COPYRIGHT 1991 by
MT. CARMEL CENTER
All Rights Reserved
First Edition
Printed in the United States of America

LOCATING "INTERESTING FACTS" INFORMATION IN THE SERIES BOOK

The information in this Companion Book of "INTERESTING FACTS AND WORTHY INFORMATION" includes in parenthesis where the references are located in the separate pieces of The Shepherd's Rod literature, such as 1 T.G. 47:14:5. It also includes the book page where the same reference can be located in THE SHEPHERD'S ROD SERIES book, for example--1 T.G. 47:14:5-->273<---the book page number at the end of the reference.

"FACTS ARE FACTS
WHETHER BELIEVED OR NOT."
(Entering Wedge, pg. 99)

"A true Christian [Davidian S.D.A. saint] never lags behind, but as perfect corn of the field steadily develops in the ear, so also does he develop in the Christian sphere as far as the Light {Bible, Spirit of Prophecy, and The Shepherd's Rod} leads him forth."--4 Answerer, pg. 10:4-->466 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"He is progressively as perfect as the ear of corn is from the day it sprouts to the day it is harvested."--2 Answerer, pg. 35:1-->445 (bold emphasis added).

This progressive perfection of true Davidian Christians is two-fold: (1) They all study diligently to "know the truth" (John 8:32; 2 Tim. 2:15). (2) They live out its principles in their "daily lives" (1 T.G. 21: 5:2-->219). That is, they not only have knowledge of the truth, but they also have "corresponding deeds" (1 T.G. 22:26:1-->223) with it.

"Consequently, to him {a Davidian saint} who avails himself of every opportunity to know the Truth and who zealously complies with all its requirements {by living its principles}, it is counted for righteousness (Rom. 4:3)--living without sin."--2 Answerer, pg. 35:2-->445 (bold emphasis, braces added).

These Davidians are the "wise" saints who are to "understand" (Dan. 12:10) all the truth that is necessary for them to know at this time; because they have the "gift of understanding" (2 T.G. 44:32:0-->414). "They know what they believe and believe what they know" (1 T.G. 7:13:4-->185), because they not only study every word, every line, and every page (5 Ans. 29:4-->480) of The Shepherd's Rod message, but they also live out its principles in their daily lives.

"He is never a minute behind time or an inch below the highest step attainable at the moment."--2 Answerer, pg. 35:1-->445 (bold emphasis added).

True Davidians Understand Truth And Advance With It

It is for this reason that a faithful Davidian who would not want to "lag behind," would diligently seek to know everything he could concerning the advancement of The Shepherd's Rod message.

"Every Christian should remember that as the Truth is ever-advancing, It will not be found today where It was yesterday, and that therefore Christ's followers must advance with It."--2 Answerer, pg. 80:3-->450 (bold emphasis added).

"Since none of the wicked shall understand in the day of the Lord, it shows that the Truth will become deeper and deeper until finally the wicked will not be able to comprehend It."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 6, pg. 18:3-->625 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The Truth inThe Shepherd's Rod message has continued to advance in many areas of the Bible, but only the Davidian saints who follow its advancement as it becomes "deeper and deeper" will not only know the truth, but also where God's Headquarters is located.

God's Headquarters Known By Truth It Teaches, And Its Location

It is very important for the Davidian saints to know which is God's Association and where its Headquarters is located, since there are several Davidian associations today, all of which claim that its headquarters is the only right one; but there can only be one true storehouse Headquarters, since "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Cor. 14:33). This means that only those Davidians who have zealously studied the truth as it becomes "deeper and deeper" will understand how to know where God's "storehouse" (2 T.G. 30:18:3-->363) is located today.

Note, however, that this understanding cannot be based upon: (1) The number of the members in the association. (2) The amount of its accumulated wealth and its total assets. (3) The Rod literature which it might provide its members, because a large number of members and great wealth "have never signified a right cause at any time" (G.C.S. 8:2-->521), even if they do have Rod literature. Instead, it is the truth it teaches from The Shepherd's Rod message and its location, which determines the Association of God. To make this fact known to all sincere Davidians, is the purpose of this companion book entitled "Interesting Facts And Worthy Information."

Companion Book For The Shepherd's Rod Series Book

All the true Davidians who never lag behind will want to understand the Truth as it becomes "deeper and deeper" in many areas of The Shepherd's Rod message, and know the answers to two main questions explained in this companion book, which was written especially for the "THE SHEPHERD'S ROD SERIES" book:

(1) "How can I know which is the Headquarters of God in this day?"

This question is to be answered in the first thirteen articles of "Interesting Facts" in this companion book. Each "Topic Of Discussion" deals with various aspects of this main subject.

(2) "What is this 'worthy information' which I need to understand?"

This question is to be answered in the last of the twelve articles of "Interesting Facts," which are written in the companion book.

Companion Book Articles Written In Brief Summary

It may be of interest to the reader to know that even though the articles of "Interesting Facts" and "Worthy Information" were not written in full detail, but only briefly summarized, there is at the end of many articles in this book a special notation to encourage those who want to know more, to write for other articles and books which contains more detailed information about a certain subject.

INTERESTING FACT NO. 1
Topic Of Discussion:
INVISIBLE CHARIOT STILL RESIDES IN SALEM
Invisible Chariot Of God Unites Earth With Heaven

After man sinned, he was separated from his Father in Heaven (Isa. 59:2); but a way was provided to save him from his sins: "The Father has given the world into the hands of Christ, that...He may redeem man...." and unite fallen mankind with Heaven. Therefore, "All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ." (P.P. 366:1). During the old testament era, it was Christ that spoke to the patriarchs and prophets, and it was He who gave the ten commandment law to Israel. Many years later He appeared visibly on the earth at His first advent, died on the cross for the sins of mankind, and returned to Heaven (Mk. 16:19) to officiate as our high priest (Heb. 8:1) in the heavenly sanctuary; and now in the last days of the new testament era He came (1 Tr. 10:1,2-->6) to the earth invisibly (1 Tr. 37:2-->9), to complete that reunion before his second advent. It is for this very reason that the drawing on the cover page of Tract 1 (5) illustrates this invisible coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth on His traveling throne (1 Tr. pg. 7:2-->5). His purpose in coming is to bring the last message of the Loud Cry (2 S.R. pgs. 230, 231-->789) to reunite man on earth with His Father in Heaven.

This fact proves, of course, that Ezekiel's vision must be of great importance to God's church (Seventh-day Adventists) in the latter days, because it clearly reveals to the Davidian saints "That Which unites Heaven with Earth, even as the Dardanelles links two important seas. Thus, this study of Ezekiel's vision, which brings to light earth's being visited by the Majesty of the Universe may be aptly termed, 'The Dardanelles of the Bible'" (1 Tr. 5:1-->5).

Jesus' Chariot Arrived In California In 1929

In 1929 Jesus came to Los Angeles, California on His traveling "chariot, though invisible to human beings" (1 Tr. 37:2-->9), to visit the Seventh-day Adventist church, Laodicea (1 Tr. 14:2-->6), with the message of the Loud Cry (1 Ans. 82:3-->439). He gave that message to antitypical Ezekiel (V.T.H.), the "watchman" prophet (1 T.G. 22:30:2-->223), which was first to seal the 144,000 (1 S.R. tr. 10:2-->510). He began to proclaim that message in 1930 with the publication ofThe Shepherd's Rod book (Vol. 1) (1 Tr. 37:1-->9). It was Jesus' presence there in California at this first Headquarters where His invisible chariot resided, which began the final "link" that would unite the Heavens with the earth.

Jesus' Chariot Moved Eastward To Texas In 1935

The invisible chariot stayed in California until 1935; then the Lord Jesus moved "eastward" on His invisible traveling chariot to Waco, Texas (1 T.G. 13:2:3-->201), and antitypical Ezekiel followed Him. It was there that Jesus' second Headquarters was set up at Mt. Carmel Center (M.C.T.C. 5:1-->571) where the invisible chariot continued to reside for several years. Then in 1951 Bro. Houteff published THE WHITE HOUSE RECRUITER; on page 33 he warned the Davidians to "brace" themselves for the coming of "a knockout blow." Four years later in 1955 he died, and his wife took charge as Vice-President of the Executive Council at Mt. Carmel Center.

Some unfaithful Davidians, however, left the message when Bro. Houteff died in 1955, while a few others professed to believe the Rod message, but left it to follow another Davidian who claimed he was Elijah. He broke away (break-off no. 1 from God's Headquarters at Mt. Carmel Center), and set up another association which has been known as the "Branch Davidians." The great majority of all the other Davidians at that time remained faithful to Sister Houteff and her Council at Mt. Carmel Center; but there were some who manifested discouragement by the way they were "talking and acting" to other Davidians. It was for this reason that Sister Houteff was compelled to encourage them by a statement of rebuke which she put in The Symbolic Code wherein she said:

Jesus' Chariot Not Leave After V.T.H. Died In 1955

"The way some have been taken captive by the humming of the Devil's hum-bug, evidenced by the way they are talking and acting, one would have to conclude that they believe the chariot of Ezekiel has not yet arrived or that it arrived in 1929 but for some unexplainable reason it has taken leave of us in 1955. What satanic self-deception and what utter nonsense in the light of Inspiration's own answer to the question: 'When Will The Chariot Arrive? How Long Will It Stay?'"--10 Symbolic Code, No. 12, pg. 5 (bold emphasis added).

Then she continued to prove when the chariot arrived and how long it would stay by quoting Tract 1, pp. 37, 38 which says:

"The fact, therefore, that from the chariot, the Lord commands the prophet to go speak, bear the message to His people, and that the message totals over 1250 pages of literature published since 1930, unfolding its truth from different angles, solemnly reveals that the chariot, though invisible to human beings (as to 'the young man' were the chariots which covered the mountains--2 Kings 6:17), has already arrived. And since it is already here, it must of course be the Divine instrumentality through which, as a sort of base of operations, the Lord is ordering and directing His work, and through which He shall do so until 'this gospel of the kingdom...be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and...the end come.' Matt. 24:14....Tract 1, pp. 37, 38."--The Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 12, pg. 6 (bold emphasis added).

Now since the gospel truth has not yet been preached to all the world, then we must conclude that the chariot didn't leave when Bro. Houteff died; and that it is still here today directing His work.

Jesus' Chariot Not Leave After Knockout Blow In 1959

Sister Houteff's words encouraged the Davidians to believe that the invisible chariot did not leave in 1955; but they failed to heed the SRod's warning to watch out for the "knockout blow," which was to surely come by their own "professed friends of the gospel" (W.H.R. 33:2-->532)." And because they did not realize that Sister Houteff and her Council were these "professed friends of the gospel," they accepted her 3 1/2 year program, which finally led to the "knockout blow" in 1959. That event finally resulted in the dissolving of the assets of the Headquarters at Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas.

