for you, so I wanted you to know this in advance. I wanted to share it with you nevertheless. What I found in researching and writing this paper, is a remarkable parallel to Adventist history, beginning with the Millerite's seventh month movement of the early 1840's. You will find pertinent references in the writings of Ellen G. White, as well as other related references, to support the entire premise of this paper.

The sad part of this scenario is that Jesus should have come to this earth to claim his people, you and I, over 120 years ago. So we must ask, why are we still here? We have to be willing to examine every aspect of scripture to see what it is we're missing. Is it simply that we are unwilling to go with Him? Or have we become so comfortable in our pews that we no longer have the desire or the willingness to follow Him.

This paper explores what is likely missing from our experience and our journey. It highlights what has been left out of the larger picture. There is so much more missing than we are aware, and many of us are almost clueless.

Essentially, this paper is about two things. First, it is about the prophecy of Malachi 4 that Ellen White reminded us of, and it's end time emphasis. "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Mal 4:4
Second, it is about a time of restitution and restoration. "In the time of the end, every divine institution is to be restored. The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired." Prophets and Kings 678

This paper explores what has been left out, forgotten, or obscured, and what it is that needs to be restored, before Jesus will return to claim His own.

I offer this study for your review and consideration.

I've posted the pdf version at two document sites;

http://www.scribd.com/doc/61887123

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/88950517/Unsealing-the-Seven-Thunders

If you are unable to download this document at the links provided for any reason, send me your email and I will send it to you.

The Very Last Deception of Satan

Tossing out the Writings of Ellen White: Returning to Egypt

If you are a Seventh Day Adventist, or former SDA, and you have adopted the sunrise reckoning of the day, and daylight hours only for the Sabbath, you may have essentially fulfilled some of the end time prophecies of Ellen White. Ellen White told us that in the last days, near the end, that her writings, for all practical purposes, would be made void. The description of that fulfillment is found in the following quotes:

The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions to mislead, and will mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them.  {10MR 311.1}  (Ellen White's writings are often referred to as the Testimony of the Spirit of God. They are meant to enhance or confirm the words of scripture.)

One of the most blatant references in the writings of Ellen White that show this distinction and fulfillment, has to do with the events surrounding the crucifixion of our saviour Yahushua. It is found in the following quote:

"That was a never-to-be-forgotten Sabbath to the sorrowing disciples, and also to the priests, rulers, scribes, and people. At the setting of the sun on the evening of the preparation day the trumpets sounded, signifying that the Sabbath had begun."  (Desire of Ages 775)


"From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Said the angel: "Take the word of God, read it, understand, and ye cannot err. Read carefully, and ye shall there find what even is, and when it is. I asked the angel if the frown of God had been upon His people for commencing the Sabbath as they had. I was directed back to the first rise of the Sabbath, and followed the people of God up to this time, but did not see that the Lord was displeased, or frowned upon them. I inquired why it had been thus, that at this late day we must change the time of commencing the Sabbath. Said the angel: "Ye shall understand, but not yet, not yet." Said the angel: "If light come, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, for there is no light for them to reject." I saw that it was in the minds of some that the Lord had shown that the Sabbath commenced at six o'clock, when I had only seen that it commenced at "even," and it was inferred that even was at six. I saw that the servants of God must draw together, press together. 


It is clear in the above statements, that the Sabbath (as well as all other days) begins at sunset. The statements support what has been observed for centuries by the Hebrews, albeit intermittent at times.

There are several implications, or problems when dealing with the statements above.

1. Sabbath, and all other biblical days begin at sunset, or Ellen White is wrong.

2. If Ellen White is wrong, and it's possible, then does this make her invalid as a prophet?

3. In any case, if she was accurate in this statement, and we disregard it's intended meaning, what have we done to her stature as a prophet? What have we done to the meanings of her words? And to the words of scripture? We may be on unholy or dangerous ground if we disregard, or even slightly twist the words and meanings to make them fit what we believe or want to believe.

In order to reckon the day by the rising of the sun, and observe the sabbath for only the daylight hours, we have to have TOTAL DISREGARD for the writings of Ellen White. We cannot pick and choose, using one principle here, another there, and tossing out what we don't like because it doesn't fit our framework of belief or thinking.

The Egyptians appear to have historically swapped the halves of the day, daylight, then darkness, instead of what appears to be the biblical reckoning of the day; darkness then daylight. So one has to ask; by using the sunrise reckoning of the day, beginning the day at sunrise, and observing the daylight hours only for the Sabbath, have we returned to EGYPT?

I admit the possibility that I could be wrong about this. If that proves to be the case, I will stand immediately corrected. In the meantime, Unless something absolutely concrete and without question surfaces, I will choose the path of least error. I will keep the hours that appear to be bibilically correct, sunset to sunset for the sabbath. I will observe the full 24 hour day as the sabbath until clear correction is made.

I'm keeping the part of the day sunrisers are anyhow, and one thing that I don't want to do, is to shortchange God on time and not be present when He has arranged to meet with me at a specifically appointed time.

(NOTE: Many verses in scripture are presented to "prove" the sunrise reckoning of the day. Most, if not all, are verses that can be interpreted in both ways; either sunrise reckoning or sunset reckoning. Because a verse can be interpreted in both ways, it does not make one position or the other valid unless the position can be supported by corroborating evidence.)