A showdown at antitypical Mt. Carmel is underway between the prophet of God and the prophets of Baal. It is taking place all around the world via the internet in Facebook discussion groups, chat rooms, blog posts, Skype calls, video chats, emails, text messages, tweets, publications, seminars, Bible studies in every possible avenue of communication. A primary battle front stems from our accepting what the Rod teaches regarding “the living spirit of prophecy” (LSOP) or taking what the voice of some man claims the Rod is teaching. This long standing controversy in Davidia is reaching a fevered pitch as false prophets and false teachers are raising their voices to increasing levels as they seek a following and reveal their covetousness of the prophetic office. They and their loyalist minions insist the LSOP must be manifest in the flesh today, i. e., we need to be following a living prophet today or await for someone to arise on the scene in the very near future. However, all wise and true hearted believers who believe and study the original Rod message for themselves will not accept such counterfeit private interpretations but will insist that the LSOP is found in the inspired writings (publications) of God’s two latter day prophets, Ellen G. White and Victor T. Houteff, alone without addition nor subtraction. As the Shepherd’s Rod speaks all can see from the statements below that the LSOP is found in the inspired publications (writings) of the Spirit of Prophecy and the Shepherd’s Rod better known as the “golden bowl”. All other publications or presentations done at the expense of the Rod are rank impostors and counterfeits of the Truth.
“Abundant light has been given to our people in these last days. Whether or not my life is spared, my writings will constantly speak, and their work will go forward as long as time shall last. My writings are kept on file in the office, and even though I should not live, these words that have been given to me by the Lord will still have life and will speak to the people. But my strength is yet spared, and I hope to continue to do smuch useful work. I may live until the coming of the Lord; but if I should not, I trust it may be said of me, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13)”—Selected Messages, Vol. 1, 55.5
“Never have testimonies been more clearly brought before the people than those that have recently been traced by my pen. God bids me urge upon the attention of our people the importance of their study. Let this work begin now. Then, whether I am permitted to labor or am laid away to rest until Jesus comes, these messages are immortalized.”—Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 56.3
“The two golden pipes (God’s inspired interpreters) store the golden oil in the golden bowl (Spirit of Prophesy publications).” —Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 14, p. 22
“There is but one thing that consists of three such parts (two sheep and a young cow) that is capable of keeping the world alive, and that is the Bible — unfolded by the Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit that leads into all Truth. The two sheep, not being young, and two of a kind, must be symbolical of the Bible Itself, both Old and New Testaments. The cow being young and larger in size, is obviously symbolical of something of later origin, and more voluminous than the Bible itself. Hence it is none other than the published works of the everliving Spirit of Prophecy — the inspired interpretation of the Scriptures.”—Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 20, p. 24
“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.”—Tract No. 6, p. 23
“Since it now is clear as sunlight thatthe ever-unfolding, Inspired interpretation of the Scriptures is the ever-living Spirit of Prophecy, the eyes of the church at work (1 Sam. 9:9), then to be without these spiritual eyes is to try to walk, as it were, in dense darkness.”—Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 45, p. 8
“Again, it is written in Proverbs 29:18 (margin), “Where there is no vision, the people is made naked.”
“Here in more extensive relief is the picture of a people who have indeed lost their “vision” (the supernatural guidance afforded by the living voice of the prophetic gift resident among them), but who realize it not. More amazing still, they have evidently introduced their own inventions (idols) as substitutes for the things of God. This they have done so gradually that they are quite as unaware of it as they are that many have not availed themselves of the volumes of the Spirit of Prophecy—their very “eye-sight.” And where others have had these volumes of vision lying all around them, they have let them go either unread or unheeded and therefore “unappreciated.”—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217.”—Answerer Book, No. 1, p. 71.3“…will find blessing in reviewing the teachings of Scripture concerning the 144,000 and bringing to bear upon these teachingswhatever of light there may be in the published writings of the Spirit of Prophecy…”.—Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. 1, p. 14:1
The remedy for the confusion over understanding what is meant by the LSOP can be found by studying the original Rod message for yourself with prayer and supplication to God asking for the Holy Spirit to guide, lead, and direct you unto all Truth. The following two Rod publications deal with prophecy of Zechariah chapter four which explains how we get Truth from the Bible into the church today. A careful study of this subject, not letting a single word escape your attention, will unmask all counterfeits and let the light of Truth shine into your hearts as a day star. Ask yourself the question, why is there only two pipes bringing the golden oil from the two olive trees into the golden bowl (Spirit of Prophecy) and not just one, or three, or four, etc.?
Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 14: “Isms, and the Remedy”
5 Tract pp. 14m 15 – “Ironically, though, the very ones who usually become involved in the practice of altering the Scriptures, are those who talk the loudest about exercising great care not to be enmeshed by false doctrine. And, to back up their talk, they very carefully keep themselves aloof from everything new which does not come through themselves. Such will never recover from their terrible blindness until they begin to search for “eyesalve” (Inspiration) as they do for gold, for only new truth can open their eyes, unmask their errors, and woo them to the truth. Satan, though, well knowing that their sight will quickly recover if they come with an open heart to the light, consequently fills them with prejudice to keep them from making an unbiased personal investigation of unfolding truths.”
Dear Jan:
Thank you for sharing this inspired passage as it is quite applicable to our situation today in Davidia. Indeed, ever since the death of Brother Houteff when we entered into the “knockout blow” era there have arisen a multitude of prophetic office seekers who have done just as the passage has warned. Ever since the eruption of Branch heresy by Ben Roden in 1955 to this day living prophets continue to arise claiming to be the “Elijah”, “king David”, etc. Still there are others who make no claim of inspiration and are careful to say they teach only the original Rod message, yet, upon closer inspection, are found altering the very message they are supposed to be protecting. A strange inconsistency indeed! If there was ever a time we need to study for ourselves and turn from the arm of flesh, it is now.
May God help us to follow only that which is published in the Rod and in only that way will we see eye-to-eye and have the love and unity for which Christ prayed.
The Publishers
I have studied these references you cited on the LSOP and found that you completely misunderstand what they are saying in relation to the LSOP.”The two golden pipes (God’s inspired interpreters) store the golden oil in the golden bowl (Spirit of Prophesy publications).” —Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 14, p. 22 .This does not address the LSOP it simply says that the two inspired interpreters store the golden oil in the golden bowl which represent the Spirit of Prophecy publications.No davidian who undeerstands the rudiments of the message coould conclude based on this statement thatt the publications are the the LSOP unless his source of inspiration is not consistent with that of the Rod’s.True to form you’ ve quoted part of the message ,remember “cats and dogs eat from the center out”.Perhaps you conveniently side stepped 6TR46 which says “so he must say if the spirit of prohpecy was not ever active”Now perhaps you have an ever active book that no one else knows of ,but I”m quite sure you are aware of the statemrnt in the code that tells us that the bible alone is inactive and since that is so then all other books are inactive. 6TR continues to say that “if the Spirit of Prophecy begins and ends with the bible then all christians have the Spirit of Prophecy.If this is so ,though ,why does the Revelation make a distinction between christians who have the Spirit of Prophecy and those who do not?”And as this minister puts Revalation 12:17 and 19:10 in the realm of the meaningless,so does your incomplete understanding of the subject.Remember do not jump at bated hooks .Read and study the entire message and all the statements on the particular subject .Continue to read the next two paragraphs and hopefully your eyes will be anointed with the eyesalve and you will see that ;It has vindicated Itself, not as a voice beginning with Moses and ending with John the Baptiste,……{but} with the messengers in our own day and beyond.”Acknnowledge the gift that God has placed in the church for the guidence of His church in the closing days of earth”s history .From the begining the church of God has had the gift of prophecy in her midst as a LIVING VOICE[NOT A BOOK} to counsel admonish and instruct.3SM83.Consistncy is a jewel.Hope we can see eye to before time runs out
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” – Jeremiah 17:5
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” – Isaiah 2:22
Dear Brother Elliott:
Our study on the living spirit of prophecy is sufficiently clear for the wise to understand. If you choose to follow the arm of flesh, of whom you failed to identify, then that is your choice. But as for us and our house we choose to follow the Lord and the Rod that speaks from its printed page and not from the lips of some false teacher/prophet.
The Publishers