But Jesus did not return to Heaven; because in 1961 He led the Davidians to gather in L.A., California to reorganize His Headquarters and locate it in Riverside, California. Soon afterwards some Davidians broke away (break-off no. 2 from God's Headquarters), because they rejected the truth that the spiritual pasture "Carmel" (1 S.R. 243:2-->731) will wither at the close of probation for the S.D.A. church (11 S.C. 12:32). They said that spiritual "Carmel" was a literal Headquarters (Mt. Carmel Center) which had withered (dissolved); thus, all Davidians must feed in the Bashan pasture. Later they moved to Exeter, Missouri in 1968 and set up their "Bashan Hill" association. But God's Headquarters continued in Riverside, California where Jesus temporarily resided on His invisible chariot for several years while the faithful Davidians recuperated from the discouraging effects of the "knockout blow."

Jesus' Chariot Moved Eastward To Salem In 1970

Finally, after the Davidians had revived from their "knockout blow" by 1969, Jesus led them to re-examine the study of "THE RIVER OF EZEKIEL'S VISION" (2 S.R. 290-298-->804). And when they saw that God's Headquarters should be relocated in the east, they followed His invisible traveling chariot "eastward" (2 S.R. 297:0-->805) to Salem, So. Carolina in 1970. There they continued the work of the Rod message, and published all of The Shepherd's Rod literature at His third Headquarters, where the chariot still resides to this day.

Other Davidians Left Headquarters In 1973 And 1981

Then in 1973 a few Salem Davidians who lived in California wanted God's Headquarters to be moved back in the west, because they rejected the study of Ezekiel's River which says His Headquarters must move eastward. (More about this study will be discussed in greater detail in "Interesting Fact No. 2.") When their efforts failed to gain control of the Association, they broke away from the Salem Headquarters and set up their headquarters in Yuciapa, California (break-off no. 3 from God's Headquarters).

Later in 1982 a few Jamacian Davidians rejected the truth of the living Davidians who are to go "with" the 144,000. (More about those "with" the 144,000 in "Interesting Fact No. 13".) They also broke away from the Salem Headquarters to set up their own headquarters in White Plains, New York (break-off no. 4 from God's Headquarters). Also, there were other Davidians that broke away from the Bashan group in Missouri, and set up their Gilead headquarters in Canada, which is contrary to the message; because it states that during the sealing period of the 144,000, "the church's headquarters" must be in America "the two-horned beast's dominion--the New World, 'the earth.'" (8 Tr. 24:2-->91). However, Jesus' invisible traveling chariot continued to reside in Salem, So. Carolina.

Truth Reveals Where Invisible Chariot Resides Today

Since Jesus' traveling chariot is invisible, then it can only be seen through the eye of faith by those Davidians who believe in the truth of the "eastward" course of Ezekiel's River, as well as the other Truths taught by His Headquarters in Salem. And since all the break-off Davidians have rejected one or all of these truths, they have no recourse but to boast that their prosperity (wealth) or their numbers of believers is proof that God is with them, which, of course, is contrary to what His prophet Elijah plainly stated:

"No, not even the appearance of what his message is doing or not doing, or whether it is prospering or disintegrating, can be taken as evidence that God is in it. Neither can numbers of adherents {Davidians in God's Association}, for such have never signified a right cause at any time, not even in the day Christ Himself preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. The {truth in the Rod} message {which} he {Elijah--V.T. Houteff} brings is the only thing to go by."--General Conference Special, pg. 8:2-->521 (bold emphasis, braces added).

These irrefutable facts prove, of course, that Jesus invisible chariot resides only where present truth is being dispensed from the storehouse Headquarters of the Lord, not because of its wealth or its numbers of members. In 1935 the chariot moved the storehouse Headquarters eastward to Waco, Texas; and again in 1970 it moved eastward to Salem, So. Carolina, where the chariot of Jesus resides today. But after the slaughter of Ezekiel 9, it will move eastward again across the Atlantic Ocean to Jerusalem, where its future Headquarters will be set up in the Holy Land.

Chariot Moves Eastward Again After Ezek. 9 Slaughter

"Following the completion of the 'slaughter {Ezekiel 9},'... 'the cherubims {Jesus' invisible traveling chariot}'... 'lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight,' says the prophet. Ezek. 10:19."--1 Tract, pg. 39:2 (9) (bold emphasis, braces added).

Therefore, it will be shortly after the completion of the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 that Jesus' invisible traveling chariot will lift up its wings and return to Heaven. But he will, however, come back again to set up the kingdom of God, wherein He will not only stand invisibly on Mt. Zion with the 144,000 saints (Rev. 14:1), but He will also sit on the throne of David (Isa. 9:7) when the reign of David has begun.

Invisible Chariot Returns To Dwell At Mt. Zion

Zechariah also prophesied that Jesus was again to return to earth when he said of Him: "Lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee" (Zech. 2:10). And the Rod confirmed this fact when it said: "He comes to 'dwell' with them" (8 Tr. 47:1-->94; 1 T.G. 12:25:2-->199) invisibly in the kingdom. This proves that before the final "link" is completed to unite the earth with heaven, one more Headquarters must be set up in the Promised Land where Jesus' invisible chariot will reside until the finishing of the gospel work in all the world.

Completion Of Final Link At Future Headquarters

"Obviously we are right at the dawn of a new day, the day in which the gospel work is to triumph in victory and to reap an abundant harvest of converts. Virtually whole nations are to join 'the mountain of the Lord' {kingdom where Jesus dwells invisibly} during the Judgment day, the day in which the law goes 'forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem,' from the future headquarters {4th one} of the gospel."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 25, pg. 6:1-->229 (bold emphasis, braces added).

A Visible Cloudy Chariot Takes The Saints To Heaven

It will be after the gospel of the Kingdom has been preached to all the world from God's "future headquarters" at Mt. Zion, that the earth will finally be linked to Heaven, and Jesus' invisible chariot will again return to Heaven, wherein the final probation will close for all humanity. It will be at this time that Jesus, who is ministering as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary for the Judgment of the Living will say, "It is done" (E.W. pg. 279:2); after which the seven last plagues will fall on Babylon (Rev. 18:4, 8). Then Jesus, the King of kings, will visibly come again (1 Thess. 4:16, 17) for His saints on a "cloudy chariot" (E.W. pgs. 287, 288), which "being dedicated to the saints, and filled to the capacity, take off for the portals of glory" (1 Tr. pg. 40:3-->9); and all the redeemed will dwell with Him for 1,000 years.

INTERESTING FACT NO. 2
Topic Of Discussion:
EZEKIEL'S STREAM MOVES EASTWARD THREE TIMES
Waters From North Issues Under Threshold Of House

"...He brought me again unto the door of the house {church}; and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house {church--1 Tr. 17:21} eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar."--Ezekiel 47:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"As the waters came from the south side of the altar, and then went toward the east, it shows clearly that they proceed from the north, which symbolically denotes that whatever the meaning of the 'waters' may be, they come from the throne of God, for It is 'in the sides of the north.' (Isa. 14:14; Psa. 48:2; 75:6)."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 292:0-->804 (bold emphasis added).

"Christ referred to 'water' as a symbol of everlasting life. The meaning of the symbol of drinking the water with barley cakes is that souls were to be saved by each new truth (the Spirit of life).."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 123:0-->700.

Similarities Of "North" And "Threshold Of The House"

Ezekiel first prophesied that Jesus would come to earth (chap. 1) with a message (chap. 2-4) to purify His church for His kingdom (chap. 9), and concluded (chap. 48) with it being set up, because He "The Lord is there" (Ezek. 48:35; 2 Ans. 83, 84). This correlates his first chapters with his last chapters. Note the similarities between Ezekiel's two prophecies: (1) Ezekiel 1 to 9; and (2) Ezekiel 47.

Chariot From The North

(1) In Ezekiel 1:4 he saw the Lord Jesus coming with a message of truth, the Loud Cry (1 Tr. 37:0-->9), upon His invisible traveling chariot from the north.

God At Threshold Of House

(1) In Ezekiel 9:3 he saw that the "glory of God" was "gone up from the cherub" (His traveling throne) to the "threshold of the house" (1 Tr. 17:3-->7)--the Seventh-day Adventist church of God.

(1) The waters of "new truth" (1 S.R. 123:0-->700) flow eastward from under the "threshold of the house" (S.D.A. church).

Ezekiel's Stream Moves Eastward Three Times
Water Symbolizes Two Classes Of People
Stream Denotes 144,000

"The stream from the fountain where it first starts to the east gate, represents the 144,000,..." (2 S.R. 298:0-->805).

It is important to note that though "water" symbolically represents "people," we must not overlook the fact that it also represents the "truth." And in view of the fact that the people must be guided by the truth, then they are to follow the truth as it leads the way. It was for this reason that Ezekiel saw the waters of truth flowing eastward, and that it came at the south side of the "altar."

Stream (144,000) Flows Eastward From "Altar"

"Behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east,...at the south side of the altar."--Ezekiel 47:1 (bold emphasis added).

"It will be noticed that Ezekiel first saw the waters {truth} by the side of the altar,..."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 292:2-->804. (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Altar" Signifies Reformation--reorganization
Altar = Reformation

"An altar denotes renewal of faith, reformation. That is what it meant to...Abraham..."--15 Tract, pg. 53:1-->158 (bold emphasis added).

"Altar" Signifies Reformation--"the Leviticus"
Movement = Reorganization

"He makes clear that such a movement means 'a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices'."--1 Answerer, pg. 37:1-->433 (bold emphasis added).

Reorganization = Leviticus

"Also 'obtain...reformation,' our organizational publication, The Leviticus of The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists."--1 Answerer, pg. 38:2-->433 (bold emphasis added).

"Altar" Signifies Reformation--a Laymen's Movement
Laymen's Movement Proclaims A Reformation

"Here is brought to view a laymens' movement {D.S.D.A.} of both men and women who are to arise and proclaim the message of reformation to the church."--4 Tract, pg. 57:2-->46. (bold emphasis, braces added).

Laymen's Movement Is To Finish The Gospel

"Every member, therefore, is to be a {D.S.D.A.} missionary in one capacity or another. This indeed is the laymen's movement that shall finish the gospel work."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 8, pg. 25:4-->187. (bold emphasis, braces added).

From Altar New Truth And People Flow Eastward

The word "altar" (Ezek. 47:1) signifies a message of reformation (new truth), which is to flow as "waters" from under the "threshold of the house" (S.D.A. church). The fact that it flows from that church must mean that there will be S.D.A. (waters) who will accept that message and be reorganized as Davidian Seventh-day Adventists; wherein they will no longer be governed by "The General Conference" of S.D.A., but by the "laymen's movement" of the "Executive Council" of Davidian S.D.A., according to their organizational publication--"The Leviticus". However, since the S.D.A. church as a whole will reject the reformation in The Shepherd's Rod message, then only a few of them will become Davidian S.D.A. Therefore, they will be the "waters" (people) who will follow the "waters" (truth) as it flows eastward from the south side of the "altar."

