Part One: Where is God’s Storehouse Today?

The topic of the location and purpose of God’s storehouse today is one of much confusion and debate among professed believers of the Shepherd’s Rod message. This situation is exacerbated by many rival factions within Davidia that have arisen since 1955 most of whom claim they are the only true storehouse.  How does one go about sorting through this maze of conflicting information coming from every direction? Well brethren, take hold and have faith that God does not leave His faithful forsaken and that an answer can be found by thoroughly searching what is published in the golden bowl.  To address this often hotly debated topic in a logical and systematic manner using only the Holy Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Shepherd’s Rod as our source material, the following questions will be addressed in a seven part series of posts over the next several weeks.

Questions to be Addressed:

1. What is the “storehouse”?
2. What should a “storehouse” be doing? or What are the criteria for a “storehouse”?
3. Where should the “storehouse” be located in a general sense?
4. What is some of the significant history of God’s storehouses from the past?
5. Why has God had to move the His storehouse in the past?
6. What has been the succession of true storehouses in the “knock out blow” period(1955 to the present)?
7. Should there be more than one storehouse today to supply the world field with the “meat in due season”?

Part One: What is the Storehouse?

Key Text:

“Bring ye 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

Most Seventh Day Adventist’s believe:

1. That the storehouse is the local church.
2. Others think it is the General or Local Conferences.
3. Some do not know for sure.

We want to examine this passage carefully to know according to what the Word of God teaches.

The key is to find out what the “meat” is.

Some believe it is the money that you give to the ministers and leaders so that they can eat and pay for their basic necessities. This is true to an extent, but there is something more that is very important for us to understand.

We must examine the meaning of meat not only physically, but spiritually as well.

“But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”—John 4:32-4

“Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”—John 6:26-7

For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”—Hebrews 5:13-14

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?”—Matthew 24:45

“Those who watch for the Lord’s coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. The expectation of Christ’s coming is to make men fear the Lord, and fear His judgments upon transgression. It is to awaken them to the great sin of rejecting His offers of mercy. Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise servants who give to the Lord’s household “their portion of meat in due season.” Luke 12:42. They are declaring the truth that is now specially applicable. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the special warning for their generation.”—Desire of Ages, p. 634.2

From these verses it is shown that “meat in due season” represents a timely message of truth appropriate for the present generation.

What is the difference between the “storehouse” and the “house”?

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more [shall they call] them of his household? . . . And a man’s foes [shall be] they of his own household.”—Matthew 10:25, 36

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”—Galatians 6:10

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”—Ephesians 2:19

From these verses we can plainly see that:

• house = God’s church
• household = church members

We see that the storehouse today is not the church in the Seventh-day Adventist organization or an unorganized group of individuals, contrary to what many believe, but rather the place where the message of “present truth” comes that is to feed the church (house) and prepare them for the crisis ahead. The Rod sheds further light upon the meaning of the “storehouse”.

“Clearly, then, the bowl in which the golden oil is stored, symbolizes the storehouse of Present Truth — the Word interpreted. The only “storehouse” that contains inspired comments on both Testaments is the books of the Spirit of Prophecy. They, therefore, are the “golden bowl.” The symbolism definitely points out that from them the ministers must get the light-producing truth with which to supply the church, so that it may brightly shine in this dark world, drawing to the light “all men” who hate the darkness.” . . . This symbolic unit, having demonstrated that the Bible can be rightly interpreted only by the Spirit that dictated It, shows that the church can be led into all Truth only by this Spirit-controlled method: through the interpreters (the two golden pipes), who alone are qualified and inabled to bring forth meat in due season (golden oil) from the Scriptures (olive trees) into the storehouse (golden bowl) of Present Truth; and in turn through the ministers (seven tubes), who alone are to pass on from the bowl the oil to the church (candlestick), that it might illumine with the light of life this dark and dying world of ours.—Tract No. 6, pp. 23-4

