Welcome once again to The Approaching Storm series. I'm Ken Norton, speaker director for the Voice of Prophecy. Some of the subjects we cover in this series have to do with trouble that is coming on the world right before Jesus comes. The subject of this presentation has to do with trouble that will come upon the church. There is an event that Jesus spoke of often in his parables that is also found in Bible prophecy. This will be a two part mini series covering the biblical topic known as the Shaking. Let's begin with prayer. God in heaven, I pray that you enlighten our minds and convict our hearts during this study. Lord, help us to deal honestly with our souls so that we may be ready for your coming. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. When Frank turned onto the street that ran in front of one of the assisted living facilities that his company operates, he knew there was a problem. Through the blur of his swishing windshield wipers, he could see the flashing of blue and red lights reflecting off the string of emergency vehicles lining the road. He had received a call an hour earlier from one of the facility administrators. Frank, we've been hit. You better get down here quickly. He parked his vehicle right behind the line of police cars and made a dash for the main building. It looked like a war zone. The tornado had dropped in unexpectedly and unannounced since the weather tracking systems in the area had indicated that the worst of the storm had already passed, but they didn't see this one coming. Cars were flipped in the parking lot and he braced for the worst when he noticed the inside curtains flapping outside the windows except for a window here and there that had not been blown out. Emergency personnel were scurrying everywhere. Frank's concern wasn't about the gaping holes where the roof used to be or shards of glass crunching under every step or the water that he could see spraying everywhere inside due to the sprinkler system going off. His concern was about the 65 Alzheimer's patients who called his assisted living facility home. Frank rushed in through the shattered front doors. Is everybody okay? It's a miracle. Frank, one of the staff replied as she pointed to a group of elderly people huddled in a corner of the main reception area. Everyone is fine. No one is injured. For the next six hours on that early Monday morning, April 13th, 2020, Frank and his team transported 65, frightened but grateful to be alive residents to nearby hotels where they were tucked in and told to rest until they were able to get them clean clothes and a hot meal the next day. While residents and staff were recouping from being in the clutches of an F three tornado, Frank's team had assembled an army of construction workers who in record time were transforming the battered facility back into a fully functioning home for the displaced Alzheimer's patients. By Wednesday, two days later, 60 construction workers had floors replaced, ceilings fixed, music playing in the hallway speakers, rooms repaired, and the walls painted. On Wednesday evening when the county inspector showed up, Frank was certain that they would be up and running again one week after the tornado hit. I hate to tell you this, the inspector said as he pulled Frank aside, after examining the inside of the facility with a set of high tech instruments, but what you see is not really what is. All the drywall must be ripped out down to the studs. What? Frank said. I know you can't tell, but all the drywall that has been just so nicely repainted will eventually become deadly. What do you mean? Frank said. It looks good on the outside. The inspector said, but my instruments don't lie. Once drywall becomes saturated with water past a certain point, he said, the structural integrity is permanently damaged and there is nothing you can do to fix it. It's not structurally safe, especially under pressure. Not only that, it may look great just the same as dry drywall, but eventually the compromised saturated drywall will grow black mold and even if it's covered in paint and looks good, it can kill. It's got to all come out. The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. In this time, the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind. Even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness will appear in the shame of their own nakedness. The Shaking. That's the name given to a particular last day event that is described both in Scripture and in the writings of Ellen White. It is an event that will take place within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Right now, what we see in the church is not really what is. Jesus made it clear that his church up until the end of time would be made up of people who by outward appearance all look spiritually sound. But when the final testing time comes by the inspector of all inspectors, it will be revealed that there are many in the church who are spiritually compromised and no one could tell. And sadly, according to the quote we just read, when the Shaking does come, there will be many a star we have admired for its brilliancy that will then go out in darkness. Brothers and sisters, it is imperative that each of us deal honestly with our own souls now and that we make David's prayer our prayer on a daily basis. David prayed, search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxieties and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. This prayer by David underscores everything we will study in this session and the next one as well. My prayer is that each of us will individually plead with God to reveal any wicked way in us, that each of us when examined may be found to be genuine followers of Christ. In this presentation and in the next we are going to answer these questions. What does the Shaking mean? Why would God allow his church to be shaken? What causes the Shaking? Who or what is shaken? When does the Shaking take place? How will we know when it's happening? These were my questions and I would like to share the outcome of my