Hello there elder Jeff,
May God bless you and your ministry. My name is JK and I am a Seventh-day Adventist living in C. You don’t know me, but I know you very well, because I spent about fifty hours studying your prophecy seminar. I am very impressed in my mind what you are teaching is biblical and has great truth. I am a Korean and although my English is poor, I tried my best to understand fully. May God help me with knowledge!!!
If what you are saying is present truth (probation is about to be closed…very soon). I think all those poor Adventists in Korea need to know what you teach. I think I watched a video in which you said have been to Korea three times? Would you let me know where you and with whom you taught? Currently I know no one who is teaching things that you teach in Korea. I wish I can contact people who share the same present truth as you teach. If you let me know, I would be greatly appreciated.
One Bible question. Do you see any clues for the last days involving Babylon in Jeremiah’s days? What I am saying is before all those in Judah including Zedekiah were fallen and taken to Babylon, Jeremiah told his people to be subject to the King of Babylon. This passage always puzzled me in that; they are not supposed to rebel against Babylon. Do you think that this passage is giving us any lessons to learn in the last days? Please let me know what you think. Thanks a bunch. I know you are a busy man. Thanks Sincerely JK.
Response
Brother JK,
The whole Bible, including your question concerning Jeremiah applies and is fulfilled at the end of the world. When prophets become part of the prophecy they represent God’s people (the Millerites and the one hundred forty-four thousand) at the end of the world. Jeremiah then is illustrating something that happens with God’s people at the end of the world.
The following is how I would break down the story you cited about Jeremiah, but I do so with two qualifications. I do not intend to prove every point that I make, and I would hold my full conclusion back until the other places where the end of Jerusalem in the story of Gedeliah, Zedekiah and Jeremiah are presented. The following passage must be understood in light of those other passages, but at the surface the following passage of Scripture might represent:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place. Jeremiah 40:1–2.
This is the word of the Lord that comes once Jerusalem is captured for the third and final time. It is important to note which of the three judgments of Jerusalem the story is set in. In the passage you are wondering about it is set in the third of three judgments that are brought upon Jerusalem in order to utterly destroy the sanctuary and the city. It is of note that it then took three decrees to re-build the sanctuary and the city. The judgment of three kings brings her down and the judgment of three kings brings her up, for her judgment is based upon the word of the First and the Last.
“This overthrow of Jerusalem was predicted by Jeremiah, and immediately accomplished, B.C.606. Jeremiah 25:8–11. . . . Jehoiakim, though bound for the purpose of being taken to Babylon, having humbled himself, was permitted to remain as ruler in Jerusalem, tributary to the king of Babylon.
“This was the first time Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Twice subsequently, the city, having revolted, was captured by the same king, being more severely dealt with each succeeding time. Of these subsequent overthrows, the first was under Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim, B.C.599, when all the sacred vessels were either taken or destroyed, and the best of the inhabitants, with the king, were led into captivity. The second was under Zedekiah, when the city endured the most formidable siege it ever sustained, except that by Titus, in A.D.70. During the two years’ continuance of this siege, the inhabitants of the city suffered all the horrors of extreme famine. At length the garrison and king, attempting to escape from the city, were captured by the Chaldeans. The sons of the king were slain before his face. His eyes were put out, and he was taken to Babylon; and thus was fulfilled the prediction of Ezekiel, who declared that he should be carried to Babylon, and die there, but yet should not see the place. Ezekiel 12:13. The city and temple were at this time utterly destroyed, and the entire population of the city and country, with the exception of a few husbandmen, were carried captive to Babylon, B.C.588.
“Such was God’s passing testimony against sin. Not that the Chaldeans were the favorites of Heaven but God made use of them to punish the iniquities of his people. Had the Israelites been faithful to God, and kept his Sabbath, Jerusalem would have stood forever. Jeremiah 17:24–27. But they departed from him, and he abandoned
“During these days of trouble and distress upon Jerusalem, Daniel and his companions were nourished and instructed in the palace of the king of Babylon; and though captives in a strange land, they were doubtless in some respects much more favorably situated than they could have been in their native country.” Thoughts on Daniel and o the Revelation, Uriah Smith, 24–26.
The second judgment was Jehoiachin in 599BC, and the third judgment was in 588BC with Zedekiah. The first judgment represented by Jehoiakim was 606BC in fulfillment of Jeremiah 25:8–12.
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
God’s people are always tested by the prophecies that are fulfilled in their own history. That last sentence sounds simple enough, but unless it is thought through it can be missed how deep the idea is. God’s people are always tested based upon whether they correctly understand their own prophetic history, which is called in the Scriptures the hour of their visitation? Did the antediluvians understand the hour of their visitation? Did Lot, or Pharaoh or Ahab?
Zedekiah does not see the third judgment, but he experiences it. Zedekiah did not see his judgment coming, though it had been faithfully set forth in God’s prophetic word. Judgment was upon him and his people, for they were a rebellious people with eyes to see, yet seeing not, and ears to hear, yet hearing not. Because Zedekiah and his people would not see and hear the prophecies of their history, Zedekiah’s eyes were less than surgically removed. Zedekiah is a symbol of not only judgment, but of the third judgment of three judgments—the final judgment.
In the following passage of Scripture you can see that Zedekiah is a symbol of the judgment against those who possess Laodicean blindness, and that before judgment was delivered, the prophet Ezekiel set forth a prophecy that was a visual warning of the impending judgment that was to be fulfilled in their history. Ezekiel not only visually demonstrates that when a prophet becomes part of the prophecy the prophet is then illustrating God’s people at the end of the world, but Ezekiel directly endorses that truth.