“When the perplexing subject is made clear, then we must believe that the time is here, but this as all Bible truth, is found only one way, and in one place; namely, the storehouse (the Bible). Bear in mind that as Joseph of ancient days controlled the storehouse, even so Christ controls the Scriptures and the times. Many godly men in the past went to Christ (Joseph) and got all the present truth (corn) for that particular time that they could assimilate. While He (Christ) is liberal, He is also careful, and therefore has nothing to waste. When Joseph gathered the corn in Egypt and stored it in the storehouses, he did it not for wealth, but to sustain life in the next seven years of famine. The corn was a symbol of Christ’s Word as we shall endeavor to prove.”—Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1, p. 15

“Then you may present the matter yet from this angle if necessary: We are sent “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and it “is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.” (Matt. 15:24, 26.) God has not sent us “into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans,” but to the church, and He has commanded: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house.” The storehouse is where present truth is, and as we bear present truth — meat In due season — then the Rod must be the storehouse, and the Lord says “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse.”. . .

The instruction in the SRod, Vol. 1, p. 251, regarding tithe, proves that we have payed our honest part all the way. It says that the tithe should be paid to the old S.D.A organization. But now since the leading part of the denomination has rejected the sealing message of the 144,000 and is passing on to the people a pseudo refutation of its subject matter to justify their actions, doing all they can to prevent the people from coming in contact with the message, the action of the SRod in calling not only for the tithe but also for the offerings to be brought in for the support of the message of present truth is Divinely approved and justified, for present truth has always constituted God’s “storehouse.”—Symbolic Code, Vol. 1, No. 5, p. 8

Where is the tithe to be brought to?

“Note that not to the Levites, or to some other place or people but into God’s storehouse are the tithes and offerings to be brought. And for no other reason than that His storehouse may have the means to dispense spiritual food, “meat in due season.”—Jezreel Letters, No. 9, p. 4:3

“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” is, where “Present Truth” is, the house from which “meat in due season” is dispensed at the time the tithes are paid.”—Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 30:18

From these inspired passages it should be apparent the “storehouse” is the place where the present truth message of the Shepherd’s Rod comes from. However, this can be a subject for confusion unless one makes clear the distinction of what the “meat in due season” is at its most fundamental and essential element. It must be the original writings that were published by the late Brother Victor T. Houteff from 1930 to 1954. This means printed tract literature and books in their original size, layout, typography, artwork, etc. without addition or subtraction. Despite our well meaning intentions, nothing else will suffice as this is what God gave to Brother Houteff.

What about Rod studies on audio CD’s, or glossy four color magazines, Special Session Codes, video presentations, websites, web seminars, tapes, etc. do these constitute the “meat in due season”?

No, these tools for outreach may be good in and of themselves to serve as a means to introduce or awaken interest in the Rod, to serve as an entering wedge if you will, but they cannot serve as a substitute for what God gave to His prophet. Are we at liberty to tell Elijah how to teach his message? God forbid. Ultimately the purpose of any of the many outreach tools available in today’s high tech world is to bring the lost sheep in the house of Israel to a thorough investigation of the original Rod message for themselves. And how are they going to do this unless they read and study the message in its original format? If we are told not to let a line or even a single word escape our attention (4 Tr 7, 5 Ans. 29), as our soul salvation depends upon every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, then how can we do this unless we have the meat, all of the original Rod publications in our hands. What are we to be accountable to on judgment day, the Rod message as it was originally published or to various manmade compilations that have arisen over the years since the death of the prophet? Think about it, we need to have a clear conception as to what actually constitutes the “meat in due season” or else we will never see eye-to-eye and be able to identity God’s storehouse today.

CANNOT MY HOME BE HIS “STOREHOUSE”?

Question No. 97:

Is it Scriptural for one to retain and personally use his tithe and offerings in order to carry on the gospel work in his own community, according to his own plans?