Waters (New Truth) Originated In California

"This direction of the compass {east} denotes that the {Shepherd's Rod} message of the 'loud cry' {2 S.R. 230:3, 231:0--789} is to start eastward when it is first revealed {in Los Angeles, California}....naturally the message must start toward the east. This symbolical prophecy reveals that the message of the 'loud cry' is to originate in California."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 297:0-->805 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The "waters" of the stream represents both the "new truth" of the Loud Cry, and the "people" (144,000); and that it was to flow eastward after it was "first revealed" in California. This, clearly indicates that when Jesus arrived on the earth in Los Angeles, California in 1929 on His invisible traveling chariot, He gave the "Loud Cry" message, now in its "fainter cry" (1 Ans. 83:1--439), to antitypical Ezekiel (Brother Houteff) who set up God's first Headquarters in California; after which it was to move eastward.

Waters (People) Follow Eastward To 2nd Headquarters

It was later in the year 1935 that Jesus, "the truth," (John 14:6) moved eastward on His invisible traveling throne (symbolized as the waters of new truth flowing eastward); and antitypical Ezekiel (Brother V.T. Houteff and those with him at God's first Headquarters (also symbolized as waters of people flowing eastward), being Divinely directed (according to his study of "THE RIVER OF EZEKIEL'S VISION") followed Him to Waco, Texas, where he set up God's second Headquarters and named it Mt. Carmel Center. It was that same year that he wrote about this predicted move in his publication entitled The Symbolic Code:

"It has been evident for some time that it would soon be necessary to seek a more central location for the office in order to serve the whole field efficiently, so those at headquarters {the Davidians at God's first Headquarters in Los Angeles, California} have been praying earnestly over this matter for many months, and as they kept praying for light, the Lord finally indicated that beautiful Southern California was no longer to remain the center of His work for the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel,' but an eastward course was to be seen in the stream from that 'fountain' which is to swell into the great river of Ezekiel's prophecy, and plans were soon formulated whereby a thorough search could be made in the territory indicated by the Lord where the future {second} Headquarters were to be found."--1 Symbolic Code, No. 10, pg. 3:1, 1935 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Jesus, of course, remained at Mt. Carmel Center on His invisible traveling chariot until Bro. Houteff's death in 1955 and the "knockout blow" (W.H.R. 33:2--532) in 1959, wherein the assets of His second Headquarters was liquidated. It was not too long afterwards that many of the faithful Davidians gathered at Los Angeles, California for a session in 1961 to re-establish His third Headquarters; wherein it was officially set up in Riverside, California.

Waters Moved Eastward To Jesus' Third Headquarters

It was later in the year 1969 that these Davidians in California (the west) realized that the study of Ezekiel's River (2 S.R. 290-298--804, 805) proved irrefutably that God's Headquarters should be in the east. In 1970 they followed Jesus' invisible chariot eastward to relocate His third Headquarters at Salem, So. Carolina, where the invisible chariot still resides to this day, and where the "fainter cry" (1 Ans. 83:1--439) of the Loud Cry message is being proclaimed to S.D.A.

Waters To Move Eastward To Fourth Headquarters

But the day will come, after the spiritual pasture "Carmel" has withered (more details about this subject in "Interesting Fact No. 3"), that the invisible chariot of Jesus will again move eastward to Mt. Zion to the location of His fourth Headquarters, while the waters (representing people--the 144,000) follow Him there; wherein they will stand on Mt. Zion with Jesus the "Lamb." This fourth Headquarters is referred to as God's "future Headquarters;" and from there the message of the "Loud Cry" will be proclaimed (not with a faint cry but) with a loud voice to bring in a "great multitude" of people, represented as the flowing "river."

Learn More About The Stream Moving Eastward

Those desiring to learn more about the stream moving eastward from L.A., California to Salem, So. Carolina, write to the address on the copyright page, and ask for this article: "GOD'S HEADQUARTERS--WHY SALEM (As Seen From Ezekiel's River)."

INTERESTING FACT NO. 3
Topic Of Discussion:
GOD'S HEADQUARTERS TODAY IN CARMEL PASTURE
Saints To Feed On Rod In 3 Spiritual Pastures

Though the truth of The Shepherd's Rod message is located in many Bible texts, there is one particular text upon which the entire message is established, and which says to every Seventh-day Adventist and Davidian: "Hear ye the Rod" (Mic. 6:9). Besides this text, the Bible also mentions another important text in conjunction with this one about the "Rod," which says: "Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old." (Mic. 7:14). Note the inspired comments which The Shepherd's Rod message says about this verse:

"Feed thy people with thy rod: The verb 'feed' is to be understood as spiritual food and that food (truth) is found in the 'Rod,' therefore, we again have the command to give out the book ('Feed thy {God's} people'). Carmel, Bashan, and Gilead are used as symbols of good spiritual pasture."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 243:2-->731.

In 1929 Jesus came to the earth on His invisible traveling chariot to give to His prophet V.T. Houteff (antitypical Ezekiel) the message of the "Loud Cry." That message originated in the west (Los Angeles, California), being the same as the sealing angel (message) who arrived there from the east (1 S.R. 32:1--677; 1 S.R. tr. 10:2--510). In Micah 6:9 He identified that message to Ezekiel as the "Rod," wherein he named it The Shepherd's Rod message, and commanded him to "feed" this Rod to His "flock" in three different spiritual pastures, the first of which is "Carmel." It was in that very same year (1929) that three things came into existence for the first time.

(1) The first thing which began in 1929 was God's Headquarters being set up in Los Angeles, California where the Lord's invisible traveling chariot first resided. It was at this time that antitypical Ezekiel (Brother V.T. Houteff) was given the message of the "Loud Cry" for the S.D.A. church.

(2) The second thing which began in 1930 was the first printing of that message entitled, The Shepherd's Rod, Volume 1, which was published in Los Angeles, California.

(3) And the third thing was the beginning of the spiritual pasture "Carmel" in Los Angeles, California, which represents a period of probationary time for Seventh-day Adventists (more about this later) to "feed" upon the Shepherd's Rod message.

It is important to note the difference between these three things and the reason why they must be kept separate. The first thing was the setting up of the literal Headquarters; and the second thing was the literal publication of The Shepherd's Rod message. But the third thing was the spiritual pasture "Carmel," which is not literal! It is intangible to the touch, and imperceptible to the eye!

And that is the reason why it does not symbolize a visible Headquarters (Mt. Carmel Center), but an invisible period of probationary time for all S.D.A. to "feed" on the "Rod;" because this is what the Rod says in The Symbolic Code (as quoted on the next page) according to Amos 1:2, which clearly indicates that the spiritual Carmel pasture shall "wither" when probation closes.

God's Kingdom Set Up While Spiritual Carmel Withers

"The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem. and the inhabitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of {spiritual} Carmel shall wither {at the time probation closes for the S.D.A. church}."--Amos 1:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"With a few comments on the above scripture, any Bible student will recognize at a glance that it applies at the time of the end, as explained by the gospel prophet: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days {at the time probation closes for S.D.A. church}, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills...for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.' (Isaiah 2:2, 3), which the language of Amos is, 'Utter his voice from Jerusalem.'"--11 Symbolic Code, No. 12:30, 31-->600 (bold emphasis, braces added).

A Vain Attempt To Refute Time When Carmel Withers

Some Davidians teach the error that the spiritual Carmel pasture was a literal place (Mt. Carmel Center); which they say has withered (no longer exists), and that we are living in the time of the Bashan pasture; because they rejected the Truth that the spiritual Carmel represents a period of probationary time for the S.D.A. church as the Rod has stated in The Symbolic Code (which is quoted on the next page).

It is for this reason that they deny this Truth by teaching that Bro. Houteff didn't know about the kingdom when he interpreted Amos 1:2; so, they say, he could not have meant that the Carmel pasture was spiritual and would "wither" at that time. Their teaching, however, is wrong, because this belief is a vain attempt to make the Lord Jesus a liar (Num. 23:19; Rom. 3:4), and Bro. Houteff a false prophet! Long before Jesus came to the earth in 1929 on His invisible traveling chariot, He inspired both of His prophets Isaiah and Amos to state that a kingdom will be set up in the latter days at the time Carmel "withers." And then after He came to earth on His chariot, He brought a message of the Loud Cry to gather in a great multitude to that kingdom which these two prophets wrote about.

So it doesn't matter whether Bro. Houteff knew about the kingdom or not when he wrote that statement! What matters is that Jesus knew, and that He inspired him to write what He had already inspired Isaiah and Amos to write; which is exactly what all true Davidians must believe--that the "Carmel" in Micah 7:14 is not a literal place (Mt. Carmel Center), but a spiritual pasture of probationary time for S.D.A. to get the seal. It will "wither" when their allotted time has ended, at the time God's kingdom is set up in Mt. Zion. And it is for this reason that they "shall mourn."

Laity Mourns When Carmel Withers (Probation Closes)

"As Amos says, 'The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn,' it is obvious that Amos' prophecy is yet future, for the word 'habitations' (places) is in the plural form which cannot be applied to one shepherd's habitation (denomination) {the Seventh-day Adventist church} but to all that be in existence at that time. The term 'shepherds' means, as understood, the same as 'the ancient men which were before the house'--the ministers {of the S.D.A. church}.'Testimonies for the Church,' Vol. 5, pg. 211. Note that the shepherds are not themselves to mourn but their 'habitations' (their houses); that is, the membership of their churches, which fact reveals that it will be thus at the time when the sleeping multitudes {2 Test, 337:2} in the {S.D.A.} churches awake from their spiritual insensibility and find that the shepherds whom they have implicitly trusted for their salvation had deceived all those who followed them."--11 Symbolic Code No. 12, pgs. 30, 31-->600 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Close Of Probation For S.d.a. Church, Not The World

The Rod says: "It will be noticed that the close of probation for the church and the one for the world are two different events." (2 S.R. 186:1--779). The prophecies of Amos 1:2 and Micah 7:14 prove this fact:

(1) Since Jesus sets up His kingdom in Zion at the time Carmel "withers" (Amos 1:2), then we must conclude that the withering means the close of probation for the Seventh-day Adventist church just before the slaughter of Ezekiel 9; because it is after the Loud Cry message has brought the great multitude into the kingdom that the final close of probation for the world it to take place.

(2) According to Micah 7:14, the Rod says there are three spiritual pastures, the first of which is "Carmel." This proves that the final close of probation can not take place when Carmel "withers," because no one could "feed" on the Rod" message in the Bashan or Gilead pastures and be saved, for the "harvest is past"!