search for answers with you. I wanna begin by laying a scriptural foundation for the Shaking in the New Testament. Jesus was the first to talk about it in several of his parables, but before we look at the teachings of Jesus, we want to begin with a biblical passage that gives us a broad picture of this event and a view into God's overall purposes and methods in dealing with his children. Let's take a look at Hebrews chapter 12 verses 25 through 26. See that you do not refuse him. Who speaks for if they did not escape, who refused him, who spoke on earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven whose voice then shook the earth, but now he has promised saying yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven. The writer of Hebrews refers to a future time when there would be a mighty shaking of both the heavens and the earth. In this presentation, we will not be focusing on what happens in the heavens, but what it means for the earth to be shaken. The next two verses in Hebrews 12, give us a clue. Now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire. These verses may sound a bit confusing, but one important truth is clear. The Shaking on earth has to do with a kingdom, a kingdom which cannot be shaken. It is a kingdom that Jesus referred to often, it's his kingdom one made up of his faithful people. His church. Hebrews tells us that there would be a removal out of his kingdom, things that could be shaken, and during his ministry on earth, Jesus was very open about the future shaking and what it would look like. He said there would be a separating out, a sifting, a shaking that would happen to his church. Jesus compares that shaking sifting process to net fishing, to a wedding feast and to the harvesting of wheat. Let's look at the parable of good fish, bad fish again. The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which when it was full they drew to shore and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age, the angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Another parable, the parable of the misfit guest. Then he said to his servants, the wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go into the highways and as many as you find invite to the wedding. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found both bad and good and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot, take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for many are called, but few are chosen. Then the parable of the weedy wheat field. Another parable he put forth to them saying The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? He said to them, an enemy has done this. The servants said to him, do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, no, lest while you gather up the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. Then Jesus unpacks the symbolism of the wheat and tares. Starting in verse 36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came to him saying, explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said to them, he who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who has sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age, the son of man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. When I read these parables, I can't help but be reminded of the time when Julie and I were missionaries in Thailand. I'd open a box of cereal, get ready to pour in my bowl, and Julie would say, you better check for weevils. I'd look down into the box and shake it around. It all looks like cereal to me. She'd say, I bet it's not. I pour it in my bowl and look carefully. No weevils. I pour in the milk. Julie says, you better wait before you take a bite. A few moments later, weevils seeking the air floating on top of my milk. Cereal and weevils look the same. That's what God's kingdom on earth looks like right now. The good and the bad indistinguishable and there is only one who really knows the difference. Only one whose angels know how to separate the wicked from the just. There is a firm biblical foundation for a last day event called the Shaking. The Shaking is a real event to take place before probation closes. When God will separate the good from the bad, the properly dressed wedding guest from the improperly dressed ones, the wheat from the tares, as he gathers out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness. God will purify his church and seal his people by pouring out on them his Holy Spirit and they will with one united loud voice, give the final warning to the world. Let's look again at where all of this takes place. On the overview of last day events timeline, the Shaking will take place in the Little Time of Trouble during the same time period as the Sunday law. After the Shaking comes the Latter Rain and the Loud Cry, which we will cover in a future presentation. All these things take place before the close of probation. Have you heard about God's faithful people at the end of time receiving the seal of God in their foreheads? This takes place right before the Shaking. Ellen White describes it this way, just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads, it is not any seal or mark that can be seen but a settling into the truth both intellectually and spiritually so they cannot be moved. Just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for The Shaking, it will come. As we saw in the parables of Jesus, when the Shaking happens, the bad will be shaken out of his kingdom and the good left in. We see this also clearly depicted in an Old Testament prophecy about the Shaking found in Zephaniah chapter three. In that day, you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds in which you transgress against me. For then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth for they shall feed their flocks and lie down and no one shall make them afraid. There is another very fascinating piece concerning the Shaking that is important to understand. Revelation provides an amazing insight into exactly who is going to be shaken out of the church during that separation time. Revelation seven gives us a description of the faithful group who received the seal of God. I'm sure you've heard of this group, they're called the 144,000 and Revelation describes them as 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. I'll explain that in a moment, but here's what's interesting. Have you ever noticed that the list of the 12 tribes found in Revelation seven, five through eight is different from all other lists of the 12 tribes found in Scripture? Here is the list of tribes found in Revelation seven. Let's start in verse four, and I heard the number of those who were sealed. 