I shall read from The Mount of Blessing beginning with the last paragraph on page 159. -1TG10 16.1

M.B. pp. 159, 160 — … The kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven is to be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. And Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign…. Only those who devote themselves to His service saying Here am I send me to open blind eyes to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified — they alone pray in sincerity Thy kingdom come. -1TG10 16.2

These lines tell us that those who in sincerity pray Thy kingdom come those who devote themselves to Gods service those whose lips are touched with the coals from the altar (who see themselves as sinners) and who then say Here am I send me are the only ones who are worthy to be sent into Gods vineyard today. -1TG10 16.3

And now what shall be our prayer? — That we may be able conscientiously to say Thy kingdom come realizing that we are in reality saying that we are doing everything we can to make it so that we are laboring for it incessantly that we are complying with the Lords will as are the angels. -1TG10 16.4

How ironic it is for one to pray the Lords prayer while doing something other than working for its fulfillment It is like a person saying Let me have your hand while he at the same time brushes it away. Such a prayer is just one form of blasphemy. We should pray that we conform our will with the will of God be faithful in His work and be sincerely His alone. -1TG10 16.5

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What Brings Success to Revival and Reformation?

TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T HOUTEF,
MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS
SABBATH, OCTOBER 12, 1946
WACO, TEXAS

In Life Sketches page 425, we read — I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement — a work of revival — going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line responding to Gods call. My brethren the Lord is speaking to us…. -1TG10 17.1

Here is a forecast of a great movement a movement that is to carry on a work of a successful revival in many places. Here it is also seen that the people will respond to Gods call and that this envisioned work of revival is to be carried by a Divinely organized movement not by the Denomination though and not by a man here and a man there. The movement is God-created not devised by men. -1TG10 17.2

We have through the years seen numerous persons and groups of persons in different parts of the Adventist world who at one time or another did stage what they termed a revival and reformation but not one of them have ever been able to accomplish much if anything. One by one they end up by quitting in disgust. Rather than being revived and reformed for the better they after each such effort slid away from God and closer and closer to the level of the worlds standards. -1TG10 17.3

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Clear it must be to every open-eyed Truth seeker that the revival which Life Sketches predicts and pictures is this laymens movement for aside from this movement that is now on foot slowly but steadily sweeping away the rubbish throughout the Adventist world we have never as yet in the existence of the authors writings in Life Sketches seen another such an organized movement carrying such a revival as this. -1TG10 18.1

The Bible contains the complete plan of salvation for all humanity. How do I know this? — I know it because Its story begins with creation and ends with the earth made new. Between the first and the last pages of the Bible then lies the complete formula for mans salvation and redemption. And if such revival and reformation as here envisioned is to take place in the world between those two events (creation and the new earth) then the material and example of such a work must be found somewhere in the pages of the Bible. -1TG10 18.2

Before we read what the Bible has to say on the subject I think we should first concretely define the words revival and reformation. For revival the dictionary gives: To restore to refresh to renew to re-awaken to re-establish. And for reformation the dictionary gives this definition: To make better morally change for the better. -1TG10 18.3

Christ Our Righteousness defines these terms of speech as follows: A revival and a reformation must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life a quickening of the powers of mind and heart a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization a change in ideas and theories habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work and in doing this work they must blend. — p. 154, 1926 edition p. 121, 1941 edition. -1TG10 18.4

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What is the difference between revival and reformation ? — Revival means to bring the spiritual qualities back to life to quicken the mind and the heart to the upbuilding of the spiritual phase of life to re-establish to repair. And reformation means to change ones self for the better to reorganize the moral powers under Divine guidance. -1TG10 19.1

In the Bible there is but one example (type) of such a revival and reformation as the one here predicted. We find it recorded in the books of Haggais and Zechariahs prophecies. -1TG10 19.2

You remember that those ancient Jews were by Cyrus king of Persia released from their captivity as soon as Babylon fell. He made a decree that they should go back to their homeland to rebuild the desolations and the ruins. The king especially decreed that the rebuilding of the temple and the re-establishing of the worship of the God of Heaven should be done faithfully and speedily. A revival of the spiritual part of the nation (the temple and its system of worship) was their chief concern. But according to Ezra 4:24, Cyruss decree and also another that was issued a few years later were both frustrated and in the second year of the reign of Darius King of Persia the work completely ceased and apparently there was no hope of ever resuming again. -1TG10 19.3

