ERM - Strange Effects Of Faith Bk 2 Vol 1

 

Report by Ella Rose Mast

THE STRANGE EFFECTS OF FAITH

Booklet 2, Volume 1

By Joanna Southcott

 

Joanna wrote much in verse, and she says that verse is an addition to words. And so in hers to the bible, were given an echo, and it is the voice of the LORD echoing back to man.

Joanna then writes of the creation and then the fall in verse. Then on thru the story of the coming of Christ to be born a babe for the rescue of His Saints.

Joanna had many dreams or visions and one was of standing at the door and seeing the moon very bright. She said she saw a whole train of men in long cloaks, riding softly thru the air, and the whole heavens was full of men riding swiftly after them. The whole of the heavens was covered with men and then one man rode thru the ranks. She then describes this vision in verse, and in it she says that the number of the army that did ride by so slowly displayed the dullness of mankind below. Their cloaks cover them. Passing softly thru the air signifies, they have no function to attend. Then comes the swift moving army knowing that danger is surely nigh. In fact she is seeing that war was approaching her land. And the lesson being that as this trouble comes they must all depend on the LORD. The cloaks signify that if the truth is hidden from the people, they do not all depend upon the LORD as they should.

Now Joanna comes to the explanation of the seven stars of Revelation 1:20. These are the seven mysteries of God. (Revelation’s says these are the seven Angels of the seven church ages.) Here Joanna explains them as the seven mysteries of God:---

1. When God made Adam.

2. When He made the woman, Eve.

3. The promise of redemption.

4. The Angel appearing unto to Mary.

5. The birth of Christ.

6. The death of Christ.

7. His revealing of the secrets to a woman (Israel) standing alone.

And yes, Adam stood alone so HE made a helpmate for him. Then the Messiah promised that Adam's deadly wound would be healed. Then came the Angel to the Virgin Mary, and then came the birth of the Christ Child. Then in the temple (in Bethlehem) the Virgin Mary came bringing the wondrous child and the old priest Simeon was thrilled to finally see this Holy Child. Then came the death upon the cross, and here HE healed the nations (of Israel). This is not concealed, it is only a matter of interpretation. And on that Cross the Christ said; "IT IS FINISHED." And from then on you must turn to the prophets to discern the mystery as to how to live forever.

Now we come to the story of the 7th star which doth appear as a mystery.

"Unto the Sons of men,

As all of these words do verify,

How can this thing e'er be,

That all of the secrets of the Lord

Shall be revealed to thee?

That so they'll find it certain is,

The truth I’ll make quite clear;

I will leave no room for man to doubt.

When I have ended here.

For then they shall find the little lump

Shall surely lump the leaven?

And they will find a single star

Is then joined to the seven.

But do not think that I have ended here,

or that thy work is done;

For all the mysteries of the stars

 

They are not as yet made known.

Now back to Adam thou must go,

For he was sure the first.

And when the whole thou hast passed thru

Thyself must be the last.

If thou bearest record of thyself,

They will say that is not true.

The servant is not greater tis sure,

Nor can his words be so.

 

For if the master was denied

by his chosen race.

How can thy words bed e'er applied,

In these dark and evil days.

When unbelief so much abounds,

Faith on earth there is none.

Like Abraham let their faith be tried,

For he offered up his son.

Where is the man who would obey

This sacrifice to prepare?

It surely is not God's command

His faith would stagger there.

And yet they say that there is but one faith

The faithful that must be;

So strong a faith on earth there's not,

As I have found in thee (Joanna.)

Thy faith is to the uttermost tried,

By men and devils here.

But when my promise is applied

It keeps thee from despair.

And tho we put you off so long,

Yet still thou doest obey

Thinking my word to perform

Tho I so long delay.

 

This is the language of the heart,

That from MY written word,

Declare that none shall be deceived

That trusteth in the LORD.

So surely shall it be to thee

Thou shalt not be deceived.

Because I know thy soul,

How strong thou dost believe.

Tho some have laughed you to scorn,

And others did thee blame.

Thy steadfast heart doeth still obey

And thy art still the same.

Therefore I own thee for the bride,

Thou art the evening star.

By thy appearance all shall know

That night is coming near.

The morning star is gone and past,

The sun his course has run/

The evening star doth now appear,

And night is coming on.

And then in the night the stars will shine

And in the midst are 7.

Which never shall divided be

Until the whole are leavened.

 

As were the first, so is the last,

For Adam stood alone,

His helpmate did not strengthen him

But surely pulled him down.

So would thy friends have done by thee

If thou wouldnst have them obey.

