A) INTRODUCTION.

B) VICTOR T. HOUTEFF.

C) WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND TEACH.

D) AFTER HOUTEFF’S DEATH.

E) ROD BECOMES BRANCH DAVIDIAN’S.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

Shepard’s Rod was begun in 1929 when it branched off of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.  Its founder was Victor T. Houteff.  He joined the Adventist Church in 1919 and was excommunicated in 1930.  The official organization name was changed in 1942 to Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists.  The problem with Houteff came about when he saw himself as a “Messenger of God” and his followers regarded him as a “Prophet.”  In 1934–1936, the Seventh-day Adventist Church declared the Shepherd’s Rod message to be heresy.

 

On March 12, 1934, the Shepherd's Rod was officially organized.  On July 15, 1934, the organization’s first newsletter, “The Symbolic Code,” was published.  Soon after organizing in 1934, Shepherd’s Rod leaders began to desire a larger, more centrally located place to establish headquarters.  In April 1935, 189 acres were purchased just outside Waco, Texas, and the headquarters’ office was relocated to that property in September 1935.

 

 

B) VICTOR T. HOUTEFF

 

 

Houteff’s interpretation of the Book of Isaiah, Chapters 54-66, differed greatly from standard interpretations of most Protestants.  Plus, he had different ideas about the 144,000 of the Book of Revelation.  Houteff personally handed thirty-three copies of his manuscript to Church leaders at the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, held from May 29 to June 12, 1930, in San Francisco, California.

 

In 1932, Houteff published “The Shepherd's Ro,” Volume 2, a 304-page book.  Two additional booklets followed in 1933, comprising the beginning of a series of tracts that would be later referred to as Volume Three.

 

Finding no other recourse after the Seventh-day Adventist Church rebuffed Houteff's claims and demands for reformation, Shepard’s Rod believers organized the “Universal Publishing Association,” (UPA) in 1934, in Los Angeles, California.  The purpose of the “UPA” was the publishing of the “Rod’s Message,” which Rod adherents believe is the Lord’s fulfillment of Micah 6:9 and 7:14.

 

The problem started when Houteff used Isaiah 65:5 in reference to himself, “Stand by thyself come not near to Me; for I am holier than thou.”  Houteff understood Esau and Jacob as two men who were only symbols.  In fact, they represent various symbols.  He made many strong statements of the application of those two individuals to our present day, but he gave no Scriptural proof.

 

Another statement of belief from Houteff was, “The dividing line between the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine is the cross.  Where the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine begin.  The first year of the famine is the beginning of the church of Christ at the time of the apostles.”  There is no Biblical authority for such a statement and there is no Scriptural proof that he uses to back up this statement, other than him being a “Prophet” of God.  It would seem that if ever there was a time when the Word of God was in abundance it was at the time when the apostles went forth preaching the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit gave those men of God such Divine enlightenment on the Old Testament Scriptures that they had an understanding of the Word in a most clear and forceful manner.  Surely that was not a time of “famine” for the true Church.

 

 

C) WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND TEACH

 

 

Houteff pushed heavily that the Seventh-Day Adventist Church needed a reformation and he was the one to do it and started to launch a “Reformatory Movement.”

 

One of Houteff's primary complaints was that the mainstream Seventh-day Adventist Church’s institutions were compromising their message and mission by seeking approval and accreditation of the applicable medical and educational boards; instead of the General Conference (a false claim told to his followers).

 

Houteff, in “Shepherd’s Rod, Volume 11, page 220.3,” claimed he knew the exact date of the “Judgment of the Living.”  1955.  I will not discuss how he came to that conclusion as it is un-Biblical.  We will not know when that will start; a commonly held Seventh-Day Adventist position.

 

Houteff believed that he received revelations that unlocked the mystery of the 144,000 of Revelation, Chapter 7.  First, he asserted that Davidians were the same company as the “marked ones” found in Ezekiel, Chapter 9.  In other words, they were the 144,000.  Ezekiel 9:4 states, “set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”  Next, Houteff described Davidians as Christian Jews that had lost their racial identity over the centuries.  Finally, he described Davidians as those who would preach to all nations and gather an innumerable company of people who would accept Davidians’ teachings.

 

Houteff explained that the “Investigative Judgment” for the living was not only an investigation of the records in Heaven, but also an investigation of the people on earth; first in the Church, then in the world.  The last part is correct doctrine.  But that the Heavenly angels will be investigated also is nuts.

 

Davidians believe from Houteff’s teachings, that a kingdom will be set up in Palestine just prior to Christ’s return; based primarily upon numerous Old Testament prophecies, such as Hosea, Chapters 3 & 4 & 5; Micah, Chapter 4; Ezekiel, Chapters 36 & 37; Jeremiah, Chapters 30 & 31; Isaiah, Chapter 11.  It is believed that it will be a kingdom of peace where none, human or animal, will harm another.  Houteff claimed that every prophet in the Old Testament Scriptures predicted this kingdom, and went on to explain how the current State of Israel did not fulfill those prophecies.  Mainstream Seventh-day Adventists view these prophecies as conditional based on ancient Israel’s obedience or disobedience; which of course disobedience has been the case.  See my Bible Study:  “ISRAEL’S REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY DOCTRINE,” which shows how Israel, as a nation, has been rejected by God; nor have they been replaced.  The 144,000 will not live in Israel, nor will they be located anywhere.  They will be saved as individuals, as it has always been.  Check the Bible.  Israel was to be light to the world.

 

 

D) AFTER HOUTEFF’S DEATH

 

 

Victor Houteff unexpectedly died at age 69 on February 5, 1955, in the midst of the hunting campaign.  Misses Florence Houteff took over and published a prediction that the forty-two month period told of in Revelation 11:3–6, would begin in November 1955 and terminate on April 22, 1959.  When this did not take place the organization struggled and many branches formed in California and else ware.

 

 

E) ROD BECOMES BRANCH DAVIDIAN’S

 

 

The Branch Davidians differed from the original Davidians in several areas, such as the requirement that the Feast days must be kept and that the Holy Spirit is a female being.  The name is an allusion to the anointed “Branch” mentioned in Zechariah 3:8; 6:12.  When David Koresh took over, things such as him marrying all the females in the house, led to its downfall and the Waco incident.