ERM - Strange Effects Of Faith Bk 1 Vol 1

 

Report by Ella Rose Mast

THE STRANGE EFFECTS OF FAITH

Booklet 1, Volume 1

by Joanna Southcott

 

(Reviewed by Mrs. E. M. (the words in ( ) are mine.)

 

This review is from volume I of the writings of Joanna Southcott. (We need to tell you that if we had not had the teachings of Dr. Swift, we would not now be able to gain as much from Joanna's writings for they are to the average person sill not easy to discern, who has not had more of the explanations of the bible which Dr. Swift's message contained.)

 

(Now the organized church fathers were so against her writings and you know how much easier it is to think that from heaven to hell you make your own choice and of course you choose heaven. So why bother with learning anything else? Are we not suppose to understand that it is much easier to follow the broad and wide path than it is the straight and narrow? Besides if you do not know who the woman is that Joanna is speaking of--this woman of Revelation 12, then how can you find the hidden mysteries of your faith or of the book?)

This 'Spirit of Truth' ---YAHSHUA ----himself is thus speaking to this hidden woman (Israel), his kingdom family. Thus this knowledge given to Joanna, by 'the Spirit of Truth,' on the 29th of October in 1802, is about this woman (Israel). Joanna was told that she would not only have this knowledge to impart but also she would have the divine power to go on with her writings, not only in opposition to men and devils but often against her own will. When she, perhaps not understanding, thought to burn her writings. Remember, they were also new to her as well at that time. For she said that she was a very religious woman. And so was her mother.

(Thus, at this time, we say ‘Thank you, to our Redeemer for letting us learn a bit more as to be able to gain from her writings so as to better understand THE BOOK.)

Joanna then wrote as the 'spirit of truth' dictated, in verse. And I summarize a bit of it:---

"For it is I in thee do speak,

So high or low, let mortals know

Tis I, direct thy hand,

From it the nations all shall know,

The firm decrees from ME."

 

In every age of the world when the Lord begins to work on the hearts of men to prophesy in his name, then Satan began to work on the hearts of others to prophesy of him, so that the prophets of the Almighty might not be believed. Thus now in the last days when the LORD intends to do as he hath spoken thru the prophet Joel, and pours out his spirit upon all flesh, and upon his handmaidens that they shall prophecy. He well knew that Satan will do the same therefore it was written---False prophets and false Christ's will arise.

Joanna then tells us that it was decreed by the Almighty --so that men might not be deceived in this matter that it is the Gospel of Christ and the visions of John in Revelation 12, and 19-22 that will show you the prophets to be believed. No living man can give an explanation, for all this was sealed up in the bosom of the father, till he thought proper to break the seals and reveal it to the woman as it is written in revelation. We are thus commanded to try the spirits whether they be of God or not. If they be of God, the truth will be made manifest.

Thus, Joanna say if any minister will prove that these writings come from the devil, and can explain these mysteries of the bible unto her, then she will quit writing but if not she will go on until she has exposed all of the mysteries of the Bible. The things that are to come and what shall happen till Christs kingdom is established in earth. Sometimes they are explained in parables, sometimes in types and shadows and sometimes from visions, and dreams, and also from the Bible which showeth that knowledge must come to man from the woman. (Who today we say is Israel).

She, the woman (Eve, in the beginning) first plucked the fruit and brought knowledge of the evil fruit, so at last she must bring knowledge of the good fruit. Thus the mystery in the garden was the planting of the 'Tree of life' which is not explained except as being the race of Adam. But from this race comes God's Israel of the Book. (In other words the woman of revelation and the New Jerusalem.)

(Now you see why this was so hard to accept even for us if we had not first from the Ministry of Dr. Swift understood more of the message of the book for the latter days.)

Then as Joanna appealed to the men of the hierarchy of the Christian religion, then they said that it was only the spirit of the devil which had come to her, thus she was proclaiming what was from the devil. And if they could not be enlightened to understand the scriptures from the very beginning, then they would not understand this which Joanna was telling them that was knowledge for the latter days. But every time that Joanna would be disturbed at what the ministers were saying unto her then she would get another message from 'the spirit of truth' and this would give her the strength to go on. Thus she persisted in her writings but she also marveled at how this 12th chapter of Revelation would be fulfilled ---OF THIS WOMAN TRAVAILING IN BIRTH AND LONGING TO BE DELIVERED. She then realized that these wonders that John saw in the heavens must take place on earth. Of this she was sure, but she was also in awe of:

"What wonders there would then appear,

To an enlightened race;

When every mystery is made clear,

And seen without out glass.