But now the woman's long suffering, conquering seed

Shall break the Serpent's head.

 

So now again the first the woman was the one who fell so she is now the last, but she shall be once more first.

Another dream of Joanna's:-----She dreamed she was on a high place. There were roads on it and two wagons going before her, one of them heavy laden. And it was making deep ruts in the road. There were horses after her so she had to go on. She does not know just how she got down the hill except that the ruts were washed away. Then she says that all the lands are in darkness at present, but since she knows the end then all things thus she sees in the bible are being fulfilled.

Joanna then explains our Savior’s words:---"As it was in the day of Noah." Then it was that those days were full of unbelief. And in the days of Lot it was the same. Thus, were they in those days of Joanna. (But is it different today?)

The substance of this:--'In the days of Noah', is in Genesis 6 where it is written---"It repented the lord that he had made man." Now the LORD did not say that he had repented in making Adam. Thus here is a mystery that men do not discern. It is beyond the depth of human comprehension.

Then God said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast.” But was Adam destroyed, nor his sons or Noah and his sons? For by them the world increased. Man (Adam) was preserved in a wonderful manner, thus making room for men to say----'The LORD did not do as he said.’

Now throw open your bibles to men (Adamites). It repented the Lord that he had made man (Adam) so subject to the arts of Satan that he had given Satan such power over man. (Adam) Noah then was to build the Ark for the preservation of man (Adamites). And the Ark was to hold Adam and beasts (four legged ones for a definite purpose.) He did not want these beasts to be destroyed either. God was grieved to see how the powers of darkness were working for man's (Adam's) destruction. But as the deluge came (in the days of Noah, in the Tarim Basin) this overthrew the work of iniquity in that Day of the LORD. So there then see that it was only men of iniquity who were destroyed. Here the LORD destroyed by water, but now it shall be by blood. For as the Ark was made to preserve (Adam) man. it was not to receive those who did not believe in Christ. But there is to be a full redemption for (Adam) man. As the beasts came to the Ark as they were ordered, then this shows how all flesh can be saved if they in time also come to the Christ. And believe in him for full redemption.

There is going to be a great change coming. And the whole world will then understand this change. A sword (the sword of truth) shall go over the land till it, like the deluge shall destroy all those who will not come to Christ, and believe in HIM as the Savior of mankind. This to happen when the man of sin is cut off from the face of the earth.

Now the LORD created all things in heaven, and in earth; the heavens for HIS throne the earth for (Adam )man. and the inner earth for the fallen Angels. All these must have their fixed places, and the axe must be laid to the root of every evil. The earth was never made for fallen Angels, nor for the man of sin. Therefore be assured he will be destroyed from off the face of the earth. This is what our Savior means by saying, ‘As the days of Noah, so will the coming of the son of man be.’

Now as the days of Lot, this is what our Savior meant as saying, ‘As Sodom and Gomorrah, here, men were united in evil.’ and this is the type of men and of devils, for as the devil entered into the heart of Judas for the betrayal, so does he enter into the hearts of men as at Sodom and Gomorrah. So did the devil as he did into the swine and they ran down to destroy them selves so as to go back to their own place. So are many in the last days joined with the devil as men at Sodom were. All this stands as the type of the last days. In every age of the world men have committed sin with men, when they used violence one against another. This was done when they destroyed the prophets and crucified our Lord of Life. But this you must know was not done, before the devil entered the hearts. But at Sodom and Gomorrah men declared their sins and hid them not. Thus it will be more tolerable even for Sodom and Gomorrah than for men today to openly declare such sins and repent of them not. As the time draweth near, as the Angels came to lot, and he judged them to be men (messengers), then the night is far spent and the day is at hand, when the Angels of the Lord are come to warn men and all those who believe, until the anger of the Lord be kindled to destroy them. So it will end like in the days of Noah and of Lot. Those who believe are preserved. For when sin of persecution abounds Grace will much more abound.

Joanna writes that these things she has written will be hard for many to understand. Those that see no prophecies in these writings do not understand what they read for the books are full of them. But she also cannot make the blind to see until it pleases the father to reveal to them the truth. And if they cannot find it any other way, until the Lord open their eyes with the truth.

Now some say that the writings of Joanna are from the devil, they say how could Satan, in 1792, know what the LORD would do on earth, when it is concealed even in heaven from the Angels, until the LORD reveals it to them, and sends them down to warn mankind. And if this be from the devil, and you become a true believer in the Christ, then by what spirit has the world become unbelievers in the Gospel of Christ? And that their bible will never be fulfilled in any other way than their judgments point out.

