Featured The Heresy of Investigative Judgment

The Gospel of the Investigative Judgment

Here we have it folks. Scripture gives us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, beameup gives us the false gospel of Paul, and SDA gives us the false gospel of Investigative Judgment. Ryan has posted certain passages from Daniel numerous times, generally without comment but since he will not comment on Scripture according to God perhaps he will comment on the following remarks by Adventist scholars?? who concede that Scripture does not really support Investigative Judgment. But of course a disciple of Ellen White is willing to try one more time and give SDA's another book to replace the Bible The Silencing of Satan: The Gospel of the Investigative Judgment.

 

The false gospel of Investigative Judgment

I am going to take a page out of Ryan's book. Copy and paste your own posts. That being said it is significant when leaders of a group refute the teachings of a group. The remarks by SDA leaders regarding Investigative Judgment is sort of like the Roman Catholic College of Cardinals declaring the papacy heretical.

What is really sad:tear: is that Ryan repeatedly posts passage of Scripture that say nothing about Investigative Judgment and then complains:type: because no one takes the time to refute what is not taught!:laugh::laugh:

 

It is devastating when leaders of a cult confess that there is no, that is zero, Scriptural support for their heretical dogma. But it is encouraging when cult members do face up to the truth of the Bible.

I can understand how it would be devastating for someone like Bob Ryan to learn that Investigative Judgement is a heretical, cultic con. This admission by SDA leaders, that there is zero Scriptural support for Investigative Judgment, is somewhat like the Roman Catholic College of Cardinals declaring the papacy heretical. Think how all those folks depending on the Pope for absolution would feel.

Cheer up Ryan, be thankful, these people have taken a monkey off your back!

 

I had read Martin's book, The Kingdom of the Cults, many years ago and took a quick look at Hanegraaff's revision a few years back.

I had forgotten about Investigative Judgment until I started responding to some of Ryan's posts. Got curious, Investigated and Judged!

 

I went back and reread the quotation I submitted in the OP. When you realize some of the things they believe or teach it dawns on you how far out these people are. Sometimes groups like the Branch Davidians and David Koresh spin off from these cults with disastrous results.

From the OP: {Emphasis Mine}

Now it is possible that some SDA people reject these heretical beliefs but I have seen no indication from Ryan; just the posting of Scripture from Daniel without comment. And then good old Leroy Froom gives the excuse for these heretical beliefs: {Emphasis Mine}

 

Investigative Judgment is not mentioned or supported in any way by the Scripture you post. SDA is accused of heresy out of the mouths of some of their proponents. If the following, which I repeat, is not rank heresy then heresy does not exist:

From the OP: {Emphasis Mine}

And then from DHK's post:

Titus 3:10. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

I am taking Paul's advice!

 

Amy,

Many years ago I taught the Book of Daniel in SS. Following are some notes I prepared. I realize that Daniel is difficult to understand in some places but I believe the following interpretation shows that Ryan and the SDA are ignorant of Scripture.

Daniel, Chapter 7

The 7th chapter of Daniel presents an account of a dream or vision that Daniel experienced during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. The vision is prophetic in nature. The information given parallels that revealed in the interpretation of the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar as presented in chapter 2. Furthermore Daniel’s vision expands on the prophetic information presented in chapter 2. Before continuing with Chapter 7 it is worth reviewing the prophecy of Chapter 2 and its interpretation.

Daniel 2:36-45, KJV
36 This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Daniels interpretation of the dream is that the statue represents four consecutive kingdoms and that the during the days of the 4th kingdom God will establish a kingdom which will destroy all others and shall stand forever. Daniel identifies the first kingdom as Babylon, which represented by the golden head. History has identified the remaining kingdoms as follows: the 2nd kingdom, represented by the silver breasts and arms represents the Medo-Persian empire, which will conquer Babylon; the 3rd kingdom represented by the belly and thighs of brass represents the empire of Alexander the Great; the 4th kingdom represents the Roman Empire, which was without doubt the greatest of the four. Verse 41 seems to indicate that the 4th kingdom will continue exist for some time as a divided kingdom. In verse 2:34 Daniel speaks of a stone, not made with hands “which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.” In verses 2:44,45 Daniel identifies this stone as the Kingdom of God which will be established during the days of the 4th kingdom, will “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Notice one important revelation in this scripture, once the Kingdom of God is established it will “stand forever”. When we studied Chapter 2 we looked at a number of passages from the New Testament that validate the establislment of the Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ. Lets revisit a couple of these passages.

Mark 1:14,15, KJV
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Acts 20:17, 25-27, KJV
17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men].
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Lets look now at the similar prophecy given in Chapter 7. You will see as the passage is read that more information is given about each kingdom.