No veil between then being seen,

No wonder you’d behold,

For all is to be clearly bright,

As pearly streets with gold.

Should wonder's there to you appear?

You'd wonder then of all

To see them clothed with the sun

Can wonder not at all.

 

Such is the mystery of man --that a woman should be clothed with the sun of righteousness, when we read that He is coming with healing in His wings. But because they know not the scriptures which indicate, that to fulfill all righteousness the woman must be a helpmate to man, to complete his happiness. This men marvel at because they never comprehend what the LORD hath in store for them, in fulfilling his promise to the woman (Israel).

"You cannot see the mystery,

Nor find the bible clear.

There Eden's tree (the tree of life) you shall see.

Preserved for your sake;

The flaming sword in God's own word,

Will break the Serpent's neck.

 

Thus Joanna then says that she was led on from 1792 as the mysteries of the bible unfolds, with the future destinies of the nations being revealed and which shall terminate in the second coming of the Christ. And the Day of Judgment, when the 7000 years are ended.

Joanna was told that one man--a minister would receive her writings which the others had refused even to read. She was to put some in the printed form. And the very day she had them printed this one minister returned to his church. She then sent some writings to him, and found that now he was offended because she had mentioned his name. (Does that not make you think of today? Otherwise, he would comply with her request to read her writings.) Then two of Joanna's friends wrote to him at his request saying they were sure of the truth of her writings. But still he was cautious.

Joanna in 1793 had been told that she would be directed to a minister whose talents were great, and she thought she had found this man. Then when he said send more she again sent her other writings and waited for this minister, this man to judge whether Joanna was writing of God or not. In the printing of the material, Joanna even there ran into a snag for the printer even doubted, and he would not print the end of her message.

Since Joanna did not hear from any of the ministers as the Century ran out she began to believe that their silence gave consent that she was right so she sent her last writings to this minister. And she told him that the minister would be given seven days to reply if they did not she would give her writings to the world as she was ordered. (Notice the symbolism of the no 7. it will be all thru her writings.) She was to give these writings to the world so as to 'try' the heads of the Learned. The time has come, that judgment must at God's own house begin, and if he first attack the just, what case are sinners in? If God the righteous whom he loved with justice doth correct, what must the son of violence whom HE abhors expect?

Therefore will ye not come unto HIM, that ye may have life; for at the Second Coming, He may not find Faith on earth. Is it that unless ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe?

Then Joanna received this work from the spirit of truth. She was not to go to the people as yet. This was but to try her obedience. But now the 'Spirit of truth' says that now---I will swear unto thee as I did unto Abraham. I will make with thee and everlasting covenant and save thee with an everlasting salvation. I will reward thy obedience and keep nothing from thee. Thou shalt prophecy in MY Name. I will bear thee witness that what I have put in thy mouth, I will do on earth.

Joanna knows that (YAHWEH) God had been faithful to his word all thru out the Bible in every age. So that night Joanna then went to sleep finally without worrying. And she dreamed she had something in her hand, and she let it fall, and it whirled up and down in the room, then it turned into a cat, which she then kicked to pieces. She seemed to know that this was one of Satan's so-called miracles. For this is the way he deceives the whole world by whirling them in empty air, that neither touches the bottom or the top of the truth. And as she awakened she realized that (YAHWEH) God had let her see how empty Satan's miracles are.

Joanna has many visions of how things are to be. One night she dreamed that she was in a bunch of sheep. And she heard heavenly music and the sheep were dancing and shaking their heads until they were just almost all ears. She was given the understanding of this dream, to mean that the sheep were servants of the Almighty. And now they were coming to their own understanding, but they were all ears to hear the voice of the LORD. Satan then tempts Joanna and argues with her for 10 days, but she would persist and finally he left her alone.

Now 'The first is last, and the last first'--the end of all things is coming, and Satan is to be chained down for a thousand years. It never entered the heart of man to conceive of the glorious days that were before those that wish Christ's kingdom to be established. Thus, first here in the end of the age is the plan of God for the establishment in earth of his kingdom. And as it is established in earth thus the last is first in the hearts of the awakened sheep. Every wise man will be like Solomon. They shall search out the mystery, and judge for themselves. But fools will judge of things, they know nothing about, and stop their ears, like the deaf adder. But all shall be fulfilled:---For the Dragon was wroth with the woman and cast out a flood against her, and this he does in the hearts of men. Thus deep in this mystery of the 'Tree of good and of evil, Christ said; "I am Alpha and Omega" the beginning and the last. But the first shall be last and the last first. Thus the knowledge of the evil fruit came first --the knowledge of the good fruit must come last.

