Posted By: Charity
Unpublished EGW Vision of the Shut Door - 11/06/19 01:16 PM
Recently I came across this vision of the shut door, about 85% of it never published before. It was released in 2015 by the White Estate but drew no attention that I'm aware of. It caught my attention yesterday because I had been studying accounts of spiritual manifestations among Seventh-day Adventists during this time. These were often linked to the doctrine of the Shut Door.
In a nutshell, the shut door refers to the door of the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary that was shut in 1844 when Christ left that apartment and moved to the Most Holy Place to take up the final phase of His ministry there typified by the Day of Atonement. In the material below, notice how prominent the Shut Door doctrine figured in Seventh-day Adventist understanding of present truth in the early days of the church.
If it was important truth then it is even more now as a safeguard to us when the work of Christ in the Most Holy Place is wrapping up and false spiritual manifestations are taking the world captive. Witness for example the phenomenal success of Kanye West's latest album, "Jesus is King". West is riding a tidal wave of popularity. His instant hit album is his nineth consecutive top hit release which ties West with Emimen's record 9 top consecutive releases. The huge difference between the two is that West has done this lacing Christian lyrics with pop/rap/reggae genres so that "Christian" pop is now the most popular music trend by far. West's music is the forbidden music of the Shut Door and spiritual manifestations accompany it. Here's the vision. The unpublished part is in italics:
Here's the manuscript that piqued my interest in the Shut Door doctrine:
In a nutshell, the shut door refers to the door of the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary that was shut in 1844 when Christ left that apartment and moved to the Most Holy Place to take up the final phase of His ministry there typified by the Day of Atonement. In the material below, notice how prominent the Shut Door doctrine figured in Seventh-day Adventist understanding of present truth in the early days of the church.
If it was important truth then it is even more now as a safeguard to us when the work of Christ in the Most Holy Place is wrapping up and false spiritual manifestations are taking the world captive. Witness for example the phenomenal success of Kanye West's latest album, "Jesus is King". West is riding a tidal wave of popularity. His instant hit album is his nineth consecutive top hit release which ties West with Emimen's record 9 top consecutive releases. The huge difference between the two is that West has done this lacing Christian lyrics with pop/rap/reggae genres so that "Christian" pop is now the most popular music trend by far. West's music is the forbidden music of the Shut Door and spiritual manifestations accompany it. Here's the vision. The unpublished part is in italics:
Quote
Letter 5, 1849, to Brother and Sister Hastings.
Written April 21, from Milton, Massachusetts.
Unpublished Sections in Italics
I will now write you the vision God gave me on the Sabbath, the 24th of March [1849]. We had a glorious meeting. I was taken off in vision.
I saw the commandments of God and shut door could not be separated. I saw the time for the commandments of God to shine out to His people was when the door was opened in the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and shut the door in the outer apartment and opened the door in the inner apartment and passed into the Most Holy Place, and the faith of Israel now reaches within the second veil where Jesus now stands by the ark. I saw that Jesus had shut the door in the Holy Place and no man can open it, and that He had opened thedoor in the Most Holy Place and no man can shut it; and that since Jesus had opened the door in the Most Holy Place the commandments have been shining out and God has been testing His people on the holy Sabbath.
I saw that the test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the Holy and He had passed within the second veil; therefore Christians who died before the seventh month, 1844, and had not kept the true Sabbath, rest in hope, for there was no condemnation until the true light on the Sabbath came. I saw that our adversaries had been trying to open the door in the outer apartment and to close the door in the inner apartment where the ark is, containing the two tables of stone on which are written the ten commandments by God?s own finger. I saw that Satan was now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God?s people from present truth and cause them to waver.
I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble, and every soul that was decided upon the truth was to be covered with this covering of Almighty God. Satan knew this and was also at work in mighty power. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York was the power of Satan clothed in a religious garb to lull the deceived to more security and to draw the minds of God?s people to look at that and cause them to doubt the teachings of God among His people.