Isn't it written in the prophets that 'in the latter days, the LORD shall do marvelous things among them. The wisdom of the wise men shall perish, the understand of the prudent men shall be hid.’ In all of the persecutions to come her way because of the things that she wrote, then Joanna says that she has only spoken the words which came to her spoken it faithfully. But as our Savior saith, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and ye hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell from whence it comes or whence it goes. So is everyone that is born of the spirit.” Therefore Joanna leaves the world to enjoy their opinion and she, her opinion will show when the final truth is proved.

Just remember that it was at midnight that the cry came and the Bridegroom appeared. Did you thus sleep away the day wherein you ought to have made the oil in your lamps ready? So in all ages of the world we may see strange effects of Faith, and the fatal effects of unbelief. This, our Savior, and all his disciples warned us would be the end, thus the foolish virgins and the wise.

We should also not be like those who planned to build castles in the air and to climb into heaven from there. Remember that the Ark was built at the command of God. The tower of Babel was being built by man's wisdom, but God soon stopped that by dividing their language. (Thus it is today. Do not build your life on the judgments of some man, but on the Lord of life and Glory). We are great favorites in heaven, or our bibles could never be true. Can anyone consider what the Lord has done thru out all ages for his people, even coming to earth and being treated with infamy in Pilate’s hall, and offered up as a malefactor upon the cross? Can we believe that he suffered all of this for us, and not believe that we are favorites in heaven? Did our Savior say, ---My delight shall be with the sons of men, and then ----'What I say unto you, and say unto all--God is a faithful rewarder of them that diligently seek HIM.

This was from the deep meditation of Joanna from an early age. Thus, she judged that she and her race were early favorites in heaven, and she, thus, loved the Heavenly father. She says,---can you suppose the LORD hath shown his love so far to man (Adam), and that he will leave him before HE has fulfilled all the promises he hath made?

Now consider this. Why is it such a wonder that all of this should be revealed to a woman? Was not the first as great a wonder as the last when the LORD caused a deep sleep to come upon the man (Adam). And took of his bones to complete his happiness. If you think upon this and weigh it deeply you will see nothing more to wonder about, at the woman bringing this knowledge. After all this is a mystery.

The words of the prophet Joel must still be fulfilled. This is still true today. And you remember that the Savior said, when ye see all these things, lift up your heads; for lo! You’re redemption draweth nigh. The words of our Savior, and his apostles are all fulfilling together.

Now the prophet Amos said that,--surely the LORD will do nothing

but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets. The LORD thus has spoken and who can but prophecy. Bring the law and the Gospel together, for as a chain is linked together, so they must be fulfilled together.

Joanna then in verse explains St. Athanasius's Creed. This is that the trinity must be regarded as one. For to fulfill the glorious trinity, then the trinity and unity are one. The Godhead of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, these three, are one. This is the faith that all men must believe if they again will perfect be received.

For by the Christian faith we are compelled

That we with God and Christ be reconciled.

That every man, in Christ shall be made lord

Of every blessing he doth here afford.

And woman, by the Holy Ghost shall come

To full perfection, equal with the man.

Bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh,

Dividing substance, but in heart as one.

The seed that's planted in the virgin's womb

Not of herself, doth to perfection come

For no perfection could there be in man

Till God's wisdom they were joined as one.

Made heirs of God and Christ, and heirs of heaven

Shall their seed, when the whole lump is leavened.

So now your savior's words you plainly see

They are perfect in this Trinity.

 

Joanna then gives the explanation of Abrahams faith,--Abraham believed and if his son was to die then he believed that God would not deceive him and if this son was taken then God had surely prepared another. He depended on the word of God, and so did thus obey. The son believed the Lamb would be prepared and thus the father so believed and he bound his son. But Satan's doom is to come, and he will be the ram caught in the thicket so he can no longer deceive many. It is not the sword of war that will open any man's understanding. It is the sword of the spirit that must bring men to the knowledge of the LORD, or men would abide forever in ignorance.

Now men say that the Jews would be converted and many prophecy of this. And so had Joanna, but she was soon corrected. She reminds you that she was to send these writings to ministers (not Rabbi) and if the ministers did not reply in ten days then they were to be taken as true. AT the end then of 10 years there was to be more understanding. Thus you return to the first book and find it written there that when the truth comes to light the judgment of men will not last.

Joanna realized that the publication of these first two booklets will be hard to be understood, and hard to believe, by the gentiles, (the nations of scattered Israel) who are under the Gospel. As the Old and New Testament are to the Jews, who claim to be under the law. And now she says, As for now--give ear O’ heavens, and be astonished O’ earth. The LORD hath a controversy with the people.