The Whole Counsel of God or Death

The following wonderful vision was given to Brother L. Vere Elliot, after a time of earnest struggle in prayer for a new spiritual revival and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The Vision

I was in the midst of a great meeting hall. The walls and ceiling were covered with jewels and ornaments everywhere. The windows were made of colored glass. The hall was full of people -- some were rich, some poor, some sick and crippled, some deaf, mute and blind -- but all had handcuffs and no one was free. In the front of the meeting hall there was a large platform with a pulpit on the one side and a large cage in which there was a huge green serpent on the other side. Hanging in the air between those two things, there was a tremendously large sword suspended horizontally and fastened with two strings hanging down from the ceiling. At each end of the sword there was a string; just behind there was a row of eight or 10 men clothed in clergy-type robes, sitting one behind the other, each one seated a little above the one before him.

The assembly looked at these men and the men looked upon the assembly. There was a silence for a while, until a thundering voice sounded from the pulpit, as if it came directly from God: "Who will declare the whole counsel of God?" The first clergyman arose with a Bible in his hand. When he did so, the old green serpent uncoiled and stretched out, hissing against the man, with sparkling eyes and protruding fangs. The man of God (falsely so-called) sank back into his seat and placed his Bible under his chair. The serpent then stretched up its head to touch the sword (which the man was standing under when he spoke to the people), saying, "With this I shall kill you, if you obey the voice of God". Then, for a little while, there was silence again.

Again the voice sounded from the pulpit, "Who will declare the whole counsel of God?" At that time, the second man in a clergy-type robe arose, as if he would step forward, but again the serpent uncoiled against the man and he tumbled back with fear. The man sat down and placed his Bible under his chair. Then the serpent touched the sword again with the same previous remark, "With this I shall kill you, if you obey the voice of God".

For the third time the voice from the pulpit thundered and the third man arose and sat down just like the two before him. Again and again the voice sounded until each one of the clergymen had their own opportunity to resist the serpent but, like the first three, fear overcame them all. Then the serpent smiled with an evil smile. Oh, what a vicious, snake-like smile it was.

The voice then sounded again from the pulpit, "Oh, if there were a man. Oh, if there were a man. Oh, if there were a man who would declare the whole counsel of God, that these chained men might be set free. Is there not one man?"

The first clergyman then took up a notebook full of written sermons; it appeared as if he would preach from the notebook but he was stuck to his chair and endeavored in vain to arise. A man, little in stature, ascended the platform and stood under the sword. He lifted his eyes toward heaven and said, "Into thy hands, O God, I commit my spirit". He then opened the Bible and read, not adding anything to it nor taking anything away. The man spoke as a man having authority. When the man had finished, the old serpent stretched up to the sword and cut off the one string with its fangs. The sword swung down but passed over the head of the man of God because he was a man "little of stature". The weight of the sword caused the other string to break, flinging the sword back, piercing the hearts of the clergymen, nailing all of them to the wall. A great scream of despair sounded from the platform but an even greater scream of joy sounded from the assembly, for every man's chain was loosed, setting them free.

When this vision had vanished (it was truly a reality to me and all those who were together with me in the prayer room), I saw another vision of the Savior in a cloud, just above my head. He spoke, saying, "Hear, my son, the meaning of these things. The meeting hall which you saw is the secularized church, having a form of piety but denying the power of it. They are all covered with jewels of the joys of this world and there is no end of their silver and gold. The people whom you saw are those for which I died but my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. They have eyes but not to see; they have ears but not to hear. They are truly in bondage and must be set free".

"The platform which you saw, on where the clergymen were sitting, is preconceived ideas, having their origin from the pit of hell. The pulpit is the throne of God and the serpent is old Lucifer himself, who, because of his pride, has set himself up as ruler over the church, since he could not be equal to Me in heaven".

"The sword which you saw is the Word of God and the strings on which it was hanging represent the power of the Word to give life and the power of the Word to take life. Life was given to the man who was of little stature. Life was taken from the clergymen who did not preach the word".

"The clergymen whom you saw are men from every church which pretend to know Me but they teach my people things which are not written in the Book of Life. Their pride, presumption and worldly spirit force them to obey Satan, who is a liar and the father of lies. Each of the clergymen tries to exceed the other in eloquence, in extensive writings, argumentations and the like but they only consider the letter of the Word. They leave out the Spirit of the Word. The day comes, and is now at hand, when they shall all likewise perish".

After having considered this horrible scene, the Lord spoke again with these words: "Do you remember my words in the prophecy of Jeremiah, chapter 23, as well as my words in the prophecy of Ezekiel, chapter 34? Read!" I opened my Bible and read: (Jer.23:1) Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says Yahweh. (14) In the prophets have I seen a terrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in falsehood and strengthen the hands of evildoers. (20) At the end of the days ye shall understand it clearly. (Eze.34:2) Woe to the shepherds that feed themselves. Should not the shepherds feed the flock? (4) The weak have ye not strengthened nor have you healed the sick and you have not bound up what was broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought for that which was lost; but with harshness and with rigor have ye ruled over them. (16) I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them with judgment.

Then He said to me, "These false shepherds shall in no way escape when the sword falls upon them but my sheep must be warned. They must be set free". Again, He said, "Do you remember My words in the prophecy of Jeremiah, in the latter part of chapter 25? Read!" So I read these words: (Jer.25:33) And the slain of Yahweh shall be at that from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth. (34) Howl, ye shepherds; for the days of your slaughter have come.

Then He said to me, "These days shall come quickly. The shepherds shall howl, yea! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth but when the sword has fallen, it will be too late forever.

The man whom you saw that was of little stature is every man or woman who will humble himself and be obedient, even unto the death of the cross; putting his trust in God and going forward, declaring the whole counsel of God. O, if I could find such a man; can you tell Me where there is one? With such a man I could shake heaven and earth".

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