I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers who had rejected God?s truth and had been given over to strong delusions to believe a lie, that they might be damned. I saw while they were preaching or praying some would fall prostrate and helpless, not by the power of the Holy Ghost, No, no, but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents and through them to the people.
I saw that some professed Adventists who had rejected present truth, while preaching, praying or in private conversation used mesmerism to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice, thinking it was the power of God; and even those that used it (mesmerism) themselves were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they thought it was the power of God given them to exercise. I saw that these men had made God altogether such an one as themselves.
I saw that some of the agents of the devil were affecting the bodies of those they could not deceive and draw from the present truth. Some of them were even trying to afflict some of the saints unto death. (O that all could get a view of it as God revealed it unto me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan so as to be on their guard.)
I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, draw away, and deceive God?s people just now in this sealing time more than ever before. I saw some who were not standing stiffly, their knees were trembling, their feet were sliding, because they were not planted firmly on present truth, and the covering of Almighty God would not be drawn over them. While they were thus trembling Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were until the sealing was over and the covering drawn over God?s people, and they left out without protection in the time of slaughter. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, therefore it will very soon be drawn over all of those who are to have a shelter in the time of trouble or day of the Lord.
I saw that as God worked for His people, Satan would also work, and that the mysterious knocking and signs and wonders of Satan and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me were not reformations from error to truth, No, no, but from bad to worse, for those who professed a change of heart had only wrapt about them a religious cloak which covered up the iniquity of a vile heart so as to deceive God?s people; but if their hearts could be seen they would appear as black as ever. My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of souls for sinners as used to be. I looked but could not see it for the time for their salvation is past.
Dear Brother and Sister, I have now written the vision God gave me. I am tired sitting so long. Our position looks very clear. We know we have the truth, the midnight cry is behind us, the door was shut in 1844 and Jesus is soon to step out from between God and man. The sealing will then be accomplished?finished up. Oh, let us keep on the whole armor of God that we may be ready for battle at any moment. We shall have to fight every inch of ground now. Satan has come down in great power, knowing his time is short; but with the commandments of God written in our hearts and in our minds will go on strong and bold, and although the sons of Anak be many and tall, yet we will go on crying, The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Written April 21, from Milton, Massachusetts.
Unpublished Sections in Italics
I will now write you the vision God gave me on the Sabbath, the 24th of March [1849]. We had a glorious meeting. I was taken off in vision.
I saw the commandments of God and shut door could not be separated. I saw the time for the commandments of God to shine out to His people was when the door was opened in the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and shut the door in the outer apartment and opened the door in the inner apartment and passed into the Most Holy Place, and the faith of Israel now reaches within the second veil where Jesus now stands by the ark. I saw that Jesus had shut the door in the Holy Place and no man can open it, and that He had opened thedoor in the Most Holy Place and no man can shut it; and that since Jesus had opened the door in the Most Holy Place the commandments have been shining out and God has been testing His people on the holy Sabbath.
I saw that the test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the Holy and He had passed within the second veil; therefore Christians who died before the seventh month, 1844, and had not kept the true Sabbath, rest in hope, for there was no condemnation until the true light on the Sabbath came. I saw that our adversaries had been trying to open the door in the outer apartment and to close the door in the inner apartment where the ark is, containing the two tables of stone on which are written the ten commandments by God?s own finger. I saw that Satan was now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God?s people from present truth and cause them to waver.
I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble, and every soul that was decided upon the truth was to be covered with this covering of Almighty God. Satan knew this and was also at work in mighty power. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York was the power of Satan clothed in a religious garb to lull the deceived to more security and to draw the minds of God?s people to look at that and cause them to doubt the teachings of God among His people.
I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers who had rejected God?s truth and had been given over to strong delusions to believe a lie, that they might be damned. I saw while they were preaching or praying some would fall prostrate and helpless, not by the power of the Holy Ghost, No, no, but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents and through them to the people.
