Our text is found in 1 Kings 3:5. -2TG34 17.1

1 Kings 3:5 — In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said Ask what I shall give thee. -2TG34 17.2

Solomon asked for wisdom and along with it he got everything a man could desire to have. (1 Kings 3:10-14.) If we were given a choice such as Solomon was given what would we ask for? — I fear many of us would not ask for as good a thing as Solomon asked. I think most of us would ask for a reasonable amount of money and some of us perhaps would ask for great riches others for a wife or a husband. And what makes me think this? — Simply because I see so many applying themselves to earning and hunting not to learning. -2TG34 17.3

Supposing you were nothing and you had enough sense to hear Gods voice as did Solomon saying: What do you wish to be? Ask for it and that shall ye be. You would of course want to be the best in Gods creation — a human being. -2TG34 17.4

-17-

If You Were Nothing, What Would You Choose To Be?

TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T HOUTEF,
MINISTER OF DAVIDIAN 7TH-DAY ADVENTISTS
SABBATH, APRIL 17, 1948
WACO, TEXAS

Let us suppose that your request has been granted that you have now become a fine human being but have advanced no further: You as yet belong to no family race government or people. You know nothing about God and nothing about religion. -2TG34 18.1

Next in your progress among the living you would want to choose your nationality. Which of all the people on earth would you choose to be? I would choose to be a Hebrew because the Hebrew nation of all the nations on earth has for its parentage prophets kings and priests. The Hebrew nation of course (I do not mean the unbelieving present day Jews) at the present time has no government of its own it is scattered among the nations. You would therefore have to choose the government under which you would like to make your home. Since the United States of America is the most prosperous nation and since under its rule you can move about with greater freedom than in any other nation you would doubtless choose to become one of its citizens. -2TG34 18.2

Suppose next you were greatly impressed to connect yourself with a church. There being but three religions to choose from — Pagan Christian and Mohammedan — which one would you choose for your own? Your God-given wisdom would tell you that it would have to be the one that has the best and longest record the one that has proved its origin and endurance the one that has proved itself capable of saving a sinner raising the dead and translating the living. -2TG34 18.3

Since the religion of Christ alone has proved itself capable of performing all these and of predicting the rise and fall of nations and peoples past present and future — from time immemorial to the time of the end. And since its founder alone claims credit for creating the world and of being the Son of God the beginning and the end the Saviour of all mankind you would want to join it. In fact if one is to reap the fullest benefit from religion then these are the qualifications which his religion must have. And if these are the chief reasons for ones embracing religion then there is no alternative but to take the Christian religion for it alone backs up its guarantee with actual facts with actual performance. -2TG34 18.4

-18-

Suppose you have now become a whole-hearted an altogether Christian but you are confronted with still a greater problem that is you find Christianity divided into many sects one differing from the other both in doctrine and deportment. You are therefore forced to choose the sect you would like to join the sect you would like to make your own. -2TG34 19.1

Your choice of course would have to be again based on facts not on assumption. And since the Bible Itself has now become your only guide your only teacher you would have to consult It and your choice would have to be made accordingly. And if you be living now in the time of the end the time in which The Revelation of John actually speaks and shines upon the path of the saints you would of course have to consult the book of The Revelation first and join the sect which It recommends. And which is it? — Let us turn to Revelation 12 — -2TG34 19.2

Rev 12:15 — And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. -2TG34 19.3

-19-

The woman you know is the symbol of the sect the Church. -2TG34 20.1

Rev 12:16 — And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. -2TG34 20.2

Only this Church you see is favored even by the earth itself. This sect alone is saved from the Dragons flood saved from being carried away by the flood of hypocrites and tares in her midst. -2TG34 20.3

Rev 12:17 — And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. -2TG34 20.4

Here you see the remnant — those who are left after the others are swallowed by the earth so to speak — keeps the commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus Christ. This remnant or sect that keeps the commandments of God therefore is the only one that Inspiration recommends the only one that is worth joining the only one that can profit any one. It alone possesses the power to escape any and all of the calamities that are now brewing throughout the world. It is the only sect that finds favor with God. No other would do for no other could profit you. -2TG34 20.5

