By Hazel Holland
Saturday morning, January 13, 2007 God clearly spoke the words, “The Last Samurai” into my mind as I was in the bathroom getting ready for church. I was surprised to hear the title of a movie about a Japanese warrior that I had no interest in seeing at the time it was shown.
As I mused about this word, wondering what was on God’s heart, I received another word two days later on Monday morning, January 15, 2007. God spoke the words, “Custer’s Last Stand” into my mind the same way. Again I received a witness in my spirit that God was drawing another important parallel between “The Last Samurai”, “Custer’s Last Stand”, and the reluctance of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) leadership to let go of their Adventist heritage even when it falls short of being in agreement with God’s Word.
Not having seen “The Last Samurai”, and knowing very little about Japanese history, I emailed my friend, Ramone, in Japan (he wrote the Forward to The Naked Truth: Exposing the Deception of Adventism), hoping to find the needed historical background and content of this movie so that I could discover what God was saying. Ramone not only gave me the historical background of “The Last Samurai”, but also “Custer’s Last Stand.” Along with both background summaries came an interpretation that God had given him for these two words, and it lined up with what I had already received from the Spirit.
As you prayerfully read the background summaries of these two words, along with the interpretation Ramone received from the Lord, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened to see how God is pouring forth His heart of concern and love toward His children who remain stuck in the malaise of Adventism. This word is given to forcefully remind us that history has a way of repeating itself. Men in positions of leadership and power who are blinded by pride often make tragic errors in judgment. Unfortunately, they are often exonerated by their followers who also believe the lie, and perpetuate the deception by passing it on to the next generation...
Background of “The Last Samurai”
The “Last Samurai” is a fictional character who rebels against the government because of its immorality as it modernizes. The movie portrays noble motives for the samurai’s rebellion based on honor, honesty, better ethics and a better way of life.
However, in the real life historical samurai rebellion, the primary motive was self-preservation of their unique and privileged social class. The true-life samurai rebellion was a last desperate attempt to hold onto a traditional social caste and position of power that crippled the country by marginalizing and denigrating a great many of its people. Modernization was resisted because it would put an end to the old system. The movie ignores the historical truth and adopts the myth of the superiority of the old bushido system. It is filmed through rose-tinted glasses, portraying a noble fight to preserve a fictional ideal that never quite was.
What is God saying?
Like old “bushido”, the Law also “keeps people in their place.” This “Ancient Stronghold that is called a “ministry of condemnation and death”, keeps people from rising above sin and death in their lives, be-
cause a veil covers their eyes. The abolition of the Samurai class and feudal Japanese society spelled freedom for many people. Of course it took many years for attitudes to change (and some things are still being changed), but in general, it was this crumbling of an ancient stronghold (“bushido”) that liberated many classes of people in society.
I believe God is saying that “The Last Samurai” applies to many Adventist leaders who are unwilling to let the “old” go. They are looking through rose-tinted glasses at Adventism’s heritage and insist on holding onto a delusion. They may feel like they are fighting to the death to preserve a noble code of honor, a noble Adventist history. But, in truth, it is a fictional ideal, because the history never really existed as they want to believe. The mythical heritage of Adventism they invoke is a creation of imagined self-importance. It glorifies Adventist pioneers and their teachings while glossing over the deception, error, condemnation and spiritual abuse that existed from the beginning.
Additionally, Adventism has always felt it as more correct and more “moral” because it re-instituted the Old Covenant Law. It returned to the old written code and pointed the finger of accusation at Christians who did not do the same. It sang the virtues of the old system and claimed that without the Law, we are deficient and morally lost. In truth, however, the Bible states that we are no longer under the old code (the Law), because the purpose of the Law was to reveal sin and death so that we might cling to Jesus instead! The Law was “the ministry of condemnation” and “the ministry of death”. In the presence of Life Himself how could the ministry of death hold greater
appeal? How could the Adventist pioneers have been induced to prefer condemnation?
The old samurai looked upon suicide as noble and as an honorable way out of a situation. In a sense, it was often seen as the consummation of an honorable life, deed or heroic effort. It fulfilled the Bushido
code of honor and was, in a way, the perfection of honor. After the “last samurai” lost the battle and stabbed himself, his dying words were “It’s perfect”.
Just as the bushidoAdventism is committing spiritual suicide. Adventism honors the Law of death as the way to perfection, just as the samurai viewed suicide as the summit of perfection and honor? (For further reading, see Chapter 12, Adventism's Ancient Stronghold, p.154).
Background of “Custer’s Last Stand”
Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer had gained renown during the 1800’s for his valor in leading American army forces into battle with Native Americans in the “Indian wars”. He is remembered best, however or his monumental underestimation of the combined forces of the Sioux and Cheyenne nations in the battle of Little Bighorn in eastern Montana. Custer came with a force of between 200- 600 soldiers, while those who were defending their ancient ways of life had amassed an army nearing 1800 warriors.
Some estimate that within half an hour the defending Native Americans had decimated Custer and all of his soldiers from the Seventh U.S. Cavalry. America tried to redeem the debacle by calling it “Custer’s Last stand”, implying that a brave American army officer had nobly given his life to defend his country against the invading savages. The over-confident, short-sighted Custer was transformed into an icon of bravery and courage. Truth, however, was much less complimentary. The Native Americans were, in fact, making a last stand to defend a way of life that went back many centuries against newcomers who were trying to eradicate them from the face of the Earth. The Americans had corralled them onto reservations with the arrogant claim of generosity–giving them back a fraction of the land that was theirs to begin with. The European immigrants had brought with them disease, suffering and death. With the confiscation of their lands went the very commodity that constituted their identity.
What Are the Parallels?
Historical revisionism has plagued Adventism from the beginning. Just as Custer’s defeat was recast as a heroic stand against encroaching evil so was Adventism’s erroneous date-setting for the Second Coming reborn as the Investigative Judgment, spawning “The Great Advent Movement”. Adventism’s last ditch strategy was to turn the “Great Disappointment” into a glorious new truth. But just as in many other distortions Adventist teaching has redefined the word “truth” to stand for error. The words of God will stand against them as He searches their motivations and continued cover-up of His truth. “So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene” (Isaiah
59:14-16, NIV) Behind propaganda is the desire to hide the truth with bravado.
Perhaps you, too, have believed the myths about Adventism—its noble, heroic heritage, its moral code, its last-day prophet. Perhaps you have taken comfort in the culture that appears to have been prospered by God and believe that the whole package is of great worth. Perhaps you have determined that you will not cheaply throw away this pearl of great price. Take another look. The “moral code of great worth” (the law) is Adventism’s “bushido”, Adventism’s ancient stronghold that has brought unexpected bondage and immorality. The history of “Adventism’s Stand” in refusing to jettison the failed 1844 prophecy has led to numerous doctrines that do violence to the gospel. Within those doctrines hides a stubborn defiance against repentance for willfully covering up the haughty legacy of pride, control, power and an institution built on false prophecy. (For further reading, see Chapter 12: Adventism's Ancient Stronghold, p. 158).