Probation Closes--S.D.A. Cry Out "Harvest Is Past"

"The prophet Jeremiah in the following words explains that this wailing by those {in the Seventh-day Adventist church} who are thus deceived will be at the close of probation {when Carmel withers}. For they shall say 'the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.' (Jer. 8:20)."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 12, pgs. 31, 32-->600 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Even though The Shepherd's Rod message does place the event of the laymembers who are crying out, "the harvest is past...and we are not saved" (Jer. 8:20), to the wicked in Babylon at the time of the final close of probation for the world (9 Tr. 70, 71--111; 12 Tr. 35:0--127); it also places that event of the mourning laity who are crying out when probation closes for the S.D.A church; and so does the Spirit of Prophecy. These facts prove that the Rod's comments in the statement above regarding the time when Carmel shall "wither" in Amos 1:2, must refer solely to the time when probation is closing for the S.D.A. church, as is clearly evident in the following quotations:

"Then is the harvest of the first-fruits past, the fruits garnered in, and the tares shut out unto destruction, there in agony to wail and to gnash their teeth: 'The harvest is past,...and we are not saved' Jer. 8:20."--White House Recruiter, pg. 38:0-->111 (1 T.G. 17:7:2--212) (bold emphasis added).

"But there are many, many in our {SDA} churches who know little of the real meaning of the truth for this time....Oh, how many who have not sought their souls' salvation will soon make the bitter lamentation: 'The harvest is past, the summer ended, and we are not saved'!"--8 Testimonies, pg. 252:3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

When the "harvest of the first-fruits" (the 144,000) ends, and probation for the S.D.A. church closes, then the laity will not only cry out, "the harvest is past" (Jer. 8:20), but they will also "mourn."

Spiritual Carmel Has Green Pasture--present Truth

"That is, after the harvest, the time in which they could have been saved, they will realize that probationary time has closed. Then 'the habitations {Seventh-day Adventist laity} of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.' Hence, before that time the top of Carmel must have been green with much pasture, otherwise there would be nothing to wither; that is, though Carmel has now plenty of pasture (present truth), when probation closes it shall be deserted ('wither')."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 12, pg. 32:0-->600 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Now since the Seventh-day Adventist church was given a period of probationary time to "feed" (Mic. 7:14) upon the "Rod" during the spiritual Carmel pasture, and since The Shepherd's Rod book, Volume 1 was printed in 1930 for them to "feed" upon, then this proves irrefutably that Carmel's time of probation must have begun in 1929, at the same time God's first Headquarters was set up in California! Therefore, it is obvious that three things came into existence all at the same time in California: (1) God's first Headquarters was set up; (2) The Shepherd's Rod book, Vol 1 was printed; and (3) The beginning of Carmel's period of probationary time for S.D.A. (12 S.C. 12:32). But note, however, that when the Headquarters was moved, it did not "wither" the "Carmel" pasture!

Probation Not Closed When Headquarters Was Moved

According to historical facts, it was after Bro. Houteff had writtenThe Shepherd's Rod book (Vol. 2) in 1932, that Jesus indicated to him in this book by the study entitled "THE RIVER OF EZEKIEL'S VISION" (2 S.R. 290-298), that He was moving "eastward" on His invisible traveling chariot; wherein he was to close God's first Headquarters in California, follow the chariot to Waco, Texas, and set up God's second Headquarters in 1935 (1 T.G. 13:2:3--201), which he named Mt. Carmel Center. Note, however, that the literal Mt. Carmel Center is not the same as the spiritual "Carmel" pasture of probationary time, according to the following two facts:

(1) The spiritual "Carmel" pasture of probationary time for the Seventh-day Adventist church began in California in 1929, which was six years before the literal Mt. Carmel Center began in 1935.

(2) The spiritual "Carmel" pasture which began in California, continued to exist after the first Headquarters was dissolved and during the time of the second Headquarters in Texas, which was named Mt. Carmel Center, not Mt. Bashan Center; because it had not withered; and it still existed after Mt. Carmel Center Headquarters was dissolved.

Therefore, since the spiritual "Carmel" pasture of probationary time and the literal Mt. Carmel Center Headquarters are not the same, then Micah's prophecy (Mic. 7:14) of this "Carmel" would note this irrefutable fact.

Mt. Carmel Center Situated Solitarily In The Woods

"Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood {at Mt. Carmel Center}, in the midst {middle} of {the spiritual} Carmel {pasture of probationary time}: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead {in the time of God's kingdom after Carmel has withered}, as in the days of old."--Micah 7:14 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Mt. Carmel Training Center was established in 1935, and is located six miles northwest of Waco, Texas. Its 375 acres a sylvan sanctuary, and its western and northern prominences commanding unexcelled views of beautiful Lake Waco some three hundred feet below, and the picturesque vistas beyond, it is happy indeed for situation solitarily in the woods."--Mt. Carmel Training Center, pg. 5:1-->571 (bold emphasis added).

According to the above Rod quotation, the "people" in Micah 7:14 who are not only to "feed" on the message of the "Rod," but who were also to dwell "solitarily in the woods," are clearly identified as those Davidian Seventh-day Adventists who lived at Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas.

Mt. Carmel Center Existed In Midst Of Carmel Pasture

It was there at Mt. Carmel Center that the invisible traveling chariot of the Lord Jesus resided, which was His second Headquarters "in the midst {middle} of Carmel"--a period of probationary time. This fact proves, then, that while the Davidians were living in the time of this spiritual "Carmel" pasture, they were also dwelling "solitarily in the wood" at God's second Headquarters--Mt. Carmel Center. Thus, the spiritual Carmel is symbolic, and the Headquarters of Mt. Carmel Center) is literal; because the spiritual Carmel began in California at the time of God's first Headquarters, before there ever was a Mt. Carmel Center--God's second Headquarters.

Therefore, in view of the fact that the second Headquarters (Mt. Carmel Center) was situated "in the midst of Carmel" (a spiritual pasture), and that the word "midst" means middle (as Jesus Christ was "cut off in the midst {the middle} of the week" (3 Tr. 40, 41--27), then we must conclude that Mt. Carmel Center was not God's last Headquarters in the "Carmel" pasture. This not only proves that this spiritual "Carmel" pasture must have three phases in order to have a middle--(1) a beginning; (2) a middle; and (3) an end, but it also proves that Jesus must have a third Headquarters (end) after Mt. Carmel Center (the middle) was dissolved; because Carmel's period of probationary time did not wither when the second Headquarters at Mt. Carmel Center was dissolved. And since the spiritual pasture "Carmel" of probationary time has not withered even up to this very day (1991), it proves this fact irrefutably.

Third Headquarters In Carmel's Time Of Probation

Therefore, it is during the probationary time of the spiritual Carmel pasture that: (1) God's first Headquarters was set up in 1929 in Los Angeles, California and dissolved in 1935 (but not withered); (2) His second Headquarters was set up at Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas in 1935 and dissolved in 1961 (but not withered); and (3) His third Headquarters was set up in Riverside, California in 1961 and later relocated at Salem, So. Carolina in 1970.

All Davidians, of course, in one way or another believe that Micah 7:14 proves God must have three Headquarters, because the faithful Davidians not only understand that His true Headquarters is at Salem, So. Carolina, but they also understand that God is not the "author of confusion" (1 Cor. 14:33). So they know that He would not confuse Davidians by authorizing more than one Davidian Association at a time. This fact proves that those Davidians who rebelled against Salem and broke away, are vainly trusting in the false belief that their association is this third headquarters; while there are others who trust vainly in the error that their Bashan or their Gilead association must be this third headquarters.

First Davidian To Desert The Rod Message

During the time of each of God's Headquarters there were Davidians who apostatized and left the message. The first time this took place while the first Headquarters was in Los Angeles, California, it was considered such a remarkable event, that it was recorded in the 1941 edition of Tract No. 13: "1933--First believer to desert message." (13 Tr. 44:8--140). Later, after the second Headquarters was set up at Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas, there were several other significant events of apostasy by unfaithful Davidians.

Davidians Who Apostatized After Elijah Died

After Bro. Houteff died in 1955, there were some Davidians who apostatized and broke away from Mt. Carmel Center to follow another so-called Elijah who claimed that he would not die; but he died anyway. He set up the Branch association, and led his followers to keep the feast laws, even though the Rod message had said we are not to keep them (see "Interesting Fact No. 7").

Davidians Who Apostatized After "Knockout Blow"

Later, after the "professed friends of the gospel" had brought about the "knockout blow" in 1959, which resulted in the dissolving of Mt. Carmel Center and its assets (see "Interesting Fact No. 5"), there were other unfaithful Davidians who (rather than trust in what the Rod message teaches), continued to trust in Sister Houteff and her Executive Council. They all apostatized together and gave up the Rod, the Spirit of Prophecy, as well as the Sabbath.

Davidians Who Apostatized After 1961 Session

Then after the Davidians came together at the 1961 Session to re-establish God's third Headquarters in Riverside, California, one Davidian broke away shortly thereafter. He claimed that his office as editor was not respected by the newly elected Council, because they refused to print his article about his Bashan teachings, and he broke away and printed his article. It was later, after he lost some followers because he claimed he was a prophet (the porter), he started the Bashan movement and moved to Exeter, Missouri, where he set up his Bashan Hill headquarters.

Davidians Who Apostatized After 1972 Session

Later, after God's Headquarters in Riverside, California was relocated in Salem, So. Carolina in 1970, there were some California Davidians in 1972 who deserted a part of the message (1 S.R. 160:2--710) by their refusal to accept the fact that Ezekiel's stream was to flow "eastward;" and they broke away from Salem to establish their own headquarters in California--the west.

Then later there were other unfaithful Davidians who also broke away from Salem to join with the Gilead movement up in Canada.

Davidians Who Apostatized And Moved To New York

Besides this, there were some Jamaicans who deserted the message in part (1 S.R. 160:2--710) by refusing to believe that there will be living saints who are to go "with" the 144,000 (see "Interesting Fact No. 13"); they broke away from Salem to establish their own headquarters in New York. Now today in 1991 there are some Davidians who have broken away from the Jamaicans in New York, because they want to buy the property and buildings of old Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas to set up another headquarters there, because they cannot be taught by God to believe that Jesus' invisible traveling chariot has moved eastward from old Mt. Carmel Center in Waco, Texas to the Mt. Carmel Center in Salem, So. Carolina.

True Davidians Today Stand With Third Headquarters

But in spite of the unfaithful Davidians who deserted the message in part or altogether, there were true and faithful Davidians who not only stood firm with God's first Headquarters in California; but they also continued to stand firm with His second Headquarters in Texas. And now they stand firm with His third Headquarters in Salem, So. Carolina, where the Lord's invisible traveling chariot still resides to this very day. All of this proves that we are still living in the period of Carmel's spiritual pasture of probationary time for S.D.A., because it has not yet withered. Therefore, we cannot be living in the period of the Bashan or Gilead pastures, because these are spiritual pastures to feed upon the Rod after Carmel "withers" when the kingdom has been established.