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Then it was that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were called to their prophetic office and commissioned to revive and to reorganize the builders for the deserted temple project. See Haggai 1:1 and Zechariah 1:1. The happy and surprising result was that within four short years the stately spiritual edifice was quickly finished whereas all the previous and strenuous efforts of kings and people covering a period of over thirty years completely failed. (See Ezra 6:15) -1TG10 20.1

Let us now realistically consider why the builders efforts and the kings decrees at first failed and why at last they succeeded: Before Haggai and Zechariah were called to the prophetic office many of the Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem although the majority remained in Babylon that is the builders voluntarily went to build only because the captivity had ended and because the king had decreed that the temple of God should be built. But both the builders and the kings efforts were a complete failure — all came to naught. Then it was that through His prophets Haggai and Zechariah God directed the work and then it was that they quickly finished. In other words not before the Lord took the reins in His Own hands through the Spirit of Prophecy did the work prosper. In fact sacred history proves that nothing has ever prospered in Gods work without the living Spirit of Prophecy in its midst. -1TG10 20.2

For example Moses understood from childhood up that his lot it was to deliver the children of Israel from Pharaohs brickyards. And when he was fully grown up and thoroughly trained in the courts of Pharaoh and saw himself strong and capable he quickly undertook to deliver the enslaved Hebrew host: killed one Egyptian got into an argument with a Hebrew then deserted everything and without hope of ever coming back he fled the country in complete defeat. Forty years later after God endowed him with the Spirit of Prophecy he returned and triumphantly led the Hebrew captives out of Egypt -1TG10 20.3

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These special incidences make crystal clear that no matter how hard men may try to bring about revival and reformation among Gods people their efforts are doomed to failure even before they start if God does not Himself through His prophets take charge of the work. -1TG10 21.1

Now as to what took place in the way of reformation after the ancient house of God had been built let us read -1TG10 21.2

Ezra 6:19-21 — And the children of the captivity kept the Passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. For the priests and the Levites were purified together all of them were pure and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity and for their brethren the priests and for themselves. And the children of Israel which were come again out of captivity and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel did eat. -1TG10 21.3

Let us now connect Ezras record with that of Nehemiahs. -1TG10 21.4

Neh. 10:28-32 — And the rest of the people the priests the Levites the porters the singers the Nethinims and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God their wives their sons and their daughters every one having knowledge and having understanding they clave to their brethren their nobles and entered into a curse and into an oath to walk in Gods law which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and His judgments and His statutes and that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land nor take their daughters for our sons: and if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. Also we made ordinances for us to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God. -1TG10 21.5

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Here you see a record of complete revival and reformation such as had never been. The things that were revived are these: (1) The house of God was rebuilt and the sacred services re-instituted (2) the old wastes were rebuilt and the city reinhabited. The reforms which took place were: (1) The priests and the Levites were all purified (2) all the children of the captivity separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen (3) all entered into a curse and into an oath to walk in Gods law to observe His judgments and His statutes not to give their daughters to the people of the land nor to take their daughters for wives for their sons (4) they made Sabbath observance a strict rule and (5) they liberally pledged to support the work of God with their means. Such genuine and complete revival and reformation had never been launched since man fell in sin. -1TG10 22.1

That the revival and reformation of that day is a type of revival and reformation to take place in our day is principally noted from the fact that the prophecies of both Haggai and Zechariah intermingle dual events one to take place in their day and another to take place in our day. Says the Lord: -1TG10 22.2

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Hag. 2:21-23 — Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying I will shake the heavens and the earth and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in them and the horses and their riders shall come down every one by the sword of his brother. In that day saith the Lord of hosts will I take thee O Zerubbabel My servant the son of Shealtiel saith the Lord and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee saith the Lord of hosts. -1TG10 23.1

Here we are told that in the day God destroys the strength of the heathen kingdoms which event is yet future He makes ancient Zerubbabel a signet of a Zerubbabel in the day the strength of the kingdoms is destroyed. Again we read: -1TG10 23.2

Zech. 2:5, 11, 13 — For I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her…. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee…. Be silent O all flesh before the Lord: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation. -1TG10 23.3