In 1796, Joanna sent a letter to a minister who had said that the ‘Marriage of the Lamb’ was to take place in heaven. Joanna said, --no-- this Marriage of the Lamb means that HE comes to unite all nations (of Israel) to be one sheep under one shepherd. And Christ was to be the shepherd of the whole flock. The Lamb's wife meant a woman, these things would be revealed to, and the being ready for His coming meant perfect obedience to the commands of the LORD. This minister seemed to be at a loss to believe all this. So Joanna was ordered to send him a letter. And she tells him that this woman (Israel) is the kingdom, this "Pearl of Great Price.” And it was given to the children to know this message. It was not given to those who would not accept.

Joanna writes a long verse to describe this mystery of what is revealed unto her: And from this we learn that the Pearl of Great Price began with the woman at first and it must end with the Woman (the kingdom) at last. Remember Isaiah wrote: "Rejoice thy barren, that does not bear, as it is written-----that all of her children shall be taught of the LORD, and great shall the Peace (Understanding) be upon the earth.”

Surely all men must know that man cast the blame on the LORD for the fall. And the LORD of Glory bore it on the cross, for man and by man. The woman however cast the blame on the serpent, and in the end the woman (Israel) must cast the blame on him (the devil) so he must bear it as the LORD of Life and Glory did for men.

When the LORD cometh to reason with man then it is written:---I shall gather them together in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and plead with them there. This means that He will bring all the nations (of Israel) low together, as a valley is low, and there by HIS spirit, HE will plead with them. He will reason with them, and make plain all His bible to their view. But to Joanna this was explained to her by the spirit, still it must be judged by men, and judged as to whence it came, so that they would finally believe it. For what is shaken (hidden) of truth, to Joanna was but the substance of all things.

As is written in the 19th chapter of Revelation:--"I will say to the south, give up; and to the north, keep not back. I will call my sons and my daughters from afar, from the ends of the earth." The meaning 'knoweth not the words of thy Savior? The kingdom of heaven is like unto a woman having a little leaven (yeast) which she hideth in three measures of meal until the whole be leavened. As thou leavened it thou shalt leaven the whole lump, for I kept nothing from Abraham and I keep nothing from thee. For the Lamb has come and the bride hath made herself ready. By thy obedience thou hast done it and the end of all things then is explained.

Joanna was again in tears, surely this was too much to come to her. But then words came---The marriage of the Lamb means the uniting of all the nations (Israel). As marriage unites two together, so the Marriage of the Lamb Unites all together, to be as sheep under one shepherd. And that shepherd is Christ, the shepherd of all (Israel). The Lamb's wife was meant then to be a woman, that all this should be revealed to; and she should be in perfect obedience to the commands of the LORD. Readiness is obedience. (The wife made herself ready---Cassiopeia of the heavens). Then Joanna was told that for her to conceal this things would be wrong as it would have been wrong for Mary to have concealed the nativity of the Christ for fear men should think it was pride and vain glory for her. Fear not the spirit than said, of the judgment of men. For the LORD is thy judge and knowledge is of the hear. For He will never reveal to man----those things which he thinks proper to conceal to himself.

Joanna then thinks she is going thru some strange and singular things in her life. She was then reading Matthew, 7th chapter, of our Savior in the Mount:---

"The wind blew and the storms descended, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock, but he that built on the sand, the storm came and the wind blew and it fell and great was the fall of it." The meaning of this:---The powers of darkness that hath strongly assaulted thee; and all the powerful persuasion of thy friend that hath tried to prevent thee, but thy faith fell not, for it is founded on the rock of Ages, and the words of thy Savior shall be made manifest in thee. But those, who build on the sand, are those who build on their own wisdom and when the winds blew and the storm did descend that is when the truth comes upon them, and their wisdom falls for man's wisdom will all fall.

Then as Joanna was reading one Sunday in the 21st chapter of Revelation, she read:--"Come hither and I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's wife.” And HE carried me (JOHN) away in to a high mountain, where I saw the New Jerusalem descending out of the heavens."

Now the spirit of truth is the spirit of God which hath visited Joanna, saying--what do men make of their bibles. And now Joanna thus deferred her meaning as a future date. (Dr. Swift said that this New Jerusalem coming out of the heavens to earth was the coming of the Adamic race to build God's kingdom. We will see what Joanna has to say in her next book.)