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed of the tribe of Judah. 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Reuben. 12,000 were sealed. Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, 12,000 were sealed. Who are these tribes? Many scholars agree that this list represents spiritual Israel. God's true church in the last days made up of his faithful people who have been purified, sealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to take the last gospel message to the world. Follow closely now. In Genesis 48 and 49, Jacob calls his 12 sons together and as his last act he prophesies about them and tells about how they and their descendants are going to relate to God and to others in the future. He describes the characters of each of his sons, both their positive and negative character traits. For example, when Jacob describes Simeon and Levi, he addresses them both at the same time and he says that they are angry and self-willed sons. He even calls them instruments of cruelty, but here's the fascinating part. The end time spiritual tribes of Simeon and Levi are listed as two of the tribes that make up the 144,000. Here's what that means. In the very last days of Earth's history, there will be some of God's faithful people who will be spiritually identified as Simeonites and Levites. These are individuals who had character traits just like these two brothers. They were angry and self-willed. They did not treat other people nicely. Then something happened. They met Jesus and he saved them and by the power of the Holy Spirit they were changed. Revelation seven 14 says that these redeemed ones washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. It is the same for all the spiritual tribes listed there in Revelation, the angry and self-willed Simeonites and Levites, the unstable and undisciplined Reubenites, the weak, beat down and run over Gadites, the aggressive and pushy Benjaminites. The list goes on, but in Revelation, these 12 tribes representing broken, sinful humanity are sealed and saved and cry out with a loud voice shouting, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb. They know by experience that salvation belongs only to God and they stand before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands. It is a fascinating study to look into the characteristics of each of the tribes listed in Revelation, to see their strengths and their weaknesses, and then to try to figure out which group you belong to. All of this background is very important to bring us to this point. There are two tribes missing in this final count of God's last day faithful people. Of all the tribes that entered into Canaan after 40 years in the desert, two are not listed in Revelation. Let's take a brief look at the history of the 12 tribes of Israel. Here is the list of Jacob's 12 sons from Genesis 48 and 49, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin. After the original sons passed away, their descendants kept their names and became known as tribes. As we mentioned, let's look at how the tribes were adjusted after they left Egypt. While they wandered in the desert, the tribe of Levi was separated for the service of God and the tribe of Joseph was replaced by his two sons, bringing the total number to 12 again. Here is what that adjusted list looked like when they entered into Canaan, Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. Levi and Joseph are gone and Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph are in their place. This final adjusted list of tribes should have been the ones listed in Revelation chapter seven, but let's take a closer look to see what's changed. Here is Revelation's list again. Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Levi and Joseph are back in, but two others are missing. Who's out? Ephraim, Joseph's younger son, and Dan, one of Jacob's 12 sons are not there. Why are Ephraim and Dan left out? What is it about the character traits of these two tribes that causes them to be shaken out from among God's people in the end? By looking at the history of these two tribes, the picture becomes very clear. First, here's what happened to Ephraim. Ephraim was willingly disobedient. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked by human precept. The Ephraimites intentionally disobeyed God and didn't care. They chose to obey the commandments of men rather than the commands of God, and that's not all. Ephraim was worldly minded. Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a cake unturned. