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1john2v27nlt
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Username: 1john2v27nlt

Post Number: 413
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 7:43 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was taught that Jesus' 2nd coming would begin with the appearance of a cloud about the size of a man's hand. Recently reading through the bible I found this:

1 Kings 18:44 'Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”
Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”

Well now!! Two things hit me as I copied this into my journal --- it predicted the rain that was coming, ending the drought. And ironically it is found in "18:44" LOL!!

My brain continues to be washed in the Word of God.

<smile> J9
Starlabs
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Username: Starlabs

Post Number: 211
Registered: 5-2011
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 8:59 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

WOW!!
Psalm107v2
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Username: Psalm107v2

Post Number: 869
Registered: 10-2008


Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 11:02 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow--what a coincidence. About 2 years ago I was in a discussion with an SDA about end time events and his defense of EGW. I still had it in my head that the 2nd coming would be with the cloud the size of man's hand coming from the East. I was totally freaked out when I found that "ellenism" still stuck in my head; and that was after having been out of the SDA church for over a decade.

1john2v27nlt you're in good company a number of people have had that stuck in their heads and indeed thanks for the washing of the word of God

Enoch
Katarain
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Username: Katarain

Post Number: 205
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 11:39 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's not in the Bible?

Woah.
Grace_alone
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Username: Grace_alone

Post Number: 2109
Registered: 6-2006


Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 12:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well it is, but apparently it was plagiarized (surprise, surprise!) from another section and used for a whole other purpose.

Jesus said that he was coming like a thief in the night. 1 Thes. 5:2. That's a lot different than having advanced notice and seeing a cloud coming. Why the addition, Ellen? What is the point?

Leigh Anne
Asurprise
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Username: Asurprise

Post Number: 2675
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 1:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ellen White had lots of little additions! She must have wanted the attention and adoration of people who would think she was getting lots of nuggets of "truth" from God!
Katarain
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Username: Katarain

Post Number: 206
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 3:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's not in the Bible?

Woah.
1john2v27nlt
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Username: 1john2v27nlt

Post Number: 414
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 3:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

And the cloud did not come from the sky, out of the constellation of Orion, nor does it say from the east, but rather rose from the sea. . . .

I wonder if EGW even ever read the bible. . . . ?
Asurprise
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Username: Asurprise

Post Number: 2677
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 4:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As far as I know, it's not...

I understand that when Ellen White first commanded her followers to "keep Sabbath," she commanded that they "keep" it from 6 o'clock until 6 o'clock; that is, until she conveniently had a "vision" (after someone pointed out that the Bible said "sundown to sundown"???) telling her that it was supposed to be from sundown to sundown.
Truman
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Username: Truman

Post Number: 178
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 9:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ah yes, the ol' morphing of texts to make your rambling prose sound authoritative. Here is her recipe: First take I Kings 18, Mathew 24, and Revelations 14, and stir crazy for 3 minutes. Then heat until half-baked, and distribute as new light White bread to the starving peasants.
Butterfly_poette
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Username: Butterfly_poette

Post Number: 229
Registered: 5-2011


Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 11:12 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I always wondered about the cloud. I wondered how a cloud the size of a man's hand could just appear suddenly in the sky. And why would the cloud be black, if Jesus and His angels are so bright?
Grace_alone
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Username: Grace_alone

Post Number: 2111
Registered: 6-2006


Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 2:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

And then you're probably scared to death everytime you see a little cloud. Sheesh.
Foofighter
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Username: Foofighter

Post Number: 237
Registered: 7-2005
Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 6:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Grace_alone,

I've heard several SDA's mention that they were afraid of seeing the cloud, or seeing somthing that looked like it could be "the cloud", especially as kids. One gal told me years ago that one time, she and her mom were driving somewhere, and saw what turned out to be a weather balloon, and she asked her mom if that was the cloud that meant that Jesus was coming. She mentioned how scared she was.

I can't imagine all the fear that SDA kids grew up with. I wasn't raised SDA, THANKFULLY!

Fear, what a common feeling that many SDA's had/have, whether children or adults. It just turns my stomach.
Martin
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Username: Martin

Post Number: 159
Registered: 11-2008
Posted on Friday, June 22, 2012 - 1:58 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think that the first time I heard the cloud story was when I was about 7 or 8 years old, shortly after my parents became Adventists. I remember my father telling me that and all about the persecutions, having to escape to the mountains, being followed by the police with helicopters and what not... Enough to get a kid scared, uh?

Some years later there were people in our congregation that wanted to organise "survival" camps in the mountains, living out from what God would provide for us, going down to the villages to evangelise... All to get us ready for those tough times that were supposed to come in the future, I guess. In the end it never happened, thank God.