I saw that some professed Adventists who had rejected present truth, while preaching, praying or in private conversation used mesmerism to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice, thinking it was the power of God; and even those that used it (mesmerism) themselves were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they thought it was the power of God given them to exercise. I saw that these men had made God altogether such an one as themselves.
I saw that some of the agents of the devil were affecting the bodies of those they could not deceive and draw from the present truth. Some of them were even trying to afflict some of the saints unto death. (O that all could get a view of it as God revealed it unto me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan so as to be on their guard.)
I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, draw away, and deceive God?s people just now in this sealing time more than ever before. I saw some who were not standing stiffly, their knees were trembling, their feet were sliding, because they were not planted firmly on present truth, and the covering of Almighty God would not be drawn over them. While they were thus trembling Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were until the sealing was over and the covering drawn over God?s people, and they left out without protection in the time of slaughter. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, therefore it will very soon be drawn over all of those who are to have a shelter in the time of trouble or day of the Lord.
I saw that as God worked for His people, Satan would also work, and that the mysterious knocking and signs and wonders of Satan and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me were not reformations from error to truth, No, no, but from bad to worse, for those who professed a change of heart had only wrapt about them a religious cloak which covered up the iniquity of a vile heart so as to deceive God?s people; but if their hearts could be seen they would appear as black as ever. My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of souls for sinners as used to be. I looked but could not see it for the time for their salvation is past.
Dear Brother and Sister, I have now written the vision God gave me. I am tired sitting so long. Our position looks very clear. We know we have the truth, the midnight cry is behind us, the door was shut in 1844 and Jesus is soon to step out from between God and man. The sealing will then be accomplished?finished up. Oh, let us keep on the whole armor of God that we may be ready for battle at any moment. We shall have to fight every inch of ground now. Satan has come down in great power, knowing his time is short; but with the commandments of God written in our hearts and in our minds will go on strong and bold, and although the sons of Anak be many and tall, yet we will go on crying, The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Here's the manuscript that piqued my interest in the Shut Door doctrine:
Quote
From Letter 3, 1847, to Joseph Bates.
Written July 13, from Gorham, Maine.
This letter appears in full in Manuscript Releases, Volume 5, pp. 95-98.
While in Exeter, Maine, in meeting with Israel Dammon, James, and many others, many of them did not believe in a shut door. I suffered much at the ommencement of the meeting. Unbelief seemed to be on every hand. There was one sister there that was called very spiritual. She had traveled and been a powerful preacher the most of the time for twenty years. She had been truly a mother in Israel. But a division had risen in the band on the shut door. She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut. (I had known nothing of their differences.)
Sister Durben got up to talk. I felt very, very sad. At length my soul seemed to be in an agony, and while she was talking I fell from my chair to the floor. It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom. They were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them. The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts.
Sister Durben knew what the power of the Lord was, for she had felt it many times; and a short time after I fell she was struck down and fell to the floor, crying to God to have mercy on her. When I came out of vision, my ears were saluted with Sister Durben?s singing and shouting with a loud voice. Most of them received the vision, and were settled upon the shut door.
Written July 13, from Gorham, Maine.
This letter appears in full in Manuscript Releases, Volume 5, pp. 95-98.
While in Exeter, Maine, in meeting with Israel Dammon, James, and many others, many of them did not believe in a shut door. I suffered much at the ommencement of the meeting. Unbelief seemed to be on every hand. There was one sister there that was called very spiritual. She had traveled and been a powerful preacher the most of the time for twenty years. She had been truly a mother in Israel. But a division had risen in the band on the shut door. She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut. (I had known nothing of their differences.)
Sister Durben got up to talk. I felt very, very sad. At length my soul seemed to be in an agony, and while she was talking I fell from my chair to the floor. It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom. They were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them. The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts.
Sister Durben knew what the power of the Lord was, for she had felt it many times; and a short time after I fell she was struck down and fell to the floor, crying to God to have mercy on her. When I came out of vision, my ears were saluted with Sister Durben?s singing and shouting with a loud voice. Most of them received the vision, and were settled upon the shut door.