More About Carmel, Bashan, And Gilead Pastures

All those Davidians who desire to learn more about Bashan and Gilead, and when the probationary time of the spiritual Carmel pasture really withers, write to the address on the copyright page, and ask for the article "GOD'S HEADQUARTERS--WHY SALEM."

INTERESTING FACT NO. 4
Topic Of Discussion:
SHEEP SCATTERED AFTER SHEPHERD (ELIJAH) DIED
Prediction Of Shepherd's Death And Sheep Scattered

"Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd {V.T. Houteff}, and the {Davidian} sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones {the humble and teachable saints}."--Zechariah 13:7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"I have no special comments to make on {Zech. 13} verses 6 and 7, other than what is commonly understood among Christians. It is plain to see, though, that after the Lord's shepherd {V.T.H.} is smitten, then it is that the Lord will separate His people."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 18, pg. 17:5-->213 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Note that in the above bolded sentence Bro. Houteff predicted two future events: (1) He was to die, because he said, "the Lord's shepherd is smitten;" and (2) Sometime "after" his death (1955), "the Lord will separate His people." It is evident, however, that these two predictions were ignored by most of the Davidians; and it may have been because they did not want to believe he would die. This mistake led them to misunderstand his statements in his later tract entitled, "1950 GENERAL CONFERENCE SPECIAL."

Elijah--the Last Prophet To The S.D.A. Church Today

"...the promised Elijah {V.T. Houteff} is to be the last prophet to the church today,..."--1950 General Conference special, pg. 23:3-->523 (bold emphasis, braces added).

When this tract was published by Bro. Houteff in 1950, it positively identified him as that Elijah; and some Davidians at Mt. Carmel Center said he would not die, because he wrote in this tract that Elijah was the last prophet. But there were others who were not so sure, obviously because they knew about his earlier 1947 statement (quoted above) regarding Zechariah 13:7: "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." This created a dilemma in the minds of some Davidians, which started a debate among them about Elijah concerning this question: "To Die Or Not To Die." The writer of this book was there at that time and he tells what he knew about what had happened in the following testimony:

Personal Testimony Of A Witness At Mt. Carmel Center

"When I (Don Adair) lived at Mt. Carmel Center while Bro. Houteff was still alive, I worked there and attended the Bible classes to learn the Rod message and become a Davidian Bible teacher and minister. One day I was told about a disagreement between some of the brethren who lived there, as to whether or not he was to die. This surprised me, because it was a new thought which I had never considered, and which I questioned in my mind ("Was Elijah the last prophet to die?"). Since I was not at the debate when it took place between the brethren, and had not heard their arguments, nor was I as familiar with the Rod message as they were, I did not know the Rod statements which created the debate.

"Today, of course, being quite familiar with the two aforequoted statements, it is obvious to me now that some Davidians at Mt. Carmel Center believed that he was to die because of his 1947 comments about the shepherd being smitten; while many of the others believed that as ancient Elijah never died, so Bro. Houteff could not die, because of his 1950 statement where he said he was Elijah the last prophet.

"However this was not all that I had heard about the debate. I was also told that some of them went to Bro. Houteff and asked him to settle their disagreement by telling them whether he was to die or not to die; wherein he handed them a Bible and said, 'Take this Bible and show me where I cannot die.' One Davidian brother (a minister) accepted this challenge, and on Sabbath he gave a sermon from the pulpit in the Mt. Carmel chapel. Of course, I was there at that meeting, and heard the Bible texts, as well as the Spirit of Prophecy and Rod references, which this minister quoted as his proof that Bro. Houteff could not die. He also proved conclusively that Bro. Houteff was that predicted prophet who came 'in the spirit and power of Elijah' (T.M. pg. 475); and his comments were centered around the fact that ancient Elijah did not die, wherein he concluded that Bro. Houteff could not die.

"Apparently he overlooked (perhaps inadvertently) two very important statements by Bro. Houteff who said: (1) The shepherd was to be smitten, which proved he was to die; and (2) As John the baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, so he came 'in the same spirit' (see more details in 'Interesting Facts No. 8'); which also proved that he was to die, because John died!

"His sermon apparently led many Davidians at Mt. Carmel Center to believe that he was not to die, because I heard very little about the debate after that. The debate, of course, should have been settled in the minds of all the Davidians when Bro. Houteff finally died in 1955. Instead, some said that if he was Elijah he would not have died; and since they did not search diligently for further truth to find out why he died, they apostatized and left the message. Thus the shepherd was smitten, which began the time for the sheep to be scattered."--End of statement by Don Adair.

V.T. Houteff's Wife Comments About His Death

It was the next month after his death in March, 1955 that his wife (Florence Houteff) published in The Symbolic Code, Vol. 10, No. 5, pages 3 and 4 his 1947 statement: "It is plain to see, though, that after the Lord's shepherd is smitten, then it is that the Lord will separate His people;" after which she added her own words (in the following two paragraphs) to show that by his death he was the "shepherd" that was "smitten."

"All we stand on is a 'thus saith the Lord,' and if the death of Bro. Houteff fulfills this prophecy, then certainly he was the Lord's shepherd, and there can be no doubt that the next event, as prophesied in this chapter, is that the sheep will be scattered, and the Lord Himself will turn His 'hand upon the little {humble} ones.' In this case which will you be: a scattered sheep or a little one?

"Following this comes the separation. Are we now more concerned with the shepherd's {V.T. Houteff} being smitten {in 1955} than how we shall fare in the event far more important to us--the separation?"--10 Symbolic Code, No. 5, pg. 4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Sheep Not Scattered If They Follow The Last Message

It has always been the truth in the message of The Shepherd's Rod by which Jesus gathered the Davidian "sheep" (the "little ones"); therefore, the death of the "shepherd," the last prophet Elijah (V.T. Houteff), could not be the reason why the "sheep shall be scattered," because they still have that last message today which would hold them together!

"The promised Elijah is to be the last prophet to the church today,...and...Elijah's message is the message of the Judgment of the Living, the last,..."--General Conference Special, pgs. 23, 24-->523 (bold emphasis added).

The irrefutable fact that this last message of God has always gathered the sheep, rather than scatter them, proves conclusively that as long as the Davidian sheep hold to that last message, then they cannot be scattered. It is obvious, then, that the reason why some were scattered after the death of Bro. Houteff was not because he died, but specifically because some of the Davidian sheep ceased to follow that last message; and instead followed false prophets (usurpers), as well as the office seekers, who began to arise soon after the death of Elijah, the last prophet!

The Usurpers (False Prophets) Scatter The Sheep

"All these taking place at this particular time, and the prophecies now unfolded, prove that antitypical Zerubbabel {V.T. Houteff} must now be here {the day he spoke these words on Nov. 9, 1946}, and that as he has started the work, he also must finish it. The fact that Inspiration takes the pains to tell us who is to finish the work {V.T. Houteff} in itself is proof that there must be active usurpers {false prophets} of his office as there were of Moses' office."--1 Timely Greetings 14:21, 22-->204. (bold emphasis, braces added).

The fact that several Davidian "usurpers" (false prophets) have arisen since the "shepherd" (V.T. Houteff) was "smitten" (died Feb. 5, 1955), proves that his divine prediction concerning Zechariah 13:7 did come to pass; wherein some of the unfaithful "sheep" (Davidians) were "scattered" because they ceased to "hear ye the Rod" and instead followed the usurpers. But not all!

God Turns His Hand Upon "Little Ones" To Gather Them

Not all of the Davidian sheep will always be scattered as they are today, because Jesus says in Zechariah 13:7 (see "Interesting Facts No. 12" pg. 65, 66) that He will turn his hand upon the "little ones"--those faithful Davidians who are humble and teachable like little children (P.K. 132:2; D.A. 327:2). They believe all that the Rod message teaches; therefore, they can be taught where Jesus' invisible chariot resides at His third Headquarters in Salem, So. Carolina; and one day they will be gathered into His true Association.

Learn More About The Shepherd Being Smitten

Those Davidians who desire to learn more about the shepherd being smitten, write to the address on the copyright page and ask for this article, "Exposing Usurpers No. 5" and read pages 1 to 9.

INTERESTING FACT NO. 5
Topic Of Discussion:
DAVIDIANS RECOVERED FROM 1959 KNOCKOUT BLOW
Scattering Of Davidians Began When Elijah Died

In 1947 Bro. Houteff gave a sermon in the Mt. Carmel chapel, and told the Davidians they would be scattered after he quoted Zechariah 13:7, "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered," and said: "It is plain to see, though, that after the Lord's shepherd is smitten, then it is that the Lord will separate His people." Now since he was that "shepherd," then the scattering of the sheep began soon after he died ("smitten"); wherein some Davidians left the message, because they did not believe he would die. The scattering, however, was not to begin and end when he died, because he again warned the Davidians in his 1951 tract about "a knockout blow," which also would scatter the sheep.

Elijah Told Davidians To Brace For A Knockout Blow

"Unparalleled, therefore, is the urgency that every eleventh-hour church member now quickly and solidly brace himself against the Enemy's effort to deliver a knockout blow. We must be alert, too, to realize that the blow is to come from surprisingly unsuspected foes--from professed friends of the gospel, who are no less pious than were priests in Christ's day."--White House Recruiter, pg. 33:2-->532. (copyrighted 1951) (bold emphasis added).

Since Bro. Houteff warned the Davidians in the 1951 White House Recruiter (four years before his death in 1955) to "brace" themselves for "a knockout blow," and since he would never have allowed any "professed friends of the gospel" to deliver such a "blow" while he was alive, then it is obvious that the "blow" had to come sometime after his death. He did not, however, tell the Davidians what to "brace" for, and who were the "professed friends" that was to bring the "knockout blow." Instead, he expected them to recognize the "professed friends" by their false teachings (compared to the Rod message), and then "brace" themselves for the "knockout blow." But the Davidians paid little attention to his warning in the tract (W.H.R. 33:2--532); obviously because they saw no reason to suspect that their own leaders were the "professed friends" at Mt. Carmel Center. And since they saw no danger, then no Davidian rose up and pointed at these "professed friends" at Mt. Carmel Center, and told the others to "brace" themselves while watching out for the "blow" to come by these "friends."

"Knockout Blow" Identified The "Professed Friends"

It was not until after the Davidians suffered the "knockout blow" in 1959-1960 at the hands of Florence Houteff (V.T. Houteff's wife) and her Council, that they finally recognized them as the "professed friends" who caused Mt. Carmel Center to be dissolved--the end result of the knockout blow. This event scattered the sheep again when more left the message, because they did not study (1 Ans. 75:1--438) to learn that the "blow" resulted, not by any errors of the Rod, but from two erroneous conclusions taught by their "professed friends;" the first of which was their misunderstanding of the meaning of Bro. Houteff's words on the night he died.