Answer:

Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find permission to use the Lord’s money at our own discretion. The only justification for so doing would be sheer inability, for some reason to send it to the Lord’s “storehouse.” Should one voluntarily, though, engage in such a practice then he would set the wrong example before others. And if following in his lead, others assume the same right, their course must inevitably result in seriously handicapping the Lord’s work, bleeding and subverting His treasury, and thus disorganizing His work and reducing the church to a mere shell, while her members are hiring themselves as laborers in the Lord’s vineyard, helping themselves to the Lord’s money, and running without having been sent! What a Babylon that would be!

Though the Lord commands, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” (Mal. 3:10), He does not say to bring all the offerings. Thus, He shows that if we would engage in some personal charity or missionary activity, we should sustain it from offerings, not from the tithe.

“Angels keep a faithful record of every man’s work, and as judgment passes upon the house of God, the sentence of each is recorded by his name, and the angel is commissioned to spare not the unfaithful servants, but to cut them down at the time of slaughter….And the crowns they might have worn, had they been faithful, are put upon the heads of those saved by the faithful servants….”Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 198.—Answerer Book, No. 4, pp. 44, 45

It is clear from this answer that we as individuals cannot proclaim our own house as the Lord’s “storehouse”. Today with the situation divided as it is in Davidia many have become frustrated with the corruption and confusion that comes from the various Associations that all proclaim that they are the storehouse and are longing for clearer understanding as what constitutes God’s storehouse today and where is it located. Many brethren simply hold their tithes not knowing where to place them having great suspicion towards any who rush in and proclaim what and where the storehouse should be today. Others who have had bad experiences with Associations or groups that claim to be the storehouse are tempted to use their tithes to advance the message according to their own efforts. However, if we desire to engage in personal charity or missionary activities then it should be sustained from our offerings, not from the tithe. Thus a longing in the hearts and minds of many who are earnestly searching and studying the Rod message, especially those who have been introduced to the message in recent years, is the question of . . .

Where do We Find God’s True Storehouse on Earth Today?

“Our only concern should be to find out where is His “storehouse,” and then faithfully deposit His money there, and, if it is His “storehouse,” He will, without a doubt, take care of His own, but if He does not care for the storehouse which you think is His, then either your conception of His storehouse is incorrect, or else He has moved it to another place. “Seek and ye shall find.”–Symbolic Code, Vol. 2, No. 12, p. 9, par. 6

In order to locate God’s true storehouse of present truth today not only should we seek for it, but we must know what we are looking for. Perhaps you are new to the message and have not yet been exposed to all of the winds of doctrine blowing through Davidia and the underlying reasons why some, or perhaps all, of the competing storehouse’s (Associations, groups, etc.) in America today cannot possibly be true and faithful to God according to what is published in the Rod. Hopefully as you have prayerfully and carefully read and searched through the original Shepherd’s Rod message for yourself not letting a line or even a word escape your attention, the truth should arise as you search for it as for hidden treasure being wide awake knowing that the devil is doing his best to place a shadow of doubt and a cloud of confusion over this most important subject. So how do you identify God’s true storehouse if you come across something that presents its case before you? In part two of this series we will examine at least fifteen criteria for identifying a true storehouse based on specifications given in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy and the Shepherd’s Rod message alone. If you find the place(s) that meets, or is striving to meet, all of these criteria then you can know for yourself, “but try the spirits whether they are of God”—1 John 4:1

Summary: God’s storehouse is the place from which comes the present truth message for today, known as the Shepherd’s Rod, that is to be brought to His church, the Seventh-day Adventist, as the “meat in due season” the flock needs now for their soul salvation. This “meat” is found in the original published writings of Victor T. Houteff and is revealed in a series of tracts and books that were published from 1930 to 1954. Although the message can be presented in a variety of formats to awaken interest for further in depth study, the “meat” at its foundational source level can only rightly be identified as the printed Rod tract publications preserved in their original layout and format.

For a PDF download of this study, please click the link below.

Part 1-What is the Storehouse?

May God richly bless your search for all Truth as for hidden treasure.

For Part Two in this series on God’s storehouse, please click here.

In that blessed hope,

The Publishers