The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying, Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? Say thou unto them,
Thus saith the Lord God; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. Ezekiel 12:1–13.
Zedekiah represents the third of three judgments. Zedekiah and his peoples’ blindness represent Laodicea. Their blindness was demonstrated by their inability to understand the prophetic message for the day and hour. Ezekiel set forth a visual prophetic warning that preceded the judgment, just as the animals entered the ark before the door was closed, just as the plagues arrived before the door was closed on Passover, just as triumphal entry took place before the door was closed at the cross, just like the 1843 chart became the issue just before the door was closed in 1844 and just like the visual test that precedes the Sunday law in the United States. Ezekiel also confirms by word and illustration that when a prophet becomes part of the prophecy he represents God’s people in the last days.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place. Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land. Jeremiah 40:1–6.
The word of the Lord after the third judgment, when Judah was punished and carried to Babylon, when Nebuzaradan a Babylonian gives testimony that the judgment of Jerusalem was based upon God’s prophetic word, when Gedaliah is made ruler over the cities of Judah and faithful Jeremiah is then is set free.
Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. Jeremiah 40:7–9.
The word of the Lord after the third judgment, when Judah was carried to Babylon, a Babylonian gives testimony that the judgment was based upon God’s prophetic word, when Gedaliah is made ruler over Judah and Jeremiah is set free, after which seven men or all of Judah unify with Gedaliah in agreement to serving Babylon.
As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. Genesis 31:48–49.
Mizpah: pause to pear to look, a watchtower.
The word of the Lord after the third judgment, when Judah was carried to Babylon, a Babylonian gives testimony that the judgment was based upon God’s prophetic word, when Gedaliah is made ruler over Judah, Jeremiah is set free, and after which Judah unifies with Gedaliah to serve Babylon, while Gedeliah decides to stay in the watchtower and serve Babylon, while he tells the others to gather the summer fruits representing the harvest at the end of the world.
Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan; Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much. Jeremiah 40:11–12.
The harvest at the end of the world comes from modern Babylon, which is divided into three parts represented as the dragon, the beast and the false prophet in Revelation sixteen; and represented as Edom, Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon in Daniel 11:41; and represented as Edom, Moab and Ammon in Isaiah 11:14; and represented as Jezebel, Ahab and the prophets of Baal in the story of Carmel; and as represented as the king of the south, the king of the north and the chariots, horsemen and ships of Daniel 11:40; and as the power, seat and great authority of Revelation 13:2; and as pagan Rome, the Jewish church and Barabas at the cross and as all representing the remnant of Judah that came from Moab, Ammon and Edom when they heard that the remnant was in Judah in the time of the gathering of the summer fruits.
At the final judgment, Jeremiah is set free, Judah is carried to Babylon, a Babylonian testifies (Daniel’s testimony comes from Babylon) the judgment was based upon God’s word, Judah serves Babylon, and Gedeliah stays in the watchtower, sends Judah to gather modern Babylon represented by Moab, Ammon and Edom who hear in the time of the harvest that there is a remnant Judah.
Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.
Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael. Jeremiah 40:13–16.
Ishmael represents a warning that comes both openly and secretly which threatens death and scattering upon Judah and is rejected because the testimony of Ishmael is declared to be false. At the final judgment when Jeremiah (God’s people) are set free (sealed), at the Sunday law and the mark of the beast testing time, and the events connected with the close of the judgment from the book of Daniel (chapter eleven) are being fulfilled, Judah (the church triumphant) is then sent to gather the final harvest from modern Babylon, and there will then be a unified remnant in the time of the gathering. During that time a warning message represented by Ishmael, and thus representing modern Islam is recognized openly in the current activities of modern radical Islam and secretly as Islam is revealed through God’s prophetic word, but only to those that will see. The warning message of Islam is a deadly warning, which includes prophetic misunderstanding and deception.
Jeremiah forty is illustrating the end of the world for it is identifying the sequence of events that are clearly established in the prophetic word. Zedekiah’s judgment is the third waymark, and therefore becomes the waymark where judgment is illustrated.
At the cross, the third waymark of that sacred history there was judgment; at Passover, the third waymark in that history there was judgment of the first born; at the arrival of the third message on October 22, 1844 there was judgment. At Zedekiah’s capture we have the third of three judgments—we have the third angel and we have his message. Before that third waymark of judgment there was a visual prophetic warning, which is a characteristic of the second waymark in the sacred histories of God’s word. When the Sunday law arrives the final judgment will be here. At the Sunday law there will be two classes of worshippers that are demonstrated. The first class is represented by Jeremiah who is then set free, and the other class is those Judeans that are carried away to Babylon.
Jeremiah represents Seventh-day Adventists that receive the seal of God at the judgment of the Sunday law and the Judeans that are taken captive are those within Adventism that there and then receive the mark of the beast. At that time there is a call to come out of Babylon and the Jews (God’s other children outside of Adventism) that are still in Edom, Moab and Ammon represent the one-hour laborers that come and stand with God’s people during the Sunday law crisis. Zedekiah’s and Jeremiah’s generation is therefore tested by the prophecies that have been set forth to specifically identify the very time in which they were living and those that fail the testing process then were those who forgot the Lord’s leading in their past history and experience. Not understanding at least two important prophetic perspectives the Judeans are taken captive and die. The one prophetic perspective they failed to see is that the prophetic message of your very own history is what always tests God’s people, and other is that Ishmael represents a life and death message that must be understood by God’s people living during the end of the world.
There is more that would need to be factored into this story, for I know that after Gedeliah is killed the Jews go into Egypt and so on and so forth, but I think I might have at least given you insight on how I would approach that passage. Hope this helps. Jeff.
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