Elijah's Last Study Was About The Forty-Two Months

Just prior to Bro. Houteff's death, he was restudying the Bible about a prophetic period of 3 1/2 years (or 42 months or 1260 days); wherein he thought there could be an antitypical fulfillment of certain Bible texts besides that commonly understood as applying to the 1260 year period of the Dark Ages from 538 to 1798. But no one at Mt. Carmel Center knew when he thought the other fulfillment of this 3 1/2 year period was to begin, because he died before he could tell anyone. It was after his death that his wife revealed to the Davidians in her November 1955 "Symbolic Code" what he had been studying.

"During the last months of his life, Bro. Houteff was engaged in studying Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 15, preparatory to enlarging upon the subject matter therein for its reprint. At this time he expressed the definite conviction that the time prophecy of Revelation 11:2-12 and Daniel 12:6, 7 could have met their fulfillment only in type from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 3 (bold emphasis added).

Before he died, however, his wife obviously expected him to receive from Jesus a Divinely inspired interpretation of another fulfillment of these verses and that he would surely tell her; but he became sick and was taken to the hospital in Waco. Of course, she was apprehensive about his sickness, because she did not know if he was going to die or not; so what could she do but anxiously anticipate his quick recovery, after which he would know the interpretation of the verses and explain them to her. The writer of this book (Don Adair) will explain in his own words what he was told about an event that took place on the night of Bro. Houteff's death.

Elijah Said "Tomorrow You Will Have The Answer"

"Several years after the death of Bro. Houteff, a Davidian Sister who I knew was the nurse at Mt. Carmel Center when I lived there, came to visit us at the Salem Headquarters. She said that she was still Mt. Carmel's nurse when Bro. Houteff was sick, and that she was at the hospital when his wife and others came to visit him on the night he died. She said that during the course of conversation with Bro. Houteff about the 3 1/2 year period, his wife asked him this question: 'Tell us Victor the answer.'

"After the nurse said this, she paused to explain to us that because Bro. Houteff was feeling much better, the doctor had already told him that he was to be released from the hospital the next day. (This, of course, may have been the reason why he did not tell his wife the answer that night.) So when I asked the nurse what did Bro. Houteff tell his wife, she told us that he said to her: 'Tomorrow you will have the answer'!

"Then the nurse told us that Sister Houteff and the others left the hospital that night feeling confident that 'tomorrow' Bro. Houteff would be alive to tell them 'the answer.' But, she said, later that night Sister Houteff received a phone call from the hospital telling her that her husband had just died! This is all I have to relate at this time about that event."--End of statement by Don Adair.

After the nurse left that day, we realized that her testimony only confirmed what past history had already proven about the reason for the "knockout blow," which we knew was based upon the formation of an erroneous conclusion in the minds of the leaders at Mt. Carmel Center--the "professed friends of the gospel," who misunderstood and misapplied Bro. Houteff's words--"Tomorrow you will have the answer"! It was this erroneous conclusion that led the leaders to deliver "a knockout blow" to the un-suspecting Davidians who were not braced to receive the "blow."

Misunderstanding Of What Was To Happen "Tomorrow"

In order to help the reader understand what was the misapplication that led to an erroneous conclusion, which brought about the "knockout blow," the writer of this book (Don Adair) will relate what he was told, and also what he already knew about it.

"After Bro. Houteff's death on February 5, 1955, the Executive Council at Mt. Carmel Center met together in a council meeting and made some changes in officers, which included the election of Bro. Oliver Hermanson (brother of Florence Houteff) as a new council member, and the election of Sister Florence Houteff as the new Vice-President (10 S.C. No. 3, pg. 21, 1955). At that time I was visiting my wife's parents in Logan, Utah. Later, in 1956 I moved back to Waco, Texas, and on Sabbaths I attended the services at Mt. Carmel Center with my family. One Sabbath day I was standing together with several other Davidians outside the Mt. Carmel chapel, listening to one of the new council members tell us about the event that took place on the night that Bro. Houteff died. He repeated to us his words--'Tomorrow you will have the answer;' and then told us what he had concluded from his words.

"His explanation was basically just what Sister Houteff had written in the Symbolic Code--that her husband had 'expressed the definite conviction that the time prophecy in Revelation 11:2-12 and Daniel 12:6, 7 could have met their fulfillment only in type.' Then the council member told us what this meant to him. He said there must be another antitypical fulfillment, which must be connected with Bro. Houteff's promise to explain it to his wife the next day after he got home from the hospital when he said, 'Tomorrow you will have the answer.' But when someone asked him how that could be so, since he died before he gave 'the answer,' the council member said his death did not mean his promise to his wife was not kept, because if we believe what he said, then the next day (tomorrow) after he died was his answer--that another 3 1/2 year period was to begin. But he did not say when it was to begin.

"His explanations didn't mean much to me at that time, since I couldn't prove him right or wrong. But today, as I look back on these historical events and reflect upon what he said regarding his conclusions, I wondered why I did not see how illogical it would be for him to expect us to believe that Bro. Houteff's words to his wife, 'Tomorrow you will have the answer,' meant that he knew he was going to die that night, so he expected her to believe that his silence the next day (as a dead man who could not speak), would be his 'answer' to her by unspoken words which she could not hear!

"It seemed more logical to believe that even though he might have expected to be alive the next day, so he could tell her 'the answer' with words that she could hear; he still left his life in the hands of God to decide if he was to live to give 'the answer' tomorrow or not; as the apostle James said: 'Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow....for that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.' (Jam. 4:15). After this council member ended his explanation I went home and wondered afterwards if this belief was his only; but I later found out it was all the Executive Council's belief, because they began to teach this very same idea in The Symbolic Codes."--End of the statement by Don Adair.

Misunderstanding Led To An Erroneous Conclusion

It was obvious that Sister Houteff and her Council's misunderstanding of Bro. Houteff's words had led them to erroneously conclude that sometime after "tomorrow" would begin the fulfillment of another 3 1/2 year period, which they concluded was to begin sometime in 1956 and end in April of 1959. So they began to publish many articles in The Symbolic Code about this 3 1/2 year period. And during all that time the Davidians did not suspect that they were the "professed friends," who were teaching a doctrinal theory based upon their conclusions and misapplications, which would prove to be false; and would finally end in a "knockout blow."

3 1/2 Years Ended With A Call To The Solemn Assembly

As the time neared for the expected events to take place at the fulfillment of the 3 1/2 year period, the Council warned the Davidians in their April, 1959 issue of The Symbolic Code, Volume 14, No. 8 to "Get Ready"! On the front cover it stated the following words:

"BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION,
SANCTIFY A FAST,
CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY. Joel 2 :15.
GET READY!"

Soon afterwards, they sent to all the Davidians another but very brief issue of The Symbolic Code, Vol. 14, No. 9, which consisted of only four pages. On the cover page they announced "THE CALL TO THE SOLEMN ASSEMBLY," and stated the time when the assembly was to begin on page two:

"The call to come to the solemn assembly {at new Mt. Carmel} is now being made to all {Davidians} who have decided to take their stand fully on the Lord's side. Those who are coming should be located at Mt. Carmel or Waco by the sixteenth of April for a few days' necessary preliminary sessions preceding the solemn assembly."--14 Symbolic Code, pg. 9:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

And the Council was not disappointed. Many Davidians from all over the United States attended the solemn assembly to prepare for the events which they expected to take place--the slaughter and the Kingdom. Their solemn assembly was held in the new tabernacle which they had built especially for this event, and their ministers met there to "cry day and night" (Lk. 18:7) in prayer, asking God to work in their behalf and fulfill their expectations.

But not one event happened as they expected! Finally, many Davidians became weary with their tearful prayers and they began to go back home and continue life as before. There they anxiously waited to see how their "professed friends of the gospel" at Mt. Carmel Center would explain in their next Symbolic Code why their solemn assembly in April of 1959 had ended in complete failure.

Council Refused To Accept The Blame For The Failure

Looking back on that past event, its obvious that the failure was caused by the Council's erroneous application of Bro. Houteff's words. But they did not want to admit this fact, so they deceived themselves into believing that he was to blame for the failure by his silent answer to his wife, which led them to believe that sometime after "tomorrow" there would begin another 3 1/2 year period (1956-1959). So they began to look for some excuse to show that it was not the Council at Mt. Carmel Center that caused the failure, but Elijah (V.T.H.)! And they found their excuse and published it in their September, 1960 issue of The Symbolic Code. On the front cover it stated: "AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT."

Council's Announcement Of Committee's Findings

The purpose of their "Important Announcement" was to report the findings of their committee who had searched the meaning of the word "church" throughout the Rod literature. Their objective was to prove that Davidians were to give "warning not only to the Seventh-day Adventists (Judah) but to the other Protestant Christians (Israel) as well" (Sept., 1960 Symbolic Code, pg. 5) (bold emphasis added).

And the Committee did find the Council's objective (based on an erroneous conclusion) which they believed proved that "the trend of Truth was progressively moving in the direction that the {Laodicean} church consists of the Protestant Christian churches {Babylon}, and that our work should be extended to include them."--Sept., 1960 Symbolic Code, pgs. 5, 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Council's Motive To justify Solemn Assembly Failure

It was obvious, of course, that the Committee's motive was to prove to the Davidian sheep that the reason why their so-called solemn assembly had failed, wherein the slaughter and the kingdom did not take place as they expected, was because the prophet of God (Elijah--V.T. Houteff) had led them to believe that the work of Mt. Carmel was only for the Seventh-day Adventist church, "wherein it therefore strictly confines its activities"--The LEVITICUS, Preface, par. 1-->489.

Now the Council could say that the premise of the Committee's weight of evidence (the Rod references which they searched out), proved that the work of Mt. Carmel Center includes the Protestants as well, and thats why their solemn assembly failed at the end of the 3 1/2 year period. So, they were not to be blamed for the failure. But their motive (to justify their failure) was all wrong; therefore, their premise (so-called weight of evidence) was also wrong; and this, of course, led them on to another erroneous conclusion.

Conclusion Of Council's Weight Of Evidence

It is important to note that the Council's erroneous conclusions were not based so much upon Bro. Houteff's use of the word "church" being joined with the name "Laodicea" or "Seventh-day Adventists," but upon his use of this word at other times without any name attached to it at all. Therefore, since there were many more statements in the Rod message which did not add the name "Seventh-day Adventist" to the word "church," the Committee took this as their "weight of evidence" to Sister Houteff and her Council. And because they refused to take the blame for the failure of the solemn assembly, they blindly concluded that the reason the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 and the kingdom did not take place in 1959, was because the sealing message of The Shepherd's Rod had not been preached to the Protestant churches (Babylon) who must also be included along with S.D.A. as a part of God's church.