Daniel 7:1-8, KJV
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first [was] like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Rather than a statue as in Nebuchadnezzar dream the four kingdoms are represested by four beasts that come up out of a sea. Three of these beasts are known animals with some added features, the fourth beast is different and dissimiliar from any real beast. We have already alluded to the meaning of the four beasts. However. before we discuss these creatures further we will look at the next passage of scripture.

Daniel 7:9-14, KJV
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.

In this passage of scripture we have a picture of God sitting in judgment of the four beasts [or kingdoms]. Daniel is the only place in scripture where God is referred to as the Ancient of days. Notice that the judgment of the fourth beast is more severe than that of the others. The kingdoms represented by all the beasts were guilty of warfare against the people of God, however, remember that the first kingdom [Babylon] was used by God to judge Judah. Also keep in mind that the forth kingdom was an instrument used in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Notice particularly in verse 14 that a kingdom is given to the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] by the Ancient of days and that this kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Its worth reading verse 14 again.

“And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.”

 

Many years ago I taught the Book of Daniel in SS. Following are some notes I prepared. I realize that Daniel is difficult to understand in some places but I believe the following interpretation shows that Ryan and the SDA are ignorant of Scripture.

Daniel, Chapter 7, continued

We have already shown that the Kingdom of God was established at His first coming. There are two familiar passages of scripture that while not necessarily shedding any light on Daniel &:14 are nevertheless enlightening.

Mark 12:35,36, KJV
35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.


1 Corinthians 15:24-28, KJV
24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under [him, it is] manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.


Notice that in the first passage Jesus Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God until God makes all the enemies of Jesus Christ His footstool. In the second passage, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Jesus Christ is said to put all enemies under His feet, while in verses 27 and 28 God is again said to put all things under Jesus Christ. This is entirely consistent with Daniel 7:14.

Lets look now at the identification of the four beasts. Scripture gives us some assistance.

Daniel 7:15-28, KJV
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of [my] body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, [are] four kings, [which] shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth [were of] iron, and his nails [of] brass; [which] devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look [was] more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto [is] the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

There are several things that are of significance in this passage of scripture and the earlier passage presenting the beasts, verses 1-8. Notice:


1. The four beasts represent four kings or kingdoms. We have already indicated this in the earlier discussion of the parallelism between chapters 2 and 7.

2. From chapter 2 and from verses 9-14 above we see that during the time of the fourth kingdom the Kingdom of God will be established.

3. The 1st beast was like a lion with eagles wings. This beast represents Babylon and the figure of a lion with wings was apparently a symbol used to represent Babylon.

4. The 2nd beast is a bear with three ribs in its mouth and represents the Medo-Persian Empire. These ribs are suggested by some to represent the three kingdoms that the Medes and Persians conquered, Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt.

5. The 3rd beast is a leopard and represents the kingdom of Alexander the Great. The leopard has four wings and four heads. After the death of Alexander the kingdom was divided among four lesser rulers. This may be what the four wings and/or heads are supposed to indicate.

6. The 4th beast is Imperial Rome. This kingdon lasted almost as long as the other three combined. The ten horns may indicate that the kingdom will be divided [see also comments in Chapter 2] and that a number of kingdoms will come out of Rome. I don’t believe it is necessary to limit the number of horns [or subsidiary kingdoms] to ten. Particularly since another horn or kingdom arises which dominates three of the ten. I believe the number ten represents completeness. This last horn “had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things”. Notice that the ten horns and then the last horn were a part of the fourth beast while it was still alive so to speak. The beast does not die and come to life again. The ten plus one did not come out of a dead beast. Remember also that as far as the account goes this 4th beast [kingdom] had already been judged and that during this 4th kingdom the everlasting Kingdom of God had been established.

7. Power is given to the last horn that “had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things” to persecute the saints of God. When did this persecution begin? I believe it started immediately. There is no indication here of any extended period before persecution starts. How long does the persecution last? Until the Ancient of days [God] calls a halt and renders judgment. I believe that the time indicated, “a time and times and the dividing of time” simply indicates that the time allowed by God for persecution of the saints is limited. That God fixes and limits the time of persecution for His saints is demonstrated in Revelation 2:8-11, as follows

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and [I know] the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but [are] the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

8. History shows that persecution of the Church by Imperial Rome began almost immediately. Imperial Rome no longer exists but the “horn with eyes” continues to persecute the Church. So what does this horn represent? I Believe it represents the Anti Christ. At various times in history the Anti Christ may manifest himself in different ways. I have two commentaries, one by a 19th century Baptist, the second by a 20th century Lutheran, who believe that the papacy is the AntiChrist.

9. The final message of Daniel’s vision is that the Kingdom of God is victorious. That is that message of the Bible. It is particularly the message of the prophetic books, especially the book of Revelation.