Then too it alone has the testimony of Jesus Christ — the living Spirit of Prophecy in its midst (Rev. 19:10) — the Spirit Who leads into all Truth Who alone can rightly interpret the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:20, 21). Plainly then Inspiration would have you join no sect but this remnant. -2TG34 20.6

-20-

Keeping the commandments of God though involves keeping everyone of them for Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all. James 2:10. And remember too that the keeping of the commandments can openly be recognized only by the keeping of the Sabbath commandment the commandment which says: -2TG34 21.1

Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy manservant nor thy maidservant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Ex. 20:9-11. -2TG34 21.2

The Sabbath day you see is created holy but the first six days are created for work. The seventh-day Sabbath is the only Sabbath and in all the holy Word of God there is no command to keep another day in its stead. The keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath alone testifies of ones faith in the Creator and against evolution. A Sabbath substitute therefore can no more be acceptable as a commandment of God than could Cains offering have been accepted as Gods ordained sacrifice. -2TG34 21.3

No do not contradict the Lord by saying the seventh-day is for the Jews only for the Lord says: -2TG34 21.4

Isa 56:2-7 — Blessed is the man that doeth this and the son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord speak saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say Behold I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please Me and take hold of My covenant even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord to serve Him and to love the name of the Lord to be His servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting It and taketh hold of My covenant even them will I bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. -2TG34 21.5

-21-

The only Sabbath Jesus ever knew was the seventh-day Sabbath and looking forward to the great tribulation deep in the Christian era He said: But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be. Matthew 24:20, 21. The Sabbath you see is for all peoples both in Old and New Testament times. Moreover again speaking of the Christian era the time the earth is made new Inspiration declares: -2TG34 22.1

Isa 66:23 — And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before Me saith the Lord. -2TG34 22.2

-22-

Since The Revelation the book that speaks to the people of God at this time recommends the sect that keeps the commandments and that has the gift of prophecy you cannot wisely connect yourself with any other sect. And since God so declares it must be that there is but one such people at this particular time who have the living testimony of Jesus Christ the Gift of the Spirit of Prophecy. Moreover for God to place the Gift with more than one people would be for Him to cause confusion and disaster to His own work to thwart His own purpose. Still further if more than one has the Gift then they all would necessarily have to agree as one. But since there are no two sects that agree with each other the truth that there is but one sect that has the Gift is an absolute reality. And while you may choose to keep the Sabbath commandment you cannot inspire yourself with the Spirit of Prophecy — this Gift is bestowed upon the remnant by God Himself. -2TG34 23.1

Your next problem in your progress of life would be to find the proper name of that commandment-keeping people a name that would actually by practice express that they are the remnant for a Divinely inspired name must in actuality point out the people whom Inspiration here recommends. Any other name on them would be misleading and the same name on any other people would be misleading too. -2TG34 23.2

Let us not neglect to note too that the name of a people is not really a name but a title. And titles you know change as fast as Truth unfolds as fast as Truth advances from one phase of the gospel work to another. -2TG34 23.3

-23-

To illustrate: Even the personal names of the patriarchs by which various movements of the past were named were changed as time went on. Abram you recall in the process of time was called Abraham and Jacob was called Israel. Then too the Church of Moses time was called Israelite at Christs time it was called Judean and after that Christian. Finally came the time that it was called either Catholic or Protestant. Then either Lutheran or some other. Each one of these was the offspring of the old. Not those who lag behind but those who march on with the messages of God as time goes on are always recognized by Heaven as the Church. -2TG34 24.1

At the commencement of each message the people that marched on with the Truth were the individual members of the church which had become a church through the acceptance of a message a message which its founder brought forth. For example the entire Jewish church did not become a Christian church but the Christian church drew its members from the Jewish church and brought them to advanced Truth Truth especially adaptable for the time and the people then. -2TG34 24.2

As we are now living in the time of The Revelation in the time of the unfolding of the prophecies which point to the setting up of the Kingdom as well as to the second advent of Christ the Church at this time therefore could not logically go by a name other than a name which would befit her present (advanced) phase of the gospel work. -2TG34 24.3