Knockout Blow Continued With A Work For Protestants

Of course, they knew that this was incorrect because the Shepherd's Rod message and the Spirit of Prophecy both state unequivocally that it is an error to teach that "the Seventh-day Adventist churches constitute Babylon, or any part of Babylon" (T.M. pg. 37). Besides this, they knew that the sealing of the 144,000 who escape the slaughter is strictly confined to all those in the S.D.A. church, and cannot include those in the Protestant churches (1 T.G. 52:16:1--285). But it served their purpose very well, because it convinced most Davidians that Sister Houteff and her Council were not to blame for the failure of the 1959 solemn assembly. So they published their "weight of evidence" in the Symbolic Code (Dec., 1960), with an announcement to the Davidians that they were setting up a program to take the Rod message to all the churches of Babylon. And most of them accepted the Council's plans to work for the Protestants, because they still did not suspect that these "professed friends" who had started the "knockout blow," would finish it by their new program for the Protestants. However, some Davidians were suspicious, and a few others may have questioned the validity of their new program, but no one did anything about it.

Knockout Blow Liquided Mt. Carmel's Assets

The Council began their new program by printing up simplified tracts for Protestants, and putting a speaker on the radio to read them; but they couldn't understand it, and many wrote to Mt. Carmel Center and asked what were they trying to teach. The Council also sent Davidian preachers to parks and public places to teach the Rod message. It failed, of course, a few months afterwards, because God was not with them.

Finally Sister Houteff and her Executive Council realized that they had blundered again, and that many other Davidians were beginning to recognize this fact. Therefore, they saw that they could no longer hide behind the excuse that Bro. Houteff had led them to accept two erroneous conclusions which ended in complete failure; so they committed an even greater mistake, which led to the dissolving of Mt. Carmel Center and its assets.

They had a "rule or ruin" attitude (T.M. pg. 280:1)--if they could not "rule" Mt. Carmel, they would "ruin" Mt. Carmel so that no other Davidian could "rule" it. So they withdrew from the bank large amounts of money for themselves and moved elsewhere, after they had turned over all of Mt. Carmel's assets to a lawyer, and left its property in the hands of the courts of the state of Texas to liquidate.

Davidians Knew They Had Suffered A Knockout Blow

When this happened the faithful Davidians wanted to know what was the cause for the dissolving of Mt. Carmel Center, and as they searched for the truth they found Elijah's warning of the "knockout blow" in The White House Recruiter, pg. 33:2. As a result, they were willing to pay attention to it, but it was too late to do anything about it, much less "brace" themselves for it. And now they were all convinced that the "professed friends of the gospel" was none other than Sister Houteff and her Council, and that they had led them into believing their two erroneous conclusions: (1) The 3 1/2 year period had begun the next day after the death of Bro. Houteff; and (2) The sealing message and the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 was to be preached to the Protestant churches.

Once again the Davidian sheep were scattered when many more of the unfaithful ones apostatized and left the Rod message, because they were "too lazy to study" (1 T.G. 21:12:4--220) and find out about Elijah's warning of the "knockout blow." But the Davidians who studied diligently to understand the truth, continued to be faithful believers in The Shepherd's Rod message, even though they had no Headquarters, and no leadership, and no literature!

Faithful Davidians Met To Set Up God's Headquarters

Then in 1961 a special Session was called, and all Davidians were invited. There were faithful, as as well as some unfaithful ones, who gathered together in Los Angeles, California to attend this Session to re-establish God's Headquarters. The Davidians elected the officers who were to fill the positions of the Executive Council, except for the President, whose office could not be replaced by any man (Lev. 9:3--490); and the Headquarters was set up in Riverside, California. But they had no Rod literature.

It was not until after these few faithful Davidians had been divinely led to move "eastward" and relocate God's Headquarters at Salem, So. Carolina in 1970, that all of The Shepherd's Rod books, charts, and Rod literature were once again reprinted. And it is there that the invisible traveling chariot of Jesus has been residing for all these many years, even unto this very day.

INTERESTING FACT NO. 6
Topic Of Discussion:
USURPERS AND OFFICESEEKERS SCATTER SHEEP
Davidians Warned That They Will Be Scattered

"Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones."--Zechariah 13:7 (bold emphasis added).

"I have no special comments to make on verses 6 and 7, other than what is commonly understood among Christians. It is plain to see, though, that after the Lord's shepherd {V.T. Houteff} is smitten, then it is that the Lord will separate His people {Davidians}."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 18, pg. 17:5-->213 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Not God But The Devil Scatters The Davidian Sheep

This 1947 statement states plainly that the "sheep" will be scattered soon after the "shepherd" (V.T. Houteff) is smitten (dies). Now since God is not the "author of confusion" (1 Cor. 14:33), then He would not be responsible for this scattering, although He may allow it to take place. Therefore, we must conclude that Satan is the one directly behind the scattering of the sheep through his false prophets--the usurpers.

And since Bro. Houteff not only held the antitypical title of Elijah, but also all of these prophets: Elijah, David, Jezreel, Ezekiel, Joshua, and Zerubbabel, etc., then it would make no difference which of the titles that these usurpers would claim to hold so as to exalt themselves professedly as true prophets, they must be false prophets instead. It is obvious, therefore, that the only reason why Bro. Houteff could rightly claim to hold all of these antitypical prophet-title positions and all the other Davidians could not, is because he was the last prophet!

"The promised Elijah is to be the last prophet to the church today,..."--1950 General Conference special, pg. 23:3-->523 (bold emphasis added).

The usurpers claim that their mission is to gather the sheep, but their real purpose is to exalt themselves; and instead of gathering sheep, they gather instead the tithe; while the devil uses them to scatter the Davidian sheep. For this reason Bro. Houteff gave them a twofold warning: (1) That he is antitypical Elijah the last prophet, as well as antitypical Zerubbabel who started the work, and only he can finish it; and (2) That the usurpers who teach they are the ones to finish his work after he died are all teaching error.

Usurpers Say They Will Finish Zerubbabel's Work

"All these taking place at this particular time, and the prophecies now unfolded, prove that antitypical Zerubbabel must now be here, and that as he has started the work, he also must finish it {the last prophet}. The fact that Inspiration takes the pains to tell who is to finish the work {V.T.H.} in itself is proof that there must be active usurpers {false prophets} of his office as there were of Moses' office."--1 T.G. No. 14, pgs. 21, 22-->204 (bold emphasis, braces added).

After Jesus came to earth on His invisible traveling throne in 1929, He not only appointed Bro. Houteff as Elijah, but He also appointed him as antitypical Zerubbabel--the one who "started the work" in California, when he began to publish the Shepherd's Rod message. It was later, after he followed the invisible chariot to Waco, Texas and set up His second Headquarters at Mt. Carmel Center, that Jesus inspired him to warn the Davidian sheep that he is the only one who "must finish" the work which he had started. It is for this reason that the prophetic office which he held until his death in 1955, must remain vacant (L.D. 9:3--490) until the kingdom is set up, wherein he will be raised up to life again in the special resurrection; and then he will finish the work (7 Test. 17) which he started. Those who desire to know more about the time of this special resurrection, may write for the book entitled, "THE 144,000 AND 'THOSE' WITH THEM," and read pgs. 84-87.

The usurpers, however, do not want to accept the fact that Bro. Houteff started the work and that only he is to finish it, because "they chafe at bringing themselves under the rule of Christ now when 'He is taking the reins in His own hands'" (3 Ans. 33:1--457). Therefore, by professing to be prophets, they are teaching that the work stopped when Bro. Houteff died, and that Jesus (whom they can not see on His invisible traveling chariot) could no longer control the work without a living prophet to guide them; so they have appointed themselves as living prophets to finish the work; which is an attempt to inspire themselves with the Spirit of Prophecy (2 T.G. 34:23:1--372), and that is not possible. These usurpers are, of course, "doomed to failure" (1 Ans., 43:2--434); and except they repent, they will die in the slaughter of Ezekiel 9 (1 T.G. 14:15:4--203).

As for the other Davidian sheep who can not see Jesus on His invisible traveling chariot by the eye of faith, they have no choice but to follow the usurpers--that which they can see by the naked eye. And that is because they do not believe Jesus still has control of the work through the truth in The Shepherd's Rod message!

Jesus And Truth Of SRod Message Are The Same

When John wrote that "the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh" (John 1:1, 14), he meant that the Word of God was Jesus who was made flesh and dwelt on earth with mankind. And that is the reason why Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), because "Jesus" and the "truth" are synonymous words which are invisible. And even though the Bible is visible, yet, the truth which it contains today (as interpreted by the Rod message) is invisible to the naked eye, just as is Jesus on His traveling chariot. However, true Davidians who really believe in the Rod message, can see by the eye of faith not only its truth, but Jesus as well, because they are the same. They know that before Elijah died, Jesus had the "reins in His own hands" through the Rod message, and that He still has control of it by that same message. But those Davidian sheep who do not fully believe the truth of the Rod message, cannot know by the eye of faith that Jesus has complete control of the work. Thus, they are scattered, because they look with confidence to their favorite usurper (who has assumed one of Bro. Houteff's titles), and follow him, not the Rod message.

Jesus Took The Reins Through The Rod Message

Jesus came to the earth in 1929 and took the "reins in His own hands" (T.M. pg. 300) through the Rod message, because "the Father has given the world into the hands of Christ." But He did not go back to Heaven on His traveling chariot after Bro. Houteff died in 1955, or even after Mt. Carmel Center was dissolved because of the "knockout blow;" because He did not lose His "reins" of control over the work. He continued to control the work by divine directions to the Davidians to inspire them to re-establish His Headquarters in California in 1961, and later relocating it in 1970 at Salem, So. Carolina; where He sits invisibly on His "throne" (Ezek. 1:26) of Inspiration on the traveling chariot, which is "the divine instrumentality through which, as a sort of base of operations, the Lord is ordering and directing His work" (1 Tr 38:1-->9).

This veritable fact proves that while Jesus is sitting on His invisible traveling throne of inspiration, He still has the "reins in His own hands," and controls His work through the Rod message. However, at the same time it also exposes the so-called Davidian prophets as nothing more than the "usurpers of inspirations throne" (1 T.G. 5:14:2--177) who work against Jesus to scatter the sheep.