But I also remember my surprise when I discovered that the cloud story actually wasn't in the Bible, as so many other things we were told... Total shock to the system! That was already when I was on my way out of the church.

(Message edited by martin on June 22, 2012)
Nowisee
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Username: Nowisee

Post Number: 1140
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 8:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh, foofighter, we were raised on fear...were you here when I told about my sister, as a little kid, in the church foyer on Sabbath morning? I remember that a uniformed policeman came in--to check on what I don't know, but he walked in & scared my sister half out of her wits--she thought he was coming to arrest us all for going to church on Saturday. She only shared this with me a few years ago. This happened over 40 years ago. She is still traumatized about anything to do with last day events. (You'd never know this if you met her, but it's true.)
Foofighter
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Username: Foofighter

Post Number: 239
Registered: 7-2005
Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 10:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nowisee,

I do remember you talking about that before. It is amazing the angst, fear and worry that SDA's have inflicted upon themselves and their children (thanks to EGW & Co.)...and the worst part of it, is that it was for absolutely no reason grounded in reality.

My personality lends itself to fear and worry, so I can only imagine what it would have been like to experience all of the added fears of Sunday Laws, etc. Dreadful!!!!
Punababe808
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Username: Punababe808

Post Number: 74
Registered: 4-2012
Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 11:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nowisee, what state was that in? Was It an historical SDA congreagion? I can't immagine that happening
in one of the California new age SDA churchs. I have heard of that sort of thing happening at Pathfinder meetings an i always thought it was a mean thing to do
to the little kids.
Katarain
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Username: Katarain

Post Number: 207
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 9:31 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think I might have found another one...

Someone on my facebook just posted one of her favorite quotes, without an author, of course. (Which just might be more honest, considering EGW probably stole it from someone else.) The quote refers to God having a thousand ways to provide for us that we know nothing about.

I always liked that concept, and while I think it is true, I can't find it in the Bible anywhere. Anyone know of a reference?
Mjcmcook
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Username: Mjcmcook

Post Number: 537
Registered: 2-2011


Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 8:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Katarain~

Check out Philippians 4:19
I think this verse may answer your question in
your post # 207~

~mj~
Katarain
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Username: Katarain

Post Number: 210
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Monday, June 25, 2012 - 10:34 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I meant I couldn't find the thousand ways quote in the Bible.
Colleentinker
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Username: Colleentinker

Post Number: 13792
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 3:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Don't think it's there, Katarain! ;-)

Colleen
Philharris
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Username: Philharris

Post Number: 2720
Registered: 5-2007


Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 5:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Katarain,

I did a little internet search and everything that came up was SDA related including the reference your friend must have been refering to.

Anyway, God isn't limited, not even to a mere thousand ways.

Phil
Katarain
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Username: Katarain

Post Number: 211
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 6:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks, and so true. God is not limited.
Nowisee
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Username: Nowisee

Post Number: 1145
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 9:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Punababe, it was in So.California, in a regular SDA church in the 60s, but it wasn't staged--the policeman was checking on something. It just terrified my little sister, but she never told me until recently.

I do know (and we've talked about this in the past) that some SDA churches staged "terrorist" types coming into church to give everyone the experience of the end times. The most recent staging was at a SDA kid's camp in Michigan. Don't know if the photos are still online or not. They're frightening.
Colleentinker
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Username: Colleentinker

Post Number: 13794
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 9:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You know, the sort of role-playing done at that Michigan camp would be called abuse by people not "married" to the agenda. It's hard to admit how dreadful Adventism really is, but unless we can "own" it's true evil nature, we can't fully be "done" with it. We'll keep excusing it in various ways.

It's like our own sin: we are born dead in sin, by nature objects of wrath. Unless we admit that fact, we never really admit we need a Savior, and we resist repenting and receiving the Lord Jesus and His blood.

Colleen
Punababe808
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Username: Punababe808

Post Number: 77
Registered: 4-2012
Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 12:02 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes, Nowisee, it sounds very frightening. I heard those sorts of things are staged for Pathfinders. What I don't understand though is how come so many of the children who attend SDA summer camps, Pathfinders and even SDA day school come from non-SDA families. Do their parents just not know what they are submitting their keiki to?
Christo
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Username: Christo

Post Number: 318
Registered: 2-2008
Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 10:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"GODS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY DAY."
Even an eight year old has lived for almost 3000 days. If we only knew half of the ways God has affected our lives with His love we would be astonished. God thinks of thousands of ways to love us that we never even thought of.

Praise God,

Chris

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