Prayer Thought
Consequently, they (Christian who lived when Ecclesiastical Rome Fell) must attain to this knowledge in the Assyrian (Protestant) period, for the confederacy of Israel and Syria, let us remember, was to be broken by Assyria after Immanuel was born but before He could “refuse the evil and choose the good”; and not only after Maher-shalal-hash-baz was born but also before he could say “my father and my mother.” And the fact that the church is still imperfect, shows that even the “born again” Christians are to this day unable to choose consistently between good and evil, and that those who are merely born after the flesh are so undeveloped as to be unable even to lay positive claim to knowing their father (God) and their mother (the Church). {TN14: 35.3}
Assyrian (Protestant Churches)
The obvious lesson is that at the time one is converted (born again) to Christ, he is but a babe in the Christian life, and needs for the time being to be fed, as a new born babe, on the “sincere milk of the Word,” that he “may grow thereby.” 1 Pet. 2:2. {TN14: 36.1}
•Through the apostle Paul, Inspiration interprets this milk to be “the first principles of the oracles of God.” Heb. 5:12. And through Isaiah, It asks: “Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine?” Then, answering Its own questions, It declares: “Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” Isa. 28:9.
Both Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz must grown into Full Maturity
This becomes all the more obvious as we consider that when “Assyria” in the Middle Ages dealt the deadly blow to the church-state union of that day, neither Maher-shalal-hash-baz, the flesh-born Christian, nor Immanuel, the Spirit-born Christian, were mature enough, as we have seen, to “refuse the evil and choose the good.” Now, though, they must be coming into full maturity, for not only have many years passed since the Assyrian dealt the blow to the church-state union, but also has come the time for Assyria, herself, to fall. Besides that, the “strong meat,” too, is already here. {TN14: 37.3}
Both Grew Together in One Church
Unquestionably the time has come for all church members to realize that they are now passing from Christian childhood into Christian maturity, and should, therefore, no longer try to reach the stature of the full grown by continuing to feed on the food of babes. Hence each one, even the younger members (the born after the flesh), can now be enabled to recognize their spiritual parents, so as intelligently to say, “my Father and my Mother”: for to know their God aright through the Son, and to know their church aright through timely Truth, is what brings life eternal. And as each assimilates the “strong meat,” he will thereby become wise and strong “to refuse the evil and choose the good.” {TN14: 38.1}
Special Work has Been Ordained to Bring Every Honest Member to Christian Maturity
Of necessity, therefore, the “special work” for the church, predicted in The Great Controversy, page 425, has been ordained to bring every honest member to Christian maturity.
•Accordingly, also the two foods which Immanuel was to eat in order to “refuse the evil, and choose the good” must be symbolical; for butter and honey in themselves possess no virtue or efficacy to transmit moral discernment, vitalize the will, and purify the heart. Besides, He ate of all lawful foods in general (Matt. 11:19). These two points therefore witness that the “butter and honey”, are symbolical of the Scriptures unfolded — “meat in due season,” — the only food that gives one the knowledge and the will to do right instead of wrong. Thus Christ said: “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” John 4:32. Hence, the Christian who would truly know his God and his church in order to be emptied of evil and be filled with the good, must now feed on Present Truth, — the progressive Truth of the living Word revealed through Inspiration. (For the interpretation of the remainder of Isaiah seven, see our Tract No. 6.) {TN14: 38.3}
Let’s Talk about Sealing and Harvest
How many yields of fruit is the harvest to give? — If the 144,000 are the “first fruits” (Rev. 14:4), then there must be “second fruits,” for where there is no second there can be no first. The word “firstfruits” absolutely necessitates second fruits. {2TG44: 34.1}
Where do the first fruits come from?
Where do the second fruits come from?
The First Fruits fo the Harvest
144,000 from the Church
Assyrian Era
We are plainly told that the first fruits are Israleites – all from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:1-8)
Sealing Time
The Second Fruits of the Harvest
Great Multitude from the World
Babylonian Era
The Second Harvest of the Second fruit is consequently from the world – the Great Multitude (Rev. 7:9)