Plainly then her name must express the truths she advocates: that is the keeping of the commandments the second advent of Christ and also the restoration of the Davidian Kingdom according to prophecy. Hence the logical name that would represent her work from this time down to the time the Kingdom is set up is to be Davidian Seventh-day Adventists — a name that testifies of the Kingdom message of keeping the commandments of which the seventh-day Sabbath is a part and of the second advent of Christ. -2TG34 24.4

-24-

Now you see that every additional timely Truth brings an additional timely name. And you who have not been baptized in the name of the Church but in the name of Christ through the Truth of the Spirit you who are not tied to any man but to Christ cannot help going on with the Spirit of Prophecy Who unfolds the Truth and names Its people. You could not therefore afford to calmly stand by dreaming of being rich and increased with goods in need of nothing while in fact you are spiritually poor and naked. And you will stay that way if you neglect to advance with the Truth for this time. -2TG34 25.1

Finally you need to know concretely what is the Kingdom message the additional message (Early Writings pg. 277) and the phase of its work that promotes the title Seventh-day Adventist to the title Davidian Seventh-day Adventist. -2TG34 25.2

Isa 11:11, 12, 16 — And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. And He shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth…. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of His people which shall be left from Assyria like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. -2TG34 25.3

-25-

If Gods people who are in Babylon are to come out of her to escape her plagues (Rev. 18:4) and to avoid the sins that are in Babylon when she rides the beast and rules the world (Rev. 17) they must necessarily go to a place that is not vulnerable to her plagues and where there is no sin. Where is that place? — Let the Bible give the answer: -2TG34 26.1

Ezekiel 37:21-28 — And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be king over them and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children forever: and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea I will be their God and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. -2TG34 26.2

-26-

Ezek 36:22-28 — Therefore say unto the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for Mine holy names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whither ye went. And I will sanctify My great name which was profaned among the heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and ye shall keep My judgments and do them. And ye shall well in the land that I gave to your fathers and ye shall be My people and I will be your God. -2TG34 27.1

Now you can more fully appreciate the name Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. And so if you were nothing yesterday and a Divinely enlightened human being today you would at last be a Davidian Seventh-day Adventist. -2TG34 27.2

-27-

Suppose though you would then wish to go on to perfection? You would of course again cry out to the Lord and say: -2TG34 28.1

Mic 6:6, 7 — Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? -2TG34 28.2

And now this is Gods answer to your cry: -2TG34 28.3

Mic 6:8 — He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God? -2TG34 28.4

Yes here you have the answer to your hearts desire: Do justly love mercy and walk humbly with thy God be not high-minded and self-sufficient. And what is more Inspiration continues: -2TG34 28.5

Mic 6:9 — The Lords voice crieth unto the city and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod and Who hath appointed it. -2TG34 28.6

The Shepherds Rod the books that Inspiration so named and inspired its contents being the only Rod in the world that can be heard speaking the Lord commands that you should hear it that you do not waste any time in deciding between the Rod literature and some other. For there is none other today than the Rod literature which God recommends you to hear. And when you hear the Rod you will find yourself wrapped in the love of Christ and in the arms of God. Try it. -2TG34 28.7

-28-

Now listen to His Word and let Him in the language of the prophets tell you more about the day you and I are now approaching the day with which we are almost face to face. With the light already given the following scriptures need no special comments they are self-interpretative. -2TG34 29.1

Micah 6:9 — The Lords voice crieth unto the city and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod and Who hath appointed it. -2TG34 29.2

Zech 13:8, 9 — And it shall come to pass that in all the land saith the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and die but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name and I will hear them: I will say It is My people: and they shall say The Lord is my God. -2TG34 29.3

Zech 12:8-10 — 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. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for -2TG34 29.4

-29-

Him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for Him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. -2TG34 30.1

Jer 30:9 — But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king whom I will raise up unto them. -2TG34 30.2

Ezek 37:24-26 — And David My servant shall be king over them and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. -2TG34 30.3

Since you are now instructed in Truth and righteousness and since the earth has not yet swallowed up the Dragons flood also since this message is but the announcement that the earth will soon swallow the flood with which class of church members would you love most to associate? — Hear ye now the class which the Lord recommends: -2TG34 30.4

Matt 5:3-16 — Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. -2TG34 30.5

-30-