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without sense. They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. Ephraim was more worldly minded than heavenly minded. The Ephraimites enjoyed friendship with the world more than friendship with God. Ephraim was self-dependent and self-righteous, and Ephraim said, surely I have become rich. I have found wealth for myself in all my labors. They shall find in me no iniquity. That is sin. Sound familiar? The Laodicean church attitude. I am rich, have become wealthy and have need of nothing, but in reality are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Ephraim is cowardly and forgetful of God. The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying a bow turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God. They refused to walk in his law and forgot his works and his wonders that he had shown them. When the going got tough, they bailed, forgetting all the amazing things God had done for them in the past. And lastly, Ephraimites loved their idols. Ephraim is joined to idols. Let him alone. Stephen Haskell, one of the early Adventist pioneers, wrote an excellent but strongly worded piece summarizing the exclusion of modern day Ephraimites from this list in Revelation. He says, idolatry was the great sin of Ephraim. He failed to appreciate the sacred things of God. After the pleadings of the Lord were rejected, then the word went forth. Ephraim is joined to idols. Let him alone. My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto him nor accept his love. There are many idolaters in the world today traveling the same road over which Ephraim passed. They're not worshiping idols made of metal, wood, or stone for the popular gods of the present day are not of that form. They're money, wealth, pleasure, and high position. God is calling after them, but they like Ephraim are joined to their idols. Like Ephraim of old, they are reckoned as part of the church of God, but the theater and pleasure resorts have more attraction for them than the house of prayer and worldly society is more enjoyable than the companionship of saints. They will one day be taken captive by a king greater than the kings of Assyria and Babylon. The great king of all kings will arise and shake terribly the earth. In that day, a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they have made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he arises to shake terribly the earth. This is the reason the tribe of Ephraim is not part of the final 144,000. There's not much spoken in Scripture about the character of Dan or his descendants beyond the original description given by Jacob, but Jacob said enough to help us see why the spiritual Danites are not included in the last call. In Jacob's dying prophecy about Dan and his descendants, the prophecy sounds like it starts off well. Genesis 49:16 tells us Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. This sounds fine until you realize what kind of judging he was actually talking about. In the next verse, Jacob continues, Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path that bites the horse's heels so that its rider shall fall backward. Dan's descendants would be backbiters, a group of judgmental gossipers who would spiritually represent throughout all time those who would cause great pain to fellow brothers and sisters in the church of God. Ellen White describes this group like this. There are those who cherish a spirit of envy and hatred against their brethren, calling it the spirit of God. There are those who go up and down as tale bearers, accusing and condemning, blackening character, inspiring hearts with maliciousness. They carry false reports to the doors of their neighbors who as they listen to the slander lose the spirit of God. Not even the messenger of God who bears to the people his truth is spared. The sin is worse than the sin of Achan. Its influence is not confined to those who cherish it. It is a root of bitterness whereby many are defiled. God cannot bless the church till it is purged of this evil that corrupts the minds and spirits and the souls of those who do not repent and change their course of action. Then Ellen White connects this group with those who at the end are shaken out. There is a class who readily receive, cherish and circulate reports which have no foundation in truth, to destroy the influence of those who are engaged in this work. All who wish to draw off from the body will have opportunity. Something will arise to test everyone. The great sifting time is just before us. The jealous and the fault finding who are watching for evil will be shaken out. They hate reproof and despise correction. The self-righteous, world loving children of Ephraim, the fault finding, gossiping, bitter spirited children of Dan, both shaken out in the end. Brothers and sisters, what tribe do you belong to? Are you among the 12 tribes in Revelation as one who has met Jesus and are allowing the Holy Spirit to change your character to be like that of Jesus? Or are you among Ephraim and Dan? Presently, the good and the bad fish are still together in the net. The wheat and the tares are still together in the field. The wedding guests are together waiting for the bridegroom, but the final separation is coming. Right now, everything may look good on the outside. There is no broken glass laying around, the roof looks great, the music is playing in the hallways and there are fresh coats of paint on all the walls, but the inspector of all inspectors with his ability to see into the walls is able to tell what is structurally sound and what has been compromised. The great shaking is coming and Jesus is desperately working to prepare a people to meet him. He doesn't want any to be shaken out. He is calling all broken people to look to him for grace and mercy and strength to follow him wherever he leads. And getting us ready for his second coming is his work not ours. He promises to make us ready. If we are willing, he will work in us a complete and thorough soul renovation, instilling in us a fierce loyalty to God that cannot be shaken. We simply must consent for him to do this work in us. Is that your desire? If so, then you never have to worry that you won't be ready because here is his promise to you. Christ loved the church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word that he might present her to himself, a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Brothers and sisters, that's you. Jesus gave himself for you and he will make you ready to meet him. I wanna pray for you and your families, God in heaven. I pray that you will bless everyone who is watching. I pray that you will bless their families that they will be ready to meet you. Lord, we surrender to you in our brokenness and we ask for mercy and for your strength that we may wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the lamb. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.