Two Classes Of Office Seekers Scatter Davidian Sheep

Surprising as it may seem to many of the Davidians, the usurpers (false prophets), are not the only ones who scatter the Davidian sheep by exalting themselves as Elijah the prophet or any other title which Bro. Houteff held; because there are two kinds of Davidians who do the scattering. There are the office-seeking Davidians, and also the usurper Davidians, which has already been discussed. Therefore, it is only repeated below very briefly:

Usurpers--Sheep Scatterers No. 1

The false prophets (Matt. 7:15) in all ages have scattered the Christian sheep, and they are still doing it now. Today they are the Davidian usurpers who seek the "highest office in the land" (1 T.G. 2:23:2--166)--the prophetic office of a prophet; which is a forbidden office to all Davidians because Elijah was the last prophet. (Some Davidians do not see that the reason why the kingdom is imminent, is because the last prophet has come to announce it. But if there is to come another prophet, then that means the kingdom is not soon-coming.) These usurpers, however, are recognized by their false claim to take Bro. Houteff's place as an antitypical Elijah, a David, a porter, a president, a Zerubbabel, or any other title by which to exalt themselves as an important person for Davidians to follow.

Office Seekers--Sheep Scatterers No. 2

All the other Davidians who scatter the sheep are also seeking offices, but not the prophetic office of Elijah. They may seek the offices of the Executive Council at God's Headquarters in Salem, So. Carolina, or any of the other offices in the local area where they may live; especially the offices of the other associations; and Jesus identified them in the Rod as antitypical "office seekers"!

"So it is that there must be among us {the Davidians of} today--antitypical doubters, complainers, office seekers and fault-finders, admitting one great truth one day and forgetting it the next day--yet expecting to be sealed with the seal of God and to stand with the Lamb on Mt. Zion!"--1 Timely Greetings, No. 7, pgs. 8, 9-->184 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Though the above text does condemn every office-seeking usurper who covets the prophetic title of a prophet, it does not, of course, condemn every Davidian who holds a spiritual office in the work of the Lord. It can only condemn all those who are seeking an office of spiritual responsibility, not to further His work, but to exalt self, as seen in the following reference:

"Today we see the same clamoring for position even in our own {S.D.A.} churches. The offices of Church Elders, Sabbath School Superintendents, Secretaries, Pianists, and other such church offices, let us remember, hold no monetary compensation. But in spite of it, every year in most of the churches, as far as I have been able to observe, there is a clamor and a quarrel by men and women for one or more of these offices. Since there is no monetary remuneration for such services, then what is the fuss about if not purely for self-exaltation, if not for the purpose of being looked up to as somebody?"--2 Timely Greetings, No. 28, pg. 15:1-->359 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Difference Between Office Holders And Office Seekers

It is important that all the Davidian sheep should know the difference between one who is an office holder, and one who is an officer seeker. That difference can only be understood by those Davidian sheep who recognize the Headquarters of Jesus where His invisible traveling chariot resides, first in California, then in Texas, and now at Salem, So. Carolina. Then they would know that: (1) An office holder would be a faithful Davidian who accepted a position at any of Jesus' Headquarters to further God's work; and (2) An office seeker would be a Davidian of other false associations where Jesus' invisible chariot does not reside; because He is not the "author of confusion" (1 Cor. 14:33), and would not scatter the sheep into several associations. (Note: If the reader is not a member of the Salem Association, he should not become offended by the aforementioned statement, because all the Davidians, including you the reader, believe that your association is the only right one, and that all the others are false.) Therefore, the irrefutable fact that Jesus' invisible chariot today only resides at His Headquarters which is now located in Salem, So. Carolina, proves conclusively that those leaders of the false associations are not office holders to exalt God, but office seekers to exalt self.

Rebel Associations Founded On Rejection Of Truth

It also proves that their associations were not founded upon "all truth" (John 16:13), but upon rebellion against God's Association because of some truth which they refused to accept. This fact can be verified by a brief rehearsal of some historical events concerning the rise of other associations by those Davidians who rejected truth, and broke away from God's Association to set up a false association, not to gather the Davidian sheep but to scatter them.

Rebel Association No. 1

It was not too long after Elijah (V.T.H.) died in 1955 that a Davidian usurper rose up in rebellion against Mt. Carmel Center, claiming that he was Elijah. He established a false association known as "Branch" Davidians, and led some Davidians to break away and join him in rebellion against two truths: (1) The truth that Elijah was the last prophet, and (2) The truth that the Davidians are not to keep the feast laws (see "Interesting Facts No. 7"). All who denied these two truths and took positions of leadership in his cause were nothing more than rebel "office seekers"--the members of the first false association that is scattering the Davidian sheep.

Rebel Association No. 2

Later, after Mt. Carmel Center was dissolved by the "knockout blow," Jesus still had the "reins in His own hands" and continued to control His work; wherein He re-established His Headquarters in Riverside, California in 1961. Then shortly thereafter another rebel Davidian usurper rose up claiming the title of the "porter" (see "Interesting Facts No. 9"). He established an association in Missouri known as the "Bashan" Davidians, and led some Davidians to break away in rebellion with him against these two truths: (1) The truth that Elijah is the last porter-prophet; and (2) The truth that we are still in the spiritual "Carmel" pasture, not the Bashan pasture. And all those who denied these two truths and took positions of leadership in his cause were nothing more than rebel "office seekers"--the members of another false association that is scattering the Davidian sheep.

Rebel Association No. 3

Then after Jesus' invisible chariot moved eastward and God's Headquarters was relocated in Salem, So. Carolina in 1970, a few members of the Salem Association who lived in California also rose up in rebellion, because they were seeking offices in God's Headquarters; but they wanted it in California where they lived. They organized an illegal maneuver to close down the Headquarters in Salem and move it there, but it failed. So they set up a counterfeit association in California, and led some Davidians to break away in rebellion against the truth of Ezekiel's "stream" moving eastward. Their association continued for a few years and failed. It went into receivership and some of its assets were taken over. All who took positions of leadership in their cause were nothing more than rebel "office seekers"--the members of another false association that is scattering the Davidian sheep.

Rebel Association No. 4

A short time later, a certain Jamaican member of the Salem Association and others with him, also rose up in rebellion against the Salem Headquarters, because they were office seekers who wanted a headquarters in New York where they lived. Their attempt to take control of the Association failed, so they led some others to join them in rebellion against the truth of living saints who go "with" the 144,000, and established another counterfeit association in White Plains, New York. Those Davidians who rejected this truth, and took positions of leadership in their cause were nothing more than rebel "office seekers"--the members of another false association that is scattering the Davidian sheep.

Only One Association If All Davidians Were Faithful

Now if all the Davidians had stayed faithful to the teachings of The Shepherd's Rod message, and no usurpers and office seekers had arisen to break away in rebellion, then the true Davidian sheep would all be members of God's Association in Salem, So. Carolina, and would not be scattered as they are today. But the fact that the Rod message has repeatedly warned Davidians to beware of these false prophets (usurpers) and office seekers who would arise to scatter the sheep, proves that there would be false associations besides God's Association at Salem, So. Carolina.

"Little Ones"--Scattered Sheep Who Will Be Gathered

There are, however, two kinds of Davidians who are members of these false associations: (1) The false-prophet usurpers and the office seekers; and (2) The honest sheep who have been deceived and misled by these usurpers and office seekers, and they do not know that they are members of a false association. They have been scattered because Zechariah said: "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." Some of those sheep are the "little ones" (teachable saints)--the honest Davidians who will one day be gathered into Jesus' Association at Salem, So. Carolina.

To Learn More About Usurpers And Office Seekers

Those who desire to learn more about the usurpers and office seekers, or about the titles of Bro. Houteff, write to the address on the copyright page of this book, and ask for the usurper articles, or for the article entitled, "MASTER ANTITYPICAL PROPHET."

INTERESTING FACT NO. 7
Topic Of Discussion:
DAVIDIAN SHEEP NOT TO KEEP FEAST LAWS TODAY
A Three-Fold Belief--Elijah, His Message, A Name

Ellen G. White was a prophetess of the Lord, and she predicted in the Spirit of Prophecy that Malachi's prophecy would be fulfilled in the latter days by the appearance of antitypical "Elijah the prophet" (Mal. 4:5) who was to bring a "message" (T.M. pg. 475). to the Seventh-day Adventist church. And Elijah did appear to that church in Los Angeles, California with a message of The Shepherd's Rod, and those who believed his message were given the name of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, which initiated a three-fold belief:

Elijah Is The Last Prophet

(1) They believe Brother V.T. Houteff was antitypical Elijah the prophet who came in the spirit and power of ancient Elijah to rebuke sin by his message which they were to study, because he said:

"I {V.T. Houteff} implore you to write to the Universal Publishing Association, Mt. Carmel Center, Waco, Texas, for free literature on the message of the hour {The Shepherd's Rod} and study it thoroughly..."--General Conference Special, pg. 44:0-->526 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Elijah's Message--The Shepherd's Rod

(2). They believe that his message was entitled The Shepherd's Rod, because Micah 6:9 said that they were to "hear ye the Rod;" and also because he said:

"Here is a Rod which speaks; and its voice, the scripture points out, is the voice of God to the people. And since 'The Shepherd's Rod,' the publications which contain the message of 'the great and dreadful day of the Lord,' is the only Rod that has ever spoken then it is the 'Rod' publications which the Lord demands all {S.D.A.} to hear."--Gen. Confer. Special, pgs. 35, 36-->525 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Davidian--Elijah's Name For His Followers

(3) They believe that it was none other than Elijah (V.T. Houteff) who gave to them their name Davidian, because he said:

"We are the only people who have the {Shepherd's Rod} message of the re-establishment of the House of David, and of restoring 'all things' (Mark 9:12) and are therefore named Davidians."--1 Timely greetings, No. 9, pg. 6:1-->189 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Hold Fast To Your Crown Or Lose It To The Usurpers

If, however, they do not follow the admonition of Jesus on His invisible traveling chariot to "hold that fast which thou hast {the truth of The Shepherd's Rod message}, that no man {usurper} take thy crown." (Rev. 3:11) (bold emphasis, braces added), then they will lose hold of their three-fold belief. As a result, they will not only lose their right to be called Davidians, but they will also lose their "crown" of life; and then they will die in the slaughter of Ezekiel 9.

A Usurper Who Claimed He Was Elijah

In 1955 Elijah (V.T. Houteff) died, because he came in the "spirit and power of Elijah" (2 S.R. 230:1--789) as did John the Baptist (G.C.S. 32:0--532). And as John died, so Bro. Houteff died. The faithful Davidians, however, never lost their three-fold belief in spite of his death; but others were not so sure of their faith, and they did not "hold fast" to the truth of the Rod message. Very shortly after his death a Davidian usurper arose, and led some Davidians not only to believe his false claim that he was the antitypical Elijah that would not die, as ancient Elijah did not die (2 Ki. 2:11; P.K. pg. 227)., but he also led them to keep the ceremonial feast laws.

But note, however, this important fact: The message of the Rod, as well as the Spirit of Prophecy, both teach that ancient Elijah does not typify one man, but many saints--the 144,000.

"Accordingly, Elijah, an Israelite himself, logically typifies the 144,000."--1 Shepherd's Rod tract, pg. 22:4-->511 (bold emphasis added).

"Elijah was a type of the saints {144,000} who will be living on the earth at the time of the