The wall which the Jews built around Jerusalem in Zechariahs day was of stone but the one here predicted is to be of fire far superior rendering absolute security to the inhabitants that are within. Moreover no other people none besides the Jews were permitted to join the builders of Jerusalem in his day but in our day many nations are to join. Furthermore at the fulfillment of these prophecies the Lord requests that all flesh reverently and silently note that He is raised up out of His holy habitation — that He is now visiting the earth. -1TG10 23.4

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Zech. 2:8 — For thus saith the Lord of hosts After the glory [after the church eternal] hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye. -1TG10 24.1

In Zechariahs day the Lord did not send anyone to the nations after anything but in our day He is to send antitypical Zechariah (interpreter of Zechariahs prophecies) to the nations that are ruling and exploiting His people and those nations are to become a spoil and shall know that the Lord has sent him. -1TG10 24.2

Zech. 2:12 — And the Lord shall inherit Judah His portion in the Holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem again. -1TG10 24.3

When the nations join the Lord in the Holy Land then it is that He shall inherit Judah and again choose Jerusalem. And most significant of all He declares that He is already raised up out of His holy habitation to accomplish all these things. -1TG10 24.4

Zech. 8:7, 20, 21 — Thus saith the Lord of hosts Behold I will save My people from the east country and from the west country … Thus saith the Lord of hosts It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities: and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. -1TG10 24.5

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The prophets attention was directed to a time when the Lord is to gather His people from both the east and the west to a time when one citys inhabitants will invite anothers to go to the Holy Land. This same prophecy appears in both Isaiahs chapter two and Micahs chapter four. -1TG10 25.1

Zech. 8:22, 23 — Yea many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts In those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. -1TG10 25.2

Obviously the ten men are a representative figure of universality as are the ten virgins of Matthew 25. If so then the church as a body will speak all the languages of the nations. Their taking hold of the one that is a Jew and saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you definitely points out that someone a descendant of the Christian Jews will proclaim Gods ingathering message in the time of the end and that he will be recognized as such. -1TG10 25.3

Let us now turn to– -1TG10 25.4

Zech. 9:9 — Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass. -1TG10 25.5

In these prophecies is brought to view the first advent of Christ. -1TG10 25.6

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Zech. 9:10 — And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battle bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea and from the river even to the ends of the earth. -1TG10 26.1

That is God was to bring the ancient kingdoms Ephraim and Jerusalem (Israel and Judah) to an end and then turn to the Gentiles and speak salvation to them. Thus shall His dominion be over all the earth. -1TG10 26.2

Zech. 12:3, 8, 9 — And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it…. In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the angel of the Lord before them. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. -1TG10 26.3

That is after disintegrating the ancient kingdoms Israel and Judah He is again to re-establish and unify them as depicted in Ezekiel 36 and in other portions of the Scriptures. At that time Jerusalem the city of the saints is to become a burdensome stone for all the people of the earth. That is they will hate the city and its inhabitants and will attempt to take it but instead they will be cut in pieces for the Lord will defend His people. Then it is that even the most feeble among the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be as willing as daring and as capable as was ancient David. And the house of David — the kingdom that is to be set up which is but the church purified no sinners among them (Isa. 52:1) shall be as the angel of the Lord before the people. -1TG10 26.4

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Since Zechariahs prophecy met only partial fulfillment in the days the Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and since his writings speak interchangeably of another such movement the which is to be greater than the former there is therefore no doubt but that the latter is the antitype of the former. Hence the revival and reformation of Zechariahs time is to repeat in our time. The builders failure to continue with the work and to bring revival and reformation before Haggai and Zechariah were called to the prophetic office and their success after God through the prophets took over perfectly demonstrates that without the living Spirit of Prophecy in the midst no revival and reformation efforts can succeed and that is why they all heretofore have failed. The type also perfectly demonstrates that since God has now risen from His holy habitation and has taken the reins in His Own hands revival and reformation is sure to triumph. It is therefore useless to agitate revivals and reformations while one knows not what and how actually to revive or to reform. It is commendable to hold up the standard but it certainly is not in Gods order for one to work up something and to call it revival and reformation. -1TG10 27.1

In conclusion let us summarize the two main points which our study of the afternoon has definitely made clear to us: (1) That a work and movement similar to those of Zechariahs day is successfully to bring revival and reformation among Gods people of today that those who expect the promised blessings must whole-heartedly enter into it. (2) That without the living Spirit of Prophecy in our midst there can be no success in any revival and reformation and that the sooner we know it the quicker we shall achieve our goal. -1TG10 27.2

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